#so id like kiss the top of the daughter's head cause i thought she was my brother | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

forever-rogue · 3 months

Note

hello miss bee 🐝

if you're in the mood to write for joel id love to ask one where he and reader just had a baby of their own and ellie starts to feel left out but they both comfort and reassure her that they won't treat her differently since they already unofficially adopted her anyway 🫶🤲

AN | There may be a new baby on the way, but that doesn’t you’ll ever love Ellie any less. She just needs to be reminded of that💕

Pairing | Joel Miller x Pregnant!Reader

Warnings | None

Word Count | 3.3k

Masterlist | Joel, Main

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I hate this,” you plopped down in the chair on the back patio with a loud huff. You heard a snort of amusement from behind you and turned around to find Joel watching you in amusement. Your lips pulled into a pout and he pressed a kiss to the top of your head, “this is all your fault.”

“Hmm,” he raised an eyebrow before going back over to the makeshift grill to check on dinner, “pretty sure that’s only half true, sweetheart.”

“Well,” you crossed your arms over your chest and frowned at him, “it’s still partially true. Being pregnant is the worst. Especially with this heat. I should have gotten pregnant in the summer so the worst of it would have been in the winter.”

“Think of it this way,” the way you raised an eyebrow in a way that suggested you were anything but amused, “we’ll have a fresh baby for the holidays.”

“I’m still hoping for a halloween baby,” you grinned, rubbing your belly that seemed to be growing by the day, “how cool would that be?”

“The coolest,” Joel teased as you laughed, an actual laugh that went straight to his heart, “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

“The real question - do you think we’re going to have a boy or girl?”

“Girl,” he insisted without hesitation, “I’m always going to have my girls. I don’t think that’s changing anytime soon.”

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see,” you took a sip of the fresh lemonade and let out a soft sigh, “but I have a feeling you’re going to be wrong!”

“Oh yeah? You wanna bet on that?” Joel stood there, hands on his hips as he watched you closely. You stuck out your tongue at him, causing both of you to laugh.

What you hadn’t realized was that Ellie was in the kitchen, getting some plates ready to bring out, listening to the two of you. She loved you, she loved you both immensely. She knew that you and you knew that. But she couldn’t help the pang that settled in her stomach and the way her heart seemed to constrict. It was a feeling that hadn’t left her since you’d told her you were pregnant. You and Joel had been so excited to tell her and despite the shock of the news, she’d been excited too. Ellie Williams was finally going to have a baby sister or brother. Her family was growing.

But as the weeks passed by and your pregnancy became more visibly obvious, the worse she started to feel. And it felt like it was eating her alive. It was a mix of emotions that she was struggling to handle and cope with. She was excited for you and Joel and your entire little family but it left her feeling…lost and confused.

Ellie knew that both of you viewed her as your daughter and she viewed you as parents. She wondered what it would like when the baby came. Your baby - your and Joel’s flesh and blood. Once you had your own baby, would you no longer care about her? Would she be pushed to the wayside as you welcomed and loved your actual child?

These types of thoughts had been plaguing her for months now. It was stupid, so fuckin’ stupid, she’d be the first to admit, and yet the feelings remained. Realistically, she could have gone to either of you and asked in order to alleviate her fears or get some simple reassurance. But that seemed silly too. What was she supposed to do? Come up to you and ask ‘hey will you still love me once the baby is here?’ That felt ridiculous.

Instead, Ellie internalized her feelings, deciding to push them away and act like nothing was wrong. You’d noticed that something was off with your girl recently. Things had just seen so crazy lately, with getting ready for the baby and Joel being off for a while with work to do, it hadn’t been easy. But Ellie really had been your rock and you hated the idea that you were neglecting her in any sense.

“Ellie?” the girl almost dropped the bowl of salad she was holding when she heard you call out to her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and blinked back her tears before heading into the backyard. Your entire face lit up when you saw her and she felt bad for a moment for ever having doubted your love and affection for her, “there you are, Ellie Bean! Everything okay?”

“Y-yeah,” she set the plates and bowl onto the table and nodded softly, “just got caught up cutting the…tomatoes.”

“There’s no tomatoes in the salad, baby,” you gave her arm a gentle squeeze, “we gave the last of them to the Meyers the other day. Are you sure you’re alright?”

She looked away and nodded, staring into the distance as she pleaded with her heart and mind to remain calm and collected. Joel clicked his tongue and caught her attention, giving her a questioning look. Sometimes he hated how well he knew her and how he seemed to see right through her.

“C’mere,” he motioned for her to come over and she obliged, walking over slowly with a heavy tread. She stopped in front of him and he put his hands on her shoulders, leaning down slightly so he was closer to eye level with her, “what’s wrong, baby girl?”

“Nothing,” she replied through gritted teeth. Joel knew that something was up but he didn’t want to push her and possibly cause her to pull away from him. He sighed softly before pressing a kiss to her forehead. It had become such a reflexive action that he didn’t even think about doing it any more, “you’re being gross and showing too much emotion.”

“Someone’s gotta do it,” he teased and that caused her to smile slightly at him, “‘cause it sure ain’t going to be you right, is it? You wanna talk about it?”

“Not really,” she whispered, “not right now.”

“Okay,” he nodded lightly, “I’ll be here and ready to listen whenever you’re ready.”

“I know, old man,” she pushed his arm before turning on her heel and walking back over to you. She sat down next to you, her gaze drifting for a moment to your belly. You reached up and touched her face, gently stroking her cheek, “you’re both such saps.”

“It’s only because we love you,” you beamed at her. She felt her cheeks growing warm and pink as she stared at the bowl of tomato-less salad, “you wanna help me make some dessert while the food’s cooking? I was thinking pudding…ooh or maybe some sort of pie?!”

“Sure,” she perked up at your enthusiasm, unable to deny the appeal of spending time with you and making a dessert, “let’s do it.”

Ellie decided that she’d figure out the rest later. Right now, she was okay and she just wanted the two of you to have some fun.

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

“I’m worried about her,” you closed your book and set on the nightstand before turning to your husband with a sad expression on your face. He followed suit and turned so he was fully looking at you.

“The baby?”

“I - no. And we don’t know if it’s a girl or boy yet so calm down,” you laughed for a moment before moving to sit crossed-legged - to the best of your ability anyway - and gave him a serious look, “Ellie. She seems so closed off lately and it always seems like she’s upset, but when I try to talk to her she changes the subject or finds an excuse to leave. I feel like my poor baby girl hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you,” Joel took your hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze before you laced your fingers together, “she could never hate you.”

“But something is wrong and I don’t know what it is and I can’t fix it,” a wave of emotion washed over you and tears stung at the back of your eyes. You sniffled, fully aware that you probably seemed ridiculous right now but you didn’t care, “I just want to make it better.”

“Honey,” Joel’s voice was soft as he put his hands on your sides and gently pulled you towards him. You easily gave in, soft and pliable, as he settled you in his lap. You felt pathetic as you looked at him, tears running down your cheeks. He tenderly brushed them away before taking your face in his hands and turning your face up to his, “she doesn’t hate you and she never will. Whatever she’s going through right now, she’ll come around. She’s still guarded and sometimes these things take time. She’ll come around, she always does. We just have to keep on loving her.”

“Promise?” you whispered as he nodded softly. You leaned into his touch as he rubbed your back soothingly, “I don’t know what I’d do if…I don’t know. If she stopped loving us.”

“That ain’t happening,” he pressed a kiss to your forehead, “I have a feeling I know what’s going on with her.”

“Oh?” you looked at him in surprise and he couldn’t help but grin at the sight of your confused expression. The fact that you were so pouty and pregnant made you even more adorable to him than before. He had to fight back a laugh at your expression, opting instead to kiss you softly, “what do you think it is?”

“The baby,” he answered, putting a hand on your belly and rubbing it gently, “I think she’s worried about the baby.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think she thinks that we’re just going…to stop loving her?” the waterworks started again and this time you couldn’t hold back the tears, “she thinks we’re going to replace her!”

“Oh honey,” you wrapped your arms around his neck and tried to hug him as best as possible. You huffed as you buried your face into his chest and he softly cooed at you, “I don’t think she thinks we’re trying to replace her. I think she’s worried that we won’t have as much time and love for her."

"That's not true," you hated the fact that that thought even crossed her mind, "that's like…the farthest thing from the truth! She's my baby too. Nothing is ever going to change that."

"I know that," he gently brushed his fingers along your jaw before resting his hand on your cheek, "you know that. I think she just might need a little reassurance."

"Yeah," you sighed softly, "I can do that. I will do that."

"I have no doubt about that either, honey."

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Ellie startled when she heard your enthusiastic knocking on her door. She groaned as she looked at the old school alarm on the bedside table and saw that it wasn't even eight o'clock yet.

"Come in," she rolled onto her side so she was facing the door. You almost threw open the door in your excitement, already fully dressed and ready for the door.

"Hi my love!" Her eyes widened at your cheeriness, "good morning, Ellie Bean."

"It's early," she groaned as you leaned against the doorway, causing you to laugh softly, "why are you so awake?"

"I've been up for a while…couldn't sleep well," you shrugged it off, "but I thought it would be fun if we spent the day together, just the two of us!"

"O-oh," she slowly sat up, heart almost constricting with emotion, "are you sure?"

"Duh," you teased, "its been a while since it's just been the two of us and I figured we could have some fun!"

"Okay," she looked at you, an eyebrow raised in question. You clapped excitedly and she offered you a tentative smile in response, "w-wait, am I in trouble?"

"Of course not," you walked over to her and held out your hand to her. She took yours and slowly slipped out of the bed, "I just want to spend some time with my favorite girl."

"Alright," a little bit of a flush crossed her cheeks as she offered you a smile, "yeah, that could be fun."

"Let's go then slow poke, no time to lose!"

─── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Your day had been filled with doing anything and everything that Ellie wanted - within reason of course. As the day bled into night, the two of you were at the lake, sitting on the dock, feet dangling into the water.

"Can I ask you something?" You finally couldn't take it anymore and needed to clear all the air. Ellie paused before nodding slowly and turning towards you.

"Sure…"

"I feel like lately…things have been different," you put your arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze, "and I want to make sure you're alright. You've been off lately, and I want to know if you're okay and if I can do anything to help."

"Oh. Oh," Ellie swallowed thickly; she thought she'd been better at disguising her feelings, "umm…it's…just. I don't know. Things have just felt different since you've been pregnant."

"Yeah?" You asked as she turned to you with a sad little smile and a nod, "oh, Ellie."

"I just…it feels weird that…umm. Like it's you and Joel, you know? And now you're having your own child and it makes me feel like…where's my place?"

"Baby," you tried to keep your own emotions at bay but it was hard when all you wanted to was to wrap her up in a big hug, "your place is with us - it'll always be with us. We're family. Nothing is going to change that."

"But if you love the new baby more than me?" You hated that she even thought anything like that. You wished you could convey just how very much you loved her, "I keep thinking about…what if you don't want me anymore."

"We will never not want you or love you," you took her hand and held it tightly in yours, "that will never change. Nothing could change how we feel about you. You're our girl, Ellie."

"Are you sure? The baby-"

"The baby doesn't change anything," you pulled her into your body as much as you could, "its another person we're bringing into our family that we can love. It doesn't mean any of us is going to get less love. Okay? I swear on my life. And Joel's life. All of it."

"Every time I've gotten close to people they've been taken from me," Ellie sniffled brushing at her eyes with the back of her hand, "my parents, my family, my friends…I almost lost Joel. I don't want to lose you too and the baby. I'm not sure if I'd make it if I did."

"Ellie," you softened at the young girl, "you are so young and you've been through so much. More than anyone ever should. And I know the world is scary and we don't know what the future holds but we can't let that dictate how we feel about the present or how we act. You're not going to lose us or your brother or sister. Never. And maybe me just saying that doesn't make anything better but I'll show you and I'll keep showing you that we mean it. Honestly, I don't think I'd survive without you. You are the world to me, Ellie."

"Being pregnant has made you so sappy," she laughed through her tears, "even more than normal. Its kind of gross."

"It's because I love you so much, kiddo," you grinned at her, brushing away her tears, "but the hormones definitely aren't helping! Luckily it won't be too much longer before the baby is here."

"Are you scared?"

"Terrified," you confessed with a sheepish grin, "but I know I'll be okay. I've got you Joel and you. Everything will be okay."

"Yeah," she nodded, a bit of confidence oozing back into her, "we'll be okay. I'm excited to meet the baby."

"Boy or girl you think?"

"Girl," she seemed so confident that you were almost convinced of that as well, "Joel's meant to be surrounded by girls."

"Funny, that's exactly what he said too," you shook your head in amusement thinking about the two of them. They were too alike for their own good, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"Whatever," she playfully rolled her eyes, "we all know we're right!"

"Mhmm," you slowly stood up and held out your hand to her, "come on my love. Let's go home and annoy Joel."

She took your hand eagerly, "I love you too, just so you know."

"Yeah," you promised her softly, "I know. I love you more, kiddo."

Ellie approached you slowly, almost unsure if she should be coming over. You beamed at her, motioning for her to come closer. She stole a quick look at Joel, who offered her a small smile and nod of reassurance.

"Come here, my love," you held out your hand to her and she came over, staring at the bundle in your arms in awe, "I hate to admit it, but Joel was right. You've got yourself a little sister."

"Wow," she reached over and gentle stroked her chubby little cheek, "she's so small. What's her name?"

"Well, we don't have a name picked out yet," you smiled softly, "we were hoping you'd help us by picking her name."

"Me?"

"You! If you'd like to that is," you could see her eyes watering up, and your heart felt so full, "you can take a bit to think about it-"

"Daisy," she stated softly, looking between you and Joel to gauge your reactions, "I like Daisy."

"Me too," you gave her a hand squeeze, "Daisy it is. It's perfect. Do you want to hold her, Ellie?"

"I-I don't know," she swallowed the lump in her throat as the baby cooed softly, "she's so small and I don't wanna…hurt her."

"You won't," you promised, straightening up as she stepped closer, "hold her to your chest and make sure you're supporting her head, okay?"

"Okay," she reached over gingerly, as though the baby was made of glass. She took her from you and did as you said, holding the small baby protectively. Daisy made a few sounds before yawning and snuggling into Ellie. The girl watched her in amazement, "she's so cute and little."

"Just like you," you teased, reaching over and giving her arm a squeeze. You turned to Joel, who was watching the scene unfold with nothing short of heart eyes, "look at that, Joel. Look at our girls. They're the best."

"Yeah," he agreed, pressing a kiss to the side of Ellie's head, "they are. But you know what else?"

"Hmm?"

"I was right - it was a girl," he threw you a cheeky grin as you snorted in amusement, "wouldn't change it for the world."

"Yeah, me neither," Ellie piped up, "I guess we're a pretty cool family. Daisy and me anyways. You guys are alright."

"We love you too," you sighed contentedly, happy to have your little family all together, "both of you. Lots and lots."

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller x you #joel miller x fem!reader #joel miller imagine #joel miller one shot #pedro pascal #tlou

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the-guilty-writer · 1 year

Text

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Request from @steveharringtonsgirl04: Hey! I have a request you can totally say not to it but it just keeps coming back in my head lol soo dad hotch x teen reader where she just wants her dad to hold her :( like all the hotch hugs so he takes her to the BAU and nobody knows he has a daughter btw I absolutely adore your writing it’s literally my favorite!

Aaron Hotchner x daughter!reader

Summary: Hard days are always made better by Hotchner hugs.

A/N: I fully admit that I am lacking in creativity at the moment and I don’t love the “secret family” trope, so this is just short and fluffy Hotch being the best dad

CW: reader gets her period, mentions of vomiting, suggestion that reader’s mother is Haley but could always be adopted or from another relationship

---

“Everyone has his day and some last longer than others.”

Well, you were having your day. And it was bad. Before the lunch bell rang for the day you’d already gotten a terrible night sleep, had Jack spill juice on your favorite top, been late for class, gotten locked out of your locker, tripped over your own feet causing you to face plant in front of the upperclassmen, and gotten your period.

It was safe to say that you were having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

You riffled through your backpack, looking for the bottle of Advil to ease the cramps, but when you found it, it was empty. You cursed under your breath.

Terrible. Horrible. No Good. Very Very Bad Day.

With the knowledge that you’d be unable to get through the rest of the day without being in pain, you swallowed your pride and went to the nurse’s office.

“I’m going to have to call a parent or guardian to bring you something,” the older lady told you. “It’s against school policy for me to give students medication without a doctor's note. Is there someone I can call?”

Usually the answer would have been Jessica, but for once she was the guardian who was out of town.

“Yeah, um, my dad,” you said.

The nurse gave you a sympathetic look and left. She came back a few minutes later. “He’s on his way,” she informed you.

Feeling exhausted and uncomfortable, all you could do was nod.

---

When Hotch walked into the nurse’s office an hour later, he thought you might be on the verge of vomiting. While you tried to look as stoic as him, the paleness of your face gave away how you were actually feeling, and the guilt that he couldn’t get there sooner made his heart sink.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted you, sitting next to you on the cot. He pulled a bottle of Advil from his pocket and handed it to you.

“Thanks.” Your hands were slow but your voice was grateful. “Sorry you had to drive all the way here.”

“No need to apologize.” He kissed your forehead before you downed the pills. You leaned into him slightly and he wrapped his arms around you. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”

“‘S not your fault,” your voice was muffled by his suit. You leaned into him and he held you gladly. Just like your mom, you’d always liked hugs, even more so when you hurt.

“Do you want to come to work with me?” he asked. “You can come lay on the couch in my office for the rest of the day.”

You didn’t even question it. “Yes, please."

He signed you out at the front desk. You got a few funny looks, probably doubts that your cramps were really bad enough that you needed the rest of the day off school, but nobody was going to question the glock on your dad's hip or the ID on his shirt.

He helped you into the car, always showing you how any future partner you have should treat you. By the time he climbed into the drivers side, you were already slumped against the door, fast asleep. A gentle smile crept over Hotch’s face as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, careful not to wake you, and then began driving to the office at Quantico.

---

“Do you need anything?” Your dad asked before he sat down at his desk.

You were curled up on the couch in his office, a warm cup of tea on the small table in front of you and a fuzzy blanket. Halfway through the drive, your dad had stopped to get your favorite food. You had your laptop out so you could relax and watch your favorite movies. Really, you had everything.

“A hug?” you requested. That was the one thing he’d never say no to. He sat beside you on the couch and pulled you into a hug- the safest feeling in the world. As he let go, he kissed your forehead and then pulled the blanket tighter around your shoulders.

You put the headphones on and turned on the movie. Your dad began his paperwork.

It was no longer a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

#criminal minds fanfiction #criminal minds #aaron hotchner #aaron hotchner x daughter!reader #aaron hotchner x child!reader #hotch x daughter!reader #hotch x child!reader #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds x y/n #criminal minds x platonic!reader #criminal minds x teen!reader #criminal minds x daughter!reader #criminal minds x child!reader

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parkerslatte · 3 years

Text

Years Passed [Chapter Four]

Spencer reid x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 3.3k

Part Summary: Y/N spends time with Harper on her birthday and the day after her and Spencer enjoy a cosy evening in.

previous chapter / next chapter

Years Passed Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Taglist

***

CHAPTER FOUR: GENTLE CONVERSATIONS

The following weeks were less lonely for Y/N. Whenever Harper was at school, Y/N was either painting or meeting Spencer in the same coffee shop where they had their first meeting. Whenever the two conversed, it felt as if they were in their early twenties again, everything was just natural. Even when it was the anniversary of Owen’s death, Spencer helped her through it. He knew that Y/N would be alone so he invited her to go out for coffee. Although Y/N decided to spend the day with her parents when Harper was at school, she appreciated Spencer’s gesture immensely.

By the time Harper’s birthday rolled around, Y/N was feeling a lot better. With the help of Spencer and her family, she managed to get through the anniversary of Owens’ death without a single tear shed. Y/N was extremely grateful for this, never did she want to be down on Harper’s birthday and luckily this year she never had to force a smile once.

When Harper ran into Y/N’s room the morning of her birthday, she was greeted to the sight of an empty bed causing a frown to appear on the young girl’s face.

“Mum?” She yelled out.

“Come to the living room sweetheart.” Y/N called out.

Harper immediately left Y/N’s room and ran to the living room. A smile stretched across the young girl’s face at the sight.

“Happy Birthday!” Everyone chorused.

Y/N was standing at the front of the group with a wide smile on her face. Harper ran over to her mother and wrapped her arms around her torso. Leaning her head down, Y/N pressed a kiss to the top of Harper’s head.

“Happy birthday sweet girl,” Y/N mumbled just so Harper could hear it, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Harper muttered back, breaking away from the hug so she could give hugs to everyone else in the room.

As the day progressed and Harper began opening all of her birthday presents, they mainly consisted of different art supplies from her family members, knowing that the little girl had already began to follow in her mothers footsteps. As Y/N watched her daughter opening all of her presents she only wished that one person could be there.

Despite Y/N moving on from Owen a few years ago, she still longed for him to be there for Harper’s birthday. Y/N remembered when Owen didn’t come back from the hospital the night he died. Y/N remembered the constant screaming when Harper must’ve realised that her father wasn’t coming back. She was still incredibly young and didn’t understand much but she was still smart enough to know that her dad was no longer around.

“Y/N!” Her mother said, snapping her out of her daydream.

“What?” Y/N asked, momentarily confused.

“I said that me and your father should be on our way,” Her mother said, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m perfectly fine.” Y/N replied.

The look her mother sent back was one of disbelief, “Come with me, I’m sure your father can keep Harper entertained for a bit.”

Y/N followed her mother through to the kitchen where they sat down around the dining table.

“So tell me what’s wrong?” her mother said.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Y/N said.

“I haven’t been your mother for thirty-four years for nothing,” Her mother said, “I know when you lie to me.”

Y/N let out a small sigh, “I was just thinking about Owen, I just wish he was here to see Harper grow up.”

Her mother reached across the table and gently took Y/N’s hand in her own, “If you ever need to talk to me, I’m always a phone call away.”

Y/N shook her head, “I’ll be okay, it’s just really this time of year. Although this year has been better, with you helping me through it, and Melanie, and Spencer-”

“Spencer? Spencer Reid?” Her mother cut her off.

Y/N nodded in confirmation, “Yeah, he came to question me about my neighbour because she was kidnapped,” Y/N began to explain, “He called me to tell me that she was okay and I guess that we’ve just been hanging out.”

“I didn’t know he still worked for the FBI.” her mother said.

Y/N nodded, “Yeah, thirteen years.”

There was a small pause before her mother’s next comment, “Is he still attractive?”

“Mom!” Y/N exclaimed.

“What? I’m only asking.” Her mother put her hands up in defense.

“I mean I suppose…” Y/N trailed off.

“So that means yes.”

“No it does not!”

“Again, I’ve been your mother for thirty-four years, I know when you lie,” Her mother said, “I always liked Spencer.”

“Well you didn’t like him after we broke up and I told you the reason.” Y/N said.

“Yeah but that only lasted a few weeks,” Her mother said, “I missed our weekly reading sessions after that.”

Y/N shook her head in amusement, “Can we stop talking about my ex-boyfriend please?”

“You’re the one who mentioned him.” Her mother said as they stood up and began a slow walk back into the living room.

“I mentioned him briefly, you’re the one who cut me off and started the conversation about him.” Y/N defended herself with a small chuckle.

Her mother laughed with her before reaching out and gently holding her elbow, keeping Y/N in place, “But in all seriousness Y/N, please talk to me, Melanie or even Spencer if you begin to feel down.”

“I will, I promise you that.”

***

After Y/N and Harper bid goodbye to Y/N’s mother and father, the two flopped down on the couch. Harper rested her head against Y/N’s shoulder while Y/N rested her’s on top of Harper’s.

“Mum?” Harper spoke up.

“Yeah?”

“You didn’t get me a present.” Harper said.

“How do you know that I didn’t?” Y/N questioned.

“Because I didn’t open a present from you.” Harper replied.

“That’s because it’s not out here, it’s in my closet,” Y/N said, “It’s quite big so I didn’t want to bring it out. Hiding it in my room was more than enough trouble.”

“Can I open it now?” Harper questioned.

“I suppose.” Y/N said with a smile as Harper jumped up from the couch, practically dragging Y/N up with her.

As they entered Y/N told Harper to sit on the bed and close her eyes, “Now it isn’t exactly wrapped because I had no clue how to wrap it and I thought it would come in a box and it didn’t.”

Y/N opened her closet revealing her present to Harper, “You can open your eyes now.”

Harper opened her eyes and gasped once she saw what the present was, “Are you serious?”

“I mean it’s here isn’t it?” Y/N said with a chuckle.

“Thank you!” Harper said, throwing her arms around Y/N.

The present Y/N bought for Harper was an easel just like hers. Harper had always wanted one like Y/N but she always refused, deeming the easel too expensive for Harper to have her own. However a couple of weeks ago Y/N found the same one she uses at a discounted price so she had to buy it.

“I have no idea where we can put it though,” Y/N said, sitting down on her bed while Harper looked at the easel, “But I was thinking that as we only use the spare room for storage, we can clean it out and make it into our own little art studio.”

Harper gasped, “Can we?”

“If you want,” Y/N said, “We can start cleaning it out tomorrow if you want. We can get a good chunk of it done before you go to Melanie and Toby’s for a sleepover.”

Harper jumped on the bed and tackled Y/N in a hug. A wide smile spread across Y/N’s features as the two lay there. Y/N was so happy to have Harper in her life.

***

The following day, her and Harper were in comfy clothes as they began to sort through everything in the spare room, filtering through what was junk and what wasn’t. There was a lot of junk.

“Can we keep this?” Harper questions.

“What are you going to do with a light up lightsaber that doesn’t even light up?” Y/N questions.

“I don’t know.” Harper says.

“Exactly, put it in the trash pile.” Y/N says before her phone starts to ring.

“I’m just going to take this call, don’t sneak anything out of the trash pile when I’m gone.” Y/N warned.

As she walked out of the room and into her living room, she checked the caller ID. It was Spencer. She answered the call with no hesitation.

“Hey Spence.” Y/N said happily.

“Hey.” Spencer greeted and Y/N could practically hear the smile on his face.

“So what’s up?”

“I was just wondering if you wanted to go and get coffee? We haven’t seen each other for a few days so I thought we could meet up.” Spencer asked, although Y/N could hear the hesitation in his voice.

“Oh, I’m sorry Spence but I’m with Harper right now.” Y/N said.

“Oh of course, don’t worry about it then, maybe we can meet up another time.” Spencer said.

Y/N thought for a second. She did want to see Spencer. The last time she had seen him was about a week ago because he was working on a case out of state. They two exchanged a few phone calls and texts but that was the only communication they had.

“Maybe we don’t have to go for coffee,” Y/N said, “Harper is being picked up to go to a sleepover at six so maybe we can go and get dinner or something like that?”

“That sounds great,” Spencer said, the happiness evident in his tone once again, “What time?”

“Well it depends on what you want for dinner,” Y/N said, “We could go to a restaurant, or you could maybe come here and we can order in and watch a movie?”

“I like the latter option.” Spencer said.

Y/N smiled, “So do I. That means we can have a relaxing evening in.”

“It’s a date,” Spencer said, “Um, I didn’t mean like a date, I meant it like two friends hanging out.” The panic in his voice only increased.

“I’ll see you later Spencer.” Y/N said with a chuckle.

“I’ll see you too Y/N.” Spencer said before Y/N hung up the phone, a small smile creeping onto her face.

***

After Y/N bid goodbye to Harper for the night she couldn’t help herself but look down at her appearance. She was wearing paint stained clothes and her hair was a mess. Looking at the clock on her wall, Spencer would be arriving in less than an hour. Y/N didn’t know why but she wanted to make herself look at least a little presentable. Flipping through her wardrobe she came across a dress that she had only worn a couple of times but it was the most comfortable dress she had probably ever worn in her life.

After getting changed to make herself look presentable, she scans the house. It wasn’t necessarily messy, more of organised clutter. The minimal bit of tidying she did before Spencer arrived was pushing her easel back towards the wall so it was out of the way and re arranged the pillows on the couch so it looked comfortable and inviting.

As soon as Y/N placed the final pillow there was a knock on her door. Straightening out her dress, she headed over to the door. She smiled as she opened it and she was greeted by the smiling face of Spencer Reid. He looked a lot more casual than she had seen him whenever they met up. He was simply wearing a black sweater and jeans and a jacket on top - something she didn’t think she had ever seen on him.

“Hi,” Y/N greeted as he stepped aside to allow him into her house, “Make yourself at home. I’m sorry about the clutter, I tidied up the best I could.”

“It’s fine, my apartment is probably worse.” Spencer said, taking a seat on the couch.

“I wasn’t sure what you wanted for dinner so I held off on ordering until you got here,” Y/N said taking a seat next to him on the couch, “I was thinking chinese if that’s something you wanted?”

“It’s perfectly fine with me.” Spencer replied.

After ordering, the two put a movie on while they waited for the food to turn up. As they were sat on the couch Y/N couldn't help but find everything about the situation familiar.

“You know what this reminds me of?” Y/N spoke up, turning her attention away from the movie.

“What?” Spencer questioned.

“Every date night we ever had when we first started dating because neither of us had any money.” Y/N said.

Spencer chuckled, “Yeah it does. And I swear that we watched the same three movies over and over again.”

“That’s only because you were picky.” Y/N said, smiling.

Spencer placed his hand over his chest, looking offended, “I was not!”

“You so were!” Y/N said, “You would pick out every inconsistency and explain why certain things wouldn’t work or how they didn’t make sense.”

“That’s because they didn’t make sense,” Spencer said, “I was only pointing out something that should’ve been pointed out while making the movie.”

Y/N sighed and shook her head playfully, “You sure were a romantic weren’t you Spencer Reid.”

Spencer blushed slightly as there was a knock at the door. Y/N got up to get the food and handed the delivery person the money, plus some extra as a tip.

“I’ll pay you back for my food.” Spencer said.

Y/N waved him off, “No you don’t have to,” Y/N said, “This just means that next time dinner’s on you.”

Placing the food down on the coffee table in front of the couch, Y/N stood back up, “let me just go and get something, I’ll be back in a moment.”

Heading into her kitchen, she grabbed two wine glasses out of the cupboard and a bottle of wine. As she made her way back into the living room, Spencer had sorted their food out so it was all set out in front of them on the coffee table.

“So we didn’t order drinks but I have a bottle of wine and two glasses,” Y/N says, “If you don’t want wine I can get you something else.”

“Wine is perfectly fine.” Spencer said as Y/N handed him a glass.

As she poured the two glasses, she couldn’t help but begin to feel like this was becoming more and more of a date. From the way they were positioned on the couch, every time either of them moved their legs would brush against one another.

“Did you know that Back to the Future was almost not called Back to the future?” Spencer spoke up.

“What was it nearly called?” Y/N asked out of genuine interest.

“Spaceman from Pluto.” Spencer answered.

Y/N let out a loud laugh, “That cannot be true!”

“Look it up.” Spencer said

“I don’t think I need to, you always know the weirdest facts,” Y/N said, “And I love it when you share them.”

Spencer smiled slightly while taking a sip of his wine, “I’m glad you like to listen, usually people tell me to stop.”

“I don’t see why,” Y/N said, “I love hearing you ramble on, I learn things while you talk about something you are excited about. It’s a win win situation really.”

Spencer smiled before he turned back to the television screen and continued watching the movie.

***

Once all of their food was finished, the two remained on the couch as the credits to the movie played but neither of them made the move to stop it. Both of them were on their third glass of wine and they were feeling the effects of the alcohol they had consumed. Finishing off the remainder of her wine, Y/N slumped back against the couch.

During the night, Y/N and Spencer found themselves inching closer and closer to one another. So much so that the sides of their bodies were pressed up against one another. Tucking her legs underneath her, Y/N pressed her body further against Spencer’s as they sat in a comfortable silence on the couch.

Y/N wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol acting or not but Spencer wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his side so her head now rested upon his chest.

“Your sweater is really soft.” Y/N commented, giggling slightly.

“That’s why I wore it.” Spencer replied.

“Where did you get it? I wanna get one.” Y/N said.

“I don’t know, I got it years ago.” Spencer said, his hand brushing lightly up and down her arm.

“I might just have to steal yours then.” Y/N said.

“No,” Spencer protested, “It’s my favourite sweater.”

Y/N positioned her head so she could look at Spencer, “Then you should wear it more often, it looks really good on you.”

Spencer blushed at her compliment, “Really?”

“Really,” Y/N said, “You just look so cuddly in it.” She moved her arms so they were now wrapped around Spencer’s torso as she attempted to pull him even closer to her.

Spencer looked down at her with a soft smile on his face, “I missed you.”

“What?” Y/N asked.

“The first time we went out for coffee I realised how much I missed talking to you,” Spencer says, “It’s been thirteen years but it felt like we were both in our early twenties again.”

“I missed you too Spence,” Y/N said, “The first few months after I left I missed you so much and there were multiple times where I wanted to call you but I stopped myself. After I moved to England and met Owen I guess any type of feeling I had for you disappeared. But now, I’m glad that we’re friends again.”

“Me too,” Spencer said, lips brushing her forehead, “I’m glad you’re in my life again, this time I don’t plan on letting you leave too easily.”

“I wasn’t planning on leaving you again Spencer Reid,” Y/N said, “Once you become my friend, it’s hard to push me away.”

“Good, because I don’t want to push you away,” Spencer said, letting out a yawn, “But I should get home now.”

“No,” Y/N protested, “Stay here. It’s late anyway and I’m pretty sure we are both quite tipsy now so you shouldn’t go.”

“Okay,” Spencer said, giving in too easily, “Where can I sleep?”

“Well currently the guest room isn’t a guest room anymore and this couch is too small for you so you can take my bed.” Y/N said.

“No,” Spencer said, “I’ll take the couch.”

“No,” Y/N said, “You’re a guest, take my bed.”

“I forgot how stubborn you can be.” Spencer mumbled.

“Why don’t we both take my bed?” Y/N offered.

“Only if you don’t mind.” Spencer says.

“Of course I don’t,” Y/N said, “It can be like a sleepover. Harper’s at a sleepover now you’re sleeping over.”

Spencer let out a quiet laugh before the two stood up from the couch. He followed Y/N through to her bedroom as she immediately began to strip off her dress which made Spencer evert his eyes immediately.

Y/N didn’t know where her sudden confidence came from but she turned around to Spencer, “This is nothing you’ve never seen before.” She joked.

Getting changed into a large t-shirt, Y/N crawled into her bed. Spencer still sat on the edge looking around hesitantly.

“Well are you going to lie down or not?” Y/N questioned, “And are you seriously going to sleep in jeans.”

“I don’t have anything else.” Spencer said.

“Are you wearing boxers?” Y/N asked.

“Yes.”

“Good enough.”

“Are you sure that you’ll be comfortable with that?” Spencer asked.

“Yeah it's fine Spencer,” Y/N said, “No take your damn jeans off and join me in bed because I want to feel your sweater again.”

Spencer smiled before taking off his jeans and getting into bed next to Y/N, something that seemed so familiar yet so distant. As soon as he lied down, Y/N immediately cuddled up to him.

“This is okay right?” Y/N asked.

“It's perfectly fine.” Spencer mumbled, getting comfortable with Y/N in his arms.

“Goodnight Spence.”

“Goodnight Y/N.”

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mrsalwayswrite · 3 years

Text

To Call Forth Love - Chapter 10

I’m sorry its taken me so long to update. I haven't had much time to write lately due to....well, life. But here we are and its long, so hopefully that makes up for the length.

Side note- the Norwegian used is from Google translate so....

Warnings: swearing, mild sexual content, Lothbrok family dynamics (yes, its a warning), threats of violence

Words: 15,700 (yep, my longest chapter yet. I packed ALOT into this beast)

Tag List: @youbloodymadgenius @evelynshelby @pomegranates-and-blood @heavenly1927 @zuxiezendler @punkrocknpearls @love-all-things-writing @southernbe @ecarroll1978 @breezykpop @deans-ch-ch-cherrypie

Series Masterlist

"Where are we going? I thought we were going to your flat?"

Gyda slyly smiled at Kari, sitting in the passenger seat of her bright yellow Porsche. "Change of plans."

Kari stared at her friend. "I'm scared to ask."

"Torvi asked for female reinforcement. So, we are going to keep her company."

"Ok…. But where is that?"

"At the brothers' house." The blonde answered nonchalantly as she made a quick right-hand turn. "It's tradition. Kind of a last family summer party before it's too cold to swim anymore. They have a pool in their backyard."

Kari felt her stomach drop. Ivar had told her he lived with his three other brothers. Gyda had her own flat while Bjorn and Torvi owned a house nearby. Whenever she tried to ask Ivar about his home, he would shrug off the question or ignore it completely. Eventually she just stopped asking. Curiosity certainly reared its head when she wondered what his home was like. For how much money meant nothing to him, she guessed it was massive and expensive. Maybe he knew she would not fit in and that was why he never brought her? Even through his speeches of wanting her to be his girlfriend, he knew she would not fit into his lifestyle. Why else would he keep her away? It was a valid truth that she had come to terms with. Even if she found herself secretly desperate to ease into his life, she never would.

"Of course, they do…." Kari rolled her eyes at the notion that obviously, there was a pool in their backyard. It fit the stereotype in her mind. Then she thought about what Gyda just said. "Wait. Do you have a swimsuit with you?"

Gyda raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at her while keeping her eyes on the road. "Don't worry, I've got you covered. Torvi brought an extra of hers for you."

"You had this planned, didn't you? We never were going to your flat, were we?"

"I don't kiss and tell."

"Yes, you do. There was that guy you hooked up with two weeks ago that kept sending you dick pics after."

"That guy was way too proud of his dick. I mean it wasn't even that big."

"I don't want to hear this again." Kari groaned, tugging on her diamond earring. She enjoyed Gyda but she had learned far more about the woman's sex life than she had any desire to know.

"Okay, fine. And yes, Torvi and I planned this. Ivar doesn't know you're coming."

"Why?"

Gyda smirked. "Because he's been so secretive and only Hvitserk has seen you two together. Besides, the rest of the brothers want to meet you. We may be at each other's throats most of the time but we do care for one another."

The brunette let her friend's words sink in. Hvitserk had mentioned the others wanting to meet her, but she had not fully believed it. Sure, she wanted to meet them and was curious after hearing Ivar talk about them, but why would they be interested in her? She glanced down at her clothes, the capri leggings and tank top that were practically a signature look for her. For once, she wished she dressed nicer regularly. "I wish you had said something before."

"You wouldn't have come then. You'd have created some excuse why you couldn't come." Gyda pointed out the obviously painful truth without remorse.

Kari slouched in the passenger seat, butterflies doing somersaults in her belly. Slowly, she pulled her ponytail down, letting her hair hang loose past her shoulders, running her hand through it absent-mindedly in hopes it looked decent.

At a red light, Gyda looked over at her with a bright smile. "It'll be fun."

"I don't know…. isn’t it supposed to be just family?"

"Ubbe sometimes brings his girlfriend but yeah, it's usually just family."

There was another long silence before Kari spoke again, unable to fully conceal her nerves. "You should drop me off and just go. I don't want to intrude."

"You're not. I'm bringing you because there is always way too much testosterone." Gyda groaned, then reached over and swatted Kari's leg. "What are you so worried about?"

"What if they don't like me?" She whispered. The weight of her confession hung over her like a dark cloud.

"What?"

She kept her gaze out the window. "The…. the others. What if they don't like me?"

Gyda laughed. "Kari, don't worry. They will love you. I promise. And if they say anything fucking stupid, I'll slap them or Ivar will stab them. See? Simple."

A smile grew on Kari's face. "That shouldn't make me feel better…. but for some reason it does." Maybe she had already spent too much time with various Lothbroks if the idea of people resorting to violence made her feel better.

"You aren't alone, if anything we'll steal Torvi and Asa away and have a girls' party."

"Asa? That's her daughter, right?"

"Right, and Hali is her son. I swear that boy is going to be a miniature version of Bjorn."

"I've never been around kids much."

Gyda chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "They are great, Asa is a sweetie who prefers to cuddle in someone's lap. It's Hali who is a bit wild but all his uncles love to play with him. He'll probably be swimming in the pool the whole time anyway."

Still staring out the window, Kari thought about everything Gyda had said. Of course, she was still nervous about just showing up to a family event unannounced, even if she was sort of being kidnapped by Gyda. Some of her nerves faded away with the knowledge that Gyda and Torvi both wanted her there. She really would not be alone. She had friends. She had people that wanted to spend time with her. Hopefully Ivar would be pleased to see her. His potential reaction was the only real wrinkle in her fluctuating confidence.

"Okay. I can do this." She said aloud, wondering if she was trying to fully convince herself.

"Good, cause we're almost there."

Kari stared out the window as they approached a gated community. Gyda showed her ID to a guard who chatted with her like they were old friends. As the yellow Porsche drove by the houses in the community, Kari just stared in awe. She had seen houses, mansions was a better term, like these before but it always amazed her that people lived in them. What did they do with all that space? All of the homes were set back from the road so Kari only caught glimpses of them but it was enough to remind her how out of her element she was.

Finally, they pulled up a long driveway to a massive two-story house. It was white with an insane number of windows, and a huge garage attached on the left side. On the right side looked like an expansive addition that made Kari wonder why they needed more space. The roof was made of some slate gray tiles, with a balcony above the front door and ivy draping elegantly over the corners. There were various sized potted plants and shrubbery around the front of the house and leading down the sides. Several European beech trees were strategically placed in the front yard to block most of the view from the road in an attempt at privacy. Whoever the grounds keeper was, for surely they had one, needed a raise.

Kari could only gape for a long moment, unable to move as she took in the immaculate, beautiful house. To think this was where Ivar lived and he always came over to her tiny townhouse. It was a struggle to tamper down the post embarrassment.

Gyda started talking as she parked in front of the house. The only other vehicle in sight was a silver four-door Audi, that Kari recognized as Torvi's. "Aslaug chose the house for them. When she isn't traveling for work or staying at their family home in Norway, this is where she stays. So, she insisted on this place. Something about the natural sunlight and old aesthetic blending with the new vibe. Or some other shit. I can't remember."

"Huh." Kari said as she followed the blonde out of the car. She noticed there was no mention of the father, Ragnar, and wondered where he stayed but knew it was none of her business so she kept her question to herself. Maybe Ivar would explain it to her.

Gyda opened the solid, wood front door, waltzing in like she had done this a million times. Kari took two steps in and froze. The vaulted ceiling in the foyer was enough to stare at but it was the large chandelier that caused her to stare. The way it caught the afternoon light through the many windows and gently cast it about was truly gorgeous. This view was worth owning the house for itself, in her opinion.

A tugging on her arm made Kari squeak as she found herself suddenly being dragged along like a ragdoll.

"You can stare later, Torvi is waiting for us." Gyda stated, a large purse over her shoulder and her heeled boots clicking on the shiny, wood floor with each step.

Kari caught glimpses of other rooms as they passed down the long, straight hallway. A living room with a TV that took up most of the wall it was on. A kitchen that would make any celebrity chef drool. Pictures and awards displayed along the walls in the hallway that were obviously put up by their mother.

The two finally stepped out into a room with glass walls, where the pool and expansive backyard lay before them. Most likely what used to be a porch before being enclosed. Still being pulled along, Kari followed Gyda through a side door onto the stamped concrete that surrounded the pool and lounge area. A pool in a rectangle shape dominated the area, a diving board on the far end. A quick glance around showed a jacuzzi on the other side, closer to the house, the water bubbling like a cauldron. There was a large grill, several short tables and lounge chairs spread over the stamped concrete. At the far end was an adult size statue of the Buddha with two flowering pots on either side of him and some kind of cheap, plastic crown on his head.

The backyard was several acres wide and at least that many in length. Trees and large shrubs blocked the views of the neighbor's properties and made the place feel almost like a hidden oasis. Further down in a corner was a lovely gazebo with a cobbled stone path leading to it and gardens decorating the way.

"Gyda! What took you so long?!" A distinctly male voice called out.

"I had to pick up a package." She called back, pulling Kari into full view of the others.

The brunette gave a small, self-conscious smile at the many pairs of eyes that she could feel land on her. Before she could really get a good look at who was around, a shout of her name startled her.

"Kari!" Hvitserk jumped up from his lounge chair, wearing only dark green swim trunks, and walked over to her with a beaming smile.

"Hey…. OH!" She started to greet him only to be swallowed into a hug and spun in a circle. Unable to deny him, she hugged him back and laughed. It was funny since last time she saw him, he was in business attire, coming to check on her per Ivar's instructions. Now she could not help but notice his toned body. His form reminded her more of a runner, while she was used to seeing Ivar's muscular torso. A couple tattoos on Hvitserk caught her eye and she wondered if all the brothers had them.

When he finally set her back on her feet, he kept his hands on her shoulders, green eyes twinkling with a mischievous glint. "I didn't know you were coming here."

"Yeah, I didn't know either until Gyda told me on the way."

He chuckled, glancing over her head to his half-sister. "Yeah, not surprising."

"Uh huh. Watch yourself, boy. I could still beat your ass if I wanted too." Gyda quipped.

"Maybe fifteen years ago. You don't have a chance now."

"Keep telling yourself that, Hvitty." She teased, then yelled at Torvi. "You got it?"

As soon as Kari was released by Hvitserk, she could sense a pair of sharp, blue eyes boring into her. Skin prickling under the sensation, she hesitantly looked up and immediately met Ivar's intense gaze right away, as if subconsciously her mind already knew where he was without having to search for him.

Reclined back on a cushioned, lounge beach chair, he wore loose black sweatpants, instead of swim trunks, under his leg braces, but without a shirt. His tattoos were a stark contrast on his skin and shamelessly on full display. Her fingers twitched with the urge to trace them again. It was his penetrating gaze though, the lack of emotion on his handsome face, that made her wonder if being here was a bad idea.

Before she could make a run for it, Gyda grabbed her arm as if sensing her desire to flee. "C'mon, let's get changed."

With one last glance at Ivar, she followed behind Gyda and Torvi, who had joined them, back into the massive house. They headed to the kitchen and Gyda pointed out a bathroom across the way.

Placing the beach bag on the kitchen counter, Torvi dug in it for a moment before murmuring a quiet "here it is" and handed Kari something. "Here. I bought this forever ago but never wore it. Bjorn said he didn't like the colors."

Kari took it, guessing it was the promised swimsuit, and peeked down at the two pieces of clothing in her hands. "Um…. where’s the rest of it?"

Laughing, Gyda rolled her eyes. "Get in there and change or I'll do it for you."

With a concerned look between the swimsuit in her hands and the two blondes staring at her expectantly, Kari finally conceded defeat and stepped into the bathroom. It was only a half bath, with a toilet and sink, but it was still roomy and felt fancy somehow. The mirror above the sink was large and there was a small, pretty flowering plant on the counter that upon inspection, turned out to be real.

Quickly, she changed out of her leggings and tank top and into the swimsuit, figuring it was best that way, like ripping off a band-aid. Plus, if she stopped moving, her nerves would get the better of her and she would somehow find a way to sneak home. Even if she had to crawl through a window. A smile grew on her face remembering Hvitserk's enthusiasm to see her. That had honestly surprised her but she found she did not mind. Hvitserk seemed like a good guy and the little bit of time they had spent together, she felt comfortable with him. He was funny and caring.

Then Ivar's blank face came to mind and all of her excitement slipped away like water down a drain. There had been no acknowledgement, not even the hint of a smile, only a hard stare that made her anxious and self-conscious.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to remind herself what Gyda said. At least the two Lothbrok women wanted her here, and apparently Hvitserk was happy to see her. That was what she needed to focus on and not Ivar's reaction.

Once done changing, she finally took stock of what Torvi had leant her and gasped.

"Oh no. No, no, no. Hell no."

She stared down at the wide-band bikini. The top and bottom both had alternating white and light pink stripes, strangely reminding her of cotton candy. The design was certainly something she would never pick out for herself but she did not hate it. The real problem was the way half her ass cheeks hung out of the bottoms and more of her breasts saw the light of day than they ever had before. Never had she been so exposed. Even swimsuits she bought in the past were never this revealing. Her gaze immediately zeroed in on her fuller hips and thighs, fully exposed. Faint whispers that sounded like her mother's taunts echoed in the recesses of her mind as she stared at herself. There was no way she could go out in this. She would rather wear her leggings and tank top than have anyone see her wearing this. They would all laugh at her.

"Kari? You done yet?" Torvi called through the door.

"I'm…. I’m not coming out in this!"

"Let us see it first!" Gyda shot back.

"But…." Kari tried once again, unsuccessfully, to tuck her breasts into the bikini top. "It's padded!"

"Open this door, Kari." Gyda demanded, suddenly sounding closer.

She took one more look at herself, feeling the embarrassed tears welling in her eyes. With a deep breath, knowing she could not escape Gyda just yet, she opened the door. Immediately her blue-green eyes scanned to make sure it was only Gyda and Torvi in the kitchen before she further opened the door so they could see.

"Shit, Kari, you look great." Gyda said after giving a wolf whistle.

"Half of my butt is hanging out and most of my boobs. I can't wear this out there." She said, almost panicking now.

"No, they aren't, you're overexaggerating."

"Kari," Torvi said kindly, drawing the brunette's frenzied attention, "you're more curvy than I am and let's be honest, your ass and tits are bigger than mine. I'd kill to have a body like yours. You look beautiful. But if you're uncomfortable, I think I have a cover you can wear over it."

"Please." She replied softly, hating how she sounded like a fearful child.

Torvi smiled at her. "I'll be right back."

Swiftly, Kari stepped back into the bathroom before Gyda could say anything. Her nerves felt alight and not in a good way. Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her Pinterest, anything to distract herself from this nightmare. If it was just Gyda and Torvi seeing her in this, she might have been uncomfortable but she could tolerate it. Even with Ivar she might have shied away some but he always made her feel so desirable that she doubted her nerves would have lasted long. It was the thought of prancing around in this in front of the other brothers, men she had never met, that made her stomach twist into knots and her breathing quicken painfully.

Finally, a gentle knock on the door and a quiet, "It's me," had Kari open it to take the cover from Torvi. It was a solid white oversized V-neck cover with a simple pattern around the neckline. Without wasting a moment, she slipped it on over the bikini, immediately feeling better. The hem of the cover touched the tops of her thighs, higher than she would have liked, but it was better than before.

She looked up, running her hands over the cover. "Thank you."

Torvi smiled softly with understanding. "I understand. I don't wear swimsuits that show my stomach anymore. Stretch marks." She shrugged casually, moving back to slip onto an island stool.

Kari trailed behind her with her bundle of clothes and purse. Without a word, Gyda slipped into the bathroom to change, leaving the other two waiting for her. It was now that Kari really took note of Torvi's swimsuit; it was a classy black and white one piece with thin crisscross straps across the back. The blonde could easily wear a bikini and look amazing in it, but it made Kari feel marginally better that she was not the only one self-conscious about her body. Perhaps that was why Torvi shared about her stretch marks?

"Is it…." Kari started then stopped, leaning against the black marble countertop. Surveying the grand kitchen for a second, hoping to gather her thoughts, she took a deep breath before continuing. "Is it okay that I'm here? Gyda said this is a family event and I don't want to intrude."

Torvi turned to face her fully, green eyes gazing at her before she shrugged again. "Normally we try to keep it just family, Ubbe sometimes brings Margrethe, but I doubt anyone will be upset you're here. Honestly, the brothers keep asking about you, so now maybe they will finally shut up and stop teasing Ivar."

Kari fiddled with the hem of the swimsuit cover. "He didn't seem happy to see me."

"Ivar?" At Kari's nod, Torvi snorted. "I don't think it's you he's upset with. He's a very private person, as I'm sure you know. If I took a guess, I'd say he was keeping you hidden."

"But why?"

"Look, I've known the Lothbroks for about ten years and during that time, I've seen Ivar go through some ups and downs…. well, as much as he lets anyone see. I mostly heard it from Bjorn. Point is, he's allowing you into his inner circle. Hell, you're probably at the center of his inner circle. I saw how he acted with you at the yoga studio. You mean something to him. It's no secret he wants you to be his girlfriend. Maybe he is worried that you'll meet his family and decide we're too much or that you find one of his brothers more attractive or easier to deal with? He pretends to be super confident but it wouldn't be the first time that a woman chose one of the others over him."

Every time Kari heard that, her heart broke once again for Ivar. How many times had he been overlooked because of his legs? Or his harsh demeanor? Something that she was beginning to realize was just to protect himself, to keep others at arm's length. It made her want to hug him and never let him go, to remind him he was more than just his disability. That he was worth being cared about by more than just family.

Kari must have been lost in her thoughts for longer than she realized. Suddenly she was drawn out of her inner musings by Gyda coming out of the bathroom, having changed into a plant print cutout tankini. Of course, looking like she just stepped out of a magazine cover. There had to be something in the Lothbrok blood for everyone to be this damn attractive.

"Are we ready?" She asked, her large bag in hand, presumably with her clothes in it. "Kari, you can put your stuff in here for now."

Torvi touched Kari's shoulder. "Don't worry. If anything, you are here to keep me and Gyda company, okay?"

Kari smiled, finding herself reassured and grateful for the two women. "Thanks." She slipped her clothes and shoes into Gyda's bottomless bag. They stashed their bags in the glass room and then headed back out into the backyard.

Soon as they stepped out, a little girl came running over. Torvi swept her up into her arms gracefully. She turned to Kari with the little blonde girl on her hip. "This is Asa. How old are you, Asa?"

The little girl stared at her mom before shyly tucking her face into the crook of Torvi's neck, while her blue eyes stayed on Kari. After a moment, she held up two fingers.

"You're two?" Kari asked. When the little girl shyly nodded, Kari's smile widened. "I wish I was that old. It's nice to meet you, Asa. I'm Kari."

Torvi pressed a quick kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "Did daddy let you play in the pool yet?"

Asa shook her head.

"Alright, let's go kick his butt. He did promise, didn't he?"

That made the little girl giggle and Kari could feel her heart melting slightly. She was just too cute and most likely spoiled by all her uncles. Even her swimsuit was a purple halter top and green bottom with a little skirt that was very The Little Mermaid-esque.

A happy scream followed by a splash drew Kari's gaze to the pool. A young boy resurfaced laughing loudly. Bjorn, she recognized, was in the pool also, but turned to look up at Torvi as she approached with Asa on her hip.

"Let's go sit down." Gyda slipped her arm through Kari's and pulled her along to where there was a grouping of lounge chairs. Ivar, Hvitserk and a curly-haired blond reclined with beers in hand.

Kari could feel Ivar's gaze tracing over her form as she approached, like fingers trailing over her skin leaving a fire in its wake. She sneaked a peek at him, only to find his ardent gaze on her. She blushed and kept her eyes downward. At least he did not look impassive anymore, but she still felt hesitant.

"Hey boys. What are we drinking this time?" Gyda questioned.

Hvitserk turned the beer bottle to show the label.

"Ew. I don't why you drink that shit. I'm going to get some wine. Kari, you want some?"

"Ah, sure." She murmured.

"Good. You boys be nice to my friend, especially you Ivar." With that Gyda walked back towards the house but not before giving Kari a subtle wink.

"Take a seat, Kari." Hvitserk gestured to an open chair next to him.

For a split second she considered slinking into the seat, anything for the attention to be taken off her, but realized that was not what she actually wanted. It had been two days since she had seen Ivar and the last time they hung out, it was when he returned from his trip to Italy. He had picked her up the next day to take her out to eat but he ended up spending the majority of the time on his phone, yelling into it in a foreign language and seeming on the verge of throwing his phone or punching a wall. She ended up ordering take-out for them that they ate at her townhouse but he was too wired to really relax and left soon after. The next two days he had been busy with work so they could only text. The one time they managed to Face-Time, she could not help but notice his bruised knuckles and when she asked him about them, he said he did some boxing to release stress.

With butterflies doing somersaults in her belly, she took a step closer to stand near Ivar's lounge chair. Tugging on the hem of her cover as she quietly spoke. "Hey, Ivar. Can I sit with you?"

"Oh, you're acknowledging me now?" He snapped, never removing his severe blue eyes off of her.

She blinked owlishly, surprised by his sharp tone. Her stomach dropped to her feet and she could feel an embarrassed flush rising on her cheeks. "Yeah, I'm sorry." She whispered, dropping her chin, unable to meet his eyes anymore. This was all a mistake, she knew it. This only sealed her poor decision.

Shifting to look back at the house, she wondered if she should find Gyda and beg to drive her back home, or if she should find the closest bus stop. Before she could take a step away, a calloused hand snatched hers in a firm grip. Startled, she looked down to see Ivar holding her hand. Her eyes jumped up to stare at him in shock, confused by his conflicting actions. In those vivid, expressive eyes she could easily read the regret in them. Without her conscious decision, her heart softened.

"Sit." He said quietly, what most likely meant to come out commanding but sounded more as a plea. She nodded and allowed him to guide her onto the wide lounge chair next to him.

A furious blush warmed her cheeks when Ivar wrapped an arm around her waist, tucking her into his side and pressing a quick kiss to her temple. What she assumed was his nonverbal apology.

"Hey, this is Sigurd." Hvitserk said, gesturing to the unknown blond sitting with them. "I don't think you've met him yet. Ubbe had to take a call, so you'll meet him later."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." She said, looking at the other Lothbrok. He had light blond, curly hair in frazzled braids and brown eyes. At first glance she would not have guessed he was one of the brothers, but she figured genetics were always weird. He had a lean body similar to Hvitserk with a tribal tattoo sleeve and a Thor's hammer necklace laying on his bare chest like the other brothers wore.

He silently raised his beer bottle at her, still stretched out in his chair like a lazy cat in the sun.

Thoughtfully she peered up at Ivar, keeping her voice low. "I'm sorry, I didn't know Gyda was bringing me here otherwise I'd have told you. She literally didn't tell me until we were pulling up."

"It's fine." He murmured evenly, but Kari got the feeling that was not how he truly felt.

"Do….do you want me to leave?"

He sighed, his grip around her tightening for a moment, before he seemed to relax. "No. I'm glad you're here. It won't be boring…." a wolfish grin grew as he slid his hand up her exposed thigh sensually, ".... especially if you take off this cover and let me see what's underneath."

"No!" She squeaked, grabbing his roving hand before it could migrate further.

He chuckled. "Come on, kitten…. just a peek?"

"Ivar, no."

"Why not?"

"Its…. it’s scandalous."

Hvitserk raised his hand, a devious smirk on his face. "I want to see."

She covered her face with her hands, embarrassment flooding her. "Oh gods, this was such a bad idea." Then she had to rapidly grasp Ivar's hand as it slipped under the swimsuit cover to caress her hip and trace her bikini bottom. "Ivar…."

"Fine." He slipped his hand back out but splayed it over her exposed thigh. "You can show me later."

Thankfully, Gyda reappeared with a glass of white wine in each hand and another blond male in tow who carried the wine bottle. He had short, cropped hair and a muscular body that spoke of many hours in the gym. Kari wondered if this was the brother that Ivar regularly worked out with.

"Why are you sitting with Ivar? I brought you here! I'm even bringing you wine!" Gyda teased, handing a glass to Kari.

"You also dragged me here unknowingly. Wine is the least you could do." Kari said without thinking, making the others laugh.

"You know damn well you're happy to be here." Gyda winked then took the open lounge chair next to her. "Right, I'm guessing you've been introduced to Sigurd." She flicked a hand in the curly-haired Lothbrok's direction followed by vaguely gesturing to the last unknown brother. "Now this pain in my ass, over here, is Ubbe. Ubbe, this is Kari."

Sitting between Hvitserk and Gyda, Ubbe rolled his blue eyes but leaned forward to shake Kari's hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Yeah, likewise."

Ubbe sat back with an impish glint in his eyes. "So, you're Ivar's girl?"

"Um…. we’re just..." She started, unsure what to say to his family.

Ivar broke in, his single word answer almost coming out in a growl. "Yes."

She whipped her head to look at him, only for him to stare her down as if waiting to see if she could refute his claim. Logically, she knew she should say something, argue that they were only friends. Yet any rebuttal died on her tongue under his fierce gaze. Instead she chose to sip on her wine generously.

"Right." Ubbe finally said, watching the two with an amused look.

Sigurd scoffed loudly before taking a swig of his beer.

"Something you want to say, Sig?" Ivar turned narrowed eyes at his brother.

The curly-haired brother smirked, seeming to debate saying anything. Finally, he sat up and his gaze zeroed in on Kari. "How much does he pay you to fuck him?"

The reaction from those around was instantaneous. Next to her, Ivar tensed, ready to spring up and fight his brother. A sharp reprimand of "Sigurd!" came from both Gyda and Ubbe while Hvitserk pinched the bridge of his nose.

Something rose up inside Kari though. She understood enough to know about the animosity between Sigurd and Ivar. His comment felt more like a cruel jab at Ivar than her. She was just the pathway to try and cause torment between the brothers. But if no one else was going to stand up and defend the dark-haired Lothbrok, she would.

So instead of taking his words personally, she just smiled sweetly at Sigurd, placing a hand on Ivar's thigh as she responded. "He doesn't. I'm happy to do it for free. Besides, he has something you never will."

"And what's that?"

"A cock big enough to pleasure someone….is that why you go through girlfriends so quickly?"

The rising tension evaporated in a flash. Gyda snorted so hard she almost dropped her wine glass. Hvitserk threw his head back laughing while Ubbe tried to cover his smile with his hand. Kari was sure her eyes were comically wide as what she said without thinking sunk in. Her face flushed and she pressed her face against Ivar's shoulder. Sure, she had meant to defend Ivar but she had not meant to be so crass. The statement seemed to fly out of her mouth before her brain could catch up.

Next to her, Ivar laughed as he nuzzled her. She squirmed under his onslaught but also at realizing she just insulted one of Ivar's brothers. Even if it was the one he liked least of all. For a fleeting moment, the idea she had just made herself an enemy crossed her mind.

When she sneaked a peek, Sigurd quickly drained the rest of his beer and walked away murmuring something about getting another one.

"I think you'll fit in, Kari." Ubbe stated, still trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement.

Kari was unsure of that. She quickly took a large sip of the wine to settle her fraying nerves. What had she been thinking? It hurt to hear Ivar's brother being so blatantly cruel to him and if this was a regular occurrence, no wonder Ivar wanted to spend most of their time at her place.

"I didn't realize you liked my cock so much, kattungen." Ivar whispered salaciously into her ear, drawing her back to the present. His tongue flicked her earlobe, making her jolt. "I think I'll have to give you a reward later."

She shivered at his tone, her core clenching without resistance. It was unfair how just at his husky tone alone, her body betrayed her desire. But they were in public though, in front of his family no less, so she willfully attempted to cool the heat warming her veins. With a smile, she tried to nudge him away from her but he was too strong, only tightening his grip on her and laying a quick kiss to her neck.

"I can't believe I said that." She whispered, hoping only he heard her.

He smirked, an unmistakable fire in his eyes. "It was sexy as fuck."

Thankfully, Torvi came over to join the group, a welcome distraction for Kari as she was sure the fire in Ivar's gaze was enough to set her ablaze and further stoke her own heat.

Torvi settled into Sigurd's now absent spot. "What did I miss?"

"Kari said Ivar's cock is bigger than Sigurd's." Hvitserk stated smugly.

Torvi stared at Kari with a tilt of her head and an amused grin. "Really? And how did we get on the subject of dicks already?"

Some of the group laughed as Kari covered her face once again, mortified that she was the center of attention because of what she thoughtlessly said. She had the sneaking suspicion none of them would ever let her live this down.

"Alright, enough. Come on, it's girl time now." Gyda grabbed Kari's hand and dragged her to her feet, much to Ivar's obvious chagrin. She scoffed, meeting her half-brother's gaze. "I'll give her back later."

The three women wandered over to some open chairs further down from the guys and closer to the Buddha statue. Gyda carried the wine bottle and her glass while Kari carefully held her own glass. Torvi snatched a beer from a nearby cooler as they meandered over. Gyda settled on a single, lounge chair adjacent to a cushioned two-person seat which the other two sat on.

"Alright, we have a very serious matter to discuss. Your answer may or may not break our friendship." Gyda started, leaning forward as she pointed a single finger at the brunette.

Kari found herself straightening in her seat, hand clutching her wine glass tighter.

Eyes intent, Gyda's voice dropped conspiringly. "Who is sexier: Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes?"

Shock rendered Kari momentarily speechless. At Gyda's serious tone, she had imagined a topic that would involve confessing a secret, not…. not a movie franchise. "Um…. Bucky." She hesitantly answered.

"Yes!!" Gyda shouted, throwing her arms up and almost spilling her wine. "I knew I liked you! Ivar, she is mine now!"

Kari laughed at her enthusiasm; all concern having vanished instantly. "I take it you like him too?"

"Hell yeah. I would willingly choke on his cock or he could pound my pussy to pulp and I wouldn't complain either way."

Torvi shook her head, a hint of a smile tilting the corners of her lips up. "Something's wrong with you."

"You prefer Steve?" Kari inquired, once she recovered from choking on air at Gyda's blunt statement. Her friend always had a way of surprising her, and giving her second-hand embarrassment.

Torvi shrugged. "A tall, handsome blond. That's my kind of man."

Peeking over at Bjorn who was still playing in the pool with both kids, Kari hummed thoughtfully. "Huh. Makes sense."

"No wonder you are with Ivar if you prefer Bucky Barnes."

"But we aren't…. together." Kari fixed her eyes on her wine, knowing her answer sounded lame even to her own ears.

Gyda patted her leg. "You keep telling yourself that."

"We're just friends."

"No, you aren't."

"Kari, it's fine." Torvi shot Gyda a look. "It's between you two, it's not really our business."

"She's our friend!" Gyda whined, throwing herself back in her seat dramatically.

"And she will let us know if something changes. Including telling us if Ivar does something stupid and we need to kick his ass."

Kari giggled as Torvi tapped her beer bottle against her wine glass. "I promise. Hvitserk already made me swear too."

"Good. So is Ivar really that good in bed?"

"Gyda!" Kari exclaimed but laughed at how shameless her friend was.

Torvi thankfully changed the topic of conversation to Ubbe's birthday coming up next month. Asa wandered over, wrapped in a green and brown towel with long ears sticking out that made her look like baby Yoda. When Sigurd eventually appeared, Hali dragged him to the pool where they jumped in together. Not long after, Hvitserk joined them, doing a cannon-ball with the splash almost hitting the ladies.

Kari chatted with Torvi and Gyda for some time, enjoying herself immensely. The topics varied, but she never felt unincluded. More than once, she glanced over, only to find Ivar's gaze already on her. After the third time, he tipped his head to the side and patted the spot next to him. A not-so subtle invitation or demand, depending on how you looked at it.

A smile teased her lips and she nodded. She started to rise, with her second glass of wine in hand, when the sound of a loud "shit" from Gyda distracted her.

"What is she doing here?" Torvi quietly asked with an undertone of frustration.

Curious, Kari followed their gazes towards the door leading into the glassed-in porch. She was met with the sight of two blondes emerging in matching, white swimsuits that barely seemed to cover anything. Both strutted as if they were on a runway, while chatting with one another.

"Kari, go sit with Ivar." Gyda encouraged, snatching her hand and leading her back without a moment's hesitation towards where Ivar and Ubbe were still sitting. The wine was left forgotten on the side table.

"What's going on?" Kari asked in a hushed tone.

"Drama. I can't believe that bitch brought her. What was she thinking?"

"Gyda?"

She clicked her tongue but hurriedly whispered back. "That's Ivar's ex."

Surprise made Kari almost stumble but she managed to catch herself at the last second. Further explanations had to wait because they came upon the brothers at the same time the two blondes did. Soon as Kari was close enough, Ivar held out his hand, a sweet gesture, but she could see the tension and anger in the set of his shoulders and the thin line of his lips. Silently, he guided her to sit between his spread legs, arms banding around her waist and pulling her indecently close. For once though, she did not complain.

"Hey, baby." One of the blondes said in a sickly-sweet voice as she pressed a kiss to Ubbe's cheek. "Sorry we're late."

"It's fine." Ubbe slowly answered as he shifted his gaze to the other blonde. "I didn't know you were bringing someone."

"This is supposed to be family only." Gyda snapped, having dropped into her seat next to Ivar and Kari.

The blonde, who stood next to Ubbe still, narrowed her eyes at Kari. "Then why is she here?"

"That's Ivar's girlfriend." Ubbe answered.

"Uh, hi, I'm Kari." She decided to speak up, hoping introductions would somehow break the rising tension. At her words, Ivar momentarily dropped his head to kiss her shoulder. Unsure if his actions were encouraging or reprimanding, she laid her hands over his, which were still wrapped around her.

"Hmmm…. Margrethe." She replied flatly, with a pinched look, as if talking to Kari was beneath her. "I'm Ubbe's fiancé."

The other blonde smiled pleasantly as she looked Kari in the eye. "I'm Freydis. It's lovely to meet you."

"Yeah, nice to meet you too." Kari managed to say around the suddenly tightened grip around her waist. She would be a liar if she said she was not intimidated by Freydis. While both women were beautiful, something that seemed required to be in the presence of the Lothbrok family, Freydis was a step beyond that. With her doll-like features, lovely blue eyes and flawless skin, she was gorgeous. Kari could feel all her own insecurities screaming at her in the presence of Ivar's ex. How the youngest Lothbrok went from someone as stunning as Freydis to as girl-next-door as Kari, she had no idea….and it made her uncomfortable.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Ivar demanded, ignoring Freydis' presence completely.

Margrethe rolled her eyes as her hand slowly stroked across Ubbe's shoulders. "I get bored and wanted to spend time with my best friend, so fuck off." She turned her head to look at Freydis beside her. "Come on, let's get something to drink."

After a quick kiss to Ubbe, the two headed back towards the house but not before Freydis glanced back at Ivar and Kari one last time.

Once they were far enough away, Gyda rounded on Ubbe, not even bothering to contain her ire. "Fiancé? Really, Ubbe?" She sneered.

"Hell no. I haven't proposed. I damn well don't plan to and she knows it."

"Why are you still with her? She's a greedy bitch."

"Gyda, I know you don't like her but she's still my girlfriend."

"Who the fuck knows why."

Ubbe turned his attention to Ivar. "I swear I didn't know she was bringing Freydis. I'd have told her not to come then."

"As long as she stays the fuck away from me, I don't give a shit." The dark-haired Lothbrok growled at his older brother.

The residual tension in the air was painful to abide in. It felt like a caged animal, pacing, waiting, ready for the moment to unleash a terrorizing attack.

"Hey, I have a question." Kari blurted out, unable to take the way the tension made her skin feel like it was being sunburned. Once Gyda and Ubbe shifted to watch her, she posed her question. "Ah, well, I've been wondering for a while but why don't you guys have bodyguards or something?"

Ivar snorted, brushing her hair over her shoulder to press his face into the crook of her neck, making her squirm although he did not relent his position.

It was Ubbe that answered with a wide grin. "Eh, we don't need them. We can handle ourselves."

"But you guys have drivers, isn't the next step to have bodyguards?"

"You worried for us?" Ivar whispered, nipping at her skin, only to soothe the spot with his tongue.

"I'm serious."

"Let's just say we know how to protect ourselves. Besides, no one is stupid enough to come after us." Ubbe concluded, raising his beer in a mock salute.

Gyda snickered. "This is why I stay out of the family business."

"You've no issue spending Father's money though." Ubbe retorted in a jovial way.

She shrugged and sent Kari a playful wink.

A minute later, Bjorn, Torvi and Asa came over, taking open seats with Asa sitting in Torvi's lap. Even though Kari had met Bjorn before, it still shocked her to see how much larger he was compared to the other brothers, both in size and physique. Now sitting next to Torvi, he appeared larger. With his long, braided ponytail and shaved sides, a short beard and sharp, blue eyes, he seemed quite formidable. Kari wondered briefly if that helped with the family business.

"See Kari there, she is the one who teaches yoga." Torvi softly said to Asa.

Asa peeked over at Kari, shyly smiling, still wrapped in her towel but with a juice box in hand.

"I bet if you ask nicely, she might show you something." Torvi said then looked up at Kari. "Lately she loves watching me do yoga at home. It's cute when she tries to do it with me."

Bjorn chuckled, slinging an arm over the back of his wife's chair. "And usually falls down onto her face."

"Hey, she's trying!" Torvi defended, elbowing Bjorn in the side.

Looking at the little girl across the circle of seats, Kari smiled. "Want me to show you something I've been working on? I'm not very good at it though, so if I fall over, you can laugh at me. I'll be laughing at myself too."

Asa nodded fervently, eyes wide in anticipation.

"What do you say?" Torvi tapped her daughter's nose.

Asa looked up at her mom then back to Kari. "Please." Even though it came out sounding more like "peas".

"Sure. I need to stretch some first." Kari stood up and immediately had to slap Ivar's hand away that prowled down the curve of her ass. She tried to glare at him over her shoulder, only to be met with a mock innocence. Overly aware of the eyes on her, she chose a spot nearby in the plush, green grass, trying to keep her nerves to a minimum. Carefully, she warmed up her muscles, doing a few simple stretches so as not to hurt herself. Honestly, she was nervous since she never did advanced poses in front of others. It was not that she was unable to, for she did them frequently at home on her own time. It just felt like she was vying for attention or trying to show off when she did advanced poses in view of others. Conflicting memories of her grandmother's encouraging voice fought with her mother's reprimand in her mind as she stretched.

"What are you going to do?" Gyda called over, returning from retrieving her wine glass and bottle.

The question pulled her from her mind's internal war, bringing her back to the present. "Um, it's called the super soldier."

"Oooo, I like it already."

Once stretched, Kari stood frozen for a moment realizing she was going to need to take her cover off to do the pose.

"Kari, you look sexy as hell, now take the damn cover off." Gyda called out.

Kari hesitated, fears and insecurities rising afresh within her.

"Do it or Ivar will get his ass up and help you. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"I hate you." She mumbled but gave in. Slowly, she walked back over to the circle of chairs, pulling the white cover off and dropped it on the lounge chair Ivar still sat on. Her eyes briefly flickered up only to meet Ivar's smoldering gaze. Instantly, she could feel herself flush. Hoping no one noticed, she moved back to her grassy spot. A loud wolf-whistle came from the direction of the pool, most likely from Hvitserk but Kari ignored it, knowing if she thought about it too much, she would make a run for it. Mentally preparing herself, she pulled her hair back into a bun on the nape of her neck, then faced the group but kept her gaze downward, too scared to look at them.

After taking a deep breath, she bent over to lay her hands flat on the grass without bending her knees. Next, she hooked her right shoulder behind her knee and extended her left arm for balance. She took a long, deep breath before continuing onward. Then she lifted her left foot and grabbed it with her right hand, still tucked behind her right leg. After another deep breath, she pulled her left leg up until her knee was pointed towards the sky. She held it there for three breaths before slowly releasing her leg back down and carefully straightening back up.

A small round of applause greeted her when she straightened.

"Another!"

"You go, Kari!"

"Do another one!"

Blushing furiously at the cheers, she leaned forward into downward facing dog. Carefully, she slid her hands forward until her elbows touched the grass with her ass still in the air. Taking a deep breath and hoping she did not make a fool of herself, she engaged her core and kicked her legs up so she was doing a handstand but still on her elbows. Once she felt stable, she pressed her legs together and slowly bent her knees until they were almost parallel with her forearms on the ground. Feeling the burn in her core and arms, she hoped she could finish the pose without falling on her face. Next, she lowered her legs, knees apart now and big toes touching until her feet touched the top of her head. She could not help the smile that stretched across her face as she held the pose for a couple seconds, making sure to breathe slow. Scorpion pose was one she was still trying to master on her own, let alone in front of others. If anything, this felt like a victory for her. Methodically she unfurled, bringing her legs up and then back to the ground.

When she finally stood up, brushing the grass off her forearms, it was to another round of applause.

"That was amazing!" Torvi said.

"I was thinking sexy as fuck!" Hvitserk exclaimed, a smile on his face from where he now stood, leaning against Ubbe's chair.

Self-consciously, Kari tugged on her swimsuit, making sure everything was tucked into place, as much as it could be, before pulling her hair out of the bun. She walked back over to the lounge chair quickly and yanked the cover back over her body.

"I'm going to wash my hands." She said without meeting anyone's eyes, skirting around the group and heading towards the glassed-in porch.

Laughter erupted behind her as she approached the door but she ignored it as she walked inside. She padded through the porch, stomach twisting in knots, and turned into the kitchen. Her feet stuttered to a halt as she noticed Margrethe and Freydis standing there with bottles of something in hand. For a split second she thought about turning and heading to the bathroom but it was too late as the two blondes noticed her intrusion.

"Hi, I just need to wash my hands." Kari explained. After a moment's hesitation, she walked around the opposite side of the massive island from them and towards the kitchen sink.

"So, you're Ivar's girlfriend?" Margrethe stated with a mocking undertone. "I didn't think someone like you was his…. type."

"Margrethe…." Freydis chided.

"What? Look at her. I mean she's got tits and an ass, and I guess she could be pretty but that's it."

"I'm sorry." Freydis apologized kindly. After a long, awkward pause where the kitchen was silent besides Kari washing her hands, she asked, "How long have you and Ivar been together?"

"Um, we aren't…. we’re just friends." Kari found herself admitting, as she finished drying her hands and turned around to see them both staring at her. Though Freydis had a gentle smile on her face, Margrethe looked nothing less than the cat that caught the canary and planned on lording it over everyone.

"Oh?"

"See. Told you, Dis. He is still single." Margrethe smugly said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "He's just playing the game."

"Game?" Kari muttered aloud.

Freydis set her glass down and came around the island to stand in front of Kari. Her blue eyes were bright as they met Kari's. "You seem like a nice girl and clearly the others like you too. So, I'll be honest because I don't want you to get caught up in the Lothbrok drama and get hurt. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Ivar and I are getting back together. We're just taking a break right now. Truly, I know we are destined for each other and he agrees. We had a bad fight and needed some space but he loves me just as much as I love him. So, I know he will come back to me when he is ready. I'm so sorry to tell you that you're just the rebound girl. I'm sure he likes you but that's as far as it will ever go. Gyda likes to try and mess with the brothers' love lives so I am sorry if she dragged you into this without telling you the whole truth. It's not your fault. I am sure Gyda lied to you and probably Ivar too. But it's good for you to know now. I don't hold it against you if you've have had sex with him but just know your time with him is limited, okay? How long have you two been 'friends'?"

"We met last month." Kari whispered, dread and despair a writhing mess of snakes churning in her stomach. Air refused to fill her lungs, leaving her struggling for breath.

Freydis sighed. "It probably will be soon then. Just take advantage of the things he purchases for you, so when he leaves, you can have something to sell if you're in a pinch. Yeah?"

"Ah…. sure."

"Good. You seem like a nice girl. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this."

"It's…." Kari choked back a sudden sob. "It's alright. Thank you."

"Of course, we girls need to look out for each other. Is there anything I can do for you?" She inquired, sounding so genuine in her desire to help, her gaze imploring and lips in a faint, comforting smile.

"No…. no. I just need to check my phone. Have you seen Gyda's bag?"

"I think she left it on the porch." Margrethe helpfully added, never having lost the smug grin on her face as she watched Kari with a hawk-like intensity.

"Oh, right. Thank you." Kari shifted back and forth on her feet, body primed to run, to flee before anyone could see the tears that welled pathetically in her eyes.

Freydis reached out and squeezed her arm, a brief exchange of understanding, then strutted back around to grab her drink and follow Margrethe to the porch and outside.

Once alone, Kari pressed a hand over her mouth to try and stifle the sob that lodged itself in her throat. She knew it. Everything Freydis said made sense.

Without a second thought, she rushed around the island and onto the porch, quickly locating Gyda's bag. She scooped her purse and clothes out only to hurry back inside. A quick check of the time and she figured she might be able to catch a bus, but in this gated community, there was no way buses came through so she would end up walking somewhere. Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes, she sniffled, trying desperately to hold them back. She looked up the nearest bus stop on her phone, pleased it was only a few blocks away from the gated community.

Once positive she knew where she was going, she stared down at her clothes on the counter, wondering if she should change before leaving. It would certainly look odd for her to be walking down the street in the swimsuit cover and sandals in such an upscale neighborhood. Then she thought about any of the Lothbroks finding her trying to leave and pushed the potential oddity of her attire from her mind. It appeared there was a gas station nearby when she found the bus stop, it would be simple to change there quickly. Somehow she could give the swimsuit and cover back to Torvi…. but not today. Right now, she needed to leave.

She tried to shove her clothes into her purse, only succeeding by making it look like an over-inflated balloon but it worked. Lastly, she reached to grab her phone off the kitchen counter but froze. Ivar bought it for her. Freydis' words came back to her about taking advantage of the things he bought for her. Bile burned the back of her throat at the idea. She promised herself she would not be one of those girls to him. Slowly, she retracted her hand, forming it into a fist by her side. Ivar could give the phone to Freydis or throw it in the trash for all she cared. Even with the feeling of her heart being ripped in two, she refused to take advantage of him or his money. She was a better person than that. Or so she hoped.

Worried someone would come in soon, she tossed her purse over her shoulder and swiftly headed towards the front door. She passed through the hallway she entered in, but the pictures and awards blurred before her eyes as the repressed tears threatened to make an appearance. Hastily, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand but knew it was ultimately futile.

"Kari?"

Her stride never faltered towards her escape, even after hearing Hvitserk call her name from what sounded like the porch.

"Kari? Where are you going?" His voice came from behind her, probably standing at the entrance of the hallway now.

"I have to go." Kari said, not bothering to turn around, unsure if he could even hear her. She could barely hear footsteps behind her over the sound of her sniffles and ragged breathing. It did not matter since she was close to her escape, just a couple more moments. Her hand touched the handle, just beginning to pull the door open when Hvitserk's hand appeared in her direct line of vision and slammed it closed. Although the sound was muffled, it echoed in her mind like a gunshot.

"What's going on?" Hvitserk stood directly behind her, his hand still firmly planted on the door as if to prevent her from even considering leaving without permission again.

"It's nothing." She murmured, staring down at her feet.

"I seriously doubt that if you are trying to sneak away while crying…. what happened?"

"Nothing. I just…. I just want to go home."

"Okay." He shifted to lean his shoulder against the door, ducking his head to try and catch her eyes. "Does this have to do with the yoga stuff?"

"No. Just…. please, Hvitserk."

"You need to tell me something. Look, I'll give you a ride, we can leave right now but you have to tell me what happened."

She swallowed thickly, still refusing to look at him. It was taking all of her willpower to keep the tears at bay. At any moment she felt the tears would come forth with all the power of a hurricane, reducing her to a sniveling mess on the floor, nursing a broken heart. It was all her fault though. How could she have believed someone like Ivar Lothbrok would actually be interested in her for more than just a one-night stand. She was just a challenge for him, someone to pass the time. Then once she gave in, once they finally had sex, he would walk out of her life and back into Freydis' arms and bed…. where he apparently belonged.

"Kari?" Hvitserk softly prompted.

"It's…. I just have a better understanding now…. of where I stand…. of my purpose here."

"Your purpose?"

She sniffed, wiping her wet eyes once again before the tears fell. "I'm just a rebound girl….and that's alright. I get it. But I just want to go home now."

"Fuck. Freydis said that, didn't she?"

"It doesn't matter. Can you please just take me to the bus stop, I can get home from there." She knew she was begging but she did not care anymore.

"Kari, give me that." He grabbed her purse from her and tossed it onto a wooden side table. His hands held hers in a manner that was comforting verse restraining. His thumbs rubbed along the back of her hands as he softly spoke. "Look at me, you know it's not like that."

"It doesn't matter." She shook her head, even as her hands gripped his tighter, the feeling being the only thing keeping her from falling apart at the front door. "I shouldn't have let Gyda bring me here. I should have made her drop me off."

"Kari…." He began but was interrupted.

"Hvitty?" Ivar's loud voice boomed from the kitchen. "You better not be trying to fuck Kari!"

Kari flinched at the sound. The facade of strength she fought to maintain evaporated like smoke. The tears she had been trying so desperately to withhold slipped free, rolling down her cheeks like a cleansing rain.

"Over here!" Hvitserk called back, releasing her hands but not moving away.

Ivar's measured gait could be heard coming down the hallway like the footsteps of doom.

"What the fuck is going on? You disappear to find Kari and then…." His voice trailed off as he entered the foyer, piercing gaze zeroing in on her tear-stained face. What sense of jovial teasing transformed into enraged fury. When he spoke next, it came out in an animalistic growl that bespoke impending violence. "Who fucking hurt you?"

"I'm fine." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around herself. Her chin rested on her chest, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I just want to go home."

"Freydis….and I'm betting Margrethe also said something to her." Hvitserk snitched, leaning fully against the door. He watched both Kari and his brother as if ready to intervene at a moment's notice.

Ivar snapped, stepping closer. "What did they say?"

She was unsure who he directed his question to but she still shook her head, refusing to look at either brother. Hearing his wrath, it only made her heart ache more. All of this was a show, it had to be. Why would he truly care? The sound of his heavy gait coming closer brought a fresh wave of silent tears.

Moving to her other side, he cupped her cheek. When she resisted looking at him, he shifted his hand to grab the back of her neck, forcing her gaze to meet his. A tempest swirled in his icy blue eyes. "What. Did. They. Say?"

"Why does it matter?" She questioned, bottom lip trembling as a sob rose from her chest.

"Because they hurt you."

"But I'm no one. I don't matter." She shook her head, pressing a hand over her mouth to contain the cries bound to escape at any moment. "You're just going to get back together with Freydis when you get bored with me."

His eyes widened as if she had sucker-punched him. His mouth dropped open for a moment before he collected himself, the maelstrom rippling under his skin on the verge of breaking free. "Did they say that?"

"Freydis said…. she said you two were just taking a break….and I'm the rebound girl."

"Fuck. Fuck!" Ivar stepped away, running his hands through his loose hair. In an instant, he grabbed the decorative bowl off the entrance table and threw it. The shattering against the wall reverberated in the foyer followed by Ivar's guttural shout. "FUCK!"

"Ivar." Hvitserk softly said, warily watching his younger brother.

"I'm going to kill her. Fuck! I can't believe she would fucking say that!" Ivar ran his hands through his hair again, looking on the verge of ripping the strands out. The ferocity in his eyes was unmatched as he glanced down the hallway, clearly wanting to go after his ex, then shifted back to Kari, who remained silent and unmoving. "What else did she say?" He barked at her.

"You're destined for each other." She confessed after a moment's hesitation.

Ivar stormed over to her, devouring the ground beneath his feet as he invaded her space. Standing before her, he cupped her face, eyes imploring her to believe him. "Freydis is a crazy, jealous bitch. She manipulates to get what she wants. Don't believe a word out of her fucking mouth. Fuck! Please, Kari, don't cry. I'm right here, kitten."

His words seeped into her mind, slipping in through the cracks and delving deep into her soul. His words alone should not have reassured her like they did. Between his pleading eyes and his gentle touch, her few walls surrounding her heart crumbled, unable to fight him. She believed him, even before her mind fully recognized it.

She lightly placed her hands on his bare chest, one directly over his heart, feeling the rapid tempo under her fingers. "Promise?" She whispered wetly. "You're not just…. I’m not just a rebound girl?"

Ivar groaned, pressing his forehead to Kari's. "I swear. I never thought that about you."

And she believed him again. The truth falling from his lips resounded in the very core of her being. It made no sense how she knew, but somehow, she did.

After a long second, Hvitserk pushed off the door from next to them. "I'm going to head back and keep an eye on them. Kari, if you still want a ride just text me, alright?"

"Thank you, Hvitty." She reached out and snagged his hand, giving it a quick squeeze. With a smile, he responded in kind before heading down the hallway towards the backyard.

Soon as Hvitserk started walking away, Ivar grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction. They hurried through a short hallway to arrive at a closed door. Impatiently, Ivar thrust the door open and pulled her into a room, slamming the door shut behind them. She had a brief moment to scan the new room and notice the two walls with floor to ceiling bookshelves packed full and the couple couches near a large window.

Before she could do anything, she shrieked as she found herself suddenly yanked back, her body colliding with the closed door. Immediately Ivar's mouth claimed hers in a hungry, feverish kiss. His body pinned her to the door, hands kneading her hips. It was all she could do to just breathe. Her hands clung to his broad shoulders, desperate to stay above the waves of passion-fueled desire that surged unchecked within her.

Ivar withdrew his mouth from hers, but only to place kisses over her cheeks, washing away her tears with his affections. "Don't listen to her. Her and I. We are through. I will never go back to her. She has been sniffing around but that ends tonight. I won't fucking let her talk to you again. I fucking swear it."

"Ivar…." She whined, tilting her head. An open invitation which he took.

He swooped in, continuing to speak between leaving open-mouth kisses on her neck. "It's you. It's you I want. It's you I think about all the time. Fuck, kitten, you have no idea how much I want you. And seeing you do those yoga poses in that swimsuit…. fuck! You looked so goddamn sexy; I got a hard-on just watching." He grabbed her thigh, lifting it up and curling it behind him, pressing himself against her core. At the touch of his hardened length against her, she whimpered. "Do you feel that? That's for you, søte Kari."

She could not help but roll her hips, grinding against his erection, body automatically seeking friction.

"Yes! Fuck." He growled against her neck. "Come here."

She whined when he released her leg, letting it fall down to the floor. Her breathing was unsteady already, heart hammering away in her chest. A part of her knew she should stop this, open the door behind her and walk out to avoid the temptation. Yet when his hand latched onto hers once again, tugging her towards one of the couches, she followed willingly, unable to deny the sweet sin that was Ivar.

He dropped onto the couch and settled her into his lap to straddle him. As she settled, he grabbed a handful of the cover over her and yanked it off, tossing it haphazardly onto the floor. Her first instinct was to cover her chest, but as her arms moved to do that, Ivar guided them behind his head. His gaze drunk in the curves of her body, an unashamed starved look in his eyes that made her shudder as it further ignited the fire in her belly.

"Kattungen min." He whispered reverently. "Fucking hell, so gorgeous. No one else gets to touch you like I do. Got it? You're mine." He started lavishing her chest and neck with his mouth, alternating between his lips and tongue.

She knew she should feel more self-conscious straddling Ivar's lap in only the swimsuit that barely covered all of her assets; but it was as if his touch banished the thoughts away. Instead she felt beautiful and cherished.

He palmed one of her breasts and the moan that escaped her was pure wanton. Hands tangled in his long locks as her hips ground harder against his erection in response. His leg braces were only an afterthought that did not impede her actions.

"Ivar, please."

"That's it. Fuck, you're so beautiful. I can't wait to fuck you senseless."

Suddenly he shifted under her, his hand fumbling between them. Her mind barely took notice as he sucked the skin between her breasts, something that would definitely leave a mark. Next thing she knew, his cock was freed, standing at attention between them.

Before she could protest, he spoke up. "I know you're not ready." He slid it under her, pulling her hips back down. At the sensation of his cock rubbing her slit with only the thin barrier of the bikini bottom between them, she threw her head back with a whine. Desire roared through her like a freight train as his cock rubbed against her soaking core.

"You like that, kitten?"

"Yes." She sighed out, head tilted back as she rolled her hips.

"Good, my turn." He reached behind her and promptly untied the straps of the bikini top behind her back.

"Ivar!" She tried to cover herself but he swatted her hands away.

"Trust me."

Once she relented, he laid a hard kiss to her lips then tugged the top over her head, the band behind her neck without a tie. She desperately wanted to cover herself, now before him feeling on full display. But it was the look on his face that stilled her movements.

"Guder. Du er utsøkt. Faen. Den vakreste kvinnen." He murmured with adoration and awe dripping off each word.

"What did you say?"

Instead of answering her, he lowered his face to her chest and captured one of her perky nipples in his mouth. His other hand moved to grab one of her ass cheeks, encouraging her to keep riding him.

All breath vanished from her lungs. All thoughts and insecurities fled under his touch. Her hands tangled in his hair, keeping his mouth on her. All she could feel was him. All she wanted to feel was him. Gasps and moans slipped from her as she allowed herself to be overtaken and drawn into an ocean of pleasure.

She could feel herself rising higher and higher, riding the wave. Her mind was becoming delirious from fire in her veins and the motion of her hips rocking over his exposed cock.

To her surprise, Ivar grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her neck. "That's it, beautiful. Fuck. Let's see what that bendy spine can do." Carefully, he pulled on her hair, not in a painful way but as if to guide her. Willingly submitting herself, she bent her back, following his lead. When her chest was parallel to the ceiling, he stopped pulling, keeping her suspended with her back arched.

Ivar groaned loudly, thrusting against her. She met his action, too absorbed in the bliss to care about decency.

"All the dirty, fucking things this makes me want to do to you." He licked a scalding line up her sternum, only to swirl his tongue around one of her nipples, making her mewl as she continued to move her hips faster. "Come for me."

"Yes, yes." She chanted. "Ivar, please."

"Keep begging, kitten. Let me know how much you want my cock."

As her climax hit, the tightening coil in her core sprung loose, her mouth dropped open in a silent scream. Wave after wave rolled over her. She could feel Ivar grunt and thrust a few more times beneath her before retracing his cock and spurting onto her exposed stomach. After he released her hair, letting her rise back up to face him. Their eyes fixated on one another, chests heaving as they struggled for breath.

Gently, she reached out and touched his cheek, a shy smile on her face. Then, when he made no move to pull away, she leaned forward, uncaring of his cum slipping down her stomach, and drew him into a lazy, slow kiss. He responded, lips melding to hers in a way that was full of softness and contentment. After a moment, she felt him reach behind him for the blanket laying on the back of the couch and wipe her stomach off, all the while never abandoning their kiss.

Once she was clean, he dropped the blanket to the floor and somehow managed to keep their lips locked as he guided them to lay down on the couch, their bare chests pressed together and his arm under her head, legs tangled.

"Do you believe me now?" He eventually asked, leaning back but only far enough so the tips of their noses almost touched.

"Mmmm?"

"That it's you I want. Freydis and anyone else can go fuck themselves for all I care."

She bit her bottom lip and dropped her gaze. "I don't understand why."

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean…. Margrethe said I'm not your…. type."

He snorted and muttered under his breath, "fucking bitch".

"But she's right." Kari pressed onward, her hand running up and down his side as if to ground herself. "I mean, I could never compare to Freydis…. or Torvi or Gyda or any of them. They are all beautiful and….and in perfect shape. I'm not. My thighs and butt are too big and I'm maybe pretty but that's it."

"You're right. You're not my usual type. But those girls, I'd fuck them and then never look their way again. You though, fuck, I can barely take my eyes off you when you're around. And these," he reached down and grabbed a handful of one of her ass cheeks, making her squeak. "I love them. And these thighs, fucking hell, kitten, I want you to suffocate me with them when I finally eat you out."

She gasped, a bolt of electricity shooting through her at the image.

A devilish grin grew on his face, his hand stroking her ass cheek. "You like that idea? My tongue teasing your folds before slipping inside of you. Your thighs wrapped around my head as I feast on your pussy."

"Ivar." She whined, unable to stop the sudden roll of her hips.

"Soon, sweet Kari." He chuckled darkly, ceasing her movement by melding their hips together. "And your tits, gods, they are perfect. I could stare at them all day."

She giggled even as she flushed under his praise. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I guess, I'm still just surprised you'd…. well, that you want me."

"You are mine. You're my woman." He stated resolutely, gazing directly into her eyes so she could see how serious he was.

"But we aren't dating…."

"Doesn't fucking matter. You're mine. And one of these days you'll change your mind and stop playing this game of trying to keep me away."

She sighed, wishing it would be that easy. Before he could continue with that argument, she changed the subject. "You know, I think we exceeded our kiss quota for the day."

He snorted. "I didn't see you complaining earlier."

"That's true. Do you think we should head back out?"

"If I see Freydis or Margrethe right now…." His voice trailed off, but the fury from earlier lingered in the unspoken threat.

"I know. We don't have too. I'm okay right here."

A grateful smile on his lips, he kissed her quickly then rolled her onto her back and laid his head on her chest. They relaxed like that for several minutes in silence, her hand running through his hair, just enjoying the feeling of complacency and peace between them now after their fight. If you could even call it that.

Finally, she spoke up in a hushed tone, a random question coming to mind. "Do you ever get in the pool?"

"No."

"Oh." Was all she could say after his sharp, barbed answer. Clearly it was a subject that was not open for discussion. Her mind wandered, wondering what happened to cause such a response from him. An uncomfortable tension hung over them after his response. Something she was not sure if she should try and dissipate or ignore for now.

After a minute of continued silence, he kissed her chest, letting his lips linger there as if using the extra time to mentally prepare himself. Before she could tell him it was none of her business, he spoke. His tone was quiet and, in anyone else, almost shaky.

"I…. I used to try when I was younger. They'd put me on one of those stupid floating things and pull me around or someone would hold me. Then, when I was about seven…. Sigurd and I got in a big fight earlier that day. He claimed I broke one of his toys. Fucking asshole. I was sitting by the pool, this in our childhood home in Kattegat, I liked to watch things float on the water. Sigurd walked by me and….and pushed me over the edge."

She gasped. "Oh Ivar…."

"Ubbe jumped in and pulled my half-drown ass out." He nuzzled against her skin; his tone having lost the insecurity as he reassured her. "I'm alright, Kari."

She drew his face up and gave him a long kiss, their mouth connecting with a deeper need and alleviation. "Remind me to thank Ubbe when I see him next."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't. He's never let me forget the fact."

"Still."

They laid there for some more time, wrapped up in one another and content in the peaceful stillness. She could not help but think about the memory Ivar shared with her. How far back did that resentment go between the brothers? Had there ever been a time where they cared for one another? And how bad was the animosity between them if one was willing to kill the other, even as children? If her arms tightened around him, neither one mentioned it as they continued to lay there.

A loud knock on the door followed by a yell through the door of "are you two done yet?" disturbed their peace.

"Hvits, fuck off!" Ivar called back, burrowing his face between her breasts.

"Do you have clothes on at least?!"

"I do!"

Kari swatted the back of Ivar's head at his admission. Leaning up slightly, he gave her a cheeky wink before laying his head back down.

"Well cover up, I'm coming in!" Hvitserk yelled through the door.

"Ivar, get up." Kari softly said, a panic setting in at the brother coming in and seeing them in this suggestive position and her topless.

"No." He mumbled.

Before she could shove him off, he snatched the throw blanket off the floor and threw it over his head to cover her chest. As she began to protest, the door cautiously opened. In an instant, she tried to spread out the blanket over them as best as she could, keeping the blanket over her chest and spread it somewhat over their torsos. Although how much good it did was questionable. She peered over to see Hvitserk standing in the doorway with an amused look before shaking his head and stepping in, closing the door behind him.

"What the fuck do you want?" Ivar asked, muffled by the blanket and his face still pressed against her skin.

Kari raised her gaze to the ceiling for a moment then mouthed to Hvitserk, "I'm sorry."

Hvitserk winked at her before answering. "Bjorn and Torvi want everyone together before they leave. Sounds like they have an announcement or something."

"Are the bitches still here?"

"Yeah." Hvitserk sighed.

"Then no."

"I'll go." Kari softly said. "It must be important."

"No, you aren't." Ivar nipped at the side of her breast, making her squirm.

"Well everyone is waiting on you two." Hvitserk pointed out as he watched, clearly entertained if his broad grin said anything.

"I'm coming."

Ivar pulled the blanket back slightly to stare up at her. "Why the fuck do you want to see them?"

"Is it….is it terrible I want to show Frey…. her that I'm still here. That no matter what they said, that I'm not going anywhere."

A positively, feral grin spread over his face. He swooped in and pressed a devastating kiss to her mouth, not letting up until she thought she would suffocate from the intensity of it. "Let's go."

He started to rise up but when she squeaked and tried to clutch the blanket to her, he froze.

"Hvits, leave."

"You sure I can't stay?" His smirk grew as he caught Kari's eye and watched her flush deepen.

"GO!" Ivar bellowed, glaring at his older brother.

"Fine. I'll wait out here for you. If you're not out in three minutes, I'm coming back in." Hvitserk stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

Ivar carefully slid off of her, standing up beside the couch, the blanket in hand. His predatory, blue eyes remained trained on her form, raking over her body like a sweet he wanted to devour completely. A familiar warmth awakened in her core, even as she shyly glanced away, covering her naked breasts with her hands.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous. On second thought, I think we should stay. I need another taste of you and to hear you moaning my name for everyone to fucking hear."

She squealed, quickly skirting away from him before he could pounce on her. "Ivar, no!" Yet, miraculously, he managed to snag an arm around her waist and drag her back against his chest.

"Should we make an announcement of our own?" He asked, running his nose along the shell of her ear, chuckling under his breath when she shivered against him.

"What do you mean?"

"That you're my girlfriend. That this just-friends is shit."

"I…." She balked, eyes wide and heart beating a painful staccato in her chest. “We…. we can't."

"Why the fuck not?" He grasped her breasts, rolling her peaked nipples between his fingers.

She practically swallowed her tongue, biting back the moan lodged in her throat. When she was positive she could control her voice, she replied. "We've talked about this. I'm just…. I’m not ready."

"But you'll practically let me fuck you?"

At his harsh snap, she tried to push out of his embrace, unwilling to have this conversation in their current predicament or maybe have the conversation at all. The innate desire to flee rose up in her but she tried to force it down as she squirmed in his arms. He held her firm, not giving up an inch, her body flush against his own.

"Ivar!"

"What aren't you telling me?"

She hated both herself and him in the moment as she ceased her escape attempts. She hated him for continuously pushing her, for ignoring her words and trying to force her where he wanted her to be. Even more though, she hated herself. If she had kept away from him, however unlikely that was, if she did not have to hide, then none of this would matter. If she could be honest, truly honest, he would most likely reject her. And that was why she hated herself most. Because she was selfish and wanted his attention and affection, even knowing if he knew who she truly was, he would walk away.

Carefully, she turned her head to meet his stormy eyes. "I promise one day I will. I just…. can we please just enjoy this? What we have? I just need…. time."

He stared down at her for a long time. She wondered what he read in her face when he finally gave a resigned sigh. "Fine. I'm telling people you are my girlfriend though."

"You're unbelievable."

"I think you like that about me." He matched her smile with his own before letting her go.

She quickly found her bikini top, noticing Ivar not-so-subtly adjusting his sweatpants. She slipped it over her head but when she went to tie the straps, a pair of calloused hands covered hers. Without a word, he tied it behind her back. Once done, his hand slowly prowled down her back to lightly smack her ass.

"Hey!" She whipped around, only to see a Cheshire grin on his face.

"That's my sexy ass."

"Oh my god. Unbelievable." She muttered to herself as she snatched up the cover and pulled it over. She looked down at the blanket piled on the floor.

"Leave it. I'll deal with it later." He took her hand and walked with her towards the door. When they opened it, a still-shirtless Hvitserk stood leaning against the wall across from them.

"Took you two long enough. Damn. Almost came in and threw Kari over my shoulder to get you out."

Ivar spat something out in their language that made Hvitserk roll his eyes. Before they could move further down the hallway, Hvitserk reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, freezing her in place.

"Hey, whatever they said. Just try to ignore it. We all want you here. Hell, all of us would kick them to the damn curb if Ubbe would let us. But Ubbe and Bjorn have already approved of you."

Ivar scoffed but Hvitserk kept his gaze on hers, letting her know he was serious.

"Just know, we're on your side."

"Thank you, Hvitty." She squeezed his hand, warmth blooming in her chest at his words.

"Either one of them tries to talk to her, I'll strangle them." Ivar growled, starting down the hallway, towing Kari behind him.

"You can't kill them, Ivar. Mother said murder is wrong."

Ivar laughed, looking over his shoulder at his brother. "Mother still loves me."

"Yeah, yeah, we all know you're her favorite."

"Can you blame her? Look at me. I'm far superior and more interesting than the rest of you."

"Keep telling yourself that."

Kari could not help but smile at their teasing, a mock argument that sounded like it had been executed many times before until now it was said out of fondness and mock sibling rivalry.

The three walked back outside through the glassed-in porch. On the way, she noticed her purse back next to Gyda's bag and wondered if Hvitserk moved it there for her. Outside, everyone else sat on chairs or lounge chairs that were grouped in a haphazard circle, obviously waiting for the remainder of the group to join.

"What took you so long? Thought we'd have to send a search party to find you." Bjorn called out as the three approached.

"I got 'em. The library reeks of sex though." Hvitserk said, dodging Kari's swing.

Ivar guided her back to the lounge chair they had been sitting in earlier, tucking her into his side with a hand laying possessively on her hip. Hvitserk sat on her other side instead of pulling a new chair over. She tried to ignore Margrethe and Freydis who sat across from them, keeping her eyes trained on her lap, fiddling with the hem of her cover.

"Ok, now that we're finally all here." Bjorn said, standing up with Asa in his arms. "We just wanted to tell our family the good news in person."

"Torvi is pregnant!" Gyda blurted, staring at her sister-in-law in shock.

"Fuck! Gyda!" Bjorn groaned.

"Daddy said a bad word." Hali looked over at his mother from his spot next to Sigurd.

"Yes, he did, thank you, Hali." Torvi replied smiling then addressed the group. "I'm about two months along. So right now, we are only telling family, so please don't share this with anyone else yet."

"Wow! A third! Congrats!" Ubbe started, others immediately echoing their own congratulations and well-wishes.

Kari jumped up and moved to give Torvi a hug after Gyda. "I know we haven't known each other long but I'm so excited for you. You're an amazing mother."

"Thank you, Kari. Maybe your own time will come soon." She shooting her eyes over to Ivar for a second then meeting Kari's again.

"Oh, I don't know." She blushed at the thought. After another brief hug, Kari returned to her seat.

"How old are you?" Hvitserk asked suddenly.

"Um, I turned twenty-five this summer."

"Ha! Still the baby of the group." Sigurd laughed, pointing his beer bottle at Ivar.

"Hey, nothing is wrong with an older woman. We're in our sexual prime." Gyda defended.

"She's not that much older." Ivar retorted, his hand skimming up and down Kari's thigh. "Just a year."

"And a few months. You're turning twenty-four after the new year." Ubbe helpfully added with a grin.

"Fuck off."

"Mommy, Uncle Ivar said a bad word now."

"Yes, he did, Hali. I think it's time for us to go. Say goodbye to everyone." Torvi said. After a round of goodbyes and hugs to all the uncles and aunt, the small family headed back through the house to head to their own home.

"Did you know Ivar is younger than you?" Hvitserk asked conspiringly, once conversation started around them again.

She tilted her head as she looked at him, slowly answering his question. “Yeah…. we talked about this a while ago."

"Good. Do you want kids?"

"Hvits, what is this?" Ivar butted in.

"Just testing the waters to see how she feels about having my babies. You know they'd be beautiful." Hvitserk chuckled when Ivar glared at him.

"Be nice you two or I'm moving." Kari chided.

"Yes, mom." Hvitserk said, sneaking a kiss to her cheek before jumping away. He turned around and pointed at her as he walked backwards. "One day you'll have my babies!"

She laughed, shaking her head. She could practically feel the smoke coming from Ivar's ears. Before he could burst a vein, she leaned closer to him and laid her head against his shoulder. "He knows I'm yours."

"He fucking better or I'll beat his ass to remind him." Ivar murmured, nuzzling her temple.

She relaxed against him, looking around the backyard. Hvitserk and Ubbe had started some kind of wrestling competition in the pool, both looking like they were trying to drown each other. Gyda and Ivar called insults from their seats. Sigurd was texting on his phone but occasionally looking up and making a comment. At one point he caught her eye and gave her a brief nod, which she smiled back, hoping any animosity between the two of them from her earlier comment was gone. She purposefully ignored the whispering between Margrethe and Freydis, taking a note from Ivar's book and acting as if they did not exist.

Looking at the Lothbrok family around her, she smiled at the group, still amazed she found herself in their midst and how welcoming most of them were. For almost two years she had been alone in a new country, thinking that was what she wanted. Now though, she wondered if she had just been missing a group that accepted her without question.

She peered up at Ivar, heart swelling with gratitude and affection. Without second guessing herself, she kissed his cheek and leaned back against his shoulder. He hummed, placing his own kiss to the top of her head.

She wondered if she should just give up fighting this, whatever this was between them. Maybe it would work out. Maybe everything would not fall apart as soon as the truth fell from her lips. Maybe he could accept her past and who she was.

Silently, she shook the thoughts away. It was still too soon to tell and if she was honest, she did not want to lose this.

Or lose him.

103 notes · View notes

thelukesalvez · 4 years

Text

Luke Alvez x Reader: Premature

Request: ‘can i request an imagine where the reader is pregnant and luke’s away on a case when she goes into labor? and garcia has to call luke to get him home?’

Tagged: @ssaic-jareau , @alvezstan , @saintd0lce , @ogmilkis , @reidswords, @ssa-morgan, @garcias-batcave , @akimagies, @zhangyixingxing1 , @pinkdiamond1016

Word count: 4.5k

Warnings: none

A/N: idk why i always picture luke with a daughter??? but anyway another DAD luke fic like yes pls, enjoy!

The worst part about being pregnant had to be the lower back aches. Or maybe the way your swollen ankles prevented you from fitting into any of your cute shoes. It could also be the tender breasts, the mood swings, or how food didn’t taste as good, yet somehow you were still always hungry. Come to think of it, being pregnant, in general, was the worst.

Currently, you were seven and a half months along. You had 6 weeks until your daughter would be born. 6 weeks somehow felt both impossibly long and just around the corner. On one hand, you really couldn’t wait to get your body back. You missed wearing pants that didn’t have an elastic waistband, and the freedom of being able to get out of bed without Luke’s help.

On the other hand, you and Luke were going to be first time parents. This brought about a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. There was still so much to get done before the baby arrived, that at times you couldn’t help but feel a little overwhelmed.

“You worry too much,” Luke had told you one afternoon.

But you disagreed. “Luke, she’s gonna be here in less than two months and her room isn’t even close to being finished. We still have to paint, and put together the crib-”

“We have six weeks, baby. I’ll get it done, I promise.”

His reassuring words did little to calm your mind or your nerves. One thing that did keep the anxious thoughts at bay, was work. Focusing your attention on BAU cases was the perfect distraction… until that was taken away from you too.

“I don’t want you in the field,” Luke had stated that night.

“You’re joking, right?”

Luke’s pressed lips and slightly flared nostril told you that no, he was not joking.

“Luke,” you’d groaned, throwing your head back against the pillow. “I’m fine.”

“You can barely walk, let alone chase after anyone,” he stated, his arms folding across his chest. He always did that when he wanted you to take him seriously. “And I know for a fact that you can’t fit into a bulletproof vest.”

You threw him your best glare. “Okay, first off, that was mean. Second, you can’t expect me to just sit here all day doing nothing. I’ll go insane, you know I will.”

“Baby, you’re seven months pregnant. You need to relax.”

“Relax? Seriously, Luke?” you felt a wave of frustration wash over you. Lately you've been finding it so hard to control your emotions, so you’re not entirely surprised when you feel the burning of tears in your eyes. “I can’t relax! I’m uncomfortable all the time. I’m fat and I’m hot and I’m sweaty. My boobs feel like they’re going to explode any second. I’m nauseous and I’m tired and I’m hungry. And if I stay home all day that’s all I’m going to think about. I’m going to just sit and dwell on the fact that I am miserable.”

Luke’s face softens when he sees that you’re crying. That wasn’t an uncommon occurrence lately, but he felt guilty for being the one to cause it this time around.

“C’mere,” he says, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

And even though you’re angry with him, you don’t hesitate before scooting up the mattress and sliding into his arms. You lay your head on his shoulder, Luke’s hand finding its way down to your lower back, where he rubs gentle circles into the sore muscles. Being in his arms had a way of making you feel better.

“I’m sorry you’re so uncomfortable, baby. I just- I worry about you. All I want is for you and the baby to be okay.”

You sniffle into his chest, his sweet words making your voice soften. “I can’t sit here all day, Luke. I really can’t.”

“I know.” He rests his cheek on top of your head and sighs. “How about we meet in the middle?”

Looking up at him, you skeptically ask, “How?”

“You could work the cases from the BAU,” he suggests.

You scrunch your nose, secretly hoping that his compromise meant just giving in to what you wanted entirely. But, as you think about it for a moment, you had to admit you didn’t completely hate the idea. Things were getting challenging in the field. And as much as you hated him for saying it, Luke was right- the bulletproof vests no longer fit you, and you couldn’t chase down any perps. You were relatively useless, at least physically, at this point.

“I’m sure Garcia would love an extra hand,” he adds.

“Fine,” you mutter quietly.

“Thank you,” he whispers, pressing a light peck against the top of your head.

But, as Luke would soon find, just because you agreed to be stationed at the BAU did not mean you weren’t going to complain about it.

The two of you walked, hand-in-hand, into the building the next morning. Emily had called, about fifteen minutes prior, to let you both know that you had a case in Boston.

“What if I just stay at the police precinct?”

Luke rolled his eyes. “No.”

“Why not? I could help Reid with the geological profile- or interview the families. There’s a lot I can do-”

“We already agreed that you’d stay here.”

You scoffed in frustration before trying another tactic.

“You know,” you drawled, using the hand he wasn’t already holding to reach around and grip his arm. “I’m worried about you, too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes,” you state, matter-of-factly. “Just because I’m carrying the baby doesn’t mean I’m the only one that needs to stay safe. It would be equally devastating if something happened to you. You let your hand trail down the length of his arm and over to your belly. “I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

Luke swiped his ID badge to get inside the building before holding the door open for you, you hesitate, waiting for his response. Luke’s lips were parted into a soft grin. “I know you’re just trying to make me feel guilty, but that was really sweet.” He leans forward and pecks your lips lightly.

You roll your eyes and storm into the building.

…

“So I hear we’re going to be lab partners!” Garcia drums her fingers against the round table.

You shrug, “Looks like it.”

“I know you’re bummed to not be in the field, but I’m so excited that you’ll be here.”

Luke’s hand reaches for yours underneath the table. You let your fingers lace together with his before you smile back at Garcia. Maybe being sidelined wouldn’t be all bad. “I’m excited too, Pen,” you tell her.

“Alright guys listen up,” Emily enters the briefing room. “Police need our help in Boston. Two college students have gone missing the past month, and one of the bodies was just found dumped off of I-95. Y/N will be working the case from here, so we’ll be down a body in the field.”

Garcia hits a few buttons on the remote, making a gruesome image project onto the screen in front of the team. She presents a few more details about the case before Emily declares, “Wheels up in 20.”

Luke’s shifting through his go bag at his desk when you approach him from behind. You rest your hand on his back and rub up and down his soft, maroon shirt.

“Be safe, okay?” you tell him. You felt guilty knowing he was going into the field without you.

Luke sighs, turning his body so that he was facing you. His big hands rest on your hips as he holds you out in front of him. “You know I will.”

You nod, and you believed his words, but that didn’t mean you’d be any less worried about him while he was away.

Luke could sense the uneasiness on your face, so he leaned in and kissed your cheek lightly before whispering, “There is nothing that could ever keep me from coming back home to you and our baby, do you hear me?”

Leaning into his touch, you sigh. “Good. Because I meant what I said; I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

“We’re going to miss you out there, kid.” Rossi states as he passes your desk.

“Keep me updated,” you respond sadly. He pats you on the shoulder before nodding with a smile.

With a final kiss and promises to call, Luke and the rest of the team load onto the jet to head for Boston.

At first, you stay in the bullpen seated at your desk, running through the casefile. You were the only one in the entire room. By habit, you kept looking up at Luke’s desk. Instead of his warm smile, you’re met by his empty chair. Your eyes linger for a moment before you feel a sharp pain shoot across your stomach, making you wince.

“Woah,” you whisper, your hand falling on your bump. “Was that a kick?” you ask her out loud.

It didn’t take long before the silence became deafening, so after a few minutes, you stand up and waddle down the hallway to Garcia’s leir. You knock at her door before entering.

“Hey,” you say, your hand supporting your sore back. “It’s like, creepy quiet out there, do you mind if I work with you, in here?”

Her face lights up. “Of course!” Immediately, she begins clearing off a space on her desk for you to set up.

“Thanks,” you smile, taking a seat in her spare office chair. You try your best to sit up straight as your insides begin to cramp. Garica turns to see your eyes squeezed shut.

“What’s wrong?” her voice is filled with concern.

“Nothing,” you sigh in relief when the cramp passes. “She’s kicking a lot today.”

Garcia’s face breaks out into a large grin. “Oh! My Goddaughter’s gonna be a spunky one, isn’t she?”

…

As it turned out, there wasn’t much for you to do from the BAU. Garcia worked tirelessly, delving into files and uncovering helpful information for the team. But you weren’t even close to being as tech savvy as her, and besides the casefile you’d already read through four times, you didn’t have many resources to work off of.

Whenever the team would call with questions, you’d listen intently, and try to figure out some way that you could help them. But, by that evening, you were starting to feel pretty useless.

“Why don’t you just head home?” Garcia suggested kindly. “You look tired.”

You were tired. You were tired and hungry and sore from all your baby’s kicking. But you shook your head. “I don’t want to be in the house alone,” you admit to her. “It’s too quiet there without Luke.”

Garcia, of course, understands. “Do you want to take a walk? Just around the building?”

At first, you want to say no. But as you consider her offer, you can’t help but admit that stretching your legs sounded pretty nice, so you agree.

“I think I’m most excited for coffee,” you tell Garcia. The two of you had walked the entire floor of the BAU a couple of times now and were about to head back to her office.

“God, I can’t even imagine going nine months without coffee. I think that would break me,” she admits.

You start to laugh, but you’re quickly interrupted by a sudden, sharp pain in your abdomen.

“Woah,” you gasp, grabbing your stomach. You hunch over, desperate to alleviate some of the pain, but it only grows with intensity. It takes your breath away for a moment, and all you can do is focus on the tiled floor beneath you as you attempt to muscle through it.

But then you feel something burst inside of you, followed by a warm liquid rushing down your leg.

With wide, terrified eyes, you look up to Garcia.

“Pen,” you whisper, barely recognizing your own voice. “I th-think my water just broke...”

“Oh my god,” she says, her voice higher than usual. “Oh my god, okay, okay. You’re okay.”

She hurries to your side and wraps an arm around your waist. You and your shaky legs are grateful for her support. She guides you to a chair stationed in the hallway, where she helps you sit.

The panic really starts to set in once your eyes land on your dampened pants.

“No,” you start to shake your head rapidly. “Pen, no I can’t- it’s too early-”

You’re amazed by how calm Garcia remains. “It’s okay,” she tells you. “We’re gonna get you to the hospital and everything’s gonna be fine.”

But you keep shaking your head. “No, she’s early. She’s too early- I need Luke, please- I can’t do this.”

“I’m gonna call Luke right now, everything’s going to be okay.”

Garcia pulls out her phone and dials your husband. She frowns when it goes to voicemail after a few rings.

By now, there’s a steady influx of tears spilling down your cheeks. You ask softly, “Why isn’t he answering?”

“Let me try Emily.”

You sigh a breath of relief when you hear Emily’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Emily-” Garcia gasps. “Where’s Luke?”

You overhear her, “He’s interrogating the Unsub- why? What’s the matter?”

“Y/N’s in labor, we need him.”

“Oh my god,” Emily says. There’s a brief pause before she tells Garcia, “I’ll be right back.”

“Pen-” you groan, another contraction washing over you. You hunch over in the chair and grab at the air, desperate for something to clamp down on.

She quickly extends her hand, letting you squeeze it tightly.

“Garcia?” you hear Luke’s sweet voice over the line. You want to call out for him, but you can’t form the words.

“Luke!” she exclaims, her concerned eyes never leaving you. “Luke, Y/N’s in labor- her water just broke. You have to come home.”

You gasp and bite down on your lip as the pain suddenly intensifies.

“Breathe,” she instructs you calmly. “Just breathe with me-”

“What?” you can hear the disbelief in his voice. “But- she’s only seven months pregnant- that's too early-”

The contraction passes, leaving you breathless, but you hold your hand out. Garcia picks up on your gesture and hands you the phone.

“Luke-” you’re on the verge of bursting into terrified tears. “I’m so scared.”

“Baby, it’s okay, you’re gonna be okay.” You can hear the worry in his voice as he soothes you. “I’m on my way, okay? I’m gonna take the jet, I’ll be there soon.”

“I don’t know if I can do this-”

“No, baby- of course you can, you’re so strong. You’re gonna be okay.”

“Please hurry,” you whimper.

“I will, I love you.”

You pass the phone to Garcia reluctantly. You wished you could stay on the line with him. Something about hearing his voice made you feel calmer.

You’re shaky and weak, but Garcia helps you all the way into the elevator and down into the parking garage. You hesitate before climbing into the front seat of her car.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, her hand gently placed on your elbow.

“I don’t want to get your seat all gross-”

You’re referring to the amniotic sac fluid currently soaking your pants.

“Are you serious?” she asks in disbelief. “If we don’t hurry you’re going to be giving birth in my car, so I think I’ll take my chances with the water.”

You nod quickly and climb into the front seat. While Garcia hurries around to the front, you clutch onto your baby bump tightly, wondering why the hell she was coming so early.

Garcia winds through traffic hurriedly, every so often she glances in your direction, trying to make sure you’re okay. “I guess they weren’t kicks,” you groan, as another contraction washes over you. You grip the door handle until your knuckles turn white and squeeze your eyes shut.

“Keep breathing,” Garcia soothes. She lets you take her hand across the console and doesn’t even wince when you squish it tightly in yours.

“I’m really scared, Penelope,” you whimper quietly, falling back against the seat when the contraction passes.

“I know,” Garcia clicks her tongue empathetically.

“Nothing’s ready. Not her room- we haven’t even set up her crib yet I’m not ready. I was supposed to have another 6 weeks to get ready-”

But Penelope is shaking her head. “You, right now, as you are, are going to be a great mother, okay? You’re ready.”

She sounded so sure, so confident in you- maybe she was right.

…

“Where is he?”

You’re sweating, exposed in a delivery room, and in more pain than you ever have been in your entire life.

Garcia’s stayed by your side the entire time, holding your hand and talking you through the pain. You’d been at the hospital about two hours now.

Currently, Garcia was dabbing your forehead with a wet washcloth. Your contractions were about 6 minutes apart. According to the doctor, you’d have to start pushing soon.

“I can’t do this without him. He should be here..”

“He’ll be here.”

You look up at her, exhausted and with fear in your eyes.

Garcia squeezes your shoulder. “And if he’s not here, then we’ll do this together, okay? You and me.”

“Promise you won’t leave?”

She nods. “I promise.”

…

Luke’s sprinting through the maze of a hospital trying desperately to find the delivery room number that Garcia texted him. He’s already been redirected by a couple of nurses, but every floor looked the same.

The door number came into sight when he turned the corner. He doesn’t hesitate before running the final distance between the two of you.

Luke swings the door open, only able to exhale when his eyes finally land on you.

You’re sitting up in your bed, hair tied up messily and cheeks flushed.

As soon as you see him, he sees your shoulder slump, like you’ve exhaled a breath of relief.

“Luke-”

His name is barely audible, but it’s enough.

“I’m here, baby,” he assures you, crossing the room in just two, large strides.

Garcia’s on the opposite side of your bed, clutching your hand tightly. After pressing his lips against your sweaty forehead, he looks at her and mouths, ‘thank you’.

She nods, “Of course, it was nothing.” She says it casually, like she didn’t just spend the last three hours comforting you through labor, doing his job for him, making sure you were safe.

It was everything.

Minutes after Luke arrives, the doctor tells you it’s time to push.

You flash Luke a scared glance, but he wraps an arm around your shoulder and kissed your temple, his lips feel comforting. “You can do this.”

You sigh, because like you said, being in his arms had a way of making you feel better.

...

When her soft cries fill the air, you’re finally able to breathe again. You collapse back against your pillow, exhausted and sweaty.

Luke’s still cupping your hand in his, his much larger fingers wrapping themselves around your skin. He’s looking towards the doctor, who’s holding in his arms, your baby girl.

“Is she okay?” you ask weakly.

Luke nods. “She’s small, but she’s so beautiful.”

Because she’s premature, you’re not able to hold her right away. Instead, she’s bundled up and taken to the NICU.

“No-” you protest pathetically. “I want her with me-”

“I know,” Luke whispers. “But they gotta keep her warm. They’re gonna put her in an isolette. They said we can visit as soon as you’re ready.”

Without hesitating, you attempt to sit up in bed. “I’m ready,” you declare weakly.

Luke’s hand pushes against your shoulder lightly in protest. “No, baby. You need rest-”

You found yourself growing angrier and angrier. You wanted to see your baby- wanted to hold her. But your body betrays you. You’re just so exhausted that you can’t even fight against him. Instead, you fall back against the pillow and huff out a choppy, frustrated sob.

“I know,” he says. He sits on the edge of your bed and reaches his hand out to brush some of the loose strands of hair away from your face. He leans forward and presses his lips to your sweaty forehead. “You did so good.” He whispers against your skin. “So, so good.”

You close your eyes against his touch, letting it wash over you.

“How small is she?” you ask when he finally breaks away.

Luke’s lips pressed together in a thin line and he didn't answer immediately. After a moment he sighs. “She’s small.”

“She’s gonna be okay though, right?” You look to Luke for all the answers. And he wants to give them to you. He wants to give everything to you.

He nods. “She’s gonna be okay. She’s a fighter, like her mom.”

…

Your daughter has to stay in the NICU for two, agonizingly long weeks. After a couple of days, you start to get some energy back. But seeing her in that box, and not being able to hold your baby when you wanted was taking its toll emotionally.

You and Luke stayed at the hospital for the entirety of the two weeks, never wanting to leave her alone.

It was painful and hard and exhausting, but together, it almost seemed bearable.

The team visited in shifts. Garcia arrived first with a giant bundle of pink balloons. Spencer and JJ brought magazines and books to keep you busy. Tara has a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Matt and Kristy brought you clothes to change into. Rossi and Emily brought various dishes for the two of you to eat. By the end of your two weeks, you felt incredibly grateful for your BAU family.

On the day that you and Luke were finally given the okay to take your daughter home, you found your nerves inching their way back into the forefront of your mind. It was an absolute relief that your premature daughter turned out to be healthy and safe and as beautiful as ever. But you thought about the unfinished room at home and your stomach twisted into knots.

“Where are we gonna put her?” you asked, imagining the crib you’d bought and never put together.

“I’ll put it together when we get home,” Luke assures you. “Can’t be that hard.”

You nodded, pushing the thought away. It didn’t matter. Not when you had this miracle of a baby in your arms.

When Luke pulled the car into the driveway of your house, you both stared at your home, hesitating before getting out of the car, as if it was just now hitting you how much everything was about to change.

Luke gives your hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Ready?” he asked.

You nod, everything was changing for the better. “Ready.”

You keep her cradled to your chest as you make your way through your home. The first order of business for Luke was to put together the crib, so your daughter would at least have a place to sleep.

You’d worry about the rest later.

But when you climb the stairs, you’re startled to see Garcia standing in your hallway, a cheeky grin on her face.

“Pen, hi,” you smile. You’d given her a key to take care of Roxy and water your plants while you were away at the hospital, you assume that was what she was here for.

“Hi,” she smiles wide. “Oh my goodness, is that my little bundle of joy! Let me see!”

You pass Penelope your daughter, watching adoringly as the two interact.

“Is someone else here?” Luke asks, peering down the hall when he hears voices.

Garcia nods, her signature, ear to ear smile spreading across her face. “Yeah, actually we have a surprise for you guys.” She passes your daughter back to you before turning.

“Who’s ‘we’?” Luke asks skeptically.

“Oh, just shut up and follow me,” she says. Her heels click as she walks down the hall towards the bedrooms.

When you turn the corner into your daughter's room, you can’t help but let out a loud gasp. Your jaw practically falls to the floor, surprised to see the entire team piled inside.

Two walls of the room were painted a beautiful shade of pink, while the other two were a soft gray. There were various decoratives hanging on the walls, tying everything together perfectly. There were also numerous shelves filled with an assortment of stuffed animals, toys, and books. And in the corner stood the hardwood crib that Luke and you had bought, completely put together and accented with a beautiful mobile hanging above it.

“Oh my god,” Luke gawks, clearly just as surprised as you.

“You guys-” you start, but you before you can finish your sentence you start to cry. “You guys did all this?”

The smiling faces of the rest of your team answer your question.

“How?” Is all you can manage to say.

“Well, I picked out the colors and the decor,” Garcia says, like it’s obvious. “Emily and Tara both helped paint.”

“And I've put my fair share of cribs together,” Matt chuckles, patting the edge of the darkwood. “It took no time at all.”

“JJ and Spencer got together the books and the stuffed animals,” Garcia motions towards the corner of toys.

“And I supervised,” Rossi smirked, making everyone laugh.

“Guys, this is too much.” Luke shakes his head in disbelief before exhaling and saying sincerely, “thank you.”

You nod in agreement. “This is… amazing. This is more than I could have ever dreamed of. I love it. She’s gonna love it,” you motion towards your now sleeping baby, mouth open and drooling on your chest.

The team knows how exhausted you and Luke are from being at the hospital for the past two weeks, so they don’t stay long. Slowly, they begin filing out of your house, offering both you and the new BAU baby with hugs and kisses goodbye.

Garcia’s the last to leave as she gathers her coat from your entryway chair.

“Pen, I know this was your idea,” you mumble. “You didn’t have to do all this. Thank you.”

She shakes her head, her eyes rolling as she hugs you gently. When she pulls away, she smirks, “If you thought I was going to let my Goddaughter come home to an unfinished room, you are underestimating how much I am going to spoil her.”

With that, she's out the door, leaving you and Luke and your newborn baby alone in the house for the first time as a family of three. Luke wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you into his side securely. You sigh, all of your anxiety and fears melting away. Being in his arms had a way of making you feel better.

684 notes · View notes

hot-wiings · 3 years

Text

Abuse Trigger Warning.

Leave An Ask Or Comment To Be Added To A Specific Characters Taglist.

Requested By: Wattpad User

Edited: 11-26-2020

You felt exhausted as you unlocked your front door. You had a fairly shit day, and you knew it was bound to get worse. Your shit day started with you being late to class, this wasn't the first time it happened and it resulted in detention accompanied by a phone call to your father. You couldn't be mad at the school, not really, they were just enacting the school policy. You had no one to blame but yourself.

You knew your father was fairly pissed at you, he always was. You knew the minute you opened that door he was gonna start the same old pattern. He would yell, he would get angry, he would hit you. You would either stand up for yourself and get beat worse or take it quietly and let it be over with. With a deep breath in and out you opened the door and closed it behind you quietly. You hoped that if you were quiet then you could sneak past your drunken father who spent most of his time wasted on the couch. Your hope was diminished as you saw him standing before you, semi-drunk, sober enough to walk and be cruel. Sober enough to hurt you.

"You're finally home."

"Hey."

You barely had time to place your bag on the ground before he gripped his hand in your hair and pulled you away from the door and closer to him.

"Don't 'hey' me, you're in so much trouble."

His hand squeezed your jaw, making him grip your cheeks hard. You knew there was going to be light bruises formed on your face later.

"Your school called me, they said you received detention. You little shit! I'm paying for that school so you can become a hero, not so you can fool around."

Before his words registered in your head, his hands were on your body. He slapped you, he punched you and hit you until you were on your side. On your side, he kicked you and kicked you until you begged him to stop. He didn't stop until you heard a crack and you were simply positive he broke something. All he did was grin down at you sadistically, happy he caused you such permanent pain.

"Go to your room you worthless excuse of a hero. You're lucky I pay for that school."

You weakly pulled yourself up and limped your way upstairs to your bedroom. You closed the door before slumping yourself on the bed. You let the tears escape. A downpour of feelings on your cheeks as you tried to muffle your sobs.

You hated him so much, and you hated him even more for leaving you with this feeling. You wanted to get help, help from your teachers, help from your boyfriends, but you couldn't. He was right, you are a poor excuse of a hero. How could you ask for help when you shouldn't need it? Why didn't you defend yourself? Why didn't you ever fight back? Katsuki and Eijirou we're such strong heroes, they should be ashamed to have you as a girlfriend.

You tried to quell your sobs as your cell phone rang. You picked it up quickly, hoping your dad didn't hear it, and looked at the caller ID. Eijirou <3. You were glad he hadn't face-timed you, you didn't want him to see you in such distress, you didn't want him to see you so weak.

"Baby, what's up?"

"Hey sweetheart, I was just calling to see if you needed a ride to Katsuki's house."

"A ride..."

"Yeah, a ride. He invited us to his house for Thanksgiving, remember?"

You scowled as you pressed a hand to your swelling ribcage. You hadn't remembered, you tried not to remember the holiday as it was. Thanksgiving was a depressing time for you. It was your mother's favorite holiday. She died when you were young but you still had the distant memory of her dancing around the kitchen making a perfect holiday feast. You and your father tried to avoid it, avoid the memory.

"No, no. Of course, I remember. I'm... I don't think I need a ride."

"Are you sure...? You sound upset, are you okay?"

You bit your lip as you let another lie tumble from your lips.

"I'm fine babe, just a little cold from the weather. I'll see you and our other babe when I get there later."

"Okay... We'll be waiting with warm arms and kisses."

"I love you... Bye."

You sighed as you pulled yourself from the bed. You had to cover up these wounds, and find some advil for the pain. Maybe you even had time to take a cold shower to take down the swelling.

"Well... Now I know why you got detention. Of course, my daughter has been working herself out to multiple boys."

"I- I- I-"

"Your mother would be ashamed of you... The only reason I'm not bashing your head in now is that people would notice, but I guarantee you, I'm pulling you from that shitty school and placing you in a conversion institute."

He snatched your phone from you and place it in his pocket before leaving your room and latching the door, leaving you with no means of communication or escape. No one to call. No one to save you. You had enough. You couldn't take another minute of it. You couldn't handle the anxiety of not knowing when he would decide to beat you, the horror of waiting for him to strike you with his fist. You could bear the pain, but everyone had their limits. You wouldn't let him change you. You wouldn't let him take away Eijirou. You wouldn't let him take away Katsuki.

You frantically dove into your closet for some clothes that would cover your entire body. Your jeans dug into your bruised side but you didn't let yourself dwell on it. You found one of Katsuki's hoodies and quickly slipped it on, you needed something to cover your arms, the smell of his sulfur and cinnamon brought comfort to yourself.

You didn't give it a second thought as you slipped one leg out of the window and slowly brought out your other leg. You turned your body so it positioned you with your body facing the window and slowly lowered yourself down as far as you could reach before you jumped. You landed on your side, knocking the wind out of your lungs. You let out a string of coughs before pushing yourself up and running straight to Katsuki's house. You didn't pay attention to the pain in your chest, or the fact that it had begun to rain down on you. You just ran.

You left a string of frantic, hard knocks on the door of the Bakugo residence. Although the Bakugou family had been expecting both you, Katsuki's girlfriend, and his boyfriend, Eijirou, that wasn't until much later in the evening. You received no answer to your knocks and as you looked in the driveway you noticed no cars. Nobody was at home.

This day reached its climax and it couldn't possibly get worse. You were all bruised up from your father, he wanted to send you to a conversion camp, you had no phone, you were soaked to the bone and the rain just turned to hail. You slid your back down against the Bakugou's door and you pulled your legs up to your chest in a bent position. You let little sobs out as you formed your body into a ball to try and create heat.

You spotted a car pull into Katsuki's driveway and you tried your best to smile and perk up. You tried your best to make it seem like your father hadn't beat the shit out of you, like your skin wasn't oozing black and green colors. You tried to make it seem like you were happy and normal.

Masaru Bakugo walked up to his front door with an umbrella in one hand and his keys in the other. There was confusion placed on his face when he saw someone balled up against his front door, but that confusion morphed into worry when he saw it was you slumped up against his door.

"[Y/N]...? Is that you? C'mon, Let's get you out of this horrendous weather."

You were quick to stand up and move to the side as Masaru fumbled with his keys and unlocked his front door. Once inside, you felt bad that you were dripping water all over their home floor. Shy and embarrassed, despite being in the Bakugo home many times, you looked at your feet and mumbled out an apology.

"I'm sorry for getting your floor dirty."

"It's fine! Let me go find you some towels and some dry clothes."

A warm feeling spread in your stomach as he walked off. You loved Masaru. Katsuki had been out to his parents for a while now, and they'd known you and Eijirou for a decent amount of that time. Masaru was so nice, so kind, and he never made you feel bad about your sexual orientation. He treated you like an addition to his family, he treated you like a daughter and it made going back to your own father hurt so much more.

Katsuki's father came back shortly with towels and some of Mitsuki's old clothes in hand. He smiled at you as he handed over the items. His smile was warm, it made you think of the small, soft moments you shared with Katsuki. Everyone said he resembled his mother, but you could see the small attributes he got from his father.

"Mitsuki took Katsuki to the store with her. They're probably gonna be there awhile knowing how stubborn they are, they're probably stuck in the stuffing aisle arguing over what brand to get. If you ever come over and we're not here you're welcome to use the spare key. It's under the rock by the azalea bush."

"Thank you, it's very nice of you."

You smiled as you took the clothes from Masaru and headed off to the bathroom. It was a pair of leggings, a tank top, and a couple of towels. As you dried off and put the fresh clothes on, you grew nervous. You could see some bruises peeking out, and there was a handprint on your arm. You just needed to get to Katsuki's room and steal one of his hoodies before Masaru got a chance to notice the bruise.

You walked out of the bathroom with your wet clothes wrapped in a towel, you tried keeping it to your arm to hide the bruises. As Masaru took your clothes it was all for naught.

"I'll put your clothes in the washer so you can take dry clothes home."

You knew he saw it. His eyes lingered for too long, and his tone changed, yet he didn't mention it. Once Masaru left to take your clothes to the washroom you made your way upstairs to Katsuki's room and slipped on one of his hoodies before going back downstairs. Unbeknownst to you, Masaru made a concerned phone call to Mitsuki while you were putting on one of Katsuki's hoodies.

"You're probably cold from being outside so I made some tea."

"Thank you."

You smiled at Masaru as you took a seat on the cream-colored sofa across from him and picked up your cup of tea. You took tiny sips as Masaru tried to word out and voice his concerns to you.

"I noticed a bruise on your forearm, how did you get it?"

The shame and embarrassment of the truth flooded your face – not to mention if you told him, then it would somehow get back to your father. He would hurt you worse. Like you've done to your teachers, and many others, you lie to your boyfriend's father.

"Oh, that? I was sparring with someone from school."

"If hypothetically, someone was hurting you, it would be okay to tell me."

"No one's hurting me."

"[Y/N]... It's not just your arm. You have bruises forming on your face, Katsuki spars and he doesn't get hurt like that. It's okay to tell me... Even if it's someone like Katsuki, I know he can get rough sometimes... I would believe you."

Masaru knew it was wrong to play into your feelings for Katsuki like that. He knew his son would never hurt you, he might have been a handful, but Masaru raised him right. Masaru needed to play into your feelings to get you to fess up on who was hurting you. Masaru reached out and grabbed your cold hands. He looked at you, practically pleading you to tell him the truth. Masaru had a way of talking to you that made you want to be honest about it and hearing him toss out Katsuki's name hurt you. You broke down, tears streaming down your face, as ugly sobs escaped you.

"No, Katsuki would never hurt me. It's--It's my dad. He can get mean sometimes, and he got really mad..."

Masaru took your teacup and placed both yours and his on the table before he pulled you in his arms as you spilled and blabbed about all your father did to you. It was so foreign to you, the feeling of being in a man's arms, a father's arms. To be held and comforted without being hurt. You couldn't remember a moment where your father held you and said everything was gonna be okay.

"He found out about my sexuality. I can't- I can't go back."

"It's okay, it's gonna be okay. You don't have to. What your father does to you is wrong. It's not right. I'm not gonna let you go back there, okay?"

"Thank you."

Your words came out in choked up sobs, but it didn't stop Masaru from keeping a tight hold on your body. It didn't stop him from rubbing comforting circles in your back, something he did for Katsuki when he was sick as a young child. Once your sobs quelled Masaru pulled away and looked at you earnestly.

"Why don't you go rest in Katsuki's bedroom. I'll send him up once Mitsuki gets home."

"Okay... Thank you, Masaru."

As you laid in Katsuki's bed you felt overwhelmed. Anxiety and dread coursed through every vein, cell, and fiber of your being. You didn't want Katsuki to come home. You didn't want to talk to him. You didn't want any confrontations. You didn't want to see the pity on his face when you told him your dad beat you, you didn't want to see the disgust on his face when he realized what a shitty hero you are.

What kind of a hero can't even protect themselves from their father?

You didn't want to have to tell him, that was if Masaru hadn't already contacted Mitsuki and Katsuki at the store. You didn't want to have the conversation you knew you would need to have once he got home. To top that off, you didn't want to tell Eijirou. How could you face him? How could you tell him that your father hurt you? He was going to beat himself up for it. He was going to be mad that he didn't protect you. You could already envision the teary-faced he'd give you, and it filled you with such dread. You never wanted to fill your partners up with such sadness. You never wanted your partners to feel such hurt due to the expense of your hand.

You weren't sure how long you lied there in Katsuki's bed. The scent of his shampoo lifted from his pillow, and the smell of his nitroglycerin filled your lungs as you laid buried in his blanket. Sometimes you would even get a whiff of Eijirou's shampoo, residue from late-night study dates, and cuddle sessions. It was all very comforting, as you laid there motionlessly. Even as you heard the door creak open, you didn't move from your spot to see who it was. Even when you felt a big, warm hand placed on your hip you didn't lookup.

"Hey."

Once Katsuki's rough voice made contact with your ears you rolled your body over so you were on your back, groaning ever so lightly as your bruised back made contact with the mattress. Gazing up into the red eyes of your rougher lover, you tried to make your smile reach your eyes.

"Hi, how was the store?"

"Don't do that."

To anyone else, it would have sounded like Katsuki was being hostile, like he was being rude and gruff. You heard differently. You could hear the pain in his voice, you could hear the worry and fear laced in his rough demeanor. As Katsuki dropped to his knees and grabbed your hand you could see the way this bothered him, you could see the way he was worried and the way this tore him up.

"My dad called my mom, don't pretend everything is fine when it's not. Don't pretend that your not hurting. Don't pretend with me."

"So he told you everything?"

"Just that my dad saw some bruises on you, said' you should tell me yourself."

You squeezed your eyes shut to prevent the tears from leaking out, to prevent the tears from falling into a downpour. Katsuki moved his other hand up to your face and cupped your cheek in his warm hand making you feel secure.

"Just tell me. It's gonna be okay, I'll make it okay, I'll make it better."

"My dad hurts me Katsuki. He psychically hurts me, and now he knows about you and he wants to send me away."

The tears poured out of your eyes, they streamed down your cheeks and dripped down onto your shirt as little sobs clawed their way out of your throat. Katsuki wrapped his arms around you and tugged your body close to his, with his face in the crook of your neck, he buried himself in you. If asked he would have denied it, but Katsuki let his own tears fall.

"I'm not gonna let anyone take you from me. I won't let anyone take you from me and Eiji."

When Katsuki pulled away you felt a pain in your chest. It was sharp and strong, Katsuki barely noticed as you placed a hand on your chest. He barely noticed until you began coughing. Your little cough turned into a fit, and little bits of blood came out with each burst of air out.

"Katsu, I don't feel so good."

"Fuck, [Y/N]... It's-It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. Just stay awake."

As Katsuki scrambled to pick you up bridal style, it felt like your lungs were on fire. You were light-headed as your head rolled against his shoulder, and the last thing you registered before your head went dark was the sound of Katsuki begging you to stay awake.

All Katsuki could do was pace the white floor in the hospital room. His hands came up and tugged at his blonde roots as angry, volatile thoughts raced through his head. He paced, and stomped around, and tugged to keep his tears at bay. He barely paid attention to the voices in the room telling him to calm down, all he heard was the heart monitor. How could they expect him to just sit? How could they expect him to be okay when you were the one in the hospital bed?

“Katsuki, you need to sit down. Pacing and getting worked up isn't going to help.”

“I know that! Do you think I don't know that? I know it isn't going to help, I know nothing I do is going to help! I couldn't help her, that's why she's in here!”

His words came out harsh and rough. They were sharp and all Eijirou could do was frown at his hands. He knew all the emotions Katsuki was feeling. He knew them all because he was going through the same thing. You didn't tell them what was going on at home, you didn't tell them and they didn't know. They didn't know and didn't help you. They couldn't help you and now you were in the hospital.

All Eijirou had in his head was every interaction with you, maybe if he had noticed it, noticed the signs, he could've helped. He had noticed the way you made sure you were home by a certain time. He thought you were a good girl. The way you always asked your dad for permission for things, no matter how small and minuscule. He thought you were a daddy's girl. You always wore hoodies. He assumed you liked wearing what was his. He was so wrong.

“I couldn't help her, and you couldn't help her either. It's not your fault she's in here.”

“But I should've! I should've seen the signs!”

Eijirou pulled himself up from the stiff hospital chair he was sitting on and walked over to Katsuki. He pulled Katsuki against himself and murmured sweet words into Katsuki's ear as he let him pour his heart out. He let him flurry his heart out, he let him cry.

“I should've helped her, I should've helped her.”

“I know... I should've helped her too, but all we can do is hope she wakes up.”

It was as if a miracle happened at that moment. Amongst their crying, despite the slim chance of survival, your eyes fluttered open. They fluttered open and your hands moved out, reaching for something, for someone. Your head hurt, and the last thing you remembered was being carried away by Katsuki.

“K-Katsuki...?”

You tried pushing yourself up into a sitting position but Katsuki and Eijirou were quick to get to your side. Katsuki gently placed a hand on your shoulder, keeping you down as he had reached out for your hand.

“Don’t move, it’ll hurt.”

“What happened?”

Eijirou pulled your hand he had gripped up to his mouth and kissed your knuckles. Your heart broke at the sad expression he gave you. It tore you up to see such pain and agony on his face.

“Your dad... he broke your rib, and it pierced your lung. It caused you to get internal bleeding, had Katsuki not been there when you were coughing, you might not have made it.”

“You know? Who told you.”

“You passed out, you almost died! Was I not supposed to tell him, you dumbass!”

“Don’t yell at me!”

“[Y/N]... You almost died. The doctor was barely able to fix your lung, you waking up is a miracle in itself, and you're still going to need more surgeries to fix your lung.”

You squeezed your boyfriend's hands in understanding. You had worried them. This incident wasn't like when you were eight and your dad gave you stitches, or when you were ten and he broke your arm. He almost ended your life.

“I’m sorry... I should've told you.”

“Why didn't you? Did... Did you not trust us? We would never hurt you, we would've helped you.”

“No, I trust you. I do! It's stupid...”

“I don’t care if it's stupid, I've spent the last four hours in this goddamned hospital for you, you could at least tell us why you kept it a secret.”

You closed your eyes and tried to stop the tears from falling. You pulled your hands from theirs and buried your face in your palms.

“I’m so fucking pathetic! That's why I hid it... I didn't want your help, because I should've been able to handle it myself. I'm supposed to be a hero, but I can't even stop my father from hurting me, it's so pathetic. I'm pathetic.”

Katsuki pulled your hand against his lips and his other hand wiped away your tears. Eijirou was quick to follow suit. They desperately wanted to pull you against themselves, to hug you tightly as if you'd disappear, but they knew it would hurt you, they knew you were still too fragile

“You're not pathetic. You're strong, you're so strong.”

“Fuck, you're strong. You handled him by yourself for so long on your own, but you're not on your own anymore. The cops got your X-rays, between your broken ribs, and old healed bone fractures, it's enough evidence to put your father in jail for a long time.”

A smile spread across your face as Katsuki spoke his words to you. You dreamed of the words for such a long time. You dreamed of the day you no longer had to endure him. You dreamed of it, you yearned for it, and now it was here.

“My mom and dad want you to live with us. You'll, come, right? You have to, my parents love you. I’m gonna smother you with my love, and Eiji's gonna be over every day. We're gonna take good care of you.”

“I will, I'll be over every day, and we'll watch your favorite movies, and eat your favorite food. We’ll take care of you.”

“I’ll come. I’ll come live with you Katsuki.”

“Fucking good, I need you to be close. I need you to be close and safe.”

As Katsuki kissed your forehead, Eijirou left kisses up your arm. Your fears of telling them about the abuse were far from your mind, as was your father. You were ready to start your life with your boyfriends, you were ready to move in with the Bakugo’s, a couple who would love you like a daughter, the right way. You were ready to start this peaceful chapter of your life.

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missaudreyhorney · 4 years

Text

Afterschool Special

Again, I am shocked and delighted that people are enjoying the beginning of this series as much as I’m enjoying writing it. I cannot thank you all enough for your kind words and encouragement. In this third installment, Hopper and Reader get to spend some “alone time” together. That’s all I’m going to say about it 😊

Content warnings: Rated M for more age gap, Daddy kink, physical intimidation, over the clothes touching, and a new addition of under the clothes kissing. Female Reader, modern AU, 2.5k words.

You call Jim Hopper on Monday afternoon in between classes. His voice is even deeper and sexier over the phone than you remember it sounding the night before. He seems happy to hear from you and you try to hide how giddy you are about it. Sensing that the attraction between you two is very mutual, you don’t hesitate to set up a meeting. He tells you that he has Wednesday off from work, and for a second, you seriously consider ditching all your classes to spend the entire day with him. Instead, you agree to meet up at his house at four o’clock, which gives you enough time to go home and change after school.

Normally on a date, you would prefer to wear a dress but the winter chill in the February air sadly prevents that. Hopefully you won’t feel out of place wearing a heavy sweater and a pair of jeans to wherever it is he wants to take you.

The address he gave seems to be out in the middle of nowhere and multiple times you wonder if the GPS navigation is telling you to go in the wrong direction. Eventually, you find the place and it’s not so much a house as it is a cabin in the woods. It almost looks abandoned except for his car parked out front.

Any misgivings you have about the place are dispelled when you see Hopper standing on the porch and smoking as he waits for you. All your friends complain about guys who smoke, and that they hate the smell, but not you. You think it’s sexy and you even enjoy the smell.

A smile spreads across his handsome face when he sees you and it gets wider when you step out of the car. “Come on in, sweetheart,” he greets you with a white cloud billowing out from his mouth.

Anticipation rushes through your veins. When you last saw each other, and when you spoke on the phone, there seemed to be a promise of more, a promise to finish what he started when he came up to your room. You know that something will happen today, you’re just not sure how or when.

Once you reach the top of the steps, he says “It’s open. I’ll be in in a minute” as the unfiltered cigarette dangles between his lips.

Opening the door slowly, you let yourself in then put your purse down and look around. The cabin is…rustic. None of the furniture matches. Some of it looks to be as old as you are. There’s a decent red sofa but it’s covered in a patchwork quilt. There’s a plaid chair against the wall and it too has a blanket draped across the top, one that’s knitted or perhaps crocheted. The only things to indicate that you haven’t arrived here in a time machine are the flat screen tv on the wall and a new Apple computer on an old wooden desk.

Hopper steps into the room a moment later. “Why don’t you take your coat off and stay awhile?” He touches your back as he walks past you to go into the kitchen.

“Oh, um, okay.” You suppose he wants to talk a little bit or perhaps finish something up before you leave. Hanging your coat up on the rack, you notice a small pair of tennis shoes on the floor. “Do you live here alone?”

“No, my daughter lives here with me.”

His daughter? Gosh, Hopper really is a DILF. You follow him into the kitchen and your brain starts to connect some dots. “Is she the reason why you left so suddenly on Sunday night?”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” he says as he takes an ice tray out of the freezer.

“It’s okay. I’m just glad it wasn’t your wife.”

“Oh no, I’ve been divorced for a long time now,” he assures you.

Your eyes roam over Hopper’s large frame while you watch him pop the cubes out of the tray and fill it back up again. He’s wearing jeans and a blue flannel shirt, with the top two buttons undone, and a navy henley underneath. His scent of cigarettes and soap makes it seem as if he must have smoked immediately after getting out of the shower.

For a brief moment, you entertain the idea of ripping his clothes off right here and now, forgoing any previous plans you might have for your date. That’s where you’re hoping this will all lead anyway so what’s wrong with cutting to the chase?

In an attempt to restrain yourself, you bring up the one subject that will take your mind out of the gutter. “How did you meet my parents?”

“They brought one of their cars to my shop. I’m a mechanic.”

The attempt proves feeble as your mouth instantly begins to water at the mental image of Jim Hopper bending over the engine of a car, sticking out his cute butt in his Wrangler jeans, his hands and his face getting all dirty and sweaty.

“Can I make you a drink?” he offers, getting a glass off the shelf. “You are old enough to drink, right?”

You playfully roll your eyes. “Yes, I’m old enough.”

“I don’t have to check your ID, do I?” He winks at you and it’s as charming as it is corny.

“You can if you want to,” you respond.

“No, I believe you.” He opens a bottle of Jack Daniels and lifts it above his glass.

“Wait, you’re making a drink now? When are we gonna go?”

He puts the bottle on the counter. “Go where?”

“Is this it?” you ask, slightly stunned.

“Is what it?” Deep ridges form on Hopper’s forehead as he raises his eyebrows in irritation.

“I thought we were going to go on a date,” you explain.

His features soften as he chuckles at you. “We’re not going anywhere, sweetheart.” He gleefully pours the whiskey into his glass.

“So we’re just going to stay here and…?”

“Yeah,” he confirms with a smug grin. “We are.”

Suddenly your idea of tearing his clothes off seems like it would be more welcomed than you had anticipated.

“What’ll it be?” he asks, getting himself a can of Coke out of the refrigerator.

“I’ll have a water.”

Hopper pulls out a bottle of water and hands it to you. “You know this was your idea, right? You didn’t mention anything on the phone about a date.”

“I know, I guess I...assumed we’d go out.” You take a much-needed sip.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” he offers in a considerably softer tone than you’ve heard from him thus far.

“No,” you smile at him. “I want to stay.”

He smiles back at you then takes a drink.

“It just would have been nice if you took me out somewhere,” you remark before raising the bottle to your lips again.

“Why beat around the bush? We both already know what we want.” He takes another drink then sets his glass down. “Unless of course, you want us to be seen together,” he adds, moving directly in front of you, with mere centimeters between your bodies.

Your heart starts racing as Hopper glares down at you with a storm churning in his deep blue eyes.

”Maybe you want people to look at us and know that I’m twice your age.” He leans in closer, backing you into the corner of the wooden counter. “Maybe you want to hear them say ‘what’s that dirty old man doing with that beautiful young girl?’” He enunciates every word in a biting tone as if he’s scolding you.

Your bodies are so close together that you can actually feel the heat radiating off of him.

“If that’s what you want, I can take you anywhere. We can leave right now,” he offers in a slightly more casual voice. “I just don’t see any point in wasting time when it’s so obvious what you came here for.”

“What’s that?” you accidentally say in a whisper.

Hopper takes a step back from you. “Go in the bedroom and I’ll show you.”

With a deep inhalation, you slip away from him and run out of the kitchen then immediately run back. “Which one is your bedroom?” you almost shout.

“The one on the left,” he answers, trying not to laugh at your over the top enthusiasm.

You pull the curtain in the doorway so hard that it feels like it might rip away from the rod. Yanking your sweater above your head, you kick off your shoes at the same time.

Lying back on the bed, you can feel how wet he’s already made you. Your body is practically vibrating with excitement as you hear the heavy steps of his boots as he approaches. A shiver runs through you when he enters the room.

“Where were we?” Hopper asks, kneeling onto the foot of the bed.

“You were on top of me,” you recall.

“Uh-huh,” he nods, positioning himself between your open legs.

“And I think you were going to unhook my bra?”

He runs his hands under your t-shirt and up the sides of your body. “You’re not wearing a bra.”

“I thought we could skip that part.”

He pulls your shirt up over your chest. “Good thinking.”

Without missing a beat, his lips are on your breasts, kissing both of them with his warm, wet, open mouth. Your left nipple hardens as Hopper swirls his tongue around it, making you push your hips into him. His lips close around the bud and begin to suck.

“Oh, Daddy,” you moan, using the title with no regret this time.

“That’s what I like to hear,” he pauses long to speak then immediately begins sucking on your other nipple.

Just like on Sunday, his mouth is rough. Not solely the texture of his scruffy beard against your soft skin, but the ferocity with which he sucks on you and teases you with his teeth. Also just like Sunday, he moves his hand in between your thighs and pushes his palm against the center seam of your jeans.

You hiss when he bites down hard into your flesh, clearly not holding back this time. It’s an exquisite pain that you could easily become addicted to. Your fingernails claw at his shirt when he rolls your nipple between his teeth.

Hopper is working you into a frenzy with the way his hand presses into your jeans, rubbing your pussy through the denim. All the different sensations he’s causing in your body are starting to become too much and you need a release.

“Daddy, please,” you beg breathlessly.

Your nipple pops out from between his lips with a vulgar sound. “Please what?”

You’re unable to answer him as your mouth is too busy moaning while his hand brings back that familiar ache.

“Tell me what you want, baby,” he instructs between licks.

“Your f-” you interrupt yourself with another moan. “Your fin-”

“You want my fingers inside you, is that it?” Hopper asks as you grind your crotch into his palm, desperate for all the friction you can get.

“Yes, Daddy!” you finally manage to force out two coherent words.

He unbuttons your jeans and you hear a noise coming from the living room. You both ignore it while he ever so slowly starts to pull down your zipper. Until you hear another noise. Not a noise actually. A voice. Two voices.

Hopper’s hands fall from the zipper, landing on your sides, while his head sinks down in defeat. Your body tenses with worry that whoever it is might come into the room as there’s no door to keep them out.

The two young voices are arguing about something but your brain is far too preoccupied to be able to comprehend the subject of the argument. The only thing you can manage to infer in your current state is that it must be his daughter and one of her friends from school.

Hopper gets up from the bed, leaving your chest fully exposed, and you tug your shirt back down. He has you throbbing with need, and exactly like the last time, your hopes for satisfaction have been quickly dashed by an intrusive family member.

When he goes into the living room to mediate the situation, you sit up and see something on his nightstand that you were in too much of a rush to notice before. Magnum XL condoms, not one but three, the edges of the gold foil still attached to each other.

“For Pete's sake, what’s going on out here?” Hopper demands above the sound of their bickering.

“Mike was staring at Stacey Albright,” his daughter explains.

“No, I wasn’t!” the boy interjects.

“Who’s Stacey Albright?” Hopper asks.

“A girl at our school who stuffs her bra,” she answers.

“She does not stuff her bra,” the boy disputes.

“How do you know that if you weren’t staring?” she raises her voice.

“I was not staring!” the boy yells back.

“Both of you calm down, alright? Jesus.”

Hopper opens the curtain, walks in, and closes it behind him. “Listen, I’m sorry but I gotta-” he begins to apologize in a dejected tone.

“No, I understand,” you reply, cutting him off as you stand up from the bed before pulling on your sweater and shoes. “I should go.”

When you turn to walk out of the room, he grabs onto your upper arms. He doesn’t mean to startle you, it happens solely by accident because he’s so strong. “Look at me,” he suggests, trying to get you to make eye contact.

You gaze up into his gorgeous blue eyes and he starts to smile.

“I still want to see you again,” he says warmly.

“Me too,” you agree, reciprocating his smile.

The kids resume their argument and Hopper rolls his eyes. “Please call me,” he adds before letting go of you.

“I will,” you confirm.

You open the curtain and both of the kids’ mouths fall silent as they watch you emerge from the bedroom. They look to be about fourteen or fifteen-years-old. The girl has brown eyes, long brown hair, and the most perfect skin you’ve ever seen on a teenager. She forces an awkward smile to be polite. The boy is tall and pale, with sharp cheekbones and curly black hair like a rockstar from the ’70s. He glances back and forth between you and Hopper with a confused expression on his face.

“This is my daughter, Elle,” Hopper introduces.

“Hi,” she says.

“Hi,” you say back, your voice sounding squeaky with nerves.

“And her boyfriend, Mike,” Hopper continues.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Elle corrects.

“What? That’s not fair!” Mike exclaims.

They start bickering once more and you shoot Hopper a sympathetic look as you grab your coat and purse then slip out the front door. It feels like the universe is conspiring against the two of you, trying to keep you from having sex with each other, like a cosmic cockblock. As you drive away from the cabin, you silently pray that the next time will provide the relief you’re yet again so desperate for.

Tagging: @t-u-m-s @girlwiththenegantattoo @ottosuricato @im-not-great-at-making-up-names @misshawkins1993 @emilyyblackkk @hopperlover @kingphillipblake @kate110199 @david-harbour-arg @manawhaat @helena-mrs-murder @zombiesnips-blog @chiefharbour @flamehairedwritings @s-h-e-w-r-i-t-e-s @strawberry-fields-f0rever @mrs-geuse

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Image credit: HarbourSource on Instagram

#jim hopper fanfiction #jim hopper x reader #jim hopper x you #Hopper x Reader #Hopper x You #WTW #female reader #I did it

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a-lonely-tatertot · 3 years

Text

Finding Home

First / Wattpad / Ao3

A/N: EYOO BOIS! told ya id post it today once again betaed by the amazing incredible @bookwyrminspiration!

words: 4860

trigger warnings: none please tell me if you find any!

Chapter 8: Kindling

Sophie stood still as stone. She knew she was staring, how could she not stare? Her girlfriend’s twin was standing in the doorway of her once home. His hair longer than she remembered, the top gathered in a messy bun, strands framing his face. Then Sophie realized it wasn’t just his hair that was different, he was wearing glasses.

Rounded bottoms, flat tops, glass that flared in the setting sun. Tam with glasses was not something Sophie was prepared for and she only managed to gap. They were silver-framed, and sat at home perched on his nose; it made him look older, and Sophie didn't know if it was good or bad.

"What's takin' so long Tam?" Mari called out from inside the house. A second later she appeared in the doorway, a cheery smile on her face that Amelia knew would be gone the moment Mari saw her. Obviously, she was right. Mari's eyes landed on the girl in front of her and her entire body went rigid, her face going through a hundred different emotions in an instant before stopping abruptly on blank confusion.

Oh. Mari was standing right in front of her, close enough to touch. Close enough that she could smell the chocolate and the familiar scent of cinnamon and apples and freshly baked bread and cookies that would melt in your mouth. Oh, how Amilia just wanted to run into her arms and cry and apologize and beg for forgiveness until her voice was hoarse. But all she could do was stand, and stare, without the courage to even think of saying something.

None of the group had heard the footsteps approach, or the small gasp, too entrapped by their own hurricanes of emotion.

"Sophie?" a timid voice asked followed by a smaller, "Linh?"

Both girls’ heads snapped up to look at who’d broken the unforgiving silence; Sophie's eyes found Fitz's and both of their faces split into comical grins. Fitz pushed past Mari, hurried and uncoordinated, stumbling his way into Sophie's arms. A startled laugh escaped her lips as Fitz wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the air like she was light as a feather. Oh, how she had missed her Fitz.

Eventually, he set her down and ruffled her hair with a grin before glancing back to the group still standing in the doorway. His eyes landed on Linh who raised her hands up in surrender immediately. "Nuh-uh, nope, don't you dare try to hug me," Linh said, her tone playfully serious.

Tam and Sophie finally locked eyes and he gave her a look that clearly said, this is what I have to deal with all the time; pity me.

Sophie didn’t.

Fitz let out a laugh before grabbing Sophie's arm and practically dragging her inside. "Come on! We've got so much to talk about!"

Giving him a weak smile, Sophie glanced back at Mari. The woman's eyes narrowed, "Yes, we really do."

Sophie prayed silently to whoever was listening that she wouldn't be dead in a ditch by the end of the day.

Fitz had pushed his way through the doorway with Sophie in tow, the rest following slowly, not quite sure what to do.

It felt weird, seeing Fitz so at home in a place the exact opposite of where he grew up. But the way he smiled easily, told everyone to take a seat, talked with Linh—if Sophie didn't know any better she'd say he’d lived here his entire life.

"So," Sophie started. The living room was crammed, not meant for the five people and all of the tension. "Can we talk?" She directed the question at Fitz (and tried to ignore the flash of emotion on Mari's face).

Fitz luckily got the hint and nodded, motioning for her to follow him into the kitchen. Oh, the kitchen. She remembered the time that Mari tried to let her make pancakes on her own, which ended with her almost burning down the house. Or the time that she and Tommy got in a food fight while Mari and Angie desperately tried to salvage dinner—until Angie got a face full of mashed potato and it became a full-out war. She missed those days. Everything was so much easier. But then she had to go and mess it all up.

"Hey? You still there?" Fitz asked, yanking her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah, sorry," she said hurriedly. "So how'd you end up here?" She already knew part of the story, that Fitz left and Tam tagged along.

"Mostly impulse decision. Decided I wanted to be more than 'The Next Vacker' or whatever the hell I was supposed to be. So I ended up leaving; Tam caught me at the last second and came along. We ended up in Europe, and—-after a few failed attempts—learned how to drive and made our way through the place living in this weird RV that always smelled like cheese for some reason. And then somehow we ended up on a plane here, decided more road-tripping was needed. But the car broke down and Mari ended up helping us and let us stay a couple of nights."

Sophie laughed, "Yeah, that sounds like Mari."

"Wait, so how do you know her?"

"Uh. Well, you see, I kinda lived here for a year after showing up at her diner and her taking me in," Sophie said, her hands moving as if she was trying to grasp the explanation out of the air.

"YOU'RE AMELIA?" Fitz yelled, making Sophie almost squeak. "I totally thought that she was Mari's daughter."

She paused at the words. Mari talked about her like she was her daughter? Oh. Sophie felt like she could cry. From happiness or guilt; the jury was still out.

"Well, I kinda ran away? In the middle of the night without telling her? But she caught me and we fought and haven't seen each other since," Sophie mumbled.

"You and your attachment problems."

Sophie gaped at him, "OH! I'm sorry that I got pulled into a random world at 12 and then got betrayed, hurt emotionally and physically, and had the people I cared about die!"

"Yes, but you've got to let someone closer than an arms distance away sometimes," he said with a sigh.

"I have a girlfriend; she's closer than an arms distance!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah I noticed that, but be honest with yourself, she’s not."

Sophie only glared at him.

"Look. You've got issues to figure out with Linh and Mari but I'm not gonna make you fix 'em," Fitz said after a beat. "But Linh and Tam definitely have issues that need to be talked about or this house is going to catch on fire-"

Sophie chuckled. Ignoring her own problems to fix someone else's. She could do that.

The tension in the room couldn't get any worse. Actually, it could, but if it did the house might've blown up. Fitz, bless his soul, seemed oblivious to everything. Asking question after question, talking to Linh, asking what Sophie was studying, and so on and so on until it got frankly exhausting to answer.

The Plan—she said plan, but it was more of a vague idea and a poorly put together execution— was to get the twins to talk and be together so that at least half of the tension would go away. But no, Fitz just had to keep fucking talking. Finally, Sophie had enough. "Suggest dinner dumbass," she eloquently texted Fitz.

When his phone went off he only rolled his eyes in her general direction.

"Why don't I make some dinner?" Fitz asked, getting murmurs of agreement that sounded like music to Sophie's ears.

"I'll help!" Sophie suggested, and Mari's face twisted into poorly concealed horror as she definitely remembered how it went the last time Sophie was in the kitchen unsupervised.

"Nuh-uh," Mari shook her head. "I'm going with; I do not trust you in there." Sophie only smiled innocently; it was all going according to plan. The twins, in almost unison, glanced at each other and back at the three, trying to find a way out. Sophie went over and kissed Linh on the cheek, squeezing her shoulder.

"Don't worry, it won’t be long and I'll come back if you need me," she whispered, trying to ignore the confused looks Tam was giving her.

"You better," Linh muttered back. Sophie gave her a reassuring smile before heading into the kitchen where Mari and Fitz were discussing what to make.

"We are not having breakfast for dinner just because it’s the only thing you know how to make!" Fitz argued playfully.

"It is not the only thing I know how to make; it’s just easy!" Mari retorted. Sophie watched the exchange as they went back and forth, finally deciding on chicken and waffles ‘cause it was sort of both; though, Sophie knew that Mari had really won the argument.

When both Mari and Fitz were distracted getting things out of pantries and cupboards, Sophie secretly reached out to Linh's familiar mind.

Yes, it was wrong; Sophie knew this, but she needed to make sure that Linh was going to be okay. Sophie needed to make sure she was going to be okay. What would happen if something happened and Sophie didn't react fast enough? What if Linh needed her and she didn't know? She said she would be there if she needed her and this was her way of being there for her.

Sophie distractedly did as she was instructed, doing the small tasks like cracking eggs and grabbing ingredients. She was not permitted, unless the world was ending, to touch the stove. Sophie only laughed, knowing that Mari was being paranoid, but it was something she had learned Mari was good at. Being paranoid gave her control, gave her all the angles, even if one of them was outrageous. Sophie tried not to think about the fact that she may have added to her paranoia with her run-away-in-the-middle-of-the-night stunt.

Quickly banishing the thought from her mind she focused on Linh's thoughts. Nothing had happened, there was a tension to Linh, a million thoughts a mile an hour running through her mind, what if after what if and quite a few cuss words.

"Soo..." Tam said.

"So," Linh responded, her tone flat, clearly guarded, but her mind was whirling like a tornado.

"We should talk." Linh internally scoffed at that.

"What's there to talk about?" Tam gave her a look of disbelief.

"There's everything to talk about!"

"You left."

Tam huffed, "You told me to!" Linh stayed quiet, and Tam stared at his hands. "You made it clear as day you didn't want me there; you still don’t want me. What the hell did I do wrong, Bubbles?"

Linh let out a heavy sigh. "That’s the problem," she whispered. "You didn't do anything. You were perfectly fine. You were fine doing the same thing for eternity. You were happy. And I went and fucked it up just because I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand being there, being so lonely-"

What are you doing, Fitz's voice rang in her head and she stumbled out of Linh's mind.

Sophie's face steeled. None of your business.

Fitz let out a huff of annoyance, similar to Tam's (she wondered if they were rubbing off on each other), but ultimately went back to work. Mari didn't question the weird interaction, but Sophie got the feeling she would be interrogated later by them separately. God, she did not need an adult, a sister, and a Fitz on her back. Couldn't she just make bad decisions in peace?

Sophie was grateful for them though. The pestering of Amy keeping her in check, in the right mind, the hugs from Fitz that seemed to never stop, and the way that Mari looked at her now, conflicted between holding her and never letting go and opening the gates that kept her anger behind bars. Sophie didn't know what she did to deserve them, especially after she fucked up time and time again, but she was grateful nonetheless.

They finished dinner in silence, except for the occasional "Can you pass me that?" or "Here let me show you how to do it." It was eerily domestic and made Sophie's heart clench, even making her forget about the tense conversation happening a wall over. But she didn't dare listen in again with Fitz watching her like a hawk, annoying in his way of knowing exactly what she was thinking and doing.

Eventually, the food was placed on platters, and Sophie used her waitress skills from many long days wasting away carrying plates and large orders to customers and brought all of the food out to the dining room.

Tam and Linh had kept their distance, the tension only a little bit more breathable. At least they weren't glaring daggers, now they were just ignoring the others’ existence. Baby steps. Fitz tailed behind her, setting the table as she carefully placed the food.

They soon all sat at the table, quietly serving themselves, not quite sure what to do with everyone else. Fitz and Tam kept on sharing glances, seeming to have a silent conversation that really got on Sophie's nerves. Sophie sat on the opposite end of the table from Mari, ignoring her prodding stares. "So," Linh cleared her throat, "what have you guys been doing since you got here?"

"Oh, nothing much," Tam responded, a harsh edge to his words.

Linh leaned forward and narrowed her eyes. "Oh come on. It’s been forever since I saw you last; you had to do something."

Sophie, for one, was not liking where this was going. The annoyed tone, the poking, the insistence, it was suffocating. She could tell, glancing at Fitz and Mari, that she wasn't the only one.

Tam gave a curt laugh. "Well, we did do a lot, I just didn't know if you would want to hear about how much, mmh what’s the word, better it was without you."

That hit a nerve.

Sophie watched in horror as Linh's face hardened and the water in her glass started to shake. Desperately, Sophie reached for her girlfriend's hand, only for it to be pushed away as Linh stood, startling the rest of the table—except for Tam? who looked like he was getting exactly what he wanted.

"You liar," Linh spat.

Tam stood up to meet her, a glint in his eyes as the setting sun's light hit his glasses, "How would you know I'm a liar, Linh? You told me you wanted to go, so I went. You disappeared at night, and you came back looking like shit. But you told me not to ask, and you said you didn't need me. And guess what? I fucking listened, cause that's what good siblings do: they listen. So when you told me to leave, I left and caught a ride with Fitz. And he did a better job at being a brother than you ever did as my sister!"

Fitz looked like he wanted to melt into a puddle. "Guys-" he tried, but when both Linh and Tam sent him a withering look he stopped. Sophie didn't know what to do; she didn't know who to help or even if she could. It was all too much.

"Fitz isn't your goddamn brother, he didn't go through the shit we did," Linh snapped.

Tam huffed, "Linh, when is it going to get through your thick skull? I'm not replacing you, I couldn't do that even if I tried. I'm waiting, I'm waiting for you to realize you're not okay, and I'm waiting for you to ask for help instead of waiting for it to fall apart in front of you." The looking on Tam's face and the way Linh's posture sagged made Sophie feel horribly out of place. That the moment was too intimate for her to see. Granted, that hadn't stopped her before, but that wasn’t the point. The point was Linh's face going through a hundred different emotions before she walked out the door without another word.

Sophie went to stand up, to go after her, to make sure she was okay—until she felt Tam's hand on her shoulder. He shook his head and smiled softly. "Let me talk to her," he said, and suddenly he looked too old to be the person she once knew. But she stayed where she was and let Tam go out the still-open door without an argument.

"What the hell was that?" Mari asked as soon as Tam left.

"They're twins," Fitz supplied.

"With emotional trauma and attachment issues," Sophie added. Mari only nodded and left it at that. The three finished up dinner without another word.

Light buzzes against Sophie's hand woke her up. She groaned in annoyance as the bright screen displayed Amy's name, knowing this was a call she shouldn't ignore. Slowly she found her way out of bed and Linh's arms, fumbling to answer the phone, anything to keep it from waking Linh up. She tiptoed down the hall, subconsciously taking the familiar path. Putting the phone to her ear, Amy's voice shrieked through the phone.

"HIII!" Amy screamed.

"You are way too awake at one in the morning," Sophie grumbled.

"I had a coffee around twelve in the morning, another an hour ago, and just chugged a Redbull," Amy explained as if nothing about this extreme amount of caffeine was concerning.

"And why, pray tell, did you do this?"

"Midterms." That explained everything perfectly. Amy was silent for a moment and Sophie spun around the room, eyes raking over the familiar scene she found herself in. A nightstand cluttered with chargers and books and random trinkets, a dresser void of any clothes, and a desk with the all too familiar pens she had collected and doodles she had etched into the smooth frame. On the bed, she found a familiar book that made her breath hitch and everything in her freeze. Against her will she was drawn towards it, opening the frayed frame displayed the first page of the scrapbook, a picture of Angie, Mari, Tommy, and Amilia outside of the diner.

Angie had given her the book the first and only Hanukkah she was there. It was during the middle of dinner, Amilia had her face stuffed with sufganiyot, and Tommy had come over. It was really a present to the both of them, knowing that neither would be getting anything from their respective families and a reminder that they would always have the home they had built. It was that night Amilia realized she had built herself a family, she had gained a brother and mothers. Her own makeshift family. But that had scared her to her core, being a part of something again. So she started to plan, and she gave into that horrible urge to run.

"Soph? Sophie are you okay?" Amy's voice tore through her thoughts like a light in the darkness.

"What if I fuck it all up again?" Sophie asks, her words shake, and she realizes her cheeks are wet from tears that had spilled over without her permission.

"You won’t."

"How do you know? What do I do when Linh finds out I've seen things I shouldn't have? That I've been keeping it from her? What do I do when Mari asks about who I was? What-"

"Stop." She stopped. "I need you to breathe," Amy spoke softly like Sophie was some wild animal. Over the next minute Amy counted while Sophie breathed, it was a routine at this point. Too many times had Amy walked in on Sophie barely holding herself. Eventually, Sophie's breathing calmed and so did the horrible buzzing of adrenaline in her system.

"I know that you're scared and that you have every right to be," Amy said finally into the empty silence. "But no matter what I will always be here with you okay? As you do everything I'm going to be here for you. No matter how much of a dumbass you are sometimes."

Sophie laughed dryly, "Thank you." She ignored how much it mirrored Linh's words on the bus.

They talked for a long time after, about anything and everything. About their friends at university to what Sophie's going to do about the boys. "It's weird, isn't it?" Sophie asked, watching the moon rise from the window from above her old bed.

"What's weird?"

"That we found each other so quickly that we all just seemed to be in the right place at the right time."

Amy was quiet for a minute, nothing but the sound of papers rustling to remind Sophie that she was still there. "Yeah, I guess it could be seen as weird. Maybe the universe was tired of seeing you guys dance around each other."

Sophie chuckled lightly and they left it at that as they jumped onto the next train of thought.

Sophie stepped out into the cold. Amy had hung up thirty minutes prior, leaving her in the dark next to Linh feeling ever so alone. She hadn't told her sister about the eavesdropping; she already knew what Amy would say. Sophie didn't need another lecture; it was too damn late for that. She ignored the guilt that had evidently arisen with the thoughts and had quietly snuck out of the living room, through the kitchen, and out the door. Eerily similar to the way she had the night she left, her brain unhelpfully reminded her. She winced at the steel in Mari’s voice, as she had told her not to be a coward stabbed deep in her heart.

She sat on the swinging bench outside, gently rocking herself back and forth on it. Her mind wandered, from how Mari did after she left, if she tried to go after her, she thought of Tommy and how he reacted, if he expected her to leave like the mystery boy he had fallen for. She sat and marveled at the stars and how clear they were. She thought of how the night, no matter how dark, never seemed to swallow her up, just sat like an old friend waiting.

Her thoughts surrounded her, infusing her so deeply she didn't hear the door creak open as Mari stepped through and cleared her throat, “Is this spot taken?”

Startled, Sophie shook her head, and her eyes found the plate that she was holding. It held her favorite dessert that Mari would make: a mini upside-down pineapple chocolate cake that never failed to make Sophie feel better.

They sat in heavy silence, staring off, avoiding looking at each other, instead of staring off into the trees, eating their respective mini cakes. Sophie didn't know how long it had been when Mari finally cleared her throat.

"I kept the stuff you left," she whispered.

"I- thank you," Sophie said even though she already knew because nothing else seemed to fit. A beat passed where Sophie grasped for something, anything to say to the woman next to her. Instead, she tore out an eyelash, reveling in the stab of pain she had become numb to.

"I thought you were done with that habit," Mari stated. So did Sophie. Until Linh showed up until the world decided to hate her once more.

"Old habits die hard," she shrugged.

Mari nodded, clearly having more important questions on her mind, "So...they call you Sophie, huh?"

Sophie's breath hitched. "Um yea," she stumbled. "It's a long story."

"We've got all night." And at that Sophie knew what the rest of the night was going to be, her spilling her guts about every fucked up thing that happened when she was a kid. She didn't even know how many laws she would break telling Mari everything but fuck it. Mari deserved to know.

"When I was five, I started to read minds," Sophie started softly. Mari didn't react, staying quiet for her to continue. So she did, and she told her everything. From before Fitz found her to when she left.

Mari was quiet the entire time Sophie talked, her face set in a mask, betraying none of her emotions, which made Sophie's entire stomach twist. By the time Sophie finished, fireflies had risen around the trees and grass around them. Their flickering lights were majestic, and Sophie wondered what it would be like to be a firefly. How simple it would be to be just one light in a million. She mulled over their similarities to stars, yet she remembered learning once how very far away each star was from another, what a lonely existence it must be.

They sat, Sophie still as a statue, Mari probably deciding that this random girl and her group of people were very very crazy. Finally, Mari cleared her throat, "You know I won't believe you without proof."

Sophie let out a harsh laugh, "If you did I would honestly be concerned about your sanity." Mari smiled small. Sophie cleared her throat, "So, uh what do you wanna see first?"

"Telepathy?" Mari asked, her face falling back into that mask counseling her. Sophie took a breath and closed her eyes.

She opened her mind to the world and reached forward for Mari. "Hello," Sophie transmitted and opened her eyes. Mari's eyes were blown wide and her mouth hung open slightly, her mask nowhere to be found. Sophie pulled out of her mind, closing her walls against the bombarding thoughts, and the world was quiet again.

"What the fuck," Mari breathed.

Sophie laughed, giggled more like. Maybe she was tired, maybe it was Mari's face, maybe she had hit her limit. She giggled till she was breathlessly holding her stomach. Mari only stared at her silently trying to gauge who the hell this kid was sitting next to her.

Arms were around Sophie before she knew what was happening, holding her, encasing her, like they were trying to protect her from the rest of the world. "What is this for?" Sophie whispered. It wasn't like she didn't appreciate it, honestly, she loved it, she missed motherly hugs and the way that Edaline would hold her at night when she couldn't sleep. Burying her head into Mari's shoulder, breathing in the smell of pineapple and chocolate and a home she missed so much.

"I am so sorry," Mari said. "For what they did to you, Soybean."

Sophie's eyes teared up at the name. She remembered when Mari told her about the nickname, they were in the diner closing up when Angie brought up the topic . For the next half an hour she’d smothered Mari in random nicknames, each one getting worse as the time went by. They were walking back when Mari asked her, and she said she was once called Soybean when the world was much easier.

They stayed there for who knows how long, in the cold, a thousand fireflies shining, and the warmth of a home Sophie always wanted around her.

"Sophie," a sing-song voice forced its way through her dreams, earning a grumble in return.

"She is impossible to wake up in the morning," another voice said.

"Hey, at least she sleeps," voice number three said.

"Sophiieeee, if you don’t wake up I am going to be forced to give you affection," the first voice spoke again; it was Linh, the more awake part of her brain supplied. Sophie only grumbled again, trying to bury herself under the covers once more. But in a blink of an eye the blanket was gone and she was curling around nothing, as hands were placed on her sides and kisses attacked her face. The fingers on her sides started to move and suddenly a bubble in her stomach popped and she was rolling with laughter trying to escape her girlfriend's tickles and kisses.

"I'm- I'm awake!" Sophie breathed between giggles.

Dimly, she registered who she thought was Amy say, "I think I'm going to barf," and Fitz agreeing with her while Mari ushered them out of the room with a fond look on her face.

Eventually, the torture stopped and both girls were breathless, but in the best way possible. "It's too early for this," Sophie said, flopping back down onto the bed. Linh giggled and the sound did something to Sophie's insides. Maybe it was love, she thought as she fought the shame that came from the secrets she kept (it’s not and she knows this, but maybe if she pretends it is, then it will be, then she'll be enough).

"Come on, love," Linh whispered, something in her eyes shining that Sophie didn't want to know. It would hurt too much to know.

Breakfast was a small affair; the tension had lessened. Much less like a nuke about to go off and more like a small bomb that would blow with the slightest move. Sophie and Mari's talk helped, and so did Amy's presence distracting the twins from each other.

It was nice, sitting, talking, fighting with no malice in their words. For once, Sophie felt like she was home. Sure it still needed healing, and work, and help, but it was still her home.

#weeeeee #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #sophie foster #amy foster #linh song #tam song #fitz vacker #kotlc fic #fanfic #tater writes #finding home

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brookewritesyk · 3 years

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t w o

───── 𝐉𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 ─────

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍. That meant it was time for Charlie-Rose to go back to Goodman's household. Every time Charlie replays the last memory she had with Jonny she felt butterflies at the second hug and the mumbled request of her coming to dinner next Friday.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she exhaled then smiled and thought I really fell hard for him huh. Then her phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts, she turned around to get her phone on her bed and the caller ID said 'Pissface'. Just who she needed rang by.

Picking up her phone, she answered it and teasingly said: "Hey Pissface."

"Hi Paris," Jonny replied in the same tone.

"What's up?" She asked now sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Nothing I was just was wondering if you were still coming?"

"Yeah, I'm still coming Pissface." She said smiling whilst playfully rolling her eyes and hanging up the call. Then carried on getting ready.

───── 𝐀𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 ─────

Charlie-Rose finally got to Martin's and Jackie house and she parked up her Fiat 500 in the drive. Weirdly, she saw Adam and Jonny staring intensely and bewildered at the outside window through the dining room.

"What are you two doing?" Charlie queried with a frown, intrigued and shutting her pastel blue car door and locking it.

"Come here Paris!" Jonny whisper-shouted at her and gesturing to the window.

"What?" Charlie scoffed now getting more perplexed.

"Quickly!" Adam ushered.

Impatiently, Jonny quickly dragged her to the window that caused butterflies to go wild in her stomach again. Now, she was now sneakily looking through the window with them.

"He hasn't got a top?" Charlie guessed "He according to what you've told me and what I saw last week, he never has a top on." Then she noticed that it wasn't the Martin not wearing a t-shirt concerned them, it was that he was looking down his trousers and his boxers. "Oh Shitting Hell!" Charlie exclaimed now increasingly uncomfortable.

"He's been doing that for ages and he just keeps on looking and looking..." Adam told trailing off getting more disgusted as he continued.

"Ok I love Martin but I'm not going to stand here and watch him look at his, you know." Charlie defended shaking her head to get the mental image she had created. "Jonny keys please if you're going to stand here and look at your dad doing that."

Not paying attention Jonny throws her the keys which she luckily catches. Smiling at her mini victory, she opened the door, closed it but leaving the latch on so the boys could come in. "Hi Jackie," Charlie called down the hall, putting her coat on the coat rack.

Then Jackie came in from the kitchen and welcomed "Oh hello Charlie, where are the boys?"

"Oh they'll be in a minute they just forgot something in the car." Charlie lied but she was an actress she knew what she was doing.

"Hello, Bambina!" Marin greeted rather cheerfully pretending for at least half an hour he wasn't looking down his pants.

Then Jonny and Adam walked in as Martin was no longer in the dining room.

"Martin put a bloody shirt on!" Jackie moaned.

"I will in a bleeding minute!" Martin argued walking away.

As Martin left Jackie, the boys and Charlie went into the kitchen.

"So where's Allison?" Jackie asked stirring the soup.

"Oh yeah, where's your girlfriend?" Adam teasingly inquired.

"She couldn't come," Jonny told blankly.

"Because she doesn't exist?" Charlie joked but deep down she didn't know if Allison was actually real but secretly hoped that she wasn't.

"Ohhh Paris you don't know how proud I am of you!" Adam dramatically said and whipping a pretend tear away smiling.

Rolling her eyes, Jackie then looked at Jonny again expecting an explanation as to why Allison couldn't come again.

"She's with a friend," Jonny explained sighing.

"Simion?" Adam asked with a smirk

"Nice soup." Jonny tried to change the subject and looking over the oven to pretend to care.

"Simon?" Jackie responded with a knowing look.

"They're friends," Jonny emphasized.

"Boyfriend." Adam corrected.

Then Martin walked in now surprisingly wearing a shirt and asked Adam for the magnifying glass. Charlie, Jonny and Adam looked at each other nervously shocked.

───── 𝐃𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 ─────

"Does my hair look good?" Jackie randomly asked.

"Yess..." The boys said unenthusiastically whilst carrying on eating.

"She had a flaky scalp," Martin informed not seeing the issue of bringing it up at dinner.

"Uhh, Dad!" Adam groaned.

"It's not in the food is it?" Jonny asked worried, looking down at his plate of food.

"Charming," Jackie muttered.

On the contrary, Charlie complimented truthfully: "Your hair looks lovely Jackie!".

"Thank you, sweetie, why couldn't I have you as my daughter?" Jackie sighed and the boys looked at her offended. "We've run out potatoes I'll just pop to the kitchen." Jackie noticed and rushed to the kitchen.

"So Martin, Jonny told me you hurt your knee, how did you manage that?" Charlie asked acting concerned.

"I banged it." Martin simply said with a slight stutter.

"Oh, really what?" Jonny asker catching onto what Charlie was doing.

"My other knee."

Before they could query him anymore Jackie walked back in the with the potatoes. And Adam said, "Oh mum I have some news, my jingle thing is on tonight."

"Oh, well-done bobble!" Jackie congratulated and kissed Adam on his head and face. "I'm so happy, Martin, Adam's jingle thing is on tonight we mustn't forget to listen."

Martin not surprisingly didn't answer.

"Tell Allison to listen too," Adam added.

"Ok," Jonny replied with a quick smile.

"Although won't she find it difficult with Simion's balls in her ear?" Charlie teased whilst smirking.

Jackie and Adam burst out laughing but Jonny whined with a pout "Hey you're supposed to be on my team."

Then the door went, this time Charlie went to get it and she was greeted with an unfamiliar person.

"Hello, Jack-" Jim started until Charlie cut him off smiling sweetly and said- "I'm not Jackie, I'm Charlie-Rose it's nice to meet you." extending her hand but he just looked a hand whilst flinching away from his dog.

"CHARLIE! Could you ask him to come back later we're eating!" Jackie called.

Shortly after Martin yelled, "Tell him to bloody go away!"

"Martin!" Jackie tutted.

Politely you smiled and went to go close the door until Jim explained: "Jackie said she would sponsor me for cancer."

"Oh," Charlie began to feel guilty and grabbed her purse and took out a thirty-pound note and gave it to him. Smiling sadly said, "here for the sponsor, put it down as Charlie-Rose Evans."

"Oh thank, you thank you!" The strange brunette man with square-framed glasses thanked and went in to kiss her cheek but Charlie quickly dodged them and said laughing "Oh I never caught your name."

"Caught my name?" The man asked confused.

"Umm, I meant what is your name?" Charlie clarified laughing.

"Oh, my name is Jim, Jim Bell." He introduced again flinching away from his dog again.

"Nice to meet Jim I've got go now bye!" Charlie cheerfully said and went back into the dining room.

"He must think I'm such a mean cow." Jackie moaned "He keeps asking me to sponsor him, but I'm always busy."

"Oh don't worry about it, I gave him 30 pounds for the sponsor," Charlie explained sitting down next to Martin again.

"Why would you do that?" Adam asked and Jonny agreed "Yeah!"

"Because unlike you two, she isn't horrible," Jackie answered for her rolling her eyes.

"Adam, your mother tells me that your radio jingle is on tonight," Martin said, extremely formal.

"Rather formal. Uh yes, sir." Adam caught on.

"So who wrote the music?" Martin asked now speaking normally.

"Uhh, I did dad, I wrote the jingle," Adam stated matter-of-factly.

"Brilliant." Jonny and Charlie whispered unintentionally at the same time. They looked at each other surprised with a warm smile.

"Aww, Jonny-boo why won't you go out with Charlie?" Jackie moaned.

Charlie choked on her wine while Jonny looked like a deer in headlights.

"Mum, I have a girlfriend!" Jonny reminded Jackie.

Charlie felt her heart sank again but then realised he never explicitly said he didn't like her like that.

───── 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 ─────

"Mum how come you have more pictures of Pissface than me?" Adam asked.

"Your face annoys me," Jackie merely says not looking away from her magazine.

"Right. No really?"

"Really," Jackie said now looking at Adam.

"Apply cold water to the burns." Charlie taunted and Jonny laughed.

Then Martin came in from the kitchen and asked "Adam, could you come with me for a moment."

"What do you want?" But all three of us had an idea of what Martin wanted.

"Oh my God," Charlie whispered looking at Jonny then down.

───── 𝐀 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 ─────

"Females?" Jonny and Charlie said shocked yet relieved.

"Yes, I'm going to go on a dating site for twenty minutes."

"You agreed to that?" Jonny asked puzzled,

"He's paying me twenty pounds." Adam sated simply.

"Fair enough." Charlie-Rose agreed.

───── 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 ─────

"I heard about your parents," Jonny said softly and sincerely whilst Charlie's head was on Jonny's lap and snuggled into him. "I'm so sorry."

Charlie felt tears spring to her eyes. Her parents recently were killed by a robber and the emotions were still fresh. She hide her face into Jonny's lap so he couldn't see her cry.

But Jonny knew better, "Hey, hey Paris look at me." He told Charlie and used his thumb and forefinger to tilt her head up so he can see her face that had tears streaming down her face. "Oh Charlie," He cooed then they stayed like that for a few moments. Suddenly, Jonny kissed Charlie, it was the best kiss either of them had. Then she remembered Allison.

Feeling sick to her stomach, she pulled away and got up then ran to the front door with Jonny following behind her saying "Charlie wait-". Hurriedly, she put her coat on and started to open the door before Martin, Jackie and Adam came down the stairs and noticed she had her coat on.

"What's going on?" Jackie asked confused.

"I'm leaving."

"Why what happened?" Adam asked worriedly seeing the tears on her face.

"I'm sorry." Charlie left, crying silently.

"What did you do?" Jackie asked angrily.

"I kissed her," Jonny murmured realising what he did.

"You what?" Adam asked laughing as he was so shocked.

"I KISSED HER!" Jonny yelled angrily.

"While you were dating another girl?" Jackie clarified giving him a death glare.

"I made Allison up just so you couldn't set me up with anyone," Jonny confessed. "I'm still in love with Charlie."

#jonny goodman #Charlie-Rose #x oc #friday night dinner #adam goodman

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wormstacheangel · 4 years

Text

Day 13: Ladies

Word Count: 2601

Summary: I don’t know why I want the rest of the prompts to follow a big story line now cause this is after day 11 & 12. So read those first or don’t. Jack goes to visit his sister Claire because Dean and Cas need alone time in the bunker.

It started with Sam stumbling back into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes and running his hands through his hair. He walked over to where Jack was sneaking in some of Dean’s cereal and held both his shoulders to look him in the eyes.

“Jack, don’t go into the garage. Don’t go looking for your Dad or Dean tonight, okay?”

“But Cas said we-”

“Promise me, Jack.”

“Oh.” Jack nodded then with a smile. “I promise.”

Sam patted Jack’s cheek with a sigh of relief. “Good. Good. I need…I need to wash my eyes out with soap now.”

The next morning Sam had stopped Jack from walking into the kitchen. “Nope! Get dressed Jack. We’re going out for breakfast.”

“All of us?”

“No, just you and me. Cas and Dean are a little,” Sam shivered as he was pushing Jack back towards his room. “Busy at the moment.”

When they came back, they took Cas’s car instead of the Impala because Sam says it was too soon for him, Sam yelled out that they were home. He said it as loud as he could from the top of the stairs and Jack looked at him confused because they never announced it before. The loud squeak of the door was an indicator of someone walking through the front door already.

Sam sighed in relief when he noticed there was nobody in the map room but then when they dropped their left overs and shopping bags, Sam took him shopping for a new jacket for two hours, in the library they heard…noises.

“Nope!” Sam took Jack’s head and turned him around so his face was hidden against Sam’s chest. His too big hands covered Jack’s ears but he could still hear Sam yelling. “No! Not where the kid can see you! What the hell is wrong with both of you?”

“Sammy!” He heard a muffled Dean but Jack didn’t dare move from where Sam was holding him. “We thought you were gone.”

“We’ve been gone for 5 hours, Dean!”

Now Jack was sitting by Sam’s side in the kitchen table with beers all around while nobody made eye contact. Jack didn’t mention how Cas and Dean were now holding hands on top of the table either, he couldn’t fight back the big smile he had but he didn’t say anything about it. Mostly cause he didn’t really know what was going on and didn’t want to say the wrong thing.

“I’m giving you a week. Jack and I will go stay at Eileen’s while you two…go at it like rabbits. Get it out of your damn system cause I don’t want Jack to be scared for life like I am now.”

“We’re going to stay somewhere else?” Sam only nodded but Jack looked back at Dean and Cas. “Can I stay with Claire?”

“What?” All three of them said, Cas more in a happy tone than the two brothers.

Day 1 with Wayward Daughters

“Hello.” Jack held his hand up to say hello to Jody who opened the door. She looked surprised by his presence and he scrunched up his eyebrows as he asked, “Did Claire not tell you I was coming over?”

“No. No, she didn’t.” Jody placed her hands on her hips as she called out for Claire. Then she opened the door wider and motioned for Jack to come in before giving him a quick squeeze hello. “Judging from your stuff this is an extended stay?”

“A week.” Jack informs her. “I believe Cas and Dean have been like rabbits. Well that’s what Sam calls it.”

“Oh.” Jody smiled as she raised an eyebrow, her arms crossing while she leaned closer out of curiosity.

Jack nods as he smiles innocently at Jody. “Sam tells me they’re in their honeymoon phase. I’m not really sure what that means but he told me to leave the bunker for a week.”

“Gross!” He turns around when he hears Claire walking towards him. “Please don’t talk about our Dad doing it while you’re here.”

“Claire!” Jack drops his stuff on the floor and pulls his big sister, a self declared role Claire took upon herself that Jack was grateful for. “I missed you!”

Claire chuckled as he patted Jack’s back. “I just talked to you on the phone a few hours ago, dummy.” She pulls away and helps pick up Jack’s bags off the ground. “Come on! You’re sleeping in my room.”

“Dinner will be ready soon!” Jody calls after them.

“Thanks Jody.” Jack turns to smile at her before he walks into Claire’s room. “Wow, your room is so bright. Must be nice to have windows.”

Claire laughs as she drops the duffle and backpack Jack had brought on top of her bed. “I guess. Kaia would be home from school soon but Alex and Patience are at work until late.”

“I don’t think Patience likes me very much. Every time I visit she hides away.”

“Neh, dude, that’s only cause she thinks you’re cute.”

Jack perks up. “She does!”

Claire reaches to squish Jack’s cheeks together. “Yup but no flirting with my friends. You suck at flirting anyways.”

“Dean, says I’m good at flirting.” Jack frowned at her while his face was still in her hands. “The waitress gave me her number.”

“That’s cause you’re cute, dummy, and she felt bad for you but not cause you’re good at flirting.” She dropped her hands and pointed a finger at him. “Now as the new God-”

“Shh! Nobody knows about that.” Jack sighed. “I only told you because you said siblings don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“Honestly, when I asked for your deep dark secret I thought it would have to do with murdering someone but being the big guy upstairs is really…something. But as God’s sister it’s my job to teach you all the big sister stuff.”

“Which is?”

Claire shrugs. “Hell if I know but I am gonna teach you how to be a normal millennial. Maybe actually listen to music people your own age listen too.”

“But Dean said-”

“I know what that old man says.” Jack laughs as he sits on Claire’s bed. “But he’s old and he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

“You know,” Jack whispers. “Dad listens to Lizzo and Beyonce behind Dean’s back. We listen to it on our hunts.”

Claire laughs as she falls back on her bed. They spent the next few minutes laying on her bed and exchanging experiences. They were both lying on the bed facing the ceiling hugging the stuffed animals Cas had gotten them, Claire had a grumpy cat while Jack had a Chewbacca. They both talked about their Mom’s and whatever Claire remembered about her father, Jimmy.

It was nice to have someone Jack could talk to that understood his weird family dynamic.

“Jack! Claire! Dinner’s ready!” Jody called out to them and they both looked at each other with a smile before getting up to eat.

Kaia was already setting up the table. Saying she got home a while ago but wanted to give them some sibling bonding time. Claire kissed her girlfriend hello before Jack gave her a hug.

Patience walked in half way through dinner and ended up sitting next to Jack, both of them feeling awkward especially now that Jack knows she thought he was cute. Dean never did finish giving him the talk. Claire teased them both and Kaia luckily stopped her before Jack flew away in embarrassment. He really didn’t want to be….angel-y? While he was staying with Jody. He wanted to be a normal young adult. Even though he was 5 years old. Well 5 and a half.

“Donna is going to visit later this week so maybe we can have a family day out or something.” Jody tells them as Jack dried the dishes and Kaia washes. Patience went to take a shower while Claire put the leftovers in Tupperware containers for Alex when she came home.

“I would love that.” Jack tells her and she smiles back, motherly and warm. He hasn’t had that since Mary or his actual mother and missed it.

Day 2

Claire told Jody they were going to see a movie but she took him to a bar. He realized that was the reason she wanted him to bring his fake ID. He told her he didn’t like lying but she reminded him it was part of their job. He reminded her that they weren’t on a job.

“Then let’s find a quick one!”

They ended up finding a couple of vampires and Claire had told Jack to use his hunting skills instead of his powers. He was busy swinging a machete to the last vamp that towered over them both, when Jody walked in. Calling their names in a Mom voice that made them both freeze. The vamp shoved Jack out of the way and threw Claire across the room but Jody chopped his head off before he did any further damage.

Now they sat in the back of a cop car, bruised and covered in blood, while being lectured all the way home about being irresponsible.

Day 3

They talked all night, Claire from her bed while Jack slept on the floor because he hogs the blankets. They talk about what they wished they would be doing if they were normal. They talk about how every time Cas talked about life lessons or whatever to them it makes them feel guilty because they never want to let him down. All he wants is for them to be happy and they can’t even get that right.

Claire talked about her found family here and about her relationship with Kaia, who was sharing a room with Patience for the week.

Jack was jealous as he talked about wanting to find someone special.

“Hey it took our Dad how long to find Dean?”

“I don’t want to be alone for thousands of years!”

“Thousands! Wow, Dad’s old. Gross.”

In the morning they had chores before Claire drove Jack to Alex’s work to “bother” her. Really, it was to bring her some lunch and have Jack create a miracle or two on some patients. Alex didn’t freak out, just smiled warmly at him and it made him feel proud of his power.

“Thanks man.” Alex patted his shoulder. “You’re welcome to come by anytime but leave the little brat at home next time.”

“Hey! He’s my little brother. We’re kind of a packaged deal now.”

Alex rolled her eyes fondly before telling them to leave. “Go bother your girlfriend at the school or something.”

So that’s where they headed off next. Bothering Kaia was much different than bothering Alex because Kaia was in a classroom where they couldn’t go in. So Jack and her waited on some outside table while he watched students walk from building to building.

Claire talked about how boring it was to be just a student. Blind to the world of the supernatural but once again Jack was jealous. He had that option taken away from him and while he loved his family, he wished they would have given him a different career choice.

Kaia comes out and grins at them both. They all go out to have a late lunch and it felt so normal.

Day 4

Patience was still hiding away from Jack and he felt bad that he made her feel awkward in her own home. Especially since the place was way smaller than the bunker so the only place she could hide was her room.

“Patience! Jack wants to know if you wanna see a movie with us on the couch.” Claire called out to her and before Jack could say anything she continued with, “Come on, you can stare at him the whole time if you want!”

“Claire!” He covers his face in his hands in embarrassment but Patience comes out to join them for the movie anyways. Jack sat in between them on the couch, unable to pay attention to the scary movie Claire has picked out for them to watch.

Luckily Patience hugged a pillow while Jack jumped into Claire’s arms during a jump scare. He also did manage to blow up the TV but he quickly fixed it before Jody got home.

That night Jack text’s Dean. Asking him how he should flirt.

Day 5

Donna came over and gave him a big hug. He liked her and the dinner table was crowded while they talked about their lives. Hunting as well as their regular everyday lives. They all seemed to have a nice mix of both while Jack’s every day was the hunting life. The fixing heaven and hell life. The whole monster-fighting and being the new God life.

So he instead opted to just listen to the women talk and enjoyed the familiar family banter. He missed his Dads.

Day 6

Jody and Donna took them to the lake.

Jody talked about how Bobby, not the other world Bobby but her Bobby, used to take Sam and Dean to the same lake as kids. They were far enough from anybody seeing them that Jack decided to maybe show off just a little. Doing normal stuff like walking on water or parting the water so Patience can grab that nice rock she wanted. Nothing major.

He also found out he liked when someone plays with his hair. Claire has been doing it when they talked and he rested his head on her lap but now he likes it more when it’s Patience because she’s cute to look at. She finally talks to him, feeling comfortable talking about her own psychic powers. She has visions and feels energy around her.

“Your energy is so big it honestly made me feel queasy the first few times I was around you.” She laughed and Jack frowned at her feeling bad that he made her sick but she continued. “Now. I kind of like it. It’s soothing and warm.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She smiled and Jack felt his heart race in excitement.

Lightning struck down and hit a tree setting it on fire. Nobody could prove it was him that caused it cause it was night time and the sky was…clear. Yeah, maybe it was him but he got nervous!

Claire was the only one that knew it was him and made him put the fire out. Then pulled him to her instead so he won’t cause another natural disaster. He pouted a lot as he rested his head on Claire’s shoulder but watched Patience the whole time.

Day 7

“You know you’re always welcomed here, Jack.” Jody was hugging him goodbye as Sam gave him the all clear to come back. “Even if you just want to hang out and get away from your crazy Dads for an afternoon. Just pop in whenever.”

Jack hugged her back and thanked her.

Then he was hugging Claire, “Stay at the bunker some time. Dad misses you.”

“I text him all the time!” She rolled her eyes when she pulled away. “But I’ll stop by more.”

He hugged everyone goodbye, even Patience let him hug her. Before he flew away from the living room.

“Dads! I’m home!” He calls out as he appears in the bunkers kitchen, dropping off the Tupperware containers on the counter. “Jody made you guy’s food!”

“Hell yeah!” He hears Dean before he sees him walk into the kitchen. Cas trailing behind him with a warm smile. “Hey, kid!”

“Hello, how was your honeymoon?” Jack asked and Dean choked on mashed potatoes.

#suptober20 #destiel #Jack and Claire being chaotic siblings #spn #supernatural #claire novak #jack kline #wayward sisters

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myparentsheadache · 3 years

Text

A not so happily ever after

I came up with this while listening to someone sing love story in minor key cause it sounds more sad than happy in that key. I personally think the song is better in that key ANYWAYS.

Pairing -> Yandere Shoto Todoroki x fem reader

Warnings: Cussing

________________________________________________________________

His eyes were the first thing that caught my attention, one blue one brown. But once my eyes drifted from him I realized who he was, Shoto Todoroki. Son of Enji Todoroki, the son of the king. My eyes quickly reverted to my hands that were now gripping my dress. He never comes down from his castle on weekdays, why is he here? more importantly, is he gonna tell his father that I looked at his eyes? It is said he hates when people make eye contact with him. MY thoughts were cut short due to a cold hand softly grasping my face and lifting it to look at the person. My eyes practically shot out of their sockets when I made eye contact yet again with the prince. “Why did you look away? I like your eyes I’ve never seen someone with red eyes before.” Shoto gave me a soft smile and let his hand fall to his side. “I- uh- Its- uh rumored that you don’t like when people make eye contact with you, I'm incredibly sorry Prince Shoto!” I squeaked out most likely wrinkling my dress with how hard I was bawling it in my hands. “I don’t like when people make eye contact with me, but you’re just so beautiful It would be devastating if I couldn’t look into your eyes.” The prince spoke with such ease and a smile. “Thank you prince Shoto” I went to bow to the man but he grabbed my shoulders and forced me to stand up. “please don’t be so stiff. I would love it if you saw us as equals. What family are you from?” He has yet to let go of my shoulders and his grip was firm enough that I’m aware that I HAVE to answer. “My name is y/n Bakugou, My father is Masaru Bakugou and my mother is Mitsuki Bakugou.” He let his hands fall off my arms and his eyes now rested on something behind me. “Did this twerp do something wrong or can she go?” The sound of my brother's voice filled my ears. I could now feel his hand wrapped around my wrist. “Katsuki! Be respectful.” I scolded him but his grip on my wrist only tightened. “Is he your brother? He has your eyes. Does your entire family have red eyes?” Shoto asked as his attention returned to me. “everyone but my father has red eyes.” I responded giving me an apologetic smile for my brother's actions. “May I ask what your father does for a living? based on the way both you and your brother are dressed I’m guessing he owns a farm that both of you work on. your shoes are incredibly worn out and both of you have spots of dirt on your lower half.” Prince Shoto pointed out letting his smile form into a smirk. Did he find joy in pointing out that we were below him? “You’d be correct our family owns a farm and-” “it is none of your business half and a half bastard. this twerp and I are leaving.” Katsuki began walking away pulling me with him. My eyes widened at how rude my brother just was to the prince “Katsuki!” I shouted attempting to pull my wrist from his grip but achieved nothing since he was much stronger than I am. He didn't respond instead he dragged me back to our family's house. He threw the door open and shoved me inside. “MOM KATSUKI IS GONNA GET BEHEADED FOR BEING A DICK HEAD!” I shouted running into the kitchen. “GOOD THAT BRAT DESERVES IT NOW COME HELP WITH DINNER!” My mother shouted not realizing I was right in front of her. “what do you want me to do?” I asked washing my hands. “OLD HAG THAT HALF AND HALF BASTARD OF A PRINCE THINKS HES BETTER THAN ME!” Katsuki shouted walking into the kitchen. “No, you’re just dramatic.” I started drying my hands. “WAIT YOU ACTED LIKE A BRAT TO THE PRINCE?!” My mother was not hitting Katsuki with a newspaper. “This is what you get Katsuki” I laughed at my mother and brother arguing. I began cooking dinner while my mom and brother argued. the sound of the back door caught my attention, I lifted my head to see my father stood in the doorway staring at his wife and son fighting. “Hi, dad.” I gave him a small smile and continued what I was doing since I was almost done with dinner. “hi Munchkin, what are you making?” My dad asked kissing the top of my head. “ soup.” I started pulling it off the stove. “smells good, ill set the table since they would probably just throw the plates at each other.” and with that, he walked away. I brought the pot into the dining room where there were 4 bowls set up at the 6 person table. I poured the soup into each of the bowls and brought the soup back into the kitchen. “DINNER” dad shouted from the dining room. this made Katsuki and mom stop and quickly walk into the dining room. by the time I walked into the dining room they were all seated and just waiting for me. “Sit down already twerp you're taking forever.” Katsuki groaned. “yeah ye-” but I was cut off by a firm knock at the door. “who would come to the house this late?” Dad asked standing up and walking to the door. “IF ITS THAT NERD DEKU TELL HIM TO GO THE HELL AWAY!” Katsuki shouted kicking my chair out from under the table so I wouldn’t have to pull it out. No matter how much he acts as he hates me it's things like this that remind me my brother loves me in his way. stubborn way, but his way none the less. “King Enji and Prince Shoto! Uh- what brings you to my family's home?” This caught both mine and Katsuki’s attention causing both of our heads to snap in that direction. “Honey, can you set 2 more places at the table?” My dad was now speaking to my mom not acknowledging either of our questioning looks. My mother just gave a quick nod and quickly walked out of the room. My father was now leading the king and prince into our house and over to the table. “These are my kids, Katsuki and Y/n.” My father was now introducing us to the king and prince. “oh I already know. Your daughter and son are the reason behind this visit.” Prince Shoto gave me a small nod before sitting down across from me while King Enji says at the head of the table next to me. “yes we have some things to discuss once your wife returns.” The king stated eyeing both myself and Katsuki who looked so mad that he could blow up. And like that my mother quickly walked back into the room holding two more bowls of soup setting them in front of the two. “lovely, have a seat please.” the king stated making a face at the soup. “so what brings you to our home sir?” My father asked sitting at the table and grabbing my mom's hand. “I want your daughter's hand in marriage.” Shoto shot into the conversation. this caused my mother and father to gasp. A loud crash sounded from behind me and I was being ripped from my seat and shoved behind someone. “NO WAY! This is my sister and she isn't some fucking doll you can just take! NO WAY MY PARENTS LET THE HALF AND HALF BASTARD TAKE HER!” Katsuki was now screaming at everyone in the room. Shoto gave a small sigh and the smirk from earlier came back. “see that's another thing, the way your son speaks to my son is unacceptable. which is why he’s going to be taken to the dungeons for treason.” The king's words made my father stand up now. “Please please just leave our family alone.” he was now on his knees in front of the king. “AH, but see if your daughter were to marry me I think we could overlook the way Katsuki has treated me.” Shoto’s smile had only grown at informing us of this. “what will happen to my brother if I refuse?” I asked quite enough it could have been missed. “he will have a public beheading.” The king stated almost as if it was a normal thing. my mother was now in hysterics. “and he will be left alone if I agree?” “of course my love.” Shoto's smile will forever haunt my dreams but if it'll keep my brother safe I’ll do it. “NO, ID RATHER DIE THAN YOU LAY YOUR DIRTY HANDS ON HER!” Katsuki was still riled up. “I’ll do it.” “Oh love, you never had a real choice. But at least this way no one had to die.”

#shoto todoroki x reader #shoto todoroki #bnha x fem!reader #bnha #todoroki x y/n #todoroki #todoroki imagine #todoroki shoto #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #mha fanfiction #mha todoroki #mha x reader #mha x y/n #mha x you

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toomanystoriessolittletime · 4 years

Text

Getting away with it (5/?)

Summary: August Walker was dead. At least that’s what people believed for almost 2 years. When the CIA found reason to believe that he was alive they made it their top priority to find him. Including sending one of their best female agents to recruit his twin brother. Walter Marshall.

Pairing: August Walker x Reader (Walker) + Walter Marshall x Reader (Walker)

Warnings: gun violence

Wordcount: 2.390

A/N: Are you guys ready for some plot? Cause there’s a lot of it in this

Masterlist

Part 1 >> Part 2 >> Part 3 >> Part 4

Taglist:

@ladyreapermc / @theolsdalova / @greenmanalishi / @itsmydreamlifethings / @palaiasaurus64 / @celestial-vomit / @penwieldingdreamer / @notyourtypicalrose / @babypink224221 / @fanficsrusz / @solariumss / @starlite13 / @ly--canthrope / @mytbel0st / @oddsnendsfanfics / @ravenpuff02 / @sofiebstar / @chamomilebottom / @keiva1000 / @agniavateira / @peaceinourtime82 / @dearlybelovedluke / @vania-marie / @fcgrizi / @mary-ann84 / @ayamenimthiriel / @radaofrivia / @ohjules / @omgkatinka / @xceafh / @diehadess / @watermeloncavill / @modernscarlett / @p3nny4urth0ught5 / @yespolkadotkitty / @desperate-and-broken / @blahdragonageblah / @alexakeyloveloki / @siriussnape07

@its-jb86 / @singeramg / @mis-lil-red / @wildwavehc / @tumblnewby (I can’t tag you guys. Sorry)

Walker woke up with a serious headache the next morning. Groaning she opened her eyes, looking out of the window of her bedroom. Sighing she pushed herself up, finding a bottle of water and some advil on her bedside table. Frowning she looked around. The left side of her bed was untouched, like it had always been in the last years.

The last thing she could remember was Marshall telling her about his daughter Faye. But after that…

Taking the advil, drowning it with the glass of water she slowly climbed out of bed, hoping that a shower would help her over her hungover.

She was about to head out to pick up Evie when her phone rang, showing Agent’s Millers caller ID.

“It’s sunday.” She took the call, hearing the man sigh on the other end of the line.

“I know. And I don’t want to keep you. Walter Marshall contacted me, he wants to meet tomorrow.” He said.

“I know.” She opened the door of her car and got in.

“How come?”

“Not that it is really any of your business but he told me yesterday that he was considering helping.”

“You’re in contact with him?”

“He’s technically my brother in law.” She flinched saying these words. She didn’t see him like that. At all. Maybe he could become a close friend. But saying that he was her brother in law meant acknowledging that they indeed was a blood relative of August. And even if they looked alike, she couldn’t think of two people who would be more different from each other than August and Marshall.

“Right. Okay. I will need you at 8 am sharp at the Headquarter for the briefing.”

“Why me?” She frowned.

“You will find that out tomorrow.”

“Very cryptic Robert.” She rolled her eyes, making the man chuckle.

“You know me. How’s Evie?” He asked.

“Picking her up from my Mom’s right now.”

“That’s nice. Okay I won’t keep you any longer. See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Bye.”

A cabin, somewhere deep in the woods, unknown location, the next day

It wasn’t much but it would be home for the next couple weeks. August had running water, electricity and WiFi. He could survive until the end of his days here. But that wasn’t his intention. August wanted to walk the streets, being praised as the saviour of humanity. People would understand why he did, what he was intending to do. The world couldn’t continue like that. The climate, the people. His contribution would save humanity. He just needed to wait for the rest of the world to see it.

Sitting at the kitchen table August logged into the darknet, intending to check the progress of the bio weapon deal he had arranged for the end of next month, when he looked at the date. How could he forget? 5 years ago, almost to the hour, had been one of the happiest days of his life. His old life. Because that day had also been the first day he began to think that maybe he had to take things into in his own hands, if he wanted to have a future worth living.

5 years ago, Central Park, New York City

“I can’t believe we are doing this.” She giggled, holding on to August was they walked towards their final destination. She was wearing a knee length tulle dress. The skirt a light gray, the top in black, a dark gray silk belt around her waist. He hair lay in long dark waves over her shoulder, the red long gone he had loved so much. Her bright red lips smiled up at him. August Walker had finally found the only woman he could imagine spending the rest of his life with. The love he was feeling for her, how she made him feel with only a curve of her lips upwards as she looked at him… It took his breath every time.

So yesterday, when he woke up before her, with her in his arms he decided he didn’t want to wait any longer. While she was sleeping he had arranged for them to get married on the next day. He had asked her almost 2 months ago, none of them feeling the urge to hurry getting married. Until August woke up that day.

“Better believe it. After today, you’re mine and mine alone.” He smiled down. He had decided for dark dress pants, a gray dress shirt that seemed to match the tone of her silk belt. August never had spared a second thought about a traditional wedding. Or a wedding at all. That they would be getting married on the Bow Bridge in central park, just the two of them seemed to be the perfect continuation of their relationship.

“I’ve been yours for a while now, August.” She grinned, her hand squeezing his as they walked towards the bridge where he could see a minister waiting for them.

“We don’t even have rings.” She shook her head.

“We do.” He smiled.

“We do?” She asked in surprise.

“I’ve had them for a month now.” He grinned making her giggle.

“Sometimes I can’t believe you August Walker.”

“Better do, because in about half an hour, you’ll be the Misses Walker. You’ll be stuck with me forever.” He kissed her temple.

They celebrated by having her favorite ice cream as they slowly walked back to the apartment they were staying in. Another mission would take them to Argentina the next day and after that they would be moving to Langley to work at the CIA headquarters.

The feeling that spread in August’s chest as the minister pronounced them married made him feel as if he could do anything, followed by the overwhelming urge to protect her. To keep her safe. Up until now he had never even thought about the possibility of losing her.

“August…” She smiled up.

“Mrs. Walker.” He grinned.

“I’m not getting rid of that anytime soon, hm?” She giggled, licking on her ice cream. He shook his head.

“I know we said no presents, but I t’m very anxious in telling you about this because we have never ever talked about it…” He saw her nervously biting on her bottom lip, making him frown. He stopped walking, standing in front of her, tilting her chin up so she looked at him.

“You are my wife. There’s nothing you could tell me that we can’t figure out together.” He smiled encouragingly. She closed her eyes and breathed in deep, opening her eyes as she breathed out.

“August, I’m pregnant.”

It was like all the noise around them died down in the moment the words left her lips. Something in the back of August head registered her words, but the other part, the part that always was there, the Agent part of him seemed to take over before he knew that he had put his arms around Walker, shielding her from the bullet that had hit her head if he hadn’t turned her away. He barely registered the pain in his left shoulder as he pushed her to lay beneath him, her eyes big, her hands on his chest.

“August…” She whispered, looking up at him. “Your phone, where is it?” She asked. His eyes wandered down, making her reach into his pants to pull out the phone. Slowly he looked up seeing 5 armed men randomly shooting people all around them. Walker would have sent the distress call by now, but he still had to get her out of here. Her and his child.

“You’re bleeding.” She whispered.

“I know.” He pressed out, his mind going a hundred miles per minute. There was a fountain next to them.

“I want you to crawl to the fountain and get in it. I’m going to take care of his. I need you to be safe.” August said, leaving no room for argument.

“You have no weapons.” She reminded him.

“I don’t need them. I need you and our child to be safe.” He urged, making her swallow before a little smile sneaked through her face. Carefully cupping his cheek she nodded.

“Please be safe. I… We need you.” She took one of his hand, pressing it to her belly. Leaning down he kissed her longingly.

“Go.” He whispered, before he pushed himself off the ground and did what he told her, took care of it.

The wound in his right shoulder seemed to twitch as he thought back. The bullet had to be removed in surgery back then. On his wedding day. Walker’s dress had been drenched with his blood. But all he thought of was that he had been scared. Scared to bring a child in a world like this. How would he be able to protect the woman he loved and the child that he wanted to grow up in peace? The world around him was dying. And the people living in it seemed to fuel it.

An incoming message stopped him in his thoughts.

A.Nonymus: Meeting confirmed. Coordinates will be send 3 days prior, transport will be arranged

Smiling August closed his laptop. If everything would go right, he would be reunited with his family in less than two months.

Langley, Virginia, the same day

“Grandma’s gonna pick you up after kindergarten. Mommy has to work late today.” Walker said, packing the breakfast for her daughter.

“Okay.” Evie said, eating her cereal.

“Finish eating, I’m just gonna grab something upstairs.” Walker smiled. Evie nodded, grinning at her, making Walker chuckle.

Upstairs Walker grabbed her badge and her laptop in her office, picking up some files when her eyes lingered on today’s date. In another life she would have woken up her husband with breakfast in bed. Taken the day off to spend it with him. She felt an overwhelming feeling of nostalgia inside of her. Closing her eyes she breathed in deep, once, twice. She didn’t even know she had moved until she was sitting with a box in her lap in her office chair. The box she had put in everything that reminded her of him. Even if he had hurt her in all ways possible. He was a big love in her life. Maybe the biggest love of her life. He gave her Evie. She hated him, yes. But deep inside she knew there would always be a part of her that would love him. Swallowing she opened the box, smiling a little when she saw one of the few pictures they had taken on their wedding day. They had been so happy. What had started as the happiest day of her life turned into the worst. Thinking back that probably was the day he began to change. The look in his eyes as she told him she was pregnant. She had never seen him so happy. She had been a mess since she had found out two days prior. And then he had surprised her with their wedding. She wanted to tell him before but… Thinking back it wouldn’t have changed anything.

She still didn’t know how he killed the 5 men that had been attacking central park after their wedding. She had been hiding in the fountain, like he instructed. She knew the look in his eyes. The one that left no room for argument.

Running her fingers over the picture she sighed, not even noticing the tears running down her cheeks. Swallowing the lump in her throat she closed the box, brushing her tears away, before she got up from the chair and grabbed all her stuff. For her this would be a day like every other.

Walter was waiting for her in front of her office. He had changed from his usual attire of a comfy sweater to a white dress shirt. Even his beard seemed to be trimmed.

People around him gave him questioning looks, even more when she walked towards him to hug him as she said hello.

“Weird that there is no SWAT team already here to take you in.” Shejoked.

“Very funny. Your boss told me to wait for you here and take you to room 202 right away. But I think it’s best if you take me to said room because this is a fucking maze.” He chuckled.

“Gimme a second. Just need to grab some stuff.” She opened the office door, setting the files she had taken home down on her desk.

“How bad was the headache?” He asked, leaning against the door frame.

“Oh bad… What reminds me… I didn’t tell you embarassing stuff from my past, right?” She asked. He laughed, shaking his head.

“I did most of the talking. You fell asleep halfway through. I just put you to bed and left. Hope that was okay.”

“You put me to bed?” She asked, going through her mail.

“Carried you. Couldn’t have let you sleep outside, couldn’t I?”

She looked up, seeing his soft smile. He had carried her to bed? A blush crept to her cheeks, silently wishing she would remember it.

“Thank you.” She said quietly, breaking the eye contact and going through the rest of her mail. A small package was the last thing she picked up. It had no return address. She knew that their intern post office would have already scanned the package, so she ripped it open, her favorite box of chocolates falling out.

Gasping loudly she reached for the letter falling out.

“What is it?” Marshall asked, taking the few steps to stop in front of her desk. Pushing the letter towards him so he could read, she swallowed.

“Don’t touch it. I need to send this to evidence. All of it.” She whispered.

“You don't marry someone you can live with — you marry someone you cannot live without. Happy anniversary” Marshall read out loud, looking up at Walker with a hard face.

“We should get to the briefing now.” He whispered back. She nodded, reaching for the phone to call for the evidence team to extract the things.

“I need someone from evidence to come and pick something up. And I need to talk to the post offices and I need the CVR’s from the whole weekend.” She said when her call connected.

“No. Now. August Walker send me a package and I need to know how.”

#fanfic #fanfiction #august walker #walter marshall #henry cavill #august walker x reader #walter marshall x reader

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thecandywrites · 3 years

Text

Jewel Of The North Part 8

The calm down but a little storm is about to be brewed into a hurricane.

Again, thanks to @monstersandmaw for sharing ice orcs with me. I really appreciate it. Alorna is in the bottom left corner.

Enjoy.

Jewel Of The North

Part 8

“What is wrong with you? You are the only person on the planet that the thought of a millionaire joining the family pisses you off!” John yelled at his wife before he got a call from work.

“What?” He demanded.

“Tim called off, is there any way we can get you to come in?” Harald asked him.

“Yeah, I’ll be there in a bit.” John grumbled before he hung up.

“You go home and cool off and just think about this and work on a good apology and how we can get into Zara’s good graces. We need her to like us. She’s from a good family and I would bet you twenty bucks that she paid off all her family’s debts, she could do the same for your parents, all of our family’s and hell even Neena’s family’s debts- if she wanted to. She could even donate to the clans. She’s a godsend, literally. You’re always complaining about how I don’t make enough money and how poor we are and our one shot into an easy life in the lap of luxury and you pissed it away on your petty jealousy over what? Because her son is in ballet? Who the fuck cares? He could torture small animals for fun or literally anything else and it shouldn’t make a damn difference! Or was it because she was Anglo? Hell, I’m mostly Anglo and the only time you give a damn is when you can reserve judgement whenever a native marries a non native and you get to sit on top of your high horse and drag everyone else into the mud even though you’re the most guilty of it. Or was the biggest reason you instantly didn’t like her was because she was prettier than you? Gave you some competition for being the most beautiful woman in the family? Was that it? Gods you are so vain! Get over yourself, the world does not revolve around you! She can afford to give Sakura anything she wants and everything she needs and therefore, everything we want and everything we need. She’s the best kind of rich because she wasn’t born with it so her parents didn’t get the chance to tell her to hoard it all, she’s only had it for a couple of years and poor people love to share new wealth! If you had just played nice like your parents asked, we would be on the winning side of this! You knew the family would turn on you if you turned on her. You should have just kept your mouth shut and your judgement to yourself!” John barked as he drove them home before she got out of the car and slammed her door shut and stomped into the house and had a temper tantrum.

She couldn’t lose like this. Then she got an idea.

She got in her car and drove to the community center where she knew the remaining elder body would be gathered going over the final details of the festivities the day after tomorrow. But on the way, she saw Doug stumble out of another bar and stagger to his car.

“What happened to you?” She asked as she pulled up next to him.

“You don’t want to know.” Doug shook his head.

“Does it have something to do with Zarasashasabine Kingsley?” She inquired smugly before he looked up at her.

“Get in and tell me everything.” She invited before he did as she asked and got into her car as she drove to the community center and once there, they stayed and came up with a scheme to get even before Doug seemed to sober up before they went into the center together to address the council.

“Hey, so there’s been a development…” Alorna insisted to the remaining council of elders that were gathered there.

Meanwhile-

“Well that was awkward.” You murmured to Noah quietly as he drove over to Taylor’s house to pick up the remainder of your things from her house.

“That was just Alorna, she always has a blow up at about every family gathering we have. I don’t know if you noticed how everyone else there was way over her bull shit. Literally everyone was mad at her for making a scene. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Noah reassured you before he took your hand from where your arm was wrapped around Sakura and kissed the back of it sweetly.

“You’re not allowed to feel bad or guilty over the mess Alorna made, it’s Alorna’s mess to clean up. Not yours.” He insisted. “Just give her a wide berth at the summer solstice and you’ll be fine.” He advised. “But it means a lot to me and everyone else that you’ll be coming to it as a priestess. That means the world to the rest of us.” Noah encouraged.

“You’re welcome, I’ll be happy to do it. Is there anything that needs to be done, like any work on outfits or accessories or anything like that?” You asked.

“It’s stuff we can work on tomorrow.” He assured you.

Once you gathered the rest of your things from Taylor’s house and got it all finally put in Noah’s house, he went ahead and took out his ceremonial outfit and laid it out along with Sakura’s as you made sure Sakura would fit hers only to find out that hers was too small.

“Well lucky for you sweetie, I can sew and first thing tomorrow, we’re gonna go to town and see what we can do to make this work ok?” You reassured Sakura before you all got ready for bed.

It felt so natural to get into bed with Noah and even though you had a Frozen Tundra sized king bed. You two were cuddled close and you nearly melted when Noah began to scratch your back.

“Oooh, harder baby,” You moaned which he obliged before you stripped off your night shirt and laid over his chest to provide him all the access to your back you could and before you knew it, scratching turned to stroking turned to massaging and you were in utter bliss.

“You have an amazing sense of touch. Your pressure is awesome.” You genuinely praised.

“Thanks.” Noah grinned proudly. Happy that he could please you so well and when you felt his cock poke at your core through the strain of his boxers, it turned you on and before you knew it you had stripped off your underwear and rode him with great enthusiasm because the look of him just staring up at you in awed wonder made you feel like a wonder of the universe. Especially when he would make all these little keens and groans and moans and murmured his praise and love and adoration made you feel like a goddess and the look of him under you was a sight you would happily engrave into your mind forever. He was...perfect. He was handsome, he was built like a blue marble statue of a god and his strong hands that tightly grasped your hips as he guided your movements while also pushing up into you from below were heavenly.

The next morning you were woken up to the sound of your phone going off and the caller ID told you it was your children.

“Good morning.” You greeted sleepily from inside Noah’s embrace since he was spooning you.

“Good morning, are you with Noah?” Skylar asked.

“Yes I am.” You confirmed.

“Can we talk to him?” Skylar requested.

“Sure,” you answered as you gently stroked your foot on his leg which did get him to stir.

“The kids want to talk to you.” You told him as you handed him your phone from over your shoulder which he lifted his head off his pillow to crack an eye open to see it before he unwrapped his arm which had been wrapped around your waist to reach up and gently take it from you before you turned around in his embrace and cuddled into his warm chest and continue to use his upper arm as your pillow which caused him to bend the arm at the elbow to fold it so he could wrap his forearm around your upper back and shoulders before his fingertips began to delicately stroke your arm.

“Hello,” he greeted groggily.

“So, we have been thinking. And if you were up to it...” Skylar began.

“Put the phone on speaker.” You suggested since you could overhear your daughter before he did as you asked and let the phone rest on the side of your head which made you snort a laugh as his other hand snaked around you and pulled you flush against him as you could feel his morning wood pinned between you which in turn invited you to hike your leg up around his hip. You could still feel all the seed he pumped you full of last night squish between your feminine lips and yet, here you were, hungry for more and Noah’s hand that found your knee and was stroking up your leg to your rear to give it a good squeeze as his hips rolled into yours- it was divine and one of the best ways to wake up. Gods, if you kept this up, your pussy was going to get raw. But at least you were catching up for lost time.

“Would you be able to take a week off of work so you and Sakura would be able to go on a family cruise with us?” Skylar proposed.

“Oh no you don’t. No. Nothing too expensive and cruises are nothing but expensive, try again.” You immediately cut in as you picked up the phone to speak into it before you set the phone down on the pillow between Noah’s head and your own.

“We know, just hear us out before you shoot it down, that’s why we want Noah and Sakura to be our guests on a Disney cruise, to the Frozen Tundra. We originally wanted to go to the Bahamas but Grandpa Gru said that ice orcs can get really sick if they get too hot and we don’t want Sakura especially to get sick. So we figured a Frozen Tundra cruise would be a good in-between. They get to show us a snapshot of the Frozen Tundra and we can show them some Wainwright slash Kingsley hospitality. And we doubt Sakura’s ever been on a cruise and Disney makes the best kids cruises and the kids activities would still give you guys some privacy if you wanted it and we can even get a two bedroom cabin so we can all stay together and Skylar already called dibs on the loft bed and once we can sit down and talk about the possibilities of our two families merging and what that would look like and how that would work and if we figure out it’s not gonna work out, then we got to go on a nice vacation with a nice family and if it does end up working out and we click, the week after the cruise, Noah can fly us home and show us the Frozen Tundra in more detail and we can meet his friends and family and all that jazz.” Xander specified.

“When would you want to go?” Noah asked.

“The cruise week would be the third week in July, that way we can have the last week in July up there if everything goes well and that still gives us time to come back home at the beginning of August and have time to get back on our sleep schedule for school.” Xander informed him.

“What do you think?” Noah asked you.

“I will admit, I may have been a little too hasty to shoot that down, I apologize for not being respectful in listening to the whole offer before I made a decision. It sounds like a lot of thought and considerations were put into this and all of that sounds fair to me and that gives me enough time to book it and get things mapped out and planned out.” You answered.

“Then we have a deal.” Noah answered your kids as you heard their cheers which made you and Noah chuckle.

“Is there anything else that you need to tell me?” You asked as Noah wasted no time in groping your breasts from under your night shirt and you responded by pushing your chest into his touch because you had missed intimate touches like this.

“Nope, that’s all, we’re looking forward to it.” Your kids chirped charmingly.

“Well call me if you need me ok?” You invited.

“Will do, bye.” They bid you before they hung up and right on cue just as Noah finally hiked his hips up into yours and seated himself to the hilt in you, his phone went off.

“Oh you’ve got to be kidding me.” Noah groaned as he checked his phone.

“I am so sorry,” He apologized to you. “Unfortunately I have to answer this.” He said before he answered the phone.

“Hey Kragan.” He answered.

“Hey Noah, sorry to bother you but I have a load of supplies that needs to be delivered to Fair Banks for the festival tomorrow and I can’t get a hold of anyone else. Is there any way you can do this load? I can pay…” Kragan began.

“Yeah, I can do that. Give me a bit, I’m in the middle of something right this second.” Noah said as his hips stroked into yours and you bit your bottom lip to keep from moaning.

“Thank you so much Noah,” Kragan thanked him before he hung up and with that, he rolled over you and started up in earnest.

“Don’t you have to get going?” You asked as you clung to him as Noah lavished licks and bites and sucks on your neck, giving you another hickey.

“I always finish what I start.” Noah murmured in your ear before he picked up speed.

“Lucky me.” You giggled before you gasped then moaned when he nipped at your ear lobe.

#It's short and sweet but next one WILL NOT BE SWEET.#Jewel Of The North #Jewel Of The North Part 8 #ice orcs #orcs #orc love story #jewel orcs #@monstersandmaw #thank you for sharing ice orcs with me #headcannon #ice orcs have brown fat instead of white fat like a bear

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missnmikaelson-main · 4 years

Text

A Year to Eternity? - Chapter 7

Serena squalled, indignant in her current position and intent on making sure everyone within a mile heard about it. She batted at the floor with short arms for good measure, just in case anybody missed the screeching.

“I know, I know baby,” Elena sighed, shaking a toy near her ear. The distraction failed; her limbs extended outwards as she kept crying. “I know you don’t like tummy time, but you have to have tummy time.”

She pulled the toy away so it resided in Serena’s line of sight.

“Do you like the whale?” She gently pressed Serena’s cheek with the blue toy. “You liked it yesterday…” slowly the indignation tapered off. “Yeah?”

Serena snuffed, considering the pink swirls in the whale’s cheeks.

“There you go,” Elena exhaled a sigh of relief, “we just needed something fun.”

It had taken weeks to work Serena up to five minute stints of tummy time. They went through the ritual together three times a day, and three times a day her heart broke to the sound of her baby girl’s tears.

“Do you know what today is?” She moved the whale aside; Serena’s head turned with it. “Today you’re three weeks old, and your belly button is all healed up, yes it is,” she cooed. “And that’s a little strange because the cord just fell off yesterday, so I need you to tell me the truth, little lady,” her smile wrinkled her nose. “Did Elijah give you blood?”

Serena reached out, clumsy and slow, for her nose and banged Elena’s chin instead. She liked Elijah. She liked Elijah a lot. The first time she had enjoyed tummy time was when the first time he visited. She spent the time on his chest.

She would treasure the candid photo of Elijah Mikaelson wearing a three-piece suit laying flat on his back with her tiny pink baby on his chest for the rest of eternity.

Literally.

Serena liked tummy time when she spent it on Elena’s chest too, but since she couldn’t do that every time they were both subjected to the upset of the floor.

“I’ll call him later and get an answer.”

The timer on her phone went off.

She sat up and lifted Serena, fitting her in the sling that had become a constant part of her post pregnancy wardrobe; Serena loved it, going so far as to happily coo when she was snuggled up close.

“Now we can do something you like.” She got to her feet and snatched her heavy cardigan from the chair, carefully putting it on. “That’s right, we’re going for a little walk.”

She went downstairs, adding the support of her arms to the sling, and out the glass door where a blast of fresh air hit her in the face.

“Cool, cool, cool,” she sang.

Her arms closed the sides of her cardigan, trapping warmth around the baby. Then she took a small path into the woods, going twenty-odd yards to circle around a tree.

“I used to play here with uncle Jeremy,” her eyes flicked upwards, “you can’t see it, but there is a tree house up there. Maybe when you’re bigger we can climb up. There’s a really pretty view of the lake.

She started back and paced the length of the dock, giving Serena what she liked. Elena didn’t understand what it was, but once Serena was fed and freshly diapered she enjoyed a turn by the lake; she loved something about the peaty smell of algae in the fresh air.

The gentle lap of water began to lull her to sleep.

“When you wake up from your nap we are gonna try something new, okay?” She stopped and kissed her cheek. “I, for one, am crossing my fingers that you like it so we don’t have another tummy time fiasco.”

“I love you,” she breathed, pressing another kiss to her brow.

~oOo~

“Alright, Serena,” Elena gently removed the onesie, “here’s the deal: if anybody asks you mommy did not extensively google ‘baby’s first bath’. Got it?”

Her mouth quirked up in a reflex smile when Elena stroked her belly.

She got Serena down to her diaper and did one final check, making sure she had everything within arms reach. She tested the water twice and once satisfied with the temperature reached to remove the diaper.

Her phone, luckily in reach, lit up; she pressed two buttons in quick succession.

“Elijah,” she greeted, seeing the caller ID.

“Elena,” she heard the smile in his voice. “I thought you might enjoy some conversation.”

“Lucky, then, that you’re just the vampire I wanted to talk to.” She cradled her daughter, supporting her head as she lowered her into the infant tub. “I’ve got an adorable little girl here with a healed belly button. You wouldn’t know anything about that?”

“Babies are remarkably resilient.” His throat cleared.

“And this one had a little help from an Original,” she teased, keeping her tone light so he knew she wasn’t mad; at least not entirely. “You can’t heal everything. Mommy and the pediatric ward frown on that.”

“I will only intervene when she is in pain. Is that agreeable?” He chuckled.

“What’s your excuse this time?” She paused an inch above the water, panicking for a second when she saw Serena’s eyes close, but she was merely looking down.

“The injury was causing immense discomfort when she laid on her stomach. The little darling kept crying.”

“E for effort,” she finally got Serena in the inch of water, “but she hates tummy time, though, apparently, not the bath.”

“She’s not afraid of the water then?”

Serena’s lashes kissed her cheek.

“Nope,” she sighed. “I even got a reflex smile.” She dipped a cloth in the water and gently wrung it out, dribbling warm water on Serena’s belly. “Do you like the water, baby girl?”

Serena’s eyes ceased their search for the source of Elijah’s voice, focusing instead on her mother. Her eyes, normally the deepest of blues, glowed electric.

A scream ripped from Elena’s throat.

Serena’s face screwed up in response to the sound; her wails joined in the shriek.

The door flew inwards and swung, knocked off one hinge; it banged, denting the wall.

“Elena?” Strong hands gripped her shoulders.

She cut off her scream, clamping her hand over her open mouth. Words stuck in her throat. It was all she could do to grab onto his tie and dart bright eyes to her squalling newborn.

Elijah reigned in his breathing. As an Original his speed could only be rivalled by Klaus. It was no problem to cross the twenty-five miles that separated the lake house from the recently reopened mansion in moments, but seconds had been pushing it.

His ears sought any form of danger as he lifted the wet newborn, but beyond her cries he caught only the sound of crickets.

“What the bloody hell is going on over there?” Klaus’ voice rose from the speaker. Kol’s followed suit, reminding Elijah of the phone he had dropped.

Elena managed to stutter out two words.

“Her eyes.”

Elijah paused in wrapping the towel around a slowly calming Serena. He lifted a brow, signalling Elena to continue. The phone remained silent; he could practically see both brothers staring at the device miles away.

“Th-they gl-glowed.”

He cradled Serena and slammed the end call button.

Pulling out a kitchen chair, he sat and spoke slowly.

“What do you mean they glowed?” He looked down into Serena’s normal, if somewhat wet, eyes as he instigated the transfer; for a single beat he feared she might reject her daughter, but there was no hesitation in her movement when she took the baby, desperation obvious in the gentle hold.

She pressed her to her breast, kissing and smelling the top of her head; a hint of terror shadowed her gaze.

“Elena?”

“Bright blue,” she muttered, “electric blue; it scared me, and I… I scared her.”

She stammered apology after apology meant for the baby. In between she added ‘I love you’ and head kisses, tapering off when Elijah pulled her into a hug.

“You didn’t mean to scare her,” he murmured, running his fingers through her hair.

“Why would her eyes do that?” She breathed fast, gazing down at the baby. Serena gazed right back with an expression that suggested Elena was crazy.

“I don’t know. I’ve only heard of the Hollow having that effect on eyes.” He recognized the mistake when she stiffened and pressed a comforting kiss to her forehead. “It’s not that; remember that the Hollow is dealt with. Are you sure about what you saw?”

“I’m not crazy.” Her phone buzzed, flashing Elijah’s name.

“I would never suggest that you are,” he held her face, tenderly wiping away a stray tear with his thumb. “You do have a newborn, however, and sleep deprivation can inspire hallucinations.”

“I know what I saw,” she shook her head. “I put her in the water and her eyes glowed. You took her out and they stopped.”

“Okay,” he nodded, rolling up his sleeves. He removed his watch and the silver bracelet from his right wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“Finishing bath time,” he tested the water. “It will be easier to find out what happened if I see it myself.”

“Right,” she breathed. Steeling her nerves, and reminding herself not to scream, she unwrapped her gurgling baby and carefully placed her back in the infant tub. She stayed close so she could hold Serena’s gaze and waited; the water swirled around her lower body.

With the baby’s eyes open she saw the takeover, spreading in a circle from her pupils until the irises glowed.

Elena could admit it was king of pretty when she expected it, like bioluminescent plankton underwater, but that didn’t make it less scary.

“I told you so,” she leaned back, giving him room to see, but when she looked she found his gaze focused on the water.

“Did you happen to notice her feet?” His brows drew together as if working out a particularly challenging puzzle.

She followed his gaze, swallowing. His large hand cupped a tiny foot beneath the water for her inspection. The same blue that flooded her eyes danced between her toes in lines so thin she could barely see them; they disappeared when he lifted her foot above water, reappearing when he dropped it.

Serena gurgled, happy as a clam in her bath.

“Elijah, what’s happening to her?” Anxiety crept up her throat.

“I don’t know,” he admitted, “it doesn’t seem to be hurting her. Could it be genetic?”

“Obviously not from me,” she shook her head. Her hands went through the cleaning motions to remain busy. “And I don’t know the other way. What if it can hurt her?”

“We’ll do everything we can to keep her safe, and as far as knowing goes there may be a way.”

Her eyes snapped to his face.

“I know a witch who has had success in dealing with the mind,” he explained, “lifting compulsion and removing memories. If she can remove them then she might be able to find lost memories trapped in your mind.”

“What’s the catch?” She wrung out the wet cloth.

“I have no method of contacting her. If we desire her aid the request must go through Kol, and Kol will not help without a good reason.” He kept one hand in the water and used the other to hold her wrist. “I might have to reveal some of the situation to him, and as that is information you told me in confidence I will not repeat it without your permission. Know, however, that once it reaches Kol is likely to spread to Niklaus and onward to Caroline.”

“How likely?” She pressed her lips together.

“It might take time, but eventually the information will slip. Kol struggles with secrets,” he chuckled. “If its not Niklaus then its Rebekah, and it reaches him regardless, and he’s always struggled to keep information from Caroline.”

She nodded slowly, considering as a plan formed in her mind.

“I want to tell Caroline and Bonnie myself,” she exhaled. “Jer and Ric too. He’s back in town tomorrow.”

She dried one hand and reached for her phone, declining the incoming call. Her thumb clicked out a quick message to the four important people in her life.

Lunch 2PM @ Grille? N2T

“Ask him please,” her phone pinged with responses. “Tell him what you need to.”

“As you wish,” he nodded, making her flush.

~oOo~

“Okay,” Elena leaned over, peering into the car seat, “first outing. You and I are going to get through this with minimal tears and no tantrums.”

The bell jingled over the door, signalling the arrival of several deputies. A few students from the high school came in behind them. The teenagers were followed by Hope Mikaelson.

The tribrid broke off from the crowd, glancing after them as they approached the pool tables. Her analytical gaze left the group and swivelled to the bar, but paused when they caught Elena.

She straightened up and offered the girl a wave. The motion of her hand sent Hope into action, weaving through the tables until she stood behind an empty chair by Elena’s empty table; determination flashed in her blue eyes.

“Hello,” Elena smiled. “You look better,” her fingers twisted in the loose sling. “I mean, Elijah told me you were better, and now I can see that you look it.”

“Yeah,” she brought her fingers to her lips, “no more creepy black veins sucking the life out of me.”

“You feel better?” She tilted her head.

“Yeah,” Hope nodded. “Thank you. I know how much you hate my dad.”

“I don’t hate your dad,” she frowned.

“I read the journals in the library,” she stared hard at the table. “I know what he did to you… that he was the big bad wolf.”

“That might be true,” Elena nodded. She lifted Serena when she started to fuss, holding her so she could snuggle against her neck. “Actually it is true, but there’s one account missing from the archive because I burned it to ashes before you were born. I don’t like your dad, and I’m on the fence when it comes to trusting him, but I don’t hate him. And even if I did, you’re not him, and I would never take my dislike out on you.”

“You don’t?” Hope pulled out the chair and sank into it. “Isn’t he supposed to be the irredeemable villain of your story?”

“Maybe,” she rubbed Serena’s back, “but hatred takes up too much energy, and nobody is irredeemable. ‘Anyone capable of love can be saved’.” She quoted words Caroline had said years ago. “Your dad’s had a weird way of showing it over the years, but he loves fiercely.”

“He was going to die to save me,” she blinked rapidly, eyes glistening. “Uncle Kol found white oak and got dad to admit it; because ‘no ocean was deep enough’.”

Words stuck in her throat.

“My mom died,” she sniffled. “She sacrificed herself to save me and…”

“You nearly lost your dad too,” Elena finished. She adjusted Serena into the sling so she could reach out and cover the girls hands. “I’ve been there Hope. I lost almost every parental figure I had. It took me a long time to realize this, but it wasn’t my fault,” she squeezed her hands, “and it’s not your fault either.”

“I’m sorry about your mom; she seemed pretty cool the one time I met her.”

“She was,” Hope rubbed her lips together. “It still feels like my fault.”

“It wasn’t,” she exhaled, “and whenever you need to hear that your uncle Elijah has my number.”

“I don’t want to bug you.”

“You’re not bugging me, I promise.” She saw Hope’s eyes fall to the sling. “Do you want to hold her?”

She hesitated a moment before nodding and moving to a closer chair. She held out her arms, following Elena’s quiet instructions to support the head.

“She’s so tiny,” Hope smiled softly.

“Elijah told me you were smaller.” Her head snapped up when a flash went off.

“Sorry,” Caroline grinned, “I couldn’t resist Klaus tormenting material.” Her eyes flickered to Alaric as she sat. “Come on grandpa, don’t stand on ceremony.”

“Step-grandpa,” he rolled his eyes. “What are you doing here Hope?”

“Landon’s shift ends in a few minutes,” she wiggled her finger in Serena’s grip. “I was gonna walk back to school with him and run more tests.”

“Still no idea what he is?” Elena frowned, glancing at the baby. “Other than that, how’s he adjusting?”

Bonnie and Jeremy strode into the Grille.

“He’s doing fine,” Caroline tucked hair behind her ear.

“He likes it better than the high school,” Hope looked up, catching Landon’s eyes when he clocked out. “I should get going; I’m in somebody’s seat.”

“And I’m taking someone’s baby,” Jeremy stopped at the chair, carefully lifting the baby into his arms. “Hello Serena, I’m your uncle Jeremy: that voice you’ve been hearing on the phone.”

Hope said a quick goodbye and caught Landon’s hand as they left.

“Klaus know about that?” Elena jerked her head towards the door.

“He hates it,” Caroline smirked. “Rebekah’s planning a June wedding.”

“What did you want to talk about Elena?” Bonnie folded her arms on the table. “Is this about the… you know?”

“No,” she shook her head, looking down into her daughter’s face. “It’s about Serena. There’s something I haven’t told you guys.”

~oOo~

Unsurprisingly he found Kol in the library.

His baby brother would spend his eternity surrounded by tomes, spurred by his unquenchable thirst for knowledge. He had claimed happiness at the time to have a second chance and die a witch as he should have the first time around, and never a day went by that he didn’t miss being a witch, but Kol loved his vampirism.

One lifetime was simply not enough to learn everything, so he would take as many as he could get.

“Have you ever considered putting what’s in your head to use?” Elijah flipped over a book, examining the embossed spine. “I’m sure Caroline could use more teachers.”

“I’d make a terrible teacher,” he flipped a page without looking up.

“You taught Henrik,” he turned the book over in his hands, fiddling with the cover. “You’ve taught spells to Hope, and, though I’m not a fan of your motivations, you taught Mary Alice Claire and Astrid Malchance.”

“Are you trying to get me out of the house, brother?” He shut his book with a sigh, sending up a fine cloud of dust from the weathered pages.

“It was just a thought that you could have taken as a compliment.”

Kol rose from the leather sofa and crossed to the drinks cart, pouring two fingers of whiskey into a tumbler.

“You want something from me,” he spun, raising the glass to his lips. “Out with it.”

“Very well,” he placed the book on a low table. “I need you to call Davina.”

Kol scoffed, breath fogging the glass. “Why would I call my ex-girlfriend?”

“Because she has a spell that help Elena…” Kol’s laughter cut him off.

“In that case it’s a resounding no.” He slammed down his glass.

“Kol…”

“Not happening,” he shook his head and strode for the door.

Elijah grabbed his arm. He pulled away, rounding on his brother.

“I wouldn’t ask if…”

“No, Elijah,” he pushed a finger over his heart. “That woman killed me, and the only reason I haven’t returned the favour is because of your involvement with her. There is literally nothing you could say that would make me want to help her.”

He moved to leave again, got halfway to the door, and stopped up short at the sound of Elijah’s quiet voice.

“Luta Flosadóttir.” He allowed the name a moment to sink in and conjure the right images. He saw her as he suspected Kol saw her: golden hair stained with mud, once cheerful eyes haunted. She had been meant to be his wife before her ruin and the fear that settled in her bones.

Her attacker fell to Kol’s sword; Luta to his teeth.

Kol turned to face him, the ghost of his first love in his eyes. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

“Ten months ago she lost time, a handful of hours,” Elijah slipped his hands into his pockets. He had instantly regretted the low blow, but it had achieved the desired outcome. “Not much in the grand scheme of things, but those missing hours resulted in Serena.”

“And now she wants to remember it?” His eyes narrowed. “Luta would have given anything to forget.”

“Personally, I think she would love to put it behind her, but last night Serena demonstrated a supernatural ability that makes finding the man imperative,” he tilted his head, pursing his lips. “And once she understands her daughter’s needs, I would like to know who was responsible, it would be a shame to castrate the wrong man.”

“Davina hates you,” Kol clenched his teeth.

“She doesn’t hate you,” he lifted his chin. “Bonnie could do the spell; she just needs to know the spell, and you can get it. And,” he added, “if it helps, Elena does regret her part in killing you.”

“I know,” Kol snorted.

“You know?”

“She apologized,” he rolled his eyes, “however, since she was under the influence of heavy painkillers I have elected no to accept it.”

Realization lifted Elijah’s brows. “You were in the delivery room.”

“For a moment,” he sighed. After a beat he reached into his back pocket for his phone. “What is she? The baby?”

“I don’t know.” Glowing eyes flashed in his mind. “I’m hoping Elena’s memory will shed light on that.”

Kol turned over his phone, considering the screen before clicking the name.

She answered on the third ring.

“Bonnie,” he greeted, “are you up for a little road trip. I have a spell you might be interested in… yes… I’ll pick you up at four.”

He hung up and met his brother’s eyes.

“Thank you.”

“I’m not doing this for her.”

~oOo~

She waved a soft toy around, brushing a hand and tickling an ear. The repaired door swung open. She spared it a glance.

“You might consider locking your door. There are dangerous people in the world.” Elijah hung his jacket in the closet.

She pushed up to sit and brought Serena, pleasantly warm and lethargic from tummy near the fire, into her arms. Her face tucked under Elena’s chin.

“Arguably the most dangerous people in the world have an invitation that no lock could keep out, but I will start locking the door on one condition.”

He crossed the open concept and sank down, folding his legs to sit comfortably in front of the fire.

“Are you negotiating with me?” He tilted his head, amusement showing in the corner of his mouth.

The question brought a warm smile to her lips.

“Isn’t that our thing?” The fire cast orange light over his features.

“I suppose it is,” he nodded slowly. “What would you ask of me tonight?”

She shifted her weight on her hip, kept one hand firmly on Serena’s head, and slipped her fingers into her pocket. Warm metal touched her skin.

The fire cast a glowing reflection on the ceiling.

“A key?” He lifted an eyebrow, eyes flickering from it to her.

Her thigh brushed his leg, sending a jolt of electricity through him; nothing compared to the fire of her fingers placing the key in his palm.

“You know,” she shrugged, meeting his eyes. “In case she scares me again, and I scream, you won’t have to knock my door down.”

“In theory your idea is sound,” he huffed a soft laugh, dropping his eyes to the key, “but if you’re screaming I’m still…”

His eyes snapped up at the feel of her soft lips against his mouth. The key fell, muffled by the baby blanket, as he raised his hand to her cheek and slid his fingers into her hair. Every gentle movement felt familiar and new, lasting an eternity and ending far too soon; she went for second, quick, peck and leaned back to breathe.

For a long moment his gaze remained locked on her parted lips, mesmerized by the soft gasp of air that made his head spin. Until then he hadn’t realized how much he had longed for the kiss, and to see how differently she would react with emotion in place.

Only he couldn’t concentrate on her emotions for the spin of his.

Saying he could and taking the initiative herself were different things.

“Elena,” he breathed, longing to see into her thoughts. “Why?”

“I missed you,” she echoed his words from a lifetime ago in a teasing voice that earned a chuckle. The amusement turned serious, coupled with dark searching eyes. “And I wanted to.”

“And you’re doing what you want these days?” A few strands of hair tickled his wrist.

“As long as it’s not harmful to my health,” her lashes fluttered, lingering against her cheekbone, “or anyone else’s health.”

“I see,” his fingers slid to her throat, skimming her hammering pulse. “And what would you like to do now?”

“About a million and one things,” she breathed, inching closer, “but right now I’d like to do that again.”

His lips were on hers before she stopped talking, cutting off her words with a slow kiss. His tongue traced the softness of her mouth and coaxed shivers from her body. A short squall brought him crashing back to earth.

He broke away, lips swollen, to cast his eyes upon her breast.

“I think something wants your attention,” his voice came out low.

Serena’s squall morphed into a full-blown ‘I’m-hungry-feed-me-now-please’ cry. He had learned to differentiate during the first week when he began his daily visits to the lake house; he knew the sounds that indicated hunger and a dirty diaper, as well as indignation and a need for immediate comfort.

So far only Kol had mocked him.

“Like clockwork,” she smiled, glancing at his watch.

Elijah shifted back, giving her some room to adjust her hold. While she unfastened the buttons on her shirt he pocketed the key and lifted the soft blanket, offering the cotton to Elena.

She draped it over her shoulder; Serena squirmed until it fell away.

“How did lunch go?” He asked, watching the fire to afford her some privacy.

“Well, she didn’t try to expose me to the Grille when she was hungry,” she frowned when Serena squirmed, more focused on the too warm blanket than feeding.

Elena tossed it aside.

“Does that make your first outing a success?” He looked to find Elena watch Serena eat.

She ran a finger over her cheek.

“In terms of baby’s first outing, yes. Mommy’s first outing, on the other hand…” she chewed her bottom lip. For a moment the only sound was Serena’s greedy suckle. “I told them… I told them what I told you.”

He lifted an arm over her shoulders; she leaned into his side, accepting the kiss to the top of her head.

“As predicted Caroline wants to hop a plane back to Brazil and burn the village down for answers.” She pressed her cheek to his chest. “Ric doesn’t know what to say, but he was furious. I spent twenty minutes convincing Jer that what happened has no bearing on how I feel about Serena. And Bonnie went off somewhere with Kol after promising answers.”

Her finger moved up and down the baby’s cheek.

“Does her skin feel dry to you?”

The question took him by surprise and he looked down. His eyes found the spot in question, dull and red beneath Elena’s hovering finger.

“That wasn’t there a moment ago,” he skimmed the dry patch. “It feels dehydrated.”

Serena turned away from his finger, losing her latch.

“She shouldn’t be dehydrated,” Elena licked her lip. She cupped Serena’s cheek and attempted to help her reattach, but she refused to cooperate.

“Why is she dehydrated?” Hysteria laced her voice.

“I don’t know, Elena,” he found her chin, coaxing her face up to meet his eyes. “Breathe, lovely; I’ll get the baby oil.”

She sucked in a deep breath and felt some of her tension ease.

“It’s in my bag,” she nodded towards the couch.

Serena wailed suddenly. The new sound made Elena’s heart pound.

“I don’t understand; babies don’t dry out like this.”

She cuddled her close, offering comfort while she waited.

“Don’t some have dry skin?” He reached into the diaper bag, closing his fingers around the bottle. “Could it be eczema?”

“Doesn’t happen this fast,” she shook her head, lowering Serena to the floor.

She took the oil, spreading it on the widening patch; it soaked in with no visible effect.

Serena’s limbs flailed; she cried harder.

“It’s okay baby, shh…”

Panic settled beneath her breast when her eyes followed a dry patch down her neck.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the zipper all the way down to Serena’s foot. Dry spots in various stages of dehydration dotted her belly and exposed legs.

“Oh God,” she slapped a hand over her mouth. She looked up; tears leaked from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

He could only shake his head.

Elena worked her tiny limbs free as gently as possible. Her eyes dropped to Serena’s feet; spots of blue glowed and vanished rapidly as they had the previous night.

Her brain scrambled, connecting the dots from the scant information.

“Shh, sweetie, shh,” she tried to pick her up without touching dry skin, but she seemed to be composed of nothing but dry skin. “Did anything like this happen to Hope?”

“No, but Hope has vampire blood,” fear glittered in his eyes, “she’s never been sick except for when the Hollow was in her. Do you want me to heal her?”

She struggled to hold the tenuous grasp she had on self-control as a desperate idea took shape in her mind.

“I want to try something first,” she murmured, climbing to her feet.

She felt him on her heels as she hurried into the kitchen. She twisted the taps, forcing herself to wait until the temperature was right before putting in the plug and removing the dry diaper.

Her hands supported Serena in the sink. The few inches of water absorbed into her skin, halting the level from rising.

The screeching turned to tears and finally sniffles before stopping.

“She needed a bath?” Elijah frowned, scooping water over Serena’s torso. “Why does she need to soak in water?”

“I don’t know.” Her stomach trembled. She kept a firm grip on the baby as she curled her little arms over her belly. “Does this mean I’m supposed to bathe her everyday? All of the books say that dries babies out.”

“I think Serena’s a special case.”

Glowing blue eyes watched him carefully. It took several passes of water before the blotches vanished, more to return her skin to a healthy pink.

“Are you sure you’ve never seen this before? Anything like it?” Elena spread water up the baby’s back, breathing slow as he shook his head. “What about one of your siblings?”

“It’s possible,” he nodded, frowning, “maybe. I could take some pictures and ask them.”

“Use my phone,” she nodded to the living room, “I can print them and delete the digital copies.”

“Are you certain?” He dried his hands. Water dripped from his cuffs.

“She’s something,” her teeth sank into her bottom lip, “and maybe whatever spell Kol brings back doesn’t work. Maybe I never remember. And maybe that’s better; I don’t know. All I do know is that she was in pain and a lucky guess made her better. What if next time I’m not lucky, and you’re not here to heal her?”

“Maybe I’ll never leave,” he held the button down to open her camera.

“If you never leave you might get sick of us,” she tried to smile.

“I will never ‘get sick’ of you Elena,” he swore, kissing her temple, “or her.”

Serena turned her head from side to side, following the conversation with her eyes.

He zoomed in and captured an image of her eyes then took one of her toes.

Serena looked towards the slow stream of water where it flowed into the adjoining sink.

The water bent at an angle, hitting her belly and hands.

Elena gaped, wide eyes staring at the impossibility before them. Thin blue lines glowed between Serena’s tiny fingers.

She gurgled happily.

“You might wanna get that too,” she breathed out, turning to see the camera already raised.

@elejahforever @elejah-wonderland @naughtynecromancer @ethanjwillis @cry-btch@geekofmanyfandoms@morsmornte@xanderling@bellemorte180@iw1shiknew@blndbandt@petrova-banz @bulldozed88@njeancastro316

#Elena gilbert #Elijah mikaelson #elejah #Caroline forbes #kol mikaelson #bonnie bennett #Jeremy gilbert #Alaric saltzman #hope mikaelson #legacies #the vampire diaries #the originals

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