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#this dad was on his phone the whole bus ride ok
pickled-flowers · 17 days
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Saw some of the grossest parenting today in the bus
#this dad was on his phone the whole bus ride ok#and his two kids were screaming arguing#at most he would periodically tell them to lower their voice while still on his phone#one time he told them to stop the one sitting next to him hit him 😭 and he went back to look at his phone with no reaction#my guy something is seriously wrong with you#your kids are screaming at each other doesn't even matter all that much that we are in the bus rn#theyre not just being loud kids you need to do smt!!!!!! its too early for this!!! i could hear them even with my noise cancelling headphone#anyways#ive never seen smt like this#and i work in a mall i see lots of parents and kids#idk smt really disgusting about a parent just not even interested in engaging with their kids#dude no wonder they're loud they probably want ur attention#also this one lady once who came in wjth a big stroller#and the store where i work has little moving rooms between the aisle so this woman decided TO LEAVE THE STROLLER WITH A KID INSIDE AT THE#FRONT OF THE STORE#the kids started crying and his hrother (toddler not in the stroller but not following the mom for some reason) started exploring and i#i had to watch them until the mom came back but like the woman just left them there???#i just stepped in but what if i hadnt??? lady?????????#i see lots of cute interactions of course#like this little girl who came with who i think is her grandpa and he asked me to help her chose her next manga read 😭💖#i basically work in a book/toy store#theres a lot of candy as well the kids love it#idk i like seeing kids being happy ok it is healing#like all the kids sitting on the floors deep in their books while the parents shop 😭😭😭 makes me smile every time top tier behavior
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soobnny · 10 months
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classmate au | park jay
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❝ come with me to the canteen, i’ll pay for whatever you want ❞
heeseung | JAY | jake | sunghoon | sunoo | jungwon | ni-ki
honestly, jay usually just keeps to himself
sooooooo campus crush.
someone play message in a bottle by taylor swift
he only goes crazy when he’s with his friends but like tbh i don’t see him going around and socializing in the classroom 😭
he usually waits for his classmates to come to him ykwim
he’s also def a morning person
arrives to school like a whole HOUR before class starts
his parents probably drive him to school and drop him off on the way to work
he’ll just be sitting in his seat in the middle
minding his own business .. doing last minute homework .. on his phone
jay is annoying bc he’s the natural smart type
like he’ll just know random shit
he’s the type to mumble the answers under his breath during oral recitation
TO HELP !!!! TO HELP !!!!
you only have a few memories with the boy and the most prominent is just so silly
you had one of those by-three quiz bee type of activity in school where u had to write ur answers on a small whiteboard and raise them
jay’s group was seated in front of you
and he’d just notice you leaning forward and trying to copy off them bc ur team is hopeless 😭😭😭😭
SO he angles his whiteboard while answering so you can see better
to the point where when the teacher looks back he just shoves it in ur face right away
ur teams laughed so hard
but yah !!!! just a funny memory to remember him by
you don’t realize you live in the same neighborhood until you commute back home together once
insert spider-man meme here
“you also live here?”
“yeah, i do”
so, on the occasion that his parents pick him up from school in their fancy car, he lets you ride with them back home
and when commuting, he always makes sure to guarantee you a seat if that’s like a train or bus
also stands in front of you so strangers can’t be weird and creepy
since then, you always ride with him home whether that’s in their family car or commuting
it’s a silent agreement
and he gets so used to it to the point that he WAITS for you sometimes…
[faints]
you’d be caught up in your club meeting and just see jay hovering outside the classroom???
he’s on his phone, totally unaware of you heading towards his direction
“hey, you done?,” he’ll say, backpack swung behind him as he reaches to take yours
“you didn’t have to wait for me,” you’d reply shyly
“but we always go home together, don’t we? besides, it’s getting late and it’s not safe for you to commute back home at night”
JAYYYYYYY… the man that you are
when he gets comfortable, he starts talking to u in class too
like not just casual conversation
he’d full on sit next to you and gossip
which surprises u bc you’ve never seen him willingly get off his seat to gossip with someone
NOW important thing to note is that your canteen is like three buildings away from your classroom so it’s a long walk
this mf always asks you to come to the canteen with him during free period or when the teacher doesn’t show up to class
“let’s go to the canteen”
“no, it’s tiringgg”
“i’ll get you whatever you want”
“ok let’s go!”
he’s balling 😭😭😭😭
jay just lets you get whatever you want in the canteen
true to his word, he pays for all of it
it’s kind of being his secret tactic to manipulating you to come with him to things
but who’s rly winning??? you get FREE things and u hang out with THE pretty jay
he thinks he wins tho😕😕 bc he likes u and loves spending time with u
so when that “no” forms on ur lips, he knows exactly what to do to force you to come with him
THO u do pay for his food sometimes or the fare for commuting back home bc u feel bad for taking his money
oh jay also gives me the one who offers to have practice over at their house
you are a frequent visitor in his house
his parents know u… the housekeepers… everyone just knows you at this point
you even go to some of their family dinners together when u hang out and his dad suddenly wants to eat out
“bring (name)” PLSSSSSS
they’d be interrogating u and getting to know u and ur family lots
jay’s the one that gets embarrassed and tells them to stop !!!!!!!
sometimes his mom would let him bring food for u in school
“this is (name)’s favorite, right??”
his parents LOVE you
u just become part of their family 😭
to the point that they say “about time” when jay finally asks you to be his girlfriend
“finally!!! she was basically already my daughter anyway!!!” his parents would say
BUT THE QUESTION IS
How does he ask u to be his gf
i have a story for U !!!!!!!!
it’s one of ur school events and u’re one of the people going around taking photos for the paper or so u could post it on the school page
you would stumble upon him during his contest
he would give you a quick smile before going back to Concentration Mode
THEN u kind of get tired walking around the whole campus so u hang by ur room where all ur other classmates with no contests are
AND THERE’S A GUITAR
you don’t know how to play the guitar
you jokingly get it and put it on your lap just as jay walks into the room
his eyes light up and he’s stumbling to sit next to you, asking if you know how to play
you don’t 💔💔💔💔💔
so he teaches you BYE
he helps you learn some basic chords and some strumming patterns
would whisper a few words of praise even at the smallest things that you get right
jay is SOOOOO encouraging that it’s painful
would make so much accidental eye contacts at ur close proximity
anyways this school event lasts a few days
SO at the last day .. during awarding .. he asks if you’re busy and if you could meet him at ur classroom
it’s empty obv bc everyone is at the court for the awarding
HE CONFESSES
Yes just like that. jay confesses to u.
it’s so clear he’s nervous bc of his foot tapping and his fumbling hands and how he can’t make eye contact all of a sudden
ofc u say YES
when you go to upload the photos for the school event .. u find some pictures of u taken by him 🥹
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AITA for using racism to get away from the dude crushing on me?
This happened last year, but my friend group still tells me it was a messed up thing to do and part of me agrees with them, while the other part doesn’t know what else I could have done.
I (F17, white) have always been the quiet, weird, fat girl in school. I have never dated, even though people would regularly ask me out as a dare, or do the whole “my friend has a crush on you” thing to embarrass their friends. I got used to the idea that no one would ever really wanna date me, at least not in high school, and that anyone who asked me out was trying to trick me. But that was fine, I’m content with the friends I’ve made of my fellow social rejects and weirdos.
Last year a guy (black, M17 at the time) joined our friend group and started coming to anime club with us. He was quiet and weird, but then again we all were, so I was nice to him and assumed he’d open up when he was comfortable. And he did start opening up, but I went from thinking he was just shy to having a weird feeling about him. Like, no guys have ever been into me enough for me to develop a creep meter, but when I described the feeling I got when he would just quietly stare at me from across the room to my female friends they said “girl, that’s your creep meter going off”.
He would just silently stare at me for hours, if no one interrupted him. At my chest, my feet, and my crotch specifically. One day he told me he was in love with me. Not liked me, not had a crush on me, he was in love with me. And he wanted my phone number. Of course I was uncomfortable, and didn’t believe for a second he really liked me. No one likes me. They just pretend to because it’s funny. I politely told him I was only interested in being friends, and he just said “ok” and asked for my phone number again. I gave it to him because I didn’t know how to politely say no to that, and asked him to wait till the weekend to text me because my dad doesn’t like me texting on school nights (a lie, I just wanted to mentally prepare myself for texting with him). He said ok.
I was still riding the bus home when he started blowing up my phone with texts. Nothing heinous, just telling me I was pretty and asking about school and anime. I ignored him, and he started calling instead. I had to turn my phone off because I was starting to panic after 20 texts and 7 calls.
The next day a couple of my friends asked why I didn’t text them back and I told them I had to turn my phone off because he didn’t listen when I asked him to wait before contacting me, and they told me some disturbing rumors about him. That he has a fetish for fat girls. That he’s on probation for stalking and harassment. That he had to leave his last school because a girl got a restraining order. That I’m not the first girl he’s done this to at our school either. I followed up on that last one and got confirmation there: two other girls in my school told me he had come on to them too, and only because they were fat. I immediately blocked his number and stopped going to anime club and avoided him in the halls.
But even with me going out of my way to not see him he would still pop up. He would be waiting outside my classroom to talk to me. He would sit with me at lunch. He even got transferred to my chorus class (I have no way of confirming if he did that on purpose or not). He kept asking why I wasn’t texting him back or answering his calls, (because I had blocked him), I said I’m just shy talking on the phone. He asked why I took a different route to class everyday (because I was trying to avoid him), I just said I liked exploring the school.
I tried asking him, politely, to tone his behavior down some because he was scaring me. Nothing changed. I flat out reminded him I already said I wasn’t interested in him. Nothing changed. I told him truthfully that I wasn’t getting his dozens of calls and messages because it was too much and I blocked his number, and he started texting me from a different number instead. I told a teacher and he said he just wanted to be my friend. I told the guidance counselor and she said she would talk to him, but he didn’t stop.
So finally one day, at the end of my rope, I told him I told my racist dad he was harassing me. That’s all. That my dad was racist, and would never accept me dating a black boy, and that I told my dad he wouldn’t leave me alone. He immediately backed off and, as far as I know, moved on to another girl.
Most of my friends were there to watch him hang around me like a lost puppy and stare at me inappropriately, so they don’t blame me for wanting to get away from him. But they also say it was a dick move to bring racism into it. I think they may be right, but I sincerely couldn’t think of any other way to get rid of him myself. AITA?
What are these acronyms?
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love2write2626 · 2 years
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I Wouldn’t Be Complete Without You
Summary: Tom and Reader have known each other since high school. Best friends... never anything more... even though in secret he always wished something happened between them. As Tom became more and more famous he was in need of an Assistant so who better than his best friend? 20 years later Tom is married... but separated from his wife Katie Holmes, Trying to fix his marriage, raise a child, and work is becoming a lot.
 Reader has known Tom since high school. Best friends never anything else... which is very hard for her, she’s been in love with him forever. Now, still best friends, hiding her love for him has become harder and harder over the years. She’s not an actress after all. Now, Tom needs her more than ever with everything going on in his life.
Read Chapter 2 HERE
Read Chapter 3 HERE
I Wouldn’t Be Complete Without You One-Shot Masterlist HERE
Here is chapter 1: Hope you Enjoy!!!
Chapter 1
Y/N’s P.O.V
“No! No. No. No” I said into the phone walking down the stairs, juggling folders, and my shoes which I still hadn’t had a chance to put on yet. “Jackson. No. You have been telling me for two weeks now, that the article is almost done.” I sighed “Jackson, listen” I groaned this man is being a pain in the ass and it’s much too early for this shit. I walked into the kitchen and saw Tom getting breakfast ready for him, and Suri. When he saw me, he gave me a bright smile.
“Morning” He said
“No. No. I’m tired of this, Jackson I need to have a rough draft of that article by noon today, or you will lose the right to print it at all.” I listened as he tried to babble some threat back to me “Jackson, the article was supposed to be printed a week after the interview, which was 2 months ago”
“Coffee?” Tom asked, I gave him a kiss on the cheek as a thank you, and grabbed the cup walking around the kitchen
“Jackson, I’m done with your excuses noon today, or I will have the whole interview retracted and we will take it to literally any other magazine” I said and hung up the phone. I threw my phone on the counter and let out a groan
“Wow, He must of made you really mad Y/N” Suri said in an adorable voice and I giggled
“Don’t worry I’m not mad Suri”
“Nope, I’ve known Y/N for over 20 years… she’s not mad, you’ll know when she’s mad” Tom said with a chuckle, I threw a towel at him which he easily dodged and went back to making breakfast
“Ready for school?” I asked her, as I took another sip of my coffee
“Yup, I got to take lots, and lots of notes today there’s a math test on Friday and today is the test review”
“You’ll do great sweetheart” Tom said, he placed some eggs on her plate, and kissed the top of her head.
“Y/N?” she asked
“Yes?” I asked with a smile
“Will, you help me study for my test tonight” she said with a pouty face, that was very difficult to say no to.
“Sweetheart I would love to, but I have something to do tonight…” I looked at Tom and I didn’t miss the confusion that crossed his face before he went back to making breakfast for himself.
“Please, please… just a few minutes… you always help me study”
“Ok, fine… but only for a little while” she gave me a hug
“Thank you, thank you” she jumped up and started to run for the door
“Sweetie sit down, you haven’t finished breakfast”
“Dad I’m going to miss the bus” she said
“I was hoping I could take you to school today” he said
“Dad” she gave him a look, and I couldn’t help but giggle. She is only 8 years old, but she is a sassy girl… can’t even imagine what’s she’s going to be like as a teenager.
“Ok, I surrender go on” he said, she ran over and gave him a hug before running out the door. He turned back to the stove grabbed the pan and put some eggs on his plate. “I would offer you some, but I know how you hate eating breakfast” I rolled my eyes
“Someone is grumpy this morning” I said
“I just don’t like the idea of her riding the bus” he said
“Tom…”
“She’s only 8”
“Tom, she’s going to be ok. I know you have security following that bus”
“What?” he asked
“Tom, when are you going to learn I know all” I said with a smirk “I have access to your email, texts, phone calls, bank accounts… I see who you call, email, text, and pay… hell I know your social security number… could have stolen your identity years ago, and be living alone on an island” he rolled his eyes
“Very funny, you would miss me” he said
“No, you would miss me, you might be the extraordinary, bad ass actor/stunt man… but you wouldn’t be able to function day to day without me”
“Please” he said with a scoff
“Ok, what’s your social security number?” I asked with a smirk, he glared at me “I’ll try one easier what’s your phone number?” I continued to smirk as I took a sip of my coffee
“Ok, fine you win… jeez you are on a rampage this morning”
“Ok, save the dramatics for the screen Mr. Reacher” I said with a smile.
“That’s Jack Reacher” he said
“Ok, Jack Reacher get ready to go to work”
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I am sitting in Tom’s chair staring at my lap top going through email after email, making appointments, and working my way through Tom’s schedule when my phone dinged
Can’t wait to see you tonight.
I smiled when I read the message from David. I’ve been seeing David in secret for a few months now… and when I say secret I mean secret to Tom. I know if I told him I was seeing someone he will go into all protective mode. It always annoys the shit out of me.
“What’s got you smiling?” he asked, I looked up I didn’t even realize they cut
“Oh, this pathetic excuse of an article Jackson sent me” I said giggling
“So what are we doing tonight?”
“Huh?” I asked
“You said you couldn’t help Suri tonight because we had plans, I didn’t realize we did”
“No… I said I had plans”
“You have plans?” he asked
“Yeah, isn’t that strange? I have a life outside of you”
“So what are Your plans?” he asked
“My plans are none of your business” I said, he smirked
“I’ll figure out your plans”
“What?”
“By refusing to tell me, you have given me a challenge… I’ll figure it out”
“You’re an idiot, go back to set” he kissed my cheek
“I’ll figure it out” he said walking off, I bit my lip and gently touched where he kissed me… even though we kissed each other on the cheek very often it always made me want to blush whenever he kissed mine. I walked closer to the set, and watched Tom. He is an incredible actor, and no matter how hard I try I can’t help but fall in love with him over and over again. It might sound strange but I have loved him since I was 17, the moment I locked eyes with him… I was done for
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20 years ago
I am sitting reading my book for English class, as always I am drawn in by the beautiful literature before me. Shakespeare is my favorite author… so far, I know as I get older I will be exposed to more and more authors that are equally as good… maybe even better.
I am currently sitting outside on the bleachers away from everyone, not one you would call popular. I keep to myself that’s how I like it, since I live in a time where liking to read is known as a loser thing to do, I just accepted that fate and stay away from everyone.
“Excuse me” I looked up and locked eyes with Tom Cruise… he’s one of the popular boys in school. I looked around trying to figure out who he was talking to. This gorgeous man can’t be talking to the weirdo who likes to read, and wears glasses.
“Me?” I asked, and he chuckled
“Yeah, I mean there’s no one else here” he said, and I blushed “Y/N, right?” he asked
“Yeah… um that’s my name” I said hesitantly
“Well, we’re in the same English class, and I forgot to write down the assignment I was hoping you could tell me what it is”
“Oh, sure. One second” I put the book down, and reached for my bag to pull out my binder
“Romeo and Juliet?” he asked “Didn’t we read this one already?” he asked
“Um yeah… but the assignment is to pick one of the Shakespeare plays and write about it, and as clique as it is, this is my favorite… I think I’ve read it 10 times” I said, I blushed and reached for my binder again and he chuckled. Great now he’s going to start making fun of me.
“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou her maid  art far more fair than she.” I looked at him expecting him to be looking at the book but to my surprise we was looking at me
“You know Romeo and Juliet?” I asked
“Yeah, we already read it” he said with a chuckle
“But you know it by memory” I said, he just smirked
“I may have read it a few times myself”
“You like to read?” I asked
“Why do you seem so shocked?” he asked confused
“Well… I mean… um… I’m just going to let you copy the assignment and not say anything else” I said
“Is it because I’m popular?” I shrugged my shoulders
“Well, yeah”
“Eh, it’s not all its cracked up to be… I’m not really sure how I got wrapped up with them. We really don’t have much in common”
“Well, you dating the cheer captain probably has something to do with it… and the fact you are ridiculously good looking”
“Really?” he said smirking
“Did I say that out loud?” I said, and he just kept smirking “Well, now that I just made a complete fool out of myself, I’m going to leave…” I ripped out the paper in my notebook with the assignment. “Take it, I don’t need it”
“Hey, hey… you don’t have to leave… I’m sorry for embarrassing you. It’s ok, many people tell me I’m good looking”
“Now you’re just being arrogant” I said
“Well, I think you’re very beautiful” he said, and I’m sure my heart stopped “I think your glasses are adorable, and your hair is really pretty” suddenly I got angry, this is got to be a joke. One of the popular guys coming over here to complement me?
“You’re just here to make fun of me aren’t you?” I stood up, to walk away but he grabbed my hand
“I’m not making fun of you” he said, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling running through my body as he held onto my hand “I’m not lying, I’m not an asshole”
“Why?” he laughed
“Why, do I think you’re pretty?”
“Why, are you here talking to me? I’m a nobody”
“Everybody is somebody… social status means nothing… and I like you, you seem really nice. You never give me the chance to talk to you, you always run out of class before I can reach you”
“I don’t understand why you want to get to know me”
“Because you don’t care about me”
“What?”
“You are the only person in the school who doesn’t run to my side and want to talk to me”
“So you’re making it your mission to talk to me?”
“Not a mission… I just want to talk to someone who likes things other than popularity” I looked at him confused “I like school, I love reading, history, and drama. I love it all. I want to talk to someone who also like learning things, my favorite thing to do it learn new things” I opened my mouth to speak, when Jessica appeared
“Tom” she said in her annoying voice “Tom, why are you here, you’re supposed to walk me to practice” she said
“I was just talking to Y/N… we were talking about Romeo and Juliet” she looked at me with disgust
“You sit with my boyfriend for 2 minutes, and you already infected him with your nerdiness” she said with disgust “Tom, let’s go before she turns you into a complete nerd” she said giggling
“Hey, don’t talk to her like that”
“What?” she asked him
“You can’t talk to her like that”
“Why not? She’s a loser”
“No, she’s a person like everyone else… and no one deserves to be spoken to like that”
“Tom, let’s go”
“No, I’m going to stay here and talk to my friend, you can take yourself to cheer practice”
“Tom, if you don’t walk me to cheer practice then we are done” she said
“Ok, fine” he said standing up, I sighed he was doing so well then she threatened him with a break up and he followed her. I watched as she leaned in to kiss him, but he stepped back. “Ok, fine I’m breaking up with you.”
“You’re breaking up with me, because of this loser?” she asked
“No, I’m breaking up with you, because I’m tired of you being so controlling, being a bitch to everyone… oh, you having sex with the quarter back in the locker room”
“That only happened one time” she said, wow she wasn’t even going to deny it
“I know for a fact it happened 4 times” she looked shocked “So, goodbye” he said
“You’re going to regret this Tom, no one breaks up with me” she stormed off, and he walked back over to me and sat down.
“Are you ok?” I asked
“Yeah, I honestly feel free” he said with a smile
“So, what do you say… you wanna be my friend? I know for a fact she’s going to turn the whole school against me… I need someone on my side” he said with a chuckle. I smiled
“Sure”
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I looked at myself in the mirror, putting the finishing touches on my makeup getting ready for my date.
“So I guess you going to the spa is not your plans for the night” I jumped
“Tom, you can’t just walk in here” I said
“It’s my house” he said
“Yeah, but this is my room. Which I pay you rent for” he rolled his eyes
“Please, that money you give me every month goes into your next paycheck… I would never let you pay me to live here” I groaned
“What, do you want?”
“Where are you going?” he asked, I pushed past him and went downstairs to get my purse
“Tom, you don’t need to know everything I do” I said as he followed behind me
“I don’t need to know, but as your best friend I want to know” I sighed he is never going to give this up
“I’m going on a date” he gave me a blank stare, after a few seconds he finally said “anyone I know?”
“No.”
“How, did you meet?”
“Through a friend” I said
“What’s his name?”
“David”
“David…”
“You don’t get his last name, because I know you’re going to do a back ground check and tell me all the reasons I can’t date him” he looked shocked
“No, I…”
“Tom, you’ve done that for every guy I have ever dated. Trust me, we’ve been seeing each other for a few months… he’s a nice guy” I said with a smile
“I just worry about you, You and Suri are the most important people in my life. If anything happened to you…”
“Tom, I’m going to be fine… now go help Suri study. I’ll see you later” I said walking out the door.
“Wait” I turned around
“He’s um… he’s a lucky guy, you look beautiful” he said. I walked over and kissed his cheek
“Thank you for not being over bearing about this” I said
“Go have fun” he said with a fake smile.  as I reached the door, I heard “Just be careful, and be sure he treats you with the respect you deserve”
“I will” I turned around to look at him, but he was already headed up the stairs. David a really nice guy, and I really like him… but why am I so heart broken? When will I stop loving Tom?
So what did you think? 
Next Chapter will talk more about Tom’s upcoming divorce.
@luckyladycreator2 @ahopelessromanticwritersworld @blue-aconite @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @peaches-1999 @callsign-blue @dempy @roostersforevergirl @allivingstone01 @harper1666 
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wpdarlingpan · 3 years
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I have a suggestion! What about pan or jerome valeska kiddnaping the reader/oc? Ik its pretty basic, but maybe pan kidnapps her to obress Emma and Jerome kiddnapps her because he is fond of her appearance yk? Maybe a little bit yandere style.
Thank u I hope you like my suggestions!
Thanks for my first suggestion! I hope it’s good :)
Please let me know if there is something I should fix for later suggestions. Be it my writing style, or if you’d prefer me to make an OC for the story.
Also TW with just a mention of how Greenwood is charged with Rape and Murder. It’s only the mention and will not be brought up further.
Now on with the story.
Background information: Y/N is the daughter of Jim Gordon and Barbara. She isn’t associated with Barbra since she went slightly crazy. She considers Lee like her mom. Her dad is very over protective since he’s seen the dark side of Gotham. She is 18 years old and somewhat shy/innocent from being protected by her dad.
“Bye dad! Love you!” Y/N yelled out as she approached the front door of their apartment. She was hoping to leave before her dad could give her the talk she always got before leaving the house but luck wasn’t on her side. She also felt the teeniest bit of guilt for rushing out so quickly as she and her dad had a good relationship and she knew he was just trying to protect her.
“Wait.” He spoke coming down the hallway into the room. He knew she didn’t like the fact she had to go over rules before she left the house but he’d been even more nervous since there was a breakout at Arkham.
“Yes?” Y/N questioned.
“Got your phone?”
“Yep.”
“Charged?”
“100%.”
“House key?”
“Definitely.”
“Emergency money?”
“Right in my pocket.”
“Pepper spray?”
“Yep and with the safety on so I don’t accidentally spray myself... again.” She spoke while looking down sheepishly.
“All right love you kiddo. Remember what I said about those people who broke out yesterday.”
Jim spoke while lightly kissing the side of her head and let her go to school.
“I remember. Also love you Always and forever dad. Don’t forget you have a date with Lee later!” Y/N reminded before closing the door to make her way to the Gotham High school. Her dad had bought her a car so she would be more safe getting to and from school as he didn’t trust city busses or taxis. She didn’t mind though it was nice and she was able to play some music while she drove.
Once she arrived at the school she saw the cheerleaders loading onto the bus. She was a photographer for the yearbook and it was one of their first football games for the year so they send her to photograph for the team. She was way to shy to actually try out for it. Once double checking if her car was locked she put the keys in her pocket and made her way to the bus with her camera looped around her neck.
She got on first as the rest of the cheerleads were talking outside the bus with the coach. Y/N sat in the very back with her feet up next to her as a sign of ‘do not sit by me’ she was rather short so it was comfortable as well. She then pulled out her phone and began to text her dad that she was safely on the bus. He replied with a quick ‘ok’ and ‘be safe’ then she started to play a game on her phone as the cheerleaders began to load onto the bus. Once everyone was on the bus they drove away from the school at the cheerleaders were practice their cheers. The. Whole. Ride. It was beginning to get on her nerves as she preferred the peace and quiet but she knew that being on a bus with cheerleaders would be anything but. She grabbed one side of her headphones and began to play music. She lightly tapped her fingers to it and looked out the window.
They drove for about 20 more mins before they were stopped. A red truck had pulled in front of them and people approached the truck. She spotted guns in their hands. She quickly dialed her dads phone and begged for him to pick up.
“Y/N? What is it?” He could tell by her erratic breathing that something was wrong.
“There are people with guns on the bus! They just shot the driver. We are on (random Gotham street) please hurry!”
“I’m on my way! Try and stay on the line.” She said a quiet okay she a boy with red hair entered the bus. Jim quickly ordered police officers to make their way towards the scene.
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“I want you all to know... this was a very difficult decision for us.” The boy spoke as he waved around his guns as if it was a toy. Y/N had already ducked down in her seat after a different person had handcuffed them to the seats. She wanted to stay out of of the seemingly ringleaders point of view as she watching her phone continue to hold the call with her dad and her headphone was in on low in order for him not to hear the phone. She still listened from her other ear to be aware.
“It was between you and a senior citizen bingo party.
In the end, we decided to skew a little younger.” He spoke while putting the gun to one of the girls heads. He walked towards the back of the bus as he continued his speech. She heard him coming and quickly tucked her phone into her pocket along with the headphones.
“Youth won the day. Sorry.”
He had reached the back to the bus and was about to turn around when he saw her tucked into the seat. She was very small and if he didn’t know this was a high school bus he would have thought she was a kid. She looked up at him with terrified doe eyes and he looked at her with a smile. He liked her. The innocence in her eyes that made him swoon. She clearly wasn’t like his whore of a mother. She would make a good partner.
“And who might you be.” He spoke while he used his charm. He lifted her chin up lightly with his unoccupied hand as the gun still rested in the other. She scooted as far away as she could with the handcuffs keeping her in place.
“Y-Y/N.” She stuttered out in fear. She was trying to hide not stand out. He moved her hand away from the start of the handcuffs and brought up his gun to which she began squirming at as it was raised.
“Shh, just going to get these off.” He attempted to comfort but it was honestly more frighting what was he going to do.
He shot the handcuffs and the bullet got lodged into the seat as she was detached from the seat but still had the cuffs around her wrist.
“You’ll be coming with me Doll.” He spoke while tugging her up from the seat as the cheerleaders continued to cry at the situation.
“No!” She attempted to struggle but she was too small to get away. But he held onto her. He tugged her out of the bus before giving her to Aaron. Since he didn’t trust Greenwood with his girl. Not like he trusted Aaron any more but he wasn’t charged for rape.
Aaron obeyed and tightly held her as Jerome put back on his crazy face and went back onto the bus.
“Give me an "O"!” He shouted to make fun of them.
“I said, give me a "O".” He shot the roof of the bus making the cry harder.
“O!” The cried out through their tears.
“ Give me an "N".” He spoke again with enthusiasm
“N!”
“Give me another "O"!”
“O!”
“What does that spell?” He questioned while greenwood handed him a hose that would spray gasoline out from the truck they had stolen.
"Oh, no!"
He walked up and down the isles of the bus and sprayed each and everyone one of them with gasoline while they all screamed in fear.
He finished and walked out of the bus and grabbed a lighter from his pocket.
“Ready? Okay!” Jerome said as he attempted to make the lighter work. The flame wouldn’t appear and Y/N continued to struggle in Aaron’s arms but for the man it was nothing. Dobkins was bouncing in his place with anticipation.
But it never lit.
“This is so embarrassing.” Jerome spoke harshly. He was making a fool out of himself in front of his girl.
“Anyone got a light?” He requested from the group of cheerleaders. Y/N was questioning if he really expected them to give him one since he was trying to kill them. He walked off after they all cried out a ‘No’ and winked at Y/N as she looked at him making her glance away hoping for her dad to hurry.
“I do. I got...” Dobkins replied while reaching into his own pocket to grab a lighter.
As Dobkins went to hand Jerome the lighter sirens sounded and police pulled onto the scene. She began struggling more as Aaron held her with one hand and shot with the other with little to no aim.
She saw as her dad got out of the car and quickly held up his gun. His heart stopped as he saw his daughter in the hands of one of the Maniax.
“Stand your ground, boys. They can't shoot at a bus.” Jerome smugly told the crew. He glanced at his doll to see her struggling still while eyeing one of the officers.
“Hold your fire! Hold your fire!” Jim quickly yelled in fear one something hitting his daughter or the bus.
“Dad!” She yelled out as she attempted to kick Aaron but did little to no damage.
Jeromes eyes widened with surprise. Jim Gordon had a daughter? This would be two birds with one stone. He smirked as Jim looked panicked.
“Aaron, Greenwood, get the truck started. And pass me my girl.” Jerome demanded. Y/N was shoved towards Jerome who caught her with a arm wrapped around her waist. He spotted her phone in her pocket and tossed it onto the pavement so they couldn’t be tracked nor could she call.
The officers had ducked behind their cars as Jerome shot at them.
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“We're gonna blow this barbecue stand, huh Doll?” He told her as he tugged her towards the truck as her dad tried to follow before he was shot at again.
Greenwood sat on the outside holding onto the bus with the hose.
“Light 'em up!” Jerome spoke as he turned around and made a round motion with his arm to Dobkins who struggled with a lighter as well.
Jerome laughed manically as he got into the truck with her on his lap to which she blushed making him smirk and they began to drive off leaving Dobkins with the police.
Soon they were out of view and Jim quickly drove the bus away from the flames that had fought when the lighter was dropped. He needed to get his daughter back.
Y/N had a blind fold put on her as they left the scene to head back to Galivants building. Once they arrived Jerome picked her up bridal style and carried her into the building. He was stopped by the man himself as he headed to his room.
“And whose this?” He questioned quite poshly. She couldn’t recognize the voice but it seemed familiar.
“My girl.” He replied looking Galivant in the eye with a murderous look, daring him to say she couldn’t stay.
“Fine. But she stays in your room. Wouldn’t suggest having her out here with Greenwood.” He spoke before walking away to his office. Jerome laughed at even the thought of letting Greenwood anywhere near her. He brought her into his room and sat her on the bed. He quickly locked the door with a key to which he placed in his pocket before removing the blindfold.
Y/N blinked to adjust to the light and when she did she quickly scrambled back on the bed, away from the boy in front of her.
“Oh Y/N your never getting away from me. Not now, not ever.” He spoke before laughing crazily making her whimper and her eyes water. She curled up in a ball in an attempt to shield herself away from the boy.
“Well Doll, welcome to your new home. By the way, the names Jerome. Jerome Valeska.”
Y/N began to shake, her dad had told her about his interview. She should have for the hint from the fact of his unsettling laughter.
She was utterly screwed.
Let me know if you’d like a quick part 2
Also, please suggest things to write 😁
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drazzilder · 3 years
Text
A Winter’s Flight
By Drazzilder 
Chapter 2: Father-Daughter
Since the car accident, Enji has been all over Fuyumi; not about the car accident but being protective of her. The problem is that he won’t leave her alone. He took a week off of hero work to make sure she is ok. From making breakfast to going to the store with her, he can’t keep away. He is so worried for her safety. At first, Fuyumi thought it was nice, getting the attention from her father, but now it has gotten to the point of annoyance. She can’t even leave the room without Enji wanting to know where she was going. You know that he needs to do this to help him process his emotions but he doesn’t know when to stop. It is the morning before you and Zaheer go to work and everyone is eating breakfast.
F: “Dad, I want to go to the park, you don’t need to come with me. I will be fine by myself.”
E: “I know but I want to. I want to make sure your safe.”
(Y/N): “Enji, you have been following her all week, can you give it a break?”
N: “It’s getting a little ridiculous at this point.”
E: “Can I just have one more day?”
F: “Only if you promise to give me some space after today. I feel like I can’t even go to the bathroom without telling you.”
E: “I’m sorry if I am being too much. I can do that. Thank you.”
(Y/N): “Are you sure, Fuyumi? You can tell Enji no.”
F: “One more day can’t hurt and I know that if he doesn’t listen to me, he will listen to you.”
Z: “You hit the nail on the head there.”
E: “I promise, this is the last day.”
(Y/N): “Good. Now we are off, see you all later.”
F: “Bye!”
Enji kisses you goodbye as you are off to do hero work for the day and Shoto and Natsuo go to school. Fuyumi and Enji finish up in the house and are soon off. The two take a quick bus ride to the park. It is strange seeing the number 2 hero on public transportation but Fuyumi cannot handle going into a car, so a car ride is out of the question. Some children did ask Endeavor for an autograph, which he begrudgingly obliged. Enji didn’t say a word on the ride while Fuyumi read a book on her phone. Once at the park, they grab some green tea from a vending machine and start walking down the path that follows the stream.
“Are you sure you’re going to be good with me by myself tomorrow? I know your still worried about me.”
With a sigh “I am going to have to be. I cannot follow you forever. (Y/N) and Zaheer have been swamped this week covering for me. I feel bad doing that to them but if they wanted my help, they would tell me.”
“It’s their way of showing they care, letting you stay home with me. But I agree, they need a break too. They might be demons but they need their rest.”  
“I hope this hasn’t upset you.”
“Actually, I kind of liked you being around more.”
“Really?” Sounding confused.
“Don’t be getting any ideas, you still need to work. What I mean is that when I was a kid, you never gave Natsuo and I any attention. Now, I am getting the opposite. It’s nice, if not a little overwhelming. Can we still do some more father-daughter time together in the future.”
Taking a moment to think, he finally responds. “I would like that.”
They finish at the park and start walking through the city, just relaxing. Fuyumi spots something in a shop. She tells Enji to stay outside while she quickly bolts in. While sitting on a bench, a crowd starts to form around the hero and he starts answering questions from his fans and signing everything handed to him. It isn’t long before Fuyumi returns to the chaos, but she is used to it by now. Once the people disperse, she is able to stand next to him.
“That was a lot more than normal. Looks like they are finally accepting you and (Y/N).”
“Well, when you’re the number 2 hero married to the number 1, the crowds have a tendency to grow larger. What did you buy at the store?”
“I got you this.” She says as she pulls out a small box and hands it to him. Inside is a coffee mug that just says “Number 1 Dad.”
“I broke a mug a few days ago and I wanted to replace it. They did have number 1 hero, but I figured that would this one would be a better fit, since (Y/N) is number 1 and all.”
“No, it’s…. it’s perfect. Thank you.” He gets up and gently hugs his daughter, only for a moment before releasing her. Fuyumi continues to lead the two throughout the city, stopping by whatever catches her eye. She did manage to get some new cloths and a few books to read for later. It isn’t long before the sun starts to set buy Fuyumi wanted to stop by one last placez. The day finishes off with the two going to an ice cream shop and the two-start heading back. Enji can’t help but smile the whole-time home, having enjoyed a whole day with his daughter.
(Y/N): “How was everything.”
F: “It was nice. We even brought everyone some ice cream.”
Z: “Did they have my favorite!?”
F: “Yes, they did have the squid ink this time. I got all of your favorites too. Sorry if it’s a little melted.”
S: “That’s ok, thank you.”
N: “Yes, thank you. You didn’t have to do that.”
F: “Least I could do.”
(Y/N): “Thank you, Fuyumi. Now Enji, back to work tomorrow for you mister.”
E: Raising his voice “Hey! You don’t have to be rude about it.”
(Y/N): “Tomorrow is our day off; we need it after the week we have had. Zaheer and I couldn’t even work together most of the time because we needed to split up to cover for you. After the week we had, I appreciate what you do as a hero a lot more.”
Z: “We knew it was going to be a lot but we handled it. Now we just need some time alone together. Not just for us but to balance our power. We don’t want another All for One incident.”
E: “Oh, I forgot about that. I’m sorry I put you through that.” He says, putting his head down.
You walk up to your husband and grab his hand. This makes him respond by tilting his head up and looking into your eyes. You take off his glasses and give him a quick kiss. “Just go to work tomorrow and don’t worry about Fuyumi, ok?”
“I can do that.” Enji says almost apologetically.
The rest of the evening was calm and quiet. The children when to do their own things while you, Enji and Zaheer just relaxed while watching some tv. Soon, it was time for bed and with a hug, Fuyumi says goodnight to Enji. You and Zaheer are lying in bed when Enji finishes in the bathroom. He looks at you both with a little concern on his face, seeing how exhausted you both look.
“I’m sorry I put you both through all this. You look like your about to pass out.”
“We will be fine; we just need some rest and mediation.”
“I wouldn’t put myself though this for anyone else.”
“But this has gone too far.”
“I know your worried about her. This is just your way of showing you care but give her some space. She is stronger than you think.”
“I know. I went overboard again.” Looking disappointed.
“It’s only because you care so much. We understand.”
“But you two went through a lot this week because of me.”
“I knew you needed to be around her. The accident scared you, you needed time to process it.”
“You didn’t have to do that for me. I want to make it up to you both.” Pulling you close, he starts to kiss you all over your face.
“As much as I would like that right now, can we just cuddle and sleep. We are both exhausted.”
“That sounds good right about now.”
“Very well.” He sighs. The 3 of you don’t even cuddle for long before you and Zaheer fall asleep. Enji just stares are you both, lovingly. He wonders what he did to be so lucky to you in his life and to have his children back.
Next Chapter
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nonagesimus · 3 years
Note
For ur bday fic prompts: maybe something preseries, just before the Stanford fight? Something showing the growing of tensions, could be case fic or character study or whatever you wanted
ok this is going to be casefic but also it's not DONE so here is a preview
--
Sam has a secret tucked in the small of his back.
Literally.
The lining of his backpack had already been torn – sliding some paper inside before he made a slapdash repair was the easiest thing in the world. Keeping it tucked under his tongue, not letting the words spill out, that’s harder. Sitting in a diner in mostly silence. Shoveling dirt back into a grave. Dead air, thick with familiarity. It begged to be filled but Sam kept his mouth shut tight. They’d driven through Monterey three months beforehand and he’d almost spilled the beans. There’d been rumours about sirens, but all they’d found was sea lions and wind whistling loud through a rock formation, and John had been in a terrible mood, and Sam had thought, well, if he’s already mad. Make it worse. Let them leave him with half a day’s bus ride. It wasn’t like they were likely to get that close to Palo Alto again. But it had been too early, still. Part of him still feels like if he finds the right way to phrase it he can avoid it blowing up in his face.
It’s not a huge amount of faith, but it’s there.
So, they’re in Nevada, and John’s chasing witches, because nowhere loves a luck spell like Vegas. John’s wary of letting Sam too close to the hunt – he always is with witches. But Sam’s best at recognising spell work so he gives it maybe two more days before John stops sending him to the library for ‘research’ and starts just taking him with them. 
As it is he keeps in touch via phone and he and Dean wake Sam up when they get back to the motel at three in the morning.
Day three and Dean shows up at the library and drags him out to the desert, hands drumming on the steering wheel the whole way. They pull the Impala in beside John’s jeep and stroll out to where he’s standing beside scorch marks on the packed dirt.
“You find anything in the books?” he asks.
Sam says, “No,” without shame, because they hadn’t sent him hunting for anything specific yet anyway. He’s already looking at the patterns on the ground, eyes avoiding his dad. “That looks Celtic, right?”
“Right,” John says. “Seems like a ritual site.”
No duh, Sam thinks. There’s mostly ash, but the wind must’ve blown some of the ingredients out of the fire, because there’s still some herbs scattered around Henbane, and poppy, and something that looks like sage, which makes him wonder if they wanted vervain but ran out. Some pieces of what looks like bone. Something glints in the centre of the scorch marks and he crouches, ignoring the abortive movement John makes when he moves closer, to see shiny black rock. Volcanic glass. Could be an ingredient, could be a by-product.
“What’s the ritual for?” he asks.
John’s boots shift on the packed dirt. “I was thinking you could tell me.”
Sam glances up at John. Feels those words heat up under his tongue. His dad’s gaze is impenetrable, expectant, as always. He breaks eye contact instead, pulls out a notebook. Starts to sketch down the burn pattern. Notes down the herbs he recognises. Picks up a few of the least-fragile fragments. Doesn’t touch the obsidian. He knows John wouldn’t let him get close enough to the middle of the pattern. With everything noted down he stands back up.
“I don’t know it off the top of my head,” he says. “I’ll do some research.” 
“Ok,” John says, the weight of judgement colouring the syllables. He follows it up with a flick of his eyes up and down Sam’s body. “Don’t take it as an excuse to blow off your training.” Sam’s supposed to run through an exercise regime every night. He hasn’t in three days, because John can always tell but he’s barely seen him. He nods without protest. “Dean, take him back.”
The whole thing took half an hour and a quarter tank of gas, but Dean doesn’t seem at all put out that he’s being used as taxi service, still drums his hands cheerfully on the wheel, and throws Sam sidelong glances for the first mile and a half 
Sam breaks first. “What?” Snapped with a little more force that he means it. He’s scared; of the secret, of John’s reaction to the secret, of Dean’s reaction to the secret, of the knowledge that everything will change. And he’s frustrated, because he always breaks first. Because he tries so, so hard not to, but he can never quite manage it.
“You gotta come out with it,” Dean says. “Whatever it is.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Sam says, ignoring the pulse under his tongue.
“You’re all quiet,” Dean said. “You haven’t been fighting with Dad, you just take it.”
“You’re mad at me for not fighting with Dad?” Sam asks, even though Dean isn’t acting even a little angry.
“Of course not,” Dean says, the roll of his eyes clear in his tone of voice. “It just usually means somethings up, is all.”
“Nothings up,” Sam lies, and he knows Dean knows he’s lying.
But Dean doesn’t call him out on it, just drops him back at the library and then heads back into the desert. Sam doesn’t even know why John’s still out there, if he expects to find other ritual sites or what. But it’s not like there’s anything he can do about it, so he just carries himself back inside and hits the books like they’ll have the answers he actually needs right now.
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firesoulstuff · 3 years
Text
The Blind Date From Cell Block D
Read on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33159133
Cisco is - understandably - a little wary when his ex-girlfriend sets him up on a blind date with her cellmate's sister. A part of him thinks the only reason they're set up is because they both have kids, not that they'd actually be good for each other.
Well, he's been wrong before.
Cisco can’t believe it’s come to this.
He stands in front of Jitters coffee and looks at the door ahead of him, a final debate in his mind as to if he’s really going inside or not. It isn’t that he doesn’t trust Lisa, but her friends aren’t typically people he wants to get involved with. Of course supposedly this girl isn’t really one of her friends, but maybe a friend’s sister is close enough.
Oh well, he made it this far.
He enters the coffee shop and looks around. He doesn’t know what this girl looks like, but it isn’t all that crowded and he doesn’t see anyone looking around lost. He debates ordering coffee but he doesn’t know what she likes, and it feels rude ordering one for just himself, so he goes and claims a seat at a table with a nice view of the door.
He checks his phone while he waits, debating texting Barry to check up on Carmen or working on a crossword, when he hears the door open and he looks up.
This is probably her.
She isn’t what he was expecting, though Lisa had mentioned she was a “goody-goody.” She’s dressed nicer than he is, in a red flower-printed dress with matching lipstick. Her hair is this gorgeous light brown color that frames her face in loose curls. He starts to think maybe he’s wrong, that this woman is here to meet some other lucky guy and he’s still waiting, but then she notices him watching her and there must be something awestruck about his expression because she comes over to his table, and he awkwardly he pushes himself off the chair and stands.
“Hi…” She trails, “Cisco?”
“Um, yeah, hi.” He stammers, and offers her his hand, because apparently that is what he does on a first date now.
Still, she laughs and accepts the handshake.
“Caitlin, right?” He asks.
“Right.” She says with a blush, and he’s pretty sure he’s blushing himself.
“Cool, um, why don’t I go get us some drinks?”
What follows next is the obligatory awkwardness of a first date of her half-heartedly trying to give him money for her latte and his insisting that he’s paying for it. Once they have that out of the way and he’s returned to the table with her latte and his decaf Flash - he definitely doesn’t need the caffeine right now – he feels like he can breathe just a little bit easier.
“Thank you.” Caitlin says as he places her latte down in front of her and takes his seat.
“You’re welcome.” He says, “So, um, were you as nervous about the set-up from cell block D as I was?”
She snorts into her drink, and he can’t help thinking that it’s adorable.
“It’s always a bad idea when my sister wants to set me up.” She says, “When she said she wanted to set me up with her cellmate’s ex, no offence but I almost stood you up.”
“Understandable.” He admits, readily. Because really, he wouldn’t have blamed her. “What changed your mind?”
She chuckles, and he smirks when she suddenly avoids his eyes and starts stirring her straw around her drink.
“I um… I told myself I would come, it would be horrible, and then I could hold this over her every other time she tries to set me up down the road.”
He laugh, he tries not to but it gets through.
“So you’re using me.” He snarks, taking a sip of his drink. “I’m the bad date who is supposed to get you out of future, worse dates.”
“Sorry.” She winces, and he keeps laughing.
“Don’t be. I respect it, kind of wish I’d thought of it to be honest with you.”
Now she’s grinning along with him, and it’s nice. They sip their drinks, get over their laughter, though he’s still beaming with amusement when he speaks again.
“So, is this that bad yet?”
“Hmm… Not yet.” She hums, “But I can always embellish the details. What about you? Why’d you come?”
He shrugs, picking at his nails a bit. “Desperation, maybe? Been awhile since I had a date, and Lisa knows what I go for.”
He winces as the words leave his mouth; he definitely shouldn’t have worded that like that.
She’s raising an eyebrow at that, more than enough confirmation that he’s right, but at least she isn’t running away yet.
“What I mean is, um, Lisa and I had the conversation a while ago. We’re not right for each other, but we’re on good terms and we want to see each other happy. Plus, with Carmen, neither of us wants the other to waste time on something that isn’t going to last. So I trust anyone she’s going to set me up with will be someone she actually thinks I’ll like.”
Caitlin nods, but he’s still kicking himself. He learned a long time ago it’s never good to bring up an ex on the first date. Bringing up the kid? Absolutely, that’s something he knows he has to be upfront about. But he’s found ways to discuss Carmen while leaving her mother out of it until a later date, assuming it goes that far. But in this scenario that’s kind of difficult, considering it’s his ex who set this up.
“That’s good that you guys still get along.” She says, “I’m sure that makes parenting easier.”
“Yeah.” He agrees, whole-heartedly. There was a rough patch two years ago when Lisa first got arrested, he didn’t want much to do with her, he was so pissed. Then when he finally went to see her all they did was fight. It was horrible, and he could see the effect it was having on Carmen. He’s glad they’re past that.
“What about you?” He asks, “Lisa mentioned you have a son. You and the dad get along?”
She looks away again, her face falls, and instantly he knows he’s made a mistake.
“James’ dad is dead, actually.”
“Shit.” He whispers, “I’m-”
“It’s ok.” She promises, meeting his eyes again, with a look that says it is very much not ok but she’s tired of hearing the apologies. “It happened not long after James was born, he’s almost three. What about you? How old is Carmen?”
“She’s seven.”
He doesn’t miss how Caitlin’s expression shifts, her eyes blinking with mild surprise, and he chuckles. This isn’t the first time he’s gotten this kind of reaction after revealing his daughter’s age. He knows she’s doing the math, and debating whether or not she should ask exactly how old he is.
“Yeah, we had her kind of young.”
“I thought I had James young.” She comments, though the wonders if she meant to say that aloud, because when he starts cackling her face turns bright red and her eyes blow wide.
“I’m sorry I didn’t-”
“It’s ok, it’s ok.” He assures her through his laughter. “Really, I’ve gotten far worse reactions.”
She nods, though she doesn’t seem to be taking much solace in it.
“Were you out of high school?” She asks, to which he makes an “eh” motion with his hand.
“It was partway through senior year when we found out Lisa was pregnant, so we’d graduated by the time Carmen was born.”
They keep talking about their kids, swapping stories and occasionally pictures. James is adorable based on the pictures she shows him. He has her eyes, and her hair, but there’s something about his face that he’s sure must be a carbon copy of his father’s. She almost laughs herself to tears when he shows her the picture of Carmen from a pool party last summer at his Abuela’s; all suited up in her life jacket, arm floaties, an inner-tube, and bright pink snorkel.
“Yeah, this winter, I made her go to swimming lessons at the rec center. Kid was convinced she was going to drown. Didn’t care she’d been swimming plenty of other summers and done just fine. Nope.”
“Oh my god.” Caitlin laughs, “Well, if it makes you feel any better, James is terrified of buses right now. Cars? Fine. Trains? His favorite things in the word. But ask him to so much as look at a bus and he cries, all because there’s a kiddie ride at Adventure Land that’s shaped like a bus and he got sick on it last month.”
Cisco barks a laugh; he can picture that all too easily. Carmen went through a similar phase once; though her issue had been with clowns and he was more than happy to simply avoid those rather than make her face them.
“I should be going.” Caitlin eventually says, fiddling with the end of her straw. “James is with my mom right now and she really needs to pack for a trip tomorrow.”
“Yeah.” Cisco agrees with a nod. “I should probably go relieve my friends.”
They get up, and after throwing away their empty cups he walks her to the door.
“This was surprisingly fun.” He says as he opens the door for her.
“It was.” She agrees, and she sounds equally surprised. “Would you want to maybe do it again sometime?”
“Yeah, I would.” He decides, beaming at her. “But it’s gotta be before next Thursday. I’m taking Carmen to visit Lisa and I am not facing her after only one date with anyone, because she will pester me about a second date.”
“Oh absolutely.” Caitlin agrees wholeheartedly. “If Crystal finds out a first date went well but doesn’t have any second date details, she might actually explode.”
He snorts, but if Caitlin’s sister is anything like Lisa, he can picture exactly that.
“So… Friday?” He asks, coming to a stop.
She stops along with him, a smile on her face.
“Friday.” She agrees, before leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
He isn’t ashamed to admit he’s a little awestruck as he watches her leave down the busy street and disappear around a corner. He’s definitely grinning like the cat who caught the canary.
Maybe the girls in cell block D know what they’re doing after all.
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thr-333 · 4 years
Text
Mismatch-Part 11
Bio Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020
You know... just a trip to the aquarium... what could possibly go wrong?
First < Previous > Next
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“Don't you think we should wake him up?” Adrien asks, looking towards Nino’s door.
“Absolutely not,” Marion picks through his sugary cereal, “You may not understand, as a natural morning person, but waking us up is a death sentence,”
“We’re going to be late,” Adrien seems nervous stirring his cereal, Marion tries not to snort, only someone who has their life planned to the minute would think so.
“Then he’ll rush to get ready and be out the door in five minutes,” Marion bites done, trying not to cringe at the sweetness, speaking through his mouthful, “Like any non-morning person does,”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just get up early?”
“I have no idea how to explain just how wrong you are,”
Marion pushes the bowl away, why Adrien insisted on trying it he had no idea. He goes to double check his bag. He was carrying the miracle box today. It’s compartment taking up half his satchel. Something Klakki seemed annoyed by while Plagg was happy to curl up, like any cat would.
As it got closer to time to leave Adrien keeps glancing at Nino’s door then back to Marion. Marion tries not to smile as he brainstormed names and researched birds. He had found one called Sabine's Gull, tempting but not enough to risk his Maman's life, even if the chances were slim. Adrein keeps reminding Marion of the time, down to the last seven minutes before the bus is meant to leave.
“And three, two,” Marion caught Adrien's attention, “one,”
“I”m Late!” Nino yells from his room, followed by a yelp and some crashing.
Marion chuckles, ignoring Adrien’s ‘I told you so look,’. That was quickly replaced by Marion's one as in only four minutes fifty six seconds Nino was dressed, fed and out the door. They race downstairs, reaching the ground floor to see a crowd outside the building. Marion frowns, they were blocking the way out, and he could see the bus over their heads. Most people held cameras and a few with microphones. They walk outside, trying to push their way to the bus, when Marion spots Marinette in the middle of the crowd.
“Whats going on?” He interrupts Marinette talking with someone rudely shoving a microphone in her face, which filled with relief at seeing him.
“I’ve been trying to explain to these people that-”
“Excuse me but what's your relationship to Bruce Wayne?” A... reporter? cuts Marinette off.
“Bruce Wayne?” Marion casts a confused look to Marinette, “I hardly know him,”
“So he hasn't been a very involved Father?” The reporter asks, and Marion’s does a double take.
“Wh-what?” Marion looks to Marinette who only sighs, “He’s not my Father,”
“Did he tell you to say that?” Another reporter butts in.
“Yes, people who aren’t my Papa usually do,” Marion says sarcastically, pushing the microphone away from his face.
“So he did tell you to say that?” The reporter asks, a glint in their eye that he was most familiar with Alya having when asking Chat Noir questions(when Ladybug wasn't available of course).
“Do you not recognise sarcasm?” He turns to Marinette, “Do they not know sarcasm?”
“No, they also don’t know the term, ‘He’s not my Father,” Marinette chastises, looking at the surrounding crowd like they were three year olds, “and, ‘I already have a Papa’,”
“But you were adopted,” Someone calls out, making Marion reel back and Marinette flinch. Ok. things that are not ok for strangers to talk about; that.
“First of all, it’s creepy that you know that,” Marion snaps, “Second it’s rude to bring that up to a stranger, if at all, and third that doesn't mean that of all people Bruce Wayne is our Father,”
“You heard it here first folks,” A reporter to the side announces, “Confirmation of the Wayne twins,”
“How was that confirmation! Did our english tutor skew us over!?” Marion yells, spinning to Marinette.
“Mari, let’s just go,” Marinette tries to pull him away only to be blocked by multiple reporters all talking-yelling over each other to ask invasive questions.
They were used to reporters as Ladybug and Chat Noir even MDC and MCD, but no one knew anything personal about them. Well mostly. This was not the same. They had apparently done their research as they were shouting out specific questions about their lives. Someone mentioned Chloe asking if the Wayne's were friends with the Mayor of Paris. Marion doubts that, the Wayne's charity work did not line up with the Mayor’s self-serving nature.
They try to ignore any more questions and side step the crowd, slowly making their way to the bus. To their horror the bus pulls away as they reach the curb. Watching the rear window Lila’s smug face is smirking back at their stupor. Neither even have enough sense to reach for their phones before a motorbike pulls up in front of them. The reporters scramble to get out of the way, or get run over.
“Saw the news, thought you could use some rescuing,” Jason pulls off his helmet gesturing to the bike, and the twins hop on, the press snapping pictures like crazy, “Where to?”
“Aquarium, the bus left without us,” Marinette answers, holding onto Marion as they speed away.
Marion can hear Jason mutter unsavoury curses under his breath about the class, and can’t help but agree. They see the bus and Jason speeds up, riding alongside it. No one looks over until Jason practically punches the side. The loud clang making even Marion jump. When their classmates look out to see the twins waving. Marion watches as Kagami starts yelling and the bus signals to pull over. Jason slows down to trail behind the bus as it does. The second the doors open their friends rush out, as the twins get off the bike.
“I’m so sorry,” Adrien frets, “We tried to hold them off,”
“Little miss liar decided that it would be a waste of time waiting for you,” Chloe scoffs, Marion bats her hands away trying to tame his hair himself.
“She convinced everyone you could get your own ride,” Kagami looks like she was planning to throw Lila into traffic.
“We sorta did,” Marion laughs, turning to Jason, “Thanks for that,”
“No problem, didn’t want Bruce picking you up, he’d probably drive you straight to the nearest adoption agency,” Jason pulls his helmet back on, mounting his bike, “Have fun,”
“Thank you,” Marinette calls, and they both wave goodbye.
“Marinette, Marion, please get on the bus we are already very late,” Madam Bustier reprimands, looking out the bus door.
They shuffle back onto the bus, the entire class, minus Max, looking annoyed, if not angry. They bus starts up again, tempting Marion to just walk. Instead he holds onto the bar, Marinette next to him, letting the others take back their seats. The one next to Adrien noticeably empty.
“Was that really necessary?” Alya speaks first, passive aggressive, leaning into the aggressive.
“Well, the bus left, so yeah?” Marion asks, He would be confused why they were angry when they should be upset. But he knew exactly what happened; Lila.
“Only because you stopped to chat with the reporters,” Rose says not unkindly, she has a reassuring look as if there was no ill intentions. There probably wasn't, from her, the rest of the class was hit or miss, mostly hit.
“We weren't trying-”
“It was quite inconsiderate,” Lila cuts Marinette off, “I get hounded by reporters day in, day out but I always do my best to make sure they never come near or disrupt the class,”
Marion could almost snort at that, Lila giving herself away without even knowing it. No reporter would stop trying to corner her if anything she says were really true. Lila bats her eyelashes and gets agreements from the class, Which as per usual spurs her on.
“I mean it’s one thing to spread that awful lie , but to actually call the press to sabotage our trip?” Lila fakes a sniffle at the end. Marion can’t help but suspect she had more to do with this morning than he realised.
“We didn’t do anything, and we certainly didn’t call them,” Marinette says defensively, calmly but visibly restraining her anger. And it Marinette was angry Marion was livid.
“Right and every time your with the Waynes there just happen to be cameras around?" Sabrina sneers, arms crossed Marion glowers down at her. He holds his hand out to Kagami who stands to argue, she sits down begrudgingly.
"Not to mention you've never even mentioned the Waynes before, while Lila has known them for years," Nathaniel mutters, not meeting Marion's gaze as it snaps to him.
"If you want to say something just say it," Marion addresses the whole class, opening the flood gates.
“You’re just looking for attention!” Kim stands up, slamming his hands onto the seat in front of him, startling Mylene.
“Attention?!” Marion rears back, he can feel the anger radiating from his friends behind him.
“Yeah! your jealous of Lila knowing the Waynes so your trying to ruin the trip for her!" Kim points at Marion, although he suspected he meant both of them.
"We know your just trying to distract everyone from the charity she set up in Gotham, so she doesn't get any recognition!" Mylene accuses, genuine rage and hurt behind it.
"The Mayor of Gotham even cancelled the celebration for Lila because you two are causing so much trouble," Rose cries, voice quivering.
"She was going to invite the whole class! Even you two!" Sabrina spits, yeah right.
"You're filling the news up with Tabloid lies!" Alya joins, yelling over Madame Bustiers meek protests.
“What the?!" Marion re orientates himself from the barrage, "Those are all lies! how can you not see that?"
“Don’t start this again, I thought you were over the whole liar thing?" Alya half demands, half mutters.
“We’d be ‘over it’ is she stopped lying!" Marion's eyes follow where his finger points, smug grin churning his stomach uneasily.
“Thats rich coming from you," Kim scoffs, bitter tone so unlike his usual default rage or cheer.
“ What,"  Marion turns to him, but only gets a glare back.
“You two are always lying to get out of class and school events," Ivan answers for him. Well that was true but they couldn’t admit it.
“Thats not-
“Save it we know you can’t stand to be around us," Juleka cuts off Marinette, her sour tone practically screaming compared to her normal volume. Also true but probably for different reasons then they think.
“If you spread this whole rumour as a way to get out of the trip, fine, do that, but don’t keep disrupting out trip for your five minutes of fame," Alix startles Marion by cutting in. She usually didn't speak to anyone anymore, let alone Lila.
“Five minutes of fame?- spread the rumour? Do you honestly think we wanted this?” Marinette doesn't expect an answer.
“Yes,” It came from Alya, cold and bitter. With one look at Marinette he could tell exactly what his sister was remembering.
Alya has pretty much migrated to Lila after plans being cancelled with Marinette one to many times. After which marintte tried to organise another plan but Alya told her in the nicest way possible(Still pretty crushing) that she would perfer to hang out wwiht lie la and that she and Mari had drifted apart. Mari does point out that this isn’t fair but Alya says she deserves better than a secondary plan, Mari points out that Alya had done that plenty of times. Alya agrees, apologies and lists it as another reason they should renounce their friendship. The rest of the class:
Marinette bounces up to her best friend. She finally had a weekend off, so concerts, no urgent commissions and her manager promised to keep it that way. The only thing that could interrupt this weekend was Hawkmoth himself. Marion even offered to take her earrings.
"Hey Alya are you free-"
"No," It's a single word, but spoken with such resentment and conviction it couldn't be missed,
"I didn’t-" Marinette's face scrunches, was dark Cupid on a rampage again?
"No Marinette I’m done, done with making plans, getting excited only to be cancelled or stood up, I’m done,” The aspiring reporter sounds so strangely defeated, completely unlike herself.
“Alya I’m so sorry about last week-” Marinette apologises again, gut twisting at the though she hurt her best friend this badly.
“It’s not just last week, its the one before and the one before that and every other week, I’m sick of it!” Alya spits, meeting Marinette's eyes for the first time, seeing nothing but rage and hurt.
“Alya I'm really sorry, I’ve had a lot going on and-” Marinette frets, gesturing wildly.
“I know Marinette, you’ve been busy in the bakery and with your designs and every other excuse you've given me, I deserve better,”
“Of course you do Alya, I promise I-”
“No, Marinette its fine,” Alya sounds tired, stepping away from Marinette's outstretched hand, “We’ve been drifting apart for a long time now and I’m tired of acting like nothings changed, I can’t keep putting more effort into this friendship, more time than you, I have friends who are actually there for me, like Lila,”
At that Marinette saw red. Of course it was Lila who put her up to this, whispering in her ear, turning Alya against Marinette.
“That’s not fair! Your not even giving me a chance!” Marinette snaps, her jaw tenses as Alya glares.
“I’ve given you plenty of chances,” Alya glowers.
“Why is this the first I’m hearing of it,” Marinette crosses her arms.
“I shouldn’t have to threaten to end our friendship for you to show up!” Alya shouts, taking a step forward as Marinette stumbles back.
"What did Lila say?!" There was no way Alya would say this, would do this, they were meant to stick together through thick and thin, "Is she making you do this?!"
"So help me- yes Lila talked to me!" Alya throws her hands up, "But not because she's out to get you, like your so convinced, but because she's a good friend who cares when I come crying over getting stood up by you!"
“You’ve cancelled on me plenty of times!” Marinette defends, she had her blog and Marinette was always understanding.
“I know and I’m sorry,” Alya takes a deep breath, “I don’t think either of us are being fair to each other, it’s better to just renounce our friendship before it all comes crashing down,”
“Alya please," Marinette begs, reaching out, tears pricking her eyes.
“I’m sorry Marinette but this is the right decision for me,” Alya walks away, not looking back at the tears streaming down her former friends face, “and I hope in time you’ll realise it was the right thing for you too,”
Marion remembers that day so well. Marinette coming home crying, the Akuma. Bunnix jumping into their room followed by the adult version of them, with miraculous holders he didn’t recognise. They battle with an akumatized Ladybug was tough, even with the extra help. The Akuma was cleansed and the rest of Paris had their memories wiped, leaving Marion the only one in their time who remembers. He never brought it up to Marinette and he never will.
“Well your wrong, we worked hard to get this trip and why would we want to ruin it?" Marion answers, Marinette remaining silent.
“Please we all know you stole Lila’s work," Sabrina rolls her eyes, Marion catches Chloe scowling at her.
“Wh-what!” Marinette splutters, Marion tries to keep his mouth shut.
“I’m sorry, I accidentally let slip that I wrote up the essay to get us this trip,” Lila bats her eyes, curling in on herself as if they're going to attack her for it. Marion just might.
“You don’t have to apologise for anything Lila," Alya places a comforting hand on her shoulder, "They stole the essay you worked so hard, one that you managed to write even when setting up a charity!"
“I wasn't doing to impress everyone, I just wanted everyone to get to go on this amazing trip, so when you two said you weren’t going to make a submission because it was so much work, I just had to, but at least you sent it in, I couldn't do that since I’m not class president,
“Maybe she should be," Marion doesn't care who muttered it, it doesn't matter.
“That's it,” The entire class freezes, at his tone or expression, doesn't matter, they don't matter, “Marinette worked hard day and night trying to get that submitted on time, she had to research and find all the information and evidence to what this class has done because none of you would talk to her and give all the details, you refused to help out in even the most minuscule ways, No not even! you all actively made it harder!”
“Thats not-
“Enough!” Marion hones in on Lila who falls quite for once, “You lie and scheme and take credit for whats not yours, you treat the class like a bunch of mindless sheep and you know what? I’m starting to see why,”
“Marion,” Madame Bustier reprimands, finally being heard in the following silence “That is quite enough thats no example for your friends-”
“They aren’t my friends,” Marion sends a cold look over the bus, “None of them are,”
The class goes silent. Marion wouldn’t be surprised if that came as a shock to most of them. Despite them not ever talking or spending time together. It was true that the only person who had truly cut them out was Alya, probably because Marinette kept trying even after they had long since stopped with their class. Mostly he was sure they were shocked that he was the one breaking it off, not even giving them a say. They didn’t deserve one. Not that they weren't going to try.
“Fine then! I don’t want anything to do with you anyway!”
“Yeah! You act like a complete jerk then have the gall to say that?”
“We haven't been friends for a long time anyway!”
“You’re nothing but mean to Lila and think we want to be friends?!”
“Don't go forgetting you said that when your all alone!"
He sits down and resolutely stares out the window. More insults are hurled out, Marion paying no mind to the source. Madame Busiter tries to reprimand him for saying 'such hurtful things;. Lila is sobbing and everyone is offering her pointless comfort. Marion doesn't listen but is vaguely aware of Kagami and Chloe arguing with the teacher. He lets the hushed whispers fall behind him. He feels a push against his thigh where his bag rests, knowing it’s Plagg. The small comfort doing nothing.
He notices the bus is driving faster than strictly allowed. He looks over to the bus driver and feels bad for the clearly uncomfortable man stuck right in the middle of their teenage angst.
They arrive at the aquarium. Marion doesn't even try to hide his anger. Let Lila revel in his reaction. His friends try to calm him down, or rather Adrien does, Chloe and Kagami are still glaring daggers. Luckily Marinette convinces Adrien to stop before Marion snaps at him.
He catches a group near them whispering and pointing with their phones held up. Marion sends his deadliest glare and they immediately back off, scuttling off to some other area of the aquarium.
He is left alone after that. Adrien has redirected his attention to cheering Marinette up, the two pointing out fish. Seeing them smiling together Marion feels some anger slip through his grasp. Only to be promptly returned when he accidentally looks over at Lila’s gaggle, whispering and glaring. Marion glares right back making a few of them flinch. He turns and storms off to another part of the aquarium, away from the rest of the class.
“Hey kid you alright?” A fair distance away Plagg whispers from his bag.
“No! Obviously not!” Marion whisper-shouts, not looking down.
“Want to get out of here?” Now Marion does look down at Plagg grinning.
Klakki is off to the one side of the bag, looking up but not interrupting. He and the Kwami are close but they all knew he and Plagg were two halves of a whole. So the other Kwami let him handle it.
“Can’t exactly go running around Gotham right now,” Marion comes to stand in the typical tunnel that you see in aquariums, surrounded on both sides by colourful fish and a few larger creatures like stingrays and sharks.
“We can go back to Paris,” Plagg offers, he glances down at the bag to see Klakki nod.
The Kwami usually didn’t like their miraculous being used for anything but heroics. Still he got a sure nod from Klakki. Marion takes a deep breath, looking out to the fish swimming around the tank, darting in and out of coral. He forced down his anger in the same way he would in Paris. He usually didn’t let himself stay angry that long, or Marinette would help him calm down sooner.
“It’s fine,” Marion sighs, pushing the anger, or rather, his class out of mind, “I’m fine,”
Plagg doesn't comment on his obvious lie, all too used to it. He sees Plagg dart into his pocket out the corner of his eye. Marion smiles, zipping his bag back up with a smile at Klakki who gives a curt nod. He stuff his hands into his hoodie’s pocket and feels the small Kwami inside. Marion lets a small smile settle on his face. Looking out at the fish as he is pulled along by the conveyor belt as he pets Plagg purring from his pocket.
His smile only fades when he notices the rest of the class enter the tunnel, looking from the other side of the glass. He makes no move to join them, even when his friends do a minute later. He turns to look at the other side of the tunnel, doing his best to avoid them.
This becomes the least of his problems when gunshots ring. He ducks down on the non moving part of the sidewalk. Screams can be heard  and he looks up through the tank where the class is still in view. Marinette is looking around for him and he curses himself, not being able to change into costume without her. Voices get closer and Marinette starts herding the class further down the tunnel, Marion losing sight of them behind coral. He moves to meet to her when two men each in a gas mask and carrying guns enter the tunnel.
“Where are the Wayne twins!” One yells, another shot making those near scream.
“You know, I’m starting to think Aunt Selina doesn't have this handled,” Marion mutters to Plagg, staying where he is to keep the thugs in sight.
“Forget about that, this won’t end well,” Klakki scolds, Marion watches as the thugs start walking in opposite directions.
“Tell me about, Lila’s going to have a field day,” Marion pulls his hood up, losing sight of the goon going towards the class, focusing now on the one heading his way.
“Not the point,” Klakki sighs, Marion zips up the bag realising he also has the Miracle box.
He throws the satchel on his back tightening the strap across his chest. Plagg was complaining, but Marion only ignores him watching the oncoming goon. He was pointing his gun at some people but wasn’t looking at their faces. Probably clothes then, there were probably plenty of pictures of what they were wearing today. Perfect.
Marion takes off his Jacket followed by his hoodie. He debates keeping his staff for a split second but quickly stuffs it in his satchel followed by his gloves. Turing both his hoodie and Jacket inside out to matching black, he ties the hoodie around his waist and shrugs on the jacket.
He lies down on the moving sidewalk slowly moving him towards the thug. Marion hugs his bag and covers his face. He tenses at the heavy footsteps going by as he slowly moves past. The goon doesn't even stop and he makes a mental note to thank Marinette. He feels the turn of a corner and rolls up onto the unmoving part to the side. Keeping his head below the glass, he crouches down running as fast as he can while refastening his satchel around his chest.
“Found one!” Marion hears a yell just as he reaches the entrance.
He ducks to the side just as all eyes in the room snap to where he was. Marion shrinks into the shadow of a fish tank just outside the entrance, ducking down and covering his head. If anyone actually saw him in his now all black outfit they could easily shrug it off as just missing him the first time.
Marion doesn't look up as people go past, no one noticing him in the shadows. He waits for a few cautious seconds for any more footsteps to go by before scanning the room. There's many civilians huddled around, the nearest security exit being covered by another thug in a gas mask, a trend it seems.
Alright plan time, Marinette can handle herself for a few minutes. Presumably these guys are working for Scarecrow if the gas masks are any indication. Scarecrow was probably with Marinette in the tunnel. If he clears an exit quietly here then he can get the civilians closest to the fight out of danger. It could also provide an entrance to whoever comes to save them.
There's no other thugs in the room so he moves silently, sticking to the shadows to get close to the emergency exit. Luckily the goon is distracted by an octopus in a nearby tank so Marion stays out of his line of sight. He gets up behind the goon, not breathing, and pounces. One hand unlatches the gas mask and covers his mouth and the other grabbing the hand holding the gun. He digs his fingers hard enough into his hand to make the wrist bleed and the gun is dropped. Marion catches it with one foot, balancing as much as possible with the man thrashing in his grip. He gently lowers the gun to the ground so it doesn't clatter. Letting go of his wrist, nails bloody Marion brings his arm around his neck. Squeezing for a minute until the goon passed out. Marion gently lowers him to the ground.
“Quietly,” He hisses to the room.
They do get up quietly. Parents with children covering their mouths as they exit. Marion makes sure they're all a good ways down the hall before tracking back to the tunnel. He can see them through the glass and as he predicted there was Scarecrow, in a very familiar monologue stance. A glimpse at Marinette's expression was all the confirmation he needed. He heads in the same direction as the moving walkway, knowing he’ll be in a blind spot.
“Still not answering,” Marion catches Scarecrow say, stopping as soon as he can hear them, “I think it’s time you screamed so he knows this is serious,”
“Going to show me the rest of your wardrobe?”
Marion's smirk quickly fades with the tell tale snap of a bone breaking. He sprints down the tunnel. Marinette groans. Marion rounds the corner. His sister holding her arm, bending at an unnatural angle. The rest of the class are huddled to the sides with various degrees of horror.
Marion doesn't give Scarecrow enough time to consider trying anything else before he attacks the nearest goon. They shout out and Marion blindly throws quick punches at whoever gets to close. The belt is moving along, Marion now being surrounded by his classmates. Kim cheers as he sends a particularly brutal punch into one guy's face. Marion hears the hiss of a guns release, looking up to see Scarecrow pointing a gun at the now very quiet Kim. Marion anticipates the shot, diving in the bullets path before it can reach its target.
There's a gasp from somewhere, someone. He feels a burst not of pain, but fear. It’s something he's used to Akuma doing, dragging up all his anxieties from the recesses of his mind. Marion shuts his eyes tight, visions dancing across the darkness. He takes a practiced slow breath. He had learnt long ago that letting fear take hold in battle would only lead to fantasy becoming reality.
Marion cracks open his eyes, focusing on where he was. They were still on the belt moving slowly. Everything around him was warped from a few seconds ago but he was still standing in the narrow-too narrow tunnel.
Alright then what is reality. Giant sharks jumping out at him? No, there’s glass. Swarm of purple butterflies? No this is Gotham they probably don’t have flowers. The past Akuma? Just regular people. Marinette covered in blood? She only broke her arm. His parents dead on the floor? They are in Paris. Lila with devil horns cackling? Probably reality.
He takes another calming breath, nothing but the images of Akuma mattered here. But there were dozens more than there had been people a minute ago so some were fake. He could still work with this. Marion takes a deep breath straightening up. The Hawkmoth in front of him looks surprised, he had to guess that was his stand in for Scarecrow right now.
He stumbles a step forward. The akumatized versions of his classmates jeer, most yelling things he had heard that day. The first Akuma leaps out at him, Marion decks him, the weight under his fist feels real and the Akuma goes right down. Focusing his fear on the fight part of fight of flight, he goes to punch the second Akuma with as much force. The blow goes right through the image and Marion stumbles forward. Alright so there were definitely fakes. Marion tousles with any Akuma that comes after him, sometimes landing hits on empty air. It’s typically the more difficult Akuma that are real, so Marion almost scoffs when Mr Pigeon comes at him. He doesn't even block the blow to his ribs. Big mistake, he is kicked back with a burst of pain and a sickening crack.
‘Alright so that was real’ Marion thinks to himself, back connecting with the glass behind him. He falls forward, right on his chest. Marion groans into the metal below, losing focus, letting images of Akumas flying into his ring play on loop. Marion can feel pressure at his back but is far too focused on trying to heave air back into his lungs to care. The weight lifts and Marion watches Marinette's akumatized form crash in front of him, punching what looks like Viperion. Not sure if it's a memory or not he shudders a breath as she knocks out Viperion and leans over Marion.
“Good job C, I’ve got it from here,” Marinette words come out sickeningly sinister, blood running out her eyes and mouth. A great contrast to how she gently pushes him onto his side, making it somewhat easier to breathe.
Marion watches as the twisted version of his sister attacks what looks like civilians. Part of him itches to get up to stop her. Marinette's arm hangs limply at her side. He focuses on that. an Akuma's arm wouldn’t be broken. Civilians wouldn’t have guns. Marinette dodges the bullets instead of deflecting them. Bullets wouldn’t just go through sharks with more rows of teeth than possible. Water doesn't look like blood.
Marion takes a deep breath, his chest burst with pain. It’s fine he can handle that. And with that Marion notices his body bending at an odd angle. He looks down ignoring the corpses of his family laying around him. His legs are still propped up on the unmoving part of the sidewalk. With a grunt Marion pulls them onto the moving part, still not comfortable on top of the shifting plates.
Marion hears screaming, more grounded than the shrieks that have been playing in his head so far. Looking back to Marinette she looked like herself again, yay. But now Hawkmoth was pointing a gun at their friends, oh no. Why would Hawk Moth have a gun? Oh right, fear toxin. Marinette surrenders, letting Mayura come up behind and hold her.
“You have been a pain,” Hawkmoth drawls, Marion hisses, drawing his attention, “Well, it’s not like we need both of you alive,”
The gun points at him, Marinette is shouting but it sounds under water. Marion's visions clear slightly, focusing in on the slow press of the trigger. At the last second the gun jerks to the side, the sound of glass breaking followed by a stream of water landing on Marion. He looks up to see Chloe has tackled Hawkmoth and Kagami is after Mayura.
Fighting breaks out again, he tries to refocus. He closes his eyes, he can hear the same echoing shrieks and cries for help, accusations and insults.  Cold water beats down on his side and slowly moves down his leg. He tries to take a deep breath, only to inhale water. Marion's eyes snap open to what looks like a pool of blood as he is cast into a coughing fit, his chest screaming in protest.
“Are you ok!” Kagami yells, Marion looks up to where they were only for the space to be empty. He looks back down the tunnel where they are now fighting, streams of water jetting out from the walls in all directions.
Marion keeps coughing, trolling onto his back to get away from the water. When he's done he takes short shallow breaths, chest still throbbing with pain. He looks back up and is now a fair way from the fight, about to go around the corner.
“Don’t worry I’ll be back in five minutes!” he shouts, hair dripping water in his eyes. That doesn't stop him from seeing Marinette's clearly deadpan face, that cant even be hidden by all the blood.
He lies back, looking up at the ceiling. Or rather Jaws' source of envy grinning down at him. Well at least that's better- oh nope that's his family floating dead in the water. He just sighs ignoring his chest protest, staring right back into the sharks beady black eyes. He remember the good old days where he would tease Marinette over her demented nightmare version of Adrien, who now that he though of also appeared in the water, banging on the glass shouting for help. Marion sticks his tongue out at him.
The minutes drag on Marion trying to be more fascinated than terrified with whatever his mind conjured. It was easier to calm down when the scene wasn't changing every ten seconds.
“Are you ok?” Batman is looming over him, Marion stares unimpressed at the blood dripping from his sharp teeth. A vampire? Really? His nightmares could be so uncreative.
“I’m fine,” Marion keeps his face straight at the nightmare before him, “Go ahead I’ll catch up,”
“You should stay here,” Batman reprimands, voice sounding like a growled threat, probably was.
“Don’t really have much choice,” Marion dismisses, trying not to cringe at the ‘blood’ dripping onto his face.
Marion leans back slightly to watch Batman join Robin running down the tunnel. Marion hears more gunshots seconds later. He hums to himself stubbornly ignoring his chest.
“Dude are you ok?” Nino is now leaning over him, hollowed out eyes and shadows behind him shouting about Marion's insecurities.
“Leave me demon,” Marion watches him reel back, he would probably look confused if Marion could actually read his face.
“We need to move you-”
“Do not,” Marion cuts him off, glaring down at Kim or at least a demon that looked like him trying to pick him up, “My ribs are very much broken and moving would hurt very much right now, thank you,”
“But you’re heading right for the villain!” Mylene shouts, voice sounding hollow, drowned out by echoing screams.
“Then I hope they don’t step on me, good day,” Marion focuses back on the shark which is somehow easier to deal with than his class.
“Everyone we need to go,” Lila's voice sounds normal, and that's probably the worst thing he's heard today, “Batman said-”
“We’re not just going to leave him here!” Kim shouts. Actually shouts. At Lila. Marion can’t keep the smile off his face.
“Kim, just go get an ambulance or something, right now you’re all freaking me out,” Marion says honestly, tired of sugar coating his words. Lila gives them enough sugar to get diabetes as is.
“A-are you sure?” Max asks, or a strange mix between him and Markov.
“Yes floating head I’m sure, now go,”
“... stay safe,” Nino hesitantly stands.
“Don’t really have a choice in the matter,” Marion doesn't bother watching them go.
He hears the last of their footsteps retreat and glances up at the shark. A petty part of him categories that as the second time they’ve left him today. Then again he was staring up at his personal hell so his thought process wasn’t exactly un hindered.
Marion keeps humming, noticing a knocked out thug to his side, followed by another.
“Why did you come back?” Robin snarls from above him, horns sprouting from his head.
“I didn’t by choice,” Marion says calmly as Robin throws a knife he doesn't care to keep track of, “Moving sidewalk brought me,”
“Why didn’t you get off?” Robin talks down to him like an idiot child, punching an approaching goon.
“Oh yeah, my ribs are broken,” Marion tries to shrug, lying on his back it’s hard.
“What!?” Robin thunders, the sound sending warning flares off in his paranoid state.
“Oh look at that,” Marion says, idly watching a man come up behind Robin, who apparently isn't an apparition because Robin attacks him, “Well, see ya,”
Marion is carried away, leaving the two behind.
He flinches back when Batman steps over him, attacking Scarecrow on his other side.
“What are you doing?” He growls, Marion can’t be sure if that's the fear toxin or how he usually speaks.
“Thought you could use the moral support,” Marion gives a lazy cheer as Batman punches Scarecrow. Getting a glare from Batman he had become quite accustomed to the night before. This Batman looked demented but there was the same lingering satisfaction of annoying him.
“Hey Mari,” Marinette crouches down next to him, covered in blood he can’t be sure isn’t real, but at least she's not dead in a fish tank, “How’re you holding up,”
“You’re covered in blood,” Marion blurts as she starts bleeding more.
“No I’m not, don’t worry I’m fine, just wait a second,” Marion runs over to Batman, distracting him from stopping Scarecrow from standing. Batman looks over at him before handing Marinette a needle.
“Oh sure use needles, one of the most common fears, to fix fear, what a grand idea,” Marion mutters, glaring back at Batman as Scarecrow attacks with a knife.
“Ah ha, stop complaining,” Marinette sticks the needle right in his arm without warning, Marion gasps visions fading into darkness.
“That…. was rude,” He weakly curses, feeling his conscious fade.
“You’ll forgive me,” Marinette promises sitting by his side as his eyes droop, “Get some rest, I’ll watch out for you,”
“Always do, Bug,” Marion slurs, Marinette's bright smile contrasts the darkness that follows.
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wiypt-writes · 3 years
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Riding On
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Ch4: Full Steeb Ahead
Summary: Frank is determined to get Fliss to hear him out. But will she believe him?
Warnings: Bad Language words.
Pairing: Frank Adler x OFC Fliss Gallagher
Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar Fliss Gallagher and the other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer.
Riding On Masterlist // Main Masterlist
Chapter 3
People talk about the guy that’s waiting on a girl. There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world.
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 Frank woke early the next morning, well, maybe woke was an exaggeration seeing as he probably managed about an hour of straight sleep, if that. The rest was spent in small dozing periods of twenty, maybe thirty minutes at a time.  His neck was stiff from laying on the couch, as was his back and, deciding he would give up trying to get comfortable,  he sat up, stretching his muscles out before he ran a hand down his tired face.
It was still dark outside and he reached for his phone. It had just gone six, which meant he had an hour or so before the house started to wake. Standing up, he grabbed the shirt he had discarded the night before and shoving it on he located his sneakers. Once they were on his feet he grabbed his keys and as quietly as he could let himself out of the house, locking the door behind him as he headed down the little pathway which led to the main one through their little estate.
He walked down past the harbour and the little garages which were starting to open, nodding to a few of the guys he used to see knocking around when he had worked there, continuing past the little row of bait and tackle shops, past the small café, before he reached the path that led along the rocky sea defence. He followed the sandy pathway down to the boardwalk along the beach and continued for as long as he could, his feet treading over the well-worn wooden slats, some of which were loose in places, before it ended and he hit the soft sand. He headed onto the beach, it was almost deserted apart from a few early morning dog walkers, which suited him fine.
The ocean always calmed him. He had no idea why, but it had done ever since he was a kid. He’d adored those family holidays taken before it all went to rat shit, memories of him, his father and his sister playing on the sand whilst his mother read a book shaded by a parasol, every so often looking up to observe what was going on before returning back to whatever latest theory she was reading up on.  And then at night, they would eat with a family, late walks on the beach were always a treat, watching the dark water as it lapped against the shore, his dad making up random tales about Peg Legged Pirates searching for treasure which was always buried not far from where they were stood.
He’d done the same with Mary, telling her the same tales he could remember and making up new ones when he couldn’t. She didn’t buy them anymore, she was far too old for her age, but he couldn’t wait to tell them to Bean when he or she arrived, see their little face light up as they glanced over the ocean searching for ghostly ships or dug in the sand for imaginary treasure.
He reached the water’s edge and looked out at the horizon for a few minutes taking in the detail of the sky which was lit up in hues of purple and orange as the sun hovered a few meters or so above the place where the sea hit the sky and he took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind. He was in a mess, a mess that was entirely his own doing, and he felt utterly powerless to fix it. If he couldn’t get Fliss to listen to him…well, he didn’t even want to think about that. But the more he tried not to, the more he did. He couldn’t lose her, not over some stupid misunderstanding like this. Pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ease the tension headache that was already forming behind his eyes, not helped by the lack of sleep, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to re-centre himself. He finally had everything he hadn't even realised he needed and losing it was not an option. He had to fix this. With one last deep breath he turned to take the 15 minutes or so walk back home.
The house was still quiet when he got back in but he could hear the sounds of the shower meaning Fliss was up. He headed into the bedroom, Thor raising his head from where he was led on the bed, and he bent over to give the dog a scratch behind the ear. He pulled out a clean pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a pair of boxers, tossing them down on the pale blue bed covers, his head turning to face Fliss as she walked into the room, towel wrapped around her, hair piled in a messy bun on her head. His heart gave an instant pang as he took in how tired she looked, the guilt flooding over him as he knew it was his fault.
“Where did you go?” She asked him, her voice soft. “I heard the door.”
“For a walk, just to the beach. Needed some air.”
She looked at him for a moment before she nodded and moved to the dresser to pull out her clothes for the day.
“Can we talk?” He asked her tentatively and she stopped, straightening up before she looked at him.
“I told you last night, I’ve nothing to say.”
“No, but I have.” He pressed, “Lissy please…just hear me out, let me explain.”
She licked her lips and took a deep breath before she sighed “Fine, when Mary’s gone to school. But I have clients at nine and I need to pick Rupert up so I’m leaving here at eight-fifteen no later.”
“Ok.” He nodded, giving her a small smile before he headed into the bathroom for a shower.
Breakfast was a little subdued, but he had to give Fliss her credit. She was polite and civil to him, even if she wasn’t affectionate. But it didn’t fool Mary. She asked him as he walked her down to the bus stop what was going on, and not being one to lie to her, he told her truthfully that he’d been an idiot over the weekend and needed to apologise to Fliss. At that she shot him a filthy look.
“You better fix things or I will kill you and hate you forever.” She hissed before she turned and stormed towards the waiting bus.
You and me both, Short Stack.
When he got back Fliss was waiting for him like she said she would be, sat at the table. She looked at him as he sat on the seat at the end, so he was to her right and facing her. She glanced at her watch “You got 15 minutes.” “Lissy, those photos…” Frank dove straight in, he had no time to waste and even if he did, he didn’t want to. This was eating him up inside “I know they look bad…”
“No shit, Sherlock…”
“But I swear to you, nothing happened.”
“Nothing happened.” She repeated, looking at him and he shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“Then how the fuck did she end up on your knee, Frank?”
He took a deep breath “In all honestly I only know from what Simon and Greg told me.” He swallowed. “I was drunk, I’d already pushed her away earlier in the night and she came over with her friends, one of them was getting into one of the guys Jake works with and she just sat on my knee. Apparently it took me a while to realise but in the end I told her to get lost. I was quite rude to her, so they say.”
“You look fairly comfortable with her on your lap in the photo.” Fliss responded, looking down at her hand as she twirled her engagement ring round her finger, her voice quiet. The hurt in her tone made Frank feel even more like shit, as she wasn’t screaming or shouting which to be honest he was fairly sure he would have dealt with a whole lot better. “And in the other photo where you look like you’re about to kiss her.”
“Baby, I swear to you seconds after that I told her no. I’d just bumped into her and she was falling so I grabbed her to make sure she didn’t as that was the second time I’d nearly kno-“
“The second time?” Fliss looked at him and Frank closed his eyes, letting out a groan. “So you accidently nearly kissed her before.”
“No, that’s not-“ “Keep digging Frank, because that hole you’re in is getting deeper and deeper by the second.” she shook her head, looking away.
“I nearly knocked her over before.” he said, “Round the pool. I’d just finished talking to you, turned round and bumped straight into her.” “Right, and she just happened to be there in the club then after you ‘bumped’…” she framed the words with her fingers “…into her?”
“Again, full honestly, no, I don’t think she did.” He shook his head. “She was flirty with me. Made some comment or other when I said I’d watch where I was going about how she hoped not, and then we saw them on the Friday night too in one of the bars…”
Fliss looked at him and shook her head. “The irresistible Adler charm eh?” Her voice carried a note of sarcasm, and Frank shook his head.
“Honey, I’m just being honest here, telling you the truth. She was with a group on a 21st and I think they just saw a gang of guys and…” He shrugged “I dunno…they screwed Aaron, Chad and Jeff out of plenty of drinks so...” Fliss licked her lips and looked down, her hands fiddling with the now empty glass in her hands.
“Sweetheart, I get why you’re mad, I really do, and yeah, maybe I should have told her to fuck off sooner…”
“Maybe?” “Alright, not maybe, I should have but…I swear to God I didn’t kiss her, I didn’t sleep with her. Nothing happened.” He reached for her hand, his fingers gently squeezing hers “I love you, more than I can even begin to explain, and our Bean. I’d never do that to you, I don’t need anyone else and I certainly don’t want anyone else.”
She looked at him, then down at his hand which was over hers before she took a deep breath. Her head was a mash. Half of her wanted to believe him, his face and his words were so sincere and he’d never lied to her before, ever. But the other half…those damned photos. And either way, whether he had kissed her or not, he had been far too close, and she’d sat on his fucking knee long enough for someone to get a picture.
“You do believe me, right?” Frank asked, his eyes locking onto hers.
“Honestly?” she asked.
“Always.” He nodded.
“I don’t know what to believe…” she pulled her hand away and stood up, “I have to go. I’ll see you tonight.”
*****
“Hey Titch.” Steve greeted Fliss as she walked into the annex and instantly frowned when he saw her face “You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” She shrugged, not wanting to talk about what was happening anymore. She was tired. “Where’s Roo?”
“He’s out back.” Steve frowned “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit nothing.” He shot back, looking at her. She looked away as the tears filled her eyes and she turned to her brother shaking her head.
“Just Frank…and…”
“What’s he done?” Steve asked
“I don’t know.” Fliss said, her tears trickling down her face. “That’s just it…”
Steve put the coffee mug he was holding down on the side and swept his sister into his arms. “Hey, come on…”
She pressed her face into his grey t-shirt as his arms wrapped around her and she simply cried the tears she’d been holding back all morning. Eventually Steve pulled back and looked down at her, letting out a soft sigh. “What’s going on Lissy?”
She moved to take out her phone and wordlessly scrolled to the offending photos which she had saved and handed the phone to him. “There’s another one…” she said, as she saw her brother’s face darken. Steve swiped across and let out a huff through his nose.
“Okay.” he nodded “They don’t look great. What’s he got to say for himself?”
Fliss swallowed “That he was drunk, and moments after the first one he pushed the girl away and on the second one…well, he says he told her to get lost too but…” “But you don’t believe him?”
“I want to believe him.” Fliss sniffed, “I mean he’s never lied to be before, but then then there’s the message he sent me about being in someone else’s room and…”
“Hang on…someone else’s room?”
Fliss nodded and explained the whole mix up, about how he had been with Simon but even that she was having her doubts about now and Steve listened, his hand running over his beard as he took in her words.
“Have you talked to any of the other guys that were there?” he asked and she shook her head.
“Bonnie tried calling me before but, well to be honest they’re all gonna cover for him, even if he did do it aren’t they? I mean fuck…, seeing those damned photos…it was humiliating and…”
Steve sighed, handing her the phone back. “Look, Lissy, I’ve been in this position before. Some woman all over me and Sian getting the hump. Photos are a snap shot in time, they never tell the whole story…you know that as well as anyone.”
“Yeah, but the same girl is there, on his fucking lap Steve…”
“I know, and yes, regardless of what he did he shouldn’t have let that happen but…fucking hell, he was in Vegas, pissed out of his brains.” Steve sighed “I’m not excusing it, before you start, and I’m not dismissing your worry but…I dunno Liss, just don’t jump to any conclusions ok? Give it some thought.” “I can’t think about anything else.” she murmured. “God you’re just like dad.” Steve chuckled “Could be worse people to be like. Look, go to work, get your thoughts straight and if you’re adamant at the end of the day you still don’t believe him then just come here for the night and we’ll take it from there ok?”
Fliss nodded and wiped at her face “Thanks Steve.” “What are big brother’s for huh?” She smiled and then eyed him a little “You’re not gonna do anything stupid are you?” “Define stupid?” “Like go round there and punch him?” Steve shook his head “I promise, no punching.” Satisfied he was telling her the truth she whistled for both dogs who came trotting over, bid her brother goodbye and headed out to her jeep.
****** With nothing else much to do on his day off, Frank was busy scrolling the internet looking at realtor pages. Whilst things were still up in the air, it was helping him focus on being positive, because being anything else was not an option. So far nothing in particular had grabbed his eye but still, it was keeping him occupied as he tried to push the fear he was harbouring to the back of his mind.
He was pulled from his browsing by a knock to the door. Setting the laptop to one side he stood up and headed down the hallway and no sooner had he opened the door someone had gripped the collar of his shirt and shoved him harshly into the wall. It took him a split second to focus and when he realised who it was he gripped the front of them man’s shirt and pushed back. There was a little scuffle in the hallway until Frank managed to free himself from the man’s grip before he stood there, glaring at him, chest heaving.
“Fuck off Steve…” he glared at him.
“I warned you.” Steve looked at him “I told you what would happen if you hurt her Frank…”
“Yes, I remember what you said.” Frank looked at him, shaking his head.
“And yet you still did it…” “Oh get fucked, this has nothing to do with you…” “Piss off Frank, it has everything to do with me.” Steve snarled “She turned up this morning for the dog in a right state. And she showed me the photos.”
Frank sighed and hung his head. He should have expected this.
“I told her not to jump to conclusions, trying to keep her calm but I gotta admit Frank…they look pretty damning.”
“I’m aware of that, thanks.” Frank bit back “And you know what, I don’t need this. Things are enough of a mess as it is without adding a brawl with you into the equation.” he turned back to head into the living room “Close the door on your way out.”
“Look me in the eye, tell me you didn’t…” Steve said to his back and Frank stopped, shaking his head as he turned to face him.
“Of course I didn’t. I’d never do that to her.”
Frank met Steve’s glare with one of his own and he could practically see the man’s mind whirring. Eventually he took a deep breath and jerked his head in a stiff nod.
“I had to know Frank.” he said, his tone less confrontational, and Frank knew Steve well enough to understand that was as much of an apology as he was going to get. Frank didn’t say anything, simply turned away once more and headed into the lounge.
“So what happened?” Steve asked following him.
“I was shit faced, that’s what happened.” Frank sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. He turned to look at Steve once more “The girl was part of a group that we’d bumped into a few times. She was a little flirty and yeah, I talked to her, but… she was a fucking kid they were there on a 21st party.”
Steve arched an eyebrow slightly as Frank pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
“She tried kissing me in the bar, I pushed her away. I don’t even know how she ended upon my lap but I told her to get lost and…” he shrugged and looked at Steve “There’s nothing more to it…”
“And the morning after when you woke up elsewhere?”
Frank let out a groan “I was in Simon’s room. I passed out…we both did. Liss called me that morning, she even heard Simon on the phone.” Steve watched him carefully as Frank simply shook his head “I’ve explained all this to her…”
“I know.” Steve said “I just wanted to hear it for myself.” He took a deep breath “Any coffee going?”
Frank looked at him and Steve gave him a small smile, causing Frank’s spirit to lift somewhat. Her brother believed him, which was the best thing he could have hoped for in the circumstances.
“Sure.” Frank nodded and headed to the kitchen, Steve following. He made them both a drink, not another word spoken until he handed him a mug and Steve took a sip, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“Look, Frank, I don’t think she believes you cheated, not really. From what she said to me I think she’s more upset really about how she found out.”
“She wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for those damned photos because there is nothing to find out.” Frank shook his head.
“When she told you about John…did she ever mention his little photo stunts?” Steve looked at Frank and Frank paused, frowning a little as he racked his brains, and then a conversation one stormy night as they lay in bed suddenly flashed into his mind.
“He used to go out and deliberately let women paw at him, and instead of hiding any photo evidence he used to simply flaunt it, splash it all over Facebook. That’s why I de-activated all my social media until recently…”
“Fuck.” Frank groaned, shaking his head.
“Manipulation.” Steve’s jaw set. “He would never do anything with the girls but he made Lissy think he had and would then accuse her of being jealous, and paranoid. It was his twisted of getting her to come off social media, another way to isolate her, keep her in line.”
“She doesn’t think that’s what I was doing?” Frank looked at Steve, a horrified expression on his face.
“God, no.” Steve shook his head, “She knows you’re not that man…but Frank, as happy and as safe as she is, those scars are gonna be there for a long time.” “I know.” “And I know that the fact that ass hole could still be casting a shadow over everything you have, especially now he’s well out of the picture, is basically really shit, but…” “I should have remembered.” Frank shook his head. “But, well, to be honest I’ve never had to explain myself like that to any girl, let alone the one I want to spend my life with and I was so caught up in getting her to believe me, I didn’t even consider any of that. Looks like I just fucked things up even more.”
“She’ll come round.” Steve looked at him. “Just give her time.” “I hope you’re right.” Frank shrugged “Because if she doesn’t I’ll never forgive myself.”
****
Fliss groaned as she looked at the caller ID on her phone. It was Bonnie again.
“Fucks sake…” She grumbled, before answering, deciding to get it over and done with.
“Finally!” Bonnie said, “I’ve been so worried about you…”
“Look, Bonnie I’m really busy…”
“Just 5 minutes…hear me out, please.”
“If you’re gonna start pleading Frank’s case…”
“There’s no case to plead. Simon told me everything last night, apparently about 30 seconds after she’d perched on his knee Frank suddenly realised what was going on and told her to fuck off.” “Well he would say that, he’s his friend…”
“Oh come on Fliss…” Bonnie made an exasperated noise “First off I can tell when Simon is lying, and he wasn’t, and second off, do you really think Frank would cheat on you?”
“I’m sick of everyone telling me what I should and shouldn’t think.” Fliss practically snarled “I don’t have time for this.”
She cut the call and shoved her phone back into her pocket, her hand gently sliding over her bump.
“You know, people are only trying to help Titch.”
Fliss spun round to see her brother in the doorway to the office and she let out a groan “I thought you were over to do work…” “My meetings start tomorrow.”
“Right, well, go and find something else to do. I’m busy.”
“Don’t get shitty with me…” Steve frowned.
“Steve just fuck off!” Fliss exploded “I can’t deal with…” she stopped and shook her head “Why can’t everyone just leave me alone.” “Because they’re trying to help.” He repeated his earlier sentiment and Fliss blinked back her tears.
“Well they’re not.” she sniffed
“Titch…look at me.” Steve said gently and she raised her head to meet her brother’s eyes, her own watering with tears.  “Do you hand on heart believe he would cheat on you…seriously?”
“I didn’t.”
“So why do you now?”
“I don’t know if I do, it’s just those photos and…” “Fuck the photos.” Steve said, his voice a little sterner. Fliss swallowed as she looked at her brother, as he continued. “Do you truly think Frank is the type of man who would, after everything you two went through, jump into bed with some tramp in Vegas whilst this pregnant fiancée is at home, looking after his niece?”
Fliss looked down at the floor, her tears falling down her cheeks.
“Because I don’t, Liss.” Steve continued “Especially not now he looked me in the eye and said he hasn’t.”
At that her head jerked up and she frowned. “You went round?”
“Yeah.”
“Steve you promised not to!”
“No, I promised not to punch him. And I didn’t.” he shrugged, not a shred of apology in his tone. “I talked to him, asked him straight to explain to my face.”
“And you believe him?”
“Yeah I do believe him, completely. I think he was drunk, and at worst potentially indulged the girl a little over the days they were there, which, ok, he shouldn’t have done but at worst he’s guilty of nothing but allowing some 21 year old kid to flirt with him a little.  And if that’s a crime then, fuck, you better shoot me along with half the population now.”
Liss looked away, her brother’s words ringing in her head. Truth was they hit home. She had always been a flirty person by nature, it was just the way she was…well, had been until John beat it out of her. But Frank, well, Frank had never bothered about her talking to other men before because he knew she was his…
“Is this really about him, or is this all to do with that fucker again?” Steve asked.
Fliss gave a snort and looked up at Steve. “Can you read minds?”
“No, you just get this look on your face whenever you think about him.”
She stayed silent.
“Frank isn’t John” Steve spoke gently.
“I know that Steve…”
“So stop comparing the two.”
“I’m not.”
“Ok, really? So tell me honestly when you saw those photos your mind didn’t go to his party trick of being photographed with every girl he could manage to on a night out to rub your nose in it, whether he cheated or not?”
“I know that’s not what Frank was doing.” she shook her head. And she did, truly. Frank would never manipulate her like that but she would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about it, and how shit it made her feel “I just…”
“You’re waiting for something to come along and fuck everything up for you.” Steve said, looking at her.  “Which I get, I really do Titch because of everything you’ve been through but you need to stop looking over your shoulder and worrying about what you think is gonna happen, and simply look at what is, because if you don’t then eventually you’re just going to fuck it all up for yourself.”
Fliss turned away from her brother, his words cutting her to the core. He was right. She was, whether consciously or not, constantly wondering when her happiness was going to shatter around her because all she had ever known in a relationship was pain and anger. Some days she would wake before Frank and lie there, watching his face as he slept, committing every single detail right down to those freckles that spattered his nose and cheek, unable to believe how lucky she was. Engaged to a man who asked her to marry him because he loved her and didn’t merely want to possess her. She had a home, not a house, a surrogate daughter in Mary, days filled with laugher and happiness, and a baby on the way. It was a dream for most people, including her and she was perpetually scared one day someone or something would take it all from her. Just as they always had before.
“You know, Frank told me that he’s never had to explain himself to a girl before…” Steve gave took a deep breath “He’s now petrified that being honest with you has just made things worse. Doesn’t that tell you something?” Fliss looked at her brother, taking in his words. This was all unchartered territory for Frank too. What they were building together was new. He wanted it and more importantly he wanted it with her. As that realisation washed over her so did another one, the understanding that he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise what they have. 
“Look, what the pair of you have is special. Don’t let something as stupid as this ruin it all because you both deserve better than that.”
The tears in Fliss’ eyes began to spill down her cheeks and Steve sighed, pulling her to his chest, gently rocking her to and fro, simply allowing her to cry.
****
When Fliss got home Frank wasn’t there, but there was a Pandora Gift Bag sat on the coffee table. Curiosity got the better of her and she undid the bag, opening the box inside. It was a small stroller charm and she swallowed, placing the box back in the bag. She heard the door open and turned as Frank appeared in the doorway.
“Before you ask…” Frank nodded at the bag in her hand “I didn’t buy you that as a sweetener. I got that in Vegas before any of this kicked off. It’s not supposed to be a bribe.”
“I didn’t…” she shook her head, placing it back on the table “That wasn’t what I thought.”
He gave her a nod and she studied him for a second, before Mary bounced into the room.
“Hey!” Fliss smiled at her, “You had a good day.”
“Yeah, it was okay” Mary nodded “They were all doing math today but I did some of my uni work whilst they did the times tables. Have you and Frank made up yet?”
Liss hesitated and Frank gently dropped his hand to the back of Mary’s head.
“We talked, and we still need to talk some more. Any chance you can give us some space?”
She eyed him for a moment before she shrugged “I got homework, I’ll be in my room.”
“Thanks Stack.” he smiled and she turned and headed back out of the room. Once she was out of ear shot Frank turned to Fliss.
“So I had a visit from Steve.”
“I’m sorry I told him not to.”
“He was just being a big brother.” Frank shook his head “But I’m not gonna lie, he scared the shit out of me.” “Well he came to the yard after, fighting your corner. As Bonnie has been.”
“Honey, I didn’t ask them to.”
“I know.” There was a moment of silence before she sighed. “Frank, I’m sorry…”
“Liss…”
“Let me finish, please.” She shook her head and Frank fell silent, his hands falling into the pockets of his jeans. “If I’m honest I don’t think I ever thought you’d really cheated, I guess, well I guess I saw the photos and…” she trailed off, shrugging “I’m sorry for not believing you, but I’m still pissed at you for getting yourself in that position in the first place.”
Frank hesitated for a second. He was about to protest that he was just drunk, point out that he hadn’t meant to get himself in any position at all,  but then he stopped himself. She was angry and hormonal, and he’d rather have her pissed at him for being an idiot than believing he was unfaithful.
So instead he nodded “Ok that’s fair. I get it. And I’m sorry.”
She looked at him for a moment and he stepped forward to give her a hug but she simply moved back a little and gave him a small smile “I’ll start dinner.”
“Sure…” his voice was quiet. He wanted nothing than to hold her in his arms, run his hand over the place his baby was growing, her bump seemingly even bigger than it had been that morning but he also didn’t want to push it. She hadn’t left, she believed him, but she was pissed. However, Frank knew she would get over that in time…which he understood he had to give her, and respect the boundaries she set too. So, with that in mind he took a deep breath and followed her into the kitchen.
“Do you want me to help or…”
“No, it’s only stir fry.” She shook her head. “Did you already feed Mary or…”
He frowned and looked at her, and then realised what she was referring to. They hadn’t been home when she arrived.
“Oh, no…I picked her up and then ran my suit into the dry cleaners.” He said “It had something all over the front of it. God knows what.”
She nodded. “Okay, well it won’t be too long.”
“I’ll set the table then.” he nodded. He moved around, careful not to step into her space as he gathered the various items around and carrying them into the dining room. Once he had completed that he headed out telling Fliss he was going to wash up and tell Mary to do the same.
Fliss acknowledged him and continued with cooking, when suddenly she felt a really strange sensation in her stomach. It was like a fluttering, almost as if she had bubbles inside her belly, and then she realised instantly what it was.
Their baby had moved. And she’d just felt it for the first time.
Pausing what she was doing her hand fell to her bump as the tiny little sensations flooded her and she felt a smile creeping over her face.
“Hey Bean.” She whispered, softly.
At that point Frank came back into the room and saw her, her hand on her bump, stood perfectly still, looking down at her belly and he frowned.
“Lissy?” He looked at her as she raised her head to look at him “Everything ok?”
“Yeah, I just felt Bean move!” she smiled, her eyes bright and Frank let out a grin.
“Really?” he stepped forward, his hand out but he paused. Fliss looked at him and he locked eyes with her. Fliss understood instantly, he was waiting for her to say it ok after she told him last night not to touch her.
He was asking her permission.
Instantly her heart melted towards him, she loved this man, with everything she had. And he loved her. She gently took his hand and pulled on it softly, and he closed the distance as she pressed his palm to her stomach, leaving her hand resting over his. 
“I doubt you’ll feel it…it was just like bubbles, not really a kick or anything.” She said as he looked down before he raised his eyes back to her “But they can hear you now though, according to Mary’s extensive research.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. Frank took a deep breath and knelt down, both his hands resting on the side of her belly as he grinned “Hey kid. You cooking well?”
Fliss felt the flutters again, a little stronger this time and she smiled, her hand running into Frank’s hair “They just did it again. They clearly know your voice, daddy.”
He glanced up at her, his eyes watering “I love you both so much.”
“I know.” She sniffed. “I love you too.”
Frank stood up, his hands sliding up Fliss’ thighs to her hips and as he did, hers fell from his hair to his shoulders. They both stayed still, simply looking at one another till Frank leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss.
“This doesn’t mean I’ve completely forgiven you.” She muttered against his mouth and he smiled.
“I wouldn’t dream of suggesting it did.” He shrugged “But is it at least enough to get me off the couch? My back is killing me.”
“You wanna compare back ache?” She arched an eyebrow.
“No, no, not at all, obviously yours is far worse than mine could possibly be…”
Fliss narrowed her eyes. “Is that sarcasm?”
“Absolutely not.” He told her sincerely, shaking his head. His eyes, however, told her a different story. Those azure blues she knew and loved shone with humour, utterly betraying him.
“Hmmm, well I’ll think about it.” Her hands moving to pat his chest. “Now get lost, I need to finish dinner.”
Frank turned away, a smile on his face. As he always told Mary, an I’ll think about it wasn’t a no.
**** Chapter 5
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markedforruin · 3 years
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The Forest Lawn Mill Mystery Prologue
So here’s a small thing I wrote with Jeffery Mason and Sage Wilkinson. Will it be continued? most likely. When? who knows lol 
Reminder that Jeffery Mason as a character is solely owned by David Near, and I am in no way affiliated with him and this is just a fanwork. Nothing crazy. Go listen to his audios on youtube if you haven’t!
Story here:
It hadn’t been more than a few days since Sage had begun talking to the new kid at school.
He was kind of weird. 
He had albinism but dyed his hair black, as if he didn’t stand out enough as is. Apparently he thought black hair combined with his extremely pale face would help him blend in, but he was already hanging out with the class goth so… Sage doubted that. 
Maybe “hanging out” was an overstatement. They had been assigned a group project, and they talked a lot, but they hadn’t hung out outside of school hours. Maybe if they did, Sage would get to know Jeff better, and they could stop complaining about math class and talk about things they liked. 
“So uh… Are you doing anything after classes?” Sage was so bad at making friends, but they had to try. Jeff seemed like a cool person after all. 
“Why?” Jeff’s almost monotone voice broke through the silent school library. 
“Because I was thinking maybe you’d wanna hang out more? We can come over to my place… You could meet Beetle?”
Jeff gave his classmate a sideways glare. “You got a pet beetle or something?”
“No! No, it's a horse! He’s a horse. His name is Beetle.”
Jeff chuckled a little, covering his mouth with a fist. “That’s the weirdest horse name I’ve heard of.” He admitted. 
“But it’s not the worst! My parents own a riding school so we live on a huge farm property, and trust me, some folks have horses stabled there with even worse names.” Sage laughed, finding his phone to look up the site his parents had made. 
“Here, look-” He shoved the phone in Jeff’s face, leaning all into him.
“What the fuck- Post Stallione? Like Post Malone?”
“yeah. He’s a fine horse but his name is…”
“That’s so fucking cringe, Sage.”
“I know!”
They had a small laugh, but fell silent again quickly.
“So… Is that a yes, or?”
Jeff sighed audibly and loudly.
“I don’t know.” Was his reply. Sage thought he wasn’t going to say more, but he released a breath and opened his mouth again.
“We’re still missing some furniture at my house, and I don’t think my dad would like you, so… Fine. Fine. I need a fucking break from that house anyways…” He mumbled that last part.
“Is your dad homophobic?” Sage tapped their pencil on the paper. The numbers were swimming around on the page, and they’d resorted to doodling their horse instead of doing math. 
“Honestly I think he’s just ignorant, but he’s real fucking annoying about it. Barely knows what a transgender person is, let alone someone like you.”
Sage turned to look at Jeff, and the boy looked back.
“Because I’m nonbinary?”
“yeah.”
Sage huffed mockingly. “When I meet him-”
“IF.”
“WHEN I meet him, I’ll look him in the eye and say “Nice to meet you ma’am, you must be the housewife! you’ve birthed a fine young son, i am glad to be his friend.””
That had Jeff laughing, and Sage joined in. 
“I’m not opposed to mocking my dad, that’s for sure!”
“And I’m not above kicking down the ego of dads like yours.” Sage bowed dramatically. 
“Alright, alright, I’ll come home with you, then. You’re fucking hilarious, Sage.”
Sage clicked their tongue. “Thank you, I know I gave a stellar performance.”
Fastest way out of Forest Lawn was the school bus, which meant they were surrounded by lots of noisy teenagers.
Both of them wore their earbuds to drown it all out. Sage leaned over to look at Jeff’s phone. 
The boy leaned away clearly not wanting to share his screen.
“What are you listening to?” 
“Nothing you’d like.”
“Try me.”
Jeff offered an earbud in silence. 
What came out the other end was… Oh hey! Emperor!
“Oh symphonic black metal… Good taste dude.”
Jeff looked back at Sage with almost googly eyes.
“That’s new.”
“What, somebody liking the same music as you? Dude I listen to metal too, look at me!”
“I’ve been looking at you since we were assigned that group project, Sage.”
“So?” Sage snatched Jeff’s phone to add some music to his playlist.
Jeff shrugged, and let Sage take over his phone on his watch. 
Their stop was the very last, and as they hopped out, the only things around them were trees and gravel paths.
“It’s not far from here, just gotta go up this way.”
Jeff followed along silently, not protesting. 
“What do you think about Forest Lawn so far?” Sage looked back at Jeff. 
“You want an honest answer?”
“Yeah, I live right outside the town, I don’t care what you think of it.”
“It’s fucking horrible, honestly. I hate this town.”
Sage nodded thoughtfully.
They made it to the main driveway, and the Wilkinson’s riding school property slowly came to light.
“People say the town is cursed, y’know.” Sage unlocked the main door and waltzed inside.
“I’m not superstitious. Also where’s your parents?”
It was a bit too quiet in the house. 
“They’re working until 8 pm, and also they’re both very superstitious so they’ve told me a lot of stuff about the town.”
Sage led Jeff upstairs to their room and threw the school bag they’d carried on the floor next to his desk.
They motioned for Jeff to sit on the bed. It was pretty big, so Sage joined him. 
“Ok, spit it out, tell me.” Jeff seemed pretty eager to know about all this. 
Sage cracked his knuckles. “Let’s go, then.”
They both got comfortable, and then Sage began.
“People talk about Teenagers and young adults being brainwashed by radio static, and children keep reporting this “man in the woods”, also there’s rumors floating around about the abandoned Mill close to here… It’s complicated. Around 30 years ago Forest Lawn saw the biggest disappearance of children ever over the summer. None of them were found, until 5 years ago, when one single naked woman was found passed out on the highway with her leg torn open. Her DNA showed that she was literally one of the children that had gone missing.”
Jeff intently listened, not a noise escaping him as Sage told their story. 
“She’s still in psychiatric care at Pinehearst State hospital. Last update the public got from her was that she was adamant about some “tall man” that took care of everyone, which is the exact same thing children are saying today too.”
Sage paused for a moment.
“The Mill, though? man that’s a crazy story. It’s locked up and apparently age old paint on it from like… the 1800’s that says “plague, stay out” was painted on. It’s kind of close to here but I’ve never visited because you can’t get there by car, and going on horseback is at least a whole day’s trip.”
“I wanna see that mill, are you serious!?” Jeff was officially invested.
“What if there are dead bodies in there or something, dude? no way!”
“Uh, yes way, you didn’t strike me as a coward.”
“Group pressure doesn’t work on me Jeff.”
“Group pr- we’re two people, man.”
Sage crossed his arms. “I bet you don’t even know how to ride a horse.”
Jeff shot back at him. “Fine, then teach me.”
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tngrace · 3 years
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Brotherly Advice
The muse went absolutely crazy last night watching the episode (2.05). The 1st story idea was a scene between Judd & TK where TK gives Judd advice telling Grace about her dad. I couldn’t get it out of my head so here is a fic. 
@moviegeek03 thanks so much for always helping make my random ideas come to life & supporting my writing. It means the world 💙💙  
TK knew the minute Judd barreled down ahead of the rest of the team that something was up. He gives him the side eye as they hold the elevator, but he doesn’t say anything just yet. He can tell Judd is not in the mood, and he needs more information before questioning him. It’s made even more obvious though when Paul is giving Judd the same side eye as the RA unit loads the patient into the bus. He watches Paul questioning Judd, who never takes his eyes off the victim despite the rest of the crew packing the truck, and he knows Paul picked up on something upstairs that TK missed. 
He sees the moment it connects in Paul’s head, and he wishes he had a free minute to question Paul even though it would probably be pointless. Judd is silent on the ride back to town, but TK doesn’t say anything just yet. He waits until they’re back at the station and climbing out of the truck before grabbing Judd’s arm. “You alright?” he asks as Judd tries to shake him. 
TK gets it; it’s the same thing he would do based on Judd’s current attitude. But the two have come a long way since their rocky start; TK truly looks up to Judd as a big brother now, and he knows Judd feels the same. 
“Don’t TK,” Judd starts but TK doesn’t back down easily either. 
“Judd,” TK starts, but Judd manages to pull away and heads for his dad’s office. TK is curious when Paul advises him to leave it, but he just can’t. He doesn’t like seeing anyone he cares about hurting, and he always wants to do anything in his power to fix it. He follows Judd up without Judd knowing. TK waits until he’s in his dad’s office, before sneaking up as close to the door as possible without getting caught. He knows he shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he can’t help it. 
He hears Judd asking his dad if he can have the rest of shift off because that was his father-in-law they just transported to the hospital. Owen puts the pieces together like Paul did, and despite TK starting to get the picture, he doesn’t have the whole one yet because Owen doesn't say it outloud. He hears his dad agree, and then TK is sneaking back down the steps before Judd catches him. 
Judd is out the door before TK can say anything else. He sends him a text after Owen lets them know Judd is taking off. “Just checking on you. You know I’m here if you need something,” he sends knowing Judd won’t respond. If anyone on the crew hates texting, it would be Judd. They get a few callouts that keep them distracted, but TK checks his phone every once in a while to make sure Judd hasn’t sent something. 
It’s been radio silence from Judd since he left, so to say they are shocked when he shows back up to finish out shift is an understatement. Owen sends him a questioning look, but Judd just shakes him off. The team gives him space for the most part, not wanting to poke the bear so to say. They’re in the common area between callouts when TK finally catches Judd alone. “So you gonna tell me what is up with you?” he questions as he flops down on the couch by Judd. 
He gets a grunt in response making him roll his eyes. “Ok, fine. I know that was your father-in-law earlier today. I know that’s why you left,” he says since Judd didn’t seem to want to start the conversation. Judd cuts his eyes at TK suspiciously; “Fine. I was eavesdropping,” he says dramatically, making Judd scoff. 
“Why am I not surprised?” Judd asks sarcastically. 
TK rolls his eyes once more. “I was worried,” TK says exasperated. 
“No you’re nosey,” Judd says tossing a pillow at TK. 
TK laughs and catches the pillow easily. “That too,” he admits like the brat he is. “Plus I wanted to get away from Mateo. If he asked me to rub ointment on his scaly tat one more time,” he cuts off with a laugh.“But seriously. I can be a good listener too. It doesn’t always have to be you listening to me and giving me advice,” TK tells him softly. Lord knows Judd has tried to knock some much needed sense into him plenty of times. And while TK knows Judd probably doesn’t need any sense knocked into him, Grace does that enough for all of them, he does want Judd to know he can come to him with anything at any time. He might be younger, making him the “little” brother in this relationship, but he can have his moments of offering good advice. Plenty of years of therapy and life experience to thank for that. 
Judd is quiet for so long TK thinks he’s not going to say anything, and just as he’s giving up and going to leave Judd in peace, Judd speaks. “Yea… Yea that was Grace’s daddy earlier. That was not her mom,” he says with a sigh, his fingers picking at his other hand. It’s a nervous tick TK’s noticed; they all have subtle little things they do when they’re stressed, and after a year as a team, they’ve picked up on each others’ habits. 
“Damn, that’s…” TK trails off not sure what to say. He knows what it feels like to have that kind of bomb dropped on you; to learn someone you love is cheating. Judd knows TK knows what it feels like too; another reason he was hoping to avoid this conversation with him. They’re quiet for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts. “Soooooo, what are you doing back here? Why didn’t you stay with Grace?” TK asks, totally confused as the gravity of the situation sinks in. If there’s one thing everyone knows, it’s how much Judd loves and protects Grace. 
Judd lets out another large sigh leaning forward to rest his arms on his legs as his fingers keep picking. “She doesn’t know,” he finally says. “I went to the hospital, despite the fact her father and I have never had the best relationship.” He sees TK wanting to ask questions, but the look Judd shoots him stops the questions in their tracks. “I went. I told him I was on the call and that he needed to tell them when they showed up, and yet he still lied to them,” Judd says the anger coming through. “I might not have always gotten along with the man, but I respected him because I understood ya know. When I was courting Grace, I was never good enough for her and I knew it, he knew it, hell everyone knew it. But I got it; he was protecting his baby girl.” 
TK wants to make a comment about Judd courting, but he doesn’t. He’ll save it for later when Judd is in a better place. “Judd,” TK tries when Judd gets up and starts pacing. 
“But that’s my job now TK. Mine, but I never thought I’d be protecting her from him.” 
TK sighs as he runs his fingers through his hair. “Not gonna lie. It sucks the position he’s put you in, but Judd. You can’t keep secrets from Grace. It’s gonna hurt, no doubt, but she has to know. It’ll be so much worse if she finds out you knew and didn’t tell her.” 
“Oh he already told I was there. Admitted it, threw me into the lie with him.” Judd sits back down on the couch and TK reaches over squeezing his shoulder. He knows Judd doesn’t want to be the one to break Grace’s heart, but she has to know. 
“Judd… I know this isn’t easy. I know you don’t want to tell her. But you have to. Speaking from experience, I’d much rather dad had told me about the cancer instead of finding out on my own.”
“I know, I told him,” Judd starts but TK cuts him off. 
“I know you told him to tell me. You were practically yelling it at him to tell me, and yet… here we are,” he sighs. “He didn’t, and I found out on my own. Just like with them now. They thought sneaking around was better, but I still found out. They’re hiding something now, and I know whatever it is, I’m probably gonna end up finding out on my own because communication is not my parents’ strong suit no matter how much I wish it were. It sucks, no doubt. The conversation is not going to be easy, and it’ll hurt her, but I can promise you, she’ll be much happier hearing it from you. I know I would be.”  
Judd hates seeing TK hurting as he talks about his parents, and how they barely consider TK in anything. Judd wants to fix it as much as TK wants to fix things for him. It’s what they do; it’s who they are. But Judd knows, this is something he can’t fix; he can just be there for his brother. He leans over and ruffles TK’s hair making TK bat his hand away with a scowl. “When’d you get so smart, huh?” Judd teases to ease the tension that’s settled in TK’s shoulders with this conversation. 
“I’ve always been smart, you’re just now realizing,” TK snarks back, taking Judd’s opening to move past the heavy conversation. “Talk to her,” TK says before he’s up and heading to find something to keep busy. 
Judd twirls his phone in his hand as he considers TK’s words. He knows TK’s right no matter how much he doesn’t want to admit it. He lets out a sigh before dialing Grace. It’s not going to be easy, but he knows, he has to be the one to tell her. He sees TK’s nod and smile of approval when Grace walks in a little later, and he knows he’s doing the right thing. And if later, she listens to the call while on shift while he’s at his uncle’s ranch, well at least she won’t be blindsided by the call.
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sortavibing · 3 years
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what the haikyuu!! boys/girls favorite songs/bands are📼
hello! this is my first post so i hope im doing it right :P anyways enjoy!
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karasuno💾
daichi: Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey. he’s such a typical dad holy shit so yeah he 100% listens to this i don’t know what else to say like- 🤠 yeah he probably sings it in his minivan (you cannot convince me that he doesn’t drive a minivan)
sugawara: WAP by Cardi B. yes we stan this bad bitch. he LOVES this song like he can do the dance and everything and he pulls it off like the baddie he is please someone animate this i NEED it anyways yeah he doesn’t really sing it but he 100% has done the dance in front of daichi.
asahi: Lullaby by Johannes Brahms. this baby hes such a slut for classical music and he always listens to it before a big game to calm his nerves. he pretends that he’s listening to something “tough” but everyone knows that he listens to classcial, they just pretend to not know.
nishinoya: Old Town Road by Lil Nas X. yeah, he hasn’t gotten out of the old town road phase and he unironically sings it and does a yeehaw dance. no one can stop him because everyone (except tanaka) is too embarrassed to be around him when he sings and dances, so he thinks it’s ok (honey, no), also, tanaka sometimes joins in and it’s painful to hear and see.
tanaka: GOOBA by 6xi9ine. he thinks it’s “badass” and tries to rap it whenever it comes on, and he fails horribly, but nishinoya always hypes him up saying that he did a good job, causing him to start singing again please save karasuno from hinata, nishinoya, and tanaka’s singing
ennoshita: Cough Syrup by Young The Giant. though it may not seem like it, but this man has got music TASTE like- yes. anyways yeah this song is a vibe and he really likes it. he once tried to introduce good music to tanaka and nishinoya, but they said it was “boring” and “sappy” and he never wanted to beat them up more than he did then.
kageyama: he listens to like play by play volleyball games or podcasts that talk about improving your skills because he’s a hoe for that volleyball shit try and prove me wrong i dare you
hinata: Red by Taylor Swift. he has terrible music taste and he literally just listens to what’s popular and like what his sister listens to. he likes to sing outloud and his voice is worse than oikawa- like karasuno cannot handle hinata singing at all it’s literal earrape.
tsukishima: Fancy by Twice. tsukki is a hardcore kpop stan, and he 100% listens to twice religiously, like that's the majority of his playlist, and he refuses to play his music out loud, and everyone thinks he listens to like rock or some shit like that. only yams knows that tsukki listens to it and he was sworn to secrecy.
yamaguchi: Sports by Beach Bunny. he likes to hum it quietly to himself because he really likes the beat and the lyrics. tsukishima has this song saved on his playlist just for yams and he plays it whenever they share headphones.
kiyoko: Body by Megan Thee Stallion. i dont know what to say, she is just a baddie who loves the confidence boost she gets from listening to this song as she should kiyoko is amazing she even learned the tiktok dance to this song and she performed it to yaichi yaichi.exe has stopped working but she won’t show it to anyone else anyways shes just a baddie and we stan.
yachi: Green by Cavetown. yeah she really likes the calming peaceful vibes this song has and she likes to sing it quietly when she is in a public place, like a bus or a subway to calm herself down and she also plays it when she studies.
aoba johsai 📼
oikawa: Bubblegum Bitch by MARINA because it just raidates that “i’m hotter than you” energy (just like he does our twink king). he prob sings it in the locker room while everyone is changing and his singing bursts everyones eardrums omg the whole team hates oikawa’s singing so much
matsukawa: Toad sings WAP he’s such a memer like- yeah so he and makki probably obsess over these toad sings video because 1. they are funny as hell like it’s some god tier comedy and 2. they say oikawa sounds like that when he sings it’s true tho
hanamaki: Toad sings Sweet Home Alabama. he and mattsun have a running debate about which one is better, and they ask the opinions of literally everyone they meet about it. so far more people have chose maki’s favorite song and he’s a little smug about it.
iwaizumi: Ride by twenty one pilots. this is probably like one of his secret pleasures. most people think he listens to like rap or something like that, but he really likes this song. he hopes that oikawa will never find out about this, because he will never hear the end of the teasing, so he just listens to this song while he is by himself, or just without the team.
yahaba: Walking On A Dream by Empire Of The Sun. idk this just feels right, like i really have no explanation why i think this works it just does🤠
kindaichi: Wake Me Up bye Avicii. this man is borderline bad taste, but we will let it slide for now, so yeah again, he just gives me the avicii stan vibes, he probably thought he would like rap more, but one day he heard avicii playing on the radio and he was hooked. he still pretends to like rap because he has a “reputation”
kunimi: Advice by Cavetown. this man gives absolutley zero fucks about everyone’s opinions you bet your ass he listens to this song. he 100% puts headphones in to listen to this while someone is talking to him because he just doesn’t want to have a conversation with them. everyone hates when he does that, but again, he doesn’t give a shit.
kyotani: We Will Rock You by Queen. yeah this is probably his pump up jam and he always listens to it before a game to get hyped up. if anyone dares to talk to him while he has headphones in, he will not hesitate to bite their head off i know this for a fact.
nekoma💾
kuroo: Yarichin Bitch Club OP. ever since kenma introduced him to anime OPs, he’s been obsessed, and he loves the yarichin op becuase 1. it’s dirty and he thinks that’s funny and 2. it actually slaps like why does it go so hard i’m in awe- anyways yeah he always sings it in the most public places just to get attention bc he’s a whore for the spotlight like that 😌. he also sings it with bokuto whenever they are together bc we stan the dumbass duo.
yaku: Arms Tonite by Mother Mother. yeah he is kinda obsessed with mother mother but this is hands down his favorite song. lev once heard yaku listening to this song and made fun of it, and let’s just say lev got the ass whopping of his life, yaku takes no prisoners- anyways yeah he just vibes with it and it’s great.
yamamoto: Who Let The Dogs Out by Baha Men. the whole nekoma team HATES his music taste, and they never let him play any music becasue- it’s just so bad i’m sorry this man has no taste like have you seen his hair? (the slander is real :))
kenma: Hikaru Nara (Your Lie in April OP) kenma loves to listen to anime ops while gaming bc they are highkey all bops and he says they help him concentrate. he tried to get kuroo to listen to the songs with him, and kuroo started to like listening to anime OPs, so they usually listen to them together.
fukunaga: he listens to like john mulaney comedy shows becuse he’s a little dork like that and (timeskip spoiler) he becomes a comedian later on so it just fits 🤠
inuoka: Roar by Katy Perry. again, it’s just the vibes that i get from him, i can’t explain it, he just seems like a big dork who would like this shit. so yeah, he probably sings this song really loudly when it comes on and the whole nekoma team just has to tolerate him when he does it.
lev: Ra Ra Rasputin by Boney M. he probably started listening to this song as a joke because he’s Russian, and the songs about Russia, but he genuinely started enjoying it and whenever it comes on, he starts singing. his voice isn’t actually that bad but yaku still gets annoyed as hell when he does it and beats the shit out of him.
fukurodani 📼
bokuto: Mr. Brightside by The Killers. he gets really excited when this plays and always gets up to sing it really really loudly, and do a really energetic dance. akaashi calm your child please he’s not a good singer, but he’s not a terrible one either, so the team has just gotten used to it.
akaashi: This Side of Paradise by Coyote Theory. eep akaashi the hopeless romantic we stan- anyways yeah he found this band in like his first year of high school and has been addicted ever since. he doesn’t really share his taste in music with others, but the one time he let bokuto listen to music with him, bokuto got way to excited and accidentally dropped akaashi’s phone and cracked it.
konoha: Spirits by The Strumbellas. idk i just feel like he would listen to this song. he would never play his music out loud though, because bokuto always takes the aux cord/ speaker before anyone gets the chance to.
shiratorizawa💾
ushijima: he doesn’t listen to music. like if tendou offers to play music with him, he’ll accept, but like he’s just confused why people like listening to music so much, so he will just listen with that face he always makes (😐) while tendo is jumping around, dancing, and going batshit crazy.
semi: All I Wanted by Paramore. he is flat out obsessed with this band and he learned how to play this song on his electric guitar and has went to a couple of their concerts. semi 100% makes fun of his teammates music taste as he should
tendou: Yoda CBT remix (i linked it if you want to listen), ok but seriously, i think money machine by 100 Gecs. tendo is so chaotic and i think his music taste reflects that. he cannot listen to music without dancing or singing, and he always plays his music on full volume (hearing? what’s that?) tendo never gets the aux cord, because the last time they gave it to him, the speakers almost broke.
goshiki: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor. this little dork omg i really don’t have an explanation for this, it just fits and i take no criticism on this because y’all know it’s true.
shirabu: Cigarette Ahegao by Penelope Scott. semi introduced him to this song and he pretened he didn’t like it but he’s secretly obsessed. i think he generally doesn’t like music but this song- this song is such a vibe that he has to like it. (anyways yeah go listen to this song its so good)
inarizaki 📼
kita: Animal by Neon Trees. he isn’t really open about listening to music, he only listens to his songs when he is alone and when he has earbuds in, and if someone walks up to him to talk, he takes his earphones out (we stan a respectful boy). so yeah, he isn’t a big fan of music, but he still likes to listen from time to time.
aran: You Know It by Colony House. he will never listen to music in front of anyone because whenever he hears this song, he has to sing, and he doesn’t like singing in front of people (the miya twins are annoying he can’t do anything in front of them🙄), but yeah, this songs really good we stan this man’s music taste.
atsumu: Girls in the Hood by Megan Thee Stallion. this man LOVES this song like- he is obsessed. if you ask him something, he will literally reply with “can’t talk right now, doing hot girl shit” and he just walks away and ur just like- what the fuck bro. anyways yeah he thinks he’s a bad bitch but he really is just a dork.
suna: 505 by The Arctic Monkeys. yeah, the basic choice would probably be “why’d you only call me when you’re high”, but i feel like he would like this song better because it starts off kinda vibey, and then it goes into this great guitar bit, and just- the v i b e s so yeah i think he really likes this shit.
osamu: cooking podcasts. like he literally doesn’t listen to music, just shit about cooking. atsumu makes fun of him for it and he is just like “bitch shut up and go do ur hot girl shit 😐” and just walks away and keeps on listening to his cooking shit. (we stan this petty bitch)
others💾
saeko: E-GIRLS ARE RUINING MY LIFE! by CORPSE and Savage Ga$p. this is self explanatory, she just is a bad bitch and this is what bad bitches listen to 😌 she def has played this song while getting it on with someone.
terushima: Bust It Open by Lil’ Wil. we all know terushima listens to these thirst trap songs and tries to do the tik tok dances that are associated with them. he probably posts videos to these songs on tik tok and they get a good amount of likes (cough cough he has a following of many thirsty girls).
sakusa: 24 hours of nothing yeah he doesn’t listen to music he just puts this on with headphones so people won’t bother him. he finds the silence relaxing and hates it when people interrupt him (cough cough atsumu)
btw: for some of the songs that aren’t on basic streaming services, i linked the youtube video for them.
anyways, i hope you enjoyed my first post [eep finishing this made me really happy]! have a nice day!
bye for now🌊
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Text
Riding On  Ch4: Full Steeb Ahead
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Summary: Frank is determined to get Fliss to hear him out. But will she believe him?
Warnings: Bad Language words.
Pairing: Frank Adler x Fliss Gallagher
A/N: Hopefully after this @sweater-daddiesdumbdork will stop chasing me. As always, thanks to my unofficial beta @icanfeelastormbrewing​ for the usual inputs and opinions.  Chapter Song: Man Who Can’t Be Moved by The Script
Series Masterlist //  WIYPT Masterlist
People talk about the guy that’s waiting on a girl. There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world.
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Frank woke early the next morning, well, maybe woke was an exaggeration seeing as he probably managed about an hour of straight sleep, if that. The rest was spent in small dozing periods of 20, maybe 30 minutes at a time.  His neck was stiff from laying on the couch, as was his back and deciding he would give up trying to get comfortable he sat up, stretching his muscles out before he ran a hand down his tired face.
It was still dark outside and he reached for his phone. It had just gone 6 am, which meant he had an hour or so before the house started to wake. Standing up, he grabbed the shirt he had discarded the night before and shoving it on he located his sneakers. Once they were on his feet he grabbed his keys and as quietly as he could let himself out of the house, locking the door behind him as he headed down the little pathway which led to the main one through their little estate.
He walked down past the harbour and the little garages which were starting to open, nodding to a few of the guys he used to see knocking around when he had worked there, continuing past the little row of bait and tackle shops, past the small café, before he reached the path that led along the rocky sea defence. He followed the sandy pathway down to the boardwalk along the beach and continued for as long as he could, his feet treading over the well-worn wooden slats, some of which were loose in places, before it ended and he hit the soft sand. He headed onto the beach, it was almost deserted apart from a few early morning dog walkers, which suited him fine.
The ocean always calmed him. He had no idea why, but it had done ever since he was a kid. He’d adored those family holidays taken before it all went to rat shit, memories of him, his father and his sister playing on the sand whilst his mother read a book shaded by a parasol, every so often looking up to observe what was going on before returning back to whatever latest theory she was reading up on.  And then at night, they would eat with a family, late walks on the beach were always a treat, watching the dark water as it lapped against the shore, his dad making up random tales about Peg Legged Pirates searching for treasure which was always buried not far from where they were stood.
He’d done the same with Mary, telling her the same tales he could remember and making up new ones when he couldn’t. She didn’t buy them anymore, she was far too old for her age, but he couldn’t wait to tell them to Bean when he or she arrived, see their little face light up as they glanced over the ocean searching for ghostly ships or dug in the sand for imaginary treasure.
He reached the water’s edge and looked out at the horizon for a few minutes taking in the detail of the sky which was lit up in hues of purple and orange as the sun hovered a few meters or so above the place where the sea hit the sky and he took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind. He was in a mess, a mess that was entirely his own doing, and he felt utterly powerless to fix it. If he couldn’t get Fliss to listen to him…well, he didn’t even want to think about that. But the more he tried not to, the more he did. He couldn’t lose her, not over some stupid misunderstanding like this. Pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to ease the tension headache that was already forming behind his eyes, not helped by the lack of sleep, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to re-centre himself. He finally had everything he hadn't even realised he needed and losing it was not an option. He had to fix this. With one last deep breath he turned to take the 15 minutes or so walk back home.
The house was still quiet when he got back in but he could hear the sounds of the shower meaning Fliss was up. He headed into the bedroom, Thor raising his head from where he was led on the bed, and he bent over to give the dog a scratch behind the ear. He pulled out a clean pair of jeans, a T-shirt and a pair of boxers, tossing them down on the pale blue bed covers, his head turning to face Fliss as she walked into the room, towel wrapped around her, hair piled in a messy bun on her head. His heart gave an instant pang as he took in how tired she looked, the guilt flooding over him as he knew it was his fault.
“Where did you go?” she asked him, her voice soft. “I heard the door.”
“For a walk.” he said, “Just to the beach. Needed some air.”
She looked at him for a moment before she nodded and moved to the dresser to pull out her clothes for the day.
“Can we talk?” he asked her tentatively and she stopped, straightening up before she looked at him.
“I told you last night, I’ve nothing to say.”
“No, but I have.” he pressed, “Lissy please…just hear me out, let me explain.”
She licked her lips and took a deep breath before she sighed “Fine, when Mary’s gone to school. But I have clients at 9 and I need to pick Rupert up so I’m leaving here at 8:15 no later.”
“Ok.” he nodded, giving her a small smile before he headed into the bathroom for a shower.
Breakfast was a little subdued, but he had to give Fliss her credit. She was polite and civil to him, even if she wasn’t affectionate. But it didn’t fool Mary. She asked him as he walked her down to the bus stop what was going on, and not being one to lie to her, he told her truthfully that he’d been an idiot over the weekend and needed to apologise to Fliss. At that she shot him a filthy look.
“You better fix things or I will kill you and hate you forever.” she said before she turned and stormed towards the waiting bus.
You and me both, Short Stack.
When he got back Fliss was waiting for him like she said she would be, sat at the table. She looked at him as he sat on the seat at the end, so he was to her right and facing her. She glanced at her watch “You got 15 minutes.” “Lissy, those photos…” Frank dove straight in, he had not time to waste and even if he did, he didn’t want to. This was eating him up inside “I know they look bad…”
“No shit sherlock…”
“I swear to God, nothing happened.”
“Nothing happened.” She repeated, looking at him and he shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“Then how the fuck did she end up on your knee Frank?”
He took a deep breath “In all honestly I only know from what Simon and Greg told me.” he said, “I was drunk, I’d already pushed her away earlier in the night and she came over with her friends, one of them was getting into one of the guys Jake works with and she just sat on my knee. Apparently it took me a while but in the end I told her to get lost. I was quite rude to her, so they say.”
“You look fairly comfortable with her on your lap in the photo.” Fliss said after a moment, her voice quiet. The hurt in her tone made Frank feel even more like shit, as she wasn’t screaming or shouting which to be honest he was fairly sure he would have dealt with a whole lot better. “And in the other photo where you look like you’re about to kiss her.”
“Baby, I swear to you seconds after that I told her no. I’d just bumped into her and she was falling so I grabbed her to make sure she didn’t as that was the second time I’d nearly kno-“
“The second time?” Fliss looked at him and Frank closed his eyes, letting out a groan. “So you accidently nearly kissed her before.”
“No, that’s not-“ “Keep digging Frank, because that hole you’re in is getting deeper and deeper by the second.” she shook her head, looking away.
“I nearly knocked her over before.” he said, “Round the pool. I’d just finished talking to you, turned round and bumped straight into her.” “Right, and she just happened to be there in the club then after you ‘bumped’…” she framed the words with her fingers “…into her?”
“Again, full honestly, no, I don’t think she did” he shook his head “She was flirty. Made some comment or other when I said I’d watch where I was going about how she hoped not, and then we saw them on the Friday night too in one of the bars…”
Fliss looked at him and shook her head “The irresistible Adler charm eh?” Her voice carried a note of sarcasm, and Frank shook his head.
“Baby I’m just being honest here, telling you the truth. She was with a group on a 21st and I think they just saw a gang of guys and…” he shrugged “I dunno…they screwed Aaron, Chad and Jeff out of plenty of drinks so...” Fliss licked her lips and looked down, her hands fiddling with the now empty glass in her hands.
“Sweetheart, I get why you’re mad, I really do…and maybe I should have told her to fuck off sooner…”
“Maybe?” “Alright, not maybe, I should have but…I swear to god I didn’t kiss her, I didn’t sleep with her…nothing happened” He reached for her hand, his fingers gently squeezing hers “I love you, more than I can even begin to explain, and our Bean…the thought of being with anyone else never crosses my mind.”
She looked at him, then down at his hand which was over hers before she took a deep breath. Her head was a mash. Half of her wanted to believe him, his face and his words were so sincere and he’d never lied to her before, ever. But the other half…those damned photos. And either way, whether he had kissed her or not, he had been far too close, and she’d sat on his fucking knee long enough for someone to get a picture.
“You do believe me, right?” Frank asked, his eyes locking onto hers.
“Honestly?” she asked.
“Always.” he nodded.
“I don’t know what to believe…” she said, before she pulled her hand away and stood up, “I have to go. I’ll see you tonight.”
*****
“Hey Titch…” Steve greeted Fliss as she walked into the annex and instantly frowned when he saw her face “You ok?”
“Yeah…I’m fine.” She shrugged, not wanting to talk about what was happening anymore. She was tired. “Where’s Roo?”
“He’s out back.” Steve frowned “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Bullshit nothing.” he said, looking at her. She looked away as the tears filled her eyes and she turned to her brother shaking her head.
“Just Frank…and…”
“What’s he done?” Steve asked
“I don’t know.” Fliss said, her tears trickling down her face. “That’s just it…”
Steve put the coffee mug he was holding down on the side and swept his sister into his arms. “Hey, come on…”
She pressed her face into his grey t-shirt as his arms wrapped around her and she simply cried the tears she’d been holding back all morning. Eventually Steve pulled back and looked down at her, letting out a soft sigh. “What’s going on Lissy?”
She moved to take out her phone and wordlessly scrolled to the offending photos which she had saved and handed the phone to him. “There’s another one…” she said, as she saw her brother’s face darken. Steve swiped across and let out a huff through his nose.
“Ok.” he nodded “They don’t look great. What’s he had to say about them?”
Fliss swallowed “That he was drunk, and moments after the first one he pushed the girl away and on the second one…well, he says he told her to get lost too but…” “But you don’t believe him?”
“I don’t know Steve, that’s the problem.” she shrugged “I want to believe him, and he’s never lied to be before…and then there’s the message he sent me about being in someone else’s room and…”
“Hang on…someone else’s room?”
Fliss nodded and explained the whole mix up, about how he had been with Simon but even that she was having her doubts about now and Steve listened, his hand running over his beard as he took in her words.
“Have you talked to any of the other guys that were there?” he asked and she shook her head.
“Bonnie tried calling me before but, well to be honest they’re all gonna cover for him, even if he did do it aren’t they? I mean fuck…, seeing those damned photos…it was humiliating and…”
Steve sighed, handing her the phone back. “Look, Lissy, I’ve been in this position before. Some woman all over me and Sian getting the hump. Photos are a snap shot in time, they never tell the whole story…you know that as well as anyone.”
“Yeah, but the same girl is there, on his fucking lap Steve…”
“I know, and yes, regardless of what he did he shouldn’t have let that happen but…fucking hell, he was in Vegas, pissed out of his brains.” Steve sighed “I’m not excusing it, before you start, and I’m not dismissing your worry but…I dunno Liss, just don’t jump to any conclusions ok? Give it some thought.” “I can’t think about anything else.” she murmured. “God you’re just like dad.” Steve chuckled “Could be worse people to be like. Look, go to work, get your thoughts straight and if you’re adamant at the end of the day you still don’t believe him then just come here for the night and we’ll take it from there ok?”
Fliss nodded and wiped at her face “Thanks Steve.” “What are big brother’s for huh?” She smiled and then eyed him a little “You’re not gonna do anything stupid are you?” “Define stupid?” “Like go round there and punch him?” Steve shook his head “I promise, no punching.” Satisfied he was telling her the truth she whistled for both dogs who came trotting over, bid her brother goodbye and headed out to her jeep.
****** With nothing else much to do on his day off, Frank was busy scrolling the internet looking at realtor pages. Whilst things were still up in the air, it was helping him focus on being positive, because being anything else was not an option. So far nothing in particular had grabbed his eye but still, it was keeping him occupied as he tried to push the fear he was harbouring to the back of his mind.
He was pulled from his browsing by a knock to the door. Setting the laptop to one side he stood up and headed down the hallway and no sooner had he opened the door someone had gripped the collar of his shirt and shoved him harshly into the wall. It took him a split second to focus and when he realised who it was he gripped the front of them man’s shirt and pushed back. There was a little scuffle in the hallway until Frank managed to free himself from the man’s grip before he stood there, glaring at him, chest heaving.
“Fuck off Steve…” he glared at him.
“I warned you.” Steve looked at him “I told you what would happen if you hurt her Frank…”
“Yes, I remember what you said.” Frank looked at him, shaking his head.
“And yet you still did it…” “Oh get fucked, this has nothing to do with you…” “Piss off Frank, it has everything to do with me.” Steve snarled “She turned up this morning for the dog in a right state. Showed me the photos.”
Frank sighed and hung his head. He should have expected this.
“I told her not to jump to conclusions, trying to keep her calm but I gotta admit Frank…they look pretty damning.”
“I’m aware of that, thanks.” Frank bit back “And you know what, I don’t need this. Things are enough of a mess as it is without adding a brawl with you into the equation.” he turned back to head into the living room “Close the door on your way out.”
“Look me in the eye, tell me you didn’t…” Steve said to his back and Frank stopped, shaking his head as he turned to face him.
“Of course I didn’t. I’d never do that to her.”
Frank met Steve’s glare with one of his own and he could practically see the man’s mind whirring. Eventually he took a deep breath and jerked his head in a stiff nod.
“I had to know Frank.” he said, his tone less confrontational, and Frank knew Steve well enough to understand that was as much of an apology as he was going to get. Frank didn’t say anything, simply turned away once more and headed into the lounge.
“So what happened?” Steve asked following him.
“I was shit faced, that’s what happened.” Frank sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. He turned to look at Steve once more “The girl was part of a group that we’d bumped into a few times. She was a little flirty and yeah, I talked to her, but… she was a fucking kid they were there on a 21st party.”
Steve arched an eyebrow slightly as Frank pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
“She tried kissing me in the bar, I pushed her away. I don’t even know how she ended upon my lap but I told her to get lost and…” he shrugged and looked at Steve “There’s nothing more to it…”
“And the morning after when you woke up elsewhere?”
Frank let out a groan “I was in Simon’s room. I passed out…we both did. Liss called me that morning, she even heard Simon on the phone…” Steve watched him carefully as Frank simply shook his head “I’ve explained all this to her…”
“I know.” Steve said “I just wanted to hear it for myself.” he took a deep breath “Any coffee going?”
Frank looked at him and Steve gave him a small smile, causing Frank’s spirit to lift somewhat. Her brother believed him, which was the best thing he could have hoped for in the circumstances.
“Sure…” Frank nodded and headed to the kitchen, Steve following. He made them both a drink, not another word spoken until he handed him a mug and Steve took a sip, leaning against the kitchen counter.
“Look, Frank, I don’t think she believes you cheated, not really. From what she said to me I think she’s more upset really about how she found out.”
“She wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for those damned photos because there is nothing to find out.” Frank shook his head.
“When she told you about John…did she ever mention his little photo stunts?” Steve looked at Frank and Frank paused, frowning a little as he racked his brains, and then a conversation one stormy night as they lay in bed suddenly flashed into his mind.
“He used to go out and deliberately let women paw at him, and instead of hiding any photo evidence he used to simply flaunt it, splash it all over Facebook. That’s why I de-activated all my social media until recently…”
“Fuck.” Frank groaned, shaking his head.
“Manipulation.” Steve said, his jaw set “He would never do anything with the girls but he made Lissy think he had and would then accuse her of being jealous, and paranoid. Was his twisted of getting her to come off social media, another way to isolate her, keep her in line.”
“She doesn’t think that’s what I was doing?” Frank looked at Steve, a horrified expression on his face.
“God, no.” Steve shook his head, “She knows you’re not that man…but Frank, as happy and as safe as she is, those scars are gonna be there for a long time.” “I know.” “And I know that the fact that ass hole could still be casting a shadow over everything you have, especially now he’s well out of the picture, is basically really shit, but…” “I should have remembered.” Frank shook his head. “But, well, to be honest I’ve never had to explain myself like that to any girl, let alone the one I want to spend my life with and I was so caught up in getting her to believe me, I didn’t even consider any of that. Looks like I just fucked things up even more.”
“She’ll come round.” Steve looked at him. “Just give her time.” “I hope you’re right.” Frank shrugged “Because if she doesn’t I’ll never forgive myself.”
****
Fliss groaned as she looked at the caller ID on her phone. It was Bonnie again.
“Fucks sake…” She grumbled, before answering, deciding to get it over and done with.
“Finally!” Bonnie said, “I’ve been so worried about you…”
“Look, Bonnie I’m really busy…”
“Just 5 minutes…hear me out, please.”
“If you’re gonna start pleading Frank’s case…”
“There’s no case to plead. Simon told me everything last night, apparently about 30 seconds after she’d perched on his knee Frank suddenly realised what was going on and told her to fuck off.” “Well he would say that, he’s his friend…”
“Oh come on Fliss…” Bonnie made an exasperated noise “First off I can tell when Simon is lying, and he wasn’t, and second off, do you really think Frank would cheat on you?”
“I’m sick of everyone telling me what I should and shouldn’t think.” Fliss practically snarled “I don’t have time for this.”
She cut the call and shoved her phone back into her pocket, her hand gently sliding over her bump.
“You know, people are only trying to help Titch.”
Fliss spun round to see her brother in the doorway to the office and she let out a groan “I thought you were over to do work…” “I am…meetings start tomorrow.”
“Right, well, go and find something else to do. I’m busy.”
“Don’t get shitty with me…” Steve frowned.
“Steve just…fuck off!” Fliss exploded “I can’t deal with…” she stopped and shook her head “Why can’t everyone just leave me alone.” “Because they’re trying to help.” he said softly
“Well they’re not.” she sniffed
“Titch…look at me.” Steve said gently and she raised her head to meet her brother’s eyes, her own watering with tears.  “Do you hand on heart believe he would cheat on you…seriously?”
“I didn’t…”
“So why do you now?”
“I don’t know if I do…it’s just those photos and…” “Fuck the photos.” Steve said, his voice a little sterner. “You know full well they never tell a full story.” Fliss swallowed as she looked at her brother, as he continued.
“Do you truly think Frank is the type of man who would, after everything you two went through, jump into bed with some tramp in Vegas whilst this pregnant fiancée is at home, looking after his niece?”
Fliss looked down at the floor, her tears falling down her cheeks.
“Because I don’t Liss.” Steve continued “Especially not now he looked me in the eye and said he hasn’t.”
At that her head jerked up and she frowned. “You went round?”
“Yeah.”
“Steve you promised not to!”
“No, I promised not to punch him. And I didn’t.” he shrugged, not a shred of apology in his tone. “I talked to him, asked him straight to explain to my face.”
“And you believe him?”
“Yeah I do believe him, completely. I think he was drunk, and at worst potentially indulged the girl a little over the days they were there, which, ok, he shouldn’t have done but at worst he’s guilty of nothing but allowing some 21 year old kid to flirt with him a little.  And if that’s a crime then, fuck, you better shoot me along with half the population now.”
Liss looked away, her brother’s words ringing in her head. Truth was they hit home. She had always been a flirty person by nature, it was just the way she was…well, had been until John beat it out of her. But Frank, well, Frank had never bothered about her talking to other men before because he knew she was his…
“Is this really about him, or is this all to do with that fucker again?” Steve asked.
Fliss gave a snort and looked up at Steve. “Can you read minds?”
“No, you just get this look on your face whenever you think about him.”
She stayed silent.
“Frank isn’t John” Steve spoke gently.
“I know that Steve…”
“So stop comparing the two.”
“I’m not.”
“Ok, really? So tell me honestly when you saw those photos your mind didn’t go to his party trick of being photographed with every girl he could manage to on a night out to rub your nose in it, whether he cheated or not?”
“I know that’s not what Frank was doing.” she shook her head. And she did, truly. Frank would never manipulate her like that but she would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about it, and how shit it made her feel “I just…”
“You’re waiting for something to come along and fuck everything up for you.” Steve said, looking at her.  “Which I get, I really do Titch because of everything you’ve been through but you need to stop looking over your shoulder and worrying about what you think is gonna happen, and simply look at what is, because if you don’t then eventually you’re just going to fuck it all up for yourself.”
Fliss turned away from her brother, his words cutting her to the core. He was right. She was, whether consciously or not, constantly wondering when her happiness was going to shatter around her because all she had ever known in a relationship was pain and anger. Some days she would wake before Frank and lie there, watching his face as he slept, committing every single detail right down to those freckles that spattered his nose and cheek, unable to believe how lucky she was. Engaged to a man who asked her to marry him because he loved her and didn’t merely want to possess her. She had a home, not a house, a surrogate daughter in Mary, days filled with laugher and happiness, and a baby on the way. It was a dream for most people, including her and she was perpetually scared one day someone or something would take it all from her. Just as they always had before.
“You know, Frank told me that he’s never had to explain himself to a girl before…” Steve gave took a deep breath “He’s now petrified that being honest with you has just made things worse. Doesn’t that tell you something?” Fliss looked at her brother, taking in his words. This was all unchartered territory for Frank too. What they were building together was new. He wanted it and more importantly he wanted it with her. As that realisation washed over her so did another one, the understanding that he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise what they have.
“Look, what the pair of you have is special. Don’t let something as stupid as this ruin it all because you both deserve better than that.”
The tears in Fliss’ eyes began to spill down her cheeks and Steve sighed, pulling her to his chest, gently rocking her to and fro, simply allowing her to cry.
****
When Fliss got home Frank wasn’t there, but there was a Pandora Gift Bag sat on the coffee table. Curiosity got the better of her and she undid the bag, opening the box inside. It was a small stroller charm and she swallowed, placing the box back in the bag. She heard the door open and turned as Frank appeared in the doorway.
“Before you ask…” Frank nodded at the bag in her hand “I didn’t buy you that as a sweetener. I got that in Vegas before any of this kicked off.”
“I didn’t…” she shook her head, placing it back on the table “That wasn’t what I thought.”
He gave her a nod and she studied him for a second, before Mary bounced into the room.
“Hey!” Fliss smiled at her, “You had a good day.”
“Yeah, it was ok.” Mary nodded “They were all doing math today but I did some of my uni work whilst they did the times tables. Have you and Frank made up yet?”
Liss hesitated and Frank gently dropped his hand to the back of Mary’s head.
“We talked, and we still need to talk some more.” he said “Any chance you can give us some space?”
She eyed him for a moment before she shrugged “I got homework, I’ll be in my room.”
“Thanks Stack.” he smiled and she turned and headed back out of the room. Once she was out of ear shot Frank turned to Fliss.
“So I had a visit from Steve…”
“I heard.” Fliss said “I’m sorry I told him not to.”
“He was just being a big brother.” Frank shook his head “But I’m not gonna lie, he scared the shit out of me.” “Well he came to the yard after, fighting your corner. As has Bonnie…”
“Honey, I didn’t ask them to…”
“I know.” she said softly. There was a moment of silence before she sighed and shook her head. “Frank, I’m sorry…”
“Liss…”
“Let me finish, please.” she shook her head and Frank fell silent, his hands falling into the pockets of his jeans. “If I’m honest I don’t think I ever thought you’d really cheated, I guess…well I saw the photos and…” she trailed off, shrugging “I’m sorry for not believing you, but I’m still pissed at you for getting yourself in that position in the first place.”
Frank hesitated for a second. He was about to protest that he was just drunk, point out that he hadn’t meant to get himself in any position at all,  but then he stopped himself. She was angry and hormonal, and he’d rather have her pissed at him for being an idiot than believing he was unfaithful.
So instead he nodded “Ok that’s fair. I get it. And I’m sorry.”
She looked at him for a moment and he stepped forward to give her a hug but she simply moved back a little and gave him a small smile “I’ll start dinner…”
“Sure…” his voice was quiet. He wanted nothing than to hold her in his arms, run his hand over the place his baby was growing, her bump seemingly even bigger than it had been that morning but he also didn’t want to push it. She hadn’t left, she believed him, but she was pissed. However, Frank knew she would get over that in time…which he understood he had to give her, and respect the boundaries she set too. So, with that in mind he took a deep breath and followed her into the kitchen.
“Do you want me to help or…”
“No, it’s only stir fry.” she shook her head. “Did you already feed Mary or…”
He frowned and looked at her, and then realised what she was referring to. They hadn’t been home when she arrived.
“Oh, no…I picked her up and then ran my suit into the dry cleaners.” he said “It had something all over the front of it…god knows what.”
She nodded. “Ok, well it won’t be too long.”
“I’ll set the table then.” he nodded. He moved around, careful not to step into her space as he gathered the various items around and carrying them into the dining room. Once he had completed that he headed out telling Fliss he was going to wash up and tell Mary to do the same.
Fliss acknowledged him and continued with cooking, when suddenly she felt a really strange sensation in her stomach. It was like a fluttering, almost as if she had bubbles inside her belly, and then she realised instantly what it was.
Their baby had moved. And she’d just felt it for the first time.
Pausing what she was doing her hand fell to her bump as the tiny little sensations flooded her and she felt a smile creeping over her face.
“Hey Bean…” she said softly.
At that point Frank came back into the room and saw her, her hand on her bump, stood perfectly still, looking down at her belly and he frowned.
“Lissy?” he looked at her as she raised her head to look at him “Everything ok?”
“Yeah, I just felt Bean move!” she smiled, her eyes bright and Frank let out a grin.
“Really?” he stepped forward, his hand out but he paused. Fliss looked at him and he locked eyes with her. Fliss understood instantly, he was waiting for her to say it ok after she told him last night not to touch her.
He was asking her permission.
Instantly her heart melted towards him, she loved this man, with everything she had. And he loved her. She gently took his hand and pulled on it softly, and he closed the distance as she pressed his palm to her stomach, leaving her hand resting over his.
“I doubt you’ll feel it…it was just like bubbles, not really a kick or anything.” she said as he looked down before he raised his eyes back to her “But they can hear you now though, according to Mary’s extensive research.”
“Yeah?”
She nodded. Frank took a deep breath and knelt down, both his hands resting on the side of her belly as he grinned “Hey kid…you cooking well?”
Fliss felt the flutters again, a little stronger this time and she smiled, her hand running into Frank’s hair “They just did it again. They clearly know your voice, daddy.”
He glanced up at her, his eyes watering “I love you both so much.”
“I know.” she sniffed “I love you too.”
Frank stood up, his hands sliding up Fliss’ thighs to her hips and as he did, hers fell from his hair to his shoulders. They both stayed still, simply looking at one another till Frank leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss.
“This doesn’t mean I’ve completely forgiven you.” she muttered against his mouth and he smiled.
“I wouldn’t dream of suggesting it did.” he shrugged “But is it at least enough to get me off the couch? My back is killing me.”
“You wanna compare back ache?” she arched an eyebrow.
“No, no, not at all, obviously yours is far worse than mine could possibly be…”
Fliss narrowed her eyes. “Is that sarcasm?”
“Absolutely not.” he told her sincerely, shaking his head. His eyes, however, told her a different story. Those azure blues she knew and loved shone with humour, utterly betraying him.
“Hmmm, well I’ll think about it.” she said, her hands moving to pat his chest. “Now get lost, I need to finish dinner.”
Frank turned away, a smile on his face. As he always told Mary, an I’ll think about it wasn’t a no.
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bohemiansweede · 4 years
Text
The Caregiver
The Caregiver
Fanfic
Pairing Roger Taylor Reader
Warnings Smut 🔞
Agegap
A/N Please like and reblog or if you want leave a comment
Thank You
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- Oh Thank you so much Y/N, Mrs Lewis is my last one for the day but I really have to...
- It's ok Linda, I cover up for you, honestly.. It is ok.
I was so nice to everyone that I often forgot about myself, tonight it was my turn to cook on the chelter and before that my laundry really had to get organised... And the dishes, omg... Well it seamed that I had to do that one another night..
- You are such a rock Y/N.. How can I ever thank you? Mrs Lewis is a sweet old lady, you just have to be there on time and shop after her list, otherwise no problem.. Oh.. Right.. Almost forgot.. The bus.. Make sure you time it in.. It runs just once in an hour
- Ok, got it.. Have a nice dinner now.. Don't think about me, I smiled little sarcastic and headed out towards the bus stop
Jeez.. Well... I had nothing against helping people, the opposite frankly, I loved it, but it was a loooong time since I gaved myself some me time... And by that I should probably mention that it was about time that I had a good lay too..
With a cringy noise and a sigh, the bus stopped right by my feet
I asked the driver just in case where the closest stop was to the grocery store
The list was not that long but she was very specific what she wanted, down to the exact pound of cheese the special sausage at the butcher, her favourite olive oil, etc etc
I went in at butchers first and took it of the list, next was the post-office, I sighed.. There were tons of people inside and I just needed a few stamps for the letters. Just the thought of the fucking bus me freaked out.. Perhaps I should take the groceries first..
I went out again, it was a good choise to take my coat because it was cold today, but I still wore the shorter skirt from the lunch with Linda and that I regretted now
I grabbed a basket in the store and started to fill it.. The note was slightly wrinkled and it was little hard to see.. Usually I didn't have any problems with my eyes but..
- Ohh.. I.. ohh.. sorry..
I fell forward on my knees and almost grabbed a strangers legs
- Are you alright miss?
He reached out his hand
I looked up and saw straight up in a pair of gentle blue eyes
- Typical me... Ms Clumpsy..
I picked up the list from the floor which now also was dirty and wet
- Shopping for Mrs Lewis?
Guess she was well known
I brushed my knees of and took the basket which he had picked up from the floor
- Thank you, ehh.. yes.. Yes I am
- You better not be late then
He smiled and winked at me
I just stood and stared after him like my feets were glued to the floor, he was the most attractive man that I ever seen, maybe in his late 40's, the hair had just begun to turn grey and he had wrinkles around his eyes when he... Fuck.. The bus...
I sped up and went from isle to isle and grabbed my things.. There.. Just the olive oil then..
Of course on the top shelf
- Hello again.. Let me get that one for you dear
- Ohh.. H.. Hi..
My heart skipped a beat
He was soooo handsome and.. Yes... Hot.. Could I say a man in my dad's age was hot?
- We have to stop meeting like this.. I'm Roger
I took his warm strong hand in mine, wonder if he was married.. kids
- Y/N
When the olive oil was in the basket I went to the cashier, I had pretty good time.. Until I froze...
- Shit...
I grabbed the stuff and ran out, the post office was still occupied with people and the bus would leave in 10...
- Fuck...
The little kind old lady would turn into a witch.. A monster or maybe worse...
A car pulled in next to me, and when the window went down I saw him...
- Looks like you need a ride love.., did you miss the bus?
How happy I was to see this man right yet again
He asked if I was new at this job, and I explained that it was not even my job, he said he was sure of that Mrs Lewis was going to be satisfied with me anyway and I didn't have to worry
- I wait in the car while you go in to her
- But.. The bus stop is...
- No, I don't want to hear it... I am right here ok?
I don't think Linda or anyone had delivered groceries that fast before, I even managed to borrow her phone to cancel the chelter dinner... I had totally different things in mind
- Y/N.. I.. I was wondering if you wanted a cup of coffee?
- Coffee?
I didn't want to laugh but he sounded so cute and little nervous
- Yeah.. I.. Well.. There is not much coffeeshops around here and and.. Ehh.. Well.. Damn... Thing is.. I can literally be your dad.. but..
I silenced him with my finger on his lips, he swallowed hard and let out a shaky breath
Then I could not hold it anymore, he was like gasoline on my body that had cached fire, I crashed my lips onto his and at once he opened his mouth and met my tongue, I moaned in his mouth and his fingers tangeled in my hair
- Ro.. Roger.. Let's go... home
- Mmmmm... I would love to.. But... You have let go of my shift gear hunnie...
We both laughed, the situation was kinda weird brutal.. comic.. sexy
His lips was still burning on mine, I couldn't stop looking at him now and then during the drive
He did a slight left turn up on a gravel road and I saw a huge mansion
- You live.. He.. here?
- Yea.. I do.. Every other week I am alone..
There was my answer, divorced.. kids
He stopped the car right outside the door and gaved my knee a gentle squeeze
- You don't change your mind dear?
- No... Not a chance...
He grabbed his bags and went straight the kitchen
I was totally amazed by the fireplace and how beautiful everything was.. Really tastefully decorated..
I suddenly felt his strong arms around me..
He kissed my hair and my neck and his warm breath made my skin prickle with tiny dots
- You are so beautiful hunnie.. so young.. Almost untouched..
- I am n..
- Ssscchhh... I want to discover you... It is MY first time with you..
He took my hand and I followed him upstairs into the bedroom
We stod across eachother and my heart was beating so hard that he must have heard it
He cupped my face with his big hands and kissed me, the kiss was more passionate yet hungry
I tried to unbutton his shirt but I just fumbled, he noticed what I was doing so he took over
- Let me take care of you now darling... It is your turn to relax
He did not know how right he had
As he enjoyed every moment, he took his time undressing me and exploring my body, he was so different, he was a gentleman he was older.. he knew what he was doing..
Every inch of me was covered by tiny tiny kisses and nibbles
- Roger.. I whimpered.. please..
- I know I know.. Soon...
I could not hold it anymore and he knew it, he kissed the sensitive skin above my breasts while he cupped them, I felt how hard he was towards my leg and he groaned a little when he finally circled my nipple with his tongue
- Ahhhh God ... Ohhh ..
It felt like electricity in my whole body, I grabbed his head and even if it felt so good what he was doing I needed more, I pushed his head down.. further down.. to my dripping core
He looked up at me and gaved me a mischievous smirk
That totally changed everything
He grabbed a pillow from next to me and tucked it under my butt, then he grabbed my thighs and pushed my legs wide apart
He took his palms under my ass so I opened up more for him, this man was an oral expert.. Shit... He sloppy kissed my pussy and dragged his flattened tounge up and down along my folds, I arched my back and tried to grab the sheets but he pinned me down
He then circled my clit so fast that my eyes rolled back in my head he sucked it in his mouth almost nibbled on it
- Ahhh shit Rog Fuck... Ahhhh damnit..
He continued to lick with a rapid pace and it was not long until my walls started to collapse
- Shit Omg I... Iam... Ahhhh Gooood... Ahhhh
I squirted on his tounge and he was quick to drink the full amount of me
- Mmm... You taste delicious mmm...
- Omg.. It was... Do you want me to...
- No... I said I wanted to take care of you...
He smirked and kissed his all the way up to my lips again..
- Now.. I didn't exactly plan this.. Are you...
He frowned a bit
- Yes, I am safe, I am on the pill..
- Glad you said that... Cause cannot fuckin wait any longer
I felt how his erected cock trailed near my entrance, after the tip was inside me it just took a few seconds for me to adjust to his size
- Omg hunnie, you feel so fuckin amazing.. Shit..
His head fell back and his pace increased, his hips snapped and I bucked my body up to meet his
- Ohhh Roger... Fuck.. Ahhh... Harder... Harder... Ohhh...
He took a grip on the bed frame and the other one he teared apart the sheets, sweat was dripping from his forehead down on my neck
I felt that he was close and I was not far behind myself
With almost pornographic sounds we came undone together, he emptied himself deep inside of me and my final contractions maked sure there was nothing left
- Ohh God.. You were amazing.. Truly amazing...
- Roger... Wow.. I... I have no words...
- Not so bad for an ol...
I smacked his upper arm
- Don't say it...
We laid tangled together for a bit, I could sense that he was thinking of something
- Are you sure you don't know who I am love?
I froze a little, what have I missed
- Should I... I mean... I am not from here...
He chuckled a little..
- Well... I don’t know if I should be honoured or nervous.. It was long time ago since nobody didn't know who I was
I was even more confused
Well... He was in late 40s.. Maybe he had put on some weight?... Hair.. Was it the hair? The glasses?
- I am hungry love, do you want something to eat?
- Sure.. OK...
He kissed me softly and he gaved me a bathrobe that I could borrow
I took a glimpse in the mirror.. I looked totally fucked, and I was.. but I happy too.. There could absolutely be something with this guy whoever he was.. Politics? No..
And kids? Fine.. As long as it is ok with the ex...
I bounced downstairs and heard him hum on something for himself in the kitchen
On the way there I passed a big wall... A wall full of gold disc's platinum records...
WOW... Really...
I palmed my forehead and did an eyeroll.. I had totally missed out that it was him
In the corner of my eye I saw that he was watching me and he walked in my direction
- I... I'm sorry... I didn't tell you
- And I'm sorry I didn't recognise you...
- Sssscchhh... You know what.. Mrs Lewis doesn't know either..
He kissed me softly
- So.. are you staying?
- I am not leaving.. Well.. Maybe just for posting a letter
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Enjoy more reading in my
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thought-42 · 4 years
Text
Clone Wars Fic Day Three
Today in the pointless modern au: Obi-Wan goes skating! And then he goes to a hospital! A fun Friday night for everyone. (also listen sometimes Easter falls in March) Part One 
Part Two
Obi-Wan goes to the Starbucks team building mandatory fun skating night with full intentions of being present just long enough to cement his willing and enthusiastic participation. He can think of minimally six better things to be doing with his time on a Friday night, and he's only going because their manager had overheard Quinlan mocking the whole production and Obi-Wan had been caught in the fallout.
"Don't worry," Quin says, yanking the laces on his rented skates tight with a grunt, "I'll catch you if you fall."
"I'm perfectly capable of skating, thank you," Obi-Wan says primly. He's brought a pair of skates that he'd found in Qui-Gon's storage room, and wishing fervently that he had just spent the money to rent. The skates are stiff and rusted and slightly too small.
"Hey, I have actually been skating in the past six years and I'm not confident in my ability to stay on my feet," Quin says. "I'm just saying, there's no shame in falling."
Obi-Wan stares at him. Quin sighs. "Ok, there's a little shame. This is what I get for trying to be a supportive friend."
Obi-Wan gets out on the ice with only a slight wobble, and he and Quin take to one of the trails leading away from the main rink to attempt to distance themselves from the rest of their coworkers, all of whom have clearly pregamed with no thought to the consequences.
There are fairy lights strung up in the trees, and aggressively upbeat pop music being piped in from somewhere. Obi-Wan focuses on keeping himself poised and steady, only swerving to avoid the occasional small child. He hasn't skated since he was a teenager, and it doesn't so much come back to him as he watches the people around him, emulates what they do, and doesn't fall down.
"Probably," Quin puffs out from ahead of him, "this is supposed to be romantic or charming or peaceful."
Obi-Wan, who can already feel his feet aching and is currently passing through a swarm of yelling children and their equally loud parents, says "You simply have no appreciation for the subtler, more sophisticated pleasures in life."
They make it down the trail, back up, across the rink, through smalltalk with the other staff, and to the edge of the rink before Obi-Wan's luck and/or skill fail him. An elderly man steps out onto the ice and teeters alarmingly, one arm flailing out to keep his balance. Obi-Wan's hands go forward to help and his head jerks back to avoid the waving limbs and suddenly he's staring up at the night sky and gasping for breath and his ankle is twisted up under his body in a way that shouldn't be physically possible. He uses the snowbank along the edge of the rink to haul himself first to kneeling, then, cautiously, to standing. Nothing feels particularly stabbed, so he thinks it's safe to say that he managed not to land directly on his blade. His ankle, on the other hand, stabs a bolt of pain up through his whole leg so sharp that he feels his stomach lurch. He stumbles onto the snow, and then over to a bench, swearing mentally because there are really just an unnecessary number of children about.
"Shit," Quin says, clearly less concerned with strangers' disapproval. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Obi-Wan says. "But I think that's quite enough skating for one night."
"Yeah," Quin says. "I'll get our boots. I needed to head out anyway."
"Thank you," Obi-Wan says, uncharacteristically willing to accept the unnecessary kindness. He undoes his skates and pokes gingerly at his ankle. The pain when he touches it is white hot and sharp, but nothing looks blatantly out of place, which is better than he was expecting.
Quin drops his boots and guards in front of him, already wearing his own, skates obviously returned. "Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan says, waving him off.
Quin looks unconvinced, but at Obi-Wan's reassuring smile he relaxes. "Ok. Well, I'm off to get fucked up with some old ladies for Easter Bingo, wish me luck."
Obi-Wan stares. "I'm really not sure *what* to wish you for this occasion."
Quin winces. "Yeah, I honestly have no idea what I'm walking in to, but I've been assured there'll be sherry and at least one other person under seventy. And how could I possibly refuse an offer like that?"
Obi-Wan chuckles. "Please do feel free to send updates as your evening progresses."
He waits until Quin is gone to stand up, just in case, and is glad he did when he has to catch himself on the back of the bench, shifting all his weight onto his uninjured ankle quickly.
"Well," he says under his breath. "This is inconvenient." He forces himself away from the rink, glad as he gets further away from the lights and crowd as he staggers along, swearing no longer kept inside his head. The footpath to the parking lot is slippery, and he almost falls again. Once he's gotten across the parking lot it's only a block to the bus stop. Practically nothing. Walking it off is probably the best thing he can do, anyway.
He's almost through the parking lot when he slips and has to catch himself on the back of someone's truck. Headlights flare in the dark behind him, and he hears a group of people coming up from the path, jovial and loud. He braces himself for his next step, sucking in air between his teeth.
"Obi-Wan?"
He freezes. It's not anyone he works with, but the voice is still definitely familiar.
"Obi-Wan! I wasn't sure if it was you, sorry. Were you skating?"
It's Rex's brother Cody standing behind him, all bundled up in a sensible parka and gloves, bright green hat tucked down over his ears and skates slung over his shoulder. He looks unforgivably happy.
"Yes, hello, I was," Obi-Wan says. His own skates are jammed awkwardly into his backpack along with his tablet and travel mug and three books and a bag of clementines he keeps forgetting to take out, and the weight is doing his balance no favours. He attempts to straighten up and has to bite down hard on his lip to stifle a gasp of pain. Even the brief moment of stillness has somehow made moving newly painful.
"Are you alright?" Cody asks, sharply.
"Fine, yes, just had a bit of a fall on the ice," Obi-Wan says, projecting gentle self-effacing amusement as hard as he can. "A bit of a sore ankle I've been walking off."
Cody frowns. "That seems like the exact opposite of what you should be doing with a hurt ankle. Can I help you to your car, at least?"
Obi-Wan waves him off, and forces himself to stand up straight. "I'm just going to the bus stop down the way," he says. "It's very close, I'm quite alright."
"I can drive you to whatever clinic you're going to," Cody says.
"That's very kind, but I'm quite alright. A good night's sleep and I'm sure it won't even hurt." He means to illustrate this by walking calmly away, but instead he stumbles over a chunk of ice that's fallen off the nearby truck and in catching his balance puts all his weight down hard on the offending ankle. The edges of his vision go hazy for a moment, and suddenly Cody is there, arm going around him to support his weight and steady him.
"Yeah, you definitely seem fine," he says. "If you don't want me to drive you, is there someone I can call? Qui-Gon?"
"Good God, absolutely not," Obi-Wan says, aghast. "I really am fine, just a bit of a stumble--"
"Oy! Codes, what're you doing over there? It's bloody cold out here!" a young voice shouts from across the parking lot.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you're suffering," Cody calls back. "Listen, Boba, can you get a ride with dad? I've just met up with a friend and I'm going to give him a lift."
"That's fine," another voice joins in. "I'd be happy to drive forty-five minutes out of my way, thanks for volunteering me, son, you were always my favourite. Don't mind me, just a tired old man..."
"Cheers," Cody says, sunnily, and begins hustling obi-wan down the row of cars to a tiny Prius.
"Truly, there's no need for a clinic," Obi-Wan says, half falling into the car.
"mmhm," says Cody, texting intently with one finger. It's possibly more painful than the ankle having to watch his slow progress.
The phone vibrates a few seconds later, and Cody nods. "Kix says you should get a doctor to take a look."
"Fucking pardon me?"
Cody shrugs, tosses his phone in the cup holder, and starts the car.
*
They get stuck waiting a good two hours before anyone will see Obi-Wan, but he takes a few Tylenol and pulls out his tablet when it becomes clear Cody doesn't plan on forcing smalltalk.
About an hour in to their wait, his phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out, hoping for ridiculous photos from Quin, but it's Anakin's name that graces his lock screen.
'did you seriously break your ankle'
"Really?!" Obi-Wan hisses, then types back
'It's not broken, Anakin. Sprained, at the most. How did you find out?'
'Rex told me', Anakin says, and then, 'don't worry I texted qui-gon'.
'You absolutely did not.', obi-Wan responds, a pit opening up in his stomach. Before Anakin responds, a different thread pops up on his screen. It's Tahl, this time.
'Obi-Wan! Which clinic are you at? Have you been seen yet?'
Furious, Obi-Wan types back. 'I AM FINE, DO NOT BLOODY COME TO THE Clinic I ASSURE YOU I AM AN ADULT.' He sends it in capslock because he knows she's at a library fundraiser dinner and will be using her braille display to text under the table instead of the screenreader on her phone, so the full effect of his rage will be appropriately communicated.
beside him, Cody says "You're not secretly on the run from your family, right?"
"Excuse me?"
"Rex may have... gotten ahead of himself in sharing information."
"I'm already aware," Obi-Wan sighs. "If Qui-Gon's wife skips out on work to come sit in a chair beside me in a waiting room I'll never hear the end of it, but no, I have no serious problem with them knowing. And calling them my family may be a bit of a stretch."
"I'm just going to let that one pass," Cody says, briskly. Obi-Wan's name gets called, finally, and Cody stands to offer support before Obi-Wan can stop him. Deciding his dignity will take a harder hit if he has to stumble his way across the room, he accepts Cody's assistance. The nurse doesn't seem interested in offering her own help, nor does she seem concerned that Cody is accompanying Obi-Wan into the exam room.
Obi-Wan scrambles, undignified, onto the bed, paper crinkling under him. Cody glances around uncertainly, shifts towards the door, then shakes his head, straightens his back, and sits down in one of the two extra chairs in the corner. Obi-Wan thinks perhaps it would be rude to ask him to leave, and there's no particular reason to do so. Perhaps it will even be helpful if Cody hears from a medical professional that he hasn't fucking broken his ankle.
*
"It's a hairline fracture," the doctor says. Cody arches an eyebrow. Obi-Wan glares. "Keep weight off of it for a few days, then slowly start increasing use. Nothing intense for the next two months, and if you even suspect the pain is getting worse or something doesn't feel right, come back right away. This isn't serious, but it could be if you don't take care of it right."
Cody's eyebrow, unencumbered by the laws of physics, gets higher. Obi-Wan is going to break his face and nobody will believe him when he explains that it was justified.
Humiliatingly, the doctor gives the proscription and care instructions to Cody.
Back in Cody's car, Cody says "We can drop this off at the pharmacy and pick up a few ice packs while we're there."
"Oh, no, no, you don't need to worry about-- what makes you think I don't have icepacks? Or at least ice. Frozen vegetables. I am an adult, contrary to what everyone this evening seems to think."
Cody pulls out of the parking stall and clicks the dial to connect his phone to the car's bluetooth. "Well, do you?"
Obi-Wan glares. "There's plenty of snow and ice built up on my balcony, and I have a plastic bag full of plastic bags like any respectable human."
"what's your address?" Cody says.
Obi-Wan says, "I'm fine, honestly--"
Cody coasts to a stop at a red light and types out a text so quickly Obi-Wan wonders for a moment if he'd imagined it. "Never mind, I'm asking Anakin," Cody says. Obi-Wan slumps in his seat.
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