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noladyme · 4 years

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Chess. Chapter 1

Y/N never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it. She only took what she needed, or what she felt others needed. She’d stayed out of sight for a long time, avoiding anything that could get her in to too much trouble. But for some reason Rick Flag shows up in her life, and in an instant, everything changes.

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Thuesdays were never good for earning at Sammy’s. The small burlesque club, with the unfortunate grammatically incorrect name, smelled like it always did. Of old tobacco, cheap alcohol, and even cheaper perfume. The regulars were seated in their usual seats, eyeing me, as I – with as much enthusiasm as I could muster – smiled at them. Not the smile. Disappearing from the stage in the middle of a dance wouldn’t exactly earn me extra tips.

I blew a kiss at the patrons, and leant over the chair, resting my hips on the back of it, before I put my hands on the seat, lifting my legs into the air, into a perfect mermaid position. Shimmying my shoulders, I then lowered my chest onto the seat, folding my hands under my chin. I winked at the patron straight in front of me – a skinny middle aged man, with a tan suit, two sizes too big for him – I then sighed, and sent a longing look at his pack of cigarettes. God, I wanted a smoke. Mr. Tan Suit saw the look, and giddily put a cigarette between my lips, lighting it for me with a shaking hand. I pretended not to mind that he almost burnt of my eyebrows, and lifted my torso in to the air again.

Cigarette in mouth, I spread my legs into a frog position, and slid my butt under myself, down the front of the backrest, finally landing with a bump on the seat.

Scanning the room for potential income, I locked eyes with a stranger, seated with his back against the wall. He looked different than the regulars. For one thing, he looked like he’d actually showered that morning; but what really caught my eye, was the way he seemed completely at ease in the dark rundown club, relaxing in his chair, arms folded across his chest. Nice looking arms, I thought to myself. I wonder what else on him is nice.

The usual patrons, even the regulars, would always have some sort of nervous twitch, bouncing their legs, pulling at their shirts, looking like they felt they were doing something naughty; sitting here, looking at men, women and everything in between, dancing and grinding across the stage.

This guy was a regular Ken doll – scratch that, G.I. Joe – sitting perfectly still, watching my every move. Not a smile or a lifted brow, to reveal any kind of arousal or nerves. I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or aroused by his look. I decided to go with annoyed.

I stood up, and finishing with a twirl around the folding chair, I picked up the tip-bucket, and sauntered of the stage with it in hand. I walked past Mr. Tan Suit, smiling at him. He seemed sweet, probably spent his last change on the entry fee, but even if he hadn’t, I would leave his purse alone. As a thank you for the smoke.

With a last look at G.I. Joe, I smirked and bit my lower lip. He looked me straight in the eyes. Nothing. Not a smile. Just big, light brown eyes, over chiseled cheekbones; staring at me, as if goading me to make a move.

Fuck him, I thought, and went to get a drink.

Sammy was behind the bar as usual, as I sat down on one of the stools. Free, though watered down, drinks were part of the deal, when you performed here.

“Tip alright today, cher’?”, he drawled at me, not meeting my eyes. I riffled through the bucket.

“15 bucks, and what looks like a stick of gum”, I retorted, reaching for the glass of scotch he handed me.

“Jackpot”, Sammy joked, scratching his armpit. “Look, honey”, he started, before I interrupted him.

“Yeah, I know. Times are hard. You just had to pay one of your suppliers. Your dog ate your homework… I know your spiel”. I winked at him. “Pay me next week, yeah?”, I said, and put the 15 dollars in my bra.

Sammy reached over and pinched my cheek. “You’re my favorite girl, Y/N”.

Yeah, me and every other of the dancers who’d let him of easy. Sammy was a good guy, but running a burlesque club in The Narrows in Gotham wasn’t the most lucrative decision he’d made since leaving New Orleans. Had he opened a stripclub, he might have made some money, but Sammy had a strict “no nipple”-policy in his club.

“I’ll manage, Sammy. I have my ways”, I smirked at him.

“I know you do, cher’”, he answered. “Just be careful”.

“Always am”, I said, already of the stool, walking towards the backstage door.

Walking past a table of men, who looked like they’d had one too many, a hand grabbed my wrist; pulling me into the lap of a sweaty man in his 40’s. His hand groped at my thigh, as I tried to get up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw G.I. move. He was leaning forward, eyes even more intense.

“Not so fast, sweetheart”, the sweaty man said. “Gotta get my moneys worth”, he whispered in my ear, as his hand travelled further north, trying to reach the inside of my legs. I pressed my thighs together hard, and slid my fingers across the table, towards his money clip. It was his own fault really, leaving money around like that. I looked at the man, and gave him my smile, as my fingertips reached the bills on the table, making them vanish from sight.

Looking at G.I., I saw his eyes had moved from mine, towards my fingers, and the now invisible money clip.

Shit, I thought, chills running up my spine. Not good. G.I.s eyes locked with mine again, his lips parting for the first time, into something other than a smile. More like a sneer.

“Hey!”, I heard Sammys southern drawl from behind me. His fist was firmly clenched around the mans shirt collar. “No touching the performers!”. The man instantly let go of my thigh, and I got up, sliding the money clip into the front of my shorts.

I kissed Sammys cheek. “Thanks”, I smiled, trying to hide the sadness from my voice. I wouldn’t see him again. I knew that.

Walking calmly towards the backstage door, I was very aware of G.I. following my every move. I had – maybe – 30 seconds. Closing the door behind me, I locked it, and put a chair under the doorknob. That might buy me a few seconds more. My backpack was still on the table, always packed, always ready. There was no way I was going anywhere inconspicuously, dressed in a red glittery bra, and bootyshorts. I quickly put on my ripped jeans and thin black, off the shoulder, sweater. Sammys trucker cap – a memento from his days as a truckdriver in Louisiana – hung on a nail by the door. I mentally apologized to him, put it on my head, and grabbed my leather jacket. With a final look across the small dressing room, I blinked away a tear, and stepped onto the wobbly dressing table, opening the small window above it.

There was a knock on the door.

“Miss Y/L/N”, a voice rattled me. He knew my real last name. Not the one I had given Sammy and everyone else this last year.

I hoisted myself, sliding my torso out the window.

“Chess!”. The doorknob wiggled, not opening the locked door. My foot slid on the mirror, making me scratch my belly on a rusty nail by the window.

“Shit”, I gasped, hearing my sweater rip, as I proceeded to climb out the small window. You’d think I’d be able to get through this fucking thing, having lived on cup noodles and stale coffee for months.

There was a loud thud at the door. He was trying to break through it. In the background I heard Sammy yelling at G.I..

“Move back, Mr.”, G.I.s authoritative voice roared. Shit. Shit. Shit. Another loud thud, followed by what sounded like gunshots. Please don’t hurt Sammy, was all I could think, as I finally got my legs through the window, grabbing at the edge of it, hanging, legs dangling, over a 10 feet drop down to the ground. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to land on my feet this time.

I heard a final crash – the door finally giving in – and let go.

The fall seemed to last forever, though I knew it was but a second. Spreading my legs, preparing for a pain, I landed on my feet, before instantly tumbling forward, scratching my knee on the concrete pavement.

I stood up, carefully trying to stand on my hurt leg. I could walk, even run; I was sure.

Looking up, I saw G.I.s head sticking through the window. “Back alley”, he yelled into a radio. He looked pissed. Good.

I couldn’t help but laugh as I started to run, but I only got to the corner of the alley, when I heard tires screeching, and angry voices yelling. A military looking van had stopped right in front of me.

“Freeze, lady!”, a soldier boomed at me, pointing something that looked like a gun from some video game. I stopped in my tracks, raised my hands above my head, putting them on the top of Sammys cap. G.I. appeared from somewhere, looking strangely impressed with me. It made me hate him even more.

“Chess”, he said.

“You’ve got the wrong person”, I answered, trying to look innocent.

“That stunt you pulled in there, with that guys money, tells me I’ve got exactly the right person”.

A second soldier, came up behind me, pocking me between the shoulders with his gun.

I sighed, and looked G.I. in the eyes, defeated. “Would you mind asking Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum here to lower their guns?”.

G.I. laughed. Asshole. “Those guns are the only thing holding you in place right now, so that’s not happening, kitten”.

What the fuck was that? Kitten? If I’d worn my claws, I’d show him kitten. No. I was done.

I slowly lowered my hands from my head.

“Keep your goddamn hands up, lady!”, the second soldier boomed from behind me.

A second vehicle pulled up, a window to the back seat, slightly open, showing me the face of the passenger. I’d seen that face before. Dark brown eyes, and dark hair above it; and an expression that read nothing but contempt. This was not good at all. There was no way I was going anywhere with these people.

I stretched out my arms to each side looking from soldier to soldier, to the woman in the van; finally meeting the eyes of G.I.

“You know there is no way out of this”, he said quietly, slowly stepping towards me, his hands in front of him, showing me his gun was in its holster. The soldier behind me, had moved next to his “twin”, still aiming at me. The woman in the van leaned back in her seat, looking almost challenging at me.

I could hear my heart beating, and I was sure G.I. could too. He raised his eyebrows. “Just, make it easy for yourself ok? I don’t want to hurt you”. Continuously stepping towards me, slowly, as you would towards a cornered animal, he lowered one hand towards his belt, to his gun. “I don’t want to use this”.

I looked behind me. There was a wire fence blocking my way in that direction. No way over it, as long as I wasn’t wearing my claws. I wasn’t that nimble, the scratch on my belly reminded me. When I looked down at myself, I saw that my sweater had a rip, and I was bleeding through it. The cut wasn’t deep, but it might need stitches. Looking up at my antagonist one final time, I made the decision. He knew; they all already knew, so I might as well.

He stepped forward one last time. He was close enough to touch, and I could smell his aftershave, something subtle, but expensive, I thought; and I felt the heat from his body. Then, making myself focus on the task at hand, I closed my eyes, exhaled, and felt the purr move through my body, vibrating.

I opened my eyes again, and looked deep into his. “Another time and place, we might have had some fun, G.I. Joe.”, I half whispered to him. He blinked, and his lips moved. There it is, I thought.

“Flag!”, the woman in the van yelled. “Now!”.

I smiled, and – purring – I felt the light bend around my body, making it disappear before them, as in a mist. G.I. blinked again, grabbed his gun, and raised it; aiming pointlessly around, looking for me. I giggled, and got ready to run.

#rick flag #rick flag x reader #rick flag fic #rick flag imagine #suicide squad fic #suicide squad imagine

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iztarshi · 4 years

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if the muses consider all claims to the throne equal in the face of actually being on the throne that makes their conversation and lack of support to Tweedle a bit weird, no? Anyway, I will def scream (and not in a good way) if it turned out to be something related to The Heterodyne Girl. Also I must register my feeling of meh towards Gil being the Rightful Storm King, but also can't say it would be a surprise after that lightning stick stunt back in Mechanicsburg.

I don't really care whether Gil is the rightful Storm King but I am very interested in learning how the Muses are judging this.

And Gil + Muses is very cute because he just thinks of them as people, like any other construct.

#girl genius

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rachel1987 · 4 years

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GWCFT Part 3

Get ready to run some errands! Hatter and Hare get their steps in on this update as they run around Wonderland getting ready for June to arrive. Hare continues to have a nervous breakdown and Hatter can’t help but be an adorable pain in the ass.

xposted on ao3 and FF.net

Part 3:

A few hours later, Hatter pushed the bedroom door open with his elbow, a tray in his hands. Hare stirred, groaning as he flopped around in bed, tangled up in his sheets.

The tall man entered the room and crept to Hare's side of the bed, placing the tray on the bedside table as he took a seat. Reaching a gloved hand out, he touched Hare's shoulder and shook it softly. "Hare… Hare, it's time to get up." Hatter's palms itched as he sat there, forcing himself to remain calm. His instincts were making him want to body slam down on the bed and squeeze Hare till he woke up.

Feeling the touch on his shoulder, Hare opened his brown eyes slowly, looking around with blurry vision. "What time is it?" he muttered, voice dry from sleeping with his mouth open. He flipped over onto his back and sat up, reaching out for his glasses. His hand clanked against a teapot, two cups with saucers and a plate of reheated breakfast rolls.

"Might be a little past breakfast, but it isn't too late for lunch," Hatter said with a smile, reaching out and nabbing the glasses from the table, handing them to Hare.

"How long have I been asleep?" Hare yawned, pushing his glasses up onto his nose. His hair was frazzed out (more than usual) and he still looked tired, but he was at least coherent. It seemed the caffeine had worked through his system too.

"Only a couple hours, nothing to worry about," Hatter soothed him, filling one of the cups with hot tea and passing it to his friend after adding some sugar and lemon.

Hare gave him an uneasy glance and took the cup, sniffing it before taking a sip. "Camomile…" he smiled, taking a larger swig.

Hatter waited till the cup was mostly empty before speaking again. "I put everything away out there and did one final check of the house, it's all in order. You don't have to worry about cleaning anything else today."

Hare moved to protest, but Hatter gave him a 'you'd-better-not' look, so he sat still, finishing up the tea before helping himself to more.

"I also took the liberty of airing the place out and watering your garden," Hatter beamed, very proud of himself in taking charge. He had omitted the fact that he had found an old diary of Hare's and read it while laying the wrong way on his sofa.

"Thank you," Hare replied, stirring more sugar into his cup. "You've been a busy Hatter this morning."

"Anything for you, old buddy," Hatter shrugged, brushing some imaginary lint off his sleeve before also helping himself to some tea. "Now all we need to do is get you showered and packed and we'll go back to the Hat house for a day of relaxation."

Hare snorted and choked on his tea, trying not to spill any of it as he placed his cup back on the tray. "Go to the Hat house? But I've still got things to do here! I haven't cleaned out the fridge or the basement and-"

Hatter shook his head and put a finger to the Hare's lips to shush him, giving him a stern look. "Your mother won't look in the fridge and we'll lock the basement door so she won't go into it."

"But-" Hare started, Hatter's finger still against his front teeth as he tried to speak.

"Hare, your house is clean and, to be frank, I don't trust you on your own anymore after that stunt you pulled last night."

Hare crossed his arms in an imitation of Rabbit and leaned back against his headboard. "I hate it when you try to be Frank… I prefer when you act like John if you can't be the Hatter."

Hatter rolled his eyes and scooted closer to the Hare, offering him a breakfast roll as a peace offering. "Yes, well, I can't be John all the time."

Hare took the roll and nibbled at it, only realizing how hungry he was after he gobbled it down.

"Anyway," Hatter waved a hand. "We'll get you showered and pack you a bag and you'll stay at my place till your Mother shows up. That way I can keep an eye on you and we can finish all the party planning. And you can figure out what you'd like to do for the magic act."

"Oh, right… that," Hare said, losing his appetite again as he placed his third roll back on the plate, half eaten. In the hustle and bustle of last night, he had forgotten that he'd agreed to the talent show and a magic act for his mother.

"I've already asked everyone and they've all agreed to perform," Hatter announced. "Well, I've spoken to everybody but Alice, but I don't think she should be a problem. She always likes to have fun with us no matter what we're doing."

"Too late to back out now, huh?" Hare said aloud, more to himself than anybody else.

"Now don't be a killjoy," Hatter said, patting Hare on the knee before getting to his feet. "I'll start getting these dishes done, why don't you go take a shower? You smell like dish soap and Pine-sol."

Hatter left Hare to himself, who pouted a little and sat alone in his room for a few minutes, listening to him the kitchen. He sat there till he heard a crash and then a soft "damn" from a husky voice, making him shake his head.

"Oh gawwwwd…" Hare rubbed his eyes and caught a whiff of himself, deciding that he did need a shower after all.

"Don't forget your magic trunk too!" Hatter said, laying across the bed with his feet up in the air, a Rubik's cube in his hands as Hare packed his duffel bag.

"Already got it," Hare said absently, folding up another yellow shirt and placing it neatly in his bag. He only needed a couple days worth of clothes, but he was packing more than he needed because he never knew when he'd need to change at the Hat house. They usually got up to some mischief that ended in someone getting filthy and the idea of having to do laundry wasn't overly appealing. "Maybe I should just do my juggling act… or play my tuba. I don't know if magic is such a good idea."

"Naw, your Mom has seen you do those things," Hatter said, tossing the Rubik's cube onto the floor in frustration. He'd managed to get three sides done, but the last three were proving to be more difficult. "Or fit those into your magic act."

The Hatter seemed stuck on seeing some magic performed by the Amazing Hair-raising Hare, so he supposed that's what he'd have to do. Scrunching up his face, he opened his magic trunk and threw his bowling pins, juggling balls and tuba inside.

"Where'd those doves go?" Hatter asked, leaning over and peeking into the trunk. He reached an arm in and swatted around blindly, fingers brushing against objects in the darkness. Hare shook his head and was about to say how there weren't any birds inside when four more flew out. "Aw, nuts… sorry."

"It's okay, I'll get more…" Hare muttered in astonishment, taking another look deep into the trunk.

"Well…" Hatter said loudly, pushing himself up off the bed and onto his feet, planting the landing like a gold medal gymnast. "Anything else or are we ready to go?"

"Uh, I don't think so. I'm ready."

"Righty roo," Hatter said, linking his arm with the Hare and leading him through the house and out the front door.

The rest of the day was one of forced relaxation. Hatter took Hare back to the Hat house and insisted that they do nothing the entire rest of the day. They'd bring in dinner and watch television or read comics and just laze around. They had spent the past few days doing nothing but cleaning, they deserved a little time to not do anything. There were a few times when Hatter caught Hare straightening up and whatever he was doing was taken out of his mits and he was forced to return to the sofa and watch another television show. By the 4th episode of Dodo's Do The Strangest Things, he thought he'd go crazy.

Of course, they did have their usual tea party at 4 o'clock, that was non negotiable. Alice and the Tweedles decided to join them and after the tea party they threw a softball around the tea table and spoke about nothing in particular, which was nice.

June's visit was specifically not mentioned, for fear that it would aggravate Hare. Therefore, Hatter made a special effort to squash any mention of her, in the most exaggerated fashion, of course. Hare thought he was overreacting, but also secretly appreciated it. Truth was, he was really tired from the past few days of hard labor. He had overdone it and did need a break. So, while he pouted and huffed and puffed about everything, he was hiding how much he enjoyed being doted on.

They brought in Chinese food for dinner (with oolong tea and miso soup) and ate it with chopsticks. They fought over who would get which fortune cookie and made fun of what the paper slips said inside. More tea was brewed, they watched Some Like it Hot and argued over who would make a more attractive woman if they were in the starring roles of the film.

"No, I would," Hatter argued, pulling his pajama pants leg up and resting his bare limb onto the low coffee table. "Look at these gams! They go on for miles!"

"No no no no," Hare shook his head and wagged his finger a little. "You may have the legs, but I have much more vavoom in the rear end department."

"How true that is," Hatter said, wiggling his eyebrows provocatively after craning his neck back and taking a look, causing Hare to laugh out loud and throw popcorn at him.

When they finally made their way to bed late into the evening, Hare couldn't wipe the smile from his face. After all the work and trouble he had put Hatter through, this was the day he didn't know they'd needed. He had almost completely forgotten about his mother coming and the talent show that he still had to plan for. Everything felt like it had returned to normal.

He cuddled into the Hatter and smiled very contentedly as they fell asleep wrapped up in one another.

The next morning Hare decided it would be a good idea for him to go for a jog to clear his head and get his focus back. He was honestly thinking of signing up for the Wonderland 5K and he thought that maybe going for a bit of a run would do him some good. It would be good to dust off his running shoes and see if he still had it in him.

He raided the attic, making sure to leave the room just as clean as when he had found it. Honestly, he was surprised that the Hatter had avoided the room as well as he had been. The place was still pretty spick and span, even a few days after cleaning. After a little bit of digging, he found one of his yellow sweatsuits and a pair of running shoes in a trunk.

Hatter was in the kitchen rummaging around for a clean kettle to start brewing the morning tea when Hare appeared in his jogging suit.

"Oh…" Hatter gave him a once over with some interest. "Going for a run, huh?"

"Yeah, I thought it'd be a good idea. Help me clear my head." Hare said in the most nonchalant way he knew how, taking a seat at the kitchen table to lace up his sneakers.

"You want me to come with?" The lack of enthusiasm was noted in Hatter's voice, it sounded like he'd almost rather wash all the dishes he had in his house than go for a run.

"No, you don't have to," he replied, wiping a scuff off his sneaker before leaning back into his chair a little. "It'll just be quick, only a couple miles. I'll be back in fifteen minutes, tops."

"Okay…" Hatter drawled, filling up the kettle and setting it on the stove, clicking the burner on underneath it. "I'll have breakfast ready for you when you get back. Anything sound scrummy to you? I think I have some eggs in the ice box."

"Eggs would be nice," he agreed, getting to his feet and lifting onto his toes to give Hatter a smooch on the cheek. "Time me?"

"I'll, uh... count the seconds," Hatter said, altering his voice and trying to sound as gushy as possible.

Hare rolled his eyes and made his way through the OUT door. He paused at the stone gate, using it to prop his leg up as he stretched a bit, planning his route for the morning. He'd start around the Hat house, through the forest to the Palace, maybe see if Caterpillar was around…

After stretching, he bounced on his feet a little, trying to warm up some before taking off at a smooth pace.

He tried to keep his head as clear as possible as he ran, attempting to take in the scenery. It was too early for him to really run into anybody, but he could sense the signs of life within the various dwellings he passed. He could hear the music coming from the Tweedles house, knowing they were probably up and doing their morning dance routines. He could smell breakfast being cooked when he passed the palace, the scent of bacon and waffles making him want to stop and reach his hand in through the kitchen window to grab some.

"Wouldn't Rabbit be surprised?" he thought to himself with a laugh.

He made sure to weave his way through the Caterpillar's mushroom forest, hoping that he wasn't too early to catch him awake. He was lucky today. The large insect was already up, packing books into a fabric bag to be returned to the library. It seemed he was on his way out.

"Good morning, Caterpillar!" Hare huffed as he jogged up, slowing down a little upon approach.

"Ah, Mr Hare. Good morning. Out for a morning run, I see." The Caterpillar was only marginally interested, which was usual.

Hare nodded and bounced around in place to keep his heart rate up, having worked up a sweat from his trek through the forest. The Caterpillar glanced at him silently, just the look of this bounding bunny making his bulky form feel tired.

"Can I help you?" Caterpillar finally asked, after a long awkward pause.

"Oh, right," Hare stopped hopping around, taking a seat on a large mushroom. "I was wondering if I could talk to you about something if you aren't busy. I need your help."

"I'm always busy, I have many things that I do that get no attention whatsoever," the six armed insect said, waving all of his right hands at the wrist at once. "But let's see what I can do for you. What's on your mind?"

"Well, as you know my Mother is coming to visit and I'm worried about impressing her. She expects me to be perfect and I just don't think I can deliver. I'm afraid she won't like my lifestyle choices."

"Well, you do live an… alternative lifestyle," Caterpillar droned, emphasizing the word alternative. "But everything you've said in the past about your mother has always been quite positive. What makes you think she won't approve of what you do?"

"Well, she expects me to be perfect all the time," he replied with a shrug. "I don't want to disappoint her."

"Do you think that maybe your mother doesn't expect you to be perfect, but believes that you are in fact perfect as you are?"

Hare paused and laughed at this notion, shaking his head. "If only that were the case!" he explained from his spot upon the mushroom. "She's always pushing me to do more, not to back down… and I'm afraid that I'll mess up and she won't be proud of me."

"Hmm. I see…" the Caterpillar put a gloved finger to his lips, nodding. "This does seem to be a tricky situation for you."

"You wouldn't happen to have a story to tell me, would you?" Hare asked reaching out and peeking into the bag of books the second pair of hands were holding, only to be slapped away.

"No, I'm afraid I don't…" he replied. "But I do have some words of wisdom that may help you."

Hare sat up at attention, listening eagerly.

"A wise man once said, 'A mother's love endures through all'," the Caterpillar said, waiving a finger around in the air as he spoke to punctuate his point. "I think you should be yourself, let your mother see the real you and let her love you for it. Because, after all, you are the only person who can be you."

Hare's shoulders drooped in disappointment, though he tried to hide it. He had wanted a different answer. "So, you're saying that I'm worrying for nothing."

"Precisely," Caterpillar said with a smile.

Hare huffed a little and stood up, brushing himself off as he thought to himself. "Thanks for the help, Caterpillar. I'll have to think about it some more."

Caterpillar watched Hare jog off through the mushroom forest, disappearing behind a tall purple fungi before speaking aloud to himself. "I pray for that woman and what she might experience in that house."

"25:40!" said a voice as Hare stumbled into the Hat house, sweaty and a little out of breath.

"What?" Hare asked, his glasses a little foggy as he looked around the room, trying to find the source of the voice.

"You're time," Hatter said, checking his pocket watch again with a nod. "Yup… 25:40."

"Man, I'm out of shape…"

"I think you're the perfect shape," Hatter said aloud with a smile.

Hare chortled and waved a hand at the Hatter, stumbling his way to the kitchen table and taking a seat. Hatter might have seen a blush on his partner's cheeks, if he wasn't already flushed from running. "I stopped and spoke to the Caterpillar for a little," Hare explained, wiping his glasses on his sweater before replacing them.

"Did he tell you a story? Please share," he said with a smile, dishing up an egg and tomato omelet, bacon and hash browns onto a plate for the Hare and sliding it his way.

"No, not a story. Just some crummy advice."

"Well, that's no fun," Hatter pouted. "What's the fun of visiting the Caterpillar if you don't get a good story out of it?"

Hare shrugged and tucked into his meal, partaking in some toast and strawberry jam with it. He'd asked for some coffee, but was firmly denied any, and settled on Raspberry tea with sugar.

Later that day, the pair were outside at the tea table enjoying the nice spring weather. Hatter had his guitar on his knee and was tuning it, strumming the strings and adjusting the tuning keys as he worked. Hare had his magic trunk out and open, its contents spilling onto the table. He had his EZ Magic Tricks book open and was reading through it, trying to find just the right illusions to add to his act. His nerves were getting frayed again and he was starting to feel overwhelmed.

Hatter noticed this and rested his hand on the guitar, watching Hare flip through the same five pages of the magic book. "You know…" he started, making him jump a little at the sudden sound of his voice. "I can help you choose, if you want help."

Hare wanted to resist the help, but accepted it. Hatter laid the guitar down on the table and scooted over, pushing cups and plates to the floor to make room for himself. He laid on his side so he could look through the book from the same direction as the Hare.

They flipped through the pages, looking at all the Ez detailed images. "Rings would be a nice touch…" Hatter pointed out.

Hare nodded. "And I've practiced the cuff trick. I can try that one again."

"Your mother hasn't seen that one, I guess it'll be alright… you need a big finisher," Hatter said, rotating the book a little more toward him and scanning through the pages quickly. Hare sat back a little, watching Hatter zoom through the book before stopping. "Eureka!"

"My what?" Hare asked in surprise, gazing down at the book.

"This is the one, Hare! Your big finisher." Hatter pointed a finger into the book and tilted it toward him, giving him a good look.

"Oh, Hatter…" he grimaced. "I, uh… I mean…"

"Come on, Hare! It'll be amazing! Can you imagine the look on your mother's face when she sees you pull that trick off!?"

Hare took the book in his hands and looked down at the instructions, scratching his head a little as he read. The trick seemed complicated… and they'd need to build some things in order to do it.

"You sure this belongs in the Ez book?" he muttered to himself.

Gazing up, he saw the excitement in Hatter's eyes and couldn't find it in his heart to disappoint him.

"Okay…" Hare breathed. "What have I got to lose?"

"That's the ticket!" Hatter celebrated, kicking his feet out a little and sending dishware to the ground with a smash.

"The book says we'll need a plant…" Hare rubbed his chin in contemplation. "You think I should pick one from my garden? I have a beautiful bluebell plant that is just about to bloom that might work."

Hatter pursed his lips and leaned back over, looking down at the book again with a furrowed brow. "No, not a plant like a flower! A plant like a helper. Someone in the audience who can help you who knows how the trick works. See?" He pointed to an illustration in the book with a gloved finger.

"Oh, right, I knew that," Hare chuckled nervously, reading the specifications of the type of 'volunteer' he'd need. "I bet I could get Alice to do it."

"She'll probably be around for tonight's tea party. You can talk to her about it then!"

Hare felt a little better about it, he knew he could trust Alice to be able to perform. He'd just have to worry about all the things he needed to do to get the trick to work out right. Flipping to the appendix, he started pulling diagrams and plans out of a hidden compartment in the back of the book, laying them out on the table to read over them. The strumming of the guitar started up again as Hatter began to play.

"We need to pick up the dry cleaning," Hare said as they got off the Wonderland bus the next day. "I dropped some things off for us earlier this week and I'm sure they're ready by now."

"Oh, well that's nice…" Hatter smiled, holding onto Hare's hand as they walked. "Where else are we going on our little trip into the city?"

"Just the Market. Alice said she'd be by early today to help with practice so we don't really have time to mess around." Hare was looking down at his grocery list in his free hand, making mental notes as they walked.

Hatter pouted, glancing around at all the shops he'd have liked to wander through. He stopped to peer in the window of some thrift shop and looked into it longingly, holding Hare back a little. "But I love messing around…"

Hare laughed and shook his head, pulling Hatter along to the Market. They walked in through the automatic doors and grabbed a shopping cart, pausing a moment by the self-serve Olive bar as Hare flipped through his grocery list.

"Don't forget, we need to get the usual stuff too," Hatter said, leaning on the cart with his feet up on the bar of the bottom basket. He watched Hare start to walk away before calling out. "Hare! Pull me!"

Hare looked up at him, a little annoyed already, but rolled his eyes and returned. "Fine, but only if you pull me later…" he griped, grabbing the front of the shopping cart and tugging it along behind him.

They made their way down the various aisles, grabbing the things they needed and tossing them into the bin. Hatter got caught up in the jam isle, trying to decide if he wanted to get more lemon marmalade or orange rhubarb jam for the table.

"Hare, you should learn to make jams and jellies and things…" Hatter said aloud, taking the orange rhubarb and placing it in the cart. "I bet you'd be good at it."

"I used to make wild berry jam with my Mom from the berries we had in our garden when I was young," Hare shrugged from inside the shopping cart, checking off items from his list. He was laying in the big basket and had his legs scrunched up, his feet hanging over the side as Hatter pushed him. "I can teach you sometime."

Hatter agreed. "That sounds pretty fun! Let's schedule that for three weeks from Wednesday."

"Noted!" Hare said, jotting it down in his calendar.

They continued to shop, making their way to the produce section when a tall white bunny came into view. Hatter and Hare stopped, glanced at each other with wicked grins on their faces, and made their way to him. They snuck up behind him as he was sniffing some carrots, looking very hungry.

"Nice day, Rabbit," Hatter said loudly from Rabbit's right, causing him to jump a little, almost losing his balance on his skates. He had dropped all the veggies he had in his hands though, sending them scattering on the floor. His brow was furrowed as he looked to the source of his freight, his shoulders dropping a little.

"What are you two doing here?" Rabbit said, flustered. He looked like he had already had a very long day and the last thing he wanted to deal with were these two dingle-berries

"Why, shopping of course!" Hare chuckled from the basket of the cart, struggling to pull his body out of it. He flopped around a little, cans and groceries falling in on him and keeping him in place. He eventually gave up and reached his arms out to Hatter, giving a small whimper.

"The Queen busting your balls today, Rabbit?" Hatter asked as he lifted the Hare out of the cart, helping him to his feet.

"No more than usual-" Rabbit started, but stopped himself and shook his head a little. "Why are you two bothering me? Don't you have things to be doing right now? Hare, isn't your mother coming tomorrow?"

"Oh, Rabbit, can't we come say hello to you when we run into you in public?" Hare asked, a goofy smile on his face as he put one hand on his hip, the other on Rabbit's shoulder. Rabbit grimaced and lifted the yellow hand from his body, looking at it like he didn't want to know where it had been.

'It's almost like you're ashamed to know us…" Hatter remarked, shaking his head.

"I'm on a time crunch and I don't have time to mess around. The Queen is expecting a full spread for dinner tonight and she wants me to give her a mani pedi while she watches The Bachelor tonight. And that's on top of everything else I have going on." Rabbit had stooped down and picked up the produce he dropped on the ground, placing them in a hand basket as he spoke. He was picking up an onion and placing it in his basket when Hatter pounced on him.

"What a coincidence! We're on a time crunch too!" He had a bright smile on his face as he wrapped an arm around Rabbit's shoulder, pulling him in close and almost off the ground. "How about we shop together and help each other out? It'll save time and be much more efficient."

"I can help you pick out some produce!" Hare offered, reaching out to the apples with an eager hand. "I'm good at picking out the fresh ones."

Rabbit's face puckered and he shook his head, remembering the last time he'd taken them with him to the grocery store. "No… I believe I can manage. Thank you~."

"Well, don't say we never tried to do anything for ya," Hatter said indignantly, a fake pout on his face.

Rabbit dusted himself off and shook a little, maybe to vent some frustration. "Now, if you don't mind-" he started, only to be stopped by Hatter again.

"So, did you think about the talent show at all? What are you going to do for your act?"

Rabbit put a hand to his temples, just wanting to get along with his day and away from this duo's shenanigans. "I told you already, I am far too busy to participate in something as trivial as a talent show. Unlike the two of you, I must work for a living. And the Queen is a very demanding woman."

"Oh, come on Rabbit! Don't be a spoiled sport." Hatter said, scrunching up his lips in mock disappointment. "Everyone else will be doing an act. You'll be left out if you don't do something."

"Yeah, and my Mom will be there," Hare added. "Wouldn't you like to show off a little for her? Maybe you'll get lucky. She's single..." he jabbed Rabbit in the ribs jokingly, giving him a playful wink.

The Rabbit grimaced and glanced at the Hare with what would almost be described as a look of complete disgust. The last thing he would ever want to do, would be to 'get' with anyone that this thing came out of.

"Even the Caterpillar is participating," Hatter added, looking in the Rabbit's basket and removing the carrots and some other vegetables, putting them back on the shelf unnoticed. "You'll be sorry…"

The Rabbit just wanted to be out of this duo's company "Alright!" he snapped, causing both Hatter and Hare to look at him with alarm. "I'll think about it, are you happy!? My carrots! All…" he looked down into his basket, noticing that it was half empty. "My carrots? Where are my carrots? And my celery? And the jicama?" His attention had been taken away from the pair and he was now looking around the produce department for his lost veggies.

"Oh, and now we're being ignored! Real mature, Rabbit! We can take a hint!" Hatter said, waving his hands in the air. "Come on, Hare. We have more shopping to do anyway." He then took hold of the handle of the shopping cart and stood on the bottom basket bar, Hare gripping the front of the cart and pulling him out of the produce department.

It took them five minutes to realize they hadn't gathered any fruits or vegetables and returned to the department, but dashed around to try to stay out of sight of Rabbit. He, of course, knew what they were doing and tried his best to ignore them. It was hard when he passed them with their heads lined up among the pineapples, trying not to be noticed.

When they were done squeezing oranges and sniffing cantaloupes, they made their way to the checkout line. Hare took out his envelope of coupons and had them at the ready when they got to the cashier. Hatter peeked into Hare's wallet and saw that it was mostly filled with photos of the two of them (and one of his mother), a barber shop punch card and his Movie Land Video membership card, as well as a blood donor card that said his blood type was O+. After adding a last minute purchase of two candy bars to their order, they loaded their arms up with their bags and set out on their way to the dry cleaners.

"Were you really insinuating that Rabbit should try to impress your mother while we were talking to him in the store just now?" Hatter asked, munching on his chocolate bar. At the time he hadn't thought it strange, he was in doofus mode and was mostly trying to give Rabbit a hard time, but thinking about it now it left a weird taste in his mouth. And it wasn't the chocolate he was nibbling.

"I was just yanking his chain," Hare shrugged his shoulders, brushing it off. "I mean, it's not like my Mother would be interested anyway. This is Rabbit we're talking about. He isn't really her type."

Hatter considered this and bobbed his head a little in agreement before scarfing down the rest of his candy bar.

Hare laid in bed later that night, staring at the yellow walls, the Hatter snuggled up against his side as he slept. He knew he'd be up half the night because of his nerves. The past couple days had been relaxing and smooth enough to take the edge off, but he still had that pit in his stomach. Something would go wrong, he knew it. It always did.

He ran through all the plans in his head, calculating what he could do to minimize mistakes. In all honesty, he wasn't worried about the tea party. They had prepared all the tarts and they were in the deep freezer in the basement, waiting to be baked up fresh tomorrow. All the makings of the sandwiches were in the fridge and they'd pick up their order from Just Add Sugar tomorrow on the way to the train station. It was the magic act he was more worried about. He'd only managed to do half the tricks correctly when he and Alice had practiced them and got so nervous that he handcuffed his wrist to his ankle somehow. And the big showstopper he never managed to get right! Oh, why had he agreed with the Hatter to do this?

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he looked at the round alarm clock next to him on the bedside table, squinting his eyes to read the time. It was late he really needed to sleep.

Wiggling down a little, he burrowed into the covers, causing Hatter to stir a little beside him.

"It's okay, Hare," he mumbled, half asleep as he gave the bunny a squeeze. "We have another jar of pickles in the fridge."

"Hare, you need to take a seat and try to relax," Hatter remarked, watching his friend pace around the tea table once again. "You look like you dug into the caffeine again."

"My Mother will be here in," Hare paused and looked at his watch, nose twitching. "Two hours, fifteen minutes and 12 seconds. How can I not panic?!"

Hatter rolled his eyes and stirred his morning tea lazily, adding another cube of sugar to it. "Just calm down and breathe, it'll be okay." He was focusing on the tea so much he didn't notice when the Hare took a harmonica out of his pocket and started to breath in and out of it, filling the air with the shrill sound. Hatter watched him silently, a brow cocked, sipping from his teacup.

The Dormouse peeped out of his teapot, tiny hands gripping the rim and head swirling around. "What is that noise?"

"The Hare is having a breakdown," Hatter mentioned casually. "Give him a couple minutes and he'll calm down."

Dormouse blinked and glanced at the Hare, who was still wheezing into the harmonica. "If this is going to be a regular thing, I might have to look for another teapot. If the hills are alive with this sound of music, I don't think I'll be able to stand it."

Hatter nodded. "How true that is," he said as he got to his feet, striding up behind his friend and reaching around to pluck the harmonica out of his hands, tossing it over his shoulder into the bushes. "Don't worry so much. The house is clean, your place is all prepared, and this afternoon's tea party will be a success. Everyone already told us they were going to be here early, so all you have to do is bring your Mom." Leaning forward, he gave his Hare a peck on the cheek.

The Hare sighed, his shoulders dropping a little as he scrunched his face up. He knew he was overreacting but he couldn't help it. "My Mother expects a lot out of me, only the best. I just want to make her proud. And I want her to approve of us."

"And she will," the Hatter patted him on the shoulders, giving them a squeeze before letting them go. "I think you need some camomile tea and a little sit down. Maybe if you're good, I'll let you help me set the table with your cups and saucers for tonight."

"I do love camomile…" Hare managed, taking a seat and grabbing a scone, not fully intending to eat any of it. He had too many butterflies in his stomach and none of them were hungry either.

After managing to get some calming tea in his system, Hatter decided he'd let the Hare help with setting the table. All the gifted tea sets had been washed the night before and were gleaming in their boxes as they were brought out.

"Now to just clear the table," Hatter announced, lifting his arms up to swipe the current settings onto the ground.

"Hatter, no!" Hare threw himself over the tea table, covering the cups and saucers in the process, hearing a few of them crack under his weight.

Hatter dropped his arms at his sides, brow furrowed. "What's the problem now?"

"What would my mother think if she saw you being careless with your things? She'd find it unnecessarily unruly!"

"How true that is," Hatter said, putting a finger to his chin as he considered it. "So, no throwing things. Anything else?"

"Just…" Hare heaved, getting up from the table and dusting himself off. "Try to keep in control. Don't get too crazy. My Mother likes order and discipline. If she sees you acting wild, she might get the wrong idea."

"So, you don't like me acting crazy now?"

Hare stopped suddenly, his eyes growing wide as he realized what it sounded like. "No no no, I love you being crazy! You're my Mad Hatter and I don't want you any other way. I just don't think my Mother will appreciate it as much as I do."

The Hatter tried to look offended but he simply couldn't. He knew the Hare meant well and just wanted to impress. Plus he looked so cute when he was wound up tight as a drum.

"I'll try my best, but I make no promises," he joked, giving his Hare a peck on the lips. "Were you like this when your mother met all your other partners, or am I just lucky?"

"Oh…" Hare's face went red as a nervous laugh slipped from his lips. "She didn't exactly meet too many of them. Not that I've had many."

Hatter smirked and shook his head, not surprised in the slightest about his answer.

Hare stood on the train station platform, his shoes shined and his suit pressed, holding a bouquet of pansies from his own garden, tied together with a yellow ribbon. He kept bouncing on his toes, a bundle of nerves. Hatter felt that it was a good thing he had decided to come with him to the station, he was pretty sure his pal was going to take off like a rocket if there wasn't someone there holding him down. He was seated on a bench on the platform, a couple pink boxes from Just Add Sugar next to him as well as a box of handmade chocolates. "Hare, why don't you take a seat? The train is only a few minutes late."

"I can't sit, I'm just too nervous!" he squeaked, biting at his thumb as he looked up and down the track. "Remind me again why we're doing this?"

"Because if we're going to take our relationship to the next level I'm going to have to eventually meet your mother. And now is as good a time as any." Hatter reached his long arm and grasped Hare's hand, holding it to try to calm him down a little. It didn't seem to work. "Come and sit."

"I think maybe a year from next July would be a better day," Hare wheezed and moved to dash off the platform when a loud whistle made the pair jump. They turned to see the train pull up to the station, steam streaming from the smokestack. The train pulled in to a stop, pausing and then jolting forward once before the doors flung open. Hare stood there, fidgeting, waiting to see his mother come out of the double doors. When she didn't, he looked at the Hatter with a worried expression and dashed in to search for her.

It didn't take long before they appeared on the landing, June holding the bouquet of flowers in her gloved hands and the Hare dragging her obscenely large amount of luggage behind them.

"How was your trip?" The Hare asked his mother, attempting to lift her bags up onto his shoulder.

"It was marvelous, very relaxing," she crooned in her squeaky voice. June was fussing over him as they walked, adjusting his bow tie and pushing his bangs away from his eyes. "Although the guard kept harassing me for my ticket every stop. He was very rude."

The two approached Hatter and paused, looking up at him expectantly. He had gotten to his feet and met them halfway down the landing, holding the boxes of sugary goodies in his arms.

"Mom, this is the Mad Hatter."

Hatter could definitely see the family resemblance. She looked exactly like the Hare, only with a grey hairdo and lipstick. It was almost off putting.

"June!" Hatter beamed, thrusting a box of chocolate covered carrots in her direction. "So nice to finally meet you!"

June Hare smiled at the Hatter. "Oh, Hatter. Yes, it's lovely to finally meet you too. I've only ever spoken to you over the telephone." She seemed to give him a quick once over, her eyes scanning him for any imperfections in his dress or demeanor. She didn't give any indication that something was wrong, so the Hatter figured he was in the clear. "And thank you for these, I'm sure they're delicious."

"Hare and I made them ourselves," Hatter beamed, looking at his buddy. "From your family recipe, I believe."

The Hare looked like he was on the verge of a breakdown, but he was keeping it together. He kept balling his little hands up, fidgeting with his fingers behind his back. Hatter thought he looked adorable.

"That's very sweet of you," June mused, tucking the box under her arm as the group left the station and walked their way to Hare's house. About halfway there, Hatter took some of June's luggage from his boyfriend to give his arms a break.

June seemed charmed by Hare's little home. She thought the garden was impressive and oohed and awed as they entered the tiny abode. They settled her in Hare's guest room, leaving her bags there as they gave her a tour. Hare thought he'd faint when he saw her do a glove test on the top of some of his bookshelves, but it seemed he had passed her test because she didn't say anything.

About halfway through the tour, Hatter took out his golden pocket watch to check the time. "I should probably get home and get the tea brewing," he whispered to Hare as his mother stepped out of the room.

"Okay…" Hare whined, not wanting to be left alone. He was still a bundle of nerves, constantly afraid his mother would find something out of place for him to fix.

Hatter smiled and gave his hare a kiss on the cheek to calm him a little. "She got here safe, she seems happy with everything… try to relax."

"I'll try," he huffed, managing a weak smile. "I'll bring her over in about an hour."

"I'll see you then," he replied with a wink before speaking out loud. "I'm going to head home and get the tea started, June. I'll see you there in a bit."

"That will be nice," June replied from the next room. They found her in the kitchen standing on a chair, rotating all the cans in the pantry so their labels faced forward.

"Oh no…" Hare moaned. "Mom, stop. Leave those…"

#fanfic #adventures in wonderland #aiw #guess who's coming for tea #gwcft

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rplinkhoward · 4 years

Text

Laven Secret Santa

Sorry this is so late. Originally was gonna post this yesterday but I got sidetracked ^^”

(So, this is dedicated to @bakausagirabi25. I was your secret Santa, and this was actually an idea that's been rolling around in my head for a while while I was writing my Parent Cross and Child Allen snippets. This is the perfect excuse to explore the idea of Allen actually having feelings for Lavi rather than Link in my original story. I hope it's not too uncomfortable, I know not a lot of people would probably like this kinda thing but…well, I hope you like it! For a frame of reference, this is set in a ModernAU and based on the alternate universe I created for my DGM fic series. Lavi Age: 16. Allen: 14.)

Allen was just about to sit and watch T.V. after getting home from school when he heard the door slam open and a very upset, red-head storm through the entrance and run up the stairs. Allen, who was holding a can of pop in one hand and a massive bag of chips in the other, stared up at the stairs where Lavi ran up to. Then he looked over at Cross sitting in his recliner, who seemed just as confused and concerned.

"I thought you were the one who usually had the teen angst. Did you guys decide to switch it up today and not tell me?" Cross asked while inwardly debating if this situation called for him to get up and 'be a dad' or if it was just a random case of 'fuck the whole world and everyone in it' teen rage that would dissipate on its own.

Allen gave him an annoyed look, mumbling under his breath that he wasn't that angsty and that Cross was a senile old man before he set his snacks down on the coffee table. Then he began to walk upstairs to investigate what was wrong with his friend. Well, ok, he wasn't necessarily a friend…I mean he was…but closer? A lot of people would probably use the term brother to describe their relationship, but Allen never thought it fit properly.

When Bookman was away on business, Lavi would stay with Cross and Allen. He even had his own room because of this. It's been this way ever since they were little, well, really ever since the first day they met. It was after Mana's accident, and he had just gotten used to living in the same space as Cross when he was forced to meet Lavi. Yes. He was forced. By Cross. Why? Because Cross thought that Allen needed to talk to kids his own age (which if he was being honest, he did because he seldom interacted with kids his own age before living with Cross) and Lavi wasn't necessarily…good at making friends. He had Kanda and Lenalee, but there were times Lavi got to be a little…overwhelming. Lavi was quite the hyperactive little kid when they first met (and he still was at times), and though he scared Allen half to death when they first met, the two connected almost instantly.

Allen would never forget how Lavi took everything in stride. His weird eye scar. His arm. The lack of responses Allen gave Lavi because he didn't know what to think about this new world he was thrust into without warning. It didn't faze him at all. Lavi just took one look at Allen and decided that they were going to be 'bestest best best friends,' and that was that. Lavi infused light into Allen's world, a light that he was afraid he would never see again after Mana's death.

The two were inseparable from then on. Attached to the hip. Every time they were around each other, they were touching each other in some way. A hand thrown over the shoulder, leaning up against each other, holding hands, one of their heads laying in the other's lap. Where one went, the other followed. If one was in the bathroom, one was sitting outside, blabbering about something. If one was crying, the other quickly followed suit. Many times they slept together even though they both had separate rooms. If Lavi decided to do some stupid stunt, Allen was always right there, his right-hand man. If one was sick, the other was curled up alongside, also ill.

They were a package deal, alright. They were dubbed 'Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum,' 'Double Trouble,' 'Thing 1 and Thing 2', among many others, most, of course, came from Cross. There were many times Cross swore they were twins separated at birth, which could be plausible considering Allen used to have reddish-brown hair before the accident.

Despite all of that, Allen never considered the two of them to be 'best friends' or 'brothers.' What they had was something different. It was a lot deeper, but Allen could never find a word fit to describe it. As Allen stood in front of Lavi's door, hearing the muffled screaming coming from behind the door as the other screamed into a pillow, he felt his chest ache and his eyes sting.

"Lavi, are you ok?" Allen asked, trying to reel in his own emotions. The last thing they needed was for both of them to be an angsty mess.

"Go away!" Was the answer he got. Ow. That sure stung. Especially since that was the first time Lavi told him to go away when he was upset. They'd never done that to each other before, it didn't matter what the other was going through. There were times where Cross or Anita had to separate them because they fed off of each other's emotions, but that happened very seldom. They were only taken aside when the other was in hysterics (mostly Allen) because it was easier to handle one kid in hysterics instead of two.

Well, Allen wasn't going to go away. No matter how much Lavi wanted him to or even after he got an answer. His heart wouldn't let him. So, Allen turned the doorknob and walked right in, against Lavi's wishes.

"Allen! Leave!" Lavi barked out. He was lying down on his bed, his back facing towards Allen. Allen ignored him and instead strode over to lay down beside Lavi, his arm circling around the older's body, his chin resting on his messy, red hair. Allen knew he already lost the fight as he felt his own tears silently roll down his cheeks as he laid with the other who was hugging a pillow, shaking. Allen didn't know if it was from sadness or rage, but he wasn't going anywhere. He was going to ride alongside Lavi on whatever rocky, stormy seas he was traveling on until the waters calmed again.

A small whine left Lavi's lips as he felt the other wrap himself around him, and he felt all of his composure break. The wall he attempted to build up to keep Allen away from him broke, though he knew it was futile to build it to begin with. He knew if the roles were reversed that he would do the same thing. So, the two laid there together for some time, having their little shared cry fest. One knowing why they were crying, while the other didn't.

As Lavi began to calm down, the other following suit, he choked out, "She rejected me…"

She? Rejected? Whoa, hold the phone! When did Lavi have a crush on someone, and why wasn't Allen told!? Well, shit, I didn't know it could do that, Allen thought to himself in surprise, shock, and a little bit of hurt. I mean, they told each other everything, and yet Lavi left out this detail!? Ow!?

"You didn't tell me you liked someone!" Allen huffed, his cheeks puffing up in anger as he smacked the top of Lavi's head, "When were you planning on telling me that!?"

"Ow!" Lavi yelped before he turned over to glare at Allen, his own cheeks puffing up in anger though he didn't look threatening at all. It was hard to look threatening when your eyes were puffy and red.

"I wasn't going to because you're too young to know what love is," was Lavi's statement.

"Too young!? What kinda crap is that!? I'm only two years younger than you, ya jerk!" Allen raged, but the anger was short-lived. There would be time for that later. Right now, he wanted to know who rejected him and why. Allen wanted to know whose butt he needed to be kicking, no matter what kind of rejection Lavi experienced. He didn't know why, but he was actually quite pissed off at the idea of Lavi loving someone, and he didn't know why.

"Well!?" Allen asked.

"Well, what?"

"You can't just say she rejected me and not tell me who it was or how they rejected you! Obviously, it made you upset! So!? Out with it! Who was it!?"

"It was the curly blonde girl in my class. Her name is Brittany-"

"Oh my god, Lavi, you didn't! You fell for her!? Brittany from the cheerleading squad!?"

"Yeah? So?"

"So!? Dude, she's a total bitch! I could've told you that! Anyone on the team could've told you that! She goes through guys like I go through mitarashi dango! She's totally toxic! How could you fall for her!?"

Lavi sighed and turned his back on Allen, "I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Oh, come on, Lavi, don't be like that! Look, I do get it, but you also should be logical about it! She treats her boyfriends like crap. Why put yourself in a position like that!?"

"Because it's love. Love makes you stupid and blind to the other person's flaws," Lavi huffed before burying his face in his pillow.

"Alright. Fair. So, how did she reject you?" Allen asked, gearing up for a fight. He already knew the rejection was probably not good, judging from what he knew of this girl. Allen was also super annoyed that Lavi would choose someone like her of all people. I mean, if he was gonna go for a girl over him, at least pick someone worthy! He didn't just think that…

"How do you think?"

"I can think of many different possibilities, but I'd rather hear it from you."

"I asked her out by reciting one of William Shakespeare's poems…Sonnet 18," Lavi lamented.

Allen resisted the urge to groan. Oh, dear gods above, out of all people, Lavi decided to quote a love poem, William Shakespeare no less, to her!? Granted, Allen couldn't understand anything Shakespeare himself, but even so, he would've appreciated it! Especially if it came from Lavi of all people. Lavi was terrific when it came to quoting or reading books. He transformed reality around him every time he read aloud, even if it was something totally dull like some textbook. Lavi made it fun! Besides, Lavi excelled in the drama club, and Allen knew that Lavi wouldn't have just read the poem, he would've acted it! Allen could feel himself seething with rage and jealousy at the fact that this she witch had to be the object of Lavi's affection. Allen would've melted into goo if Lavi performed a poem just for him! The only thing that girl ever appreciated was something glittery and diamond-encrusted!

"It was after practice…and I recited it in front of her friends like a total, lovesick, dumb ass," Lavi laughed scornfully* before continuing, "And when I was done…she laughed at me. It wasn't that soft, airy, kinda laugh either, like an awkward, nervous laughter. She was cackling at me and asked me why I would think she would go out with someone like me. Some guy with an eye patch that was a total factoid, nerd that always read books and hung out with losers…." Lavi recounted forlornly.

"Lavi…" Allen breathed his hand ghosting over the redhead's shoulder in sympathy. He could picture the scene clearly. He could practically feel the way Lavi's heart must've been beating as he recited that poem allowed towards his crush. How it pounded against his ribcage like a wild beast thrashing against a cage wanting freedom. He could feel his palms sweating and the tension in his body, hear the smallest of quivers in his voice. Then he could hear her hideous cackling, the mirth in those disgusting, puke green eyes (or at least that's the color it looked like to Allen). He could hear her nasally voice spitting out those words at Lavi and feel the ache in his chest before his heart dropped down to the ground. Broken. Splintering into pieces, like a plate being thrown to the ground.

"Then her friends laughed at me to…I didn't notice until after she rejected me that one of them was filming the whole thing..."

"I'm sorry…" Allen breathed, his eyes filling with tears once again. His heart hurt…a lot, but he couldn't imagine the magnitude that Lavi must be feeling.

"She told me that no one would ever love an ugly freak like me and that I should just hole myself up somewhere and die," Lavi whispered, "Then I walked away."

Allen gasped, "That fucking bitch…."

"She's right, though…I mean, there hasn't been a girl yet begging me to go to prom with them. I'm not necessarily Mr. popular…"

"That's not true! I'm sure you got plenty of girls who would want to go to prom with you! They're just too nervous to ask you!" Allen responded, holding back on saying that he would personally love to go to prom with Lavi.

"We're best friends, and we live together. You're supposed to say that," Lavi said with an eye roll.

"No, it doesn't! As your best friend, it's my job to tell you the truth, and I am doing so! Brittany doesn't know what she's missing! None of the girls at school know what they're missing! I can say that because I actually know you and I can vouch for that! You're really smart and funny! You always come up with the best ideas-!"

"That's not what Cross thinks. It's a miracle we didn't kill ourselves years ago, …especially when we decided to ride down the stairs in a box. Or that time in the summer where we tried to jump into that cheap pool we had from the roof," Lavi interjected.

"So!? Cross is an adult! It's his job to hate fun!" Allen huffed.

"There is a difference between fun and doing something that could possibly severely injure or kill you."

"Pfft whatever, you're changing the subject!" Allen interrupted before continuing, "Anyways, as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me…you're really smart, funny, you come up with great ideas, you are an amazing performer, you have a cool eye patch, you're dreams of traveling the world are super interesting, your body is amazing-"

"I look like a skinny twig-"

"YOU MEAN YOU HAVE AN AMAZING BODY!" Allen yelled over Lavi's interruption, "You have the clearest, most beautiful green eye I have ever seen! You're compassionate, you are a great friend and like the best cuddler on the planet. If they're all too blind to see it, and if you're too blind to see it, then I guess I'll just date you myself!"

"Huh?" Lavi asked.

"I swear to God Lavi if you ignored me all that time-"

"I was listening, I just think I misheard you. What was the last thing you said?"

Allen blinked in confusion before stating, "You're really smart?"

"No! The last thing, not the first thing!"

"You're the best cuddler?"

"No! The very last thing you said!"

"If they're too blind to see it, then I guess I'll just-" Allen repeated before his face went a dark shade of red in realization. Oh my god, he literally just said that.

"Well, it's been a great talk Lavi, but I just realized I have a place to go to! Y-Yeah, a place far away…like under a rock-I mean a house! Yeah, Lenalee's house! I promised that I would do something with her at her house because she lives in a house and yeah! Bye! Feel better soon, " Allen stammered as he tried to make a break for it. Before Allen could fully get off of Lavi's bed, he felt the other grab his leg to keep him where he was.

"Wow! Lenalee lives in a house!? Who would've thought!" Lavi stated sarcastically before he turned serious again, "So, what is this about dating me yourself?"

"It's nothing! It just slipped out. Ya know how it is. Just being a supportive bro. Cuz that's what bros do. Yep. It's only two dudes being bros. Bros being dudes. Nothing to read into too deeply, ya know, "Allen continued to stammer.

"Yeah, because it's totally a dude thing to talk about how beautiful the other dude's eyes are, "Lavi deadpanned.

"Hey, two bros can totally compliment each other's eyes. It's not just a chick thing. Don't be like that," Allen stated.

"Fair. But telling the other bro that they'd date them?"

"It's a compliment!"

"See, I thought that, but it's obvious from how red your face got that it's not just a compliment."

"…."

"I have a skin condition…" Allen offered weakly.

Lavi gave Allen a knowing look. Allen sighed and flopped back down on Lavi's bed, his back now facing him, "Let it go, Lavi."

"Do I look like Elsa to you?"

"Hey, don't be bringing my girl Elsa into this! She is a queen!" Allen snapped.

Lavi rolled his eyes and poked Allen's side, making the other jerk in surprise.

"So…you would date me?"

"…Yeah…so?"

"In a platonic way or like in a…ya know…in the other way?"

"What do you think!?"

The two fell in silence for a long moment.

"Are you disgusted by me?" Allen asked.

"No. Why?"

"Well, I mean, we live together. We're like brothers."

"I think of it more as best friends helping each other out. I mean, where else would I go when Gramps was on one of his trips?"

"Still…isn't it wrong?"

"Life is too complicated to be evenly split down in the middle into right and wrong. Especially when feelings are involved. So, I guess it depends on how you feel. When did you begin to feel differently about me?" Lavi asked, turning around, so his back was facing Allen's.

"I don't know…I don't think my feelings ever changed. It always felt different to me. Ever since we first met," Allen explained, "I didn't really think anything of it because it seemed like you were mostly into girls anyways."

"Yeah…well, I only chased after girls because it seemed like you were set on being with Link for your entire life. I didn't think I had a chance, or that you'd ever look at me that way. I mean, I was always jealous of Link. Ever since you two became friends. Even after all these years. There was no way I could compete with someone like Link," Lavi admitted.

"Yeah, he does make pretty good sweets," Allen admitted, as he turned around to face Lavi's back, "But my stomach isn't the only way to my heart. If someone asked me…I'd have to say that you were my first love. Even if I didn't have any idea what that word meant at the time. I still don't think I even know what it means."

"So…what do we do now?" Allen asked after a few minutes of silence went by.

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"…I want to see where this leads…" Allen responded hesitantly. He was afraid of what Lavi would say.

Lavi hummed softly and turned around, so he was face to face with Allen once again. The two of them stared at each other, Allen looking shy, while Lavi looked back in certainty. Lavi sure looked a lot braver than Allen, but that was always Lavi. It wasn't often that the redhead looked uncertain. When he set his mind out to do something, he always seemed so confident that it was going to work out in the end, even if it was clearly a stupid idea. Allen could remember countless times where they were about to do some silly stunt, and he would look over at Lavi warily to see the other's look of determination. Seeing his face like that always calmed Allen in the end because no matter what happened, he knew that they would be ok. If they ended up getting hurt from their latest stunt, he knew they would be ok because he had Lavi right beside him.

So, though Allen was shy and uncertain of how to go about this new relationship dynamic they created, he knew it was going to be ok. No matter what happened, even if they eventually broke up or whatever, it was going to be ok. They were going to be ok, and nothing was ever going to change about them because of this.

Lavi moved closer, close enough that their noses were touching, his eye flitting up to meet Allen's to check his reaction, to make sure Allen wasn't getting too uncomfortable. Allen wasn't uncomfortable per se, but his heart was pounding like crazy to have Lavi this close to his face. Under any other circumstances, he wouldn't have batted an eye, but with this new context, having Lavi this close had a whole different meaning.

Then Lavi's lips connected with Allen's shaking ones and-oh! It's like in that moment everything connected so perfectly together, like all the confusion Allen felt over what their relationship exactly was, was finally solved. All that weird tension and confusion he felt fluctuating over the years finally dissipated now that he had an answer.

As Lavi eventually pulled away, much to Allen's reluctance, he asked, "Did that feel ok?"

Allen's response was to move towards Lavi to do it again. He wanted that bliss again. That clarity. He wanted to feel the way their bodies connected together so perfectly. Lavi didn't mind; in fact, he was over the moon that Allen didn't pull away in disgust. He was glad that it was reciprocated, that it didn't make things awkward between them.

"Can you recite that poem for me?" Allen asked after a few minutes of silence as they enjoyed each other's embrace, occasionally kissing each other or another part of the other's body. Just merely enjoying this newfound relationship they created.

"Hmmm?" Lavi hummed lazily. The lack of oxygen to his brain making him dazed, and his head buzz happily.

"The poem you recited to Brittany. I want you to recite it to me. Please?" Allen asked, his head tilting to the side. He wanted to see how animated Lavi would get reciting it again. He wanted to see the love in his eyes as those words floated out of his lips. Allen wanted to see that love directed at him. To appreciate that love. The love that was meant for another but was rejected. Such lovely feelings deserved to be recognized.

"Sonnet 18?" Lavi asked. Allen could see the other search the air, mentally trying to find the compartment the poem was stashed in in his brain. Allen always loved to think of Lavi's head as a computer of sorts with how much information he managed to squirrel away in it. Once Lavi located what he was looking for, that beautiful green eyes paused like a computer arrow finding the article, word, or picture it wanted to click on, then the little window popped open with the information Lavi sought for.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer's lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;

And every fair from fair sometime declines,

By chance or nature's changing course untrimm'd;

But thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fair thou owest;

Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou growest:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." Lavi recited, his voice taking on an old accent that Allen heard used when he talked with Bookman and on occasion when Lavi was expressing a large amount of emotions. Neither of them would tell Allen where that accent came from, keeping it a secret that only Bookman and Lavi knew. Even so, Allen still loved it, how soft it sounded, like the wind gently rustling the leaves of trees. He loved the way Lavi would roll his r's a little bit. To Allen, it sounded almost of Scottish descent, but he couldn't be sure.

Allen admired the way Lavi's eye glittered as he recited the poem, the way the glitters would fade momentarily as his eye darkened in love, in lust, passion. Sort of like a flickering flame. This is one of the biggest reasons Allen loved to hear Lavi when he read aloud or performed a piece; he loved the light that would flicker in Lavi's eyes, the emotions sparking and coming to life.

"How was that?" Lavi asked.

"That was adorable. I can't believe she rejected you with that. She wouldn't know what love was even if it hit her in the face," Allen said happily, his cheeks alight in flattery.

"So, you understood the full extent of what that poem means?" Lavi asked, deciding to quiz Allen.

Allen's happy face dropped to one of embarrassment. No, he didn't understand a single word that Lavi said. He really sucked when it came to reading and comprehending what he was reading in general. To him, Shakespeare spoke in total gibberish. It was still romantic to see Lavi spouting off said gibberish, though.

"No…" Allen admitted.

Lavi sighed, knowing that Allen probably wouldn't, "Thought so."

"So, what does it mean?"

"The speaker is basically comparing their beloved to a summer's day. Near the end of the poem, the speaker talks about what makes their beloved different from a summer's day. Summer always ends and moves on to autumn, but the speaker tells their beloved that their beauty will always last, unlike summer," Lavi explained.

"Awwwhhh…you're a total Romeo."

"Pfft, Romeo?"

"Yeah, you know, like Romeo and Juliet?"

"Well, I would hope I would be less stupid."

"What do you mean? Why is Romeo stupid?" Allen asked.

"Oh my god, did you learn nothing from your English class?"

"I learned stuff! I learned that English makes my brain turn to mush!"

"Oh my god, Allen…" Lavi sighed.

(Ahhh, I hope this was fluffy enough where not everything was too angsty! I hope you enjoyed it <3)

#lavigiftexchange2020 #laven #allen walker #lavi bookman #modernAU

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soyforramen · 5 years

Note

27 & bughead!

Here’s a little pre-relationship pranking for you!

xxxx

“If we get caught I’m blaming you.”

Betty giggled and shifted closer to him in the small bathroom. “No one will believe you, Juggie. Remember the great frog escape last semester?”

The memory of all those frogs jumping down the hallways and away from their certain fate as Dr. Beaker’s freshman project brought a ghost of a smile to his lips. It had been worth the three weeks of detention just to watch the chaos that unfolded.

Jughead’s small smile fell as he realized he’d been the only one in detention for that particular stunt. Somehow Betty had managed to slip away unseen and he’d become the patsy, the fall guy for an ethical protest he didn’t really care all that much about. This time around, though, it hadn’t been hard at all to convince him that something really did need to be done about Reggie and Moose. Especially since they’d stolen his hat and played keep away with it for almost a week before one of the teachers finally stepped in.

If this worked, he’d be her patsy again. He was the obvious suspect. Assigned to the same room, only he and Archie had access to the other door key. And no matter how much he might plead, no matter how he might argue, he’d still be the only one to fall under the microscope of the horror that was chaperone suspicion.

This blonde was far more cunning than even he gave her credit for. If it had been anyone else, Jughead would have already stormed out the door. He was already in enough trouble for falling asleep in Burberry’s pointless ‘Esteem And You’ class.

But as Betty had pointed out to him earlier, even if this did go sideways it wasn’t as if they’d be able to ship him back home. Mrs. Andrews had already paid for Jughead’s spot on the field trip. The worst that would happen is he’d be shuffled into one of the parents rooms to sleep on their couch. Even without getting in trouble that was preferable to the hell on earth that was sharing a hotel room with Reggie and Moose Mason.

“Cooper, you are an enigma.”

Betty laughed, her smile brighter than it had been in ages (oh, how he missed that smile), and reached into her coat pocket to pull out a blue bottle. Her elbow grazed his chest in the confined space. All he wanted to do was grasp her forearm and say something witty, charming, sly like the actors who graced the screens of the Twilight.

But she was Betty and he was Jughead. In every universe imaginable she ended up with some stand up guy who wore brand new designer clothes, had three degrees from Harvard, and defended those who couldn’t defend themselves. Probably someone named Chad, or Adam, or Archie. While he? Well, so long as he had a hot cup of coffee, a burger, and a pen and paper he’d be able to make it through another day.

That knowledge planted his feet to the laminate tile beneath him while he watched Betty pour Reggie’s overpriced mousse down the drain. Carefully, she screwed the lid off her own bottle. A foul stench crowded the room around them and Jughead reached across her to flip on the air vents.

“Are you sure this will work?” Jughead asked through coughs.

Betty nodded, her cheeks red from the stench. She tipped the bottle over the mousse and poured a thick, pink liquid into it.

As she was screwing the lid shut, the hotel door opened with a bang that rattled the bathroom mirror. Betty and Jughead glanced at each other, eyes wide. The sounds of the football team were loud as a train with the door open. Jughead cursed himself for not resisting Betty insistence that he be in the bathroom with her.

“Hide,” he hissed.

“Where?”

He herded her into the shower. Just as he’d pulled the curtain behind them the bathroom door opened and brought with it two of Jughead’s least favorite people.

“What’s that stench?” Moose asked loudly.

“Probably Jones and his cheap shampoo,” Reggie said with glee. “Must be why he wears that stupid hat all the time. His hair probably smells to much without it.”

Jughead slid down to sit in the tub. He stared at the space between his feet because it was easier than seeing the pity on Betty’s face. No matter where he went, it seemed, he couldn’t escape the reality of his financial situation. He’d known for a long time his family had gone without things his classmates had, but it wasn’t until high school that his realized it. And once they had, Reggie and his ilk had pounced on it.

Betty sat down across from him. She reached for his hand and squeezed it.

“What’s in the blue bottle? Looks too expensive to be Jones’,” Moose asked in the same way he’d asked the literature teacher what a cliche was.

“Whatever it is, don’t touch it or you’ll end up a poor weirdo too,” Reggie said with a braying laugh.

The shower curtain shifted as one of the Dumb and Dumber crew shoved at the other. God, they were wrestling while he and Betty were stuck in a shower having to listen to their scintillating conversation.

Jughead couldn’t imagine a way he could be more embarrassed. But if there had been, Reggie and Moose would be the first to find it if they looked in the shower. They had been the bane of Jughead’s existence the moment he’d stepped into Riverdale high. While the pair had taken Archie under their wing in an attempt at bro-ification, Jughead had been their designated object de ridicule from day one.

The situation could be worse, it would always be worse. His parents had taught him that. But the overall experience still wasn’t pleasant

He dared to glance up at Betty, and found her simmering with the same rage she’d had when she found out just what, exactly, had been put in the cafeteria’s vegetarian options. When she caught him looking at her she smiled at him, the same closed lip mask she’d worn since the day she’d been outfitted for braces in sixth grade. Jughead knew that Betty didn’t care about his socio-economic status, but it still stung for anyone else to hear the same jeers he was subjected to in the hallways of Riverdale.

He dropped his eyes to the tub between them and Betty nudged his foot with her own as if trying to get his attention. When he looked up again, Betty mouthed something that looked a lot like ‘Moose next?’

Jughead nodded. Even if she’d called him a goose-head, or wanted to go get juice after this he’d still agree. He’d agree to almost anything so long as she’d still be his friend after everyone found out just how great she was.

Eventually Moose and Reggie took their repressed flirtation out of the room, all the while rating girls on their hotness level. Betty rolled her eyes, her cheeks growing redder and redder as the pair went through the rest of their grade. Jughead mimed gagging himself and Betty bit her lip to keep from laughing.

The hotel door slammed shut and Jughead reached for the shower curtain. Betty caught his arm and shook her head.

“They might have forgotten something,” she whispered.

Jughead dropped his arm, and a flare of happiness went through him when Betty didn’t move her hand.

True to her words, Moose scrambled back into the room a few moments later and hustled into the bathroom. He left as quickly as he’d come and finally Jughead was allowed to move the shower curtain back.

The pair clambered out of the tub, the jovial atmosphere from before Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum’s interruption long gone. Their words echoed through Jughead’s mind and he hated how it got to him. They’d all known on some level that the Jones’ family wasn’t as well off as the Andrews or the Coopers, but it wasn’t until middle school that it became tangible. Archie’s family could afford the cost of sports equipment and trainers, while the Coopers could afford band and wood shop and Polly’s cheerleading expenses.

But when Jughead had asked his mother if he could sign up for the yearly school trip in seventh grade, a cost of $30 for the day, she’d only sighed and taken the form from him. She stuck it the refrigerator and promised to find the money somehow.

Two years later, the form was still on stuck to the fridge’s door buried beneath layers of overdue bills and collection notices. His mother had left both the bills and her son six months ago, leaving nothing but empty promises in her wake. Jughead still hadn’t the heart to take the yellowing form down. Some childlike, hopeful part of him wondered if she’d remember it one day and try and make it up to him. It was a lie he told himself whenever he caught sight of it.

“They’re idiots. Both of them,” Betty huffed as she pulled Reggie’s overfilled bathroom bag towards her. “I can’t believe Polly had a crush on either one of them.”

Jughead watched as she unscrewed another bottle labeled with unfamiliar script and poured half of it down the drain. She uncapped the blue bottle and poured its contents in. With the skill of a pharmacist, she screwed the top back on and handed it to Jughead.

“Shake this really, really well.”

Betty then reached towards Moose’s zip lock bag, helpfully labeled with a cartoon moose drawn on it. She pulled out a bottle of conditioner and opened it only to dump half of it into the sink.

“I thought you just wanted to get back at Reggie.”

While he wasn’t opposed to the idea, Jughead was amazed that Betty would be so willing to pull Moose in on the prank as well.

“If they’re close enough to bad mouth you, they’re close enough to suffer the same fate,” Betty said as she poured out the rest of the blue bottle. “Besides they both stole your hat together. If we leave Moose out of this we’re no better than they are.”

She screwed the lid back onto both bottles and slipped the blue one into an inside pocket of her jacket. The other she picked up and shook vigorously, a mirror image of Jughead.

“How do you think they’re going to react after this? Depression, despair, destruction?” she asked. She leaned against the bathroom sink in thought. “I’d like to think they’d fall into each other arms, sobbing and promising to change their ways.”

Jughead snorted. “The only thing that would change their ways would be a restraining order and a stint in juvie.”

Betty tsked and place her bottle back into Moose’s bag. “Where is your faith in humanity, Jughead? Didn’t Charles Dickens teach you man can always change for the better?”

He set the other bottle back into Reggie’s bag. He zipped it up and set it back in the corner where it still covered almost a third of the counter space.

“Yeah, once they’re old and have ruined a thousand people’s lives. Nothing like a Christmas dinner to shed off years of emotional abuse by your employer.”

Betty sighed and leaned her head against Jughead’s shoulder as she looked over her handiwork. “Well, maybe it won’t take that much. Maybe once they’re both bald they’ll realize how important a hat is in winter.”

“Maybe,” Jughead said softly.

They both knew it wouldn’t. Nothing could knock either Reggie or Moose off the top of the social pile, but at least this would bring the rest of the school some joy. Not to mention ruin their yearbook pictures.

With their task taken care of, Betty tugged at Jughead’s sleeve. Together they made their way to the restaurant downstairs where Archie was waiting for them completely unaware of what had transpired.

To the disappointment of both schemers, the rest of the weekend went without incident. On Monday, though, neither could contain their amusement as Reggie and Moose walked through the halls with their own beanies pulled down low over their ears.

As they passed, Betty turned to Jughead and loudly said, “Looks like beanies are in this year.”

xxxx

Prompt list here!

#bughead fanfiction #betty cooper #jughead jones #riverdale fanfiction

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fxckyouchase · 6 years

Text

Tag list: @undocumented-terriaki @ask-barkiplier-rp @supersepticsteph @penpaulkon6 @are-you-here-posts @markifucker-fischfuck

“How did you know that would work?” Chase asks Tobi.

Tobi smirks. He’s moved away, sitting with his back against the side of the bed, his leg propped up as he leans against it. “I’ve never died, but I came really close once.” The smirk falls, replaced by a wistful smile. “As I was coming back, someone held me like that. It helped. Don’t know why.”

Chase knows that smile very well. It’s the same one he gets when he thinks about the good ol’ days with Stacey. “An ex?”

Tobi huffs a laugh, his smile widening a little in embarrassment. “Is it that obvious?”

Chase chuckles. He’s still in a strange place, with no idea where, or how he got here, and sure he died again, but in this moment, sat on the floor, just chilling with Tobi, it’s not all that bad.

“Are you okay?” Tobi asks, looking concerned. “I mean you were dead... For a while.” At least an hour, so far as Tobi’s aware.

Shuffling, Chase rubs at the back of his neck awkwardly, muttering something about it not being the first time that it’s happened. After Chad died doing that stunt, Stacey walking out and taking the kids, everything slowly just started crushing in on him and.... He trails off and Tobi doesn’t push. They just sit there. Yeah this feels a little less not bad.

After a moment Tobi starts to talk about everyone else in the building, making sure to go into detail about everyone’s ‘quirks’ hoping to distract Chase. There’s magic users, robots, Wilford, a cyborg, a tree spirit, Ed, a sort-of psychic, the Jims; then there’s the nightmare child, and the tweedle twins who are magic and manic.

Tobi gives a shrug. “We’re all a bit weird here. Coming back from the dead is almost normal in comparison.”

“What about you?”

“What?”

“You mentioned everyone but you. Does that mean you’re the normal one?” Tobi doesn’t even realise he missed himself out. He shakes his head. “So what are you?”

“A trans-reality traveller with no powers who became a superhero.”

There’s a beat before Chase just bursts out laughing. It’s not that funny but it’s also hilarious. Tobi smirks and gets to his feet, offering a hand to Chase.

“You ready to face the others?” He asks as Chase stands. Tobi gestures towards the door. “Everybody’s dying to meet you.” He frowns and then laughs. “Okay that may be a bad choice of words.”

Chase bursts out in laughter again. It’s more nervous than anything but also, geez, Tobi. At the prospect of meeting the others he’s hesitant. There is so much he doesn’t know but he can hardly hide in here forever. Running a hand through his hair out of nervous habit, he panics! Where’s his hat? He looks around frantically before spotting it on the table. He grabs it a little desperately and firmly pulls it onto his head.

Tobi raises an eyebrow at him but Chase just shrugs. It’s his hat. It’s important. With this hat, everything seems possible. Together they head out the door.

The next room appears to be packed with almost the entire building’s residents.

Bim is sat in the chair nearest to the door, his hands fiddling. He seems incredibly nervous. At the far end of the room King and Bing are sat watching the Jims trying to teach one of their card games to Marvin, the three of them sat on the floor. The poor magician looks at a complete loss. Mare is naturally sat nearby, watching but trying to look like he doesn’t care. Ed sits in the corner, carefully watching everybody while tapping away at his phone. Probably trying to sell something else. The Host is sat a reasonable distance away, perking up as he hears the door to the room open, giving a slight smile. Both Green and Dr Iplier are scurrying around, trying to organise things. Google and the others are noticeably absent.

As the two of them enter, everyone stops what they’re doing and looks up. It’s almost like something out of a horror movie and Chase grimaces. Bim jumps to his feet, looking concerned, stopping when Tobi holds up a hand to get him to stay back.

“Everybody. This is Chase.” The hero speaks clearly as he addresses the room and gestures to Chase. He smirks. “The immortal.”

#Silver Shepherd #Chase Brody #trans dimensional!Silver #immortal!Chase Brody #Protection Verse #Egos AU

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gaybaconprincess · 7 years

Note

*Depeche Mode's Personal Jesus plays ominously as I waltz into your inbox* Isaiah gets stuck in a vent trying to grab an opossum that's been rustling around in there for weeks. the outcome if for YOU to decide.

[This was kinda long but it was so much fun?? Also I entirely didn’t mean for it to end like it did but goddamnit, Izzy needs something to vent to. Get it? Vent to? VENT? I’ll stop. Also, I listened to Marilyn Manson AND Depeche Mode’s Personal Jesus because of you, thank you so much, I love them both.]

“It’ll be fine, he said. It’s just a dumb animal, he said.” Isaiah mocked in a high pitched voice, squirming in the vent he was stuck in with his plot to murder The Herald still fresh in his mind.

There had been an opossum stuck in the vents of Titans Tower for a while now, and everyone had finally gotten sick of it. Who did they send to crawl through the vents and catch the mangly creature? Not Jericho, not the shortest person on their team who could easily manage to actually fit into the vents. Not Herald, the person who suggested the idea that was doomed from the start. No, everyone took a vote and Isaiah was sent into the vents.

Needless to say, the boy who was already boiling with anger was half tempted to power up and set the vents aflame.

Isaiah, being Isaiah, was much too large to actually fit into the vents and managed to get himself stuck just far enough to be out of reach for anyone to pull him through. Scratch that - Mal fucking Duncan managed to get Isaiah stuck, there was no way in hell Isaiah was going to take blame for his current position when he’d have been just fine with the opossum staying in the vents and dying by itself.

Meanwhile, while Hot Spot was busy squirming uselessly and conjuring up just how he was going to enact his revenge on his idiot leader, Herald was just below where the vent was and attempting to find a way to get Isaiah out of it.

‘Attempting’ - he was really holding a hand over his mouth and nearly passing out from the force it took him not to burst into annoying laughter.

From the corner of Mal’s eye, he could just see Jericho standing with his arms crossed and with his hip angled, giving Mal ‘the look’.

“Oh- C’mon! Look I’m trying to get him out alright? I’ve got the blueprints for the vent system pulled up on the computer and I’m giving him directions!” Herald defended weakly, failing to faze Jericho’s glare in the slightest.

A loud bumping sound as if Hot Spot had jerkily banged his head on the top of the vent sounded through the tower, amplified by the echo that came with being in a vent, and Herald burst into cackles.

“That’s what you get for eating all the cereal this morning you-!” Herald began loudly, cupping a hand over his mouth to amplify his volume before he froze and stared in fear at Jericho’s ever darkening glare.

His glare that was darkening both in the sense that he was angry, and in the sense that his eyes were slowly fading to black as his powers activated.

Herald suddenly turned around to face Jericho and held his hands up like a mime, halting Jericho’s near attempt to literally knock some sense into his friend with a quick ‘allow me’. Herald hit himself over the side of his head with a loud smack and gave a weak, pleading smile and jazz hands to Jericho, hoping his self inflicted punishment would stop Jericho from playing the parent and possessing Herald again. Herald let out a deep sigh of relief as Jericho was seemingly sated with this action.

“What on Earth is all of this noise?” Red Star said through his thick accent as he came through the door to their living room and look bewilderingly at the sight of Herald still posing and Jericho slowly turning his black eyes back to white.

“Izzy McGuire here managed to get himself stuck in the vents.” Mal answered, jabbing a finger toward the vents themselves.

“The vents that you got me stuck in!” Hot Spot reminded with a muffled yell through the ventilation system.

“Ugh, geez Spotty- could you at least have the courtesy to suffer in silence? It’s too early to be woken up by tweedle dum and tweedle dumber.” Kole whined in a baby voice as she tiredly jabbed a finger at both the vent and Mal.

“Um, rude?” Mal interjected before he went right back to analyzing the blueprints laid out on the computer.

‘Kole, it’s three in the afternoon, you should have already been awake anyway.’ Jericho signed to his sleepy pink haired friend, who was already yawning and trudging toward the couch where she would inevitably fall asleep again.

“Don’t care.” Kole yawned, flopping onto the couch and ignoring the scene going on behind her.

“Will one of you bozos please just go get Toni? She’s the only person with any common sense around here!” Hot Spot yelled from his uncomfortable position that he knew would leave his joints aching painfully later. The flaming boy could feel Jericho’s indignant glare toward his place in the vents.

“The only person with common sense and the power to actually reach me in the vents.” Hot Spot corrected, not actually seeing it but knowing Jericho sighed and shrugged helplessly, knowing his stunted height wasn’t going to help their situation in the least.

“Your queen has arrived!” Argent called suddenly as she came through the doors of the living room, appearing out of nowhere like a fairy godmother.

Argent stared saucer eyed at the scene set before her, accompanied by the obvious notion that the banging coming from the vents was probably caused by Jericho, Herald, and Hot Spot. As were most of their shenanigans.

“Sweet Jesus, you two are like the three stooges without any of the comedy.” Argent said flatly with a roll of her eyes as she approached the vent closest to Herald where Hot Spot had presumably been stuck and already reaching out her red plasma energy to get him out.

“Wait!” Hot Spot yelled as if he were Spartan, stopping Toni in her tracks.

Inside the vents, Hot Spot was having a glaring showdown with the opossum that got him into this mess. The black and white mongrel had a coat of silky fur, nothing befitting a trash eating monster, and in his grubby hands, the animal was holding Hot Spot’s missing ring that he’d brought from India.

“Get back here you little snot!” Isaiah cried, using the force of his frustration and anger to finally free his arms and uselessly stretch out all of his limbs to reach the opossum.

The opossum was just barely out of his straining reach, and the animal stuck its tongue out and blew a raspberry with an evil glint in it’s eye, waving around the ring in front of Isaiah’s face before it disappeared further into the vents.

With a few more minutes of loud struggling and grunts of anger, the opossum came to realize that Isaiah was indeed, stuck. The opossum them decided to scurry its way back to Hot Spot, and wave the ring in his face some more, sticking its tongue out and making cartoonish sounding cackling sounds that were almost infuriating enough to rival Herald’s.

With one last grunt of effort, Hot Spot squirmed around uselessly a little more before his elbow knocked the wrong screw, and the entire system seemed to groan in agony.

Both Isaiah and the opossum looked at each other wide eyed, gritting their teeth at what was going to happen next.

“Oh no.” They both seemed to mouth in unison before the ventilation shaft came tumbling down from the ceiling, leaving Isaiah laying painfully in a heap of broken metal, but above all, free from his steel prison.

Despite all the pain surging through his nerves, he still managed to reach out from the rubble and wrap his hand around the opossum’s pink tail.

“Gotcha!” Hot Spot yelled breathlessly, his face covered in dust and his joints screaming at him as the opossum hung helplessly by his tail and didn’t even attempt struggling, opting instead to hide his eyes with his grubby little pink hands.

“Amazing. You are the paragon of a hero, Isaiah.” Argent muttered with another roll of her eyes. Isaiah didn’t care, he was proud of himself, he’d caught Titans North most at large thief.

As Hot Spot panted with the effort it took to slow down his still adrenaline pumped heartbeat from falling from such a height, the opossum took one hand off of its eye so that it could pull the ring out from out of nowhere and slip it back onto one of Isaiah’s dark fingers with a shy smile.

“Uh…thanks?” Isaiah said lamely. Suddenly, the opossum slipped right out of Hot Spot’s grip and was scurrying up and down his shirt and around his waist and under his arm and everywhere else, faster than a flash, before it finally settled in the crook of Isaiah’s neck and started nuzzling into his cheek.

“UM- what?” Isaiah said startled as he froze from the surprise of four grabby feet scurrying all over his body and then halting in the matter of two seconds.

“Aw, I think he likes you Izzy!” Kole called teasingly from her place on the couch.

Suddenly Jericho nearly teleported to where Hot Spot was, already scratching the dirty animal under its chin.

“Oh no- No way! We are not- we can’t- THIS THING IS A VILLAIN! Jericho! Stop scratching it!” Hot Spot cried helplessly, his voice raising nearly an entire octave in an attempt to get Jericho away from the mangy animal.

Suddenly, the opossum scurried around again, stopping when it was right in Hot Spot’s face, holding on by the front of his shirt with big, pleading puppy dog eyes.

It took nearly an entire five minutes, but inevitably Isaiah sighed dramatically and leant his head back in defeat.

“You are not sleeping in my bed.” He said forcefully.

#Hot Spot #Jericho #Herald #Red Star #Kole #Argent #Titans North #anon #answered #Nikki's fics

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sportarobbie-shorties · 7 years

Text

CXLIV - Time To Start The Show

Sportarobbie Fanfiction - The 144th Shortie

Warnings: None :)

Summary: Tonight is the night. The kids have worked hard on their musical, and now it’s time to get on the stage and show what they got.

Pixel is busy at work, setting up the lighting and sound mechanisms at the theatre, while all of the other kids are preparing themselves, backstage. Stephanie is helping Stingy get into the big, shiny, red dress of the Queen so they’ll know what to do when he actually has to get into the dress, while Trixie tries her best to do her character makeup, and Ziggy hums the chorus of the tea party song nervously.

Sportacus arrives through the back door with a big smile on his face, Robbie following behind him. “Hi, guys! How are you feeling about the show tonight?” Stephanie helps Stingy back out of the dress as she responds: “Great! A little nervous. Very nervous. Terrified.”

Stephanie chuckles, and Sportacus laughs along with her: “Don’t worry, I know you’ll all do great. And being a little nervous is always good when you go performing.” The kids nod, but Ziggy keeps walking back and forth, mumbling to himself. Robbie walks over to him carefully.

“Hey, kid. Are you okay?” Ziggy nods: “Yeah, I’m just scared, that’s all.” Robbie smiles at him. He fixes Ziggy’s hair and pats him on the back. “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. And if you mess something up, literally no one cares. You have nothing to worry about.” Ziggy nods at Robbie with a smile. “Thanks, Robbie.” “No problem, kid.”

“Guys!” Pixel suddenly shouts from above the stage, ready for the show. “It’s almost time! Are you all in costume?” Stephanie checks all around her and sees that everybody’s almost done. “Pretty much, yeah!”

“Alright! Stephanie, you should go and tell the mayor and Miss Busybody to come in then.” “No, wait, we have to huddle up first!” Trixie exclaims. Pixel then climbs down, and all of the kids get in a circle, all of them close together. They tell each other encouraging words and remind each other of important things to remember on stage. They finally all nod and throw their hands in the air, shouting all together: “Go Wonderland!”

Robbie and Sportacus smile at each other. Sportacus pats all of the kids on the back before leaving with Robbie: “Alright, we’re going to the side of the audience. Break a leg!” “And Ziggy, don’t take that literally!” Robbie adds, receiving laughter from the kids.

Robbie and Sportacus go and sit in the audience with Bessie and Milford, waiting excitedly for the show to start. Soon enough, the lights get dimmer and dimmer, until it’s completely pitch black.

It takes a moment of nothing happening before the lights on the stage turn on slowly, revealing the sets made by Sportacus, Milford, and the kids. It’s only a tree and some flowers around, but it looks nice with the lights setting the mood of a sunny day.

Robbie smiles as he hears the soft piano music starting to play along with birds chirping, and Ziggy walks on stage, looking around himself, pretending to look at the singing birds. He smiles, but the audience can see how nervous he is. When Ziggy glances at them, Robbie makes sure his encouraging smile is noticeable, and when Ziggy sees it, it actually boosts his confidence.

Ziggy sits down by the tree, and Stephanie appears on stage wearing neat, pink dancing clothes, with white bunny ears and a fluffy tail. She dances to the front of the stage and looks at Ziggy with a curious smile before looking at the audience and starting to sing.

“Oh, once there was a boy.” The background music has backup vocals sung by Stingy, answering Stephanie’s singing: “Named Alex.” Stephanie chuckles a little bit, glancing at Ziggy and then looking back to the audience. “He was an ordinary boy.” “Named Alex.” “He was not rich nor poor or famous. He was just a boy…” “Named Alex.”

“But Alex had a wild imagination. He’d create fantastic, fantasy nations.” The lights start smoothly switching between different bright colours, and Stephanie starts dancing her very own choreography. She continues singing with her strong, sweet, bubbly voice, as Ziggy continues to ignore her, staying in character pretty well. Robbie is proud of him - especially for kids, the hardest part might be staying in character when you have nothing to say.

“With his fantasies, he’d jump into exciting stories. But he was just a boy.” “Named Alex.” Stephanie gives Ziggy the spotlight, walking to the back of the stage, but still remaining visible, while Ziggy begins his monologue: “Wow, would you look at these flowers! They’re really big… Imagine if there were flowers as big as the trees. Would mushrooms be that big too? What about bugs? That would be quite scary…”

“Oh dear! I am so late! I am so very late! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…” Stephanie runs - or more like dances - back and forth on the stage, carrying a huge watch. Ziggy looks at her with wide eyes. “Who are you?” “I’m late, that’s who I am!” The kids receive a little chuckle from the audience.

Stephanie goes on to running away in a hurry, and Ziggy, of course, follows her. The other kids manage to create the illusion of them running a longer way by pulling the tree and flowers away with a rope and pushing the rabbit hole onto the stage on wheels. Stephanie stops at the hole for a moment before jumping off stage with a spin. Ziggy looks down the fake hole, then pretending to climb down into it.

The lights go dim, and the little bit of light they have shining on the stage turns into blue and purple, and mysterious music starts playing. Once all of the sets are off the stage, Ziggy appears from the top, slowly going down with several objects floating around him. They’re of course on ropes, and so is Ziggy, and they aren’t that invisible, but the illusion somehow still holds up.

Milford gets a little worried for Ziggy’s safety, but Sportacus assures him that he taught the kids how to do the stunts safely.

“Oh dear, this is peculiar.” Sportacus chuckles at how strange those words sound coming from Ziggy.

Next obviously comes the scene where Alex struggles with the door. Ziggy takes a lick of a lollipop, making himself shrink. A bunch of the other kids are dressed in all black, and they run over to the stage, replacing all of the sets with identical, but bigger versions of them, and when Ziggy takes a bite of a carrot, the kids run over to replace the sets with smaller versions. Sportacus and Robbie agree that it’s a fairly smart trick.

Once Alex gets through the door, sudden lighthearted music starts playing all around and the sets are switched to magical, detailed backgrounds. A river with a small bridge, different colour trees, strange road signs. Stephanie dances onto the stage while the other kids start sneaking around, singing a song.

“Welcome to Wonderland. A very peculiar land. You will not believe all the wonders you see. Here in… Wonderland.”

“Wow! This place is amazing! It’s not like home at all…” It’s Pixel’s time to shine when suddenly huge flowers appear on stage. They’re the marionettes the kids have worked hard on.¨

“Would you look at that strange little boy…” Pixel starts making funny voices for the flowers while moving them around. “Quite peculiar.” “What does he think he’s doing here?” “Oh, hello there!” Alex greets with a smile, walking over to the flowers. The flowers hum at him disapprovingly.

“Could you tell me where to go, please?” “Why don’t you go and find where to go yourself?” Alex looks around himself: “I would, but I don’t know where to go. That’s why I’m asking you.” “We don’t help intruders!” “Intruders?” “You are clearly an intruder! We have never seen you before!” “But I’m…” The flowers start trying to shoo Alex away. “He’s stepping on the poor grass! Murderer!” “But I didn’t know…” “Go away!” “Leave!” “Shoo! Shoo!”

Alex tries to dodge the flowers’ leaves hitting him, and also tries not to step on any more grass while trying to run away. Suddenly he spots the White Rabbit with the pink outfit, dancing away in a hurry. “Hey, you! You could help me! Can you please tell me where to go?” Stephanie turns to look at Ziggy in shock and starts running away. “I’m late, I am so late, I’m in a hurry!”

Ziggy tries running after Stephanie but loses her. But on the way, he finds the Tweedles, played by Stingy and Trixie. They’re arguing about something, and Ziggy moves closer. “Hello? Can you two help me?”

The Tweedles turn to Alex in surprise. “Hello! I’m Tweedle Dee! This land is mine.” “I’m Tweedle Dum. Though Dee is the dumb one.” “Excuse me? You are talking to the Prince of Wonderland, need I remind you!” “ No, if I remember correctly, I’m talking to the Prince of Dummyland.” Alex looks back and forth at the Tweedles confusedly. “So… Can you help me?”

Alex’s question is ignored when the sudden music starts, and the Tweedles continue arguing through singing. The song goes on with simple choreography, and Alex shakes his head, slowly backing away.

Next, Alex wanders over to a tea party in the middle of the woods. The scene starts with a song. The Mad Hatter played by Stephanie is singing and dancing right away, with the March Hare played by Trixie joining her quickly. Sportacus thinks that it must’ve been stressful to do such a quick change of costume.

“Oh, hey, hello there! We have found another!” The Hatter sings, smiling at Alex. “Another one to join our tea party!” The March Hare joins in: “Oh, hey, nice to see you! We have tea and cakes too! Would you like to join our tea party?”

The Hatter starts dancing all over the place, singing with the March Hare, while another puppet controlled by Pixel, the Dormouse, dances in a teapot. “This is quite perfect! Here, would you like some bread? This tea party is one of a kind! Keep that in your mind!”

Alex tries to carefully ask for help: “You know, I don’t really know this place, so maybe you could…” The March Hare interrupts him by singing: “Oh yes, my dear boy. Tell us all your stories. I’m sure you’ve done a lot of adventuring. Oh, hey, Mad Hatter. Give me a piece of cake, please. Oh, sorry, boy, the cake is so distracting. Yes, tell us more!”

“Oh, well, I’m a little lost, so could you tell me…” Alex gets interrupted again, by the Hatter: “You know, I feel like dancing! Dance all your worries away! There’s jazz and breakdance, stepping, and ballet! Join us on the dance floor!”

The lights start twinkling all around in different colours, and the music gets louder with lots of different instruments. The Hatter drags Alex to come dance with her, and the March Hare runs in, to dance as well. Everyone continues singing the same melody with “Lalallalallaa!” and even Alex dances, though looks reluctant. The background music gets even more intense, with shouts of “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!” in rhythm with the song, and everyone apart from Alex is smiling wide.

“Stop!” Alex shouts, making the music end with a final beat of the drum, and everyone stops dancing. “Can you just please tell me where to go?” The Hatter and March Hare look at each other questioningly. “You might want to go to the Blue Caterpillar for that”, the March Hare says ominously. “Who?” “He’s very wise”, the Hatter confirms, with the light slowly going dim and the tea party table being dragged away.

“But where do I find him?” Suddenly Alex is all alone in the dark. He starts wandering around and finds himself lost in the woods. Strange signs telling him to go in all different crazy directions are scattered everywhere. There’s sudden laughter and snickering, and a cat, played by Trixie, appears - the Cheshire Cat.

“Hello?” “Hello?” the Cat echoes back. “Are you the Blue Caterpillar?” “Yes, of course. I am very blue, and most definitely a caterpillar”, the Cat says mockingly. Next, comes a whole scene of the Cheshire Cat saying riddles and laughing at Alex. Eventually, the Cat leads Alex over to the Blue Caterpillar, played by Stingy.

“Hello. You are the boy everyone has been complaining about, aren’t you?” “What?” The Caterpillar moves closer: “Well not really, just the flowers, but oh well, that’s good enough for me.” “Can you help me?” Alex asks, receiving a disapproving look from the Caterpillar. “Just going straight to talking about what you want? No wonder the flowers didn’t like you…”

“Can you just please help me get home?” Alex asks again, with frustration. “Alright, fine, here.” The Blue Caterpillar gives Alex a muffin. “What’s this?” “It’s a magical muffin. If you eat the other side, terrible things will happen, and if you eat the other side, you will get taken to the castle of the Queen of Hearts. She will help you.” Alex looks at the muffin confusedly. “What if I eat both sides?” “You can’t.” “Why?” “Because the other side is mine.”

Alex takes a big bite, and soon enough strange birds - Pixel’s marionettes again - start leading him over to a castle. Alex enters the castle carefully and tries to look for the Queen.

“Hello? Does the Queen of Hearts live here? I was told she could help me.” The Queen turns to look at Alex. Her shiny, big dress glimmers in the light as she turns around and smiles at Alex. “Yes. That would be I, the Queen.” “Can you help me?” “Hush, child. Hush. I need to think about that…”

Suddenly, the Queen ends up singing fantastic, epic song. Stingy takes the whole stage, standing in the spotlight and singing his heart out. He hits the high notes perfectly, and everyone is surprised to hear how strong his voice is. He even earns little applauds from Robbie in the audience.

When the Queen starts singing the chorus again, Alex tries joining in on the song, and the music stops. The Queen stares at Alex with wide eyes in silence. “Did you just try to sing my song?” “Well, yeah, I thought that would be how it works since everyone around here has been singing all the time and…” “Off with his head!”

Suddenly, exciting music starts playing and all of the lights turn red. Playing card soldiers appear, which are also puppets controlled by Pixel, and they start chasing Alex. He runs back and forth, away from the soldiers, moving along with the music, and eventually Alex successfully runs away. The lights turn blue, and slow, soft music starts playing in place of the chasing music.

Alex sits down on the ground, looking around himself. “I’m lost. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know anyone here. I don’t know what to do.” Alex lets out a sob. “I don’t like it here. It’s scary. I want to go home!” Alex starts crying all alone in the darkness.

The White Rabbit appears again. She dances over to Alex carefully, singing softly: “Hey now, my child. What is the matter? Hey now, my child. What seems to be wrong? You might not believe it, but it’ll get better. You don’t have to do it on your own.”

The Rabbit helps Alex up from the ground and continues singing: “Hey now, my child. Wipe away your tears. Hey now, my child. You’ll have to face your fears. But it won’t be that hard if you let me help you. When we’re together, there’s so much we can do.”

A huge choir starts singing with the Rabbit, as she takes Alex’s hand and starts leading him home. “Life is not easy. We all know it. You often feel queazy and you might often get hit. But together we’ll make it. I know we’ll survive. You’ll just have to believe me, and we’ll see the sunlight.”

The sets and lights change, going back to the original scene with the tree and the flowers, and the birds are chirping again, while they’re all still singing the song. In the end, everyone appears on stage, singing the song together. When the song ends, Robbie, Sportacus, Milford, and Bessie give massive applauds, and Pixel runs onto the stage as well. They all take a big bow with huge smiles, and the lights on the stage turn off again.

#lazytown #lazy town #sportarobbie #fanfiction #sportarobbie-shorties #fics #sportacus #robbie rotten #married #the kids #mayor meanswell #miss busybody #the musical

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sexatoxbridge · 7 years

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I still can't believe that happened....

Honestly, I really meant it when I said this:

I have no idea what in the shitting hell is going on.

ESPECIALLY yesterday. WHY did all these professionals ascending onto Louis’ property look like a play put on by aliens about how to Human™?

Like, “Here I am, I’m the doctor man! With my doctor tool!”

“I am in my lawyer suit with my lawyer papers because I'm a very important lawyering man.”

"I"m the coffee man doing my coffee job, standing out of the way, for that pap on the lawn!"

"I'M THE MOTHERFUCKIN DOGGG TELLIN Y'ALL TO GET YA NASTY ASSES AWAY FROM MY BOIIIIII"

I don’t really have any answers except that all of this is

It is so over the top and extra...I just really don’t even know what to say. It is a fact that the paparazzi are called for 90% of the shots you will ever see. The airport pap was called, presumably I feel, to capture them in their Tweedle Dumb and Dumber jumpsuits, which is fine because it’s clear that they are both under some sort of arrangement with Vetements. The return of what’s her face isn’t that surprising given that she was pictured with Gigi for official Tommy Hilfiger promo months ago and Zayn and Louis are still both, as far as I know, under Syco, so it would make sense that they roped their beards in together, and that they would use them for mutual promotion with TH. Maximum exposure required Zayn and Louis’ participation clearly. Louis recently followed Tommy Hilfiger on Twitter so it’s just like breadcrumb trail of stuntness that is right in front of everyone.

There is so much overwhelming evidence to support that this was all planned. I don’t know about the hoodrats jumping them at LAX being real or fake, but I imagine that the “scuffle with the paps” was intentional, thus giving way to Dan fuckin W’s article about Louis’ mental stability and then the comment from the Desperado of Calabasas about him “not being himself”...this seems like a terribly drawn out and horrible season finale that everyone’s just tuning into out of fuckin obligation to the years they’ve invested in the show.

It’s just...sad. It’s really sad for people who have bothered to look beyond the headlines, which are fabricated by yellow journalists and shitty PR people to build a narrative that is not true, and who know that this is the last thing that someone like Louis Tomlinson deserves. He deserves exactly none of this shit.

Not to continuously bring it up, and I wish I didn’t have to, but what I wrote about this subject over a year ago now is more relevant than ever. And that’s extremely depressing. If you haven’t read these, then hopefully you will and they can shed some insight into what I believe is actually happening behind the scenes.

Is Louis Tomlinson A Victim of A Character Assassination Campaign?

Why Is It So Hard For People To Believe That Louis Tomlinson Has Actually Had A Baby?

Is Louis Tomlinson’s Bizarre Behaviour Actually Just Him Mocking Simon Cowell?

#sao replies #babygate #sao louis #louis tomlinson #Anonymous

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whxterabbit · 7 years

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Clad in a bright, turquoise t-shirt (bedazzled by Jefferson himself), a pair of ill-fitting khaki trousers, and a pair of fluffy slippers; Bunny completed today's ensemble with a long, grey trench coat with pockets so deep they surpassed her knees entirely. With glitter dotted beneath her eyes, tiny golden stars spattered along her cheeks, and the remnants of last night's performance makeup smudged against her skin, she was certainly earning the strange looks and awkward, lingering gazes that were being shot her way. With her head down, hands trembling and heart hammering in her chest, she focused on her destination, ignoring the stifling sensation that was coursing through her as she felt countless eyes on her.

Trundling along the cobbles of Cherry Grove, taking one slow stride after another, Rebecca felt her skin prickle as rapid jolts surged through her chest, informing her of the anxiety attack that she was well on the verge of. She'd had a long, tasking night, and the morning after had been no relief to her stress-addled mind. After venturing out onto the tight rope for the first time – she'd grown rather comfortable in her role over the passing months, having initially explored various different aspects while on the road with the circus, but soon settling contentedly into her role as trapeze artist – she'd felt her heart in her throat throughout the entire performance. Bunny was no stranger to executing the perfect stunt when atop a pyramid, or a quadruple full layout with a 1440 degree twist; but on the tightrope there was nobody at the bottom to catch you should you fall, no invigilators at the side waiting to hold up a placard rewarding you with the perfect ten. Instead, she was met with hundreds of eyes as people jeered and caterwauled, an abundance of strangers practically egging her on to fail.

Luckily, everything had gone according to plan, but that didn't changed the way her head spun when she awoke that morning. Nor did it change the itch she felt crawl across her skin, that nervous tick that she needed to feed; Her performance the night before had been uncontrolled, not within the realms of her own management. She could only do her best, with no real control over whether or not it went well or not. Bunny so detested not being able to be in control. Ever since that night all of those years ago, her agency ripped from her, stolen by some heinous creature that she'd once upon a time been fool enough to call her friend, Bunny liked there to be order in her life. She liked to have everything within her grasps, and when she couldn't control a situation and wield it to her own tastes, she tried to focus on the things that she could anticipate.

With a key to Jefferson's apartment, and knowing that her friend would pay no mind to her letting herself in, she began hurrying along the street, muttering under her breath. She could feel both Tweedledee and Tweedledum fidgeting in either pocket of her jacket, their soft ears poking out as they tried to take a peek at their surroundings. Whispering assurances to the two rabbits that she'd have them out of the cold and back at Uncle Jefferson's soon, she breathed out a low sigh of relief when the small, run-down apartment block swam into her views.

She wasted no time in climbing the stairs and letting herself in. She didn't bother to call out to inquire as to his whereabouts; Bunny knew fine well that Jefferson scarcely spent his evenings at home anymore, instead opting to work into the night at Hat'll Do It, or marking papers over at the college, or – dare she be such a gossip to even think it – staying late at the diner, talking late into the evening with the pretty waitress that he'd grown something of an attachment to. Bunny's heart ached at the thought – she loved Jefferson greatly, and she wanted nothing more than a happy ending for her best friend, she felt a strange tug of jealousy at the prospect of her only saving grace being torn from her clutches. Her love for Harriet, Cher, and Alice would certainly never waver, but there was a certain degree of uncertainty that came with seeing her three old friends of late – she couldn't bear to be around any of the substances that some of them still tampered with, nor be reminded of the life she once lead. And then, of course, there was Dan, and the rest of her extended family; but even then, she hadn't known them quite as long as she'd known Jefferson, and there was a certain degree of familial, as well as therapeutic, comfort that came with being within his company.

Wasting no time in settling her acquaintances down, letting the Tweedles disappear and venture off and explore the apartment, she was perfectly settled in Jefferson's bedroom, knee-deep in the mess that he called his home. While the two performed something of a back and forth, their differing stances on the state of his apartment a rather comical sight to behold, Bunny found it weirdly cathartic to shuffle through the mess that were Jefferson's personal belongings, sorting them into orderly piles and ensuring that his room was utterly spotless on his return home.

A noise sounded behind Bunny, a flurry of movement evident behind her that was much too noisy to be that of a rabbit – or even two! – and she froze on the spot.

“Oh, my ears and whiskers!” she cried out, the words falling from her lips before she could contain them.

Tendrils of hair spilled out in front of her face as she slowly turned around, certain that she wouldn't find herself staring back at Jefferson. Anxious, her whole body quivering as her mind rapidly explored a multitude of unsavoury situations that could surely unfold, she soon found herself staring at a woman that she didn't recognise at all – not even a little bit!

“Wh– and who might you be?” Bunny pondered aloud, her eyes wide as she clenched her fists at her side, willing them to stop trembling.

#moments: aggie1 #aggie

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noladyme · 4 years

Text

Chess. Chapter 4

TW: violence, blood, language

I was taken to a shower room. With no other exit than the door we came in through, it seemed the Tweedles felt it would be safe enough to leave me alone in there.

I showered for an eternity. The water was hardly warm, and it smelled moldy in the room, but I didn’t care. I let the water run over me, scrubbed every inch of my body with a bar of soap on a string. I ran my hand down my injured ribs, and winced at the pain. Remembering Flags hand touching that same spot but an hour before, I smiled to myself. His touch then had been gentle, and my mind wandered into a more pleasant direction. A bang on the door interrupted my train of thought.

“Finish up!”, a voice called. I turned off the water.

A clean set of clothes had been laid out. Another tank top, this one not cut into pieces, a clean set of underwear, and a pair of orange pants, with much too long legs for me. I folded them up, to right bellow my knees, and finally put on the slip-on shoes that completed the outfit.

Calling out, I let the twins know I was ready.

After eating the mac’n’cheese and jello that was pushed through the hatch in the door, I slept deeper than I ever had, on the small cot that had appeared in my cell, while I was being questioned – or recruited, I wasn’t sure which it was. The last thing I saw before drifting of, was loose wire hanging from the corner of the ceiling, where the thermal camera had once been. I wasn’t being watched anymore.

---

I woke up to the sound of the door being unlocked; I sprang up from where I had been laying, fully awake, and on high alert. Two guards stepped in to the room. Not Flags men.

What the fuck is this?, I panicked, and took a stance, preparing for a fight.

Grabbing me by the wrists, they spun me around, locking my arms behind me. They held me like this, as Griggs stepped into the room, and looked me up and down.

“You look even better clean, puss”, he leered at me.

I lifted my knee, and stomped down onto the foot of the guard to my right. Letting go of my arm, he yelped; and I swung my arm, punching Griggs in the face.

Covering his mouth with a scream, he then slapped me hard, making my ears ring.

“You goddamn bitch”, he said, blood running from his busted lip. I laughed at him; and made to get another hit in, when the second guard holding me, kicked me behind my knee; making me lose balance, and topple over.

Laying face down on the ground, someone put a knee on my back, holding me down, as my ankles and wrists were put in cuffs. Spewing all of the worst profanities I knew, I then twisted my neck, biting at the guard holding down my shoulders. I narrowly missed him, and another hand held my head down, making my forehead meet the concrete.

“Watch it, dumbass. We need her whole!”, Griggs spat. He pulled a sack over my head.

They carried me like this, down the corridor, as I screamed and cussed. This isn’t supposed to happen, I thought. Where’s Flag? Waller, even?.

I hadn’t officially accepted Wallers “offer” of joining her circus. Was this payback for my little stunt yesterday? Was I being sent back to Gotham? Or were they taking me somewhere to end my suffering.

A sharp pain in my ribs – from a boot, I figured – made me consider whether euthanasia wouldn’t be a kinder fate.

A door opening and closing behind us. The temperature changed. The air was damp, and the sack on my head stuck to my skin, making it difficult to breathe.

I heard the sound of a gate opening. “Freak transport”, Griggs voice called. Laughing.

Another door. I was made to stand, and my feet were uncuffed. I heard the sound of hip hop music. More musical torture? Metallic clanking, and I was pushed forward harshly, almost falling over.

“Get that shit of her”, Flags voice said. Thank God.

“Careful. This one has sharp teeth”, Griggs said; and someone pulled the sack of my head.

Blinking, adjusting to the light; I examined the room. About 100 yards deep, 50 yards wide. From the looks of it, an old indoor basketball court. My calculations turned out to be right, as a tall, dark man, wearing the same outfit as my own, was shooting hoops at the end of the room, never missing one throw. He turned in my direction, and looked at me, then Griggs busted lip, and laughed to himself.

In one corner a large figure, wearing a hoodie, sat with his back to me, watching BET on a small flat screen. In another, a man covered from head to toes in tattoos – I could tell, as he wasn’t wearing a shirt, or shoes – was doing pushups.

Flag walked up from behind me, staring me down.

“Welcome to the gym”. He took out a set of keys, and uncuffed my hands. “I can handle it from here”, he said to Griggs.

“Are you sure, sir? She seems cranky”, Griggs answered, and put his hand on the gun in his belt.

“I’m sure, asshole. If we need anything, I’ll let you know. Now get”.

“Dick”, Griggs muttered, and walked out the large door we had come through. The metallic sound started, and then made a last large clank, as it shut behind him and his guards.

Flag examined my face, and stroked his fingers across the small cuts on my forehead, from my former spat with the guards.

“You need to be careful, kitten. I won’t always be around; so if you piss them off again, I might not be able to help you”.

“You weren’t there to help me this time, and I made out fine on my own”, I retorted.

Flag moved his hand down to my belly, looking at the blood on my top, lightly touching it.

“I can see that”, he said, removed his hand, and continued. “You ripped your stitches”.

“I’m fine”, I pouted.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is our newest team member”, Flag called out. “Y/N Y/L/N. Also known as Chess”.

The man with the basketball, turned around, and made a final throw over his shoulder; and the ball went straight into the hoop, then bounced away across the floor.

The tattooed man stopped his workout, and walked towards us.

“Croc, did you hear me? Get your ass over here”, Flag shouted.

The large figure turned of his television, got up, and walked towards us, pulling the hood off his head. For a second, I was tempted to run, or even do something as embarrassing as hide behind Flag. The tall mans face was covered in what looked like scales; and it took me a hot second to realize that was his actual skin.

Killer Croc. I’d heard of him.

“Don’t worry, cher’. I ain’t gonna bite”, he growled at me; showing his terrifying teeth, in what I guess was supposed to be a smile. In spite of his appearance and reputation; I instantly felt calmer, from his use of the cher’ endearment. It reminded me of Sammy.

Sammy. “What happened to the owner of the club?”, I asked, voice shaking.

“He’s fine”, Flag answered. “I bumped him on the head a bit, when he tried to stop me from going after you. But I left a large tip for him. He’ll be able to make next months payment to whichever scumbag is using their protection scheme on him”.

I exhaled, relieved.

“And my cats?”, I remembered, panic returning.

“Your neighbor has them. Don’t worry”.

Good. Selina was sweet, though a bit kooky; and she seemed to love cats, more than even I did.

“All your loose ends are tied up, and as long as you behave, they’ll stay that way”.

I raised my eyebrows at him. “You are using my cats to blackmail me?”, I asked.

“Yes”, he answered shortly, and smirked.

By now, the three men were gathered in front of me.

“Where the hell is Harley and Digger?”, Flag called.

“Harley had feminine things to do”, basketball guy answered, before being interrupted by a shrill voice.

“Flag! The british guy was watching me on the toilet again!”. A curvaceous but lean woman appeared in a doorway to my right. She was dragging the rugged looking unicorn man, by his ear; storming towards us.

“I’m Australian, you crazy bitch”, he yelped; and she yanked him by his ear to the ground, putting a foot on his neck.

“Whatever. Do it again, and I’ll punch you in your kangaroo pouch!”, the woman hissed, and kicked him in the chest, before walking over to us. Once she saw me, her face instantly went from murderous to gleeful, and she reached out her hand to greet me.

“Harley Quinn. Pleased to make your acquaintance”, she said; grabbing my hand, and pulling me in to a tight hug.

Surprised, I simply patted her back, and then pulled away.

“You smell nice”, she whispered in my ear, before stepping back to join the others.

I was suddenly terrified and ecstatic at once. The queen of Gotham. It was like meeting actual royalty; if that royalty was crazy as hell, and had access to weapons.

They stood there; a motley crew of deadly weirdos, smiling and/or grimacing at me.

“Diablo. Deadshot. Killer Croc. Harley Quinn. Captain Boomerang. This is Chess”.

Basketball mans – correction, Deadshots – eyes lit up.

“You’re the invisible girl”.

“That’s her”, Flag answered.

“Can you talk for yourself, mami?”, asked the tattooed man – Diablo.

“I always thought a woman should be seen and not heard”, said Digger.

I smiled, disappeared, and the next thing he knew, he was back on the floor, wincing in pain, from my knee on his back. I leant towards his ear, still invisible.

“Are you sure about that?”, I purred, and dug my nails into the skin of his neck.

He yelped, turning around quickly; and I fell back, landing on my butt, before I sprang up, to stand next to Flag. Only then I made myself visible again.

Digger scrambled to get to his feet, and stepped towards me; a sneer on his face.

Flag stepped in front of me spreading his arms, as if protecting me. What is up with this guy?, I thought.

Deadshot stepped forward to face Digger, and Croc took a hold of his arms, holding him in place.

“Stay cool, man”, Deadshot said. “Looks like we’re going to be working with this lady now, so you need to back of”.

Digger settled down, but not before shooting me a look I couldn’t figure out whether was angry, or strangely aroused.

Flag turned to face me. “That wasn’t very smart”, he smiled.

“What? He has a mouth on him”, I answered.

“The last guy who used that sentence, lost his spot on this team in a pretty bad way. The spot you are now going to fill”. He went to stand next to me again, folding his arms across his torso.

“What happened to him?”, I asked.

“We don’t talk about it”, Harley pouted. “It was kind of gross. Speaking of which! Did you get yours yet?”. She sprang forward, putting her hand on my neck, as if searching for something.

“That’s the next step”, Flag said. He reached for his belt, and pulled out a strange looking gun.

None of the crew in front of me would look me in the eyes. Only Deadshot furrowed his brow, and kept eye contact with me; then pushing his lips into a thin line, before mouthing sorry.

Flag put the gun to my neck, and before I had time to react with anything more than a gasp, he pulled the trigger, and a sharp pain – there one second, gone the next – spread throughout the skin around the wound he’d made.

He let me go, lowered the gun, before meeting my eyes with a pained look. “It’s official”, he said, and put the gun into its holster.

I stood there. Mouth agape. Confused.

Deadshot stepped forward, patted my shoulder once, and then walked back towards the basketball.

“Welcome to the Suicide Squad”, he called out, made a shot, and the ball went into the hoop again.

Tag list:

@gloriousgam3r

@hyp-oh-critical

#rick flag imagine #rick flag fic #rick flag #rick flag x reader #suicide squad fic #suicide squad imagine #deadshot #harley quinn

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