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lunaraindrop · 10 months

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One word/One sentence prompt thing; "Steve's Eddie the Bat plush"...does that count? Just Steve having a bat plush that reminds him of Eddie 🖤🦇🖤🦇

I have to tell you, this little bat plushie made my plot bunny go rabid! This is insanely long! I hope you enjoy it!

---

Steve stared down the candy apple in annoyance. They looked okay at the vendor's table, but Steve was pretty sure Granny Smiths didn't have an onion aftertaste. What he wouldn't give to be back home and have one of Mrs. Byers candy apples.

At that moment, he should have been eating pizza and a ton of good candy at the scary movie marathon at the Munson's new place. He should be passing around the Tupperware of his peanut butter chocolate chip cookies to his friends. Instead, he was hours away, three states over, eating a mediocre candy apple and hanging out at some Fall Carnival with a girl named Kaitlyn.

Don't mistake this. Steve Harrington was not on a date.

He had not been on a date with a chic in many months. Say...before Spring Break? The ready excuse was all the trauma everyone experienced. Another was all of the doctors visits, recovery, and endless volunteer hours. Who had time to date when Max needed to get to physical therapy and FEMA sent in another case of canned goods for the food bank? When did he have time to flirt with the ladies if he was constantly surrounded by kids? When would he have time to hang out with his adult friends?

Plus, as Steve had come to realize (after many, many car conversations with Robin), he was kinda done with meaningless relationships. Steve wanted the real deal. He wanted to settle down. Steve didn't want a hookup. He wanted a lifetime of love.

Yes, these were all very good excuses. Ones that even Robin believed when he would turn a cute girl down.

But the truth was that Steve *was* ready to date.

Had been for months now.

Maybe, kinda already was?!?

He just didn't know if the person he wanted to be with felt the same way.

You see, Steve came to the realization that he madly was in love with Eddie Munson.

In his defense, he didn’t know what he was feeling right away.

Steve and Eddie shared a hospital room when they got back from the Upside Down. While Eddie had been in worse shape, both of them had been bitten by the bats. They had to be quarantined together for 96 hours before Steve was cleared to go. And go he did....to take a shower and change his clothes. He was right back after that, visiting Eddie and Max.

It turned out that Dustin had been onto something (the ego boost for that, Jesus Christ), trying to get them to hang out. Contrary to outward appearances, Steve and Eddie had a lot in common. When you get past all of the high school bullshit, it was obvious that they could have been great friends before all this. So, they made up for lost time.

When he and Eddie became friends, like actual friends, and not just linked by the kids and trauma, Steve thought that what he was feeling was the joy and connection of having a best friend. Someone he could unapologetically be a dude with. He loved Robin to bits, but there was something special about bonding over fart jokes and impromptu wrestling matches in a living room. While he and Tommy H had been close, they were never *this* close. It was similar to how he and Robin cemented into their friendship, but just...more, if that were even possible.

He actually felt *guilty* for a while because he felt like he was best friend-cheating on Robin. It broke his heart to think that she would ever feel like second best or that she wasn't as important in his life, because she was! He wanted to spend time with her. She was still his best friend, his twin. Robin was like an extension of his own body.

But, with Eddie...it was just *different*. There was this need, the constant craving to be as close to him as humanly possible. An ache that was only soothed by having him by his side.

And it wasn’t just him, either. If Steve was a clingy friend, then Eddie was a fucking koala. Where one would go, so would the other, much to the amusement and annoyance of the other people in their lives. Their whole ragtag group liked to spend time with each other. Of course they would both be there too. And, sure, it was expected to see Steve taking Eddie to his physical therapy appointments. Wayne usually had to work. It wasn't a weird jump that Eddie and Steve would be at Max's together either.

But...Steve got some strange looks at the Corroded Coffin practices for a while. Eddie definitely got strange looks helping Steve sort out clothes and canned goods at the food bank. Steve let Eddie host D&D at his house, and Eddie let Steve put a basketball hoop over the Munson's new driveway.

When they did have to part, Eddie would get all dramatic about missing him, and while Steve rolled his eyes at his antics, he couldn’t help the bashful grin on his face. Eddie missed him. Eddie counted the time, loudly, to anyone who would listen, how long they were apart. (And he was pretty sure he was always right, because Steve counted too. He wasn't the best at math, but it was always close or the same to what Steve counted. He would even tell Eddie, which always pull a curl over his face.)

When Mike said that normal friends don't pine like some war widow when their friend went to the grocery store, Steve...started to figure out that they maybe weren't best friends. Best friends don't have to force themselves to part ways at night and sleep in their own beds, alone, only to sleep and nap on a couch together the next day. Normally, best friends don't find excuses to touch and hold onto each other and hold hands in the car. Best friends do give each other nicknames, but usually not "Sweetheart" or "Baby Love".

Best friends don't want to kiss their friends.

So when Robin had absolutely enough of not having Steve time and dragged him off to defend her best friend title, it was Steve that said, "Robbie... I'm freaking out. I'm not sure if he and I are Platonic with a capital P. Something's going on...and I'm kinda in love with him. "

Robin, wide-eyed, said "Oh. Oh! That's completely different!" and demanded to know every detail of what she had missed.

So, why was Steve hours away, three states over, at some Fall Carnival with a girl named Kaitlyn?

Easy.

His parents called.

As grown up as Steve was, there was still a part of him that was the eager boy, wanting to get their approval and attention.

They had been back to Hawkins only once since the "earthquake", and it wasn’t even for him. It was to get an estimate on the property damage. (They had been there two days and eleven hours. Eddie barreled down the driveway and nearly crushed his ribs when they left town. And Steve could have sworn Eddie laid a barely there kiss to the top of his head. They later watched Murder, She Wrote and cuddled on the couch. It was the most content he had been in a long time.)

On the day that Steve decided he was going to talk to Eddie and figure out what they were doing, his parents called and invited him to their business trip. They had a round trip ticket. They said they would love to see him.

He was so torn. He didn't want to leave the kids, or Robin, or especially Eddie...but they were his parents.

It was Hopper, of all people, that told him to take the break and see his folks. "You have been running yourself ragged, Steve. The kids will keep Munson busy. Go eat some fancy shrimp cocktail and remind the Harringtons that they have a son."

The airport was...hard. He honestly wanted to stuff Robin and Eddie in his carry-on, and maybe Dustin in the overhead bin. There were fucking tears, and laughter at the fucking tears. But Steve did get on the plane.

The first day there nice. Fall in Pennsylvania is really pretty. The hotel was five star. He went to the hotel's spa with his mom. She took him to lunch and dinner.

He didn't see his dad until the next day's brunch.

And that's when he was told that he would be spending time with Kaitlyn Caissiere, the young daughter of his new business partner.

At first, Steve was terrified that his parents were trying to set him up with this girl, and then horrified at the idea that maybe he was actually being pimped out to "entertain" her.

But, the real truth, while a relief, was annoying.

"Always the God damn babysitter." He grumbled.

That's right. Steve was there to babysit the most annoying preteen he had ever met. And he knew Mike Wheeler as a preteen.

Kaitlyn was a spoiled brat.

A spoiled brat with a ton of money and an itinerary.

The worst kind.

"By 8:00pm you must win me a stuffed animal. If you don't, I will tell Daddy that he should not do business with your dad."

"Yeah, yeah kid. I got it. Get you a stuffed animal."

He had been following her schedule for the past couple of days. Thankfully, he would be flying out the next day. He just needed to keep tabs on the she-devil, and "cater to her every whim" as his dad had said.

Walking towards the games, they passed by a fortune tellers tent.

Kaitlyn stepped on his heel. "Ow! What the hell?"

"I wanna stop here! I want my fortune read!"

"But this isn't on your list-"

"Let’s go now!"

Steve looked at the sign. Fortunes cost $5.00. A little steep, but it wasn't his money. Along with Kaitlyn watching came a wab of cash that was more than four of his paychecks from Family Video.

Kaitlyn insisted Steve stand outside of the tent while getting her fortune told. As she went into the tent, another came out. There were actually two people working the tent, but this older lady stepped out for a smoke break. When she realized she didn't have a lighter, Steve pulled out his own and offered it to her.

Taking a drag from her cigarette, she turned her head and smiled at him. "I like you. You remind me of my grandson."

Steve thanked her before pitching the candy apple into the garbage can like a three pointer.

The lady looked him over. "Sonny, since you are a kind young man and dealing with that child, I'm going to give you a free fortune."

"Oh really, ma'am. That's not necessarily."

"Oh hush! Now, watch the smoke."

Steve felt silly watching this stranger's cigarette smoke. He didn't exactly believe in fortune telling. But then again, he has seen crazier things.

Steve watched as the smoke took a form. He looked closer. "What the fu-"

The smoke took shape as a perfect arrow, pointing left.

"The answers you seek will be found over there. You will know what to do."

Well, what the hell did that mean?

He soon found out.

When Kaitlyn was done berating the fortune teller for getting her future wrong, Steve steered her toward the games. Which ironically was also where the arrow pointed.

Kaitlyn decided that Steve would win her a unicorn from a milk bottle toss. It took him seven tries on the rigged game before he finally won the damn thing.

"That was actually kind of pathetic, you know? Good thing you don't have a girlfriend to get a prize for. We would be here all night!"

Steve knew a challenge, and couldn't let that stand.

"That is because you picked a game that isn't in my skill set."

He looked around and saw a basketball throwing game in the distance with what looked like Halloween plushies.

"There! That's my game. I bet I can win a prize in one shot."

Kaitlyn drew up her nose. "I don't want any of those prizes. Yuck."

"Then it's for me."

She checked her paper. "I will allow one plushie for you. Any more and I will tell my daddy you stole them from me."

Steve was too busy at first looking at the distance of the rim to see what all the prizes were. But he stopped in his tracks when he did.

This was a game he could win easy. And there, on the top row, were a line of black and purple plushie bats with "Ozzy" stitched in lurid orange on the belly.

That...was definitely a sign. He also needed to have one of those bats, and pronto!

The man running the booth gave him a smile. "You a fan of Black Sabbath?"

Steve smacked the bills down with a grin. "Sir, I am tonight."

And just like he thought he would, Steve won the bat easily.

The man handed it to him. "Ha! Good aim! This little guy was meant for you"

As the man gave him the cute plushie bat, Steve knew he had his answer.

Thank you, fortune teller lady.

---

Eddie was waiting at the airport for him. The kids wanted to be there, but they were not allowed to skip school. Robin also wanted to be there, but work wouldn't budge. A "Welcome Home" party in Steve's honor would be had later that evening.

Man, Steve loved his friends.

Eddie held up an obnoxious cardboard sign with his name written in red craft glitter glue. A sign that Steve threw down to hug the bastard as tightly as he could.

"Welcome home, Big Boy! Your chariot awaits!"

On the drive back to Hawkins, Steve told Eddie about his trip. Eddie liked that he got to get the "Pampering he deserves" at the spa, and fumed loudly at his parents having him go out of town just to play babysitter.

"They had to take you away from your home, your *family*, from everything you've ever known-"

"-to toss you a ward?! Your parents are a real hobnobbing dick-weasles."

"Bit dramatic there, Eds-"

"-for 76 hours and 34 minutes-"

"-Wait, where did you get that extra hour?-"

Steve laughed so hard he cried at "dick-weasels."

When they passed the Welcome to Hawkins sign, Steve asked Eddie to drive them to the rock quarry. It was one of the few places they would escape to just drink beer, listen to some tunes, and just...be together.

When they parked, they sat in silence for a minute, before Steve grabbed his carry-on from the back.

"Whatcha got there, Stevie?"

"Its actually something I wanted to show you."

Eddie rubbed his hands together in excitement. "Ooo...what wares do you bring me, traveler?"

Steve shook his head in exasperated fondness. "You're so weird."

Pausing for a second, he brought out the plushie bat. Eddie gasped and snatched it out of his hands.

"Steve! This is the cutest fucking bat I have ever seen. And it's name is Ozzy! Whoever made this has taste!"

"Yeah, it's a carnival toy. I won that."

Eddie smiled at him briefly before his large brown eyes went back to his soft new friend. "Of course you did. Steve Harrington: Slayer of Demon Bats and Cheap Carnival Games!"

Steve laughed, but felt nervous inside. This was it. Make or break.

"Yeah. I just had to get him. He reminded me of my boyfriend back home. I really missed him, but Ozzy here helped."

Eddie froze. He looked back up at Steve again, eyes wide as saucers.

"B-boyfriend? He reminds you of your boyfriend?"

Steve licked his lips, gaining some confidence that Eddie's eyes tracked the motion.

"Yeah, boyfriend. Soul mate. Idiot I love and co-parent seven kids with."

Eddie hands were shaking. He carefully placed Ozzy in Steve's lap before cupping his face.

"Sweetheart. Oh, my love, your boyfriend missed you too!"

Eddie surged forward and finally, finally kissed Steve. It was like coming home. Steve let out a happy whine, and leaned forward into the kiss. Fingers slipped into hair. Worshipping kisses were laid upon cheeks and foreheads. Hickeys were nibbled and lovingly sucked into necks and collarbone.

---

Later, at Steve's Welcome Home party, they showed up together, hands entwined. Steve had Eddie's mood ring on his left ring finger. Still, nobody knew they were officially a couple until they saw the hickeys.

That night, the boys went to bed together, content that they no longer had to hide the extent of their feelings for each other. Taking a break from making out on the bed, Eddie placed Ozzy on the chair and turned him to face the wall. He didn't need to see what his dads were about to do.

#steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #luna is a writer #answered

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wyllathepeach · 1 month

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Ok, so my anxiety really did not allow me to get this out earlier lol. Anyway:

TS songs as Ducktales Characters, part III: Webby Vanderquack

(I would like to apologize beforehand for the poor redaction you're about to read, neither google translation nor my brain was having it)

If I had to explain Webby's character, I would sum it up with the concept of belonging. Having grown up isolated from the world, only with her granny, Webby needs connection with someone. She needs to belong or connect so much that she becomes obsessed with every detail of the life of the only person she knows, Uncle Scrooge, in the hopes she finds her place in the McDuck family. But, even when she starts to become family, she envies the triplets' relationship for she cannot be part of such intimate bond. She then clings to Lena, the only relationship she formed on her own.

Webby also gives the impression that her desire for an intimate relationship is the reason she supports Dewey despite not agreeing with keeping the investigation about Della hidden: it is something that unites them both in an exclusive way. It would also help her even more to be part of the family: if she gets to be just like Scrooge, then she MUST belong to his family. All for at the end being cruelly reminded that she'll never be family by blood, and, even if she was, family relationships are not unbreakable (speaking exclusively from her point of view at the end of Last Crash). This is why she needs to bring the family together at the end of season 1: she has done so much to form a relationship with the family, but if the family isn't together then she doesn't belong anywhere.

On a separate point, it is this sense of belonging that she has with the family that leads her to give so much importance to her friends and gives them her complete trust. It is friendship that allows her to have a family and therefore makes no difference between family ties and friendships. Hence her blind attachment to Lena.

Season 2, although Webby doesn't have an active role, is consistent with the former idea in Golden Armory: again she needs to prove herself as an equal to the new family member to feel validated. However, after Last Crash she is never again pushed away or questioned as family and her belonging is reinforced again and again, as seen in Found Lamp, where Uncle Scrooge trusts her with an essential part of the adventure, the same goes for Rumble for Ragnarok.

I don't remember much (and I don't have anywhere to rewatch the series at the moment) about her role in season 3 outside the plot twist that I so dislike (and that in my opinion ruins the message of found family and makes her entire development seem pointless), but I do remember that her fear of abandonment is consistent for Fight for Castle McDuck.

Anyway, all this to say that the Taylor Swift song that would be Webby's anthem, in my opinion, would be The Outside.

I've seen other people relate her to Seven or You're on your own, Kid, and although Seven agrees with the idea of longing childhood innocence once it's lost by the maturity that comes with experience (as seen in Harp of Mervana), the lyrics of The Outside expand the idea of loneliness and feeling like you don't belong anywhere, as well as learning to observe people to look for ways to connect. The song was written about going to school and meeting all these new people and realizing that you won't connect with them and will end up isolated, no matter how much you can offer to a friendship. Just as Webby would never be blood related to the Duck/McDuck family, even though she began to relate to them at the same time they reconnected and her fear of the family pushing her aside eventually.

"The Outside"

youtube

So how can I ever try to be better? Nobody ever lets me in. And I can still see you, this ain't the best view: on the outside, lookin' in. I've been a lot of lonely places; I've never been on the outside.

Thank you for reading. Next one should be Huey, but who knows what will come out of that (ゝω・)ﾉ

#ducktales #dt17 #webby vanderquack #taylor swift #character analysis #Youtube

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thegreymoon · 4 months

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The Story of Minglan

Okay, ONE more episode and then I'm off to do important stuff. I MUST know if they passed their exam (and then I promise I'm going to go and study for my own 😢)

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LMAO, Granny is so done with their bs 🤣🤣

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LMAO, I love Rulan and her nice shiny backbone 🤣🤣

***

Everyone else had an entire entourage come out to meet them, but only the servants showed up for him.

Which is for the best, I suppose, the last thing he needs is his surly father and evil stepmother coming and jinxing everything in a 100-mile radius.

***

LMAO, nothing gets past granny 🤣🤣

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"Putting a louse on top of a bald head" 🤣🤣 I am cackling 🤣🤣

I love Chinese idioms!

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LMAO, I am reminded of Ever Night when Ning Que's ridiculous ass was taking an entrance exam and he placed top in multiple categories in spite of being a disaster 🤣🤣

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LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

HE DIDN'T PASS!! HIS STUPID ASS DIDN'T PASS THE IMPERIAL EXAM!!

I CAN'T STOP LAUGHING!! 🤣🤣

SUFFER.

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YES, SECOND BROTHER!!

I never doubted you for a second!

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He failed.

Also expected.

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LMAO, this is me 🤣🤣

If you catch me back in school after my current degree, feel free to beat me with a shovel.

ALSO, WHAT ABOUT GU TINGYE? DID HE PASS? WHERE ARE HIS RESULTS?

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LMAO, what talent?

He's as mediocre as can be! His only talent is the fact that his mother is a princess and nepotism works overtime for him.

***

LMAO, choke on your bile, bitch.

Your stupid son FAILED his exam 🤣🤣

***

Aww, no, he didn't pass 😢

I am sad. I 100% expected him and Changbai to pass.

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NOOO DON'T MAKE ME CRY OVER A FAILED EXAM THAT ISN'T EVEN MY OWN 😭😭

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LMAO, straight for the jugular 🤣🤣

I agree with her, though. I'm not sure how much nicer as a person she would have been if she had been born as a man (or at least as a woman in a more equal time) but she would definitely have been happier. She is certainly smarter than her idiot brother and I have no doubt she would have done better than him. Growing up as a woman in this precarious, restrictive time must have been so stifling for her.

***

Why do I feel like he's talking some dangerous garbage 😬

My guy, please don't get your entire family executed.

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Aww, so he did come to ask about his son's results after all 😢

Gu Tingye was so sure he wouldn't but I guess even horrifically abusive parents still love their kids after all. They're just intellectually and emotionally stunted.

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YES, WHY WAS HE NOT ON THE ROSTER?

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WAIT. ARE THEY SERIOUSLY NOT GOING TO TELL US 🤬🤬

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Wait, what. What the hell. What the fuck.

THE EMPEROR PERSONALLY FAILED HIM?

BECAUSE OF A GRUDGE?

***

Also, who the hell is Yang Wuduan? And was it really Gu Tingye speaking against the Emperor or someone setting him up, like they did with the brothel bill?

#the story of minglan #tsoml spoilers #tsoml ep12

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ohtobealady · 4 months

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We did it, gang! We finished it! The last chapter is posted :)

Preview under the cut

==============================

He chuckled and it was a weak, dry bounce in his throat. “Not Mary.”

“Not Mary, indeed,” she smiled at him, and the image of Aunt Mary pushing Donk’s chair through the gravel came to her mind. “She really does have the family’s best interest at heart, doesn’t she?”

He chuckled, again, in a way. A dry choke of what should have been a laugh. “She’s the champion of us all.” The air in his thin chest vibrated with his long exhale. “The heroine of the story.”

“Yes.” Sybbie grinned; again she stroked his fingers. “The heroine of Downton.”

But Donk shook his head against his pillows. “No, not that.”

“Oh yes,” Sybbie passed her thumb against his hand. “That was Granny.”

“I was wrong.” She watched him close his eyes and move his lips, quietly, before looking back at her again. His mouth sounded dry as he spoke, dry but very solemn. “The times I’ve thought Downton needed saving. My life’s work: saving Downton. Protecting Downton. Only now that I’m at the end of it all can I see what it’s really been.”

She didn’t like this. But she’d listen. She swallowed down the feeling that had risen up high in her throat at Barrow’s cottage. She swallowed down the feeling that had lodged itself tightly at reading through Granny’s letters. She swallowed it all down, and she breathed around it. “And what’s that?”

“Downton saved me.” He nodded, slowly, and his lips trembled into a smile. “Only I was far too self-important to understand that. Hubris.”

“But—” Sybbie adjusted herself in her chair. “You did save it, too. By marrying. And Uncle Matthew. And now with Georgie—

“—yes, the house.”

“What?”

“We worked to keep the house. The Abbey. Oh, but Cora always knew, I think. And… in her gentle way, she tried to tell me so many times.”

Sybbie blinked. “Knew what?”

Donk exhaled a long, but shallow breath. And then Sybbie watched him smile. “Downton is more than just this house.” He turned his hand beneath Sybbie’s, and his soft fingers squeezed her own. “It’s given me far more than I have ever done for it.”

#things given to tomorrow #thank you so much to everyone who has followed this story with me #I'm forever grateful you lend me even a moment of your day to read my writing #its very humbling indeed #love you #downton abbey fanfiction #cobert

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dark-elf-writes · 1 year

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Granny Rin feeling so fucking validated in her hatred of the third when she sees Naruto’s everything. Just like I fucking knew it. I knew it before all you bitches. I took one look as his crusty musty dusty rusty face and knew it in my soul. Because fucking finally. A situation not absolutely layered in moral ambiguity that she can talk about. And he still fucked it up. She honestly thinks the only good that man ever did was appoint Minato as Hokage. Well that and die.

Grandma Rin off to the side watching Orochimaru kill her sworn enemy:

The day Aki tells her she breaks into Hiruzen’s office somehow managing to get around the ANBU and other guards and points at him with a jeweled hair stick sharp enough to kill just “I knew you were the worst sort but I didn’t know this would be how your proved me right you pathetic excuse of a man. The best thing you ever did for this village was step down for that child’s father and then you spit on his memory by treating his son like that?”

And Hiruzen is old. He’s tired. He, frankly, is aware of just how badly he dropped the ball and knows that his successor is very likely going to hunt him through the pure land for everything he has done to his child.

“So you’re claiming him?”

“My grandson is, and you will not stop him.”

“You know what he is.”

“He is a boy, Hiruzen. Not a weapon. Not a demon. A child that has been alone since the day he was born.”

He doesn’t look at her. He knows. He knows. “The elders won’t like it.”

“The elders can suck my left-“

“Rin.”

“You won’t take him from us.”

“I won’t, but you have to be aware—“

“I am aware of far more than you are you old sack of bones. Let me worry about my flowers and you look the other way.”

Hiruzen is old. He’s tired. He knows even if he is the god of Shinobi this is the one fight he will not win. “Fine.”

Rin doesn’t smile at him. never has. “Good.”

She’s gone before he can think of anything else to say. More silent than even his ANBU guards that should have stopped her on her way in.

#the elf talks #naruto #red lights and fox fire au #during the invasion it’s just #orochimaru currently impaling Hiruze: What’s poppin #Rin with popcorn: don’t mind me just watchin

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whimsicallyenchantedrose · 27 days

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Season 3 Rewatch Drabbles: 3x18 Bleeding Through

Summary: A series of 100-500 word drabbles to accompany my rewatch of season 3 of Once Upon a Time. There will be a drabble–either a deleted scene, a “fix it” fic or a character musing for each episode of the season. Focus will be on Emma, Henry, the Charmings and Killian–with an emphasis on Captain Swan’s epic love story.

Word Count: 855

Other Chapters: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) (26) (27) (28)

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Emma sat at the counter at Granny’s focusing all her attention on the mug of hot cocoa sitting before her. If all went as planned, she’d be able to focus her magic and send the mug to the broody pirate sitting in their characteristic booth.

Despite, well, everything (after all, nothing in this town was ever easy or normal), Emma had a new found optimism after the day she’d just spent. They may not know what Zelena’s plan was. They may not know exactly how to defeat her. They may not even know why she was doing what she was doing, but they did have something going for them: Emma had learned how to control her magic, and with that simple fact she knew they were going to win. That fact alone made her nearly euphoric.

She closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling, and let the warmth of her magic bubble up from deep within. When she opened her eyes, she saw that it had worked. She’d successfully transported the hot beverage without spilling a drop.

“Boom!” she said, triumphantly, as she rose from her bar stool and bounded over to Killian in the booth. “Granny’s to go. I should open a franchise.”

Killian sighed, lifted the mug from the book he was perusing and set it aside. “It’s impressive,” he said, in a tone that sounded far more annoyed than impressed.

Something was up with him. He hadn’t truly been himself since…well, since he brought her back to Storybrooke, to be honest, but especially in the past day. He’d been broody before, but this…this was a whole new level.

She thought back to earlier that evening when she’d seen what he’d done–helped Ariel find her way back to Eric–when she’d finally opened up to him, told him she didn’t care what happened in the past year.

When she’d all but let him inside her walls. (She hadn’t torn them down, of course. It was more like she’d cut a small door for him.)

She wasn’t an idiot. She knew he cared for her. He’d all but declared his love back in Neverland. She wasn’t ready for all of that yet–wasn’t sure if she’d ever be–but she was ready for…she didn’t know…something.

She would have thought he’d have jumped at the opening she offered him. She would have thought her overture would have put a smile on his face, but nothing could have been farther from the truth. If anything, her statements seemed to cast him even deeper into his bad mood. He’d even declined having dinner with the family.

Something was definitely up with him.

Ever since Neverland, he’d been there for her, he’d been her support, her sounding board, her cheerleader. In some ways, he’d been the best friend she had. It was time she returned the favor. So she found herself doing something she’d never expected to do with him.

Flirting.

“You wanna see something really impressive?” she asked, giggling like a schoolgirl. With a wave of her hand, she transported his hook to the coat rack in the corner of the room.

She would have expected him to laugh, to praise her magical prowess, to do that thing with his eyebrows that she’d never admit made the butterflies dance inside her, to make a suggestive remark. Anything.

Instead, he sighed in obvious exasperation as he got up from his seat to retrieve his steely appendage. “It’s bad form, Swan,” he said, an edge of impatience in his tone, “tampering with a man’s hook.”

Yeah, there was no doubt about it, something was seriously off. “Okay, what is up with you?” she asked.

He took his seat again, sighing and refusing to look at her as he clicked his hook back into place. “I apologize for my rudeness. It’s a long story. Too long for now.” With that, he uncorked his flask and took a long drag.

Well, at least he’d admitted there was a story there. She wasn’t about to let him dismiss it like that, though. It was time they had it out. It was time he let her know what was eating him inside.

It was time she proved to him that she’d been serious in the stairwell of her parents’ loft earlier that day. She didn’t care what he’d done; it wouldn’t change how she felt about him. (Not that she wanted to delve too deeply into just what she felt about him, but that was beside the point.)

“Okay, obviously something is–” she began, just as Belle burst through the door, book in hand and a look of urgency on her face.

Emma sighed. She should have known better than to hope for a heart to heart. A person could barely get two sentences out in this town before some crises erupted.

She really couldn’t wait to have this whole business behind her so she and Henry could get back to New York, back to normal life. Whether Killian ever told her what was bothering him, whether he followed her back to New York again…well, she supposed that would just have to remain an open question.

NEXT CHAPTER->

#season 3 rewatch drabbles #ouat fanfic #captain swan fanfiction #3x18 bleeding through #they are both idiots #and I just want to shake them

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evita-shelby · 1 month

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They didn't know we were seeds

Chapter 5

Cw: attempted murder, underage drinking, vomit, trauma, grief, choking(not the sexy kind), suicidal thoughts, mentions of teen pregnancy and homophobia

@justrainandcoffee @emotionalcadaver @call-sign-shark @peakyswritings

He hates her.

He is sick and tired of seeing her everywhere that now he knows how the family of the tributes he killed personally feel about him.

Jack takes refuge in his grandparents’ home up north to avoid it all and buries himself in work. He is good at everything, his mother had him genetically engineered to be the best and got a second boy free of charge.

He and Laurie were going to build their own cabin, marry two girls who would be as close as sisters and live here and their matching houses at the Victor’s Village raising children who would win their games like they did.

But all those dreams died with Laurie. Laurie, who got his head turned by any pretty girl in his path.

Laurie who didn’t even know his girlfriend, Carrie, was pregnant with his baby from the last time he snuck out of the house to see her. Laurie who forgot his sense the moment he saw the girl from 10.

Eva Smith, the prettiest poison you’ll ever meet. She was pretty, and knowing she had lost her entire family made you feel the need to protect her, but that had all been a trap.

She had been reserved, sweet and friendly, but guarded. He had met her briefly when he went down to the training center and teased Laurie about his staring.

He should’ve done more to stop his crush on the girl from ever getting that far. He should’ve reminded him he had Carrie at home waiting for him, reminded him what Juno did to him the moment their alliance fell apart.

But he hadn’t and his brother was dead.

Dead because of her! He yells as he takes the hatchet to the television set his granddad had. He’ll replace it when he goes to town later, it was obligatory for everyone to have a television in Panem.

“You look exactly like him.” a voice he knows too well and reeks of his twin’s funeral roses says as he watches Jack’s violent tendencies play out without any fear for himself.

“That’s what the identical part of identical twins means, sir.” Jack doesn’t care enough to be polite to him even if he was the President of Panem.

“I didn’t mean your late brother, Mr. Nelson.” the old man said, drinking his tea from granny’s fine china Jack’s bride will inherit one day as an insult meant for Jack’s mother, who married a woman last year. “You have an uncanny resemblance to your father at your age. No wonder your mother insisted on naming you after him.”

“Thank you, sir.” They had the same surname, his mother, Atia, felt it destiny when she learned her budget included the sperm of long dead victors. She had become a celebrity overnight when she bought the honor of mothering Iacobus’ only children.

And this past July she had almost become the first woman in history to have her only children be victors.

“Your brother should have won, would have too if the Gamemakers hadn’t chosen to save Miss. Smith instead of him.” President Snow says as if he too was powerless to stop the girl from winning. “I am sorry for your loss, Jack.”

He never uses a person’s first name, always their last unless it is a person close to him. The use of Jack instead of the pretentious first name his mother gave him strikes the young man as almost touching. As if he meant it.

Then he remembers that his mother’s elder cousin, Sejanus, was like a brother to him which led to Great Uncle Strabo making him his heir over Jack’s the unborn mother and her dead older brothers here in District 2. Perhaps it was this distant claim to kinship that brought him here.

“What are you sorry for, sir, it wasn’t you who killed him.” Jack sat at the arm chair that is already too small for him. He’d had his last growth spurt recently and wept like a kid because Laurie wasn’t here anymore.

“You are right, I was not, and while vengeance won’t bring him back it will give you the closure you need.” Snow’s words make no sense. There is no way he could avenge his brother.

Smith was a victor like him, protected from laws and arenas. He can’t just walk into 10 and kill her because not only travel between districts is forbidden unless you are a government official or a peacekeeper, he can’t even have a weapon on him without being arrested for treason.

“She will be here for her Victory Tour, just as you visited her district for it. I can arrange for a delay to cause her to stay the night at the Mayor’s House where you may do with her whatever you feel will alleviate your grief. No charges, you are…family, after all.”

Had they wanted, they could’ve saved Laurie instead of her.

A miraculous recovery, they say as if she didn’t know that they let Laurie die so she could be the winner.

She hates them all, everyone. The doctors, the districts for rebelling and damning them to this fucked up circus, her mentor, her escort and most of all, Tigris and the Capitol.

Her dress was black, like the sort of dress a princess would wear with a tight bodice and a ballgown skirt with a train like a bride. Black stitched beautifully with real white roses and three buttons like the ones on Dustin’s shirt and cufflinks at the interview.

They meant something to her stylist. Something only President Snow seemed to know the meaning of by the way he narrowed his eyes when he saw the details up close as he crowned her.

Was this related to that victor Tigris had mentioned? Something tells Eva it is.

She is still in the arena, only it’s no longer the one she survived this past week. This time the arena is her life.

Laurie’s brother was right to say the games never end, you just get thrown into a different arena.

He hates her, his eyes are so full of loathing as he watches with all the other mentors. Jack had come to mentor his twin, his other half and be here to celebrate his victory with him.

Only she killed him and the ghost of Laurie will haunt her forever even if she never sees Iacobus Nelson ever again.

No wonder the victors from her district choose to lose themselves to whatever numbs their pain. How can you live after all this and then see children die every year while you helplessly watch?

It is August when she returns to her new home. The house she is given is too big for her and the money and rewards she is given ate undeserved.

And yet she has to accept them because the games cannot end without a victor.

Her aunt lives with her to keep her from turning into another Abilene or worse, into Peter, the victor who killed himself thirty-six years ago. She manages her things and helps her with her ‘talents’ knowing they keep her busy enough to pretend everything is fine.

She’s taken up dancing, gardening, horse riding, animal husbandry, and even apprenticed herself to an apothecary and a Peacekeeper Medic who finished what her grandmother and mother started. By the time the Victory Tour comes around, Eva is almost fine and a jack of all trades.

That is until she is dressed up and put on a train to be paraded around the districts of the kids who died in the arena, some by her own hand and others because of her.

12 has her retching after her meaningless speech and its only living victor, Haymitch Abernathy, introduces her to liquor out of pity.

She’s never drank more than a shot of aguardiente her cousins had snuck out for her at her return party at home and she still feels drunk when she is propped up at every district after until she arrives at 2 and sees him.

Eva has to remind herself it’s not Laurie’s ghost. Just his identical twin brother who would gladly rip out her throat with his teeth than kiss it as Laurie once did.

She drinks herself to make herself forget he is there sitting across from her at every feast after. The moment she slips out of Clemens and her guards in her velvet black dress ---Tigris makes her look like she is in mourning for all of them and even wears black in solidarity--- and finds herself hurling her dinner at a balcony overlooking the town in her room.

Great behavior she’s had this tour. Drunk out of her senses and now vomiting into the pristine balcony at the Mayor’s house.

They will cover it up, like they did with her tripping over the steps at 6 and her hysterical sobbing when she saw Basil’s little sisters in 11.

“I wouldn’t think of jumping if I were you.” He says from behind her. Skin cold to the touch as he puts his hand on her back, as if he was unsure of shoving her to her death or in comfort.

“Laurie?” she asks turning around and mistaking his brother for the ghost she sees everywhere.

She doesn’t see his twin in the shiny slate gray suit, but the boy in the arena with her.

“They should’ve saved you. They should’ve let me die instead of you! I’m sorry I killed you, I should’ve killed myself if I had known they wouldn’t save you.” Eva sobs as she clutches the torso of the ghost of the boy she killed, of the boy who loved her. “It should’ve been me who died in that arena.”

“On that we can agree on, Evie.” The way he says her name is so unlike the boy she knew.

“You should’ve let Basil kill me, you should’ve taken the win there and they wouldn’t have made me kill you.” She agrees with him as he pried her off him like he hated her when she tried to kiss him like that last kiss in the arena.

“No one made you kill me, you killed me.” The ghost barks out a bitter and angry laugh.

“I’m sorry, Laurie.” Eva weeps and apologizes over and over as she does in her nightmares. “I’m sorry I killed you. I loved you, even if we never said it, I know you knew it too.”

In her desperation to make the ghost stay she throws herself at him before he leaves again and in his anger the ghost takes her by her throat and slams her to a wall beside the balcony.

“How can you fucking say that about him?!” the ghost screams and dissipates leaving not Laurie, but his twin brother in his place. “How can you say you loved him when you used him and murdered him like that?”

“Because!” That is all she can articulate as his hold grows tighter on her throat. “I. Had. No. Choice!”

Because we have to, because the Capitol demands it as the price for peace.

But what would a boy who lived in the Capitol’s most loyal district understand when he chose to go into that arena for fucking glory.

If he and Laurie hadn’t been so desperate for that bloody glory, she wouldn’t have ever killed Laurie.

Jack lets go and slams his fist into the wall instead. He is just as fucked up as she is, as every victor is after they are damned to live with their sins.

“Unlike you, I had no choice.” Eva has never felt more sober this month as she does now. The adrenaline of nearly dying at Jack’s hands had snapped her out of it even if the pain at her throat hurt like a bitch. “I didn’t even want to win, but the fucking Gamemakers brought me back because they needed a victor and Snow wanted to punish me for that.”

He believes some, but not all of she said.

It’s enough to stop this ludicrous notion he can just kill her to avenge Laurie. He only needed to ask her, and she’d be flying out the balcony by her own accord, and they’ll cover it up like they did with the deaths in her district from starvation and the excessive force used by the Peacekeepers.

“I’m sorry, believe me, I never wanted to hurt you or anyone like this. You should’ve just pushed me instead of letting me think you were Laurie.”

Somehow, her nightmares about Laurie stop after that, and she forbids herself from drinking ever again. It helps that Tigris was fired on the excuse that her modifications terrify people and not because Eva requested it in private to the president at her feast in the Capitol.

Eva doesn’t see Jack for the next five years. Since 2 has no shortage of Victors, there is no need for him to mentor Enobaria and the nine others who volunteered for their games.

Eva, meanwhile, has seen all 10 of her tributes die horrifically and is about to see these two new ones die as well when she meets his gaze at the opening ceremonies.

He still hates her. She can see it in his eyes, but he gives her a small sad smile when he thinks no one is looking.

Perhaps that confrontation years ago was all both needed to find closure.

#evacore #jack nelson #jack nelson peaky blinders #jack nelson x oc #hunger games au #peaky blinders fic #they didn't know we were seeds

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fanficfanattic · 4 months

Note

Apples or poison or Tooting (and if none of these work, head). Please and thank you.

There wasn’t any toots or tooting. But!

🍎apples AND ☠️ poison were both in the same fic, so you get from the intro of the one to the outro of the other.

In this fic, Ted does go into the treatment room:

“I don’t even know what me favorite fucking fruit is, cause ten years ago he said some shit about only being allowed to eat apples. No reason given. Just the right shade of drunk that I couldn’t know if he’d remember it or not. And its not like he could tell what we ate at academy. Or in me own home once I had one.

But I still only eat fucking apples. Tried them all, I think. Can tell you which are favorites from that. Granny Smiths are not for me.”

He’d edged back from the rage in his voice when talking about his father. But that just meant he returned to ridiculing himself.

“Like I said, no reason to listen to a word he says. Particularly since I don’t much agree with ‘im bout anything. Once I started though, I’ve just never, never managed to stop.

‘Don’t pass, be the star, caring ‘bout people will hold ye back’.

It jus…he was happier with me when I did what he said, and happier meant a lot less hurting.

But it’s just…it’s just putting that hurt onto someone else? Isn’t it, Keeley?”

And she didn’t want to confirm it, because he was hurting right now and she still cared about him. Loved him in a way she could only do for him. But this is what she’d tried to tell him months ago. And it was the truth. So.

“Yeah, Jamie, that is what it is. I’m not gonna lie to you. But seeing that? Its good, its important.”

“I don’ wanna be like him. I don’t! I wanna be more like I were before all his stupid fucking rules. Fuck. Fuck me.”

“No! No, you’re not. Like him. You’ve done things he wanted you to do, that weren’t good to do. But you said 15 years, Jamie. You were a kid. And I’ve seen you at benefits and signings. You’re so fucking good with kids, babe. You’d never hurt one. Not ever.

And that’s because…people who abuse their family, it’s about control. But you aren’t fucked in the head enough to take that out on someone truly helpless. Even when you turned that hurt on to someone else. You were just trying to find a way for you to have some control back.”

“Not an excuse though.”

“No. But it’s a reason. Oh god, that’s the reason you never wanted me to come round when he was down?”

“Course. I wouldn’ta let him fucking near you, Keels. I don’t let him fucking near anyone, if I can help it. He can’t hospitalize mates if you stop having them.”

“…what? What did you just say, Jamie.”

His face had the dawning horror of someone who realized they’d said too much. Admitted to something they couldn’t take back. And she didn’t know if he was upset that he’d revealed he didn’t have friends. Or that his dad had spread his control out over so many more people.

“Hey, no, don’t need to answer that. God Jamie, I’m so sorry he ever showed back up in your life. Even at my most pissed at you, I’ve never wished anything bad on you.”

“It’s okay, Keels. I know. You’re dead brill. Best thing ever happened to me, honest, and I know I’m lucky we’re still…friends, yeah?”

“Of course, Jamie. We are friends. I don’t let any of my other exes come over to talk or crash my dates with Roy.”

And he honest to god let out the tiniest laugh at that. Just as quickly the quirk of his lips flattened out. He slumped back against the wall, energy fatigued, and went back to looking at the wall.

“Hey, you’re gonna be okay, babe. We’ll get it sorted, yeah?”

“You don’t have to help me sort shit, Keeley. Thanks though. I’m just so tired of it. Of being scared rather than a grown man. All I’ve ever wanted to do was play football, and it’s like he’s turned it into poison. He turns everything to it, sooner or later.”

There wasn’t anything to say to that, though, so she just put her hand back on his shoulder. He’d rested his own hand over hers, for barely a second, when he heard footsteps approaching the door. Heard them before anyone else did. These stood out, loud ones with anger in them he could tell, a skill developed from a childhood of listening for drunken footsteps as a warning system.

His reflexes, trained to be quicker and then quicker still, meant Jamie was already moving as the door slammed open. He pushed off the wall so he was on his knees, upright as possible, putting himself between Keeley and the door.

It wasn’t his father. It wasn’t his fucking da, just Ted and Beard, but his breathing was already sped up anyway. He barely felt Keeley put her hand back on his shoulder, but heard her say softly from behind him, “Hey, Ted.”

“Hey there, Keeley.” Ted responded to her first. Before turning to him. And an angry Ted had only ever yelled at him before, never once tried to hit him. But he hadn’t yelled at anyone else at all, and Jamie was used to being the exception to a lot of people’s rules. He couldn’t get his breathing under control. And he knew Keeley could tell. But she wasn’t scared of Ted. She’d told him that he could trust ‘em.

“Hey, kiddo. Good thinking sending Coach out to help. But I told you to get to the treatment room-”

“Oh. Fuck. Sorry. I didn’t…wasn’t tryin to-“

“Oh, hey, hey, it’s okay, Jamie. I’m not mad at you. I wasn’t trying to keep you from the team. But you’ve got to get checked for a concussion and we need to see if anythings broken.”

“What?”

“Think your nose bone might be broken, son.”

“Its not. Been broke before so I know how it feels. And it ain’t bone, the nose.”

“Well that’s true, it’s cartilage. But all the same I want a team doc to check you over. Can you do that for me?”

“I don’t understand you.”

“Your hear-“

“No, not that. It’s…you and Dani and Sam? You all just…I thought it were an act, yeah? You caring, and shit, bout everyone. Let alone me. Cause that’s not…that’s not how people are.”

And Lasso made a choked off sound, but didn’t interrupt, so he kept going. All this poison sitting under his skin, like he’d just told Keeley about? Had all this venom pouring out his mouth now. Was he purging it? Or using it as a defense. As an offense?

“I could easy spend a hundred years next to a Roy Kent. Know how to absorb anger, or let it fall off, know how to survive it. I don’t have any fucking idea what to do with…with…with niceness!”

“Surely people have been nice to you before, Jamie?”

“Plenty of folks. That all want something of you or from you. Sam a mentor. You a more biddable player.

Keeley’s the only new person I’ve trusted in…years.” She just started lightly rubbing the shoulder she’d been touching, didn’t pause or stumble.

“Cause she said exactly what she was willing to give and what she wanted in return. No tricks.

And she said…”

Ted’s eyes moved to hers, quick and fathomless, before focusing back on Jamie. He realized with an almost start that the boy was trembling. He wanted to put a hand on his other shoulder or pull him into a hug. But the sudden movement, with all this adrenaline and the obvious now, so stupid Ted, the PTSD he had…now wasn’t the time.

“What’d she say, Jamie?”

“That you weren’t playing games with me head. You meant it.”

“I did. I do. I care a lot about you, Jamie.”

“Why’d you send me away, then? Once I started finally listening to you?”

#jamie tartt #keeley jones #roy kent #ted lasso #afc richmond players #coach beard #willis beard #james tartt sr #abuse of an adult child #physical abuse

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desertdollranch · 1 year

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The Wellies Make Waffles

Today is Mother’s Day in the United States. Early this morning, the WellieWishers tiptoed into the kitchen to make a surprise breakfast for Grannie!

Grannie is Willa’s grandmother, but she’s also an honorary grandmother to Willa’s Friends Ashlyn, Camille, Emerson, and Kendall. Grannie and Willa’s mama, Kendra, own and operate Canyon Creek Guest Ranch, and both of them work so hard all week. They take visitors on horseback trail rides, wagon rides, host stargazing events, make dinner over a bonfire, maintain hiking trails, and help people enjoy a relaxing visit surrounded by beautiful high desert landscapes.

Sometimes Willa and her sisters often like to help in the kitchen. So it was Willa’s idea to make breakfast for Grannie, and she was pretty sure she knew how to make waffles. Or at least, she had seen it done. All five of the girls could figure it out as they go along, right? It couldn’t be that difficult.

They brought out the pink mini waffle maker from the cupboard, and they all gathered around it to stare at it as Willa plugged it in and switched it on.

“How do we get the waffles in it?” Willa wondered.

Kendall had an idea. “We need to make the batter,” she said, and got the box of pancake and waffle mix from the pantry.

Kendall likes to make arts and crafts, so she kind of figured it was like making slime. She added a bit of water to the mix until it looked soft and splashy, like mud.

“Now you can scoop it on the waffle maker,” Kendall suggested.

Willa carefully spooned a big scoop of batter onto it.

“I know this part,” Ashlyn said. “You have to close the waffle maker. And then you can’t open it until it beeps!”

When it finally beeped, Emerson came around the counter. “I want to open it!” she said. “I know what a perfect waffle looks like. It’s supposed to be brown and crispy on top.” She picked up the waffle and put it on a plate, and then yelled, “ouch! It’s hot!”

Camille stepped in to help with the final step.

“Waffles need syrup,” she said. She got the bottle of Canadian maple syrup out of the cupboard, and dumped it on the waffle. “Not too much!” Willa said.

Just as she did that, they all stopped still as they heard footsteps coming down the hall, and someone came into the kitchen.

It was Grannie!

“SURPRISE!” all the girls shouted. “We made you a waffle!”

Grannie declared that it was the best waffle she had ever had!

Because it was made with love.

Willa’s mom came into the kitchen too, and she took over making waffles so that everyone could have breakfast with Grannie.

“I’m so proud of you,” Grannie said to Willa. “But remember, it’s okay to ask for help if you don’t know how to do something!”

#grannie #wellie wishers #doll crafts #doll food

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jrob64 · 1 year

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Blow Me Away (A CS Modern AU One-shot)

Happy birthday @apiratewhopines! It’s a week late, but I hope it was worth the wait! Thank you to all of you who have already shown interest in this story.

After having a discussion with Beth about what it would be like to see Killian Jones as a glassblower in a hot shop, I was determined to write a story about it for her. It includes a short guest appearance by one of her favorite characters, Marco, and something else at the end that she always loves for me to write. Oh, and see if you can recognize the quotes from my favorite CS scene ever!

Please forgive any errors in describing the glassblowing tools and process. Like Emma, all I know about it comes from YouTube videos and the Netflix competition show Blown Away. If you have an interest in glassblowing, I highly recommend watching that show!

Special thanks to @cs-rylie for her encouragement and help with plotting, and to the lovely @hookedmom, who cleaned up my messes as usual.

Story Summary: For her birthday, Emma Swan's friends give her lessons for glassblowing, something she has always wanted to do. Once she meets her instructor, Killian Jones, both of them feel the heat from more than just the furnaces in the hot shop.

Rating: M (for smut)

Words: 12,929

Also accessible on ffn and Ao3

*********

“Happy birthday, Emma!” Elsa, Ruby and Ashley shouted, then broke into the birthday song as Mary Margaret brought the cake in from the kitchen.

Emma Swan smiled broadly at her small group of friends, trying to convey her appreciation to each one of them. Growing up, she rarely had friends. Being in the foster care system meant she lived a transient life, not giving her many opportunities to develop close relationships. Now, at twenty-eight, she was finally putting down roots in the scenic little town of Storybrooke, Maine.

Her best friend Mary Margaret Blanchard brought Emma to her hometown after they both graduated from a culinary academy in Boston. Soon after settling there, Emma and Mary Margaret made their dream of owning a bakery together a reality, naming it Fairytale Confections. Emma handled the duties of working the counter, custom designing the cakes and decorating them, while Mary Margaret took the orders and did the baking. Since neither of them were interested in taking care of the accounting, they hired Mary Margaret’s friend, Elsa Arendelle, who also did the finances for her aunt’s ice cream shop, Any Given Sundae, located beside the bakery.

Mary Margaret introduced Emma to her other childhood friends, Ashley Boyd and Ruby Lucas, too. The group of friends welcomed Emma into their circle with open arms. Ashley was the housekeeper for the only hotel in Storybrooke, owned by Ruby’s grandmother. Granny also owned the town diner where Ruby worked as a waitress. When the bakery opened, she convinced Granny to buy baked goods for the diner from her friends.

It took Emma a while to get used to being part of a close-knit group, but after more than five years, she was very comfortable in their midst. The surprise birthday party was at Elsa’s house and it warmed Emma’s heart to see how much planning they put into it. A large, hand painted banner that stretched across the archway between the kitchen and living room announced ‘Happy 28th Birthday, Emma!’, streamers and balloons hung from the ceiling, and Emma’s favorite Rocky Road ice cream, bought from the ice cream shop, waited in the freezer. The birthday cake had been secretly baked by Mary Margaret and resembled Emma’s beloved yellow Volkswagen.

“You guys didn’t have to do all of this,” Emma declared, as she had done every year they gave her a party, though secretly she loved each one. The only other birthday party she’d ever had before coming to Storybrooke was at one of her foster homes when the mother’s birthday was two days after Emma’s, so they had a party for both of them at the same time.

“Of course we did!” Mary Margaret chirped as Ruby lit the candles on the cake. “You deserve special treatment on your birthday. Now, make a wish and blow out the candles.”

Emma swept her eyes around her group of friends, lingering on each of them for a few moments. She could feel herself getting a little emotional and was relieved when they all started inciting her to hurry.

“We’re not getting any younger here,” Ashley teased.

“Blow them out already!” Ruby chimed in, while Mary Margaret encouraged, “Close your eyes and make a wish.”

Emma smiled so hard, her face began to ache. “I don’t think I need to wish for anything,” she said.

“Sure you do,” Ruby grinned. “You need a big, hunky, stud of a man in your life!”

Emma folded her arms and fixed her with a glare. “I do NOT need a man. I’m perfectly happy without one.”

“Happy, but unsatisfied,” Ruby remarked, her grin growing even wider.

“You two can argue later,” Elsa interjected. “The candles are going to melt all over the cake if you don’t blow them out soon.”

Emma nodded, closed her eyes briefly, then opened them and extinguished all but three of the twenty-eight candles with one blow. Her friends clapped and cheered as she blew out the remaining candles and straightened up, beaming at them.

Ashley retrieved the ice cream from the freezer and began scooping it out onto the Autumn themed cake plates, while Mary Margaret cut the cake into generous pieces and added them to the plates. The tight circle of friends talked and laughed, enjoying the cake and ice cream at the small dining room table. They expounded on Ruby’s suggestion to wish for a hunky man by naming off the list of single men in Storybrooke.

Emma accepted it all good-naturedly until Mary Margaret mentioned Leroy, the grumpy town handyman. “Really? How desperate do you think I am?” she groaned.

“He seems gruff, but he’s just a big, old softy,” Mary Margaret said.

“Not gonna happen,” Emma assured her emphatically, while her friends laughed.

When they finished eating, Emma sat back in her chair, rubbing her belly and licking the last of the yellow icing off of her lips. “That was delicious, Marg,” she praised, using her favorite nickname for her friend. “And Sarah’s Rocky Road is always the best, Els.”

“I know,” Elsa sighed. “Having easy access to ice cream is nice, but it’s also very fattening.” She patted her jean clad thighs for emphasis.

“Oh, like you need to worry about that,” Ashley scoffed. “I’m still trying to get the last ten pounds of baby weight off and Alexandra is almost four months old.”

“You look great. We can’t even tell you had a baby,” Elsa said, while Emma, Mary Margaret and Ruby nodded their agreement.

“Tell my stretch marks that,” Ashley groaned.

“Time for presents!” Mary Margaret redirected, rising from her seat.

“Actually, it’s just a present,” Ruby corrected. “We all went together and got you one big gift.”

Mary Margaret set a small box wrapped in orange paper with a yellow bow in front of Emma, then sat back down and clasped her hands in anticipation. “Oh, I really hope you like it!”

Emma picked it up, surprised at how light it felt, and pulled the bow off the top. “I’m sure I will.” Carefully removing the shiny, foil paper, she found a white box that looked like it could contain a necktie. Upon lifting the lid, she discovered a plain white envelope. “Did you guys give me a million dollars?” she joked, taking the envelope out of the box and beginning to lift the flap.

“In your dreams,” Ruby smirked.

Emma laughed as she finished opening the envelope and drew out the gift certificate tucked inside. Reading it, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

“Do you like it?” Elsa asked anxiously.

“You…you bought me glassblowing lessons?” Emma managed to ask through her shock and surprise.

“Yeah, Marg went online and found a guy in Portland who offers them at his glass shop,” Ashley explained.

“I know you’ve always been interested in it,” Mary Margaret added.

“And you’re like, obsessed with that Blown Away show on Netflix,” Ruby threw in.

“So, do you like it?” Elsa asked again.

“Are you kidding? I LOVE it!” Emma exclaimed.

Ruby pointed to the corner of the certificate. “We paid for ten lessons. By that time, you should be an expert and will be making glass sculptures like Dale Chihuly!”

Emma gaped at her. “I didn’t even realize you knew who he is or the name of the show!”

“Yeah, well, maybe you’ll start giving me credit for paying attention to my friend’s interests now,” Ruby snarked.

Giving her the side-eye, Emma said, “I thought you only paid attention to my interest in men.”

“Now you know I’m not one-dimensional,” Ruby shot back good-naturedly.

“All you have to do,” Elsa broke in, “is call the number on the certificate to set up the lessons. The instructor’s name is Killian Jones.”

“Killian? That’s an unusual name,” Emma commented.

“I know, right?” Ashley said. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone with that name.”

“He sounds hot,” Ruby smirked.

“Of course he’s hot. He blows glass in a hot shop around furnaces all day,” Emma snickered.

Ruby clicked her tongue. “You know what I mean, Emma Swan. He’ll probably be shirtless and glistening with sweat…”

“Please don’t turn this gift into one of your perverted fantasies,” Mary Margaret chastised.

“The man named his shop ‘Blow Me Away’. It literally has blow me in the name. Besides, it’s not my fantasy, it’s Emma’s,” Ruby pointed out.

Emma rolled her eyes. “It’s definitely not mine. I don’t care what the instructor looks like, I’m just really excited to get started with these lessons!”

*********

Bright and early Monday morning, Emma put a call through to Killian Jones. She was prepared to set up her first lesson, but was not prepared for the deep, accented voice on the other end of the phone.

“Blow Me Away, Killian Jones at your service.”

Emma gulped. “E-excuse me?” she stuttered, then facepalmed as she remembered ‘Blow Me Away’ was the name of the glass shop. “Uh…I mean…hi. My name is Emma Swan and um, my…my friends gave me glassblowing lessons for my birthday and I just called to, um…I wanted to…”

“To schedule those lessons, lass?” Killian asked, his voice tinged with humor.

She blew out a frustrated breath. “Yeah. Sorry about that, I just…I wasn’t expecting you to be British.”

He chuckled. “I do hope that isn’t a problem.”

“Oh, no. Not at all,” she assured him.

“That’s good to know, Ms. Swan.”

“Miss,” she spat out quickly, then amended herself, “I mean, Emma. You can call me Emma.”

“Very well, Emma. Now, when were you thinking about beginning your lessons?”

The way her name sounded rolling off his tongue rendered her momentarily tongue-tied again. “Uh…wh-when is a good time for you?”

“I’m here every day, so it’s really your schedule we should work around. Do you live in Portland?”

“No, I live in a little town called Storybrooke. You’ve probably never heard of it.”

“On the contrary, I’ve sailed into the harbor there a few times. It’s a lovely place.”

“It really is. I love it. My friend Mary Margaret and I own a bakery here. She’s the one who found your shop online and ordered the gift certificate for lessons.”

“The next time I go to Storybrooke, I shall have to find your bakery to appease my sweet tooth,” Killian said.

Emma smiled at his vocabulary. The man sounded like he just stepped out of the 1800’s. “You should. It’s called Fairytale Confections and it’s right beside the ice cream shop.”

He groaned, the sound of which caused her stomach to do a little flip. “Ice cream and cake. That’s truly not fair.”

“Sorry,” she laughed. “Anyway, I sort of sidetracked the conversation, Mr. Jones”

“If I’m to call you Emma, please call me Killian.”

“Okay, Killian. As far as the time, I’m free most evenings and all day Sunday when the bakery is closed, but you’re probably not open then.”

“Lesson times are flexible, so I would be more than happy to give them on Sundays, if that works for you.”

“Okay, great!”

“How many lessons were you given?”

“Ten.”

“In that case, would you be amenable to having two lessons a week? Otherwise, they’ll run into the holidays when I’ll be in England for a few weeks to visit my brother and his family.”

“Sure. The bakery closes at two on Wednesdays, so maybe later in the afternoon?”

“Would four o’clock work for you?”

“Yeah,” she confirmed. “What time on Sunday?”

“You call it, Swan,” he said.

“How about one o’clock, Jones?” she replied cheekily.

There was a pause on the other end before he spoke again. “My apologies, Emma. I’m used to calling my assistants by their last name since three of the four are named Joe, including one who is a woman.”

She laughed lightly. “I was just teasing. I really don’t mind at all.”

“To answer your question, one o’clock on Sunday would be fine. Is this Wednesday too soon to start?”

“No, that’s perfect. I’m very excited to learn the art of glassblowing. It has always intrigued me.”

“Very good. Do you have the address of my shop?”

Emma looked at the paper in front of her again. “Yeah, it’s on the gift certificate. So I guess I’ll see you Wednesday at four.”

“Aye, see you then, lass.”

Emma ended the call and sat looking at her phone with a dreamy smile on her face. She would never admit it, but if his voice was anything to go by, she might have to agree with Ruby’s assessment that he was hot, in more ways than one.

*********

As she drove to Portland Wednesday afternoon, Emma worried her bottom lip between her teeth. She was excited but also nervous, not only about learning something new, but also about meeting the man behind the sexy voice. She had actually dreamed about him the night after their conversation on the phone, as if her subconscious was trying to put a face with the voice that was still echoing in her ears.

Parking her bug in front of the warehouse her GPS declared was her destination, she drew in a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. Then she grabbed the gift certificate off the seat, flung her car door open and stepped out.

She approached the building and pulled open the creaky metal door, looking around as she entered, but not seeing Killian Jones. Smiling at the glassblowing equipment spread around the large space, she mentally named things she recognized from watching the Netflix show and numerous YouTube videos.

Turning her attention to several blown glass pieces sitting on a table beside the door, she carefully picked them up one-by-one to study them.

“You must be Emma Swan.”

The words spoken close behind her startled her so much, she almost dropped the beautiful aqua colored bowl she was holding. Letting out a gasp, she quickly set it back on the table and turned around, saying, “Oh, I didn’t know you were…”

Her words trailed off as she got a look at her instructor. Her first thought was that her dream of him didn’t do him justice, and her second was that his looks certainly equaled the sexiness of his voice. He appeared to be about her age, was a few inches taller than her, with dark, disheveled hair, a strong, scruff-covered jaw, piercing blue eyes and a gleaming white smile. His hands grasped both ends of a towel slung around his neck, making his biceps bulge under the sleeves of his tight, white T-shirt, the V-neck allowing her to see dark hair peeking out.

While he waited for her to speak again, he used the end of the towel to wipe away the sweat on his forehead. A few strands of hair flopped down over it once he finished and her hand inadvertently reached forward, intending to brush them away. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she jerked her hand back and ran it through her own long, blonde hair instead.

He looked at her with his head cocked and a raised eyebrow, his roguish grin convincing her he knew the effect he was having on her. She cleared her throat and said, “Uh, yeah. I’m Emma.” Holding out her hand, she added, “It’s nice to meet you, Killian.”

He took her hand, squeezing it lightly as he shook it. “Likewise. Have you been waiting long?”

“Not at all. I just got here and was admiring your work,” she said, sweeping her arm toward the glass works on the table. “They’re very good.”

“Thank you,” he replied with a smile. “Hopefully, by the end of your lessons, you’ll be able to make some nice pieces, too.”

“That would be great!” she said, her voice bubbling with excitement.

“Shall we get started?” he asked.

“Oh, do you need this?” She held out the crumpled gift certificate.

“Aye,” he said, taking the paper, folding it and sticking it in his back pocket. Then he gestured for her to go ahead of him.

“You didn’t check it. Are you just gonna take my word for it that it’s worth ten lessons?” she asked teasingly.

“Well, you haven’t lied to me thus far.”

She turned to look at him over her shoulder and saw the smirk on his face. She was enjoying the banter with him and already felt at ease.

Touching her on the shoulder, he stopped her in front of a large furnace. “How much do you already know about the art of glassblowing, Emma?”

“Well…I’ve watched every season of Blown Away on Netflix and quite a few YouTube videos. Does that count?” she asked, with a hint of embarrassment.

“Of course it does. I’ve watched them myself. Let’s see if you can identify some of the tools of the trade.”

As he led her around the shop, she was able to name many things he pointed out, such as the furnace containing the molten glass, the glory hole, where glass in the process of being blown was reheated, and the annealer, in which glass projects were placed to cool slowly.

He also asked her questions about the process of glassblowing to get an idea of what she knew and didn’t know. She impressed him again when she talked about gathering the glass with a blowpipe, rolling it on the steel marver table and rolling it in ground glass called frit to give it color. In addition, she correctly identified the majority of the tools he had laid out on the bench.

“You obviously know most of the important terms and equipment already, Swan,” he praised when they finished the tour. “Now you just have to actually do some glassblowing yourself. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely!” she answered.

Killian handed her a pair of safety goggles, then he demonstrated the procedure, calling on her to help him from time to time.

“That’s the basic process,” he said when he finished. “How would you like to try it for yourself?”

“Really? You think I could do that already?” She was nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet with anticipation.

“Of course, and I’ll be here to guide you. First, choose a color of frit and then I’ll help you do your first gather.”

She went over to the table to look over the color selection and chose green.

“Excellent choice. Go ahead and pick up your blowpipe.”

She did as directed and went to stand beside him in front of the furnace.

“Now, I’m going to open the door and then I’ll help you, okay?” he asked.

Emma nodded and held the pipe the same way he held it during his demonstration. He slid the door to the left a few inches then stood behind her to guide her hands. “Place it on the bottom edge of the door and start turning it clockwise,” he directed. When she did, he put his right hand behind hers on the pipe, helping her slide it into the molten glass. “Keep turning. That’s good. Start pulling it back, but don’t stop turning.”

With him standing so close, she felt heat that she knew was from more than the furnace. Between his looks, his voice, the way he listened to her, and how he made her feel important, he had an unmistakable effect on her.

When she had the blowpipe clear of the furnace, she was excited to see the blob of orange at the end of it. “I did it!” she exclaimed.

“Yes, you did,” he agreed, closing the furnace door. “Now, roll it on the marver and then in the frit.” Reaching around her, he adjusted her hands on the pipe, surrounding her with his presence, though she could tell he was being careful to leave space between their bodies.

He patiently walked her through the entire procedure until she created a perfectly round orb and placed it in the annealer.

“Unfortunately, it takes about four hours for it to cool down completely, so you won’t be able to take it with you today,” he informed her.

“That’s okay. I’ll get it on Sunday when I come back for my next lesson.”

“I’m very happy to hear you’ll be back. I was hoping you would enjoy it enough to want to continue all of your lessons.”

She beamed at him. “It was incredible! I can hardly wait until next time. What will we make on Sunday?”

He grinned at her enthusiasm. “Perhaps you’d like to try making a paperweight or a Christmas tree ornament?”

“Either one sounds good to me!”

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she remarked, “I didn’t realize what time it was. I probably stayed past my allotted lesson time, didn’t I?”

“I don’t set a length of time for my lessons,” he assured her. “I’d rather just go with the flow of it, than to cut it off when we reach a certain point in time. I’ve really enjoyed working with you today, Emma. You catch on very quickly and appear to be a natural.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re a great teacher.”

He rewarded her with one of his smiles that made her feel a bit weak in the knees. “Perhaps it’s both.”

“Well, thank you again, Killian. I’ll see you Sunday.”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

She started to walk toward the door, but suddenly thought of something. Turning to face him again she said, “Hey, if you wouldn’t mind, could you take a picture of my project and send it to me once it’s out of the annealer? I want to show my friends that I actually made something today and I’d like to have proof.”

“Of course,” he replied. “Could you put your number into my phone? The one you called to set up the lessons was for the phone in the office.”

He pulled his device out of his back pocket, unlocked it, pulled up his contacts and handed it to her. Once she finished, and handed it back to him, he took a look at it. “Swan, huh?” he smirked.

“I told you I didn’t mind you calling me by my last name. Besides, I wouldn’t want you to confuse me with another Emma.”

He nodded as he tucked the phone back into his pocket. “Drive safely, Swan.”

Throwing him one more smile, she turned and walked out of the building.

*********

Killian stared at the exit long after Emma left, not really seeing the metal door with the chipped paint, but remembering the lovely woman who just walked through it. After hearing her voice on the phone, he had spent more time than he would like to admit trying to imagine what she looked like, but no image that flitted through his mind the past few days could compare to her actual beauty.

He was glad it took her a while to gather her thoughts when she first laid eyes on him, because his first glimpse of her left him a bit speechless, too. Spending nearly two hours with her only made her more attractive to him. She was witty, easy to talk to, and a fast learner. When he stood close to help guide her, it was very tempting to move even closer, but he restrained himself. He didn’t want to offend her or make her uncomfortable in any way. For all he knew, she could have a boyfriend.

That possibility didn’t keep him from admiring her, though. After she chose the color of frit for her project, he couldn’t help thinking how it would perfectly match her beautiful eyes. He almost told her so, but decided to keep the comment to himself, unsure of how she would accept it. The memory of those eyes sparkling with excitement was going to remain with him in the coming days.

Taking out his phone again, he looked down at her contact info with a smile, thinking about her last statement. He didn’t think there was a chance he would confuse her with any other Emma. She was definitely one-of-a-kind.

He traced his finger over her name on the screen, then locked the phone and stuck it in his pocket, before turning to go back into the shop. He could hardly wait until Sunday.

*********

“How was your first lesson?” Mary Margaret eagerly asked as soon as Emma answered her phone. She had just walked through the door of her small loft apartment and marveled at the innate sense of timing her friend seemed to possess.

“It was great! I loved it, and already learned a lot. I made something, but I had to leave it in the cooling oven, so Killian said he would send a picture of it to me when it comes out. I’ll send it to you once I get it.”

“Okay. Tell me about Killian! He must be a good teacher if you already learned a lot. How old is he? Is he nice? What does he look like? ”

There was a brief silence after she finished asking her questions. “Are you done?” Emma laughed.

“I’m sure I’ll think of more later, but that’s all I have for now,” Mary Margaret replied, humor coloring her voice.

“Okay, let me see. Yes, he’s a very good teacher. He explained everything while he demonstrated the process and then guided me through it when I did it myself. I’m not sure how old he is, but I would estimate him to be around my age. And he is very nice. He put me at ease right away.”

“And…” Mary Margaret prodded.

“And what?” Emma asked innocently.

“Answer the last question.”

“What question was that?”

Mary Margaret heaved a sigh. “Seriously, Emma?”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself,” Emma snickered. “He…he’s the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen, Marg. Dark hair, scruff, dimples and the bluest eyes you can imagine.”

“So Ruby was right! He is hot!”

“Hot and sexy,” Emma confirmed. “But I really don’t look forward to Ruby finding that out.”

Mary Margaret laughed. “I don’t blame you! She more than likely won’t let you alone until the two of you are married!”

“Oh, god,” Emma groaned. “Maybe she’ll forget I had my first lesson today.”

“Fat chance,” Mary Margaret giggled.

As if to prove her point, Emma’s phone buzzed with a text. Glancing at the screen, she groaned even louder. “Just got a text from her that says ‘How was your lesson with Mr. Hottie?’ How long do you suppose I can ignore it before I answer?”

“If you don’t answer, she’ll be pounding on your door very soon.”

“Ugh, fine. I’ve gotta go. I’ll send you the picture as soon as I get it.”

“Good luck. I’ll be listening for her scream when she finds out Killian is good looking.”

“I think I’ll just tell her he’s old and ugly.”

“You really think that will work?”

“Of course not. She should have been a police detective with her knack for interrogating people and making them confess,” Emma sighed. “Talk to you later, Marg.”

As soon as she ended the call, she responded to Ruby’s text.

E: The lesson was great.

R: Details.

E: I made a green glass ball.

R: More details.

E: It was fun!

R: You’re testing my patience.

E: I learned how to use the glory hole.

R: Glory hole? Now we’re talking. Were you horizontal or vertical at the time?

E: It’s a glassblowing term - an oven where you reheat the glass.

R: Whatever you say. Tell me about Killian.

E: He’s a good teacher.

R: What did he teach you? The Horizontal Mambo?

E: Ruby!

R: Ugh, fine! Is he hot?

E: Well, the furnaces are close to 2000 degrees, so it’s hard not to be hot.

R: If you don’t give me a direct answer Emma Swan, I’m coming over there to drag it out of you!

E: He’s very handsome.

R: I knew it! Did you ask him out?

E: Of course not!

R: But you are seeing him again, right?

E: Did you forget you gave me 10 lessons? I’ll see him at least 9 more times.

R: When is the next one?

E: Sunday afternoon.

R: Then you have a few days to plan how to ask him out.

E: You’re impossible.

R: And you love me for it. (smiley emoji)

E: I don’t know about that, but I do love you, Rubes.

R: I know. I’m adorable.

E: (rolling eyes emoji) I’ll send you a pic of what I made today when Killian sends it to me. It had to cool down so I wasn’t able to bring it home with me.

R: Ooh! He has your phone number and you have his! Finally, a step in the right direction! You now have the ability to send him sexy photos!

E: Ugh! I’ve gotta go, Ruby. Talk to you later.

R: Alright. Go daydream about your man.

*********

When Emma entered the glass shop on Sunday afternoon, she saw Killian sitting on one of the benches, speaking to an older man with a fringe of white hair around his otherwise bald head. Curious, she quickly strode across the concrete floor to where the two men were sitting.

Killian looked up as she approached and stood to greet her. “Hello, Emma. How are you today?”

“I’m good, thanks,” she replied, her eyes flicking over to the other gentleman, who was looking at her with a broad smile and twinkling eyes.

“I’d like to introduce you to someone,” Killian said, leading her over to where the man was now standing. “This is Marco Pinetti. He taught me everything I know about glassblowing. Marco, this is my newest student, Emma Swan.”

“Ah, yes, Miss Swan. Killian has told me about you and your potential to be an excellent glassblower,” Marco said, taking Emma’s hand warmly between both of his.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Pinetti,” Emma said sincerely.

“Mr. Pinetti makes me sound like an old man! Please call me Marco.”

She chuckled. “Okay, but only if you call me Emma.”

“Marco stopped in to visit and I asked him to stay to watch your lesson, if you don’t mind,” Killian said.

“That’s fine,” she replied, then turned toward Marco again. “Please just remember this is only my second one.”

Marco patted her on the shoulder. “We all have to begin somewhere, my dear, but from what Killian has told me, you catch on very quickly.”

She glanced at Killian and saw the proud smile on his face. Her face heating from the blush creeping into it, she said, “I’m ready whenever you are.”

As the lesson went along, Killian was just as attentive and helpful as he was the first time. Marco ended up staying for the entire two hours, and by the end, she had a multicolor paperweight and a Christmas ornament cooling in the annealer.

“Do you have any advice for her, Marco?” Killian asked.

The older man scratched at his beard in thought. “Follow your instincts and don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Glass is fragile, yes, but pieces can always be remade. Experiment with it and have fun.”

Killian was nodding his agreement, while Emma soaked in the master glassblower’s words.

“Killian was right - you are a quick study,” Marco went on. “You have a knack for the art and I’m very happy you’re pursuing it.”

“Thank you, Marco,” Emma beamed, while Killian looked at her with pride.

*********

The next month passed in a blur and far too soon, Emma was having her final lesson with Killian. She not only learned a great deal about the techniques of glassblowing, but had gotten to know her instructor much better, too. She really liked him, and was pretty sure the feeling was mutual.

It was all she could do to keep her hands off of him during their lessons. There was just something so enticing about watching him manipulate the glass, the muscles of his arms flexing with a light sheen of perspiration covering them. His knowledge, expertise and the easy way he explained things were also attractive qualities to her.

They texted one another daily. At first, it was just about the lessons, but eventually, they began sharing personal information with each other, discovering that they had many common interests.

When her final project, a plate with swirls of color, was put into the annealer, Killian turned to face Emma. “You have been a pleasure to teach, Swan. I’ve never taught anyone with more natural ability.”

Emma dragged the back of her wrist across her forehead to wipe away the sweat, but also to hide her blush at his praise. “Thank you, Killian, but I think it was because of your teaching that I learned so quickly.”

Killian scratched at a spot behind his ear, dropping his eyes to the floor. “It’s also been very nice getting to know you. I’m going to miss our time together.”

“Yeah,” she agreed, “but just because my lessons are over, doesn’t mean we can’t still text each other.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t,” he grinned. “I, uh, I was wondering if you might like to go get something to eat while you’re waiting for the plate to cool. That way, you won’t have to make another trip into Portland to pick it up.”

She answered with a smile. “I’d really like that.”

They spent the next three hours enjoying each other’s company at Killian’s favorite diner on the outskirts of Portland. When Emma finally checked her phone, she couldn’t believe how much time had passed. She usually had trouble carrying on long conversations with most people, but it was easy with Killian.

“I guess we should go back to the shop so I can pick up my project and get on the road,” she said reluctantly.

He drained the last of the water in his glass. “I suppose it is about that time.”

He paid the bill, after insisting it was his treat, and they both got into his SUV. Emma found a radio station playing Christmas music and sang one song after another all the way back to the shop, Killian joining her after the first song. Once they arrived, she collected her project and carefully set it on the floor of the passenger side in her car, tucking a blanket around it, before turning back to him.

“Well, this is it,” she said with a sigh.

“It, uh, it doesn’t have to be,” he said, stepping closer to her. “You’re welcome to come blow glass with me anytime, Swan.”

Emma grinned, thinking about how Ruby would twist his words to become something dirty if she was here. “You’re right. I can always buy more lessons.”

He reached out to take her hands. “You wouldn’t have to buy them. I thoroughly enjoy working with you and I’m telling you the truth when I say you show a lot of talent. Please consider this an open invitation to come here any chance you get.”

“Thanks, I would really like that,” she assured him.

They stood with their hands still linked for several moments, until Killian broke the brief silence. “Emma, I…I would like to see you again…I mean, besides you coming to the shop. Would you be interested in going out with me?”

She answered without hesitation, “Yes, Killian. I would be very interested!”

His grin stretched across his face. “Fantastic! Will Wednesday still work for you?”

“Absolutely! I’ve been sure not to schedule anything on Wednesday evenings, so that will work just fine.”

“Wednesday it is, then,” he said, giving her hands a squeeze. “I know of a place just outside of town that has a drive-through Christmas light display. Perhaps we can take it in after we have dinner together?”

“That sounds perfect. Do you want me to drive over here?”

“No, lass. It would be bad form to make you drive here and back by yourself. Please allow me to pick you up at your place.”

“That’s very gentlemanly of you.”

“I’m always a gentleman.”

“I’ve noticed,” she said softly. “I’ll text you my address.” Pulling her hands out of his, she ran them up his arms to rest on his shoulders. Gazing into his eyes, she saw the same desire she was feeling herself and pushed herself up to her toes to meet his lips with her own.

She felt his quick intake of breath and nearly pulled away, thinking she was being too forward, but in the next second, he responded by sliding his lips against hers. As her arms wrapped around his neck, his encircled her waist and pulled her closer.

Emma didn’t make a habit of kissing men. In her experience, she found most of them to be forceful and controlling with their kisses, not caring if it was enjoyable for her. Killian’s kiss shattered all of her qualms as he let her set the pace, gently caressing her lips instead of crushing them.

He lightly teased the seam of her lips with his tongue and she allowed him entrance. His hands spread across her back, holding her firmly but tenderly, and she sighed with contentment.

Resting her forehead against his when they separated, she licked her lips and smiled. “I hope you didn’t mind me doing that.”

His chuckle rumbled in his throat. “In case you didn’t notice, Love, I most assuredly did not mind. I've wanted to kiss you since the first day we met.”

She pulled away and looked at him with wide eyes. “Really?”

He nodded slowly without breaking eye contact. “Aye.”

“In that case…” she said, before initiating another leisurely kiss, enjoying the feel of his hands moving up her back and into her hair. Using them to tilt her head, he deepened the kiss, but kept it soft and undemanding.

This time when the kiss ended, she forced herself to step back. “I, um, I guess I should go.”

“I…” he started, his voice a bit shaky. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “I suppose so. I’ll see you on Wednesday.”

“I’m looking forward to it,” Emma said smiling, before turning to move to the other side of her car.

Killian hurried around to open her door, responding to her appreciative smile with a flirtatious smirk. After she settled into her seat and fastened her seatbelt, he leaned in to brush his lips across hers one more time, then closed the door and tapped his knuckles against the window. She started the engine, shifted into gear and gave him a little wave.

Before she pulled out onto the street, she looked in her rearview mirror to see him rubbing his fingers over his lips with a slightly dazed look on his face.

*********

After Emma’s yellow bug disappeared, Killian stood in the parking lot for several minutes, lost in thought. He had been truthful when he told her he wanted to kiss her since that first day she walked into his shop, but to have her initiate it was a very welcome surprise.

He rubbed his fingers against his lips, wanting to hold onto the feeling of kissing Emma Swan for as long as possible. He’d had many first kisses, but he was hoping this would be his last first kiss. He was completely under her spell, and found he didn’t mind at all.

*********

Their date on Wednesday lacked all of the usual first date awkwardness as they shared easy conversation and genuine laughter throughout the evening. At the end of the date, after another languid kiss at Emma’s door, neither of them wanted to say goodnight. He finally tore himself away once they decided to go out again on Saturday.

They enjoyed four more dates before Killian went to England to visit his brother, promising to stay in touch with her during the weeks he was gone. Emma was disappointed they couldn’t spend the holidays together, but saw how much he was looking forward to being with his family after months of being separated, and was happy for him. The night before he left, she kissed him sweetly and told him to have a wonderful time, determined not to be one of those girlfriends who got weepy over saying goodbye. Just thinking of herself as Killian’s girlfriend made her smile and she knew no matter how long he was gone, she would be there waiting for him when he returned.

*********

“I found her,” Killian told his brother Liam when he picked him up at the airport.

“Found who?” Liam questioned, looking over his shoulder before changing lanes.

“Her. The one. The woman I want to be with for the rest of my life.”

Liam glanced over at his brother. “Are you being serious?”

“Aye, very much so,” Killian said. “Her name is Emma Swan and I met her when she was given glassblowing lessons with me for her birthday. She’s…a bloody goddess, Liam. I think I’m in love with her.”

“When did you meet?”

“Six weeks ago.”

“And you’re already saying you’re in love and want to spend the rest of your life with her?” Liam asked skeptically.

“You of all people should understand, brother. I remember you coming home after seeing Belle at Uni, telling me you met the woman of your dreams.”

“That’s true, and I wasn’t wrong, was I?”

“No, she’s the love of your life, and I think Emma may be mine.”

A smile spread over Liam’s face. “I’m very happy to hear it, Killian, and I’m sure Belle will be, too.”

Killian grinned and settled back into his seat for the rest of the ride to Liam’s house.

*********

“It’s your turn to open a present,” Emma declared, handing one to Ashley. “I had your name this year.”

The friends were gathered at the house Mary Margaret shared with her boyfriend, David, on the Sunday before Christmas. They had a tradition of drawing names for gifts, then exchanging them after making dozens of Christmas cookies. Now, the pizza they ordered was eaten and they were all a little tipsy on the margaritas Mary Margaret kept mixing up.

Ashley tore the paper off the box, lifted the lid and let out a squeal of excitement over the scented bath beads, bottles of her favorite lotion and a gift certificate for three massages. “I love it! Thank you, Em!”

“I figured you could use some pampering - being a wife and mother, and working full time.”

“Definitely. The closest I get to pampering these days is putting a new Pampers diaper on Alexandra!”

Her friends burst into laughter over her statement, then Ruby stood up to collect her gift from under the tree. Emma looked up when she stopped in front of her and held it out. “I got your name, you lucky dog.”

Emma bit her lip. “Am I going to like it?” She knew her friend had a penchant for giving slightly outrageous gifts. The year before, she had given Mary Margaret some racy lingerie that made her blush madly when she opened it, along with a very nice electric tea kettle.

“Of course you are! I mean, I couldn’t wrap Mr. Hottie and give him to you, which was my original plan, but I’m sure you’ll still like it,” she said, with a toothy grin.

Taking a deep breath, Emma removed the wrapping paper from the large box. When she opened the flaps, she found a body pillow with a photo of Killian on it. Her jaw dropped and she could feel her cheeks growing warm.

“Now you can sleep with him every night, at least until he gets back home. Then you can sleep with the real thing!” Ruby crowed.

“Where…how…how did you even get a picture of him?” Emma asked, still a bit stunned. “This looks like the one I took at the airport before he left.”

“It is! You should know better than to leave your phone unattended around me,” Ruby cackled. “So…do you like it?”

Emma stood and held the pillow up in front of her to get a better look at it. She had to admit it was a thoughtful gift, and having a tangible reminder of her boyfriend in her bed every night was quite appealing. Looking over at her friend, she said sincerely, “Yeah, I do, Rubes. It’s really great! Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Oh, there’s something else in the box.”

Emma sat back down and looked in the box, then covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.

“What is it?” Elsa questioned. All of her friends stood up to get a better look.

Ruby reached into the box and held the box of thirty-six condoms aloft. “I thought I would get you a week’s supply!” she laughed.

*********

Killian was really enjoying the time with Liam, Belle and their children, Adrian and Elizabeth, but he was also missing Emma more every day. They called, texted or FaceTimed regularly and it got harder and harder to say goodbye at the end of their conversations.

Three days after Christmas, once everyone else was in bed, the brothers were sitting in the lounge, sipping rum in front of a crackling fire. Liam observed his brother staring into the flames and could tell his mind was far away. “You’re thinking about her again, aren’t you?” he asked.

Killian startled a bit, then sheepishly grinned before raising his glass to his lips. “Aye, is it that obvious?”

“I can always tell when you get that dreamy look on your face. You look like a love sick puppy.”

“Just how many love sick puppies have you ever seen in your life, Liam?” Killian deflected.

“Enough to know you look like one,” Liam snarked. “You’ve got it bad, brother.”

Killian threw back the rest of his rum and set the tumbler on the coffee table. Rubbing his hands on his jeans, he took a moment before answering, “Being away from her this long has proven I love her. I can hardly wait to see her again.”

Liam nodded and stared into the amber liquid he was swirling around in his glass. After several moments, he said softly, “Then don’t.”

Looking up at him, Killian asked, “What do you mean?”

“You have an open-ended ticket to fly back, so you can return any time. I heard you tell her the other night that you wished you could be with her for New Year’s Eve. Why don’t you fly home and surprise her?”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Killian chuckled.

“Of course not, you git. We love having you here, but Belle and I both go back to work January 2nd and you weren’t planning to stay once we do that anyway. Why not go back a couple of days early and spend the first day of the new year with the woman you so very clearly love?”

Killian sat forward in his chair, rubbing his scruffy chin in thought. “You truly wouldn’t mind?”

Liam stood and strode over to him, placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “We love you, Killian, and we will happily have you with us for as long as you choose to stay. But if you decide to go back and can catch a flight, we will understand. After all, you’ve already done an excellent job of thoroughly spoiling your niece and nephew.”

Grinning, Killian pulled his phone out of his pocket and brought up his internet browser to check for available flights back to the States.

*********

“Are you sure you don’t want to join us tonight, Emma?” Mary Margaret asked for at least the fourth time that day.

“I am not going to be a fifth wheel at a New Year’s Eve party where everyone will have a date,” Emma replied. “I’m looking forward to being in my pajamas all evening, eating popcorn, drinking hot chocolate and watching Netflix. I’m sure Killian will call to wish me a happy New Year, probably around seven, when it’s midnight in England, and I don’t want to miss it.”

Mary Margaret gave her a smile and pulled her into a hug. “Okay, but if you change your mind…”

“I won’t. Go have a good time and don’t worry about me. Even if Killian’s not here, it’s my first New Year’s with a boyfriend and I’m happy.”

*********

Emma checked her phone for what felt like the thousandth time that evening. When Killian hadn’t called at seven o’clock, she thought maybe he was just celebrating the New Year with his family, but now it was ten and she was beginning to think he had forgotten all about calling her. She tried to tell herself he might be waiting until midnight in her time zone, but that was unlikely since it would be five AM in England.

She pulled up his contact info on her phone numerous times, but kept herself from clicking on it since she was sure he had to be in bed and didn’t want to wake him.

As she was trying to concentrate on the third episode of The Devil in Ohio, cuddling up to her body pillow, there was a knock on her door. Sighing, she grabbed the remote to pause the show, and crossed the room, mumbling, “I told you not to worry about me, Marg.”

Pulling the door open, her legs nearly gave out when she saw her boyfriend standing in front of her. “K-Killian?” she squeaked.

“Happy New Year, Love.”

“Killian!” she cried, throwing herself into his arms. “How…oh, how are you here?”

“Liam convinced me to come back home to you,” he explained, letting out a joyous laugh when Emma started peppering kisses all over his face.

She stopped her onslaught to ask, “I mean, what?”

“You know, Liam, my older brother, he sent me…”

His words were cut off when she tugged him to her and kissed him soundly, only pulling away to say, “I don’t care. I don’t care how you’re here, I’m just glad you are.”

“So am I,” he grinned, hugging her tightly and swaying their bodies back and forth.

Once they finally ended their embrace and moved inside her apartment, she looked down at herself, her cheeks flooding with color. “Here I am in my pajamas, no makeup, my hair a mess. I look terrible.”

“You look stunning, Swan,” Killian assured her. “I’ve never seen a more beautiful sight.”

“Charmer,” she giggled, running her hands up his chest to loop her arms around his neck.

“Just telling the truth, Love.”

Emma brushed her lips over his. “I missed you.”

He wound a loose tendril of her hair around his finger, gazing into her eyes. “I missed you, too. So much so that my brother called me a ‘love sick puppy’ and suggested flying back to be with you for New Year’s.”

“Love sick puppy?” Emma questioned. Her heart began to hammer in her chest, wondering if she was reading too much into the phrase.

Killian dropped his gaze and scratched behind his ear, before looking back up at her with a warm gleam in his eyes. “Aye, love sick…because I’ve fallen in love with you, Emma.”

Her responding kiss was an acceptance of his declaration, and when it ended, she breathed, “I love you, too.”

More kisses followed, both of them trying to convey their newfound feelings to the other. After a while, Emma became aware of Killian putting some space between their bodies. She tried to pull him against her again, but he resisted and the reason suddenly dawned on her.

“If what we’re doing is…affecting you, you don’t have to try to hide it, you know. It doesn’t make you any less of a gentleman,” she whispered. “And besides, you’re not the only one affected.”

His desire-filled eyes met hers. “I…I don’t want you to…think I’m pressuring you into anything…”

“It’s not pressuring if I want the same thing.”

“Are you sure?”

“See, this is how I know you’re different from most other guys. The second they hear a girl is interested in going to bed with them, they jump at the chance, instead of asking if she’s sure,” Emma smirked.

He rubbed the back of his neck as the tips of his ears turned red. “I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.”

“Trust me, we are.” He wrapped his arms around her again, and she pressed close to him, feeling his arousal against her belly. “I think making love for the first time would be a great way to ring in the New Year, don’t you?”

“Aye, Love. This New Year promises to be the best one ever, and showing you how much I love you would be an excellent way to start it.”

She beamed at him, gave him a quick kiss, then picked up the remote to turn off the television.

“What is this?” Killian asked from behind her.

Turning to see what he was talking about, her cheeks heated immediately. He was standing there holding her body pillow wearing a puzzled look on his face.

“That,” she said, “is my Christmas gift from Ruby.”

“Is it indeed? Well, I like this Ruby already! Have you been sleeping with it?”

“Yes. Are you jealous?” she teased.

“Of myself? Perhaps just a bit,” he admitted.

“Well, you don’t have to be anymore, because tonight I’ll be sleeping with you.” She took his hand and began leading him toward her bedroom. “Come on, I’ll show you the other present Ruby gave me.”

They entered her room and Emma dropped his hand to remove a small pile of clothes from her bed. Dropping them onto a cedar chest in the corner, she said, “I hope my messiness isn’t a deal breaker.”

“Not a chance,” he answered, glancing quickly around the room to take in her personal touches. He saw a few of her glass projects sitting on her dresser, and it made him smile remembering when she made each one.

“The bedding is clean. I just washed it yesterday, but I guess you don’t really care about that,” she said, turning down the top sheet and blanket. She knew she was rambling, but she was beginning to feel a little nervous about being with him for the first time.

“Hey,” he said, taking hold of her hands to still them, “breathe, Swan. Let’s take our time and let this happen naturally. There’s no reason to rush or force things to happen, okay?”

She brought her hands up to fiddle with the buttons on his shirt. “I love you,” she breathed.

His answering smile lit up the room. “And I, you. What do you say we get rid of some of these clothes?”

“Sounds good to me,” she agreed, pushing his coat over his shoulders and hearing it land in a heap on the floor. Next, she began unbuttoning his shirt, while his fingers found their way under the hem of her pajama shirt, caressing the soft skin he encountered.

His shirt soon joined his jacket and Killian sucked in a breath as Emma slid her hands over his chest, her thumbs skimming over his nipples. She felt his hands glide up her sides, taking her top with them. She lifted her arms, allowing him to remove it completely and saw his eyes darken with desire as he drank in the sight of her bared breasts.

“Absolute perfection,” he murmured, his hands moving to palm them. She bit her lip as his fingers stroked over her sensitive skin. After several moments of admiration, his eyes shifted back up to hers, then his hands were framing her face, his head dipping to kiss her. It was gentle and unhurried, and she could feel herself relaxing with every sensual sweep of his tongue.

When he pulled her closer, she gasped as her taut nipples came in contact with the coarse hair on his chest, causing her nerve ends to tingle. His hands made their way down her back and inside her sleep pants to massage her ass, making a moan escape her mouth.

She knew his hands could work magic; she had seen them as he manipulated glass. Now she was eager to feel them on every inch of her body and she told him so.

“With pleasure, Love,” he grinned. He began by ridding her of her remaining clothes, then urging her to lay back on the bed. She watched him sweep his eyes over her body, noticing the hunger in them as he took her in. “Emma, you are exquisite,” he breathed, his voice awestruck.

“Please touch me, Killian,” she pleaded, her hands reaching for him.

He obliged immediately, gliding his hands up her calves and over her thighs. His thumbs brushed over her mound, but continued over the curves of her body, stopping to caress her breasts. His body followed the movement of his hands, straddling her until he was hovering over her.

When his lips closed around one of her nipples, her back arched into him. Then his voice buzzed against the skin of her throat. “I want to find out what feels good to you, so don’t hesitate to tell me what you like, okay?”

“Mmhmm,” she replied, her eyes closing, already on her way to a state of bliss.

Killian was eager to touch his beautiful girlfriend in all her intimate places and discover the things that brought her the most pleasure. He shifted to her side and dragged his hand down her body again, nudging her legs apart when he reached them. “Are you alright with me using my fingers?” he asked in a low voice.

“Y-yeah,” she said, widening her legs.

He stroked his fingers through her folds. “You’re already so wet, Love,” he murmured into her ear, watching her bite her lip as she nodded jerkily in response. Continuing his ministrations, he began rubbing his thumb over her bundle of nerves, taking note of how her hands gripped the pillow behind her head.

Slowly, he eased a finger inside her, the heat of her channel welcoming him immediately. Adding a second one, he began to stroke her steadily. The quivering of her legs and the moans she was emitting assured him she was thoroughly enjoying what he was doing. He knew she was right on the edge when her hips lifted off the bed and she rasped out his name in a wrecked voice. Leaning down, he sucked her clit between his lips and that was all it took to bring her to climax.

When he began teasing the nub with the tip of his tongue, he felt her hands gripping his hair and lifted his head to look up at her. “Do you want me to stop?”

“Hell, no,” she groaned. “That feels amazing!”

He grinned and ducked down to continue paying attention to her clit as he removed his fingers from inside her, bringing a gush of her arousal with them.

Feeling her hands loosening in his hair, he sat back on his haunches and waited until her eyes opened, glazed with pleasure. “Alright there, Love?” he asked.

She licked her lips before answering, “Yeah, and just so you know, I enjoyed that.”

“Did you really?” he said teasingly. “I’m glad you clarified that.”

“You’re awfully smug, Jones,” she said, trying and failing to sound miffed. Pushing up to her elbows to look at him, she added, “And you’re also far too clothed. It would bring me great pleasure to see you completely undressed.”

“As you wish, Milady.”

He removed his shoes, then getting off the bed, he unbuckled his belt and quickly removed his jeans, socks and boxer briefs. He knew Emma was watching him intently and heard her intake of breath when he stood naked before her. “See something you like, Swan?”

Emma was sure he would be impressive, and she definitely wasn’t disappointed. As he climbed back onto the bed and laid down beside her, she reached for him, stopping just short of touching him.

“You want me to tell you what feels good and I want you to do the same, okay?”

“Okay” he promised.

She took him in hand, stroking and squeezing his cock and feeling it grow harder as she did. He started pressing kisses to her throat and shoulder, murmuring words of encouragement and pleasure into her skin.

After a few minutes, he reached down to still her hand. “Don’t take me too far,” he requested in a strained voice. “I want to be inside you when I come.”

Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him sweetly. “I think it’s time to show you the other gift Ruby gave me.”

“Now?” he questioned.

She giggled. “Yeah, just wait.” She pushed off the bed and crossed the room to her dresser, pulling open a drawer to retrieve the box of condoms.

Turning around, she held it up to show him and he barked out a laugh. “Well, I do have to admit I didn’t come prepared, so I’m very happy you have good friends.”

Opening the box and removing one of the foil packs, Emma said, “She told me this was a week’s worth.”

“I like the way she thinks,” he smirked, as Emma joined him on the bed again. Tearing open the package, she met his eyes in an unspoken question and, at his slight nod, carefully rolled the condom into place.

Killian gently pushed her onto her back and moved over her, palming her breast with one hand, while his other cupped the back of her head to tilt it to just the right angle for him to plunder her mouth. Her hands scratching down his back, along with her needy, throaty sounds, had him as hard as he had ever been in his life. He felt her shifting underneath him and soon he was cradled between her thighs, his cock rubbing deliciously against her wet heat.

Their hands continued to roam, caressing and squeezing, while their mouths stayed connected in a searing kiss, punctuated by nips and panted words of desire. He began lightly rutting against her, trying to gauge her readiness by her reaction. Soon, she wrapped her legs around his hips, pulling him to her tightly, and he got his answer.

He wordlessly encouraged her to loosen her legs enough for him to reach between them and line himself up. Pushing into her slowly, he watched her face for any sign of discomfort, but all he saw was pure bliss and love.

When he was fully seated, he dropped his forehead to her chest, trying to keep himself from listening to his body, which was telling him to take her hard and fast. Her legs once again gripped his hips and he could feel her nails digging into his back.

“Killian,” he heard her murmur into his hair, “feels so good, but…please move.”

Raising his head, he kissed her briefly, then pushed up to his elbows and started thrusting shallowly. He wanted to savor the feeling of being inside the woman of his dreams; the woman he loved, and who loved him. It was almost overwhelming.

Emma had never experienced more pleasure in her life. She felt like every nerve ending was sparking, shooting heat throughout her body. Killian fit inside her perfectly, like he was meant just for her. Her pelvis raised off the bed as she met him thrust for thrust, her hands scrabbling for purchase on his back.

She didn’t know how long she could last as the pace picked up and his strokes went deeper. Then his rhythm stuttered as he pulled back to look at her and she nearly came completely undone from the look of utter adoration in his eyes.

“I love you,” he panted.

“I love you, too,” she responded. “Now, make me come.”

Grinning, he set about doing just that, and in no time at all, she was falling over the edge, ripples of intense pleasure moving through her body.

Killian felt her climax pulsing against his cock and couldn’t hold back any longer, joining her in a blissful state of euphoria. Not wanting to put his full weight on her, he rolled them over until she laid on top of him, their chests rising and falling together as they tried to catch their breath.

Her smooth, soft skin was a magnet for his fingers, as he drew abstract designs into it. He could easily spend hours holding her against him, feeling her breath on his neck, her hair tickling his arms and her legs tangled between his own. He couldn’t remember ever feeling so sated and content.

Emma didn’t want to move. She wasn’t sure she was even capable of moving since she finally understood what it meant to feel completely boneless. Words failed her, but she didn’t care. Resting her head on Killian’s chest, she could hear his erratic heartbeat and knew this was exactly where she wanted to be.

The comfortable silence stretched on for several minutes, until she felt him brushing her hair away from her face. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey, yourself,” he mumbled lazily. “Happy New Year.”

She looked at the digital clock on her bedside stand. “We still have forty-five minutes to go.”

“I’m claiming it early because everything feels like a new start with you. I know it’s very soon to be thinking about this, and I don’t mean to upset you, but I can see a future with you, Emma. A happy one.”

“That doesn’t upset me, Killian. For the first time in my life, I can picture being with someone in a committed relationship. I’ve always said I don’t need a man to be happy, and I don’t, but I think I can be even happier with you.”

He barely had time to answer her statement with a smile before she was kissing him, sweet and slow, sealing their declarations about their future.

After cleaning up and putting on the bare minimum of clothes - Killian in his boxer briefs and Emma in his discarded button-down shirt - she reheated some leftover spaghetti for him. He had barely eaten since having lunch with Liam and his family. He merely picked at the meal on the flight, his stomach churning with thoughts of how she would react to his surprise.

“Oh, hey,” Emma said, “can I take a picture of the two of us? I want to send it to my friends. They were worried about me spending New Year’s Eve by myself.”

“Of course, but if they asked you to do something with them, why didn’t you, Love?”

“Because I was convinced you would call me when it was midnight in England and I didn’t want to miss talking to you.”

“So I disappointed you.”

She got up from her seat and circled around the table. Standing behind him, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. “You definitely made up for it, my love.”

After collecting her phone from the living room, she resumed her spot behind him, wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of his mouth with her finger, and took a selfie of the two of them. Adding the caption ‘Look who came all the way from England to surprise me for New Year’s’, she sent it to her friends in their group chat.

She didn’t expect to get immediate responses since it was only a few minutes before midnight, but Ashley’s reply appeared within a few seconds.

A: OMG Emma! That’s fantastic! I’m so happy for you!

E: Thanks! Why did you answer so fast?

A: We had to come home early because Alexandra got sick.

E: Oh no! Hope she feels better soon.

A: She seems fine and is already asleep. I think she just missed mommy and daddy.

E: That’s good. Well, Happy New Year to all of you!

A: Happy New Year to you and your man too!

Emma couldn’t help the ridiculously wide smile that crossed her face at her friend’s last statement. Her man. She had a man, and not just any man. The sexiest, sweetest, most handsome man she’d ever met…and he loved her.

Checking the time on her device, she noticed it was 11:58. “Do you want to watch the ball drop?” she asked Killian.

“Sure, then we can officially welcome in the New Year.”

They sat down on the sofa and she quickly found a TV station where they could watch the countdown, which had already started. When it got to the final ten seconds, Killian took her hand and squeezed it as they chanted the numbers together. As the huge, glittering ball reached the bottom and lit up with the New Year, they embraced one another and shared a passionate kiss, only pausing to exchange I love you’s before diving back in for more.

Emma had pushed him back on the couch and was trailing kisses down his throat, when her phone started buzzing on the end table. She ignored it, until he asked, “Are…aren’t you going to get that, Love?”

She sat up and looked at him. “Do you want me to?”

“Whoever it is will probably continue to call until you answer it,” he reasoned.

Emma sighed and grabbed the buzzing phone. Seeing the name on the screen, she rolled her eyes. “It’s Ruby.”

He grinned at her consternation while she swiped across the screen. “Hey, Rubes.”

“GIRRRRRRLLLL!” Ruby screeched and Emma pulled the phone away from her ear with a pained look on her face. “Mr. Hottie showed up at your door? And he CAME all the way from England! He must be the most prolific lover of all time!”

“Oh, good grief, Ruby! Why do you always make everything sexual? And why are you calling me? Shouldn’t you be sucking face with Graham?”

“I already did and he knows he’ll get hot Ruby love later, but I saw your text and had to call! Did you make good use of my gift to you? Please tell me you’re already well into your week’s supply!”

Emma’s face felt hot and she knew it was beet red. “He’s only been here a couple of hours.”

“And your point is…?”

“Look, Ruby. I’m glad you’re happy for us, but I’d rather not share our, um…personal details.”

Ruby’s loud laugh came through the phone. “You just answered my question, Emma Swan. If you didn’t want us to know you did the deed, you should have made sure he wasn’t naked when you took the picture.”

“He wasn’t…” Emma started, then looked at her shirtless boyfriend. He grinned back at her, rubbing his fingers against his bare chest. “Okay, he was semi-naked, but that doesn’t mean that we…”

“Of course it does. You’re not gonna convince me he flew in from a whole other country to spend New Year’s Eve with you and all you did was shake his hand.”

“You know what, Ruby? Why don’t you go give Graham some of your hot Ruby loving now. I’m hanging up. Happy New Year!”

“And a very, very Happy New Year to both of you, too. Now, go do some more celebrating!”

They received congratulatory messages from Mary Margaret and Elsa soon after and by that time, jet lag and a day of international travel had taken its toll on Killian. Emma ignored his protests of wanting to follow Ruby’s instructions and dragged him off to bed, where he promised to make it up to her in the morning, then fell asleep in her arms within minutes.

He was true to his word, waking her up in the most pleasurable way eight hours later, the two of them celebrating until their growling stomachs finally drove them out of bed at noon.

*********

The new year brought lots of changes to the couple, along with more happiness than either of them had ever known. Killian met Emma’s friends and their significant others, and was soon comfortable being part of the group. He spent many nights at her apartment and within a few months, most of his clothes were in her closet and his toiletries littered her bathroom.

Emma became a regular at Killian’s glass shop, while still staying busy at the bakery. Even though he was thrilled to spend so much time with her, he worried about the amount of back and forth driving she was doing in her old VW. One day in May, he surprised her with the announcement that he rented a warehouse in Storybrooke and was moving his shop there. She protested at first, not wanting the more isolated location to hurt his business, but he assured her his online sales were booming and that people would be willing to drive a little further for lessons, which proved to be true.

When he started looking for an apartment in Storybrooke, Emma suggested he move in with her instead, and he happily agreed. Once he had his shop up and running at the end of July, they moved the remainder of his belongings into her place.

In September, Liam and his family flew in to visit Killian and meet Emma in person. She had seen them through his phone screen on several FaceTime calls and already felt accepted by them. By the end of their week-long visit, her place in the family was cemented when Liam referred to her as the sister he always wanted.

Mary Margaret, who was newly engaged, was convinced Killian was going to propose at Christmas, so when he didn’t, Emma tried not to be disappointed. She really wasn’t in any hurry to get married, but after her friend planted the thought in her head, it began to take root.

Their plans for New Year’s Eve were to have dinner at their favorite restaurant overlooking the harbor and then attend the annual party at the town hall with their friends. That evening, Killian called her thirty minutes before their reservations to tell her he was delayed waiting for several orders to be picked up by the parcel service, and would meet her at the restaurant.

She blew out an exasperated sigh and sat down on the couch to wait until it was time to leave. Twenty minutes later, she buttoned her winter coat over the red, form-fitting dress she was anxious to reveal to her boyfriend, grabbed her handbag, and threw the door open.

It was like deja vu. Killian was standing in the hallway, dressed smartly in a navy suit, crisp white shirt, and silver tie, holding a bouquet of red and white roses in a glass vase she was sure he made especially for her.

“Happy New Year, Love.”

“K-Killian, I thought you said…”

“I wanted to surprise you.”

“Just like last year, huh?”

“Well, not exactly like last year,” he answered, bending to sit the vase on the floor beside him. Then he pulled a jeweler's box out of his jacket pocket and lowered himself to one knee in front of her, opening the box as he did.

Her eyes immediately misted over and she covered her mouth with both hands.

“Emma,” he began, “you blew me away the moment you stepped into my shop. You’re the love of my life and I want to spend every minute of that life with you. It would make me beyond happy and proud to be your husband, if you will agree to be my wife. Will you marry me?”

She started nodding before he even finished asking, and then she choked out, “Yes, Killian! Oh god, yes! I will marry you!”

He removed the diamond ring from the box and took her trembling hand to slip it onto her finger, then stood and pulled her into his embrace, showering her hair and face with kisses. When their lips finally met, the kiss was like none they had ever shared before - a promise of their future which was more than just a dream now.

As they stood with their foreheads pressed together after the kiss ended, he murmured, “I guess we better get going or we’ll miss our dinner reservations.”

She looked at him with a smug smile, bent down to pick up the vase of flowers and turned to go inside. Once she set the bouquet on the kitchen table, she unbuttoned her coat slowly and deliberately, letting it slide to the floor when she was done.

Killian’s mouth dropped open at the sight of her in the red dress and his Adam’s apple bobbed several times before he could force words past it. “Swan, you look absolutely breathtaking.” Moving across the room, he pulled her to him for another passionate kiss. Slightly out of breath afterwards, he picked up the coat and held it up for her to slip into it.

“I don’t need it,” she said.

“It’s freezing outside, Love. Of course you need it.”

She took the coat and folded it over a chair. “No, I don’t,” she purred, draping her arms around his neck. “I want to spend New Year’s Eve with my fiancé, celebrating the exact same way we did last year.”

“But dinner, and our friends…”

“I don’t care about dinner, and our friends will understand once we tell them we were celebrating our engagement. Unless you would rather keep our original plans?”

His face morphed into his signature smolder, with a sly smirk and one eyebrow raised high on his forehead. “Your plans are much more appealing, my love.”

Taking his hand and leading him to the bedroom, she said, “Come on, then. Let’s see if your new fiancée can still blow you away!”

*********

Happiest of birthdays, Beth! I hope this brightens your day, and I wish the same for anyone else who reads it. Comments, likes and reblogs are always appreciated!

Tagging: @xsajx @hookedmom @kymbersmith-90 @kmomof4 @lassluna @pirateherokillian @teamhook @stahlop @elizabeethan @whimsicallyenchantedrose @resident-of-storybrooke @therooksshiningknight @jennjenn615 @lfh1226-linda @ilovemesomekillianjones @killianswannn @stories-enchanted @eleveneitherway @withheartfulloflove @kday426 @djlbg @kristi555 @laschatzi @xarandomdreamx @wyntereyez @goforlaunchcee @yasbio2015 @tiganasummertree @winterbaby89 @wefoundloveunderthelight @hollyethecurious @let-it-raines @jonesfandomfanatic @searchingwardrobes @oncechicagolove @andiirivera @gingerchangeling @everything-person @klynn-stormz @qualitycoffeethings @enchanted-swans @ohmakemeahercules @donteattheappleshook @bluewildcatfanatic @the-darkdragonfly @demisexualemmaswan @grimmswan @spartanguard @flslp87 @ultraluckycatnd @thisonesatellite @captainswan21 @zaharadessert @mariakov81 @snowbellewells @kiwistreetswan @batana54 @nadine200179 @probalicious17 @courtorderedcake @julesep3026 @jackieorioncat @whatthehell102082 @jarienn972 @sthonour @linda8084 @pirateprincesslena @daxx04 @winterbythesea @artistic-writer @cocohook38 @captainswan4life85 @molly958 @itsfridaysomewhere @fallingforthecaptain @onceratheart18 @strangestarlighttree @justanother-unluckysoul @mrs-potato-but-likes-tomato @anothersworld @deckerstarblanche @purplehawkcaptain @superchocovian @k-leemac @citygirlscowboy @laughterandbooks @sotangledupinit @apiratewhopines @huntressandlioness1 @cosette141 @gingerpolyglot @motherkatereloyshipper @cs-rylie @anmylica @paradiselady19 @pawshapedheart @vampcoffeegyrl23 @elfiola @softkilly

#cs ff #blow me away #a birthday story for Beth #jrob64 #CS modern AU #cs fanfiction #captain swan fan fiction #cs smut and fluff #captain swan fic #ouat captain swan fanfic #glassblower Killian #cake decorator Emma

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alexiela73 · 1 year

Note

Can I get some present mic stuff :^) yk, that good shit if u catch my drift 👀

Part of me really wanted to write a fic, but I hope a headcanon was okay

Present Mic As A Dad

While there were always some thoughts about settling down and having a family, Mic never really expected...something like it to happen

Within a few months of each other, he suddenly became the father to a teenage carbon copy of his best friend(/possible husband) Shota Aizawa and a small, traumatized girl with no control of her powers or any idea what its like to be a normal kid

It was the scariest thing ever- Aizawa was overwhelmed between between his class, the villains, and now adopting two kids. Of course Mic said he’d go into this with him

Unfortunately, manuals on how to raise kids don’t include powers going out of control or how to stop your teenager from adopting every cat they come across like their father

Mic started going to parenting classes and honestly, he ended up in a moms yoga group. The moms love him so much, as he is sensitive, fun and clearly cares about his kids

He starts making lunches for both- since Shinsou is now his kid, Mic gets the fun of embarrassing him a bit at school, calling ‘I love you’ with his special volume, or dropping off lunches where everything is heart shaped

Mic and Aizawa take turns home-schooling Eri so that both can attend classes. Mic never tells Aizawa but half the day is actually going to the park to play, or making cookies together

Out of worry for their health, Mic starts watching cooking shows out of worry that they aren’t eating healthy enough, and goes through an experimental stage where everything tastes horrible except his grilled cheese

At night, Mic always reads Eri a story before bed under the glow of a sea lamp, usually until Eri is fast asleep

The first time Eri called him dad, Mic bawled like a baby and told everyone at school

Sometimes sneaks Eri out of school for father-daughter dates, usually to the movies, mcdonalds or to go get their hair done

When Shinsou starts to take interest in a classmate, its Mic that he goes to for advice, which honestly meant so much to him

Sometimes if Mic sleeps in late, he’ll just let the kids play hooky for the day, which Aizawa doesn’t usually know about till later

Tried the vacuum trick on Eri’s hair- they never did it again and he got the scolding of a lifetime from Aizawa

Hand-knitted stockings for them all before Christmas

For Shinsou and Eri, he threw them each huge birthday parties that were over the top, because he wanted them to experience a real birthday for once

Despises cats with a passion

Wears bracelets made by Eri to work and gives extra homework to anyone who makes fun of them

Shinsou calls him a granny driver because he’s always five km below the limit when Eri is in the car

Totally runs Eri’s dance class with a bunch of friends she meets from the park

Every night he whispers ‘I love you,’ outside their doors, because he worries not enough people have told them in their life times

#Present Mic #Present Mic Headcanon #Present Mic BNHA #Present Mic MHA #MHA #MHA Headcanon #Dad Present Mic #Hizashi Yamada #Hizashi Yamada Headcanon

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jjaylove27 · 8 months

Text

True Love

Part Six

A/N Y/h/s means your favorite hair style. Y/n/f/o means your favorite outfit.

I woke up the next morning ready to start my day. I got up and got dressed. I walked out of my room into Granny's I seen Emma, Snow, and David sitting at a table talking. Emma looked over at me I gave her a small smile and kept walking. I arrived at work and had 5 ships I had to check and 2 that had to be filled. Finally lunch rolled around as I was walking to clock out I bumped into Killian.

"Hey Killian what are you up to?"

"I was just looking for you to see if you wanted to grab a bit to eat. so do you?"

"I would love to because I'm starving."

"Well then lets go to Granny's."

"How's your day going?"

"Well the world isn't ending so I would say it's going really good."

"That is what sucks about becoming the hero of the story you are always having to save the world. That was my favorite thing about being a pirate is we have are code but we listen to the ocean."

"That was my favorite thing about our trips. We just let the sails down and went where they lead us."

"Are you remembering more stuff?"

"No, just what I read for the pages. Which we need to put back in the book. Maybe that will give me my memories back."

"Anything is worth a try. I hate that you don't have your memories and you have to read about them."

We reached Granny's and sat down and ordered our food and chatted a little more about are day and was coming up.

A couple weeks have pasted of Killian picking me up from work to go and eat lunch. We was getting to know each other a better. Killian wasn't much more different then he was in the Enchanted Forest. We talked about our past together. He was constantly asking questions wanting to know more. Today was no different sitting at Granny's talking.

"Y/N would you like to go out on a date with me tonight?"

"I would love to. What are you thinking?"

"That my dear is a surprise. I'll pick you up at 6."

I nodded my head. He headed up to go pay for the food and walked me back to work. Four rolled a round and I clocked out for work. I rushed back to Granny's jumped in the shower. I fixed my hair in y/h/s and did light make up. Then I put on y/n/f/o and just finished in time. I heard a knock on the door. I went over and there was Killian looking as handsome as ever. He was wearing boots, black pants, black shirt, and a black vest.

"Wow, Sparrow you looked beautiful."

"You don't look so bad Killian."

He held out his arm and I took it. We started walking. It was a nice night. The moon was out in full that night. We arrived at the docks and walked up the Jolly Roger.

"Kill what are we doing?"

"Well I figured we could put the pages back in the book then we could go sailing."

"Our favorite thing to do and our first date."

"Was it really?"

"Yes it was. You didn't want to take me into town cause you didn't want anyone looking at me."

"Well it looks like somethings don't change."

Then he pulled out a book and flicked it open.

"Want to do the honors my darling?"

I nodded and took the pages I laid them in the book and just like that a golden light came out of the book and the pages was sealed back into the book.

"Well now that's done why don't we take a trip."

"Sounds like a great time. Get to it Caption."

We sailed for awhile just feeling the air on are face. We finally docked again.

"Thank you. That was the best night I've had in a long time."

He moved my hair out of my face and leaned down and kissed. A huge gust of wind happened and then Killian pulled back.

"I remember everything my little sparrow."

I smiled huge and kissed him again.

#killian jones images #killian jones x reader #killian jones imagine #killian jones #emma swan #emma x killian #once upon a time

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softguarnere · 9 months

Text

Like A Girl (Like A Man)

Shifty Powers x OFC

Chapter 25: Udelida

Summary: His face is pale, yet between his shivering and the fat snowflakes that flurry between them, something like a smile might be pulling at the edge of his mouth. “Well, Private Driver, it looks like you’re no longer one of the only men without a Purple Heart.” A/N: Chapter title means "secret" in Cherokee Warnings: grief, death, injury, language, blood, war Taglist: @liebgotts-lovergirl @latibvles @lady-cheeky @hxad-ovxr-hxart @ithinkabouttzu @mrs-murder-daddy @lieutenant-speirs

Belgium, 1945

One summer morning when Zenie was seventeen, Granny had announced that she would not be going to church because she had woken up with a headache, but would Zenie please bring her a serving of Mrs. Dill’s delicious banana pudding back from the picnic that would follow the service? Squeezing her hand, Zenie had promised that she would, and Bobby’s mom had been so kind as to send all the banana pudding leftovers home with Zenie.

Leftovers that sat forgotten on the kitchen table spoiling for two days after Zenie got home. Granny had more than a headache. Mama said that she must have passed peacefully during a morning nap.

They buried her the next day, up in Bird Town, on the Boundary, surrounded by her family and right next to her husband.

Zenie did not leave her room for three days after they returned home. Not until Mama came to her, to hold her, to tell her that Granny wouldn’t want her to waste away like this.

“You were very young when your grandfather passed away,” Mama said.

“I remember him, though.” Zenie, who had been lying so that she faced the window, finally turned to face her mother where she sat in between her bed and Marilyn’s. “Everyone thinks that I don’t, but I do. One memory, anyway.”

Mama had seemed surprised by this. “I didn’t know that . . . Do you remember what your grandmother said when he died?”

Zenie shook her head, her loose hair rustling against her pillow.

“She said that the best way to honor his memory was to go on living our lives.” Mama moved then, sitting on the edge of Zenie’s bed and taking her hand. Her hands were chapped from all her work as a laundress, her grip firm, like she could force understanding into Zenie’s hands, into her soul, if she just held on tightly enough. “There’s nothing that we can do to bring them back, either of them. But Granny would hate to see you so sad. She wanted nothing more than to see you happy.”

All Zenie had done those past three days is cry, yet somehow, warm tears sprang into her eyes.

“But she made me happy.” The lump in her throat made it hard to talk, but Zenie managed to force the words out in a whisper.

“I know.”

“I’m so lonely, Mama.”

“I know, baby. But do you know what?” When Zenie shook her head again, Mama brought her hands up to her lips and pressed a sad kiss to them. She took a deep breath, one that rattled the sadness in her chest a little. “She will always be with you.”

“She’s gone.”

Mama shook her head. “No. She’s in here.” She tapped Zenie’s forehead. “And in here.” She tapped her heart. “Whenever you need her, that’s where she’ll be.”

Zenie had burst into sobs then, had buried her head in her pillow and allowed herself to be shaken. If what Mama said was true, then why did it hurt so much? If Granny was with her, shouldn’t she feel her? It should feel as if her grandmother was giving her a hug, like she always had a hand on Zenie’s shoulder, guiding her – not like a whole piece of her was missing.

Where are you? Zenie would wonder sometimes, alone at night. Why can’t I feel you?

In the letter that Zenie had gotten on D-Day, Mama had said the same thing.

This is different, though. Zenie knows exactly where her friends have gone. And she wants them to come back.

If Granny were with her – really with her – then she would know exactly what to do, the right thing to say that would make everything better. No – if Granny were here, none of this would have ever happened to begin with. Zenie never would have run away . . . But then if she had never run away, she never would have met Bill, Joe, any of her friends. She never would have met Shifty. Her heart aches when she thinks of his smile, of the way that he gently covered her eyes up on the mountain back in Clinchco.

Is this all her fault, somehow? Or would all of this – all of this devastation that currently surrounds her in this forest – have happened anyway?

Oh, Granny! Zenie thinks, lifting her eyes up to the dreary sky overhead. I think I’ve messed everything up.

There isn’t much time for her to wallow in this thought and the flood of emotions that it brings. Someone stands over her foxhole, gently saying her name.

“Tommy?” Lipton says for what is definitely not the first time. How long has she been down here? And how long has he been trying to get her attention?

Zenie raises her eyes to him. Now that she’s finally acknowledged his presence, the sergeant squats down in front of the foxhole, his voice quiet, his words only for her.

“Hey, Tommy. Do you need anything?”

Everything that she wants is just out of reach. She shakes her head.

The edges of Lipton’s mouth pull down in a frown, but only for a second. “Thomas, Captain Winters has asked to see you.”

This gets Zenie’s attention. Through the dullness that courses through her, she catches her heart speeding up a bit. Her voice sounds very small and weak when she asks, “For what?”

“I don’t know,” Lipton says. “But I’m sending Liebgott over there now, to act as his runner for the day. Why don’t you walk with him?”

Though his words end with a question mark, there’s the definite sense that this isn’t a suggestion, but rather, a gentle order. Even with everything that runs through her head, Zenie can understand that plain as day. Her hands are shaking slightly less when she puts her helmet back on and accepts the hand that Sergeant Lipton offers her to help her out of her foxhole.

Besides his excellent haircuts, Zenie doesn’t interact with Liebgott very much. He’s funny and he’s tough, but ever since that day that he confronted her about not showering in front of the other men, Zenie has been somewhat avoidant of his observant gaze.

When she approaches, Liebgott gives her a onceover. It doesn’t feel like he’s dissecting her, though, like he’s trying to figure out what her deal is. Instead, there’s something somber in his gaze. It’s something of a surprise when he extends a hand, gently clapping her on the shoulder.

“I’m sorry about your friends, Tommy.”

Zenie blinks, taken aback. Not sure what to say, she nods. She might mutter a halfhearted thanks.

“They were good guys,” Liebgott says. “I mean, Bill and I had our differences, but he was a hell of a good NCO.” He gives her a sideways glance as they walk. “Anyway, I hope you’re okay.”

Though they’re not particularly close, Zenie gets the feeling that he really means this. “Thanks,” she manages. “I –“ Not sure what else to say, she nods instead. “Yeah.”

As they approach the CP, Zenie begins to come back to herself. Back at the foxhole she hadn’t considered why Captain Winters, someone she’s also not particularly close with, might be calling her out here. Throughout the war, Zenie has been careful to maintain a careful distance between herself and Easy Company’s most beloved leader. She likes Winters, but she’s well aware that he would hold her fate in his hands if her secret were to get out.

And now he wants to speak to her directly. Her throat goes dry again.

Part of her expected the captain to round on her the moment she approached, to have her seized and sent away at once, but instead she finds Winters and Nixon bundled in coats, shivering against the cold and talking amiably.

“Ah, there they are,” Nixon says. Just as usual, his voice is jovial, but his expression is hard to make out behind his beard.

Winters stands to greet them, even though he doesn’t have to. “Liebgott, are you my runner today?”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Excellent.” With a gloved hand, Winters hands him an envelope and asks him to deliver it to the new aid station. (New aid station? Zenie finds herself wondering. Did they stop using the hospital?) Then, Winters gives her his full attention. His face is pale, yet between his shivering and the fat snowflakes that flurry between them, something like a smile might be pulling at the edge of his mouth. “Well, Private Driver, it looks like you’re no longer one of the only men without a Purple Heart.”

Oh, God, here we go, Zenie thinks. “Yes, Sir.”

“I was informed that you didn’t even stay at the aid station for a full day.” Winters makes a noise that, at first, Zenie thinks is a cough from the cold weather. But his shoulders continue jogging and his face breaks into a full smile. “Is that true?”

This certainly is not where Zenie imagined this conversation was about to go. “Yes, Sir. I only had minor wounds, so I came back with Doc Roe after he patched me up.”

“Goddamn,” Captain Nixon says, also with a smile. “You and Joe Toye, tough as nails.”

Being called tough, being compared to someone as tough as Joe, takes Zenie aback. But not as much as the image that now appears in her mind at the mention of her friend – images of blood-stained snow and other things that don’t seem real.

“Driver?” Winters’ smile disappears. “I was sorry to hear about Bill and Joe. I know they were your friends.”

For the second time, Zenie wonders how long she sat in that foxhole while the world crumbled around her. Also for the second time, she finds herself at a loss for words at someone’s offered sympathies. So few people offered condolences after Granny’s passing; accepting comforts is no simple task, she’s quickly learning.

“On that note,” Winters says, picking up the thread of the conversation. “Easy Company is down two excellent sergeants. And I think I know just the man who can help pick up the slack.”

“Sir?”

“Congratulations, Sergeant Driver,” Winters extends his hand, giving hers a firm shake.

Wait, what? Like so much of the morning, this doesn’t feel real. Still, Zenie returns the captain’s smile as best she can, and even shakes Captain Nixon’s hand as well. She came to the CP expecting to be confronted and punished. Instead, she leaves with a Purple Heart and a promotion. What a day.

The thought keeps her preoccupied until she returns to the company. She falls into her own foxhole this time. It’s empty, but that’s okay – it gives her time to figure out how to tell her friends.

She’s just sat down when a thump! signals a person taking a seat beside her. Expecting Shifty, she turns to face him, the news on the tip of her tongue, when she recognizes Babe next to her instead.

The Philadelphian smiles. “Hiya, Zena!”

For a split second, all Zenie can do is blink in surprise. While her mind tries to catch up, her body springs into action, with all her hand-to-hand combat training from Toccoa and her years of being the youngest sibling rushing to the forefront. Babe is slammed back against the foxhole with Zenie’s right forearm while her left hand clamps itself over his mouth. Her friend’s eyes go wide with surprise. He looks as shocked as she feels when she realizes what she’s done.

Now that she’s got him here, she’s not sure what to do. For an uncomfortable minute they just stare at each other in shock until Zenie feels something warm and wet touch her fingers. She springs away from Babe, back to her side of the foxhole, wiping her hand on the leg of her pants.

“Ew! Did you just lick me?!”

“Well what the hell else was I supposed to do? You looked ready to kill me!”

“Because you – “ They’ve both raised their voices. Zenie pops her head over the rim of the foxhole to see if anyone that could have overheard them is listening in. No one seems to be paying attention. She slumps down into the earth and hisses, “Why did you call me that?”

Babe tilts his head. “Your name?”

“It is, but no one can know!” Only three people know, and one of them is gone. “Wait. How did you know?”

Babe has the decency to look sheepish. “Okay, don’t be mad. I said don’t be mad! You already look angry.”

Zenie can’t really tell what her face might look like at present. This is nothing more than another unexpected event in the longest and most perplexing day of her life. Still, for Babe’s sake, she tries not to look upset.

“Bill told me – “

“Son of a bitch! He wasn’t supposed to tell anyone!”

“You said you wouldn’t get mad,” Babe insists again. He rushes on before they can fall into more bickering. “Bill was just worried about you, was all. It’s a big secret – a dangerous one – and he thought that having two people watching your back would make you safer.” Silence fills the space between them as Zenie absorbs it all. A small smile tugs at Babe’s lips as he adds, “If it makes you feel any better, Bill threatened to kill me if I told anyone. I’m only tellin’ you because I wanted you to know that even though he’s gone, I’ve got you covered.”

She trusted Bill with her secret. And, admittedly, she wasn’t wrong to. He may have shared it with someone else, but he was looking out for her, just like he has been since they first met. He’s gone, but one more person who knows her secret is still here. And who knows? Maybe Babe knowing her secret will make things easier.

“Well when the war is over, I’m counting on you to take me to Philly so that I can give him a good smack upside the head for telling my secret,” Zenie says.

Babe laughs. “Of course.”

Zenie sighs, squaring him up. Babe knowing will make things between them easier, she reasons again. Besides, he never told Bill about all their sneaking out to dance whenever he put them on guard duty. Surely, he can keep this secret just as easily. “You swear you won’t tell anyone?”

“Promise.” One of his gingery eyebrows quirks in question. “Besides Bill, does anyone else know?”

“Just Doc Roe and Shifty.”

“Hmmm . . .” Babe considers this for a moment, squinting down at his hands. Just as Zenie is about to break the silence, he looks up. “So that’s why you and Gene are always sneakin’ off, huh?”

Zenie nods. “He checks in with me. Gives me bandages for my chest, health sponges, if I need them.”

Babe raises his eyebrows. “Is that it?” When Zenie nods again, something flickers across his face for just second before he asks, “Is there something going on between you two?”

“What, me and Gene? No! He’s just – “ Just helping me out, Zenie almost says. But can that really describe the full extent of what Eugene has done for her? She amends her words. “ – a friend.”

This is considered for another quiet moment before Babe nods. “Okay. Okay, well that’s good, because I was worried that maybe you two had something goin’ on.” His cheeks turn the same bright color as his hair. “I’ve been, uh – well, I’ve been tryin’ to get his attention for a while now, and I didn’t want to get in the way of anything that you two might have.”

A memory hits her then, of returning to the company with Gene after he brought her back from the church in Bastogne. Shock had been evident on Babe’s face, at what Zenie had assumed had been her unexpected return. But now, thinking about how she and Gene had reappeared together . . . and not even for the first time, considering how careful the medic has always been with whisking her off to aid stations so that she could have some privacy. No wonder Babe thought that they were a couple!

“You’re good to go,” Zenie assures him.

Babe huffs a little laugh, brows furrowing. “You ain’t bothered by –“ He makes a vague gesture. “ – by my . . . what I just said?”

I’ve been tryin’ to get his attention for a while now. Zenie knows that feeling. Her mind flashes back to her first kiss, to Lucy Jordan’s kind smile and soft lips. She also knows how good that feeling is when the attention is caught, when it’s returned in kind.

Funny, how when she first joined the army, she had been excited to find someone like herself in Shifty, with his family’s mixed background. And now she’s found someone like herself in Babe, too.

“Babe, I would be a hypocrite if I was bothered. I mean, look at the situation I’m in.” This seems to calm her friend’s nerves, because his eyebrows unfurrow and a shyer version of his usual smile finds its way back to his lips. “Besides, I think Shifty would be pretty upset if I had something going with Gene.”

“Shifty!” A hand flies to Babe’s face and he laughs into his palm. “Oh, goddamn! That really explains why you’re always glancin’ at him like that.” He laughs in that way that must be a staple of growing up in Philadelphia, because it sounds similar to Bill’s. The sound is jolly, but it’s a reminder that their friend isn’t here to share in this small joy with them. A pang of hurt zips through her heart like a lightning strike.

To distract herself from the pain that threatens to well up and spill over again, Zenie says, “Well, now that you know my secrets, I’m expecting you to do a better job at keeping them than Bill.”

Babe only smiles. “I’ll keep yours if you keep mine.”

She wouldn’t dream of telling anyone her friend’s secret. Still, after the day that they’ve had, she can’t help but return the smile, even if only for a moment. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

#band of brothers #band of brothers fanfic #shifty powers #shifty powers x ofc #shifty powers x original female character #hbo war fanfic #hbo war #baberoe #oc zenie mcglamery #my writing

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