#nabumcpricingham

[incorrect-bom]

Price: And how exactly will you stop me?

Cunningham and McKinley: *exchange looks*

Cunningham: We’ll call Naba.

Price, eyes widening in fear: No, no, that's okay!

[1ll-def1ned]

Good Morning

Nabulungi and Connor talk in the kitchen before sunrise.

Both he and Nabulungi have regular nightmares. Connor McKinley wasn’t expecting that. Arnold is the only one of them all who sleeps through night with no trouble, and when Kevin has a nightmare or a panic attack or one of his moments, they’re big and dramatic and cost everyone hours of sleep.

But Connor and Nabulungi are used to suffering in silence. Connor wouldn’t even know, except that she is almost always awake before anyone in the morning, bouncing into the kitchen and taking his place making breakfast for District Nine, when she stays the night with her soulmates.

She doesn’t show much emotion, Connor comes to realize. Of course, she has no trouble sharing her spur of the moment feelings; her anger, her sadness, her joy, her hope, but keeps so much to her chest, at the same time. He recognizes that in her, a few months into their relationship, and finds himself wondering how he didn’t see it earlier. After all, it’s something he’s familiar with.

He starts noticing that, when he jerks awake from a hell dream, hand automatically thrown over his mouth to muffle any sounds, she usually isn’t there. He doesn’t say anything, though. Nabulungi’s secrets are hers to keep.

He wonders if she’s lonely. She has the three of them, Connor and Arnold and Kevin, but company - or even a soul mark - does not a relationship make. And Connor knows the feeling of being alone in a crowd of people. Yes, now he has his partners, and he has faith in Heavenly Father, and he has a church that actually supports people like him, but there’s no miracle cure for what’s happened in the past.

He’s always known, on some level, that he’s had it rough. His dad’s death (though he and Connor were never that close). His repressed sexuality. The therapy he went through. He had always told himself, though, that it wasn’t that bad. It was making him better. He was being forged in the fires of affliction.

Other people had it worse.

And they do, that’s true. If Connor had ever doubted that, it was confirmed by coming here, to Uganda. But the people here, the members of the Church of Arnold, they know, and they still give him sympathy. He’s not the only one to have lost a loved one. He’s not the only one not allowed to express himself due to antiquated rules created by an outdated religion (though he, at least, had the comfort of knowing that he couldn’t be sentenced to death for any pre-mate homosexual encounters). And the people here don’t disregard that.

There’s something about the Church of Arnold… It sweetens people. It softens the rough edges of the world and makes it a little more bearable to live in. It gives Connor a sense of family he hasn’t had for almost a decade.

But that is on the good days. Connor still has the dreams at night. He still has to go home in a year and half to face the music.

He wonders if it’s the same for Nabulungi. The days are better, almost infinitely so, but the nights are still doubt-laden, and fear-filled. He wonders what she’s going to do when it comes time for District Nine to pack up and go home. He wonders if she feels the way he does when he looks at Arnold and Kevin, and sees the way things seem easy between them, even when Kevin starts to crack.

It’s the four of them together, but Connor wonders if Nabulungi sometimes feels single.

He wakes up one night, the heat pressing less oppressively than usual. Tonight’s dream was almost nice; much less fire than usual. And it’s hardly even that early, he sees, glancing at their very old clock. Almost five in the morning.

The sun will be rising soon. Connor yawns and brushes his hands over his face. Two sets of breaths, almost in sync, fill the bedroom. Kevin and Arnold lie beside him, sandwiched between Connor and where Nabulungi should be, but her slip of the bed, the part closest to the door, is empty.

Slowly, Connor gets up, carefully detangling Kevin’s legs from his own. His two fellow elders stay asleep even as he crosses the squeaking floorboards to the door, and Connor sighs fondly before slipping out to the kitchen.

There she is, boiling water for the day at the cookstove. She’s topless, which is a bit of a surprise, but there’s a vibrant red and blue and purple kanga slung low across her hips. Connor’s name, in his tight, even script, stretches across the small of her back.

“Good morning,” he says softly.

Her head turns to see him, and she smiles, just as softly. “Hello,” she says.

Connor approaches, resting his hand where his name marks her skin.

“I was wondering who kept doing that,” he says, gesturing to the water. “I thought it might be one of the other elders, but I should have known it was you.” He smiles, and she does, too.

“No, no…” she answers. “It’s me.”

A moment of silence.

“Aren’t you afraid someone is going to walk in on you?” he asks, his cheeks pinking slightly. “We aren’t the only ones in the house, you know.”

“What, you mean…?” Her fingertips brush her chest, and he nods. Her smile gains a bit of spark as she says “I doubt the other elders have never seen breasts before.”

Well, knowing the Mormon church, there’s a good chance they haven’t seen one since they nursed from it, but Connor hardly needs to say that. He makes some kind of motion that he hopes says ‘all right,’ or ‘your choice,’ or ‘that’s fair,’ and Naba turns back to her water. It’s silent between them, and mostly dark, except for a faint glow from the stove and one from the lamp in the corner of the counter. It plays off her skin beautifully, but her eyes are dark and shaded. Suddenly Connor thinks it isn’t that strange for her to be half-naked; it’s more strange for him to be wearing so much. It’s not like the temple garments are any good now, anyway. Worn properly, they supposedly protect from indecency, but Connor crossed that line months ago with his soulmates. Now, they’re just there.

“What are your dreams about?” he asks.

The wooden spoon in Nabulungi’s hands stops stirring. “My dreams?”

“You’re always awake so early,” Connor replies. “It’s dreams, isn’t it?”

Her answer, when it comes, is in a very, very quiet murmur.

“Guns,” she says. “The general. And other warlords. He was never the only one.” Her hand resumes its stirring. “The robbers, and the murderers. AIDS.” Softer. “My father.”

“Your mother?” Connor presses.

Nabulungi turns to look at him, dark eyes shining, even with the lamp behind her.

“You know how it is,” she says.

Connor does.

“It’s always the ones with people that are the worst,” she says suddenly. “You, Mama, Kevin, Baba, Arnold, it’s always-” She shakes her head, curls waving. “And the people are the worst to watch.”

She turns back to her stirring. “If it’s ants, or lions, it’s not so bad,” she says. “But if there is someone there, causing it all, those I can’t stand.”

“Nabulungi.”

She turns back to him.

“Connor,” she says.

She goes willingly into his arms, pressing the two of them together like, in this moment, she can’t stand to be alone. He keeps one hand at the small of her back, and he brings the other up between her shoulder blades. One of hers slips under, the other over, his arms. Her head rests against his collarbone.

They stay like that for a long, long time.

“What about yours?” she asks.

“Mine?” he echoes.

“Your dreams?” she whispers. “What are they about?”

He smiles, just a little. “Being gay,” he answers.

She smiles too, he feels it. “Oh,” she says.

Connor presses a kiss to her forehead, and she lets go of him, stepping away.

“I think the water’s done,” she says.

“All right,” he says.

She brushes her hands over her wild, bouncy hair, and gives him a smile. “Can I kiss you?”

“Morning breath,” Connor reminds her, but she shakes her head.

“I want to.”

He steps forward and lets her close the gap. It’s warm. Comforting. Encouraging. Sweet. Connor pretends he doesn’t taste morning breath or sadness in it, and when Nabulungi pulls away, she’s smiling.

“Good morning,” she says.

“I love you,” he answers. For what it’s worth.

She looks at him for a moment, buying time for her response.

“Thank you.”

[1ll-def1ned]

FEM NABUMCPRICINGHAM FLOWER CROWNS IT'S SO CLICHE BUT ADORABLE (kay is probably allergic to them though which makes it even better)

Awwwww ^-^ Thank you :) I feel like this should be enough to purge the world of sin; just four beautiful girls, in a beautiful field, spending a beautiful day together weaving beautiful flower crowns (and yeah, Kay is sneezing and her eyes are watering but there’s no fucking way she’s going to quit before everyone else is ready to go :D she’ll suffer through and be happy, goddamn it).

[1ll-def1ned]

annie and kay just being such dorks together and having so much fun with each other and naba and connie and it's so wonderful (annie trying to get them all to wear costumes to the star wars premiere)

God bless ^-^

(And what do you mean, ‘try’? Naba and Kay go as Padme and Anakin, and Connie and Annie are Leia and Han, and they all look awesome).

[1ll-def1ned]

just thinking about the dresses that naba and connie and annie would wear make me so happy, like casual sundresses or fancier ones to dress up (kay would be more of shorts and cute pants i bet) and such (and i bet annie would totally rock a cute romper and look adorable), also, no one knows how, but naba gets winged eyeliner right on the first try, every single time

Aww, yes! Naba would be sort of half and half, and Annie usually prefers pants, but Connie wears dresses and skirts /all the time. And, yes, Kay totally rocks pants (though she has this one dress, and when she wears it she looks like Anastasia except that it’s deep red). Awwww, Annie in a romper sounds adorable! Gosh, she would love that faded pastel thing, I think. And the fandom geek, of course :) she wears a lot of t-shirts, as many as she can get away with, and you can’t catch her in pants other than sweats unless it’s actually winter time. Naba is simple but bold in her style; she likes intense colors and strappy heels and earrings and all that fun stuff. But yes, the three of them in sundresses with Kay in a white blouse and denim shorts sounds absolutely breathtakingly lovely ^-^

:D Perfect. She has very steady hands.

[1ll-def1ned]

okay, but what about kay having a really bad day, and all of her girlfriends making it their mission to make sure that kay feels loved and cheers up and is comfortable?

Oh gosh, and this is quite a mission, because Kay has had one hell of a day and just wants to sleep forever (but she overdosed on coffee so she’s got a headache and she’s jittery and will be up for hours, probably). The girls try everything, even Disney movies, but it doesn’t help because the bright colors make Kay’s headache worse; but then Annie and Naba plan and elaborate prank, which goes wrong and ends with Annie smushing Kay into the bed, but Kay laughs as she shoving her girlfriend off, and the other three count it as a success. (And then they are curl up in bed and maybe listen to an audiobook or something until they fall asleep)

[1ll-def1ned]

fem nabumcpricingham helping those who get periods (idk if any of them are trans??? trans naba would be lovely) during their time of the month with heating pads and cuddles and cute little notes and a little surprise (i always headcanoned mckinley as the type of person who'd really like bath bombs so that may be something she'd give or get), making coffee for each other, just being super supportive and AH i love it

(trans!Naba!!!!!!!)

Aww, yes, they would! And Connie is a lucky bitch whose periods aren’t bad at all, and she definitely goes full mama bear on poor Kay and Annie :( She and Naba both do, but Connie’s cramps get worse with stress, so Naba ends up having to force her to rest sometimes. They do get sweet stuff like that for each other, definitely :) (though they are on a budget, so it’s kind of special when they can splurge on glittery bath bombs).

They definitely would be lovely, kind, nurturing little lovelies for each other ^-^ Thank you so much for sending this :)

[1ll-def1ned]

all fem nabumcpricingham totally rock those dates, you know it. they all look stunning, and you know mckinley is helping them with their hair and (if they're up to it) makeup. their cuddles would be the softest, warmest, most lovely things ever.

You’re damn right they do :D And people usually think it’s a “Ladies’ Night Out” or something until thy start kissing, but it’s super sweet anyway :)

And yes, Connie is the queen of makeup and date preparation.