Title: The Family We Choose
Author: skylarkblue
Fandom: Runaways
Jewish Characters: Gertrude Yorkes
Bingo Squares Being Filled: N2 - Family, K1 - Candles, A5 - Eighth Night, N4 - Survival
Rating: G
Warnings: Implied Past Abuse
Summary:
Hanukkah has been the last thing on Gert’s mind. Their parents might be far behind them, but Gert still catches herself waiting for them to come back and steal her away. These anxieties get to young Molly, too, but Molly’s way of handling these feelings is a little more destructive.
Thankfully, Gert knows just how to soothe her.
Written for Hanukkah Bingo hosted by the lovely @aimmyarrowshigh
My silly little Reddie passion project???? My nearly 15 month endeavour that kept me sane during the shitstorm that was 2020???? That's like. More than 500 people. Or ppl have been rereding it. What the fuck
Omg I don't even know what to say I'm just???? Im making this face like actually 🥺
To any mutuals/followers who have stuck with me even though my time in the IT fandom has long since passed, I see you and I love you and I thank every single one of you who read even one chapter of my runaways fic 💜💜💜💜💜
Deanoru Fic: Every time you shine, I'll shine for you
Summary: Nico looks back at how she has been falling in love with Karolina her whole life, in more ways than one.
-
Nico realized she loved Karolina rather quickly. It didn’t take much time once they got together for Nico to notice she was falling hard.
Looking back at it, Nico noticed she had loved Karolina her whole life in one way or the other. First, as her childhood friend, then, after Amy’s death, as someone she didn’t talk to, but once knew better than most. Finally, when the discovery of their parents’ secret brought them together again, Karolina took an even bigger place in Nico’s heart.
It was nerve-wracking and confusing and painful. It was also blissful and sweet and light, like most things about Karolina are.
Nico didn’t realize it back then, but she was already falling for Karolina. Nico was falling as Kare stared at her through the mirror of a disgusting high school bathroom. As she mindlessly placed the strands of Karolina’s hair behind the girl’s ear, as she lost focus every time Karolina lit up, blood rushing to her ears and hands reaching uncontrollably towards the other girl, willing to catch Karolina if she ever fell down during flying experimentations. Nico was falling as she helped Karolina get ready for stupid fancy parties, careful hands laying in her skin, timid smiles as they shared honest talks. She was falling even as someone else’s arms were around her, someone else’s lips against hers.
It didn’t matter who was standing by her side, Nico noted now, her heart was out of her chest already, absentmindedly following the kind girl with a breathtaking power and an even more gorgeous smile.
The thing with Karolina was that she brought out a side of Nico that no one ever could. With her, Nico was silly, careful, shy. With her, she would spend hours lying in bed, connecting Kare’s freckles with her fingertips, holding hands in the dark while whispering back and forth about their past, present and future. She would listen attentively to the best sound in the world: Karolina’s laugh, reverberating throughout Nico’s whole self.
With Karolina Dean, Nico Minoru knew there was no risk in falling. She would be met with just as much love as she gave.
So, again, knowing she loved Karolina was easy. The hard part was telling her. There were murderous parents, wicked phones, evil witches, time travel, death and dark dimensions standing between them, but, somehow, they made it through.
For some crazy miracle, Nico and Karolina survived, which meant Nico found herself in the Hostel again, Karolina’s head laying in her chest as they stayed in bed for the whole weekend, a gift they had rightfully earned after their second (or third?) time saving the world.
This time, there was nothing stopping Nico from saying it however she wanted to.
With a shock, Nico realizes she doesn’t truly want to say it any differently than how she said it the first time. Had they not gone through every single insane situation they had in their lives, Nico and Karolina wouldn’t be themselves. They wouldn’t be a unit, or a team, or a family.
Nico wouldn’t change that, not in a million years.
— Hey, Kare? — Nico whispers and her girlfriend moves a bit, head looking up, bright blue eyes staring into her. An easy smile comes up in Nico’s face as she brushes the golden strands of hair covering her girlfriend’s eyes ever so slightly.
— Yes, baby? — Karolina answers and Nico feels silly and stupid about how her heart races.
— I lamp you. — She says, even though it’s dumb and Karolina laughs loudly, shoving her head into Nico’s shoulder. For some seconds, there is nothing else in the world for Nico other than the feeling of Karolina’s body over hers, Kare’s laugh against her skin, soft hair tickling Nico’s arms.
— I lamp you too, Nico. — Karolina tells her, hand coming to rest against Nico’s cheek. She moves and Nico knows what comes next, but still blushes and smiles dumbly as Karolina presses their lips together, lights flashing so bright Nico can tell so even with her eyes closed
— I love the way you shine. — Karolina whispers against her lips and, this time, Nico is the one laughing, surprised.
— I’m pretty sure you’re the bright one out of the two of us. — Nico states, hands running through her back, softly caressing Karolina.
— That’s not what I meant. You don’t shine like me, for everyone to notice. You do it when nobody is watching. I can’t explain, but I see it every time you smile like this. Every time you tell me what you’re feeling, every time you kiss me and touch me. I feel it anytime I catch your eye.
Nico is speechless, feeling like she might die if she doesn’t kiss this girl again and again and again for the rest of her life, but she still masters some strength to answer her.
— I only do it for you. — Nico confesses. Karolina snorts adorably, red covering her face. They’re ridiculous and cheesy, but they are too happy, too free to really care.
Nico kisses her as she desperately wants to and they laugh with each other as clothes fly across the room and light invades their bedroom. They smile and whisper each other’s names, both shining in their own ways.
It is familiar and still so brand new, it’s home, it’s real, it’s safe.
Summary: "Gert?" Molly's voice is soft, tender. Sometimes it's hard to remember she's the little sister. "It's gonna be okay. We can do this."
"This?"
"You know, this whole being happy thing."
Extract:
It's like, a ton of shit happened to them, around them, and to some extent, because of them, too, and moving on isn't as easy as songs and movies make it seem. It doesn't have to be so hard, Gert knows - it's exactly the kind of sweet nonsense Chase would say - but it's not easy either, and everything is a lot. A lot.
"What do you want me to do?" Chase asks. "Do you want some space?"
Her answer is immediate. "No. Not that. No." She doesn't want him to go, knows what it'll fuel in her mind - he wants to leave but he's only staying because he's scared you'll do something stupid, this was a terrible idea - and she's worked hard to lock that kind of thoughts for good. "Tell me things are gonna be okay."
"Everything's gonna be okay." He means it, she hears it in his voice.
Gert sighs, exhales loudly. Reaches up to squeeze his hands locked above her chest. "Okay. What happens when we fight? This place is tiny, it's not like there's a lot of room for fighting."
"I'll slam the door and go for a run," Chase answers easily. "You'll lock yourself in the bedroom and make me sleep on the couch. Does that sound good?"
"Not good," Gert snaps, then softens. "Nah, it does. It's what I would do. You can't leave too long, though. An hour." She tilts her head, locks eyes with him. "You can't leave for more than an hour or I'll panic, okay?"
Chase nods. "Sure. Make-up sex? We need to talk about make-up sex."
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Fandom: Marvel’s Runaways
Relationships: Chase Stein/Gertrude Yorkes
Word Count: 3,352
Tags: Chase Stein, Gertrude Yorkes, Victor Stein, Character Study, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Music, Piano, Friendship, Found Family
Chase and his hands and the piano keys: a story told in five movements.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 2/8
Fandom: Runaways (Comics), Runaways (TV 2017)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chase Stein/Gertrude Yorkes, Molly Hayes | Molly Hernandez & Chase Stein, Karolina Dean & Chase Stein
Characters: Chase Stein, Gertrude Yorkes, Molly Hayes | Molly Hernandez, Karolina Dean, Background & Cameo Characters
Additional Tags: Winter Soldier AU, Alternate Universe, Found Family, Captain America Chase Stein, Canon-Typical Violence, Angst, Queer Themes, runaways big bang 2019, Hydra, Guns, Dehumanization, mentions of torture, captain america: the winter soldier fusion, mostly based on runaways comics but some details form the tv show that i liked are also used, hand holding, Established Relationship, Friendship, BETA READ BY RENATA SHES A STAR, Please keep in mind this is a ws au and things can get angsty with trust (and they will), Hurt/Comfort
Chapter Summary:
A mystery unfolds, old enemies show themselves, new friends help! (Also known as: Chase and Molly talk, Evil Nazis are somehow still around, karolina is a glowstick)
It had been Gert's idea, actually, to come to the parade. Nico hadn't been sure; she didn't like big, loud crowds, and their parents were still looking for them. But the others had pointed out that their parents were always going to be looking for them, no matter what, and why not? They deserved a bit of fun. They deserved to experience something named Pride which was good.
And the way Karolina had lit up at the suggestion, how could she have said no?
It was sunny, and jam-packed full of people with glitter all over their faces and wide smiles, pop music mixed with a little alternative rock and indie played on loud speakers, all from presumably lgbtq artists or allies, food stands, people with balloon floats, banners from organisations raising the rainbow flag and charities.
Nico kept an eye on the others at all times, unwilling to lose any of them in the masses, holding Karolina's hand tight in her own.
And there were others just like them too, so many of them.
LA was certainly not terrible when it came when to it. There'd been one or two LGBTYouth posters stuck up at school and, given the size of the parade, there hadn't exactly been a lack of them, but the in neighbourhood they had lived in — rich, conservative, comfortably upper middle class, it was was the sort of thing that became gossip or brushed under the rug.
But here, Karolina was grinning so brightly, so happy, caught up in the energy of everyone, and Nico couldn't help but find it contagious.
Alex, Chase and Molly had the word “Ally” crudely written on their foreheads with Nico's black lipstick, each sporting clothes with some variation of rainbow, holding little flags which were being given out for free. Gert had three stripes of eyeshadow on each cheek, pink, purple and blue, and was applying the same colours to her hair with cheaply bought kids hair-chalks from the dollar store. She was wearing the flag, flowing behind her like a cape.
And then there was her and Karolina. They looked like a bit of an odd couple but the best kind, they figured after several people passing by had given them enthusiastic high-fives. Karolina had fake flowers braided into her hair and a little plastic tiara, different shades of shimmery pink painted on her own cheeks, wearing the lesbian flag draped over her as well. She looked stunning and brilliant and, God , Nico was so gay.
Or, well, something. She wasn't straight that was for sure.
Nico had on her usual dark witch-y get up, all black and lace and mystery and dramatic eyeliner, perhaps even amplified a little, with the spirit of everything. And when it had come to choosing flags, Nico had hesitated, and the helpful person at the stand had pointed her to the rainbow: the full spectrum of colours. Gert and Karolina had tied it over her shoulders, around her neck, and Molly had plucked a mini flag from the stand and stuck it in one of Nico's space buns.
“You alright?” asked Karolina, quickly checking over her again. “It's a bit loud, we can stand to the side a bit, if you want.”
Nico nodded quickly. She was definitely having fun, everyone was just so friendly, but it was getting a little too much.
They sent a quick text to the others and sat down on a bench, Karolina's arm around Nico's waist, Nico resting her head in Karolina's shoulder.
On the main road, the procession went on, all colours and noise, dance and music and laughter, and beautiful chaos. Chaos, disorder, freedom, variation, entropy, the natural state of the universe. All here, all celebrated. There were people kissing, people hugging, people raising their held hands in pride. There were teenagers like them; parents with t-shirts saying “I'm proud of my nonbinary child”, “I love my gay son”; even a few elderly couples, two old men, one pushing the other in a wheelchair, wearing “Just married!” t-shirts in hot pink.
Nico turned her head and leaned up to kiss Karolina on the cheek, lips tugging up into a smile.
Aside from at the Hostel, and stolen seconds in secret corners, alone on the abandoned stairway of the school at prom, they weren't usually ones for PDA. It wasn't that it wasn't exactly them, though it was really not, but doing it out in public could never not feel like a statement. And a statement was the last thing they wanted to make in their situation.
But here, where their very presence was a declaration, it was normal, a statement, still, but also an expression of love and needing and pride.
(Real pride.)
Karolina turned to face her and captured her lips in a proper kiss, soft and fierce. Nico melted inside a bit.
“I love you,” said Karolina, grinning, a blush dusting her cheeks heavily. “Thanks for having me.”
Nico laughed, throwing her head back, lost a little in the moment despite everything around them. “No, thank you,” she replied. “You're the best. I love you too.”
It felt like just them, for a few minutes. As though they were just normal kids going to a pride parade, girlfriend and girlfriend, together, the lesbian flag and the pride flag draped over both their shoulders.
summary: now is not the fucking time, tina. nico keeps karolina up all night. leslie is being especially leslie. chase is the only straight white boy we trust. karolina is so fucking gay.
