#the time between

[nothing-is-relevant-but-it-is]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Zuko tries to help mend what's broken.

A glimpse into the time between Katara choosing not to kill her monster and when everyone comes to live on Ember Island.

[theresthesnitch]

The Time Between

deleted scenes from one last time (never enough)

Below is a selection of the scenes I wrote but cut from the five years apart. These were mostly cut for space, but also because this wasn’t where I wanted the story to go. I wanted it to be a small glimpse into their lives in those years, and how they were struggling. As I mentioned in an ask response, I had a whole bunch of additional scenes I never wrote that could have honestly been a whole fic in and of itself.

twenty weeks after the end

Lily rolled out the dough into a thin, even layer. She pressed the biscuit cutter into the dough, leaving eight clean hearts behind. She carefully extracted each heart, placing it on the prepared baking sheet. Lily pinched a bit of the sugar crystals between her finger, rubbing them together to distribute the—

Oh. Lily's hand flew to her stomach. That was new. It felt, um, wrong? Like a little flutter. Was it supposed to feel like that? 

Lily had never wished more for her mother to be close by than she did now. Her mother would surely be able to tell her if this was something to be concerned about. She had attended appointments at the muggle doctor, but they tried to otherwise limit their time in the village. They couldn't really be sure it was safe. An extra trip for a small flutter was hardly worth it. 

Lily abandoned the biscuits half finished on the counter, retreating to the cool, dim quiet of the sitting room. She sat on the couch, hand pressed to her stomach, not sure if she was hoping to feel it again or not to. It didn’t return for a long, long time. 

***

It turns out that the taskforce was a lot less action that James had anticipated and a lot more like studying for N.E.W.T.s—which made it particularly unfortunate that James and Sirius were strictly restricted from sharing any information about it with Remus. If anyone could have sorted through all of these books and notes and figured out just what the hell Voldemort was doing, it was Remus. 

They didn’t understand until one Thursday afternoon when Remus came back from meeting with Dumbledore while James and Sirius were neck deep in musty copies of library books. Remus ignored them and went straight for the small bar they kept in the corner of their shared flat, pulling out a nearly full bottle of scotch and not even bothering to find a glass before he took a swig. 

Sirius and James exchanged a look of raised eyebrows, followed by a glance at the clock. Two o’clock was awfully early to hit the bottle that hard.

“Tough meeting?”

Remus let out a hard laugh, humorless and full of exasperation. “You could say that. I know why he wouldn’t let me on the taskforce now.” 

Sirius stood, taking a step toward Remus. “What did he say?”

“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” Remus took another swig, “but he has a project for me that only I can do. No one else has the appropriate skills, as it were, to blend in.” 

The room went silent. James swallowed hard, biting back the fear rising in his belly at what Remus wasn’t saying. 

Werewolves.

***

“Lily? Are you here?”

Lily was still on the couch, sitting in the near darkness of twilight. She didn’t answer, unsure if her voice could even be heard. A moment later, Mary walked into the sitting room, waving her wand to flick on the recessed lights, her magic spreading down the track to illuminate the room. Mary jumped when she saw Lily sitting in the room. 

“Merlin, Lily. You scared me half to death! What are you doing in here? Did you not hear me call you?”

Lily looked up at her friend, the stiffness in her neck letting her know it was the first time that she had moved in—how long had she been here? Hours?—since she sat down. Lily worried her lip between her teeth, trying to find the words to tell Mary what had happened. 

“Lily, what’s wrong?”

“I, uh—” Lily paused, and sighed heavily. “I felt—something earlier, and I’m not— I think something is wrong.” 

Mary knelt in front of her, replacing Lily’s hand on her stomach. “Here? What did you feel?”

“Um,” Lily tried to clear her brain of the fog of worry that had settled in there. “A flutter, maybe. Or a bump?”

Mary smiled. “Like butterfly wings?”

Lily looked at her friend blankly. “Yeah, kind of, I guess.” 

Mary’s smile widened. “I think the baby is moving, Lily.” 

Lily’s hand was back on her stomach. “Really? You think the baby is moving? How do you know? Isn't it too early? Why hasn’t it moved again?”

“The doctor gave me a book to read. You didn’t seem ready for it, but I thought one of us should know.” Mary ran her hand over Lily’s belly again. “It’s supposed to be pretty sparse for the first few days, but eventually the baby will move all the time. The baby is just little now.” 

Lily ran her hand along her stomach again, no longer afraid but now amazed at what the little bump could mean. Her baby was there—really there. This was real. This piece of her and of James growing inside of her and—

And Lily was once again wishing the war would end so that she could share moments like this with James. 

***

“He can’t make you do that.” Sirius was now standing in front of Remus, practically yelling in his fear. “You can’t go.” 

Remus stood his ground, facing down an emotional and flustered Sirius. “Do you think I want to go? Do you think that I would choose this? I don’t want to!” 

“So don’t!”

James felt a bit like he was invading a private argument, as though he was not also friends with them and they were not having this fight in front of him. Which was crazy, because it shouldn’t feel like a private moment that would exclude him. They were all friends, equally, and James cared about Remus’s well being just as much as Sirius did. 

“I don’t have a choice. He’s right. There’s no one else who can do this. It has to be me.” Remus began rubbing the still raised skin of the scar that showed just under his sleeve cuff. 

“But you could get hurt!”

“If I don’t go, others will get hurt. I might be able to help.” Remus took a step toward Sirius, his hand outstretched slightly, palm up. 

“You can’t go because I can’t lose you.” 

A heavy quiet fell over the room, and it felt like the room was charged with electricity that had the potential to burn them all to the ground. 

Before anything could happen, however, Sirius turned and walked straight out the front door to the flat.

“Sirius, wait.” Remus took a step to follow him, but Sirius closed the door behind him. Remus was left standing, watching the door as though it might open again if he just waited. It did not. 

“Remus?”

His back was to James, so James didn’t even know that Remus was crying until he raised a hand and wiped his face. “It’s fine. He’s just worried. He’ll be back.” 

“When do you have to go?”

Remus turned to face James, and neither of them addressed the redness in his eyes. “Tomorrow. I’ll be gone for two weeks.” 

The full moon was a week away, so Remus would be gone a week before and a week after the moon. “Will you be able to let us know you are safe?”

Remus shook his head, and James could see him swallow before he spoke. “I don’t think it would be safe, but I’ll be fine. I’ll be back in two weeks.” 

“Please be safe.” James looked toward the door again. “We’ll both miss you.” 

Remus took another drink from the whiskey bottle in his hand. “Me too.” 

He walked out of the room and back toward his bedroom, and James was left thinking about Remus and Sirius and the way James didn’t quite understand what just happened. And, for some inexplicable reason, James missed Lily deep in his bones. 

This war needed to end soon. 

***

seven months after the end

It wasn’t enough. 

Lily had read the books and knew that this was a likely side effect of pregnancy. It was just something that people dealt with, though most people weren’t locked in a small cabin, away from their partner and anyone else who might be able to relieve this tension. 

She should be able to take care of it herself. She had never had trouble with that before, but she felt so uncomfortable in her body with her growing stomach and the way her body was softening in other areas. She struggled to get the right angle and the right motion and the right feeling. 

And now she was crying because she couldn’t bring herself to orgasm, and what the hell was she supposed to do now?

“Lily? Are you alright?”

Lily quickly covered herself with the blankets as Mary opened the door to her room and walked in. She sniffed, wiping her face. “I’m fine.” 

Mary froze in the doorway, looking at Lily in the dim light from the hallway. Lily wondered what she looked like—could Mary see her red, tear-stained cheeks? Could she tell how upset Lily was?

“Lil, I can tell you’re not. Could you tell me what’s wrong?”

Lily shook her head. “It’s stupid.” 

“If you’re crying, it’s not stupid.” Mary walked in and sat on the edge of her bed. “Tell me. Maybe I can help.”

Lily covered her face with her hands. “You’ll laugh at me.” 

“I promise I won’t.”

“I can’t—come.” 

Lily moved her hands from her face just in time to see Mary’s look of surprise. “I’m sorry?”

“I’m so fucking horny because of this stupid fucking baby and the stupid fucking hormones, but I can’t get myself there. If we weren’t here, or if James was here, I could just get him to fuck me.” Lily threw her hands out in frustration, then grabbed the top of her blanket and pulled under her chin. “I’m fine. I’ll get over it. It’s not something you can help me with.” 

Mary cocked her head to the side. “It’s not?”

Lily’s eyes snapped to Mary’s. “What?”

“I could help you.” Mary reached her hand up and grabbed Lily’s hand. “I could help you get off.” 

“I—um.” Lily felt like her mind was reeling. What did this mean?

“Only if you want.” Mary shrugged. “It doesn’t have to mean anything. Just an orgasm.” 

“You would want to?”

“Lily, we’ve been here for more than half a year, and there’s no telling how long we’ll be here. Other than you, the only people we’ve really seen are Dr. Johnson and Ms. Meyer at the grocers. I don’t know about you, but I’m not keen on either of them touching me.” Mary shivered, as though the thought was actually repulsive. “I would really like to touch and be touched again, if you want that to.” 

Lily rubbed a hand across her forehead, considering what Mary was offering. “I don’t think— It wouldn’t—” Lily sighed, then started again. “I’m not sure that I could promise you anything, relationship wise. I still love James, and I want to see if we can make things work when the war is finally over. I couldn’t promise you anything more than— than—” 

“An orgasm?” Mary was smiling widely now. 

Lily felt a light blush color her cheeks, and she was suddenly very aware that she was naked and Mary was sitting on her bed. “Yeah. Or a few, maybe.” 

Mary shrugged. “That’s all I want right now. If you do?”

Lily threw her head back. “Merlin, yes.” 

Mary laughed. “Well, you first, I think.” 

Lily watched as Mary’s hand slid across her arm and shoulder until she reached the edge of the blanket over her chest. She marveled at the way Mary’s dark skin looked against her pale skin in the soft light from the hallway, as the dim light added to the magic of the moment. 

Mary leaned forward, connecting their lips in a gentle kiss as she slowly lowered the blanket, her hand brushing lightly over Lily’s breasts and bulging stomach, and Lily gasped as Mary’s fingers met Lily’s wetness.

She was so keyed up that it only took a few minutes of careful touches and caresses until Lily was coming by her friend’s hand. Lily was still trembling as Mary pressed gentle kisses on her cheeks and forehead. “Feel better?”

A bubble of surprised laughter escaped Lily’s lips. The release had brought so much clarity to Lily’s mind, but the look in Mary’s eye had her wanting more. “Much. Your turn now.” 

***

For the last several months, James had watched Remus and Sirius carefully dance around each other. There was clearly something more between them than what either of them shared with James, though he was certain that they were trying to hide it from him. He wasn’t clear why. Surely, surely, they knew he would be happy for them. Surely, they knew he wouldn’t hate them or reject them simply because they loved each other?

James watched as Remus brushed a hand along Sirius’s shoulder as he walked to the kitchen with a cooling cup of tea, before going back to acting like they hadn’t touched at all. It was in this moment, as he watched his friends trying to keep their distance that James realized he had to say something. 

James took a deep breath. With Peter out of the flat for work, it seemed like the perfect time. “I’m okay with it, you know.” 

Sirius and Remus both turned to him, twin eyes of confusion pointed his way. “With what?” Sirius finally asked. 

“The two of you. Whatever this is you’re doing. Dating or—or shagging or whatever.” 

Remus began laughing from the kitchen, setting down his mug on the counter before holding himself up with a palm pressed into the counter. Sirius furrowed his brows. “Of course, you’re okay with it. Were we supposed to assume you wouldn’t be?”

James shrugged. “It seems like you’ve been trying to hide it.” 

“Well, sure.” Remus had finally managed to control his laughter from the kitchen. “That’s not because we thought you’d have a problem with it, though.” 

“You didn’t care when Marlene and Dorcas started dating.” Sirius pointed out. “Why would we assume it would be different for us?” 

It was James’s turn to look between his friends in confusion. “Then why are you hiding it?”

Remus and Sirius exchanged a nervous glance at that. “Well, um,” Sirius tucked a piece of hair behind his ear, “because of Lily.”

James’s heart plummeted. It was the first time her name had been spoken aloud—at least to him—since she had left with Mary. “What does she have to do with it?”

Remus sighed. “You’ve been sad since she left, and you haven’t tried to see anyone else. We didn’t want to, I don’t know, rub it in your face that we were together and happy.” 

Remus walked over and took Sirius’s hand, and as Sirius smiled up at him softly, James realized they had been hiding far more than he realized. 

“You don’t have to do that.” James looked down at his hands, linking his fingers together. “I’m sorry you’ve felt the need to. I’m fine, really.”

“James, we haven’t minded.” Remus looked sincere as he said it. “We don’t want to make things harder for you. Not if we can prevent it.” 

“Please don’t hide. There’s—” James felt his throat grow thick, and swallowed once to get past it “—there’s not enough happy in the world right now. We could all use a little more.” 

That was it. From then on, Remus and Sirius didn’t make extra effort to hide from James. James, in turn, tried to ignore the pit in his stomach that wouldn’t go away.

[erainbowd]

My Pandemic Guide to International TV - Part One

Have I been able to shut up about all the international TV I've been watching? Not really, no. So I thought I'd put it all in one (ok, two) place(s) #SpanishTV #ItalianTV #TurkishTV #TheClub

My guess is that international TV got its hooks into me these last two years because there’s something about getting so far away from the world I live in, they don’t even speak my language. Or maybe the extra “labor” of reading subtitles kept my attention when it was inclined to wander? Or maybe it’s like traveling in a period where I mostly just saw the kitchen table? Whatever the reason, the…

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[renee-writer]

A Boy's Gonna Run But, A Real Man's Gonna Stay Chapter 15 The Time Between

He awakes, uses the loo, then reaches for the protein bar he always keeps in his side drawer. He needs it. They had expended a lot of energy, he and his wife. He grins. His wife, the woman who's heart, soul, and body, is now intertwined with his. He watches her sleep, her curls free and loose around her face, her body completely relaxed. He wraps his arms back around her and goes to sleep.

Claire awakes to Jamie sleeping beside her. He has kicked off the covers and sleeps on his back, his beautiful body completely exposed. She regrets nothing. They are married, fully committed to each other. She had waited for the right one. Younger, he may be but, more a man then any that has came before. Boys run but men stay.

She runs a finger across his face and is rewarded with a smile. Her heart gives a powerful lurch. She loves him so much. She wakes him by kissing down his chest and flicking his nipple. They make love again, softly on that drowsy morning as the sun starts to light up the gauze curtains that cover the bed. They then shower and join the others.

Before leaving, Ellen hands her a book, a very old book dating back to the 17th Century.

‘’It belonged to a healer. A lass named Emily that lived here after the rebellion, the Rising of 1739. Emily was married to the Laird. She nursed him back to health after one of the battles. They were able to keep the land because he used a false name on everything associated with the rebellion. Anyway,’’ she brushes off the topic of 17 Century politics. ‘’I want you to have it as research for your book.’’

‘’I can’t take a family heirloom.’’

‘’Can’t you? You are my daughter Claire. Family. I trust you to see it safe and to return it after you are finished with it.’’

She hugs her, this second mum. ‘’I will. You’ve my word. Thank you.’’

They return to Oxford and classes. Everyone returns home. Claire spends a week with her parents, in London, and misses Jamie terribly. He feels the same and meets her at the train. He takes her home, her flat as it was a bit bigger, and they don’t leave for two days.

She starts reading the healer’s book. It contains so much information not found anywhere else. Information about plants and their medicinal uses, some that are not even grown anymore. As she works on her book, the words flow.

They are returning to Lallybroch over the summer. They have decided to get married there, in July.

‘’No point in waiting.’’ Jamie had said one day as they sit over breakfast. ‘’We are married but..’’

‘’To make it legal in the eyes of the state and church. I agree. July it is.

Claire is almost finished with her book as summer approaches. Jamie makes her a garden so she can grow and test the some of the plants found in the book. They make wedding plans. They want a small, intimate service with just family and friends.

[toloveawarlord]

MasterList

Ikemen Sengoku 

Series:

The Art of Love and War: Warlord Children (Multi POV)  - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2  || Ch. 3 || Ch. 4  || Ch. 5 || Ch. 6 || Ch. 7 || Ch. 8  || Ch. 9 || Ch. 10|| Ch. 11

The Ties that Bind Us: Rena Tokugawa / Ieyasu Tokugawa - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 || Ch. 4 || Ch.5 ||

Ieyasu/Rena Birthday Special

Clever Canary: Miki / Nobunaga Oda - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 ||Ch. 4 ||Ch. 5 ||

Solitary Confinement: Katria Petrov / Masamune Date - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||Ch. 3 ||

The Little Fox: Kitsu - Ch 1 ||

One-Shots:

Ieyasu Tokugawa - Injury || Snow Storm || For Her (IDW)  || Alone with You ||

Sasuke Sarutobi - Till Next Time (nsfw) || Nerdling ||

Nobunaga Oda - The Cost of War (IDW) || Konpeito

Yukimura Sanada- Pregnancy ||

Mitsuhide Akechi- A Day Out||

Kennyo - Tryst in the Forest ||

Ikemen Revolution

Series: Suitor/OC

For Crimson Glory: Iris Adley / Edgar Bright: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 || Ch 4 ||

Crimson Shorts: Iris and Edgar One-Shots: Investigation ||

Visions of Red: Colette Marston: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Shattered Glass: Nova Clemence: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2

The Time Between: Arielle Godspeed /Oliver Knight:  Ch.1 || Ch. 2 ||

Etched in Blood: Sophia Emerson/Fenrir Godspeed: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 ||

Sophia and Fenrir One-Shots: Edibles || Glimpse of You || The Night Before ||

Behind the Times: Aspen Lancaster/Jonah Clemence: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Tale as Old as Time: Greer Atlas/Lancelot Kingsley: Ch. 1 ||

Ghost in the Starlight: Aster: Ch. 1 ||

Kyle Ash Mental Health Series: An Off Day ||The Human Heart || In Her Mind  || Tomorrow ||

For My Master NSFW Series: Part 1|| Part 2 ||

The Jack of My Heart: Joanna Clemence (Genderbent Jonah): Drabble 1 || Midnight Escapades (nsfw) ||

Series: Suitor/Children

Kid’s Information:

Red Army Kids Older Gen as Toddlers

Red Army:

Lancelot Kingsley:

Atticus (Coming Soon!)

Jonah Clemence:

Caroline: A Queen in the Making - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Edgar Bright:

Eden: The Red Army Princess -  Ch. 1 ||  Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 ||

Eden Shorts: Fireworks ||

Kyle Ash:

Beckett and Sadie: Ashes to Ashes - Ch. 1 ||

Zero:

Black Army:

Ray Blackwell:

Otto (Coming soon)

Sirius Oswald:

Castor, Nash, Cosmo (coming soon)

Luka Clemence:

Ezra and Valarie: Twin Collision - Ch. 1 ||

Seth Hyde:

Sasha: Devils in Disguise - Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Fenrir Godspeed:

Finley: The Black Army Mischief Maker -  Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Au w/ @plumpblueberry Noah Blackwell - “After the Rain” ||

Neutrals:

Harr Silver:

Casimir (coming soon)

Loki Genetta:

Lux and Leif: Caged Magic -  Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Blanc:

 Scarlett and Declan Lapin (coming soon)

Oliver Knight:

Mousse Atlas:

Khepri: The Atlas Puzzle - Ch. 1 ||

 Suitor x Suitor Kids:

Edgar and Luka:

Evie: A Pair of Jacks - Pt. 1 ||

One Shots: Silver-Lining || Confession

Lancelot and Jonah:

Ivy and Rose: Crowned Royalty: Pt. 1 ||

Mini- Series:

What Once Was: Telling Luka || Telling Jonah || Black Army ||

Murder Monday w/ Plumpblueberry

Blanc x Mc- Don’t Go|| Lancelot/Zero- Evanescence  || Jonah x Lancelot-Aftermath || Fenrir/Ray- As the Ashes Fall Down  ||  Ray x Sirius- King vs Queen || Harr/Sirius- The Worth of Life || Edgar x Luka- His Duty || Blanc/Kyle- Final Cry of Humanity || Harr x Loki- Magic Bound || Loki/Oliver- For Her || Edgar x Zero- Blame || Luka x Jonah- The Language of Colours || Lancelot x Harr- For Day to Break into Night Again || Fenrir x Seth- Self Sacrifice || Saint-Germain x Leonardo- As Long as You’re Safe|| Theo x Vincent- Let Me Go || Seth x Fenrir- Self Sacrifice ||

One-Shots:

Black Army:

Ray Blackwell -

Sirius Oswald - Birthday Game (IDW)

Luka Clemence - I’m Here || Made a Maid

Seth Hyde -

Fenrir Godspeed - Tomato War || Main Assest

Red Army

Lancelot Kingsley - Sweet Temptation (nsfw)||

Jonah Clemence - Despacito || It Matters (nsfw) || Family Sins || Stay Strong ||

Edgar Bright - Light of My Life (IDW || One sided || Drunk on You (nsfw IDW) ||

Kyle Ash - Under the Desk (nsfw) || Ghosts in the Night (IDW)

Zero -

Neutrals:

Harr Silver - A Wish

Loki Genetta - Birthday Mess

Mousse Atlas- Sleeping Mouse||

Oliver Knight- Hideout||

Amon - The Mad King (IDW) ||

Suitor x Mc x Suitor:

Kyle/MC/Edgar - Sugar Rush (nsfw)

Edgar/MC/Luka - Lost Love (IDW)

Kyle/ Mousse/ Mc - Three’s a Set (nsfw IDW)

Suitor x Suitor

Jonah/Mousse- Take It Off (IDW)

**Headcannons: **

Angles and Demons AU - Angel HC || Demon HC ||

Ikemen Vampire

Series: Suitor/OC

At Your Service (nsfw): Ophelia/Everyone: Ch. 1 ||

And So They Met: Alara Bayar: Pt 1. || Pt. 2 ||

Suitor x Suitor with Kid:

Theo and Arthur:

Truth in Simplicity: Elaine Odette Doyle: Ch. 1 ||

Napoleon and Isaac:

Corrine (coming soon)

Suitor One-Shots:

Theo Van Gogh- Stop Being Cute ||

Arthur Conan Doyle- Bound (nsfw) ||

All Headcannons:

Parents dropping off their kid

Scandal in the Spotlight

Nagi x OC x Kota - Round One nsfw ||

Midnight Cinderella

Series:

Sweet Sacrifice: Rory Kinder/ Byron Wagner:  Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||  Ch. 3 ||

One Shots:

Nico Meier - Of the Dark (IDW)

Rayvis Harneit - Drowning in You (nsfw)

Several Shades of Sadism

Must Be Love: Kadae Kira: Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 ||

Little Rich Girl: Bexley Kira:  Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 ||

Love Lies and a Heist

The Truth Within the Lies Collab w/ Xathia89 - Part 1  || Part 2 ||

Suitors and Songs:

Red Army Songs of Association

Black Army Songs of Association

Citizens of Cradle Songs of Association

Events:

25 Days of Christmas 2018:

Day 1 (Luka) || Day 2 (Kyle) || Day 3 (Zero) || Day 4 (Oliver/Ari) || Day 4 (nsfw bonus ending) || Day 5 (Edgar) || Day 6 (Ray) || Day 7 (Finley, Fenrir, Ray) || Day 8 (Loki) || Day 9 (Masamune) || Day 10 (BA) || Day 11 (Eden, Edgar) || Day 12 (Jonah, Luka, Nova) || Day 13 (Natsu, Iri) || Day 14 (Fenrir) || Day 15 (Finley, Oliver) || Day 16 (Jonah) || Day 17 (Sirius) || Day 18 (Finley, Luka) || Day 19 (Masamune) || Day 20 (Eden, RA) || Day 21 (Luka) || Day 22 (Lancelot) || Day 23 (Finley, BA) || Day 24 (Ari/Oliver) || Day 25 (HC)

Devils and Angels Valentine’s Day Event:

Day 1 (Kenshin) || Day 2 (Oliver nsfw) || Day 3 (Finley, Eden) || Day 4 (Luka) || Day 5 (Hideyoshi nsfw) || Day 6 (Nova, Kyle) || Day 7 (Ieyasu nsfw) || Day 8 (Natsu, Iri)

Spooktober 2019:

Day 1 (Finley) || Day 2 (Alaina) || Day 3 (Beckett & Sadie) || Day 4 (Leon) || Day 5 (Colette) || Day 6 (Alara) || Day 7 (Sophia) || Day 8 (Ota) || Day 9 (Elaine) || Day 10 (Young Clemences) || Day 11 (Artemis & Zephyr) || Day 12 (Emery & Aria) || Day 13 (Iris) || Day 14 (Corinne)

25 Days of Christmas 2019:

Day 1 (Kyle) || Day 2 (Jean & Alara) || Day 3 (Nobunaga) || Day 4 (Wren) || Day 5 (Napoleon) || Day 6 (Ota) || Day 7 (Ezra & Valarie) || Day 8 (Ophelia nsfw) || Day 9 (Hideyoshi) || Day 10 (Luka) || Day 11 (Amelia) || Day 12 (Leon) || Day 13 (Edgar & Luka) || Day 14 (Arthur) || Day 15 (Mitsuhide) || Day 16 (Finley) || Day 17 (Ophelia nsfw) || Day 18 (Yosuke) || Day 19 (Clari & Edgar) || Day 20 (Elodie) || Day 21 (Ray) || Day 22 (Isaac) || Day 23 (Ivy & Rose) || Day 24 (Vincent & Alara) || Day 25 (Harr)

[quotebook-in]

[toloveawarlord]

The Time Between (Chapter 2)

You can find all my other works here!

Smack!

My face stung from the blow, jolting me awake. Cracking my eyes open, the culprit responsible for my abrupt awakening stood with his arms folded, and a scowl on his face. A sleepy smile grew on my lips and I said, “Good Morning, Oliver.”

“It’s noon,” Oliver corrected, his voice not as deep as it had been last night. His gray eyes narrowed even more, clearly upset with the break in his routine. “How am I supposed to read my newspaper and enjoy a cup of tea when your lazy self is stretched out on my couch?”

Oh, so that’s what he hit me with. The newspaper. I’m interrupting his typical routine. Striking like a cobra, I snatched his wrists and pulled him onto the couch with me and latched all my limbs around his small form. “Then good afternoon, Oliver,” I cooed. Daytime Oliver is much easier to tease than nighttime Oliver.

“You idiot! Let me go!” He went straight into a rage, which only amused me when I could easily overpower him. His hat tumbled to the floor, eyes filled with unkempt anger.

“Shh, during the day, you’re my little cuddle toy. Accept it,” I snuggled his writhing body closer, tightening my grip. Petting his hair softly, laughter bubbled up. “Accept it, enjoy it.”

Oliver managed to get one arm free and drove his elbow back into the side of my face. His small arms and awkward position didn’t cause much damage, but it startled me enough that he could free himself from the prison. Straightening the wrinkles out of his clothes, Oliver grumbled to himself. The inevitable lecture was swiftly cut off by a loud banging at the door. “Another Godspeed to pester me during my tea time.”

Resting my eyes again, I still wasn’t quite ready to start the afternoon. The door creaked open and a one-sided conversation was barely audible. Maybe we had been wrong to assume that it was Fenrir. He’s incapable of being so quiet— “Oof!”

My back cracked under the weight of Fenrir plopping down on top of me. All the air left my body. “Geez, you’re heavy! Get off me!” I started to protest but Fenrir’s hand shoved my face down into the cushion, muffling my words.

Fenrir gasped dramatically, shifting his weight to the left and then the right to slowly look around the room. “Oliver, did you hear that? It sounded like my little sister, but I don’t see her anywhere…”

“Fenrir!”

He leaned back, putting all his weight on me. “That’s so strange.”

Groaning loudly, I dreaded having to say it. My inability to breathe and the cracking of my spine overpowered everything else. “Fine!” I wheezed. “You’re the best brother in the whole world and I’ll never be as cool or awesome as you!”

Fenrir removed himself from me, ignoring my death glare. He wiped away a fake tear. “That was beautiful, Ari. I had no idea that you felt that way about your big brother. I’m so touched,” he sniffed, pretending to be moved.

“I’ve finished the modifications on your weapon,” Oliver interrupted, oddly smug about the situation. After what I’d done, he saw it as karma. Fenrir followed after him, all kinds of excited adjectives being said as praise.

There’s no way I’m going to be able to go back to sleep again. Slightly hunched from the ache in my back, I found my way to the kitchen. The tea Oliver made had run cold, so it wouldn’t hurt to make a new pot. With the kettle on the stove, I leaned back against the counter, gaze fixed on the garden just beyond the open window.

The sun had risen to its peak, warming the air. A gentle breeze swam through the garden, lifting up the smell of the red and white roses that had just begun to bloom. The soft chirping of birds and the buzzing of the bees signaled that Spring had finally arrived. The garden would need to be spruced up and weeded soon.

The shrill whistling of the kettle broke the serene sounds of nature. My head pounded from the noise, a reminder that last nights drinking had gotten out of control again. Taking the tea outside had been the plan, but this hangover would writhe in the bright rays of sunshine. Pouring two fresh cups in matching teacups and saucers, I blew on the hot liquid.

“You’re still here? Don’t you have work?” Oliver asked, returning from his business deal with Fenrir. He dumped the cold tea in the sink, and gratefully took the fresh cup from the counter. His grey eyes searched my features. “Did you quit?”

Flinching at the accusation, I stared down into the tea. Steam rose from it, dissipating into the air. “They offered me a promotion… said they would do anything to please their bosses. My parents are relentless.”

The Godspeed company owns half of the Black Territory already. Fenrir joined the army to get away from their clutches. That had been an option for me, but I didn’t really care for it. The first few jobs I had were hard, but I learned to work them well. Then my parents swooped in and bought the company, making the demand that I be given a higher position that made more money.

“Come work a trial for me. You can see how you like it and I can assess if I want to hire you,” Oliver offered, sipping at his tea. There was no hint of sarcasm in his voice.

I set the cup aside, losing my taste for it. “Another charity job.”

Oliver narrowed his eyes, annoyed. “No. It’s not. I’m not offering because your Arielle Godspeed. I know that you work hard for jobs that you like. Customers like to talk to you, to buy from you because of your welcoming personality, not because of your family name.”

“And if I suck?”

“Then I’ll just have to train you harder, until you can do it at my standards,” Oliver answered with a shrug. He had made an offer once before to hire me, but at the time, I hadn’t thought he actually wanted me to work at his shop.

I sighed. As much as that idea appealed to me… “They’ll try to buy you out too.”

“I’m not a push over.”

“Then they’ll work to undermine your business. Either way, I’ll just bring disaster to your work,” I argued. The emotions swirling inside were in a battle: anxiety for ruining his business, gratefulness that he cares enough to offer me the job, anger for needing to rely on him for getting a job away from my parents.

Oliver’s teacup clattered against the saucer, sloshing lukewarm tea on the countertop. He closed the distance between us, reaching up to grab the material of my shirt, and yanking me down to be level with him. “It sounds to me like you’re looking for an excuse to say no. Quit hiding behind your skewed morals and be honest with me. You’re scared. That’s obvious,” Oliver said, grey eyes searching my mint ones for the truth.

The room fell under a loud silence, both of us stuck in a moment. He wanted answers that I couldn’t give. Blanc cleared his throat from the doorway, a soft but awkward smile on his lips. “Pardon the intrusion, but Oliver has a customer needing attention at the shop. I realize that you’re closed today, but they seem to be waiting anyways.” He had come to the rescue at the perfect moment.

“I’ll only keep the job offer for a little while, so make a decision, Ari,” Oliver said, releasing his tight grip on my shirt. He didn’t cast another glance in my direction as he left. His words however showed how much he truly wanted to help me.

Thankfully, Blanc had the sense to remain quiet as I gathered my things to leave. He only gave a goodbye when I exited the front door. The bar had only just open, not a single person inside. Collapsing into a stool, I rested my head on my forearm. The right thing to do would be to take the job. It only makes sense. But part of me worried about what that would mean for Oliver and me.

A glass clinked on the counter in front of me, Dee gave me a wink. “The first one is on the house, Ari.”

Downing it in one go, it scorched my throat. “Keep them coming. I want to forget for a while.”

“You got it, babe,” he answered, topping off the shot glass.

The plan for my evening was to get completely wasted, and deal with my problems tomorrow.

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I absolutely adore Oliver and Ari together. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one is going to hold some Kyle and Ari time.