Wait what? Yes I was really fast this time, and this just because I waited sooo long to write this chapter. Attention this one is gonna be so freaking cheesy, just don't say that I haven't warned you.

And hell Before the Storm got released and damn the Life is Strange feels came instant back and I can't wait for the next Episode.

As you you see I decided myself for the short chapter name. I just thought short is better^^

But now have fun with this chapter and see you in the end notes.


A flying artist chapter 29: a slightly Déjà-vu

An other half year passed, but a lot happened in Arcadia Bay and the lifes of my friends and my own life. Now it's February 2018, one or two weeks ago Max told us that she is going back to Blackwell Academy, but this time as a teacher for photography, wow. It's like the really bad times we all had during and after the storm gave us wings to fly high. I mean Chloe is one of the youngest Eldermen in the whole states and by far the most popular. Sometimes I don't know if she likes it or not. I think mostly she likes it, but there is still some rebel left in her because she usualy doesn't shows it, but we as her friends and of course girlfriend are loking through the facade.

Then there is Max, former student and now a really young teacher at Blackwell. I don't really know, but it wouldn't be a miracle if she is the youngestm teacher at Blackwell ever. She made herself a well known photographer around the west coast. Chloe and Max, as I like to say, they are the power couple of the bay.

Brooke made her way up the ladder to at the end of the last year she got a promotion to the leader of the construction team of AkashDyne. there she had a lot more of paper work to do and was out for some business trip to the HQ of AkashDyne to their development laboratory were they work on ways to improve the solar panels. The work with the lab seemed to be a bit more her kind of work.

And finally there I am. To the enviousness of some big publishers which thought that I am easy money for them, my own thing (I don't like it to call it 'publisher') went really well. I finally have found a good printing house for me. The little store I have in Arcadia Bay was much more a success than I thought it will be. Two people started working there, at first as part timers, but after 5 months I decided to employ them as full timers. From time to time a student from Blackwell called me and asked for a little part time job, because they read my posting on the Blackwell homepage. I thought it would be good to give them a chance. Stella Hill would have been grateful for this, not everyone can be so lucky to have rich parents like Victoria have.

Well the job in the shop was kinda easy, they just have to ship the mangas to the comic shops or single persons ordering them. And from time to time a few people came by to buy there mangas in the shop by themself. At the beginning of this year I wondered because of an order from a shop in germany, so I decided to call the shop and the owner told me that he was in a vacation in Seattle some weeks ago and saw my manga and he liked it and wanted to sell it in his shop. I already had some single orders from around the world and I asked myself is it really that good?!

So finally thank's to this shop I had a lot more time for my real work that I was able to bring out a new chapter every two weeks. One eve I was talking to Brooke about expand my range by publish the manga as an e-book, but I lost the thought after some days. Just two weeks later Brooke waved a USB-stick in front of my face and showed me a programm for the most common e-book readers and smartphones. With a comment that this wasn't that hard for her and with this I was able to publish my manga as an e-book.

Now today is the 8th March 2018 and today I got a package from San Francisco with a little box in it, and I immediately went to Chloe's office. I sat down at her table while she poured in me a mug of coffee. She sat down in her chair, leaned into it and looked at me. "So, show me what you got." Chloe said with a slight smile. I put the box out of my bag and handed it to her. She leand forward and placed the box on her desk and opened it. "Wow, you really wanna do it, huh? But what is this?" "These are two serpents intertwined with eye made of emeralds. And I already told you the meaning of it, if you haven't forgotten it. And yes I really want to do it." "You really want to show the world that you are a nerd. It looks amazing. I can't wait for the moment of you doing it." "Who said that you will be there?".

Chloe raised an eyebrow and stared at me. "Just kidding Chloe. I already planed with you and Max." "That's better for you. Have you told Max about the whole plan?" "God no, you know her. I can't risk this. And for now I don't have an exact plan right now, but I start doing it soon. What I know I have to ask for a lot of favors." "A lot?" "Uhmm maybe not that much, I guess 4 or 5." "Hmm, yeah that's something. You know, if there is something where I can help with just ask." "Well the hardest thing would be to find a fitting person for it, but I think Blackwell will have someone." "Then good luck with your plan, you don't do this everyday." "Yeah, I hope to do it just once."

Some weeks later I worked down the list of persons I had to ask for a favor. Brooke's boss, the owner of the bar/lounge we'd like to spent some evenings and nights, Michelle and Mr. Keane as the head of the drama club at Blackwell and last but not least I needed David during one of his shifts as police officer and his boss.

In the late spring we four of us sat again in our usual booth of our favourite bar as Chloe dropped a heavy bomb onto us. "What?! Are you serious? You're running for mayor of Arcadia?" I said my eyes opened wide in disbelive. "Yuuup. Sounds insane, huh?" "Not really. I mean you're a person of respect in Oregon. There is no doubt that you will win this." "Nah, have you forgotten Sean Prescotts puppet, they will run a hell of a campaign." "Bah, fuck his money, the people haven't fotten what you have done to this town in the past 5 years." "I am not sure about this. Slowly they are getting back into bad habbits, maybe." "Shut up, Chloe. Do you even listening to what you are saying?"

Chloe leaned back into the booth and took a long drag of her vaporizer and exhaled the smoke at the ceiling. "Maybe not, but that's okay. I've got you and Max reminds me of that." We all started to laugh. "Now serious Chloe. I can help you too. I guess the printing house can do something for you too, and don't worry about the costs, I'll take it."

"Daniel, you don't-" "I know that I don't have to do it, but I want it. Take it or leave it, Chloe." Max and Brooke were looking comfused at me, they rarely see me in this way.
"Thank's Dan, I really appreciate that." Chloe hold out her fist in my direction and I answerd with my own. Max let out a sigh and took a gulp of her drink.

The election cycle began in earnest near the end of the summer. A few people signaled their intention to run for each of the soon-to-be vacant Alderman seats, but Chloe didn't take much heed as to who they were or what they were doing. By that token, she seemed positively overwhelmed for the first time in her political career, unsure of what to do or how to organize her campaign. It was almost as if her nerve was failing her. She'd never admit to it, but after Max's impassioned plea to once again try and save the town, she was overcome with anxiety as to what might happen if she actually lost.

That all came to an end the day Max brought in Maggie Dresden; an older, fashionably attired Gen X woman, with a no-nonsense attitude and a pageboy haircut to match, who had served as one of the assistants to the mayor of Corvallis until she decided to move to Arcadia Bay. In short order, she whipped the campaign back into shape, saving it from a premature death at Chloe's inexperienced hands. Guided her through the hoops, arranged meetings with various groups in the community, coached her through the debates. She quickly became indispensable, and Chloe declared her 'a goddamn force of nature'.

With proper guidance at last, Chloe managed to shine through. While she initially discovered she needed to tone down the roughest edge of her previously trademark bombastic mode, she managed to, after a couple false starts, develop and appropriately barn burning speech style.

Still, it was tight, as November approached. With her record of achievement, Chloe was able to run a largely positive campaign, doing her best to try and stay above Exter's mudslinging. Unfortunately, he was able to strike a few palpable blows, attacking Chloe's troubled teen years, her criminal record, her youth and inexperience. Whereas Chloe tried her best to run on realistic economic progress and the unfortunate reality that things like nice schools and competent police actually cost money, Steven stirred up people's avarice with promises to deeply cut property taxes, without actually explaining how to make up for the lost revenue. He made exhortations to the "great Arcadia Bay of the past." implying that the town was being 'preyed upon' by out of towners who were 'corrupting the content of its character.'

As October drew to a close, the race became a dead heat in the polls, although more and more were showing Exeter with a small but definite lead. Chloe was already working on her concession speech...

...but then he made a critical error.

Seeking to strike a coup-de-grace, he and his campaign began a dog-whistling whisper campaign against Chloe and Max, trying to whip up whatever homophobia they could against them and their relationship.

That seemed to strike precisely the wrong chord.

Arcadia Bay might have a significant blue collar, salt of the earth contingent that was socially conservative, but it was still Oregon. A Northwestern conservative was most definitely not akin to a Southern one. The truth of the matter was that against a generic lesbian couple, Exeter's attacks might have found purchase, but people, whether they agreed with her or not, genuinely respected Chloe, for all that she had done to save the town, hold it together during it's darkest hours, and rebuild it. And people liked Max. She was charming and bright, and happy, and polite; by and large, her students loved her. The two of them together formed a sort of power couple in town that people looked up to, and more than a few of the townsfolk took it rather personally when the Exeter campaign made such a vicious turn.

Chloe saw a three point deficit reverse itself into a one point lead on the day of the election. It was going to be close. Possibly too close to call, only to be wrapped up after days of recounts.


But now on the 5th October 2018 it was Friday morning and this is gonna be the day where the stress from the upcomming voting hopefully will be forgotten at least for a few people, in the evening it was our usual day to start the weekend in the bar. The past couple of weeks Brooke and I had some little fights about the 'little' secret I had and don't told her about it. She never liked it when I had a secret and don't knew it, but this time she seemed really mad about it because it was now over a half year she tried to get it. Last Christmas I made a mistake and told Max what I got for Brooke and sure it was unintentional, but Max somehow spilled it and destroyed my surprise for her. But this time I don't make this mistake. Sorry Max, but I can't risk it.

On monday I typed the final words into the group chat of my conspiracy. 'This friday, it's time.' And everyone responded with a short 'Yes.' As it was agreed.

This morning I took a shower as usual, but during the shower my phone rang and Brooke took the call. Some minutes later as I stepped out of the shower and changed into some fresh clothes. I walked back into the bedroom and saw Brook holding my phone in her hands. "Daniel? Who is this Jenny Act who called you some minutes ago?" "Oh, Jenny is just a good friend I met some months ago at Blackwell. She is really nice." "Oh, is she?" "Yeah, you have to meet her. I think you will like her."

Brooke looked at the ground and sighed. "Is she your secret?" "What?! No! Do you really think-" "Yes I think you are cheating on me!" "Are you insane! I would never cheat on you. I love you with all of my heart and you know it. Don't start this shit now." "This is no shit, Daniel! Why you never introduced me to her, if she is really that 'nice' as you think. Of course because you are cheating on me WITH A FUCKING STUDENT! I don't want to see you right now. We'll 'talk' about this tonight!" I walked close to her and tried to put my hands on her shoulders, but she shoved me aside and left the room. "Brooke wait!"

I stood in the door frame looking at her. As she stood in the doorframe of our appartment she turned around with tears in her eyes. "Don't you dare to call me today, until I am done with my work." I said nothing and watched her go until she closed the door behind her. Then I raised an eyebrow and sighed. Phew, this was harder than I thought it will be.

And then a smile came into my face and I put out my phone and opened the group chat again. I can't be helped, but I always wanted to type this. 'the fish is on the hook maybe some more as I would like too, but let's see'

Chloe: Really? YES alright, autobots roll out!

Me: Wow, Chloe you are a nerd too. David, Natty now it's your turn.

Chloe: Shut up, Daniel that's the stress not more.

The rest of the day I spent preparing for the evening. At last I took a bag I packed earlier out of my closet, went to my car and drove to the bar.

And now it was time to wait. The chat kept me up to date. At first it was Brooke's boss turn to give her an extra hour after this. Her boss called me that she left work and I called Brooke.

"What do you want?!" She answered my call in a very aggressive tone. "Listen Brooke-" "I do. What do you want?" "I...can we talk in the bar please?" "A public place, why not... I am on my way." She answered after a short break and hung up.

I sighed and turned to Chloe, Max and Jenny. They came a half hour ago into the bar and sat to me.

"Alright it's time for me to change. I see you in some minutes." Then Max looked at me confused and asking. "For what exactly and why isn't Brooke here?" "She is coming in around one hour. And Chloe you can explain it to her now." "Wait explain what?" "Cool down Max, it was for your own good." Chloe said and leaned close to Max whispering in her ear. As Chloe was done she leaned back into the booth and took a drag of her vaporizer. Max opened her eyes in surprise. "Oh...my...god... are you serious?" "Yupp, see you soon."

I walked into a room in the back of the bar and changed into some better clothes. A white shirt, some black pants and a nice pair of shoes had to do it today. On my way back to our booth I stopped at the bar and chatted a bit with Gabrielle, the owner of the bar. As I sat down again at our booth I turned to Jenny.

"So you are still okay with the high chance of getting hurt a bit?" "Sure this is kind of an occupational hazard." "Okay then we just have to wait now for David."

And 20 minutes later I got a message from him. 'She left right now and looked highly pissed. I hope it's worth it. And good luck.'

"Alright she we be here in a couple of minutes, get ready." I said loud and raised my drink. "For luck, cheers." I emptied my drink and sat down, Jenny sat down besides me and Gabrielle left the bar to give a signal when Brooke is coming.

Some moments later she gave it and everything started. Jenny hooked into my arm and leaned her head onto my shoulder. My back faced the door to signal Brooke that I wasn't seeing her.

At the face of Chloe I could see that Brooke came in and she looked as Chloe would say 'hella pissed as she saw Jenny leaning against me. I heard her stomps as she came close and she waited some moments behind Jenny. Then she put her hand on Jenny's shoulder and turned her around in her seat. Then a fist hitted her on her cheek and she felt of the chair. I turned around in my and looked at Brooke. She had a really angry gaze on me which I haven't seen before and this made me shudder a bit.

"What the hell you think you are doing here?! Do you want to break up with me or what? OKAY, fine you are no longer my boyfriend! Is that what you want?!" I stood up. "Brooke please sit down." "Is this a fucking joke? You want me to sit down?" "Please just do it." "Fine. If this makes you happy." "It does." Brooke sat down and Jenny stood up, I gave her a signal to better leave for now. As it was discussed.

"And now what?!" Brooke crossed her arms and took a deep breath. "Simple, I will gonna ask you three questions and besides from this, please just listen to me, okay?" "What the fuck ever." "Ughm, I take this as a yes." She looked into my eyes and shifted slightly on the chair. I took my bag and put out two envelopes. "Okay this one is for Chloe." Brooke raised her eyebrows as I walked to Chloe and gave her one of the envelopes and whispered to her. "Don't open this until the last question is answered and sorry for not having popcorn right now." Chloe took the envelope and smiled.

I went back to Brooke. "So now the first question. Do you see the light?" Brooke looked confused and angry at the same time at me. "What? What for a god damn light?"

Okay the first one is right, check.

"Well, the light of my universe you set on fire. This envelope is for you, please open it and tell me what you are seeing." I handed her the envelope and she teared it open. "Wow some photos and now?"

"What exactly you are seeing on the first photo?" "Us..." "Right. It was the first photo we took. It was during the 'End of the world party'. We were sitting at the wall at the parking lot of Blackwell after... the thing with Warren. Now the next one." Brooke changed to the second photo. "And what do you see?" "Again us, but-" "Ah no 'but'. It was after the storm the first night you sneaked into my tent, because you wanted some company. The next day David talked to me and said that you can sleep in my tent from this moment. The next photo, please." Brooke changed the photo again. "And us again." "This time some time later. Blackwell reopened and this was our graduation day. We both standing in front of our first drone art. We both worked over weeks together to finish this. And now I would say it's our own way to create art. The next one."

"I can say it's us again. This time the first weekend I visited you surprisingly in Seatle after you moved back for your college. Some moments ago you kicked me in the nuts thinking that I was a dude chasing after you. The next few photos are all from the time at your college. Every weekend I visited you we took a photo... Now the last one. Oh hey what a wonder us again."

Brooke looked up and into my eyes and now I saw that she calmed down and her thoughts are wandering in the way I wanted to. I started to look deep in her eyes because I want to see the moment her thoughts reached the point I worked a while for and it wasn't easy.

"This was the day you came back to Arcadia Bay after you finished your college. Well since then we took a lot more photos together and I hope you remember this. Brooke you brought a light into my life and set my universe on fire. And I don't want to miss it. You make me happy in a way I could have never imagined..."

And there it was the moment the first tears came into her eyes.

"Our relationship had it's hard times. Our first fight, just to mention one thing. All of this things made it stronger. Now it's time for my second question-" I waited for a moment "Do you really think that I will ever cheat on you?" Brooke looked into my eyes, the first tear rolling down her cheek her mouth trembled. "No..., but all-" "Ah what did I said. No 'but'." "And why are all these people looking at us?"

Second question right. Check.

"I don't know why they looking at us." I said with a smirk. "But to give you an answer. All of this was me all the time. The last months giving you some kind of a cold shoulder, the phone call from Jenny during I take a shower, the extra hour at your work, David pulling you over and doing some unnecessary test and at last you coming in the bar seeing a girl at my side. Everything was a part of a plan to bring you in front of me. Here. Tonight."

"Daniel, but... i lo-" Brooke stuttered and I interrupted her again. "But why? Well just to ask you the third and last question." I took a deep breath closed my eyes and put my left hand into the pocket of my pants and it touched the little box, what it's all about. I opened my eyes again, my left feet moved some inches back and in one move my left knee went to the ground and I pulled the litte box out of the pocket. My left knee touched the ground and now I was looking up at her.

"Brooke Scott will you give me the honor to marry me?" Then I opened the box in front of her and in it were a silver ring in the form of two serpents intertwined with eyes made of emeralds. The serpents net beneath a crown of golden flowers that one upheld and one devoured. Behind Brooke I saw Max wipping a tear away and smiling.
Brookes eyes opened wide and now some more tears rolled down her face as she stood up and helped me up and nodded at me. "Yes, Yes..." she whimpered quietly and started to hug me and giving me tender kisses.

As we stood there hugging and kissing the crowd started to cheer and clap. Between two kissed I whispered to Brooke. "That's why they all were looking at us." And Brooke smiled. "I hate you for this day, but I love you for the last years. And someday you will get your payback for this." "I can't wait for it." I said and leaned in for another kiss.
Out of my canthus I saw Chloe opening the envelope I gave her earlier and she read the short text I wrote on it earlier. "This freaking bastard, haha."

On the letter I wrote three lines:

Question one: "What?"
Question two: "No."

Question three: "Yes."

After some moments we separated us and I took the ring out of the box and slowly shoved it on her finger. During this Chloe talked to Max. "And what exactly is this ring?" "God Chloe haven't you paid attention to it as we watched the Lord of the rings? This should be Barahir's ring. The one Aragorn wears as a signal that he is the right king of Gondor." "Wow I am surrounded by nerds." We four started to laugh and then Joyce and David came into the bar and Joyce walked straight to us. "Aww come here you both!" she said and started to hug us both at the same time. During this 3 people came into the bar and they looked at us with tears in their eyes. Joyce let us go and we turned around to face them. "Daniel, was that you too?" "Yupp." Brooke looked at me and cupped my cheeks with her hands and gave me another kiss, then she walked towards two of the three people which were obviously her parents.

The other one was my father, he came to me and put his arm around my shoulder. "As I said the DaCostas always gain the prettiest, huh. I am so happy for you Daniel, she really is an awesome women. Are you crying? Why?" "I just wish mom could see us right now." His grip on my shoulder tightened a bit. "She would be happy as I am, for sure." "I guess." "Come on, Daniel. I think your future parents-in-law want to talk to you." Dad let me go and I walked to Jin and Carmella. As Jin saw me his smile went brighter. "There he is, the man of the day." Brooke hooked herself under my left arm and smiled at me while we talked for a while.

After a while the trouble settled down and we all went back to the booth. And the last people who were close to me waited all the time with their congratulations. Max let out some wierd voices and hugged me. And Chloe was just herself, she ruffled my hair and poked my shoulder. We stayed at the bar into the morning hours and then everyone left home or our parents in their hotel rooms.

Some time later Brooke and I were lyling in our bed cuddling, caressing us and looking at the ceiling. "Daniel?" "What's on your mind?" "I asked myself some time ago something..." "And that is?" "Uhm...I...uhm... can you imagine us having a child?" I turned my head around to look into her eyes. "Of course, but the question is, are we ready for it?" She smiled at me and nodded slightly. "I guess there is only one way to find the answer to this question." Brooke said and rolled herself on top of meand giving me a long passionate kiss. After this she placed her kisses some inches lower. After a couple of minutes I turned everything around and now it was my turn to place kisses everywhere I could. then I reached as I was used to into a drawer of the nightstand to pick a condom, but them Brooke took hold of my arm and as I looked at her she shook her head. "Sor-" Brooke placed her index finger on my mouth and kissed me.


End notes: Wow I dropped a hell of a bomb, huh? xD

What do you think about it, was it to early? I think it was okay.

I kind of have a plan for the next 2 or 3 chapters let's see how good I can write it down and how long it will take for me to do it.

Now I just say stay hella and see you in the next chapter

- Flo