#Caroline: :'( I'm scared for you

[toastytrusty]

I'VE BEEN WATCHING THE CROWN WITH MY MOM THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS AND WE JUST GOT TONSEASON THREE AND I'M FREAKING OUT BECAUSE PRINCE PHILIP WAS RECAST AS TOBIAS MENZIES AND I AM AFRAID OF SHORT HAIRED TOBIAS MENZIES

[katierosefun]

bro . .  . the ai voice technology thing is so incredibly creepy like. do. do we not see this as a problem in this age of recording people without their consent and just blasting it all over the internet. are we not thinking about like. the potential pitfalls of fake evidence. are we. are we not concerned about this

[loveandthings11]

How Deep My Love Goes, Chapter 15

My boy Squiggle cooked up this chapter for me 😏

Read on AO3 Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11 Ch 12 Ch 13 Ch 14

Fic Summary: A fix-it alongside canon that answers the question "how would things change if Rava said yes?" 💗

Chapter Summary: Kendall and Rava return to England- and go to Scotland.

The Aquarium

“Are you aware of how a wine’s value skyrockets when it’s kept correctly?” Connor’s saying matter-of-factly as he takes a sip at Kendall and Rava’s table. “Rava, you have got to go test your club’s wine cellar. You don’t know how they’re keeping your bottles in your locker out there.” Rava nods along. “Actually, you have any you keep in your place here?”

“Um, no, we just have it brought in when we’re having someone over for dinner, or for me one or two bottles at a time.”

Kendall stares into space. She’s always considerate, but he knows she used to keep the investment wine collection in their building’s cellar. He feels bad but he’s glad she doesn’t keep it there anymore. He’s mostly stopped the worst of the craving, but when the stress really hits he’s glad it’s not a casual option at his fingertips to down a bottle of thirty-year-old brunello.

Connor looks over at Kendall and decides to change topics. He figures the best way to connect is to talk business.

“Do you believe Roman and Shiv are going all the way to jolly old England just to get your mom not to vote with you and Stewy?”

Kendall’s gaze comes into focus instantly.

“They- they’re actually going to see Mom? When?”

“Didn’t know I was breaking the news. Uh, this week I think.”

Kendall thinks for a second.

“Uh, okay, okay, I have to get there first. No, second. Uh, I don’t even… you know Dad’s going to offer to redo the divorce settlement, what am I supposed to offer?”

“Well, you can offer being Caroline’s firstborn son,” Connor almost jokes.

Kendall gives him a look.

“Seriously, what do I have to convince her?”

“Well,” Rava interjects, “you have that your siblings are coming to bribe her and you’re not. What does she need from your dad? Nothing, really. But she did want you to come see her, remember?”

“Yeah, actually. She did. She did want that. Okay. Uh, okay, I’m going to go.”

Kendall looks at Rava, dying to strategize. He doesn’t want to throw Roman under the bus for being a double agent in front of Connor.

Connor looks back and forth between them.

“I’ll just excuse myself for a minute,” Connor says begrudgingly.

Kendall and Rava both watch him go hesitatingly before instantly turning back together when he’s out of the room.

Kendall shakes his head.

“What is Roman even actually going to do? We don’t know. Fuck. I- I have to go convince her to stick with me. Not like she and Shiv are on the best terms, so, like, maybe? Maybe there’s a chance, yeah?”

Rava nods.

“Yeah. Could work.”

He feels a prick of guilt asking Rava to get on another long flight. He wonders if she was glad to give up the frequent traveling while they were separated.

“Are you- do you want to come?”

She stifles a small sigh.

“Yeah. I mean, haven’t really spent any quality time with Caroline in a while.”

Kendall smiles sarcastically.

“Yeah, been about thirty years for me.”

Rava looks a little pained.

“Well, maybe you can fix that.”

He loves her optimism in the face of things he perceives as impossible.

“Yeah. Maybe,” he says.

Connor reenters the dining room and sits down.

“So, you know Willa’s been writing her play?” he starts in.

“She’s finished?” Rava asks politely.

“Yeah, and we’re staging it for friends and family in town next week. It would really help me out if you two could make it.”

“Sure, man. Yeah. We’ll be there,” Kendall assures him. But his focus is elsewhere.

……........

Roman answers Kendall’s call cooly.

“What’s up?” Roman opens.

“When were you going to tell me you and Shiv were coming to sabotage me?” Kendall leans forward in his plush jet seat and wonders how long it’ll take for Roman to recognize the plane’s background white noise.

Roman yawns.

“Ummm… after we’d done it, I think?”

“Rome. What is this, what are you doing?”

“Doing what Dad told me to, I’m supposed to tell him to fuck off? I, the beloved son? I would never do that.”

“You know, Shiv’s going to try in earnest to make this happen,” Kendall says.

“Yeah, so am I.”

Kendall shakes his head.

“Are you even still in, bro? Are you on this team with me?”

“If you win.”

Kendall thinks he sounds like Stewy.

“Are you staying with Mom too?” Kendall asks.

“Shiv didn’t want to. We got a hotel. How much you want to bet it’ll have wet sheets from this disgusting humidity no matter how many fucking stars it has?”

Kendall feels conflicting feelings as the childhood memories of rainy England come back to him.

“But don’t think that gives you an advantage,” Roman continues. “Mom’ll just get sick of you and want more of me. And you’ll get to enjoy all that lovely cuisine.”

“Uh huh,” Kendall answers. But he feels a new hope wash over him.

“It’s just us,” he mouths to Rava.

Rava raises her eyebrows.

……........

Kendall and Rava pull up to the house just as Shiv is leaving. Kendall steps out of the car’s backseat and waits for her approach.

Shiv looks to the inside of the car and can’t see Rava through the tinted windows.

“No Rava? Mom said you probably went to the pub?” She hesitates. “You didn’t, though- right?”

“What?” Kendall responds defensively. “Rava’s right here and I wasn’t at the pub. Jesus. We just got here.”

Rava steps out of the car and Kendall sees a flash of relief on Shiv’s face. He looks twice to be sure she really was just concerned. Her face returns to cool neutral in a moment.

“Dad would’ve had a field day if that’s where you were,” she says.

“Dad doesn’t need something to be true to put it out there, Shiv. He’ll always do whatever serves him. You know that’s the side you’ve chosen, right? The good fight could always use you.” He pauses and thinks of Rava’s words to him when they’d just gotten back together. “It’s not too late.”

She looks at him for a second before flipping her hair and starting to turn around.

“Sure, Ken. Whatever you say.” She strides over to Rava and gives her a real smile and a hug. Kendall watches and wonders what conversations they’ve had about him in the past. He was always curious about their once-close relationship.

Caroline appears at the door and stands as her children greet each other. She wraps her pashmina over herself. Kendall makes eye contact and nods with a smile. She returns it, If a bit more cooly than he had hoped. He tries to imagine what her talk with Shiv and Roman just was.

“You just missed your brother,” Caroline calls to Kendall.

“Oh, well. That’s fine,” Kendall says as he walks up the path to the house. He kisses her on the cheek. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hello, Kendall.” She looks right behind him at Rava walking up the path. “Rava, how nice you’ve joined too. Sorry to have you stuck in the bribery vacation, but that’s the life of a Roy wife, isn’t it?” Rava tries to open her mouth. “I keep remembering despite all the trying,” Caroline smiles. “Come in.”

Kendall rolls his eyes a little.

“We’re not- you know, we’re here to see you, Mom. But yeah, we are here to save you from the plots of the-“

“That’s nice, Kendall.” She turns to Rava again. “You hear how he thinks I don’t know why you’re all here? No visits for years but all of a sudden they can’t stay away.”

“Oh, well-“ Rava begins without knowing where the sentence is going. Caroline doesn’t need to hear it.

“I’m glad someone is here with pure intentions. Family battles are so distasteful.”

Rava hopes there’s wine.

“Didn’t think you’d all be hungry. God knows my appetite has faded after the day I’ve had,” Caroline says.

“Right, well, we ate before,” Rava finally gets out. Kendall glances around the mostly food-less kitchen.

“Yeah, didn’t want to put you out after you already had dinner,” he says drily.

Caroline gives him a wry smile as they sit down at the table and she pours Rava an extra large glass of wine.

“So. Go ahead.” She opens her arms a bit. “Pitch me.”

“Mom.” Kendall looks uncomfortable.

“Well? What else is there?”

“I- a lot?”

Caroline gives him a look that tells him to spill what he’s there for. He sighs and starts in.

……........

After a less-than-positive reception to Kendall’s pitch followed by sipping tea and forcing some pleasantries, Rava had squeezed his shoulder and said she was going to get ready for bed.

Caroline leans against the counter finishing her tea before bed while Kendall sits still at the table, feeling a little defeated. He decides it can’t hurt to try one more time.

“Mom, can I talk to you about something?”

Caroline looks reticent. She’s been being pitched all day.

“Of course. But if it’s all right with you, maybe we do it over an egg.”

He wants to argue, but wants to seem amenable at the same time.

“Uh… sure,” he concedes.

She starts to stand up from the oven where she’s leaning, but seeing her prepare to leave makes him worry this might be his only chance.

“Actually- no, I- I really want to tell you this now.” He’s been thinking it for a while and his tone makes her stay where she is a minute longer. “We- we should have come for Christmas. Way back then. We should have-“ he sighs. “I should’ve made it happen.”

“Well.” She hesitates a little as she raises her eyebrows. “You were quite young.”

“I was eighteen. I mean, yeah, young, but- I want you to know I’ve forgiven you for leaving. And I hope you forgive me for- not coming back here for a while.”

“Leaving,” she says with some bitterness. “Yes, I was the bad one who needs to be forgiven.”

“No- Mom, it’s- obviously, Dad has done some bad shit too. Uh, I just-“

“Wanted to forgive me. Hmm. Quite better at manipulation than your brother,” she says cynically. “Very convincing.”

Kendall feels a little splintered. He thinks he should have known that simply being nice wouldn’t quite solve things. He tries a different way in.

“Do you really want to help Dad? You’re on your ex-husband’s side all of a sudden?”

“Not for endless years.” She’s honest, yet still stoney.

His last resort comes out.

“Mom. Please. This is- this is just- it’s everything.” She hears the desperation in his voice, the way it lingers in the following silence.

“I hate what he’s done to you,” she says.

Kendall is struck for a moment.

“Well- well, I don’t know what that means.” He feels defensive.

“Little Logan. ‘It’s everything,’” she quotes disdainfully.

The mixed emotions swirl so quickly it makes him nauseous.

“I- no- I mean, I’m not- not trying-“

“This bauble he dangles in front of you all, it’s not good for you. I don’t like it.”

He looks confused.

“Us all? No. It’s me. It’s always been mine and he fucking- you know, he took it for himself, he couldn’t work out that he should just fucking retire.”

She really looks at his face for a long moment.

“You were such a good boy. You loved that aquarium in your bedroom here.”

“The- what?”

“You’ve forgotten?”

“Well- no, of course not,” he says truthfully, thrown off.

“You watched it forever. Named all the fish. Sweet boy.” She shakes her head. “Stolen for board meetings.”

He feels like his parents are each holding one of his arms running in opposite directions.

“No one forced me.”

Caroline looks almost amused.

“No? Well, we all block out things that aren’t so pleasant to remember.”

He sighs and tries to think back.

“I do want this.” He pauses. “But, uh, what happened to that wall aquarium? It was huge.”

“Still there, I expect it’s the aquatic descendants now, cared for by staff.” Kendall feels strangely guilty.

“I’m gonna go see them, actually.”

She watches him get up from the table and turn toward his preteen bedroom.

He enters the room and realizes it’s been years since he’d stepped foot in there. The gentle movement of the water catches his eye immediately. The aquarium takes up almost the entire wall and at least 10 feet back. Its skylight was one of his favorite parts. He smiles at the memory of how the sunlight used to filter in in the morning through the blue water.

The bedside lamps are dimly lit and he can see some slow evening swimming going on. He sits down on the bed and gazes in at the way the light refracts off the beautiful creatures’ shiny, colorful scales as they move comfortably through the water. He’d always wanted to scuba dive inside the tank with them, but his nanny had smiled and said that wouldn’t go well. He’d protested that the professionals who cared for the fish and cleaned the tank got to do it all the time.

“Well, maybe you’ll be a marine biologist after all,” the nanny told him. “Then you’ll be in the water as much as you want.”

Sometimes he’d wished he could become a fish and be unaware of anything about land.

Caroline quietly walks in and sits down next to him. He glances over and wonders if the lack of space is her way of connecting.

“I’m still a good guy, you know. I mean, I’m trying. And I still like these guys,” he gestures to the fish.

“Now that you remember they’re here.”

He nods seriously.

“Sometimes you need a reminder I guess.” He looks carefully at the ones in the front by the glass. “I think I remember those two. With the, uh, mirror scales.”

“Their descendants. But what’s the difference, right?”

The silence is full.

“There is a difference.” He turns toward her even as she continues staring into the aquarium. “It’s not the same. The way he did things… I’m going to transform the company.” She’s still quiet. “I’m not him, Mom.”

She looks at him and sees a bit of the spark from his creative days. She moves to the next on her list of objections to stop the uncomfortable intimacy.

“Well. Choosing between my sons is distasteful.”

Kendall hesitates.

“It’s- you know, I’m going to take care of Roman. And Shiv, if she wants. But definitely Rome. He and I-“ he looks at her cautiously. “I think he’s going to be fine either way.” She catches the meaning and he decides to try to push the point home. “I- I mean, I can’t speak for what Dad will do with him. But he’d be my COO. The offer’s been made.”

“Hmm. I’ll take that under advisement,” she replies. He knows that’s it for the night.

“Thanks for keeping the aquarium,” he says. He chuckles a little. “I kind of wish I could take it.”

“Oh yes, take the one thing that makes you want to come back and visit.”

He looks at her.

“It’s not the one thing.”

There’s a twinkle in her eye.

“Well. You’ll come more often then. Visit your fish.”

He nods.

“Yeah.”

She turns and walks out of the room as he watches the reflections of the water move on the wall. He reaches over and turns off the bedside lamps so he can sit in the dark for a minute, breathing quietly with the fish. He gets up in silence, slowly walking down the hall to the bedroom where he’s staying with Rava. She lies peacefully sleeping and he gets ready for bed as quietly as he can.

He climbs into bed and spoons Rava, laying his head down right behind hers and waking her up just a little bit.

“You talk to your mom?” she murmurs.

“Yeah. And saw my fish from when I was a kid. Or, their grandkids or something.”

Rava smiles sleepily.

“Grandfish. Did you…?”

“Convince her? I dunno. It was a little rough. But maybe. I told her about Roman,” he says a little doubtfully. “Not sure if that was a good idea. But might have helped my case.”

“Mmm,” Rava responds sleepily.

“Yeah,” he smiles a slightly defeated smile. “Okay. Bedtime.”

Rava holds his arm over her.

“We can get some fish,” she whispers.

“Yeah? For Ivey?”

“In Ivey’s room… for Ken.”

He laughs a little.

“Okay. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

……........

Shiv looks at Kendall across Caroline’s breakfast table.

“Of course she left,” Shiv says, crossing her arms.

“At least she left stuff for us,” Kendall says.

“Mm. Defender of Mom now? Roman’ll fight you for her.”

Kendall gives her an annoyed look and they sit in silence for a minute.

Shiv looks at her watch.

“I have to go, I have a meeting.”

“With?” Kendall asks.

“Oh, you know. Just work stuff.” Shiv avoids eye contact and tucks her hair behind her ear.

“Work stuff?” he asks suspiciously. “Like- Gil?”

“Not everything is your concern, Ken.”

Shiv gives him a plastic smile and walks out.

Kendall sits at the table and Googles democratic presidential candidates to try and figure out what Shiv is actually doing.

“Eggy peggs?” Roman asks, padding into the kitchen.

“Yeah, Mom made you some before she left this morning,” Kendall nods to the bowl next to the stove.

Roman gladly picks up his breakfast and sits down at the table with Kendall.

“So, did you try your lack of charm on our mother last night?” Roman asks. “Which way is she gonna go, her favorite son-“ he gestures to himself “-or the the black sheep outside the family?”

Kendall looks at him drily.

“I don’t know how she’s voting.”

“Seriously?” Roman asks.

“Seriously.” He feels the tension he’s been trying to tamp down. He needs to know which way his brother is actually leaning. “What- what do you actually want, Rome, honestly? Like, if Mom votes with me, are you actually going to be there?”

“I don’t- what? It doesn’t really fucking matter at this point,” Roman responds.

“What does that mean?”

“It means, you know, Dad’s going to give it to Shiv, maybe, anyway.”

Kendall almost laughs.

“Shiv? Fucking- what? Where is this coming from?”

Roman looks amused.

“You didn’t hear? She basically announced it to everyone at Tern Haven. Fucking glorious. A meltdown. Ten out of ten.”

“What? So you’ve known this for how fucking long now? Weeks? When were you going to tell me that?”

“Whenever I deemed it best for me-“ Roman feigns confusion. “I thought we talked about this? I do what’s best for me.”

“What’s best for you is working for me!” Kendall splutters. Roman rolls his eyes as Kendall continues. “You think Dad is looking after your best interests? Giving the company to Shiv? Is he- what, is he actually losing his mind now?”

“No! He’s fucking- you know, he’s great, he’s like fifty in his mind-“

Kendall’s not listening.

“Is this why she was at the office the day Mark- Mark Johnson, you know?”

Roman’s thrown off.

“Who’s Mark Johnson?”

“He’s the- the guy who,” Kendall looks away from Roman. “Who shot himself. You already forgot his name?”

“Uh, probably never knew it. But I’m sure Dad giving away my future was why Shiv was there, yeah.”

“Our future.” Kendall lets his face fall into his hands. “Fuck,” he mutters. “Shiv said she had a meeting to go to. You think it’s about the company?”

“I don’t know.”

Kendall looks up into the air.

“Did Mom know about this?” He wonders if that’s what she was referring to last night when she implied her kids were fighting over the CEO position. His CEO position.

“How should I know?” Roman asks.

“You think Shiv told her?”

“Yes, in one of Mom’s famed heart-to-hearts with Shiv, I’m sure she shared her deepest secrets,” Roman says a little bitterly. “Clearly, Shiv doesn’t tell me everything.”

Kendall looks over at him.

“Shiv really didn’t tell you Dad talked to her about CEO?”

Roman squirms at the vulnerability of being honest.

“No.”

“And neither did Dad,” Kendall points out. One’s not better than the other at this point. He’s so annoyed. What’s it going to take to get Roman on his side publicly?

Roman looks at the ceiling and takes a bite of eggs.

“You’re so subtle with your little insinuations. This doesn’t mean I’m just on your side,” Roman says snidely.

“Why not?!” Kendall asks with exasperation. “Seriously, what is it that you have a problem with?”

Roman shakes his head and smiles as he gestures to Kendall.

“This, man. I can’t with the…” he waves his arm at his brother. “You’re so-“

“What?” Kendall implores him.

“You take yourself so fuckin’ seriously.”

“And look how far it’s gotten me, bro. What the fuck? Not taking anything seriously is not going to make you CEO. I know how Dad thinks. It’s not gonna be you. He picked Shiv over you. Shiv. Doesn’t have a Wall Street contact in her phone, I guarantee you. But still Shiv.”

Roman looks wounded and angry that he feels hurt. Kendall backpedals a bit.

“I’m sorry, man. I know it sucks. Seriously, if anyone, like- I fucking know. But if he doesn’t want me-? I- fifteen years, bro. Shanghai, MBA. He said no? And he’s trying to put in someone who literally knows nothing about how this works- he isn’t logical. And he is not going to give it to you.”

“It’s not about me getting CEO- I- yeah, that would be nice. But you- you want to kill him or something.”

“I love Dad. I also- sometimes hate him, but I don’t want to kill him. I just want what’s right. What was promised.”

Roman picks at the wooden table as Kendall looks at him questioningly.

“Well, even if I said yes- and I’m not saying that I’m- saying yes, but Sandy is holding your little strings, so I don’t know that he’d want a defector.”

“Are you kidding me? Sandy would-“ Kendall stops himself as he remembers Sandy’s words at Tom’s bachelor party. There may or may not be a place for your brother. “I’ll work it out with him. You’d have some information he would be very interested in.”

“We’ll see. When’s mom coming back?”

Kendall hesitates.

“Uh, she’s not. She left for her trip.” He says it gently, but he knows he’s driving the point home. No one else is here.

……........

Rava comes into the kitchen after Roman’s left and sits by Kendall, who has his elbows on the table, fingers touching, staring into space as he thinks.

“Hey,” she greets him. He almost jumps as her voice yanks him back to the present moment.

“Hey.”

“You good?” She lays her hand on his shoulder. “Did you decide about trying to go to your dad’s new school here?”

“Uh… yeah. I think he’d just tell me fuck off if I try. There’ll be press, not a good look.” He tries not to look too disappointed but Rava can tell how he’s feeling.

“Sure,” she agrees.

“You know he brought Rhea here? Pierce fired her and now she’s just flying around with Dad?”

Rava raises her eyebrows.

“Wow. There’s an unlikely pairing.”

Kendall shakes his head.

“He puts way too much stock in what his latest uh, interest says when he just met her. Sally Anne had him buying houses in, like, a month. I feel like I need to get on Rhea’s good side.”

“Because he’s likely to offer you the role now that you’ve been trashing him on TV?” Rava smiles. “Pretty sure you’re taking it by force now.”

“Well I- I had to, I don’t- fuck.” Rava pats his back. He doesn’t know how to form a strategy without it revolving around Logan’s approval.

“You still want it the right way. I get it.”

He glances at her and sighs.

“Couldn’t hurt if she liked me enough to stop him from using anything he can to destroy me,” he says.

“I guess that’s true.”

She knows he needs this.

“How?”

“I don’t know yet.”

……........

Kendall’s phone buzzes in their Dundee hotel suite later that day. He hesitates when he sees Rhea’s name but decides to pick up.

“Hello, Rhea.”

“I noticed you didn’t come to the unveiling today,” she says.

“I, uh, yeah, I didn’t think that seemed like a good idea.”

“I think your dad was a bit disappointed. He asked about you.”

Is this a trick?

“He- why? He wanted me to go?”

“I think he did.”

She’s cunning. But it’s hard to tell when he wants it so badly to be true. He automatically glances around for Rava. She would know. But she’s out with the kids.

“Why don’t you come to the anniversary party?” Rhea asks in his ear. He’s painfully tempted.

“Yeah? Uh, I don’t know that that’s the right move either.”

“I think your dad would really appreciate you making a special tribute to him. Show him that business is just business?”

“Uh,” Kendall smiles sadly at her perceived naivetè. “He might not go for that.”

“More than you think,” Rhea says. “Trust me.”

“Well, I missed the recording session for the video everyone’s made with their speeches to him, so…”

“I’m sure you can figure it out,” she says neatly.

He thinks about it as the call ends.

That evening, he sits on the couch leaning over his notebook, where he’s been writing and rewriting for half an hour. Rava looks over from the other end of the sofa and gets curious.

“What are you writing? I thought you said you missed the recording session for your dad,” she says.

“I did. But don’t worry, I’m doing something better.”

Rava’s leans over and puts her arms around him from the side. He turns the notebook away from her and smiles.

“That’s not gonna work,” he says.

She laughs and reaches for it as he holds it out of her grasp and closes it.

“No,” he insists.

“Show me!”

“Nope.”

She unbuttons some of her sweater buttons.

“You’re not distracting me with sex so you can grab this notebook,” he says.

“I’m not?” she asks innocently. She drops the sweater off her shoulders and he grazes his fingers over her bra before holding the notebook over his eyes. She slowly reaches for it.

“No. You’re going to be surprised just like everyone else,” he smiles. “Put your clothes back on,” he teases, looking over the notebook for another glance. He shakes his head in joking disapproval. “Naughty girl.”

He goes back to writing and Rava turns her attention back to the TV as she tries unsuccessfully to steal peeks at his pages.

His phone lights up and she grabs it while he reaches for it. She playfully holds it away from him and looks at the text preview.

“Squiggle?” she laughs. “He still goes by Squiggle, huh?” The name their college friend had given himself had always made her shake her head, even back then.

“Give me that!” He reaches over her and takes the phone back.

“Are you writing a song??” she asks him.

“No. Maybe. I’m figuring it out. You’ll see.” He flashes her a smile and walks into the other room.

……........

At Logan’s 50th anniversary celebration, Kendall and Rava walk around looking at the photos on the wall.

“The Denver Chronicle!” Rava points at one piece. “Aww, I remember that.” Kendall smiles but he seems distracted, glancing around.

“Hey,” she says, and he turns toward her.

“Sorry. Yeah. Things were easier then.” He actually looks at the picture. “Oh, it’s me.”

“Yeah,” Rava laughs a little. “That’s what I was looking at.” A picture of twenty-one-year-old Kendall standing with Logan outside the Chronicle offices looks back at them.

Kendall sighs.

“He really fucking… thought I could do it then.” He pauses. “And he thought so a year and a half ago..” The question of what went wrong burns wordlessly.

“Ken. Him changing his mind is about him. Not you. Come on,” she guides him away from the photo. He wants to lay his forehead on her shoulder and stay there. “Come on,” she says again, encouraging him to walk with a little more pep.

He turns back to the party and looks around for Shiv, spotting her across the room with Tom.

He makes his way over to her, feeling like he needs to extract some information after her cagey answers to his questions in England.

“Uh, hey, welcome to the club, sis,” he opens.

“The club?”

“Club of people who have fallen for Dad’s games? I mean, I was seven when I believed him, and you’re thirty-four, but I guess we’re in the same club now.”

“Wow, Kendall. I see you’re still a dick.”

“Sure. And you’re still a fake. What are you doing? Seriously.”

“I’m doing whatever I want,” she says flippantly.

“Are you? How was the meeting you had in London?”

“Fine.”

“Did it lead to anything?” he asks.

“Maybe. Could be an offer.”

Kendall smiles sarcastically.

“You think that’s gonna work? Dad’s going to come around and try to stop you from leaving because you have an offer? You don’t get it, Shiv. He doesn’t want you to have it. He wants to control you.”

“I think you’re talking to yourself,” Shiv replies. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“Wow. Okay. Well, maybe you should try talking to yourself to figure out why you’re really doing this.”

She stares at him and drops her attitude for a second.

“I’ve done the thing I was never going to do. I can’t undo that.”

“Except that you literally can. It’s the thing I was always going to do.”

“Can’t handle a little competition?” she taunts.

“I’d just prefer not to have to crush my little sister.”

“Oh, you just want to try to crush our dad.”

Kendall shrugs.

“He tried to crush me first.”

She rolls her eyes.

“Shiv, you could do whatever you want. Go back to DC, start your own- whatever you want, consulting firm, news station, anything. You can undo this. He doesn’t have to control you, you don’t have to get in the middle of this.”

“I can go play in my own sandbox? Play corporate house?”

“How is founding your own company playing house? That’s what Dad did.”

This statement gives both of them pause. Not wanting to appear as though she’s taking his words seriously, she rolls her eyes.

“I think you just can’t handle anyone challenging you,” she says defiantly, although a bit less so than before.

“You’re not a challenge,” Kendall shoots back.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself,” she says.

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.”

She gives him a look like he is insane.

“What the fuck does that mean? Have you actually lost it this time?”

“Marcus Aurelius. Aren’t you the one dining with the literati now?” Kendall asks with a smirk.

He walks away as he glances at his watch. It’s time for the tribute. He walks past Rava and gives her a look, heading up to the stage. He takes the mic.

“Rhea suggested I do this little tribute…” he’s not listening to himself as he looks out at Shiv and her doubt, Roman and his low expectations, Connor and his amusement, Logan and his cautious boredom.

Then there’s Rava and her hope. She’s never stopped wanting him to be his best. Even when she couldn’t let herself believe, even when she was protecting herself, she still believed, deep down, that he could be anything. A monk, a father, a founder, a CEO…

a rapper.

Kendall takes a deep breath.

“My boy Squiggle cooked up this beat for me.”

The backtrack has everyone looking around at each other.

“Squiggle?” Roman mouths at Rava. He looks sarcastically delighted.

Rava puts up her hands.

“I had nothing to do with this,” she confirms.

“Just remember, I’m not a professional,” Kendall says.

There’s energy that fills the room and seems to seep into some as it pours into others. Everyone is staring, some open-mouthed, some confused, and some, like Shiv, gleeful. Greg dances awkwardly and Tom misses the fact that Greg knows a few of the words. Roman tries his best to sink into the floor, but Kendall’s not deterred by his lack of excitement.

“…since I Stan Dad, I’m alive and well.”

Rava makes a face at that line, but through the surprise and second-hand embarrassment, she’s a little impressed. She’s never seen a performance outside of the car. Not a sober one, anyway. He’s good at this. No matter what everyone thinks, they all have their eyes on Kendall. And he loves it. As the performance heads toward the grand finale, Kendall heads into the audience.

“L to the-“ he holds the microphone up to Rava.

“O-G?” she says uncertainly. He can see she’s looking at him like he’s crazy, but the last reaction that matters the most is, of course, Logan’s.

“L to the- motherfuckin’ O-G.” He ends the song by putting a hat on his father’s head.

Roman looks at Rava and they both wonder if Kendall’s gone insane and whether Logan is going to implode. No words are needed as they both turn their attention to Logan’s surprisingly neutral reaction.

“What is Dad doing? What’s he thinking?” Roman asks frantically. Rava, still in shock, just shrugs. She doesn’t even know how to feel. Roman smirks and takes a moment to be himself. “Just think, you were this close to being out!” he exclaims at Rava before giggling and walking over to where Logan is waving off the many question-askers now that Kendall’s walked away.

Rava walks toward the nearest exit to see if Kendall went through it. Her questions compete for priority in her head.

He’s on his phone watching footage someone just sent him of his big moment. He looks up at her with some wild energy.

“I feel like he didn’t hate it, which is basically the best you could hope for, you know?

Rava hesitates.

“Yeah… I mean, you were amazing. But I thought you were maybe… over that level of worship of him, Ken. Those lyrics?”

He crosses his arms.

“Right to the criticism, huh?”

“No- I just- what I mean is that you were just saying he can’t run the company, he engaged with bad actors, Mo!- and now you’re saying he’s wonderful, so-“

“Yeah. He’s both. And I’m fucking trying to ruin him so is it the worst fucking thing to do something nice?”

Rava tries not to sigh out loud.

“It kind of seems like you’re undermining yourself.” But she starts to feel fatigue with the whole situation. Let the therapist be the therapist, she thinks. “Well, anyway. You are quite the performer,” she smiles.

He decides to let the first part go.

“Maybe I should’ve done this with my life,” he says, only half-joking. She lays her hand on his forearm.

“Well, you don’t have to be only one thing.”

He shrugs.

“I’m only made for one thing.”

“That’s not true,” she tells him. “You’re already many things.”

He looks at her blankly.

“As in…”

She stares back and wonders if he will ever stop feeling like he’s nothing without the title.

She squeezes his arm and starts to gather a list in her head.

“Uh, well, maybe he’ll go easy on me in DC now,” he suggests, moving the conversation forward. She likes that the adrenaline brings out optimism she doesn’t get to see as often as she’d like.

“I certainly hope so.”

They stand quietly for a moment, both glancing back into the ballroom. He’s curious about everyone’s reactions but doesn’t want to deal with all the dragging.

“So…” he starts. “Get out of here?”

Rava nods.

“Um, yes, please, let’s go.”

He takes her hand and starts to walk.

“So, you all prepared for DC?” Rava asks.

“Sure, I mean, the lawyers will prep me.” She can tell he’s internally nervous.

“But you’re feeling…?”

“Uh, okay. Yeah. It’ll be fine.”

“Maybe your boy Squiggle can cook up some testimony for you.”

“Okay,” he smirks and nods along.

“Born on the East Side… still on the East Side?”

“You’re not writing a rap about me.”

“Oh, I might be.”

He looks at her drily.

“See?” she asks. “I’m already multiple things and just added another one.”

“Yeah, well. You’re… yeah, you’re everything.”

She looks into his eyes for a second.

“So are you, Ken.”

[swxppedshitposts]

I've just decided that Alex's teeth will regrow if he loses any :) This has definitely led him to just, like, physically rip out his own teeth if one breaks because Dentists Are Scary <3

[clockwayswrites]

A Hill to Die On, ch5 p2

Masterpost, late night posting. Not read over cause I'm feeling bogged down by everything and just wanted to post, please no editing or concrit <3

“Ooh,” Steph said and bumped her shoulder into Caroline’s as she followed her gaze. “Is that your type? He’s cute, in a slightly disheveled nerd sort of way.”

Caroline tried not to blush and cleared her throat a little. “He better be my type, I’m dating him.”

“Dating him? You have a boyfriend?” Steph teased, drawing the last word out. “Wait how does that work? Does Tim know?”

“Of course he knows,” Caroline said, tucking some hair behind her ear. “Tim is dating him too. He’s very sweet about it all.”

“What’s his name?”

“Who’s name?” Dick asked as he came over and draped his arms around Caroline’s shoulder, chin resting on top of her head.

Dick’s tactile nature was something Caroline still wasn’t sure how to handle, but it was nice. She let herself lean back against him a little bit.

“Him,” Steph said, pointing at Danny. “Apparently, he’s Caroline and Tim’s boyfriend.”

“My little sister and little brother are dating?” Dick cried dramatically. “And the same man?! Wait, what about Alvin?”

Caroline gave up on not blushing. “Alvin hasn’t talked to him yet—which is Alvin’s choice. Danny said he could.”

“Danny? Who’s Danny?” Babs asked as she rolled up. Her lap was piled with clothing, likely for Caroline to try on.

“Him, Caroline and Tim’s boyfriend,” Steph said gleefully and gestured in Danny’s direction again.

This time, Danny noticed the action and glanced their way before having to do a double take. His eyes scanned over the group as he rubbed at the back of his neck in a nervous little action. Caroline couldn’t help but find it adorable how he ducked his head as he gave a little wave.

“Oh you just eat him alive, don’t you?” Babs asked with a little smirk.

Caroline couldn’t help but smirk back as she gave a little shrug. “Maybe.”

“That’s absolutely a yes,” Babs said.

“I’m going over there to say hello before he works up the nerves to do the same,” Caroline said as she peeled herself away from Dick.

“Embarrassed of us?” Cass asked with a tilt of her head and her pitiful doe eyes in full use.

“Never,” Caroline said, “but afraid that you might scare him away? Absolutely.”

Laughter from the group followed her across the store as she walked over to where Danny had paused with his bags. She didn’t hesitate to lean in and give him a kiss when she was close enough.

He gave her a little smile back. “Did I accidentally crash your shopping trip?”

“Only a little. I don’t mind,” she said.

Danny glanced past her. “Even though your family knows about me now? And wow, your brother really rocks a skirt well.”

“Don’t get any ideas,” Caroline said, feeling a bubble of jealousy despite herself.

Danny just laughed and turned off his attention back to her. “Never. You all are more than enough for me. Trust me, I’m well aware I’m the lucky one here.”

“Oh Danny.” She reached out and stroked her fingers over Danny’s cheek. “I think you underestimate how good you are. And I don’t mind them know about you. They’re just more than a little overwhelming, so we’re holding off the introductions for now, okay?”

Danny snagged her fingers and gave them a little squeeze. “Okay. Send me some pictures of your favorite outfits, yeah? I’ll need to know what sort of places to look at for our next date.”

That made her smile softly. “I will. You’ll have to plan it soon.”

“Happy to,” Danny said. He gave her another kiss before taking a step back. “Go enjoy your day.”

“Get home safely.”

“Promise,” Danny said with a little salute and one more quick kiss before he turned and left.

[esmeefreckles]

Competition | Alexia Putellas x Caroline Graham Hansen x reader

+18 SMUT MINORS DNI

ALEXIA G!P. CARO G!P. BLOWJOB. ANAL SEX. RIMMING.

"Okay, take them off." You commanded your girlfriends, Caro and Alexia, who did as they were told and pulled their pants down, freeing their cocks. 

The eroticism of the situation already kept them rock hard, and you reached out to hold them in each hand, hearing them sigh at your touch. Smiling mischievously, you pulled them a bit closer and pressed the tips of their cocks together, making a spark of pleasure run through them. "Are you both sure you don't want to back out?" you asked, feeling even more excited after seeing the visible reaction that their bodies gave at the act. Both of them confidently shook their heads, ready to endure anything.

You loved both of your girlfriends equally, and they would never doubt it. You knew that they loved you just as much. Even though both of them respected and cared about each other, it didn't stop them from being very competitive, always arguing about who was better at pleasing you, and trying to prove that they were the better one. You were definitely not going to complain about it, as you found this rivalry of theirs to be so hot. You wanted to see how far they were willing to take it.

And so, you waited for the next moment where you three were all together, your girlfriends already undressing you and planting kisses all over your neck and collarbone, and before you could get carried away by it, you spoke up. "Wait..." As soon as you said that, both of them pulled away from you and stared at you with a mix of curiosity and concern, making your heart melt as you said your next words. "I have a proposition for you two. I want to do something new, and I want to see who would be able to last longer," you stated, already seeing the intrigued look that you thought they would give, as they would not want to miss an opportunity to prove who has better endurance in bed.

"I'm always down for that. And what will be Caro's punishment once she loses?" Alexia asked, making you laugh at the small growl that came out of Caro.

"Whoever loses... will have their ass on the line."

Their eyes widened, and you could see the range of emotions flickering across their faces, being able to tell that neither of them wanted to show submission to the other, but backing down from a challenge would be weak in their eyes.

After a moment of silence, Alexia huffed and gestured in Caro's direction. "Is that it? Do you really think I would be scared of that? Might as well have her bend over for me right now."

Caro scoffed in response. "Oh, as if you would last longer than me. You can barely hold your load the moment you enter her."

Alexia turned to Caro's direction with an expression of challenge but smirked and crossed her arms. "Hmpf, let's see about that then. I've always wondered what you would look like with my cock deep inside of you..."

The smirk was returned tenfold. "Then you will keep wondering. I will accept as well, but don't come crying later when you find out that you're addicted to taking it up the ass."

You smiled, and after you made them undress themselves, you made Alexia lay on her back on their bed while Caro straddled her hips. Caro's cock was now on top of Alexia's, and that sight was affecting you just as much as you knew it was affecting them, even if they were trying to not let any sound escape them. But you wanted more, you wanted them to fully voice how good they were feeling without caring about looking weak to the other, so you finally grabbed both of their cocks together, earning two simultaneous gasps, and after a moment of feeling how hard and warm the shafts were against each other in your gentle grip, you began the slow rhythm of her hand while occasionally squeezing them tightly, making their groins burn pleasantly together. You could clearly see the way they were struggling to control their breathing as you rubbed them together, "How is it so far?"

"It's f-fine for me. I can't say the same for her." Alexia answered, though her voice and breathing were noticeably more strained than usual.

"...This is nothing," Caro growled, even though you could see how her hips were jerking and felt the twitches in her dick.

"Hmm... really? I guess I can do this, then." You teased while quickening the pace of your strokes, and you were delighted to hear that your girlfriend's grunts were now turning into louder groans while your hand kept pumping them both faster and faster. You couldn't hold your own moans at this act, secretly hoping they would allow you to do this many more times from now on, and when you saw the precum on their tips, you stilled your hand for a moment and brought the other to Alexia's tip, gathering the droplet of precum that was dribbling out of it with a finger and slowly spreading it all over Caro's cockhead, as Caro gives a surprised moan at the sensitiveness.

"Fu- Fuuuck..." Caro gasped.

Alexia was also giving you a surprised, but aroused look, her eyes rolling back when you jerked them again with both hands this time, the gliding of your strokes being aided by their precum, and by now, Caro and Alexia had no hesitation in letting their voices out as they approached their climaxes, both women starting to rock their hips alongside your motions like they forgot all about the punishment. With their cocks twitching madly in your hands, you knew it would only be a matter of time before they couldn't hold it anymore, and you wondered who was going to shoot first.

"Fuck!".

To your surprise, it came from Alexia, her cock erupting on her torso while she groaned helplessly with every blast of cum that came out. The insistent throbbing of Alexia's cock set off Caro as well, her own load shooting out on top of Alexia's while she tried to keep her balance as her body trembled with pleasure, all while you kept stroking them through their orgasms, coaxing even more cum and moans out of them. Eventually, they had nothing left to give at the moment, and as Alexia closed her eyes and recovered from how surprisingly intense that orgasm was, she felt you releasing your grip on them while the weight on her body disappeared, so Alexia opened her eyes to see them staring at her, with Caro giving her an infuriating smirk through her own panting.

"Well, well, well, it appears that someone lost. You do remember what comes next, don't you?"

Alexia grits her teeth at her current mixed feelings, being disappointed that she didn't last longer than her girlfriend while her body betrayed her by feeling excited at the thought of her punishment, but she didn't let that show and hung her head low. "You're right. I lost. I accept my punishment."

Caro rolled her eyes in amusement and chuckled when Alexia yelped after you suddenly grabbed her legs and pushed them up in the air.

"Don't be so dramatic. It's not going to feel like a punishment, trust me," you said, your mouth immediately delving into Alexia's exposed anus, drawing another yelp from her at the sparks that ran through her body.

It wasn't the first time you had done this, but it was never to help prepare for an intrusion, and as Alexia tried to ignore that tongue assault on her ass, Caro kneeled on the bed next to her head, positioning her still erect dick next to her face and looking down at her with an expectant look. "I didn't agree to this."

"I know, but if it will make for an easier entry..."

Alexia growled again and swallowed her pride, turning her head to the side and opening her mouth to allow Caro to push her cock inside.

"Ooh, I always wanted to do this..." Caro moaned out, starting a slow rhythm inside of Alexia's mouth, who felt shocked at her girlfriend's admission that she wanted to be sucked by her. Even though Alexia herself would never admit this to them, she also had similar thoughts, sometimes fantasizing about running her tongue all over Caro's cock, and now that she was actually servicing it with her mouth and enjoying that act, she briefly wondered about how this would change their relationship before their stimulations were starting to overwhelm her.

Between your rimjob and Caro slowly fucking her throat, Alexia knew that her cock was at full mast again, with another orgasm not being far behind, and when Caro felt the vibrations of Alexia's increasing moans on her cock, she pulled away, slapping her wet cock on those lips a few times for good measure, and walking to your side while smirking again. "Uh-uh, you'll only get to finish again when I fuck it out of you."

Alexia glared at Caro to try and mask how turned on that made her as you took your tongue out of Alexia’s asshole and watched intently as Caro lined herself with it, the three women hissing when it went inside.

"My lord, what a tight hole... I'll make sure to not let it stay that way moving forward," Caro grunted as she pushed herself to the hilt.

"Hmm... I can't wait to see that... I love you two..." you breathed out, and Alexia kept her mouth sealed shut to avoid making any sound.

The stretch was much less painful and a lot more pleasurable than Alexia imagined, and as Caro moved, she covered her face with her arm to not show her reactions, enduring the pounding she was receiving as unresponsive as she could until the cock inside her hit a sensitive spot that accidentally made a small cry come out of her throat, something that was noticed by its owner.

"Hmm, what's the matter? Did this feel good?"

"S-Shut up." Alexia weakly rasped out as Caro continued thrusting into that spot. Even though she was trying not didn't want to admit how she was feeling, the three women knew it anyway, the twitches of her drooling erection and the tremors in her body being clear indications. Alexia grit her teeth and tried to control her heavy breathing before she felt a mouth on her chest and a hand on her dick, and she removed her arm from her face to see you sucking one of her breasts while Caro stroked her. 

"W-What are you two... doing!" Alexia began, but her speech dissolved into a stream of moans at those new sensations. With your mouth on her nipple while your hand pinched the other and with Caro accelerating even more the pace of her strokes and her thrusts, stretching her even further, there was no way for Alexia to hold back her reactions and her orgasm anymore, and after a particularly hard thrust from Caro, her body stiffened and she once again unloaded all over herself, the spurts almost hitting you with the rest dribbling on Caro's still pumping hand.

Caro smiled in satisfaction as she watched Alexia cum while being fucked, and she decided to join in by hitting herself and painting her insides with her load. "Take it!" She groaned, the feeling of coming inside her girlfriend while the hole she was inside became even tighter made this one of the biggest loads of her life, and when it finally ended, Caro sighed as she pulled away from the stretched entrance with her seed leaking out of it.

After Alexia recovered, she rubbed her eyes with her hands and debated whether or not to look at Caro to see the victorious smirk she would be wearing, finally deciding to glance at her and have her suspicions confirmed.

"What a mess you made. I always knew that you would love getting fucked by me, and now, both of you know that too." Caro smirked while lapping up Alexia's cum that landed on her hand, and she growled quietly.

Being there, leaking cum, while Caro tasted her release after fucking it out of her, Alexia felt ashamed for letting this happen to her, and with a determined look, she got up from the bed and walked up to Caro, who raised one eyebrow at her sudden closeness. Caro didn't need to wait long as Alexia then surprised all of them by grabbing Caro's face and pulling her into a kiss, Caro eagerly kissed back while holding Alexia's hips, both of them sharing the taste in their mouths while all of the cum from today on Alexia's torso now smeared on Caro's. 

After making out for a moment, Alexia broke the kiss and looked deep into Caro's eyes. "Next time, you'll be the one bending over for me."

Caro raised her brows, but then lightly chuckled and smiled softly. "I'll be waiting then. But I warn you, I won't give it to you that easily."

"Hmm, I wouldn't want you to." Alexia breathed and took Caro's lips again, all while you stared in fascination.

It was a very rare treat to see your girlfriends interacting like this, let alone eagerly swapping spit with each other, and as you watched the sword fighting going on down there while they made out, you finally remembered your own arousal, forgetting all about it during the heated competition. Bringing a hand to your panties, it was no surprise that they were already drenched. A moan escaped you as you caressed herself, and a quick glance at your girlfriends made her freeze, both of them now staring at you with hunger in their gazes, with Caro speaking up to Alexia. "I think we already let someone have her fun today. Wouldn't you say that she needs her own punishment?"

"I agree," Alexia responded, and you laughed awkwardly.

"Heh heh... D-Don't say that, it's not like you two didn't enjoy it too!" you tried to argue, but there was a big smile on your face as they approached her, and you made no move to resist their touches, already thinking about what could be the next competition.

One thing was for certain, you knew they would be looking forward to it just as much as you.

[littlewriters-posts]

Phoenix - Damon Salvatore

Part two of the request I got the other day

part one is here

https://www.tumblr.com/littlewriters-posts/751027674692059136/hey-darling-can-i-request-the-damon-salvatore-x?source=share

Plot: Y/N comes to mystic falls as a foster kid, knowing nothing of the supernatural world. The catch? Y/N lost all her memories, of the past 150 years.

Stefan had sworn both Elena and Damon to secrecy.

Damon had come storming in, his usual stony expression riddled with worry, interrupting Stefan and Elena, announcing the arrival of his old love - that somehow she had come back to life.

Elena was sceptical at first "Are you sure it's not just another doppelganger curse?" she asked, a frown on her face. The name rang bells in her head but she couldn't quite place why.

Stefan shook his head "No, she told Damon she had the Phoenix curse. Not too unsimilar from your one actually, apparently she when she dies she gets reborn again from the ashes, all memories wiped,"

"Except when she wore that necklace," Damon interjected "If we could just find it, we could get her memories back!"

And she would remember me, went unspoken.

Stefan sucked his teeth slightly. Part of him wanted to dismiss Damon's hope, but the other half recognized that this was the first ounce of humanity Damon had shown in years.

"What did you say her name was again?" Elena asked

"Y/N, L/N," Damon said "Apparently she's now living with your friend, the Bonnie," he raised his eyebrows at her, as if demanding an explanation.

Elena's eyes widened "Oh my god," she muttered to herself before turning back to Stefan "Bonnie said that her Grams had signed the papers to adopt this girl, Bonnie said it came out of nowhere. But then she died, and demanded that Bonnie's dad do it instead,"

"Y/N, from my time anyway, was very close to the Bennet witches," Stefan mused silently.

"Yeah they spent years looking for her, and failing," Damon added

Stefan then turned very serious "Damon if she is Y/N you cannot go near her. Remember she doesn't know you, and you don't want to scare her away,"

"I won't scare her away," Damon said looking mildly offended "I am the eternal stud, everyone loves me,"

Stefan rolled his eyes "We really need to find out if it is her first, or just some weird coincidence,"

"What so she can fall in love with some boring human?" Damon asked snidely.

Elena stood up, looking sympathetically at Damon, which he hated.

"Look she loved you once right? I'm sure she'll love you again," she reassured and Damon scoffed so she continued. "She'll be with Bonnie on Monday, I'll become friends with her first, then we can go from there,"

Damon grumbled, but seemed satisfied with that answer, and disappeared upstairs without another word.

Stefan walked up to Elena, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"As much as I hate to say it, he's not the same person he was when he first met her, and chances are she's exactly the same,"

Elena sighed "We'll see what she's like on Monday,"

Y/N was terrified. Dressed in her flares and green top that Bonnie had kindly bought for her, she faced herself in the mirror.

The thought of being in the same room as people she didn't know made her feel rather sick.

"You'll be fine," Bonnie reassured, leaning on the door "Come on, I'll drive you,"

Y/N nodded, brushing all negative thoughts out of her head as she followed her new friend out of the door.

She tried to focus on Bonnie's voice as she chatted at her, telling her all the school drama as if knowing that would help her fit in more with the rest of the group.

But all she could focus on was the outside world, and how different yet familiar it seemed to her.

"We're here," Bonnie announced "Come on, Elena and Caroline are meeting us inside,"

Y/N nodded, giving the other girl a grateful smile. Bonnie had already told her everything about the two others girls, Elena was the sweet one who's parents died in a car crash, and Caroline was slightly outspoken, but lovely when you got to know her.

Elena hadn't told her friends about Damon's history with the new girl, for some reason it didn't seem right. She didn't want to taint anyone's view of the girl before they met her.

Y/N hid behind Bonnie slightly, as they approached the two girls who were waving excitedly at them.

Caroline was quick to embrace Y/N in a hug "Oh I am so excited you're here! It's about time we got some new people in this town,"

Elena rolled her eyes with a smile "It's nice to meet you," she said

As Elena studied Y/N she couldn't help but think that she was nothing like she imagined. She pictured someone meddlesome, someone stony faced and cold hearted like Damon not - not this.

Elena watched as Y/N gave a shy smile, her head held high but fidgeting fingers giving away her nerves.

She reminded her of a baby deer...or lamb...or maybe an otter. Something vulnerable.

"How are you finding it? Have you ever been to school before?" Caroline asked. Elena smacked her arm

"Caroline!" she exclaimed and Caroline looked sheepish.

"Sorry,"

Y/N shook her head with a smile "It's okay, I don't mind answering questions. I - I actually have amnesia, I don't remember anything until I reached about sixteen? Then I was home-schooled by my foster mom,"

Caroline stared at her with wide eyes "So you've never been to a party?"

Y/N shrugged "I mean I might have done, I just won't remember it,"

"Well you're in luck, the founders ball is soon!" Caroline practically squealed "I won Miss Mystic Falls last year, so I can help pick out your dress!"

Y/N hesitated, the thought of entering the hall with yet more people was giving her heart palpations, but she also wanted to make friends.

"Sure, when?" she asked with a smile

"How about Saturday?" Caroline asked and Y/N looked to Bonnie for help.

"We'll be there," Bonnie reassured and Y/N sighed with relief, at least there would be somebody she knew.

"What class have you got first?" Caroline asked, reading Y/N scheduled over her shoulder "Oh no fair! You'll be with Elena and Bonnie," she sighed dramatically.

"ooo History with Mr Tanner, good luck," Elena said, giving Y/N a smile "He's evil,"

Y/N laughed "Surely he can't be that bad,"

Y/N was wrong.

Not only did Mr Tanner sit her at the back in between a boy called Matt Donavon, he also sat her behind another boy called Stefan Salvatore, who was so tall she had very little hope to see the board in-front of the class.

And then he had the audacity to ask her question's in-front of the entire class.

She was quite sure he face was utterly red, and Stefan turned round to face her, making the redness worse.

"It's okay, he did that to me the first time as well, he's a dick," he reassured and Y/N felt the sudden urge to hide under her desk.

"Thankyou," she whispered, her eyes lowering to her paper and Stefan gave her a soft smile, trying not to show his concern.

If he had any doubts now they were sealed. He only knew one person who looked that panicked when talking to people, and he could recognize that face anywhere.

Unfortunate it meant she was still the same person that she was before, and Damon wasn't.

After history Y/N was grateful to Caroline, who talked her ear off on who was hot and who was not, although she found herself growing weary of the constant chatter and found her gaze wandering across the courtyard.

A large crow caught her eye, as it stared at her unblinkingly.

"We're going to the Grill after school wanna come?" Bonnie asked, cutting Caroline off her rant as she did so.

"I'd love that," Y/N said softly, breaking her gaze from the bird.

"What have you got next?" Elena asked

"Er - maths," Y/N replied, checking her schedule.

"Ah shoot, we've all got Biology," Bonnie said sympathetically

"It's okay, Stefan has maths, he can show you the way!" Elena interjected, smiling at her friend.

Y/N grimaced, as much as she didn't have anything against the boy, she'd take getting lost as appose to having to strike up a conversation with a stranger.

"I don't want to bother him," she said quietly.

Elena shook her head, before waving Stefan over from where he sat on the bench.

"You'll like him, he's quiet like you," Caroline reassured and Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Ignore her," she said smiling apologetically.

"What did I say?" Caroline frowned, but Y/N smiled.

"It's okay, I get what she meant."

Caroline smiled from ear to ear. She often felt out of place, constantly saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, or saying it the wrong way and getting reprimanded. But Y/N made her feel understood.

"Do you mind walking Y/N to maths?" Elena asked Stefan as he approached.

"Sure," he shrugged "I'll make sure you don't get lost,"

Y/N smiled gratefully, not quite meeting his eyes before waving goodbye to her friends and following alongside him.

"How are you finding your first day?" he asked eventually, noticing her fidgeting hands immediately.

"It's okay, just a lot of people," she shrugged, glancing around at the people shoving past her and she shrank a little.

"Must be overwhelming," he mused thinking slightly "You know there's a graveyard not far from here - sounds dark but I find it's the only place you can really get some peace and quiet,"

Y/N looked up at him, for the first time meeting his eyes. "Thankyou," she said earnestly. "I've only got a half day today, something about adjusting to school life, so I might go after then - where is it?"

"Turn right out of school, go down the road to the old bridge and turn left," Stefan said simply as Y/N hurried to jot it down.

Someone with her sense of direction had to be prepared.

"Great and er - how do I get to the Grill from there?" she asked nervously.

Stefan didn't judge "Follow the middle path into the woods, keep going and then go left at the second turning. Turn right when you get to the old building. Just follow that path and it'll lead you back to the street,"

She thanked him again, feeling slightly relieved that she wouldn't have to navigate it without help, nor would she have to ask a complete stranger.

After Maths, Y/N bid goodbye to the younger Salvatore brother, before texting the girls where she was going, and that she would meet them at the grill later. With Stefan's direction's written down, she was sure she wouldn't get lost, and too her relief she didn't.

So there she sat, next to a random grave, her head resting against the cool stone.

In her hands lay a notebook, the date marked clearly at the top as she jotted her thoughts down.

Her doctor had suggested a diary, after losing your memory for no apparent reason there was no evidence to suggest it wouldn't happen again.

She didn't notice Damon watched her from the shadows, a pained look on his face. He hated the way she looked so tense, her fingers often pulling at the strands of hair that had escaped the messy braid. He could even smell the blood that came from her bitten lips.

But what he hated most was how she was exactly the same. The same slight crease between the brows, the same nervous fidget patten, the same soft hum as she wrote.

It was like she had never changed, like nothing had ever changed her.

He wanted to speak to her, even for a moment but he stopped himself. She hadn't changed, but he had. Even if she did, even if she could, remember him, would she still love him after learning everything he had done? Everyone he had killed?

Would she be able to see past the scars he's obtained and his bloody hands and still be able to see him?

He didn't know. And that killed him.

So there in the shadows he stayed, watching and praying that she would be kept safe.

Y/N shut her book with a sigh, stuffing it back in her bag. She glanced at her phone and saw that it was time to go, surprised that she had been this long.

But it was nice, the quiet, it made her feel whole again.

"Right, to the Grill we go," she muttered, biting her lip slightly.

She slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking down the middle path. She was unaware the Damon was still watching her with the same pained expression.

She came to the turning and abruptly turning, feeling rather pleased with herself as she did so for not getting lost.

As she walked she took out the slip of paper she had jotted the directions down in, and to her absolute horror the ink had smudged.

"Oh no. Oh nononono," she muttered, looking around herself in horror. She remembered something about turning near a building but what building was that?

She turned, telling herself she would just go back the way she came and ask for help, before realising the path she was walking down was a forked path and she couldn't remember which one she had taken.

"Oh crap crap crap," she whispered.

She felt the air around her grow colder, her lungs fighting for air as she tried not to panic. She'd been lost before, she'd be fine. It's not like Mystic Falls was dangerous.

Behind his hiding place, Damon cursed himself. He looked at her panic stricken face, the face he'd seen a thousand times before when she was forced into social situations, and felt his heart tug slightly.

"You lost?"

Y/N whirled around, her eyes wide and heart pounding, before coming face to face with the man she met her first night of Mystic Falls.

"Damon?" she questioned, frowning slightly "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, walking towards her trying to look as non threatening as possible. "I like it here, it's quiet,"

Y/N relaxed slightly "Stefan said the same thing - you're related aren't you? Same last name and all,"

Damon smirked slightly "Brothers," he responded. "So are you lost?"

Y/N's cheeks reddened slightly, a slight pout on her lower lip "If I say no, will you save me my dignity but help me anyway?"

Damon laughed "So you've got an abysmal sense of direction, it's not the worst thing to be bad at - come on, it's this way,"

"How do you know where I'm going?" she asked

Damon froze for a second before recovering "Stefan's going to the Grill too, I just assumed,"

Y/N shrugged, falling comfortably into step besides him. She couldn't tell what it was, but she felt more at ease with him than anyone she'd met so far at Mystic Falls. Like she already knew him.

"They go out a lot, I don't know how they do it," she mused, covering up a yawn.

Damon eyed her carefully, not wanting to come off like he was staring but also unable to tear his gaze away from her.

"You could just not go?" he offered but she shook her head.

"I can't, I need to go to the Grill anyway to ask about any jobs they've got going there," she sighed "These girls love shopping,"

Damon frowned "Job? Aren't you a little young to have to work? You should be out their partying," he smirked.

Y/N wrinkled her nose "Plenty people my age work Damon, I'm not a child. Besides, I don't have any family money...or any family and once I turn eighteen I don't get any support anymore,"

Damon said nothing at first. Money had never been an issue for him, he was a Salvatore after all, and his powers of persuasion meant he could get anything he wanted if he was smart about it. But she was just playing a human over and over again, with nothing to fall back on.

"Well I'm sure you'll find something," he said finally "Mystic Falls is fully of rich people, which mean nobody wants to work," he said amusedly and Y/N laughed.

"Alright Miss Y/N, you're here," Damon announced waving his hand in-front of his as if she would miss The Grill building right in-front of her.

"Thankyou so much Damon, that's twice you've helped me out now - I can't thank you enough," Y/N said sweetly, smiling up at him.

Damon swore he felt his dead heart stop.

"It's no problem - just do me a favour and don't tell my brother. He doesn't like me much,"

Y/N didn't question it as she waved goodbye to him and stepped into the restaurant to meet her friends.

Damon watched her through the window, still not wanting to tear his eyes away from her. His attention soon diverted to the bar manager coming out the store for his smoke break.

Within a flash Damon was next to him, forcing the man to look him dead in the eye as he did so.

"You are going to accept Y/N L/N into whatever job she wants, with whatever hours she requires and pay her double for working weekends," he said lowly.

Compulsion really was handy.

In the bar, Y/N was laughing with Caroline, the other two not appearing yet.

"So who's your date going to be?" Caroline asked gleefully, "I mean you don't have to have one, but you also kinda do if you want to go for Miss Mystic Falls," she added.

Y/N shrugged "I don't really know anyone Caroline, I'm quite happy just to watch and support you,"

Caroline's features softened slightly "You're so sweet," she gushed "Elena and Bonnie don't really like it, they think it's old fashioned,"

"Well it is," Y/N pointed out "But just because something is traditionally feminine doesn't mean you can't enjoy it,"

Caroline smiled "See this is why I like you, you just get it. So tell me, any cute guys caught your eyes yet?"

Y/N shook her head with a smile "Is that all that goes on through your head?" she asked.

Caroline shrugged "You'd only say that if you were deflecting!" she pointed out "Spill,"

"There isn't! I've met like, three guys since I've been here, one of the is Elena's boyfriend and the other is her ex!"

"So who's the third?" Caroline asked, her eyes widening.

Y/N blinked - she hadn't expected Caroline to catch onto that little detail. She gulped slightly, the feeling of tightness returning to her chest. Damon hadn't wanted Stefan to know about him helping her - and Caroline would surely tell him. But she also didn't want to lie.

"Oh erm...I met him on my first day. I got lost finding Bonnie's house and he helped me,"

Caroline clapped her hands together "Oh my goodness! What did he look like, was he hot? What was his name?"

Y/N laughed slightly, amused by the blonde's actions "I don't know, he was tall, dark hair. Really sweet,"

"Oh I bet it was Tyler! You know he's been staring at you all day," Caroline gushed and Y/N blinked.

"Tyler?" she questioned the name foreign on her tongue.

Caroline nodded "Yeah he's on the football team! A bit of a douche but when he likes you he's just the sweetest,"

Y/N nodded slightly, her gaze shifting round the bar "Does anyone at school work?" she asked nervously and Caroline's gaze shifted into one of sympathy.

"Yeah, Matt actually works here. And Tyler sometimes helps his dad with Mayor stuff,"

Y/N nodded, the gnawing pit in her stomach growing slightly. She hadn't even considered that people would look down on her for having a job before Damon's tone of voice told her otherwise.

"But don't worry, no one will care. A girl called Vicky used to work here, and nobody picked on her for having a job," Caroline reassured

Y/N then spotted the manager who was heading back to the bar. "Oop - there he is - wish me luck!"

"Good luck sweetie, hope you get it!"

As Y/N walked over, she mustered the courage to actually look the man in the eyes as she spoke to him, hoping that forcing herself to make eye contact would help.

"Hi," she gave a small awkward wave "I'm Y/N L/N, I was just wondering if you had any waitressing jobs going,"

The Managers eyes seem to shift a little, before he responded with a great smile on his face "Of course! Someone just left today so we have an opening. We can fit the hours around you, and you get double when you work on weekends,"

"Oh!" exclaimed Y/N, not expecting it to be that easy. In fact she was kind of upset since she had a whole speech written on how she would be a great worker. "Oh great, when can I start?" she asked.

"How about next Wednesday? Wednesdays are the quietist days, so we'll have plenty of time to show you the ropes,"

Y/N tried to hide her excitement "Great - thankyou so much!" she called over her shoulder as she practically raced back to the table.

Bonnie and Elena had arrived, sitting down in the vacant seats.

"Did you get it?" Caroline asked and Y/N nodded happily. The girls applauded her, giving her hugs and for the first time Y/N felt truly in place.

"What you can still come shopping with us right?" Elena asked worriedly and Y/N nodded,

"Yeah he said I start on Wednesday and I can pick my hours," Y/N said, taking a sip of her drink.

"Nice," Elena said approvingly "Well done Y/N,"

Y/N blushed a little "Thank Elena,"

Non of them noticed Damon, sat in the corner facing away from them, a small smile on his face.

Saturday rolled around sooner than Y/N had expected and she found herself slightly dreading it. As much as she loved her friends, they were richer than she was and whilst they would be looking at the prettiest dress, she would be looking at the price tag that came with it.

But as she entered the dress shop with her friends, all thoughts soon vanished as she laughed at Caroline's dramatics.

"I wish we could of found you a date - you would have had such a great shot at winning," Caroline said sadly but Y/N shrugged.

"I'd rather just sit and watch then have to dance with somebody I don't know," she replied.

"Well still...I'm going to try this dress on!" she announced picking up a blue number.

Elena patted Y/N shoulder "Ignore her, it doesn't really matter," she reassured. "Which one should I try on?" she then asked, holding up two almost identical dresses.

"Both of them," Y/N replied simply "We've got all day haven't we - and Bonnie why don't you try that green one over there, you'd look stunning!"

Bonnie smiled, grabbing the green dress to change.

It was then a dress in the corner corner caught Y/N's eye, it was a dusty purple, the slight jewels encrusting the top. It was beautiful.

She glanced at the tag.

Way out of her price range.

"Would you like to try it on?" The shopkeeper asked gently but Y/N shook her head.

"No it's okay, it's way out of my budget anyway,"

The shopkeeper bit her lip, "You can try it on anyways, no harm in a little dress up,"

Y/N looked at her hopefully.

"Really?"

The shopkeeper nodded with a smile and Y/N's smile brightened, as she rushed into the changing room.

The dress fit her perfectly, hugging her figure in all the right places before flaring at the bottom. The colour seemed to make her skin glow.

Too bad it was too expensive.

"Come on, let us see!" Caroline begged and Y/N sighed, opening the curtain and letting the girls squeal over it.

"Oh it fit's you perfectly!" Bonnie remarked "You need to get it,"

Y/N shook her head with a smile "And buy the first dress I try on?" she responded, not wanting to tell them that it was simply too expensive.

"See - she get's it," Caroline said with a laugh "No go change so we can try more stuff on," she pulled the curtain back over her friend.

She sighed, wriggling out of the dress with difficulty before placing it back on the hanger.

She handed it to the shopkeeper with a smile.

"It was beautiful but I just can't afford it," she said sadly.

The shopkeeper nodded understandingly "We have a sale section over there if you'd like?"

Y/N nodded, before spotting Caroline sorting through many dresses in her arms.

"Got enough there Caroline?" she asked amusedly and the blonde sighed in exasperation.

"I just don't know which one to pick, I wore blue when I won last year, but I've already worn blue," she tutted putting the blue dress back on the rails. "You found anything yet?" she asked.

Y/N thought back to the purple dress, but didn't want her friend to pity her.

"No, I might come back another day," she said softly. Or to another cheaper shop she added in her head.

"I'm starving, shall we go to the grill?" Bonnie asked.

"We go there all the time, I'm sick of chips and the smell of beer," Caroline whined. "Can't we go back the the Salvatore house, they always have great snacks,"

Elena hesitated. Her and Stefan were trying everything they could to keep Damon from doing something rash, and that meant trying to keep Y/N away from him.

"I'm actually kind of tired," Elena said, yawning. "Why don't we go to that smoothie place downtown and then we can all go home?"

That seemed to go down well with the rest of the group, and Caroline quickly bought Y/N's smoothie before the other two could notice, and before she could protest.

"Don't worry about it," she brushed off when Y/N tried to pay her back, so the girl just sipped her smoothie in peace.

When Y/N arrived home, she was utterly exhausted from the full day, and was about to collapse on the bed when she noticed a parcel on it.

She frowned, wondering who on earth would have put it there. She's been with the girls all day and Bonnie's dad was away on business.

Perhaps Elena had Stefan drop it off, or maybe Bonnie had snuck in whilst Y/N was downstairs.

She opened the box carefully and gasped.

Inside it was the same dusty purple dress she had tried on in the shop.

She gingerly took it from the box, looking everywhere for some kind of tag to say who it was from but there was nothing.

"Bonnie?" she called uncertainly, not knowing whether or not to be excited about it.

Bonnie came in, fresh out the shower and drying her hair. "You o - oh you bought it!" she gushed remarking at the dress.

But Y/N shook her head.

"No I couldn't afford it, it was just here when I got back,"

Bonnie frowned "Oh...maybe Caroline bought it for you then? You know what she's like,"

"Yeah," Y/N echoed staring at the mystery dress "Do you think I should wear it?"

Bonnie nodded "I mean it would be rude not to, and it is a beautiful dress. Besides what harm could a dress do?"

Y/N shrugged, putting the dress on the hanger and hanging it outside her wardrobe, admiring it in the light, before a tap on the window startled her.

She whirled around, only to see a crow staring at her unblinking through the glass pane.

"Oh shit," Bonnie muttered, her eyes wide "Y/N I'm just gonna make a phone call okay?" she said quickly, before practically running out of the room.

But Y/N attention was on the bird as she opened her window for it.

"You hungry?" she asked and threw the bird a bit of bread. It just stared at her some more, before flying away. She shrugged, closing the window.

Back at the Salvatore household, Elena and Stefan rounded on Damon with narrowed eyes.

"Tell me why Y/N has just received a dress that she didn't buy, but was trying on earlier today?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Damon scoffed "I don't owe you an explanation," he said snidely.

Elena shook her head "You need to stay away from her Damon, she doesn't remember you. You're just going to end up hurting yourself,"

Damon shook his head "I didn't go near her did I? I bought her a dress that she wanted, and she doesn't even know it was me. Tell her Caroline bought it, she's always doing stuff like that,"

Stefan had so far said nothing, not even when Elena turned to him for backup. Instead he was looking at his brother with a saddened expression.

"It's okay," he finally said with a sigh "I mean, it's not like he's hurting her,"

Elena pursed her lips, not wanting to admit that she simply just didn't trust Damon around her new friend. But she had to admit, she met Damon when he was at his worst, and Y/N originally met him when he was still human.

Damon said nothing, but carried his bottle of bourbon up to his room.

"Maybe they should meet," Stefan said lowly "I mean, he's not going to kill her,"

Elena shook her head "So he can take his pain out on other people when she doesn't fall in love with him? You said so yourself, Damon's a monster - and Y/N just doesn't seem like the type to deal with that,"

Stefan stared into the fire, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What if they met here? That way we could keep an eye on Damon, make sure he doesn't do anything too rash, but at least he wouldn't be secretly trying to see her without us knowing,"

"Okay," Elena nodded, "But after the founder's ball next week, I can only focus on so many things at once,"

Y/N found herself in two minds over the founders ball. On the one hand, it was quite exciting to be getting dressed up and ready with her new found friends, but on the other hand, it was a long day to be around people.

She tried to push that thought out of her mind until Bonnie said,

"We're all having an after party at the Salvatore's, so I'll drive you there after,"

Y/N tried not to show her grimace "Do I need to bring spare clothes?" she asked and Bonnie shrugged.

"I'm pretty sure Caroline will change into another dress, but me and Elena will be going casual so it's up to you,"

Y/N then crammed a skirt and jumper into her bag, with some joggers in case it got too cold.

After Bonnie helped her tie the corset laces on her dress, the sudden restriction of breath was noticeable but not uncomfortable.

"You look stunning," Bonnie reassured, seeing the fleeting look o nerves overtake her friends face. "Now listen, I'm driving but me and Elena and Caroline all have to go upstairs because of the Miss Mystic Falls thingy, but we'll come find you as soon as we can okay?"

Y/N nodded, deciding against speaking for the fear that the nerves would make her be sick. She was nervous, and she didn't even have a part to play.

She was grateful for the three girls as they all chatted in the car, meaning that she didn't have too, and even as they left to go upstairs, Y/N gave them a small smile and wished them good luck.

Now what.

She glanced around the room, feeling suddenly very small as she realised she didn't really know anybody in there. She settled by grabbing a glass of champagne that she knew she wouldn't drink and settling in the corner, watching everyone go by in their dresses.

She watched and clapped as one by one the elected girls descended the stairs, each one getting an applause before moving to the middle of the room.

"That's a beautiful dress," Came a voice, and Y/N jumped slightly, turning towards the sound of the voice. Her demeanour relaxed slightly as she realised who it was.

"Hello Damon," she said, her smile more genuine. "And thankyou, I'm not entirely sure who got it for me, but I love it,"

Damon said nothing, but a small smile played on his lips.

"You don't look to be enjoying yourself," he acknowledged and she sighed.

"I know, I'm just...I hate crowds," she admitted "I'm so glad you're here, finally a face I recognize,"

Damon stared at her a little, the want to let all of his emotions tumble off his tongue was great, but he knew that it would be a disaster if he did so.

"You owe me a favour, Since I have rescued you what - twice now?" he asked teasingly.

Y/N rolled her eyes "Alright Mr Salvatore, what do you want?" she went along playfully.

"A dance," he replied simply, extending his hand and she laughed nervously.

"I'm a terrible dancer, I don't think I've ever even learnt!" she exclaimed but Damon's blue eyes met her wide ones and she relented a little.

"I'll lead you," he replied gently, taking her hand in his own. "Come on,"

Y/N accepted his hand, gracefully walking to the middle where more couples were now dancing with the original girls.

"This is going to be so embarrassing," she muttered, her eyes darting around as she saw that other people were watching her.

"Hey - look at me," Damon commanded, his tone soft. So she did, his blue eyes staring into her own and she felt her breath hitch slightly. There was something ever so familiar about them, like a safeness that she couldn't quite place, like somewhere she had been before but couldn't quite remember.

And they were dancing, in sync and ever so graceful, neither one of them ever breaking eye-contact with each other.

"Oh my god, is that Y/N with Damon?" Caroline ran up to Elena, horrified and Elena nodded with a grimace.

"It's complicated," Elena whispered back to her friend. "We think Y/N used to be an old friend of his - well old girlfriend - back when Damon was human. But she disappeared, and now she's back. And here's the catch - she doesn't remember any of it,"

Caroline's eyes widened "Y/N a vampire?" she whispered in shock but Elena shook her head.

"No she's cursed, every time she dies she get's born back into the same body, with no memory of the life before,"

Caroline looked at Damon, narrowing her eyes "If I didn't hate him so much I'd feel sorry for him - do you think he still loves her?"

Elena nodded with a sigh "Stefan said he never stopped looking for her after she disappeared,"

Bonnie grimaced "Can we please stop feeling sorry for Mr Killer over there, he's literally killed people Elena. We can't let him have Y/N, we both know he's end up hurting her,"

But as the trio watched Y/N and Stefan dance, even Caroline who hated Damon the most, couldn't help but admit the softness in his eyes when he looked at Y/N. Like a humanity that wasn't there before.

"You're an excellent dancer," Damon remarked, pulling her to the side after the song ended.

"I was only following you," she laughed, "Also why do all these drinks have alcohol in, what's wrong with something that actually taste nice," she said bitterly, setting down a champagne glass with a wrinkled nose.

"I'll get you something," Damon reassured "Wait here,"

Y/N didn't have chance to tell him that he didn't have to, he was already gone.

"I do hope my brother wasn't bothering you," Came the voice of Stefan Salvatore as he walked over to her.

She shook her head "No, he's actually really sweet," she said with a soft smile, glancing back to where he had gone too. "He's actually gone to get me drink since I don't like champagne,"

Stefan raised his eyebrows but didn't comment further on the matter, not daring to spoil her image of his brother.

"Where's Elena?" she asked.

"Gone to find her brother I think," Stefan glanced around to spot his girlfriend who was indeed chatting to her little brother. "I'm driving you all to the afterparty now, but I'm coming back for him because there's no room in the car,"

"I thought Bon was driving?" Y/N asked with a frown but Stefan shook his head.

"She's already drinking," he said amusedly

"No worried Brother, I'll take her," Damon had come back, standing besides Y/N and staring at his brother with an emotion Y/N couldn't quite place. "Got you some orange juice," he said, giving her a slightly smile. She thanked him.

Stefan hesitated, not wanting to start a scene, but also not having an excuse ready.

"Alright," he finally said after staring his brother back some more "We're leaving in ten minutes,"

Stefan then left, and Y/N eyed the que to the toilets with distaste. She didn't fancy waiting in the line just to get changed like many of the other girls were.

"Can we go back sooner?" Y/N asked, and Damon turned back to her with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"And why would you want that?" he asked and Y/N's cheeks burned.

"No - I didn't mean-" she stuttered slightly before gathering her thought's and frowning at him "I just want to get changed," she said defiantly.

Damon laughed "Relax I'm just messing with you, come on before Stefan think's I'm kidnapping you,"

Y/N rolled her eyes, put picked up her skirts so they wouldn't trail on the floor, before picking up her bags that she had left in the cloakroom. Or tried to, before Damon took them from her.

"And who would I be if I let a lady carry her own bags," he asked, raising his eyebrows.

She curtseyed playfully "Well thankyou Mr Salvatore," she said mockingly, a slight blush blossoming her cheeks.

She didn't understand why, but she felt more comfortable around Damon than anyone else she had met so far, except perhaps Elena, and she had been around him the least.

But there was something utterly familiar about him.

He gave her a cocky grin before opening the car door for her.

"How long are you going to keep up this gentleman act?" she asked as he got in the drivers seat. He put a hand on his chest in mock offense.

"What makes you think it's an act?" he asked, and Y/N laughed, which was quickly followed by a yawn. "You're sure you're up for a party?" he asked.

Y/N nodded, her head resting against the window watching the scenery drive by.

"Thank-you for being so kind to me," she said, glancing at him. His fingers tightened one the wheel slightly.

"You're welcome," was all he said. As she turned away, he tried desperately not to look at her, not to wear his heart on his sleeve like she wore hers.

"Welcome to the Salvatore party," he said when he arrived "Bathrooms down the hall, go right then wa-I'll show you," he said, realising that she would probably get lost.

He then noticed the slight frown on her face "What's wrong," he asked, concerned.

She shook her head "Nothing, It just looks really familiar,"

Damon shrugged "Looks like any old museum I guess,"

She smiled at him as he opened the door to the bathroom, shutting it behind her as she entered.

"Be quick, or I'll miss you too much," he called out and smiled to himself when he heard her laugh.

In the bathroom, Y/N was quick to get dressed, the only problem being she couldn't quite reach the laced up corset and she groaned.

Stepping timidly out of the bathroom she spotted Damon who was leaning against the wall, staring into space.

"Damon?" she asked, and he turned to her with raised eyebrows. "Ca you help untie me please?"

He froze for a second as she lifted her hair, turning her back to him.

His fingers danced carefully over her skin, the temptation to hold her almost overwhelming but he cleared his throat and pushed that thought out of his head.

He carefully undid all the silk ties, letting him fall beneath his fingers. Y/N clasped the front of the dress tightly, so not to let it fall down.

"There you go," Damon said quietly, almost whispering. Y/N turned to him, almost bumping noses with how close they were.

"Thankyou," she replied softly, glancing into his blue eyes as they studied her own, before clearing her throat and returning to the bathroom to get dressed once more.

Damon leant on the wall his hands rubbing his head.

He needed to get a grip he decided.

Y/N changed into the miniskirt that Elena had leant her, with an oversized jumper that barely brushed the bottom of the skirt.

"Okay I'm all ready," she announced and Damon smiled lazily at her.

"About time, the party is about to get started." he said, leading her away and to where numerous people were already standing and Y/N felt herself shrink behind him slightly.

"Y/N!" Elena announced, grabbing her friend by the arm and leading her away from Damon with a glare to the man. Damon watched, biting the urge to follow her down.

Y/N looked back to him, looking slightly regretful and giving him a soft smile, which he raised his glass too.

"So you and Damon?" Bonnie questioned, raising her eyebrows.

Y/N felt her skin burn slightly "He's really sweet," she said quietly

Caroline screwed her nose up "But-Damon seriously? He's such a dick,"

Elena rolled her eyes "Maybe he just really likes Y/N," she said pointedly to Caroline, who pursed her lips slightly.

For the rest of the night the girls kept a close eye on Y/N, not wanting her to see Damon but also not wanting her too suspect anything. However as the night drew on, the girls got more drunk, and Y/N remained sober allowing her to slip away.

It's not that she wanted away from them in particular, but the crowds were getting far too much for her.

So she found herself wandering the halls of the Salvatore building, the vague familiarity of it making her head spin a little. Her fingers ran down the walls as she walked, feeling the old wallpaper beneath her fingers.

She came to the double doors, and something in the back of her mind was begging her to open it, so she did and gasped.

A library.

It was beautiful, with even a seating area near an old fireplace and rows and rows of books.

She marvelled at the sheer amount, before picking a random one and collapsing on the sofa that was there. It didn't take her long to get comfy, curling up against the arm, the book on her lap.

Back at the party, Damon was looking for her, the slight worry settling in his heart.

He cornered Elena, frowning at her "Where's Y/N?" he demanded "I thought you wanted to keep her safe,"

Elena looked around "I thought she went to find you," she said, the worry edging into her voice, barely audible over the slurring of her words as she danced with an empty cup in her hands.

Damon glowered at her, if it was anybody else she would have had her throat ripped out, but he stopped himself.

"Guess I'll go find her," he said sharply.

It was then the thought occurred to him that Y/N said she found the place familiar, and he was sure that apart from in 1864, she had never stepped foot in the building.

And where did she go whenever there was a party?

The library.

He almost laughed when he saw her, curled up against the arm of the sofa, a book in her lap and utterly oblivious to the world around her.

"We were worried about you," he said smoothly, trying to mask the dying worry in his voice.

Y/N looked up with wide eyes, quickly shutting the book and scrambling to her feet. "Oh God I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. It's just...you have a library in your house," she said weakly, looking embarrassed.

Damon waved her off "You're welcome to use it any time you like, the door is always open,"

Y/N smiled gratefully at him, sitting back down in the seat.

Damon watched as she read, the uncanny similarity between now and when he first met her almost to real to bare. Yet she didn't know him now, just like she didn't know him then.

But maybe she didn't need to remember him, maybe he could get her to fall in love with him a second time.

Y/N shivered slightly, even her thin jumper not quite enough to protect her from the coldness of the large house, especially since the room itself was so big.

Damon eyed her "You look exhausted, want me to take you home?" he asked sincerely.

Y/N shook her head "I can't, Bonnie has the house keys and god knows where she is,"

"You're more than welcome to stay here," Damon said softly and Y/N looked up at him in surprise.

"I wouldn't want to intrude," she declined but Damon shook his head at her.

"It's a boarding house Y/N, we have tons of spare bedrooms for exactly that reason,"

Y/N bit her lip, her eyes downcast as she considered her options. "Only if you're sure," she said finally and Damon resisted the urge to celebrate.

"Come on then sleepy, up to bed," Damon said smirking slightly, helping out of her cozy position on the sofa. She groaned softly as she felt her joints click, but the warmth of Damon's hand in her own made it all worth it.

"Do we have to go through the party?" she whispered as she exited the library.

"God no, Elena would kill me," Damon said mindlessly.

"Why?" Y/N asked curiously and Damon froze, realising what he just said.

"I can be a dick," he responded after a beat. He didn't want to go any further, unsure on what she already knew, and the fear that she would then hate him was evident.

Y/N shrugged "Well, at least you admit it," she said a smile "First step to recovery I guess,"

Damon scoffed "I do not need to recover,"

Y/N bit her lip to stop herself from laughing, which Damon noticed with a slight smile. He opened one of the doors, allowing her to step inside.

"You should find everything you need in here, there's an en-suite so you won't get lost trying to find the bathroom, and there will be some clothes you can sleep in," he said in mischievous tone, a suggestive joke on the tip of his tongue but for some reason he stopped himself before he could say it.

"Thankyou Damon, really," Y/N said sincerely, after marvelling at the room.

Damon nodded at her with a smile, before going to close the door as he left.

"Damon?" Y/N asked, and he popped his head round the door lazily, his blue eyes never leaving hers. "For what it's worth, I like you,"

Damon felt his heart leap into his chest. It wasn't a love confession, he knew that, but she liked him. She wanted to be his friend, and that was a step in the right direction.

"I like you too sleepy, now get some sleep,"

Y/N nodded with a smile, staring at the door as he closed it behind him.

Part of her wanted him to stay, but the other part was content knowing she'd see him in the morning.

[halfmoonshines]

Just Damon being soft and protective with his gf please! :) love ur work

love this and love you!

only you

damon salvatore x f!reader

summary: Damon only ever had that smile for you.

..••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••..

You groaned as you trekked behind the group, fully convinced that this could not get any worse. Not only was the southern heat creating a shine of sweat on your skin, but the constant bickering from the rest of your cohort was driving you crazy.

"If you're annoyed Elena, imagine how the vampires feel. We could've just zipped through the woods without you guys." Caroline made an excellent point.

"So why did we even come?" Your question was exasperated and Damon's light laugh came from behind you, one of his hands coming to rest on your lower back.

"The more eyes there are, the more likely we are to find this tomb." Stefan replied.

"I would argue that you guys could've covered five times as much ground by this point if we weren't slowing you down." You paused your walk for a moment, head thrown back to try and gulp in some of the balmy air.

That air promptly left your lungs, however, when Damon swept you into his arms. You couldn't help but shriek a bit, hastily wrapping your arms around his neck. "Damon. I'm sticky and stinky."

He raised an eyebrow at you, lips arranging themselves in a mirthful smile. "My favorite version of you."

Caroline shook her head violently. "Ew, guys."

..••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••..

The darkness in the room was almost suffocating you but you didn't have the strength to not suffer inside of it. You didn't know how long you had been sitting there, or when it had gotten so bad, but somewhere along the way you had stopped caring.

You had days like this sometimes, where your mental health was virtually nonexistent and you would rather sit alone in the dark with your thoughts rather than flick the light on and reveal the very real things behind those thoughts.

You vaguely heard the door open downstairs, and Damon's voice was like a lance through the fog in your mind. "Babe? Are you upstairs?"

You stayed silent though, brow furrowing while you tried to overcome the block in your brain that was stopping you from speaking. All that came was a frustrated sigh.

That was enough for the vampire, who quickly appeared in your room, seeming unperturbed by the thick blanket of darkness and despair. He came to sit next to you on the edge of the bed, hand finding yours to interlace your fingers.

"Bad brain day?" His tone was gentle, not a hint of judgement tinged into it. You appreciated that.

You gave a nod, slumping into the safety of his arms. He was always so sturdy, a rock against whatever storm you encountered.

He hummed low in his throat and pulled you both back onto the bed, turning on the fairy lights hanging around the room and tucking you under his chin.

That was where you laid for hours before he convinced you to have dinner, more than happy to let you feel whatever you needed.

..••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••..

"Are we sure that she is not going to lose her mind when she finds us doing this?" Damon sounded incredibly unsure, paintbrush dangling from his fingers.

You discarded your own, placing hands on hips before you replied. "It's washable paint and it's Caroline's 18th birthday!! Decorating her car is a great idea, trust me."

He raised an eyebrow at you and approached, coming chest to chest and threatening to get the paint dripping from his brush onto you. "Painting the most OCD Barbie I know's car as a surprise? Seems risky."

Your smile was devilish in return. "Since when does a little risk scare you, Salvatore?" You had barely finished your sentence before a gasp escaped, a line of paint now going down your cheek.

"Literally never." He lunged away as you grabbed for him, and you ended up painting yourselves much more than you touched the car.

..••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••....••°°°°••..

[corrodedcoffins-blog]

History Repeats Itself

masterlist

note: first jess one-shot!!! (and i'm actually proud of it???) also i say their baby is one but i don't know babies to well so if she's too advanced for a one year old, just cut me some slack

warnings: teen pregnancy, food/eating

word count: 4.7 k

♡ summary: Being a teen mom is hard but without any help it's even harder, after saving up enough she can finally move to Stars Hollow to be closer to her baby's father

♡ Jess Mariano x reader

request ✓

The bus ride down was long, and it only got worse as 1-year-old Caroline woke up from her nap and decided to let everyone know of the inconvenience. Finally after the long months of working and saving up she had enough to move to Stars Hollow, unlike Jess who had a parent to send them and an uncle to stay with, she saved up and made it happen. She wanted Caroline to be around her father, and she wanted to be close to Jess.

And Y/n’s always loved the idea of a small town, a place where you felt safe, a place she would feel safe raising her child in, a place that wasn’t $2,500 a month for a closet. Here she could give her daughter a lot more, here she would have a support system in Jess and Luke. Unlike what her parents would give her.

By this point in the bus route it was only the mother and daughter and a couple strays, she saw the messy haired boy sitting on a park bench close to the bus stop, of course he had his nose in a book. She started packing up Caroline’s stuff, tucking her blanket and toys in the basket of the stroller.

When she got to the bus doors, Jess quickly made his way to help her lift the stroller down the steps, when the stroller was once again on the ground Jess squats down getting face to face with his little girl, “Hey, Care!” “Daddy!” He lifted her up by her armpits. When the little girl was out of her seat and in her dad’s arms, her mom stacked their bags on the seat.

“Hi! You’re so big! Really she is. She’s growing up so fast.” “Well she can walk way more stable now. No more scaring, mommy that you’ll fall if I look away for a second.” She says the last sentence in baby voice while she tickles the girl’s belly to make her giggle and their foreheads to rest on each other’s.  

“So you gonna show us around?!” “‘Around’?” They continued their walk around the gazebo area, walking towards Luke’s. 

“This is it, that's the record shop, that’s the bookstore, that's Luke’s, and that’s all you need to know.” “Well where’s the bank, I might need to rob it later.” “You’ll find a job. And if you don’t then work at Luke’s, he could do with the time off then maybe he’d get off everyone’s backs.” “He’s probably stressed with you always causing trouble.” “Me? Trouble? Nooo, I’m a peach.”

-

Jess had the baby today since Y/n was off to find a job, her first stop was the most promising. Luke let her know that a friend of his needed extra staff at their Inn for an event that was coming up, someone who could be an assistant of sorts. So after wearing her most capable looking top, and best fitting jeans. She kissed Caroline’s check and yelled goodbye to Luke and Jess as she began her walk.

When she walked inside she saw a man at the front desk on the phone. Waiting to ask for directions, she hung around the man’s desk, busying herself with some pamphlet. She couldn't help but listen to the man’s angry English in his french accent.

Suddenly he hung up the phone and got back to writing whatever he was writing, without looking up and with an annoyed tone said, “Yes?” “I was looking for Lorelei, I’m here for-” “The assistant job, yes.. Follow me.” He walked quickly to wherever it was they were going, mumbling along the way, “Of course, an assistant. Just what we need around here. Not like I don’t already do most of the work around here.”

He opened the door for them, it ended up being the kitchen they were now in. A tall woman holding a to-go coffee cup that said ‘Luke’s’ on it and a shorter woman in an apron fighting with a scruffy man about vegetables, which look to be parsnips. 

“The mini-you is here.” “One little comment, Micheal. I’m not saying you’re incapable. I just want more help with organising events so I focus on planning!” “Whatever.” Turning on his heels, Micheal walked out the doors making his way back to his desk. 

“So you’ve met Micheal! Sorry, we usually don’t let him around the new people but we're a little short-staffed. Let’s head to the dining room.”

They sat down at a table in the dining room, Lorelei asked all the important questions, and Y/n was perfect, now she was just asking the things she’ll tell Sookie later when the woman asks about the new hire.

Taking a sip of her sixth coffee this morning Lorelei asked, “So, are you new to town? I haven’t seen you around before.” The girl was stirring milk into her second coffee as she responded, “Yeah, I am. I just moved here with my um- my daughter, closer to her dad so…” 

Since it was of course the time most adults got horrified, thought she was a bad kid, and though she didn’t get that vibe from Lorelei, it was at least bound to shock her. “You’re daughter? How old are you? Wait- I know, it’s on your resume. I mean- I’m, deja vu y’know? Abba did say ‘the history books on the shelf are always repeating themselves’.” 

She must have seen the confused look on the young girl and explained, “I had my daughter when I was sixteen.. And came here to get a job, so just getting major deja vu. Well then, since I know what you’re going through, I won’t put you through the short mental torture of waiting for a call I was gonna do and just tell you you got the job.” “Oh, thank you! I really need this, I can’t thank you enough.” “Just change her name to Lorelei and we’ll call it even.” “deal.” Those two would get along great, much to Luke’s misfortune.

-

Y/n sat at the counter with Caroline in front of her sitting on the counter while she played with her mother’s hair. Jess was filling up cups of coffee and serving customers while he listened to Y/n’s words.

“So until you go back to school, you’ll have Caroline during the day here and when I’m done work I’ll take her.” “No, you’ll never have a break. After work you go to your house, relax then grab her after dinner.” 

Jess may have this ‘I only care about myself’ attitude but that never included Caroline and Y/n, he’d kill for either of them at any given moment. He always put them first. If thought Y/n needed a break, she was getting a break whether she wanted it or not. 

Just as the girl was going to thank him she was interrupted by another girl around their age coming to sit down at the counter, two over from her. 

“I have the book you lent me.” She said, unknowingly interrupting the conversation since Jess was facing the coffee machine to make a new batch when she sat down. “Oh, thanks.” He muttered, notably not turning to face her.

On the inside Jess felt guilty. Why did he feel guilty? He didn’t do anything, he and Y/n weren’t together, nevermind the fact that all he did was lend Rory a book. As friends. Because they’re friends. But nonetheless it almost felt like cheating. Jess and Y/n may not be together officially but that didn’t mean that they both didn’t love each other. And not just because they were the parents to a beautiful little girl. Jess had always wanted more, he’d let the girl know that more than a handful of times, and she let him know it wasn’t unrequited, yet something always came between them.

You’d think having a baby together would bring them closer, and in some ways it did; they trusted each other more. But they also fought more and being the dumb teenagers they were, they didn’t have the emotional ability to move past that and build the relationship they both wanted. And then when they felt they were ready to, Jess was sent to live with his uncle. Just another fork in the road. But now they were living in the same town and had a good system, and people to support them. It was the perfect time, everything was going right, they could feel all the feelings that never really left resurfacing.

“Okay, I have to get to work. You’ve got her?” “Yeah.” “Bye, baby, I love you. I’ll see you in a little bit, but you get to spend all day with daddy.” “Bye-bye, mommy!” 

She said bye to Jess after she walked around the counter and handed him Caroline, muttering a small ‘go see, daddy’ that Rory most definitely heard.

When the door finally chimed shut Rory shot up to follow Jess to the table he was now setting Caroline up at. She watched his gentle movements as he readjusts her shirt and places crayons and paper in front of her, which she got right into scriballing away. 

“She’s yours?” “Yeah.” “.. So that girl is your girlfri-" "I’ve got work to do.” 

-

The warm atmosphere of the dinner is a stark contrast to the cold winter air. Noticing Jess and Caroline are nowhere to be seen she assumes they were upstairs and makes her way up the stairs. Half-way up the flight of stairs she could hear her little girl’s loud giggles. She quietly opens the door to see Jess holding Caroline above his head, as if she was flying.

When she first got pregnant everyone told her Jess wouldn’t be a good dad, that she can’t rely on him for anything. God were they wrong. She doesn’t think it’s possible for her baby to have a better person as a dad. She sadly doesn’t get to watch the scene for much longer as she’s spotted by little Caroline.

“Mommy! I see daddy ‘morrow?” “Yes, you get to be with daddy all day tomorrow too.” “Yay!”

As the conversation between them goes on, Jess lets his little girl plant her feet back on the ground and starts collecting some things she’ll need during the night before she comes back here tomorrow, he then starts getting Caroline’s shoes on her feet. While Y/n sits on the couch next to their little girl.

“So who was that girl this morning?” “Who?” 

Jess always did this, it was a tell tale sign that he didn’t want to talk about it, but that’s never stopped Y/n before. “You know who.” Of course having to be difficult, Jess gives her a fake confused look, as if he’s never met another girl in his life. 

“The one returning your book.” “Oh, that girl.” “Yeah, that girl.” “She’s nobody.” “So you just lend books to ‘nobody’s now?” “Care, where’s Mr.Wiggle?” The girl lets out a gasp and reaches out for Jess to help her off the couch, when he does she runs into the closet where she previously hid while playing hide and seek a couple hours earlier. 

“What? Don’t want Care to hear about her new step-mom?” “Don’t call her that.” “What? Care? Only you can call her that?” “No, don’t call Rory Care’s ‘step-mom’.” “Rory! I get her name!” 

Jess was a quiet guy, but not this quiet, especially not with Y/n. He didn’t want to talk about Rory, maybe because it was weird talking about another girl with your baby momma. And yes it was weird for Y/n too, but for a completely different reason, she assumes. She liked Jess, and has since before she even knew about Caroline.

“C’mon, Jess, it’s me. I want you to be happy.” Sure Rory made him happy, but only because she was the only friend he had here, it wasn’t the way Y/n made him happy. Before he could deny for words again Caroline came back running into the room with her stuffie in her hands. Having already said her goodbyes, she opened the door and walked out.

“Caroline, wait hun! I think you should go for it Jess.”

She walked out the door, closing it behind her, leaving Jess to stare at where she disappeared. He decided to take her advice, just maybe not the way she meant it

-

Y/n helped Caroline pack more snow onto their snowman. Caroline wanted to do it after she heard Luke complaining about town events again, he stopped complaining when he saw how excited the girl was. They had Mr.Wiggles off the side learning against the tree, using him as a reference. 

“Mommy, no. Mr.Wiggles has more hair.” 

Caroline was getting very comfortable ordering her mother around, but in this instance Y/n let it slide, poking more sticks on the top of the snowman’s head to mimic Mr.Wiggle’s spiky hair. 

“That’s good!”

Lorelei and Rory were just one snowman down, both told Caroline they thought she would win and encouraged her before she even started. Since they were so close, they could hear the scene that had just played out. 

“Tough age, wait till you get to the terrible twos. ‘No’ is all you’ll hear.” Lorelei said, kindly as her and her own daughter walked past them. Y/n let out a laugh at the comment before she asks, “You guys done already?” “No, but after Michelangelo over there busted out the power buffer, and when Caroline busts out her cuteness, what chance do we have?” “I see your point.” “So off to Luke’s we go.” “We’ll see you there in a bit.”

-

Y/n was standing talking to one of the decorators when she saw Lorelei and Sookie step out of the kitchen, quickly finishing her directions she wrote down a note on her clipboard then made her way to meet them at the entrance of the dining room.

When Sookie sees her, she asks, “What’re we looking at today?” Sookie was really fun to work with, like Lorelei she was very chill as a boss, but Sookie was also so kind and always took it upon herself to make sure Y/n has eaten and that her and Caroline are taken care of. She could tell the woman was going to make an amazing mother.

“This is last on the list.” She replied, after she took a quick glance at her clipboard, then continued, “We’ve got trumpets, the madrigal singers-” “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m not playing squire of Bracebridge.” 

Sookie and Lorelei must have finally told Jackson to play the squire, they told her earlier in the week that they were playing to ask at the last moments so he had to. It was a flawless plan, especially when Jackson can’t say no to Sookie.

She saw that Lorelei and Sookie were just ignoring him, so she played along and continued down her list, “All the servers are lined up. This is just for the recorder players and harpists.” She stopped at the recorder players and let Lorelei talk to them, “Hi. Lay some on us, guys.” 

The two recorder players played the soft tube they were going to come accustomed to in the next few days. The three of them shared positive looks and when their playing came to an end, Sookie said, “Hey, you cats really know how to blow those things.” Lorelei continued Sookie’s comment by saying, “You’ve got the gig. Y/n here will call you later with the details. Thanks.” 

Recorder players started packing their things, Jackson started again on the fact that he wouldn’t play the squire, and the three women continued to ignore him.

“When do the quests arrive?” “Thursday at four on their own jet.” “After buying out the whole inn.”

“Must be nice to have money.” Y/n added, checking off and writing down more notes on her clipboard.

“You know what struck me today?” “-Was it the fact that I am not the squire?-""We’re crazy for doing this.” “We’re beyond crazy.” It did feel crazy, Lorelei told her they’d never done a function this big before and that’s the reason they hired more help. Like her, but also that they were planning to do a lot more big things like this, more weddings, and such. 

“We’re ‘Anne Heche speaking her secret language to god and looking for the spaceship in Fresno’ kinda crazy.” “Oquinis no-goodo noto.” Sookie said, causing Y/n add, “Il ecnatra dos guidan.”

Their nonsense was once again interrupted by Jackson, “And spring this on me at the last minute too. I mean, that’s just manipulative.” Suddenly a cook pops his head out of the kitchen, saying calmly, “Sookie- fire!”

Sookie rolled her eyes softly, this happened far too often, before saying, “I gotta get back in the kitchen. You guys handle the harps?” Both women nodded and replied in unison, “You got it.” 

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll play squire Bracebridge if that’s what you want.” Everyone knew he would cave eventually. Sookie patted his arm and said a quick, “Thanks, sweetie.” before walking back into the kitchen to hopefully deal with the fire. “As long as it’s not just because I fit the costume.” Jackson looked back at Lorelei and Y/n, Lorelei had a grin on her face while Y/n wore a tight-lipped smile. “It’s because I fit the costume, isn’t it?” He followed after Sookie.

Lorelei put her arm around Y/n and led them to the harpist, “Go ahead.” The harpist played the same tune as the two recorder players. But just as the woman started, Lorelei got a call. She patted Y/n’s arm, “I have to take this, you handle the harpist.”

The girl tried to stay calm, nodding her head and going back to listening to the music. Lorelei trusted her, yes it wasn’t a big job by any means, but still it was a step into a bigger role down the line.

-

The next day, Sookie and Y/n had all the waiters/performers in the dining room going over what their job was. And teaching them the old English words to use for things.

Sookie was just telling Rune that he couldn’t just talk like an old man whe Lorelei came in with a disappointed look on her face, and let them know the dinner was off.

The three women, as well as Rory and Caroline were now sitting at a table at Luke’s, Caroline was happily eating her pancakes, plain just as she liked and completely unaware of the collective disappointment of the group.

Lorelei has really welcomed Y/n into her life. She may not be Jess’s biggest fan, but she would always help another teen mom out. Especially since she sees so much of herself in Y/n. She’s grown to really love the girl in the short time they’ve known each other. And aftering hearing Y/n didn’t have her family in her life she was more than happy to help and maybe become that family for her one day. Just like Mia did for her.

“I’ve got 30 pounds of aged beef, trays and trays of trout, mountains of prune tarts. I diced pumpkins until my hands turned orange. I’ve got pumpkin hands!” Sookie showed the table her hands, it apparently caught Caroline’s attention since she grabbed Sookie’s right hand and held it in her left while she continued eating. Sookie lets her hand rest in the little girl’s while she freaks out more and asks Lorelei, “How can you stay so calm?” “There’s nothing we can do about it.” 

Rory was just as upset, mostly because she knew how hard her mother worked on the planning, “I can’t believe they got snowed in.” Y/n hasn’t told Jess, but she’s become pretty close to Rory, the girl sometimes comes to the Inn and helps around and Rory’s become kinda her only friend, that was until Rory invited her to the record store with Lane. After that day she had two friends. 

After knowing Rory more, she realised how much she and Jess have in common, and even though Rory has a boyfriend she can tell there’s an attraction to Jess she’s trying so hard to hide. 

Y/n zoned out for a moment, looking outside, she was upset that the first event she helped organise wouldn’t even happen. She was broken from her stare out the window from Caroline jumping in place while sitting on her mom’s lap, the cause of which was Luke coming to the table. 

“You girls want anything besides coffee?” He asked, adding on with a pat on the girl’s head, “Or pancakes?” “Hey, what about Luke?” “What about him?” “He eats, and Jess eats. Doesn’t Jess eat?” Sookie directs the question at Y/n, before the girl could say anything Luke cuts her off, “What’s she doing?” “I think she’s inviting you for dinner.”

Getting distracted while trying to convince Luke to come to dinner, the four decide to still put on the dinner for the town. Like an out of control slumber-party.

-

The dinner was going great, the secret amazing part of inviting the town was that Y/n and Caroline could actually meet everyone. Miss. Patty and Babette loved Y/n and Caroline (mostly Caroline), Caroline loved Kirk, and everyone loved that Caroline could do whatever she wanted and Talor wouldn’t say anything. And Y/n got to meet Paris after all the stories she’s heard.

Caroline and Y/n were in line for the horse drawn carriage rides, when Caroline saw her favourite person, Lane. “Laney! I ride with you!” Lane, before agreeing, made eye contact with Y/n to make sure it was okay. Y/n gave them the go ahead and helped Caroline get settled. After their carriage left she made her way to the next one. Telling the driver it’s just her.

It was nice to get a break from everything. It was quiet and peaceful. Well that was until Jess ran up and hopped on the carriage next to her. Without a word he put the blanket that was over the girl’s legs on his too. 

“I thought you and Care were going together.” “She’s one ahead, with Lane.” “Ahhh. Well it’s two to a sleigh no more, no less. So you were breaking the rules, you're welcome for saving you.” “You could have hurt yourself.” “Aw, you care about me.” “You are my baby's father.” 

She wished she just agreed with him. She didn’t just care for him because he was Caroline’s dad, and she doesn’t think she says it enough. But then again, maybe it would mess things up if she admitted that. But that decision was made for her.

“I’m touched.” “Jess. I don’t mean it like that. I care about you, Caroline or not.” 

Trying to change the topic to something she thought was more lighthearted, she says, “So, how are things with Rory?” “There are no things with Rory.” “C’mon, Jess, we can talk about this stuff-” “Why are you so insistent that I date Rory?” 

She wasn’t expecting that outburst. Not from Jess. He rarely ever yelled at her, and when he did it was always misplaced anger, never actually angry at her. This time it was her, it was what she said.

“I just want you to be happy-” “C’mon, Y/n. Be serious.” “I am. I want-” “If you want me to be happy so bad, why won’t you give me a chance?!” 

He turned his face to her, looking right into her eyes, she could see the hurt in his. Did she put it there?

“What’re you-” “Since we found out about Caroline, I’ve tried and tried to help you realise that I love you. And not how you mean ‘I love you’. I don’t love and care for you because we have a family and I have to. I love you, because I want to. I want to be with you. And I know it will be hard, but I’ll do the work.” 

If she had more social awareness at the pent she would have hated that the coachman heard all of that. But after what Jess said, the look in his eyes; that was so full of love. She felt like it was just them two in the world. No, that it was just their little family in the whole world. He and Caroline were all she would ever need.

“I love you too, Jess. I have for so long, long before Caroline, but I thought you wouldn’t want to be tied down to me, especially after I had Caroline, that any sign I thought you gave me was all in my head.” “It’s not.” 

He brought her in closer to him, an arm around her shoulders and when her arms wrapped around his waist he left a kiss on the crown of her head. The small kiss brought her eyes up to him, which led to their first real kiss in one year and nine months. 

His lips were softer than she remembered, but they still fit into hers as if they never left.

She broke away from their reuniting kiss to place her head in the crook of his neck, wanting nothing more than to be close to him.

“My mom didn’t want me to come home.” She took her head out of his neck to look at him fully. They were always that person for each other, the one you can tell your problem to and they knew when to help and when listening was enough. Right now, she knew listening was enough.

“I’m sorry, Jess.” “It’s fine. Just sucks.” “I know. Well, Care and I will always want you to come home.” After her words, he brought her closer than before. She was always just what he needed. 

Wanting to change the subject, Jess nodded his head to the snowman Y/n and Caroline built. “It’s good.” “What?” “Your snowman, well Caroline’s snowman I'm sure she’d want me to say.” “You know which one’s ours?” “Definitely shows her personality… It kinda looks like Mr.Wiggles.” “That’s what we were going for. But everyone thinks the one on the end is going to win.” “Really? It’s so overdone.” “I agree.” “You and Care’s should win.” “Agree again.”

-

The dinner was filled with Jess and Luke confused at what exactly was in the food, Jess and Y/n trying their best to keep Caroline sat which about half an hour in they gave up and just let her walk around the lobby, as well as saying hello and talking to everyone at the table. Having an interesting conversation with Mrs.Kim about grace, ‘helping’ Kirk by sitting on his rolling food cart, and even talking with Paris for a while. 

Overall it was a great night. Even better when Jess, Y/n, and Caroline got to their shared room, putting Caroline asleep together for the first time in a while. And falling to sleep in the same bed together, holding each other, listening to each other’s breaths, as well as Caroline’s. Everything was just how they both always secretly wanted. And now get to have openly and freely. 

- 

In the morning Y/n got up early since she was technically working, and she still was when Luke, Jess, and Caroline left to open the diner for the day. It was around noon when Y/n finally left, walking to Luke’s to spend the day with her two favourite people. Which was when she saw Michelangelo’s snowman fallen to a large pile of snow on the ground.

She didn’t even have to think for a second to know that Jess did it. Sometimes he did the weirdest things to show his love.

The bell rang as she pushed open the door, she sat down next to Caroline, saying ‘good morning’ and getting one back before she made her way to the counter.

“I saw what you did.” “What’d I do?” “Caroline will be happy she won.” “Anything if my girl’s win.”

[hotshotsxyz]

this method acting (might pay our bills)

(1.1k) (gen) 8x02 coda with spoilers from the 8x03 teaser. it's still thursday on the west coast, so i'm counting this as a same day coda. anyway brad torrence is a menace and i'm setting up camp in his brain

Let it be known to all, Brad Torrence takes his craft very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that when he’s called to a real emergency, he answers that call without hesitation. After all, what better to inform his performance than real experience? Tonight, Brad is a firefighter; he doesn’t just play one on TV.

His fellow firefighter, Buck, doesn’t seem terribly enthused about his presence. He generally seems to have a worried air about him, though, so maybe it doesn’t have anything to do with him at all. There’s a certain degree of vanity required in his profession, but he isn’t entirely self-centered. Honestly, he’s just glad that Buck doesn’t seem to be starstruck. That would make this entire situation far more difficult.

“Try Athena,” Bobby commands, but before Brad can ask for her number, Buck’s already dialing. That’s fine, he supposes. There’s no time to waste.

Brad’s not actually completely sure who Athena is. Someone important, obviously, perhaps his lieutenant? His character on Hotshots is a bit of a lone wolf, but maybe there’s something else there to explore. He makes a mental note to ask the writers room about adding a new character in the back half of the season, a lieutenant for him to butt heads and then bond with. They could even make it a bit of a will-they-won’t-they. He’s sure they won’t mind a few rewrites.

The phone rings twice, then, to Brad’s surprise, the call connects.

“Buck? Where’s—”

“I’m right here, Athena,” Bobby interrupts. His tone is magnificent. Calm but firm, no doubt inspiring nothing but faith in the woman on the other end of the line, whoever she is to him.

“Oh, thank god, Bobby,” Athena says.

Her voice is a bit garbled. It wouldn’t make for good television, but some concessions must be made for reality, Brad supposes.

“I’m on a plane,” Athena continues. “It’s—it’s not looking great.”

“Athena, if there’s anyone who can land a plane it’s you,” Bobby says. There isn’t a modicum of doubt in his voice.

“If there’s anyone who can land a plane, it’s a pilot!” Athena protests. Brad wishes he brought a pen and paper. Her comedic timing is excellent.

“She’s got you there,” Brad says, leaning forward until his head is between Bobby and Buck.

The look Buck shoots him is just shy of murderous. He’d be a terrible actor, Brad thinks. It’s all about focus and purposeful expression, neither of which seem to be at the top of Buck’s priority list.

“Who the hell was that?” Athena asks.

“Brad Torrence,” he says smoothly, “but you can call me Brad.”

Buck’s expression shifts from murderous to incredulous. Again, terrible actor.

“Don’t worry about him,” Bobby says.

He inflects his words with the tiniest hint of irritation. It’s brilliant – how better to redirect the anxiety Athena must be feeling into something more manageable. Brad only hopes he’ll be able to meet her in person once this nasty business is over.

“I’ve got plenty to worry about. He doesn’t even make the top ten.”

Buck snorts. Rude.

“Tell me what’s going on,” Bobby says.

“Air traffic control is directing us to LAX, but—Bobby, I’m not sure we can make it that far. The hole in the fuselage is getting bigger and our airspeed is dropping fast.” Athena sounds scared, desperate. Caroline could learn a thing or two from her about emotional resonance.

“Did—did you say there’s a hole in the plane?” Buck asks. His voice has a certain gravely, intense timber that Brad supposes would do well in some genres. Action movies, maybe, but not the high budget kind.

“What do you need from me?” Bobby asks before she can answer the question.

“Do you got a runway in your back pocket?” Again, brilliant comedic timing. She has that perfectly acerbic wit that any good heroine needs to have.

Bobby thinks for a moment. “Can you make it to the 110?” he asks finally.

“That, I think I can do,” Athena replies.

“Buck,” Bobby says, only it sounds less like his name and more like a command.

“On it,” Buck says. He twists around in his seat and looks at Brad. “Give me your phone.”

“My—why do you need my phone?” Brad asks. “You’ve got one right there.”

“Come on, man, now,” Buck says, all bite with no room for argument.

“Fine, fine,” Brad says. He slides his phone from the pocket of his turnout pants and hands it to Buck, who doesn’t even thank him for it.

Instead, he turns back to the front and types out a quick text before dialing a number. The call connects almost instantly.

“Maddie,” he says, “I don’t have time to explain. I need you to shut down the 110, get as much traffic off it as possible. We need it completely clear from Sepulveda to Torrance.”

The woman on the other end of the line doesn’t reply directly. “All available units, we’re shutting down the 110. Create roadblocks south of Sepulveda and north of Torrance. All traffic must be cleared between those exits.”

“Thank you, Maddie, you’re the best,” Buck says when she’s done. So, some people do, in fact, get thanked when they do something helpful. It’s fine.

“Is it Athena?” Maddie asks.

“Yeah,” Buck says. “They can’t stay in the air much longer.”

“Alright,” Maddie says. “I’ll coordinate with the IC over there, get triage moved as fast as possible.”

“I’ll keep you in the loop,” Buck says.

The line goes dead, and Brad’s expecting to get his phone back, but Buck sends another text and dials another number. This time, it rings thrice before the call is answered.

“Buck,” a man says on the other end of the line. His voice is warm and honey smooth. Brad should ask his dialect coach about that.

“They’re not—Eddie, they’re not making it to LAX,” Buck says, rushed and a little less polished than he was for Maddie.

There’s a short pause, then the quality of the sound changes. “Where?” the man—Eddie—asks.

“The 110,” Buck says. “South of Torrance. We need you over here, fast as possible.”

It’s odd, hearing his name this many times when he’s not the subject of the conversation. If this was meant to be a TV scene, it’d be far too repetitive.  

“Pack it up, let’s go!” another voice calls. She must be a captain, if the authority she speaks with is anything to go off.

“We’re coming,” Eddie says.

Some of the tension in Buck’s shoulders seems to bleed away. Interesting. “See you soon,” he says.

He ends the call, and Brad turns his attention back to Bobby. After listening for a moment, he realizes that they’re now on a conference call, and Athena is speaking to someone who knows a great deal more about planes than he does.

Brad closes his eyes and leans back. They’ll be at the scene soon. It’s time to visualize. As long as he stays in character, nothing can go wrong.

[leonawriter]

Who Killed Goro Akechi?

Titled thus because I was just going through the scene right after Mementos merges with reality, after they've failed to defeat the grail, and "Igor" tells Akira that he's lost the game.

And I'm like, ok, I've seen this a fair few times before. I know the script.

But then I was paying attention, and I just went WAIT WAIT WAIT HANG ON A MINUTE HERE.

"In accordance to the game's rules, the defeated must pay a price."

"Your life is forfeit."

"I sentence you to be executed."

And I was just... hang on. There's been more than one player in the game. If we go back to the earlier lines, "Igor" also says "You were mean to bring change to mankind, but it seems that was too much for you."

In a sense, all of this could also be applied to Goro Akechi.

Akechi was also forcing mankind to react and to change, albeit via chaos and uncertainty rather than encouraging people to stand on their own two feet the way the Phantom Thieves were trying to.

And what happens in the engine room?

Akechi loses the game.

He realises that Akira and the PT fooled him, and when he tries to get the better of them one last time, he fails. We often talk about how after he was defeated he "almost went over to their side" - but isn't that another aspect of his "defeat" in Yaldabaoth's eyes? Akechi admits, effectively, that he accepts the Phantom Thieves' way of doing things over his own.

And it's here that we get Cognitive Akechi, who comes in and starts talking about how the Captain (Shido) sees him, gives him an option to rejoin (or for the PT to switch sides), and.... hm, isn't that familiar?

Here's Caroline saying "If that's what our master wishes..." with Akira having a response tree of-

-"You're going to execute me?" -"Are you serious?" -or just plain being unable to speak (he could also be unspeakably angry, but he seems far more scared than angry, here).

Next, Akira refuses to die, because he has people relying on him.

I'm reminded of how with Akechi, once he's behind that bulkhead door, if you haven't finished his confidant he'll say something to the effect of "So my final enemy is a puppet of myself, how fitting."

If you have maxed his confidant? You get Joker telling him he can't die yet, as he has a promise to fulfil ("I'll hold onto your glove") with the implication that it's something that Akechi can use as motivation to want to keep living.

In both, it's "I can't die, I have a reason to live, and that reason is at least one other person."

When the twin wardens try to "execute" Akira, now in his Joker attire as his will of rebellion has manifested, Justine says "If our master orders so... then it cannot be helped..."

I'm reminded of how Cognitive Akechi was a being of pure servitude toward his Captain (master), Shido. If the Captain willed it, he'd even die for him.

This one feels similar, because the twins were never supposed to have "execution" as part of their duties at all, and both parties were pushed into a sense of unfailing loyalty to someone who never cared for them, and who warped their duties to something wrong.

In fact, I just went back to confirm the lines for Cognitive Akechi, and-

Yup.

Top is Cognitive Akechi saying "Captain Shido's orders... He has no need for losers." and the lower one is "Igor" saying "You have lost the game."

Basically, the same lines.

To the point that...

Cognitive Akechi: "Here, I'll give you one last chance. Shoot them."

God of Control: "I shall grant you an opportunity to make a deal with me."

Both times, it's clear that this is the wrong thing to do, and in both cases, the person being offered rejects said deal entirely - Akechi by shooting the switch to activate the bulkhead door, making it impossible for his cognitive self to attack the Phantom Thieves, and Akira by denying Yaldabaoth and reaffirming his bonds with the Thieves once he's told that they're also there.

I titled the post the way I did, because the way Shido is used by Yaldabaoth, I would not be surprised if Cognitive Akechi isn't just a product of Shido's mind protecting him against threats from, say, his own attack dog, but also?

This is Yaldabaoth's way to quite literally execute the first piece he started to play with, since Goro Akechi had failed as a Trickster and had "lost the game" - and as he and cognitive Akechi both say, losers end up dead.

So the question is - who really killed Akechi? Was it Shido's cognition? Was it Yaldabaoth? And was that cognition even an original part of Shido's palace in the first place, to that extent? How much was it "appropriated" at the "right" time, here?

There are far too many coincidences for me to pass it off as such

But the highlight for me at least, is this:

In both terms of Akira and Akechi's "executions," it's their sense of thinking and feeling that "I can't die, I have a reason to live, and that reason is at least one other person" that keeps them alive. And to the point, it's what keeps Akira's sense of rebellion so strong, and against nigh insurmountable odds.

If anything, it supports the fact that with Akechi's confidant maxed, he really does live, because that, too, echoes Akira's experience in the Velvet Room not even a full month later.

[imnameimswrld]

╰┈➤ ❝ [𝐂𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐁𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧 || 𝗢𝗣𝟴𝟭 ꒱꒱

━━ ❪ . . . oscar x verstappen!surfer!reader ❫

━━ ❪ . . . description : freshly surfing world champ, yn goes to take some much needed time off, and starts her vacay off by attending the miami grand prix. her intention was to support her big bro, but it appears a certain papaya driver had other plans; ❫

━━❪ . . . smau ! ❫

━━❪ . . . warnings : none ❫

━━❪ . . . fc : caroline marks ❫

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

ynverstappen

liked by maxverstappen1, oscarpiastri, and 767 224 others

ynverstappen world champion, blessed, thank you to the beautiful cali waves 🌊🏆

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user so well deserved, congrats yn !

bestfriend you were WICKED on the waves girl !!

maxverstappen1 let's gooo, congrats sissy ♡

⤿ ynusername couldn't have you being the only world champ in the fam, now could I ? 😋

⤿ maxverstappen1 no, no you just couldn't 😤

user the verstappen siblings are just legendary

user so with the break coming up, will we see yn at the next grand prix 👀 ?

⤿ user plus the next ones in miami, super close to cali, so 🤞 !!

oscarpiastri congratulations yn, coolest world champion ever 👏🥇

[ liked by ynverstappen ]

user and if I said yn and oscar would be SO cute together ?

Boeta 🏎

hey sissy

where r u ?

Sissy 🌊

chillin'

what's up ?

Boeta 🏎

no, I mean where r u

you said you were gonna be the paddocks when I got back from my meeting ?

Sissy 🌊

oohhhh

well, I am in the paddock

just not yours

Boeta 🏎

what ?

yn, are u hiding in dani's closet again to scare him ?

Sissy 🌊

ahhh, good times

but nope, I'm in the mclaren paddocks

Boeta 🏎

oh

is lando talking your ear off again ?

Sissy 🌊

nah, lol

I'm uh, actually with chilling with oscar

Boeta 🏎

piastri ?

since when are you guys on chilling level

Sissy 🌊

since he asked me out to dinner later

[read]

Boeta ?

uhhhh, boet ?

[read]

ynverstappen

liked by redbullracing, schecoperez, and 977 335 others

ynverstappen soooo good being back in the paddocks, thanks so much for having me redbullracing – and ofc, congrats boeta on p1 ! 💙

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user soooo, did anyone else see the video of oscar and yn walking around together ??? dude had the dopiest smile on his face too 😭

redbullracing you're practically family yn ! 💙

[ liked by ynverstappen ]

user 2 champs 🏆

danielricciardo thanks for not scaring the crap out of me this time yn :)

⤿ ynverstappen ah, there's always next time dan 😄

⤿ danielricciardo no no, pls don't.

mclaren hope you had a wonderful time at the race yn ! 🧡

⤿ redbullracing are you going to apologize for stealing her from out paddocks ?

⤿ mclaren are we supposed to ?

⤿ oscarpiastri of course not.

⤿ maxverstappen1 thin ice piastri, watch it.

user uhhh, not redbull and mclaren battling it out over yn 😭

user my yncar ship is HERE BDJEHZIS

oscarpiastri just added to their story !

[ caption 1: stolen forever maxverstappen1 🤚 ; caption 2: 🧡 ]

Boeta 🏎

oscar is really bold

Sissy 🌊

oh, I know 😁

it's one of the many reasons why I like him

Boeta 🏎

so you like him then ?

like, really like him ?

Sissy 🌊

yeah, I do boeta

Boeta 🏎

okay then...

invite him to the lunch tomorrow

Kelly has been dying to see the two of you together

Sissy 🌊

she's so prescious I love her

and thanks boeta, for being cool with all this

Boeta 🏎

hey, i may be protective, but who am I to tell you who you can and can't date sissy

Sissy 🌊

🥺🥺 , houd van je 💙

Boeta 🏎

mhm, hou ook van jou 💙

ynverstappen

liked by oscarpiastri, kellypiquet, and 878 301 others

[ tagged: oscarpiastri ]

ynverstappen had some cake by the ocean with my papaya boy... p.s yes, the cake he bought me brought me to tears 🍰 🧡 🌊

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user BYE I'M GONNA GO CRY IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE

user stop that cake is so cute 😭😭

oscarpiastri I'm just happy to call you mine, liefie :)

⤿ ynverstappen and I'm just as happy to be your liefie ❤

⤿ maxverstappen1 not the dutch- ya'll gonna make me puke.

⤿ kellypiquet max, stop bullying your sister and oscar and go clean the litter boxes dammit

⤿ ynverstappen oohhh, mother is mad now boet, better get to it then 😄

⤿ maxverstappen1 you're staying in my house.

⤿ ynverstappen says who ? I'm staying at oscar's – plus, you know how I love the aussie waves

[ liked by oscarpiastri ]

⤿ maxverstappen1 yn verstappen istg... girl gets a bf and thinks she's the shit.

⤿ kellypiquet MAX.

⤿ maxverstappen1 I'M GOING.

user can I make this comment section my roman empire ?

user I'm laughing and crying rn, this is too funny

[imaginespazzi]

I have a head canon where Paige has a realization during the overtime video with Jaden Owens that she wants to be with azzi forever and she’s ready for more commitment. Right when the video cuts off Jaden says “it’s like your sharing your life with your best friend”

Can you write a one shot where Paige has this realization after she says that and then she talks to Azzi about it? I’m obsessed with the way you write pazzi!

This is maybe shorter than you wanted and written in about the span of an hour (so unedited) but I kinda fell in love with this, so hopefully it's at least a little bit like you'd hoped for:

“It’s like you're sharing your life with your best friend”

It's been almost half a day since the podcast had filmed and Jaden's words are still echoing through Paige's head, as she lies on her hotel room bed, staring at the bright lights in the ceiling. That nagging voice in her head, exasperatedly telling her you already do share a life with your best friend, sounds a lot like Caroline, Paige thinks. It's not wrong. In between sharing closets and friends, and hopes and dreams, and spending every second they can together, the lines have merged so much that Paige's life feels a lot like PaigeAndAzzi's life.

All her life, Paige has been just a little bit scared of committing to anything except the ball in her hands and the court underneath her feet. She'd made as much clear in the podcast today too when the topic of marriage had come up. In the moment, she'd stuck to her default, that she needed more time, the same line she's been repeating to Azzi for god knows how long. Then Jaden had said those ten words, like it was the most simple thing in the world, and it had felt like Paige's whole way of thinking had come crushing down.

“It’s like you're sharing your life with your best friend”

And it should scare Paige, the realization that she already has that, something so deep, so powerful and yet so fragile, but instead she feels an unprecedented surge of calmness, her constantly moving body, suddenly finding a sense of stillness. If there was ever a feeling she could capture in a bottle, she thinks it might be this one, this feeling of knowing, she's found forever.

It takes about three rings for Azzi to pick up the facetime call. She's leaning against her headboard, hair pulled into a bun, eyes glimmering with sleep. Despite being clearly tired, the smile she has for Paige, just for Paige, is dazzling. And maybe that's why Paige isn't scared. Because if that's the smile she gets for the rest of her life, really it's all she could ever want.

"I thought you'd be out and about in town," Azzi says with a knowing grin.

"Nah," Paige shakes her head, "that's not the life for me anymore."

Azzi raises a questioning eyebrow at the phrasing, head falling back against her pink pillow, "is that so? No more party P?"

"Think I'm ready to settle down. Two kids, a suburban house with a big yard, all of that stuff you know?" and even if she says it with a joking smile, Paige knows that, that's the truth. Maybe not right now right now, but that's the future she wants and she wants it with Azzi.

"No pets?" Azzi asks, playing along as she squints at Paige through the phone.

"Well, I thought Stewie was a given," Paige says slowly and even through the scratchy connection, she hears Azzi's voice hitch at the meaning behind her words.

"Stewie-," Azzi bites her lip nervously, "you see all of that with Stewie?"

"Duh," Paige rolls her eyes dramatically but her heart is beating rapidly, "I can't imagine a future without Stewie. There's no house or two kids without her. Do you think-," it's the blonde's turn to chew at her lips as she stares intently as the brunette on her phone screen, "do you think Stewie would want that too? A life with me? Forever?"

It's been a long time coming, and Azzi has been ever so patient, maybe more patient than Paige had deserved. Maybe, maybe it deserves better than a long-distance facetime call and a conversation disguised using Azzi's dog's name but something about this moment feels right. And Paige wishes Azzi was here next to her, so she could kiss her feelings into the younger girl's skin, mark her with the words you're my forever.

Something wet shimmers against Azzi's eyelashes as the softest smile adorns her face, "I think Stewie would want that a lot. I think she's wanted it for a really long time actually. She was just waiting for you."

"I'm sorry I made her wait so long," sincerity is etched into every syllabus as something a little bit like guilt pools in Paige's stomach, guilt at having denied both of them the chance to just be happy.

"You were worth the wait."

[clockwayswrites]

Hi! I know that I comment a lot on your stuff, so I'm sorry if that gets annoying. You are just my favorite DCxDP author and I really, really love all of your works! I'm planning on binge reading and rereading most of your works tonight. I love the latest chapter of A Hill To Die On! I've been so excited to meet Alvin and you are right, he's just scared. Sometimes I wish I had discovered your works later so I would have more stuff to read, but waiting for a new chapter is fun. I'm always so excited when you post something new! A quick thought- I don't know why, but I've always imagined Alvin as a ginger. Strange! Anyways I hope you have a wonderful day!

Oh, no! Never apologize for comments (I mean, which unless they are rude or demanding and you all are lovely here). Comments help keep me going and let me know what people want to see more of and give me ideas! And it's fun to see the same icons popping up time after time~

I'm so glad that you and others like Alvin! I've realized I was a bit nervous about introducing him and getting him right. But also he just wasn't showing himself to me. I could see him as a feisty red head if he could choose! I do think he'll show up less than Tim and Caroline but who knows! Like most of my most liked fics, this one started from a very stupid place and yet here we are lol.

Soon is summer and I'm (technically) off work so I hope to get to write more soon! Especially since my hands are doing better~

[fandoms--fluff]

Could you make a Hope x fem reader story we’re ready ends up getting in trouble at school for something stupid like getting into a fight and hopes worried at first but the once she knows Y/N fine she gets mad about her being stupid and getting the fight also if you can make Caroline in change of the school instead of Alaric bc he sucks

Together

Female hybrid reader x Hope Mikaelson

Warnings: Mentions of death and blood, and murdery tendencies?, anger/rage issues.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Can I go now" You huff, leaning back into the un-comfy arm chair across from Caroline Forbes, the headmistress' desk. Where she's sat, hands folding on the desk.

"No. You started a fight between two other vampires, killing one of them and almost killing the other." Caroline states, anger clear in her tone.

"So? They were annoying me and wouldn't. shut. up. They kept on going on and on about how much stronger they are than I am, even though I'm a damn hybrid. And so I snapped. Kind of. If I snapped all the way they'd be bloodied up way worse and both'd be dead. Not. just. one" You ground out, eyes turning an amber yellow and your veins appearing under your eyes.

Caroline shudders back and removes her hands from the top of the desk.

"Hmm, not so tough as you claim to be, or want to be seen as" You chuckle, not bothered with the caution and fear in her eyes and body stance.

"Oh come on, Blondie, no hard feelings, right?" You smirk and stand from the ugly chair, leaving the office with a mouth hanging open Caroline in your wake.

"Wait-ugh" Caroline huffs, giving up before she herself faces the consequences. She's annoyed with how easily you can get under her nerves and how, and she hates to admit it, she's a bit scared of you.

You have more than anyone has kept count of people you've murdered, and one more just got added to that giant never ending list twenty minutes ago.

Smirking, you walk down the hallway and head to your room. Once you got inside and shut the door, you sigh in relaxation when your head hit the pillow on your bed. You pick up the book from your bedside table and flip to the marked page you left off on.

"Please don't tell me what everyone is saying is true" Hope bursts into the room, slamming the door behind you. You look up to your girlfriend from the book and sigh.

"Is it really that bad?" You say sarcastically. "Yes, it is! Are you alright? Did something happen beforehand?" She exclaims, worry evident in her voice.

"Depends what you mean by 'something'" You relax back into your pillow.

"God, what were you thinking? Why did you kill that boy?" She huffs, sitting down on the foot of your bed.

"Well he was annoying so I fixed the problem" You shrug your shoulders in boredom. "Killing people is not a way to fix your problems, Y/n. Haven't we been over this before?! I swear we have" She's on the verge of yelling.

"So what if we have? You knew what you were getting yourself into once you started dating me, death, killing, trauma, the whole damn nine yards. Just like you. Except for minor differences obviously!" You stood up from the bed, crossing your arms as to not lash out and hurt your girlfriend. Even if you are fighting at the moment, you still care about her.

Sometimes you can't control your rage and you've ended up hurting people you love.

It all surprisingly got easier when your girlfriends father, Klaus Mikaelson, turned you into the only living hybrid this day. And ironically you ended up dating his daughter. Yeah, you're life is kinda...weird? to say the least.

Hope followed by standing up and tried reaching out to you. "No" You step away, backing into your desk. "Don't come any closer, I don't want to hurt you" You clamped your hands over your ears, holding tight until you couldn't hear anything but your thumping heart.

"You won't hurt me," Hope sighs. "Look, I know how the anger you feel is heightened, even more so than mine, but I'm here for you. All you have to do is let me in. And maybe ease up on the spontaneous murders." Hope walks over to you and pulls your hands away from your ears.

"At least at the school" She finishes. Baby steps, that's where she'll start. You chuckle in between deep breathes. "...Fine. We'll work on it. Together?" You slowly say.

"Yeah, together" She places a kiss on your lips.

[theprenderelliepalace]

Damon Salvatore x fem!reader

Perception

Summary: Y/N drops some books off at the Salvatore residence, she expects to find trouble, being the odd one out and everything, she doesn't expect his name to be Damon Salvatore.

Warnings: For mature Audiences, themes of assault, drunk Damon (well isn't that new? Said no one ever.), uh, does a 'takes no shit' !reader count as a trigger?, Elena being a mysterious plot point

Words: 1.7k

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I watched Elena Gilbert make this weird expression at me... Caroline was saying something stupid, Bonnie was arguing with that judgemental gleam in her hazel eyes, but what caught my attention, was that foreboding purse of Elena's lips. The furrow of her flawless brow, the way her eyes sparked with something that scared me. It was almost hidden, she smiled wryly in my direction. Her eyes like daggers that penetrated my skull, it made me shiver; as I felt like I had been stripped bare of anything that belonged to me in that moment. Any ground or loyalty I had in our friend-group, I knew was gone, with the flick of Elena's hair behind her shoulder- my other friends hadn't even realised yet, but they would. Come morning I would be a stranger, even to my closest friends since kindergarten. I would be on the fringe of everything I used to know.

I was 12 when I stopped hanging out with the most popular girls in Mystic Falls. Strangley, I never regretted that day. What I had seen in my closest friend, that unexplainable glint about her that still gave me nightmares, had opened my eyes to something dark in the shitty little town I'd spent my entire life in. I said I'd never regretted that day, that was until the vampires came...

~~~~~

"Yes Care, i will be there before dark." I pinched the bridge of my nose, willing the annoying voice on the other end of the line to go bother someone else. "No, I did not tell Stefan." I responded dryly. Elena was in danger, yet again. Klaus was on the prowl, for the daggers, for Elena's blood, for all of us... And Caroline was bugging me about my communication skills. "Well seeing as I'm dropping these old spellbooks for Bonnie at the boarding house, I figure, 'Hey, why not kill two vampires with one study session from hell." I groaned internally as Caroline got heated over the phone. I slammed the back door to my dad's old Toyota corolla, opening the drivers side and collapsing into the leather seat. "Then take it up with someone who cares Caroline. Sorry, I'm driving through a tunnel, on an airplane, while hanging up the phone."

I can't even remember what I did with my phone, all I know is that I started my engine and reversed out of my driveway, heading for the outskirts of the town and towards the infamous Salvatore residence.

It had been 4 goddamm years since I called those girls my friends. I had seen an entire 'nother leap year, in the time it took for these bitches to deem me useful. I travled with my mom, Rome, Paris, India, Africa. I would've gotten my high-school diploma six months ago, if I hadn't had to move back to this ancient cesspool of a town.

And don't misunderstand me, that is the time it took for my life to go to crap. Vampires, the Salvatore Brothers, Elena... I shuddered in my seat, clenching my hands around the wheel as I thought about her.

I was so lost in my thoughts, that I jumped when I reached the boarding house. It was tall and looming, with an ominous darkness catching the corner of my eye. I sighed as I parked, readying myself for the chaos of the two people I despised more than Mystic High's Queen Bee. You see, in the last 6 months I had discovered something about myself, I was perceptive. Yes, I have always been a little more aware than perhaps usual, but it was more than that. I was something supernatural, I didn't know what but I did know that I could see magic, hear a vampires nearly imperceptible heartbeat and feel the forces of nature that others couldn't even dream about.

It was strange, knowing you could see other people when they never expected to be seen at all. I could read their faces, know their tells, pick apart their lies. It was why I was suddenly on the Mystic Falls supernatural hit-teams most wanted list. I could see. I scoffed as I pulled the back door of my car open. Heaving the heavy books into my arms, shifing my weight into my lower back as I ambled up the porch steps to the front door. If all these people needed me for was my sight, then these assholes should really get their eyes checked.

The door was already open, I ducked in sideways, trying to keep my balance while toppling books inched out of my grip. "Let me take those off your hands." I audibly groaned, the voice that assaulted my ears was silky smooth, like fine wine pouring into my ears.

"Damon, look what the bat dragged in." I couldn't see him over the pile of scripts and dusty memoirs of old witches, but I could hear his stupid smirk as he took the pile away from me.

"Still as snarky as ever Y/N. Didn't your mummy ever teach you to be nice to charming men who carry your books?" Anyone else wouldn't have noticed the foe-disdain in his voice, or the slight quicking pace in his pulse, of course, I'm not anyone else.

"Oh! That's what the karate classes were for." I looked at him now, this tall,brooding, Greek God of a man was attracted to me. Stupid I know. That's what I thought too, but I've never been wrong. Especially not since I came into my powers. Normally I would take the shot, go for it, but I had no chance. He was in love with his brothers girlfriend, a stupider decision if you ask me.

"Glad I've only ever seen you in action once or twice then." He smirked. I walked past him and into the living room. The fire was roaring, as I often found it was when Damon was alone on a Thrusday through Sunday afternoon. Where he was the rest of the time, I hadn't had the stomach to ask. I laughed unconvincingly.

"Didn't I almost shoot you in the face when you first tried to use me as a human pincushion?" He set the books down with a thud on the ornate coffee table. I set mine down with a far greater deal of grace. He frowned at me.

"Details, details. Besides," He took a step towards me, he smelled like alcohol and something else..."the way to a vampire, is always through his heart." He grabbed my hand, gently at first, clinging onto it as I tried to pull away. He made me touch his chest, it was firm and rising jaggedly with air he didn't need.

I glared at him. "You're drunk. Go leech on something else," i paused "leech." He laughed, it sent shivers down my spine, his eyes were deadly and cold. He pulled me flush against him. I wasn't unused to this radical "Damon Behavior", but there was something wild about his eyes. Something needy. To be honest, maybe I was needy too.

"Someone should teach you manners little lady." Or maybe not. I timed it perfectly, jutting my elbow out from between us into his diaphragm, he caught my arm, blocking it and shifting my upper body to the right. His lips found my ear, his breath tickled as he whispered into my hair. "One day that mouth of yours will bite off more than those pretty little lips can chew.

"Someone should teach you the modern cure for the insufferable womanizer." I spat. Then suddenly- I was on the couch, the fire crackled so loudly in my ears I thought my head would explode. Damon was leaning over me. His ebony hair feathered against his forehead, his lips were inches from mine, our breath mingled into each other. I felt his body become hotter above me, it was almost startling compared to his cool demeanor at the door. "Damon, please. Use at least one brain cell to think about this stupid decision you're making-"

He cut me off, "See that's the thing Y/N, you talk to me with that foul little mouth of yours and think it's okay. No one talks to me like that." For the first time in an agonizing ten minutes he looked away from me. "I never let anyone talk to me like that. But its like this-" if we had been having this conversation like normal people, I would've smiled at the hint of Italian in his accent. "I do let you. You drive me crazy. I hate you for that."

I tensed. "Well people who hate each other don't treat one another like this. So one of us is lying." I don't know if I knew who was lying to themselves between the both of us, but maybe that would give me enough of a chance to distract him and then-

And then he was kissing me. It was deep and firey. He moaned against my lips as he parted them with his tongue, his grip around my waist tightened as he explored my mouth. It all happened so quickly, I barely began to understand what was happening before "I don't like lying Y/N."

What the hell was that?

He bolted away from me and was on the other side of the room so fast he was only a blur. He started to say something, probably to shout at me in his drunken stupor, but I was quicker- "Did you say that out-loud?" I asked, I was breathless and disgusted and fascinated all in the span of 5 seconds.

He made a face at me. "The hell, "did I say that?" He mocked my question,he was agitated, borderline disbelieving. "I was in the middle of kissing you, moron. I did not say that. What the hell did you do?" He held his arms close to his chest, obviously he felt as violated as I did. I scowled at him.

"Then, moron, did you think it?" He looked at me with big, blue, question- filled eyes.

"I-"

"Y/N?" Shit, Bonnie, i glanced to the door. I turned back to the fireplace and the leather-clad, bad boy vampire was gone. I pinched the bridge of my nose... worst timing ever Bonnie Bennet...

What the hell just happened?

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Ta-da! Ooo la, la... I'm a sucker (haha, get it?) for mystery and suspense.

Did you like the little nudge towards something Elena related, without having to deal with like, Elena..?

But chill, there will be a little bit of everything for all you shippers.

I don't know where I'm going to take this story yet, so feel free to Ask, or request or whatever and maybe things will turn in your favour... :0

Read pt 2 here: Read part 3 here:

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