#Christine I know what the problem is

[pointless-letters]

Great to see the Daily Express letters page leaping so wholeheartedly into the “Actually, gruel is good” stage of the discourse.

[musicals-and-mushrooms]

guys how do you deal with the 'popular kids'? Like seriously even if they arent targeting me specifically everything they say feels like theyre making fun of me and theyre dragging me down and they shouldnt be able to do that if im being honest like i know my worth im a debate team captain with 3 medals of excellence(75% A grades across all subjects) college colours, have a lead role in a musical and lots of friends like i believe im a good person and i know im a person that can win in arguments im a really good actor but for some reason theyre able to turn me into a literal pushover (i got pushed over in sport yesterday on accident) and ill just be like yeah im fine im sorry because everything feels threatening like they could be just talking with me and i feel like theyre making fun of me i cannot read social situations to save my life WAIT THATS THE PROBLEM I KNOW MY FRIENDS SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY ARE SAYING BUT I DONT REALLY KNOW THESE GUYS SO I ASSUME EVERYTHING IS A THREAT AND TBH IT MIGHT BE BUT OH THATS IT but yeah if someone has any advice please help because this isnt like the musicals?? Probably closest to bmc im in my jeremy era but also BACK TO PLAY REHEARSAL MY BRAIN IS LIKE BZZ MY HEART IS LIKE WOW BECAUSE IM ALMOST AT PLAY REHEARSAL AND ITS STARTING ITS STARTING ITS STARTING SOON!! TOMORROW AFTERNOON!!! so hopefully ill be able to be more christine and yeah thats my life advice would be appreciated👍

[lohstandfound]

ignore this.

learning to shut up when i dont have anything new to say to the discussions my mutuals are having about the treatment of the female characters in this show and fandom

even though ive just gone ahead and rambled in the tags a bunch of bullshit

[yona049]

𝕻𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖔𝖒 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕺𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖆 𝖝 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖊𝖗

Part 1

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

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Disclaimer!

This is a story following the events after the Phantom of the Opera (2004) and only follows the movie and not any other adaptations!

Started with this fic a few years ago and finally continued bc I couldn't find any new fic's to read! 🥺

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(For ambiance~)

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Y/n stood with her feet planted infront of the burning Palais Garnier opera house, the ashes of a once red stage curtain falling on her bare shoulders. The only bit of warmth was the costume she was wearing.

A red fire dancer, her hair still in perfect shape. Tho it seems that the other staff of the Opera house weren't as lucky.

Her home was burning down infront of her eyes, and snow did nothing but usher on the burning flames of rage.

This was the doing of one Phantom of the opera. The damned demon took it all from them, their home, their jobs and even Christine Daaé.

The lead singer and great musician that made Y/n dance like never before, Christine's sweet melody made her feet float inches from the ground as her soul danced in sync with her body.

One shiver crawled up Y/n's spine when she heard an unghastly scream. Her feet simply lept to it, only to find a man crawling out of the burning opera house.

"Monsieur!" she cried out to him.

His face seemed to have already been caught by the fire and he barely wore anything but a shirt and his trousers. Y/n fell to her knees beside his weak body.

"Don't worry, Monsieur, you are out of the fire! Please, be still! You are injured. "

She trembled watching blood force its way through the thin gaps between the snowflakes. Blood still warm enough to melt and merge with ice to water.

In a desperate attempt, Y/n pulls off the bottom part of her dancing grown and desperately looked for the point of injury when she finally found the wound on the calve on his leg.

Tieing it tightly before Y/n hoisted him up to his feet.

"Please lean on me, we need to get further from the flames!"

He didn't speak, only grunted in pain. His voice was deep, without effort as if he was willing to Perish without hesitation.

Y/n took a moment to gently touch his burnt skin on his face, he didn't seem to whine. It was as she thought, the wound was not from the fire that had engulfed many others in its treacherous flames.

She shakes herself awake and quickly focuses on the problem at hand.

"I have strength to carry you, but you'll need to carry your consciousness for a little while longer!" she shutted, her voice swelling with pity for him.

'What happened to this poor soul?' She wondered and dragged his feet though the snow.

Y/n didn't know his name, nor his origin from the opera house. Perhaps a operator for the theater special effects? Or perhaps a member of the audience, sitting among the red velvet seats and nearly getting crushed by the chandelier falling loose from its hinges.

It wasn't long after when Y/n and the other performers were taken to a nearby inn. Perhaps it was the will of a greater power that the Opera managers didn't leave them to rot on the streets. Rather to reclaim insurance funds or come around a lone?

At least, she hoped that was the case. But for the moment, she was afraid of what might happen.

The opera house had been home for the last eighteen years of Y/n's life. No, certainly more!

Her father was a dancer, and her mother's legacy had been lost among the chatter and rumors of the opera.

Y/n's father had passed when she was only ten. Now, she was eighteen years older and she promised to follow in his dancing steps to fame.

Still engulfed in her thoughts Y/n stared into the small oil lamp flames while she sat on the bed of the inn. The figure of a woman danced in the red and orange colors.

This seemed to distract her from the man waking up from his exhausted slumber behind her.

He winced with a grumble when Y/n's head turned to face him. His palm covering the burn on his face that she saw before.

"Monsieur?" she whispered in an effort not to frighten him.

His gaze slowly trailed to Y/n's worried expression, but his palm never left his face.

Y/n took this opportunity to explain their predicament.

"Please, do not be frightened. We're in an inn, the managers have sent us to wait until they can reclaim funds."

She stood up to take the bowl of water and cloth to dampen the burnt flesh on the man's face.

She knelt down beside the bed and lightly lifted the damp cloth to his face. His eyes met hers, but Y/n only stared in silence hoping he'd understand her efforts.

Tho he was hesitant, his palm lightly lifted from his face. She feared the wound was still hissing with pain. Lightly the cloth is placed onto his eye and he gave a simple sigh of relief.

Silence filled the room, it would've seemed like only the stars were their witness if it weren't for the drunken cheers from the bar below.

Finally the man took a breath and spoke.

"What of Christine Daaé? Has she been found?"

Y/n's breathing seemed to betray her when her body couldn't fathom the gentle voice the man muttered. She tried to form words, creating a stutter.

"Y-yes, it um, It seems she has been retrieved by the Viscount Raoul de Chagny. She has offered many services to those who did not escape the flames unscathed." she whispered and willed herself to not look into his captivating eyes.

He looks to the side and gives a simple smile, seeming satisfied with his thought.

As soon as his skin was dampened once more he tried to stand with a gasply hiss of pain.

"Monsieur, please be patient! Your wound is still open and fresh!"

He grits his teeth before taking his seat again but looking back at the fireplace.

The rest of the night remained quiet, like he didn't have need to ask her anymore questions.

An awkward night spent sharing a room with a stranger. He fell asleep quickly with exhaustion.

Y/n couldn't sleep. Things ended so abruptly! How could she? Her love died in the fire, her home, belongings. She had nothing to her name anymore.

Y/n quietly stood up from the bed trying to keep noises to a minimum. Avoiding the creeking floor boards and opening the window to look outside.

The smoke from the Opera house covered the sky, no moon in sight. This quiet moment with her thoughts caused her throat to close up and her eyes to push tears.

As quietly as she could, she tried crying everything out, to no avail. Morning her loss took more than just a moment of soft tears.

"I'm sorry my love, Aloïs, I couldn't save you!"

She whispered. Her lover in the theater house had been burnt in the flames because he pushed her away from falling beams.

"Aloïs?"

She gasped when the voice lurks from behind her caught her off guard. The man stood up from the bed and had walked to right behind her without her hearing him.

"Monsieur! I'm so sorry, did I wake you?"

He shakes his head before spotting Y/n's shivers. Looking back at the blanket on the bed, he grabs it with one hand and swings it across her shoulders.

A gentleman! Y/n wasn't sure many workers from the Opera were quite so kind.

"You knew my Aloïs?"

He nods before leaning on the wall next to the window.

"Indeed, he helped me with costumes, more specifically Masks." The man mumbled folding his arms across his chest.

Y/n quickly realized what he meant when the dim light shone on his burnt face. Aloïs was the lead costume designer for all actors, singers and dancers in the opera. He'd certainly be willing to help a gentleman like the man stood next to her.

With a small giggle she put her hand on his shoulder.

"Of course, Aloïs would do something like that. I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable without a mask."

He looks at me confused almost relieved that he wasn't the one in trouble for once. That someone genuinely asked if he was uncomfortable instead of rushing him away and out of sight.

"You're apologizing? Mademoiselle-"

"Y/n, please."

He seems to smile before leaning closer and wiping a lingering tear off Y/n's cheek.

"Y/n, my name is Erik."

Small talk lasted for a few more hours until the sun started to rise.

All members of the Opera house were called to the outside of the Inn where Monsieur André and Firmin would enlighten them of the situation.

Monsieur André took the lead standing ontop of the inn balcony.

"Listen all! I'm afraid we have terrible news you will all now be let go from the Opera house!"

A sudden uproar of voices filled the street and Y/n felt my body wobble a little from shock. Erik stood beside her with his hand on the small of my back trying to stabilize her.

Monsieur Firmin then took the lead and explained:

"This was a terrible tragedy! And with the business in shambles we have no hope of reviving it, thanks to our generous sponsor, Viscount Raoul de Chagny, we will be giving out warm clothes to help with your resignation."

They both quickly scurry out of view back into the inn, likely out the back door leaving the crowd in shock and anger.

Y/n bit her lip feeling another wave of sadness overcome her. Quick breathing and a pounding heart for the unknown future that lied before her.

"Fools!" She hears Erik mumble under his breath.

"We must go quickly!" he said grabbing her hand and pulling her through the crowd to the front.

They got their clothes, thanks to Erik for getting them there early enough to take a few extra pieces of clothes.

Even with a wounded leg, Erik managed to take them to a proper alleyway to get dressed in the clothing.

He dressed first, then stood at the front of the ally to let Y/n get dressed keeping a look out.

A gentleman walked by peeping into the alleyway, but Erik growled loudly and with his burnt face scared the gentleman away.

"I'm done!"

Y/n smiled walking out with the costume she wore neatly folded in her arms.

Erik seemed to smile at her for a very small second then it quickly fell away, he brought his palm to cover his face.

"May I?"

He looked at Y/n confused until she gently took his hand and pulled it away.

"This might not be as good as Aloïs's handy work."

She looked down at her costume before quickly ripping off a piece of the skirt. She used the edges to tie it delicately around the side of his face tracing over it.

"You shouldn't have to hide! People are children! Gasping at the first strange thing they see." Y/n declared.

Erik chuckles but only for a second before going back into a smile.

"Perhaps."

He offers his arm which Y/n gladly took. They walked out into the crowded streets.

The sights were great and all the small shops and children seemed so foreign to her. In the Opera house they only had wooden or stone walls with the occasional windows high up in the building. The space of an open sky and streets going as far as the eye could see was a breath of fresh air.

A few hours later, Y/n suddenly realized that neither Erik or herself currently had a place to live, she have no living family to rely on.

Walking around the city for the first time in years distracted her from the dormant thoughts about the trouble we were in.

She looked back at Erik ready to ask him if he has a plan, but his eyes were sparkling. He was bewildered and intrigued by buildings, people, sounds and other sights. Y/n was starting to wonder if he'd ever been outside the Opera.

She felt a smile spread across her face from the warmth radiating off Erik.

"Erik, have you never-"

"Hello little mis!" a voice from behind her.

Three men quickly surrounded them and Y/n felt her body shrink into fear. Her lack of outside experience made her forget about the rats lurking around the city.

"Well, well! Give us a smile! How much?"

Y/n felt one of the bigger men behind her run his hand down her back.

She jump forward from his touch ready defend herself however, Erik pinched her arm tightly between his bicep and torso.

Y/n looked up at him and noticed the grimace clenching of his teeth.

"Now, this is unfortunate, just as I was starting to enjoy the outside." Erik fumed.

The man reaches for Y/n's behind again but this time Erik uses a closed fist to swing right into the man's nose.

He pushed Y/n off to the side, just hard enough for her to delicately hit the wall. She watched while this night old acquaintance fights off three large men with a bit of wood he swooped off the ground.

Using it to jab into the first mans forearm and then kneeing him in the groin.

Erik kicks the second man in the side, and to their luck, the third starts running. Finally all three run at the first sight of blood.

Erik breathes heavily before dropping to a knee with a loud grunt,clutching his injured leg from the fire.

"Erik!" Y/n ran to his side and wormed her arm underneath his arm and around his torso.

"We have to leave before they bring friends." Y/n stammered.

Her eyes dart around to land on a Inn with a tavern at the ground floor. The sun was setting again so soon and the candles of the tavern were lit.

She walked with Erik and quickly made their way inside to set Erik down in the corner of the tavern by a table.

"Oi!" The barkeep yells at us.

"Out!! You don't have no money!"

Looking at their clothes Y/n understood exactly how he knew we had no money to spend.

"Please! This man is injured, we need-"

He interrupts Y/n again.

"No money, no service! Out!"

Y/n bit her lip hard, thinking of anything to pay this man until she got a small shred of an idea.

"I dance!"

This makes the barkeep stop and look back at them. He leaned against the bar and waited.

Y/n realized he wanted an example before she swallowed the lump of pride in her throat.

She slowly pulled her coat off revealing a very inexpensive dress they received from the Managers.

Low cut to account for all bust sizes and too long skirt for all heights of woman in the Opera house. Throwing the coat over Erik she leaned close to his ear to whisper.

"Hold on, I'll get more help and medicine for that leg."

He groans grabbing Y/n's arm, objecting to what he knew she'd do. She felt her heart want to cry at his genuine worry for her pride. She gently lifts his hand off before turning back to the bar keep.

She looked down at her skirt before lifting it and tieing it into a knot showing just above her knees.

The musician with a pocket fiddle in the corner starts playing a rhythmic song and patrons start coming in.

Y/n puts on the best smile she could muster before starting to move her legs and hips.

Y/n felt the gazes of every drunken basted, but worst of all, she felt Erik watching her. Intrigued or Disgusted? She wasn't sure. She hoped for the latter. It was the better of the two.

Moving her hand over a rich looking patrons shoulders before spinning to the bar and smiling at another gentleman.

For what felt like forever, Y/n danced following each rhythm of each song played.

Getting a small tip from some patrons before she stopped and leaned against the bar.

Out of breath with her chest moving up and down rapidly. Another song had ended. She wasn't sure how much longer she could continue, her legs burnt from no warm up before hand like she knew she had to.

The barkeep, more likely the owner of the inn, pushed a glass of water toward her.

"Well done girl! We haven't had this many patrons in a while."

He praised but Y/n growled and reached out to him with an open palm.

"I did my part, I need payment."

The barkeep looks disgusted and Y/n was afraid for a moment he would refuse her payment. Thankfully he reached into his apron pocket and gave her a good hand full of coins.

Before she could pull her hand back he grabbed her wrist and smirked.

"Come back, with a better attitude, and you can make twice as much."

Y/n gritted her teeth looking away knowing its a large possibility she'd need to come back for more payment.

She pulled her wrist back then ran to where she'd left Erik only to spot him with an angry expression.

"Erik?"

She knew it, he was disgusted! She hesitated in front of him. He only managed to lean forward and pull the knot out of her skirt letting it cover her legs again.

He looks away but patted on the seat beside him. Y/n felt her body once again shrink in on itself as she sat beside him.

She took this opportunity to count the coins and realized they had enough to rent a room for the night and for her to go buy bandages and medicine.

Once they were in the room she felt a very strange hole in her heart, she felt like she'd betrayed him. She was sure he'd leave the next chance he got. She basically did what he'd tried to prevent in the first place.

She sat on the bed facing away while Erik used this time to wash up in the wash room and apply the medicine and bandages himself.

"Y/n."

His voice stood out from the muffled cheers downstairs.

His hand traveled to Y/n's and he sat beside her on the bed.

"I'm sorry."

Those small words made Y/n breath a sigh of relief before she felt his arms wrap her into a hug.

She'd never cried in front of anyone or at least she tried to avoid it as much she could, so how is it possible for this man to have seen her cry twice.

His chin rested on her head as she sobbed. It felt like she would never stop. Until Erik started humming. A soft but familiar tune. A song from the Opera house used in one of the famous plays.

It was beautiful, an angel of music. A voice she didn't know she longed to hear. In sleep he sang to her, and in dreams he he came.

Y/n slowly calmed her sobs before her body fell into a limp sleep and exhaustion.

Erik smiled before slowly laying her onto the bed, however she was clenched onto his shirt so tightly, Erik gave in and layed with her on the bed.

He looked at her calm face wondering how she was able to remain so strong though everything, even taking care of him aswell as herself.

Feeling his heartbeat similarly to the first time it did when he saw Christine. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and slowly pulled her into his chest, keeping her covered from all the worldly wrongs.

[biceratops7]

Researching analyses of Christine Daae to use as research on a project about audience perception of female characters with trauma, and I'm just now realizing how genuinely hilarious it is when people criticize her for "having no agency" being "dependent on a man". Raoul, bless his heart, fails multiple times to save her. Raoul's regressive metaphorical knighthood is basically imaginary, I don't know where the hell they're getting that. But you know what actually does occur in the plot? She saves him. He barges haphazardly into a dangerous situation like the fucking Kool-Aid man while forgetting literally the one single direction he was given, and now it's Christine's problem. And yah ok before that, she's pretty helpless and kind of just at the mercy of what's going on around her... but that's because fucking everyone is. Seriously, not a single person in this entire situation does anything successfully, it's actually kind of spectacular. Why is the one person who actually manages to do something eventually being singled out?? 😂

[celestiarambles]

Hi this may divert from my usual content, but as someone with a platform like this I need to speak up about this.

The Philippines-China maritime dispute has been going on for years now, but lately the tensions had been getting more and more worse to the point it’s super concerning now.

Here’s a bit of a history lesson: China claims that the West Philippine Sea is theirs because of the nine-dash line, but the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in 2016 that that had no basis under international law. Other than that, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) said that China’s historic rights on the territory no longer exists. So basically, the West Philippine Sea belongs to the Philippines.

However, China rejects that decision. They have harassed, intimidated, and even used armed conflict on our vessels. China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels had even used a water cannon against our ships TWICE, in which one incident resulted to getting seven Navy personnel wounded.

Worse, there are also allegations of a spy being planted here. Alice Guo, one of the mayors in Tarlac (a city in the Philippines) had mysteriously risen to power despite having no prior experience or connections whatsoever. Literally no one even knew her in her town. She just claims to live in a simple farm. However, she owns a luxury sports car and a helicopter. And somehow, everything regarding her past is inconsistent; she doesn’t know what her mother’s name was, who she grew up with, no school documents, hell she didn’t even have a birth certificate up until she was 17 years old. This was all brought up because she was involved in the criminal activities (like human trafficking, scams, etc.) of the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) which also has the Chinese involved.

The US has also been taking advantage of the situation by deploying 9 EDCA sites (military bases) for a supposed military pact, but former US Marine Intelligence Officer Scott Ritter has admitted to using the Philippines as a tool to gain leverage over the Chinese.

What has our government done regarding this dispute? They’re too busy infighting to focus on the bigger picture and on how to settle on an agreement with China.

I just want to take the time to speak up and make people more aware about the ongoing dispute. I know that this has been going on for several years now, but my memory and knowledge about the topic may be a bit wonky so I apologize in advance if I had said anything wrong. You can add more information regarding this or correct the information that I've given if I phrased things wrong.

Regardless, I do know one thing: the West Philippine Sea is ours.

Sources:

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-china-sea-why-are-china-philippines-tensions-heating-up-2024-04-11/

https://www.youtube.com/live/aOrmFJXyAVI?si=P9rPJkJM6BF0NIbW (check 1:57:00)

[ladykailitha]

The latest in the Steddie brain rot, so you now those crossword thingies where they say the first three words use see are x (your love life for the next year, your new year's resolutions, stuff like that)?

There was one for fan fiction, the words I saw were enemies to lovers, historical, and time travel.

I'd link to it but FB refreshed and I lost it.

But buckle up, babes, we're going in for a ride.

Hawkins has always been hell. There was no denying that. Eddie in 1983 isn't sure he's going to graduate high school. Yes, he knows it's only October, but school really sucks.

All the bullshit with his dad and trying to make life suck just a little less, he accidentally stumbles on a Gate. But not to the Upside Down. At least monsters he handle (not really, but he's trying to be brave), but snobbish upper class in the middle ages? Yeah, that's going to be a problem.

Like he knows how to talk and how to act, he's be researching the hell out of that stuff since he was a kid.

He doesn't know how to get back , so he kinda wings it and becomes a traveling minstrel. Like it pays decently enough and people will talk to him.

Then he hears of a little princeling who hasn't smiled since his mother died and King Richard is willing to pay a handsome sum to whoever can make the prince smile.

Eddie decides to take up the challenge. If he can get into court, then he have more of ear to the ground to be able to get back to his own time.

The initial audition does NOT go well. The king doesn't like him and the prince is in different.

So Eddie runs his mouth. It really should have gotten him killed or at least thrown in jail, he calls the prince a couple of rather choice insults. And holy fuck, the Prince smirks.

It's not a smile, it should have not counted as one. But the king does. He tells Eddie, now named suitably Edwin (yes he knows his parents named him Edward, but Edwin seemed older somehow), that he now has 30 days to turn that smirk into a real smile as that is when the ball for the Prince to chose his bride and he can NOT have a dour son.

Eddie gets thrown into the Prince's room and is told to stay there until after the ball.

And now he's pissed. That was not the plan. He needs to find a way to get back home. To running water, heated buildings, and flushing toilets.

Dressing up is one thing, D&D is another, but this is Hell. What he wouldn't give to go back to the hellscape that was Hawkins High.

The prince he's learns is named Stephan, so piss him off Eddie calls him Stevie.

The two are hostile to each other. Steve doesn't want the ball, he doesn't want to laugh or smile. He wants to mourn his mother in peace, thank you very much. Which pisses Eddie off. He didn't get the luxury of mourning his mom, and he was much younger than Steve. Dude is nearly twenty. Grow up.

They start snapping and sniping at each other. But close proximity to each other starts to wear off their sharper edges, and they learn to tolerate each other, then like each other.

Then just two days before the deadline, Eddie makes Steve laugh. The King is overjoyed and now Eddie feels terrible. He forgot the price to be paid for making Steve was laugh was to lose him.

As he's packing up to go, a duchess named Eleanor slips into his room and tells him she knows he's from the future and she knows how to get him back. He needs to stay at the castle. So she "hires" him as her personal bard.

Steve is surprised and happy to know that he's still around. The ball comes and he's introduced to a lot of beautiful, rich, well connected women. Lady Christine from France, Duchess Tamera from Russia, Countess Annaka from Germany, and Marchioness Martina of Italy. (Am I borrowing from my other medieval story? Maybe a little. Shush!)

Steve is forced to wait on these women hand and foot, all the while his cousin, the Thomas, the Duke of Hagan is cozying up to King Richard, making an all to obvious bid for the throne.

Lady Eleanor has figured out how to get Eddie home, but Eddie doesn't want to leave without Steve, so he tells him who he really is. Steve wants to believe him , but it's so fantastical.

He starts packing up a bunch of his clothes, his mom's jewelry, and some trinkets from his past that he wants to keep. He has about three bags full and Eddie is getting antsy.

Steve runs into Lady Christine and tells her he's running away and she can either move to the side, or he's going to have to tie her up and gag her. Because he will not be stopped.

She winks at him and runs to the opposite direction Eddie and Steve are going and starts screaming there is an intruder in the castle.

All the guards go rushing to her, leaving the path Steve and Eddie need to travel free.

They get to the gate and Lady Eleanor shoves an scroll into Steve's hand, telling him that all she asks in payment is that when the time comes, when meets a little girl named Jane, with extraordinary powers to give her the scroll. It will help her end the troubles once and for all.

They jump through the gate and they land in the forest behind Forest Hills, just three days from when Eddie left.

Eddie does not graduate that year, because he's too busy teaching his boyfriend modern life and dealing with actual fucking monsters, who knew?

Steve gives Eleven the scroll when he learns her real name is Jane and she has so many questions, but with the information Lady Eleanor gave her, she can completely collapse the entire system. Return it to just a place where nightmares come from and not actually evil.

It takes a lot of effort and some major team ups, but she does it. The Upside Down is no more.

Eddie keeps asking Steve what he's going to with the stuff he brought with him, until Steve sells one of the trinkets to a museum and gets serious money from it. Steve explains that historians are the same no matter the era. You show them something that will blow theories out of the water and they will eat that shit up.

And they live happily ever after.

A lot of museums come calling but after learning about vaults hundreds of feet below their building, hiding treasures from the world out of greed, he will only sell to earnest collectors and small well funded museums that he in turn donates to.

Steve also learns Thomas and Christine married but he died shortly procuring an heir and she took over as regent making her the best queen they ever had.

[hero-israel]

I mean, sandy hook wasn’t perpetrated by indigenous Americans

I see your point but it’s not necessarily an accurate comparison

Nothing prevents Native Americans from buying AR-15s. Native Americans absolutely physically could have committed Sandy Hook, along with every other school shooting you've heard of.

Why didn't they?

And if they did it, would you have less of a problem with it?

If "colonizers" "deserve it," then why was Brett Kavanaugh wrong for what he did to Christine Blasey Ford? Or are his actions only wrong based on whether or not he said "This is for the RESISTANCE!", and we have to stand patiently and watch him finish and listen to hear whether he says the magic words before we can judge?

Gonna blow your mind with this - maybe the entire frame of "liberating struggle" as mutated through a strongly culturally normalized lens of antisemitic violence and exterminationism is not a good basis of moral principle. The only thing "not the same" about any of these crimes is that some involve Jews, making those crimes understandable, and some don't, making them obviously pure evil.

To quote myself from exactly one year ago:

You never see Tibetans or Uighurs massacring hundreds of teenagers at a rock concert in China then packing the women onto rape trucks. Yezidis do not send suicide bombers into Arab old age homes on major holidays to kill off 3 generations of families. There is no way to view this topic without confronting the specifically anti-Jewish chauvinism, supremacism, and genocidalism that has been the norm in Arab and Muslim societies for a millennium or more. The entire "well, what do you EXPECT Palestinians to do??!" frame is pure colonialism. It says only Palestinians know how to have problems, only their tactics count, and anyone who doesn't bomb school buses either doesn't have problems or is doing it wrong.

You shouldn't feel like you have to rush to respond to this. Really, really think about it first. How normalized has society made it for you to listen to the excuses of people who torture and slaughter us? How are those excuses any better than those of anyone else who commits other crimes? Really think it through.

[soprano-sfogato]

Let’s talk about Christine’s singing technique

Opera in the 19th century was different from today, mostly because the singing technique was different. If you wanted to be an opera singer back then, you would be trained in the bel canto technique, which means no placement or in-the-mask singing. This technique is on the opposite side of the spectrum from the technique used by opera singers nowadays. You have to develop not only your head voice but also your chest voice - the combination of the two is crucial, not just for your low notes but throughout your whole range.

In Gaston Leroux’s novel, Christine told Raoul on the rooftop what exactly had changed in her voice:

I’m not very strong physically and that to begin with my voice had very little character. My low notes were naturally under-developed, the high notes were frankly quite harsh and my middle register cloudy. It was these deficiencies that papa had striven to correct and he had succeeded up to a point. But it was the Voice which finally overcame them. Gradually, I was able to increase the volume of my whole range to an extent I could never have hoped to achieve given that it was never strong to start with. I learned to deepen my breathing but crucially the Voice taught me the secret of developing the chest notes of the soprano voice.

It means that Christine had a problem with an undeveloped chest voice. Because of that, she had weak low notes (which are naturally more chesty), a cloudy middle register (you must have a well-developed chest voice to sing in your middle with ease), and harsh high notes (it’s hard to sing high without having a core in your voice). Once Christine finally developed her chest voice, her voice became more mature and more colourful, which helped her make the transition to singing Marguerite - a part that requires a more dramatic sound than Siebel (which at that time was a role for a soprano who still hadn’t fully developed her voice).

(By the way this quote shows that Leroux knew something about singing technique. Wow!)

Also, as we all know, the character of Christine was based on a real opera singer, Christine Nilsson (1843 - 1921). Unfortunately, there is no recording of Nilsson’s voice, but we can be sure that she sang with a bel canto technique. It was the one and only proper technique in the 19th century, and you couldn’t be an opera star without learning it.

So yeah, Christine’s voice wasn’t a miracle - it was a well-developed chest voice and a proper bel canto technique. It doesn’t mean her singing wasn’t splendid, because undoubtedly it was! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have knocked the Paris audience’s socks off! I just wanted to say that proper technique is the most important thing, and if you learn it, you can be a brilliant opera singer.

[gwenllian-in-the-abbey]

There's this weird thing going on Reddit right now where people are claiming that legally, Rhaenyra children are not bastards. And I was wondering if you agree or disagree. I think that people are just making up their own canon lore at this point.

Hi anon,

I think what gets kind of muddled in this discussion is what "legally" means in the context. Generally speaking, children born within wedlock are considered legitimate until proven otherwise. Now in the medieval world, it's not like you were issued a birth certificate that you could whip out and say see, it says right here who the father is! There were no DNA tests, it was all a matter of word, and by and large a woman's virtue was her word, and it was what kept her and her children protected within the framework of medieval marriage. But the reason why bastardy matters in this context is also important. It's not like Rhaenyra is trying to collect child support here, nor is she a common merchant's wife whose husband has decided just to roll with it. She's the heir to the throne and the parentage of her children is a matter of inheritance and dynastic succession, so it's not a situation where a legal loophole is particularly helpful as a gotcha. There is not at this point in history a comprehensive codified law that clearly defines what these terms mean and defines the rights and obligations of parents and children legitimate and illegitimate, mostly you have combinations of precedent, tradition, oath, and a healthy dose of might makes right.

(I saw another reply to this question in which the responded basically goes, "free yourself from the shackles of this construct! Marriage isn't real it's an oppressive institution and the idea of bastardy is made up, so let it go," and while it's true that marriage, legitimacy, etc. are all social constructs and not absolute states of being, they started off as having a functional purpose within a certain social framework. And this is a basic problem a lot of people have with George's world, it's not that we have to have the views of a 12th century French peasant, or that everything has to be historically accurate, but George chose the medieval world as a setting for a reason, and it's not just an aesthetic one. Characters in even a quasi-historical setting have to act within the constraints of that setting. We have to understand that people don't know what they don't know. The medieval world doesn't have any framework for the introduction of feminist ideals. Westeros hasn't even had a Christine de Pizan yet. You couldn't walk up to a medieval peasant woman and say "marriage is a tool of patriarchal oppression and bastardy is a social construct," they'd look at you like you had two heads. And so we have to acknowledge that you can't simply start dismantling existing social structures if the framework doesn't exist to replace them with something better that offers more protections for a broader group of people, and at this point it definitely doesn't. Making an exception for one very privileged woman does not mean progress for all women, instead it often means destabilization of the flawed system that does exist, and even more violence against those less powerful in order to enforce the exceptional status).

So from a medieval point of view, marriage was pretty much a non-negotiable for a woman. And women weren't simply getting married because they were pressured into it by their families or because their fathers were opportunistic assholes, they got married because unmarried women had no legal status or standing. In most places they could not sign contracts or own land. A woman could join the church or get married (or become a prostitute, but it's not like sex workers had freedoms or protections either). Divorce wasn't a thing, and annulment was hard to get and usually available only as a tool for men to set aside their wives. So, for all intents and purposes, once you were married, that was generally it, you were stuck for life (the upside is that widows did get a lot more freedom, so marrying an older guy and waiting it out was not a bad option sometimes, all things considered). But what marriage did provide was assurance that you and your children would be protected and provided for. Marriage was a practical agreement, involving dowries, inheritances, and alliances sealed in blood. And this is one of the reasons why bastards could not inherit. Inheritance for once's children was one of the few perks of a marriage for a woman (this is, incidentally, why Alicent is so pressed about her children being effectively disinherited. There is NO reason for her, as an eligible maiden of good standing, to marry a man who will not provide for her sons, king or not). And of course, a man's bastards are obvious and are disqualified from inheriting (setting aside legitimization because it is not nearly the easy out that people think it is). You can't really pass them off as legitimate because your wife clearly knows which children she gave birth to, whereas a man might be told he is the father of a child when that child's father is in fact someone else.

In a dynastic marriage, all of this becomes even more important. Marriages were made as alliances and to strengthen the ties between kingdoms or houses. A child seals the marriage agreement by binding two bloodlines and creating kinship bonds that will last beyond the current generation. Those kinship bonds can ensure peace between kingdoms at war, trade agreements, and military aid. Passing a bastard off as trueborn breaks that agreement; it violates the very principle by which the agreement was made. And in this context, it doesn't actually matter if the father claims the children as his, because in a dynastic marriage inheritance is not just a personal matter, it's a matter of the state. The truth matters to a great many people, more than just the immediate family. A lie doesn't become the truth simply because the liar isn't caught, and there's no statute of limitations or court ruling that will ever put the matter to rest for good. Passing off a bastard as trueborn destabilizes the succession and breaks the dynastic bonds that the marriage was meant to establish. When the bastard heir in question attempts to take the throne, it won't be a smooth transition.

So what does it mean that Laenor and Corlys agree to pass Rhaenyra's children off as trueborn? It means that their bastardy cannot be proven at the moment insofar as the legal father, Rhaenyra's husband, is playing along and covering for Rhaenyra, and Viserys is backing them up by giving this his "legal" stamp of approval. But again, our view that it's no one else's business but Laenor and Rhaenyra's and that Viserys "legalized" their status is very modern. Jaehaeyrs and Alysanne were not considered married in the eyes of the Westerosi until they'd had a bedding ceremony, that is, the consummation of their marriage was witnessed. Royal marriages and the children that come from them are a public matter because the succession affects everyone in the realm. Laenor, Corlys, and Viserys can protect those children in the short term, but Laenor and Corlys and Viserys won't live forever, and they could withdraw their support for those children and renounce them as bastards at any time. Harwin could admit to fathering them, Rhaenyra and Harwin could get caught in the act, or someone else close to them might confess. Sure right now the black faction are all one big happy family, but 20 years down the line when bastard Jace takes the throne over trueborn Aegon III? There are multiple people in the family who could confess to knowledge of the bastardy, including Aegon III himself. The bastardy is too obvious and there are too many legitimate heirs of both house Targaryen and house Velaryon getting pushed aside in favor of bastard born children for it to be an issue that simply disappears because Rhaenyra and Laenor say so.

So "legal bastardy" is a pretty meaningless concept when it comes to royal succession because it's not a matter that's going to be settled by some neutral third party in a court of law. What matters in the long run is not whether or not Laenor claimed the kids, what matters is whether or not the situation is questionable enough that people with the power to challenge it might challenge it. And we see even within the actual narrative of the Dance that this is indeed the case. There is already a situation brewing with the other branches of the Velaryon family who are rightfully pretty pissed to see their ancestral seat pass to someone with no blood ties to the family (and as an aside, people will say Vaemond was self-serving, and of course he was, but that doesn't make him wrong, and maybe Baela or Rhaena should have inherited instead, but neither they nor their father were pressing their claims because they were backing up the bastard claimants, so was Vaemond supposed to do that for them?). And yes the king and Rhaenyra can cry treason and they can kill Vaemond and cut out tongues, but using force to silence people for telling the objective truth is by definition tyranny, and that's exactly the sort of situation that would get the nobility nervous. Because if Rhaenyra has to silence people already and she's not even queen yet, what will Jace have to do when he takes the throne? That's the real problem, not the "legal" status of Jace and his brothers, but the practical ramifications of hiding the truth.

[cloudspaintedblue]

Come Rest Your Bones Next To Me, And Toss All Your Thoughts To The Sea

Christine x GN!Reader

Raoul x GN!Reader

The Phantom (Erik) x GN!Reader

(Separately)

What the trio would get you for your anniversary!

Warnings/Notes: I admit I’m a Raoul hater so his part is going to be ass, fair warning

Christine

• Most likely is sneaking away from the Opera House to have an outing with you so don’t expect a super long date if rehearsals are supposed to be going on.

• Something sweet and simple, she knows what it’s like to be.. love bombed.. shall we say so she likes to enjoy the smaller things with you. A picnic as the sun rises or sets, doing each others hair and dressing in extravagant clothing which may or may not be costumes, enjoying sweets and tea somewhere hidden in the opera house so you can be alone (+Erik).

• Singing for you; showing all of her hard work on the newest song she needs to learn, if you are a singer yourself she definitely has a few duets up her sleeve.

• I feel like she’s more of a ‘few meaningful gifts’ kind of person as opposed to spending all of her money on things she doesn’t even know you’ll use.

• If you’ve at any point mentioned something special from your childhood she wants to include that in her gift, maybe she has found a copy of an old favorite book or turned something only you will understand into a necklace; no matter what she will do what she can to bring something you love to life.

• Your favorite flowers, if they aren’t in season she’s had them prepared months before this anniversary. Anything to show you just how much you mean to her.

Raoul

• He’s a fancy rich man, of course he has something planned that makes you feel like royalty.

• Over the top bouquets, expensive meals, a carriage drawn by pure white horses. He goes all out for his lover, everything needs to feel perfect.

• Of course, money can’t get you everything in life. It can however get you that item you’ve seen in shops and adored but don’t have the money for, Raoul is happy to get you this as long as it brings you joy.

• Unlike Christine I feel like he would shower you in gifts, among the pile you would end up with, yes; there would be meaningful and precious gifts but the rest are spoils from his wealth.

• He would try his best to empty his schedule and make all the time in the world for you, if your schedule is the problem he might try a little bribery of your employer to get your being out of work for the day.

• In the end it’s your relationship which is being celebrated, if this means minimal gifts and smaller amounts of time it matters not to him. Well, it matters a little bit. But as long as you remain happy and he feels like he can keep you safe then he will be content.

The Phantom, Erik

• So so freaked out let’s be honest, even making it to a year of being in a relationship has cause for some kind of celebration for him.

• Like Christine he wants to sing with you, even if you don’t sing (unlikely, considering who he is) he wants to show you something that he treasures. He wishes for your praise but is most likely not expecting it.

• The quantity of gifts depends on your preferences, he’s learned that he does tend to come on strong so he doesn’t want to scare you off. If you do like more material displays of affection then he is more than set, he can clearly sew beautifully so if you need new clothes or repairs on old ones he is more than capable. Not to mention the money he gets from the opera house, asking Madame Giry to retrieve the gifts for him so he can stay hidden.

• Writing, of course. Poetry, songs, simply melodies; he has it all, all for you. Music is where he can express himself and really ‘get in the zone’ without fear of judgement. That is until he’s done with the small performance, that’s when he will flush and the anxiety will set in. Praise him too hard too suddenly and he might just burst into tears.

• All in all nothing too extravagant will be happening, all he needs is your love to be happy. His proclamations of love will be given and all he can do is hope that you return them with a smile and kiss on his cheek.

[nerdz-hq]

Eugahsgshy I love noticing small differences in the bway and tr versions of bmc songs…

Michaels little chuckle after “you look like ass? What’s wrong?” In the bway version..

the fact that it says “Pac-Man tattooD” instead of just “Pac-Man tattoo”

THE WAY WILL ROL SINGS “CHRISTINE” IN MTS..

The length of the last “survive” in mts while everyone else is singing “nanana”

CHRISTINES “because it’s the BEST!! ….because it is fun-“

THE WAY CHRISTINE SAYS “I LOVE PLAY REHERSAL” LIKE THE KOOL-AID MAN

The way Rich sings “squip” for the second-to-last squip in the squip song

I’m like 99% sure in dywr when Chloe joins in the tempo is faster in the bway vers than the tr vers

“Everything about you is so terrible” “terrible?” “Terrible.” “Aw :(“

EUAGH THE LINE CHANGE FROM “HEAD TO DRAMA PRACTICE” TO “HEAD TO PLAY REHEARSAL” I LOVE THEM :(((

RICH SAYING “OW” AFTER HIS VERSE IN HALLOWEEN

THE FACT THAT GEORGE BREATHES BEFORE THE LAST “BATHROOM” IN MITB..

Just the way that Chloe and Jenna say “No I’m not.” “Yeah I know 😒”

“Excuse me? What the frick is that?” “Uhh.. a super computer from Japan that can solve all your problems? Oh- and Mountain Dew-“

AND THE LINE CHANGE FROM “LUNCH? JUST THE TWO OF US?” TO “BOLWING ALLY PERFORMANCE ARTS? JUST THE TWO OF US?” UAAA IT SHOWS THAT JEREMY ACTUALLY LISTENS TO CHRISTINE :(((

[lokigodofaces]

okay but i was randomly thinking about stephen strange and bucky barnes. like i've never seen any fandom hypotheticals about them interacting, so i was pondering on it for a minute. and, well, i have nothing amazing fleshed out. but i thought of bucky (in an au where shuri doesn't help him with the hydra crap for whatever reason) showing up at the sanctum and asking for stephen's help. & stephen assumes that bucky needs magic help to fight someone so he gets ready to leave and tells bucky to tell him what's happening on the way. to which bucky says no, he heard that stephen's a doctor, that's why he came. so they sit down and bucky says that they have the files on what hydra did to him, but neuroscience is a highly specialized field and neither tony nor bruce are qualified and they don't have the background to really understand what hydra did to him. but bucky heard that stephen used to be a neurosurgeon, and figured that if anyone he knew could understand it, it would be stephen. so stephen agrees to try to help and asks for bucky to pass on the files for him to study. and while he can't use his hands to perform surgery or any other procedure bucky would need, he has the scientific knowledge to figure out what happened to his brain, or at least more so than the others bucky has gone to. so he pores over the documents until he has an understanding of what happened. he explained to bucky that the reason he doesn't practice surgery anymore is because of a hand injury, so he asks if he can bring a friend to help that's also a neurosurgeon but her hands can physically do what is needed. bucky agrees once he figures out that christine has known about stephen & sorcery for a while & isn't weird about enhanced people and can keep a secret. and eventually stephen & christine are able to figure everything out and help bucky be unaffected by the trigger words and aid him in memory recovery. & it's a big deal for stephen because while he can't perform surgery any more his knowledge from his years as a doctor still helped the patient with the most suffering, with the most complex problem he's ever aided. & it's huge for bucky bc he's finally free & now knows the extent of what hydra did to him and has doctors that can help him that also won't discriminate him due to being the winter soldier/being enhanced (& also dont report him if he's on the run at this time). so like he's learning how to build a relationship & trust, which we've seen was difficult for him post-tws (& who can blame him) especially during tfatws. he already knew steve from before so it was easier for him to rebuild that friendship. but with people that are new, that he didn't already have a past with, we've seen him struggle. & being stephen's patient helped him build a level of trust, and they end up seeing each other so often bc there's a lot to do & all that they start to become friends. it's huge for bucky. stephen is one of his first post-tws friends. like idk the two of them seem to have great potential as friends, i just have never seen it done.

[fateoffireandwater]

Songs that suit marvel characters part 1!!!

This is a list of 10 marvel characters that I have songs that I think suit them.

10. Deadpool

Happier by Marshmallow

I thought this song suites him because I made me think of how he left her in the first movie so that he can cure his sickness so it’s not her problem.

9. Wanda

Daffodil by Florence the machine

Idk it just suits ok listen to it.

8. Dr strange

I love you so by The Walter’s

Christine and Dr strange you know what I’m talking about.

7. Nebula

Good 4 u by Olivia Rodrigo

I think this song shows her anger towards her sister when she was suffering from her father.

6. Gamora

Without me by Hasley

It shows how Thanos always cared about her even though she knew he was a horrible person.

5. Black Widow

Blow by Kesha

It sounds like a party song and that is black widow.

4. Thor

Brother by Kodaline

Shows how after everything that happens he still cares about his brother.

3. Rocket

Learning to fly by Sheppard

I don’t want to even try to explain this one.

2. Venom and Eddie Brock

Best friend breakup by Lauren Spencer Smith

Hahaha hahahhhhh :D T-T

Star lord

Until I found you by Spencer Sanchez

Cause Gamora and I’d explain more but I just want to upload this

[prettywitchiusaka]

So...this post might be a bit controversial, but I actually think Multiverse of Madness is closest we've gotten to having 616 Doctor Strange on-screen.

Look, I have problems with the way Stephen's arc is portrayed in MOM. That should be more than clear if you look through past entries on my blog. I hate that his arc feels incomplete because of the constant rewrites and last minute re-shoots. I hate they focused on Christine at the expense at exploring Stephen's loneliness and why he has control issues (cough Donna cough). And yes, I hate his trauma gets handwaved because Waldron doesn't understand how morally complex a character DS is. But despite all of that, I can't (fully) hate the way Stephen is portrayed in this film, either.

I've said it before, but the Stephen Strange of MOM is sweet, and protective and noble. A.K.A. the Stephen Strange of the comics we all know and love, baggage and flaws included. He's just a wee bit snarkier and a little bit of a douchebag (but that's par for the course with MCU Stephen). Mind you, it makes the character feel completely at odds with his own arc in the film, but...well, that's what happens when you hire a writer who's more interested in writing his fantasy waifu than the title character. But I digress.

[violetmuses]

Tandem - Multifandom (Part II) ❤️‍🩹 [18+ MINORS DNI]

Title: Tandem - Multifandom (Part II) ❤️‍🩹  [18+ MINORS DNI]

Fandoms: “Rebel Ridge” + “Bad Boys”

Characters: Terry Richmond + Armando Aretas

Love Interest: Female Reader

Main Storyline: When Terry Richmond arrives in Miami, who knows what could happen next?

Tandem Masterlist

@peaxhygirl @superstar-t20 @adoresmiles @klssngss @deja-r @hyper-trash-panda @amethyst-loves-bucky @planetblaque @sweettea-and-honeybutter @lovedlover @xjjawsomex @readingisahobby @kindofaintrovert @nelo0wesker @gg-trini @cloveroctobers @maliagurl @nobodygetsza @twinklestarslight @yassbishimvintage @episodes-ff @sweetiepie4190 @kirayuki22 @katbakhoe @persethegawd 🏷

=======

2024

When his favorite coffee shop closed over drama,  veteran Terry Richmond began to lock down another routine after waking up every single day. 

Until further notice, you would invite everyone to share different meals at your house. 

Parking outside your home for breakfast, Terry chimed that doorbell and waited, not yet holding special house keys like members of AMMO. 

“Hi. Good morning.” When the door opened, you answered. 

“Morning.” Terry still greeted your own presence as usual. 

Wow. Richmond thought. 

You kept very little makeup and wore this comfortable outfit, but that smile remained. 

“Come in.” You welcomed Richmond past the main threshold.

_____

“Bout time you got here, man.” Detective Marcus Burnett shuffled footsteps when Terry entered the kitchen. 

“Am I late?” Richmond chuckled through slight awkwardness. 

“No. Just haven't seen you in a while.” Marcus gestured by the table. 

“My bad.” Since attending the public cookout, Richmond hardly mingled elsewhere and stayed private. 

“No problem. Everybody's different.” Marcus continued speaking, but excused himself as you set down Terry's plate. 

“Thank you.” Terry grinned while accepting the meal. “Where's everybody?”

“Kelly and Dorn just left. Christine isn't feeling well, either.” You counted friends and included Mike Lowrey's wife. 

“Stomach bug?” Richmond frowned. 

“Hopefully nothing miserable.” You didn't even know what to think. 

“That's good.” Terry nodded and just continued eating. 

_________

As time moved along, footsteps echoed from the staircase of your house and Armando Aretas emerged while holding his cell phone. 

“I put you on speaker and we're listening. Tell them what you just said.” His slightly accented English rasped toward Mike Lowrey on the other end. 

“Morning, y'all!” Mike raved. “We just found out that Christine is pregnant.” 

“Aww!” Hysterical, Marcus sniffled through incoming tears. “I can't believe it.”

“Congratulations, Mike!” You cheered with the biggest smile on your face. 

“Thank you! I'll keep everybody posted.” Mike chuckled through joy before hanging up. “Take  care.”

Discarding that meal, you nearly jumped from the table and opened both arms to hug Armando. His rare yet genuine tears fell against your shoulder. 

“Sorry.” Those brown eyes dampened through countless emotions. 

“You'll have a sibling, no need to apologize.” You whispered and offered reality for Aretas. 

Noticing Terry at last, Armando pulled himself together and stepped forward, dapping Richmond up. 

“It's a big deal, man. Congrats.” Terry grinned for a moment. 

“Thanks.” Aretas took the compliment this time around. 

*****

“Y'all not gon’ believe this! Another business replaced the coffee shop.” Marcus Burnett entered that police department with news. 

“What now?” Mike Lowrey questioned his longtime partner. Even Kelly and Dorn looked on. 

“There's a restaurant.” Marcus pointed backwards. “Wanna check it out?” 

“Sure. We'll go after the briefing.” Mike followed other comrades before Captain Rita Secada would make important announcements. 

“Where's Armando?” Marcus quickly glanced around. 

“At home. He's really involved now.” Offering joy, Mike acknowledged Christine's pregnancy while Aretas helped out on a regular basis. 

“When Christine gives birth, don't force Armando to watch his sister, man.” Marcus advised. 

“I'm not forcing anything.” Mike then grinned toward you. “He's ready.”

“Great.” Feeling much better, Marcus settled when Rita Secada stood behind the podium as usual. 

Time to hustle. 

*****

Prepared to work again, you joined this new restaurant when that old coffee shop no longer stood. Customers flocked in time for lunch. 

When that front door chimed again, you'd just served this adorable family and guardians tipped well, bringing out joy during the crazy hour. 

“Apologies for the wait…I'll find your seat as soon as possible…” You paused after recognizing Terry. 

“No rush.” His deep voice almost chuckled as Richmond smiled for a moment. 

“Hi.” You greeted him.

“This place looks even bigger than the coffee shop.” Terry noted. 

“New construction plans. Follow me.” Taking one menu here, you led Terry near this table when coworkers straightened up other messes. 

_____

“It's nice.” Terry acknowledged the establishment surmonce this lunch hour settled down. 

“Yeah. It's family-owned with really good meals. Let me know if you need anything…” You planned to move elsewhere, but the door chimed again. 

“I'm starving!” Marcus Burnett stepped through with Mike Lowrey. “Let's see what's going on here.” 

“Surprise!” You cheered for a second when Mike and Marcus realized. 

“Hey! Never left this spot, huh?” Marcus joked. 

“Y'all just missed the lunch crowd.” You offered this truth and seated both friends. 

Terry looked on from his table as Lowrey and Burnett ordered. 

“No dessert.” Mike arched his brow while facing Marcus again. 

“Damn!” Burnett gritted seconds later. 

Paying the bill, Richmond laughed on his way out the door. 

******

On your day off, no fireworks sparkled in Miami, but Mike and Christine announced the gender of their child while visiting your home one afternoon.

Rolling toward one curb, Mike kept driving his classic Porsche with its top down and revealed the vibrant shade of Christine's sundress. 

“It's a girl!” You raved over pink designs while standing on this porch and watched the car leave after Christine waved farewell. 

Before you would call Armando, his car pulled up out of nowhere. 

“You'll have a little sister? Congratulations!” Your voice beamed. 

“Thanks.” Parking, Aretas opened both arms to embrace you, happy. 

_______

“Nervous?” You asked, quietly sharing lunch together. 

“A little.” Armando set down his drink while thinking of Christine. “She's been through too much.”

“With y'all around, she'll be fine.” You raved over Mike's and Armando's efforts. 

“I hope so. How are you?” Aretas questioned. 

“I'm doing much better.” You said. “There's a new restaurant where the old coffee shop used to be. I work there now.”

“Cool. Sorry if I haven't been around.” Armando offered the truth. “I'm either at the police station, or helping Christine.” 

“It's okay. You have important jobs.” You answered. 

“Appreciate it, but where's my scone?” Armando teased you while remembering his order from the coffee shop. 

“I'll find them.” You know that one break room found at the police department isn't great. 

______

Right when you finished lunch and started watching a movie together, the doorbell rang. 

“I'll get it. ” Armando stood from this living room couch and walked to that front door. 

“Thanks.” You smiled. 

Checking the RING Camera, Aretas noticed that Terry waited on this porch. 

“It's T. Should I open the door?” Echoing past the foyer, Aretas offered his slightly accented English. 

“Oh, shit! Yeah, let Terry in.” You almost scrambled after turning off the movie. 

What happened? You thought. 

Crosstalk overlapped for both men before Terry entered the living room.  

“Hey. The landlord just announced renovations for my apartment. I just wanted to let you know in advance. ” Richmond explained. 

“Oh wow!” You realized. “Feel free to stay here if you'd like. It's less expensive than hotels.”

“Are you sure?” Terry squinted. “I don't want to get in the way.”  

“I don't mind.” You smiled. 

“Thank you.” Richmond nodded. 

“You're welcome. Go ahead and take any of the guest rooms.” You gestured upstairs from habit now and watched Richmond leave. 

Meanwhile, Armando moved out of that apartment complex himself and stayed in the Lowrey household when Christine became pregnant. 

“Mind if I leave after dinner?” There's another doctor's appointment.” Aretas pointed backwards. 

“Okay. Driving her around?” You understood that Christine needed help traveling at the time. 

“Yeah. Mike can't do it this week.” Aretas just went on. 

“All right.” Nodding, both of you straightened up the living room early. 

______

In time for dinner, Richmond headed back downstairs after organizing his temporary room. 

“Armando's leaving early tonight.” You updated Terry. 

“Everything good?” Terry sat down after making his plate this time. 

“Busy tomorrow.” Aretas joined the kitchen table once more.

“Aight. As long as you're okay.” Terry checked regardless. 

“Thanks.” Armando clipped. 

When everyone sat down together and silverware clanked, you smirked once hot sauce reached the table again. 

“Don't crash out.” Gently warning Terry and Armando, you drank one beverage, waiting. 

“That's funny.” Richmond took that bottle, yet Aretas jokingly casted both eyes toward the ceiling. 

Your laughter warmed Terry's heart. 

******

Sooner than later, countless nights moved and different hours returned to your life, but one specific call would change everything right away. 

“Wait, what?” Barely awake, you sat up in bed  and whispered near your cell phone around two o'clock in the morning. 

“Sorry to wake you up, but I'm driving. Christine's water broke!” Armando dropped the big news. 

“Oh, shit!” You tried to avoid screaming and knew that Terry continued staying in one of the guest rooms. “Are you serious?”

“Yeah, but don't stop by yet.” Armando explained quickly. “Immediate family visits first.” 

“Okay. Keep me posted. Congratulations!” You can't help smiling. 

“Thanks. Now I should get going or I'll miss my turn!” Aretas nearly chuckled before hanging up. 

Overjoyed, you grabbed one pillow and squealed inward, unable to sleep again. 

______

“Hey. Woke up earlier and thought I heard something.” By daylight, Terry noticed that you kept the bedroom door open. 

“It was me.” You don't even feel embarrassed anymore. “Christine's water broke last night.”

“Wow.” Terry smiled. 

“I'm going to the hospital, so make yourself at home.” You packed gifts and prepped other essentials. 

“Tell everybody I said congratulations. See you later.” Terry bid farewell, but you tossed an object. 

Using quick skill, Richmond palmed house keys before your car rolled out. 

*******

“She's here, man. Wanna hold her?” Once Christine safely joined parenthood, Mike held his beautiful daughter, yet faced Armando. 

“Yeah. I'll sit down first.” Wearing hospital scrubs through protocol, Aretas nodded. 

“Kay.” Mike glanced toward Christine and signaled with happiness. 

When this child reached Armando's embrace, life made sense.

No more secrets. No more danger. No more pain. 

Regardless of what happened next, this moment changed everyone. 

______

Bringing his wife Theresa with family, Mike Lowrey's longtime partner and best friend Marcus Burnett almost sobbed when entering the hall. 

“My niece!” Marcus blubbered, even fogging his glasses. 

“Marcus, please stop crying.” Mike screwed up his face, but Christine laughed while resting now. 

Even right here, theatrics made no difference as joy prevailed.

______

“Hi!” Despite showing happiness, you whispered to avoid interrupting that space and found Armando holding his little sister. 

“Hey. Look, she's so small.” Aretas grinned near you as Mike and Christine looked on. 

“She's adorable! Congratulations again.” You beamed without stepping too close. 

“Thanks for coming by.” Armando glanced between you and his little sister once more. 

“You're welcome.” You nodded before setting down presents. 

“What's up, Rook.” Mike Lowrey smiled in your path and Christine drifted to slumber, exhausted.

“I can't believe this. How are you?” You carefully greeted Mike. 

“A lot of work, but she's here.” Mike said. “We're very grateful.”

“I'm so happy for all of you. Take care” You planned to step out, but Armando revealed a surprise from one corner.

“Say bye.” Mimicking expressions, Aretas looked toward you and wanted his little sister to bid farewell. 

Hearts melted when you left the hospital and friends celebrated this brand-new chapter. 

******

Nightfall crossed the Florida skyline when your car returned to this driveway. 

“Hi.” Closing that driver's seat door, you met Terry by the porch. 

“Hey. How'd it go?” Richmond offered his deep voice and smiled, guiding you back inside. 

“She's beautiful, T. They're over the moon.” You nearly tear up over this day, but wouldn't overreact.  

“That's good to know.” Richmond shared calm amounts of joy. 

“Everything okay?” You realized his quiet demeanor. 

“Thank you for my keys.” Terry accepted that choice. 

“Oh! You're welcome.” You nodded upon realization. “Not sure how long renovations will last, so I got the set just in case.” 

Dining with leftovers that night, both of you welcomed silence in the home as life shifted. 

*****

During your lunch break one afternoon, Mike   sent this picture via text messages: 

Armando napped while Christine sat on the couch and held her little sister girl. 

MIKE: Caught Big Brother slipping! 😂 😴 🍼 

Before you could text Mike back, Armando called immediately. 

“I'm at work. What's going on?” You picked up the call and stepped outside. 

“Don't laugh.” Aretas spoke to you and revealed his little sister's nickname. “I knocked out at like 3 o'clock in the morning because ‘Princess’ wouldn't fall asleep.” 

“Aw. How's everything?” You smiled regardless of jokes. 

“Besides Christine, I'm her favorite.” Armando chuckled. 

“No!” You gasped. “Is Mike okay?” 

“He's cool, don't worry.” Armando ended the conversation. “Oh, man! Princess just woke up from a nap. Bye.” 

“Bye!” Hanging up, you go back inside and finish the day, energized through happiness.

_______ 

Back home, you find Terry sleeping on the living room couch, but this note waited on that coffee table. 

I'll leave soon. Thank you for everything. - T. 

Not waking him up, you noticed when the house keys angled by that note and even his backpack set on the floor. 

Just before you head upstairs to shower and rest, his deep voice grumbled. 

“That you?” He turned with groggy eyes and  your face smiled. 

“Go back to sleep.” You instructed. 

“No, Ma'am.” Though exhausted, his respect lingered. 

“Huh?” You knelt. 

“Thank you.” Pulling himself together, Richmond left the couch and stepped forward. His bright eyes locked down. 

“How early are you leaving?” You stand up, questioning him. 

“Can we still have breakfast together?” Terry almost laughed. “There's no more renovations at my place.” 

“Deal. Good night. Oh, who's  this?” You planned to leave once more, but your phone signaled one video chat. 

Mike called. 

“It's Mike.” Your voice nearly giggled. 

Just before you answered, Terry sat down elsewhere in the living room. 

“Hey! It's us. Wanted to show you something before bed.” Lowrey greeted you first. 

“Hi! What happened?” You can't wait to see what Mike planned. 

“Hey.” Armando noticed you on camera while holding his little sister. 

“Hi.” You waved to that screen as “Princess” rested her head on Armando's shoulder. 

“Saying good night.” Aretas glanced between you and his little sister, quickly smiling. 

“Night. Get some rest.” You bid farewell as expected, but noticed that Terry stepped forward. 

“Night, everybody.” Richmond's deep voice reached your path. 

“Night, T.” With Armando saying goodbye, The video chat ended before long. 

“That was a nice surprise.” You turned around for a moment.  

“I didn't want to yell.” Terry still acknowledged respect. 

“I'm sure they appreciate it. Sleep well.” You finally go upstairs for bed. 

*****

“Thank you again.” After promising to share breakfast, Terry gathered his belongings and would leave your house. 

“It was nice. Feel free to keep visiting.” You smiled in the driveway with him. 

“Yes, Ma'am.” Richmond nodded and started the truck. “Have a good day.” 

“You too. Be safe.” You waved by the driver's seat window and Terry left just before you shift. 

_______

After work, you drove to Mike's house with takeout from the restaurant and rang this doorbell. 

Steps echoed from inside the household as you waited. 

Before long, Armando answered this door without holding his little sister sister. 

“Hey.” His slightly accented English rasped once more.  

“Hi.” You greeted him. “I brought food in case y'all needed some help.”

“Thanks. Come in.” Armando guided you past its threshold. 

______

“Hey!” Mike opened both arms to hug you upon realization. 

“Hi. I've brought plenty of food if you don't feel like cooking for a little while.” Your voice offered help. 

“Thank you so much. She's running the house now.” Despite laughing, Mike acknowledged his newborn daughter. 

“How's Christine?” You questioned. 

“Sleeping upstairs.” Mike gestured. 

“Good.” You nodded once more. 

Heading to the living room, you find Armando with little sister. 

On sight, the newborn cooed in your direction, happy out of nowhere. 

“No jewelry today. I came here from work.” You laughed. 

“I've had pictures on my phone and she likes your smile.” Aretas revealed. 

“Aw!” You swooned, almost giggling. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” Armando says. 

“She has your eyes.” You gestured between Aretas and “Princess.” 

“Don't get too excited, Rook. Both of ‘em have my eyes. C'mon. We'll be back.” Mike corrected you while taking his daughter for a quick diaper change. 

“How are you doing?” You questioned Armando once Mike stepped away. 

“Tired, but it's worth it.” Aretas then offered his truth. “I want Christine to feel better.” 

“That's so sweet.” You knew that parenthood would change Mike and Christine forever. 

“Yeah.” Armando continued speaking. 

“Don't worry.” You reassured him. “You're doing a great job.”

“Thanks. Is Terry still at your house?” Armando switched topics.

“Renovations just ended, so he left this morning and moved back to his apartment.” You explained. 

“Cool.” Aretas laughed for a moment while taking his cell phone. 

Before you could speak again, Christine emerged from the stairs.

“Hello.” Her kind smile warms your heart as both of you greeted one another. 

“Hi, how are you feeling, Momma?” You checked no matter what. 

“It's definitely a process, but she's healthy and safe.” Christine promised. “That's all we ask for

now.” 

“Of course.” You agree. 

“I need a favor.” Christine whispered and giggling for a moment. 

“Anything.” You offered. 

“Get him out sometimes, and working at the police department doesn't count.” Christine glanced near Armando. 

“I'm right here.” Aretas lifted his finger. 

“You heard Christine.” Taking your purse, you walked Aretas out of the house before his little sister would notice and cry. 

_______

“Where are we going?” Armando joined the passenger seat while you drove. 

“It's a surprise.” You just kept your eyes on the road, silent. 

“Man, I haven't seen this place in a while.” Soon enough, Aretas noticed the parking garage of his former apartment complex. “What's up?”

“Let's visit Terry.” You giggled, bringing junk food and takeout inside. 

*******

Unexpected knocking reached Terry's interest this afternoon and he stepped forward to answer. 

New construction aside, Richmond hadn't found other styles for the apartment and kept general designs in place. 

Opening that door, Terry smiled when you stood with Armando in the hallway. 

“Big Brother now? Come in.” Richmond dapped up Aretas while you closed the door. 

“Christine asked me to get 'em out the house, so we came here to bug you.” You laughed and placed treats on the small kitchen table. 

“You're not bugging me. It's quiet over here.” Terry said. 

“Don't mention his little sister anymore. He'll leave and ignore us.” You gently warned Richmond over Armando. 

“I can still hear you.” Armando took one of your snacks before sitting down. 

“Oh, don't get in trouble.” Terry chuckled back while facing your direction. 

“Y'all can't tell me what to do.” You sat from another chair.  

“Be nice.” Terry arched one brow and crossed both arms, revealing his service tattoos here. 

“Or what?” Your voice teased. 

“Damn. Should I leave?” Armando cleared his throat. 

“No.” You glanced near Aretas. “I drove us here, remember?” 

Just before Armando would respond, your cell phone rang. 

“Hi, K. Wait. what's wrong?” When you answered the phone, AMMO's weapons expert Kelly reached out. “I'm with Armando and we're visiting Terry.” 

“What happened?” Armando stepped closer, but Terry stopped him. 

“Shit! We gotta go.” Hanging up, you scrambled to leave and instructed Aretas. “Call the team right now. Someone found drugs at my job.” 

“Wow. Is that area haunted or something?” Terry became concerned. 

“We'll find out. Lay low, okay?” Your voice rushed to say goodbye and Richmond closed the door as planned, waiting. 

******

“Here's the bad news: it ain't weed.” Marcus Burnett updated everyone as red and blue overcasts brightened that Florida skyline once more. 

As a former detective, you crossed yellow tape with the squad and known sirens pierced through everlasting wails. 

“What happened this time?” You walked toward Mike next. 

“One of the line cooks found this random supply before calling us.” Mike explained. 

“Damn.” You shook your head. “Death toll?” 

“Thankfully no count yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if food has been contaminated or people got sick.” Mike went on. 

“Fuck!” You gritted and mentioned Captain Rita Secada. “All right. Make sure Rita shuts down the city as soon as possible.  I'm not taking any chances.”

“Aight. Shut it down, team!” Mike took charge elsewhere and you stayed with Armando. 

“Once we head back to the station and confirm everything, do you wanna go home?” You looked out for Aretas just in case. 

“No, thanks. I'll stay with you.” Armando's response surprised you here. 

Not arguing, you drove toward the precinct without fail. 

******

Leaving the police department and crashing at home hours later, exhaustion blacked out time upon return. 

By morning, you woke up in your personal bedroom, discovering this note: 

Don't shoot me, but I carried you upstairs last night. - Armando 🖤

Taking one much-needed shower, you pulled yourself together and moved downstairs, joining breakfast without cooking this time around. 

Reaching the kitchen, you found Armando shirtless, but this gold chain shined around his neck. 

Shit. 

“What's wrong?” His brown eyes noticed your confusion as two plates meet that table. 

“Nothing.” You've cleared your throat and accepted the meal. 

“Taking a break until the wolves show up.” Aretas expressed. 

“Call Christine and check on your little sister. It's still early.” You wanted to smile and help Armando feel better. 

“Good point.” Aretas dialed that phone number to signal another video chat. 

Once the police department grounded this new case, time would scramble again. 

“We're busy with another case, but I just wanted to say good morning.” Armando greeted Christine Lowrey. 

“Good morning.” Christine answered at home. 

“Hey,” Aretas said. 

“Dough!” Soon, cooing echoed from the phone when Christine held Armando's little sister sister “Princess.” 

“I'm right here, sorry.” Armando frowned during the call. 

“I'll find pictures of you and hang them somewhere.” Christine told Aretas. “She couldn't sleep last night.” 

“Sorry again. Hopefully today will look better. Take care.” Offering his slightly accented English again, Armando planned to say goodbye. 

“Thank you for checking on us, Armando. Stay safe.” Christine smiled with “Princess” before ending this chat. 

“I'll call Terry before we head out.” You unplugged your phone once that device charged on the kitchen counter. 

Planning this next call, you listened for the ringing dials until Richmond answered: 

“little sister Girl?” Revealing that deep voice, Terry slipped that nickname again. 

“Oh, be careful. You're on speaker, T.” You almost laughed. 

“Where are you?” Terry questioned more regardless of instructions. 

“Armando's staying with me, but we're going back to the police department soon.” You didn't lie at all. 

“Aight.” Somehow, Richmond's voice leveled further and further. 

“We're leaving now, but I'll definitely keep you posted. Bye.” Speaking with Terry, you bid farewell and Armando prepared himself as the case resumed. 

____

“Why did you do that?” Switching places, you turned in the passenger seat while Aretas drove your car. 

“Do what?” Armando wouldn't make eye contact with you. 

“Cooking breakfast shirtless like a movie.” You laughed once more. 

“You didn't stop me.” Aretas clipped one response back. 

“I'll never control anyone.” Nearly whispering, your voice offered this truth here. 

Parking by the station, Armando reached one curb and cut that engine. 

“Maybe I wanted you to notice.” Aretas didn't even flinch. 

Before you could reply for once, Aretas opened the passenger seat door and your guided footsteps trailed him right into the department. 

____

Once this team started hustling for the investigation, Armando wouldn't leave your side. 

Even when Mike and Marcus interrogated your coworkers from the restaurant or questioned others, Aretas became even more protective. 

“Dead ends. People we questioned today aren't adding up.” Mike struggled. 

“What now?” You asked. “We can't stop working yet.”

“I'll pull more strings.” Mike cautioned. “Get some rest before y'all lose momentum.”

As Mike and Armando said goodbye, you waited by the entrance, holding your car keys. 

Before long, Aretas drove once more as you rested in this passenger seat. 

*******

Returning home, you showered upstairs and would dream as usual, but caught Armando standing in the hallway on your way to bed. 

“Is everything all right?” You checked on him just in case. 

“You're better than me ‘cause I can't sleep.” His voice rasped. 

“What's wrong?” You questioned 

“I don't know.” Aretas quietly struggled. 

“You can always try. Wanna talk about it?” You wanted to help. 

“No. I'd feel better if you sleep.” Armando leveled the response. 

“Okay.” Trusting him, you couldn't argue and pointed backwards, heading to your room. “Good night.”

“Buenas noches.” Using his native language of Spanish, Armando offered ‘good night’ as well. 

“Thank you for helping me.”Just before you closed the door, one phrase reached Aretas. 

*******

On your way back to the police department, Terry called. 

“Morning.” Richmond's deep voice answered soon enough. 

“Good morning, T.”  You just wanted to feel better now. “I connected Bluetooth in my car, so watch yourself.” 

“Are you alone?” Terry snuck. 

“No.” You lifted your brow. “Armando's driving.”

“I'm coming to the station.” Terry revealed this plan and your thoughts jumbled. 

“Why?” You asked, puzzled. 

“I'll explain soon.” Terry hung up before you could respond. 

_______

“Someone in my apartment might be responsible for the drugs.” Terry offered brand-new information. 

“What the hell?” Your eyes traded glances with Armando. Even Mike and Marcus looked flabbergasted. 

“I left the building's fitness center and noticed this guy struggling with his bag.” Terry went on. ‘When I tried to help, he ran off.” 

“Did you see anything in the bag?” You questioned. 

“Uh, some items looked like silver holiday presents and boxes wrapped with red tags.” Terry explained the circumstances further. 

“Heroin.” Lowering their voices, Mike and Marcus responded in unison. 

Damn. You thought. 

“It's ‘95 all over again.” Mike gritted. “Who the hell pushes heroin nowadays?” 

“The drug of choice might help, but we'll see what happens.” Marcus said. “Terry, give us an ID for whoever you saw with that bag.”

“Yes, Sir.” Richmond nodded, staying back when more professionals entered this interrogation room.

______

Stepping toward the hallway, Mike joined you and Armando. 

“How's Christine doing with Princess? Should I go back to the house?” Armando stood concerned as Christine watched his little sister sister alone. 

“Don't worry. I'll check on them. Just stay with Rook. Can't have y'all scattered everywhere if somebody's responsible for the drugs.” Mike looked near Aretas and you once more. 

As you plan to leave, that interrogation door opened and Terry stepped out with Marcus. 

“We're getting close. Got a face, but Terry doesn't know his name yet. Our suspect stays private in the apartment building.” Marcus gestured around his expression. 

“Just like the McGarth case.” Mike shook his head. “Ghosts stay quiet.” 

“Yeah. It's early.” Marcus would ground the next plan. “Let's order some food and start hustling.  There's just a matter of time before this fool realizes what's going on.” 

_______

As nightfall crossed the Miami skyline in this precinct, time almost blurred throughout dark lights once maintenance turned down brightness.   

“Wrap it up, Mike! Look at them.” Feeling tired, Marcus pointed as Lowrey faced everyone else. 

Takeout boxes waited in corners and weapons expert Kelly grumbled near tech genius Dorn, exhausted. Captain Rita Secada left hours earlier. 

On the other hand, you stopped reviewing details with Terry and charged your phone, unable to focus more. Even Armando shut down his laptop. 

“Damn! Let's get out of here.” Noticing your watch, you gritted. “It's almost midnight.” 

As if on cue, Terry and Armando stood to clean the area. Dorn ended work as Kelly gathered belongings.

“Follow us back to the house.” Armando rasped by Terry. 

“All right.” Complying, Terry followed you and Armando out of the precinct without thinking twice. 

*****

No shared meals together. No light-hearted conversations. Rest became the top priority for all three of you or burnout would hinder everything. 

Sunlight greeted another morning in Florida as you woke up alone once more. 

Exhaustion stood out even more because you don't actually remember walking upstairs last night. You'd fallen asleep on the living room sofa. 

Maybe Armando helped out again, but who knows what could've taken place. 

After getting ready as usual, you found Armando leaving one of the guest rooms. 

“Hey. How'd you sleep?” On sight, Aretas paused and smiled in your direction. 

“I slept well. Thanks.” You responded. “By the way, you're in a good mood.” 

“Not running on empty and I feel better.” Armando said. “We've been trying to figure this out with no breaks.”

“Yeah.” Your thoughts agree. Time didn't even matter when cases began to lock down. “Staying back might help.” 

Out of nowhere, his phone rang in one pocket and you watched curiously as Armando picked up. 

“Hey. Hold up, what? Are you serious? Be right there. Thanks.” Aretas ended the conversation moments later. 

“What happened?” You squinted, unable to even reach the kitchen for breakfast. 

“Mike just called and the suspect turned himself in. C'mon.” You immediately followed Aretas and grabbed quick bites, almost ignoring Richmond downstairs. 

“What the hell?” Terry squinted through countless feelings. 

“Breakthrough with our case. We need to go.” You almost run toward the passenger seat of your car while Armando drives once more. 

_______

“What's up?” Questioning Dorn, Armando stood by virtual screens from the department when that suspect offered his truth. 

“Wow!” Dorn learned information right away, shocked. “Ready?” 

“Go ahead.” You encouraged Dorn. Even Kelly waited in silence. 

The suspect revealed his confession and Dorn almost immediately found this profile. 

“Drug trafficking, identify fraud, bribery. The list goes on.” Dorn listed so many crimes. 

Before you could pick up your jaw from the floor, sirens wailed again as different law enforcement officials escorted this random man to prison. 

Red and blue overcasts would take over morning sunlight here. 

“We got 'em.” Mike stepped forward alongside Marcus. “Our suspect moved into the apartment after Terry and no one questioned it.”

“What now?” You asked. 

“I'll update Rita. Just head back until further notice.” Mike instructed. “We should open the city again soon.” 

Learning drills like clockwork, you traveled home and waited, only needing one signal from Mike.

 ******

“Your neighbor hid so much corruption, but he's going to prison.” You explained what happened as Terry listened. “Discovering heroin in his bag opened the floodgates.”

“Damn. At least no one was killed, though.” Terry shook his head. 

“Hopefully not.” You kept that response vague because the future could expose much more. 

Exhausted despite the hour, you heated up leftovers and tried to settle down with lunch, but Mike called early. 

“We'll open the city soon. Just stay back tonight, though. Bye, Rook.” Mike hung up as quickly as responding. 

“Mike and Rita haven't opened the city yet.” You just looked toward that phone. 

“We'll be fine.” Terry understood this point while safety meant everything. 

“I'm taking a nap.” Armando excused himself from the kitchen table and headed upstairs, only watching you.  

“Are you finished eating?” You stood and planned to clean up the kitchen, but Terry insisted on helping regardless. 

“Yes, but don't worry. I got it.” Richmond gently stopped your hands from moving along. 

“Are you sure?” You still questioned Terry just in case. 

 “Yes.” Terry nodded. 

“I'll be upstairs.” You turned away from the kitchen and left, showering. 

*****

Sometime later, you realized that Armando kept the guest room door open, but your fist knocked anyway. 

Aretas began this video chat with Christine and made funny faces while noticing his little sister ‘Princess.’ Sweet laughter cackled right through. 

“C'mere.” Aretas smiled toward you and welcomed an empty side of the bed. 

“Hi!” You waved toward the phone. 

“Hello.” Christine greeted your voice while carrying her daughter. “We're about to hang up, but Armando wanted to make her laugh before we stopped talking.”

“Have a good one.” Armando bid farewell one last time until the call ended. 

“Feel better?” You looked out for Aretas and smiled. 

“Just waiting to go home.  I don't want ‘Princess' to think I'm gone.” He frowned regarding his little sister sister. 

“You haven't left her behind.” Your words tried to help out. “We've been working.”

“Okay.” Aretas wouldn't debate this point further as sunset arrived in Miami. 

Just before you'd leave to make dinner, Armando stood from the bed. 

“Don't even worry about cooking dinner. I'll order food.” Aretas suggested. 

“Thank you, but y'all won't let me do anything now.” You almost laughed this time. “Even Terry cleaned the kitchen.” 

“Returning favors because you've helped us a lot.” Aretas spoke up once more. 

“I appreciate it.” No matter what, you accepted the real compliment, leading Armando back downstairs. 

_____

“When life settles back down, what should we do next?” Terry offered the question as everyone shared takeout that night.

“Beach? I haven't gone in a while.” You volley that idea right back. 

“That sounds nice.” Terry nodded by you and still faced Armando for his  opinion. “What do you think, man?”

“We'll see.” Aretas finished his meal. “I'll feel better when this case is closed.” 

“Fair enough.” Richmond agreed. 

*****

Law enforcement concluded the investigation while safety and brightness returned to Miami at last. 

When time moved on again, you cleared this break, finally inviting Terry and Armando to the beach.

Driving, Armando rocked this tank top with matching shorts while another gold chain swung from his neck. 

You joined the passenger seat once more, yet Terry waited back, intently dodging his earbuds this afternoon. Awareness would help so much. 

Once you set up everything and sat with both men that day, peace arrived. 

Taking off your coverup as heat sizzles, you revealed that bathing suit. 

But when you turn around, Armando and Terry haven't moved from their chairs yet. 

Oh, well. 

Just as you walked along the shore, someone finally joined you here. 

Terry is now shirtless while his service tattoos inked on display. 

“Hi.” You've taken careful steps while addressing Terry. 

“Hello.” Richmond stayed cordial. 

“What's wrong, no nicknames?” You messed with him now. 

“Can't.” Terry declined. 

“Why?” Your eyes squinted as waves ebbed and flowed. 

“Look behind you.” Terry glanced over his shoulder.

Sure enough, Armando trailed your own footsteps. 

“I'll be right back.” Excusing yourself from Terry, you crossed paths with Armando. 

____

“Hey.” His slightly accented English returned as you greeted each other. 

“What's going on?” You questioned. “Terry might not feel comfortable.” 

“Sorry, but can we talk about something?” Aretas moved closer.  

“Yes. Are you all right?” The energy shifted this time around. 

When he took your hand, Armando's brown eyes nearly locked you down. 

“I miss you.” His words left your mind puzzled now. 

“I'm right here.” You say, definitely confused at this point. 

“Cariño…” Using his native language of Spanish, Armando called you “Sweetheart.”

“Yes?” You tried to ignore the nickname, but your heart jumped within. 

“Don't know how to say this, but I….” Aretas quietly struggled. 

“Take your time…” You still wanted Armando to express himself. 

“I'm in love with you.” The leveled confession stopped your tracks. 

Everything made sense this time. 

Aretas nearly living in your house. Inviting you to the hospital when Christine gave birth to his little sister. Driving. Protective. Respectful. On and on. 

“Armand…” As you shortened his name, the truth shook up countless emotions. 

“It's okay. I'm good if you don't…” Armando stopped talking out of nowhere when another person reached the shore. 

“Terry, what's wrong?” You stepped forward, genuinely concerned. 

“We should go. It's important.” Richmond pointed back to the car. 

“Oh, damn. All right.” You acknowledged your watch and returned by three chairs, gathering belongings to leave. 

*******

“Speaking with Armando in private.” Terry explained the plan when all three of you came back to your home. “Don't worry.”

“Okay. Let me know if y'all need anything.” You nodded and tried to smile before heading upstairs. 

______

“I've been holding my tongue. Really?” Terry crossed both arms while standing in the living room. 

“What are you talking about?” Aretas didn't even know what to think. 

“I don't want to lose my temper, but you know exactly what I'm saying.” Richmond arched his brow.

“Wait, hold up. Did you hear our conversation earlier?” Armando's thoughts jumbled.

“Everything.”  Terry somehow lowered his deep voice even more. 

“Look, I told the truth.” Aretas quietly defended himself. “It's better than nothing at all.” 

“Always moving first.” Terry shook his head for a moment. 

“You sound jealous, T.” Armando caught on right away. 

“So what? Maybe I am.” Terry couldn't fight anymore. 

“I've never seen you make a move.” Aretas scoffed back. 

“Don't judge me for staying private.” Richmond kept speaking about you. “I've used nicknames with her, but my choices are none of your business.” 

“She can make her own decisions, but I spoke up before you.” Thinking of your heart and ignoring Terry, Armando planned to cook instead. 

_______

Tension almost burned this space from inside out when you reached that kitchen for dinner. 

Armando and Terry sat across from each other once you joined this table. 

“Hi.” You smiled with efforts to brighten their frowns. 

“Hey.” Armando noticed you first. “There's another cookout tomorrow if you wanna go.”

“Cool.” You nodded and even mentioned Armando's little sister. “Should we babysit Princess?”

“Help me find a picnic table near Mike and Christine or my sister will start crying.” Aretas knew better. 

“Deal.” You laughed. 

Terry stayed quiet as you began to ramble, excited for this upcoming event. 

_______

Later that night, you planned to sleep, but someone knocked on your bedroom door. 

Before long, you opened up to see Armando standing in the hallway. 

“Hi.” You gently answered. “Are you out of toothpaste or something?”

“No.” Aretas chuckled. “I can't sleep.”

“Nightmares?” You stepped closer.

“No.” Armando repeated himself at first. “Just…I can't stop thinkin’ about you.”

Armand….” You struggled with his name once more, nervous as invisible butterflies rattled 

“I know…” Aretas would leave right now if you wanted. 

Fed up with your own confusion, you moved near Armando until each stance met. 

Moonlit shadows captured the bedroom as you stood nose to nose. 

“Don't break my heart.” Your voice trembled beyond words. 

“Never.” One promise grounded the truth as his lips met yours for the very first time. 

Stepping back, air quivered as you both realized what just happened. 

“Too much? You wondered, checking on Armando first.

“No. Want me to stop?” His accented English only shook more. 

“No.” You offered absolute consent and reached his chain, giving Aretas more kisses. 

Hazed by rising chemistry, you undressed one another while Armando's desperate lips greeted your neck.

Tangled on this bed, his body shadowed yours  as each kiss deepened and senses woke up. 

“Condom?” Armando nearly whispered just in case. 

“Nightstand.” You guided his path and he reluctantly turned away for protection, just hoping to worship your shape. 

From his perspective, you looked so good at the beach earlier, walking along that shore in this remarkable bathing suit. 

“We don't have to do anything.” Glancing down, Aretas held the condom between his fingers. 

“I want this to happen.” You promised, kissing him just before time moved again. 

“Me too.” Locking eyes with you, Aretas opened the piece and bit his lip, slyly noticing how our legs wrapped around his waist. 

Bliss only heightened when Armando lined up with your entrance and just waited for permission.

“Please…” Your whimpering voice searched for his presence. 

“I'll count. Look at me.” Caressing your face, Armando wanted to make you feel good. “3, 2, 1…”

“Fuck!” Safely buried inside, Aretas held back grateful shock while you clenched around him and gasped from 

“Does it hurt?” His rasping tone offered the question while dangerous hips started thrusting. 

“No.” You just couldn't help pleading over and over again. “Keep going!”

“What? I can't hear you.” Once Armando chuckled for a moment, his ego spanned outward. 

“Baby…” As one nickname slipped from your trembles, no one else mattered right now. “Don't stop.” 

Encouraged by the sounds of your desperate voice, Armando only switched positions and your own body mounted him, still not able to cum yet. 

“Look at me!” He gritted right back, prompting your eyes to move down once more. “I love you so much.” 

“I know…” Bracing his chest with your palms, you anchored with efforts to keep this future climax settled.

One coil found within your stomach unraveled before time could even help. 

Soon, you warmed the condom, involuntarily weeping as kisses returned. 

Aretas doesn't pull out right away, smiling against your lips and calming down. 

“Ready for tomorrow?” This man teased you while still acting up. 

“Have som common sense.” Once Armando pulled out, you nearly giggled before leaving him to shower alone. 

******

By morning, you tangled once more when Armando set his face between your thighs, softly guiding his beard along. 

Just when you'd climb another mountain, his phone started buzzing on the nightstand. 

Half-dressed, you casted both eyes toward the ceiling and lose momentum, but sit down to watch Armando use this phone. 

“Text messages.” Aretas gestured by the screen, but you don't even care, kissing him to make up. 

Fuck! Armando realizes. 

Terry has been pinging different notifications since last night. 

Given no other choice, you both pulled yourselves together and headed downstairs, facing Richmond. 

______

“Hold on, I need a minute with him.” No longer holding back, Terry stepped forward to acknowledge you and Armando. 

“No chance. Don't fight in my house.” You refuse to walk away. “Speak in front of me this time.”

“Fair enough.” Terry remained cordial and understood your point. Drama kept no place here. 

“We're together now. Either respect it or get out of the way.” Aretas defended your bond. 

“Did you even want her before?” Richmond wanted to know everything. 

“I love her.” Armando protected you now. “Matter of fact, who took care of everything once she left that hospital? Me, not you.” 

“Don't blame shit.” Terry remembered when this bullet almost killed you. “We brought her to the emergency room.”

“You ghosted us.”  Armando lifted his cell phone to make this point. “Be thankful she even tolerates you now. ” 

“Why did you leave like that?” Looking at Terry, you intervened for once. 

“Mama…” Richmond failed to bring up sweetness with nicknames 

“Answer my question.” You put your foot down. “If you care about me so much, why leave at all?” 

Terry admitted more. “You survived, but everyone else helped out before I could move forward.” 

“AMMO is like my family.” Your voice kept responding. “You can't take charge just because we know each other.” 

“But he can?” Terry then squinted regarding Armando. 

“Drop the conversation already.” You can't bicker anymore. “We have plans today, so please stop arguing.” 

******

“Hi!” Florida sunlight welcomed the park once more as you joined those picnic tables. 

When Armando's little sister woke up, she cooed, opening small to greet Aretas. 

“Aw, wow!” Everyone noticed when the infant dropped her head onto Armando's shoulder. 

“Miss me, huh?” Armando grinned toward this child and your feelings jumped again. 

Terry debated his exit when you held Armando's hand and beamed around your friends, happy to be alive. 

I lost you. Richmond's heart would break for good.