#Cinderella Service

[endofterror]

End Of Terror Meeting with Politician, Welsh Senedd Member, John Griffiths MS

Today, after four years of campaigning, I finally met with Welsh Assembly Member, John Griffiths AM. John is my local political representative in the Welsh Assembly. In Wales, health is a devolved matter and is dealt with in the Cardiff National Assembly, rather than in parliament. Since the launch of End Of Terror five years ago, both John Griffiths and his parliamentary cohort, Jessica Morden…

[firelise]

Film & TV I Think About A Lot » Cinderella (1997) dir. Robert Iscove; prod. Whitney Houston

"A shoe made out of glass? Who dances in GLASS shoes??"

[kikizubik]

My K-dramas list

LOVED:

Crash Landing on You (사랑의 불시착, 2019-20, 16 eps) This drama is my n1! It made me feel thigs and made me cry a lot. I enjoyed the found family aspect and the story was so different so far what I've watched. I was rooting for the couple so much and the fact they're married in real life! Chef kiss!

No gain No love (손해 보기 싫어서, 2024, 12 eps) Every episode was delight. I fell in love with main couple love story. Their chemistry was magnificent. Second couple had more screen time in my opinion, I was cheering for them, but my heart was stolen by Son Hae-yeong and Kim Ji-wook.I enjoyed the family aspect of it too! And it should've had at least 16 episodes, it ended so quickly. Hope they'll make more stories like this one!

Goblin (쓸쓸하고 찬란하神-도깨비, 2016-17, 16 eps.) Drama which made me watched other kdramas! I loved everything about it, the story, characters and the sountrack.

Doom at your service (어느 날 우리 집 현관으로 멸망이 들어왔다, 2021, 16 eps) The story premise was so good. I enjoyed every second of it. Only thing I didn't love that much was second couple, Na Ji-na was acting so childish.

Tomorrow (내일, 2022, 16 eps) every episode was masterpiece, every episode made me cry because the topics which have been shown was sad reality for so many people. The team was excellent, the chemistry between them was so nice. The camera, the script - I love every episode so much. Definitely need to check out webtoon comics.

The Judge from hell (지옥에서 온 판사, 2024, 14 eps) My first show with Park Shin-hye and not last. She was awesome. And the punishments which those monsters got, was satisfying!

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (갯마�� 차차차, 2021, 16 eps) I really liked Shin Min-a acting in No gain no love, so of course I watched other drama with her. Enjoyed the story, the chemistry between her and Kim Son-ho, the people from the town. It was such a nice drama!

Welcome to Samdal-ri (웰컴투 삼달리, 2023-24, 16 eps) It had Hometown cha cha cha vibes. The story, sisters bond, friendship and love story in this story was everything. I loved every minute of it.

Fight for my way (쌈 마이웨이, 2017, 16 eps) This drama showed me that when it's done well Friends to lovers trope isn't bad at all.

The Sound of Magic (안나라수마나라, 2022, 6 eps) This was so beautiful drama! JCHW as Magician was brillians as his cast members! The songs were weak except the first song and A curse o Asphalt, those two I can listen to over and over.

Mr. Plankton (Mr. 플랑크톤, 2024, 10 eps) I didn't have high expectations, but it surprised me! I'm glad that I found out at the beginning how it will end. I could prepare myself for it. The story had original story line and Woo Do-hwan stole the show for me!

Marry My Husband (내 남편과 결혼해줘, 2024, 16 eps) I didn't plan to watch it, because the concept was same as Perfect Marriage Revenge. But it was so much better than PMR. It had revenge with R. I couldn't stop watching after episode 1, that addictive it was. The chemistry between couple was so good, side characters were loveable and the villains were amazing - I hated them with my whole soul, the actors did good job. And Yoo Ji-hyuk became my another favorite husband material.

Healer (힐러, 2014-15, 20 eps) I loved everything about it. I binged in 2 days. Healer and Ajumma hacker - the best combination! No love triangle!

Strong Woman Do Bong-soon (힘쎈 여자 도봉순, 2017, 16 eps) I started it because of Park Bo-yeong, but finished it because of Park Hyung-sik - his character Ahn Min-hyuk stole my heart. Overall I enjoyed it a lot. I binged it how intrigued I was. It had comedy, crime invesitgation what I should wish for more. The acting of main characters were flawless!

Suspicious partner (수상한 파트너, 2017, 20 eps) Combination comedy and suspense was so good. It had good balance. It wasn't the best drama, but I loved it either way. I fell in love with its characters.

Revenant (악귀, 2023, 12 eps) I'm not fan of horror, but I got influenced by some edits. It was pretty addictive and scary. The cast did such a good job. And Kim Tae-ri was excellent. Her performance was flawless. Can't wait to watch other shows and movies with her in it.

Gangnam B-Side (강남 비-사이드, 2024, 8 eps) I watched it because of JCW, I was hesitant at first, because I was afraid it would be too much for me, because of the topic, but it wasn't that brutal I was expected it'd be. The pacing of the story was good, the acting was perfect. I enjoyed the friendship theme. Bibi was so good, it's my first drama with her but definitely not last. Chemistry between her and JCW was pretty natural. The ending was satisfying, everything clicked together.

The Worst Evil (최악의 악, 2023, 12 eps) Let me tell ya, it was perfection. I don't even mind I was anxious every episode, because everything on this drama was just perfect. Acting, story, script, soundtrack.. The ending had to be like that, because the whole time it was coming to that point. I can't even watch fan edits, because they made me emotional, that big impacted this drama has over me.

A Business Proposal (사내 맞선, 2022, 12 eps) My first kdrama ever. I enjoyed about it how feel good this drama was. After watching some Turkish dramas where unnecesary drama was made, it was fresh air for me. I loved the friendship so much! And the family dynamic was nice, too.

Daily Dose of Sunshine (정신병동에도 아침이 와요, 2023, 12 eps) Park Bo-yeong was amazing. The story is one of those which everyone should watch once in their lifetime. The story is opening topics about mental illnesses and how big stigma it still is around people. Honestly, only thing I didn't like was the romance there, because it wasn't that necessary for the story itself.

If You Wish Upon Me (당신의 소원을 말하면, 2022, 16 eps) I went into this show blindly. I mainly picked it because of JCW. I didn't know anything about the story.After first episode I knew I will love it and also that every episode will be pretty emotional journey. I enjoyed the plot so much. I like that it's story about people who has their struggles, but they gather to help grant wishes of dying patients. It was so touching.What I love the most about this show is the journey of main character Yoon Kyeo Re. From not trusting anyone, because everyone in his life let him down, to embracing his true self and his new found family! I'm sucker for found family trope and this show served it so amazingly.I loved how the story is wrapped exactly how it begins. The circle of new beginning are repeating.What I didn't like was how was handled the fixation of Ha Joon Kyung on Yoon Kyeo Re. It wasn't satisfying at all.Overall very well done show which made you cry, but the acting and story is so good, so it's totally fine. I just wish the show to be longer, because I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters! They grew on me so much.

Melting me softly (날 녹여주오, 2019, 16 eps.) I had a really good time. When I'm thinking about it now, it wasn't the most perfect thing I've seen, it had its faults and loopholes, but you know what I don't care, because I was enjoying every minute when I was watching it. The comedy, soundtrack and the acting! JCW just know how made you cry or fell in love. Plus his looks with glasses were death to me, he's just that good looking in anything he wears, I guess. Also Won Ji ah was pretty good too, love her portrayal of Ko Mi ra who was a really awesome character.

Happiness (해피니스, 2021, 12 eps) I just say that everyone who was praising this show was right. It was so good! I loved (even though it irritated me, but in reality it would happended) how it showed how would people reacted in some pandemic moment. How people becomes selfish and dangerous. The main couple had stunning chemistry, so natural! And must say I enjoyed strong FL.

Melo movie (멜로 무비, 2025, 10 eps) Park Bo Young was my urge to watch it, because I just love her and so far what I've seen with her in it was so good! And this one wasn't exception. I was having fun for the start, just beware it's not only romcom (I thought it is) and then it tore me out without notice. Enjoyed every story line what was there. Don't get people who was unsatisfied with second couple ending, because it was beautifully realistic! Also, I'm glad I finally saw Choi Woo Shik in action, because after this show I want to watch other stuff with him! Loved his chaotic, goofy nature.

Enjoyed:

Love scout (인사하는 사이, 2025, 12 eps) This was such beautiful mature romance story I've seen for a such a long time! Yoo Eun Ho is the greenest ML! I'm glad the story doesn't have unnecessarily drama, which sometimes happens and I hate it. It had moments I didn't love, but it wasn't something major, just my problems. If you want something when the roles are switched - F CEO and M assistant. Grumpy x Sunshine type of story with mature communication - THIS IS IT!

Brewing love (취하는 로맨스, 2024, 12 eps) I'm glad I didn't stop watching after first episode, because I didn't like that episode a lot, but it got better! I enjoyed the world of making beer and fact that ML was sensitive character, who can feel how someone is feeling, very new what I've seen so far. I also love about the drama the meaningful conversations and no love triangle, and just good time without frustration of miscommunication.

Queen Woo (우씨왕후, 2024, 8 eps) My first historical kdrama. I was shocked how many explicit scenes there were. But I enjoyed the strong female protagonist! The cast was so good, the costumes were stunning. Definitely not disappointed, only thing I was sad about was that JCW's character dies at the beginning. I loved their love story they really loved each other so much.

Shooting Stars (별똥별, 2022, 16 eps) I got crush on Kim Young-dae after watching No gan no love. Unfortunately I didn't love this drama, but I had a really good time. I enjoy the story setting, it shows how messed up is the entertainment industry in South Korea. The comedy was so good. I wasn't satisfied with how some plots were handled in the end. Overall it was fun drama!

Extraordinary Attorney Woo (이상한 변호사 우영우, 2022, 16 eps (S1)) I enjoyed every case. Joon-ho is such a green forest!

Backstreet Rookie (편의점 샛별이, 2020, 16 eps) First episode wasn't good, the problematic elements shocked me, but I give it a try, because of JCW and after second episode I was hooked. Enjoyed the comedy and serious topics which was added. I wasn't fan the romance though, it took them a long time than ML and his gf broke up, which I was frustrating with the gf behavior, I was sorry for her at the beginning, but I got mad at her soon after that. She was such a toxic victim acting person. The whole relationship was mostly about her and fact she was feeling embarrassed when she was with him!? And after break up, which she broke up with him and in bad way...she started chased him again! I was done with her acting. And another person annoyed me that much, which wasn't even punished is younger sister of FL. LIke what a brat. The chemistry was there, but I didn't feel the love. I hope they'd be in another drama together!

Love next door (엄마 친구 아들, 2024, 16 eps) I enjoyed chemistry between charcters and also trope friends into lovers, which was executed so nicely. Enjoyed important messages in it, BUT a few last episodes was dragging to me. I guess, I lost interest in the end. But I was so rooting for second couple, so I needed to finish it. This gonna be my first kdrama where I prefer second couple more.

Lovestrunk  in the city (도시남녀의 사랑법, 2020-21, 17 eps) It had very interesting concept. And was suprised that episodes were short like 30 mins. What I loved the most about this show was friendship of Lee Eun-oh, Suh Rin-i and Kang Geon. Give me supportive friends and I will love it! Next thing is spoilers so what I didn't get was 2 months fling which he did like they knew each other for longer period time. Understand, that it can happended, but he was such a loser boyfriend. I was embarrassed for him for many times. But I loved how caring he was...The ending wasn't satisfying at all. It felt like there gonna be season 2, but I doubt it.

When the phone rings (지금 거신 전화는, 2024-25, 12 eps) It had very good start. I love the chemistry ad the acting. But the finale ruined it for me. Honestly, I don't mind the war-zone plot, I was annoyed with Hee joo decision to get kidnapped in that zone to find her husband. Like girl you could've been killed. What were you thinking?

Cinderella at 2 am (새벽 2시의 신데렐라, 2024, 10 eps) beginning started so high and it went down half way through the show, which was a shame. This is my second noona show (found out there's a name for older woman, younger man show recently) Moon Sang-min was such a cutie in the show. Most people prefer second couple and I don't blame them, but I love main couple, they were such cute idiots and I was there for it. But if I should choose only 1 drama with noona theme...No gain No love did it better in whole picture (characters, story itself).

Wedding Impossible (웨딩 임파서블, 2024, 12 eps) I had the same problem as with Cinderella at 2 am, it had a really good beginning but in the halfway it got a little dragged. Especially didn't enjoy what they did Dohan's story, I was picked this show up especially with the premise FL helps her friend and becomes his fake bride because he's gay. This theme wasn't handle very good. I started it because of Moon Sang-min and stayed because of him, because hist character Lee Ji-han was overdramatic and I was here for it! I was also in awe with FL Na Ah Jung - I love abour her she doesn't give a damn and tells you what she thinks!

Liked:

Empress Ki (기황후, 2013-14, 51 eps) The beginning was nice, but I was dying half way through. I was watching it because of JCW, but his character was so annoying and childish and I know that if that character was played by different actor I would loath him so much. The biggest red flag ever. I loved the main heroine though, she was clever and strong. Like yeah she was good at everything but I don't mind, I just loved her and she deserved so much more... The romance was I don't know... the chemistry was there but I didn't feel it it¨s some epic love. Tal Tal was side character which stole my heart, his tactic mind and fact he started having respect towards Ki through time, they were besties for me. Even though I wasn't that big fan of the show like most of the people, the characters have grown on me and the finale destroyed me big time. The soundtrack was so nice!

Perfect Marriage Revenge (완벽한 결혼의 정석 , 2023, 12 eps.) It had so much potential, but it didn't live up to it. I enjoyed ML, he was another green forest. But I was expecting a little more satisfying revenge from FL. Nervertheless it was solid drama, I like it.

Link: Eat, Love, Die (링크: 먹고 사랑하라, 죽이게, 2022, 16 eps) Interesting plot, but that slow pacing of the story was killing me. I'd prefer 12 eps, because it'd be enough. I enjoyed the main characters, plus FL's mom and grandma who were stealer of the show how hillarious they were. The characters were main reason I finished it.

The K2 (더 케이투, 2016, 16 eps) Ji Chang-wook has become my favorite actor. I love how he can play anything. And the action is so good when he's there. I was excited after a few episodes in, the action, political schemes. But in the end only Ji Chang wook and Song Jun-a were saving this show. Her villain character Choi Yoo-jin was magnificent and interesting persona. Thanks to them I wanted to finish it and I did!

My sweet mobster (놀아주는 여자, 2024, 16 eps) I enjoyed the idea of the show. Loved the guys and their boss. But it was dragging a bit in the end. It took me a while to finish it because of it.

Family Matters (가족계획, 2024, 6 eps) It was good to see Bae Doona again after so long. The story was interesting. Hope they are planning second season, because it definitely deserves it.

The Trunk (트렁크, 2024, 8 eps) The plot was very confusing at first, it took me 2 episode to understand it. Pacing was very slow and if there wouldn't be main couple I'd just give up, but I enjoy them. Their chemistry was natural and fact, they healed each other at some point!

Family by choice (조립식 가족, 2024, 16 eps) I must say I was pleasantly suprised how well they did the remake of Go ahead. The essense of that show was there, but it made it more its own show.

Face Me (페이스 미, 2024, 12 eps) Beginning was promising, but it flopped in half way. I can't blame cast too much, because main issue was script, they couldn't do better job because of it. I was missing development of characters and the fact the killer was obvious from very beginning wasn't cool, I love being surprised.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

Hiiiii cal!!! I’m so glad you’re enjoying writing this way because I love getting to read these snippets - it’s like a bunch of mini cliffhangers that prompt my imagination to go wild and it’s so much fun!! I’ll be sending emojis for as long as you’re wanting them!

⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️(they’re getting a house! And about to get married!!! And i might be misremembering but i don’t think you’ve done a detailed buddie wedding in any of your fics yet? I’m very excited to see how you do it!!)

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨(the shenanigans and tomfoolery of being bad at hiding a secret relationship… it amuses me so!)

🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸(as i’ve said many times before, my love for this fic goes beyond words!! And you’re venturing into truly riveting territory here i’m so pumped!!)

🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮(my heart breaks for babby - my typo for baby bobby and i’m keeping it - my dear sweet babby)

🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟(i can already feel this one becoming my new obsession! Idk why i thought it was going to be something shorter when you first started posting about it but i was thrilled to see that anticipated chapter count on ao3!)

👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑👑(islands in the stream has been stuck in my head all day and i blame you! I’m so looking forward to the madney sweetness!)

🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼(oh my god cal the angst! It’s angsting!)

💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐(huge fan of mays crush being named april - it makes me giggle every time)

🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮(cranberry my baby! And the covidness of it all is so vivid - i’m loving the buck-chris dynamic!)

I never count the amount of emojis i type as i go so i’m always a bit shocked at how many sentences i’ve requested of you when you post the reply 😬 thank you so much for putting up with my crazy requests it brings me such joy!

I hope you have a lovely weekend and week!!

SO AS I WAS FILLING THIS OUT MY FUCKING LAPTOP CRASHED. WHICH SUCKS BECAUSE IT HAS TAKEN ME HOURS AND HOURS ACROSS TWO DAYS. FUCK. Let's see if I can find the sentences I wrote again.

For TWATYTK and Zombies, those parts have already been posted, because as I said, this was taking so long. GAH!

I had a whole message typed out about how much I appreciate you. You are so kind! IT'S LOST TO TIME NOW.

I think this was what I had for ⚡️:

---

Their next call is to the scene of a fire. 

This should not be especially eventful, considering that they are firefighters and all. And, for the drive there, it isn’t. The transit process? Just fine. 

It’s the rest that sends Buck into a tailspin. 

He spends the ride seated next to Eddie, thighs touching. They’re back being partnered together. Sadie earned her shield a couple months back, and has been working as Ravi’s partner since. Buck is pretty proud of her - and himself, for training her. He liked working with her a lot. But he’s happy to be back where he belongs, in terms of workplace duos. 

Buck and Eddie - okay, mostly Buck - talk everyone’s ear off about the house for the time it takes them to get to the fire. They should possibly be a little less giddy headed towards an actual three alarm fire, but at that point, Buck thinks his mood simply can’t be shaken. How naive. 

It is perhaps due to this focus on the house, which is nowhere near the direction they’re headed in to get to this fire, that Buck doesn’t realize what is in the direction of the fire. In his defense, neither does anyone else! Not even Eddie! Even Bobby, who knows better where they’re going, doesn’t put the pieces together. 

Maybe it’s because they spend so much time driving around the city. Here and there. Fires and car accidents and medical emergencies everywhere. Everywhere looks familiar! They could all be city tour guides. It’s not like driving through a city where you only know a few places, so the places you know feel like beacons.

Or Buck is just making excuses for his lack of attention. Either way. 

Really, it’s not until they turn onto the street that Buck notices. Though, it’s a long road, and they’re still a few miles out. 

“This is weird,” Buck says. 

“What is?” Sadie asks. She’s sitting across from him. Noticing his sudden onslaught of nerves. 

“We’re on the same street as the wedding venue.”’

That makes Eddie look. He’d been typing a rather long message to his mother and not paying much attention to where they’re going. At Buck’s words, his attention snaps to the window.

“Shit, you’re right.” 

Well, obviously Buck knows he’s right. 

“Bobby,” he asks. “What’s the address of where we’re going?”

“Uh, it is…” Bobby reads. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Buck repeats. He grabs Eddie’s arm. “Oh? Oh, what?”

“Okay, well first let’s remember we don’t know how bad it is yet,” Bobby says, maintaining a steady facade. 

“Bobby, it’s a three-alarm fire!” Buck exclaims, voice raising an octave.

“And the wedding is in days,” Eddie adds, voice wavering with stress. “There’s no time to do any repairs, even if it’s not totally ruined.”

Days. Days. What the fuck are they going to do?

“Okay, let’s not jump to any conclusions. Technically, the address is for the building next door,” Bobby explains. “Everything might be fine.”

Everything is not fine. Quite the opposite, in fact. 

Two minutes after his painstaking revelation, Buck finds himself standing next to his fiancé on the street in front of their wedding venues, watching it plume with smoke. The wind blew the flames from the building next to it, and the roof caught. It won’t fare as badly as the other building, but it certainly won’t be available for their wedding. 

They are getting married.

In three days. 

Their wedding is in three days. 

Their wedding is in three days and has no venue. 

Because their venue is burning right in front of him. 

Their venue was also their caterer, so add that to the fucking fire. 

“Buck! Eddie!” Bobby calls. “Work first, react later!”

Easy for him to say! It’s not his wedding venue! 

“Come on.” Eddie tugs on his turnouts. “We’ve got to go.”

Buck feels like he’s been possessed by a heap of barbed wire. 

He turns his head to Eddie. His eyes are bugged out so wide they might pop from his head. An absurd but sticky thought pops into his head. 

“You jinxed us,” Buck accuses. 

“Buck!” Eddie complains.

---

And 🚨:

---

“Okay, that makes sense. Was it his family?”

Buck nods. “They were religious. Conservative. Southern.”

“I can relate,” Eddie tells him. 

“Eventually, I just wanted to be able to relax, though,” Buck says. “I made him promise we’d do it at the end of the tour. Not to his family. Just, to friends… And in public.”

Eddie’s expression softens as he realizes.

“And then he died.”

“Yeah.” 

And then he died. 

“I’m so sorry,” Eddie exhales.

Buck shakes his head. His eyes start to sting. 

“It’s stupid, Eddie. I know there’s no logic behind it. It just feels like once something is out loud, it can be taken away.”

Eddie nods, understanding the thought process. 

“We both know I can’t promise you I won’t spontaneously die,” he says. “Especially in a global pandemic.”

“I know,” Buck nods. 

“But, uh…” Eddie sighs. “It’s like you said when I was worried about Chris, right? I’ll just have to prove it to you.”

“Prove it to me?” Buck asks.

“Yeah,” Eddie nods. “I’ll just prove that we get to have a life together. Even if we’re both a little bit scared of dying.”

“I’m scared of you dying,” Buck reminds him. 

“Okay, well we’re at an equal risk, so… Not the point, actually. Buck, the point is, I’ll show you every day, alright?” Eddie promises. “We get to have this.”

Buck takes a deep breath. He leans forward in bed and grabs Eddie’s hand. 

“I don’t know if I’d believe anyone else,” he says quietly. 

Eddie shuffles up the mattress, closer to Buck.

“Believe me,” he says. 

“Okay,” Buck relents. “But only because you’re very pretty.”

Eddie smirks. “It’s a gift.”

“Mmm, or a trick.”

Eddie chuckles and kisses his temple, right beside the birthmark. 

“I love you,” he says. “That’s not going anywhere, okay?”

“Okay,” Buck breathes. 

He decides to try his best to believe him. 

---

And the 90 sentences I wrote for this damn 🩸:

---

But it does show Buck what she’s up to. 

It kind of makes him mad, actually. Eddie has gone to such intense, devastating lengths to hide himself. Meanwhile, his attacker has been out here, just living life. Posting about walks through the park and her latest baking experiment. How is that fucking fair? 

It’s not. 

It’s not fair. 

And while Buck knows what he has to do isn’t fair either - isn’t right or human or good - he tries to keep that in mind. 

She ruined Eddie’s life. Twice. She didn’t have to do that. Now, what choice does Buck have? 

February 10th, 2025

Eddie does something on Monday that he perhaps should not do. Something the tiniest bit risky. After his call with Adriana, he’s feeling that a bit of risk taking to get his life back where it needs to be is necessary. And anyway, he’s not doing anything illegal. Not doing anything wrong. Nothing he can be arrested for. 

He’s picking his son up from school. 

Chris pauses, exiting Durand School to see Eddie in the driver’s seat of the truck. His eyes widened with nerves for a moment. Eddie felt a rush of guilt. He doesn’t want to make Chris worry. Doesn’t want to cause any undue stress. He just wants to feel like a normal dad again, picking his kid up from school. 

But then Chris breaks out into a wide grin, and Eddie feels his whole body relax. 

“You came!” Chris exclaims, surprised, when he reaches the vehicle. 

Eddie climbs out to help him into the front seat. Not that Chris needs a lot of help anymore. Mostly just someone to hold his crutches and bag. 

“I did,” Eddie confirms. He tries to keep his voice even. 

“You’re not worried?” 

“No,” Eddie says. “Well, maybe a little. But I’m not doing anything I’m not allowed to do.”

Chris thinks about this. “I’m glad you came today.”

“Me too,” Eddie decides. “Do you want to grab ice cream or something on the way home?”

Chris narrows his eyes. “I’m not a little kid, remember?”

“Jeez, I didn’t know ice cream had an age limit,” Eddie frowns. “Buck will be devastated to hear this. You know how seriously he takes his Neapolitan.”

Chris smirks. “Fine. Okay. I want ice cream.”

Eddie grins. “Thought so.”

Fifteen minutes later, they’re sitting on a little patio, under the shade of an umbrella. Eddie is in the darkest seat, also covered by sunglasses and a hat. Chris sits in the sunshine, spooning strawberry ice cream from a little paper bowl. 

“So, I wanted to run an idea by you,” Eddie says. 

“Me?” Chris asks. 

“Yeah, you. Who else?”

“I don’t know,” Chris shrugs. “What is it?”

“Well, I think I need to get a job,” Eddie says. 

“But you can’t be a firefighter,” Chris fills in.

“No,” Eddie says. “I don’t think I can.”

“So, then what?” 

“Well, May suggested I look into telehealth services. Like a hotline for medical advice or something,” Eddie says. 

Chris nods. “You’d be good at that.”

“Thank you,” Eddie replies. “But, uh, I did a little research and I think I found something different that suits me even better.”

“What is it?”

“Well, there’s this nonprofit that operates out of Los Angeles looking for people with medical experience. Nurses. Doctors. Paramedics.” 

“Like a charity?” Chris asks. 

“Yeah, but I’d get paid,” Eddie says. “It’s a job. Bringing emergency medical care to people who maybe don’t feel safe to call for help.” 

“Like… You?” Chris whispers the last part. 

“Yeah, but not just like me,” Eddie explains. “All kinds of people. People facing deportation. Homeless people. People who can’t afford an ambulance ride. Stuff like that.”

---

This is easier to count again haha 🔮:

---

Buck wakes up with his cheek pressed into the bannister support poles of Bobby’s apartment stairwell. He can feel their imprint as he woozily pulls his upper body upright. His head is pounding and he feels vaguely nauseous. Almost like he’s been drugged. Though, the comedown when they’d been spiked with LSD had been far more gradual than the sudden, brutal snap back to reality that had been whatever that was. 

Not a coma, he realizes. If he’s sitting in the stairwell to Bobby’s apartment, not a hospital room, then it wasn’t a coma dream. Kind of an insane regular dream, though? And why had he passed out in the first place?

Acutely aware he won’t find any answers here, parked on his ass, Buck pulls himself to his feet. Slowly, and gripping the bannister for support, just in case, he straightens out his body. His legs give a little wobble. 

What the fuck happened to him?

Partway down the stairs, Buck looks up and down. Should he go out to the Jeep and risk driving home? Feeling like this? He supposes he could call Eddie. Eddie would come for him, no questions asked. He knows he could ask Bobby for help, too. No matter what just happened between them. But his brain is battling two contradictory memories; the fight he had with Bobby in the kitchen and the memory he somehow intruded on of Bobby at his father’s funeral. If that was even real. The easy thing to do would be to go downstairs and call Eddie, not deal with any of it. Hold onto the only thing he knows really happened. 

With a sigh, Buck turns and climbs the stairs. Up towards Bobby’s. 

The moment his foot hits the landing on Bobby’s floor, Buck sees the breathless, similarly disoriented face of his captain jogging down the hallway. He looks pale. Hair a little mussed. Half his face is red, like it’s been pressed against something, too. 

---

A bunch for this guy here 🧟:

---

“May is awake and lucid,” she says. “She’s asking for you.”

Athena grabs one of Hen’s hands and squeezes it. 

“Thank you. Thank you.” 

Then she hurries off in the direction of her daughter’s sickroom. 

Hen doesn’t go after her. She waits, lingering, to speak with Bobby. 

“Did you find Michael?” She asks. 

Bobby shakes his head slightly. 

“It looks like he was infected in the initial outbreak or sometime soon after.”

Hen’s shoulder sag. “Damn it. Poor Athena. Poor kids.” 

Bobby nods. He doesn’t know what else to say. Yes. It’s horrendous. Everything is always so horrendous and everyone’s families are always dying. 

“We should ask her to stay,” Hen says quietly. “She’s a friend. We trust her. The kids will be good for Denny.”

Bobby knows they have enough food to stretch to more than just the three of them. Plus, more hands means more potential to harvest more. Fish more. Preserve more. 

“It’s not just my decision,” Bobby says. “We’ll have to discuss it as a group.”

“No, but it’ll go whatever way you want it to go,” Hen says. “You know that.”

He does. 

“I think it’s a good idea, Hen. But I want everyone’s input.” 

“Like you did with the radio?” She asks.

Bobby raises his eyebrows in surprise. “Buck told you?”

“Oh, yes.” She says. “Wanted to get ahead of it, I guess.”

“Do you think I did the wrong thing?” Bobby asks. 

Hen might be the only person he’s willing to ask this of. The only person whose answer he really wants to know. 

“No,” she says. “I don’t think you did the wrong thing. But I’m worried about him anyway.”

“Me too, Hen.” Bobby admits.

He’s always worried about Buck. All the time. Every minute. Even when Buck hasn’t done anything deserving of Buck’s worry. 

One day, Buck is going to finally let himself realize they’re all dead. Maddie. Abby. Every person he knew and loved before this. He’ll realize they’re all gone. And Bobby worries, every moment, that it will destroy him. He worries he won’t find a reason to keep pushing forward.

---

A few here 👑:

---

Chim finally gets a chance to talk to Hen about it, privately, somewhere around four in the morning. They’re in the ambulance, driving back from yet another party gone wrong that resulted in a hospital transport. At least this time no one puked. Just a badly broken ankle from a drunken trampoline adventure. 

“So you forgot to get her number,” Hen says. “Can’t you go back?”

“Stroll up to a gated mansion tomorrow and say, ‘hi, I’m the guy who kissed your daughter while you were trying to set her up with rich hedge fund types?’ I don’t think so, Hen.”

“She’s probably trying to find your information, too,” Hen tries. 

“I hope,” Chim grumbles. 

“And, hey, you’re very findable on social media,” Hen adds. “She won’t have trouble.”

“Should I message her brother?” Chim asks. “Is that crazy? He was nice!”

“Mmm, maybe wait until you’ve slept for all forms of communication,” Hen advises. “She knows you’re at work, anyway. She won’t be expecting to hear from you.”

“Right. Right. You’re so smart. Why are you so smart?”

“I had a nap in the bunk room while you were at the party.”

Damn. Yeah. A nap would make him sharper. 

“So, it’s just a waiting game for now,” Chim sighs. This is not helping with the resounding feeling that he may, in fact, be a complete fool.

“I think so,” Hen agrees. “Sorry, Chim.”

👑👑👑

By some stroke of fate, he’s not waiting very long. 

When they park the ambulance in the engine bay and climb out, sore and tired, Chim is met with the sound of a strangely familiar voice. One he thinks he may just be hallucinating. 

“You’re the captain? That’s so cool!” He hears. “That means you’ve been doing this forever, right? You know a lot about it?”

---

OKAY BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING! THAT IS WHERE MY LAPTOP ABANDONED ME.

30 for 🔼:

---

She accepts the cards she’s been dealt, just like last time. After all, didn’t she shuffle the deck?

She sees her son as much as she can. She goes back to her office admin job as soon as she’s able. She misses Eddie’s shield ceremony. His request. She avoids his parents while they’re in town altogether. Her choice. 

Other than coworkers, she really has no adults to see. Compounded with that, she and Eddie have made the decision not to tell family - even Christopher - until her second trimester. So Shannon finds herself existing in this strange vacuum of silence. Again, one of her own making. But difficult to navigate nonetheless. 

That changes about seven weeks after her accident. Completely unintentionally, she might add. 

None of it was ever a plan in her head. 

She’s been seeing a physical therapist for her shoulder. Her ankle has healed on an intended timeline, not causing her much additional trouble. Her shoulder, on the other hand, has been a source of difficulty. Perhaps with everything else changing in her body, it can’t quite figure itself out. It wouldn’t be the only thing. 

She’s thirteen weeks along now. Almost at that second trimester mark. Almost at the point where not only will they be able to tell people, but they’ll have to. Namely their son. She’s not really showing per say, but she certainly feels bigger and tighter. Her chest is another matter entirely. 

So, to paint the picture, there she is; thirteen weeks pregnant with a man whose trust she shattered, shoulder hardly functional, sitting in the waiting room of her physical therapist in loose sweats and her baggiest tee shirt because nothing fits her boobs properly anymore, and who walks in? Or hobbles in, rather? Her soon-to-be-ex-husband’s best friend. 

---

33 for 💐 (YEAH THANKS I THOUGHT APRIL WAS FUNNY):

---

She orders a wine spritzer. April orders a cider. They sit in a corner booth and for a good few minutes, it’s awkward as hell. Neither of them really seems to know where to start. Which makes sense, because they didn’t exactly have any solid communication foundations to begin with. May is reminded, strangely, of the time Sue left her and Claudette to sort out their issues in the quiet room, right before the fire at Dispatch. Not that she thinks this will end the same way, obviously. 

“Listen,” May starts after the server brings them their drinks. “I’m sorry if I misunderstood things. I really got the sense you didn’t like me.”

April frowns. “I’m not sure how, honestly. I was trying pretty hard to get to know you.” 

“I think I definitely, uh, read things wrong,” May admits. “I’m definitely… Confused about things. But, come on, April. You have to admit, you were acting super competitive with me in class.”

Her brows furrow, hazel eyes giving the impression she’s sifting through memories. 

“Was I that bad?” She asks. 

“Yes,” May insists. “You disagree with everything I say. You compete over grades. When you did better than me on the criminology midterm exam, you literally said April always comes before May.” 

April’s cheeks redden. 

“Oh my god,” she mumbles.

“You did say it!” May reiterates. 

“No, I know,” April says. “I’m sorry, I just… God, it’s stupid. You thought I was serious?”

“Well, yeah?” 

April takes a long sip of her cider.

---

45 for darling Cranberry! 🦮:

---

Cranberry brings Chris the ball, pressing it eagerly into his hand. 

“Ew, so much slobber,” Chris complains, wiping his hand on his pants. Luckily, laundry day is tomorrow. 

“Well, you’re the one who keeps throwing it for her,” Buck says. He’s just been snapping photos to send to Eddie. 

“Gross, Cran,” Chris chides, and throws the ball again, a little absentmindedly. This time, the ball goes high. Higher than Buck would have liked. And at an awkward angle.

Cranberry twists her body as she jumps, catching the ball midair. When she comes back down, she fumbles, front left paw hitting the ground hard and buckling under her. She yelps and stumbles forward. 

“Cranberry!” Chris shrieks. 

Buck lurches forward to where they’re playing, straining his leg. 

Cranberry stands and stumbles a little again. She lifts her injured paw, favoring it. Tail tucked between her leg, she limps towards Buck, seeking comfort.

Buck lowers himself down as quickly as he can manage to examine her. 

“Are you okay, baby?” He asks. 

“Did she break her leg?” Christopher asks, bottom lip trembling.

Buck lifts Cranberry’s injured leg. It doesn’t look broken. He flexes it. Her elbow and shoulder move without resistance, but she fights him when he tries to straighten her wrist. It can move, it just hurts her. 

“Is she okay?” Chris asks again. 

Buck feels a pang of annoyance. 

“This is why I asked you not to throw it too high,” he grits out. 

Tears spill out from the boy’s eyes. 

“I-I’m sorry, Buck.” He blubbers. “I didn’t mean to hurt her!”

Buck clenches his jaw. He feels unreasonably angry and panicked. If Christopher had just listened this wouldn’t have happened. 

“I know it was an accident,” Buck manages. 

“I’m sorry, Cranberry,” Chris cries. He takes his glasses off to wipe his eyes. 

“I think it’s just twisted,” Buck says. “I’m going to bring her inside and call the vet to see if she needs to get checked out. Okay?”

[rainintheevening]

Suddenly realizing there are a bunch of movies I have watched this year and not really talked about them to anyone.

Let's see...

The Mummy (because of tumblr). 7/10. Funny, good solid characters. Creepy enough that I won't be watching it again.

Pride and Prejudice 2005 (because of Kiera Knightly) 5/10 Mr. Bingley and Jane were once again my favourites. Also Lizzy and Jane, and the rest of the family dynamics were quite good. Did not like Mr. Darcy in the least, and had to see far too much of him.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (because of @kingofattolia) 7/10 Quite enjoyed the younger versions of the mutant gang. Fascinating concept with the one girl's power and the way they do 'time travel'. Wolverine is still my favourite.

Belle (because of @smhalltheurlsaretaken) 10/10. Fantastic acting, solid representation of a variety of relationships including a very sweet romance, beautiful historical drama, inspiring, hopeful, uplifting.

The Fall Guy (because of someone at church) 10/10. Roller-coaster of a ride, delightful twists and turns, very funny at times, solid friendships, sweet romance, Emily Blunt being Emily Blunt, wonderfully over the top, as befitting a 'love letter to the unknown stuntman'. Also learned a lot about filmmaking.

My Neighbour Totoro (because of @novelmonger) 7/10. Funny, sweet, quite delightful. Weirdly the presumed-drowned scene contributed to a nightmare two nights later.😶

Kiki's Delivery Service (because of @sailforvalinor) 10/10. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me slow down and breathe. A beautiful story that teaches a beautiful lesson, particularly poignant for creatives like myself.

Ordinary Angels (because of the trailer) 8/10. Classic feel-good story, made me bawl.

Unsung Hero (because it's For King and Country) 9/10. Cried, laughed, loved all the heart and effort they put into telling their family's story. Great music too.

Ever After (because of tumblr) 10/10. Loved, loved, loved it. Beautiful in it's down-to-earth-ness.

... can't think of any others right now.

[thehobbitchronicles]

spring ╱ cottagecore movie list 🌷

♡ᰍ emma 2020

♡ᰍ pride and prejudice

♡ᰍ easter parade

♡ᰍ the secret world of arrietty

♡ᰍ kiki’s delivery service

♡ᰍ cinderella 2015

♡ᰍ christoper robin

♡ᰍ the hobbit

[n0thingfofn0thing]

anyways i’m so excited Aurora gets out of training next week and then i’ll have a puppy companion

[hamzatv]

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[britcision]

Eeeeh you just lost the lottery so we’re going to play “Cultures That Aren’t The Modern West Exist” and also basic critical thinking

Spoilers for the Adventurer’s Bible and Izutsumi’s actual backstory below, I’ll keep the dungeon stuff out of it

Because you’re right! Izutsumi was bought by the Nakamoto family as a kid, as a possession not a person. The people they bought Izutsumi from kept her almost naked in a cage and never fed her

She was part of a travelling freak show, and every single thing in her life improved after the Nakamotos bought her; she was trained, fed, treated like a person, and not punished from skimping on her chores

(Although when Inutade did them instead and hurt herself Izutsumi did get told off… by Hien, her contemporary

)

This is actually a pattern; Inutade and Benichidori were both also bought by Shuro’s father, Inutade as a prize fighter and Benichidori as a servant (presumably because she’s a tall-man)

The Nakamotos have a habit of buying young women from harsh lifestyles and training them to be ninjas, which includes feeding them, training them, and giving them a stable home where they don’t have to fear being sold again

All this for the low low price of “you’re probably going to die in their service, either of being a ninja or old age”, because that’s how the feudal system works; people in service to a noble family only have the rights that family gives them, and their lifestyle is set and maintained by that family

The Nakamotos notably seem to maintain the loyalty of their elite trained fighting women by taking them from a bad situation and giving them a better one, and all the women have to do in return is remain in service

If Toshiro’s father hadn’t bought Izutsumi, if she were still alive at all she’d be eating live rats and occasional scraps in a cage, half feral

And, just for fun: Izutsumi’s timeline

She was 10 when the Nakamotos bought her. She was 12 when the only real punishment she ever got for running away was administered…

The same babysitting curse that was put on Shuro, potential heir to the leader as a kid

(Note: personally I think this should have thrown Maizuru’s technique as a governess into question the first time it happened, but since she was only trained to be a ninja not a childcare provider it’s not all that surprising)

Raise your hands everyone who thinks a feral 10-12yo beastman, who has already been forcibly made a sideshow attraction once, would have survived

Now use that hand to slap yourself

Every fighting move she knows comes from the Nakamotos and while yes, she was not free as a bird to do what she wanted when she wanted, she’s a fucking teenager

A large chunk of her storyline is going to be her figuring out that she can’t just do what she wants when she wants, because that is how life works

She never faces consequences for having left Shuro’s team, per the comic you posted they were a little exasperated on learning she’d even broken the curse and was therefore unlikely to ever return, but no one tried to hunt her down again

Cuz now she’s old enough and trained enough to probably not immediately die

“Fully a slave” my fucking ass, all three of the girls the Nakamotos bought lived and trained alongside Hien in the same damn bedroom, whose family are established servants of the Nakamoto clan with enough status and prestige that she was raised alongside the eldest son of the clan leader

That, by the way, is a higher honour than being born into the clan directly at a lesser branch, because the heir to the fucking lordship is about as important as it gets

Chilling in the same classroom would give Hien a better education than 80% of the “free” population (likely peasants and most lesser noble families)

Shuro’s family rescued Izutsumi from a literal cage, treated her like a person for the first time since she was 6 and had her body modified against her will, raised and trained her until she was capable of actually surviving on her own, and let her go without a single consequence

She showed extremely early on and consistently that she would not be grateful, loyal, or even inclined to stick around, and while they could have significantly saved money and trouble by just letting her go when she kept trying to escape, they not only brought her back but kept training her to be actively independent and defend herself

Now, this wasn’t a pure act of charity, since she was still expected to at least partially pull her weight with chores and being a ninja

(Hmmmm yet no one’s talking about the ethics of teen ninjas)

But chattel slavery was an entirely unique form of evil that was significantly worse than the millennia of different forms of slavery being practiced across the world for an incredibly long list of reasons that absolutely none of the “OMG SHURO’S FAMILY OWNS SLAVES” are remotely ready to consider

(What the fuck do you want them to do? Personally overthrow the fucking feudal system?)

So let’s simplify to the most basic dichotomy:

You can be free, or you can be safe

(If you have any doubt of which you are, freely stop paying your bills and see what happens)

While she was too young to defend herself, Izutsumi was saved from being a sideshow attraction by Shuro’s family, and then kept safe until she was strong enough to take the freedom she clearly preferred

She’s not wrong to choose freedom, to turn her back on them at the first chance, and she’s not wrong to not feel bad about it. It’s all a valid series of choices, and she never lied about her intentions

Izutsumi deserved a loving home, and she never got it, including from Shuro’s family

But she was fed, cared for, trained in multiple valuable skills, and faced zero repercussions for taking that and running

She had her freedom the second Maizuru believed she’d survive it (by breaking the curse)

There’s a reason we see Inutade so often being so happy to be part of the Nakamoto clan’s servants

Izutsumi chose freedom

Inutade chose safety

And the wish granting fairy that is Shuro’s dad gave them both exactly what they wanted

Them not living to the happy moral standards of the American Dream probably has something to do with the story not being set in America

not to put too fine a point on it but like, isutzumi was fully 100% a slave of shuro's family

[rhodrymavelyne]

Conversations with Christopher: Rose and Cinders

When Christopher retreats into a skull, the fairy tale heroines are forced to converse among themselves.

He becomes aware, flowing between shadows, drawn into dreams.  He’s drawn into the hands of a dreamer, opening up her hands to be absorb him. He feels her grip him, stepping out of the darkness into a pumpkin patch.  Princess Rose of the Kingdom of Dawn and Twilight looks down at the skull in her hands. The smoke gathered within its, no, his eyesockets look back at her with an eerie…

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

Pyramid Asks

👑👑👑👑

🔮🔮🔮🔮🔮

⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟🧟

🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼

💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸🩸

And because I'm just a bit too in love with Cranberry 🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺

Hell yeah! Let's gooo!

12 for 👑:

---

Chim tries very hard not to eavesdrop. He stares out at the glittering infinity pool and the nighttime view of the hills, marveling at where he finds himself. But when Evan raises his voice, it’s hard not to hear. 

“Wel, they can go fuck themselves, Maddie! You should do what you want! I think you’ve earned that much!”

Chim swallows uncomfortably. He wonders what the hell that’s about. 

He doesn’t have to wonder for long. Maddie walks back over moments later, heels clicking against the tiles, brother trailing behind her. 

“Are you okay to hang out for a minute?” She asks him.

---

15 for 🔮:

---

“I know what the firefighters told me. I know what the coroner said.” She replies. “But that’s what happened to your dad. What happened to you that night, Bobby?”

Buck feels cold.

Bobby shakes his head. “It was an accident. I didn’t use the oven correctly.”

“Not that, baby.” 

Bobby doesn’t speak. 

“Listen, you remember how it was before your brother and I left. I know how your dad could be when he was drunk.”

Oh. Oh shit.

---

18 for ⚡:

---

He ends the call, and within seconds, Buck and Eddie are grabbing onto each other giddily. Eddie feels flushed with a sort of excitement that’s rare for him. But has been more and more common in the past year and a bit. 

Buck kisses him.

“We got the house!” He exclaims when their lips part. 

“We got the house!” Eddie repeats before kissing him back. 

He pulls away really quickly and lets go of Buck.

“Shit, we’re at work.” Eddie mumbles. 

“Didn’t see anything,” Bobby calls out, walking towards his office. “Congratulations on the house!”

“Thank you!” Eddie calls back. 

Buck laughs. “Okay, that was our one free pass.”

“He’s in a generous mood with all the wedding planning,” Eddie observes.

---

21 for 🚨:

---

“Fair point,” he eventually decides. “We’re fine.”

“Chim!” Hen complains. 

“What?” Chim raises his hands in mock surrender. “I can’t actually be mad about it!”

“Well, I can,” Hen glowers, crossing her arms.

“Hen, I’m sorry,” Eddie insists. “I promise we were going to tell you soon.”

“It’s my fault,” Buck says again. “I didn’t want anything else holding back my graduation. I’m sorry.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have told Internal Affairs,” Hen says. “Neither would Chim.”

“True. Those guys are a pain.” Chim agrees. 

Buck and Eddie exchange a look. 

“But what about Bobby?” Buck asks.

---

24 for 🧟:

---

“That can’t have been easy.”

“It hasn’t been,” Eddie admits. “That’s why I’ve got to find him somewhere safe.” 

“Home wasn’t?” She asks.

“El Paso? No.” Eddie explains. “My sisters wanted to head northeast, but I couldn’t give up hope on his mom.”

Texas. Alright. That’s a trip. Not as much of a trip as Pennsylvania, but not a small feat in this climate. 

“Was she traveling during the outbreak?” Maddie asks. 

Eddie’s face tightens a little. Maddie feels a spike of nerves. 

“Not exactly. We’re, uh, we were separated.”

Maddie feels a chill down her spine. Her shoulders stiffen. 

“She… Did she leave?” 

He nods, not noticing the change in Maddie’s demeanor.

---

27 for 🔼:

---

Buck doesn’t know what to say to him. This is so beyond his level of life experience. He’s never had anything real enough to break this badly. At least nothing that was real to both parties. 

Buck takes a swig of his beer, and looks like he’s thinking about an intelligent response. 

“The worst part is,” Eddie continues. “I don’t know if I believe that it’s not all a lie.”

Buck frowns. “I thought you saw the ultrasound? How could she be lying about that?”

“Not about the baby,” Eddie clarifies. “About the abortion.”

“I’m not following,” Buck admits. 

“Before she asked for the divorce,” Eddie explains. “She said she needed to learn how to be someone’s mother again, before she could be someone’s wife. Someone. Not Christopher.” 

Buck’s shoulders drop. “Eddie…” 

“What if the plan was always to leave again? To not tell me about my own damn kid? Start fresh without us?”

“Come on,” Buck says. “That’s not… Eddie, no.”

“She left us once, Buck,” Eddie says. “She has so much guilt about how things went with Chris.”

---

30 for 💐:

---

“Sweetie, I know this isn’t simple to process,” Hen empathizes. “I’m glad you called us. Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Chat with Karen and I?” 

Well, that would probably be helpful, but…

“I can’t,” May groans. “I have class from six to eight.”

With April! 

“Ew,” Buck wrinkles his nose. “That’s allowed?” 

“Okay, well we will figure something out,” Hen insists. 

“It’s an emergency, though. It wasn’t an emergency, and now it is!”

“What about it is an emergency?” Hen asks. 

“Because I thought we hated each other and we don’t, but now she thinks I hate her, and I really don’t!” 

“Oh, I see,” Buck replies.

“I don’t think I see?” Hen raises an eyebrow.

“You Bucked it up.” Buck says sagely.

“Excuse you?” Hen asks.

“I did what?” May narrows her eyes.

“That’s what Chim called it when I made an ass of myself over a crush I didn’t understand,” Buck explains. “Though I was jealous because he kept hanging out with T- uh, Eddie. Are you jealous? Does April have a partner?”

---

33 for 🩸:

---

“I won’t.” Kim grimaces. “No desire.”

“My son can never see you. Never know it was you.”

Her expression flickers with something curious, before returning to its previous displeasure. 

“He won’t unless someone else tells him.”

Someone else? Who the fuck else?

“And…” Eddie sighs. “And if you’ve infected anyone else, I’d keep tabs on them.”

“I haven’t,” Kim says, frowning like she has no idea why he’d suggest it. “I don’t think.”

Eddie nods. “I’ll be leaving then.”

He walks towards her, intent on making his way back out the way he came. He’s not afraid of her anymore. Except, she covers the door and stops him. 

“Don’t you come around here again either,” she says. “You or anyone. I mean it.” 

Anyone? What the fuck does that mean? 

There’s a look in her eye, though. A severity. Eddie knows it’s serious. Knows what they are. Two predators, standing in the dark, ruined from whatever sunny days lie behind them. 

“You can count on it,” Eddie scoffs.

---

57 for 🦮:

---

“Yes, pissy.” 

Buck laughs. “Shit. I miss you.”

Eddie pauses. 

“I miss you. Badly.”

Another pause. 

“We were supposed to have a way better summer than this.” 

Buck’s chest deflates. Their date. Yeah, he’s been mourning that lately, too. This thing isn’t ending and Chris isn’t going to summer camp, so… So, Buck doesn’t know. 

“It’ll happen,” Buck whispers. “Right?”

“Right,” Eddie promises. “I… Buck, I wish I’d been able to… Sooner…” 

“We’d still be apart right now,” Buck reminds him. “Maybe it would be even harder.”

Like Maddie and Chim. Though Maddie’s being pregnant certainly complicates things further. But he knows his sister has been struggling a lot without her partner. Buck thinks if he and Eddie had made it there, separating would have been insurmountably more difficult. 

“Yeah, that’s true.” 

Eddie sounds so sad. Buck is desperate to reintroduce some levity into this conversation.

“At least you can still flirt with people on calls to keep yourself entertained,” Buck teases. 

Eddie balks at this idea. “I have never flirted on calls!” 

“Well, not with me around, but now that I’m gone…”

“I don’t flirt on calls!” 

“I know you don’t,” Buck replies. “I’m just…”

“Trying to drive me nuts?”

“Trying to make you laugh.”

Another pause from Eddie.

“Well, how do I know you’re not flirting with all of Emergency Operations?” 

“You don’t,” Buck smirks. 

“Oh?” 

“Oh, yeah. Let me see… There’s Esther, who thinks all dogs are slaves, and that I’m abusing Cranberry. So, it’s going pretty well there. There’s Deputy Chief Carr, who just celebrated his twenty-fifth wedding anniversary…”

“Okay, okay. Point taken.” 

“There’s no one else worth flirting with, Eddie.” 

“Same here.” 

Buck smiles softly. He feels an awkward sort of squirming in his stomach. 

“There hasn’t been… There hasn’t been anyone. Since Ali. You know…”

“Really? Nothing?”

[pinkamour1588]

It’s laundry day which can only mean one thing…

I can watch Red, White, and Royal Blue

[asmuchasidliketo]

for @guardian books

[eldenphil]

started listening to d20 neverafter…..im SO into this

[ego13]

歳 ׁ  ○𝇌 ֹ. SH𝔈 F𝓘NE, SHE MINE, 𝓘 GOTTA PRAISE THE LORD - YU JIMIN X FEM!READER

ೇ https://now_playing: JAEHYUN - Unconditional

𝅄  ︩︪𐀔 https://warnings: g!p jimin, switch!jimin, sugar mommy, praise kink, sex on the table, riding, unprotected sex, breeding kink, cockwarming (kinda), blowjob, jerking off (a little), drunk sex, dirty talk, possessiveness.

ㅉ https://synopsis: jimin clearly doesn't mind your "help" with the paperwork.

⊹ ��ֶָ‧ https://pairing: yu jimin x fem!reader

ʾ 𖧧 ׄ‌ https://word_count: 2,8k

when you first met her, you had no idea where this would lead you and how much your life would change, after all, you were just a poor art college student who could barely afford to pay for her studies. you remember as if it were yesterday, sleepless nights before important exams, how your legs would fall off after eleven hours of work in a cafe on your only day off, but who could have known that all this would soon end?

you met her completely by chance, she looked into the cafe where you worked, and after good service, in addition to a tip in the form of such a large bill that you had hardly ever seen one in your life, she left you her phone number, asking you to call her if you suddenly wanted to unwind. It's obvious that you decided to call purely out of curiosity, without having any high expectations of what might happen, but as soon as she picked up the phone, you really understood that she was waiting for your call.

that same evening you both went to the best restaurant in your city, I think it goes without saying that you had never tried the food that was there in your life, and had only seen it on the internet in pictures. then she ordered some damn expensive wine that made you feel so drunk that you didn't want to go back to the dorm, to which she kindly offered to spend the night at her place, to which you, out of desperation, agreed.

"what a fucking big house", you thought when you first saw her mansion, you also thought about how she herself doesn’t get lost in her own house. she opened the door of her black mustang for you, kindly helping you out, you felt her hand on your waist as she led you inside the house. as soon as you touched any soft surface for the first time that evening, your eyes immediately began to close, until the moment you felt her fingers unfasten your heels.

"what are you..." you didn't have time to finish your sentence before she raised her head, meeting your eyes, "what am i doing?" she asked with a smirk, continuing to unfasten the clasp on your shoe, "helping drunk cinderella get rid of her shoes, poor girl, aren't your feet tired from wearing heels all evening?" this question threw you off track, for the first time hearing that someone cared about you...

"a little, but I got used to it, everything is fine, really..." without letting you finish your sentence you felt her strong arms lift you up, carrying you with ease through the dark, unlit corridors, "you are so light, like a feather, it feels like i can carry you in my arms forever and not get tired", these words made your cheeks turn slightly crimson, feeling your neck burn with embarrassment, you wanted to answer something, but from what you heard you literally lost the power of speech, just letting jimin carry you to the bedroom.

the door opened and you were presented with a large bedroom with an equally damn large bed, compared to the beds in your dorm it was literally heaven and earth, wonder why she has such a big bed? are all rich people this weird? you thought as she carefully laid you down on the soft mattress, which immediately made you relax, "comfortable, princess?" she asked, to which you immediately nodded, while your face broke into a drunken smile. as soon as she saw you smiling, she knew at that very moment that she would spend millions just to see that smile again.

her palm touched your cheek, but you, however, were not against it, you yourself did not understand what pushed you to do this, alcohol, or her sweet words about you, but at that very moment you placed your palm on top of hers without breaking eye contact with her, "you are beautiful when you are drunk", she said, this phrase immediately made you giggle, looking at her expression with interest, "and when I'm sober, am I not beautiful?" her brows furrowed, but despite this she smiled, leaning closer to you so that she was hanging over you, "don't talk nonsense, doll, you are beautiful to me in any case."

her lips touched your own carefully, as if afraid to hurt, as if afraid that you would push her away, but instead you were drawn into the kiss, moving your hands to her neck, could feel with your fingertips how tense her muscles were, her fingers began to slide under the hem of your dress, hand splaying across the soft, smooth skin of your back, at the same time causing you to get goosebumps. she could feel the heat of your body, could feel the way your muscles tensed and then relaxed under her touch, as you surrended to the gentle pressure of her fingers.

pulling away from the kiss, her eyes softened as she gazed down at your peaceful, resting form sprawled across her bed, she leaned in close, her breath warm against your ear as she murmured, "I want you", you bite your lower lip, looking into her eyes that were full of desire and hunger, you knew that if you agreed, there would be no turning back, but it didn't scare you, not anymore. you nodded, giving her free rein, to which she only smirked, touching her lips to the soft and velvety skin of your collarbone, causing you to let out a quiet moan, she reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, her fingers lingering to caress your cheek, as she continued her assault on your collarbones.

you felt her lightly nipping at your skin, but it only turned you on even more, knowing that she would leave her marks, that everyone would know who you belonged to now. her thumb brushed over your bottom lip, tracing the soft curve, finally pulling away from you, you smirked and reached out your hands, unbuckling her pants, which surprised her, but she fucking loves it when you take over, none of her subordinates or acquaintances would believe that she would allow someone to rein her in, but now she understood that it was in front of you that she would kneel if necessary.

"and you can handle it on your own, yeah?" throwing her belt aside, you wrapped her tie around your arm, causing her to straighten up and switch your positions so that she fell backwards onto the bed, jimin's hips buck slightly, pressing her hardness more firmly against the your hand, she can feel the heat radiating from the girl's touch, forcing her to throw her head back, as you you moved your hand for a long time, "f-fuck... mouth, princess, please..." she was like this for the first time in her life, so whiny, so desperate for someone's touches. you licked your lips, her hands move to the your shoulders, gently guiding you downward. as you settles between her legs, she takes a deep breath, preparing herself for the incredible sensations that are about to follow, her fingers immediately found their way into your hair, massaging your scalp.

when you lowered your head, you slowly touched the tip with ler hot tongue, tasting the slightly salt essense of her precum, that was leaking from the tip, jimin lets out a soft moan, her fingers tightened in your hair. she can feel the warmth of your mouth, the gentle pressure of your lips, "oh fuck... it so hot in your mouth, baby..."

her hips twitch as the you started to bob you head up and down, your tongue swirling around the sensitive head of her cock, as you continued to take more of her length into your mouth, her grip on her hair tightens, not enough to cause pain, but just enough to let her know that she's there, that she feels so fucking good, too good to describe in words.

soft moan escapes her lips as she feels your tongue and lips exploring her, causing her to arch her back, breathe heavily and squirm on the bed, she could feel your nose press against her pelvis as you took her to the hilt, swallowing around her length, jimin could feel your throat working around her, the muscles rippling along her shaft and making her see stars, "fuck, i-im close..." karina grunted, her grip on your hair tightening as she started to thrust faster, fucking the your face with abandon, she could feel the telltale tingling in her spine, the heat coiling tighter and tighter in her core, "fuck fuck fuck, baby... im gonna cum, fuck!" she demanded, her voice strained and rough with impending orgasm, with a roar, karina slammed her hips forward one last time, burying her cock deep in your throat as her climax crashed over her.

finally spent, she slumped back against the headboard, chest heaving as she caught her breath. she gazed down at you with a satisfied smirk, "you... you're good at this, even too good."

about a few months of your "interesting" relationship have passed, you have practically stopped spending the night in the dorm, to which your friends were surprised, happy that you finally found yourself a boyfriend, yes... that's right, a boyfriend... almost, of course, you wanted to introduce your girlfriend to them, but you didn’t even know if you should rush things.

jimin, as always, is up to her ears in work, sitting in her office, while her favorite girl in the person of you sits on her lap, watching with interest as she fills out important documents with difficulty and seriousness. she would occasionally look up to raise her head and let you kiss her face for the thousandth time, feed her strawberries from the box on the table with your hands, what touched her to madness, she was damn tired from work, but when her beloved girl was nearby - she didn't even think about it.

her hands slid down to your waist, stroking it, to which you looked at her in surprise, "are you finished yet?" to which she only smiled, resting her chin on your shoulder, inhaling the sweet scent of your perfume, "no, but can't I take a little break?" her grip tightened, slightly pulling your shirt down from your shoulder to gently touch your lips, causing you to gasp, "that's unfair, yu jimin, finish your work first and then pester me."

she just smirked, pulling away from your shoulder so she could look into your eyes, leaning down and touching her nose to yours, "and you are the most obedient of the two of us", you just giggled, pecking her lips, weaving your fingers into her black strands, running them through your fingers, "okay so be it, twenty minutes, then you finish work and we go home."

"twenty minutes? it's enough for me to deal with you", she brushed a fallen strand of hair behind your ear, touching your lips, to which you immediately responded, wrapping your arms around her neck, allowing her to deepen the kiss, it's passionate and hungry, her tongue delving into your mouth to taste you, her hands roam over your body, cupping her breasts though the fabric of your shirt. After a few minutes she pulled away, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath, "fuck, you're driving me crazy, baby..."

"and you smell so sweet", she purrs, burying her nose in your neck and inhaling deeply, as her fingers slowly unbutton your shirt, letting them slide down your shoulders, falling to the floor, her hips grinding against hers. she can feel the heat building between them, the friction of their bodies driving her wild. she cups you breasts, pinching her nipples and rolling them between her fingers, enjoying the feeling of how soft and sensitive your skin felt in her hands.

your hands slid lower to the fly of her pants, causing her to sit up slightly, allowing you to pull them down to her knees, "come on baby, do as you please." you touched her hardness through the fabric of her boxers, causing her to let out a soft moan, leaning back against the back of her chair, you only lowered them a little, freeing her throbbing member and collecting the glitter precum that managed to appear on the tip of her cock, lubricating it fully, finally raising her gaze to jimin, looking into her eyes clouded with lust, biting your lip, you rose slightly in order to slowly lower yourself down on her cock, feeling her slowly stretch you, she sets a steady rhythm, fucking into you with deep, powerful but slow thrusts, placing her hands on your hips, lifting your skirt slightly, "so tight, I'll never be able to get used to this, fuck..."

jimin's eyes darken with lust as she watches you start to move without her help, your hips lifting and dropping in a sensual rhythm, she meets each downward thrust, driving deeper into your heat, the obscene sounds of your sloppy sounds coupling fill the room, mingling with moans and grunts.

she leans forward, her lips brushing against your ear, "do you like being fucked like this?" you threw your head back, unable to respond coherently, just nodding, and that answer was enough for her to push even deeper, "oh, i can say... such a good girl, gonna feel you squeeze my cock as you fall apart." she could feel the way your body yielded to the intrusion, could sense the way her greedy hole sucked at her cock, making her smirk, seeing how you are unable to say anything, silently giving in to temptation, letting her do whatever she wants.

she slid her hands up the smooth expanse of your back, feeling the play of muscles beneath her fingertips as you rode her with wild abandon, "my, my, so fucking beautiful like that", jimin praised, one hand fisting in your silky hair while the other gripped the curve of your ass, she pulled you down harder, grinding her hips against yours as she fucked up into clutching heat. her hands threw the papers and everything unnecessary off the table, causing it all to fall with a crash, but she didn't care, she easily lifted you up, laying you on your back on the cold glass table, fucking you from a different angle.

her breath came in ragged gasps as she felt your velvety walls clench and ripple around her throbbing shaft, she knew she couldn't last much longer, especially when you looked so sexy, seeing how your heavy breasts bouncing as she thrusts into you. she could feel your need, the way your body ached to be claimed, to be marked as her's, it set a fucking fire in her blood, a desperate primal urge to give you what you craved, mark you as hers, so that everyone knows whose you are, who can see you like this.

"fuck, gonna breed you, take it, fucking take every fucking inch of my cock like the good little girl you are", she could feel her orgasm building, her balls tightening, she could feel every little flutter and quiver, could sense the desperate hunger, "gonna knock you up, everyone will know that you are mine, only FUCKING MINE and no one else's", she growled this phrase through her teeth, feeling how lust and desire were taking over her, and she was no longer able to resist it.

"i-im so close..." the only words you could utter in the stream of endless moans, the desperation in your voice, the way you panted and mewled so sweetly, only served to drive her own lust to new heights, "so greedy for my cock, don't you? I will give you everything you want and even more, no one can give you as much, NO FUCKING ONE."

she tightened her grip on your hips, the obscene sound of skin slapping against skin echoing through the room, you heard the table creak from her rough pace, but that was the last thing on your mind right now.

"cum with me, fuck, baby, please!" with a hoarse cry, she slammed you down one last time, burying herself to the hilt inside your spasming pussy, forcing you to cum with her, digging your nails into her back almost until it bleeds, ger body shuddered and jerked as wave after wave of ecstasy washed over her, her cock pulsing and throbbing as it pumped you full of her essence. she held you close as the aftershocks of your intense lovemaking rippled through you both, pressing soft kisses to yoursweat-dampened temple and cheek, stroking your thighs soothingly, "that's my good girl..."

pulling away from you, she smiled, seeing your disheveled hair, seeing beads of sweat running down your body, which made her feel proud of herself, "well... we have five more minutes, maybe a second round?"

[floralcavern]

The difference between male wish fulfillment vs female wish fulfillment in romance anime

There’s kind of a different gaze that can be targeted to in romance anime. 

In male wish fulfillment anime romances, there’s usually a much heavier emphasis on the male love interest’s pov than the female’s. Also, women tend to be much more.. objectified and there’s an unnecessary amount of fan service. An example of this is Rent a Girlfriend and Don’t Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro. It’s more about the male lead being hit on by.. really horny women than actual romance.

However, in female wish fulfillment anime, it tends to be more told from the female’s perspective. The way the male love interest tends to be written is to make him emotional and aware and.. kind, rather than objectifying him or even making them horny, because women.. we don’t really want to be lusted after like that, typically. We’re already objectified enough. My favorite example is Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You. Kazehaya admits he’s a ‘pervert’ but in a respectful way. The writer doesn’t make him fully pure or naive or anything like that. He’s still a teen boy. But in this series, the male character is written to be sweet, emotional, and aware but he’s not stripped away from his inherent masculinity (nontoxic masculinity!). Not just.. a guy, if that makes any sense. Meanwhile, in male wish fulfillment anime, the women are just women, rather than characters. Again, I hope this makes sense!

Now, I’m not saying all romance anime that’s written from the female’s perspective is the best! I think MY Love Story!! is a good example of this! The main character is a male and he’s a genuine, total sweetheart while still having a sense of masculinity! And the female character isn’t objectified! And I would even say even say that this show could be considered a male wish fulfillment romance, based on how it’s written.

And then there’s shows for both, like Kaguya Sama: Love is War. In this show, the two love interests have complete equal power in focus, making them feel completely balanced and real. Neither are objectified and both get treated like humans. Same with The Apothecary Diaries, if not more so!

Anyways, sorry for this ramble. I just really like (well written) romance anime. And I will leave off with a list of romance anime recommendations!

•Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You (adorable, fluffy, amazing character development, doesn’t beat around the bush the entire fucking series. Half of the manga is pining and the other half is the complexities of being in your first ever relationship as you try to navigate it all)

•Snow White With The Red Hair (amazing female lead with cool world building and interesting dynamics)

•MY Love Story!! (SO CUTE! Amazing show about not judging appearances)

•My Happy Marriage (Really wholesome Cinderella type story)

•Kaguya Sama: Love Is War (hilarious. I actually recommend the dub. Genuinely really sweet)

•Sasaki To Miyano (so sweet it’ll give you cavities)

•Tomo Chan Is A Girl (there is sadly quite a bit of fanservice in this. I’ve seen way worse, but ya. If you’re wanting something to watch with your parents, this may not be it. Mostly just close ups on boobs)

•Monthly Girls Nozaki (romcom that leans really heavy on the comedy more than the romance, but I love it too much to not recommend. Watch it in the dub, you won’t regret it)

•Fruits Basket (Really sweet)

•Toilet Bound Hanako (THE MANGA! READ THE MANGA! DON’T LET THE TITLE WEIRD YOU OUT, I SWEAR IT IS INCREDIBLE! READ!)

•Komi Can’t Communicate (I would, however, like to apologize for Yamai ahead of time. The entire fandom hates her, don’t worry. There’s also quite a bit of fan service in this one 😔)

•Toradora (haven’t seen it in a while, but it’s a classic lol)

•Horimiya (Another romance anime that doesn’t beat around the bush!)

•The Ice Guy And His Cool Female Colleague (SO. CUTE. AGHHHH. Despite it being ice themed, it certainly makes me feel warm and fuzzy)

•Love, Chuunibyou, and Other Delusions (so silly, amazing story about maturity while also keeping your inner child alive)

•I Want To Eat Your Pancreas (be sure to bring tissues! You will cry!)

•Kamisama Kiss (I really like the characters and world building in this one. Sadly, we’ll probably never get another season 😔)

•Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (SUCH A CUTE MOVIE! Amazing feel good romance that just makes you happy)

•My Little Monster (not my usual first recommendation, but it’s an overall fun watch… still so desperately want another season. False hope lol)

•Ouran High School Host Club (an absolute classic romcom. Another situation where I actually recommend the dub)

•Apothecary Diaries (AGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! …full stop. I love this show.)

•Princess Tutu (I LOVE THIS STORYBOOK SETTING! And Ahiru is so silly. She’s just a duck, she can’t handle all these responsibilities!)