#Clemmy gets real

[yes-i-can-hear-you-clemfandango]

I am having thoughts this morning (I know dangerous lmao but I have caught the flu from one of the kids in the animal therapy program my dog and I volunteer for so I am not doing a whole lot today) and it it still sticking in my metaphorical craw so yeah I’m going to be insufferable and talk about it

Laszlo’s father. Holy shit, people have screamed and bitched and thrown tantrums about how nothing (cough the ship they wanted) happened in s6 when that was a HUGE piece of exposition/character info about one of the main characters and provided a ton of insight into why Laszlo as a character behaves/reacts/etc…

First of all, I am not a psychiatrist or a mental health professional but I did grow up with a narcissist parent (my mother) who was both utterly charming to people she’d just met and horribly abusive to her own daughter (me). The way Roderick managed to suck just about everyone into his orbit and manipulate them into seeing things the way he saw them was so realistic and believable that it made my insides curdle… so much like real life it was alarming.

We learned that Roderick was physically and verbally abusive and implied to be abusive in other ways as well (if you know, you know). We also learned that it’s likely that he killed Laszlo’s mother… it makes sense that Laszlo struggled with parenting, struggled with relationships and communicating, when we see the toxic horror that his childhood was. I know for myself the damage my mother did was extensive and it took YEARS of therapy for me to be at least somewhat well adjusted and functional and Laszlo operated with all of that trauma and no help of any kind to process it.

We see Rodrick’s narcissism come into play when he reveals that he plans to possess Laszlo’s body for… his own vile purposes (fuck no… fuuuucck no 🤢) he is not concerned with the fact that he caused the son he abused so extensively so much pain because in true narcissist fashion he sees his son as a possession or extension of himself.

Matt Berry did a FANTASTIC job of portraying Laszlo’s trauma and pain. It wasn’t over the top or hammy at all (he’s so damn good at what he does that it’s not unexpected but still, his reactions were so believable… that blank look of terror when Roderick said “It’s Papa”? Hgggghhh poor guy)

All of this is so fascinating and held so much information and there has been hardly any discussion about it because so many fans wanted to see two other characters explicitly smash onscreen. Again, I say, they missed out on a LOT.

[clementine-png]

Tag rambling ignore me

[roguerogerss]

The President

Pairing: Coriolanus Snow x Reader

W/C: 3.2k

Warnings: SMUT!!, Livia is also a warning.

(this is getting out of hand now. someone please for the love of GOD stop me from writing these. also the president thing got away from me in this one and i feel sick.) (EDIT: here’s part 2 babes, as requested!) (requests r open, send me stuff here)

-

“Well, Felix will obviously get it." You'd hardly been listening to the conversation at hand, but Lysistrata seemed to be making a point that you wouldn't want to miss, given her excessive gesturing whilst talking, "His father was the last President, and he was great, I'm sure they'll take that into consideration-"

"But Festus is smarter." Livia cut in, snippish as always, pointed nose turned up and drink poised, looking like a judging, middle-aged woman. "And he's got the grades to prove it. And he was thought of very highly within the University, you know."

"But what about Pup? Surely he'll make a better president than Festus, and I dare say Felix, aswell." Clemensia was next to make her point, "Eugh, thinking about Festus at school, how sloppy he was," She'd turned to you, now, "Do you remember that? How on earth could he make a good president?"

"But he's different now, Clemmie, such a great husband, and he'll be such a great President, when he gets the position later." Livia was always so disgustingly sure of herself, it made you want to tell her to shut up, and then, after the fact, lock yourself in your apartment for the next few hours and scream into a pillow. "What about you, Y/N? Who do you think will get it?"

You hadn't even bothered to listen to what the rest of the women thought the pros and cons of their respective husbands being President of Panem, were. Your ears had only really perked up upon hearing your name come from Livia's puckered little mouth. "Well, I think you're discounting Coriolanus."

This warranted an eruption of laughter from all of the women around you, Clemmie laughed so hard that she had to grip your arm for support, and Livia pointed her glass at the rest of your former classmates and laughed with them over your statement. "You can't be serious!" Livia shrieked. "I mean, I know he's your husband and all, sweetie, but he's a total rule breaker, they need someone reliable, trustworthy! Your Coriolanus isn't anything of the sort."

Your Coriolanus. It almost made your face crack into a smile, and you had to roll your tongue around in your mouth to keep from giggling like the schoolgirl you once were. You'd only been married to Coriolanus for three days, but you'd had to postpone your honeymoon so that he could go ahead with his running for President of Panem. It didn't feel quite real, yet, that you'd married your childhood sweetheart, and hearing Livia refer to him as your husband, as much as you hated her, made your head spin with happiness.

"He'd be more than capable, Livia. He's smart, incredibly smart, and that's been recognised, too. And he's seen more of Panem than anyone you'd consider to be a prime candidate. Dr Gaul loves him, surely her vote is better counted than most anyone else's." You countered. Normally, you wouldn't involve yourself with such arguments. Your high school friends had been married a lot longer than you had, settled at twenty as opposed to your wedding at twenty-three, and you'd always had the gruelling job of listening in on them competing with eachother.

Who's husband was best at this, who's was best at that? Who's father-in-law was richest, who's husband had bought them the bigger house after the wedding, who's husband fucked them the most and who's was best? You'd vowed to yourself that, when the time came, and you and Coryo finally married, you wouldn't bother telling anyone much of your personal life.

"I suppose you have a point." Clemensia was easily the nicest out of your friends, the only one you really enjoyed the company of, and she liked Coriolanus, too. While the others only seemed to slander him, what with his stint in the games and his time as a Peacekeeper, she only ever seemed to speak about him from a place of friendship. "Coriolanus is smart, and Dr Gaul adores him, remember when we mentored? He'd have won the Plinth prize, for sure, if everything else hadn't happened."

"But it did, though, Clemensia. It did happen, and I think his chances have been ruined, if I'm honest." Lysistrata made her first comment in a few minutes.

"They've definitely been ruined. I mean, half of the Capitol think he's a rebel." Livia scoffed.

"But the other half think he's brilliant. A young, complex mind. Someone who doesn't think like the rest of us do." You took a sip from your drink, and Livia scowled at you. She knew you were right, and, although Livia always had a counter argument, she seemed lost on this one. "I suppose we'll have to wait. Maybe the half of us who think he's great will outweigh the half who don't."

"I suppose we will, slim chance and all, but..." Livia shrugged and clicked her tongue. "We won't be waiting too long, look."

She gestured to the television, which had been playing commentary from Lucretius 'Lucky' Flickerman, and had now switched to all four men standing uniformly on a stage, crowds surrounding them. Lucky uttered something about how the last votes had now been cast, and so it was time to announce the President.

Livia gasped and grabbed your hand, then Lysistrata's, and Clemensia took hold of your other one, giving it a slight squeeze and sending a small smile your way. "This is it!" Livia announced dramatically.

"Hold tight, ladies! One of us is about to be First Lady of Panem." It was painfully obvious, when Livia said 'one of us', that she meant herself. You knew she wouldn't even think about being happy for any of the rest of you, should it be anyone other than Festus claiming the title.

"Here, we have our four presidential candidates." Lucky announced on the television, "All Academy and University graduates, we have, Festus Creed, Felix Ravinstill, Pliny Harrington, and, last but not least, Coriolanus Snow!"

You smiled softly when the camera panned over the boys on stage, your childhood friends, your husband, standing side by side, all up for the position of President. Coriolanus' suit was pressed to perfection by Tigris, and you'd done his hair for him that morning, he looked amazing - handsome, professional, presidential.

"Now, in this envelope, I have the name of the man, out of these four, who will become President of Panem." Lucky flashed a black and gold envelope, and then stalled for a few seconds, having a pigeon fly out of his sleeve, and making an out of place remark about magic.

"The time has come." The broadcast was incredibly dramatic, and you wished he'd just cut the unnecessary stuff and put you all out of your misery. "The new President of Panem, is..."

The silence of Lucky's pause was filled with Livia clamping a hand over her mouth and squealing, you wished even further that she would just be quiet.

"Coriolanus Snow!"

You'd hardly been expecting him to actually win, but Coryo had put so much of himself into his campaign, and you felt a huge sense of pride wash over you as the cameras closed in on him and his face lit up in one of his stunning, toothy grins. Your eyes widened in shock, and you heard Clemmie laugh excitedly.

"Congratulations!" She let go of your hand and threw her arms around you. "Coriolanus deserves this, really, he does, and so do you!"

You hadn't a clue what to say to anyone, whether to revel in your glory or to extend your sympathy that their husbands hadn't won, but, when you turned to see Livia's face, bright red and obviously stewing in anger, and Lysistrata's dropped in sheer disappointment, you almost laughed out loud.

"I suppose the part of the Capitol who love Coryo is bigger than the part who don't." You smiled sweetly at Livia. "I wish Festus better luck next time.”

-

The rest of the day dragged on, Livia had only been letting her anger fester and had hardly said a word since the announcement - you certainly weren't complaining - and the rest of the girls were simply flooding you with questions, congratulations, and stories from when they'd been growing up with Coriolanus, as though reminding you of the fact they'd been there since before he was President.

The reporters had become an issue, too. Coryo had warned you about them, kneeling in front of you after fastening the straps of your high heels that morning. "They'll try to bleed you dry, whether I win or not. Just try to ignore them, don't give them much. All they want is a story." And then, he'd kissed you and smoothed your hair down, soothing you on what he knew was already a nerve-wracking morning.

You tried to remember his words, solidified with that kiss, every time they approached you. Don't give them too much, but don't give them nothing, ignore them where you can, wait until you've been properly trained on how to give interviews. It began to dawn on you that your entire life might start to feel like this, now, and you made a mental note to tell Coryo all of your concerns later and let him silence them for you.

You didn't see your husband for almost an hour after the announcement, and most of the women you'd been with before the broadcast were badly drunk by the time he showed his face. It was in the middle of a particularly slurred story, about something that Clemmie absolutely should not have been telling every female University graduate that she knew, that you'd felt the large, familiar hand snake it's way around your waist.

You turned to find Coryo standing there, beaming down at you. "Hello, First Lady." He mused. You smiled so widely at him, and quickly pulled his face down to connect your lips in an almost too suggestive kiss, earning whoops from the crowd of girls you'd gone to school with.

"Sorry, ladies, I'm going to borrow my wife for a while, if you don't mind." Coryo smiled to everyone, and then accepted side-hugs and kisses on the cheek and congratulations from everybody around you.

Afterwards, he quickly pressed his hands to either side of your waist and started to guide you through the crowd of people, avoiding reporters where he could and, where he couldn't, telling them he'd give them a proper interview later, but had somewhere to be at that moment. Most everyone you passed would clap him on the shoulder or shriek something that sounded congratulatory.

Eventually, you reached an empty hall, with large hardwood doors and, inside, marble pillars and polished stone floors. You looked around, amazed, you'd never been to this particular building before, but every room you'd gone into so far was a marvel in itself.

"I don't have long, shouldn't even be away from everything going on at all, but I couldn't resist seeing you any longer." Coryo admitted, face flushed as though this was a first date. You smiled gratefully at him.

"Thought I was going to die if I had to speak to anyone else from the Academy. I mean, how annoying is everyone we went to school with?" Coryo chuckled, approaching you and enveloping you in his arms. His suit smelled of roses, like always, and it calmed you so deeply that you wanted to stay that way forever, inhaling his scent and forgetting about every other responsibility you had.

"I'm sorry I left you with them for so long. Especially Livia, even Festus isn't as mad as she is." Coryo held you at an arms length and smoothed your hair affectionately. You leaned into his hand.

"She's certainly been a pleasure." You joked.

Coriolanus laughed and then, quickly, his lips were on yours, catching you off guard and making you smile against him. "Wanted to come and see you because I couldn't stop thinking about you." He explained, lips becoming rougher on yours by the second.

You knew exactly what he meant, as his hand squeezed your waist and he backed you into one of the pillars. "That car ride here, you're such a tease, and all for me, hmm?"

"All for you." You agreed, breathlessly.

"Such a bad girl, though. Getting me all riled up like that and not doing anything about it. Making me flustered, I was struggling to talk to people, just thinking about fucking you." His fingers ran from your cheek, down your neck and to your collarbone, which was exposed and red hot with arousal, "And you're so flushed, honey, makes me wonder if, maybe, you did this on purpose. Maybe you wanted me to think about it all day, wanted me to be pining for you, didn't you?"

You were quiet, just revelling in the way his rough fingers felt against your skin. Coryo’s voice hardened slightly, and the sense of authority had you sucking your bottom lip between your teeth. “Answer me, sweetheart."

"I wanted you to think of me, Coryo." You reached out and brushed a stray curl from his forehead. “I love knowing you're thinking about me."

"Oh, baby, I'm always thinking about you." His eyes raked over your body and you suddenly felt naked under his gaze. “But I think, after your little stint earlier, getting me so hard in the car and then having me walk through a crowd like that where you knew people would see, you need to be punished."

"Mm," You hummed. "And what would my punishment be, President Snow."

Coryo practically growled upon hearing you call him that, the power of it all, and he gripped you roughly by the back of the neck and slammed his lips onto yours, a clash of teeth and tongue, so rough, so hot. "I wasn't going to do this, but, I have to take care of this," He pointed to his clothed, but very obvious erection. "So, be a good girl and bend over that railing for me, will you?"

"What?" Your voice was blunt and your eyes wide. Never had Coryo asked you to do anything of the sort. You were all for commands in the bedroom, in the kitchen, even in the car, but he'd never been so public about it. "Coryo, there are so many people out there. Someone could walk in."

"I don't care, sugar, I'm the President now, remember?" His fingers had curled around your chin, tilting it upwards for you to look at him. “Don't you think it's my right to be able to fuck my wife wherever I please?"

You felt a wetness pooling between your legs at the sound of him calling you his wife, and at how horny he so obviously was, and so, slowly, seductively, you bent over the marble railing, overlooking a staircase and, below, another polished room. You pulled the skirt of your red, silk dress up past your thighs and over the curve of your ass, painfully slowly, never breaking eye contact with Coriolanus, who's mouth was hanging open and you could see his tongue gliding over his top teeth.

"That's it." He coed, positioning himself behind you and pushing your dress up even further, so that your waist and most of your back was on display now, too. He ran his hands over your exposed skin, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind. "That's my girl. If you're good, you'll get your reward later, yeah?"

"And what would my reward be?"

"I'll make you cum so many times you'll be seeing stars, darling, I promise." He bent over you, kissing your neck, “But, for now, let me fuck you, and keep yourself quiet. Can you do that?"

You didn't honestly think you could, you never managed to, even when you pressed a hand to your mouth, bit down on his shoulder or your wrist, your neighbours were still more than able to hear your whimpers and moans. But you nodded, anyway, too excited by his proposal for later on. "Good." He gently moved your hair off of your back and pressed a kiss to the back of your neck. "Good girl."

He'd only unzipped his slacks and pushed your skimpy underwear to the side, but that was all he needed, and you were so wet that it made it easy for him to slide straight into you, both of your moans echoing around the hall as he did so.

The sounds of his skin slapping against yours, and your moans, muffled by the palm of your hand, were so ludicrous, here in this huge, pure white room, that it made the experience a hundred times hotter, in your opinion. "You'll be a good girl for me now, won't you? After I've filled you up, you'll be my perfect girl, hmm?"

"Yes, Coryo!" A loud moan left your lips, which only lead Coriolanus to smack your ass once, something that he only did to warn you if you were getting too loud. "I'll be good, I promise."

He was bent fully over you, chest pressed against your back, cheek to your shoulder blade, and his lips being right at your ear had you getting close, every thrust of his hips, every whisper of your name or breathy moan, the way his hands continued to roam your body. "Coryo, I'm getting close." You whispered.

"Hold it. Didn't say you could cum, did I?" You began to protest, but he cut you off before you could even make your point, "You've been a bad girl, and you need to take your punishment seriously. Do you understand?"

You went quiet, the idea of him fucking you, getting you so close only to pull you back, had you lost for words. His hand found your neck, and he squeezed his fingers around it gently, making you cry out in pleasure, "I said, do you understand?"

"Yes! Yes, Coryo, I understand." You whined, "You feel too good."

"Gonna cum." He warned, and only a few seconds later, his hips stuttered against you and he stifled an especially guttural groan against your shoulder as you felt warm ropes of cum filling you up.

His whole body shuddered, and he pressed his face as far into your back as it could go, breathing heavily. When he pulled out of you, leaving you bent over the railing, throbbing and clenching around nothing, a few drops of cum dropped down your leg, and he felt his cock twitching just at the sight.

"It's taking everything in me not to make you cum right here, trust me, sweetheart." Coryo tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear when you finally managed to stand up - albeit wobbly - and then immediately began fussing over his own hair. "But you need to wait, you understand that, don't you? Need to prove to me you can be good."

"I will, Coryo." You helped him out with his hair, smoothing it gently. "Promise."

"Good girl." He helped you to pull your dress down and fix your underwear, and then pressed a kiss to your forehead. "I'll have to go back out there. Try not to murder Livia for me, okay?"

Coryo opened the door, so that you could both go and rejoin your respective parties, but your legs were shaking so badly you found yourself hardly able to stand, nevermind walk. Coriolanus smirked at this, watching you smugly.

He fixed out his suit jacket, and then leaned in for one last kiss. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"See you soon, President Snow."

[s6ngbird]

little doll — coriolanus snow ༘❀⋆

♡‧₊ warnings — coryo being possessive, p in v, unprotected sex, fingering (f. receiving), rough sex, lmk if i forget anything!

♡‧₊ pairing — coriolanus snow x fem!reader

♡‧₊ a/n — wrote this for @etfrin bc me and her were obsessing over coryo (like always <3)

masterlist | bc: @cafekitsune

to coryo, you were an innocent little doll that he loved to play with and if anyone else tried to even lay a finger on you, he would make sure they were done for

you always took coryo to your house after school to help you with your homework or to study 

coryo let you take him, you were so stupid that he knew if he didn't help you in any way he could, you would fail and have to drop out the academy and he didn't want to lose his pretty little doll

being dumb was the exact reason you never realized coryo had an unspoken claim on you, always keeping a hand on you and staring down everyone who tried to make conversation with you

this led to people starting to stop talking to you and you still didn't understand why it happened, but everyone else pitied you for being so dumb

you had asked coryo about it and he just brushed it off, giving you a kiss after which left you shocked since you never knew coryo had a romantic interest in you

but whether you liked it or not, one thing led to another and you ended up in your bed, naked with coryo under you as your eyelids became heavy and coryo stroked your hair, shushing you everytime you were about to say something

you got used to this, having sex everytime after you two finished studying. if you were good and could answer all the questions correctly, he would fuck you nicely, being gentle and praising you, but if you didn't want to study and were giving him a hard time or weren't answering any of the question right, he would fuck you hard, not letting you come or he would fuck your throat, not giving you any pleasure and leaving your house right after that

on this particular night, you had understood the concept, so coryo was gentle with you and let you come and stopped once you started feeling overstimulated

“coryo?” you ask after a while 

“yeah doll?” he said, his eyes opening and continuing to stroke your hair

“why do people not talk to me? they always talk with you…what did i do?” you ask, your eyes looking filling with tears as a few threaten to spill

“oh sweetie shhh” coryo says, holding your head to his chest as you cried

you weren't used to people ignoring you since even though you were dumb, you were very social which made people love you

“it's nothing, they're not real friends…ok doll?” he said shushing you and you eventually find yourself asleep after coryo pulls the covers of you two and cuddles you, kissing your head from time to time

the next day, after you coryo go your separate ways, you go to clemensia to see why everyone was avoiding you

she gave you a hug, which confused you but you were grateful for

“it's because of coryo…he's threatened people if they get too close to you, he's really possessive over you, you know?” she replies after you two start walking to lunch together

this left you stunned, you would've never guessed that coryo had been pushing people away from you, but just as you were about to respond, coryo came out of nowhere and kissed you, putting an arm around you as he looked at you happily

“hi doll, hey clemmie” he said, giving clemensia a cold stare but that was all gone the minute you looked up

clemensia gave you a knowing look, saying goodbye to you and coryo as she left

“what was that about?” coryo said looking down at you

“nothing…let's go get lunch” you said not wanting to tell coryo what you found out but he could see it in your eyes

“hmmm i think we should go grab lunch and then go to an empty classroom and study…you have that test tomorrow anyway” coryo said grabbing his lunch, as you grabbed yours

“do we have to?” you asked, coryo knew how much you hated studying

“yes doll, you're never going to learn if you don't continue studying” he said, leading you to an empty classroom, letting you go in as he locks the door behind him

you sit down at the desk, starting to eat when coryo grabs you, pushing you on the table

“what the fuck did she tell you?” he hisses, his face close to your ear as he starts moving his hand up your skirt

“nothing coryo! why the fuck do you care?” you spat, trying to move

coryo didn't like that, you were being disobedient and one thing about coryo is that he only tolerates obedience and anything else gives him a reason to punish you

“why the fuck do i care? it's because your mine doll, no one is allowed to have you but me” he says, pulling off your skirt and ripping your panties

he laughs as you try to claw at his arms, your pussy is slick

“so pathetic doll, can't even tell me that you just want to get fucked hm?” he says, grabbing your arms and pinning them together to avoid you hitting him with your hands

you whimper, shaking your head as coryo shoves two finger in, finding your g-spot quite easily and repeatedly slamming his fingers in, leaving you a whimpering moaning mess

as he adds a third finger, which makes you moan loudly, he starts kissing you, sucking hickeys on your neck and shoulders

after coryo thinks you’re stretched out enough, he takes his fingers out, licking them clean before pulling down his pants, his cock painfully hard now at the thought of being in your warm cunt

without warning, he slams his cock into you, ramming the table into the wall as he fucks you hard, making sure that you got no pleasure from it

you kept whimpering, letting out broken moans and attempting to form coherent sentences but coryo just laughed at your attempts

“what’s wrong doll? too fucked out to even object?” he said, slamming into you with even more force and sucking hickeys all over your breasts 

you kept babbling about how good his cock felt and letting out moans and coryo knew he had fucked you dumb already if you weren’t already stupid

coryo enjoyed this because he just wanted control over someone, which is something he had been deprived of his whole life until you came along

finally you stopped babbling, going quiet and that’s how coryo knew you were going to come, quickly pulling out before you could which left you a mess

you had tears running down your cheeks and you were whining, coryo had other plans though

“doll open your mouth” coryo said, pumping his shaft a few times before cumming on your face, some of it landing in your mouth

you still felt like crying, you had a good build up but coryo pulled out before you got to finally have the knot snap

coryo notices and laughs, getting dressed again while you just lay there, catching your breath

“next time, don’t go asking people to tell you things that i’ve already told you ok?” he says, kissing your forehead and leaving the classroom

[f14fun]

lay all your love on me - op81 (C2)

synopsis: in which oscar piastri and a university student begging for her euro summer vacation collide in a steamy, abba-inspired romance

prose (6.1K words) ✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩ profile | masterlist | series index ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆

─────────────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───────────────────

02: Love, Sweat, and Secondhand Embarrassment

"Clemmy I swear I wanted to die that entire time. Whoever I offended in an alternate universe I am so so sorry, I truly believe karma is real now," I lamented, voice weak.

Burying my head in my pillow, I could finally appreciate the cool blast of AC (well, it was a little bit of air conditioning but a little is better than nothing) I scratched my right leg that was hoisted up onto the blue duvet cover. If not for the horrible comedic timing of everything, in that moment, I might have said that I was enjoying myself.

On the other line of the phone, thousands of miles away, it was a completely different story.

"What the fuck," Clementine could barely muster out because she was laughing so hard.

"I still don't think any part of this story is funny, Clem," I roll my eyes and trail off.

"But it is! You genuinely should consider a career in stand-up comedy. If you recounted all of this in front of a paying live audience, I'm just saying it could make you a millionaire overnight," Clementine wheezed.

"Oh, shut up, bitch," I retorted, trying to suppress a smile despite my mortification.

"You know it's true though!" Her girlish giggles rang through my room. I could see her face through the screen and it looked like visible tears were streaming down her face from how funny she found this to be.

"I am completely and utterly humiliated. There is no way I can go downstairs and face everyone right now," I whined. It was true, as twenty minutes ago, mid-Facetime with Clementine, I heard the door to the foyer open and heard a lot of new noises.

New people. The neighbors. The rest of the Australians.

Crikey, mate.

There was no way I could face them. And since Oscar was probably their son (he looked way too young to be a father) he had probably already told them about the wretched and humiliating mishap.

"Seriously, Clemmy, you don’t get it," I said, trying to keep the frustration out of my voice but failing miserably. "This is not just some embarrassing story. This is my life, and I have to face these people now."

Clementine’s laughter finally started to subside, and she took a deep breath. "Okay, okay, I get it. But you have to admit, this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of disaster. You can’t just ignore it. It’s like the universe is telling you to embrace the chaos."

I sighed, feeling a bit more grounded with her calming tone. "Yeah, well, I’m not exactly feeling the universe’s love right now. I feel like I’ve been dropped into some kind of sitcom. And what if they think I’m a total klutz? I can’t even begin to imagine how Oscar must’ve described me."

"It'll be fine. You are a pro at handling horrible situations. I mean, I can really only think that you have had more bad experiences with guys than good ones!" Clem tried to reassure me.

"Wow, thanks," I deadpanned. "Way to make a girl feel special."

Clementine's voice was full of playful sympathy. "Hey, I’m just saying, you’ve survived everything life’s thrown at you so far. Besides, look at it this way: if they’re judging you based on this one incident, they’re missing out on getting to know the amazing person you are."

"Yeah, because nothing says 'amazing' like face-planting into a pile of shampoo and knocking over a bunch of cleaning supplies," I said, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

Clementine laughed. "Exactly! And let’s be honest, if they do judge you for this, they’re definitely not worth your time. Besides, Oscar might even think you’re charming in a clumsy, endearing kind of way. You never know."

"You should really consider a career in therapy. If I lay here and close my eyes for a bit and sleep for three hours surely your advice will work," I retorted.

"Oh be so serious with me now,"

"I am! Now I can add a new skill to my LinkedIn profile," I said, trying to stifle a giggle. "How about 'Expert in Catastrophic Bathroom Mishaps: Master of Turning Shower Encounters into Slapstick Comedy'?"

Clementine burst into laughter. “That’s quite a title! It’s like you’ve got a whole new niche market for yourself.”

“Right? I’m just waiting for the endorsement from ‘The Association of Embarrassing Bathroom Incidents,’” I said, imagining a badge with that exact title. What a big, fat, fucking joke.

“Or maybe you'll become the keynote speaker for the 'International Conference on Unexpected Water-Based Accidents,’” Clementine added, her voice full of amusement.

“I’ll make sure to include a workshop on ‘How to Survive a Bathroom Collision with Dignity and Humor,’” I said with a chuckle. “And don’t forget the seminar on ‘Turning Slip-and-Fall Disasters into Networking Opportunities.’”

“A career to consider!” Clementine laughed. “And you know what? I’ll be your first fan. Just remember to keep me updated on how your new ‘disastrous bathroom mishap’ career is going.”

“I’ll make sure to do that,” I promised with a smile. “Thanks for the laugh. It’s nice to know that even in the middle of a fiasco, I can count on you to turn it into a comedy show.”

"What can I say, I will never turn down listening to a free shit show," Clementine winked at me through the camera.

"Clem! What the hell!" I waved my manicured pointed nail at her.

"Bye! Don't die from embarrassment before you come back!" She quipped, then promptly hung up.

I lay sprawled on my bed, dreading the thought of going downstairs and facing the group of new neighbors. The whole idea made me cringe. I was just about to mentally prepare myself for the awkward introductions when a sudden knock on my door jolted me upright. My heart raced as I called out lazily, “Come in.”

The door creaked open, and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Oscar standing there. His eyebrow was raised, and he wore a cheeky grin that did nothing to ease my nerves.

"Well, well, well," he said with an amused smirk. "Looks like you’ve been having quite the chat with 'dearest Clemmy,' haven’t you?"

My face flushed beet red, and I stuttered, struggling to find my words. “W-What are you doing here?”

Oscar leaned casually against the doorframe, clearly enjoying my discomfort. “Oh, you know, just overheard you and Clemmy talking about our little mishap. I believe you mentioned something about me being ‘a charming yet infuriating Aussie who managed to turn your bathroom break into a comedy skit.’”

I blinked, stunned into silence. My mouth opened and closed, but no coherent words came out. The sheer embarrassment was overwhelming. Oscar’s casual demeanor and his cheeky grin only made things worse.

“What can I say, my name was called,” Oscar continued with a mischievous glint in his eye. “If someone keeps calling you hot, I mean, wouldn’t you be too curious to listen?”

His smirk only made my breath hitch and my fingers tremble a little more. I could feel my cheeks burning, and I struggled to come up with a response. The playful glint in his eye and his casual attitude did nothing to alleviate my embarrassment. Instead, they only made me feel more flustered.

I took a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “W-Well, I guess I didn’t think anyone would be actually listening.”

Oscar raised an eyebrow playfully, his smirk widening. “Oh, I’m sure you didn’t. But it was too good to pass up. Especially the part where you called me a ‘human wrecking ball.’”

My face flushed a deeper shade of crimson. “Great. Just great,” I muttered, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m sure I’ve made a fantastic first impression.”

Oscar chuckled, leaning casually against the doorframe. “Look, it’s all good. I’ve seen worse first impressions. Trust me. At least you didn’t accidentally set off the fire alarm or flood the place.”

I managed a weak smile, still feeling the sting of embarrassment. “Yeah, well, I’ll try to keep any future disasters to a minimum.”

Look at me, constantly embarrassing myself in front of hot guys. This was the exact reason why I was still bitchless and socially awkward at the ripe age of twenty-one. I could navigate a spreadsheet like a pro, ace exams, and even master the perfect contour, but put me in a room with a cute guy, and I turned into a walking calamity.

I sighed internally, already dreading the inevitable teasing I’d get from Clemmy once she found out I had, yet again, failed to keep my cool around a guy. Maybe I should’ve just stayed in the bathroom and let the ground swallow me whole.

Oscar raised an eyebrow, studying me with a curious look. “You know, you seem like a completely different person right now. Way quieter, more shy… less daring.”

My face flushed with a mix of irritation and embarrassment. “That’s not true,” I snapped, crossing my arms defensively. “I’m exactly the same as I was before.”

Oscar’s grin widened, clearly enjoying the effect his words had on me. “Sure, if you say so. But the girl who almost took me down like a rugby player in the bathroom seemed a lot more fearless.”

My nose flared as I shot him a glare, feeling the fire of indignation rise within me. Who did he think he was, making assumptions about me? I’ll show him just how brave I can be, I thought, my fists clenching. If he wanted to see daring, then I’d make sure he regretted ever doubting me. The nerve of this guy! He might have been hot, but that didn’t give him the right to push my buttons like this.

Oscar gave me a lopsided grin, clearly pleased with himself. "Anyway, everyone’s heading downstairs to meet each other. Figured I’d let you know, since, you know, it’s probably not the best idea to hide out up here forever."

My stomach twisted with nerves at the thought of facing everyone after that humiliating encounter. The idea of meeting new people while still reeling from my disastrous introduction to Oscar was daunting. But there was no way I was going to let him see how nervous I actually was. I took a deep breath, nodding stiffly. "Fine, let’s get this over with."

As we walked out of the room and toward the stairs, I could feel Oscar’s presence behind me—large, imposing, and annoyingly close. My face heated up, and I silently cursed myself for blushing yet again. Why did this guy have to make everything so difficult?

It was like shooting a sitting duck. A little small talk, a smile, and baby, I was stuck. I was a grown woman, for god’s sake, not some teenager swooning over a crush. But there I was, getting flustered over a guy I barely knew. Get a grip, I told myself, trying to shake off the absurdity of the situation. This wasn’t supposed to happen—I wasn’t supposed to be this easily charmed.

When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I hesitated, gripping the railing a little longer than usual. I could feel Oscar’s gaze on me, and it only made my nerves worse. Just as I was about to take the first step down, his hand brushed against mine. The contact was brief but enough to send a jolt of awareness through me. His hand was rough with calluses, moderately enveloping mine in a way that felt both comforting and disarming.

What was it about this guy that made me feel so uncharacteristically off-balance? As I tried to steady my racing thoughts, I reminded myself that I had to keep it together. After all, I wasn’t about to let some smooth-talking Aussie turn me into a lovesick fool—no matter how much my traitorous heart seemed to enjoy the challenge.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, my eyes were drawn to two adults who were deep in conversation with my mom. Their warm, friendly demeanor and unmistakable Australian accents told me they were Oscar’s parents. They seemed just as lively and outgoing as he was, which only added to the strangeness of this entire situation.

Then, I spotted Oscar’s siblings—a trio of sisters who looked like carbon copies of him, yet each had her own distinct vibe, like different fonts of the same typeface. They were laughing and joking with each other, their bond evident in the way they effortlessly engaged in light-hearted banter. I felt a pang of envy, wishing I had siblings to share that kind of closeness with.

My daydream was abruptly shattered when Oscar’s large, warm hand clasped onto my shoulder, his fingers pressing gently but firmly against my skin. The unexpected touch sent a jolt through me, making me jump slightly as a flush of heat rushed to my cheeks. His chuckle, deep and amused, rumbled behind me, the sound wrapping around me like a teasing caress. He was standing on the step just above me, close enough that I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. His presence was unmistakably felt—broad, solid, and way too close for comfort, yet somehow not close enough.

His fingers lingered on my shoulder, almost as if he was testing my reaction, and I could feel the warmth radiating from his touch, seeping into my skin. The space between us seemed to shrink with every passing second, and I could barely concentrate on anything but the weight of his hand and the steady beat of my heart hammering in my chest.

Oscar leaned in slightly, his voice low and smooth as honey. “Jumpier than I thought,” he drawled, his tone dripping with playful mischief. “Didn’t take you for the shy type. Especially not after our little bathroom tango.” His grin widened, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a way that was both infuriating and ridiculously charming.

My pulse quickened at the way he was looking at me—those eyes sparkling with amusement, as if he knew exactly what he was doing. I swallowed hard, my mind racing to come up with a retort, but all I could focus on was how his hand, still resting on my shoulder, felt both protective and possessive. The air between us crackled with a tension that was impossible to ignore, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

I could quite literally cut the sexual tension with the dullest fucking butterknife in the world.

I tried to muster a sharp retort, something that would wipe that smug grin off his face, but my brain was too busy short-circuiting to cooperate. All I could manage was a stuttered, “I-I’m not shy! You just—caught me off guard, that’s all.” The words tumbled out, weak and unconvincing, and I mentally cringed at how feeble they sounded.

Oscar’s grin only grew, clearly enjoying my flustered state. He leaned in a little closer, his gaze locked on mine with a playful intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “Off guard, huh?” he murmured, his voice dipping lower. “So, you’re saying if I hadn’t surprised you, you’d be able to keep up?”

I opened my mouth to respond, determined to regain some semblance of dignity, but nothing clever came out. Instead, I just stood there, caught between wanting to pull away from his teasing and feeling inexplicably drawn to his warmth. His hand slid from my shoulder, and the absence of his touch left a surprising chill in its wake.

Realizing that my window for a comeback was closing, I finally managed to sputter, “Y-Yeah, exactly.” I immediately cursed myself for sounding so pathetic. Not exactly the sharp comeback I was hoping for. His smirk deepened, and I could tell he wasn’t buying it for a second.

“Sure, whatever you say,” Oscar replied, his tone still dripping with amusement. He straightened up, giving me a quick wink before stepping down to the next stair. The playful glint in his eyes told me he knew exactly how much he was getting under my skin, and he was loving every second of it.

As he moved past me, I finally found my voice—too little, too late—and muttered under my breath, “Cocky bastard.” But it was quiet enough that I hoped he didn’t hear it. To my dismay, Oscar paused, turning back with a raised eyebrow and an even wider grin.

“Sorry, didn’t catch that,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Care to repeat it?”

My cheeks flamed as I quickly shook my head. “Nope, nothing. Let’s just… go meet everyone.”

Oscar’s grin didn’t falter as he took a step closer, still looming above me. “You know,” he began, his voice casual but with that familiar teasing edge, “I’ve already met everyone else. Your mom, too. And I’ve gotta say, you two seem like complete opposites.”

I blinked up at him, caught off guard again. “Opposites?”

He nodded, leaning against the wall with that effortless ease he seemed to have perfected. “Yep. Your mom’s all smiles and warm welcomes. You, on the other hand… well, you’ve got this whole ‘ready to throw punches’ vibe going on.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to gauge whether he was being serious or just messing with me again. “I do not have a ‘ready to throw punches’ vibe.”

Oscar’s lips twitched like he was holding back a laugh. “Oh, you totally do. But don’t worry,” he added with a playful smirk, “it’s kind of endearing. Keeps things interesting.”

I huffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Glad to know I’m so entertaining for you.”

He shrugged, unfazed. “Hey, I’m just saying, opposites attract, right? Besides, your mom already likes me. You could take a few notes.”

His comment sent a fresh wave of warmth to my cheeks, both from irritation and something I couldn’t quite place. “I don’t need notes from you,” I shot back, though my voice lacked its usual bite.

Oscar just chuckled, giving me one last teasing wink before turning to head down the stairs. “Whatever you say, mate. Just try not to tackle anyone else while you’re at it.”

"Well well well, what do we have here?" A girl with short hair and a devious grin matching Oscar's grinned at me as well entered the kitchen. Shimmering her hands like "jazz hands", she rolled her eyes and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

I turned to face the new arrival, immediately recognizing her as one of Oscar’s sisters—one of the three siblings who seemed to share his penchant for mischief. Her cropped hair and sharp, playful eyes made her look like she’d just stepped out of a rom-com where she was the resident troublemaker, always stirring the pot and having a laugh at everyone else’s expense.

“Hey, party people,” she said, her voice dripping with a teasing lilt. She shot me a grin that was almost a mirror image of Oscar’s, mischievous and knowing, like she was in on some inside joke I hadn’t been let in on yet. I could feel the same heat from before creeping up my neck. Why did it feel like these siblings were reading me like an open book?

“Looks like someone’s already made a grand entrance,” she continued, flicking her eyes between me and Oscar with an amused smirk. “Oscar’s been talking about you nonstop since we got here. Said something about a ‘bathroom fiasco’ that deserves an award?”

I shot a glare at Oscar, who was leaning casually against the counter, looking far too pleased with himself. “Did he now?” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the mortification clawing at me.

The girl laughed, light and musical, but with an edge that told me she was fully enjoying every bit of this. “Oh yeah, he’s been filling us in. But don’t worry, we’re used to his tall tales. I’m Hattie, by the way,” she added, extending a hand with exaggerated enthusiasm as if we were meeting on the set of a game show rather than in my kitchen.

I hesitated for a beat before shaking her hand, trying to muster a smile that didn’t look too forced. “Nice to meet you, Hattie. I’m—”

“Oh, I know who you are,” she interrupted, her grin widening. “You’re the girl who almost took out my brother. Honestly, I’m impressed. No one’s ever managed to knock him off his game quite like that.”

I glanced at Oscar, who was watching the exchange with an infuriatingly smug look on his face. Maisie’s comment hung in the air, both a compliment and a lighthearted jab. I couldn’t help but feel like I was once again the butt of some inside joke between the siblings.

“Yeah, well, it’s a special talent of mine,” I said, trying to sound casual but feeling like every word was being scrutinized. “Guess I just have that effect.”

Hattie laughed, the sound bright and unapologetically amused. “Oh, I like you already. But hey, if you’re gonna hang out with us, you better be ready for a little friendly chaos. And maybe a few more unexpected collisions.”

Oscar gave a soft snort of laughter, and I could feel his eyes still on me, assessing, teasing, and—annoyingly—almost impressed. I tried to ignore the butterflies that seemed to be staging a full-on rebellion in my stomach. Clearly, this family thrived on playful torment, and I had somehow found myself right in the middle of it.

“Don’t worry,” I said, straightening up and forcing a confident smile. “I think I can handle whatever you guys throw at me.”

Hattie's eyes sparkled with mischief, and she gave me a mock salute. “That’s the spirit. Welcome to the chaos, mate.”

Oscar chuckled again, giving me that damn wink before pushing off from the counter. “Oh, she’s ready for it. Trust me, she’s already made quite the impression.”

The other two girls strolled in, each with their own distinct energy that filled the room. One had a fierce, confident look, dark hair tied up in a messy bun, and a leather jacket that screamed ‘cooler-than-you’ vibes. The youngest, a curly-haired, bright-eyed whirlwind, practically bounced into the kitchen, her infectious smile lighting up the space.

“So,” I said, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the sudden influx of new faces. “I’ve met Oscar, obviously, and… Hattie, right?” I glanced at the girl who had first greeted me, who nodded with a playful smile. “But I’m afraid I haven’t gotten your names yet,” I continued, pointing between the other two sisters.

The girl with the leather jacket gave me a wry grin, leaning casually against the counter. “I’m Edie,” she said, her voice dripping with casual confidence. “The cooler, smarter middle child.”

Mae, the youngest, immediately chimed in, rolling her eyes at her sister. “And I’m Mae, the fun one,” she said with a giggle, her curls bouncing as she hopped up onto a stool. “Edie’s just mad she wasn’t born with my charm.”

Edie snorted, pretending to be offended. “Please, you’re like a tiny tornado of chaos. But yeah, I guess she’s not wrong,” she added, shooting me a smirk. “Mae’s got a way of making everything a little… livelier.”

I couldn’t help but smile at their playful back-and-forth. “Nice to officially meet you all. And thanks for the heads-up on your brother’s antics,” I said, glancing at Oscar, who was watching the exchange with an amused glint in his eye.

“Oh, trust me,” Hattie added, her grin widening as she nudged Oscar with her elbow. “We’ve got years of experience keeping this one in line. You’re welcome to join the effort.”

Oscar threw his hands up in mock surrender. “Wow, ganging up on me already? This is why I never bring girls home,” he joked, though there was a hint of genuine warmth in his voice, like he was more than used to—and secretly enjoyed—their teasing.

Mae leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Just wait till we start telling you all the embarrassing stories. Oscar’s got quite a few, and we’ve got no problem spilling the tea.”

Oscar smirked, shifting his weight just enough to close the distance between us, his presence suddenly feeling a lot closer, a lot warmer. He leaned in with a casual ease, his movements smooth and unhurried, as if he had all the time in the world to make me squirm. His voice dropped into a playful, low tone, rich and velvety, each word dripping with deliberate charm. “Oh, don’t worry about them,” he murmured, his gaze locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “I’d much rather hear your stories. You’re far more interesting than anything they could say about me.”

The way he looked at me was like I was the only person in the room, his eyes lingering on mine with a bold, flirtatious glint that sent a shiver down my spine. His grin was maddeningly confident, a little crooked, and devastatingly irresistible—the kind of smile that made it clear he knew exactly what he was doing. It was teasing, suggestive, and far too charming for its own good, like he was daring me to blush, daring me to react.

I felt the heat creeping up my neck, a slow burn that spread across my cheeks, making my skin prickle with the sudden awareness of how close he was. My mind scrambled for something clever to say, but his flirtatious tone, the way his eyes roved over my face as if he was reading every reaction, left me tongue-tied. It was like he was peeling back layers with just a look, searching for the part of me that he could fluster with a few well-placed words and that infuriating smile.

I tried to steady my breath, but his proximity was overwhelming. I could catch the faint scent of his cologne—fresh, with a hint of something spicy—and the subtle shift of his body as he leaned closer sent my senses into overdrive. Every nerve seemed to hum in response to his nearness, and I could feel my face burning hotter, betraying me with every second that I failed to look away.

Edie made a gagging noise, rolling her eyes dramatically. “Ew, Oscar, seriously? Can you not flirt for like five seconds? It’s embarrassing.”

Mae giggled, giving Oscar a playful shove. “Yeah, gross. No one wants to see that. Save it for when we’re not around, Romeo.”

Hattie snorted, shaking her head as she watched Oscar with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “He’s always like this. Thinks he’s Mr. Smooth. Don’t let him get to you.”

But Oscar only chuckled, clearly unfazed by his sisters’ teasing. He turned back to me, his grin widening as he caught sight of my flushed cheeks. “Aww, look at that,” he said, his voice soft and teasing. “Did I make you blush? How cute.”

I quickly tried to hide my face, mortification bubbling up as I realized there was no escaping the heat radiating from my cheeks. “N-No, you didn’t,” I stammered, though the pink tint on my face said otherwise.

Oscar’s smirk deepened, and he leaned in just a little closer, his voice barely above a whisper. “You’re not very good at hiding it, you know. It’s kind of endearing.”

I could practically feel my cheeks getting even more red, if that was even possible. His sisters snickered behind us, enjoying the show as much as they enjoyed tormenting him.

Mae nudged Hattie, whispering loud enough for everyone to hear, “He’s really laying it on thick, huh? Someone needs to put a leash on this one.”

Hattie snickered and turned to me, giving me an exaggeratedly sympathetic look. “Don’t worry, he does this to everyone. It’s part of his ‘charm offensive.’ Just don’t let him get away with it too easily.”

“Yeah, make him work for it,” Edie added with a laugh. “And don’t let that blush fool you. He’s got enough of an ego without you feeding it.”

Oscar just shrugged, clearly unbothered by his sisters’ ribbing. He kept his eyes on me, his smile softening just slightly. “They’re just jealous because they know I’m right. You really are something else.”

I rolled my eyes, trying to fight the smile that was creeping onto my face despite my best efforts. “You’re impossible,” I muttered, crossing my arms in an attempt to compose myself.

Oscar leaned back, finally giving me a bit of space but not without one last wink. “Impossible’s my specialty,” he said, the playful challenge hanging in the air.

Hattie clapped her hands together, breaking the charged silence that had wrapped around us. “Alright, lovebirds, let’s change the scene before this kitchen gets any steamier,” she said with a sly grin, glancing between Oscar and me. “What do you say we all head out to the pool? It’s hot as hell today, and I could use a swim.”

Mae’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, and she bounced on her toes with excitement. “Yes, please! I’ve been dying to jump in all morning. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

Edie shrugged, pushing off the counter. “Sounds like a plan. Beats sitting around here watching Oscar make a fool of himself,” she said, shooting her brother a pointed look that he brushed off with a careless smirk.

I hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden change in plans. The thought of the pool—cool water, bright sun, and lounging with these new, vibrant personalities—was tempting, but my mind immediately jumped to what that would mean: changing into a bikini, being under the sun's scrutiny, and, worse, the idea of Oscar’s eyes on me again, but this time with even less to hide behind.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” I said, trying to sound casual, though my heart was starting to race for an entirely different reason now. “Just give me a minute to get changed.”

As I slipped back into my room, I rummaged through my suitcase, finding the bright bikini I had packed on a whim but hadn’t quite planned on wearing in front of a whole audience of strangers. It was a pretty number—a little more revealing than I was used to—but suddenly, the idea of wearing it around Oscar felt daunting. My insecurities bubbled up: the nagging thoughts of whether my stomach was flat enough, if my thighs looked alright, or if the faint stretch marks I tried so hard to ignore would be too noticeable under the bright afternoon sun.

I took a deep breath, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I tugged at the fabric, trying to adjust it in a way that made me feel more comfortable, but the nerves wouldn’t settle. I could already imagine Oscar’s eyes lingering on me, his playful smirk turning into something more appraising, and the thought sent a rush of heat to my cheeks. God, why was I letting this get to me? It was just a pool. Just a bikini. Just Oscar. But the more I tried to rationalize, the more those little fears crept in, whispering doubts that made my stomach churn.

I was so lost in my own thoughts, adjusting and readjusting the strings and trying to silence the negative self-talk, that I nearly jumped out of my skin when a sudden knock rattled my door. My heart leaped into my throat, and I spun around, my breath catching as I called out, “W-Who is it?”

“It’s me,” came Oscar’s familiar voice, muffled but still clear enough to send a jolt of nerves through me. “Just checking to see if you’re alright in there. You’ve been quiet, and, well, didn’t want you chickening out on us.”

His tone was light, but there was something softer in it, something that caught me off guard. It wasn’t the usual teasing or the cocky one-liners I’d grown accustomed to in the short time I’d known him. This felt… genuine. A flicker of concern threaded through his words, almost like he actually cared if I was okay. My cheeks flushed anew, this time from the unexpected warmth of his attention rather than embarrassment.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my cover-up as I tried to piece together my swirling thoughts. Was this the same Oscar who had been smirking at me in the kitchen, flirting shamelessly in front of his sisters? The same Oscar who seemed to relish every moment he made me blush or stumble over my words? It was strange, almost disarming, to hear him like this—concerned, attentive, with none of his usual bravado.

My heart fluttered at the thought. What if there was more to him than just the cheeky guy who lived for teasing? I couldn’t help but feel a small, unexpected tug in my chest, an urge to believe that this side of him was real and not just some act. But then, just as quickly, my rational side kicked in, reminding me that I’d known Oscar for all of three hours, most of which had been spent flustered and caught up in his whirlwind of charm.

Was I reading too much into this? Was I letting my own insecurities and wishful thinking color my perception of him? It was hard not to, especially when he swung so easily between flirty and sincere, keeping me constantly off-balance. I barely knew this guy, yet here I was, letting my mind wander into dangerous territory, imagining depth and sincerity that might not even be there.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to steady my thoughts. I didn’t want to jump to conclusions—didn’t want to let a few kind words make me think I’d seen some hidden side of him. But it was hard not to feel flustered when his voice had softened like that, when he’d taken the time to check on me instead of just joking about how long I was taking.

The knock on my door, the concern in his tone—it all felt so different from the playful Oscar who’d swaggered into my life just a few hours ago. Maybe it was nothing, just a moment of decency, a brief glimpse of something real behind the jokes and teasing. Or maybe I was just overthinking, desperate to see something more in him because he’d managed to get under my skin in a way I wasn’t quite prepared for.

I sighed, feeling my cheeks heat up once more as the realization hit me—I was blushing again, and not just from embarrassment this time. There was something about Oscar, something that made me want to believe he was more than the carefree charmer he projected. But whether that was true or just wishful thinking, I couldn’t be sure. Not yet.

“I-I’m fine!” I called back, trying to steady my voice, but it came out shaky, betraying the mix of anxiety and embarrassment that had settled in my chest. “Just… getting ready.”

There was a pause on the other side of the door, long enough that I thought he might have walked away. But then, Oscar’s voice cut through again, softer this time, and with a teasing edge. “You sure? I promise no one’s gonna judge you out there. Least of all me.”

The reassurance felt sincere, but I couldn’t help the way my mind raced with all the what-ifs. What if he did look? What if I didn’t look good enough? What if this stupid bikini made me feel more exposed than I could handle? I glanced at myself one last time in the mirror, trying to summon the confidence that I usually wore so easily, but right now felt like it was hiding somewhere I couldn’t reach.

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I finally managed, forcing a smile I hoped he couldn’t hear through the door. “Just... give me a sec. I’ll be right out.”

“Take your time,” Oscar said, his voice fading as he finally moved away from the door. “But don’t take too long. You don’t wanna miss the fun.”

As his footsteps retreated, I let out a shaky breath, trying to collect myself. I ran a hand through my hair, giving myself one last pep talk before heading out. It was just a pool day, I reminded myself. Just a stupid pool day with some new people and a guy who was way too good at making me blush. And maybe, just maybe, it would be fun—if I could get out of my own head long enough to let it be.

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taglist! @mingyusbigrighttoe @theblueblub @demandealalune @linnygirl09

[jhkfan123]

enchanted- tom blyth | preface & ch. 1

. ˙ ✦ ♡ㅤ°. •                                                                                                                                                                . ˙ ✦ ♡ㅤ°. •

part 2

part 3

part 4

part 5

part 6

part 7

part 8

part 9

part 10

part 11

part 12

 "please don't be in love with someone else please don't have somebody waiting on you"

"she's flawless"

"she's not flawless"

"what?"

"she's not you"

❤ ENCHANTED ❤

after starring in one of 2022's top movies y/n y/l/n has risen to stardom. at 23, she's only at the start of her career. julliard trained, cover of teen vogue, things are going great for her. and now, she starred in one of the biggest franchises as clemensia dovecote in the prequel for The Hunger Games trilogy, the ballad of songbirds and snakes. she's been attending galas, doing press, all alongside her co-stars, rachel zegler, josh andres rivera, and most importantly, tom blyth. she's liked him since the second she met him, but he hasn't seemed to bat an eye at her hints. but what happens when he finally starts hinting back, all while a spiraling rumor about a relationship between him and rachel arises? 

characters

y/n - the newest hollywood it-girl

tom blyth - y/n's costar, the lead in her new movie, the ballad of songbirds and snakes. internet's new bf 

josh andrés rivera - starred mainly alongside tom blyth as sejanus plinth, friendly with y/n

rachel zegler - starred as lucy gray baird, and has gained fame. played the "love interest" of coriolanus snow, over time has gained a "sister-like" bond with y/n.

AU: rachel and josh are NOT dating (for the plot)

Authors Note: i'm in love with tom blyth WHA-      enjoy this book! ongoing but should be finished soon! part 1 should be out in less than a day. called jhk fan but writing abt tom blyth (2024theplot)

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✦ i.

the camera flashes blinded you as someone guided you towards a crowd of people with microphones. you almost trip over your floor length gown as you approach a shorter woman, no taller than 5'0. your security guard lingers behind you, ensuring no one tries to pull anything. you felt a bit overwhelmed. yes, you'd been exposed to this before, but it was still fairly new. the flashing lights, people screaming your name begging to get your attention, figures holding out posters and whatnot to sign, and of course, the red carpet interviews. they gave you a sense of comfort. you could focus on one person, talk to one person, and tune everyone else out for a short minute before you had to move on. 

"hello dear, mind if i ask you a few questions?" focusing back into real life, you glanced at the woman holding a microphone to your face. 

"no i don't mind. shoot." you replied, adjusting the strap on your dress. 

"first of all, your role in this movie was small, but mighty. people online are loving it, they call you "panem it-girl." people have also been making edits, now my question is, have you seen any of these?" you chuckled at her question. you attempted to stay off social media as much as possible, but in this day, its very difficult. and the answer was yes. your own feed had been filled with lots of these edits. it was strange, seeing yourself on your screen, with others saying things like "panem it-girl" and "she deserved more screen time" and "iconic queen." the whole idea made you laugh, for your role in the movie had been fairly small, but your newfound fame had secured you a spot on the press tour. 

"yes i have seen them. it's pretty weird, seeing myself, but i am just glad people love the character. to make a long story endless, i've always been a fan of the books so when this prequel came out i bought it as soon as possible. i loved clemmie the second i read about her, so it was really cool to be able to bring her to life, and i'm so happy people liked the way i played her." you replied. you tried to keep it simple, but sometimes you felt like there was too much to say and not enough time to say it, which led to extra long answers to really short questions. 

you heard her shout a thank you as you were whisked to the next interviewer. 

"hi, so nice to see you, who are you wearing?" the man asked. you glanced down at your dress that had taken you ten whole minutes to get into. the whole process of getting ready took three hours, not to mention the photoshoot your publicist encouraged. getting your hair just right took an hour alone. 

"today i'm wearing versace. i was really inspired by blake lively's dress from the met gala and i thankfully have a great stylist who was able to find the perfect dress for me." you had always loved red carpet looks, and began to design your own in a fashion sketchbook when you were twelve years old. one of your favorite perks of being well-known was the ability to wear the dresses you had always loved. 

the security guard whispered in your ear that it was time to go pose. you thanked the man interviewing you and walked away. as you approached the middle of the red carpet a few people caught your eye. rachel zegler was standing in front of the cameras, flashes of light every second without fail. you seemed to have caught her eye, she turned to you and waved. you returned the gesture and made your way to the place you were supposed to pose. the cameras began to flash as soon as you stepped in front of them. you positioned yourself into your signature pose, which showed off the best parts about you. rachel walked over and gave you a hug.

"you look great" she attempted to compliment you, but it was hard to hear her over the people shouting.

"you look better than i ever will."  you returned the compliment and saw a disappointed look on her face. 

"girl you know so well that's not true" she laughed before returning to her initial position, maybe a few feet closer to you now. you returned back to posing, the flashes still going off, your name being mixed with rachels, being called from ten different directions. you began to walk off when you heard cheering from your left. you turned to see who had arrived. 

wearing a white blazer, a white, barely buttoned top, and black slacks was tom blyth. he had just stepped out of the vehicle dropping him off. you heard an overwhelming scream of voices. you had met tom on the set of the new movie, but had learned that you had both went to juilliard, and he graduated the year after you enrolled. there was a one year period where you too had been at the same school, yet never met each other. when the two of you first met, there was an immediate friendship. you guys drove to set together, practiced lines together, and hung out as many time as you could, squeezing in your busy schedule. but there had always been something more there for you. to you, he was the most charming, alluring, funny, kind person you'd met. it had always been one sided. you'd learned to suppress it, and accept that maybe he wasn't as interested in you as you were in him. while you were thinking, he had finished his interviews and was coming over to the two of you. you waved over to him and he flashed a smile at you. you approached him as he gave you a hug. you embraced it as much as you could. 

"hey! how are you?" he asked. you glanced up at him. your height difference was perfect in your mind. 

"i'm doing great, how are you?" 

"fantastic." he replied. he looked around you, finally making eye contact with rachel. you watched as his face lit up, and your heart sunk a little lower. there was nothing going on between them, at least, that's what you'd known. but seeing him excited to see her gave you a sense of jealousy. you knew it was selfish, obviously he made the entire movie with her, why shouldn't he be more excited? but you couldn't control it. he patted you on the shoulder and watched as he gave rachel a hug. a much more meaningful hug, that's what it looked like, at least. he wrapped his arm around her waist and posed with her. you asked your security guard to take you away from the photo area, off the red carpet altogether, but he told you to wait because they wanted an all cast photo. you decided to go back and do more interviews. you approached another woman. 

"hello." you greeted her.

"hi! im with letterboxed, would you care to give me your top four movies of all time?" you loved this question. you watched every video they posted of celebrities top movies. you'd never been asked before, and you had planned this out weeks in advance. it distracted you a little from your heart. 

"i LOVE this question, i've been planning for weeks."

...

once the movie was over, you exited the theater and made your way to the afterparty. you changed into a much easier outfit. one you could dance in. you were going to need it anyways. the dress had a corset-esqe top, with a very short skirt. like sabrina carpenter. you put on some high boots and fiddled with your hair a little. 

you entered the afterparty fashionably late. most people were already there. you recognized a few of your castmates from "the academy." you went over to them and got yourself a drink from the bar. 

"you look amazing, drop the makeup routine right now." you heard one say. lilly cooper, the actress for arachne crane. you laughed at her, but promised you would. you talked to a few more people, the actress for livia cardew, actor for festus creed, and more. before you knew it, 45 minutes had passed. you ventured away from them, and into the more central area. 

"girl get over here!" you heard. you pivoted on your heel and spotted rachel, tom, and josh. you happily walked over and gave josh a hug, you hadn't seen him all night. "this outfit is out of this world." rachel complimented. you did a little twirl to show off every bit of it. when you returned to your initial place, you saw tom laughing. a smile broke out on your face. 

"im ready to dance guys, when's that happening?" you asked them. rachel grabbed your hand, along with tom's. josh followed you guys as you headed for the dance floor. they were now playing "breaking dishes" by rhianna, one of your all time favorite clubbing songs. you had always been proud of your dancing skills, and now was the chance to show off. on your way to the dance floor, you picked up another drink, and downed it as fast as possible. finally on the floor, you and rachel began to dance together. she spun you around and you did the same to her. soon, josh swept you away and you danced with him, making sure to one up every move he made. you felt yourself getting tipsy, but that didn't matter, what did was that you were having fun. 

mid turn with josh, you felt yourself get pulled away again, a new hand holding onto yours. you looked up to see tom, who had ditched his jacket, and your pretty sure had unbuttoned another button or two, pulling you to dance with him. you agreed happily and began to dance with him. you had never noticed how good a dancer he was. every time you tried to one up him, he would pull out some move you hadn't seen before. 

"i saw you trying to one up josh" he shouted over the music. "isn't going to happen sweetheart." he called you that as a joke, but you felt yourself getting red. your stomach dropped. 

"wait here, i'm going to get another drink." you yelled, attempting to be louder than the already blaring music. he grabbed your arm and pulled you back.

"hey how many is that now?" he asked, referring to the amount you had drunken that night. 

"oh please." you shook him off and went to get another drink. you downed it and returned back to him. you felt the drinks going straight to your head. he spun you and you felt very dizzy. too many drinks.  you had always been a bit of a lightweight. three or four drinks was way to many. you continued to dance with him. he spun you again, this time returning you to him. he spun you back and he pulled you into his chest and you knocked into him. rachel came up behind you and you almost tripped on her feet. 

"woah, you've had too much to drink."  she immediately noticed. you tried to defend yourself, but found yourself slurring your words together. "yeah, you're done." she walked you over to a couch and sat you down. you laid down and your vision began to blur as you passed out. 

...

you woke up the next morning on a sofa. but this sofa was not the same sofa from last night. this was your sofa, in the hotel you were staying at for the premier. somehow, you had gotten home. no idea how, no idea when, but you had gotten home. you immediately noticed your discomfort, you glanced down, seeing yourself in your outfit from last night. 

after a shower and skincare, you still tried to ponder who had gotten you home last night. whoever it was knew your room, found your room key, and took care not to wake you as you were transported home.  

you pushed the thought down, thankful for whoever did it, but stopped wasting time on it. you packed up your suitcase and made your way back home. 

[ninadove]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

Thank you Bee! 🩵💙🧡 (<- These are now your Nina-brain-assigned colours, because Bloom)

Tumblr shut down on its own as I was writing this… The audacity…

In no particular order:

Remember Them from EPIC: The Cyclops Saga

But really, what I mean by that is the Remember Them + Ruthlessness + Monster triptych. Alternatively, the entirety of EPIC.

The end of this song (starting from 3:06) makes me think of Argos in Emotion. I might try to sketch a rough animatic! 💜🦚

The Reason by Hoobastank

Because of a Clemmy story my best friend and I wrote over a decade ago. 💙💛

Guns and Ships from Hamilton

Because of an inside joke with @dragongutsixofficial! 💖🌊

Still Holding My Hand from Mathilda The Musical

Discovered through @paracosmicat. The official Shadow Strike theme song. 💚💜

The Last Of The Real Ones by Fall Out Boy

Because Feligami. N°1 of my 2023 Spotify Wrapped. 💜🦚❤️🐉

Bonus! 🎶

How about I nominate @dragongutsixofficial, @paracosmicat, @lentachorum, @luckychatons, @graythegreyt, @neumannhartwig, @nebulousboops, @yardikins, @fishagain5846, @jay--hawk and @capricious-lily? No pressure of course! 💖

[catindabag]

TBOSAS on Crack short take (63)

*What are the Hungers Games for?* Read [this] first.

Sejanus: My love, my Snow Angel, wake up~. It’s almost lunchtime.

Coryo: *is half asleep* Five more minutes, Babe.😴

Sejanus: Ok! Anything for my pretty Snow Bae~.😍

Clemensia: Ugh. You’re so bad at this, Plinth.

Sejanus: Bad at what?

Clemensia: Watch and learn, lover boy. *grabs Coryo’s shoulders and shakes him like a rag doll* Wake the f*ck up, Snowy! Wake up! The school is giving away free food and money!

Coryo: *wakes up* Free food?! Free money?! Where?!

Clemensia: I lied.

Coryo: Clemmie, you’re cruel.

Clemensia: I’m normal.

Coryo: Doubt-

Clemensia: Snowy, be a dear and wake our professional dumpster diver, will you?☺️

Coryo: Fine. *turns to Festus* Bestie, Pup and Percy Price are playing Patty Cake without you again.

Festus: *immediately wakes up* Pup, you lying traitor!

Livia: Pup is not even here, you idiot.

Festus: Then where is he?!

Livia: I don’t know-

Felix: He’s currently hiding from the lunch lady again.

Festus: Lol. Did he “borrow” her hairnet again?

Felix: Worse.😔 He stole her golden spatula in the name of research.

Festus: *gets up and salutes* May the odds be ever in our brother’s favor.🫡

Felix: *salutes back* So be it.

Coryo: So be it. I’m hungry. Let’s go, Babe.

Sejanus: Yey! Hold my hand, my love-

Dr.Gaul: *blocks the exit door* Children, sit down.

Coryo: But it’s lunchtime-

Dr.Gaul: Sit.

Coryo: But I’m hungry.

Dr.Gaul: Starve.

Vipsania: *gasps* She said a forbidden word! She said a forbidden word!

Coryo: The audacity!

Livia: Dr. Gaul, can I leave? I have to fix my makeup real quick.

Dr.Gaul: Sure. Go ahead, girl.

Livia: Bye, losers! *walks out*

Urban: Yo, that ain’t fair, Doc!

Dr.Gaul: It’s Dr. Gaul to you, Mr. Canville. Besides, Mama Cardew is a monster.

Sejanus: You’re a monster!

Dr.Gaul: What are you gonna do about it, boy?

Sejanus: I will cry!

Dr.Gaul: That’s what I thought.

Persephone: That is still a form of favoritism, Dr. Gaul.

Dr.Gaul: Says the nepo cannibal.

Persephone: *starts crying* That was one time! One time!😭

Lysistrata: Dr. Gaul, that was uncalled for-

Dr.Gaul: Do you want Mama Cardew to burn our economy to the ground?

Lysistrata: No-

Dr.Gaul: Then shut your useless mouths before I shut them for you!

Persephone: Festus, Baby, hug me!😭

Festus: *hugs Percy and comforts her* There, there, Percy Price. Dr. Gaul is just a hallucination. She ain’t real. She’s just a bad dream.

Iphigenia: *raises hand* Dr. Gaul.

Dr.Gaul: Yes, pet?

Iphigenia: Can I fix my makeup too?

Dr.Gaul: No.

Felix: Wow. ✨Cardew Nepotism✨ really does work like a charm.

Coryo: Eh. ✨Cardew Nepotism✨ sucks. It only works on crazy people with real power.

Sejanus: I wish my nepotism is as good as hers.😞

Coryo: Don’t be too sad, my love. Our ✨Plinth-Snow Dynasty✨ will rule them all someday.

Sejanus: Along with our 24 gorgeous children?🥺

Coryo: Whatever you say, Babe.

Sejanus: 24 and more children?

Coryo: *sighs* 24 and more.

Sejanus: Coryo, Kiss.��

Coryo: Sure-

Dr.Gaul: Not in front of me and my pit bull rabbit, you fools!

Coryo: Then let us go! I’m starving! I need to eat my pecan pie without looking at you!

Apollo: Yo, I have to buy a new bottle of glue.

Vipsania: Can somebody help me find my other shoe?

Persephone: I want my precious meat stew!😭

Dennis: I have an illegal business to attend to!

Diana: Does anyone have a new copy of ✨Me Before Hugh✨?🥺

Hilarius: I want to buy expensive shampoo-

Felix: Not now, Hilari!

Festus: Let us go! Let us go! Let us go-

Dr.Gaul: No! Nobody is leaving this classroom without answering the most important question of the day!

Lysistrata: The most important question?

Io: What is love?😀

Dr.Gaul: Ms. Jasper.

Io: Yes?

Dr.Gaul: Go cry in the corner before I give you and your parents another demerit.

Io: Ok.😞

Urban: So what’s the question?

Dr.Gaul: I’m so glad you asked, Mr. Turban.

Urban: It’s Urban-

Dr.Gaul: Tell me, children, what are the Hunger Games for?

Urban: I’m too angry to answer that stupid question-

Clemensia: To commemorate the war!

Dr.Gaul: Good. What else?

Diana: To commemorate the fallen heroes?

Dr.Gaul: Lame.

Dennis: To punish the rebels?

Dr.Gaul: Boring.

Felix: To punish those who stole my granduncle’s last bits of sanity!

Dr.Gaul: Lol. Nice try, brat. President Ravinstill was already crazy from the start.

Felix: But-

Dr.Gaul: He was born crazy and he will die crazy.

Felix: That’s kinda rude-

Dr.Gaul: Next!

Juno: To remind the Districts that we can be evil and ✨fabulous✨ at the same time!

Dr.Gaul: You’re not wrong, but-

Sejanus: To commemorate how cruel the Capitol is!

Dr.Gaul: Lol. Is that all?

Coryo: To Commemorate Drunk Dean Highbottom’s loser ass loser life!

Dr.Gaul: Correct- No! Not correct!

Coryo: To commemorate how angry and hungry I am right now!

Dr.Gaul: That’s still wrong-

Coryo: Let me go! I’m hungry! I need to eat my f*ckin’ pecan pie before I go feral!

Dr.Gaul: Mr. Snow-

Coryo: *is now in “feral” mode*

Sejanus: Not again-

Coryo: *is now acting like a feral wet cat* My pecan pie!

Sejanus: Babe, calm down-

Coryo: *hisses like a cat, shoves Dr. Gaul to the side, and quickly runs away* Bye, b*tch!

Lysistrata: Why is Coryo running like a skinny cat on crack?!

Sejanus: Festus, get the ropes! My poor darling lost his mind again!😭

Lysistrata: Again?!

Festus: Yeah. Poor Snowy goes full “feral” if he doesn’t eat something before lunchtime.

Hilarius: That’s wild, bro.

Festus: That’s just his weird irreversible war trauma working overtime.

Sejanus: It gets even worse if you don’t feed him his daily cabbage.😞

Hilarius: Well, that’s sad.

Clemensia: Felix.

Felix: Yes, Clemmie?

Clemensia: Are you 100 percent sure that our “prestigious” school is not secretly a mental asylum for the rich and Coryo?

Felix: I hope not.

Lysistrata: Weewoo.

Felix: I really hope not.

Pup: *comes out of nowhere holding a golden spatula* But seriously, what are the Hunger Games for?

Dr.Gaul: F*ck them kids.

[trulybetty]

13 x mountains - frankie morales x ofc

prompt: mountains pairing: frankie morales x clementine (ofc) word count: 697 notes: un-beta'd is the name of the game, alcohol, drunk frankie, unspoken feelings, responsible friends looking out of friends, always have a DD when drinking peeps or a plan to get home if you don't have a clementine. Also do not come for me on Tom. summary: not the valentine's clementine expected, playing designated driver

x. masterlist

Clementine killed the engine and stepped out of the car. A modest slick black SUV, one that Benny the week before had mocked her over as a true sign of a middle-aged emergency room Doctor. He'd winced when the needle in her hand slipped as she was stitching the cut above his eye, but it hadn't stopped him laughing at the disapproving scowl that crossed her face.

Truth was, she'd have much rather been driving something more her style, something a little more rugged. But given her career, she needed something reliable for those nights on call.

The air was cooler than expected when she stepped out of the car, and before she could reach back inside for her jacket Tom's voice boomed from the doorway of the bar she’d pulled up outside of, “Clementine!”

Closing the door she made the short walk over to where Tom stood tall framed by the doorway, clinging to his shoulder, Frankie. Who, just as described over the phone, looked worse for wear and one too many drinks into the night. 

“Clemmie!” Frankie murmured, though in his state she wasn't entirely confident that it was her name he'd said.

“So, alone on Valentine's Day?” Tom grinned as Clementine took Frankie's other arm over her shoulder.

“Out at the bar with the guys on Valentine's Day?” she retorted as the two made their way to her car with a stumbling Frankie between them.

Tom laughed, “Touche.”

“So why me?”

“Come on Clem, you know why.”

“What?”

“Jesus Clem,” he laughed, “we may have been divorced the last twelve years, but I still know when you're lying,” he pointed at her to emphasize his point.

Clementine chewed the inside of her cheek, determined to keep her emotions hidden. She also knew Tom too well. He had always been able to see through her facade, even after all these years. There was a reason why they'd worked so well together in the forces. 

Pulling her keys from her pocket, she unlocked the car and helped Frankie into the front seat. As she buckled Frankie in, his head lolled slightly to the side, mumbling something incoherent about a mission and needing to fly out at dawn. Clementine couldn't help but let a small smile creep onto her face, affection mixed with exasperation.

She straightened up, meeting Tom's gaze with a resigned sigh. “Don't read into it too much. Someone had to pick him up.”

Tom chuckled as he closed the car door, “Yeah, but you didn't hesitate. You came.”

Clementine shook her head, “Take care of yourself Tom, hey?”

“I will,” Tom promised, stepping back as Clementine moved to the driver's side of the vehicle. “And Clem?”

“Yeah?” She paused, hand on the door handle.

“Happy Valentine's Day,” he said, a hint of melancholy in his voice, recalling their own past Valentine's Days spent together, now a lifetime ago.

Clementine smiled, this time a bit more genuinely. “Happy Valentine's Day, Tom.”

With that, she slid into the driver's seat, started the engine, and glanced at Frankie, who mumbled something incoherent as he lolled his head back against the seat's headrest, his eyes heavy and already Clementine had heard soft snores from him more than once. 

“One day,” he turned his head to look at Clementine, a sweet smile on his lips at the sight of her profile, “I'm going to fly you over the mountains.”

“I think you forget you've done that already Captain, how many reccies and missions did we complete together?”

“No, no,” he shook his head, “I mean properly, like take you up north and see some real mountains.”

Clementine smiled softly, this was the alcohol talking and he wouldn't remember this conversation come morning. “I'd like that, Frankie. Real mountains sound nice.”

His gaze, though clouded with the haze of too much alcohol, held a depth of sincerity that caught her off guard.

Frankie's voice softened, “I mean it, Clem. You and me, up there where it's quiet—just us and the sky.”

“Sounds beautiful Frank.”

“It's a deal Clem,” he murmured, the words barely escaping his lips before he finally gave in, his breath evening out as sleep overtook him fully.

[persephoneprice]

lily, please elaborate on your clemmie and lyssie post 😔🙏🏽

i know i did this to myself but i’m actually nervous to write this out because i don’t think anyone is going to agree with me but here i go!

before i start- i do want to clarify that i love both characters and this is in no way me hating on clemmie or implying that lysistrata is perfect! clemmie is miles ahead in terms of being caring versus her peers.

however, i do not see clemensia as a truly good, kind person. (again, this is all my personal interpretation and i could be way off!)

a few things stick out to me about clemensia that make me feel this way (pre-snake bite, obviously! def unfair to hold post snake-bite against her).

the first example is when they are discussing how to force people to watch the games.

clemensia says-

“The real problem is, it’s sickening to watch”

lysistrata says-

“Most of us don’t want to watch other people suffer.”

to me, i see this as lysistrata acknowledging and putting focus on the children suffering- where clemmie focuses mainly on how it makes her feel to watch.

clemensia also talks about her first meeting with reaper-

“Mine wouldn’t speak. Not a word”

not horrible by any means- but it still feels lacking in empathy (and not great that she referred to reaper as ‘hers’).

another example that comes to mind is when clemmie and coriolanus are discussing the games after arachne death and she says this-

“Yes, or make them Avoxes, or something,” said Clemensia. “It’s awful, but not as bad as the arena. I mean, I’d rather be alive without a tongue than dead, wouldn’t you?”

this isn’t a bad thing necessarily! but to me, i see it as misguided and failing to actually put herself in the shoes of these children and sort of failing to have genuine empathy.

another example is regarding iphigenia-

“Clemensia had once told Coriolanus it was the only revenge she could take on her father, but refused to give any more details.”

again, miles ahead of most of her peers because she refused to elaborate further but i believe that exposing that to coriolanus at all was a deeply unkind thing to do.

and then here are some examples where i see lysistrata displaying kindness (though i’m aware that it may be unfair to bring up things lysistrata did during the games bc clem didn’t get the same chance to bond with reaper!)

she makes the effort to help jessup even before he protects her in the bombing-

she’d apparently been working hard to connect with Jessup “I brought you some cream for your neck,”

she is grateful to jessup after he protects her instead of just assuming that her life is worth more. she’s also willing to speak out and tell everyone this despite knowing how people view district citizens.

“She’s going around saying that big, ugly boy from District Twelve protected her by throwing his body over her, but who knows? The Vickers family loves the spotlight.”

it’s also worth noting that coriolanus follows this up by saying he’s never seen a vickers trying to claim the spotlight.

she also says this-

“And who wouldn’t rather be the victor than the defeated?”

“I don’t know that I have much interest in being either,” said Lysistrata.”

which i think is very decent considering she lived through the war just as much as her classmates.

she displays empathy and understanding for dill & reaper when her classmates do not-

“Isn’t he the one who promised to kill all the others?” asked Pup.

“Doesn’t look so tough to me,” said Urban.”

“She’s his district partner,” said Lysistrata. “And she’s almost dead now. Tuberculosis, probably.”

she’s also quick to call out her classmates during the games-

“Like musical chairs,” said Domitia with a pleased look.

“But with people dying,” said Lysistrata.”

when jessup has rabies and is chasing lucy gray-

“If Jessup can’t win, I want Lucy Gray to. That’s what he’d want. And she can’t win if he kills her,” she said. “Which might happen anyway.”

to me, this shows that she has been able to empathize and understand who jessup is as a person.

also while other classmates display anger or frustration at losing the prize she says this-

“Coriolanus could barely hear Lysistrata whisper, “Oh, don’t let him die alone.”

because she cares about jessup. she also sends food to lucy gray directly after that.

and of course there’s this interaction which i think speaks for itself-

“I do.” She took a deep breath. “What I’d like people to know about Jessup is that he was a good person. He threw his body over mine to protect me when the bombs started going off in the arena. It wasn’t even conscious. He did it reflexively. That’s who he was at heart. A protector. I don’t think he would’ve ever won the Games, because he’d have died trying to protect Lucy Gray.”

“Oh, like a dog or something.” Lepidus nodded. “A really good one.”

“No, not like a dog. Like a human being,” said Lysistrata.”

but the fact that she firmly and openly asserted his humanity in front of the entire capitol essentially is massive to me.

and of course there’s the fact that she had been nice to sejanus-

“Snow had invited Festus and Lysistrata to join the party, as they’d liked Sejanus better than most of his classmates and could be counted on to say nice things.”

of course this is all rambling that doesn’t actually answer the question but i feel like it was important to try to explain why i saw them as slightly different.

essentially i think my thoughts on kind vs nice can be summed up by this quote-

Niceness, then, is often expressed through words or gestures, while kindness is often expressed through acts.

and lysistrata proved repeatedly that she is willing to act by speaking up consistently despite how taboo it is in the capitol. whereas i don’t view clemensia as someone who would be as willing to directly assert a district citizens humanity so publicly (again, my own personal interpretation.).

because of this- i believe lysistrata is a lot more likely to get herself in trouble quicker by opening her mouth and sticking up for the district citizens, especially after this experience. whereas i do not think clemensia would be as likely to risk her safety to do so.

[beybaldes]

i didn’t have any specific ideas in mind for festus however i do feel like there’s certain types of people he would enjoy being around right?

like either way he would have to have known them since childhood as all capitol children do so cute dynamics

either a kind person to reel him in when he’s being too mean or an equally witted person he can bounce off.

oh for sure

- festus would have had to know them since birth basically (even though that’s how everyone knows everyone in the Capitol) but they’d have to have been friends since being babies for it to work out

- most untrusting mf on the planet, like, assumes you’re lying 24/7 to a degree it’s almost comical

‘how was your lunch break, sweet thing?’ he asked, chin pressed into your shoulder as he wrapped his arms around you from behind.

‘good, me and clemmie went to this cute little place near the academy.’

he pulls away from you, turning you to face him with a genuine look of disbelief on his face. ‘suuuuure you did, sweet thing.’

- low-key an idiot, like, he’s never thought before he’s spoke IN HIS LIFE, takes everything people say as the gospel truth, doesn’t question anything for himself, just the type to nod his head along with a blank stare (which can be very endearing at times but sometimes is plain infuriating)

- ‘yeah, uh huh, okay, hmm.’ wants to listen to what you have to say but gets so distracted by you he never does. ‘no, I was sweet thing, carry on with your story.’

- I just know he’s fussy as fuck which makes it ten times more unbelievable that he’s managed to find his perfect match, like, not only do you match his wit and sarcasm at times, but you totally real him in.

‘sejanus, I’m surprised to see you made it to the reaping.’

Sejanus doesn’t get the chance to respond to his snark because you’re smacking an open palm against his chest. ‘rude, apologise.’

festus’s face flushes and he ducks his head. Arachne, Coriolanus and the rest of the group you’d gathered were all staring at him which only intensified his embarrassment, for for you, he’d do almost anything. ‘sorry, sejanus, it’s nice to have you here.’

- hasn’t used your actual name in like 5 years because he once called you ‘sweet thing’ and literally got addicted

‘sweet thing, you gonna come over and help me study?’

‘c’mon sweet thing, you know you want to come over this weekend.’

‘so, you gonna be my date for the winter formal or what, sweet thing?’

- will only have heart to hearts in bed late at night when it’s the two of you alone, and they’re always some of your favourite moments

‘you know, I really do love you sweet thing, even if I have trouble saying it sometimes.’

[tumblingghosts]

Hi!! Had a time travel idea lately and felt like you were the best to ask. So what if where we go forwards instead of backwards and Academy!Clemensia ends up in the future, sometime around the 74th games?

Regardless, she's travelled to a future where her future self no longer alive. How would her friends & family react? Would she be killed off by President Snow quickly?

Haha you can decide whether this pre or post snake bite Clemmie.

oooh academy clemmie travelling forward in time :D !!

it took a while to draft a response for this, but i have thoughts for several different scenarios-

i. pre snake clemmie facing president snow

clemensia is pretty disoriented landing in the future. she still recognizes the capitol, but she doesn't know where in the capitol she is. none of the buildings match up to what she knows- it's been built up to what it had been before the war, but grander. she's able to ask for directions to her house, confused by the fashion of everyone around, but when she gets there, it's being lived in by someone else. that unsettling feeling she had been trying to ignore can no longer be suppressed. she doesn't know where she is or what happened.

it takes more asking around to get anywhere. there's a lot of bustle about the hunger games, and she can't remember anyone looking forward to it as much as these crowds. but she does end up seeing a broadcast of president snow and that's her first real lead. it doesn't take long to piece together the old man that is shown as president, the lack of president ravinstill, and "74th" hunger games. she knows her way to the presidential palace. she's been there to play with felix on more than one occasion. clemensia gets turned away by the guards at first, but manages to use her Dovecote Charm(TM) to at least get the guards to pass on a message to president snow.

"clemensia dovecote seeks an audience." and snow is curious enough to look at the camera footage at a very young, very alive clemmie asking after him. he agrees to meet with her, and she's escorted to his office to talk with him. clemensia trusts coriolanus as a friend- but the man in front of her? it's not quite just the difference in age or strong smell of roses. maybe it's the look in his eyes that makes her wary. regardless, she doesn't bring it up, and if he notices anything, he doesn't either.

there are the general questions of "how did you get here" and "what's the last thing you remember" alongside "president snow now, is it?" and "you're doing rather well for yourself, it seems" - but beyond that, is the pressing matter of the hunger games, on both sides. on clemensia's side, they've been assigned tributes already, and she's a bit jealous that coriolanus is paying so much attention. she asks- teasing, rhetorically- if reaper had won those games. the look she receives in return is so sour that she changes the topic swiftly. instead, she asks after the current games, what all these changes and "excitement" is about, and snow explains.

snow is looking at her like she's something to be kept, and clemensia is looking at him and trying to parse where exactly coryo is in the face and actions and mannerisms of the man before her. she's treated as a guest, in the following days, though is met with no one but avoxes, and sees no other capitolites besides coriolanus, on occasion. she's getting more wary of it all by the day.

meanwhile, seneca crane's actions of allowing two victors of the hunger games are giving snow a headache. he's compartmentalizing. he's realizing that clemensia, as she is now, is a risk. on some level, he thinks (he knows) she wouldn't quite agree to how he sees things, the means by which he had gotten into power. he won't admit to himself that they were wrong, but he thinks, it would be terribly unfair if clemensia were to have to come to this kind of shock. and besides, she's a tether to a childhood that he'd taken great lengths to bury and rewrite, without the age to teach her of the kind of digression he wants from her. snow considers his options and decides on a course of action.

clemensia is feeling rather boxed in. she's provided with food and amenities, but all channels on the television seem to be covering the hunger games. "it's the biggest event of the season!" says every single broadcast she flicks through. there's some romance scene playing out between the tributes from d12. she kindly requests to talk with snow again. snow "concedes" to her request. clemensia agrees to discuss further over tea. there is little discussion had.

time progresses: katniss everdeen sparks a revolution. snow tunnel-visions on the emergence of a mockingjay. anyone who spotted a young, dark-haired girl seeking out an audience with the president just a short few weeks ago before the 74th hunger games bears dual-victors know well to keep their mouths shut. it was only rumor, after all, and she was never seen again besides. clearly, it not a topic that was worth any interest.

ii. pre snake clemmie facing her friends and family

clemensia is lucky when she lands in the future. the people around her are startled by her sudden presence, but they recognize her and she turns to the person who had spoken her name. she doesn't recognize the person who says it. not quite. but-

"festus?" (clemensia doesn't know it yet, but felix and iphigenia have died years ago, persephone was killed shortly after titus's games, and festus is at an awkward point where he's not quite friends with coriolanus anymore, but not in a place that makes him an enemy.)

after getting over the initial surprise of clemensia's arrival, they settle down enough to fill her in on what is happening. clemensia- the one that had grown and lived and married- is dead, and has been for years now. it was a "tragic" car accident, though there is suspicion of foul play. she learns that the other there are her husband and children, and further, why festus is meeting with them. with so much attention on the hunger games (and that is another topic that they need to catch her up on), it is easier to have these kinds of meetings in relative privacy. all eyes are on the arena, and everyone is gathering to watch the broadcast anyway.

clemensia learns of coriolanus turning to president snow, and hears out the suspicions that he was behind her death from people who have grieved her dearly. but she isn't that person. clemensia, eighteen and not yet graduated, is not the wife and mother and friend and confident that they have so dearly missed. but she is welcomed, and so clemensia stays.

she is made a secret, one that her family- the one that she is growing to know- keep hidden. she wants to talk to coryo, but sees well enough from his appearances on broadcast that president snow is a far cry from her dear friend. sometimes, she wonders if the risk of speaking to him might be worth it. she never voices it, and does not leave the house. she might not be recognized by the general populace, but it only takes one wrong person to look a little too closely, for word to get back to get to snow, for it to all fall apart.

she tries to get along with the men and women that are her future self's husband and children, but they're older than her, and she can't fill that role. they never ask her to, but it is an awkward adjustment, because none of them quite know how to interact. she fills a lot of her time seeking out answers to what happened to the people she knew, learning history and questioning how much has been rewritten.

in the off chance that clemensia makes it through the second revolution, i think it would be really cool to have her as one of the people that speaks to snow after his execution. he might think, at first, that she's a ghost of his past that has come back to haunt him, as an image of clemensia before the first point in their friendship that had fractured their relationship- the snakes- but those thoughts are quickly dispelled once they actually begin speaking.

by this point, clemensia has seen what he's become over the series of broadcasts in the aftermath of the d12 victors, in the announcement of the second quarter quell, as the rebellion escalates, but she thinks she knows him enough to believe him when he says that he didn't drop those bombs on the capitol children and medics. (festus hadn't made it past the revolts in when the rebellion picked up. the man who'd been her future self's husband and his child had died in the explosion- clemmie mourns them, for the year that she's known them and how they'd become family).

clemensia leaves the garden, not having gained what she was looking for. she isn't quite sure what she's looking for at this point- but she's not yet twenty at the end of an era. she doesn't have a plan forward, nor does she know what she would do if she could go back to the point she left. could she face her classmates and friends knowing the fate that befalls them over nothing but snippets of eulogies? there's no place to hide anymore, just a path ahead. as panem rebuilds, she does her best to rebuild a life as well.

iii. post snake clemmie landing in the future

similar to the start of scenario i., except clemmie sees "president snow" and wants nothing to do with him. how can she trust coriolanus when the scales on her skin are more than enough reason to be wary? the fact that he's president and "proudly announcing" the 74th hunger games is just additional reasons to stay away. she does get a couple of compliments for the scales, which she does her best to conceal, and it only serves to make her a bit more paranoid and wary when she first arrives - it's horrific, what was done to her, and how could anyone say that they're lovely?

she's been at the mentor chair of the 10th hunger games, and she's seen the end of it- reaper collapsing after being tired out by lucy gray, and coriolanus disappearing to d12 to supposedly be punished, but also rumors are flying that he's chasing lucy gray there. there was never the chance to rekindle their friendship because clemensia was sent forward before he ever returned. as far as she knows, coriolanus served out his twenty years as a peacekeeper- and climbed his way to presidency after his mandatory service was over.

clemensia does get more oriented as she figures out that she's in the future and how the culture has been shaped in the decades that she's jumped past. she does her best to conceal the scales, but finds that people find her odder for trying to hide them than for having them. she's cautious, and also worried that talking to the wrong people might get the attention of snow. she tries to reconcile coryo with the president overseeing all the glamor of these new hunger games. she recognizes names- crane, heavensbee- but is unsure if there's anyone she can even seek out.

she's able to get food and temporary places to stay with her charm and the kindness of strangers- using a fake name in an attempt to keep her anonymity. she gets recognized anyway. let's say it's lysistrata this time. clemensia is avoiding hospitals as much as she can, but maybe their paths cross when clemensia is out trying to find a new place to stay. lysistrata initially thinks that clemmie is one of the dovecote children and greeted her with that name- clemensia doesn't realize that lysistrata is talking to her, but she turns at the familiar voice anyway. it's at that point lyssie realizes that oddities are afoot, and invites clemensia home to figure out what's going on.

lysistrata is hesitant to believe that clemensia is actually clemensia from the summer after the 10th games, but after a short conversation, there are no other explanations. it's pretty similar to scenario ii., with clemensia being hidden, but this time she's a bit more involved in efforts against snow, both because of her own animosity and because lysistrata is involved with the rebels. it would definitely make for an interesting (and possibly more hostile) interaction in the rose garden (compared to ii.) if clemmie makes it to that point in this case.

iv. clemensia back in the past in the aftermath

clemmie lands back in the moment she "left" after her trip to the future and it is a- complicated ordeal. she's back with her alive parents (and potentially alive reaper depending on the scenario). she knows where things end up, but she doesn't quite have the same personal stake in it as she would have if she had lived through it herself, rather than being told of or reading through the events that have taken place. there's varying levels of wariness depending on if it's pre- or post-snake bite clemmie.

i think she would likely seek out her friends or parents if it were post-snake bite and fill them in (not on the time travel, but of the situation with gaul/coriolanus/snakes) so it's much harder for him to integrate back into capitol society when he gets back from d12. maybe she spreads rumors about what really happened to lucy gray and sejanus- clemensia doesn't actually know that coriolanus is responsible for their disappearance/death, but the suspicion is enough to cause some damage. maybe she's the "sympathetic ear" for him amidst all of these "mysterious" rumors before she gives him the treatment from what's in a name?

for pre-snake bite clemmie, she's returning from either getting killed by snow or after having a conversation before his execution, so her opinion of him is still pretty low. i like to think that this leads to her being more invested in reaper & being a better mentor in turn- she's somewhat motivated by spite and trying to undercut coriolanus's efforts with lucy gray. (she likely doesn't know that lucy gray won the 10th games here, but it's more the principle of the matter.)

whether this spares her from being bitten or not is up to debate. maybe her being around reaper more means she ends up (inadvertently) preventing arachne being killed. if not, maybe her wariness of coriolanus keeps her from lying to gaul- she debates whether it's more dangerous to admit to not doing the work vs considering that coriolanus poisoned her (scenario i) and might throw her under the bus even if he says "it's fine" to claim they collaborated on the essay.

i do think that, in any scenario, she would be pretty rattled to know that the games have continued on for decades after, especially since they're waning in popularity at the time of the 10th games. if not for the children dying, then because of how much they have been played up for entertainment just puts a bad taste in her mouth (given her opinion during prof. demigloss's seminar that people avoided watching them bc they're gruesome) which gets reinforced when she thinks about reaper dead/potentially dying.

thanks for the ask medea!! :D

[foxes-that-run]

The lovebirds! Harry & Taylor’s night of romance ..down the pub

Daily Mirror - 13 Dec 2012 BY CLEMMIE MOODIE

Harry and Taylor pop down the pub for a Swifty.. then feed the birds together on beauty spot trip.

THAT Harry Styles is certainly getting all lovey-dovey with his new girlfriend. The One Direction Romeo took American superstar Taylor Swift to meet his mum after treating her to a meal at his local village pub on Tuesday night.

And yesterday they fed doves and swans together on a visit to a Lake District beauty spot.

Harry pulled out all the stops to impress multi Grammy award-winner Taylor on her visit.

After treating her to a slap-up meal at The Rising Sun in Derbyshire’s Peak District, the pair made their way home to his mum Anne – via Tesco.

At the supermarket, 18-yearold Harry splashed out £3.89 on a tub of VO5 hair styling wax while Taylor wandered down the aisles looking at the vegetables.

Last night pub manager Sarah Walker revealed the celebrity couple met up with Harry’s sister, Gemma, and her boyfriend at their local in Hope Valley.

Pub regular Gemma strolled in at 7.30pm just before Harry and Taylor arrived in his Range Rover Sport. After ordering a round of soft drinks, they sat in the window, next to the crackling log fire.

'Taylor said she loved being in Britain .. she’s a real honey' CAROL WALKER

The showbiz pair polished off a Yorkshire pudding and onion gravy starter, followed by roast turkey with all the trimmings for Harry and a whole lemon sole for his size-eight girlfriend.

Shunning the champagne, they stuck to non-alcoholic J2Os all evening. Taylor, who is 23 today, told pub-goers she was looking forward to the couple’s trip to Windermere in the Lake District and celebrating her birthday.

But it seems they will spend Christmas an ocean apart as Taylor revealed plans to fly home to Nashville to spend the festive season with her family.

Sarah, 37, said: “Taylor said she was loving being in Britain and she also seemed to like being in the country.

“And she was excited about her birthday and about flying home for Christmas. She said she didn’t mind the cold, but it will be a lot warmer in Nashville. They were both lovely and she’s a honey.”

After posing for pics and signing diners’ menus, Harry and Taylor settled the bill – which came in at just over £100 along with a handsome tip.

Yesterday, the tactile couple, who have now been dating for a month, enjoyed an afternoon feeding the swans and doves on Lake Windermere.

One swan even pecked at the brand- new £ 995 Burberry handbag Taylor was carrying – a birthday gift from her new beau – as the country singer gamely batted the creature away.

Giggling as they then fed the birds in the town centre, they were also spotted outside the Pandora jewellery shop by store manager Claire Dibbs.

Claire, 24, told the Mirror: “I was hyperventilating – I just never expected to see them.

“Taylor introduced herself – she was really lovely. She said they were just here for the day and I think they were there with his parents. She had a lot of bags from Beatrix Potter World. I saw some cuddly toys poking out of the top of the bag.

“They’d done a lot of shopping. Taylor said she loved the area and said it was really pretty.” Harry and Taylor first met in America i n April when Harry was on tour with One Direction.

After going on a couple of ‘secret dates’, they reportedly split up after the heartthrob was spotted kissing American model Emma Ostilly in New Zealand. But they were spotted dating in New York’s Central Park recently.

The date came hours before One Direction’s sell-out gig in front of 20,000 fans at the Madison Square Garden. The loved-up singers gazed into each others eyes, stopping to chat to some kids and to watch the sea lions at the zoo.

And last week the rumours they were an item were confirmed when she flew him in her private jet from New York to London to attend the Jingle Bell Ball at London’s O2 arena.

Harry ditched the rest of his bandmates to spend a few hours with her on the flight, while the others flew back to the UK on a domestic flight.

[q-theeccentric]

i had an epiphany while having dinner so i present to you:

meadowlark headcanons: what kind of original pinoy music (opm) would they listen to

disclaimer: this is my personal headcanon so it's fine if you disagree but please be civil and respectful about it—feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or when you reblog this :)

cole

iv of spades, eraserheads, ben&ben, one click straight. i feel like out of all the characters, cole's the type to listen to bands. also filipino bands' lyrics are very poetic and i feel like cole would take inspiration from these singers' artistry.

clementine

moira dela torre, mrld, up dharma down, zack tabudlo. clemmy strikes me as the type to be sweet and sentimental but can get real emotional sometimes. these songs also hit right in the feels and i can imagine clemmy swaying to them alone in their room.

perrine

apo hiking society, ryan cayabyab, basil valdez, asin. idk much abt their lore but perrine gives me that old soul vibe who enjoys listen to music using vinyl players. im also imagining specifically the calmer old opm with profound lyricism is the type that they listen to.

kingsley

budots. unironically. need i say more?

[needlesandnilbogs]

Known Facts About City Spies Book 6 and Beyond

collated at the Avid Reader bookstore event/signing in Davis, CA, on 6/23/24

On future books:

City Spies book 6 is finished and in the proofreading stage. It will probably be released in February 2025, he's allowed to share the title and cover as of this week.

City Spies 6 is called "London Calling" and the cover (which I briefly saw on his phone screen) is predominantly yellow and green

Robert is the protagonist and the Mother/Clementine/Robert/Annie larger plot will be completely resolved in book 6

There will be at least 8 total city spies books, likely 10

Sherlock society 1 is coming out in September

He's going to be on a two book a year release schedule -- February city spies and September Sherlock society

On research/past books/writing

he writes the first draft then goes to the places to research them

he talks to a lot of experts -- for city spies this includes a bookseller's husband who's ex-cia and planned the mission in forbidden city for him, for Sherlock society he got to go on a Miami marine patrol police boat

the city spies books work best with three cities they go to, boat being hostage in the first paragraph of golden gate is based on kid saying plot took ages to get to Big Thing in book 1 so now every book starts with a big thing happening. The middle city is the city of adventure and city alluded to in the title.

He did not get to physically go to Russia or China or Egypt but he did go to Venice after first draft of mission manhattan, went to every location in the book, then used pictures he took there

Washington he got a friend to show him the abandoned spots very unsafely, including embassy row and the empty Iranian embassy which fascinated him

He walked around Iranian embassy and the United Kingdom and Brazil embassies are actually across from it, the security didn't like him taking those pictures as much but it inspired him

If he could choose one song that best represents mission manhattan/city spies: We are family

when he writes a series he's trying to answer a single question and the books are all different variants on the answer. For city spies it's "what is a family"

he puts his life into the books, especially with a parent being missing and trying to find that connection

Middle grade advice: Write from the pain of when you're thirteen

"As a consumer of art we still believe in magic, but there is no magic […] we're faking the magic, it's just sweat. You forget what they're doing is sweat too."

he and his writing friends all feel like imposters. He talks to ppl who've won newberries and still feel like imposters and then they finally have little clicks that say maybe they can do this, like when his publisher said maybe he didn't need blurbs on his books anymore

Research is for accuracy and he hates being wrong and sometimes he hand waves but it gives him inspiration

real life is better than fiction

On Clementine, Mother, their kids:

book 6 resolves all the issues with clemmie and mother and the kids but not all the series's problems

"In the end as I wrote Clementine I wasn't sure how she was going to end up," he "wrestled writing her every time"

"Clementine is a puzzle" kat says, based on a thing a fan said

Good or bad, accidental or not, Clementine is the most interesting character bc you don't know what side she's on

On public libraries and independent bookstores:

About the nypl: "it's the most fascinating thing to me, this library. It's the Vatican of American books."

There aren't easy answers to the problem of cutting funding for libraries, there's a reason independent bookstores and libraries are valuable and it's bc this type of event matters and they have so many services

"Public libraries are one of the greatest things, as far as altruism, our society has ever created"

When it becomes an issue of books being banned it's not good, it's not okay

These are important issues and it's not simple but access to books written by "not just middle aged white guys like me" is really important

what gets lost is book recs and new authors

"the power we have in the exchange of ideas is valuable"

it's stuff that's been sitting there for a while and failed miserably and then gets popular, libraries and independent bookstores are part of that

TikTok is the single largest driving force in youth literature and it may not exist in a year

On the potential City Spies movie:

MGM studios bought the right to city spies film series before they were bought by Amazon

This happened because there's a Guatemalan woman who's the head of development at mgm, and she has twelve year old twin brothers who are reading city spies, she hears the story and says that sounds like a movie, reads the first page and is hooked, reached out and acquired the rights and then he heard nothing for ages

Amazon bought mgm and he thought it was done but they liked city spies, they hired a producer and then writers strike blocked any development but they now have a writer

He's staying out of the writing process, his background in film is making a lot of connections but also means he knows to stay out of it (though if he's asked he'd be enthusiastic to help)

he gets on set one day and gets two tickets to premiere

Movie in theaters not tv show

doesn't really believe it will happen yet because spy school was gonna be a movie then it wasn't

"I would wait to start worrying about following it till later", he doesn't talk about it really even to friends

MGM made an announcement to variety and so everyone found out

He and his wife hope it will happen (cause it's cutting down time till she can retire), she's his health insurance and it's why it seems a lot of writers end up married to teachers and have insurance through them

tagging @fishyupmywishy also

[felixravinstills]

okay so your last comment about "Ravinstill torture nexus" and whether Hector was part of the rebels got me thinking....

(help, I'm falling into the abyss that is the Ravinstill torture nexus...ahhh)

I want to say Hector wouldn't sign off on the arena bombing, especially since Clemensia gets put at risk as well. And he doesn't seem to mind Felix and her remaining friends.

BUT in an universe that he does... I feel like he'd have to be provoked into it. Like maybe he learns about the real reason behind Clemensia's hospital stay.

Hector can be impulsive, especially when angry. Does he regret it once his anger has cooled and he sees the aftermath of the arena explosion? Maybe? It might depend whether Clemensia is still alive/scarred for life. Or maybe he's all "an eye for an eye" in this scenario 🤔

Ravinstill torture nexus!

Sorry, it took me a second to get to this, I was waiting for myself to be mentally awake lol. Anyway, thanks for sending this in an ask! I'm not 100% if you wanted my thoughts, but I suppose you'll be getting my two cents. (Obligatory Hector's your OC, I'm just speculating here lol)

Yeah, I don't think that Hector would sign off on the bombing. Even with the impulsivity (although maybe you could see it?), I think there would probably have to be maybe a downplaying of the danger to kids to get him to agree (what do you think?) Maybe, at his angriest, he thinks that there will be enough time for an evacuation (and the roof won't just collapse like that... I guess since all the Arena is used for is the Games, maybe the Capitol didn't bother to repair structural damage.)

Also even if Hector doesn't sign off on it, I think just by association (if the bombing is the work of a group of rebels, or if Volumnia is somehow behind it and has gone over Max's head somehow... idk if she'd do this in my interpretation but laying out all the options), this could add some anger on Max's side of the equation.

Also idk, I feel like the bombing had to be in the works for a bit, but theoretically, Clemmie is in the hospital during that time (assuming of course Gaul still hospitalizes Clemmie) so... even if logistically it might not make sense (although idk maybe the Rebels work fast), Max might find it suspicious that after Clemmie's attack and she's hospitalized, all the other mentors are in a bombing...

But yeah, Hector doesn't seem to have a problem with Felix, and given his and Clemmie's friendship, I don't think he'd go that route (unless other drastic things could happen this AU?)

But it is interesting to think about to me, because it gives Max a clear point where he can see Hector as having "betrayed" him. Like, even after their falling out, I think Max can see the cut contact as Hector being Hector. That's his principles, he doesn't see what Max needs to do. Actively trying to organize people to not support the Games is within Hector's rights (even if Max/Volumnia might try to silence other people doing that), but Hector potentially being implicated in the bombing? even if it's not true or because he was misled? Hmmmm, fun for me... Because I think the affection lingers, but I think for Max it would destroy literally any thoughts of a reconciliation (whatever buried hope there might be...)

Also I just like killing Felix, but I suppose he doesn't have to die for all this to happen... Like Max would still be upset at just the threat on his life I think... Also it was my personal hc that in canon, the Capitol were over confidant and letting potential Rebels run around in the hopes of finding more and this backfired with the bombing which is why they don't publicize the Bombing more. It makes them look bad, and if people look closer, it could make them look worse. BUT with the Hector wrench thrown in, Max gets to blame himself a bit more, because he probably was willful ignorance is also largely due to Hector probably!

Damn, I wrote a lot... Anyway, thanks for the ask and entertaining the Ravinstill torture nexus!