#Cora's clothes design is coming out really how i want it now too

[alienrascal]

About you!

[auxiliarydetective]

My OCs as Flatmates, Part 2

Includes: Aurelia, Cora, Lily

The One Piece part, for some reason. I swear, I didn't plan for this. If you want to hear these sort of headcanons for some of my other OCs, let me know!

@marzena-doe and @oneirataxia-girl both asked for...

↬ Aurelia !

I need to make one thing very clear here. You're in her house and she can and will throw you out whenever you get on her nerves too much. It will probably take a long time for her to warm up to you.

One of the best things about living with her is you don't need to worry about money, food or security, and in the World of One Piece, that's a really big advantage. There's hardly a safer space across the seven seas than her home. She'll make sure you have good things to eat and drink, you have nice clothes (because you are not walking around her home in rags) and maybe gift you some jewelry if she's feeling generous. All in all, she's not exactly the most outgoing or affectionate, but if she tolerates you in her home, you might find yourself having dinner with her once in a while, sitting by the fireplace together... all those things.

Another great thing about Aurelia is her vast knowledge about the world and what's happening in it. She's got metaphorical eyes and ears everywhere and knows a lot about all sorts of political or otherwise impactful events. Also, about how the world works in its wacky ways. The seas, the skies, the wildlife, and people themselves... She knows how to fight, too, and might just be the best teacher when it comes to a certain technique based on willpower if you are blessed enough to have it. Generally, you can learn a lot of things from her (and you might just end up being adopted into her circle of poor little meow meows children).

@supermarine-silvally asked for...

↬ Cora !

Cora, my beloved. You're right, Cora is somewhat messy! But only really in her workspace. Her workspace is cluttered as all hell, but she still manages to find anything she needs (because she can summon it with her devil fruit or just sense where it is). Occasionally, she'll also leave some of her projects around the house or something if she was working on them somewhere else, but then the clutter will all be in one pile that you can easily scoop up and move.

Generally, Cora is so freaking considerate. Overly considerate even. She will back away first before trying to reason with you. At least until she gets really comfortable with you. She also knows how to cook, at least somewhat, and she would love to cook with you because it's fun and it's a bonding activity for her. Also! She will definitely make you clothes, whether you ask her or not. At some point, she'll just start sketching designs for you and give you the puppy eyes until you say yes to trying them. She'll also fix your favourite clothes for you. Your favourite shirt has a hole in it? Not anymore! Seam came loose on your jeans? It's back where it used to be. This also extends to stuffed animals if you have those! No questions asked, she'll stitch your favourite teddy back up and make him a cute little jacket to go with it.

She might be a bit anxious about a lot of thinks though. Personal space is definitely one thing, but she might also want to roughly know when you go out and get back, just so she has a vague idea of when you're at home and when she'll be alone. Also, she might bring some of the Straw Hats over occasionally if you're okay with it. She lets Luffy come over once and never again but the others might be there a bit more often. Especially her boyfriends. She asks them for help with chores sometimes or shows them her designs. It's really adorable.

@oneirataxia-girl also asked for...

↬ Lily !

Why are you living with a child? Who knows, but you're a parent now. Sorry, I don't make the rules. You have to understand that, if you're living with Lily, you're gonna have to do at least some parenting. This is a child with strong mood swings and very little experience in the world outside of ships and mansions, so you're gonna have to teach her some things and take care of her.

But, that aside, she's really nice! She's considerate (or at least she tries), she loves to do pretty much any activity with you, she doesn't mind doing the chores... Also, if you're someone who likes cuddles, she's got you. She loves them. And she's got soft, big ears and a tail... I also imagine she's naturally pretty warm.

Emotions-wise, Lily is usually pretty cheerful, but she's not really the best at comforting you when you're down. She might show up to your room with some hot chocolate instead.

She's definitely messy. Not because she doesn't care but because she forgets. You'll have to remind her to do the dishes every once in a while or she'll forget the laundry, but she's trying. She's definitely trying. But she's also very easily distracted by literally anything. Also... don't expect her to be too good at running errands, at least not in the groceries department. Do not let her into a grocery store on her own, she will come back with more sweets than intended and maybe even a toy or soemhing. Give her a list and she'll hopefully get everything you need though.

If you're ever overwhelmed with her, call Sanji. Or one of the other responsible Straw Hats (i.e. not Luffy). They'll figure things out.

So yeah, that's it for part 2! Hope you enjoy! :)

Also I do not have the time to proofread this, please forgive me. My mind is mashed potatoes.

[chromotps]

Fem!CoraLaw (+ ZoSan, AceLu) HCs bc I love women. (I, too, am a woman). But also, these can be applied to them as men too. (I will be using She/Her pronouns for everyone btw)

- Short-haired, shoulder length and long-haired Cora are all compelling to me. I can't choose which I like more (you can tell I spend too much time on the "create your character" stages in games). Choosing is an obstacle itself in my life /j. One thing for sure tho, it is VERY fluffy, silky, and poofy (obviously). Law likes to run her fingers through it every chance she gets. Cora bends down eveytime she completes a task that Law has given her so Law can pet her head. It's more for Law's enjoyment than Cora's.

- Cora and Sanji uses a very specific brand of makeup. Its high demand and usually out of stock before it even gets displayed for sale. The price is quite high, but Law will be more than willing to use her own money to help Cora buy them. Sanji uses her own money of course, you expect Zoro to buy them? She has a debt higher than Luffy's bounty with Nami /j. But Zoro's willing to sacrifice money for her booze to help Sanji buy the makeup.

- Big gf means big boobies— Law likes to lay her head on Cora's chest after a tiring and stressful day. Sometimes she'll even knead Cora's boobs, cuz it is soft and bouncy (giggles). Zoro, even as a man, has bigger boobs than any of the crew's women 😭 I find it funny af. Sanji is jealous but she loves to bury her face in them so ig that compensates it xD. Zoro and Luffy don't wear bras. (Come on, they're pirates. They can wear whatever they want and if others have a problem with it then what are they gonna do about it? Tell them? Luffy: What's a bra? Zoro: Why are you looking at them in the first place? Oi, my eyes are up here!).

- Fem Cora and Sanji would be perfect as models bro (or maybe I'm just based. I see a tall, blonde and gorgeous person and I'd be convinced they do modeling. And also, maybe I'm based bc fanarts of Fem!Cora and Fem!Sanji are so sexy). They don't do modeling ofc, but their bounty posters are the people's Magazine. Hehehe women who smoke in pictures *sighs dreamily*

- They all look good in dresses. Sanji with a blazer dress, Luffy in an empire waist dress, Zoro in a wrap, Cora in a camisole dress, Law in a fit and flare, and Ace in a backless dress. But only Sanji, Cora and Law are willing to wear heels. Don't worry, Cora doesn't stab herself in the eye with her heels. At least, not yet xD. Flip-flop wearing mf (Luffy), barefooted gorilla (Zoro), and a boots person (Ace) [said affectionately].

- Law likes cute animal stuff. Everytime the crew docks on an island Cora will always come back with something cute for Law. Like, a cat keychain, a bear plushie, bunny themed band-aids, capybara pins and so on. So imagine this, Cora with a cute hairclip of a cute animal. Law really likes them (both Cora and the hairclip).

- Sometimes Cora has a hard time finding a bra her size, and its not even about her boobs, its about how her torso is a bit too wide. So most of her clothes have paddings on them (Law is delighted about this, since if she takes off Cora's top, she'll immediately be greeted by her boobs, no bra on sight lmao).

- NICKNAMES!!!! These are so cute. Ace calls Luffy "Loaf" cuz its food and Luffy likes food and Ace likes Luffy. Law calls Cora "Rosi/Rosy" when she's feeling affectionate (and also when she dominates Cora- ehem). Zoro and Sanji... you know how they are- lmao. They give each other new nicknames every few weeks.

That's all for now! Have a great day!

-S

[ringing a dinner bell] fashionable coralaw fans, come get your food!!!! it's time to eat!!

heheheh Cora's fluffy hair is one of my fav things about his design... it would be so cute to play around with styling it if it were longer, or if fem!Cora was just more inclined to accessorize it. :3c makes sense to me that Law would be a big fan too

Oh to lay my head on Cora's chest, just once......... The jealousy I have for Law and Sanji in this scenario...................... Also lmaoooo I see the no bra thing now and then in fem!character designs and it throws me off. I guess it make sense when they give the character a smaller chest, but it would just be painful for like, fem!Zoro. get those puppies some support so they're not flying around during fights!

(I'm bringing in too much realism, sorry 😂 )

backless dress Ace backless dress Ace BACKLESS DRESS ACE UHHHHHHHHH I need a minute. Brain coming back online.

awww I like the idea of Law keeping that appreciation for cute things kind of secret, but ofc Cora knows... Her indulging it would be so cute!!! and I continue to be endlessly jealous of Law... And also Cora... Haha, speaking of nicknames, I saw a fic where Cora kind of plays with the opposite idea and uses "Dr. Law" to be playful. Could be cute in this case, too c:

[adoracora-elizabeth]

The truth always comes out, chapter 31

Robert walked to his dressing room. He heard voices coming from Cora’s bedroom. Edith was there. He was relieved to know Edith was talking and did not hide away in her room. Mary had come down to him in the drawing room. He was surprised when she walked in, but he had been thankful, nonetheless.

Her news about Matthew had cheered him up immensely. Matthew could be his potential successor. He could see it in his minds eye, him teaching Matthew everything about Downton. He knew Mary had always been interested, but due to his own fault. She had gone in a different direction, and with Cora’s help, she started her own business.

He had made so many mistakes, so many. First, with his darling Sybil. Was Tom really that bad for her? As Cora had pointed out so clearly, they were not living in 1920 anymore. The class system was not that important. Of course, Sybil would have to learn to live a less luxurious life. But maybe she did not mind? She had never been the one to care for nice dresses or new shoes. To be fair, Mary was the only one interested in those things. He wondered where that came from, Cora had never raised them that way. They only got new clothes when needed, and Cora herself never bought very expensive things. Of course, she had a couple of designer dresses, but because of their title, they had to attend special dinners and events.

His Cora was known for her sustainability. She would wear dresses to multiple events, and she did not care about gossip.

He also made a lot of mistakes with Edith, even though she never gave him that feeling on purpose. He just knew she never really talked with him. It surprised him she was now talking with Cora. Was there a boy in her life? Or maybe a girl. He felt chills run down his spine. Would he be able to accept that? He did not know. He had to admit to his own shame that he always had been sure they would marry a man. He shook his head. That was not something he needed to think about now.

Bates entered his dressing room.

“Bates, I have to thank you .” He turned his back towards Bates so he could take his dinner jacket.

Bates raised his eyebrows. “Why, Milord?”

“I can understand when you want to go and work somewhere else.”

This made Bates laugh. “We are friends, are we not?”

Robert turned back towards Bates. “I hope we are. Of course I pay you and officially I am your employer. But I see you as a friend and these last weeks you have been an exceptional good one.”

“What will you do once her Ladyship has left this house?”

“I guess just go on with every day. I have to, there is no other option. This estate will need attending.”

Bates nodded but did not say anything.

Robert paused and looked at him. “Bates, please tell me what you mean.”

“Is Jane coming back.”

“What!” Robert said brusque.

“Are you sure you have not thought about that?”

“How dare you. Jane was a mistake. A big one that has cost me my life. I may be lucky if I do not lose my girls, too. That woman will never be back here. NEVER.” That last word Robert shouted.

Bates did not back down or step back. He had provoked on purpose. He needed to be sure Jane was history. “Good, Milord. I am happy to hear you say that.”

Robert sunk on his bed. “I am sorry, I should not have reacted that way.”

“I understand. Good night.”

Robert saw Bates leave. He should get in bed, but he was too restless to sleep. He needed a drink, he needed it badly.

+++

He had waited a while before heading down again. It took everything in him not to walk into Cora’s room and sleep next to her. It was so hard to know she was back home, but that it was only temporary. And what hurt him the most was that she did not see this house as her home anymore.

He had robbed her of her home. No! No, that was something she did herself. She could have forgiven him. But of course, she was being headstrong. He had always loved her strength to stand up for herself. The times she had defended herself against his mother without losing her temper. But now he had hoped she would accept that people made mistakes. He was a human being who made a mistake. Did she never do anything wrong? Her part in this debacle was maybe as big? He scolded himself. Her part was not as big. Her being distracted had started it all. But no, he was the one who strayed.

Before he realised it, he was standing in front of the liquor cabinet. He bent down to get the bottle of whiskey. Just when he wanted to poor his glass full, he heard a woman’s voice.

“Is that wise? Milord?”

Robert turned around in shock. Mrs. Hughes was standing in the doorway. He saw her walking over, and she put her hand softly on his arm.

“Why do you not go to sleep?”

“If I could, I would be asleep right now. Just one drink.”

“I am not the one to stop you, but I will advise against that one glass.” Mrs. Hughes took the bottle. Robert let her. “I will ask Mrs. Patmore to make you a cup of hot milk with anise. That should help you to fall asleep. Can I do something else for you?”

Defeated Robert looked at Mrs. Hughes. She was just 3 years older than he was, but he always had respected her immensely. She was a wise woman. Robert shook his head. “No, thank you.” He said soft.

“Good night.”

[hollymbryan]

Blog Tour + #Review: LIVE YOUR BEST LIE by Jessie Weaver (w/ #giveaway)!

Welcome to Book-Keeping and my stop on the Rockstar Book Tours blog tour for the YA mystery novel from debut author Jessie Weaver, Live Your Best Lie! I’ve got all the details, my review, and a giveaway below, so let’s get started!

About the Book

title: Live Your Best Lie (Volume I) (Like Me Block You) author: Jessie Weaver publisher: Melissa de la Cruz Studio release date: 24 January 2023

Sometimes the prettiest Instagram feeds mask the darkest, and bloodiest, secrets. Social media influencer Summer Cartwright leads a very charmed life: millions of followers, the hottest designer and vintage clothes at her fingertips, a newly minted book deal, the coolest friends, and, until recently, the hottest boyfriend at her über-elite prep school. Every moment of her life has been carefully planned and cultivated to complement her “imperfectly perfect” social media persona. She is truly #LivingHerBestLife. But when Summer goes missing during her annual Halloween party and then an unscheduled post appears on her feed stating that she’ll be dead within the next five minutes, those closest to Summer know something isn’t quite right―or on-brand. Grace, Summer’s camera-shy best friend; Adam, Summer’s gamer ex-boyfriend; Laney, Summer’s moody camp roommate; and Cora, an influencer wannabe, all decide to investigate. And when they come upon Summer’s lifeless body, they soon realize that no filter is strong enough to mask the lies we tell ourselves. Told in multiple POVs interspersed with social media posts and flashbacks, Live Your Best Lie has twists and turns that will keep readers turning the page and no one will be able to guess the ending.

Add to Goodreads Purchase the Book

About the Author

Before writing about flawed, funny teens with big hearts, Jessie Weaver spent ten years teaching them English. She completed the Stanford University online novel writing program in 2019. Though she’s an East Coast girl at heart, originally from Baltimore, MD, she currently lives just outside Denver, Colorado with her husband and two daughters. Live Your Best Lie is her first novel.

Connect with Jessie: Website |  Instagram | TikTok | Goodreads | Amazon 

My 5-Star Review

Live Your Best Lie is the second book released by the newest Disney-Hyperion imprint, Melissa de la Cruz Studio, and is Jessie Weaver’s debut novel. This YA mystery explores the flip side to the pretty and perfect Instagram feeds of influencers -- the sometimes dark side that most of us never see. I really like how Jessie tells the story, using multiple POVs for our four main suspects, social media posts for our dead influencer victim, and flashbacks to slowly reveal to us exactly what happened. I am an avid reader of mysteries and thrillers, but I admit I did not see the ending coming! I had an idea, as I got towards the end of the book, of what I thought happened, but I was definitely not correct. That is a huge plus in my book, when an author can surprise me on who the murderer is!

I have to say, I think this would be an awesome book for a teen/YA book club to choose, as there is so much in here that would be great fodder for discussion. I don’t want to lay out exactly what those discussion points would be or else I’d give away too much, but suffice it to say that I want to talk to anyone and everyone who’s read it now to talk it all through! So if you pick this one up, please do let me know your thoughts, and let’s discuss everything that’s going on in this book.

Highly recommend Live Your Best Lie for any fan of YA mysteries, as well as anyone interested in explorations of influencer culture and/or social media’s impact on today’s teens.

Rating: 5 stars!

**Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for purposes of this blog tour. This review is voluntary on my pat and reflects my honest rating and review of the book.

About the Giveaway

One (1) lucky winner will receive a finished copy of Live Your Best Lie by Jessie Weaver! This one is US only and ends 13 February 2023. Enter via the Rafflecopter below, and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Tour

We’re in the final week of this four-week tour, and here’s the schedule so you can catch all of these final posts!

2/5/2023 - Review Thick And Thin - Review/IG Post 2/6/2023 - A Dream Within A Dream - Review/IG Post 2/7/2023 - Book-Keeping - Review/IG Post      **you are here! 2/8/2023 - Brandi Danielle Davis - Review/IG Post 2/9/2023 - Eli to the nth - Review/IG Post 2/10/2023 - Momfluenster - IG Review/Facebook Post

[nightwolfomega]

Painting Fox

 Part 1

   Ten months have passed that Cora was to travel and help with a company that commissioned her to paint and design a mansion on a far off island that was recently bought by a band. There were so many rooms to unleash her creativity onto the walls. Despite the fun she had she couldn’t wait to come home to her artistic friend Aki, She couldn’t wait to wrap her arms around him and nuzzle her face onto his chest. “I can’t wait to see you Aki.” smiling to herself as she looks out the window at the view of the landing area for the airport. 

When they first met they became business partners mixing their media together to create outstanding art as time progressed they moved into a place together becoming more like close roommates, of course another benefit of that was Aki being a kitsune. Using his nine tails as brushes. Any project that would take months would be in a matter of days. Cora wished Aki could have gone with her but he was already swamped with commissioned paintings, so they thought it would be a new experience for them to try and work apart.

They tried keeping in touch as much as they could but the connection was terrible, only making a couple days out of the months when it would finally work properly they could talk. But now they’ll get to talk about all the things that happened while they were apart, with her plane landing she follows safety protocol of exiting the plane. Cora’s heart filled with anticipation to see her best artistic friend Aki.

Aki stood with the crowd that was waiting for someone holding up signs with the name on it. He however made his sign with a little pizzazz, Painting her name in silver and gold acrylic pen making the background her favorite colors sky blue and lavender into the form of a late sunset. 

He couldn’t wait to see her again. It felt so terribly lonely when Cora wasn’t there, only getting the limited calls of her sweet delicate voice. He used his magic to keep his tails hidden since there were nine and they were big but if they were out now they would be wagging quickly. 

There was another thing however that Aki didn't mention to Cora in their calls together, He had been doing workouts. When he would take a break or finish a painting there would be so much time he would just be doing things such as push ups and weights absentmindedly. 

It was always good to try and keep a healthy lifestyle but sometimes he would do workouts for too long sometimes. Before he realized it his clothes were starting to feel short and tighter, objects needed for a painting or sculpture became easier to lift and carry.  

He had to get a whole new wardrobe to fit his new form and adjust how he would enter doorways since his shoulders and arms would sometimes get stuck due to their size. Even his voice sounded a little deeper that it even made Cora think during the calls he had a sore throat.

Adjusting his glasses with the twitch of his ears he was starting to get a little worried, why isn’t she here yet? Was he too early or late, did something happen to her? it was starting to give him anxiety. The panic instantly disappeared when his eyes caught onto an all too familiar face happily walking with her suitcases and bags.

Cora’s eyes caught onto him and chuckles, wait why was she chuckling isn’t she excited to see him too?, Cora walks up to him with a grin “Cora! I missed you so much!” Aki spoke out about to wrap his large arms around her, but his ears picked up “Did he put you up to this?” she spoke arching a brow with a smirk “That’s some pretty good make up design, I didn’t know Aki was into that also.”

Aki blinks at her with an ear folded confused until he finally realizes, lifting his glasses up and rubbing his eyes “Ah, I get it.” looking down at her “Cora, it’s me. Aki.” he spoke holding the sign he made for her. Cora crossed her arms “Really? No offense but I kinda doubt that.” 

Aki tilts his head “Do I need to have my tails out and prove it to you I am Aki?” placing his hands on his hips holding the sign between two fingers, Cora thinks about it and nods “Yes please.” in a polite tone still thinking this is some silly prank. 

“Alright then.” he sighs and summons all nine of his tails each tip of his tails in the form of a different brush tip, he apologizes to the people close to him for the tails accidentally pushing up onto them. “There see? I’m still the paint loving kitsune you know.” chuckling looking down at her. 

Cora’s eyes were wide as her jaw dropped “A-Aki?” she spoke out baffled, The large kitsune nods “Yeah.” grinning with his black lip piercing on his lower lip. She stood there staring at him, something was off at that moment “Cora?” he asked a little worriedly “You okay?” he asked, placing his large hand onto her shoulder carefully. In a matter of seconds she almost collapses to the floor “Cora!” he shouts in a panic grabbing her quickly to lift her up.

He saw how shocked and dizzy she looked “I’ll carry you and the bags to the car.” he spoke softly lifting her in his arms. Cora blushed wildly and quickly covers her face with her hands, as soon as he got her in the front seat and her bags in the trunk he drove them home, Cora didn’t say a word the whole drive it was very likely she was still trying to process what just happened, Aki stayed silent also despite the need of wanting to ask her so many questions he thought it would be good she got some quiet time during the drive home. 

Driving up to what looked like a warehouse, it was actually their home and studio, large enough to make and hold gigantic paintings people would commission them for and also store their own works of art. Cora manages to exit the car without any trouble, Aki gets out quickly to get the suitcases and briskly walks over to her “Here take my arm.” offering his bulky arm for Cora to hold, she hesitates a moment then slowly wraps her arms around his and walks with Aki to the door.

When they finally walk inside their large home/studio She turns looking up at him speechless “Are you seriously still shocked that I look like this now?” he chuckles. His tails placed the bags down. 

Cora shakes her head “I am so sorry Aki!” she finally speaks out with her hands on her head “I thought it was some kind of prank you were trying to pull on me. Cause - I mean look at you!” gesturing her hands to him “You’re freaking huge now!” 

A crooked smile forms on his face “In a good way I hope.” putting half his hands in his pockets, She shoots a glare at him “Of course in a good way you big fur ball!” lightly patting at his arm to not hurt him but get her point across.

Aki laughs “Okay okay I get it.” lazily raising his hands up to defend himself, Cora huffs with a smirk “Lets get some take out and enjoy ourselves tonight. I think we both earned it, more so for you obviously.” she spoke, pulling out her cell phone and dialing the Jade Dragon chinese restaurant. 

“Yes please! I would love some General Tso’s right now.” swaying his tails playfully, trying to keep himself from drooling. He only had quick little meals during the months he was working on either art or himself so getting something like that made him feel giddy. 

When their food finally came the human and large kitsune sat together on the couch with their dinners, “Oh man it’s been so long since I had pork lo mein.” Cora taking a bite from her chopsticks. Aki chortles eating his chicken and rice separately, he was always picky about that. 

“It’s so nice to finally be back home and enjoy delectable noodles with a friend.” resting her back to the soft cushions of the couch. His ears perk giving her the side eye “Yeah, I missed doing this with you.” he replies softly taking a bite. 

There was more he wanted to add in that sentence, such as how much he really missed her and wanted to be by her side. To gaze upon her divine beauty and marvel Cora, his tails and body shivered at the thought of it.

“Hmm? mh mkay?” Cora muffled out munching on some lo mein. Aki clears his throat “Totally, had a chill that’s all.” he spoke out placing his left overs onto the coffee table where some art magazines stacked neatly onto with some rough doodles on discarded papers. “I’ll get you a blanket.” putting her food onto the table also and grabbing the soft quilt that was folded neatly beside the couch. 

“You don’t have to do that Cora-” Aki mumbled until Cora cut him off “Hush, I’m gonna wrap you up in a blanket of awesomeness.” draping the blanket over him and tucks in a few spots. “There we go all bundled up.” she spoke sitting back down on the couch with him. 

As Cora was about to grab her noodles and continue eating she noticed his fine point tail curling up around her, “I missed you so much Cora,” Aki spoke out pulling her a little closer to him with his tail. “You can lean on me if you want, I don’t mind.” he adds. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.” she replies, rubbing the back of her head. 

“If anything I insist��” Aki thought in his mind. “Yeah don’t worry.” what he actually spoke, moving his arm out from the blanket, carefully wrapping his arm around her and pulling Cora close as she pressed on his large and firm body.

Looking up at Aki she grins “I missed you too, always had you on my mind when I was doing work at the mansion.” slowly starting to relax as her head pressed against his chest. “Really?” the tips of his tails making a little wag. 

Cora nods “Yeah, I missed seeing you looking forward to starting a project and making sure everything was perfect to a T to get started.” lifting her arm lazily around his torso “How you’d put so much love and care into each stroke of paint onto the wall or canvas, bringing that surreal magic to life. It’s just so special to me.” 

Aki’s heart was beating faster now, he always knew she liked his work but didn’t realize she liked it that much. “Heh shucks Cora you’re just saying that cause you haven’t been looking much at others artworks.” he spoke, stroking his thumb onto her arm. Deep down however he wanted that to be true, it wanted it to be true so bad his heart was about to burst.

He could feel Cora move, it was more of a climb up since he was so large. She looks at him face to face smiling warmly “Aki you’re my favorite artist, you always will be.” she spoke sweetly to him. 

Aki stared at her as tears stung his eyes, “Cora…” in a fit of excitement he wraps his arms around Cora hugging her firmly to his body as he shivered.

 Feeling his heartbeat with hers, she was surprised that he reacted that way but smiles warmly wrapping her arms around his thick neck. “Do you really mean that Cora?” he asks in a whimper. Tears now trickling down the facial markings he has, Cora scoffs and pulls back a little and strokes the tears from his cheeks with her thumb “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” Pressing her forehead to his. 

A little yawn escapes from her lips “I think it’s time to hit the bed Aki.” rustling his hair and ears “I’ll put our food away for tomorrow to have.” Aki slowly nods but his hold on her remains “Uh, Aki could you.” softly trying to slip out of his. He still held her as if he was too afraid to let go. 

“Aki.” she spoke a bit louder for him to hear. “Hmm, Oh sorry.” he chuckles embarrassed letting her go. “You coming to bed?” she asks, picking up their half eaten dinners. He nods “Yes, just give me a minute I gotta do something in the studio real quick.” standing up from the couch. 

“Okay, goodnight Aki.” she pauses a moment then puts the food down and hugs him close “I ‘missed you so much.” she spoke happily nuzzling her face onto his chest.

Aki’s arms shakeily raise up and hug her back “We’ll have some fun together and make all kinds of wonderful art tomorrow.” he spoke slowly stroking her back in a hug. “That would be fantastic.” now pulling away she grabs their dinners to put them away and head for bed.

When Cora walks off Aki makes his way to the studio, it was the largest room they had but within the room was a secret room he found while she was away. It was behind the shelf of large buckets of paint they had stored, moving the large shelf to make enough space for him to open the door and get through. 

Once he enters and closes the door behind him he flicks on the switch and light illuminates the room. Showing paintings and sculptures of Cora, he stood in the middle of all his work. 

Aki shivers as he starts to laugh softly then escalates to a loud maniacal laughter as he hugs himself “Cora, my muse, my inspiration!” he cries out with a wide grin. Tears trickling down his cheeks as his heart beats strongly in his chest “You have broken me in the best way possible my beloved!” he shouts. Continuing his laughter feeling the wild joy of his sweet Cora saying he was her favorite artist. 

He loved her, Aki always loved her. The moment when they first met he knew they would be together forever now he was going to make sure he would show all his adoring love for her. Now all he had to do was have her love him back and he will do everything in his power to make it happen.

[shingansoul]

We Can Figure it Out After

Summary:  Law has spent every day of the last 13 years thinking and plotting his action for that day in Dressrosa. Now that's it come and gone with the unexpected result of his surviving, how is a man without a purpose supposed to look forward? Luffy thinks he can help.

read it on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23374645

Time felt like it had slowed or no longer flowed with the rest of the world that morning. The sun was warm, and gentle as it shined down upon the deck of the Barto Club's prized vessel. Everyone was either still awake, just rising, or pre-occupied with maintaining the ship and keeping to themsleves elsewhere on the ships main and lower decks.

Law ever running from sleep and his own mind had taken to dozing tentatively in the small tangerine grove towards the rear of the ship, leaning up against one of the trees from his place sat on the grass portion of the deck. He had been there since early morn before the sun dared break past the horizon, hoping to remain unseen until he was sure he could pull off a mask of bored calm around the other crews. It seemed though unseen, sight wasn't the only sense that could lead anyone to him.

"Oi! Torao!"

Law flinched slightly at the call, knowing he couldn't feign sleep to avoid the other's unwanted company or attention. However he knew, not after Dressrosa and all he'd seen and done, could he say no to Luffy. So with a forced sigh, far too dramatic to fool the observant type, he looked up to the smaller captain and gave him a weak and tired glare as the other approached him.

"Mugiwara-ya."

"What're you doing all the way over here? Breakfast is soon!" Luffy spoke as if missing the meal in question were of a truly disastrous consequence, though the comment only earned him an eye roll from the surgeon. Pouting at the older man, Luffy sat himself cross legged in front of Law, hands gripping his knees as he tilted his head and met the surgeon's gaze; a not so subtle inquiry.

Law looked away, offering a weak excuse. "I...couldn't sleep." As Luffy's gaze never wavered, Law seemed to find tracing the spots on the thighs of his jeans to be quite the fascinating task. At the least, it was certainly the safer option than meet those wide dark eyes.

Luffy, noticing the obviously vague explanation, seemed to come to a decision. He spun himself around, still sitting but now with his back to Law before he scootched backwards until his back was pressed against the other's chest. Law jumped a bit, not expecting the sudden close contact or movement though he stiffly remained seated with his knees bent putting his thighs on either side of the other captain.

"Wha-"

He was cut off promptly, but with a soft tone. "You don't have to talk about it, okay?"

Law still stiff, chewed on his lip and stared at the grass to his side. Taking his silence either as an answer in itself or like a signal, the younger man reached back and grabbed one of the tattooed hands of the elder captain. Law did not resist, but his body moved and reacted in sharp movements, too on edge from the unpredictable situation he was faced with.

Luffy huffed, puffing his cheeks a little in frustration yet he forced his small amount of patience into his gentle tugging of the hand in his grip and waited, pulling the owner of it forward slightly against him more with Law's arm over and against his shoulder. When the other finally gave in and did so, Luffy set about to tracing the tattoos before him.

He started with Law's forearm, his fingers warm against the cooler skin of the other, tracing the spiked ring bordering the central shape of the tattoo. Law through all this was reeling, wound taught like one giant ball of nerves screaming to get up and away, yet he simply sat there instead. Over time in the quiet between them, Law let his arm and eventually his posture relax bit by bit as the other repeatedly traced and rubbed at the designs on his flesh until he was far enough forward to rest his chin on the other's shoulder where his upper arm once rested.

"Does this help?" Luffy prompted, having moved to the simpler designs on the back of Law's hands. Law simply hummed in response, trying to simply focus on the sensation of the others touch and for once not getting stuck too deep within his own thoughts.

In his thoughts was where his toughest battles were after all. The reminders in an array of voices telling him he was a waste of life, that he didn't deserve to be alive, to have the good things around him now. That he was a failure and that everyone was disappointed in him, ashamed of him: his parents, Lami, his crew...Cora-san. The voices of those who loved him mocked him, beat him to the ground and he believed every word of it most days. After all, he was simply a boy on borrowed time in exchange for the life of someone so much more than he'd ever be.

What was the point anymore anyways? He didn't even take down Doflamingo himself, he didn't deserve to celebrate, to have survived Dressrosa. He should have died, hell he had planned on dying for years there and he wanted it, to be free of this constant burden of moving forward and doing, planning, caring so much by not caring, hurting...His mission had been completed, and now with a life he didn't expect to keep, he had to keep going. What was the plan now?

"Well, just...do whatever you want. That's what I've been doing and look how far I got."

Law's eyes widened and he flinched, an audible gasp softly passing his lips as he realized his thoughts had slipped past him while he was unguarded.

"I..." Law trailed off meekly, unsure how to respond. How could he? Luffy stilled a moment and Law quickly went rigid in kind, taking the others pause as a sign he was leaving or dissatisfied. That was fine, Law decided, clearly lying to himself. His insecurities and demons were his to bear, of course a man of conviction and radiance like Luffy wouldn't understand or have the patience for someone who was unwilling to follow suite.

However he was soon proved oh so wrong when Luffy released his arm just to pull his other one forward too. Luffy swiveled his own arms above Law's, effectively loosely placing tattooed arms around his midsection. Law was still, eyes widened slightly in awe of the gesture.

With a satisfied chuckle and a grin to match, luffy then reached up and removed his signature strawhat only to plop it gently atop Law's head. Law's shoulders stiffened and rose at the gesture, his mind racing at what was going on his teeth firmly clamped down on his lip not letting himself break further than he had already.

That venture was short lived however, as Luffy softly patted Law's uninjured bicep and said, "It's okay if you don't know what you want yet. I'm not too good at math so i don't really get exactly how long it was, but you spent a real long time thinkin' about that 'mingo guy huh?"

It was silent for a few moments, Luffy left hanging yet he didn't make to move or speak further. Then, like a dam reluctantly, finally, falling apart the tears came like the metaphorical waters - rushing all at once now freed. Law buried his face into the rubber man's shoulder, first simply crying and soon devolving into sobbing and wailing into the red clothes he hid his face in. His arms tightened around Luffy's waist, now outright hugging the smaller captain to himself.

Law felt so much, yet nothing at all right now and it seemed he couldn't care any longer about the pride and distance he'd spent building up for so long, he didn't care anymore. He was elated and upset, he was hurting yet he wanted to celebrate. He was full of so many thoughts and feelings, from his past and his regrets, to the terrible things his mind forced down his throat from all the years of fear and rage burning within him. It all and so much more hit him, and Luffy spoke it all into existence and broke down his walls.

Law wanted to scream out to the heavens how much it was, too much for him. Everything was too much and so overwhelming, he had gone through so much on Dressrosa and the pain of it plus everything before had reared its head. And now he had a life to live, free of Doflamingo and with knowledge from a marine of all places that Cora-san had truly loved him and wanted him to be happy. What the fuck was he supposed to do with that?

How could he face so readily the simple truth he refused to let himself deserve for 13 long years? How was he supposed to live, what was he to do with that life he had finally truly gained? What was he supposed to do now, his purpose was done and though his life was guaranteed to be shorter than the average man's, he had a decade or two minimum to go should he not be killed or off himself like the miserable fool he was.

All this and so many other thoughts circled in Law's head and who knows, maybe he said all of it or none of it or something else entirely, he didn't know or care anymore. He just kept crying, as if he could expel everything out of him and replace it all with the warmth radiating out of the smaller man in his grip. It took a moment before Law remembered he had Luffy tightly in his arms sat in his lap more or less, but when Law tried to suddenly stop himself (to no avail) and pull away, Luffy was quick to put a hand on the back of Law's neck, holding his face against the crook of his neck.

"It's okay, you're allowed to do whatever you need or want now Torao. If you're upset? Be upset, that's fine. And when you don't wanna be upset anymore or don't have anymore in you to be upset about, we can both figure out together what you wanna do after that."

A wet gasp followed by deep sniffling was followed by an almost unintelligible question of, "What if it takes years before I'm not upset anymore?"

Luffy hummed softly in thought for a moment before replying simply, "then we'll figure it out after however many years it takes." He said it like it was so simple, and knowing him he thought it was exactly that simple. It was enough to elicit a tired chuckle followed by a small cough out of the surgeon, his outburst slowing by this point.

While Law had not loosened his grip, Luffy took to humming to himself idly, returning to tracing the tattoos on Law's arms and hands again. Starting this time by tracing the lettering along his fingers. As the older man's sobs turned to soft hiccups and sniffled, he moved his face to the side resting his cheek on Luffy's shoulder and facing out to the side. He let his still wet eyes close as he listened to and felt the other in front of him. In their little hidden place within the tangerine grove, he decided that when he was truly ready to face himself, he'd have to take Luffy up on his offer of help figuring out what to do next.

Luffy in a short amount of time had certainly lived a lot of life after all, how crazy could it get following in his footsteps or at his side?

[1989dreamer]

When the Stars Align

And here is part two of why @evanesdust​ had to be so, so patient for their prompt to be fulfilled.

AO3 Link

Written for this prompt (same as Seventy-Five Percent).

Yes, I wrote three stories for the same prompt. It was a lot of fun.

Summary: Derek has a coworker that is a little too enthusiastic about getting him alone, so he asks Stiles for help. Stiles gladly volunteers but neither of them quite know what they’re getting into. A pissed off Kate Argent isn’t to be trifled with and neither are the growing feelings Stiles has for Derek.

Tags: Stalking, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Past Child Abuse, Murderer Peter Hale, Deputy Cora Hale. Human AU, Getting Together, Fake Dating, Kate Argent is Her Own Warning, Fear, Non-descriptive Panic Attacks

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It was a beautiful Thursday afternoon, and Stiles was out at the park with his sketchbook and pencils, just trying to draw random sketches of his characters, trying to find the natural flow of their movement for the big battle they had coming up. Suddenly, almost sweetly, he heard the words: “I’m going out with Stiles.”

His head shot up. He was going out with someone? News to him. Who could be making such a bold claim?

He studied the people nearest him: Derek Hale, older brother of Stiles’ closest friend, Cora Hale; some blonde woman standing way too close to Derek; and a sallow-faced, shady-looking fellow who reminded Stiles of his sadistic chemistry teacher.

Derek pointed at Stiles. “My boyfriend,” he said, somewhat stiffly, upset and uncomfortable, and excuse him but Stiles was a national treasure. Dating him would be nothing but a delight.

The blonde woman seemed unperturbed by the fact that Derek was one) clearly trying to escape and two) his “boyfriend” was right there.

Stiles stood up, shoved his sketchpad under his arm, and sauntered over to them. He cocked a hip and tucked a hand around Derek’s waist, noting the way Derek sagged against him in relief. “What’s up, babe? These idiots bothering you?”

The woman’s face sank into a sour expression, and Stiles almost laughed at how angry she appeared. Almost as if she’d known Derek was lying to her, but Stiles had decided to play along. Whatever. It wasn’t like Stiles had anything better to do than to rescue the older brothers of his friends.

The woman stuck out her hand. “Kate Argent,” she said, as sour as her face.

Stiles ignored her hand. “Stiles, Derek’s other half.”

“Certainly not the better half,” Kate laughed, something malicious lurking beneath her false smile.

“I wouldn’t say that,” Derek said, and wasn’t he being so sweet? Stiles pinched him to make him close his mouth.

“Now, my question still stands: are you bothering my boyfriend?”

Kate didn’t answer. Instead, she stomped off, her companion trailing after her. Derek didn’t immediately pull away, which surprised Stiles.

“What’s up with that?” Stiles asked when Derek finally disentangled himself.

Derek rolled his shoulders. “I don’t know,” he mumbled. “She works with me. Technically she’s my boss.”

“And how does dating me come into it?”

Derek rolled his shoulders again and Stiles realized that he was shrugging.

“If you date me for, say, a month and then break up with me, spectacularly, publicly, Kate would think I’m undateable and she’ll leave me alone.”

“And why me?”

Derek shrugged again. “I panicked?” he offered.

“Oh, I see. I’m the convenient choice.”

“No,” Derek said. “I just.” He blew out a breath. “You were right there. I knew you. I’m sorry. You don’t have to do it. I can find someone else.”

For some reason, that was more of an insult to Stiles than the fact that Derek had chosen him in the first place. “Now, wait a minute.” He grabbed Derek’s hand. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it.”

Derek’s eyebrows scrunched together. “You’ll do it?”

Stiles nodded. “Who knows why? Probably because you’re the big brother of my best friend, and Cora will never let me hear the end of it if I let you get pressured into dating your boss.”

Derek made a face. “Cora can’t know about the fake dating thing,” he said.

“Why not?” Stiles shook his head. “She’s my best friend. Of course, she’s going to know.”

Derek sighed. “Fine. It’s not like she wouldn’t have found out anyway.”

“So, what are your rules for dating?” Derek shrugged. “No, seriously. What’s on the table? What’s off? Pet names? Touching? What kind of dates do you want to go on? I mean, you want Kate to actually think we’re dating, right?”

“I guess?” Derek frowned. “I-I think so? Would it be easier to meet up at, like, one of our apartments and plan this out?”

“Sure. That works. Want to go now?”

Derek nodded. Honestly, he looked a little lost. Something wasn’t adding up. “Why can’t you just tell Kate’s boss or HR that she’s bothering you? Why go through this subterfuge?”

Derek sighed, and Stiles felt the vibration of it in his chest. Derek was bone tired, exhausted, and frustrated. He was thoroughly vexed.

“Kate is the HR department,” he said. “Her dad owns the company. All my coworkers just tell me to buckle down and date her.”

“But,” Stiles said.

“I’m not comfortable with dating. There’s been rumors of some of the men she’s dated before. She likes challenges, likes to break her partners. She’s taken my disinterest as a challenge.”

“There’s got to be some way to report her. Will any of her former partners file a police report against her?”

“I don’t know. I think she, like, collects evidence that her partners are the ones who hurt her.”

Stiles shuddered. “Dude, I am so sorry that she’s targeting you.”

“So am I.” Derek sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m sorry I got you involved. Kate will probably try and scare you off. I don’t know what tactics she’ll use, so I can’t warn you more.”

“Well, how about we worry about the logistics of the dating before we worry about what Kate will or won’t do?”

Derek nodded, sitting down on the grass next to Stiles. He held out his hands, like he was showing that he was unarmed. Stiles smiled at him. While he hadn’t known Derek well when he and Cora were in school together, he’d been the cool older brother. The hot, cool older brother that Stiles sometimes daydreamed about kissing until he lost his edge.

Talking to Derek now, finding out that he liked some of the same things Stiles did and dates would be easy enough, that he liked slow dancing and kissing in the rain, that it took more than a few meetings before he made up his mind as to whether or not he actually liked someone romantically was all cute and good. It also made it a little more embarrassing that Stiles wanted to kiss him even more now.

Derek nodded at the sketchbook. “Anything good?”

“Just character studies,” Stiles replied. He was not in the habit of sharing his work before it was ready to publish. He was also used to people not respecting his boundaries when he said he didn’t want to share, that he was already expecting Derek to demand his sketchbook anyway.

“Cool,” Derek said. He gripped a handful of grass, tugging at it too gently to break any blades. “I write stories that are sort of like that.”

“Oh really?” Stiles smiled to let Derek know that he thought that was cool too, but it was wasted because Derek never looked up. “Hey,” Stiles said, “you know that if you put words on paper, then you’re a writer regardless of what anyone else tells you, right?”

“Right.” Stiles heard the disbelief in Derek’s voice. He could also relate to being told that his “hobby” wasn’t a form of real art. Well, he had time. He would start working with Derek to shed the negativity and embrace his passion.

“So, um,” Derek said, “did you want to do the first date tonight?”

“Yes,” Stiles said before Derek could take it back. “Absolutely. Pick you up at 7:00?”

“Sounds good.” Derek pulled out a small book, tore out a piece of paper, wrote down his address and phone number. “Just text me something so I have your number too.” He handed the paper to Stiles.

“Absolutely.” Stiles waved when Derek stood up. As soon as Derek was out of sight, Stiles sent two texts.

One to Derek: This is stiles now u have my #

And one to Cora: Dating ur bro don’t make it weird

Derek did not respond immediately, but Cora did.

Y

Y what

Y my brother. Leave derek alone u ass

He’s my bf now. Srsly tho, i’m helping him. Don’t give him grief

Fine. But if he cries over u, i break ur knees

Fair

Stiles set his phone aside and picked up his sketchbook again, tracing the shadow under his main character’s face. It wasn’t perfect, but Stiles wasn’t trying. This had been an exercise to get him out of his apartment. Finding out that Derek was in need of a rescue just like Malcolm was not at all how he planned his Thursday to go, but it was still nice enough. Besides, he’d secured a date with the hottest senior at Beacon Hills High—never mind that Derek hadn’t been a senior in high school for almost seven years and Stiles had graduated college and moved back to help out his dad, who was looking to retire from the position of Sheriff of Beacon County within the next two or three years. He’d started taking some graphic design classes at the community college when he realized he could only get so far with his self-taught art.

He still liked hand-drawing things, and he was almost ready to move onto sketching Mallorca when his pad was forcibly lowered.

He gripped his pencil, aware of how much damage he could inflict even though it was dull. Kate’s face popped into view and Stiles restrained his hand.

“What do you want?” he said, blandly. Uninterested. Kate seemed the type of person to hate that.

Stiles was right. She barely waited a second more before thumping his sketchbook down on his lap.

“Listen, Styles,” she hissed.

“Stiles,” he corrected.

Kate looked at him like he’d grown a second head. “That’s what I said.”

“No.” Stiles shook his head. “You said ‘Styles,’ like style of clothing or something. My name is ‘Stiles,’ with an i.”

Kate glared at him. “Whatever. Just stay away from Derek Hale. He may think he’s your boyfriend, but there’s only one person who’s right for him, and it’s not you.”

“Maybe so,” Stiles agreed easily, “but you know who has to make that decision? Derek. Not you.” He picked up his sketchbook, tucked away his pencils, and walked away from Kate.

This wasn’t high school. And no one should ever be able to call dibs on a person anyway.

Kate needed to grow up, but Stiles doubted that she ever would. She’d had lines by her eyes and a little gray in her hair under the bad dye job. She’d probably never had to work for anything in her life, working in Daddy’s company, having men thrown at her feet either by themselves or by circumstances.

If dating Derek got Kate off his back, then Stiles was game.

His phone chimed.

Derek.

Thanks. What did you want to do tonight? Dinner? Movie?

Stiles paused, thinking. He’d only been planning on taking Derek out to The Boot, a steakhouse on the edge of town. Jeans and flannel almost a requirement. But a movie…No, Stiles didn’t like movies for first dates. There was a small park—just a bench and some trees—near Stiles’ apartment that he liked to sit outside and dream up new adventures for his webcomic.

Maybe he could take Derek there?

Stargazing actually. If thats okay?

Derek’s reply came a few seconds later. Sounds good. Thanks.

Stiles couldn’t help the elation those words gave him. Yeah, it was Derek’s idea to pick out Stiles as a potential date, but the fact that he was agreeable to Stiles’ suggestions was a nice departure from Stiles’ usual dates.

See you at 7.

Stiles smiled at his phone, sending, See u then and then basically floating home, his steps light and unfettered.

He would make tonight awesome for Derek. And himself. The start of something new and beautiful.

The end would be fiery, and he’d have to guard his heart, but there wasn’t any harm in playing pretend, right? Thinking of a future where Derek did really want to date him. Where Kate Argent wasn’t a reason Derek needed safety or that Stiles could provide that safety.

Yeah. It was a nice fantasy.

~ * ~

The Boot wasn’t too crowded and the food only so-so, but when Derek got going, he could tell a story and keep Stiles sitting on the edge of his seat.

Using interrogation tactics gleaned from a lifetime as the son of a law officer, Stiles managed to extract Derek’s online persona from him, filing away the information for later in case he had to live a sudden Derek-less existence.

Like after publicly breaking up with Derek to make him undesirable.

After their meal, which Derek paid for and Stiles vowed to get the next one, they headed to the little park by Stiles’ apartment. He was acutely aware that sometime during their meal, the sallow-faced man Kate had been with showed up, and now he was following them.

“Excuse me a moment,” Stiles said, ducking into the bushes, like he was going to take a leak. Instead, as soon as he was out of sight, he pulled out his phone and sent a text to Cora, asking her to look into Kate Argent and her associates.

Cora was a junior deputy at the Beacon County Sheriff’s Department and as such had access to resources that Stiles could only dream of—legally—obtaining.

Her reply came immediately: What am I looking for?

Stiles made sure his flash was off before he took a quick snap of Derek standing under the streetlight, back tense, facing down the sallow-faced man, who was perfectly illuminated, if even more washed out because of the quality of the light.

Fella on the left

On it

Stiles put away his phone and stepped out from the bushes, tugging at his zipper like he was just redoing it.

Derek sagged, visibly relieved to see him.

“Problems?” Stiles asked, putting his arm around Derek’s waist, making sure to keep his hand from actually touching him to keep up with the illusion that he’d just handled his dick.

“No,” Derek lied.

The man nodded his agreement. “Just thought I recognized him.”

“And do you?”

“Yeah,” again it was Derek who spoke. “This is Jerry. He works in Kate’s office with her.”

“Jerry, huh? Well, glad to see that you’re not a stranger I have to call the cops on. Just a coworker.”

Jerry shrugged. “I’m not who you should be worried about.”

“And neither is Kate. Go tell her the date was great. And we’re going to have sex now.”

Jerry scuttled away, his expression somewhat relieved. Puzzling.

Stiles’ phone pinged and he checked it to find a text from Cora.

Jerry has priors. Stay clear of him.

Priors, huh. Could be why he hung around Kate so much outside of work, if she had something on him.

Will do, he sent back. Well, he would certainly try. If Kate and Jerry had plans to keep running into Derek and him when they were on dates, Beacon Hills wasn’t the largest.

“Let’s get you home,” Stiles said to Derek, wondering at the stricken look he received in return.

“I thought we were supposed to go stargazing?”

“Yeah, if you want. I thought after running into Jerry, you might want to go home so that you wouldn’t risk running into him again.”

“I mean, isn’t it better to give them more evidence that we’re dating?”

“Sure. Okay.” Stiles took Derek’s hand, led him to the park. The whole way, he couldn’t shake the sensation that he’d done something wrong.

They sat on a bench, and Stiles let his head fall back. Even though they were competing with all the light pollution of the city, the stars were still breathtaking. Stiles liked to imagine that he was on a different world, exploring like his webcomic. It sure beat studying graphic design and living in his skin some days.

“Are we really going to have sex?” Derek asked quietly after a few minutes.

“No.” Stiles moved his head so that he could see Derek’s profile. “Did you want to?” He’d thought the whole ruse of them dating was to get Kate off Derek’s back so that he wouldn’t have to be assaulted.

And then he remembered what he’d said to Jerry.

“I’m sorry,” he said, sitting up and turning to face Derek. “I shouldn’t have said that, and especially not without clearing it with you first.”

Derek shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. Derek, you’re allowed to be upset and to stand up for yourself. That’s what the ground rules are for. If I say or do something that makes you uncomfortable, then I need to know so that I don’t do it again.”

Derek nodded. “Okay. So, wanna point out any constellations?”

Happily, Stiles leaned back, lifting an arm. And then realized that Derek was putting him on. Amateur stargazer that he was in his spare time.

As first dates went, it wasn’t either the best or the worst, but it was a solid seven-and-a-half in Stiles’ book, and he had to remind himself, after walking Derek home, that they weren’t really dating.

It would undeniably get more difficult the longer they played the ruse, but at least there was an end. Even if it painted Stiles as the bad guy. It wasn’t like Stiles needed his reputation to remain pristine for Kate Argent. In fact, the more she disliked him, the better in his opinion.

Maybe he could work this storyline into his webcomic. It wasn’t like his adventurers were currently on an adventure.

On the one hand, Stiles had based Malcolm on Derek, subconsciously. And something like this—needing to pretend to date to throw off an unwanted suitor—was something Malcolm could potentially encounter. On the other, more logical hand, Derek probably read Stiles’ webcomic. Cora certainly did. Better not to muddle it with real life situations.

Shame though. It’d make a great arc. Even though he’d need to create a whole new character because Mallorca was asexual and uninterested in dating anyone platonically, and Stiles already knew that if he put a fake-dating in his comic, he’d have to end it as a real love story. Too bad real life couldn’t mimic fiction.

Stiles shoved his hands into his pockets and stalked home, mind already spinning with the storyline he couldn’t post.

~ * ~

Stiles woke up to a barrage of texts. Some from Cora. One from Derek. And seventeen from an unknown number.

Stiles opened Derek’s text first.

Kate got your number. I let Cora know too. If she bugs you, file a report. Maybe we can get her on harassment.

Stiles turned to Cora’s three texts.

Derek told me about kate getting ur #

If she bothers u let me kno

Come by the station. We’ll get u set up w/reports

He sent a text to each Hale thanking them for their concern. And then he read each and every one of the unknown texts.

It was definitely Kate.

She moved from a joking tone to downright threatening.

Well, Stiles knew what he was doing with his morning. Derek and Cora were right that he needed to establish a pattern of harassment. He’d suspected that being in Derek’s orbit was dangerous but to actively be threatened with bodily harm was another thing. Kate wasn’t stupid enough to actually threaten him, was she?

No. It was more likely that these texts were from Jerry or some other associate-slash-lackey.

Still. Stiles could give the phone’s owner hell. Maybe teach Kate a lesson by proxy.

He shot another text to Cora, letting her know that he’d stop by the station because of the texts he’d received.

Then, he took a shower, grabbed his textbook for his 1:00 class, and headed out.

Cora met him at the front desk. She snapped her fingers at him until he surrendered his phone.

While she copied the texts to an evidentiary phone, he poked his head into his dad’s office.

“Stiles,” Dad said in the way that usually meant he wasn’t pleased to see him. “I hear you’ve got a new boyfriend.”

Stiles winced. “Yeah. Meant to tell you about that.”

“You’re an adult. You can make your own decisions.” Dad rummaged in his desk until he found a bottle of antacids. He popped a couple in his mouth, chewing with a grimace. “You’re not here because your boyfriend is being a possessive asshole, are you?”

“No, not my boyfriend.” Stiles winced again. “Actually, it’s someone who wants to date my boyfriend. Kate Argent. She didn’t use her own phone to text me. She’s too smart for that.”

“Great.” Dad ran a hand over his face, digging at his eyes. “So who’s phone did she use?”

“That I don’t know. I think Cora is trying to figure that out now.”

“Great.” Dad rattled the antacids before putting them back in his desk. “Keep us in the loop if there are more incidents. And tell your boyfriend that I’d like to meet him some day too.”

“Dad,” Stiles whined, “it’s still so new. Let us see if there’s something there before we start introducing each other to families.”

Cora knocked on the door before his dad could open his mouth again. She handed Stiles his phone. “You were right that Kate didn’t use her own phone. She used Jerry’s. The kind of threats on there…” she whistled. “Well, let’s just say that it violates his parole.”

“So Kate’s burning her bridges.” Stiles bit his lip. “Hey so, Jerry followed us when we were on our date yesterday.” He blushed, embarrassed that he’d even said anything at all last night. “I told him we were going to have sex because I knew he was only following us on Kate’s orders.”

“And did you?” Dad asked.

“No, not that that’s any of your business. Thing is, Kate might be punishing Jerry for bringing her news she didn’t want to hear.”

“That’s definitely a possibility.” Dad sighed. “Okay, Stiles. I know you have class today. How about you head out? Let us know if you get any more texts.”

“Will do.” Stiles left the station with a nod to Cora. What a fucking mess. Derek didn’t need a boyfriend: he needed a bodyguard. Hell, Stiles needed a bodyguard after this morning.

How could Derek continue to work at Kate’s family’s company when she was such a menace?

Or maybe it was the fact that Derek was “dating” Stiles that made her flip out on him.

Whatever the reason, Stiles needed to warn Derek. There was a good chance that Kate would escalate, and Derek was probably her intended victim.

She was worse than what Derek had said. She was dangerous and volatile. And Stiles wanted to be the one to bring her down. He didn’t want to hide or let her win because doing either of those things meant that she’d get Derek, and that was not an acceptable outcome.

Yes, they were fake-dating, but that didn’t mean Stiles didn’t care for or not love Derek.

He sent a text to Derek, asking to meet him after class ended at 5:00 and to watch out in case Kate tried anything retaliatory.

Then, he tried not to vibrate out of his skin with pent up anticipation and worry and every negative emotion he could feel in a four hour span.

~ * ~

Derek brought Stiles a coffee when they met at the park by Stiles’ apartment.

Stiles accepted the coffee and sat on the bench. His leg wouldn’t stop bouncing up and down, no matter how he pressed on it. “Hey, so did Kate do anything to you today?”

“No.” Derek took the seat next to Stiles, put his hand on his knee and then pulled back. “She was tied up in meetings all day. Jerry, though, got arrested over lunch.”

“Oh?” Stiles tried to play at being surprised but Derek touched his leg again. “Okay, yeah. So I think it was Kate, but someone blew up my phone today with threats and things.”

“Are you okay?” The worried furrow that appeared between Derek’s brows was adorable, and before he could stop himself, Stiles reached out to smooth it away. Derek smiled at the gesture.

“I’m fine. I filed a report with the Sheriff’s Department. That’s probably why Jerry got arrested. It was probably his phone.”

“I’m sorry that I got you roped into this. I didn’t think that she’d try and go after you.”

“Hey, it’s going to be okay.” Stiles took a sip of the coffee. It was too sweet, but that was okay. There was plenty of time to teach Derek how he liked his coffee. “If she gets mad enough, she’s going to make mistakes. We can stop her with those mistakes.”

“Yeah but, I just don’t want one of her mistakes to be hurting you.”

“That’s so sweet.” To make his point, Stiles sipped at the coffee again. “Look, Derek, you knew she was possessive. It’s why you made yourself unavailable. Anything she does is on her. And your sister is a freaking deputy. Kate should know better than to mess with you.”

“And yet,” Derek murmured.  He set his hand on Stiles’ knee again, and Stiles realized that his leg wasn’t bouncing anymore. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of Kate, so I think we should back off the dating thing.”

“You think so? I mean, if Kate was mad enough to burn one of her associates because of one date, imagine how much damage she’ll do to herself the longer we ‘date.’”

“I guess.”

“Besides, I thought the date was actually kind of good. And if Jerry isn’t going to be around to interrupt us again, then all the more reason to do it again.”

Derek looked away. “I don’t want to trap you,” he said quietly. “I panicked when Kate demanded that I produce my boyfriend immediately. I saw you drawing, and I—I blanked. You were familiar and that’s why I picked you out. I’m sorry.”

Stiles managed to hook a finger under Derek’s chin and draw his gaze back. “I wouldn’t have agreed to date you if I hadn’t wanted to help out.”

“But it’s not real dating,” Derek said, bitterly.

“Doesn’t matter. It’s doing what it needs to do,” Stiles said, just as bitter. He was a little mad that Derek kept reminding him that it wasn’t real. Stiles wished it were, but he also didn’t know how to broach that subject, especially because it was officially only the second day they’d been dating. And how had his dad heard about it? Stiles hadn’t told him, hadn’t wanted to jeopardize whatever rapport he and Derek had. After all, it wouldn’t do for his dad to confront Derek and announce “About damn time.” Yeah, Stiles had been friendless for nearly three years after his childhood best friend Scott McCall had transferred to a school close to his grandmother after his mother was injured in a workplace accident and his dad couldn’t take him in.

In retrospect, it probably hadn’t been Stiles’ best idea to get drunk and confess to his dad that he was bisexual and crushing on the star of the basketball team. Surprisingly, his dad had taken it well and had taken to teasing Stiles about seeing Derek when he and Cora became friends.

Now it was a matter of time before Dad hunted down Derek and demanded to have a father-boyfriend talk with him. And knowing his dad, he would probably take the opportunity to embarrass Stiles with his long-standing crush. Nope. Better to keep them apart.

“Look, Kate was probably upset because Jerry reported what I said to him.”

Derek shot Stiles a scathing look. “You think I don’t know that? Why’d you tell him that anyway? It’s not like I do that. And especially not on the first date.”

“But that wasn’t supposed to have been our first date,” Stiles pointed out. “I mean, it went toward establishing our—your alibi to having been dating me for a while.”

Derek flushed, glaring at his lap. “I guess,” he mumbled, as close to a “You’re right” Stiles was likely to get.

It did not make him feel any better. He’d still used Derek, albeit in a way that had actually helped his case. Maybe. Still, Stiles felt skeevy, like Kate had crawled under his skin and jack-hammered the crudeness of declaring sexing up Derek Hale out of his mouth.

It was not a pleasant sensation.

“I am sorry about telling him that.”

Derek shrugged, and Stiles realized he was trying to play it cool. Why though? “It’s not that big of a deal. I mean, as you pointed out, if we’ve been dating for a while, it’s pretty obvious that we would have started having sex at some point.”

Or maybe not, Stiles thought, studying Derek’s suddenly green face. “Dude, are you sex-repulsed?”

“What?”

It was Stiles’ turn to shrug. “I don’t know. Like, the thought of sex, especially you having sex, makes you feel physically sick or something. Repulsed by the idea of sex.”

Derek looked thoughtful for a minute. “Maybe,” he finally said. “I guess. Cora just calls me asexual.”

“That’s probably a part of it.” And now Stiles felt even worse about telling Jerry that he and Derek were off to do the horizontal tango. Great. Guilt felt a lot like heartburn, except Stiles wouldn’t be able to chew a few antacids and have it go away. “So, I’ll understand if you really don’t want my help anymore.” Stiles bit off the rest, Not that I’ve been much help so far, because this really was not about him and he had actually helped even if it was just Kate throwing a tantrum.

“No. Kate probably smells blood,” Derek said. “She’ll probably double-down and I don’t know if I can deal with that alone.”

“Hey, you’re not alone,” Stiles hurried to assure him. “You’ve got Cora and you’ll still have me on your side even if you decide that the fake-dating isn’t working out.”

Derek seemed to think about that for a few minutes before nodding slowly. “Yeah. Okay. Hey thanks, Stiles.”

He leaned over, gave Stiles a one-armed hug, and then jumped to his feet. “I was wondering if you wanted to schedule another date now? Maybe Sunday night? There’s this really cool spot out in the preserve. Even better for looking at stars than this park. Would you like to go?”

Stiles couldn’t stop the smile or the skip in his heartbeat. “I’d love to,” he said, trying to force his tone not to jump. He wasn’t very successful but Derek didn’t seem to notice that he was unnecessarily happy for their next date. “Midnight picnic?”

“Sounds great. I’ll pack the food.”

“Okay, see you Sunday.”

Derek smiled and walked off.

Almost immediately the guilt came back, wriggling its way into his mind, spreading tendrils of doubt and disgust.

Stiles sighed, deflating down as he thought about just what he was doing. How could he survive a month of dating Derek, a month of “pretending” to be in love, and then break up like nothing happened?

How was he supposed to yell at Derek and make him un-date-able when Stiles was walking-breathing proof that someone wanted to date Derek?

He cursed himself for not asking out Derek earlier. Yes, Derek probably would have said no. It was his sister’s friend. They’d known each other since Stiles was a freshman and Derek was a senior in high school. It would have been weird, and Stiles would have been hurt by the rejection, but it surely would be better than this pseudo-relationship they were in.

Stiles needed advice, and he only knew one expert on Derek Hale. Well, only one that he was willing to talk to. Derek had another, older sister who still sometimes scared Stiles.

And there was no way Stiles was talking to either of Derek’s parents.

Nope. Cora was his go-to encyclopedia on her brother. Even after eight years.

He shot her a text, asking to meet to discuss personal things.

Her reply was almost immediate: told u

Which, no she hadn’t. She’d threatened his knees over text and then laughed her ass off when he told her face to face about dating Derek, because apparently her brother was indeed un-date-able and definitely some form of asexual. She revealed that he’d never even confessed crushes in high school.

“Sucks,” was what she’d said before she changed the subject to the upcoming Beacon Hills celebration days.

Well, told-you-so or not, Stiles still needed advice, and Cora was still going to give it to him, whether she wanted to or not.

~ * ~

Well, being adults kind of got in the way, and Stiles had papers due that he worked on all day Saturday, and Cora had a double shift at the station, so it wasn’t until Sunday afternoon that their schedules finally managed to line up enough for him to crash into her room and fall onto her bed, spilling out the whole story, leaving nothing out. Before, he’d only told her that he was going to be dating her brother as an experiment, per Derek, not him.

“You did what now?” Cora asked for the third time.

“I agreed to fake-date Derek even though I am in love with him,” Stiles dutifully repeated for the third time.

“Why would you do that?”

Finally. A different question.

Stiles shrugged. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see how uncomfortable he was. And Kate wasn’t going to take no for an answer. Derek told me that she’s targeted other men like him and that she always gets away with it because she files reports first.”

Cora narrowed her eyes. “Reports like what?”

“Rape and assault.”

“Jesus fuck, really?”

Stiles nodded.

“So you were helping him?”

“More like he panicked, picked me out so that he wasn’t ‘available,’ and then I agreed to keep up the charade.”

“And now you’re here,” Cora confirmed. “In love with my brother and fake-dating him.”

“Yep.”

“So is the public dumping still on?”

“Is Kate in custody yet?” Stiles countered. Cora glared at him. “Then yes. Yes it is.”

“Well that’s fantastic. Are you planning on telling my brother that you’re in love with him?”

“Ah, no. I was actually hoping that avoiding that particular problem might make it go away.”

Cora blew out a breath through her nose. Secretly, Stiles agreed. He didn’t think this was a problem that time would solve. In fact, the longer he let Derek believe that he was just helping him out instead of trying to save up as many memories of dating Derek as possible, the more their separation was going to hurt. Stiles knew he could heal from a broken heart because he’d done it before. He’d just never had to heal from his first crush.

And he didn’t want to. Selfishly, he wanted Derek to realize that dating Stiles was the best thing ever and they would never break up. Mopey, he voiced this sentiment to Cora.

“Well, you could always confess your feelings to, you know, the object of your feelings.” Stiles vigorously shook his head. “Then, something else you can do is just never break up with him. Eventually he’ll have to realize that you’re dating.”

And then Stiles would get promptly broken up with.

“We need to remove the threat of Kate,” Stiles said. “Without the excuse of why we’re dating, I can maybe ask him out again properly.”

“So how do you get rid of Kate?” Cora asked.

Stiles thought for a few minutes. “Well, she blew up my phone with threats after learning that Derek and I were ‘going to have sex.’” He aggressively shoved his air quotes in Cora’s face in an attempt to ward off any smacks or grossed out reactions she might have to him fucking her brother.

Cora fell over laughing. “Derek? Having sex?” She was practically hooting, and while Stiles understood the sentiment, it still stung.

“Hardy har har,” he intoned. “Yes, me having sex with your asexual brother is so fucking funny.”

Cora swallowed her laughs and sat up. “I’m sorry. That was really mean. It’s just, growing up with Derek gives me a perspective that maybe you’ll get to learn someday. There’s no way Derek’s having sex any time soon. In fact, if he ever has sex, I’ll buy you a diamond ring.”

“The diamond market is an evil industry and I won’t be a party to its support.”

“Jesus, Stilinski, it’s just an expression. I’m never going to actually buy you a ring of any kind.” She paused, staring into space, before a gleam came into her eyes. Stiles did not like that look. That look got him in trouble for boosting his dad’s whiskey sophomore year, leading to his bisexual confession. That look got them busted for sneaking into the only bar in Beacon Hills that didn’t card minors but called their parents.

That look was going to be the death of him one day, and while he might protest the whole way, he was still going to do whatever it was that gave Cora that look.

“What if you could incite Kate into giving herself up just by doing something really simple?” Cora asked, far more innocently than whatever she had planned.

“And how can I do that?” Stiles returned, apprehensively.

“By proposing.”

“To Kate?”

Cora hit his arm lightly. “No, idiot,” she said affectionately. “To Derek.” Stiles stared at her, incredulous. “I mean,” she rolled her eyes, “instead of breaking up with him, propose to him. Publicly so that Kate gets wind of it right away. I’ll be there so I can arrest her if she tries anything.”

“It’s been a day,” Stiles said. “If I propose now, Derek will think I’m crazy.”

“You can always ask him out again. Right now, isn’t it more important to get rid of Kate? As long as she’s around, your relationship will always be about keeping her away from Derek. Without that threat, Derek would be more open to dating you.”

“If he forgives me,” Stiles muttered.

Cora waved away his concern. “I’ll make sure he still likes you after.”

“Wait, he likes me now?”

Cora snorted. “No. He doesn’t like anyone. It’s Derek. You remember him from high school.”

“I remember him being really hot and me being too chickenshit to talk to him.”

“Well, you’re certainly not shy now,” Cora pointed out. She stood up and grabbed something off her dresser. She tossed it at Stiles, and he juggled it before she plopped down next to him again.

“What is this?” Stiles knew it was a ring box. Why Cora had given it to him, he didn’t understand. Was he supposed to use this ring to propose to Derek?

Cora opened the box, revealing a simple silver band set with a single black stone. “Zirconium,” Cora explained. “Not a real diamond.”

“Suits you,” Stiles said, because it did. Cora had had a goth phase in high school, and the only reason she probably still didn’t wear all black was because of her job. And that was only because Beacon County deputies wore brown uniforms.

She didn’t paint her nails or wear heavy makeup but that was probably because Cora was Newton’s First Law embodied—a body at rest will stay at rest even if that body wants to have heavy eyeliner and black fingernails.

“And this ring won’t be weird to propose to your brother with?” Stiles asked. He couldn’t see Derek wearing any jewelry. Hell, he never saw him wear his class ring even after agonizing about getting it.

“Well, it’s not like you’re really proposing. You’re just trying to get Kate off his back long enough for me to find something to charge her with.”

“And you’ll definitely be there?”

“How do you think Derek is getting there?” Cora paused. “You are proposing at the mall, right?”

“It is the most public place in Beacon Hills, and Derek did want it to be public.”

“Good. Okay, so I’ll make sure Kate is there to witness it.” She closed the ring box. “Stiles, Derek might say yes if he feels pressured, like if he sees Kate, so if you’re expecting him to break up on the spot, he might not.”

“I’m already fucked,” Stiles said, tucking the ring box into his pocket. “It’s not like I can fall anymore in love with him.”

“Don’t speak your own prophecy,” Cora said. “I’ll do my part, but Derek can’t know that I suggested the proposal. He’d never forgive me.”

“Oh, so it’s okay if he hates me after?” Stiles asked, just a little bitter. Derek was Cora’s brother. He’d eventually be okay with her. Stiles, though, wasn’t family, and as soon as he’d outlived his usefulness, Derek would have no obligation to keep in contact with him. It sucked that this was Stiles’ dream but Derek’s nightmare.

“I’ll make sure he doesn’t hate you forever,” Cora promised.

Time would tell if it was an empty promise.

“Okay, so, should I have a script or do you want to leave it up to chance?”

“Words,” Cora immediately replied, retrieving a notebook and pen from under the bed. She flipped to a blank page and wrote at the top: Stiles’s Proposal Speech.

Then, she sat and tapped her pen on the paper for about five minutes.

“Can’t think of anything?” Stiles asked. “Like, maybe I should mention that even though it’s been such a short time, I already know that I want to spend the rest of my life with him? Or is that too much?”

“Might be a bit much for Derek, but it’s perfect for Kate.” Cora wrote it down. “Got anything else?”

Stiles had plenty of other ideas, years of observing and loving Derek from afar was enlightening, but he didn’t want to burn everything on this proposal that wasn’t even going to be real. So he only gave Cora a few more ideas, checked his phone for the time, and made the excuse of having to get ready for the date with Derek to escape.

Cora didn’t respond, too busy stringing together his ideas into what was certainly going to be a melodramatic, eloquent speech.

Stiles would collect it tomorrow, and then he and Cora would set the trap for Kate. It felt like trapping Derek too.

And Stiles was not okay with that.

It was one thing for Derek to claim him as a boyfriend to try to escape Kate’s persistence, but it was another thing entirely to trap Derek in that lie by proposing and having Kate there. Of course, Stiles could always take it back after Kate was arrested, but that was if Kate reacted the way they expected her to. If she didn’t, and Derek still was pressured to say yes, then Stiles thought he was no better than Kate.

He took a deep breath, took out his phone to text Derek to cancel tonight, and saw a message from Derek.

Just wanted to say, really looking forward to tonight. I really like hanging out with you, and I’m so thankful you’re here.

Stiles paused, mind spinning. Derek liked him? He would have given anything in high school for Derek to acknowledge him, but now, it felt cheapened.

Can’t wait 2, Stiles texted back. And that was not what he needed to say, but he figured he could think about it and talk to Derek tonight. Maybe they wouldn’t even need Cora’s plan if Kate realized that they were going on a date to an isolated area.

But that sounded like a great way to get murdered by her without having backup.

Stiles shook his head. He didn’t even know what was right anymore. Get rid of Kate by proposing to Derek? Don’t propose to Derek?

Either way, he wanted one last date with Derek before the shit hit the fan. He’d make tonight the best that he could and then if Derek decided to break contact after tomorrow, then Stiles could subsist on the what-if of a relationship with Derek with reality sprinkled in.

Life was going to suck so much, but Stiles was used to it. Mostly.

~ * ~

He and Derek met at the entrance to the preserve, and Stiles scoffed at the “No Entry After Dark” sign. The Hales had installed it after a few too many teens got caught out there, having the kind of fun their parents didn’t want them to have.

It was a lame measure, easily navigable, except for the stretched chain that meant they couldn’t take any vehicles with them.

Derek hefted a basket that must have held the midnight picnic, and Stiles lifted the chain so he could duck under it. It gave him the perfect opportunity to ogle Derek’s ass, but he couldn’t enjoy it. Guilt was choking down most of his other emotions and, not for the first time, he was thinking it had been a grave mistake to come here.

Even worse was there was no cell phone service out here so he couldn’t even send an SOS text to Cora.

It wasn’t long before Derek made him forget about his misgivings. They lied on a blanket, looking up at the stars. Which were definitely more visible without the light pollution of Beacon Hills.

It wasn’t Stiles’ intention, but he found himself talking about his webcomic, about the adventures the characters were on. Turned out Derek was a big fan, had read it from the start.

“Don’t be mad,” he prefaced his confession. “Cora told me all about it back when you first started posting it. I liked it enough to keep coming back.”

Stiles smiled. He didn’t mind. He hadn’t sworn Cora to secrecy until after the comic had taken off and gained Internet fame. It was actually a relief that Derek had seen the comic and hadn’t made the connection that Malcolm was based on him.

Before he quite knew it, they’d been there for three hours, and Derek was dozing, head on his shoulder.

Stiles nudged him. “Should we go home?” he asked, thinking of the sign at the entrance of the preserve.

Derek yawned, snuggling closer. “Don’t wanna move,” he mumbled.

“We should though,” Stiles said. “I’m sure that even your parents don’t want you out here all night.”

Derek sighed before sitting up. “You’re right. Come on. We can crash at my parents if we’re too tired to drive home. They live just off the side of the preserve.”

Stiles wasn’t sure if he should take Derek up on that offer, but he had to admit that it was really nice to have Derek next to him as he fell asleep. And just like that the guilt was back.

“I should get back to my apartment. I have class tomorrow.”

“And you let me have a late date?” Derek asked, incredulous.

Stiles shrugged. “I really like hanging out with you. It’s not a big deal, and it’s not like I’d already be in bed anyway.”

“Still, I don’t want to get in the way of your schooling. Or your interests. You don’t have to go on dates with me. It’s not like Kate’s watching us that closely.”

Stiles grunted in agreement. Except, the minute they were back on the access road and had service again, both their phones dinged with incoming messages.

Stiles had several texts from an unknown number and two voicemails. Derek frowned down at his phone. Stiles punched in his voicemail.

Cora.

“Stiles, where the fuck are you? Don’t go back to your apartment. We got a call out. Fire was dispatched. Kate Argent—not proven of course—just burned your apartment down. Call me back now.”

Sent almost an hour ago.

Stiles turned to Derek, and he was ashen, his own phone to his ear. Faintly, Stiles could hear someone screaming over the speaker.

“Are you okay?”

Derek nodded, but he didn’t move even when the message either stopped or dropped to a volume Stiles could no longer hear.

Stiles dialed Cora’s number, putting her on speaker. “Stiles! Where the fuck are you?”

“I’m at the preserve,” he answered, “with Derek. We’re both okay.”

“Stay right there. The Sheriff is sending a deputy out to you.”

“What’s up with my apartment? Someone burned it down?”

Cora blew out a breath. “We won’t know until the arson investigator takes a look at it. We were able to save most of the building, but you’ll have to file reports with your insurance.”

“That’s just great.” Stiles sighed, running a hand over his head and tugging at his hair. “Thanks for doing that, Cora.”

“Don’t thank me yet. Just get in your car and lock the doors. The deputy should be where you are in less than half an hour. And keep Derek with you.”

Derek moved to lean over Stiles’ phone. “Why?”

Cora blew out a breath. “We’ve found some disturbing imagery at the scene,” she said. “You’re both not safe.”

“Cora, I got some messages from Kate, I think. It was a little hard to understand what she was saying. I’ll pass on the messages when the deputy gets here.”

Someone spoke to Cora, their words coming through the line like a heavy blur. Stiles thought he recognized his dad’s voice though.

“Okay, so the Sheriff wants you to go to the Sheriff’s Station. Someone will meet you there to take copies of the messages you’ve both received.”

“Both?” Stiles asked. He hadn’t mentioned the messages he’d gotten. How had she guessed?

“Both,” Cora repeated. “Look, if this is Kate, she’s escalating and quickly. Stiles, you had those messages from before. I would be surprised if you hadn’t gotten more. Now, get in your car and start driving. We have no idea where Kate is, and for all we know, she found out where you are. Get in your car, lock your doors, and start driving. Don’t stop until you’re at the Sheriff’s Station and a deputy can escort you in.”

“And I guess you want us to stay on the line?” Stiles took Derek’s hand, leading him to his Jeep.

“Preferably, yes,” Cora answered. “Are you in your vehicle yet?”

“Yep.” Doors were locked too. Derek buckled his seat belt, setting the basket down by his feet. Stiles buckled his own belt and turned the key in the ignition.

The headlights came on and Stiles swallowed back a yelp. Derek next to him wasn’t as lucky.

“What?!” Cora cried. “What’s going on?”

Kate Argent was standing in the headlights. How they hadn’t seen her, Stiles didn’t know. He threw the Jeep in reverse and punched the accelerator.

Kate lumbered after them, raising her hand to throw something after them.

Derek yelled again when glass shattered over the hood of the Jeep, fire spreading with it.

“We’re on fire!” Stiles yelled into his phone.

“What?!”

“She threw a fucking Molotov cocktail or some shit at us.”

“And now you’re on fire?!”

“Yes!” Stiles shifted to drive and stood on the accelerator. “Where is she?” he asked Derek.

“I don’t know. I didn’t see. I think she pulled off after she threw that thing. Are we okay to keep driving even though we’re on fire?”

“No!” Cora answered. Stiles ignored her, pressing the gas a little harder. “Stop driving! Get out and hide! We’re all coming to get you!”

“I’m not letting that bitch get her hands on us or my Jeep.”

Quietly, Cora asked, “Even if it ends up costing you both your lives?”

“Here she comes!” Derek shouted.

Out of the corner of his eye, Stiles saw headlights aiming right for them. He jerked the wheel, switching to the brake. The whole Jeep shuddered and the brakes squealed as he executed a sharp turn. The vehicle, looked like a two door car of some kind, missed them by inches.

“We’re heading west from the preserve, back to town. Kate’s still chasing us.”

“And are you still on fire?”

Derek unbuckled his seat belt and shrugged out of his jacket. Stiles bumped the Jeep up onto the pavement and slowed. Derek leaned out of his rolled-down window and beat at the flames with his jacket.

After a few tense moments where Kate came barreling out of the preserve and turned on to the road, tires screeching, the flames were out, and Derek was back inside, buckled up again.

“No,” Stiles said. “Not on fire anymore. But Kate’s chasing us, and I hate to say it, she’ll probably catch us. My Jeep is not the fastest thing on the road.”

“We’re coming to you. Do not deviate.”

Already, Stiles could see flashing lights up ahead. Behind them, Kate slowed and then turned off.

“She’s not with us anymore,” he announced.

“Good,” Cora said. “Keep driving. You’ll have a police escort to the Station. We’ll put your car in the evidence garage so it won’t be left unattended. Are you both okay?”

Stiles nodded, mentally checking himself over. Yeah. He was fine. He turned to ask Derek the same question and realized that Derek was not okay. He was hyperventilating, shaky and pale, soot smudged over his face, his jacket forgotten over his lap.

“Uh, negative. Think we’ve got a panic attack going on. Will need assistance ASAP.”

“You or Derek?”

“Derek.”

“Roger that. Just keep driving. Help is just a little farther.”

Stiles put the worry about what Kate was doing right now in the back of his mind and focused on reaching the deputies, parking and unbuckling Derek’s seatbelt so that the first deputy to reach them could just open the door and pull Derek out onto the pavement.

Stiles climbed out, grabbing onto another deputy, who was really the Sheriff.

“You’re okay,” Stiles’ dad said, leading him to a cruiser. “Can you tell me what happened?”

Stiles gestured at Derek, still surrounded by deputies. “We saw Kate. She found us when we got back to the Jeep. We were on the phone with Cora ‘cause my apartment got burned down?”

“Not fully down,” his dad said. “The fire department responded quickly enough that they were able to save the building, but your stuff is probably another matter.”

“Well, fire must be Kate’s choice of weapon for the night because she threw something at my Jeep and suddenly, we were on fire.” Stiles’ phone trilled sharply and he pulled it up to his ear. “Hello?”

“Did you reach the deputies?” Cora asked. “We got disconnected.”

“Yeah, my dad found us.” Stiles craned his neck, trying to see how Derek was doing. His view was blocked by at least three deputies. Another two were inspecting Stiles’ Jeep. “I don’t know how Derek’s doing. He was having a panic attack last I knew.”

“Was it Kate Argent?”

“Yes. She pulled off when she saw the lights. I don’t know if she’ll go home or if she’s lying in wait somewhere.”

“Well, for safety reasons, the Sheriff will probably have you stay somewhere with a guard.”

“Great. Well. Thanks for everything. I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Cora drew in a breath like she was going to say something else but then all she said was, “Bye.”

“We’ve got a hotel room for you,” Dad said, taking Stiles’ shoulder and leading him to where one of the deputies was sitting with his arm around Derek. “Isaac is going to stay with you to make sure that Kate Argent doesn’t attack you.” The deputy with his arm around Derek half-waved at Stiles.

“And how are we getting there?”

“I’m driving,” Isaac said. “We can’t risk Argent seeing either of your vehicles and attacking you again.”

“And what about my Jeep? Cora mentioned putting it in the evidence garage?”

“Absolutely. We have a few deputies going to retrieve Derek’s Camaro just in case Kate Argent attacked his things like she did yours.” Dad takes Stiles’ keys

Stiles and Derek were stashed in the back of a cruiser and whisked to the station.

A few hours later after their statements and a preliminary search for Kate, Isaac the deputy and Isaac’s partner, Boyd, drove Stiles and Derek to a motel in Hill Valley.

Before he left to patrol the area, Boyd handed Stiles a lump of something. “We think this may have been the trigger for Kate’s aggression tonight,” he said, cutting a quick glance to where Derek was huddled on one of the beds. “I’m so sorry for what she’s putting you through.”

Stiles just nodded and then threw the deadbolt as soon as the door shut.

He checked his phone and noticed that Kate hadn’t sent any more messages to him. Good.

The lump Boyd had handed him weighed heavier on his soul than his palm and he squeezed it tightly. It was Cora’s ring. Kate had attacked them because she thought Stiles was going to propose to Derek. Which he had been. That had been the plan.

He sighed and stuck it in his pocket. Derek’s phone buzzed, and Derek flinched but didn’t otherwise move to answer it.

“May I?” Stiles asked when it buzzed again. Derek shrugged, handing him it, swiping his thumb over the back to unlock it.

Stiles opened the messaging app. Eighty-five texts. Eighty of them from Kate. The phone buzzed again, three times in quick succession. Make that eighty-three texts from Kate. Stiles jumped to the texts from Cora.

Don’t come home

Got camaro to garage leaving keys with sheriff

Plz call asap

Tell me ur both okay

Derek?

The time stamp on Cora’s texts meant that they’d already touched base with her after she sent the texts, so Stiles moved on to Kate’s messages.

All of them threatening and graphic.

Apparently Kate really wanted to eviscerate Stiles, pull all his bowels out, and while he was suffering, she wanted to rape Derek next to his dying corpse. She even had attached a picture of herself fucking the bottle she’d thrown at his Jeep.

Stiles promptly called his father, asked for someone to collect Derek’s phone, and then spent the next fifteen minutes trying to offer what little comfort he could to Derek.

“She isn’t going to stop, is she?” Derek asked. He was ashen, still shaken from his panic attack.

There were no words to say that would assuage him. And after a deputy had taken Derek’s phone, which had received several more graphic and certainly disturbing texts from Kate, Stiles handed Derek one of the toothbrushes Deputy Isaac had left for them, and then lied on his bed and didn’t sleep.

~ * ~

Dad called bright and early, and Derek’s phone was returned shortly after. Bad news all around: Kate hadn’t been found and had been using a now-disconnected burner phone, so all they had were her texts to Derek, and that one graphic picture. Nothing else to go by.

Derek was shaking too hard after that call that Stiles had gone down to the corner store, using techniques his dad had taught him to slip a tail, used the ancient and only payphone in all of Beacon County to anonymously dial Derek’s workplace and let them know he had taken ill. He also took the opportunity to call his professors and ask for a week off to deal with the fact that his apartment had burned. He was trying not to think about all the things he’d lost, like his physical copies of his webcomic or the quilt his great-grandmother had made for his mother when she was a baby.

Then, Stiles went back to the motel, taking a long and meandering way again, and prayed that Kate hadn’t seen him.

Derek wasn’t any better after lunch, even though it was Cora’s shift with them, and she spent all of it huddled on the bed with him.

“Before we met,” Cora said suddenly, “Derek had a stalker. He was a friend of our sister Laura. About a year after they met, he took Derek. There’s this old root cellar in the preserve. Laura had shown him it so that they could have peace and quiet away from the brats, as she called us then. He took Derek out there.”

Derek shuddered, pressing against Cora’s side.

“We had therapy for years and years. In fact, I think Derek still goes.” He nodded when she patted his arm. “The cops never caught him.” A hard glint came to her eye. “He’s buried out there in the root cellar. Or he was. It’s blocked off now anyway. Our uncle Peter still has five years before he can seek parole.”

That explained why Derek was so shaken. Stiles would be too if an event like what had happened during his childhood had repeated itself.

It also explained his urgency in picking out Stiles and calling attention to the fact that he was with someone. It hadn’t worked to dissuade Kate, but Stiles would make damn sure that it would be her downfall.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing the ring off the night stand next to his bed, “what if we lay a trap for Kate? Make sure the deputies can find her?”

He opened the box. The ring was still intact even if Kate had burned the box itself. Derek looked at the ring. “A proposal?” he asked, weakly.

Stiles nodded. “It’s why she snapped.” Guiltily, he explained about their previous idea of catching Kate when Stiles would propose. Now, things had changed. Kate had escalated far faster than any of them could have predicted. “If we go somewhere public where we can hide a bunch of deputies in the crowd, then we can lure her out and she can be arrested,” Stiles said.

“That could work,” Cora agreed. “We already know that she’s got a bunch of burner phones because she keeps contacting Derek’s phone. We’re trying to run traces on them, but it’s not really working.”

“How would you lure her?” Derek asked. When neither Cora nor Stiles said anything, he huffed. “Is she still contacting Stiles too?”

Stiles checked his phone. He’s gotten a text from each of the burner phones, but he wasn’t paying attention to it, too worried about Derek to worry about himself. Or too arrogant. Trying to keep his mind off what’s already been done to him. “Yeah. I have texts from unknown numbers.”

Cora read a few of them. “She’s definitely threatening to kill you.”

“So, here’s how you lure her: you send a mass text to everyone in your contacts except me or me too, doesn’t matter. It’s not like she knows it. And you say that you’re planning on proposing but you want a flash mob of familiar faces for support.”

Stiles stared at Derek. “That’s brilliant. It just might work.”

“Kate will know that there will be other people there,” Cora butted in. “She might not fall for it.”

Stiles picked out a text and showed it to her. In the text, Kate had described how she was going to flay him open and set his insides on fire. “I don’t think she cares about a crowd. She’ll probably show up with a gun and try shooting.”

“Let me run this plan by the Sheriff. He’ll probably want to get state police involved.”

“Tell them to wear sneakers and no watches. No visible ear pieces,” Stiles said. “I’ve seen enough pictures of undercover cops to know that they’re easily spotted a mile away. They need to blend in. Lives, more than just ours, are at stake if Kate has a weapon.”

“Just hang tight,” Cora said, phone already up to her ear. Someone rapped at the door. “That’ll be Boyd. We’ll call you with details, but just hang tight. Love you, Derek. Like you, Stiles. Don’t worry about anything, and don’t do anything without backup.”

She let Boyd in and hurried away, barking at the Sheriff. Stiles knew his dad would appreciate the information, but probably not the plan. He hoped Cora told him it was Derek’s idea.

Boyd held out his hand, and Stiles surrendered his phone.

Then, because there was nothing else to do, he pushed Derek aside and lied next to him on the bed. Eventually, he managed to drop off to sleep, mostly because Derek turned on his side, put his head on his shoulder, and weighed him down.

It was dark when Stiles woke up, and Isaac was the deputy watching them.

“The Sheriff wanted you to know that the operation has been planned for tomorrow at 1300 hours. He also wants you to know that he loves you and that he and Deputy Hale will be your escorts during the operation.”

Next to Stiles, Derek yawned widely before snuggling back down.

“Can I send the text now?” Stiles asked.

Isaac shook his head. “A text has been sent for you.”

Great, more waiting. And Stiles didn’t even have his sketchpad so he couldn’t exactly distract himself. Something else lost in the fire.

“Thank you, Isaac,” Derek prompted.

Stiles rolled his eyes and dutifully repeated the words. Then, Isaac settled in the corner, staring at nothing in particular. Derek tugged at Stiles’ arm.

“Wanna try spooning,” was all he said when Stiles looked at him. Then, he flopped over, ass pressed against Stiles’ crotch, one of Stiles’ arms over his waist, curled right above his dick. It was surprisingly intimate, especially for someone who possibly was sex repulsed, like Derek, so Stiles worked at keeping his breathing even as he experimentally threw a leg over Derek.

He hummed a little, kicked it back over and then drew it between his own legs. “Better.”

Better for Derek maybe, better for an accidental boner for Stiles. Hopefully Derek wouldn’t mind the imminent erection.

Might as well enjoy the whole experience, Stiles thought a little desperately, dropping his head to nose at the back of Derek’s neck. Derek shivered from the contact but didn’t voice any complaints, so Stiles kept his face there.

He wished it were real, and maybe that was why he didn’t fall asleep again until Derek accidentally rolled out of his arms during the wee morning hours.

~ * ~

Stiles climbed out of his Jeep, his dad hopping out of the passenger seat. Cora was driving Derek’s Camaro with Derek riding shotgun.

Derek looked pale again, nervous. He’d woken up and refused any and all touches. He’d only waved a little when Cora collected him about thirty minutes before Stiles’ dad had shown up with the Jeep.

They’re at the mall, and while a lot of Stiles’ actual contacts had regretfully informed him that they had work or school and couldn’t attend, they wished him the best. The deputies and state police officers had taken Stiles’ advice and were near indistinguishable from the regular shoppers.

“What’s the timeframe again?” Stiles asked his dad, just for something to do.

“You go in, walk around for about ten minutes, and then get to the food court—it’s been shut down for ‘repairs.’ Get on one knee, say something pretty to Derek, and we’ll grab Kate if she’s around. We might get her before then too.”

Stiles had checked his phone in the morning and had a text from one of Kate’s burners: see u there :) so she was definitely aware and at least planning something.

Derek joined them at the entrance where Dad loudly announced his plans to visit that one store that looked like a hunter’s wet dream.

“Turner’s Outdoorsman,” Stiles muttered when he marched off. “It’s called Turner’s Outdoorsman.”

“Might as well be a hunter’s wet dream,” Cora remarked. She glanced around, a casual casing to see if they’d been spotted yet. “I have to get a present for Mom. See you at the meeting place.”

Derek grabbed onto Stiles’ hand as soon as she vanished into the crowd.

“I don’t like this,” he said under his breath.

“Neither do I, but I don’t see another option to getting Kate to stop unless you want to break out your uncle and let him do what he does.”

“There’s an idea.”

“I’m not serious.”

“I wish I wasn’t.”

They walked slowly, window shopping. Derek pointed out a few things that his sisters liked, and a telescope that he wanted. He was saving up for it, and though his job paid well, it sucked so much joy out of his life. “I don’t know that it’s even just Kate,” he told Stiles as they walked past a cluster of deputies, Boyd and Isaac the only ones Stiles can identify, enjoying hot pretzels.

“Those look good,” Stiles said. The deputies had been good about bringing them food, but at the motel, Stiles had been a little too nervous to eat much. Now he’s starving.

Derek wrinkled his nose at the cheese sauce, but he bought a pretzel for Stiles.

“It’s true love,” Stiles declared, dunking his pretzel and stuffing a third of it in his mouth at once.

“Twoo wuv,” Derek began quoting, and Stiles choked on his pretzel. And then, their ten minutes was up.

“Wanna check out the food court?” Stiles asked, false casualness.

Derek shrugged. “Sure, why not? Seeing you scarf that monstrosity actually made me a little peckish.”

They arrived at the food court, and Stiles pretended to be disappointed that it was closed. They could still walk through and sit at the tables, but there was caution tape littered everywhere.

It wasn’t a very romantic spot for proposals, but it was the most open and empty place in the mall right now, plus there were a few pillars that could provide emergency cover if they needed it.

Could also hide Kate, but the undercover officers swarmed the court from all angles. There was nowhere for Kate to hide now.

Derek pretended to be interested in picking up the tape while Stiles pulled out the ring, in a new box, and dropped to one knee. He waited for Derek to notice him, and when he didn’t, he cleared his throat.

Derek turned, and then, suddenly he didn’t seem to be acting anymore. His eyes filled with tears as he stared at Stiles, knelt down in the middle of an empty food court.

“Derek Hale, we’ve been dating for long enough. I know you, and I know you make me happy. I know I never want to see another day without your bright smile and charming wit in it.”

Stiles almost broke down there because he realized that he wasn’t pretending either. If he was really proposing to Derek, these were the words he’d use.

He rambled on a little bit about love and what Derek meant to him, and then he asked, “Will you marry me?”

Derek nodded, almost frantically, all but running to lift Stiles off the ground in a hug. Stiles barely noticed the commotion in the background because he and Derek were kissing. Derek’s wet face was pressed to his, their hands tangled together.

When they finally pulled apart, several of the deputies were hauling away a fighting and snarling Kate Argent. She’d dyed her honey-blonde hair dark brown and a pair of glasses were askew across her face, but it was definitely her.

“We’ll make sure her bail is too high to get out,” Dad promised them. He nodded to the ring. “Congratulations. You’re good for each other. Hope to have you over for dinner soon.”

Cora waved at them too. “I’ll text you later. Give me details, but not too many. I want to be your best man, Stiles.”

Stiles stared after them, a little shocked. “They do know that that was part of the plan, right?” he asked Derek.

Derek plucked out the ring. “Doesn’t matter if it was. It’s real now.” He slid the ring on his finger, admiring it. “You’re stuck with me now.”

Stiles barked out a startled laugh. “I think you’ll find that it is you who is stuck with me,” he countered. Soberly, he asked, “Do you want it to be real? Because Derek, I really do love you. I really would like to marry you. I’ve had too many tastes to say I can give you up. Besides, the agreement was only for a public dumping to get Kate away from you.” He pointed at the retreating group of deputies, Kate Argent in their midst, still fighting. “She’s going to be very far away from you now.”

“How about this answer?”

Stiles turned to Derek because that wasn’t an answer at all, and gets another kiss. A little drier this time until Derek pokes him with his tongue.

“Thought you didn’t kiss people you don’t know well,” Stiles joked.

Derek just grinned at him. “I spooned with you. I took you to my spot to star gaze,” he protested. “If that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”

Stiles took Derek’s hand and led him out to the parking lot. And that ring looked damn fine sitting on Derek’s finger.

 ~ Three Months Later ~

They kept the engagement, did the rounds with the parents and celebrations. They even had a registry for their wedding. Just a few bottles of champagne to toast with. They were also moving in together at the end of the month.

And they had gone on several dates. Derek had even written a full length novel based on Stiles’ webcomic.

Currently, they were out in the preserve, lying on a blanket, Derek’s brand new telescope set up behind them while Derek pointed up at the stars, explaining the constellations again. To Stiles, they still looked like dots, pinpricks in the dark velvet of the night.

He raised himself up on one elbow. “Hey, so what happens when the stars do align? Is there some kind of cosmic energy?”

Derek shook his head. “They’re all dead or dying. They’re so far away, and we won’t know if maybe when they align, it’s because one is killing another, or they’re merging or something. Not for billions of years, anyway.”

“Well, I know what happens on Earth when the stars align.”

Derek glanced at him, raised an eyebrow. “What?” he asked. The little furrow of consternation was beautiful. Derek was beautiful.

Stiles leaned over him and slotted their mouths together. “This,” he whispered into the warmth of Derek’s lips.

For a long moment Derek didn’t move or respond. And then, just as Stiles went to pull away, he dragged him down so that now their legs were tangled. He’d become a lot more bold, more willing to test the waters, as it were.

“You asshole,” he said, smiling. “The stars didn’t align for that.”

“They could have,” Stiles retorted. He could argue his point all night, but he’d rather kiss Derek. And it seemed like Derek agreed with that plan.

On Derek’s finger, the ring glinted as brilliantly as the brightest star. Maybe the stars hadn’t aligned for this, but Stiles thanked them all the same as he managed to make Derek gasp his name to them.

~ End ~

[kaitycole]

Coming Full Circle

Summary: It’s been three years since Drake and Riley were supposed to get married and it’s the day of the royal wedding! Will this one go off without a hitch? Or will bombshells be dropped here too?

This is the finale of My Best Friend’s Wedding.

A/N: Thank you guys so much for coming along for the ride! When I started this with Lonely Liam it was supposed to be a one shot, but so many saw potential and now here we are at the end of the series! This won’t be the last we hear of this universe, I promise! (:

Shoutout to @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore for helping me wrap everything up! (:

Pairings: Drake x MC (past tense), Liam x MC, Drake x Olivia

Warnings: Fluff, ANGST, Slight Violence, Savageness 

Word Count: 3398

Tag List: @liamxs-world@lynn1214@mynameiskaylabella @mrswalkers-blog            @drakelover78 @gardeningourmet @zilch3@speedyoperarascalparty  @umccall71 @mrsdrakewalkerblog @hopefulmoonobject @sleepwalkingelite            @annekebbphotography@jared2612@indiacater @lodberg  @lauradowning29 @dcbbw @araihc-ce @cora-nova @pedudley @custaroonie​ @fromthedeskofpaisleybleakmore @drakesensworld

“We really don’t have to go.”

           “Oh no, we are going. We RSVPed and I had my dress custom made.”

           “It’s a far drive, Livy.”

           “Drake.” He sees flames behind her eyes, knowing he’s already lost the fight.

           “Okay. Okay. I’ll get the bags in the car and then we will leave.”

           “Thank you,” she smiles, climbing in the back of the limo. Most days Drake drives, but since it’s an official royal event, he agreed to being passenger. This would only be their second official royal outing, the first was when they decided to go public about their relationship since the press had already started rumors: Will Lythikos finally have a Duke, was plastered on all the tabloids. She managed to keep the rumors and news away from the palace.

           They have been dating for two years now, she’s impressed by how much Drake knew about court life since he spent most of his life ignoring it. She told him multiple times she’d understand if he didn’t want to continue their relationship, being a Duke was no easy task. He said he would go anywhere for her and take any title he had to. The citizens of Lythikos adore Drake, he really fits in here. She had even bought some land in a neighboring area where Drake could have his own stable for when it was too cold at the duchy.

           Drake slips into the limo and they start their journey to the palace. A place neither have been since the wedding, a little over three years ago.

           She rests her head on his shoulder, dozing off. She has been extra tired lately, the doctor told them it was normal for her diagnosis but Drake still worries.

*          *

           “Ouch!” Riley shouts, the hot curling iron has touched her scalp.

           “My apologizes, Lady Riley,” the maid nods.

           “Don’t do it again. I don’t want to be anything less than perfect today.”

           As Riley looks in the mirror in front of her, her mind takes her back to the last time she had been in this position. This time will be different, this time it’s meant to be. Though I can’t help but wonder where Drake is.

           Letting out a breath, she sees Hana finally appear, “You’re here!”

           The maid puts the curling iron down as Riley stands to hug Hana. Hana takes over curling Riley’s hair and the two chat lightly.

           “Have you heard from Drake?” Riley asks. Hana has recently started her own clothing line and has frequent visits to the states.

           “We’ve texted here and there. He ordered a custom suit not too long ago.”

           “A suit? Drake? Drake Walker? My Drake?”

           Hana gives a disapproving look, “Your Drake?”

           Riley tries to play it off, “You know what I meant.”

           “Yeah, he ordered a really nice formal suit. When I was in Texas, I ran into Savannah who asked for me to design her wedding dress.”

           “Savannah’s getting married?” Riley seriously is out of the loop.

           “Yes. To some ex-boyfriend Chuck. I assume he’s getting the suit for her wedding.”

           Riley absentmindedly plays with her engagement ring. It’s a lot larger than the small and modest one Drake gave her. Her engagement ring from Liam is around 15 carats, probably even larger, and the stone is an extremely rare light pink diamond. She remembers talking to Liam about it, wanting something unforgettable, something eye catching and jaw-dropping. Yet on some days, she misses the light, small oval diamond.

           I’m getting everything I want. The glitz, the glam, but why do I miss what little he had to offer? She shakes her head, as if that can erase the thoughts.

*          *

           “Liam! You excited!?” Maxwell slaps the back of his shoulder.

           “Can grooms get cold feet? Because I think I have them.”

           “Well yeah, everyone’s feet can get cold,” the saying clearly going over Maxwell’s head.

           “I always thought my best man would be Drake, ever since we were children.” Liam looks out the window.

           “Did you invite him?”

           He shakes his head, “I didn’t know where to send his invite. I contacted his mother who said he hadn’t planned a trip to the ranch and I know he’s not been at the cabin.”

           “Maybe he’ll show up,” Maxwell shrugs, “You never know.”

*          *

           “Livy. Livy,” Drake whispers as he brushes hair out of her face, “Time to wake up.”

           “Five more minutes.” She snuggles closer to him.

           “I can just leave you in the car.”

           “You will do no such thing!” She sits up, yawning.

           “Let’s go then,” he chuckles, reaching out for her hand to help her out of the vehicle. She holds tightly to his hand, allowing him to support some of her weight, the doctor said it was normal, but Drake doesn’t like taking any chances.

           There’s ton of people gathering in front of the palace. The press swarming around, looking for who is attending, what they are wearing and who they are with. Olivia planned this, she has purposefully kept her relationship from the palace for this bombshell. She loves Drake, deep down she knows she always has, so she’s not above a little payback.

           Drake isn’t too keen on the idea, with her medical condition, he doesn’t want her stressing out or lashing out, two traits that he admires in Olivia when they aren’t being used against him.

           “We could always slip in the servant entrance, I know the way.”

           “Of course, you do, honey.” She pats his cheek, “We are going through the front.”

           The limo driver begins taking their back out when Bastien runs over, stopping him.

           “I will take these.” He meets their eyes, “Drake. Lady Olivia.”

           “Please, just Olivia, Bas.”

           Bastien likes these two together. On the outside, you wouldn’t see it. You’d see fire and gasoline, oil and water, but if you looked deeper they go together like a hammer and a nail, buttons and bows. Riley and Drake were two jagged broken pieces, trying to force themselves to fit, but Drake is a new man, a better man, with Olivia by his side.

           “Of course, Olivia. I’ll get these to the cabin.”

           “I’ve never been with a guy in a cabin before,” she winks.

           “As much as that tempts me, you heard what the doctor said about overdoing things.”

           She playfully pouts before taking his hand, “You ready?”

           “Always.”

*          *

           “We have Lady Penelope here, wearing a beautiful dress in her house colors.” Ana De Luca smiles into the camera.

           Whispers start filling the area as Olivia’s black dress and hair catches everyone’s attention. All cameras and reporters turn to her immediately.

           “Duchess Olivia! Where have you been?”

           “Olivia, is it true that you’ve been in hiding?”

           “Lady Olivia, where have you been”

           She smiles, taking Drake’s hand before the press erupts in more of a frenzy. Several questions swarm around them before she finally lifts her hand to address the press.

           “Ms. De Luca, please go on.”

           “Wow. Okay, I’m guessing this handsome man on your arm is your boyfriend?”

           She smiles, “Yes, Drake Walker and I are in a committed relationship.”

           “Drake Walker? The one who that Riley left at the alter? The King’s best friend?” A new young reporter starts questioning before Olivia turns and gives her the Nevrakis signature look.

           “I think you meant Drake Walker, total badass. Do NOT attach his name to Riley or Liam again, okay?”

           The young reporter slowly sinks into the crowd, the Scarlet Duchess leaving her trembling.

           Drake notices Olivia is a little out of breath, another symptom of her medical condition, he squeezes her arm before speaking, “I know you are all excited about seeing Olivia, but we really should be getting in.” He helps usher her into the palace, where everyone is rushing around, putting the last touches together.

           “Shall we go take a seat?”

           “First, I need to find Hana, I need to change my dress.”

           Drake knits his eyebrows togethers, “You aren’t wearing this one. It looks lovely.” He glances down at her black dress.

           “It’s bad luck to wear black to a wedding,” she smirks, “Plus the other dress looks better.”

*          *

           “Doesn’t it look lovely Hana!?!” Riley says, gushing at herself in the mirror. Her dress has a dramatic sweetheart neckline and the sleeves rest just below the tops of her shoulders. It has a huge ballroom style skirt and is encrusted in diamonds. Hana thought it was entirely over the top, she was a little hurt that Riley didn’t ask her to design it but after seeing what she picked, she’s glad she didn’t, Hana wouldn’t want her name on that mess. Riley’s hair was down, the curls cascading over her shoulder, just the right amount of makeup and her stunning diamond ring. She finally feels like a bride.

           “Excuse me, Hana?” A maid asks.

           “Yes?”

           “Ms. Nevrakis wants you to help her change into her dress.”

           “Of course! I’ll be back.”

           Nevrakis? Olivia is here? Oh. I assumed she wouldn’t attend since she refused to send a suitor from Lythikos for the social season.

*          *

           “Olivia!” Hana exclaims.

           “Hana!” The two share a quick and short embrace. Hana visited Drake frequently and the three had become rather close, Maxwell even joined the group every now and then.

           “I’m glad that you and Drake could make it,” she smiles.

           “It took a lot to convince him ever since the doctor said I needed to take it easy.”

           Hana smiles, this softer side of Olivia was great, funny how a rough, rugged, calloused man like Drake molded Olivia into a someone who could be sweet as pie. Hana helps Olivia into the custom Hana Lee. It sits off her shoulders, long sleeved, and it’s simple. Perfect for Olivia. The material stretches smoothly over her body, hugging the right places. As a gift for being Hana’s first client, she made a tie from the same material for Drake.

           “Do you think I’ve lost my edge?” Olivia runs her hands down her sides, she loves the soft material.

           “Never. I think being with Drake just enhances you. Just like you enhance the good qualities in him.”

*          *

           “I think you look way better, Livy,” Drake whispers as Riley is ushered down the aisle by Bertrand.          

           “If I ever wear anything that tacky at our wed-“ she freezes, turning her attention back to the ceremony.

           I can’t believe I just said that. We haven’t even talked about that yet, I mean he’s been through so much that last time he had a wedding, an engagement, a relationship, I just hope he didn’t hear me.

           Drake pretends he doesn’t hear her, making sure she doesn’t sit there anxious for the rest of the day. Our wedding. That has a nice ring to it.

           He hadn’t thought about getting married or having a wedding for a long time. But hearing her say that, makes him excited for the future. He gently squeezes her hand, she smiles at him as she rubs her thumb across his skin.

           He looks at the altar, Riley standing there in her diamond encrusted dress. How is that not itchy? Why spend money on that? So unnecessary.

           The ceremony drags on for what feels like forever, he and Olivia both choked back a laugh when they both talked about “waiting forever for each other” and “not having any secrets.”

*          *

           “You ready?”

           “Ready,” Olivia smiles as Drake escorts her to the reception hall.

           Everyone stops, jaws drop and the cameras flash like crazy. Whispers fill the room and it’s not long before Riley and Liam catch the sight of Drake and Olivia.

           Riley turns red with anger, seeing all the attention on Olivia. A pregnant Olivia. A pregnant Olivia clinging on to Drake. Her Drake.

           “Lady Olivia! When are you due?”

           “We are due in September.” Olivia smiles up at Drake.

           “You are about six months along?” Another reporter questions.

           “Yes, I believe around 26 weeks, right Livy?” Drake says and she nods.

           She still couldn’t believe how involved he has been in the whole process. Every time she finishes a pregnancy related book, he picked it up and started it. He was the first to start the name discussion, to start thinking about a nursery theme, and spoke to her belly every chance she got. Olivia knew she was going to have children, that was the only way to continue her family line but she never thought she’d be this happy. Never knew she would be looking forward to having a baby especially with the perfect man.

           “Should we expect pink or blue?”

           “We are waiting to find out.” Drake answers, Olivia is truly amazed by this man. He fought so hard to push court life away, but he can handle himself well. He had truly been underappreciated by everyone, including herself.

           “I don’t see a ring, is another royal wedding in the future?”

           “If I answer that, then I couldn’t surprise her,” he nods towards Olivia who is completely covered in blush.

           “We are planning to have a sit-down interview once we return to Lythikos that will be aired live as well as printed to catch everyone up.”

           “How does it feel to be here with everything that happened all those years ago, Drake?” The same young reporter asks, Olivia looks like she’s going to rip her head off, but Drake prevents her death.

           “If you are asking how I feel about the wedding, I am happy for each other them. If you are asking if I’m bitter, how could I be? I’m here with the woman I love, whose having my child, I couldn’t be bitter when I’m this blessed.”

           The couple walk away from the press, ending up face-to-face with the newly married king and queen.

           “Olivia. Drake.” Riley says, her mouth twisted.

           “Your majesties,” Olivia says, “I’d bow but…” she points at her stomach.

           “No need for those formalities between friends.” Liam smiles.

           Friends, ha. Drake thinks to himself, seeing Olivia is thinking the same.

           “How far along?”

           “My pregnancy or relationship?” Olivia spits back, clearly realizing she’s getting under Riley’s skin.

           Riley just stares Olivia down before Drake speaks up, “Six months pregnant. Two years dating.” He doesn’t direct this at either Riley or Liam, he simply just states it.

           “Moved on pretty quick, eh?”

           Olivia’s face starts twisting up in anger, she has always been protective. It’s her nature, but with Drake it’s different. She’d snap the new queen’s neck without a second thought, “That’s rich coming from you. Don’t you think?”

           “I am the Queen, watch how you speak.”

           “And I control Lythikos. It’s best you don’t end that alliance.”

           Drake shifts his weight between his feet, watching Olivia being protective, territorial, so in charge is actually arousing. It takes all he can not to rush her off to the cabin.

           Liam’s usual stoic expression is gone; not sure to believe Olivia’s threat or not. Scared to know the outcome of either. “Ladies. I’m sure we can all discuss this calmly.”

           “Tell me Olivia, how do you like my sloppy seconds?” Riley hisses at her as she sees Drake’s nostrils flare up with anger and Liam stands in complete shock.

           What has gotten into her today? He wonders about her new bride.

           “Well you know what they say, you have to have a rough draft before a masterpiece,” Olivia winks towards Riley, only pissing her off more.

           “Who do you think you are? I am the Queen of Cordonia, I demand respect!” Riley shouts, several of the other nobles turn their attention to the two couples in the middle of the room.

           “Listen here, you can make all the demands you want, but that little title of yours doesn’t scare me. Your ‘power,’” Olivia uses air quotes, “comes from your husband. My power is my own; it comes from my people, my land, my lineage, Drake and my child.”

           Liam steps forward, holding a hand up, “Lady Olivia, I think that is enough.”

           “Oh, so now we use formalities because you don’t like the truth being said?” Drake speaks in, defending Olivia.

           “I had Drake first!” Riley stomps her foot, frowning.

           “What are you five? You didn’t want me, you didn’t want this. You wanted Liam. You wanted the palace not a cabin. You wanted extravagant not simple. No one is to blame here but you.”

           Riley looks as if someone’s slapped her, maybe she did get slapped by the truth because for the first time, she’s speechless. Finally trying to speak, she ends up stammering before she gets it out, “That didn’t mean you were supposed to have it with someone else.”

           Hearing enough, Drake grabs Olivia’s hand and begins walking out of the ballroom. Liam follows them, trying to convince them to stay.

           “Surely she didn’t mean that. She’s been under great pressure recently. I think this was just a shock to her. It certainly was to me.” His eyes shift nervously between the pair.

           Drake opens his mouth to speak but it halted when Olivia’s hand comes in contact with Liam’s cheek, “How dare you. How dare you defend her when she’s made it obvious she doesn’t’ fully care for you. How dare you question the love Drake and I share when you slept with your wife just moments after her wedding to your best friend was called off. Take the board from your eye before trying to take the splinter from ours.”

           Liam stands there, the whole room giving its undivided attention to the three former friends. Riley quickly rushes over and shoves Olivia, “Don’t ever touch my husband again!”

           Drake steadies Olivia before looking at Riley. His eyes are burning hot, there’s a flame in them that Riley has never seen. As long as she’s known him, of all the stories she heard about him, none described this level of anger before.

           “Don’t EVER touch the mother of my child AGAIN. Is that clear?” He’s standing between Riley and Olivia, completely defensive and protective. Riley feels herself shrink, she didn’t know he was capable of yelling or being angry, he never stood up for her like that before.

           “Don’t speak to my wife like that,” Liam says, squaring up with Drake.

           “it’s not worth it, Drake.” Olivia pulls on his hand.

           “Let’s go,” he talks Livy’s hand and begins walking before stopping, “I’ll have all my things removed from the cabin tomorrow when we leave. After that, you can tear it down. My family and I have no reason to come back here.”

*          *

           Later that night, Drake and Olivia are lying in bed. Drake’s wearing his favorite pair of plaid pj bottoms while Olivia wears the matching button up shirt. They really did piece each other together.

           “I’m sorry,” she whispers to him, her head on his chest.

           “For what, my dear?” He leans his head forward slightly, pressing his lip to the top of her head.

           “I made us come here. I shouldn’t have let Riley get under my skin like she did. I’ve been trying so hard to not be old bitchy Olivia anymore.”

           “Why would you do that? I fell in love with her. She didn’t need to say what she did, you were protecting me, like I protect you and our baby.” He rubs her belly gently.

           “Did you mean what you said? That I’m your family now?”

           “Of course. You and this baby are the most important things to me now.”

           “But this cabin is all you have left of your dad. This is your home.”

           “No, I have the memories in my heart. I have you. I have a child who could end up reminding me of him every day. This is just four walls where most of the memories I have are feeling like I didn’t belong. You and this baby are my home now, no matter where we end up.”

           She snuggles closer to him, inhaling his cologne, the only scent that hasn’t made her nauseous her whole pregnancy. It’s a simple, crisp, clean smell, but it brings her so much comfort.

           He feels her breathing slow, knowing she’s close to falling asleep. He smiles, thinking about doing this for the rest of his life.

           “I love you, Drake.” She says with a yawn.

           “I love you too, Livy.”

[innerpostmentality]

Sometimes Beginnings Start With Goodbye - Part VI - Awakening

This is a TRR AU fan fic inspired by the Choices book series The Royal Romance All rights and many thanks are given to Pixelberry Studios for the use of their characters. Original characters are mine. This fic is written for my friend @tornbetween2loves it started as a birthday fic and has expanded. Please read these stories in order or they won’t make sense. The series links can be found in my Masterlist. There will be more parts to this series. Featuring: King Liam x Queen Giselle, Drake Walker, Dr. Meridoc Finn Rating: M - Erotica and Mature themes, Serious illness, Hospital setting              Word count: close to 2300 Warnings: erotica 18+ only please, depictions of depression, hospitalization, and life threatening illness Tagging: @tornbetween2loves @gardeningourmet @kennaxval @stopforamoment @bobasheebaby @cora-nova @indiacater @hopefulmoonobject @drakewalkerwhipped @texaskitten30 @darley1101 @furiousherringoperatortoad @emceesynonymroll           Liam was pacing agitatedly in their quarters when Giselle got in from her last meeting. “Li? Are you okay?”  He turned and looked at her a frown etched on his features before going to her and wrapping her in his arms and burying his face in the dark silk of her hair. He held her tightly for a long moment before confessing, “I’m… struggling.”  She stroked his back feeling the tension in him as he held her. “I love you.” she murmured before she kissed the center of his chest. “What happened, Love?”  “Drake responded to the new doctor.”  Giselle was confused and she nuzzled into Liam. “That’s great! Isn’t it? Isn’t this what we’ve been hoping for?”  His tone was definitely subdued as he murmured softly, “Yes.”

  Giselle pulled back so she could look up into her husband’s face. She studied his handsome countenance as his frustration had his jaw clenched and etched creases between his brows. She reached up and gently stroked the frown lines between his brows then kissed him softly. “It’s okay for you to want him to have responded to you, Liam.”  He pulled her tight to him and fought against tears in his eyes.   “They practically kicked me out. Virtually told me that he wasn’t responding because he didn’t want to respond to me.   He’s my best friend, my best friend. I’m…   I don’t know what to do, Giselle. What if he hates me? What if all this is my fault?”   She shook her head, “It’s not Li. Don’t do this to yourself. Drake doesn’t hate you. Drake has always loved you. Just as you have always loved Drake.”   “I took you from him. Don’t you see? You were the only woman he has ever loved and I took you from him.”   Giselle leaned back so she could look into his eyes and huffed.   “Stop it! You didn’t take me from him. I wasn’t his. It was my decision.    Drake is a great friend. I will always love him as a dear friend. You are my husband because my heart is one with yours.     I love you Liam. You are my husband. You are the one I want to have babies with. I want to wake up to you snoring in my side. I want the chafe of your morning beard on my neck. I want to sing and dance and share every smile and every tear with you for all my days.” She kissed him gently.    “I really hope that someday Drake will find someone who loves him like I love you. But that’s not me. And it was nothing you did.    I believe we were meant to be. I felt you in my heart the very first time I kissed you on that boat before the Statue of Liberty. You Liam, not Drake, it was always you.”   Liam groaned and scooped her up in his arms carrying her to their bedroom. His voice was filled with aching need, “Giselle,… please my love… I need you so much.”  Desire radiated from him as he laid her on their bed then fumbled to release himself even as he reached under her skirt and found her thong soaked from her passion.    Giselle gasped as his finger stroked through her passion slicked folds before plunging into her. Her back arched with her need and she gasped, “Take me, Li… I’m yours. Only yours.”   The Mediterranean blue of his eyes barely showed around the depths of his passion blown pupils as he pulled her thong aside and buried his achingly hard length deeply in her welcoming passage.    She moaned her pleasure even as she reached to pull his shirt out so she could touch his skin.   His mouth met hers their tongues dancing even as he thrust vigorously into her hot core. He adjusted slipping his arm under her left leg to lift it just enough he could tell she was getting the perfect stimulation. Then her back arched and her inner walls were contracting around him milking him. His body answered releasing so hard it was an ache in his balls and belly. He gasped her name at last finding his voice again.   He held her tightly to him still shaking and rolled to his side, murmuring soft I love yous into her hair.     She kissed him tenderly and smiled gently stroking his tousled curls. “Hey.”        He smiled and rested his forehead on hers. “Hey.”    “Feeling better, my king?”        “Mmmm, hmmm.” He kissed her nose.    “I’ve got an idea…”     He kissed her mouth before she could finish, finally breaking the kiss and smirking at her. “I do too.” He started unbuttoning her blouse.    Giselle giggled. “Great minds think alike I’ve heard.” She started unbuttoning his shirt, then yawned. “I was actually coming up here with designs on a nap before dinner. How’s your schedule?”    “Clear for a few hours. I wasn’t sure how long the hospital would take.” He deftly slipped her blouse off then reached around her to unfasten her bra freeing her from it’s confines then nuzzling the firm globes of her breasts before gently suckling a pert nipple.     “Oww! Careful there. I’m tender.”     At once Liam let go and kissed her sensitive nipple. “I’m sorry Love. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He stroked her cheek tenderly.    She kissed his palm and nuzzled him. “I love you, Li. But I really am so sleepy. And you are waaay over dressed. Can we just nap a bit and I’ll be ready for dinner. I mean wake me for dinner?” She smiled and yawned again. Her eyes drifted closed as he got up to remove the rest of his clothes; and by the time he returned to the bed she was curled up asleep.    Liam looked at his own sleeping beauty for a long moment his heart swelling with his love for her. How he wound up so damn lucky he would never know. And she was right. Drake responding was cause for celebration even if it wasn’t to him.    He chuckled looking at her softly snoozing with her dress pumps still on. Her blue jersey dress skirt bunched up exposing her garter belt and thong.  She was radiantly, effortlessly beautiful to him. His queen.  He gently removed her shoes and she sighed softly but didn’t wake. He undid her stockings and rolled them down her legs kissing her ankles. He loved the way the corners of her mouth lifted even in her sleep as he pressed kisses down her legs undressing her.    Finally when they were both bare he set an alarm on his phone for an hour and pulled a blanket over them spooning around her with a feeling of deep contentment settling over him.                                                    ****      Meridoc woke up with her back and shoulders cramping and the distinct feeling that she was being watched. She had a moment of disorientation with the steady beeping of the heart monitor, the dimmed resting lighting in the room, and the periodic soft burring of the pump on the NG feeding tube. Her hand was still clasped in Drake’s hand as she lifted her head off her asleep arm and groaned softly from her muscles aching in protest from being in the same awkward position for too long.    She blinked, focusing and realized that she was in fact being watched by a pair of very aware dark eyes. She yawned and gave him a soft smile. “Ach, well, hello there Mister Walker.”    “Wha?” his voice was painfully dry and raspy as he tried to ask the woman holding his hand what had happened. He didn’t recognize her. Yet she was holding his hand when he woke up shackled in the hospital bed. He presumed it was the hospital. God in heaven he hurt. At least he felt a little warmer now.   “It’s grand to see you awake. I’m doctor Finn, Meridoc Finn.” She stood with another groan and found the nurse call remote. “Maith liomsa, ach, I’m going to get you some assistance and beg your leave for a bit.”    He squeezed her hand and blinked at tears. He didn’t want her to leave. It was silly and he knew it at some level. But her hand comforted him. Her voice was like a soothing balm that eased him. He knew her voice. It pulled him from the cold darkness that had consumed him. The idea of her leaving wrenched his heart. He moaned and squeezed her hand. “Plea…” He managed a soft raspy whisper that tore at his painfully dry, raw throat.    A middle aged nurse in apple print scrubs came to the door. “Dr. Finn, you called?”   Meridoc smiled at the dark-haired nurse. “Aye. Mister Walker is awake. And I’m in serious need of some relief. Could you please bring me a cup with ice chips and see if there is someone in the waiting room who might come say hello and sit with him for a bit?  Ah, and can you turn up the lights just a notch? Not too bright.” She continued to hold his hand even as she tried to stretch and roll her shoulders to relieve some of the kinks.    Deep compassion shone in her eyes as she looked down into his. “I wager you’re dry and wondering about how you wound up here?”    The nurse brought in a plastic cup of ice chips and Meridoc thanked her. “Mister Walker I’m not leaving but I thought you might like a little moisture. So I’m going to need my other hand for a wee bit.”    His eyes locked with hers and he let her hand go. Tears rolled down his cheeks as her hand left his. He felt foolish as panic washed through him and he curled his empty hand into a painful fist.    She reached out and gently wiped the tears from his cheeks. “Ach there, now. Here.” She ran an ice chip over his lips holding onto it letting it melt and drip into his mouth. “I can’t give this to you with you flat. So I’m going to raise your head a smidge once you are finished with this chip.”   The cool moisture was like heaven to his parched mouth. He didn’t know why her presence comforted him so much. He just knew she was his savior, his angel, giving him strength, making him whole again through all the pain.    After the last drop of the melted chip ran from her finger into his mouth she nodded then went and raised the head of his bed before returning to the head of the bed. She pulled her handkerchief from her pocket and put an ice chip in it then held it a moment to dampen the handkerchief. “Now I’m going to wipe your eyes if you wish and give you this ice chip in your mouth; but you must not try to swallow the chip. Do you understand?”    Her eyes were blue. Heaven blue. And freckles like pixie kisses dusted across her nose and cheeks.  She was telling him that she was going to adjust his bed so he could have some ice. But she didn’t want him to swallow the ice. He understood. “Ye..” It hurt to speak. His voice was a bare whisper but he wanted her to know he was trying.   The nurse led Bastien in as Dr. Finn was carefully wiping Drake’s eyes with her damp handkerchief before she slipped him a piece of ice.     Bastien saw Drake’s look of adoration when he opened his eyes again and watched Meridoc. Bastien noted Dr. Finn’s gentle smile and complete focus on Drake as she slipped him an ice chip then carefully ran the pad of her thumb over Drake’s bottom lip. Bastien blinked the tears that threatened. “Drake! Gie, mou.” He went to the bed as Dr. Finn stepped back. He leaned down taking Drake’s hand, opening it and squeezing it gently.     Drake reluctantly looked away from Meridoc and into Bastien’s love filled face. He blinked feeling the tears run again and squeezed Bastien’s hand back.    “Mr. Lykel, Mr. Walker has been awake for a bit. He’s responding nicely. If you wouldn’t mind sitting with him while I find some food and call my Da I’d be most grateful. I got him some ice chips and he can have one at a time as long as he just lets them melt in his mouth. Only one at a time as long as he’s responsive.”   She looked back at Drake her voice was firm but gentle. “No swallowing ice chips, Mr. Walker. We don’t want you choking around your feeding tube. I’m going to see about getting you some lip balm. You’re doing very well.”    He tried to nod but it made him gaggingly aware of the NG tube down his throat and his eyes widened and watered.    She squeezed his foot through the covers. “Hey, none of that. You two have a nice chat and I will come back soon.”   “Mr. Lykel you might want to tell Mr. Walker how he wound up here. And about all the nice friends waiting for him to get better. With that feeding tube in place he’s going to have a terribly sore throat and possible problems trying to speak but he’s giving good effort. I expect he’ll be needing some rest soon. He seems to rest better when you hold his hand.”    Bastien watched Drake follow Dr. Finn out of the room with his eyes before his gaze came back to him. Bastien knew he was crying and he just didn’t care. For the first time in a week he had real hope. He leaned over and kissed Drake’s forehead. “I was so afraid I was going to lose you, son. You can’t imagine the gray hairs you’ve given all of us. Liam and Giselle flew back as soon as I told them. Liam has been making arrangements for you to be able to recover in the palace. Doctor Finn is part of that. She’s a world renowned physical therapist who’s here to work with you. She was recommended by Doctor Ardes.”    He tried to listen to Bastien, he really did but he was so tired his eyes drifted closed as the comfort of Bastien’s voice and hand holding his lulled him to sleep.                                                                       

[alj4890]

RCD Appreciation Week Day 6 Prompt

(Matt Rodriguez x Addison Sinclaire) with the day's given prompt concerning side characters of Red Carpet Diaries.

(Matt x Addison) A Choices Red Carpet Diaries Fan Fiction one shot

A/N I realized I have never had these two meet in a storyline. I always start them well after they are close. I thought I might spice things up a bit with showing their first encounter and falling for one another. 

@rcd-appreciation​ @hopelessromantic1352​ @lilyofchoices​ @moodyvalentinestories​​ @krsnlove​​ @sunflowergirl05​​ @cora-nova​​

Masterlist

Crushing It

"I can do this." Addison repeated over and over, and what the heck, over once more. She carried a few possible outfits toward a trailer sitting back behind a sound stage.

She took a deep breath and tried to prepare herself at meeting for the first time an actual real life movie star. "Be cool." She commanded herself. "No giggling or drooling allowed!"

Just as she went to knock, the door opened.

OMG!!! HE'S BETTER LOOKING IN PERSON! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!? Her mind screamed at her. "Hi!" Her voice squeaked. "I um..." Say something! Her brain commanded as the part that controled her lips failed to register. You look so stupid right now! Say anything before he figures out what a fangirl you are!

Matt smiled warmly at her. "You must be the new costume designer. Can I help you with those?" He reached over and took some of the hangers from her.

"No, yes, I mean..." She had to tear her eyes from his face. Get it together Sinclaire! "I am the new girl and thank you for helping. I'm Addison."

Oh. My. Look at that smile. And it's directed at me. Brain functions turning to mush. Body slowly melting at his cuteness.

She smiled back at him while walking inside. Matt's trailer was simple in design. The only luxuries were the plush comfortable furniture everywhere, most likely to help recover from strenuous action scenes. Possibly shirtless action scenes.

"Which do you want me to try on first?" Matt asked.

Addison set the clothes down and focused on her new job. She picked some shirt and pant combos then debated on others. Matt's smile grew with her finally becoming less nervous and just a tad bossy.

At one point, she helped him take off a shirt she decided was the wrong color for his golden skin tone. Her fingers brushed against his chiseled abs snapping her back to the fact that she was undressing Matt Rodriguez, the very man she had kept a poster of above her bed in college.

Matt noticed the blush suddenly appear on her cheeks and the slight shaking of her hands. She was reverting back to the one he had first met. He wasn't sure which was cuter on her, the shy nervous miss or the miniature blonde Napoleon.

"Which color do think looks best on me? He asked to help her refocus.

She slowly lifted her eyes up his torso. "Er...mostly warm but there are a few in the cool colors you can wear."

"Isn't every color cool if I wear it?" He teased.

Addison giggled and nearly threw herself out the window when she snorted in a very unattractive way while giggling. Granted it would have only been like a six foot drop, but maybe the bruises would snap her out of this high school crush rapidly developing.

"I think this is the one." She handed him a snug dark blue t-shirt. The soft material outlined every aspect his trainer had made him work on.

"Wow." She mumbled. Her eyes met his and she blushed some more. "Are you allowed to eat carbs?" Why don't you just blurt out every thought? Perhaps throw in a couple of embarrassing stories from childhood next time.

"Allowed? No." His lips curved into a sheepish smile. "But I dream about them every night."

Addison nearly doubled over laughing at his exaggerated longing expression. He mocked being hurt at her making light of his passionate love for breads and pastas.

"When the movie is finished, I promise to take you out for an all you can eat carb night on the town." Her smile glowed with how easy it was becoming to talk to him. His ability to make fun of himself made him so incredibly adorable.

"You know I am going to hold you to that." Matt walked over to a calendar he had on the wall. "Phil promised me that we should be done shooting in another six weeks." He circled the week in red and wrote PDA across it.

"PDA?" Her blue eyes widened.

"Pasta Date with Addison." He told her with a wink. There was a knock on his trailer door for him to come to the set. "Thanks again for taking the time to find me clothes that don't make me look like some run of the mill action star. Most that have handed me outfits in the past did not even try to see what works best. They just threw a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt at me."

Addison smiled proudly. "You're the first person I've gotten to dress since I graduated. I can't have you look like everybody else."

"I'm you're first? But you act like you've done this before!" His smile glowed as he encouraged her on his way out. "See you soon, Addison."

She gathered the discarded clothes and followed him out. The director's assistant complimented him on how he looked for a scene. Matt gave Addison all the credit without realizing she was a few steps behind him. She wanted to drop the clothes and hug him for being so sweet.

"And I thought I loved him before I met him." She said to herself. "

______________

Four years later...

"Matt, will you hurry up! I've got three other people to dress." Addison reached over and quickly began to unbutton the packet of buttons on his pants.

"Sorry. I've never worn period clothing before and am having trouble figuring it out." He mumbled while pulling a shirt over his head.

She shook her head while pulling his pants down.

"Addison!" He ripped the shirt off. His hair was sticking out at odd angles. "Could you wait a minute and let me do that?"

"I've seen you in your underwear before." She muttered. "We've been friends like forever. I promise not to ogle you."

Matt squirmed at her hands helping him undress. This was the only part he hated about working with her. He knew one day his body was going to betray how he felt about her. Removing his pants was something she didn't need to do unless she planned on changing their relationship status.

Addison gathered the clothing and grinned at the blush covering his cheeks. He is such a sweetheart. He is still so modest after all this time. She loved working with him. He made the days so much more fun.

"I'll be back to help you dress for the next scene." She promised, leaving before he had a chance to tell her that wasn't necessary.

He groaned and collapsed face down on the couch in his trailer. Doing a historical romance was more challenging than he anticipated. Thomas was teaching him so much about the depth of subtly in acting. Holly had written a screenplay he found interesting. Addison had created costumes that were already garnering nominations. He loved the fact that he was working with both actors and behind the scenes people that were his true friends.

But Addison was also a little something more. She just didn't know it yet. His crush had grown over the years to love. Needing her assistance more so than usual to dress in these elaborate military outfits was going to end up ruining their friendship. He needed to confess his feelings and be done with it.

Addison walked in on Victoria going through some lines with Holly. She eyed the glittering ice blue silk ballgown and nodded in approval. Everything was where it was supposed to be.

"Need anything?" She asked.

Victoria grimaced. "Will you check on Chadley. He thought a cravat was a type of carrot. His disappointment will ruin the next scene."

Addison choked back a laugh as she backed out of the dressing room. Holly caught up with her a few moments later.

"I see Matt's clothes clutched lovingly in your arms." Holly teased. "Finally got him naked, huh?"

"Holly!" Addison hissed checking to see if anyone overheard her.

"Please. We all know." Holly rolled her eyes. "You started crushing on him when you crossed the California state line."

"I did not." Addison protested. It happened...huh. It was when she came here for college.

"You did too." Holly corrected. "And if I were a lady who bets, I would bet a large amount that you're feelings would not be unwelcomed."

Addison was as red as the jacket she held. "Look, my feelings for Matt are perfectly fine in the friend zone."

"Really?" Holly narrowed her eyes. "So it wouldn't bother you that Victoria ran into Pippa Majors and she plans on stopping by the set later for a visit?"

"Why would that bother me?" Addison asked.

"Because she specifically asked if Matt would be here."

"Oh." Addison's shoulders drooped.

"Good thing you don't mind her coming. I think she is going to ask him to be her plus one to Marcus's wedding." Holly studied her friend closely for a spark of temper. She hoped her prodding would spur her into action.

"I...I gotta check on Chadley." Addison hurried away.

____________

A few hours later...

"Hey Holly. Have you seen Addison?" Matt asked. "She promised to help me dress for the next scene."

"She must still be with Chadley." Holly glanced at the handsome actor taking a sip of water. "I think they make a cute couple."

Matt spit his water out. He coughed, apologized to the poor grip he spit on, and cleared his throat. "What?"

"I think Chadley has a crush on her." Holly continued innocently. "Addison thinks he is a sweetheart. I think they could possibly be together if I encouraged them both."

Matt was adamantly shaking his head. "No. They would not be good together."

"Why not?" Holly ignored the look Thomas gave her as he overheard their conversation. "They are both genuinely kind. Chadley might be lacking in the brains department but he is a very handsome guy. Addison is as sweet as she is cute. I can't think of two people more meant to be together."

Matt paled. He caught a glimpse of Addison squeezing Chadley's hand as she left his trailer. Whatever he said had her smiling and waving goodbye.

Holly followed his gaze and prodded some more. "Can you think of a better match for her?"

"I..." Matt's usual pleasant expression hardened as he walked off without another word spoken.

"Nicely done." Thomas remarked as he passed his notes to her.

Holly grinned. "I thought so too."

______________

Another hour after that...

Matt paced his trailer. Thoughts and possible outcomes flickered through his mind, angering him. "Come in." He barked.

Addison paused in the doorway. "You okay?"

"Yes." He snapped.

Her crystal clear blue eyes reflected the shock and slight hurt she felt over his tone. "I'll just leave these here."

"Addison, wait." Matt rubbed his hands over his face. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you." He sat down, motioning for her to join him

She came back in and gently rubbed his back. "What's wrong?"

Matt swallowed nervously. "I'm in love."

NO!!! NOT PIPPA! Her brain screamed. "Oh? That's...that's great."

"No it isn't." Matt muttered. "She doesn't feel the same."

"I bet she does." Addison rolled her eyes. That jerk Pippa is probably playing hard to get.

"She likes Chadley." His eyes focused on her face.

"Who would ever choose Chadley over you?" Addison covered her mouth at her own outburst. "Don't get me wrong he is a sweetie, but seriously...I mean, have you met you? You're literally the best guy ever. You got it all. The body, the heart, the brains...you're the whole package, Matt. If Pippa can't see that, then she is a bigger idiot than I thought."

Matt nearly whooped with relief until she brought up Pippa. "What does Pippa have to do with anything?"

"Aren't you taking her to Marcus's wedding?" Her puzzeled expression caused his own.

"No. I had planned on asking you to go with me, but I didn't want to interrupt the time you could be spending with Chadley." His puzzlement grew as her brow furrowed even more.

"Why would I do that? Don't get me wrong I like him as a friend, but he is better in small doses." Addison slowly smiled. "You were going to ask me to be your date for the wedding?"

Matt's sheepish grin appeared. "Yeah. Would you like to go with me?"

"Yes, I would." She wondered if he realized how close he was to her now.

Matt leaned even nearer. "Would you like to have dinner with me after the shoot?"

She nodded, lowering her eyes to his lips.

They barely brushed her cheek. Matt's arms wrapped around her as he ever so slowly kissed her.

Her touch was just as gentle. Her mind though...well...

"GET SOME GIRL!"

[cinephiled-com]

New Post has been published on Cinephiled

New Post has been published on http://www.cinephiled.com/interview-costume-designer-anna-robbins-returns-us-sumptuous-downton-abbey/

Interview: Costume Designer Anna Robbins Returns Us to Sumptuous ‘Downton Abbey’

Like many diehard fans, I was beyond excited when I heard that Julian Fellowes’ popular British TV series Downton Abbey was following its six-season run with a full-length feature film. Taking place between 1912 and 1925, the television series had introduced us to the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants who lived together in an incredibly grand Yorkshire home called Downton Abbey. Throughout the series, the Crawleys and their servants snaked their way through many of the big historical events of the early 20th century. As the film picks up the story in 1927, the Crawleys and their intrepid staff are preparing for one of the most important experiences of their lives: a royal visit from the King and Queen of England. This exciting experience will ultimately unleash scandal, romance, and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance.

Among the joys in revisiting these beloved characters is seeing the amazing work of costume designer Anna Robbins (Emmy-nominated for her work on the series) which is even more spectacular on the big screen. This is a time just beyond the Gilded Age, entering the modern one, which is reflected in great detail in the costumes from Dowager Countess of Grantham Violet Crawley’s (Maggie Smith) pastel, formal Edwardian garb to the more flapper-friendly styles favored by Lady Mary and Lady Edith (Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael). For the latter pair, the silhouettes and color schemes reflect their outlook – Lady Mary in more angular blacks and whites for instance, and a beautiful gold flowing 1920s gown for Lady Edith, a gorgeous use of fabric and pattern and color where you can really see the texture and detail. I loved sitting down for a chat with the talented Anna Robbins about her work on the film, even if I did feel painfully underdressed.

Danny Miller: I so loved being with these characters again. And as far as I’m concerned, your work is one of the most important stars of the film. It was already so gorgeous on the TV series but am I correct in noticing that it all seems ramped up a bit for the movie?

Anna Robbins

Anna Robbins: Oh, yes, it is definitely ratcheted up a notch! We set a high bar for the show, with all the departments really pushing to elevate everything, but I think watching it on television we all thought it could be even bigger. And then along comes the opportunity to make it literally bigger which was so much fun to do.

I know, I just wanted to stare at the threads on the fabric seeing all those beautiful clothes on the big screen.

Yes, which is exactly what made it so challenging since I people would be able to see the threads and the quality of the craftsmanship in such detail. I like to use as many originals as possible and those had to be of a very high quality to withstand that scrutiny.

Wow, how on earth do you find 90-year-old dresses that are in good enough shape to look new?

For women’s wear I’d say it’s about half and half. I use more originals in evening wear because those dresses were often carefully preserved and they weren’t the kind of things to be worn every day so they haven’t worn out. Some pieces do require restoration, of course, and if it can be done to a very high standard, we do it but sometimes the fabric is simply too fragile so I might be able to re-imagine it as something else or take the fabric and rework it somehow. It’s a combination of a lot of things, but yes, I really had to raise the bar for the film and make everything even more sumptuous.

And, of course, this film includes the royal visit, so I’m sure that storyline also ramped things up.

Yes, that definitely upped the ante but it also meant you weren’t going to be exploring the most up-to-the-minute risky trends in women’s wear because there’s a very specific elegance and classicism to how you would dress to meet a royal.

I would imagine that you get to know these characters better than almost anyone. Do you have to think beyond the script to the whole of their personal histories? For example, Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) having been raised in America, do you think that influences her clothes?

Oh yes, where they came from is very important. The wardrobe’s got to say as much about the past as it does about the present day. It’s a very intimate process as well, working with an actor to find that characterization and it becomes a very important tool for them. But I have gotten to know the characters really well which meant I had a shorthand when I went onto the film that allowed me to work at pace right from the beginning without needing to do the huge amount of research that I did when I first came on board.

Shorthand like you could see something and think, “Oh, Lady Mary would never wear that.”

Yes. At this point I can walk into a vintage shop and see a Lady Edith dress across the shop and know it’s going to work.

Lady Edith is someone who really interested me in this film because, as we know, she had a big change at the end of the series. It did seem like her new status was reflected in her clothes.

I think Edith had one of the biggest journeys of anyone throughout the series. I remember in Series 5 her wardrobe was very restrictive and pared back, very autumnal colors during the period when she was estranged from her daughter and just very low emotionally. Then in Series 6 she literally blossoms as a human and finds her identity and she’s suddenly in this literary world so I created this London working woman’s wardrobe which was very different from her estate wardrobe. It still felt like the same person but she was far more adventurous and bold in her choice of prints and color.

You can literally see her self-confidence change over the course of the series and it was amazing to watch how her physical appearance reflected that.

Yes, I loved dressing her. And now in the film it was important that we didn’t lose that sense of style she had found even though now she’s no longer a magazine editor in London, she’s the Marchioness of Hexham and outranks all of them. So we took everything that she’s learned about herself including her self-assuredness and sense of style and moved it up into the position that she’s in now. But still always focusing on the level of craftsmanship in the textiles, it might be embroidery, it might be devoré, it might be printed silk. There’s always some sort of interesting surface to the fabrics that I use for Edith.

Was there at all a touch of rubbing her new status in Mary’s face with her clothes at all? A bit of showing off?

I don’t think so because I don’t think Edith has an ego like that. And she and her husband are very modern in their approach to their high positions. Remember — they arrive at Downton without a nanny. They call themselves “modern folk.”

I guess just the fact that she’s happy now is enough for her to stick it to Mary.

(Laughs.) Yes, exactly. I love dressing the two of them in their scenes together. Even when they weren’t at each other’s throats, there’s always a contrast, I always look to create some kind of dichotomy between them. Their dresses should always work with each other but create a nice contrast. And, of course, as individuals they’re very different.

I know the film takes place in 1927, which is a few years after the series ended, but do you have to think about certain characters like Violet (Maggie Smith) who may hold on to past styles in some way?

Well, Violet is a Victorian/Edwardian lady and that will never change. But the fabric choices may change. Where she once wore a fabric with an Edwardian pattern, that may become more art deco. You’re always looking for different micro trends that affected clothing manufacture, the way they were put together. And her jewelry might go from being more square cuts to show more modernity. I like to find ways to show that sense of modernity without changing her very recognizable silhouette.

Dame Maggie Smith

Did you know that there was a movie coming as the series was ending? Were things saved in a different way than they might have been otherwise?

No, we didn’t know. We hoped, but nothing was certain back then. Luckily, the main jeweler I worked with wasn’t organized enough to disband the collection and use it in other things so it was mostly intact.

Plus, the series was so popular, you could take the whole collection on the road!

Yes, we did work on a touring Downton Exhibition over the years so we’ve always been aware that there’s a life for the costumes after filming whether or not they ended up in a new film. But really getting to create new costumes for these wonderful characters was just a hypothetical dream that has thankfully now come true.

We’re talking so much about the women and my first instinct is to assume that costuming the men isn’t as interesting, but then I see their gorgeous clothes on the big screen and I’m totally fascinated.

Oh God, I love working with the men, I love tailoring. If you get that right, everything just looks so good. And the fabrics are fantastic. I was talking about using original pieces with the women, but it’s very rare that you’ll find any originals that you can use with the men.

Because men back then wore their clothes so much more often and they just wore out?

Yes, exactly, they just haven’t lasted. But the bits we do find are wonderful references for the cut and shape and how the pieces are constructed. I also work to make sure the men’s clothes complement the women’s and that all the scenes work together in composition. But the detailing in the menswear is just wonderful. And if you look closely in the film, the men change as often as the women do. I think Robert changes four times on the day that the Kind and Queen come to Downton. I was even able to design new dress uniforms for the livery staff with the Crawley insignia in the fabric, it was wonderful, those beautiful green tailcoats with silver frogging and lacing with the white breaches and stockings. Just brilliant.

Matthew Goode, Michelle Dockery, Allen Leech

So incredible. And then you leave work and go out into London and see people dressed like I am right now — it must be so depressing!

(Laughs.) I mean, I’m sure it was very hot and uncomfortable at times, so it’s good that we’ve moved forward, but those clothes do look so fabulous and I’m glad I get to spend such a huge proportion of my life with them!

Is designing for the servants more of a case of strict research on what the staffs of big houses would be wearing in 1927?

Well, there is lots of research and looking at what would have been worn but then you design touches for each character. For example, there is always a sort of very subtle floral pattern within the silk for Anna. And it may be more geometric for Baxter, with a more complicated cutting technique since Baxter is a dressmaker.

Is the implication that the servants would be mending their own clothes?

Yes, to some extent, so you’re going to see differences. They’re all designed to the character and to make them identifiable even if there’s a common look.

Lesley Nicol and Sophie McShera

I imagine at the first fittings for the film it must have been heavenly for the actors to slip back into these costumes to get back into character.

It was wonderful seeing them literally step back into their characters’ shoes. And it’s always been a very collaborative process working with them. It’s a joint effort to find the right looks. I lead it, for sure, since I have an overview of how the whole thing has to look and I know what’s going to work together in each scene such as they’ve got to start off in this setting which may be against red and then move into this room which might be green.

Oy, that seems like so much to keep track of. And it’s not like in real life we ever know the colors of every room we’re going to walk into!

Exactly, but I have to create these huge charts that allows me to painstakingly keep track of all those different elements. I work very closely with the director, production designer, the DP, and the actors. I have to think about lighting and how the colors are going to behave on camera.

I remember reading about the making of Gone With the Wind and how Selznick and costume designer Walter Plunkett tortured the actors with real corsets and other undergarments from the period even though they would never be seen. Are you a stickler period detail as well?

I am all about what makes the right silhouette but I might make the garments worn under the costumes more comfortable than the originals might have been. Remember, they didn’t have the luxury of stretch materials! Unless you actually see the underwear, as you do in some scenes in the film, then I absolutely insist on the real thing, of course.

Of course, the 1920s were more kind to women than previous eras in terms of undergarments.

Absolutely. You had underwear then that created a more boyish silhouette which could still be confining for some. But I also find that actors are quite keen to use whatever underwear creates the foundation that makes the clothing look more authentic and therefore more believable. And sometimes the underclothes affect posture and even the way you speak. I think it’s worth noting that while the girls lost the corsets, the gents were still wearing stiff-collared shirts full of starch with starch-fronted shirts. These are very uncomfortable, and you shouldn’t even be able to get a finger down the collar. So, rest assured, I still put the actors through the ringer.

I used to love the original Upstairs, Downstairs before Downton Abbey and I remember the actors talking about how they tended to be treated differently on set depending on what class they were playing. I remember Jean Marsh, who played the parlourmaid Rose, once said to the people on set, “Hey, I created this series, why is everyone treating me like I’m not as good as Lady Marjorie?” Did you ever notice anything like that on your set?

Oh, that’s funny. No, I wouldn’t say so. We were really like one big family and very equal. I think something the downstairs characters might get a bit of envy in terms of all the beautiful fabrics and costumes that the upstairs characters got to wear, but by the same token the upstairs characters had to do fittings week upon week upon week. The downstairs characters had a much easier time of it pre- and post-filming where they could just get into their cars and leave whereas I had to drag Lady Mary to do the fifth fitting that week for a new dress that she was wearing the following week.

I do feel inspired by your magnificent clothes in this film. As God is my witness, I want to start dressing better!

Go for it! The thing is, a bespoke suit can be very comfortable because it’s been made specifically for you. It molds to your body.

Thanks so much for chatting with me. I’m excited about all the Downton Abbey frenzy I’m seeing. This is definitely the movie that we need right now in this country, if you know what I mean.

Oh, trust me, we need it right now in the UK, too!

[jovialyouthmusic]

The ABC of Love by Cora-Nova

Original ABC for OTPs

created by @cora-nova

OTP pairing - Drake Walker and OC Princess/Queen Charlotte of Cordonia

Romantic ABC of Drake and Charlotte

A – Anniversaries. They have many – when they shared s’mores, their first kiss, first assignation – but the one they like to celebrate every year is the time at Applewood when Charlotte forgave Drake for being an ass and realising that she could choose him as her consort.

B – Beliefs. Drake is more of a humanist and that you should make use of the life you have. Charlotte is romantic and believes in fate and reincarnation. Drake laughs at this and says he’ll come back as a peacock and chase Maxwell through the grounds of Beaumont Manor.

C – Collectables. Charlotte collects mementoes such as a flower from every bouquet Drake has ever given her – which doesn’t amount to many as he’s not really into flowers – a lock of her mother’s hair, a pen that belonged to her father, and of course the cartridge on a chain that Drake gave her that was left over from his first shooting lesson with his father. Drake collects whiskey, though he doesn’t drink it very often since they got married.

D – Drinks and food. Growing up in the Royal Palace and travelling the world on many State visits, Charlotte has sampled many dishes from all over the world, but her favourite thing is to order pizza and eat it with Drake in his room high up in a turret that he occupied as a young man. Drake likes anything that doesn’t need cutlery to consume. Except for sushi…

E – Exercise. They both love riding, and regularly go out on Sultan and Phoenix. They first bonded over horses when they met at the age of eight. Drake practices Ju Jitsu and Karate, and Charlotte does Tai Chi and Yoga. They often try out each other’s disciplines, and Drake cannot work out how Charlotte’s Tai Chi can often overcome his karate moves.

F – First. So many firsts to choose from! Drake is especially proud of their first dance at their wedding reception, as he managed not to tread on Charlotte’s toes or bump into anyone. Charlotte remembers their first time in the gardener’s hut with fondness, when Drake first ‘made her feel like a woman’ without compromising her virginity.

G – Gold. Well, being Queen and Consort means they don’t have to worry about money – but Charlotte does, as she is responsible for the wealth and wellbeing of a whole country. Drake has never really wanted much and doesn’t worry about it, before he became consort his  attitude was if he couldn’t afford it he could do without it. Now he’s a kept man he doesn’t make extravagant demands and always budgets scrupulously when making alterations at the Manor at Valtoria.

H – Home. Cordonia is the only home Charlotte has ever had, and Drake can barely remember the ranch in Texas where he grew up before moving when he was eight. As the Royal Couple they have many homes – The Palace, a wing at Applewood, Valtoria Manor. But home is simply where the other one is.

I – Issues. The only issues they have with each other involve other people. Charlotte’s judgement of Kiara was pretty spot on, as when she had the opportunity to do so, she pretty quickly made a pass at Drake – and worse. In turn, Drake had a bad feeling about Anton round about the same time he really started to make a bid to become consort. Inf fact, both Kiara and Anton’s actions toward Drake and Charlotte respectively were almost identical. Otherwise they are very much in tune with each other and agree on most things.

J – Jolly Joker. Drake has a very dry sense of humour and most of his jokes are suggestive and feature double entendres. Charlotte loves Maxwell’s sense of humour even though the young man is very different to her true love. Her jokes are sweet and innocent, she doesn’t like dirty jokes.

K – Kids. They want to wait a little while before they get down to producing an heir – though Drake says ‘practice makes perfect’ so they take the opportunity whenever they can. Drake secretly wants a little girl, a princess to shower with affection. Being an only child, Charlotte wants at least two, if not three, and of course is expected to produce a male heir – though she is fast proving that Queens are just as powerful and effective as a King.

L – Look. Charlotte always looks the part in public, elegant and understated and wears the work of Cordonian designers such as Ana de Luca, but behind the scenes her dress is very informal and practical. When alone in their suite, she loves to walk around in just panties and one of Drake’s denim shirts. Drake thinks the panties are unnecessary. His style has always been casual, but he scrubs up well and is always presentable at official functions. The second he is able, any restricting clothing is taken off as quickly as possible.

M – Media. Having such an important public role, all Charlotte’s online accounts are vetted and composed. The only exception is What’sApp, so she can keep in touch with her friends. Drake can’t understand all the fuss about social media and is pretty much a Luddite when it comes to anything except texting. He’s not even keen on console games – he’d rather be out in the fresh air or doing something practical. He has been known, however, to have a Movie night in with Charlotte and secretly loves romantic films. Westerns and Action movies are his ‘official’ preference.

N – Network. Charlotte is of course very good at making people feel at ease, and is an accomplished diplomat in her own right. She comes across as warm and friendly whilst commanding respect. Drake is still learning how to present himself, and generally stays in the background. He is however very effective on the newly merged Council of Citizens and Nobles, and is passionate about matters that affect the ordinary citizens of Cordonia.

O – Obligations. Charlotte’s life as a young Queen was one of service to her people and she fully expected to have a marriage of convenience. In order to lessen the burden on any of her heirs and to keep pace with modern life, she is slowly handing over more power to the Councils and cutting down on lavish and unnecessary ceremonies, parties, balls and such like. Now Drake is Consort and has a Duchy of his own, he is dismayed at the number of obligations he has accumulated – but he is conscientious and excellent at delegating and nothing is neglected.

P – Pampering. Nothing is too much for Charlotte, Drake sees to her every need, even if that need is only a hug and a foot massage after a hard day in endless meetings, or ordering pizza in his turret room, or making up a hot water bottle when she has period cramps. She wants for nothing in the bedroom and neither does he. He secretly loves manicures and pedicures, and is an excellent masseur. She personally nurses him if he is ever ill – which is rare, so he always thinks he is dying when he has a cold.

Q – Questions. They have no secrets from each other – not one.

R – Routine. They always have breakfast together, and if they happen to be apart, they will set up Skype and set their phones on the table as they eat. If they are together, of course they eat their evening meal together – perhaps not always alone, but at bedtime they close the door to the world and enter their own world.

S – Sensuality. They are totally in tune physically, and fulfil each other’s needs whenever they can. Charlotte has always  had a high sex drive round about the time she is ovulating, and calls on Drake’s services more than normal then, and he is more than happy to oblige. They are well matched as far as libido goes, but they are used to being discreet – most of the time. It’s a good job the walls of the Palace are thick and the rooms large and well spaced out. The guards who stand outside the Royal Suite and some of the maids often hear odd noises but if you were to ask them, their lips are sealed.

T – Together. Some nobles expressed dismay at Charlotte marrying outside the nobility, but together they represent the Queen’s commitment to catering for the needs of all her citizens, noble or common, and the barriers between the two are rapidly breaking down – in a good way.

U – Ups and Downs. Charlotte is fond of roses and spends some time in the gardens supervising their cultivation. Drake’s passion is horses, and he spends much time at the stables. He is very proud of Phoenix’s new foal, sired by Sultan. The only thing that really depresses Charlotte is injustice and poverty, and she is passionate in her attempts to alleviate both. Drake dislikes long stuffy meetings and nobles who think they are better than everyone else. Neville Vancoeur represents pretty  much everything he hates, and he wishes he could award him the role of ambassador to Greece – if only he hadn’t offend the delegates from the word go, he’d have him reside there, so he has to put up with him for now.

V – Vacation. The world is pretty much their oyster, having access to the Royal jet, but Charlotte is conscious not only of the expense of using it, but she is a keen conservationist so short holidays are spent in private in a cabin in the wooded hills of Valtoria unless she is making a State visit and can arrange to stay for a few extra days. They rarely have time for a ‘proper’ holiday anyway so make do with the odd day or long weekend.

W – Wedding. There was of course a small private ceremony in Texas to accommodate Drake’s mother who couldn’t travel to Cordonia for the big state occasion. Both of the happy couple preferred the simple ceremony to the huge public televised event, even when Maxwell, as officiant, tried to arrange karaoke for the reception.

X – Exes. Drake slept his way through the entire court, barring Kiara, and most of the Palace staff too. When he went for therapy after his ordeal at Kiara’s hands, he realised it was all because he couldn’t have Charlotte, the only woman he ever loved. The only other outlet Charlotte ever had was Brad, who showed her his oral skills, and she made an attempt with Anton but couldn’t get past a kiss, as he accidentally called her his sweet princess which was Drake’s pet name for her. That was of course a lucky escape…

Y – Yelling. Drake’s temper is mercurial and he has a hard time reining it in. When he loses it, he loses it. Charlotte can calm him instantly. She is rarely angry, and when she is, it’s well deserved but hers is a quiet rage that reminds Drake of her father.

Z – Zoom. These two go back a long way and met when they were eight years old. They have so many positive memories, and can’t imagine a future without each other.

@ao719 @agent-bossypants @andy-loves-corgis @sleepwalkingelite @boneandfur @blackcatkita @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicescommunity @darley1101 @drakewalkerrosenberg @debramcg1106 @fluffy-marshmallow-heart @goirishsunshine @gardeningourmet @livingthroughchoices @likethetailofacomet @mrs-nazario @mind-reader1 @ooo-barff-ooo @silviasutton1989 @speedyoperarascalparty @zaffrenotes @missevabean @mrsdrakewalkerblog @cora-nova @missameliep @tanelle83 @endlessly-searching-for-you @jlouise88 @drakenazario @tabithacarlisle @furiousherringoperatortoad @notoriouscs @classylady1234 @wickedgypsymoon @carabeth @choices-fangirl @indiana-jr @indiacater @noey718-blog @katedrakeohd @bobasheebaby @annekebbphotography @kennaxval @sirbeepsalot @drakeandcamilleofvaltoria @aworldoffandoms @iplaydrake @drakesensworld @drakewalkerisreal @samcpossum @melodyofgraves

[theonceoverthinker]

OUAT 2X12 - In the Name of the Brother

Brother (Or sister, or any other sibling, real or metaphorical), can you spare the time...to read my latest review?

Great! Head below the cut!

Press Release Dr. Whale is tasked with mending Hook’s wounds and performing surgery on the stranger whose car crashed upon entering Storybrooke. But some of the townspeople fear that the stranger may have seen magic – which could expose their true identities to the world – and think that leaving him to die would be the best solution. Meanwhile, as Mr. Gold tries to reunite with a despondent Belle, Cora attempts to reunite with daughter Regina; and in the land that was, Victor desperately wants to prove to his disapproving father that he can, indeed, bring back the dead. General Thoughts - Characters/Stories/Themes and Their Effectiveness Past This is one of the most visually appealing segments in the entire series. The World of Black and White is such a crazy concept, but it absolutely rocks. The style and the use of color make it so hard to forget and it really makes for a world that feels like none other, something that the other realms aren’t always able to do. And when Rumple appears, it’s such a contrast. Like, had this not been done so carefully, the mix of a technicolor Rumple in a world like this would’ve looked sloppy, but instead, it’s as every bit as magical as one could imagine or want it to be. I also like how the acknowledgment of this distinction is never too much of a distraction for the characters. Rumple (And his gold) definitely pops out from the rest of the crowd, but they never stop to think about that in terms of the schematics of their world. I’m glad about this because it doesn’t invite a feeling of distraction away from the story. Finally, let’s talk about music because the music here definitely delivers on the dark gothic atmosphere of the world, and it starts to blend with our world as Rumple shows up. As for the story itself, it’s pretty basic -- good, but basic. It’s essentially a darker “Aladdin” and a gentler Frankenstein story mixed in to one. And it’s cool! Really, it is! The unique take on Frankenstein is cool and having Rumple be what amounts to a jerk genie in it gives a fun spin. However, there’s not that much that’s worth touching upon apart from the style. Present So, the present segment finds itself pretty divided among our main cast and as mixed as the plotlines get, so are my impressions of them.

Emma and co don’t really have much of a story, per se, but act as passive reactants to everything else at play, and to be fair, that’s the most that could be expected of them in this scenario. I found that the debate over whether to let Greg live or not compelling enough, but thankfully not made to be such a big deal, especially when the main players generally don’t harm innocents. Still, it was nice to have Grumpy and Gold to list off the problems that Greg’s existence could present as something to think about (And to be fair, I guess it was something to do before the crazed Plot Hole Police arrived to badger A&E over for years, if they hadn’t already at this point).

Watching Regina and Cora interact is the most uncomfortable thing in the world, and I mean that in the best way possible. Cora, whether true in her love for Regina or not, still manages to squirm her way into Regina’s heart where she knows she’s unwelcome. It’s honestly sinister seeing her apologize for things that we know she doesn’t mean (Making Regina marry Leopold and framing her for Archie’s “death”), but eventually convince Regina regardless. And to Regina’s credit, Cora only gets him by plucking the nerve of her most recent dilemma: Earning Henry’s trust back. Seeing Regina cradling in Cora’s neck is so awful, like seeing a spider ensnare her prey.

Finally, what the hell brought on Whale’s bout into depression? I guess it was seeing the watch which reminded him of his brother, but he was clearly drinking before he got the watch, so what gives? Was is because he couldn’t get sent back to his realms a few episodes ago because that wasn’t even in the “Previously On” section? Like, I’m sorry, but we see Whale on the verge of committing suicide. That’s a serious topic to show, especially for the very real way that Whale attempts it. There needs to either be more of a focus on Whale’s present situation to get to that point. I will say, there is a redemption here by Ruby because her speech at least connects more to the past segment in how Whale can’t change the past, but can change the future.   Insights - Stream of Consciousness -As a victim of a car crash, seeing that again wasn’t traumatic at all! *nervous shudder* -Killian, this is the exact worst time to be an instigator! What the hell?! -This is also the filming spot for my OTHER favorite blooper. I’ll give you a hint: Anyone down for some crushed nuts? -Credit to Emma and David for knowing exactly how to tame Rumple! Small moments like these give a nice amount of payoff for the respective dynamics! -”From the outside?” I feel like if this had happened during the last episode, I probably would’ve put that Peter Griffin meme here about matching the titles in the dialogue. -I love the opening title card here! I normally love them all, but the distinction of color is just magnificent here! -Whale, don’t drink on the job! -”That’s your cross to bear, I suppose.” Victor, making puns is my schtick! -”He’ll cool off.” Gerhardt, your dad wasn’t even mad. I’d say Victor was madder. -Emma’s coming into Killian’s hospital room all confident and I am so here for this! And looks like Killian agrees! -Killian sees he’s chained. “You’re really into this, aren’t you?” Killian is just getting the best lines here and I am also here for this! XD -”If I had to pick dead guy of the year? I’d pick you.” Give it a couple more seasons, Emma. -I love how Ruby knew there were 10,000 combos right off the top of her head! She’s so smart! -”A LinkedIn account.” Not only is this dude a loser, BUT he’s now spamming the few people that can stand him with invitations to certify that he knows PowerPoint! He’s a MONSTER, I tell you! -”And he tweets pictures of his food.” Greg, torturing Regina aside (Which is also pretty fucking horrendous), you are just the WORST person! -Leroy’s apparently a movie buff. Who knew? -”We need to tell Regina’s she’s been framed.” Yesss! Thank you, Snow! I’m not mad at anyone for not immediately thinking of her given the crisis, but I am happy that someone did (Actually, some two because of Snow and Ruby!). Also, it enriches their dynamics going forward! Also, credit to her for understanding the internal danger Cora poses to Regina! I’m seriously loving Snow this season! -”You better hope he dies.” I like the strength of the writing in this line. It’s the driving force for the morality that Emma and co are tasked with thinking about, however inactively, throughout the segment. -”It’s not murder if we let him succumb to his injuries.” “I’m pretty sure it is.” It totally is! Look, for all the moral conflict of this episode, it’s totally murder and I’m glad that the character framed as the one closer to the audience is the one aware of that. -Gee, did Disney buy Star Wars at around this time? I’ve no idea! -”Rumple Von Stiltskin.” Imagine if that’s actually how his name was structured! XD -”Are you a philanthropist?” “Well, I’ve been called worse.” Rumple’s also gotten great quips! -*Rumple sees box* ...August? “Hello, Rumple.” Ah! Cora! What a fakeout! -”The Crocodile snaps at the little bird.” I guess Killian’s vernacular grew on Cora throughout their time together. Now though, I want to know what animal Killian is. What animal is everyone?! -A moment of silence for the deleted Jello scene that never made it to air. A-woman. -Cora, do not smell Regina’s clothes! That is fucking creepy! -Disguising yourself as Henry? Cora, that is a new low! And your former low already bonked Hades’ blue head! -Cora, go away! You’ve been in Regina’s sights for all of a quarter of a second and you’ve already given Regina a panic attack! -I feel like the only reason Rumple held up that magnifying glass was so that the effects team could show off just how well they did his eyes. -Regina’s hiding spot is so beautiful! She has a gorgeous albino apple tree, christmas lights, jewels all around, and gorgeous wallpaper! Fuck the monarchy! Go into interior design! -”Determination.” Cora, shut up, you are not an Undertale character. ...Actually, you totally could pass as Chara. -”Emma and Henry and the two idiots.” I love how small, but still funny that line was. -Okay, so I totally want Ruby to just run on her own in my “Wacky Races” dream fic because holy shit! She’s fast! -I’m not sure if Gerhardt beating the crap out of his father for verbally assaulting Victor is the most disturbing thing I’ve ever seen or the most heartwarming. -”It seems that science does too [have a price].” Bro, do you even physics?! -I’m not going to write down Ruby’s entire speech, but I do like the concept of looking at bright sides to Regina’s curse. It’s definitely not an admission that it was a good deed nor should it be, but in this isolated incident, it’s interesting to see Ruby and Whale commiserate over things. -Also, serious props to Ruby for cutting Whale’s self-hate monologue to get to the situation at hand. XD -”These carriages are strange.” I wonder if Cora was actually serious when she says this! XD I mean, cars are probably intimidating to those not familiar with them. -”It’s one of my most treasured possessions.” Awww! -It’s so freaky seeing Gerhardt moving around in his undead state. He’s like a gorilla in the way he moves his arms and legs and the way he cowers and sits. What a cool take on Frankenstein’s monster! Like that, more than anything would make me interested in a follow-up Frankenstein flashback. -I feel so bad for Snow as she’s being let down about not going into Greg’s room, but I can’t help but laugh. Like Snow, the fuck, bro? -”It’s a cup.” Am I the only one getting a sense of deja vu from “A Bug’s Life” here? XD -Greg, you sly dog! You, Killian, and Cora could bag Best Acting Awards until you die! -”I was texting.” ...While not my exact situation, this was too fucking real… -I love that globe and wish we saw more of it! On topic, everyone in Storybrooke should keep a private sampling of blood just for safekeeping at this point for identity purposes. -Awww! Poor Emma! Henry, just let her sleep! And then Gold comes in! The poor woman! -”If any harm comes to Belle while I’m gone, I’m killing all of you.” ...Was anyone in that room trying to hurt Belle? For the wham line it was supposed to be, it doesn’t come back in a meaningful way and it’s so oddly aimed. I guess this was written before Colin got hurt and maybe Killian was supposed to go after her again? Arcs - How are These Storylines Progressing? Rumple’s Redemption - As much as my inner sense of empathy is judging Rumple, his decision to essentially say “fuck off” to the request to help Greg is pretty in-character. Not only is he dealing with the anger over losing Belle and essentially letting Killian get away with it without killing him (Which is in itself a pretty great stride that holds through from his decision in the previous episode), but yeah, for as much as I like Rumple and think that the writing does an excellent job of painting him as not a complete fucking monster, I put the word ‘complete’ in there for a reason. Rumple still has a long way to go until he reaches a point where he can care for someone whose outside of his tiny circle of love, and for whatever can be said about his relations to Emma and David, they’re not at a point where they’re strong enough where he’d give them that much concern. Regina’s Redemption - “I have to let you know. I had nothing to do with Archie.” I almost feel like I can leave it there, but nah. You deserve more! So, just as much as Regina wants Henry to be by her side regardless as for as much as her attempted redemption had hurt her thus far, Regina’s still committed to doing right by Henry, and that’s amazing! Furthermore, Regina shows that even if she didn’t accept her treatment when the accusations came around over Archie’s death, she does accept that given the circumstances, it was a reasonable assumption to make. Honestly, the entirity of Regina’s scenes with Cora speak of how far she’s come, as she stands against Cora’s points over why she framed Regina. Obviously, part of what made Regina go as evil as she did was Cora’s influence, and seeing her work so hard to not let Cora control her again was just so impressive! Hell, even gives Cora an understanding of what she wants if she’s to trust Cora again. Greg Mendell - We get our first (Okay, second) piece of Greg in this episode. Definitely a good actor and I like how there was this subversion of expectations in this episode (until the ending, of course) while still raising all of the needed points about him and his existence here for later in the season where they would apply. Favorite Dynamic Rumple and Cora - I like how we get to see that Cora’s menace doesn’t just stretch to Regina, but how exactly it stretches to Rumple. Rumple and Cora are on equal footing in a way that Rumple and Regina only came to be during the final two seasons of the show, and that comes across so clearly in just how he acts around her in their one scene together. She’s able to push him a bit and even prompts a deal where he has to hesitantly accept it, and that’s so rarely done, especially by an enemy. Just look at the worry in Rumple’s eye and that bit of trepidation, but he still manages to keep most of his cool. That is how Rumple responds to a real threat. It’s almost karmic retribution for not bothering with Greg (Or trying so hard to keep Cora out of Stroybrooke that she’d let Emma and Snow die), but I don’t know if I would go so far as to say that for certain. Still, their one scene both establishes so much of their dynamic and sets up the board for later. Writer Jane Espenson is back, and she did a decent job here. I like how she balanced the screentime of so much of our main and supporting cast. No one ever feels like they got the shaft and what they were given to do fits their story so well. In addition, I feel like the writing is done very well, particularly with Regina and Cora. The way Regina speaks is a great reflection of the work she’s done as she deflects Cora’s points hit by hit and only succumbs to a situation that was well set up. Jane is really good when it comes to writing Regina, as “We Are Both” was also hers and the depictions of both her past and present character were marvelous! Also, as a side note, she wrote Emma and Killian much better here. There’s clearly animosity, but a level of concern and even flirting off of Emma’s side that is actually allowed to show up for a hot second. Rating 8/10. Style is the name of the game here. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that the aesthetics weren’t impressive enough to bring the whole episode up a level. As for the other segments, they ranged in quality, but were more good than bad, though since Whale was the main segment, the shortcomings of that story stood out more. But thankfully, it wasn’t the only portion between the interesting broad strokes of the OUAT rendition of Frankenstein, the true horror story of seeing Cora take over Regina’s life again, and the small inner workings of Emma and co in the background as they react to all of this. Flip My Ship - Home of All Things “Shippy Goodness” Rumbelle - I noticed that just as the episode started, Rumple was calling Belle “Beautiful Belle” as the authorities were coming for her. That’s small, but pretty cute! And you just gotta feel for Rumple as he tries so desperately to make Belle remember him. While I’m not really sure if I like or dislike the failed TLK, the cup scene absolutely accomplishes what it sets out to do. Also, “do you have any spells to return memories?” Just look at Rumple here. He looks so nervous as he’s asking, as fragile as a young schoolboy! And he does that in front of CORA! That is adorable for Rumbelle! Captain Swan - Killian just gets hit by a freakin’ CAR and the first thing he says is, “Hey beautiful.” Killian, never change! ...Actually, yeah. You need to change a lot, but fortunately, you do! Hell, even Emma gives into the flirting a bit after a bit! Also, “everything else is still intact.” KIllian, could you be any more obvious?! Also also, Emma’s pretty keen on keeping an eye on Killian despite the fact that he’s handcuffed. Finally, Emma’s reaction to Rumple’s threat to kill Hook at the end of the episode...looks like she does care. Golden Heart - ”I’ve no reason to cheat you.” “Anymore.” Looks like we’ve got some angry exes! XD Also, notice how Rumple’s lingering juuuuuust a bit during that kiss! You dog! ()()()()()()()()() Finally! Another really good episode to talk about and get pumped over!! Thank you so much for reading and to the awesomesauce fine folks at @watchingfairytales for making like Frankenstein and bringing my creations to life! Bwahahahahha!

Any guesses on what will happen next time? I’ll give you a tiiiiiiiiny hint: It’s one of my favorites. See you then! Season 2 Tally (104/220) Writer Tally for Season 2: Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis: (29/60) Jane Espenson (25/50) Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg (24/50) David Goodman (16/30) Robert Hull (16/30) Christine Boylan (7/30) Kalinda Vazquez (10/30) Daniel Thomsen (10/20)

Operation Rewatch Archives

[soldierwinterthe]

Secret Party

Pairing: Derek Hale x Reader

Warning: Smut, smut... and Smut!

A/N: A little idea who was traveling in my crazy little head

Feedback is always appreciated.

"Derek can never know about this."

We and Allison look each other in the eye; if Derek finds out that we've organized a party in his loft while he's not there, we're all dead.

"Derek will never find out. It's out of town, remember?"Allison says to try to calm Isaac, even if it doesn't help much. So, to make his nerves melt, the girl squeezes an Isaac's hand in her, and she pulls him between the people in the middle of the loft, heading into the corner where they can color their bodies.

It would be fun to design your own body. Too bad the only guy I would like to do with, is out of town.

"Hey Y/n."

I turn around, and near the entrance to the loft, there's Cora, followed by Stiles and Scott, who is with Kira.

"Guys. Finally you have arrived."

I hug everyone, after which Scott and Kyra jump into the crowd and start dancing.

"This partyl is a blast! There is music, you can drink, and look there! Allison is covering Isaac with phosphorescent yellow! "

Cora and I laughed at the funny comments Stiles does about anything happening during the party; after which, no longer able to stand still, Stiles runs into the crowd, and begins to scream and dance.

"So, do you know why Derek left?"

"Actually, I think he told me, but at that moment I was too distracted by anything else to listen to him." I say, thinking back to what Derek and I were doing while he warned me that he would leave for a few days.

I blush; Derek and I have known each other since we were born, but it's been less than a year since he and I had the courage to tell each other our feelings.

Cora smiles at what I said, and we stay for a while to talk. Suddenly, Stiles returns to me and Cora, and he takes the latter by the shoulders, and pushes her to the center of the loft.

"Let's go girls, it's a party. Let's have fun!"

I roll my eyes, but Stiles is right; walking towards the girl of the fluorescent colors, Kira comes towards me, and we both start to have fun, drawing strange things on our bodies with the colors.

A few drawings later, and a few glasses too, I go out to the balcony to get some air.

When the boys found out that the loft would be empty for a few days, they didn't think twice about asking if they could organize a party.

At first I was hesitant; Derek would not have liked to have all those guys wandering around in his house, but thinking that he was not there, I accepted. When he found out about the party, it would already be over by now.

"Y/n."

Leaning against the balcony railing, looking at the night scene, I turned slightly to watch Peter come out of the corner of the eye. I roll my eyes, waiting for some of his stupid jokes about the party, or anything else.

"Peter. I didn't think you liked teen parties."

"How old do you think I am? All those sweaty girls on the track."

"You're disgusting." I say as I turn around to look at him. An evil smile is printed on his face.

"I know."

I sigh; Peter is an asshole. Whether he helps the pack or not, he remains an asshole.

"Do you think it's wise to organize all this? Derek is not there, and with those strange beings around the city..."

Peter is not entirely wrong. Some strange samurai with masks are disturbing the quiet of the city; thanks to Kira, we have discovered that these creatures are called Oni, but what they really want, nobody knows yet.

"I know, but they're young, Peter. They deserve a bit of rest, and fun. We will think about the problems of Beacon Hills, which they should not worry about, tomorrow. "

Peter nods, which leaves me a bit in shock; he's not that kind of person who agrees with someone.

Suddenly, something draws my attention: a car, which stops in front of the loft building. Peter and I watch it while it stops, in the meantime, some children are approaching the car.

When I see him coming out of the car, I feel a dry mouth: it's Derek.

"This will be fun to watch." I hear Peter say as I come back inside.

The first I can meet is Stiles, who continues to dance with Cora.

"Guys, we have a problem. Derek is back."

Both stop, and while Cora seems to panic, Stiles has become completely white.

Hope he doesn't faint.

"He canìt got up! If he sees all this, he will kill all of us."

Cora tries to come up with a plan to delay the arrival of Derek as everyone tries to leave. Stiles is still standing in the middle of the loft, literally immobilized by fear.

"We don't have time to let everyone go, Cora. And don't forget that your brother is a werewolf. He will have already heard the loud music."

"Even human ears would feel this mess."

I turn around, and I see Peter wandering among the guys still intent on dancing.

"Peter, you're not at all helpful."

"What should I do? You're his girlfriend, so do something to keep him from climbing up."

I open my mouth to object to what Peter said, but immediately I close my mouth, starting to think; actually, Peter didn't say such a stupid thing.

"Cora, look for a way to make all these people go away. Get them out the window, or knock them off the balcony; I don't care. As long as Derek enters from that door, no one will have to be there."

Cora makes a military salute to make me understand that she understood; while she tries to make Stiles come back to life, I walk out of the loft and go downstairs, hoping to stop Derek.

I went down the last step, I arrived just in time at the entrance door to see my boyfriend enter.

"Derek!"

He suddenly looks up, surprised to see me.

"Y/n, what are you doing here?"

"I... I saw the car, and when I saw you, I went down. I couldn't wait to see you again."

I approach him provocatively; right now it's the only idea that came to my mind. Derek looks at me with a confused look, but he doesn't have time to ask me other questions, because I cling with the arms to his neck, and I kiss him impetuously.

"What are you doing, honey?"

"You've been away for so long... I just want you to know how much I missed you." I say, bringing my lips close to his ear; I begin to wander with my lips on his face, and then down on the neck.

"I was away for only two days; and I came back even earlier than I expected."

I snort; right now Cora is probably sending everyone away from the loft – I'm curious to find out how – and I have to make as much time as possible. I move away from Derek, but he immediately squeezes my hips, and pushes me against the wall.

"I didn't say you to stop."

Derek presses his lips against mine, and after he forces me to open them, he pushes his tongue against mine; Derek loves being in command, especially when we have sex. And even if sometimes he allows me to decide, it excites me more when he gives the orders.

"I missed you so much." he whispers, clasping my waist; I jump, and in a moment I'm in his arms, my legs close to his hips.

Derek walks towards a door, and after kicking it open, we enter; in the middle of the room there is a table, and he leans me on it.

I had never entered this room; I thought it was a cellar, and from the looks I throw to inspect the room, I think I was right.

I immediately forget the things around me, and my attention is completely back on Derek; he keeps kissing me from all sides, in the meantime I take his shirt off.

"I want you. Now."

I nod, and in a hurry, he helps me take off my clothes; I kiss him, and bite his lower lip, making him moan. Derek travels with his lips on my body, squeezing and licking my breasts, then descending on my stomach, and finally on my pussy.

I scream as soon as he touches me; his tongue against my cold skin makes me shiver down my back, but the pleasure I feel is always so spectacular.

"Derek..."

I squeeze my fingers through his hair, and move my body in sync with his face, to increase the pleasure. I groan, feeling the orgasm approaching more and more, but suddenly, Derek stops, and he gets up again, bringing his face back to mine. I protest the fact that he has moved away from me too caught, but Derek smiles at me, and unbuttons his pants.

"Don't you want to have fun alone?"

Derek helps me get off the table, and turning, I lean my hands on the surface, giving me back to him. Without thinking twice, I feel his cock rubbing my entrance, and then, he enters in me. Derek starts pushing fast, and we both groan; our bodies, wet with sweat, slam against each other, while I feel pleasure forming in the lower abdomen.

"God, Y/n... you're amazing.”

I whimper, feeling the orgasm hit me; my body trembles, while Derek continues to push his cock inside of me. Finally, he comes, and he collapses on my back.

We remain silent, synchronizing our breaths; after which, Derek gets up, and turns around, to look me in the eye.

"This was... crazy."

"Yes... as always." I say, putting my hands on his shoulders; I begin to kiss him, first gently, and then more and more with enthusiasm. While one hand wraps his hair between my fingers, the other rests on his cock, and I start to tighten and move.

Derek closes his eyes, enjoying the moment. He moans, and I continue to kiss him; then, I get down on my knees, while Derek follows my every move.

I open my lips, and I lick the head of his cock, as slowly as possible. I know that when I do this, he becomes crazy.

"Shit, Y/n. Don't tease."

I smile, and after having teased him a little more, I start moving faster. Derek groans, and clutching my hair in his hands, drives my head against his lower stomach.

"Do you like it, don't you?" he says while I shake his cock in my hands.

"Have you thought of me these days? And what did you do when you thought of me? Did you touch yourself?"

I groan listening to his words, and putting my hand on my clit, I begin to touch myself; I whimper, and I rub my pussy faster.

"Yeah, just like that. Go on, babygirl, I'm coming."

Derek begins to tremble, and keeps himself against the table to balance the body; he comes, while I continue to suck. His cum fills my throat, and finally I get up, wiping my lips with the back of my hand.

Derek looks at me while I pick up our clothes off the floor; he approaches me, and holds me from behind.

“So, to what do I owe this... pleasure?” he asks me, before putting his pants back on.

"I told you, I missed you."

"Really? So it has nothing to do with the party you have organized in the loft without my knowledge?"

I stop for a moment; it was to be expected that Derek had heard the noises we were doing upstairs. After putting my shirt back on, I turn to him, smiling innocently.

"I am guilty, your honor."

Derek clings to me, pressing my body against his.

"You did something very bad, you know, I'll have to punish you now."

I bite my lower lip; I will never be satisfied with him. I nod, making Derek smile.

"I think everyone has managed to escape now, and the loft is empty, so we move our private party into the bed."

Forever Tag: @hotwinchester - @doro7winchester - @iamthenewthor - @cirunia - @frickin-bats - @giftofdreams - @ria132love - @flirtswithdanger - @littlenerdgirl16 - @nanie5 - @crownedloki - @deanxfuckingadorablexwinchester - @jerk-bitch-and-an-angel - @superhero-lover101 - @disneymarina - @ironmanlover24

Derek Hale Tag: @princesses-reign-daily - @m00sethemurderer - @duncedgoofball - @captainrogersbucky - @ginger-swag-rapunzel - @iamabeautifulperson18

If you want to be tagged in my stories, just ask me!

[the-cookie-of-doom]

It wasn’t uncommon for people to have their soulmarks appear the day they’re born, so no one bats an eye at the little spiral on baby Stiles’ left hip. As the years go by, it goes from a simple design to something more heavily detailed, intricate, until he can make out the phases of the moon and trees and a howling wolf. Stiles thinks it’s beautiful, that his soulmate must be an amazing, wonderful person to leave such a pretty mark on him. None of his friends have marks so detailed.

It wasn’t uncommon for Stiles to wake himself up screaming, after his mother died. He got frequent nightmares, his imagination overactive and vicious. His father thought it was just another nightmare that had him screaming and crying, and being used to this, he maybe didn’t go to Stiles as soon as he should have. Until he heard his son start screaming for him. 

He got out of bed and ran to Stiles’ room, eyes wide, looking for any signs of danger. There was none, just Stiles writhing on the bed in agony. 

“It burns- I don’t-I don’t know what h-h-happening!” he said, voice high. He pulled up his shirt to see the soulmark on his hip, barely able to see past the tears filling his eyes. It was like tar that had been set on fire, burning away, black leaving silver-white in it’s wake. Like an old scar.

Stiles’ skin was hot to the touch when John touched the mark, angry red like he’d been burned. 

“Dad-what-” Stiles clenched his eyes shut as another wave of agony hit him, like fire curling through his blood. It was more than just his soulmark, now. And on the backs of his eyelids, he saw something. A brief image, there and gone in a second, but he knew what-who-it was. “He’s dying,” Stiles sobbed at the same time his dad’s phone started ringing in the other room. 

“That’s-that’s for him, it has to be, dad go, go, you have to save him please-please save him.” 

“Son, I’m not leaving you-”

“You have to!” 

Stiles, with newfound strength, pulled himself out of bed and onto shaking legs, dragging his dad with him, pushing him out of the room and back to his own. He looked like a wreck, clothes and hair askew, face red and blotchy, stained with tears, his expression still contorted in pain, breathing hard. He looked like he was on the brink of a panic attack, holding on only through sheer strength of will.

John reluctantly got dressed in his uniform, knowing it had to be more than coincidence that he was called just when it looked like Stiles’ soulmate was dying-or at the very least in danger. 

“You call me if you need anything, son,” he said, crushing his skinny, trembling boy to him in a hug.

“Go save him dad,” Stiles said.

“I’ll do what I can.” 

It wasn’t until the sheriff was in his cruiser and on the way to the Hale house that he realizes Stiles had been referring to his soulmate as a ‘he’. He stepped on the gas, flooring it as that realization proved to him Stiles was right.

Back at home, Stiles curled up on the couch with a glass of milk and his moms favorite blanket, breathing through the pain emanating from his mark. It still felt like his skin was melting away, but not as bad as it had; he could only hope that meant his soulmate was out of the fire. 

He kept his shirt rucked up, watching his fading mark intently. Hardly any of the thin black lines were left, the mark almost completely faded to raised silver scars. 

“Please be okay,” he whispered, tracing his mark, hoping his soulmate could feel him the way he’d felt the fire. 

The next day Stiles is showing up at the hospital, exhausted after not sleeping a second, to finally meet his soulmate. He knows now that it’s Peter Hale. 

Waiting outside the room, blocking him from entering, is Peter’s family. Some of them, anyway. The three Hale siblings that Stiles kind of knows because Cora is in her class are looking shell-shocked, Derek on the brink of a breakdown like he thinks it’s all his fault. And with them is Talia, looking concerned but steadfast. And strangely none of them are injured, even though Stiles could have sworn he heard that they’d been in the house when it went up in flame. 

“Ah, you must be Stiles,” Talia said when she noticed Stiles standing a few yard away, shifting unsurely. “I hear we have you to thank for saving my brother’s life.”

“Um...”

“How are you feeling, dear?”

Terrible. Exhausted. Hollowed-out. “Fine. Uh, yeah, fine-is he okay? He’s going to be okay, right?” Talia smiled kindly at him, reaching out and gesturing for Stiles to come closer. Stiles did, letting her take his hand and lead him over to sit down.

“He was badly burned, but I believe he will make a full recovery.”

“Thank God.” Stiles’ shoulders sagged in relief, and he felt like crying again for a whole new reason. His soulmate-Peter-was going to be okay. 

“Do you want to see him?”

“Can I?”

“He’s sedated right now, but I’m sure he’d love to meet you when he wakes up.”

Stiles barely paused to say thank you before he was up and across the hall, walking into Peter’s room. He was almost afraid to meet him after all these years, but then he brushed that thought aside. 

It was dark inside, so Stiles couldn’t really see him. But he knew by the way his mark pulsed with life that Peter really was his soulmate. 

Later, the sheriff came to get Stiles after being told by Melissa he was hanging out in Hale’s room. Before he could collect the teen, though, he was stopped by Talia who was just coming out of the room. She smiled, recognizing him. 

“Sheriff, it’s good to see you.”

“You too, Alpha Hale. Stiles in there?”

“Yes. He’s sleeping now; hasn’t left Peter’s side since this morning. You’ve got a great kid there.” 

“Yeah, I do.” The sheriff sighed, looking at the closed door. “Is your brother okay?”

“Yes, he is. I suspect he woke up for a little while earlier while I was taking the kids home. Stiles was looking much more relaxed when I came back.”

“Last night was hard on him. He looked like I was gonna tell him Peter was dead when I came home; cried for an hour when I said we got there in time.”

“Have you told him about us?”

“No. I didn’t know it was Peter until last night, so I never saw reason to. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already found out, though.”

“Her certainly is a bright boy. I’m sure if he hasn’t realized yet, he will when Peter gets discharged in a month.” 

Stiles indeed figured it out, within a few days. it explained so much about his mark. He was ecstatic that his mate was a werewolf, if for no other reason than it meant he would be able to heal from something that no human would be able to survive.