#I LUV MY MINGLES THANK U FOR POSTING MY MINGLES

[emjayewrites]

hey there, delilah • jude bellingham (6/8)

SYNOPSIS: Real Madrid football star Jude Bellingham has had a big crush on Delilah "Lila" Hamilton, the younger sister of Formula 1 legend Lewis Hamilton, for a while. As their budding romance unfolds, will they be able to navigate the pressures of fame and family dynamics?

PAIRINGS: Jude Bellingham x Delilah "Lila" Hamilton (face claim Rayan Xasan)

WARNINGS: cursing, f1/football b.s., overly protective siblings, eventual smut (18+/minors dni)

TAGLIST: @dreamingjude @foreverisntenough @nichmeddar @hopefulromantic1 @lettersofgold @judesbabymamas @perfecttrashface @alika-4466 @cocobutterqwueen @leilaxaliel @ispywithmylileye @vile-harlot @bellinghaalands @certifiedlesbianbaddie @yeea-nah @empressdede @saturnville @pinkcatcus @shepgurl @neewrites @trentswrld @taytropicana

A/N: Please note that this is a work of fiction and some things may not sound "exactly correct" but bear with me to make this work. Also, this chapter is rather long! Let me know if you like to be removed/added to the taglist.

P.S.: I decided to make the series longer - 2 more chapters until the end!

lilahamilton • posted on their story 12 hours ago

story comments:

judebellingham: 🫶🏽

lewishamilton: 💕💕

fencer: lil sis!!! 💕💕

foreverjudebellingham: luv u lila!

tolami_benson: miss u babes!

jadevanderwall: baddie gurl!!

The Barcelona sun beat down on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya as Lila and Lewis made their way into the paddock. The familiar buzz of pre-qualifying excitement filled the air, mingling with the scent of high-octane fuel and anticipation.

Lila was dressed in a chic yet practical outfit - a cropped Mercedes team shirt paired with high-waisted jeans and comfortable sneakers. Her VIP pass hung around her neck, a familiar weight after years of attending races.

As they entered, Lewis was immediately swarmed by fans and media. He was sporting an all-white Zegna outfit - a v-neck short-sleeve shirt and pants that somehow managed to look both casual and runway-ready. The cameras were in a frenzy, capturing every angle of the racing superstar.

Lila's phone buzzed with a message from Jude: "Tell your brother to save some style for the rest of us mere mortals. Oh, and good luck! P.S. Missing you loads. Maybe I should score a hat-trick to impress you?"

She chuckled, typing back a quick response as she made her way to the Mercedes garage. There, she found Bono, Lewis's race engineer, hunched over a computer screen.

"So, how's it looking?" she asked, peering over his shoulder at the sea of numbers and graphs.

Bono glanced up, a wry smile on his face. "About as good as your understanding of telemetry data, I'd reckon."

Lila laughed, appreciating the familiar banter. "That good, huh?"

Lewis finally entered the garage, running a hand through his hair. "God, it's a zoo out there," he said, but his smile betrayed his enjoyment of the attention.

"Speaking of attention," Lila began, a teasing lilt to her voice, "Jude says hello and good luck."

Lewis's expression softened slightly at the mention of Jude. "Yeah? Tell him thanks. And... tell him to keep treating my baby sister right."

Lila rolled her eyes affectionately. "Ease up. He's doing just fine."

Lewis nodded, a mix of protective instinct and grudging acceptance in his eyes. "I know, I know. He's... he's not bad, that Bellingham kid."

"High praise indeed," Lila teased, nudging her brother's arm.

Lewis chuckled, then his expression turned more serious. "Alright, enough about your love life. We've got a qualifying session to dominate. You sticking around for the whole thing?"

Lila nodded enthusiastically. "Wouldn't miss it for the world. Someone's got to be here to remind you not to get too cocky when you inevitably take pole."

"You're a mess," Lewis retorted with a grin. He turned to Bono, ready to dive into the pre-qualifying briefing.

As the garage buzzed with pre-session activity, Lila found a spot where she could observe without being in the way. She watched as Lewis transformed from her playful big brother into the focused, determined racer the world knew. It was a transformation she'd seen countless times, but it never failed to impress her.

The atmosphere in the garage shifted as the team prepared for the first qualifying session. Mechanics made last-minute adjustments to the car, while engineers pored over data screens. Lewis was in deep conversation with Bono, discussing strategy and track conditions.

Lila's attention was drawn to the screens showing the live feed from the pit lane. Other teams were beginning to roll out their cars, the competitive energy palpable even through the monitors. She felt a familiar thrill of excitement, the kind that only came from being at the heart of a Formula 1 race weekend.

As Lewis prepared to get into the car, he caught Lila's eye and gave her a quick wink. It was their pre-race ritual, a small gesture that said more than words ever could. Lila returned it with a thumbs up, silently wishing him luck.

"Lewis, you're clear for your out lap," Bono's voice crackled over the radio.

Lila held her breath as Lewis's car roared past, the familiar number 44 a blur of silver and teal. She couldn't help but smile as she heard the crowd cheer.

Between watching her brother's laps and listening to the team's radio chatter, Lila's attention was caught by an unfamiliar figure near the pit lane. A Black woman, nicely dressed and seemingly at ease in the chaotic environment, stood observing the proceedings.

Curious, Lila leaned towards Rosa, Lewis's communications personnel. "Hey, who's that woman over there? I don't think I've seen her before."

Rosa glanced in the direction Lila indicated, then quickly looked away. "Oh, um, you might want to ask your brother about that," she said, her tone careful.

Lila's eyebrows rose in surprise. This woman didn't seem like Lewis's usual type of fling. She carried herself with confidence and poise, appearing completely unfazed by the high-stakes environment.

As Lila pondered who this mystery woman could be, Lewis's voice came over the radio, "Box this lap, guys. Let's see where we stand."

The qualifying session progressed intensely, with Lewis pushing his car to the limit. Lila watched, her heart racing with every lap, as her brother fought for position on the starting grid.

"P3, Lewis. Good job," Bono's voice crackled over the radio as the final seconds of Q3 ticked away.

Lila let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. P3 wasn't pole, but it was a solid position for tomorrow's race. As Lewis brought the car back to the pits, she made her way towards the garage, eager to congratulate him.

The garage erupted in a flurry of activity as the car rolled in. Lewis climbed out, his face a mixture of satisfaction and determination. He pulled off his helmet, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair.

"Nice work out there," Lila said, approaching him with a smile.

Lewis nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Thanks, Li. We've got a good chance tomorrow."

Lila hesitated, then decided to broach the subject. "Hey, I saw this woman earlier. Near the pit lane. Never seen her before. She seemed... different."

Lewis's expression remained neutral, but Lila caught a flicker of something in his eyes. "Oh?" he said, his tone carefully casual as he walked out of the garage.

"Yeah," Lila pressed, following close behind him. "Is she... you know, a new fling or something?"

Lewis gave her a half-smirk, his response deliberately vague. "Not everything's about that, Li."

Lila narrowed her eyes, recognizing her brother's tell-tale signs of holding back. "Come on, Lewis. I know when you're not telling me everything."

Before Lewis could answer, Rosa approached. "Lewis, you've got media duties in twenty minutes. Might want to grab a quick shower first."

Lewis nodded, looking almost relieved at the interruption. "Right, thanks, Rosa." He turned back to Lila. "We'll talk later, yeah? I've got to get ready."

Lila wasn't ready to let it go. "Lewis, seriously. What's going on?"

Lewis shook his head, a mix of exasperation and amusement on his face. "It's not what you think, Li. Look, we'll talk later, I promise. I really need to get ready now."

With that, he headed inside his driver's room, closing the door behind him and leaving Lila standing there, curiosity unsatisfied.

Motherfucker.

As she made her way back to the garage, Lila's phone buzzed with another message from Jude. She smiled, momentarily distracted from the mystery of the unknown woman. Whatever was going on with Lewis, she'd find out eventually. For now, she had a boyfriend to catch up with.

_______________________________________________

Sometime later, Lila was seated at a desk in her hotel room, phone propped up in front of her as she FaceTimed Jude. Her face scrunched up in mild frustration as she recounted the earlier scene in the pit lane. "I'm telling you, there was this random woman just standing there, watching everything, and when I asked Lewis about it, he got all weird. Like, weird, Jude. He still hasn’t explained anything."

Jude, however, seemed less than captivated by Lila’s hyper-focus. He was laid back on his couch, his signature calm demeanor unbothered by her theorizing. "Babes, if Lew’s fucking someone new, that’s his business, not yours."

Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Excuse me? Lewis was all up in our business when we first started dating. You know he gave you the third degree!"

Jude raised a hand in mock surrender, grinning. "Touché. But leave that man alone, Li. Maybe he’s trying to settle down, huh? Don’t you want nieces and nephews?"

Lila let out a sardonic laugh. "Nieces and nephews? Jude, he’s never settling down. At least not until he retires, and we both know that."

Jude shrugged, a nonchalant smile playing on his lips. "A man’s got needs."

Lila shot him a teasing look, eyebrow raised. "Oh, do they now? You sound like you’re speaking from personal experience, Judey Bear."

Jude laughed, his deep voice resonating through the phone. "That wasn’t what you were saying a few days ago when I had my head between your legs… What was it again? 'Ooh Jude, baby, yes, mmhmm Daddy'…"

Lila’s jaw dropped. "I did not call you Daddy! I would never call a man besides my actual father 'Daddy,'" she retorted, her voice laced with indignation.

Jude raised an eyebrow, giving her that look—the look that silently called her out on her bullshit. Lila rolled her eyes and laughed, putting the finishing touches on her makeup as they continued to chat. She had dinner plans with her brother and was using the conversation to distract herself from the lingering curiosity about the mysterious woman.

"Alright, how do I look?" Lila asked, angling her phone so Jude could see her in full view—her outfit a mix of casual chic, perfect for dinner but not overly dressed up.

Jude smiled appreciatively. "Beautiful, as always. Just remember, it’s your brother you’re having dinner with. Don’t need to look too good."

Lila laughed, blowing him a kiss through the screen before they said their goodbyes. With a final check in the mirror, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door, making her way to Lewis’s suite.

Once she reached Lewis’s room, she fished out the spare keycard he’d given her and let herself in. "Lew?" she called, her voice light as she glanced around. "We’re gonna be late if you don’t hurry up!"

Hearing nothing in response, Lila ventured further into the suite, her steps slowing as she reached the bedroom door. The faint sounds of movement and groans inside made her pause. "Lewis?" she called again, a bit louder this time. But as she pushed open the door, her breath caught in her throat.

There, in the low light of the room, was her brother, his tattooed bare-back sweaty as hell and clearly in the middle of… activities. The comforter covered most of their lower halves, but there was no mistaking what she had just walked into.

"Oh my fucking God! I’m gonna be scarred for life!" Lila yelped, quickly turning her back and covering her eyes.

"What the fuck, Li?" Lewis’s voice rang out, filled with shock as he quickly scrambled to cover himself. Moments later, Lila heard him getting up and fumbling for clothes. "Why didn’t you knock?" he demanded.

"I dunno, why didn’t you?!" Lila shot back, eyes still closed as she stood rigid in the hallway. "Remind me again how you barged into my flat unannounced?" she countered, opening her eyes to head back to the living room. She folded her arms as she heard Lewis’ footsteps approaching.

"That’s different," Lewis muttered, clearly flustered as he appeared in the living room, now dressed in a pair of sweatpants. He ran a hand through his braids, sighing. "Fuck, Li, I’m sorry you had to see that."

"Trust me, I’m sorry too," Lila quipped, still half in shock. "You’re paying for my therapy after this." Lewis couldn’t help the small smile that crept up his lips. "You’re laughing at my trauma," she accused.

"Li, trust me, I’ve caught Mumma Linda and Dad a few times. Look how I turned out."

"Oh my God, EW!" Lila shrieked, horrified, as she dramatically covered her ears. Just then, the woman—the woman—poked her head out from the hallway, a playful smirk on her face.

"Is it safe to come out yet?" she asked, making Lewis chuckle.

"Yeah, it’s safe," he said, giving the woman a small smile.

Lila squinted, eyeing the woman closely. "Wait… You were the woman at the pit lane today."

"Guilty," the woman, who was now dressed in one of Lewis' dress shirts, replied casually as she leaned against a couch with a confident ease. "I’m Amara, by the way."

Lila’s gaze flickered between her brother and Amara. "Amara who?" she asked, sensing there was more to this story.

Lewis sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Amara who’s… my friend, Li," he said, the word ‘friend’ sounding far too casual considering the circumstances.

Lila gave him a pointed look, folding her arms. "Be so fucking for real, Lewis. I just walked in on you two having sex. At least try to be honest."

Lewis’s eyebrows shot up in mild surprise at her bluntness. "Okay, fine. Amara and I have been seeing each other for a bit, since earlier this year. I asked her to come to the race weekend… and you know, to meet you."

"To meet me?" Lila echoed, her skepticism obvious.

"Yeah. That was supposed to be the plan at dinner," Amara chimed in, a sheepish smile on her face. "We kind of got… carried away."

Lila rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I noticed."

Lewis chuckled softly. "Look, I was gonna tell you about all this… at dinner. Just didn’t expect you to walk in on us before I could explain."

Lila sighed, feeling a mix of annoyance and amusement bubble up inside her. "Alright, fine. But I’m never letting you live this down."

"Fair enough," Lewis replied, grinning.

Lila looked between Lewis and Amara. "Well, what do we do now?" she asked with a slight edge in her voice. "By the time you two finish showering and getting ready, we’ll have missed the reservation."

Lewis offered her an apologetic smile. "Yeah… sorry, Peanut. I know you were looking forward to the restaurant," he said.

Lila gave him a bratty pout, feeling a genuine pang of disappointment. It wasn’t easy finding places that catered to both their picky diets—good vegan options for Lewis, non-vegan but still gourmet for her. Tonight's spot had checked all the boxes for once, and now it seemed like it wasn’t happening.

"Peanut?" Amara suddenly interjected, her face lighting up in a mix of surprise and amusement. "That's cute."

Lila immediately narrowed her eyes, her stance shifting slightly. "Just so we’re clear—you’re not allowed to call me that."

Amara raised her hands in mock surrender, the smile not leaving her face. "Okay, okay. Duly noted."

Lila straightened her shoulders, assessing Amara again. "You look familiar, though… beyond today, I mean. You do modeling?"

Amara nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Lila's lips pressed into a thin line. "Of course you do. One thing about Lewis is that he never strays too far from his habits."

"Not too much, okay?" Lewis cut in, giving his sister a light warning look. "Don't make me sound like an asshole."

Lila smirked. "Too hard not to," she scoffed, then paused as a lightbulb went off in her head. "Wait a minute… didn’t you model for SKIMS?"

Amara laughed softly. "A little while back, yeah."

"I knew you looked familiar." Lila's eyes sparkled with a mix of recognition and mischief. "You did that campaign with—"

"Jude," Amara finished, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah, I did."

Lila’s pursed smile became slightly more forced, and her eyes sharpened. "Wow, Lewis. Our circle is so small."

Lewis chuckled, though he sensed the subtle tension creeping into the room. "Sure is."

"Jude’s very nice," Amara added casually, her tone light.

Lila shot her a glare that could slice through ice. Nice? She may have been one of many models in that campaign, but in Lila’s world, Amara still had to pass the 'sister test' before they could move to pleasantries about her boyfriend.

"Listen," Lewis said, sensing the tension thickening. He turned toward his sister, trying to keep the mood light. "I’ll order us something to make up for the missed reservation." Lila’s eyes flickered between him and Amara, and she let out a long sigh, her voice dripping with stubbornness. "Be nice, Peanut," Lewis warned gently as he locked eyes with her.

"Or else what?" Lila shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"No new car…" Lewis said simply, giving her a knowing smile before disappearing back into the bedroom.

Lila rolled her eyes, flopping into an armchair as Amara sat on the couch across from her, keeping a respectable distance but well within the line of fire. Lila studied her, taking in her posture, her attitude—so far, Amara seemed cool, confident, and unfazed. Not backing down, but not arrogant either. It was a trait Lila could admire… not that she’d ever admit it.

"So," Lila began, her voice measured but still carrying that hint of protective sister energy. "How old are you?"

"Twenty-eight," Amara replied, her tone steady, unbothered.

Lila raised an eyebrow. "Of course you are," she muttered, almost to herself. "My brother always did like pretty young things."

Amara heard it, of course, but she remained calm, her expression unreadable as she countered, "And what’s so bad about that?"

Lila gave a small smirk, leaning back in the chair. "Nothing bad, just… predictable."

Amara raised an eyebrow, challenging her subtly. "Maybe predictability’s not such a bad thing."

Lila wasn’t used to being challenged so directly by her brother’s… whatever Amara was. She narrowed her eyes. "So, what are your intentions with my brother?"

Amara held her gaze, not flinching. "Honestly? I like him. We’re having fun, seeing where things go. We respect each other’s boundaries."

Lila's mouth twitched in amusement. "Boundaries, huh? I’ve heard that before."

Just then, Lewis reappeared from the bedroom, having changed into a fresh T-shirt and joggers. "Alright, I ordered dinner. It’ll be here soon."

Amara stood up, brushing a hand over her clothes. "I should probably shower and get properly dressed," she said, shifting her gaze between Lewis and Lila. She paused for a moment, then added with a wry smile, "It was nice to finally meet you, Delilah."

Lila gave a curt nod, her expression cool but not hostile. "Likewise, I guess."

Once Amara disappeared into the bathroom, Lila turned her attention back to Lewis. "So," she started, her arms crossed again, "what exactly is this little… thing with Amara?"

Lewis sighed, sitting down across from her. "We’re having fun, Li. I don’t know, we’re seeing where it leads."

Lila gave him a pointed look. "And here I thought you weren’t getting serious with anyone until you retired."

Lewis shrugged, leaning back against the couch. "Yeah, I thought so too. But… Amara’s cool. She gets it. She respects my boundaries, and I respect hers."

Lila raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "So, you like her?"

Lewis smiled faintly. "Yeah, I do. She’s different. Keeps me on my toes."

Lila sighed, leaning forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Well, I guess we’ll see how this pans out."

Lewis chuckled softly. "Yeah, we will."

lilahamilton and 3 others - Barcelona

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lilahamilton: nothing beats race weekend in spain 🏎️ 🇪🇸 tagged: puma, dissh, and visitspain

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judebellingham: 🥰🥰🥰🥰

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⤷lilahamilton: babes 🥰

lewishamilton: ♥️♥️♥️

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nicolashamilton: let’s get this win next time 💪🏾

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nicolescherzinger: baby boo 🥰

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⤷lilahamilton: nicolescherzinger boo bear 🐻

jobebellingham: lilahamilton i see u big sis 🫶🏽

⤷lilahamilton: jobebellingham jobey! 🫶🏾

Jude laid back on the lounge chair, his arms tucked behind his head as he gazed out at the horizon from the Weimarer Resort, enjoying the family day before the upcoming match against Slovakia. A week had passed since Lila's visit to Barcelona for Lewis's race, and the drama with his mysterious new fling, Amara. Honestly, Jude didn't care. As far as he was concerned, Lewis could do whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted—as long as it meant staying off his and Lila's backs for a while. It was also his 21st birthday today, and while he didn't feel drastically different, there was a sense of milestone about the day.

He glanced over at Lila, who was sprawled out next to him on her own chair, scrolling through her phone. "You still thinking about Lewis?" Jude asked lazily, his eyes half-closed.

Lila snorted softly, not looking up from her phone. "Barely. Still a bit salty that he couldn't even be honest with me from the start. But whatever, that's his problem now."

"Good," Jude said with a smirk. "Means he won't be in our business for a while. Let him be preoccupied with Amara, so I can get preoccupied with my girlfriend."

Lila rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile. "You're ridiculous."

"Maybe," Jude grinned, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Come on, we should meet up with Trent before heading into Erfurt."

They spent some time with Trent, sharing laughs and inside jokes. Trent couldn't resist teasing Jude about his lovesick behavior. "Man, you're proper gone for her, aren't you?" he laughed, nudging Jude.

Jude just shrugged, a smile playing on his lips. "Can you blame me?"

"Nope, anyways happy birthday, mate," Trent said as he pulled Jude into a hug.

"Thanks, bro. We're celebrating proper when I get back!" Jude told him.

As they were leaving, Lila insisted on driving to Erfurt for dinner with Jude's family. "I'll drive," she said, twirling the car keys around her finger.

Jude shook his head, grinning as he followed her. "Of course you will. It's not like I could if I wanted to."

"Still can't believe you don't know how to drive," Lila teased as they made their way to the car.

Jude shrugged casually. "What can I say? I've got people for that."

"Yeah, well, in this case, I'm your people," Lila quipped as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"And you can barely reach the pedals, short stuff," Jude teased as he settled into the passenger seat, his long legs stretched out in front of him. "I feel like you need a booster seat, darling."

Lila shot him a mock glare, starting the engine. "Keep talking, Bellingham, and I'll leave you at the curb."

Jude feigned hurt, pouting petulantly. "Even on my birthday?"

"Yep," she countered, popping the 'p'.

The drive to Erfurt was filled with their usual banter and laughter. As they neared the restaurant, Jude could sense Lila's nervousness. "You'll be fine," he reassured her. "Mum's been looking forward to this since the Champions League game."

"Really?" Lila asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah," Jude nodded. "After that match, she's been itching to see you again. Dunno why you're worried."

Arriving at the restaurant, Jude's family greeted them warmly. Denise hugged Jude tightly. "Happy birthday, love," she said, before enveloping Lila in a warm hug. "Lila! It's so good to see you again, love," she exclaimed warmly.

The table was set with a small pile of wrapped gifts at Jude's place. As they ate, Jude opened his presents - a new watch from his parents, designer sunglasses from Jobe, and a few other thoughtful gifts from extended family. Lila handed him a small, elegantly wrapped box last.

"It's not much," she said softly, "but I hope you like it."

Inside was a sleek, personalized leather wallet. Jude's initials were embossed on one corner, and when he opened it, he found a small photo of the two of them tucked into one of the pockets.

"Li, this is perfect," he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

Throughout dinner, the conversation was peppered with birthday wishes and reminiscences of Jude's childhood and he couldn't help but notice the way his mum kept engaging Lila in conversation, her eyes twinkling with approval.

"Jude talks about you all the time," Denise said at one point, her smile making Lila feel more at ease. "It's so nice to finally have you here with us again."

Lila glanced at Jude, who looked slightly embarrassed but happy nonetheless. "He does?"

"Oh yeah," Denise laughed. "Non-stop. It's like I already know you."

As they were finishing their main course, Lila excused herself to the bathroom. Once she was out of earshot, Denise leaned over to Jude and whispered, "She's a keeper, love. Don't let this one go."

Jude felt his cheeks warm slightly. "I know, Mum. I don't plan to."

Mark chimed in, "She's got a good head on her shoulders. And she clearly cares about you."

"Plus, she can actually drive," Jobe quipped, earning a playful swat from Denise.

When Lila returned, the lights dimmed. A group of waiters appeared, carrying a large cake adorned with 21 candles. Everyone sang "Happy Birthday," and Jude felt his cheeks warm as he blew out the candles. As they dug into the cake, Jude couldn't help but reflect on the fact that he could now legally drink in America, though it held little significance given his ability to do so for years in Europe.

"So, how does it feel to be 21?" Mark asked, grinning at his eldest.

Jude shrugged, smiling. "Honestly? Not much different. But I'm grateful to be here with all of you."

Denise turned to Lila, "So, tell me more about this Versace campaign. It must be exciting."

Lila's eyes lit up. "It really is. I'm still pinching myself, to be honest. We're working on some designs that blend classic Versace with more sustainable practices and of course some inspiration from Petite Soeur."

"That's wonderful," Mark said. "It's important to use your platform for good."

"And individuality too," Denise added. "I'm glad they let you be you."

Jobe leaned in, curiosity piqued. "So, do you get to keep all the clothes?"

Everyone laughed, and Lila shook her head. "Not all of them, but I do get some perks."

Jude couldn't help but marvel at how well Lila fit in with his family. She was laughing at his dad's terrible jokes, discussing football tactics with Jobe, and sharing fashion tips with his mum. He grinned, squeezing Lila's hand under the table. He had no intention of letting her go anytime soon. As he looked around the table, seeing Lila laughing with his family, Jude felt a warmth spread through his chest. For the first time in a while, he felt like everything was falling into place.

"Enjoying your birthday?" Lila asked, catching his expression.

"I am," Jude replied softly. "This is nice, isn't it?"

Lila's smile widened. "It really is. Your family is wonderful."

As they left the restaurant, Jude and Lila walked with his parents, continuing the easy conversation from inside. Denise looped her arm through Lila's, her voice warm as she spoke. "We should definitely do this again, love. Maybe next time dinner with everyone—your family too."

Jobe, ever the jokester, chimed in, grinning widely. "She's part of the family now, officially my sister! But let's be real, she's always been my sister."

Lila laughed, touched by the sentiment. "Aww, Jobe. You're sweet."

"Well, now Jude's gotta teach you Jamaican patois," Jobe added with a mischievous grin, earning a raised eyebrow from Lila.

Lila's eyes widened in amusement. "Wait a minute—Jude didn't tell me he spoke patois."

Denise wagged a finger at her eldest son. "You know I taught you better than that, Judey."

Lila's grin turned almost wicked. "Yeah, Judey. What's up with that?"

"Come off it, Li," Jude groaned, shaking his head. "I'll teach you. Don't worry, Mum. I'll get her in on some lessons."

Denise smiled approvingly before turning to Lila. "Did your father ever teach you any Grenadian creole?"

Lila shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. But we visit once a year, so I've picked up a few… bad phrases from my aunties and cousins."

Denise laughed. "Well, that's something at least. Maybe next time I can teach you how to make some rum cake."

Jude's face lit up instantly. "Ooh, Mum, please! Her rum cake is amazing."

"But we only have it on special occasions," Jobe added, then with a sly smile, "You and Jude should get married."

It was like a record-scratch moment—an awkward pause settling over the group.

Jude shot a wide-eyed look at his younger brother, "You're wildin', Jobe."

Mark pulled Jobe into a mock headlock, ruffling his hair. "I think you've had too many pints tonight, mate."

Denise cut in, giving her husband and younger son a warning look that instantly made them stop horsing around. "What Jobe meant to say," she clarified with a calm smile, "is that the cake is very special. It's a recipe mothers traditionally teach their daughters. Since I don't have any daughters of my own… I figure you're the closest I'll get to that."

Lila's eyes misted up at Denise's words. "Aw, Denise, I'd love that… wow, I was so scared of meeting you guys again. Thought I screwed up the first meeting a little bit."

"Why would you think that?" Denise asked, genuinely surprised.

Lila glanced at Jude, then back at Denise. "Well, the kiss at Wembley and—"

Denise waved it off, smiling kindly. "Oh honey, that little kiss didn't sway me. It takes more than a quick smooch for me to dislike someone."

"Well, that's a relief," Lila said, laughing softly.

Mark touched Denise's arm. "Honey, we should let the kids enjoy the rest of their night. And tuck Jobe in before he starts any more wild suggestions."

His father shot his mum a look, one that both Jude and Jobe knew all too well. The brothers pretended to gag, recognizing the familiar glances between their parents.

"Oh yuck, Dad…" Jobe muttered, while he walked over to Lila, wrapping her in a hug. "See you at the match, big sis." Jobe then dapped up Jude. "Bye, mutt," he quipped narrowly dodging a playful swing from his older brother before jogging off toward his parents’ car.

"Jobe! Not nice!" Denise called after him, shaking her head before turning to Lila and Jude. She gave them both warm hugs and kisses on the cheek. "Talk to you both later, okay?"

Mark followed suit, giving them both a hug before heading to the car. As Lila and Jude walked back to her car, Jude couldn't help but smirk at her. "You good after all that?" he asked, his hand resting on the small of her back.

"Yeah, that was… really nice," Lila replied softly, a smile playing on her lips.

They climbed into the car, Lila behind the wheel as usual, and she started the drive back to the resort. As the quiet night streets of Erfurt passed by, Jude leaned back in his seat, eyes on Lila as she focused on the road, a comfortable silence settled over them, broken only by the soft melodies of Snoh Aalegra filling the car. After a while, Jude ceased the quiet, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"So, about Jobe's joke about us getting married..."

Lila chuckled, keeping her eyes on the road. "He's quite the character, your brother."

"Yeah, he can be annoying sometimes," Jude admitted, "but I know you like him."

"I do," Lila nodded. "It's nice seeing you as a big brother. Makes me wish I wasn't the baby of the family."

"Really?" Jude asked, intrigued.

"Mhm. Nicolas is much more laid back than Lewis, and so are Nicola and Samantha. Sometimes I wonder what it'd be like to be the older sibling."

Jude laughed softly. "Trust me, it's not always fun." He paused for a moment, then added, "Speaking of family... what do you think your dad will make of me?"

Lila shrugged. "Honestly? I've never brought a guy home before. But I think he'll like you, based on your character. Dad's less emotional than Lewis, more analytical."

"How so?" Jude pressed, curious.

"Well," Lila began, "he was a bit hard on Lewis and Nic as they grew up. But he's gotten better. Having a daughter kind of softened him, I think." She glanced at Jude. "What about your dad? Is he hard on you?"

Jude shook his head. "Nah, not really. I mean, you saw him tonight. He's pretty affectionate. He wanted us to do things for ourselves, not because he played semi-pro."

"That must have been interesting, growing up with a dad who played semi-professionally."

"It was," Jude agreed. "The only difficult part was... well, he was raising black sons in a crazy world, but he did his best, learned a lot along the way."

Lila nodded, understanding in her eyes. "That couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," Jude said softly. "But it made us who we are, you know?"

Jude’s words hung in the air between them as they arrived back at the Weimarer Resort, their conversation slowly fading into silence. They strolled through the hallways, the soft hum of the resort’s ambiance filling the space. Jude reached for his room key, opened the door, and let Lila walk in ahead of him before closing it behind them.

Before he could say anything, Lila practically pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his in a heated kiss. Jude let out a low groan, caught off guard but certainly not protesting as he instinctively pulled her closer. Her sudden boldness made his pulse race.

"Lila," he murmured between kisses, his lips tingling from the intensity of her embrace.

She grinned wickedly, pushing him back toward the bed. "Lie down," she commanded, her voice husky, her eyes dark with desire.

Jude raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. "Yes, ma’am," he replied playfully, easing himself down onto the bed.

Lila climbed on top of him, her legs straddling his hips, and leaned down to kiss him again. Their mouths moved together in a rhythm that felt almost too natural, too easy. Jude’s hands roamed her body, tracing the curves of her waist, her thighs, making him ache with want. He could feel himself growing harder with every kiss, his body responding to the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingertips.

Lila’s kisses moved from his lips down to his neck, her teeth grazing against his skin as she pressed soft, sensual kisses there. Jude moaned, his head falling back as her lips sent waves of pleasure through him. His hands found her hips, pulling her closer as the heat between them grew.

Suddenly, Lila pulled back, her bold demeanor faltering as a shy smile crept onto her face. The contrast between her initial assertiveness and her sudden hesitation didn’t go unnoticed by Jude.

"What’s wrong, Lila Bila?" Jude asked, his voice soft as he caressed her hips, trying to reassure her.

"I want us to do it tonight," she said, her voice tentative, almost uncertain. "Make love…"

Jude’s eyes widened at her words. "Oh…"

"Yeah…" Lila bit her lip nervously, her fingers playing with the collar of his shirt. "Do you want to?"

Jude studied her face for a moment, trying to read her expression. "Do you really want to do it, or do you think you have to because it’s my birthday?" he asked gently, his voice laced with concern.

Lila hesitated, her eyes dropping to the bed. "Both?" she said softly, though she didn’t sound entirely convinced. Letting out an exasperated breath, she looked at him with a mixture of frustration and vulnerability. "Don’t you want to? I mean, you can’t be satisfied with us only fooling around, can you?"

Jude kissed his teeth, almost dismissively. "We don’t 'fool around,' Lila," he said, making her blink in confusion. "Darling, that’s part of our intimacy, alright? We’re sharing something together, learning about each other."

"But how much can we learn?" Lila pressed, her brows furrowing. "Be honest with me, Jude. Are you completely satisfied with me?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation, his voice steady and sure.

"Even though we haven’t gone all the way yet?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"Yes, Delilah," Jude said, using her full name to emphasize his sincerity. "I’m not running around with blue balls, you know? If you’re talking about having a release, we get plenty of that. I’m fine with what we’re doing."

Lila leaned in closer, her hands resting on his chest. "Even with me being a virgin?"

"Yes, Lila. Even with you being a virgin," Jude reassured her, his hand gently cupping her chin. "There’s no rush, babes. Why do you think there is?"

"Because," she huffed, clearly frustrated, "you’re so experienced and I’m not. All of my friends have done it already…"

"That doesn’t mean anything," Jude said, shaking his head. "We’re focused on us, okay? And when the time is right, I promise I’ll dick you down accordingly," he teased, flashing a grin. "But not tonight, Lila. You’re obviously not ready." Lila’s pleading puppy dog eyes bore into him, but Jude wasn’t falling for it. "Puppy face won’t work on Daddy right now," he said, causing her to let out an audible gasp.

"Jude!" she exclaimed, her face scrunching up cutely in mock outrage.

"What?" Jude said between laughter. "You do call me 'Daddy,' Li. Stop being in denial about it; there’s nothing wrong with a little kink." He winked at her for added effect. Lila wrapped her hands around his neck playfully, feigning menace. "Ooh, and a little stroke and choke?" he teased. Jude growled playfully, pulling her closer. "Look at you, making your way through the freak guide in record time."

"Jude, I swear to God, I’ll—"

"What?" Jude interrupted, leaning up slightly as he removed her hands from his neck. His lips brushed against hers again, teasingly. "What’re you gonna do, babes? Tell me."

Before she could answer, Jude flipped them over, making Lila yelp in surprise before giggling. He hovered over her, capturing her lips in a searing kiss, his hands roaming over her body as he deepened the kiss.

"Tell Daddy what you’re gonna do," he whispered against her lips, his voice a low growl.

He trailed kisses down her neck, his lips brushing her skin as he moved lower, his hands working to unbutton her top. With her help, he quickly unhooked her bra and stared down at her breasts, his eyes darkening with desire.

"You’re so fucking hot, babes," he murmured, his tongue swirling around her nipple as he sucked gently, then harder, drawing a gasp from Lila. She arched her back, pressing herself further into his mouth, her hands tangling in his curls as the heat between them intensified. Jude’s free hand massaged her other breast, his thumb brushing over her other nipple as he lavished attention on her, taking his time to savor the moment.

"You taste so good," he muttered between kisses, his voice thick with desire. He moved to her other breast, repeating the same slow, sensual strokes of his tongue, sucking and tugging gently with his teeth, making Lila moan softly, her body responding to every movement of his lips.

Jude could feel the tension building between them, her soft gasps urging him on. His kisses began to trail lower, down her stomach, making her shiver with anticipation. As he reached the waistband of her pants, Jude looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mischievous glint. "You ready for more, Lila Bila?"

Lila could only nod, her breath hitching as he slid her pants and underwear down in one smooth motion, tossing them aside. Without hesitation, Jude lowered himself between her legs, his hands spreading her thighs apart as he pressed a soft kiss against her inner thigh. He took his time, teasing her with light touches before his mouth finally found her center.

Lila gasped, her fingers curling into the bedsheets as Jude’s tongue flicked over her clit, sending jolts of pleasure coursing through her. His movements were slow and deliberate, alternating between gentle licks and firmer strokes, knowing exactly how to work her body. Lila’s breathing became more ragged, her hips moving of their own accord as Jude’s tongue continued its torturous rhythm.

"Oh, Jude," she moaned, her voice breaking as he sucked her clit into his mouth, his fingers joining in, slipping inside her and curling upward, making her cry out in pleasure.

He could feel her body trembling beneath him, her moans growing louder, more urgent, but just as she was nearing the edge, Jude pulled back, leaving her panting and wanting more. He smirked at the needy look on her face, loving the way she looked so undone beneath him.

"Jude," she breathed out, half-exasperated, half-pleading.

"Patience, babes," Jude murmured against her lips, his voice low and teasing as he kissed her again, letting her taste herself on his mouth. The sensation made Lila shiver, her body melting into his as the kiss deepened, soft moans escaping her.

Jude pulled back slightly, his hand trailing down her body, fingers brushing over her stomach and making her squirm beneath him. "Stay right there," he whispered, giving her a quick wink as he got up from the bed.

Lila watched him, her breath shallow, heart racing. She had no idea what he was planning, but the anticipation made her body thrum with excitement. She propped herself up on her elbows as Jude made his way to the closet, rummaging through it for a few moments before returning with something in his hand.

Her eyes widened when she saw the sleek, discreet-looking vibrator. She had mentioned wanting to try one out once or twice, but she never expected Jude to actually go out and get it for them.

"Surprise," he said, grinning as he held it up."Thought you might like to have a little extra fun tonight."

Lila’s cheeks flushed, her body tingling at the thought. "You really got one?"

"Of course," Jude replied smoothly, climbing back onto the bed. "You said you were curious, right? Figured it’d be fun for us both to play with." He kissed her neck, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Now lie back, baby. Let me take care of you."

Lila swallowed hard, excitement and nerves coursing through her. She lay back down as he instructed, her breath coming quicker as Jude settled between her thighs, pressing a soft kiss just above her hipbone.

When his lips finally went back to her center, his tongue flicked against her in rapid strokes.

"Yes, baby," Lila gasped.

Then, just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, he reached for the vibrator, turning it on with a low hum. Lila’s breath hitched, her body already hypersensitive from Jude’s attention.

He met her gaze, his eyes a darkened obsidian. "Ready, babes?"

Lila nodded, unable to form words.

Slowly, Jude pressed the vibrator against her, the sensation sending a shockwave of pleasure through her. She cried out, her hips bucking involuntarily as Jude continued to work her with both his mouth and the toy, the combination pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

"Fuck, Jude," she moaned, her hands moving to grip his hair as her entire body tightened. Jude didn’t let up, the vibrations and his tongue driving her wild until finally, the tension snapped, and she came hard, her body convulsing with the force of her release.

Jude stayed with her through it, drawing out every last wave of pleasure until she was panting, completely spent beneath him.

He pulled away slightly, turning off the vibrator and setting it aside before crawling back up to kiss her, his lips soft and tender against hers. Lila was still trembling, her body buzzing from the intensity of it all, but she kissed him back with all the energy she had left.

"That was…" Lila trailed off, her voice shaky as she caught her breath. "Incredible."

Jude smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Glad you liked it."

"I more than liked it," she said, laughing softly as she touched his face. "You’re dangerous with that mouth of yours."

Jude chuckled, giving her a quick kiss before pulling her into his arms, his body warm and solid against hers. "Well, it’s not over yet, babe," he whispered in her ear, his voice full of mischief.

She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

Jude grinned, kissing the side of her neck. "Your turn."

Before she could respond, he pulled back, his hands moving to guide her down his body. Lila caught on quickly, her heart racing with excitement as her hands moving to undo his pants as she shot him a daring grin. Jude’s heart raced as she pulled his boxers down as well, freeing his erection.

Jude let out a low groan as she wrapped her hand around him, her fingers working him with slow, deliberate strokes. His head fell back against the pillows, his eyes closing as he gave himself over to the sensation.

"I love touching you," Lila said, her voice soft. Then, without another word, she lowered her mouth onto him, taking him in slowly at first, her tongue swirling around the tip before she began to bob her head, taking him deeper with each movement.

"Fuck, Lila," he muttered, his hand finding its way into her hair, guiding her rhythm as she sucked him off. Her mouth was warm and wet, and she was getting better at this, her movements confident and sure as she took him in with more intensity.

Every stroke of her tongue, every flick over the sensitive head, had Jude panting, his hips starting to buck slightly in response. The pressure was building fast, the sensation overwhelming as Lila’s mouth worked him to the edge.

"Shit," Jude groaned, his muscles tensing as he felt himself getting closer, her mouth pushing him right to the brink. "I’m about to—"

He didn’t have time to finish his sentence before he exploded, his release hitting hard as he came in her mouth. Lila didn’t flinch, though, taking all of him, swallowing eagerly as he moaned through his climax.

As the waves of pleasure finally subsided, Jude lay there, breathing hard, watching Lila as she wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, a small, almost smug smile on her face.

"Damn," Jude breathed out, grinning as he propped himself up on his elbows. "You’ve really gotten good at swallowing, haven’t you?"

Lila laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Shut up, Jude."

He chuckled, pulling her back up to him and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "No, seriously. You’ve improved, Li. I’m proud of you," he teased, winking at her.

She swatted at his chest, but there was no mistaking the smile on her face as she curled up beside him, their laughter filling the room.

Jude pulled Lila close, his fingers lazily tracing patterns along her arm as they lay together in the afterglow of the moment. He glanced down at her, a soft smile tugging at his lips as he brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"You know, Li," he began, his voice low and sincere, "you mean a lot to me. This… tonight… it’s been the best birthday I’ve ever had. And not just because of, well, all this." He gestured vaguely between them, a playful grin on his face, "But because you’re here, with me."

Lila giggled softly, snuggling deeper into his side. "Jude, we didn’t even do much. I mean, we had cake, messed around a little..."

He laughed, his chest rumbling beneath her. "Yeah, but it’s more than that, Li. It’s not about doing something big or crazy. It’s about the fact that I got to ring in my 21st birthday with my family… and with you." He kissed the top of her head, his lips lingering against her hair for a moment. "That’s what makes it special."

Lila looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with affection. "You really mean that?"

"Absolutely," he said without hesitation, his hand gently cupping her cheek. "I couldn’t imagine a better way to spend it. You’re my girl, Lila. And having you by my side tonight? That’s everything."

She bit her lip, her cheeks flushing slightly at his words. "You’re really sappy tonight, Jude."

He laughed again, pulling her even closer. "Maybe a little. But you deserve it. Plus, it’s my birthday. I’m allowed to be as sappy as I want."

Lila giggled again, resting her head on his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. "Okay, birthday boy. You win. I’m glad you’re happy. That’s all that matters."

"Happy doesn’t even begin to cover it," Jude murmured, his hand sliding up to stroke her hair gently. "This is perfect."

They lay there in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying each other’s presence, before Jude spoke again, his voice soft but filled with warmth.

"Thank you, Lila. For making this the best birthday ever."

She smiled against his chest, her heart swelling at his words. "Anytime, Jude."

lilahamilton and judebellingham

liked by lewishamilton, trentarnold66, england, and others

lilahamilton: happy birthday to my favourite person in the world! 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 can't wait to celebrate more birthdays with you, my love! ♥️ tagged: judebellingham

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Lewis settled into the couch inside his hotel suite, a mix of frustration and acceptance lingering from his P4 finish at the Austrian Grand Prix. He knew he should be content with the points, but the competitor in him always yearned for the top spot.

As he turned on the England vs Slovakia game, Amara walked in with a tray of snacks. "Thought you might need these," she said, setting them down on the coffee table.

Thanks," Lewis smiled, appreciating her thoughtfulness. As the pre-game coverage began, he noticed Amara's slightly puzzled expression. "Not much of a football fan?"

"Not really. We don't follow it much in the States," she shook her head. "There's Jude, though," Amara pointed out as the camera panned to number 10 warming up on the pitch. "He's looking good out there."

Lewis nodded, feeling a surge of pride despite himself. "Yeah, he's doing well. Kid's got talent, I'll give him that."

The camera then swept across the stands, focusing on a familiar face. "And there's Lila," Lewis said, seeing his sister sitting with Jude's family.

The commentators' voices filled the room: "And there we see Jude Bellingham's girlfriend, Lila Hamilton, sitting with his family. For those who might not know, she's the sister of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and has recently made waves as Versace's newest ambassador."

"Quite the power couple they're becoming," the other commentator added. "Young Bellingham's star is certainly on the rise, both on and off the pitch."

Lewis felt a mix of emotions hearing them talk about Lila and Jude. Pride in his sister's accomplishments, a touch of protectiveness, and a grudging respect for Jude's handling of the spotlight.

"They really are in the public eye, aren't they?" Amara mused, glancing at Lewis.

Lewis nodded, his eyes still on the screen. "Yeah, it comes with the territory. Lila's handling it well."

As the game kicked off, Lewis found himself fully invested, explaining plays to Amara and cheering for England. But part of his mind kept drifting to Lila, hoping she was handling the attention okay. He made a mental note to check in with her after the match.

"Lila's really sweet," Amara commented during a lull in the action. "I'm glad I got to meet her in Barcelona."

Lewis chuckled. "Yeah, she's alright. When she's not being a pain in my ass, that is."

Amara playfully swatted his arm. "Come on, she's not that bad."

"Nah, she's great," Lewis admitted, his tone softening. "Just don't tell her I said that. Can't have her getting a big head."

They continued watching, and Lewis found himself relaxing more. He wrapped an arm around Amara's shoulders, pulling her closer. The domesticity of the moment struck him - sitting on the couch, watching football, snacks within reach. It felt foreign yet comforting, a stark contrast to his usual fast-paced lifestyle.

He thought back to his conversation with Lila in Barcelona. He and Amara were still figuring things out, but there was no pressure. They were going with the flow, and Lewis found he quite enjoyed it.

"This is nice," he murmured, almost to himself.

Amara looked up at him, a soft smile on her face. "Yeah, it is. Though I have to say, your sister grilling me was quite the experience."

Lewis laughed. "She takes after me in that department. Sorry about that."

"Don't be," Amara replied. "It shows how much she cares about you. It's sweet."

As the game progressed, Lewis found himself equally invested in the match and the woman beside him. It had been a while since he'd allowed himself to simply enjoy moments like these. No racing, no public appearances, just... this.

The comfortable silence was broken by a sudden roar from the crowd on TV. Lewis's attention snapped back to the game, just in time to see Jude make a brilliant pass. He couldn't help but grin, both at the play and at the thought of how excited Lila must be in the stands.

Maybe, he thought, this was what it was all about - finding a balance between the adrenaline of his career and the simple joys of moments like these. As he settled in to watch the rest of the match with Amara, Lewis felt a sense of contentment wash over him. This, he decided, he could definitely get used to.

TO BE CONTINUED.....

[greetthedawn]

AN:

Hey y’all! It took me longer than I expected to write this one, but I’m happy with what I came up with. Shout out to my old roomie who watched me do a full Black Flag playthrough so she could be my beta reader for this story. Luv u girl <3

A twist, a tale, a rip through my sail

And we’re made to watch the walls fall down

Cause goodbye’s too strong, too strong a word

When I’m weak from everything that I’m told

Yes, I’m weak from everything that I’m told

And I’m weak from all the things that I know

            The sun was setting over Havana’s port and color danced across the clouds like a tapestry in the wind. Edward was reclined against the stone wall that loomed over the gently rolling water in the port. He used the tankard in his hands to muffle his amusement while his beloved rebuked their crewmen for their spending habits. As predicted, most of the lot had blown their earnings on an assortment of funs and fancies before their second night in the city had begun. Unfortunately for them, this was not the day to come asking young Master Kidd for extra handouts.

           Mary somehow towered over a gunner no less than a head taller than she was, nearly chest to chest. Her arms were crossed, and she held her chin high. The poor lad she was grinding beneath her metaphorical boot hung his shoulders low and stared intently at anything that wasn’t his quartermaster’s unyielding, narrow-eyed glare. In one hand she held a shiny new knife that would look impressive to most. However, compared to the cutting glint of Venganza menacingly strapped to her hip, he thought it would appear better suited alongside a dinner plate.

           “Tell me, Powder Monkey Herraro,” she condescended. “You bet this strumpet… how much coin, that your cock was more threatening than you new knife?” She gave her wrist a wiggle for emphasis, letting the fading sunlight bounce off the polished blade in her hand.

           Herrero cleared his throat. “I bet half, sir.”

           “Half of what, Herrero?” Mary arched her scarred brow expectantly.

           “Half my wages, sir.” The man rolled his shoulders nervously. Edward could tell he was hoping to appeal to Kidd’s infamous moral scruples with his honesty. He wasn’t sure what her punishment for deception might be, as none had ever dared, but he or any sane man would be loath to find out.

           Mary inched closer to Herrero, peering up at him intently. “Let me finish your story for you, man. Jaysus knows I’ve heard it before. She took up your bet, you had a few more drinks, and when it came time to perform you lost your nerve.”

           Herrero swallowed – his pride, clearly – and nodded with great shame and embarrassment evident in his manner.

           Mary smirked and slapped the flat of the blade to the man’s chest. She stepped back and let him cautiously take it from her hands. “No world-wisened woman believes a boastful man. Those who can support their claims have no need to brag, and they have no need to flash shiny objects for a lady’s admiration. A knife like that says fresh gold. That’s blood in the water to a lady of pleasure, and a mark who’s too pickled to get it up makes for light work.” She turned and strode toward Kenway, leaving Herrero to face the raucous ridicule of his crewmates. “Sell the knife,” she called back as she walked away. “It’ll keep you fed til you prove to me you can handle the gold I give you.”

           Edward passed her the tankard in his hand as she joined him against the wall. “A tongue lashing like that ought to curb his misbehavior for a time.” He offered a toothy grin of pride. He knew few others who could make men of Herrero’s might wither like ferns before the sun. “You’ve always had a handle on these louts. You’ll be a natural parent, far more disposed to it than myself to be sure.” The warmth in his voice was curbed by a touch of selfish hesitancy.

           She rolled her eyes. “A better parent wouldn’t have lost her child to madmen and murderers.”

           “Are you insulting murderers?” He teased her with mock offense and a sly wink.

           “Oy, mind your step,” she warned with a raised brow, but he could see the warmth of humor in her eyes. “A better parent might not be a murderer, herself.”

           “Oh, on the contrary, I might argue it makes you more suited to parenthood. Refined protective instincts, ability to stand your ground…”

           She shook her head in mild amusement and raised the tankard to her lips, but he reached out to stop her with a light hand on the rim. “You’re not genuinely worried about your fitness for motherhood, are you?” he asked softly.

           She set down their drink on the wall between them. “Any sane man or woman would be. It’s unexplored territory and your aptitude decides an unfair amount of the course for a helpless child, not to mention anyone they ever get close enough to affect. Besides, my… professional affiliations won’t make for the safest upbringing. She’ll make me vulnerable, and that vulnerability puts her on the butcher’s block.”

           He squeezed her wrist, desperately wishing they were in private where he could do more to comfort her, but also knowing she likely didn’t need the reassurance. Moments of self-doubt were rare for her, though when they did happen they were fleeting. Her convictions were unshakable but she had to consider the possibility she might get it wrong, else how could she be sure she was right? “Don’t give a thought to her safety. There’s not a Brother among us who wouldn’t cut down a whole fleet themselves to protect your little girl. And Mary... you never need to worry about your fitness as a parent. You’ve raised me into a man of quality and character all on your own, have you not?”

She smiled at that, warming his heart in the process. “Not that you’ve made it easy, mate.”

           He grinned back cheekily. “What child would, in truth?”

           The corner of his vision sparked in that moment with the aura of a friendly face. Mary must have sensed it too because her head whipped around just as soon as Bell broke free from the mingling crowds of the port market. She tugged on the sleeve of his robes, pulling him after her as they went to greet their young friend.

           “What news?” Edward inquired with a terse urgency to his tone once they had drawn within earshot.

           Bell’s eyes landed on the pair through the throng of traders and he gave a relieved and eager sigh and he way his way over to them. “I did as you said, sirs, and scoped out Ignacio du Mont. He’s a man of modest means, though he seems to live more comfortably than one of his post in the shipping business ought to. All those in the neighborhood that I spoke to sang praises of his leadership in their community, but there seems little remarkable about him outside of those two points.”

           “And the house?” Mary pressed, her demeanor measured yet hopeful.

           “Aye, the address you gave is indeed the du Mont residence,” Bell confirmed. “It’s a grand thing, but aging and in need of some upkeep, and its staff seemed well-treated. Their quarters are on the ground floor, while du Mont resides above with his wife and small child.”

           Mary noticeably stiffened at Kenway’s side. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, checking her from appearing too personally invested in this piece of news in front of their crewman. “What can you tell us about this child?”

           Bell shrugged. “Not much. It’s a wee lad, less than a year of age by my eyes.”

           Mary relaxed under the captain’s fingers, a little disappointed, he guessed. He let his hand drop from her coat.

           “Anything else you can tell us?” Mary questioned, shifting her weight away from Edward inconspicuously.

           “Just this: there are many empty rooms in the house that appear to be equipped for children. When I asked after the family, I learned that they sometimes take in urchins off the street. They care for them, find a suitable couple for an adoption. It’s all quite… philanthropic, though the rooms seem to have been empty for a time.” He hesitated for a moment, somewhat unsure of himself. “If I may be so bold as to assume that your true intent is on one such urchin, I feel confident that du Mont will have some valuable information to help you on your way.”

           Edward bristled protectively, but Mary laid a steadying hand on his shoulder. “Aye, you may be so bold, but I’d ask that you make no further assumptions about this matter,” she confirmed. “It’s not your due to go digging in it just yet. Though I’d wager you’re right about du Mont. I expect he’ll prove a willing font of knowledge.” Her fingers graced the ruby pommel of her dagger lightly.

           Edward grinned at her, his tension turning to anticipation. “I do hope he won’t mind us two dropping in for a chat, then.” He reached into his coat and removed a rather sizable pouch of gold, which he pressed into Bell’s grateful hands. “For your family, as promised.”

           “That ought to pay for a physician and keep your family in food and home until your father is well enough to work again,” Mary added. “If his illness draws on, we’ll be glad to send more. You need only to ask.”

           Bell nodded with eyes wide at the wealth between his fingertips. The Assassins both knew he wasn’t the type of boy to waste a single coin on himself when it was needed elsewhere. It would all certainly make it back to his loved ones. “I thank you, sirs. My family won’t forget this kindness.”

           Mary clapped his shoulder. “Nor will we forget yours. You’ve done us a great service. Now off with you! You’ve a courier ship to catch.” She waved him away with a small smile of confidence on her lips. Edward knew she was pleased with herself for finding this one. It was only a matter of time before they welcomed him to the Brotherhood, he was sure of it.

           Bell nodded gratefully again and scurried off down the docks to find the fastest vessel with a course set for London. There was many a captain that would lie hand over foot to get his hands on that purse with false promises of delivery, but the young boy was a pirate himself and would surely see through such ruses to find a trustworthy sea craft.

           Mary put a hand on her partner’s back and led him down the road into town. The city was beginning to quiet around them as children were put to bed and families tidied up after their supper in the tranquility of dusk. The hum of domesticity hung in the autumn air light as a feather, yet Edward felt it smothering him like a downy pillow as he tried to stifle his uncertainty for their near future. He was grateful, however, for the shadows drawing long across the dusty Havana streets. Their cover allowed them to move toward du Mont’s home with fewer anxious glaces about their surroundings.

           “A foster home,” he mused eventually, breaking through the buzz of insects and the gentle breeze. “Odd that Torres would have such a connection. Did he really deal in children with the frequency to render it necessary?”

           Mary frowned and cast a scolding glance, but he could sense by the steady pressure of her hand on his spine that she wasn’t truly irritated at his remark. “I don’t like to imagine my daughter as a commodity to be bought and sold, or any person for that matter. But I can see why the Templars would value a man like du Mont. They can harm and manipulate their enemies as they’ve done me without having to take responsibility for the child’s wellbeing, and it’s more difficult to keep track of where they end up if another party handles the transactions. It’s almost clever, really. Something I might have done, were I of a different mind about the ethics of it.”

           Edward nodded thoughtfully. “I would have thought it too kind a solution for a man of Torres’ disposition. Perhaps he did hold a soft spot in his heart for babes… though it seems perverse to distinguish them from the other innocents he so sought to control.”

           Mary’s lips pressed into a firm line. “I hope you’re right about that. If this du Mont harmed my girl…”

           “I’ll gladly hold him down while you split his skull.” He pressed a supportive kiss to her temple as they walked. “Though I’d rather toy with him a bit first. I know merciful deaths are your color, but mine run darker yet. You’d be welcome to join me in my fun, however.”

           She smirked at his proposition. “I s’pose I haven’t wrung the whole scoundrel out of you yet.”

           “Would I be any fun if you had?” He punctuated his words with a saucy wink.

           Mary eyed him up and down suggestively. “Perhaps it isn’t the worst thing.”

           By the time they reached the address that Ikal had given them some days earlier, the sun had sunk resolutely behind the mountains and the most commanding sounds in the air were the wind and the shuttering of windows. Mary led the way as they circled the residence. It was a two story home, proud but not immodest, with fading green walls and white trimmings that glowed pale in the dawning moonlight. There was no hint of the heavy security that they were accustomed to dealing with when infiltrating Templar bases. In fact, the building gave no more hint of concern toward intruders than its neighbors did. Edward found it highly suspect, but didn’t voice his unease. If Ikal said this was where they would find their man then this was where they needed to be.

           They found a window sitting open on the second floor at the back of the house, its wispy curtains dancing sleepily in the warm breeze. Mary ran at the wall, kicking off the side boards to push herself into the air and grip the windowsill. Edward stayed on the ground, keeping watch for any patrolmen and waiting for her to scope out the interior. She hauled herself inside and disappeared for a long moment before poking her head back out. She signaled for him to follow, but to do so quietly.

           He sprinted at the house and pushed off the side as she had, propelling himself up to the open window. She took his hand and pulled him in. When his eyes adjusted, he found himself in the dimly lit room of a child. du Mont’s infant son slept to his left, letting out the tiniest of snores every handful of seconds. Carefully, Edward crept to where Mary was crouched at the open doorway, peering into the hall. It was empty. Together they slunk into the greater house. Mary headed with purpose toward the door opposite the landing of the stairs, seeming to sense something within, and quietly, gently twisted the knob. She cracked the door open just enough for them to slip into the room.

           Ignacio du Mont laid by his wife’s side in an opulent four-poster bed that had seen some wear. The emerald green drapery hung loosely around the sleeping couple. Edward snuck to the man’s side of the bed and grabbed a fistful of the heavy velvet curtain. With that in hand, he engaged his wrist blade and pressed one long edge against the exposed flesh of his target’s throat, covering du Mont’s mouth and nose with the cloth to muffle his reaction. The Spaniard’s eyes snapped open, fluttering like wings as he adjusted to consciousness and took in his tense situation.

           Mary hovered at Edward’s side. Her hand rested lightly on the grip of her ruby knife, intimidating but not yet threatening. “We have no quarrel with your wife,” she hissed lightly through the darkness. “Best you come with us, so as not to disturb her.”

           Edward tentatively removed the curtain from du Mont’s face and motioned for him to stand, pressing the blade to his neck a little rougher as a warning. Eyes wide but compliant, the Spaniard held his hands just above his head as he was led into the hallway. The Assassins led him past his son’s room to one at the other end of the house, far from the sleeping ears of his family yet still high enough to hurt should they need to throw him from a window for whatever reason.

           The room they had selected was an abandoned nursery. The walls were a gentle, soothing shade of yellow, and two bassinets were nestled along the far wall. An assortment of toys adorned the shelves and two plush, burgundy chairs sat by the window facing each other. Edward pushed du Mont into one and Mary settled into the other.

           Mary leaned forward commandingly, placing her elbows on her spread knees with her hands clasped loosely between them. Her calm was menacing. “Are you the man the Templars call Ignacio du Mont?” she inquired evenly.

           Their target gave her a nervous, but puzzled look. “Sí, that is my name, though I know not of these Templars you speak of.”

           Edward tightened his knife’s grip on his captive’s skin. “Don’t lie, cockrobin. Your hide won’t thank you for it.”

           du Mont tensed, his fingers digging into the upholstery of his seat. “That is my honest truth, I swear to you!”

           Mary raised a steadying hand. The captain met her eyes and he could tell she believed the squirming Spaniard’s words. He eased up, feeling du Mont relax beneath his grip.

           “Is it true to that you work for the former Governor Laureano de Torres?” Mary pressed.

           du Mont shook his head, looking nervous and a bit confused. “I took contracts from the Governor on occasion, sí, but my day to day work is with a shipping company. Rum, tobacco, sometimes armaments if the price is high enough. That sort of thing.”

           The set of Mary’s mouth firmed, but the sparkle in her fawn eyes gave away her eagerness at his admission. “Tell me, Ignacio, did these contracts ever ask you to deal in the trafficking of humans? What is the price for that, I wonder?”

           Their mark’s eyes grew wide and he threw up his hands in defensive objection. “No, never, sir. The slave trade is a dark and immoral business, simply uncatholic. I would not sully my hands or my family name with it. We are not so desperate for the gold it would bring that I need stoop so low. You dishonor me with the accusation.”

           Mary leaned back in her chair with her hands crossed over her lap, skeptical. “So the Governor Torres has never brought you a child to dispense of.” Her tone was pointed, trapping.

           Understanding dawned on du Mont’s face and he backtracked on his indignation. He shook his head and huffed to the floor. “I must explain. My wife has this passion for children, you see. She herself was orphaned as at a tender age, but was lucky enough to be taken as a ward… Others are not so fortunate. We house children in crisis around the city as there is a need for it. You can see from our relatively vacant home that she has quite a knack for finding suitable families for the sweet babes that cross our door, and has gained some pleasant notoriety in the city for her work. This news reached the Governor at some point and he offered to aid our efforts. A few times over the years, Torres’ men would bring us a child or two. Sometimes they stayed for a time before the Governor sent to retrieve them, and other times we were asked to find them loving homes. Such children always came with a hefty donation… and a request for discretion.”

           The man’s passion for his cause seemed true, but his last words stirred Edward’s blood. “Did you not think to ask who these young ones belonged to? Did the cloak and dagger of it not rouse your suspicions?”

           du Mont raised his hands concedingly. “In truth, they did at times. At first we suspected them to be the Governor’s bastards, and might have left it at that had there not been so many over the years. But what power did we have to investigate? And how could we do so without having to admit to ourselves our own part in any nefarious plot? It would ruin my wife. The only power I possess is to care for and nurture these innocent souls and to place them with families who will do the same. And every man must make compromises. Their price has permitted us to take in many others who come to us through honest means, children we might otherwise have needed to turn away.”

           Mary nodded thoughtfully, less irate, more understanding than Edward himself. “I respect your motives, but not your methods. Unfortunately, those are personal to me. You see, one of these little ones came to you straight from my own arms, robbed from me at her birth.” She leaned in closer, her eyes imploring, attempting to appeal to the loving parent in du Mont. “You’re a father. You have a young son. You can imagine how I must find my daughter, how I have died everyday that I have been unable to do so since that morning last April when she was stolen from me.”

           “April?” du Month started. He gave a heavy sigh and glanced at Edward patiently but warily. “May I stand? I have something you may like to see.”

           Kenway let him rise, but kept his blades at the ready should their new friend make a move to escape. The Spaniard led the way down the stairs with the pirates at his tail and took them into a study. He went directly to his desk and ran his fingers along the underside of the table’s lip. There was a soft click and a hidden drawer popped out at the side. He gently lifted a small, blue notebook from within.

           “It was never a direct condition of our arrangement that I wasn’t to keep records on the children Torres brought to me, but I don’t suspect he would be pleased that I have. Regardless, the secrecy made me uneasy and I wanted insurance should their origins come back to haunt me as you have this night.” He handed the book to Mary. Edward loomed at her shoulder, watching as she thumbed through the pages, seeking one dated April 1721.

           “I remember your girl. She came to me still slick from the womb. We seldom get them so small, and we feared for a time that she wouldn’t make it… but she had strength in her. I particularly enjoyed having her here. She was a quiet, agreeable thing.”

           “Not at all like her mother then,” Edward quipped playfully, earning himself a dark glare from Mary.

           “Here,” his partner breathed when she landed on the page. There was an address - a plantation at Matanzas - and three names: the adoptive couple, Thiago and Catalina Reyes, and their adopted daughter.

           “Maria?” Edward remarked incredulously.

           “Sí, that’s the name the Governor gave when she was brought to us,” du Mont confirmed, perplexed at his change in tone.

           His lover laughed out loud, and the sound was angry. “That codger…” She turned to du Mont and explained, “The mother was an englishwoman named Mary. She… didn’t get on with the Governor. Giving her child the Spanish iteration of her name, I suppose it was both a tribute and an insult. A way to honor the mother and their quarrels, yet possess the daughter as spoils of war.”

           du Mont nodded. “Indeed, I knew Torres to have an ever slightly perverse sense of humor. Still, he paid well, and your child was no exception. The money was put to her good care, I can assure you.” He took the book back from her and ripped out the page concerning Jennifer before locking it safely back in his desk. “I don’t know what your quarrel was, but believe you me, I have no affiliation with him past what we’ve discussed, and no stake in his affairs. I am sorry for the part I played in your daughter’s kidnapping, and for the pain it caused your family. I am not in the business of separating parent and child. Quite the opposite, actually.” He offered the paper to Mary, who took it gratefully.

           “Thank you for your help, and for keeping my girl safe during her time here.” After pausing in contemplation for a moment, Mary reached into her coat and pulled out a pouch of gold. It bore the Assassin insignia. She dropped the sack onto du Mont’s desk with a soft thud and the jingling of coin. “You and your wife do noble work here. If you ever seek to do business with a more honorable cut of folk, show this symbol at your threshold. Our friend Rhona will know to seek you out.”

           du Mont smiled amicably. “I will keep it in mind. Now go in peace, dark friends. Your daughter awaits.”

           Mary nodded in farewell and started out the door. Edward lingered a moment, hesitant. His insecurities and fears about this child mounted again at this new information, holding him back from following the person he cared about most. They were so close to finding Jennifer, but every step they took closer to her took him one step closer to an irrevocable change in his relationship with her mother. Jenny would always come first in Mary’s eyes, as she damn well should. Would he be able to prioritize her the same way, this child that should have been his but now never could be? Mary would expect it of him. If he was a good man, he’d be up to the task. Maybe someday he’d get there. He just had to hope that happened before he could ruin himself in Mary’s eyes once and for all.

           The woman he loved paused just outside, looking back at him expectantly. “Coming, Kenway?”

           Looking at her in the moonlight, strong and healthy and alive, he knew this was not the greatest thing he would be willing to overcome to stay by her side.

           “Aye,” he called back, his voice catching every so slightly. He turned to du Mont and gestured farewell. “Cherish your wife and son,” he advised. Looking around the plush, modest study he added, “You’ve been blessed with a good life here. I envy you for it.”

           He followed Mary out of the house, leaving behind their slightly puzzled new friend to mull over the strangest night of his recent years. With a hand on his partner’s back, the two Assassins set off down the road toward what Edward hoped would become the happiness and satisfaction he so craved.

A sound, a light that rips through the night, now too far away

But when I follow my heart, it leads me to you

When I’m weak from everything that I’m told

Yes, I’m weak from everything that I’m told

And I’m weak from all the things that I know

           The moon hung low on the horizon. Its silver reflection reached out across the sea, stretching toward Edward only to be broken apart by the waves just before reaching him on the shore. The captain sat tucked into the sandy slope of a kingston beach, bare-chested and bare-footed. He wiggled his toes deeper into the soft, bleached grains before him, still somewhat warm from the hot, sunny day. The temperature cooled each inch he dug deeper. Flecks of it clung to his arms and legs and hugged the damp bottom-third of the bottle at his side like a sleeve askew.

           While Mary had gone back to the Jackdaw to make the necessary preparations for their trip at first light, he had come to commune with the sea as he always did when he felt he was losing control. The ocean was one thing he knew he had command of. Here, he was a devil and a king. He inspired fear in his enemies and loyalty in his friends. There was no battle he couldn’t win, no place that was barred to him. Try as they might, these West Indies couldn't seem to kill him.

           What he couldn’t control, however, was his future. Tomorrow night, his relationship with Mary was decidedly going to change. Tomorrow, Mary herself was going to change. She would be a mother in more than just blood and name. He couldn’t say for certain how that might affect their dynamic. Their relationship, their partnership, those were sometimes strained and always carefully balanced. This child would throw a very sturdy weight onto one side of all things. Could they learn to compensate? Edward couldn’t be sure. Mary was so firey and he was so hard-headed. How would the responsibilities of parenthood interact with those traits?

           Moreover, he couldn’t control how tomorrow would go for Mary. There were so many unknowns, so many variables, that he couldn’t ensure the day would go to plan. He couldn’t predict how receptive young Jennifer would be to the change, or if she would be able to understand what was happening. His feelings about this girl’s origins and the potential ramifications on his own life aside, Mary deserved to be reunited with her daughter. Even if it meant he had to give her up altogether to make it happen, then so be it. He would do whatever he could to make their mission a success along with their life thereafter, but ever since that night he’d pulled Mary out of that reeking prison cell he’d had a crippling fear of not being able to do enough. A fear of being too late.

           The sound of familiar footsteps at his side flushed his chest with warmth. The small, rough hand on his bare shoulder was a welcome reminder that he didn’t do this - or anything else - alone. He looked up to see Mary, not James Kidd, at his side. Her hair hung loose, gently lifted here and there by the warm breeze winding around them. She was dressed down to a white blouse with simple trousers and no boots. Her expression was more relaxed than he had seen it in a week, much to his pleasant surprise. “Mind if I join you?” she asked in a murmur.

           In response he took her hand and pulled her down to the sand next to him. She leaned her shoulder against his and gazed our across the water. The waves broke with a soothing, steady roar, their crests five deep as they rolled in toward the beach.

           “You’ve been out here quite a while,” she observed after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

           He turned his head and pressed a small kiss to the crown of her head. She smelled like salt, sweat, and smoke. “Aye, I wanted some quiet. Needed to do a bit of thinking. Did you get on all right with the crew?”            She nodded. “The damp louts will be right and ready come dawn,” she said in a scoff, rubbing the back of his hand affectionately with her thumb.

           He smiled lightly at her irritation with their ever-intoxicated crew and squeezed her fingers. “It is my great regret that I didn’t steal you aboard the Jack years ago. If only Adé had forced my hand a year or two soner.”

           Mary laughed at that. “As though you could have talked me into it, at the time. Or as though you’d have even asked. You’re well aware I’d have used it as a chance to guilt you into joining our Creed, and we both know how eager you were to subject yourself to that back then.” She elbowed him in the ribs teasingly.

           He playfully shoved back before letting out a wistful sigh and hanging his head. “No, you’re wrong about that. I would have jumped at the chance to sail with you. I know I wasn’t an easy man-” She cut him off with an arched brow. He returned a cheeky grin and revised his statement. “-am not an easy man to call friend, but Mary, even then I craved your approval. Yearned to stand at your side an equal in character, worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as you and your brothers. I thought I could go about it my own way, thought that riches and reputation could buy me that right. I tried, Lord knows I did, but I almost lost you for it, and did lose so many others.” His thoughts wandered sadly to their motley family in Nassau, long gone. Thatch, Anne, all the rest more colorful and abrasive.

           She held his gaze calmly with affection and concern in her sharp eyes, staying silent as though she could sense there was more he wasn’t saying. And there was. He didn’t want to say it, was loath even to think it in the shadowed privacy of his own mind. Maybe it was the alcohol swimming about in his veins, however, or that look she was giving him, the patience that always broke him to pieces in the end, but he felt it needed said. Tomorrow would be a different life from the one they were living in that moment on the beach beneath the waning moon. If he didn’t tell her that night, he would most certainly take it to his grave.

           With an anxious huff and a heavy pull from his bottle of rum he continued, his words directed at the rolling waves before them. “More than anything, I hope I would have asked you aboard because I wonder what might have been different in our lives if we hadn’t spent those few years apart.” He pulled his hand from hers, ashamed. His fingers dropped to grab fistfuls of sand, letting the grains sift through them like the wasted days he might have spent loving her instead of his gold. “My cursed partnership with Roberts, your arrest, our long months languishing away just there.” He nodded toward the dim horizon where the lights of Kingston jail glittered in the night across the bay, deceptively and offensively beautiful. He swallowed hard as his throat tried to trap his next words in his chest. “But mostly… I hope Jennifer could have been mine. My blood. No other man’s.” He tried to keep the jealous venom out of his tone but it was all he could do to get the idea past his lips. Controlling his emotions was out of the question. With a rough sigh he conceded, “It’s a natural consequence of my past choices that she is not. But I do hope I could have found a way to be worthy of that honor. To win your favor each night, to make you so satisfied, body and soul, that you need not visit another man’s bed or spend your days in the light of his affection. To be enough. A joy and not a burden.”

           Mary was still as he said all this, carrying on with her patient silence. When he dared glance at her, she was studying the horizon. Her wrists were draped loosely over her knees and her thumbs picked absently at her middle and ring fingers as they sometimes did when she was deep in thought, carefully selecting her words. He couldn’t name the emotion on her face.

           “Anne always said he reminded her of you,” she started after a tense moment of quiet had passed between them that, to Edward, didn’t seem like it would ever end. “I never saw what she did in that. But each of you was after the same thing as the other, something more meaningful than base gold and drink. Esteem, respect, community. Perhaps that’s what she always meant. He was the only man dry enough to fight beside us women that night. He was killed in the struggle while the drunken rats cowering below deck got their fair trial. Twisted fate, that. I never had the chance to tell him I was with child, but I think he’d have been happy. Proud, even. I didn’t love him, nor did he love me to my knowing, but we respected each other, and he’d have made a good father. His name was Jamie. My girl has his red hair.” She turned to face him and placed a hand on his knee. “I’m not going to soothe your ego, Kenway. I have no regrets for these past few years, though I can’t speak for what I might have done had things unfolded in any other manner. But I know my course lies with my daughter, and there’s room alongside us if you’re as certain of your heading as I am of mine. Given time, who knows? Perhaps one day there will be a child that’s equal parts your blood as they are mine.”

           Edward’s insecurities didn’t melt away as she spoke, explaining her side, nor did he feel any more settled about the past and his own regrets. Maybe, though, that was a good thing. His ghosts and regrets were almost welcome friends now. They were the driving force for his ambitions, a somber glimpse at the darkness that awaited him should he ever slip into his old ways, the easy ways. Each morning and night he faced them and counted up his deeds to assure himself they would never again be his reality, would not rob him of even one more day of happiness than they already had. Mary, their future together, even a child one day… they would be his reward for staying his course. He had a feeling that Jennifer would serve as both a ghost and a reward.

           He kissed her then, forcefully. “I can wait for that day,” he promised her. “Because Jennifer is a part of you, and there’s not one damned piece of you that I don’t love more than any of my own.” And he meant that. Until the day that they were ready for another, and every day after that, he would love that little girl as though she were his very own, because she was Mary’s and Mary was his from then and forever more. At last.

Do you think of me when you look to the sea?

I know it’s hard to grow when you’re pushed to your knees

I know our time will pass, your love, it will last

Darling, we will never break

Never break, darling

Song: To The Sea - Seafret

[xxepicgamerwaffle420xx]

Tag the last

I was tagged by @lovebeingsoexxtrajisoo thank you sweetie!!!!!!!!!

drink: wine {´◕ ◡ ◕｀}

phone call: my guy friend -_-

text message: "apsiramink, tu girtas eik miegot idk” which means "chill, go to sleep you’re drunk idk"

song you listened: SMNM - Million ft. Compulsive

time you cried: I don’t cry  (¬_¬)

HAVE YOU EVER

Dated someone twice: nein

kissed someone and regretted it: yes ;-;

been cheated on: that requires having a s/o so nah man

lost someone special: yep

been depressed: yes

gotten drunk and thrown up: i actually can drink shit loads until I puke, tho it happened like 1 time as I never puke, Im a hardcore drinker like thatヽ(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ

3 FAVOURITE COLORS

Purple, black and red

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU

made new friends: yes

fallen out of love: yes

laughed until you cried: yes

found out someone was talking about you: ppl talk shit abt me all the time and yeh I know

met someone who changed you: uuhm maybe a bit?

found out who your friends are: yes

kissed someone on your facebook list: yes

ABOUT

how many facebook friends do you know in real life: i don’t accept ppl unless I know them (at least have talked to them or saw them in rlf)

do you have any pets: yes, a cat and a doggo (◕‿◕✿)

do you want to change your name: nah, i think its pretty okay for an uncooked noodle like me 乁༼☯‿☯✿༽ㄏ

what did you do for your last birthday: got drunk lmaoooo

what were you doing at midnight last night: yesterday was actually new years so i was looking at the fireworks with my bestie

name something you can’t wait for: the day when I’ll figure out what i want to do with my life

when was the last time you saw your mom: today like an hour ago

what are you listening to right now: joji - i don’t wanna waste my time

have you ever talked to a person named tom: i got 2 classmates with that name

something that is getting on your nerves: people, wet things that shouldn’t be wet.

most visited website: youtube, facebook and spotify

hair color: purple/silver/pinkish tho natural hair color is light blonde

long or short hair: long

do you have a crush on someone: do youtubers or idols count?

what do you like about yourself: I got an okay sense of humor I’m very loyal and brutally honest.

blood type: A

nickname: Monii, Waffle, Jinx

relationship status: single and ready to mingle  (single pringle basically)

zodiac: cancer

pronouns: she/her

favourite tv show: parks and recreations, rick and morty, regular show.

tattoos: none tho I’d like to have sum.

right or left handed: right

surgery: none (i fukken wish)

FAVORITES

sport: volleyball

pair of shoes: converse just a tad bit above the ankle

food: lasagna

drink: tea

i’m about to: play some video games boii

♥‿♥ 

FUTURE

waiting for: that someone who will put up with my shit (´｡✪ω✪｡｀)

want: lots of things, wouldn’t be able to list them all.

get married: yesssssss

career: haven’t decided yet T-T

WHICH IS BETTER

hugs or kisses: HUGS

lips or eyes: eyes

shorter or taller: if between a boy then taller if a girl then idk, i’m usually the tall friend I like girls who are taller than me tho.

older or younger: older

nice arms or nice stomach: I really dont give a ff..flower

hook up or relationship: relationsheep

troublemaker or hesitant: why not both

(ʃƪ¬‿¬)

HAVE YOU EVER

kissed a stranger: nah

drank hard liquor: ofc

lost glasses/contact lenses: dont wear em

turned someone down: yes

sex on the first date: nein

broken someone’s heart: i think so?

had your heart broken: yes

been arrested: nah, I’ve ran from cops a couple of times tho

fallen for a friend: meeeeh, kinda ?

cried when someone died: I don’t rememer, haven’t experienced so much losses worth of crying

DO YOU BELIEVE IN

yourself: naaaah

miracles: nein

love at first sight: yes

santa claus: lol he’s my uncle

kiss on the first date: depends if I like the person.

I tag @exo-bts-fanfics-imagines @xiubaek13 ​ ; @oh-beyond and @jungk0oksthighs just bc I thnk these blogs are amazing (and you don’t have to do this if u dont want to, i’ll still luv yall) ٩(｡•ω•｡)و Fighting!

Also, ive had some problems uploading this post. the questions were answered on jan 1st, though im finally uploading this on jan 3rd. Im sorry ;-;