#I have not drawn her in awhile so I had to fix that lol

[leslekieuart]

Corset

[confusednarcissistwrites]

Hotsy Totsy PT. 2 (T.C.)

Soooo obviously the posting schedule isn’t all I had planned 😅 I’m just going to start posting as I have them ready for you so I don’t put undue pressure on myself and procrastinate my life away lol

Enjoy!!

Stepping out of the wild club and into the cool of the summer night gave Timothée a dizzying sense of deja vu, sending an ache through his chest. Your name reverberated through his mind like a shout in a cave. His trembling hands reached up and ran through his hair as he fought to gain his bearings.

“Tim? What’s going on?” Nick’s brow was drawn together in concern as he followed his friend out into the alleyway. Timothée had always been a hard person to keep up with as he was very connected to his emotions. It often was stressful, but being so close to someone so eccentric was refreshing to Nick; he’d dealt with far too many fake people in his life.

Timothée’s hands fell, meeting his friend’s eyes. “That’s her, man. That’s the girl. That’s-

“Y/N,” they said in sync.

Suddenly, it clicked. Nick felt stupid for not putting the pieces together sooner. He’d known that you had attended college to study musical theater on your parents wealth and your gifted vocal talents, but he didn’t realize that it was the same college Timothée had attended there in New York; he hadn’t even known of the young actor at the time. There had only ever been murmurings of this girl Timothée had met before he’d been drafted, all of which were prompted by heavy alcohol consumption. He’d known her name was Y/N, but he didn’t ever think that it could be his Y/N. He’d only really known you when you were both small children through family events. A little surprised smile crept onto Nick’s face. “Well, this is perfect then! I can get you in to see her-”

“Are you insane? I can’t see her” Timmy interrupted as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. He shook his head and anxiety filled his stomach, his arms locked tightly around his torso; there was just no way, not yet at least. He wasn’t prepared for that at all.

“Well, why not? Weren’t you two close?”

Timothée scoffed, turning away from Nick. “I just- I can’t even begin to explain this to you now. I’m going home.”

Nick felt that tug at him a bit. Timothée told him everything, sometimes to a degree that was uncomfortable. However, he continued to refuse to speak about you and what had caused all this tension between you. He stood and watched his best friend’s lanky form disappear around the corner, his hands shoved deep into his pockets.

***

The next day, you woke up in your husband’s arms from dreams that made you wish you could sleep all day. Flashes of bouncing brunette curls and honey-pot eyes made you ache to your very soul. However, that was pushed to the back of your mind as James’ blue eyes blinked open, feeling you shift in his arms. “Hello, dollface,” he smiled, his voice rough with sleep and his stick-straight, black hair sticking his way and that, making you laugh softly.

“Good morning, Jamesy,” you smiled. Giggles escaped you as he began pressing tickling kisses along your neck before slipping out of bed and heading into the en suite bathroom in all his naked glory. He was handsome, charming, and a businessman, but now, it suddenly felt like something was missing. Perhaps there always had been. You stood, cursing yourself silently and pushing the corrosive thoughts away once again. You followed after him, slipping into your silky kimono before allowing your hands to snake around his middle while watching him carefully shave his face in the mirror.

“What’s gotten into you this morning?” he chuckled, feeling you press kisses along his shoulder.

“I just… miss you, sugar” you murmured, pressing your nearly naked body against his. This made it obvious to you when he tensed up, rejecting your touches.

“Sorry, toots, don’t have time to play. I’ve got to meet up with a new girl today.”

You cringed at his words, retracting from him to rest your back against the wall, your robe drawn tight and your arms crossed over your chest.

Seeing your face in the mirror, he quickly rephrased. “A new act, darling, a new act.” You just sighed and left the bathroom, a scowl on your face. He didn’t make it any easier for you to pretend you weren’t still thinking about the night before.

***

Nick hung up the phone and stood, slipping on his jacket.

“Where are you headed? Don’t tell me you’re still out chasing that bearcat, are you?” Timothée questioned, a tired but teasing look on his face. He sat cross legged on the floor with his shirt sleeves cuffed up to his elbows and his hair disheveled as he read over a new script. A hundred fine, luxury options for seating in his home, and yet he chose the rug next to the fireplace every time. Nick had never seen him look quite so aged.

Nick laughed, shaking his head. “Mildred? I’m afraid she’s engaged to marry next weekend,” he said in a bittersweet tone.

“Ah,” Tim replied awkwardly. “Don’t worry about it, Nick. You’ll find her soon.”

However, his girl problems were far from the first thing on Nick’s mind. He had just received a call informing him that he was invited to join his cousin for lunch. Before Timothée could ask more questions, he gave him a curt nod and left the room, travelling down the long flight of stairs to the front door. Thoughts swirled in his mind as he hailed their driver. He figured you had seen him with Timothée the night before, and that was what had prompted your call. Perhaps he’d have better luck getting information out of you than he had with Timothée. He hopped into the backseat, relaying the address you’d given him to the driver, trying to put the pieces together.

Meanwhile, you were preparing for his arrival. You wore a simple shift dress with a long string of pearls and wave in your hair as you laid out on the loveseat.

“Why are you having him all the sudden? Hasn’t he lived in the city for awhile now?” Jordan asked, sitting down on the coffee table in front of you.

“Well... because I’m setting you two up, of course!” you replied with a teasing grin, feigning innocence. You weren’t sure if even you knew your true intentions behind having your cousin come to visit, if you were honest with yourself.

On cue, the doorbell sounded.

Nick was greeted by the butler who kindly welcomed him and escorted him into the parlor where you were chatting idly with Jordan. You sat up, peeking at him over the back of the sofa. “Cousin Nicky! Oh, you are so much taller than I remembered you! My goodness, just look at you! You are a real charmer now,” you beamed, making him blush and look at his shoes a bit.

“Oh, stop it, Y/N,” he grinned. You hopped up, hurrying over to him and enveloping him in a tight hug. Something about seeing him eased anxiety pinching in your chest. Nick grinned and hugged you back, relishing how familiar you were to him even after so long.

“Look at me? Look at you! You’re a star, darling,” he flattered, giving you a little spin and making you giggle. Nick felt the warm glow radiating off of you that always lured everyone in, making you so irresistible. However, unlike the others, he could also still see that little girl who had performed loud and proud to all their captive family members at every Sunday brunch. You’d always been a crowd pleaser, often to a fault.

Jordan cleared her throat a bit, reminding you of her presence. “Oh, yes! Nicky, this is my best gal, Jordan,” you said, gesturing to her. She approached Nick, allowing him to take her hand and press a gentle kiss against the back of it. Jordan was tall with an athletic build and an overwhelming aura of confidence. He had short, black hair that framed her sharp facial features, but warm eyes full of mischief. Nick was instantly intrigued and also incredibly intimidated.

“It’s nice to meet you,” she smiled, trying to play nice though it was hardly in her nature.

“The pleasure is mine,” Nick replied coolly, giving her his charming smile.

The afternoon was spent over tea and sandwiches and scones, the three sharing many laughs and stories, becoming acquainted with one another. The girls spoke of show biz while Nick expressed his newfound interest in writing.

However, you were all interrupted by the arrival of the man of the house. You stiffened a bit at first but quickly slipped back into yourself. “Darling, you’re home!” you cooed, hopping up and wrapping yourself around his arm.

James grinned, giving you a little spin, completely opposite of his attitude that morning. “Hello, doll,” he hummed, pulling you to meet his lips.

Nick tried to hide his shock and sipped his tea. He felt silly for thinking she lived in this big house alone, but he really hadn’t even considered a husband being in the picture. He took the man in as he stood to shake his hand; he was average height with a stocky gait and, though he was dressed as a businessman, he was clearly disheveled and smelled of alcohol. Jordan let out a little sigh at his presence before getting up and fixing a cocktail.

Nick struggled not to grimace as James took his hand, giving it a hardy shake. “You must be Nicky, my girl’s cousin. Nice to meet you. James Elliot is the name” he greeted.

“It’s just Nick, actually, but it’s nice to meet you too. I’m afraid I really should be going-“

“Oh don’t be ridiculous! You must stay for dinner,” you interjected, hoping he could sense your underlying tone.

Nick forced a little smile. “Alright, Y/N. I would hate to be a burden.”

The group gathered around the table making idle chat over a chicken dinner. You giggled over James’ every word and spoke as if everything was a shade of rose, nauseating Nick and Jordan who kept matching sideways glances at each other. It was as if you were playing a scripted role. About three quarters of the way through dinner, however, the phone rang from the parlor, silencing you in the middle of your story. Nick sensed tension settle over the table and watched curiously as James hopped up to answer it. He quirked a brow at Jordan, but she simply shrugged and sipped on her wine. You were quiet for the first time that evening, looking down at your food with sickness settling in your stomach. Nick could see that James was smiling into the phone before he hung up and returned to his place at the head of the table.

“Who was calling, James? It seems a bit late,” Jordan questioned.

“Oh, just business,” he replied nonchalantly.

The phone began to ring again.

You audibly sighed, giving James a look. Every night, it was the same game; only this was even more humiliating with your cousin there. You never asked because you didn’t want to know. Maybe because you already did. He placed a warning hand on your shoulder and squeezed as he brushed by to go answer the phone for the second time, making your hands shake.

As James left again, you stood, deciding you’d had enough. You stepped out onto the patio attached to the dining room and fought to breathe. The anxiety attacks had come for about as long as you could remember, but they’d recently evolved into near episodes. Your knuckles were white around the railing as you stared across the bay through tear-fogged eyes, trying to get a grip. You barely registered the sound of Nick stepping out onto the balcony with you.

“Y/N, are you alright? What’s wrong, darling?” He couldn’t help but feel protective over you despite all the time you’d spent away from each other.

You swallowed the knot in your throat, trying to focus enough to speak. “I think everything is pretty terrible, Nicky.”

He took your hand in his, his back against the railing as he faced you with pleading eyes. “Why do you say that?”

“I have everything. I found everything I wanted in life, but it’s never enough.” You continued to stare blankly out at the water. “I fight every day to stay ignorant, to be a beautiful fool. That’s the best thing a girl can be in this world.”

Nick watched you sadly, pressing a kiss to your knuckles. Never could he have imagined the girl he’d seen on the stage the night before coming home to be the wilted flower before him. He gently tugged on your hand, pulling you into a hug. You relented, feeling some of the tension release from your chest as you exhaled against his shoulder. Nick was just as safe as you’d remembered.

***

After a few awkward, tension-filled goodbyes, Nick and Jordan were escorted out to their drivers.

“It was nice to meet you,” Nick said, trying to be polite despite the obvious discomfort the evening had brought.

“He’s sneaking around with girls from the club,” she said bluntly, stopping Nick in his tracks.

He stared at her dumbly, trying to understand.

“I thought everyone knew,” she sighed, kicking at the gravel. “You know he owns the speakeasy, don't you? He’s sneaking around on Y/N, but she won't confront him because she’s afraid he won’t let her keep performing. He’s given her everything she has here.”

Suddenly, everything you had said on the balcony made sense. Nick ran his hand over his face, still speechless. “I-I just.. wow, um-“

“Yeah.” Jordan was your only confidant through everything that had been going on, and though she carried the weight like a champ, she did ache for you. The only reason she didn’t take things into her own hands was for your sake. “Well, Nick. I’ll see you around,” she said finally, giving him a sad smile before climbing into her cab. Nick did the same, feeling about a thousand pounds heavier than when he had arrived. It wasn’t until then that he remembered his mourning roommate back home. How was he going to relay all of this to him? Letting out a sigh, he laid his head back against the headrest, watching all the people and twinkling buildings pass by outside his window. Perhaps it could all just wait until tomorrow.

When he finally made it back to the mansion, Nick dragged himself up the stoop and inside. As he made his way up the staircase on his way to his room, he spotted Timothée in the same place he’d left him. He was gazing into the fire now with his script abandoned beside him.

“Aye, Tim. What are you still doing up?” Nick asked, leaning around the doorframe. Tim jolted and groaned, rubbing his eyes, clearly startled by his roommate’s return. Nick made his way upstairs toward his room, ready to be out of his suit and not yet ready to tell Timothée where he really had been and what he had learned while he was there.

Timmy held his head in his hands, his elbows propped against his knees. He’d spent the whole night concocting ideas of how he could see you without actually having to see you. All this along with feeling sorry for himself, of course. He’d imagined seeing you again for the past five years and yet, now that it was actually right before him, he had no idea what to do. He stood up with a heavy sigh, anger building internally with himself. Sipping down what was left of his whiskey, he resolved what he had to do.

Long legs carried him swiftly to Nick’s bedroom door where he knocked softly before opening it.

Nick raised a brow, in the process of getting changed. “What is it?” he questioned, seeing the slightly wild look in Timothée’s tired eyes.

“I need you to do me a really big favor.”

TAGLIST: @londonmademedoit @cathyoliveros10

[purplesurveys]

962

Do you have a pair of Beat headphones? I used to have a pair. I mean it’s still around in my closet, but it’s completely broken now with the cable all given out and the cushion for the left ear has been missing for a while. I just don’t have the heart to throw it out because it was my absolute favorite pair of headphones that gave me good memories during a particularly shitty time in high school.

How was your week? A little better. I’ve gotten into the groove at work so I’m no longer shy when it comes to asking questions and giving inputs, and I’ve gained a better grasp of the workplace’s dynamic so it’s also been easier to communicate with people. Heavy life stuff is still around and it won’t be leaving for a while, but they were easier to ignore this week.

Are any of your electronics not working properly at the moment? Not really, but my phone’s charger cable recently stopped working. I have a backup that I’m using at the moment and while it’s able to charge my phone, it’s starting to fray and I’m not feeling too good about the wires that I’m starting to see hahaha. I just don’t know how to take care of my cables, guys. Anyway, this question made me paranoid so I took a few minutes to wrap a shit ton of electrical tape on the frayed area so I think it’s all good for now.

Are you excited to pick out your wedding dress one day? I like thinking about my wedding but I truthfully dread the wedding gown part. I’ve never been able to decide what look and style suits me best and I’ve just never been good at determining things like that. I like to imagine that I’d leave that bit to whoever my maid of honor will be, because I’d definitely prize a second opinion more than my own.

When was the last time you felt relieved? Yesterday, 6 PM when I exited the last Google Meet for the day. It was a Friday night and it meant my work week was over :)) I mean I love what I do, but Friday nights will always hit differently.

Does it bother you when an artist remakes a song that one has previously done? I wouldn’t say it bothers me but covers are definitely a hit or miss for me, with way more misses than hits. Nothing wrong with acts putting their own spin on an already existing song, but I’m personally the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” type when it comes to music.

What brand of chapstick do you use? I don’t use any mainly because I’m bound to lose them within a week. Same goes for other care products.

Do you really think someone could be perfect? No. Everyone has their flaws and that should be okay to acknowledge.

When was the last time you cried? Wednesday, I think. It’s been three days! I’d count that as an achievement. But idk, my sadness comes in waves so I shouldn’t be celebrating too early. I’m sure I’ll feel a pang soon and be crying again over the weekend.

What’s a food that you like every once in awhile but not often? Cake. Too sweet and rich; I wouldn’t enjoy eating it every day. What letter is the song you’re listening to under? Not listening to music, but I have a YouTube video on.

Would you rather visit the 60s or 70s? 60s would be the lesser evil, I guess. I would NOT want to live through Martial Law in the 70s...I originally wasn’t even going to go with 60s because I think the world was a bit chaotic at the time, but I think my country was mostly unaffected by the political/cultural things happening then so it’s whatever.

Are you the type of person that enjoys getting hugs? I don’t actively seek them out but it feels nice when someone likes me enough to extend their arms out to me for a hug. I haven’t been hugged for a while and I feel kinda empty.

Do your socks say anything on them? I think some of my socks have the brand name on them but that’s it.

Name a TV channel that only has three letters in it. AMC.

Have you found out who your true friends are? For now, yes.

Gray or Grey? I use both spellings for no particular context. I simply like changing it up lol.

Will you be buying concert tickets any time soon? LOL of course not. And I’m very picky when it comes to concerts that I choose to attend anyway, so I doubt I would’ve bought any tickets in the last six months even without Covid unless it was for Paramore or Beyoncé.

Have you seen the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower? Did you like it? Nope, but everyone was hyping that movie up when it came out. It never really looked like my thing < Yeah pretty much. I feel like it’s such a teenage-y movie so I was never drawn to it. I also think it would be too triggering for my depression, so I’ve felt wary about checking both book and movie out.

Is there something you’d fall apart if you didn’t have? One of my biggest fears is to end up alone, so I always have to have some form of a support system to fall back into. I would be very lost if I didn’t have at least one person to rely on.

How many weddings have you been to? I can think of four off the top of my head. I was either a flower girl or a junior bridesmaid for all of those.

When you smile, are you confident? Most times I am; I like to smile. But sometimes I smile just to fake it and avoid any questions.

Have you ever not done something because you were afraid of getting in trouble? Yesss, all the time. I’ve always been all about following the rules and I’ve never seen the appeal in breaking them. That makes me sound boring but at least I’ve never gotten in serious trouble lol.

Was the weather beautiful today? For me it is, but only because I like the rain and cloudy weather. Others might find it bleak and sad, but I feel right at home.

Do you have to have a fan on when you sleep? Yeah, all year long.

Would you rather have an orange, red or gray bedroom? If I had my dream modern/brutalist home, grey would be soooo fucking perfect for the bedroom. 

Would you ever dye part of your hair blue? I’m open to it, but I don’t think it’ll be a good match for my black hair as both are darker shades as it is. If I could dye my hair I’d pick lighter colors like green or even go all the way to blonde.

Have you ever gone to a private school? Yeah, from kindergarten all the way to high school. Private schools here typically give a better quality of education and they don’t give off the for-lazy-spoiled-kids vibe that I always hear from private schools in other countries, which makes them the norm for middle and upper-middle class families.

Is Finding Nemo a favorite movie of yours? I have other favorite animated movies, but that doesn’t stop me from loving Finding Nemo. :) I would always tune in for the whole thing if it were on.

Does/Did your school have a uniform? I had to wear one in my first school, but I didn’t need one for college.

Turn on the TV. What channel are you on? No TV where I am. I think my parents are watching a movie on their TV, but it’s on Netflix rather than a channel.

Does your house have security cameras? It does not.

Does a popsicle sound good right now? Eh, I guess it sounds fine but I’d rather have a pint of ice cream. I think that fits better with the weather and the mood that I’m in today.

What’s your favorite exercise workout? My weight training class last year was a lot of fun. I always felt dead after every session haha but I definitely felt healthier. I wish the semester had gone on longer just for that one class.

What’s your favorite thing to do? Lol I love doing many different things < Same lmao this question is so vague??? My favorite thing to do these days is binge-watch Rhett and Link content, but I like doing so many other things too.

What did you do for your 17th birthday? I was with Gabie that day and we went to a local art museum, as well as to a restaurant that she had wanted to take me to.

Does your local Walmart have benches in them to rest? We don’t have Walmarts.

Was your favorite stuffed animal really a teddy bear growing up? I never had stuffed animals. Well I was given a few of them as gifts, but I was never into them and they always ended up being owned by my sister.

If your house was haunted, what would you do? Not even think about it. Just show them that I couldn’t care less, lol.

Are you good at swimming? I can do a few strokes and am pretty good at treading, but I'm prone to panic-kicking when I can tell that the water is too deep.

What’s worse: Slow internet or slow walkers? Slow internet is such a pain in the ass. Shouldn’t even have to be an issue in 2020 anymore.

What is the rudest thing a guy has ever done to you? Cat-called, whistled at, winked at, lunged at. One good thing about this lockdown is that I haven’t had to deal with men as much as I used to. Do you sleep with the sheets tucked in or out? Well I only have one layer of bedsheet and it’s the one that covers up the mattress, so it’s tucked in by default. I have a blanket to cover me up when I’m cold.

What do you do to fall asleep faster? I find a few videos to watch as that tends to make me feel sleepy the quickest.

Do you carry a bottle of water wherever you go? I used to have a tumbler/water bottle in college but I forgot it at the gym one day and when I came back for it, somebody already stole it :( It was such a handy water bottle because it kept my water cold all day, so it sucks that I lost it. I’m planning to buy the same model again soon.

Are you afraid that one day you might get cancer? It doesn’t really run in my family save for one grand-aunt who had cancer, so I’m not too worried. But I’ve accepted the fact that it is at least a possibility.

Are you a fast or slow walker? I like being in the middle. Slow walkers are annoying so I try not to be one, and walking fast just reminds me of my mom and how quickly she walks at malls when she’s supposed to be spending time with her family lol.

Do you usually have to wear a belt with your pants? No. They all fit me just fine.

Does it bother you when people’s underwear hangs out? Eghhh, it really does. I know it shouldn’t but it really does. I just feel like it’s so invasive and it gives me a lot of secondhand embarassment.

Are you usually the person to try new things with your hair? Not really. I like staying safe with my hair. The most daring thing I’ve done with it is get bangs tbh, and I don’t plan on going any further than that.

When’s your birthday? April 21st.

What age do you look forward to reaching? I don’t feel that way about any age. Whenever I reach ultimate satisfaction and security will be a good enough age for me.

Name a state that begins with the letter M. Minnesota.

What’s the first thing you do after a car accident? Think about how to tell my parents. D:

What do you use to get rid of bad breath? Brush my teeth, drink water.

What exercise do you hate the most? Pull-ups.

What do you do at a party? Drink, socialize, tell stories, eat allllllll the food ha.

[sailorshadzter]

some jonsa angst because it’s been awhile. i want them to have all the happy endings ever but sometimes i need to let out the angst. 

also,i fixed episode 4′s mistake between jon & ghost. you’re welcome, lol.

ps. spoilers, obviously! 

Bran's words echo in her ears, their meaning hanging between the four of them.

Her heart is racing, racing faster than it's done in all her life; she sways and before she can catch herself, she begins to fall. Both Jon and Arya reach for her, but he his quickest. He always is when it comes to her. His warm grip steadies her, holding her strong and upright though she longs to sink to the ground. "Stay with me," he says softly, his breath warm against her ear as he leans his head into hers, though his eyes flicker to the other two Stark children, Arya looking on with more worry than he'd seen since returning to Winterfell some days ago.

"She's overtired," Bran's empty voice intones, to which Arya nods, her dark eyes flashing. There's so many things left unspoken between the four- words now nearly forgotten in the aftermath of Jon's confession. "Take her to her chambers," he goes on with a nod, gesturing for Jon to take his leave with Sansa. Their eyes meet and it's almost as if Bran knows the truth of him, of his very heart. Jon swallows but then nods, looking back to Arya just one last time, but she too nods and gestures for him to go on without her. And so then Jon hefts Sansa's body into his arms though she softly protests, insisting she can walk the short distance back inside. She gives up after a few moments, for truly all of her energy has been drained and its all she can do to keep her head upright. So instead she lays it against Jon's strong shoulder and allows him to carry her back towards their home.

They go in silence, making their way back through the courtyard and into Winterfell. Some stop and stare, some even inquire after their beloved Lady, but Jon waves them away and continues on, stopping only when they arrive at the door to the Lord's chambers. He pushes the door open and enters, crossing the room to gently set her down onto her tightly made bed. Crossing the room, he pours her a cup of ale from the jug on her table and brings it back to her, pressing it into her hands. "Drink." He commands, watching her closely until she's taken one long drink from the cup. "How do you feel?" He asks, allowing himself to sink down onto the edge of her bed, suddenly feeling cold without the warmth of her body in his arms. He can't help but to be cross with himself for not noticing how tired she looked, for now that he inspected her closely she was pale and drawn. For days he's been consumed with placating Daenerys and fighting a war, he'd forgotten to pay mind to the girl he loved with his whole heart.

"Better," she murmurs, taking another sip of the drink before he can tell her to. The ale is bitter, but not so bad as the ale he'd once given her at Castle Black. When their eyes meet, she wonders if he's thinking about that time, too. But why would he think back to a time like that with her? Jon has a new love he must think of always and that love wasn't her. Rather, it was an infuriatingly beautiful foreign queen with a temper like the dragons she called her children. It was a wonder she'd not burned down all of Winterfell in a rage. "You can go if you'd like." She finally says, drawing her eyes from his to stare down at the cup clutched between her hands. Looking him in the eye was just too painful. His steady, dark gaze cut her like glass and she swore he could see straight into her soul with his piercing stare.

I don't want to go anywhere, the words are there on the tip of his tongue. He wants to tell her the truth more than anything. But he's so close now... He can't give in yet and risk it all. Not yet. In the morning they would ride South for King's Landing and then Dany would have her throne. And once she had it... Jon would be free. At least, he hoped he would be. "I'm leaving Ghost here with you," he replies instead, watching as her face lifts to look at him yet again. "The South is no place for a direwolf." He goes on with a slow smile, reaching out to touch her hand that's now curled atop her lap. "I'll feel better knowing he's here to watch over you." His hand is warm and comforting.

For some reason, these words give her a flicker of hope, though it fades as he rises up from the edge of her bed. "Be safe," she says to the man she once called brother, her heart breaking into thousands of tiny pieces. Once, she'd felt ashamed by the growing feelings she had for Jon and for the ones she thought he returned. Now, with this revelation of his true parentage, it opened up the door for them to act upon such feelings... But he'd left for Dragonstone and come back with a pretty, silver-haired queen on his arm, and with such a perfect creature Sansa could not compete. For some reason, Jon loved her and she had to accept it no matter how much it hurt.

Jon stood there a moment longer, committing to memory the way her face looked as she stared up at him. Her sapphire eyes were dark with sadness and Jon knew he was the source of her pain. Though she worried incessantly about the North and her family's safety, Jon knew he was a big source of her sorrow. I'll make it up to you, I promise, he silently vows, before leaning over her and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. For a single moment, everything was as it always had been, and they were two half-siblings teetering on the edge of something dangerous. But then Jon straightened up and once again, was who he had been pretending to be since gaining Daenerys' trust. Soon... Soon it would be over.

As he shuts the door behind him, Jon hears the sob catching in her throat, and it takes every ounce of his willpower to not turn back and take her into his arms. But he forced himself forwards, down the corridors to his own chambers, where for one final night he would sleep. Then, come morning he would indeed ride South with a queen he did not love, to fight for a throne he didn't think she deserved- but in the end, it was all for her... It was all for Sansa and for the North.

[skarletterambles]

The Mummy Returns Re(-re-re-re-re-) watch blog

I might be short a few “re-”s there, as I know I saw this four times in the theater, and plenty of times on DVD, but close enough.

Below are my thoughts, typed as I watched (while eating the pizza leftover from last night’s viewing of the first movie)...

[Disclaimers:  Spoilers for both The Mummy (1999) and, obviously, The Mummy Returns (2001)  Expect lots of squeeing and/or crying over Imhotep/Anck-su-namun.]

And here comes The Rock in his first film appearance.  All those big movies he’s been in since owe a debt to this one.  *insert sound clip of “You’re Welcome” from Moana*

Anubis needs to feed his warriors better.  They’re way too skinny.

Got to love the detail where there’s a carving of Anck-su-namun and Nefertiri in ritual combat on the wall Evy and Rick are excavating.  One of those things you don’t notice on first viewing.

“No harm ever came from opening a chest.”  Evy, I know you’re doing a cute callback, but you were there when the Americans suffered the consequences of opening the canopic jar chest in the last movie.

Since Evelyn is actually the reincarnation of the Bracelet’s official guardian, why did her taking it trigger the booby traps?  I guess that kind of role doesn’t carry over.

Oh joy, more scarab beetles.

I know we have to be able to recognize him, but it’s silly that Ardeth was spying on the Hamunaptra digsite with only a hood on.  Someone--especially Meela--would have recognized his face tattoos.  ... Wait, did I just suggest covering up that gorgeous face?  Never mind!

Rick/Ivy = relationship goals

Meela:  “And your point is?” Jonathan:  “My point is I told you so you wouldn’t kill me!” Meela:  “When did we make that arrangement?”

I wonder if she collected her snake before they left.  Otherwise the O’Connells (or their housekeeping staff) will have a nasty surprise later.

I could listen to Rick, Ardeth and Jonathan bicker and banter all day.

Notice how Alex gets annoyed when Rick ruffles his hair.  So it’s not just Imhotep’s head-ruffles he hates.  Heh.

In my drooling over Rick, Ardeth, and Imhotep I had almost forgotten that Lock-Nah is built like a brick shithouse.  Nice.

There’s a camera shot that appears to show the POV of Imhotep inside the hardened goo.  So I guess he could tell what was going on...sort of.

Both Alex and Evy recognize Curator Hafez from their time in the British Museum.  There’s room for some wacky prequel stories there.

I love that little “Eew, whatever,” reaction from Hafez when Imhotep is done declaring his love for Anck-su-Namun.  LOL

I still want to know how Meela managed to snap her fingers with her gloves on.

Imhotep recognizes Rick and roars “YOU!” and Rick clips him in the shoulder with a hail of bullets, knowing full well it won’t hurt him, just as a big “eff you, too.”  Love it.

LOL @ “Honey, whatcha doin’?  These guys don’t use doors” and “Oh, I hate mummies...”  So many funny lines in this part.

That’s twice--no, thrice--the bad guys have drawn blood on Ardeth tonight.  Leave him and his glorious body alone, you big meanies!  :P

Alex has a good point:  props to Jonathan for driving that bus safely through all that mummy battling.  (Well, mostly safely.  Better than I would have done, anyway.)

Ardeth geeking out over his first bus ride is too freaking adorable for words.

I just noticed the parallel between Rick hanging on the edge of the drawbridge, near tears in desperation as he watches the kidnappers driving away with his son, and, well...you know which scene.  Sigh.

I could watch that flashback kiss between Imhotep and Anck-su-namun a dozen times on repeat...if I could manage to time it perfectly so I could rewind before he morphs back into a mummy.  Because eew.  LOL, but eew.

Imhotep tried to be nice to Alex, talking to him as gently as he could (which is still raspy and scary, but he was trying) and explaining how the bracelet works, and in return Alex told him how his dad would kick his ass.  I don’t blame Imhotep for taking off his mask and scaring the kid then.  :p

Then Imhotep takes off his robes before attacking the mercenaries.  Freedom of movement?  The cloth wouldn’t survive the magic regeneration?  He wanted to be naked because he knew his girl was peeking through the door?  All of the above?  Who knows? 

LOL @ Meela squeamishly tip-toeing around the desiccated corpses of the mercenaries.  It’s worth it to get to the now-normal-looking Imhotep, though.  ;)

I want to slap the editors for inter-cutting the big, romantic reunion with Alex tampering with a filthy toilet.

I know Imhotep wanted to stop his minions from shooting Alex, but yeeting those guys into the pillars was totally unnecessary.  I bet he was showing off for Meela.

...  And I was too busy holding my breath and freaking out during the big duel/regicide flashback to type anything.  Oh well.

I did notice one moment where Imhotep is watching the women fight and something goes wrong for Anck-su-namun and he gives this little involuntary gasp.  Subtle, but neat.

What I like to refer to as The Look(tm) is such a great moment, though.  They actually slow down the film as Imhotep and Anck-su-namun make eye contact, drawing out that stolen, subtle moment of intimacy just like it must have felt for them.  *swoon*

Back to modern times... Once again Imhotep watches out for Alex by making Lock-Nah put him down and stop threatening him.  I mean, yeah, he’s also about to try killing the boy’s parents, so he’s not perfect, but still...  I thank that attempted head-ruffle was his way of apology...  *polishes villain-fangirl goggles*

It’s been awhile since I mentioned how breathtakingly good-looking Ardeth is.  But he is.  Just sayin’.

Imhotep looks conflicted and even a little sad when Hafez says they don’t need the boy anymore.  He doesn’t give the order to kill him, either.  Just makes a vague statement about needing the bracelet.  It may be a coincidence, but he even smirks right after someone says “The boy!”  (i.e. Alex is making a run for it).  It could just be my fangirly brain playing tricks, but I really think a case can be made for Imhotep having a soft spot for the kid.

I see Jonathan has learned the “scream at things” technique from Rick.  Alas, it didn’t save the red-robed guy from the pygmy mummies.  (I swear I know that actor from somewhere...  The red-robed guy, not the pygmy mummy.)

I can’t believe I still get a tiny bit misty-eyed at Evy’s death.  I’ve seen this movie at least ten times, and even the FIRST TIME I knew she wasn’t going to stay dead.  But man, the actors sell it.

I just noticed that after he loses his powers, but before he takes off his black robe, Imhotep and Anck-su-namun were holding hands while walking through the pyramid.  Awwwww!

Mighty brave of Rick to attack Imhotep without knowing he had lost his powers.   Luckily Imhotep’s split lip bleeds, tipping Rick off right away...and then the blood disappears in the next shot.  Yay, continuity!

Everyone remembers the Scorpion King himself as being the CGI lowlight of the film, but those Anubis warriors don’t hold up very well, either.

God bless Arnold Vosloo for doing this fight scene in a loincloth.  I’ve read how punishing it was to film without the padding that Brendan Fraser had under his costume, but the eye candy was worth the sacrifice.  Heh.

I was too busy watching to type much during the climax, but that’s just as well, as it’s hard to articulate “YAY NO OMG WOOHOO NO LOL WHAT AAAH YEAH NOOOOOOOOOOO DAMN IT.”

After the Anubis army went poof I was like, “Okay, great, we won, let’s all call a truce and get out of here before anyone else gets killed.”  But did the stupid movie listen to me?  Noooooo.  Instead, there are Rick and Imhotep, hanging onto the cliff for dear life.

Time for the worst experiment in reverse psychology ever: Rick:  “Go!  Save yourself!” Evy:  *does the opposite* Imhotep:  “Help me!” Anck-su-namun:  “does the opposite*

Sigh.

Fight or flight is a deeply ingrained response, and I just can’t bring myself to hate Anck-su-namun for going with the wrong reaction in that moment of panic.  It’s simply another facet of the tragedy that is their love story.  That doesn’t make it hurt any less to watch, though.  There are tears in Imhotep’s eyes right before he lets go.  Actual tears!   Even Rick and Evy look like they feel sorry for him!  Aaah!  I can’t take it!

As he was letting himself fall I maaaay have screamed at the TV, “Don’t make me write fanfic to fix this--oh wait, I already did.”  Heh.

Better luck next reincarnation, you two.

Then the good guys escape and live happily ever after, yada yada yada.  The end.

(And no, we don’t speak of the third movie.  It doesn’t exist.  I saw it once, was amused by Jonathan opening a nightclub called “Imhotep’s,” and found the rest totally frustrating and forgettable.  So nope, there are only two movies in this series.)

[sixmorningsafter]

Future Scene: the Salvatore sisters find out about Caroline

Hey guys, I know it’s been forever since I updated and believe it or not, I’m still chipping away at the latest chapter whenever I find time, but I have an inordinate amount of asks about the Salvatore family in my inbox (lol I’m lowkey convinced you’re all one person but I see you and I love you), so I figured I’d post this snippet I wrote awhile ago for a fun look into that family dynamic. This is set during the Christmas chapters where everyone’s finally home and Stefan’s getting grilled about his bummer attitude. Mildly spoilery since it’s set in the near future. Opening line based on this gifset because I think the idea of Lexi as a wedding photographer is hilarious. 

“I take wedding photos for a living—capturing regret and self-loathing is what I do.” Freya snorted and Lexi shot her a flat look. “What?”

“You’ve photographed two weddings—I’d hardly call that a living.”

“Um, everyone starts somewhere, Freyabot.”

“Yeah, usually in college when they pick a degree.”

Lexi groaned. “Are we seriously going back to the degree thing? I graduated five years ago.”

“Yeah—you couldn’t pick a major then and you can’t pick a job now.”

“Of course I picked major—I got a degree, hello.”

“In interdisciplinary studies,” Freya said pointedly, and Lexi raised her hands in askance.

“And?”

“And everyone at UGA knows that’s the slacker degree,” Rebekah supplied as she blew at her nails, though she promptly broke into a squawk at the pillow Lexi had launched at her. “You’re such a mongrel!”

“I’m a delicate dandelion.”

“Dandelions are a weed.”

“MOM, REBEKAH KEEPS TALKING ABOUT WEED,” Lexi yelled toward the kitchen and Rebekah rolled her eyes.

“Grow up.”

“Seconded,” Freya chimed in.

“Y’all are rude,” Lexi drawled, settling back against the couch in a lazy sprawl. “Stefan’s the only one who believes in me—right, Stef?” At the lack of response, she turned to find the brother in question staring into space, brows drawn into their token furrow. She waved a hand around. “Earth to broseph.”

He glanced over with a vague look, as if breaking from a trance. “What?”

“What’s with you, dude?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I mean you’ve been a gloomy little space cadet ever since you got here.” She paused to reconsider her words. “Well, gloomier, anyway. What’s wrong?”

His shoulders lifted into a shrug. “Nothing’s wrong. Just tired, I guess.”

“Tired from what?” she pressed. “Haven’t you been sitting around doing nothing all week?”

“Lexi knows a lot about sitting around doing nothing,” Rebekah chimed in and Lexi launched another pillow at her face without breaking eye contact. “Rude!”

“Spill, baby bro.”

His brow furrowed. “I already told you, nothing’s wrong.”

“Try again.”

He lifted a puzzled hand. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“The truth’s a good start.”

“The truth is that I’m tired.”

“From what?”

“From—I don’t know, jetlag.”

“From Boston?” she snorted. “Did you make a pit-stop in Tokyo on your way here?”

“Lex,” he sighed and Rebekah ruffled in her seat.

“Leave him alone,” she snipped, likely more out of a desire to fight than save him, but he appreciated the effort all the same. “It makes sense that he’s tired—spending time with people can be draining.”

“Oh, don’t I know it,” Lexi offered back sweetly, and the two promptly fell into their seventy-fifth squabble of the hour. Stefan eyed them for a resigned beat before glancing away, and his stare landed on an unexpected Freya tucking herself into the seat beside him on the couch.

“Hey,” she offered innocently and he sighed—living with his sisters was like living in a 24/7 interrogation unit.

“I’m fine, Freya.”

She shrugged as she settled her computer onto her lap, gaze focused on the screen. “If you say so.”

“I do say so.”

“Well, your mouth says so but your face doesn’t.”

His eyes veered ceiling-ward. “And what’s my face saying?”

Her face pulled into a cartoonish look, voice knocking up a few pitch levels. “Help me, sister, I’m sad.”

He let out a dry laugh. “Did I turn into Pinocchio over the past five seconds?”

She glanced away from the screen and flicked her glasses down to peer at him. “Well, you’re lying and your nose isn’t growing, so I guess not.”

“I’m not lyi—”

“Stefan, I’m an incredible lawyer and an even better sister—I know when you’re lying to me,” she cut in, though something about her delivery always managed to sound softer than Lexi’s blunt attacks. “Plus, these pregnancy hormones are giving me all these supernatural maternal instincts so I’m basically a human lie detector test. Did I tell you I made a CFO break down crying on the stand just by staring at him because he knew I knew he was lying?”

He smiled briefly, glancing down at his hands. “You have an interesting definition of maternal.”

“It was badass.”

“Sounds like it.”

He felt her staring at him for a beat. “Look, it’s totally fine if you don’t want to talk about it, okay? I get it. I just wouldn’t pretend nothing’s wrong because even if me and Dad and Mom are willing to overlook it, Lexi and Rebekah are going to be on you like bloodhounds.” She shot a glance at the pair—Rebekah was gesturing wildly and Lexi was mimicking her every move. “I mean, assuming they don’t kill each other first.”

He nodded vaguely, stare still fixed on his hands. Christ, he wished he could just shake this. He hadn’t been home all year, not even for Thanksgiving, and now that he finally was, his head was somewhere else. He couldn’t even really blame them for prying.

“Was it Bonnie?” she ventured after a few seconds, testing the waters. “Did you guys get into a fight or something?”

He shook his head. “Nah.” He chuckled after a second. “I mean we did, actually, but we’re all good now.”

She nodded, sorting the information into the digital filing system that was her hyper-efficient brain. “School?”

He shrugged. “School’s good.”

He wasn’t sure why he was fighting telling them the truth so badly. Part of it was annoyance, sure—he loved his sisters, but they were nosy and entitled as all hell—but if he was being honest with himself, a larger part of it felt more like guilt. He didn’t want to unload another drama on them. He didn’t want to be the idiot who got carried away with another girl and ruined a holiday over it. He was so damn tired of being that guy.

He could handle this on his own.

“Internship?”

He shook his head at the well-meaning prompt. “Just got promoted, actually.”

Her brows drew up. “Big case?”

“Huge case.”

“That’s my little brother.”

He smiled and she returned it for a beat before chewing her lip. “Is it…” she hesitated and he glanced up at her, brows drawing in a bit. Freya wasn’t the hesitating type. After a few seconds, she sighed and met his gaze with her typically frank look. “Stefan, is it Elena?”

He broke into a dry laugh. “What?”

“Elena,” she repeated, eyes humorless with concern. “Did she, I don’t know, get in contact with you or something?”

He opened his mouth to say no before suddenly remembering that yeah, she had gotten in contact with him. They were meeting for coffee in a few days. He’d almost forgotten.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Or, I mean, not in the—that’s not what—” He shook his head again, waving his hand to dismiss the notion, and her brows drew up.

“Then is it some other girl? Because the only other time I’ve seen you act like this is—”

“Caroline!” a voice suddenly rang out in triumph, as if it’d just discovered the cure for cancer, and his gaze immediately snapped over to Rebekah. Her eyes were bright and eager on his, hair a mess from struggling to get her phone back from Lexi. “It’s Caroline, isn’t it?”

He felt his stomach filling with lead.

“Who the hell is Caroline?” Lexi scoffed, and Rebekah grinned at her, too excited to remember her hatred from three seconds ago.

“Stefan’s future wife.”

“What?”

Rebekah rolled her eyes. “Bonnie’s friend from college! The other girl stuck in the apartment.”

Lexi’s eyes lit up like a ping-pong machine as she turned to look at him. “Bitchy Roommate!?”

Stefan sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face—he could feel all three of their gazes boring into his profile.

“I thought you guys hated each other.”

“They did, but then they fell for each other.”

He let out a groan of resignation. “No, we didn’t.”

“They totally did.”

“Is that true?” Freya asked, her voice gentler than Rebekah’s, more curious. “Did you meet someone?”

“I didn’t meet her—I’ve known her for three years,” he offered in irritable reply, and Freya’s eyes took on a glint of humor.

“You know what I mean.”

“He’s avoiding a direct answer ‘cause it’s true,” Rebekah simpered and wow, he really wished he was an only child.

“Hold on, I’m so confused—so we like Bitchy Roommate now?” Lexi pressed, and Freya shot her an amused look.

“Her name’s Caroline.”

“Bitchy Roommate, Bitchy Carol, same difference—Stefan.” She snapped her fingers at him to get his attention in the most obnoxious way possible. “What’s going on here, dude?”

“Nothing,” he replied stubbornly and Freya gave him a knowing look.

“Stef, I think it’s pretty clear that something’s—”

“No, you know what, enough,” he cut in, lifting a hand in a silencing wave, and all three of them straightened a bit at the outburst. “Freya, you said if I had a problem, all I had to say was that I didn’t want to talk about it so this is me formally telling you guys that yeah, some things in my life aren’t great right now, and while I appreciate the concern, I don’t want to talk about it.”

They blinked at him, surprised, and he panned his gaze across each of their faces with a serious look.

“Understand?”

Freya lifted her palms in surrender, easing back against the couch, and he glanced back at Lexi and Rebekah. They were chewing their lips and peering at him with identical expressions, and God, he really hated them sometimes.

“It’s definitely Bitchy Carol.”

“Totally.”

“What do you think he did?”

“I don’t know, but the last time I talked to her she seemed fine.”

“Tell me everything you know.”

Correction—all the time. He hated them all the time. He shot a harassed stare at Freya and she shrugged, returning her gaze to her laptop. “I don’t claim them.”

Aaaaand now you know why Stefan doesn't always want to go home, lol. Anyway, the mammoth chapter to end all chapters that is 17 will at the very least be up this summer when I get a modicum of a life back. Maybe sooner, but honestly, probably not because I have cardio and renal blocks to get through first. But I’m still here! World’s still going! Ideas are still flowing! Just limited time. Anyway, thanks so much for sticking with me if you’re still here and know that no matter what, unless I specifically say something, I’m still here too. Just slow and busy af ;)