#I hit enter and it doesn't show up in the convo. and I was like hm

[sergle]

oh GOOD. OH GOOD!! I just found out that patreon, for me, eats messages sent in their actual messaging page, and sends them when they're sent in the little pop-up messaging client I get when I hit the message button on a patron's name. That's what I WANTED. I was desperate to go re-type all of these. thank god I get to do that.

[yeostars]

When ATEEZ members get jealous as ur bfs, reaction post !

Hongjoong:

• tbh, he gets jealous quite often, even at the smallest stuff but most of the time he manages to conceal it well.

• He's immediately besides you and whoever that guy is that you're enjoying talking to so much, my man would literally burn holes with his eyes whenever he's jealous. seriously, he gives such an intense stare to the person he perceives as a threat, although he trusts you a lot, he tends to get a little too protective of you...... cuz he loves you so much, ofcourse. He clings his arm with yours, sending a signal that you're ready to go.

•"Who even was that?" He asks, annoyance oozing in this voice as you turn back to him. Or "I didn't know you were that close...." would be his classic statement whenever a guy he doesn't know seems to get a little too close to you.

Seonghwa:

• Seonghwa tends to get a lot more clingy than usual whenever he's jealous. Not just clingy, but he'll purposely call you as "honey" "sweetheart" "babe" repeatedly in front of whoever made him jealous and protective of you in the first place.

• Something like "babe, we're getting late, let's go." he says, while entering the scene, emphasizing on the word babe a lil too much.

• As he says this, he'll eye up the guy in front of you up and down, almost in a judging manner, and effortlessly snakes an arm around your shoulder, bringing you closer to him, as if sending him a signal that you're his and his only. After you're done conversing with that guy, he'll literally jump on you, asking "what did he say to you?" demanding all details of your convo with him.

Yunho

• Another one who gets jealous more often than he wants to. If y'all remember, yunho himself admitted once that he "gets jealous too much/often" soo it's safe to say that he would be quite possessive of his s/o.

• When he notices that you're taking too much time conversing with whoever is your "new company", he crosses his arms, sighing as he watches you both, and matches towards your direction with a blank expression and sour smile (which looks kinda scary tbh)

• And then, voilà, you're getting dragged impossibly closer to him by the waist. His arm slides under your waist sideways, his grip firm and tight and that has goosebumps forming all over your skin. He doesn't even make eye contact with the guy in front of you, practically avoids him and once you're both alone, he says "do you talk to him often?" sensing that you do and he hates even the thought of you being close to him.

Yeosang

• Yeosang isn't really the jealous type. That's just how he is, and even if the slightest pang of jealousy hits him he conceals it so well that you've never seen his possessive side before.

• One day, you literally asked him out of the blue "you've never gotten jealous before, seeing me with some other guy, have you?" and yeosang laughs, literally LAUGHS because that was so random. but you sounded serious so he had to stop laughing and give you a reply. "what, you want me to get jealous? possessive? wouldn't that be annoying though?" he replied, staring at you. "why would it be? it shows how much you want me. i would actually love it if you act a bit possessive of me sometimes." you say, pouting, and yeosang just kisses your cheek, saying "alright, I'll try."

• And when the day comes when you ACTUALLY witness him being jealous for once, you're satisfied with his reaction. Yeosang noticed that you were gone away for quite a long time and went looking for you, only to find you talking to a guy he didn't know and you seeming to enjoy talking with him. Interwining his fingers with yours in a heartbeat, he asks "Hope I'm not interrupting? Y/n, love, let's go now, it's getting late." And when you're both alone, you pull his cheeks playfully, praising him and begging him to act more jealous like this cuz that's HOT of him (did I lie)

San

• He's literally both cute and scary when he actually gets jealous. He tries his best to not get jealous of the smallest stuff but sometimes he cannot hide his jealousy.

• He's the type to become restless when you aren't around. Literally staring at you both while sending death glares to the guy in front of you, his feet tapping impossibly faster on the floor.

• When he decides that it's his last straw when he notices the guy trying to get closer to you, he's there besides you in no time, smiling sweetly at you, not even acknowledging that guy. Placing a soft, quick kiss on your cheek, he brings your hand to his, suggesting you to check out those other food stalls with him.

Mingi

• He's DRAMATIC when he's jealous. When the princess itself gets jealous? It's over for you. You have to give him hundred times more kisses, cuddle him the entire night and hold his hand till eternity, all until he feels better ;D

• He'll barge in when you and the unknown guy are having a convo, introducing himself as your boyfriend. He'll literally tug on your arm sleeves, a small cute pout forming on his face and he stays like that until you exchange your goodbyes with that guy, finally alone with him.

• Rarely, he gives you silent treatment when he gets jealous. And you're always able to tell that he's jealous from the way he gets too quite rather than being talkative as usual. He denies it when you ask him about it, but immediately dissolves into a fit of giggles and a precious smile when you kiss him firmly on the lips and murmur I love you all over again. Really, that's all it takes for mingi to feel assured and happy.

Wooyoung

• 100 % scary when he's jealous. A little dramatic, might I add. He gets jealous quite often and doesn't shy away from showing that he's possessive of you.

• His last straw would be when you're flashing your incredible eye smile to that guy in front of you while talking to him, a smile that's reserved for wooyoung only. He appears being you in no time, back hugging you and wraps his arms around your waist tightly, placing his chin on your shoulder, sending death glares to the guy in front of you, not letting go of you unless that guy finally decides to leave.

• "What was so funny that you were laughing at literally every word he said?" Wooyoung asked, bitterly, lowering his eyes. "Don't worry, babe, he wasn't as funny as you. No one makes me laugh like you do, that was just a....fake laugh." You assured him, pulling his cheek playfully. He shrugs if off and makes sure to cling to you like a koala the entire day.

Jongho

• Something tells me that jongho hates admitting that he's feeling jealous. He does get jealous sometimes but it's mostly when something he senses someone else getting physically closer to you. He usually doesn't have a problem when you're just having a conversation with someone.

• So, when someone does try to get physically closer to you, he's there besides you immediately, snaking an arm around your shoulder. otherwise, he doesn't approach the person you're talking to since he doesn't want to come off as clingy to you.

• "I don't get a good vibe from him. He was trying to get close to you all the time." He admits, not out of jealousy, rather protectiveness. "If he was, i wouldn't let him. Don't worry babe, he was just an acquaintance." You assure him, kissing him lightly on the lips, causing jongho's cheeks to heat up as he hums, satisfied.

[diino8081]

random zane headcanons i like

(also includes those i've picked up from others)

also will enter spoiler territory for dragons rising season 2 (and a few mentions of season 3 leaks but i'll make that text blue so you can avoid it)

this does also become predictions and interpretations but it works

-- he can't cry but he likes to use his powers to create frost under his eyes. it melts and looks like tears

-- his hair is a type of synthetic titanium that somehow grows over time

ever since ice chapter he's been growing out his hair to cover the port on the back of his neck, additionally he wears clothing that covers it too

i feel like vex would've cut it and kept it short for easy access to the port just in case he needed to do a memory wipe again

-- as time goes on he feels more and more pushed into the role of "robot guy who is only useful for giving information"

he feels restricted to this role as that's the only way he feels useful to the team, eventually ignoring his well-being for the sake of being accepted by the others. ("i don't feel heightened emotions")

-- zane's had identity issues ever since the beginning. discovering he was a nindroid, his new titanium body, the ice emperor, the multiple times he was threatened to be used for parts, the mechanic using him for the portal, the scene with the fear mirror at the explorers club. heck, even that time in season 3 when the students got the everything-remote and messed about with him. the time in crystallized when he crashed the jet and the emperor took over

not to mention the multiple times in dragons rising like how he was stuck in the egg and was set back multiple years (he probably felt like he was being left behind)

and the administration and the people on zane day not seeing him as anyone human (ok well he isn't but i mean a sense of humanity specifically) and the admin trying to disassemble him

-- in better news, this one is a "sometimes" headcanon but zane likes to make music to get his emotions out. specifically like jack stauber as someone mentioned this in their own headcanon and i couldn't stop thinking about it

i stole this one from @acksolotel618

also here's a reply from a convo we had about it in which i go more in depth with my interpretation of it

he would likely do it in secret or hide away inside his computer brain because "he can't let the team find out"

-- back to the angsty point from before: he gets pretty stressed and as the tournament comes along but decides that this is the time to prove himself as more than a robot

and unfortunately, yeah. tourney's rigged and he's out first. this is the beginning of the tipping point. from this point on he gets angry but doesn't really show it.

when jay appears and explains the lore, zane is hit with an "oh shit, he just like me fr". i feel like he would've gone to follow and confront him after he left but instead restrained himself

this is one of the seasons where he's included much less, and it's very noticeable with the race and all the other stuff

❄️❄️❄️

-- i think in season 3 he's gonna finally let out his anger and emotions. especially with pixal around. he's going to find her because the others have been treating him differently and pixal doesn't do that. plus they seem to have given up on her too

❄️❄️❄️

-- nindroid's souls are attached to their power core. if it's damaged then their soul is damaged too

i have ideas for what zane's core is made of but i won't go into anything due to it being spoiler territory for my au. the only hint i'm sharing is that it's appeared in the show before and that the previous master of ice helped with it's creation

i'm probably missing a few but yeah this is basically it

thanks for reading

[totallynotsarkaz]

as I revisit GTK for good ol' whaleshark crumb―

※warning, kindergarten level of writing down bellow

This specific convo hits me differently now;

First thing first, we all know that "Specter recalls Skadi's scent but doesn't remember her name" back then right? Seeing this, now… I... wonder if what Specter actually mean was… the one inside―not Skadi herself but, you know, seaborn? Or maybe, it's The High & Mighty Ishar-Mla?

Hence for why I'm thinking this non-sense, Laurentina basically stuck with the Church for who know how long until she eventually escaped. Said Chruch forced her to spill the beans by any means necessary. Torturing her both physically and mentally, so bad that it eventually give birth to Laurentina's new persona. The one who protect Laurentina who's struggle, trying to forget her pain, washing off her unpleasant memories.

The one who call themselves, Specter.

Specter, is the good obedient nun, calm and quite, never disobey any order thrown at her. So pure, that she easily got stained by the weirdos on church who tried to calling their seaborn god... entity or whatever it was. By this point now, you know Specter is familiar with them.

Alright, now back to surface. Specter said this to Skadi :

―Why did you decide to show up here?

Like I said before, Specter is basically Laurentina's defense mechanism. Perhaps due Laurentina past, terrible experience in Church, Specter basically hostile towards anyone and will shred those who trying to get close to or enter her territory/ward (except Kal'tsit for... I still don't know how Kal'tsit get whitelisted by Specter by default).

Now the thing, Skadi, here smells like one of them. Laurentina might recognize her. But here's the thing;

She doesn't know if Skadi in front of her is real, or mere illusion born from yearning.

Hence why Specter was hostile and keep forgetting Skadi until one day, Laurentina wakes up from her nightmare. Now she's 100%, sure it was her beloved long lost little Skadi all along.

Again, this is a mere rambling from my side, don't take this seriously, I'm just starving for old whaleshark bitter sweet story

[leam1983]

Andropause

Sarah and I are gabbing while Walt is snoozing on the couch, and the convo shifts towards a documentary we've caught on Andropause, the debatably-present masculine counterpart to menopause.

I'm in my forties. I'm aging, I have less libido than I did back when I was in my teens or my twenties, but I'm still active. Sarah is turning 39 in a few months, and she openly says that she's in what you could call a sort of pre-pre-menopause. She still appreciates sex, but craves it a lot less than she did back in her twenties. She gets tired more easily, her mood shifts more noticeably by her own admission. Speaking to her GP, she was reassured regarding her sex life, a few weeks back. The older you get, the more flat-out hanky-panky loses its lustre. You start to want to explore your partners in less overt ways and, well - lucky for her, the two guys in her life are in the same boat. Actual balls-in-holes sex is now reserved for those instances where either one of the three of us feels a sort of emotional surge of endearment, and now expresses profound levels of attachment.

In clearer terms, we have sex not because we're horny, we have sex because we love each other, and have reached a point where no traditional means of saying "I love you" suffices anymore.

Compare and contrast with the documentary we saw, where an ex-bodybuilder and strongman converted into a media personality here in Quebec looks absolutely shocked, in his mid-fifties, when a female sexologist reminds him that there's different means of eliciting desire in a partner, outside of straight-up intercourse.

I remember giving Sarah a look as we put the Apple TV on Pause. "Wait. You're telling me this slab of meat, this certified mensch that was shown driving a fucking F-150 and chopping wood for his fireplace, who is in better shape at 55 than I'll ever be in the entirety of my life, is saying he thinks he's underperforming?! Doesn't he realize from how high he's started?! I used to watch strongman competitions with my grandfather, when I was a kid, and I saw the same guy lift a small chopper with both hands!"

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, he's setting the bar pretty high. You'd figure there'd be hormonal shifts once you hit sixty, but calling it an underrepresented medical condition at his level feels a bit cheap. I'd be more concerned if they showed us a guy like you, Grem, and plastered tests onscreen saying your testosterone levels would've dropped like a stone in way too short an amount of time. The guy's not plumetting, he's leveling out."

Our talking had woken Walt up, and the big guy had gone from giving us bleary half-awake looks to eventually having a good sense of the start of our conversation. "I mean, there's still something there, on some level," he tells us. "We've studied estrogen, progesterone, estradiol - all of it back to back - but we're still at the stage where guys pump vetenarian-use hormones or think reading, of all things, lowers your hormonal levels. The real issue isn't andropause so much as men not having access to the same levels of support as women, on the cusp of entering what you could biologically call old age."

I nod. "Did you ever get night sweats, Walt? I'm talking, Sarah and I both remembered to check the thermostat, the condo is certifiably not overheating, Palpatine is totally offline for the night and there's zero heat sources unaccounted for - and you still wake up with your chest and shoulders drenched?"

The big guy gave it some thought. "Not at my age, no - but ten years back? Absolutely. I'd dial everything back down to save on heating at night, and I'd wake up as if we were in the middle of a heat wave four hours later, with barely a single linen sheet on top of me."

I nod. "Mood swings, irritability, drops in energy levels?"

That one made Walt laugh. "I'm queer, Grem; being a tad more sensitive than most is kind of part and parcel of the whole experience. As for drops; I really couldn't say. You know me; I can fall asleep anywhere."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "But did you feel exhausted, about ten years back?"

Walt shrugged. "Yeah, but I didn't have a CPAP routine and I was too stupid to check, so chances are I was already snoring like an outboard motor and maybe got half an hour's worth of decent rest out of eight hours of sleep. I can't really chalk it on andropause, considering."

I nod. "So if we pack this all in, andropause is sort of hard to quantify."

Walt nodded. "Either that, or men just aren't affected in the same way as women are with menopause, and being an ex-strongman trying to keep his hormone count up with no chemical assistance and just a controlled diet and a lot of training, well..."

He gestured at the documentary host's fridge-sized back blades. "My man's lacking perspective, here."

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

whaddya mean by ya don't trust junpei? is it the whole jealousy thing again?

(Keep in mind I still haven't seen all of P3R so I dunno how much he's changed in that regard, or if they changed later scenes.....but so far.....it's not that much. Anyway general P3 spoilers under the cut.)

It's more than that, but let's look at the jealousy thing for right now since you brought it up. It's not that he's jealous.......it's what his jealousy LEADS him to do. They made him be a lot friendlier.......but I.........still don't like him. (he whines more in the early game too which is annoying so......good job atlus, you made him more annoying! :D)

His SL on the FeMC had a much better arc than the link eps so far (I'm not at Oct 4th yet so he's had like....2?) But the issue is he acts the exact same as if I didn't have an SL/wasn't as close to him.

The fact he'll act like a doucher regardless if I'm friendly/friends with him or not really just......makes him a bad friend.

Back to his jealousy. His jealousy isn't that he's JUST a dick to the MC. But it puts us in danger. At BEST he's just mean to us and makes us feel like shit. At worse he runs off without thinking and puts us in danger countless of times.

During a Full Moon mission he abandons my leadership, splits us up (which weakens us in general), and then almost gets himself killed.

THEN at his calmest, he does something I don't think the PT do (at least knowingly) and that is LEAK INFORMATION TO THE FUCKING ENEMY TO THEIR FUCKING FACE.

He knows there's Strega, and he's not airing on the side of caution AT ALL. He's a liability. We shoulda cut him when we had the chance, fuck his power, he's going to get us killed. (Yukari breaches the same trust trying to poke the Kirijou Group bear, we don't know how shady the rest of the group is and yet she goes snooping in ways that can get us all in trouble TT0TT so yeah she's not off the hook).

This also doesn't account for the special kind of betrayal that this entails for the FeMC (or P3R!MC if you do the link eps). Because we're their friends and they just go behind our back and fuck us. They undermine our leadership and blindside us.

I know it's a thing to say "SEES are more like coworkers/teammates than friends (at first)" (cause it's true, PQ1 has a literal B plot about it, they don't become "friends" until later) but fuck.....Junpei/Yukari barely act as teammates the way they are trying to sabotage the team half the time. TT0TT

Then there's the girl element. As a girl, he's really fucking creepy. I know the drama CD he states "oh I'm doing this to keep the peace" but no. That's contradictory to some of his creepier statements. 1 on 1 convos with the male MC shows he is def a creeper. He's not just playing it up to the girls can just rally against him. (also really fucking weird he thinks "oh the girls need someone to team up on" like??? no we don't???? wtf ew. It just sounds like he has a scolding fetish TT0TT and literally if you do it all the time it.....starts to seem like it's just something you like to do rather than 'oh I'm just saying things" like???? Sorry if you do it often enough people will just think that's just YOU rather than a "lie.")

There's also the fucking hot spring scene (looking at OG/FES/3P only). Like he still has a girlfriend as of 11/19 (maybe going through rough patch), shit doesn't hit the fan for him until 11/22. But it's heavily implied he and Ryoji decided enter and stay in the hot spring until the change happened. The reason? Obvie to peep on some girls, why else? (it's why the narrative still punishes him and Ryo even if you escape the girls). He does that while he has a GIRLFRIEND (run Chidori you deserve better TT0TT). And if his motives were the same on FeMC side, then he did that knowing he may violate his friend.

He also tells creepy things to Ken and....god I hate him. Yukari is right about him, he is a poster boy for sexual harassment. He is the worst of all the pervs. (tho P4G didn't help the P4 team >_>). I think there's a good reason the movie changed this scene.....

Basically he untrustworthy. He's too wishy washy to rely on. I wouldn't ever want to hang out with him.

[karahalloway]

Okay confession time. Every time Chris says mate, I read it in an Aussie accent... DON'T JUDGE!

Hahahahaha! That's funnuy! 🤣🤣🤣 But I 100% get where you're coming from bc he says it in an Auzzie accent in my head as well! Even though this is a turn of phrase I stole from my hubby (who's British 🤣)

Lol, I probably would be too scared to enter a place like that.... even if it smelt like good bacon!

So, fun fact - this dive is 100% based on an actual place I went to in Vancouver. I arrived on the first flight in and needed breakfast, so I googled 'best breakfast places' and this place came up - went to it and was like 'erm... this can't be right...' (exactly as I described in the fic) but the food was sooooo good 😆 So, never judge a book by its cover!

How on earth did they get him through the door?!?! lmao!

Max probably shoved/dragged him in 🤣

I love how they all start trolling him, haha!

Their banter! Actually, Drake's snark is hilarious alongside pretty much everyone. Especially, Leo, Max and Tariq

Thanks! This entire sequence pretty much just wrote itself 😆 I love it when the guys just get to be guys and piss around lol

And Leo...I just can't! How are he and Chris even from the same stock?!?!

Leo is a helluva lot more laid back than Chris is - and I HC that he's had a lot more extra-curricular experiences (e.g. like the volcano climbing, the camel episode in the desert that I referenced in the previous chapter, etc.) so he just has a very different approach to life in general

Leo is referring to Harper as Swifty? Becuase he thinks she looks like Taylor Swift? Yeah, this has likely come up already, but my memory is bad

Yes, it's Leo's nickname for Harper (primarily bc they are both blonde lol) Introduced in the karaoke chapter 😇

You've already had more than your fair share this MORNING, Walker!

Or not... you know... 😅

MAX! I thought you were better than that!

That gif 🤣🤣🤣 In my mind it's not bc Max is pervy or anything - he's just an exhibitionist and documents everything that he does with photos and videos (even sex - especially when it's kind of out of the box sex like in this case lol)

I'm also a little disappointed in Chris, Never took him for the hit-n-go type.

It's not by choice - it's kind of referenced in the interaction with Drake when they're waiting for the lift in the hotel, but Chris doesn't really want to say good-bye to Hayley, which is why he doesn't wake her. Because the convo would be awkward and heart-wrenching. Bc at this point, it hasn't occurred to him that he could ask Hayley to come to Cordonia (bc he has been raised with the expectation that he would have to choose a wife during the social season, and she would be a noblewoman).

YES YOU HAVE!!!!!!

🤣 Good thing Drake is fictional, otherwise I feel you'd be coming after him with pitchforks and knives right now!

That mental image!

Lol this whole sequence went down with a few people 😆

Although, it would have been hilarious if they had left him behind!

Agreed - and that was the plan... but the guy decided to show up at the last minute, much to everyone's disgust lol

NO NO NO! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO MEEEE?!?!?!? Now the series is almost finished and he's never gonna see Harper again!

Those gifs....!

...but we have one chapter left... and anything could happen!

Thanks so much for reading, liking and emoting! 🥰

Sleepless in New York: Chapter 12 - Hungover on You

Series: TRR

Pairing: Drake Walker x F!OC (Harper Gale)

Synopsis: This is a short-story series written from Drake’s POV that explores an AU where Drake meets Harper (my OC from (Un)Common Attraction) by himself before the boys come to the bar on the last night of Christian’s bachelor party.

Masterlist: Sleepless in New York

Chapter Summary: The time has come to fly back home... but who won the bet?

Word Count: 6,800

Rating/Warnings: E (swearing, aggravation, references to graphic images, references to sex, references to bodily functions, toilet humour, motive for murder, way too much caffeine)

Chapter theme song:

A/N1: Thank you so much for bearing with me! This chapter was supposed to be done quickly but then it suddenly exploded into the almost 7,000-word monster that you see before you (I blame Leo 😆). Hopefully, the contents make up for the longer-than-planned wait! There will be one more chapter.

A/N2: As an FYI, everything that is mentioned is true/correct/accurate. Yes, everything! You'll know what I mean when you get to it! 🙃

Chapter 12 - Hungover on You

"Mmm... You're right... These pancakes are heavenly...!" enthuses Max 'round an overstuffed gob.

"I have to admit, I may have been skeptical at first, given the somewhat... dated nature of the décor," admits Chris, skewering the last bite of his own stack, "but I am very glad that I did not allow first impressions to sway me, and to instead let the delights of the fare speak for itself."

I throw him a sidelong glance. "I told you to trust me, didn't I?"

"That you did, mate," Chris chuckles good-naturedly. "That you did."

"Drake always finds the best food," sighs Max as he closes his eyes in blissful appreciation.

I shrug nonchalantly. If you know where to look...

Having hit up Times Square and snapping the obligatory pic or two — it's the end of the trip... fuck it — I'd heeded Chris' final request for this trip by tracking down somewhere we could fuel up before our fast-approaching flight home.

And given the questionable-looking nature of our chosen venue, Chris' initial trepidation had been more than understandable.

Because from the outside — but for the tell-tale smell of bacon wafting out onto the street — this joint looks more like an illicit drug den than a bona fide restaurant. The single-paned window that faces the street has a massive crack in it, the doorway stinks of stale urine, and I wouldn't be surprised if a dead body or two had ended up in the dumpster 'round the back.

The inside's not much better, either. It's a cheap, no-frills galley-kitchen kind of set-up manned by a single, overweight chef who pumps out eggs, bacon, pancakes and hash browns in massive portions while you sit on the other side of the greasy, Lino-covered counter on creaky, '60's bar stools, sipping fully-leaded coffee from chipped mugs.

In short, the complete antithesis of the polished and slightly over-glammed feel of the retro, 1950s diner we ate at yesterday.

And that's why I picked it. Because after having been up the whole night, we need something to sub-in for our lack of sleep, and nothing tastes better than comfort food when you're craving a calorie hit. Plus, Chris had wanted a 'classic' Stateside breakfast experience, and it doesn't get much more Americana than this...

"What is all that sticky goop that it's swimming in?"

...except for the fact that I have Tariq sitting on the other side of me, complaining loudly about every-damn-thing that offends his toffee-nosed sensibilities.

Because as per usual, I can't seem to take two steps in this goddamn city without the Almighty crapping on me.

Our butts had just hit the stools when Chris' phone began lighting up with a million-and-one messages from Max asking where we were, what the plan was, and was there any food anywhere.

So, Chris (being Chris), had extended the breakfast invite to not only Max, but to the rest of our band of noble misfits, meaning that our laid-back outing has now morphed into a real-life rendition of The Breakfast Club.

I suppress a groan as I take another swig of my scalding coffee, careful not to move my mouth too much, given that — on top of everything — my jaw has set into exactly the kind of contused stiffness that I'd hoped to avoid.

My own damn fault for not icing the damn thing down when I had the chance...

The only person missing is Leo.

Not that I really care. I've had enough of that guy and his BS for one trip. And the main reason I haven't decked him yet for the shit he pulled last night is because I haven't actually seen him since Gale and I got booted from the club.

And I don't want to ruin Chris' last hour in the Big Apple by knocking his brother's teeth out.

The same can't be said for Tariq, though...

"It's maple syrup, Besnard..." I grunt at him, trying to maintain my focus on the viscous caffeine in my hand, and not the half-a-dozen ways in which I could smash the asshole's face into the countertop.

Because after the steady stream of crap that's hit the fan in the past 36 hours, the only thing keeping me on this side of sane right now is the free-refill mugs of coffee that I've been pouring into myself since we sat down.

Which means that my mood's dancing on a hair trigger, and I'm one stupid comment away from committing violence.

The chef'd probably thank me, though...

Tariq flashes me a disgusted look. "Maple syrup...? You mean tree sap? That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of!"

"A lot of things come from trees, dipshit..." I mutter, forcing myself to keep staring at the wall ahead.

Tariq scoffs. "Why would—?"

"Cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of various South and South East Asian tree species," Chris reminds him.

"And cloves are the dried aromatic flower buds of the clove tree," adds Max, chewing loudly on a ketchup-coveted tater-tot.

Tariq glares down the counter disdainfully. "What are you lot? Walking encyclopaedias...?"

"We just know where our food comes from, Besnard," I grind out around the rim of my mug. "As would you if you ever bothered to step outside."

"Where it comes from is irrelevant," comes the derisive clap-back. "The only thing that matters is the price tag."

"Even when it's been through the digestive tract of a wild animal?" interjects Max with a perfectly straight face.

Tariq nearly spews his over-steeped tea across the room. "What!"

"Certain brands of coffee demand a premium price because of their somewhat... exotic processing process," affirms Chris. "For instance, Kopi Luwak is the most exclusive coffee in the world primarily because it comes from beans that have been consumed and then excreted by the Indonesian palm civet."

Tariq's eyes bulge. "Excreted... As in—?"

"Pooped out," confirms Max gleefully. "Through tiny little butt holes."

Tariq looks like he's about to puke.

"That is correct," continues Chris. "The bile in the civet's digestive system causes the fermentation of—"

Tariq bolts from his chair.

"Lemme guess..." I drawl, turning to face the other two. "The fuck stick's just realised that he's willingly subjected himself to this fancy ass coffee."

"Ass being the operative word..." sniggers Max as he mops up the escaped yolk from his sunny-side-up eggs with a piece of over-buttered toast.

"Yes," laughs Chris, reaching for his own mug of coffee. "He accompanied his father on a business trip to Indonesia last year where he was given the 'Holy Grail' of coffees as a gift..."

"...not realising what it actually was," I snort. "Typical."

The door of the dive creaks open.

"Speaking of typical..." I muttered under my breath as I glance over my shoulder and catch sight of the familiar figure who's just stepped through the entranceway.

"Hey, hey, hey, party people!" greets Leo as he saunters up to us like he doesn't have a care in the world...

...Oh, wait. He never does.

"Glad you could make it!" smiles Chris as he gets up from his stool to clasp his brother's hand in his own. "I was starting to think maybe you lost your phone again."

"I did, as a matter of fact," confirms Leo with a lop-sided grin, fist-pumping Max as he flops down into Tariq's now-vacant seat.

Chris frowns. "But then how—?"

"DiCaprio took pity on me and gave me a new one he had lying around his flat... Which, I have to say, is pretty sweet."

Max is gaping in starry-eyed admiration. "You got to go to famous Leo's apartment? Jealous!"

"No party like the after-party! And that man knows how to party. Oh! Bacon!" the elder Rys exclaims, suddenly laying eyes on Tariq's abandoned plate.

Chris still looks confused. "But if you lost your phone—"

"The magic of the eSIM, baby!" declares Leo with a full mouth as he brandishes a brand-new iPhone into the air. "Been using it for years! Why d'you think my number never changes?"

Chris opens, then closes his mouth. "Fair point."

"Glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Walker," continues Leo with a shit-eating grin as he elbows me in the ribs. "This place is the perfect spot to get daytime murdered in!"

"Careful what you wish for, Rys..." I mutter under my breath.

"Good bacon, though!" he quips, filching another rasher.

"We can order you a helping if you're hungry..." offers Chris.

"Nah, I'm good," replies Leo, dunking the bacon into some syrup. "Grabbed a bagel on the way from this awesome little Jewish place. Do you know that they even—?"

"Oh, dear God...!" gasps Tariq, bursting back into the dining area with a horrified look on his face. "That restroom is disgusting!"

I clench my eyes shut. Sweet Jesus give me strength...

"I admit it smelled a bit funky," concedes Max, "but nothing worse than when Bertrand—"

"There is excrement floating in the toilet bowl!" Tariq all but shrieks.

"Lemme guess..." I murmur to Chris under my breath. "He didn't know how that shit got made either."

Chris' eyes bulge as his coffee goes down the wrong way.

"That is generally what happens when you take a dump," Max tells him prosaically.

"It wasn't mine!!"

"Hate to break it to you, old sport," intones Leo, laying a hand on Besnard's shoulder, "but not every pisser flushes itself. So, you're going to have t—"

"No!" interjects Tariq, shoving Leo's arm away. "I refuse to go back in there! In fact, I've had it with this entire establishment, this entire city, and this entire bloody trip! Everybody is rude, nobody respects me, and I have suffered enough denigration to last me a lifetime! I am leaving!"

Throwing his nose into the air, he turns on the heel of his treadless Ferragamo loafers to stomp out of the diner.

"Christ!" huffs Leo as he jerks a derisive thumb in Tariq's direction. "Who pissed in his Earl Grey?"

"Oh, he's just miffed because he knows he lost the bet last night," supplies Max 'round a mouthful of toast.

Leo perks up. "What bet?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake..." I groan.

I'd completely forgotten 'bout the stupid bet...

"He does know that the hotel is in the other... direction..." coughs Chris, having finally managed to clear the wayward coffee from his lungs. "Doesn't he?"

"I wouldn't bet on it," I mutter, watching Tariq nearly get run over by an early morning cab as he tries to cross the street. "If we're lucky, he'll end up in Brooklyn again."

Chris starts hacking all over again as he tries and fails to stifle a laugh. "You're a...horrible person..."

"But I'm not wrong," I tell him, pointedly lifting my mug to my mouth again.

"Screw the sour-arsed sod!" cries Leo. "I want to know about this bet! And why I wasn't included on it!"

"You weren't there," I tell him tersely. "Plus, you'd've been ineligible anyway."

"Why would I—?" The proverbial lightbulb clicks to life in Leo's head. "Ooh! It was a race to fourth base, wasn't it?"

"Congrats, Sherlock," I grunt. "You've graduated to deductive reasoning..."

"Not just a pretty face, Walker," winks Leo in reply.

I roll my eyes as I return my attention to my coffee.

"But who's the winner...?" Leo continues contemplatively, eyeing the rest of us.

Max opens his mouth...

"No! Don't tell me!" decrees Leo, shoving a hand into the Beaumont's face. "I wasn't included in the bet, so I demand some vicarious recompense! I'm going to guess!"

"How—?" starts Chris.

"By using my incomparable situational awareness, sprinkled with just a smidge of mind-reading!"

"Sounds mystical..." admits Chris.

"Oh, it is! Prepare to be amazed!"

"I'm ready!" shouts Max like an overeager five-year old.

My head falls down between my arms with a pained groan. Somebody just shoot me...

"Alrighty, then," declares Leo, rubbing his hands together with an ungodly dose of perverse satisfaction. "So, we know for a fact that Toss-Pot Besnard never made it out the gate, and—"

"How are you so certain?" asks Chris with a frown.

"For a start, it's Tariq," I mutter at him from the greasy countertop. "Plus, if by some miracle he had managed to pull, he'd've been bragging about it as soon as he walked in."

"True..." Chris concedes with a laugh.

"But, more importantly," adds Max, "Lucy and Jamie — the two girls he'd been after — ended up taking me home last night."

My head snaps up so fast, I nearly give myself whiplash. "They fucking what?"

"You heard me!" grins Max like the Grinch who stole Christmas.

"Hayley and Harper's friends..." reiterates Chris carefully. "You slept with both of them?"

"Yup!" comes the cocky affirmation.

"Well, fuck me running..." I scoff with a shake of my head.

Though I can't seem to stop an involuntary smirk from pulling at my mouth. Because that shit? That's impressive.

"Yes, gold star to Baby Beaumont," agrees Leo with a grin, slapping Max on the back. "But did he seal the deal before my little brother? That's the million-dollar question..."

"What about Drake?" interjects Chris. "He and Harper—"

"Oh, Walker didn't score!" laughs Leo.

Chris' eyes widen as he turns back to me. "You didn't? But you were the first to leave."

"Not by choice..." I admit sourly.

"Captain America here got his arse handed to him by a couple of beefcakes..." Leo explains.

"Fuck you, Rys!" I snap. "It was five against one and I still held my ground!"

"It was you who got caught up in that fight?" gasps Max. "That looked brutal..."

"It would certainly explain the bruises on your face," muses Chris, eyeing me critically. "And the ripped shirt."

I make a vague noise by way of reply. But I don't bother to correct him. The details aren't important. They lead to the same result.

Not that that's anybody's business...

"...and promptly got tossed out the club with Swifty in tow," continues Leo cheerfully. "Which I'm guessing is the reason why she wasn't willing to put out, because—"

I shoot off the stool, shattering the mug in my hand in the process. "Mention her one more time, Rys, and I swear to God—"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" interjects Max with a frantic wave of his hands. "If he left with Harper, how do you know that he didn't—?"

Leo jabs an uncompromising finger into my face. "Does this look like the expression of a man who'd spent the night warmly cocooned by the soft embrace of a woman's supple and welcoming thighs?"

I slap his hand away with a growl.

"Hmm..." muses Max, narrowing his eyes at me. "Now that you mention it... He does seem surprisingly grouchy this morning. Even more so than he was last night..."

"Beaumont..." I warn.

"Whereas my little brother is positively glowing!" continues Leo, fanning his hands around Chris by way of illustration. "Tell me you don't see the difference!"

"Fuck you, both," I grunt, slinging myself down into the barstool again.

A fresh mug of coffee appears before me, as if by magic.

I grab for it tersely. Where's the whiskey when you need it...?

"I rest my case," declares Leo smugly. "Which means, it's down to Lord Three-Way Beaumont and Prince Pull-Hard Charming. But who took their ladies to Heaven first...?"

"It doesn't matter," I grunt abrasively. "Max isn't in the running."

"I am afraid he is correct," Chris agrees after a second's reflection, glancing at Max. "No one backed you, so—"

"Rubbish!" objects Leo loudly. "The sheer act of the ménage à trois should guarantee him a spot in the champions' league, if not the entirety of the pot outright!"

"Except he's not the one who gets the money," I point out. "It's the person who ponied him."

"Christ, if it's that much of an issue, I'll punt him!" declares Leo. "What were the stakes?"

"Eight hundred ducats," Max tells him.

"Done," Leo declares, pulling his wallet out to drop a handful of Ben Franklins on the counter.

Chris meets my eye. "Your call, Drake. It's your money on the line."

I flick my eyes between Max and Chris, before letting out a low breath. "Fuck it. Let's make it interesting."

Pulling my own wallet out, I slap the requisite cash down as well.

Because worst case? I'm out of pocket $500. But best case? I net four times that. And I'm my book, that's a play worth making. Especially when my money's on Chris.

"That's my man!" whoops Leo, punching me enthusiastically in the arm.

"Careful, Rys," I warn him as Chris and Max add their contributions to the purse as well. "It's your dough I'm about to walk away with..."

"Eh..." shrugs Leo unconcernedly. "Money's relative."

"Spoken like a born-and-bred fat cat," I reply dryly.

"And now for the big reveal!" shouts Leo, clapping his hands together. "The stakes are set. The buttocks are clenched. Who takes the crown of Don Juan?"

Chris and Max exchange wry looks.

"What time did you get back to the hotel?" Max asks.

"Just after midnight, I believe..."

"Twelve thirty-five," I tell him.

Max's feet start dancing beneath him. "Oh, this is going to be close! We got back to the girls' flat around half-past as well."

"Sod all that!" cries Leo. "Get to the climax, gents! We want to know who got slob on their knob first!"

"Well, after we got back to the suite, we shared a drink before we..." Chris clears his throat. "...retired to the bedroom. So, perhaps 1am?"

"Yeah-yah!" enthuses Leo with a snap of his fingers. "Bring it home like a pro, bro!"

"Not sure why you're rooting for him," I scoff.

"I am permitted to share in my little brother's sex-tastic accomplishments!" he counters. "Especially when I'm the one who taught him everything he knows!"

"Except now, it's about to leave you out of pocket," I smirk, reaching for the pile of cash.

"Hold on!" interjects Max, scrolling furiously through his phone. "I think I have Christian beat!"

I frown. "How in the—?"

"Watch it and weep!" the Beaumont exclaims triumphantly, thrusting his phone out.

Leaning in towards the device — from the speakers of which spew the unmistakably pornographic sounds of sex — Leo, Chris, and I are greeted with a bird's eye view of Max balling Lucy from behind while she went down on Jamie's spread-eagled form on the bed.

Leo's jaw drops. "You filmed it?"

"Would've been rude not to," smirks Max.

"You dirty bugger!" laughs Leo, grabbing the Beaumont to noogie him.

I pull my eyes away from the X-rated spectacle. "Okay, but how does this—?"

"Look at the...time stamp," prompts Max from beneath Leo's arm.

Glancing back at the screen, I focus in on the tiny numbers at the top.

12:52am.

My shoulders slump. "Goddamn it."

"Looks like we have our winner," Chris concedes with a wry chuckle.

"You're not even going to contest it?" I demand, throwing an accusatory hand out at Max.

"I am not sure there is anything to contest," replies Chris. "The numbers speak for themselves. And since Maxwell is the only one out of the two of us who had the foresight to record the exact timing of the event, I think it is only fair that he takes the pot."

"Yeah, baby!" whoops Leo, jumping off his stool with outstretched arms to thrust out an in-your-face victory dance à la Ace Ventura. "Can you feel it? Can... you... feel it?! Damn, it feels good!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." I grunt with a roll of my eyes.

But, Leo's asinine antics aside, I have to hand it to Max. Not only did the guy manage to go above and beyond, but he somehow managed to beat the clock as well.

So, I can't begrudge second place too much.

"I believe this is rightfully yours, big brother," declares Chris, graciously handing the pile of bills over.

"Why, thank you, little brother!" grins Leo as he accepts the winnings with a mock bow...

...before studiously dumping the cash into Max's lap.

The Beaumont's eyes widen in disbelief. "I— But you— I didn't—"

"Hey, I wasn't the one with my pants down on the front lines last night," he says. "So, if anyone deserves the spoils of war, it's you."

Max is still gawping like a stupefied goldfish. "But—"

"Spend it well, kemosabe," the elder Rys incants somberly, laying a hand on Max's shoulder.

"Th-thank you," stammers Max, suddenly overcome with unexpected emotion.

"Ehh... Don't mention it!" shrugs Leo with a grin. "I'm just here for the memories. Though... speaking of, if you want your lasting memories of this trip to be anything other than dear Father sending a squadron of Guards after you to haul you back across the Pond, I suggest you get your tushes to the airport."

"Oh, shit..." I cuss, glancing down at my watch. "We gotta move." Necking the last of my coffee, I signal for the cheque.

"Are you flying back with us?" asks Chris as he pushes himself off his stool.

"Nah," demurs Leo, reaching across his brother to grab the final piece of bacon off Tariq's plate. "As much as I'd love to steal your thunder by gate-crashing yet another fancy ball that I don't have an invitation to, you know Regina still hasn't revoked that shoot-on-sight order she put out on my head last year."

Chris laughs. "I'm sure it's not all that bad..."

"You'd be surprised!" insists Leo with only a touch of sardonicism. "Plus, I promised Katie that I'll bring her back a box of cronuts. So, I got a few errands to run before I jet out."

"Well, in that case," replies Chris, reaching out to envelop his brother in a hug, "thank you for coming, and we'll hopefully see each other soon!"

"You can bet on it, matey," confirms Leo, giving Chris a heartfelt thump on the back before pulling away. "At the Coronation, if nothing else."

Chris' eyes widen. "Father signed off on your attendance?"

"Not yet," the elder Rys admits. "But I'm slowing wearing the old man down."

"Well, I — for one — certainly hope you succeed!" laughs Chris.

"I have faith in myself," winks Leo. Leaning past Chris, he reaches out to bump knuckles with Max. "Beaumont. Say hi to Bert for me."

"Will do," nods Max. "And thank you. Again. You really didn't—"

"Like I said," Leo deflects with an arrant smirk. "Don't even mention it."

Max nods gratefully.

Finally, Leo turns to me. "Walker."

I meet his eye impassively as I draw myself up to my full height to face him. "Rys."

"You got his six, right?" he asks, inclining his head almost imperceptibly back towards his brother, who — true to his earlier promise — is in the process of intercepting the bill before it can make it to me.

"Come hell or high water," I affirm.

"Good," he nods, his expression uncharacteristically tight. "'Cause there's going to be both. And he'll need someone to help pull him through."

"This ain't my first rodeo, Leo," I remind him, watching Chris trying to figure out which greenback was which with Max's help as he sought to pay for our breakfast.

"I know," acknowledges Leo, his face tightening as the memories of the fallout from the assassination attempt flash through his memory. "But I still appreciate it. He is my only brother, after all."

I meet his eye. "Then you know why I'm doing it."

Leo holds my gaze for a long moment before extending his hand. "You're a good friend, Drake."

"Someone's gotta be," I tell him with a wry smile, reciprocating the gesture.

Leo might grate me up the wrong way with his bad jokes and juvenile attitude, but we are — and always have been — on the same page when it comes to Chris.

"They're rarer than you think," Leo murmurs softly. Dropping my hand, he turns back to Chris and Max, who have finally managed to settle the bill, plus tip. "Ciao, amigos! It's been a blast!"

"Have a good flight!" Chris tells him with a wave.

"I always do!" Leo assures him. "Stay safe, little brother. Give the ladies a fair chance, don't do anything I wouldn't—"

I scoff. "Is there even such a thing?"

"—and remember," Leo continues unabashedly, "if you're ever in doubt, there's always the balcony!"

Chris stifles a laugh. "I'm sure it won't come to that..."

"Never underestimate the beauty of a Plan B!" Leo hollers over his shoulder as he pulls the rickety door open, and steps out onto the street.

Max stares after him with a perplexed look. "When he said 'balcony'... Did he mean you jumping off it, or you throwing the lady off?"

"I wouldn't read into it too much," I advise as I grab my leather jacket to pull it on. Turning to Chris I ask, "You good?"

"Yes, I think I managed to sort the bill..." he replies, pulling his own jacket on as well. "Fifty percent gratuity is acceptable here, right?"

I nearly dislocate my shoulder putting my arm into a non-existent sleeve. "Erm... Yeah. Sure. More than acceptable."

Christmas definitely came early for this waitress!

But at least the hefty tip would help smooth over any wayward resentment left in the wake of Tariq's ass-like behaviour.

Chris' face visibly relaxes. "Oh, good! I wasn't sure of the correct etiquette."

"Trust me," I drawl, opening the creaky door. "You ain't never gonna fall flat in that department."

"If you say so," concedes Chris with a smile as he and Max follow me out onto the street.

"I know so," I assure him, leading the way back to Broadway.

At just gone 7am on a weekday, the city is already a hive of activity with cyclists, taxis, and pedestrians vying for position on the thoroughfares against the buses, garbage trucks, and private vehicles, as everyone tries to get where they're going just that much faster.

My gaze tracks west almost on auto-pilot. Wonder what Gale's doing... Is she still asleep, or—?

I yank myself forcefully back from the precipice of that dead-end drift.

The only thing that matters right now is getting Chris and Max (...Tariq could go fuck himself) back to the hotel and then getting 'cross town to Teterboro in time for scheduled departure.

Leo hadn't been joking when he'd said that Constantine would not hesitate to unleash a squadron of King's Guard on our tails if we didn't arrive back in Cordonia by the agreed time.

That had been the agreement.

Because the first event of the season kicks off tomorrow with the Masquerade Ball, and Chris has a full week's worth of engagements penciled into the twelve hours beforehand.

Which means that there can be zero deviations, zero slippages. We have to be on that plane...

...even though that's the last thing any of us want to do right now.

Because glancing back at Chris and Max as we make our way up back to the hotel, it's clear that New York has been a much-needed escape for both of them. Not just from the daily grind of court, but also from the strictures of expectation. As here, you weren't your name, or your title, or your birthright.

You were just another guy on the street, trying to make your American dream come true.

And despite — or rather, because of — their stations, that's a privilege that neither Chris nor Max have ever had the luxury of experiencing before. Because even though they may have all the money in the world, one thing they could not buy with it is freedom — true freedom. As money garnered expectations and expectations choked you out like chains around your neck.

And that was life's unfair trade-off...

...unless you were Leo, who somehow managed to screw the pooch into laying him a golden egg by finding a woman who was apparently not only worth abdicating for, but who also turned out to be loaded in her own right, thanks to a very generous inheritance provision in her grandmother's will.

And because that money came with zero strings attached, the lucky bastard got to have it all: living it up large, while also getting to flip the rules and regulations that he's always hated the bird.

But, unfortunately for the rest of us mere mortals who weren't born with the luck of the devil, the best we can hope for are those rare moments in between when the constraints of your usual life fall away, and you're rewarded with a much-needed breath of levity.

And maybe that's why I'd fallen so hard and fast for Gale. Because irrespective of the magnetic pull she had on me, she wasn't just some hot girl I'd happened to hit it off with. And while undeniable, the deep seated attraction went beyond the mere physical... or even the personal.

Because beyond the fact that she was gorgeous, funny, and knocked me for six at every turn, she was more than just simple perfection. She was the sweet promise of possibility. Tantalising me with a taste of what could've been in a world free of obligation. Where I was just me — not an undercover Guard, not a duty-bound friend to a prince, not a jaded outsider confined to the sidelines, always looking in.

But as entrancing as the experience had been, I know it couldn't last.

Because such moments are — by their nature — transient. And like a pre-dawn mist on the water, they dissolve with the first light of the sun.

Just like our time in the States.

Which means that it's time to return to reality. Whether we want to or not.

Because duty always calls.

Arriving back at the hotel, I see that the pre-arranged limo is already idling next to the curb.

Detouring by the driver's side window, I have a quick word with the chauffeur to let him know that we'll be back down in a sec with our bags.

Turning to lope into the hotel, I catch up with Chris and Max just as the lift arrives in the lobby. The doors ping open and we pile in to make our way up to our floor, each of us lost in our respective thoughts.

The elevator arrives on our booked-out floor and we disperse into our rooms to throw our shit together. While packing, I send a text to Schweitzer to let him know that we're bugging out, so his team can start the clean-up and check out.

Zipping my duffle up, I do one last sweep of the space before grabbing the keycard and exiting the room for the final time.

Stepping back out into the corridor as the door clicks shut behind me, I find Chris already waiting for a lift.

"You were quick," I say, coming to a stop next to him.

"Wasn't much to pack," he admits.

"Hayley still there?"

"Yes, she's sleeping," he confirms with a ghost of a smile. "I couldn't bring myself to wake her."

I nod wordlessly. Good-byes suck. They're either gut-wrenching, or awkward, or both. Best to just—

"Will...you be back?" "I wouldn't hold my breath." "Maybe I want to."

The ding of the elevator knocks me back into the present.

Shaking my head, I step into the car after Chris. But for some reason, I can't seem to duck the sudden sense of emptiness that's dropped into my guts. Like I'd forgotten something... Even though I know I haven't.

I rub my eyes. I'm just beat...

I'm about to hit the button for the lobby when Max careens in out of nowhere to throw himself through the wedge between the doors, Gucci backpack dangling haphazardly from his arm.

"Oh, thank God!" he pants, falling gracelessly into the small space. "Thought you'd left already!"

"We wouldn't dream of leaving without you, dear friend," Chris assures him with a laugh.

"Speak for yourself," I grunt abrasively as the doors finally close. "You fall behind, you get left behind."

Max's eyes widen. "You wouldn't!"

I meet his gaze impassively. "Try me."

"But Tariq—"

"—can find his own damn way home," I cut in flatly. "If he ain't buckled up by last and final call, that plane's not waiting for him."

Max flicks his horrified gaze from me to Chris.

Chris shrugs. "Drake is correct. It is unfortunately too short notice to modify the flight plan and—"

Throwing his head down, Max begins typing away furiously on his phone.

"You're wasting you're time, Beaumont," I tell him with a low exhale. "Regardless of where the fuck-wit is, he'll still need to come back to the hotel to get his passport, if nothing else. He ain't gonna make it."

"But we can't just abandon him!"

"He's a grown-ass man," I grunt dispassionately in response as we hit the ground floor again. "If he can't be bothered to look at his overpriced Rolex, then that's his problem. Not mine."

"Chances are he is waiting for us at the terminal already," advises Chris optimistically.

"But—"

"Drop it, Beaumont," I grunt, grabbing my duffel to march out of the elevator car without a backwards glance.

I have no clue why Max is being so hard up about waiting for the dipshit who wasn't even supposed to be on this trip in the first place. Especially since that same dipshit also happens to be in possession of a gold credit card.

So, I really couldn't give a flying fuck if Besnard missed the flight. He can pay for his own charter home.

I'm not about to jeopardise Chris' commitments for the benefit of a self-absorbed prick.

Exiting the lobby, I beat a straight line to the back of the waiting limo. The chauffeur spots my approach and scrambles to open the door, but I've already beaten him to it.

Popping the trunk, I toss my duffle in before making my way to the front to grab the shotgun seat while Chris and Max offload their own bags.

A slam of doors, a click of seatbelts and we're pulling out onto 57th St., only ten minutes behind schedule.

I try to settle down for the half-hour drive, but I find my knee jackhammering impatiently. I know we have plenty of time to spare before takeoff, but I hate running late. Even if it's only by a minute.

Because you never what kind of shit's gonna hit the fan — roadworks, lane closure, freeway pileup — and you can't mitigate if you ain't got any time in the bank.

I can only hope and pray that we don't run into any last-minute surprises on the 15 or so miles to the airport.

Chris strikes up some kind of conversation with the chauffeur, but I'm in no mood for small talk. Folding my arms, I try to tune out whatever it is they're saying by watching the skyscrapers flick past as we head west, then north to pick up the George Washington Bridge to Jersey.

And apart from a brief wait at the toll plaza on the other side of the Hudson, the journey passes quickly and uneventfully.

Arriving at the airport concourse, we exit the limo and make our way into the main terminal building. Luckily, at this time in the morning, there are not too many flights, so we pass through customs without any hang-ups...

...except for the fact that Max remains glued to his phone, obsessively-compulsively checking for texts from Tariq every two seconds, even as we board the jet.

"Have you tried calling him?" Chris asks as he stows his bag in preparation for the flight.

"At least ten times," confirms Max, glancing anxiously out the window in the over-keen hope that Tariq will magically appear.

"Maybe his phone ran out of battery..." offers Chris hopefully.

"More likely he got mugged," I grunt, falling into one of the leather seats.

Max throws me a disbelieving look. "That's a horrible—! Oh. You're actually serious..."

"Guy like him... Prime target," I reply dispassionately.

Max's face drains of colour. "We have to call the police!"

"And say what?" I snap abrasively. "That the bell-end got himself lost somewhere in Manhattan? They'll laugh us off the call."

"But—"

"If Tariq really is in trouble, he can hit up the Cordonian consulate," I declare uncompromisingly. "But it was his bright idea to throw a hissy fit and stomp off in the wrong direction when—"

"You ungrateful ingrates!"

My eyes snap past Max. "For fuck's sake..."

Tariq is stood in the doorway of the jet, looking like he'd literally battled his way through the nine levels of hell to get here. His over-gelled hair looks like it's been zapped with a Taser, his clothes are somehow drenched and filthy, and he's wearing only one shoe.

"Would it have killed you to wait?!" he shrieks, throwing his Louis Vuitton man-bag onto the closest seat.

"Yes..." I reply.

Tariq shoots me a murderous expression. But before he can open his mouth again, Max has crushed him into an over-eager bear hug.

"You made it!" he enthuses. He pulls back suddenly. "But why were you not picking up your phone? And also, why do you smell like a wet dog?"

"Because I was robbed!"

"Told ya," I smirk across the aisle at Chris.

"It's not funny!" shouts Tariq, jabbing an irate finger at me. "If you only knew of the horrors that I have been subjected to, you would think more than twice about making light of my plight!"

"Pretty sure I wouldn't..." I mutter with a roll of my eyes.

"What was that?" demands Tariq imperiously.

"Nothing," I grunt as a steward appears next to my seat.

"Can I interest you in a pre-flight refreshment?" she asks.

"Yeah, sure," I shrug.

She hands me something pink and bubbly in a champagne glass. "Enjoy!"

"I doubt it," I mutter, grabbing the flute to throw it back in one swig.

I grimace as the sour mix of grapefruit and Prosecco hits the back of my throat. But alcohol's alcohol, and at this point, I would've downed windscreen wash if it'd've helped drown out Tariq's high-pitched info dump of his trials and tribulations.

Kinda wish we had left the bastard behind...

But I couldn't seem to win on this trip, so I'm just going to have to suck up the next twelve-or-so hours locked up in an airtight fuselage with the bouchebag and pray that there's enough whiskey on board to keep me from choking him out.

Pulling my phone from my pocket to help distract myself, I shoot off one final text to Schweitzer to let him know that we've made it to the airport and we're about to take off.

I'm about to do the same for Bast when the over-taxed device finally gives up the ghost and the battery dies halfway through the text.

"Great..."

Reaching into my duffel with a sigh, I extract the phone's charging cable and plug it into the seat's USB port so it can get some life back while we're airborne.

As Tariq continues to piss and moan about nearly getting run over, having his phone stolen right out of his hand as he tried to call a cab — followed shortly thereafter by his watch — tripping and falling into an open excavation hole as he tried to chase after the pickpockets, the cabin crew shut the aircraft door and complete their final cross-checks in preparation for departure.

A quick intro from the captain, and the jet starts rolling. After a short taxi, we're out on the runway, where we idle for a couple of minutes waiting for the go from the tower.

As soon as we get it, the pilot revs the turbines and the jet lurches forward. We hurtle down the runway, wheels bouncing and jet engines whining before jumping into the air to start our climb to 41,000 feet.

Glancing out the window, I watch the ground fall away as we ascend over Jersey, my ears popping from the rapid altitude change.

The plane banks sharply to the right and I catch sight of the Manhattan skyscape...

...but there must've been something in the mimosa because I’ve crashed out before the plane fully levels off.

The story continues in Chapter 13 (Coming Soon)

A/N: As another little bonus, here is a pic of Chris in Times Square:

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Sleepless in New York only

@bebepac

Picture Credits: Breakfast - New York - Diner - Chris - Tariq

Max, Leo, and Drake were generated using the AI art app Wonder

[classydonutcherryblossom]

Eren pulls Armin into paths and shows him memories to explain things (Zekken doesn't say what) .

They have a fist fight by the water, Armin wins, they fall down looking at the water and hug before saying goodbye.

Armin wakes up and runs over to the crying Mikasa. Pure titans return to humans, everyone is okay.

Reiner hugs Karina (Zekken says mom and son hug but its obvious who).

Levi sees the dead scouts and Hange (she's singled out so probably in front?).

Jean and Connie see Sasha smiling at them. Armin dealt with the final problem (Zekken's words, not mine).

Mikasa takes the head and starts heading somewhere (the fort I guess).

DETAILS:

Eren wakes up in the Paths and meets Ymir. Ymir and Eren have a debate about whether or not humanity deserves to survive. Eren says that even if the world can be cruel, his friends prove the goodness of humanity in impossible odds, which enrages Ymir, and she wraps him up in chains before striking him with a bolt of lightning. Ymir suddenly collapses, unconscious.

Armin enters the Paths again and confronts Eren at a riverbank.

Armin and Eren have a fistfight, which Armin wins, pushing Eren into the water.

Eren tells Armin that the only way to win is to kill him, and hands him a knife.

Armin refuses to kill Eren and embraces him instead.

Eren takes Armin to paths.

Seeing previous events and continuing the conversation with a looking at the sea Armin hits Eren.

After the scene changes, Armin hugs Eren and sits down for a final goodbye.

Armin wakes up and sees Mikasa.

Titans have changed back to the way they were, everyone is fine.

Levi saw the commander HanJi and others in paths.

Jean and Connie saw Sasha smiling in paths.

Reiner, mother and son embrace.

Armin to deal with the endgame.

Mikasa takes the lead.

A few years later.

The queen celebrated her birthday with the man behind her, holding the child.

The others also grow up and take a boat far away to Lena also sat.

In the distance adults Gabi and Falco with the captain in the wheelchair.

The birds in the sky flew by.

The people on the boat also saw U I do not know where.

Rimikasha under the tree next to the small graves.

The bird came and pecked Mikasha's scarf and went away on its wings.

My thoughts:

No mention on EH conversation from chapter 130?

No mention on Historia's child name?

No mention on the Tatakae (fight) moment in the final chapter of Attack on titan?

No mention how exactly did the centipede (coordinate) died?

No mention on Yelena and Kiymoi

The pure titans are turned back into humans is the curse of Ymir broken?

How dose everyone get back to paradis island if all the airships are destroyed and the curse of Ymir is broken?

Hanji and the scouts are in the paths? I thought they were supposed to be in the afterlife?

How is it possible for Levi Jean and Connie to see the scouts if their not dead?

A few years later? That means Historia's child would turn 2-3 year's old?

Mikasa takes Eren's head?

Eren and Ymir (the founder) fight? I thought they were working together along?

No mention of surpassing the(ir) father? Or your are free?

No mention on Eren's human body?

No mention on Pieck or Annie?

Gabi and Falco are adults?

No mention on the farmer's (unknown) name?

No mention of Grisha holding baby Eren?

Why did Eren Jaeger give up at the end fighting? Is that even his character at all?

Why didn't Eren being Mikasa along into the paths with Armin as they visited the ocean together back in chapter 90 (season 3 part 2)?

Eren firmly stated he won't stop the rumbling and gamble paradis future in chapter 133. Was he lying?

Eren said between chapter 123-130 that he will eliminate every single life in Marley from the world.

45 pages we got for the final chapter of Attack on titan manga.

I'm not buying any of this.

What are you're thoughts?

Hi there @kian1974eve!! I apologize if this is late cause I just got off from a ton of uni stuff.

Hmmmm, these are leaks from a previously reliable source but I won’t exactly accept this until the real chapter drops and I agree with your thoughts so much it hurts now. Only hoping that just because these are leaks, major points were let out. But if THESE ARE the major points, then i’ll be disappointed

I mean a satisfying ending does not have to be a happy ending where your fave characters live, it is something that connects everything in the end and there is closure for character arcs. 

BTW, before I was trying so hard to accept the leaks cause you know... it was implied Armin will save the day, that makes sense but then that’s it. 

I think the major point I see here that got me confused is:

Eren discusses saving humanity with Ymir who gets angry with him. And it looks like it’s implying that Eren wants to save it now and Ymir does not. Wasn’t she like smiling a chapter ago at Mikasa and Eren which is supposed to be her seeing genuine love from humanity or something.

Is Ymir going to be like a reverse Cersei? or Daenerys all along? Like someone who was born a victim then does not deserve sympathy in the end. 

Armin and Eren fist fight. Armin refuses to kill Eren. Armin hits Eren. God hahahahah I don’t knoww hahaha I hope that’s just a grammar thing or a mistranslation. Then what happens to Eren now, if Armin like..refuses to “kill”him?

Adding to that and your thoughts (I am hoping that the following still gets discussed in the chapter considering the leaks only show a few points):

No mention of why Grisha still gave the attack titan to Eren, or was he forced to do so again?

Why drag out Hisu’s pregnancy, and strategically place them at the last chapters for each volume only for her and her baby to appear for a birthday celebration? Why did Hisu agree to the rumbling? Where the EH convo so we can have closure now??

What was the scenery? just Eren flying around?

Is the titan curse broken cause Ymir just collapses? Does this mean Hallucigenia-looking creature was defeated in the real world or someth?

I am hoping there is more to it honestly cause I have faith that despite a lot of awesome theories out there not being true, we could still get a satisfying, logical, sensible, reasonable (insert other synonyms here) ending.

On the lighter note... Eren literally went from fight to flight and I-

[lucidpantone]

Dude the Druck tag is like entering the 1500s pre-renaissance 😷😷😷💀💀💀 why are they so averse to actual human bodies being shown while sex?! Also, one can show intimacy without nudity. It just needs to be captured from a closer range. I completely understand nudity is not everyone's cup of tea and the male gaze is definitely a thing that needs to be done away with.

But I simply don't like how much Druck leans away from showing real passion. I'm not saying go hardcore, but like.. it's too lackluster for me personally. I never warmed up to kieutou anyway, bit of a weird combo that one. Even skames were never explicit in their portrayal, but they never lacked in passion. I got more chills looking at dani x amira scenes who couldn't even do anything physical. Reason being chemistry and gradual build up of sexual tension. Druck doesn't build it up like at all. Like why is my heart not racing. And pacing who? They don't know her. They never let Fatou or Kieu My actresses emote beyond 3 standard expressions max, 4 on a good day. I don't blame the talent. It just wasn't properly directed. Like bro? Where's the range? Ava and Nora have exhibited emotional diversity in the way Fatou and Mailin haven't been able to. I hate how they Ava got a better storyline in Fatou's season than Fatou herself. (Irene and Tamara were a hurricane of emotions man I miss my gaybies so much it hurts I keep circling back to skames sorry. That clip where Joana starts spiralling on the bridge? Chills!)

Don't even get me started on that didactic echo chamber of the Druck tag where people just keep going 'tHiS iS hOw iT ShOuLd bE' like fuck off? There's no one right way to do things. Unfortunately for translations and text messages I have to go through the tag and end up reading so much bullshit ugh.

I just go strait to drucktranslations at this point or skamenespanol. I rarely go into the druck tag anymore but I saw this clip and wanted to reblog cute gifs plus i loved the cinematography in this clip and the colors choices were beautiful and yea went in and got hit with the 'tHiS iS hOw iT ShOuLd bE' discourse.

I think they did kieutou a disservice because fatou relationship is just meant to be one aspect of her story but we spent almost to much time going back and forth/back and forth but never developed any other stories so in away i got sick of kieutou taking up so much of the plot. I wanted to learn more about fatou and her learning disorder and also why she kept allowing Mailin to say certain things and I know we had that one conversation where she finally told mailin the issue wasnt about her struggles when the disposal company comes to clean out the closet but I just wanted more assertive conversations. I would have love a convo where Fatou just schools mailin no holds bar on why she was actually losing her job and why she wasnt being allowed to count the till. Like why did Ava get this storyline instead of Fatou. She was the main. Ava should have been the supportive actor because fatou was the one experiencing the consequences of micro racism at her job. This annoys me so much. I also like the little bit about fatou saying she feels disconnected in away from her heritage when she mentioned her grandad. I get that as a kid of immigrants. That is such an interesting topics to discuss they were so many good topics that were right there but instead we spent it on another kieutou clip and it was like we get it already she is gay and has some relationship issues. We dont need clip 15 of the girls fighting. Also am gonna be frank I think the actresses for kieutou aren't as strong as mayla & crisana actresses. Its subjective but they dont beam off screen for me like Falvie, Rizha, Ayumi and Irene. They were good, certainly not bad but they weren't my fav purely based on acting skills. Crisana is always gonna be memorable because they have that over the top evak style loud love and also those two are sooo dramatic asf and agreed Rizha can be really fantastic at times but she is also portraying Even and so her character is naturally pretty complex and a rollercoaster. There is a lot of layers to Joana same with Lola. I guess thats what is missing for me kieutou doesn't have like these 1inch thick layers. Kieu My is a bit better then Fatou but i just wanted more complexity particularly form Fatou since she was my main. She felt so cookie cutter and I was like she has so many interesting dilemmas can we please explore one at length instead of more relationship drama.

[punkscowardschampions]

Indie & Rio

Indie: where you left me to go mama?? Rio: aw bubba 😧😔 Rio: plenty of stuff in the kitchen if you ain't already raiding Indie: got my head in the fridge never over its madness Indie: 🍾 + 🍊 for breakfast innit 😂 when you lavish Rio: 😂 we on the champagne too Rio: calling a 2 drink max for you so you don't rinse 'em 😜 Indie: dont be lawin that for me too tho Rio: Bitch I is, keep up Indie: naaaah thats only a glass in each hand Indie: you got rules whenever you be but cant gimme none Rio: 😑 Rio: even you can't test me rn tho Rio: on ☁9 Indie: jam girl im playin 🍾 aint lush 😕 aint be telling mckenna that i cant hang w the poshos but fr Indie: is it? whats got you feelin higher than me? 411 Rio: not got dem mature tastebuds yet younger 😉 Rio: [Picture in the Tiffany shop] Indie: allow it i got 👅 that 💸 cant buy bitch Indie: what bling the boy tryna drop on you 👑 didnt even hear you arguing like 👏 get it girl Indie: guilt gifts be 🔥 Rio: Better than the 🚬 joke I thought you would Rio: maybe you are gettin so grown 😜 Rio: nah nah Rio: not even Rio: idk how to say it it feels surreal, like Rio: you'll think i'm playing fr Indie: innit tho 👵👵👵👵 Indie: ?? Indie: youre playing not to take me w to get a 👶 🎁 but you kno 💖💖💖 Rio: That is a good idea tho the price tag would have you shook Rio: [Pic] Rio: It's an engagement ring Rio: ahh I feel a bit sick Indie: YOUVE GOT JOKES MAN 😂😂😂 Indie: even mckenna aint that highkey he gonna proper wife you rn Rio: mad init Indie: serious? Rio: yeah Rio: promise Indie: 😲😲😲😲😲😲😲 Indie: bitch i aint wearing no dress to the 💒 tho Rio: i know Rio: but how you gon' be maid of honour if you don't? 😘 Indie: ill tax that best man role from other mckenna if you keep playing 💪😎😎 Indie: & i aint callin you mckenna now thatd be a madness of getting you caught up w that boy in convos Rio: Fine we'll discuss this later Rio: 'cos ain't like it's happening now so you know Indie: locked you down w out locking in a date i get it Rio: Yeah Rio: what do you think then Rio: honest Indie: its sick news Indie: the boy be acting right & appreciating what he got 👑👑💖💖 Rio: i'm so glad you think so Rio: thanks, babe Rio: ain't gonna make a big song and dance and tell everyone but i ain't gonna hide it either Rio: know everyone gonna have an opinion, again Rio: just can't get enough, clearly 😂 Indie: feelin the love that you spoke it to me Indie: the only opinion that counts b that he aint finding no better hoe here, in the 24 or anywhere Indie: facts Rio: You gonna make me cry and they gonna throw me out this boujee ass store Indie: wipe dem tears on 💸💸💸 so they kno you can hang still Rio: 😂 Rio: already gonna be out here wearing someone's college tuition on my finger like Rio: see why people do this more than once, get a nice collection going Indie: mckenna gon 😭😭😭 boy is soft Indie: dont let him hear you chatting bout no round 2 Rio: 😏 Rio: poor baby, don't be mean Indie: catch me getting married never i gotta live this thru you amp bitches Rio: Fair, didn't ever expect I would Indie: gon kick it old school like your nan 👶👶👶👶👶 but no 💍 Rio: 😖 Glad you out here thinking so highly of me bitch 😜 Indie: 😂😂😂😂 Indie: is you got the fear tho for reals or nah? Rio: It's weird Rio: I know it's what I want like I didn't even think about saying nah but Rio: you have every other voice in your head saying it's too quick or we shouldn't even be together at all, you know Indie: i feel it Indie: i got em in mine tryna chat against everything i tryna do all the time Indie: gotta just chat back that they bein dry Rio: Yeah Rio: you right Indie: how we celebratin this?? thats what i wanna be knowing Rio: we should go out for dinner Indie: catch me thirdwheelin over 🍝 soz baby boy 💋 Rio: shh nah, it'll be good, there are some fancy places that do food you'll actually eat so we can live lavish Indie: tell him bring a friend if he rollin w any still 😂😂😏💘😏 Rio: Not tryna get you NONE at my engagement party tah Rio: get you fill o the food tho 😋 Indie: it aint gotta be heavy Indie: been long since anyone meshed me tho so help a hoe out Rio: hmm don't be tryna play addickted Rio: i'll get you a vibrator, like Rio: not to say go fuck yourself but Indie: 😂😂😂😂 when your ma been out for the day & brings home 🎁🎁s like Rio: pah, he'd actually die of embarrassment Indie: when you out your man as vanilla tho Indie: o mckenna Rio: I just don't reckon he wants to think 'bout you meshing Rio: no offence, like Indie: back trecking like its your job baby Indie: 👀 you & his ways Rio: 🙈 den gurl Indie: too late to swerve dat 🏩 Rio: 🙄 just be thankful i never brought it to ours when we was sharing Indie: safe Indie: I kno you in your ☁ rn but when you back cos shit b testing me & dat 2 drink minimum Rio: What's up? Indie: ex-boy got a new 💘 so he tryna pass my shit back but cos i aint there hes @ the squad & they vexed @ me cos of Indie: 💔💔💔💔💔 Rio: 😔 Rio: Are the lads gonna get it or nah Rio: Don't suppose it's worth seeing if Drew still wanna be Dad of the year one last time, like Rio: may as well use him if he's offering, yeah? Indie: things been heated since the 🐕 & what of mine they are holding so like no beef to the lads but idk Indie: am i tryna text him ever tho 😒😒😒 Rio: Yeah, we'll go 'round the houses when I'm back Rio: someone will go get it Rio: don't worry Rio: we won't be long now Indie: & like not tryna still have love for that boy but aint it mad quick miss me for a few after you dash me Rio: It is Rio: but I ain't surprised, it's how lads, esp lads like that, do Rio: doesn't mean it didn't mean nothing to him necessarily Rio: could still be crying 'bout it in your inbox in a few, not trying to give false hope even 'cos fuck him Indie: i dont wanna be hurtin over this no more Indie: gotta get not bothered Rio: I know Rio: fake it 'til you make it, babe Rio: all you can do Indie: innit tho Indie: tell mckenna to buy me bling too thatll help 😂😂😂😂 Rio: 😂 Rio: 'course Indie: not saying he gotta drop a rents worth on the drip like Indie: just how much he feelin Rio: also not tryna be your sisterwife like Indie: no mood Indie: he vanilla but i aint tryna compete w your moves still Rio: Teach you but I'd have to charge Indie: hes on daddy hype too hard i cant be chattin like that to him or no lad soz boy Rio: Don't really put you in any mood but 😒? Rio: Fair Indie: why drop 💸💸💸💸 on therapy when you can spend on 🚬 its all good Rio: It ain't Rio: but we'll make it Indie: you reckon drews gon show w 👶🎁🎁🎁 or imma be repin for the fam? Rio: I don't know if that'd even enter his head Rio: tbh Indie: she could ⛔ us all in a big sweep Indie: me you & him Rio: She could Rio: I don't think she will you though, babe Rio: not like you've done shit wrong Indie: she just aint about me Indie: i feel it w her too Indie: itll b how itll b Rio: yeah but she can't be that petty Rio: even if she wanna Rio: she's a grown ass woman Indie: neither of em out here acting like they grown Indie: why she gonna start when she have this kid Rio: 'cos she'll have to Rio: unlike Drew she can't just pass it around and hope everyone else does it for her Indie: yeah but she know your ma in law got her back & your real Rio: She can't let Bea raise her kid for her Rio: or Ma Rio: anyway, she's got too much pride in everything not related to Drew, trust Indie: tru Rio: I promise, it's gonna be fine Indie: i got trust in you babe thats how im here Rio: 💘💘💘 Indie: dont be letting it slip now you got 💍 Rio: Never Indie: its chill then Indie: what we tryna wear tonite bitch? Rio: got enough trust in me to lemme pick you up some fresh garms or? Indie: hmmm Indie: cos you in a ☁ yeah Indie: theres your engagement gift ✌ Indie: do it how you gonna Rio: 😂 you know I'm good Rio: and no 👗s Rio: not taking the piss Indie: 👀 Indie: no 🤡ing Rio: would I do a thing like that? Indie: nah but mckenna will if he gets pissy you aint shopping for him 😂😂😂 Rio: We already had to treat him 'cos you know Rio: men don't cuffed 'til the day of Indie: you rode him in there say no more 🤐🤐🍾🍾 Rio: 😂 Rio: Not what I meant even but not gonna lie Indie: 😏😏😏 Indie: i been knew Rio: Keeping it unpredictable is our predictable, babe Indie: you out there vibin 😍😍😍 its a day when you can be extra Indie: make most Rio: As if there's a day when I ain't 😉 Rio: At least my Ma can't say shit to me, she was a marriage and 2 kids deep by now with Eds on the way so Indie: his gon get vocal tho man i feel it Indie: 👀 his dad @ me like 😒 how she livin Rio: I know Rio: Hoping they don't notice, like lemme forget which finger this meant to go on Rio: 😬 Indie: she gon be busy @ the business end of her sis when we hit dubs you all good 😂😂😂😂 Indie: & you could always swerve it so the 💎 not facing out when they 👀 Indie: ✌ hacks Rio: am I tryna stop a muggin' or 😂 Rio: you jokes Rio: also never wanna think about her business end thanks 😷 Indie: innit her drum not got dem thin walls like ours 🙏🙏🙏 or they aint vocal how you and mckenna do Rio: Literally can't imagine how this baby came to be Rio: but I'm chill with that, I don't wanna Indie: used that medical shit fr he aint been near her thats how i clue it Rio: i'm creasing rn and can't even explain 'cos nah Indie: serious she that bitch you tryna lips her & she gotta go shower Rio: I know Rio: Childbirth gonna break her 'less she got that c-section on lock Indie: hit her w all the good gear 🚀🚀🚀🚀 Rio: Probably wanna do it without for the brag idk Indie: o snap Indie: truuuuuuuu Rio: She gotta be ready to drop any day, like Indie: 👀 &👂 Indie: we turnin up if she want us or nah Indie: how many mckennas 👶👶s you gon have? Rio: We'll be about, can't avoid School forever Rio: and shut up bitch 😂 Indie: cmon man i kno you 💭 on it Indie: he a pretty boy Rio: nah Rio: i got a life to live babe Indie: your ma been proved you can have it all bitch Indie: birth dem 👶👶s give em posh names & send em to fancy school like they da Rio: yeah n she given me enough sibs to never need my own Rio: not to mention all your drama 😜 Indie: 😂😂😂 Indie: im a drama free zone now ty what you sayin Rio: whilst we in this postcode maybe Rio: but not for long babe Indie: nah for long imma be swervin that shit ✌✌ Indie: any postcode Rio: 👏 sounds good to me too Indie: got ink to jog me if i tryna slip Rio: yeah Rio: least you didn't get the M too Indie: like i been said id just put an a on it for that shoutout to my 3 mas baby 💖💖💖 all good Rio: there's always that Rio: if you really want you can add to it Rio: reclaim it, like Indie: hacks Indie: but i aint got no 💸💸💸💸 for Rio: I can pay Rio: or Ma would do it Indie: o yeah Indie: imma hit her up when we home Rio: Have you decided where you gonna be? Indie: mayb w bills cos she 😢💔 idk Rio: Yeah? Indie: if edie back then naaaaah Indie: or if drew been locked up can squat in the flat til it reclaimed Rio: We'll work something out Rio: I'll probably look for a new place Indie: you not gon move in mckennas dubs yard like you own that? Rio: Don't think the rest of 'em would appreciate that like 😏 Indie: other mckenna would rollin in that big drum solo gotta be dry Rio: Yeah still don't think I'm housemate choice no.1 Indie: thats her bad cos you 👑👑👑🔥🔥🔥👑👑👑 Rio: 💘💘💘 Rio: You biased Indie: nah i not Indie: im not here for drew just cos he blood Rio: Anyway, can't be presuming that's how he wanna be living, like Indie: is it? Rio: Yeah, he ain't coming here 'til October imagine if I'd legit moved myself in 😂 Indie: he put a 💍 on it how he not gon be down Rio: that's like rule no 1 init Rio: gotta make sure you've got your own taken care of in case everything goes tits Indie: safe Indie: 👑 moves be like Rio: If I really was probably shoulda said no shouldn't I Rio: kick it like his Ma Indie: if he wants a girl like his ma you need to have a convo Indie: that some freaky shit Rio: 😂 Rio: psych101 would blow your mind Indie: i aint even tyna kno what you mean Indie: old white dudes be cracked Rio: Yeah wouldn't have you buzzin' 'bout your daddy issues Indie: what they sayin bout? i wanna fuck drew now? plot twist fam Rio: you know Rio: we all do but clearly got it twisted 'cos my type ain't ever been my da Rio: no offence boy but Indie: your da be 😍😍😍 god bless Rio: have we swapped? 😂 Indie: he raised me higher than drew done so Indie: daddy caleb come thru Rio: 😷 Indie: 😂😂😂😂 Rio: Such a grown convo Indie: hoe im keepin you grounded Indie: livin that grown life 24 7 w mckenna Rio: tru Rio: it's a madness i should still be in school Rio: i feel so 👵 fr Indie: you is Rio: cheeky cow Rio: meant to hype me not wreck me 😂 Indie: he be too tho Indie: so tamed its a madness Indie: remember how he used roll Rio: well you know Rio: 😻 game so strong Indie: you no need my hype bitch Indie: you know what you done Rio: You reckon Indie: girl aint be gettin a callback you got 💍💎💎 & 💒 hype Indie: he kicked it long distance for you & he aint putting in effort no way fore then Rio: Yeah Rio: ignore me Rio: just the fear init Indie: get a new drink Indie: chase that Rio: 🍾 Indie: check your boy i bet he aint feelin no fear Rio: He wouldn't say if he was Indie: hed chat it to you Indie: that boy always talking Rio: 😂 thought you reckoned he was the strong silent type Indie: that was afore he was my new daddy Indie: now i 👀 Rio: 😏 Poor boy Rio: I'll keep it on the dl, protect his ego Indie: ill keep it uncommon knowledge to protect this roof over Rio: yeah, least wait 'til you safe in the 24 to be rude 😜 Indie: innit Rio: right, we heading back Indie: ✌✌ Indie: in a few Indie: less he wants you all to himself Rio: he already been had that Indie: he gave you 💎 you can give him a day 😂😂😂 Rio: is it? Rio: why you want air? 👀 Indie: jam ma im tryna do you & your mans a solid Indie: fore i 3rd wheel your nite like Indie: aint this bitch in your pocket & way when we rollin in the 24 Rio: hmm Rio: if you're sure Indie: trust Rio: then we'll be back with your garms and the reservation later then Indie: safe Indie: dont be doing anything i aint tryna Indie: 💖💖💖💖💖 Rio: 🧡🧡🧡