#I was gonna hold off on posting this til later in the day

[dont-offend-the-bees]

’Cause You Cut Through All the Noise

Happy Painland Week! Day one is LOVE LANGUAGES! I could've picked touch or gifts or quality time or whatever as my love language but you know what? No. Life-affirming therapeutic domination. Edwin's love language is ordering Charles around. Fight me. Anyway, no smut here, but some steaminess/flirtation/allusions to sex. Some light angst bc Charles starts off in a bit of a spiral, bless his heart. Don't worry, Edwin'll put him right <3 (Quick translation note for any Americans reading: I'm referring to Charles' suspenders in British English, i.e. as braces rather than suspenders. Suspenders for us are generally the little sexy straps for stockings and would instantly up the kinkiness of the scene at least 70% (which I am in favour of, it's just not the fic I'm writing right now lmao)) 5.3k, M-rated, also available on Ao3. Thank you @painlandweek for putting this all together! Enjoy! 💛

Sometimes it seemed that the more Edwin learned, the less he knew. Or rather the more he thought he knew, the more he had left to learn.

Acquiring knowledge on any particular topic, it seemed, was only building the groundwork to question it further. Perhaps that's what an expert was, in the end: not a vast repository of facts, but one skilled in the art of digging for more. Not a pursuer of answers, but a pursuer of more interesting questions. Edwin had found it to be much the same across fields, across all his broad areas of interest and study.

Charles Rowland was one such area of interest.

It was quite astonishing; but thirty years into their partnership, Charles still managed to elude Edwin's understanding. Frequently. He was a lively, complex butterfly who simply would not be pinned (metaphorically, that is. In the more literal sense, he was most certainly not opposed to being pinned by Edwin. But he digressed.) They must have exhausted every conversational avenue two dead boys could traverse by now. How, then, could they persist in finding new things to say to one another? How, despite a mere sixteen years apiece of life before death, could they still find anecdotes unshared, secrets unspoken? Despite knowing Charles better than Edwin knew himself there was always, always more to learn.

And a great deal of learning had been done over the last eighteen months or so, indeed. Since the chaotic inciting incident: the now infamous milestone Case of Crystal Palace. Crystal, in all her messy human glory, had taken a battering ram to their comfortable routine. She'd rather shaken things up in the process — and thus, shaken a fresh slew of secrets from Charles and Edwin both.

Edwin's biggest secret was no longer a secret, of course. It was now common knowledge — though Charles, loyal to the last, hadn't shared it with another soul. He hadn't told anyone of Edwin's confession, nor had any official announcements been made by either of them as the 'situation' developed. But develop it had, in ways difficult to overlook. In touches, in kisses, in soft words and flagrant flirtations. Edwin imagined their friends and colleagues must have put two and two together by now, vis-a-vis Edwin and his feelings for Charles. And if they hadn't... well, it would certainly raise some concerns about the quality of their detective work.

Charles, likewise, had revealed a secret or two. Far less pleasant ones. Secrets that, in his more cynical moments, Edwin wondered if Charles would ever have told him without external pressure. Without Crystal's well-meaning badgering, or the Night Nurse's former villainy. Secrets about his family, his father, himself — or at least his own perception of himself. Harrowing they may be, but Edwin had filed each secret away carefully. Each bitter truth was a new supporting fact, a new data point. A fresh insight that peeled away Charles' brave face, and shone an interrogating light upon decades of behaviour.

Edwin had always known, of course, that Charles was not merely the plucky optimist he purported himself to be. Glimpses under the mask were rare, but inevitable. He'd have been foolish not to notice. But Edwin was not inclined to go picking at scabs. So what if Charles wished to maintain an image of himself? Image was everything; or so Edwin had been raised to believe. How a man chose to present himself to the world spoke volumes. Charles wished to be seen as a positive force, and Edwin had always respected him for that. Loved him, even, though he hadn't known it at the time. Charles' insistence on being a stubborn idealist had awed, amused and frustrated Edwin in almost equal measure. He wouldn't have changed it for the world.

But it was one thing to know that the chipper, animated, relentlessly positive Charles he'd come to know was a crafted image. Finding what lay behind the mask was another. It was a new level of understanding, of intimacy, to finally know the bedrock that lay beneath every too-bright word or action.

Charles Rowland was an inveterate people-pleaser.

In retrospect, of course, it made perfect sense. Edwin had sat with it, applied his new knowledge to a thousand interactions, and found it fitting. It had been a relatively easy fact to accept into his broader understanding of Charles.

The bitterer pill to swallow had been in realising just how often Edwin was, himself, a person Charles felt the need to please at all costs.

Edwin liked to think that their relationship had improved since those various revelations. It had certainly changed in notable ways. Especially since last November. Bonfire night. The night Charles had kissed him under the fireworks and thanked him, sheepishly, for 'waiting for him to get his head out of his arse'.

But the kissing and... other activities weren't the only new additions to their relationship. Moreso than ever before, there were repeat and regular attempts to open the lines of communication. They did not always succeed in those attempts. Charles' fear of rocking the boat and Edwin's discomfort with emotional outpourings were at odds with one another, and often left them at an impasse.

Nevertheless, Edwin was determined to try. Charles deserved nothing less; there had never been a person, alive or dead, more deserving of Edwin's trust. And it was the dearest wish of Edwin's afterlife that he could be the same for Charles. That he could be a person Charles need not perform for, or hide from. That he could be allowed to know Charles, to learn him, inside and out.

And while there was still, undeniably, work to be done, Edwin truly believed progress had been made. Through trial and a considerable amount of error, they had come to... understand certain things about one another. About what they each wanted, what they needed. Edwin was making leaps and bounds in the highly specialised field of Charles Studies.

So when Crystal stormed out of the office after another of her and Edwin's (admittedly rather petty) spats, he knew Charles needed attention before her footsteps had even faded.

"Charles?" Edwin prompted, with caution. He was not always an expert at 'reading the room', but in reading Charles he was growing more fluent by the day.

His dear friend's eyes snapped to him with a hunted look. Just as Edwin had thought they might.

Edwin cleared his throat. "Are you... alright?" he asked.

Charles, in that practised manner of his, plastered on a smile. "Yeah. Yeah, mate." He couldn't seem to look Edwin in the eye. "I'm brills."

Hm. A likely story.

He should have suspected this might happen, in the wake of such a heated disagreement. The very air in the office still seemed to ring with the reverberating slam of the door. An overreaction, really. Even mere minutes later, the whole altercation seemed rather silly. But such things were bound to happen on occasion. Edwin had certain opinions, and no qualms about arguing in their favour — and in Crystal Palace, he'd met his match. The two of them often wound up in the unfortunate scenario of a minor dispute devolving into a full-blown tiff. Such squabbles generally didn't end until someone (Charles) laughed and broke the tension, or someone else stormed off.

Edwin didn't doubt that all would be well shortly enough. If their pattern held, Crystal would come slinking back in a few hours. She and Edwin would exchange either sincere regrets or stilted half-apologies (depending on the severity of the argument). Then they would smooth over any remaining awkwardness by finding something minor to agree on (usually something Charles-related), and go swiftly back to normal.

But that resolution was some time away, yet. And in the meantime the air hung heavy; saturated with ire and discontent. Charles, emotional sponge that he was, was clearly bearing the brunt of it — and, as usual, trying his utmost to 'laugh it off'.

Edwin responded to the blatant fib with a single raised, questioning eyebrow.

Charles flinched as if struck.

Oh, dear. The situation was more dire than Edwin had thought.

“Charles,” said Edwin again, softer this time. It was important not to go on the offensive; in his current condition, Charles was liable to take any careless word as keenly as a knife in the back. “Please tell me what’s on your mind.” After a moment’s consideration, he added: “I promise I won’t be angry.”

It felt like utter nonsense to say out loud, a patronising placation as one might give to a child. But Charles, in Edwin’s experience, responded well to directness. His panic thrived in the mires of ambiguity.

Releasing a ragged breath, Charles rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand. “Just… dunno what to do sometimes. When you two go off at each other.” He peered at Edwin with his uncovered eye, and tried for a smirk. It fell short of the carefree, playful expression it was aiming for. “Dunno what side to pick, do I?”

He voiced it like a joke; but Edwin was listening well, and he knew an incomplete sentence when he heard it. He stepped closer and, slowly, giving him time to retreat, took Charles’ free hand and squeezed it.

Charles closed his eyes, dragging his hand down his face. “Can’t keep you both happy,” he admitted on a low mumble, like it was a shameful secret.

Guilt curdled sour and heavy in Edwin’s stomach, but he kept it from his face. Any indication that Charles had made him feel bad was bound to make him shut down further. “It should not be your duty to keep the peace,” he said, choosing his words with care. “I will speak to Crystal later, clear the air.”

Charles nodded, but remained hunched unhappily in on himself. Propped against the edge of the desk as if he needed the support. Edwin could see his brain turning itself over and over in miserable little spirals; wondering if he should have stepped in earlier, said something else. Wondering what he could have done differently to make everything better. To make everyone happy.

Edwin swallowed tightly, and placed his hand upon Charles’ shoulder. “Charles. Look at me, please.”

He did so, without question or hesitation. Responding with ease to the polite command as if it had come from his own subconscious. Quick, and keen. Already Edwin had a strong suspicion of what was needed to calm him; but it was always important to test the waters, first.

Edwin, with great care, hooked a finger through the gold chain around Charles’ neck, and tugged.

The effect was instantaneous. Charles’ wide, fraught eyes softened, slackened, his lined eyelids drooping. His lips parted around a quiet sigh, smoother than his last ragged exhalation. His shoulders slumped as if a great weight had been released from them.

Charles may be an ever-unfolding and expanding area of study. But to Edwin’s expert eye, on occasion, his needs were remarkably simple to interpret.

Meeting his now somewhat unfocused gaze, Edwin leaned in. “Put Crystal out of your mind for now,” he said, a quiet command. “In fact, put everything out of your mind.”

“She’s upset,” Charles mumbled in half-hearted protest.

“Yes — and she will continue to be so for a while longer, regardless of what you or I might say.” Edwin smoothed the collar of Charles’ polo shirt. “When the dust has settled, I will find her and smooth things over. I promise. For the time being, you’ll do none of us any good with your overthinking.”

Charles snorted. “Overthinking? Me?” he joked.

With another gentle, but recriminating tug of the chain, Charles gasped and quieted. Already, his bright eyes were taking on a dreamlike haze.

Edwin sighed and leaned close, ‘til his nose grazed across Charles’ cheekbone. “Granted, your tendency to underthink before making dangerous choices borders on the pathological,” he teased. “But I suspect you’re thinking a lot of very unkind thoughts about yourself right now, and I’d like for you to stop. Please.”

Breath shuddering, Charles’ hands lifted, fisting in the front of Edwin’s waistcoat.

“That what you want?” He asked, his voice a small and broken thing. For all his strength of body and character, he felt as vulnerable in Edwin’s hands as a baby bird.

“How about I tell you exactly what I want for a while,” Edwin offered. “And then all you have to do is listen.“

He delivered a swift, dry kiss to Charles’ cheekbone. "No detective work required.”

It was a very simple solution, albeit one Edwin tried not to employ too often. He and Crystal had a sort of pact in place to discourage Charles' need to please others, rather than lean into it. Within reason, of course — Edwin had no wish to change Charles fundamentally as a person (or to discourage him from doing what felt good to him in intimate settings. If it made Charles feel good to make others feel good, who was Edwin to begrudge him the pleasure?). But they'd agreed that it was probably the healthier option, in the long term. To steer Charles away from hingeing his self-worth on what he could do for others.

But sometimes, the damage was already done. Sometimes Charles was simply too vulnerable to rejection, too stuck in his own head. And on those occasions, Edwin had learned the kindest thing to do was to take him by the hand, and take the guesswork out of the equation.

Charles sniffed. His soft curls tickled Edwin's forehead as he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, alright."

"Good." Edwin gave him another kiss, pressing this one to his temple. Charles melted under his touch, leaning into him, his hands tight and hot on Edwin's chest. "Thank you, dearheart," said Edwin.

Charles shivered. "Fuck me..." he swore, a dazed mumble.

"Hmmm... No, not tonight, I don't think," Edwin quipped — gratified when Charles managed a snort of mirth. Edwin thumbed up under Charles' jaw, finding where the tension still lingered and soothing it out with firm strokes. "I have something better in mind," he said. He released his hold on Charles to roll up in his own shirtsleeves in brisk, meticulous folds.

Charles watched his every motion with a hungry gaze. "Yeah?" he breathed, somewhat stunned; eyes devouring each newly exposed inch of Edwin's skin up to the elbow. He did have a fascination with Edwin's arms; it was a tried and true method of holding his attention.

"Yes." Edwin glanced over Charles' shoulder with a hum, and settled his hands upon Charles' slender waist. "First things first; let's get you sitting comfortably, shall we?"

He braced himself and, with careful exertion, lifted Charles to deposit him in his usual spot on the desk. Charles went without struggle, and with a gasp that morphed swiftly into a groan. His legs flopped open at once, one ankle hooking around Edwin's thigh in invitation. He tugged on Edwin's waistcoat with a soft whine of his name.

Edwin, maintaining his composure admirably, shushed him. He removed Charles' hands from his own chest — though he pressed quick, apologetic kisses to the heels of each. "Later, my love. Now. Where did I put it..."

He patted down his trouser pockets. When that yielded nothing, he sifted through the stationary cup on the desk. He suspected the object he desired might still be in his coat pocket, but he was loathe to step too far from Charles. Luck, however, was on his side. He recovered the coil of string from a box of spellcasting odds and ends with a small sound of triumph.

Charles watched Edwin's hands unwind the string; rapt despite the slight glaze of his eyes. "You gonna tie me up, then?"

Edwin tsk'd. "What a one-track mind you have this evening," he teased. It wasn't a scold. Having Charles focused and fixated on trying to get Edwin into bed was vastly preferable to the jumble of insecurity. "Hold out your hands."

"Sure you're not tying me up?" said Charles, brow furrowing as he lifted his hands — palms up, beautifully willing.

"I suppose that depends on your definition," said Edwin, as he tied the ends of the string together to form a wide loop. He nudged Charles' hands into place, about a foot apart with palms turned inwards, and draped the loop over them.

Charles, through the haze, finally twigged. "Cat's cradle?" he said, with a slight chuckle.

"Do you object?" asked Edwin.

"Why'd you wanna do this?"

"Because I like playing games with you." Edwin directed Charles to rotate his wrists, winding the string into loops around his hands. He indulged in a gentle touch as he did so, tracing his thumbs along the creases of Charles' skin. The smooth stretch where once a 'life line' would have resided. Edwin had not set much stock by the art of palmistry, until he'd discovered that little commonality between he and Charles. "Again, please. One more loop."

Charles didn't argue — of course he didn't. Edwin doubted he currently had the capacity to argue; so deep had he already descended into that quiet space in his head. The one he occupied only in their moments of deepest intimacy, when Edwin took charge, took him in hand. His eyes, such quick and clever things, now gazed down at Edwin hooded and glassy. Perfect, still pools of pleasantly addled warmth. He'd sunk so readily, so splendidly, all but curled up in the palm of Edwin's hand.

Edwin watched him a moment before proceeding, soothing the ragged edges of his own Hell-torn soul. Whatever he'd done in life to earn the trust Charles placed in him, it must have be something very good indeed.

In next to no time, they had the string pulled taut between Charles' hands, forming the neat double cross of the eponymous Cat's Cradle. Edwin hummed in approval. "Well done," he praised, as he pinched the crossed strands and pulled them outwards. "And now to me. Soldier's Bed, please."

Though Charles appeared to be away with the fairies, he was attuned to Edwin's voice and acquiesced to his command with ease. This was a game they had played many times, on long and quiet nights. When they'd had nothing to hand but an old bootlace, and nothing they wished to do but keep each other's company. Charles didn't need to strain to recall how to release the strings into Edwin's hold. Or how to begin forming the next shape after that, his confident fingers pinching and tugging the relevant strands.

Peaceful and methodical, they worked together, shape by shape, hand to hand. When Charles was pulling the strings for Edwin he was focused, intent, a little wrinkle in his brow. Once or twice his tongue darted out, bitten between his teeth in concentration, and Edwin resisted the impulse to distract him with a kiss. When Charles was merely holding the strings he subsided into utter relaxation. Breathing slow, eyes closed or halfway there, watching Edwin's face and hands with hazy satisfaction. Occasionally he dropped a thread, but it was never a serious blunder, and Edwin got them back on track with a polite command to pick it up. In a customary game they'd have to restart, but this was no customary game. Now was not the time to dwell upon harmless mistakes.

The game served as Edwin had hoped it would. After a few rounds of he and Charles working in perfect tandem, he could feel the air had settled and Charles with it. The grounding touches of their fingers and the face-to-face contact couldn't have hurt. Edwin had fallen into a rhythm, politely requesting each new shape by name and praising the end result. Charles had likewise fallen into a rhythm of mellow compliance. As the rounds wore on he even offered the odd cheeky verbal acknowledgement of Edwin's commands. A 'comin' right up' here, an 'on it, boss' there. His voice was thick and sweet, his tongue succumbing to the same submissive, slumberous spell as his mind. But a little of his bright, energetic spark was creeping back beneath the haze.

By the time they'd worked through the established shapes, and exhausted their own catalogue of invented ones, Edwin was satisfied. He felt they'd left the storm behind and sailed into calmer waters.

"Good game, Charles," he said, as he took their last custom shape — the aptly named Nail in the Coffin — into his own hands, and unraveled it. "Thank you."

Charles hummed, drowsy, swaying a little where he sat. "What'chu wanna do now?" he asked, dark, glassy eyes intent on Edwin's face. Like it was the most important question in the world.

He looked so lovely like this. Of course he always looked lovely, as handsome a boy as Edwin had ever seen. But like this especially, so far gone in his peace and pleasure, there was nothing to compare. Warm and golden, soft and tousled; his eyes black and bottomless and only for Edwin. Gazing at him as if he'd hung the moon and the stars.

Edwin faltered, a small gasp catching in his throat. He remained adamant that he wouldn't take more than Charles should give, at this moment. But... perhaps a small indulgence.

"Kiss me," he said, tucking a finger beneath Charles' chin. "Please."

Charles nodded — a hasty gesture compared to his otherwise lethargic motions — and swayed forward. He crashed his lips against Edwin's in an artless kiss, his hands finding Edwin's waist and gripping tight. Like he couldn't get him close enough.

Edwin sighed into it, stepping into Charles. Into the comfortable vee of his sprawled legs, where he'd come to spend many a peaceful night of late. He tilted his head, guiding Charles into a gentler kiss. Leading him as he would in a dance and letting him fall, gratefully, into step. Edwin explored the curve of Charles' jaw with his fingers, the charmingly pointed shell of his ear. He thumbed across his sparkly earring, and Charles huffed a little laugh into his mouth.

"Magpie," he mumbled.

Edwin chuckled as well, a natural release of the warmth suffusing him. He broke the kiss to dust smaller, feather-light ones across Charles' cheeks. "Well," he said, a thumb pressed to Charles' plush lower lip. "I do seem to collect the most beautiful things..."

Breath hitching, Charles wrapped his arms around Edwin's shoulders and squeezed. Edwin returned the embrace without hesitation. Never before Charles had he felt at ease with this sort of thing — this effusive, uncurbed physical affection. With anyone else it was still a struggle. He had little desire to touch, or be touched. But inviting Charles into his embrace was never a hardship; it was simply his proper place. It was a fact of the universe: Charles belonged with Edwin. In his arms, on his desk, in his bed, on his nerves.

Charles belonged with Edwin, as Edwin belonged with Charles; holding his hand, steering him true. And, where necessary, using a firm word and a firmer hold to put those wretched doubts in his head to rest.

Edwin pulled away with a parting kiss to Charles' temple. Charles felt warm, in that strange, prickly way. Ghostly body heat wasn't so much a thrum of blood as an excitation of atoms. To Edwin's mind, he felt warmer than usual at present. "Are you hot?" he asked.

"Dunno," said Charles with a lax, flirtatious smile. "Am I?"

Edwin rolled his eyes. "In the non-figurative sense, please, Charles."

"Mm. Yeah, bit hot." The smile widened into an impish grin. "Or maybe that's just you."

"You're incorrigible," Edwin muttered — but there was a smile in his voice and likely on his face, as well. His own cheeks were beginning to feel rather warm. He cleared his throat and tugged, meaningfully, on one of Charles' braces. There was a tantalising give and take to the elastic as his fingers slipped behind it. He was half tempted to release it, let it ping back, see what sound Charles made at the slight shock. But now wasn't the time for that sort of play.

"You may remove a layer, if you like," Edwin offered magnanimously — no ulterior motive whatsoever. "I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable."

Charles didn't need telling twice. He slid the braces off his shoulders and grabbed his polo shirt at the back of the neck, dragging it off over his head. It was altogether a clumsier attempt than his usual so-called 'strip teases', but his hooded eyes burned on Edwin's face throughout. Afterwards he was left in just his sinfully tight white vest — and, of course, the enticing glimmer of his golden chain on top. But he remained pleasantly flushed and glowing, with not a hint of cold or discomfort. Charles was prone to chills in times of stress; a morbid sense memory of his last night alive. But he always seemed to warm in Edwin's presence.

Edwin, with an exhale that was just a tad on the ragged side, bowed his head and grazed a kiss across Charles' exposed collarbone. "Better?"

He could feel Charles' soft groan ruffling his hair. "Yeah. Yeah, feels good." He pulled on the hem of Edwin's waistcoat. "Bet you're hot too, yeah?"

Increasingly so, yes. Edwin was clinging to his composure by a thread. "It is a touch close in here," he agreed. He could feel Charles' restless fingers tugging, so he took them in his own hands, and guided them to the top button of the waistcoat. It was only fair he restore the balance. "Would you be so kind?"

Charles groaned again, this time so close to Edwin's ear it sent a ripple down his spine, and obeyed. His hands, as was often the case when disrobing Edwin, tripped over the buttons, rendered all fingers and thumbs in his eagerness. But they were in no hurry. Edwin closed his eyes and waited, tucked into the crook of Charles' neck and perfectly satisfied to be so.

When the final button surrendered the fight, Charles made haste to shove the garment off Edwin's shoulders. Edwin corrected him with a polite "Gently, please," and Charles took it in more careful hands, mindful of causing wrinkles. It made no difference, of course — Edwin could will his clothes to look as pristine or rumpled as he pleased. But Charles shuddered sweetly at the direction, and Edwin so enjoyed directing him. Besides, there was never any harm in promoting good habits.

"Fold it, please," said Edwin — stepping back to give Charles space. He watched Charles take the waistcoat in hand and, inexpertly, fold it in half twice. Lengthwise first, then the opposite. Hardly proper protocol, but Edwin didn't much care. He just took the haphazardly folded garment with gratitude and set it aside on the desk. "Thank you."

"Anything else?" Charles mumbled — his fingers teasing Edwin's shirt, itching to tug it free of his waistband.

Edwin sighed, and stilled Charles' hands. Perhaps he was letting the situation get away from them a bit. Charles was quite the difficult temptation to resist. "Perhaps later," he said. At Charles' disappointed pout, he made an amendment. "Definitely later."

Charles snorted, and let his head flop against Edwin's chest. "Alright," he mumbled. He sounded tired. Overwhelmed. It was a lot for him, this complete surrender, and Edwin well knew it. "Whatever you say, love."

"I say it's time for a rest." Edwin took Charles' face in both his hands, holding him still as he bestowed one more kiss upon his forehead. "Go and sit down, please. Comfortably, on the sofa. I'll join you momentarily."

Charles grumbled, but nevertheless did as he was told. He hopped off the desk, hand trailing across Edwin's chest as he passed him by. Edwin caught it for the barest second, just to give his fingers a parting squeeze. An altogether impossible urge to resist; and the loving way Charles' eyes found him over his shoulder affirmed his decision.

Tearing his attention from Charles and his smiles and his soft, trusting eyes, he turned it to the bookcase instead. He knew exactly what he wished to do with Charles, now. Something they'd had neither the space nor quiet for in quite some time. He scanned the shelves, deep in thought.

"Charles," he called out, careful not to cut too sharply through the peace of the room. "Douglas Adams, or Sir Arthur?"

It was a gentle prompt, and a simple choice. The stakes couldn't be lower. He waited to see if Charles would hand it back to him, anyway — still unwilling and unable to bear the thought of making an incorrect decision.

"Mmm... Doug," Charles mumbled.

Edwin smiled to himself. On the mend, then. "Excellent choice," he said; sliding their well-loved second edition of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency from the shelf.

He turned on his heel to find Charles, folded onto the sofa in a loose tangle of limbs, chin on his fist. He bore sleepy, squinting eyes and a dopey smile, both directed at Edwin and warming him through like late afternoon sunlight.

"Like how it sounds in your voice," said Charles, nestling in further. The very picture of contentment. Seemed he could scarcely keep his eyes open; but he must not have wanted to look away from Edwin just yet.

Edwin could sympathise entirely; he rarely wished to look away from Charles, either.

Edwin smiled as he stepped in close, a hand on Charles' knee; a smiling kiss dropped to his head of rampant curls. "Quiet, now, darling boy," he softly commanded, tugging on Charles' knee to make room. "And enjoy yourself."

~

“How long did the Monk believe these things? Well, as far as the Monk was concerned, forever,” Edwin read, his thumb tracing circles on Charles’ wrist. “The faith which moves mountains, or at least believes them against all the available evidence to be pink, was a solid and abiding faith, a great rock against which the world could hurl whatever it would, yet it would not be shaken. In practice, the horse knew, twenty-four hours was usually about its lot.”

They were a scant few pages into the book, and yet Edwin suspected that Charles had drifted into a doze. It was hard to tell without facing him. They'd settled on the sofa with Charles tucked up against the arm and back, and Edwin reclining between his sprawled legs. Edwin's back pillowed on Charles' torso; Charles' arms wrapped around Edwin, like a large teddy bear. Edwin could feel Charles' chin propped atop his head. On occasion, he nuzzled into Edwin's hair with soft hums as he listened to the story. But the hums and nuzzles both had grown less frequent already, subsiding to near silence.

Edwin read on regardless. Charles, like all ghosts, rarely if ever actually slept, and was likely still listening. Even if his mind was wondering elsewhere for the time being, he'd find his way back. He always did. And Edwin would be waiting for him.

A few chapters later, as Edwin recounted the thrilling mystery of the horse in the water closet, he felt Charles stirring. Soon, Charles' wrist was slipping free from Edwin's grasp, the hand coming to rest instead atop Edwin's hand in a gentle hold.

"Thank you," Charles mumbled, nuzzling into Edwin's hair.

Edwin smiled. "There's no need to thank me for reading to you," he said. "I enjoy it."

"I meant, like..." Charles sighed, squeezing Edwin's hand. "Thanks for, y'know. Bossing me around a bit," he said, sincerity threaded through the lighthearted tease. "Seriously. It proper helps."

Edwin laced their fingers, and brought Charles' hand to his lips. "Charles," he said, simple and serious. He kissed him on the knuckles. "I shall always be here to boss you around when needed."

Charles laughed. Quiet, unobtrusive. It seemed neither one of them was quite ready to break the spell just yet. "Love you," he murmured.

Marking his page with a finger, Edwin leaned back onto Charles' shoulder. He tilted his head back, all the better to look his beloved in the eye. "I love you, too."

He only had to lift his lips, a silent prompt.

Charles needed no further instructions.

~~

Thanks for reading! Consider dropping us a comment/reblog, they do so make my day/week/month 💛 Might not manage every day of this week but I will defo see you tomorrow for a fic/collab I'm SUPER excited about!!! Painland Week Prompt List

[jjongslutz]

after reading the soft sex w jay, i had this thought if jay could ever be rough cuz it seems like he would be the type of guy who is always gentle w his gf, thoughts?)

a/n - i will be writing longer drabbles for each of these scenarios separately, i just wanted to summarize in the meantime so this one post doesn't get too long 🫡

i'll be so honest i only see very few scenarios where jay would be more rough with his gf - hookups could be different but we'll stick with an established relationship for this post!!

jealousy

as much as he wants to say he hides it well, jay's jealousy has him acting out of control... he'd try to keep his cool, but his emotions are drawn all over his face. in his tightened jaw, his balled fists and dark eyes, anyone can tell what's going on inside his head.

doesn't even matter though because he'd be pulling you away from whoever's making him feel this way to a secluded area to remind you whose you are.

it'd start off with a headed make out session down the hall from whichever event the two of you were at - he's usually not the type to be so open to PDA, but this is something else. he needs everyone to know that you're with him and some rando isn't gonna just take you away so easily.

it'd then follow up with the two of you leaving fashionably early and - one tension filled car ride later - you're against the doorframe, barely inside your shared apartment before he's ripping off your clothes from your delicate frame.

whether it's considered your "punishment" or him releasing his anger out on you is unclear... either way you're thrilled with the way he's practically throwing you onto the bed and going at you as he pleases - forcing your head down, your hips up and pushing himself into you without any warning. his thrusts would be more than you can take, but you take it cause he tells you to

"c'mon princess, you have nothing to say anymore? you had a lot to say earlier to my coworker, what happened? speechless?"

(ofc he still manages to throw in endearing nicknames and pet names because there's no taking the sweet bf out of him)

because you asked

the alternative scenario that i can see happening is you asking him to try something new together!! he's hesitant at first since he's new to this and didn't even think you would be into anything more aggressive than what you've been doing together, but ultimately he agrees to try it out since you asked

there'd be a long and serious sit down before it happens, though. you'd discuss safe words and the details before setting the date and preparing yourselves.

and when the day comes, he doesn't hesitate. he bosses you around in the bedroom, urging you to strip for him before kneeling in front of the bed and sucking him off dry.

"look at you, taking my cock so well down your throat like the slut you are..."

i feel like edging and overstim would soooo be into play in this scenario too!! after sucking him off, he'd ask you to lay against his chest, perfectly placed for him to play with your pussy from behind, fingering you rapidly til you're squirming in his hold, begging to cum and yet he refuses, pulling his hand away from you before you have the chance to come undone

cue some intense fucking too...

trust i'll be writing a full fic for this cause i feel like we all deserve it 🙏

[captainswhore]

AYYYOOOOO is this somethin y'all would like to read for reals??

shoutout to @chamomiletealeaf for talking to me about horny price with a breastfeeding wife!!!

we were talking about how for halloween one year price is a cowboy, the baby is a cow, and you're a milkmaid. price goes feral for your tits in the milk maid dress, smut ensues, price is wildly turned on by the way your tits leak milk like it's going out of style- groans when he sees it happen and wants to cum in record time

....... and then i went off the rails and wrote this:

you think his groan watching your milk is one of disgust so you start tearing up and john thought he was gonna cum quick watching your milk? he shoots his load without warning watching the first tear slide down your cheek

john thinks you're crying because you're so overstimulated and turned on, you think john groaned because he's disgusted, cue john trying to hold onto you tight and kiss all over your face and you wiggling out of his arms and booking it to the bathroom so you can cry in peace

come back out of the bathroom in a massive hoodie and a pair of pants, tell him in a croaky voice you're gonna go check on the baby, leave the room

johns post orgasm glow is very quickly squashed when he gets up to put on boxers, moves to follow you into the nursery, and hears you tearfully muttering things to your baby

"mommy loves you, you know that?? want you to grow up big, n strong, and loved," and when john hears your voice croak after that his heart drops out of his ass, he hears it shatter when you next mutter "and mommy and daddy are gonna give you everything you could ever want.... we'll live together and get you a good school and you'll make friends and you'll fall in love with someone who thinks you're the prettiest little lady ever... make sure you're confident so no one can build you up n break you down... get you some good military benefits so you'll be okay... i don't think you'll have to worry about a brother or sister at all- and i don't think mommy n daddy are gonna be able to stay together forever, but we're gonna try for you sweetheart. mommy'll be sad for a while but i'd do anything to make your life better baby"

john pushes the door open while trying to hold back tears, tries to wrap his arms around you, but you go to sit in the little rocking chair in the corner

whispering something like "i've got her john.... you can go back to bed. goodnight"

you've only ever called him john when you first met, and when you legally had to say his first name during your wedding vows.

for the next three days you don't let him touch you. not even in bed. he waits til you're fully asleep and breathing even before he'll pull you into his chest and finally fall asleep, only to wake up a few hours later with your body heat missing in the bed. will get up to find you in the nursery, or the kitchen, or the living room, or folding/watching laundry, staring into space with a blank stare. he gave up trying to reach out to you while you're awake, so he just stands and stares at you- taking in how beautiful he thinks you are despite the haunted shadows that have taken over your eyes. tried to tell you to come back to bed, before you sadly smile at him and say "sorry, can't sleep. probably just some weird post pregnancy sleep cycle issue. go back to sleep, i'll be there when i'm ready"

john has to get used to hugging your pillow and hope to god he can huff your scent from that to go to sleep

everything comes to a head when he catches you stiffen when he walks up behind you in the kitchen... he doesn't even reach for you, but him being close to you has you pulling at the neckline of your shirt, throwing on a jacket, adjusting the shoulder of your cardigan to cover up more of you. john's sick of not seeing your skin or feeling you anymore, so he asks what's wrong. some traded words here and there, a lot of wiping your face and folding in on yourself, and john finally scoffs, stands on the other end of the kitchen, and grinds out "love, talk to me, what did i do? i haven't bloody touched you for days. i can't sleep, i can't eat, and my heart shatters every time i look at your face and you're like a ghost! where did my wife go?!? is it post partum depression? aren't you still meeting up with that therapist? can i help? what do i do!! how do i get my wife back?!?" and you start crying- silent tears rolling down your cheeks because how can he ask that?!? how dare he act clueless and act like he didn't do anything wrong despite DESTROYING what little confidence you had left after being pregnant. you're about to respond when your alarm goes off for pumping time. you close the alarm, grab the pumping supplies, and walk off. ".... sorry john, i have to pump. let me do this n i'll come back to continue this conversation"..... but you have NEVER left the room to pump. you used to just whip your boobs out and attach the machine and let it whir away with john in the room. it's nothing he hasn't seen before, and he's helped you with clogged ducts before, so there's nothing stopping you from letting him watch. john trails after you saying that- replying with "the hell you have to leave the room for?!? you used to pump in front of me all the time?? what did i do?!? how do i get you back?!? sweetheart- i can't fix this if i don't know what's wrong?!?"

it's silent for a second, and your boobs are actually kind of starting to hurt from needing to pump. so you do it. you wait for john to keep talking when you set up the pumping supplies. when john sees your tits for the first time in what feels like weeks his breath hitches, and when he sees the first spurt of milk he groans out. you rush to cover up and look up at him bewildered and say "that!!! that's why!!! you're DISGUSTED with my boobs now- that's why everything's changed!!! look john- i'm sorry i'm not as perky, or soft, or fit as i was before i was pregnant, but i carried your fucking baby for NINE MONTHS!!!!! shit's gonna change!!! my boobs are gonna change!!! for the love of god- if you're going to be disgusted with me pumping and having breast milk i swear to GOD i will move in with my fucking mother and leave you if that'll make you happier!!! have as many perky and fit and non-mother women as you want here in our damn house if that'll help you get your rocks off"

johns heart breaks but can't figure out if he should be turned on by your anger or what the fuck to do

the baby starts screaming, you curse under your breath, before you say "... just forget it... let me go take care of her and i'll pack some stuff in the morning. i'll keep pumping and dropping milk off here until we figure out a parenting schedule or file for divorce or whatever. i can't take her out of her only home where she's comfy even though it's gonna shatter me to not be attached at the hip with her. i'm gonna go calm her down- i'll sleep in the guest room." and you stalk off

john starts genuinely crying then

.......before waiting outside if the nursery door. when you're done taking care of the baby? all bets are off.

he's pushing you into the wall and smashes his mouth to yours so hard your face hurts. he's breathing heavy and you're caught off guard and your head would have bashed into the wall if it weren't for his hand protecting the back of your skull. johns entire body is flush to yours, down to your fuckin knees. his scent crowds your space and you try to wrench your head away from him and shove his chest, before he begins just peppering your face in kisses

he says breathlessly "baby, if you ever think about leavin me," *kiss* "over some stupid shit your brain conjures up," *kiss* "ever again," *kiss* "i will hunt you down and drag you back here," *kiss* "kickin n screamin bloody murder," *kiss* "if i have to," *kiss* "... where did that idea come from, huh?" *kiss

til he fully pulls his head away, just enough to look in your eyes, and says "baby. love. dear. i think you are the most beautiful woman i have ever had the privilege of seeing in my entire life. i think you look sexiest as a mother. you're glowing, and you're all soft around the edges. you're my wife. i love you, and anything that's changed. you've carried my babe- you've taken care of her and loved her and watching you take to motherhood makes my heart and my cock swell so much im afraid they're gonna burst".... cue you crying, and giggling, and feeling his hard on grinding into the pudge of your tummy "if i ever hear you speakin about yourself like that again, i swear to all that is holy i will make you cum so hard you see stars and make you BELIEVE you're the most beautiful woman i have ever seen. i love you. if i'm honest, i never want you to not be with child ever again. you look so so beautiful all round and swollen with my babe, and the breast milk? an added bonus. fuck baby, you're so fuckin hot when i watch you pump i wanna cum in my pants like a teenager. fuck.... i lo-" he can't even finish before you smash your lips to his and drag him to bed

your next period is late. john was right. he was gonna get you pregnant again come hell or high water

......

SO LIKE IS THERE SOMETHING THERE OR AM I BEING DELUSIONAL?!?!? HELP.

[astorytotellyourfriends]

2023 fic roundup

(last year's post)

completed:

1.01 need to make you mine (chrissy/eddie, rated m, 4k)

Everybody knows about what happens when you kiss someone at midnight on New Year's Eve, but Eddie's not exactly in his right mind when he kisses Chrissy.

1.02 hold me like you'll never let me go (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 17.8k)

Having the middle seat on a long flight is never easy, but having a handsome stranger next to you certainly makes it better.

1.14 just say i do (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 2.8k)

The day Eddie proposes starts out like any other normal Thursday.

1.15 you can have more than one (chrissy/eddie/steve, rated e, 7.6k)

She could play it off, just say she was thinking about nothing at all or make up some random thing to tell them. Or she could tell the truth and maybe get what she's been wanting, been craving.

1.15 always have & i always will (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 1.7k)

Even on days when the fog lifts, when the grief doesn't weigh his bones down so much that just breathing takes a herculean effort, the pain remains. An ache he can't escape. A phantom limb that he wishes he could get back more than anything else in the world.

1.18 under control ('til you're in front of me) (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 8.1k)

The day they've both been waiting for is finally here.

1.29 in my defense (i have none) (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 6.6k)

Lucas and Dustin hatch a plan to help Eddie ask Chrissy to the spring formal ... but they're never gonna get anywhere if Eddie doesn't actually try.

2.05 the trigger (chrissy/eddie, rated e,  2.4k)

Eddie knows that fucking smell. He'd know it anywhere.

2.09 maybe next time (chrissy/eddie, rated m, 2.5k)

All Callahan wants on his night off is a little peace and quiet, but instead he finds Eddie and Chrissy.

2.14 something else when i see you (chrissy/eddie, rated m, 4.1k)

On the red carpet for the Golden Globes, there's no telling what might happen.

2.15 in plain sight (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 11.1k)

Chrissy and Eddie meet in a random Omegle chat one night over winter break and hit it off, but neither of them are comfortable giving out their public Twitters, so instead they make private ones just for the two of them. Five months later, they're still chatting every night and have no idea they go to the same school... until prom rolls around.

2.16 oh, but you're good to me, baby (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 4.5k)

Chrissy's just helping Eddie study, it's not a date. As long as he keeps telling himself it's not a date, he'll be fine.

2.28 if we don't leave this town (we might n ever make it out) (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 52.3k)

Chrissy finally finds the strength to leave a terrible situation, only for her getaway car to break down just over the Illinois border. Now she's stranded, as well as broke, and has to rely on the kindness of strangers. The mysterious mechanic who takes pity on her may look mean and scary with his wild hair, calloused hands, and grease stains, but Chrissy quickly discovers that underneath all of that, he may as well be a teddy bear.

3.21 just the thing (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 3.2k)

They were alive, they'd made it. Eddie wouldn't have called them friends before that, not really, but the way Steve clung to him that night made Eddie rethink a lot of things he thought he knew about Steve Harrington.

4.05 gentlemen don't ask questions (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 15k)

The first time Eddie runs into Chrissy at a metal show, he thinks he must be seeing things.

4.06 if you go down, i'm goin' down too (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 1.5k)

cunnninghams asked: because i’ve wanted to write it but i’m too lazy — hellcheer getting either drunk and/or stoned and having a competition of who can go the longest without touching the other. 😇

4.14 imagine being loved by me (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 7.6k)

She could play innocent. She could just forget all about it. Or she could stay right where she is and watch.

4.24 i think you have a type (and it's not me) (chrissy/eddie, rated m, 33.4k)

Eddie tries to help Steve woo Chrissy, even though he's been in love with her since they were kids. or ... a HellCheer Cyrano de Bergerac AU.

5.01 play me better (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 15.5k)

Chrissy wants to get better at talking about sex, and Tammy knows just the person to help.

5.10 roll for orgasms (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 17.8k)

"So… the dice do everything?" / Eddie laughs. "Yeah, kinda. I mean, they decide everything, more or less."

5.17 savor the moment (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 1.9k)

I can't wait to memorize this day / Oh, a picture could not contain the way it feels

5.20 the dark caress (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 2k)

Chrissy can't sleep until she gets what she needs.

6.08 you know better, babe (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 36.7k)

Chrissy moves to Hawkins just after her sixteenth birthday, having only ever kissed one boy. Before school even starts she falls head over heels for Eddie, who falls just as hard but he has some reservations about their relationship.

6.29 she's gonna save me (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 12.3k)

Eddie can think of a billion things he'd rather be doing than spending his Saturday night in the emergency room, but after meeting Chrissy while they're waiting, that list quickly dwindles down to just one.

7.12 a better fighter than her fear (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 6.6k)

Chrissy takes refuge in the drama room while running away from her ex-boyfriend, thinking she'll just give him the slip and be able to go home in peace soon enough. But nothing ever goes according to plan.

7.21 you can buy love (from a payphone) (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 9.8k)

Calling up a phone sex hotline instead of finding some random stranger at a bar to go home with seems like a good idea when Eddie's struggling not to ask out Chrissy before she's ready for a new relationship, but he'll be damned before ever admitting it to his friends.

8.13 you still have my heart (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 3.1k)

Chrissy hates the night shift.

8.29 a tender age (chrissy/eddie), rated e, 16.2k)

There's no fanfare. No fireworks. No heavenly beacon of light shining down as soon as she opens her eyes. The morning of Chrissy's eighteenth birthday feels like every other morning before it, but she knows the moment she goes downstairs is the moment her life is going to change.

9.01 let me put my lips to something (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 9k)

Chrissy can't seem to find the nerve to tell Eddie that she wants more, so she hatches a plan to steal one of his porno mags for some research.

9.12 when we begin again (chrissy/eddie, rated g, 1.2k)

A few months past where If We Don't Leave This Town (We Might Never Make It Out) left off, Eddie surprises Chrissy with a gift.

9.13 the only proof that i need is you (chrissy/eddie, rated g, 2.1k)

Eddie is supposed to have a solo interview with Vogue but it turns into a family affair.

9.16 as i get older, i get more afraid (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 19.1k)

"Hello, Chrissy!" She pulls up a chair close to the examination table and taps Chrissy's chart. "What brings you in today?" / Chrissy draws in a deep breath. This is it, she thinks. Now or never. / "I want to have a baby."

10.10 livestream: stardew valley co-op! (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 5.2k)

Eddie has not one, not two, but three surprises for Chrissy on the day they play Stardew Valley live on stream, but two of them are for after the camera is turned off.

10.13 so pure, so electric (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 13.5k)

Chrissy's happy with Jason. Sure, things could be a little more exciting. They're in college, it's the perfect time to try new things! Learn new skills, meet all sorts of different people! They both should want these things, but it seems like only Chrissy's willing to (or, at the very least, wants to) actually try. But... she's happy with Jason, right?

10.19 be there in five (hyperbolically) (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 3.6k)

A perfectly normal conversation about Halloween costumes devolves into Eddie and Chrissy playing hooky. (They just can't help it.)

11.24 a king beside you, somehow (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 5.2k)

Chrissy finally convinces Eddie to come to a basketball game to see her cheer and rewards him handsomely afterwards in the girl's locker room.

12.15 before i bury you (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 43.5k)

When two counselors turn up dead at Camp Hawk and the camp leaders are forced to leave to get help from the police, it's up to the remaining counselors to try and keep both the campers and themselves alive.

12.24 never thought you'd happen to me (chrissy/eddie, rated t, 6.8k)

Eddie's watch beeps at the same time every day so he can be sure to catch a glimpse of his pink princess walking by the shop windows, none the wiser that she works right next door until one fateful day…

wips:

01.16 if the fates allow (chrissy/eddie, nancy/steve, rated e, 13.5k)

The best way to spend Christmas is 3000 miles away from home, right?

2.23 lost boys like me are free (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 16.2k)

Chrissy stows away on a pirate ship to reclaim the family heirlooms that Captain Eddie Munson stole from her, but she soon discovers that maybe going back home isn't what she wants at all.

09.04 i lied to you (but i never needed to) (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 18.3k)

After an accident that almost cost him his life, Eddie needs to heal a lot more than just his broken bones. He needs to face the demons he's been hiding from for years, keeping them at bay with drugs and alcohol. When Chrissy signs on to be his physical therapist, she knows from the get-go that this isn't going to be easy, but she's determined not to let Eddie give anything less than 100%. What neither of them expect is for Eddie to help her heal, too.

12.06 last night's clothes & tomorrow's dreams (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 27.9k)

Eddie's no stranger to the life of a rockstar and all that goes with it, including having his pick of pretty much any woman he wants for a night. Chrissy, on the other hand, has no idea what she's getting herself into when she joins her friend backstage at a Corroded Coffin gig.

12.19 love is just a currency (chrissy/eddie, rated e, 103k)

When she graduated high school, Chrissy Cunningham thought she knew how her life was going to turn out: college, marriage, the whole nine yards. But now it's five years later and nothing in her life went according to plan. Least of all running into Eddie Munson in a way she definitely never saw coming. or ... a HellCheer OnlyFans AU.

total fics: 43

total number of words: 608,877 (according to AO3 stats, but really it's 539,937 if i subtract the chapters of WIPs i posted in 2022)

going through the list this year made me realize just how much i'd actually posted!! thank you so much for supporting my silly little ideas through another year 💛 next year i hope to FINISH MY WIPS FOR REAL and maybe get a little better at balancing my schedule so none fall to the wayside like they did this year 🥲 but here's to another year in the books!!

[bryan360]

No "On This Day" posting I'll be focusing today.

Also….

(NO COPYING OR PLAGIARIZING FROM ME AND ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIEND’S WORK! THAT INCLUDES OUR CHARACTERS, DESIGNS, STUFF, ETC. IMPOSTERS AND SEXBOTS ARE NOT WELCOME TO FOLLOW MY BLOG WHATSOEVER! 😡 That will be all….I mean it.)

2024 Review - Seagate 2TB Portable Drive (Second Half - Installing and Formatted)

Hey, guys! Sorry for keeping this waited from past weeks that I’m trying to write I got. Nevertheless, it’s time for the second half part of my portable drive topic review without leaving behind. Last time where I’d covered the unboxing portion during the first half, I’m now moving onto to install with my gaming system which I’d did awhile back. Before I can show you around, there’s something I wanted to bring I’d kept secret from past years. I should’ve brought it sooner if I had such time left til now. Nevertheless, it’s for my gaming console itself as a previous upgrade that my family give me.

(From January. 6th; 2:29 to 2:30 P.M.)

This here’s my actual Xbox One S console (not the Xbox Series S/X, though). It happened back in December. 16th, 2019 that my family give me as a late Christmas gift by surprise. Well, a surprise for me back then from before. There’s also a second gift that would be save for another time. Anyways, It’s been past 6 years later after decided to move on with my Xbox One S system. Its longevity usage runs well of playing games I have; which I’ll get to that for my final part soon. As for what happened to my original Xbox One, the one I got from April 2015; is thankfully kept into my closest that doesn’t have scratches. Don’t worry, I still got everything for my Xbox One S system with its data that was originally carried from my original gaming console.

(From 2:32 to 2:56 P.M.)

So anyways as I continue on, we’re bringing you this step where I installed with my portable drive and its USB cable. Took about few seconds to connect with both items together, but finally got it of what’s on screen display right after turning my gaming console. As you can see, there’s a front USB slot down left corner below where I’d placed there. It was my second attempt when my gaming console recognize not too long ago. Of course there’s some USB slots on the backside I’d tried to get around minutes before that. I don’t know why or if I would’ve paid attention closely, but the front USB slot is one way to go. Now, I went to options setting to manage storage devices; where you can see I could select on either media and for games with my portable drive. Obviously, I’m here to formatted any games I got. As of now though, it read about 1.8TB instead of 2TB from what the box advertised. It does happens for other hard drives, so that’s alright.

(From 2:58 to 3:01 P.M.)

Just holding on til I'd promised I can finished off for the final part soon. In the meantime, I've given to formatted my portable drive that didn't take long to complete. I'd given its name of "My Games" first during this recording. Looks good so far as I'm moving to store with one of my games I got. That said, that's gonna be it for this second half part of my portable drive review. I’m sorry that things weren’t according as planned I’d would’ve do more for this month. I’m just having some trouble scheduling while I’m stuck doing at the program for weekday mornings. Even though I would be doing during the weekends by any point, I’d tried my best to write some stuff. Nevertheless, at least I’d gotten with this second half covered; especially finally showing my previous gaming console after years later.

My Overall Thoughts (so far):

As of now, It’s nice to installed with my portable drive and its 3.0 cable to my gaming console in respond. So far, I’d went through formatted with my device before I can move on with my other games to store later. And I just had one game that deserved to start up for my final part soon. Hope you’ll be ready for this. 👍

Reveal - Link Here

First Half - Unboxing Impressions - Link Here #2

Tagged: @murumokirby360 @carmenramcat @alexander1301 @rafacaz4lisam2k4 @paektu

[poppitron360]

PART TWO!!!!

Okay, so I’ve already posted Pt 1 of this fanfic I’m gonna keep posting it bc fuck it I’m enjoying myself.

I’m posting this all under the tag #​PJO- THE NEXT GENERATION: OLYMPIA JACKSON-CHASE CHRONICLES so if you need to find the rest, that’s where to look. Not sure how many chapters there will be, as I’m still figuring out the story, but it will probably be for as long as I’m having fun writing it.

Tagging my mutuals who might be interested/ppl who seemed to like pt 1 (I’m trying to get better at tagging ppl):

@green-tea217 @123letsgobestie @fadas-are-important @imasimpdealwithit @coraldeermoon

Summary: Kind of an OC/FanChild fic about my hcs for Percabeth’s kids. VERY Leo/Nico heavy bc they’re my two favourite characters, particularly Leo. If you missed Pt 1, pls read it, but we’ve just ended on the line “I think I have news about your brother,” so ooooh chills cliffhanger scary.

TWs: Swearing, lack of smut (she is a teenager)

Disclaimers: I was between SoN and MoA when I wrote this chapter, and I am currently on HoH, so if I’ve missed anything that gets revealed later, that’s why. Also I listened to the audiobooks, so if I spell a name wrong, that’s also why, either that or I’ve spelt something the British way.

Chapter 2:

Olympia never talked about her brother. That was one thing the kids at camp didn’t know about her family. She had been five years old when he had been taken, on that stormy autumn night. She didn’t remember much, just yelling from the other room and a sound like an eagle screeching. She remembered her mom running in and scooping her up in her arms. More sounds. Her dad screaming. A sword being drawn. A baby crying. A window smashing. Her parents calling his name. She was sobbing. Her mom was holding her dad as he wept on the floor, glass shattered at his feet. Her baby brother, Tyler, was not in his cot.

They started going out every night, searching for a sign he was alive. Leo, Nico, Tyson, Grover, Rachel, Frank, Hazel- all of them helped. Olympia had begged them to take her with them too, but she was still too young. Six months passed. Nothing. A year. Two years. She didn’t know when exactly, but eventually they gave up looking. They assumed he was gone forever.

Her parents had seemed different after that. Her mother buried herself in her job, working day and night at the architecture firm so she wouldn’t have to come home to the gaping hole in their family. Her dad had tried carrying on as normal, but he’d become a broken man. The legendary Percy Jackson failed to save his own son from a monster, now his son was dead.

That’s what they had told Olympia. That was the story. But she refused to believe it. She always thought that with enough training and fighting, she could find him and bring him home. And then, they’d tell the story of the brave demigod who rescued her brother, maybe, just maybe, she’d no longer have to live as just “the daughter of Percy Jackson”, but could become her own legend.

Of course, that was only part of it. First and foremost, she wanted her brother back.

“Do you really think he’s dead?” She’d asked Leo one night, when she was about eight, while her Mom was at work and her Dad was off doing something at camp (he was often brought in as a Special Guest Speaker because he lived close to camp and was cheap, not for any other reason).

“No. Tyler’s not dead,” He replied.

She looked up, “Really?”

He nodded. “Remember that story I told you about Festus the Dragon?”

Leo was the only person she liked to hear stories from. He told them in such a funny way, she didn’t care if it was made up or exaggerated.

“Everyone thought he was super dangerous, but you fixed him and made him better, and he sacrificed himself to save you,” she recited.

“Yup. I didn’t give up on him, even though they told me it was hopeless. I’d waited ‘til I’d looked him in the eyes myself to realise it was hopeless, and then I still tried anyway,” he looked at Olympia, “I believe your brother isn’t dead until we’ve tried every possible way of proving me wrong, and then some. Your parents believe it too, but they can’t risk giving up everything they have, i.e, you, on what is most likely a hopeless case. Besides, Nico said his vision of his soul had been clouded by something- if he was just dead, why hide it?”

“I’m gonna find him someday,” Olympia said, determined.

“And I’m gonna help,” He replied.

She looked at him now, sitting on her bunk in Cabin 3.

“Wha- What news? What do you mean?”

“It’s not… it’s nothing concrete… just a rumour about an 11-year-old boy with dark hair fighting monsters with power over water,” he looked up at her, his eyes solemn, “Camp has a network of automatons looking out for potential demigods, we get alerts like this all the time, but this was different, Oly- I think… I think it might be him.”

She was speechless. All this time, she’d been telling herself she’d find him, but she’d never actually had a lead before.

“Well then, what’re you waiting for, little man?” She said, sliding on her shoes and shoving clothes into her backpack, “Let’s go find him!”

“Oly, not so fast,” he warned, jumping down from the bunk, “this kid- the message said he was pretty hardcore, the way he attacked. If he’s been running from monsters since he was a baby… I can’t think what that’s done to him.”

He put a hand on her shoulder.

“What if… what if he doesn’t want to come home?”

Olympia looked at Leo. Despite his jovial presence and cheery manner, he was dark and twisted just like the rest of them. He knew a thing or two about running away, he’d spent most of his childhood running from schools and foster homes. She knew with a sinking feeling that he might be right. She shook her head.

“We can’t let “What if’s” stop us now, you taught me that,” she said, and shouldered her backpack.

“I guess you’re right,” Leo flashed her his trademark playful grin, “Let’s go.”

The kid was apparently in Nashville, and had caused quite a scene when he’d fought off two wild dogs in the middle of a busy high street by pouring a bucket of water over them. At least, that’s what the mortals were saying online. When Olympia saw the video they’d posted, she noticed how the boy had no bucket, the wild dogs were actually wolves, and when he attacked them they hadn’t just ran away like the internet said, but had completely disintegrated.

She stared at her phone. Demigods weren’t supposed to have cellular devices, especially at camp- they acted as a beacon for monsters to find them- but Leo had found a way to scramble the signal. It wasn’t flawless, and it became more and more risky the longer you used it, but it gave Olympia an hour or so of doom-scrolling on Tumblr every day.

She replayed the video again.

“He doesn’t look anything like I’d expected him to,” she concluded.

“I dunno… he has dark hair, like you. And water powers, like you. And grey eyes, like your mom, and I guess like you as well,” Leo studied her mismatched eyes, “And the way he fights… That’s Jackson blood in his veins if I ever saw it.”

“But he’s… he’s older.”

“Yes. That’s what happens when time passes. Did you expect him to still look 10 months old?”

Leo grinned, the way he always did when he was being sarcastic. Olympia poked him, playfully, and then turned back to the paused image on the screen.

“And he’s so… thin.”

Leo nodded in agreement, “Though, somehow I doubt he’ll be showing up on the front page of Cosmo any time soon.”

She looked at Leo. He tried to hide it with baggy clothes, but she knew that his scrawny look and vertically-challenged appearance weren’t all traits he’d been born with, that the long months spent on the run with little-to-no food had definitely played a factor. He was probably a lot healthier now, but those hard years had scarred him in ways she couldn’t imagine- and had left him looking permanently emaciated. She couldn’t bear the thought of that happening to her brother when she had grown up healthy and strong.

“Come on,” she said, putting away the phone, “Let’s get Nico, and leave.”

“A quest must be undertaken by three,” he recited.

“Yes, but also he can shadow-travel so we won’t have to pay for transport.”

“And that.”

Leo’d managed to intercept the demigod alert from his automaton, and direct all other alerts straight to him so that they could track where the kid was, and so Chiron- or, gods forbid, Olympia’s dad- didn’t see them. He was smart like that, but it only delayed the inevitable. Leo reckoned it was only a matter of time before the Camp Satyrs caught up to the boy. They had to act quickly.

Nico Di Angelo was never the easiest person to find. Luckily for them, he had a soft spot for Olympia, and always made sure she was able to call on him when she needed to. Whenever she wanted help with homework, or a ride to a dangerous incognito solo monster-fighting death quest, all she had to do was knock.

She pressed her body against the floor of Cabin 3, and rapped hard on the wooden floorboards.

“Uncle Nico!!” She called, “I know you’re down there!! We need your help.”

“Boo!” Came a voice from behind them.

Leo yelped, “Holy Hephaestus, Death Boy, don’t do that!”

Nico gave him a skeletal grin. Leo took a deep breath and patted his own hair, which was smoking.

Olympia stood up, and pulled him into a tight hug. She was taller than him now, but he looked good for an 102-year-old.

“My gods, you’ve grown,” he remarked, breathing in her warm smell. His skin was icy cold and pale.

“You’ve been spending too much time in the underworld,” she said, “get some sun in you, man.”

“Oh I think he is getting some Sun in him, if you know what I mean,” Leo winked and turned to Nico, “Hey, Nico, how’s Will?”

Nico ignored the question, “Whatever it is you want me to do, I hope I don’t have to put up with hotshot over here the whole time.” He jabbed a thumb in Leo’s direction.

“Hey!” Leo cried, offended.

Olympia rolled her eyes.

“I need you to take us to Nashville,” she said, “Leo thinks my brother might be there.”

An anguished expression played across Nico’s face.

“T-Tyler?” He asked, “You really think-“

“Yes. We do,” Leo said, confidently. They proceeded to fill him in on everything, even showing him the video on Olympia’s phone.

Nico’s face hardened.

“Right then. I will absolutely do anything I can to help. Nashville, you say? Peace of cake.”

He cracked his knuckles and rolled his head, like he was warming up for something. He then held out both hands, expecting them to take them. Olympia obliged.

“Do I have to?” Leo moaned.

“Don’t worry, Fire Guy, this won’t get gay,” Nico assured him.

“It’s not that,” Leo replied, “Your hands are just weird and cold. And small.”

“You’re one to talk,” he retorted, “I’d much rather just take Olympia, so if you want to be left behind, I’m sure-“

“Fine,” Leo groaned, and took Nico’s hand.

And then the world caved in.

[ladymunson]

This Is Halloween

Fic Summary: It’s almost your favourite time of year, which also happens to be your birthday. Eddie wants to know… trick or treat?

A/N: This is a small blurb for my good friend @eddiesprincess86 for her birthday. I hope you like it! Also it’s set modern day AU

Word Count: 852

Warnings: None, sweet fluffy nonsense :)

I do NOT give permission for my work to be copied, translated or posted to any other platform.

Support content creators by reblogging.

—

“Happy birthday Princess!” Eddie whispers in your ear as his arms wrap around your middle. You grin, and lay your head back on his chest. You stop what you’re doing to turn in his grasp. His arms stay in the same place so they’re wrapped around the small of your back.

“Thank you for being the best birthday gift a girl could wish for!” You say, Eddie snorts making you cringe. “Sorry that was so cheesy!”

“Super cheesy!” Eddie agrees with a grin but leans down to press a kiss to your lips. Then he lets you go. “Gotta run sweetness, your present won’t set itself up.”

“You haven’t done anything stupid have you?” You ask with a cocked eyebrow.

“You will never hear the words stupid and Eddie Munson in the same sentence!” He says with seriousness and a dramatic flourish.

You scoff. “Yeah right!”

“Don’t ruin my moment!” Eddie pouts.

—

The sound of banging on your door brings you back to the present, you’d gotten lost scrolling through tumblr you’d kinda spaced out. You put your phone down and walk to the door, opening it expecting to see Eddie and the rest of the gang.

But Eddie is alone. “Trick or treat?” He says, you look up at his face and crack into a huge smile. He’s in full costume, and his face is painted, like Jack Skellington.

“You did this for me?” You ask, chuckling.

“Well it is your favourite movie, are you gonna leave me out here all night?” Eddie asks, hand on his hips. You smile and step aside to let him in.

He goes straight for your dvd collection and digs out what he’s looking for. Going straight to the player and inserting the disc, smiling at you. He sits on the couch and pats the space beside him, you hold out your hand to indicate one second and disappear into the kitchen. Coming back moments later with sodas and snacks, you hand them to Eddie before taking a seat beside him. He picks up the remote and presses play.

The opening to the movie starts and you try to stop yourself saying the opening narration, Eddie gives you the side eye as if telling you that he’s waiting for you. But he doesn’t say anything and neither do you.

The opening musical number begins and you look at each other and start humming along.

Boys and girls of every age, wouldn’t you like to see something strange.

Come with us and you will see, this our town of Halloween.

This is Halloween, this is Halloween. Pumpkins scream in the dead of night.

This is Halloween, everybody make a scene.

Trick or treat ‘til the neighbours gonna die of fright.

All of a sudden Eddie is up on his feet, acting out the song.

He kneels down like a creeper and sings along.

I am the one hiding under your bed, teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red.

Then his up and wiggling his fingers like snakes and spider legs.

I am the one hiding under your stairs, fingers like snakes and spiders in my hair.

You’re howling with laughter and not managing to keep up with the singing. In fact you miss the rest of the song while you’re laughing, but Eddie continues to act it all out.

Once the song is over he sits beside you once again and acts as if nothing has happened, which has you giggling.

“What?” Eddie asks.

“You’re such a dork!” You say with a chuckle.

“But you love me anyway.” He replies with a grin.

—

You both continue to watch the movie, saying all your favourite lines and quotes along with the characters on screen. Just before the climax of the movie, Eddie gets up off the couch and heads into the bathroom, you pay no attention and carry on watching.

Just after the people of Halloween town sing their version of What’s This, Eddie comes out of the bathroom. He doesn’t come back to the couch though, which confuses you slightly until he begins to approach while singing.

My dearest friend, if you don’t mind. I’d like to join you by your side.

Where we can gaze into the stars.

You begin to sing along.

And sit together, now and forever. For it is plain, as anyone can see.

We’re simply meant to be…

And with the last few notes playing on the tv, Eddie leans down and kisses you. “I love you.” He says as he pulls back.

You smile and reply. “I love you too, my Jack.”

“My Sally.” Eddie says and you share another kiss.

The End.

[sparklyslug]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Tagged by @aidaronan and @softbrah thank yewwwwwww!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

50!!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

405,752

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Right now it's all Stranger Things, all the time baby. But you never know when the madness might strike for something new. Or re-strike for something I thought I was done with haha.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

In Focus (Check Please) Up the Punks (Stranger Things) we're gonna fight til we do it right (Check Please) If you want him, come and claim him (Stranger Things) t'hy'la (Stranger Things)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I'm usually really good about it for the first day or so after a fic has posted, and then I kind of.... fall off with it usually. I read all comments! I appreciate all comments! Usually what happens is I see the email notif on my phone, mentally go "ah I will craft a perfectly thoughtful and appreciative and stirring response to this later when I have time to do it justice!" and then I do not do that.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The one that comes to mind is a fic I wrote for the Hobbit, hands too small to hold it, which is an AU where everyone lives but Bilbo still has the ring and the events of LOTR are still barreling towards them.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Let Us Dwell in Fair Ithilien and There Make a Garden with @greenlikethesea is ONE BIG MASSIVE HAPPY ENDING (after 10+years of tragic angsty pining but w/e). I also wrote a little happy family ever after Garak/Bashir for Star Trek DS9, between the noise.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

noooo it's never happened! If I'm getting hate it's behind my back ahaha who knows what goes down in y'alls discords, that’s none of my business! Im a Leo and I work in marketing, so I am not terribly tortured by that kind of thing ahahaha

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

SURE DO! I don't know what "what kind" means. The smut kind. I've done closed door fade to black, I've done some explicit stuff, I try to give you range baby.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I LOVE A CROSSOVER! Star Trek/Stranger Things is pretty crazy. My current project is Stranger Things/You've Got Mail put in a blender with Supernatural, so that's decently zany too.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I thought Quorum had been translated into Chinese, but I can't find any evidence of it, so might be all in my head ahaha.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I love to collaborate with folks! When the creative chemistry is right it's RIGHT, and it's so fun to ping-pong ideas and paragraphs back and forth. I co-wrote Check Please fics with @softbrah, have written a universe of Stranger Things fic with @greenlikethesea, and it's all been a blast. Me and @aidaronan are cooking up some ideas, if the two of us can ever stop signing up for bangs and things long enough to get to em.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Well of course I will say Steddie right now because I've been living here for over a year and a half. It truly does have just the most delicious dynamic, however the setup and wherever you take their characterizations.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I don't know if I'll ever finish my Vampire Eddie immediately post-canon fic, I didn't have much direction with it, just Vibes.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I like to think I'm good with atmospheric sensory details, it's something I really care about when writing at least. I definitely enjoy dialogue, too.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action scenes are hard, and I struggle with nailing (heh) the physicality of sex scenes. My haters in their discords are welcome to chime in here 😂😂

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I have no thoughts in particular. If it works in the fic and you've made sure your translation is right if you're not fluent in that language, hell yeah.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Lord of the Rings. You will never see this fic.

N E V E R.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

IT IS REALLY HARD TO CHOSE AMONGST MY CHILDREN. I put a lot of my heart into I was open to pain and crossed by the rain (Wayne Munson my beloved) and I'm really proud of what I did with that one. I truly wrote Can't We Be Seventeen knowing it was really just for me, to scratch one of those desperate writing itches after an intense period of fixating on the Heathers musical soundtrack, and I really like that fic too.

Tagging @occasionaloverboy@greenlikethesea @thefreakandthehair @henrystars @capriciouslyterminal

[chidoroki]

Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King - movie reaction

Don’t normally do these for movies but WHATEVER. I’m too happy to care right now! It took me like..three & a half hours to get through the entire movie because I kept replayed scenes over and over again. I was just so amazed at how beautiful it all was and I was beyond emotional to see & hear everyone.

(full reaction below the cut with obvious spoilers)

Y’all wouldn’t believe how much I’m shaking. I couldn’t stay up late waiting for the movie to drop because I was so exhausted but NOW.. I’m up! I’m awake at seven in the morning (though this is probably gonna post much later) on a day off (yes I took off just for this) and it’s finally happening!

Julius’ time magic is breaking apart? Dunno why exactly but it certainly can’t be a good thing.

So the sneak peak they showed on twitter yesterday was of a flashback of ten years ago. I figured it had to be something like that since Fuegoleon, Yami, and Julius looked so young, but then ya got Nozel who seems the same as ever! Still handsome though, of course.

And is that a younger Theresa with Fuegoleon too? Back when she was an active magic knight?

It’s already in dub? Alright, good. I prefer that honestly, since that’s how I first watched BC, but I’ll pop up the subs on screen as well just in case there’s any slight differences.

Crazy how Conrad’s key/door magic, whichever it is, negated everyone else’s that was holding him down with little effort.

Ooohh everything already looks so beautifully animated, and Mereoleona! Going nuts as usual!

The way my little heart sped up upon seeing and hearing Nozel.. aahh! I still think it hilarious how much this man grew on me once I caught up with the manga. Now I love him IMMENSELY!

Ayyy Yami coming in with a quick save to Julius.

Yeaaaahh Julius! Time bind his crazy ass! (so it was Conrad who was breaking free at the start, huh?)

“My magic is never giving up!” Okay excuse you sir, you can’t steal Asta’s line like that!

The sunrise is gorgeous.. everything is. Ohhh I may cry.

Now we got a full colosseum? Is there a little tournament on the horizon? That should be fun, but hello Mimosa! Please explain this Triumph event!

Now who’s this shady person walking the streets hm?

Aw Fanzell, Dominante, Mariella and Fana cameo!

I love Klaus & Mimosa’s little banter.

Of course Julius is gonna watch all the action from the stands.. and there’s our lovely Black Bulls! Charmy with the snacks and Vanessa with the drinks as usual. These girls got their priorities straight.

Ahahaa Yuno’s little fan club.. and naturally Charmy’s gonna cheer for him too.

Oh, the shady person from the streets was our boy Asta disguised.. and apparently he can’t compete because of that devil trial, but obviously, he doesn’t care. He wouldn’t dare miss out on an opportunity to battle against Yuno.

“The Masked One?” “Surely nobody entered the tournament with such a ridiculous name?..Oh, they did!” Pfftt, the surprise in Klaus’ voice was perfect.

You can stay disguised all you want Asta, but those swords of yours are too recognizable that they’re gonna give your identity away..

Conrad and the other three Wizard Kings are already here..? I guess we’re not gonna see any part of the tournament. Shame, I was kinda excited for the idea.

It’s gonna bother me that I won’t know the other WK’s voice actors til the credits because I don’t recognize any at the moment, but at least we learn that Jester has barrier magic.

Damn, so Conrad’s seal weakened when Patri killed Julius? Eh, makes sense.

Legion magic from Princia (whom I’m also fond of her voice) summons up countless warriors.. nice.

Asta!!! Look at our boy! That smile of his is so bright! And taking these warriors out no problem!

“Ugh, these guys are the worst! They ruined my awesome disguise!” “And here I thought you were a lost child who wandered onto the field.” I love snarky Yuno so much.

Asta and Noelle literally having each other’s backs and supporting each other.. aahh it warms my heart, it’s adorable!

I dunno why, but Jester may be my favorite out of this WK trio. He’s got that sly bastard energy.

Good to see the Bulls joining the fight, but where the hell are the captains? Shouldn’t they be fine with their large supply of mana? Unless they were helping the crowd evacuate. That’s probably the reason.

Speak of the devil, there’s our Yami. And the rest of them.. and Leo?

I was about the question the backstory between Kaiser and Conrad since they seemed familiar with each other, but then remembered Kaiser was there in the beginning flashback. Silly me.

Asta and Finral tasked to go fetch something to help against Conrad and naturally Noelle slides right into the portal with them.

A sword that can store up magic power and can possible destroy a whole country when it releases it? No wonder Julius tried to get rid of it.

Eeehehe, Nozel and Fuegoleon and their dramatic entrances! I love these stylish men.

Yami c’mon, must you always poke fun at my boy? At least Julius found it funny. Nozel, not so much.

“I’m awake for a change, but this feels like a dream. It’s way too crazy!” “This is filling my brush with inspiration. Then again, maybe now’s not the time to be painting.” Ahaha, I love them all so much and happy that they’re getting some screen time too.

The stadium was one of Conrad’s weapons the entire time?

I know Julius said Nero was assisting at Branch Zero but I did not expect the lab coat.

“Key magic. It grants him the ability to create keys that can open or close rifts out of thin air. The magic space behind these doors is able to absorb whatever Conrad wishes. Tools, grimoires.. magic itself.” And he can steal other people’s magic with that too hm? Thank you for the info Nero.

Okay, well damn, Conrad managed to beat them all here and knock out Sally.

Ah geez Finral, always getting hurt. I hope he doesn’t stay knocked out for long.

Shit, I had a feeling he stole some of Marx’s magic to learn all about them.

YEAH NOPE! Despite seeing this scene before in trailers I’m STILL NOT OKAY seeing Nozel knocked out in a pool of blood!! Aaaahhh!!!

“To think that such a coward was allowed to be a captain of the magic knight!” Oh hell no! You can’t speak about my boy like that, Conrad! Go on Noelle, go fuck up this bastard!!

I love how upset/angry she gets on Nozel’s behalf and I’m in awe with how they animated her water in this movie!

Damn it, Conrad stole her magic so easily.. I really hope this doesn’t hinder her the entire movie. I really wanna see her go all out.

But that’s why Asta gets so pissed off? Yeaaah boy! Make Conrad pay!

Wait, hold up.. the fire and lighting magic attributesare common, but a magic that resembles poison? Did Conrad already steal the Bull’s magic too? That would explain those threads Conrad held Asta down with but I pushed aside the thought of it being Vanessa’s since it looked like it also had needles to it.. but who knows. Maybe I’m over thinking.

Sure they both want a world where people respect other but Conrad is just a little, sorta kinda, very much insane.

Oh! Asta broke one of the keys! Does that restore people’s magic maybe? Or just cancel out the attack?

Aw, even when completely worn out, one of Asta’s concerns is for Conrad to return Noelle’s magic.

Oohhh we got a pissed off Yuno as back up, as well as Millie and Sally.

Well, at least for a moment before they decided to retreat.

If they bring the fight to Hage, then you know our two main boys are gonna be angry.

DAAAMMNNN, Noelle always looks SO GOOD with her hair down like that.

Oh Sekke, always with the give up and run away strategy hm?

Asta coming through with that inspirational talk-no-justu! And of course Noelle is the first to offer her strength to him! You go girl! Support your man!

“So! What are we gonna do first?” “I’m gonna figure that out, right now!” “You’re what?” Asta would make for a wonderful WK, but he would still be a fool, and I love him for that.

I was wondering when we were gonna get one of Sekke’s famous laughs and it comes along with Mereoleona busting down doors. I probably should’ve expected that from her by now.

William, Jack and Charlotte were away this whole time? Wait, were their seats really empty at the stadium when they showed all the other captains and I just never noticed? Oops.

They show Yami, Fuegoleon and Nozel trapped within the barrier but what happened to Kaiser then?

Love-struck Charlotte is still as funny as ever.

Charmy…? Were you small in Asta’s hair this whole time or what?

Ah, nevermind, all the Bulls are all here too, thanks to Yami and Rouge.

I’m so terrible.. I didn’t even realize Henry & Gordon were missing til Vanessa pointed it out.

Aahh precious Noelle and Vanessa hug!! I love both these girls so much!

Aww Vanessa making another headband for Asta! I also.. didn’t realize that was missing til now.. damn, I’m really not observant at all today.

Mmmmhmhm, even now, whenever William speaks, all I can hear is Ginoza.

Good lord, Princia can summon up quite an army of these warriors and she’s not even close by.

Half way through the movie and we finally get a Asta-Yuno fist bump!

I was so proud when they all managed to pass Jester but then Princia and Edward joined the fun..but then Finral stepped in to help! Yay!

Zora’s laugh never gets old. He also as the best comments.

“Also, don’t forget I am your superior!” Ya gotta have the typical Finral line too!

Mereoleona holding up the entire Bull’s base.. this woman is a mad lad.

Aw come on, I’m glad Yuno & Asta made it inside but I really wanted to see everyone else join the big brawl too! Hopefully they show up later.

Oh my.. that big, confident grin of Yuno’s made me weak.

So we do get to see the Bulls fight more!! Great! And it’s all of ‘em against Edward!

And Mereoleona fights one vs one against Princia? Hell yeah, let’s goooo! She’s definitely gonna enjoy that fight too.

Yuno used Jester’s attacks against him to free the three captains. Smart move boy!

Luck is gonna love this fight against Edward, no doubt. And thank god for Rouge as always!

Awww Gauche saving Grey! How cute!

Took a damn long while but we finally got a namedrop for Edward’s magic. Ice wedge. And the fact he can freeze magma with it is insane.

Why must captains always get stabbed?? Seems like Mereoleona is cauterizing her wound though so that’s good.. or she can just summon up a huge purgatory mana zone and crush the blade in her hand. That works too.

Oh so Princia is indeed crazy deep down as well. She and Mereoleona are quite the pair.

Nozel, can you stop getting hurt please? My heart can’t take it. No matter the media, you’re always bleeding.

Of course, how foolish of me to not think that Jester also has a phase two. The other two WK pretty much did too.

And during all that, Asta couldn’t catch up to Conrad? The dude wasn’t even moving!

What’s with this Shippuden ending 12 style dream Mereoleona is experiencing right now?

Goddamn, these women are so fucking INTENSE!!

I didn’t know I needed to see a combo spell between Yami, Fuegoleon and Nozel til now and I’m so happy that it happened!

I guess that necklace of Conrad’s once belonged to someone he really cared about huh?

Maannn, I thought Asta really got him good but Conrad didn’t even bother to parry it “out of respect.”

Bitch be looking like an Arceus with that magical ring behind him, hello??

There ya go! The Black Bulls are still standing! Time to counter!

Or Edward can just summon up an ice beast three times the size as the last one, whatever!

Asta getting stabbed too, in a real slow and calm manner might I add.

LIEBE!!? I questioned whether or not we would see him since this all happens before Nacht appears, but here he is! Our little devil!! Huzzah!

Still can’t get over how beautiful this movie is and this new soundtrack absolutely slaps!!

Oh good! Asta managed to connect the sword to Conrad’s grimoire to restore Noelle’s magic! Everyone else is so excited for her too, even Zora.

Aahh Gauche using mirror brigade on her with her valkyrie form! Nice!!

I am getting fucking chills watching our Bulls go off!! Fuck, I love this family!

Welp, there goes the three Wizard Kings, but we still got a couple minutes left of the movie sooo perhaps Conrad isn’t quite done yet.

AAAAHH they actually got “Haruka Mirai” blasting!!! Can I get a big ol’ HELL YEEAAHH!

Pfftt leave it to Zora to still look so calm and/or bored near the end.. but praise our boy Finral for setting up so many portals to bring together everyone’s magic! I love this lad!

NO FUCKING WAY! They actually included Nacht!!! I’m gonna cry!

“A nice long nap doesn’t sound like the worst idea. Especially if it means someone who’s doing a good thing get rewarded.” He may have had only two lines but it fills me with GREAT JOY!!

But hold up, how did Finral know to put a portal there in front of him?? He hasn’t even met Nacht at this point.

Ah, that necklace belonged to some Conrad knew, probably his lover? But aww that shot of the Bulls is so damn precious!

Oohoho they did the whole black & white sketchy style thing with Asta’s final attack!!

This boy deserves so much happiness!! I’m so proud of him!

I am.. so incredibly giddy seeing Nozel in the credits first.

Oh but the ending song! It is beyond beautiful!!! Ah, and it’s by Treasure, no wonder!

This little ending scene with Asta and Yuno is exactly what we needed, to see them start another fight since their encounter in the colosseum got interrupted.

Aaahh, okay.. I really enjoyed that. I wish we got to see the Black Bulls be their chaotic selves a little more, but it definitely filled my heart with many happy feelings to see them and everyone else again. I say that as if it’s been so long when in reality I only caught up with the series last year. It’s crazy to think that I got interested in this series because of the first movie trailer and here I am, finally getting to watch it. But I really hope the anime returns someday too, especially with this kind of quality! It’s real ambitious to release episodes weekly instead of seasonally and I didn’t mind the animation style at all when I binged it, but if it returns with even a fraction of this quality, it’ll be amazing. I’ll love this series regardless, of course. It was a lovely experience and I can definitely see myself watching this several times over.

[ticklishraspberries]

omg hi!!! i saw your post about horror movies and i absolutely agree. i want to write fluffy content for them so bad but i feel like there’s not a big audience 😭 that being said, if you have any headcanons for barbarian and/or bones and all i would absolutely love to hear them <3

omg omg hello!! if you ever want to chat about horror movies you can always hmu, tickly hcs or just movie talk!! but yes, i shall gladly oblige!! these got like, rlly rlly long so i'm putting them under the cut, lmfao!!

barbarian:

ok, this is maybe in my top 10 fav movies of all time but i also would not have minded if it was just a rom-com between keith and tess, and since all the other characters are either predatory men or weird basement ladies so i'm gonna focus on them lmfao

keith just has this adorable, goofy energy to him like when they're putting the sheets on the bed and stuff, so i feel like he'd be a really silly, playful ler. i think he also mentions that he has siblings in the movie, so he probably has a bit of experience in the tickle fight field.

he is also ticklish himself, mostly on his stomach and sides. his laugh is a bit high-pitched and frantic, he's just a very nervous/jittery person when he first meets tess, so i feel like his laugh reflects that awkwardness but in a cute af way

tess, however, is very put-together and strategic and badass, so she strikes me as someone that has learned to turn off her reactions to being tickled. she also rarely starts tickle fights because she knows that revenge is on the table, and while she has a defense mechanism, she doesn't like to poke the sleeping bear too much.

buuut, when she finds out that keith is ticklish, she can't help herself and attacks, and when he tries to get her back, she just steels her expression and says it's not gonna work, and she thinks she's won...but keith won't give up and her resolve starts to crack until he surprises her by going for her legs and she squeals

she's normally not super ticklish in places that are easily accessible - you really have to work to make her laugh. places like under her arms, her feet, her inner thighs, places that the average person wouldn't normally touch you are where she can't hold the giggles back

their tickle fights quickly becomes wars, because they're both stubborn and want to win, but tess usually comes out on top

bones and all:

ok ok, yes i know they literally eat people but hear me out

lee and maren are an adorable couple, and you cannot convince me that they didn't have a few tickle fights

maren isn't used to tickling at all - she grew up so isolated, and her dad was never particularly physically affectionate with her. she understood the concept of tickling but never really knew if she was sensitive until she met lee.

lee, however, grew up tormenting his little sister all the time, and kayla occasionally managed to get him back

he does it on instinct, used to just giving his sister a quick squeeze to the knee or side, and maren is teasing him and he just reaches out and does it and she lets out this little squeak that makes him just entirely light up

"you're fuckin' adorable, you know that?"

they're stargazing in a field and he pins her against the grass and tickles her 'til she begs for mercy

it's not until a few days later that maren tickles him back, and lee is..well, pun intended, a lee, he's way more ticklish than his bad boy attitude would suggest, and i think maren really brings out the more shy, "submissive" side of him? and he just lets her have her way and he giggles

i have a habit of just headcanoning every character that timmy plays as insanely ticklish lmfao, but c'mon the pun is in his name how can i not?!??!

[alwastakenofc]

RANT INCOMING.

WOWIE ZOWIE it’s a good thing that tumblr keeps u logged in for FOREVER bc i would NOT have remembered that this was my username LMFAOOOO.

anyways !!! i’m just here to rant now to see if it’ll still help me like it used to. just scrolled thru all my personal tagged posts and MAN was i going thru it from 2013-2016 LOL. im glad life is better now. different, but better. me and that guy that i posted abt a lot and would rant abt how he was hanging with that girl all the time broke up in 2016 THANK GOD, that was a sick and toxic and abusive relationship that went way longer than it needed to. i moved back home with my parents and got a few years with both of them before they passed away from different circumstances (fuck alcoholism and fuck cancer). now i live with my roomie/friend and she evicted the other roomie we had that was Toxic As Fuck and a literal Man Child so WAHOO! it’s been nice.

i’m going back to college this year i think, and im both so excited and also Terrified to finish. i only have 1-2 semesters left and then i gotta go get an actual CAREER.

being famous never took off, as expected LMFAO. i don’t stream to get popular anymore, it’s just a genuine hobby i enjoy that gives me an excuse to keep playing video games and having fun. but i don’t mind not having a genuine job off of it anymore; probably should’ve attempted streaming when i was posting abt it so much a decade ago, Honestly Probably Would have taken off a bit more and actually had a chance to make money off it BUT alas, i was too lazy and worried abt public perceptions lmfao

i still have that worry abt public perception especially since i now identify as non-binary (she/they). i wish to be perceived as an amorphous blob that moseys through life, ya know? i only keep the “she/her” pronouns bc a) i’m not fully out to Everyone, and b) i just know some ppl are more used to it and i Do Not mind. i would honestly probably say i don’t prefer ANY pronouns, call me he/she/they i just do Not care, but finding ppl that would reference me as “he” while being respectful just is daunting to think abt and i do not care enough, just call me whatever. but don’t perceive me as a woman exclusively ya know LOL. i don’t identify as a woman or man, i have more feminine days and more masculine days but calling myself a woman sincerely just feels … icky and weird LOL idk like i said. AMORPHOUS BLOB SQUAD, RISE! idk how else to explain it LMAO

also discovered asexuality is a thing like 6-7 years ago which has been LIFE CHANGING !! being told you are broken by ur partner for years, being made to feel like something is Wrong with you because you don’t get why everyone is All About Sex and why tf everyone actually Enjoys Sex…. MANNNNN when i discovered asexuality i don’t think ive ever had a moment in my life where i just said “oh my GOD. it’s ME. i GET MYSELF NOW.” (until i fully understood and embraced being nb about 2 years later lmao). idk i just feel so much more confident in myself and it’s great.

hmmmm what else… i guess i had a stint of struggling with alcohol and weed, but have managed to cut it back. currently on week 2 of no smoking, gonna go a couple more weeks then maybe i’ll buy a pen and edibles. NO MORE DABS! wax just Annihilated my tolerance and not even smoking 3 full joints or eating 250mg of edibles could get me high. it was BAD. but that’s what happens when u do Multiple dabs a day, EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. for 5+ years !! sooooooo that’s a thing too now. i try to Only drink on weekends now (and only 2 weekends per month, instead of Every weekend, is the new goal) and know i can’t trust myself to buy alcohol on a weekday and hold it to the weekend, which honestly Go Me for that self reflection and understanding that my brain doesn’t have the ability to Not drink alcohol/do shots if it’s in my fridge lol. well, not yet at least. maybe in a couple months i’ll be able to put some vodka in my fridge on a tuesday and be able to keep it there til the weekend without touching it, but for now i still don’t fully trust myself.

BUT! i’m trying to be healthy! i did get a treadmill and jump rope and even tho ive been neglecting jumping rope (maybe i will today idk maybe not LOL) i do still try to walk on my treadmill at least every other day!! i did a mile walk today and i was So Sweaty lol it’s crazy how outta shape i am but im hoping that cutting down on weed and alcohol helps with that too overall. i miss having abs. i miss not being flabby. i have awful body dysmorphia already bc of my boobs and getting bigger has made Them bigger too and it just makes me feel Horrified when i see myself in the mirror. or see my stomach, or double chin, or jiggly arms, or WHATEVER. i just need to be healthy again UGH. anyways.

MANNNNNNNNN i’m so scared of college LOL. i’m not double majoring anymore (also not even in art college anymore HELLO lmao, i dropped out of art school and got my associates degree from community college then transferred to a university where i was originally double majoring in International Relations and Japanese)! i just am gonna drop my Japanese major down to a minor so i still at least know Some Japanese. and ill study on my own post graduation (I HOPE!!!!!) and get better. i took a 2 year break when my mom died and its just so Daunting to think of going back LOL

i really, really… REALLY need to get better with procrastination and laziness and being at a standstill/comfortable. like, i KNOW there’s more to life but i just. UGH. idk. it’s so Hard after everything that’s happened these last few years. if i didn’t lose my dad in 2018 then my mom in 2022 i think it would be a lot better. HELL, if i didn’t lose my mom to cancer in 2022 things would be SOOOOOO different!! i would’ve probably graduated with my double major and had a kickass job and my mom would’ve seen me walk the stage UGHHHHHHHH ill never forget how i lit said “you prolly won’t see me get married but you gotta stick around to watch me walk the stage” and she said “WHERE ELSE WOULD I GO????” and IDK I JUST WISH I NEVER JINXED IT UGHHHHH. i have a lot of unaddressed trauma from both my parents’ deaths that im sure therapy would definitely help with but FOR NOW, i just gotta get thru college and see wtf is waiting for me on the other side.

ALLLLLRIGHT well this went on a LOT longer than i expected and …… idk if it helped??? idk if i feel any better after typing it all out but MEHHHHHHH. it’s nice to just throw it all out into the ether and not have a ton of questions or assumptions or embarrassment or shame come from feeling like im taking up space. i think that’s been the biggest thing ive struggled with since my mom died; i can’t even post my random thoughts on twitter anymore bc the anxiety of “well who even cares, who would even care about you saying anything, why would you even post at all? what’s the point?” just gets SO damn overwhelming. ive become a COMPLETE recluse and i haven’t done ANYTHING like this rant in at Least half a decade LOL. so. idk.

typing this all out therapeutic in a way but again, i just feel kinda anxious at the same time and idk if it’s really helped me out overall. bc why does anyone care? what’s the point?… but also WHY do i feel like People Need To Care ?!?! why can’t i just go back to my old mindset where i did not give a single fuck about what i posted bc i just liked throwing my thoughts out for everyone to read?!?! idk. maybe tumblr is gonna be the bridge to help me get better with voicing random mundane thoughts that don’t matter in the long run LOL. bc WHY is that so scary to me, man….

ANYWAYS i’m done okay. wowie. what a rant. PHEW.

hope u enjoyed reading about my last 6-7 years 😎

[yardsards]

i think these two should get to be stupid teens and perform the Classic game of “going into the woods and smacking each other with sticks like they’re swords”

[annathesillyfriend]

Did I want to make a big post to celebrate a full year of making rec lists? Yes. Did I completely forget about making this list til the last 2 hours of April? Maybe so 👀👀 Life's getting crazier and crazier and I'm not reading as many fics nowadays. I'd like to take this opportunity to let all the wonderful writers know that if i like and don't reblog your work, it means I haven't read it yet. I don't have a lot of free time right now and when I have the time, I don't have the energy to give proper feedback so I just mark fics to read later when I have both time and energy (unfortunately these moment are very rare 🤡).

Okay, back to business. Here are my favourite stories I've managed to read this month. Enjoy!

To all the writers - I love you and I appreciate you so much!

To all the readers - please, share the fics you read and love. The reblog really makes the change! It’s the least we can do to show our gratitude.

Also, please, mind the writers’ warnings!

🌷PETER PARKER🌷

predictive text by @rae-gar-targaryen

↳ one-shot, tasm!peter, i just want to make out with that man, is that too much to ask??

right person, wrong universe by @farfromharry

↳ one-shot, i am in pain 😬 (worht is tho)

the magic word by @ptergwen

↳ one-shot, this is a need not a want

words are futile devices by @full-time-make-believer

↳ one-shot, 18+, i'm 😫😫😫

wipe your blood off the concrete by @silkscream

↳ one-shot, 18+, best friends to lovers, let's give a round of applause for this beautiful piece of work

if i could die in your arms by @selfcarecap

↳ one-shot, 18+, peter x reader x peter, this is what i like to call good shit 😌

kiss me in th+e dark by @spidervee

↳ one-shot, 18+, when is best friend!peter gonna kiss me? 😭😭 if you're in need of a delicious tasm!peter story, V's blog is the place to go!

the spider and the sunflower by @/spidervee

↳ one-shot, 18+, tattoo artist!peter x florist@reader, see above ⬆

one last chance by @belovedholland

↳ one-shot, we love a good angsty story 👌

always waiting (for you to come home) by @peterbenjiparker

↳ one-shot, i love M in the 'i want to hold your hand' kind of way. she puts out banger after a banger!

🌷JOAQUIN TORRES🌷

assistant for the day by @ofstarsandvibranium

↳ one-shot, biker/flower shop au, joaquin and flowers just go so well together

take care of you like this. by @inklore

↳ one-shot, 18+, how to make people sweat in just 600 words

🌷MATT MURDOCK🌷

like a love letter by @bucky-murdock-moans

↳ one-shot, V really went straight for my heart here 😌

🌷BUCKY BARNES🌷

hands on by @angrythingstarlight

↳ one-shot, 18+, biker!bucky's hands. that's it, that's the fic

the list by @xbuchananbarnes

↳ one-shot, Dani's fics are a whole another level of good 🙌

bribe the super by @real-jane

↳ one-shot, just thinking about this story makes me smile like a mad woman, Kate I love you 💖💖

all this time by @jobean12-blog

↳ one-shot, 18+, neighbour!bucky, if you somehow don't know Jo yet, you need to know that she's the nicest person ever and such a talented writer and this story is a prove of that!

hat to hot by @jobean12-blog

↳ one-shot, 18+, here's another exaple if you don't believe me

the next step by @thecornerlot

↳ one-shot, my love for that man is out of control

🌷FRANK CASTLE🌷

complicated by @musingsinmoonlight

↳ one-shot, 18+, i don't often read frank fics but like 🥵

🌷STEVE ROGERS🌷

on va voir, ma chérie by @anika-ann

↳ one-shot, 18+, part of the attached series, my girl went wild in this one and i am so grateful 💖

love can only hurt like this by @maladaptivexxdaydreaming

↳ one-shot, 18+, read this 2 weeks ago and i'm still not okay :')

🌷TOM HOLLAND🌷

together at dawn by @osterfield-holland-andcompany

↳ series, tom x reader but also harrison x reader, i love this story with every single cell of my body

nothing more, nothing less by @farfromharry

↳ one shot, roommate@tom x platonic!reader, what a great story!

(un)expected by @luciwritesstuff

↳ series, this is so GOOD. i don't have the words, hurt me at times but i love this story so so much 💕

🌷ANTHONY BRIDGERTON🌷

a lack of convincing by @benedictscanvas

↳ one shot, great story 🥰

it's a bad idea, me and you by @anthonysharmaa

↳ one shot, it's named after a song from my favourite musical, of course it's a good fic!

🌷BENEDICT BRIDGERTON🌷

paint with me by @magpiencrow

↳ one shot, rivals to lovers, stunning story 💕

forgive me by @benedictscanvas

↳ one shot, friends to lovers, pining, longing, all the good stuff

🌷BRUCE WAYNE🌷

sure as hell not jesus (but your saving me) by @greenorangevioletgrass

↳ one shot, 18+, another month another guy to obsses over because if Ava 😂

[harrysgloves]

Three to tango

story summary: You, Harry, and Florence have a good time in your makeup trailer.

warnings: Language // THIS IS P*RN WITH LIKE ZERO PLOT // Threesome // w|w // spitting // oral (female receiving) // i have no idea what a production company is so don't come for me.

a/n: Brushing off the metaphorical cobwebs and finally getting back into writing! Woo-hoo! Ending could have been better but... meh. Also, I'm posting from mobile. If it looks weird, blame Tumblr ✌😍

REQUESTED: by @iwannaholdyoutight- and @hazgoldenstyles

And also by all these people... sorry it took so long.. 😁

>>><<<

"Stop movin'." You grumbled for the millionth time that morning. Your focus on covering up all these damn tattoos that you loved had become one of the worst things you had to do almost every morning.

"It tickles." He whined as the makeup brush ran over the inside of his arm. He instantly flinched away from the brush the moment it glided against a particularly sensitive spot.

"Harry!" You groaned, your eyes closed in frustration when he shot you the most adorable puppy eyes.

"'M sorry, kitten." He cooed, his lower lip pouted out when you sighed loudly, grabby hands tried to enclose around your waist before you smacked them away.

"H, I gotta get this done or you're gonna miss set time." 

"Wanna kiss." Those big green eyes flashed up to you from his spot in your makeup chair and you knew there was no way you could say no.

"One kiss." You clarified, knowing damn well he'd use kissing you as a distraction from being tickled again. 

He nodded eagerly before leaning slightly up to your level. Your eyes narrowed, still not sure you could trust that he wasn't going to divert your attention but his lips. 

God, his fucking lips.

They looked so memorizing. The light sheen of chapstick he'd applied earlier was still lingering across the plush pink cushions. His tongue wetting them, taunting you to come closer, and it worked.

You were so naive to think he wouldn't do this.

You squeaked as his hands gripped the fleshy curve of your hips. His lips twitched up into a smile against your own when he pulled you forward onto his lap as quickly as he could. 

You knew you should have tried to protest a bit more. You should have attempted to keep him on track but when his thigh pressed against your clothed core, you knew you were done for. His tongue licked into your mouth as his hand got a firm grip on the round flesh of your ass.

"I see what you two do in here." That sweet voice floated through the thickening air in your makeup trailer as she opened the door. Your eyes lazily blinked open to see your smug boyfriend smile wide across his face. 

Whatever snarky come back that was sitting on the tip of your tongue was quickly choked down to the back of your throat when you looked up to see her wearing that. 

Who knew a robe could turn you on so much?

"Damn." Harry finally commented after your not so subtle shifting of your hips against his thigh. Now he completely understood why you'd suddenly gone silent. 

"Shut up." She mumbled under her breath. Her cheeks flamed red from your shameless stares. 

"You look great, baby." You smiled brightly, your hand extended out for her to take. "Mhm." Harry's quick agreement had both you and Flor rolling your eyes, but a small smile formed at the corner of her lips.

"Wait til you see what he's got to wear." She smiled brightly, her silky soft hand wrapped tightly in yours as she walked towards the both of you. 

"Better hurry up then," you practically jumped off Harry's lap, his lust filled eyes quickly turned fearfully as your eager hands reached for your set of brushes. "Hold him down for me."

"Gonna pay for this later, sweetheart." Harry grumbled as Florence's hand held down his arm. 

"Sort of counting on that, Harold. Now, be a good boy and hold still."

>>>

The rest of your day had been absolute torture. Your core ached, your underwear were beyond ruined, and you couldn't wait another minute for the both of them to finally be off set. 

Instead, the both of them casually took their time, leisurely hanging around to talk to other cast and crew while you were basically jumping out of your skin to get them back into the privacy of your trailer. 

After 30 minutes of them both shooting you sweet smiles and well disguised sultry eyes, you'd had enough. Your feet carried you as quickly across the lot to your haven, your fist clenched in your hand almost as tightly as your core.

You were dripping and the both of them knew you were having a hard time keeping your hands to yourself.

It started out innocent enough, Harry's tattoos needed to be touched-up about a million times with the edge of his suit rubbing away the makeup there. You had been practically drooling over the both of them all day but when he saw your legs tighten together, he could help but lay it on thick. His hand rested on the small of your back as he circled around you, nose pressed almost completely against your ear as he whispered a raspy thank you. 

Florence was just as bad and she wasn't ever the instigator out of the three of you. She couldn't help it when she heard a soft whimper leave your lips when she brushed a few hairs off your forehead when you were redoing her makeup after lunch. 

She smiled sweetly, too sweetly, before those plush lips pressed tightly against your own. Her hand laced around your jaw to pull you tighter into her kiss. 

She pulled away from you before you were even close to being done. "Only fair that I get to makeout with you in this chair if Harry gets to do it all the time." 

You felt like you could combust from how turned on you were and you were done waiting for them to do something about it.

You practically slammed the door to your trailer behind you, making sure to lock it before laying yourself out across your couch that sat in the corner of your room.

If they weren't going to do something about it, you would. Your hands fumbled around with the pesky pants that covered your legs, until you were finally free enough to touch where you needed.

The sigh of relief, shuddering feeling that ran through your body from the contact you were craving only lasted a moment before you heard a metal key fumbling around with the locks on your door. 

"Couldn't wait for us?" Harry chuckled, his keys to your trailer thrown on your table top.

"You two were taking forever!" You glared at him through your open legs. 

"Told you she couldn't wait any longer." Florence giggled as she pushed her way past Harry. Her hands on her hips but a smile danced on the corner of her lips.

"Are you two going to help me here or?" You were cocky, impatient, and your fingers weren't anywhere near as good as theirs was.

"Might just watch." Harry shrugged with a smug smile as he plopped down on the end of the couch. The furniture was barely big enough for the three of you to sit normally. His hands moved your legs to lay over top of his own. Your eyes could have shot daggers through him as he loosened his tie, his legs spread wide enough that your hand bumped his thigh with every slow circle around your clit.

"Baby." You whined, your pleading eyes flashing towards Flor. Who was already wearing nothing but a smile, her robe abandoned on the floor, and if you weren't so insanely turned on you would have turned to stick your tongue out to Harry. Gloating that at least one of them was nice enough to help you.

Having sex with them always seemed to be frenzied, blurs of quick paced moments that seemed to fly by.

Her thighs rested on either side of you as Harry peeled away the drenched lacy fabric between your legs. 

Her tongue dominating your own as she pulled down your top enough to free your breast. Her hands pinching and kneading across them as your back arched further off the couch.

You could hear Harry mumbling out a slur of curses, followed by the sound of his zipper. Your legs were bumped up and down in time with his strokes along his swollen cock.

"Soaking my leg, kitten." He groaned at the sight of your cunt soaking the thin material of his brown suit.

"Thought you were just gonna watch." Florence chuckled, her perfectly pouty lips swollen from how hard she'd been kissing you. The edges of them barely touching your own as she talked to Harry.

"Was gonna but she's so fuckin' wet, Flor." His voice was deeper than usual, gravelly, slow, "Bet I could jus'...." 

Your jaw fell open, your back arched off the couch when his fingers filled you. A wild moan ripped from your lungs when he curled them just right.

You could already feel the cord tightening in your lower stomach. You had been so wound up all day long from looking at them you were practically ready to snap within seconds. 

"Awe, poor thing's already about to cum." Florence cooed, her hand around the back of your neck, teasing your jaw with the edge of her nose. 

You always loved hated how well they could read you. How their teasing words made your face burn and your pussy flood with need. 

When she was harshly shifted down further into your chest, her own sweet sounding moan falling from her lips, you couldn't help your own snide remark, "who's the one going to cum too quickly now?"

She probably would have snapped right back at you but she couldn't utter out anything more than whimpers. You knew the feeling, Harry's tongue had a way of doing that, making you both shut up and he had proudly used it on more than one occasion to get you two to stop bickering about dumb stuff. 

Your hand laced through her blonde locks, her lips attached to your neck whenever she could control her mouth long enough to kiss your sweet spots. Your nipples peaked at the contact of her breast against your own, Harry's hand still pumped lazily against your sweet spot, his thumb running tight circles around your clit, and while it wasn't enough, you weren't complaining. You weren't ever sure how he managed to focus on eating one of you out while fingering the other when you knew damn well he was about to combust himself.

You knew she was close when her breathing became erratic, her chest heaving against yours. Her whole body shaking as her orgasm washed across her, her panting barely broke when you felt his warm tongue slipping through your folds.

You moaned at the feeling, your hips instantly shifted downwards, craving every bit of contact you could get from him. 

You could feel your walls fluttering around his fingers with every thick swipe of his tongue across your clit. Your eyes barely staying open when soft kisses were pressed lazily against your neck. 

Such a contrast to the harsh grasp of Harry's free hand digging into your one thigh. His gruts and groans were only muffled by the deafening sound of your soaking core.

Florence perked up her head from your chest, carefully turning herself completely around. Her legs on either side of your head as she draped herself across you to watch Harry at work.

Her sweet honey only inches from your face and fuck did you want a taste. You wet your lips, hands pushing her thighs down but she wouldn't budge.

Your huff of protest was quickly choked down when Harry's tongue ran tight circles around your clit.

"Gonna share?" That sweet voice asking that innocent question about broke you. Your walls clenched tightly trying to not get Harry to stop his fingers from slipping out of you, almost crying when they did anyway.

"Course, baby." 

You squeaked, your legs pushed backwards by your thighs, your body almost folded in half.

"Fuck, you got her soaking the couch." 

You were suddenly very appreciative about the fact neither one of them could see the embarrassment burning through your face. Your forehead pressed to Florence's leg as you whined, not wanting them to point how just how turned on you were.

You heard two simultaneous shushing sounds before your lower lips were pulled apart, the cool air licked across your slick, only making you whine louder.

When you heard and felt Harry's spilt against your core you thought you were done for. Lip tucked so tightly between your teeth you could taste the faintest hint of metallic against your tongue.

Then the softest kitten lick had you losing your mind, her tongue collecting all of his saliva on your clit before swirling around your entrance.

"Fuck," you cried, your nails digging crest moons into the flesh of Florence's thighs. "please, just fuck me already!"

"Don't think she can take anymore teasing Flor." Harry chuckled, yeah, chuckled, from between your thighs. 

"But I was having fun." She pouted, her tongue stopping its mesmerizing movements.

"Can 'ave fun with her after." Harry said as he started to shed the layers of his suit. 

"I'm literally right here!" You complained, your huff of annoyance jammed down your throat when Harry pulled up by your legs. Your face now exposed to his smirking, mischief filled eyes. 

"We know, baby," he cooed, almost too sweetly, something about the look behind his eyes made your pussy flutter but your mind anxious about how sore you'd be tomorrow. "Ass up for me."

You eagerly nodded your head, trying to roll over in your place before the tsking clicks of his tongue stopped your movements. 

"Like this." He said, pulling you off the couch. Your knees on the hard linoleum floor, your elbows resting on the seat of cushion in front of you. Giving Flor just enough space to sit pretty right in front of you.

Your arms instinctively circling around her thighs, pulling her core down to mouth. Her moans filled the small space around you. Vibrating off the walls with an echo. 

"Should 'ave done this in 'ere before." Harry mumbled more to himself than to either one of you as his tip teased your entrance. Your hips swayed instantly at the contact, slowly backing up the little bit you could to feel him slip inside of you.

He hissed, his fingers gripped the round flesh of your ass tightly before he surged forward, stuffing you to the brim with his cock.

"I ruin this pussy 'most everyday and you're still so fuckin' tight." He gritted out through his teeth, your walls clenched down around him at his words.

"Guess you're not fucking her good enough then." 

Your eyes widened in disbelief belief, disconnecting from her core so your mouth could gape in shock.

Did she hate you being able to walk?

"That so?" 

"'S what I said."

"Kitten," You squeaked when you were lifted by your shoulder, your back against Harry's chest. His hands snaked under your shirt just long enough to rip it off. "you can thank Flor tomorrow for why you won't be able to sit." 

"She'll probably be thanking me." The blonde rolled her eyes playfully teasing but enjoying the fact she was getting under his skin.

"Need me to stop, just tap my leg," his deep voice husked into your ear. Your hand tapping his leg, showing him you understood,  before you were hurled back in front of Florence's core by the back of your head. "good girl, now lick." 

You had Harry go hard on you before but when he sheathed himself fully inside of you in one go, you knew you were really going to be in for it. 

Your tongue tried to desperately get Flor off as fast as you could, your fingers slamming into her sweet spot, as your eyes rolled to the back of your head. You had a hard time knowing where to focus. Her addictive taste or his marksman worthy precision thrusts into your g-spot.

Your body felt like warm liquid was being pumped through your veins. Both of them gripping onto you at different ends, his hips grinding against your ass as he sat balls deep in your pussy. Her hips dragging against your mouth, fucking herself against your face. 

The sound of their collective moans slicked through the sticky, sex filled, air around you. Your mind lost in that space of non-thinking as your body moved back and forth between the two of them.

"Gonna cum all over my cock, sweetheart?" Your walls tightened around him as her fingers dug deeper into the back of your head. Her own cord snapping only moments before your own.

The white burning light washing through your body followed by the familiar gush of fullness in your lower tummy. 

"Holy shit," Florence breathed out, her arm dropped across her forehead. 

"Why haven't we done that here before?" Harry asked through short breaths.

"'S company property." You mumbled against the couch, your head buried into the soft material as your legs gave out to lay on the heaven-like cold floor below you. "We literally just said fuck you to New Line Cinema." 

You heard chuckling from either side of you, both of them still slightly out of breath.

"Hope we don't work with them again then." 

[theramenbandit]

20 and 59 for the mashup au prompts. Any pairing that strikes your fancy :)

From this post here 

Describe how I’ll combine them: Co-teachers to lovers via secret admirer shenanigans.

“And don’t forget, project drafts are due next Thursday.”

So far, so good, Lena thinks as she gathers up her belongings and heads out the door of her first class of the day. She likes it here in Midvale. It’s a lot slower, a lot quieter, a lot--

Force, mass, velocity, something bumps into her hard.

“Oh shoot! I am so sorry. Here…” 

The woman who apparently was the thing that bumped into her bends down and picks her things up off the floor. 

Lena is, of course, properly miffed and halfway to a firm scolding until the woman straightens up again and Lena forgets how talking works for a moment.

Her hair is flowing in golden locks and the bluest eyes she had ever seen are looking at her from behind dark-rimmed glasses.

“Wait, you’re the new girl, right? Lena from Metropolis?” 

“Yes,” Lena clears her throat. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Sorry about that,” the woman says nervously. “Let me make it up to you. Lunch in the hall at lunchtime?”

Lena should say no. She’s not here to make friends. But the blonde is cute and her shoulders are...nice. So…

“Okay.”

“Okay.” 

The blonde gives her a thumbs up and turns to leave, but quickly turns around and jogs back to where Lena is standing mutely. 

“It’s Kara, by the way.” She extends a hand towards Lena in introduction. “Kara Danvers. I teach English.”

Ao3

Kara Danvers takes it upon herself to be Lena from Metropolis’ first ever official work friend.

-

Lena loses a fight with the coffee maker. She’d been having a bad day already, see. Her mother had called this morning, so naturally, by the time the damn machine stopped working, she was on the brink of tears. 

“Hey there, is everything alright?” Kara asks cautiously as she walks into the break area. 

“Everything is fucking dandy, thanks.” Lena growls, angrily swiping a hand at her eyes.

“Whoa, okay… You know, Noonan’s is right over there and your next class isn’t til 3, we could--”

“How did you know that?”

Kara casually points to the schedule on the board behind her.

Lena only growls again.

“Okay, you’re really wound up. Come on, a walk could do you some good.”

Kara learns that Lena is here as a middle school science teacher because she wants to prove something to her mother. And the pressure is getting to her.

“Sometimes you don't have to do amazing, just have to do your best.” Kara says reasonably. “Look, you're great and your students love you. So don't worry about what your mother says. Judge your work by the proper standard or... something.”

Lena chuckles at that. Kara was probably right. 

"Thank you. I… I really needed that." 

Kara nods sagely and continues to sip at her iced coffee. "What are friends for?" 

-

The note is simple and plain and handwritten and she has absolutely no idea what it means. Or who it’s from, for that matter.

It’s, well... It’s notes. The note contains notes. That much she can suppose from the five lines and the G-clef and the black dots staring back at her. She looks around for anyone who might have left it there by accident, but she’s alone in the faculty room. What’s more, the note is wedged between the pages of her lesson plan for today, the only thing currently lying on her desk. Frowning, she looks back down at the small piece of paper and shoves it into one of her drawers. She’ll decide what to do with it later.

-

The note notes are piling up now and she thinks this might be something worth investigating. She'd gotten three more over the last week, each with the same handwriting and the same paper, but the notes on the staff (she does know some things) seemed to be different every time. She lines them up in order of the dates she got them and squints intensely at them, daring the offending dots to tell her what the hell is going on. 

-

Kara's eyes widen in horror when she walks into the faculty room and sees Lena glaring at the notes. 

Her notes. 

She quickly makes to get out again but Lena's already seen her. 

"Kara, hey!" 

Shit. 

"Hi, what's up?" the blonde responds, her voice suddenly pitchy. 

"Can you help me figure this out?" She scoots over as Kara leans into her space and over her desk. 

"Oh, they're notes," Kara tries nonchalantly. 

"I can see that," Lena deadpans. "Notes to what?" 

"Ehm, well this is a G, and this is a D… That's an E minor… It's a song."

Lena fights the urge to dramatically roll her eyes. "Do you know what song it is?" 

Dammit, this is wonderful. 

"It could be any song, Lena." 

She's still trying to dodge it but Lena is adamant. And Kara doesn't want to lie, but she doesn't want to be found out, either. 

"Uh... I could play it and maybe we can figure it out?" 

"Okay, let's try that." 

-

The music room is empty, much to Kara's eternal chagrin, so she and Lena walk up to the piano and she starts to play the notes that Lena holds up in front of her. 

"It's Elvis," Kara says simply. 

Lena soon recognizes the tune and starts to hum along with the keys. Just then, Kara slowly looks up from her seat and is mesmerized by the sight: the light is hitting Lena's face just so, illuminating the lines of her jaw, the curve of her lips, the dark red of her hair. She wishes she could stay in this moment forever. And if Lena were paying attention, she would notice that Kara wasn't even looking at the notes anymore. She was playing by heart. 

"Oh, that's sweet," Lena whispers when the tune is done. "And you never told me you could play." 

"My dad taught me the basics. The rest I figured out myself," Kara says quietly. 

"Aren't you full of surprises?" 

-

"It might be Mike, you know, that guy from the marching band? He is objectively good looking." 

"He chews with his mouth open." 

"Ooh, could it be Jack from phys ed?" He walks around with a guitar most Fridays." 

"Lena, Jack is so gay for the bar owner and you know it." 

"Well, who could it be?" 

Me, Kara wants to say. But she doesn't. She doesn't want to make things weird. 

They're sitting on the bleachers during the afternoon break, Lena leaning into her side munching on the donuts Kara had gotten for them. It wasn't hard for them to fall into this sort of easy companionship. Kara was open and friendly, and Lena, once her walls had gone down, was sharp and fascinating. And Kara fears that the feelings she's developed might ruin whatever this was that they had. So instead of being honest with herself, she just shrugs and bites sullenly into her own donut. 

"It could be anyone." 

-

People are starting to notice how often they are together, start talking about how cute they look next to each other. And so people waste no time in throwing them into each other's paths, especially since prom is three days away. 

-

“Come ON, Lena!” Kara yells as she grabs Lena’s hand and drags her to the dance floor. Lena tries her best until she isn’t so much trying as she is struggling to keep up with Kara, who seems to have only got more hyper as the night wore on. But the joy on her face is infectious, and honestly, if she got to see this every day, Lena wouldn’t mind.

The song ends and the band’s vocalist approaches the mic.

"Hey, hey, everybody, y’all having a good time?” 

The crowd whoops in affirmation. 

“Alright! Well I think it’s about the proper hour, so we’re gonna slow things down a bit starting with a classic.” 

The opening strains of a piano-driven ballad fill the air, and Kara politely extends a hand towards Lena.

Lena accepts.

Wise men say only fools rush in / But I can’t help falling in love with you

The world around them dissolves as they sway together, Kara’s hand gentle against the small of Lena’s back, Lena’s arm reaching up behind Kara’s shoulder. 

“It’s Elvis,” Kara whispers against her hair.

“It was you,” Lena chuckles in response.

“You knew?” Kara says as she draws back to look at her.

“No. But I was kinda hoping.” She smiles warmly and Kara has never seen anything more beautiful in her life.

“You’re not mad?”

“Darling, why would I be mad?” Lena lifts her hand to brush it across Kara’s cheek. “You had me at Oh Shoot."

Kara laughs as she ducks her head in embarrassment and Lena cannot help but join her. 

"I'd really like to kiss you right now."

"Please do."

[sincerelyella]

My Person (Liam x MC)

Book: The Royal Romance (AU)

Song Inspiration: My Person by Spencer Crandall

Pairings: Liam x MC (Ella) Summary: A one shot of my favorite couple - it’s Liam and Ella’s anniversary and there are big plans in store.

A/N: Okay, I’m gonna be very honest, I am super nervous about posting again. I wrote this maybe last week and kind of finished it earlier today. Thank you to those that I vented to about actually posting my stories, not sure why I feel really sick right now. New blog name (used to be @callmeellabella), new post LOL and I didn’t really know who to tag since it’s been a long time so I’m using my old list. Please let me know if you want off.

A/N2: Participating in @wackydrabbles​ this week. Prompt will be in bold.

Thank you @alyssalauren​ and @ofpixelsandscribbles​ for reading through this for me and kind of handing me that invisible paper bag for me to breathe in. Love y'all!

Warnings: Fluffs. A lot of fluffs.

Words: 1658

Isaiah and Noelle grinned as they filmed their parents in the seat in front of them, holding hands. After 15 years of marriage, Liam and Ella were the epitome of the best partners to each other and parents to their children. There were rough times, of course, you can’t escape those, but the King and Queen handled things in stride.

Noelle’s eyes filled with tears when she watched her dad lift her mom’s hand to his mouth and kiss her knuckles. The way he looked at Ella, like she was the only woman in the world, made Noelle have very high standards for a future partner for herself.

Isaiah grew up knowing how you were supposed to treat a woman, and it was all modeled from how his dad treated his mom. At 15 years old, he grew up in the public eye, but thankfully, his parents allowed him to have a normal childhood. The only time there was mention of royalty was a gala or a ball held at the palace; his Uncle Leo, Max, and Drake as well as his Aunt Olivia and parents all dressed up.

It was their parent’s anniversary that day and Liam had planned a family dinner, just the four of them.

One week ago

“Hey guys,” Liam smiled as he watched his kids sitting at the kitchen island doing homework.

“Hey, dad.” “Hi, daddy.”

Liam hung his keys on the wall by the door and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Next week is mine and your mother’s anniversary.”

Noelle and Isaiah stopped what they were doing and met their father’s gaze.

“I … was hoping you could help me with something,” his brows rounded as he stared at them.

“Sure, what did you need?” Noelle asked.

Isaiah chewed his bottom lip. “No pranks though, right dad?”

Liam chuckled, remembering that anniversary and how it went … so wrong. “No, son. No pranks. Plus, your Uncle Maxwell is not invited until later.”

Present-day

“Guys, we’re here,” Liam turned to Noelle and Isaiah and widened his eyes at them, the two nodding back with small smiles. Ella missed the entire silent exchange as she climbed out of the black SUV after Bastien opened her door.

Everyone piled into the restaurant, all of them laughed and cried as the kids asked for a cake to be presented to their parents to celebrate their special day.

“How beautiful,” Ella wiped her tears away as she gazed at the red velvet bundt cake covered in cream cheese frosting. “Was this your doing?” She turned to her husband as he smiled.

“No, love, that was them,” he gestured towards Noelle and Isaiah.

“Thank you,” she used a tissue to dab at both her eyes.

“Fifteen years is a long time to be married, ma,” Isaiah dimpled as he looked from his mom to his dad. “Now hurry up and eat it so that we can have a piece!”

The family laughed and dug into the cake. An hour later, they slowly stood from the table, grumbling about how full they were.

“Oh God, why didn’t you stop me?” Isaiah smacked his sister in the arm.

Noelle glared at her brother and punched him in the arm. “It’s not my fault you ate like you never saw food before.”

“Why did you say that?” Isaiah whined.

Liam and Ella walked behind their children, smirking at each other.

“They’re so dramatic,” Ella snorted.

“Wonder who they got that from?” Liam arched a brow at his wife.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Your Majesty.”

“Love,” Liam waited until she turned to look at him. “I have a surprise for you.”

“Where? What is it?”

“Come on,” he tugged on her hand and led her out of the restaurant and into the waiting SUV.

“Where are we going?”

“Ma, just wait, we’ll get there in a minute,” Noelle giggled in the back seat.

“You guys know too?” Ella looked from her son to her daughter and back again. “Liam?”

“Just relax, love, we’ll be there soon,” he squeezed her hand and laughed as her nose wrinkled in annoyance.

A few minutes later, Bastien turned into a small, private area for vehicles to park. “We’re here,” he said and turned to smirk at Ella. “Your Majesty, we’re going to blindfold you.”

“You’re … what?!”

Isaiah cackled as he leaned forward to wrap a scarf around his mother’s eyes.

“That’s blocking my nose,” Ella complained. “I can’t breathe.”

“You can breathe out of your mouth.”

“Isaiah Alexander,” she said sternly and he jumped.

“Sorry mom,” he mumbled as he fixed the scarf so it only covered her eyes.

“Okay,” Liam opened the door to her side of the SUV. “Come on, love, I’m carrying you to our destination.”

Ella let out a long sigh and reached up to feel her husband’s neck. She allowed him to carry her bridal style to … wherever they were going. When her family got like this it was usually because of her husband, who loved to take her places to surprise her. She didn’t mind, honestly, but it was annoying when everyone was in on it except for her.

“We’re almost there, love, I promise,” she felt Liam kiss the top of her head and she snuggled into his shoulder.

“Hey, I got a picture from Uncle Max!” Noelle opened the message and gasped.

Isaiah reached for his sister’s phone. “Is it another picture of him and his peacock Lady and the Tramping some spaghetti?”

Everyone began to laugh.

“I can’t believe that damn thing didn’t peck his eye out,” Ella snorted.

“That thing still scares the crap out of me,” Noelle said as her fingers flew over the keys. 

“We’re here,” Liam smiled as he began to step down onto the large rocks towards the private beach.

“Don’t drop me, Liam,” Ella said as she lifted her nose to the air. “I smell the ocean.” She felt her husband lower her to the ground. “What now? I’m still wearing this.”

A moment of silence and some giggling in the distance made Ella furrow her brows.

“Okay, take off the scarf, love.”

Ella quickly undid the knot and opened her eyes; she faced the ocean. “Liam, what-”

“Turn around.”

As she did, she saw her husband on one knee, her children behind him in the distance carrying an old 1989 boombox, the song My Person by Spencer Crandall playing.

I was lookin' for a long time

I never found nobody like you

I got your name, got your number

And we talked 'til they turned on the lights

“A boombox?”

Liam smirked. “You made me watch Sixteen Candles.”

“Oh yeah,” she chuckled. “Liam,” Ella had tears streaming down her face and she wiped them away quickly. “Wh-what is this?”

He took hold of her free hand and ran his thumb over her knuckles. “Love, it’s our fifteenth wedding anniversary. We married that long ago.”

She nodded, the lump on her throat making it difficult for her to speak.

“But we were together before that,” he smiled up at her. “I met you and I was done for, I haven't looked at anyone else since. You came to my social season, I chose you, we were engaged for a year, and then here we are.”

My person

My heartbeat

My slow dance

My Sunday-morning-sippin'-on-coffee in bed

My know-when-you-know best friend

“You’re my person,” Liam bit his bottom lip to control his emotions. “You and the kids are my everything, and you know I’d give all this up for you if you asked.”

“We don’t want that though!” Noelle yelled and they all laughed.

“Ella Brooks Rys, I wanted to ask you if you would remarry me,” he reached into his pocket, pulled out a black velvet box, and opened it. “Renew our vows and our commitment to each other.”

The box held three rings, an emerald-shaped, 6-carat diamond solitaire in the middle, and one plain platinum band on each side of it. One was engraved with Isaiah Alexander and the other with Noelle Marie.

“Of course,” Ella choked out as Liam smiled and the kids jumped up and down.

My saving grace, my everything

I’ve never been more sure that you’re my person

Every minute is a long time

If I ain’t holding on to you

Liam pushed all three rings onto her finger. “You ready, Mrs. Rys?”

“I am, Mr. Rys,” she pulled her husband to her and captured his lips in a passionate kiss.

“Ew, gross!” “Stop! This is not part of the plan!”

“Congratulations!”

Ella was surprised by that last one and turned towards the sound. All of their friends and family were there on the beach, smiling at them.

“What are-”

“You guys are renewing your vows!” Leo hollered and lifted a bottle of champagne in the air. “Let’s get this going so we can get druuuunk!”

“Leo!” Liam snapped at his brother.

“I mean, I’m ready when you are.”

Hana and Olivia rushed towards Ella and hugged her. “Were you surprised?”

“I was,” Ella sniffled. “You guys all knew?”

“Yup!”

“My little blossom! You are so beautiful! Let me see the rings!”

Ella gave Max her left hand.

“Whatever you do, don’t let Beaumont touch it. I’m sure he’s got lasagna all under his fingernails,” Drake chuckled as he approached the group.

“Hey marshmallow,” Ella turned to hug him. “And you guys had lasagna without me?”

Liam laughed and put an arm around Noelle and Isaiah. “You guys ready?”

They both nodded.

“I’m ready to marry your mother again,” they all laughed as Ella put her arm around Isaiah. “Let’s go!”

My saving grace, my everything

I've never been more sure that you're my person

Yeah, baby, you're my person