#I'm really into this obscure new author; I don't think you've heard of him || ooc

[cowgurrrl]

Wonderfully Bizarre

Pairing: rockstar!joel miller x actress!reader

Author’s note: DID YALL REALLY THINK I WAS JUST GONNA LEAVE YOU WITH THAT (i also don’t love how this turned out but I couldn’t leave y’all with all that heartbreak)

Summary: You and Joel try again [1.2k]

Warnings: fluff (finally)

You end up staying in Ireland for a year and some change. Fifteen months if you're being exact. The Beginning of the End is flawless. It's raw and real and one of the hardest things you've ever done, but it's done. You've been home for about a month. Elizabeth was ecstatic to see and show you all her new toys and make fun of Carolina for being too pregnant to bend down and pick her up. She's having another girl any day now. You thought your heart would burst when they told you on FaceTime, and you immediately went into overprotective aunt mode, asking what they needed, the due date, everything. You were gonna be back in the States around this time anyways, but being home permanently makes you feel better.

You did a lot of growing in Ireland. You had to in order to tell the story you were trying to tell. You feel like a completely new person, and you're still trying to figure out if you like it. You think you do. You want to. This version of yourself is slower and takes more time for little things. She sees there's more to life than work, but it's okay to be dedicated to your career. It took you half a decade in the industry to find a healthy work-life balance, but you finally did. Better late than never, right?

The sun is shining, and the ocean air is blowing through your hair, and it feels beautiful. Your sunglasses are big enough to obscure your face so people don't stop you whenever they walk past you on the boardwalk. An email from your manager, Sierra, pops up on your phone, but you don't jump to answer it. She knows the press is not your only priority right now. She knows she can wait. You smile when a familiar twang calls your name, and you stand to hug him.

"Hey, how are you?" Joel asks as he rubs your back, and you smile as you lean back to look at him. He's got a little more salt and pepper in his hair than the last time you saw him, but it suits him. Getting older looks good on him.

"I'm good. How are you?" You ask. You sit across from each other, and he takes a big breath.

"I'm good. Busy."

"I've heard. Congratulations on your Grammy."

"Congratulations on your Golden Globe nomination," he says, and you bow your head just a little in gratitude. He smiles and gets quiet as he just stares at you. You wonder what he thinks about how you've changed. Your hair is shorter, but not as short as when you shaved your head for the movie. It's growing back in slowly but surely, but it's taking longer than you thought it would. "It's really good to see your face." He says. Heat rises to your cheeks, and you have to fight a smile at his words.

"Yours too. How are the girls?"

"They're great. Sarah just started classes at UCLA." He says, and you gasp.

"I remember her telling me about that! What's she studying again?"

"Psychology."

"Smart girl. And Ellie?"

"Ellie's starting high school in a week. She's just… thriving. She's in the art club at school and even won a few prizes."

"Wow." You breathe, and he nods.

"Yeah," he says. "How are you? How was Ireland?"

"It was good! Very rainy and cold but good. I think it might be my best performance to date." You say, not modest about it at all, but he doesn't care.

"I've no doubt."

"Oh, and I got a dog."

"Really? What kind?"

"Big old mean one," you say as you slide your phone open to show him the picture of your big-headed gray pit bull with a flower tucked in her collar. "Her name is Daisy."

"She's beautiful. Rescue?"

"Showed up on my doorstep one day without a collar on. She's been with me ever since."

"I'll have to meet her one day." He says.

"I'd like that," you smile. "How's Angela?" You ask, and he sighs.

"I don't know. She left about a week after you did. Left Sarah a note sayin' she was sorry, but she couldn't do this, blah blah blah."

"That's awful. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, me too," he shrugs. "Anyways. Now that you're done with Beginning of the End, what's next? I'm sure you've already got somethin' lined up."

"I'm, uh... I'm actually taking a little break. At least, until the movie comes out." You say, and his eyes widen. You feel a little shy about admitting that you're pretty much nothing, but you have Daisy now and your little family.

"That's a big deal."

"Yeah, it's weird to not be working, but this role really took a lot out of me. I think I deserve a break."

"You do," he says, smiling. "'M proud of you."

"Thank you." You say as you stare at him.

You talk about anything and everything. He tells you about Sarah's experiences at UCLA and how the tour went. From what you saw, it was sold out night after night, and he kept getting bigger. He looked so happy. You tell him that Carolina's pregnant and give him the few details about the movie you are legally allowed to share. It's easy and fun and so perfect. You can't get over the fact that he's right here in front of you after so long, and things aren't super awkward or weird. It feels like you're picking up right where you left off. Well, before everything went to shit. You're laughing at his jokes and smiling, and he's maybe flirting with you? His boyish smile and stupid jokes always did it for you.

"Are you," he clears his throat like the words won't come out otherwise. "Are you seein' anybody?" He finally asks after about two hours of conversation.

"Joel Miller," you say. "Are you trying to ask me out?"

"If I was, would you say yes?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"If I've gotta sign a contract or not." You say, and he laughs. The sound of his joy fills a hole in your chest you weren't even sure was still there.

"No contract this time. Just us."

"Promise?"

"On my life."

Years down the line, you'll tell your son, Samuel, about this moment. The moment you decided to give his dad a second chance and the moment that would, unknowingly, change everything. You'll tell him that sometimes people come into our lives at the wrong time, but if they're the right person, then they'll come back when they're supposed to. He'll grow up hearing that story and seeing you and Joel be completely and utterly in love like nothing ever happened. But you don't know that yet. Sam is years and a few heartbreaks away.

What you know right now is that Joel is looking at you the same way he used to, and you're smiling at him, and everything feels right. In this moment and in moments of reflection, you won't be able to explain why you say what you do, but you know it's okay. You don't have to have all the answers. So, you look at Joel and say, "Okay."

And that was it.

[lockhcrts-aa]

LMAO GUESS WHICH BITCH IS BACK ON HER TUMBLR BULLSHIT?!?!

[jamkookies]

Okay

Description : A trip to Malta for the shooting of Bon Voyage seems peaceful enough until the moment things take an unexpected turn...

Word count : 3.3k

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Please, sir! I'm begging you! Open up, please!"

It was surprising how the both of you hadn't even moved an inch despite the cries that had begun to turn downright hopeless but as Jungkook's arm shields your body defensively, you decide that you just can't take it anymore.

"Jungkook, we should take a look." you say hesitantly, turning your head in his direction.

"No way. It's a trap." he claims. "I'm sure of it."

Your eyes keep boring holes into the door as if your vision could penetrate it.

It's quiet for a while.

Maybe he left.

Maybe he-

A thunderous boom to the door.

"We have to at least take a look, dammit!" you exclaim and push his arm away, now decisively heading towards it.

"Wait!" Jungkook yells after you but instead of stopping you, he joins your side. Before you can make any further attempts, he mushes his face onto the platform and looks into the tiny peephole. Curiosity can hardly keep you still.

At last, Jungkook retreats and motions for you to take a look as well but you don't know whether to expect a garnison of soldiers or a horde of wild bisons behind the door because the expression on his face is unreadable.

The cold surface of the platform touching your forehead only makes you grow even more uncomfortable. Then, your eyes are able to discern an obscure figure behind the magnifying glass. "You've got to be kidding me, " you whisper as your eyes naturally widen.

This could not be.

Him, out of all people....

Both you and Jungkook exchange a look of silent agreement and he pushes the open button with no words needed. The door swings open to reveal a slightly dishevelled-looking man with multiple cuts and bruises marking his face. Those eyes you'd seen gleaming with vigilance are now tired, drowsy yet still scarred with horrors you could only imagine. You'd never forget those eyes because they had been the ones that had given you a chance to escape, a chance to save yourselves.

"What are you doing here?" Jungkook wonders, not bluntly but rather in a puzzled demeanor.

"Let me in, please. I'll explain everything, " the old bodyguard says and throws a look behind his back and down the stairs.

You and Jungkook exchange another look and then the latter opens the door wider, giving him space to enter. The bodyguard's face almost melts in relief upon the gesture. He crosses the doorstep in two huge strides, putting the farthest distance from it.

From the moment the lock clicks back in place, a deafening silence hangs into the air, adding even more to the suspense.

You decide to break the ice first. "What do you mean they're gonna kill your family?"

The bodyguard takes notice of where your eyes are fixed and he unconsciously touches a bruise on his chin. "Actually, I lied about that. I had to convince you to open the door."

Your anger flares like wild fire but before the flames can grow higher he quickly compensates for his mistake. "I'm really sorry. I had to.They...they did some things to me...I'll explain everything but I don't have much time."

"Why?" you demand. "Are they following yo-"

"What are you doing here in the first place?" Jungkook interrupts.

The man appears to be going through an internal conflict as his eyes shut tight, hands clench and unclench and the line of his eyebrows angles into a wide V. His distressed condition explained so much and yet so little. His eyes that up till now had been staring at the ground, lift to level up with yours and then flick to Jungkook's. "I went through hell itself to get here unnoticed. I'll have to go soon. But before I do, there's something you should know."

* * *

As much as Jungkook refused to drop the disgruntled attitude, he still made the man sit on the couch and then proceeded to offer him a much needed glass of water. The man drank and drank and drank like he'd forgotten its taste and freshness and after his thirst was sedated, he started chirping like a bird.

"First of all, I want to apologize about trying to take you by force back in Malta, even though in reality it was not my choice."

"We'd figured that out, " you confirm. "But why did you help us escape?"

You'd been racking your brains out for a long time now, trying to come up with a logical explanation but no answer fit in the frame. You just couldn't understand why he would put himself in danger so you could run away.

It didn't make any sense.

"I couldn't just let them take you like prisoners, " he says. "I had to at least give you a chance because I myself wasn't given one."

Jungkook's brows wrinkle in confusion. "What do you mean?"

A look of something like shame casts upon the man's face and he stares at his clasped hands. "When I first got this job, I didn't know what I was getting myself into. Being a bodyguard, I had taken everything into account, including the fact that I would probably have to give up my life at some point but I never thought I'd be involved in criminal affairs."

Criminal affairs? What was he talking about?

"I thought it was normal at first. I thought this was how things normally went but when you decided to go to that trip in Malta I realized that I couldn't get out of this sucking hole no matter how much I tried. And the worst thing about it is that you've had to suffer along all this time without even knowing it."

Jungkook raises a hand to stop him. "Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there a second. Are you talking about Sejin making Y/N leave? And the the thing at the plane? I know he went a little too far but-"

"You think that's a coincidence?" the man shoots back. "He set everything up. From the tickets to the hotel to everything. Every single piece of it was planned out."

Your teeth grind against each other with a mixed state of anger and shock putting them into action. When you throw a glance at Jungkook's traumatised form, tears start to form at the corners of your eyes. The man's statement seemed to had jarred him to the bone and rendered him speechless, incapable of forming a coherent thought.

"I apologize for that, " the man continues. "I didn't want to say it straight away because I knew it would come as a shock to you but Mr.Sejin is not who you think he is. I've had to live with this knowledge for years now."

For a moment, Jungkook's eyes clear up and he blinks a number of times till his attention is completely aimed at the man's face. "Is this a joke or something? Did he send you here to play with us?"

The man's expression remains stoic, forever expressionless but even through his mask you could make out the scars of horrendous truths.

He wasn't lying.

You both knew that but you just couldn't accept it, even though deep down you had always sensed that the origin of your ordeals had been somehow designated.

The said bodyguard points a finger at his face. "You see these bruises, sir? They gave them to me as a punishment for not being able to bring you back. Beat me up till I fainted. When I woke up they made it clear that this time the job had to be done properly. That's why I'm here. To bring you back. But I won't be doing that. I'm here to make sure that you know who you're dealing with. I don't have the authority to talk with his superiors. Trust me, I've even tried to but he's always one step ahead of me." He smiles sadly. "I've gotten countless warnings because of that."

Jungkook puts his head in his hands and agressively ruffles his hair. "How long has this been going?"

The man doesn't hesitate. "6 years. Since the moment Ms.Y/N set foot on that company. He was obsessed with the idea of a boy-group only and didn't want any other intruders. I can witness the number of times he complained to his superiors about not letting her join. He kept pestering them, kept telling them all sorts of things but PD-nim was the one who insisted on taking her. After that he was absolutely furious. You should've seen the way he flung things around in his office. It made me scared for a moment."

He releases a long-kept sigh and shakes his head dreadfully.

"This went on for as much as I can remember. He never changed, always kept making attempts into kicking her out and covered it with a fake smile. But this time he had it all planned out to the smallest detail and couldn't afford to just brush it off as usual. That's probably his biggest mistake so far. He just couldn't stand hiding in a bush anymore so he went 'go hard or go home' I guess."

All this new information was making your head spin. Your mind wasn't helping either, continuously attaching images to the words, helping build up the portrayal of the man who had detested you for so many years, piece by piece. To say that you'd been dismayed was an understatement. You just couldn't believe your ears, couldn't wrap your head around the idea.

"What exactly had he planned?" asks Jungkook with a tint of hesitation in his voice. Understandable enough, taking into consideration the fact that he was fed up with the truths he'd heard. The bodyguard takes a sip from his glass and gulps audibly. He keeps throwing nervous looks at the door, as if waiting for someone to burst in.

"If you can remember....the accident with the saesang girl...."

No

Not that

Anything but that

"It was not an accident, " he confirms. "Your manager planned it."

No

No no no no no no-

"He hired that girl knowing she was a saesang and told her what she had to do. He promised her Jungkook would be hers if she managed to get the job done. That night, when you sneaked out into the forest, it's like you offered yourselves to her in a silver platter. And that's how it went. She took care of everything; the car, the tools, even her assistant."

He shakes his head and you see a melancholic smile cast upon his lips as he looks directly at you. "Stupid girl. She hated you so much to the point where she even ignored Sejin's orders for a moment. He'd never intended to kill you. Obviously, he wasn't that stupid. But she didn't care at all. Thought about getting rid if you since she had the chance and went all-psycho. Unfortunately for her, you managed to escape and that's when Mr.Sejin got angry. Really, really angry. His face got all red and puffy and when Namjoon-ssi tried to talk to him, worried about you gone missing, he yelled in his face."

Joon.

You can almost feel the nostalgic taste of the word in your tongue. It was like smelling that familiar aroma of fresh flowers that grew in your back yard and being swept into a wave of old memories. Sick of you, to not think enough about him all this time, when all he'd ever did was worry about you.

You missed them. All of them. So much to the point where it hurt.

Were they okay?

Now that you were certain about your manager's intentions, you couldn't help feeling concerned about the rest of the boys.

Unaware of your thoughts, the man continues with his story. "And things got even worse when she shot you and you jumped into the stream. I guess she panicked. Her voice was literally shaking from the other side of the phone during the call with manager-nim. I don't know what she said exactly but it still didn't make him give up. After all, he had to prepare for the grand finale."

Jungkook's sharp intake of breath switches your attention to him. You examine his face carefully, looking for any signs of panic but nothing makes it to the surface.

At least not yet.

"-called the ambulance to make sure you wouldn't die."

The momentary distraction had made you zone out and you're only able to catch the last part of the phrase.

"Then what?" Jungkook asks softly.

It's like the man's physiognomy is put into action; eyelids blinking furiously, lips opening and closing, hands fumbling with each-other. He seems nervous to keep talking and that only puts Jungkook on edge even more.

"Then what? " the latter insists. Bolder this time.

The man chokes the words out. "Th-then you wrestled with that girl's assistant. And-"

"And I killed him." Jungkook finishes for him. You notice the way his eyes turn glassy and distant, as if they'd travelled back in time, recalling the events.

"No, sir. He's alive."

Both yours and Jungkook's head snap in his direction with lightning speed.

Had you just imagined him saying that?

"What?" you voice.

"He didn't kill him, " the man confirms and this time you can clearly see his lips matching the words. "It was all a trick."

Clash

"No!"

Tiny little glass shards scatter across the floor, but you don't even have time to react as another loud noise joins it.

"No!" Jungkook yells again after taking out the anger on the second vase. " I don't believe you! You're lying!" He's fully risen to his feet, his chest puffed from breathing too hard. You've never seen him like this, so angry and panicked and scared.

"He's alive, sir. I'm not lying. They enacted the death-"

"Shut up!" Jungkook screams.

"-to make Y/N-ssi feel guilty and leave. Please, sir. You have to listen to me. You did not kill anyone."

A storm of emotions drowns you whole and it's impossible to pinpoint a particular feeling in the midst of all the chaos. Pain, sadness, relief, anger. They all come as a flooding mess, an absolute wreck.

But none of that matters now.

Not as you notice Jungkook from the corner of your eye, slowly sink to the floor and curl into a ball. It's just like that night at the hotel. He rocks back and forth with no awareness of his surroundings, completely lost in his despair.

The storyteller gives him a perplexed look. He must be wondering why Jungkook was reacting this way, why he didn't sigh in relief upon the news of his innocence.

That's because the man didn't know what the idea of killing someone had done to him and how hard it was to just rip that thought out of his mind. He'd convinced himself over and over that he was guilty, that he was a murderer. You'd witnessed it yourself during all those restless nights filled with nightmares driven by his own conscience. You'd both tried to speak as little as you could about it by trying to avoid that fact but now that he's given up and let himself fall apart, you're able to see how it had ruined him beyond repair.

You glare at the bodyguard to stop him from going further and rush to Jungkook's side on the floor.

And your heart shatters into a million pieces.

He's sobbing like a little child.

A grown-up man turned into a little kid just like that, with his arms wrapped around his knees, head buried low within.

You carefully approach him and crouch on the floor, putting a hesitant hand on his shoulder. "Kook..."

He doesn't even acknowledge your presence and his sobs only seem to increase but that doesn't discourage you from throwing your arms around him in a wide hug.

"It's okay, Kook. You're okay."

Suddenly, his hands wrap around your waist and he hugs you so tightly, you almost fall back. You thread your fingers through his dark silky hair and pat his head.

Another choked sob escapes his throat.

Oh how you wished you were the one suffering, not him. If only you could take all his pain from him, you'd gladly do it. You'd do anything for him.

His fists scrunch the fabric on the back of your shirt as hit tears spill on your collarbones.

"You're okay, you're okay, shhhhhhh." you whisper in his ear.

All is forgotten by now. The only thing you can focus on is to let him know that you were here, that you understood, and that it was okay to feel like this.

It was okay not to be okay.

* * *

You'd lost all sense of time with Jungkook in your arms that you'd failed to even throw a look at the man in the corner, silently waiting for the situation to cool down.

"I'm sorry." you hear Jungkook's worn voice at the side of your neck.

"Don't be." you answer. "It's not your fault."

He finally unties his hands from your waist and takes a deep breath. A dark veil still hangs in his eyes but he tries to cover it up with a weak smile. However, the smile turns a tad bit more genuine when you cup his cheek with one hand and gently caress it.

"I'll get you some water," you say and make to get up but he grips your hand and looks up at you with pleading eyes.

"Don't go."

If you could choose to have an image branded at the back of your mind, this particular one would be it. Those big round eyes and the messy curls that fell over them carelessly, that scar on his cheekbone, the one you'd always loved, and the pouty lips under the frame of which a tiny mole showed.

You feel like crying and laughing at the same time.

Yet you still understand.

He needed the physical support as much as the he needed the emotional one in order to have something to hang onto. A safe harbor to keep him from straying off into the dark corners of his traumas.

"Okay." You sit back down and Jungkook clings onto your arm almost immediately.

"Sir, " the man finally decides to speak. "I'm really sorry about everything."

Jungkook nods in affirmation.

You're just about to add something when the man's inner pocket of his coat starts to vibrate.

He gulps.

Looks at the door.

With shaking hands, he reaches inside his coat and retrieves his phone.

"It's him." he says upon taking a look at the screen.

Your senses tingle with a mind of their own. What you'd been talking about all this time takes the form of a man. The source of all your fears and sufferings.

The floor suddenly grows uncomfortable.

Bzzzzzzzz

It's like the vibrations are digging into your brain, each buzz more unbearable than the other.

The man can't seem to take it anymore. He taps on the phone and pushes it to his ear.

A gruff voice joins the line.

You're not able to catch any of the words but the man's face says it all.

Something happened.

"Don't hurt them, " he croaks.

More yelling on the other side of the phone call.

Then, silence.

At this point you don't know what to expect. You tightly squeeze Jungkook's leg in reassurance.

The man's begging eyes turn to plead with yours, desperate, hopeless. "I'm sorry, " he says and runs off to the door.

But instead of leaving, he pushes the open button.

And waits.

Your heart leaps in your throat when a dozen other bodyguards rush inside.

[lockhcrts-aa]

IF YOUR CHARACTER is from a different fandom / timeline / world even; please don’t be afraid to nudge me if you want to interact ! I generally don’t put Gilderoy is a modern timeframe by default when interacting with characters from different fandoms because I am an AU whore and I  LOVE  to make new verses for my boy. verses to be written out but available to write in include but aren’t limited to; Gotham, Marvel CMU, LOTR, and even various horror concepts.

[lockhcrts-aa]

One day I’d like to wake up to a world that loves Gilderoy Lockhart as much as I do

[lockhcrts-aa]

GILDEROY ALWAYS SMELLS of lavender and roses; this man smells like a bouquet dipped in honey ( rose scented body wash, lavender lotion a drop on every wrist, honey-scented shampoo. ) and even his hand lotion smells of roses.  

[lockhcrts-aa]

       INDIE / SELECTIVE / PRIVATE / CANON DIVERGENT   Gilderoy Lockhart  from Harry Potter !!  Both movie and book based but completely disregarding the Lockhart Wiki-page with a passion. Created on 10/10/2017 and revamped on 01/05/2018. As loved, adored, and protected by Mani.

[lockhcrts-aa]

who is going to throw my smol son over their shoulder and walk away with his spoiled princess ass?

[lockhcrts-aa]

         I WANT TO CRY over how beautiful my son is pls and thank you

[lockhcrts-aa]

LYRICS STARTER CALL   !!     (   because i’m lazy but I want to interact with all of you   )      mutuals only as always.

[lockhcrts-aa]

I want to revamp credence, it’s okay, I hate myself too. 

[lockhcrts-aa]

HI I LOVE GILDEROY LOCKHART.

[lockhcrts-aa]

It has been damn near half a year and I’m still  #shooketh  about how JKR described Gilderoy his eyes as forget-me-not-blue. That woman threw in some good foreshadowing early on in the book.  

[lockhcrts-aa]

           I’m too tired to make an instagram post edit    (    for now    )    but you know that Gilderoy, when given access to social media  &  especially instagram, not only becomes a writer; but also a serious influencer who always throws a light pink filter over his pictures because he believes that the world deserves some more pastel. 

His posts and photos are always incredibly staged and he signs every post with the  💜  emoji until it eventually becomes part of his brand.  

[lockhcrts-aa]

Growing up I always had a problem with people taking credit where it wasn’t due as well as flaunting what they did deserve. That, plus my general distrust of blond guys (long story there mate), made Lockhart my second least favorite character of the Harry Potter series right after Umbridge. That in mind, when I found this blog, I began to feel less hatred toward this pretty boy ponce, and almost genuinely care about him now. Other than that, wonderful job, bud. Keep up the good work!

I know that this ask is ages old; but I really felt the need to reply to this one. I have to admit that I’d never really cared about Lockhart before I started writing him    (   it’s a long story which can be simplified by telling you that someone send me pictures of Kenneth in Frankenstein, and his glorious hair got me wrapped up in this mess    )    But now, after writing him for almost a year, I have to admit that I myself have grown to see him in a completely different light. I would  NOT  be friends with Gilderoy Lockhart in real life, if I ever met a real-life version of him I would roll my eyes multiple times and walk past him with a scoff                  GIlderoy is in his core a very unlikable character      (     because that’s how JK set him up, and I understand why she did so    )     

There are so many layers to this man that it’s almost sad that the books did not have room for JK to explore all of them; the Lockhart which we see in the canon media is extremely shallow and only functions on one level, and it’s this level which makes him so unlikable. I do not blame JK for only showing us this side, I get and understand why she had to do so, but that’s where RP and the RPC are amazing tools to explore mindset of muses such as Lockhart come into play. 

If you look past the layers portrayed in the canon media, there is so much more to him, and it’s those layers which make him  HUMAN  rather than a leech in the form of a man. 

[lockhcrts-aa]

I deleted all my things in my inbox  &  drafts with the exception of... four things? Let’s start this blog fresh thank u