#Lawyer!Chris Evans

[universitypenguin]

Chapter 31

Summary: Princess slowly recovers from her brain injury. Nguyen refuses requests for an interview, leaving many lingering questions hanging over the case. Lloyd makes a rash decision. 

Word Count: 3,175

Masterlist

Warnings: Depiction of healthcare settings and brain injury recovery.

Chapter 31

Sunlight filtered in through the casement window of the rehab center and warmed the back of your neck. You sat on the edge of a chair and focused on the buttons of your sweater. First, tilt the button to the side…slip it through the hole… your fingers trembled as you fastened the top button of the cardigan.

“Very good,” the nursing assistant said.

You hated her bright, cheerful tone. It was more suited to training a puppy than addressing an adult. The worst part of it was that the assistant appeared to be even younger than you. For some reason, that rubbed salt in the wound.

“How about you try the next button?” she coaxed.

It was on the tip of your tongue to refuse and say you liked it better with only the top button fastened, but you knew that statement would wind its way back to your occupational therapist before breakfast was served. So, with unsteady fingers, you began to work on the second button.

Dressing on your own was a victory in itself. A month ago you’d graduated from a hospital gown to your own pajamas. This month you’d reached the greatest pinnacle of success possible in a place like long-term rehab: wearing real clothes. It was a huge improvement over being tethered to beeping machines in a sterile white room at the far end of the hall, which was where you’d started your rehab journey before being slowly downgraded through the different levels of care at the center.

The weeks you’d spent in the ICU were hazy, and your memories of that place were colored with an intense feeling of frustration.

Those feelings came back in full force when the nursing assistant spoke. “Good job!”

Your eyes flicked toward her, and your lip curled up in one corner. It was rude, but controlling your emotions—and facial expressions—was still a work in progress. While in the ICU, you’d learned there was a term for that condition: emotional lability. Basically, it meant that your feelings were intense and volatile. Emotional regulation was a natural state for you, something you’d learned so young it was almost an innate ability. Not having that skill post brain injury was a new experience—an unpleasant one.

The nursing assistant went to the bathroom and collected your makeup bag while she rattled off your morning schedule and filled you in on who was coming to visit you today. Lloyd would be here in the afternoon, and so would your mother and Vivian.

You took the makeup kit and carefully unzipped the bag, mindful of your movements. It took focus to keep your hand steady, applying the correct amount of pressure. Everything was slow these days, and it was hard not to slap the makeup bag off your lap and scream. Or maybe cry. You’d spent quite a bit of time alternating between both reactions, but at least now you could button a sweater. Hopefully, the results would compound, and you’d finally get your independence back.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

“You’re saying we can take her home?”

Lloyd cut through the long-winded social worker’s analysis, stating what he’d understood.

The social worker clasped her clipboard to her chest. “Provided there are no stairs to navigate and she has someone available to assist her during the day. She’s made significant progress, but there are still areas where she’ll need support—particularly with fine motor tasks and spatial awareness. It’s not ideal for her to be alone for extended periods.”

Lloyd glanced at your mother. Her lips were pressed into a thin line. Vivian, her hand resting on her pregnant belly, which was just starting to show, shifted uncomfortably. The tension in the room was palpable as the practicalities of Princess’ care weighed on everyone’s mind.

“There’s a bedroom at my house on the main floor,” Lloyd said. “There would be no need for her to deal with stairs.”

Your mother frowned. “I don’t want to impose. You’ve already done so much.”

“It’s not an imposition. It’s what makes sense. She’ll have the space and the supervision she needs.”

Vivian hesitated, glancing between them before she finally spoke. “Mom, there’s steps leading up to my house. Your guest room is in the basement. Neither of us could take care of her. Not safely.”

The doctor nodded. “Given her current limitations, Mr. Hansen’s home is better suited for her recovery. She’ll have outpatient therapy here at the rehab center three times a week, but I do think she’ll make more progress in a less regulated environment where she can relax and practice the therapy skills at her own pace.”

“She would,” your mother was quick to agree.

It was true that you’d reached the end of your patience with the structured routines of rehab. The daily therapy sessions made you cranky, not because you didn’t want to make progress, but because you resented constantly being told what to do and it was hindering your improvement.

“Then it’s settled. She’ll come home with me.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Getting you discharged took three days. There were requirements to fulfill, like having a hospital bed installed in the guest room and arranging for in-home therapy equipment to be delivered. Lloyd handled it all with efficiency. By the time the paperwork was signed and your belongings packed, you felt more like a package whose delivery required a team of logistics experts rather than a human being.

The ride to Lloyd’s house was quiet. You spent it in silence, hoping that you’d start to feel like you were reclaiming your independence at some point along the journey. When you stepped into the guest room and came face to face with the hospital bed that had replaced the luxurious queen bed that used to dominate the space, you wanted to sit down and cry. This didn’t feel like a stop on the way back to normal. It felt like the rest of your life would be spent fighting for every zipper to unzip and every button to fasten.

“Princess?” Lloyd spoke from behind you as you stood in the doorway to the guest room.

“Did you put the bed in storage?”

“It’s downstairs in the basement. The hospital bed is just temporary, I promise.”

He wrapped his arms around you and the solid mass of his chest pressed against your back. “You know, graduating from rehab calls for a celebration.”

You snorted derisively, unable to stop yourself.

Lloyd released his hold on your waist and turned you around by the shoulders to face him. You lowered your gaze, but he took your chin and tilted your head up.

“What’s wrong?”

“I…” you broke off and closed your eyes. “I’m sorry. Thank you for doing this. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m sorry.”

“For what?” he pressed.

Your eyes filled with tears, and you shook your head, unable to speak past the lump in your throat.

“Come here.”

You sank into Lloyd, sagging against him, and soon the front of his shirt was soaked with tears.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said again when you’d cried yourself out.

This time you forced yourself to put the emotions into words, even though it was harder to express yourself that way now. Everything was harder now.

“I was thinking that celebrating couldn’t involve me eating because I can’t use most silverware right now. I imagined myself trying to cut a bite of food, and then I felt… upset. We can’t go out for martinis because I can’t drink on my medication. If we went somewhere I’d just get tired and fall asleep, regardless of the fact that I’ve had three naps today. I’m just feeling… hopeless. I’m sorry.”

Lloyd’s lips brushed your ear. “You are not hopeless. In fact, you’re the furthest thing from it.”

You bit your lip and choked down another sob.

“Luckily, my celebration doesn’t involve eating or drinking or going out. In fact…”

The rustling of tissue paper had you lifting your head from his chest. He’d reached around you to pick up a gift bag from the dresser beside the door. It was bright red and stuffed on the top with silver paper.

“Open it.”

You tore out the paper and dug into the bag to find a velvet box. It was large, surprisingly so. Definitely bigger than any jewelry box you’d received for your birthday or a holiday. Instead of trying to open it yourself, you handed it to Lloyd.

He lifted the lid of the case and revealed a pearl choker nestled in the middle of the silk-lined box.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Want to try it on?”

In answer, you turned around so he could access your neck.

The cool weight of the pearls settled against your skin as Lloyd fastened the clasp. You reached up instinctively, your fingers brushing over the smooth surface of the choker. It felt elegant and timeless. For a fleeting moment, you could almost forget the hospital bed dominating the room or the tremor in your hand as you felt the jewels.

“Perfect,” Lloyd murmured. He slid off the bed and stood to face you, inspecting the necklace. “It suits you.”

You looked in the mirror above the dresser to see your reflection. The pearls caught the light from the window, gleaming against your skin, and for the first time in ages, you felt like you recognized the person in the mirror. It wasn’t exactly the same person as before, but you weren’t as different as you’d thought you’d become.

“Thank you,” you said.

Lloyd smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. You wondered at the expression and then your own smile faltered at the realization that perhaps he was seeing the same thing you were—the lack of similarity between who you were before, and now.

“I thought you deserved something beautiful after everything that’s happened.”

You swallowed hard, your fingers still tracing the pearls. “It’s perfect. I love it.”

“That’s all I care about,” Lloyd murmured.

There was something on his face you couldn’t figure out, but you could sense there was more to this gift than just what he’d said. Unfortunately, your brain was too tired, and a headache was forming in your left temple. You promised yourself that you’d puzzle it out later, but right now your body was too tired, your brain too fragile to process anything. His words hung in the air between you, their weight heavier than the necklace.

“You need a nap, don’t you?” Lloyd asked.

“Mmmhh.” You rubbed your left temple, sighing. “I’m sorry. I’m not very much fun right now.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll celebrate once you’re fully recovered. I promise. Now go to bed. I’ll tuck you in.”

“Tuck me into my hospital bed,” you grumbled.

“Suck it up,” Lloyd said, smirking when you pouted.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Weeks turned into months. The hospital bed in Lloyd’s guest room became a distant memory as grueling physical therapy sessions eventually turned into real progress. At first, the exercises were agonizing, breaking you down before you could rebuild. Small victories marked the way—cutting food without fumbling, fastening buttons without trembling, ascending stairs without clinging to the railing like it was a life preserver. Each milestone was hard-won, but by the time you were cleared to return to work, you’d reclaimed most of your independence.

In January, stepping into your office for the first time since the accident felt like slipping into a favorite coat that had been left hanging in the closet too long. The fit was the same, the fabric still warm with familiarity, but there was a stiffness to it now, a faint scent of dust that made it feel a little less like home. The hum of voices from down the hall, the rustle of papers, and the faint smell of coffee grounded you. Flowers waited on your desk, accompanied by a card signed by the paralegals. For the first time in months, you allowed yourself to hope for a normal day.

Lloyd had seemed genuinely pleased to see you thriving, but the shadow you’d glimpsed in his eyes the day he gave you the pearl choker lingered in your mind, like a storm cloud on the horizon. In the four months since Shun Nguyen’s arrest, Lloyd had been busy with new cases and relentlessly pursuing an elusive interview with Nguyen, who was now a full-time resident at the Keen Mountain Correctional Facility. Despite Lloyd’s weekly requests, Nguyen refused to break his silence. 

Meanwhile, you’d been preoccupied with therapy and the slow crawl back to normalcy. Lloyd’s caseload meant he’d been working long hours, during which your mother or sister had stayed at the house. The gaps in your time together had felt like mere coincidences rather than anything more significant, but tonight’s dinner was meant to change that. You were back at work and that meant you wouldn’t just have your normal routine back, you’d also have Lloyd again, too.

The French restaurant near Logan Circle was dimly lit, its ambiance all soft candlelight and muted conversations. The semi-private booth Lloyd reserved offered a semblance of intimacy, but the space between you felt heavier than usual. He picked at his coq au vin, while you tried to fill the silence with stories about your first day back at work, therapy, and plans for the weekend. His responses were polite but distant, each word carefully measured.

“I’m proud of you,” Lloyd said abruptly, cutting into your rambling story.

You blinked, caught off guard. “For what?”

“For everything,” he said, setting his fork down. His gaze locked with yours, and for a moment, the shadow you’d seen before was unmistakable. “For how hard you’ve worked to get back here. For everything you’ve overcome.”

Your heart swelled, but before you could respond, he sighed, the sound heavy with regret.

“I wanted to wait to do this,” he began, his voice low. “I wanted to do it differently, but if I keep putting it off, it’ll never happen. And I can’t keep avoiding it.”

A chill ran down your spine. “Avoiding what?”

Lloyd’s mouth tightened as he looked away. His voice, when it came, was calm but unyielding. “We’ve been holding onto something that’s run its course. There were a lot of extenuating circumstances, and after what happened to you in September… you needed support. But this relationship was never meant to last this long or become so… involved. It’s not right.”

“Not right?” you asked, disbelieving. “You mean it doesn’t feel right to you.”

His face betrayed nothing. “It’s not about how it feels. It’s about what’s best for you, for both of us. We can’t keep pretending those are the same thing.”

Tears stung the corners of your eyes, but you refused to let them fall. “What are you saying? If you’re breaking up with me, just say it. Don’t dance around it.”

Lloyd was maddeningly composed. “I care about you, but this relationship isn’t working for me. And it’s not working for you, even if you can’t see that yet. I can’t give you what you need—what you deserve. And I don’t want to keep holding you back.”

“This relationship is over. That’s what you’re saying,” you said. “You invited me to dinner to tell me this?”

“No, I didn’t—”

“Shut up,” you hissed, your voice low to avoid drawing attention. “Don’t tell me you care about me and then say you can’t give me what I need. That’s bullshit, Lloyd. I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

“We need to be realistic about what our future looks like.”

You scowled. “It sounds like you’ve already decided what it looks like.” 

“Think about it. Right now I’m forty-one and our physical relationship is good, but what happens in ten years, when I’m fifty-one? In twenty years?” Lloyd shook his head. “You might be attracted to me now, but when I’m sixty and my age starts to show, that’s another story. It’s going to happen sooner than you think, so ending this now is for the best.”

“What about when I’m in my forties? Will you be attracted to me?” 

“Forty is way different than sixty. Trust me, I’m in a lot better shape now than what I’ll be when I’m sixty. My expiration date is a lot earlier than yours, for looks, energy, and time.” 

“That’s ridiculous!”

“I’m sorry,” Lloyd said, his voice firm. “This is my decision and I need you to respect it. Please.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The ride back to your apartment passed in a blur. That night, you lay in bed, the scene at dinner replaying on an endless loop in your mind. By the time the sun broke through the blinds, you’d given up on sleep. You showered, dressed meticulously, and spent an hour perfecting your makeup to ensure no trace of the night’s turmoil showed on your face.

At the office, the cheerful bouquet on your desk felt like a cruel joke. The hollow ache in your chest burned with an intensity you couldn’t ignore. You felt like an open wound, raw and exposed. Unable to bear it any longer, you climbed the stairs to the top floor. Outside the patent department, you checked your watch. Ten minutes to seven.

The door swung open behind you. Bishop stepped in, brushing snow from his lapel. His brows lifted at the sight of you standing outside his office.

“Princess? How are you? How’s your second day back? You’re here early. Is something wrong?”

You drew a deep breath. “I would like to resign,” you said. “Effective immediately.”

Bishop froze, his expression shifting from surprise to concern. “Princess, I hope this isn’t about Lloyd. Let’s talk about this—come into my office.”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Your words came out clipped, final, but you couldn’t stop the sting of tears gathering in the corners of your eyes. “I just… I can’t do this anymore.”

He sighed, motioning for you to sit down in one of the chairs in front of his secretary’s desk. “Look, I get it. Things have been… difficult. But you’re one of the best researchers I’ve got. What if we found a way to make things easier for you here? A different role—less overlap with Lloyd’s team? How about working for Andy? He’d give his left arm to have you on his staff.” 

The offer was tempting, but every fiber of your being rejected the idea of staying at Bishop & Howard. “I appreciate that,” you said, “but this isn’t about Lloyd. It’s about me. I need to go.”

His frown deepened, but he nodded. “If that’s your final decision, I won’t stand in your way. Just know you’ll always have a place here.”

You rose to your feet and extended your hand. Bishop clasped it firmly, his grip tinged with the same reluctance that lined his face. No matter how much it hurt, this was the right decision. You knew Lloyd too well to hope that he’d change his mind and if you didn’t walk away, you’d never heal.

“Thank you for everything, Mr. Bishop.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Next Chapter - Coming Soon

Masterlist

Tag List: see the replies

[cassiopeia-grimm]

Rusty is an old colleague of Andy's. Seeing his friend in trouble, Andy offers to help. Without knowing that Rusty isn't telling him the whole truth.

[bookishtheaterlover7]

Divorce lawyer reader encountering laurie again unphased y/n took andy frm him

Worth It

Andy Barber x Divorce Lawyer!Reader

a/n: Hey, An🫶n, and my other beautiful readers! So sorry it's taken me a while to post any new stories, asks, or anything remotely interesting other than my rants and shade. It's been a tough month... For now, this is going to, hopefully, be 1 of 3 fics before November. Let me just say, I'm insane for challenging myself like this, but ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Anyway, sit back and enjoy the fic!

WARNINGS!!! Some cursing (calling of slut, one mention of Fuck), pet names, mention of the car crash, mention of near death, mention of therapy, Andy is one seductive little shit, maternal figure!Y/N.

*Y/S/N = Your SurName

**F/P = Favorite Pastry

***F/C/D = Favorite Cafe Drink

Her alarm rang obnoxiously loud, but Y/N didn't seem to mind as she reached out to her bedside table to turn it off, before snuggling back into the man sleeping peacefully beside her. As they were in the process of effectively divorcing his wife, Andy had promised that as soon as it was all finalized, she can expect for there to be some of the biggest changes in her life. And safe to say Atty. Y/N *Y/S/N, wasn't disappointed, and may never get tired of it all.

She wrapped her arms around the slender torso of her boyfriend. They'd been together for about two years now, despite having a rocky start, their feelings blossomed into the most beautiful thing that neither of the two have ever experienced before. And that fact was once again proven, when the girl's snuggling and attempt at burrowing had pulled a reaction from the unsurprisingly gorgeous man.

"You know that will only make you late, if not later, than normal, Baby Girl, right?" Andy smirked, eyes remaining closed, hiding the mischief behind them.

"So... What if I do want to be late? Hmm?" Y/N replied, her cheeky grin growing with each second, as she took to placing light kisses on the side of her Love's neck.

"Then you'll have to explain to a very moody 16-year-old, why he missed at least three periods... And you know you can't reason with him, or his teachers." Andy laughed.

"Fuck!" Y/N sighed, laying flat in disappointment.

"We never get our mornings in anymore..."

"You know we could just send, Jacob on the bus... Be some bad parents for once..." Andy whispered, pulling his girlfriend close once more, allowing him to do so, sexily, in her ear.

"No. I can't risk Laurie approaching, and basically harassing him. Again." Y/N said, pulling away from his extremely tempting arms, and sitting up.

"You know we should let her see him, again." Andy said, a hand rubbing Y/N's arm, and eventually resting on her hip, pulling him to her, as he propped himself with one arm, and scooted closer to her.

"And we will. In neutral territory, under supervision." Y/N huffed.

"You're never forgiving her, are you?" Andy said, after placing a kiss on her shoulder.

"Absolutely. Come on, Andy, we're going to be stuck at traffic if we don't start moving now." She continued, looking at the time on the clock across from the right side of the bed.

"You don't want to be called old by our son again, do you?" She added with a chuckle, getting up, and turning around to walk backwards towards the bathroom.

"No, I definitely don't! Especially if I'm going to make sure his Ma will be carrying his sibling..." Andy said, smiling with a playfulness that alluded to something more.

And it stayed on, as he charged at Y/N. Filling their home with sounds of laughter and gleeful screams. With Andy silently hoping that he'd be able to hear that sound for the rest of his life.

Jacob had had an early day off from school, considering that his Physics teacher had cancelled class to be with his 6 year old daughter, who had fallen and injured herself in PE. Andy was stuck in his office, filling paperwork after paperwork for a case he was assigned, and he'd asked Y/N to fetch Jacob from school. And she was happy to oblige.

Jacob might not be her son by blood, and he had been accused of murder, but she loved him anyway. They'd formed a unique maternal bond, and she wasn't willing to give it up for anything. Especially when Jacob accepted that she could become his step-mother at some point.

Y/N decided it'd be fun to take Jacob with her to work, considering her caseload was light, and no one minded having a teenager amongst them. Plus, Jacob had asked her how and what did she do her job, at one point. That's why she decided to buy a few snacks from the stall right outside hers and Andy's office building.

"What would you like to have bud?" She asked, smiling at him, gently holding him up as he was still suffering from partial paralysis in his left leg, from the car crash. Therapy had helped, both physically and mentally, however, it had taken two years before some feeling came back and he was able to flex his foot. However, the rest of the leg will take some time.

"I don't know, Ma... Everything looks so good, I can't decide. Am I even allowed?" Jacob asked, his eyes sparkling in a way that Y/N has only seen happen in Andy's eyes.

"Ofcourse, you're allowed, Silly! Don't tell your father that I'm letting you take two, though." She giggled conspiratorially.

"My lips are sealed." Jacob laughed, holding his crutch in one hand, while he mimed a zipper with the other.

He later picked one chocolate frosted, with chocolate chips on top, and one white frosted, with colorful sprinkles, for his donuts, along with one Mocha-latte. Y/N ordered her usual **F/P and ***F/C/D, and was in the process of paying when she heard, a motherly voice, she was definitely not in the mood to hear today.

"Jacob! Sweetie, you look so big! You've grown so much in the past two weeks..." Laurie cried, her hands on Jacob's shoulders, before she pulled him into a hug.

"Laurie, get your hands off of my son. You don't get to see him until this Saturday, you know that!" Y/N exclaimed, approaching them with fury. Her own protective motherly instincts had awoken at the sound of that woman's voice.

"Your son? Y/N surely you can't be serious. Jacob is, and always will be my son. I gave birth to him. I raised him. I protected and defended him, when no one else did!" Laurie shouted, making Jacob flinch. Y/N took hold of Jacob, gently freeing him from Laurie's clutches.

"Yeah, you did a mighty good job at that, when you tried to kill him by crashing that car." She said in an eerily calm way.

"Jacob go inside, and wait in the Lobby."

"If he died in that accident, then you'd have Andy all to yourself, you slut!" Laurie said, not caring who hears.

"You know that what happened wasn't an accident, Laurie. You pressured Jacob into confessing to something he didn't do, because that's all you believed." Y/N countered, causing Laurie to eat her words.

"You believed the worst in Jacob, and didn't care that he was innocent in all of it. And you think you deserve to be called a mother? You tried to kill him! Your own son. You don't deserve to be near Jacob or the rest of my family." She gasped, finally letting out all that she thought of Laurie in the past two years.

"If it were up to me, I'd deny you any of your parental rights. But I won't do that to Jacob, or Andy. Those two mean more to me than anything else in this world, and I will do whatever it takes to make them happy and safe." She sighed, a heavy weight lifting off of her shoulders.

"Now, go home, Laurie. Before I smack you with a restraining order. We'll see you this weekend, if you manage to stay away for that long..."

Y/N had won. She not only gave Laurie a piece of her mind, she had actually spoken a truth she knew to be true long before Andy and her had made themselves official. And as she sighed with even more relief, and turned around, she saw one handsome face and the face of a boy that's been through hell but was right there smiling, that couldn't help, but make her smile.

"Jacob and I mean more to you than anything, huh?" Andy shyly smiled, his teeth peeking through his lips.

"You do. More than you'll both ever know." Y/N replied, as she ran to the arms of her family. Content with the life she's built for herself, that's worth everything.

So, I may have gotten, little bit overboard with the request, and wrote my first ever Andy Barber fic, feat. Jacob Barber😅. I hope you don't mind, An🫶n. Your request was too good of an idea to pass up writing a full fic!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I also hope that this fic was a fun distraction from all this mess caused by certain people. And stay tuned, I'm not done writing yet. Because this was, sort of an energizer for me.😁

See you in the next one, my Fellow Fan Girls and Boys🫶

Chris Evans Characters Masterlist

Andy Barber Masterlist

[p4nishers]

thinking very much about the "the will was eddies love confession" theory cause oh my god can YOU IMAGINE????? it was even framed as a whole ass love confession. like that was a romantic scene, in an episode where all the romantic couples are paired together THEY CHOSE TO PAIR THEM TOGETHER. but if we push that aside, he literally gave his HEART to buck (heart theory, anyone?), LEGALLY BINDING HIM to the diazes. not only did he baby trap him, by putting him in the will he all but declared that buck is not allowed to die. also i mean just like, what if he really believed it would make all of his feelings perfectly clear and was prepared to say everything but BUCK TOOK IT AS EDDIE SETTING A BOUNDARY. AS EDDIE SAYING THAT HE'D BE THE BACKUP. im so sick. this man really looked at his best friend, who'd have DIED for him, who rather been shot then see eddie hurt and went 'yeah he needs to know, i need to tell him'. he was trying to confess his love and buck thought their relationship was falling apart. im gonna vomit.

yes also im implying eddie realized his feelings after he got shot and has KNOWN ever since then. and that makes me go out of my fucking mind. "no one will EVER fight for my son as hard as you" eddie was in love there. "because evan, you came in here the other day saying it would've been better if it was you who was shot. you act like you're expendable....but you're wrong" HE WAS IN LOVE THERE!!!!!!!

[oh-my-damn]

Seen someone tweet this today and thought you know who 😂

“I know why men date younger women, cause they done already annoyed the shit out of women their own age.”

This is factual and accurate and I support it and I would argue on behalf of it in court 🤷🏻‍♀️🫡

[crunchypickle]

i would do anything for them🧎‍♀️😳

[novy2sirius]

The type of characters you’d play in films

— based on your moon

Actors Moon Placements:

The Moon in astrology is associated with emotions and emotional responses. It can show how your emotions come off. For this reason its closely associated with acting of course there are other planets that could come into play when discussing your acting style but I find the Moon to be most common in showing what characters and actor typically plays

Examples:

These are some western and sidereal examples

• Adam Sandler — Known for playing a lot of funny characters in comedy films. His Moon is in the sign Gemini in his Sidereal chart which is one of the signs most closely associated with comedy

• Tom Holland — Most known for playing the superhero Spiderman has a Scorpio Moon in his sidereal chart. Scorpio and Aries placements are commonly found in the charts of people who play superhero’s most likely because Mars and Pluto can be associated with crime/fighting. Also Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Benedict Cumberpatch, etc have either their western or sidereal Moon in the signs Aries/Scorpio

• Penn Badgley — One of his most popular characters is Joe Goldberg in “YOU” who is a serial killer and stalker. Penn has a Scorpio Moon which is the sign ruled by Pluto the planet associated with things like stalking and death

• Jeremy Allen White — Plays aggressive characters really well such as Lip Gallagher in Shameless and Carmy in The Bear. He has an Aries Moon. Aries is ruled by Mars the planet associated with anger and aggression

• Emmy Rossum — Her most popular character was Fiona in Shameless who is a very broken character that has lots of daddy/mommy issues and must take on the responsibility of raising her siblings. Emmy has a Capricorn Moon which is why she plays this character so incredibly well

• Alexa Demie — Most famous for her character Maddy in Euphoria where she was Nate’s love interest. She has a Libra Moon which is the sign associated with romance since it’s ruled by Venus. Maddy is also big on fashion which Venus also is associated with. In Sidereal she’s a Virgo Moon which also aligns with the character as Maddy is very sassy

• Leonardo Dicaprio & Kate Winslet — Their most famous role was in the movie “Titanic” which is a romance film. They both have a Libra Moon, once again, ruled by Venus the planet of love

• Sarah Jessica Parker — Most known for her role in the show “Sex and the city”. Her Moon is in the 8th house which is the house of sex meaning she does well in more sexual roles

• Reese Witherspoon — One of her biggest roles was in Legally Blonde where she plays a regular college girl who aspires and is working to be a lawyer. She’s a Capricorn Moon in western which is the sign associated with your career/work and in sidereal she’s a Sagittarius Moon which is the sign associated with law (other than Libra) as it’s ruled by Jupiter the planet that represents justice

The best type of characters for you to play:

I recommend checking both your western and sidereal moon as I’ve seen both have accuracy

(1h/Aries Moon) They do best in films involving action, crime, or films involving war. They could do well playing characters that are a superhero, sexual character, athletic character, aggressive character, fighter, villain, and you could also do well in adventure films too.

(2h/Taurus Moon) They do best in romance or musical films. They could do well playing a character that is someone’s love interest, a chef/baker/cook, stubborn, determined, or that’s wealthy and materialistic.

(3h/Gemini Moon) They do best in comedy films. They could do well playing funny characters, a fraternal twin, a character that’s gossipy such as regina george, a character that’s popular on the internet, a character that’s crazy, a character in school, and characters that are neighbors to the main character.

(4h/Cancer Moon) They do best in family films or emotional films. They could do well playing soft, sensitive, caring, be a child star, a chef, be a mother, and roles literally involving lunar topics in some way such as Robert Pattinson who plays in Twilight. Twilight itself involves the Moon/Sun.

(5h/Leo Moon) They do best in thrillers, dramas, or romance films. They do very well as main characters or as characters that are sassy, as child-like characters such as Tom Hanks voicing in Toy Story, a famous character, sometimes as superheroes, and possibly flirtatious characters. They also tend to play gay characters sometimes like Cameron Monaghan and Noel Fisher for example.

(6h/Virgo Moon) They do best in dramas, comedy, or medical films and shows. They play very analytical and funny judgmental characters well or sarcastic ones. Sometimes even awkward characters suit them well like Jonah Hill in Superbad for example.

(7h/Libra Moon) They do best in romance, musical films, or even sometimes in Disney films such as Halle Bailey. They often do well playing romantic, charming, attractive, and artistic characters. Sometimes their character could be involved with law in some way such as a lawyer.

(8h/Scorpio Moon) They do best in action, crime, mystery, or horror films. They play dark characters really well, scary characters, murderers, and brave/ambitious characters good as well. They could even play good surgeons.

(9h/Sagittarius Moon) They do best in comedy, adventure and sometimes superhero films. A character that’s positive, humorous, blunt, seeking justice for others, or is in school would suit them well.

(10h/Capricorn Moon) They do best in historical films or films with sarcastic/dark humor. As sad as it sounds they play broken characters really well. I notice a lot of people with this placement play characters that have daddy/family issues as well. If not broken they can play hardworking characters or business men/women really well.

(11h/Aquarius Moon) They do best in sci-fi, supernatural, or just very unique films in general. Characters such as Neo in The Matrix played by Keanu Reeves, characters that are a bit of an oddball/weird, and characters that are the life of the party/party animals such as most of James Franco’s characters.

(12h/Pisces Moon) They do best in fiction or fantasy films. A character that’s a princess/ethereal, not human, musically talented, artistically talented, characters pretending to be something they’re not, and as characters that have a lot of secrets.

Note:

I do think sometimes the Sun can be more accurate with this as well since it’s related to self expression, drama, talent, and spotlight. Make sure to check your Sun placement as well

[universitypenguin]

Chapter 30

The Princess & the Lawyer

Summary: Princess makes slow progress in her recovery. Meanwhile, Lloyd’s hunt for answers leads him into a trap.

Word Count: 1,550

Warnings: Adult content, cannon level violence, coarse language, 18+ readers only. 

Masterlist 

Chapter 30: The Spy in Apartment Five

Lloyd’s footsteps echoed off the cement walls of the stairwell as he climbed toward Princess’ apartment. The cinder block walls smelled faintly of mildew, and the chill of the metal railing under his palm hinted at how sharply the temperature had dropped. Gale-force winds had eased into spitting snow, and for once, Lloyd found the snow preferable.

Three-quarters up the third flight of stairs, his phone buzzed. Pausing, he glanced at the caller ID before answering.

“Phillip,” he said, wedging the phone against his ear.

“Hello, Mr. Hansen. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

“It’s as good as any.”

“I’ve found the perfect item for you. It checks all your boxes—expensive, elegant, timeless. One of a kind. The pearls are perfectly matched, and the craftsmanship—”

“What did it appraise for?” Lloyd cut in.

“Just over $400,000.”

“And the value ten years ago?”

“It was last sold five years ago for $319,000. The craftsmanship is exquisite.” 

“I’ll take it. Have a courier bring it over around three.”

“Are you sure? Perhaps you’d like to see pictures. I can email them…”

“No. Just bill my account.” 

Lloyd ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket. He climbed the last steps, reaching the fourth floor. Moving quickly down the hall, he stopped at the fifth door on the right. Princess’ apartment.

He inserted his copy of the key, unlocked the door, and pushed it open with deliberate care. A faint mechanical click halted him. His breath caught and the familiar sound raised the hair on the back of his neck. Freezing, he peered through the narrow gap. A device sat perched on the edge of the foyer table, a fishing line running from its trigger to the door.

Lloyd’s gaze tracked the wire. A Claymore mine. A few more inches, and it would’ve been the end of him—and likely anyone within thirty meters.

He unhooked the wire from the door, keeping the tension steady, and eased inside. Wrapping the wire around his hands, he edged toward the mine, eyes glued to the pressure plate trigger. Finally, he was close enough to disengage the pins in the trigger device. After securing the wire and disarming the bomb, he rolled his shoulders out, breathing deeply as relief washed over him.

He crouched down and inspected the device. “M18 Claymore… half a pound of C4…” Lloyd shook his head. “Fucking over kill.” 

The destructive power would’ve leveled the room and thrown enough shrapnel into the surrounding apartments to kill any unfortunate occupants. Grimacing, he reassembled the trap exactly as he’d found it. The element of surprise mattered more than his personal distaste for the task and he promised himself that it was only a temporary measure.

Lloyd moved down the short hallway and stepped over a second tripwire, spotting another Claymore. “Asshole,” he grumbled, sneering at the booby trap. 

In the living room, he settled on the sofa. His eyes narrowed on a leather tote bag resting on the armchair. Princess’ work bag. The one missing since the car accident. On the coffee table, a file lay open. Lloyd leaned forward, reading the label. He scowled, sighed, rubbed his aching temples, and sat back to wait.

It didn’t take long.

The sound of the front door opening was followed by the quiet disarming of the first Claymore. Instead of coming down the hallway, the footsteps turned and went into the kitchen. Rustling takeout bags and the clang of a drawer signaled activity on the other side of the wall. 

Lloyd steepled his fingers and waited, staying perfectly still.

A man emerged from the kitchen holding a container of curry that smelled of fragrant spices. At the sight of Lloyd in the living room, he froze.

“Hello, Courtland.”

“Lloyd.”

“Nice setup with the Claymore. Overkill, but more contained than Prague.”

“Prague wasn’t me,” Court said, setting the box of curry on the coffee table.

“Cahill?”

Court nodded.

“Impressive.” Lloyd crossed his legs. “Go ahead, sit down. Your lunch is getting cold.”

“How did you find me?”

“Simple deduction. You needed a place to lay low, and Princess’ apartment was convenient.”

“How is she?”

“Awake. Mostly alert,” Lloyd said. “Her coordination and fine motor skills are off and her words don’t come easily, but she’s doing better.”

Court’s expression hardened, guilt flickering beneath the surface. Lloyd tried to enjoy it but found satisfaction elusive. He watched as Court took a few bites and then asked, “How much does she remember?”

“Bits and pieces. The doctors say that’s normal. Their long-term prognosis is optimistic, but it’ll take months of rehab to get her back to normal.”

Court studied him. “You don’t sound optimistic.”

“Looking at her now, it’s hard to see recovery as possible. It takes faith… more than I have.”

Court tilted his head. “You’ve never seen someone you love in pain before, have you?”

“No. Not like this.”

“Are you going to stick around for her? Or are you going to fall apart?”

“She doesn’t need me. I’ve done enough damage by dragging her into this.”

Court snorted. “That’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”

“Mind your own business, Gentry.”

Lloyd’s gaze shifted to Princess’ notebook on the table. “You always rifle through women’s things when you trespass in their apartments?”

“I’m a spy. So were you.”

“Touché.”

Court picked up a water bottle. “She left it in your office. I brought it here to keep it out of evidence lockup.”

“Reading it was part of keeping it safe?”

Court smirked. “Hey, I solved my mystery. You’re still chasing your own tail.”

“Nguyen was officially charged this morning.”

“He’s not the guy.  You’re overlooking the hospital staff. Anyone who worked there between 1999 and 2002 should’ve been investigated. Especially after you identified Li Wei Chapman. Look for a connection to those first victims and the hospital employees in the right time frame and you’ll find your killer.” 

“You killed Tafferty, didn’t you?”

“If I hadn’t the NSA or China would’ve.”

“Interesting that your definition of solving a mystery includes committing a murder of your own,” Lloyd said. 

Court rolled his eyes. “If I hadn’t, you would have, and then you’d be cooling your heels in prison. I did you a favor. The least you could say is thank you.” 

Lloyd curled his lips over his teeth. Fixing his eyes on a point over Court’s right ear, he spoke slowly, enunciating each syllable. “Thank you.”

“Mmhh. You’re welcome. Is that why you came here? To ask about Westin?”

“No. I’m here with a message. Don’t ever contact Princess again or it’ll be your corpse in an alley. You understand? Don’t drag her into your investigations or whatever little drama you kick up in the future. Stay very, very, far away from her. Forever. Are we clear?” 

Court nodded. “Yes.”

Lloyd stood up. He grabbed Princess’ bag and the file, shoved the folder into the bag and slung it over his shoulder. 

“Stay here if you must, but clean up before you go. Princess doesn’t need to know you were ever here. And she never finds out about the Claymore you rigged to her door. You know you could kill everyone in a thirty meter radius with that thing.”

“Unlikely. It only has half a pound of C4,” Court said.

Lloyd sighed. “Awesome. That’s just… wonderful. Make sure to lock up when you leave.”

Outside, snow flurries danced in the air as Lloyd headed to his car. Traffic was light and he made it back to Bishop & Howard in record time. He paced in his office, flipping through Princess’ notebook and comparing her notes to his own. There were plenty of clues, but the facts refused to align. At 2:57, a knock on the doorframe broke his focus. A courier handed him a velvet case. Lloyd opened it briefly, inspecting the necklace, and checked an item off his to-do list before filing the jewelry box away in his bottom desk drawer.

Court’s comment about the hospital staff lingered in his mind, refusing to let up. It felt like a long shot, but there were no other moves left on the board. Not with Shun Nguyen stuck in prison, refusing visits from investigators, and even from Peter Shaw. He wouldn’t give an account of his actions or offer up an alibi. It was like 2002 all over again. Lloyd set aside his pride and dialed Annabeth Greene’s number from memory.

“Dr. Greene’s office. Laura speaking.”

“Hello Laura. This is Lloyd Hansen. Can you pass along a message for me? I need a crosscheck for any link between Li Wei or Zoe Chapman and Forest View Hospital staff from 1998 to 2003. I’ve emailed Dr. Greene a list of names.”

“I’ll let her know.”

Hanging up, Lloyd swiveled his desk chair around to face the window. Snow was falling in steady sheets, though it was only the fourth of October. He watched the flurries dance in the air, and for the first time in weeks, his mind felt still. Answers were coming. They had to come because Lloyd was certain of one thing: Shun Nguyen had not kidnapped Laine Cruz. Whoever had done so was still out there, a free man.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Next - Chapter XXXI

Masterlist

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[buddiekinard]

Hi, Jamie! My brain won’t stop thinking about your Buck/Shannon snip from the other day. Does Buck find excuses to hang around and talk to her at the coffe shop until he realizes he’ll look desperate if he names one more reason he can stay? Or y’know any other Thoughts you might be having about Them 💞

I keep thinking about her having to go back to work in the afternoon and she doesn't really want to go because they're having such a great conversation. She hasn't really talked to any guys since she left Eddie and they got divorced via lawyers (because they're divorced here it's less messy), and Evan Buckley is sweet and funny and okay very very hot, and he's a firefighter! He saves lives. So when he asks for her number, she's like. a little hesitant because she's still working things out for herself and trying to get the courage to work her way back into Christopher's life, and maybe dating is the last thing she needs to do. But she says yes anyway because it's just nice to be flirted with. eddie was her last relationship and she was never flirted with in the end. it was never really good in the end. all they did was fight. so they meet for coffee a couple more times before he gets up the courage to ask her on a real date, and he ends up taking her to a really nice place and they talk about their exes - his a woman that left him and then just stopped texting him, hers an ex that was complicated and confusing and she's honest about just walking out but she maybe leaves out chris because she wants him to like her before she finds out he's kind of a horrible mother.

The thing is he really likes her and she likes him and he's kind of a gentleman. She tells him she hasn't dated in a while and he lets her take it slow. They kiss after the first date, on her doorstep, like fucking teenagers whose parents are waiting inside. It's so *nice*. And so they start dating.

And sometimes Buck mentions her at work but for some reason it just never dawns on Eddie that Shannon is his Shannon. Shannon is a common name, you know. But after a few dates when they finally sleep together, he says, hey, you should stop by the station after work some day. I'll show you around. You can meet the crew. They're family! It's basically home!

And so she does. She stops by on a random Wednesday. It's a normal day! They've been going out for about a month. She wants to meet his friends. She doesn't really have many people to introduce him to at the moment. Maybe Chris, some day, if she can get the courage to tell Eddie she wants to be back in their lives.

But then she asks to see Buck and the nice man who greets her goes upstairs and she hears Buck say

"Come on, man! You're going to love her. She's so beautiful. Just wait."

And Buck is coming downstairs with another man, and --

"Oh fuck."

"Shannon." Eddie just blinks at her.

"Hey, you know Shannon already?" Buck smiles. He goes over and greets her with a kiss to her cheek. "Eddie's my partner and best friend."

Of course he is because Shannon is very very unlucky.

"Buck." She frowns. "I know Eddie because he's my ex-husband."

"But that - that means you're - "

"Shannon is Chris' mother."

--TBC!!!!

[cassiopeia-grimm]

Imagine

Check out what the sheriff posted on the account.

[bookishtheaterlover7]

Home to all of the fics and asks concerning the hottest Assistant District Attorney, I've ever seen.

🔥= NSFW 🖤 = angst ❤️ = Fluff 🫠 = somewhat spicy but not quite yet ❓= ask

Andy Barber x Divorce Lawyer!Y/N

The beginning 🖤🔥❓

Introducing Y/N ❓

A little taste of what's to come🔥❓

When they're feelings become the purest thing in their lives🔥❤️❓

"Worth it" 🫠🖤❤️❓

[packagecfgirlyevil-a]

"And how do you think I was looking at you, Ethan?" Her lips purse as she fights off a grin - she's merely looking, she knows better than to think she can touch, for now at least.

"No you are!" Ethan's not easily flustered but for some reason... "Just not like that."

[lover-of-mine]

“As a recovering buddie fan, i come to conclusion that they only like Eddie because of Chris and nothing more. But wanting Chris to come back is very toxic for me because that kid needs stability and Eddie can't give it to him anymore. I think that he will lose custody of his child and im happy about it because he doesn't deserve his child since he didn't care about him at all. And them thinking that Evan will use his "legal guardian rights" to fight for Chris and help Eddie be with him? Crazy. Helena and Ramon have better lawyers and mostly they want Chris. Also, i don't think Evan will go to this lengths for them. He's in a committed relationship with the love of his life and he needs to dedicate all of his attention to Tommy. Eddie isn't capable of being a father and Shannon shouldn't have given him full custody.”

they need to hope to never have an encounter with me

"Recovery buddie fan" wow.

The way that some people actually think Buck has any legal power over Chris is actually kinda funny to me. There's only one adult alive with legal rights to Christopher and that's Eddie. Also, Shannon is dead? It's not like she gave up custody? They didn't have a legal agreement and then she died, a dead person can't take care of a child? Eddie's parents don't have any legal standing and they know it, if they had it, they would've sued for Chris' custody already. And Eddie's will is a suggestion, Buck doesn't currently have any legal say, he's not Chris' legal guardian, that would only kick in if Eddie dies and even then he would have to go through the whole process to keep Christopher and Eddie's parents would be allowed to sue for custody because of the blood relationship. Buck has no legal say. Eddie's parents have no case. Imagine going to a judge and saying "my son is unfit to raise this child and we want custody" "what did your son do?" "he dated a woman who looked like his wife" anyone would laugh. And Chris is old enough so that his opinion would be taken into consideration and the idea that Chris would sit through his grandparents dragging Eddie to court and not go back to Eddie is laughable. And the idea that Buck wouldn't pass the bar himself to get Chris back to Eddie if had to. They prove they haven't watched the show every time they talk about Eddie. From the moment Buck found out Chris existed, he's been doing everything he can to help Eddie. He would never just stand by and let Eddie lose Christopher. They sound so much like Eddie's parents I wanna throw hands, dude. What exactly about Eddie created a toxic environment for Chris? The way he's been killing himself to be the past parent he can? People are acting like Chris somehow walked in on Eddie fucking Kim doggy style in the living room couch and that Eddie orchestrated the situation. That man was trying to deal with his own grief and he made one bad decision that led to a domino effect no one could've predicted. This is.............. Imagine misunderstanding Eddie this badly.

Also the insistence on calling Buck "Evan" all of the sudden is getting on my nerves.

[weclassybouquetfun]

While there are people latching onto comments from WB Television president Channing Dungey recent comments about the possibility of more TED LASSO / TED LASSO universe,

I am going to focus on what is real. Like, the reality of how gorgeous Hannah Waddingham is.

This weekend Hannah had a FYC panel for her AppleTV+ Christmas special HANNAH WADDINGHAM: HOME FOR CHRISTMAS at Paramount Studios.

She obviously had a ball.

What's going on with some of the other AFC Richmond babes?

-Brett Goldstein's lawyer was featured in this week's Hollywood Reporter.

-Phil read letters as part of D-Day's 80th Anniversary commeration.

He looks good in a uniform.

He looks good as a cowpoke.

-Also commemorating D-Day was Tom Hendryk and his father.

-James Lance will be part of Chris Evans' (not *that* Chris Evans) -

This Chris Evans.

Annual charity event CarFest which supports UK Children's Charities. Also on the lineup is Sam Ryder,

who reunited with Kola Bokinni recently.

-Stephen Manas continues embodying Richard Montlaur. The most interesting French man alive.

-Max Osinski gassing up Charlie Hiscock.

-Ellie Taylor is back on a new series of BAKE-OFF: THE PROFESSIONALS, after finishing up her little bun in the oven.

-Speaking of babies.... Baby Moe Hashim never lost his smile.

[mariacallous]

An activist for marriage equality and a philanthropist and photographer are among the Jewish recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal, a civilian honor bestowed by President Joe Biden on Thursday.

Biden is awarding the medal to 20 people in total, including former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who stood out in recent years — and drew ire from her own party — for her outspoken condemnation of the pro-Donald Trump Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Biden will also give the honor to former Democratic Sens. Chris Dodd and Ted Kaufman. Kaufman’s father was Jewish but he was raised Catholic.

The other recipients include Bobby Sager, a Jewish photographer and philanthropist who focuses on education and creating opportunity for low-income people abroad, including Palestinian women artisans. In 2017, Sager also gave an address on Yom Kippur at the Vilna Shul in Boston, a historic synagogue that now serves as a Jewish cultural center. He spoke about how his son celebrated his bar mitzvah at the synagogue and about the institution’s “potential as an engine for Jewish tradition, Jewish thought and Jewish action.”

Another recipient is Evan Wolfson, a lawyer and leading activist for marriage equality. In a statement about Wolfson, the White House commended his decades of advocacy for same-sex marriage and  said he “worked with singular focus and untiring optimism to change not just the law, but society—pioneering a political playbook for change and sharing its lessons, even now, with countless causes worldwide.”

[shitouttabuck]

ok stay with me here but: (loose) anastasia (1997) au

evan buckley: the missing, presumed dead, youngest child of the beloved/beloathed buckley family, all of whom were murdered when he was a kid—all except his older sister. except he’s alive, with the unfortunate downside of total amnesia, and nothing to tie him to anyone except a broken something that just reads: buck. so buck grows up alone, and it sucks, especially because it’s not all he’s ever known. he might not have his memories but he knows he's known what love is. home, love, family. there was once a time i must’ve had them too. home, love, family. i will never be complete until i find you.

maddie buckley: only daughter of the buckley family, fell in love with a bad man who tried to kill her whole family to get to her. got away and got safe. doesn’t know if doug’s alive. her brother’s probably dead. surviving’s not the same as living, and she’s been doing it for so long. but… have you heard… there’s a rumour in los angeles. she’s got the best and the brightest protecting her, and all that buckley family money. spreading them both thin could mean doug worming his way out of the woodwork but if there’s even a chance evan’s really out there? she’s already decided.

eddie diaz: conman, but more importantly, dad. there was a war, and then another one, and his wife left, and somewhere in there his parents took his kid from him. he does not have the money to fight them with lawyers, but he’s stubborn and not particularly respectful of the law and he’s heard that maddie buckley’s protective service team has means and money that allow for a) duking it out in court with his parents or b) getting his kid back in ways that are more uh legally grey. and it just so happens the rumours are that maddie buckley will do just about anything and pay just about any sum to find her long-lost brother. blond-haired, blue-eyed, missing at age 10—nearly two decades ago. he could look like anyone, now. sure, there’s the distinctive red birthmark over his eyebrow, but makeup and tattooing go a long way these days. oh, and conveniently, his partner in literal crime, however mild, has an old inside link with someone on maddie buckley’s bodyguard team. chim never shuts up about henrietta wilson—hen, he calls her—particularly when eddie’s fumbling a job and having to improvise and he feels the need to point out just how competent his previous partner steadfastly was.

if eddie and chim are holding illicit auditions for evan buckley lookalikes, and this massive beautiful man stumbles in apparently already having gone to the trouble of dressing for the part? who is eddie to look that gift horse in the mouth? the quicker they see this con through, the quicker he’s together with chris again.

except buck thinks eddie really believes he’s maddie buckley’s missing brother, and buck is warm and ridiculous and so genuinely curious about eddie’s own family, on this journey to find his own, and eddie can’t help but share christopher, and buck listens with bright eyes and holds the photographs so carefully in his big hands.

cons are never victimless, and eddie knows getting chris back takes priority over any moral quandary of identity theft here.

but buck asks about chris’s favourite things and stays up late on their crosscountry train to come up with plans for an accessible skateboard for a kid he’s never met. buck tells eddie he wonders if maddie’ll recognise him, and he hopes she does, because he’s never had anyone see him and know him before. buck asks eddie if he thinks they’ll stay friends, once they’re both reunited with their families. it’ll be nice not to have to miss anyone again, he tells eddie one night, quiet. missing who you don’t remember is one thing. missing who you know?

he trails off and falls asleep not long after, but eddie lies awake in the bunk below him for hours. his moral compass has always swung with whatever cognitive dissonance necessary to justify his actions because the final truth is: heart over mind. and chris has always been his whole heart. so falling in love with your mark has got to be the stupidest, most dangerous thing you can do.

even this is okay; he can handle breaking part of his own heart. but he didn’t realise he was holding so much of buck’s too, and now? he doesn’t know that he can survive breaking any of that.