#True move in another country behaviour

[stillboredbuttrying]

I just finished ep48 of Hi Nay ( @hinaypod) after binging for like 2h. It keeps getting more tragic but the Donner phone call was so sweet 😭. Also I'm happy Mari's naynay is still alive, I started to think that she was actually dead and Mari was doing the whole voice message thing to cope.

I love how every villain they meet turns out to not be too villainous but trying to unmade the focai.

Also the story of Mari's nay getting asked to curse people for petty things (not the killing people part) reminded me so much of people in my place going to old ladies that know how to work and protect from the evil eye to curse people for petty reasons and find out if they have been cursed. A continent and a sea divide us, but people are people everywhere 💀

Anyway the real question is: did Mari and Donner kiss under the mistletoe 👀?

[reiderwriter]

hi!!! omg i’ve been following you for a bit now and i saw that it’s not only your 1k celebration(AHHHHHH OMG CONGRATS GIRL!!!) but also your birthday soon!!! So happy birthday and i hope you’re having a fantabulous day!!

If it’s not too much trouble, could i request #4 on your 1k celeb list for Spencer Reid? maybe like imagine they’re undercover in a club or at a party and reader has to dance on him for some odd reason and boy is already mad in love and now he’s got a hard on while his crush dances on him for a case and reader maybe takes mercy on him and drags him to a private place tooooooo😋😋

it’s totally okay if this isn’t to your fancy so don’t feel pressured at all!! i love your writing so much and i just know anything you write, even if you don’t write this ask or if you change it up, will be amazing!!! enjoy your birthday b and take loads of a care of yourself!💕💕

A/N: Thank you for the request, and I AM SO SORRY it took me nearly four months to get to 😭 I actually loved writing this one, so I hope you enjoy reading it! Thank you for the birthday wishes 💖

Warnings: public sex, sex in an alleyway, talks of oral (m receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, dirty talk, creampie, coworkers to lovers, spoilers for upto season 7 of Criminal Minds.

“Cover? Right now? I'm wading through three caseloads of paperwork right now, I don't have time to go gallivanting across the country for another unit.” You stressed to your Unit Chief as she smiled sympathetically at you.

“Temporary reassignment means your desk will be cleared of work when you return, I'll personally complete it myself. That is if you decide to come back.”

“It would take one hell of an offer to get me to join another team, ma'am, and you know it.” 

Working under your boss Andi Swann at the Domestic Trafficking Task Force was something you took a lot of pride in. The work you did saved hundreds of women across the country, and you found justice for the ones you were too late for. It had been your second choice after you'd left the academy and a particularly ambitious one, all things considered. 

“Y/N, the Behavioural Analysis Unit needs you. Now, I remember your resume as well as you do, most likely, so don't try to convince me all of the profiling credits and courses you took at the academy were solely to be used for trafficking work.” 

You flushed as the woman caught you off guard. It was true that you hoped to someday be able to transfer to the aforementioned unit, but you truly still respected the woman in front of you. 

Deciding that your respect trumped your human need to placate her worries about you suddenly skipping out on her, you simply cleared your throat and spoke as calmly as possible. 

“What is it exactly that the BAU needs me for?” 

The older woman smiled back at you and shook her head slightly before opening her mouth again. 

“It seems that one of their team members needs a date.” 

–X– 

Having recovered from the shock of your reassignment and its details, you'd found yourself packing a few things from your desk, grabbing your go-bag, climbing into the elevator and arriving at the doors of the BAU.

You then struggled for a few minutes to open with all the things crowding your hands. 

“Here let me,” a voice said from behind you, as you suddenly saw an arm come up around your side to push the door open. You followed your gaze up the arm until your back was against the door, moving backwards even as he pushed it open as your throat went dry.

The man in front of you was hot. It was as if some deity had plucked your ideal type out of your mind, moulded him with clay, and kiln fired him before placing him right back in front of you as temptation.

You were sure that minutes had passed since he'd spoken with you just staring up at him like this, but alas, you really couldn't help yourself. 

“Oh! Thank you,” you smiled, hoping it would diffuse the sudden awkward atmosphere that your staring had bought on. “I'm sorry, can you tell me where Unit Chief Aaron Hotchner's office is?” You mumbled out, trying to clear your throat silently as you lost yourself in the strangers' gaze. 

His eyes were locked on yours, and as he broke eye contact, your heart jumped as you noticed his ears were stained red, embarrassment apparently not lost on him. 

“Up the stairs, first office, his name is on the door. You must be SSA Y/N.” Shocked to hear your name drop from his mouth  you felt a Rusholme mortification as you studied the man once again. 

Slightly messy hair, pile of books in his hand, dressed like he'd fallen into a closet at a retirement home, tall wiry frame. 

Ashley Seaver's description of Doctor Spencer Reid had been spot on. Apart from the part where she had failed to mention, he was quite possibly the most attractive man on earth. 

“Doctor Reid?” You asked, voice a squeak, almost scared that you were wrong despite there being no suggestion that you might be.

“How did you…?” His eyes widened with a smile as he looked back to you again, searching for answers with his head cocked slightly to the side.

“I work in Domestic Trafficking. Agent Seaver and my unit chief both gave me brief descriptions of your team so I wouldn't get bogged down with introductions when I got here.” You explained quickly for fear that he'd think you slightly stalkerish for knowing his name, even though he obviously knew yours as well.

He smiled slightly awkwardly again  and gestured further inside the office, sending you off to your temporary new Unit Chief's office with a small whisper.

“I look forward to working with you.”

--X–

The debrief with Aaron Hotchner was swift  and you appreciated the man's ability to cut straight to the point. 

There was a killer targeting women in New York City, just like there were killers targeting women everywhere. But this one had taken specific issue with women who were social climbers, who attended events with high profile and successful men on their arms. 

So far, the NYPD could link 7 homicides to the killer and were under pressure to catch the guy before Lucky Number eight. 

The FBI had stepped in and suggested you be Lucky Number eight.

They'd been sent the case as a consult and provided the profile, to which the NYPD had asked for full cooperation. 

Which is how you found yourself on a jet heading to New York City two hours after Andi Swann had called you into her office. Productive day.

“What does your budget look like after a year of private jet travel?” You wondered out loud as you followed Hotchner onto the plane. SSA David had followed you onto the plane as well, having tried to introduce himself earlier. You'd allowed him the moment of humility before telling him you knew exactly who he was, and he'd be surprised if anyone in the entire bureau didn't. 

“Well they haven't put me on display yet, so I don't think I'm quite a fossil. Pleasure to be working with you.” 

His words were kind enough, but they were a reminder of the other man you'd met earlier. 

The man who had since climbed into the seat next to you, ready for the on the go case briefing.

“We've established identities for the two of you, ready for you to go in tonight to establish yourselves as bait,” Hotch explained, handing you each a personnel folder. 

“Spencer, you'll be Charles Buchanan, local businessman with alleged ties to several socialite families in the Upper East Side.” That seemed to earn a few chuckles from Agent Morgan from his perch at the other end of the plane desk, but he cleverly kept his mouth shut. 

“Y/N, you'll be Daisy Smith, you're a student putting herself through a graduate degree, who has turned to sugaring to cover course fees.” 

“Sugaring?” Rossi asked from Hotch's side, waiting for someone to clarify. 

“It's a term used to describe the act of being a sugar baby or sugar daddy. A usually non-sexual consensual relationship involving cash or other materialistic gifts.” Spencer filled in the gaps easily, without looking up from the file he was scanning ridiculously fast.

Okay, speed-reading and super intelligence check, and you were two for two on descriptions of Spencer Reid. Swann's description had also left a lot to be desired. 

“We've got Garcia establishing some online profiles for the both of you currently using the images you sent us earlier. Hopefully, we were correct in our estimation of his hunting grounds, but he'll need to stalk you for a night or two before he strikes.” 

You cleared your throat carefully as you finally decided to ask the question that had been bugging you the entire time.

“I'm sorry if this is forward, but is there a reason I was chosen for this assignment? I don't have much undercover experience, and I was told there were two women on your team. Was I misinformed?” 

“That's correct. Unfortunately, last week, Agent Prentiss decided to take a job with Interpol in London. Agent Jareau was also recently married, so she put in leave to enjoy her honeymoon. None of the candidates we have lined up fit our Unsub's type. You do.”

“As good as I would look in a dress, you're going to be much more effective at catching this guy,” Morgan joked from the side, just as Hotch accepted a video call through to the jet. 

“Morgan in a dress, sounds like one of my dreams come true.” 

“Calm it, baby girl, what have you got for us?”

“Invitations to a charity ball being held in Manhattan tonight, and around 1000 hits across five sugaring platforms for Miss Y/N. If the FBI turns out to be a letdown, you have a lot of serious offers here, sweetie.” You laughed out loud at how she blasted through and diffused all the tension in your team, without even thinking to introduce herself first. 

“You must be Penelope Garcia. It's nice to meet you.” 

“Not as nice as it is to meet you, I promise.” 

The remainder of the jet ride had been quiet if not restful, the presence of Spencer Reid a disturbingly pretty thorn in your side. 

You'd sneaked glances at him multiple times, not an easy feat on a jet filled with profilers. His fingers had grazed yours as he passed you his file earlier as well, letting you read up on his new character. 

What you found most distracting, though, was the now bare stretch of skin peaking out from his shirt collar. 

He'd decided to take a nap at some point earlier, and now you silently cursed him for it as you looked at the splash of skin distractedly. 

You could press your lips there and work your way up to his lips. Or you could go in the opposite direction and have more fun, you reminded yourself. 

It seemed that image had you waking up, jerking upright so that you would not let that go any further.

This was your job. You were a professional, an FBI agent. 

You weren't allowed to imagine giving this man a blow job on government time. You'd have to save that thought for after the case was closed, and you could go your separate ways, you thought.

Landing was easy  and you moved straight into dress fittings and practising your story for the party later that night. 

Which meant a blissful few hours without the distraction of Spencer Reid. 

Luckily for you, the first dress they'd given you to wear had turned out to be a good fit, showcasing some of your more prominent assets. 

It hugged your body tight, but it wasn't uncomfortable, showing off a generous amount of cleavage and leg as well. It wasn't quite scandalous, but you knew it was definitely the kind of outfit that would stick out like a sore thumb at a socialite dinner. 

Which meant it was perfect for baiting the unsub.

By 7pm, you'd been outfitted, prepped, and deposited in the back of a limousine with Spencer Reid, and you were right back at square one trying not to climb him then and there. 

His outfit choice had been slightly harder, apparently, given his taller frame, but the three piece suit they'd given him was do perfect it was hard to tell it wasn't tailored to his measurements. 

“Are you nervous?” He asked, whispering the words in your ear as he stroked your hand. Although the limousine driver was an undercover NYPD detective, you'd both been told to get into character as quickly as possible. 

There were a series of other undercover agents being placed throughout the party tonight - Hotch was going in as a representative of the District Attorney's office, a few NYPD detectives were serving guests drinks and food, and Rossi had managed to get an invite as himself. 

Morgan was left running surveillance in the van outside. 

Because of your outfit and the nature of the unsubs attacks, there had been no point in trying to put a wire on you at this point in time. It'd take him a week of surveillance to pick you up anyway. Tonight would just be the start of his hunt. 

So you let Spencer stroke your hand, fingers locked in his as you gave him a smile, and tried not to imagine them wrapped around his cock. 

“Just a little. I think it's the dress  shows off a bit more than I'm used to.” He took a second to glance down your body, as if he'd been waiting for your permission until now, and you watched his eyes pause over your chest and at where the hem sat at the top of your thighs, dangerously close to bearing everything.

“You look… beautiful. I think our unsub will like it, at least.” 

You tried to hide your disappointment as he pulled his hand away, ready to open the door as the car pulled up to your destination. 

You surveyed the room as you walked in, trying to memorise every particularly leering smile from men as you made your way to your seat. 

After half an hour, though, it seemed like catching your guy was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Or a creep in a room full of creeps. 

It seemed like every man who talked to Spencer only glanced at you to stare down your dress, a few even attempting to pat your back and let their hands drift south.

If it weren't for the sake of the job, you'd have sucker punched some of the richest men in New York City by now. And you'd have enjoyed it. 

Politely detaching himself from conversation, Spencer guided you away to the dance floor for a second. You'd planned it this way for when you needed some time privately to discuss potential suspects. 

A few other couples glided around the floor as you stood chest to chest with Spencer, surprised how confidently he was handling the caseload. 

His hands took their places, one on your hip, the other gripping your own as you both began to sway side to side. 

“Any ideas?” He whispered in your ear as you moved delicately. 

“Your 10 o’clock. Younger son of the Johnson family. He’s been sat glaring at me for 10 minutes despite his mother's attempts to network for him.” 

“It fits the profile, absent father, overbearing mother. He has obvious disdain for you. Is there anyone else?” His words were hot against your skin as you looked up at him, finding your lips surprisingly close as your bodies continued swaying together. 

“Half of the men in this room have undressed me with their eyes, the other half actually tried to put their hands on me when they were talking to you.” He stiffened at that, breaking eye contact as his eyes flashed with sudden emotion. 

His hand slid from your waist further down to stroke your ass slightly as he watched the crowd to see anyone taking offence at his sudden bold display of affection. 

At least that was what you assumed he was doing  as you too began to glance around, watching for anyone watching you, confident that Hotch, Rossi, and the others would do the same. 

When his hand on your ass pulled you closer into him, though, you weren't so sure. 

“Spencer, what are you-” You started in confusion, noticing that his gaze had returned to you. More specifically, that it had returned to your chest, as he stared down at how your breasts looked, pushed up against his chest as they were. 

He encouraged your other hand to wrap around his shoulder, freeing his other hand to land on your ass again as he pulled you closer still. 

You'd almost stopped moving, certain that having his body pressed against yours in every place hardly counted as dancing. You opened your mouth to say as much when you felt something twitch against your thigh. A low groan slipped from Spencer's lips as he adjusted your positions slightly as you felt something hard shift against your leg. 

“Do you seriously have a boner right now?” You whispered, as much in exasperation as in excitement. 

Spencer Reid was grinding his boner into you in front of a room full of people, and you felt like you'd just won the lottery. 

“I'm sorry, natural reaction. You look so hot tonight, and then your hands were all over me.” He rambled slightly in his explanations, mortification clear on his face as he tried to apologise. 

“It's okay.” You whispered in his ear, pulling yourself up on your toes softly to press a chaste kiss to his lips. 

If you just so happened to rub up against him going up and down, eliciting another deep groan for the man, then so be it. 

“Y/N…” He whispered you name like a prayer and it almost convinced you that there was no one else in the room. 

“Spencer, there's no way our unsub is going to approach us if you have that thing tenting your pants.” You kept your voice low as your hands trailed down his chest. Pushing one further, you gently rubbed over his clothed member as if accentuating your point. 

“We need to solve this problem, don't you think?” 

His jaw clenched as he contemplated your words, trying not to let any other sounds out. His nod was barely perceptible, but within seconds you were glancing around the room for a quick exit, and in another minute, you'd slipped through a service entrance  and out through some corridors into a dimly lit alleyway. 

As soon as you were cloaked in darkness, Spencer was on you. 

Whirling you around, he backed you into the wall until your back was pressed into it, and his lips were on yours. 

You moaned helplessly into the kiss, hands finding his chest again and moving south even as he began exploring your body. 

“This is an important case, and we're about to blow it because I can't keep my hands off you,” he whispered between kisses, lips trailing down your neck. 

“Do you know how crazy we both must be?” 

“I know exactly how crazy for you I am, Reid. Now, please let me suck your dick.” You moaned the words as his fingers found their way into your panties, stroking your clit. 

“Y/N, I'm trying to talk sense into us here.” He groaned as your fingers fumbled with his pant buttons, hand sliding into the material to wrap around his cock.

“How much sense are you talking with your fingers inside me?” You panted, willing him to just fully let go and let you both enjoy yourselves. 

“While we're out here, Hotch and Rossi are inside, noting down anyone who takes particular offence to our exit. We can enjoy ourselves and catch a better lead.” You started slowly pumping him then, as he pushed closer into you, allowing you to reach more of him at this different angle.

His head dropped to your shoulder as he breathed out a laugh. 

“Right, this will help.” He tried to convince yourself, and you grinned in victory, rocking your hips against his hand to find your release sooner. 

Until he withdrew his hand and used it to grasp your own, halting your movements. 

“Spencer?” You pouted slightly, but he pressed another kiss to your lips  this time forceful and demanding, to guess begging permission to enter and dominate you. 

You gladly accepted him into your mouth, even as you felt him pushing up your skirt, letting the material ride higher as it had been trying to do all night. 

Making sure you were steady against the brick wall, he pulled your hips up and around his, pushing your panties to the side as he pushed inside of you. 

The stretch was maddening. Everywhere he touched became hot against the cool night breeze as he began his frenzied strokes into you. 

You lost all capability for speech, which was probably for the best, as you were sure you'd only ask for him to do more disgusting things to you eventually. 

His mouth slid to the top of your breasts as they bounced with each thrust, waiting to claim a nipple in his mouth when one eventually came free of the offending material. 

“Such a little slut, begging to suck my dick. Maybe next time, princess.” You screamed and arched your back as he finally bit down around your nipple, soothing the skin with his tongue as he licked and suckled there. 

His other hand fell to your clit again, pushing you to the edge as you finally came on his cock. 

He didn't stop though, powering through as you tightened around him, moaning wantonly as his thrusts hit deeper still.

“Let's see what our unsub thinks when he sees my cum dripping out of you,” he whispered again, as he too let himself go, releasing spurt after spurt of cum inside of you. 

Making sure you were strong enough, he set you back down on the ground, keeping an arm wrapped around you protectively as you smoothed your clothes back into place. 

You helped him button his pants as he smoothed your hair, tucking a stray piece behind your ear before ducking in for one more sweet kiss. 

“I'm sorry that I couldn't let you, uh, perform orally,” he blushed again, his ears that same shade of red you noticed earlier as he guided you back inside. “I think someone would have noticed if I'd ruined your makeup that much.”

You practically choked on your own spit as you finally slipped back into the dance hall.

“Next time,” you said, making sure to finish the conversation you'd started. “We’ll have more privacy.” 

[enlitment]

Camille Desmoulins and Maximilien Robespierre – doomed by the Revolution?

a second part of the answer to the ask kindly sent by @iron--and--blood - first part can be found here

Okay, so I tried to follow the sources and I ended up missing what is arguably the key question. I think that there is enough evidence that warrants seeing Camille and Maximilien’s relationship as a ‘friendship torn apart but the revolution’, but could it in fact be something more that the chain of events of the mid-1790s ended up destroying?

(aka the good old “were they gay?” question)

It’s probably not surprising to anyone that there is no conclusive evidence that would suggest that either of them was definitely queer or that they were involved in some kind of a relationship. For context, the French Constitutional Assembly did decriminalise homosexuality, since there was simply no mention of private same-sex relationships it in the penal code of 1791.

Of course, there would still be a stigma surrounding queerness, seeing how France was a Catholic country – well, up to that point. On the other hand, it is also important to remember that anyone who received a higher education at that time would be well versed in classical authors (Greek and Roman that is), so they would have a framework for a positively viewed queer attraction/relationship (I'm mostly thinking of a kind of Alcibiades/Socrates vibes here. I think it sort of fits? Well it does in my headcanon anyway...). Camille especially seemed to be really into classics, making references to classical authors, history or mythology in approximately every other sentence.

CAMILLE – VICES HONTEUX AND A POSSIBILE BICON

If we consider Camille, I think it is clear that he was attracted to women. I think that the historical sources show that he genuinely did love his wife - Lucile - although it may also be true he was bit of a cad. There is a whole deal with him and Lucile’s mother with whom he apparently exchanged some flirty letters? I honestly need to look into it more at some point.

That said, attraction to women of course doesn’t exclude attraction to men. The one thing that would suggest Camille might have pursued a same-sex relationships is the reference to “vices honteux“ (shameful vices), which Saint-Just claims were attributed to Camille by Danton. We also learn from Robespierre’s note that this refered to something that was ‘totally unrelated to the revolution’.

So we know it’s something that would be seen as ‘shameful’ behaviour, but nonetheless a private matter. Could it be interest in same-sex relationships? It’s of course hard to say, but the theory is not completely implausible. For a discussion about this, I recommend this article.

MAXIMILIEN – A CONFIRMED BACHELOR?

With Maximilien Robespierre, it gets a little more complicated. He was essentially a confirmed bachelor, living with a family that adored him but that was not his own (and also a dog. He had a dog.) Talk about a found family trope!

Some sources claim that he was engaged to Éléonore Duplay, but Robespierre’s sister for one vehemently denies this. It’s true that he could probably easily have married her – I can’t imagine her family being opposed to it, far from it probably – but the fact is that for one reason or another, he did not.

He also didn’t really seem to capitalise on his massive popularity among the Parisian women. (Though, to be fair, neither did Rousseau and he was… well I guess he was his own version of heterosexual.)

Sure, one can interpret that as Robespierre being a workaholic or putting the revolution above everything else, but I personally think it is very possible that he would be considered to be on the asexual spectrum by today’s standards.

That said, although France was moving away from institutionalised religion at that point, Catholic guilt could certainly play a role, especially in someone who prided himself in his moral conduct and was told to be rigid about the rules. So the possibility of him being closeted as an explanation for his lack of interest in women would also not be completely off the table.

As to Camille and Maximilien being together in some way? I think there is certainly a precedence for this type of relationship in adolescence. Seeing that they have studied together (and shared enthusiasm for classics probably), it is not impossible, though of course, it is highly speculative.

I think it is also fair to say that Robespierre went above and beyond for Camille until the last few months. That is something he probably would have not done for many other people. He actually said as much himself:

“Learn, Camille, that if you were not Camille, one could not have so much indulgence for you.“

Was it because Camille was universally liked by the revolutionaries for all the good he has done? Possibly, but I think one can also read more into it. It certainly suggests that Camille was special in some way, and the fact that Robespierre uses ‚one‘ instead of ‚I‘ does not necessarily mean he is not speaking about himself here.

CAMILLE AND MAXIMILIEN IN THE MEDIA

When it comes to media portrayal, the relationship often comes across as queer-coded - to an extent.

In La Révolution française, this aspect is more prominent between Robespierre and Saint-Just, but with some well-timed smiles and glances, it almost reads as a tragic love triangle between the three. There are some unfortunate implications however, mainly that the hints of Robespierre's queerness in the movie are implicitly associated with his descent to tyrany. Ugh. (And let's face it, a kind of effeminacy linked to villainy as well. Honestly, who thought that kind of portrayal would be a good idea? Kudos for making a historical movie about the French Revolution come across as homophobic I guess.)

Hilary Mantel straight-up makes Camille Desmoulins bisexual (ish?) in A Place of Greater Safety, though there are <a lot of> issues with that portrayal, as discussed here (watch me linking another mutual's great post! Frevblr is truly the best). Not sure how the relationship with Robespierre is presented here since it’s one of the books I’ve been in the middle of for months.

And then there’s Stanisława Przybyszewska of course. She would honestly warrant a separate post, but long story short: in her works, there is no doubt about the fact that she portrays the relationship between them as queer. She invokes the Erastes/eromenos dynamic between them (quite explicitly, referring to Camille as an ephebe at one point) and makes the attraction between the two seem palpable. There is plenty of queer (under)tones to be found in The Danton Case, but in Last Nights of Ventôse , she straight up interprets the fall of the Dantonists as Camille running into Danton’s arms to spite Robespierre for snubbing him and rejecting his devotion (romantic advances?). And it gets quite physical – not in a way that would warrant an E rating, but it would certainly deserve one for the sheer emotional intensity.

[pompadourpink]

hi! in one of your asks you said that you spoke picard, can i ask how you learned it? i know there are a lot of regional languages in france, but that there was a push to only teach french in schools, so would you say most young people who speak a regional language learned it from family/ self taught?

Hello,

I indeed was raised in the North by a family who has been living in the same handful of cities forever (I recently dicovered I had an ancestor in the 1100s called Estiennenon the 1st, Knight of Bersées, a village ten kilometres from my hometown growing up).

Here are the dialects of Metropolitan France (and at the bottom of this page the ones from the former colonies, overseas):

It is true that the government has been trying to unify the language (and the accent) for a long time, claiming their insistance comes from a desire to strengthen the republic instead of accepting what they call communitarianism, which would according to them divide people. It has been a difficult topic for several centuries and as far as I see, most people have integrated the fact that you can speak your dialect at home with your family and your school friends, but it (nor your regional accent) has no place in school (from high school I would say) nor work, and especially not in formal situations.

We are also very attached to etiquette and not afraid of confrontation and what is considered good social behaviour includes good communication so if you speak like your grandparents, it will most likely be unfortunately side-eyed and sarcasmed out of you during your youth.

I was born in the early 90s and can fully understand Picard. I will use the occasional word or have a shadow of an accent coming out when I am really tired (it was stronger when I was younger), but I do not and have never used it because it was and is still mocked, not only because it is a dialect but it is one from the North, which has a pretty bad reputation overall (think Alabama). I have no intention to teach it to any future children as my knowledge has been rusting since I moved out after high school and there would be no benefit to it outside of being able to understand a few songs, although I still use some of the daily vocabulary.

As for the second part of your question, I have to take a first stop at your mention of "young people" since, outside of certain regions and families that make it a point to share the language with their children, the practice of speaking it at home is getting lost. My parents are mid boomer and early gen X and they naturally adopted my stance growing up to avoid mockery at work, especially while living in other places and it seems to be the case for most people, therefore young children would not be exposed to their regional dialects at home through grandparents anymore, and our current teens are way more interested in learning English anyway.

There are however places that are very proud of their dialects (ones that are essentially some form of bilingualism as they were born of the proximity with another country) and will teach it in a bilingual school French/dialect (such as Alsacien, Breton - which has no direct borders but is Celtic - or Occitan).

However, I would not add Flemish to this list despite its location since Belgium has a French side and a Flamand side who hate each other culturally and linguistically. I was raised near the Belgian border and did not hear or see Flemish until after I started travelling.

Let's look at a few dialects:

And since you specifically asked about the North, here is my shoutout to Jacques Landrecies, the only Picard specialist of the country and a beloved professor when I was a lit student, interviewed towards the end of this video.

Hope this helps! x

Fanmail - masterlist (2016-) - archives - hire me - reviews (2020-) - Drive

[m-jelly]

Mask of the heart - Chapter 1

Levi x fem!readerRoyalty, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Curses, Curse Breaking, Demons, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Magic, Romance, Drama & Romance, Falling In Love, Love, Love Confessions, True Love, Demon Levi Ackerman, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Running Away, Arranged Marriage, Obsessive Behavior, Soft Levi Ackerman, Levi Ackerman Needs a Hug, Protective Levi Ackerman, Possessive Levi Ackerman, Cuddly Levi Ackerman, Masks, Curvy Reader

When the psychotic prince of your country tries to force you to marry him you manage to run away to the next country over and right into the arms of a demon Count called Levi. Levi has been cursed to be forever stuck in his demon form, believing he is ugly and scary to others he always wears a mask. Levi looks after you and helps you learn how to trust others again. While Levi teaches you the world's joys, you teach him how loveable and handsome he is. With encouragement from yourself and a lot of your pure love, Levi starts taking his mask off more and allowing his people to get to know him. With romance blossoming between you, the prince of the other kingdom wants you back and tries everything to get you back. Levi helps you and works with King Erwin to stop the prince of the other land and free the people of his tyranny.

This first chapter mentions blood, the prince hurting workers and possessive behaviour.

Ao3

Part 2

Pleasure flowed through the prince as he pressed the hot symbol against his servant’s chest. Every scream that was emitted from the man was incredible. The prince took joy in hurting others, it was his favourite pastime. When he wasn’t hurting someone, he was busy partaking in the flesh of many women. Never loyal to one woman, there was always another each night. Sometimes he’d have them for just a week.

However, a part of him longed to have someone he could devote his heart to. No matter how many times he met countless women, not a single one of them stirred his heart or moved him. As he placed the hot brand against the man’s flesh again, he decided that a ball was needed. The prince was determined to meet the woman of his dreams.  

He lifted the hot iron and inspected the skin clinging to it. “Mr Clarke? Organise a ball for me and make sure that every single bachelorette of age is invited. I want a wife.”

Mr Clarke gazed at the prince as the words settled in his head, it was shocking to hear his master tell him to gather women so one can find a bride. Prince Jareth Lovell was a cruel man to all those around him, yet charming and alluring to those he needed to be. It was hard not to be captivated by the prince with his chiselled jawline, angled cheekbones, almond eyes were icy blue, lips plump that always held a wicked smile, a tall frame to tower over others, muscles over every inch of him, small waist, large hands and a mane of long silver-white hair with a few pieces at the front to create layers.

He bowed to the prince. “Yes, Your Highness.”

Jareth lowered the iron and gazed at his helper. “I want it soon. I crave a wife. No more temporary lovers. Make sure the ones I have are cleared out.”

“Understood, Your Highness.”

The whole palace was in a frenzy about organising the ball, as soon as everything was in order the invites were sent and news broke out. The charming prince was after a wife. Most women were excited to be the one the prince married, especially those who had taken him as a lover some nights. However, one rare woman despised the prince and the country after everything that had happened.

Your parents had owned a lot of land, and your father was a well-loved Lord by many and cared for those in need. The royal family were not keen on your father and his influence on people. Your father and mother wanted to take their money and run away to the next country over. During a trip to the border to organise their escape with you, their sweet eight-year-old daughter, there was a carriage accident. With every fibre in your body, you believed the royal family did it.

After your parents died, your uncle and aunt took you in. The two of them were obsessed with money and fame, so they tried everything to take what was your father’s but thanks to the will your father made, it was all yours. When you came of age, you moved out and returned to the land your family owned and lived in a small home. However, your aunt and uncle were always around and wouldn’t leave you be.

Today you were even more irritated by them because your cousin, who was younger than you, was screaming about an invite from the palace. “Ruby, please stop screaming.”

She shoved the white invite card in your face. “The prince has invited us to a ball!”

“Am I supposed to be excited?”

“Yes!” She huffed. “It’s a chance to be a princess and then a queen!”

The idea of being a royal did not interest you, so you looked back down at your work. “I’m good.”

“I’m telling mum!”

You rolled your eyes. “You do that.” It didn’t take long for your young cousin to rush out of the room and return with your aunt and uncle. “Before you speak, no I am not going.”

Your uncle huffed as he said your name. “She is only 20, she is of age to marry the prince. You don’t need to go as a potential bride, but you could at least escort her! She’s younger than you and she’s not used to those types of places. At least escort her.”

You glanced over at your cousin. “You do know the prince is a monster. His whole family are terrible.”

Ruby pouted. “I just wanna go to a ball.”

Part of you felt bad because she’d never been to a ball or a grand event but you had. So, you decided to push your issues aside. “Very well, I’ll escort her.”

“I ah…” She hesitated.”

You cast your gaze on her. “Yes?”

Nerves began to show on through her playing with her dress. “I do not have a ball gown.”

Your aunt moved closer. “Help her, please? We aren’t rich enough to get her something so fine and beautiful.”

You rose to your feet. “I know of a local lady in my land who will give us a good deal.” The clacking of your heels on the wooden floor echoed in the room. When you noticed no one was falling you paused. “Are you coming?”

It was a nice day with Ruby in the shop, to see her so happy dressing up warmed your heart a little. For a long time you’d been hurting and rather closed off, it had become so bad that your ex left you and said you were a cold-hearted bitch that didn’t understand love. It was true, that you were rather cold-hearted but you did know love and it wasn’t for him. A part of you craved and longed for love, but you believed it was somewhere out there, not within this country. You were going to finish what your parents started, you were going to take your money and power then leave this place and never return.

Sometimes you would feel bad about leaving, mainly because Ruby was sweet and the people you looked after in the small land you owned were incredible. There was this sweet bond that was between everyone in the town and you, so walking away was going to be hard. The land was near the border on the beach, so a part of your plan was to possibly sell the land to a royal or lord in the country bordering this one. Someone had to be better than your royal family.

After helping Ruby with her dresses, you spent a few days teaching her how to dance and greet royals. You ensured she knew that her head must be slightly bowed and eyes downcast when she spoke and only to lift your head when requested. The greeting bow was also important, the deeper the bow the more respect you had for the royal. Ruby had told you she was going to go for a very respectful bow, which you supported.

When the day of the ball arrived, you felt sick to your stomach about going but you had promised Ruby to take her. Ruby was too young to go alone and was not educated enough to speak to royals and powerful people. It was sweet seeing her bounce in her carriage seat, but for you, your anxiety was eating away at you the closer you got. Wearing a corset and a tight ball gown was a little bit soothing for you, it was like a tight hug.

As you walked up the stairs and held your dress you gave Ruby the last bits of information. “Now, when we go in there they will announce us. You will have a Miss as a title and I Lady. This is a little odd because the prince will already be there. Normally at balls, the prince or royal enters last, but he wants to see every woman enter.” You stopped at the top. “This is like a parade of things he can shop for.”

Ruby nodded. “I understand. Are we first or last? It’s always good to be around there.”

You handed over the invites to the butler. “We’re middle.”

The butler checked the cards. “Correct, you are in the middle. Do not worry miss, the prince cares for all ladies.”

“A word?”

“But of course.”

You moved to the side with the butler. “Ruby is a potential bride, but I am not. I am here as her escort.”

He was in utter shock. “My Lady, you were invited as a potential bride.”

“And I decline that invite. I am just an escort, nothing more. Please announce me as the escort.”

A slight fear shot through him, he was sure the prince would not like this. “A-Ah um…very well, my Lady.”

The grand white doors with gold leaf trim were pushed open to reveal a large hall with a white marble floor sprinkled with gold. In the ceiling were paintings of battles, women taking lovers and grand scenes of royal successes. Two chandeliers sparkled in the light like the sunlight bouncing off the sea. Below was an overhearing throne with the prince sitting upon it, quivering behind him was Mr Clarke and a few women on the floor begging for attention.

As the soft music played, the prince brought his gold chalice to his lips and felt unamused by the women so far. Not a single person had interested him and he was beginning to get antsy. When the doors opened he dragged his bored eyes up and felt his ears prick with interest when he heard Ruby being announced with a female escort. As soon as he heard your name, he held back a laugh and couldn’t believe you had come here.

Jareth smirked. “Is that the girl whose parents died due to my father?”

Mr Clarke leaned closer. “Indeed, Your Highness.”

“It’ll be interesting to see that little welp. I find it amusing that she is an escort and not a potential bride. She must have rejected me.” He downed some of his red wine. “Rightly so, that disgusting…” Words failed him as soon as you walked out with Ruby in your figure-hugging dress and hair up and away from your stunning face. “Such beauty.”

“She is a fine one. Let’s see how she bows.”

Jareth saw Ruby give a deep bow, but you gave a small one which was disrespecting the prince. Rudy was blushing, but you could not care less about this occasion and didn’t even bother to sneak a glance at him, like most of the ladies tonight.

Clarke gasped. “How disrespectful, I am so sorry Your Highness.”

Jareth rose to his feet. “Don’t be. I liked it. What a hypnotic creature.” He moved past the pleading women as Clarke scrambled to follow. “I must have her. She will be my bride.”

“Your Highness?”

Jareth turned to his helper with a glint in his eyes. “Being a lady means she is well educated. She is beautiful like a goddess. She is willing to speak and act her mind even though there could have been a risk to her life. She was bold too by rejecting me of all people. Send an invite to her. I wish to see her in private.”

Clarke bowed. “Yes, Your Highness.” With quick movements, Clarke made it across the room to you. Getting closer to you now, he was beginning to understand why the prince was so taken by you, you were a vision. “My Lady?”

You turned with a glass in your hand and a smile on your face due to speaking with a rather charming Lord, a friend of your father’s. “Yes?”

“The prince would like to see you privately.”

Your nail tapped against your champagne glass. “Does he now?” You flicked your gaze to the prince as he watched. “Tell him I decline. I am an escort tonight and I am conducting business. I am not interested in marriage or a roll in the sheets with him.”

Fear shot through Clarke. “M-My Lady! Please.”

“I understand your situation, but I decline. He can find a play toy elsewhere.” You returned your attention to the man you were speaking to. “As I was saying, I am happy to meet up to create a contract of trading between the two of us.”

The gentleman chuckled. “Excellent. You remind me so much of your father, he was a good man. He would be so proud of you.”

“Thank you, that means a lot to me.”

Mr Clarke cried out your title and name causing people to stare and the prince. As soon as you turned to him he spoke. “His Royal Highness would like a meeting with you.”

“As I explained to you the first time.” A strained smile spread over your lips. “I decline his invitation. I am an escort tonight, that is all. If it upsets him so much that I say no, then he can come here himself and I will tell him no to his face.”

Mr Clarke felt irritated when he saw people were trying to hide that they were laughing. “Fine.” A part of him was excited at telling the prince you said no because then you would get tortured, Clarke rather liked it when that happened. “Your Highness.”

A tingle rushed through Jareth. “Well? When is she meeting me?”

“She declined.”

Amusement and excitement now consumed him, this was even more exciting. “Declined?”

Clarke glanced over at you. “She did.” Seeing you be strung up and tortured by the prince was exciting him. “She said you can talk to her and she will reject you to your face.” He gazed at his prince and waited for a reaction of disgust, but was shocked.

Jareth laughed. “What a woman. I will speak with her.” People parted out of the way as Jareth’s long and muscular legs moved him over to you. He towered over you with his height. “Excuse me.” He softly said your name and felt arousal when you turned to face him. To him, you were incredibly beautiful and your plump breasts were wonderfully pressed in your dress and corset. “I was told you wanted to tell me your response to my invitation.”

Your neck hurt a bit looking up at him. “Goodness, you are too tall.” You huffed a little. “I informed your little messenger that I will not meet with you in private. I am escorting my cousin Ruby, that is all. If you want so woman to roll around in the sheets with for a night or few nights, I am not the woman for you. So, no I will not have a meeting with you.”

“I am not looking for a woman to lay with. I am looking for a bride.”

You bowed your head to your friend and started walking away. “You are not husband material.” You stopped in a hall half open to the garden. “Knowing you, you would have countless affairs. You cannot stick to one woman.”

He grabbed your upper arm and yanked you to him, he made sure you looked him deep in the eyes. “You are different. I will give everything to have you. I will destroy anyone in my path. You are everything I could ever want and more.”

“I do not want you.”

He gripped tighter making you wince. “Perhaps I will have a word with your uncle. You may be a lady and have power, along with being well over the age of 18, but he still has the final say. The law states that the male of the family has the final say on marriage.”

A cold fear went through you. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I enjoy a challenge and you are the biggest challenge. I desire you deeply and I will make you mine.” He pulled you close and forced a kiss on you. “I will visit your uncle soon.”

It hurt deeply in your heart that your Uncle and Aunt went against your pleas. No matter how much you told them both you did not want to marry the prince, it fell on deaf ears. Arrangements were being made for you and as soon as your Uncle said yes, you were whisked away to the palace. Being in the palace was so deeply lonely and soul-crushing. The prince was deeply obsessed with you in a very disturbing way. Anyone who said anything against you was tortured personally by his hand.

There was only one good thing about the palace and that was one maid and a carriage driver. The two of them cared for and looked after you, they even made sure you stayed mentally healthy. Sometimes when you were alone with them, you would just talk for hours which gave you a boost to keep going. When they saw you weren’t going to get any better, talks of escaping started and a plot of you running away began.

It was hard to plot your escape, mainly because the prince had spies all over the palace who were very loyal to him. Plus, the prince made sure he was with you as often as possible and took you on countless dates. The prince wanted you to fall in love with him, he knew it was a hard job to do so wearing you down first was the best option and hoping the Stockholm syndrome would kick in.

Today you were hoping for an easy day. You’d been sleeping more and hardly eating, so you were weaker than normal. You were a plump person, but the weight was starting to drop off. It scared you that it was happening because you liked your curves, you were proud of them and Jareth was just draining you of so much happiness and health.

Your maid moved closer to you as you sat up in your grand bed. “Good morning, my lady. Did you sleep any better?”

You shook your head slowly. “More nightmares. I don’t know if I can keep doing this. Marrying him…” Bile rose in your throat. “I feel sick.”

She helped you out of bed and to the bathroom. “I will get you some water, my lady.”

Jareth shoved your bedroom doors open. “Doll! Where are you?”

The maid flinched at seeing the prince. “Your Highness.” She bowed deeply. “My lady is in the bathroom.”

A devilish smirk spread over his plump lips. “Bathing?”

“N-no, she is unwell.”

The smile faded away. “Unwell?”

“She had a restless night and is currently being sick.”

“What?”

You walked out of the bathroom and hummed. “I am fine before you start a tirade.”

Jareth was soothed as soon as he saw you. “Doll, you look so cute in your night dress. Your maid has told me you struggled with sleep, perhaps sharing my bed would help.”

You glared at him. “I would rather sleep on a bed of broken glass.”

“I do adore your sharp tongue.” He clicked his fingers. “Maid, dress my bride up in something beautiful; it’s date day.”

You walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. “Are you not tired of this constant charade?”

“It’s entertainment for me.”

You released a grow. “Leave so I may change.”

A dark and deep chuckle came from him. “Leave me waiting until the wedding day, hm?” He glanced at his maid. “Hurry up and dress her, I don’t like waiting and if I am not pleased…”

You stormed over to Jareth and shoved him out of the room. “I asked you to leave. Please don’t pressure my maid either.”

He stopped outside your room as he chuckled. “You continue to surprise me.” He turned to face you. “Such a beautiful thing.”

You slammed the door in his face. “Let’s get this over with.”

It didn’t take long for the maid to dress you up into an incredible dress that fit you perfectly, you were like a walking goddess. Jareth was speechless and over the moon about how you appeared. After joining him, you were escorted all over the palace so he could show you off. Eventually, he took you to the garden for some lunch together.

Jareth paused while eating and noticed you weren’t. “Why are you not eating?”

You sighed. “I’m not hungry.”

“You haven’t eaten all day!” He stood and dragged his chair closer to you before sitting again. “You need to eat.” He put some food on a fork made of gold. “You like fighting me all the time. You can’t fight me if you’re weak.” He offered the food to you. “Besides, your plump and curvy frame is divine.”

You released a long sigh and knew he was right. You had started to like how you looked and you needed your strength. “I will eat but, please don’t feed me.”

He handed the fork to you. “I will get you to love me.”

You started eating your lunch and rather enjoyed it. “Mm.”

He caressed your cheek. “So cute and precious.”

“Do you really think I’ll love you? You’ve used your power and the law to force me to be your fiancée.” You downed some of your drink. “Love will not happen between us.” You flicked your gaze to him. “Are you even capable of love?”

He leaned his cheek on his hand as he took you in. “I love you, so yes.”

“You torture workers for your amusement and I am sure your father was behind the death of my parents.” You leaned closer to him. “You love it when people get hurt or die by your hand. Plus, you have slept with so many women who knows what diseases you have inside you. I would never want to touch you or let you near me. I will never give you a child because I don’t want your infected body to touch mine.”

The rage inside Jareth built up, he had never been called disgusting and infected before. As soon as you finished talking he flew into a fit of rage. When he stood up the chair scraped loudly against the floor. It all happened in a blink of an eye. One minute the butler was standing waiting for instructions, the next moment Jareth had smashed the hot teapot against him. Blood flew through the air when Jareth’s fist connected with the butler’s face over and over.

You launched yourself at Jareth and hugged his arm. “Stop!” You pulled hard. “Stop it!”

A fearful scream escaped you when Jareth grabbed and threw you across the grassy floor. The thud of your body was loud when it connected with it. Jareth didn’t give you a moment to think because he was on you pinning you against the ground. His large bloodied hand gripped your jaw and mouth in a painfully hard squeeze. You breathed heavily through your nose causing his hand to heat up.

Jareth panted a little as his silvery white hair created a curtain around you both. “I am not disgusting or dirty.”

Part of you hoped someone would come to pull him off you, but no one would dare because he would break them. Plus, it seemed a lot of people who worked for him enjoyed it when he was violent. You were doomed if you stayed with this man. As he pinned you in place you knew that you had to run away because no one was ever going to save you.

He leaned down a little more so he was inches from your face. “I might have enjoyed fucking a lot of women or having them suck my cock, but I ensure that everyone was well protected. I don’t want a dirty child being made from them. You have me all wrong, little doll. I never came inside a single woman. I protect my seed.” He released your face and caressed your cheek. “I am saving myself for you.” He dragged his thumb over your bottom lip. “I was to fill your breedable cunt with all my seed. Our children will be perfect.”

You went numb when he leaned down and kissed you. You didn’t kiss him back, so for him, it was like kissing a doll. Even when his teeth pulled at your lip, you didn’t react. As soon as he gripped your breast, then you got angry. You slapped him hard causing him to pull back. You sat up and wiped the blood off your lip and felt annoyed by him.

Jareth sat back and rubbed his cheek. “Doll.”

You stood up and gently rubbed your jaw. “You will never have me.” You glared at him. “I won’t allow it. You don’t deserve a woman like me.” You released a long sigh. “I am done with this date. I don’t want to see you for the rest of this day.” You walked over to the hurt butler. You took his hand and helped him to his feet. “I’m sorry you got hurt because of my words. Let me care for you.”

The butler shook his head. “I’m okay, my lady. We have a medic.”

You pulled back and smiled. “Let me know if you need anything.”

Jareth stumbled to his feet. “Doll, please don’t leave me. I am sorry for my actions.”

You turned to your maid. “Please could you take me to my room?”

She bowed. “Yes, my lady.”

After returning to your room, the maid helped you change. The room was silent for a while before the maid started talking about helping you escape the palace. It was unexpected to hear her want to do that for you, but you weren’t going to turn her down. So, you started plotting your escape. You worked hard and passionately, but something seemed off with your maid and she seemed to be putting a bit of her ideas in the open.

The way your maid was sometimes with you was a little harsh after how romantic Jareth had tried to be recently. Even though not everything seemed right, you still had some sense of hope and you made a little backup plan with the carriage driver just in case. Your carriage driver was a wonderful older man who seemed the most genuine.

One day your plans came crashing down and breaking your heart. You were enjoying some peace in his grand garden, which seemed to be the only nice place in the palace. Your peace was ruined when Jareth came storming over with two guards and Mr Clarke. Whatever he wanted brought him some sick joy because he had a smirk on him that said he was going to hurt someone.

“You think you’re so slick, don’t you?” Jareth chuckled. “You thought you could get away with this.”

You closed your book and looked up at him, but it seemed he wasn’t looking at you but your maid. “Jareth?”

He glanced over at you and kissed you. “Not you, my doll. You’re a good doll. Someone has taken advantage of you to get my attention.”

“I don’t understand.”

He played with your hair. “Your maid.” He smiled as he took in your beauty. “I still can’t get over how beautiful you are.”

You looked over at your maid as the guards grabbed her. “What are you doing with my maid?”

She smiled at you. “Looks like I’ve been found out.”

“Found out?” Fear shot through you, it had to be your escape plan. “What do you mean?”

Jareth sat next to you on the loveseat and released a long sigh. He pulled you close and held you. “Well, have you ever wondered why you’ve been so unwell?”

You gripped your book. “I thought it was due to stress.”

“Well, this little bitch has been poisoning you. While she’s been doing that, she has been leading you on and pretending to help you go on a trip.”

You felt a pain in your heart. “Oh…why?”

Jareth hummed a laugh. “Why indeed. Why don’t you tell us why, little bitch?”

The maid huffed. “You have had countless women, but you never once wanted me!” She shook a little. “I could give you everything you could ever want.”

Jareth held the side of your head and pulled you close so he could kiss your temple. “You are nothing because you are not my doll.” He held you close. “Clarke, you know what to do with this bitch.”

Mr Clarke smiled. “Yes, Your Highness.”

He waited for everyone to leave before speaking to you. “I am ever so sorry for the treatment you have received, but now you are protected and safe. We’ll get your health back on track.”

Tears stung your eyes. “Mm.”

He hugged you tightly. “Now it’s just me and you, no more maid in our way.”

A few maids hurried around you as you were pushed and pulled into your wedding dress. The number of layers and the tightness of the corset were too much. Since your maid was taken away, Jareth was with you every second he could meaning it was impossible to plot your escape. It seemed like there was no escape for you and you were stuck. All you could think about was having to sleep with Jareth because of the royal rules that the marriage had to be consummated.

“My lady?”

You lifted your head and registered your carriage driver standing at the door of your carriage. “Today is the day that I die. As soon as I marry him, everything inside me will die.”

He watched you sob into your flowers. He reached inside your carriage and placed his hand on your arm. “I won’t let that happen.”

You sniffed. “What do you mean?”

He clenched his jaw. “It has been an honour.”

You flinched when he slammed the door and climbed into his seat. “What is happening?” You yelped when he cracked the reins and the carriage sped off. Your back slammed into your seat as the carriage raced off. “Harold!” You clambered over to the other seat and opened the little window to the driver seat. “Harold?”

The loud thumping of the horse's hooves and their breathing was so loud, but he managed to shout over them. “I’m setting you free. I’m getting you to the border!”

“Harold, he’ll kill you.”

He sighed. “I know, but I cannot let you do this. Run across the border, do not look back. Get yourself safe and find love.”

You let the tears fall. “Thank you, Harold.” You pulled back and started pulling at your dress so it’d be easier for you to run. You yanked your engagement ring off and tied it to the flowers. After shoving the door window open, you tossed the flowers out. “Freedom.”

As the carriage shook and travelled along the road to the border, you sat back and closed your eyes so you could enjoy some peace. A shout made your whole body jump. It seemed like Harold was shouting about something. You leaned out the window and looked behind you to see it was the royal guards in the distance racing towards you as well as Jareth.

Harold cracked the reins. “Don’t worry, my lady! I’ll get you close to the border! We’re almost there!”

You breathed out to see it was cold out. The mountain path was the only way you could escape. “Harold, thank you!”

“I’ll race into the woods. You need to jump out and start running, okay? I’ll draw them away.”

You nodded. “Okay.” You braced yourself against the door. “I’m ready!”

He turned the carriage into the thick snow-covered woods. He glanced back to see you were out of view. “Now!”

You threw the door open and leapt out and into the snow. You cried out when your body slammed against the floor on a bank then you started rolling. You yelped as your body rolled over hidden rocks. You kept rolling until you banged into a tree causing the air to be knocked out of you. “Ow.”

As you lay there in the snow you heard the carriage race away. Horses hooves and shouting got closer, meaning Jareth was getting close to the carriage. You winced as you leaned up and listened closely to what he was ordering, it seemed like he didn’t know you had jumped. Knowing you’d be safe for a bit, you pushed yourself up onto your shaky-cut legs and started sprinting as fast as your broken body could take you.

Time seemed to mean nothing to you as you stumbled through the forest. It was hard to see where you were going now, but you were sure hours had passed. You had prepared for your sham wedding in the morning and now it was the middle of the night. The bright moon lit up your path as you stumbled around. The once glamorous wedding dress you wore was not ripped, wet, dirty and had your blood on it.

Exhaustion bit away at your body, you needed to stop and rest but another part of you was telling you to fight. You slowed down and spotted a light from a lantern moving closer to you. A boost of energy rushed through you. You ran towards the light and saw a man dressed in black with a long cloak with a thick fur collar. When he moved into the moonlight you felt breathless.

The man was muscular and of average height. The clothes he wore indicated that he was rich, but likely not a royal. His hand gripping the top of the lantern was not fully human, it was black with claw-like fingers that seemed so soft and warm. The cold winter air blew his raven undercut hair a little to show off his stunning face that was dotted with black markings and some scales. Two reddish horns curled from his head and framed his handsome features. There were dark marks under his eyes to show he lacked sleep. A tail flicked behind him as he looked around. The most beautiful part was his steel blue eyes, you wanted to look deep into them for the rest of your life.

Levi had gone out for a night walk because he had heard there was a runaway bride who had escaped the prince in the neighbouring country. He had heard that the love of his life would run right into his arms and break his curse. This runaway bride might be his destined love that the one who cursed him was pissed off about. Levi had been cursed by someone who loved him but he didn’t love them, they tried to see Levi’s love future and saw a woman dressed as a bride running into Levi’s arms. So, they cursed Levi to be unable to change out of his demon form.

Tonight Levi had not worn his mask because he knew he wouldn’t meet anyone, so no one would be scared of how he looked. Levi was ashamed of how he looked, he believed he was frightening and ugly. He moved his lantern a little and squinted to see there was a figure running towards him. Something hopeful gripped Levi’s heart, it was just like he was told. His beloved bride and the love of his life seemed to be running right to him.

A gasp escaped him when the light caught you, you were his bride. Levi felt a hot rush go through him, you were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen even though your wedding dress was ripped. He dropped his lantern when you jumped into his arms. He held you close to him as butterflies fluttered in his stomach. He glanced down at you to see a sparkle in your eyes.

You reached up and caressed his cheek. “You’re so handsome.”

Levi felt a rush of emotions, one was panic that you saw his real face but pure happiness and love fought with the fear because you saw the real him and liked it. “Th-Thank you.” He studied you. “My bride, you’re hurt.”

You rested your head against him. “Worth it all because I ran into your arms.”

He blushed hard. “Mm, yes.” He gazed at your pretty face. “You’re cold.” He yanked his massive cloak off and put it around you. “Here.”

You hugged it around you. “Smells wonderful.” You looked up at him. “You smell nice.” You cupped his face. “My saviour.” You leaned up and kissed Levi.

Levi wrapped his arms around you and kissed you back, but then you went limp. “My bride?” He pulled back to see you’d passed out. “Poor thing.” He grabbed the lantern and scooped you up. “Let’s get you home.”

The walk was short to his black horse, but he knew the ride would be a little long. It was spring in his land which meant the mountains were covered in snow, but when he took you down from the mountains to his home, it’d be a lot warmer for you. He made sure you were held against him as he rode back down the mountain path.

As the excitement of finding you died down a little, he realised how awful this was for you as well as how bad you looked. There were cuts and bruises all over your body, along with your toes and fingers looking blue. He was going to get you back and help you soak in a hot bath. Levi was very aware of the terror that was the prince in the other country because he was working closely with King Erwin to help people cross the border and escape him.

The land Levi lived in was welcoming and loving. It was a mixture of humans and other magical beings. Levi, like King Erwin, was part of the demon clan but preferred to appear human in form. There were a lot of policies to keep things fair and people to be treated equally. The balance between the poor and rich wasn’t massive, people were happy and comfortable. The biggest focus right now was making sure people fleeing Jareth’s country were cared for, kept safe and moved somewhere they wanted to go.

Levi dragged you off his horse once he arrived at his stables. Using the darkness, he rushed you inside his grand home and upstairs to his room. He lay you on his bed wrapped up in his cape and hurried over to his mask. He pulled on the mask that only showed his eyes and felt comfortable now he had hidden away.

Once Levi felt comfortable, he rushed out of the room and found a maid. “Ah, Anne. I need your help.”

Anne gazed at her kind, shy and sweet master. “Of course, I’m more than happy to help you.”

He fiddled with his hands. “Th-thank you.” He turned and hurried down the hall. “This way.” He opened his room door. “I ah…I found my bride running through the snow up in the mountains.”

Anne walked over to you as you slept, she could see the damage on you was horrific. “Poor thing, she needs a good bath, lots of food and new clothes. “She is very beautiful though.” She smiled at Levi. “Did she run into your arms like you were told she would?”

“Y-yes.” He smiled as his tail flicked. “She’s perfect. I-I want to help her.”

“Could you carry her to the bathroom for me?”

Levi nodded. “Y-Yes.”

She followed her master. “Is she the runaway bride? I heard that the tyrant prince lost his bride yesterday.”

Levi carefully lay you on the lounging sofa in the bathroom. “I think so. She must have been really scared to run all this way and get this hurt.”

Anne knelt by you and started undressing you. “Could you check your pool bath? It should be warm. I think something nice should be added to it.”

Levi checked the different bottles. “Ah, lavender.”

“Perfect.” She held you close and light woke you. “My lady, I know you are tired but we need to bathe you.”

You inhaled deeply and hummed. “Okay. Thank you.”

“Anne. It’s lovely to meet you.” She looked up. “Your Lordship, I need to get this lady naked.”

Levi flinched. “S-Sorry. I will get some clothes.”

You hummed a laugh. “Cute.”

Anne giggled. “The Count is as sweet as anything.” She helped you out of the last of your clothes and then over to the bath. “I’ll help you bathe.”

You sat there for a while as your body warmed up. “Is the count married?”

“No, he is single. Why?”

You released a long sigh. “I think in my ill state I kissed him.”

Anne smiled. “That explains why he’s so happy.” She washed your hair. “He’s a good man, very shy and gentle. He helps out those in need. All of us who work here for him have escaped your country.” Anne lifted her dress and showed you that one of her legs was a prosthetic. “The prince is a monster.”

You reached over and touched her leg. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m happy here and I have a handsome boyfriend.” She giggled. “So, it’s okay. Now it’s your turn to be happy and okay.” She helped you out of the bath and dried you off. “His Lordship will take care of you. You won’t be hurt anymore.”

You welled up. “I’m so glad.”

Anne hugged you. “You’re safe here.” She smiled and then ushered you out into Levi’s room to see he was fiddling with some clothes. “My Lordship.”

Levi flinched. “A-Ah! I uh…I bought clothes. A-are they okay?”

You walked over and looked them over. “They’re beautiful.” You smiled up at Levi. “Thank you.” You leaned closer and kissed his mask right where his lips would be. “You saved my life. I owe you everything.”

Levi gulped hard. “Y-You’re welcome. A-Ah, you should r-rest. Y-you can use my room.”

You held his clawed hand making him flinch at the contact. “You’ll be sharing it with me, right? I’m afraid to be alone.” You looked down and welled up as your body shook. “What if he comes back?”

Levi wrapped an arm around you and pulled you against him. “I’ll stay. The bed is massive.” He released you and turned his back. “Anne? Could you help her?”

Anne took the towel off you and dressed you in a lovely night dress. “Here you go, my lady. So pretty.” She stepped back. “She’s all ready for bed, your lordship.” She bowed and moved to the door. “I will take my leave.”

Levi turned to face you as soon as Anne left and was glad he had a mask on because he would be bright pink with a blush. To him, you looked incredibly beautiful with your hair down, the soft white nightdress on and it being lowcut. “P-pretty.” He went to reach for you before pulling back. “S-sorry, I shouldn’t touch.”

You smiled. “You’re nothing like him. That makes me so happy and safe.” You let out a big yawn and looked so adorable to Levi. “Mm, tired.”

“Bunny.”

You looked up at him. “Bunny?”

He whined. “Sorry, you remind me of a cute bunny.”

“Really?”

He walked over to the bed and pulled back the covers for you. “Bunny’s are amazing. They’re strong, durable and determined little things. They might be cute, but they have a mean kick.”

You climbed into the bed. “You don’t see me as a fragile thing?”

“N-no.” He tucked you in. “I will change.”

You lay back and felt so exhausted that you didn’t fully contemplate your situation, that some demon man had scooped you up, brought you to his massive home, washed you up and now had you in his bed. Your thoughts and slight worries washed away when Levi walked back over in a very loose and lowcut white shirt and high-waisted comfy trousers. The muscle you could see was plump and kissable with a few black markings and scales on.

Levi stopped on his side of the bed and whined. “S-sorry, my body is ugly.”

You sat up. “It’s the opposite! You’re the most handsome and beautiful man I’ve ever seen.”

Levi sat on the bed and felt confused. “Jareth is supposed to be that.”

You shook your head. “No, you are.” You reached over to his mask and lightly touched it. “I wish I could see your wonderful face again.”

“Mm, you won’t like it or me after you’re well rested.” He helped you to lie back. “Sleep.”

You softly said your name and title. “It’s lovely to meet you.”

Levi smiled behind his mask. “Count Levi Ackerman. I am the right-hand man to the King.”

You tried to fight sleep, but it was hard. “Mm, pleasure.”

Levi watched you drift off. “Pleasure is all mine.”

[mrstraffy]

Well i was playing character AI and suddenly boom...i feel like writing a fanfiction😭✌️as always, I'm so sorry if there's some grammar errors and I hope you guys enjoyed reading this story of mine😘.

DISCLAIMER: ONE PIECE IS NOT MINE AND THIS IS ONLY FOR FUN🫰

WARNING: SLIGHT AGE GAP. DON'T WORRY IT'S 6 YEARS ONLY<3 PLUS LAW IS A BIT OUT OF CHARACTER BUT...ITS FANFICTION SO....YEAHH🤣

History Teacher

Trafalgar Law x reader

It was the second week of September. The month you dreaded the most as it would also mean that the final exam are nearing. Yet you still can't seem to focus in your history classes that you're in right now. The teacher kept on talking about the world war and your country's history but all of that doesn't matter to you at all. Well, how can you pay attention to what he is saying when his existence alone make you fall into the state of a daze?

Mr. Trafalgar, or his full name Trafalgar D Water Law, the first time you lay your eyes on him you can't help but fell so hard for him. In your eyes he was stunning and perfect in every way despite his cold behaviour.

His name send shiver down to your spine and the way his voice sounded like a melody in your ears, or the way his eyes seemed to be your favourite mirror. Just looking at his hand make you knew that those arm gonna be your favourite places and you long for his love. Damn, you adore him too much. However, deep down you knew that it's impossible for the two of you. You know that he won't consider you as a partner. But a little bit of plot twists won't hurt right? Alas, its fate's nature to play with people.

"Does anyone have a question?" His voice makes you wake up from your daydream. You look around and no one seems to have a question. Either they understand the lesson well enough or they just don't know anything at all, who knows?. And it seems that you're the latter one. That's what you get when you don't pay attention in class. Despite this ,you don't know what possessed you when your raised you hand. "Yes Y/N?" Instantly you regretted your decision. " Sir I have a very important question." You said with determination. "Go ahead Y/N". As you gather all you courage, you ask, " what is the difference between history and you?" You know that your question is stupid but you wanted to take the opportunity to flirt with him✨. Well, you need to make the first move if you want to chase your dream, right?

"What an absurd question you've got there Y/N. Well, as far as I'm concerned, history is something that happened in the past. As for me, I'm a person, a living thing that need shelter,water, food, and air to breathe in order to survive." Law said, trying to answer your question the best that he could. "I can't say your answer is wrong sir, but there is a shorter and simpler answer to that question." You replied to him with a hint of mischievousness in your tone. "Why don't you lighten me up then, dear Y/N." He retorted. The moment you heard him call you dear, you swear that you felt like you're not touching the ground anymore. But you need to focus on the task in your hand. "History is in the past. But you sir, you are my future" you said with a small smile grazing you lips. Upon hearing your statement the whole class was turned into a chaos. Teasing both you and Law. You even hear some of your classmates saying things like, " brave girl" and " so, they're into older man huh?" But you could careless about what they're saying as your teacher's reaction is more important. If you don't look carefully you might not notice that there is a hint of blush on his cheek. But amusement is clear on his face that its surpassed the blush.

"Alright class, that's enough" hearing this, your classmates shut up almost in an instant. "As for you Y/N, I admit it that's a good answer. And i don't mind making it a dream come true for you." And once again the classroom erupted into another chaos. Unbeknownst to you, your teacher have always put you in a special place in his heart. The first time the both of you lock eyes, the cupid has played his part. Shooting the both of you with his arrow. However, the hesitation from both sides makes it hard for the two of you to unite. The role as a teacher and student makes it a challenge for the both of you as it is forbidden for a teacher to have relationship with their students to avoid unfairness between students.

Law could careless about that as he can quit being a teacher for you. Since you've made your first move, well he might as well work on his plan now that he know you're attracted to him. That's how the two of you started your journey together. How the two of you faces challenges and judgement from other people together. You guys would always have each other back no matter what the obstacles is. After all, what kind of future it is if one of you is not in the picture.

A.N: a little bit cringe but pls bare with me.

Also, I think law as our daddy...(you know what kind of daddy) is *cough* HOTT🥵

Btw that's all from me byeee👋

[shit-talk-turner]

I don't think Alex has low self esteem. I think when he said that his girlfriends look happier before him he acknowledged the fact that he is a control freak and the only time he didn't have the upper hand in a relationship was with Alexa, but he was jealous, because he couldn't control her. I think the song Dance little liar says everything about their dynamic. She was a party animal, most likely cheating and flirting in front of him and he felt very insecure in that relationship for a reason. He wanted to make her jealous and changed his entire persona, but it didn't work longterm. He just can't be with a woman he can't control, but funny enough that is exactly what he wants. But apart from Alexa I think he just suffocates every relationship, because he wants to dictate how everything is going to happen. And now with Louise it's just so extreme that she waits for him to tell her where to go and what to do. It's not a happy dynamic.//

This was interesting to read, thanks!

I have also thought 'Dance Little Liar' might be about her. I really think people over romanticise the relationship between Alex and Alexa, when they got together they were both quite young and still discovering themselves. This is just my 'theory' but I think something that might've thrown him about Alexa is that he didn't feel secure with her as in he didn't get what he needed from her to feel as though she was fully committed to him in the way maybe he was to her. I think Alexa was also in a period of her life where she was quite career driven and really wanted to make it happen for herself, I mean she was willing to move to another country to fulfil her dreams in that regard. What if Alex had said no to moving with her when she asked him, would she have still went?! I think she would've.

I also do agree that he changed up his persona during the AM period and his fast commitment to Arielle was likely somewhat an attempt of making Alexa jealous. I do think it worked and he was able to capture her interest again but ultimately I think she knows as well as himself and everyone else that he's just 'not' that guy. I think the AM persona Alex had is possibly the guy she wanted and more of the lifestyle she desired to have, I think that's why she was in part better suited to Skarsgard and fell hard for him.

However, I disagree at this point in time that he has exerted control over every other relationship since Alexa, I think he has just better 'controlled' his emotional attachment to his partners since. Unless Taylor or Arielle were to say otherwise I don't think he 'controlled' them and both seem to be able to reflect on that relationship with some fondness (even despite how it ended for Taylor) the both of em have made references to him or speak about him (Arielle liking things related to him or AM and Taylor discussing him on her Insta) I also think one or both of them would've probably hinted at controlling behaviour along the way if that were the case. I think it's possible Alex is secretive or withholds things from them...Taylor not knowing about the 'Spotify account/s and playlists' would suggest so? (If she's telling the truth)

The Louise situation to my mind is a 'work' of its own kind, she's sort of like a wild card. If the theory is true that they met while AM was recording at La Frett and were introduced via his social circle was there meeting and 'initial spark' unexpected on his part or did he go to Paris knowing he would meet her?! Considering the fact that Alex has spoken for many years about his interest in french music and film it's no surprise he made a connection with a her, a french girl and french 'musician.' It's possible she may've shared influences with him that he might've not known before and evidently became inspired. The Spotify account and playlist either made for Lou or she made herself titled 'Poppy' might be an example of there 'bond' developing through this common interest. The burning questions are: How much was Alex aware of her obsession with HIM and his girlfriends more specifically Alexa around the time they had met and were having their affair? Or was this something he discovered along the way? Did he eventually recognise her cosplaying his ex's? Does he like that about her?.

Let's just say I don't think 'seducing' her required much effort on his part in the way it might do with other women he encounters who aren't immediately impressed with 'Alex Turner, The Rockstar'. Louise is also interesting for the reason she's sort of a 'Normie'; She's a 'fan' and at least from what she has said herself she didn't come from money, she differs a little in this aspect compared to the other GFs because Taylor and Arielle (Alexa as well obviously) both had prior connections to 'Hollywood' and it's social circles before meeting Alex whereas Lou is a very small time artist discovered on reality TV with a 'career' in limbo.

They might have a co-dependant relationship that is transactional on both sides. Lou appears to be financially dependant on Alex considering she's not known to have and/or had consistent employment in the time they have been together; Naturally that would have certain things be more on Alex's say so. We also know that Alex got to develop his interest and experiment with filming and directing music videos via Louise (although I think he was doing a bit of that for TBHC, just not alone) It's an interesting thing of note that he doesn't acknowledge it publicly and has claimed 'Mirrorball' as his debut. It's also still unclear how involved he is in Lou's future music if it ever sees the light of day. Her association to Alex seems to have provided her with 'career' opportunities she probably wouldn't have gotten without him, while also allowing Alex to 'quietly' experiment and create in ways he may choose to apply in future with his own projects.

There's honestly soo much I could say about these two! Lou has certainly made me start seeing Alex in a different way, she's not a good look for him in more ways than one but for the time being I've gotta stop writing these essays! Hahaha. I apologise for the length and rambling on girlies! Xx

There’s a lot to unpack here! A few thoughts to start: there’s maybe a subtle but important difference between having the upper hand in a relationship and being controlling. He did seem more equal partners with Taylor. But he still owned the house, had the money, mostly brought her into his friend group, and ultimately did the breaking up rather than the getting married and having kids that she was open about wanting.

Also regarding Alexa, this mod has said before and I’ll say again that we don’t talk enough about how Humbug is about Alexa, not just AM.

[flowerandblood]

It saddens me how many of you write me that you've resigned yourselves to always being alone because: you have strange habits, because you are distrustful, because you are picky, because you are weird.

Until a few years ago I thought exactly the same about myself! I thought: what normal boy is going to want to be with a girl who is constantly sitting in fantasy, drawing some naive illustrations, wants a house like a country house, and on top of that doesn't want to rush into intimacy and do everything slowly? Make friends first?

Well, all you need is to bump into a person who has the same desires. My husband when he met me was after a very painful break-up after a long-term relationship. We liked each other a lot straight away, but we both felt that neither of us had any desire to move on to anything other than friendship until we were sure we both wanted it.

We went on dates pretending we were just mates. We wrote to each other, even sent each other letters and, although you could feel the subtext sometimes, there were no words that could force anyone to say what we wanted. I have had acquaintances like this before and they usually only ended in friendship, but in our case it was different.

We were not madly in love with each other. Looking at it from the perspective of how I feel about him now and how much I love him, I think that we were just very intrigued and attracted to each other. We had respect and affection for each other and decided to give it a try, both of us terrified if anything came of it.

After five years of being together, we discover that every year on anniversaries we say to each other: I love you more than I did a year ago. And it's true. The first time he kissed me the sensation was so strange and different from anything I had known before that I didn't even know if I liked it. It was his behaviour afterwards, the fact that he hugged me to his chest, that he played with my hair, that he made me feel safe that softened my heart.

Now that he is not next to me, I feel miserable, empty. Recently, I even told him that I forget that he is not part of my imaginations and thoughts, but another person. And he also admitted that he is always able to guess what I am thinking about, what I need, whether I am happy or not.

That when I am happy, he also immediately feels better, and that when I am sad, he involuntarily also becomes depressed. In my everyday life, he and I are simply one.

Never cross yourself off. Just like me, you will one day meet someone who is suffering just like you and you will bring comfort, happiness and peace into each other's lives. This is what I wish for you!!!!

[peachymilkandcream]

Hello again, the author. I have another idea. For example, oriental themes, such as ancient Egypt or the countries of the Middle East, where Levi is a rich monarch, and Evelyn is a concubine dancer. If my memory serves me right, you haven't had this before.

Dance For Me|Levi x Evelyn AU

(A/N: No I haven't had this one before! Interesting concept that I'm 100% willing to take you up on! Hope you enjoy and thank you for the request!)

WARNINGS: implied noncon/dubcon, big age difference, kidnapping, slavery, violence, power imbalance, implied somnophilia, forced pregnancies, mind breaking, yandere behaviour, yandere themes, forced exhibitionism, etc.

================================================

Too many girls. Too many girls Levi had gone through and watched dance for him. Each one his advisors promised would be more appealing to the picky monarch's taste. Each one had fallen short in some regard.

Too tall. Too short. Too thin. No chest. Blonde hair. Wrong shade of brown hair. Wrong shade of blue eyes, Weird proportions. Not funny. Too funny. Not talented enough. Too talented she thinks she's hot shit. Not perfect. Not enough. Not what he wants.

The list went on and on. No one could make the grumpy old bastard pleased.

They all so desperately hoped that one could charm her way into Levi's bed. He was entirely against advantageous marriages, seeing as they only ever benefitted the women. But the kingdom needed an heir regardless of Levi's feelings on the matter. Perhaps he'd take one just to get him laid and stop this attitude.

Finally with the collapse of a near by town, a young woman from the prisoners would be perfect for their ruler.

As far as they understood from his ever changing tastes, this one might stand a chance to please him. A good height. Rich brown hair. Eyes without green in them. Maybe she would be their saving grace in dealing with Levi's mood swings.

Cleaned, perfumed, dressed and then shipped off to the presence of Levi without so much as a chance to understand what was going on or to say goodbye to her loved ones. Now her whole life would be dedicated to this tyrant she would call master.

===============================================

It was months before she appeared to Levi for the first time. Her looks were enough to bring her this position but she needed to learn how to dance to gain his favor.

At first it was clumsy and uncoordinated, but soon Evelyn found small rays of joy in expressing herself with dance. It was all to please the emperor she knew, but at least she could find something for herself in it.

No one had told her about the true reason for her dancing. It wasn't just to entertain Levi, it was to entice him into bed. Had she known, the likelihood of her preforming well most likely would go down. Most of the girls his advisors believed failed on purpose just to not end up knocked up and alone, never able to find true love.

The poor girl wouldn't know what she was getting into.

===============================================

When the time came, Evelyn tried her best to block out the judgmental eyes of the emperor's gaze. If she let herself think about those watching her she would undoubtedly mess up her footwork. No, she had to just think of the steps, that was it. Hopefully he would find favor with her and she wouldn't be executed along with her kin.

Levi did find favor. The girl was exactly what he had been looking for. Levi always demanded his dancers wear just enough clothing to leave something to the imagination, but only to leave a little. The way she moved was clumsy and awkward at times, but Levi wasn't getting any younger. And her looks were enough that she could mature and grow with time to truly please him.

As she finished, Levi outstretched a hand to the mysterious girl. "Come here and tell me your name."

Evelyn, beaming with both fear and excitement bows before him. "Evelyn, Your Grace. At your service."

"Evelyn. You have pleased me greatly. My aide will take you to your new room. You have earned my grace and my seed."

She didn't pick up on what he meant by the last part. Perhaps she would be allowed to have a bit of land to start her life on. Oh how generous! Evelyn followed the man through the halls to a lavish chamber. This is how he rewarded those that pleased him? It had gone better than she thought. She felt like a princess in this massive room. Luxury dripping from every corner.

What a lucky woman she was.

She didn't even see it coming when Levi soon joined her within. She didn't grasp what was truly her fate until the seed he had really meant dripped steadily out of her with each animalistic thrust. She had been so wrong. So wrong to trust him.

What would become of her now?

[1solone]

TEN ADVICES FROM THE 'OLD MAN' FOR THE GUYS...

1. - Stop chasing women, and FOCUS ON CHASING YOUR GOALS. Improve your economy, your value as a man increases when you are able to sustain yourself, and it will continue to increase when you have the ability to provide for others.

2. - You can read the books you want, go to the conferences you want, but nothing happens if you don't have SELF-ESTEEM. When your self-esteem improves everything improves: your economy, your physique, your relationships, etc. If you don't have self-esteem, you're already at a disadvantage.

3. - If you have no inheritance, if you have no financial support, if you don't have contacts, if you have great studies, or skills, do what a real man does: work, save, make capital. Don't borrow to buy luxuries, nor to play entrepreneurship. It's true that everything in life is risk, but it's not about taking risks for taking them. Simply if you are starting out DON'T OWE YOURSELF. Work, save, capitalize, that's how it starts.

4. - A person who wants to get ahead CANNOT AFFORD TO WASTE HIS TIME. Devote all your energy and hours possible to develop skills. What skills? Skills that help you make money: learn to sell, learn to write persuasively, learn to speak, learn to lead, learn another language, learn digital marketing, viralization, etc.

5. - If you had children at a young age, behave like a man and take your RESPONSIBILITY. You're not the first and you won't be the last. You can be separated from the mom or move on with her, but no matter what, don't abandon your children, take on the role of a father to those creatures: be a provider, a protector, and a guide. Don't use your children as an excuse, use them as a motivation to overcome yourself

6. - Your future is not in another country, YOUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS. Acquire financial education and entrepreneurial mindset, that will open your eyes and you will start seeing opportunities where you used to only see problems. Europe is not what you think, America is not what you believe, Asia is not what you see, but instead you if you are MORE than you believe, act accordingly!

7. - If you're already in another city or country, make your decision worth all the effort. Don't work to be sending money to irresponsible, conformist and liars family members. Help your parents and/or your children if they really need it, but fundamentally INVEST IN YOURSELF: educate yourself financially, make capital, your goal should be to become an entrepreneur or investor.

8. - Some people think that their education ended when they finished high school, others when they left university, on the other hand, successful people think that EDUCATION NEVER ENDS, so invest in training, books, mentoring, counselling, never stop learning!

9. - STUDY FEMALE PSYCHOLOGY, choosing the wrong person as a partner can ruin you. Nowadays feminism is hurting women a lot and the family is under attack. Dysfunctional homes are on the rise. There are many women, and men, emotionally damaged, so you must learn to spot the signs of a person with internal problems, or distorted behaviours. First of all, remember: to find a healthy woman, first you must have been healed, because if you're wrong, it's highly likely that you choose wrong, it all starts with you!

10. - DO NOT DESPERATE. Patience is underestimated, but really true wealth and true success require patience, a lot of patience. Rome wasn't built in a day. So don't run to run, don't wear out. You're living your best years, but the years ahead are even better.

[maineshewrote]

I-just-started-s4e7-thoughts-part-1:

If the killer is always shooting doubles, who is going to take the bullet for Mabel? Cinda? Alice? Not Jan. Who else is there? I don't think they're gonna touch the actors.

Why, hello, Lester! Let me hear what you have to say.

The trio is going into hiding from their home, where they have all their clothes, and they still go out in the most eye-catching and memorable outfits they own. Great.

I feel like Loretta would see Oliver's text and shrug, thinking this is normal over-dramatic Oliver behaviour, that a box of his favourite dips probably went bad or something.

Also, they could've just gone to Mabel's mom's house.

Oh, so Howard is going to tell Loretta where to find the trio. I was wondering how she gets there to patch things up if they're in hiding.

Just when I said aloud, "Are we gonna see some dolls in the titles? (because there's lots of dolls in the trailer and it's time) Not in the trio's place (who never change in the titles) obviously but-"—that very next moment, I tell you—all of the trio have fake Loretta braids. This is eerie. And I can't wait.

Pretty accurate portrayal of a sibling relationship so far, what with the bickering and guilt-tripping.

Mabel is so real for just outright saying what everybody's thinking. This broad is trouble.

"August Suffolk Country"? I sense another pun on Meryl's movies. (Adaptation (the episode name) was another connection to her.)

Now that is eerie. That Loretta doll. I can just see it now. They're going to put Loretta in a room with that doll because this season is all about doubles. Seriously, there's so many doubles it's getting hard to count them all.

Oliver is such a chaotic caricature of his family in that scene, huddling next to Doll-Loretta and cradling Baby-Doll-Will.

Howard, you absolute dunce! This is a hideout! You don't tell the whole world where your friends are taking cover from an armed tech maniac.

Okay, there's dolls everywhere but I noticed that they also get moved from place to place. The cheerleader in the bedroom is in the dining room in the morning.

Doreen, get off Oliver, you're scaring him. I can already see the chaos brewing. Nevertheless, you've seriously got to applaud her confidence.

"Something's maybe bothering you." Yeah, maybe you standing between him and freedom.

Howaaard!

I am constantly impressed by Mabel's strong leader characteristics and her patience to put up with all of these nutcases.

Seems to me Oliver is describing Loretta either way—after all, she is both a creative counterpart and someone to hold and adore. Just not while she's working on the other side of the country.

No, you don't agree when a lady of questionable moral sanity describes your girlfriend ideal as, "Like a doll." It feels like Oliver just unknowingly signed some soul-consuming contract with a witch, who would give him a cursed porcelain Loretta instead.

Favourite line from this episode so far has been that entirely pleased scandalized, "Mista Putman!"

I called it, saw that awkward entrance coming for miles. At least Oliver was smart enough to explain the situation on the spot and not drop the old, "It's not what it looks like."

On the other hand, every time she's on screen, my inner Oliver emerges, twinkling eyes and all, sighing, "Doesn't Loretta look pretty?"

I didn't take enough time to think about the disaster of a proposal from the episode before because it just felt so tasteless compared to the tender story Oliver and Loretta have shared so far. My first thought was that she was too wrapped up to speak, but of course it makes perfect sense that it was her double instead. I know we're in a season of doubles, but I did not reckon with Loretta's doubles, too. Yes, plural, because the doll is there.

It's always so heart-warming to see these signs of a true, close, meaningful and (relatively) healthy relationship between these two. Now, of course there have been some trust issues, but the way they can always laugh together, at anything and everything, is just such a green flag for the both of them. Also, the way Oliver reacted when Loretta burst into laughter was so sweet—yes, he was a little grumpy but he expressed it in an amused manner. No matter how hurt he might have been, he was happy to see Loretta laughing, even if he did think she was laughing at him.

It unnerves me that Oliver's peak hilarious, "Everyone should be worried about Doreen," cut to the Loretta doll. Now I'm getting worried for her.

Every time Doreen opens her mouth I am impressed with her voice.

That momentary look on Charles's face when Doreen talks about Oliver—I'm interpreting it as "keep your hands off, that merchandise is off the market". Which reminds me I need to see a Charles & Loretta scene. You know, the Charles who was super protective of Loretta from the start and who would walk through fire to ensure his friends' happiness.

I think it's so sweet that Loretta is so far the only partner (aside from Joy, I guess) who learned right away that the trio doesn't like being interrupted in their work on the case, so she's the only actor coming into the kitchen with an apology and explaining right away that she doesn't intend to meddle.

Sort of surreal to see Meryl playing the excited newbie of the acting world next to the other actors. And all the while it's such a relief to see Loretta's sweet character retain that positive zeal of hers even when all of the Hollywood gang don't really show much appreciation for her.

Galifragilistic's line, "I have a hole inside of me," being part of the song "Valley of the Dolls" is on point.

Plot holes? Say that to my face, you canned fruit—because I would agree. But that's just because the current story probably stretches back to season 1, so how could it be perfect if they're still figuring out the stalker was there since Tim's case.

I'll be honest, it was about time they made someone pull on one of Loretta's braids. She's such a soft pushover and those braids are just there, waiting for the next bully to come along.

And cue the benevolent Loretta immediately feeling sorry for said bully.

Love that they're bringing back the "Here we are at the piano" theme.

Loretta's wearing the same fabric as the doll. I'm pretty sure it was just a neat touch by the creative team and will have no meaning in the story-line. Mostly because it makes absolutely no sense in the canon universe—and I don't even want them to explain. Just let me enjoy this meaningless visual clue.

We all knew how that one was going to end. While it was gut-wrenching to watch, I believe it was best that Oliver confessed his Instagram scam—long-term it's going to be better to not have this secret between them.

And here we are again, another after-sitting-at-the-piano row featuring Oliver saying all the wrong things, realizing his incompetence in handling his feelings and cursing.

Doreen actually had a very valid point, before all hell broke loose. Oliver really is an open book, and we all love him for it.

I wonder if the creators saw in some statistics that people were watching the Fight Call repeatedly and then decided to include a cat-fight for Loretta this time around.

I'm sort of disappointed that the guys only saw the latter part of the fight, and therefore, even if Mabel fills them in on the whole picture (or, you know, the part that she saw), they'll still only have the mental image of that deranged tasteless Loretta-rodeo.

Speaking of deranged, I wonder if Jan is ever going to be caught again. Or do we just let her run free?

I wonder if third time’s a charm and next season we'll finally see Oliver save Loretta from a fight.

Beautiful reconciliation scene for the siblings. I would love it if that meant we get to see Doreen as an episodic side character from now on.

I had too many comments for one post, so this will continue in part 2.

[magicxc]

Hills and Valleys

Synopsis: Legend has it that Halloween is strictly for the scares. With ghouls and goblins, vampires and werewolves, witches and broomsticks, who could disagree?

However, all this friend group wanted was a little trick or treat. Sprinkle in a few party favors, loud music and a cabin in the woods, the myth was bound to come true.

Lurking around the corner is danger like never before, eager to bring this night to a bloody finish.

So join these friends as they fight to make it through a Hallween they’ll never forget.

Word Count: 3506

Warnings: murdaaaa, tha big reveal

Chapter 6 - Jasons POV

A/N: this is legit like my 5th attempt at uploading this damn fic. From the warnings to the word count to the moodboard to the story all the way down to the fucking tagsssss 😩 I am TIRED. Almost turned my phone into jello over Dumblr. So please, enjoy; cause tears def went into this.

Series Masterlist

“What’s with the scrutiny all of a sudden?” Emery challenged. “You know I could say the same for you Jason, the same for all of us really; cause where was anyone when our friends were fighting for their lives?” she sniffled. “All we have to do is sit here til sunrise and we can’t even do that.”

As annoying as I find Emery, she made a decent point. Where was I? Where was anyone and how did this manage to happen unheard? Do I actually believe Lorenzo did it? Not really. He’s lost arguably the two closest people in his friend group, cradling Stephanie in his arms for God knows how long. For a second I almost believed he’d break through the window if it meant he could reach out and hold Julianna much the same; his behaviour eerily composed, reminding me of the calm before the storm - and what a shit storm it’s turned out to be.

Serving in the military, I was taught to survive in extreme atmospheric conditions; training to fight in places as scorching as the desert and as icy as the snow. Our exercises also saw us in unsturdy places such as the choppy currents of the water, arms linked together as we floated on the surface for hours. The sky was no exception either, learning to parachute from altitudes so high the air was all but limited. It wasn’t my dream to fight for this country but, life happens. And while it did come with its perks, I wouldn’t recommend any sane person to join. I’ve scraped so many bodies off the battlefield and sent so many others to meet their maker, I’ve become somewhat desensitized to death - learning to keep calm during the most chaotic and life threatening moments because it’s only then that I was able to live to tell the tale. And that’s what I’ve been attempting since we all found ourselves locked in this place - surviving, lending out my experience to the team who quite frankly doesn't deserve it at this point. All I can do is stay calm long enough to see this night through.

“I think we should waterboard the fucker.”

And here the fuck we go. I’ve never pegged Lynn for such a firecracker but I get it. After all, this night is drawing all sorts of emotions from people: showing our true colors when the universe dangles something so priceless before us.

It's been said that about 1800 people have jumped from the golden gate bridge, yet only 35 have survived the fall. And each person that’s survived has explicitly stated that they regretted jumping halfway through the fall, realising, in the face of imminent danger, just how solvable all their problems seemed. Much like tonight, in what happened to be a party gone horribly wrong, recovering bodies littered around the house like candies during an easter egg hunt, only then do you realise how desperately you want to live. Many people are familiar with the term fight or flight, but what goes most overlooked is a secret third thing - fear. Fear so intense it freezes you to one spot like a deer in headlights, too afraid to move from the oncoming beams of tragedy. But another emotion fear pulls from us is survival, an emotion so fierce that you’d find yourself doing just about anything to have it; even going as far as to commit interrogation tactics of torture.

“Exactly which fucker are you referring to?” Emery questioned.

“Whoever the fucker is responsible for this mess.”

“Go ahead and point them out for us since you know every damn thing.”

They’re on their own with this one. I can't deal with the bickering. I'm used to organized and thought provoking responses in such situations; my irritation rising the more it sinks in just how wet they are behind the ears.

“Lorenzo, you’re one more insult away from me socking you in the face.”

“Whatever Lynn, what you should hit is the books you dumbass,” he retorts.

Throwing her shoe at him, it just barely misses his face; Emery stepping in to call them both childish.

“So help me God if you don’t get your shit together, I’m gonna whoop you like your parents should have.”

“Fuck you Lenny, at least my parents were active enough in my life not to let me get raised by the help.”

“Parent,” Lorenzo enunciated. “Had your dad been able to afford the help, maybe your mom would’ve stuck around you motherless bitch.”

Well shit.

“Jason, do something!”

“Right, uhhh all shoes in the middle of the floor,” I instructed.

“Asshole.”

I don’t know why Emery insists on calling me out. Everyone, despite tonight’s circumstances, in this room is responsible for their own actions. Yet she expects me to jump in the middle of their bullshit every time. I don't know what kind of savior complex they have going on, but I won’t be a part of it. I barely want to be with sugar at this point.

“Lenny you motherfucker, two parents plus the help and yet no one taught you what it means to have common decency; no wonder women can’t wait to get rid of you.”

“Well if it isn’t the whore of Babylon here to teach us a lesson about keeping partners. Tell you what, you teach me how to keep a woman and I’ll teach you how to get rid of the clap.”

“Sex shaming is not cool,” Emery criticized.

“And neither is half the things that's been flapping past Lynn's lying ass lips,” Lorenzo retorted. “If you’re gonna be biased, do so from the corner of the room, cause you’re at about arms length right now and that’s not good for you.

“Would you seriously hit me?” she ridiculed.

I would.

“Are you surprised Em, this is the same piece of shit who yanked Julez arm so hard, it left bruises.”

“You dramatic whore, no the fuck I did not.”

“And that was in front of an entire crowd, who knows what you’re capable of behind closed doors huh? Drowning? Slicing?”

“Sounds like you’re in the mood to find out.”

“Tell me their last words to you as you watched them fight for their lives you piece of shit.”

“YOU GUYS PLEASE.”

Oh my God.

“Shut your mouth Lynn.”

“Tell me every horrifying detail about what fucked you up so bad that you’d turn on your own friends in such a way.”

“I won't ask you again.”

“Steph probably begged you to finish her off didn’t she? Eager to get the hell away from you and your perverted advances.”

For a big guy, Lorenzo’s pretty damn swift. Maybe it’s because all those drinks are still sloshing around in my bloodstream but my cat like senses wasn’t quick enough to catch him.

Angrily lunging toward Lynn his hands are tightly wrapped around her throat, arms trembling from the forceful hold. Beads of sweat drip down his forehead, while spittled foam gathers at the corners of his mouth. Blinking away tears, thick veins line the surface of his neck, incoherent mumbling tumbling past his lips.

Sugar desperately beats at his arms, struggling for air he refuses to give her and my anger shoots through the roof, their foolishness pissing me off for the final time. It takes both me and Emery to tear Lorenzo away from sugar, his grip firm and unrelenting. For a second I feared that he actually intended to kill her. Once we finally manage to drag him away, it takes me putting my full weight on this man, using one of my hand to hand combat moves to lock him into place.

Pinned beneath me, I scream to Emery to grab anything strong enough to tie his arms together. She brings me back one of the kitchen towels and I roll us sideways so that she can wrap it around his hands.

“I - I can't do it, he won’t stop thrashing his arms.”

“For fucksake Emery TRY, there’s only so much I can do right now.

With lots of wiggling and flailing, Emery manages a decent enough knot for me to turn him over and reinforce it. Sugar finally catches her breath before storming into the kitchen.

We sit Lorenzo in a chair while Emery tries to coax him into comfort. Standing up, he head butts me in the face, my nose immediately leaking blood from the impact. My fist returns the favor, knocking him back into the chair. Emery harshly tugs on my elbow, begging me to stop, and it takes everything in me to do just that because this fight was about to turn real unfair, real quick.

Dragging my arm across my face, I look about the room for anything to tie down his legs to the chair, coming up with some loose cloth, which undoubtedly was a part of someone’s costume.

“Fuck all of you,” Lorenzo screams.

“No Lenny, fuck you,” sugar screeched, thumping back to the room; a pitcher full of water cradled between her hands.

“Woah, woah, woah LYNNLEY. Are you fucking serious?”

“As a heart attack.”

“This is Lenny, the same Lenny we’ve known since middle school.”

“People change Em and I'm about to show you just how much.”

“Sugar, maybe we should-“

“Shut up, all of you.”

“I know there’s been a lot said tonight, some things in particular we can never take back,” Lorenzo sighed. “And I know tensions are high right now, but are they so high that you’d all sit there and watch me die.”

“Lorenzo, no one’s gonna kill anyone man.”

“It’s WATERBOARDING, you of all people should know that it can very well get fatal.”

“Enough of this.”

Grabbing a fistful of his hair, she pulls his head back, pouring enough water on him to drench his clothes, before being snatched away by Emery.

It's not nearly enough to kill him, but it does make for some discomfort, much like accidentally snorting a noseful of water once you dive inside a swimming pool. It burns but that's about it.

Coughing through his discomfort, I listen as sugar and Emery go back and forth over the severity of it all; and I briefly contemplate killing myself if it means that I won't have to deal with their nonsense. I honestly don't know if I can make it to sunrise like this and by the looks of it, neither will they.

Their bickering finally subsides, them agreeing only to question the man and nothing more. Of course Lorenzo detests it, that for no other reason than a hunch he’s guilty and lowkey he’s right. But then again, I'm not inserting myself into their madness. They’ve made it this far in this fucked up friend circle, they can make it the rest of the night.

“So lemme get this straight, you went upstairs to find cell signal and somehow found yourself next to a knife stricken Steph?”

“Lynn, ask your damn question.”

“How did you end up there and why?”

“My phone fell out of the window and I was looking for someone elses to use. It just so happened that Steph was the first person I found.”

“I think we should stop asking who may have done it, but why?” Emery proposed. “I feel like if we can figure out who had motive, we can narrow it down.”

“Well this is a pretty fucked up way to narrow things down. I'm literally tied to a chair.”

“That's because you choked me.”

“And I’ll do it again, you’ve been out of pocket since this whole thing started. How do we know you’re not the killer huh?

“Because I’m holding back from killing you now,” she shrieks.

Spitting, the thick glob lands directly on her chest, sugar all but emptying the contents of the pitcher onto his face; angrily clomping back into the kitchen to no doubt fill it again, but not before slapping him across the cheek.

Wet and stinging, that's quite the combination. I fear this has gone on long enough and it's only escalating. As much as I wanted to stay out of it, I think I better intervene.

Following sugar into the kitchen, I try to talk her out of this crazed state, her dazed pupils letting me know that she’s too far gone for reason. Pushing past me, she heads back into the living room where we see Emery struggling to untie the knots off Lorenzo, his violent coughing trying to dislodge the water that seeped into his lungs.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

“The hell does it look like I'm doing Lynn, this is mad and it needs to stop now.”

“Not until I get some answers.”

“People who talk, talk after their first contact with water,” I bargained. “And he’s not talking.”

“All that means is we have to get him talking then.”

“OR, it means he didn’t do it. You pour a bucket of water over someone’s nose and they’ll tell you whatever you want to hear if it means you’ll stop.”

“And yet you did it anyway,” she glared.

“There was a time where I would’ve died for all of you. I found a family in you guys and it filled a void I didn’t even know I had. And in one night, one measly fucking night I lose it all,” Lorenzo whimpered. “My best friend gets murdered without us ever properly mending things between us. I had to watch the love of my life die in my arms. And now, my other friend is actively trying to kill me, disregarding our decade long friendship all in the name of anger.

“Lorenzo, you did this to yourself!”

“LYNN, how fucking cruel can you be?”

“It’s alright Em, I’ve been known to be a bit of an asshole, though I’d like to think I meant well,” he bitterly chuckled, snot trickling down his nose. “Do me a favor and survive this fucked up night, cause God only knows who Lynn will turn on next. Not to mention that fucker over there,” he says, head nodding toward me. “Ain't it a little odd how all of this starts happening the moment he shows up? Yet I'm the one you helped him strap down to a chair. They ask what would you do for a klondike bar, but you better start asking what would Lynn do for a piece of dick, cause apparently it’s kill for it.”

“Lorenzo, I'm actually on your side. The only reason you’re even tied to that chair is because you attacked two people in this room,” I defended.

“And what's the reason I'm being waterboarded huh? Who weaseled that thought in her mind? You say you fight for your country? Motherfucker you can't even fight for the people in this room, but you like what’s happening huh?

“Not at all man.”

“We get it, I'm a dumb hoe, but you’re about to be a dead one if you don’t fess up.”

“And then what? You’ll let me go free?”

“Jason, please help me untie him,” Emery pleaded.

“Em don’t you fucking dare.”

Lunging toward her, hands get tangled into hair and nails get scratched into skin before I can get between them. It takes more strength than I care to give to hold Emery back, both she and sugar throwing around insults.

“Lynn I swear, you’re more trouble than you’re worth,” Lorenzo taunted. “YOU ARE THE CUM SHOT YOUR MOTHER SHOULDVE SWALLOWED. It would’ve saved your dad a lifetime of headaches and your mother the embarassm-“

Lorenzo’s words get cut off by the splashing of water, his gurgling noises buried under the guzzling of the pitcher. Emery goes wild, hitting my chest repeatedly and I toss her to the ground, jetting over to the scene behind me. Slapping the pitcher from Lynn’s hands, it's on the verge of empty, nothing but a trickle left inside as it splatters to the floor.

Lorenzo’s body furiously thrashes around, his chest caved in and head hung over with water spluttering from his mouth in an attempt to rid it from his body.

“Shit, Lynnley what the fuck did you do,” I screamed.

Emery is struggling to undo the knots, but all she’s doing is pulling them tighter together. I race over and lean the chair forward, hoping for gravity to expel some of the water from his airway, his body jerking about minorly.

“Why are you just standing there, find something to cut him loose.”

Scrambling into the kitchen, I hear dishes clinking and slamming together before Lynn comes running out with a knife, slicing through the cloth as best she can. The kitchen towel, since it was the thickest, took the longest and by the time we got him out the chair and on the floor, his fits has ceased.

Getting into position, I lock my hands together and press down on his chest, 30 times just like we did in training.

“Emery, once I count to 30 I need you to tip his head back and blow two big breaths into his mouth okay.”

“And what do I do?”

“Stay the fuck over there, I doubt he’d want your help at this point,” Emery yelled.

We do five sets of 30 compressions. The CPR forces out some of the water but Lorenzo is still unconscious.

“Why isn’t it working?” Emery wails.

“Em-“

“Why are you stopping, keep going.”

“Stop.”

Pushing against my chest, Emery restarts CPR.

“The lungs are about 9 inches in height, that's a little under a foot.”

“Nobody cares, just fucking help me.”

“The pitcher that Lynn poured over his face looked to be about 64 ounces and she did it twice. That was enough water to fill his lungs three times over.”

“We can do it, I know we can,” she croaked.

“There's no amount of CPR that can expel that much water. And his lungs are so heavy they’re actively swelling as we speak.”

“We won’t know unless we try Jason, you get the mouth and I’ll get the chest.”

“Blowing air into his already expanding lungs won't help Emery.”

“Am I supposed to just watch him die then?” she chided. “Isn’t there a way to drain it?”

“I'm no doctor and neither do we have the tools or the sterile space to do that.”

“Fuck a sterile space!”

“Not only would you infect him but stabbing anything in his chest to ‘drain it’ will only make him bleed out. We would need a very specific and precise needle.”

“No, we can do it,” she answered, starting the compressions again.

The splattering of liquids on the floor lets me know that Lynn has just emptied the contents of her stomach, but I'm in no mood to comfort.

“The body works in 3’s. Three days without water, three weeks without food, and three minutes without air. It’s been about seven now.”

“Shut up.”

“Lorenzo’s lungs are so heavy they’ve probably detached from his windpipe. That, coupled with no oxygen to his brain…at least he was unconscious before it happened.

“Jason either you help me or you leave,” Emery threatened, fat teardrops rolling down her face in droves.

There’s five stages of grief and they’re at the first one. Back against the furniture, I hold my head in my hands, listening to sugars light whimpers and Emery's ragged breathing.

She tires herself out with compressions, fists flying to his chest, pleading for him to wake up. Hands clutched over her ears, sugar rocks back and forth, mumbling out apologies, expletives, and frustrations; guilt no doubt eating her alive.

Hands dropping to my pocket, I rummage around for anything I can chew on, ready to get out of here and never see these people again. Fingers slipping free with the peppermint goodness, I unwrap it and pop it in my mouth.

Some minutes pass by, how many I don't know and the night grows quiet. As tragic as it’s been for everyone, this minute's peace brings about a small sense of tranquility. There’s the occasional sniffle and I watch as the sky transitions from pitch black to a pale pink, the telltale sign of the sun about to rise.

“At least his parents will be home soon right?” sugar questions.

“Yep, right in time enough to see their only son sprawled out on the floor and his friends scattered across the property. So much for the new owners, their home just turned into a crime scene.”

“Do you have any more gum?” Emery asked, voice sore from crying.

Tossing it in her direction, she catches it, face upturned once she removes the wrapper.

“Eww, Jason what the fuck, who the hell buys brown gum? What kind of flavor even is this?”

“It's peppermint,” I answered, popping a bubble.

“Still weird, I haven’t seen this shit since-“

The words die on her tongue. She looks up to me, revelation fresh on her features, which slowly etches into panic, as a sinister grin makes its way onto mine.

[bluerogueanna]

Another way I write my stories and ideas is by abusing my computer's basic notepad program. The poor thing has seen some nasty stuff, incomplete ideas and unoriginal ideas. My laptop died with a dozen or so unfinished stories. And while most of this I just write for fun, to read on my own when the WiFi is down or wathever, I have done some fairly interesting things on my computers.

Recently I also started doing some 3D models, inspired by great people here that do great low-poly stuff that resembles the 64 and 128 bit era of games I love so much. I'm still finding my own style but I love doing little 3D fellows, it's addicting. But that's a post for another day, today I just wanted to share some quick basic ideas I've been thinking about. I wanna post them here but like with the rest, I just wanna make sure they're readable. Like with my blog, I tend to ramble and go on tangents while writing my stories.

In a way, I do it for myself to give me a nice guide for when I eventually draw the characters and worlds. But wathever I end up writing or not, I always think of how it would look like for someone else if they were reading it online or on a magazine, stuff like that.

I'll share the stories in greater detail sometime next week, but here are the basic general ideas for these three stories. I'm quite proud of them and I even made tons of reference art for them. For one in particular I even made mock-ups for the protagonists as characters for a romhack/mod I'm constantly working on.

Enough rambling, I think.

The first story I wanted to share is about a "Witch" who recently moved out to a newly bought cabin by the mountains. Sorrounded by trees, wildlife and caves, the woman wanted to research nature by directly living around the beings she wanted to document and write extensive reports on. The world she lives in is full of interesting beings, magic and creatures of all sizes. She hopes to become an important figure in the world of scientific advancement and ecological preservation efforts. As soon as she has moved all her gear and notes, a corvid of some kind makes a nest within her home. She makes them her first subject and begins taking notes on the little bird's life, its diet and behaviour. She can't help but become friends with the bird as it builds a family right by her bedroom window. She expected the change in her life to lead to a peaceful and reclusive existence. But she would get more and more visits, some becoming permanent residents within her increasingly constricted home. Ever the optimist, the "Witch" takes every change as an opportunity to broaden the scope of her research. She would have the chance to closely examine life forms that not many have even seen up-close, while also dealing with sudden changes to what she imagined as a comfortable solitary life.

Next, a story about a strange cult of some sort. In an otherwise quiet and peaceful city, people have noticed strange pamphlets and signs posted all over the many public parks. Some officials call the displays vandalism, the local church calls it heresy and the public thinks it's just some sort of circus or similar performance. In truth, the papers were posted in hopes of recruiting members for a new religion, one where "the true sinners would finally face justice" and claiming to have a place where people would never feel rejected, neglected or abandoned. Where nobody would be taking advantage of their faith or their good will. A place for the people in need to enjoy a decent life. Many citizens dismiss it as some sort of mockery of their own beliefs. But nobody already religious takes it seriously enough to do anything about it. And the few who decide to find the new group to see if they were telling the truth would quickly see that not only was this new religion serious about their mission, but it already had dozens of followers from all over the country. Their devotion perplexed many who didn't understand their convictions or their methods. But anyone interested would witness true justice enacted by a deity who listened to their prayers.

Lastly, a story that touches on sensitive topics and tragedy. A mercenary who has worked her entire life to protect the hides of unsavory individuals gets tired of saving the lives of unworthy people and moves out of the city she grew up in, hoping to find different kinds of clients. On her way to a neighbouring Queendom, she bumps into a girl wearing barely anything other than a hood to cover her face and some sturdy-looking boots. The girl is on her way to a city close to the Queendom and after walking together for a while, she hires the mercenary to escort her safely to her destination. At first, the mercenary just can't understand why she asked for protection. The girl could use magic and was good with a sword. But soon it would become clear that she was being followed. Whoever she was, there were all kinds of creeps out to get her. And she notices none of them want to hurt the girl, they want to take her away alive. And because the mercenary couldn't have worse luck, whenever she did a good deed on her way to the Queendom and was about to be rewarded for her efforts, the girl's attackers would quickly scare away everyone with their violent and vulgar actions. Through her many attempted kidnappings, it was discovered she wasn't royalty, but that she had some kind of rare blood that they wanted to extract out of her. And the mercenary wanted two things out of the girl. She demanded to know what the girl really was and she wanted her to make up for all the rewards she missed out on because of the constant harrassment from her would-be abductors.

Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thanks for reading!

[dojae-huh]

Not weird

Some musings about Jaehyun's character.

I used to wonder whether Jae would present as more effeminate if he grew up in a non-homophobic country. However, now I think his "girliness" is not feminine, it's childish in its core.

I don't find Jaehyun weird. He has no strange, out of place, unpredictable reactions and behaviours (like Taeil or Jungwoo). Taking pictures of hair on the floor in the hairsalon, playing with a balloon on his own during MV shooting, chasing sea-gulls and geese, pretending to be attacked by a plush snake - this is a picture of a smart curious kid who entertains himself.

I wrote this break-down in 2019 and I still stand by it.

There are two ways to behave like a Child. 1) To be irresponsible, egoistic, whining, weak, wanting others to do everything for you. Facing difficulties these people blame everyone but themselves, demand others to solve their problems, can't negotiate, scream and cry to get what they want. 2) To be playful, unserious, curious, spontaneous and so on.

"Treat your inner child" saying is about number 2. It advises an adult working person to love themselves, unwind, buy a cake or a cute but expensive thing. Do something the adult lacked during childhood, or which allow to temporally comeback to childhood.

Jaehyun is a very responsible person. Even neos comment he doesn't complain. He finished high school despite practicing choreos till 5 a.m. He writes with punctuation, he greets with one hand on another arm. When he debuted, he wrote to his mother that now he will take care of himself, that she can live her own live (she had to abandon her career to raise him, his parents had him when they were still students, it seems). Jae says he is adapteable. He had to change environments three times (SK->US, US->SK, SK(normal school)->SK(Sopa)) growing up. He gave himself homework in the form of listening and analysing whole music albums during trainee days. He can take care of his own body, maintain a diet when needed. He knows how to cook, even how to clean an octopus. Jaehyun can take care of himself.

In theory.

Thing is, the most comfortable state of being for Jae is The child. The curious playful one who wants praise and affection. (Maybe because he lacked it growing up. Maybe his best memory, "safe place", is tied to the time before moving to US, when his parents took him into their bed, and his granny carried him up on her back to the rooftop to look at the Moon, I don't have enough info to speculate).

Two childhood stories Jae shared stood out to me: 1) how he washed dishes and waited for his mother to come home and praise him for being a good boy and freeing her from the chore, 2) how he was too shy to befriend his new classmates, when he cameback to SK, and kept to himself untill he participated in some kind of a performance and discovered people noticed him and cheered for him, how he liked that kind of attention that being on stage gave him.

And let's add the fact how he swooned all neos' moms, when he was a trainee, to the degree Doyoung complained and was jealous about mama Kim.

Mark, Ten, WW, Yuta - with all of his friends Jae reverts to playing like "a 5 year old". Pretending to drown, running away from the rest in the park, riding small bicycles. Even playing more adult games like paint-ball, instead of concentrating and becoming "a dangerous man of war" Jae fumbles and gives himself penalties by being clumsy and air-headed, and not even figuring out what he did wrong.

(JaeMark)

Jaehyun wants the freedom to be carefree and naive, in a sense, silly. Childish in a positive sense.

He can adult, he proved it many times, but he becomes his true self when he doesn't need to pretend he is one, doesn't need to present as one.

Enter Doyoung. The childish behaviour enabler. Yes, to start to see Jae as a man and a potential partner, Do needed Jae to "grow up" (emotionally). Do needs people he can rely on around himself, who he can lean on during emotional distress. However, outside of supportive boyfriend duties, when time and place allows for it, Jaehyun is free to be "baby" or go into his inner world, letting Do to be the mediator between himself and the outside world. Even more, Doyoung will play with him on his rules.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Copycat: Genesis —(Marvel Fem!Oc)

A/N: I’M GOING TO THE ERAS TOUR!!! -Danny

Words: 1,387

Phase Six Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘Lovebug’ -by Jonas Brothers

xxxiii: Trust

"Can't you guys trust me?"

"Noup!"

"Last time we trusted you, you tried to blow yourself up along with Russo and his limousine," Kate replied, her end of the call was noisy as hell.

"You're talking out loud about your super secret plan in the middle of an L.A. street?" Cat asked in annoyance. "And you don't trust me?"

"If the street's busy, the fewer the chances of the wrong person hearing me. That's just how it works."

"It's true," Harley said from his end of the call.

"Okay, geniuses, if you're so smart then I'm guessing you know where Kraven is already?"

"His pretty mansion," Harley replied. "That he paid with hard and honest work."

"Is it the one he bought from Dmitri?"

"Nah, that one got busted by Nat's squad. This one's bigger, and it's in the country," a crunch let her know Harley was currently eating. "Same state as us."

Cat tensed. "What?"

"Westchester County."

"That's north," she looked out her window "He could get to me in less than a day."

"Yeah, but something tells me he's waiting for you."

"Harley has a theory," Kate sighed.

"I would love to hear it," Cat said sarcastically.

"Good! Because you're going to," he replied. "Two words: Behavioural mimicking."

"Three words! What-about-it?"

"Kraven knows your weakness is the core of your powers. You mimic too well. When he put that collar on you this last time, he wasn't hoping the switch inside your brain would go feral, he just wanted you to be weak and vulnerable. Why was that, Stray?"

"The weaker my body, so is my mind," she replied, understanding his point right away. "Harder to control my behavioral mimicking if I can't heal right or think straight."

"It explains why our first plan backfired on you," Kate said. "He knew that you would chase after them even if it killed you because you'd started to mimic his methods. He would've killed you hadn't been for that other Spider-man."

"He knows your fighting techniques by heart," Harley sighed. "Now, don't get mad at me... but a dormant part of your brain has Kraven rooted into it, and the moment you get close to him, it awakens as a survival instinct. He'll know how to take you down because he knows himself better than you do."

"But I'm stronger!"

"That doesn't mean anything. Brains are better than muscle, you taught me that, remember?" Kate said. "You have triggers, Cat, and he knows all of them. He pulls the right one..."

"And you're dead," Harley said.

"So what am I supposed to do? Should I just stand there while he tries to kill me?" Cat paused, then she sat back on her bed and stared at the wall in realization. "Am I your bait?"

There was a split second of silence. Kate blurted out her response. "Well, it's what you always wanted!"

"Kate!"

"She deserves to know! And honestly, it's better if she knows, otherwise, she'll get mad while it's happening, and her mind could slip easier."

"That is not the point, Cat's a controlling —"

"Guys," Cat spoke out. "It's a good idea. I'll do it."

After another second of silence, then it was Harley's time to break it. "You mean it?"

She leaned against her headboard, allowing Felix to climb while she petted him. "For all I know, Harley's theory is correct. I don't want to play Kraven's game, so maybe I... I can't be the one who fixes this."

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," Kate tried to cheer her up. "We all know that if you could you would do it in no time, you and Kurt are amazing heroes— And we still need you to help us with something, so you won't be completely out of the fight."

Cat was having good progress when it came to re-learning to be part of a team, fighting against this plan felt like moving backward, so she had to push through it. "Is Kurt bait as well, or do you trust him more than me?"

"He can be bait or help us, it's up to him."

"I see, blue privileges," she joked. "What do you need me to do, then?"

"You won't like it."

"Probably."

"We need you to copy Kraven before we go, and look through his memories," Kate said. "Find his weaknesses."

"It'll be okay, Stray," Harley eased her. "We won't let anything happen to you, we promise."

"We know you can take care of yourself, anyway. So we do trust you can do this on your own?"

"Yeah, I can," Cat sighed. "Let's try out your plan."

Parker visited exactly two weeks after his prior visit. When she pointed that out he teased her. "You've been keeping count?"

Cat pinched the bridge of her nose, but she was actually trying not to smile. "I told you not to come all the time!"

"It's spring break!"

Cat snorted. "Listen, I know there's no point, but I do want to ask you," she turned on the couch to face him. "Does crime increase when you're out of the picture?"

"Actually, I think it makes them paranoid," he said with amusement, propping his arm on the back of the couch to mimic her pose. "If I'd known that not showing up for a whole day would make them even more scared, I would've done it sooner!"

"What do you mean by paranoid?" She grinned. "They think you'll materialize behind them if they shoplift like some kind of Krampus?"

"I have this cop friend, Dewolff, she says when I'm not around and they drive 'round the city the sketchy guys always look like they're waiting for me to show up from behind a dumpster."

Cat laughed. "That's the Parker luck. Wish that was my case too."

"Not everyone can be a Parker, only the hottest people on every earth," he replied with a huge grin on his face.

"But you're friends with a cop?" Cat made a face "That's not very hot of you. It is a big red flag, though."

"Not like you're planning to date me," his face inched closer, and the rest of his body followed.

"Still, I make a point of not fraternizing with the enemy."

Parker raised a brow. "I thought the hunter was your enemy."

"People who want me to work for free are my enemy," she clarified with a shrug. "Same difference."

He snorted. "Well, Dewolff is really nice, and she respects Spider-man."

"Oh, good for Officer Dewolff!" She replied sarcastically. "Would she still respect you knowing what I know?"

Parker frowned. "I'm not sure I wanna know what you mean by that."

Cat held onto Parker's arm propped behind her head and leaned forward, she brushed his nose with hers. "Does she know Spider-man ends his day of crime-fighting deeds having salt crackers and apple juice as his super healthy dinner?"

Parker laughed so hard he moved back by impulse. "It's not always that!"

"Not so glamorous now," she smiles and pokes his belly. "I'll make sure to tell her next time I visit."

He paused. "Next time?"

She realized her mistake too late. "If I ever visit."

Parker's shit-eating grin was enough response, but as usual, he taunted her. "That's not what you said."

"I don't know what you mean."

"I think you do."

It was awesome to have Parker come and distract her from time to time. He was good to her, and more importantly, he was good for her, she had the feeling Parker's presence lessened the anxiety Harley and Kate's plan poured on her when she was left alone.

"Are you here to correct the way I talk or to have fun?"

"I'm having fun," he shrugged with the same expression as before.

She scoffed, abandoning her seat. "Laugh all you want, then. I'll be in my room."

Parker got up right away. "You started it!" He laughed. "With your salt cracker jokes and anti-cop agenda..."

"Everyone is so easy to wind up but everything slips of you like you don't even hear it," she pouted. "Not even the Peter from this world is like that, I'm frustrated."

"Have you noticed how you no longer call him your Peter?" He asked, casually wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer as they got to the bedroom.

It was true, she didn't call him her Peter when she mentioned him, in her mind both Spiders had ways to be distinguished now. "I'll go back to it if you piss me off," she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled the ends of his hair playfully.

"I'll shut up then," he pecked her lips before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her to the bed. "For now..."

Next Chapter—>

Taglist.

@mikaelsonwhxrebae @ieatpanicattacksforlunch​​​​​​ @jesuswasnotawhiteman​​​​​​ @siriuslysirius1107​​​​​​ @greengarsstuff​​​​​​ @itsyagirl01 @23victoria​​​​​​ @espressopatronum454​​​​​​ @jkthinkstoomuch @slytherinnqueen​

[littlemissidontcare]

I’m not the og anon, but I think there’s a misunderstanding going on. I think that by “displaying that behavior” the og anon meant problematic behavior in general and not just CA. //

This is exactly what I meant. But they still defend her as if she is a child, not a grown up adult. By pointing out Ale did x or y instead of acknowledging and admitting their own hyprocisy and double standard, they have a childish behaviour (just like when kids point out another friend did the same bad thing).

And let's be clear, one of the reasons why Ale and Margarita were so hated is bc his fandom thinks they own Sebastian, and if any girl from Europe is dating him, they believe there is a chance to steal him away. That he'll move back to his mother continent.

They mocked Ale for her English, both (Margo and Ale) for their origins, native languages, culture, even said: they should go back to their countries etc. And it's easy to spot this, they can deny it all they want.

Aw being pro royalty (which is a huge red flag) was a praised trait. Her going to Africa to show off was also praised. And so on.

This fandom is so toxic bc they cannot understand people can have different ideas and opinions, admit toxicity and problematic bahaviour, they stalk Sebastian's location just to prove a relationship (even though they say it's true, yet they still seek reassurance), they stalk real people (like mod), they act as if Sebastian is their toy (so they can imagine thenselves f u c k i n g him in peace bc AW and him are not affectionate; only they can criticize himx but when people point out he wants awards, you are a hater), they do not respect his views on marriage (they continue to project their own wedding wishes onto him + talk about babies and pregnancy, which is direspectful when it comes to AW too... it's her body - since they are such "feminists") and so on.