#Um hi. Who here love francesca

[frascospecimen]

Ask Forgiveness

[thekatebridgerton]

I need a modern au focused on Eloise being the too independent sibling that has a lot of different jobs because she's trying to find her niche in life, so everyone is used to her frequently disappearing during family functions and just showing up with random plus ones half an hour later because nobody pays much attention to her doings until she starts introducing everyone.

--

" And where did you find this girl again?"

" This is Penelope, her mother was telling she's ugly in a Walmart parking lot, so I asked if she wanted to come to my brother's highschool graduation party and here we are, Penelope, this is Colin"

" Hi Colin, sorry about knocking you off your feet"

" it's okay, I have a feeling we're going to be very good friends"

----

" Eloise why is this guy here?"

" Simon? Oh I found him crying over a breakup in a frat party on campus, couldn't exactly leave him there!, I know I forgot it was your turn to host the Family Thanksgiving potluck Daphne, but I'll make it up to you on Christmas, anyway I'm going to the kitchen to help sober him up, can you believe some girl was fake dating him and got mad when he said he didn't want kids? Ugh, breakups am I right?"

" Hi Daph... Ummm about that fake dating business..."

---

" why is our maid your plus one Eloise?"

" hey, this maid is my new best friend now, since Colin stole Penelope already, she's never been to a wedding before and she's consoling me in my grief"

" Im Benedict"

" Sophie"

" Hey didn't I dance with you at my mother's masquerade last year?"

----

" You brought who to Anthony's man of the year award?"

" The Stirlings, oh it's not what your thinking Francesca!, they're total gentlemen, Michael here was telling me about his days in the army and John is an excellent poet"

" they're male escorts Eloise!!"

" And I'm not paying them, they just came with for the vibes!!"

"Anthony won't believe that, and you better go greet him before he finds out...you two sirs, come with me"

" of course beautiful, I'm Michael"

" A pleasure to be led away by you Miss, I'm John"

-------

" this time, this is the day our brother does kill you"

" How am I the bad guy? I just stopped a good work friend from going back to India by inviting her to our family annual pall mall game! How was I supposed to know she was the sister of Anthony's current victim"

" the word is Fiancee and that sister is the reason there will be no Anthony Edwina wedding"

" And I'm just finding out now? Why does nobody tell me anything in this family!! I've known Kate longer than him"

-------

" please tell me this guy isn't another one of your friends, please tell me that for once in your life you brought an actual date to a family event Eloise"

" Actually yes... Phillip this is my brother Anthony, Anthony this is Phillip, boyfriend turned future husband, I'm marrying him in the summer, we thought it would be nice to announce it during the Bridgerton Christmas family reunion, also here are Oliver and Amanda my new step kids"

" Nice to meet you um Anthony, I ah, didn't know Eloise hadn't told you we were dating"

" MOTHEEEEEER ELOISE BROUGHT ANOTHER STRAY HOME!"

----

An: I would love to see something like this because it would be hilarious

[sea-owl]

Back to the otome au be I'm having thoughts

Link

So the way I picture this is that the Bridgertons are sentient at least the ones in the game the spouses downloaded. They just want the one thing that their code has been written for, love.

But with each new player, and each story told as their games progress, they just never felt that spark. Sure many of the players claim to love them but the Bridgertons don't believe it. It all comes very repetitive and mundane. They feel more like actors in their own world than they do as people.

Colin groaned when he heard the sound of the music. Someone was downloading the game. He really hoped they would choose one of his siblings so he could sleep longer. A holographic screen appeared by his face causing Colin to groan louder as he pulled his blankets over his face. He was sure that same screen was appearing in front of his other siblings which means Anthony is going to demand they all gather in either the drawing room or the dining room. It's too early for this.

"Huh, Bridgerton: A Regency Romance," a voice said. "Let's see what this is about."

Colin lowered the blanket just enough so his eyes could look over at the screen. His curiosity peaked by the siren like voice. The blanket fell into his lap as he looked at the who the voice belonged to.

A red head sat on her couch searching her phone, probably tyring to look up the game. She was dressed in a tank top and shorts, her hair pulled back.

An excited gasp left her lips at whatever she was reading and she turned to something or someone out of view.

"Mickey, Pip! Come play this game with me!"

Two men appeared by the red head and two of Colin's sisters busted into his room.

"Eloise! Francesca!" Colin exclaimed.

His sisters decided to be rude and ignore him. Then they decided to be extra rude and jump on him.

"Come on Colin! Anthony is throwing a hissy fit because all of us aren't down. . .stairs. . ." Eloise trailed off as she and Francesca both stared at the screen.

"Wait we can play multiplayer?" The one the red head called Mickey asked. He grinned at the red head. "How many Penny?"

Penny looked down at her phone. "Up to eight, one to take on each route in the wingman mode."

"Wingman mode?" Pip asked as he looked over the red head's shoulder. "Huh is there a rival mode too?"

"Yeah," Penny answered. "Says here in multiplayer mode you can verse off in the story in a love triangle or help one another out as each other's wingmen."

Mickey laughed. " I know what we're playing for game night with the others! Let me go text the others so they know to bring their controllers!"

Francesca's eyes traced Mickey as the disappeared from the view of the screen. Eloise crawled off the bed like she wasn't also just staring at the screen. "Um, I'll go tell Anthony we'll have a multiplayer game soon."

Colin hoped Penny would choose his route.

[newtonsheffield]

Wow Violet is harsh. Um....how do they make up? If they do? Kate and Anthony will end up together and he's going to be her consort one day. How are the family dynamics then?

I think it’s awkward at first. It’s for sure awkward.

Kate understands that Violet was scared for Anthony, she knows that Anthony’s father died a long while ago and she must have been worried that Anthony would pass well. Kate was terrified for him as well. Kate’s also not unaware how their relationship must seem to Anthony’s mother. Especially given she mustn’t have had any prior warning and this was likely one of the worst days of her life. It must seem as though she was stringing Anthony along, and for a moment Kate watched Francesca balk at her mother’s reaction to Kate. Cataloguing it for her own relationship most likely.

“You’re still here.”

Kate froze at the sound of Anthony’s mother’s voice the next morning , Anthony’s decision still weighing heavily on her mind, anxiety already bubbling in her stomach from her father’s visit looming. Kate turned slowly, suddenly wishing she’d taken off Anthony’s sweater. She tried not to look at Edwina who’d arrived recently, sitting on the sofa, watching curiously.

“Yes, Mrs Bridgerton. I’m still here.”

Ben smiled tightly behind her a tray of coffee in his hand, “Your Highness, Good morning.”

“You don’t have to call me that. Kate is… Kate is just fine.”

Ben smiled, shuffling his way into the room and nudging his mother forward with a sigh to make way for his sister, Daphne who smiled politely. Benedict inclined his head at Edwina, shooting to break the tension they could all feel in the room. “Ah, the troublemaker Princess.”

Edwina waved her hand regally, “The great corrupter.”

“Where’s the brave little boy?” Ben gestured to the space in the room left by his bed.

Kate smiled at him a little thankfully, “They’ve just taken him for some scans. He won’t be too long.”

No one spoke for a moment, all of them standing awkwardly. “I had heard the King dragged you away. It was all over the news.”

Kate nearly heard Ben wince beside her, his eyes closing briefly at his mother’s statement. Edwina bristled and Kate cleared her throat before her sister had the chance to open her mouth.

“He only wanted to talk to me.”

“And then you came back here.”

Kate tried not to shrink under the other woman’s gaze, “Then I came back here. My Appa will be back later today as well.”

Violet Bridgerton’s face flickered with surprise, “To use my son as a photo opportunity.”

Kate’s stomach lurched, “No. No. He’s very grateful to Anthony and he only wants to thank him.”

“For nearly dying for you.”

“I don’t think you’re being very fair.” Edwina said sharply at the exact same time as Benedict sighed,

“Mum, we spoke about this.”

Kate swallowed taking a deep breath, “Mrs Bridgerton, I understand that this has probably come as a shock to you; But I do love your son. I… wish he had never gotten hurt and I will live with that for the rest of my life but I’m going to be with him for as long as he wants me to be. I would never ask him to choose between his family and me and i hope you want either. We’d better start getting used to one another.”

The door swung open and an Orderly pushed Anthony through the door in his bed. He gave Kate an apprehensive look as he greeted his Mother, “Hi, Mum.” He kissed her cheek and then his sister’s “Daphy.”

Violet ran her fingers quickly through his hair but her eyes barely left Kate, staring her down as though to test her. Anthony leaned up to kiss Kate softly, “You okay?”

She nodded, though she didn’t feel a bit of it. “Don’t be worried about me. How are you?”

Anthony sighed, “I’m very ready for my morphine drip to be reconnected.”

Kate’s stomach lurched uncomfortably with guilt, “I’m sorry.”

“What ah… kind of drugs are we talking?”

Anthony rolled his eyes, peering around Kate to his brother, “Are you going to steal morphine from a mortally injured man who might never regain use of his arm?”

“If he’s my brother, I’d give it a red hot crack.”

Anthony took a deep breath, “Well, your brother’s about to be the official companion of the crown Princess.”

Kate watched as Violet’s eyes widened in surprise, taking in her son’s statement before she took a deep breath, “Well, your companion and I are going to get to know each other apparently.”

[fitrahgolden]

WEARY MEMORY: 4 - BROKEN INTO PIECES

“OK, guys! Your nan's almost here!”

Kaveri came skipping into the living room. She started checking herself out in the television's reflection and doing more skips and jumps, no doubt relishing in the sound of her new shoes, which she’d dubbed her “dancing shoes,” against the hardwood floor.

“Kav, baby, don't stomp on the floor too hard with those shoes.” Kate warned.

“Do you hear my shoes, Amma?”

“We all hear your shoes, Riri,” Edmund groused upon entering the living room.

“Good!” Kaveri continued entertaining herself in front of the TV.

“Ned, where's your brother?”

“In the backyard with his dog.”

Kate sucked her teeth and muttered. “Dammit, Newton is my dog.”

“Don't swear, Amma.”

Kaveri's censure of their mother got a laugh out of Edmund.

The doorbell rang, stopping Kate from going and staking her claim on Newton–again. 

“Hi, Violet.” Kate gave Anthony’s mum a hug. “Come in. They’re almost ready.”

“Thanks, dear.” Violet sat on the couch–and was instantly introduced to her granddaughter’s new shoes–while Kate went out back to fetch Maaran. The two only argued briefly about who Newton belonged to before returning inside.

“Thank you for letting them come tonight. I know the weeks didn’t line up.”

Kate waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, of course. They want to go, and it’s an important performance for Fran. There was no question about it.”

Kaveri took a break from her own performance and jumped onto the couch next to Violet. “We have flowers for Aunty Fran! I got to pick them out!”

“Oh, how sweet, Riri. Francesca will love them.”

Kate looked down at her watch. “I think you guys should get going.”

“Yes,” Violet agreed as she rose from the couch. “My dears, I’m just gonna talk to your mum for a minute, and then we’ll be on our way. Neddy, can you get everyone in the car?”

“Sure, Nan.”

As Edmund ushered everyone outside, Kate tilted her head in concern. “Everything alright?”

“Oh, yes, nothing dire,” Violet said quickly. “It’s just… And I know this isn’t really your, I don’t know, wheelhouse anymore, but has Anthony seemed OK the last few times you saw him?”

Kate winced a little at the implication that she wouldn’t know anymore if anything were going on with Anthony. But it was true, wasn’t it?

“Um… Yeah, he seemed alright. Did something happen?”

“I don’t think so. He’s just seemed a little off lately, is all. Maybe it’s something with…” Violet trailed off and looked at Kate sheepishly.

“Oh, don’t be silly, Violet.” Kate forced a laugh. “You can say her name. Give me a bit more credit than that.”

“Yes, of course.” Violet shook her head. “Anyway, I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Well, I’ll keep an eye out. We still talk. Sometimes.”

Violet nodded. “And it’s almost time for your holiday, isn’t it? That will be good for him. Where is it going to be this year? Anthony hasn’t mentioned it.”

Kate and Anthony made sure to still do their family holiday every year, just the five of them. The kids always looked forward to it. Sharing a house for a week never went completely smoothly, especially that first year after the divorce, but they made it work, and the following two holidays had them finding a rhythm much more quickly.

“We settled on Edinburgh. It’s a short flight, and all three of the kids should be into it. Castles for Kav, history for Maan, seaside for Ned. And the house Anthony found looks amazing.”

“Brilliant.”

“Well, have a great night.” Kate walked with Violet to the door. “Tell Francesca I said good luck.”

The two shared another hug, and after Violet left with the kids, Kate tried not to think too much about what she’d said. Kate was sure there was plenty going on in Anthony’s life that she wasn’t privy to. Of course there was. They mostly only saw each other briefly on Saturdays, and texted sparingly throughout the week. The last time he seemed upset when she was around was… the day she went out with Tom. There was no way that could still be bothering him. They’d gotten over it later that night.

Hadn’t we?

It was a silly thing to fixate on. Violet was right. She didn’t know that much about Anthony’s life anymore.

—

Anthony heard Siena come up behind him as he sat at his kitchen counter, chai in hand, looking at his laptop.

“Good morning,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him.

“Morning. Want coffee?”

“Don’t get up. I’ll make it. What are you working on?” she asked as she made her way to the coffee maker.

“Booking the caterer for Ned’s birthday party,” Anthony answered distractedly, not looking up, missing the way Siena froze.

“I take it I'm not invited?”

His head shot up from his computer screen. “Siena…”

“Unless, of course, you're finally ready to introduce me to your family.”

“You've met my family.”

“Come off it, Anthony. You know I mean your kids.”

He did know that, and felt foolish for pretending otherwise.

“Is it your ex?” Siena asked.

Anthony’s jaw ticked. “What do you mean?”

“Does she not want me to meet them?” Siena crossed her arms. “Does she even know about me?”

“I’ve mentioned you, yes. Not often. Is it that odd that I don't talk to my ex-wife about my love life?”

“Not for most people, no. But you seem to actually talk to your ex–”

“Kate,” he said quietly, almost to himself.

“Don't correct me as if I should remember that. Why would I? You don’t talk to me about her or your kids. Such a huge part of your life, and you won’t let me near it. Shouldn’t you want me to know that part of you? If we're serious?”

Anthony opened his mouth, but no words came out. Siena stepped towards him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Anthony felt mortified that he had no idea how to comfort her.

“Are we?” she asked, pleading. “Are we serious, Anthony?”

Tell her yes.

“We…we could be.”

Siena shook her head, disappointed. When she spoke again, she sounded defeated. “When? When you stop wearing your ring?”

What?

“I don't wear my ring.”

“No?” Siena scoffed. “It's not looped onto the pocket watch that you have on you at all times?”

Oh. Anthony’s mind went to Kate's rings, which hung off her neck on a delicate chain every time he saw her.

“And you kept her name,” Siena continued.

To that, Anthony took offence. “We hyphenated our names when we got married. It's our kids’ last names, Siena. Why would I change mine back?”

Siena turned away from him and paced for a few long moments before looking at him again.

“Remind me, why did you two get divorced?”

Where to fucking start? “I… We–”

“You said you wanted to stop hurting each other, that you felt you couldn’t give each other the support you needed after everything that happened. You literally said ‘everything that happened.’ I don’t even know what that means, besides your father.”

“It’s… It’s all her business as much as it is mine.”

“It’s your business as much as it is hers. And you won’t clue me in.”

Siena collapsed onto the stool next to Anthony.

“Siena… Siena, I’m sorry.” That was the truth, but not nearly enough, he knew that.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Eventually, Siena wiped an errant tear and asked, “And you're sure you two aren’t hurting each other now? And dragging other people down with you?”

Fuck, is that what I’m doing?

Siena grabbed his hand. “Look, Anthony. I like you. A lot. But it’s painfully clear that… Well, I don’t want to force you to open your whole world up to me. I wouldn’t want to. I’d want you to do that on your own, because you want me there.” She sighed heavily. “But you don’t, do you?” she whispered.

Anthony floundered. “We… I can see–”

“No. Don’t tell me you could in the future. Don’t tell me it’s possible. I can’t hear ‘not yet’ again. I really fucking can’t. Do you want me there, Anthony?”

There was nowhere left to hide. Siena didn’t deserve his bullshit. She never did.

“No.”

Siena pressed her eyes shut, releasing more tears as she nodded. “Right.”

Without another word, she walked into Anthony’s bedroom, undoubtedly to collect her things. Anthony stayed frozen at the kitchen counter. He had no idea how much time had passed when Siena came back out, with an overstuffed tote bag. She slowly approached him, and deposited a kiss on his cheek. It was soft and kind, and nothing he deserved.

“I really hope you figure it out, Anthony. I hope both of you do. Please don’t do this to anyone else.”

—

Kate had just made sure all the kids were settled for the night when her phone rang.

“Anthony?”

“Hey.”

Kate didn’t need to ask if he was OK. She could hear in that one syllable that he wasn’t.

“What is it? Is everyone alright? Is it–”

“Everyone’s fine, Kit.” Anthony had fallen back into calling her that all the time after their last thunderstorm phone call. Kate didn’t mind.

“Everyone but you?”

His laugh was humourless. “It’s just been a shit day.”

She knew that wasn’t all, but didn’t push.

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. I know my problems aren’t your problems anymore.”

“I mean, some of them are. What’s wrong, Anthony?”

“I think I’m just missing the kids this week. I'm just sat here, looking at pictures. A bit pathetic.”

Kate sucked her teeth. “You know that's not pathetic.” That also wasn't the real problem either, she was sure of it. But perhaps she could at least do something to help. “I can ask them in the morning if they are OK with you picking them up from school, if you want a few extra days with them.”

“We shouldn’t,” Anthony said after a while. “We agreed–”

“We’ve never needed the agreement, Anthony. It's fine. And it’ll be up to them.”

“OK. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Anthony fell silent again.

“Anthony?”

“I’m going to try to sleep,” he said a little abruptly.

“Oh, OK. Um, good night. I’ll ring you in the morning about the kids.”

“Alright. Good night, Kit.”

[blueshistorysims]

1910-1912

And so the two years quickly passed. For Edeline, London was a dream. The people and the culture and the music were so fascinating, and everything was loud and exciting, a stark contrast from the quiet and peaceful New Crest. At school, she met like-minded women, women who were passionate about medical school and further independence. She attended political meetings and even got involved with the local suffragette chapter, which she purposely omitted in her letters to her parents. 

During her second year, a young man standing next to her professor caught her attention. Her professor introduced him as Montgomery MacGregor, a Scotsman from Edinburgh (originally from Perthshire) who was interning under her before he graduated with a medical degree. She thought he was devilishly handsome.

“Excuse me?” He asked as Edeline started to leave the class after the lecture.

Edeline turned, surprised. “Um… yes?”

“Yer Miss Walsh, aye?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Dr. White tells me that yer one of her brightest students.”

She blushed, though she didn’t understand why. “Oh! She’s just playing favorites. She hasn’t seen my grades in Dr. Foster’s class.”

He laughed, his eyes crinkling. 

“And please, call me Edeline.”

“...Then it would give me the greatest pleasure to have ya call me Montgomery, Miss Edeline.”

Before Alexander left for Liverpool, he and Edith met at the very same place they had fallen in love.

“I shall write to you every day,” Edith told him.

“And during the weekends, I shall take the train back here and visit you. Edith Mary Smith, I promise I shall marry you before these next two years are over.”

She nodded. “I will wait.”

Of course, these were the promises he made before university. University turned out to be much different than he expected. And he loved it. He enjoyed the parties and comradery, and the girls decked out in too much makeup and sparkling dresses. And so when the alcohol was flowing and girls beckoning… Alexander couldn’t help himself. Edith didn’t need to know.

Giselle spent most of her free time drawing and sewing. Following a pattern she saw in a magazine, she made a few alterations of her own, and to her delight, finished her dress in time for her first day as a fourth year student. When she arrived at school (without her mother walking her to her delight), she saw a girl she didn’t recognize standing all by herself. Giselle wasn’t exactly the most social person, considering she spent all day indoors, but something about the girl made Giselle feel drawn to her, almost as if it was fate telling her to talk. 

“Have you moved her recently?” She asked, approaching the girl.

“Um, yes,” the new girl replied.

“That’s a strange accent you have,” Giselle said bluntly, curious for she had never heard an accent like that before. Perhaps this girl was from Scotland—Papa always said that Scots had funny accents. “Where are you from?”

“Hong Kong,” the girl replied. 

“...Isn’t that in China?”

She nodded.”

Giselle was amazed that someone from so far away could live in little old New Crest. “That’s amazing you live here. Why did you move here?”

“My Mama died, and Papa already died when I was a baby, so my great aunt Rosamond came to Hong Kong and brought me here.”

She felt guilty for asking. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” the girl reassured her. “I’m glad you came to talk.”

“I’m Giselle.”

“Francesca,” Francesca whispered as they shook hands.

The girls quickly became inseparable, much to the joy of Peter and Rebecca and Francesca’s great aunt, Rosamond Pace, an older woman who lived in a nice house not too far from the Walshes. Giselle didn’t really understand why some people looked at Francesca strangely or when they had her and Ms. Pace for dinner, she listened in on the adults’ conversation, but it didn’t make any sense. All she caught was something about Francesca’s father being a missionary and something about the Boxer Rebellion (which to her sounded like a racehorse’s name) and that Francesca’s mother had died of drowning in a bathtub, which made no sense to Giselle since bathtubs were too small to drown, but she never asked Francesca about it.

At Oxford, Byron decided to be a new person. No one he knew at Willow Creek was attending Exeter College, and here, away from everything, he could be the person he’d always wanted to be. He understood his brother’s love of parties, attending any he was invited to, which grew the more he attended. He and his friends befriended some of the girls who were studying at Oxford, though unlike the men they could not obtain degrees, which Byron thought was very stupid. Sometimes his friends teased him for his many friendships with women, but he knew they talked to him because he was younger than the rest and to quote one girl, “not riddled with ideas of women in servitude.” 

[bridgertonbabe]

Could we please get a drabble of Edmund and Violet giving Sophie and Benedict the protection talk?

It's a bit rich coming from the parents of 8 children.

"Ben. Sophie. Glad I caught you two." Violet said, poking her head from the kitchen doorway as the pair reached the bottom of the stairs. "Do you mind coming in here for a chat?"

The teenagers shared a glance before nodding to her request. Violet stood back to let them through and she gestured for the pair to take seats at the table.

"Now we've just got to wait for your father - oh, here he comes now." observed Violet as she caught sight of her husband returning from the garden shed with Colin, Francesca, and Gregory in tow.

"Turns out we did have a spare cage for Gulliver after all." Edmund smiled at his wife as he entered the kitchen, followed by Francesca, Gregory, and Colin carrying an owl cage.

"Oh good, one less thing to worry about it." Violet nodded, relieved that they didn't have to make a last-minute shopping trip to get Colin's owl a new cage after the previous one had been damaged by Anthony and Kate demonstrating a variety of hexes for the kids the day before and accidentally hitting the cage (though thankfully Gulliver was out hunting at the time). "Ed? Do you mind staying?" she asked, inclining her head in the direction of their second eldest and Sophie as she silently reminded him about what they had discussed earlier.

"Right. Yes. Of course." Edmund cottoned on. "Ah, why don't you see how Gulliver likes that?" he said to Colin, as Francesca and Gregory exited the kitchen into the living room.

But Colin ground to a stop as he curiously looked from his parents to Sophie and his brother.

"What's going on?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Nothing. Just having a chat with these two." Edmund answered nonchalantly.

Colin didn't take his word for it and gave a scrutinising look towards Benedict and Sophie, observing how tensed they became under his gaze.

"What about?" he asked, turning back to his parents.

"Colin, just see if that cage is to Gulliver's liking." his mum insisted.

"But-"

"Colin." Edmund intoned. "Just do what your mother says."

Much to his chagrin, Colin obeyed his father's command and stalked out of the kitchen but not before throwing another suspicion-filled glare over his shoulder - to which Violet flicked her wand, causing all the doors to the kitchen to slam shut immediately, as well as casting a quick Muffliato charm in case anyone tried listening in on the conversation that was about to take place.

"Well." Violet uttered and turned to Sophie and her son across the table from her - before quickly realising just how ill-prepared she was to give such a talk to a pair of besotted teenagers. "Um... Ed?" she elbowed her husband, giving him a pointed look for him to start the conversation instead.

"Oh. Right. Okay." he nodded and looked to his son and his son's girlfriend hesitantly. "So... what we wanted to have a word with you about... you see, when a two people love each other very much-"

"Wait, wait, wait, wait." Benedict quickly cut him off, looking nervously between his parents. "This... this isn't... you're not really-"

"It's okay, Ben." Violet assured him. "We just want to make sure the pair of you are not only comfortable but are being safe,"

"No, no, no, no, no." Benedict shook his head frantically. "You don't have to do this. Really, this isn't a conversation we need to have at all."

"Better to have it sooner rather than later, Benny." his father reasoned.

"Please no." Benedict swallowed.

"What your father was going to say is that when two people love each other very much, it's only natural to want to express their love for one another... physically... and intimately."

"Merlin's beard, no." Benedict groaned and buried his head in his hands.

"Look, we know this isn't the most comfortable of talks to have but it is necessary. As you're under our roof and as your guardians," Edmund said to Sophie, who had flushed bright pink from the topic that was being covered, "it's our responsibility to make sure you're aware and take things into consideration before you take that next step in your relationship."

"Could you not let Colin back in and let him crucio me instead?" Benedict grumbled.

"Now before we go any further; it's important that you only take your relationship to the next level when you both feel ready to, okay? Don't feel like you have to just because the other person is,"

"We, um... we're not... we're still just kissing, to be honest." Sophie nervously squeaked out.

"Yeah and this talk is entirely unnecessary." Benedict jumped on. "We're in no rush, we both want to take our time - we don't need to do this now." he gesticulated desperately, wishing for this whole conversation to be over and done with.

"While that's all well and good, we want you to be prepared for when the time comes and you do feel ready." Violet explained.

"Plus, kissing can very easily lead to more-"

"Merlin almighty." Benedict slumped in his seat and buried his head in his hands once more.

"It's perfectly natural for things to get more heated-"

"No, no, no." Benedict cried.

"And when that happens, we want to make sure you're being safe."

"Kill me. Kill me now."

"Obviously the best form of protection is abstinence."

"And who on earth are you two to talk about that?" Benedict snapped his head out of his hands.

"Now, Benedict." Violet frowned at him. "We're just letting you know all of your options. Abstinence is for the best but well, we know what it's like to be young and in love and wanting more. There's plenty of other forms of contraception; there's condoms on the top shelf of the bathroom cabinet-"

Benedict cried out in pain and his head descended back into his hands once more, all the while a stunned Sophie listened on, her lips gently parted as she listened on with wide alarmed eyes.

"And of course if you wanted to go on the pill or opt for something else, I'm here for you to go through your options." Violet directed to Sophie, who had never felt quite so uncomfortable in Violet and Edmund's presence for as long as she had known them. "And of course, there's other ways to express your love other than penetrative sex."

"Death. I want death." Benedict said into his hands.

"Now, are you aware of what foreplay is?"

"Stop! Just stop it!" Benedict yelped. "We can swear to an unbreakable vow right here and now that we won't do it until Sophie's graduated from Hogwarts; just please, stop talking!"

"Ben, don't be dramatic. Of course we're not going to inflict an unbreakable vow on you both." Violet shook her head.

"And you forget, as previous horny teenagers ourselves we can vouch that keeping an unbreakable vow like that is quite impossible." Edmund pointed out with a chuckle - and received a screwed up face of disgust from his son in response.

"The point is, we'd prefer you both to be partaking in safe sexual practices. Not just for your sexual health but we'd prefer Sophie to finish her studies without falling pregnant."

Benedict screamed into his hands as Sophie's eyes went as wide as saucers.

"Now of course, if that were to happen we'd support you in whatever you chose to do," Violet said encouragingly to an incredibly daunted Sophie, "but take it from me; your NEWTs will be anxiety-inducing enough without morning sickness on top of it all."

At this Benedict's hands dropped away from his face and he stared incredulously at his parents.

"You were pregnant when you were sitting your NEWTs?!" he squawked. "You got mum pregnant before you graduated?! You conceived Anthony at Hogwarts?!"

"Ben, come on now. You know we had your brother just out of school. That can't have come as a shock to you."

Benedict gaped in horror at his parents because while he had been aware that his parents had been very young when they had Anthony, it wasn't until now that he applied the maths of Anthony being born in the January after his parents had finished school and how that meant his brother was conceived while their parents were still in their last year at Hogwarts.

"The point is, we'd rather you two didn't follow in our footsteps." Edmund cleared his throat uncomfortably as the tension in the room became palpable.

"But like I said, if you did we'd of course support you in whatever way-"

"Well you know what? You really don't have to worry because this talk is a form of contraception in of itself." Benedict stated while keeping his gaze averted from meeting either of his parents'. "Now please; can we go now and repress the memory of this talk ever taking place?"

[calyxthenerd]

Group Vacation Surprises

Let’s take a look at how our favorite skaters and musicians are handling sharing rooms and a glimpse of their first day of vacation together, shall we?

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

“So, which bed do you want?” Violetta questioned

“Um…” ‘How do I tell her I’ll probably just sneak off to the room my girlfriend’s in as soon as she falls asleep?’ “You can pick”

“Okay, so the one by the window is mine, but since I chose the bed, you can take the closet, I organized my outfits inside my suitcase anyways”

“Thank you! That’s really sweet! If you want, you can borrow some of my stuff too, I’m a really big fan of your work, by the way!”

“Thank you! It’s always good to meet fans!”

On the room next door

“Man, so good to bunk with someone I know, no offense to Simón’s cousin’s friends, but it would be really awkward to share with total strangers, y’know?” Pedro thought out loud, throwing himself in the bed closest to the door

“I totally get it, obviously I would’ve preferred to share with my bro, but I’d pick you over a stranger any day” replied Gastón, laying his suitcase on the bed and starting to unpack

On the other side of the hallway

“Don’t worry ‘Talia, you go make sure your girlfriend doesn’t murder her roommate, I’ll unpack your stuff” Marco reassures his friend

“Thanks Mar, if I’m not back in an hour, call an ambulance” Naty kisses his cheek and bolts out the door

A few doors over

“Geez, how many bows do you own? Please tell me you brought your entire collection” Ámbar exclaims, stupefied

“Pffft, no way, this is not even a third of it, these are just the ones I like to bring on vacation” Francesca answers, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world

“…And they call me a psycho” the blonde mumbles

On the room bellow them

“So, you like rap too?” Asks the shorter boy, unpacking his caps

“Yeah, I’m the best at it there is” answers the taller one, laying his skates by the door

“Cool…” Maxi was not impressed

Two doors from them

“So, half the hair gel for me and half for you?” Asked vest-wearing Italian #1

“Sounds good, also, what’s up with that other guy who looks exactly like you?” Questioned the redeemed asshole

“I honestly have no idea, and I’m too scared to question it, so I just pretend it’s not happening”

“You know what? Fair”

Two floors up

“You look really similar to my friend’s girlfriend and her twin sister, you know?” Says the moonchild

The hippie’s eyes widen “Oh, I know exactly who you’re talking about, they both wanted to join a band so they pretend to be one person and then two guys from the band fell in love with them, which caused chaos and ended with the other guy falling from the stage?”

Luna furrows her eyebrows “Yeah… how did you know?”

The redhead grins sheepishly “Because those are my younger sisters, Eva and Ada, and that whole thing was kinda my idea”

“WHAT???? My best friend almost got seriously hurt because of it!”

“I know, and I’m sorry, but I had no way of knowing all that stuff was gonna happen!!”

A few feet away from this conflict

“So…”

“So…”

“You’re a solist right?”

“Yup”

“And you’re Italian?”

“Uhum”

“And you wear vests everywhere?”

“Yeah”

“And your girlfriend has some form of space motif?”

“Yes”

“And you’re a cocky idiot?”

“Ask my girlfriend about the nickname she gave me when we first met”

“… And your name is not Federico Paccini?”

“I’m pretty sure I know what my name is, I had it since I was born”

“I’m sorry, it’s just… you’re identical”

In the room next to this identity crisis

“So, I made this list with the best tourist spots around here, mayeb we can go with the girls? Or maybe as couples, but I guess for you it’s the same because your girlfriend is also our friend and-“

“Nina, Nina, relax, for now, let’s just unpack, and I promised Simón that later we would take our guitars to the beach and have a jam session together”

“Oh, okay, I guess I’m gonna check if Gastón wants to go check out the museum with me”

The singer smiled gently “I’m sure he’ll love to geek out over old stuff with you”

Down the hall

“So you’re a bassist?”

“No, I’m Andres”

“Yeah, I got your name, I’m asking if you play the base?”

“You stole my name???! Just like those faeries I read about!!!!”

“No, I mean- Screw it, I’m not dealing with this” and he sets to start unpacking

On the next room over

“Since I know you’re going to take up the whole closet, the bed near the window is mine, and don’t start with the speech about needing to wake up to sunlight, because you’re going to sneak in with me in the middle of the night anyways”

“You know me so well!” says the redhead, jumping on her girlfriend’s arms, making them both fall on the bed

“Okay, Jazzy, now get off, we need to unpack”

“Can’t I just have that nice curly haired lady downstairs do it?”

“Jazmin! That’s another guest! She doesn’t work here!”

“With the way she was dressed, you’d never notice”

A few doors over there’s a noticeable beat of Samba coming out

Simón groans, covering his head with a pillow “Can you please turn the music down? I’m trying to sleep here!”

“Irmão! Why would you want to sleep! There’s a beautiful day out there! We have beaches! The sun! Music!”

“I know, I know, I know!! I grew up here, I know how it is, but right now, I need to sleep, so please, turn it down!”

And then there was fighting a few doors down

“Those pastels of yours make me puke”

“It’s better than your red and black shit”

“Whatever! The bed near the door is mine!”

“No, I want that one!”

“Ugh, Fine, I’m only staying with you until my girlfriend says she’s ready anyways” she connects her phone to a small speaker and starts playing metal music, and Ludmila gets ready to lunge at her, but Naty opens the door on the nick of time and grabs her girlfriend before she can get to the goth

“Lu, don’t, remember the last time, Diego had to pay for it, and he promised that if it happened again, he would leave you there to rot”

Ludmila is panting, but recovers, straightens her back and says “Nat, tell Marco that he’d better leave the room to us if he doesn’t want to witness anything that might scar him for life”

“On it” the curly haired one starts fiddling with her phone as they both leave the room

In front of the hotel

“Simón, are you sure it’s a good idea to leave with our phones on silent? I mean, the only references they have besides you are Luna, who is probably going to be busy with a certain Italian boyfriend of hers and Emilia, who is probably not going to be a big help, if she doesn’t go AWOL to make out with Ámbar on the beach somewhere” Yam rambles

“Don’t worry, they’ll be fine, besides, there’s Nina, who’s whole thing is worrying about everyone”

“Yeah… she’s going to be busy for the next few hours too, she said something about a museum date with Gastón”

“Okay, so what if they don’t have any one who knows the city or is responsible enough to look after them? They’re all legally adults! I’m sure it’ll be fine! C’mon! I’m gonna take you to one of my favorite spots! I always went there to get inspiration for my songs!” And he drags her away into the city

Soon two people replace them in that same spot

“Where is Marco?! We set a very specific time to be here so he could show us the city!” cried the antsy Italian

“Calm down, Preciosa, I’m sure he’s alm-“

“I’m here! I’m here!” wheezed the Mexican “sorry I’m late, I got stuck unpacking mine and Naty’s stuff so she could rescue Ludmila’s roommate from her post-flight crankiness and then they got back and kicked me from the room, probably to have a… moment”

“Okay, it doesn’t matter, can we go now? I really want to meet your home!!” said the bow lover

“You do know I’m from Mexico City, right?” says the laidback musician, starting to guide his partners into the city

Right after they left, two other people zoomed out of the lobby, barely escaping getting berated by hotel staff

“So, Chico Fresa, ready to experience Cancun from a local’s point of view?”

“With you? Always” and they skated away until they were out of sight

And out walked yet another pair of people

“Come onnnnn! I want to go to the amusement park!” cried the polo-clad Argentinian

“But there’s a killer party just two blocks from here!” countered his Brazilian companion

“Fine, but only because you’re funny at parties” he relents, letting himself get dragged away, just as a couple comes out of the building

“I’m still not convinced it was a good idea to let those two go off on their own, I mean, Broduey and Andres? last time they were left by themselves I had to pick them up at the hospital in Berlin” sighed the exhausted Mexican

“I’m sure it’ll be fine, but we have to get moving or we’ll miss our reservation, don’t forget I’m wearing heels today, so we can’t walk too fast”

“Who said anything about walking” just as he finishes talking, a carriage appears, with a horse and flowers around the edges and all

“You really never get tired of making me fall in love with you, do you?”

“Never. now, m’lady” he helps her onto the vehicle, before climbing in himself and giving the charioteer directions

Just after they leave, a pair of blondes run out, holding hands

“I rented a boat, in that same place we went the first time we were here together, that way we can go back, but without the part of throwing your cousin’s skates into the ocean and having to jump in to grab them”

“Sounds perfect, Em, let’s go” and they go off holding hands towards the docks

After them, four people come out together

“So, I mapped out all of the best boutiques and we can hit them all before dinner if we’re fast!”

“I’m sorry Jaz, I have something I need to do, but I’ll let you borrow Pedro to carry your stuff! And Nico too, but then that’s not for me to choose, gotta go, bye” says the black haired girl, before rushing off

“Hey! Delfi! Where are you going??” yells her boyfriend, but she’s already outside of hearing range, calling for a cab

“That was weird, anyways, come on boys! We have a long evening of shopping ahead of us!” She grabs them both by the wrist and drags them off to the nearest clothes’ store, as they both groan

Then comes out another duo

“So, I hear that a few blocks away there’s a cool band playing, wanna check it out?” Ask the cap wearing boy

“Sure, let’s go” replies his Italian friend, and they leave

Out comes another couple

“And I found this amazing museum with a bunch of props from sci-fi movies, do you want to go see it?”

“Is water wet? Of course I want to go! Specially with you!” says the Spaniard, dragging his girlfriend to go find a ride

“Actually, that saying is wrong because water itself is not wet, but rather what makes things wet and-“ they slowly walk further and further from the hotel as she rambles on

Out comes yet another pair

“So, I heard there’s a pretty cool Karaoke place in the next neighborhood, I was thinking, since your girlfriend is not here, you’d want to sing a few songs with me?” asks the rapper

“Sure, we haven’t sung anything together in a while an-“

They are interrupted by another presence, that decides to jump on Ramiro’s back “Fellow redhead! tall guy! where are you going? Can I join you?”

“Get off! What the hell?” Protests the alternative boy

“Sure, the more, the merrier” says the shorter one

“Cool! Tall guy? Can I?” asks the girl again, still hanging from his back

“Fine, I guess you can go” he resigns to carrying her, leading his friend to get a cab

“Wohoo!! Adventure!!” hollers the hippie, as they begin their journey

[happy-lemon]

Neither Charlotte nor Brig had expected twins, and despite their Love Day conversation about names, they hadn't really decided on anything. But now here were two babies who needed names.

"Who are your two favorite people in the world?" Charlotte asked Brig, who was standing beside her with his mouth agape. “Aside from me, I mean.”

"Um..." he paused, then shook his head to clear the fog of surprise. "My maternal grandparents' home was where I always ran to escape my father. Their names were Francesca and Ambrose."

"Well, then...there we have it," Charlotte said. "Brigham Bourne, meet your daughters, Frankie and Rose."

[hawkepockets]

ok so like i say this flippantly bc i’ve been told the way i play rpgs is not normal but. all i did to break continuity COMPLETELY beyond repair was complete the “steal the idol” and “kill kagha” quests before rescuing halsin. bg3 presents you with 4 possible routes to deal with the Tiefling/Druid crisis in the grove, each of which is suggested by an npc & appears in the quest log, and which can be mixed and matched to an extent…

1. nettie: find halsin -> peaceful resolution, good-aligned tav/durge, ✅ halsin ❌ minthara

2. minthara: raid the grove -> violent resolution (goblins kill T&D), evil-aligned tav/durge, ❌ halsin ✅ minthara

3. zevlor: expose or assassinate kagha. if not playing as a druid, investigating her corruption is difficult & unintuitive without using a guide

expose her first -> peaceful resolution, good-aligned tav/durge, ✅ halsin ❌ minthara

just kill her -> violent resolution as D wipe out T, tav/durge’s motives open to interpretation, ✅ halsin ✅ minthara

4. mol: steal the idol of silvanus

failed stealth -> same result as “just kill her”

succeed stealth -> no narrative consequences

i highlighted 2 things here that i think are really, really serious problems with bg3’s act 1 writing. stealing the idol in stealth or out of the druids’ line of sight does nothing. the same druid faction that was willing to kill a kid for attempting the same thing, and massacre all the tiefling refugees if you visibly take the idol, don’t react at all, even if you go about it in a goofy & obvious way 👇

second, if you steal the idol without stealthing or kill kagha without exposing her as a shadow druid first, all of the druids (even rath & nettie) turn hostile, kettle the mostly-unarmed tiefling refugees in the prison area, and exterminate them. fighting to defend the tieflings means wiping out the druids, because all of them will fight to the death, and it’s very hard to save any tieflings. in my playthrough the only survivors were pandirna and mol’s gang. it’s horrific. it’s hard to play. and, crucially, it’s a roleplay decision that i stood by—i’m playing a durge who would jump to the quickest, most violent method of “helping” the tieflings—and wanted to see the consequences of, after playing a hyper competent lawful good paladin on my first pass. yk? it’s an rpg. so.

um.

there are none.

i’m serious there are no rammies. none of the origin characters have a single comment about the carnage you just caused/carried out—not astarion, who has so much to say about your sexual liaisons with other party members, minor beats in their companion questlines, and offbeat possible player choices like destroying the monastery with him inside then resurrecting him; not wyll, who personally knew the tieflings and was invested in their survival on top of his firm moral code; not even karlach, a tiefling.

and worse than that… neither does fucking halsin. when you rescue him from the goblins’ jail, even if you’ve just encouraged minthara to go raid the empty grove in search of survivors to execute, he will thank you exactly as if you defended the grove and breeze right along into talking about what a great new first druid francesca’s gonna be. if you reply with “first and only druid,” he just remarks that how she’ll have to recruit and rebuild, and starts talking about how much he loves being out in nature with you, his new best friend.

his character is. completely off its hinges.

and, since you didn’t kill minthara or stop her from raiding the grove, presumably she will also be available as a companion later on. this is like. a story-breaking oversight. the “druids attack tieflings” route is straight up unfinished. and it’s really weird in a game that is so much about almost-boundless player choice, and which has such detailed dialogue trees for unlikely combinations of player choices. clearly, the writing team expected me to reload as soon as the druids turned hostile and approach kagha/the idol “the right way,” but here’s the thing—i don’t want to. i thought fumbling this delicate situation so catastrophically was in character and really interesting, and i wanted to keep playing with that choice. bg3 works very hard, and usually succeeds, in mimicking the feel of a tabletop game, but it would be insane for a dm to say “stop, no, rewind, go back, do that better, i don’t want to narrate a bad outcome here. make a different choice, or i’ll pretend you did.”

if that’s the way you’re gonna be, just give me a game over screen and be honest about it. right?

broke bg3 again 😣

[apinchofm]

Girls Like Girls

Eloise being a confused lesbian, Edwina being an adorable lesbian, they both love books and their elder siblings are tired.

Am I gay?

Eloise always knew she was a little different from her siblings. She wasn't like Daphne who had planned her wedding and family from the age of seven and envisioned the perfect man to marry. She was not like Francesca who had a magnetic personality.

But she didn't quite fit. But then she met someone who made her think she might just fit a little bit.

....

Edwina Sharma was a walking ray of sunshine. She liked to see the best in everyone and everything. It was how she viewed life, even if the world could be cruel.

Why be cruel in return?

"Come on, didi!" She still used the nickname she called Kate when she was a baby, learning to speak. She did not know why, but it had just stuck.

Kate shook her head, standing from her chair, "They are across the street and it's a Sunday. I doubt we shall be late for anything."

"But we moved in Friday and isn't Lady Bridgerton Amma's friend?" Edwina pushed. She liked making a good first impression. Especially if she'll be living closely with these people.

Kate grinned and shook her head, "Get Newton. Who can say no to him?"

They walked across the quiet street to the Bridgerton House. Mayfair was always quiet.

Violet opened the door, smiling at the two of them, "Hello. Oh, you are Mary's girls! I'm Violet. Where is your mother?"

"Mum had an emergency call at the hospital, so she told us to bring you the cake." Kate supplied, handing her the tin which Violet took gratefully, slightly opening the tin to smell the sticky date cake she had made.

"Come in girls for a cup of tea and to meet some of the children. It's Sunday, so all of them are home for once," She opened the door wider, excited to have them here.

"This is Newton." Edwina introduced the corgi in her arms. And he barked happily at the mention of his name. Violet scratched him behind the ears and said he was free to run around.

"You have a beautiful home," Edwina observed, "Perhaps you may convince my mother to let me tale direction over the house.

"We are not having a pink house!" Kate laughed, "She would cover the kitchen in glitter!"

"Nothing wrong with a splash of colour," Violet laughed, "Edwina, I believe you are starting upper school at the same time as my daughter Eloise. She's through there in the drawing room."

"I should-" Kate wanted to supervise but Violet had the older girl hooked on to her arm.

"Kate dear, you can help me with the tea and my sons are in the kitchen, they would love to meet you..." Edwina laughed as Violet and their mother had obviously planned to set Kate up.

She walked straight through to the drawing room (she didn't know people still called it that) to see who she presumed to be Eloise buried in a torn up copy of Wollstonecraft's Vindication of the Rights of Women.

Edwina smiled brightly at Eloise who looked up and stared. Edwina was just really pretty. Really pretty. Oh no.

Her long dark hair was tied back with a yellow scarf that matched the deep yellow of her floral dress. Even her trainers were pristine and white, but not new.

"Hi." Eloise squeaked quietly. This did not deter the smiling girl who sat across from her, still smiling.

How was it possible for someone to smile so much?

"Hello! I'm Edwina. Your mum said that we would be in upper school together, starting next week. What do you study?"

"Um, English, Politics, History and French." Eloise listed and she nodded, very interested.

"I'm also in English and History! Glad to know I will know somebody." Edwina said, "Also Philosophy and Sociology."

"Not Latin?" Eloise asked dryly but if Edwina had picked up on the tone, she didn't show it, still grinning.

"No, I'm fluent already." Edwina mused, "Kate, my sister said I should have picked it for fun."

Crazy people could be pretty too. Her eldest three brothers' had exes and who could attest to that.

But she seemed perfectly sane.

...

Eloise was determined not to like Edwina. No matter how well read she was and the fact that she cared about issues in the world. Or how annoyingly pretty she was and was slowly changing Eloise's ideas on pink being awful when she wore it so well.

"What's she like?" Penelope asked, first day back. She knew about Mary Sharma, thanks to the gossip spread by her mother Portia who had leaned out of the family towncar to tut at Mary dropping her youngest at school herself.

"You can ask her." Eloise muttered, seeing Edwina pass by Cressida Cowper who had spoken to her for about ten seconds, looking nervously around before spotting the two. Her dark pink cord jacket and her floral dress made her easy to spot in Eloise's eyes.

"Hello, Eloise." Edwina smiled and looked at Penelope smiling brightly, "Hello. I'm Edwina."

"Penelope Featherington." Penelope introduced, "My mama was saying that your mother ran away when she was younger. Is that true?"

Edwina nodded, "It is. But no one ever tells me the full story. By the way, I really like your blouse."

"Oh, you're joking." Penelope nervously tittered looking down at her orange blouse. Eloise on the inside felt vindicated - there was something wrong with her!

"No!" Edwina immediately said, her eyes wide with worry, "I really do like it on you. Yes, the orange may clash with your hair but you wear it very well. And that is all that matters."

"Oh, thank you." Penelope was surprised, then looked at her watch, "I have Drama. See you at lunch."

"English is on Tuesdays. Study days on Monday for us, luckily," Eloise explained.

"You didn't have to be nice to Penelope," Eloise said when they were sat at a table together.

"Why not?" Edwina was confused, "I really liked her blouse. It was pretty."

"I saw Cressida Cowper and her swarm of dolls approach you."

"Cressida? That's her name?" Edwina had barely registered the girl, "She was merely greeting me. She asked if I would like to play tennis with her friends but I have never liked to play, merely spectate. Kate is the better athlete. I prefer things like gymnastics or just my books."

"Apologises, I am rambling." Edwina's face warmed.

"No. It's fine." Eloise assured her, "Usually, I am stuck with my own thoughts when Pen has her classes so, it's...nice,"

"I am glad." The silence, for the first time for Eloise, was not uncomfortable.

...

They swap books all the time. Edwina's books are neatly preserved with handmade bookmarks and covers on the older tomes inherited from her appa's library. Eloise is the complete opposite. The more she loves the book, the messier it is. Edwina does not mind, she actually wishes she could be less anal-retentive when it comes to her books.

"It's not a bad thing," Eloise said when they were at lunch.

"You could be neater, El," Penelope teased and Edwina giggled.

"Here." Edwina gives her a neatly wrapped box the following day and she is confused because well, it is not her birthday.

She opens it to see three homemade bookmarks - one made with embroidery with her name another with a strand of dried lavender and another coloured in watercolours of a sunset.

"I love that you wear your books out and the dog-eared pages, but I need you to have bookmarks. So I made you some." Edwina explained.

Eloise is shocked and she runs her hands gently over the embroidered bookmark. Blues and purples threads. Her favourite colours. She did not even know that she knew.

"I-Thank you." Eloise shyly smiles, "I love them."

"I am glad!" Edwina said and then she went back to her work as if she had not just broken through.

...

"Eloise?" Penelope shook her gently and noticed she was deep in thought. Lying on her bed on a Saturday morning, which was unusual for her.

No. She was in shock. Considering she was just staring up at the ceiling, concerned.

Penelope quickly went to get Violet and upon seeing her daughter frowned.

"Oh dear. I'll call Benedict."

Benedict was always able to talk to Eloise. They had their own language - two kindred spirits.

He arrived an hour later and flopped down next to Eloise, "Morning. I am having a shit hangover, El. What's wrong?'

"How do I get a girl to like me?"

"Are you finally trying to make more friends?" He asked dryly. She tended to accidentally on purpose insult her classmates.

And acquaintances. And strangers.

"I mean, romantically. There is a girl and I want her to like me." Eloise murmured.

"Does she like you?"

"How can I tell?" She almost whined petulantly.

"Ask."

"I can't just ask! God, you ninny!" She pinched his shoulder.

"We'll make a checklist." Benedict reached over and plucked a pen from her bedside and a sticky note, "What would you like her to do to prove she likes you?'

Eloise thought. Daphne liked all the flowers and presents Simon brought her which proved his affection as they always meant something. But someone can buy you something nice and not like you as much as you like them.

"I want her to kiss me," Eloise admitted, finally looking at him. Benedict gave his sister a sympathetic smile.

"Well, when she kisses you, that is when you definitely know she likes you. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now. Please get up before mother and Pen call an ambulance. I think they believe you literally died of embarrassment."

...

"We can study wherever." Edwina shrugged, with a small smile. She leads her through the fragrant and bright Sharma household. Mary pokes her head out of her home office, on a phone call with one of her colleagues blowing a quick kiss to her daughter and waving to Eloise.

"Are you okay El?" Edwina asked, seeing the faraway look in her eyes.

"What did you say?" Eloise blinked.

"El? Sorry, I just heard Penelope call you that," Her face warmed in embarrassment and she thought it made her somehow more adorable.

"No, no." Eloise was quick, "You can call me El too. I'd like that. I may not have a nickname for you."

"That's okay." Edwina shrugged then her attention was on the troublesome corgi who had an old stethoscope in its mouth.

"Newton, atai viṭu!" And he immediately turned back to Edwina, dropping the object at her feet, sitting patiently.

"Your dog speaks Hindi?" Eloise asked.

"Tamil," She corrected gently, "Yes. It's why he causes mischief. But he does understand English; he just ignores it unless it's amma calling him." She giggled and Eloise laughed with her.

And when Edwina hugged her tightly, even though she was only going across the road, she wanted to melt there and then as she inhaled her familiar vanilla perfume.

So she sprints away.

...

"Eloise!"

Eloise turned around at the sound of her name being called and saw Edwina running after her and holding her copy of The Big Sleep.

"You dropped this." Edwina said, slightly breathless, "You are very fast."

"Sorry," She sniffed, taking the book. She felt so silly.

"It's okay." Edwina said, concerned "Did I do something?"

"No, it was me. My stupid list, which only has one thing on it!" Eloise ranted.

"El." Edwina holds one of her hands, "It's okay. What's on the list?"

Eloise blushes, "I wanted you to kiss me because I thought you liked me but it's okay because-"

Edwina leaned up slightly to kiss her and Eloise could not help kissing her back. Her hands wrapped around her waist, holding on to her. It was not perfect, a little messy but so right.

Edwina pulled away, "That was nice. Kate told me to always kiss first. It's polite."

"I'll see you at school tomorrow." And Edwina grinned, her cheeks warm and she skipped away.

Eloise arrives home and just leans against the front door when she gets inside, clutching her book to her chest and biting her lip. She can still taste her cherry lip balm.

"What has you grinning?" She looked up to see her mother coming downstairs with a vase of flowers that she set on the round table, "Make anyone cry today?"

"A girl kissed me," Eloise said, still smiling and Violet smiled.

"How wonderful. Now do clean up dear, dinner is in fifteen minutes." Violet said and then walked to the drawing room.

A girl kissed her and her world did not fall apart as she feared.

[jimmymcgools]

any director's cut commentary on the most recent chapter?

💕 absolutely delighted to, anon! (and who are you that you remember these!)

i don’t know if there’s any specific part you’re interested in, but i'll scroll through the chapter and comment on anything that pops out to me. if there IS something specific, please ask!

“Act versus status,” she says now, returning to an earlier river, further inland up the delta. “Status is not a criminal act.” The delta splits into two here, and she follows one of the streams. “For example…” she whispers. “For example… being an addict is a status, not an act.”

this was so fun! this is a scene from my pre-canon fic “a controlled burn”, but from kim’s perspective.

kim was specific enough on her end of the phone call that i knew i’d picked some piece of real crim law for her to be referencing, so two years later for this scene i had to find it again. and then it turned out to be much more relevant than i realised at the time!

also i do want this to work even if it’s the first fic of mine you read! thankfully (evilly) the show decided to make born yesterday the most traumatic old hollywood film choice of all time, so. there you go.

Sluggish with foreign material and long days and copy machines and coffee breaks and new things.

a little reference to this one shot of mine, “green”! she likes new things.

something v. Texas, or Pressburger v. something

it’s powell v texas, but kim’s brain gives her pressburger here because she’s a fan of powell and pressburger movies.

“I saw the news,” Kim blurts out, her chest rising and falling between the words. She tries for warm and sympathetic instead: “And I thought of you, how are you?”

i love everyone’s kindly-innocent-phone-voices on this show, and it’s fun trying to capture them in text.

also ever since i first saw the episode i’ve been obsessed with the idea of kim calling francesca and making it as far as she can through a conversation, as if she isn’t desperate to ask about jimmy from the moment the call connects.

“Robles and Goto Partners,” the receptionist says musically. “How can I help you today?”

big ups to gina robles from the 410 cold open who is suddenly given a role in my fanfiction, hi gina.

also of course our beloved viola, who witnessed much too much, and who i’m so delighted by. slinging shade about vegan patties. “i, um. good.” an icon. she’s seen saul goodman in his pajamas. who else could it be.

Lynn has family up in Santa Fe, so when she found us a place here… it just seemed meant to be.

even bigger ups to Lynn of deleted scene fame who absolutely made the most of a free trip to the stein eriksen lodge in 2004.

This is a prepaid call from—and then Jimmy’s own voice clicks in, a hollow recording: “Uh, Jimmy McGill?” before it shifts back to the robot—… an inmate at Montrose Federal Correctional Complex.

SHOUTOUT TO SERIAL, WHO HERE LISTENED TO THAT TEN YEARS AGO

“Y’know, it’s a funny thing,” Jimmy says, crackling and hissing at the edges, so far away. “I can’t stop thinking about what the weather’s like out there.”

oh honey

kim he’s thinking now

kim get your man out he’s dreaming again he’s wistful

“No, I meant—” Jimmy starts, and the tone is suddenly so familiar she can see him clearly, can see him shaking his head and staring at her pleadingly. “What about you as the better lawyer?”

jimmy saving up his precious minutes of shitty payphone connection to sow some seeds 🥺

this next scene with patty is a really interesting one in terms of like... one of the difficulties i’ve found writing kim pov is handling the dialogue in the scenes where kim is largely silent. it’s such an important part of the character but it really strains my limited range of action description.

and i didn’t even realise specifically how little she did speak here, but she says less than ten words over this entire interaction.

it’s tough because i still want it to feel like two people engaging with each other, like patty’s bouncing off kim and not just giving a ted talk.

She’d forgotten the bar exam, in the months afterwards. By the time she received her score, she had barely remembered what questions she’d answered, what subjects she’d written on.

it’s weird and wonderful how like... way back when i was working on the bar exam chapters for "slip and fall season”, i read a bunch of things people had written about their experiences. and i remember people saying afterwards they totally forgot everything they wrote. i dont know if this ever ended up in safs, but it’s so cool how like... that was just sitting in my head, waiting to be useful.

like churning water heading for the shore.

all the best chapter endings are accidentally in iambic pentameter.

[thelittleboyfromloveactually]

The stewardess

Pt. 7 (the finale)

Word count: 1959

Prompt: chris finds you after many years apart

Warning: cussing?????

Authors note: I’m so sorry this took so long! This is the last chapter of this series. I hope you enjoy it :)

I couldn’t believe my eyes. How was he here? Did he know that I was here? Did he know about francesca? Shit! He made eye contact with me and I ducked down.

“Y/n wtf” said chanel

“It’s him” chanel looked at chris and then back at me

“Alice, listen to me. You need to take Francesca to the park and not come back until I call you alright?”

“Oui m’dame” she nodded and grabbed Francesca by hand. She pulled her past Chris and he didn’t even notice. He walked slowly up to the counter. He looked at me. I was making coffee while Chanel was at the register.

“How can I help you sir?” Chanel asked with a less than friendly voice

He looked at me again “uh i would like to order something”

She glared at him “ok…what do you want?”

“Oh uh I’ll take um a coffee and croissant, uh please” he said

“Alright give me one sec” she said and went to grab his food

He looked at me again. I quickly looked away. I could feel him getting closer to me. Suddenly he was standing right in front of me on the other side of the counter.

“Hi” he said

I was breathless “hi”

“Can we talk? Please?” He pleaded

“I’m really busy” i said

“Please Y/N! I need to talk to you. Come on, it’s been years” bitch. Not for me it hasn’t, I had to raise his kid. I think about him every time I look into her beautiful blue eyes.

“Alright” I nodded “chanel! It’s all you!”

“Wait what?!” I walked around the counter and escorted him upstairs to my apartment. It was quite large for an apartment. 3 beds, 4 baths, two levels. It was very Parisian and very nice. We walked all the way upstairs without saying a word. When we got to the door I opened it for him “after you” I said as politely as possible.

“Thank you” he nodded

We walked over to the sun room. He sat in a chair, i sat in the one across from him. The summer sun shone through the window.

“Can I get you anything? Tea? Water?” I asked

“Uh no no, I’m fine, thank you though”

“Alright” I adjusted myself in my chair “you wanted to talk, let’s talk”

He let out a breath and looked away from me, out the window. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs and then on his jaw. He didn’t say anything.

“Ok fine, I’ll go first” I said rolling my eyes “how did you find me?”

“I was passing through and wanted to say high” he said

“No, that doesn’t answer my question. How did you know I was here, in Paris, at this cafe? How did you know?”

“Well i saw an article about this place, then I saw the picture of you standing, smiling in front of it. I’m proud of you Y/N. I wanted to see you, talk to you. So I asked RDJ. He helped me get to you.”

“If you wanted to talk then why am I the one asking questions? Don’t get me wrong, I have a lot I would like answers to but I have limited time before-“ I was interrupted by the front door closing. Shit.

“Mommy!!!” Francesca came running into the sun room. She threw herself on top of my lap.

I looked up hopelessly at Alice, “I told you to take her away!”

“I’m sorry! She said she wanted to grab her kite to play with in the park. I thought you would be working, we were going to be quick. I didn’t know you had….company” she looked over to Chris

“Mommy!” She pulled on my shirt

“One minute baby” I looked up to see Chris’ face. His eyes were glued to francesca. He looked as if he was going to cry. Then he looked at me. I sighed and pulled Francesca into my lap.

“Is she?” Chris asked

I nodded “yes, she is”

Chris was speechless. His eyes were watery, i couldn’t make out the expression on his face. Happy? Sad? Surprised? I didn’t know.

“Mommy who is that?” Francesca pointed over at Chris

“That’s my friend, love” I paused. “My old friend, Alice, can you please take her?” I lifted her off my lap but i was stopped my Chris

“No wait! Please, I-i need to talk with her.” He begged me “please just let me talk to her”

I sighed and nodded “alright”

He kneed down so he would be eye level with her. “Bonjour” he said “I’m Chris, what’s your name?”

“Francesca” she said proudly

“Francesca” he paused “what a beautiful name”

She giggled

“Can I have a high five francesca?” He asked holding up his hand

She slapped it with all her might. Granted it wasn’t that hard.

“Oh ow! Wow you are a very strong girl” he looked up at me “just like you mommy”

“My mommy makes very very yummy cupcakes” she said

“I’m sure she does,” he laughed. “I tell you what, give me 10 minutes to finish talking with your mom and then I’ll come play with you and your kite in the park. How does that sound?” He asked sweetly

“Yes! That sounds really good!” She ran off to her room, alice chased after her

Chris sat back up in his chair. “Now I have questions”

“I bet, shoot” I said

“How old?”

“3”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Are you serious? You left me for your girlfriend! How was I supposed to tell you that I was pregnant with you baby! You were half way across the world! I wouldn’t contact you! And hell, I didn’t want to! I raised her fine on my own and with the help of RDJ we are loving an amazing life! One I won’t let you ruin!”

“Y/n, I’m so sorry. I would have come if I knew, I would have helped.” He hung his head “I’ve always wanted a daughter”

I scoffed “sucks it’s had to be with me”

“No! No! I’m so glad you’re her mother! I wouldn’t have picked any other woman in the entire world to raise my child! You are an amazing mom! And I’m so truely sorry that I left you, I know it can never make it up to you but I really do love you. You can’t expect me to live with this now. I need to see her, I need to see you! I want you, Y/N! I was a fucking idiot when I left! I broke up with her the second I got back! I-“

“Then why didn’t you come back? Come tell me that it was over, that you “wanted” me” I interrupted him

“Because I didn't think you would want anything to do with me! I fucked up, I know. But please let me be here now! Let me fix this!”

“There is nothing to fix! I am fine without you!”

“Well I can't live without you Y/N! I LOVE YOU! Don’t you understand that? I. Love. You.”

“Yeah well you broke my fucking heart and left me to fend for myself. Don’t you understand how hard it is for me to just forgive you?!”

“Yes! Yes I do! That's why you need to let me try! Let me hang out with francesca! My daughter! Let me help you, with anything! I’ll clean, I’ll cook! I’ll buy you groceries or do all the dishes from the cafe if you want! Just let me try! Please give me one more chance!”

The room was silent. I didn’t know what to say. If I give him a chance then it will be so complicated. How do I tell francesca? I don’t know what to do.

“One more chance?” I look at him questionably

He nods

“What do you expect me to say to this? I cant drop everything and move to LA with you, I have no idea how I would tell francesca, and I really do not trust you!”

He sighed “well for starters I would live here, with you, if that’s ok. Obviously I will be gone a lot but I plan on taking a year off. And as for Francesca and trusting me that’s your decision to make. But I will help you with her…”

“What makes you think I need your help?“

“I don’t, hell that’s one thing I love about you! You're so independent and beautiful and funny and fun! And nice and kind and-“

“Ok ok yeah, I get it, you love me” a small smile appeared on my lips. He noticed

“So?” He moved closer, resting his hands on my arms.

I looked into his eyes. “Alright chris”

“Actually?” He looked at me in disbelief

“Yeah actually, now hurry up and kiss me before I change my mind”

A smile appeared on his face “ oh my god” he took my face in his hands and pressed his lips to mine. The kiss was lined with passion and hunger. We broke apart and he looked lovingly into my eyes.

“God I missed you” he shook his head

I giggled “I missed you too”

1 year later

“Chris, do you take Y/N to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

“I do” he said smiling at me

“Y/N, do you take Chris to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do” his smile grew bigger

“Well then, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride.”

The end.

@bookwormchick91

[ca-8]

Yakko x Reader Scenario: When You First Meet

'This is it. The beginning of the end.' 

Gripping on the straps of her backpack, (Y/n) exited the bus and stared up at the water tower that displayed the famous Warner Bros. logo. As expected, it emitted a smug aura onto the entire area; however, surprisingly, there was a slight twinge of mystery to it as well. But she didn't have time to ponder about it, so she only gave it an uneasy look and headed straight for the entrance.

Her heart stopped. She knew the place was going to be busy, but it was like an entire New York City packed in one section! So many writers, producers, actors, large men carrying heavy sets, every type of person working in film was scattered all over the place. It was like an ocean, with the people as marine life doing what they're designed to do, and (Y/n) being the puppy that was abandoned at sea.

The moment it all settled in, an involuntary realization invaded her thoughts. 'I don't belong here.'

The young girl reminded herself to breathe and rushed over to a vacant wall, then pulled out her phone. She had already sent her mother about a thousand messages telling her she was here, but since she hasn't responded, a few more shouldn't hurt. Fingers rapidly typing away, she bit her lower lip, already wishing she had stayed on that bus. 

"Oh, you're just gonna love it!" Her mother's squealing voice had already filled her skull. "You're so talented, I know you're gonna fit right in."

'Yeah, standing around all day with a bunch of people I don't know while doing something I suck at is exactly how I wanna spend my summer.' She let out a soft sigh. 'It's fine. Just shut up and make her happy, (Y/n).'

Several attempts of calling and texting later, no response. (Y/n) sighed again, and her eyes wandered over to the bustling crowd. 'No way. Absolutely no way.' But if she wanted to get the day over with, absolutely yes way.

First, she walked up to a lady looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "Um, excuse me," (Y/n) said. 

The lady's head snatched up. "KYLE!" she yelled, her eyes now ablaze with fury, "YOU IDIOT! THAT GOES IN THE WAREHOUSE ACROSS THE STUDIO!" And like there was nothing but a breeze behind her, the lady stomped off to the poor soul that had to face her wrath.

The breeze took a step back and ran around the corner. 'Maybe I'll find someone else instead…!' (Y/n) stopped and spotted a man sitting on the steps that lead to the entrance of a small building. She swallowed whatever was left in her mouth and reluctantly approached him. 

"E-Excuse me, sir?" she stuttered, hoping her voice was louder than the last time. As she got closer, (Y/n) noticed he was chuckling, and his gaze was glued onto a small piece of paper. 

"I...I did it…!" he said. She yelped and shrinked back when he suddenly jumped to his feet. "I FINALLY DID IT! WE'LL SEE WHO'S REGRETTING THE DIVORCE NOW, MARGARET!" And with a manic laugh, the man dashed into the building. 

'...Or maybe I'll just find it myself.'

It wasn't too long before (Y/n) got herself lost. Despite the help of maps that were stuck to some of the buildings, all of them seemed exactly the same. It was like a maze, and with each passing minute, she was more and more convinced that there was no finish line. Even worse, her mother was too busy to respond to anything she sent her. 

'Oh, what should I do?' (Y/n) thought for the thousandth time. No matter how hard she pinched or held them, her arms refused to stop trembling. Not too long ago, the outside of the studio became deserted and she'd hate to walk in a warehouse and possibly interrupt something important, so asking for help again was out of the question.

...Or, perhaps it wasn't. 

A tiny, hopeful smile crossed (Y/n)'s face when she heard the sounds of frustrated grunts around the corner. It was the first time she was so relieved to see a stranger. 

And thank god that stranger was a security guard. Though she wondered why he had a giant net in his hand, she shoved the curiosity as far in the back of her mind as she could and reached up to gently tap his shoulder. 

"Um, excuse me sir?" she asked as loud as she could. 

His head whipped around, revealing angry eyes and a scowl that said he was ready to kill. But right as his gaze landed on her, it changed within an instant. 

"Oh, hello!" he said with a bright smile. 

(Y/n) blinked, cocking her head. ‘What was this guy up to?’

"I'm sorry to bother you, but do you know where (M/n) (L/n) is filming? I'm her daughter, (Y/n), and I'm trying to look for her. She's not answering her phone either."

His joyful expression slowly melted into a confused one. "Uuhhh…(M/n) (L/n)?”

“Yes. She’s a part of Animal Kingdom? Do you know where that’s being filmed?”

“Oh! I know there’s a zoo around here called Animal Kingdom! I don’t think you’ll find it in a film studio, though.”

(Y/n) frowned. “...No, I mean the show. Aren’t they filming in a warehouse today? Do you know where that is?”

“Who’s ‘they’?”

Her eye twitched, and she was just about ready to drown the entire studio in the nearest ocean. “N-Nevermind, I’ll just-”

As if the universe wasn’t satisfied with tormenting her enough, the security guard suddenly launched up into the air and flew into the sky. Right before her eyes, the heavens were coated with explosives of every color that ever existed. 

“Oh my god!” (Y/n) yelled. ‘Who strapped fireworks on that guy?!’

“Oh, I knew you’d love it!”

Her eyes were ripped from the loud fireworks show as she was immediately smothered in a hug. “It’s so nice that another girl’s here! All the other ones here are either too busy or just keep shouting about a restraining order for some reason. I dunno, but anyway, I just know you're gonna love it here! Anyway, my name’s Princess Angelina Louisa Cantessa Francesca Banana Fanna Bo Besca the third! But since we're friends now, you can just call me Dot.”

This confirmed it. This was a trap set up by her mother to deliberately drive her insane, because how else can someone explain the nut jobs and talking dogs in pink dresses? 

A combination of those two things happened to be clutching her head and digging her face into hers. “...Huh?” (Y/n) mumbled.

‘Dot’ jumped off of her and smiled widely. “Sorry about Ralph by the way. I figured out you were coming at the last second and I really needed someone for your welcoming gift.” she said.

(Y/n) glanced up at the sky where the fireworks were slowly dying down. “Um...Is he gonna be okay?” she asked.  

“Of course he will!” her backpack said.

The teen screamed and threw her bag on the ground. A hand popped out and unzipped it with impossible ease, then a taller boy version of Dot jumped out, pulling up his long brown pants and flashing a grin. 

“H-...H-H-How did you…?!” (Y/n) stuttered, pointing at him. 

“What? Never heard of cartoon logic?” he said, approaching her. “And Ralph’ll be fine. His skull’s so thick, concrete’s the last thing that can kill him.”

“What-?”

“Anyhow,” he walked over to Dot and put an arm over her shoulder, “The name’s Yakko, this here’s my beloved baby sister Dot, and this is-” He stopped, staring at the empty space to his left. He leaned into Dot, whispering, “Say, uh, you don't mind looking for Wakko, do ya sis?”

Dot glanced at (Y/n) for an uncomfortable moment and suddenly shot her brother a glare. "I've got eyes all over this studio, Yakko," she warned, slowly stepping away.

Now (Y/n) certainly knew she didn't see pairs of eyes appear around every inch of her sight. 'Oh god, I didn't breath in drugs on the way here, did I? Actually, that would explain whatever the heck's going on.'

Yakko smiled as he watched his sister leave and turned to (Y/n). He walked closer to her, and she realized that his half-lidded eyes had a strange glint in them. “Sooo, your name’s (Y/n), right? A pretty name for a pretty girl.”

(Y/n)’s face heated up. ‘First I get lost, then see a guy get blown up, and now some other guy’s flirting with me? ...To be honest, this is still better than what Mom had planned for today.’

“So what brings ya’ here?” he asked.

“O-Oh, well, my Mom was supposed to give me a tour of the studio, but I’ve been giving that to myself all day. I tried finding her, but I’m pretty sure I’m nowhere near it by now.” Her eyes wandered over to the ground, but a realization made them perk back up and over to Yakko. “Hey, do you happen to know this place by any chance?”

“Know it? Please, my sibs and I live here, we know this place by heart and soul!” He mumbled something else, along the lines of “Basically made our hearts and souls”. 

Her heart jumped; finally, a piece of good news. “Really?” she said, a smile spreading across her face.

He nodded. “So where do ya’ need to go?” Before she could answer, he pulled out a piece of folded paper and moved in so close, their shoulders were smooshed together. Yakko unfolded it, and it turned out to be the biggest map (Y/n) has ever seen. “Well, from here, you’re gonna need to take a right and continue straight until you get to the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts exhibit. But be careful, I heard some of them escaped, and if anyone asks if you’ve seen any of them, don’t tell them I gave one to Dot as a late birthday gift. Anyway, you take a left from there, then a right where you’ll see the lot where they used to shoot Game of Thrones. Now this is only a rumour I’ve heard, but I think some of the producers are still on that set. If you happen to see them, do not, I repeat, DO NOT mention season eight, or maybe just don’t mention the show at all. Actually, don’t even look at them. As a matter of fact, you probably shouldn’t even go there at all, just keep heading straight until you get to the D.C. Universe lot. Then you just take left there, then a sharp right over over, then you keep going straight until you get to here, turn up over there, turn right there, and then you’re there. Did ya’ follow all that?”

(Y/n) stared at his face, which was practically radiating with enthusiasm, and she felt her eye twitch again. “...No,” she said, shaking her head.

His smile dimmed, but it became just as bright as the sun again a split-second later. “Ah well, maps are gettin' old anyways,” he said, throwing the map over his shoulder. “WAKKO!!”

And, low and behold, another anthropomorphic dog popped out of nowhere, and (Y/n) was starting to question if there was an army of them hidden somewhere. But she had to admit, it was pretty cute how this one was dressed in an oversized blue sweater and red hat. 

“Tablet, please,” Yakko said politely, holding out his hand. 

‘You're not gonna walk me there-?'

Wakko suddenly held his head back with his cheeks puffed out, then leaned into Yakko’s hand as he forced out a small object from his mouth. After an incredibly uneasy moment, a tablet glazed in spit was in Yakko's grasp. While he praised the little guy, (Y/n) forced back the urge to vomit.

“E-Ehhhh…?” She couldn’t say anything else while her gaze frantically went back and forth from Wakko and the regurgitated tablet. 

“Oh! Where are my manners?” Yakko said. “(Y/n), this is my dear little brother, Wakko. Wakko, this here’s our new special friend, (Y/n).” 

“Hello!” Wakko greeted, who was suddenly in her arms. “You’re really pretty!”

“Ehh? Thank you? I guess??” she said apprehensively, and finally managed to make eye contact. Despite his...quirks, he's actually a little adorable... She let herself grin a little.

The moment of semi-peace was ruined when she took notice of Yakko’s narrowed eyes. “ALrighty, (Y/n)!” he said loudly, grabbing his little brother by the collar and gently setting him on the ground. “Animal Kingdom, right? Let’s get ya’ right over there.” He moved right beside her and taped the screen a couple times. 

“Um, what’re you doing exactly?” she asked.

“Doing what every person does to get somewhere nowadays.” He grabbed her waist and pulled her against him, and (Y/n) flinched from his touch. “Please keep your arms, legs, and personal items inside the tablet at all times.”

Just when she was about to question him for the hundredth time, he pressed the screen again, and her vision became nothing but white. Her body felt like it was launched into a tornado; a strong force of wind thrusted her back, and somehow, the boy’s arm kept her from flying off from his side. A second later, her feet were back on the ground, the sky was where it needed to be, and reality was back in place. 

Except for (Y/n)’s mentality. 

She stumbled around, trying to find her balance as the world unbearably whirled around her. Finally, she shook her head, and quickly turned back towards Yakko, whose face tried to tell her whatever happened was perfectly fine and normal. 

“What was THAT?” she yelled, staggering towards him and gripping his shoulders.

And he still had the audacity to have that 'why-are-you-freaking-out-so-much-we-do-this-every-Friday' smile. “Thank you for attending Warner’s Travel Tours! I would say my Agent Ralph’ll take your bags, but I left him alone with my sibs, so he’s probably in the middle of the Pacific Ocean by now.”

(Y/n) could only stare at him. Her mind was twisting and turning, trying so hard to make any sense of what happened but only making her headache grow larger and larger. And then, her thoughts just went blank.

She smirked. Then giggled. And a few seconds later, she had burst out laughing whilst holding her stomach. (Y/n) looked back up at Yakko, wiping a tear from her eye. “Th-Thank you…” she said, catching her breath. 

His smile had grown and she thought his white cheeks were red for a moment. Yakko had opened his mouth, but whatever he was about to say was cut off by a net suddenly covering his entire body. Ralph was behind him, his skin and clothes burnt and ears practically smoking. “You’re coming with me, Warner!” he said.

And yet, Yakko only grinned. Like physics was his enemy, he disappeared from inside the net and appeared sprouting from the security guard’s back, cheerfully waving at (Y/n). “I’ll see ya’ around, yeah?” he said, then ran around the corner with Ralph sprinting right after him.

(Y/n) giggled and reached for the straps around her back. But when she only felt the (f/c) fabric of her shirt, her smile dropped, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Great…” she whispered.

“(Y/N)!” 

She gasped as a pair of arms squeezed the life out of her. Her mother spun her around to face her gleaming smile, which was immediately replaced by an apologetic frown. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get your texts! That scene took forever, but I’m glad you found your way here! You’re so smart! Anyway, I know we don’t get as much time now, but there’s still so much we’ll be able to see!...”

She rambled on and on and on and on. Her daughter’s shoulders slumped and she followed her to where she wanted her to go, but the frown on her face didn’t last long when she remembered the fun she had just a few seconds ago. ‘Maybe this summer won’t be that bad.’

[newtonsheffield]

Seeing Kate snap about there being “no routine surgery” made me realise just how demented Kate’s going to be when Anthony has no choice but to her gets his knee(s) done.

Never mind his wife is the best doctor in the league to help him recover after and then his sister in law is an amazing physio to make sure he’s back on his feet and you know Anthony is going to have made sure he has the best doctors available.

But poor Kate is going to be an absolute mess on her family and Sophie when he’s down in surgery. Staking the corridors of the hospital for news and then desperate to get him back on his feet.

Then afterwards I can just see Anthony driving her up the wall because Sophie told him to rest and he’s not a very good patient at the best of times and Kate trying to make sure he rests whilst asking Sophie is she can speed up his physio before she murders her husband…

Kate is beside herself basically the whole surgery, and she went to Scotland because she knows that Michael knows what happened with her Dad, he's the only person in the entire world that Kate trusts to look after Anthony.

"Kate, I promise you, I am going to look after Anthony to the very best of my ability okay? He'll be up and at em so quick you'll be annoyed you didn't get any rest at all." Michael had said, grinning at her after he did Anthony's round, Anthony himself distracted in the corner, delightedly blowing bubbles to Edmund who was giggling happily from Edwina's lap, Francesca looking on delightedly sent to be Violet's eyes and ears, Violet following tomorrow.

"I know. I just... worry about him."

"Geez, what happened to the Kate Sharma who was never getting married, never having kids?" Michael nudged her with his elbow, teasing just like old times.

Kate sighed, her heart hammering in her chest when Anthony grinned up at her, her finger turning that stupid big engagement ring around her finger, "Anthony... kind of took me out at the knees."

"You guys seem great together."

"We're very happy." Kate hummed.

They were silent for a very long moment before Michael said, "That girl with you guys... not Eddie um-"

Kate startled, "Francesca? She's Anthony's younger sister. A concert pianist. An excellent one."

"Can you um-" Kate watched as Francesca's eyes slid to Michael's sticking in place, her head tilted curiously, "Introduce me to Anthony's stunning sister Francesca?"

Kate sighed, kissing Michael on the cheek, "I'll tell you what, Mickey, don't kill my husband, and I'll toss in a kind word about you."

And Anthony's feeling rather chuffed with himself, when he finally goes home, resting on his sofa, season after season of Desperate Housewives queued up to watch, Until his Sister in law arrives with what looked suspiciously like a crutches.

"Alright Bridgerton, up and at em." Sophie said officiously, tugging the blanket off him.

"Ahh, I don't think so, I had two knee surgeries three days ago."

"Mmmm lucky for you, you have a loving wife that sent me here to get your arse up." She nudged at his stomach with a crutch.

"No, Soph," Anthony groaned, "They hurt, and my ice cream'll melt."

"Anthony do you want to run around after your son, teach him to play football? be fit and healthy for Kate?"

It burned in his chest, "Yes obviously, that's why I did this stupid fucking surgery."

Sophie smiled down at him, offering her hand, "Then Get. Up."

Anthony sighed, grumbling as he pulled himself to his feet, wobbling awkwardly, as he gripped the crutches. "I don't think Kate told you to be so mean."

Sophie hummed, "I have been authorised to rehab you by any means necessary."

"Christ that woman is an absolute menace to my comfort and security." Anthony hissed taking painful, tentative steps around his living room.

"Would you love her if she wasn't?"

Anthony scoffed, "Course not, that's what I love best about her."

[abbyandhanako]

Drabble: Love Poem

————————————————————

In the Plasma Frigate’s infirmary, Mark was snuggling with Glaceino and Flareino until he heard a notification on his phone, when he took it out of his pocket, It was texts from an unknown number.

“Hm?” He said, Mark was warned by Ghetsis and Zinzolin not to open any texts and voicemails from unknown numbers, he seemed nervous and scared, he put his phone on the desk and decided to tell Abby when she returned after picking Hana up from school.

When Hana and Abby finally returned.

“Abby…..I got a text from an unknown number….” He said to her nervously, pointing at the phone

Abby looked at the phone and picked it up.

“We should probably see Ghetsis about this, come on….” Abby said in a reassuring manner.

Mark nodded and went outside the infirmary with her and made their way to Ghetsis’ office with Hana following along.

Ghetsis was sitting in his office, sipping coffee and his Hydreigon resting on a cushion that was sitting on the floor.

“What is it?” He asked the two.

“Um…Sage/Lord Ghetsis?” Mark and Abby both said, then Abby soon spoke, “We are sorry to have disturbed you on such short notice, but Mark has received suspicious voicemails and texts.”

Ghetsis nodded then looked at Mark.

“If this is from Old Plasma or Hugh, there will be consequences.” He said to them firmly, he soon played the first voicemail.

It was a woman’s voice, Abby and Mark soon recognized it, the latter flinched.

Ghetsis recognized it as Sang-jo, Mark’s ex-fiancée, from what he knew from Mark and his mother, Sang-jo was physically, verbally and emotionally abusive towards Mark, even strangling him to the point he suffered permanent esophageal and windpipe damage and even inflicting injuries on him, this led to Mark’s Pokémon, Flareina and Glaceino being frightened of anyone who resembled her.

“Oh my dear sweet Mark, How I missed you my precious blossom tree…Oh please come back to me….I won’t say I love you but I want you back cuddling you and your Eevee twins…..My precious little Eevee boy….”

Ghetsis let out a snort and erupted into laughter, Hana began to giggle at that aswell, Ghetsis soon played the second and one.

“Oh my dear Eevee boy? Why are you ghosting me, I wish you’d sit upon my throne as your loving wife…..Please my dear Ma-keu, Come back to me, You’re the only one for me…..”

Abby began to snicker at that, T.K soon walked in holding a toolbox.

“What is happening here?” He asked, he saw Ghetsis trying hard not to laugh and the other two shocked and snickering.

Ghetsis soon played the third voicemail, the green-haired man was racked with giggles and he was wiping tears from his eyes.

“I have zero dreams or hopes anymore, I lost you along with our marriage, children and grandchildren, I was foolish and naive and only realized how much you meant to me….I wish to believe the golden throne in your heart only belongs to me…..I shall message you again, My beloved Eevee boy, Ma-keu.”

Ghetsis, Abby, Hana, T.K and Mark looked silently at eachother, soon enough Ghetsis began to snort and erupted in hysterical laughter, the three grunts and Hanako soon followed suit.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” The Team Plasma boss and the three grunts soon laughed hysterically aswell as Hana.

Ghetsis nearly fell to the floor from laughing uncontrollably, Hana was giggling behind her hand, T.K was laughing while slamming his fist down onto the ground and Abby was laughing too hard to get up.

Mark, who was frightened now began to giggle and snort.

“WE RUINED HER WEDDING FOR THIS?! MYAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Ghetsis said through hysterical laughter, “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

The grunts and Hana continued laughing with the latter laughing even harder, Ghetsis was clutching his stomach from laughing so hard.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” T.K laughed, he couldn’t imagine himself sending poems like that to Francesca, “OH MY FUCKING ARCEUS! THIS IS FUCKING HILARIOUS!”

Even Mark couldn’t help but laugh, in Team Plasma before the split, he couldn’t stand hearing her voice and was extremely frightened of her.

“Would you send poems like this to Goji-Pants?” Abby laughed, asking Hana, referring to Leo.

“Hahahahaha! No thanks!” Hana laughed.

Ghetsis soon read the texts.

“Oh my Arceus….Come back my sweet! Please break up with the wicked witch Abby and come back to me…..My magnificent fiancé! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I’M GONNA DIE….!”

After having a laugh with the cringy love poems.

“Abby, go post these online, It will teach that woman a thing or two about trying to get into contact with Mark.” Ghetsis snorted.

Abby nodded while snickering.

“Consider it done, sir.” Abby said as she and they left.