#Where’s Smokey? she’s now my lawyer

[ivyllamauwu]

I’m gonna have to speak to my lawyer about this..

[beelmons]

No one is as hot, happy, or cool as Instagram shows, some people are bald

Genre: Fluff Pairing: Spencer Reid x BAU!Fem!Reader CW: None Series: Part of Technophobe in Recovery Summary: Your friend Spencer didn't really understand social media, until he found out that it could be used to hit on people, more specifically to hit on you. Perhaps if he had a profile you would look his way?

Social media is a narcissist’s crack, at least that’s what Spencer always thought. There are so many ways of keeping communication, what’s the point of plastering every detail of your life for the world to see? As FBI agents, the entire team knew to thread carefully when it came to public profiles. Of course, all of you kept it light, without giving locations away, and taking every precaution Penelope had told you to take.

—He liked your picture?! —Penelope screamed from your behind. She had sneaked up on you and caught a sight of your phone to see the username of a very popular S.W.A.T. member on the “liked by…” section of your Instagram.

—First of all, ouch. —you joked, pretending like her scream hurt your ear—and second, he didn’t only like the picture, he is in my DMs right now asking about my day.

—You go, girlfriend—Emily joined as her and JJ got closer.

The not-so-subtle scream from Garcia had gathered everyone’s attention, and shortly there after the familiar faces that walked the ballpen had gathered around you.

—Whoa, baby girl, what’s all the commotion about? —Morgan asked once him and Reid had joined the rest of your coworkers by your side, his hand instinctively reaching for Penelope’s shoulders.

—Miss hot and smokey right here. —she pointed in your direction— The super-hot SWAT captain from last raid just liked her picture on Instagram and slid into her DMs.  

—I think this is the first time I’ve been in a conversation where I don’t understand a single word. —Spencer had furrowed his eyebrows in plain confusion— Is that a good thing?

—It’s like a modern version of a mating call, Spence, you like someone’s picture to capture their attention, let them know you are interested, and then message them privately to see where things go. —JJ explained in the young doctor’s direction.

As everyone’s attention went back to your phone, Spencer found the perfect opportunity to swallow down the knot that had formed on his throat. Never could he have guessed that from all the people you were surrounded by, decorated officers, top-of-the-field lawyers, fellow elite FBI agents, the one person he had to worry about was trapped in the rectangular gadget he hated the most.

Not that the team knew, they suspected yet he had never admitted to it, but Spencer liked you. He wasn’t the one to act on his crushes almost ever, he liked when things developed naturally, which apparently was not going to be the case with you now that “super-hot-swat-captain” was “sliding into your DMs”, whatever that meant.

—You guys are making it a bigger deal than it is. —you tried to shut down the chatter in the office— He hasn’t even asked me out, just asking random questions.

—Come on, you don’t talk to someone on Instagram to make friends. —Morgan affirmed.

—And you look good good ok that picture. —JJ added.

The statement made Reid stick out his neck, he wanted to catch a glimpse of what everyone else what admiring; in his eyes, you always looked good, what could be so special about that one pic— Oh. He could feel the heat on his face spreading through every corner of his head, and some other places to the south he was doing his best to avoid; the way the lighting was ideal to your face, the pose that highlighted the best features of your body, and an outfit he could tell made you the most confident. A whole other person that he seemed not to know, and yet prayed in his very soul he could, at least, get the chance to one day.

Reid cleared his throat as he noticed everyone, specially Morgan, staring a bit too long, and with embarrassment he headed back to his office. The traces of the smile he had earlier in the morning were long gone, his serious expression taking over instead, with a slight furrow on his brows. He grabbed a random file as he walked to his desk and pretended to work intently in wrapping up some paperwork.

—Okay, that’s enough. —not being used to such praise and attention to your private life, you snatched the device away from Penelope whom, at some point, had gotten her hands on it— We’re not snooping on my love life right now, there’s tons of paperwork to do and the next case could come at any time.

The team reluctantly left your work area, not before threateningly asking for updates whenever you got one, and you were free from their questions once again. On the corner of your eye you were able to notice a rather sulky Spencer sitting on his desk, his troubled expression not going unnoticed by the rest of the team as well, to any stranger it would look like your average agent on the job, but to those who knew him was obvious, and boy, did you not know him.

You decided to disobey your own advice and visit his station instead, you leaned over the furniture with a concerned expression and he looked up questioningly, as if your presence was not required.

—Spence, you good? —you asked amicably.

—Sure, I’m fine. —his answer was quick and apparently emotionless—Got a lot to do, though.

Without giving you a chance to speak any further his sight went back to the file in his hands. You muttered a tired “okay” and headed back to your desk to finally get to work. The feeling of having done something wrong didn’t go away for a while, even if strictly you had made no mistake. You liked Spencer, and you figured you had left enough clues for him to pick up on them, but so far he hadn’t made the first move, and you were beginning to think perhaps he just wasn’t interested, after all, you were the first one to volunteer whenever he offered an extra ticket to his obscure events, and there’s no way he didn’t notice the creeping blush on your ears that one time he would mutter live translations during the Korean film festival.

On his side, he was only pretending to read and type on the computer, he wasn’t able to concentrate at all. Would you maybe take interest in him if he liked your every picture? If he wrote you a DM even if he still didn’t quite know what that meant? If he posted shirtless pictures occasionally? Or showed off his tactical gun? Hold on, those thoughts were getting too specific. Without even noticing, he had landed on the SWAT captain’s profile. He knew how to vaguely navigate profiles thanks to Garcia, but any further than that was a mystery for him. He couldn’t help to feel like this guy was a little pretentious, absolutely not the kind of man you deserved, or even would like; Penelope was right, you can know a lot about someone thanks to their social media.

—Stalking the competition? —Derek’s voice scared Spencer out of his wits.

His fingers quickly hit the close button on the browser, and he jolted upwards. When he realized the weight of the words said to him he nervously looked around, thankfully you were nowhere close to a hearing range, to his relief.

—Just curious, that’s all. —he said in a lower voice as he rubbed one of his eyes.

—I get it, kid, —Morgan offered a handsome smile and a supportive pat on the shoulder— social media can sometimes be the source of lots of negative feelings, it’s not a perfect tool, but it’s fun. You don’t have to worry, chicks love your old-school techniques too, you just have to, you know, actually use them on a girl for them to work. —he signaled with his head as you walked from Hotch’s office, where you had been discussing details of a report with the Unit Chief, to the office’s kitchen—And, sometimes, an “I’m sorry I was a jackass to you” goes a longer way than any like on a picture.

Spencer watched carefully as you made your way through the ballpen, he was the body language and microexpressions expert, he knew you were feeling down and, guiltily, he was the reason behind that. Without answering his friend he skipped from his seat towards the entrance you had just walked by. As magic, and as usual, the second he was in front of you any other logical thought seemed to disappear from his brain, you had that effect on him.

—Hey. —he said, you answered with a slight smile and turned in his direction— I just wanted to apologize for being so dismissive earlier.

—That’s fine, Reid. —you answered with a swatting of your hand— Sorry I upset you.

—No, you… —he sighed and looked down at his feet— you didn’t upset me, sometimes I just have a hard time understanding modernity, and it can get very overwhelming.

—We know, we know. —you reached over to squeeze his arm reassuringly, and he could have sworn his heart was going to jump out of his chest.

—I just don’t get the point of it all.

—Well, there isn’t really much a point. For a lot of people it’s a source of pride and vanity, sure, but some of us just want to share pieces of our lives to those we love the most.

—And that includes sexy SWAT captains? —he asked in a tone that seemed to be smaller than the rest of his sentence.

—The people you love the most, and some other randos, too. —you corrected with a small laugh, not wanting to even pay attention to the SWAT captain, since truth was you weren't interested— It can also be a great way to make sure you don’t lose important memories.

—Important memories don’t just get lost. —he joked.

—Not everyone has eidetic memory, Spencer. —you shook your head and reached into your back pocket to take a hold of your phone, your profile still open on the picture that had gotten him so excited before which you quickly tapped away to scroll through your posts—Like, look at this one, this is a picture of Rossi’s carbonara.

—You could get that any time.

—Yes, but what if I transfer or quit? I want to be able to remember that I used to have this amazing food with you guys. —you scrolled a bit further— Oh, this one is from Hotch’s birthday, when we surprised him by bringing Jack to the office, that was fun. This is a trip I took with my family. That’s a cute cat I saw on the street, nothing worth noting but surely worth keeping.

As you kept going down your posts your lips curled into a bigger smile. Memories were nice, they were fun, especially the ones you liked to share, they brought you joy and warmth, and he noticed, in fact, that’s all he could look at, the bright smile on your face as you reminisced. He wondered if, maybe, you would smile the same when remembering him, perhaps years from now, or during lazy weekends, on a random Thursday, when the fragrance of his cologne seemed to linger in the air, in a similar way he was used to thinking of you.

—Hey, that’s me! —he said excitedly when he noticed a picture you had posted months ago of the two of you together.

—Oh, yes! This is when we went to that event, what was its name? Like lollapalooza but for books.

—Litepalooza. —he added

—Right, it was so lame we decided to leave and go have something to drink, we ended up in that Mexican coffee shop where we tried the... Spicy Hot Chocolate!

—Spicy hot chocolate!

The screaming of the name came out of your mouths at the same time and it was followed by a loud laugh. On the caption it read “Awesome days, awesome friends.” and a heart emoji following. Most of your pictures were of other people, or other objects, or by yourself, as far as he could tell he was the only person, outside your family, to appear on a picture alone with you. The mere fact that he felt special for it made him feel ridiculous.

—Your lips were red the rest of the day. —you let out a final chuckle— It’s not so bad. Think of it as a digital scrapbook. I know, I know, you are not big on digitalizing things, but not everyone is crafty enough to make one!

—When you put it like that, yeah, it doesn’t sound so bad.

You took a second to look into his eyes, and you could have sworn that your suspicions of him not being interested were wrong. Before making it awkward he hit you with a soft “let’s head back”, to which you complied.

The rest of the day went by pretty fast, before you knew it was time to head back home, thank god, serial killers had taken a weekend off and you didn’t have to travel for a case on Friday. You didn’t have any plans, so a night in it was. Before you headed out you made sure to stop by Spencer’s desk and he let you know that he had something to do before heading home and you should go back first.

The appointment in question was with no other than Penelope Garcia herself. Spencer shyly slipped past the door of her office after knocking on it almost ashamedly.

—What can I do for you, boy wonder? —she asked, spinning her particular pink furry pen in her hand.

—I was wondering…—he began to explain—could you maybe help me create an Instagram profile?

—Do my ears deceive me? —she asked with an astonished expression—Spencer Reid, are you sick?

—No, I feel fine. —he answered earnestly and a little puzzled, unaware of the undertone.

—Then this must be a miracle! You have come to the right place my child, we are going to make the most irresistible profile ever!

—Wait, before we start… —he interrupted the girl’s clicking and she looked at him expectantly—Can you tell me what does a DM stand for? Has been bugging me all day to not know.

—Oh, boy genius, your analog brain is thirty, but your digital brain is five.

With her snarky remark, the both of them got to work.

You kept turning on your bed as you watched a random, very uninteresting, show on Netflix. Your night in, regardless of it being what you needed, was boring to the core. You didn’t think your night was going to pick up until you saw the screen of your phone light up with a notification. A very odd username caught your attention enough to skim through them.

[Instagram] dr.sreid started following you

[Instagram] dr.sreid liked your photo

[Instagram] dr.sreid liked your photo

[Instagram] dr.sreid: Hey, guess what?

You bit your lip in attempt to not look like an absolute clown with the wideness of your smile. Hurriedly, you unlocked the device and headed to the pretentious social media app.

You : No fucking way.

You : How did you even manage to make one?

dr.sreid : Garcia helped me.

dr.sreid : Is it too weird?

You : A little. But it’s nice seeing you adapt to modernity.

dr.sreid : I still have no idea how to use this properly, I also don’t understand what’s the difference between this and texting.

You : Jesus, this must be killing you.

You : Hold on, I’ll follow you back and call you instead, enough dm-ing for today, I gotta give you a break.

dr.sreid : I have no idea what you just said, but sure.

You laughed at his confusion, regardless of his genius brain he hated familiarizing himself with technology, and he could learn about it pretty easily, but he just didn’t enjoy it in the minimum. You headed to his profile as you promised, he had followed 6 people, Morgan, Rossi’s official writer account, JJ, Garcia, of course it was the first account he followed, Emily Prentiss, and you. The profile picture was an impromptu photo of them in Garcia’s office, since he barely kept pics around in his phone, and his only post was an old picture taken on your birthday by Penelope herself, both of you unaware that it even existed. In it, he was struggling against you trying to smear his face with buttercream, his hands on your wrists, and both of your smiles the biggest you had ever since, the caption read “Favorite picture, favorite person.” with a heart emoji following. You couldn’t put a name on the way it made you feel, but the butterflies in your stomach were giving you a hint, you followed him back, liked the picture, and dialed his number. You couldn’t go a second without hearing his voice.

The next day at work you would get an earful about having ghosted the SWAT captain, and the only thing that replaced the outrageous news about your love life was the realization that Spencer had, in fact, made an Instagram account. After some teasing and internal jokes, the office went back to normal.

Spencer would only post a picture every couple of months when a special occasion arose, by the request of his friends, and when Penelope managed to get his hands on his phone. However, from that day on, he was the very first person to like whatever photo you were to post.

[saulweissberg]

it wasn’t as if saul thought phoebe was destitute; though he often tried to play daddy warbucks to her orphan annie without much luck, he was quite aware of the wealth gap between them. between him and most people in general, actually. he grew up extremely privileged, more money behind his family name than necessary, and it wasn’t something he was ashamed of—he wasn’t impolitely proud of it, but saul had always thought there was nothing worse than a rich kid that tried to play that they were poor just to seem cool. they were a dime a dozen in manhattan during his college years, as if they all weren’t attending an ivy league school. sure, there were scholarship students that attended columbia, but the paying students weren’t fooling saul when he remembered a lot of them from high society events his parents made him attend in his childhood. point being: saul wasn’t blind to plight, and wasn’t afraid to spend on those that he loved. “it’s not ancient gendered standards. buying your breakfast every week has nothing to do with gender—it has to do with age. it would be improper for you, a youngin', to buy me a meal.” didn’t these kids know anything about proper etiquette? damn.

the topic of seb and cj made him narrow his eyes at her. technically, though he wasn’t actually doing anything for cj currently, he was still a client. he couldn’t speak on cj’s case, or even if cj was his client, without breaking confidentiality. cj, however, was free to mention that saul was his lawyer to anyone he liked; that client-attorney privilege only applied to saul. “well, i’ve done what i can in regards to that.” even that, vague as it was, could get him in trouble. he had to assume phoebe wouldn’t turn him into the bar association, nor any eavesdropping fellow customers, but he was still cautious. “do you… want them to not be married anymore?” now that skirted the line just fine, since he was asking her opinion on her friend’s marriage and not divulging any identifying information. 

“oh god, i’m not going to argue with you on this anymore.” of course, saul was a lawyer and argued with people all day, every day, but how much more could he defend andrew lloyd webber’s magnum opus? “cats is a good musical and you’ll have to deal.” he nodded with finality. “my mom loved the four seasons, though. she dragged me and my brother to see grease for frankie valli even though i wanted nothing to do with musicals at that time.” boys weren’t supposed to like musicals back then, but clearly saul had gotten over that. maybe it had something to do with olivia newton john.

he was slightly surprised to see her take on the bet, though he had a hunch she wasn’t taking him very seriously. saul knew he could find a way to get foster to relax on a night out, and he had never been opposed to drinking with a client. he used to do a lot worse with his clients, mostly illegal substances in nightclubs, but as he had told phoebe months ago, drugs were bad. he was older now. he had to restrict his drug use to an occasional weekend throughout the year where he had the entire next day to sleep it off. saul took her hand and gave a firm shake. “deal. i have no idea what you mean about kim kardashian, but deal.” saul definitely had money, but not private-island money. 

the topic turned to actual cats. “marmalade and smokey? no, they’re too old now to do much besides sleep and eat. they still get into epic fights sometimes, but they mostly just lay around and act like they own the place.” they kind of did, since saul spent the majority of his day at the office. “smokey used to chew the buttons off my dress shirts but that thankfully stopped once i started locking my closet with a zip tie; it looks terrible, but it keeps me from needing to spend another two-thousand dollars at the vet to remove it from his stupid, fat tummy.” it kept saul from having a fucking heart attack from worry, too. “why? what does little misty get up to?”

Lonely child. Even though it was unintentional, it felt like a gut punch to Phoebe, chewing slowly on her pancake. She wasn't always that lonely in her childhood, she guessed. She always had Seb and Linc, but Seb also had a penchant of seeking out attention and trouble and Linc actually had a family to go home to; the three Weaver Ridge brats often peeling off to live out their own misadventures. For Phoebe, that usually meant being sat alone on the couch, reruns of The Simple Life or the latest Real Housewives playing, as she listened out for the sound of her mom's key turning in the door. Saul could probably sense the shift, so when he told her — nay, commanded — herself not to think that way, she just offered one soft "Okay."

Labelling her past wouldn't exactly change it anyway.

When he mentioned paying for breakfast, the intern let out a resigned groan. "Saul, I can afford a few pancakes y'know. You're the one who's upholding, like, ancient gender standards or whatever." It was easier to pretend Saul was old fashioned than to admit that lately she had been struggling for money. The tutoring was fine, even if she felt bad overcharging families in a certain zip code of town, but the intern was only given crumbs in terms of payment from the paper, barely crossing the legal parameters. And experience didn't exactly cover rent. Why did she give up her cushy job as Nilay's assistant again? For her stupid dreams?

At his ideas for creating scandal, she snorted. "Maybe your new law will actually light a fire under CJ and Seb's asses." She knew Saul didn't talk about his clients — anything discussed with Foster about his dad's estate was not shared with Phoebe — but CJ made it known who exactly he was paying to do nothing, and Seb often tried to harm her if she brought up their marriage. So, even though Saul couldn't confirm or deny the process of their annulment from an ethical perspective, it was a sort of open secret that the lawyer and his clients were at some sort of impasse.

"That. That's why I hate Cats." She used her fork to point at Saul, as if the lyrics he sung were floating around his head like cartoon birds. "Jersey Boys is a good musical, I got into the 'Can't Take My Eyes Off You' song from Ten Things I Hate About You. It's decent, and a true story. Not weirdo cats singing about...y'know, I don't even know what the plot is." She wrinkled her nose.

At Saul's proposition, Phoebe chewed thoughtfully for a minute. Sure, Foster wasn't exactly on Seb's level when it came to having a good time, but he could enjoy himself when with the right people. Decidedly, Saul wasn't, and she knew the chef wouldn't be able to unwind if out with the lawyer. And he respected Phoebe's opinion on how she wanted to celebrate her birthday too much to even feign having a good time for the older man to win a bet. So, with that in mind, and feeling confident about her odds, she held out her hand for him to shake. "You, Mr. Weissberg, have yourself a deal. One successful night out with Foster, and you can throw me a birthday party that rivals Kim Kardashian's 40th birthday on her private island." She nodded, "Yeah, things are good. Though we're like stuck on what to do about Misty a bit. Do either of yours have behavioural issues?" They didn't, she knew that. But she also needed advice for another cat dad, with a mental reminder to also text Eli.

[p-artsypants]

The Ghost of Smokey Joe (7)

Till Then

Adrien Agreste was acting bizarre. Stilted body language, plastic smile, and he seemed to have forgotten how close they were. Before she can get the truth out of him, Marinette finds herself as the sole heir to the Gabriel brand and the mansion, following the murder-suicide of both Adrien and Gabriel Agreste. The mystery continues as Tikki explains that Adrien was Chat Noir...but if Adrien is six feet under, why is Chat Noir still running around?

Well, it’s spooky season! You know what that means? OH BOY SPOOKFEST!!!

FF.net | Ao3 

--

This investigation was not going well. 

First of all, she hadn’t attended the funeral. Perhaps she should have, to keep up appearances, but she couldn’t stomach sitting through the service while knowing there were no bodies in the caskets. 

It was wrong. 

She gave poor excuses to Alya and Nino, and skipped it. Maybe if she had gone, she could have learned more, but she couldn’t. She just couldn’t stand it. 

Later that evening, Ladybug made a visit to the cemetery where the family crypt was. She allowed Tikki to do the actual investigating. She phased into the dirt of the freshly buried, unmarked grave, and concurred, it was the same coffin from before, with only sandbags inside. 

Gabriel’s too, over at the crypt. 

“Not much else to glean from this place,” Tikki said sadly. “Where to next?” 

“Actually,” Marinette wondered. “I have a hunch. Could you check Emilie’s casket too? She’s been dead for a while, so I apologize if what you see is…awful.” 

“I’ve seen worse. I’ll take a look!” 

Marinette waited anxiously, biting into her thumb nail. She really hoped she was wrong. Really really hoped. 

Tikki reappeared, her brow furrowed in concern. “You’re hunch was right. Emilie’s is just sandbags too.” 

She groaned, dread bleeding into her bones. “Damn it.”

“Maybe they’re all together?” 

“At this point, I don’t know if I should even hope for that. Emilie has been gone for years. Wherever she is…I doubt we’ll ever find her, let alone Adrien and Plagg.” 

“We’re not giving up though, right?”

“Of course not!” 

Marinette knew she had a chance of answers at the funeral home. The director knew more than he was letting on, but she had asked too many questions as Marinette, and going in to interrogate him as Ladybug would probably put her identity in jeopardy. She’d have to think on that one, and try to find a way around it. 

Now for the ‘basement’.

Till then, my darling, please wait for me

Till then, no matter when it will be

Someday I know I'll be back again

Please wait till then

Since Felix had confirmed that the Mansion didn’t have a basement, she assumed the office building did. Nowhere else did Gabriel or Adrien spend a significant amount of time. 

While the workers were still on their vacation, she went in. There was still a secretary, though she was dressed in casual clothes, and the doors were closed to the public. 

“Hi Miss Dupain-Cheng. Working today?”

“Um, something like that. Organizing some stuff.” 

“Alright, well, let me know if you need anything. I’m just here to tell clients that we’re off for a while.”

Marinette smiled. “Thank you. Um...perhaps, do you know if there’s a basement?”

“Basement? Uh...there might be one. I’m not sure. The main elevator doesn’t go there.”

“Alright. I’ll look around then,” she smiled patiently and bid the woman adieu. 

The building was unsettling without anyone in it. Half the lights were turned down, and the only sounds were the hum of the air conditioning and her footsteps echoing in the dim hallways. 

Several years ago, when she had first started, she was given a tour. A tour that seemed so unimportant then, she was scraping for now. There was a back staircase, in case of fire. That much she could remember. 

The big iron door slammed shut behind her as she entered the stairs. There was a door with an Exit sign over it, the outside world on the other side. A set of stairs went up and around, to every floor above. 

But there was one more door. Labelled with a big ‘SS’ for ‘Sous-sol’. 

‘Basement’, in French.   

“Tikki! I found it!” She said to her purse. 

“Great job! Let’s get to the bottom of things!” 

Marinette screwed up her lips. “Pun intended?”

“In memory of Chat Noir, yes.” 

“That is what he would have said, isn’t it? God, I miss him so much.” But she decided not to mourn her best friend in the dank, spider-infested stairwell. 

Of course, the door was locked. 

“Nothing is ever simple, is it? I wonder who would have the key. Janitor? Maybe Gabriel has a set in his old office.” 

“Aren’t you forgetting your ultimate skeleton key?” Tikki asked. 

“...um, yes, apparently.” 

Tikki flew from the purse, and phased through the door handle. It clicked a moment later, and the handle turned. 

“Wow, you’re convenient. Remind me to ask for favors in breaking and entering more often.” 

“Anything for you, Marinette!” 

She felt along the wall, found a lightswitch, and turned it on. Deep below, a few scant lights flickered to life. 

And in the columns of flickering light stood silhouetted figures. Still, waiting. 

Marinette held her breath, afraid she had been caught. 

“Tikki…” She readied herself to transform the moment they moved. She was still in the dark, they wouldn’t have seen her. 

Seconds ticked on. They stood, never flinching, never so much as breathing. 

“Oh my god, they’re mannequins,” she breathed. “I mean, duh but holy shit that was terrifying.” 

She descended the stairs, one at a time, still being quiet, and keeping her eyes glued to the forms. 

They didn’t move, because they were plastic, and as she drew closer to them, she realized how fake they were. 

They weren’t even good mannequins. The paint was chipping and the proportions looked odd. 

“These go in shop windows, right?” Asked Tikki. “I’ve seen a few from your purse.” 

“That’s right. These look really old. I’m surprised they haven’t been recycled.” 

“Is this what Adrien wanted you to see?”

“I doubt it. What would mannequins have to do with anything?”

Tikki shrugged too, and looked around.     

It was the worst three hours of her life. 

But because Adrien had used what was presumably his dying words to tell her to look here, she scoped that place out thoroughly. She named all the mannequins, to try to take the edge off. It didn’t really help, but it made ‘James’ the eerily realistic mannequin that stood in the shadows a little more friendly instead of a murderer in waiting. 

There was nothing there except old clothes, rejected materials, and a whole lot of new friends that Marinette never wanted to see again. 

As Marinette pushed aside the 9th box filled with 70’s paisley shirts, she sighed. “I think...I think I’m looking in the wrong place.” 

“I agree,” Tikki said, her antenna drooping. “I think we should have found something by now, right?” 

“I couldn’t even find any inspiration down here.” 

In the corner of her eye, she saw something, and turned quickly. 

“What?” Said Tikki wearily, already knowing what was wrong. 

“Another freaking mannequin! I swear they’re moving when I’m not looking at them!” 

“They can’t do that.” 

“I know that, but my eyes are tired and my heart is on the edge, and coffee isn’t working on my brain anymore!” 

“I think we should leave then. Maybe try looking at the mansion again. Maybe there’s a basement that Felix didn’t know about.”

At that moment, her phone chirped with a message from Nathalie. 

Please don’t forget, tomorrow, despite it being Saturday, your presence is required at the Agreste Manor. Gabriel’s Last Will and Testament will be reviewed, and you have been named. Since Mr. Agreste is so famous, we have asked all beneficiaries to attend. Sunday, you have off.

“Well, looks like I have an excuse to go back to the mansion after all. Probably should get in there and explore quickly. I have no idea what’s going to happen to it in the wake of...well, you know.” 

“Someone is probably going to inherit it. Probably Felix now. He seemed rather friendly at the funeral. He might let you snoop.”

“Friendly?” 

“More than usual, at least. But who knows how long that will last.” 

“If I have to show my cards to investigate, I will. If Ladybug has to break in, I will. I’m not going down in silence.”

 Our dreams will live though we are apart

Our love I know we'll keep in our hearts

Till then, when all the world will be free

Please wait for me

True to form, she arrived the next day at the mansion. 

As she came into the parlor, where many people were gathered, Felix caught her eye. He jerked his head, gesturing for her to come sit by him. 

As she sat, she looked at the others gathered. She recognized Nathalie, of course, Amelie and Felix, and Mayor Bourgeois. There were a few other people she didn’t know. One she had seen at the company, but she couldn’t remember his name right now. 

“So,” she asked softly. “Is the lawyer going to read the Will out?” 

Felix scoffed. “They don’t do that anymore. We’re just all going to get a copy, and the lawyer will be here if we have questions. Normally, I’m pretty sure they mail it, but I heard that the Will is sealed so they wanted us to get it in person.” 

“Sealed?” 

“Meaning no one else can read it. Last Wills and Testaments are public records after death. Unless they are sealed.” 

“Uh. I didn’t know any of that. This is my first time being in a Will. Well, I think my dad has one, but he’s still alive.” 

“Good for you.” 

“That is—I mean—I wasn’t trying to—“ 

“Just shut up, Dupain-Cheng.” He chuckled. “You are so sensitive.” 

She just childishly stuck her tongue out at him. 

A moment later, Nathalie and a white haired gentleman arrived. 

“Hello everyone, thank you for coming. This is Dr. Nathaniel Grey, the Agreste family lawyer and executor of their estate. Now, everyone listed in the Will will receive a copy. Each copy has the same content, but for convenience, I have highlighted your name.” And she started to hand out the packets, calling out names as she did so.

Some of the strangers had the last name ‘Agreste’ so they had to have been related to Gabriel. 

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” 

Marinette held out her hand to receive the thick white envelope. 

“Oh Felix!” Amelie cooed. “Emilie left you her corvette! She loved that car, I know she’d be proud for you to have it.” 

“I’ve seen it. Beautiful classic car. I’m honored.” As much of an ass as he was, Felix sounded genuine in that sentiment. 

To not seem too eager, Marinette carefully opened the envelope. As she did, she tried to imagine what he would have left her. A share in the company maybe? Maybe a family sewing machine? Nothing much, surely.

She unfurled the sheet and wow that was a lot of pink. 

“What the hell?” Felix gasped, looking over her shoulder. He glanced back at his page, and frowned in confusion. “No offense Marinette, but what the hell?”

“I…I don’t even know…” She glanced over the assets willed to her. 

Gabriel left her the mansion.

Up until that moment, she had forgotten she was supposed to be looking for a new place after Nino and Alya got married. She had mentioned it to Gabriel once, off-handed, and he seemed to not really care. 

But if he left the house to her, could he have cared more than she thought? 

The mansion wasn’t the only thing he left to her, either. He left his share of the company stocks, as well as trusts and bonds. Marinette had become a multi-millionaire. 

“What’s the meaning of this, Dr. Grey!?” A woman shouted. 

The shout drew all attention to her. She was a rail thin, tall woman, with high cheek bones and blonde-white hair tied up in a bun. 

“What seems to be the problem, Madam Laurent?”

“I was left a small fraction of stock and my mother’s ashes, but this—this half breed harlot gets the entire estate!?” 

Marinette flinched, feeling guilty and wholly undeserving of Mr. Agreste’s gift. 

Thankfully, Nathalie of all people came to her aid. “Miss Dupain-Cheng has been working tirelessly and closely with Gabriel to continue his brand. She’s been named head designer for his company, and everything left to her is to help in that endeavor.”

As she and Felix looked over the list of gifts, she wondered how true that was. 

“But I’m his sister!” Said Madam Laurent. “I take precedence over her!”

“Not with a will, you don’t.” Dr. Grey explained. “Children are the only protected heirs in French law. The rest of his estate is his to do with as he pleases.” 

Marinette looked back at all the pink highlights. She began to wonder if they served a purpose in distracting everyone from the obvious. 

Adrien wasn’t on there. Not once. 

Although there are oceans we must cross

And mountains that we must climb

I know every gain must have a loss,

So pray that our loss is nothing but time

He couldn’t be disinherited from the Will, not under French law. And yet he was missing…like the Will had been drawn up with the knowledge that Adrien wouldn’t be alive once it was valid. 

Pale and shaking, Marinette turned to look at Felix. 

“Don’t let her get to you, Kid,” he nudged her, taking her appearance for still being put off by the woman. “Gabriel’s family has always been lower middle class, before he became famous. She probably just wanted a bunch of money…whereas most of it was my Aunt’s and it was returned to our family. Does that make sense?”

Marinette shook her head, and then whispered. “Adrien isn’t here.” 

He gave her a soft smile. “Yeah, I know. He’s gone, Marinette.” 

“No!” She shouted, then hushed herself as the others turned to look. “No, I mean…he’s not here.” She pointed at the Will.

Felix grew pale too, and poured over the Will himself. “No way…how…but—maybe it was an assumption. Maybe it was assumed that Adrien was going to inherit half anyway, so he made the Will in case something happened?” 

“Dr. Grey,” Marinette stood and walked to him. “How old is this version of the Will?” 

Nathalie gave her a sharp look, but didn’t comment. 

“Well, a little over a week, actually. Gabriel called me and asked to make some changes.” 

“And why isn’t his son in here?” She asked, darkly. 

Dr. Grey screwed up his lips. “You know, I don’t know. I told Mr. Agreste what the law was, and he said, ‘just write it up as if Adrien didn’t exist.’ I wonder if he knew what their fate was going to be.” 

Marinette tried not to cry. She really did, but she just clenched the document to her chest and sobbed. 

“Now now, my dear. Don’t be so blue.”

“Adrien isn’t a murderer! He can’t be!” 

“Does it really matter anymore?” The lawyer asked. “The truth of their demise will not be released publicly. Only a handful of people will know. I doubt anyone outside of this room, in fact.” He said it so casually, like nothing was wrong. 

“Didn’t you find it suspicious?” She demanded. 

“No,” said Dr. Grey. “You would be surprised at how many clients have second versions of Wills without a child in it. Whether it’s because they’re hoping something will happen, or they see their child going down a dangerous road. Or perhaps the child is terminally ill and the parent doubts they will survive longer than them. Regardless of the reason, I choose to not ask questions.” 

Marinette wished he had. 

Till then, let's dream of what there will be

Till then, we'll call on each memory

Till then, when I will hold you again

Please wait till then

“Now, did you see the conditions?”

“What?” She sniffed. 

“Here,” Dr. Grey pointed to an asterisk at the end of the mansion item. “This states that there’s a condition applied, and the condition will be on the backside.” 

Marinette wiped her face and turned the paper over. 

“Miss Dupain-Cheng must reside within the mansion for ten years. Within that time, she may not redecorate or refurnish any room except for the ‘pink room’. Guests, spouses, and children are welcomed to join her, as long as she is the primary resident. If she is to go on vacation or an extended business trip, the house must be vacant, save for those who would keep it from disrepair. If Miss Dupain-Cheng fails to comply, the house, and all that is in it, must be demolished. It cannot be sold or gifted to anyone until the ten year mark passes.” 

Marinette just continued to stare. “I…that’s…really specific.” 

“More specific than I suggested, but it’s what Mr. Agreste wanted.” 

With a calm expression, but a heart in turmoil, Marinette folded her copy up. “Thank you for your help, Dr. Grey. If you’ll excuse me, I need a minute alone.” She took her copy and quickly walked across the lobby to her office. 

There, on her desk, was a vase with a bouquet of roses. She hadn’t been in here since before the funeral, but they looked fresh. No card though. 

She set the roses to the side, and unfurled the Will once again, laying it flat on the desktop. She poured over every item, not just Willed to her, but to everyone. 

Indeed, there was no sign of Adrien, but also no sign of his property. Did he have his own Will somewhere else?

There was the curious case of Nathalie, who was in the Will, but received only money and trusts. Not an inch of material property, despite her closeness to Gabriel after all these years. 

What did she know? What had she seen? Truthfully, Marinette was too afraid to ask. 

Tomorrow, she would visit City Hall and get the records of the mansion. Hopefully, there were some blueprints in there, and the hidden basement would be found.

Till then, let's dream of what there will be

Till then, we'll call on each memory

Till then, when I will hold you again

Please wait till then

[whatudottu]

Because I've held this off for too long, once again it seems that @nukeli has beaten me to the punch with colour schemes. Damn my procrastination or whatever, but I only just realised that I didn't put any mention of the 'fodder' classes (Vehicons, Insecticons and I suppose Autotroopers since I'm including them) and wanted to put down my thoughts before writing this up.

An added bonus here is that certain character have different alts (based on character changes and even the heavier focus of 'robots in disguise' that these Decepticons are after) so it's not just me ranting about colour schemes.

Yes, this was why I was complaining about the wiki altmodes, so deal with the vehicles I found instead. May or may not be due to me using images as references haha.

The Autobots (you are here)

The Decepticons Part 1

The Decepticons Part 2

Going in order of my notes, we begin with Cliffjumper. He’s obviously a 1970 Dodge Challenger and what colours I’ve given him are on the image below. Nothing much to say about a definitely dead character other than I didn’t just wanna make him blue.

Next on the list is good old Doctor Ratchet. I’ve had it in my mind ever since Nuke’s one post that SG!Ratchet was like Medic from TF2, so I guess I took it and ran.

To play an opposite to regular Ratchet, he comes across as affable and friendly but is really just doing the things he loves to people he hates. Autobots, Decepticons, hates everyone. He despises Optimus Prime too, but he can’t do anything unless he wants to be cooped up in his berthroom reattaching his limbs for it. Believe him, he tried.

As for altmode and colours, I spent way too long finding that he resembles a Mercedes Benz G-Class ambulance that I was ticked to find out he wasn’t at all. I special looked for the green coloured ambulance because Synth-En, duh!

Breaking in after the Doctor comes our local wrecker Bulkhead. I don’t have much of a read on this guy, other than the fact that I thought it’d be a cool idea for him to lose a lot of his memories after ‘TMI’, ya know, from the Synth-En recipe? Certainly not set in stone, but it could very well contribute to my accidental theme of memory (which only has some small links in the posts I actually created).

With the help of my car enthused cousin I have given our not so loveable mech a Terradyne Gurkha, a little more military than the wiki’s off-roader Lamborghini that I’m too annoyed to bother to look at. I thought that the military origins and the black colour scheme sorta allude to something something mindless military man. yada yada.

Following him is our ever wonderful Optimus Prime, or maybe Lord Prime? Haven’t thought too much about that. What I have thought of is this master manipulator who mayhaps also be a little bit delusional idk we’ll decide in the car.

I always loved the idea of a smiling SG!Prime, as if there’s still hints of this benevolent leader that the original has, but it’s warped and meant to add fodder to the war, encouraging mechs to fight to their deaths all in the name of not only the Autobots, but their Prime. Also as a warped version of the original, I wanted Shattered Glass Optimus to be deluded in the fact that Megatron will change, change at least, to submit to the real leader. Ain’t happening. That’s sorta there with Ratchet too, but well, you read Ratchet’s piece didn’t you?

SG!Prime is consistently purple and black, and whilst I have found a Peterbilt Semi Truck with that wonderful colour, it comes with white instead. Think about it, this typically evil colour paired with often innocent white, that’s like perfect for what I’m going for.

Fitting that he’s next, it’s time for Prime’s Second In Command Ultra Magnus. I’ve... really got nothing for him. Maybe he’s still by-the-books but like he finds loopholes just to commit atrocities? I don’t know.

I’ve given this boy a Mack Trident alt instead of Prime’s Peterbilt, just for differences sake.

After Magnus, we got our little bug Bumblebee... or is it. Because I wanted to change his colours a bit without going into Beast Hunter territory, I wondered if bees come in different colours and, low and behold, they do!

As for the boy himself, I think he was one of the bots manipulated by Prime himself to join the cause and, given his almost rewritten personality, has only lived through to this point in the war by sheer luck. This mech is an absolute menace, feral and powered by the need for Prime’s approval, tearing others with denta and servo more often than with stingers and blasters.

Now you’ve noticed I haven’t been using his name? That’s because he’s now Blue Band (I just realised he’s still bb haha)! He gets his name from the Blue Banded bee, and I found a Chevrolet Camaro to match.

In line with BB’s younger status, feast your eyes on Shattered Glass Smokescreen! Oh boy isn’t he a delight. His hero worship has essentially turned him to a prime (pardon the pun) candidate for Optimus to form into his perfect super soldier, who already would die for this deranged mech even before laying optics on this grand Prime.

So, he’s an absolute suck up, a straight up spoiled brat that has it harder than Blue Band for Prime’s acknowledgement, and is actively showing off and bragging that he’s Optimus’ favourite (he’s not, he just encourages it because that’s the easiest way to get Smokey to do what he wants).

Almost to reflect that (perhaps another pun) I found this gaudy Chameleon Chevy Corvette that absolutely SCREAMS show off.

Regrettably partnered up with him after the passing of Cliffjumper, Arcee has run out of patience. Not everything she does is motivated by Airachnid (what kind of character would that be? not a fun one) but she does often enjoy killing those connected with her. After Tailgate, she’s gotten a little mad, but her effectiveness otherwise increased so others never bothered to ‘fix’ her.

Having lost both of her partners, when she absolutely hates another (read; Airachnid and Starscream because he still kills Cliff) the best kind of revenge is putting her opponents in her own pedes. Oh, that mech’s growing attached to one of his comrades? Slice and dice them before their optics. Oh, that femme is finally coming out of her shell and making friends? Gore out their spark and hope that humans don’t decide this would be the perfect time to practice what they preach and save the life of that same mech with a hard to perform surgery that may or may not have been lost to time.

Okay so she’s obviously a Kawasaki Ninja (haha that’s kind of fitting) and I was tempted to make her pink like other Arcee iterations, but look at this fancy stuff right here. He hoo glowy look pretty!

Almost in leu of an Airachnid archetype, Wheeljack comes in. Though still quite the wrecker and ever the bomb enthusiast, instead of actively celebrating his impacts and going solo to stop the rust settling in, he’d rather be offed whilst mechs are distracted by his pretty explosion and lay forgotten in the dirt.

I may have accidentally rooted the unintentional memory theme deeply with the wreckers (Breakdown included) and maybe just took it and ran, giving everyone else a little connection, but Wheeljack is probably the most explicit in this idea. He hates nicknames (which i super Ratchet uses to mock him here in Shattered Glass) because that’s like... naming something you’re going to keep to quote that specific fic which, honestly, I can’t remember. Wheeljack split from others to stop them from remembering him and put himself closer to a situation where he can die alone, as morbid as that sounds. No grand death, no stupid death and no straight up suicide (generally that’s a VERY impactful kind of death) so just a mediocre end is what he’s been looking for for a little bit too long.

As for his colours, I apparently have no taste and should not have a car because I really like what this image has going for it. This C3 Corvette is probably one of the few cars that fits the straight up box of a sports car that Jackie’s got, so I’m sticking to it, so no, don’t show me the wiki I’m ignoring it this was too painful to give up dang it!

Okay, finishing off the bots, I have the Autotroopers. Sure, I’m not using a reference of a car to show off the colours, mainly because there’s also going to be flier troopers too, maybe... surely... definitely. Most depictions of them are white, you know, goodie goodie, and I’m tempted to just laze around and do just that. Instead, I think a goldish colour would be fun.

Aside from sharing a key colour with Ultra Magnus, essentially a war lawyer, which is perfect for subjects made to obey, a nice glimmering finish almost feels like they’re all manipulated by Prime to believe in the Autobot cause. I suppose the special devision, if there is one, would be a nice Prime purple, sorta like if it’s Optimus’ personal guard if he actually had any belief they would do their jobs.

Oh boy this is so long...

[1dsource]

Author Spotlight: louisnights

Don’t forget to show the author to leave kudos and comments to show the author love!

solid as a stone (when everything is gone)

Words: 20k

“Why’d you take me with you?”

Louis startles at the question, the car almost swerving off the road in the process. He holds his breath as he waits for the twins to wake up and start wailing, but they don’t. They keep sleeping on peacefully, covered in the family blanket.

Harry’s looking at him with an unreadable expression.

Louis takes a minute, mulling it over. He answers quietly. “I hate to say it, but as much as we hate each other, I can’t bear to leave you alone to deal with this whole thing all by yourself.” and I wouldn’t be able to bear it if you died, he adds in his mind.  

or, it's the zombie apocalypse and Louis is stuck with Harry, with whom he shares a complicated relationship with.

Taste on my tongue

Words: 3.2k

Louis is a 30-year-old Omega, whose past boyfriends never went down on him, and Harry's the Omega who's about to change that. 

smokey vanilla

Words: 25k

Louis is the sole guardian to his younger siblings, and he's fallen pregnant. A new neighbor moves in next door, Harry, and they become good friends. Harry is kind and beautiful. Louis can't help but fall for him. 

Bare Essentials

Words: 14k

Harry works at Bare Essentials as a stripper, but when he loses his first job, he decides to start doing the VIP's, which is how he meets Louis, who is as mysterious as he is fascinating. 

scarcely can speak for my thinking (what you’d do to me tonight)

Words: 21k

He sat down against the door, breath heaving. “That was literally the hottest thing that’s ever happened to me. Ever.”

Louis sat down next to him. “Yeah, me too.”

Harry took a deep breath to brave himself and then decided to just go for it. “So we should do this again, yeah? And not in a public bathroom while I’m at work. I sort of need the money.”

Louis nodded. “Yeah. Although, I have to tell you: I’m not looking for a relationship right now; I’m traveling a lot for work.”

Harry could live with that. “Yeah, that’s understandable. So we gonna be fuck buddies?”

Louis laughed. “Something like that, yeah.”

The Sacrifice

Words: 3.2k

It’s almost time to find out who Westgold’s yearly sacrifice will be. Louis is beyond nervous, and scared about his best friend. He doesn’t ever want to lose him, especially for some dumb yearly tradition. He’s always hated it. It’s always haunted his dreams ever since that day when he was twelve, when he was finally old enough to understand and see what the Sacrifice really was.

Or every year the town of Westgold sacrifices an Omega to Coatlicue, the goddess of fertility, life, death and rebirth.

All Shook Up

Words: 23k

Louis is a mechanic who's always worked for his uncle during the summer, this one's no different. One night after work he goes out to a bar, where he meets Harry. The curly haired boy with the most alluring voice that brings forwards all those desires he's always tried to hide. 

a prince albert

Words: 5.2k

Louis loses a bet and has to go on the show Naked Attraction. 

scars make us beautiful

Words: 1k

Harry's model for his photo shoot drops out at the last minute, so he asks his best friend to fill in. The thing is, it's a naked photo shoot. 

my solitude ain’t the same no more

Words: 10k

Louis is a traveling homicide detective who goes to the small town of Holmes Chapel to investigate the murder of a young woman.

married at first sight

Words: 10k

Louis and Harry meet at the altar, ready to embark on the journey of marriage. There's just one catch: they've never met before. 

(Last update: 16/09-20)

welcome to the floor show

Words: 5k

Louis gets the lead in his uni's production of Rocky Horror. 

so much I could live for I could die

Words: 14k

“Sometimes I wonder what’s out there,” Louis confesses, tucking into his second biscuit. “I wonder if what they’re saying is true, about the Thieves, about the other compounds. Why are we not allowed to leave? Go to other compounds?”

Lottie gets up, letting out a sigh as she squeezes his shoulder. “You shouldn’t think like that, Lou, it will get you killed.”

“They can’t take away my thoughts,” Louis answers defiantly. Lottie pats his shoulder before she disappears to her room, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.

or: Louis is a transgender man who escapes his compound after extenuating circumstances, and meets the Thieves, who show him what freedom really is.

the ghosts all come at night, and I’m not scared, I have you

Words: 6.6k

Louis is a hunter. He starts investigating a case, where he meets Harry, family of the victim and also a fellow hunter. 

Twink of March

Words: 8.7k

On the night that Harry and his boyfriend of two years, Louis, plan to have sex for the first time, Harry falls into a coma. Four years later, Harry wakes up and discovers that his boyfriend is now a model for a gay erotic magazine, Bold Arva. Together with his best friend Liam, Harry embarks on a journey to the Bold Arva Mansion to win back Louis.

or, it's the Miss March au that no one asked for.

killing for a living

Words: 4.3k

Harry is a contract killer hired to kill Louis' abusive stepfather while Louis stands trial for a crime she committed in self defence.

featuring Zayn as Louis' lawyer, Niall as Harry's hacker and best friend, and barely featuring Liam as Louis' best friend.

[the-cult-of-russo]

Push and Pull (Part 16) (first half)

Pairing: Matt Murdock x OC

A/N: So I had to split this chapter into two posts because it was so long it exceed the text limit lmao but I'm not making it two separate chapters because it would mess up the chapter numbers. I'm posting the next half right after this, so don't worry 😉

Warnings: cursing, angst

-------

She spent the day relaxing and ended up having a long soak in the bath. She put a few drops of lavender and ylang-ylang oil in for good measure. Her body was sore from everything recently and she was enjoying the moment of peace. She wondered how essential oils affected Matt. They had numerous effects on normal people, lavender being calming and ylang-ylang causing an aphrodisiac effect. She wondered if it affected Matt stronger than normal. Maybe that would be his downfall. A bunch of lavender to knock out Daredevil. The thought made her chuckle. 

After a long well deserved soak, she washed her hair and even conditioned it for good measure. With the weather getting warmer and all the physical activity she'd been doing recently, her waves were getting dry and frizzy. Once she was done, she got dried and dressed in her pyjamas for now. Leaving her hair down to dry naturally. She wouldn't bother getting ready until Karen was here to help her. She was actually a little excited about having a girl come over. Brett had been her only friend for the longest time and that was only in a work context. Then there was Foggy. But it wasn't the same as having a girl friend and she'd forgotten what that felt like. The closest being when her sister was close by. She was looking forward to the change of pace.

Hours later, Karen turned up. She looked pretty in a dark green swing dress, her hair slightly curled and pinned to one side. Daphne could see why Foggy was smitten with her. They'd gotten along better than she expected, chatting up a storm, even if some of it was lies on her behalf since she wasn't really going on a date.

"Oh! I love this one. Try this one on!" Karen gushed, pulling out a black dress from the closet. It was on the shorter side and was the kind of dress that clung to her in all the right places. The top part was lacey, like a bralette, the pattern intricate enough that she could get away with it without a bra. Then it turned into a black smooth cotton with the same black lace overlaid on top of it. It was one of her favourites if she was honest. It cinched in her small waist and made her ass and boobs look fantastic.  

After getting herself inside of it, she looked in the mirror. Her hair and make-up hadn't been done yet but she forgot how good she looked in this one.

"Damn. I'd never pull something like that off," Karen grinned from beside her at the mirror. She wasn't wrong. It wasn't the look so much as the vibe it gave off. Karen suited better to prettier things and that wasn't a bad thing.

"I think you look beautiful. Foggy's gonna fall head over heels when he sees you," Daphne smiled warmly as she turned to look at her. Karen blushed heavily and it only made her smile more how much she was clearly into Foggy.

"Thanks. What about Matt though? Like you said, he might not be able to see but he just senses these things. His jaw's gonna fall to the floor like in a cartoon," Karen giggled. Daphne bit her lip with a smirk. She sat down and allowed Karen to mess with her hair as she did her own makeup. She was handy with the stuff when she needed to be but she didn't really like how it felt on her face. She opted to forgo foundation which was the devil in her opinion and instead just framed her eyes with a more natural light smokey eye, winged liner and tonnes of mascara. She then painted her lips with a matte brown colour. She finished the look with one of her silver necklaces. It was a choker style necklace but delicate looking. The thin silver chain wrapped around her neck and had a little crescent moon charm dangling off it.

"I keep wanting to try these ones. I hate when my lipstick just vanishes when I eat or drink," Karen mused as she looked through the make up bag, holding up one of the same types of liquid lipsticks Daphne had put on herself. 

"You should try one," she suggested. Karen looked excited, sitting down on the bed next to her and looking in the small mirror they'd propped up against the headboard. 

It gave Daphne a moment to admire her hair. Karen had complemented her hair immensely to the point it made her blush. She’d always thought of her hair as more of a nuisance because she couldn't be bothered to do anything with it. Karen wanted to keep it mostly down, saying she was in love with the purple waves. She’d pinned half of it up in some intricate twists that to Daphne honestly seemed like witchcraft to achieve. It looked good though. Some waves framing her face and the twists at the crown of her head. The rest of her hair cascaded past her shoulders. 

"What do you think?" Karen asked, her voice filled with uncertainty. Daphne glanced at her, smiling with a nod. Karen had picked a deep pink colour that complemented her skin tone and her dress.

"I love it! You should keep that one. It doesn't suit me at all but it looks really good on you," she urged. Karen blinked at her for a moment before smiling shyly, tucking it away in her purse. 

They both took a moment to admire themselves in the bigger mirror before they grabbed their purses and left. Daphne felt weird walking in heels again. She typically opted for wedges in situations like these because at least she could walk fine in those. Her black simple wedges made her dress stand out more and Karen had to spend five minutes convincing her to leave her hoodie behind and wear her fitted leather jacket instead. She knew her hoodie ruined the look but the comfort it brought her had her whining as Karen pulled her out of the door. 

They took a cab, neither of them wanting to walk in heels to the restaurant and get blisters. They sat in the back and Karen pulled out her phone.

"Oh no. We're ten minutes late," she muttered fretfully. 

"Fashionably late," Daphne smirked, causing the blonde to giggle a little. She could really tell that Karen was excited for this and she felt less bad about lying if it meant being the catalyst for her and Foggy to finally take this step forward. She was excited herself but for very different reasons. She couldn't wait for the food and drink and to try and see how much she could push Matt when he had to behave like this. She wouldn't go too far, not wanting him to ruin the date for the two people actually on a real one.

When the cab pulled up outside of EnchiNada, Daphne pulled some notes from her purse and paid the driver before Karen had the chance. Karen gave her a look but she ignored it. She did just get a huge deposit from her new wealthy client after all. She brought the money not knowing if Foggy would even have enough to pay for all her drinks. She wasn't sure if Matt would throw a tantrum and ruin it since he was so unpredictable, and she'd feel bad if she caused him to ruin the night. If it was genuinely her fault then she'd happily pay for all of them as a way of saying sorry to Foggy. She just hoped Matt wasn't a dick, even when she annoyed him on purpose. He deserved it after how he'd been acting lately. She could have paid for her own meal anyway but Foggy roped her into this and if it went well then she expected that payment. 

They stepped out and Daphne glanced at Karen. She looked ridiculously nervous and it made her smile. Foggy and Karen would be adorable together. 

"Ready?" She asked softly. Karen looked at her and nodded stiffly, allowing Daphne to link her arm with hers. Daphne hoped it helped ease her anxiety a little.

"How aren't you nervous right now?" She whispered, panicked as they walked through the entrance.

"It's the dress," Daphne smirked playfully. Karen giggled and glanced around before quirking a brow at her.

"You're not kidding. I think every guy just stopped to stare at you," she muttered with a light laugh. She was catching a lot of eyes.

Her own green orbs swept the restaurant and landed on the two people she was looking for sat near the back. Matt was already looking in their direction and she saw him say something to Foggy who then also looked over before looking ready to pass out from nerves. Foggy was wearing a white shirt and no doubt dress pants, his hair combed back a bit. Matt was wearing a black button down shirt with no tie like he would in his lawyer mode. The top buttons were undone and his sleeves rolled up a little. His glasses weren't on but she presumed they'd be close by and she could see his cane resting on the table. He cleaned up nicely honestly. She wasn't surprised.

The restaurant itself was beautiful. It was dimly lit and there were fairy lights strung all around the walls. Numerous pieces of Mexican art but not too much. The ambience was nice and chill with some Mexican music playing very quietly in the background. It was packed full of people, chatting and eating and having a good time. 

"There they are," Daphne whispered, gesturing to where the boys were. Karen took a shaky breath as they walked arm in arm to the table. 

"Ladies! I didn't expect you to come together, and late too. I mean just a little. I'm not complaining," Foggy rambled nervously as he stood to greet them, Matt standing too to be polite.

"We had some girl time and got ready together," Karen replied shyly. Foggy reached out and gave Daphne a hug and Karen and Matt exchanged a quick hug. 

"You look… I mean… wow," Foggy mumbled and shyly kissed Karen on the cheek. Daphne was too busy watching the cutest couple in the world with a dopey smile on her face and jumped a little when she felt Matts lips on her own cheek. She should have known since they were on a ‘date’. It needed to look real. 

"You look breathtaking," he whispered, his voice low and making her belly clench. She moved away and looked up at him, his eyes unfocused on her face as his lips quirked up in a sly smirk. So he planned on pushing her buttons too. Game on. She was aware of Karen glancing at them curiously.

"You don't look too bad yourself," she smiled up at him, running her hand up his chest. She felt him tense and watched his adams apple bob as he swallowed. He lowered his head, pulling her seat out for her. She smirked to herself as she sat and noticed Foggy practically mimicking his best friend, watching what he was doing before he pulled out Karen's chair. It was like watching a little brother copy his older brother. It was cute. 

While they waited for the server to come by with the menu, she glanced at the couple sitting opposite her and Matt. They both seemed really nervous and clearly didn't know how to break the ice. It wasn't like they never spent time with each other; they were friends. But the prospect of the date seemed to have them both acting like they'd never met. She decided to help out. Familiar ground to help them ease back into being around each other, even if it was a different context.

"So Karen, what's it like working for these two? Honestly, I'd tear my hair out," she snorted with a warm smile. Karen looked relieved, tension leaving her shoulders and Daphne was pretty sure she knew what she was doing because she shot her a grateful look.

"It's good. I really love it there. Sometimes I wanna smack their heads together, but it's fun," she grinned.

"Yeah but, not me right? I mean smack Matt's head all day long, I get it, but not mine," Foggy huffed playfully. Karen laughed, tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Does that mean I get to smack your head? I think I'd really enjoy that," Matt smirked. Just as she hoped it set them into some easy small talk and then the server popped up and placed the menus on the table. 

Daphne looked at them and frowned, not even thinking when she looked up at the young man serving them with a raised brow.

"Do you have one in braille?" She asked carefully. The server looked to Matt then and looked somewhat bashful.

"We don't, I'm sorry," he muttered. Foggy looked like he was about to open his mouth and he had a grumpy look on his face. Daphne was anticipating one of his rants about establishments and how they don't care about blind people, he'd done it before when swapping life stories with her. She didn't want him to ruin the mood of the date.

"You know what? It's fine. I can read it to him," she shot the waiter a smile and he nodded before scurrying off. 

"I swear, one of these days-" Foggy started grumbling, getting promptly cut off by Daphne. 

"Hey, it just gives me an excuse to kick up the romance, right?" She asked him pointedly. Trying to give him a huge hint. Realization dawned on his face then and he nodded, glancing at Karen with a sheepish smile. 

"I can read it to you too… if you wanted?" Karen asked Foggy shyly. He looked flustered for a moment before grinning with a nod. These two, seriously. 

She scooted her chair closer to Matt who had been silent through the whole thing. He was probably used to it all by now. 

"Ready?" She asked softly. She wasn't going to be an asshole with this part. He couldn't actually read the menu, she wasn't that much of a bitch. 

"Yeah… thanks," he murmured in response. She picked up the menu before listing off what they had, keeping her voice quiet as the other couple did the same. Once again, the pair seemed to follow their example, bringing their chairs closer together. It was quite intimate and it was sweet. 

"I think I'm gonna have the enchiladas. They sound so good," Daphne mused when she’d read it all out. 

"I think that sounds good for me too," he replied. He seemed high strung tonight for some reason, she kept seeing him do his head tilt thing and clench his fists. Something was annoying him and she hadn't even started yet. He moved away from her a little as she set the menus down and the server came over and took their orders.

"And for drinks?" The guy asked politely.

"Uh… just a beer for me," Foggy requested. 

"And me," Matt said with a nod.

"A bottle of tequila sounds good," Daphne said, shooting a sly smirk at Foggy when he looked at her shocked. Didn't expect that did you? 

"Oh, I've never tried tequila before," Karen mused.

"Share it with me. It's so good," Daphne grinned. Karen nodded as the man wrote their order down.

"I see you're a woman with exceptional taste," he commented casually with a glance at Daphne.  Matt sat up straighter and cleared his throat causing the waiter to look back down before leaving to place their order. 

"Wow, it really is the dress," Karen giggled to her, making her snort. 

"What does it look like?" Matt piped up, looking for all intents and purposes like a curious blind man even though she knew better. 

"Well it's-" Daphne started, her mouth clamping shut when he held up a hand and shook his head. He turned his head to the couple across the table. 

"I'd like to hear it from them. We all know how modest you are, Daphne, I want to know what it really looks like," he flashed her a sly grin and she had no idea what he was doing but she rolled with it. At Matt's expectant gaze, Foggy's mouth floundered.

"I… uh… Karen?" He asked, shooting her a pleading look. Maybe he was scared of saying anything nice when he was on a date with someone else. It was hilarious. Karen snorted and shook her head at him, glancing back to Daphne and then Matt.

"It's a black. The top part is lace. It's a really pretty design on it. Then the rest is a black lace overlaying black fabric. She's got a great body so it clings her to her in all the right places," Karen shot her a cheeky grin and she hated that she blushed from it. Karen was obviously trying to butter up her 'date' for her. If only she knew.

"It sounds beautiful," Matt murmured, glancing back at her still playing his little act. 

She decided to play his game and gently took one of his hands.

"Here, you can feel it," she smiled, fluttering her lashes at him even though he couldn't see. Her hand was holding his and she rested it on her collar bone where the lace tapered off into a strap. His finger trailed along and upwards, not about to touch her breasts in front of everyone, and trailed down the back where it was much safer to do so. His touch was feather light and touched her skin as they slid down the strap. She felt her stomach clench as he did it, rousing goosebumps on her skin. A quick side glance caught a devilish smirk on his face, he was doing it on purpose. His fingers trailed further and came to more lace and his hand continued to where it turned into the rest of the dress.

"Okay, Jeez, no heavy petting at the table," Foggy whined. Matt moved his hand with a chuckle as Karen burst out laughing at his outburst.

"Hey, man. I'm blind. I see with these," Matt smirked, wiggling his fingers and making his friend groan in annoyance. Karen seemed to find the whole thing amusing though. Daphne was feeling a little flustered and was more than happy when the drinks were put down. The bottle of tequila was set in the middle with four shot glasses. Of course they'd presume it was for all of them. She guessed she didn't mind sharing some of it. The boys had their beers placed in front of them too.

"Yes!" Daphne grinned, swiping the bottle greedily before starting to pour four shots. She set them out in front of them all.

"Drink up," she smirked.

"I don't think that's a good-" Matt started, she shot him a look.

"Really? You wanna be the Debbie downer of this party, Matthew?" She asked with a sigh. 

"Yeah, Matt. Come onnnn," Foggy pleaded. 

"It'll be fun," Karen grinned in a sing-song voice. 

"I hope you know this is peer pressure," he relented, grabbing the shot glass. 

"To double dates!" Foggy grinned. Daphne almost laughed. They all slammed their shots down and Foggy made a ridiculous noise with shudder.

"Don't be such a baby," Daphne laughed at him.

"Wow that was strong," Karen murmured.

"That's why it's my favourite. One time I got so drunk off this stuff, I woke up on a fishing boat," she snorted, licking her lower lip. Karen and Foggy burst out laughing as Matt looked at her incredulously.

"How?" Was all he managed to get out.

"Honestly no idea. One minute I'm drinking and the next I wake up on a boat full of old dudes that don't speak a lick of English. They were good to me though. Fed me some instant noodles before sending on my way," she grinned at the memory, pouring herself another shot. 

"That's insane! How old were you?" Karen asked curiously. 

"Around 19. My parents chewed me out so bad for that because I missed college," she rolled her eyes, settling back in her chair. She’d only had one shot but the warmth bloomed in her chest and she enjoyed it.

"College? You never told me you went to college," Foggy complained. He sounded so offended and she laughed. Karen gave him a grin, shaking her head at him. 

"Well I mean, I dropped out so it didn't feel worth mentioning," she shrugged. 

"Foggy's gonna cry about this for a week now. He loves to know every little bit of his friends' lives," Matt teased with a grin. Foggy flipped him off making the girls giggle.

"What did you study?" Karen asked. She genuinely sounded interested and Daphne shifted in her seat a little.

"Photography," she explained.

"Of course!" Foggy said dramatically.

"That's where it all started, huh?" Matt asked with a smirk.

"I bet you were a real wild child. I bet the tequila story is nothing for you," Karen grinned at her.

"Are you telling me you never rebelled at all?" She quipped back playfully.

"I guess I did," Karen replied. She was smiling but there was an inflection in her voice. There was something there Karen didn't want to talk about so she decided not to press.

"You heard this, Matt. We scored a couple of bad girls. What kind of lawyers are we?" Foggy asked, acting disappointed in himself. Matt barked a laugh and she giggled when Karen slapped Foggy's arm.

"Right, I bet you two were little angels in college," Karen teased.

"We partied a bit but never anything crazy," Foggy defended. 

"Honestly I didn't party too much. Not a big people person," Daphne defended with a grin.

"Shocker," Matt murmured next to her. She squinted at him as Foggy snorted.

"I mostly got in trouble for fights," she shrugged. 

"Fights like real fights?" Foggy asked, sounding surprised.

"I had issues with using my fists and not my words. I was never actually good at fighting but it's amazing what you can do if you're pissed off enough," she murmured.

"Were they critiquing your people skills?" Matt asked dryly.

"It's like you want me to punch you," she commented with a sweet smile. 

"I'd like to see you try, sweetheart," he smirked, raising a brow. She made a mental note to try and kick his ass next training session. Karen seemed to take their banter as flirting and gave her a look as if she thought the date was going well. 

Soon enough the food was at their table and Daphne was loving it. She wanted to come here at some point on her own. They'd been making casual small talk and the night had actually been going really well. She hadn't even fucked with Matt too much as she kept getting distracted by the drink, amazing food and actually good conversation.

"So I have to ask, how did you two meet?" Karen smiled glancing between Daphne and her fake date. She should have known this was coming. Foggy choked on his food a bit and Karen looked at him worried before smacking his back a little. 

"We met at the precinct, just kinda crossed paths I guess," she shrugged with a grin.

"She had that bad attitude and I couldn't resist," Matt smirked. She rolled her eyes at him and the others laughed.

"Daphne told me you've been training her. Helping her defend herself," Karen mused, just making conversation. 

"Yeah. She's actually doing really good. She's a fast learner," he actually sounded sincere and she couldn't help glowing with the praise. 

"I can't even imagine how scary that must have been for you though. What that guy did… and now he's awake again," Karen said with a furrowed brow. Daphne stilled completely, her head whipping from one person at the table to the other. Matt grimaced, looking down at the table and Foggy looked like he'd seen a ghost. Karen glanced at them before her eyes widened a little.

"Wait. You- you guys didn't tell her?" She asked hesitantly. Daphne's heart went into overdrive and she hated how those simple words had an effect on her. But she was also more bothered by the betrayal she felt at no one telling her. 

"He's awake and you guys just didn't think it was important to tell me?" Her voice was tight and higher pitched than normal and she saw Foggy deflate as if realising he and Matt had ruined the date. She released then just how much Foggy meant to her because she felt bad. She didn't want Karen's association with the date to be a bad one because then she might not have a second one with him. 

"You know what, it's fine. Let's not even think about that right now. Let's just enjoy the night," she plastered a smile on her face with force as she grabbed the bottle and poured herself another shot and drank it in one. 

"Are you sure?" Karen started carefully. She hated the pity she saw in her eyes.

"Mhm. I don't want it to ruin the date," the word date felt like acid in her mouth as she tried to push back the burning betrayal and dose of anxiety all the way down. She gave her another smile and it seemed to do the trick. Foggy gave her a look that was relief mixed with pure guilt and she looked away.

"I think we should get dessert," Karen said after a moment to diffuse the tension.

"Good idea! We'll go up and order it. You guys want anything?" Foggy asked, standing up so fast his chair almost tipped over.

"No, I'm good thanks," Matt muttered. 

"The fudge cake seems good. But can I have it to go so I can eat it later?" She asked politely. So she could eat it in bed tonight when she lost sleep over the mess that the night turned out to be. Karen smiled as she ushered Foggy away and they walked to the counter across the way.

"Daphne," Matt started softly.

"Don't," she bit out with pure anger. She grabbed the bottle but Matt swiped it from her easily and set it back down. The pure need to drink was overwhelming her and she could feel her heart thumping against her ribs.

"I think you've had enough," he scolded lightly. She looked at him with such fury that he recoiled even though he couldn't see it.

"You know what I've had enough of? Lies, people turning out to be shitty. Keeping important things from me," she hissed. She could feel her blood pressure rising with each word and she felt like she couldn't breathe. 

"Come on. Let's get some air," he said firmly, standing up and reaching for her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to stand and she swayed a little from the alcohol and the anxiety making her head rush. 

"Wait, where are you guys going?" Foggy asked, confused as he came back to the table Karen in tow after they'd placed the orders. 

"Just need some air," Matt murmured, not even sparing them a glance as he ‘watched’ her. They must have seen her anxiety because they just nodded as they sat. Matt led her outside and off to the side out of the way. 

"You know, I'd expect this from you, but from Foggy? And Brett? Why didn't Brett call me the second that piece of shit woke up?" She yelled, not caring if people heard her. Matt didn't have his glasses on and his hazel eyes burned into her as he frowned.

"It was me. We only found out because we were with Brett when he got the call. I suggested we wait to tell you and asked Brett to keep it quiet too," he sighed regretfully. 

"Why?" Her voice was pained and he grimaced, taking a step towards her.

"What good would it do? If I told you earlier when I found out, all that would have done was make you panic sooner. And you were so set on coming here and helping Foggy out and I didn't want you to just lock yourself away," he explained.

"I like Karen, I really do and I think there's potential to be friends, but do you know what a slap in the face it is to have someone's who's practically a stranger tell me?" She was upset, more than upset and her brain was a pile of mush as she tried to sort through it. 

"If I knew this would happen, I would have told you sooner. But it doesn't change anything. He's awake now and there's nothing you could have done differently to change what's happening," he placated. 

She pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes. She didn't want to cry. Not now and not in front of him. She regretted drinking now as it always made her a little more emotional.

"I just want it to end," she lamented. 

"I get it, and it will," he soothed. She scoffed and shook her head incredulously. 

"You don't get it though, Matt. He got in my head! He messed me up so bad that I barely slept because I didn't want to deal with the nightmares. They finally stopped after we slept together and now they're gonna come back and I'm just gonna drown in the fucking anxiety!" She raged, swinging her arms around wildly as she swayed slightly. 

"With all the evidence you have on him, he's going away for life. And I'm not gonna sit here and pretend to know what it's like… what you went through. But I know a thing or two about trauma and nightmares and they get better. Yeah, he's awake, but soon he'll live his life in a cell and be far away from you," he pressed. She bit down on her lower lip to stop it from trembling. Her eyes prickling with tears she was fighting away. That overwhelming helpless feeling had returned along with flashes of Mr Lee's dead body on the floor. 

"Matt… you're a lawyer but you're also a vigilante. You can't stand there and tell me that justice always gets served," she hissed quietly, keeping her voice to a minimum.  He looked frustrated as he tilted his head looking in her direction.

"I know it doesn't. Believe me I do. But I still try to have faith in the system. This should be an open and shut case. The stuff you have on him will be enough to convince a jury and he'll be gone. And if by some miracle he gets out, I'll keep you safe," he sounded almost desperate and she wanted to believe him. 

"Right, what are you gonna do, camp out on my fire escape every night to make me feel safe?" She scoffed bitterly.

"If I have to," he stated firmly. She blinked at him for a moment but her brain was too much of a mess to deal with whatever this was.

"I… I can't sit there in court and face him, Matt. I don't know if I can do it," she whispered brokenly. She hated feeling weak. It had been a rare occurrence in her life and she relished feeling in control. But her attack had flipped her upside down with that and she hated how badly it bothered her. People out there lived through worse things and she was still hung up on this. It made her feel small and stupid. 

"You can do this. You're one of the most headstrong, stubborn people I've ever met. You want to bury this whole thing? Then you go to court and tell them what a monster he is. Tell your truth. Mr Lee's truth. Get justice," he said forcefully as he rested his hands on her shoulders. It was pretty motivational, she wouldn't lie. She'd never seen him in court but she bet he was a great lawyer. 

She blew out a breath, reigning herself in. Panicking was getting her nowhere and there was truth to Matt's words. She wanted to have faith in the system but after everything she saw with Fisk, it was hard to. But she did have a lot of evidence and she herself was a victim and witness. It would be a good case. Once again it would just be a waiting game and she hated it. The thought of looking at that asshole in the eye made her stomach clench with fear. But she needed to take back that control and maybe that was the only way to do it. 

"I uh… always seem to become a mess when you're around," she snorted self deprecatingly as she sniffled. She wrapped her arms around herself as Matt released his hold on her. The night air was a little chilly and she'd left her coat inside. 

"I have that effect on people," he teased and she smiled at him.

"Thanks, I guess… for the pep talk. We should get inside," she mumbled awkwardly. She let her guard down around him too many times to be comfortable with it. He'd seen her vulnerable a few times now and it made her feel weird. She didn't like it. 

"Right. Back to the double date," he smirked, shaking his head.

"I hope it's going well. It seems like it right?" She asked him as they got to the door. She opened it and he took her arm and it looked like she was leading him.

"I'd say so," he grinned, gesturing with his head. She looked over and saw Karen and Foggy sat close together, smiling and talking to each other. She felt a pang of envy watching them. She glanced at Matt as they made their way through the make of tables and people but his head was already tilted in her direction.

"What?" She asked softly.

"Nothing," he muttered, turning away from her again. Weird, but nothing new for him.

They finally reached the table and the pair smiled widely at them. She smiled back as they sat down. They had empty plates in front of them from dessert and in her place was a box.

"How was the cake?" Daphne asked.

"Amazing. The best cake ever," Foggy beamed, looking at Karen every so often like he couldn't take his eyes off her. 

"It was. I think you'll really like it," Karen agreed with a warm smile. She really did like the woman and it would be nice to add to her new collection of friends. Something she never thought she'd want. 

Karen excused herself to go to the restroom and Foggy watched her go with a love sick smile on his face.

"Going well?" She asked him. His eyes dropped to her then and be flushed with a nod.

"Better than I hoped. And I know things went a little… ass upwards at the end but I really appreciate you guys doing this for me. And I'm sorry, Daph," he frowned. He looked like a wounded puppy.

"It's fine. We ready cleared it up," Matt murmured, reaching over and patting Foggy’s arm with a smile. 

"So… I really wanna walk her home. You know, get some one on one time, talk a little. Make the night last a little longer. But I'm just so…blegh ," he made a swirly motion with his hands and Matt chuckled. 

"I've got your back, dude. You both seem to be taking cues from us all night. I think she's as 'blegh' as you are," Daphne teased, making the same hand gesture he did.

"I've not been taking cues from you two!" He defended with a pout.

"You really kinda have been," Matt snorted.

"You're the little brother mimicking his big brother," Daphne grinned. Foggy threw his napkin at her with a playful huff as they all laughed. 

"Oh my god, I've been taking cues from a fake couple on a fake date. What is wrong with me?" Foggy whined. 

"You're just nervous and want to make sure it goes right, there's nothing wrong with that," Matt smiled at him. It was kind of nice seeing Matt be a decent human to his best friend. 

"Thanks, man," Foggy said sincerely. A truly touching moment. 

Karen came back after a moment and Daphne glanced at Matt, acting mask in place. She leaned into him a little and smiled, watching his confused face turn to her.

"It's nice outside. I think we should walk back to your place, see the stars and all that. That sounds nice, right?" She asked sweetly. Matt seemed to follow her lead as he shot her a smile he'd never given her before. She wondered how many ladies had been on the receiving end of it.

"Of course," he said softly, lacing her hand that was on the table with his. He brought it up to his mouth and kissed it. A little over the top but he seemed to sell it well as Karen grinned at them.  Daphne would deny until her last breath that her heart fluttered when he did it. 

"That does sound nice actually," Karen murmured shyly, glancing at Foggy. Foggy quickly shot Daphne a look that she could only interpret as a mental high five before he looked back at the blonde.

"Sounds great," he grinned at her. It was kind of adorable how neither of them knew what to do and seemed to be following hers and Matt's lead, she started wondering just how far she could take it. How many seeds she could plant to get them to make a move on each other. She also felt kind of weird to know just how closely the other pair was watching them. She was very aware she had to stay in character for this to work. Maybe she had too much tequila for her to be overthinking this so much. 

They all stood, Matt grabbing his cane and his glasses. He went to put them on but Daphne stopped him, her hand clasping around his.

"Leave them off. I like your eyes," she murmured, her other hand reaching up to his face. His eyes fluttered shut and he swallowed thickly as her fingertips teased his eyelids. She faintly heard a murmured 'aw' from Karen and she inwardly smirked. She removed her hand and he opened his eyes. It was weird how he seemed to look right at her even though he couldn't. He gave her a small smile and nod, slipping his glasses into his pocket. 

She laced her hands with his and he used his cane as they navigated their way out. Karen and Foggy behind them. Once they got outside, she noticed the pair also holding hands. Matt's lips quirked up and she knew he knew it too. The four of them stopped on the sidewalk, about to go separate ways.

"It's been really fun guys," Daphne said warmly. She meant it too. Apart from the hiccup she'd actually had a good time. Fake date or not. 

"We should do this again sometime," Karen said eagerly. Her cheeks flushed red at her words and she glanced at Foggy like he was going to say no to another date. But Foggy had a dopey grin on his face that he couldn't even hide. She didn't want to say anything about how her and Matt weren't really dating. That was something they'd figure out another time. Foggy could tell her it hadn't worked out and that was that. But they could still all hang out. Foggy and Karen as a couple with her and Matt as 'not really friends but sometimes okay with each other'.

(Continued in next post)

[daydream-hobii]

Hybrid Heart Attack | Chapter 10

Genre: Poly!AU; Hybrid!AU; Fluff; Angst

Pairing: BTS x Female!Reader; Human!Seokjin x Human!Reader; Eventual relationship with Snow Leopard!Yoongi, Red Panda!Hoseok, Koala!Namjoon, Calico Cat!Jimin, Husky!Taehyung, Doberman!Jungkook

Summary: Y/n finds her current fiance during college, his name is Seokjin. They fell in love and dated for three years before he proposed. Now, Seokjin is a lawyer for hybrids, and Y/n, well, she has the perfect stay at home job. When Seokjin invites her to move in, she wasn’t expecting that he has six hybrids. She doesn’t know why a hybrid lawyer wouldn’t have hybrids, she just didn’t think about it…. Y/n is petrified of hybrids, something happened to her when she was little…. Guess she’ll have to adapt… or leave.

Warning: Mentions of Animal Attacks, Abuse (Physical & Mental), Depression, Anxiety; Possible PTSD mentions; Suggestions of Smut; Read with caution. <3

Word Count: 1,363

// Previous // Next //

Author’s Note: Welcome to Chapter 10! I’m so sorry it took forever. T-T BUT I finally have it here!! I hope you all enjoy it!! ^_^

       I woke up the next morning, extra warm. Jimin was no longer with me, leaving a chilly spot in the bed. I looked to see on the bedside table was a polaroid of Jimin and I cuddling in bed. A note at the bottom of it said, I am so proud of you. It was from Seokjin. I smiled a little, my heart beating fast with the love I felt.

       I picked it up, smiling at the image. When I stood up, I slowly walked to my office, admiring the photo. As I entered, I went to the large bulletin board hanging on the wall, pinning the photo up with all of Taehyung’s notes from the beginning.

       I practically skipped downstairs, going to the kitchen where everyone was. They were always in the kitchen in the morning, so this was no surprise. What was abnormal was Seokjin cooking. He loved to cook, but has had little to no time to do it since the law firm required so much of him. 

       “Good morning,” I said, walking over and wrapping my hands around his waist, my head resting on his back.

       “Morning,” Seokjin chuckled. “You’re loving today.”

       “It’s just nice to see you home,” I said, but it came as a mumble in his back.

       Seokjin paused, placing his towel from his shoulder onto the counter. He turned around, leaning on the counter and wrapping his arms around my waist. I placed my hands on his chest, leaning into him. I smiled, standing up on my toes and pecking his lips.

       “I’ve missed you,” I whispered.

       “Well, you’ve definitely had nice company,” Seokjin said, smirking.

       “He was scared of the storm last night,” I replied. “I couldn’t just leave him out there.”

       “You both looked so comfortable,” Seokjin mumbled, pecking my lips again. 

       “This is sickening,” Yoongi groaned. I turned my head in time to see him put his forehead on the island. Jimin and Taehyung were staring with heart eyes, sighing in contentment. 

       “You love it,” Seokjin said, pecking my temple and making me laugh.

       “Well, I feel you two should go on a date,” Hoseok said.

       “I agree, you two haven’t been loving for a while,” Namjoon said, glasses on as he looked between us. “The wedding is coming up soon, so I feel you two need to have a night to yourselves.”

       “Yeah! You two need a romantic date,” Taehyung cooed, a big boxy smile on his face. 

       “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Seokjin said, making me look up at him with big eyes, a smile on my face.

       “Oh, we haven’t been on a date in months!” I exclaimed, excitement bubbling in my belly. “Should we go to the movies? Or maybe to the park to walk along the river?”

       “How about a romantic, fancy dinner?” Seokjin asked, a grin on his lips. My eyes sparkled at the thought.

       “Oh, yes! Where we can get dressed up!” I exclaimed once more. 

       “I’ll help you pick an outfit!” Taehyung exclaimed, hopping up and grabbing my hand, dragging me upstairs. My excitement for the date was so strong that the sudden movement from Taehyung didn’t surprise me.

       “Hey, I wanna help!” Jimin exclaimed. I heard him following, with another set of footsteps. Once we reached the bedroom, Jimin had joined us along with Jungkook. He had on a bright smile, tail wagging slightly. When he saw my shocked expression, a blush ran across his cheeks.

       “I… I’d like to help too,” Jungkook whispered. I smiled, nodding my head.

       Later that evening, the three boys had helped me pick out a dress and some heels. My dress was floor length, slick to my body. On one side, from mid thigh down, there was a slit, so you could see my leg. The sleeves went off my shoulders, exposing my collarbone. My heels were black, straps lacing around my feet and ankles. Taehyung picked this out. 

       Jungkook did my hair. It was in perfect curls and it laid in a way that was out of my face. Jimin did my makeup. It was darker than normal, a black smokey eye with mascara and winged eyeliner. My lips matched the color of my dress.

       As I looked into the large mirror, I bit my lip. Was this too much? The boys seemed to know where we were going, so they obviously would know how I should dress, but this seemed like a lot. The boys were in the mirror, smiling bright at their work.

       “Is it too much?” I asked, smoothing the dress down.

       “You look stunning,” Taehyung whispered, a light blush rolling over his cheeks.

       “Honey, are you ready?” I heard Seokjin call up.

       “Be down in a minute!” I yelled back. I picked up my purse, walking down the stairs, the three boys on my tail.

       Once I reached their line of vision, Seokjin’s face paled as his mouth dropped slightly. He was looking at me up and down and, honestly, I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.  I saw Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok peek around the corner to see me. Hoseok made a wolf whistle, only furthering my shyness. I watched Namjoon shove him slightly, an amused smile growing on the red panda’s face. 

       “It’s too much, isn’t it?” I asked, biting my lip. Seokjin was in a black tuxedo, looking sharp.

       “No, it’s,” Seokjin choked out, coughing to clear his throat before continuing. “It’s perfect. You look amazing.”

       I smiled softly, nodding. I walked the rest of the way down as he offered his arm. I took it, smiling as we walked out the door, saying our goodbyes to the boys.

       The restaurant Seokjin had chosen was one of the more elite ones. If anything, it seemed I was under-dressed compared to most. The dinner was delicious and we could talk about… everything. By dessert, we were all caught up on our lives.

       “How are you and the boys?” Seokjin asked, hesitating. He had his arms crossed on the table, but was still able to eat the large ice cream in the middle of the table. I took a quick bite, wiping my mouth with the napkin.

       “I think I’m okay,” I replied, smiling softly. “I’m not viewing them as hybrids that will hurt me anymore, which is nice…. I, also, think… I love them.” Seokjin sighed in relief, a smile playing on his lips.

       “That is so… perfect…. I’ve missed you, Y/n” Seokjin said, uncrossing his arms and reaching over, holding my hand. Before I could respond, there was an interruption.

       “Jinnie?” A voice sounded, making us both look towards it. A gorgeous woman was walking towards us, a bright smile on her face. Her teeth were pearly white, a beautiful tan making her skin glisten. She was in a slick black dress, hair pinned up.

       “Sooyoung?” Seokjin said, making me look at him in surprise. “Oh my god, how are you? When’d you come back to town?” Seokjin stood up, hugging the gorgeous woman.

       “Not too long ago, I moved back for work,” She exclaimed. Her eyes fell on me, making me feel squeamish under her gaze. “Who’s this?”

       “Oh, Sooyoung, this is my fiance, Y/n,” Seokjin said, proudly. A glint flashed in the woman's eyes as she kept her smile. I stood up, extending my hand and smiling. She shook it.

       “Oh, that’s so exciting!” Sooyoung said.

       “How do you two know each other?” I asked. Seokjin seemed to gulp, but Sooyoung wouldn’t let him talk.

       “Oh, we dated throughout high school and some of college,” Sooyoung said, grinning. “He was so sweet. I’m sure he’s the same to you.” My heart sank, but I kept it off my face. Seokjin dated someone so gorgeous…. I’m a downgrade compared….

       “Well, I must get going back to my family,” Sooyoung said. “You still have my number, right? We must get together. I’d love to see your precious hybrids again! God, I miss them.”

       “Of course,” Seokjin said, only making my heart sink further. “I’m sure they miss you just as much! We’ll talk.”

       “Alright! Bye,” She said, to us, wiggling her fingers. This night was almost perfect….

[sxypigeon]

Chapter 20 - Bolin tries to write a screen play and everyone has a bad day

Book 5 Absolution (a mostly canon korrasami story)

Things in the refugee camps have gone downhill, Korra checks on Kuvira, and Asami tries not to murder Varrik.

Chapters  1,  19

---

The scene: A dusty Earth Kingdom village on the edge of the Si Wong Desert - a sleepy tourist town in its off season at dusk.

Enter: Ting-Ting in disguise wearing sandbender wraps and clothes, looking for his informant.  He walks down a side street and into the shadiest tavern, through the torn sheet acting as a door.  The interior is crowded and smokey, just the way Ting-Ting likes it.  He approaches the bar and says to the bartender -

“Bolin!”

Said earth bender turned from the window of the airship he’d been vacantly staring out of to his brother.  “What, I’m here - yes! . . . Um, could you repeat that in case I missed everything you just said?”

Mako sighed and rolled his eyes from his seat opposite him, next to Jeong.  “I asked you if you enjoyed your time with Opal, but judging by the look you just had, I guess I don’t need an answer.”

Bolin frowned at the pair of them as they shared a smug smile.  “Of course I did, but that wasn’t what I was thinking about.  I have this idea for a mover I’m working on-”

“Still?” Mako asks in surprise.

“Well, yeah.  What with working on uniting the Earth Kingdom and then saving Republic City, I haven’t had a whole lot of time to work on it.”

“What’s it about?” Jeong asked with interest.

“Oh, here we go,” Mako muttered with a small exasperated grin.

A huge grin lit up Bolin’s face.  “It’s about an ex-United Forces operative named Ting-Ting who’s on the trail of his kidnapped love Ivy.  His arch-nemesis Dr. Razor took her as revenge for Ting-Ting’s last mission with the United Forces to shut down his illegal laboratory where he forced spirits and thugs to merge and become his minions.  Ting-Ting’s research leads him to the edge of the Si Wong Desert where his former partner, Lee, is undercover trying to bust a smuggling ring among the sandbenders.  All clues point to Dr. Razor using the lost city of Sobata in the middle of the desert as his base and the center of the sandbender’s smuggling operation.”

“Wow, that’s a lot of information.  Do you think people will be able to follow along with the plot?”

“Sure, I mean, maybe there’ll have to be a voiceover explaining some of the finer details, but I think-”

“We’re here,” Mako interrupted.  

Jeong smiled and shrugged, “Next time.”

“Yeah,” Bolin muttered, “maybe by then I’ll have a bit more of the plot worked out and not just the backstory.”

---

“What do you mean you took over an Earth Empire reeducation camp?  Where are you?!”

Kuvira sighed tiredly and rubbed her eyes.  The avatar, as usual, had chosen an inopportune time to appear.  “Reeducation Camp 11, just east of the mountains and Fort Senlin.”  She paused to yawn.  “I helped the prisoners overthrow their guards and we currently control the camp and it seems like the Empire forces are unaware.  Was that all - can I go back to sleep?  It’s been a long two days.”

The spectral form of the avatar glared at her for a moment before worry won out over anger.  “What’s your plan for the camp?  Are you going to keep control of it or shut it down?  I don’t think the prisoners will want to stay long if they have the option of leaving.”

She is the wettest blanket.  No appreciation for taking over a camp singlehandedly, I see.  “We’re working on a way to send some of the prisoners by boat to Republic City, others want to stay in the area and fight the Empire locally and reunite with their families,” Kuvira muttered through a yawn.  “Seriously, I’ve had maybe three hours of sleep in the last two days.  Let’s hurry this up.”

“Do you need back up or me to help in any way?”

“Other than going away and letting me sleep?”  Kuvira ignored another glare.  “Send a ship to meet the boat in three days.”

“What about the guards?”

“What about them?”

“Are they dead or your prisoners?  Do they need to be moved?”

“No one has died per your orders,” she sighed.  “I was going to destroy all of the camp except the cells and leave a few days of food.  Someone will investigate if radio-silence goes more than forty-eight hours.”

“Okay, what’s after this?”

I’m working on that, but your pestering isn’t helping.  Kuvira was quickly losing what little patience she had left.  “If all of this works?  Who knows, maybe I’ll open a tea shop in the middle ring of Ba Sing Se and retire.”

Korra looked ready to explode.  “I’m trying to help you!  We both want the same thing!  I can’t do anything for you if you don’t let me in on what you’re thinking.”

“And I’m telling you, right now, what I’m thinking about is sleep.  Now kindly disappear since that seems to be something you’re good at.”

---

This was a mistake.  Why did I ever agree to this?  This was one of the most important buildings in Asami’s entire company . . . and she was letting a known swindler and thief in through the front door.

“You know, I came up with something like this in a dream eighteen months ago,” Varrik said thoughtfully while passing an airplane large enough to hold two dozen people.

There is no plausible way this will end any way, but in disaster.  “As a reminder, Varrik, everything in this building and in or around the surrounding complex is off limits to you and Zhu Li.  These are trade secr-”

“Yeah, yeah.  Zhu Li, did you remember to pack the pumice scrub?  You know how bad my calluses get.” 

Asami gritted her teeth, but maintained a smile for her employee leading the tour.  He will steal at least one of my R&D designs.  He’ll steal it, copyright it, and then counter sue me when I try to take him to court over it.

Varrik wildly flung his arm in the direction of his wife’s head and pointed, “Hey, is that the break room?  Does it have a full kitchen?  Top quality genius requires expertly prepared, well-balanced meals.

He’s going to drive me insane and I’m going to kill him . . . then I’ll go to prison and never see Korra again . . . or I could go on the run and maybe Korra could come with me . . . as long as I don’t have to live in the sewers again.

The group came to a stop just inside the break room while Varrik tested the water pressure and temperature coming out of the taps in the kitchenette.  The tour guide, the head of the research building, approached her with a calm smile born from years of dealing with eccentric researchers. “Will there be anything else, Miss Sato?” 

“No, thank you, Mr. Taka.  That will be all,” she replied.  She waited for him to leave before waving her guests over and addressing them.  “I cannot emphasize this enough: everything you see here falls under the heading Trade Secret and cannot be copied or reproduced in any form-”

Varrik rolled his eyes and wrapped an arm around Asami’s shoulders.  “What are you, a broken record?.  I remember the forms your lawyer made us sign.  She read them all out loud - it nearly put me to sleep.”

“You can never be too careful,” Asami said with a forced smile.  Remember to breathe.  Maiming him won’t make this easier . . . or will it?  “Would you like some time to settle in or-”

“Heck no!  Let’s get straight to business!”  He stepped away, with a hand behind his back and a hand in the air, counting off what he needed on his fingers.  We’re going to need three heavy-duty electro-magnets, five industrial spools of thirty gauge copper wire, multiple sheets of pure platinum ranging from 0.25mm thickness to 5mm, and a pot of black tea every fifty-two minutes.”

Asami attempted to unclench her jaw before answering.  “Zhu Li warned - informed me of what we’d need.  It’s all set up in the lab.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?!  Zhu Li, do the thing!”

Asami watched the newlyweds practically run toward the ballistic R&D laboratory hopelessly.  Maybe everything will go fine . . . and maybe the Earth Empire will spontaneously surrender and give up their super weapons . . . and just maybe I’ll come out of this with my sanity intact.

---

“Is it just me or do these people not seem happy to see us?”  Bolin asked

Mako kept his head on a swivel.  Everyone on their path hurried away as they approached.  “They do not.”

“I don’t like this,” Jeong whispered.  “Something must have happened while we were away.”  She led the group down the dirt path between the rows of tents at a brisk pace.  “Dad!  What’s going on?  What-”

Jeong was stopped in front of her family's tent when the boys caught up to her.  The stricken look on the man’s face told them nearly all of the story.

Mako stepped beside the silent young woman and addressed her father gently, “What happened, sir?”

He breathed deeply and squared his shoulder, trying to hold his emotions in check.  “My son . . . and at least two other members of the neighborhood watch have been abducted.”

“No,” Bolin muttered hopelessly behind Mako.

“Did someone see any of this take place?  Are you sure they’re being held against their will?” Mako asked as he took out his notepad.

“Letters were sent to the families . . . delivered by young orphans we’ve seen with Triple Threat members.”

“This is my fault,” Jeong muttered in shock to herself.  “I stole that weapon.  I set up the watch.  I tried to drive the Triple Threats out of the area-”

“No!  You helped your neighbors!” Bolin insisted.  “Everything you did was to make everyone safer.  We’re going to get everyone back and bring the Triple Threats to justice!”

“Assigning blame isn’t going to help the situation,” Mako cut in, mostly to prevent Bolin from making more promises he wasn’t sure they could keep.  “May I see the letter you received?  Jeong, I need you to stay with your family while Bolin and I look into this.”

Perhaps as a sign of how distraught she was, Jeong simply nodded and headed into the tent.  Her father sighed sadly once she was inside.  “She’s tried so hard to help.  Here, find the bastards and bring my son home . . . please.”

Mako met his eyes and nodded as he took the letter.  “We’ll do everything in our power, sir.  I’ll let you know when I’ve learned anything.”  He grabbed Bolin by the arm and marched them back toward the airship they arrived on.

“Wait, aren’t we going to collect evidence and question the neighbors or stake out a . . .a tent or something?” Bolin asked.

Mako kept his face neutral.  “The two of us can’t take on an entire gang by ourselves.  We’re going to need back up.  There’s a radio in the airship.”

“Oh, right.  We can call for backup?”

“I hope so,” Mako muttered to himself.  If there is any . . .

---

Thanks for reading!

[regrettablewritings]

Podcasts, Youtubes, and TV Shows to Distract Yourself With Because Why Not, and Also Because I Wanna Blab About Some of These

Since I can’t go to work and horrify my coworkers/make them realize I’m a mess and/or nerd by telling them about the type of media I’m into, I’m foisting my recommendations on all of y’all who choose to read this. I frankly do not care how many people have actually heard of these things because I’m also sure there’s plenty of people who, like me, are very slow and oblivious to entertainment, or who have heard of the property but were never that convinced.

Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts

Type: TV series

200 years after a mysterious yet earth-shattering event, much of humanity has taken to living beneath the surface in communities called burrows, wherein life goes on, if effected somewhat by the bizarre fauna that exists above them (referred to as “mutes”, short for “mutant”). One burrow girl, Kipo, founds her world turned almost literally inside-out when she finds herself not only separated from her father and the only world she’s ever known, but on the surface, no less. What ensues is her trying to find her way back home with the help of a stony-faced little girl with a massive chip on her shoulder; a music enthusiast and his literal gadfly friend; and some . . . unusual allies that only an oblivious optimist like Kipo could make. All to a kickass soundtrack, a beautiful backdrop of art, and a world where animals have basically evolved into gangs under a looming threat known as Scarlemagne. If you can’t already tell, I love this series to bits and now is the perfect time for people to get into it and encourage another season of it. Just . . . don’t think too hard that whatever happened to cause the Event in the show happened in October 2020 . . .

Available on: Netflix

My Dad Wrote a Porno

Type: Podcast

This should go without saying, but this podcast is definitely meant for more mature audiences. Or somebody with a strong stomach. Not that it’ll always be easy to tell with the type of content this series gives. When Jamie Morton’s father handed him his manuscripts for his self-published books, he had no idea he was being given a pinnacle of a polished turd: It was erotica. Really, really, really bad erotica. But the ear’s trash is the heart’s pleasure with this bad girl, as Jamie enlists the company of friends Alice and James to provide commentary on “Rocky Flintstone”’s series Belinda Blinked, a drama chronicling the sexcapades of Belinda Blumenthal as she climbs the ladders (and men and women) both in and out of the cut-throat world of pots and pans sales. What follows is a goldmine of awkward metaphors, strange bedmates, and just an overall stampede of whiplashing events that somehow exceed expectations. Listen in if you dare . . . And make sure you’re in good company for it. Fun Fact, though: Daisy Ridley, Ben Barnes, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael Sheen, Mara Wilson, Elijah Wood are but a few well-known fans of this series! Nobody is safe . . .

Available on: Wherever podcasts can be found

Lore

Type: Podcast

Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction. And what better way to be reminded of that, then to have the dulcet tones of Aaron Mahnke tell you about the lighthouse incident that the 2016 movie The Lighthouse was loosely inspired by? Suffice to say, this podcast could also be interpreted with some advised discretion, but definitely in a way that’s different from My Dad Wrote a Porno. In the centuries humankind has existed, we’ve managed to create a menagerie of beasts, both fictional and in ourselves. Lore explores all the many different kinds of events and persons and creatures we have to offer. In any given episode, we could be talking about anything from the bizarre story of a lady who convinced 18th century physicians that she was giving birth to rabbits, to something more disturbing like the life of H.H. Holmes. Or something as relatively innocuous as the relationship between gremlins and flight. Regardless of the subject, however, you’ll definitely walk away knowing something new, if bizarre. And perhaps slightly terrifying.

Available on: Wherever podcasts can be found

The Amelia Project

Type: Podcast

Congratulations: You have been made aware of The Amelia Project. If you’re not interested in this, exit the page. Now. If you continue, there’s no unhearing it. Good choice! A new interest awaits. If you don’t enjoy it, please consider the whole thing a hoax. Okay but in all seriousness, there’s no way to do The Amelia Project justice in just a simple description. The plot sounds quite simple, really: People want to disappear and start a new life, The Amelia Project is there to help – with a price. And that’s if you can actually get a hold of them! What really makes the show, however, are the people and the writing, and I’m not just talking about the almost childlike Interviewer with an obsession for hot cocoa. I’m talking about the clientele: I’m talking about the macabre-obsessed theme park owner who’s out for revenge; the cult leader who’s in way over his head; a Santa impersonator stuck in a miserable marriage with his own manager; an actual podcast character trying to outrun his creators. And obviously this would all be nowhere without the spectacular writing! I really can explain this series without blabbing on and potentially spoiling things; The Amelia Project is an experience!

Available on: Wherever podcasts can be found

LegalEagle

Type: Youtube channel

To be frank, I just like learning for the sake of learning, even if I may not always necessarily understand the topic or have any plans to use it in the foreseeable future. The big difference here being that at least this channel makes learning about the law fun and breaks it down. Headed by a certified lawyer (because what an age we live in, where professionals actually take time out of their lives to teach us common folk), there’s a multitude of series D.J. Stone uses to help break down the complex world of law, from reviewing the realism of procedural favorites (Law & Order, The Good Wife, HTGAWM, etc), to analyzing real-life situations, to even watching childhood media that has nothing to do with the law and determining how much money, say, Willy Wonka would owe in a lawsuit. In short, it is one of my worst subjects done in one of my favorite ways to learn! Plus, Stone hates business students and is perfectly willing to poke fun at law students so it’s all fun, frankly.

Available on: Youtube

Nando v Movies

Type: Youtube channel

Sometimes, movies are bad. Sometimes, they’re good. And sometimes, they could use a few adjustments in hindsight. Especially the nerdier movies where the directors may or may not have tried way too hard or way too little. And that’s where Nando comes in: Whether it’s explaining why a different villain might have worked better for a hero’s origin story movie, or analyzing how one seemingly small adjustment could’ve potentially made more sense in explaining characterization, this channel is always providing a new perspective on a movie or show you’ve probably seen and maybe weren’t necessarily too pleased with. (Or maybe you were – I enjoyed Justice League okay but I love the version he rewrote more.) Oh, yeah: Sometimes he does rewrites of movies or even series. So if you’re anything like me and you’re way into that, this is a channel you don’t want to miss out on.

Available on: Youtube

DEATH BATTLE!

Type: Youtube channel

Does anyone remember Deadliest Warrior? No? . . . How about that one time during lunch where you and your friend got into it over who would win in a death match between Superman and Goku? Good news: A buncha geeks did the math for you and have come out with the results! Specifically, hosts Wiz and Boomstick have analyzed the weapons, armor, and skills of each combatant in every episode, resulting in an ongoing series of absolute nonsense and satiation of bloodshed. The description is admittedly nothing crazy, but the amount of detail applied is honestly where it’s at: From calculating how loud Black Canary’s screams are to approximating Scrooge McDuck’s speed (I’m not kidding you), there’s actual thought put into the characters being assembled and how they might fair with their respective combatant. And it all comes together for an actual fight, often animated but always amazing. So if you’ve ever wondered if Thor could beat Wonder Woman, or if McGruff the Crime Dog stands a chance against Smokey the Bear (I’m…I’m being honest), then this is the show for you!

Available on: Youtube

Sideways

Type: Youtube channel

If there is music in that movie or show, it will be analyzed to a degree that, unless you’ve been trained in music, you would’ve probably never thought about. There isn’t necessarily much rhyme or reason to Sideways’ videos in terms of themes beyond music, but really, must they? Is it not enough that this man is screaming to the internet these wack and awesome trends he’s noticed in certain pieces associated with movies and musicals and the genius behind them? Could life not just be him explaining the symbolism of the instruments associated with the Crystal Gems of Steven Universe, or breaking down the cultures explored by way of the Black Panther soundtrack? Also, here’s a fun drinking game: Take a shot every time he mentions leitmotifs or the Dies Irae.

Available on: Youtube

Craig of the Creek

Type: TV show

In the woods of suburban Maryland, there exists a kid’s utopia: A place where horse girls are free to roam the fields, where a boy can be a king of garbage, and where children travel the sewers completely unsupervised. That is, until the dinner horn rings; then they have to go home until the next time they can return to The Creek. The show focuses on one specific trio (Craig, JP, and Kelsey) as every day, The Creek (and their own childish naivete) brings them new hijinks to experience. There’s a blissful lightheartedness to the show, in addition to a lot of creativity that feels like it was ripped straight out of your own imagination as a child (robots made from cardboard boxes, building portals using lights, etc). But beneath it all, there’s something just plain wild brewing. I don’t want to spoil anything, but CotC has some G-rated GOT shit going on the further along the series goes and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds!

Available on: CN app, wcostream.com

And that’s probably enough for now, I think. Lemme know if you want any other suggestions, or how you’re findin’ ‘em if you take any of them up! Stay safe, stay healthy my dudes!

[musing-and-music]

My fanfictions [5/?]

I continue posting my already existent fanfictions translated from French to English with My only debt, a North and South OS written for a monthly challenge. Yes, this time it’s not FMA.

I discovered "North and South" a few years ago, read the book and watched the BBC series soon after. I fell in love with the characters and the story, and the themes covered are much more than another version of Pride and prejudice. I can only recommend that book and the series adapted from it (there's Richard Armitage)

My only debt

Genre: romance

Rating: K

Word count: around 1000

Margaret was grieving. Of course, she had left black clothes to wear dark-coloured and grey dresses, but her heart was still full of sorrow. She had to leave a place she saw as paradise to live in a smokey and noisy city. She had lost both her parents a few months apart. Then, she had to leave this same city, still smokey and noisy, but where she knew there lived a few people she liked and who liked her back.

Life in Harley Street in her Aunt's house seemed sometimes exhausting. Because of her grieving, she could not join the receptions held by Mrs. Shaw's friends. However, Edith always insisted that she took care of Sholto when she was out with her mother. Her cousin's son was only one, but had a strong character, so Margaret often wondered if she would run out of patience and ask Edith to hire a nurse or to take care of him herself. Margaret wanted to be undisturbed, to write letters for her godfather, Mr. Bell, or for Frederick, thanks to Henry Lennox.

She knew, she saw. The lawyer hoped for something from her, but her heart did not want to give it to him. She would not make the mistake to accept a man she respected but knew she could not love. The more she thought about it, the more she knew there was only one man she could see as the one who was able to take her heart. However, since she had left Milton, she had not been given any news. She had no news about how the master of Marlborough Mills managed, how well the Irish who had stayed settled in, how Nicholas Higgins coped with raising Boucher's children.

Months passed, and time brought back colours on Margaret's dresses, although she had to wear grey clothes when Mr. Bell left for Argentina, giving her his fortune and belongings. She learnt of Marlborough Mills' bankruptcy with a twinge. He had not succeeded in resolving the situation, orders had been to few and clients had not paid. Somehow, she knew that the success of the speculation might had been hard to him, and Milton's Masters might be laughing at him during their meetings.

However, one day as she tidied her papers, Margaret came up with an idea. He was still her tenant, and she could find a way to keep him as such. With the help of Mr. Lennox, who had been managing her property with her, she made an offer and sent it to Marlborough Mills, hoping for a quick answer. She wanted news from him, even if it was fewer than what she wanted.

Two weeks later, Edith knocked on her office door, where she managed her properties. "Margaret, there is a letter for you. It seems it has been put directly in the letterbox. "

Margaret was as intrigued as her cousin was. A twinge of hope in her heart, she took the letter. It was not heavy, but bigger than expected. She openend the enveloppe, and a small violet bouquet fell on her knees. Pansies. Who could be sending her pansies ? How was it even possible to find pansies in London?

Suddenly she realised. She knew the writing on the envelope, she has seen it in letters for her father or mother, with a fruit basket or a philosophy book. She knew, thanks to her childhood readings, what purple pansies meant.

I've loved you and still am loving

There was nothing more in the envelope, but now Margaret knew who went to Harley Street to put a modest flower bouquet in the mail.

She rose from her chair, surprising Edith. The pansies in her hand, she ran the stairs down to the hall. She did not care to put a shawl or hat and walked out of the house. People strolled on Harley Street, and passengers were getting in a coach. But a big silhouette clothed in black with a hat caught her eyes. He was here. Seeing her, he left the fence he was leaning on and smiled at her.

Margaret approached John Thornton like in a dream. Was it really him? Yes, he was there, in the flesh. She was standing in front of him and tried to speak, but no sound left her mouth. She was dreading and anticipating the next minutes. She rose the bouquet. "I hoped you would understand the meaning of these flowers", he began. His deep voice sounded like a purr.

How she had missed his voice…

"After all, you told me about Helstone's flowers, so I thought you could know the meaning of pansies."

Margaret nodded.

"I received your letter. And I've been surprised. Pleasanlty surprised. So much that I began to hope that something had changed in your feelings toward me. All I said that day is still true." He whispered.

"And my offer?" Margaret asked, desperately trying to change the subject.

"I cannot bear such a debt, Margaret."

She rose her eyes and met his own, filled with intensity, concern, and hope. Intimidated, she looked down.

"You would not owe me anything. And you would give me much more than bank interests. You see, it is you who would be doing me the service."

John took her hands in his big, callous, and warm ones, and Margaret rose her head.

"In that case, allow me one debt." He implored her. His voice full of restraint. "Allow me a lifetime debt. The one a man owes to his wife. Please."

Emotion ran through her vein. Margaret had guessed right, he still loved her. He had the same wishes than the day she had so cruelly rejected him.

"I am not worthy of you, Mr. Thornton," she whispered. "Not after what I said and done to you."

"Not worthy! Margaret, do not mock me, as I am convinced that I do not deserve you."

John rose her hands and kissed both on the back, giving her delicious shivers. If her life should be as delicious as this, then accepting his love debt would be the most marvellous thing.

Suddenly concious that they were in the middle of the street, she offered him to come for tea. After all, he would have to meet his future in-laws.

[mauserfrau]

Rough Excerpt of Sampaguita, Chapter 3 - Bordertober

I had someone who clearly needed a full, tagged scene with OC Catter, so here you be!

Here is the story so far.  LSS: Tyreen and Troy have a brief stint as mercs not that long after arriving on Pandora.  NOTE THE TAGS.  Black comedy.  On slow mode for Reasons.  Tyreen PoV.

This excerpt contains Tyreen being gross, a lot of food, drinking, snot, Troy torment and, a really crass joke about the Troyreen in this ‘verse.

Also Catter.  I stinking love Catter.

...I’m not sorry.

Troy sat under a smokey overhang by the kitchen trailer.  Three other people had planted their asses there first, all bumming cigarettes off of each other and sneezing a lot— Biscuits (his biscuitiness accented by lop-mouthed smoking stance), Vincent (tall, dark, handsome and gesturing ashes all over with his silver cigarette holder) and somebody who went by Lotty (more of a human pony bead and spray tan accident).

There was beef jerky.  Sort of.  Not enough of it to justify more than a page of the Exceptional Exotics’ employment contracts.  

Lotty was saying, holding a tin stickered with a happy cowboy up to Troy, “Now, the correct way to eat beef snuff…”

 “Also known as machaca, if you’re feeling fancy,” Vincent interrupted.  

And Troy nodded. 

This pattern repeated: “Is to, well, snuff it.  You put a little on your finger.”

“The middle, if you’re feeling fancy.”

Though Troy’s nod came on the tentative side that time.  Wrinkles showed in the corners of his eyes as he pondered whether he was fancy or not.  

Biscuits leaned in, pressing an encouraging hand to Troy’s back, Troy being too lost in thought to protest more than leaning maybe an inch to the side.  “It’s not like doing cocaine at all.  And you really have to really suck it in…” A wet snort accompanied this assertion. “… from deeeeep in your chest.”

“The trick’s in where you put the back of your tongue.” Lotty said, their voice tilting towards some sort of conclusion.

This being stolen from them by Vincent, “But oh, the joy of meat sinuses.”

“You would say that.”

“You know you love me.”

“I love you like the parched earth loves spilled beer.”

“So, not at all today.  Boo.”

It was at this point Tyreen tossed up the hood of her jacket and stamped across the puddles pissing down through the leaky rain shield.  “Troy!”

Troy having meanwhile swept his middle finger through the shredded jerky and right up to his nostrils.  Deftly, he pressed his thumb to the left side.  The shredded meat disappeared.

Tyreen was too late.  Troy doubled over, sneeze-coughing goopy, brown snot.  “I can taste that in my ears,” he wheezed.

“Really?” remarked Lotty.  “That’s a new one. Are you sure, ‘cause I mean, if you really wanna taste with your ears…” This sentiment unfinished, they lifted both of their hands, beckoning to Vincent and Biscuits.  The two men had already grumblingly taken out actual paper cash, what with the ECHONet still being toast.

And Troy, still hacking.  

Tyreen shooed off Biscuits and beat Troy about the back until he showed some semblance of sense— namely, horking with purpose until he was king of breathing again.  

“If you’re going to squeal to the boss,” Vincent said, sucking on his cigarette, “Get us some more jerky while you’re in there? I don’t want what he sneezed on.”

“On no planet was that a sneeze.  You don’t get it, man!” Troy protested.

“That’s a lie.  Lotty got him twice,” said Biscuits.

Well, that had to be embarrassing for somebody.

Unlike her brother, Tyreen did not stop to ponder and definitely not anything about snorting beef jerky.  “He brought this on himself.  That’s plenty for me.  C’mon.  They opened the beer taps.” One more thwack and she turned her hand around, grabbing Troy by the back of his jacket and hauling.

He pinwheeled half a step in front of her.  “I don’t even like beer and neither do you,” he muttered, then discharged more snot into his hand.

Besides, there was a line for said beer.  Someone had written on the tarp overhanging the taps: Welcome! No names though, just like nobody announced that food was served in some way that didn’t involve anybody’s noses.  At a certain point, Colonel Admusik stepped out of her trailer and made her way to a ktichen trailer window where a plate of something greasy, steaming and flickering oversized bones appeared.  She took her pick of seats at one of the rickety picnic tables, tucked a cloth napkin into her collar and sat down.  Two of the face-tattooed howitzer operators dived to offer her their beers before fighting their way back into line.

Tyreen wouldn’t have said she’d wanted announced, but the company seemed like a place that announced people.  Besides, an excuse to shoot something else would have wrung more laughter out of this crowd, maybe gotten her offered a beer.  Not that she could have drunk said beer.  Anyway, she got the angle now.  There were two ranks here: the colonel and all the other mercs.

So, apparently she and Troy were other mercs now.  Tyreen had not been aware that mercs served short ribs for food.   She was also unclear on exactly what a ‘short rib’ might entail.  Which ribs counted as short? Why not eat the long ribs first since they must contain more delicious meat? Was it absolutely necessary to stop an entire company of mercs in the middle of a downpour to set up a kitchen trailer and make a welcome dinner which was now doomed to get damp while the people who ate it veered into a risk of missing… something.  Whatever the hell job this “gentleperson’s operation” was on or headed for or somewhat towards.  

Tyreen didn’t know about that either.  She also hadn’t bothered to ask.  Closer to the urge worked for her.  She swung up to the window ahead of Troy.  “I heard something about rum rations.”

“Rum and short ribs?” The cookie gave her a squint, but shrugged and ponied up a quarter split with an orange slice and some soda machine ice.  “How many?”

“Ah, yeah, pass on that.  I don’t do bones.” Casting her hand up briefly, she removed herself from the window before facing anymore of an argument.  This dinner was going to suck hard enough without a plate of dead thing under her nose, teasing her with it’s infernal pre-deadedness.  Tyreen’s belly had already started to do the gurgling, twisty thing where the part of her that ate gathered there and tried to peek out of her navel.  At least she had rum and the urge to distract her until nightfall and the Skågåsbord that would bring.  They were still out there.  She could sense them flickering about the hills.

Then of course her brother had to go and acquire an overflowing plate of bones, his mashed potatoes relegated to a mug which he carried balanced on his elbow.  Tyreen got to the table first, cracking open her rum and slugging it right out of the bottle.  Sweet stuff, super dark.  Probably wouldn’t make her retch.  Her orange slice went on her brother’s potatoes once he’d gotten everything onto the table without incident.  He shrugged and ate it anyway, greasy garlic butter and skin and all, smiling at her with the rind pressed over his teeth.

Tyreen glowered at him.  She then flicked his nose and slid back to her drink, twisting it over and over as he chewed and more people got food and the shields leaked and the beer line got loud.  

Idly, she wondered what anybody would do if she gnawed on a bone.  Not that she was going to.  Bones made a fine justification for not eating this thing or that other thing, so no way she would.  She had that urge of her own though, sometimes after sunset and skimming on her tongue.

And Colonel Admusik only carried picnic tables that seated three to a side.  The far one of their table? Still empty when Hypothetical Third Person planted her ass beside Troy.  She made a chirp when she did, as though she had a squeaker in her ass.  

Tyreen peered around Troy.

And the person waved, fork on her lips.  She was smallish, fairish, made-up-ish, wearing a Dahl army coat three sizes too big for her.  Peroxide blond hair dragged in her eyes, themselves the color of moss.  The Terran kind that never accidentally made teeth like the stuff on Nekrotafeyo.

Troy managed to pull himself away from his plate long enough to tilt his head her way and jostle his occupied shoulder at her.  Like— hello, I am eating, other person who had at least ten other places to sit.

This one craned over her own plate and she stared out at him through his magazine cover kind of smile.  Finally, she gestured with one gloved hand, flicking her finger close enough to Troy’s left eye that she got a jolt out of him.  “So, who does your work?” she asked, words somersaulting over each other.  

Troy’s fork froze in mid-air.  “This? Oh, uum a few people.” Rather than look her quite in the face,  or stop eating, he wiggled his hand and dripped gravy.  “They didn’t come out so great the first time.”

“It wasn’t Miss Moju on Rigil 7, was it? ‘cause she’s getting hella sued and if you want in on that, I got the contact stuff for the lawyer on my ECHO.”

“Oh.  No, not her.  I didn’t even think about her.” Troy ended that on half a snort.

One Tyreen could have joined him for.

Except this person acted like she thought he’d laughed.  She tittered back.

And she totally cut Tyreen off, but that was another story.  With titters.

“Really? You must be pretty hardcore.” She held her hand out, slower than she’d talked, her hips wiggling in her seat.  Tyreen could hear her boots swishing under the table besides.  “I didn’t think about her either.  I’m Catter.  Colonel said you were Troy?”

Troy nodded.  He dipped his fork into his potatoes, leaving it there.  He had to twist his whole self sideways to offer her his wrong hand, but his joints were hyperflexible garbage and he only had the one hand to offer anybody, so he managed OK, tilted his head up too, not that he exactly made eye-contact.  “Yes.  It’s nice to meet you.  This is…”

Catter’s head, then her shoulders, tipped to the side.  She looked like she was trying to shed some part of herself, and in fact she kind of did.  The sleeve of her too-big coat nonetheless rode up about an inch on her left wrist.

Glinting geometric swirls poked out.

”Oopsie,” she said, holding her other hand almost to her mouth.

Tyreen made a face.  To cover that, she also stuck her rum in said face.  Smacking off of her bottle, she added, “You did that on purpose.  Just say you’re a fangirl next time, shit.  You think we care?” Anyway, she’d heard whispers in the alleys of the ECHONet, about how “pirate AU fanfiction isn’t valid, you weirdos” and also “my sister’s Siren fangirl for cosplays and it’s kind of fucked up”.

Well, Tyreen knew what fangirl and cosplay (an associated term) meant in the same way she knew what short ribs meant.  The terms raised more questions than answers.  But there was Catter.  Quod erat demonstrandum.  Also, no way this person was a Siren.  She smelled like some kind of plant and not a primeval space magic at all.  

“I thought we were having fun,” said Catter, finally breaking the shake with Troy and pressing a finger to her infernally perfect dimple.  “Is she always so grumpy?”

Troy’s back tensed as he answered, despite the evenness of his tone.  “Are you always so effervescent?”

One of those words earned him a confused blink, and another titter.  “ I…  What? Hee! I should have known you were different.  A guy with Siren ink.  That’s just so… I’m sorry.  I’ve never actually seen one! Or a Siren.  But I’m gonna fix that.” Catter turned a look of determination, first to the sky, and then to Troy.

“Ah, me neither.  And now you have.”

“So! So! I drew mine myself and I got a whole set, see?” Her coat went onto the table.  Two other mercs steered away, off to less occupied shores.  Underneath, she wore a sleeveless collar top and no bra.  Tyreen wasn’t wearing a bra either, so whatever on that, but the loopy tattoo business liberally slathered onto Catter’s person proved to be the single most gruesome shade of magenta that Tyreen had ever seen.  Like exploded printer magenta.

“And I see you like pink,” Troy offered, congenially.

Catter wiggled and drew closer once more.  She still did not touch, but her eyes traced over Troy’s own markings with a precision.  “Did you draw yours too? I know some places that’s a thing, but some other places you let your artist do…”

“I drew them,” said Tyreen.

A sound of distress followed.  “You didn’t give him a whole set?”

“Like you said.  He’s a guy.  Maybe he doesn’t get a whole set.  Maybe he has to earn them.”

“Wow, you two have like LORE worked out? Are you on SirenSona.net?”

“We like to keep it to ourselves.  It’s, umm our stuff,” Troy said, attempting to turn away, hand in his hair this time.

“Oh, am I intruding?  I’m sorry it’s just I love your eye mark and she…” Catter’s hand once more intruded, but this time she at least had the sense to apply to to her fork after she thought better.  It was with her off-hand that she gestured between her table mates.  “Actually, what are you two?”

Tyreen snorted.

And Troy said: “Oh, we’re cousins.” His grin flashed even in the corner of his silhouette.  He tried just that hard.  

So no wonder Tyreen had to fish him the rest of the way out of the proverbial ditch.  “And we’re married.” 

“What?” Catter’s eyes were now the size of SAT-V hubcaps.  “Really? That’s wild.” 

“Cousins are made for cousins, that’s what they said back at the old commune,” Troy laughed.  Wow, he almost sounded convincing.  

To Catter, anyway.  “So you like grew up together?”

“Yeah.”

“And now you do it?”

“Yes, Catter,” snergled Tyreen.  “That’s part of being married.  Do you wanna come mop up our bed tonight when we get done doing it?” She layered on the sincerity, as if plying for her personal dinner.  This had gotten old about five absurdities ago.

“Nooo.” As for how much no, Catter pressed one (still-gloved) finger to her lips.  “But anytime you wanna fanperson, we can do that.  Like you’re part of the team now and I want you to feel welcome and I’ve got that limited edition gravure with the Lilith buttshot.  The one where.  You know.  You can see.”

Tyreen and her brother both nodded, though Tyreen could only imagine what was on display.  If she’d had a human appetite, this might have been detrimental to it.

[Catter actually exists as an explanation for why the twins were managed to run around without covering their markings for APPARENT YEARS.  She is not a criticism of any Siren OC.  I love and feed Siren OCs ficlets.]

[engineeredfiction]

Solace Among the Stars Ch. 2 “Manifest Destiny

Rating: PG-13

What: Crossover fanfiction comprising of themes and elements from: The Expanse, Blade Runner, Prospect(2018)

Characters: All original characters except for Ezra and Murtry. OC are based on actors I like such as Tobias Menzies (Greer) and Adele Haenel (Allard).

Plot: A group of banned Earthers attempt to improve their life beyond their home system, but come up against a powerful enemy.

Mood board is here. You can also check out the ‘sol mood’ tag

And if you would like to listen to music to put you in the mood then check out the playlist. I’ll be adding to it as time goes on.

Special thanks: @tom-riddleston-me and @yourpalmoony for being beta readers! I appreciate the time and effort!

NOTE: The format is a bit off, I will fix that later, I just don’t have the patience now. But if anyone knows how I can preserve formatting from google docs to a tumblr post please let me know!

More Notes: We finally meet Ezra! Well he’s awake and talking in this one.

Chapter 1 ‘The Stranger’

The lift sped up to the ninth level of Arcadia carrying Greer and his mysterious escort. A metallic ding signalled their stop, and the lift doors opened to a sprawling view of two nearby moons through floor-to-ceiling windows. The moon Helada, ammonia ice streaked the blue rock, and in the distance was Bosque, or colloquially known as ‘The Green’, due to its poisonous green atmosphere and lush forests. The gas giant Bakhroma was off in the distance behind the moon.

   “This way,” the escort called motioning for Greer to follow him through the door behind the receptionist’s desk. 

   Greer pulled away from the view and glimpsed at the receptionist. There was an unnatural glow behind the young man’s eyes; he wasn’t human, but a replicant. Replicants always caught Greer off guard due to their ability to blend in with humans. He always thought their short lifespan was a necessary reassurance. 

   The hallway behind the door led to an expansive room with a flurry of activity. Desks were occupied with relaxed chattering people in well-tailored clothing. A young woman paraded around the office floor in a skintight latex unitard with a tray of hors d'oeuvres. Greer spotted a bowl of black caviar on her tray. More food and bottles of wine were brought in by caterers.

   “Is there a party?” asked Greer.

   His escort gave him a sideways glance, “A celebration.”

   “Celebrating what?”

   His question was ignored. The escort pressed a bell by a door near the back. After a few seconds the door slid open to reveal Wallis’ secretary.

   “He’s been expecting you,” he cooly stated, “follow me.”

   Greer followed the secretary while the escort disappeared behind him. The office was large, smokey, and dark except for low gold lighting around the perimeter of the room and the light coming from the expansive windows behind his desk. Wallis was surrounded by a few members of Terra Corp’s managing staff, each carrying full-to-the-brim champagne glasses. A freshly-lit cigar dangled from Wallis’ mouth. He immediately turned to his new guest with a wide grin, gave Greer a once-over while he took a drag from his cigar, and strode across the black flooring to greet Greer. 

   “You must be Captain James Greer?” Wallis affirmed with an equally firm handshake. 

   “Yes.”

   “I’m Jaxtom Wallis. COO of Terra Corp.”

   “I know you who are.”

   Wallis took another puff of his cigar with a raised eyebrow and set it down on the desk.

   “Let me introduce you to some of the bigwigs of Terra Corp on this side of the galaxy,” he announced. He slapped a firm hand on Greer’s shoulder and guided him through the introductions, “This is Callista head of sales, Zarina head of engineering and sciences, and Dexton our lawyer, well one of many, and this brilliant man is Xavix. He’s the Director of Colonization for the United World Systems.”

   Pleasantries were exchanged and Wallis’s secretary handed Greer a half full glass of champagne.

   “What do you need to speak to me about?” Greer asked.

   “Straight to business? Take some time to admire my new cassowary! Here let me show you,” Wallis herded Greer with another firm hand on the shoulder. “I just got this beauty a few days ago.”

  The large mechanical bird turned its head towards the pair, two amber glowing eyes stared back at them. The beak opened and a tinny squawk forced its way out. It took a few steps ahead, stretched out the wings, and flapped a few times.

   “Isn’t it stunning?” inquired Wallis.

   “Wonderful,” Greer deadpanned. Greer furrowed his brow at the bird, “What is it again?”

   “A cassowary. The real ones on Earth are aggressive and can kill a person with its claws.”

“It adds comfort to the place.”

   “More of a touch of elegance I think,” Wallis either ignored or missed Greer’s dry sarcasm. “Listen,” he turned Greer back towards the staff and leaned into him, “We had a situation where a Terra Corp employee mistook one of your employees as a raider…pirate…marauder…and fired at them.”

   “She nearly died when the bullet tore her suit and exposed her to vacuum.”

“One I humbly apologise for.”

“And lost a hand.”

“I heard she had a limb regrowth procedure?”

“She did.”

“Well she’s good as new if not better! You see this mishap between her and one of my men has weighed heavily on me. I would like to make it up to you and your crew.” Wallis pushed a button on his desk and the hologram of a four planet system appeared. He continued, “Have you heard of the Basilicus System?”

“In passing.”

“The UWS has been in the Basilicus System for the past seventy years and has just announced that it is ready for colonization. Terra Corp has been given the first permit to begin working the grounds of Basilicus!”

Greer read the eagerly waiting faces of the staff, “And?”

“Terra Corp is a bit under financial strain-”

“I couldn’t tell,” Greer recalled his early sight of the celebration outside. 

Wallis chuckled sheepishly and continued, “we just can’t take a whole fleet out that far without getting a lay of the lands and resource samples and showing those refined resources to our board and investors.”

“How far out?”

Xavix butted in, “Two parsecs from Arcadia. Sixty three years each way if you go there straight from here. Sixty years if you go back through The Ring Network. ”

“A hundred twenty-six years!” Greer choked.

“But we can reduce that to fifty seven years both ways if we give you a new state-of-the-art ship,” Wallis persuaded.

“For a twelve year difference, we are not giving up the Sleipnir.”

Wallis picked up the champagne glass and balanced it between his fingers. He studied Greer’s face for a few seconds. Wallis teased, “There are five million credits on the table for this mission. Five million credits for each crew member. Imagine what you could do with five million credits. You could buy a penthouse on Mars, or Titan, or a house with acres of land on the lush green planets of Andromeda or Rhea with more than enough left over for the end of your days; buy fine things for your wife…or husband! Maybe for your future children? And out of this you get a new space transportation system, which includes the new model of suspended animation pods, Generation Nine nuclear pulse engine, and other luxuries for a long trip…”

Greer swallowed the rest of his champagne, “I need to discuss this with my crew and see what they say.”

“Of course. But we need an answer tomorrow. Time is ticking and we are eager to get this to work for the long term goal of Terra Corp.”

“What’s the long term goal? “Expansion. On Earth 19th century Americans believed in Manifest Destiny. The virtue, mission, and destiny of the United States was to spread its way of life across the country. We aim to do the same for the betterment of our people…of all people. We still have the desire; the need; the want to explore and go further than ever before. And Basilicus has four planets, and their moons, with an abundance of wealth waiting to be plucked from its virgin lands.”

A lump grew in Greer’s throat, “I’ll talk to them.”

“Persuade them.”

Xavix stepped forward, “Do any of them have mining or harvesting experience?”

“No,” Greer responded.

“I can add one of my employees to your crew. I’ll see to it personally you’ll get the best and provide training for you and your crew. Paid by me.”

“And what exactly will we be doing-”

“-I’m afraid I can’t tell you any more until you and your crew agree to the mission.”

The staff appeared to salviate as they silently waited for Greer’s answer, their fingers wrapped tightly around the stem of the champagne glasses. Their breaths trapped in their lungs and lips pursed.

“If the answer is yes,” Wallis asserted,, “bring your crew tomorrow morning.” 

****************************************************

“How long?” Murtry inquired as he crossed his arms. 

“Fifty-seven to sixty-three years. So a total of a hundred fourteen to hundred twenty six Earth years. Plus however long it takes us to get these ‘resources’,” Greer replied.

A collective groan came from the crew.

“We’re already twenty years out from when most of us left Earth,” Keane stated. She jolted out of her chair in the mess room of their ship, Sleipnir, to the cabinet that stored the libations.

“What’s adding a hundred to it?” Allard sighed, “Perhaps they’ve already forgotten about us on Earth and we can go back?”

“Not likely with the UN in charge. They keep permanent records,” Murtry interjected. “I may not be able to go back to Earth, but I don’t plan on being a star sailor for the rest of my life.”

“Born and bred ground pounder?” Greer asked Murtry as he followed Keane to grab glasses and she pulled out the whiskey.

“Exactly! I would like to settle on some bountiful rock, and five million credits will get that for me.”

“Five million credits from a corporation that has built its empire on blood and exploitation? All they ever were fines, freeze orders, and strikes, ” Keane complained. 

“Why not? They’ll be out of twenty million dollars with us on board!” Murtry retorted.

“But what did the UWS find out there that’s worthy of investing twenty million dollars, a pulse engine ship, and then the time it’ll take to get there and back? Must be something highly valuable.”

“And we would have to have one of their employees with us,” Allard added.

“I’m not comfortable with that and I want our own AI installed on the ship. If we’re going,” Keane insisted. 

“I agree, I don’t want one of their employees with us,” Greer moved to the table with three glasses of whiskey for each and sat beside Murtry leaving Keane the only one standing sipping the liquor.

Murtry gulped down the whiskey, “So what we do? Hire a floater? Unsavoury characters.”

“Kettle calling the pot,” Allard hummed.

“It’s pot calling the kettle.”

“Are you sure?”

The three nodded their heads towards Allard.

“It may seem strange to hear this from me, but Terra Corp is a double-edge sword. They’re a necessary evil. I know evil, I’m well acquainted with it. I’m slowly coming around from what I’ve done. And…I…it’s been more than twenty years since I’ve last set foot on Earth. The people I care about are either dead, dying, or don’t want to talk to me anymore. Or a combination of the latter. So why not travel the parsecs to the farthest reaches humans have gone and see worlds that haven’t been seen in person?” Murtry reasoned.

Keane stared at her boots; the soles were worn and on the edge of tearing, the original laces snapped ages ago and replaced with new ones.  

“What do you think?” Greer asked Keane. “Are you in?”

Keane clenched her jaw before looking up at him, “Let me sleep on it.”

“That’s okay. We can finish discussing this over breakfast and a plan on recruiting a fifth.”

Allard finished her whiskey. “You know what they want us to get?”

“Wallis wouldn’t tell me until we accepted the offer.”

“That’s dubious and not surprising,” Keane stated. She looked down at her boots again and thought how nice it would be to have a new pair that weren’t bought with tainted credits.

Trees, dirt, sand, metal, and blood, all at once. The sun was warm and the wind gentle. Keane tried to convinced herself  the desert in the middle of mountains was a dream and not an actual experience.

******************************************************************************

She was up first, waiting by the entrance of the docking arm to their ship. Her arms were wrapped around her trying to stay warm despite having a wool jumper on. Murtry greeted her with a cursory glance.

“I don’t want a ten minute story in a five minute bag. Too early and no coffee for that shit. Are you onboard for this? Honestly,” Murtry yawned and propped himself up on the wall.

She looked down at her worn boots, “It’s money. Which we all need,” 

“Yes.”

She shrugged, “It’ll be exciting to go to a new star system. One of the first to really see these planets and get into their dirt.”

“You should have been a scientist.”

“I was an engineer.”

Murtry lowered his tone, “Soon enough people will accept your kind and you won’t have to hide.”

Keane gave a shy smile, “You mean that?”

“I may have the face of an arsehole, the walk of an arsehole, and sound like an arsehole,” they both chuckled, “but I am sincere in what I’ve said. If it wasn’t for your…modification you would have died on that rock.”

Keane’s breath deepened. “I’m still human,” she smiled and part of her fringe fell over her face.

Without thinking, Murtry gently swept the ginger hairs aside, “Of course.”

The sound of footsteps approached. 

“Waffles! Pancakes! Sausage! Mimosas!” Allard cheered as she made her way through the docking arm. Greer dragged feet behind her, he pulled a polar over his head .

“No alcohol,” yawned Greer as he tried to smooth down his short brown hair.

“How are you so cheerful every morning?” groaned Murtry as he turned away headed for the mess halls.

Allard ran to meet Murtry’s pace, “Because each time I wake up, I’m so happy to be alive. Arrête d’être grincheux!” 

Smörgåsbord dining hall was quiet this early phase, or morning as ground pounders called it. A few tables were occupied but the chatter was low and infrequent. Kitchen workers filled the buffet with an assortment of breakfast foods. Allard swiped her credit card first and dashed to the buffet without waiting for the rest of the crew.

“The coffee smells so delightful!” Murtry moaned out in near ecstasy. 

Keane paced in front of him and smiled in agreement. She eyed the coffee station with hungry eyes and was thinking about a large cup of black coffee, but a patron caught her attention. It was the man who was in the bed beside her hyperbaric chamber. His new arm was completed and he was massaging it softly.

Good for him, she thought. His face wasn’t shaven, clothing showed their age, and dirt clung to his boots. He must be a floater, an unusually attractive floater. She looked behind to get another glance and their eyes met. I’ve seen him somewhere before. Before the incident. Keane snapped her head around and poured her first cup of coffee.

Allard placed her plate down a few tables over from the man by the wall. Her mouth was already full with food when Keane set down a cup of coffee for Allard.

“Je t’adore!” Blow kisses were exchanged.

Food was being shovelled into mouths and condiments were passed around. “I’m in,” Keane traced a flower in the maple syrup on the plate in front of her.

Greer patted her back, “Good, good. I’m glad you decided to stick with us.”

“Someone has to save your asses. Arses.” They shared a laugh. Keane continued in a whisper, “Who knows, maybe Terra Corp will go under by the time we get back?”

“Cheers to that,” Murtry raised his mug, “so, what are we going to do about finding a harvester?”

The man’s ears perked up and looked over at their table, Keane caught his movement in her peripheral. 

“Suppose we’ll go down to the docks and see if there’s any contractors or floaters. Plenty of decent Belters,” Greer thought out loud.

“There’s a job agency here yes?” Allard asked as she leaned back with her cup of coffee.

“Yeah. I suppose that would be the first place. We can’t just get anyone. We need someone trustworthy who’s not going to murder. Someone who can do the job…whatever it is exactly. And…not murder us and or steal from us,” Greer trailed off. 

“You’re really worried about someone murdering us?”, Keane laughed, “I guess we have to vet them first.”

“I can get a background check on someone quickly,” Greer reasoned.

“No, no. I know what you mean. But if we are required to hire this harvester, then at least we go the contractor route. Anyone who won’t sign a contract can’t be trusted.”

“Right,” Murtry agreed, “it’s why we avoid the floaters. Possibly avoid Belters, they-”

“-Why won’t those people do contracts anyways? The floaters I mean,” Keane wondered. 

“I think it has something to do with the legal fees. And maybe principles,” Murtry rolled his eyes.   

“It’s mainly the legal fees,” a voice boomed to the group. In unison the crew turned towards the man who approached them with a stride of confidence that cut the air he moved through. 

“Legal fees shouldn’t scare anyone in need of work.”

“Well some folks are in rough situations that don’t allow them the comfort of throwing credits to lawyers,” the man’s voice was accented with a drawl, “and so they turn to the honour of word and hard work.”

“So we just rely on the word on some floater to uphold their end of the bargain?”

“What’s a contract going to do for you out in The Empty when you’re faced with someone stronger than you?”

Murtry glared at him.

“Clearly you have an interest,” Greer chided, “since you’ve listened to our conversation.”

“My apologies, but I do good sir,” the man claimed. He sat down at the table next to Greer, “I’m Ezra.” He extended his arm towards Greer.

Hesitantly, Greer accepted the handshake, “I’m Greer. These here are Allard, Keane, and Murtry.”

“Surname basis I see.”

“It’s standard. What’s yours?”

“That’s a tale and a half,” Ezra advised as Murtry rolled his eyes, “but I go by my mother’s name Reyes.”

“Ezra Reyes?” questioned Keane.

“It’s a strange combination for sure. My mother and father came from two very different backgrounds, but fell in love regardless.”

“So what can you offer us?” Greer returned to the point of this meeting.

“I am a floater, yes, but I may have the skills you desire for this fifth wheel.” 

Greer looked over Ezra’s shoulders as more people filtered into the dining hall. “How long have you been doing what you’ve been doing? What do you do?”

Ezra took in a breath. “I have been harvesting all over the inhabited systems since I was a spry teenager. Plants, gems, a variety of metals and foul smelling liquids to keep structures like Arcadia spinning and our ships flying. And I am willing to sign a contract.”

“You are?” Murtry blurted.

“I am. I am a man of my word. Now what is that you’ll have me do and where are we going?”

The group collective drew a breath and it was Greer who spoke, “We are going somewhere far to harvest samples of some material.” Greer carefully described.

“Well that is nebulous.”

“It’s for Terra Corp.”

Ezra gave pause upon Terra Corp being mentioned. “I suppose I am sitting in front of some well-accomplished team to have caught the eyes of one of the most powerful companies in the occupied Universe.”

“It’s basically an adventure of a lifetime and good money,” Keane cracked her neck.

“Yeah and far away to the outer edges of the travelled galaxy,” Murtry huffed.

Ezra’s curiosity peaked, “How far is the travel and how much are they offering?” He was met with apprehensive glances, “It’s a large sum of money?”

Greer ran a hand through his hair. “Two parsecs away and payment is in the millions.”

Ezra’s eyes widened, “Oh. I’ll be honest that caught me off guard,” he gave a weary smile, “My math isn’t the greatest, but I do believe that’s over a century of travel is it not?”

Keane finished her coffee, “Correct. A hundred and-”

“-twenty six years,” the crew said in unison. 

“That’s an awfully long time. What do your loved ones say?” Ezra said as he flexed his new right arm and shook it a few times. 

The crew found themselves in another round of meaningful silence which Keane broke, “we don’t have anyone but ourselves. We’re loners, we’re rebels.” She smiled to lighten the mood and Ezra smiled back.

“I like you,” he pointed at her. “I find that hard to believe that not one person in this part of the galaxy wants to be around any of you, except for this curmudgeon,” he nodded towards Murtry. 

“Like I said, we’re rebels.”

“And what are you rebelling against?”

Keane sighed and gathered her thoughts for a second, she looked to her crew but none of them were interested in talking to a stranger about where they were from and why they were out this far from home. “Join us and maybe we’ll tell you.”

Murtry scrunched his eyes closed, Allard nudged Keane with a flirtatious smile, and Greer couldn’t help but grin.

“I have been known to go great lengths for a good story, but I will admit a century of travel is intimidating.”

“You’re willing to spend that century with strangers? You don’t have anyone?”

“No I don’t,” Ezra lied, “I’m a floater. For now.”

Greer looked Ezra over, “We’re meeting with Terra soon. You have more presentable clothing?”

“Why yes I do own interview clothes,” joked Ezra.

Tag list. If you do not want to be on this please message me. I have tagged people who requested it and those who I think may be interested.

@opheliaelysia @a-carnie-and-a-cop @1-800-fandomtrashqueen @tarrevizslas  @dindjarindiaries @pedropascalisadilf @pedropascalito @maiden-of-asgard @rzrcrst @lizanotfromaroundhere @aint-that-a-mcfreakin-bitch @spacegayofficial @opheliaelysia

[llamamicrowave]

My Big Family on AO3

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25871098/chapters/62862025

Summary:

Jojo sibling AU Stands still exits. Jonathan has a slightly stronger version of hermit purple. And to compensate for such a weak stand he and Joseph learned Hamon. Johnny and Gappy are their cousins who live in America. Ships in tags

Notes:

Pure cringe. Beware..

Chapter 1

School Sux PT.1Chapter Text

Ships (Minor but exist)

-JonaErina (The only important one)

-Joseph x Suzi Q x Ceaser (Leave me alone)

-JotaKak

-Very minor GioTrish

-Jolyne x Ermes

-GyJo

Jonathan POV

Hi! My name is Jonathan Joestar! A little about my self? Well, I'm 26, I have 4 younger siblings that I take care of since my father is always working. But it's fine I love taking care of them! I have a girlfriend, her name is Erina Pendleton and I'm planning to propose to her soon! Please don't tell her that, or any of my bothers, I don't want them to roast me for being a softy again.

Even though I am the oldest I can't be there some times, so when I'm not there my brother Joseph is in charge. But Joseph sometimes can be... How can I say this without sounding rude? Stupid? Immature? Idiotic? Well, yes to all of those.

Since Joseph can be a bit dumb at times, dad gives responsibly to Jotaro. He's pretty chill but sometimes can come off as rude. It's all a fake though, he loves marine life (especially dolphins lol) and when he was ten he told me he wanted to be a Marine Biologist! So in short, he's a dork.

Then there's Josuke and Jolyne the twins. There the youngest in the family. Josuke is the oldest by a few minutes. He's a goofball but can be serious if needed. Like if someone insults his hair he could go as some might say, Apeshit.

Jolyne, our only sister. Her personality is much like Jotaro. She just says whatever she wants, whenever she wants. I can't really say much about her since I'm being blackmailed by her and Jotaro. They're so alike it's scary.

I know I said I only had 4 siblings but there's another I didn't mention. 3 years before Joseph was born my father adopted a "friend" of his's son, Dio Brando. Dio was, excuse my language, a dick ever since we were kids. He ran over my dog Danny with one of his "friends" cars. As soon as Dio turned 18 he moved to Italy to become a lawyer. But that wasn't the last time I saw him.

While in Italy Dio, had a child with a woman he didn't even know. That woman neglected her son and allowed her husband to abuse him.

"She would leave days at a time and leave little food for him." I looked at the toddler sleeping in his arms, he had black hair and a cute bowl cut. "He's only a kid, he can't survive like that," Dio said to me.

"..."

"I can't let him have the same childhood as me." he looked dead into my eyes. I finally understood where he was coming from torturing me all these years.

"..." I stayed quiet.

"But I'm not taking care of this kid."

And now he lives with us! His name is Giorno Giovanna-Brando-Joestar. He is only a year younger then Josuke and Jolnye. And that's my family!

And remember when I said my dad works a lot, that was a lie...

He died on Jotaro's 11th birthday. He and my stepmother were hit by a drunk driver. Jotaro blames himself for the crash. It's not his fault though, he had no control over it. He was only a kid. I'm sorry to drop this on you now but with my father's death made me like a father figure to them. Dad would be proud.

Ages,

Jonathan- 26

Johnny- 22

Joseph- 20

Jo2uke- 19

Jotaro- 17

Josuke- 16

Jolyne- 16

Giorno- 15

Narrator POV

Jonathan woke up first as normal and recapped his schedule,

Ok, so I have to make breakfast, Make sure they're ready for school, go to work, and meet up with Erina, and? What else do I have to do? ...Oh yeah! Take away Joseph's phone for getting arrested yesterday! Next time he should, you know, not try and run over his WHEELCHAIR BOND COUSIN! Goodness, I got angry again, sorry about that.

Jonathan arose from his bed and began his morning routine. He showered, washed his face, brushed his teeth, and got ready for the day.

He then started to make breakfast for his big family.

Joseph likes bacon with coffee.

Jotaro likes toast with coffee.

Josuke likes eggs with juice.

Jolyne likes yogurt with coffee.

And Giorno likes vegan pancakes with tea.

Oh yeah, Johnny, and Gappy and/or Jo2uke are staying with us! I wonder what they want? I'll just make them eggs.

A door opens from upstairs. Giorno walks out from his room to the bathroom to get ready for school. He liked waking up before the rest of his family.

When Giorno was done getting ready he walked down the stairs, and greeted Jonathan as he sat down.

"Good Morning, Jonathan."

"Good Morning! Did you sleep well?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah, I think s-" He was cut off by a door slamming shut. Very loudly.

"Must be Jotaro. Jolyne must have gotten in the bathroom first." Giorno commented.

Jonathan laughed. "I guess so."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Good Morning, retards!" Jolyne came prancing down the stairs.

"Jolyne, that isn't nice," Jonathan said sternly.

"You're right, Joseph isn't here right now." she sat down. Jonathan sighed. saying nothing back to her, defeated.

"Where is Joseph anyway?" Giorno asks.

Jonathan scoffs, "I told him to be awake at 6:00 sharp."

"Why 6:00?" Jolyne asked

"That's his punishment for trying to run over Johnny yesterday."

"Ohh yeah! I remember now!"

"Your next line will be, 'The things he'll do for 20 bucks,'!" a voice from inside the pantry spoke.

"The things he'll do for 20 bucks- JOSEPH!" Jolyne yelled.

Joseph popped out of the pantry fully dressed and looking proud.

"I've been up since 4 am!" he said proudly.

"Did you have another nightmare?" Jotaro said sarcastically walking down the stairs.

"Yes actually, Ocean Man!"

"What did you say?" Jotaro asked sternly. Even though Joseph was 3 years older than him they were about the same size.

"He called you, OCEAN. MAN! O-C-E-A-N M-A-N!" Josuke called from the upstairs bathroom.

"Fuck off." Jotaro sat down. "Langage, Jotaro!" Jonathan told him.

"Joot, you seem more pissy than usual, are you on your period?" Jolyne asked smugly.

"Jolyne, I'm not in a good mood and I want you to know I will not hesitate to choke you out and then feed it to your simp."

"Anasui is not a simp!" Jolyne defended.

"Funny, how you knew who I was talking about without saying his name."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Have fun at school!" Jonathan yelled at his younger siblings.

"Yeah, fun and school don't mix well," Jolyne yelled back.

Joseph usually carpools with Ceasar and Smokey. Jotaro drives him and his friends to school with Jonathan's car. (Jonathan drives there dads car to work). Jolyne caught a ride with her girlfriend Ermes. Josuke walked with his friends Okuyasu and Koichi. And Giorno either walked by himself or ride with his older friend Bruno, today he was alone with his thoughts.

Joseph POV

"Ugh, collage sucks!" I groaned. "Suck it up buttercup It's only the beginning of the year," Ceasar said, reading a book.

Asshole.

We were in the library supposed to be studying but I got a bit distracted. See Suzi Q was also in the library, by herself. Nobody around her, the perfect opportunity to ask her out, but this blonde bubble-blowing bitc-

"Stop staring at Suzi, it's starting to get creeping now," Ceasar said still looking at the book.

"And why should I?"

"1. We should be studying, and 2. Your so small no girl wants to date you." that asshole wrote something in his notebook.

I. Was. Annoyed to say the least. I mean it's true, BUT YOU DON'T SAY IT! So I did the only rational thing, put him in a headlock.

Good thing the library was empty except for a couple of people who were used to our bullshit by now.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU BUFFOON!?" Ceasar said, or at least tried too.

Ha, get rekt, bitch.

Jotaro POV

"Ugh, I hate school."

"Can you stop being edgy for 5 seconds?" Polnareff asked.

Dick,

"Can you guys stop arguing and actually help!" Avdol said while he was doing the science assignment, I don't know why. Fucken dork.

"Kakyoin is literally sleeping!" Polnareff wined.

"Kakyoin has had a long day."

"Yeah... what are we talking about?"

"So, sleeping beauty is finally up," I say.

"I know you meant that as an insult but I'm taking it as a compliment, Aurora was fabulous!" Kak laughed like the maniacal little gay shit he is.

"Aww, you guys are so cute!"

"Polnareff focus on the experiment!-" the test tube cut him off, by exploding.

"..."

"Finally something exciting," I said because it was fucking epic.

"I mean this would not have happened Joot and Kak weren't flirting with each other."

"Wtf."

Josuke POV

"Math is hardddddd."

"It's not that hard, Oku."

"Bullshit."

"Okuyasu, you should probably pay attention to my lesson instead of complaining." our math and gym/Hamon teacher Lisa-Lisa said to my friend Okuyasu, and trust me no one wants to get on her bad side, the last person to do that was Joseph, he still has nightmares, and he graduated.

"Yes, Josuke?"

"Is this going to be on the test?" I ask so I could know what to remember.

"Most of it will. But if you're asking me if you should listen in class or not, the answer is yes." it felt like she stared into my soul at that list part.

The bell rang

Lunch finally! Freedom at last!

"Your homework is to study for the quiz I'm giving you on an undisclosed date!"

Giorno POV

I walk over to bleachers outside of school where my friends (And Abbacchio) usually eat.

"Hey, guys." I quietly say. Right now there is only, Bruno, Abbacchio, Mista, and... Trish. Anyways as soon as Fugo and Narancia get here the peace will be ruined. Right now Bruno was talking to Mista and Trish about some party this Friday, and Abbacchio was on his phone with headphones on.

"Hello Giorno, how was your morning," Bruno asked.

"Eh, it was fine. Jolyne almost got ORAed."

"What else is new," Trish said drinking her mineral water. Wow shes really pretty, what?

"SUP BITCHES!" Narancia ran up to the bleachers with Fugo following behind him, sighing. Well, that was fun while it lasted.

[aliypop]

Amongst The Butterflies

Wordcount: 4,583

Character Count: 24,811

Warning: Murder

A/N: This is part 4 to Empatia I hope you guys enjoy it! 

"My wife can't find out anything about this.." a man who appeared to be in his '40s said covering the mouth of a young girl who seemed to be no younger than maybe 16 at most, it was a full moon in Baltimore a chilly wind blowing and a particular psychiatrist was on the prowl to hunt for his latest snack, nothing too heavy for palet just something that was easy to catch, but next to him in a tree was a distinctive woman, not too tall and not too short where she would miss her aim,

Drawing back her bow, she could already hear the torturous screams while she envisioned the ripper running after him like the suckling low life pig he was. While in her head, he was just another sinner to be crucified. Letting go of the arrow watching it soar had always made the hunter feel good as if they were playing god, but this time something was different,  "Run rabbit, run.." she mumbled under her breath aiming for the man's ankle. Without a moment due, their rabbit was, sure enough, running for his. Running from tree to tree the hunter, followed the lead of the ripper until they had him front and center where they wanted him to be.

"Please don't kill me, please don't kill me plea-" the gut-wrenching sound of the arrow being lodge between his temple and his skull seemed to have pleased the ripper enough to bring a smile on his face, one the hunter knew all too well. Taking the sedative out from her shoe, she lodged in his neck, giving him enough time to stay alive for the ripper to work his post mortem magic,

"Would you do me the honors?"  he pointed towards the body, watching the hunter evaluate with her grotesque tongue, " Go for the lungs, and leave him open, no stitching him up." She ran off, chasing the 16-year-old girl attaching sedative needles to her arrows. She knew something was off about this girl, from the way that she ran to the way her body language showed that this wasn't her first rodeo. Dropping a chloroform gas bomb in the area, the hunter vanished without any trace left hearing the snap of her neck, while the other body placed next to the young girl remained open, the hunter went to work sewing the teen's lips shut placing a butterfly over it.

"Doctor Lector..." Shanel said in a passive tone, walking towards her office, an ivory necklace around her neck, custom made byLector himself.

"Ms. Mahone," he nodded, watching her walk by in the designer suit he had picked out for, even though he trusted her to make her dissuasions. It was still keen to have a little doll around that he could dress into her image rather than his own, "May I offer you tea, coffee," her heel attached to the door.

" Perhaps during our session.." he smiled. Walking into his ever so bleak office space, library books at the top fireplace behind him, and the knocks of "Franklyn Froideveaux.. please come in." sitting where he always would the leather seat nearest to the window, Franklyn at the most had an obsession with Hannibal to the point that it drove him crazy,

"I hate being this neurotic." he sighed, placing his crumpled tissue on the table next to him, Hannibal, who had the look of disgust plastered on his face, tried to hide it quick enough.

"If you weren't neurotic, Franklyn, you'd be something much worse." he nodded. Watching the way he moved even annoyed him, it made him want to rip Franklyn apart tendon by nerves, to get him away from his office, but for now, obligations came first whether he liked them or not. Shanel, on the other hand, was faced with her favorite person. Big red curls blocked the view of her desk as the smell of whorish perfume wafted into the law firm, it was none other than the Tattler Fredrica Lounds, or Freddie for short, she wasn't one for ethic's which Shanel could excuse, but personal space, however, was a work in progress for the young girl.  

"I heard you were on the Hobbs case, her lawyer correct?" she smiled, sitting on the edge of the desk. Her caked-on making Shanel even laugh,

"Correct, but may I ask why you're here?" Shanel glared, covering up her cases.

"Got something to hide.." she smirked, trying to pry her nose into something else yet again. "If I had something to hide,

I wouldn't have it out in the open.,"  Shanel growled, as Freddie  saw a picture on the lawyer's desk,

"Your mother was aristocratic who later married a mobster, " leaning in closer towards Shanel, she placed a hand on her shoulder, " And gave birth to you a rape victim. How was that, by the way?" Freddie then jumped, hearing the collision of Shanels fist and the desk collide.  "Carl, can you show Ms. Lounds out before I do.." she looked at the intern catching her breath and counting her breathing,

"Everyone has something to hide Mahone," she shouted, Carl, slamming the door in her face as she sat there huffing, and puffing walking down, "She will pay for this.." sporadic curls leading her down the hall to exit. Shanel, who sat at the counter in their shared kitchen with Hannibal, was quiet than usual. "Something the matter," he asked, as she broke her concentration,

"It's that Lounds woman, she's rude and she thinks she knows every thin-" her phone dinged with a text from Will and a link to the latest issue of the Tattler, "If it's about me there will be no promises that I will be kind when I rip her LIMB FROM LIMB!" Hannibal sat down next to her, "I assure you it can't be so bad.." the pair both read the article tears welling in her eyes from sheer anger,  Shanel Mahone, a lawyer, a mob doll, the love toy," Hannibal readout chuckling at the caption,

"She doesn't know you as I do.."  his hand rubbing against hers, calming her down, her head snapped back at him as her eyes gave him the impression for 50 words for murder and she was every one of them, " How long has it been since you've had fava beans and a nice Chianti ? " she asked him watching his eyes glow in joy,

"Since the census taker tried to test me,"

"Wouldn't you like to have a nice meal out of Lounds.."

she whispered in his ear, " Her heart paired with a nice glass of chianti, "

"She would be more useful to us alive than dead... but her time will come, love," plating the dish of Fettucini Alfredo, though it wasn't lavish to him, it did tend to cause comfort to Shanel. Something that he cared much about ever since they had gotten a bit closer and fonder of each other, twirling the noodles with her fork and spoon she moved the pile to the right of her plate uninterested, "We do not play with our food.." he watched her poke at it some more,

"When you do it, however, it is a work of art.," she mumbled, looking away from him, Shanel wasn't one to take pity on liars, but she supposed that for Hannibal her hatred for Lounds would have to subside, for now, the night had only gotten dark and the moon more mysterious. Sitting in the round black marble tub was Shanel, her hair pinned up a glass of wine sitting beside the tub, with a beautiful view, "Must you tease.." she laughed watching the moon reflect in the calming water, watching him untie his tie slowly looking at himself in the mirror almost as if he were in love with himself,

"You almost look like when Narcissus discovered himself," she snickered,

" That makes you the nymph Echo," he turned to look at her. He then smirked, "Are.. you trying to flirt with me?" she asked him, eyes reverting down to look at the slow ripples caused by her fingers. If he were flirting, this would have gone against every wall she had put up against these such things. The three don'ts, don't date, don't fall in love and especially don't kiss back, but clearly, she'd already broken one of those rules, his hands rested on her shoulders as he took in her scent, roses with a hint of chocolate and a smokey desire.  "And if I were, how would you react.," he asked. Feeling a knot of stress on her shoulders massaging it out, he had been warning her lately to be less harsh on her body, but as always, she was very hardheaded.  

"I wouldn't know how to react.," Shanel responded, her lips on the wine glass, "Right there ... that spot has been troubling me.. could be my mattress or the Chiliton.. the other pain in my side." she shrugged, soft lips leaving gentle traces on her back.  Causing her to shiver as she felt more at ease, her guard wall slowly melting away feeling, his hands rub down her arms, collecting the access soap around her fingertips. She looked up at him eyelids fluttering, shut, as she began leaning into his embrace,  into a kiss, the taste of wine swirled onto his tongue like the taste of blood on hers.

"We can't.. we shouldn't I.." she fell back into the grasp of his lips. She did it, broke rule number three, one more strike, and she could never turn back.  

"The original story of Pandora's Box reminds all of man to look into their own, to find the spirit of hope that still shines," he said, handing her a towel.

"As a moral, we can find happiness even during the darkest of times, provided that we look back into the box."  

"What are you getting at .."

"Perhaps i'm your pandora's box," he kissed her hand, watching her march off into his bedroom where she proceeded to get dressed. " We are partners I help with the legal papers, and you tamper with their psychic, there's nothing else between us... " she got in the covers of their now shared bed,

"I do believe you're wrong," he held up a pillow, "Though you hide your emotions very well around others, you're quite messy with them around me... why is that Shanel. Taking the blanket and pillow from him, she shook her head in the way he chose to open the can of worms which was the topic of emotions,

"Well," she sighed, getting closer towards him between the covers "As a child growing up, I was silent and reserved. The perfect child, who never wanted anything and therefore got sent away to boarding school when mommy just wanted a normal LIFE!" she ripped the pillow in half.

"Breathe." he removed what was left, "It's a touchy subject I just wanted .."  

"To make your mother proud of you.." he nodded,

"Have you ever had someone that you wanted to make them so proud of that you'd give your life up to make them understand-"

"That everything I do is for you.." he finished her sentence, Hannibal knew how she felt all too well, especially when it came to sister Mischa, who he loved dearly. He had been in Shanel's shoe's all too many times, he knew what pain was, but he also knew how to hide and be numb to it. Like a monster in a very well-tailored person suit. They hadn't uttered a word at each other just a few conversations with their eyes, and head nods something that they had been doing since they first met. Morning rolled around and, as usual, Shanel had already left out for work. There was a breeze a bit of sun and Jack Crawford sitting in her office chair nearly fuming it seemed.

"Ms. Mahone.." he looked at her, his glare was a look that could kill millions, "You wanna tell me what this is about?" he asked holding the issue of the Tattler in hand.  She rolled her eyes getting him a cup of coffee,

"Is this what you came to my office for?" she slammed the cup on the table agitated at only 8 am, "I'll be asking the questions here," he growled, Jack had the temper of a needle if you pushed him over ever so slightly he'd blow his fuse and be ready to fight god if he came knocking at his door.

"Do you or don't you have ties to the mob," "I have the right to remain silent." she smiled, handing her finished files to one of her interns to file for her,

"That didn't answer my question.." he began gritting his teeth.

"I'm not invading any taxes and cleary you like my work you keep coming back.." she rolled her eyes, handing him the finished decree for Abigal Hobbs.

" I suppose you're going to want to find your next copy cat killer the info's on page three,"  she smirked. Her phone yet again vibrating. "Seems I'll be going your way.." she mumbled, taking her keys from off her desk as Crawford only grew wearier of her. Everyone was a suspect at this point after all, and he was swaying his options. The ride down to the forest was soothing something, that she'd always loved was the beauty of nature. Her mind kept wandering to the night of the crime, the way the victim's faces looked, and how they were after the three days of decay.  

FBI was scattered everywhere on the scene of the crime, cop cars parked, and the two bodies becoming a new color. The foul stench went past everyone's nose, but what they had seen didn't go beyond their eyes. Standing over the bodies were Will Graham, who had his eyes closed envisioning the scene.  

"I follow Howard back to his house.." he said, walking towards the two-story house, "I make sure not to leave any traces of footprints .." he began walking on his toes hiding behind a bush, "he leaves with his next of prey, " picking up a rock as he threw it towards a tree causing them to get distracted, "When the times right I run," the sound of his feet leaving the ground was barely even heard going miles per minute as he soon climbed into a tree,

" I take my bow and arrow I puncture his Achilles tendon."  he smirked, "I then find the girl I  lodge an arrow right between the artery, with a sedative." he sat there watching them die as he placed the butterfly on her lips, "This is my design."

"How'd they do it this time champ," Beverly asked, standing next to Will, "A bit of hunting," he looked at her,

"Seems our killer has a type.." Jack sighed, walking up towards him, Shanel and Hannibal by both sides, Shanel smirked, handing Will over his criminal record, "And what would that be sir," Beverly asked, watching Shanel and Hannibal's reaction.

"Seems your copycat has access to criminal records.." Hannibal suggested taking a glance at Shanel who held the file, "This is the original copy of his records, he was a high school teacher who was.."

"A pedophile... I know." Jack glared at Shanel and her eagerness to help on the case which never used to bother him before, but it was the fact that she had been so pristine and detail-oriented that it scared him,

"As well as a trafficker, there's no telling what his wife doesn't know," Beverly responded looking, over his record. "Maybe this copycat is a vigilante."  she shrugged,

"Batman is a vigilante.. but this.. this is a vendetta a..a sign. His cry for payback." he looked at both Hannibal and Shanel, he knew in some sense that they understood him he never questioned why but the secret would come out one day,  Shanel looked at her watch then at Hannibal,

"I have to get going,"  running towards her car, as she heard the sound of a camera flashing she knew that it had to be nobody else but Lounds. Looking directly towards the clicks, Freddie seized the camera a shiver down her back as her memory went blank. " You didn't have to do that.." she mumbled under her breath, getting inside her car.  " It's getting rather dull eating Alfredo." Hannibal smiled, closing the door for her.  

She smirked, "I agree, your, sauce is a bit dry." pulling out and leaving him there to pout like usual. Walking back into her office she could sense chaos, mostly because Carl jammed the printer, and to top it off one of Hannibal's clients walked into the wrong room,

"You must be Franklyn Doctor Lector should be down the hall..at any moment." she winked at him.

"I just really needed to see him, I got so much in a hurry that I must have panicked, " he said in one breath, being handed a cup of tea. Watching him take a sip from it made the realization as to why Hannibal would come home from sessions with him and want to blow his brains out, Franklyn hadn't shut up about his prestigious crush on Hannibal and how it upset him so that he had to pay to see him, it made her sick and green with envy hearing the way he described him as if he were a god when in fact he was more than just that,

"And then there's Tobias." he blushed.

"Do you like him?" she asked out of curiosity.

"We're best friends."  he looked at his watch, seeing that he practically missed his appointment. It had been a much longer day in the office then what she had anticipated. Hearing the clock tick-tock back and forth nearly drove her insane as her phone began to ring, the sound of a concerned Hannibal on the other line. She had completely forgotten about the sheer fact that he had gotten tickets to the opera, he figured that since he heard sing a little that she'd enjoy it.  "Go on without me." she smiled, phone to her ear as lose hairs came out of her ponytail.

"Are you positive about this?" he asked her, hearing a bit of trouble in her voice.

"I'm sure, trust me .. though be weary trouble lurks." she hung up the call, hearing footsteps come behind her taking, a pen and lodging it in the neck of the unfortunate soul, hearing it stab through the skin as veins and blood gushed around the ballpoint pen.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, hearing her breathe hard.

"On a second note,  I think I'll join you." walking towards the bathroom as she changed into a dark sparkling blue gown and heels to match walking out of her office as she felt something tug her arm, "I'll see you downstairs." she took her razor blade from out her pin curled bun slicing his hand off of her using her nails to gauge his eyeballs out while never spilling any blood on herself, Hannibal waited outside listening to his soothing classical music trying to find the missing piece for something he had been working on with his harpsichord, whenever he did he thought of Shanel sometimes falling deeper into her pool of love and other times how deep her throat was to cut,  

Coming towards him like a dream was Shanel, a dark blue dress matching his tux. He had never been, so breath taken before until he saw her an angel.  Shanel tucked a loose hair behind her hair, sapphire earrings dangling from her ear lobes the sight of her in that very moment made him go completely weak. "Well, don't you look appetizing ." Shanel blushed taking his hand as he ushered her inside the car, "I could say the same for you." she looked at him, his hair slicked back the way she had liked for a gentleman's hair to be when in a tux, he looked like what she daydreamed him to look like,

"First time I've seen you in something that isn't your usual suit." he laughed, closing her door for her driving off. "First time I've seen you in a tux.." she smirked, staring out the window watching the stars pass by in the night sky, reminding her of the things she never did in her childhood like camping or star gazing unless she was with her mother and Milo who at the time was very important of her. He stood as the father figure she had only wish to have. The opera house had been carrying a full house of guests as both Shanel and Hannibal looked at each other. The pair had both seen people that they knew and detested, but when in doubt, personal appearances came first holding onto Hannibal's hand to complete him,  walking through the crowd of his dinner options and her next masterpiece he could smell the rudeness almost radiating off of the big names in the room,  

" Doctor Lector."  a familiar looking lady practically wrapped herself around him.

"Mrs. Walter.." he tried to remove her from his being,  "When are you throwing another dinner, you know I just love the way you cook, it such art!" she squealed a bit pre-show drunk. As she leaned in closer to Hannibal, coming from behind her was Shanel, who looked as prideful as a lion ready to bite her meal.

"Hanni, my love shows going to start." she took him by the hand, giving him a wink.

"Hanni?" the other woman said falling off his arm like a slug to salt, she had seemed so surprised that a woman like her pulled off the definition of a man like Hannibal.

"My Fiance."  he smiled, pulling her close to his side, hearing a short gasp come from her mouth.

"Your Fiance.." Mrs. Walter had looked shocked incredibly broken even, hearing him say that "Pleasure to meet you.." she said almost in a jealous rage. Shanel, who had the grace of her mother, extended her hand out, the one with a ring her mother had given her.

" Shanel Mahone, charmed, you know as Hannibal, and I always say we'd love to have you for dinner.."  she then smirked at Hannibal getting an ingenious idea to embarrass him. Besides she had no idea, he would call her his soon to be bride most men usually went for fake girlfriends in that type of situation, " My darling ." he took her by the hand as they began walking off,

"My Hannikins just loves his opera." she winked, watching him crumble inside from the pet name, "You're welcome by the way.."  she whispered to him a bit upset as to how he didn't act like he appreciated what she had just done for him, "You'll get your thanks soon my dove," he kissed her forehead smelling the pure stench of jealousy radiating off her,  

Sitting down in their seats, Shanel couldn't help but think of the way the music made her feel. The melody of the song always reminded her of herself full of suspense and deadly, but she knew surely things were changing for her, and maybe it was time for it.  Hannibal who like Shanel had too enjoyed the melody until he looked over and saw Franklyn, the man who would stalk Hannibal to the ends of the earth, Shanel felt him stiffing up beside him as she then looked over and saw him,

The other man who they both presumed to be Tobias was also staring, but this time only at Hannibal, looking at each other as the two then, sighed.  "He's staring again," she whispered to him, "I know.. I can feel his wandering eyes from here." he then looked at Shanel, placing her hand inside his own.  He had never appeared to be so uncomfortable before almost vulnerable in a sense.

When the show had ended, the pair tried to rush out as quick as they could, but they didn't make it, both Franklyn and Tobias had spotted them like two flies on the wall with nothing else better in their lives to do.

"Doctor Lector you're here, I mean I didn't think you like opera, but then I guess you do well would and, Tobias this is my psychiatrist and Hannibal Tobias." he smiled, the two men merely staring at each other as Shanel and Franklyn looked at each other and then at Tobias,

"Do you play?" she asked, seeing the calluses on his hand.

"I own a violin shop not far from here," he said, looking at her hands, "Seems it been a long time since you've played.." he smirked a  psychotic look on his face,

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow !" Franklyn grinned.

Sitting downstairs in the living room was Shanel, her chin pressed down on her chin rest as her left hand held the instrument and in her right the bow. Strumming her instrument, she had begun to remember childhood, and the first time she had played Mozarts Lacrimosa, her favorite dramatic piece. As the melody continued to play through, she could hear the sound of a harpsichord joining her, "You play?" she kept her eyes closed knowing. Who was in front of her.  

"I could ask you the same thing," he smiled, keeping up with her violin playing. He was no longer uncertain about what to do with Shanel. At this moment, she was his equal the missing half to his melody that he had been trying to find. She was going to be his symphony, and he would be her conductor.  If only he could get the right melody to pluck the harp of her heart.  The music had stopped playing as stood behind him,

"Bad posture doesn't look good on you.." she commented with her hand on his back, fixing his posture, "Neither does jealousy look good on you." he turned his head to look up at her. She was as radiant as the stars, an ethereal woman a universe. She was the missing venus in the Botticelli painting in his memory palace that he could only hope to find,  motioning for her to sit next to him he scooped her in his arms, "You cannot control with respect to whom you fall in love." he whispered tilting her chin up placing a small kiss right under the skin that made the curve of her lips. He wanted to let it linger let her know that he would be willing to care,

"You're falling hard and so sudden," she whispered back, cupping his face feeling his hands pull her closer towards his body as she gave him a quick peck on the lips. He had wanted to share a moment like this for so long, and he could tell she did too. Leaning in once more their they had met in a tender kiss the type you couldn't say anything to a friend about because it meant you had found the missing happiness in your life.  

"I would not wish any companion in the world but you." he pressed his forehead against her own, the two smiling at each other as if they had once more killed someone,

"If music be the food of love play on.," she smirked, giving him a chuckle.

[the-theonott]

One step in front • Shelby Brothers

Note: no romantic relationships just yet, soon to be decided. most likely going to be a tommy fic. Translations are provided here

(Is this the business) czy to jest biznes?

(They plan to go against the Italians) planują wystąpić przeciwko Włochom

(Stupid idea but smart at the same time) głupi pomysł, ale jednocześnie mądry

(How is progress with the Jews?) jak postępuje z Żydami?

(Solomons offered us a deal, 50 on goods, 50 on any persons of interest) solomons zaoferował nam ofertę, 50 towarów, 50 informacji na temat interesujących osób

(he is very up to fulfilling his role, it's just gotten to his head a bit much, that will be his downfall) bardzo zależy mu na wypełnieniu swojej roli, po prostu trochę przyszło mu do głowy, to będzie jego upadek

FIC BELOW

In all honesty, once the war began, the world was in the hands of the women. The men were off fighting, and those who didn't fight, fell from their high horses. The gangs men had run dissipated, or were overcome by out of control women.

My father, was raised in a settlement in a small town in Australia. He came back to England for better opportunities that weren't yet where he lived. He met my mother and after two years of marriage my eldest brother Damien was born, and from there came William, Elias and me. The last born a daughter, which from what I'd need told was their aim throughout.

In my younger years I never truly understood what my parents had meant when they told me that. Not until the war came, and my brothers and I stayed behind. My mother and father went off, and before they left, they sat us four children down and told us who we were.

My father helped run one of the biggest gangs in London, my mother a woman of high regard was the gang leader. My brothers and I were to inherit the gang, me being in sole control, but making movements through my brothers. We had found out that the other men in town, were to attend a meeting, via underground tunnels three hours after we hid goodbye to our parents.

On the last day of 1914, we bade farewell, and held our heads high. The four children of Thomas and Diane Carter were now gang leaders, hidden by a persona.

They fest few weeks where tough, handling only petty crimes, but as the months progressed, more devious crimes we were faced with. We became cold hearted, having respect for those who held respect for us. Damien held fort in rural areas, with us others visiting every weekend, no matter where he was.

William and Elias remained in London with me, William coming to own bars and pubs, Elias starting up as a lawyer. I however remained home, handling the base paperwork of our workings. Sorting through notes we collected from Damien and the others, through cases for Elias and through Bill's for William.

It remained well until Damien came to stop in a small suburb of Small Heath, where he had found there to be another gang of high regard. After finding this out, Elias relocated to move in with Damien, who picked up an accounting job at the police station.

The gang Peaky Blinders was monitored until the end of the war, and Elias moved back to London to help with the uprising of the Italians and Jews. Damien held fort in Small Heath, and all was run well.

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

"Mr and Miss Carter, Alfie Solomons to see you," Sonny informed Elias and I, and we took our seats at the mahogany desk.

The Jewish man stepped in, his close informant as I assumed followed behind him, keeping close. Alfie shook Elias' hand, and made himself comfortable.

"Now I have a question for you Mr Carter," Alfie began, to which Elias nodded.

"How would you like a deal, you provide protection to my men, and in return I split the payment 50% in goods, goods of all sorts and the other 50% payed by information on people of your interest," He proposed, to which Elias and I nodded.

"We shall be in contact Mr Solomons, Sonny will show you out, please enjoy your day," I stated, rising out of my seat.

Alfie and his confident looked at me as if I had grown two heads, before slowly heading to my instruction.

"Pardon me miss, I didn't catch your name," Alfie said, placing his monacle back onto the bridge of his nose.

"I didn't say my name Mr Solomons, good afternoon," I replied, stepping out of the room, leaving the building out towards the car.

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

Dear Genevieve,

The peaky blinders have been advancing towards the Italians and Jews, beware of false alliance.

Love Damien.

I looked down at the letter, and folded it back up. I had stopped out front of Damien's house in Small Heath, the people walking down the street stopping to stare at the car.

Stepping out, smokey air filled my lungs and brought about childhood memories. Pushing them aside, I stepped foot into Damien's apartment, and shouted for him.

He came bounding down the steps, and engulfed me in a hug.

"I've invited them over for tea," He whispered, just as there was a knock on the door.

I nodded, and stepped into the sitting room, getting myself comfortable. Welcomes were exchanged, and I was introduced to the brood.

First was Polly Shelby, a lady who radiated power and understanding. Then came the Shelby Brothers, Thomas, Arthur, John and Finn, all who radiated authority.

We sat awkwardly in the sitting room as Damien prepared tea.

"So Genevieve, Damien says you live in London," Polly started, gaining interest from the brothers.

"I do, it's quite lovely out there," I replied, and she nodded.

"You dont have any troubles, like with crime and such do you?"

"No of course not, things have been quiet. Just as long as I don't end up on the bad side of town,"

She nodded knowingly as did the brothers, and we were soon called to tea. We all ate in silence until a loud knock hit the door.

Thomas and Polly stood up, and went to the door, dealing with it.

" czy to jest biznes? " I asked, and Damien nodded.

" planują wystąpić przeciwko Włochom," He answered, and I nodded.

"głupi pomysł, ale jednocześnie mądry," I told him and he chuckled.

"jak postępuje z Żydami?" He asked, and I nodded, placing my soup spoon down.

"solomons zaoferował nam ofertę, 50 towarów, 50 informacji na temat interesujących osób" I answered quickly, and he nodded.

" bardzo zależy mu na wypełnieniu swojej roli, po prostu trochę przyszło mu do głowy, to będzie jego upadek," I continued and he nodded.

Thomas and Polly returned, taking the remaining brothers with him. I bade goodnight to Damien, and went into the spare room, and prepared for bed.

Once again we were ahead of the peaky blinders and the didn't even know it.