#a lot happening in this chapter tbh

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Twenty-Three

Evie, what do you think of the article in the Tullamore Tribune? Have sent it to you via text message. Big news here at home. Must speak to Caroline soon. Saw Jackie Doyle’s husband at the butcher with a cast on his leg this morning, says he had the foot reversed over outside his house. Ouch! Love mam.

Mam, did you send a link to the article or a photo of the paper? Either way neither has sent. It’s probably too many megabytes, don’t worry about it. I’ll chat to you about it when I’m home next. 

“Texting your other boyfriend?” Jude says casually, his back to me as he zips himself into the only pair of trousers he brought on holidays. 

“It’s my mother, she’s obsessed with some article she saw in the local paper, I don’t know what it is, probably that the parish priest has died or something, God knows, but the article hasn’t sent.”

“You could ask her to email it maybe?”

“Ugh, it’s not even worth it, the computer at home is barely usable and I’d have to use all my roaming minutes to coach her through that process. I’ve already tried to tell her that texting is expensive.”

He puts his shoes on, “Does she know you’re in Cyprus?”

I pause, “I can’t remember. You can turn around now,” I smooth out the lightweight linen of my new dress, “What do you think?”

Jude pretends to pass out, collapses onto his bed and then slides onto the floor, “Evie,” He groans, “You’re a babe.”

“Get up, you clown,” I snicker, “Why are you always so dramatic?”

“Where did you get that?”

“The market in Paphos.”

“Do a spin for me,” I do, and he clutches his heart and rolls over onto his front. 

“Get up! You’ll get dust all over your clothes.”

“You’re right, my only nice clothes too,” He pulls a hair, probably mine, off the front of his shirt, “Something with buttons on it, imagine. I bet you didn’t think I had threads like this.”

“I like it, you look smart. You should wear more shirts with buttons.”

“I would only my fat fingers always fumble them,” I glance at his hands, the most nimble, dexterous and beautiful hands I’ve ever seen on a man and roll my eyes, “Alright, get up, we have to leave now.” I head for the door while he scrambles across the floor to grab a hold of my waist to stop me, “Wait, let me have another look at you.”

“You have a whole evening to look at me,” I protest, hoping my voice doesn’t give away the fact that my entire body is prickling from that look in his eyes, and how much I like seeing him on his knees in front of me. “Come on, we don’t want to keep the guys waiting.”

He tightens his fingers around me, and with a kiss to my belly, says “Here’s to a great last night in Cyprus.” 

The restaurant that Claire booked is spectacular. Located in the ruin of an old church, it showcases a perfect, uninterrupted view of the Mediterranean Sea. Aphrodite’s Rock is highlighted perfectly by the setting sun, and the full moon behind it appears enormous as it rises from the glittering horizon.

We cheers with our wine glasses when our drinks arrive, and all of us, tanned, gorgeous and tired, look out over the beach and take languid sips of our drinks. Nobody has called me out on the fact that I swore I wouldn’t order wine and then did anyway when I realised I’d be the only one not having something to drink. 

“Claire,” Jude says, ankle to knee, one arm draped over the back of my seat. “Why is it that your parents had a house out here the whole time, and you still decided to spend a summer in Shane Healy’s mobile home?”

She laughs, “Because I was seventeen, and the idea of being on holidays with my parents was really embarrassing,” a waiter brings our food over and places it down in front of us, “I thought it’d have been a bit more craic to be with my friends instead, and like, yeah obviously it wasn’t the most glamorous holiday I ever had, but I still had a good time.”

“She made the right choice,” Shane says, placing a hand around her shoulder. 

Jude grins, “And this is the first time you’ve had friends here?” 

“Yeah, actually it is.”

“Well, hopefully not the last.”

“Agreed,” I say enthusiastically, “Let’s do this every year, this has been just amazing from start to finish.”

Claire smiles and quickly picks up her fork. “Let’s eat, will we?”

The food is amazing. I have scallops and Jude has Monkfish, but we end up sharing with each other like we usually do, with me putting half of my food onto his plate and him putting half of his onto mine. I try some of Claire’s linguine too, and even a little bit of Shane’s steak despite the fact that he’s not entirely on board with the idea of sharing, as usual. The conversation is so good, it flows as easily as our drinks, and just like at the very best times with friends, everything is easy. I laugh when Claire drops a ribbon of pasta onto her lap, at the face that Shane makes when I hold out the bottle of wine to him and he says “Go on, you’ve talked me into it,” and as the evening settles down and the full moon rises in the sky I’m filled with a rare kind of contentment, like absolutely everything is alright in the world. 

“It’s so sad that we’re leaving tomorrow,” Claire laments as our empty dishes are cleared away, “It’s just been so nice to be with all of ye  and have a little bit of time away from college and all of that, you know, like you don’t actually get these kinds of breaks very often.”

“True,” I say, “But there’ll be so many more, this is really just the start of it now, I can just feel it.”

“Yes…” she says, and she looks down into her lap. Her lips part as though she wants to say more, but then she doesn’t. I watch her exchange something unspoken with Shane, and as he adjusts himself uncomfortably in his seat the very first seeds of uncertainty settle in my guts. “What?” I say, “Was that awkward of me to say? I didn’t meant to imply that I expect you to put us up in Cyprus every year or something, no, I just meant like-”

“No, it’s fine, Evie. I wasn’t thinking that,” says Claire, “It’s just, like…” She trails off. 

“We wanted to invite you on holidays with us because we have to tell you something important,” Shane says. “Something that’s good, like. It’s not bad news at all, it’s just…”

“What-” 

“Shane’s been scouted,” Claire blurts out, “By the AFL. They like the way he plays football, so they want him to go play professionally, like.”

I’m already out of my seat and reaching over the table to hug him before the last words have left Claire’s mouth, “Oh God, Shane!” I cry, “That’s amazing, I’m thrilled for you, what the hell, that’s like the best case scenario, you must be so happy,”

“I am, yeah,” He says with a big awkward pat on my back, “Sure it’s good news.”

“It’s amazing news, wow, you kept that one quiet.”

“Well we weren’t really allowed to talk about it until it was fully confirmed,” Claire explains, “You know, just in case anything fell through at the last minute, but like, yeah, at this point it’s fully confirmed, it’s happening.”

“Wow, oh my God, I’m stunned, I just-”

“Hang on a second,” Jude says, “Just to confirm, the AFL? So you’re moving?”

I look at him and then to them and back again, “Moving?”

“Yeah,” Claire says, and tears suddenly spring into her eyes, “To Sydney.”

“Australia?” It’s quiet for several moments after the word leaves my mouth, and nobody even says yeah obviously, Evie, what other Sydney is there? You dope. My hands start to tremble. 

“Yeah,” Shane speaks carefully like he’s afraid to spook me, “Oz, like. We’re going in September.”

“Four months?” I cry, “That’s all we have left, four months? What am I going to do when you’re gone? That’s crazy, guys, it’s so far, you can’t just go.”

“Evie, it’s his one chance to do this, we have to try.”

“I’m finishing my degree, I’ll be qualified so I’ve a backup plan, but like, I’ll spend a few years trying to get the football thing going, and if it doesn’t work out that’s fine, I just really need to give it a go.”

“A few years is a long time.”

Claire grabs my hand, and I suddenly feel like a toddler who is throwing a tantrum and needs to be managed. “We’ll be back all the time, for Christmas and different things, and you can always come out and stay with us.”

My lip is trembling, and I realise that she is crying, so I cry too, and let tears careen down my face while the waiter comes back with dessert menus and awkwardly places them in front of us. “It’s good, Evie. This is what we want.”

“But your degree,” I whimper, “Aren’t you going to finish it?”

She laughs thickly, “I couldn’t give two shits about my degree, chick. I’m only in college because my dad paid the fees for it, I’m useless.”

“But-”

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to be doing, this is what I want, and yeah, I’m sad that I’ll be leaving Ireland but I find it exciting too at the same time. Sure we’re only young, there’s loads of time to try things out,”

“No, I’m happy,” I mop tears from my cheeks, the napkin coming away glittery. “Obviously, I’m really happy, this is amazing…”

“Amazing,” Jude echoes. 

“…I’ll just miss you both so much.”

“We’ll miss you too.”

“I never imagined that this would happen.”

“Me neither,” Shane says, “I never thought that the AFL would want me, honestly.”

“Oh of course they would,” I throw my eyes skyward, “Shane Healy, extraordinaire. The most talented man on earth.”

“Dunno about that, now.”

I try to smile, but I end up grimacing hideously instead, teeth clenched, eyes overflowing with tears, “What will I do without you?”

“You’ll be grand, you don’t really need us,”

I don’t think either of them realises how much I do. Who will I confide things in? Who will give me advice that’s hard to hear? Who will take me to doctor’s appointments, force me to get in shape, cook dinner with me, braid my hair, tell me I’m doing alright when I feel like I could fall apart at any minute? 

Jude strokes his thumb over my knee beneath the table, “It’s bittersweet, you know? I’m happy for you, Shane.”

“Thanks man,”

“Let’s focus on the time we have left. We have a whole summer before you guys leave, and I really think we can make the most of it, and look,” he turns to me, “We can visit Australia, I’ll take you there, yeah, the flight is long but it’s worth it. It’s amazing, you’ll love it, actually, you’ll all love it. This is something to really look forward to.”

I understand that he’s being optimistic, as usual, but a little toxic part of me wishes that he wouldn’t be, that he’d say something about how it’s too hot in Australia, how the spiders are as big as cats and the food is disgusting just so there’s a chance that Claire and Shane might stay, but I know it’s far too late for that kind of thing. 

“It’s so great,” I say through my teeth, “It’s a big change, but it’s just amazing.”

Claire smiles at me tearfully from across the table. “I know,” She mouths. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m crying so much,” I fan my face as though it’s actually going to achieve something, to dry even a friction of the torrent of moisture on my face. With every blink I feel my mascara transferring onto my lower lids. “I think I just need some air.”

“We’re already outside,” Shane points out, and Claire thumps him on the arm, “That’s not what she means. Go on down to the beach for a walk, Evie, it’s fine. We can just finish up here, and you can text us when you’re feeling a little bit better.”

I get up from my seat, “Okay, I’ll just… I’ll just go down there now, I’ll be fine. I’m delighted, really, it’s just a surprise is all, I’m grand.”

“We know, it’s okay.”

“Wow, what big news,” I try to laugh at myself but the sound that comes out of me is more like a wet rattle. “Fab.” I partially shove my way through other diners to get out of the restaurant, absolutely loathing myself for having such an intense reaction. I wonder what is wrong with me during the whole walk down the sandy bank and towards the beach, and I hate myself even more as I face the sea and hack out one huge, outrageous and unjustified sob. 

Beginning // Prev // Next

[ruporas]

pre-trimax

[kyouka-supremacy]

The bsd author realizing too late they've missed their chance during the cannibalism arc of making Akutagawa be cured from the disease via true love's kiss so to make up for it they've finally resolved around making Akutagawa be cured from the vampirism via true love's kiss. A wise choice I must say

[sophsicle]

Chapter 19, kyd

[rxttenfish]

vibrates gently in excitement that maybe today ill get to write one of my favorite little side characters in caecilian

[youngyoo-apologist]

I want to add in OG ChoiCale into [In the Borderline], but at the same time, it’s really not a fic focused on romance at all 😭😭 while ChoiCale do homo shit like look into each other’s eyes longingly with only memories they have, and Cale finds Choi Han’s rings beautiful (gay behavior). I don’t really plan to make them kiss or anything but they’re so… fruity?

Like everything they do is somewhat romantic because of the nature of their actions and general situation + what I have in store for them. It feels misleading to label this story as a romance when it’s not one, but at the same time I can’t deny that they love eachother. I think that’s the main reason I was like “they’re up to interpretation” because they have SOMETHING going on, I just can’t tell anyone what it is cause idk wtf kind of 20+ year long situationship they got going for them ?/? and IM the author of this story

I don’t really know how to explain it but if you guys know YooHanKim from ORV that’s what OG ChoiCale kinda got going on for them. While not necessarily romantic in the story itself, it’s still very there in the narrative that there is so much love between them.

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads

The Siren The Song and the Spy

sequel to The Mermaid The Witch and The Sea following many new & background characters

allies from across the seas are coming together to fight against the empire once and for all

two siblings from a community who’ve held back colonisation until now, and the rich girl who washes up on their shore after a shipwreck, a pirate spy in the capital, and various others

and the Sea and her daughters, the mermaids, and creatures who want to fight back

[thedeerman]

@ my DYWTK readers: i wanna be real with yall, this next chapter is turning out to be quite a bit longer than previously indicated. oops.

[sskk-manifesto]

Finally got around to watching ep 11 (´；ω；｀)

[druidgroves]

how to describe a character's physical appearance without it coming off like my name is ebony dark'ness dementia raven way and i have long ebony black hair (that's how i got my name) with purple streaks and red tips that reaches my mid-back and icy blue eyes like limpid tears

[kosmiccarma]

I'll add myself to the pool of ppl who (might delusionally) believe gojo ain't dead dead

[shorlinesorrows]

just got the time to start the sunshine court and I'm Vibrating out of my skin

[kyouka-supremacy]

It's so funny to me when fic writers mention a new made up first encounter of sskk when it's actually part of canon and we know how it went. Akutagawa ripped off Atsushi's leg. Good luck finding anything more romantic than that

[dont-offend-the-bees]

Slightly concerned that chapter 2 of my critically acclaimed new fic might be a bit shit...

[unculturedswine69]

WAIT HELP I READ TOO FAST 😭😭

omg but who are your favs in the twdg games... 😳😳😳

OH HFHGFHJ ITS FINE I DO THAT ALL THE TIME TOO BUT YEAH AS YOU KNOW I LOVE THE GAMES AND SHOW AND ALSO THE COMIC!! BUT FOR THE GAMES UHMMM..omg this is SUCH a tough question honestly?? like, i feel very complicated about basically every character in this series so its hard to just pick one fave....

hmm i will say tho i have ALWAYS loved Lee and Clementine (obviously,who doesnt hehe) i just love them sm 😭the first game just makes me so emotional FRFR in the first game i also loved Ben,Chuck, Omid and Christa and Molly!! id also include Kenny but...i have a sorta love/hate relationship with that guy 😭😭😭😭hes such a good character tho!! in general i think the first game was just so good😌😌

for the other games im less familiar with them since ive only played the other seasons once each so my memory is probably a little off,but i remember really liking Sarah ,Nick,Luke and Jane from the 2nd season,but again i think some of these characters are like. love/hate with me currently,i think s2 is so turbulent that its kinda hard to pick faves really (for me atleast) with the 3rd season i remember LOVING that Tripp guy and also Javier,but its been years since i last played the game so i probably have a bunch of different opinions on everything now😭😭in general i just dont remember too much from that game,i definitely have to replay it eventually..for s4 tho?? hmm honestly,i think i loved like,90% of the cast in that LMAO but i think i liked uhhm AJ the most.and also i think his name was Asim (or aasim) and Ruby,i liked them alot i think,and louis and violet too 😌😌😌also the dog?? does the dog count??? in general i just thought the characters were pretty interesting in that game,but again i think ima just have to replay all of these again to see how i REALLY feel

ANYWAYS THANKS FOR THE QUESTION AURA!!! i would LOVE to know your faves too😈😈😈😈😈😈

[viwritess]

there's one thing i changed from the first drafts to this one (essentially one ch1 relationship which i turned from hostile to friendly, but leaving the developments unaltered) that works SO much better emotionally now omg. i was feeling ch1 and ch2 were a bit unbalanced in how-much-they-suck because ch2 starts out having psychologically abused and manipulated her girlfriend for more or less a decade but now im p sure they are on a more even ground