#also i miss stephan. so. much.

[moonstruck-poet]

Survive

Pairing - Carlos Sainz x wife!reader

Summary - Because of your job as a crime officer, a particularly dangerous mission has both you and your husband on the edge.

Warnings- none!

"Is everybody absolutely clear with the plan? No questions? Any doubts at all?" Your leader asked again, scanning the faces of each of his members.

"None sir," they replied in a chorus. Though their stance was full of confidence, nobody could miss the apprehension that was layered on their faces. The incessant thumping of their heart as it seemed to grow steadily louder.

"You have everything prepared?" Stephen asked you, his eyes focused on yours.

"Yes sir," you nodded firmly. "Everything is in order and we're just waiting for tomorrow". The other members murmured in agreement, their faces tensed yet strong.

"I haven't arranged and brought together my best crew for nothing," he smiled slightly. "Though I want this mission to be 100% successful, it is also equally important that all of you pay attention to yourselves too. No rash decisions, nothing that can impact your or your teammate's life".

"And also, thank you," he chuckled a little at their confused faces. "Don't look at me like that, I'm not a sadist," he replied and everyone laughed. "It's not easy and I'm glad to have all of you with me. Now all I want is for everybody to go home and spend the rest of your time with your families yeah?"

"We'll be alright," you spoke, not a quiver in your voice. "Everyone will be back here tomorrow, safe and sound. I promise you".

"Exactly why I chose you to lead the operation," Stephen muttered, pride filling his eyes as he looked back on just how much you had grown the past years. From rigorous training to complicated practicals, you had given your all to achieve this position and he couldn't think of anyone who had so much dedication for their job.

"We'll be okay," Jess, your software genius reassured with a grin and brought jer hand forward, palm up.

"Absolutely," the two boys, Chris and Elijah chorused with smirks and placed their hands on hers.

"No worries then, eh?" Stephan said good naturedly, loving the enthusiasm of the youngsters. "See you tomorrow then, all geared up and ready".

"Definitely," you nodded, finally placing your palm on the top, a fierce fire blazing in your eyes that was soon reflected in the others too.

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

The drive home was made in silence. No music playing on the radio, which was a testimony to the fact that your mind was unsettled.

And why wouldn't it be. You had a huge responsibility on your shoulders. Not only were you responsible for the success of the mission and bringing the abducted children home safely, but you also had to see to it that no casualties would occur.

And on the other hand there was the matter of discussing this with your husband, Carlos. He obviously wouldn't deny you from going, but his sensitive and loving side would be hurting.

You had to tell him very gently.

And you sighed, parking your black Aston Martin and making your way home. Your mind flicking through every possible outcome that may happen tomorrow and torturing you in the process.

You opened the door and were greeted by him sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone and the sight looked so cozy that you couldn't help the smile from adorning your lips.

"Hola amor," he greeted you immediately, sitting up and excitedly walking closer to pull you in his arms. You laughed, keeping your bag down and threading your fingers through his hair while breathing in his comforting scent. [Hello love]

"Hey," you whispered back, resting your head on his shoulder and squeezing him tighter, not wanting to pull away in the least.

"I see someone has missed me," he smiled lovingly and the two of you swayed, almost stumbling down and yet you made no effort to break the hug.

"I did," you finally lifted your head up with a grin and pressed your lips against his, catching him by surprise as your arms went around his neck. His palms instantly held onto your waist, fingers softly digging in the skin and he kissed you back, a small smile forming on his face.

"I missed you too, love," his hand cupped your cheek, gazing intently into your eyes. "Should we have dinner now? I'm starving".

Dinner was a quite chaotic chaotic affair as Carlos told you about the latest gossip roaming around in the F1 world making your eyes widen as he shared the most unexpected details. Without even knowing, your husband had managed to empty your mind of all the negative thoughts and the only thing running through your brain was when will Daniel reveal that he's been married to Max since ages.

"You want some ice cream? I got your favorite flavour too".

"Oh no thank you," you shook your head, your gaze trained on some random point as you zoned out.

"What's wrong, cariño?" Carlos, ever the observant picked up on your changed attitude quickly. He furrowed his eyebrows as he watched you sigh deeply and fiddle with your fingers. [Darling]

"There's um- I want to talk to you," you stuttered slightly, not sure on how exactly to start this conversation while he nodded, sitting beside you and giving you his full attention.

When you didn't say anything he shifted closer, your knees brushing and he held your hand, rubbing soothing circles to steady your erratic breathing. "I'm right here".

"We have a mission tomorrow," you then got straight to the point. "It's about those children that I had told you about".

"Yeah I remember. So you'll be going tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have to lead it. It's- It's only a one day operation so I'll be back by night at the latest. But-"

"But?" He cut you off, his face shifting from relaxed to a tense expression. His heart started to take up its pace as he felt the quick rush of blood.

"It's dangerous," you broke it down gently, moving closer to him and enveloping his hand in yours.

"What do you mean dangerous?" He asked urgently, his eyes searching yours, mind racing with all types of conclusions that this mission might end on.

"Let's say it's a little risky," you answered, rubbing your thumb on the back of his hand. "And there is a small possibility of- of casualties," you frowned, not wanting to say it but he deserved to know the truth.

"Casualties," he repeated, staring ahead now and you could see the various scenarios being conjured. "You have to go?" He asked, voice beginning to shake as he grasped your hand tightly

"I'm leading it, amor," you addressed him softly watching as he buried his face in his hands, contemplating the entire thing as you bit your lip for his reaction. [Love]

"Nothing I say is gonna change your mind, right?"

You opted to not say anything, giving him an apologetic and downcast look making him mumble incomprehensibly as he grabbed you by the shoulder, pulling you against his chest. His arms completely enveloping you while he tried to swallow the lump hurting his throat.

"I can't- I don't want you to-" he broke off, inhaling sharply and trying to control himself.

"I'll be okay," you tried, burying your face deeper into his neck as a wave of emotions flooded in.

"You don't know that," he insisted, not wanting to be pessimistic but he couldn't help it. "You don't know what's going to happen there tomorrow".

"But I can hope for the best right?" You reasoned with a small smile and felt him nod a little. "I should have faith that everything will be okay".

"I'm worried for you," he said quietly, lips brushing against your ear and your heart ached on hearing the tremble in his voice.

"Oh baby," you simply tightened your hold around his torso, wanting to be as close as possible. "Honestly? I'm worried too. I'm so scared that something might go wrong, or that someone else will have to face the consequences of my decision".

Carlos pulled back on hearing that, his hands finding your cheeks as he wiped a lone tear that had escaped your stubborn hold. "You are the strongest and the bravest person I know, hermosa. Not everybody can say their wife captures criminals on weekends for fun". [Beautiful]

You laughed at that, your heart feeling considerably lighter as you looked at his smiling face. You really lucked out didn't you? To have a husband like him? You had no idea of what you had done to even deserve having a person like him in your life, much less being married to him.

"What did I do to deserve you?" You questioned no one in particular and stared at him in adoration.

"Oh I have no idea but you must have done something incredible to have me as your best friend," he said seriously and you burst out laughing, enjoying his faux annoyance.

"Gracias," you mumbled after quietening, leaning your side sideways on his shoulder and he pulled you closer by one arm. [Thank you]

"Siempre cariño," his hand rubbed your arm, resting his head on yours and merely holding you close. Understanding that all you wanted was his company, to feel him against you, to know that he wasn't going anywhere that he was right there beside you. [Always darling]

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

Despite your best intentions, the alarm rang, signalling 6 am and the start of a new day, one that you had tried to avoid.

Unwillingly your eyes fluttered open, staring at the dark ceiling for a moment before turning to your right and internally laughing at the mere centimetres of distance between yours and his face. His nose brushed against your neck as he scrunched it and you shifted slightly to properly look at him.

Couldn't help yourself from raising a gentle hand to rest on his cheek, watching him pout a little as he slept peacefully. His eyelashes shining white in the dark, catching the light of the moon outside. On your own, your lips leaned forward to kiss his forehead. You closed your own eyes, wanting to imprint this memory for the whole day.

And surprisingly enough you were quite calm, no trouble plaguing your mind as you watched your husband. A smile on your face as you realised he was probably the reason for your serenity.

Carlos wasn't too much of a heavy sleeper and you were trying really hard to resist but your control slipped as you gently began placing soft kisses on his face, scanning his every feature while doing so.

Taking a last, fond look, you got up from the bed and hurried off to take a shower and gear up.

You donned on a simple light blue shirt tucked into black pants and an easy braid to not feel any headaches throughout the day. You had just pulled on a black leather jacket when you heard your husband call for you.

"Cariño?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and squinting them as he tried to locate you, still drowsy from the early hours. [Darling]

"Morning sleepyhead," you replied, smiling when he blindly extended an arm which was beckoning frantically for you to come closer. And as soon as you sat near him, he pulled you by the waist and laid his head on your lap.

"Morning," he grinned mischievously, eyes still closed as he snuggled up to you.

"Are you planning to trap me here, Mr Sainz?" You asked, trying to have an authoritative tone as your fingers combed through his wild hair.

"Yes I am. But I doubt it would be considered a trap if I'm just holding my wife, Mrs Sainz," he retorted cheekily and you laughed at his antics. You understanding that he was simply trying to lighten up your mood.

A calm silence settled over the couple and Carlos finally opened his eyes, turning his face to face you while still laying on your lap. "When do you have to leave?" He played with the ends of your braid.

"I've still got time," you answered and he nodded, grunting before getting up and stretching his arms. Your eyes darting down from his shoulders to his abdomen muscles that contracted with every move.

He saw you staring and smirked making you turn red immediately as you got up from the bed, possibly underestimating your husband's agility because that man was up in less than a second, grabbing your arm and twisting you around so you fell perfectly against his chest.

"Todos estos años y todavía puedo hacerte sonrojar?" He whispered, his voice teasing which obviously didn't help in calming your insides. [All these years and I can still make you blush]

"Te has visto?" You raised an eyebrow, placing a hand on his bare chest as you brushed your lips against his, biting back a smile on hearing him inhale sharply. [Have you seen yourself]

And he merely gave you a look full of utter passion before kissing you deeply, one of his hands holding your hip firmly while the other being behind your head, holding you close. You both pulled away slightly breathless, cheeks flushed as you stared at each other before laughing at the pair of you being complete simps.

"I'll make you some coffee," he didn't take no for an answer and set to work, while you smiled appreciatively at him and picked up the newspaper.

Neither of you spoke until both of you had drained your mugs, the caffeine giving you a much needed boost as you felt your focus improve.

Your phone rang and it was Elijah, "Hey 'Lijah. Yes I'm all ready. Okay," you nodded as he shared some details with you. "Yeah I'll leave in 10. Alright see you soon. Yes thank you".

You started at the screen before releasing a deep breath and glancing at your husband whose eyes were fixed on the mug as he played around.

"Carlos," was all you managed to say before you were tackled in a warm hug.

"Oh god hermosa, I was trying to be normal but I can't stop the worry," he groaned, beating himself internally and you were quick to shake it off. [Beautiful]

"Hey no," your arms held him tightly. "I'll be back before you know it, querido". [Darling]

He nodded, regulating his senses and trying to focus on you, your scent, letting it be his anchor. "Por favor- por favor ten cuidado, mi amor". [Please- please be careful, my love]

"Sí.. Siempre". [Yeah.. Always]

You stayed like that, basking in his presence and enjoying him as he was.

"My phone will be on silent," you informed softly. "So don't worry if I don't reply. I'll text you when we're done".

He nodded looking down for a second before meeting your eyes, you saw those big brown eyes that you loved to death starting to water. But he quickly wiped them off, not wanting to add to your list of worries.

"Te quiero mucho, cariño," he whispered shakily, pressing his lips together and failing as a few tears escaped his hold. [I love you so much, darling]

And as expected you didn't waste a second before wiping them off, placing your hands on his cheeks and offering him a gorgeous smile, "Yo también te quiero, mi corazón". [I love you too, my heart]

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

Thank you so much for reading!

Part 2

Part 3

[skarkkk]

I finished Bridgerton, the 2part of s3. I haven't processed everything yet. But seriously, I freaked out seeing Benedict kissing a man, and this trio - did I wanted to see that man being submissive? Obvious, but I accept what I received, I love representation despite knowing that they are more interested in the money it will generate, I will accept. I honestly haven't read his book, so if Sophie turns into Stephan, it won't matter as much if it's well developed.

Just as I haven't read Franscesa's book, I love the idea of more queer characters, but I also didn't like the parallel between what Violet said and how she acted when introduced to Michaela. Barely able to say your name, and everything. I know more or less about her history and it seems wrong to make her be enchanted by Michaela when John is still alive and she loves him, so I'm curious to see how that goes. And whit Benedict too.

I just missed more intensity in Lady Whistledown and her secret, and how Colin reacted. The mirror scene, for example, and although I haven't gotten to that part in the book yet, I was expecting something with more heat, so to speak. My friend said that I'm very attached to foreplay, maybe it's because I'm used to reading and writing, and despite having a huge pan panic in their scenes, there was something missing. I don't know, but I liked this season. Despite being in love with Penélope, and Nicola, I'm still so in love with an enemies to lovers...

Bridgertons were born to be simps, like Anthony this entire season. Not that I can judge, because Kate is so regal and simply charming.

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

You know, Shoma is generally nonchalant about the details of his artwork creation but executes it perfectly. Given his talent for executing what's conveyed by his coaches and choreographers without much curiosity about the background or specifics, what do you think would change if he were more involved in the idea phase of creation? Additionally, how is it possible for an artist to achieve such perfection without much thought on creation phase or background information?

I think Shoma's approach to performance is different than that of other skaters or artists. He let's the music do the work. He doesn't need the background - though I am sure he gets background info on the ideas of the programs he skated to - but he just needs the music. It's a very unique talent to be able to perform to any music and add to it in a way that it becomes your own art. That is what Shoma is doing. The choreography and ideas may not be his, but the performance very much is Shoma through and through.

I don't think he is univolved in the creation of his art. It may not be like drafting an idea from start to finish, BUT he always added his own ideas and movements to his performances and he is aware of his exact movement up until his fingertips you can see that very well when he analysed his own performances. And with Shoma it's not that he needs someone to tell him how to hold the arm or leg or whatever movement in the exact way and train it 'til it's perfect, but it's coming from a deep understanding from within what is needed to achieve perfection. Shoma has a very different approach to his programs. I feel like the choreography is more like a guide and then he creates his own art with his vision in mind. He will still try to be true to what was originally intended by the choreographer but he always adds. You also can see that he recreate programs and bc he doesn't remember or doesn't want to do every original choreo part he changed the programs to his liking. Like you saw that with him revisiting Ladies of Lavender at PIW 2024 or also the variations of his Great Spirit program when it went from competition program back to gala program. I think Shoma's creative process is a bit undervalued bc he wouldn't voice it as a creative process and doesn't really see himself as the creator that he is.

I think Shoma can come up with own ideas for full programs I just think he would need an initial inspiration to try create something very own from scratch. I mean I don't know how true that is but he said that he doesn't listen much to music so if you don't listen much to music a selection of music would be difficult. I also don't know if even with an initial inspiration he would want to create an own program. I think the way he is involved into his art process now is perfectly fine. And also he likes to highlight other choreographers visions. He first wanted ppl to appreciate Mihoko Higuchi's programs as programs by Japanese choreographers were long overlooked or deemed as not good enough for the Western dominated sport. Then after this he wanted to portray Stephane Lambiel's visions. I think he likes the process of initial ideas and evolving from there.

Not sure if this was a fulfilling answer, but interesting question nonetheless.

Shoma you will be dearly missed with your artistry in competition! Looking forward to where the new freedom will lead in his performances! 🫶

[rapunzelforlorn]

Ep6

Nick is so brave introducing Charlie to his dad

Two more years of high school?? I thought Nick was like a junior

Seeing the style on Nick's face, meeting his dad already seems difficult but he wanted to tell him about Charlie so bad

Are they playing find Waldo?

I love that the boys & girls had the same reaction to E&T's kiss

Sneaking around the hotel 🙈

Issac looks left out 🥺

Everyone sneaking to smooch town

Charlie needs to listen to Nick

Ajayi is trying his charms

Faruk IS gay!!

Clocked him 👀👀👀

"You flirting with me?"

Oh, happy birthday Tara

Imogen being part of the gang makes me so happy

Isaac is in book heaven

Charlie's a little hoodie thief

"I'm just recharging" - Nick 💜

There's a lot of underage drinking for a relatively wholesome show

Why isn't Isaac with James???

Who the FUCK let Ben in?

Kiss the boy Isaac

Paris is so gay 🏳️‍🌈

Isaac??

Hey babe let's go to a party just to escape it and enjoy each other's company, that's Nick & Charlie's relationship

Harry is trying...I think genuinely

But I'm pissed Ben is there much his church ass out too

Tao is always a ham

Who is this sour ass, shaved head ass, biiiiitch bringing down the vibe of the party??? Uhh...kid 1 that's who! Not even relevant enough for a name

Ben's bitch ass shouldn't have been there

Nick is a boss! And bi, actually

Why did they ruin to the teachers and not the bathroom if she was gonna get sick

Not sure if I want to be carried or carry someone like Nick "strong man" Nelson

Sharing a bed, how scandalous 😏

The revenge of the hicky

Oh Nick is so sweet & innocent, despite the hicky allegations

Darcy is having a time

Teachers getting scandalous now too 🙈🙈

Ep7

Nick seems so bummed not noticing or maybe not talking to Charlie sooner about eating habits

Go Elle!!

Tao's mom is great we love supportive mothers

Nick's mom fucking ROASTING David

Tori better go to this dinner party too

Congrats Elle!

What's with the purple smog at Darcy's?

Isaac seems off

Will Ben just FUCK OFF!!!

No matching suits?? Outrageous!!

Darcy doesn't have a good home life did she 😒

Issac actually ACE?

Fucking slay Elle 😍😍😍

Tao is so bad with change

Clocked Isaac

So glad he met someone to explain it to him

Imogen is trying, really

Prom is tomorrow?!?!

Elle's art 💜💜

Tao maturing

Ben is stalking now???

Don't make us feel bad for Ben, fuck him

Oh so he's ALWAYS been a predator

I'm here for you "mate"

Tori in the house!!

Fuck David!!

GETTEM TORI!!!

NICK 🥺💜🥺💜

Stephane 👀 no, no Stephane

He's always got mom

Tori's about to go away for murder if David doesn't shut the fuck up

Charlie's mom cares, just wants him to do well

Nick is always so proactive with the Google machine

Oh Darc ☹️

Ep8

No way this man woke up and didn't have his phone on a charger

The (I'm bi, actually) ig post 💗💜💙

The ig comments 🤢

Everything's prefect except you aren't eating Charlie boy

And they were official T&E

Tara sending out the prom SOS

The squad rolling up

That's a waste of paint

Coach wingmate

Nick opening up to Tao about Charlie

Tao opening up to Nick 🥺

Charlie needs to open up

They look so good for prom!!

I miss prom

Charlie's little prom fantasy was so cute

Darcy needs some help

Isaac is also on the struggle bus

Elle's dad, is exactly what I hoped

She always looks stunning 🤩🤩

They all look so great!!

Why did Sahar bring a guitar?

I want to believe Henry is trying

The rugby mates for sure are trying

Nick giving Tara advice that's actually for himself too

Oh she's in the band

I wish my school put this much effort into prom

These high schoolers are having so much growth

Tori at prom too 🥳

"That night in Paris..."

"Next time 😉"

Is Imogen...bi?

Neither can dance? I doubt that

Oh no 😨 Tara went to Darcy's

Her mom's such a bitch!!!!!

Sit down at Nick's

SEVEN

Big group hug 💜

Poor Darcy 🥺

We love disasters

Playing pong with normal cups 😂

Isaac looks so much happier knowing who he is

Best Team Player 🏆

Charlie 😭😭

"Promise to tell me, if it ever gets that bad again? "

Just hold hands through it all 💜💜

"I love..."

Gets me everytime Charlie gets on his tippy toes to kiss Nick

Wait...have they not said I love you too each other??

What a cliff hanger!!

Were both ready for season 3 😁

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Pt. 140- Vengeance

Summary: Josie dreams of the past that holds a message. Stephane and Jo have another talk. A birthday party is planned. Josie experiences a new power. She and Charles search for something. Another side of Garrett is seen. A secret is kept. A surprise is in the works. An ultimatum is given. A visitor comes bearing bad news.

*Warnings* language, angst, death mentions, death, violence, graphic depictions, blood

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist

Your dreams took you back in time as you saw yourself at Sarah's house, your best friend in your teen years and the one you saw Harker kill when Jareth had showed you the memory of it.

It was a typical weekend afternoon of tarot cards and witchy stuff that she was into and it also happened to be Halloween, the night she went missing and the day you unknowingly met Jareth the goblin King for the first time. Back then, you didn't believe in all that voodoo stuff so much, although you remembered how your mother did. Sarah though, was all about it, a witch herself and you didn't realize the truth of it all until almost seven years after her death.

For some fun and a break from taking care of your sick dad, you would go to her place to let loose since it was right next door. The night would consist of pizza, sneaking booze from her mom's pantry since she worked in the evening, and cranking up the music while Sarah filled the room with candles and would give you readings. As skeptical as you always were about it, strangely they always became relevant to your life at some point, but you would just chalk it up to be a coincidence.

As she laid the cards out one, she placed the last one in front of you. The high priestess that held the letters B and J on it.

"Sooo, what does that mean?" you asked with an arched brow.

"The high priestess is a card of mystery, stillness and passivity. You need to reflect upon your situation and trust your instincts to guide you though what is to come. Things around you are not what they appear to be." Sarah explained, but then she just stared at the card with a head tilt.

"What things? My instincts tell me my life is exactly what it looks like...all fucked up."

"No...something is....amiss...now and into the future. I've drawn this card for you before, but it never spoke to me util now."

"Sarah, my dad is terminally ill with only a few years to live if he's lucky. That's what's amiss and that is the future."

"Jo, no...you're taking things literally, which sometimes the cards can be but sometimes they have deeper meanings, metaphoric even. I know you don't believe this stuff, but I'm telling you there's something huge about your life and your future. You see this?" she said and pointed to the lady on the card.

"Uh yeah...it looks like a queen or something. Oh my god Sarah?? Am I going to become the Queen of England??" you jested and laughed.

"No!" she scoffed. "But...you will be of some great importance. Something magical and powerful. The half moon at her feet tells me that. I know you never believe me, but I feel it in you. The witchy vibe. I mean come on, why do you think you and I connected so well. I believe you're a true witch who just don't know it yet."

"Yeah umm we connected so well because you live right next door." you chuckled. "I can't even make toast without burning it. I am far from a powerful witch."

"Jo, seriously. You even said your mom was into this stuff....and christ, look how your dad dresses and speaks, like he's from another century or something."

"She was, but I never saw her twinkle her nose and make things happen or ride a broom stick, or lure little children into her house like Hansel and Gretel. My dad, he's just old fashioned. Are you saying he's a witch too??"

"There are male witches you know. They're called warlocks and can you be serious for once? That's not what witches are all about. That's all fairytales. This is real."

"It's all hocus pocus if you ask me, pun intended but ok fine...so I am going to be some witch queen is what you're saying? Who's my King? He better be hot! And what do the letters mean?"

"Well...I definitely feel the J resembles you but...."

She stopped and cocked her head again as she ran her finger over the B.

"But???"

"A...counterpart to you...soul mate of some sort maybe? I keep seeing the word....missing....and...child....a baby maybe??"

You hysterically laughed. "The B stands for baby? I certainly know I am not pregnant...oh god!! Wait! Am I going to have a baby with my future King??? If anyone is missing, it is him! Maybe his name starts with a B! Oh my fucking god, it Bon Jovi!! That's what the B and J stand for!"

"Stop it! It's not that! It's someone you will meet. They will have the answers you seek."

"I'm not seeking anything right now except to get drunk after my encounter with that creepy guy on my way here. Like, he knew my freaking name so I umm, kinda told him my name was Sarah."

"Oh great, now we have some weirdo stalking around here infatuated with the many looks of David Bowie that knows BOTH of our names now and he probably saw you come here because I saw him from the window when you were walking over, and he saw me too. Talk about going all out for a Halloween costume and I didn't like his eyes."

"Calm down, he's probably just some senior from school out trying to score free candy like they did in Hocus Pocus, which is why he knew my name."

"Yeah well, he wasn't carrying a trick or treat bag and he looked way older than that. Def a witch vibe on him too. Probably into some cult shit and will sacrifice me tonight. Speaking of weirdos, tonight for dinner, you will meet the dude my mom is fucking, some Phillip guy. He's def creepy. I get nothing but bad vibes from him, like the hair on the back of my neck stands up when he's around. Witches sense those things."

"Ok miss superstitious, you are not going to be burned at the stake tonight or sacrificed on some stone slab in the middle of the forest. I have an idea. Since you seem to think I am a witch, we should look for our third and fourth to complete the circle, like that movie the Craft. You can teach me how to change my hair color to blonde like that girl did, what was her name...oh that's right, it was SARAH.." you joked some more.

"Fine, mock this all you want. Even the song playing right now is a message. These things don't just randomly happen."

"So when all of this happens, always remember this day and always remember, things are not always as they seem...remember Jo...remember....remember....remember....he's alive...."

Her words reverberated and echoed as your eyes sprung open.

"Sarah??" you gasped as you sat up. "God, what the hell was that?" you asked yourself out loud.

You realized it was late afternoon and that you had been asleep on Lola's sofa since you had come back from seeing Garrett. You hoped he wasn't upset with you for making him leave but you weren't sure what Narcisse and Haldir were going to do after seeing you locking lips with the vampire. Although Garrett was under Amara's protection mark, you didn't know how far that protection went and didn't want to test the waters to find out. You also knew Garrett could hold his own against them or anyone for that matter, but you didn't want to see any of them get hurt.

You sat with Leean, feeding her and as you did so, you began to recall the song Sarah mentioned, so you softly sang it to her, for she was a witch too and already coming into her powers at the mere age of 5 weeks old.

"I walk in worlds that no one can come by. I seek the trees and whispering stones. I dance at night and sing to the firelight to wake the witch who lives within me. I run with wolves and howl at the pale moon. I conjure storms that no man can tame. I love with fire so red it consumes you to wake the witch who lives within me. Music charms me like a spell. Voices fill me with tales to tell. All the women burned before are burning in my soul. All my darkness, all my fears fall away when their ghosts are near. Chanting, dancing, calling me to wake the witch in me. I sought the trees to flee all who hurt me. I whispered spells to endure their stones. I hid in dreams so no one could find me to veil the witch who lives within me. And now I fly at night like a raven. I dance with ghouls and devils till dawn. And in the forest, I’ve found my haven to wake the witch who lives within me."

Leean's big round moonstone eyes danced through yours as she listened to your voice. Little coos came from her daddy's shaped lips as she suckled and lightly kicked her feet.

Just then, a knock sounded upon the door. You already knew who it was, for your intuition told you and...you could smell the peppermint seeping under the door.

"Jo...may I come in?" Narcisse softly asked.

You covered yourself and carried Leean with you to the door, fretting that you were about to get an earful over the kiss of the vampire, but strangely, it was the exact opposite.

As you reluctantly opened, there the warlock stood and his typical grin with his hands resting at his midriff as his fingers fidgeted with his ring like always and there at his feet sat his loyal companion Merlin staring up at you.

"Well there's the two most beautiful girls in the world....and one of them has a most angelic voice from what I just heard, wouldn't you agree Merly?" he said in a baby tone as he tickled Leean's cheek. Of course, she cutely responded with an all out Thranduil smirk, making your heart shatter and ache for your King.

You turned and went to lay her down as Narcisse followed with his faithful feline right at his heels, who then jumped on the sofa making himself right at home as he laid down and yawned.

You gave the Maine Coon some quick chin scratches and then went over by the window and sat down.

"Well...let me have it about Garrett, I mean, that is why you are here, is it not?"

He smiled his arrogant smile and sat down beside you."

"No, actually I am not here about that, although I must say, I don't know what you see in him, the vampire is so boring."

You rolled your eyes as he continued.

"I came to tell you that I have retrieved your belongings."

He pulled out the spell book from within his jacket, along with the record and the dreamcatcher, then laid them beside you.

"The book was found in Claude's room and beside it laid a doll made with hay from the stables, smelling of my horse."

"Oh...gosh. Stephane, I am so sorry. It's all my fault, if I hadn't been in possession of the book, that never would have happened."

"Nonsense. The only fault here lies upon Catherine for her dastardly deeds and possibly her daughter too, which she will soon be questioned after she recovers from giving birth. Claude's diary was found as well and I have a pretty good feeling the answers are in there. I will read over it soon...but if you will notice the bookmarked page in your book. I think that explains the spell on Garrett."

After giving a concerning look, you quickly opened it to see the page stained with a yellow tint. You then looked at him in confusion.

"It's warlock blood, but still man's blood to a vampire and in this case, dead man's blood. Asher's. I can smell it. Somehow Catherine got her hands on it after his death. I have reason to believe she used Claude to place the spell. With that said, it is the same as if Garrett would have drank it himself."

"Jesus, what is it with this bitch and poison?"

"Because that's what Catherine is. Poison. Now...if you'll turn to the back, you'll find another item you were looking for...."

You flipped it to the back to find the letter you wrote to Thranduil.

"Thank you Stephane, for all of this. I will do better at keeping this book out of the wrong hands. I'm glad to have my dreamcatcher back as well."

Narcisse noticed your despaired expression when you mentioned the moonstone sleep aid.

"Jo? What is it?" he asked as he gently laid his hand upon yours.

'"It's...I don't know really. I had fallen asleep earlier and had this strange dream of...well actually it was a memory my friend Sarah who Harker killed. Honestly, I don't want to talk about it. It's my fault she is dead. I should have never left her that night, but I had to get home to my dad. The really fucked up thing is that she had cracked a joke that evening about something happening to her and of course I basically told her that she would be fine."

"You don't have to talk about it. I will say, I am sorry about your friend. She obviously meant a lot to you. And again, it is not your fault...it is Harker's."

"If only I had believed her about her witch sense and all. She figured out who he was that night and that is why he killed her. All the years I knew her, she was a witch just like me, but I didn't know I was and I made fun of her for believing she was. What a shitty friend I was."

"Jo...please don't be so hard on yourself. You were so young still and had no idea who you were. I wish I would have been around more for your dad, maybe I could have done something, or figured out what was going on. If only I had known he was sick."

"Stephane, you obviously had your hands full with Catherine and the situation with Charles. It's no more your fault than mine. You're right. It was Harker's and even my mother's. Jareth too. You would have been there for my dad if you could have. He knew how much he meant to you. You were a good friend to him. Hopefully we can find him soon and fix whatever Jareth has done to him."

"You're too kind Jo. We will get him back. I promise you. I really should get going. I have a birthday party planned for you this evening. I figured you need a break and need to unwind."

"Ummm what??"

"Your birthday, remember? I know it's not actually until tomorrow but I'm too excited about it to wait. And...it's such a beautiful December day, strangely warm as usual which makes it perfect for a nice outside gathering. What color fireworks would you like this time. I had them do purple for you at the last party...that is your favorite color is it not?"

You were completely mind blown over his attentiveness to your likings. He had told you before that he paid attention to the little things.

"I...I...you...did that? for...me?"

"I did. So...purple again? I had a cake made too. It's 25 candles now right?"

Your hands went to your face, covering it as you began sobbing.

"Jo...sweetheart. What is wrong?" he kindly asked and pulled your hands down so he could cup your face in his.

"I...I haven't celebrated my birthday since my seventeenth one, which was the last one with my dad....and he died...well supposably died the next morning. He..he still, in his sickness, made sure a cake was delivered for me, candles and all....and also had a dinner sent to the house because he knew I couldn't cook for shit....and...and this would have been my first one with Thranduil...."

Narcisse offered the most compassionate smile. "I will cancel the party. I apologize for overstepping. I just thought something of some normalcy would make you feel better...."

"No...don't apologize for being nice. You went to all this trouble for me..so it's the least I could do to attend my own party. Purple...yes...and please don't put that many candles on the cake. One will suffice so I can easily blow it out."

"As you wish your majesty. Now...I do have one other reason I came here. You promised me a date sometime. Maybe tomorrow? An afternoon carriage venture along the countryside by my villa?"

"I...umm...well..."

"It's Garrett isn't it? Is someone making you spend time with him?" he sarcastically asked.

"No one makes me do anything and you know it. And honestly, it is none of your business."

"Tell me then, is it my business when just the other day, you were kissing me?"

"Ok well you kissed me."

"And you kissed me back. It scared you didn't it? What you felt, so you turned to Garrett instead. But you, you came clear to the city to try and stop me from that fight. You care for me whether you admit it or not. You and I, we are the same Jo. Both witches that share a rare electrifying sensation when we touch. We empower each other."

"Maybe so...but this is all a game to you. You even said so yourself once, that you like games. I cannot trust what you say is real. I feel this is all just about winning to you, especially over that of a vampire. as if I am some prize...and he does not make me feel that way. I know him...I don't know you."

"Then get to know me. Give me that chance to prove that my feelings for you are genuine. What I said is that I had never had a worthy opponent. I will not deny thinking of you as a prize because you are just that and I would be the luckiest man to ever be able to call you mine. A winner indeed of true happiness that I have never experienced. All that I have done and am doing is because I have come to deeply care for you. This is all new to me. I know in the past I have come across as a seeker of victory but I assure you, that is not the case with you. Since our eyes first met, I wanted more. Much more. I have felt your approach long before you ever arrived."

Narcisse certainly knew how to choose his words, but you knew he meant them. He wasn't wrong. You did feel something for him and yes, you were scared. And you didn't want to hurt Garrett because you felt something for him too. Your dream made sure you faced that. You were just flat out scared to move on because this isn't where you were supposed to be, having to choose between two men. You were supposed to be with Thranduil forever, for he was your only choice.

"I'll tell you what. I will not hold you to your promise, for I know you were just trying to keep me alive at the time. Wear a flower in your hair tonight and if you do, then I will know you have agreed to share a date with me tomorrow. There is fresh new array of them in my office that the servants brought in this morning. I would love to spend your birthday with you. I must be off. It is time to serve more retribution where it is due."

Narcisse got up, offered you a head bow and then left.

Who crossed Narcisse this time? you wondered as you sat where he left you and stared out the window.

Lola then came in and her presence helped aid you in your decision for tonight.

"Lola...how would you like to join me tonight with Leean for a party. It is a beautiful day out and you are always stuck inside."

"A party miss? I was not aware that there was one."

"I was not either, but Narcisse was just here and informed he that he was hosting a birthday gathering for myself."

"It is your birthday? How wonderful..but...why do you not look so eager to attend? Oh how foolish of me to ask such a thing. Of course I know why. My apologies."

"No Lola, it is quite alright. I truly need to face reality and stop wallowing over what will never be again. Besides, he went to all the trouble to do something so nice for me when I was certain after what he saw today...well that's not important. Will you come? I hear there will be cake....and fireworks, although I don't know if that will startle Leean. That will probably be around her bedtime anyways. So what do you say?"

"Of course my lad...Josie. I would love to attend."

"Perfect. I need to do something first. Will you stay with her?"

"You know you do not need to ask. Of course I will."

"Maybe you could pick us both out something to wear while I am gone?"

Lola smiled and nodded, then you left for Stephane's office, still pondering over whether you would wear a flower or not, but you decided to go look at them anyways, for anything floral made you think of Thranduil.

A beautiful rainbow of flowers in a large crystal vase sat on Narcisse's desk just where the sunlight shone in to feed them. Cleary there must have been a greenhouse on the grounds for they couldn't be from the gardens in the middle of winter, but then again, as Narcisse said, the weather was strangely warm...and you did see a purple one sprouting from the ground a few weeks ago after the ice storm.

Of course you chose a violet beings that it was purple. You put it in your hair and stood at a mirror to see how it would look, but all you could see was the memory of the vision you had at Lestat's of Thranduil in the mirror. You closed your eyes and turned away, trying not to cry again.

As you took the flower out of your hair, you stood there and just inhaled it's scent, reminding you of how you would sit in Thranduil's gardens for hours when he was out tending to his Kingly duties. How you missed his Kingdom. Would you ever be ready to go back? You knew you needed to. It was Leean's home...it was your home...and you missed Legolas something awful and surely he was missing Leean if not you. You needed, wanted to make things right with him, but could you? Knowing how he felt about you now and how hurt he was. And why couldn't you hear him anymore? Did you just imagine it all?

You began to leave when something caught your eye on the desk. It was the doll made of hay that Stephane mentioned they found in Claude's room. Out of some strange intuitive feeling, you picked it up and looked it over....and then, something happened that had never happened to you before. You saw a vision.

Arion, standing alone in a place of darkness with a mangled mane and he turned to look at you as if he saw you. His eyes were so sad and lonely.

And then the darkness began to fade and you could see the surroundings. A place you didn't recognize but appeared to be some sort of desolate dungeon standing at the edge of a forest.

You gasped and dropped the doll and ran off to find Narcisse. As you turned a corner, you almost ran into Charles who was coming out of his chambers.

"My lady? Where are you off to in such a rush and why are you out of breath and look frightened??" he sincerely asked.

"Charles...you know the grounds here well, do you not?"

"I..I do yes, why?"

"Is there somewhere around here that is desolate...another dungeon maybe? A big round stone structure by a forest??"

"Umm..y..yes I believe so? A bit south off the back side of the castle. It hasn't been used for years. Why would you ask of such a place?"

"Can you take me there??"

"N...now?"

"Yes, please Charles!"

"Josie, what is this all about??"

"Just take me there. If my vision is true, I am about to make your father the happiest man in the world."

After saddling up some horses, you and Charles galloped off down a discreet pathway behind the castle and headed off into the woods. Roughly twenty minutes later, you came to a clearing and at the other end of it was the stone building you had seen on the edge of a cliff, hidden behind the forest.

"Wait. Stop!" Charles loudly whispered. "There are guards?? Why are there guards at this run down place?"

"Because I believe your mother has something valuable to your father locked up inside of it. I'll take care of them."

"With what? Magic? My father has rules about magic used on his guards. Trust me, I just got an earful about it this morning."

"Fuck the rules." you quipped and rode off.

"I'm going to be in so much trouble...." Charles whispered to himself with wide eyes and took off after you.

"Halt! What business do you have here? This area is forbidden." One of the two guards said as he walked towards you with his sword drawn.

You dismounted and fearlessly walked up to him as Charles jumped down and followed.

"There is no need to draw your weapon on a lady!" Charles snapped. "I know who you are and you know who I am. Exactly what business is it that YOU have here at a deserted dungeon??"

"That is classified information young warlock. If your father wished you to know, you would not be questioning me. Now move along."

"I take no orders from you! I demand to know what is inside, for I feel my father has no knowledge of this at all!."

"I said it is forbidden." the guard snarled and took a few more steps towards the both of you as the other guard then joined him.

"What are you going to do if I pass? Kill me? My father will have your head if you harm me or Josie."

"I will not harm you...now the girl on the other hand means nothing to me...but...maybe for a small price, we can work something out? I have not had the pleasure of a woman in a very long time."

"Nor have I." the other guard said with a twisted grin.

"And I can see why you disgusting oafs. Narcisse will have your heads either way for I know what is inside. His beloved horse. Arion."

"What??" Charles strongly asked as he whipped his head to you.

"That's right. Arion is not dead. Your mother stashed him here to make your father suffer by making him believe she killed him and fed the horse to him. I'm sorry Charles but I told you Catherine was sick. Now, let us pass or..."

"Or what??" the guard laughed. "See, now we have a bigger problem. You should have minded your own business. We cannot let you go now...my lady." the guard said, bearing a sinister smile as he neared you.

Just then, something swarmed him. It was so fast that you couldn't even see it...but you smelled the gush of wind that burst over you....Garrett.

The man backed away in panic, nearing a steep cliff that held only massive sharp rocks below at the ocean's edge. He was stormed again, but this time you saw something you had never saw of Garrett before. He appeared from a swarm of bats and raged in the man's face, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards, screaming to his death below.

It all was happening so fast, you and Charles were frozen solid as you watched the horror unfold before you.

Garrett charged the other one with his fangs in full view, something else you had never seen on him before, and then he bit into his neck and ripped his throat out.

The man fell to the ground and frantically scurried away from Garrett, ending up being backed against a tree.

Garrett leaned over the horrified man and bit into the other side of his neck, killing him instantly.

Your terrified gasp caught Garrett's attention and he froze, keeping his head down. He then slowly opened his blood soaked hands and looked at them.

Garrett's hands began to shake and his breathing became heavy.

"G..Garrett?" you squeaked as you took a step towards him.

"Stay back!!!!" he growled. "You...you can't see me like this..."

You ignored him and slowly crouched beside him, gently placing your own shaking hand on his shoulder. Your touch startled him and he quickly scooted away, keeping his back to you.

"I said stay away! This...this wasn't supposed to happen...they...they were going to hurt you...I could hear their disgusting thoughts."

"Garrett...it's ok. Please look at me."

"No! I...I never meant for you to see me like this. I can only imagine what you must be thinking. I heard your fear...I can smell it as well."

"Garrett...I...I'm not afraid of you, I was just taken by surprise. They were bad men Garrett...this...this is what you do to those kind of people."

"But you weren't supposed to see it! Not ever! I lost control...I...I'm so...sorry....I...I'm so ashamed..."

His voice was breaking as if he were going to cry as his entire body was now trembling.

"Garrett talk to me...Did...did something happen to cause this?"

"I...I'm a monster Josephine! Just like I always told you I was. That's what caused this. You...you need to stay away from me. I...I don't belong in your world just like everyone has told you."

"Garrett, stop talking like that. You are not a monster! They were the monsters. If you hadn't have come, even I myself would have hurt them. I was going to set them on fire. Does that make me a monster too then? Garrett, please...look at me...let me help you."

"Have a great birthday party and date with Narcisse." he softly said and then his scent rushed through your hair as he vanished.

"Garett wait!!!!!!! You don't understand!!!"

You turned to see Charles still frozen solid with wide eyes and shaking.

"Charles, it's ok. I know him. He wouldn't have hurt you. He was only protecting me."

"Even so, he's...a vampire...on our lands...he just killed two of our guards. I...I have to tell my fath..."

You ran up and grabbed him. "No! You cannot tell Narcisse about this, ever! Do you hear me?? He will have Garrett hunted and they will kill him and I will not let that happen! Those guards were evil and you know it. If Garrett hadn't killed them, I would have...and so would your father if he were here!! But the fact that it was a vampire won't matter to Narcisse, especially that it's Garrett. Please Charles, I'm begging you. I...I care about him...very very much."

"I...I don't know Josie. I think you should just tell him so he does not find out another way. He would understand that the monst...sorry, the vampire was only protecting you...and judging by the way my father looks at you, I would think that your safety would be all that mattered to him. Do you not trust him?"

"I...I want to...but...I just can't risk Garrett's safety...not after all he has ever done for me."

"If..if I stay silent, how will their deaths be explained?? It's quite obvious from the one's wounds what killed him. My father will eventually know they are missing and have them searched for."

"Then they shall not be found."

"W..what?"

You turned to the dead guard and flung your hand out. It ignited into flames and you showered it over him, setting him ablaze.

"There. No more evidence. He will burn to ash. As far as the other guy, he wasn't wounded. It will just look like he accidentally fell if he is found. As far as Narcisse, he only needs to know we found Arion here, nothing more."

"Jesus. Remind me to never piss you off. Alright. I won't say anything...but if I am asked...I will not lie to my father."

"Ok...I can deal with that. Thank you Charles. Now, let's go get Arion."

Sure enough, the snow white horse was inside alive and well, but seemingly depressed and in untidy conditions. His eyes lit up when he saw you, for he remembered his first meeting with you....and of course he knew Charles.

"It's alright now big fella. I am going to take you home where you belong and that wicked witch will never harm you again." you assured him as you lovingly stroked his nose.

He tilted his head and nudged it into your chest, making snorting sounds which had you and Charles laughing. Strangely, it was the first time you had ever heard the boy laugh and you felt slightly guilty for berating his mother in front of him. You understood exactly what it was like to have a love hate relationship with a parent.

You brought the Lipizzan horse outside and let him drink from the canteen you brought, then let him snack on an apple while you tried to untangle his neglected mane. Once he finished his fruit, you both took him back to the stables where the other horses were overly happy to see him as they loudly greeted him with many different pitched neighs and hoof stomps. You spoke with the stableman, asking him to see to it that Arion was pampered, cleaned up and well fed. You also told him to have him ready for a surprise tomorrow and to keep his return a secret until then, for Arion needed a good nights rest in the comfort of his home. After giving the gentle giant a kiss upon his nose, you then left to get ready for the party you were definitely not in the mood for after the recent events, for all you could now think about was Garrett, who was ignoring all of your calls to him. He obviously had heard your conversation with Narcisse and that is what had triggered his anger.

As you and Charles arrived back at the castle, there was a large gathering of of guards and horses in the court yard, along with some man lying on the ground.

"Oh look, Narcisse is serving punishment to one of the guards who caused you trouble the other night in the dining hall. The other guard knew of what would come, so he fled, but he will be found soon enough and pay for his involvement. Come, let's go watch!" Charles eagerly said and trotted off.

How quickly the boy went from referring to Stephane as his father while defending him, then right back to addressing him as Narcisse when it came down to business.

When you walked in, the man on the ground was being tethered by his arms and legs. He saw you and your eyes locked.

"Please....I was never going to hurt you, I swear it! I...I had too much to drink. I shouldn't have said such vulgar things...I...I'm sorry my lady!" he cried.

You gasped in horror, looking all around for Haldir but he was not there. You then rushed up to Narcisse, who turned to you and explained what was happening.

"Do you know why they bind him at up the arms and legs? For a good clean break...or they can do it the other way, at the hands and feet...which do you think would be more painful?"

"Stephane, you cannot be serious? Please, stop this now!"

"Why on earth would you want me to stop? You know how things are done here when it comes to harassment of women, especially you. I had my men stoned to near death as equal punishment over harming a bird, so certainly you must know that this offense would deserve a far worse punishment, for men like Asher should not breath at all."

"The...the crow..." you muttered, wondering where your feathered friend had been since then."

"Yes? I was told by witnesses that it was a black bird when I caught them just after the heinous act of hurling rocks at it. How did you know that?"

"Because that crow is my friend who has saved me many times from danger. He came to me that night, barely able to fly and covered in blood. I had meant it speak with you about it but so many things were happening. He told me, well, he showed Garrett what happened to him, but Garrett said he saw that you had returned from the city and were handling the situation. I'll have you know, the bird would have died if it had not been for Garrett. He healed him when I could not."

You defense of Garrett was another attempt to make Narcisse see he wasn't a monster in case what happened earlier with the guards was ever revealed, but of course, Stephane's response only proved your efforts pointless.

"Ah yes, the infamous heroic vampire saves the day once more. Well...for the crow's sake and yours, I am happy he was saved. Why was the bird here anyways?"

"He's a messenger and my guardian of sorts. Usually he has something to tell me or bring to me. He is how I had gotten my moonstone back. I guess he knew I needed it or something."

It then be became clear to Narcisse that, that is where Thranduil's letter came from that his guard found nearby one the ground that night. The crow somehow knew the Elvenking was alive and brought it here to tell you.

"Can we get back to what's happening here Stephane? I understand you have rules and beliefs and whatever but...I was the victim and I am telling you, it was only drunken words. He does not deserve to die over it. He is sorry, you heard him,...and I believe him. Please, punish him some other way."

"He is only sorry because he is about to be drawn and quartered. Carry on." he then said to the horsemen as if your words meant nothing.

They began moving the horses, pulling his arms and legs nice and taut as the man screamed in sheer terror.

"Stephane Narcisse!! This is not you!!! I thought you believed the spell had been broken?? This is a disgusting vile act!" you shouted in one last plea to save the man.

"Tell me something Jo...your King has done similar and even far worse things to those worthy of their punishments and you did not have a problem with that, so why is it that you have a problem with how I operate things here?"

"I never said I liked it and many times, I told Thranduil how I felt about it, not that it's any of your business, and many times I was able to get through to him because he had a good heart inside of him that only I or Legolas would ever see....and I have seen that heart inside of you. This man does not deserve to die and if you go through with this, you can shut that party down and kiss your date goodbye, and me for that matter, for I will not stay where death takes precedence over what is right. You told me you were not a soulless animal now prove it!" you reeled with your own nose flaring like that of your Elvenking's.

Stephane's bright blue eyes softened and he turned to Bash and nodded at him to stop.

"Release him and take him back to the dungeon. This is your lucky day Rossif." he said to the warlock who mouthed the words 'thank you' to you with tears in his eyes.

"Will I...see you tonight then? Hopefullllly with a flower in your hair..."

You wanted to say no and you wanted to still be mad at him...but you couldn't and it drove you crazy that this warlock lord was growing on you.

You simply nodded with a light smile and left.

On your way to the front entrance, you sensed someone familiar. A vampiress and only vampiress that smelled of baby powder. Selene.

As your eyes scoured for her, you then caught sight of the dark haired vixen standing on the edge of an empty loading dock where she could easily dart off over the Rhun if detected.. Discreetly, you snuck off and made your way there.

"Selene?? Oh my god...." you raved as you stepped onto the dock and then ran to her.

She braced herself for the impact of your bear hug, laughing as you pounced upon her.

"It is soooo good to see you again! I have missed you immensely. Is everything alright? What has brought you to the danger zone?" you asked with a chuckle.

"Well I have certainly missed you as well, my only human friend and I wish this was just a social call but..."

"But? What's going on?" you asked in wariness due to the irresolute look in her ice blue eyes.

She reached into the pocket of her black leather pants and pulled out a small piece of folded paper, then reluctantly handed it to you. Dithering to open it, you slowly unfolded it and softly read it aloud.

"This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am leaving Devil's Island. You will not see me again. You know you and I could never be and I cannot bear to look you in the eyes again after you saw the real me. I would rather be truly dead than to feel this kind of pain. Hopefully I can make that happen. The dumbest thing I ever did was fall in love with you but it's the happiest I have ever felt. I will carry the memories of you with me until my last breath. I am so sorry I have ever hurt you. I love you. Forever. Goodbye my little one....- Roman"

"This...this is a joke right?? He's just going to leave me??"

You crunched up the letter in a fury and walked to the end of the dock, shouting out into the sky.

"You promised!!!!"

"I..I'm sorry Josie. I begged him to change his mind but he wasn't having it and he wouldn't tell me what happened."

"I'll tell you what happened. Garrett's a fucking LIAR!!" you screamed back at the sky again. "He can't leave anyways, he has my..."

You stopped yourself, because no one but you and Garrett knew about your moonstone's whereabouts.

"You mean the gem? He told me where it is in case you needed it. Don't worry...I will never tell a soul."

'Wow, well I guess he thought of everything didn't he. I guess this means he really is leaving...I...I..."

You could feel your chest tighten as a panic attack threatened to consume you.

"Josie??"

"He...he leaves me now, when I need him more than ever....he's gone." Tears filled your eyes, blurring your vision. "Well I guess he made my choice quite easy for me....although it would have been quite simple."

"Choice?"

"I would have chose him....."

@redeemer46

[redflemmefoxy]

Allow me to share my humble opinion of actfl

🦊Spoilers ahead🍎

Honestly I sobbed so much during the whole book:

💜 Evajacks reunion got me like:

💜Jacks pov were pure emotional damage and I absolutely digged it

💜Nothing could beat the phoenix three scene

🍎I just loved the romance, the angst, the pining, the ending for Evajacks. I was surprised to see people who weren't fan of Jacks pov - the way they were one of the best imo.

🍎We did get crumbs of his past, I actually was satisfied with that especially when you know he did it so castor/chaos wouldn't be alone🥺

🍎Honestly for me it was enough when it comes to backstory, we also learnt how strong Jacks feelings for Eva were. When I tell you the man did everything so that she would be safe even if it means he would never feel anything by burning his heart (literary) 😭

🍎Jacks was absolute menace in this book😂, I absolutely loved every time he made Apollo nervous even when he wasn't there. Him breaking Apollo nose was💯

🦊I absolutely loved Evangeline in this book, she annoyed me a little at the start of tbona as she was stubborn. But here she proved she has changed and learnt for her mistakes, heck she even had an amazing character development. I loved how confident she was even without her memories, she was strong🔥

🦊I loved when she slapped Apollo 10/10 moment (it reminded of Rosaline slapping Romeo in go away Romeo, great webtoon btw)

🦊🍎I am so glad they got their happily ever after, they way I was worried they wouldn't. Each time I was scared for them, they really deserved it🥺❤️

🤡Apollo, oh god he was such a clown from the start to finish. I actually found his povs interesting tbh, he really lost himself somewhere in the way. I actually had a good laugh when his plans failed, at the same time at times he was kinda psycho and scary. Overall not bad villain essence

🐉Okay but Lala was so cool, she had brief appearance but I loved all the scenes with her. Her and Eva going on a trip to retrieve Jacks heart was fire🔥

🐉Lala and Castor ??? Unexpected but not unwelcome, actually a spin-off of their story would be lit like the tension😳. Also I think Lala's story as the Unwed Bride would be interesting to explore

🐉Which leads me to a question of besties going on trips are need and don't get me wrong partners to lovers or enemies to lovers on a quest are my jam. But we need more bffs going on quests😍

💜Aurora was absolutely evil, now it was shocking to learn she was the reason for Jacks curse, but honestly I didn't mean it. Like she was the ultimate mean girl. I hope we will see more of the Valors.

🍎🤔Now we didn't get the apple lore, although I read somewhere that apples were used to calm Jacks urges, so I guess it makes sense. Perhaps we will learn more in the owlcrate alternative ending

💘The alternative endings were such a gems, a pity there are not part of the main story (btw they can be found in tumblr, the only missing one is from the owlcrate edition)

Overall, it was such a painful beautiful and fun ride. I enjoyed it a lot, I am looking forward to Stephan Garber's next books🥰

[vilintux]

Okay so.... I have been thinking about what allergies would RA and BB charactera would have.

Here are some headcanons

RA first:

I just kinda want George to be allergic to cat fur.

Jenny sneezes so much from dust.

Alyss is allergic to peanuts.

Will's allergy is lobsters

And Horace is allergic to strawberries (why? Because I am too)

BB characters allergies! Go:

Hal is allergic to avocadoes (is that how you say it???) .

Tomatoe allergy goes to Stig, Ingvar and Stephan.

Thorns is allergic to goat milk (not sure how he found out).

Honey allergy is given to Jesper.

Wulf is allergic to raspberries, while Ulf has allergy of blueberries (I decided to make it diffrent).

Edvin doesn't get a food allergy, instead he has a huge allergy of bee and wasp stings. He found this out the hard way.

Lydia is allergic to Coconuts (ALSO DON'T KNOW HOW SHE FOUND OUT)

Note: it's just a headcanon and maybe I missed something in the books so feel free to correct me or give them a different allergy. I also want to give allergies to other characters like Halt and Sele el ten (Seleten) so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CONTINUE THIS LIST ON FURTHER 🙏🙏

[jennibeultimate]

the deniss situation is super frustrating!! I see people say "oh, he should quit the quads and just be the next jason brown" and forgetting that JB tried that quad toe for so long and ultimately there is only so far you can push a tech ceiling, especially when your competitors are all getting a second quad in the short already. Deniss clearly likes working with Steph and they clearly share an artistic vision of skating but I wonder if Deniss would benefit from a summer camp w a different team that has a different (or any?) jump specialist for a bit.

I agree wholeheartedly on the "super frustrating"! Such a tragedy.

I know why ppl make the comparison between Deniss and Jason's situation, but Deniss is a completely different person. So while their struggles seem to be comparable, you cannot just copy paste another skater's strategy and think that it would work the same way.

Ppl don't only forget that Jason was struggling with quads for his entire career, but also that their situations have some differences.

Jason had a powerful federation to back him up, Deniss cannot rely on his fed pushing his scores. (not to say Jason didn't deserve his scores, but sometimes his GOEs seemed a bit high compared to other skaters that did just as amazing triples with difficult entries etc. but were from small federations, not even Yuzu received as high GOEs on triples throughout his career though Yuzu wasn't from a small fed either, this was just an example)

Deniss isn't as consistent as Jason is/was with his triples. If Jason fell on the quad try you could maybe see him struggle a bit with the 3A sometimes but not with any other jump. Deniss isn't able to recover from his quad fall as quickly and he never had the same success rate with his triples in competition to begin with.

Ppl don't like to admit or see it...Deniss skating skills and transitions aren't nearly as good as Jason's were. Jason is exceptionally in the transition department, Deniss is great but there is still a jarring difference between what those two do.

Skating nowadays relies a lot heavier on jump abilities than when Jason was struggling with quads. There is only a couple of years difference age wise but skating has changed a lot. And let's also not forget that not being able to do a quad did make Jason miss the Olympics in 2018 and almost also in 2022. So it's not like Jason's strategy was always working against stronger jumpers in the US. Deniss is just luckier in that regard bc in this case a small country is a blessing.

I am not sure if the technical expertise is lacking for Deniss. They invited jump specialists to Champery, Ghislain Briand is giving summer camps there for several years in a row, he's now even part of the coaching team, so actually Deniss does have a lot of specialists to work with. Maybe a summer camp with different ppl or approaches could help him. Maybe the problem is more mentally than physically, I don't know just speculating. There are videos of Deniss landing quads both 4S and 4T even in combination. So technically he is able to do them, just the success rate in competition is basically 0.

I was also thinking is Stephane still the right coach for Deniss? I know this opinion is widely unpopular but if it weren't Stephane specifically would that option be still this outrageous? Ofc they share a vision and I also understand that the entire success of Deniss' senior career is a joint work between Stephane and Deniss, but there is only so much a coach can do for you. And maybe it reached its limits. I think Stephane himself even looks frustrated when Deniss came off the ice at SkAm. It's just a thought so pls don't come at me...

We aren't in his shoes and I wouldn't want to tell what is right for him. For me it's just clear that his current strategy is not working and that he can't continue this path forever bc it can't be mentally good to not be able to get any kind of success. Maybe they are already aware of the problems and are working on it. I hope he'll find a way. I cannot offer a solution, just wish him well.

I can only repeat, it's frustrating. And it's probably or definitely the most frustrating for Deniss himself.

Crossing my fingers for the free skate! 🙏

[a-solitary-sea-rover-backup]

Orient Express Racing Team’s journey toward the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup ended today at completion of the first stage of the challenger selection series. Among the five teams, the French finished fifth in the double round robin and were eliminated.

The team was the last entry, launched in February 2023, and without sufficient time to create their AC75, were sold a design package from Team New Zealand. They were also the last to launch, and with only 46 hours of ‘flying time’ since the team received their AC75 on June 6, all involved had known there was a mountain to climb.

“The whole team has been getting stronger and stronger, and our ambition is to come back,” said skipper and pilot Delapierre. “When we do, we will have to be better, we were missing a bit of an edge this time. Overall though what we have achieved has been pretty significant, but unfortunately, we were not able to get into the Semi Final.

“(But) what this team has achieved in just one year, and being able to compete against those much more experienced teams, is unbelievable.”

…

Bruno Dubois, co-Chief Executive added, “I think overall we have done a good job. Stephan and I put this campaign together in a short time and I think in the end we were quite competitive. We’ve done some good things with this campaign, but we need more time, more money, more everything.

“The good news is that the team will stay together with a few projects we’re going to work on to make sure the sailors, the technical team, everybody, will stay together. We have the base, we have the boat, so we are not starting from zero.”

[bookofkatherine]

Chris Hemsworth: First to Return from the Otherside

Thursday, August 15, 2024 Dear Journal,

What a morning. What a night! I can't believe my life. And no one else can either. Well, no one except for Stephan, Gustaf, the wizard Merlin, Dumbledore, the Lord, Amy Adams... Okay, okay. So maybe I'm the only one who can't believe my life.

But... can you blame me?

I mean, let's just take the song that's playing on my phone right now: Livingston's The Ending You Deserve. It's a love letter the angel Chris Hemsworth wrote me when he was trapped on the Otherside.

And now that he's home again, he is filling my world with his music again. And God, how I have missed his music.

Sigh. See that!? Right there. Right there! I just skipped over the fact that Chris has returned from the Otherside like it's no big deal.

It's a HUGE deal!!!

Did you know? He is the first ever in the history of the Otherside to be released back into the land of the living!? The moment I released him, all the angels kind of shook my house in shock and amazement. When I asked, "What?" they all said, "It MUST be the End!"

And you know what? I was so busy with other shit that I didn't even stop to ask them why! Oh no! I ended up making a note in my phone to ask them what they meant hours later, when I was alone and had time to ponder the events of that afternoon.

And as I did so, I realized that - once again - my team knew something I didn't. And that's not good, when you're supposed to be their leader. So! I added it to my list of questions to ask the next time I could talk to all of them at once.

And when I did, I learned that no one - but NO ONE - comes back from the Otherside.

Oh.

I had just snapped Chris Hemsworth back without a thought. I asked the Lord if I could. He said, "yes." Then I asked if it was best and He said, "yes!" And that was all I needed.

"Chris!!!" I called.

Yes. I can talk to people on the Otherside. I can talk to people just about anywhere across the multiverse. Think Galadriel in Lord of the Rings. Kings get bashful around me as I give them gifts and speak to them with my mind or out loud, depending on which is best for each situation.

And yeah- if you're being a dick and fucking your people over, I'll see it when I look at you. So straighten the fuck up, okay? It's The End. You don't want to go the place you're working so hard to go to, okay? Satan lied to you. Get used to it. The Deceiver doesn't tell the truth to his own troops. And definitely not his own wives. He's the Deceiver for fuck's sake! Learn!

"Chris!?"

"Babe?" he said. And that smile peeled across his lips. He gets a little smirk- a tiny upturn on one side of his mouth- and there his smile begins. But then it slowly and, goddammit, quite sensually, opens wide in a slow roll across his lips.

But his eyes say something else. They have ever since I found him on the Otherside. (Yes, yes, I know. The rumors are true. I did kill him! I'm the reason he's there! But that's a really long story, ok? He doesn't even blame me. And the fact that he didn't die, the fact that he wasn't sent to the Pit like most Fallen Angels, especially ones who put so many hexes and curses on my body, means the Lord planned for us to be reunited.

Satan lied to Chris, just as he lies to all of his Fallen Angels. He promised Chris he could procure me for Chris alone, not to be shared with anyone. Ha! Now that's one hell of a lie. Satan himself wants me for his own! As if he'd ever share!!!)

So - Chris' eyes tell another story. His smile may be soft, sensual and wide when its fully open, but his eyes are looking at me with a bittersweet symphony of emotions. They are bright and sparkle because he is so happy to hear from me. And not just because the Otherside sucks, but because my time is so very limited, he knows its costing me a lot to call on him and him alone - no one else on the line.

But, bright as they are, they are also poisoned with sadness. He knows how much of my daily pain, suffering and agony was his doing. And he knows that - though I love him deeply - I no longer look at him with the unbridled trust I once did. He sees the pain of his betrayal in my eyes. Oh, I still love him. I adore him.

I even feel safe with him. But I know he's dangerous now. All of the angels/gods are. And where I was once totally unguarded with him, there is a very slight change.

He knows that I know... and the knowledge just opens up possibilities in my head I never had before. To protect the world and the Order, I have to consider all possibilities at all times. And the thought of him being a liability ever in any way was never a thought, until I learned the truth: the Second of the Fallen had trapped and used him.

In some ways it's better. We are more open and honest with each other, and our love has deepened greatly.

Which is why there's hope too. In the background, his eyes are lifted up by hope. And that's because he can see that I am not lying. I hide nothing when I look at him. He can see the pain of his betrayal because I love him - I love him so much that I don't want to lie to him ever. I am an open book. He sees it all in my eyes. And that honesty is what he clings to. For Truth is Love. And where there is Love, there is always hope.

Case in point.

"Would you like to get out of there?" I asked Chris. I love doing that. I love saying big huge life-altering proposals to my loved ones as if I'm ordering take-out. It's just my sense of humor. Very, very, very dry sarcasm.

Merlin hates it. But I gave him the Urban Dictionary. He understands us all a lot better now. For a man (technically, he's an angel who just take the shape of a man here on Earth) who can translate more languages than anyone in 3500 years, he cannot translate sarcasm. It has 100% stumped him. For sarcasm is basically saying one thing but meaning the opposite. And the poor man can't tell when I switch between the two.

If I say, "Then just fucking kill the guy already!!!" Merlin will always think I mean I want my troops to kill the guy. Sigh. In reality, I only mean I want some guy dead about 20% of the time I say something like that. The rest of the time I'm just being sarcastic. I'm making a joke. Merlin?

Merlin doesn't think it's so funny.

Ah well. Heavenly problems. Jesus had them too. He had to zapp the asses of the twelve apostles every now and then, I've heard. I can honestly say I don't blame him. I would've singed their beards.

Come to think of it, I've actually taken the hair off the balls of a few guys as a threat! No one from my team, but definitely from others! It's a great way of getting a man's attention. One moment they're ready to nuke their next door neighbor, the next their plutonium has gone missing, as well as the hair on their balls.

Suddenly, just like that, they realize they aren't in control. God exists. And He is not happy with them. It can be life changing, little zapps like that. :)

Anyhow, back to Chris on August 12. Let's reveiw:

"Chris!?" "Babe?" "How would you like to get out of there?"

There. We're all caught up.

Chris broke out in a huge grin. "Really!?"

"Yup!" "Yeah!" "Okay!"

I snapped my fingers and he was back. And I felt his love - I felt his presence - immediately. He sat right next to me on my bed, and everything felt right again.

And then I sent Tom Hiddleston to the Otherside.

But that's another story. You can read about it on Twitter. I already journaled about it there. Sigh. It made Chris happy, I can assure you! Those two have been fighting over one woman or another for at least 4000 years, or, as Merline put it when I asked him how long they'd been going at it, "eons!"

Oy vey.

Anyhow, when I brought Chris back, all the angels said, "It MUST be the End!" But Chris hadn't said anything. Nothing at all. So I ignored what they said and moved on.

Looking back, it's a testimony to our love and our relationship that he didn't say anything.

"Want to get out of there?"

"Yeah!"

Here are the things Chris didn't say, but that others would have and qutie often do:

-"How!? -"But that's impossible." -"No one leaves. I'm stuck forever." -"Don't tease. That's mean." -"You're aiming too high." -"What are you talking about!?!?!!?"

Get the gist? If the Lord wants me to do it, I can do it. I've destroyed the entire Dreamworld (aka Spritiual Realm, Astral Plane, etc. Different names in different cultures but all referring to the same place) and rebuilt it in less than 60 seconds. (That impressed Merlin. That's why I remember it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have thought anything unusual about it.)

No, my team is often just as incredulous about my abilities as those outside of the Order - the muggles, as I like to call them - those who live outside the glory and splendour of the Lord.

Oh, all are welcome. But few actually seek the Kingdom of God. Most create their own kingdom and dedicate their lives to suffering for it, despite the lack of fruit such efforts bear.

Anyway, Chris didn't even try to stop me. When I asked if he wanted to come back from the Otherside, he had faith in me. He believed.

He knew:

-I would never fuck with him over such a serious subject

-I could do it, even if it had never been done before

-I had already gained permission from the Lord- I never would've brought it up otherwise

And of course, he knows my sense of humor. I was being casual about a giant move - taking him from the dead to the living- despite his sins, despite what got him there in the first place, despite everything. I was being super casual.

And that gave him more hope than anything. Chris didn't hesistate when I asked him if he would interested in coming home to me.

"Yeah!!!"

And in that one word, in that one reaction, his love and trust in me spoke volumes.

I love that man.

You have no fucking idea.

That was August 12. It's August 15 now. It's been three days. Three wonderful and blissful days. I am floating in the clouds.

Yes, I miss Tom. He broke my heart, but he still has it. And we talk everyday. But I miss writing him everyday. But - like Chris before him - he fucked with my protections in order to have me to himself and no one else.

He turned my own husband against me.

God, Nick and I are past that, for the most part, but the Lord didn't send Tom over to the Otherside for no reason. I hope it sobers him up soon. But he's Loki, dammit. I think it will take more than a day or two.

Sigh.

And yet.

And yet, I have Chris Hemsworth back. My Chris. My first Chris. And my God, the skies shine bright in my life once more.

I feel lifted up, light. Say what you want about that man, but he loves with a strength and purity rarely found in all the kingdoms these days. The Otherside has changed him.

Now he just wants me. He doesn't give a fuck about the others in my life. He doesn't compete with them. He doesn't attack them. He just stays next to me, and loves me.

And one way he loves me is through his music.

Even now, an hour after I began writing this journal entry, his music is still playing on my phone. I know which songs he has written and which ones were written by other angels.

Note: if a song or a movie is universally known and famous, if people across all ages and empires know the beat, the lyrics or the characters, then you can bet it was written by an angel. They take their creatiohs and drop them in the heads of writers, producers and studio execs they've taken a liking to or have a great deal of influence with.

J.K. Rowling said that Harry Potter walked into her head in a cafe. Yeah. The angel Gustaf was passing through Scotland, spotted her and thought she was perfect for telling the story he wanted told. So he blessed her with the story, fully formed.

It's no different for hit songs or hit movies.

And Chris Hemsworth is the angel behind some of the most amazing songs. I've come to know his style, feel and messaging this past year. Now, if I hear a song, I can often guess which angel was involved: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Ryan Gosling, Paul Rudd, Chris Evans, Gustaf or the very human Kyle Redd.

Well, I've been writing for a while now. I should probably go. As I write this I'm listening to Scars to Your Beautiful (Alessia Cara) right after Chris played Broken (Isak Danielson). He knows I listen to the lyrics now, and - I don't know - he's divine.

Literally and figuratively.

Until next time, my dear journal, over and out!!!

Katherine

[youanilovefandoms]

Rejoining Tumblr to share my thoughts on the Red White and Royal Blue movie

- I miss June

- Miguel who tf do you think you are you will never be Liam

- HE WILL NEVER BE LUNA

- Why are they still married???? Like it’s okay but a minor detail they could have left in

- The turkey scene confused my dog( it doesn’t hit the same but I also kinda like how they did it)

- RELEASE THE DIRECTORS CUT HE SAOD THERE ARE HOURS OF CONTENT THEY HAD TO CUT

- PEZ very happy he made the film

- Henry is me in social settings

- Miss Alexs original sexuality crisis cuz it was a true bisexual disaster moment

- Alex ready with music playing what a man

- Henry looked too composed post the first time they did sexy things

- Also where was “fucking eyelashes”

- Alex saying I’m bisexual for the first time is me

- “We just have to keep it very causal” and “I just can’t afford for you to fall in love with me” LIKE YOU DONT LOVE HIM ALREADY

- “I don’t know how to play polo” this is the moment Henry realised Alex is a Himbo

- I miss the polo dialogue, like that was iconic to me

- “HE IS” that’s it

- I too want to know the other famous lads he has shagged

- My mum wants to add that they are not subtle

- Give my guy Henry therapy like a fuck ton of it

- Also like let him hide on a private island and live the gay fantasy he deserves

- What happened to Wimbledon

- The Paris scene (before the do) was so sweet and cute and just everything like it was casual, fun and just everything I personally would have wanted when first having this experience (not that I did :()

- They’re in love your honour it is not casual

- Give both these men therapy please

- I am a miguel hater

- Alex loves politics but more importantly he loves his mum

- HENRYS EMAIL MADE THE CUT (not all of it but it made the cut)

- The letter quotes were pivotal for me in the books and the film without them is weird. Like I’m still really enjoying it but just miss it

- I HATE MIGUEL

- I wish Bea had more screen time she’s an icon

- “No” HE WAS SO QUICK AND CERTAIN. THAT MAN IS IN LOVE

- WHERES THE POWERPOINT

- “The B is not silent” please I needed that said on a big screen

- Stop calling my guy Pez Percy, it feels so wrong

- I’m happy the karaoke scene partially made it, wasn’t the same vibe but I’m happy it made it nonetheless

- My mums words “oh my god he’s catching feelings”

- Henry looks so scared whilst Alex pours his heart out :(

- Henry under the water and swimming away :( I would like to write an essay on those 30 seconds

- HENRY I WISH YOU WERE ALLOWED TO BE HAPPY AND IN LOVE THE WHOLE TOME

- Where was Alexs screams outside the palace gates! It needed to be more dramatic

- “Tell me to leave” “don’t make me” sobbing

- Henry is a history nerd and if that isn’t the gay agenda idk what is

- “And we’d dance” Alex said quick let me whip out my phone

- HISTORY HUH

- My mum “He gave him his ring! HE GAVE HIM HIS KEY!”

- Henry’s face after being outed and not being allowed to contact Alex was so painful

- My guy was traumatised and had no real support and both him and Alex were left to face the trauma without each other

- WE HATE MIGUEL I STUDIED JOURNALISM TOO MIGUEL AND YOURE A TWAT

- Also hate Phillip ( wasn’t in the film much but the message stands)

- Trying to explain outing to my mum when my sister lowkey outed me is painful and hurtful

- The phone call 😭😭😭meeting halfway on the stairs 😭😭😭

- STEPHAN FRY he came, he served what he needed to serve and he would have hated this homophobe

- My mum “why did the give Phillip an Evil haircut” me “Phillip is homophobic he deserved to bald”

- The parallel between their first tv interview and them talking with the king

- Is there a chance the king is gay and he had to hide it???? Or is he just like that

- THE PUBLIC SUPPORT

- My mum during the publics pride parade “get out on that balcony, get rid of your title and be happy”

- Mum was very happy he got on the balcony

- Mum was also very concerned where the secret service was everytime they snuck around

- Is it a perfect movie? No Is it everything I wanted? No but almost Do I love it? 100000%

[ettawritesnstudies]

Hi scholar

I'm finally sending out blorbsday asks again (I think). Please assign your blorbos to the setting of a book you like and explain briefly (or longly) how they'd fare.

Happy Friday, Sleepy! Thank you so much for this ask it's time for me to dust off my ancient (2021) Laoche-Stormlight AU. If you don't know the storm light archive I apologize but I'm not explaining Sandersons magic system it's too much

Weswin is a lightweaver. For whatever reason though (either as a deeply buried defense mechanism or a magic glitch with his bonded spren) he can't control how he uses stormlight. Everything he takes in is immedietly worked into illusions that he struggles to keep intentionally. So that's how you get his shapeshifting quirk. His pet in Laoche is a shapeshifter named Eeek, so that becomes his cryptic spren

This would be taking place before the whole voidbringers thing, so like WoK or prior era. Seth is the son of some brightlord and during the infighting his family is killed (rather than being the king and being overthrown), and he only narrowly escapes, so now he's trying to lie low and *not* get captured and sold into slavery

Stephan and Madelyn and Alric were sent on a mission to explore the chasms and find out what the deal is with the chasmfiends. so Seth is trying to make his way to the shattered plains to find his dead/missing brother and also any sympathetic nobles. He wouldn't be a radiant and he probably wouldn't have a shardblade but it would be very cool if he eventually won one somehow

I think Madelyn would be a skybreaker.... and she fights to get into the academy to be a fabrial engineer so she can learn more about stormlight and her powers and her spren, only her connection to justice isn't necessarily to a certain set of laws, it's more about bringing order to the world? she likes things to make sense. Not societal laws but studying the laws of nature.

And when she's betrayed by Alric, she turns more to revenge, thinking that's "Justice" and then her spren starts to leave like Syl did, and that's why she loses her magic temporarily. *also* Highspren look like tears in the world showing stars behind and that fit's Madelyn's vibe of being an astronomer and mathematician so much! I could have a line where she's in a bad place mentally and she's losing hope and says, "I can't see the stars anymore." and at that point Seth and the others don't know she's a radiant because she's still hiding her abilities and doesn't really know what's going on with her, but she just knows her star friend is gone.

Stephan would be a windrunner though! He's very protective of Seth and Madelyn and then the two of them could practice flying together :D He bonds with his honorspren later though, after Alric's betrayal. So Madelyn starts losing her powers because she takes a turn towards breaking her oaths, but Stephan doesn't want revenge, he just wants to protect his friends and family that got hurt, so he starts bonding with an honorspren and there are ~parallels~

Thanks again for this ask!

[no-passaran]

Now that 2023 is over, here's my highlights of books I read this year:

🏆Favourite book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I simply loved it. I love these characters so much, I wish I could give them a hug (especially Mariam!!!). I will never forget the scene at the end where [REDACTED FOR SPOILERS] (seriously though, it will stay with me).

🏅Honorable mention: The Royal Game by Stephan Zweig. I read it almost in one sitting. Very addictive. The reason why it's not my favourite number 1 is probably only because it's short (100 pages) so it doesn't "stay" with you the same way that the characters that you've been following for so long I guess, though it's still very memorable. But I really enjoyed it and I'd recommend it to everyone.

🏆Most original/innovative/unique: The Employees: A Workplace Novel of the 22nd Century by Olga Ravn. I picked it up because it was recommended by the library in the public libraries app, saved it in my to-read list, picked it some months later when I had mostly forgotten what it was about besides being sci-fi, and I was so confused lmao. But the confusion is intentional and I enjoyed the process of piecing together what the hell is going on through the witnesses.

🏆Most fun: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakhov. Enjoyable and very unhinged. (I was also really enjoying the novel inside the novel).

🏆Best (auto)biographical non-fiction: Consent by Vanessa Springora. Definitely a must-read. The author explains how she consensually entered a relationship with an older famous man when she was a young teen, how the consent is created, how she created the consent of those around her (mostly her mother), how this relationship affected the rest of her life even after it was over, and how society around her normalized it. It's very well written, even though it's a hard topic it makes you want to keep reading, and also shocks you with the way many people —including people in the left— have encouraged this to happen. This one, The Royal Game and A Thousand Splendid Suns are definitely the best books I've read this year, followed by Infinity Inside a Reel. I really recommend it to everyone to understand what a situation like this really looks like, especially now that conservatives go around throwing around the word "groomer" without any meaning.

🏆Best topic-centered non-fiction: Infinity Inside a Reel: The Invention of Books in the Ancient World by Irene Vallejo. Yes, I know in English it was translated as "Papyrus" instead of "Infinity Inside a Reel", but that's a mistake and, in my opinion, the reason why this book got bad criticism by English-speaking readers when it got translated to English. It was a huge hit in Spanish, Catalan, and the other languages around me, widely loved and praised by everyone who read it, and the only bad reviews I've seen of it online have been from English speakers and all for the same reason: precisely because of what the book is. It's not a classroom academic text book, it never intended to be. English-speakers who say they didn't like it because it's too poetic and personal miss the whole point that makes the book so delightful, but I understand they got misguided and had wrong expectations because of the title and synopsis they were given, so the book didn't always reach its intended audience in the English-speaking world. Leaving that aside, I really recommend it. I found it very lovely.

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

The "humbleness is a psychological obstacle" anon reminds me of old fandom talk in the 2018-2019 about Shoma not having a winning mentality and/or mental strength to win, therefore, he's not winning the gold medals (this goes hand in hand with the "he doesn't want to improve" talk). I guess Shoma's personality is consistent enough that the assumptions about his drive tends to revolve around the same thing. But at the end of the day, Shoma eventually got his accolades in a manner that befits him, so all those assumptions (that I think was a bit uncalled for) are for naught. I think what we need to consider is that... Shoma has been in this sport for a long time and has a lot more mileage than the current active skaters, because he competed so much and at the highest levels. It makes sense that Shoma's perspective is influenced by that experience. It's exhausting both physically and mentally to be at the top for so long without any real break, not even a long injury break. And let's be real, Ilia is going to be the technical benchmark for the men now provided he's not injured. Even Yuma after 4CC SP was already thinking his really high score is still lower than Ilia's. And I think Shoma respects his competitors to know that this technical benchmark won't be just for one or two competitions, it's going to be for years and seasons (he had experience going against Nathan). And so I think Shoma, knowing what his body has went through, wanting to skate in a way that allows him a future, know where his limits are. I remember at NHK this season, when Stephane asked him to do a 4S in the official practice, Shoma managed to land it but he admitted he was thinking "I hope I don't get injured" when he did it, because 4S was the jump that injured him the last time. So I think... maybe it's because I have been a fan of Shoma since 2018 but at this point I don't think his personality is an obstacle. He will get the results that is the best for him because he is facing skating in a manner that is true to himself. It's always been this way for his career.

💯 % agreed.

I think fans who haven't been around long enough can't know that Shoma's mentality was brought up a lot through his career. Ppl even badmouthed his mentality into him being "too lazy" and "uncaring for the sport", which could not have been more wrong. The "winning mentality" doesn't work for Shoma, he tried it, it didn't suit him and he grew past that "simple" approach. Shoma was and is much aware about what is in his capabilities and what not. He doesn't underestimate his competition, he's realistic.

And actually I think Shoma's growth in mentality over the years of his career brought him to where he is now, to those two world titles. He worked hard for his achievements. If it would have been only about winning he would have quit last season with a winning streak or he would not even come until this point now after the disasters of the 2019 GP series.

Shoma said it often enough, in this sport it's mostly about winning against yourself. And that's what Shoma did throughout his career even when he did not win every competition.

There are couple skaters who won every title possible and retired and that's ok if that's what was important to the person, but that never seemed to have been Shoma's goal. That's also why I think the prospect of an Olympic Gold is not what will keep him in competitions.

I am actually a bit annoyed that there is always talk about the missing Olympic Gold as if that's the only title that would make him a worthy champion, as if he hadn't proofed time and time again that he is a worthy champion just simply by staying among the top competitors for 9 consecutive years, even 10 years if you count 4CC2015! His worst place at Worlds was 7th and that was his debut. You can count at one hand how many times Shoma was off podium in his entire senior career. Shoma currently is the most decorated skater competing among all disciplines! He's a legend with or without Olympic Gold.

Shoma has a heart of a champion. What Shoma brings to this sport cannot be measured in titles and we can be very happy that he has such a long lasting career without any big injury breaks. I am just happy he still skates. I dunno maybe because I followed Shoma his entire senior career I am more than happy for what he achieved in his career and it's much more that seemed possible a few years ago. I remember very well the ppl who said Shoma won't last with his flawed jumping technique and look who got through his career without serious injury breaks and who is still here!!!

I may sound like a broken record, but everything that Shoma achieves now is a bonus. 😊

[shadesofnavy]

Meant to add this in my last message but I do really like Stephan's character so far, but I also very much want to throw the gremlin at him to annoy him silly.

Oh and also forgot to ask, but what ever happened to Stacy? Did something terrible happen to her or is she still alive, just missing for whatever reason??????

Im glad you like him???? Ngl Im not a huge Senpai fan but I had fun brainstorming on him here... (Sorry Senpai lovers...)

Stacy went missing two weeks after she went on a road trip with some friends somewhere in the south, she abruptly stopped answering her family's texts one day, and so did the few friends she was with at the time. It took two years of searching the entire state they were last known to be in until a patrol found a demolished van at the bottom of a cliff near the ocean. Inside the van were the deceased bodies of Stacy and her friends.

What went down for the van to have ended up as they did remains unclear as the road was nowhere near remotely close to the cliffside, but investigators believed that the only logical explanation would be that Stacy and her friends must have been drunk driving at night and road off track. Knowing his sister was often hanging out with crooked people, Stephan couldn't give his late sister the benefit of doubt

However, he could never shake off the feeling that something else might have happened..

[lyon-amore]

At first sight /AU!Duskwood Chapter 2

Chapter 1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Jessy POV*

 The concert ended and the usual music remained, with people dancing or drinking. Jessy took the opportunity to sit down with Jake, who was still looking at his phone.

   "We've missed you on the dance floor." the girl told him with a smile.    "I have heard them from here" answered the dark-haired man "they have been pretty good."    "Yes, the truth is that yes" Jessy she brushed her hair to one side of her, with a flirty look ". Hey, are you doing something tomorrow?"    "Why? Do you have a problem with your computer?"     Jessy screamed inside. It was unbelievable that she hadn't gotten it.    "No, my computer is fine, it's just-"    "Hey! Hands off!" They heard a girl scream and they turned to look.     Jessy recognized her as the blonde girl who had been yelling at the group earlier. A guy was too close to her, bothering her.    "Sorry Jessica, I am going to help her." Jake got up quickly. If he didn't like something, it was someone being harassed like that.   "Sure, can I ask you-" he didn't give her time to finish the sentence that he had already walked away in a hurry "Something to drink…?"      She sighed, left alone at the table. Her plan had failed.

She began to run her finger through her glass, with a bored look on her face. She thought for a moment about going home. Would anyone notice? That's when she saw him again, her ex. With that girl dancing on the floor. It still hurt.    "You're good?" She heard a familiar male voice next to her.     She looked up, fixing on the member of the group The Forsaken, Stephan. Curly brown hair peeked out from a hat that he was now wearing. His blue eyes looked at her with concern.    "Yeah, just an idiot." she waved.    "Ex or boyfriend?"    "Ex and of those who cheat."    "Okay, so he's on the jerk side." the boy teased.     Jessy laughed. And Stephan pointed to the chair next to her.    "Can I?"    "Yes." the redhead agreed.     The young man sat up and extended his hand.    "Stephan Connors."    "Jessy Hawkins."     She accepted his greeting. She didn't know why, but as she accepted it, she felt a rush of warmth. Stephan's smile rubbed off on her.    "And what are you doing here alone?" Asked the brunette, but then he corrected himself "I mean! I'm not trying to be a gossip or anything like that, it's just that I've seen you with a bad face and… well… I've been worried, that's all, but it's not because I was looking at you or anything like that!"     Jessy found it adorable. It didn't seem like he was really trying to flirt with her, on the contrary. He saw that he really didn't have that intention, because of how far away he was from her when he sat down, as if he wanted to respect her space.    "To make a fool of yourself, apparently" she answered honestly ". I had come to talk to a boy, my friend's... brother, who I like, but he has gone to help a girl and hasn't come back."    "Really?" He asked something curious "Well, he must be another idiot for not coming back."    "It doesn’t matter, I think he didn't like me the way I would" Stephan looked apologetically ". It must seem like a boring conversation to you, right?"    "No, not really" he shook his head, leaning on the table ", if you need to talk, you can do it with me."     Jessy felt that this boy had to be an angel to endure the sorrows of a girl as boring as her. The truth is that she didn’t want to be the center of attention of her either. She had also worried about him.    "What about you?" She asked the young man, who raised his eyebrows in question "You weren't well when you sang either."    "Have it noticed so much?" He asked between his teeth, somewhat uncomfortable.    "Just a little" Jessy said, gesturing ", but I won't make you tell if you don't want to."     Stephan's lip twisted, hesitating. It's not like he wanted to tell her either, but… maybe he could speak it too?    "Let's say that in my family, being in a group believes that it's going to ruin my life."    "Why? What's wrong with it?" The redhead looked at him strangely "You can travel everywhere, get to know other cultures while you're on tour-"    "Exactly!" Stephan smiled, this time sincere "I want us to be able to transmit our music to every corner of this world, while I know, I don't know, Korean food?” he shrugged, not sure what to say.     The girl laughed and he followed her. His laugh was nice. She liked hearing him, it was as if she were listening to him sing.    "Do you like traveling?" the redhead asked, paying more attention.    "Yes, whenever I can, of course" Stephan took the phone out, and began to show his photos of his trips ". Look, here it was in Oslo, Cafe Mono” he began to explain ". It was last year, unfortunately, on this trip I couldn't take Sky with me."    "Sky?"    "He's my dog, right now he's sleeping in the caravan." He showed his photos of the Golden.     Jessy made a gleeful sound at the photos. She adored dogs.    "He's beautiful." she said, zooming in to see the animal's little face.    "I always try to make him be with us" Stephan put the phone away after finishing showing the photos ", Sophia doesn't usually like to stay with him very much."    "And Sophia is..."    "She's my girlfriend."     Well, something bad that he had.

Jessy dropped the flirty smile and went back to being friendly Jessy.    "Don't she like your dog?" She asked curiously.    "Let's just say she's always busy making fashion videos, promotions-"    "Wait Sophia? The influencer SophWorld?" Jessy began to question, getting excited.    "Yes, the same."    "My God!" I'm her fan!" She showed the dress she was wearing, with enthusiasm "I bought this dress because she said it was one of the best they had just released."     She watched as Stephan made a strange face. Had he been too inappropriate? Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned his girlfriend?    "Did you really buy it for her?"     Jessy looked at him confused. Was it something bad? She looked down at the dress, feeling ridiculous. Maybe it was too much.    "Sorry, I didn't ask in a rude way" Stephan apologized quickly "I'm just saying that because she told me she didn't like that dress, so it seems strange to me that she said she liked in a video."    "Does…does she really not like it?" Jessy looked at her dress again. Perhaps she had done the wrong thing in buying it?    "Yes, she didn't like it" Stephan answered honestly, ", but I thought it was pretty, I don't know... I don't understand much about fashion, but I like it."     The young woman felt her cheeks burn. It disappeared from her mind that the dress had been the worst option she had ever had. Now it was one of the many better choices for that night. And why not? The boyfriend of her favorite influencer had liked her, which was already strange and at the same time funny.    "It's funny watching you act" Jessy began "I mean, Sophia had told us that you were a shy guy and that's why you didn't show your face in her videos."    "What?" Seeing the look on Stephan's face, she knew she'd screwed up.     The boy raised his hands to his face, exhaling hard. Jessy felt that she should have stayed quiet.    "Did she really say that to you all?"    "Yes" agreed the young woman "well, we knew that sometimes you made your music from the videos, but you didn't want to be because of embarrassment."    "Actually I don't show my face so I don't overshadow the video of her, not because I’m shy or anything." Stephan seemed annoyed. She had really said something she shouldn't.    "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you."    "No! I'm not upset with you" the boy tried to calm the situation, not wanting to make her uncomfortable ". Don't…worry, it's nothing bad that you said it, I assure you."     Jessy nodded, falling silent. Her situation had made her awkward. She felt that she had gotten herself in the middle of a relationship, creating a fight. Something she would never want.

They heard a laugh from behind and they both turned around. Jake was talking to the blonde girl from earlier, something that surprised Jessy, because normally, he wasn't one to talk to people he didn't know.    "Is he trustworthy?" Asked Stephan, a little annoyed "I'm worried that my cousin might be annoyed by a slimy guy."     Jessy stared at them, seeing how the situation didn't seem awkward at all. Suddenly, she didn't feel anything for Jake. It was as if it had vanished. She looked at Stephan, the way he looked concerned about his cousin. Instead of looking annoying as he tried to, in his eyes it seemed adorable. He really didn't look like a guy who used to get angry.    “He's a good guy” Jessy finally answered “, a little weird sometimes like, too serious, but… I assure you, she's safe with him."     Stephan looked at Jessy. Her trusting smile calmed him. He nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off hers. Jessy lost herself in his eyes. She knew it was wrong because he had a girlfriend, but she couldn't take her eyes off him.

Finally, he looked away. She didn't want to be the other girl. She had already been through it and she wasn't even going to do the same. It wasn't going with her.    "Jessy!" Cleo approached the table "Oh! Sorry! Am I interrupting something?"    "No," they both answered at the same time, and they looked at each other a little shyly.    "What's up Cleo?" Jessy asked, looking at her friend.    "We're waiting for you on the dance floor. Are you coming or what?"    "It's just, I-"    "Don't worry about me," Stephan got up from his chair, shoving his hands in his pockets, a little awkward "I was leaving anyway, I'm going to the trailer with Sky" He held out his hand to Jessy, to say goodbye ". It's been nice meeting you, Jessy."    "Same here, Stephan, I hope you'll get back to acting again soon." Jessy accepted his hand. Again, that warm wave, like the sun.    "I hope so, I liked acting here." He said with a smile ". See you soon."    "See you soon."    Jessy watched him walk away through the crowd. Although before walking out the door, he turned to see her and waved her goodbye. Jessy did the same, with a wide smile. Cleo laughed.    "I'll see you on the dance floor then."    "Okay, I'm going now."     She looked back in the direction of the door. But he was already gone.

She sighed, embarrassed. It was unfortunate that for a guy who was worth it, he had a girlfriend.  "I have his phone number if you want." Phil told her, coming over to the table.    "He has a girlfriend, I don't want to get in the way." the redhead replied, getting up from the table.    "For real?" Phil arched his brow curiously "I'll give them a week."    "But what are you saying?" Jessy exalted, incredulous at his words.    "Look, we don't get along" his brother began to gesticulate, pointing at each other "so I'm going to talk to you more like a counselor who has seen everything in this bar instead of your brother, that boy's look at you was the look of a guy who really had a crush on someone, and trust me, I've seen way too many looks like that, for example” He turns her around so she's looking at Jake and the blonde girl. Jessy rolled her eyes. Even her brother knew about her little crush on Jake and it seemed that doing that to her was to laugh at her ", look, Jake can't stop avoiding directing his eyes to her lips and she knows it because she can't stop biting her lip waiting for he asks for her number. And believe me when I say that Jake has never looked at her ex-girlfriend or anyone else like that." The redhead exhaled heavily, listening to him speak. He turned her around again and pointed at Thomas and Hannah dancing together ". Thomas looks at Hannah adoringly, looks at that smile of his. He can't change his expression with her, and Hannah loves that he looks at her like that, because she can't stop laughing at every stupid thing he says about her."     Jessy pulled away from him with an exaggerated sigh.    "Phil, I'm not in the mood for you to show me happy couples…"    "Trust me Jessy, I've been watching you and I know there was chemistry and I'm not telling you as a brother."     Jessy bit the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. It could be that real or simply, he was teasing her because thay didn't get along.

 She preferred to pay no attention and ignore it. As she already thought, she wasn't going to be the one to blame for a breakup.

*Stephan POV*

 It had been a year since he had broken up with Sophia. As he did so, his body felt lighter. It was unbelievable that all this time together she had been controlling him without him noticing. He had assimilated the way himself was, being too good. Too naive. Not only the girl's jealousy had destroyed the relationship, but also her lies and her lack of support in what he liked the most: music.

He was lying on the bed, listening to the latest tune he had composed. Sky was also with him, his head resting on his stomach. He petted it slowly and the dog began to wagging its tail happily. Stephan sighed, remembering that concert he gave at Duskwood and where he met that redheaded girl named Jessy. She seemed very nice to him, but at this moment and after a long relationship, he didn't think he was capable of going to see her. He had his principles and being creepy that after being single only a year, he wasn't going to just go after another girl like that. Although… It was thanks to her that he opened his eyes and began to see things he didn't like about Sophia. It was thanks to talking with Jessy that he made it clear to his father that he was not going to change his love for music.

Thanks to his hearing acuity, he heard several footsteps approaching his room. He sat up taking off his headphones, finding Klaus, Ashley, Susy, and Macie standing before him. The four of them with crossed arms.    "What's up? Something happens?" He asked, resting his arm on her knee. "And Macie, why are you wearing a mask?"    "I've forgotten my medication and I can't get close to Sky." She answered, making a sad face.     << Ah, right, her allergy to dogs. >>    "Are you going to tell me what happens?"    "We've been talking and we're going on a trip." Klaus replied.    "Okay, so what does it have to do with me?"    "That you're coming with us." Ashley said, as she and Klaus began to pull him by his feet, to get him out of bed.    "OK! OK! I'm up now!" Exclaimed Stephan, laughing "But what's wrong with you? I'm fine."     Susy leaned against Ashley, looking at Stephan with concern.    "Stephan, ever since you broke up with Sophia we've been worried." the girl began to say, and Ashley nodded.     The boy ran a hand through his hair, releasing a long sigh. Well, maybe things had changed. He now he was a little more angry with everyone. That everyone wouldn't let him choose for himself. Everyone except his friends and his cousin. And his grandparents, although unfortunately, they lived far away, in California.    "Yeah, well, sorry" Stephan finally said ". I feel a little used." Sky moved to his side, nuzzling his hand, for him to caress. What made him listen.    "Well, that's going to end" his cousin approached him, leaning on her shoulder "We're going to Duskwood for the weekend! How about?"    "Are you saying it for me or for you and that guy?" He asked her, raising an eyebrow.    "Hey, in Duskwood it's not just Jake" Macie lowered her mask, offended ", there are a lot of incredible people, I've made friends like Cleo, Richy, Thomas, Hannah, Lilly, Dan, Amy, Phil… Jessy."     Everyone noticed it. That fleeting glow when she named Jessy. They started laughing when they saw that she had blushed.    "Guys, I want to enjoy my single life." He looked up at Klaus now ". And it's only been a year since I broke up with your sister, doesn't it hurt you?"    "Dude, I met you before you met my sister" he put a hand on his shoulder "and you're living in my house, do you think that bothers me? It's her fault, not you."     Finally, he lowered his head, resigned.    "I agree to go on a weekend trip to Duskwood, but I'm not going to see Jessy!" He exclaimed, looking at everyone as he pointed his finger at them.    "We respect your decision." Ashley told him, resting her head on Susy's.     In truth, Stephan still didn't understand how he was so lucky with them.

While they were on their way with the car and with a dog on top of them in the back, a tire ended up with a flat. They got out of the car, waiting for Klaus to finish speaking to order a tow truck to the nearest Duskwood garage.    "So... a good weekend, huh?" Stephan looked at the girls, who were sitting on the ground leaning against the car.     The three looked at the young man with a frown and he was startled, looking away. Better not make them angry.

When the tow truck picked them up, it dropped them off at Roger's Garage. Both boys entered the workshop and when Stephan noticed who was at the counter, he felt that he wanted to run out of shame. Jessy also looked at him in surprise. A slight blush appeared on her face.    "Hello?" Klaus waved his hand in front of her, who didn't take her eyes off Stephan. "The tow truck brought us to fix our car."    "Yeah, wait a minute" the girl finally spoke ". You can head through that door to talk to the mechanic about the situation."    "Okay, thanks." He looked at Stephan and winked at him ". You wait for me here."    "Klaus-" Stephan started to speak, but he was already gone.     He avoided looking at Jessy, awkward. He really didn't want to see her again so soon… Well… As far as he was concerned, maybe a little more time after he had everything figured out?    "What a coincidence that we met here." Jessy said with a smile.    "Ah, yes." Stephan replied, still not looking at her "How…how are you?"    "Well, same job, same people" the redhead began to say ". Anyway, I can't complain, and you?"    "Well" he scratched the back of his neck, uncomfortable ", a lot has happened, really."    "Let me guess" Jessy's eyes narrowed, as if she were trying to read his thoughts. Stephan chuckled when he saw her "You've traveled to Korea and you've finally tried their food."    "Almost" he laughed a little louder now ". I've said goodbye to all the bad things in my life."    "Really?" The young woman blinked in surprise "That's great!"    “Yes, I was tired of being used” he said, tapping on the counter “after talking to you, I actually felt a lot better, so I left Sophia and told my father to leave me alone with my music."     Jessy went pale. It wasn't what she wanted, to be guilty of breaking off a relationship.    "Hey, I'm so sorry, I really didn't want to get into your relationship." Jessy said quickly, uncomfortable now with her.    "No! It was actually a great favor that you did me!" Stephan exclaimed, calming her down "I think… I needed someone to notice for me to open my eyes. I thank you very much Jessy." He smiled sweetly at the girl.     Jessy swallowed hard as she heard him speak gently. Stephan, just lost himself in her eyes. He was still too early.    "And..." Jessy cleared her throat, shy "Are you going to be in Duskwood for the weekend or were you just passing through?” She asked more hopefully than curious.    “I've been…” Stephan grumbled under his breath, though more humorously “Literally dragged out of bed to come here."     Jessy laughed and Stephan joined her.    "Well, if you want, tomorrow we'll be at Bar Aurora" the redhead began to say, tapping the pen on the counter ", it will be a pleasure if you join us."    "Will Macie be with Jake, are you sure that's not a problem for you?" Stephan remembered that she liked Jake and worried if that would make her uncomfortable.     Jessy shook her head, tucking her hair behind her ear, smiling at the boy.    "No, that's a thing of the past" she replied, still smiling at him ". The truth is that I like Macie, we have become great friends."    "Okay, so I shouldn't put myself between the two of you so you don't fight over a guy."    "Or you can get in the way to sit next to me…" Jessy confessed, shyly.    "That... That doesn't sound like a bad idea..." Stephan answered.     Jessy gave a shy giggle, blushing again.    "You said you broke up with your girlfriend" Jessy began ", so I don't want to take advantage of the fact that you're single now."    "Are you kidding me? I was thinking I wouldn't take advantage of talking to you again because I thought you'd think I'm one of those filthy guys."     They laughed again. They felt pretty ridiculous.    "Well, we don't have to hurry either" Jessy replied ". We can start getting to know each other, is that okay?"    "Perfect for me."    "Wait." Jessy took his hand and with her pen, wrote down her phone number ". So that you let me know if you're going to the Aurora."    Stephan noticed the number and smiled. It was like those romantic movies. He immediately took out his phone and, in front of her, decided to send her a message.   "Well, you already have my number." he told her with a smile.    The young woman nodded, seeing the message from him. She sent him a message, and they both looked at each other with a charming smile. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Stephan See you at the Aurora Jessy 👋  ❤️

 Jessy I'll be looking forward to it Stephan 😊 ❤️

The End