#also yes i know i said 'desperate times call for desperate measures'

[realchemistry]

Breaking down all the Buddie from "Confessions"

Did I write a photo review with over 5000 words dissecting the episode? Yeah, I did... Hope y'all enjoy!

Gonna ignore the first call because other than the bad mustache CGI/shots where it's not even there, there wasn't anything of substance. I wonder if they used that old call cause they had to fill up time, were short on budget, something else fell through or what happened.

So let's move to Eddie going to church. After 23 or so years he felt the need to confess his sins. But after an explanation of the crazy stuff that went down with Kim, including mentioning how Eddie lied to his son, his best friend and his girlfriend, he concluded he's not deserving of forgiveness and fled. The priest looked conflicted and that's supposed to be that.

Eddie, catholic guilt and all, went to church to confess. It's like the most desperate measure, I imagine, but desperate times... He gave the priest his name. Interesting. I got so emotional when he described Chris and talked about his optimism. Lying to Buck was pretty much at the top of the list, huh? Like, Eddie knew how bad he was behaving because their relationship's made up of truths. His talk in the kitchen with Buck was actually instrumental to him seeing how wrong all of it was. They need to be married immediately. The fact that one of the prayers (?) Eddie was meant to repent with was called "Our Fathers" was also interesting because it's coming from a priest or father but also, more obviously, Eddie's got a million daddy issues. Ramón traumatized him and Eddie said he traumatized Chris and Chris ended up going to Texas to live with Eddie's father.

The Buck and T date scene was super interesting for many, many reasons:

Buck thought he had the upper hand, saying he'd pay for dinner and trying to get T to guess the reason behind it.

T already knew it's their anniversary, which Buck clearly didn't expect.

T didn't just know, he actually brought Buck a gift for the occasion.

Interestingly enough, last season we learned that Buck didn't like basketball in the episode in which his jealousy and Eddie and T and him being bisexual happened.

T, after SIX months of dating the man, somehow didn't know that and gifted Buck tickets to see the Lakers.

For some odd reasons, T told Buck he didn't even have to take him to the game, "Take Eddie if you want," he suggested.

Buck looked confused but not exactly averse to that idea and asked, "really?"

And then T went, "and die" and then Buck replied, "okay, that sounds right."

Now, let's go through all that. It's their anniversary, they're out for dinner, and they apparently had a good time and then it's like they're completely out of sync. Buck wanted to pay for dinner to commemorate their anniversary, thinking T had missed it, whereas not only did T not miss it but he also bought him a present. Problem was said present wasn't something Buck actually cared for, which T seemed unaware of. The joke about taking Eddie... Why even suggest that? Was that a test? Did Buck fail it by wondering if that was really a possibility?

Then the woman interrupted the date and asked for a picture, with some unnecessary touching involved. I truly didn't get why Buck grabbed his own phone to take the pics... Was this second nature to him? A practical way to have an excuse to ask for the woman's phone number to send the pics? She wondered this and Buck denied it but there's literally no other reason to do that. T looked at the whole thing amusedly. Buck took the pics and went back to the table, expressing how weird that was.

Was that weird? I'm honestly so confused by that scene, like... people ask strangers to take their pics all the time. Yes, some of those might be an excuse to flirt but they're at a restaurant, which isn't exactly the greatest place to be trying to pick up someone. Also, Buck made it weird with the whole using his phone thing. Even if the woman was flirting, which she seemed to be, it didn't have to be made into anything. We can assume from this that Buck is uncomfortable being flirted at in front of T but he might also not feel great about feeling attracted to somebody other than his boyfriend who's right there to see it all.

Here's where it actually got weirder. T acknowledged the fact that it's okay to look and then Buck remarked that T didn't do that. T explained he's gay by saying he's a Kinsey 6. Buck, for some reasons, didn't pick on the meaning of that so T had to explain it. That's just... I call bullshit on that. Buck, recently bisexual, lover of research and internet deep dives would know ALL about it. This scene, I gotta say, felt super wonky. At points it was meant to but at others, like this one, it just... felt off. There's also the fact that Oliver and L have zero chemistry...

Anyway, back to the date. So T didn't know that Buck disliked basketball and Buck didn't know that T was gay? After SIX months of being together? What in the hell? Why were they only talking about that at this point? I don't think full disclosure or knowing your partner's history is a must at all, but considering Buck's curiosity and the fact that he was newly out, I figured all these subjects would've part of the first conversations between them. I'm not sure what to think. Was the writing completely off? Were they unable to come up with a better excuse to bring about the past partners talk and resorted to this? It's baffling. And since it's canon, whatever the reason, I found that the whole date showcased how little they actually knew about each other, which could only be a bad sign of the things to come for their relationship.

Of course, after that comment, T revealed he was engaged to a woman and called it off. Once again, the dialogue... T saying the woman went "nuts" after their break up, taking up some "himbo" half her age... Buck figured she was just trying to get over T, and then he mentioned the name of the woman. Of course it was Abby. Of course. Buck was literally having a crisis there, but the waiter showed up and asked how everything was. T, completely out of tune with what Buck was clearly trying to process, said it was "perfect." The waiter asked if he could get them anything else and T said "no, I think we're good." Buck looked so the opposite of good. Then the waiter wondered "who gets the damage" and, at last, a flawless piece of dialogue with T pointing at Buck and saying "That would be him." Buck was handed the check and the waiter told him, "whenever you're ready, no rush" and left while Buck looked like he was having a heart attack.

So, yeah, the date was a complete disaster. It's a mix between the actors not clicking, the dialogue serving the plot instead of Buck as a character (and Abby and even the show) and finally the actual plot dictating that it had to be a disaster. Honestly, the moment this bit ended, I knew they were going to be done.

Next, Buck went to dispatch to talk to Maddie. Why didn't he talk this through with Eddie, Hen and Chim? Curious... Maddie wondering how many men Abby had turned gay was hilarious. But I can't believe they didn't squeeze in the fact that Buck's bi there. They didn't do it during the date, though it was implicit, but here they had the perfect opportunity since they hadn't done it before. It would've taken a second for Buck to correct Maddie. Again, the writing this episode was all over the place, specially cause Buck looked at Maddie offended and Maddie clarified she was joking but then Buck sorta explained himself and T... anyways. Josh showed up then, and something was totally off with the actor's hair btw, I couldn't focus for a second there.

Josh eavesdropped and caught the kissing a boy part and eagerly asked if there was another boy... Buck was quick to deny that. Well, there's Eddie... Maddie and Buck explained the whole situation and Josh apparently knew her but they weren't close. And then, again, this whole thing just didn't make sense. Buck remarked that T led her on, said he loved her and then hurt her. Maddie thought Buck was afraid T would do that to Buck but Buck denied this and said, "I thought I knew him" and that he didn't think T would be capable of being dishonest and cruel.

Let me rewind for a second. Why was Buck under the impression that he knew T? Buck didn't even know T was gay... Also, didn't Buck know about T's past? He was worse than cruel to Hen and Chim... Truly, was he not told about all of that? I just, the use of the world cruel here... don't get me wrong, leading someone on is cruel but the whole being gay and repressing it part, while not excusing it, would at least explain T's actions. But the way he acted towards Chim and Hen... that had nothing to do with self-repression. It just didn't. I need someone to explain to me in detail how come Buck was deluded to think he knew T when at this point I'd be shocked to learn he knew T's last name.

Then the Josh speech happened. I wasn't happy with it at all. First of all, what's Buck loving him to do with any of it? If T was a cruel person, then Buck loving him wouldn't justify any of what he did to Abby. Buck looked super not in love as an answer, which was hilarious to me because of course he didn't love T, he didn't know the man!!! Josh backtracked from that word and asked a series of questions aimed at... gauging how much Buck cared for T? IDEK, it was all pretty ridiculous from the start. Also, first two questions made sense for Buck to answer affirmatively but T was literally such a plot device that there hadn't been a single instance in which Buck had shown that he was thinking about T or making T's concerns and happiness his own. These things, though, get positive answers in canon as far as Buddie is concerned. The future question was interesting because Buck's answer was "I could." It's never a definitive answer, it's another instance of "I guess" from the time T echoed "my attention?" when they first kissed. It's like Buck was convincing himself then. Josh took that to advice Buck to stop judging T because Buck didn't know what he was talking about.

The speech went into pre and post Glee world and all that nonsense. I truly hate a lot of things this episode chose to be. Was mentioning a Ryan Murphy show in a RM show a necessity? I don't wanna get into what Glee did or didn't do for the queer world, the point here is actually moot because T and Abby weren't a thing before Glee. Again, whatever experience with coming out T and Josh had, it had nothing to do with what Buck was asking. Buck was worried about the side of T he claimed not to know and how cruel he could be. I think the way T referred to her and the situation was also pretty awful, in the present tense. Even if one thought T was protecting himself by being with Abby, there is still room for judgement. We have Hen and Karen, in this same show, not being cruel to anyone, for one. Also, T didn't fight a single battle. He treated his coworker who was out like scum and was racist towards Chim. T wasn't an activist fighting for his life and his rights, he was just a bad person all around as far as we know. He had no scars to show. We can pretend he had an internal battle, maybe a family issue with his coming out but there's nothing to honor him for.

I cannot believe this show did that speech so awfully and pretended it was the greatest thing since Jack Shephard's "live together, die alone." Truly, they thought they had done a brilliant job and it's utter bullshit throughout.

Moving on, Eddie went to get juice... but then he changed his mind and got water instead. Who's there to witness that but Father Brian. Eddie's outside, drinking his water looking gloomy about it when Brian asked him of he could take a seat. Eddie allowed him to and for some reason, as Brian was sitting down, looked around. Brian told Eddie about being there for the first time, as if compelled, and then asked Eddie if he went there often. Eddie immediately assumed he was being hit on. Now, whether this is indicative of Eddie being hit on a lot or he just took those words as the line they sometimes can be and interpreted it that way, I hope we'll find out soon. Either way, Eddie told Brian "no offense, I'm straight." The lady doth protest... Hilariously enough, Brian's answer wasn't "me too" or "I'm not interested" but "I'm celibate". Eddie took that in and then Brian introduced himself and revealed that he knew Eddie. Eddie was processing that and the Father part, his hand still in the air.

Brian mentioned that he noticed that Eddie chose the juice initially and then got the water instead. He asked Eddie why he did that and Eddie kinda asked "decided I wanted water?" Brian posed that Eddie was punishing himself, denying himself because Eddie didn't feel worthy. Eddie sighed and, "I don't feel worty of juice?" Brian went straight (haha) to the point, "Of joy." Eddie chuckled and looked around and spoke in a low voice as he said he didn't have a lot to be joyful about because Brian was bringing up something Eddie had confessed to him in public. Eddie's well aware he's in public... Brian started listing the things that Eddie had, Chris, his parents, his job and his mustache. Eddie was kinda not happy but that last one got him laughing and blushing. He then confessed that he grew the mustache because he couldn't grow a full beard due to the LAFD. Brian concluded the mustache was a disguise and Eddie said it was something like that. Brian asked what Eddie's afraid of seeing in the mirror and Eddie said, "A failure. A man who doesn't deserve forgiveness. Or joy." Brian said that's now what go wanted for Eddie, that he'd already forgiven him. Eddie repeated that he doesn't deserve that and uncapped the bottle to take a sip of the water. Brian told him to earn it, and to stop punishing himself in the meantime. He remarked that Eddie spent his life in service and he understood that but they couldn't take care of others if they didn't take care of themselves. Eddie smiled and said he understood and Brian told him that after praying, he wanted Eddie to do something frivolous, something fun, something that expressed pure joy. Eddie told him he'd think about it.

The Eddie scenes were clearly written by someone else because they were all pretty on point. We had Eddie conflicted, and while it could just be him preferring water (the alternative is truly devastating to me so I want to believe Eddie isn't punishing himself through food), Brian decided to go with it to get Eddie to reflect about what he was doing to himself and it worked. Eddie didn't run away like he did in church but Eddie was shown to be aware of his surroundings, so the fact that he claimed to be straight with all of his chest... Why did he do that? Why did he think he was being hit on in the first place? Why was that moment necessary within this scene? Was juice really a representation of joy? Was joy a metaphor for something else? What were tptb trying to show or say here? Would a heterosexual character need to affirm himself as such? Would a repressed one? Thoughts, so many thoughts!!!!

The well emergency happened and it wasn't about Eddie, but it was interesting cause they seem to be doing Greatest Hits for some reason... Now I gotta ask, wouldn't Eddie, as a medic, know that getting the kid oxygen wouldn't work? Why was Hen explaining that to him? Honestly, the writing this episode... Buck's first idea was to dig... funny. Eddie said someone had to get down there and Bobby told him he wasn't gonna fit this time. Interesting. Bobby announced they would pull the big brother out after two minutes no matter what, specifically addressing Buck and Eddie. Interesting.

So it wasn't about Eddie because it wasn't the same Eddie. The pipe was smaller and Eddie didn't fit. But Eddie also didn't fit himself. He disguised himself with a mustache to avoid looking at his face in the mirror because he felt like a failure. He was shown in an episode entitled "Masks" at home taking down Halloween decorations all on his own. Bobby made sure that both Buck and Eddie knew the clock was ticking and they had to abide by it this time. Unlike Eddie's well, when Eddie cut the line and Hen refused to have Buck look for him because they'd end up with two cut lines. No more lines being cut? No more alternative ways to escape? Maybe I'm reading way too much but the camera did show Buck and Eddie's reaction as Bobby singled them out.

Back at the loft, T said he had a spot right out front and they should Uber to the movie so he didn't lose it. That phrasing... Buck agreed but asked to talk first. T replied positively, "we got time." Again, funny way to put it. They were both going to the movies so why was T the one who was going to lose it if they didn't get the Uber? You know who actually got an Uber with Buck recently, right? Also, "we got time".... famous last words. He'd just said they didn't have time but then said they did and, well, as it turned out, they didn't.

They sat down around the island and Buck brought up the story at the restaurant that T shared with him about how he "almost got engaged." This was odd and T corrected Buck, "I did get engaged. What I didn't do is get married." Buck said he appreciated T's honesty and that he wanted to be honest with him. T knew this spelled trouble and Buck denied it before taking out his phone and passing it over to show T pictures of Buck and Abby. T was surprised at first but then he scrolled to a pic of Buck and Abby kissing. Buck announced he was the himbo. T agreed it was crazy, after Buck put it like that, but added it was a little awkward. Buck decided to go closer and said it was like that for him as well at first, and that he should had been honest at dinner, but T asked or gathered that it had freaked him out a little. Buck said yes to this and T explained that if he had known, he wouldn't had used the word himbo because he didn't think Buck's one. Buck claimed that he was, at least before Abby, because what they had wasn't that, not for him. Buck said it was the most transformative relationship of his life until then. Buck said one of the reasons he's comfortable with T was that T's comfortable with himself. T said he wasn't always that way and Buck said he's aware and it made him admire T more. And then dropped the bomb, saying he wanted T to move in with him. WHAT?

No, really, WHAT? Buck really got deranged thoughts cause why on Earth would he ask T to move in? They clearly didn't know each other, they didn't love each other either, so explain how this made sense?? I'm hoping that it's a case of tptb purposefully having Buck spiral and go from zero to a hundred. There's also parallels between this and Eddie and Marisol, with Buck and Eddie asking their partners to move in when their relationships were clearly not at that stage.

T's reaction to Buck's words was crystal. While Buck said he was ready to take the next step and then, for entirely insane reasons, made it clear that he wasn't proposing marriage and or an engagement, though that'd be a possibility thanks to the brave people that came before like T. WHAT? Really, no, I'm so serious. I fucking cannot with this dialogue. Moving in, the suggestion, was bad enough, but bringing up marriage? Attributing the fact that they had that right thanks to people like T? SERIOUSLY? This was atrocious. I know Oliver was thinking of his bank account while delivering those lines because they were as non sensical as they could get.

"Why be apart when we can be together?" Buck finally asked. T said that's sweet but he couldn't move in. Buck wondered the why and T answered, "Because... I know how this ends." And my heart literally stopped or skipped a beat or something. I legit thought he was gonna bring up Eddie or a hint and, well, he kinda did, though not directly.

Buck asked what that meant and T explained. He mentioned Buck's qualities but then said that Buck's feelings were new and so it was all exciting and it felt like forever but he's still figuring himself out, which was good. Buck asked what he was saying and T said that no matter how bad he wanted to be, he wasn't his last but his first. Buck interjected that they could be the same but T said they usually weren't. If he were to move in, Buck wouldn't mean to but he'd end up breaking T's heart and he didn't think he could deal with that. He got up to leave, saying he should go and Buck told him to wait and asked him if he had just broken up with him, to which T replied, "yes, I guess I did. Believe me, I didn't see it coming either. Should've known that parking spot was too good to be true. I'll see you around, Buck."

At last, free! But while the beginning of the conversation was terrible, it ended on a high note. There's a lot of questions, like: according to what he said, T knew there wasn't a future between them. So I'm guessing here that after six months, they hadn't actually discussed that because Buck was clearly on a different page. T knew they weren't long term while Buck was thinking of moving together and being together for good. Make it make sense, how were these two dating not knowing anything about each other and not discussing basic relationship stuff??? T knew that Buck had to figure himself out yet he was still with him hoping it'd be casual without actually talking about it??? Yet he later claimed he didn't see a break up coming and he could see his heart being broken?

Now, my shipper heart wants to believe the between-the-lines reading of this scene had Eddie written all over. Eddie is how it'll end... And the fact that T's answer to Buck's question contained the "guess" this time around, mirroring Buck's response to "my attention"... INTERESTING. It was all a guessing game between BT, It's also the first time he called Buck by his name, which was the first and probably last because we're not gonna see him ever again. I was glad Buck asked if they were done because we all know he got confused about it with Abby... So long, T, you will not be missed. Buck's loft door opened and later on, another did...

Finally, we had Eddie. My boy. Looking at himself in the mirror and getting rid of his disguise.

And then... I literally felt so many things at once, y'all! The music, the shot... I couldn't believe it was about to happen. And then the mole made an appearance and Eddie was wearing pink and tighty whities and I swear I couldn't. I just, even rewatching to write this... I love him so much!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy to see Eddie letting go of his disguise and allowing himself to have that joy. The fact that Ryan looked like that... I was fighting for my life the whole time, NEGL.

I kept thinking Buck was going to show up midway. I was truly bracing myself for it. But the doorbell rang. Eddie looked through the peephole. Buck was there. Eddie opened the door, nodded at him and Buck gave him a beer as an answer to an unasked question and got in. Eddie closed the door and looked at the beer, at Buck and at the beer again. He made a face and then climbed the sofa. Buck was already drinking when the camera panned to him. Eddie opened his beer and drank from it. Scene.

LISTEN. I was unhinged already because they had Ryan dancing like that. But then the final scene happened and I just... I don't know how I'll survive what I hope it's to come.

Let's break that one down:

Eddie decided to follow Brian's words. Eddie didn't forgive himself but he decided to stop punishing and disguising himself in the meantime.

The way Eddie looked at himself in the mirror, both before and after he shaved off his mustache... My heart!!!

Eddie allowed himself to do something frivolous, something fun, something that expressed pure joy. The fact that he chose to dance half naked around his house... that's very babygirl of him, and I don't say this lightly.

The pink... the moves like the ones from the bachelor party... I felt crazy.

I kept waiting for Buck to show up, like my mind was half insane at what I was seeing and half insane at the possibility of Buck seeing it as well.

The doorbell rang instead.

Why didn't Buck use his keys?

It was the perfect opportunity for Eddie to put on some pants. Eddie didn't do that… Neither before or after looking who it was.

But, really, why didn't Buck use his keys? WHY????????

Was it to hammer the fact that Eddie was comfortable opening up his door to Buck while not wearing pants?

Was it so Eddie could see him standing on the other side of the door, mimicking Brian's view of Eddie in the confessionary? Will there be something for Buck to confess in the future? To Eddie specifically???

Buck wasn't looking at Eddie when Eddie saw him behind the door, btw...

Eddie opened his door and they looked at each other and said not a word but understood each other perfectly.

I truly hate the continuity error with the shirt collar. It's gonna hunt me forever.

Buck made himself at home while Eddie considered the beer.

Remember how Eddie's choices were water or juice? Well, what about a third secret option? BEER. Buck's beer, in fact. INTERESTING.

I went nuts and will continue to go nuts at Eddie climbing the sofa. Whose choice was that? I need to know. It was so freaking cute!!!

The camera went steady and Buck was already drinking from his bottle. Eddie, on the other hand, uncapped the bottle like he did with the water, and the shot ended as he drank the beer.

The contrast in the colors of their clothes… the fact that Eddie was looking to the side while Buck was looking ahead.

Was all of this symbolic of the fact that Buck already figured his sexuality out while Eddie's just starting? I'd like to think so.

Was it symbolic of Buck reaching conclusions he'd later have to confess to Eddie before Eddie arrives to those same conclusions himself? I'd also like this very much.

Now, the episode was called "Confessions" and Buck and Eddie didn't speak to each other. Not a single word. Even in that last scene, the only one in which they actually interacted, they didn't use words to communicate.

I see this lack of dialogue between Buck and Eddie in two ways:

First, it could show how good a relationship Buck and Eddie have in order to not utter a sound and still get each other completely. Regardless of all the issues I had with the writing, I can safely say that Buck and T were the complete opposite and lacked communication all around. The space and lack thereof reflected this too. Buck and Eddie know each other so well and Buck went directly to sit down on the couch, waiting for Eddie. Eddie followed right behind. BT, though... Buck stepped away from their table and the whole conflict with T's dating history started. Buck sat very far from T at the loft and only got close to be broken up with. Incredibly enough, that final shot with Buck and Eddie sitting together at Eddie's couch was the first that ever happened... Maybe that's foreshadowing something else, like couch theory related stuff? I never really spiraled about it before but I might soon.

Second, it could indicate there's something Buck and Eddie aren't saying to each other. They didn't speak to each other because they can't -- they're not ready or aware that there is something to confess. They remained silent because it isn't time yet but if they were to confess something, it would be impossible to take back. It would change everything. It will.

This is a legit insane post. When I say they're driving me nuts, I mean it and this is proof. Even though it's the longest ever, I probably forgot stuff that I might add tomorrow.

Now please share your thoughts on the episode and Buddie and everything so I don't feel alone in my madness. <3

[nikatyler]

becoming a youtuber wasn’t on my 2022 bingo card but ya know...desperate times call for desperate measures /j

[luveline]

Can I request an Eddie and Roan, where she goes to Wayne's house and Eddie and Reader are there talking with Wayne but also planning what to get Roan for Christmas?

eddie and roan ♡ fem!reader

“Got it?” 

Roan nods and hops up the last step to Uncle Wayne's while you and Eddie follow behind her. You're carrying a big Christmas cake held tight to your chest while Roan's father insists on carrying the drinks, an eighteen pack of glass cokes, enough to keep Wayne going for the next two weeks at least, less with help. 

“Uncle Wayne!” Roan calls as she opens the door. It swings wide and hits the wall. She doesn't care. She's about to see Wayne for the first time in almost two weeks, and she missed him like crazy. Eddie almost got sick of hearing her ask when he'd be feeling better. “Uncle Wayne!” 

The second shout is much more desperate.

Wayne appears in the curve behind the kitchen doorway to smile at her. “Hello, my chicken.” 

Eddie snorts and slams the cokes down on the sideboard with a jumble of clinks. Wayne is a great dad, but he never called Eddie anything so saccharine. Bud and babe was about as good as it got. Roan gets all the sweet stuff, chicken and gorgeous and baby girl. It doesn't quite make Eddie jealous —nothing feels as secure in parenthood as knowing someone else loves your kid just as much as you do. Wayne would die for Roan without question. He can call her chicken if he likes. 

Roan barrels across the carpet in her Mary Jane's and slams into his legs. He pulls her up into his chest, giving her hair a smattering of quick kisses, her dress bunched by his hugging arm. “It's so nice to see you, honey, I missed you!” 

She grins and makes a pleased, almost feral sort of sound as she kisses his cheek. “I missed you too! We missed our sleepover!” 

“Yes, we did. So I get you for two days, yes?” 

“Yes!” she shouts, looking over her shoulder at you and Eddie to confirm. 

Eddie holds up his now empty hands, though they don't stay that way for long as he takes the cake from you. “No arguments here.” 

Roan laughs and squeezes herself under Wayne's chin. He wraps her up and keeps her, assessing you and Eddie with suspicious eyes. “How are you both doing?” 

Eddie brushes past Wayne to put the cake on the table. Wayne isn't really asking Eddie; they know too much about one another having spent the last decade together, first by sharing a wall and now working side by side at the shop. Eddie's sure Wayne's sick to death of his complaining by now, but you're deserving of some sympathy for sure. 

“She's getting better. Aren't you, sweet thing?” Eddie asks you. 

“I'm fine,” you say, shooting Wayne a smile. “It was probably the same thing you had.” 

“Yeah? He take care of you?” 

“Always does. He's never let me down.” You cross your arms over your front. “But how are you doing?” 

“I know you missed her,” Eddie interjects, “but if you're not feeling up to it, she doesn't have to stay all weekend.” 

Wayne raises his eyebrows to protest. Roan beats him to it, yanking herself away from his cuddling to glare at the suggestion. “Dad, you said!” 

“Said I'd see if he was up to it, yeah,” Eddie placates. 

“I'm up to it.” Wayne gives Roan a soft smile. “We'll be good, right? Watch TV, eat hot dogs for breakfast, lunch, ‘n’ dinner. Dad's just being silly.” 

Roan leans back into the hug, relieved, and Wayne pulls her head to his chest, covering her ear subtly. “Thought you needed to get some things? You know, from Santa?” he whispers, ‘Santa’ mouthed without sound. 

“Yeah, if we knew what to get her,” Eddie says, brushing his hair behind his ears. “Kid's impossible. Asked Santa for a baby sister and a pet turtle.” 

“What's wrong with that?” 

“Wayne–” 

“The turtle, I mean.” He nods at you apologetically. 

You aren't offended at the idea of a baby sister being an easy gift, and you laugh at his correction. “We don't have room for the tank, I already checked.” 

“She got the measuring tape out and everything.” 

“What?” Wayne asks. “Put it outside.” 

“It's not that easy,” Eddie sighs morosely. “They're very particular creatures.” 

“It’ll suit you nicely, then.” 

You laugh again. Roan wriggles to be put down, curious at the sound, though she wasn't as deafened as it seemed. “Santa will bring the tank, guys, that's how Santa works, and the turtle. We just need to move the couch,” she says simply. 

“Where will we watch TV?” you ask. 

“Here?” Roan suggests. 

Eddie nudges Wayne in the side. “Looks like I'm moving back in after all.” 

Coats are taken off, shoes stacked in a corner. Wayne makes everyone a cup of coffee and a sandwich, even Roan, though her coffee is milk with just a splash of coffee that she begs for but doesn't touch after the initial sip. Theories for where they might house and care for a pet turtle are shared through crumbs and foam moustaches, Wayne with a lap full of grandchild, and you with an armful of Eddie. He keeps turning to you to scan your face for signs of fatigue or sickness, eyes lingering, his hand resting and rubbing at the top of your thigh. 

“We'll have to give up our room,” he suggests to you with an air of defeat. Despite his sombre tone, love lines his gaze. “When the turtle gets huge and wants to go back to the ocean, we'll have to fill our bedroom up with a swimming pool.” 

Roan sits back guiltily. “Well, maybe not like that. Can the turtle sleep with me?” 

“That could be fun. We'll get you a water bed,” you say, to Eddie's delight. He chokes on a handful of chips and needs to be whacked on the back lest he asphyxiate, and while you're still laughing at your own joke and his reaction, you pat him more gently on the back before passing him your full coke. “Here, handsome.” 

Wayne's pretty sure his nephew's found his soulmate. “What about a tortoise instead?” he asks Roan, attempting to spare you both. 

Roan pouts at her Uncle, confusion furrowing her thin brows. “What's the difference?” 

“Couple hundred dollars?” Eddie asks. 

Wayne kicks him under the table, but never hard enough to hurt. “Nothing much, chick. I'm sure Santa will figure it out.” 

[dreamwritersworld]

His daughter! (Sully family x Reader) Part 4!

reminder to PLEASE give feedback either in the comments or inbox :) ALSO you should really read my rant at the end of the story after the “!🎀!” It gives more details to the story that you may not have noticed :)

The pair continued their relationship as though nothing was said to Y/n about it. As a matter of fact Y/n wanted to put all the words her dad said in the back of her mind but she knew she’d have to tell Ao’nung…she just didn’t know how or who to ask for advice. That’s when Ronal came in.

Y/n walked into the Maui extremely nervous, she had been coming in weekly to learn more about their culture and healing methods from Ronal. However this time was different, Y/n couldn’t hold in the secret anymore. She felt sick to her stomach about it and it only wrecked her even more when Ronal kept bringing their relationship up…

“So..How are you and Ao’nung? Getting along quite well I see!”

“Yes! We have been..”

Y/n smiled slightly which immediately set off a ringer in Ronal’s mind. The smile that Ronal grew to know so well felt tired and fake. You can only assume it was a Mother’s instinct because Ronal could feel the stress and worry radiate off of the young child’s body, she knew something was wrong. In the beginning of Y/n’s arrival Ronal must admit she didn’t like the idea of the relationship but Y/n was quite easy to love. In many ways Ronal felt protective over Y/n and Lo’ak the longer they had stayed over or showed their love for her kids..she found it beautiful. So Ronal felt comfortable to simply ask whatever question she pleased…

“Something’s wrong. I can feel your stress, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing just..just tired.”

“mmh if I knew better I’d think you’re lying.”

Y/n didn’t know how to respond she stayed quiet and Ronal let her eat her guilt up. Ronal knew that if she let the silence remain eventually Y/n will confide with her.

“…I am.”

“What is it Y/n?”

“I must admit I have fallen to love your son beyond measure..but I’m so frustrated.”

“Oh I have known about that for the longest, but frustrated? Why?”

“Please keep this between us..but my father refutes the idea of us even being together. We got into an argument. We always do except this time he requested me to stop seeing him outside of our usual practices. I couldn’t handle it so I fought back, I fought back for at least some control, some aspect of my life.”

Ronal stood in silence as the girl struggled to push back through her cracked voice and heavy heart. It was easy to see that Y/n quite literally had it all without having anything to call hers. For the first time Ronal’s speculation had been confirmed, Y/n truly was trapped in a bubble of her fathers consciousness. To say that Ronal was upset was an understatement, she was infuriated. How could Jake not like her child? How could he ask- no demand Y/n to stop speaking to him? He should be grateful for all they’ve done for him, for them. regardless, Ronal knew not to think of it that way. Because at the end of the day her children found love that they so desperately deserved.

“I am sorry Y/n..I understand I won’t make a change to your heavy heart but I ask you to please not run away from something you deserve.”

“��of course not. I could never.”

“good.”

That’s how the conversation ended, they continued to practice and learn but the both of them had uneven tension in their hearts..once it ended Y/n quickly said her goodbyes and ran over to meet Ao’nung once again.

There the couple laid in a hidden cave they considered their own. Holding each others hand, touching and loving each other, secure in the knowledge that they would never let go. All Ao’nung could think about when he looked at Y/n and the way she perceived life and took all the beauty of it to channel through herself, was the way he loved her. He loved how silly she was, how contagious her laugh was, her love for the environment and Eywas creations. Nothing made him more shy than seeing her rush to do chores with her hair pinned up as she cleaned, in a complete rush to see him. He can’t even forget how much of a daredevil she could be, always willing to challenge him to try something new. He loved her dearly..

It was up until the moment he arrived home and overheard a conversation between his mother and father that for the first time he got mad at Y/n..

“Can you believe it? We give him and his family a home and he still decides to keep his daughter on a chain? He can’t even give us the decency of respect to allow his daughter to see my son!”

“Ronal please..we will figure this out soon but this should not worry you. Y/n is practically a women, she will do as she pleases-“

“Except she’s not! Not in their eyes, she’s not a grown woman yet. That means that Jake will continue to do whatever he pleases to keep himself content-“

“Just because he requested no relationship with Ao’nung doesn’t mean she’ll listen. They’re just kids. That Jake doesn’t understand that regardless of what he says Y/n no longer bothers to care!”

“You should’ve heard her Tonowari…she was so distraught. It sounded like her heart was being torn in two. I don’t know what she’ll do..but she hasn’t told Ao’nung. She seemed like she refused to tell him, to scared to hurt him-“

“Yes but that’s her decision. She will do as she pleases. I understand that’s her father and yes he is wrong but if she does listen to him, so be it. Ao’nung will get over it, he always does.”

“No Tonowari this is different. I can feel it. I just can’t allow her to drop him because of what he father demands.”

“Well we need to drop it. She’ll figure it out and soon enough we’ll know on their own accord. We should head to bed my love.”

That night Ao’nung went to bed extremely frustrated at Y/n for never confiding in him about the situation. It felt as though she was simply playing with his heart and testing to see how far she was able to go before she could break things off. So the next morning he didn’t even go looking for her instead waiting for her to come to him…

Ao’nung had been working on the shore with a couple of his friends not even rushing to get his chores done so he could see Y/n. That was until a familiar sweet voice came looking for him..

“Ao’nung! You’re not done? How come they gave you more to do than usual?”

“I don’t know we’ll talk later.”

Normally Y/n wouldn’t think about it much but the way Aonung’s tone was and the way he dismissed her did not sit well with Y/n.

“..ok.? Come meet me when your done then.”

“Yea sure whatever.”

Y/n looked at him with hurt and frustration in her eyes, she felt as though he didn’t care to speak with her or acknowledge her so she walked about without saying a thing. She felt embarrassed and ashamed to had even gone looking for him..as she walked away she heard even more issues to worry about

“Woah! Trouble in paradise?”

“Shut up! She’ll hear you-“

“Just saying! I mean you always rush out of here-“

“Just shut up I don’t want to hear it!”

Had Ao’nung found out what was discussed between her and his mother yesterday? Was he unforgiving to her now that he knows? Y/n didn’t find out the issue and instead had to go searching for him again. Yes, despite her pridefulness she wouldn’t ever dear to fall asleep mad at him.

“Ao’nung!”

There he was, walking home across the sandy beach without a care in the world or at least that’s what Y/n thought. He had stopped for a moment and that’s all Y/n needed for her to catch up to him and pull him to the side.

“Whats wrong?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

“Ao’nung please stop it, I know something’s wrong. I just wish you would talk or open up to me a little more. You were off this entire day, you never go without speaking to me.”

“How about you Y/n?! You never even thought to tell me about your father!”

Y/n’s eyes widened in surprise at his raised voice but with complete understanding of why. However this wasn’t the way to go about it..at least not for her.

“I did want to tell you! I was going to tell you, I just didn’t know how.”

“Yea and you told my mother?!”

“Because she asked me! I couldn’t lie!”

“Well I wish you had!”

“I didn’t mean to-“

“But you did! You did Y/n! And you didn’t even care to tell me later on either!”

“Ao’nung im Sorry! Yes it bothered me but it doesn’t change anything!”

“What do you mean? Your father hates me-“

“He doesn’t-“

“But he does. He doesn’t want me to ever be with you so much that you argued over me.”

“We always argue-“

“That doesn’t change anything Y/n. He told you not to see me more than friends anymore and you allowed this to continue knowing I love you.”

They stared at each other in silence both with tears. Ao’nung was so upset that he couldn’t even bare to acknowledge what he had just confessed and Y/n was too bottled up in her own head about the situation at hand.

“Well that’s because I love you too! So what if he doesn’t want me to be with you? I don’t care! Ok? I don’t and if you don’t want to fight for that fine.”

“Fine.”

Ao’nung couldn’t admit it but it wasn’t fine…but the moment he saw Y/n stand up to walk away he ran as though she was taking his heart with her.

Y/n ran off to the deck calling for an ilu to take her completely out of sight and far away from Ao’nung. When it had just arrived Ao’nung caught her.

“Get off the ilu.”

“No.”

“Get off the ilu.”

“No. And I don’t appreciate being ordered.”

“Get off the ilu Y/n.”

“Why so you can argue with me?”

“Get off the damn ilu Y/n!”

“No, I am leaving. You can talk to me when you are calm but Ao’nung let this be said, you will not disrespect or raise your voice at me.”

“Y/n I have every right-“

“No! You said you were fine with us not speaking anymore so be it! I’m fine with it too!”

Ao’nung absolutely can see straight through the emotional white lie because Y/n voice had cracked and her eyes had watered once again.

“Y/n please. Stop.”

“No! I’m upset! I’m upset at you for not understanding! I didn’t try to lie or hold a secret in! I was going to tell you I just didn’t know how. It didn’t even matter-“

“Stop. It did matter because it made you upset.”

“Well then I’ll deal with it on my own-“

“No Y/n. That’s for us to fix, not for you to decide on your own.”

“Ao’nung please. My father would never allow me to be with you, not yet. Can we just agree to be a secret for a little bit longer please. You are all I have, you are all I get to enjoy to myself.”

“Y/n you should understand you are asking a lot.”

“I know but please. I just want this part of my life for myself..”

“Forever-“

“No! I want to be able to show you off proudly but not right now please. My father wouldn’t allow it. He just needs to see you more ok? In a better light.”

“Better light? Y/n please.”

“Im serious. If he got to see you more from my point of view he’d be fine, just promise not to get into any trouble with the boys and we should be ok.”

“Im am future leader of the clan Y/n I think im ok.”

“I know but we were once future leaders too so that role doesn’t hold much to him anymore. please Ao’nung don’t be upset and be patient with me.”

“Ok..I will be.”

“…promise?”

“promise.”

“ok! Now stop being so grumpy!”

That’s when Ao’nung was yanked into the ocean and the two shared a kiss once more eager to stay out a little bit longer before they went home…

For awhile Jake hadn’t said anything and everyone went by as normal that week except one night Y/n decided to pass on hanging out with Ao’nung declaring that she had felt too ill to go out and insisted he went out to have fun without her while she slept. So Ao’nung had took that chance.

As teens normally would however, Ao’nung had slipped his hands onto a fruit that navi adults would use to get a little tipsy..or fully drunk. In Ao’nungs case he got drunk, and he allowed his thoughts to cloud him as he sat with his friends.

*Ao’nung’s thoughts*

..he doesn’t think im good enough for her and she doesn’t either..how could I ever be a good leader when they doubt me..?..

Whatever he was thinking got him pulled out of it, he had trashed a Maui with his friends, knocked out and was found by Tonowari. Yes, they were teenagers and considered older but under Tonowari’s authority this behavior wasn’t allowed so he scolded him. In. Front. Of. Everyone….including Jake.

Jake had overheard it and rolled his eyes at the foolishness, how could his daughter be with someone just as childish as her. Y/n watched the disappointment in his face as he listened and he gave her a know it all face in return, practically telling her “I told you so”. y/n couldn’t stand it, she asked Ao’nung for one thing. All she asked was for him not to get into any trouble and to be patient but he couldn’t keep his promise..it had been hours till Y/n would be approached by Ao’nung..

To say she was upset was an understatement. She was beyond frustrated with him.

“Y/n cmon let’s go out.”

He had tugged on her arm in an effort to pull her his way but she didn’t budge.

“No. What do you want?”

Ao’nung absolutely didn’t like that response as a matter a fact he didn’t even like the tone or attitude in her voice.

“Ok..we’re not doing this. Sit down.”

“No im working on something for your mother. Leave me alone.”

“Sit down Y/n.”

“Sitting down is not happening! So what do you want?”

“You.”

“Goodbye future ‘Olo’eyktan’. Leave.”

Y/n knew this would push his buttons, but she wanted it to. It should’ve bothered him that he was supposed to have his act together by now and that it’s ok for him to get drunk but not act like a fool! He was the future leader after all, that’s all they’ve ever trained him for and he still can’t show up for himself.

“Oh come on!”

“You do not summon me!”

“You do not get to push me out!”

“I am done. Ao’nung your father threatened you this morning! I heard it! Everyone heard it! Including my father.”

“Y/n it means nothing-“

“Nothing? You call him threatening to take your leadership nothing? Ao’nung I understand it may have seemed harmless in the moment but that is not how you act as future leader.”

“Oh so now you’re trying to control me?”

“Control? Of course not. I’m trying to help you and hold you accountable just as you would to me-“

“Well I wouldn’t! I wouldn’t if I knew it bothered you and you had enough on your plate.”

“Ao’nung please, you and I both know you would push for me to do better. And That’s all I’m doing for you.”

The couples hushed whispers got slightly louder as the conversation continued..

“Well that’s not what it feels like Y/n.”

“Ao’nung, im asking you to get better for yourself-“

“Is it that or is it the fact that you want your father to love me dearly the way you want him to, NEED him to-“

“Shh no-“

“Don’t shush me-“

“I can and I will. You’re being mean, stop it.”

Ao’nung sighed and reached out to hold onto Y/n’s waist in front of him,understanding that she still wasnt at her highest level of frustration with him.

“Ao’nung understand when I say I need you to do what you need to do to be good, to be great, to love what you do. I want that for you. You do what you need to do so I can do what I need to do.”

“You don’t think that this isn’t harder on me than it is you? You don’t think that I don’t want to dedicate myself to being the future leader? You don’t think that I want to be honorable enough to be the man that is going to be controlling this clan that might I add WILL protect you? I love you. I’m in love with you.”

Y/n fought every being in her body to give into Ao’nung right then and there instead she simply held the hand he laid on her waist and acknowledged his feelings with a small..

“..i love you too. I know that you’re trying but what you did today was not ok.”

“I understand and I’m sorry. I’m sorry that your dad had to see it.”

“My dad is not the issue-“

“Y/n, I know he was part of it. I know he probably gave you a look that got you so upset because he told you so.”

“…”

“Exactly.”

“Fine, I was slightly frustrated at that-“

“Told you so!”

“Ao’nunggggg stop it!”

The two laughed at the moment and stood in silence as Y/n continued to do the work she was instructed to do..everything was peaceful..

!🎀!

hey guyssss I really wanted to emphasize on drama and emotion this chapter . Reminder that these are two teens who are trying to navigate how to even go about being together because there are so many issues in the way with Ao’nung training, Y/n adapting and their parents.

I wanted to add in more arguments to make it slightly more realistic THEY ARE YOUNG TEENS ALMOSTTT YOUNG ADULTS so they obviously can’t be perfect 🙏 btw do you guys notice how much Ao’nung knows Y/n! He knew that she wasn’t only upset about him getting in trouble but more so upset that Jake had to see. He understood her different levels of frustration and he touched her knowing that she’d still melt to it because she wasn’t totally upset at him just disappointed. He also isn’t one to turn away from confrontation, he does well at communication with Y/n and he knows exactly how to get her to come to him and open up! 💕

Tag list: @ruyaas-world @neteyamyanw3

@elegantkidfansoul @adaydreamaway08 @luxiniary

@venomsvl @ratchetprime211 @mushy-mushroom04

@alohastitch0626 @sillysillygyal

[mint-yooxgi]

Valiant - Yandere!Centaur!Yunho

Yandere AU & Centaur AU - First Person POV

Genre: Mature, Smutty Themes, Internal Monologue

Pairing: Yunho X Implied Chubby!Fem!Reader

Words: 1,939

Warnings: Princess as both a title and petname. Implied kidnapping. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Centaur!Yunho is a clumsy dork. That's it. That's the note. Also, this one is meant to be read like the Hyunjin drabble, where he's speaking at you the whole time! Anyways, Feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy!~

The Eleventh of The Feral Drabbles

“Don’t worry Princess, you’re safe with me. I won’t let those others hurt you any more. You’ll never feel trapped. You’ll never be lost. Just let me take care of you.

Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’ve got you now. Don’t be frightened. I’m still the same Yunho you love and know.

I’ll admit, showing myself to you like this wasn’t my original intention, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I couldn’t stand to see the way they were treating you, keeping you trapped-

Sorry, I know I probably shouldn’t bring up such traumatic events so soon after they happened. I just had to steal you away- I mean… save you. Yes, save you. 

They were going to lock you up and throw away the key! They were going to keep you away from me!

I didn’t want that, either, Princess. The thought of never being able to see you again… well, it’s far too great to bear. Not only that, but the idea that they could keep someone as precious as you like a prisoner in your own home…

You see now why I had to step in?

Like I said before, you don’t have to be scared. I’m here to rescue you, of course! It’s probably a little weird for you right now, you’ve only ever seen my upper torso over the garden wall… You can just think of me as a talking horse! Well, it’s a bit literal, but-

There’s that laugh I love so much.

Hey, even if it’s only for a moment, bringing you joy sets my heart ablaze. I don’t want you to be scared anymore. With me, you never have to be.

Think of it this way, it’ll be like we always talked about: we’re running away together! They were going to force you to marry that- that- other creature for diplomatic purposes. Now, we can be free! You can be free. With me!

Oh, I know it’s quite jarring, but I’ve been living in the wilderness for some time now. It’ll definitely be different than what you’re used to, but fear not! I’m here to watch over and care for the both of us. So, don’t you worry, Princess, your valiant steed is here!

I can’t wait to show you our new home. If I’m being honest, I’ve already started preparing for your arrival a long time ago. I added some decor, I cleaned the whole place, I adjusted the bed…

Of course you’ll have your own separate room, don’t be silly!

No, no, I just tripped, don’t worry. I’m usually very steady on my feet. A stable ride, if you know what I mean.

I mean… What were we talking about again?

Oh! Right! Our- your new home.

Like I said, everything’s already in place. They won’t be able to find you out here, so you don’t have to worry about anyone coming to look for us. Besides, I’d fight them off for trying to steal you back, only to throw you right back into that dungeon they call a room.

Don’t worry, Princess, there’s a separate bathroom, a study, and I even made you a library. I know how much you like to read, and I could spend hours just watching you do anything and everything your heart desires. I already do, so it’s not like that will be too much of a difference.

What I meant to say was: I enjoy spending time with you.

There, not so creepy now! I promise, I only want what’s best for you, and I swear your privacy is at the forefront of my mind. Of course, we’ll have to figure out the sleeping situation, there’s only the one bed-

No, no! I swear you have your own room!

No, Princess, I don’t sleep in hay. It’s actually quite itchy. I have a hollow for myself right beside-

You know what, I’ll just show you when we get there. I bet you’re tired. Why don’t you just try to relax, and I’ll wake you when we get home. Get some rest, I promise to never let you fall.

That’s it, My Beauty. Lay your head on my shoulder and wrap your arms around me. I’ve got you.

Oh, why thank you! My kind usually runs a little warmer than normal, and I always do my best to maintain my coat as best as I can. I won’t bore you with the intricate details, but you don’t have to be shy when you want to touch me, Princess. In fact, I will always welcome your touch.

It’s not like I dream about it constantly, or anything…

What was that? Oh, I was just saying how the forest is quite dreamy today. Perfect for a stroll through the bush. There’s actually this little clearing that I’d love to bring you to, sometime. It has so many of your favourite flowers, and I think the view might just take your breath away.

You’d be correct! That clearing is where all the wildflowers I bring you come from. There’s always so many, and in your favourite colours, too. I can’t wait to show you all the spots I’ve chosen for us to live together in, and to finally be able to experience one another to our fullest extent.

Emotionally, of course. What did you think I meant, Princess?

May I incur from the way your arms just tightened around me that your thoughts were not so pure for a moment there? And now, you’re burying your face into the side of my neck… Therefore, I must be right.

You don’t have to be embarrassed, Princess. Thoughts of any kind are always welcome here. Well, unless they’re self-deprecating, or of self-doubt, or you thinking of leaving me, or you not thinking you’re pretty enough, or you thinking of someone else other than me, or you thinking of returning home, or- Kidding!

But seriously, Princess, I don’t want you thinking anything negative about yourself, or doubting your decision to run away with me. As soon as you have any whispers of those kinds of thoughts, you let me know, and I will ease them from your mind, in any and every way possible. I’m here for you, always.

Just rely on me; I’m all that you need. All that you’ll ever need.

Why don’t you take that nap, now, Princess? There’s still a bit of a ways to go until we reach home.

It’s not that far from where you used to be held captive- I mean… your old home. Really, it’s much faster when I’m running, but no distance is too great for me to traverse in order to get to you. You’re worth it. You make it worth it. Every. Single. Time.

The risk of getting caught by traders, or poachers, or even by the guards was worth all the time we spent together. I got to know the wonderful person that is you, and you got to learn about me, too! I’m just sorry I kept my true self from you until today. I didn’t want to scare you.

You’re smart, though, Princess. I’m sure you figured it out a long time ago. Seeing is always more difficult that believing sometimes.

Really? You never wondered how my torso could so easily clear the garden wall?

…You always thought I was standing on something? Well, I suppose I was! My love for you!

There’s that giggle again. See, you’ll be just fine. Absolutely nothing to worry about when you’re with me. After all, I’m a big, strong breed of man, capable of pleasing My Princess in whatever ways she desires! Anything you want, anything at all, I will provide for you. We’re life partners, now!

Oh, well, I suppose that will mean something a bit different to you than it does to me. Fear not! I’ll have plenty of time to explain later. For now, rest.

Yes. That’s it. I’ve got you, My Princess. Just close your eyes, and let all your worries melt away. I’ll hold you close, guarding you with my very life.

I’ll have you know I take protecting you and making you the happiest person ever very seriously. There is nothing I desire more than seeing you smile, and knowing it’s because of me is simply the greatest feeling in the world. Other than you calling me yours.

Princess! Oh, how my heart flutters! Did you seriously fulfill one of my greatest wishes with such ease on a whim?

Nope, I don’t care if you were teasing me. No take backs!

You’re mine, and I’m yours. That’s all there is to it.

Well, I’m glad to hear you like the sound of that, for I speak nothing but the truth. I will always be yours, Princess, and you will always be mine. No doubt about it.

I’m serious though, you should get some rest. There’s still quite a ways to go.

You can try and hide it, but I know the sound of your voice when it’s heavy with exhaustion, Princess. Just close your eyes and let the sounds of the forest, and my own voice lull you to sleep. I’ll make sure to hold you tight; I won’t let you fall.

There you go… That’s it…

You never have to worry about a single thing while I’m around…

Just close your eyes, and rest…

Out like a light, just like I thought…

You know, Princess, you’re so pretty, even when you sleep. It’s such a different feeling having you in my arms rather than simply fantasizing about it all the time. The press of your body against my own… oh, how I’ve longed for this.

My desire for you is the greatest thing I’ve ever know. You’ve consumed me in the best of ways, and now, I’ll get to consume you. Never shall we be parted again. Those imbeciles will never have a chance to reclaim you. Not after we cross back into my own territory. Bet you didn’t know you’ve been talking with a Prince this whole time.

Your Prince.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I certainly think so…

You and I, we’ll lead a peaceful life. I promise you that. You will never know pain, you will never know hardship. I will always look after you, and our home. I swear to you that I will do everything in my power to make you happy, to please you to the best of my abilities.

We’ll make it work. It may take some time, but I promise to have you screaming my name to the stars in no time. I’ve heard my tongue can work wonders, and not to mention my fingers… There are so many ways in which I’ve longed to please you, My Princess, that countless nights have been spent thinking about all the ways in which I can. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the ideas I’ve come up with. At least, I think so.

I hope so.

Oh, how these hands have longed to hold you, to grip you tight and never let you go. My lips have longed to caress your body, singing you praises during every hour of the day. My body is yours, and I hope you will come to cherish me just as I have always cherished you.

No more watching and waiting from the sidelines. No more pining from behind a wall. No more barriers. Only you, me, and our happily ever after.

I will never let anything come between us. I swear to you I won’t, because now that I have you… I’m never letting you go again.”

[gojos-thot-patrol]

For the jjk boys, can you please do kissing hcs? How do they like to smooch 😘

I just lover imagining how our boys love and how they express that love, however healthy (or toxic) it may be

Now Presenting....

Starring: Satoru Gojo, Suguru Geto, Kento Nanami, and Ryomen Sukuna

Satoru Gojo

Gojo kissed excited and passionately

Gojo kisses like he’s never kissed before no matter how many times you’ve kissed

Gojo kissed you like he can’t get enough of you, pulling you impossibly close

There's a 40% chance that he just starts giggling cause he’s so happy and can’t contain himself

He kissed you whenever he can, sometimes looking for you for no other reason than to kiss you

And he can never leave it at just one kiss. It’s always at least 2

All of that being said though his favorite place to kiss you is your forehead. 

It’s so sweet and gentle, and very intimate. Its pure

He’ll kiss your forehead to comfort himself man

He pours his sweet, excited, purest form of love into every kiss. 

You can feel his adoration for you in the way his soft lips move against yours.

He pours affection into every kiss he’d ever give you

Fluffy man, when I think of Gojo’s kisses I just think fluffy

It’s the truest form of love in his kiss, because he’s very choosy about the people he kisses

If Gojo lets infinity down long enough to kiss you, you know you’re dear to him. 

Suguru Geto

Sugurus kisses are loud in a quiet way. Let me explain

He’s more the words of affirmation type, less the touch-y feel-y type

So when he kisses you, it’s normally slow and measured

He really likes to take his time with it, and really savor it

He’s not gentle by any means, nay nay

He holds you close and tight, like holding onto you is the only thing keeping him grounded to this earth

And he’s a little desperate, a little needy.

Like he desperately needs you to feel this love in the same way he does, to justify the flurry of emotions every time he’s near you.

But he doesn’t want to say all of that outloud, that would feel too raw. 

So. he says all of that in the way he kisses you. Begging you to say ‘I love you too’ in a way he’d understand

And he tries to get all of that across in a singular, tender kiss.

It’s tender and loving but is screaming so many things he can’t force himself to say.

His kisses may not happen as often as you’d like but when they do they mean something

He finds kissing vulnerable, so feel special you get to kiss him

….Is it just me or did this turn out weirdly angst???

Kento Nanami

Nanami is probably the most casual kisser of the bunch ngl

He probably kisses you the second most out of all of them though (No one’s beating Gojo.)

He kisses you whenever he gets a chance.

Going to work, getting home from work, before bed, waking up in the morning

Almost every new part of your day is started with a quick kiss

Nanami's kisses are warm and familiar. 

Kinda like wrapping up in your childhood blanket

He almost always tastes like black tea

He doesn’t see kissing as some sort of grand statement or thesis for a relationship. He just sees it as another way to express fondness

This does not mean he is above getting lost in a good make out session though, nay nay. He believes a good make out session can make a shitty day wonderful

Loves to kiss your forehead and cheeks. 

Just any way he can to express these small forms of affection.

It’s a casual and quiet kiss yes

But it’s also intensely tender and caring and full of adoration

A friendly reminder of just how much you mean to him

Ryomen Sukuna

If I were you I would simply not kiss Ryomen Sukuna.

Choose self love instead bestie, this man is not it

Ryomens kisses are all teeth and tongues

It’s rough and dominating, He’s kissing to own you, not love you

His kisses are made up of lust and obsession.

He never kisses without a motive. That motive is almost always either to fuck you or own you

He’ll kiss you whenever there are any potential “Threats” (as he likes to call them) around, just to make sure they know you’re his

To his credit, his kisses are extremely passionate. They’re heated and in a fucked up kinda way intoxicating.

It’s hard not to get caught up in his fire when he’s kissing you like it’s the last thing the two of you will ever do

He’ll kiss any part of you he can in order to mark you. Gotta mark what's his

Sukuna’s kiss is wicked and possessive, just like how he loves, just like how he is

I do think he can and has kisses you tenderly, mostly in moments of true vulnerability

But those moments are very few and far between!

And he gets upset both with himself and you for those moments ever happening

Anyways, choose love not Sukuna my friends.

[itscherrylipsforme]

Every second matters: Donald Ressler x FBI!fem!reader

Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures. Your teammate’s and "crush-you-are-not-willing-to-admit"s disappearance is definitely one of those times, so you reluctantly have to ask the FBI’s most wanted criminal for help. Surprisingly, Raymond Reddington is also an excellent matchmaker

Warnings: Mentions of kidnapping and small injuries

Requested: yes

Words: 1300

Author rambles: Sorry because this took me ages (how many times have already repeated that?) Thanks to the amazing @zizzlekwum for her request and patience. Had to change the name while editing because this sounded better. Also this was edited late at night with mint tea as fuel and queued on the bus on my way to campus this morning, so blame any mistakes on those...

Masterlist Characters I write for

Likes and reblogs are appreciated ღ

I do not authorize any of my works to be copied, translated or plagiarized ✗

In the time you have been in the unit you have learnt two basic facts.

Fact number 1: There is absolutely no phone number, location or person Aram Mojtabai cannot find.

Fact number 2: You and the team never, I repeat, never go against Reddington’s plan. And that's for your own sake.

Yet, in the last hours everything you knew had come down in pieces. Ruins of the rules and statements you once held to, now they are left broken much as yourself. You look at Aram, clinging at the last straw of hope that remained.

“These guys are completely analogical! No digital footprint. And the last camera which got a glimpse of them only helps to reduce the search to a ten miles radius which is all covered by suburban houses. It just doesn’t make sense, the house’s cameras should have recorded them.”

His hands tangle in his short locks trying to find out a clue, something he is looking pass. Hostages just don’t go missing. Agents just don’t vanish in the air. Ressler can’t have just disappeared.

“What about Reddington?” You finally gather the courage to ask it, voice determined, you not so much inside.

“Still unwilling to talk with us.” Dembe, the gentle giant you have got used to call coworker and even friend in the last months, sights while crossing his arms. You have already seen the look in his eyes, the weight of the decisions you should both had taken as it that could ever change the current situation.

Things were easier when Liz was around, the idea hangs out in the air as if you could nearly capture it. Nobody says it, but all of you know is true. Liz was the only who could talk some sense into him, if someone could ever talk sense into Raymond Reddington. A few years ago, you could trust in Dembe to try it at least too. But since he has become Agent Zuma, the relationship has run cold. A worry for another day, you have more important matters in your hands now.

“Do we know where is him?”

Another question coming from your lips without even realizing, a silent nod the only answer you needed. Before turning to face your unit chief, Harold Copper.

“L/n, you have my permission to go.”

A fancy cocktail bar at six pm on a Monday afternoon. Lately Raymond wasn’t being too careful while choosing his meeting point, but with all you had in mind that was the last of your worries This shouldn’t have happened, nothing of this shouldn’t have happened. If things had been different, now you blamed yourself. Should have told him to stay in the car as Reddington had said, it was a recognition mission after all. But no, Donald Ressler always had to play the hero, and you didn’t have the guts to stop him.

“Y/n, my dear, sit down.” Reddignton retires a chair for you, a far too kind gesture considering how he had acted just an hour ago when Donald went missing in the mission. “Would you join me for a drink?” He pours another glass of a wine, which seems to cost at least a ten percent of your monthly salary, before you could even reply.

“Ressler has disappeared. He is probably being tortured at the moment, maybe even…” That’s another thing you learn in the field. Never say the forbidden word. If you do, you lose any kind of faith in seeing them again. If you lose faith, you lose everything. Even the possibility of them. "And you are thinking about wine?”

“Well, news like that is better taken while tipsy, isn’t it?”

Classical Reddington. Joking in the most inappropriate moments. Well, you also have an habit of storming out when angered. He will have to deal with that.

“You know how much he has lost because of you, right? Liz, his old girlfriend..." That gives you a bitter taste while rolling off your tongue at the same time you stand up. "You know what he has gone through. Don’t you care at least a bit? Once he dedicated his life to see you behind bars you, now he works by your side."

Your words are rushed, agitated. You can't even stop to catch a breath. Not that you want you, not until you are sure Ressler can do the same.

"You should respect that at least, I thought Raymond Reddington cared about his team.”

You see a strange glimmer in his eyes. Not mockery this time, but there was a small smirk in the curve of his thin lips. Laugh? Perhaps a hint of pride?

“First of all, you are well aware I do." He takes a long sip until the glass in empty. " Second, Donald is not in risk. Maybe bruised, but not deeply hurt. Those guys know better than to mess up with my team, as you have put into words.”

“Then why don’t you do something?”

Now there is a full grin on his face as he stands up takes his jacket from the hanger, not without leaving a generous tip on the table.

“I was waiting for you to ask me. And you did, half an hour earlier than I had bet by the way. This case may be even worse than I thought.”

“Cut out the riddles, Reddington.”

“You know he’s in love with you, right?”

How could he say it so blatantly, sweeping his fedora with such a calm manner while you had lost all your words? Mouth hanging and unable to stammer something coherent.

“He what?”

“And it seems pretty mutual to me” With that he puts the hat on and opens the door for both of you. Still trying to process everything you can't help following him in silence.

The rest of the rescue passes bluring infront of your eyes. Reddington telling you the exact location. Entering the housing development which had been carefully built as a cover for the criminal network (only a few houses were actually being used by its members). Dembe and Siya watching your back as the suspects were aiming at you. Clearing the area. Immobilizing the suspects. And finally arriving to Ressler's side.

You try to be gentle as you untie him from ropes which are holding him to a chair. However, your attempts are futile, hands to clumsy and brain dulled by all the emotions coming for you at once. You can't even recall when a few timid tears have started rolling down your cheeks, but you don't mind either. Donald is an equal mess right now, it's the first time you have seen him like these. Vulnerable. Human. And it only adds to the feeling you don't dare to voice. Not yet.

As soon as his free you wrap your arms around him. His nose in your hair as an anchor to remind him you are finally here. A considerable bruise under his eye and his bloody knuckles would usually worry to death (yes, even considering your field). But now you can't bring yourself to care, just wanting to hold him close. An urge to kiss his lips until you are both restless reaches your mind, yet the need for this. Just a hug. Just a simple gesture to assure you he won't be leaving anytime soon is enough for the moment.

"I think you have some things to discuss. I will leave you to it.”

Raymond's words take you by surprise, and between the falling tears you and Donald start laughing at the situation.

"Maybe we should talk about this" You whisper as you try to calm down and reluctantly pull away from him.

Too bad he has no intention of moving, but neitheir of saying what is really going through his mind.

"Maybe. Later. Not now. Just..."

Without further ado he rests his face on the crock of your neck. He had always been a man of action, not too good words. You didn't mind. As long as you could feel his breath on your skin, his warm body relaxing. Working in the unit every second matters. And you will treasure these and enjoy them as long as you can.

[0x1lovebot]

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞; they better not be fucking‼️

2.3k words. [2,391]

not proofread!!

warnings; mentions of injury/blood. (lemme know if I missed any)

a/n; THIS TOOK WAY LONGER THAN IT WAS SUPPOSED GUYS I AM SO SO SORRY!! I left y’all on a cliffhanger and everything 😭😭 School really got serious and life got really busy and then prom happened so I haven’t had time to finish writing this part but we back now!!! Enjoy 🫶🏾🫶🏾 also the ending feels rushed to me but I truly don’t know how to fix it

y/n sighed as she pulled on a hoodie and sweatpants over her t-shirt and pajama shorts. it was 2 am and she had just finished studying for the night. to say that she was exhausted would be a severe understatement. hell, when riki texted her, she almost didn’t answer, thinking that whatever he needed could be dealt with in the morning. all she wanted to do was turn off her lamp, crawl under the covers and finally get some sleep but, something in her gut told her to look at the message. it was a good thing that she did.

of all things y/n expected to hear from riki, finding out that he was at a police station, was at the very bottom of the list. she knew that parties could sometimes get out of hand but to hear that jake and baekhyun got arrested was insane. all she could do was hope that they were okay and neither would press charges against the other.

with one last look over her living room, y/n grabbed her keys and shut the door to her apartment. y/n left her building quickly and started her walk to the police station. if jay found out she was walking alone in the dead of night, he would probably scold her for being so stupid and lecture her about how unsafe it was, which she already knew but desperate times called for desperate measures. there was no time to call an uber or get a taxi or something. plus her apartment building was only a few blocks away so y/n thought if she walked fast enough, she would be fine.

it only took a few minutes before y/n arrived at the police station. she jogged up the concrete steps and pulled open the glass double doors of the building.

the bright lights of the lobby were a huge contrast to the dark night sky, making y/n squint her eyes to adjust. when she could actually see clearly, y/n scanned the lobby hoping to find someone that could help her find her friends. y/n didn't expect anyone to be there at this hour so a wave of relief washed over her when she spotted a receptionist sitting at a desk on the far right of the lobby.

“um excuse me?”

"how can I help you dear?" the receptionist at the desk asked.

"hi i'm here for someone named 'jake sim'. he was arrested tonight." y/n said politely.

the receptionist gave a light smile as she looked up from her computer. "ah, you must be the girl mr.nishimura told me to look out for. y/n l/n right?"

y/n scratched her neck awkwardly. "yeah, that's me."

"well he and your friends are right in there with officer bang." the receptionist pointed to another set of double doors across from the desk.

y/n thanked the woman with a smile and made her way toward the doors.

"oh and y/n?” the receptionist called. “i hope you have a first aid kit. your boyfriend really did a number on that other guy."

y/n stopped in her tracks and turned to face the woman. "my boyfriend?"

"yes, mr. sim. he made that other guy all black and blue.” the receptionist raised an eyebrow at y/n’s shocked expression. “mr. nishimura told me you two are dating.”

y/n raised her eyebrows at the statement. “oh. well thanks for the heads up.”

and with that y/n turned back around and continued her walk to the double doors. she couldn't understand why riki would straight up lie to the poor woman about that, but she also couldn’t deny the warm sensation she felt at the thought of jake being her boyfriend. y/n mentally cursed herself for thinking about that at a time like this but she couldn’t help it.

y/n grasped the handles of the double doors and pulled them open slowly. her eyes widened at the sight in front of her. the room was buzzing with officers working on paperwork and going through evidence. she hadn’t expected it to be so busy.

the officer sitting at the desk closest to the door stood up and walked over to y/n. he was a bit on the short side but the way he carried himself made it seem like he was taller. he was quite muscular as well.

“hello ma’am." the police officer greeted with a charming smile. “how can i help you?”

he had an accent similar to jake's but his voice was a little deeper.

"hi, i'm looking for officer bang. i think he may have arrested one of my friends tonight."

“ah! officer bang is too formal, call me chan.” the officer said. “you must be the one riki told us about. y/n right?"

y/n pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance. "at this point, who hasn't he told about me." she grumbled.

officer bang let out a light laugh. "you're funny. come on, your friends are this way."

officer bang led y/n across the room in silence, weaving through desks and chairs to the door to the holding cells.

“so are they going to prison?” she asked quietly.

“no. it was just a fight and neither of them have a record so we’re letting them off with a warning.”

y/n sighed in relief. “thank goodness.”

“we’re just keeping them here until they sober up. that way they don’t endanger themselves or other people,” he continued. “that’s when they would end up in prison.”

after a few more steps, the two stopped in front of a large metal door. the officer pushed the door open and walked into the room with y/n behind him.

when y/n entered the room she was almost immediately tackled to the ground by riki, who buried his head in her shoulder.

"finally!" he cheered. "we've been going insane without you."

y/n’s eyes widened as she scanned the room. jay, who was usually very put together, was laid out on the concrete floor, asleep. heeseung was giggling to himself in a corner with sunghoon laying his head on his shoulder. and jungwon, the most responsible of them all, was pacing back and forth, mumbling to himself. y/n had never seen her friends so disoriented before.

“how long have you guys been here?” she asked riki.

“like an hour i think. my phone died a few minutes after i texted you.”

y/n eyes drifted over to the holding cells and her jaw almost dropped.

“holy shit!” she gasped

behind the bars of the first cell stood y/n’s ex-boyfriend. and he looked terrible. both his eyes were swollen shut and bruised black and blue, his lip was busted and his nose was bent at a painfully awkward angle. if y/n hadn’t known any better she would’ve thought that he got jumped in an alley. now she knew what the receptionist meant earlier, jake really did do a number in baekhyun.

“y/n? is that you?” baekhyun called. y/n stayed silent. “i recognize your voice. you’re here to bail me out right?”

silence again. sure she felt bad that he was stuck here, but she wasn't there for him. she didn't owe him anything. they were broken up and that was that. and after what happened between them she didn't want to interact with him ever again. all she could hope was that one of his friends would come and get him in the morning. y/n gave baekhyun one last look before turning to face officer bang.

"so what’s the verdict y/n?” the officer asked.

“can you let jake out please? i promise he won't get into any more trouble.”

“if you're with him, i'm sure he won't.”

the officer let jake out of his cell, much to baekhyun’s shouts and protests, and helped gather y/n’s friends out of the room. he led them out into the lobby, ensuring they were all together.

“thank you so much officer ba- i mean chan.” y/n said gratefully, once they reached the lobby.

“no problem. do you think you can handle all of them or do you need some help?”

y/n looked back at the boys behind her. “i think i can handle them.”

“well if you ever do need help, you know where to find me.”

y/n said goodbye to officer bang with a smile, and with riki’s help, she ushered her drunken friends out of the building.

“so what are we gonna do now? ” riki asked once they reached the bottom of the steps.

y/n paused. now that she was out of the police precinct, she had a chance to really stop and think. what was she going to do with them? what could she do with them? it was too late to drive all of them home and she didn’t really trust them to be alone in the state they were in. the only viable option they had was to take them all to her apartment.

“we’ll take them to my place.” she said. “and then tomorrow morning we’ll take them back home.”

“is your apartment big enough for 4 drunk adult men?” jungwon asked. he had calmed down significantly since they left the precinct.

“not really, but i don’t think these 4 can be left unsupervised right now.”

riki and jungwon nodded.

“how are we gonna get there though? walking at this time is not a good idea.” jungwon said.

“you c- you can use my car.” jay slurred from behind them.

y/n looked at jungwon and riki with wild eyes. “did you guys let him drive here?! drunk?!”

“no! of course not! i drove them, jay just let me use his car.” jungwon pulled jay’s car keys out of his pocket and handed them to y/n.

y/n let out a sigh of relief. “ok good. now let’s get these guys out of here.”

with riki and jungwon’s help, y/n herded the 4 boys into jay’s backseat, and did one final headcount before hopping into the drivers seat and starting the car.

the drive back to y/n’s building was short and quiet except for the incoherent mumbles coming from the back seat. when they arrived at y/n’s building, riki and jungwon, who were squeezed into the passenger’s seat, got out of the car first. riki helped jake and sunghoon out of the back while jungwon took jay and heeseung. y/n locked the car door and made sure everyone had everything before leading the boys up to her apartment.

while riki and jungwon situated the other 3 guys in the living room, y/n led jake to her bathroom so that she could patch him up. after sitting him down on the toilet seat, y/n pulled the first aid kit out from under the sink and got to work. the two sat in awkward silence as she wiped the blood off his face. neither of them knew what to say. jake looked up at y/n as she lightly dabbed the cut on his brow with an alcohol swab. her eyebrows were furrowed with concentration. he could see exhaustion written all over her face and it made him feel guilty. she should’ve been asleep hours ago but instead, she was stuck dealing with him and his drunk friends.

“y/n, i’m sorry.” y/n stopped dabbing the cut on jake’s left cheekbone.

“you’re sorry?” she asked.

“yes. i’m sorry you got dragged into all of this. you must be tired from studying all night and then you had to get us from the police station and now you're stuck patching me up and it just isn’t fair to you.” jake rambled. “and i know you must be mad at me for beating up your boyfriend and i get if you don’t want to speak to me anymore because of that, but i couldn’t just let him get away with what he did.”

“jake,” y/n called gently. “it’s okay. i’m not mad at you.”

“you’re not?”

“of course not. i know you were defending me and it was very sweet of you. i don't think beating up my ex-boyfriend was really necessary, but i still appreciate it.” she said as she started cleaning the other cut on his lip.

“wait,” jake held y/n’s hand gently, halting her dabbing motions. “what do you mean ‘ex-boyfriend’?”

“we broke up a couple of weeks ago. we got into this huge argument and we just ended it there. it was a long time coming though.”

“oh.” jake paused. “what was the argument about? if you don’t mind me asking.”

“it was mostly about you.”

jake’s eyes widened. “me?”

“yeah. baekhyun was telling me to stay away from you, he thought the way you were so nice to me was weird and that you were only doing it because you were into me.” y/n sighed. “i knew that couldn’t be true because you’re always so sweet to everyone. that’s just who you are.”

the bathroom fell silent for a second.

“he was kind of right you know. about the ‘me being into you’ thing.” jake mumbled.

“what?”

“i‘ve had feelings for you ever since we were partnered up in high school. and then when we got to college i wanted to make a move but you got together with baekhyun so i tried to move on but i just couldnt. i fell too hard. you have no idea how hard it was to see you with him knowing that he got to hold you, and be with you and i couldn't.”

y/n shifted slightly under jake’s intense gaze. “i don’t- i don’t know what to say.”

“you don't have to say anything. i just wanted to get that off my chest. i probably ruined any chance i had with you anyway.” jake sighed, looking down at his lap.

y/n placed her hand under his chin and tilted his head up to meet her eyes. “well i wouldn’t go that far.”

jake’s eyes twinkled with hope. “really? you mean i still have a chance?”

y/n smiled lightly. “yes. just give me some time ok?”

“ok.”

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[oddsconvert]

I'm so so sorry to hear you've had a shit day and that you're struggling, friend. I am sending you all the air hugs. You deserve a break and I hope you take care of yourself extra hard the next couple of days!

Ok questions you asked for, and you shall receive!

(trigger warning: potential self harm mention)

Does Josh have a mantra or something to remind himself not to give in/give up while he's playing into Felix's whims?? I know you've said he has to play pretend to survive, but how does he keep himself sane? Or maybe he finds/makes a secret artifact to give him comfort? I'm imagining him being so lonely and dejected after giving into Felix after awhile and I don't want him to get too depressed :(

Would Josh ever hurt himself to try to get away from Felix?

Does Felix find anything else "incriminating" or suspicious to him on Josh's phone?

Does Felix have any other friends besides Kurtis?

Would Felix ever video record Josh?

Obviously please only answer what you have capacity for and ignore anything you'd like! I am definitely a rambler. I am here for you friend and I appreciate you and think you are very cool! 🤗

Thank you so so much 💞😭🫂 all the love to you!!! ❤️

I'll answer in bulletpoints!

Josh always tells himself that Felix may have his body but never his mind - he fights so hard to play along and pretend to keep his mind intact, and to never let himself slip into the delusion. His survival instincts are so strong - he doesn't want to give up, he doesn't want to die (he's scared of dying). He wants to live and not just survive - he tells himself when he goes home, he will make something of his life and break the cycle he was living in.

- in terms of a secret artifact to give him comfort, I've yet to show this in the story - but when Felix raided Josh's apartment and picked up his clothes, he also took a knitted blanket that Josh's mother made for him that he's had since he was born... Felix gives him that. Josh is over the moon to have his comfort item, and he uses it as his motivation and reminder too. (of course Felix always uses it against Josh and threatens to confiscate it/burn it if he's naughty.)

Josh would try and hurt himself to get away from Felix - desperate times call for desperate measures. Definitely when he gets tunnel vision and reaches low points. It would be hard to do so - with the constant restraints, sedation and cameras (Felix won't let him out of sight, not after what happened with Aaron). But if Josh can do something to land him in hospital 👀 he will. Without hesitation.

Felix never turns Josh's phone on ever again. It's switched off and locked away in his desk drawer in his study. He has, however, downloaded all he needs to onto his laptop. Messages, photos, even his music. He does find photos/texts/videos of Josh and Alec that flares Felix's jealousy and he's enraged when he reads messages between Josh and his previous hookups 😬

Felix DOES have other friends beside Kurtis! Only a handful, and a select, trusted few know about Josh. Two others we'll get very acquanited with, one of them coming soon in the storyline 👀

Yes, omg, Felix definitely DOES video record Josh! At all his worst and vulnerable moments, I can assure you. Felix has a whole harddrive dedicated to his pictures of videos of Josh. I love the image of my poor boy just so hurt and out of it - tears streaming and suddenly a flashlight blinds his eyes as Felix films him 🤌

[serial-serializednovelreader]

Nova’s Notes - Dracula Daily - June 25

Where Jonathan springs into action!

“No man knows till he has suffered from the night how sweet and how dear to his heart and eye the morning can be. When the sun grew so high this morning that it struck the top of the great gateway opposite my window, the high spot which it touched seemed to me as if the dove from the ark had lighted there. My fear fell from me as if it had been a vaporous garment which dissolved in the warmth.”

His poetic side is just…*chef’s kiss*. It’s interesting also how he uses religious imagery here with the dove from Noah’s ark in the Bible. I want to dive a bit deeper into this because I think it holds meaning.

For those who may not know, the story goes that God flooded the earth and Noah and his family (plus two of every animal) were the sole survivors because he built an ark as he was instructed to. Well, after many *many* days of this flood, Noah sent a dove from the ark out. If it came back empty-beaked, they would know the flood was still on, but if it came back with something (which it did — an olive leaf), they would know the flood was ended and it would soon be time for them to be on dry land once again.

I think Jonathan comparing the sun to this dove in particular tells me that he sees it as a messenger, both of peace to him (because doves are often used as symbols of peace and his fear falls away) and that he needs to stop being passive. If he imagines that this time as a prisoner has been spent like he’s in the ark during the flood, that time has now come to an end: now it is time for him to step out onto the “land” which is almost quite literal here. He confirms this by saying:

“I must take action of some sort whilst the courage of the day is upon me. Last night one of my post-dated letters went to post, the first of that fatal series which is to blot out the very traces of my existence from the earth.”

“Let me not think of it. Action!”

He knows his time is limited and — wisely — treats it as such. As many have pointed out, Dracula has made a mistake by giving Jonathan a time limit. As he himself has said, he knows the span of his life and that is one heck of a motivator. Not to mention, he just experienced two horrific events last night (even if he didn’t see them exactly, he knows they happened and that’s enough) and it is justifiable cause to get him moving. Some people would sink into despair and wait for death to approach them, but for Jonathan, it has the opposite effect.

He figures that the Count must need some time to rest and if it’s not at night (which is always the time he’s harassed), it must be daytime, right? And the best way to find him would be to infiltrate his room — if only it weren’t locked.

But then Jonathan gets an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful, *awful* idea!

Sorry, y’all! Had to make the Grinch reference. Anyway, yes, Jonathan decides that if Dracula can crawl up walls in a lizardly fashion, so can he. Desperate times call for desperate measures. If he doesn’t make it back well…

“Good-bye, Mina, if I fail; good-bye, my faithful friend and second father; good-bye, all, and last of all Mina!”

First of all, this is so sad and so sweet that he says bye to Mina first and last (again, that first and last thing to show you care is becoming a running theme here) and calling Mr. Hawkins a second father is also very sweet.

Secondly, if you also thought of the “you said bye Squidward twice” meme like I did when you saw this (I promise I’m trying to be serious), there’s fanart for that! Check out this lovely art by @count-skribula!!

“I went whilst my courage was fresh straight to the window on the south side, and at once got outside on the narrow ledge of stone which runs around the building on this side.”

So it’s interesting that he chooses to not go from the window on his room, but instead to go from the South window. One reason may be that, as he says in the next sentence, the stones are bigger here and can probably hold him better, but I don’t think that’s the only reason.

I went back to the first Lizard Fashion entry to figure out a bit more about why that may be. Here’s what I found:

“The window at which I stood was tall and deep, stone-mullioned, and though weatherworn, was still complete; but it was evidently many a day since the case had been there.”

So this is referencing the South window and it sounds like this window is much easier to fit a human being through than, say, the one in his room. Going back to this entry was also useful because it references where the Count’s room is in relation to this window:

“As I leaned from the window my eye was caught by something moving a storey below me, and somewhat to my left, where I imagined, from the order of the rooms, that the windows of the Count's own room would look out.”

So while this window is more ideal for his ease of movement, it will be more difficult for Jonathan to reach the room itself.

“I took off my boots, and ventured out on the desperate way. I looked down once, so as to make sure that a sudden glimpse of the awful depth would not overcome me, but after that kept my eyes away from it. I knew pretty well the direction and distance of the Count's window, and made for it as well as I could, having regard to the opportunities available.”

He even gets the Lizard Fashion down to taking off his BOOTS and going barefoot. Also, have I mentioned I love Jonathan and his smartness today? Because I do!!! Him looking down once so it doesn’t catch him off guard later is so….UGH. I don’t go into fangirl mode often, but for him? Always. What a guy, so smart. I don’t know why that detail gets me but it does!! Love that man.

ANYWAY, you can tell he’s been watching the Count very often — probably every night — if he knows exactly where the window is. So another cool detail right there.

I love how he describes himself as excited initially until he reaches the window, at which point he feels agitated, whether it’s from trying to open the windowsill or just from his proximity to the Count.

After diving (feet-first) into the window, he discovers that there’s no Count! The room, in fact, is practically empty. He is able to make some astute observations about it, however:

1) It looks like most of the other South rooms he’s seen.

2) It’s dusty — obviously in disuse.

3) the Gold CornerTM — filled with gold from different countries (that he’s able to name!). It’s also dusty as if it’s been in the ground, but less than three centuries old. The jewels and chains that lay there are old and stained. It’s interesting that he takes the time to note this. It must’ve taken a while to go through the coins and note their age and where they’re from!

While he can’t open the outer door and there’s no key to speak of, he does notice a heavier door that’s open. It leads to a big spiral stairway…this is usually the part where I’d say “turn around and go back!!!” But Jonathan has proven himself quite capable for a horror protagonist thus far and he’s already taken so much effort to get to this point, why not?

At the bottom of the tunnel, he finds a door which leads to an old and broken chapel which smells of “old earth newly turned” — a horrible smell, apparently. Inside, he finds the ground has indeed been dug up, with the dirt now in boxes, the same boxes the same he saw from the Slovaks’ wagon. There are also three vaults to go into. Ever the sleuth, he carefully combs over every inch of the chapel. Going into two of the vaults yields nothing but the heebie-jeebies (with coffins and more dirt), but the third…

“There, in one of the great boxes, of which there were fifty in all, on a pile of newly dug earth, lay the Count! He was either dead or asleep, I could not say which—for the eyes were open and stony, but without the glassiness of death—and the cheeks had the warmth of life through all their pallor; the lips were as red as ever.”

Yep, Dracula jumpscare! He’s in a dirt bed (has anyone made a teenage dirtbag edit for him yet? Can we make that a thing?) and sleeps with his eyes open. *shudders*

It’s interesting that Jonathan notes while he seems dead — he even searches him for signs of life by bending over to look at his breathing — he notes that he can’t have been dead long and seems to retain some signs of life. And, most disturbingly, when he goes to search him for keys (one of his original missions here) his eyes have taken on an expression of hate. Either he has RBF (literally) or he’s not as lifeless/asleep as first thought.

“I fled from the place, and leaving the Count's room by the window, crawled again up the castle wall. Regaining my room, I threw myself panting upon the bed and tried to think....”

Now, I know you may be thinking “Jonathan, WHAT??? You went all that way just to do nothing and run back??” And yeah, I get it. But he actually did find out some good information here, both about this castle and himself:

Where Dracula sleeps

Dracula *does* rest during the day (although how is uncertain)

Dracula has currency from around the world (less than 300 years old and likely kept buried — why?)

What the Slovaks are doing

There are hidden passages in this castle (possibly more?)

Jonathan can go into Lizard Fashion ModeTM and even in a rush, too!

Keys may be a lost cause here (try something else to escape)

I would consider this productive, because above all, some of the scariest part of this whole experience for him has been his inability to gain information. Hearing the Slovaks do their work, seeing Dracula come and go, being simply locked in his room has been grueling on him. At least being able to gain some kind of information is extremely valuable and the fact that he’s setting his mind straight to thinking tells me this was not an idle trip.

Also, as a fun note: another user (here’s the post) pointed out there are airholes in the cover of Dracula’s dirt box and…yes there are LOL. Like he’s a little bug 😂😂😂 I have no special reason to point this out, I just really like that this is a thing.

Keep going, Jonathan — you got this!!

[jackfrombaskinrobbins]

daredevil fam celebrating teen!intern!reader's birthday! (headcanons)

type of writing: headcanons / scenario

word count: 906

request: yes / no

original request: “HIII FAVORITE AUTHOR OMG ok soo my birthday is comin up on the 19th and i was just wondering how the daredevil fam would help celebrate w a teen!reader -- intern or adopted kid, whichever you’re feelin. and there’s literally no rush! i’m just excited that my birthday’s coming up :) “

dynamic: daredevil fam (nelson murdock & page) x teen!intern!reader

characters: reader, matt murdock, foggy nelson, karen page, josie, marv LMAO

a/n: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! omg i hope u have the best day ever!! this request was SO FUN to write & i rly loved thinking up how the fam would help celebrate!! i used a more professional looking pic bc i think these headcanons may be my most chaotic LMAO 🫶

taglist: @nutellani @thecloudedmind

(fill out this form if you'd like to be on my taglist!!)

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ok so the way they found out it was ur birthday is lowkey stalker-ish

maybe not full stalker but it’s not like it was out in the open.

a certain… ahem…. fogwell foggy foghorn fogster fog jr 

i forgot his full name this is embarrassing so let’s pretend i said that on purpose as a joke!!

haha hehe omg mae ur so funny

why thank you!!

anyways he was looking in ur file that ur school had given nelson murdock & page so that u could legally work there

and he saw that ur birthday was in two days!!!

two days!!!

so he was in full panic mode

below are real (YEAH, REAL!!) texts he sent to karen & matt

i gotta prepare myself yknow i gotta get in that foggy texting headspace

ok i'm ready

ahem

“OMG (oh my gosh) 😱😱😱😱!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! y/n’s birthday is in TWO DAYS 🚨🚨🚨RED ALERT RED ALERT 🚨🚨🚨we have to do something for them!!!!!! like maybe get a gift 🎁or some cake 🍰🧁🎂? they would like that, right? of course they would, who doesn’t like cake 🤩🤩🤩🤩?? well, except for you matt 😡😡i judge you for that. JK (just kidding) LOL (laughing out loud)... or am i🤔🤔?? anyway we need to be READY!!!”

imagine matt’s text to speech reading that

like it would be saying “exclamation point” until the end of time LMAO

(laughing my ass off)

HAHA

also i do think matt prob doesn’t like cake

he prob would want one of those meatloaf cakes for his birthday like the ones that ppl “frost” with mashed potatoes? they seem like his vibe

ok anyways so you were kinda suspicious when you got to the firm the next day

you had a lot of stuff to file so you were trying to get down to it

but then they all kept coming over and asking questions

“hey, y/n. what’s your favorite color?”

“[your fave color].” you answered

and karen nodded but she took out her phone and made a note so you were like “hm”

but you thought nothing of it

and then matt came over 

and he was like “what’s something you like”

and you were like “...”

and he said “well?”

and you were like “just… anything?”

“yeah.”

“uh… i like watching baseball. and … cats.”

“ok, baseball and cats. perfect.”

and then he smiles as he walked away because he understood that he just unintentionally made the perfect pun

THE PURRFECT PUN OMG

so that was kind of funny

and kind of sweet bc like maybe they were trying to connect w u more!

but then u saw foggy taking a picture of u filing

“foggy, what the hell are you doing??”

you knew they didn’t like you swearing in the office but y’all desperate times call for desperate measures

“uh.. i’m… taking a selfie.”

“yeah? let me see.”

so he tried to hide it from you

but it was very clearly a photo of you!!!

“foggy --”

“y/n. it’s a new filter. don’t worry. it only LOOKS like you. it’s actually me.”

“uh-huh.”

so you went to bed that night kinda nervous

like were they going to kill u or something??

did u need a witness??

oh well

anyway so the next day was ur birthday!!

yayyyyyy

happy birthday to u happy birthday to u happy birthday y/n happy birthday to u

that was from me to u reader, but ik u wanna know what matt and foggy & karen say so i’ll go do that

you were lowkey scared to go in the office

bc again, they were all acting weird 

AND AS SOON AS U OPENED THE DOOR

u heard foggy whisper “go”

and then nothing

and you heard foggy curse and karen was like

“we told you these confetti poppers were expired!!”

regardless, they all were like “SURPRISE!!!”

and you were totally floored

bc this was like so nice

& u never expected for them to do anything for ur birthday

THEY EVEN GAVE YOU A GIFT!!

really really nice seats to a baseball game!!

not that it mattered for matt where u sat 💀 

OK SORRY I'M DONE W THAT

and yeah they were gonna go with you 

which was so cute like aww

KAREN MADE YOU CUPCAKES

bc lets be honest she would be the best baker

and she piped these like little cats on them!!!

they were so cute

except for the fact that they weren’t in the fridge so they were kind of half melted

but you loved them so much it literally didn’t matter

if you didn’t suspect that this internship was the best thing to ever happen to you before, you definitely had it confirmed now.

ok last little anecdote so i don’t end on such a cheesy note

HAHA

after u did some filing

ok it was ur birthday but that didn’t mean u got out of work

the fam took u to josie’s and foggy told her it was ur birthday

and she was like “happy birthday kid.”

and then she looked him straight in the eye and was like “you’re not getting food for free because of that.”

but guess what?

everyone in the bar was pretty jolly bc its a bar guys ppl drink

anyway so they sang happy birthday to u!!

ur fave old man marv (who u had that wing eating contest with once) led the singing

IT WAS THE BEST DAY EVER :D

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[lilyoffandoms]

Time & Again (Blades)

A gift for @saibug1022 from @oh-so-youre-a-nerd (art exchange) featuring Salem’s MC, Asterin. Implied or referenced relationships: Asterin x Tyril; Asterin x Mal; Asterin x Aerin; Tyril x Mal. (So yes, that ask was from Thia but on my behalf hehe).

Warnings & A/N: This fic deals with canon compliant kindnapping, torture, and trauma. It also features medical torture and experimentation, compliant with this fic by Salem. ~3200 words

[Huge thanks to my proof-readers. Any mistakes are mine not their’s. There is only so much you can get me to edit haha.]

A bright, unnatural light overhead.

Thick, suffocating shadows blotting out the room.

Gleaming scalpels and saws reflecting that light into the shadows where it is consumed. Along with what little hope he may have clung to.

There is only that familiar all-consuming dread.

They are only snatches of memories, glimpses really, he can’t call them anything else. Nightmares maybe? For those bits of memory, visions, reality - he doesn’t know - what he does know is they are the only things to fill his waking dreams and haunt his sleepless nights.

He wants to close his eyes to escape but she waits for him on the other side. There is no escape and yet he succumbs to sleep where he is met with exactly what he feared he would find. What he always finds.

He’s not sure what is real and what blanks his mind is simply filling in to try and cope with the trauma. But he knows one thing-

She stands over him.

That’s how it always starts. Her over his prone, scared and beaten body.

At first she simply looks him over, taking notes here and there in the eerie quiet of the laboratory. Weeks, days, hours later - he doesn’t know - her examinations turn to poking and prodding. Measurements taken and written down in the margins of a parchment she keeps referring back to.

The feeling of emptiness is all that fills him.

He is alone.

So very alone.

The feeling that comes next - weeks, days, hours later - drowns out that emptiness. That dread is replaced by a deeper, more excruciating one.

The pain is all that fills him.

He is reminded he is not alone.

So very much not alone.

He jerks awake in the warm night of the Deadwood. It’s as dark as his memories. He watches Mal stoke the fire before Tyril throws another branch on.

“Do you think he remembers more than he’s telling us?” Mal whispers as Tyril takes a seat beside him on the cooling ground and wraps his arms around the rogue.

Asterin closes his eyes again and listens.

“You believe he would keep vital information from us?”

“No. No. Not like that sort. He said he was experimented on but doesn’t remember much,” Mal trails off as Tyril nods his head in understanding.

“It is possible.”

“Why won’t he talk to us about it?”

“He will when he is ready. Until then, we wait and offer what support we can.”

“Maybe I should go talk to him?”

She stands over him.

He’s back on that cold, metal table. He watches as she picks up a blunt ended scissors. He feels the cold metal on his skin as she slips it around the hem of his shirt and works her way up.

It is an out of place sound in so quiet a room. The tear of threads and the rhythmic click of the blades meeting as they get closer and closer to his neck.

He holds desperately still, not a single breath taken until she slips his tunic open and sets the scissors aside.

Weeks, days, hours later, who can say, his eyes fall closed and he reminds himself to breathe.

Breathe.

And he does, until that very breath is stolen from his lungs as he opens his eyes and finds her watching him. Her gaze is steady, cold, empty. Her face is the same mask until the smallest of grins tugs at her lips and her gaze turns bright and a unearthly fire lights her eyes in wicked mockery of his fear.

He jolts to the surface and sucks in a deep, cleansing breath of air as he swims through the murky water to the shoreline, crowded thick with all manner of lush, verdant life.

“Asterin!”

The cry greets him before he sees two sets of boots wade into the water to help pull him to shore. He waits, bent over, for his heart to calm down as Imtura stands beside him, on guard and at the ready. Tyril kneels down beside him in the mud and tilts his face up.

“Are you okay, Asterin?”

It’s a soft question.

He shakes his head, and the bad memories from him, and stands up as Mal calls out.

“Where’s Nia?”

She stands over him.

She picks up a needle and plunges it unceremoniously into his arm. He grits his teeth as she digs around until she finds a vein. She works methodically to attach a tube to it and he can only watch in horror as his blood drains from his body.

“It will help,” she says cooly.

“With what? Dying?” he quips.

“With what is to come next for you Realm-Walker.”

Her all-too-pleased grin is the last thing he sees before his body protects him and he passes out.

Weeks, days, hours later, he is awake and wishes he was not. The light is far too bright for his eyes and his mind swims as he struggles to move his head and regain his bearings.

Everything hurts and he is alone.

So very alone.

And yet he knows she’s there.

Not so very alone.

He can hear the quill scrap across the parchment, her gentle breathing, the lower murmur of many voices somewhere in the distance. Even the obsessive silence is loud.

She looks up as he groans at the pain his movements cost him and scowls at him before turning her attention back to her notes.

He starts as his hand falls on his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Asterin. Breathe.“

He turns slowly to face the person speaking to him, a part of him fearing the face won’t match the voice. But he finds he can breathe when that unsure smirk greets him.

“Aerin?”

“I’m right here.”

He shakes the already fleeting feelings of dread that cling to him but he can’t shake that all-consuming, bone-numbing fear he seems to carry with him now wherever he goes. He can’t shake the memory of her cold, calculating eyes, or the chill that runs down his spine upon remembering her smile.

mmm

The people of Riverbend draw his attention back and he smiles the same smile he has practiced since returning to this realm. What was it? Weeks, days, hours ago?

He doesn’t remember that much, only happiness. Bliss found them tucked between sheets as smooth, unscathed hands ran up his back. Stars, relief, sanctuary until it was torn from him in a few words, hastily scrawled on a piece of paper abandoned. Like him.

She stands over him.

It was as if he was no longer in his body but floating above it as he watches her hesitate but a moment before making the first incision starting near the left shoulder and working down to the end of the breastbone. He watches as she methodically repeats that same incision from his right shoulder before continuing down from the sternum, around his navel, until she pulls the scalpel from him and sets it aside.

He watches in horrified fascination as she moves aside tubes and casts another spell over him lulling him deeper into the strange inbetween world he’s found himself in.

The inbetween?

No, that can’t be right. The Watcher would be here then. No, this is some other-worldly space that is meant just for him. A trap just for his mind. Another trick she has played on him to confuse his already rapidly fraying sense of reality.

He turns back to the scene before him. It is a deeper cut than it feels, he thinks to himself.

She peels his skin back, as nonchalantly as if she were peeling an orange, and takes notes before reaching for a bone saw.

He reaches for her, desperate to stop what he knows will happen, but his hands reach blindly and fall through her as if she were not there.

She smiles knowingly and looks up to meet his eyes, seemingly knowing his consciousness is still there even as his body lays trapped, asleep.

Asleep. I’m only asleep, he reasons. But he knows that’s not true. That was a conversation from another time. Not now.

“It won’t hurt,” she says, bringing him back to the now, or then, or will be. Hells, he’s not even sure anymore.

He looks at her through tear-stained eyes.

“Why?” she asks as if reading his mind. “Because I’m curious.”

The widening grin is maddening and chills him to his core as he closes his eyes and listens to the sound of metal sawing through bone in the vast emptiness of the Shadow realm.

He is thrust back into another world as a dull humming sounds from copper pipes above them.

“We need to find a way out of here.”

He looks around wildly. Desperately trying to gain a hint as to where they are. He feels like he’s reeling, falling into some endless abyss until warm brown eyes meet his.

“Asterin?” Mal asks.

The dwarvish dungeons well beneath the subterranean city of Zaradun. He breathes. He’s here, not there. That is something at least.

“I got an idea. You with me, kit?”

He doesn’t remember that much, a tight swallow and a slight nod is all he is capable of until chapped lips meet his and he melts into the kiss. Bliss found them wrapped in each others arms. Nimble fingers teasing the fabric of his shirt. Warmth, relief, sanctuary until it was torn from him.

She stands over him.

Beating heart cupped in one hand as she moves the left lobe of his lung further to the side with the heart, to look deeper into the gapping cavity that is - was - his chest.

Huh, there is not as much blood as he would have expected.

“I stemmed the flow,” she says not looking up from her examination and probing deeper.

“What?”

“There is not much blood because I stemmed the flow. Makes it easier for me.”

He looks at her, she is almost giddy with excitement. It’s such a stark contrast to his own emotion. He looks back to his prone body, strapped to the table. Deathly still.

This isn’t real.

“If you say so,” she chuckles and tucks his heart back in place before turning to a scribe sitting in the corner.

“Chest contains the usual. The heart is within normal size for his species and in typical condition for an elf of his age. Lungs are supple and a healthy pink. Nothing of note in the upper cavity.”

She pauses and glances back at him.

“Moving on to the lower abdominal cavity.”

His wide eyes watch her every move.

“What are you looking f-“

“Whatever I please,” she says and looks down on his body as she brushes a stray hair back from his face with a bloody hand. He feels his blood on his scars as she traces one and then another near his eye. It’s warm still, slick. He can smell iron in the air.

He shouldn’t feel it but he does. He knows it’s real and he flinches as she caresses his cheek.

“No!”

His scream draws all their attention to him as they sit at a tiny, scared table. They all look up from their meager dinner plates to him.

“Asterin?”

He’s pale and shaking. He can feel it.

“I’m fine. There is nothing wrong with me,” he mumbles as he brushes Tyril’s hand from his arm and stares daggers into the violet eyes across the table from him.

“Dinvalir,” Tyril leans in and whispers, “that is not true.”

The creature of his nightmares stares back at him with a playful smile on her face.

“I can assure you there is nothing wrong with him. I checked. Thoroughly,,” she says in Tyril’s direction but her gaze remains fixed on Asterin.

“And just what does that mean?” Mal’s hard voice asks.

He narrows his eyes at Valax as he jumps up. Chair legs scrapping harshly against the floor and making Asterin flinch.

“Let’s just eat,” Asterin cuts off any further conversation.

He doesn’t remember that much, only Tyril’s firm, yet gentle, voice in his ear. Bliss found them in their own world of whispered comforts for a moment. Calmness, relief, sanctuary until it was torn from him.

She stands over him.

He’s sputtering on the bank of a river, coughing up water. The rain a deluge around them, watering long dead trees and parched ground. The sky, darker than is natural, adds to the oppressive nature of the realm.

“You saved me?”

It’s half statement, half question, and he is utterly and entirely confused.

“Your light-realm witch made sure I could do no other,” Valax crosses her arms.

“Of course.”

He would thank her but the pain that radiates from his chest stops him from such foolish behavior. After all, the water he is coughing up is from lungs she held, while the bones she cut from his body shield the heart she could have crushed in her hands.

She deserves no such kindness from him for she has shown him none.

“If you are quite through, we should find shelter,” she states and is walking away from him before he can respond.

He stands reluctantly and thinks over his nonexistent options. He does not want to follow her but neither of them have a choice right now. His body screams at him to run but she will find him. She is bound to him.

His worst nightmare, ever present, made hauntingly real. If he thought he could escape it - escape her - before, well he sure as hells can’t escape it now. Nia saw to that.

Does Nia even realize what she has done? Does she understand the re-lived pain she is inflicting on him by binding him to his kidnapper, his torturer. Logically he knows Nia was only trying to protect him, protect them all, but he can barely breathe with the thought of Valax, much less the reality of what he is subjected to now.

The cave is cold but dry and higher than any flash flooding could reach. He follows her in and stands warily off to the side, near enough the entrance to escape if she should turn on him.

“We should build a fire.”

“I suppose you should,” he states, aiming for her nonchalant coolness.

She glares at him and time stretches into eternity. He won’t give her the pleasure of looking away from her no matter what nightmares he sees fresh in the depths of her dangerous eyes. She relents before his resolve crumples and soon enough a fire is lit before them. Small but enough to keep them warm.

She sits down beside it and watches him over the flames.

“You should rest. I’ll keep first watch.”

His laugh is a bitter thing echoing off the high walls.

“I don’t think so.”

“Don’t be a fool. I require little sleep. You do.”

“Did my vivisection tell you that?”

He could almost fool himself into believing there is a flash of regret in her eyes but then again, fire plays dangerous tricks with those that believe it’s warmth will not burn.

“Your mortality does,” she murmurs into the flames.

He watches her a moment longer before settling down on the opposite side of the fire. Leary but exhausted enough to not care.

They watch each other for weeks, days, hours, he’s not sure. But they simply sit there for what could be eternity or mere seconds.

“Don’t look at me like that!” he finally snaps.

He doesn’t like what he sees with her eyes lit by and within from fire. There is something primordial, predatory, primal in the dark emptiness there.

“Like what?” she demands in turn.

“Like there is more you haven’t cut from me, more you haven’t discovered.”

“You think I’ve not exhausted all my options with you, day-walker?” she spits.

He feeezes a moment at her words, her tone, the shifting of her shoulders as if she is only barely holding herself back from ripping into him anew.

“I don’t care. Just don’t look at me like that.”

“What would you have me look at? There is not much here beside you and me.”

“Look at the fire then.”

“Fine,” she says and does as she was told.

Weeks, days, hours later he finds his eyes drooping with the weight of too many sleepless nights. Running from a demon that he can’t fight. A demon that now lies in wait, biding its precious time, before him.

“Talk to me,” he says.

“What.”

“You heard me.”

“What would you have me talk about?”

“I don’t care.”

He listens to her voice, asking occasional questions to keep her talking. She asks questions of her own which he answers cautiously.

He just needs to stay awake or at the very least know where she is by the sound of her voice. He cannot risk sleep with her here.

Keep her talking but don’t give anything away. Keep her talking but don’t give anything away. Keep her talking but don’t….

She stands over him.

“Seems there was more to discover about you after all,” she smirks.

He’s on his feet before she can move and he’s backed away from her, realizing too late that he is trapped between her standing in the mouth of the cave and the wall behind his back.

She watches him look around wildly for a moment before he has his sword in hand. She rolls her eyes at him and turns away.

“I hear your friends.”

“You do?”

The tip of his sword drops slightly until she takes a step towards him and he levels it at her in warning as he strains to listen.

Sure enough, he hears the telltale sounds of Mal and Tyril bickering and Imtura egging them on while Nia yells at them to shut up.

He smiles and gestures for Valax to continue on out of their shelter.

The earth is just as parched as it was the day before. Smooth dried mud cakes the ground and is already splitting, cracking, peeling away from the ground. There is no smell of fresh rain, only decay. It is nearly enough to break him until hope springs in his heart at the sight of them.

Soon he is wrapped in Mal and Tyril’s arms and he can’t help the choked sob that escapes him as he sinks into their embrace. He takes a deep breath. He is warm and safe.

“You came,” he whispers.

Joy leaps in his heart as they cling to him tighter in answer.

“You came for me.”

She stands over him.

“There is nothing here!” she fumes.

It’s a shout of disappointment. Anger. Frustration.

“Princess?” the scribe asks.

“Lower cavity shows nothing unusual. All organs are accounted for, healthy and normal. Nothing to explain,” she glances down, “him.”

He blinks a few times until she is in focus. He’s on his back on the same hard metal table. A bright, unnatural light hangs overhead.

The same thick, suffocating shadows blotting out the surrounding room.

She continues to look down at him, into his glazed over eyes, as she closes him back up.

The needle she uses to sew him up reflects the light into the shadows where it is consumed. Along with what little hope he may have been clinging to.

There is only that familiar all-consuming dread.

“I will learn your secrets. You will beg to tell me them before the end.”

How long has it been? Weeks, days, hours - he doesn’t know any more. Doesn’t know if he ever did.

But he’s alone.

So very alone.

And no one came for him.

[cleabellanov]

What if season 2 sounds interesting and I am really curious to see what they will do with it, all during the holiday season.

But until then, let me tell you something about season 1! The 4th episode : "What if...Doctor Strange lost his heart instead of his hands" has to be my favourite one. That's because of its darkest themes, and, along with the last episode:"What if...The Watcher broke his oath" bring the characters really close to the Watcher, something that doesn't normally happen except in desperate, doomed situations. Also, Strange Supreme is a really interesting and powerful villain, because he interacted with The Watcher, and, ultimately, Uatu searches for Strange in his decimated universe, because he needs his help. That is a lot of power for one character.

We learned that The Watcher interfering isn't a thing that normally happens. It is a last measure, after Ultron threatens to defeat Uatu and the Multiverse. The Watcher can't let that happen, which is why he finally breaks his rules.

Until the 10th of November 2023 (yes I'm talking about the Loki finale) the Multiverse was, for Marvel's Cinematic Universe and its fans, simply the question of "What if?", which is why the series is called that too. But now, anything is possible. What we'll see in the episodes of season 2 is happening somewhere, sometime, with the God of Stories watching over it. But wait, now we have 2 watchers? How does that work...?

Now I have another question: for how long has The Watcher been there? Because I don't really see his role coexisting with Loki's purpose at the end of time, and perhaps Uatu exists in either a very far past, or a very streched future from now on. Maybe his oath to not interfere is the key to not starting another Multiversal War, and it keeps the timelines separated, each on their own way. When he fails, it leads to Kang variants, and war, and the ultimate intsallement of the TVA. Orrr maybe in the future he'll take Loki's burden of the Multiverse so we can see him happy again? :)) I don't know.

The episode titles for season 2 (via CanWeGetSomeToast on twitter) didn't necessarily wake my interest, but I'll still be happy to watch them. However, the last (9th) one...

"What if...Strange Supreme intervened"

Oh welllll. Things are getting twisted. The Watcher obviously has an oath. His title is fit for his purpose : watching over the Multiverse.

But Strange Supreme doesn't have such a thing as an oath. He was driven mad my his grief for Christine. The erasure of an Absolute Point in time ultimately destroyed that entire Universe, with Strange being the last and only one left alive of it all.

And he knows how it is to have your whole world ripped apart with The Watcher, well...just watching. So he has more chances to intervene in the Multiverse than anyone else right now, even The Watcher.

I don't know how likely it is for him to do this for someone's good, but maybe his own? Who could stop him? The Watcher, yes, but not before a though fight. Strange Supreme does not have rules, or an oath to respect. He might just do it, for better OR for worse.

That being said, thanks for reading!!

[starshine-hockey-girl]

Scent of a Woman - Journey to the Emerald City - Chapter 16

Summary - Lex's embarrassing little secret leads chaos and misunderstanding on a road trip.

Author's Note- A return to fluffy Teddy and Lex. I apologize for the delay. I also apologize for the slight character assassination of Fanny. She seems like a lovely woman.

@pattiemac1 @newlibrary @penstxgal1968 @dutch-tv-fan @irlkpop

If you asked Lex, he would say that he had no idea where the habit began. He would probably deny that there was a habit at all. Truth be told, the desire that fed the habit began within weeks of the start of his physical relationship with Teddy. On a road trip later that fall, he found himself longing for her scent as he spent night after lonely night in hotel rooms.

He couldn't pinpoint the exact descriptions of her scents but there were two variations. One was her "fresh out of the shower” scent of Bath and Body Works Champagne Toast that reminded him of tangerines, berries and champagne. It was sweet and bubbly, just like her. She wore it in layers that ensured that scent lingered throughout the day.

The second was a rare perfume that was intoxicating. It had been a gift from her parents. She wore it sparingly, saving it for special occasions. Each time he smelled it he was transported back to their first kiss outside the Music Hall, to the landing outside the garage apartment where he buried his face in her neck as she tried to unlock the door or that moment she took him deep within her and leaned forward to kiss his neck. The scent was calming yet arousing at the same time. It made him dizzy with desire.

The first thing he "acquired" to satisfy his need for her scent was a scarf that had been tossed in a corner during one of their many races to disrobe each other after any sort of separation. He couldn't help it if the scarf accidentally made its way into his suitcase for the next road trip. Teddy never mentioned the missing scarf. She had convinced herself that she had left it at the Starbucks she had stopped at to pick up their coffee order. He never admitted it was in his possession.

The second item was the emerald green silk nightgown that she wore on their last night together before he flew to Pittsburgh. Obviously, it got mixed in with his clothes as they rushed to make his flight. It was totally normal that it stayed under his pillow and he smelled it before he fell asleep every night. Well until the scent faded into oblivion.

It was during his second return trip to Dallas after his trade that the third and only deliberate theft occurred. He slipped the small bottle of perfume into his pocket when he arrived at her hotel room. It was then that the habit began. One spritz on the hotel pillow and he slept soundly. At the time he had no idea that he would be continuing the action nearly two years later. It was his little road secret and no one needed to know. At least that was the way he planned to keep it until it all came unraveled. How do you ask? Three words- Tyler Fucking Seguin

October 18th- Pittsburgh, PA

Lex walked off the team bus with his cell phone pressed to his ear. Teddy was in the middle of telling him about the latest news in their hunt for a new apartment. He looked up as he began the walk to the arena. “Bliss, I need to go into morning skate. Can I call you” he began when he felt Tyler shove him behind before he reached up and snatched the phone from his hand.

“Teddy!” Tyler laughed into the phone.

“Tyler?” Teddy asked in question, “What happened to Lex? Why do you have his phone?”

“I took it from him,” Tyler laughed again as he turned to see Lex walking towards him.

“You…. took…. the…. phone from him?” she said in disbelief, “How did you do that? WHY did you do that?”

“You doubt my ability to best the Big Rig. Oh ye of little faith!” Tyler exclaimed as Lex approached him with a smile on his face. “I stole it because I texted earlier and you did not respond. I had to resort to desperate measures,” Tyler said before he realized what was about to be his fate. “Teddy!” he shrieked as Lex reached him, “He’s going to put me in a…..”

Tyler’s voice became muffled and Teddy finished his sentence, “A headlock? Seriously Tyler, did you not learn your lesson in September?”

Lex snatched the phone from Tyler’s hand, but continued to hold him in a headlock. Tyler’s arms flailed as Lex spoke, “So as I was saying Bliss- I have to go into the morning skate. I will call you afterwards okay. ”

“Lex…..let him go,” Teddy chided her giant of a boyfriend gently.

“Why? He snatched the phone from me while I was talking to you. That cannot go unpunished, Bliss,” Lex smiled as he tightened his grip. Tyler’s pleas for help could be heard on Teddy’s end.

“Lex…. let him go,” Teddy chided again.

Lex tightened his grip and Tyler inhaled deeply. Then Tyler’s eyebrows knitted in confusion. Finally, Lex released his grip, Tyler stumbled forward before he regained his balance. “Seggy sends his best, Bliss. Don’t you Seggy?” Lex smiled as he turned from Tyler, “I’ll talk to you later Bliss. Will you be at home? Can you help me with some pregame relaxation?”

“As long as Tyler remains uninjured, even if he brought this on himself, I can accommodate your request,” she smiled into her phone.

“Don’t worry about Seggy here. I am sure his pride will recover nicely. Love you. I will talk to you later Bliss, ” Lex laughed as Tyler stood and watched him. When Tyler started to walk towards him with purpose, he stepped back. “Woah, Seggy. You started it, “ Lex held up his hands in mock surrender. Tyler marched up to Lex, grabbed his hand and sniffed it “What the fuck dude?” Lex huffed.

Tyler took a step back and looked up at Lex, “Why do you smell like Teddy?”

Lex stepped back again, “Why do I smell like my girlfriend? I think that you can imagine why.”

“No, I can’t,” Tyler replied, “I can’t imagine why you smell like Teddy in the middle of a road trip.”

Lex blinked slowly. He thought back to his morning in the hotel. In his rush to pack his toiletries he had accidentally sprayed Teddy’s perfume. The mist landed on his hands and sleeve of his shirt. Lex struggled to come up with an explanation.

Tyler continued to pry, “We have been on the road for four days. I’ve seen you shower after games.” Lex lifted his eyebrow at that remark. “Not seen, but know that you have showered after games,” Tyler explained, “There is no reason to smell like Teddy unless……. Is she here? Did she sneak into your room last night? Is that why she didn’t answer my call earlier?”

“No, of course not,” Lex answered sternly.

“Then why do you smell like her?” Tyler eyed him suspiciously.

Lex ran his fingers through his hair and weighed his options. From what he could tell, it was either come clean or come up with an excuse in the next five seconds which seemed highly unlikely. “Fuck,” he huffed as he looked to the sky.

Tyler tilted his head. He had just been giving Big Rig a hard time. Now he was clearly upset. This had quickly gone from teasing to revealing something serious at a speed that made him dizzy.

Lex turned to him and spoke softly, “This stays between you and me, got it?”

“Nope, I am not agreeing to that at all,” Tyler suddenly got equally serious, “If you are going to confess to some sort of shenanigans that affects Teddy, I am telling her.”

“Oh shut up,” Lex hissed. Then he turned around and paced for a bit. “I smell like her because I accidentally sprayed her perfume on my hands while I was packing it this morning.”

Tyler looked confused, “Why do you have Teddy’s perfume? Is this some sort of kink….” He stopped himself short when the memory of the last time he suggested that Big Rig had some sort of kink.

“No, it’s not some kinky shit,” Lex whined, “I just like the smell. It helps me on the road.” Tyler blinked. “I sleep better when I smell it on the road,” Lex explained, “It makes me miss her less. Sometimes I miss her so much and the scent helps me.” His voice cracked at the end.

Tyler opened his mouth to say something sarcastic but words failed him. They stood and stared at each other. Finally Tyler spoke, “How long?”

“Ummm, since the beginning?” Lex replied, “It started off unintentionally with a scarf she left at my apartment. Then it was her nightgown she wore on my last night in Dallas.” Tyler’s eyes widened and Lex glared at him. “Then her perfume may have ended up in my luggage after my trip back to Dallas.”

“You stole her perfume? She didn’t lose it at the hotel?” Tyler laughed.

“You knew about that?” Lex questioned.

“Of course, I knew about it,” Tyler quipped, “She whined to me about it for weeks. It was her special Paris perfume and she lost it.”

“Her special Paris perfume?” Lex asked.

“You don’t know the story of the perfume?” Tyler remarked, “See…. this is why I am the best friend and you are just the boyfriend.”

Lex took a step forward, “Do you need the headlock again?”

“Okay, okay,” Tyler said, “Walk and I will tell you the story.”

“You know that Baxters all went to Paris to celebrate Teddy’s sixteenth birthday? You know Mrs. B- it was a production. One of the activities was a private party at perfumery where you can create custom scents. Teddy made a custom scent for Frankie and Frankie made one for her.”

“That’s the perfume she wears? The scent that Frankie made for her?” Lex interjected.

“Shut up and listen to the story,” Tyler countered.

“They each got two bottles of the scent created for them. Teddy has been using hers since Frankie died. When she finished the first bottle, she switched to alternating between the fruity one and the Frankie one. At least until she thought she lost it at the hotel,” Tyler paused to glare at Lex in disapproval. “She was heartbroken. It was one of the last tangible items she had connected to Frankie. I don’t know how he did it, but Mr. Baxter pulled the rabbit out of a hat and got a replacement.”

“Fuck,” Lex uttered, “I had no idea. I just thought it was a nice perfume.”

“So you stole it?” Tyler quizzed, “Nice… really nice.”

“You can’t tell her,” Lex replied, suddenly panicking about what Tyler would do with incriminating information. “Seriously,” he stammered, “You can’t tell her.”

“Don’t worry, Big Rig. Your secret is safe with me,” Tyler laughed, “It’s kind of sweet in a slightly obsessive-compulsive way. It’s totally on brand for you two.”

“Promise?” Lex asked with a hint of desperation in his voice.

“Dude- relax,” Tyler said in a serious tone, “Your secret is safe with me.”

October 31st- JW Marriott Hotel- Denver, CO

“Big Rig, it’s your lucky day,” the team travel coordinator smiled at him as she passed out room keys. His eyebrows lifted in surprise and in question. “It seems as if someone loves you and upgraded you to a suite!”

“A suite?” Lex asked in a confused tone, “Who would do that?” Then he smiled to himself. He knew exactly who upgraded his room- Teddy. He pulled out his phone and made the call. Teddy was in Los Angeles at a conference for social media influencers. She was scheduled to speak on panels about brand engagement and body image in social media. The conference conflicted with the hastily scheduled WAG “road trip” for the AV/Stars game.

Lex: Bliss? What did you do?

Teddy: I have no idea. What did I do?

She smiled at him as she walked around her hotel room in Los Angeles. She paused and looked out the window.

Lex: You know exactly what you did. The upgrade to the suite?

Teddy: Oh that? I thought it would be a nice treat since I couldn’t make the trip.

Lex: I would rather have a smaller room and you here.

Teddy let out a sigh.

Lex: I didn’t mean it that way. I understand you have your own career. I just miss you.

Teddy: I miss you too. I’ll see you Saturday night?

Lex: I can’t wait. Thanks again for the suite. You spoil me, Bliss.

Teddy: Nothing makes me happier than spoiling you.

Word spread like wildfire among the team and WAGS. Suddenly plans were made- party in Big Rig’s suite. When Teddy got word, she arranged for food and a bar set-up to make the party as festive as possible.

Later that night, the team was sitting in the living room watching Scream. Lex looked around the room and sighed. Couples were huddled close together. He felt a pang in his heart and thought about Teddy. Silently, he got up and went into the bedroom unnoticed by the group with the exception of Fanny, John Klingberg’s girlfriend. Her eyes followed his large frame until he shut the bedroom door. Lex walked over to the window and looked up at the moon. Then he picked up the phone and facetimed Teddy.

Teddy: Hey Lex

Lex spoke in a soft tone: Bliss

Teddy stopped in her tracks: What’s wrong, Lex?

Lex: I just miss you. It’s cuddle central out there and I don’t have my cuddle buddy.

Teddy: I am sorry, Lex. What can I do to make it better?

Lex: Remember last year when you sang me that song? From that mouse movie?

Teddy smiled at the memory: Yes, I remember. It was back when I wanted to say I love you but couldn’t say it yet.

Lex: Do you think you could sing to me again? I am looking at the moon.

Teddy: Of course, I can.

Teddy began singing softly as Lex listened. Outside the door, Fanny paced outside of the door. She turned to walk back to the couch but then gathered up her nerve. She desperately needed to go pee, but Benn and Katie had ensconced themselves in the suite powder room. Nervously she knocked.

Lex turned to face the door. “Yeah?” he answered abruptly, slightly irritated that his serenade was being interrupted.

“Ummm, can I use the restroom?” Fanny asked quietly.

“There is a powder room out there,” he called back.

“Yeah, but there are people in it. It’s kind of an emergency,” she replied.

Lex stared at the door and pondered her answer. “There are people in the powder room?” he thought to himself, “What would they be doing in the powder room?” Then he remembered Fanny was waiting on an answer. He walked over to the door, opened it and pointed to the bathroom. He returned to his position by the window.

Inside the bathroom, Fanny set her phone on the back of the toilet and attended to her business. She could hear Lex speaking in hushed tones, but could not make what was being said.

Inside the bedroom, Lex listened to Teddy’s sweet voice as he considered the powder room situation. Visuals of his very sexy encounter with Teddy in Tyler’s powder room flooded his mind. He was so caught up in the memory that he didn’t notice that Teddy had stopped singing.

Teddy: Lex? You still there?

Lex came back to reality: Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about something.

Teddy: And what would that be?

Lex glanced over his shoulder: Remember that time in Seggy’s powder room? Remember how I fucked you?

Teddy purred: Yeah, I remember that. I remember it very well.

Lex let out a soft moan: Damn it Bliss. You’re turning me on.

Teddy purred again: Want me to help you out there Big Boy?

Lex heard the bathroom door open and Fanny stepped into the room. He turned quickly back to the window.

Lex: Good God Kitty, you are so fucking sexy. I would love to finish this but now is not a good time. Maybe later?

Fanny froze in her footsteps.

Teddy asked: Too many prying ears?

Lex: Prying ears and eyes

Fanny stepped closer to the bed to hear better. She was almost touching the bed when the scent of Teddy’s perfume wafted into her nose. She looked down and then around. It was a distinctly feminine scent. It was a scent that should not have been present in Big Rig’s room. She looked at the bed and then at Lex. His back was still to her so she allowed her nose to follow the scent to its source- the pillows on the unmade bed. Her mind began to race. Why was the bed unmade? The team had just arrived in town that afternoon. Why was there a scent of a woman’s perfume on the pillow? Her mind lept to the most logical conclusion. A woman had been in the bed. A woman that was not Big Rig’s beloved,Teddy, had been in the bed.

She let out a little squeak and he turned to face her. Their eyes locked for a moment and Fanny turned to race out of the bedroom. In the living room, Fanny mentally replayed the scenario. “Maybe later?” she thought to herself, “He is making plans for later?”

Fanny smiled to herself and exited the room. Truth to be told, she wasn’t a fan of the Big Tex couple. Teddy and Lex had been given the moniker by the players and WAGS sometime during their “friends with benefits” stage and it stuck.

Moments later, Lex walked around and resumed his position for the movie. He didn’t notice the careful watch that Fanny took as he scrolled through his phone, looking at pictures of his beloved Bliss. He tilted his phone slightly to prevent the racier photos from being seen by others. He squirmed in his spot as the longing in him grew exponentially. One particular picture made him lick his lips as he switched over to his messages.

Lex: Good God - remind me never to invite people into my room again.

Teddy: Why?

Lex: I am so fucking horny.

Teddy: Easy there Tiger. Kitty Kat won't be available for another couple of hours.

Lex groaned out loud and looked around the room. Fanny stared at him. They made brief eye contact and he focused on his phone again.

Lex: Save me. I beg you. Fanny is staring at me like she can read my thoughts.

Teddy: Are you still afraid of WAGS?

Lex: Hey, WAGS are scary

Teddy didn’t respond

Lex: except you of course. Please Bliss.

Teddy: You owe me Tiger

Lex: Anything you want

Suddenly his phone rang and the extremely loud sound of Teddy's crocodile tears rang through the phone.

Teddy screamed: Lex!!! Lex!!!

Lex sprung into action. He jumped off the club chair and responded: Bliss!! What's wrong? What's wrong?

Everyone turned to listen to the activity.

Teddy began a torrent of incoherent screaming and crying. Inwardly, he smiled but his face showed concern. He turned to the group, “Sorry guys, Teddy is having a meltdown about her speech tomorrow. I need to talk her down from the ledge. You have to go. You have to go.”

Everyone looked at each other in confusion. He could always go into the other room if necessary. However, no one took the initiative to argue with the Big Rig who made it clear that he wanted everyone out of his room. He wanted them out and he wanted them out NOW.

They slowly shuffled out of the room, whispering amongst themselves. After a quick huddle, they decided to reconvene in Benn’s room. Fanny replayed the scenario from Lex's bedroom over and over in her mind. Should she say something?She would want to know if John was cheating on her. She stewed and finally came to the decision to ask the other WAGS..

She poked Katie in the ribs and nodded her head toward the bathroom. She whispered “It's an emergency.” Katie whispered into Anna’s ear and word spread.

Once all the women crowded into the bathroom, Katie stood against the door with her arms crossed. Because she dated Benn, she was the de facto leader of the group. “What’s the emergency, Fanny?” Katie asked bluntly. Quite frankly, she wasn't a huge fan and she had unfinished business with Benn

Fanny breathlessly described her observations to the group. She was met with immediate disbelief and judgment.

“I don’t buy it,” Andrea Bishop interjected.

“Me either,” Anna Lindell added.

“Look, I know that I am new around here,” Jennifer Spezza said, “But one thing I know for sure is that Big Rig only has eyes for Teddy.”

Fanny started to explain again.

“It’s almost like you are wanting it to be true,” Katie observed. The other WAGS nodded their heads.

“Don’t you think she would want to know?” Fanny questioned. This juicy bit of gossip was not being received the way that she envisioned.

“There is nothing to know,” Katie replied, “You smelled some perfume and overhead what you think was Big Rig making plans.”

“I think that we should tell her,” Fanny interrupted.

“Fuck no,” Andrea answered, “She has a huge presentation tomorrow. The last thing that we are going to do is upset her for no damn reason.”

With that, the group adjourned back to their men. Then the party fizzled quickly after that. John and Fanny walked toward their room. He asked her what the huddle was about. Fanny explained her observations. “Big Rig cheat?” he laughed, “Why would he cheat NOW? Why would he risk it during a WAGS trip even if Teddy is not here? He knows better than that. He is not an idiot like…..”

“An idiot like who?” Fanny whipped her head around.

Klingberg stopped in his tracks. “Shit” he thought to himself, “I said the quiet part out loud.” This was a topic of conversation that he wanted to avoid at all costs. “Fan,” he spit, “I am just saying that Big Rig is smarter than most of us. He wouldn’t make hook-up plans with the entire team literally in the next room.”

“So you are saying that he would cheat if we weren’t around?” she said as her eyes narrowed, “Are you saying that’s what you would do if I weren’t around?”

“Kärlek,” he soothed, “You know I love you and only you. There is no one else in my heart.” Technically, it wasn’t a lie. He didn’t say there wasn’t anyone else in his bed or on his dick. “Come, let me show you,” He grabbed her hand to lead her, “Maybe we can take a fun video on your phone.”

Fanny stopped suddenly and stuck her hand into her pockets. Her phone wasn’t there. She mentally backtracked until she realized that she must have left it in Big Rig’s room. Klingberg tried to convince her to continue to the room and get the phone later. Fanny insisted on getting it then. She had plans to text her sisters in Sweden with the gossip about Teddy and Lex. Even if none of the other WAGS had taken the bait, she was sure that they would.

Back in Lex’s suite, he sat on the couch nude. His phone was propped up on the entertainment center. Teddy’s green silk nightgown had been thrown down in haste when she had called for their planned video fuck. His hand stroke furiously as he watched Teddy expertly bring herself to her climax with Pinky and her fingers. She screamed out in ecstasy as the third orgasm washed over her. Ever the gentleman, Lex made sure that she reached her peak before he succumbed to his desire.

A series of grunts and moans escaped his mouth as he edged closer. Finally, he exclaimed, “Fuck Kitty Kat. Oh God, you fuck your Tiger so good.” Teddy’s eyes widened and he went silent. It was their unspoken rule that those names were reserved for their kinkier, in person play sessions.

“Uhhhhh, Lex?” she questioned.

“Sorry, Sorry, “ he stammered, “I don’t know what I was thinking.”

“Seems like Tiger is in need of his Kitty Kat,” she said seductively, “You like how Kitty Kat is a good girl for you?”

Lex felt his body respond, “Kitty Kat you know I like everything about you.”

Outside the room, Fanny listened in shock. She had arrived just as Lex had screamed Kitty Kat. Her mind jumped to the most shocking of conclusions. She was RIGHT. He had someone in there with him- some whore named Kitty Kat. She smiled to herself in triumph. “Guess I wasn’t so wrong after all. Was I girls?” she thought to herself. She started to walk away in triumph and in anticipation of the salacious update she was about to provide when she remembered her phone. She would need it to text and call people. She turned and knocked on the door.

Inside the room, Lex stroked himself. It took almost a full minute of knocking for the sound to register in his brain. “Fuck,” he uttered in annoyance, “Kitty Kat, someone is is at the door. I gotta go.”

“Lex Love, at least cover yourself up,” Teddy laughed.

Lex called out, “Hold on. I gotta get dressed.” He went to the bedroom and grabbed his gray sweat pants and shimmied into them. His chest glistened with sweat as he opened the door. He saw Fanny standing there with a look of smug satisfaction. “Hey,” he said, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice, “I am kind of in the middle of something.”

“I bet you are,” Fanny muttered under her breath as she glanced down. Lex’s erection was evident under the soft fleece of his pants. Lex’s head tilted, not quite sure he heard her correctly. “I….. ummmm…. left my phone here,” Fanny said plainly.

“Oh,” he stepped back and let her enter. Together they stepped into the room. Teddy, hearing voices, disconnected the FaceTime video. Lex’s eyes glanced at the phone. Fanny followed his eyes then moved onto the couch where Teddy’s green nightgown sat out in the open. Fanny scanned the rest of the living room. No other evidence of a woman stood out to her, but her mind raced with the presence of woman’s lingerie. There was definitely something going on.

“I think it may be in the bathroom. I was in there earlier,” she said as she walked in that direction. Lex stepped back to let her pass. Mentally he cursed both himself and her. He could hear her moving around and he paced back and forth.

In the bathroom, Fanny quickly found her phone. She glanced over to the counter where Lex’s toiletry bag sat. She quickly looked in the direction of the living room while she stepped forward. Two things immediately stood out - a small glass bottle with a label printed in French and a condom. She picked it up and smiled.

“Did you find it?” Lex called out as calmly as he could. His heart raced although he was unsure of just why. “How much had she heard?” he questioned himself. The chirps about Teddy and his sex life had just about stopped. If Fanny heard anything, they were sure to start up again. Little did he know the wildfire of gossip she was about to unleash within the group.

Fanny’s head popped up, “Yes, but can I pee real quick?” She took out the phone and snapped photos. She turned on the water to “wash” her hands and formulated a plan. Then she placed the items back to their original locations and held her phone in her hand. She moved quickly into the living room, made a beeline for the couch, snapped a photo of the nightgown on the couch and headed toward the door before Lex could process her movements.

“Thanks Big Rig,” Fanny called over her shoulder, “You should get some sleep. It’s a big game tomorrow and you look exhausted.”

He stood in disbelief. She was up to something but he couldn’t tell what. Then he shook his head. “Dude,” he said to himself, “You’re being paranoid and whatnot. She is perfectly innocent.” Still he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in his chest. He scooped up his phone and went into the bedroom. Teddy picked up his FaceTime call.

Teddy: Did Tiger behave himself?

Lex rolled his eyes: You know that Tiger only comes out for you.

Teddy smiled: Was that Fanny’s voice I heard?

Lex shook his head: She left her phone in the bathroom earlier. She came to get it.

Teddy’s eyes narrowed: What’s wrong, Lex Love?

Lex sighed: It’s nothing. I just got a bad feeling about her.

Teddy: Love, you are probably just picking up my feelings about her. She is the only one that I don’t get along with. Katie and I can’t stand her.

Lex nodded his head. He had overhead the two best friends venting about her in the past. Fanny considered herself to be the de-facto leader of the WAGS because of Klingberg’s tenure and she resisted any suggestion that Katie or Teddy made.

Lex rubbed his face: That may be it. Talk about a mood killer though.

Teddy winked at him: It’s probably a good thing. I have a big day tomorrow so I should get some sleep.

Lex smiled: How many people will be at your session?

Teddy bit her lip: Almost a thousand. Apparently there is a wait list to get in. No pressure or anything.

Lex studied her for a moment before speaking: Get out of your head, Bliss. You are more than prepared. Your speech is amazing and perfectly on brand for you.

Teddy flashed him a smile: Thank you Love. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.

November 1st - Jamie Benn’s hotel room

Benn rolled over and sighed, “What in hell is going on? You have been texting all night.”

Katie paused, “You won't believe it if I told you.”

Benn yawned “Try me, honey.”

Katie explained Fanny’s initial assertions. “We all said no way,” she added, “but then she went back and found this.” She handed over her phone to show him the pictures of the perfume bottle, nightgown and the most damning evidence- the condom.

“Shit,” the captain said in disbelief, “That’s unbelievable. Lex has never even looked at another woman since Teddy. What the hell?”

“How do you explain those pictures?” she accused.

“I can't,” he replied softly.

“What do I do?” Katie asked, “I should tell her, right? I would want to know. It's going to break her heart.”

Benn thought for a few minutes, “Make Seggy do it.”

Katie looked up in surprise, “Think he will do it? Isn’t there some sort of bro code?”

“If Teddy is being cheated on, Tyler will squeal like a fucking canary,” Benn laughed. Katie knitted her brows together. He pulled her into his chest. “Seriously, if it were anyone else, Tyler wouldn’t say a word. There is no way that he is going to let Big Rig cheat on her on his watch.

With that, Katie sent a message to the WAGS group chat that excluded Teddy. It was a simple “Stand down. I am going to talk to Seggy about it. I think the news should come from him.” The message was met with mixed replies. Half of the group agreed that Tyler would err on the side of telling Teddy while the other half felt he would not sell out his teammate.

Katie was waiting for Tyler in the hotel lobby when the team arrived back from morning skate. He took one look at her face and joked, “What did I do?” When she didn’t smile or laugh, he got serious, “Tell me.”

Tyler listened incredulously as after the narrative began to become clear. He shook his head vigorously from side to side. “Nope,” he asserted, “No way that Big Rig is cheating on her. Not after everything that they have been through together. No fucking way.” Katie listed off the WAGS group accusations against Big Rig.

When she told him about the perfume scent and saw the picture of the bottle, he emphatically answered, “You are barking up the wrong tree.” When Katie asked how he was so sure, Tyler paused. He had given his word to Big Rig that he would keep his secret. He was not about to cough it now because the WAGS had gotten a bee in their collective bonnets.

He similarly dismissed what Fanny overheard. He knew from past conversations with Teddy that they indulged in smutty phone and video calls. Okay, she had never deliberately told him about the calls but Tipsy Teddy let it slip out once in a rush to get Tyler off the phone so she could speak to Big Rig. Again, he wasn’t about to reveal that information, but it convinced him that Fanny had not overheard anything of consequence. He did make a mental note to ask Teddy about the “Kitty Kat” nickname.

However, when she showed him the photo of the condom, he went silent for a moment. Why would Big Rig have a condom in his toiletry bag? Katie sensed his hesitation and pounced. She raised the same question he had just asked himself. Suddenly, the most obvious answer emerged - the condom must be leftover from before they got together. Katie looked dubious.

“Yeah, remember she got upset with him because he had condoms in his bag in the limbo era between his move to Pittsburgh and them getting together, “ Tyler announced, suddenly proud that he came up with a reasonable excuse.

Katie sighed. She wanted to believe the best, but she still had questions.

Tyler stood his ground. “Come on Katie,” Tyler urged, “You know him.” Katie looked at the ground. “Hey, look at me, can I tell you something?” Tyler said softly. She looked up with hopeful eyes.

“You know that it was complicated between Teddy and me. I have a lot of ‘what could have beens’ that linger in my mind,” Tyler spoke from the heart. “I’ve accepted that Teddy and I are best friends. That’s our destiny,” he said as he swallowed. “However, I am still human. Don’t you think if I had the opportunity for a do-ever I would take it? This would be the perfect opportunity, Katie.” She studied his face that was suddenly soft with emotion.

“But I can’t because it’s not the truth. You know and I know it,” he said with an unreadable tone, “We have to shut this shit down. It’s only going to hurt Teddy and she doesn’t deserve that.”

With that, she was convinced. “I’ll do my best to shut it down.”

“Tell them to come see me if they have doubts,” he urged, “Trust me Katie. I know that he isn’t cheating on her.” They went their separate ways. Tyler looked at his phone. It was almost time for Teddy’s presentation. He sent her a quick good luck text. She responded with a thumbs up emoji.

LATER THAT NIGHT DURING THE GAME

Teddy pulled out her phone as she settled into her hotel room for the night. She pulled out her phone and did a double-take. She had 5 missed calls from Fanny along with a text that read “Please call - URGENT”. Teddy’s mind instantly went to Lex. Did something happen with him? Were they trying to get a hold of her? She mentally cursed herself for not turning on her phone sooner. Her heart began to race and she reached for the TV remote. She found the game as quickly as she could. It should be toward the end of the game. Visually she scanned the ice for his large form. He was not out there.

She cussed as she pulled up Google. Nothing new popped up when she searched his name. The broadcast finally did a shot of the bench. There was Tyler, but no Lex.

“Think,” she commanded herself, “Who would know?” She smiled and dialed Katie’s phone number. It went straight to voicemail. She decided to text instead.

Teddy: Hey, is Lex okay?

She saw Katie replying immediately.

Katie: Yes, as far as I know. I think there was an issue with his skate.

On cue, Lex emerged from the tunnel and took another shift.

Katie: Why do you ask?

Teddy exhaled and smiled to herself: Oh, it’s nothing I guess. Fanny has been blowing up my phone. I thought maybe Lex got hurt.

Katie inhaled deeply. “Shit” she thought to herself, “I thought we nipped it in the bud.” If Fanny was reaching out, the genie was about to explode out of the bottle.

Katie: Definitely not hurt. If I were you, I would get some rest and deal with Fanny tomorrow after we all get back to Dallas.

Teddy yawned: As long as Lex is okay, you don’t have to tell me twice to ignore her.

Katie hated lying by omission to her friend, but she didn’t know what else to say.

Immediately following the game, Katie made a beeline to the Stars locker room. Via text she ordered that Benn send Tyler and Big Rig out to see her immediately. Katie paced back and forth in the training room. Shit was about to get bad and about to get bad quickly.

“Yo Rig and Seggy- Katie wants to see you right away,” Benn commanded. They tried to argue with Benn about making Katie wait until they showered. It was a firm “My woman wants to see the both of you NOW for some reason. I am not going to question it. Get your asses out there so I don’t have to deal with her drama.”

Seggy and Lex walked out of the room, half undressed from the game.

Katie: We have a problem. A big Fanny problem

Lex looked at Katie in confusion. Then he looked at Tyler who seemed to understand what she said perfectly.

Tyler: How do you know?

Katie: She is blowing up Teddy’s phone.

Lex: Blowing her phone about what?

Katie narrowed her eyes: About your extracurricular activities

Lex: My what? What extracurricular activities?

Katie: Don’t play dumb with me.

Tyler interjected: Hey, we’ve already gone over this. Riggy is innocent.

Lex screamed: Innocent of what?

Katie: Of fucking around on Teddy.

Lex gasped in horror.

Lex: Why? Why would anyone think that? What does Fanny have to do with this?

Katie: She heard you. She heard you making plans last night and then all sudden we all had to leave your room.

Lex: Teddy was having a crisis. You heard her on the phone.

Katie: Oh yeah? Who’s perfume do you have in your bathroom?

Lex looked at Tyler who threw his hands up in surrender.

Tyler: It didn’t come from me, dude.

Lex: Who did it come from?

His mouth dropped when he started to put together the pieces. Fanny was in his bathroom. He must have left the perfume bottle out.

Katie continued: So you don’t deny that there is a woman’s perfume in your hotel room. Wait, you knew about the perfume, Seggy?

Tyler protested: I am not saying anything. I just know that Rig is not a cheater.

Lex’s mind raced. “Think, think, think,” he screamed internally. He considered the option he had at the moment. To tell the truth and become the laughing stock of the locker room again OR say nothing and let people think that he had been unfaithful. Neither seemed particularly appealing. He cursed his impulse decision two years ago.

Katie prodded, grabbing his attention: Why do you have women’s lingerie?

Lex looked to Tyler for help and was met with a shrug:

Lex: Ummmm, it isn’t what you think?

Katie pushed on: “Why do you have a condom??

Lex’s hands went to his head.

Lex: There is an explanation, I swear.

His voice got soft and low.

Lex: Do you honestly think that I would cheat on Bliss? After everything? Do you think I would be that stupid?

Katie sighed: That’s why I am so confused, Rig. I wouldn’t believe it but Fanny has pictures.

Tyler whistled lowly and examined Big Rig’s face. He was trying to hide the panic but it was evident.

Tyler: “Let’s focus on the immediate problem- Fanny”

Katie and Lex turned to him.

Tyler: You spoke to Teddy?

Katie: Yes, I told her to get rest and ignore Fanny.

Tyler turned to Lex: You have to tell her, dude. You have to tell her before Fanny gets to her.

Lex balked: And tell her what? That there is a rumor that I am cheating on her going through the WAGS? Seggy, you know that will be a complete mind fuck for her.

Tyler stepped up: Now, what will be a mind fuck is if she hears it from Fanny without any warning. You have to man up and tell her.

Lex turned to Katie: You are certain that Teddy won’t reach out to Fanny until tomorrow?

Katie: That’s what I told her to do.

Lex sighed: Fine, I will tell her before Fanny gets to her.

Tyler warned Lex: Just come clean. This is getting out and it will be worse if it doesn't come from you.

Sitting in the bus at the private airfield, Lex looked down at his phone and tried to will himself to hit the call button. He knew what he needed to do but his stupid pride stood in his way. He had no idea how he would explain what a complicated scenario that began with his innocent desire to feel closer to her. His thoughts were interrupted with an incoming call from Teddy.

Lex: Hey Bliss

Teddy: Hey Love. Are you okay?

Lex: Yes, why wouldn’t I be?

Teddy: You didn’t call me after the game

Lex: Oh, I forgot.

Teddy blinked: You forgot to call me?

In the two years that she had known Lex, she could count on two things - that he would text when he landed anywhere he traveled and that he would call within an hour after every road game. You could set your clock by it.

Lex hemmed: Yeah, sorry about that.

Teddy blinked: Is everything okay Lex?

Lex studied her face. He could see the anxiety creeping into her features.

Lex: Yes, everything is fine Bliss. I promise. Are you okay?

Teddy shook the negative thoughts out of her mind: I am good. I am glad to have my talk over. I have just been relaxing and ignoring Fanny.

Lex felt a knot in the pit of his stomach. He struggled to his voice neutral: Fanny? What about Fanny?

Teddy: She has been blowing up my phone. I have no idea why. I am ignoring until I get back to Dallas.

Lex breathed an internal sigh of relief.: Okay, sounds like a plan.

He studied her face and tried to work up the courage to tell her the truth. He longed to hold her as he made his confession. It would be better to do it in person, he told himself. “Yes,” he said to himself and smiled, “It will be better to do it in person.” They would be together tomorrow afternoon. The team would arrive back in Dallas in a few hours, but it would be afternoon before he saw her. Her flight from California would not arrive until after he left for practice. In the end, his fear won out and he didn't say anything.

Teddy: Are you sure you are okay? You seem off tonight.

Lex: Yes, just tired and missing you.

Teddy: Okay. Go get on the plane. See you tomorrow.

November 2nd - Lex and Teddy's apartment

Lex held the large bouquet of flowers in one hand and pressed the up button in the garage elevator. He was looking forward to their upcoming move into a house. He was tired of apartment life and parking garages. He was lost in thought when the elevator dinged. He walked in as a small blonde stormed past him, muttering under her breath in a language that sounded vaguely familiar. Her shoulder bounced off his elbow. He turned to apologize but the woman kept walking. His eyes squinted in disbelief. “Is that?” he questioned himself, “No, it can be. What are the odds?”

He pressed the button for their upper level apartment. Then he used the electronic key fob to open the door. “Bliss?” he called as he entered the apartment, “Are you home?”

“Yes,” she called from the ensuite bathroom, “just unpacking. Hold on.”

He walked into the kitchen and started to put the flowers into her favorite vase.

“Lucy, you got some ‘splaining to do,” Teddy shouted as she walked into the room. She was putting her hair into a messy bun with a fake scowl on her face.

Lex’s head popped. “I what?”

She continued into the kitchen. “You know ‘splaining like Ricky would say to Lucy in ‘I Love Lucy’ when she would do something crazy.”

“Crazy?” Lex's voice rose an octave, “I haven’t done anything crazy.”

“Are you sure about that?” Teddy walked closer, “I had a little visit with Fanny. She was waiting for me when I got home.”

His voice rose even higher, “Waiting for you? Why? Why would she be waiting for you?”

Teddy looked him straight in the eye, “Something about a perfume bottle and some lingerie?”

Lex gulped and felt the bottom fall out of his stomach. He felt the sweat instantly forming in his armpits and forehead. “Fanny told her. Fanny got to her first. Now Bliss thinks I cheated on her,” he thought to himself. The words swarmed around in his brain.

“Bliss, you can’t believe her,” he stammered, “I don’t know why she is saying it, but I am not cheating on you. I swear to God. You gotta believe me.”

Teddy tilted her head, “Wait, you knew what she told me? How did you know?”

“Katie and Seggy told me last night,” he answered.

“And you think I heard what she said and believed that you are cheating on me?” Teddy laughed and crossed over to him.

Lex blinked slowly. “What did she say?” he said softly, cursing himself for being a coward the night before.

“Well…..” Teddy replied as she took his hand and led him to the couch.

THIRTY MINUTES EARLIER

Teddy glanced at her phone as she waited for the garage elevator. There was yet another text message from Fanny.

Fuck,” Teddy groaned as walked off the elevator. The Swedish blonde clad in head to toe Lululemon leaned against the wall outside of their front door. Teddy tried to think of how Fanny even knew the address when she remembered hosting a watch party during the playoffs last season. She cursed her mother for giving her the spirit of hospitality.

Fanny turned around slowly and crossed her arms, “You are a hard person to track down.”

Teddy paused for a moment. Fanny’s tone of voice was aggressive and shrill. She decided to go with a conciliatory tone rather than the snarky tone that felt much more natural.

“I am sorry,” Teddy began to explain as she opened the apartment door, “I was worn out from my speech at the conference. I was all “peopled” out which is why I have been radio silent. What’s up?” She added as much cheer as she could muster to the question.

“I wanted to tell you face to face,” Fanny said with a little too much joy in her voice.

“Tell me what face to face?” Teddy questioned as she placed her suitcase and carry-on by the door. She walked over to the cabinet to get a glass. She filled her glass with ice cold water and turned to face Fanny. She move her hand in a “speed it up” motion.

“Big Rig is cheating on you,” Fanny declared emphatically.

Teddy stood perfectly still but her grip on her glass slightly. It came crashing down onto the kitchen tile. She looked down and then back up at Fanny. “I’m sorry,” she questioned, “What did you say?”

“I said that Big Rig is cheating on you,” Fanny answered.

“With another woman?” Teddy choked out.

“Do you suspect a man?” Fanny asked incredulously.

The very thought of Lex being with a man sent Teddy into a fit of giggles. She tried to imagine his “type” and what his preferred activities might be. She doubled over in laughter, much to Fanny’s chagrin. “I’m sorry,” Teddy replied between laughs, tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know which is funnier,” she continued, “The thought of Lex cheating on me with another woman or the idea of him cheating on me with a man.”

“I am being serious, Teddy,” Fanny exclaimed.

“Oh, I am sure that you are,” Teddy tried to compose herself, “but seriously- Lex cheating?”

Fanny stood upright and crossed her arms, “Do you think I am just fucking with you?” she uttered softly. Her concern almost seemed genuine.

“Okay, I will listen to you,” Teddy conceded, “Why do you think Lex is cheating on me? When exactly was this?”

“It was Halloween night,” the Swede began, “Well, first thing - I smelled a woman’s perfume in his hotel bedroom,”

Teddy’s eyebrow raised, “There is more?”

“You need more?” Fanny countered.

“No, but you said the first thing which implies more,” Teddy replied, “Do you want to respond to each point or wait until the end?”

“Wait until the end I guess,” Fanny said with annoyance.

“So there is the scent and what else?” Teddy prodded.

“Then I heard him make plans on the phone for ‘later’," she continued. Teddy thought of the night in question. She remembered their phone call being interrupted by Fanny needing to use the restroom.

“Go on,” Teddy responded neutrally.

“Then before the movie was even finished, he rushed everyone out of the room,” Fanny continued. “I bet he couldn’t wait to get the little tart into the room.”

Teddy raised an eyebrow, “Tart huh? What are you seventy now?”

Fanny glared but went on, “About an hour later I realized that I left my phone in his room. I went back to get it and it took him FOREVER to answer the door. When he did, it was clear that I had interrupted something.”

“Clear in what way?” Teddy questioned.

“You know,” Fanny whispered as her cheeks flushed.

“Obviously I don’t know which is why I am asking,” Teddy replied even though she had the mental image in her mind.

“First he was covered in sweat and he had,” Fanny looked down and then back up, “He had…..” Teddy willed herself not to laugh when Fanny finally blurted out, “a HARD on”. The picture of one of the many reasons that Oleksiak was called Big Rig flashed before her eyes and the blonde’s heart began to race.

“So he had an erection,” Teddy repeated back. Secretly, she was enjoying watching Fanny squirm even if she was losing patience with the drip-drop method of disclosure Fanny used.

“While I was walking into the bathroom, I saw a green silk nightgown on the couch,” she said with authority. “Big Rig tried to push it under the cushion, but I saw it.” That bit of information got Teddy’s attention and Fanny seized on it.

“Then I went into the bathroom and saw the bottle - sitting right there in the open,” Fanny said breathlessly, “And……” She paused for dramatic effect, “I saw the condom.”

Against her better judgment, Teddy inhaled sharply. It was the first and second bits of information that she didn’t have an obvious explanation for. It wasn’t that she doubted Lex’s fidelity yet, but she was puzzled.

“Is that it?” Teddy finally asked.

“Isn’t that enough?” Fanny challenged.

“I just wanted to be sure that you were done,” Teddy spoke slowly as her mind raced to explain a perfume bottle in Lex’s room. She asked herself if it was possible that one of her bottles may have been inadvertently left in his toiletry bag during a trip. She immediately nixed the thought because she wasn’t missing any perfume. Well, not since her custom-made fragrance from Frankie had gone missing, but that happened before Lex and her had ever traveled together.

Then her mind went to the nightgown. “Think,” she thought to herself, “there is a reasonable answer for this.” Suddenly an idea popped in her head and she grasped onto it. It was a gift. Lex must have gotten her a gift while traveling. She breathed a sigh of relief. She looked up and saw Fanny staring at her with an expression on her face that bordered on smug. Although her mind was racing, there was one thing she was sure of and that was that there was no possible way Lex was cheating on her. It was just about the only fact in her life that she had the utmost confidence in - Lex’s unwavering love and fidelity.

Teddy smiled, “I appreciate your concern, but Lex isn’t cheating on me. I know it for a fact.”

Fanny’s face dropped. This was not the reaction she had envisioned. She scrambled, “Wait, I forgot to tell you. I know what he called the trollop.” Fanny apparently had zoned in all of the synonyms for slut while studying English. Teddy smiled and Fanny continued, “He called her Kitty Kat.”

Teddy smiled again, “I still don’t think he is cheating.”

“But…. but ….. But….. I have proof. I took pictures,” Fanny stuttered.

Teddy stopped in her tracks, “Show them to me.”

Fanny handed over her phone and Teddy studied the pictures. First the condom. Teddy recognized it immediately. She had put it in his Christmas stocking as a joke.

She remembered his loud groan as he pulled it out in front of their families. “Bliss- I am not living that one mistake down, am I?”

“Lex Love, you have made so few mistakes in this relationship compared to me. Let me have this one thing” she smiled mischievously, “Just promise that it doesn’t get used.”

He almost had the inappropriate retort out of his mouth before remembering their audience, “I promise”.

Next was the green nightgown. “Why does that look familiar?” she thought to herself. “I used to have one similar….” she thought, “but I haven’t seen it since the night that Lex went to Pittsburgh.” Her mind reassured her that she must have mentioned the missing nightgown in passing and he bought her one to replace it. There was no way that it could be HER nightgown.

Then she scrolled to the next picture. She audibly gasped and zoomed in. “Is that?” she questioned, “No, it can’t be.” There it was, sitting right next to Lex’s toiletry bag- her custom perfume from France. It wasn’t just any random perfume of some trollop. It was HER perfume. She started laughing. She wasn’t sure if it was from relief that she had proof that all of Fanny’s suspicions about Lex cheating led back to her or relief that she hadn’t actually lost one of the last tangible reminders she had of her sister. Whatever it was, she was filled with joy.

“I am the jezebel,” she said out loud without thinking.

“You are the what?” Fanny asked.

“I am the jezebel,” Teddy repeated and smiled.

“What you talking about?” Fanny exclaimed.

“You heard him on the phone making plans for later than night?” Teddy began her point by point “defense”. “He was talking to me. He was lonely so we made plans for phone sex later that night.” Internally Teddy winced. Lex would be mortified to know that she was speaking so freely about the intimacy, but she was sure that he would be even MORE mortified that people were under the impression that he was being unfaithful.

“Was the scent that you smelled woody and spicy with hints of amber?” Teddy began her next point. Teddy crossed her arms, “That’s my perfume. It is a custom made perfume - the only one like it in the world.” Teddy winced at the small lie. It was close enough to one of a kind for Fanny’s purposes.

“What was next?” Teddy went on. “Oh yeah, the rush to get you out of the room?” Teddy checked off her mental list, “Lex texted an SOS and I obliged with a fake panic attack. It worked like a charm.”

Fanny began to back away from Teddy. No, this was definitely not the way she thought this was going to go.

“Then you very rudely interrupted us because you left your phone like a dumbass,” Teddy stepped toward. She had begun to feel the anger form in the pit of her stomach. She wasn’t sure where it was coming but it fueled her.

“But, but, but…..” Fanny tried to regain the upper hand, “It’s all the tell tale signs of a cheater.”

Teddy stepped up to her, “That may well be true, but you forgot three things.”

“What’s that?” Fanny spouted off.

“One- Lex is not a cheater. It’s not in his DNA,” Teddy said as a matter of fact, “He would break up with me before cheated on me.”

“Two,” she added, “He would have to be a special kind of stupid to cheat on me with my two best friends in the same hotel as well as a gaggle of WAGS apparently watching him like a hawk. Or was that just you?”

Fanny scoffed, “and what is three?”

Teddy laughed, “Well….”

Later, Lex sat on one end of the couch while Teddy sat on the other end. She sat cross legged, her body turned to face him. Lex was covered with sweat and his heart raced as Teddy told him the details of her confrontation. He could not make himself look at his beloved redhead.

“Lex?” she questioned, “Lex, are you hearing me?”

He simply nodded his head up and down.

“Lex Love,” she said softly as she began to crawl towards him, “Lex, look at me.”

“I…. I …..I can’t,” he whispered, “I can’t look at your face after what I’ve done.”

“What have you done?” she whispered back as she reached him. She placed a gentle kiss on his shoulder.

“People think I cheated on you Bliss. They have been gossiping about us,” he whispered.

“Lex Love,” she said more firmly, “Look at me.”

He brought his tear filled eyes to her face. He was expecting to be met with a look of hurt or disappointment, even anger. Instead, she looked at him with eyes sparkling with love.

“Do you think that I believe her? Do you think I believe that you would ever be unfaithful to me?” she pressed her hand to his cheek. “After everything that we have been through, you think I don’t trust you completely?”

“You don’t believe her?” he whispered, praying that he was hearing her words correctly.

“Fuck no, I don’t believe her,” Teddy smiled, “You would never cheat on me.”

“I never would, Bliss,” he placed his large hands on either side of her face and pulled her close so that their foreheads touched. “I would never want another woman. You are the one for me,” he said. His voice was low and filled with relief. “I can’t believe that she actually went to you. I am such an idiot,” he sighed.

“You’re not an idiot,” Teddy kissed him gently, “Remember we are whatever it takes, no matter what.” He grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap. His arms wrapped around her and squeezed her tight. She could feel the slight tremble as he held her. She nuzzled her face into his neck and soothed, “Lex Love, it’s okay. It’s okay. I am not going anywhere, but I do have questions.”

“Give me a minute,” he sighed.

“Take all the time you need,” she murmured as she pressed her lips into his neck. They sat together for a few minutes before he gave her the signal that he was ready. She sat up straight and rubbed her thumb across his forehead.

“So is that my green nightgown she saw in your room?” she questioned as she looked into his eyes. He nodded affirmatively. “Did you take it from my apartment before you left for PIttsburgh?” she asked.

Lex leaned his head back and gathered up the courage. “Not deliberately, but I was happy when I found it shoved in my bag. The scarf had lost its Bliss scent so I was happy to have a replacement.

“The scarf?” Teddy replied in surprise, “My scarf? The blue one?”

He blushed, “Yes, that was my first acquisition. It was an accident- I swear. Both of them were accidents.”

“And you acquired these things why?” she prodded.

“They smelled like you.” he choked out, “They smelled like you and if I had them, I could smell you on the road.”

“You wanted to smell me?” her brows furrowed together, “Why?”

“I kept the things so I could smell you and not miss you,” he looked down.

Teddy lifted his face with her finger so that she could look him in the eye. “You missed me? Even way back then?” she questioned, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t I tell you that I kept your things like some sort of freak with a scent fetish?,” he smiled tentatively, “Why didn’t I tell you that I was crazy about you even then?

Then his face fell again. “I was so crazy that I stole your perfume. I stole your Frankie perfume,” He looked up to judge her reaction. Her face was calm and serene. “I swear I didn’t know that it was your Frankie perfume then. I would have never taken it.” He sighed, “I wouldn’t have taken it if I knew it was your last thing from Frankie.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that it’s not actually lost then, eh?” Teddy laughed as she exaggerated the eh for his benefit.

“You are not mad?” he asked in surprise.

“When did you find out about all of the Fanny shenanigans?” Teddy asked, suddenly serious.

“Ummmm, yesterday - after the game,” Lex answered without thinking.

“What I am not thrilled with is that you knew something was going on last night and chose not to tell me, “she started. He went to interject but she held up a finger to stop him. “I don’t want to make it a bigger deal than it is because we got lucky. Fanny caught me on a good anxiety day where I could think clearly. This could have gone south really quickly and that would have sucked.” She stared into his eyes for a moment. “No matter what, whatever it takes includes the sucky conversations or what you THINK will be the sucky conversations.”

“I thought you would be upset,” he said finally.

“Then let me be upset rather than ambushed in my own apartment,” she countered.

He nodded in understanding. “Bliss, I am really sorry,” he pleaded, “I just didn’t know how to tell you after Seggy told me about the perfume.”

“Tyler knew about the perfume?” Teddy gasped, “For how long?”

“I don’t know- a couple of weeks,” Lex answered.

“Did he know about Fannygate?” Teddy asked.

Lex nodded his head in affirmation. “For the record, he told me to come clean to you. I didn’t listen and it turns out that he was right,” Lex explained, “Dammnit, don’t tell him that he was right. He will never let me live it down.”

“So what lessons we have learned from this?” Teddy questioned.

Lex sighed, “To have the hard conversations.”

Teddy leaned forward and kissed his neck, “and what else?”

“Fanny is a busybody,” he smiled.

“And what else?” she spread her legs and straddled his massive thighs.

“I don’t know. Tell me,” he murmured, “I am a little distracted.”

“Tyler is still a really good friend to you and you give him too much grief,” she resumed her nibbling on his neck.

“True,” he moaned softly, “Anything else.”

“Yes, ask next time you need something instead of taking it. I would have given you my other perfume. You know, the cheaper one,” she remarked.

“Yeah, but that’s not the special perfume,” he said as his hands grabbed her ass and pulled her into him.

“Special perfume?” she asked,

“Yes, the one that you wore when we first kissed,” he kissed languidly. “You also wore the first night that we…….”

“Fucked?” she finished for him, “Lex, you may be the sweetest man to ever exist.”

“You are really not mad?” he lifted her off the couch and started carrying her to the bedroom

“No, I am not mad,” she kissed him passionately. “Now, my dad on the other hand,” she grinned, “He is going to want to have a word with you when I tell him about the wild goose chase you sent him on.”

“Please don’t,” he pleaded with her as he set her on the bed and climbed on top of her body.

“I think I could be convinced to keep your secret,” she moaned, “If given the proper motivation.”

“All my love and devotion?” he grinned as he pushed her top and his mouth made contact her nipple.

“Do that thing with your mouth too,” she purred, “I’ll take that along with your lover and devotion.”

“You got it, Bliss….. You got it.”

[2af-afterdark]

How I feel About You (Hint: Fuck You)

Fandom: What in Hell is Bad? Content: Minhyeok/Sitri, hate sex, mc is referenced to be amab, first times, oral sex, they are squabbling like petty bitches (affectionate), dubious consent (basically fuck or die trope) A/N: Is this canon? Not in any possible way. Is it fun as shit? Yes.  There is some time jumping in this fic represented by italics. If they are too difficult to parse from the normal text, let me know and I will try to figure out another way to represent present and past events. Word Count: 1817

"Even with his Majesty Satan's generous gift, you cannot manage yourself."

The words were harsh and clearly laced with spite, but Minhyeok overlooked them in favor of focusing his attention elsewhere. Specifically, he had to focus on trying to wrap his lips around Sitri's reluctant hard-on.

Neither of them wanted to do... this, but desperate times called for even more desperate measures. And times were desperate indeed.

Minhyeok was disappointed that he'd barely spent any time with his childhood friend/the love of his life during his brief visit to hell. He'd spent far more time getting attacked, tossed around by angels, and glared at by terrifyingly powerful devils than anything else. Plus, he was told he wouldn't even remember the brief visit.

Still, even if he didn't remember seeing them and their time together was short, he's glad that he'd been able to see them at all. Although, he admitted that he could do without the angels continuing to attack him as he made his way toward the portal back home. He could also do without Sitri's constant glares toward the back of his head, but he pretended not to notice, if only for his own sanity. Of all the devils his friend could have met…

As he thought that, the air of Hell suddenly felt heavy in his lungs, like breathing through a straw filled with peanut butter. His skin burned as if set ablaze and his eyes watered in discomfort. He couldn't focus on anything but the way his muscles strained and fought to keep him upright -- a fight he was quickly losing. Minhyeok had no choice but to fall to his knees.

Sitri said, in a tone that clearly conveyed he thought himself more worldly and knowledgeable than Minhyeok and was trying to show off that humans could not stay in Hell freely. Because they were of a different world, their body belonged to that world. Existing in a different one than they were born into was too hard on their bodies and they would need energy belonging to the world they were visiting so that it could regulate itself. Although, under his breath, he added that he had been certain the unwanted guest -- Minhyeok assumed that was him -- would be gone before his body suffered those consequences.

"What do I have to do?" Minhyeok asked.

"You would have to-" Sitri started, then went silent and grimaced as if realizing a terrible truth. "We should get you to the portal as soon as possible."

"I can't walk," Minhyeok reminded him, even going so far as to try and immediately falling back to his knees when he couldn’t stand upright.

"I will carry you, if I must."

First of all, he hated that idea. A lot. Second, "And if we're attacked?"

"I will manage to defend us both." Begrudgingly in Minhyeok's case.

"While carrying me?"

"If I must."

Not to doubt Sitri, which Minhyeok more than did, but that plan sounded terrible. Plus, he didn’t trust Sitri not to drop him the second he felt mildly inconvenienced. 

"What are our other options?" He asked despite his heavy tongue.

Speaking was getting harder and Sitri could see the sweat starting to bead along Minhyeok’s brow as his body fell apart under the weight of being in Hell.

"That's our best one."

"But what are the others?"

"There are no-"

"Don't lie to me!" Minhyeok finally raised his voice, feeling more and more nauseous with every passing second and desperate for it to end. "Your king loaned me his powers, didn't he? He chose to trust me that much, so why can't you?"

Sitri appeared to consider what he said, but only countered with, "He loaned you a fraction of his power."

“A fraction of his trust is still trust.” Minhyeok was too ill to keep up his usually cordial facade. "What are our other options?"

Sitri seemed reluctant, but he eventually answered. “You need devil energy for your body to regulate itself.”

“Great.” Now Minhyeok had an answer, even if he didn’t know what that was. “How do I get devil energy?”

Again, Sitri went silent and Minhyeok knew he was going to hate the answer.

And he was right about how much he hated the answer. 

Having the dick of some man he barely knew and felt nothing for (and who clearly didn’t like him either) in his mouth before he even got to touch his best friend’s/(hopefully) future spouse’s was a terrible way to spend his time. If there was any positive to this situation, it was that Sitri wanted to be seen doing this about as little as Minhyeok did, so he had the decency to find a secluded spot where no one would catch them in the act.

“Can we please finish this,” Sitri complained in the most sophisticated way one possibly could.

“Maybe if you could keep it up…” Minhyeok muttered.

He had been staring at Sitri’s dick for far too long. Long enough to analyze its features in detail at the very least. Like the fact that it leaned toward length rather than girth, or that it was bent slightly to the left and had a gentle upward curve. And Minhyeok hated that he had been staring long enough to know that. If only it was his precious friend’s dick instead. That one he wouldn’t mind staring at all night if need be. 

“I assure you that I’m doing my absolute best,” Sitri said but Minhyeok didn’t believe him.

Rather than continuously arguing, he took a deep breath and leaned forward to push back the foreskin covering the tip of Sitri’s barely erect cock. It was still on the softer side, but he would make do with Sitri’s terrible attitude and blatant reluctance if only for the sake of getting the entire ordeal over with. It wasn’t as if he wanted to do this either, but he needed to so they could safely make their way to the portal home.

Minhyeok closed his eyes and gently sucked at the head of Sitri’s cock to try and coax it to get harder, circling his tongue awkwardly around the base of the glans and feeling it pulse in his mouth as it finally started to respond to his efforts. His heart hammered in his chest, mostly from embarrassment and rage at the entire situation. He said nothing as he swallowed down more of Sitri’s length, trying not to gag on it as he let it slide into his throat. He sucked at it with vigor in hopes to finish as quickly as possible.

Minhyeok glanced upward for a moment – he couldn’t understand why other than the fact that he didn’t want to keep looking forward at the same pale patch of skin staring him in the face – only to see that Sitri seemed to be as disinterested in this as he was. He was sitting calmly, the picture perfect model of decorum, but his face showed his true feelings. His eyes were shut, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and his lip bitten so fiercely that it seemed like it would bleed. Somehow, it was more insulting that Sitri looked so off put by this situation when Minhyeok was the one with a dick in his mouth.

Minhyeok pulled away and flashed a smile so sickeningly sweet that it was clearly antithetical to his real mood. “I apologize if I’m boring you.”

Sitri was quiet for far too long before answering. “You lack skill.”

That statement was a slap in the face. He didn't expect to be good at giving a blow job considering his only practice until now was on ice pops and he always expected his first encounter to be with his crush, but a bit of encouragement wouldn't have hurt.

Minhyeok could hear his own heart beating in frustration. His blood was boiling so fiercely that his cheeks felt as if they would melt. He was incensed. 

But when he looked at Sitri, the man looked euphoric. His eyes were still closed and he wasn't paying attention to Minhyeok's ministrations, but his face was as red as it could be. 

Somehow, that was even more annoying.

He refused to give Sitri the satisfaction of controlling his emotions though, so he returned to the task at hand. His mouth and lips focused on sucking at the head of Sitri’s cock while one of his hands wrapped around the base. He could feel every twitch of Sitri’s dick against his fingers. When a bead of something salty dripped down onto his tongue, Minhyeok could feel the taste of it circulating around his system, all the way down to his own cock which he could feel beginning to strain against his pants.

His heart was racing.

His head was spinning.

He was getting dizzy. 

Minhyeok closed his eyes as he tried not to focus on his own growing erection or Sitri’s expression as he went back to his work, rolling his tongue around the very spot that was leaking and lapping up every drop spilled. He couldn’t explain the urge that overtook him, but it was as if his very body craved it. It made the nausea and sickness wane. He assumed that was the power of the devil’s energy that Sitri had so reluctantly told him about.

As he thought about the ramifications of the information he had acquired and the firsthand experience he had just gained about it, he felt that small trickle against his tongue turn into a flood. Warm, thick, salty liquid poured into his mouth, pooling against his tongue.

Minhyeok pulled away in a frenzy, letting Sitri’s dick fall out of his mouth and spitting globs of white onto the ground below. The taste lingered long past the point that he no longer had anything to spit out. It was like it refused to leave his mouth.

“You’re exaggerating.” 

Minhyeok looked up, only to see that Sitri was standing and had already fixed his clothing back into place as if nothing had transpired. He picked himself off the ground and dusted himself off. He pushed his white bangs out of his face and tried to breathe to center himself. At the very least, he indeed felt better than he had earlier.

“Are you well enough to keep walking?”

“Yes,” Minhyeok said, trying not to think about what it really meant to feel better or how he got that way.

“You should be able to use His Majesty’s power without issue then.” Sitri said and began to lead the way toward the portal out of Hell again.

Minhyeok followed without a word, choosing not to delve into a conversation he didn’t want to have in the first place.

If there was one good thing about knowing that he wouldn’t remember this day, it was that he also wouldn’t remember this series of events either. Although, it would prove a confusing experience when he had dreams of a man he had never met in a place he had never been, and the taste of something foul lingering in his imagination. And, of course, the unexplainable rage that he awoke with after the dream was done.

[angelasscribbles]

Reunited (A Bad Romance AU)

Series: What If

Original Series: Bad Romance

More: Bad Romance Continues

Fandom: The Royal Romance

Pairings for chapter: Riley x Max (past), Riley x Drake, Riley x Liam

Word Count: 1,333

Rating: MA

Warnings for this chapter: Mature themes

A/N: This is for the @choicesprompts Rewrite Challenge. This clip came up on Facebook and it reminded me of Who Said Anything About Divorce? One of my Bad Romance AU's. So here's another. What if Liam had gotten his shit together much sooner? Also, in the original it's Max she enters with and here I've made it Drake.

Mashup: TRR x Friends

My other stuff: Master List.

Fydelia, the night the Engagement Tour kicked off….

Riley Brooks entered the estate at Fydelia on the arm of Drake Walker, the man who had just spent the last three weeks with her at Ramsford. He had wiped her tears, soothed her anger, and warmed her bed.

Much to Maxwell’s chagrin. It was bad enough she had dumped him for Liam. Once that went south, he’d had to watch her fall into Drake’s arms.

He parted ways the moment they were announced, slinking off to the bar to busy himself with tonight’s objective: Getting shit-faced drunk.

Riley ignored the whispers and gasps as they moved through the ballroom. She wasn’t sure which was causing more of a stir. That she had the gall to show herself after those pictures of her and Max had been leaked to the Cordonian Star or that she was there with the king’s best friend, the other commoner outcast.

She swiped a flute of champagne from a passing waiter and held it up in a toast to the gawkers with a brilliant smile, “Lovely to see you all again!”

Soon enough, Riley and Drake came face to face with Liam and Madeleine. Riley was taken aback by the pain and longing she saw clearly etched on Liam’s face. His voice was full of desperation as he uttered her name, “Riley…”

She blinked back her tears and straightened her spine, “Liam.”

One look at Drake’s arm wrapped possessively around her waist and Liam’s eyes filled with fury. “What the hell is this?”

“Come on, darling,” Madeleine started to walk away, pulling Liam with her but he yanked out of her grasp and spun back to the other couple, “Riley, please! We need to talk!”

“I can’t imagine what about,” she ran a finger down Drake’s chest while her eyes stayed locked on her former lover.

Liam’s voice held a warning note, “Riley…”

“Yes, Liam?”

“I…” his mouth opened and closed as he fought an internal battle.

Madeleine moved back to his side, sinking her nails into his arm as she hissed quietly in his ear, “People are starting to stare, come on!”

“Yes, Liam,” Riley made a shooing motion, “Go on, you have your perfect little noblewoman and you’ve knuckled under to the pressures of the court beautifully. Go make Daddy proud and leave me alone. I don’t need you anymore, I have Drake now.”

Liam’s eyes darted from Riley to Madeleine to the crowd around them that was growing every moment as people came to watch the drama unfold.

At that moment, he saw two futures stretching out before him. He realized with sudden clarity that one of those futures was rapidly expiring.

He drew in a deep breath. Desperate times called for desperate measures, “It’s true, I behaved horribly but it’s only because I love you. There are things you don’t know, reasons I had to pretend to reject you-“

“Oh, that wasn’t pretend Your Majesty! That was very real! I was there, remember?”

Shoving Madeleine carelessly aside, his voice rose, and he didn’t care who heard, “I was wrong, Riley! Okay? Is that what you want to hear? I was wrong and I would do anything to have you back in my life!”

“Too little, too late, Li!” Drake interjected, tugging her closer to him, “She’s moved on.”

Liam’s eyes never left Riley as he asked, “Has she?”

Riley shook her head, “I can’t believe this!”

“I never should have broken up with you!”

“Broken up with me? You didn’t break up with me, Liam, you got engaged to another woman five minutes after fucking me in the hedge maze and you did it without giving me so much as a heads up!”

Liam ignored the gasps from the onlookers and Madeleine’s yelp of surprised fury as he defended himself, “I know! But I can explain all that! Riley, I think about you all the time! You’re all I can think about, I’m fucking lost without you! Do you…do you ever think about me?”

“No!” Drake scoffed.

“Yes,” Riley said softly.

“What?” Drake’s head snapped from Liam to Riley in shock and disbelief.

“I don’t know what to say, Liam,” Riley glanced around the room. Dancing had stopped, the room had gone silent, and every eye was locked on the two of them. Here was the man she loved not giving two fucks what the court thought…finally.

“Say something,” he implored her, “anything!”

“This is all so….romantic…”

Drake’s mouth fell open, “Or….” Because come on. The man had dumped her, very publicly, while he had picked up the pieces. “Too little too late, maybe?”

Liam ignored Drake as he plunged on, “I understand I may be way out of bounds here but is there any chance you would take me back?”

Riley considered his offer. Part of her wanted to say no, to punish him for what he had put her through and part of her just wanted him back, wanted the aching hole his absence had left filled again. And yes, there was a small part of her that wanted to rip him away from Madeleine in vindication. What better way to send a big fuck you to the nobility than to take, and marry, their newly minted king right out from under all of them? Especially the simpering evil countess of cruelty that was currently turning six shades of purple as Penelope and Kiara held her at bay.

The pleading in his eyes is what finally pulled a simple, “Maybe,” from her lips.

“Riley, sweetie,” Drake pulled on her arm in an attempt to turn her attention back to him, “This conversation is starting to make me a little uncomfortable.”

Riley turned to him as if just remembering he was there. She placed one hand on her chest and the other on his face, “Oh, God. I am so sorry but…” her eyes flicked to Liam and then back to Drake as she gestured toward the king, “I mean, there’s so much history between us, you know?”

“I’ve known you exactly as long as he has!” Drake protested.

“I’m sorry too,” Liam clapped him on the shoulder, “but Riley and I belong together, and I was a fool to think I could pull off this charade.”

A charade Drake had been fully aware of but apparently chosen not to tell Riley about. He’d deal with his errant best friend later. Right now, he knew he needed a grand romantic gesture to win her back.

Liam turned and held out his hand to his fiancé, “Madeleine?”

She reached back, “Liam-“

“I’m sorry,” he told her as he pulled the engagement ring from her finger, “But I made a huge mistake proposing to you.”

Madeleine gasped and fell back in shock. Bertrand, who had appeared from nowhere, caught her in his arms, “Maddie!”

“What the fuck?” Savannah watched him in confusion.

From across the room, Godfrey was spluttering and insisting Liam couldn’t do this, but two guardsmen held him at bay easily.

Liam dropped to his knees in front of the woman he actually loved, “I love you and I’m so sorry I let the protocols of court get in the way of that. Marry me, Riley, please. I can’t live without you, and I don’t care who knows it!”

“Oh, Liam, I love you too!” She let him place the ring on her finger. When he retook his feet, she flung herself into his arms.

There was a smattering of applause and a mixture of noises ranging from outrage to approval from the crowd.

“Ok, guess we’re seeing other people,” Drake grumbled as he made his way to the bar, “Whiskey, neat, and keep them coming!”

Max turned to him with a gloat, “Welcome to the club. I told you it wouldn’t last.”

“Shut up, Beaumont,” Drake threw back the first shot, “I don’t care what just happened out there, this isn’t over!”

“No,” Max agreed as he gave Drake an appraising look, “It isn’t.”