#and everyone will judge me and it won’t be simple and easy I’ll be humiliated

[starship-squalleater]

Bruh I may as well fucking drop out

[mistersshelby]

the woman assassin

um hello there i’ve never posted here before but i started writing this thing a while ago and i wanted to post it so let me know what you think!!!! there will be multiple parts unless y’all hate it in which case i will go back to writing for my own amusement lolol -S.

original character x tommy

warnings: violence & language

Thomas Shelby wasn’t sure what he expected to find when Aunt Pol rang him well past midnight to tell him she needed him.

No, no one could quite predict Aunt Polly, so he didn’t try to. But he was still surprised to walk in and discover a woman covered in blood, holding a knife sitting in one of Polly’s chairs.

He also rarely came across women covered in blood, holding a knife, that were smiling. No, this would be a first.

Tommy immediately cocks his gun and points it at her head, “Who the fuck is this?” Another thing that he finds unusual, she doesn’t flinch from the gun.

“I found her wandering the streets.”

Tommy nods, “And you decided it would be a great idea to bring her home?”

“I thought she was in trouble or hurt, but... Tommy, I don’t think any of that blood is hers.”

“It’s not.” She clarifies from her seat, “But I am in trouble.”

“Who’s blood is it, then?”

Her smile falters and she breaks eye contact with Tommy, “The blood of a man who would harm a child.”

After a moment, Tommy lowers his gun and sighs, “Do you have anyone you could call? Your husband, perhaps?”

“Don’t have a husband.”

Tommy eyes her wedding band, but doesn’t say anything. “What’s your name?”

“Clara.”

“What’s your surname, Clara?”

She hesitates, and he already knows she’s given him a fake name. “Whitmore.” She tells him.

“Right. Okay, Clara Whitmore.” Finally he puts his gun back in its holster, “You can stay here a night or two but I want your knife.”

She recoils when he puts a hand out to take it, clutching it to her chest, “No. This is the only weapon I have. I’m not staying in a strange place unarmed.”

“Then you can take your chances on the street where I’m sure the coppers will be looking for you. Which will it be?”

She swallows and hesitantly pushes the bloody knife into Tommy’s waiting palm. “When can I have it back?”

“When you leave.” He wraps the knife in a handkerchief and slips it inside his suit as he turns to go, “If she gives you any problems, call me.” Tommy directs at Pol, lowering his voice, “I’m pretty sure she killed her husband.”

Polly frowns, “Why d’you think that?”

“She said she doesn’t have a husband, but she has a wedding ring on.”

“That doesn’t mean anything, you still wear yours.”

“Yes, Aunt Pol, and Grace is dead.” She blinks at him and then glances back at her, “I’ll see you at the family meeting tomorrow.”

***

“You stay out here, understand?” Pol tells her as they stand just outside a pair of double doors.

She looks around in awe, “Shelby Company Limited? You’re a fuckin’ Shelby?”

“If you have a problem with that you’re more than welcome to leave.”

She narrows her eyes at Pol, “I’m not afraid of you lot.”

Pol smiles sweetly, “Oh, sweetheart, that’s your first mistake.” And then she disappears through the double doors, though Clara gets a glimpse of the few people inside and briefly makes eye contact with the man who pointed a gun at her the night before.

“Thomas bloody Shelby...” She murmurs to herself in disbelief.

***

“Right, I’ve called this family meeting to discuss what to do about Sabini being back in town. He’s been very vocal about wanting to kill all of us.”

“We can handle Sabini, Tommy. He’s no threat to us anymore.” Arthur says.

“Are you suggesting we kill him, Arthur?”

“I could dispatch him with me hand tied behind me back, eh?”

“I certainly don’t doubt that, I just don’t like the idea of being tied to murders anymore. We’re clean now, remember?”

Pol rolls her eyes, “Please, Tommy, we’ll never be clean. There’s always going to be someone who wants us dead, someone we need to exact revenge upon. I say let Arthur dispatch him. He’s become an annoyance.”

There’s a murmur of agreement around the table and Tommy sighs, “No. It’s too risky. We need someone who Sabini and his men won’t recognize. They’ll be expecting us.”

“I think I could be of help.”

Tommy’s eyes snap up to meet the eyes of the woman from Pol’s apartment the night before. She seems harmless now that she’s washed all the blood off of her. Pretty, even, if he allows himself to think so.

“Who the fuck is this, Tommy?” Michael asks.

“I told you to stay outside.” Pol hisses and Michael stares at his mother questioningly as she moves to push the girl back outside.

But Tommy holds up a hand to stop Pol, intrigued by the woman’s boldness, “And why would I ever dream of trusting you, the woman who turned up covered in blood in my Aunt’s apartment and lied about killing her husband and gave me a fake name?”

She goes pale at the accusation, but quickly recovers, “I lied to you because I didn’t know who you were or if you would turn me in, but since you’re all Shelbys and have done your fair share of murder,” She shrugs, “I figure now you won’t judge me.”

“Killing your husband is very different from killing a man in cold blood.”

She blinks, “My husband is not the first man I’ve killed.”

There’s silence in the room for a moment, “Right, well, assassination is not women’s business and this is a closed meeting for family only so if you could just—“

“I can fight any one of you,” She continues, “I’m telling you, I can help. Contrary to what you’ve been led to believe, women are good for more than just fucking and bearing your children.”

Tommy scoffs, “If I let you fight someone and you lose will you leave us alone?”

“Tommy—“ Polly starts, but Tommy holds up a hand to silence her.

“Of course, Mister Shelby. But if I win, you have to let me do the assassination.”

Tommy walks over to her, spits in his hand and holds it out to her. She doesn’t hesitate, replicating the action and shaking his hand.

“Wonderful. Michael?” He calls behind him and Michael Gray dutifully walks forward.

Clara eyes him and then shakes her head, “Too easy, I’ll have him pinned in ten seconds flat.”

Tommy chuckles and Michael’s lip curls. “You will fight Michael and if it is indeed too easy, we can find you someone else. Now, let’s go everyone.”

“Where are we going?” Michael asked

“Well it’s much too small to fight here, we’ll have to fight at the factory.”

“Tommy, that’s unprofessional, you’re just showing your workers you think of them as a joke.” Ada chimed in.

“Fine, Charlie’s yard it is then,” And he walks out without waiting for anyone to follow.

When they get to the yard, Michael takes off his coat. Clara does nothing to prepare herself, but carefully watch Michael.

“Do you have any weapons on you?” Tommy asks her. She doesn’t meet his eyes.

“You took my only knife.”

“You won’t mind if I pat you down then?”

She sighs, but spreads her legs and lifts her arms. Tommy searches her pockets and lightly pats down her sides and legs. “Don’t go too hard on him, alright?”

She frowns, “You… You think I can beat him?”

He shrugs, “Michael isn’t much of a fighter, he only does so when he has to.”

“I only do so when I have to.”

“Hmm,” Tommy muses, “Then why did you volunteer to kill a man you’d never met?” He walks away without waiting for her to respond and lights a cigarette. “Alright,” He announces, tossing his match to the ground, “I want a clean fight. And no killing anyone.”

“I wouldn’t kill a woman, Tommy.” Michael says.

“I wasn’t talking to you, Michael.”

Clara continues watching Michael, “I won’t hurt him.” She promises.

Michael frowns, looking from Tommy to Clara, but doesn’t say anything. “Okay.” Tommy says, throwing his cigarette to the ground, “Have at it.”

Michael stalks toward Clara, fists curled, but she ducks his first punch. Easily throwing him off balance, she punches him a few times in the stomach, knocking the air out of him. From there, it’s pretty simple to sweep him off his feet and she put a foot on his chest, keeping him on the ground as he coughs for air.

“Fuck.” Arthur curses and then laughs, “Michael just got his ass beat by a girl.”

Clara smiles sweetly at him, “Are you next?”

“No,” Tommy interjects before Arthur has a chance, “No, he’ll kill you.”

She shrugs, “I’ll be out of your hair then, yeah?”

“Clara, you do not want to fight him, I promise.”

“It’s alright Tommy, I’ll only rough her up enough to show her where a woman’s place is.”

Clara laughs and she thinks she even sees Ada roll her eyes a bit, but it doesn’t bother her. This wasn’t the first time she heard this kind of talk. It wouldn’t be the last time she was underestimated because of her gender.

“Let him fight me, Tommy.”

Tommy stalks over to her and grips her arm, “He will kill you and I won’t be able to stop him.”

She shook him off her arm and glared at him, “Heard you the first time. Still want to fight him.” She walks away from Tommy and to Arthur who immediately swings at her.

He’s been drinking, she can tell that much, which makes him slow. She’ll take her time with him, she decides. She really wants to humiliate him. When he punches for her again, she catches his wrist with both hands, twists, and then pulls as hard as she can. She hears the satisfying pop of his shoulder coming out of his socket followed by Arthur’s roar. 

She turns her back on him, walking away, but she hears him when he angrily lunges for her and spins, turning just in time to butt her head against his.

She backs away from him as he falters, trying to regain his balance, “Do you give up yet, Arthur?”

He snarls at her and this time when he punches, she’s not fast enough and it hits her square in the jaw. She doesn’t give him the satisfaction of crying out. When she falls, she stays on the ground purposely, waiting for him to walk towards her, and when he does, she grabs his legs with her own and trips him.

They roll on the ground, Arthur punching her in the face a few more times, her lip splitting, as he yells, “Bloody whore!” among other things, but she can’t make out everything over the roaring in her ears and finally the anger inside consumes her like an inferno. She head butts him again, allowing her to pin him to the ground and she punches him repeatedly in the face as hard as she can. Her husband’s face flashes in front of her and she punches harder. Over and over and over—

Tommy’s arms are on her, pulling her off him and she struggles at first, until she sees Arthur coughing up blood.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” She says and pushes Tommy off her, spitting blood out of her own mouth and walking off.

A few moments later, Tommy’s walking beside her, “So you’re like Arthur, eh?”

“Sorry?” She’s still wiping blood off her face and she winces when she rubs her jaw. She’s trying to walk normally, but as the anger flows out of her, the pain flows in. She doesn’t remember Arthur punching her ribs, but they ache now. She wonders if he kicked her.

“You’re like Arthur, you lose control.”

“I can control it when I want to.” She insists stubbornly.

“Where are you walking to, Clara?”

She sighs and stops walking, “I haven’t… I’ve avoided fighting with my fists since I was a girl, I used to pick fights a lot. I was an angry girl. So I would lose control a lot.” She shakes her head, “Dunno why I’m telling you this.”

“You volunteered to fight my brother knowing you might kill him.”

“I’m sorry, I thought I had it under control... He just...” She stares at Arthur now who’s being helped up by Michael and Pol, “He reminds me so much of my husband.”

He watches her carefully, “If you want to work for me you’re going to have to get that under control.”

She spits out another mouthful of blood, “Consider it done.”

“Eh! Tommy!” Michael stalks over to them, eyeing Clara with distaste as he approaches, “How could you let that monster stay with my mum?”

Clara moves threateningly and Tommy blocks her with his arm, “Don’t worry Michael, I’ll be taking her off Pol’s hands. And don’t speak to her like that, she’s a peaky blinder now. Come on, Clara.” Tommy begins to walk away and Clara hesitates before following.

“You’re going to let her be a peaky blinder? After that?”

“Arthur’s a peaky blinder, innit?”

“Yeah, but—“

Tommy turns quickly causing Michael to nearly run into him, “Are you questioning me, Michael?”

“I— No, I just—“ He looks at Clara before lowering his voice, “You really want her around the kids? Lizzie’ll have your head.”

Tommy forces a smile and claps Michael on the back, “Thank you for the concern, but I think I can handle Lizzie.”

“It’s not Lizzie I’m worried about—“

“That’ll be all, Michael. Same goes for the rest of you, go home.”

They disperse after a moment’s hesitation, most of them murmuring to themselves, but Tommy either doesn’t hear or he ignores them. But still, Clara marvels at the power his words have on them, though she doesn’t show it. She doesn’t want him to know she’s impressed.

She doesn’t want him to know anything about her, but she realizes now she underestimated him. She’ll have to be more aware.

But she’s under no illusions, she knows lying to Thomas Shelby will be the hardest thing she’s ever done.

[swindlersstole]

SO. @exiledatrocity​, i have no idea if you remember this:

but I remembered and I finally did it can I get a yeehaw

~

17. Under a bridge

This grove was way too lousy with little devils, Erik decided.

Truth be told, he’d decided that when they dealt with the first one in the chest, but while they hadn’t gotten any less annoying after that, they had at least stayed at the same level of threat—which was, to say, none at all. A nuisance, yes, but not the worst thing to happen to him and Nova all week, he thought.

Then one popped up riding on a cyclops’ shoulder.

This was a pretty common sight back in the forests of Sniflheim--trolls and ogres and the like hiding underneath bridges and underpasses waiting to get the drop on a hapless traveler was such a normal happenstance that it really only worked on people outside of the region. The locals knew all too well which areas to avoid, and Erik was no different. But it was a trend that didn’t seem to extend far beyond the Hekswood, so he’d never thought he’d have to worry about it until the day he went back.

If Erik had to make a guess, this was probably the fault of the devil. Little schemers, as the name suggested, it must have been smart enough to know there was power in numbers, and sensible enough to realize there was also power in being huge. It was certainly cackling like that was the case, laughing relentlessly at the puny humans unfortunate enough to cross their path.

In fact, it was laughing quite a bit. At his right, Nova gave Erik a very confused face, and Erik could only shrug back in turn. The cyclops seemed pretty weary of the situation, too.

The cackling didn’t seem to have any sign of stopping, and Erik cleared his throat. “Uhh… can we help you?”

“Kyaha--hrrm!” The devil snapped back to attention, posing as menacingly as it could on the troll’s shoulder. “You’ll be doing a lot more than that, chum! You lot are sneaking onto our territory, don’t you know.”

“No, we don’t.” Nova said, no less confused than he had been before. “We literally just walked over from the campsite.” The bundle of firewood they had collected for the night sat in his arms still as evidence. “You… definitely weren’t here five minutes ago.”

“Seriously. Were you stalking us, just waiting to get the drop?” Erik smirked. “Gotta say, that’s pretty lame of you. Following some strangers around just to toss a riddle on them.”

“Wha--a riddle?” Nova repeated, but went unanswered, because the little devil flung its fist around in a growing tantrum.

“How dare you! I was planning on taking your goods, but I’ve a right mind to clobber you senseless for that!”

The devil jumped up, and Erik’s hand darted for his dagger--but the cyclops was faster, and pushed the devil back on its shoulder with one smooshing of its big hand.

“Easy there, now.” The cyclops said, calm and steady. “We got ourselves a man a’ culture, ‘ere.”

The cyclops turned to look at Erik with a look of--what Erik assumed to be--newfound respect. “Y’know ‘bout the ol’ troll traditions, do ye’, guv?”

Still hesitant about the situation, Erik lowered his hand slowly. “About handing out riddles to travelers under bridges? Sure.”

“That’s… a thing?” Nova asked, bewildered.

“Yeah, it is. You don’t really see it this far south, though.” Erik crossed his arms. “Or from… well. From not a troll, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“No, right you are on that.” The cyclops seemed to take no offense, and beat at its chest once with its fist in pride. “Mum was a troll, though. Got th’ blood in me, I do.”

“Ah. Family tradition, then. I can respect that.” Erik nodded. “So, am I wrong in thinking that’s what we’ve been stopped for?”

“Well, it wasn’t ‘ntended. But, seein’ ‘as ‘ow yer in the know,” said the cyclops, almost sagely so, “I can’t rightly ignore th’ call. If you gents can answer a riddle, we’ll let ye by, no strings attached.”

“Really?” asked Nova, clearly relieved.

“What?!” shrieked the little devil, clearly ticked off.

“And if we can’t answer it,” Erik continued, with a raised brow, “we’ll have to go through the whole ‘grind our bones to make your bread’ song and dance, I take it?”

“Nah, just a regular ‘old up.” The cyclops waved away the clarification, like it was all just business as usual. “We did away wit’ the bones thing ages ago. Threw it out wit’ the bathwater when we unionized.”

“You unionized?” Color Erik surprised. And impressed. “Huh. Good for you.”

“Ex-cuuuse me!” The little devil looked more akin to a kettle left to boil, whistling up a storm. It tapped its heel against the cyclops’ shoulder to get its attention. “What do we look like, sphinxes?! We’re not running a bleedin’ brain teaser operation here!”

“Oi.” The cyclops narrowed its eye, voice still calm but laced with a threat. “It’s in me nature, it is. Can’t fight nature. An’ I ‘aven’t stopped you from playing yer dirty tricks up till now, now ‘ave I, mate? That’s your nature, innit?”

“Hrrrrgh...!” The devil grabbed at its horns in frustration. “At least make them… I don’t know, do something humiliating! You can’t just leave a chance like this be!”

The cyclops rolled its eye with a groan, before addressing Erik again. “Awful sorry ‘bout this, guv. You mind terribly answerin’ with an action, an’ not a word? ‘Fraid I won’t be ‘earin’ the end o’ this, otherwise.”

Erik and Nova glanced at one another, pity for this honorable cyclops on both their faces. Nova shrugged, and Erik ran a hand through his hair.

“Well, you’re being awfully considerate about it.” And the cyclops really was—easily within the Top Ten Monsters Erik Had Ever Met. “Wouldn’t be right if we started being picky now. Give us your best.”

The cyclops pounded its fist in his free hand, pleased by the answer. “Right, then. This should go down nice for everyone.”

It cleared its throat--and the guy really did seem pretty eager for this, Erik noted. Even monsters had itches to scratch, it seemed.

“‘Shared between two’,” the cyclops began, “‘Most often to woo. Sometimes hot and sometimes cold; the beginning of us all, young and old’.”

Out of the corner of Erik’s eye, Nova suddenly and very visibly tensed.

“Now, remember, to make this one ‘appy--” The cyclops gave the devil the side-eye, “--I’ll be needin’ ye to show me the answer. Not just say it.” It grumbled. “Really, dreadful sorry ‘bout it. Tried to give ye a nice one.”

“Oh, no trouble at all.” Erik said, swinging an arm over Nova’s shoulders, and noting all too clearly how he jumped from the contact. “Give us a minute to discuss.”

He turned them both away from the monstrous pair, and got a good look at Nova’s face. As Erik had suspected, he looked more frazzled than a simple riddle should have arguably left the Luminary, of all people. It didn’t bode too well.

“So. Judging from that face, you know the answer?”

Nova clutched at the firewood like a lifeline. “I--yeah, I do, actually. Do you?”

“Nope,” Erik said, “so how about you share the damage?”

For whatever reason, this very clearly did nothing to ease Nova’s nerves, and Erik swore he could probably hear how hard his heart was beating from the other end of the grove. “Are you… feeling alright?”

“It--ugh, cripes.” Nova brought a hand to his face, rubbing his temples. “I’m… fine. It’s nothing we can’t actually do, but it… there’s no getting around it, this is going to be awkward.”

“You’re beating around the bush, man.” He gave Nova’s shoulder a hearty pat. “Come on, spit it out.”

Nova made a strangled noise--and that got an excited gasp out of the devil, Erik heard--before his shoulders sank in defeat. 

“Erik,” he said, “we have to kiss.”

Erik blinked. He slid his arm off Nova’s shoulders, hand coming to his chin, and he paused to consider this information. 

“...Ohhh.” He said at last, understanding and unbothered, “‘Shared between two, most often to woo’... yeah, that does fit the bill, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah, it… yeah.” Nova lowered his head--the devil snickered not discreetly behind them at the sight--and he sighed. “So, you can see why this is a problem.”

“Not really, no.”

Nova snapped back up to look at him so fast, panic in his eyes and no color in his face, Erik was sure he heard his neck crack.

“You’re... okay with this?” He may as well have squeaked the word out. “You’re okay with this. How are you okay with this.”

“Hey, comparatively? That cyclops is on our side.” Erik shrugged. “It could have given us something way worse, or just skipped the formalities and come at us swinging. I’d say we got out pretty lucky.”

“Well… I guess, but—“

“Nova, come on.”

His hand fell back on Nova’s shoulder, and when Nova looked at him, he smiled. Erik hoped it was at least a little bit comforting; poor guy had way too much excitement in the past few days for just a simple country boy, and preferable as this riddle was to another fight they were too exhausted to handle, this might’ve been the last nail in the proverbial coffin for the Luminary.

“I got a plan, so just follow my lead. It’s gonna be okay. Trust me.” He squeezed Nova’s shoulder, and smirked. “You do trust me, right?”

Nova swallowed, but some color returned to his face--specifically in his cheeks, and probably not the color he would have wanted. It took some self-restraint on Erik’s part not to laugh; turned out Yggdrasil’s favorite little leaf was surprisingly (or perhaps fittingly?) chaste.

“I… of course I do, Erik.”

“Fantastic.” Probably not the wisest decision the Luminary could make, but it did do wonders for Erik’s ego. “Just relax, and let me handle it.”

He didn’t wait for an affirmation. Erik turned on his heel, back to face the monsters with confidence; Nova followed him in lockstep, anxiously clutching the firewood like a lifeline. “Hey! I think we got it all squared away.”

“Oh, we’ll be the judges of that!” The devil laughed, and the cyclops sighed in turn. At least the little demon was in on the bit now. “Go on, get to showing, then!”

“Man, you really have no sense of romance, do you?” Erik sighed. “Have it your way. Hold still a sec, Nova.”

That was not going to be a difficult request. Nova had planted his feet firmly on the ground, as it steeling himself for a hit, and when Erik brushed his left hand on Nova’s right cheek, he near well flinched at the touch. Erik couldn’t help the snicker that got out of him that time, and the glare Nova gave him was more akin to a pout; for his sake at least, Erik was glad his hand was blocking Nova’s face from the monsters.

Not that he couldn’t block much else about this, but. Price of the plan.

“Remember, just keep cool.” He muttered. “This’ll be over before you know it.”

“I… okay, but--” Nova whispered back, “But you still haven’t told me what y—”

Erik cut him off, swiping his right thumb on Nova’s lips, and pulled their faces to meet.

Nova made a noise, somewhere between a yelp and a muffled scream, and Erik had to imagine that he was making an expression to match, so it was a shame he had to miss it. Erik had closed his eyes once his lips had hit his thumb; one of them had to make this all believable, and that duty had long since fallen on his shoulders. Lucky for them he wasn’t half bad an actor.

To his credit, Nova was a fast learner. And if they’d had some time to prepare this plan in advance, he probably would have sold the act just as well. But they hadn’t had the time, and Nova went stock still in Erik’s hands, and his face and neck burnt against Erik’s fingers.

The fake kiss barely lasted a second--four, at the most, just to really make it convincing--and Erik pulled back with aplomb, and… yeah, Nova’s face looked just as alarmed and ready to combust as he’d imagined. Even his pupils had seemed to shrink from the shock. Erik wondered, idly, if this was how shypox got around so quickly. Could the Luminary even catch shypox? The chances seemed surprisingly high now.

Still calm and collected, he smiled at Nova with a raised brow, and patted his cheek once before walking back to their riddle assailants. “There. Happy now?”

The devil shrieked with raucous laughter, pointing and hollering at the two of them with unbridled joy. “Ohhhh, ho ho ho, that’s good! That’s good! His face, that’s so good! Oh, that’s gonna keep me going for a long while!”

“Glad t’ see ye’ve come around, mate.” The cyclops said, clearly relieved that its companion was satisfied. “All’s well, then, I’d say?”

“All’s very, very well!” The devil hopped off the cyclops, landing on the ground in a triumphant flip. “We’ll let you humans off easy now for giving us such a great laugh. But you’d better watch yourselves! We might not be so lenient next time!”

“Well, that’s mighty gracious of you.” Erik prodded along. “So thanks for that. I don’t think we’ll be forgetting anytime soon.”

The devil turned up its nose and puffed out its chest, thankfully unaware it was the butt of the joke. With a pleased hum, it turned an about face, and skipped off deeper into the grove.

The cyclops made move to follow its friend, but stopped before Erik, bending over to offer him its fist.

“Nicely done there, guv. Have t’ respect that kind o’ finesse.”

“I’m a tricky one.” Erik bumped his fist against the cyclops’; his hand barely covered one blue finger. “Can’t say I envy you with a partner like that, though.”

“Ah, s’alright. Fate’s got a funny way o’ workin’ out like that. Maybe he don’t got a fine head o’ hair like yers, but he’s a fine bloke when y’ get down to it.”

The cyclops pulled back its hand, large fingers unfurling into a point behind Erik. “Speakin’ of. Is he gonna be alright?”

Erik looked over his shoulder. Nova hadn’t budged even a bit since he’d stepped away, and looked like he was passing through sixteen different panic attacks--one for every birthday candle, Erik supposed, but still. It didn’t bode well for how settling down for sleep would inevitably go.

“...well,” said Erik, “he’ll snap out of it eventually.”

[remainloved]

Rivalry - Ethan Dolan (Part 3)

Summary: In movies, books and stories, captains fell in. The captain of the soccer team and the head of the cheering team will always make the perfect couple. However, what if these two captains despise each other?

Warning: none?

Word Count: 1.6k+

Y/L/N = Your Last Name

Part 1 Part 2

Have you ever thought that there might be a possibility of you being a psychic?Because you had this feelings that something bad might happen. Like when you’re in a class and the teacher was about to ask someone to answer a question, you would have this unsettling feeling and got chosen. No? Maybe, it was just me.

I walked down the school hall with the unsettling feelings with me. It was even weirder when I stepped on to the hallway. Everyone turned looking at me. I walked in and everyone literally parted like the Red Sea. Some of them was smiling and holding up their phones.

Okay, strange morning. I was a foot away from my locker when a guy wearing a mask in all black attire handed me a note. He didn’t say a word and leave. I looked at the note it was written.

Games on.

Meet me there.

E. x

The thing that came in to my mind was Ethan. Was it pun intended? I looked around the hallways and everyone was still looking at me expectedly. Is Ethan going to humiliate me by not giving a good clue where to meet him?

Unfortunately, I’m Y/n and I’m smart enough to figure it out. It was the field, I mean that’s where the game happened, isn’t it not? Smiling to myself and giving a pat to my shoulder, mentally. I headed to the field reminding myself it’s on.

–

I reached the field and everyone was following behind me. There was another guy in a mask wearing literally the same outfit as the one before. He handed me another note.

Our spot.

Great. Just another nice clue. We have never had a spot together. What do you mean our spot?

We live our high school life literally on this field. We share the same position as captains. Meaning we are always the center of attention. Center.

I walked towards the center smiling and sat down the nearest bench. The other students followed and sat around the bench. I waited and soon my cheer team walked in wearing our school uniforms.

My best friend Michelle led the group. They were giving the whole school a routine. Everyone cheered and clapped. Okay, I felt a bit betrayed yet they did pretty good. Nevertheless, I was proud of them.

They finished the routine by putting their index finger on their lips, signaling the crowd to quiet down. Once the silence settled in, Michelle shouted. “EVERYONE MUST BE WONDERING WHY Y/N HAS BEEN GETTING NOTES THIS MORNING. WELL, PUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER FOR OUR VERY OWN WILDCATS.”

Everyone clapped and cheered for whatever Michelle just said. Ethan’s teammates came running, even his twin brother Grayson. Yet, Ethan was nowhere in sight.

The boys were getting into formation. They were wearing our school jackets and started opening it them one by one.

It started from my left to the right. The team shouted all the letters together while one opening their jacket. Everyone cheered as they opened the jacket showing a simple white t-shirt with a letter printed on.

B E M I N E

P L E A S E

As soon as it was done. I felt a tap on my shoulder and I turned around. Ethan Dolan was standing there holding a freaking pompom, and said “Please?”

My lips curved inwardly trying so hard not to blush nor smile yet I decided I won’t be easy on him either. He literally made my head burned solving his clues. I raised my one of my eyebrows, “Please what Dolan?”

Ethan nodded his head and bit his inside cheek before he smirked down at me. He cleared his throat and shouted on top of his, “Y/N Y/L/N, WILL YOU MAKE ME THE HAPPIEST MAN ALIVE AND BE MINE?”

I was grinning ear to ear hearing him shouted those lines in front of the whole population of the school. He looked down and his face turned slightly red. He looked kinda anxious with how unresponsive I am. He added “Please.” Softly at the end.

“Of course, if you insist very much.” I stood up and I hugged Ethan. His muscles was tense as he seems surprised. After he relaxed and nuzzled his face in the crook my neck. Everyone was cheering and hollering behind.

He put his hand behind my back and pulled me closer. “Princess, never knew you’re so hard to get.” He chuckled against my neck and I felt his chest rumbling. I hugged him tighter and whispered back, “For your record, you’re quite smooth.” I chuckled back.

“WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!” Coach’s voice barked through the megaphone. We pulled away and coach shouted, “Dolan? Y/L/N?” He was confused. As we were not bickering and Ethan’s arm was wrapped around my waist.

“Yes, Coach.” Ethan answered.

Coach looked around and shook his head, a smile graced upon his face “I see, finally got past all this weird rivalry?”

Ethan looked down lovingly and I smiled back sweetly, “Yeah, couldn’t let the princess without her prince.” Ethan said as he squeezed my waist and I giggled.

Gosh, this is so cringe worthy.

Coach nodded his head and soon shouted, “Clean this place and everyone out of the field!” With his words everyone scurried inside the building. It was only the two of us.

“See you in Chemistry class, princess.” He leaned in, his warm lips touched against my cheek. He smiled and left. I was left astounded.

–

As I went back to my locker to grab my Chemistry books, people congratulated me along the way. Some girls told me to take good care of him. Some hugged me and said “Finally.”

When I looked over and I saw Michelle, she was already running towards me. She didn’t say congratulations nor did she hug me. She, however slapped my head saying, “Why didn’t you tell me any sooner?”

I looked at her confused, she laughed and said, “Don’t worry, Ethan explained it to the cheer team and his team.”

“What did he say?” I asked, knowing I have to be careful touching this topic.

“Don’t worry, No one judged the both of you. We kinda guessed it by then.” She batted her eyelashes. I looked at her baffled. I don’t get it at all.

“You guys dated behind us and finally decided to go on public, silly.” She slapped my arm this time. “Let’s head to Chem class.” She wiggled her eyebrows and dragged me to the class.

–

To be honest, I enjoy Chemistry class. The only thing I despise was that Ethan’s a part of this class and he’s doing well as well.

We started the class by Mr. Miguel’s normal pop quiz routine. It was during this time that Ethan and I would compete against each other. Who would submit earlier with a higher mark?

“Princess, let’s help each other.” Ethan whispered behind me.

“What? You can’t answer these questions yourself, Dolan?” I turned and teased him.

“Y/L/N! DOLAN! Quit flirting with each other.” Mr. Miguel shouted. I turned around immediately and went back answering the quiz. Ethan stood up, I put my arm out and held him back. I gave my paper to him, asking him to hand it over to Mr. Miguel as well.

He took the paper and rolled his eyes, “Anything, for the princess.” He walked towards the front desk and submitted our work. We waited for everyone else to be done.

After the pop quiz ended, he continued giving lectures about Hydrocarbons and stuffs like that. Ethan and I would constantly being the ones answering his questions. We were both determined to be the one who answered the most.

After, Mr. Miguel ended the discussion the bell rang. Before everyone was out Ethan stood up on the chair shouted, “A PARTY AT MY HOUSE, 7 TODAY!” Upon hearing this news everyone cheered.

Ethan sat down and turned his head towards me and said “Princess, you should come to my party today as my date. I’ll pick you up at 7.” I looked over at Michelle and she was squealing. I knew that I had no choice but to go.

–

No, Michelle did not come over to help me pick a dress. So yeah, I’m freaking out. I mean I should at least try to impress him, right? I should win this game.

I went to my wardrobe and pulled out dozens of clothing. I put on a simple plain red t-shirt and matching it with a black skater skirt. It looked pretty good.

I decided to just put my hair on a sleek ponytail and going with a simple natural look but finishing it off with my red lipstick. The red lipstick was just my icon. I couldn’t go out without it.

My phone vibrated, showing Ethan’s text.

I’m here

E.

Okay, I grabbed my phone and went downstairs. I opened the door revealing Ethan with his orange hoodie. How can someone be so perfect in just a simple hoodie?

I did a little twirl and asked, “How do I look?” feeling a bit uneasy. He stared at me eyes and smiled, a genuine one. “You look beautiful, princess.” He said sincerely.

For the first time, I liked hearing him calling me princess. “You don’t look that bad too, Dolan.” I replied back. He chuckled and guiding me towards his car.

He opened the passenger seat, motioning me to sit down. “Well, I guess chivalry is not yet dead.” I muttered quietly, clearly it wasn’t. He looked up and smirked, “As long as there’s Ethan Dolan, it will never be dead.” I laughed and went inside.

Throughout the whole ride, I was feeling quite anxious. Even if I was the head of the cheer team, I never really liked going to parties. It wasn’t my cup of tea. Ethan was quite nice. I think he knew I was feeling uneasy. He tried making jokes as to ease me. I, on the other was feeling more relaxed with Ethan’s horrible jokes.

“What did the buffalo say to his son, when he left for college?” Ethan asked between his fit of laughter.

“What did it say?” I smiled looking over him.

“Bison.”

Bye-son

I laughed, “That was a good.” I laughed harder as Ethan was struggling to breathe. “I know right.” He pretended to flip his hair. I laughed and he just looked over and laughed even louder.

It wasn’t long till we reached his house. To say that his house was packed was an understatement. “Don’t be nervous. Anything happened tell me. If you need a ride home just ask, okay?” Ethan touched my hand and squeezed them.

ps: okay, i’m so sorry… i think this one is quite messy…i’ll edit it sooner…i apologize for all the errors…i think the next chapter would be better (hopefully)… 

+

you guys are very sweet, thank you :) 

[purrincesskittens]

Marichat May: Day 29; The Argument

*Slap* the sting of the girls hand hitting his face along with the sound itself seemed to echo around them. He knew now that what he said had been too much. And he regretted it. 

A routine patrol brought him near Marinette’s house. He saw her bedroom light was still on so he thought he might stop in and see her. He liked spending time with her as Chat it was fun and interesting to see her react differently then when he was Adrien. 

“Well hello purrincess.” He purrs peering in her hatch. She blinked from her seat on her chaise tears in her eyes. “What do you want Chat?” She asks in a broken hollow sounding voice. 

He dropped in landing on her bed and quickly moving down to her side wanting to comfort her. He had no idea why she was crying but he wanted to make it better. “I just thought I might drop in on a fur-end to say hi.”

She snuggled against him after a moments hesitation when he wrapped his arms around her. “Why are you crying? What’s wrong?” He asks concerned. “Oh Chat I’ve just had a really bad day is all.” 

“You can tell me about it if it will make you feel better.” Chat suggests quietly to her. “Well there is this guy in my class and we are really good friends well not good friends but friends and I really want to get closer to him but every time I do things go wrong and today was like that.”

She sniffed rubbing her eyes.  “What do you mean?” “Well I tried to bring him something to eat for lunch but I forgot it at home so I had to turn back half way to school and go get it and then I was late to class because of it. And the teacher called me out for it.”

He winced remembering her coming rushing into the classroom that morning in too much of a hurry to consider sneaking in. She refused to meet anyone’s eyes during the lecture she received.

She took a deep shuddering breath before continuing. “Chloe teased me about always being late and made my day even more miserable. And then the food I brought got knocked off my desk later on so it got mushed a bit. By the time lunch came around my day really hadn’t been going good. I had made a complete fool out of myself at every opportunity tripping over my own feet and stumbling over my words it was so humiliating. “ 

Her moans as she told him this just accented to the whole thing. He winced again remembering all that happened and thinking of just how she was taking it. “The food was still editable so I figured just apologize for how it looked but then Chloe found me before I could give it to him and informed me that he was on a strict diet and I was ruining things for him and making him feel bad by tempting him with foods he cant have. She told me he would never want to eat anything so disgusting especially made by me.”

The girl in his arms gave a whimper more tears running down her face. He was really wanting to go have a ‘chat’ with Chloe right then about bullying his friends. 

“She dumped the food on me and smashed it into my clothes making me have to go home and change so I missed lunch and got yelled at for being late again. I was hungry since I missed lunch and my stomach growl in the middle of class and everyone laughed at me it was so humiliating!!” She cries in despair. He didn’t comment on her use of the word humiliating twice. He felt she deserved to use what ever language she wanted.

“And then *hic* and then I got splashed with dirty water after school. So my clothes were ruined twice!!” She hiccuped part way through her sentence her sobs being held back. 

  “This happens every time!!Every time I try to get closer to him something happens!! I’m beginning to wonder if he even notices me!! Everything I do is for naught!! I tried sending him a card and what do I do?! Forget to sign it!! Try to give him a present and what happens?! He doesn’t know its from me!! Why is it that everything I do is completely and utterly useless!!” She shrieks breaking down into sobs. 

Chat winced his ears flattening at her high pitched shriek. He wrapped her more firmly in his arms trying to comfort her murmuring sweet nothings to her to try and offer her some sort of comfort. 

Anime and manga had not prepared him for this. What was he to do with a crying female? Ladybug would know but she wasn’t here. Lupine might know she was female after all but again she wasn’t around. 

Him and Corvus hadn’t talked much about girls so he had no idea if Corvus had experience with them or not other then  kind of flirting with his princess on the rare occasions they crossed paths.

So he did the one thing that came to his mind at the moment. He decided to dis the guy who was so oblivious as to not see wonderful sweet Marinette in front of him.

“Princess if this guy can’t see how wonderful you are then he isn’t worth your time. He’s an idiot, stupid to not see you and how hard your trying to be friends with him. A guy like him is probably to self centered and shallow to notice someone as kind and caring as you. You should forget about him. If he can’t even eat the food you brought because of some diet then he definitely is self centered to busy worrying about his looks. Forget him Princess and move on he isn’t worth your time.” 

He tells her all this in a calm earnest voice completely believing what he was saying. If they couldn’t appreciate her then she should forget them and move on with her life she had friends who loved her for who she was she didn’t need to be friends with someone who couldn’t. 

Marinette froze when she heard him speak but as he continued on her head tilted up to stare at him her eyes wide seeing that in his eyes he was speaking the truth but the look on his face was what seal it. The anger in her grew. 

How dare he judge Adrien when he didn’t even know him!! Adrien was nothing like that!! By the time Chat was done she was furious and shaking. The anger boiled over in her taking the place of the misery she had felt earlier. 

Her hand came up on its own accord and struck him slapping him across the face with a loud distinct noise her face twisted into an angry scowl. “Shut Up! You don’t know him at all Chat!! You can’t say that about someone you have never really met!He’s not like that at all you have him all wrong!! He would never hurt me!! He is truly kind!!Get out!! Get out and don’t ever come back here again Chat Noir!! I never want to see you again!!”

She smacked and hit him driving him backwards towards her loft forcing him to retreat before eventually shoving him up through the hatch tossing things at his retreating form slamming and locking her hatch.

Chat Noir raced across the roof tops confused and upset he knew he had said something wrong he had said to much she really cared for this boy and he said the wrong thing and it upset her worse. He regretted it but now he didn’t know what to do to make it better.

“Ow!! Watch it kitty!!” A sharp voice yelps cutting through his cloud of depression over upsetting his friend and getting kicked out. He had crashed into someone or rather run them over literally. 

Lupine Alpha sat up rubbing her ribs were Chat Noir had trodden on her. Her gold eyes glaring at him with slight irritation nothing more. She had been stretched out on a roof relaxing watching the evening clouds when Chat Noir came racing through not looking where he was going and stepped on her running right over her.

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so very sorry!!” He apologizes profusely not wanting another friend to be upset with him. Lupine just gave him a confused puzzled look. “I’m not that mad kitty just a little irritated nothing a simple apology won’t fix.” She explains taking his hands in hers to calm him down from his panic.

“Now mind telling me what has you like this that you didn’t even smell me? Or see me for that matter? Your senses are sharper then this kitty. Now talk to me.” She sits him down beside her gently sensing something was wrong with the black cat.

He poured out his story to her in one big rush. He admitted to being stupid through out it over and over again before finally finishing up with “And now I’m banded from her place and she never wants to see me again and I was such an idiot and I don’t know how to make it up to her.” He cries wailing pathetically.

“Wow you really were stupid. But at least you acknowledge you were thats something many guys don’t see  how stupid they were when they do something like that. Believe me I know I’ve dealt with it with Corvus plenty of times before.” Lupine commented her brows furrowing causing her mask to bunch up in between her gold eyes. 

“You do realize she was talking about you right?” That broke through the haze he was in clearer then anything else she said. “What do you mean?You’re not making sense.” Chat was confused there was no way Marinette was talking about him.

“She was talking about your civilian self, Adrien.” She mutters exasperated rolling her eyes at the boy. He froze. Lupine Alpha had just said his name. His secret identity. He turned his head his eyes wide as they focused on her. 

She smiled at him slyly. “What you don’t think I figured it out? Come on how many people know someone with the name Plagg who gets into trouble and likes cheese? You told me the first day we met you had a friend named Plagg and then the second day I met Chat Noir’s kwami Plagg who likes cheese. Between that and your scent after the whole skunk incident at the zoo and both Chat Noir and Adrien being allergic to feathers it was pretty easy especially since you don’t wear wards like I do. Accalia just confirmed it for me is all.” 

She looked rather pleased with herself and smug while he was left scrambling. “Since I wear wards for the purpose of making people over look me and not notice the similarities between me and Lupine Alpha I’ll give you a hint. Both my selves have scars on there back that a bully took pictures of. We are from Japan and we live with a guardian not parents. I’m allergic to shell fish and mushrooms as well as lilies. I have a friend named Accalia who gave me this.” She tapped her miraculous grinning at him as she did. “Who am I?”

It took him a while for his brain to put two and two together. A long while probably due to those wards she mentioned making him over look it all. “J.J.” He breathed as she let her transformation go with a simple “Paws Off.”. 

“Took you long enough”, A familiar wolf kwami growled flying up into his face. “Now are you going to go get flowers, chocolates, a card and some new yarn and fabrics as well as a replacement for the plant you knocked off her balcony when you were running away your tail tucked between your legs?” Accalia snarls earning a sigh from her miraculous holder. 

“Yes yes I’m on it right away!!” Chat says quickly retreating to go do just that frantic to find all those things before the shops closed for the night. J.J. just sat on the roof top watching him leave before commenting to her self more then her kwami. “Now how do I get down from here?”