#and of course I will be no one near Toronto

[anotheryoutubefanpage]

And of course its only Toronto. Shocking

[3416]

1634 sun card tapestry (9/7/23-11/9/23)

here she is!! this is my individual attempt to manifest the toronto maple leafs the success and happiness they deserve this year. last year, mitch marner tying the franchise's longest point streak on november 30th was maybe the most fun i had watching a hockey game (except for the playoff series win, of course), but i wanted to memorialize my favorite picture of my favorite boys celebrating that day (thank you kevin sousa for this beauty). instead of doing that by itself, i also wanted to include the rider waite sun card somehow, as it represents positive outcomes for current struggles and general success, abundance, happiness, etc. shoutout to every wonderful person here that helped encourage me and commented on my stuff and just <3

for my fellow crocheters/anyone curious/future self, i've included some of my process below.... took months but was SO worth it. (still not technically done bc i need to block/iron and want to add a backing and a way to hang it, but one step at a time... HAD TO SHARE asap)

step one was playing around in photoshop/procreate and combining the images i wanted to use... there's what i came up with.

the most helpful tool throughout the whole process was a website called stitchfiddle which lets you convert images to pixels for graphgans/whatever you want to make in fiber art honestly. you can change the amount of colors and pixels.. size up and down until you get a look you like. it will also convert your specific chart into colors available in certain brands of yarn which was REALLY helpful to me too. my chart ended up shifting color because of what was available in the yarn brands near me, but i loved the changes so... my chart looked like this.

as for specifics, i used a 4mm hook and did just basic single crochets per square on the chart... the final product ended up being about 55 inches by 36.5 inches. this was my first real attempt at something super intricate, and i kind of just jumped in despite only learning crochet a few months ago, but!!!! i am super happy and proud and hope all the good vibes are felt by the leafies. really just wanna get everyone else into crochet too... feels so rewarding to make something with your hands like this <3 ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR CARING AND SUPPORTING IF YOU HAVE. LOVE YOU ❣️

[gargoyleandgremlinpress]

Sudden Nature by everbrighter

This MDZS fic/series is a modern AU that's mostly without magic... except there's a heavenly bureaucracy. And every once in a while, it makes a mistake, and sends someone who's died back to earth. This is rare, but frequent enough that hospitals have resurrection wards just in case.

If you're at all familiar with canon, I think we can all see where this is going.

Wei Ying is a a whistleblower on the Wen Corporation in this one, who's adopted baby A-Yuan. When he's killed in an accident, Lan Zhan raises Lan Yuan and lives with his grief... and then Wei Ying comes back. This is a story that's emotional and heartfelt, and very funny in bits, about grief and loss and family, and getting something back you never thought you would, much like canon.

The series is a bunch of interconnected short fic with two long segments. The first one is from one from Lan Sizhui's point of view: "Lan Yuan has lived most of his sixteen years not knowing the man who raised him as a toddler. So when Wei Ying suddenly comes back to life, both Lan Yuan and his dad, Lan Zhan, work to make room in their lives for him. Too bad he has a science project due this week..."

The second one is from Wei Ying's: "Wei Ying comes back from the dead, all of a sudden. Over the course of a week, he remembers what it is to be alive, and what it is to be in love." (Not gonna lie, I kind of love the parts where Wei Ying is adjusting to no longer having the body of a twenty year old, in terms of sleeping for a week on the couch now has CONSEQUENCES.)

But it was the very first part of the series that hooked me, where Lan Zhan falls in love. And it's not who you think.

"Aren’t there classes for this? Aren’t there books a person is supposed to read for this? Should he have done research? Shouldn’t he have prepared? But ah, it’s too late now, and there’s a baby in his arms, face to the shoulder of Lan Zhan’s cable-knit sweater."

I finished the typeset for this fic back in the fall of 2022, and it was in my pile of text blocks to finish binding for Binderary, an annual fanbinding challenge, in February, 2023. It was the last one left. I looked at the text block. I looked at my bookcloth and paper options for the cover. I pulled out two options... and couldn't decide. It turns out, I just didn't have the right combination of colours.

In the interim, I obtained some Duo book cloth, a particular line that has a two-tone colour shift to it, gorgeous in person, but really hard to photograph. The company that makes it, sadly, has gone out of business, and the final group orders for it obtained near epic status among @renegadeguild circles. (It has its own lore. And fic.)

Which is to say, the spine of this book is Duo Dragonfly, and the cover is chiyogami paper. The endbands were my first time trying a double core, in sewing thread, and are a little bit shaky as a result, though I'm pretty happy with the colour combo. Lettering stencilled in gold acrylic paint.

I was going for an ethereal, heavenly feel with the title page, and a shout out to the Toronto setting with the spread on the table of contents. (Hello, fellow Canadians!)

A few interior shots here, and a vaguely Lan cloud used for the section breaks. I did a bit of formatting to mimic a newspaper column for the article that starts off "Thirty-Seven," the long section from Wei Ying's point of view.

I am pretty happy with how it turned out, and glad I held off to get the match that felt right for the cover materials!

And behind the cut for spoilers... the last sentence in the short chapter right before Wei Ying's death gets me RIGHT IN THE FEELS every single time I read it.

Lan Zhan held onto A-Yuan! He held him for fifteen minutes, and then for the next sixteen years it took for Wei Ying to come back from getting milk at the 7-11! Oh my heart. Nnngh.

(Also, I slid in a fan art illustration for the fic from GreenTeaPikachu, so enjoy the drunk!LanZhan Does Parkour as an added bonus for clicking through!)

[couldawouldashoulda50]

From Completely Different Worlds

A/N - Introducing a fic idea I had after the Maple Leaf's annual Easter Seals Skate event. I decided to try and write a something I know a little bit about, having worked as a PSW several years ago. I reached out to @misshoneyimhome about the idea and she graciously agreed to collaborate with me on this fic. Together we have spun ideas and I cannot thank her enough for reading through my long ramblings and giving feedback and encouragement, all the while she's got her own life to tend to. Brief Synopsis - this is a strangers to lovers trope with William Nylander and OC Loren Girard. William and Loren meet at the Easter Seals skate and sparks fly. Loren is cautious and shy as she still suffers from the memories from her ex-boyfriend after years of exploiting her every vulnerability. William of course is the polar opposite and they each feel a strong and instant connection with their first meeting. The two are truly from completely different worlds but a deep admiration grows between them....and this is their journey. Warnings - profanity, seizure disorder Word count - 5.3k

Chapter One - The Easter Seals Skate

“Jesus Christ Loren…you’re gonna end up killing me,” Gary said, his low and gruff voice travelling up to her ears from the back of the van.  Gary’s specific speech pattern always elongated words, like an unintentional drawl, and Loren could only groan and roll her eyes as a response.

“Hey - enough out of you.  It’s either you or me, pal…. I’d like to see you try driving in this traffic.  It’s insane…” Loren retorted, nodding towards the heavily congested westbound 401 highway in Toronto.

“A three-year-old could drive better than you” Gary quipped followed by his slow but voracious laughter.

“Jeeesus Gary - cool it, I gotta listen for the directions or else I’m going to end up getting lost.  Then you can forget about getting to the arena before our session starts,” Loren warned as her brows furrowed, trying to navigate the hydraulic mobility van towards the required exit off the highway.

Gary got the message and didn’t make another peep.

Loren manoeuvred the van from Kipling Avenue through the parking lot entrance of the Ford Performance Centre where the annual Skate for Easter Seals Kids with the Maple Leafs was to take place.

Loren breathed a long sigh of relief when she saw accessible parking spots available near the entrance for the skate participants. She carefully pulled into a spot, ensuring there was enough room for the wheelchair ramp to extend from the passenger side.

Loren sat still for a moment to try and settle her nerves.  Not only did the drive from Aurora to their current location in Toronto feel like she was driving in a Formula One race at certain points, but she was also about to take one of her most treasured people to meet members of the Maple Leafs.  She was beyond excited for him to finally have his dream come true and the anticipation made her heart race and stomach flip all at once.

It was during a long double shift at the group home, where Loren worked as a support worker, when she found the fundraiser for Easter Seals.  The fundraiser would allow participants a chance to skate with members of the Maple Leaf organization, players both active and alums.

Armed with a rush of adrenaline, she sifted through the information packets on the Easter Seals website, and mentally formulated a plan to make this happen for Gary.

With permission, Loren posted excerpts of Gary’s history, including his exceedingly difficult beginnings, where several of Gary’s medical issues went undiagnosed for far too long before coming into the folds of the subsidized organization he now was with.  Loren posted pictures of Gary’s ultimate Maple Leaf fandom; his signature blue bedroom, Maple Leaf throw blanket and matching pillows, banners, pictures, hockey cards and the unlicensed and unnamed Maple Leaf Jersey he bought for himself years ago from a large discount chain store.

With the added help of Loren’s parents, the registration fee was generously covered and overall, Gary’s campaign was extremely successful with raising just over $7,500.00 for Easter Seals.  Eventually, Gary and Loren received the big news that they were selected to attend the skate with the Leafs event.

Because of the work she put in to make this happen, naturally Loren was chosen from the staff to go with Gary to the Leaf’s practice facility.  Aside from being the obvious choice, Loren could skate which made this even more exciting in Gary’s mind.

Gary could not imagine a more perfect day; his favourite worker, speeding him around on the ice and being introduced to as many Leafs players as possible.

As March inched along, Gary had Loren make a giant red ‘X” on each day that had passed off his Maple Leaf calendar which Loren bought him for Christmas.   Although Loren’s financial situation was not terribly flexible, she wanted to ensure Gary had at least a few presents to open, having no family of his own.  Loren’s family has unofficially adopted Gary and always helped Loren with gifts to give Gary for Christmas’ and birthdays.

A few days before the event, Gary was constantly asking Loren questions about the details of the day.  Every day, he asked the same questions:

Does she know how to get there?

Are her skates sharp?

How long is the drive?

What time do we leave?

Will the whole team be there?

What is she wearing?

And every day she answered him, jokingly telling him if he asks her this stuff again, she’ll have to get the duct tape out.

When March 15th finally arrived, Gary had awakened excessively early; he had been bathed, shaved and was dressed in all of his Leaf gear hours before Loren’s arrival.  He wheeled himself back and forth from one room to another all throughout the morning, trying to pass the time before Loren walked through the door.

Loren arrived well before her shift began at 10:30. The very moment she stepped through the door, Gary’s already at her to get ready to leave.

“Thought you’d never get here” Gary said in his typical teasing manner, as Loren removed her boots at the door.

Loren glanced over at Kathy, her co-worker, and shook her head, as she smirked to herself.

Kathy stepped back and crossed her arms, looking at Loren “And look at you there, Miss I’m-gonna-get-me-a-hot-hockey husband today…you with your Matthews jersey on.  Isn’t he single?  If he is, one look at you in his jersey, he may not be for long,” Kathy said with an over-pronounced wink.

“Aren’t you the one looking for a hot husband?  ‘Cause it sure ain’t me…” Loren teased back.  “I wouldn't mind meeting Nylander though - I like his game.  Oh, no, maybe not…I’d get all tongue-tied and not be able to speak - I bet he’s way too like ‘I’m the guy’”, Loren said, mimicking a snob.

“Oh - if only Shanahan was single, I’d climb him in a heartbeat.   Just to be a hot 25-year-old again…” Kathy sighed with a smile, acting overly dramatic.

“Are you talking about me?  I’m 29 and broke…that pretty much sums me up” Loren muttered, followed by a chuckle.  “And you already have a husband, anyway”.

Kathy laughed “Ahhh yes, that old lump on the couch this morning…my husband. He said he hopes you see Jake McCabe - maybe get a picture of him and send it along if you can?  Mmmmm - he’s another one I’d love to have some alone time with”, Kathy said, not quite under her breath.

“Jesus, Kathy…. go and cool off outside” Loren quipped.  “But yeah, for sure, I’ll try…all I know is that there’s two rinks and the players are split between the two, so there’s no guarantee which player will be at which rink”.

“Will you two just stop your yapping - let’s gooooo…” Gary said impatiently as he backed his wheelchair away from the kitchen table and headed toward the front door.

Kathy and Loren stand there watching Gary with their arms crossed.

“Gary, I know you can tell time.  I’m actually early…I’m not even supposed to be here right now” Loren reminded Gary, knowing he is anxious to get on the road.  “Look, I know this is important but hey - I’m the whole reason you’re getting to do this so cut me some slack, ok?  We’ll be on our way soon, I promise,” Loren said gently.

“Gary was up at 6am apparently, so Julie got him bathed at least before her shift ended,” Kathy added.  “Hopefully you’re not going to be too tired to even have any fun there, Gary”.

“Alright, listen Gary, we’ll have to take the 401 there since we can’t use the toll route - sorry buddy.  I just can’t afford the fees to take the 407 even though it would get us there faster.  We need to be there an hour before your session starts, ok?  So, I’ll get that neck pillow for you…so you can snooze on the ride down?  It might do you some good if you do,” Loren said, patting Gary’s shoulder.

Loren busied herself gathering all the supplies and wheelchair accessories that Gary would need for the afternoon.  Loren silently reminded herself repeatedly to get the anti-tip bars for his manual wheelchair that were removed previously for some unknown reason.

It’s not long before Loren has accounted for all of his medical and personal supplies packed in a backpack and hung it on the back of Gary’s chair.

As Loren washed her hands in the washroom, she took a long look in the mirror and recounted the light-hearted exchange with Kathy.

29 and broke Loren thought to herself.

29, broke, and single came the next thought.

Loren paused at the sink; her head dropped as she inhaled deeply.

29 and healthy.

Broke but a homeowner.

Single and free.

These thoughts entered her mind and quickly superseded the negativity.  This is what she chose to remind herself of when she got down on herself.

Not wanting to tempt fate - or maybe it’s just logical given Toronto traffic - Loren decided to leave 45 minutes early just to ensure they were guaranteed extra time.  After all, loading and unloading Gary from the van was nothing like the average person getting in and out of a vehicle.  Ramps had to be lowered, hydraulics had to be in working order, vehicle safety checks, and harnesses had to be fastened to multiple spots on his wheelchair and tightened to ensure his wheelchair would not shift during the ride.

It wasn't long after Loren pulled the van onto the highway to head down to Toronto, she looked in the rearview mirror to see Gary’s head leaning on his neck pillow, fast asleep.

Now that Loren had reached the arena, even though she was a bit frazzled, she shook off her anxiety. She hopped down from the driver’s seat and opened the van's side door. One by one, Loren released Gary’s wheelchair from the multiple harnesses. As she wheeled him onto the hydraulic ramp, a group of kids walking by watched as Loren lowered the ramp using the control panel.

One of the kids passing by called out how cool Gary’s van was which made him laugh, and he followed up with a wave.  Loren was relieved as in her experience, kids on the occasion had not always been kind to Gary, or others she had supported who were disadvantaged.

Loren grabbed her freshly sharpened skates, locked the van and navigated herself and Gary to the entrance, where they would be signed in for their session.

There were throngs of people everywhere, but thanks to the friendliness of the multiple coordinators and volunteers, Loren was directed to the proper stations, and eventually, the pair were cleared to enter the doors for Rink #1.  Not long after, Loren was able to find a suitable spot to change into her skates.

Gary quietly sat in his chair, taking it all in.  Loren watched his expression from time to time wondering if, given his past, how he must be truly feeling to be inside this rink, on the cusp of meeting his beloved team.  The team that was likely the only constant thing he ever had in his life.

Once Loren was ready to go, another volunteer ushered them toward the gate that would be the easiest to head out on the ice with a wheelchair.  By some small miracle, Loren and Gary were amongst the first in line, and eventually, the gate was opened, and they headed out onto the ice.

As if he was meant to do a rookie lap, Loren skated around the perimeter with Gary first, and then toward the middle of the ice as more people began to arrive.

Loren could hear Gary chuckling and a quiet “wooooo” would escape from his mouth every so often.

It was when Gary first spotted Ryan Reaves come out onto the ice that he really let his excitement show.  Ryan was followed by Morgan Rielly, Jake McCabe and John Tavares.  There were people milling about everywhere looking to get as close as possible to each of the players making an entrance.

“Holy shit, Gary - do you see them? I cannot believe you’re going to get a chance to meet them!” Loren said, leaning over his shoulder.  “Who do you want to try meet first?”

“Yeah - let’s do Reavo…” Gary said, loud enough for his voice to carry.

As Loren looked to her right, she could see Auston Matthews signing autographs from the bench along the boards.  Gary hollered “Auston Matthews” loud enough for Auston to look over and wave.

Loren found herself even more star-struck than Gary. Her cheeks, which had started as a nice rosé, now felt like they were blazing just from seeing the players she had only ever seen on TV.

Ryan looked over his shoulder as Loren and Gary approached the line to meet him.  Loren certainly stood out to Ryan as she effortlessly and gracefully skated with a wheelchair through the obstacle of people whether they were in wheelchairs, sledges, on foot, or on skates.

Ryan finished up with a small group of kids that had surrounded him and eventually made his way over to greet the pair.

“Hey - how’s it goin?  I’m Ryan,” he said, extending his large first for a bump with Gary’s.

“I’m Gary….and this is the old ball and chain,” Gary said dryly as he pointed over his shoulder.

Ryan’s laughter reverberated off the boards and the glass.

“Really Gary? Jeeeezus,” Loren laughed, extending her hand to the handsome and towering forward.  “I’m Loren, Gary’s support person”.

In mere seconds, Gary had launched into a one-man comedy routine, and teasing Loren became the main act.  Gary had always had an extremely dry sense of humour and Ryan’s boisterous laugh only further encouraged Gary’s comedic attacks on Loren.

It wasn’t long before Ryan had motioned for a few of his teammates to come over and hear his new buddy, Gary, incessantly rib his beautiful support worker, who (thankfully) seemed to be able to laugh along with Gary’s sarcastic repartee.

“Hey - Willy!” Ryan hollered, followed by a very pronounced wave for him to come over.

As Loren glanced to her left, she was not at all prepared for the immediate and intense feeling of raging butterflies in her stomach as William Nylander skated towards the group, smiling wide as he scanned the faces standing there.

“Willy, you gotta meet Gary here,” Ryan motions to Gary, and Gary extends his fist towards William for a quick touch of their fists.

“Hey Gary - nice to meet you, man”, William grinned.  He looked to Loren and introduced himself.

“Hi there, I’m Willy,” he said, flashing his usual debonaire smile.

Loren could feel the sudden pressure of blood rushing to her face.  Her brain was telling her to keep calm, which she came to realise that she was failing miserably at.

“Um, hi - yeah, I know…I’m…uh…” Loren trailed off, visibly flustered as her mind went completely blank.

5-alarm heat had risen into Loren’s neck and face, enough to elicit a layer of perspiration under her collar.

Gary batted Loren’s arm, shaking his head and scoffing at her as she tried to collect herself enough to even utter her name.

“Sorry…. Will - um, yeah…. I’m Loren, Gary’s support person” she managed to finally say, shaking William’s hand.

Fuck Loren…. good work, nice job she chastised herself in her mind.

As though Gary could read Loren’s thoughts, he muttered as he says “Good job” over shoulder to Loren, scoffing once again and chuckles as the rest of the group does the same.

“She can’t even remember her name and she gets paid to look after me”, Gary said as he continued his teasing remarks toward Loren.  “Christ, she almost killed me on the way here with her driving,” he said, a little too matter-of-factly.

The group of players erupted with laughter.

“Gary - ” Loren began to warn.

“You know what she does?  She jabs me with my insulin needle” Gary chuckles.

“Gary - I do not jab - “ Loren’s mouth dropped, and she glanced apologetically around at the group, shaking her head as she started to laugh.

Gary kept going with his chirps. “I don’t know if she’ll even be able to get me home…. she’ll get lost.  Christ, she gets lost in a parking lot”.

That did it.  Loren hung her head in defeat as Gary slapped the arm of his wheelchair laughing loudly.

More laughter from the players filled the air, along with William’s iconic giggle, as Loren smiled and nodded her head saying “Hey Gary - remember our conversation before about the duct tape?  I brought some, just in case…wanna keep testing me?”

Hearing her innocent threat and the overly dramatic eye roll from Gary made William laugh even louder.  Loren may have lost most of the verbal battles versus Gary but with that one come-back, it seemed to have the desired effect.

William found himself instantly drawn to Loren. Her classic beauty was evident, but it was her sweet and funny disposition that fascinated him. He could see she was different from most of the girls who constantly vied for his attention and affection. William admired how she interacted with Gary, noticing her kindness and genuine care. The way she handled his teasing showed how close they really were. At the very least, she seemed to have a good sense of humor.

“Hey Gary, you want me to take you for a skate?” William asked, bending down slightly to keep in Gary’s line of sight.  Turning to Loren, William asked if she would like to join them for a few laps around the ice.

Before Loren could respond, Gary interjected with “Yeah, she’d like that.  She thinks you’re cute…”.

Loren drops her face into her hands from sheer embarrassment, while William laughed and said, “I think she might jab you again with your needle if you don’t stop teasing her there, Gary”.

A low laugh was Gary’s response.

William pushed Gary’s chair towards center ice while Loren skated beside them.  It’s not long before the trio were laughing with some light-hearted banter, thanks to Gary’s mildly sardonic commentary.

After a couple of laps around the rink, Loren realized there were so many others waiting to meet William so she offered to step in and start pushing Gary herself.

“Thank you so much for taking Gary for a little spin - we don’t want to keep you from seeing everyone else that came today, right Gary?”

As Loren leaned over Gary’s shoulder to have a glimpse at his face and make sure he heard her, Loren’s heart sank.   Gary was slightly slumped over to one side of his wheelchair and his mouth showed a very pronounced droop.

Immediately recognizing the change in Gary's behaviour, she turned to William and spoke quietly.  “I’m sorry William, I have to try and get Gary off the ice; I think he’s about to have a seizure”.

Before William had a chance to respond, Loren pushed Gary to the closest exit, by the entrance for the zamboni.

Just as Gary’s chair reached the pavement, his body began to seize.  Gary’s seizures were not new to Loren, and her experience quickly showed as she engaged his wheelchair brakes and stood in her usual position behind Gary, monitoring the time from the start of the seizure.

Ryan, Max and William stepped off the ice toward the spot where Loren was with Gary.  The men stood close by and watched as Loren spoke soothingly in Gary’s ear, softly telling him he’s ok - that he will be ok - and that she’s there with him all the way.

Concerned about their new buddy, William and Ryan stepped forward alongside Gary’s chair trying to provide some additional support.

Loren looked at the men apologetically.  “Thanks so much but it’s best if you guys stand back.  Gary could grab a hold of one of you, your hand - anything - and unknowingly hurt you…his hands are like vice-grips right now, so it’s better to stay clear.  But I really appreciate you both trying to talk to him.”

A couple volunteers at the event had been made aware of Gary’s episode, and helped the Paramedics find Loren.   The organisers swiftly offered a spot in the therapy room for Gary to recover and be examined once his seizure ended.

William watched as Loren and the Paramedics continued to monitor Gary.  He watched Loren calmly watch the clock, provide information to the Paramedics and talk to Gary without missing a beat.  As he skated off to continue signing autographs for the remainder of the session, William’s heart broke a little for Gary, having only spent 10 minutes out of the hour-long event, meeting the players in attendance.

Before long, William watched as Loren disappeared with Gary towards the locker room.  He fought the sudden and profound urge to slip his skates off and run after her.  It was an unexpected sensation for William to want to console a total stranger; yet Loren’s magnetism had already pulled him in, and all he wanted now was to be next to her.

The remainder of the session passed quickly and one by one, the players made their way into the locker room.

Loren remained by Gary’s side as he recovered after the seizure.  He was exhausted and slightly confused and found it difficult to verbally engage with anyone.  Loren had her hand on his back as lay on one of the beds where the players would often receive their various treatments after practice.

Ryan and John Tavares had already made their way into the room and showed obvious worry as they spoke with Loren.

William made his way over to Loren and when she spotted him, she smiled at him warmly.

“How’s he doin’?” William asked, shooting a concerned look toward Gary.

“I think he’ll be ok now - it just takes a lot out of him so we’re letting him rest a bit more before I take him home.”

William paused, unsure if any of his questions would be considered off limits or impolite.

“Can I ask something?  How did you know - like, how could you see that it was going to happen?”

“Sometimes I just manage to catch a change in Gary’s behaviour.  I’m not always right - but given the circumstances, with where we are, meeting you guys, all the people and activity, even the lights…he went from his little comedy routine to not being able to speak or move.  It’s called an aura - a change in behaviour before the seizure takes hold,” Loren explained.

William had a million questions and was eager to ask them all, just to be with Loren as long as he possibly could.  But he second guessed whether he should, knowing that Loren had begun to look weary from the after-effects of Gary’s episode.

“Are you doing ok?” a gentle smile spanned his face.

“Me?  I am - thank you again for trying to help earlier too.  I hope I wasn’t too harsh…I just didn’t want to see you, Gary or anyone else get hurt.” Loren said apologetically.

Before William could respond, two members of the event committee for both MLSE and Easter Seals approached Loren and William and apologised for interrupting.

“Hi, I’m Thom Comrie and this is Natalie Singh - we helped organise the event.” Thom said as he shook Loren’s and William’s hand.  “Gary brought in one of the highest totals for this fundraiser, and we were so sorry to hear he missed most of the skate.  We were hoping to get some more information about Gary before you leave?”

Loren glanced at William and thanked him for coming to check on Gary.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you before you go,” William said and reluctantly walked towards his stall in the adjoining locker room.

“Willy - Willy-um - Villi-um….how’s it goin’...I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since we’ve been here.” Mitch said as he changed his t-shirt.

“Hey Mitchy - buddy…it’s good, I think…goin good,” William chuckled.

“So what was going on there - you took that guy out for a skate and then next thing I know, he’s gone.  And….who’s the girl with him?” Mitch said under his breath, looking to see if there was anyone else around.

“The guy’s name’s Gary and right after I took him around the ice a couple of times, Loren - the girl…his support girl - you know - saw that something wasn’t right, and he ended up having a seizure.” William explained quietly.

“Shit, really? Awh…that’s too bad…I heard some of the guys saying he was cracking everyone up by chirping…what’s her name again?” Mitch said.

“Looor-eeennn - Jesus Mitch, you have the worst memory sometimes,” William teased.

“Fuck you dude - look who’s talking…saying I have a terrible memory when you’re the one that leaves shit behind everywhere we go,” Mitch laughed. “You’re forever on fucking - what - TikTok using the Find my Phone feature because you lost your fucking phone…again…” Mitch continued ribbing William.

“Ah yeah, ok - whatever buddy,” William smiled as he messed with Mitch’s hair.

Max and Auston walk from the kitchen area to the locker room, arguing about some nonsense.

“So, what’s the verdict fellas - you wanna meet at Mitchy’s restaurant for 8:00?  Give Willy some extra naptime?” Max laughs, giving William a wink and a nudge.

“Yeah, he might need it if one of those waitresses from last time wears him down to take them home.  Actually both girls were making a play for him so yeah…tag team situation for sure”, Auston smiles at his long-time friend and teammate.

William just laughed along with the rest of the boys, but truth be told, he hoped neither were working.  Both waitresses were blatantly fawning all over William the last time he was at Mitch’s newly opened restaurant, so much so that once the bill was settled, he swiftly disappeared through a back exit.

After Auston and Mitch departed, Max stayed behind with William.

“Hey, uh…what happened to Gary?  Fuck he was funny cracking off on his caregiver.  Imagine her looking after you every day - she’s fucking stunning”, Max said, smiling and wide-eyed as he looked at William.

“They’re still here - in the therapy room.  I was just about to go back there to say goodbye,” William nodded his head towards the doorway.  “You coming in?”.

Max motioned for William to lead the way.  As they entered the adjacent room, they watched Loren slowly and carefully transition Gary from the bed to his wheelchair.  Gary’s body was extremely stiff and weak, and Loren ensured she was fully stabilised as she had to bear most of his body weight.

Loren quietly talked to Gary as she fastened him into his chair and reassured him that they would be home soon, and he could rest some more before dinner.

“How ya’ doin’ Gary?” Max said, trying to sound upbeat.

Gary could only muster a quiet “okay”.

Loren smiled at the players and thanked them again for their concern.  She was pleasantly surprised that either of the men thought to drop by before they left.

Despite feeling like she made an ass of herself in front of William during her introduction, she had long filed that moment in the back of her head. In its place, she had felt a certain kind of comfort in his company during the short skate they had together.  He was just easy.  Easy to talk with.  Most certainly easy to look at.

Max kneeled beside Gary’s chair. “I’ve gotta take off.  Gary, buddy…feel better, ok?  It was great meeting you and I hope to see you sometime soon, ok?  Maybe get the old ball and chain to bring you back down to see us again?”  Max turned toward Loren and grinned, giving her a hug.  “So sorry you guys missed out on today. Maybe the organisation will do something for you guys.”.

Loren was totally overwhelmed with appreciation.  “I think they’re working on something – but you all have been incredible; I am just blown away by all of the care and concern you guys showed.”

“Well, I’m glad they’re looking into it. I better be off – Loren, take care…hope to see you again.  Willy - see you later, pal,” Max said as he patted William on his shoulder.

Loren turned to William.  “I cannot tell you enough how much I appreciate everything you did for him today.  It really means the world to Gary; you made his whole decade by taking him out for that skate.”

William smiled and looked toward the ground as he blushed.

“It was no problem, honestly.  You two are pretty funny when Gary gets going with his jokes,” William chuckled.

“Like an old married couple, eh Gare?” Loren said as she placed her hands on Gary’s shoulders.

William paused as he glanced at Loren and then Gary.

“Hey, well…listen, I would love to know that you got home ok…here, I’ll give you my number,” William said, and he stepped forward to show Loren his phone screen.

Loren’s stomach flipped.

His number??  Loren screamed inside her mind.

Once again, she felt she failed miserably at keeping her composure, and her hand shook a little as she typed in the digits into her phone.

Loren could feel the heat rising in her face, but nevertheless she managed to speak.  “For sure, I’ll let you know that we got home ok.  Thanks again, William.  It was so nice meeting you.”

William opened his arms for a hug and as Loren hugged him back, she couldn’t help making mental notes so she could always return to that moment in her memory.  She tried to memorize everything. Where his hands were placed on her body as he briefly held her. His scent which was so dizzying and delicious that it made her feel weak in the knees.  The few seconds Loren spent in William’s arms, triggered something inside of her that she could not quite place.  She spent the entire drive home racking her brain trying to figure it out.  With the Friday afternoon commute fully underway, Loren was grateful for the distraction trying to pinpoint that sensation she felt when William hugged her.

Eventually, Loren’s mind drifted to the other interactions with the players and personnel throughout the afternoon and she felt a mix of being drained and exhilarated at the same time. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it was definitely an unusual afternoon.

She could hardly wait to pull into her own driveway at her own house, draw a hot bath, change into her comfortable clothes and sit back with a glass of wine. Until then, she allowed her mind to rewind and replay every moment she spent in the Swedish superstar’s presence before she snapped back to reality knowing that she’s never going to see him again.

[misshoneyimhome]

i love the willy kick you’ve been on but can you do an auston enemies to lovers? maybe she’s will’s best friend in it too?

I can always do something with Auston, bb 😉❤️ And of course, as always, I got a bit carried away - I mean, how can you not love this handsome face 😍

Word count: 4.3K

・✶ ｡ﾟ

I'm so furious at you for making me feel this way

"Ugh, he's just so annoying..." you muttered quietly as you entered Willy’s apartment, returning to his place after a casual dinner with the team.

"Come on, y/n, you have to find a way to be around Auston. He's one of my best friends, and since you're one too, I want you two to get along."

**

For months, William had been trying to build a connection between you and Auston. 

Having just moved to Toronto six months ago, your childhood friend William Nylander had been so kind to introduce you to the city. You had happily accepted a new job opportunity, and within a few weeks, Willy messaged you on Instagram after seeing your post about the move.

As children, William had always been one of your closest friends, but due to his moving around, it was sometimes challenging to meet up. However, thanks to social media, you both managed to stay updated about each other's lives.

And as your old friendship quickly rekindled, returning to its comfortable roots, you swiftly became best friends again.

Soon after spending quite the amount of time together, William had introduced you not only to his closest friends but also to the entire team. However, there was a catch – Although your heart might belong to another team, Toronto had to earn a soft spot as this was your new home.

Fortunately, you clicked well with everyone on the team, including their significant others. Yet, for some reason, Auston had irked you from the moment you met him.

He hadn't particularly done anything against you, but it was his smug expressions and comments about your sudden switch in team loyalty just to impress Willy that grated on you. Then, he had the nerve to suggest that you wanted to cosy up to your "so called" best friends to gain entry into the NHL world and snag hockey tickets.

"Probably just to boost followers on her Instagram," he quipped one evening, speaking low enough for only a few people to catch, yet loud enough for you to hear.

However, your intentions were far from that. Fame or social media followers were nowhere near your goals. All you wanted was to spend more time with Willy, and since you loved watching hockey, you were more than willing to pay for your own tickets.

So, from that moment on, every time Auston was around, you saw red. He exuded excessive confidence and an overall air of being too much. Sure, he was a star player on the team, but he wasn't constantly on top form. He had his off days, yet he was terrible at owning up to his mistakes.

To say the least, your thoughts about Auston weren't exactly positive, and his opinions about you weren't any better.

In his eyes, you were plain and uninteresting. A workaholic who seemed to indulge excessively on weekends, not holding back when it came to alcohol. He observed you flirting with almost every guy when out, and your perpetually upbeat and positive attitude was just too sickeningly cute for his taste.

The only reason he put up with being around you was because he recognised how much you meant to Willy and what a good friend you were to him. That, he could respect.

**

"I can be around him, Willy - I just prefer not to," you quipped, as the two of you headed first to the kitchen to grab a few snacks before settling on the sofa after a long walk with Pablo and Banksy.

"I mean it, y/n/n, I want you two to get along," William sighed lightly, though his friendly smile remained.

"I know, but we just... don't," you attempted to flash a sweet smile as you conveyed your feelings to William. "I can't put my finger on it... maybe it's his terrible moustache that he's always so damn proud of..."

"He's a Movember ambassador..."

"Well, he doesn't limit it to just November," you replied, a hint of disgust in your expression and a sigh. "He's simply not my cup of tea, and I'm definitely not his either."

William regarded you with a thoughtful expression, slowly coming to terms with the idea that the relationship between you and Auston might not improve, although a part of him thought otherwise.

"You know, you two are actually more alike than you think," he chuckled, trying to gently nudge you out of your comfort zone.

"Oh really?" You retorted with a light huff. "And how exactly am I similar to that self-absorbed so-called hockey star?" You raised an eyebrow.

"Well, for starters, you're both incredibly stubborn," William laughed heartily, a point you begrudgingly had to admit he might be right about. "And secondly, you're both insanely passionate about what you do. And you both care about your family and friends..." He continued softly, meeting your gaze as his words began to ease your tense demeanour. "Come on, Auston's a really great guy once you get past that tough exterior of his, and you're a wonderful person too - he just needs to see it. Then, I think the two of you could actually become pretty good friends."

William genuinely believed in what he said, but he was gradually growing tired of the ongoing friction between you and Auston. So, he made an effort to establish some sort of connection.

"Alright," he sighed deeply. "I suppose I can give him another chance..."

"That's all I'm asking for," William chuckled lightly before both of you diverted the conversation and turned your attention to the TV show you had planned to watch.

**

A couple of days later, you found yourself back in your usual spot at the Scotia Bank Arena, where the Leafs were facing off against the Senators.

Despite your efforts over the past 48 hours to shift your thoughts about Auston, making an attempt for the sake of your best friend William, as the players were announced and his prominent face appeared on the large screens, applauded for his talent, you couldn't help but feel a knot of discomfort within you.

"Fucking twat," you muttered under your breath, fortunately unnoticed by anyone around.

However, as the game began, you shook your head, attempting to push away any negative thoughts about him. You concluded that he wasn't worth your energy and mental space, but avoiding thoughts of him was easier said than done. After all, you were at a hockey game where he played, and his number was frequently mentioned.

Nonetheless, you did your best to ignore it and enjoy the company of other fans, including girls and families supporting the players. The arena reverberated with cheers and excitement as both teams alternated in scoring and taking the lead, making the match almost unbearably intense to watch.

During the third period, the score stood at 4-4, and with just three minutes remaining, if nothing changed, the game would head into overtime.

Your pulse raced alongside your quickened heartbeat as your eyes fervently tracked the play. And just before the buzzer sounded, number 34 skilfully manoeuvred the puck around the skates of two Senators and swiftly shot it under the goalie's pads, concluding the match with a 5-4 win for the Leafs. Which also secured him a hatty for the game.

"Of course," you thought, lightly shaking your head as the entire arena erupted with cheers and excitement, loud applause echoing through the air, and hats being thrown onto the ice.

Following the game, everyone gathered outside the locker room, waiting for the players to finish showering, attending to media commitments, and celebrations, where Auston was naturally announced as the player of the match.

You were engaged in conversation with some of the girlfriends as the players gradually exited the dressing room. And as one of the last to emerge, you patiently waited for Willy.

"Hey," he greeted, approaching you with damp hair, dressed in his post-game outfit. "I thought you had a date tonight?"

"Oh yeah, but we rescheduled since he had to cancel," you replied with a sweet smile and a light shrug.

"You didn't ditch him, did you?" William chuckled.

"What, no, he just cancelled on me. So, I chose to come here and offer my support to my best friend and his team," you playfully responded with a light smirk.

"Alright, well, I just need to finish up some things with Brad, then maybe we can go out for a late-night snack?" William suggested.

"Sure," you said with a friendly smile as William began to walk away. However, your smile quickly faded as a certain Arizona lad playfully joined your personal space, prompting you to turn and face him. 

"Already tired of your new victim, y/n?" Auston's voice was filled with his signature confidence, clearly relishing the moment, especially after tonight's game.

"What's that supposed to mean, Auston?" Your tone was sharp and fierce as the tall lad stepped in closer to you.

"Well, just seems like you've been through every eligible bachelor in Toronto, and nobody seems to be good enough for you," a smug grin stretched across his tanned face, his ridiculous moustache curving along his lip.

"I haven't been through every bachelor in Toronto..." you retorted defensively. "Besides, there's nothing wrong with having standards - I mean, at least I'm not like you, poking into every available cunt you can find."

Your words seemed to hit a nerve with Auston, yet he responded with a dismissive huff and a chuckle, brushing off your comment.

"At least I'm getting some action - maybe you could use some too," his chuckle was cocky, and you couldn't help but express a disgusted look.

"Well, I'm sorry I don't sleep around like you do and actually prefer to be with someone I genuinely like," you retorted, matching his smug attitude. Though you knew it wasn't entirely true; you were open to casual hook up now and then, but you did prefer to get to know a person a bit before getting intimate. 

"I'm just saying it might be good for you," Auston chuckled. "Besides, didn't you just get dumped last year? I mean, you should be out there, playing the field after ending a relationship."

"I didn't get dumped! And how do you even know about that?" you retorted sharply.

"Willy mentioned it a while ago," Auston replied with a smile.

"Hmm, well, yes, I... we broke up, but that doesn't mean I've given up, you know," you huffed gently, almost desperate to make a point. You understood Auston wasn't the most romantic person, and his confident, boyish manner shouldn't make you believe that all men were like him. "And I especially don't need to go around sleeping with everyone."

You crossed your arms defensively, fixing him with an intense gaze.

However, your stern comment only made Auston chuckle even more. "Whatever, still think it'd be good for you."

And as if on cue, William returned from his chat with Brad, and Auston quickly walked away after nodding to his teammate.

"Hey, you ready?" William asked with a friendly smile.

"Yeah, I'm all set," you replied with a smile, though your attempt to contain your annoyance wasn't entirely successful.

"What was that all about?" He chuckled a little.

"Oh, nothing," you gently rolled your eyes. "Just Auston being Auston."

Knowing you well enough, William merely chuckled and let the matter drop.

**

The following Sunday, you found yourself feeling freezing, sitting outside on a bench and waiting.

Your date had been rescheduled, and now you were impatiently enduring the cold while waiting for him to show up by the outdoor ice-skating rink the city. The first 20 minutes were bearable; you assumed he was just running late. But after 40 minutes with no replies to your messages and no sign of him, you started feeling rather foolish.

This turn of events caught you off guard. Based on your last two dates, everything had seemed to go smoothly, and you'd been texting each other every day for weeks. However, suddenly, for some unknown reason, he appeared to have lost interest in you.

But you wanted to maintain some semblance of dignity, to believe that he had a valid excuse, and that something unexpected had caused this delay. However, you also didn't want to be too naive. And after an hour had passed, you realised it was time to leave. It wasn't a mere mistake about the time; he had indeed stood you up and ghosted you.

And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, a familiar voice spoke from behind as you stood up from your seat.

"Still waiting for your knight in shining armour?"

It was Auston. Of course, HE was here. And he'd spotted you.

"Shit," you muttered to yourself as you slowly turned around to face the last person you wanted to see right now.

"And what are you doing here?" you flashed him an unsatisfied grin, letting out a deep sigh.

"I was just ice skating with some friends," he simply replied, one hand tucked comfortably in his pocket to keep warm, while the other held his pair of skates. "So, are you here alone?"

"Why do you care, Auston?" your tone softened, yet it held a deep, sharp edge.

"Just noticed you were sitting all alone from across the rink..." he spoke almost gently, taking another step towards you, a smirk still on his face.

"And what? So, you thought I was looking pathetic, and you decided to come over here with your smug face and revel in the fact that I'd been stood up? Well, I'm sorry Auston, but I'm not in the mood for your annoying comments right now," you said sarcastically, feeling your tone might be a bit more aggressive than intended. However, you couldn't seem to control yourself at this moment. It turned out you were more hurt than you initially thought.

"What... no, y/n, I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd been stood up," Auston spoke, his smirk slowly fading as he noticed the genuine sadness and disappointment on your face. "Honestly, I didn't even know you were on a date; it was just a joke."

Your eyes met his, and you found yourself unable to respond immediately. While slowly, you felt tears starting to well up, but you tried your best to hold them back and not let it show. 

"I'm sorry..." you said. "I just didn’t find it particularly funny..." Your arms crossed over your chest, not defensively but more as a way to comfort yourself, as a tear trickling down your cheek, and your heart heavy with disappointment.

Auston's expression had also completely changed. He seemed almost... concerned about you?

In that moment, Auston found himself genuinely impacted by seeing you so vulnerable. You were completely exposed emotionally, and he felt a sense of empathy for you, being treated in such a manner. While you might not have been his favourite person, he also didn't believe you deserved to be treated this way. And it stirred an unexpected urge in him to offer you comfort.

So, without overthinking it, he found himself speaking up.

"Do you want to skate together?"

His words surprised both you and himself. You never expected Auston to ask you to spend time with him, let alone attempt to console you in an emotional situation.

Baffled, you stood there, still in your skates, amidst the cheerful sounds of people skating and having fun around you. You simply stared at the man before you, shaking your head gently, trying to gather your thoughts to respond.

"What?"

Auston chuckled lightly, realising the surprising nature of his question. Yet, a sense of warmth grew within him as he contemplated trying to uplift your spirits.

"I asked, do you want to skate together?"

Though still slightly baffled, you regarded him with a curious look.

"I thought you were here with your friends?"

"I am," he flashed a smile. "But they have each other – you, on the other hand, seem like you could use some company."

You weren't entirely certain what to make of this situation. Was Auston joking? Was he playing around or something?

But oddly, he seemed genuine.

"Why... would you do that?" you inquired, a curious smile forming on your lips, prompting Auston to release a soft sigh.

"Well… maybe Willy has asked me to be a little nicer to you… and, since he's my best friend, and hanging out with him also means being around you from time to time, I figured…" Auston shrugged lightly before continuing, "Maybe I can, I don't know, try and get to know you a little bit better. And since you're all alone, why not now."

You found yourself holding your breath momentarily, contemplating his words. Yet, as you observed him, his smirk faded, gently licking his lips and replaced by a soft smile on his face.

"Alright," you replied softly, meeting his gaze as your eyes reflected the city lights around the rink. “But only if you promise me one thing…”

"Which is?" 

"You won't laugh at me skating…" you timidly requested, a hint of embarrassment colouring your cheeks.

"Why would I laugh?" Auston gently smiled.

"I'm good at skating, but I'm also rather clumsy," you admitted, a small smile forming on your lips, and Auston simply replied with a casual chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall then."

After putting on his skates as well, both of you headed onto the ice together with soft laughter. And surprisingly, Auston turned out to be excellent company.

Surely, at first, it was a bit awkward. Breaking the tension that had built up over months between you wasn't easy. But gradually, as you continued skating side by side, the atmosphere lightened. William was, of course, the primary topic of your conversation, as he was your strongest common link. However, the conversation then gradually shifted to hockey – what you both liked and disliked about the sport. And soon, you found yourselves sharing personal details, discussing your upbringing and your personal stories.

Auston even laughed when you shared childhood stories about you and Willy, talking about the times when you gave him advice about girls during your teenage years. He then reciprocated by sharing stories from their road trips and the challenges of growing up while playing in the NHL. He delved into tales about his family, highlighting how supportive they had always been, and mentioned being the protective brother and the struggles he faced in finding close friends with whom he could form genuine bonds.

And this sudden display of vulnerability started to alter your perception of him, if only slightly. As you continued gliding across the ice, maintaining your closeness, Auston began discussing how many people in his life had come and gone, primarily seeking his friendship for the sake of public recognition.

You found yourself developing a small soft spot for him as he gradually opened up, revealing a side you had never seen before, one that he probably never showed to the team or to many others. And despite having tried to maintain a distance from him, you slowly came to realise that you did, in fact, know Auston quite well. You understood that he wasn't comfortable discussing emotions or engaging in heartfelt conversations, so this talk was a significant step for him.

Eventually, both of you skated to the edge of the rink to pause for a moment, a brief silence settling between you before you decided to break it with a soft sigh.

"Is that why you said those things about me when Willy first introduced me to the team?" you looked up at him, facing each other, both resting a hand on the border. "That I only wanted to be close friends with him because of fame."

Auston understood exactly what you meant, and you were spot on. That had indeed been his initial thought about you when you re-entered the life of one of his best friends.

With a gentle nod, he softly replied, "Yes."

Another quiet moment settled between you, and it became evident what this misunderstanding had truly been about. Auston's initial desire to shield Willy from a potentially damaging friendship, and your perception of him as cocky and arrogant because of his defensive stance from the start.

Once again, your eyes locked, a bit more intensely this time, as you both felt the opportunity to break free from this tension between you.

"Well, I hope I managed to prove you wrong then," you sighed softly, offering him a sweet, friendly smile.

And Auston simply matched your expression. "You did," he replied.

With a few shared light laughs, the profound tension suddenly dissipated. And a new sensation seemed to grow between you both – perhaps even a potential friendship.

But just as everything seemed to settle into a comfortable rhythm, someone suddenly appeared out of nowhere and forcefully crashed into you, causing you to fall over and straight into Auston, who lost his footing and ended up falling backward onto his back, pulling you along with him. In the midst of the fall, you accidentally collided, your head hitting his face, resulting in both of you letting out loud yells.

"Fuck!" Auston shouted.

"Shit, Aus, are you okay?"

Your head was spinning from the adrenaline rush.

"Yeah, I think I'm good... how about you?"

"Well, I did land quite softly," you tried to offer a light chuckle, prompting Auston to do the same.

And slowly, with a bit of assistance from the stranger who had accidentally bumped into you, both of you managed to regain your footing. However, your attention snapped back to Auston as you noticed something alarming.

"Fuck, your nose is bleeding!"

Auston touched his nose, confirming that it was indeed bleeding from the collision.

"Come on, let's get out of here," you suggested, gently taking his hand as you both stepped off the ice and made your way to sit on a nearby bench.

Auston tried to lean back to prevent too much bleeding, while you gently guided him and then applied a piece of tissue to his nose. Thankfully, you had had the foresight to have a package in your pocket, though not specifically for situations like this, it turned out to be quite practical.

Sitting closely on the bench, you carefully wiped the blood off his nose, feeling a twinge of guilt despite knowing the accident wasn't your fault. And Auston's intense gaze focused on you as you attended to him.

"I guess this wasn't how you thought your date would be," he chuckled.

"Maybe not," you gently smiled back. "But despite the blood, I actually think it's been a rather fun day," you softly admitted, meeting his eyes.

Auston reciprocated your smile, feeling your gentle touch close to his face.

"He's an idiot, you know, for blowing you off like this," he gently spoke, causing you to pause and look up at him.

"Thanks, but I suppose it's just my luck… you were right, I've dated so many guys, and although I promised myself never to give up on love, it's just not always easy," you softly admitted.

"Hey, it's his loss – I mean, you're... sweet, funny, and quite good-looking, so if he doesn't want to date you, he’s the one missing out. You shouldn't feel bad about it."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah... I mean... I know I haven't always treated you nicely, but... I've always thought you were hot," Auston chuckled.

"You're not too shabby yourself," you flashed him a sweet smile, eliciting another laugh from him. 

As you sat closely together amidst the vibrant winter wonderland in the heart of Toronto, both of you couldn't help but feel a sense of connection.

It felt odd.

It was as if all previous tension had vanished. You were now just two individuals, engaged in pleasant conversation, enjoying each other's company.

And Auston finally understood what William saw in you. He had never felt this comfortable opening up and expressing his thoughts to someone. No one had ever made him feel so at ease and relaxed during a heartfelt conversation like you. You were certainly something else.

But then clearing your throat, you broke the intense gaze you shared.

"Perhaps I should better get going... it's getting late, and I shouldn't be keeping you from your friends like this," you timidly suggested, looking down at your hands for a moment before beginning to unlace your skates.

With a nod, Auston followed suit, swiftly changing back into regular shoes. Standing with your skates in hand, you exchanged a sweet smile before an unexpected surge of confidence propelled you to lean in and plant a timid kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Auston... I really enjoyed spending time with you today," you softly expressed, while tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.

"You're welcome," he replied, exhaling softly. 

But then as you turned to walk away, an unexpected desire to keep you close surged within Auston. And with his free hand, he swiftly caught yours, drawing you back toward him, pressing his chest against yours before tenderly kissing your lips.

The kiss was gentle, yet both of you found yourselves leaning slightly into it. Auston dropped his skates, using his hand to cup your face, holding you just a little closer, before slowly pulling apart.

You exhaled deeply, confusion mingling with a pleasant sensation, ultimately giving way to a smile.

"So, I guess this means we're good?" you tentatively joked.

"Yeah... and the next date you're going on will be with me," Auston stated firmly, wearing a wide grin.

"God, you're way too confident," you teased, playfully rolling your eyes at him.

"Maybe, but I know you like it," he countered, raising an eyebrow before leaning in to connect your lips once again.

[cameronspecial]

Before The Last Petal Falls (Part 7)

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Reader

Warnings: Mentions of Drug Use, Drinking and a Relapse.

Pronouns: She/Her

Word Count: 2.0K

Summary: Time flies by when Y/N is home but eventually she has to go back to London. One argument leads Rafe to his next spiral.

Masterlist

Y/N sits at the kitchen island with her laptop in front of her and a mug of Earl Grey tea beside it. She is looking at different flights back to London. Cole has finished his scouting of the Outer Banks for work, which means he is heading back home, so Y/N thought it would be a good time to go too. She takes a sip of her tea as Mason enters the kitchen. “Ugh, we should’ve figured you would’ve stayed in England forever when you started drinking tea,” he grumbles tiredly, rounding the counter to rest his head on her shoulder. He takes a chance to look at her laptop. “No… You can’t go back. You just got home.” Y/N turns her head to look at Mason, “I’ve been here for almost two months, Mace. London is my home now. Just like how Toronto is now also your home. I need to get back to watch over the bookstore.” Mason gives her a pouty look. 

“But, dude, I miss my sister. You haven’t been back in five years.”

“I know, but it’s not like you can’t visit me in London. I have lots of space there for you. Sparky would love to share his dog bed with you.”

“Haha. That’s hilarious. Please stay a little longer.”

“I can’t, Mason. I love you, but I’m going back in a week. See, I’ve already booked my ticket.”

She points towards her laptop screen at the ticket she bought while he was trying to convince her to stay. At this, he groans and runs his hand down his face. “Dude, you suck,” he complains. Y/N looks at him with sad eyes, “I’m sorry. I’ll pay for a ticket for you to come visit me. I promise.” Mason looks at her with reluctant eyes and gives her a small smile. “Fine, but you have to buy me all the food that I want.” “Deal,” she agrees with a massive grin face, happy that she could cheer her brother up. 

——

Why the universe kept leading her to her ex-boyfriend’s ex is beyond her comprehension. Blythe stares at Y/N working on her laptop in the booth near the window. Blythe honestly likes Y/N, but with her recent break-up with Rafe fresh in her mind, she doesn’t really feel like sitting next to the girl that plagues his mind. Seeing as the coffee shop is filled with customers and she does not want to go back to the hotel to work, she has no choice but to ask the girl to sit across from her. She is tired of seeing the four walls of her hotel room. “Can I sit here?” she asks Y/N. The bright smile on Y/N’s face makes Blythe think that Y/N isn’t aware of the break-up, “Yeah, of course.” She takes her seat and gets to work on the paperwork she needs to do today. 

After about an hour of doing work, it’s clear the girls are running on steam, so Y/N offers to get them something to eat and drink. She returns to the table with a smile, placing the food in front of Blythe. “So what’s it like working for a hotel franchise?” she inquiries to Blythe. The hotel heiress awkwardly looks at her because she really doesn’t feel like talking, “You know, it’s here and there. I love doing the work but I’m nowhere near ready to take over.” 

“Makes sense. I mean with the wedding, I’d imagine it would be hard to juggle planning and a CEO change.”

“So you really haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

“Rafe and I broke up.”

“Was it because of the drugs?”

“Well, that certainly explains his behaviour. I guess in a way it is because it has changed how he acts. But I think it was mostly because of you.”

“Me? I promise you that I haven’t told him to break up with you or hinted that I wanted to get back together with him.”

Blythe gives her a raised eyebrow, not because she doesn’t believe her, but because the answer should be obvious. “I know you would never do that, Y/N. It’s just that, even after all these years, you’ve had this big place in his heart that I or any other person, I think, couldn’t fill. He was always meant to be for you and I think seeing you again triggered this realization for him. The universe wants him with you,” Blythe explains as gently as possible. 

Y/N looks at her with questioning eyes, “If the universe really thought that Rafe and I were meant to be, then why did it bring Cole back into my life the day we saw each other at the club? I felt pulled to go to the pool there, which doesn’t normally happen.” Blythe gives her a tight-lipped smile. “Don’t you get it? A part of your healing was being able to move on from the past. The universe might have brought you to Cole, but why does it keep bringing you back to me? I think, as some cruel joke, I meant to help you come to the same realization that Rafe came to a long time ago. That he is the one for you.” Not having anything more to say, Blythe packs up her stuff and leaves the coffee shop, leaving Y/N to wonder if what the outgoing girl said was true. 

——

Rafe had been going strong with resisting the temptation of putting any substance that could intoxicate him inside of his body. He has been doing anything that could keep his mind off of her, getting high or drunk. Working until early in the morning, helping his sisters with whatever abstract thing they could think of, doing garden work. Thankfully, it helps. Rafe enters the house on the phone with Mason. As he walks through the door, he sees his dad waiting for him at the front entrance. “Mace, I gotta go,” he mutters into the phone before hanging up. He has been avoiding his father since the break-up, knowing that Ward wouldn’t be too pleased with what happened. However, it seems Rafe couldn’t run any longer. “I don’t want to talk about it, Dad.” Ward shakes his head and approaches the boy, “Well, too bad because that’s what I want to do. How could you break up with Bltyhe? She’s perfect for the family!”

“She was going to break up with me anyway, I just did it before she could. And she may have been perfect for the family, but she isn’t perfect for me.” 

“Then who is Rafe? You haven’t been on a date with anyone other than Blythe since high school. How are you supposed to find that person if you don’t give anyone a chance?”

“We both know that I already found her. I just don’t know where we stand at the moment.”

“Y/N is not perfect for you. You are going to take over the company, here. She lives  in England.”

“What if I wanted to go to England with her? You’ve never asked me what I wanted when you were planning my whole life for me. You never asked me what I had planned. You’re lucky that I didn’t get into any of the English universities that I applied to. Because if I did, you’d probably never see me again.”

“Yeah, It’s because you weren’t smart enough for the British universities! Did you ever stop to think that maybe I didn’t think you would be good enough for anything else? That maybe that’s why I insist on you taking over Cameron Development! Because you aren’t capable of doing anything not handed to you on a silver platter.” Ward’s cruel words are like a slap in the face. All of Rafe’s insecurities come back to him and all he knows is that he needs to escape. 

——

Y/N wakes up to the buzzing of her phone. Not bothering to check who it is, she answers it, “Hello?” His slurred speech is the first thing she notices. “I need you to pick me up,” he demands into the phone, even if she can’t see him, she knows he is waving his arms around as he gives the order. She sits up completely and rubs the sleep out of her eyes, “Rafe, are you drunk? Where are you?” He slurs out a couple of words she can’t understand and then hangs up. She tries to call him again but he doesn’t answer. She swings her feet over her bed and goes to wake up Mason. 

——

She drives up to the address Mason gave her, thanks to Find My Friend, to find Rafe stumbling around the front yard. She parks the car and then hops out to retrieve him. “There she is! The girl I should be marrying,” he mumbles, walking right into her arms. She shakes her head, dragging him towards the passenger side of the car. “What are you talking about? Rafe, are you drunk?” she asks, but when she sees his dilated eyes, she knows the truth. “Please tell me you aren’t high. Tell me that you kept your promise.” He hops into the passenger seat and looks at her as though he has been caught committing a crime, which he technically is. Y/N looks at him with a broken heart, “I really wish you kept your promise.” He just sighs and she goes to the driver's side. “You don’t know what I had to deal with this afternoon,” he grumbles, crossing his arm and turning toward the window. 

“Was it your dad? About the engagement?”

“Of course, it was my dad! WHO ELSE WOULD IT BE?” 

“You don’t need to yell at me. You shouldn’t let your father get to you like this. And drugs aren’t going to solve all your problems, Rafe. You need to talk to someone.”

“Like you’re one to talk. I know part of the reason you broke up with me is because of my dad. Plus, the only person I want to talk to is currently upset at me for doing drugs. You don’t get it. I need the drugs to forget about you.” 

“Rafe… I don’t even know how to process any of that, let alone answer it. I had my reasons for our break up. You know that.”

“That’s what you keep saying. But I don’t know why you couldn’t talk to me about what was wrong. We told each other we would always tell each other about what we were worried about. And you didn’t do that. Why didn’t you do that?” 

She looks over at him with dejected eyes, turning her head back towards the road. Y/N doesn’t want to answer his question, telling the truth would make her too vulnerable and she doesn’t need to feel like that right now. She continues the journey towards his house. She parks in front of it and doesn’t say anything as he gets out of the car. “Thank you. I’ll stop bothering you from now on. You won’t hear from me again,” he murmurs without giving a single glance towards her. When she sees he entered his house, she starts hitting the steering wheel with tears running down her face. Y/N couldn’t keep her feelings in anymore. 

Rafe gets into his room and yells without a care as to who he might be waking up. He grabs the glass on his bedside table, throwing it onto the ground. He watches it shatter into millions of pieces and chucks something else onto the ground. The door to his room creaks open. Wheezie peeks her head through the door, “Rafe, are you okay?” All he can do is scream at her, launching the alarm cloak he is holding at the door. She yips in fear, closing the door to protect herself. He finishes his attacks and slams his back against the wall. He lets himself slide down so he is sitting. Rafe buries his head into his hands and lets out a gut-wrenching sob. Both Y/N and Rafe went to bed that night with pain in their hearts and one question in their minds. Will they ever find a way back to each other?

Taglist: @sublimepenguinpeach-blog @gillybear17 @f4ll-for-you @winterrrnight @maggiecc @magicwithaknife @loves0phelia @jiarapamuk @blisslove @baby19sthings @thelomlisrafecameron

[lovelyinconsistentices]

°˖➴ 𝙿𝙾𝙲𝙺𝙴𝚃 𝙻𝙸𝙽𝚃 ⋆· ༘ *

‧₊˚ ꩜彡┆𝚂𝚄𝙼𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚈 .ᐟ

Ftm reader x Lucas Lee, fluff. Now that Scott is back, the show must go on. This time at the Rockit, a new band is introduced. Unlike Sex Bob-omb they have pretty good marketing, the posters plastered almost everywhere in Toronto. During a usual shift at second cup, a friend of Lucas's comes in for coffee and comes across a flyer on the board for the band along with that night's competition.

He suggests going out for drinks and checking it out, which soon has Lucas finding himself in the club of Rockit. Where he meets Scott and assumes he's another Scott but isn't, something that wasn't anything new as the two were known for getting mixed up at parties and things of the sort. After all the two had a couple things in common, with them both being the bass player for their bands. But Lucas finds himself drawn to the male, wanting to get to know him.

✎ᝰ.┆𝙶𝙴𝙽𝚁𝙴 .ᐟ

Lucas Lee X Ftm Reader, fluff.

Requested by an anon, I hope you enjoy it and I'm so sorry for the wait! <33

A sigh left your lips as you stood there, raising the beer bottle to your lips and taking a sip. You stood there tapping your foot against the floor, trying to calm your nerves. Your band was to be next, two bands after the one playing right now, compared to the opening band they were average. Nothing special but still people seemed to like them, their bass player was good or at least that's what you believed so you'd give that to them.

As for why you were standing here near the bar, trying to soothe any anxiety you had instead of making sure everything was ready with your band. You had needed a small break, something to distract you from all the overbearing thoughts that were filling your head. Which of course did become helpful in the end, just not the way you intended. As you listened to familiar faces or just random people who knew of you from parties speak to you about events or rumors they heard about "you", the first thing to ever leave some of their lips is usually the fact they thought you were dead.

Which truly confused you, when did you die? And that's when it hit you right there and then, they were getting you mixed with Scott Pilgrim. The loser who was dating or dated a highschooler, and the bass player of Sex Bob-omb who was coincidentally just now going on as you watched them move across the stage. Getting in their positions, this time an unfamiliar face following suit.

You sighed again as you questioned how anyone would get you mixed up with him unless they hadn't seen his face or knew his full name which was overall stupid, after all Scott was a pretty common name and it would be smart to get his last name but then again most of these people you met at parties so what did you expect. You truly found it irritating whenever you got mixed up with the male, it being slightly offensive as well. You did not date a highschooler and never would do anything so sick in the first place, you also did not die as you stood here now perfectly fine.

Which did make you wonder if he faked his death as he was now back, standing on the stage in one piece and alive as he played with Sex Bob-omb. The only reason you didn't confront people over this was because you were horrible when it came to socializing and there's the fact sometimes people would be messing around with you, and you wouldn't even realize. You also were overall just terrible with confrontation, leaving you to just respond with how they got the wrong Scott.

But that didn't matter now, setting the bottle down and taking a seat you pondered on ways to make your nervousness slowly dissipate as someone sat down next to you. "One beer, please." He beamed as he pulled his shades off, smirking at the bartender who immediately recognized him and got to grabbing the man a beer. Soon shifting to the side as his gaze trailed across the crowd and then settled on you, your eye's widened as his met yours.

This wasn't good, you were already dealing with anxiety and now you were sitting next to someone who didn't even look like he'd be found a club like Rockit, where they were now holding a competition for shitty bands to compete. Of course you knew better than to judge someone by their appearance, as who knows why he was here. And then there's the fact he could just have an eccentric taste, truthfully he looked like a Johnny Bravo wannabe but he was pulling it off at least.

But besides that fact, you felt intimidated by him and that just added onto you not being able to socialize well. As the male flashed a grin, "You don't have to stare at me like that, I know. I'm awesome." He stated as he took the beer from the man behind the counter. Picking up a pen as he immediately wrote his signature down on his recipet, then placing it down and handing you it. You were confused as your eyebrows furrowed, was he apart of a band perhaps?

You hadn't recognized any of the bands names on the list so it was hard to tell, if not then maybe some type of celebrity or something? But here in Rockit? Talk about strange, he did look like he could possibly be a model though. His tall and muscular build could easily be eye candy for a lot of people, so maybe he really was a model. It would make sense in a way with how he carried himself, you shook your head before finally asking the question that was plaguing your mind.

Taking the receipt as you spoke, "Sorry, who are you?" And just like that you were met with silence which you quietly panicked inside at. The man just peering down at you for a few minutes before repeating the question you had said out loud, "Who am I? Well, I'm the one and only Lucas Lee of course." His response didn't help you much but you knew you had heard the name before as you stared down at his signature on the receipt. You honestly didn't know what to say in return as you scrambled through your mind for an answer to where you had heard it from.

And that's when you were reminded of who he was, your eyes widening as you looked back up at the male. A famous actor, was he? You remembered your bandmate "Sookie" gushing about how he was now working at second cup, which was exactly where she had gotten his autograph. You had barely been paying attention as you watched her mouth move, that same glittery gloss she wore painting her lips. Seems his acting career was over because of some scandal you did not know of, or that's what you at least have memory of.

Your fingers loosely gripped the receipt as you nodded, about to say something before being interrupted by someone shouting your name. Two familiar figures were heading over to you, your eyes settling on them immediately as you questioned what they wanted. The two being Sookie and Mo, of course. Sookie had her hair tied up in a ponytail, the familiar black curls all bunched up. Her nails painted pink and that same glittery lip gloss she always wore on her lips, as she spoke out, her words were muffled by the bustling crowd around them.

Mo followed behind, his style never changing as he wore his regularly white button up shirt with some weird tie that matched his socks. Today's theme being, Garfield? Was that right? You couldn't tell really, as they moved through the crowd you waved them over. You were going to turn back to apologize to Lucas when a loud squeal was heard, you instantly recognized it as Sookie's as the two had finally made it over. Your eyebrows furrowing as you hoped you didn't have to deal with her fan-girling over the man while you stood there awkwardly, your nerves getting worse.

Her lips curved into a smile as she quickly made her way towards the two, settling right beside you. It was no lie that you loved Sookie but sometimes she could be too much for your own good, with her being a burst of joy and the talkative one of the bunch. While you tried to hide in the shadows because you were horrible with chatting and didn't understand social ques, which had made things pretty awkward at times. Causing you to get paranoid about how you appeared to certain people.

Sex Bob-omb was just now finishing their performance which soon led to a new band coming on stage, meaning Pocket Lint was next. That explaining why the two came out. Probably to make sure you were okay and didn't bale on them, which would be the least of their worries as Mo was always the one vanishing. It didn't matter much as he dealt with promoting and getting the bands name around, those flyers for Pocket Lint plastered all around Toronto being made by him after all.

He wasn't apart of their band anyways really as he had his own to deal with, him being new to Canada and American caught their guitarists attention. Then there was the fact he was apart of a semi-popular band which the male was having problems with, as you had heard all about him dipping on them during a show that Rockit held last week. Seems he was physically and mentally struggling with some things at the moment, as Sookie described how he had a whole new wardrobe and appearance switch. Wanting to change everything.

Arzhel their guitarist wanted to try and get him to join as he was his bands vocals, with Pocket Lint needing their own vocalist as Arzhel dealt with most of the singing and Sookie sticked to the drums while helping out with lyric writing. The three of you being tight knit together as you were their bass player, overall everything was pretty good and Mo helped quite a bit. So it was nice to have him around when needed.

You had just gotten another beer while you watched Sookie talk to the male, beaming about the band and other things. With Lucas soon ending it by giving her another autograph, this time signing her bag which filled her with excitement. Thank God it was just Lucas Lee out of all people, who knows what would've happened if you ran into Envy Adams. You'd have to hold her back from pouncing and bombarding the rockstar with questions, as well praise.

Of course that was a more dramatic reenactment of the situation but you wouldn't be surprised as Sookie absolutely adored the singer, which you truthfully found cute and it made everything easier as you knew exactly what to get when it came to presents. As you had gotten her Clash at demon's head latest album along with some other things you'd believe she liked for her last birthday, to say she was pleased would be an understatement.

As your face had blemishes on it, mainly because of the red lipstick that had beared her lips that night. The memory had brought a smile to your lips as you rolled your eyes, watching the woman finally make her way torwards Mo who seemed to be lost in conversation with a familiar face that you forgot the name of. Your eyes soon leaving the three as you glanced back at Lucas, who had just now asked you a question.

"You, have we met before?" You raised an eyebrow at his question, muttering a simple no as you pondered on why the two of you would've met which you then remembered he could possibly be talking about Scott Pilgrim. "I'm the other Scott, not Scott Pilgrim." He responded, his eyes meeting the male's eyes again. Watching as Lucas thought it over, nodding with a smirk. "Well other Scott, it's nice to meet you. I heard you're apart of a band?" He asked as he stood there.

He was interested in you, though of course that wasn't clear. He just found it amusing that you treated him as if he didn't use to be some famous star, the receipt you had from him now crumpled up and laying on the counter. You hadn't even realized you did that, just a regular occurrence of yours as you weren't the the type to keep receipts. You soon took another sip from the beer in hand, "Yeah," your lips parting as you stood there thinking of how to respond.

"We go on next, me and my band. Pocket Lint, we're pretty good. If you're not bored by the end you could come hang out, that's if you're interested. I'm sure Sookie would enjoy that." You wanted to say you would be happy to have him around for the night that way you could get to know him more but of course anxiety got the best of you, maybe come to an understanding as to why your drummer loved him so much besides well his looks.

You were fairly surprised that you had even managed to keep conversation with the male, perhaps the alcohol in your system pushed you a bit. Or Lucas just had an aura about him that made it easy to talk to him but even so you were still worrying about what he thought, after all he was a famous star in the past. You watched as the man grabbed a napkin, writing something down. Before holding it out, peering down at your hands to watch you take it before he brought his gaze back to your eyes.

"Definitely, I'll be there. Call me, won't ya?" He stated with a wink, your fingers brushed against his as you took the napkin while ignoring the playful wink he gave you. Reading his number over in your head as you stared down at it, you were careful as you put it in the bag hanging from your shoulder. Adjusting the strap before humming, "I should really get going, I don't want Arzhel yelling at me. I'll see you around though, later?" He questioned with a small smile which Lucas returned with "Of course." While waving you off as he ordered another beer.

Now here you and your band were stuck at Arzhel's house, Mo drunk, practically topless as his unbuttoned shirt hanged from his torso and wearing only his boxers along with it which were Garfield themed like the rest of his outfit. You were shocked to not find his bra to be Garfield themed at this point, talk about bold. But that's just how the male was, he even had a collection of converse's that were multiple colors. Wearing the black ones now, instead of his black oxfords. Which truly made the lasagna socks he had on pop, it sounded ridiculous and looked ridiculous in some people's eyes like Arzhel but hey it was a sense of style.

As for Arzhel he was currently picking up behind him, as he grabbed the familiar pair of black pin-striped pants off the floor of his living room. A cigarette dangling from his lips as he rolled his eyes, watching the other male empty a glass of red wine as he plopped down onto the couch next to Sookie. Her pulling his head against her body causing him to lean against her with a sigh as his gaze settled on you, he waved the glass at you with a smile which caused you to let out a sigh in response.

Pondering on if the male would be okay, since he had an argument with his bandmates, he had been sticking around when he could and if he wasn't then he was drinking or sleeping his problems away with some new random person he met at a party. Or at least trying to do so, the sound of Sookie humming as she ran her fingers through his hair with a smile was heard. You watched as Arzhel slowly made his way towards the two, peeling Mo's fingers away from the wine glass as he shut down his complaints with a soft hush.

The four of you were overall exhausted, it being an hour since you left Rockit with a drunk Mo. You had tried finding Lucas after your show but were swept away in the crowd, and in the end never found him, but you did have one thing. His number, you held the crumpled receipt and the napkin in your hand as you stared down at the numbers. Pondering on what to say if you called him, anxiety filling your chest as you listened to Arzhel ask Mo if he'd be staying the night which the male just scoffed and answered with an of course.

You then cursed under your breath before speaking, "Sorry, do y'all think y'all be able to take care of him without me? I have somewhere I want to be, if that's fine." Snookie smiled and nodded, not minding at all while Arzhel patted Mo on the shoulder as he rised. "Don't even have to ask, just don't go getting yourself into trouble and if you're drinking, get a friend. We'll take care of Mo, he'll be fine plus he's been staying at my place for a while anyways so I got him." He explained with a muffled tone as he moved, placing the clothes down on the coffee table before walking past you and nodding at you as he pulled the cigarette from his lips with an exhale.

Which you nodded in return, Sookie soon spoke as she glanced at you for a few minutes. "Have fun!" She winked, which caused you to raise an eyebrow but you shrugged it off. Making your way towards the front door, grabbing the coat off the rack and taking a step outside. Soon you had your phone in hand, pressing each button to dial in the actors number. Then bringing it to your ear as you walked, praying he'd pick up as you exhaled.

It didn't take long for someone to pick up on the other side of the line, you heard the familiar tone of Lucas's voice. "Hello, this is Lucas Lee speaking." Which earned a soft chuckle from you as you stopped in place, causing the male to speak again. "Other Scott?" He questioned, which caused you to picture him raising his eyebrow as he asked. "Yeah, it's me. Other Scott, or well just Scott," He pointed out as he started walking again, "I wanted to know if you're still up for hanging out, or is it too late?"

"No, not at all. I'm always ready for a party." A grin dancing on his lips as he joked, but you didn't catch it as you responded. "I meant alone but I could figure something out if you would prefer being around more people, my bandmates are resting so I might have to dig a bit online." You were soon met with his signature chuckle as you heard the sound of shuffling and digging through the phone, Lucas obviously doing something on the other side. "We can spend some time together, alone. Got a a place in mind?" His voice even thicker than how he had answered the phone at first, perhaps he had just been asleep before you called.

"There's a park, the one with that weird statue of some guy I forgot the name of. It's next to the skatepark if I remember." You soon trailed off as you pondered on the street name, soon telling him the location which caused Lucas to hum before speaking. "I'll be there, give me fifteen minutes. Nothing more, nothing less." It didn't take long before he hung up, you smiling as you fist pumped in your head. Glad that went well, as you relaxed. Your anxiety slowly dissipating, while you started walking at a faster place.

It didn't take long for you to arrive at the park, your hands fumbling with the receipt you still had as you tried to straighten it out as best as you could. Sitting on a bench as you waited for the man, the sound of wheels rolling against concrete soon reaching your ears. As you raised your head, you were met with the familiar figure of Lucas, this time wearing his leather jacket. His skateboard emitted a grinding noise as it grounded to a halt, the wheels scraping against the pavement.

Soon propelling the skateboard upward and effortlessly catching it in his hand, his eyes fixating on you as he moved torwards the bench and took a seat next to you. "So, come here often?" He wondered as his eyes fell on your face, his breathing releasing a visible puff of air from his lips. Then dissipating into the cold atmosphere, you nodded as you watched his lips. Something you had grown used to, always watching everyone's lips move as they spoke.

"I guess, I usually just come when I need a break or some fresh air. It's the perfect place to relax at night after a long day." You explained to him as you fidgeted with your fingers, glancing away every few minutes before focusing on his lips again as he started talking. "I see, it is quite nice. Peaceful even." His eyes not leaving you once as he watched your expression and body language, his eyes soon settling on the receipt that he didn't even notice you took after leaving the bar.

For some reason it made him feel warm, something so small but significant in a way. Even though you didn't know of him that much or minded him being an actor you still seemed to care, it was sweet in a way. His gaze followed your fingers as you blowed at them, trying to warm them up. You soon glancing at the male with an eyebrow raised, your lips parting as you pondered what had him so lost in thought.

What he said next really shocked you in a way, as you stared at him. "If you let me, I could help keep your hands warm." He uttered out loud, surprising himself even but it wasn't notable with his expression being blank. You wondered what he meant by that as you sat there, holding your hands out with a nod. Watching as he took hold of your hands, covering yours with his and bringing them to his lips as he intertwined his fingers with yours. Gently blowing at them, his eyebrows furrowing as he focused.

Your eyes widened at the gesture, it did help in a way but also caused a bubble of nerves to rise. But not the bad kind, more like butterflies in your stomach. You felt warm, you couldn't focus on his eyes or lips anymore. Just staring at your fingers as you thought of what to say, letting out a heavy breath. This wasn't what you expected for the night as you sat there, watching him closely. "Is that helping?" He asked as his eyes met yours making your breath get caught in your throat, making it even more difficult to say anything.

It took a minute before you could say anything, not being able to peel your eyes away from his. "Yeah, it is." You muttered, your voice coming out gravelly. You didn't pull your hands away and he didn't let go as his focus went back to your hands, continuing to gently blow at them. Silence filling the air as you both had sat there together, you savoring the moment of subtle intimacy as you acknowledged the way he squeezed your hands every couple minutes. If this was how you were to end your night, you didn't mind at all. If anything enjoying it.

Once done he lowered your hands but kept his fingers intertwined with them and truthfully you didn't want to pull your hands away, finding it comforting. As you leaned back against the bench, relaxing with a sigh of relief. Your gaze settling on the sky, it seems you'd be here for a bit and you didn't mind it all. Basking in the silence and the moment, he was right about it being peaceful but it was even better now that you had someone with you.

[sketchfanda]

Kirishima's Mystique: Weapon XXX-23

Canada, the great white north, a vast wide little land consisting of regions such as Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec. Currently within the serene wildness of the Canadian rockies, our resident Red Riot and his cotton candy link Alien Queen were having themselves a little camping trip. Nothing said summer fan like gong hiking around a different country as the sturdy and acidic pair were busy setting up shop. Mina busy prepping the picnic spot and gathering up some kindling for a campfire, that is when she wasn’t busy stealing some glances at her man.

Sensually biting her lip as his tanktop did a grand job showing off that pair of gun shows he called his arms. If there was a vet around,she’d have to call about some “sick pythons”, that was for sure, his biceps and biceps pumped and flexed from all that effort and goddamn was it making her thirsty as all fuck. Rubbing her thighs together as she tried to keep her dirty thoughts at bay, at least until they'd finished setting up camp. Pouting adorably as she thought of how lonely she and Kirishima felt without the third wheel of their tricycle.

Mina:"It's still such a bummer Maya couldn't join us on this trip. I mean granted not often she gets to visit home..."*The cotton candy bombshell quipped as she was still feeling a bit incomplete without their shared girlfriend. Maya of course was indeed spending a week or two in her home of Jagua del Toro which did remind Mina of one thing. They definitely had to go their for sure, she just knew that place wasn't just famous for its beaches, but especially the babes. The kind of babes she and Maya knew would get their Riot all nice and riled up....*

Kirishima:"Ah it is what it is, sometimes but hey next time around we might go with her there, right?"*The sturdy hero quipped in response as he continued nearing completion of the tent. Missing the erotic leer Mina shot his way as she began making her way towards him, lust glowing in her golden racoon eyes. Who could blame her when her man was looking so delicious and fuckable, those firm muscles of his in motion as he worked away on setting up their camp. She had to think it wasn't all bad given she and Kirishima could fuck as much as they wanted, loud as they wanted without anyone to bother them but the critters of nature.*

Any further personal musings of thought or conversation dirty or otherwise when they heard some very loud sounds incoming from nearby their way. Sounds of a very telltale nature that implied combat and conflict of a struggle that was very intense. Being of heroic personality of course the red and pink duo knew they had to intervene and go see what the situation was and just their luck that had to be quite a doozy. Upon investigation of course that wound up being proven to be quite the understatement.

But of course how often were you to likely run into some petite but well toned feisty but fierce girl clad in leather swinging pair of duel bladed claws in her hands like a wild animal. Small wonder she was fighting of course given she was going up against a group of misfits from the infamous Brotherhood, one of the most notorious quirk supremacist gangs around. Suffice to say that what was followed was an intense battle to say the least but numbers weren’t a problem when You had a duo like Pinky and Red Riot backing you up. Oh come on, you really think I’m gonna go into details about how the battle went?

Yeah I thought so, we all know what you’re all really here for so let’s get this show on the road, shall we? After the ragtag renegade band of villains were rounded up followed by some questions and statements with local law enforcement, the red and pink duo were soo back in their camp now with the added company of their new friend they'd saved. A young girl by the name of X-23, or Laura as she found most preferred to call her and to say her lifestory was complex and tragic was an understatement. But she wasn't one to dwell on the past, least compared to how she was then compared to now though it could be hard to tell with how calm, composed and stoic she was.

But she proved to be willing to try and socialise and it helped that Kirishima and Mina had a natural friendliness and affability about them that made them easy to like. Laura certainly had to say mina's peppy motor mouth and spunkiness rather reminded her of Jubilee in a way as the trio enjoyed some small talk and a little bit of the natural tranquillity and serenity of nature of course. Soon of course dusk began to make itself known as the Canadian wilderness became bathed in the fading light and shade of the setting sun as the trio enjoyed a little peace and quiet and making some s'mores around the campfire before Kirishima and Mina decided to call it a night but not before offering to set up a spare tent for Laura to enjoy some privacy as well as peace and quiet. Leaving her be to enjoy the campire while it lasted as they ducked into their own tent a few feet away.

Laura of course wasn't clueless or naive as she seemed to the duo and what they were really up to at this very moment. Her enhanced senses could pick up the sounds and scents of what was going on so close yet so far from her in their tent. The slapping of skin on skin, the clapping of asscheeks as Mina struggled to keep her volume down against the relentless assault of pleasure coming from her boyfriend as he danced the oldest dance known to men and woman with her sexy pink self. It was, quite frankly, intoxicating for the young woman as she felt leather clad thighs becoming soaked with sticky nectar flowing from her quivering pussy.

Oh she certainly appreciated their civility and politeness in not wanting to disturb or offend her with their passion and desire but if anything it made her curios. Despite how cool, calm and stoic she seemed, internally was a different story as she felt that innate primal beast within her stirring. The beast within that desired to mate and breed, sensing the presence of a strong, worthy alpha male, an instinct she felt the moment she'd laid eyes on Kirishima and his feats of strength and power from when he and Mina had helped her out earlier today. Hence she saw no lack of logic in her next set of moves to make as she got up from her seat by the weakening campfire and made her way over the lovers' tent.

The closer she got, the more intense the sounds and scents of their erotic mating hit her senses turning her on something fierce, a glowing red blush on her face as she silently panted with husky desire, eyes glowing with rising lust as she approached the tent. Kneeling down as she stealthily, slowly unzipped the entry way and peeked inside to find quite the delightful show happening before her. The sight of Mina mounted atop her chivalrous Himbo cowgirl style as she bounced her bubbly cotton candy pink booty on that shaft of his. Which she could gleam had to have quite the length and girth on it if the rising bump in Mina's stomach was anything to go by, the alien queen sensually biting her lip, perky pink titties bouncing as she caressed her man's washboard abs while he held her hips firmly.

Eijiro of course hadn't yet noticed their sudden voyeur but Mina's lust hazed golden eyes did, sending her a secret sensual smile Laura's way. The goth-like Wolverine clone knowing enough body language to know Mina wasn't just asking if she was enjoying this show but inviting her to join. After all why watch when it'd be better to share the fun together? Laura of course got the hint easily enough as to Mina’s delight, she began to strip down until she was naked as the day she was born.

Kirishima of course was none the wiser until he suddenly found his view of Mina bouncing on his Lil’ Riot suddenly obscured by Laura straddling his face as she sat and parked her toned perky ass atop it. Grinding and rubbing her slit before she let out soft gasps and moans as she felt his tongue respond to lick and lap away at her flowing nectar. Mina's sensual smile widening as she continued to bounce away on her lover's cock, leaning forward to press her lip's to their new sex friend's own. Tongues dancing together in their growing bond of intimacy as the girl most knew as X-23 expressed her gratitude in a way that felt fun and natural for her.

The campfire had long since gone out but the fires of passion in this threesome only continued to burn bright well long into the night as moans and the primal rhythm of skin on skin filled the wild Canadian air. The tent a tangle of limbs shifting and dancing through a variety of positions and combinations of 2 on one to one on one as one third of the kinky group would catch their breaths. Laura or Mina eating one another out as the hard-headed redhead pounded them doggy style or in missionary to Mina fingering herself with erotic delight as she looked on at the female Wolverine getting it deep and hard in a mating press. Laura was clearly no virgin by any stretch but hotdamn if it wasn't clear she hadn't been with someone on the level that Kirishima and his Alien Queen were at, and this was without their resident blue shapeshifting bombshell girlfriend!!

Naturally Mina was making plans to send Maya the details of this illicit little encounter with their lovely new friend, that is once they woke up in the morning of course. Right at the moment was about feeling as good as they possibly can, as Laura herself now watched on as she recovered her stamina. Probing her pussy with her fingers as she looked on at Mina getting it deep and hard while that flexible bubblegum pink bombshell body of hers was held by Kirishima in a full nelson as he knelt on the tent ground. Grunting and groaning as Mina was rocked with orgasms which only skyrocketed as she soon found Laura licking away at their conjoined loins, lust glowing in those cool eyes of hers. Which the horned girl of course found so damn hot....

By the time this little threesome had finally finished, dawn was kicking in as it bathed the wilderness in the radiant glow of sunrise's light. The tent warmly glowing adding to the afterglow shared by the 3 as Laura laid draped atop Kirishima while Mina spooned and hugged her boyfriend's side. Their bodies glistening with sweat and spent juices as Laura held a soft, rare little smile on her face, thinking to herself she needed more than just the one night. Reminding herself that she had come out looking to find herself spiritually and now she was thinking maybe she might be able to do that if she transferred to Japan, especially once she learned which campus Kirishima and Mina went to.

Not long after this unexpected acquaintanceship encounter in Canada, Laura's well known, imfamous father had his clone daughtered texting with enquiries about arranging a transfer or entry into an exchange program for hero schools in Japan. While Maya found herself getting a delightful surprise in the form of a few texts and videos, especially of the sexy variety from her fave Pinky and definitely liking what she saw. Reminding herself she should definitely get a few of her gal pals in Jagua to come meet her girlfriend and especially their boyfriend and ooh some gals in Japan should definitelt come to her little home paradise. The beaches were hot but the dudes and bitches were hotter!!

Sometimes it wasn't easy being a student for a hero school, especially when yours was the generation that had to deal with quirk erasing yakuza bosses, a quirk hoarder with a demon god complex and a nihilistic hand-freak among other things. But other times it made for quite the love life when you found romance especially when going camping somewhere like in some woods in Canada made you get lucky. Yeah a mouthful I know but hey, you know what they say. How sweet it is....

[luvhughes43]

any thoughts abt toddler lila & jamie??

so many that i honestly need to be stopped

lila is a very needy/cuddly toddler. she wants attention all the time and constantly wants to be held. jamie of course doesnt mind, wanting nothing more than to hold his girl, but it becomes an issue when he's away on roadies and she misses him.

she has a phase during the off-season where she only wants jamie (she'll tolerate mom) to do things for her. as well as clingy, she's very shy so it takes awhile for her to get used to new people. its really hard on jamie and moms family because when theyre back home in toronto she only wants jamie and so the family feel like theyre losing out on a lot of quality time with lila because they dont live near her.

during that phase she wails and cries whenever someone holds her until she gets used to spending time with her grandparents, etc.

one of lilas favourite movies is the little mermaid and so when she learns the word "fish" jamies immediately booking tickets for them to go to ripleys so they can see all the fishes!

lila has her dad absolutely wrapped around her little finger. she loves her books, especially when jamie reads to her because he does all the little voices for her. anyway, he'll be talking to his brother / friends or something and lila will come toddling over, book in hand, and just starts climbing jamies legs so he sets her in his lap. as soon as the word "book" leaves her mouth jamie is apologizing to whoever hes talking to before turning all his attention to his daughter and her book.

lila has a bunch of teddys but her favourites are one trevor got her when she was first born, and a build a bear rabbit with jamies voice telling her he loves her. she plays it nonstop when hes on roadies.

for like a month lila calls jamie "honey" because thats one of moms nicknames for him. its soo adorable. the first time she does it is the morning after a game where jamie got hit pretty hard. hes trying not to show that hes sore but lila just says in her small baby voice "honey you ok?" jamie and mom are all smiles and giggles as lila continues to call jamie honey whenever she sees him

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

Episode 2

They’re in NY. It’s November 2021. They are running away from paparazzi that…aren’t there? Meghan says there was a guy recording them in the basement but the footage is Kate and Diana. Lol, they are in the NJ Turnpike pretending they are being followed by paps. This is bizarre and hilarious.

More bitching about social media harassment, which is apparently a bunch of Twitter posts. 

Doria does a confessional. Why isn’t Doria pretending she didn’t know who Harry was? Didn’t she get the brief? How does the yoga teacher know about the royals but the Northwestern International Relations graduate does not? She knew right away too. It’s a weird disconnect and the show is full of them. Every two minutes they say something that makes you go “Whaaaaaat? Didn’t they just say….”

Relationship breaks. They “felt tremendous relief.” Of course they did. They leaked it. No mention of the Reitman’s collection or the fact that this was leaking during on of Charles’ big trips. No spooning bananas instagram pic either.

Tatcha CEO is credited as “friend.” Wellness podcaster “friend.” Former agent.  Lol, these people are business associates, not friends. First mention of Meghan’s fauxlantropist work, which baffles me as they should have led with that. “Childhood friend” of Harry’s that I never heard of shows up again. Harry really was ringing up everyone in the Eton yearbook trying to find some desperate classmate hungry for exposure. Montage of the press Sunshine Sachs and Nina Crowne set up for her—UN, Rwanda, etc…. They did nice work and they should have spent more time on this. But maybe not. Someone may start wondering what happened to her passion for Rwandan women’s political rights, hygiene, and menstrual pads. But if you pay for an expensive pr makeover you should use it.

According to Tom Bower she was paying SS $7500/mo and I’m amazed at what a good pr company can do with a four figure monthly stipend. The “classy” makeover lasted three months so they turned her into a humanitarian princess for less than $25k. Impressive.

Flower shop pap walk. Interesting choice since this wasn’t the first pap shot of Meghan and she seems to imply it was. The first pap shot was days earlier at her house and she had a security team with her. I wonder why she picked the flower shop shot which is actually a lot less intrusive (in appearance at least) than the real first pic. Maybe because she had security in the earlier picture? Meghan claims there were 8 or 9 paps at the flower shop but there’s only one video so that seems unlikely. Shop wasn’t anywhere near her house also. Rumor was Marcus took this shot. Maybe she was trying to send some money his way by using his pic.

Stock video of paps because she has no video of paps chasing her of course. Pics of official royal events. 

Back to Toronto. Lol, those are clearly security guards in her porch and not paps. Ditto with her landlord’s security cameras. I think there was a DM article when those went up and Legion Media’s pic still states that those cameras were mounted on what was Meghan’s garage and not on her neighbor’s house as the documentary implies. 

At least she doesn’t mention the fake break-in. Guess she knows that won’t fly anymore. But still, how can you show video from the cameras in front of the house and then claim the cameras in the back were from the neighbors? Obviously the house had cameras in the back too.

[Edited to add: She says Toronto police didn't protect her and the police strongly disagree.]

“My face was everywhere, my life was everywhere.” She blames the tabloids, but that wasn’t true. You were leaking stories to US Weekly and Lainey every other day, girl. It was part of your “classy” makeover. No mention of that weird video of Ivy Mulroney that was sent to the DM. Odd since you would think that would be a big intrusion, if it had been done by a pap.

“There were things that were said and things that were written that I had to go to her to ask.” That would be the cheating on Cory and Del Zotto, I guess.

Back to LA. My husband asks what she did to her nose. It does look weird in this shot.

Doria and Meghan tour LA and Meghan’s life was not that interesting. This should have been edited, heavily. I do love that she sold the same childhood pics her dad sold. Like father, like daughter. Dish soap commercial. My husband asks how much plastic surgery she has had because she looks nothing like her old self. Interesting that he’s only half-watching and his main impressions are drugs and plastic surgery.

Racism and media persecution. Wait, some of these pics are from before the relationship broke. They are from the paps she hired during her European vacation with Jess. 

Academic guy blames the UK tabloids for fanning the madness. No mention of Omid Scobie and USWeekly, who were the ones steadily pushing the romance narrative with stories about Charles meeting her at Birkhall and William meeting her at Kensington Palace, as well as their vacation plans.

And Lainey Liu was boasting that the US mags were getting the scoops and not the UK tabloids because Harry was feeding the stories only to the US. So why blame the UK tabloids, Harry? You knew what you were doing. They could finesse this in 2016 when no one knew that Lainey was friends with Meghan and that Omid was their mouthpiece, but that is not the case anymore. Their unofficial biographer was leaking these stories in 2016. It was not the UK tabloids! 

And then there was Meghan herself, Instagramming all over the place.

Whole Foods pap walk. According to Tom Bower, Richard Kay was the guy who got the pic. Unbelievable. That actually surprised me. No wonder that detail was never released. No one would have believed that Diana's big confidante just randomly noticed Meghan walking into KP.

Kensington Palace statement. No mention of William supporting the statement. No mention of the Caribbean tour that got overshadowed by the romance.

 NAACP award really was in front of a green screen with an applause soundtrack.  LOLOLOLOL. It looks so sad, particularly when compared to the footage of the royal events. I think this is supposed to show that their life is better than before (They get awards! In front of green screens!) but it gives the exact opposite impression.

Harry with the hummingbird feeder also looks sad and pathetic. Archie could be in Africa petting elephants but he’s in Cali admiring hummingbirds instead.

Meghan’s personal assistant talks about how she would be recognized in the Toronto grocery stores. Lol, no. She wishes!

Security stuff, including complaints about paps around the Suits trailers which seems odd to me since those are pretty standard for television productions. Also, why are the Invictus Games pictures intrusive? Suits security guy says they were coordinating her security with the palace and “they would handle that stuff.” Interesting detail since she claims she wasn’t protected by the palace and Harry was “hearing this from miles away, completely helpless.” Apparently, she was protected and from day one. Did they watch this before they sent it to Netflix? Did they not notice that half the stuff they put in it contradicts the other half? 

Boring stuff…April 2017 already? They are booking flights to Pippa’s wedding and her Vanity Fair photoshoot through texts. LOL, she was doing a huge interview at the time, but she’s complaining about media intrusion. Make it make sense.

Pics with friends riding bikes. Old pic in her Toronto kitchen. Did they use this one twice? I would not have used it even once. Wait, was this what she was wearing when she met Will and Kate? LOLOLOLOL. “That formality carried over in real life.” I guess Kate was wearing shoes when she met Meghan. The nerve of that girl!

Andrew helped them ambush the Queen at Royal Lodge. That got leaked to Scobie at US Weekly too.

“How do you explain that you have to bow to your grandmother?” Uh, she was like….The Queen? What part of that is hard to understand?

She just compared meeting the Queen to Medieval Times. Wow. Big, exaggerated curtsy. She sounds and looks like an idiot. Fergie said she did great. Of course she did. She didn’t know how to curtsy? How does someone go through high school theater in the United States of Disney without knowing how to curtsy? [Edited: HRH Emilie found a clip of a curtsy scene she did for Suits because of course she did]

His family was impressed. LOL, I don’t think so. The actress thing was the biggest problem…wait, wasn’t her race the biggest problem? Can’t they keep their stories straight?

Interestingly the very first Blind Gossip blind was about how her profession was the problem and not her race. I suspected these blinds came from the Yorks and now I feel pretty good about that guess.

Meghan’s career. No blow-job or cocaine scene. No mention of her old blog. Interesting. I guess I can sort of understand that, but no mention of Trevor either? Are they going to pretend she was never married? No stories about being poor and crawling out of the back of her dad’s old truck either.

First biracial character? Eh, no. Meg was the glue for a lot of those cast relationships, but only one cast members participated in the documentary. Did no one do a consistency check on this show?

Screenshot of the Tig…with Cory front and center. That is hilarious because I don’t think they’ve mentioned him yet. Okay, now I’m sure Meghan didn’t watch this before it went live. She would have caught that and asked them to use a different shot.

“I didn’t want to find the great indie film that would win me an Oscar. I just wanted to volunteer.” She was literally releasing an indie film at this time. It was terrible. This documentary is like a lie-a-thon. Every other statement is a complete lie.

UN Speech. Is the crowd shot a stock picture (or archival picture, whichever is the right term)?  It feels edited in. Jump to September 2021 at the UN. Okay, so the whole point of that meeting was the documentary. We knew that.

Proposal. He couldn’t do it outside the UK? Everyone else has done so outside the UK. What are you talking about, Harry?

Also, no mention of her appearance at Invictus Games? How come none of their charities are getting shout-outs? No mention of the “Mad About Harry” Vanity Fair article or the backlash and you’d think that would be a big deal because she eventually called it racist, no? I guess they don’t want to admit that she was feeding the flames of press coverage.

Funny how they aren’t bitching about the UK tabloids harassing her after the moved to the UK. Could it be because the tabloids were not reporting on that…but Lainey and Hello! Canada (Where Jess started leaking after US Weekly got bought out by National Enquirer and Omid got fired) did.

She got the proposal on video. That’s is hilarious. He proposed with fake candles in their yard. How…tacky. Penguin onesies? Why would you want to tell the world that? I’d love some inside info as to how they pitched this to the director. “Sure the palace made sure our engagement sounded glamorous and romantic, but we are not about that. We want to tell them about the LED candles and penguin onesies. It will make us look cheap and tacky? Of course not, everyone will think we are fun and relatable.”

Cheesy Calvin Klein perfume ad engagement pictures with hideously expensive feather dress. We thought that was super tacky and we didn’t even know about the LED candles and penguin onesies. No mention of how much the dress cost or the backlash it caused. Lots of interviews about how excited people were. 

Engagement photocall was a lot more glamorous than anything they’ve done for this documentary. The royals really know how to manage occasions. Hard to believe these two are the same couple from the grainy proposal video. Goes to show how persuasive good pr can be. They almost looked regal.

Brexit? Boris Johnson? Really? Intrusion into the lives of the royal family was due to…Brexit and anti-immigration sentiment? I swear this documentary is like Mad Libs. They are just throwing stuff out at random. Paparazzi….penguin onesies….racism…..Brexit…. The Brexit referendum was in June 2016 and the engagement was in November 2017 so I’m not sure why they are even bringing it up. 

“They are just trying to destroy me.” The Brexit movement was trying to destroy her? 

It’s over. Wait, they didn’t mention her prior marriage at all??? Lolololol. Brexit is apparently more relevant to her story than her previous marriage. I guess that’s why she didn’t add her first wedding pics and the weed wedding favors to the list of press intrusions. The “phone hack” wasn’t mentioned either or the leaked topless pic. I guess she’s still pretending those weren’t pictures of her.

We seem to be at the engagement and there have been some other interesting omissions, namely Skippy’s wedding and Pippa’s wedding. Weird because you’d think Skippy’s wedding would be a perfect example of press intrusion too. I understand why they left out Pippa’s wedding though. Kinda awkward to admit Pippa invited you to her intimate, family wedding in the same episode where you call her sister “formal.” 

Plus Audi polo, the birthday trip in Africa, Vanity Fair, Invictus…they all got left out. This episode curated the timeline to make it look like Meghan did nothing to encourage coverage and press speculation, and that is far from the truth. Her family is also missing and they were stirring the pot all through this time period. They were talking to the press basically every month.

My husband lost interest at this point. He had no comments other than to say her nose looked fake and the pap chase was fake. The group chat discussed whether they truly thought they had a pap chasing them. Everyone thought that was fake because the camerawork was too perfect. They scoffed at the Medieval Times comment and the curtsy. Someone laughed at the Oscar comment. 

This was pretty boring. The fake pap chase was the best part.

BTW, Tumblr has a 10-link limit now? How annoying.

On to the next episode.

[spine-buster]

just friends, pt. 1

aka, when it could have happened again

from the past of portofino ft. kenny omega

gif credit @/bloodycowboyclub

Length: 3175 words Summary: There's a snowstorm in Toronto that's grounded all flights, and for Tyson and Hazel, there's only one bed in the hotel room. A/N: I can't stop writing about Kenny. But also, if you want to get blue balls this is for you! TW for mentions of body image issues.

24th January 2017

Tyson was pretending not to listen to the conversation Hazel was having on the phone with her mom.

“Hey mom…how are you?...I’m alright…Well, Tyson and I are stuck in Toronto…Yeah, our flight wouldn’t fly out.  Apparently there’s too much snow and the conditions are too icy, and it’s getting even colder tonight so they cancelled a whole bunch of flights…Yeah, yeah, there’s a ton of cancelled flights…It’s another one of those ice storms…No no, I’m okay, we—…yeah, we have a place to stay.  We just went back to the hotel.  They still had our rooms available so we just paid for an extra night…Mom, even if I wanted to go stay with Zia Annunziata and Zio Tony I wouldn’t be able to get there, there’s like two inches of ice on the road.  They’re telling everybody to stay put…Yeah, Tyson is in the room just beside mine, we’re gonna grab some room service and just go to bed…yes of course it would be better to have Zia Annunziata’s cooking right now but if I took a picture of the roads and sent it to you, you would be happy I’m not putting myself in danger to drive to North York just to eat a plate of pasta…Okay…Okay…Okay…Okay I will…Yes…Yes…Okay, I love you too.  Bye.”

Tyson couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face near the end of the conversation.  “Moms, huh?”

Hazel rolled her eyes.  “I swear to God, she became a stereotypical Italian mother the day she married my dad.”

“You’re her only child, it fits,” he shrugged his shoulders.  “How good is that pasta, though?  I might be willing to risk it.”

Hazel smiled.  “It’s great.  Not as great as my dad’s was, but great nonetheless.”

“Also…” Tyson continued, pausing, wondering if he should even bring it up.  “Separate rooms?  Really?”

“What my mom doesn’t know won’t hurt her,” Hazel explained.  “You don’t want to know how many times I’ve told her there have been other women travelling with me when there wasn’t.  I just don’t want to keep her up at night.  I already ran away and joined the circus.”

“But it’s me.”

“And she loves you, but…I’m her only child.  It fits,” she used Tyson’s words.

“Touché.  Touché.”

Hazel readjusted herself slightly so her neck was more comfortable as she used his stomach as a pillow.  Tyson was always so comfortable.  It didn’t matter what part of him she would inevitably end up using as a pillow – shoulder, forearm, stomach, chest…hell, she was pretty sure she even used his thighs once.  Despite his muscle, he was cosy all over.  Every part of him.  “Can you pass me my book?”

Tyson nodded, reaching over to the nightstand to grab it.  She had to readjust again, and he apologized, but she waved him off.  Once they got comfortable, Tyson draped his arm over Hazel, much to her surprise.  But she welcomed it.  They were always sort of…touching each other.  Not sexually, of course.  But they were closer than most and comfortable enough with each other that it wasn’t weird, it wasn’t creepy, it wasn’t off-putting.  Being holed up in a hotel room while three feet of snow fell outside wasn’t exactly the best of circumstances, but Hazel cherished the fact that at least she was with Tyson when she could have been alone.

Tyson had agreed to be her first guest on her brand new endeavour, Kick Out in the Kitchen, a YouTube show she was starting where she would be teaching wrestlers how to cook her dad’s recipes.  Having him be the inaugural guest was huge – it basically guaranteed her success.  When she had initially asked him, Tyson didn’t even hesitate before he said yes.  It was a given to him – there was no way he would have said no.  He could have had no hands and he still would have said yes for Hazel.  They had filmed all afternoon in a studio, first cooking a spaghetti carbonara before preparing a tiramisu, and she’d been sent the entire file of film right before their flight was cancelled.  When she began watching the video in the airport, she couldn’t help but laugh at everything that was happening.  Tyson had always made her laugh – it was one of the things she loved most about him and loved most about their relationship – but he had really turned it on during filming.  The close up of him attempting to split the egg white and the yolk had her howling.  Everything turned out great. 

But what she couldn’t get over was how she looked.

She’d gotten her hair and makeup professionally done, so that wasn’t the issue.  What bothered her was…entirely different.  She noticed it in the very beginning, when she was introducing herself and the concept of the show, going through her family’s history and paying focus on her dad.  It was how her arms looked in the top she was wearing.  It was how, when she looked down at certain points, a double-chin became present.  It was how she chose to wear a tight-fitting shirt even though she didn’t have abs anymore, which was very apparent.  It was how her high-rise jeans gave her a nice ass but also a muffin top.

After having to quit wrestling, her body had changed.  Thirty pounds heavier now, and noticeably chubbier, Hazel couldn’t get the image out of her mind.  Would viewers notice?  Would they comment on it?  What about other wrestlers?  Would they say anything?  What about Tyson?  The thoughts and questions couldn’t leave her mind.  She was sure she read the same page over thirty times because she wasn’t truly concentrating on her novel.

After driving herself crazy thinking about it all, she closed her book and pulled herself up, grabbing at her old t-shirt and shorts that had been placed on her pillows earlier.  Instead of going to the bathroom to change, she didn’t bother.  She just sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her shirt off and unclasping her bra.  It wasn’t anything Tyson hadn’t seen before, truthfully, but she still knew it was a bit of a bold move.  She took her time, deciding to take off her leggings and put on her shorts before taking her time unfolding her old t-shirt to put it on. 

She wasn’t sure if it was just her mind playing tricks on her or if it actually happened, but when she faced the bed again, she thought she saw Tyson’s eyes looking at her for a nano second before pretending he wasn’t and focusing back on his phone.  As if she changed in front of him all the time.  As if stripping down at the edge of a bed they were sharing in a hotel room was a common occurrence.  She wondered if he was staring because now, instead of muscles in her shoulders and back, there was nothing.  She wondered if he was staring to see how big her thighs had gotten or how many extra rolls there were on her stomach when she bent forward.

She shut off the lamp on her side of the bed.  “Tired?” Tyson asked.

She nodded, not bothering to say anything.  Tyson immediately noticed something was wrong.  Instead of shutting off his light too, he watched her move around to pull back the covers beside him.  “What’s the matter?”

Damn him.  He always fucking knew.  Hazel eyed him before sighing.  She sat with her legs crossed, facing him.  He was still sitting up in the bed.  “If I asked you a question, would you be honest with me?” she asked.

“Always.”

She held her breath.  She could already feel her cheeks getting hot.  God, she was so stupid.  “Um, you know today…when we were filming?”

“Yeah…”

There was a pause.  This wasn’t how Hazel wanted things to begin.  She shook her head vehemently, as if the conversation was an Etch-A-Sketch and she was erasing it.  Tyson knew she was fighting something he couldn’t see.  “I don’t—scratch that.  Let me—um, today…did you ever see—no…”

“—Hazel—” Tyson began reaching out to her.

“Do you think people will think I’m fat when they see the video?”

Tyson stopped dead in his tracks.  He wasn’t expecting that.  “I—what?” he blurted out.  “Haze, what would make you think that?”

She shrugged her shoulders as if she hadn’t spent the last half hour pretending to read a book when all she could think of was this very question.  “Did you know I’ve gained over thirty pounds since I broke my neck?”

“That’s to be expected,” he said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.  “You’re not training anymore.  You don’t have to be in ring shape.  You know, you’re still more fit than half the wrestlers I know.”

That didn’t make her feel any better.  “It’s noticeable,” she diverted her eyes.  She didn’t want to see his reaction.  “I…there’s been other people who have broken their necks and they’ve been able to maintain their physique.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

She sighed, trying to wiggle close to him.  When Tyson noticed, he pawed at her leg, and she ended up in his lap, straddling him so they could get to the bottom of this face-to-face.  “We’re part of an industry where there’s an obsessive focus on our bodies,” she said.  “And like, I get it, because it’s wrestling.  But I feel so shitty about it.  I…it’s…” she paused, the first of her tears rolling down her face.  She tried to wipe them away but it was futile.  “It’s noticeable, Ty.  It is.  And I just know there’s going to be people out there who focus on it.  They’re going to bring up Angle or Austin or Edge and talk about their broken necks and how they were able to stay in shape.  And I’m…I’m afraid that that’s all anyone’s gonna see.  Like, oh, look at what’s become of Lavender Haze, you know?”

“Hazel, you need to stop downplaying what happened.  You didn’t just break your neck.  You almost fucking died in the ring.  We almost – I almost lost you.  That’s a bigger deal than you gaining thirty pounds or any other bullshit.”

I almost lost you.  Hearing those words made her heart tighten.  She couldn’t even repeat them in her mind for too long or else she knew she’d think back to her stay in the hospital.  But the sentiment remained.  “I just…I’m more than just my body, you know?  I want that to get across.”

“C’mere,” Tyson urged her to nestle into his chest.  She did exactly that and he wrapped his strong arms around her for comfort.  She almost immediately felt more at ease, taking a huge breath in and out as she relaxed into him.  “You have nothing to worry about, Hazel.  Everybody’s gonna love it, because everybody loves you,” he said.

Tyson was never complicated with things.  He could say the simplest words, but it would bring her so much relief, so much security, so much reassurance.  There was a moment of silence between them.  “Did you really think you almost lost me?” she asked, her voice quiet. 

She could feel Tyson nod.  “When you explained to me what the doctor told you…I was a mess,” he admitted in a voice equally as quiet.  “I freaked out after Dustin’s call, and I thought it couldn’t get worse.  But then when you called me after surgery, and you explained everything in detail—”

“—I remember you tearing up on the call.”

“That wasn’t even the half of it,” Tyson admitted.  “We hung up and I lost it, Haze.  I absolutely lost it.  It was probably the closest thing I’ve ever had to an anxiety attack.  Okada had to help me calm down.”

If Hazel could physically nestle herself more into Tyson, she did.  She wanted and needed to get as close to him as possible.  Her hand was on his chest and then it was on his neck.  She pictured him in Japan getting the phone call and got sick to her stomach.  She knew that if the roles were reversed, she’d have to get an injection of fucking morphine to calm down.  “For what it’s worth, you’d never lose me,” she whispered.  Then a pause.  “If I’m going, I’m taking you with me.”

Tyson smiled, resting his cheek on her head.  They stayed like that for a while, close, just feeling each other and listening to each other breathe.  Hazel’s fingers traced along the skin of his neck and jawline.  Tyson’s hand had pushed her pyjama shirt up and hade made skin to skin contact.  They were silent.

“Can I kiss you, Ty?”

Tyson closed his eyes.  He wanted to – he knew that much – but he knew he shouldn’t.  Scratch that – he couldn’t.  He couldn’t do that to himself, to Hazel.  He couldn’t put them in that position.  Even if it would rip him apart.  “That’s not the best idea, Haze,” he said.  “You just want to because you’re feeling very vulnerable right now.  I don’t—I’m not going to take advantage of you like that.”

He could feel her nod slightly, a shaky breath leaving her.  “You’re right.  I—I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize.  I just don’t want you doing something that you regret later.”

‘But I won’t regret it’ she thought to herself.  ‘I would never regret anything with you.  I never have and I never will.’  “Thanks for always looking out for me, Ty.”

They cuddled for a while longer before Tyson reached over to turn off his lamp.  He pulled the covers over their bodies and made sure they nestled together again, spooning so her back was against his chest, their bodies touching at every point.  His arms were still wrapped around her. 

“For what it’s worth Hazel, I still think you’re beautiful.  I always will,” he whispered into her ear.

“Will you?”

“You can always count on that.  I’m always gonna think you’re beautiful.  That won’t change.”  He paused for a moment, his lack of judgement winning out against his better judgement as he placed three kisses along her shoulder.  He dragged his lips along her skin between them, making sure his lips lingered on her skin when he was done.  “That okay?”

“That feels so nice,” she sighed out, her tone clearly appreciative and savouring the feeling.  “I’m sorry I’m so needy,” she said.

‘I want you to be needy’ Tyson thought to himself.  Selfishly.  ‘I want you to have to need me.’  “You’re not being needy,” he settled on saying instead.  “And besides, even if you are, we always need each other in our lives, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

***

Tyson could hear clearly the smacking of their bodies together as he looked down at Hazel.  With her body spread out under him, she looked just as beautiful as he remembered the last time she was in this position in Portofino.  “Deeper, baby,” Hazel’s voice mewled out like a song.

“You need me deeper?” Tyson asked, though his voice was much louder than hers.

He watched as Hazel nodded below him, her breasts bouncing with each of his thrusts.  He hummed in reply, and it sent vibrations that shook him and everything around him like there was a hyperactive earthquake.  “I want you so deep and I want you to come inside me,” she breathed, reaching out for him to bring her closer to her body.  “You remember the last times you came inside me?  Didn’t it feel amazing?”

His groan at her words started another earthquake, everything vibrating around him.  “Yes,” he managed to huff out.  Suddenly, the room that they were in changed to their hotel room in Portofino.  After only a couple of seconds, it changed into the hotel room in Tokyo.  Every detail was there.  “You’re so beautiful, Haze.  I love you so much.”

She tried to say ‘I love you’ back – he knew she was trying – but the sound was muffled. 

“Tell me, baby.  Tell me you love me too.”

He watched as she tried again, this time the noises coming out of her sounding like the parents in Charlie Brown. 

“Haze…”

Her mouth was moving again, but he couldn’t hear a thing. 

He felt his heart beating rapidly.  “Hazel, say it.  Say it,” he begged.

She was drifting away from him now, escaping from his grasp like the wind.  He couldn’t hold on to her.  He couldn’t keep her from going.  “Hazel,” he called out to her, desperate.  Suddenly, he was reaching out for her.  “Don’t go Hazel.  Tell me you love me.  You need to tell me you love me.”

“I need you, Ty,” she said, her body disappearing into clouds.  “You need me too, don’t you?”

“Of course I do!  Where are you going?”

“Back to bed.  Come back to bed with me!”

Tyson’s entire body jolted awake.  He was back in the hotel room in Toronto, acutely aware of his surroundings.  His chest was almost heaving as he got his bearings, realizing that Hazel was still wrapped in his arms, soundly asleep.  She wasn’t moving further and further away from him.  She wasn’t floating off into clouds.

But what she was doing made Tyson immediately realize why he was having such a dream in the first place. 

“Hazel…” he whispered cautiously, but could only hear her little snores.  “Hazel you gotta stop.”

She was grinding her ass against him, and judging by the fact that she was clearly still asleep, she was doing it subconsciously, even.  Tyson groaned slightly.  The fact she was doing this without knowing – that her body was quite literally physically reacting to being so close to his – made his head spin.  He could tell, and he could feel it – he was already hard.  He had no idea how long it had been going on for, but he knew that he would have to be the one to stop it. 

He gently placed a hand on her hips, pushing her ever so slightly.  Eventually, the grinding stopped, which allowed him to slip away from her slowly and gently, ensuring she didn’t wake up as he rolled away from her and out of the bed.  He looked down at his shorts and knew the only way he could go back to sleep was if he took care of…well…

He stepped into the washroom and finished the dream he’d just had, the way he wanted it to go.

When he slipped back into bed, he lay on his back looking up at the ceiling, going over what had just happened in his mind.  He couldn’t believe he just had to masturbate to one of his dreams.  What was he, fifteen?  It wasn’t until he started drifting off to sleep again did Hazel move.  And when she did, she flipped around, found his body in the bed, and nestled into him completely, laying her head on his chest and hooking one of her legs over his. 

A vicious cycle.

[cashewbenoit]

Hi! My friend and I are getting into hockey and we’re kind of wondering what the vibe on Max Domi is?? I’m kind of seeing mixed messages about him so we were wondering why you like him so we can figure out what his deal is and if we should try to pay attention to him more on the leafs. Thanks!

hi anon!! just wanna say before i get going that i’m in love with this ask and you by extension for asking, and i’m sorry this took me so long!

now on to the propaganda (this is long i’m not sorry)

i’m obligated to preface this by saying i’m hugely biased as a Leafs fan who grew up in Southern Ontario. my dad has always been a pretty big Tie Domi fan, so liking Max just seemed like a natural continuation of that.

baby Max with Mats Sundin, then-captain of the Leafs. he’s just a little guy,,

born March 2nd, 1995, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, one month before Tie was traded (back) to the Leafs, Max spent his childhood in Mississauga, Ontario, roughly half an hour west of Toronto. at the age of 12, following some health complications at a hockey tournament in Detroit, blood work revealed that Max had type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. 

not the end of the world, clearly, but a pretty significant shock for a kid with aspirations of greatness. of course, he was able to manage it, with time, and when i finally read his book i’ll tell y’all more about it i promise.

these pictures make me emotional,, a couple of Domis, a couple of decades apart,,, except Max looks about 200% cuntier

anyway

scored a hatty in his OHL debut (slay). won consecutive OHL championships with the London Knights in 2012 and 2013 (double slay). selected 12th overall by the Phoenix (now Arizona) Coyotes, and signed a three year ELC (!). won gold with Team Canada at the 2015 WJC, and was named the tournament’s best forward (huge W). traded to the Montréal Canadiens in 2018, to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2020, to the Carolina Hurricanes (via the Florida Panthers) at the trade deadline of March 31st 2022, to the Chicago Blackhawks in July of 2022, to the Dallas Stars in March 2023, and finally signed as a free agent to our beloved Toronto Maple Leafs on July 2nd 2023. he’s been on seven different NHL teams since he was drafted. 

sadly, as i’ve only been a hockey fan for one calendar year, i cannot provide much insight into his time with NHL teams other than the Leafs. i have ordered and am waiting for his book to come in so i can better rotate him in my mind, but i encourage anyone who knows more about his other teams’ lore to add to this post or send me what you know, so i can share it with the world. (pls i wanna know everything about him ever)

what i can say is that him and Mitch Marner were teammates on the London Knights for two seasons, (13-14 and 14-15), the second of which saw Max as captain and Mitch as an alternate captain. the season after, Mitch was named captain in Max’s stead. seeing them back together on the Leafs brings joy to my little London Knights heart.

now back to him as a Leaf. 

the current Leafs points leaders, as of December 30th, are as follows:

William Nylander - 48P (17G 31A)

Auston Matthews - 44P (29G 15A)

Mitch Marner - 38P (14G 24A)

John Tavares - 31P (11G 20A)

Morgan Rielly - 27P (4G 23A) 

Max Domi - 21P (3G 18A)

the first five of these are pretty much to be expected, but there’s my close good friend Max Domi right there too :) he’s doing his part, and even if he’s not the biggest scorer, assists are just as important and valuable :) if i have to kill y’all with positivity for this i will :) i love him dearly :)

also, he currently sits at 389 career points, and he’s nowhere near done, while Tie Domi earned 245 points in his entire career of 1020 games. nobody can say shit to me about him not living up to his dad’s legacy (Note: Tie also sits at third in NHL history for penalty minutes with 3515, but that’s a stat nobody will ever surpass. ever. the current PIM leader in the NHL is Corey Perry, and he only has 1392.)

and now i’m not about to sit here and pretend i know how to quantify the skills of an NHL player, let alone describe them in great detail. i do not. however, what i do know is that i love watching him play and make plays. in my eyes, he is a good player, and this is the Max Domi Propaganda Blog so if you want something less biased i can’t help you, sorry :’)

this love began in a preseason game against the Habs, on Oct 2nd. his first game as a Leaf in Toronto, he scores a tip-in against his former team, and he shrugs it off like NBD. for those of you who were following me at the time, you know i was not normal about it then and i am not normal about it now. i think about that celly every goddamn day. 

much to my great sorrow, they Leafed this game up and lost in OT 5-4. but either way, this was the moment that definitively kicked off the Rick eastoncowan Domishka era. 

and the only time Max ever seems to get a scoring chance, it’s either on a breakaway or from a spot that would have been absolutely NASTY if it went in. my mans only wants sexy goals, which is a stance i respect immensely. 

his first regular season goal… didn’t give him any points. it was beautiful, and a game winner, but since it happened in a shootout, it didn’t count towards his points totals. personally, i think this is bullshit, but now is neither the time nor the place for me to get into my issues with some of the NHL’s rules. (Nov 10, 2023, Flames @ Leafs)

Domishka bardownski SO winner,,, you were so beautiful and so unappreciated but i will never forget you </3

now.

Max’s first real goal as a Leaf.

for those of you who followed me at the time, you may recall this post:

a post that the Hockey Gods took to heart

and obviously i followed through. what do you think i am, some kind of quitter?

and, again, unfortunately, we Leafed that one up, too. we lost it in OT again, so still no Domi belt pic for Rick :(

now i’m not going to go back and gif all 18 of his assists, because i don’t think y’all care quite that much about Visual Proof of all of them. for your convenience, though, i did go back and track down whose goals he had assisted on, and the results aren’t super surprising IMO

Calle Järnkrok, Nick Robertson (assisted on 5 each)

Matthew Knies (assisted on 4)

William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Mitch Marner, Timothy Liljegren (assisted on 1 each)

anyway, now for what is quite possibly my favourite game that i didn’t actually get to watch live.

December 16, 2023, Penguins @ Leafs, a decisive 7-0 victory.

it was also a 3 point night for Max, two of which helped to complete Matthew Knies’ Gordie Howe hat trick, the first since Daniel Winnik in 2015. but a goal and an assist are only two parts of it, the third being a fight. a fight which Knies initiated against John Ludvig after he knocked out yet another of Max’s front teeth with his stick. a fight which was Knies’ first ever. i’m still mad i didn’t see this happen live, but i’ve rewatched the game in its entirety twice, and the highlights too many times to count. this game sparked my undying love for the 23-11-16 line, which is a line i still pray keefe will bring back.

and so, we have a goal and a fight, and we have an assist to finish off the hat trick, and none of it would have happened without Max :)

and speaking of fights, Max has had a couple of em himself in his time as a Leaf so far. granted, if you ask hockeyfights dot com, he didn’t win either of them, but that’s not what matters. what matters is that he looked beautiful doing it, whether it was against Ian Cole (VAN) or Sam Bennett (FLA), especially with the fun added bonus of him flexing his full head of hair at Bennett’s bald dome. as an aside, i fucking hate Sam Bennett, so Max trying to fight him was… well it made me feel things. all i’m gonna say.

max’s third goal was also gorgeous. stunning. amazing. another beautiful bardown, the sound of which lives on in my dreams.

this is getting far longer than it really needs to be, so i’ll take a step back and give you my true, honest thoughts.

Max Domi has been a very helpful player for the Leafs since he got here. he obviously has the drive to play here and to play well here, and 21 points is nothing to be ashamed of. you know who else has 21 points as of me writing this? Alex Ovechkin. and now i’m not saying they are players of the same caliber, but Max is 6th on the Leafs in points, and Ovi is tied for first on the Caps. 21 points is still 21 points, no matter where in the standings someone is. Max was born to be a Leaf, and nothing makes me happier than to see him here and thriving on the team he’s loved since he was a kid. he takes shots, blocks shots, defends his boys and is defended right back in turn. 

and i would not be Rick eastoncowan if i didn’t mention that i think he is hot. like stupid hot. especially without his teeth. fuck, the heart wants what the heart wants, and damn if my heart doesn’t want this tiny toothless idiot. 

[couldawouldashoulda50]

From Completely Different Worlds - William Nylander

Previous parts 1 2 3 In continuation of @misshoneyimhome's birthday celebration, here is Part 4 of The Sweden Chapter.

A/N - I found out I am very much a "discovery writer" in that basically, more and more ideas pop into my little head as I go. What I do know is that this is not the end, and there will be a Part 5. I had some interactions with a couple of readers that William needs to feel a little more "uneasy" (jealous) because Loren does indeed have other options. So, I tried to take a more nuanced approach in this part and then we'll see a little more of that in the next part. Poor William. *edit - to the anon that sent in ask re: outfits for Loren, it is covered in the next part.

Like the last part, this is 11k words - but I hope it's an easy read that it doesn't feel like it's long and drawn out.

Notes and Warnings - goes without saying - profanity, smut (basic p in v, oral - m & f receiving). I think that's it.

18+ only please.

The second Loren stepped onto the street outside of William's place, she felt a palpable energy that surrounded her and filled her senses. If she was totally uninhibited, there was no telling what Loren would do to expel that electric feeling. She literally felt like she could defy the laws of gravity and float to wherever William was taking her.

As he was back in Toronto, William made for an excellent tour guide in Stockholm. He was enamored with his city and it wasn't hard to understand why. In many ways, William embodied the best of what the Scandinavian metropolis had to offer. Stockholm was dazzling and vibrant. Calm one minute and lively the next. A rich and deep history mixed with a contemporary urban flair.

Loren was overwhelmed. She had longed to travel for many years but never had the time or the funds to make it happen. After facing near financial ruin once her ex was long gone, Loren started a Pinterest board of mainly sunny beach destinations as inspiration to save money. Places that she felt she would enjoy traveling to alone. Although Loren had many friends, after a number of years, her former travel partners had paired off, gotten married, and started families. She had embraced being alone, so the idea of vacationing alone as well seemed to suit her perfectly.

Now, Stockholm was kicking her little Pinterest board's ass.

If she thought nothing could outdo the scenery, she was sorely mistaken after she took her first bite at breakfast. The food was extraordinary and it appeared as though William had ordered literally the entire menu. Everything was fresh and healthy, with every color in all the food groups accounted for many times over.

The only thing more astounding than the food itself was how much William could pack away. Loren giggled as William leaned back, legs splayed, and rubbed his stomach that was looking less taut and more round than usual.

As they talked about the plan for the remainder of the day, the owner, who obviously knew William fairly well, approached their booth. William and Anton spoke animatedly in Swedish before William turned to Loren to introduce her. Anton asked how she liked the food and if William left anything for her. She teased that she had to arm-wrestle William for a bite here and there - she of course followed up by saying the whole meal was phenomenal. Promising to make her something special if she returned, Anton bowed to Loren and mockingly rubbed his abdomen to tease William before leaving to greet other patrons.

"You going to be okay to stand, or am I gonna have to carry you out?" Loren smirked.

"Ugh—I'm too full… carry me please…"

Loren shook her head and smiled. "You're such a charmer… wait—we need the bill, don't we?"

"No, everything's free in Stockholm," William chuckled. "Don't worry about it."

Loren flashed a warning glance towards him. "What about the tip?"

William leaned in closer to Loren. "Mmmm—say that again… about the tip…"

Loren raised her eyebrow and smiled coyly. "Something something… big tip—something…"

Despite the urge to kiss her, William tended to avoid public displays of affection. In the age of cell phones and trying to protect privacy, he had to. William settled for a quick but intense eye fuck with Loren instead as they strolled out the door.

William's itinerary for Loren's first full day was mostly relaxed. Nothing was on a specific timeframe and was as chill and easygoing as William himself.

Walking off the mammoth breakfast William just indulged in, they took their time, meandering along the sidewalk as William talked about the subtle and not-so-subtle cultural differences between Sweden and North America. He laughed when Loren admitted that she had long held the idea that all of Scandinavia had learned how to live life right versus the other countries to the south.

With an open invitation to come for the afternoon at the family lake house, William and Loren piled into his SUV for the 40-plus minute drive to pick up his beloved dogs and relax in the sun by the water.

As they drove, William wasn't sure if he had ever seen someone so enthralled by everything. He didn't think Loren was sheltered or hadn't seen a thing or two, but her natural curiosity was so endearing to him. Every highway sign she saw, Loren would take a picture of it, try to say the name phonetically, and then William would help her if needed. That's how the whole drive was spent—listening to and correcting Loren's pronunciation while Post Malone and The Weeknd played in the background.

As they pulled into the laneway at the Nylander’s, William almost wished the drive was longer. Loren managed to make the routine drive to the lake so entertaining in the most basic of ways. Where William was already in a fantastic mood, she managed to elevate it even further.

William had barely stepped out of the car when the dogs came barreling up to him, promptly swarming Loren right after. Camilla waved from the porch, greeting Loren with a hug before embracing her son.

As it approached 1:00 PM, the combination of the massive breakfast and the drive to the lake had completely sapped William's energy. Suddenly, he could barely keep his eyes open.

Camilla looked at William and chuckled at his wilting appearance. "Poor boy… did you both want to have a nap?"

"I'm a little too excited about being here still—but William, did you want to go ahead?"

William nodded and yawned, calling for the dogs. Standing behind Loren, he placed his hands on her shoulders, pulled her back a smidge, and gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek.

Camilla's eyes sparkled as she looked at Loren. "Here darling, you and I can sit outside at the back… I'm so happy you can keep me company."

William shuffled away but called back towards his mom. "Where's Dad?"

"We just found there's an issue with the water pressure, so he's down there looking at the water line."

"Oh—shit, that sucks," William commented mid-yawn as he entered his bedroom. "Ok boys, let's go…."

Camilla ushered Loren into the kitchen. "Would you like a glass of wine? I have a bottle of chardonnay that I was just about to open."

"If you're having a glass, I'd love one, thank you."

Camilla and Loren chatted as two glasses were poured half-full. Camilla clinked Loren's glass and said "Skål," and Loren reciprocated with a cheery smile.

The ladies settled into a comfortable spot on the west-facing deck. The day had been warm, but a cool, generous breeze from the north was an indicator that autumn would soon be upon them.

As it had been from the point Camilla and Loren first met, their conversation flowed so easily. It was very much like Loren experienced with William—there was a steady flow of thoughts, ideas, memories, commiserations, and everything else in between.

Camilla first asked about their day and laughed at Loren explaining about the owner of the cafe poking fun at William. Then Loren explained about taking pictures of road signs to learn about certain letter combinations in Swedish and the sounds they make. Camilla was impressed that Loren showed so much interest in learning the language and thought Loren's idea was brilliant.

They talked about family dynamics, Loren's job as a support worker, and her other work as well. Camilla asked about Loren's house, to which she showed Camilla some before and after pictures of her interior painting marathon. William's mother was once again very impressed with the interior, but it was Loren's gardens and planters that really wowed Camilla. Soon the two were wandering around the edges of the deck talking about perennials that would do well in afternoon sun.

Loren looked up and smiled as she saw Michael approach. He embraced Loren and then kissed Camilla on the cheek while a slightly exasperated expression appeared on his face.

"I think it's the foot valve—it's either clogged or damaged or both," Michael said.

Camilla looked at Michael with an air of concern. "So someone… I guess it will need to be you—you'll have to go underwater and try to untie the line to get a better look… oh Michael… that's not good…"

Loren listened to William's parents' exchange—the sum total of it was that neither Camilla nor Michael particularly wanted to wade out in water that had never felt warm all summer and was becoming excessively colder as the days wore on.

Loren had a lot of experience in this department. Having spent many a summer at her family's cottage that was shared across her father's side, Loren and her cousins were expected to help out when repairs of anything were required. It's where she learned every swear word in both English and French, and quietly practiced them to herself from about the age of three. That was among her first memories. Whether it was a snowmobile or boat engine roaring, if her tiny voice could be drowned out by a long loud sound, Loren happily rhymed off shit, fuck, asshole, prick, dick, cunt —and any combination thereof. It was her little secret with herself.

“If you'd like - I would love to help - I have my bathing suit here as well….just to even get a look at the valve itself and see what’s happening with it?”

Camilla ‘tsked appreciatively with Loren’s offer. “Oh Loren - no, we can’t have you doing that… you’re William’s guest - but thank you though. Plus, the water is very, very cold…”

“Our cottage lake never quite warms up either…I’m honestly used to it, and I kind of love doing stuff like this. I promise though - I won’t press, but I would honestly love to help.”

Michael smiled at Loren, visibly impressed. He wasn’t sure if any of his six children would offer to help, no offense to them. Michael looked toward Camilla and then the house. “Well my love, we need water….let’s just see what’s happening first and then we’ll figure out what to do.” He turned to Loren and asked if she was sure she wanted to get in the frigid lake.

“I’ve been actually dying to get in there - I’ll go get changed. Would you have a snorkel mask so maybe I can take a look at it underwater?”

Michael’s expression was a mix of surprise and growing admiration. “Yes, absolutely…just come down to the boat house once you’ve changed and we’ll size it up for you.”

Camilla looked back toward Loren with an air of gratitude. “Loren - you’re sure about this? We have some bottled water to get us through…”

Loren smiled and convinced Camilla that she was more than okay with doing this. Camilla gave her a quick hug and said she would get her a towel and they’d walk down together.

In the tote bag that Loren still brought everywhere with her, she fished out her two piece green bathing suit and tip toed down the hall, past William’s bedroom and straight into the bathroom next door. She didn’t want to risk waking William up by changing in his room.

Once changed, she tip toed back but Banksy caught sight of her and leapt off the bed to join Loren, followed by the family’s black toy poodle. With the pups in tow, Loren slipped out the sliding glass doors and rejoined Camilla on the deck.

As they walked towards the boathouse, Camilla seemed trepidatious about Loren venturing into the water but reminded herself that Loren was a grown woman. If she was able to help, even just a little bit, it would be deeply appreciated.

With the snorkel mask adjusted and sitting perched atop her head, Loren waded into the water. They weren't exaggerating - it was fucking freezing. She gasped as the chill enveloped her hips, waist, and then chest. Michael and Camilla stood by wincing, knowing the temperature under the surface was uncomfortably cold.

Michael called out to Loren. "Pretty chilly, isn't it? Are you doing okay?"

Loren's teeth were gnashed together as she turned towards William's parents. "Ummm… I think I'm either numb or getting used to it… not sure," she chuckled.

"If it gets to be too much, please come out… we can deal with it another way," Camilla called to her.

Michael leaned towards Camilla and said in Swedish, "My sweet, this is the only way—let's hope she only has to go in once."

Loren spit in the mask, rubbed it over the interior of the glass, and then rinsed it off in the water as Camilla, Michael, and the dogs watched in anticipation. She positioned and adjusted the mask so it formed a seal protecting her eyes and nose.

She submerged herself and swam under the surface to take a look at what had happened to the water line to affect the pressure.

Meanwhile, back inside, William woke up to Pablo whining at the sliding doors in the main room. He got out of bed, rubbed his eyes, and padded slowly towards Pablo, who was wagging his tail excitedly at the door.

After he let Pablo out, he saw his golden doodle join the group of onlookers standing on the walkway towards the floating dock. He was thoroughly confused and still groggy after not getting a full two-hour nap, which was oftentimes, his minimum requirement.

The air was more chilled than what he remembered it being when they first arrived, so William grabbed a nearby hoodie and started walking down towards the water.

As he approached the walkway, he remained totally baffled as he watched his parents watching Loren as her head popped up above the surface, and then her diving back under after reporting her findings.

Camilla looked over to see William's perplexed expression. She smiled at him as she stood with her arms crossed watching Loren tread water while still peering under the surface.

"What is she doing? Dad—it's freezing… why is she in there?"

Michael simply said, "She's a big help. She offered to see what's going on with the foot valve since we lost water pressure in the house."

William shook his head. "She offered? God—she's nuts…."

Michael chuckled. "This really is a big help… I sure didn't want to have to do it. She says the rope the water line was tied to came undone and the valve was at the bottom sucking in sand."

William watched as Loren dove underneath the water again, her round ass making a split-second appearance before she propelled herself toward the bottom of the lake.

As she resurfaced, she spotted William and smiled as best she could, given the mask gave her duck lips.

She peeled off the mask, which left a prominent red line where the rubber had adhered to her face. "Don't you dare make fun of me…," Loren teasingly warned William.

"Is it cold in there?" he asked sheepishly, knowing full well that it was.

"I'm tough… I've gotten used to it." That might have been true, but Loren was starting to feel the chill in her bones.

Loren asked Michael if he had a 5-gallon bucket, a drill, and some duct tape. He had all three readily accessible, and he and Camilla hurried off to retrieve the items, leaving William with the dogs watching Loren.

"Can I help with something?" William called to her.

Loren waded over to the walkway near where William was standing. The wind had picked up and had a little more of a northerly bite to it. She tried not to shiver, but her teeth chattered involuntarily with the exposure to the outside air.

William knelt down to greet her with a kiss. When he pressed his lips against hers, he recoiled quickly. "Loren—you're freezing—you gotta get out of there…"

"The air's way cooler than the water, but yeah, it's getting a little chilly," Loren said as her body shuddered. "We're going to need some rocks to put into the bottom of the pail. Something like those ones over there."

William jogged over to the other side of the ramp and grabbed a medium-sized rock, holding it up for Loren to approve. She smiled and nodded, then swam back over to the water line.

Michael had a sense of what Loren had in mind and he wished he had thought of it sooner. He drilled an entry and exit point into the top of the bucket, and he and Loren fished the line through the bucket, holding it in place with duct tape. Then the stones William gathered were added to the bucket, which was then submerged a number of feet offshore. It was simple to make, easy to put in place, and flawlessly effective once the water line spat out the trapped air and sand with the newly elevated pressure.

Once Loren emerged from the lake, Camilla was quick to wrap a thick bath sheet around her as they walked back to the main cottage. Loren was shivering uncontrollably but tried to get everyone to stop fussing over her. Loren kept saying she was fine, she just needed to warm up a little.

Michael suggested that she head to the sauna to really warm herself up after initially thawing her body in a warm shower. To Loren, that sounded heavenly.

William got the outdoor shower going for her. The Nylanders had an amazing wellness setup not far from the water—an outdoor shower, which William proudly reminded Loren was only working because of her, a 10-person hot tub, a cold tub, and then a beautiful cedar Swedish sauna.

Loren had already showered that morning, but the purpose now was not for cleanliness. Her teeth wouldn't stop chattering and her body still shivered uncontrollably. She was cautious and remained modestly in her bathing suit in the shower, until William reappeared with a thick robe for her to put on after the sauna. He added that his parents had gone into town to grab a few things so they'd be alone for a little while. He motioned to her bathing suit and said, "That needs to come off too," before he headed into the quaint wood sauna.

Loren stripped off her bathing suit, wrung out the excess water, and laid it over the edge of the enclosure to dry. Turning off the water, she twisted her long hair, watching it drip from the ends, wrapped a towel around her, and slowly opened the door to the sauna.

William was naked—his back reclined against the upper bench, his head tilted back and eyes closed, and legs parted. Loren's gaze immediately fixed on his flaccid penis. As always, the sight made her mouth water and her throat tighten. She felt an involuntary clench deep within her, knowing how well his cock fills her up when it's awake.

The dry heat was one half of the perfect antidote to help chase the lingering chill she felt from the water. The other half of that antidote was William. Still beautifully tanned, the defined ridges in his shoulders, arms, chest, and quads glistened with sweat under the soft lights.

William raised his head slightly, opened one eye to look at Loren. "You need to be all the way nude… lose the towel," he smirked.

Loren knew she had two choices—either defy William and keep the towel on, or hang it up next to the robe he brought and try to look sexy and not trip or stumble.

She unfastened the towel where she had it tucked in between the valley of her breasts. Right before the towel dropped, she held onto one corner and pinned it against her chest so that she was still a little concealed.

William chuckled at her. "You're not still shy about me seeing you naked, are you?"

Despite William's appreciation for confidence in a woman, there was something about Loren's bashful and humble nature that he found intensely arousing.

Managing to avoid slipping or tripping or doing a faceplant of any kind, Loren quickly draped the towel over the slats of the upper wooden bench just behind William, and sat elegantly with her legs crossed. In response to his question about her still feeling shy, Loren jokingly retorted, "Have we met?"

He turned his head to look up at Loren. "What're you doing all the way up there? You don't want to sit beside me?" He reached back with the arm closest to Loren and began to caress the back of her calf. A dainty gold anklet glimmered on her slender ankle.

"I like the view from here," Loren remarked softly and suggestively.

William continued to stroke the skin along the back of her leg. In the gravelly voice that's like music to her, he purred, "Why look when you can touch…"

Loren chuckled and reclined her head back against the cedar wall, trying to think of a good response. "Because sometimes the most gorgeous things in the world should be left undisturbed."

William's throat tightened with desire from her words.

He stood and ladled more water over the scalding rocks before turning back towards Loren. He knelt in front of her, motioning for her legs to open so he could slide in between them.

The heat from the sauna had only elicited a light layer of sweat over both bodies, but the temperature inside was climbing rapidly as they began kissing. Loren slid forward slightly, her lips and tongue coaxing moans from William's mouth. She wrapped her arms around the base of his neck as William gripped her ass hard, pulling her further towards him, even though there wasn't a millimeter between them. He nipped and kissed under her jawline, and when Loren's hands found their way down to his ass cheeks, she pushed his torso tight against her cunt.

Breathless, William slowed his mouth and his hands and leaned his forehead against Loren's neck.

Her hands and fingers smoothed through his hair as she wondered what was going through his mind. Instead, she reveled in his touch as his open palms roamed over her body.

William spoke in a low tone against her collarbone. "I don't want you to ever think that I—just because I don't say the actual words most of the time… I'm not the greatest with that—that I don't think that you are one of the most incredible people I know, Loren."

Loren kissed William's temple as her other hand smoothed up the nape of his neck through the back of his hair. She began to speak, but William interrupted her.

"Don't turn the compliment on to me," William warned playfully. "We're only talking about you."

He tapped her ass for her to raise her bum off the towel. He released his embrace and stood up, draping the towel over the bench he was kneeling on.

William guided her down onto her back, adjusted her rear slightly, and lowered his mouth down to her pussy. Fuck, she felt lucky—this was the second time William went down on her today—it was the reason their shower that morning took as long as it did.

But this version of William in that moment was not the version she experienced this morning. This morning, he was tender as his tongue stroked her clit, while the scruff around his mouth tickled her pussy in the most arousing way.

The William taking her now was far more needy. Within seconds of his mouth latching onto Loren's pussy, he had her thighs pinned, spreading her as wide as possible. His tongue lapped fervently, finding the most sensitive areas around her clit, making Loren's body twist and jolt as she moaned William's name. She realized, too, that they were alone and in a sauna. She didn't have to suppress cries or stifle moans this time.

Loren looked down to see William jerking himself as he tongue-fucked her. She smoothed back his hair, their gazes fixed on each other, before she cried out, arching her back and splaying her one leg to the side. Her cries and moans only fueled William to further intensify his dizzying oral assault on her pussy.

She glanced at him and then at the taut muscles in his arm as he rapidly pumped his cock. She knew that he wanted to fully serve her the best oral pleasure he could, but it became distracting with how much she wanted his cock in her mouth.

Between cries of how amazing he felt, Loren breathlessly asked if she could suck his cock.

She lay panting on the bench, smoothing William's saliva around her pussy while running her fingers up and down her slit. William moved and stood by her, his erect cock in her direct line of sight. Using the upper bench as leverage, William held himself up as he rested one thigh on the bench at the top of Loren's head. She could hardly wait for William to position himself just right. Within seconds, she licked and fondled his balls before putting them in her mouth. William groaned "Fuck, Loren" as she stroked his cock with one hand, slowly rubbed her clit with the other, and lapped at his balls at the same time.

William's hand slid over top of Loren's, taking control of running his middle finger through her folds. Between his saliva and her arousal, his fingers smoothly glided between her inner pussy walls, making Loren's hips rotate from the sensation. She adjusted her body to lie on her side and proceeded to deep throat William's cock, moaning and slurping as he expelled his tasty pre-cum in the back of her mouth.

William looked down at Loren just as she looked up at him as she slid his shaft from her mouth. Strings of saliva stretched from his tip—he nearly went weak in the knees as she gazed upon him and his cock like a gift from God. She gingerly held his member as her tongue found the highly sensitive frenulum.

He gathered up her hair in his fist and slowly moved his cock back and forth in her mouth as her tongue stroked underneath the tip, expressing more of the pre-cum fluids that she couldn't get enough of.

But William had other plans. Loren loved being railed hard, and he was determined to fulfill all of her desires in that moment.

"Loren—fuck… you're gonna make me cum… let me fuck you from behind… and be loud—you can let it all out…"

As beautiful as can be, she licked and kissed the tip of his cock in a show of worship and flashed the most spellbinding smile at William as she stood up and turned around for him.

His arms wrapped around her waist as her back leaned against his chest. They stood for a moment in that spot, just absorbing each other's touch. Soon, one of William's hands was cupping her breast while the other slid between her thighs.

Loren climbed onto the bench, and with William kneeling behind her, he gently bent her over. Loren lowered her upper body further, and with her ass in the air, she spread her legs and stroked her clit in anticipation of William's entry.

"Loren—fuck me—you have no idea how fucking hot you look right now." Biting her bottom lip, Loren glanced over her shoulder towards William. "So do you…" she said, full of desire, as her long hair, still damp from the shower, cascaded over the side of her body.

William kneaded the top of her ass cheek with one hand and held his cock in his other, gliding his tip through Loren's folds. Soon, he entered her. William's cock had a slight curve upward, and the tip rubbed perfectly against Loren's g-spot as he fucked her. Her hands gripped the wooden slats on the bench as William's thrusts became steadily deeper.

His head fell backward and his eyes closed as images of her in the water working alongside his dad filled his mind. He could not recall ever feeling such intense pride towards a girl he brought home before.

The pride—this sensation he felt in that moment—fueled his thrusts as he gripped Loren's hips, plowing her even harder. William gazed at how incredible she looked from behind as she cried out to him and how good his cock felt. Her voice, the sound of their slick skin slapping, watching her stroke herself as he bucked into her—to William, there was no better feeling than in that moment.

Loren hollered a string of profanities as her legs began to shake as she orgasmed. William slid one hand up to her shoulder and kept the other gripping her hip. Loren pushed back into him, allowing him to go just a smidge deeper when she let out a loud guttural shriek as a final climax, while reaching behind her, grappling for William's ass.

William pressed into Loren's cunt further, letting out his own feral grunts. William felt like he was losing his mind a little as his thrusts went into overdrive. Loren was riding the wave of another orgasm, gripping the underside of the bench, her ass and thighs rippling as he drove into her. Soon, William let out groans from deep in his throat, his own legs quaking as he spilled deep into her.

William stayed in position, smoothing the sheen of her back around with his hands. He watched her breathing slow while she moaned incoherent words into her forearm. He slid out of her slowly, his seed slowly seeping out just after his tip exited.

He always reveled at the sight of Loren after she came. She once explained she can hear him speak, but she's suspended in such a deep state of euphoria, she hardly has the will to make any part of her body move. It's almost like a complete separation of mind and body.

William loved knowing that's what he does to her.

The two had been in the sauna for a little longer than one probably should. Once Loren could move again, she gathered her towel, slipped on her robe, and stepped back out into the fresh afternoon air. William remained close behind her, stopping only for a quick dip in the cold tub. Not wanting to advertise the inevitable shrinkage from the cold water, William giggled as he sheepishly asked if Loren could retrieve his shorts before he stood up.

With hours remaining before their dinner plans later that evening, Loren and William settled in on the couch, wrapped around each other as each dog found a spot—Banksy on top of Loren's hip and Pablo nestled between William's legs. They had Tetris'ed themselves snugly together as the four drifted off for a nap.

Just over an hour later, Michael and Camilla returned—the dogs' alert startled William and Loren awake, the two stretching and giving each other a soft kiss before rising from the couch.

As they helped carry in bags from the car, Michael asked if they could stay for dinner. Michael remained so abundantly grateful for Loren's help that day that he felt it was the least he could do.

William smiled at his dad's hopeful expression but before he could decline, Michael quickly remembered they had plans already.

William added, "Maybe in a few days, okay? We can figure out something with whoever's available—"

"I'd like to do something maybe just for the two of you, does that sound alright?" Michael looked towards Loren this time for a response.

"I would love that—I've heard that you're a pretty amazing chef," Loren said warmly as Michael hugged her. "We can bring some wine as well?"

Camilla's eyes danced as she looked at Loren. "You could even stay the night—give us a chance to have some drinks and get to know you more."

Camilla thanked Loren again for all of her help, hugging her tightly.

As they walked out, Michael asked if they used the sauna. The question was directed more towards Loren but William answered "Yes" instead.

Michael smiled. "And—how was it—did it warm you up—relax you?"

Loren blushed as she remembered "relaxing" after her massive climax.

William coolly replied, "It was hot, Dad… and yeah, it was extra relaxing... I think Loren enjoyed it. I know I did."

Cheeky motherfucker… Loren thought as she glanced at William and then at Michael.

Michael read between the lines with William's comment and just laughed and shook his head.

—

Loren was the first one ready for their dinner plans that evening. She was borderline nervous—meeting a handful of William's closest friends is right up there with meeting his family. Even though the Nylanders were warm and welcoming, Isla's scornful gaze during Loren's introduction was undeniably still etched in her memory.

Loren fidgeted with her red sundress as she looked at her reflection in the long mirror in William's bedroom. She was beginning to second-guess and scrutinize her appearance. Her clothes, her shoes—everything—were mainly mass-produced with low-cost materials. She saw how stylish the Nylanders all were; even without trying, they all could easily grace the cover of Vogue.

It was more likely than not that his friends and their girlfriends were equally as stylish and sophisticated, and with that thought, Loren exhaled sharply and dropped her shoulders in frustration and dismay. Her insecurities once again resurfaced, attempting to convince her that his friends would laugh at her discount clothes and shoes—that her hair was too big, wavy, and messy-looking. That she really had no business being there as William's guest.

Loren decided to take a picture and send it to Chelsea, her friend and style guru, hoping she could either say "yay" to the dress or veto it and tell her to change.

Just as Loren took the picture, William walked in fresh from the shower—a towel barely tucked tight enough to stay put around his hips. Loren's eyes trailed to the contour on either side of his torso—"the v"—that acted like a sign pointing straight to his cock. His dark blonde hair flopped in certain spots and stuck straight out in others. To Loren, he looked freakishly perfect every single solitary second of every day, and in that moment, she was horny for him and frustrated with him at the same time.

A sizeable grin spanned his face as his eyes landed on Loren. Instead of reciprocating with her typical sweet smile, she rolled her eyes and scoffed at William.

"You know, William—it's not fucking fair," Loren half-smiled as she slowly shook her head. "Like—c'mon… you walk in with almost nothing on, your hair is perfectly imperfect—you know what? You're so greedy…"

William started to laugh. "Greedy?"

"Yes… really fucking greedy. Your whole family—you all got greedy in the gene pool and didn't leave nearly enough for the rest of us."

William's iconic laugh reverberated in the room. "Wait—hold on… that's a bunch of bullshit… you need to put your glasses on there, Chiquita…"

William sat on the edge of his bed, his legs automatically splayed as he propped himself up on his elbows. He chuckled again when he saw Loren's eyes fall once again to the bump his cock made under the towel. "I don't get it—where's—what's all of this about?"

On top of everything else she was feeling in that moment, she was the most embarrassed about her insecurities. She didn't feel like this all the time, but like mice running rampant, where there's one negative thought, a hundred more seem to follow.

So, she was honest with him.

"First, I'm just second-guessing my outfit—well, my entire appearance really. Second, I really hate showing how insecure I can be sometimes. It's not all day, all the time or anything, but I know it's not the most attractive quality to have... especially around you."

William often struggled to find the right words, but he never saw Loren as insecure. Vulnerable at times, yes, which brought out his protective instincts and kindness. Unbeknownst to Loren, William sometimes felt inadequate compared to her, but he knew that if he could at least comfort and reassure her, it was a good start.

"You know—my first thought is that it's hard to understand how you're not able to just know how fucking gorgeous you are… but then I think if you did, you wouldn't be who you are—which is even more amazing. If that makes any sense?" William pulled her close, his rugged hand cradled the back of her head as he pressed his lips against her hair. He breathed in her light fragrance as he continued to kiss her head. "If you are worried that my friends aren't going to like you because of this or that—they really are not like that. They're almost as nice as you, if you can believe it," William chuckled.

His hands then smoothed down the fabric of the back of her dress, soon slipping underneath the hem. She could feel his burgeoning hard-on as the towel finally unfastened and fell to the floor.

In an instant, William's mouth was latched onto Loren's neck, pressing her up against the wall. She couldn't resist him—she really didn't even try. She turned around so her ass was aligned with his erection. She leaned over slowly and suggestively said, "Here, let me bend over and pick that up—"

Loren soon received the "input" from William that she needed to help calm her worries.

—

William's assessment of his friend group was absolutely accurate. Loren was relieved and grateful that she was instantly welcomed into William's social circle—or at least the particular one that evening. Two of the women at the table, Ingrid and Malin, were the girlfriends of Anders and Erik, who all were at the bar the previous night with William. The third was Lisa, the buoyant, beautiful, and gregarious long-time girlfriend of Rasmus Sandin, William's former roommate and teammate before being traded to Washington.

To break the ice within his friend group, William wanted Loren to share his new favorite story—the tale of her airport security detention. When she had recounted the incident to William's entire family the day before, he was still laughing about it.

As the story went, Loren was "randomly flagged" by flight security, leading to her bags being pulled, scanned, and thoroughly searched. In her large suitcase, she had packed some camera equipment—a tripod, ring light, and other items—which she intended to use for recording interviews with random people against the city's scenic backdrop. The equipment had been carefully wrapped in bubble wrap and then nestled within her clothing. All her paperwork was impeccable, detailing the who, what, where, when, why, and how of her trip. As security rifled through her belongings, they seemed particularly intrigued by the combination of camera equipment and some sexy undergarments that Loren had packed to impress William.

The officers asked the standard questions—did she pack the bag herself, had anyone else had access to her luggage, and so on. Then one officer inquired about the purpose of the videos. Loren was stressed—words in both English and French tumbled around in her head like clothes in a dryer. She blurted out that they were "instructional videos."

The two men exchanged glances, then looked at the lingerie set she'd packed for William, and finally at the camera equipment. “Miss - are the videos pornographic in nature?” The officer who remained silent seemed rather hopeful.

“No! No - they are language tutorials - like teaching how to converse in French,” Loren gasped, her cheeks blazing.

“Are you able to show us?”

Mon dieu (my God) Loren thought to herself, dying inside a little.

She pulled out her phone and showed a more recent post, with her, very much clothed and covered - and not getting railed or giving fellatio.

After only a few seconds, one officer seemed perturbed with the tame, g-rated video and waved her off saying she could go.

William was completely taken with Loren as she animatedly finished telling the story, describing how she had to gather up a lace thong and a bustier and shove them back in her suitcase before running out and meeting William’s mother, no less. Loren explained that later, when she told the full story to his family, Camilla nearly choked on her wine from laughter.

As more stories were shared, an energetic buzz filled the air around the table. The four couples seamlessly blended, their laughter and conversation flowing freely. Loren, with her adaptable nature and engaging personality, found herself quickly embraced by William's tight-knit group of friends—much as she had been with his family.

William and Erik spotted a couple of empty pool tables from where the group sat in the corner of the bar. Soon, wagers were discussed, match-ups were made and friendly-fire chirps were said.

Ingrid and Malin observed Loren closely. Contrary to Isla's portrayal from the previous night, Loren embodied everything Isla had claimed she wasn't. This discrepancy didn't surprise them; Isla's relationship with the truth was often shaky at best. The ladies held their tongues, but they were brimming with curiosity, wondering if Loren was aware of Isla's blatant hostility towards her the night before. While Ingrid and Malin typically avoided gossip, Isla's unprovoked behavior had left them stunned and eager to discuss it. They knew Lisa held strong opinions about Isla's character and were keen to hear her take, which usually swung between witty and scathing.

After the men left the table to venture over to the billiards with full pints of beer in their hands, Ingrid and Malin exchanged glances, topped up Loren's wine, and started treading carefully with the trajectory of their desired conversation.

They first asked Loren basic questions about what she and William did that day, and then worked backwards from there. Loren smiled, knowing the direction Ingrid and Malin wanted to take their chat and suppressed a chuckle. As kind and friendly as all three women had been to Loren, she remained cautious with her words—she told herself to stick with the facts, avoid any personal opinions or any other petty remarks.

It was Ingrid who just cut to the chase with the question of whether Loren heard anything about the night before. And Loren explained what she had been told—which frankly surprised and impressed all three ladies that William had been candid about the situation and did not seem to bypass any major details.

The women were also impressed by Loren's frankness, honesty, and fairness with the complexities of being the object of William's affections. Although it was unspoken, each of the ladies could see how unique Loren was when they compared her against other women that William had spent time with.

Once the Isla conversation was addressed, no one dwelled on any of it.

Malin and Ingrid got up to use the ladies' room and it seemed the two were feeling no pain as they groped their boyfriends' asses as they walked by. Erik didn't seem to mind but Anders, who was trying to take a shot, flinched and sunk the cue ball instead of the solid green one he was aiming for.

Loren and Lisa giggled as Rasmus and William turned to look at them before chirping their friend about the missed shot.

Lisa smiled back towards Loren. "So, you were saying something before about a conversation you and Willy were having… about being out in public?"

Loren nodded. "Just about whether or not we should 'appear' like we are sort of—" Loren struggled to find just the right words to describe their undefined status. "Romantically linked? I guess that's the best way to say it," Loren finally said.

Lisa had known William for a long time through Rasmus' relationship, as William had been Rasmus' roommate on and off, and one of his most trusted friends. She cared for William deeply and, although she didn't always agree with some of his tactics and tendencies, she knew he was a good person at heart. Having had a front-row seat to some of the issues from his past relationships, Lisa understood why William had become incredibly guarded with women in general.

However, Lisa sensed something different in how William and Loren interacted. Though seated diagonally from each other—in an attempt to avoid immediate “guesswork” of who’s with whom by passersby—their connection was very apparent. The way they looked at each other when the other spoke revealed an incredible connection. Lisa didn't just see it; she felt it. She had shared this observation with Rasmus, who wholeheartedly agreed.

"So, you two aren't technically dating, in the traditional sense?" Lisa asked.

Loren looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap. "Well, I think it's a little different for him—people are so invested in the labels…single versus not. So, if someone were to ask him right now, he would say he's single. So, I guess that makes me single too…but it's not how I feel. When I really like someone, that's it for me. I literally don't 'see' anyone else, if you know what I mean."

Lisa nodded. "I do—fully. I felt that way about Rasmus when I first met him."

Loren chuckled and then went quiet. "It feels like a dangerous spot for me to be in though. He has gazillions of women that, whether they're single or not, would kill… or at least maim for him. I'm not trying to compete or anything because I just can't… or maybe it's more that I won't. I wanted to go slow with getting to know each other—somehow be interested yet be relatively detached at the same time. I'm not wanting to rush either because God—his life… just his life alone is dizzying. But the interest out there for him—like, how is any girl - me, or her, her, her…" Loren giggled as she continued to point out any girl in the vicinity of their table, "going to handle that amount of enticement of ‘their man’ from other women?"

Lisa completely understood, as Rasmus, also known as "Sandy," received quite a lot of attention in his own right. "It's a decision you make. And as time goes on, you have to keep making the decision to go left or right. I mean, Sandy isn't anywhere near Willy's popularity, but I will say—he's one of William's closest friends. You would not believe how many women want to go through his friends just for a shot at William. It's… yeah… unbelievable."

Lisa looked over at Sandy, who was already looking back at her. "But I feel supported. Loved. He's good to me, a good person to others. He's my biggest cheerleader," she said wistfully as she winked at her love. Lisa chronicled her own Olympic journey to Loren and all the injuries and accidents she experienced with being an alpine skier. The two continued to bond over Lisa's fearlessness versus Loren's absolute fear of heights—mainly falling from them.

Malin and Ingrid returned from the ladies' room, but came back from a different direction from where the washrooms were. In tow, a tall, good-looking man with a tray of shots arrived.

Loren thought she recognized him, but couldn't place from where. Lisa jumped up and gave him a hug, and just as Malin started introducing Loren, the name "Emil!" was shouted from the billiard tables.

The group of men all came rushing up, causing a bit of a comical scene—given that their fourth pint had kicked in. They laughed and talked excitedly in Swedish as the women laughed along.

While Isla's harsh assertion that Loren would struggle to understand Swedish conversations was unkind, there was some truth to it. But Loren actually didn't mind anyway. Just watching the warm and vibrant exchange, especially William's, was entertaining enough for her.

Emil saw Loren and immediately was taken aback by her exquisite features. Knowing everyone's relationship status in their group, it was automatic that he realized Loren was with William.

He selected the only shot glass that wasn't dripping over the sides and approached Loren, offering her the shot. They introduced themselves and cheered "Skål" just as William slid next to Loren, gently placing his hand on the small of her back. The three talked about how Loren had almost crossed paths with Emil in Toronto, as Emil had stayed at William's during the playoffs after Loren had returned home.

As the night progressed, Loren and the three girlfriends were perched at a tall bar table, watching the billiard playoff rounds: William versus Rasmus and Erik versus Anders. Emil, having had an off-night, had been eliminated in the first round of pool.

Finding a spot next to Loren, Emil struck up an easy conversation. They chatted about her impressions of Stockholm and William's performance as a tour guide. Emil also offered his own recommendations for favorite places to visit and things to do in and around the city.

Emil found Loren warm, funny, and charming—a stark contrast to his earlier date that evening. That encounter had felt doomed from the start, lacking any spark in conversation, common interests, or chemistry.

Chemistry is exactly what he was feeling now with Loren. Besides that, he was awestruck by - well, everything about her.

Emil and Loren both laughed as they watched William and Rasmus chirp each other mercilessly. Erik and Anders' game wasn't nearly as rowdy—the noise from William and Rasmus continually interrupted their concentration. Soon, the two tables were facetiously hurling Swedish insults at one another. Malin, Lisa, and Ingrid joined in with their own comments, eliciting raucous laughter from the group.

Emil chuckled with the repartee and did his best to translate the banter for Loren. Her eyes sparkled as she witnessed the how close William’s friends were with one another, and laughed at the cutting but amusing remarks being exchanged.

William looked over at Loren and Emil. Although Loren had been watching William’s game closely, Emil was telling her a longer story about the how’s and where’s everyone first met. Initially, he was happy to see his long-time friend keeping Loren company, realizing that he himself had not really been by to check on her for awhile.

As he waiting for Rasmus to take his shot, William’s glance bounced between the pool table and the bar table where Emil seemed to be quite riveted with whatever Loren was talking about. The longer William looked, the more unnerved he felt.

Loren took a sip of her drink and, as she looked up, her eyes met William's. She winked and flashed him a bright smile. William gestured, asking if she was okay—she nodded yes and returned the question. He glanced at the pool table, then at Rasmus, and finally back to Loren, indicating he wasn't doing well.

Loren feigned a slight pouty face and mouth the word “sorry” followed by another beautiful smile.

Emil smiled faintly at the exchange. He couldn't believe his misfortune that Loren was William's whatever-interest. William had already given Emil a sense of who Loren was during his Toronto visit, describing her as gorgeous, kind, among other things. But now, meeting her in person, Emil felt as if the universe was playing a cruel joke on him because she was so much more.

The final round pitted William against Erik, with William emerging victorious in record time. He claimed it was his first win against any of the guys. As Emil retreated to the other side of the group, William approached Loren. He leaned in close, declaring her his good luck charm. Loren caught a whiff of beer, realizing William was likely half-cut by now. As he ran his hand up her back, he asked if she enjoyed herself and if she'd be ready to leave soon.

Malin called over to Loren asking if she wanted to come to the ladies room with them - she had an idea for another fun night and wanted to talk while she peed.

Loren touched William's arm and said she's ready to go anytime after her conference in the restroom. He watched her admiringly as she glided across the floor and disappeared around the corner.

William was definitely feeling more drunk than not and was feeling a certain stirring in his cock, despite having Loren three times already that day. He didn't even realize the smirk he had on his face when he joined his friends standing around the high-top table.

With William’s overt attraction for Loren on full display, his friends hurled out some good-natured jabs, followed by some genuine compliments about Loren, to which William enthusiastically affirmed.

Only Emil remained quiet. That is, until he didn't.

He started to shake his head indignantly. “You don't fuck around with this one, Willy. She's already more than what you deserve, given how long you've strung her along for.”

As their mouths fell open, Rasmus and the other men quietly watched as the blue squiggly vein by William’s temple seem to pulsate with Emil's remark.

“You barely even acknowledged her - at least since I've been here. Just because you can fuck any girl that even so much as looks at you, the good ones - great ones even - are ALL expendable to you. Loren - she fucking was there for you, man…she looked after you - cleaned up after you, fed you - sucked your dick. She's an 12 out of 10 at least and all you're gonna do is rope her in with your bullshit and then fuck around on her once you've got her locked in.” Emil drank back the rest of his beer, threw down a bill in the middle of the table and walked out.

William looked around at the stunned faces around the table and then followed Emil outside. The fresh air and the sting of the words one of his closest friend just hurled at him helped sober him up a little.

Emil leaned up against the outside wall of the bar, looking across the street, and then down at the sidewalk.

William approached him. “Bro - what the fuck was that?”

Emil started shaking his head and clenching his jaw. “Sorry, man - I had a rough night I guess. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.” He thought for a moment. “Loren seems really amazing though. Good for you bro - glad you got her here for a visit. She gets to see the ‘real’ William Nylander.”

William knew the tone of Emil’s last remark but left it alone. “So this is more about Loren - dude…what the fuck, man…”

“No - not just about her - maybe it has nothing to do with her specifically. Meeting her just triggered something.” Emil slid down the wall into a squat. “It’s just - I’m fucking ready. I’m so ready to get the girl - the woman - who I’m meant to be with. To get the fuck on with life. You know how many dates I’ve been on lately - fuck me, dude…it’s fucking hard to find someone that I’m attracted to - and not just in the physical sense.”

William looked long and hard at his friend. He was pissed with Emil’s words but once again, they stung because there were threads of truth interwoven in them. “Emil - look, I know it seems easier for me, but it’s not…it might actually be worse. To know that they want me for me. Not for the money or status.”

Emil shook his head again. “But you’ve got that - in there - with HER. Wake the fuck up - you need to either cut her loose so she can start getting past the months you’ve strung her along or - “

“Fuck sakes Emil - I’m not stringing her along…. Jesus, what the fuck, bro. I care for her - a lot - and you know that. Look - I have to take things at a pace that I’m comfortable with…..this is a big thing for me too.”

Emil thought for a moment and his expression relaxed. “So - she’s not your girlfriend?”

William cocked his head to the side. He didn’t like where this was going. “Technically, no - she’s not.”

“So she’s here with you now, what happens when she leaves to go back to Toronto, and you’re still here? Are you dating in that situation?”

William bit the inside of his lip and thought about how to answer. “She just got here - and we’ll have to talk about it.”

“So depending on what you decide, she’ll either be available or not?”

William started to respond that it was Loren’s decision too but his voice trailed off, knowing that was not entirely accurate. “That will all be between her and I both - the two of us,” William said calmly, trying to emphasize this has nothing to do with Emil and he needs to butt out.

Emil looked at his long-time friend and shook his head, before turning on his heel and walking away.

“Hey - Emil…c’mon man…,” William called after him.

The only response William heard was “Greedy bastard” as Emil turned the corner.

That was twice William had been called greedy in the past 12 hours; however, only one was a joke.

William hung his head and then looked down the empty street before turning to go back inside. He and Emil had always been solid, but William got the feeling there had been resentments looming for a while. Poor Loren just happened to be the catalyst.

All four ladies had returned and congregated around the adjoining table. No one the wiser about the friction between William and Emil.

William stood close behind Loren, murmuring softly in her ear if she was good to leave. His hands circling around her waist then clasping together around her abdomen took her by surprise, but she sure wasn't complaining.

The ladies made tentative plans to visit a nightclub where Malin's friend would be DJing later that week. The men nodded and shrugged in agreement. It was a familiar, amicable exchange—the guys typically golfed during the day and escorted their girlfriends for a night out. This well-oiled routine helped maintain a peacefulness in their close circle of friends.

Loren and William said their goodbyes, exchanged hugs with their friends, and stepped outside to meet their Uber.

William tried to push his discussion with Emil aside and focus on Loren instead. He rested his hand on her knee, asking what she thought of everyone she'd met. He reveled in her smile as she talked about the personalities of the women she’d met, and even his male friends too. William pulled her in and she rested her head on his collarbone while he absentmindedly ran his finger along a small scar at the top of her kneecap. As unsettling as the conversation with Emil was, Loren’s mere presence

Try as he might, Emil and their heated exchanged remained a prominent thought in his mind. William thought about talking to Loren, wondering if she truly felt that he was stringing her along.

William pushed aside his thoughts as the Uber pulled up to his building. Once inside, he enveloped Loren in his arms, drawing her close and gently caressing her cheek with his lips. It was unbelievable to him at how, in just two days, there had already been two dramas centered around Loren—neither of which she had instigated.

William peppered her neck with kisses - the sensation from both his mouth and his mustache made Loren squeal as she gripped onto his body. His hands roamed, landing on her ass under her dress and giving both of her cheek an affectionate squeeze while he kissed down along her neck.

William finally pulled himself away - walking the dogs with blue balls did not seem enjoyable. Loren watched William change, offering to come with him. He gazed apologetically at her and asked if it would be okay if he went alone. He explained that some things had been mentioned to him by one of his friends and he needed time to mull it over. Loren did press for further clarification, she always assumed if William wanted to give details, he would. Before walking out the door, William pulled her in once more and told her he could hardly wait to join her in bed.

As the dogs lead William along their normal route, he decided to call Emil with the hopes that calmer heads might prevail. William reminded himself to ease into the conversation and to not jump in starting with “what the fuck.”

Emil was cordial initially when he answered, but then he softened as the two friends spoke. He apologized to William for some of the things he said, but he admits that other points he had made, he stood by - which William thought was fair.

“Look - I know it’s me…I know I’m the one that has all of this shit going on about finding “that” girl. I just wasn’t expecting to have the reaction I did when I met Loren - I know you told me all about her but fuck, she’s really something,” Emil said.

William nodded. “Yeah, she really is. She’s like good to the core.”

“So then I don’t get it - fuck, why can’t you just take the plunge…ask her if she wants to get more serious with you?” Emil chuckled “’Cause I swear dude, if she gave me a second look, I’m not hesitating…”

“Jesus dude - like I said - I can’t… I won’t rush this. It’s really not her that I’m worried about - this is me making sure I’m ready to go the distance with anyone. She’s the closest I have ever come to feeling that I can totally commit to someone, but I gotta do this in the way I feel comfortable.”

Emil paused. “Yeah, ok…I get it. Does she know that?”

William pressed his lips together, still tasting Loren’s lip gloss that transferred to his moustache. “I don’t think so - probably not. But I have something planned just for the two of us. I need us to just be completely alone with her and from there, we’ll figure it out.”

“She must be pretty fucking patient to deal with your wide array of shit,” Emil chuckled.

“Ha - yeah, she is. But she’s been through her own shit so I think she’s just as cautious as I am. She actually told me after her last boyfriend fucked her over, that was it - she preferred to be alone. But you know I’m so fucking adorable, she made an exception for me,” William laughed.

Emil lightly scoffed. “Whatever - maybe back in your boy band, fuck boy era… now, you’re all wide and hairy…you’re getting old, man…”

William just laughed. “I’m back at my building and Loren’s probably waiting so - we good?”

“Yeah - all good. Just let me know if something happens and she ends up being available, and I’ll - “

William started to laugh. “Fuck off dude…”

Emil continued “Hey - I won’t hesitate to - “

“Jesus bro - go jerk off or something…”

Emil paused “I’m not saying I already have but -”

“Okay - alright - don’t fucking need to know. See ya’ bro - talk soon…”

William chuckled as he slid his phone back in his pocket. The dogs immediately saw Loren curled up under a blanket on the couch when they walked through the door. He heard her muffled giggles as the dog’s onslaught of affection towards Loren ensued.

After a few minutes, William pulled Loren tightly to his body - they were both tired and ready for sleep. Loren found her favourite spot against his chest and stroked his back, drifting towards slumber.

Loren was somewhere between barely conscious and deep sleep, when she thought she heard William kissing her head and saying, just above a whisper “So amazing. Please be patient with me.”

[throttlee]

hi there! i've been the hugest fan of your artwork for EVER, took a little break from tumblr but recently got sucked back in and the first thing I remembered was your account. i excitedly checked it for more art, and of course you did not disappoint. your pieces are so so pretty, and the way you make the mood say a thousand things is extremely talented and makes your art so unique. although you do a lot of... saucy art (wink wink), you somehow convey feelings like comfort, longing, and affection through their eyes or just your way of painting digitally. i just saw that you responded to a sweet comment a while ago saying that you appreciated their compliments as you were thinking of quitting, and i can't describe the fear that went through me. if you do quit, then good for you! it'll probably free up more time, make you less stressed, or take away pressure-- i don't personally know since I'm not an artist. but if you don't, i'll be VERY happy because your account is one of the most wonderful things i've ever come across. i consume some pretty toxic content on here, but your art is genuinely the purest thing and i always scream with excitement every time you post. you make me giggle on the subway and at home and near my cat and i scare her every time. ALSO I SEE THAT YOU THINK YOU'RE BAD AT ART AND IT MAKES ME SO MAD. STOP SPEAKING YOU'RE LITERALLY A PRODIGY I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR SUCH LIES. YOUR PAINTINGS OF MY ABSOLUTE MOST BELOVED CHARACTERS ARE GODLY!!! anyways i love u and hope ur doing well, mentally and physically. love you forever and ever (even though I'm a literal stranger <333)!

btw I had a dream and you were in it so idk what happened w that??? just realized I sound creepy asf but im in love w ur art and ur account. sending u lots of love from toronto!!

hello there. i honestly did not know how to answer that. i am just one small artist from a very small niche among millions online. your message overwhelmed me with love! is such a big pleasure to flourish so many enthusiasm towards my creations, i feel i achieved a small medal on my chest, one that tells me there are few people out there who genuinely seek out for me and what i am able to deliver. i don't know if i deserve so many love nor a space in your memory to even remember my page back, but it sure brought a tear of happiness and joy on me. feels all the hard work was worth, after all. thank you very much and everybody who think the same. i will treasure the words and i hope my art can always touch you and bring a lot of joy, no matter when. 🥺🥺🥺

[onenicebugperday]

Hello!!! Have a collection of little friends!!! (Can you spot the odd one out lol?) If you want to Id, I'm near Toronto but I'm not too fussed. The black spider is a friend I found in one of my storage boxes, the millepede is a friend from a plant at work, the bee is fondant friend my sister made for cupcakes, the cocoon (?) I found outside at work, the Lil spider is another work friend, a caterpillar from a walk, actual bee on some Sunflowers I grew and last but not least a big spider friend from work, I swear the leg span was as big as my hand!!! Thank you for sharing all the bug friends!!!

A very lovely collection of pals! The first is a bold jumper, the second is a julid millipede though I couldn't say which. The "cocoon" is a butterfly chrysalis. The spider on the orange flower looks like a sac spider but I'd need more photos to ID species. Caterpillar is of course a woolly bear which is an Isabella tiger moth. Bumblebee!! And finally the last "spider" is not a spider at all but a harvestman :)

[opinions-about-tiaras]

I think it's okay for people to be disappointed and feel misled and maybe even a little upset Scott Pilgrim Takes Off wasn't a more straightforward adaptation.

It's a masterwork as a piece of media, of course; a AU-that's-also-a-sequel based on both the movie AND the graphic novels, in dialogue with both, telling a tight, near-flawless story with immaculate animation and voice acting that, quite frankly, often makes the 2010 movie look poorly directed. (Tony Oliver is getting a LOT more out of these people in the booth than Edgar Wright managed to in front of the camera, frankly.)

And that's part of the problem, I think.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World oozed charm out of every shot; it's beloved by everyone who worked on it, which is always a good sign. But as an adaptation it was flawed in ways that were inevitable. Sacrifices had to be made to fit all six graphic novels that are deliberately messy and are meant as separate narrative arcs into something that runs on the big screen in less than two hours.

That meant a lot had to go missing. The original graphic novels were often leisurely rom-coms where they weren't stark, raw looks at emotional dysfunction, and a big part of their structure was the secondary and supporting cast. A lot of that had to go. Knives entire arc was cut to the bone. Stephen Stills being a hot mess and his weird and hilarious offscreen gay awakening went into the trash. The heart of Volume Four (still the best volume FIGHT ME), Lisa Miller's instigating presence, junked. Roxie Richter and the Katayanagi Twins are reduced basically to jokes. Envy Adams is given just enough to be a villain but none of what she needed to be a real person, which is a big deal in the comics. Even Gideon gets short shrift; the emotional violations and the dark, stinking, malign weaponization of emotional headspace that make him work in the comics are thrown aside in favor of him being a more straightforward supervillain using mind control chips.

And of course the biggest person to get shanked was Kim Pine. Kim had a storyline of quiet desperation, of seeking intimacy while being desperately terrified of it, romantic and sexual awakenings she isn't equipped to handle, deep and personal betrayals almost every volume that she nonetheless perseveres through. That had to go as well.

When I heard there was an animated adaptation coming, I was thrilled that I would finally get to see all of that rendered onto the screen. Scott Pilgrim was born to be an animated series more than it ever was live-action (and it's been proven multiple times over the past five years especially that animation can produce something wildly special when adapting a comic source handled properly) and it was finally going to have the breathing space to do it RIGHT.

Only it isn't that at all.

I wouldn't trade Scott Pilgrim Takes Off for the more straightforward adaptation we were expecting. The series has sunk its hooks deep into my brain, it's like I'm 29 again, driving my terrible, jank-ass car five hours to Toronto to attend the release party of the final volume. There's so much special about it; Knives and Kim's beautiful love duet is one of the most tender, pure things I've ever seen. The League of Evil Exes as a bumbling cadre of weirdos. Everything to do with Roxie Richter.

But it also means that we're probably deeply unlikely to get that more straightforward adaptation anytime soon. And that makes me feel like something has been lost.

And I respect the feelings of those who are disappointed and upset by it. Especially given that the marketing for Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was deliberately deceptive. I think that's a valid way to feel.