#and stare at aiden turner's body

[belle-keys]

the urge to get back into poldark and outlander and have a celtic vibes summer

[letmewritefanfiction]

The Oscar for prettiest girlfriend goes to…

Pairing: Ben Hardy x Reader

Word count: 1891

Summary: You and Ben have been dating in secret for months. But now you’re up for an Oscar, and maybe it’s time to tell the world?

Warnings: none really? Ben Hardy being a cutie maybe. And this is not beta’d.

You took one last look at yourself in the full-length mirror in your hotel room. You tried your best to smile at your reflection, but your stomach was to full of nerves. This was your first time at the Oscars, and you were actually nominated for best actress in a supporting role! It was a huge deal, and you had to look your best. The dress you were wearing was both bigger and heavier than you were. It was deep red, a colour you had never thought you suited until your stylist had forced you to try the dress on. Now, you kind of never wanted to take it off. You felt like a princess.

“Y/N? We have to go!” the voice of your manager, Charlotte, called through the door.

“Coming!” you called back, and walked to the door as quickly as you could in you sky high heels and gigantic skirt. The dress was floor length, even in your heels, with red lace covering the whole thing. The bodice was tight fit, off the shoulders, and the skirts busted out from a little above your hips. It was so stunning you didn’t want to sit down or do anything in fear of ruining it. A long with your manager and your body guard, Simon, you made your way out of the hotel, towards the limo.

“Y/N L/N! I thought that was you!” you looked to you left, and saw Olivia Coleman walking towards another car.

“Olivia!” You smiled, and embraced your fellow actress.

“You look, wow! I love what you have done with your hair!” Olivia said. You blushed and thanked her. You were eternally grateful for your make-up artist, Sam. The two of you had been friends since 2011, when Sam first did your make-up in your first movie. Now, Sam had styled your Y/H/C hair in the perfect style that matched your dress perfectly. Sam was truly a gem.

“Good luck tonight!” You said to Olivia, as the two of you were ushered into different limos. You enjoyed the drive to the award show. You had a class of champagne with your staff, and went over what you would say in your acceptance speech, if you won. You pulled up to the red carpet, and gratefully accepted the hand of your bodyguard to get out of the car. Charlotte quickly made sure your dress was trailing out behind you in the right way, before nodding to you.

“Remember, talk to as many people as possible. And smile, smile, smile, dear. I’ll be there to move you forward. Always smile. Cameras everywhere. And just remember to keep a good posture, so your dress looks it’s best. You look stunning. Now, walk,” Charlotte instructed, before gently pushing you towards the beginning of the carpet.

There were flashing lights and cameras everywhere. People were shouting to you from all over. For every few steps, a few more before you posed, and smiled, and smiled, and smiled. Your cheeks were hurting, but you felt gorgeous anyway. As you walked, you greeted a few fellow actors and actresses on the way. You even got a hug from Chris Evans.

 “I can die happy now,” you whispered to Charlotte, who rolled her eyes, but still smiled at you.

“Y/N!” an interviewer called out, waving you over. It felt like interview number one million, though it was probably only number seven.

“Hello,” you said with a huge smile to interviewer. The man grinned back. 

“Hi, yourself. First of all, you look stunning!” he began.

“Oh, thank you! I love your suit as well,” you said back, and it wasn’t really a lie. It was a nice, black velvet suit. A little excessive for a interviewer, but you do you.

“So, Y/N, Y/N, Y/N. Hollywood’s new favourite girl. I must ask, how does it feel to go from (Hometown) in (home country), to the biggest award show in the world?”

“I-I’m not sure,” you laughed. The interviewer joined. “I suppose it is this constant feeling of this all being a dream, and that I’ll just wake up one day, and be back in my bed at home. It’s-it’s a very surreal feeling to be here, for sure,”

“Yes, I can see that. Now, I must ask you, though I’m sure you’ve been asked this many times before. But how was it for you, to play a lesbian, and to also play the daughter of such an amazing actor as-“ suddenly something caught your eye, and your attention was quickly diverted away from the interviewer, who kept talking about your on-screen father. Walking down the carpet, being taken photos of, were the stars of Bohemian Rhapsody. Joe Mazzello, Gwilym Lee, Allen Leech, and last but not least, Ben Hardy. Aka, your boyfriend of four months. Not that anyone knew that, except for a few of your closest friends and family.

“Sorry, I just have to go really quick. I’ll be right back,” you said, cutting of the interviewer mid-sentence. Before Charlotte could ask what you were doing, you had set of power-walking down the carpet as quickly as possible. You moved around another actress you vaguely recognized, before coming face to face with Ben. At first it didn’t seem like he realized it was you. Then, his face brightened up in a massive grin.

“Y/N!” Ben said, before putting his arms around your waist, and picking you up. You laughed as you hugged him, and spun half a circle around. Ben put you down again, and you couldn’t help but beam at him.

“You look stunning,” he said with a smile, not loud enough to be heard by any of the interviewer now shouting questions as you. Suddenly remembering that you weren’t alone, you let go of Ben, and took a few steps back.

“Not so bad yourself,” you said with a kind smile, though you could see the slight hurt from when you pulled away. You mouthed sorry to him, just as Joe, Allen and Gwilym caught up with you.

“Y/N! Hi, wow!” Joe said, smiling at you, before giving you a hug.

“Joe, hi!” you answered, before moving on to hug the others to. You had met the boys some six months ago, when their press tour for Bohemian Rhapsody, and the press tour for your movie, had been in the same place at the same time. You and Ben had hit it of immediately, but that didn’t mean you weren’t friends with the other to.

“Y/N,” you looked over at Charlotte, you gently tapped the watch on her wrist. You nodded.

“I need to go. See you in there! Good luck!” You said, smiling at them. Ben caught your eyes, and smiled sadly, before you turned and walked away. Not exactly the time for feelings.

You were sat with your co-stars, your director and a few others who were related to your movie. They had just finished calling out the names of all the nominees for your category, best actress in a supporting role.

“And the winner is…” You held your breath. This was it. You looked up at the host. He opened his mouth, “Y/N L/N, for We will meet again!”

You froze for a second. Then your co-star, Aiden Turner pulled you out of you chair, and hugged you.

“Amazing!” the Irish man said with a grin, as you let go to hug others. Your brain was trying to process it all. You had won! Once the hugs were done, you were lead onto the stage. On the way, you passed Ben, who sent you the biggest smile, and applauded along with everyone else. You accepted the little statue, and turned to the mic.

“Wow, I cannot believe this is real,” you began, before pouring your heart into your well-practiced speech. Afterwards, you were lead into a room to take pictures and answer questions. It was all quite surreal. But here you were. It had happened, this was real.

Everything after that passed super quickly. You were thrilled when Rami won best actor, and when Olivia won best actress. After the show, you left, taking the limo back to the hotel. As soon as you unlocked your door, a pair of hands grabbed yours, and pulled you inside. Before you could say anything, a pair of lips met your own.

“Hey, you,” you said with a smile as you pulled away from Ben.

“Hey, princess,” he grinned before kissing you again. You laughed against his lips. God, you had missed him by your side tonight. And you told him that.

“We could just go public, you know,” he said, looking at you. But you shook your head.

“You know how I feel about having everyone all up in our business,” you said, and he nodded.

“I know, babe. But, I think it’s my business to get you out of this dress. It’s far too much fabric,” he told you with a large grin. You shook your head and laughed, but there were no protests when he began pulling at the zipper on the back. Instead you began unbuttoning his shirt, not really caring that you should be changing for the after party.

The next day the two of you spent in bed. There was no need to get up, so why bother? Ben was tracing figures into the back of your thigh, as you were scrolling through twitter.

“People won’t shut up about Lady Gaga and Bradley Coopers performance last night,” you said to Ben, who nuzzled your cheek.

“There was a lot of chemistry there though,” he said, and you nodded.

“Yeah, poor Irina,” you said and he laughed. You read on, “Oh! Listen here. Y’all keep talking about Lady Gaga an B Cooper, but did anyone see Ben Hardy and Y/N L/N? And another, Ben Hardy lifting up Y/N L/N and spinning her vs Lady Gaga staring into B Coopers eyes. We really supposed to think none of them are dating, yeah right.”

“What about us?” Ben asked, and you could hear the smile in his voice. You clicked on the hashtag for your own name. There were a lot of people congratulating you on your victory, but also some saying you had robbed others.

“This one, hear. Y/N L/N really out here living everyone’s dream, hugging Ben Hardy. Oh, and more. Y/N L/N is the most relatable celebrity, because I to would run up and hug Ben Hardy if I ever saw him,” you loved reading these things out loud. It made you feel good to know that people thought this about you and your boyfriend.

“Haha, listen to this one.” You continued. “Y/N L/N just up and left her interview to hug Ben Hardy and that is such a mood, you have no idea. And, this is my favourite. Everyone saying Y/N L/N is so luck for hugging Ben Hardy? Bitch, please, Ben is lucky to even touch our queen Y/N!” You laughed, and Ben joined you.

“I am luck, aren’t I? Also, people are so weird,” he whispered, and you turned your head to look at him.

 “Yeah, they are. But you’re not,” you said, and smiled as he kissed your lips softly.

 “I love you,” he whispered against your lips. “I’m dating an Oscar winner, amazing!”

 You laughed sarcastically. 

 “I love you to, dork.”

[serazyth]

“Detailed Char Sheet”

Character Chart Character’s full name: Serazyth (born Serafino) Umbrilen Reason or meaning of name: Serafino: “one that burns” (french) Serazyth is the name he has gone by for half a century now. Character’s nickname: Sera Reason for nickname: Shortened Birth date: May 7th Sexual Orientation: Straight, possibly bi. Physical appearance Age: He doesn’t keep track. Over 200. How old does he/she appear: In Human years, approx. 30 Weight: Gangly/malnourished Height: 8′1 Body build: Wiry muscled and skinny Shape of face: Gaunt, pointed chin Eye color: Violet Glasses or contacts: Glasses/Goggles when working Skin tone: Muted dark purple Distinguishing marks: Scars on both cheeks running ear to mouth Predominant features: Scars, height, adorned ear tips Hair color: Black Type of hair: Fairly straight Hairstyle: Either half-pony or down entirely Voice: Low/deep, accented (Vocal Ref: Aiden Turner) Overall attractiveness: That’s subjective. 5/10?  Physical disabilities: NIghtfallen, so still has an addiction.  Usual fashion of dress: Robes or loose blouse/tight pants. Favorite outfit: Function over form, in his mind. Though he pretends to find fashion interesting. Jewelry or accessories: He has silver hoops in both earlobes as well as matching Suramarian ear-tip covers.  Personality Good personality traits: Respectful, thankful Bad personality traits: Standoffish, hidden Mood character is most often in: Introspective and curious Sense of humor: Dry, light sarcasm Character’s greatest joy in life: Discovery Character’s greatest fear: Losing his mental faculties Why? His mind is what he prides himself in, as well as the potential to become withered. What single event would most throw this character’s life into complete turmoil? Losing mana access and falling into Withered. Character is most at ease when: Alone or doing research Most ill at ease when: In large crowds of Horde races Enraged when: Made fun of or disrespected Depressed or sad when: Left alone for too long Priorities: Developing elixirs and ways to integrate mana Life philosophy: “There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” If granted one wish, it would be: If he was honest with himself: power. Why? Because it’s a dark-hidden craving that he feels would aid his endeavors. Character’s soft spot: Affection. Is this soft spot obvious to others? If they care to notice. Greatest strength: Resolve Greatest vulnerability or weakness: His need for mana Biggest regret: Getting caught by Elisande’s lackeys Minor regret: Not looking for his sibling Biggest accomplishment: Surviving in exile Minor accomplishment: Making friends(?) with Shade Past failures he/she would be embarrassed to have people know about: He doesn’t have any he would be embarrassed about Why? While he’s very closed off, every “mistake” is simply a learning experience. Character’s darkest secret: He was doing experiments with living subjects in Suramar City, which partially lead to his exile. That behavior continued (and grew exponentially) afterward. Does anyone else know? No one that he currently interacts with. His subjects are all either deceased or withered. Goals Drives and motivations: Discovery, alchemy, the void. Immediate goals: Start making a name for himself via elixirs and mana concoctions. Long-term goals: He is unclear on this for himself. How the character plans to accomplish these goals: Research, exploitation. How other characters will be affected: It depends on how they help or interfere.. Past Hometown: Suramar City Type of childhood: Privileged  Pets: None First memory: Seeing the stars from behind their bubble. Most important childhood memory: His mother dying. Why: It changed his outlook on his race and what it meant to be “good”. Childhood hero: No one. Dream job: Astromancer Education: High, home-schooled and private tutor Religion: None Finances: Wealthy, though most of it is still within the family vault in Suramar Present Current location: Tol Barad Currently living with: Himself. Pets: None Religion: None Occupation: Spellweaver / Researcher Finances: The same Family Mother: Deceased (Gallia Umbrilen) Relationship with her: Close until her death Father: Deceased (Montaine Umbrilen) Relationship with him: Strained Siblings: (redacted) Relationship with them: (redacted) Spouse: None Relationship with him/her: ---- Children: None Relationship with them: ---- Other important family members: ---- Favorites Color: Teal, black and purple Least favorite color: Yellow Music: No real preference Food: Arcwine, honey biscuits and Shade’s breakfasts Literature: Any and all Form of entertainment: Anything intellectually stimulating Expressions: ? Mode of transportation: Walking. It’s good for reflection Most prized possession: The recipe for Mana Concentrate, which he has never written down so it isn’t stolen. Habits Hobbies: Alchemy, writing, cultivation, experimenting Plays a musical instrument? None well Plays a sport? ..... How he/she would spend a rainy day: Reading, most likely. Spending habits: Frugal but has an eye for certain things. Smokes: Not often. Drinks: Rarely to excess Other drugs: Will try anything once for the sake of understanding it. What does he/she do too much of? Introspection What does he/she do too little of? Social interaction Extremely skilled at: Experimentation, logical thought processes Extremely unskilled at: Knowledge of Alliance/Horde as it stands currently Nervous tics: Micro-movements with hands (finger rubbing, twitching, balling etc) Usual body posture: Proper, head high, relaxed-professional Mannerisms: (See tics), tight-lipped smiles, staring Peculiarities: Silence before response, lacking understanding of cultural quips Traits Optimist or pessimist? A healthy dose of both Introvert or extrovert? Introvert Daredevil or cautious? Usually cautious.  Logical or emotional? Logical with a dollop of the other Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Methodical Prefers working or relaxing? Working Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Fairly confident Animal lover? He respects them. Self-perception How he/she feels about himself/herself: Currently it’s a work in progress. He has accepted his situation and is working to build from it. One word the character would use to describe self: Calculating. One paragraph description of how the character would describe self: He wouldn’t waste the time. What does the character consider his/her best personality trait? Mental prowess. What does the character consider his/her worst personality trait? Acquiescing to the needs of others.  What does the character consider his/her best physical characteristic? His height or eyes. What does the character consider his/her worst physical characteristic? His scars. How does the character think others perceive him/her: He imagines they are either intimidated or turned off. What would the character most like to change about himself/herself: His need for affection/”love”. Relationships with others Opinion of other people in general: He forms snap decisions on others but rarely lets it linger.  Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Oh, very much so. Person character most hates: Elisande Best friend(s): As of now, Shade. He hasn’t made any. Love interest(s): *coughs* Shade? Person character goes to for advice: No one Person character feels responsible for or takes care of: Himself Person character feels shy or awkward around: Shade and...everyone Person character openly admires: Shade Person character secretly admires: Shade (a theme?) Most important person in character’s life before story starts: His mother After story starts: Himself.

( @waterborne-shade for a million mentions xD )

[castelli-pack]

We're gonna be fine / They just wanted a party

"Come here, cuddle time," Ash said making a ‘grab grab’ hand gesture.

Sam laughed and did exactly that. Ash knew Sam needed another type of comfort.

---

Sam was sitting in the living room with Ash, Isaac and Rio. They weren't really paying attention to the TV, they were mostly talking to each other and enjoying the company. 

Ash had his head on Sam's left shoulder, he was just sitting next to Sam before but suddenly he was really really close. Not that Sam was complaining. Isaac, of course, had to tease a little.

"Jesus Turner, a bit more and you're inside Sam, oh my god," Isaac said and then looked around confused while Rio was trying not to laugh on his face, Sam was bright red and Ash had a 'naughty' smile.

"Oh well Hayes, I won't say that this wouldn't be amazing but I respect Rio here," Ash said laughing and making Sam even redder.

"What are you even... Oh for fuck's sake you guys, you are all pervs! I didn't mean like that, he was just almost on his lap!"

"But Isaac, Rio's legs are all over you right now," Sam said gently.

"He actually wanted Rio on his lap and he is salty he only got the legs, grow up Hayes", Ash teased.

"I hate all of you so much," Isaac said basically pouting. 

"Oh really?" Rio asked smiling.

"I didn't mean you..." Isaac whispered.

"You also didn't mean them," Rio said and kissed his cheek.

Sam couldn't ask for more, he loved his life now and everything was basically perfect. Well, almost everything. He was dating Ash but he still didn't talk to him about being mates, if he was being honest he was a little bit scared with the tiny possibility of being denied, but still, he needed to do something about this soon.

They were all laughing when Ash's phone rang. He picked it up and made a weird face at the number. It didn't have a name.

"Do you know them?" Sam asked.

"No, but it's from my hometown, I'm gonna answer it over there," Ash said and then he probably went to their room.

Sam looked at him go with a puzzled expression. From his hometown? Ash said there was nobody left for him there... What could it be?

Ash wasn't back yet and Sam was getting anxious, should he go and check on him? Should he wait? He didn't know.

"Do you think he is ok?" Isaac asked, "He's there for a while now..."

"I'm not sure, but I'm giving him space," Sam answered. 

"If you wanna check on him you should go Sam, he'll be happy," Rio told him.

"Yeah, he's crazy about you, if you're scared you're gonna annoy him or something I can guarantee you won't," Isaac said.

"I guess I'll go then, thanks guys," Sam said and he half walked, half ran to their room.

He knocked before opening and Ash was sitting on their bed.

Ash didn't seem upset but he seemed lost inside his mind.

"Is everything ok?" Sam asked, getting inside and closing the door.

"Yeah, I just think I need to go back to my hometown," Ash said.

Sam was standing near the bed but he felt like the floor had vanished for a second, he was so disturbed Ash probably felt through their bond.

"For a couple of days only! I would never go back there for good and you won't get rid of me that easily," Ash tried to joke.

Sam only nodded, he was already worried about Ash not wanting to be his mate, that this hit him like a punch for a second. He managed to put himself together and ask,

"Why do you need to go there? Is it about your family?" Ash now was holding his hands, he didn't remember the moment he caught them.

"No, no, they are closing the storage unit I used to keep some things from when I lived there, I don't actually need most of those things, but I guess it won't hurt to see what's there after all."

"Oh makes sense", Sam said now sitting on their bed together with Ash.

"It'll be for a couple of days only, sorry I scared you before," Ash said.

"Are you okay going by yourself? If you want I can ask for a few days off." Sam suggested.

Ash looked at him, for a second his eyes were sad but it changed so fast Sam wasn't sure anymore. 

"Nah it's fine, I can handle that! I'll give you some peace for a few days." Ash said lightly.

"But... I only feel at peace when I'm with you." Sam said too honestly.

Ash stared at him with his mouth open for a while and said,

"God Sam, you're gonna kill me one of these days with your honesty." 

And before Sam could ask him why Ash kissed his mouth. 

++++

Later that night Ash was on top of Sam, kissing him almost violently like he wanted to record every piece of Sam's body. It was amazing but Sam couldn't actually concentrate.

"Sam? Are you here with me?" Ash asked a few moments later, "You seem away."

"I'm sorry, I'm enjoying everything we're doing it's not that, I'm just a bit distracted, that's all." 

Ash rolled off Sam and laid next to him opening his arms. Sam looked at him questioning.

"Come here, cuddle time," Ash said making a ‘grab grab’ hand gesture.

Sam laughed and did exactly that. Ash knew Sam needed another type of comfort. 

"It's gonna be okay, I'll leave tomorrow morning but soon I'll be back, you won't even miss me that much," Ash said while kissing Sam's hair. 

Sam didn't say anything because all he could think was that he already missed Ash.

++++

Sam tried to distract himself when he arrived home. It was easier when he was working, Ash wasn't there with him all the time but at home? Their room, smelled like him, he could see him sitting on the couch laughing at something Isaac or Irene told him, he could see him trying to sound smart while talking to Rio and Effie and even around the kitchen he could see Ash exchange cooking and baking experiences with Aiden while Kenji helped them always with a smile on his face. 

It was insane, he was gone for a day only and Sam felt like he was missing a limb.

"He's gonna be okay you know that right? He is as stubborn as a mule!" Isaac said entering the room.

"Yes he is, he would fight one even to prove he is the most stubborn one even," Sam said smiling.

"Oh I'm sure he would, and right now he would be annoying me about some random crap, I can feel it." Isaac looked around, "Things really seem off without him, what the hell," 

"They do..." Sam said sadly.

"But he'll be back soon and when we less expect he'll be here being a pest, just the way we like," Isaac said trying to comfort Sam and perhaps even himself. Sam loved Ash and Isaac’s friendship.

Later that night Sam called Ash.

"Hey, how are things?" Sam asked first.

"God I just arrived, I fucking hate this place, I can't wait to come back home," Ash said sounding frustrated.

Sam's heart did some crazy things when Ash said he wasn't 'home' that he wanted to go back to them, to him.

"So how was your day?" Ash asked.

"I worked and missed you basically." Ash laughed out loud,

"You're too honest, I told you, it's bad for my heart." Ash sounded happy though.

"Oh Isaac also misses you, I guess everyone does." 

"Of course he does, I'm awesome." 

"I can actually hear him protesting that right now," Sam said laughing.

"Fuck, me too, 'Fuck off Turner, I don't even like you'," Ash said in a weirdly accurate Isaac impression that only made Sam laugh more.

"But, honestly Sam, I miss you, I miss you so much it doesn't even seem real and fuck this town, my place is next to you, to my pack," Ash said.

Hearing Ash saying those words made Sam almost lose his. 

"I miss you more than I can even express too," 

"I guess I could sleep hearing your voice and pretending you're next to me," Ash said almost to himself.

"Of course, I'll pretend you're here too." 

"Oh, hearing your voice, pretending you're here... what are you wearing Sam?" Ash asked with amusement on his voice.

"Ash, oh my god," Sam answered.

"I'm kidding!" Ash said.

"Well, I'm shirtless and wearing only my underwear..." Sam said surprisingly.

"Fuck..." Was the only thing Ash managed to say while Sam laughed and laughed. 

++++

The next day, Kenji, Aiden and Irene made Sam go downtown with them, they were insisting so much Sam couldn't even deny them.

"So, when is Ash coming back?" Irene asked.

"Tomorrow morning," Sam asked distracted because he saw flowers that reminded him of Ash.

"We should throw a party," Aiden said out of the blue.

"We totally should!" Kenji agreed.

"Guys, that's sweet but he was only gone for 2 days, there's no need for this," Sam said trying to stop them before things were out of control.

"Come on Sam we just want a party just let us say we had a reason at least!" Irene said.

"Irene oh my god, at least pretend you're happy about Ash coming back," Aiden said shaking his head.

"Excuse me? Who said I'm not, I'm just happier about a party."

"Irene is always too honest, but most of the time is a good thing I think," Kenji told Aiden.

"You're too nice honey, too nice," Aiden said holding Kenji's hands.

"OKAY it's decided! Let's go buy everything." Irene basically screamed. 

"Wait what?? What is decided, IRENE WAIT," Sam had to scream too because Irene was already running away.

++++

They got mostly junk food and a lot of sweets, Irene weirdly said they didn't need balloons and Sam didn't put too much thought about this. He should have known something was 'weird'.

The moment Sam opened the front door, he frowned, everything was dark, until someone turned on the lights, revealing a lot of balloons, food and drinks on the big dinner table. Isaac, Rio, Effie and weirdly Ash were there but neither of them said anything like surprise or something alike. 

"Fie? What the heck? Why didn't you guys say anything?" Irene asked.

"I was waiting for them to say something, I didn't want to sound stupid by being the only one screaming!" Effie replied.

"Well Ash was stepping on my feet and I was about to hell him to stop being annoying when the lights were on, it wasn't my fault."

"I was looking at Isaac thinking why my mate was acting like a kid, also not my fault," Rio said while Isaac answered something like 'Heeeyyy'.

But Sam didn't see or hear any of that, Ash wasn't talking as well, he was just staring at him. He didn't remember when he started moving but the next second he had Ash on his arms. 

"How are you here already?" He said while hugging Ash a bit too hard.

"I texted Isaac saying I wanted to surprise you and they suggested this" Ash said smiling, "I know they just wanted a party but who cares."

Sam laughed, brightly, "Oh they totally just wanted a party, but I don't care, you're here, that's all it matters."

Ash then kissed him while the others were whistling at them.

Sam loved his pack and he loved his mate, while he was among them everything was alright. He looked at Ash's eyes and said, "Tomorrow I'll ask you something important okay?" 

Ash didn't ask anything about it and just nodded. 

"Ok let's enjoy the party they pretended it was for me!" Ash said grabbing Sam's hand. 

Sam had an amazing night but his mind was thinking about the next day, the day he would ask Ash to be his mate. Now he was more than sure, it was going to be fine. They were all going to be more than fine. 

[eternaleve]

So, if you’ve had a look at my update post, I’ve not been doing much of anything lately. I’m house-bound currently because my health has been absolutely terrible as of late. My life’s on hold yet again which is very annoying because I’ve felt like it’s been on hold since university. That’s four years ago now where my luck has been terrible. Maybe’s it’s Anita Blake cursing me.

Anyway, if you know me, you’ll know that history is my thing. In fact, it’s Tudor history. I specialised in the politics of the Henrican court and I like to sharpen my brain box from time to time.

And this little show is currently up in its entirety on Netflix.

  It’s rated an 8.1 on imDB and was nominated for Golden Globe awards. It was presented as being an intimate sort of revelation of the great secrets of Henry VIII’s court, the great men and great women of his life.

And this show makes me rage as only a historian can rage. This show is a burning bag of garbage that makes me incredibly angry. Not only in terms of really bad writing choices but really terrible clothing. And that there are people who made genuine efforts to try and make this accurate and include incredibly minor details of court – only for it to be absolute rubbish.

And I’m here to pour water on this burning bag of garbage. Or another, better metaphor.

Let’s throw ourselves into ‘In Cold Blood’. Our official synopsis is ‘King Henry VIII, the young and ambitious monarch of England, prepares for war with France but is dissuaded by the diplomatic manipulation of his powerful Lord Chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, who proposes that the King sponsor a “Treaty of Universal Peace.” The harmony of the King’s domestic affairs is threatened, however, when he discovers that Elizabeth Blount, the young and beautiful lady-in-waiting to his Queen, Katherine of Aragon, is pregnant with his child.’

That’s a lot of information for one episode and it really rattles through the stuff that people all commonly associate with the Tudors. It is also really badly written. Let’s begin.

A Nonsense Beginning

The episode doesn’t really start off too well. We’re heading straight to an Italian palace (even though ‘Italy’ as a specific location did not exist in the sixteenth century) and this is not a sixteenth century palace. This is really not. This is neo-classical in the most blatant style.

This is a sixteenth century Italian palace. Much more ornate and decorative.

Sean Pertwee gets out of a carriage and his costume is wrong in so many ways. English fashion in the sixteenth century is known for its many layers, the wide silhouette, and the use of slashing to display fabrics. Sean Pertwee’s style is very reminiscent of gentlemen at the court of Elizabeth I; slim and narrow, a style that has become highly feminised. These are not the clothes of a man from the later half of the sixteenth century, not from the beginning.

The men he’s travelling to meet are much more appropriately dressed – highly decorated doublets with long overgowns. Plus hats. You’d never be out in public without a hat at this point in time. And hello baby Aiden Turner. You’re going to be in one of my favourite TV shows of all time, and then be in Poldark with its really awful rape scene. Ups and downs there.

Anyway, Sean Pertwee gets brutally taken out by the French.

This confuses me greatly. It makes for an incredibly dramatic opening, that’s for sure, and sets up that England hates the French and that is mutual. There’s animosity between the two countries which is only news if you are not European. However, early modern politics was not a brutal affair. Well, all the time. There was that time that the Dutch cannibalised someone and people were thrown out of windows in Prague, but an English ambassador would not be stabbed to death by the French in public this way. It would be incredibly stupid because it would only cause war.

This also throws up many questions to me in terms of history. When is this meant to be set? There were varying times of war and peace between England and France, and a specific year is never given in this episode. This episode swings between 1514 and 1520, and six years is a long time in politics.

And there’s the issue that Sean Pertwee is supposed to be Henry VIII’s uncle.

Right. Okay. There’s a writing choice I can simply not get my head around. Henry VIII didn’t have any uncles, and giving him one doesn’t inform his fictional character or explain what happens. It makes no logical sense – his father was an only child and if Henry VIII’s mother had surviving brothers… then they would be king. Because her father, Edward IV would have passed the throne to them.

The Poor Choices of Henry VIII

The big selling point of this show was that it’s YOUNG Henry VIII. It’s Henry as you’ve never seen him before! He’s young, he’s sexy, he’s active, and not fat and gross. In pursuit of this, the writers made a huge mistake. They made him brash, rude, and frankly abusive to Katherine. He’s a slobbering mess in this first episode, and his characterisation is all over the place.

And his clothing is fucking terrible.

Our first introduction to Henry is that he’s dressed like an acrobat. There is nothing right with his clothing. Compare him to this image of a English man from the early part of the sixteenth century (it’s later than VAGUE 1514 TO 1520 VAGUE YEAR but at least it’s English).

English fashion is bulky and layered. There’s no way Henry would not have an overgown and his clothes are just too slim. And that crown looks like ass.

I like that Henry has the most Catholic underclothes it is possible to get. I don’t like the metallic popper buttons. Buttons were not especially widespread in clothing, with most items being tied or fitted to the body. Henry VIII did not have child-friendly popper boxer shorts with Catholic detailing.

Henry is wearing only the most fashionable in cheap and common leathers! This looks like foot soldier armour. It is not anything a nobleman in Tudor England would wear. Also Katherine’s dress is terrible, but I’ll be going into the women’s fashion in a bit.

Henry VIII is FLORAL SOFA MAN!

Who doesn’t want to do physical exercise in a full suit of leather?

Love that fisherman jumper, Henners.

Throughout this episode, Jonathan Rhys Meyer makes just the weirdest choices for his performance. Ignoring the fact that he is blatantly wrong for this role, he just does weird stuff. He’s loud and obnoxious and plays Henry as a complete idiot. And the episode ends on this image. Just Henry, his pathetic little beard, staring madly at you. Thanks, director. I needed that.

A Decorated Skirt Does Not A Period Costume Make.

I get it. Tudor women’s fashion does not appear sexy to modern audiences. You have to balance out the ‘sexy’ lead and make the women appear sexy. They do this by making the worst attempt at Tudor costumes for women I’ve ever seen.

The first female character we see is in The Corridor (c) that we see consistently over the first season. They show the vast wealth and grandness of the palace of White Hall with the same terrible brick background over and over.

For a start, her waist is too high. English fashions are conical at this time, with hemlines square and farthingales round like an ice cream cone. Her hair is also loose under what appears to be a piece of lace.

‘I have a necklace in my hair for no apparent reason. Also my hair is loose, which no grown woman at the English court would ever have. Because my hair would be really fucking long and I don’t want lice.’

Katherine of Aragon, an incredibly proud and proper queen, is just lazing around with her hair loose and a nightgown. For the record, here’s Katherine at this time –

Gable hoods and trumpet sleeves. They may not be sexy but they were at the time.

I don’t know I don’t even. This screams 17th Dutch more than anything else with the huge white collar and huge great big stomacher. This is especially egregious as this is Thomas More’s wife and there’s an incredibly famous portrait of her. She should have a hood on, great big trumpet sleeves, and no huge white weird collar that is attached to her dress and not the shirt underneath which appears to also be a dress.

This dress has some huge great big puffy sleeves are are hideous. They also don’t come into English fashion for another fifteen years. The attempt at a French hood is also… weird. For a start, they’re not around at the English court from this point for about ten or so years (depending on whatever vague year this is), and what the hell? What is with all this loose hair? She’s got beautiful flowing locks that do not work with a French hood.

That’s how a French hood works. Your hair is covered because all women pretty much had their hair covered in public at this point in time and you don’t want nits. Long loose flowing hair? THAT’S HOW YOU GET NITS.

I don’t even with this. Not only is her dress terrible, with an overgown that wouldn’t be introduced to the 1550s, but what is even with that headdress? What is it meant to be? You can’t just glue fake pearls to something and call it a headdress.

So, left dress: fine, I guess, as a common gown for when you’re at home not seeing anyone. I don’t like the bustle thing at the back. It could be a bumroll, but her skirtline would be much higher and if you’re relaxed at home without a farthingale, why would you have a bumroll?

Right dress; whaaaaaattttt. That’s very Italian. The lose, low sleeves are continental and the bust line, shoulders, and curled hair make me think of Stuart/Restoration fashion, not 1510s/1520s. And that’s not even getting into whatever the bodice is. It’s a bodice for a dress, not a front-opening bra.

Everyone’s Evil Henny

Fashion aside, the point of this episode is that Henry is stupid and everyone around him is evil. No matter where he goes, from fucking (there are far more sex scenes in this episode than necessary), to playing tennis, or to the daily joust, there is someone being evil and making use of how lazy and stupid Henry is to get across their evil doing. FYI, Henry VIII was an incredibly intelligent and busy man. He did not just spend his time at the apparently daily joust.

The Duke of Buckingham is evil and planning a rebellion. He also actually looks like Henry VIII and did not launch open rebellion in real life. He wears all black throughout the show so we know he’s definitely evil.

Cardinal Wolsey is also evil because he wants peace (boo!) and is pro-French (boo!). He’s conducting what appears to be the Treaty of London, but that was 1518 and there’s stuff that takes place in varying years. Pick a date, guys. Pick a date and stick to it. He beats a guy up. It’s weird.

Thomas Boleyn is introduced and because he’s actually wearing the right clothing out of all the characters, you can tell he’s evil. Because, yeah, I love that cheap idea that terrible fiction authors peddle that the Boleyns were evil schemers working their way to the top that flies in the face of just about all knowledge of political power in the period.

Random Oddness

Why is there straw just thrown around this floor? I saw extras struggling and just kicking it into the air. It’s weird. This is the grandest palace in England. I have no idea why there’s straw everywhere.

Look at Henry mangle this pomegranate. For symbolism. And because he’s a big gross child.

Unpicking the Tudors; S1 EP1 So, if you've had a look at my update post, I've not been doing much of anything lately.

[salty-dracon]

ACAU- Food poisoning! (redux)

While at the island hotel, some of Arthur’s classmates fall sick. They learn later that they will die in only a few hours if they don’t comply with a mysterious demand. A redux of my oc-insert thing from a scene from... you guessed it. 

Dessert had just been served in the hotel dining hall. The E class chatted with each other while eating pieces of cake, pie, and other delicious desserts.

“So, this is a flan.“ Lily poked a tiny flan pudding with her fork. She sliced it with her fork and took a bite. “Holy shit, it’s good!“

“Can I try?“ Michy took a bite of Lily’s flan. 

“Hey!“ 

Tawny leaned over, broke a piece off with his fingers, and ate it. “Mmm, good!”

“Let me try!“ May snatched Lily’s fork and took a bite. “Mmmmm!“

“Aw, shit, I’m outta flan... “ Lily stared sadly at her empty plate.

Arthur smiled as he watched them. He remembered Lily, especially, at the beginning of the year- quiet, unwilling to socialize, and rude. She had grown so much since then- she had become friendly, and developed a quick wit that had been their saving grace multiple times. She had grown especially close to Michy, thanks to their shared interest in a number of topics. 

Next to Arthur, Julien had just finished their fourth slice of apple pie. Brooke was still stuck on her first slice of double-chocolate raspberry cake. 

“Peoplewatching again?“ Brooke asked. “It’s nice, isn’t it? Watching them hang out like they’ve been friends for years?“

“Yeah.“ Arthur took a bite of ice cream. “Even though we’ve only been together for four months, it’s like we’ve always been like this.“

“Jule, how much are you gonna eat?“

Julien laughed. “Stop me.”

----

Arthur reached for the endtable and checked his watch. Midnight. He curled himself back under the sheets. 

He had been warm and cozy all night. Why couldn’t he sleep?

He was sharing a room with Flynn, Julien, and Venus. Julien appeared to be sufficiently asleep next to him- their head was pressed against the pillow, and Arthur could hear quiet snoring. Venus had all the sheets bunched up around him on the bed he shared with Flynn, who was wearing a jacket over his body.

His eyes went to the crack under the door. The hallways were still lit up. That must’ve been it. He turned around. The moment he did, he saw a shadow pass over the door, and heard footsteps. 

An assassination? Arthur thought. They’re heading right towards the teachers’ rooms- where Narcissa is. But she said that the diamond she was in was unbreakable... 

Arthur quietly slipped out of bed and opened the door. A boy was walking down the hall. Arthur recognized the head of hair- it was Jake. He didn’t have any weapons on him. Strange. 

Arthur followed him down the hall, to the... bathrooms? As soon as Jake entered, Arthur positioned himself near the door. 

He heard something that sounded like a spill, and then a lot of coughing. From the hallway, he heard more footsteps. Arthur hid himself behind a large vase in the hall. 

The next person to come down had heavy footsteps. He entered the bathroom. 

“Dude, you too?” Jake’s voice. 

“Yeah, I’m not feeling so hot.“ Larke’s voice. 

“You’d think we wouldn’t get food poisoning at a high-end hotel.“

More footsteps- this time, from the floor above. Arthur hid in a little nook as he heard footsteps running down. 

“May! Are you okay?“

“I don’t think so.“

More footsteps. Very heavy. Probably an adult’s. 

“What are you kids doing out here- what happened to you?” Mr. Kraus’s voice. “Give me a moment, I’ve got some medicine.“ Mr. Kraus ran away. 

Arthur decided to run back to his room. 

----

Mr. Kerri was asleep in his room. He grumbled when he heard a knock. He opened his eyes when he heard three more. 

“... I didn’t call for room service... “ He wandered over to the door and opened it. 

A butler was standing there, holding a basket full of fruit. An envelope was taped to the front, labeled “To the E class”. 

“Couldn’t you have waited until morning?“ Mr. Kerri asked.

“I apologize, sir, but the person who asked me to deliver it told me to as soon as possible.“ 

“Thanks, I guess.“ Mr. Kerri took the basket and ripped the envelope off. He opened it up and read its contents out loud, while placing the basket next to the bed. 

“To the E class, by the time you receive this note, you will already be experiencing the early symptoms of a deadly... shit. Shit!“ Mr. Kerri threw the door open. “Vince! Tiffany! Everyone! Get the kids up! We have a huge emergency!“

“What is it?“ Mr. Kraus asked, running back. In response, Mr. Kerri handed him the note. Mr. Kraus read through it. “Oh no. No, the kids... ”

----

“... That makes twelve sick.“ Arthur counted the number of people lying against the back wall, wearing face masks. All of them had flushed faces and were sweating. The entire class was crowded in a meeting room, most of them wearing pajamas.

“Sorry for waking you guys up, but this is important.“ Mr. Kraus held up the letter for the class to see. “I’m afraid it’s more than bad food. Please do not panic while I read the contents of the letter.“ He cleared his throat. “To the E class. By the time you receive this note, you will already be experiencing the early symptoms of a deadly virus that will kill you by morning. It is likely that most of you are only experiencing a fever at the moment, but your faces will soon blah blah blah... killing you over the course of sixteen hours. You will likely be dead by around eight o’clock.

However, I have the antidote with me- enough for your entire class. I will give it to you on one condition- that you send two blonde boys, as well as Narcissa in her little diamond, to the Prime Suite at the top of the Stellar Mountain Resort. Don’t even think of sending more than those three- I have bodyguards stationed at the entrance that will kill anyone else who tries to enter. I will be using these boys in my assassination scheme. Their survival is not guaranteed. However, I’m sure you’d like to trade two lives for many more. Signed, an assassin.“ 

“Two blonde boys?“ Lumi asked. “That means Arthur and Venus. They’re the only blonde boys in the class.“

“I won’t fail you,“ Venus said, standing up. “Don’t worry, I’ll-“

“No.“ Aditi’s voice rang out. “Didn’t you hear the letter? Even if both you and Arthur manage to get up there, your survival isn’t guaranteed. Neither of yours. Meaning that unless whoever it is sends a messenger, which there is no conformation of, there’s no guarantee that the virus will be cured. Furthermore, if this person’s scheme works, they will kill Narcissa and claim her bounty.“

“Also,“ Ares said, “judging by the tone of the letter, if they’re going to kill Arthur and Venus for their scheme, they’d probably do the same to the rest of us in a heartbeat.“

“Not to mention the secret identities that you kids need to hide,“ Mr. Kraus said. 

“So, what’s our best option?“ Lily asked. 

“We have three.“ Lumi walked to the front of the class. “We do nothing, and let the people in the back die. The worst option, for many reasons. We send Venus and Arthur to the top of the Stellar Mountain Resort, and face the very real possibility that both of them will end up dead, but possibly save the sick people as well. We would have a net gain of ten lives, possibly, but also likely lose Narcissa and her bounty in the process.“

“What’s the third option?“ Val asked. 

“The third option is that we take matters into our own hands. All of us that are healthy break into the Stellar Mountain Resort and take on this self-proclaimed assassin, no matter the odds. If the antidote even exists, this will be our best chance of retrieving it.“

“Sounds fair to me.“ Adrian raised his hand. “All in favor of busting heads in that place ourselves?“

“We’re not busting heads, we’re just-“

“Yeah, whatever.“

Everyone raised their hands. 

“Then it’s settled,“ Mr. Kraus said. “We’re sneaking into the Stellar Mountain Resort, stealing the antidote, and getting back in time to save the sick classmates.“

“I’ll stay behind to help out the sick,“ Mr. Kerri said. 

“So will I.“ Verona stood up. 

“I’ll join the party. You’ll need me.“ Ms. Turner walked over to Vince and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. “Rich hotels are where I shine.“

“I, of course, will be joining you.“ OARA appeared on Miss Turner’s phone.

“Everyone who’s going, gear up,“ Vince commanded. “Aiden, Verona, protect Narcissa just in case our assassin tries to come for her.“

“No.“

Narcissa’s voice piped up from the inside of the diamond. Everyone stared at Verona’s hand, which was holding the diamond.

“Whoever this bastard is that’s trying to kill my classmates... I want to see their face. I want to tell them exactly what I think of them stooping so low to kill me.“ Narcissa’s diamond gave a slightly brighter glow. “Furthermore, it would be a treat to see my kids in action. Vince, this would be a great opportunity for you to assess their progress as well. If I won’t be too much extra weight, I would like to come along.“

“Of course.“ August gently took the diamond from Verona and placed her in her fanny pack. “We’ll let you know when we’re there.“

“Okay, everyone get ready. No weapons. Bring bug spray and whatever you need to look like normal kids in there. We’ll meet up in the lobby in thirty. All right, go.“

This is it. Arthur walked back to his room, following the other boys. They were all silent. All of them were worried. One failed assassination later, we have to stop another from succeeding any way we can. Our classmates are counting on us. Narcissa, too. I never expected this kind of a twist on our vacation, but we’re assassins in training- we’re here to take out the trash. 

[salty-dracon]

ACAU- Before School Starts

Arthur happens upon a strange conversation when he searches for Miss Turner for homework help. Based on the scene from Assassination Classroom. Great anime, you should watch it.

“How much longer are you going to stare at me?” 

The strange man was wearing a white shirt with one open button, and clean black pants. He smoothed back his light brown hair. Vince sat across from him, staring him down. Miss Turner sat to the side, filing her nails. Narcissa was floating towards the back of the room, crossing her arms.

“Yo, Vince, I got all those tests corrected-“ Aiden walked into the room, holding a stack of mini composition books. His voice drifted off when he saw the man. “... shit. Hi.“ His blood ran cold and he froze up as the man examined him.

“Please, come in.“ The man offered his hand with a smile. “I don’t believe we’ve met.“

“Um. Hi.“ Aiden threw the stack of books down and shook his hand. “Aiden Kerri. Uh, teacher. Assistant. Friend. To Vince.“

“Oliver Angel Perch. Principal. The one enabling you to teach here.“ 

Aiden recalled Vince’s words about the man. 

“He’s relatively young. Brown hair. Mid-forties. Careful with his words. Authoritative. You won’t recognize him by his face, but by the air around him. And you’ll be well damn scared of him.”

“He’s not wrong,“ Miss Turner said. “You’d think he’d be a good catch from his portrait. But no. He doesn’t care about what’s on the surface.”

“Ah. Um... nice to meet you, sir.“ Aiden stammered. “Did one of our students cause any trouble?”

“No, no.“ Oliver laughed. “I’m only visiting. I wanted to hear how Narcissa’s students were getting along.“

“They’re doing very nicely, sir.“ Narcissa said.

“So I’ve noticed.“

Aiden noticed Vince tense up. 

“Remarkably well.“ The man smiled. “August Rhodion comes to mind. Her math scores have improved recently, when she was dismal in every subject but English for most of her school career. I can only assume that’s your doing.“

Arthur stood outside the teacher’s room, clutching a notebook to his chest. He could make out some voices. Aiden’s, Narcissa’s, and... someone’s. 

“Yes, sir, I’ve noticed improvement as well.“ Narcissa’s voice.

“What you consider improvement, I consider detrimental. I’m sure you- and the rest of your class- understand that.“

“I don’t approve of your philosophy, but I am on no grounds to reject it.“

“You’re certainly smart, then.“ The man’s position shifted towards the door. “Miss Nocturne, I look forward to seeing what becomes of your students in the future. Especially with the first round of exams coming very soon.” 

The door opened and the mysterious person stepped outside. 

Arthur immediately sensed something of an authoritarian aura around the man. Without meaning to move, his body instantly shot up straight and he puffed his chest out. Before he realized what he was doing, the man was staring at him in shock.

“Quiet, aren’t you?“ the man asked, bewildered. Then, he smiled. “You’re part of Narcissa’s class, aren’t you?“

Arthur forced himself to nod. 

“I look forward to seeing your performance in the future.“ The man smiled at him before walking away and out of the school.

“Hey, kid.“ Miss Turner stepped out of the door and found Arthur, shaking with fear. “Jeez, you look like you’re about to melt.“

“I feel like I’m about to melt.“

“One thing’s for sure. Whatever his middle name is, he’s no angel.“ Miss Turner pulled Arthur into the classroom. “So, whatcha got for me?“

“Um, I’m trying to nail down binomial expansion-“

“Uuuuuuuuuugh. I mean, sure, yeah, let’s have a look.“

[salty-dracon]

ACAU- Stories from Pensamiento

While the class is on an overnight field trip, Aiden is tasked with entertaining the boys- and what better way than to retell some stories from his police days? Also featuring the first almost kiss scene I’ve written in detail. I suck at kiss scenes. Based on that scene from Assassination Classroom.

“What the hell are you writing?“ Mai leaned over Nari, who was scribbling a list on a piece of paper. A group of girls looked on.

“I’m writing a list of all the boys in the class. Besides the teachers, of course.“ She proudly displayed the list to Mai. “Which one’s the cutest?“

“You’re asking me?!“

“Yeah! Someone’s gotta be your favorite!“

“My favorite guy? Hmmm... “ Mai thought for a bit. “I guess Flynn. He’s the most dependable. If you want something done, just ask him.“

“I-I meant the cutest! Like, don’t you think Adrian’s got that bad-boy vibe going on-“

“Because he is one!“

“You’re no fun! Oh, Lily! Which boy do you like best?“ Narin turned to Lily, who was reading the list.

“Val’s got a better bad-boy vibe.“ Lily walked away.

“Geez! Brid?“

“Um... Val, I guess. He seems super cold, but once you get to know him, he’s really friendly, I guess, and also really smart.“

“Okay. That’s two tallies for Val.” Narin put two tallies next to Val’s name.

“Who wants music?“ Lily pulled her phone out. “I’ve got some EDM and Ms. Turner isn’t here to yell at me.“

---

“What’s that music coming from the girls’ room?“ Damian pressed his ear against the wall in the boys’ dorm. “Sounds like dance music.“

“I’ll go tell them to turn it off.“ Mr. Kerri stood up. “You guys better not start any fights, okay?“

“You heard him,“ Adrian chuckled evilly as soon as he left the room. “Start any fights. Who wants to take me?“ He cracked his knuckles.

“Uh, no one.“ Zeke shied away from the request.

A few seconds later, the music ended. Mr. Kerri walked back in. 

“What were they doing?“ Damian asked, with hint of excitement in his voice.

“Exactly what the rest of you were doing. Alright, none of you seem to be tired and I’m in charge, so what do you want to do?“ 

“Party!“ Ares jumped up. “Like the girls!“

“Alright, I’ll turn on some music, and-”

Mr. Kerri’s voice was interrupted by the bang of the screen door opening. Mr. Kraus stood in the doorway, visibly tired. He pulled a large black suitcase to the corner of the room.

“Uh, Vince, what’s-“

“Entertain the kids with some stories about Pensamiento. They’ll love it.“ As Mr. Kraus uttered those words, he opened his suitcase and pulled out a stack of ungraded math tests. He then went to work grading them. Everyone stared at him.

“You lived in California?“ Jake asked Mr. Kerri. “That’s really cool!“

“I was a cop in California. With Vince as my partner.“

“What was it like?!“ Venus asked. “Is it like the shows?!“

“Well, I wouldn’t say exactly like the shows... but there are some similar parts.“ He sighed and sat down. “Who wants to hear about our first professional mission?“

The boys all responded positively- some cheering, some nodding their heads, and some with eyes wide with excitement. 

Mr. Kraus smiled for a second in the corner, but then went back to grumbling over Laurie’s math test, and the question of whether or not he should grade her easily.

“Okay.“ Mr. Kerri dramatically raised his hands. “The year was 1992. We got a call that some guy was holding a girl hostage, and he had a multitude of weapons on him. Neighbors reported AK-47s, rifles, pistols... you name it, he had it. They needed every person they could get for the job. Including me and Vince. We were still rookies, having been officers for only one year. It was dangerous. There was no guarantee we would make it out alive.”

The class oohed.

“We also had one other rookie with us- this girl named Layla. She was pretty quiet, but we heard she could defuse a dangerous situation like nobody’s business. Not that anyone expected that this guy would step down and give himself up. But when we entered, we were in for a surprise!“

“What was it?!“ Sam exclaimed.

“The hallway was covered with strings and lasers! Vince, using his expertise in identifying objects said, ‘He’s trapped the place’. I used my night vision goggles to trace the strings... to find they were attached to turrets!“

“Bombs,“ Vince corrected. “That could collapse the building if they were set off.“

“But I found another way in- through a vent. But the only people who could squeeze through were me, Layla, and Vince. And squeeze through we did. With only our weapons and our wits to keep us alive, we aimed to rescue the girl! And when we finally got there... we found her, indeed being held hostage! And her captor was holding a Gatling gun!“

The class listened with rapt attention.

“We were terrified. Just the three of us, with minimal armor- we’d die instantly if he turned that thing on us. But then... Layla stepped forward. She began asking him questions- how to defuse the traps, which caught him off guard. Vince and I got the message- I untied the girl while Vince snuck behind him and took him down and arrested him. All three of us survived that day. And when we went back to the station, we were hailed as heroes. The moral of the story is never underestimate the power of friendship! The value of your allies! Trust them, and you might just live to see the light of day!“

The entire class clapped and cheered. When they finally quieted down, there was only one person clapping. 

“Bravo, Mr. Kerri! I do so love the humans’ dramatic stories about law enforcement!“

Everyone’s eyes fell upon Ms. Narcissa, who was still clapping her hands. 

“Ms. Narcissa?!“ Sam jumped up. “When did you get here?!“

Vince jumped up. “How the hell did she-?! This is the boy’s dorm, you’re not allowed in here!“

“Awww, but I wanted to hear Mr. Kerri’s stories.“ She remained seated on the ground. “Please tell me about your second official mission! And third!“

Aiden looked distraught. “Um... uh... you... really need to get out of here, I don’t want you to get into trouble because of you-know-what... “

“But your stories! Gh!“ Narcissa dodged a bullet shot by Mr. Kraus. 

“Narcissa... “ He blew the smoke off the gun.

“Sorry! Sorry!“ Narcissa phased out of the room. “I’ll go back to my room now, I promise!“

Aiden sighed. “Okay, since we’ve still got some time, let’s-”

Flynn pointed to the wall.

“Huh?“ Aiden turned around to find Narcissa still standing in the room.

“Ugh... do we REALLY have to chase you out?“ Val stood up. “Okay!“ He reached into his sleeping bag and pulled out a green rubber knife. He held it up with a sadistic smile.

“Oh, hell yes.“ Adrian pulled a rubber pellet gun out of his pocket.

“No no no! Don’t chase me!“ Narcissa backed out of the room again. 

---

Fireworks popped in the air. Arthur snuggled next to Julien and Brooke as they sat on the balcony and watched the shells explode into vibrant, glowing colors. 

“I love fireworks.“ Julien pointed to a trail going into the sky. “They’re so satisfyingly loud. And they just explode into so many colors, y’know? Boom. Pop. Bang. Color.“

“Yeah.“ Brooke smiled. “They’re so nice. Hey, Arthur, are you holding up?“

“I’m fine.“ Arthur pointed to a pair of earplugs he was wearing. 

As another firework whistled into the air and exploded, none of the three noticed the boys of their class chasing their teacher with rubber knives and guns. 

“You know, Brooke... “ Julien pressed their head against Brooke’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t mind if every day was like this. Just the three of us, alone.“ Their hand slipped around Brooke’s back. 

“I wouldn’t either.“ Arthur gazed at the sky. “You guys mean the world to me.“

Brooke didn’t say anything, but her smile spoke volumes. She blushed when she felt Julien’s finger rubbing her chin. They glanced at her lips, and then back up at her eyes. Brooke chuckled and leaned in. Julien did the same. 

Just as their lips were about to touch, they heard the slam of a screen door and heavy breathing. They turned around. 

Narcissa was pressing her body against the screen door leading to the balcony, looking as if she had been chased by a bear. She collapsed to her knees in exhaustion, sweating little blue droplets. 

“Miss Narcissa!“ Arthur stood up. “What are you-“

“Sshhhhhhh!“ She put her finger to her lips. “Just let me catch my breath!“