#and then there’s my parents being like “erm it’ll draw attention to you and that’s not how you fit in properly erm

[thesodasploder]

ok wait

anyone else can’t identify wth they’re experiencing emotionally on a more specific scale ??

like i’ll be thinking “i’m feeling like i wanna cry and every cell in my body wants to explode wth is this?” and heck if i know if it’s a meltdown, panic attack, stress, or whatever else is in the english vocab

and then there’s like the times i’m like “ok so im erm kinda wanna cry again.. i think im depressed” or “i feel like my bones are filling with a soda someone dropped down the stairs and it’s all fizzy n crud why?is this what sensory overload feels like or am i just so tired im failing to process crud?”

and it’s so annoying bc then my parents will be tellin me “erm you gotta elaborate” and i’m over here frustrated bc i have no words to further elaborate except through supposedly indecipherable metaphors ??????😭

which is all ironic bc, as they keep telling me, i’m a writer

IF IM A WRITER GUYS HOW👏THE👏HECK👏CAN I NOT DESCRIBE MY👏OWN👏FEELINGS 👏👏👏👏👏WTHHHHH 😭😭😭🤬🤬🤬

(wasn’t angry when i wrote any of this i thought it was just ironic and funny to me)

erm sorry guys lemme go erm honk mimimimi honk MIMImimi

[missymurphy1985]

School Days (part 4)

Warning - smut

Taglist @queenshelby @margoo0 @being-worthy @peakyscillian @ntmynouis @janelongxox @elenavampire21 @noctvrnalmoth @ysmmsy @cloudofdisney @lauren-raines-x @namelesslosers @misscarolineshelby @screemqueen @cilleveryone

You'd lay with Cillian for hours that Saturday, exploring each others body, finding out what turned you on and drawing more breathy moans and orgasms out of each other.

"Hey, y/n? How did it go?" Your sister, Liane, walked into your room the following day. Your parents were out shopping so you had the house to yourselves for an hour at least.

"We had fun and fooled around a little... Didn't go all the way though." You hung your head, still feeling a little embarrassed.

"Hey, it's fine! You need to be completely ready, it's a massive step!" She sat next to you on your bed and gave you a hug. There was only 4 minutes between you and your twin, but experience wise it could have been 4 years. She'd been in a relationship with Liam for a year now, and had lost her virginity to him a few months earlier.

"I am ready, that's the thing, I really want to, but how do I stop myself overthinking it and getting scared?"

"You need to relax. It won't happen while you're all tense. Want me to get Liam to talk to him?"

"God no! Don't embarrass him! Last thing he needs is sex advice from his best friend!"

"Christ y/n, you think they're not talking about it just like we are?!"

"Really??" You gasped, horrified at the thought of the whole school knowing what was happening.

"Cill won't have gone into detail, he's not like that, but trust me - lads talk about sex. And women. Nothing to worry about y/n, it's no different to you and I talking about it?"

"Bet his friends think I'm frigid..."

"His friends don't know - Liam would have told me if he was talking about you specifically, and he hasn't.

"Can I ask you a question Li?"

"Course you can!"

"How much does it hurt?"

"It stings a bit. But if he's good, it won't hurt for long. Few seconds and it's over. Then it just feels really good. You need to be really relaxed, and you'll be fine. I promise."

********************************************************

You caught up with Cillian that Tuesday after school, walking home together hand in hand as you always did.

"You okay?" He asked, noticing how quiet you were.

"Yeah. Listen, answer me honestly?"

"Always."

"Do you talk to your friends about us? About what we've done?" He stopped walking and turned you to face him.

"Never. I talk about you, but I'd never talk about that. I have spoken to one person about it though."

"Who?"

"Damien, my cousin who's house we were in? We've always been close. He's been, erm.. helpful, shall we say?" You raised your eyebrows and laughed.

"Yeah I've been talking to Liane."

"So Liam was telling the truth then? I didn't believe him when he told me!"

"Will you tell your friends when we do it?"

"Y/n, I'll never tell them anything about our private life - I'm a closed book. Truth be told? They don't even know I'm a virgin. They've asked, obviously, I've just told them to mind their own."

"What are you doing this weekend?"

"Seeing you? Damien's back on Friday though?" He took your hand and you walked again.

"Oh..."

"Let me talk to him."

"You can't kick him out of his own house the weekend he gets back Cillian!"

"No, but I'm sure he's gonna need to pop out at some point? I'll talk to him, it'll be grand trust me. Unless you'd rather play dress up and tea parties with Orla and Silé of course...?"

"Let me know what Damien says."

********************************************************

You found yourself at Damien's door again, your stomach in knots but you weren't going to let it stop you this time.

Cillian opened the door ans instantly pressed his lips to yours as you walked inside. You fell into him, his kiss melting away every single one of those knots.

"Wanna show you something..." Cillian whispered between kisses, leading you into the back room. You walked in and gasped. The light was off, but the room was lit by small candles in the window, on the bedside table and on the desk. Roses in a vase on the window ledge, it looked beautiful.

He took you over to the bed and sat you down, kneeling on the floor in front of you.

"If you're not ready, you need to tell me now, because all I've been able to think about for the last 2 weeks is being with you.." you answered by kissing him again, pulling him up and laying on the bed with him on top of you, your bodies grinding together raising small gasps and moans from you both.

"I want you Cill.. all of you.."

"You've always had all of me.." he pulled you up into a sitting position, your legs over his lap, curled round his waist. You could feel how hard he was underneath you, and you ground your hips down, desperate for the friction against your throbbing clit.

"Fuck... Don't do that, it'll end here if you do.." you ignored him, continuing to roll your hips against him before he groaned primally in your ear, pushing you back. He lifted your t-shirt over your head, you removed his straight after. He smiled seeing you hadn't got a bra on underneath, and his lips found your breasts in seconds, rolling one nipple under his tongue while his hand gently squeezed the other. You were panting now, your core was throbbing, desperate for attention. You bucked your hips up to brush against him, making him chuckle.

"I'll get there.. don't worry.." his mouth moved lower, over your abdomen as he started to pull your jeans down. Lifting your hips, he pulled them off, discarding them, along with your underwear on the floor.

"Open them for me, let me see you..." He tapped your thighs, and you let your knees fall, your wet folds now fully on display for him. He groaned hungrily at the sight, before his lips pressed light kisses across your thighs.

"Please Cill...." You needed him, and now...

"You want my fingers, or my mouth?" He looked up at you through his long eyelashes, you swore you could lose yourself in those eyes..

"I honestly don't care as long as you make me come.. please..."

He smirked, and ran his tongue slowly over your slit, pressing hard against your clit, before moving his mouth away and pushing a finger gently inside you. He wanted to tease you, but his need was as great as yours. His tongue found your clit again, rolling against it, the pressure building along with your orgasm as he pushed a second finger inside, spreading you in preparation.

"Yes!!! Oh god... There... Don't stop..." Your back was arching off the bed, fingers gripping his floppy hair, your hips rocking against his mouth. All your inhibitions disappearing out the window as you came hard, your juices flowing into his mouth and onto his chin. You had to push him away after a minute, the sensations too much.

"You taste so good..." He was back on top of you in seconds, grinding his erection against you making you shudder.

"You sure you want this?" He whispered in your ear. All you could do was nod, and he lifted himself off you, walking over to his bag in the corner and pulling out a box of condoms. You sat up as he stood in front of you, pulling his jeans and boxer shorts down, his hard cock springing in front of you. You took him into your mouth, gently sucking the tip before sinking down as far as you could go. His fingers in your hair as he groaned above you.

After a few minutes he lifted you off, and ripped one of the packets open. Sliding the condom over himself, he moved again so he was laying between your legs, lining himself up against your opening.

"I love you.. I love you so much y/n..." He was whispering in your ear as he pushed inside. "So tight... Fuck this feels good... Relax for me..." He planted small kisses on the side of your neck, along your jawline, taking deep breaths so as not to finish too soon.

You felt fuller than you'd ever felt, stretched out with him inside you. Both of you felt the resistance, and he paused, allowing you to adjust and relax. He lifted off you slightly and brought your hand down to rub yourself.

He pulled back a little, watching you rub your clit and your eyes flutter closed at the sensations. Once he felt your walls relax around him, he thrust inside, past the barrier and stilled. Almost fully sheathed, you gasped at the sudden sharpness, but breathed with him, his forehead resting against yours, eyes locked together. You nodded, and he moved in and out slowly, getting deeper with each thrust as your legs wrapped round his waist. Any pain you'd felt was gone, all that was left was pure pleasure now.

His body moved against yours a little quicker now, your fingers still circling your clit as his thrusts came harder.

"Cillian... Yes... Oh god baby..." Your other hand moved to his hair, tugging it as you felt another orgasm start to build. Your fingers moved faster and harder.

"You feel so good... Rub that clit for me, need to feel you come over my cock... Let it go, I've got you..."

You came harder than you ever had before - back arched as you cried his name. He pounded into you now, hard, steady thrusts before his body stilled, you felt his cock twitch and contract, releasing ropes of cum into the condom.

"Fuck y/n... Baby... Oh fuck yes..." He was panting and groaning as he rode out his orgasm, forehead still resting against yours.

Once you'd both calmed, he pulled out slowly, pulling the condom off, squeezing it to check it was secure and tying the end, before laying next to you, pulling you close to him.

"You okay?" He asked, kissing the top of your head as it rested in the crook of his shoulder, your legs entwined with his.

"That was amazing... So, so good.."

"I meant are you okay? You're not sore or anything?"

"A little, but I'm fine."

"Next time will be easier, I'm told.." you nodded, before Cillian wrapped the duvet over you both, and you drifted off to sleep, arms round each other.

[calpalirwin]

Diplomatic Affairs

Summary: Being Queen as a figure-head position is almost a walk in the park. If one can look past having dinner with the newly elected officials of government, some of whom happen to be ex-boyfriends.

A/N: Part 2 to The Suitors

Word Count: 2.6k

And away, and away we go!

__

5 Years Later

“Ma’am, the King is requesting your presence,” Michael said, his head peering through the doorway.

You straightened your necklace, before smoothing your hands down the skirt of your dress, giving yourself one last lookover in the mirror. “Where is he?”

“Office, ma’am.”

“Thank you, Michael,” you smiled as you moved past him. “How long until the guests arrive?”

Michael checked his watch. “A half hour.”

“Perfect.” 

While it would have been customary for Michael to accompany you down to the offices, and announce your arrival to the King, Michael knew you preferred the less formal approaches when the circumstances permitted. You rapped your knuckles once against the door, waiting for the call of “Come in,” before pushing your way into the room.

The King had his back to you, staring out the window. His suit jacket lay neatly across the back of his chair, and the sleeves of his button down were rolled midway up his forearms. It was his preferred way of wearing his suit when he could, and you couldn’t disagree with the choice. “You sent for me?” you prompted when he still didn’t turn his attention from the window.

He turned then, a warm smile on his face. “Yes, I-” he paused to clear his throat, his cheeks coloring. “You look amazing, darling.”

“Looking pretty sharp yourself, Cal,” you returned the compliment as you each crossed the room to each other, meeting in the middle.

“No,” he said with a shake of his head, his tone a low rasp you knew well. “You look like we’re bound to get in trouble if we’re alone much longer.”

You sighed, titling your head to the side as his lips found your neck. “Michael did say something about there being a spare half hour.”

“The things I have in mind will require much longer,” Calum said, before straightening up and clearing his throat.

You sighed again, this time in discontent. “Well, I suspect we’ll find time to finish that particular business later?” you asked, your fingers grazing where his mouth had just been, wishing it was still there.

“Earliest convenience, promise,” he winked.

“And what’s this particular meeting about then?”

“Right. Yes. Uh, it’s the guest list.” He went around to his desk, shuffling through papers, his fingers trailing down one of them.

“What about it?” you asked, moving to stand by his side, looking at whatever held his interest.

“It's dinner with members of Parliament.”

“I’m aware. What of it?”

“None of these names look familiar to you?”

You glanced down at the list. Prime Minister Lord James. Secretary of Commerce Duke Charles. And Secretary of Defense Lord Sebastian. “Oh, it’ll be lovely to see James and Charles again! I’m glad their elections went in their favor.”

“Yes, the more amiable of your ex-boyfriends. And then there’s…” Calum let his sentence trail off, and you could easily guess the words of disdain for the newest Secretary of Defense.

“Our favorite person,” you deadpanned. “Pleasant.”

“False. Collectively, our favorite person happens to be the Prince. Individually, you’re my favorite person.”

“I would certainly hope your wife and son would top the list of your favorite people,” you laughed.

“Speaking of our son, where is he?”

“Either with the nanny, or running security ragged. Most likely both.”

“We should go rescue them, huh?”

“We definitely should.”

“Oh, look! There’s Mommy and Daddy!” Kaykay, the nanny, breathed in relief as you and Calum came out to the garden in search of your son.

“There is a god,” Ashton, the head of security, joked, clasping his hands together and thanking the sky, making both you and Calum laugh as Noah ran straight for you and Calum with a shriek of “Mommy! Daddy!”

“Well, don’t you look handsome!” you cooed at the boy as Calum lifted him up in his arms. “Just like Daddy.”

“All clean!” the three year old beamed.

“Yes, you did stay clean for dinner. Great job, bud,” Calum told him, and you each mouthed thanks to Ashton and Kaykay knowing they had more to do with keeping Noah clean than Noah did.

“Want to play,” Noah said sadly.

“All day tomorrow,” Calum said.

“With you?!”

“Yes, bud. All day tomorrow. Me, you, and Mommy.”

“Pwomise?”

“Promise,” you smiled sweetly at him. Then, “Are you ready to meet your guests?”

“Weady!”

Perhaps it wasn’t the standard to have a three year old sit in on a stuffy dinner, congratulating the newly elected officials in government. But with how busy you and Calum could become, you both liked to include Noah in your affairs whenever possible. And the idea of subjecting the young boy to a dinner without his parents wasn’t an idea that you found all that appealing, having remembered growing up with about as many dinners with members of staff as your own parents. A childhood you didn’t want to subject your son to if you could help it. And, as the Queen, you could.

As luck would have it, as you all made your way inside, you spotted Michael rushing your way. “First guest is here, ma’am.”

“So it begins,” you said, putting on a smile. And begin it did, because when the door opened to let in the first guest, Lord Sebastian was on the other side. Punctual bastard…

~~~

“Is there a spare bedroom or…?” Calum let the sentence hang in the air between the two of you.

“There are several. But when I asked you to stay over, I meant with me in my room if that’s alright.”

“It’s more than alright with me. I don’t want there to be any insinuation. There’s already going to be a scandal with the Little Lord as is.”

“As far as I’m concerned, Lord Sebastian had a lapse in judgment, and then you escorted me home. That’s my side of the story anyway. What say you?”

“I say you’re already thinking like a queen.”

Quietly, the two of you made your way into the castle and towards your room. “Can you, erm…” You twirled your index finger in a circle.

“Yeah, of course,” Calum nodded, closing his eyes and facing away from you. “Just say when.”

Quickly, you changed for bed and got yourself situated under the covers. “Okay, you can look now.”

“And I suppose now it’s my turn to ask you to close your eyes?”

You covered your eyes with your hands, peeking out at him through your fingers. “Cheeky thing, you are,” he laughed, stripping out of his clothes and lying them neatly on a chair. “Is this what I have to look forward to in the future? You peeking at me through your fingers?”

“Well, there are separate bedrooms for the King and Queen, so you could have your own privacy if you wish.”

“Mmm, now where’s the fun in that?” he asked, and you felt the bed dip as he got in next to you.

“A remaining product of when the castle was built, unfortunately. Although, they were kind enough to make them adjoining rooms. In recent years, not much use has been made of the Queen’s room, as one can imagine why.”

“Well, when I’m King, my first order of business is to have that wall taken down. A remodel for the modern age.”

“If you’re King,” you corrected in a teasing tone. “Don’t consider yourself safe simply because you’re the only one I’m seeing now.”

He chuckled softly. “If I’m King,” he said, “it’ll be the greatest title I ever hold to my name. Not because it's the title of King, mind you. But because it means you’re my Queen.”

“Keep talking like that, and that day may come sooner than you think.”

“What you call talking, I call making plans.”

“In that case, I can talk all night.”

Calum chuckled again, drawing you close to him. “As much as I would love that, we’ve had an eventful night, and no doubt have an eventful morning ahead of us. Try and get some rest, okay?”

“Okay,” you nodded, settling into the pillows and Calum, feeling the exhaustion set in. “G’night.”

“G’night, darling.”

You weren’t sure how long you had been asleep, nor if you had even fallen asleep at all before you were startling awake. Adrenaline pounded through your veins as you oriented yourself, realizing you weren’t in fact still stuck with Sebastian in a horrible nightmare. However, your relief at waking from the dream was short-lived when you calmed down enough to be aware of an extra body in your bed. You froze in terror, not daring to make a sound, while also contemplating screaming at the top of your lungs.

The body next to you stirred, and you scurried from bed, breathing heavily, both ready to confront whoever was with you, and run for your life if necessary. “Darling?” Calum’s voice rasped heavily with sleep. “You alright?”

Your body went weak with relief, and you put out your hands to catch yourself on the bed before shakily crawling back in. “That… Was terrifying.”

“Mmm, what happened?” he asked, trying to rouse himself awake.

“Nightmare coupled with forgetting you were here.”

Calum stiffened. “That bastard… You sure you’re alright?”

“Better than I was a few moments ago,” you answered honestly.

“I know the nightmares will probably persist for a while, but know that future King or not, I’m never going to let him get close enough to you for him to even think of laying a hand on you ever again.”

“Between you and the new security detail I’ll no doubt be assigned by my father once he learns what happened, not only will I be the most protected heir in history, but having any sort of nightmare will feel incredibly foolish. In fact, it already feels foolish. I know I’m safe.”

“It’s not foolish. However you have to process this event is however you have to process it. And I’ll be here to help you through it as long as you let me.”

~~~

“Your Majesties,” Lord Sebastian greeted with a bow.

“Your Lordship,” you and Calum each returned, you with a small curtsy, and Calum with a bow of his own.

“Your Royal Highness,” Lord Sebastian then bowed to the Prince.

“Your Wordship,” Noah replied, with his own little bow.

“Raising him well, I see,” Sebastian commented offhandedly.

“Never too young to learn how to behave Princely,” you smiled sweetly.

The blue sea stormed over briefly at the dig, then Sebastian cleared his throat. “Yes, well.”

“What my wife meant to say was congratulations on your election. We wish you success in your new position,” Calum stepped in.

“Yes, of course,” you nodded.

“Thank you,” Sebastian said, turning his attention to Calum. “And I suppose I should offer you the same congratulations on your successes since we last saw each other. A wedding, a coronation, and a son. Quite the list of accomplishments.”

“Congratulations carry the notion that I won something, Your Lordship. I assure you that my accomplishments, as you call them, are the natural progression of living my life. A natural progression I’m sure would have befallen anyone else in my position.”

“Yes, quite. Although, some would consider marrying into the most royal of families a win of the highest regard.”

“Some lesser minded folk, I’m certain.”

“Ah, yes. A reluctant king, how could I have forgotten.”

Calum’s jaw ticked slightly, and for a moment, the three of you were five years younger on a London street, Calum and Sebastian one insult away from pummeling each other. “Reluctancy suggests that there was hesitance, of which I assure you there was none on my part whenever it came to the Queen. In fact, if memory serves, it was you who was the hesitant one. Now remind me, what were your hesitancies with becoming King again? An archaic notion of gender norms, was it not? Pity. However, I suppose your position with the military, and now your newest rank brings you great joy. Not a lot of women to outrank you in your current status I assume. Yes, a great joy indeed for you, isn’t it?”

“Are you suggesting I have a problem with women in positions in power?”

“No, of course not. It’s not a suggestion at all. One needs to barely glance your direction to come to that conclusion for oneself.”

Sebastian’s eyes darkened again, and his mouth twisted to continue trading insults with Calum, but Michael came in to announce the arrival of more guests at the same time Luke came from the kitchens to announce dinner was ready.

“Foot hurt?” Noah asked with concern as you all made your way into the dining room, pointing a little finger at the way Lord Sebastian’s right foot slightly dragged.

“Residual effect of a training exercise gone awry a few years back. Likes to flare up from time to time is all,” Sebastian explained, more for your and Calum’s benefit than Noah’s.

“How terrible,” Calum deadpanned.

“Otay?” Noah checked.

“Yes, Lord Sebastian’s foot is fine, sweet one,” you told your son.

~~~

“Well, are we right in assuming that Lord Sebastian would put out a statement about how the Princess attacked him?” your mother asked, after you and Calum had relayed the story the following morning.

“Attacked him?! Oh, please…” you scoffed.

“If Lord Sebastian puts out a statement, that could very well be the story he leads with, at the very least. At most, he puts forth a statement that he was attacked both by you and Calum,” your father put in.

“So, what are our options because that’s exactly what he’ll do,” Calum asked.

“Lord Sebastian is the military one, yes?”

“Yes,” you nodded.

“Hmm. I can work with that.”

“And the Princess’ wrist and her nightmares?” Calum pressed.

“It’s a small bruise, Cal. Nothing that won’t fade in a week’s time, or that a little makeup can’t cover,” you assured him.

“And the nightmares?” he continued to press anyway.

“I suspect the nightmares will subside in their own time. But there will be a new security detail assigned to you,” your father directed at you.

~~~

“Well, that was…” you started as you and Calum got ready for bed, but faltered on what words you wanted to use.

“Dreadfully boring?” Calum supplied.

“So dreadfully boring. Men and their politics are always the same. Grandiose are the plans they promise to the people for advancement or change. All for it to die on the Parliament floor. If any change is made at all, it’s only to secure a re-election, and it’s subtle and underhanded in just the right way that nothing actually becomes of it. A complete mockery of what it’s supposed to be.”

“Usually, I’d be in agreement with you. That the original intention of the government was to do what the crown neglected to do. But, as the crown, we now have the power to make sure the government is responsible to the people it governs. After all, isn’t that the function of a constitutional monarchy? For the crown and the government to hold each other accountable?”

“In an ideal system, yes. However, for that to work, it would require us to play nicely with a certain Lord Sebastian, and I quite despise the man.”

“Yes, that will prove to be an obstacle. But he’s one man in comparison to the rest of the government. Surely we can institute change without needing him on our side.”

“I suppose you’re right. But, all that business can wait until later, as we have plans with the Prince tomorrow.”

“That we do. And if I remember correctly, we also have unfinished business ourselves that needed attending to.”

“Mmm,” you hummed, carding your fingers through the curls at the nape of his neck. “And, remind me. What business was that precisely?”

“I think this might help jog your memory,” he rasped, before his lips attacked the sweet spot just above your collarbone. Then, his hands were guiding you to jump in his arms, where you carried you to the bed, giggles and then sighs echoing off the walls, as his mouth trailed a path lower and lower on your body.

__

Tag List

@aquarius-hood1996 @creator-appreciator @philthepegacorn @myfavfanficsever @cxddlyash @youngblood199456 @stormrider505 @iknowyouthinkimbulletproof @hoodhoran @metalandboybands @maybeememez @1weekago @wiiildflowerrr @heartskippeddabeat @notinthesameguey​

[chuffyfan87]

Growing Pains. Part 7a

Cowritten with @disastrousintention.

-x-

Emily stood in the carpark of the art school trying not to fiddle with the cuff of her jacket. She didn't want her parents to see and decide that she was too young to go. She'd already said goodbye to her siblings at home. Her parents had accompanied her to catch the coach that would take the group to the airport.

Charlie wrapped his arms around his eldest daughter and kissed her head. “Two whole weeks away from home, hey Emmy?”

"At least being in a dorm with five other girls won't be weird for me." Emily giggled.

“That’s very true.”

"I think we'll miss you more than you'll miss us princess." Duffy smiled.

Emily smiled shyly, “Probably.”

"You'll have to send us some postcards."

“I will mama!” Emily kissed her mum’s cheek.

Duffy stroked her daughter's hair. "That colour really suits you." She smiled. She'd helped Emily dye it red a few days beforehand.

“I’m glad you think so mama.” Emily smiled brightly, “I’m a bit nervous but nerves are good, right?”

"Yes. They just tell you that you need to be a bit brave. It'll be fine."

“I think I’m brave enough.” Emily smiled brightly.

"I know you are." Duffy replied, looking up as the coach arrived.

Emily smiled brightly, “I’ll make sure I send a postcard or twelve.”

"I look forward to them." Duffy smiled, hugging Emily tightly.

“Love you mama. Love you too dad.” Emily hugged her dad tightly once she’d finished hugging her mum.

Duffy tried to hide her tears as Emily picked up her bags and got onto the coach. She couldn't believe her baby girl was suddenly so grown up.

Charlie wrapped his arm around Duffy’s waist as he waved Emily off. A lump in his throat and tears in his eyes.

"I can't believe she's fourteen and heading out into the big wide world all by herself." Duffy sighed, wiping her eyes.

“I know.” Charlie's voice cracked.

Duffy smiled as she saw Emily give a big grin and wave from her seat on the coach.

“I don’t know who's more nervous. Us or her?” Charlie said quietly.

"Us. I'm certain of that." Duffy chuckled.

On the coach the kids were finding their seats. A young girl with short brown hair pointed to the empty seat next to Emily. "Can I sit here?"

Emily nodded, “Sure.” She smiled warmly at the young girl.

The girl sat down. "I'm Beth." She smiled.

“I’m Em.”

"You been on one of these trips before?"

“Nope. First time. You?”

"Yeh, first time too." Beth smiled.

The girls waved at their parents as the coach left and headed towards the airport.

“It’s a bit nerve wrecking. I’m surprised my parents allowed me to come.” Emily admitted.

"Why wouldn't they?"

“They worry a lot coz I wasn’t well as a baby.” Emily smiled, “I was prem.”

"Oh, I thought you looked kinda small for fifteen." Beth remarked. "Its cute though."

Emily groaned playfully, “Cute?”

"Yeh, you're like a pocket sized person." Beth giggled.

Emily giggled softly, “Never been called that before.”

The girls continued giggling and getting to know each other all the way to the airport.

Emily became more relaxed as she and Beth got to know each other.

They were approaching the ticket desk when Beth suddenly froze.

“Beth?”

"I... Um... Don't laugh... But... I've not been on a plane before and I'm kinda scared." Beth mumbled.

Emily reached out and squeezed Beth’s shoulder. “We’ll be ok. I promise.”

Beth smiled and blushed. "It sounds silly doesn't it?"

“No it doesn’t.”

"Most people would laugh. You're different." Beth smiled.

“I’m older than my years in my head, that's what my mum says.”

"Yeh, most fifteen year old girls are so lame."

“I’m fourteen, just turned.”

"Seriously?! I thought you had to be at least fifteen to go on the trip. Did you lie on your application?"

Emily shook her head, “No. I put fourteen. My teachers wanted me to go. As did my mentor.”

"Oh wow! You must be really good! I'll have to pick up some tips from you."

Emily smiled shyly, “I am good. I know that sounds big headed but...” She shrugged.

"You must be. I only started just before Christmas. My mum signed me up coz I was getting picked on at school for being different. She thought I might be happier coming to the art classes."

“You’re still quite new then? I’ve been doing art classes since I was seven.”

"Seven?! Not only are you pocket sized you're prococious too!" Beth teased playfully as they boarded the plane.

Emily just giggled softly.

They took their seats and listened carefully to the safety briefing. Beth was beginning to calm down about the idea of flying until they started to taxi along the runway.

Emily squeezed her hand. “It’s ok.”

The flight ended up being rather enjoyable for Beth. She found herself able to relax with Emily in a way she'd never done with anyone else. So she was thrilled to discover that they'd be in the same dorm together for the entire two weeks.

“Have you ever shared a room before?” Emily asked Beth as she began to unpack her bags in the dorm.

"No. Its just me and mum in a two bed flat." Beth explained.

“You’re an only child?”

"Yeh, what about you?"

Emily laughed, “One of eight.”

"Fucking hell!" Beth gasped.

Emily laughed gently, “I know. There’s a lot of us.”

"Do your parents not have a TV?" Beth giggled.

“Yeah they just like sex a lot and have no idea on how contraception works.” Emily replied with a giggle.

Beth laughed. "Its nice to meet someone who's parents actually like each other."

“Your parents don’t get on?”

"Put it this way, my mum refers to my dad as 'the sperm doner'."

“Ah.”

"Mum's had various boyfriends but most of them are morons frankly." Beth rolled her eyes.

Emily laughed gently, “Boys are morons.”

Beth grinned. "Yeh they are. Girls are way better."

“Yeah certainly are.” Emily agreed.

Once they'd finished unpacking they headed down to get some food. They found themselves stood next to Jamie in the line.

"Its good they finally let you come to one of these trips Em." He smiled.

Emily smiled shyly and blushed a little, “Thank you.”

"This is my last trip coz I'll be eighteen before the next one." Jamie replied.

Emily gazed at him and her heart fluttered. She’d had a crush on Jamie for a while.

"I'm Beth." There was a slightly churlish tone in her voice.

“Nice to meet you Beth.” Jamie smiled politely.

"You and Emily known each other a long time?" Beth asked.

“Erm, a while. Haven’t we, Em?”

"Yeh, we've done a few exhibitions together." Emily blushed.

Beth watched Emily and turned her attention to Jamie. “That’s nice.”

"Emmy is the group's star talent." Jamie grinned, nudging Emily.

Emily blushed and giggled, “Shush!"

Jamie laughed. Spotting his friends wave at him from one of the tables he said bye to the girls and headed over to join the lads.

“He is so gorgeous.” Emily sighed as she watched Jamie join his friends.

"If you say so." Beth shrugged.

There was a silence between both of them. They found some seats and ate their meals, the atmosphere reverting back to the easy laughter and fun of earlier though Beth couldn't get the image of Emily and Jamie together out of her head.

After a couple of minutes of watching Beth and wondering what was on her mind, Emily came out with it. “What’s wrong, Beth?”

"Nothing."

“You sure?”

"Yeh, I'm probably just tired from all the travelling."

“It was a long travel, wasn’t it? Not as long as that time my family and I went to Canada for four weeks.”

"I bet that was fun. What did you do whilst you were there? Your parents must be pretty well off to afford a trip like that with eight kids!"

“We went to visit my brother. He lived out there until his mum died and he came to live with us. We didn’t have the younger two boys then.” Emily smiled, “My parents are in hospital management. Band seven and eight.”

"Oh wow, that must have been really tough for him. They don't work at Holby hospital do they?"

“Yeah they do, why?”

"My mum works as a cleaner there."

“Oh does she?”

"Yeh, she works all over the hospital but frequently gets called down to A&E if she's working Friday or Saturday nights." Beth chuckled.

“Usually where most of the mess is. Have you ever been to A&E at the weekend?”

"Only once when I fell off a swing when I was little."

“Mum and dad say it’s mad!”

"Do they run A&E then?"

“Pretty much. Dad’s nursing manager and my mum’s sister.”

"Your dad is your mum's boss?"

“Yeah.”

The first week of the trip was spent in much the same way with the girls chatting and giggling as they took in the sights and did lots of sketching and painting.

“What do you think of this?” Beth asked as she held up the sketch she’d drawn.

"That's really good. I love the shading at the top."

“Thanks.” Beth grinned.

"I really want to try painting a sunset whilst we're here. It looks so pretty over the water." Emily mused.

“Why don’t you?” Beth encouraged.

"I'm too nervous to go sit down on the beach by myself."

“I’ll come with you.”

"Would you? I know you prefer sketching to painting but you might find some interesting things to draw while we're there."

“Of course.”

[hysterialevi]

In the Smoke pt. 2 (Cobblebats)

From Bruce’s POV

Entering the parlor, Oz and I stepped into the warm, quiet room and shut the door behind us as we approached my mother, who happened to be talking alone with another guest. She looked slightly troubled and her brows were furrowed in concern, almost to the point where her expression was angry. It kind of worried me, and the comradely atmosphere from the party outside started to disappear. Though, when I checked to see who was keeping her company, I understood why.

Sitting across from my mother was the one and only Mayor Hamilton Hill, snobby and serious as always with his nose high in the air. I guessed my father finally found him, just like he said he would. But I didn’t recall hearing anyone announce his arrival, and he definitely didn’t come to greet me. I would’ve remembered. Maybe he just slipped in at some point, away from the crowds, and didn’t want to draw attention to himself. Despite our many differences, that was one thing we had in common, and that I could understand.

“Mom?” I called out, causing them to stop their conversation. Before answering me, she leaned forward and whispered something to Hill under her breath.

“...we’ll discuss this later.” She didn’t give him a chance to refuse.

Hill didn’t seem too happy with that and grimaced at her, but complied regardless. “...of course, Martha.” 

His intense glare moved over to me. I suddenly felt my body stiffen up.

“Ah,” Hill said with a fake smile as he stood up, “and there’s the birthday boy. I trust you’re having fun tonight, Bruce?”

I quickly exchanged looks with Oz, who had practically flattened himself against my side out of nervousness, and I found myself suddenly feeling the urge to leave the parlor as quickly as possible.

“...yes, Uncle Hamilton.” I replied in a monotonous tone.

“That’s good to hear.” Hill turned to Oz, a disapproving look coming to his face. “And look who else is here...Oswald. Cobblepot.” He said his last name in a degrading way. “...I wasn’t expecting to see you this evening...but, then again, I suppose the two of you are very close, yes? ...Almost like brothers.”

“That’s right.” Oz responded with a certain sharpness, almost like he was telling Hill to back off, and he picked up on it straight away. Hill brought his attention back to me.

“Well, I’m glad you stopped by, Bruce. I’ve been meaning to personally give you your present.” 

Reaching over to the coffee table, Hill picked up a smaller, light box that had been wrapped in bland, boring paper, and pretty much shoved it into my grasp. It was clear he couldn’t care less about my birthday.

“It’s nothing extraordinary, but I think a young man like yourself will enjoy it.”

I saw my mother giving me a “look.” I smiled as best as I could. “Erm, thank you. I appreciate that you came tonight.”

Completely ignoring my thanks, Hill straightened his tie and stuffed his hands into his pockets, heading for the parlor’s door. “Well, I should get going. I know your mother’s been wanting to speak with you, and I’m afraid that--as fun as this has been--I have other things to attend to. We’ll speak again some other time. Until then, enjoy the rest of your party.”

Pushing his way past us, Hill hurried out of the room and and possibly even out of the manor, the rest of us subconsciously letting out a breath of relief that we didn’t even know we were holding. 

“Arrogant old, prune.” I heard my mother mutter once he was gone. Well, she wasn’t wrong. 

“Are you okay, mom?” I stepped next to her. She rubbed my shoulder in a comforting manner. 

“I’m all right, son. But thank you for asking. Are you boys having fun so far?”

Oz put his hands on his hips. “Well, we were until the discount Alfred Hitchcock showed up.”

Martha chuckled at that. “They’re both certainly suspenseful.” 

She rose from her chair. “Listen, Bruce, I know that this party is full of people that you probably don’t even know that well, and I understand you don’t enjoy being in large crowds. So, I was wondering if you’d like to do something a little less flashy after the party. Something a bit more cozy.”

“This party’s perfectly fine the way it is, but what did you have in mind?”

“I was planning to take you boys to see that superhero movie you’ve been wanting to watch for so long.”

Oz’s eyes widened. “But they’re not even showing it yet, are they?”

Martha dug into her purse and pulled out three movie tickets. “For us, they are.”

“Aw,” Oz frowned, “normally I’d go in a heartbeat, but my dad wants us home early tonight. Have to leave early tomorrow for some conference out of town, and all that. I’m sorry, Bruce.”

“It’s okay, Oz,” I reassured. “We could go see it together sometime when it’s actually out. Besides, you’re here now. That’s what matters.” I turned to my mother.

“Thanks, mom. I’d love to go see it.” She smiled. 

“Well, all right, then. It’ll just be you and I. Some mother-son time.”

“Wait, what about Dad?”

She hesitated for a moment before replying. “Your dad’s...busy. He has lot of work to complete. He wouldn’t be able to make it.”

I knew that wasn’t the truth, and that something else was going on, but I didn’t push the subject any further. My mother would tell me when she was ready.

“Oh, okay.” I said, a little disappointed. “I understand.”

“Good boy.” She bent down and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Just survive for a couple more hours, and we’ll be out of here before you know it. Until then, you two stay safe and have fun, all right?”

“Yes, mom.”

She lightly tapped my back, guiding me towards the door as we stepped outside, the sound of busy chatter and laughter welcoming us. 

“Now, run along and enjoy the rest of the party,” Martha said. “There’s still plenty for you to do. We’ll open the presents later. I’ll see you soon, Bruce.”

And with that said, Oz and I wasted no time in jumping back into the friendly chaos of the event, resuming our previous activities as we set up even more “traps” around the manor, grabbing snacks along the way and horsing around like there was no tomorrow. I had to admit, I felt a little bad for disrupting the other guests with our pranks, but the more time I spent with Oz, the more I began to love the adventure he always brought with him, and we spent the rest of the night having the time of our lives in our own little, childish worlds that would never truly leave us.

LATER THAT NIGHT

CRIME ALLEY

After the party ended, and I finished saying goodbye to the guests--including a particularly long goodbye to Oz--my mother took me to the movies just like she said she would, and even though Dad wasn’t there, we still managed to have quite a lot of fun. The movie was everything I had expected, plus more, and neither my mother nor I could stop talking about it even after we left the theater. It was one of the few, rare occasions that I got to spend time with my parents, and it felt like all our other worries had vanished entirely.

Strolling down an empty street, the two of us walked hand-in-hand, satisfied but exhausted, and began making our way back home. There was a light shower of rain tonight, and the air was cold enough to turn our breath into mist. Normally, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the cold, but after enduring the stuffiness of the party, the crisp temperature was a welcoming change.

Unfortunately, the peaceful atmosphere quickly disappeared when the subtle but frightening sound of someone cocking a gun broke the silence. My mother immediately came to a halt and thoroughly searched the area around us as she pushed me behind her, when we both heard footsteps approaching us.

Not too far away from us, I spotted a rough man dressed in dark, thick clothes with a hat covering his head, and his weapon was aimed at my mother.

"Mom?” I whispered.

“Stay calm, Bruce,” she said in a firm but soothing tone. “Don’t let your fear take control. Just keep your head clear.”

The man got closer. I could feel my heart hammering, and a flash of anxiety surged throughout me.

“Martha Wayne,” the man said with a chuckle. “I thought I’d find you here.”

Martha extended a protective arm in front of me. “Now, what is it that you want? Money? I’ll give it to you. Just please, don’t hurt anyone.”

He scoffed. “I’m afraid you’ve got it all wrong, sweetheart. This ain’t a common mugging.”

Martha took a better look at the man. “....Joe Chill...? Why are you--oh, no.” She shook her head. “No. This is wrong. Tell Hill he’s making a mistake.”

Joe shrugged. “Sorry, but business is business.”

I violently flinched at the gunshot that suddenly fired from the gun and let out a sharp gasp, drops of red liquid splattering all over me. I looked upwards.

My mother simply stood there, staring blankly in the distance with her mouth hanging open as her body started to slightly sway, her grip on my shoulder loosening. 

“...m-mom?” I whimpered.

After a second of deathly silence, she finally collapsed to the concrete ground in front of me, her eyes rolling into the back of her head as her breath gradually weakened and a puddle of blood began expanding underneath her head.

“Mom!” I repeated desperately.

Frozen in place and unable to move, I watched in paralyzing horror as the murderer rushed over and tore off her pearl necklace, afterwards slipping her wallet out of her purse. 

And just when I thought the nightmare was over, the barrel of a gun wandered into my line of sight, pointing directly at my forehead. I could feel myself trembling. He was...he was actually going to...

I shut my eyes and prepared myself for what was about to come, tears streaming down my cheeks when, like music to my ears, the sound of police sirens began to wail in the distance. The murderer took one last look at me before gathering the things he had stolen and running off into the night, leaving me alone with my mother’s body. Without even meaning to, I fell to my knees in defeat and put a hand over hers. I started sobbing.

“MOM!”

[evilback-wards]

Top Candidate [Pre-DRV3]

Chapter 14

Length: 1740

Rating: 16+ish is the average I’d say for this series? I dunno!

Prefer AO3 format? Click here. Otherwise, below the line lovelies!

Miu and I found a black and white couch to rest on. It was far enough from others not to draw attention, but close enough to others in case those girls came back to bully her. I was nearly 99.999% positive that someone in the room we were now in would intervene if that were to happen!  Something in my head told me that friendship needed more time to develop. When I suggested Miu #84 get her clothes fixed with the help of one of the nicer girls, she declined.

“I’d rather not have some girl staring at my chest for too long,” Miu #84 said, clutching my shoulders with her hands, “It’ll feel gross. My entire character is gross.”

I wanted to object to the manner which Miu #84 spoke of herself, but I refreshed myself of the rules here. Humans had to audition for a particular character in a killing game. If they fail to convince the judge of their worth, they are executed. If they succeed, they are able to live and participate in the killing game. But, the word audition makes it sound like they want to be here. From the stories I’ve heard before meeting Miu #84, no one wanted to be here. They were kidnapped, drugged, sold by their parents, among other reasons. I wondered how this had been going on for so long, how they managed to kidnap such a large scale of teenagers as myself. But, my inner voice told me not to think about it too much. That’s right, my inner voice will always be there to guide me! Without it, my mind would run wild with the endless possibilities the world had to offer.

Right now, with Miu #84 holding me like this, I felt comfortable. I eased myself against the couch, twisting my body in whatever way Miu #84 felt most comfortable. The loud people were still chatting, but my inner voice helped me block out their voices.

There was still a nagging feeling though, in the depths of my mind, to make new friends. Learn more about people. Learn more about Miu. But...did I really want to proceed so quickly with this friendship? Or quickly make new friends? Our bond could easily be broken if I made the wrong action.

“S-So Keebo. Do you know anyone else here,” Miu #84 asked, her face leaning against my shoulder. Her hands gingerly touched my back, seeming to fan over my back panels(especially the middle of my back). I felt as if I could...trust her. I did save her anyway, so it would make sense for a human to trust someone with their secrets, right?

“Sadly, I don't know anyone. I was built by a professor who owed a lot of money to loan sharks. The only way he could pay off his debt was to get research funding from a sponsor. So, now I'm here,” I said. Miu bumped her head against my shoulder, tears welding in her eyes. Oh no, I said something stupid again! Just as I was going to retract my statement, Miu pulled me closer to her. I was stuck between two lumps in her chest, breasts, I think humans call them? They felt warm against my face, though, part of me felt this was a tad lewd. Oh well; whatever pleases Miu #84 the most.

“That's really sad! I thought I had it rough. I was kidnapped when walking home from school. A really flashy businessman came up to me. He said he wanted to put my inventions to use on an international level. At first I doubted him, but then, he pulled out some fancy business cards and had contacts of several popular manufacturers in my area! It was like a dream come true! We had coffee too, he paid, and he went down the list of my inventions since I was six. When I thought I was on the cusp of signing off my inventions, my vision got blurry...and then…” Miu #84 explained, but then got quiet. What happened? How did Miu #84 ended up becoming an auditioner? My curiosity was eating at me. This human bit of me, the emotional part, was starting to react to this story. Was this just curiosity? Was it a mixture of anxiety too, empathy, maybe even worry?

“And?” I asked, my eyes looking down at Miu #84. I managed to pull my face out of her breast area, meeting her vacant gaze immediately. Her eyes appeared a bit less something. I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“What happened next, Miu #84?” I asked, this time securely placing my arms around her.  Perhaps humans liked to be held close as a defense mechanism to help them feel more safe? Or was this comfortable for her too? This friendship thing is complicated, even with just one friend. I’m glad I listened to my inner voice. Miu #84’s gradually closed the space between our faces, her eyes looking as if they lost more color. Or was it the way the lighting hit her eyes? Or was it the way her face seemed a lot less excitable than before? I couldn’t be too sure.

“You know, you could just call me Miu. The number seems a bit too formal,” Miu said, seeming to deter answering my previous questions. But, perhaps calling her by that name made her feel too distant from me? Human interpersonal interaction is hard!

“Ok, erm, Miu. What happened after things got blurry?” I said, affirming her concern and staying assertive with my questioning. I saw her eyes appear even more dull now, as if something was physically draining her of life. Weird...maybe I’m just overthinking what I’m seeing? Her lips started to move, but no sound left them. A few minutes past where she did this, and eventually, her lips closed. A small smile appeared on her face.

“Keebo...I can’t say, I’m terribly sorry. But I can promise you one thing,” Miu said, her voice changing to a whisper. Her forehead pressed against mine. I closed my eyes, unsure of what Miu’s intentions were. Why tell me a story like that and not finish it? I told my full story, therefore by logic I should hear her full story too! How do humans show their distaste in something while retaining friendships, I wonder?

I felt Miu’s lips clamp around my metallic ear, the sensation making me hop to my feet. Miu clung to me during this, her legs wrapping around my waist.

“W-What is this,” I asked, nervous, my tone noticeably louder than before. Maybe this’ll signal some of the others to pay attention to this. Surely they would stop Miu if she was doing something to injure me! Miu sucked on my ear, as if there had been some sort of liquid stored within it. My eyes slowly opened, met with the confused glances of other auditioners.

“One day...I’ll tell you the full story. But not here. Not with everyone watching,” Miu spoke between her suckles. The attention we were getting made me feel more awkward than usual, my body unsure of how to react.

“U-Uh, everyone, nothing unusual is happening! We are simply...being friends?” I spoke to the crowd, trying to keep a friendly face as Miu continued her strange action on my ear. Most of the onlookers appeared to lose interest after, but there was a man with spiky purple hair sitting alongside a black-haired girl. His face appeared to be the most dumbfounded by the action. His eyes remained fixated on me as he stroked his goatee.

“Is anyone going to question why there’s a freakin’ robot here? Anyone?”

“Ah, maybe you should be the ultimate child, you sure are acting like one.”

“Maki, why do you insist on being such a bitch!?!”

The group from before erupted in more idle chatter, the others seeming to clear the area now. Miu eventually stopped sucking on my robotic ear once the crowd thinned significantly. It dripped with saliva, which made me feel unclean. How could I even begin to clean this mess? My eyes returned to the last remaining group in the hall. One of the students sitting proceeded to stand up, facing the group as he stood in front of the four. Three of them offered their full attention while one in the yellow jacket continued to toy with a wooden brush. Wait, a yellow jacket! That’s a pretty odd school uniform. However, that jacket could help Miu cover up! As I staggered toward the girl in the yellow jacket, the boy in the hat slammed his foot against one of the pieces of furniture.

“Hey, you think the robot even wants this attention? What if the robot just wants to be with the person they like the most?! What if the robot got dragged along, despite their best attempts to sway their favorite person away from this hellhole, huh?!” shouted a boy with black hat. The rest of his outfit appeared to be black too. The others in the group fell silent, though the black-haired girl had a smile on her face throughout the exchange.

“I can see where your motivations lie, Ultimate Detective,” the black-haired girl said with a wider smile, “You shouldn’t show your weak spot so easily.”

“Yeah, if he wins auditions, he should be super easy kill. Emo wittle boy~” the purple haired man teased, reaching and nearly flicking the hat off the black-clothed boy. The boy managed to evade the attack, glaring at the purple haired guy. A girl came up in the naval blue uniform, a red bow on her chest. She put herself between the black-clothed boy and the purple haired guy. Was this the end of a friendship?

“Kaito, don’t be rude! He’s my friend you asshole.” the blonde-haired girl shouted to the purple-haired man, the hat boy beginning to jog away from the group.

The hat boy proceeded to storm off elsewhere, the blonde girl in the navy blue outfit marching after him.

“Uh...you don’t suppose it’s a bad time to ask for a favor,” I asked, Miu climbing off my body.

The girl in the yellow jacket pounced up, immediately invading my vision.

“Sure, I can fulfill any favor! However, you seem to lack the ability to provide a sufficient blood offering,” the yellow jacket girl said, a strange smile plastered over her face. What did I get myself into?