#anyways i'll be gone the month of march

[do-this-one-thing]

So i was planning on doing daily logs on here again but then i thought a digital detox would fix me so now i can't. This is the problem with starting new projects all at the same time. Sometimes they don't work well together.

[cinematicnomad]

it's definitely physical damage because even when starting in recovery mode, my screen is still black. so i have an appointment for wednesday morning to take my laptop in. but honestly, if they tell me it's crazy expensive just to REPAIR, i might end up getting a new laptop instead.

like a moron, i dropped my 2 year old laptop (on accident, obviously), and now the far left side of my screen is just. pure black.

so that's fun.

[eleni-cherie]

a thief's origin✨ || bts • kth - chapter 0.8

"you're afraid I won't wait." "I'm afraid you will."

a criminal and a doctor should be as different as the sun and the moon - but unexpected things happened every day. like him finding his safe haven in her.

© 2024 | eleni_cherie

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masterlist: here

— genre: thief au, gangster comedy, adventure, romcom, humour, angst, fluff, sexual tensiON, slowburn, mutual pining, strangers to friends to lovers s2f2l

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE. CHARACTERS NOT NECESSARILY LIKE THE REAL PERSONS. ALSO VERY UNREALISTIC PLOT LOL - JUST PRETEND READING A MANGA/COMIC OR WATCHING A FILM, REALLY.

SUGGESTIVE THEMES. MENTIONS OF VIOLENCE & BLOOD (BUT NOTHING TOO GRAPHIC, IT'S STILL A COMEDY!)

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22nd February

Hanoi, Vietnam

"I might've found us a new job."

Curiously they looked at Jimin who had just entered and waved an envelope in his hands with a mischievious grin.

"Hard pass," Yoongi only countered, going back to grinding his sword, "Forgot I'll be gone for the next month?"

Jimin's smile faded, replaced by a musing expression. "Ah, right.. there was something.. So you really just gonna leave to meditate for a whole month? That wasn't a joke?"

Shaking his head, the older one offered him a small apologetic fold of his lips.

With a deep sigh, Jimin's hopeful glance was directed now at Taehyung, who only blinked back, with a lost expression in his brown eyes wide as he hadn't paid attention. Too occupied by the game he was playing on his phone. "Huh?"

Rolling his eyes, Jimin walked over to him. Holding the envelope right in front of his eyes and blocking his view on the display. It seemed like he had to spell it out for him. "Are-you-in-for-the-job?"

Annoyed, Taehyung shoved his hand away. "Depends," he shrugged then, going back to his mobile game, "What, where and when?"

"This." 

He opened the envelope, sliding a photo out to wiggle in front of him. It showed a dragon made of jade. "Location: Montreal. The 'when' depends on how fast we'll work out a plan. Now that we're only gonna be à deux." Jimin couldn't miss side-eyeing Yoongi who only ignored him, pretending being oblivious to his scowl. He turned to Taehyung again, facing him with an innocent smirk then. "Unless of course we'd find a third person."

"And who would t-" before he could even finish his own question, Taehyung cut himself off when recalling Jimin could only head into one specific derection. Arabella. So he immediately shook his head. "No."

"Aw, c'mon."

"Jimin, no. Absolutely not."

Jimin began whining, scooting to him and falling to his knee, begging. "C'mon, Tae. Why not? She could -" 

"Nope."

Yoongi's sudden burst of laughter startled them and they looked at him confused. He only shot them a gummy grin. "Seriously, Jimin, you expect us to trust her for a job again after Cairo?" Taehyung nodded vigoriously, obviously agreeing with his older friend. And Jimin had to realise reaching a dead-end. Disappointedly, he got up and brushed off dust from his pants. 

"Fine, then I won't ask Bella for help and it's only gonna be the two of us. But I better not hear any complains about difficulties."

Taehyung folded his arms, his videogame laying forgotten on his lap. "Who says she'd even help us anyway?"

"She surely would have if I asked her nicely." And if he promised her shiny diamonds. 

However, seeing the steadfast glare in Taehyung's eyes, he admitted defeat.

Feeling the urgent need for a whiff of fresh ear and also annoyed with his friends, he stepped out into the balcony. The mild evening atmosphere greeting him.

He propped his hands on the railing and stared out when soon sensing Taehyung beside him.

They both remained silent for awhile, just staring over the sea of cement with specks of green in between.

It had rained not too long ago, evident by the puddles on the shiny asphalt and the smell of humidity in the air. It was almost March, but spring was still far away.

"Why.. why are you so into Arabella?"

Jimin dragged out a breath, getting slowly fed up with the same sarcastic comments and rhetoric questions about his, admittedly, weakness for the female spy and thief.

With a small groan, he threw his head back. "I get it, you guys don't like her and I understand why. I really do. But it's seriously getti-"

"No," Taehyung interrupted his rant with a quick shake of his head, "I mean it. How.. how are you so sure.. it's her? I get that she's all 'dangerous and hot' or whatever your reasons were but.. There has to be more, right? You're not constantly making a fool of yourself only 'cause she's hot." At least he hoped so.

Not having expected his friend to be genuinely curious about the relationship between him and Arabella, his lips parted taken aback. "Well.." Jimin slowly began then, glancing at him cautiously as his random, yet genuine sounding question triggered suspicion in him. 

His glance returned to the city then, trying to comprise in sentences the complicated emotions he felt for the mischievous woman. "She's more than just a gorgeous and intriguing woman who keeps me busy, you know." Taehyung noticed the fond smile in Jimin's eyes. Making him almost gag, but he successfully contained it and allowed him to continue. "Me and her.. we got history you don't know of. She's more than her habit of outwitting us."

"Oh, is she?" It was kind of hard to believe. Then again, he tried spending as little time as possible with her and only if absolutely necessary. Simply not trusting her an inch.

Jimin chucked at his disbelief and nodded. "Yeah. I know, hard to believe."

"A little bit."

Again, he understood where his friends' mistrust came from. He paused for dramatic effect as he glanced at Taehyung who was mindlessly resting his chin on the palm of his hand. Only to get impetiend and arch an inquiring brow at him.

"It's true though. Because at the end of the day, she's the only woman I trust and I can be myself with. She takes me for who I am. And when it's only the two of us, I can see the real Bella. The one no one but me knows. And that's why I love her."

"Even after Cairo?"

He grinned. "Maybe I don't trust her with the loot, but with my life. And isn't that more important? That's why I forgive her and let her get away with her stunts. It's nothing but a game between us. Don't forget, I'm also often the one tricking her."

He winked and Taehyung knew what he was referring to. 

It was true. There were times Jimin was the one fooling her, leaving Arabella handling interpol or without the jewels. It was indeed just a game between the two. A game only Jimin and Arabella understood and enjoyed and perhaps that was the secret to it all. Perhaps outsiders like Taehyung and Yoongi weren't supposed to understand it in the first place.

Taehyung only hummed and went silently back to staring out. Unable to contain his inner turmoil as his gaze became dull. Blankly staring into the cold grey.

If put like that, he understood it. He couldn't even nearly fathom how this was possible or applied to a person like Arabella Valentine, but he could at least comprehend a little more how his partner could be so in love with her.

"Say," Jimin said then, leaning at the railing with an intrigued smile, "How comes you're suddenly so invested in my love life? It doesn't happen to have anything to do with you and your doctor friend, does it?" He wiggled his brows and nudged his shoulder, interrupting Taehyung's train of thoughts.

The taller guy swallowed, avoiding his smug, knowing glance. He'd seen right through him, like he always did. Perhaps this time hadn't been so hard to do and yet, it bothered him how in front of Jimin, he'd be an open book just like everyone else.

"Perhaps."

"Ah!" Jimin felt like a lightbulb appearing above him, finally putting one and one together. And he fashed a lopsided smirk to his childhood friend. "So that's why you've been moping around for two months now."

The only response those accusations earned was a click from Taehyung's tongue and a scowl. Causing Jimin to dramatically sigh, averting his eyes from him since he knew very well he wouldn't get Taehyung to talk if he didn't want to. So he pushed himself off the railing instead.

"Perhaps it's hard to look past Bella's imperfections," he began than with a musing glance as he let his gaze wander over the concrete, "But at the end of the day, we all just want someone who knocks our breath away, don't we? Someone who understands and takes us for who we are. Someone we'd fight for. So if you ever find someone like this, consider yourself lucky. These people are rare." With a bright smile, he patted his sulky friend's shoulder and Taehyung coughed out by the sudden hit. 

He went back to observing the glistering streets then.

Jimin had a point, he supposed. People like these were indeed rare. At least he hadn't crossed paths with any or perhaps he'd never bothered paying much attention to any contrary to his friend who'd never say no to a pretty woman.

Until now, it seemed.

Because his guilt-ridden dreams and thoughts revolved around one person and one person only the past two months. And the kind of smile of hers he thought only he ever received and no one else. A withering look full of the sort of subtext someone could only get from a lot of conversations whispered after dark. Like the ones they always shared.

Sirens erupted suddenly and interrupted his wandering thoughts. Several black cars coming into view and parking in front of the building then, blocking the exit, Shortly after a familiar figure exiting one of them.

"Yah, Park Jimin! Long time no see!" Seokjin was waving at them with a triumphant grin when spotting them up there at the balcony of the third floor. His open palm closing then, with a pointing index finger directed at them. "Don't you dare move from there!"

Jimin laughed under his breath. "Of course, who else," he muttered before leaning over the railing then to yell back with more energy, "Never! You know how much I missed your handsome face!"

Taehyung couldn't help but stifle a laugh before glancing over his shoulder to see Yoongi having joined them to check out what all the ruckus was about.

"Pack your sword, Yoongs, pops is here. "

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4th April

Barcelona, Spain

Cassandra was uncertain whether she liked birthdays or not. At this point, they were overrated anyway. She couldn't remember the last one she'd got to properly celebrate. It was probably in high school but her memory fadedthe more she tried to go back to the past.

It was the dawn of her 27th birthday and she didn't know how to feel or what to expect, besides calls and messages from relatives and friends. She was glad her parents couldn't visit her this time as they were currently somewhere in Central America, so she at least could save herself from another round of staged photos in front of a birthday cake for her mother's sake.

Once someone told her that birthdays and weddings were rather for the family than the actual celebrated person and there was some truth to it. You did it more for the people you loved, to make them happy by letting them celebrate you. This year, however, she wouldn't have been able to bring herself from going through this. Not even for her mother who she loved dearly.

"Stella, where are you? I brought the glucometer you requested for the patient," she called out at her colleague and friend. Frowning at the unusual darkness in the staffroom, she flipped on the light switch. Only to be greeted with loud cheers and applause. "What-"

"Happy birthday!"

Utterly perplexed, she took a step back and blinked. She never expected anyone to care enough to organise a small surprise party and even holding a cake with candles which they were now hurriedly lighting up so she could blow them.

Cassandra wasn't particularly close friends with most people there. She got along with everyone though - save for Pavlo the jerk - and was friends with Stella and maybe three other assistant doctors. She also joked with some of the nurses. This was her circle of friends there. A small but good one. So seeing those very same people now beaming at her while holding the cake close to her face and singing the birthday-song, was quite unexpected. And moving.

With an uncertain smile, she clapped along with them. Appreciating the gesture. It meant that perhaps she did belong somewhere after all. Or that her presence mattered in some way. Taking a deep breath then, she finally blew out the melting candles.

"Did you make a wish?" Stella, the one she'd describe as the closest one of her work-buddies, asked then as the rest hurried to cut the cake.

"Sure," she lied. Her artificial smile fading as soon as her colleague's attention turned to the cake.

What point was there to make a wish if she couldn't have the one thing she truly wanted.

Him.

Her night-shift ended a few hours later at 6am. Besides the small birthday gathering thankfully nothing else unexpected happened. Especially not with any of her patients.

Tired, both physically and mentally, she returned home. Trying her hardest to prevent her eyes from going to the space on the wall where the numerous postcards from around the world were hanging on strings. Mockingly staring at her while depicting far-away places she'd never see herself. With the latest addition grazing a new string on the bottom. A postcard from Montreal with a Renaissance-style domed basilica on it - the kind of old-fashioned buildings she liked.

What irritated her the most, however, were the two sentences written in the back.

"some films shot here:

the score, catch me if you can, lucky number slevin, red 2, john wick 2

-T"

That was all. 

Now, that was their usual thing. This inside joke between them. Him teasing her love for heist-films by writing some famous works shot or playing in the place he was sending the postcard from. And usually that would lighten her mood.

But considering the way they had parted ways on New Year's and the fact he'd stopped calling or texting her, she somehow expected more. Maybe even an apology for just disappearing after stealing a kiss from her like that.

Hah, she laughed bitterly, be glad he even sent a postcard again.

The past three months and four days had been a blur. Or at least that was what she tried to remember them as. Her thoughts did not revolve around that particular man, wondering where he was and what he was doing and if he'd ever have the courage to show himself in front of her again or if he'd just avoid her for the rest of their lives.

And they surely did not revolve around that heart-pulling, breath-taking, mind-dazzling, dream-like, passionate kiss they'd shared that night. A kiss so incomparable and mind-altering that she sometimes doubted it had ever really happened or if it had simply originated from a wild fever dream. From a straight up delirium state she had seen patients with 39°C fever or more in.

Then again, the fact she had never experienced something like this before, let her doubt her mind would've had the source material to create a moment like this on its own.

No, surely she wasn't wasting a single thought about that.

Tears blurred her vision for a second, heartache along with her overall exhaustion cumulating along with the crushing expectations of that very day. Her birthday.

Everything rising to the surface for a split second before she got a hold of herself again and swallowed everything but one single tear down.

It'd have been easier getting over such a disappointment if it was some random guy online she'd merely wasted a week talking to. But this wasn't a random guy from the internet. This was Taehyung.

Deciding not to dwell into self-pity, she blanked out all these negative emotions.

After eating the left-over cake she'd brought home, she decided to head for her bed when the doorbell rang. Something blue on the door mat catching her attention then. She squatted down and picked up the object, pushing the blue fancy paper aside. Only to reveal a flower pot of blue hydrangeas.

Her eyes widened. She always wanted blue hydrangeas but missed their season. Did her mother send her this?

She stood up and heaved it higher, turning it around to see if she could spot any clue about the sender when a small white card fell down and landed in front of her feet. 

"Happy birthday, Cas.

I know I was an idiot to you. I'm not the type to talk directly about my feelings. But it occurred to me that I could still talk about them through my actions."

Her heart dared to skip a beat at the handwriting and words. It was the same handwriting as on the countless postcards before. Taehyung's. With furrowed brows she flipped the card, seeing a another text written there.

Her eyes widened, intrigued by its arcane nature.

"Font Mágica de Montjuic - four columns / 5:55pm / ? "

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It was late afternoon when Taehyung set foot in front of the four tall columns above the so-called 'magical' fountain. Having a perfect view over it. He pushed his sunglasses, which soon would become pointless, up the bridge of his nose and stifled a yawn as he leaned against the white marble. 

Their last job had ended over two days ago but after multiple layovers - not able taking the easy route as some angry millionairs were on their tails - he still hadn't adjusted to the time-difference.

He stretched his arm then, revealing the watch under the sleeve of the hoodie. Due to a delay he'd feared not making it, but thankfully he was on time. Five more minutes till the show began.

The threaneningly red evening sun would soon disappear behind the buildings but the temperature remained pleasant. It was nice to finally feel spring on his skin after being in the north for so long. 

His brown irises where fixated on the enormous fountain in front of him, although seemingly unspectacular right now due to the water jets currently kept low. For now.

Cassandra liked this place. The fountain with the view of the cascades and the art museum on the top in the background being one of her favourite places in the city, he remembered that. Of couse he did. He remembered everything she had ever told him. Every little insigificant detail because the sum of it made up her. 

He had to admit, however, he also liked that place a lot. It looked like straight from a fairytale, especially at night with all the lights illuminating it.

Now in the evening, the warm colours of the sunset sparkled on the water surface, adding an even bigger mystical almost eery atmosphere to it. It looked quite different from the last time he'd been there, with her. Fond memories creeping up his mind when remembering that day. The first day he'd waited outside of the hospital for her.

His gaze wandered over the greenery, wondering if Cassandra would even follow his invitation and appear. He couldn't blame her if she didn't, he knew he didn't treat her particularly fairly. This was why he wanted to redeem himself after all.

Taehyung felt guilty for disappearing on her for over three months. Sure, they'd got caught by Seokjin and his men, however, their custody stay only lasted a couple of days like it always did before they escaped. No, this hadn't been the reason, neither was it them having to lay low for some weeks or their time-consuming next coup. Or at least, these hadn't been his sole reasons for not visiting but also not contacting her.

Truth was, he was scared - terrified even - to face her again. Not only because of her reaction, but also because all those months he tried figuring out what he actually wanted and if he should even cave into it considering the life he lived. It hadn't been easy and he still wasn't sure if he made the right decision, but he knew he couldn't keep her waiting anymore - in case she even bothered to still waste a single thought on him and hadn't already completely crossed him out of her life. Again, he couldn't blame her if she had.

However, even if so, Cassandra wasn't just anybody to him and he owed her an explanation at least. Whether she despised him now or not.

There was a significantly lower amount of people at this time of the day. Now with the dim afternoon light lesser people strolling around the square.

From the corners of his eyes he caught someone nearing the colums then. Familiar long curls swaying over a plaid coat coming to a halt in front of the railing. And Taehyung's muscles instantly relaxed, only now realising how strained his whole body had been with nervousness and worry.

Of course he couldn't be sure it was her as the figure was standing further afar, and yet his heart had recognised her and pulsed faster.

With a deep inhale to calm his nerves, he pushed himself off the column and neared her with quick steps. Afraid she might change her mind after all and walk away at any second. 

"Hey."

He sensed Cassandra tense up when pausing beside her, not daring to move her head and meet his gaze. Her usual warm eyes rested instead on the illuminated blueish green water in the distance. She blinked once, twice. And Taehyung began getting nervous all over again as the seconds passed without her saying anything. Only staring blankly ahead. 

"Happy.. happy birthday."

Finally, her expression softened with a sigh. "Thank you."

"Uhm, I assume you got the flowers then."

"Y-yeah, I liked them." Of course she liked them. He'd even remembered that she preffered pots over cut flowers. "Thank you." Her voice was paper-thin, distant and almost sorrowful and it caused his own gaze to fall.

"I'm glad you did."

Cassandra nodded quietly. "Blue's my favourite colour.."

"I know. That's why I chose them." His lips curving into a weak smile. And it annoyed her, how well he knew her despite all the time apart. "Thank you for coming here," he began then with cautious, his voice almost a timid whisper not to scare her away in any way. It didn't take a genius to see that this time was different from the previous ones. Especially since Cassandra was always wearing her heart on her sleeve, no matter how hard she tried to conceal it. "Wasn't sure if you would or not."

"Got the night shift. Have to leave in a bit."

"Ah." 

They grew quiet, gaze falling to the solemn water surface. Taehyung scratched his neck, uncertain how to proceed.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," he eventually spoke up then, only seeing her shaking her head. Much to his surprise.

"Not really," she deadpanned and he wanted to laugh at this.

"No?"

With a shrug she averted her eyes from the water jets to finally spare him a brief glance. "It's not the first time you disappear for months only to randomly show up again. I'm kinda used to it. It was just the first time you disappeared without any trace since the beginning." She would've cracked a sarcastic smile if she hadn't felt a rush of anger when recalling the past months.

It was so irrational. This was what she'd waited and hoped for all that time, for him to show up again. Then why did she feel so incredibly mad at him the second she saw his usually charming face? 

"Oh," was all he could muster up to say. He could clearly see that it was burdening her, just like he'd feared. "It's good that I came to put some things straight then," his voice gainining firmness, "I know last time we saw each other I left with.." He paused, carefully choosing his words. "I must've left you with lots of questions."

"You did," she plainly stated and he almost shuddered. 

So that was how it felt when Cassandra was mad. She was cold and distant, nothing like her kind and sweet self. It was probably what he deserved anyway.

He was about to speak up when the alarm on his watch went off and he remembered why he'd called her there in the first place. 

Her lips parted, but he stopped her from saying anything else with a bright smile. "Please wait a few more minues before telling me off, okay? Because the second part of your birthday gift starts now!"

She frowned, puzzled at his sudden excitement. "S-second?"

"Of course!" He sounded offended. "Did you think flowers were all you'd get?" The corners of his lips curled up in that adorably boyish manner that distinguished his grins from anyone else. Grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her to face the fountain again. 

And Cassandra saw what Taehyung meant, her eyes widening in awe.

The water jets began attaining height in different distances of time, first the big ones in the centre followed by the small ones all around, creating a beautiful choreography of lowering, highening and arching water streaks along with different coloured lights. Blue and pink specifically.

She knew of the fountain show once or twice a day, depending on the season. However, 6pm was not its usual time. At least not in early April when it was still too chilly and not a touristic season. 

She couldn't take her gaze from the performance against the darkening sky and pastel-coloured clouds. She was so stunned by it that she didn't pay attention to the music playing. Taking her a moment longer to recognise the melody over the noise of the dancing water. And when she did, her head immediatelly turned to search for his eyes, only to catch them already fondly staring at her. He'd anticipated her mesmerised expression, observing her this whole time without paying attention to the water show. 

"That's -"

He nodded. "You like it?"

She did. Of course she did. It was her absolut favourite movie soundtrack after all.

Her breathing got irregular, her head was spinning and she had to avert her gaze from his affectionte look. Returning to the impressive fountains.

No, she couldn't start misinterpreting things yet again. She'd already done that enough times in the past, she couldn't be fooled yet again. He had disappeared for months, clearly regretting the kiss and feeling guilty now for leading her on. She knew it, she knew it and it broke her heart and set anew tears in her heart. The only reason he made her such a wonderful gift was because he pitied her and felt sorry. And yet it also made all these locked away feelings resurface and it wasn't fair, how he gave her heart arrhythmia and her lungs dyspnoea all over again for all the wrong reasons.

He didn't have feelings for her. At least not any romantic ones. She had to finally accept that and she had. She really had until now, when her delusional hope and irrational expectations took over her senses as she watched water dancing to the 'Love Theme' from'The Godfather'. 

- What an irony, out of all songs.

And she felt the tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. She was touched by the thoughtful gift. Goosebumps spreading over her skin at the melancholic melody playing over the elaborate water show in the middle of the grand fountain. But she also choked up from her unrequited feelings and the false hope his lovely gesture gave her.

The song finished, the water jets lowered and everything fell silent.

There were some people gathered around the fountain now, spectators of the show. Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "Taehyung -" 

"Wait, it's not over yet. Now my favourite movie soundtrack follows."

Her eyes fluttered open and before she could even ask, another melody began playing and water was being splashed up again. And she saw him smile softly while looking ahead.

She'd missed his voice. She'd missed his gentle yet stern eyes. She'd missed the curve of his nose and his smile. She'd missed the way his parted hair flowing over his forehead and eyes whenever he moved or got windblown.

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, she faced the fountain again. Standing there beside him and preoccupying herself by trying remembering the title of the familiar melody.

Of course, she eventually thought then when recalling the famous song and one of her favourite soundtracks, too. It was 'Strangers in the Night'.

However, Taehyung hadn't only picked it because it was his favouite soundtrack, the main reason was because it reminded him of Cassandra. He had never paid much attention to the lyrics before but for the first time, he could relate to them. And perhaps that's why it was his favouite one after all.

"You know Sinatra disliked that song," he stated then, making her perk up. She hummed, gaze returning to the performance. 

"He was an idiot then."

And Taehyung laughed, it was a genuine laugh. Causing Cassandra to purse her lips to prevent herself from laughing as well.

Instead she saw the colours of the lights intensifying the darker the sky became. And she couldn't help but think of the night she and Taehyung had first met when recalling the lyrics herself. The lump returning.

The song ended soon after. Now even more people having gathered down at the fountain and even up there at the platform. It was fairly crowded by now. And Taehyung realised this was probably not the best place to discuss. So he held his hand out for her, meeting her arched brow.

He exhaled frustrated, retriving it instantly. "Come, let's go somewhere quieter."

She seemingly contemplated it, looking over her shoulder then back at the beautiful fountain. With a deep sigh, she eventually stepped back and nodded. Following him up the stairs of the cascades and reaching the top in front of the palace-like building. With the broad panorama view of the glistening city and the four columns, the magical fountain visible behind them. Up there, there was little to no one at this time and day.

"So, why did you make me climb up all these stairs?" Cassandra whined in between of panting. Propping herself at the stone-railing when seeing Taehyung beside her, casually leaning against it. Both of them standing there with a respectable distance.

"It's quieter here, don't you think?"

"I suppose.."

Neither one knew what to say or where to begin. And Taehyung felt his cheeks blushing when seeing her there in the light of the illuminated water basin behind them. The soft and curious eyes, the dark curls that got longer over the months, swaying in the light breeze against her cuddly cheeks. He just wanted to hug her and hold her in his arms again. 

Cassandra straightened herself then, her sudden movement interrupting his silent gaping.

"Thank you for.. for this. The fountain show, I mean. How did you do it?"

He only gave her an ambigious smile. "Don't worry about that."

She hmphed at this but didn't persist as something else was more imprtant to her. "You asked me to let you explain yourself.. so go on. Explain why you kissed me in a way that knocked my breath away - something medically impossible by the way - only to disappear for months with nothing but a postcard as a sign of life."

He should've been astonished by her sudden straightforwardness, but he figured she was simply too fed up with him at this point. Still, he couldn't keep himself from biting back an unappropiate smirk that threatened to break onto his lips when hearing her description of the kiss. It flattered his ego as he agreed with her. "I didn't want to discuss it on the phone."

"Fair enough, then do it now."

His lips parted but his throat, however, felt dry and itchy. His mind an endless void, absent of all the words he wanted to say to her. All of the sudden, he felt like a deer caught in the headlights. And nothing came out. Lips pressing together again as he awkwardly looked away.

Cassandra's jaw clenched and she abrubtly checked the time on her phone. "If that's all, you've got to excuse me but I gotta head to work now and don't have time for this game."

He knew her night shift started at 10pm and they still had almost four hours to go, but he understood the cue and pushed himself off the railing.

"Didn't expect any less of someone as smart as you."

She only huffed at this. Her eyes wandered up to meet his. Something in the atmosphere shifting in that moment. She swallowed.

"You do realise songs and pretty flowers aren't enough, right?"

He nodded, taking a few steps closer to her. The light from the building's spotlights illuminating her face, bathing her in a warm almost etheral glow. "Of course I know."

She exhaled, looking away as she was unable to remain upset because at the end of the day, this was Taehyung. The only man that ever moved her.  And with a much gentler voice, she almost pleaded, "Just say it then. Say why you kissed me only to dip and disappear before.. before giving me the chance to properly react to it. Just cut the games and tell me."

"Cas.."

"Why can't you admit it?" Her voice raised now and she almost stomped her foot out of frustration. Why couldn't he just admit he was regretting it? "Whatever it is, I deserve a proper explanation. Don't I?"

He breathed. "Of course you do." He could tell she was trying her best to keep herself together but the angry tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to roll down her cheeks, gave her away. Along with her cracking voice.

"Why are you such a coward then? I thought a thief would be much braver."

He softly grabbed her arms, causing her to look him in the eyes. "It's easier to break into a safe or hunt down a treasure than putting into words.. I simply can't express myself properly. But for you I'll try." His steady voice held certainty and a promise she wanted to believe. "You're far more stubborn than anyone I've ever encountered before, you know that?" he smiled then and a faint, tiny grin finally crossed her face. Finally managing to steal a small giggle from her.

Cassandra sniffed then, wiping under her eyes. "That's like the pot calling the kettle black." Her expression clouded then. "What do you want from me, Tae?" she whispered, a low thread of anguish flickering below the surface.

With a sigh, Taehyung took her cold hands in his warm ones and lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers. One of his hands heaved then, slender fingers brushing away a strand from her blushing cheek before tenderly touching her jaw. Cupping it with a pained expression on his features as his brows furrowed.

He didn't know what he was doing. That was not what he'd settled on. He knew he should stay away from her, he had decided on confessing his feelings but explain that it simply couldn't be. However, he didn't have the heart to do it anymore because, frankly, he didn't want to. His heart was betraying his mind in that moment and as much as he had argued with himself and chosen the rightful, the logical path, being there with her, getting lost in her fierce irises and holding her so close to him, made him weak.

And suddenly his lips were on hers, causing every synapse in her brain to short out for a moment before going to overdrive. Her whole body melted only to rebuild and float into the air.

The sensation of his lips gently pressing onto hers taking her back to the cold winter night months ago. And her lips instinctively moved against his.

Dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin.

She remembered them well, the chemical cocktail designed to make humans feel good and crave more. And indeed, it did. It did make her crave more. Just like that New Year's night back then. 

The first time she hadn't realised as it had been rushed and unexpected, but it was a terrifying thing, to let a thief kiss you like that. There was always the danger of him stealing more than just a kiss after all. And she feared that had already happened.

Taehyung held her closer. Trying telling her all the things he wasn't even sure what exactly they were with the press of his mouth on hers. Lips fueled by unknown desire. Not that it mattered, really. There was no way to hide it anymore. It was too overwhelming by now. He had never wanted anyone like this before. He'd had brief, sporadic flicker of interest here and there over the years, but nothing came even close to the way he felt when he was with her. And in that, he was certain.

She understood him, calmed him, laughed with him, saw what was underneath. The realest version of himself was the one he saw in her beautiful round eyes when being with her. He knew he could visit every country in the world, steal every treasure there was, but nothing would ever compare to that single moment when he kissed Cassandra.

Their lips parted. Dark eyes flickering over her smooth features then. He didn't know what angel he owed this chance to, he was simply going to make it count. And eventually he breathed out the only right answer.

"You, Cassandra. I only want you."

»»»

next chapter: 0.9 here

Don't forget to like, comment & leave feedback!♡ It motivates me to keep writing :)

taglist: @lilanyxta @naoolammao345 @memna234 @tetehion @myblacklilame

[ohcorny]

hey! i was wondering if you'd be willing to break down what your schedule was like working on the graphic novels you've been doing? like, how much time did it take and how much/what were you working on per day?

shore, so first book was a bit loosey goosey because it was my first time ever working on a tightly dictated schedule other than like. an anthology. and i hadn't figured out my exact rhythm. plus i was still working on NS at the same time for a big chunk of it, so i can't say i was firing on all cylinders.

anyway. the first book is 264 pages long. i started thumbnailing it on 4/18/2022, and turned my thumbnails in for review on 8/23/22, so it took me about 4 months start to finish to script and thumbnail (because i do those at the same time) the book. i honestly don't know how many i did in a day or how many days i worked a week because of some calculator fudging to make it give me accurate deadlines every time i finished a piece early. right now, as i thumbnail book 2, i'm holding myself to 4 thumbnails a day, 4 days a week (so a weekly quota of 16) and i've been keeping up with that fairly well.

i super don't know how long penciling actually took me because it looks like i didn't record the real start date. i remember it took longer to start them than i liked because the thumbnails took a long time to get reviewed, but it worked out fine. for pencils, i held myself to 3 pages a day, 4 days a week. i think this may have been when i started the 4 day work week and i have not gone back since. i finished pencilling 2/24/23.

inks and colors were done simultaneously. for the most part in this book, i don't ink backgrounds, they get done during the color phase. so i would ink 3 pages every day for a week, then color 3 pages every day for a week. and then about 3/4 of the way through the book i realized i enjoyed myself a lot more if i mixed it up, so i switched to inking and coloring whatever i felt like, so long as 3 things got done a day (so, ink color color, or color ink ink, whatever). i finished the book, not counting cover and extra material, on 1/25/24.

which was so far ahead of the original june 2024 deadline that its release date got bumped up to next february. originally it was going to release on my birthday. a tragic loss.

i took all of february off from comic work (and spent the entire thing doing like. 37 commissions. no i don't know how to take real breaks) and started thumbnailing book 2 on march 4th. as of today i'll have thumbnailed 123 pages. basically halfway there!

edit: i should also note i'm like. horrifically fast. ask anybody who also does comics or has worked with me and they'll tell you i'm a freak of nature. do not hold me up as any sort of standard and always ask for as much time as you can get.

[sizzlingpatrolfox]

https://www.tumblr.com/sizzlingpatrolfox/758487328999243776/so-was-jimin-supposed-to-go-after-him-always?source=share

Have you ever had that type of friend where you feel like you're the one carrying the friendship and the moment you stop trying you and this friend wouldn't see each other anymore? Jimin saying that if he didn't go to the US when he did the show wouldn't have happened doesn't surprise me. Remember the whole dance video thing last year and how Jungkook acted like the other members wouldn't want to do it with him when we all know they would've if he just asked?

I think he's that type of person that never initiates anything, he's just always waiting for other people to start things for him. I mean, he's even like that with his carrer. The fact that as early as beginning of 2022 Jimin was already working on his album, but a whole year after that by the beginning of 2023 and Jungkook still didn't seem to have any plans. If it wasn't for SB he wouldn't even have released an album.

I was thinking that I don't know how Jimin has the patience for him then I remembered my younger sibling is the same way where I always have to be the one to seek them out. So I get it Jimin, is that older sibling life. Which is fine when it's your sibling, but if this was my boyfriend there's no way I would let that shit slide. And that really sums up their relationship to me: Mostly fine for a friendship but shitty for a romantic relationship.

You've made several points.. especially the one about the dance challenges which I hadn't thought about now these days, but I remember that when he said that I wrote about how he was obviously lying and he didn't even ask the members to make a video with him. He just didn't ask them, the way I'm 10000% sure he never texted Jimin personally, or "formally" invited him over. I mean, not while he was on live.

The night JK went live and fell asleep with the camera on he said he didn't have anything to do the next day. If I recall correctly it was the same night he went to the theatre with wooga, then went back home and passed out drunk.

That same night Jimin was posting Instagram stories from his home, watching Hoseok and Yoongi videos. If I recall correctly, the next day he went to visit Jin with Hoseok. Later, he said they'd gone to see him because both him and Hoseok had that day off.

If you're in touch with someone you'd know if not only one but two of people who are supposedly close to you are going to meet another friend. He could've gone visit Jin as well.

People think all that started in March 2023 when it had been happening since long before. August 2022, Jimin spent like three weeks in the USA? Then he flew back to Korea and that same night, Jungkook was out eating with some people. So for the people who think they're dating, Jimin's away for like a month and his boyfriend doesn't get dinner with him when he arrives? Before world cup openings ceremony too, Jungkook went bowling with Taehyung. Around those same days they were together at the paradise hotel.

So Jungkook has time to hook up with women at his home, but not to grab dinner with Jimin?

I really can't fathom the level of self deception those who believe they're boyfriends must be putting themselves through. It's not 2+2 at this point, it's 2+2+2+2+2+2 like. There are so many factors.

I also found these posts, I took screenshots because I have to click everywhere on my phone to add the link and this is easier. But these are from March 3rd 2023.

I also remember briefly bringing up Tom Holland and Zendaya, you know, a real couple. And how they were seen together more times than jikook were seen together in two years, and Tom and Zendaya don't even live in the same continent lol. I think I got some anons trying to lecture ME on queer people and how to live like a queer person in a gay relationship, compared to disgusting heteros like tomdaya.

Anyways. I really don't think I'll reply to more asks about this because it's so repetitive. There really isn't much to say. They aren't dating each other, they're just very dear friends, obviously.

Finally.. Does anyone have the screenshot of Hoseok's ig story on his birthday last year? I'm almost scared I might've dreamed it because I can't find it anywhere but I'm sure he posted a picture of a cake or flowers? and tagged Jimin, as if Jimin had brought those to him the night of his birthday, after the live in the company.

[derrydyyke]

Letters.

tw; drug/alcohol abuse, suicidal ideation/attempt.

Monday, March 6th, 2017

Eddie,

I don't really know what to say here. My therapist (Ben & Bev finally got me to go. I don't really think it's working.) told me to try journaling, and I really did try but nothing came out. Imagine that, huh? Me, with absolutely nothing to say. So he told me to maybe try writing to a specific person. Like letters, I guess. That it might make it easier to come up with things to say. And I guess that part does make sense, I mean there are about a million things I wish I could say to you. Mostly just that I really fuckin miss you, man. He told me to write whenever I felt like drinking, or using. I told him that I don't think he understands that I'd be selling novels like Bill does if I wrote every single time I feel like that. So we agreed to at least try it on the extra hard nights. And today was six months since... Well, you know. I don't think I can say it yet. I feel sick when I try to talk about it. That's another thing we're working on. Um. Anyways, I guess I just wanna say that I miss you. I wish we had more time together. That fucking clown stole thirty years we all could've had with each other and then as soon as we found each other again it had to take you away from me for good. It's not fucking fair. Fuck this. Therapy and journaling is bullshit. It's not the same, It's not like I can actually talk to you. Now I'm just writing AND drinking. Shit. It's midnight already. At least that awful fucking day is over. Hey, Happy Birthday to me. Who thought I'd see 41? Not me, that's for sure. Especially after these past few months. Fuck Paul, dude, what am I even paying this guy for? I'm wrapping this up. There's a bottle of vikes and a bottle of Makers Mark calling my name. Goodnight, Eds. I can't fuckin' tell you enough how badly I wish you were here. You'd smack the shit out of me, maybe knock some sense into me. I know you would. You're the only one that could.

Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

Eds,

I read (some of) my last letter to you to Paul. Out loud. It was super uncomfortable and I hated it just like everything else about therapy. He said it was a good start (didn't know I was being graded???) but that I stopped and gave up as soon as I started to talk about what happened and like. My feelings and stuff. He wants me to "delve deeper" into some of that. I guess. I don't know. Who talks like that? I don't know how any of that is supposed to help. I spend 90% of my time trying not to feel those things and he just wants me to make casual small talk with my dead friend about it. Where do you think he got his degree? WebMD? Because I'm 100% sure that this letter alone will fuel my next bender. Let's see. I have.. a lot of feelings about everything that happened. And not a fucking clue on how to talk about a single one of them. I guess I'm still pretty angry at our friends, but if I say that then I'm somehow the asshole so I just don't. I'm sad, obviously. I mean you.. died. Jesus. I just realized I said it earlier too. That you're dead. That doesn't feel like progress, I think I'm gonna be fucking sick.

I'm back. Good thing I'm not really sending these to you. You'd be pretty upset about the vomit stains on the paper. You'd probably burn this. Anyways. Yeah, I guess you could say I'm a little fucked up over watching you get shish-kabobbed right on top of me. I only see it every time I close my eyes. And I always wake up half expecting to be right there again. Like. Like part of me never moved from that spot. I've walked around feeling kinda hollow my entire life. And when I saw you in the restaurant, it was the first time in so long that I felt whole again. And you were gone again so fuckin' fast. And now it's like. I have never felt more empty and alone in my entire life. Like it physically hurts somewhere in my chest when I think about you but at the same time I'm so afraid I'll forget you again. I don't want to forget you this time. No matter how badly it hurts to remember. I won't. Never again. I think I have to stop for now, I can't even see what I'm writing anymore. On the bright side, I'm so emotionally exhausted I don't even need to get high to go to sleep tonight. Goodnight, Eddie. I miss you. And I love you. Like really fucking love you. I've never told anyone that. But I guess that's for another letter. Night.

Wednesday, April 12th, 2017

Eddie,

I'm writing you from the hospital because our "friends" are a bunch of fucking assholes and so are these doctors. Ben found me asleep on my bathroom floor and called 911 (I know it sounds bad but I swear I just partied too hard, I would've been fuckin' fine with some water and a pop-tart.) The hospital wanted to admit me involuntarily, but apparently Bill called my parents and I mean how am I supposed to argue with my mom while she's crying because Ben opened his stupid mouth and said my lips were blue when he found me? It's all a bunch of dramatic bullshit and I just wanna go home and instead I'm stuck in here until the psychiatrist with the douchey haircut says I'm not a threat to myself. I haven't even spoken to my parents in the longest time. I didn't want them here. I don't want anyone here. The look on my mom's face when I told her I'd only stay if they left will probably stay with me forever. But hey, I'm not the one who dragged them all the way out here. Bill is such a dick.

Saturday, July 15th, 2017

Hey, Eds.

Sorry, I know it's been a while. I'm a little bit fucked up right now. Shit has been not so great. Rehab was fucking miserable, and a waste of time and money (as you can tell). A lot has happened these past few months. I completely bombed a couple of shows. I don't even remember the second one. But I saw the video. Pretty sure everyone has. It was pretty bad. That's okay though. I'm starting over. I fired my manager, Steve. He's a good guy, and when I fired him we'd been in the middle of an argument, but I guess he was trying to be helpful? I don't know. Everyone is on my ass about the drinking like I'm 16 or something. I'm an adult. That's not the point, it wasn't the reason I fired him. I fired him because I finally realized why I liked him so much. He reminds me of you. Like. So much, Eds, I can't believe I didn't notice sooner. I was searching for you even when I couldn't remember who you were anymore. I know I said it in my letter a few months ago, But I never really got to tell you so now all I can do is try. I love you, Eddie. I love you. I'm in love with you. And I don't know if you would've thought that's weird, or gross, or if you would've even ever spoke to me again if you'd known. But I still wish I told you. You deserved love that wasn't also manipulation or control or abuse. And I have so much love for you, always have and always will. And I was too much of a pussy to tell you. If I'm being honest, I still am. I don't think I'll ever come out. If you were alive, I probably wouldn't tell you even now. But I wish that I would. I wish I had. I don't think you ever would've looked at me that way but it's nice to imagine sometimes. The life we could've had. Maybe one of these nights I'll dream about that and not about what actually happened. Goodnight, Eddie, my love.

Wednesday, September 6th, 2017

Eddie,

It's been a year. Today marks one year since we lost you. This has easily been the worst year of my entire fucking life. I wish we would've just left. I wish we didn't listen when Bill and Mike came back and spewed all of that bullshit about a ritual that didn't fucking work anyways. You died anyways. And I'd give up the rest of my life for ten good years with you even with the "horrible death" that Bev saw. I don't care. I'd take it. I'd take anything over this. I'm so fucking lost, Eds. I don't know if I said this in my last letter, I stopped going to therapy. I fuckin' hated it. I hated therapy. And I'm still writing in this stupid little notebook to someone who will never even read it just because I am that lonely and pathetic. I'm all alone and I fucking miss you so god damn much. I miss you so much. I don't talk to any of our friends anymore. I think they're sick of me, and I don't blame them. Bev said she didn't want me around when the baby comes. Not like this. But I don't think there's another version of me in there anymore. I think this is all that's left.

My mom died. She died last week and the last time I spoke to her was in the hospital back in April, when her and my dad flew across the country to come be here for me and I told them to fucking leave or I would refuse treatment. I don't know what's wrong with me. I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know what to do. I wish you were here. All this time I've wished that I had more time to know you all grown up but now? Now I'm glad that at least you don't have to know me. I'm a horrible fucking person. All of our friends think so, and my mom died wondering where she went wrong. I hope you thought I was cool for those couple of days, even if you were wrong.

"Hello, This is Beverly Marsh. Thank you for calling. I sincerely apologize for missing your call..."

"Hello, you've reached Ben Hanscom at Hanscom Architecture. I'm unable to come to the phone right now..."

"Hi, you've reached Mike Hanlon. Leave a message..."

"Hey, this is Bill Denbrough. Thanks for reaching out. I'm busy at the moment, but if you leave your name, number, and message, I'll return your call."

"Bill, H-Hey, It's uh. It's Richie. Call me back, man."

"Hey, this is Bill Denbrough. Thanks for reaching out. I'm busy at the moment, but if you leave your name, number, and message, I'll return your call."

"Bill? It's Richie again. Call me back when you get this. Please. I know it's been a while and things have been.. Just call me."

"Hey, this is Bill Denbrough. Thanks for reaching out. I'm busy at the moment, but if you leave your name, number, and message, I'll return your call."

"Bill, It's Richie. I'm suh-sorry. I'm so sorry. Please pick up, man. Please call me back, I really need you."

"Hey, this is Bill Denbrough. Thanks for reaching out. I'm busy at the moment, but if you leave your name, number, and message, I'll return your call."

"Come on, I'll do anything. I'll do anything, Bill, just please p-pick up the fuckin' phone. Please. One more chance. Please I can't do this anymore. I can't live like this anymore. I can't do it. I ruined everything, and I'm all alone and I'm fuckin' scared, man, Can you just--"

"Hey, this is Bill Denbrough. Thanks for reaching out. I'm busy at the--"

"Fuck!"

Friday, January 12th, 2018

Eddie,

You would be so fuckin' mad at me right now. Like for a lot of things but especially for this. I just want to say that I'm sorry. When you died, For a whole day before I left Derry I told myself that I wouldn't let you saving my life go to waste. That I would live my life to the fullest because you couldn't anymore. That I owed it to you. And at the time I really meant it. I really wanted to honor you. Like I said, that lasted about a day. Life without you in it when I couldn't remember you was pretty miserable. Life without you in it now that I remember, now that I know you existed and that you're gone now, it's fucking unbearable. I've become unbearable. I can't stand it here, I can't stand myself, none of the people I love can stand me anymore. I'm never going to move past this and I've fought everyone who tried to help me move past it tooth and nail. I'm not going to get better and that's on me. I just don't have it in me. And everyone who tries to help me just gets hurt because I'm a fucking prick. So.. I think I should probably just do the world a favor and wrap things up here. I think it would be best. I hate the world and the world hates me back (at least we have that in common.) Nobody really knows what comes next. But if there is a heaven and a hell, I'm afraid I might not see you. So I guess this is goodbye, again. I love you, Eddie. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry. I wanted to get it right. I don't think I ever stood a chance if I'm being totally honest. I've never really felt like I belonged here anyways. Not in a long time. I was scared earlier. Called Bill, and Bev, and Ben, and Mike a bunch of times. They don't answer anymore, and I guess I understand. I do. I do understand. I wouldn't want me around anymore either. But anyways, I'm not afraid anymore. I actually feel kind of relieved that it's over, or about to be. No more nightmares, or withdrawals, or making my friends or my parents cry. It'll finally all be over. And when I drift off, I'll think of you, Eds. I'm always thinking of you. I love you. I'm sorry. Goodnight.

"Bottoms up." Richie sighed. Not bothering with a glass this time as he tipped the bottle of bourbon back and practically chugged it, chasing a few Vicodin. He spent the next few minutes crushing the pills against the coffee table in the hotel room into dust and snorting them. Occasionally stopping for another swig from his bottle. Once he was all out of Vicodin, and half way done with the bourbon, He stood up.

"Woah..." He stumbled, Catching himself on the dresser. He felt everything coming back up, but he swallowed it again. Shaking his head stubbornly.

"No. No, It's time. I'm fucking-- I'm doing this. Don't fuck this up." He said to nobody in particular, voice slurring. Taking a few shaky breaths and stabilizing himself. He turned on some music to try and distract from the ringing in his ears, drinking some more. He drank until the room was spinning, and then he kept going. Hardly making it across the room to get to the balcony, knocking things over on his way. His hands were shaking so hard, lighting a cigarette took more than one try, but he managed. Staring at the midnight sky and rocking back and forth where he sat on the balcony, letting the numbness overtake him. Originally, when he'd stood back up, it was to try and head back inside. Maybe draw a bath, or curl up and drift off to an eternal sleep in the king size bed. Instead, He used the railing of the balcony to pull himself to his feet, stared at the sky for another minute, wiped his tears and climbed right over. And then he let go.

There was a loud, gut wrenching, sickening crack. And Richie awoke with a start, gasping. Jolting awake in the hammock across from Eddie, limbs flailing as he tried to catch himself before realizing he wasn't.. falling? Not only was he not falling, He wasn't in California and he was suddenly years younger than he'd been a moment ago. What. The fuck?

"Richie. Hey. Are you okay?" Richie's eyes went wide as he turned his head towards the voice that couldn't possibly belong to,

"Stanley.." He breathed, disbelief, breath starting to pick up. Eyes immediately shifting to the boy pressed snugly into the hammock with him.

"Eds.." His voice cracked, breathing faster, tears spilling over before he could even feel them coming. Hardly noticing the way every pair of eyes in the clubhouse was on him, full of concern.

"Woah, R-Richie, Hey. W-What's--"

"I'm sorry, guys. I'm so fucking sorry. God, I'm so sorry for everything, for all of it, I--" He cried so hard it was difficult to understand him.

"What are you t-talking about?" Bill asked, genuinely baffled and extremely worried.

"Yeah, Rich, What's going on?" Bev asked softly, hand going to rest on his shoulder. He jumped the second it made contact.

"Don't-- Don't touch me, please, don't touch me. I'm sorry. I'm-- Jesus fuck, I can't--"

"Richie, breathe.." Stan soothed.

"I'm not supposed to be here.."

"What?"

"I thought I was gonna die." Richie sobbed.

The others looked at each other in concern and what was slowly becoming panic. Not sure what prompted this or how to help. Seeing Richie cry was pretty rare. But this was.. It was more than his occasional sniffly, watery eyes, wobbly pouted lip and abrasive attempts to deflect. This was a breakdown like they'd never seen before, Especially not from him. He was crying so hard, he was literally gasping for air as Stan tried to soothe him and help him breathe. The other thing that didn't sit right with a single one of them was how the most physically affectionate of the group of them had suddenly reacted to physical contact like it'd burned him. Nobody knew what to do.

Least of all Richie. Was this some kind of sick joke?

Or was it a second chance?

[howlingday]

If Ruby has a Scizor did Summer have a Kleavor?

"Remember, this doesn't get back to anyone. Not even Oz."

"I know," Raven sighed, "and even if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't want to talk to him anyways."

"Who do you want to talk to?" Summer tossed a Poké-Ball, allowing Sundered to stretch his heavy, chipped blade arms. Summer pointed to a tree and the axe-blade Pokémon reduced it to firewood.

"Besides you?" Raven asked, hand on her hip. "Just my Pokémon."

"But not your own daughter?" At this, Raven tensed, looking away with a look of guilt on her face. "I would say it's none of my business, but when she calls me Mom instead of you, I can't help but feel guilty. The least you can do to make up for that is to take this firewood to them."

"Firewood?" Raven quirked her brow. "It's summer."

"I'm Summer." The leader said, bringing her Kleavor back into his ball. "And it's August. It'll be winter in a few months, and I don't want my family to freeze."

"Geez, you act like this is going to be your last mission ever."

Summer was quiet at that. She was never without a response of some kind, and silence was always the most telling option. Raven suddenly felt a cold wind run up her spine, but Summer was already walking before any questions could be asked.

"I'll be back." She said. "Take care of yourself, Raven."

Before anymore could be said, Summer was already gone and away from her teammate, far out of reach of the bandit leader. Looking to the severed logs, Raven cut open a portal to her old home, where... where Tai and Yang were sleeping. It was a lot of logs, but she had plenty of help to carry them. She loosed every Poké-Ball on her person.

"Let's go, Team."

Summer commanded her team as they marched to the rendezvous point. Closest to her was Sundered, her faithful Kleavor she'd had since she first began her training. Ahead and burrowing underground was Hailey, her Excadrill, and behind her, acting as her second bodyguard was Gnotty, her Grimmsnarl. High above, Echo, her Noivern, patrolled from the air for any Grimm. Shifting from tree to tree was Lucky Star, her Luxray, who only moved when it was safe to do so.

The only member not out was her ace in the hole. No point in letting Salem know what she had planning. Still, she kept her hand poised on her Poké-Ball and prayed to whatever deity remained in Remnant that she'd never have to use them.

'I'll be home soon, girls... I promise'

[mecachrome]

get to know me tag game

tagged by @liamlawsonlesbian 🥺 lub u

last song i listened to: lmfao so my friends and i went to a sebeuntin concert together recently and while we were hanging out got kiof stickayy stuck in our heads and would randomly burst out singing HOW LONG BEFORE WE FALL IN LOVE in public so i listened to that last night while playing with my cats... unnecessary story time. also re: apateu we did that and many other clerb classics at karaoke which was a blast

favorite colors: lilac <3 as everyone knows. and then mint/teal and sunshine yellow are up there

currently watching: new abbott season and arcane s2! this was my twitter header for like 3 months when the first season came out like das my morally ambiguous babeyyy... i'm also watching current gbbo season but i'm somewhat behind and got spoiled about my fav being eliminated so now i'm like :/ also the redditors were pissing me off about her voice / attitude / etc. like OKAY WE GET IT U HATE WOMENNNN be quiet. anyway recently finished the english teacher s1 + only murders s4 which was my fav season of the entire show so far :3c good stuff

last movie i watched: i've fallen off so hard with movies these days someone needs to hit me over the head and tell me to get my brain into gear... but i did watch Look Back (2024) which i came into with very limited knowledge and was appropriately emotionally destroyed by. need to watch anora soon!

currently reading: gorl... don't worry about it. let's just say i need to stop reading fanfiction for a fandom that hit its peak in 2013 😔

sweet/savory/spicy: exactly as jo said i'm sweet > spicy > savory all da way!!! i have the biggest sweet tooth in the world it's dangerous i literally Don't Play Around about dessert. and half my family is from sichuan so u know i love my mala :saluting_face: even if it makes my tummy hurt after...

last thing i googled: nice try FBI!!!!

current obsessions: my kitties... T__T honestly they are my whole entire world every day i am filled with so much affection over how perfect and cutieful and lovely they are :( and obvious op81/f1isms aside recent gaming obsession is playing fields of mistria is anyone else into that!!! also k-pop adjacent but i've gone full eyekon lately i need them to release a new ep + tour asap because why are they kind of the perfect group LOL... but i'll stop talking k-pop on da f1 blog soz.

currently working on: omg i really want to crochet a bib thing for my kitties i think it would be cute TT and i still have the 814 girldad comics i sketched out that i need to finish incl. some suggestions people gave me as well... and i really want to work on potential stuff for aus25 but i'm like ??? idk we'll see... i was thinking of drawing my Own f1 snoopy merch without the huge lvgp logo taking 40% of the real estate lolol but it's all very ambiguous atm. also crazy how march 2025 is much closer than it seems!!! why does time pass so fast

i think everyone has done this tbh... apologies for belated rambling 😪

[witchybitchness]

Hi! I'm just a stranger passing by, but I saw your tags regarding your channeled message you received about the upcoming Trump presidency, along with how serious other people are saying it won't last long but shit will get real. I don't have a blog up for this kind of stuff yet but I did my own tarot reading today asking if his presidency will last long, and got the devil, iv of cups, and vi of wands reversed. I'm still a novice so others are welcome to throw in their two cents as well.

Long story short, I do not think it'll last long either and we will see direct consequences. I don't want to write an essay, so I'll keep this as direct as I can. The devil very much feels like a representation of him and what he will bring, but his stubbornness, apathy, pride, will lead to his downfall, and most importantly, punishment. I also feel like this is what his actions will bring to the country as well. He may be a literal devil, but the bitterness and anger instilled in the masses will lead to some form of punishment.

Anyway, just saying that from my own personal reading, it feels adjacent to your own personal channeling and what I've seen others say recently, too. So, I do feel we do have to stay strong. Things will get rough but it's not the end.

Yes! I see it as sudden and fast. It'll be also all provoked by him. His luck this year will turn into bad luck in 2025. His energies are not compatible with the energies of our current times. Something is off about him and it needs to be fixed and it will be fixed.

These events are necessary for us to grow as a country, but he literally sped up a process by being so misplaced.

He'll have a lot of people furious at him. Not just one side. His voters will turn on him once they see that he's truly destroying what's left of the country. His behaviour will become even more erratic by the day that his team itself will try to gain control of him but he just won't stop

The history books will not remember him kindly and he and his remaining followers will be looked upon as an embarrassing blip. He will eventually be forgotten but we'll still have "scarring" in the nation after he's gone for a long time.

I don't see the old republican party recovering from this but I do see a new party rising from its ashes that is closer to the former gop before they became radicalized.

Our country won't be the same and neither we will we be as people.

I haven't done tarot in a while but I recognize in your reading that he wants things rushed, he wont stop and he's so full of his own arrogance that he's become his own worse enemy. He'll potentially become more dangerous when he sees almost nothing goes his way (2025 is not his good year) because I see multiple failures in his plans (losses) in your cards for him. He even has a standstill moment. Something will hold him in place while these failed plans wash over him.

He is so arrogant and full of himself that he gets sloppy. With my channeling, I know he's got people around him that are pulling the strings as well, including the writers of Project 2025 but he'll veer off from their plans and they will turn on him and make him lose face even more in the masses.

That doesn't make these people good in the slightest, but it puts in display that they only want an easy to control Trump, not this erratic man that does whatever he wants. They helped him get there and he's biting them back for it. They don't even see him as president but as someone that gets them into the White House. Their loyalty goes as far as he's useful.

With his behaviour and this group, he'll finally set everything off. I see it starting with the people rebelling and then the army itself getting involved.

He's going to push too much, too fast. I had estimated that something major was going to happen in March and will last up to 6 months, but the rebuilding and rebirth of the country and us as well, could take years.

It's not a bad thing. We'll be better and this, as scary as it is, is a very necessary thing.

But the word that keeps coming to be is revolution.

We will be strong and we will make it out fine. I can see that for us too. We just have to hang on and be cautious.

[simpforfandoms]

Bereft

The long-awaited part 3. Ima be honest I legit forgot the plot so I had to reread it and I found so many spelling mistakes and plot holes. I'll re-edit them once I have time anyways hope you like it!

word count: 4444 (wow it's an angel number)

pairing: yj!dick grayson x fem!reader

summary: Robin and reader wake up in a dessert without memories of the last 6 months. Feelings emerge.

warnings: probably a few spelling errors and maybe a slight description of feeling overwhelmed

masterlist

series masterlist

Bialya, September 4, 00:16 EEST

They say there are two things that bring people closer together. The first is marriage, for obvious reasons. The second is death. But has anyone ever taken into consideration waking up in a desert, god knows where next to the boy wonder? Yeah. That is your current predicament.

Groaning, you sit up, a splitting headache consumes you, what happened? You hear words coming from beside you but your to out of it to fully intake them.

Suddenly your being shaken and a face comes into your view. You squint, trying to make out their features but can only see tan skin and black hair.

“Dick?��� You question.

The figure stops and moves back almost in shock.

“…What?” The figure murmurs

As your eyes finally adjust, you regain your vision.

“Oh you’re Robin.” He lets out a silent groan of relief, weird,. You intake your surroundings, seeing a desert and some soldiers in the distance. “Where are we?”

“Bialya.” He says

“Oh.”

“What is the last thing you remember?”

You think. You were eating lunch with your best friend, Dick, then you woke up in Bialya.

“I was eating lunch at school”

“What date was that?”

“Like March 7th or something, I don’t know” You question.

“It's September." He states.

What.

That can't be.

"No, no, no," You shake your head in disbelief. You had so many things you wanted to do. A million thoughts flood your head. If this is what it’s like being a hero maybe you weren’t cut out for it. Time travel was not on your agenda. You never thought that would happen. You become overwhelmed.

Robin seems to notice this, and puts a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“Hey It’s okay, I’m gonna figure this out. Okay?” He says in a gentle manner.

You nod your head in agreement. He stands up and offers you a hand. You gratefully take it and dust off all the sand from your uniform. Whatever emotion robin had shown previously is gone now. He is now determined to figure what the hell is going on. He pulls out his wrist watch thingy and starts pushing a lot of buttons.

“I have this place” he points towards it on his map looking back to make sure you see it, “marked on my gps. I think I should go there while you stay here. It could be dangerous.”

You laugh in disbelief, “no way. I’m going with you. It’s probably more dangerous for me to stay here,” you point to the soldiers in the distance.

“You have a canary cry though. You can protect yourself.” He says.

“No I don’t.”

“Seriously?” He raises an eyebrow.

You roll your eyes, “dead.”

“Oh..” he pauses trying to find the words, “come with me.”

You scoff, crossing your arms, “no.”

“You’d rather stay all alone, for good knows how long, then just go with me?”

You groan, “fine I’ll go. But only because I have a fear of missing out.”

He chuckles at this. He mutters a ‘c’mon’ and you gladly follow. Walking to god knows where.

…

After a little while, you get bored. No talking has happened and your feet ache.

You decide to break the silence, “What’s your secret identity?”

He turns his head to look you in the face, to see if your serious, once he got his answer he turned back continuing the journey.

“I can’t tell you that.”

You sigh, “C’mon I promise I won’t tell anyone, it will be our little secret.” You pick up your pace so you can be side by side with him.

“No.” He states.

“Fine, I’ll just use my amazing detective skills to figure it out.”

He laughs, “by all means, try.”

You stop him and turn him towards you, getting a good look at his face. You put your hand to your chin, in order to let him know that you’re thinking. Dark hair, tan skin, a dimple on the right side of his face.

“What are you doing?”

“Seeing what you look like”

Though you can’t see his eyes, you know he rolls his eyes. He then turns back and continues walking.

“You look like a Tim. Is that your name?”

“No.”

“Oh.”

A moment of silence.

“Ok that isnt gonna work, so how about I cut you a deal?”

He hums.

“I tell you mine and then you tell me yours.”

He laughs again, “you have to see the fault in that. What if I just let you tell me yours but I don’t tell you mine.”

You shrug, “that’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

He turns his head to you to raid an eyebrow, “you’re gonna tell a random stranger, you barley know, you’re most sacred secret?”

“Ehhh the truth always gets out eventually. No point in trying to prolong that.”

He turns his head back, and mumbles a “I guess”

“So we have a deal then?”

He stays silent.

“I take that as a yes.”

“Whatever you want Kid Canary.”

You roll your eyes.

“Okay prepare to be absolutely catastrophicly stunned.”

He chuckles.

“My name is Y/n Lance.”

He stops dead in his tracks.

“Wow I was joking about the being stunned part.” You laugh.

How could he not piece it together before? You were his best friend but yet he didn’t know that you were kid canary. He has spent almost every waking minute with you. What a friend he is. He’d expect you not to know he was Robin, but him? He’s the protege of the worlds greatest detective. He should’ve known. He’s suddenly over come by urge to protect you more than he ever has before. To keep you safe at any cost. He’s worried. This life isn’t for you. He doesn’t want this for you

“Robin!” You yell.

He grunts in pain.

“Did you just slap me?!?!”

“Yeah you weren’t responding. You had like a hundred mile stare. I didn’t think telling you my name would effect you THAT much.” You explain as you step back.

He pauses trying to find what to say. That he knows you? That you’re his best friend? No that would comprise his identity. Bruce would kill him. “No it’s not that” he notices it beginning to get dark, “it’s uh about to be night we should probably get some rest.”

“You sure that’s a good idea, because once it’s night in the desert temperatures dramatically drop and when you sleep your body temperature drops so we could like die?”

He sighs, “either that or we can continue walking and be to exhausted to fight any bad guys we might encounter.”

You contemplate it. “Ok. We’ll take turns sleeping, if one of us starts shaking the other one wakes them.”

“Sounds like a plan. You sleep first.” He states.

“No way I have a fear of sleeping on sand.”

He scoffs.

“You have a fear of everything don’t you?”

“Oh my god oh my god oh my god, I’m gonna die” you whisper into Robin’s chest. “Oh calm down Kid Canary you’re fine, look we’re safe on an edge,” Kid Flash says.  But you’re still holding onto Robin for dear life trying not to fall off the edge. “I swear to god if we don’t get out of this elevator soon-“. Robin laughs, interrupting you, “I’ve never meant a sidekick who’s afraid of heights”. “I’m not afraid of heights I’m afraid of falling” you respond. “I figured that, as you are literally giving me a bruise by holding on to me” You mumble a quiet ‘shut up’.

You laugh.

“You’re afraid of heights.” He states, almost like a question.

“No I’m afraid of falling.” You yawn. “How did you know?”

“I don’t know. I think I just remembered something”

You sit down, patting the sand beside you as to signal him to sit down, “do tell boy wonder.”

Instinctively he sits down beside you.

“We were in a elevator shaft”

“Ooooo romantic”

He tries not to notice the blush creeping up.

“No not like that. Kid flash was there.”

“I haven’t seen that guy in forever. Miss him. Love that dude.”

He doesn’t miss the pinge of jealousy that erupts in him. “Will you just let me finish?”

“Oh yeah sorry. I’m just tired and when I’m tired I get like really talkative and bold. My friend, actually best friend, Dick, I know his name is kinda misleading because he’s not a dick he’s actually really nice, his parents kinda set him up for failure by naming him that but to be fair his full name is Richard but his parents nicknamed him Dick cause they’re old timey. But it’s okay he embraces it. anyways he always tells me how I do that when I'm tired but he doesn't know that I know that he finds it funny.” you rant

He laughs. “How about you just go to sleep and I’ll tell you later?”

You yawn, once again, and move your body to where your head is on his lap and the rest of your body is in the sand, “no I want to hear.”

“You were holding on to me for dear life because you didn’t want to fall, and I said that I never met a sidekick that’s afraid of heights. Then you said” he paused to mimic your voice, “I’m not afraid of heights I’m afraid of falling."

You sit up, appalled, "I do not sound like that!"

“Yeah yeah, just go to sleep.”

“Fine. but only because I want to not because you told me to.” You say as you lay back down.

He was about to say a snarky reply but you’re already asleep. For a girl who is afraid of falling asleep on sand you sure do fall asleep quickly. He laughs to himself.

…

You awake to someone gently calling your name. You sit up from your position and let out a grumble.

“Y/n, we gotta keep moving.”

You rub your eyes and let them adjust. Its day time, you suddenly recall the night before.

“Oh no, I’m sorry we were supposed to take turns.” You say as you stand up.

“It’s fine, I run on no sleep all the time. The only problem is that I can’t feel my legs.”

You laugh, “You could’ve moved me.” you reach out your hand.

He gratefully takes it, “Yeah but you looked peaceful.”

You roll your eyes, “Ok boy wonder lead the way.”

…

After a couple of minutes of walking you break the silence, “So you still haven’t told me your name.”

Robin laughs, “I never said I would.”

You huff, “Fine lets play truth or dare expect no dare just truth.”

He chuckles, “Thats makes no sense.”

“C’mon we got plenty of time. No follow up questions you have one ask per round”

“Fine.”

“I’ll ask first,” You pause for a moment trying to think of what to ask, “Oooo I have a juicy one.”

“Do tell”

“Alright, have you ever had a girlfriend?”

His face erupted with shock but as quickly as it came it disappeared.

“I don’t know.”

“How do you not know if you’ve ever been a relationship with someone?”

“You said no follow up question, my turn.”

You grumble, you suppose you di say that.

“Have you ever had a boyfriend?” Dick already knew the answer but robin didn’t.

“Yeah like a hundred.” You say.

His scoffs in disbelief, “That’s a lie.”

“Nuh uh, I will name them all.” You affirm.

He puts his hands up, “Alright I believe you.”

“What’s your deepest darkest secret? Other than your identity.”

He thinks, “I knew that my parents were in danger and didn’t say anything and then they died.” he says in monotone.

“It’s not your fault, their deaths” You shrug, “shit happens, no ones fault but god’s.”

“You believe in god?” He asks you.

“Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t. It brings me comfort knowing that there is someone looking out for you, but at the same time time if there is one they sure have a funny way of showing it.” You shrug, “I’m on the verge of creating my own religion where we worship Dr.Fate.” You laugh.

“I’d join that religion.”

“How about you?”

“What about me?” He asks.

“Do you believe in god?”

“No.”

“Fair enough.” You shrug

“How do you know black canary,” Again Dick knew how, but Robin didn’t.

“She’s my older sister, adopted me after our parents died.” You laugh and playfully hit his shoulder, “Look at us a couple of orphans.”

He laughs then looks down at his watch, “We’re almost there.”

You two walk up sandy hill, where his GPS is going off.

“Wish I could remember why I put GPS marker here,” He says.

As you come to the top of the hill you peer over the edge to find a weird box-looking thing.

“Guessing that’s why,” You say as you jump down.

“wait!” He yells as he jumps down next to you.

Soldiers rise from the sand. Oh crap. Robin begins to smirk and pulls out a smoke bomb. You two begin fighting the soldiers. Then Kid Flash appears and takes their guns. Two soldiers are about to attack Robin but then a green girl appears and seems to push them away with her mind. Martian Manhunter but in woman form? You raise an eyebrow at this but continue fighting. A soldier starts running from you, and you start to chase after him but then an arrow appears then explodes in a robe and ties him up. You look to where it came from and see a girl with blonde hair and a green outfit. Then all the soldiers are taken down.

Robin walks over to Kid Flash and gives a bro hug, “KF! Man, it’s good to see a familiar face.”

You yell from behind him, “Hey!”

Robin just shrugs and Wally laughs, “Hey Rob, memory loss?”

“Both of us, six months! Let’s hog-tie these creeps and compare notes.”

…

“So we’re a team?” Robin asks

The green lady, who you’ve come to known as Megan, nods, “The five of us and superboy.”

You pull out the piece of fabric from earlier, “This must be his then.” You hand it to her.

“Yes! Did you see him?”

“I think we did,” Artemis says.

Wally rubs his chin, trying to remember, “Feral boy? Some teammate. He attacked us.”

“He didn’t know who we are. I don’t know who we are!” Artemis, the voice of reason, reminds him

Robin interrupts, “I remember Batman ordering radio silence, our team must work for him!”

“You remembered that but you didn’t tell me?” You ask

He shrugs

“And how do you know we don’t work for my mentor?” Kid Flash says as he touches his chest, causing it to change colors, “Wow this is so cool”

The rest of the team starts touching their suits to see if it can do the same.

“We look ridiculous!” Artemis says, then turns to Wally, “Quit touching yourself!”

You scoff, for some reason, she’s kind of getting on your nerves. She seems to have a quick temper.

“We need our memories back!” She yells.

You roll your eyes at her outburst. She notices this and turns to you, her rage now directed toward you, “You have a problem with that?”

“I just don’t think whining is going to get us anywhere,” You say.

“You have a better idea then?”

Suddenly you, robin, wally, and artemis are taken into a weird place with shards of memories everywhere.

Megan appears, “I brought you into my mind to show you what I remember so far, but I need your help.Together our broken memories can form a whole if you open your minds to mine.”

Artemis freaks outs and backs away, “You wanna pry through our private thoughts?”

Megan defensly says, “I don’t wish to intrude but-”

Robin interrupts, “You need to hack our minds to grok what happened to us. Got it. Go.”

“My minds all yours, try not to let it’s brilliance overwhelm you,” KF says cheekily.

“Or underwhelm you. Hey, why isnt anyone just whelmed?” Robin realizes.

You laugh at that. Artemis seems hesitant, and so are you. Having someone you barely just meant go through your mind? That does not sound safe. Wally grabs her hand and she sighs.

“Last six months only. And only what you need.”

Megan nods, and everyone looks toward you. You scratch at your arm and gulp.

“I don’t know guys, doesn’t this seem a bit sketchy? I mean what is she scrabbles my brain and I’m never the same?” You let put.

Robin nudges your shoulder, “C’mon it will be fun, trust me.” He says.

You look into his face for any hint of worry but you see none, so you reluctantly nod. And so the brain voodoo begins.

…

“Aqualad!” You all yell once brought out of the trance.

“Where is he?” Robin asks

“What happened next?” You ask.

“I don’t know that’s the last thing I-we remember,” Megan explains

“We landed 24 hours ago if Kaldur’s been wandering the desert that long, well that’s not good for a guy with gils.” Wally explains.

You huff, “And here I was thinking that you were the optimistic one.” You tell him

“Aww you flatter me, but the optimism is all you babe,” Wally winks

You roll your eyes at him. Wasn’t he just buddy-buddy with Artemis? You catch the look Robin sends Wally and raise your eyebrow at it. Weird. Before you can ponder on it, Robin is pulling out his wristwatch and finds Aqualad. 

“He’s close! But he’s not moving.” Robin states.

You all follow him as he runs over to Aqualad. You find him on the ground unconscious, muttering his language. Miss Martian leans down trying to restore his memories.

“I can’t restore his memories in this condition.”

Robin takes charge, “He needs immediate rehydration. Call the bioship”

“It’s out of range but you can get him there fast.” She replies looking to Kid Flash.

“He’s too heavy, and I’m too low on fuel. Right now I couldn’t even carry her” He points to Artemis.

She scoffs, “Why not just levitate him back?”

“I can’t. I have to find superboy. Six months ago he didn’t even exist, he has no memories, only animal impulses. I’m the only one that can help him.”

“He’s indescribable, just ask those tanks. It’s Aqualad that needs your help. Like now.” Wally pleads.

M’gann holds her hand in pain and screams, “No superboy’s in pain!” Then she flies off.

“M’gann wait” Artemis calls

“We still don’t know what erased our memory, It could happen again!” Robin yells as she outs at sight. 

You turn around and start spitting on Aqualad. Everyone turns around at the sound of you spitting.

“Wow wow wow, what are you doing?” Robin asks.

“What does it look like? I’m trying to rehydrate him!” You scream continuing to spit. 

You look back at them just staring.

“You’re just gonna stand there and start? Help!” You yell.

“There’s a better way than doing that.” Artemis says.

“Oh, you’re right. Wally, Robin get over here and start peeing in him!” You yell then turn to continue spitting.

“There’s a better way,” Robin tells you.

“Oh yeah like letting him die! I’m not letting someone I care for die! Not again!” You scream

Wally walks over to you and pulls you away from Kaldur. 

“You need to calm down, he’s not gonna die.” Wally states.

Wally sets you down and walks back over to Kaldur. Surprisingly you stay put. They talk about solutions but you can’t bother to hear them, stuck in your own thoughts. Without you noticing Robin walks over and sits down.

“Hey.” 

“Hey.”

“You okay?” He asks.

“Yeah.”

“Look he’s gonna be ok, we’re gonna make a cot and take him to the bioship. I admire your quick thinking though.” He chuckles.

You don’t wanna talk about that so you change the subject, “look at them,” you say pointing to Artemis and Wally arguing, “they definitely like each other. 5 bucks to it. I can feel the romantic tension from here.” You laugh

“There’s definitely something going on. Did you see the way they were holding hands?” He asks.

You gasp and turn your head to face him, “I thought I was the only one that noticed that!” 

“I also saw how she got mad when Wally tried to flirt with you!” 

You scoff, “that doesn’t mean anything, you got mad too, and you don’t like me.”

A moment of silence. He never thought about liking you, well maybe once or twice but he just chalked it up to teenage hormones and nothing more. You were his friend. Nothing more. But then why did his heart stop for a minute when you said that?

“Yeah you’re right, but it’s still worth noting.” He says as he stands.

“C’mon let’s go.”

…

You hear an engine ruffling in the distance.

“Quick over there,” Robin says as he points to a rock a couple of feet in front.

You all hid behind the rock just barely making it in time. Kaldur starts speaking again but Artemis quickly shushes him. Robin assets the situation. 

“We can’t risk a firefight with Aqualad KO’d like this” Robin states.

Wally takes a breath, “It’s not just him, I’m way out of juice.”

“And I’m almost out of arrows,” Just as Artemis finishes you notice that Robin is gone.

“God I forgot how much I hate it when he does the ninja thing,” He pauses and turns to Artemis, “Hey you never said why your dad would want you to–” he pauses to make a noise,”-me”.

Artemis visibly is uncomfortable, “I got confused by, uh, some old movie I saw the other night about a ninja girl whose ninja dad ordered her to kill her ninja boyfriend because he was from a rival ninja clan.” She quickly explains.

You could tell she was hiding something. But what?

Wally swoons, “Oh so I’m your ninja boyfriend”

“Hey amnesia remember, completely forgot how truly annoying you are.”

You tune out as Robin reappears beside you.

He interrupts them, “Yeesh, Get a room.”

“Dude where were you?”

Robin smirks, “Breaking radio silence”

Birdarangs go off with Robin’s laugh then explode, signaling your escape. When you finally make it to the bioship you, robin, and Artemis had to carry Aqualad up and to the med bay. Artemis prepares IV for him and you and robin walk away. You let out a sigh and sit in a chair.

“Man I am so tired.” You say to partially no one.

“You’re tired? At least you got some sleep.” Robin says as he sits next to you.

“Hey!” You say suddenly becoming more awake, “You said it was okay.”

“Yeah but still,” He laughs.

Hey, everybody, I've got Superboy. He’s back to normal and we’re on our way  M’gann says in the mind link. You jump, Robin turns to you concerned. 

“Never gonna get used to that” You utter

You hear Aqualad from the medbay yelling about who is everyone and where is he.

Hello, Megan. Aqualad's memories. I knew I forgot something.

Oh, man, me too. I didn’t get a souvenir. Wally says in the mind link. You roll your eyes.

Don’t worry, I got it covered M’gann says

Then they show up with a weird circle thing, you spare a glance then look out the window, and for once you can’t wait to get back home to Gotham. You don’t bother to listen to anything they say. It seems Robin doesn’t either.

“You still need to tell me your identity Robin,” You yawn and rest your head against his shoulder and doze off. He laughs to himself.

“Who needs to get a room now?” Wally yells to Robin from across the ship.

“Shut up”

…

When you finally land back at Happy Harbour your mentors are waiting for you. You spot Black Canary and run up to give her a quick hug.

She chuckles, “I missed you too”

“Being stuck in a desert with boy wonder makes you realize how much you miss home.” You say

She laughs

Batman coughs to get everyone’s attention, “We’ll debrief in five days, in the meantime go home and get some rest. You all have school tomorrow.”

You and Dinah head to the zeta pods, too tired to bid goodbyes. By the time you get home, take a shower, and get in bed its like 2 am. You check your phone for any messages, you find one from dick.

Dick Are you awake?

You reply back quickly.

Yeah Whats up?

You see three dots appear then reappear for what seems like forever.

Dick If you had like a really huge secret would you tell your best friend?

Depends on what it is Why? Dick are you gay? I’ll support you no matter what

Dick No I’m not gay It’s just that idk if I should tell someone something

Gasp You have another best friend?

Dick Yeah you’re just my side best friend

I'm offended who is he?

Dick Her It’s a her

Now you are way more interested. Dick has another girl best friend? You bet its Barbara. What is he keeping from her then? You feel kinda happy that he came to you first, it shows that you’re still his number one best friend. With your heart thumping you start to type a reply. 

Ok What are you keeping from her?

Dick That I like like her

Your heart drops. Dick likes someone and its not you. Your lifelong crush. The dude you’ve spent your whole school years pinning from. Likes someone else. You let it sink in for a minute. You try to think of a reply. You honestly don’t know what to say. But you send a reply anyways.

Wow. The Dick Grayson has a crush On who?

Dick A person I just dont know if I should tell her

Well, are you 110% sure she likes you back? If you’re not then don’t tell her You don’t want to ruin a friendship

You tell him in hopes that she doesn’t like him back so you can still have Dick to yourself. A selfish reason. He deserves to be happy. You tell him the reason you don’t tell him you like him. The friendship. It’s to pure and sweet to ruin. You know that.

Dick You’re right. Alright goodnight, love you

Goodnight, love you too

You fear that his love for you will never be anything more platonic. But for now, you were fine with that fact.

...

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@venomsvl

[whinlatter]

Hello..hope you’re doing very well!!! Any sneak peeks in to chapter 13 that we can get?

You don’t know HOW curious I am in the wait for this! AFAGAHSHSJ

hello! funny you should ask - i was going to post something about this very q today, so v good timing on your part. (thank you for asking + caring!) the headlines are: i have no sneak peeks, but i do have an update, and also another little thing i'm going to post tonight that hopefully will take the edge off the update and lack of sneak peek...

basically - i'm having to pause writing chapter 13 just for a little while. i'm submitting my phd in mid-march, and while i am buzzing to be nearly done with it and to be coming to the end of a long (long) road, i am in full madwoman mode knuckled down trying to get that done and dusted and over the finish line. for that reason, i've pushed back writing and posting chapter 13 of beasts, and am planning to put it out in the second half of march. quite a lot of chapter 13 is already written, but it needs to be filed away and not touched til the diss is out of my hair, for my sanity, hence the delay. i'm so sorry to have gone off schedule these past couple of months (we were doing so well!), but diss must come first. i am already v v v much looking forward to getting back on track once this next life chapter is over and having more time for fun writing rather than footnote wrangling.

what i do have, by way of bribe/apology, is a new little hinny drabble called the room at the top of the house (update: now posted on ao3!) it's a harry pov missing moment set in the christmas chapters of beasts that i wrote ages ago and found on the google drive and tidied up over the weekend. it's sad and horny and a bit nsfw and basically me trying to pay you all off and get you to forgive me for delaying chapter 13 by giving you harry pining his socks off. i had planned to post tonight anyway, so it'll be yours v shortly. hope you like it!

i hope this is all ok! if i'm a bit absent here til march, you know where i'll be (hunched over the laptop compiling a bibliography). lots of love and looking forward to sharing more of beasts very soon xxx

[jj0latunji]

Dear Diary - KSI Imagine

Here's another imagine from Wattpad for y'all to read and hopefully like , send in any requests you have and I'll get to writing.

Here's JJ looking great in a suit oooooh.

January 19th 2020

9:45 p.m

London, England.

Dear Diary,

It finally happened, we finally broke up . I'm heartbroken don't get me wrong but I knew it was coming when he started getting distant.

I just walked into his apartment, ended things , wished him well and left. Funny thing is he didn't even realise it was my birthday today, imagine my boyfriend of 5 years didn't remember my birthday because he was too busy working on a YouTube video.

I do feel sad but not as sad as I should be considering I've ended this long relationship. I think it's just not set in fully yet , maybe it will when I wake up alone in bed tomorrow, when I have no one to share my breakfast with , no one to cuddle with when the apartment gets too cold . I just hope that when it sets in , it's not too bad .

I just want to forget everything about him and what we had and hopefully move on. I think I can do it but let's see.

I'll write to you again tomorrow and let you know how I'm feeling cause your the only one that I can talk to now about my feelings.

Love you Diary

Y/N signing off

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March 1st 2020

10:43 p.m

London, England

Dear Diary,

I've been such a mess. I knew people said breakups would be hard but I didn't know it would be this hard. All I do is sit around the apartment and cry. Even Talia said I've been crying too much and that's when I realised that I've been crying all the time cause Talia usually cries a lot too.

She asked me if she could move in with me for a while since there was some work to be done for her apartment but I know it's probably because she wants to make sure I don't do something drastic.

I hate being this emotional and feeling like I'm a burden to others. Imagine being the livewire of the group, the one always having fun and making jokes and now you can't seem to even crack a smile. That's how I feel.  Everything reminds me of him. I just want to be better and I'm trying and I hope with Talia here to talk and get advice from I'll be better.

I promise to be better

See you tomorrow, Talia will be here so hopefully it's a much more happy day.

Love you Diary,

Y/N signing off

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April 13th 2020

4:31 a.m

Ibiza, Spain

.

Dear Diary,

I finally feel better, feel more like myself. Who knew all it would take was Talia's cooking and care and a trip away with my girls.

Today is the last day for us at the resort and we've had an amazing day. Gee and Freya got me some stuff from when they went shopping and this one top OMG it's so pretty.

I've been lighter on the drinks today after last night's debacle. But hey atleast we got some drinks on the house today because the guy I made out with turned out to be a bartender.

I felt guilty about the kiss but the girls said I was single and had nothing to worry about , but there's still that small voice in me that says different. Anyways I just maintained some distance with him and just awkwardly smiled when he tried hitting on me again. I'm really out of touch with the flirting game :(

Anyways we're going back home tomorrow morning and I'm glad Talia talked me into coming on this trip , I needed this.

See you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N signing off

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April 21st 2020

12:48 a.m

London , England

Dear Diary,

You won't believe this but I GOT THE PARIS JOB. OMG I'M SO HAPPY I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF.

This has been such a dream and I'm glad they asked again after I rejected them last time. I probably should have gone the previous time itself seeing how mine and JJ's relationship turned out. I put my dreams on hold for him but he couldn't.... Anyways forget about him.

I leave for Paris in a month and have to work there for about a year and then I can return here and continue to design. Talia and the girls were overjoyed with the news but then we all started crying thinking about how we would be apart.

The girls want to organise a party before I go so I can properly say goodbye to everyone and I agreed. Nothing bad can happen at a party right.

But I'm so excited.....PARIS BABYYYYYYY.

See you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N signing off

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May 7th 2020

04:23 a.m

London , England

Dear Diary ,

I had so much fun at the farewell party that the girls organised. They invited basically every single friend I had in London and miraculously everyone showed up to bid goodbye.

I caught up with so many people and even enjoyed a free Talia Mar concert in which she performed all my favourite songs of hers , that girl is so talented I hope she gets her big break soon. Simon and Tobi stood with me the entire night asking me if I needed anything , both of them are like the brothers I never had , hell the Sidemen are the family I never had and I'm so glad these guys are part of my life. I owed a lot to them and I'm glad we stayed friends even after my breakup with JJ...

Talking of JJ, I saw him tonight for the first time since the breakup. He seemed to be taking it well , and since this is my little secret vault I can tell you that he looked good too. But I didn't have that urge to run into his arms and cling onto him forever, I think I'm finally over him and seeing him tonight assured me that there was almost no feelings at all towards him. It felt freeing almost.

After the party  , me and Talia came back home and ate leftovers before she went to sleep tired as all hell and so am I so I'm going to get some rest too and start packing from tomorrow.

See you soon Diary,

Y/N signing off

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May 28th 2020

9:36 p m

Paris , France.

Dear Diary,

I finally made it to PARIS and OMG I'm so excited I couldn't even start explaining to you of how I'm feeling.

I bid goodbye to all my friends at the airport and took the flight here and just reached the apartment the company got me a couple of hours ago. Again I'm only telling you this cause you are my secret vault, JJ wasn't at the airport to say goodbye and a part of me was hoping he would turn up like Ross in F.R.I.E.N.D.S and like we would have a fairytale moment but he didn't turn up and I boarded my flight.

I mentally kicked myself for having expectations from JJ again cause I know he'll always let me down. I NEED to get over him and the best thing is maybe to get someone new to love and cherish...... I've been here for a day and let me tell you the options are limitless.

I'm staying with another girl named Sophia, she's German and a few years younger than me. She seems really fun , like a German version of Freya almost. She made me dinner and had my room ready for me when I arrived. She's such an angel.

I need to report for the job tomorrow morning so I'm going to eat dinner and get some rest.

See you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N signing off

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June 15th 2020

12:43 p.m

Paris , France

Dear Diary,

I've had such a fun day. Sophia took me out to one of her favourite bars and decided to get me some action if you know what I mean.

But she went away and got herself someone she liked which left me sitting with the man's friend. He was pretty though so I decided to give him a chance.

I had an amazing time with the friend though, his name's Charles and he said he was a driver or something. I wasn't concentrating on his job resume cause I was too busy lost in his green eyes which seemed he got directly from his native of Monaco.

The both of us talked until we were literally pulled apart by his friends, apparently he has an early day tomorrow and should be asleep. I quickly wrote him my number on a piece of paper and passed it to him though before he was escorted out of the bar.

I'm just waiting for him to message me now but that's unlikely given he's probably already asleep or who knows he might have even lost my number. I hope he messages me though I kinda liked him.

OMG he just messaged me and asked me out this weekend.... Looks like I have plans to make and outfits to choose.

See you tomorrow though Diary,

Y/N signing off

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June 19th 2020

3:54 a.m

Paris , France

Dear Diary,

You will not believe this. Wait let me explain it to you from the start.

Me and Charles went out for dinner at one of Paris' finest restaurants and I was having an amazing time and really having fun until we were interrupted by a bunch of teenage girls asking Charles for a photo and autograph.

Turns out he isn't some random driver, HE'S A FUCKING F1 SUPERSTAR.

He took the pictures and we quickly got out of there as our pictures were all over Twitter and people were trying to find out who I was. I'm sure they'll have figured out by the morning and that scares me... I've just got done dealing with JJ's fans and now I have another huge fandom on my ass.

I loved the date though, Charles was a gentleman and dropped me back at my place and asked me out for another date but somewhere more private and I agreed.

He's also like 4 years younger than me which made me feel old despite only being 26 , but he said that was no problem and he usually did date girls older than him.

It was also JJ's birthday today.... He's 27 and all of my friends had posted about it on their stories and on Twitter. The entire morning I debated on sending him a message but eventually decided against it , not wanting to open wounds again.

I hope he's well though....He looks well.

Anyways see you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N signing off

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July 20th 2020

10:36 p.m

Paris, France

Dear Diary,

Today was Charles last day here before he had to go back to his racing calendar. He promised to stay in touch and promised to get me to come to one of his races.

I am a little scared watching him go, long distance is never a good idea especially so early in a relationship. I didn't even know if we were in a relationship. We went on loads of dates , enjoyed ourselves and everything. His fans think we are dating, our friends think we are dating, but we still hadn't put a label on things and I was kinda glad we hadn't.

I can only hope this works out cause I've really taken a liking to Charles, something I thought I could never do again.

I'm going to drop him off at the airport tomorrow and then go to work and hopefully get that promotion I was promised. I was also free for a few days next week so I was also planning to go back home with Sophia and meet my friends again.

We'll see what happens though, for now I need to go join Sophia and help her with some work.

See you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N signing off .

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August 14th 2020

6:23 a.m

London, England

Dear Diary,

The comeback party was amazing. I introduced Sophia to all the Sidemen and the Sidegirls. She's taken a special interest in Tobi and I'm hoping they get together cause they would be an amazing couple.

I caught up with everyone including JJ. He had a new girlfriend, her name iwas Olivia. Nice girl from what I could see and everyone seemed to like her. Good for him I guess.

All the boys were also very interested in my love life seeing I was dating THE Charles Leclerc. Yeah dating , Charles asked me out a few days ago and made things official and I was happy.

Me and the group talked all night long, dancing along to some tunes as we drank the night away. I missed this and I'm glad I could have a taste of old times again.

Sober Tobi drove Talia, Sophia and me back to my old apartment and I even caught Tobi slyly passing his number to Sophia.

As soon as we got in Talia started asking me if I was okay with JJ's new relationship , cause apparently I was staring.... I didn't feel like I was staring.

Okay I was a little but not at them but at JJ , he hadn't taken down the picture of us together from the common room and I was a little confused by it. Was he holding on to the memories or does he consider it so unimportant that he just let it be.

Maybe I was thinking too much into it , it's just a damn picture.

I've moved on and so as he , I don't want to start all that again.

Anyways I'm tired as hell but I promised to write something today.

See you soon Diary,

Y/N signing off.

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September 6th 2020

11:34 p.m

Monza, Italy.

Dear Diary,

I finally came out to Italy to see one of Charles' races . Apparently it's the home race for his team Ferrari and OMG everywhere I saw only red which was the team colors.

The race didn't go well for Charles, he crashed out and didn't even finish the race and was extremely pissed off , but his best friend Pierre winning did cheer him up a little.

Today was the first time I saw how much people actually adored Charles, most of them had his mask on and I saw flags celebrating him everywhere and he couldn't walk a couple of steps before being stopped for pictures and autographs.

We had to get a hotel away from the centre of town cause we didn't want to be stampeded as soon as we left our rooms. The view from the balcony is amazing though and I took loads of pictures which again sent social media in a frenzy as all the Charles fangirls either wanted to be me or get rid of me.

Me and Charles went out for dinner and finally got to talk about how distance was affecting our relationship. It was extremely hard to find time with both our busy schedules, but we promised to try as hard as we could to manage things.

Vik was also at the race today along with Ellie who caught me up on all the gossip in the friend group. Apparently Sophia had really interested Tobi and JJ was newly single again, something about not finding love or something. Sucks to be him I guess.

Anyways I'm heading back to Paris tomorrow and Charles is going to Singapore. Back to the normal routine I guess.

See you back in Paris Diary,

Y/N signing off.

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September 7th 2020

4:51 a.m

Paris , France

Dear Diary,

I went to see JJ perform today, yeah shock but I was basically hoodwinked into it by Sophia and Talia who told me it was someone else performing.

I was glad I went cause I saw the girls and boys again and truth be told even enjoyed the performance.....he always loved performing live and it showed.

He even came over after the performance and personally thanked me for coming and I was quite taken aback. It was something I never expected him to do , he's too stubborn to do that but he did and I was kinda happy about it.

We all then went out for dinner and I was sat at the end just checking my phone to see if Charles responded to my texts. Things were really dry between us with all the time zone differences and I knew the road down which this relationship was heading, I am just trying to delay the inevitable.

Everyone kept asking me about Charles and I just kept saying everything was good when it is not.

All of us are going to Disneyland tomorrow for a day and I can't wait for it. I've always loved Disneyland and it was one of mine and JJ's favourite vacation spots.

So I'm going to get some sleep, see you later diary,

Y/N signing off

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December 16th 2020

11:34 p.m

Paris, France

Dear Diary,

Well I'm single again..... Yeah but this time it's mutual. Things were just not working out and we decided it was better to stay friends. Charles and I were still young and had our entire lives in front of us and didn't want to hold on to something that was clearly not build for the long term. I enjoyed this relationship but alas all things come to an end.

Everyone keeps asking me if I'm okay and I say I am cause I truly am. I'm nowhere near as sad as I was last time. Last time was hell , last time was like losing the best thing in my life.

Enough of the sob story, I'm going back to London for Christmas and New Year, I was invited by JJ.... Yeah JJ. We've been talking and texting like a couple of friends since his Paris show and it's been nice.

I'm almost complete with my work for this year so I might even go to London a little earlier depending on whether my boss let's me go, but she's a sweetheart so she probably will.

The next time I write to you will probably be in London.

So see you then Diary,

Y/N signing off

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January 1st 2021

4:34 a.m

London, England

Dear Diary,

You will not believe this..... I kissed JJ. Well more like we kissed each other but we kissed as the clock struck 12 which means we didn't break the tradition.

It was nice.... I don't know how to explain it but it was nice. We've been talking a lot more and Talia thinks we're on our way to getting back together but I think it's more that we're just good friends now..

But good friends don't kiss each other on the balcony under the starry night do they... Fuck I'm going to be thinking about this a whole lot.

Do I want these doubts in my mind or do I just go on with my life as usual cause it doesn't matter.

Moving on.... I can literally hear Sophia and Tobi making out in the room next to me , very horny people I must add .

Anyways I must go sleep now. I'll see you soon Diary.

Y/N signing off.

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May 28th 2021

9:45 p.m

Paris , France

Dear Diary,

I'm done with all my packing and getting ready to go back to London. The office held a little sending away party for me and Sophia. Yeah I somehow convinced my boss to send Sophia with me to London too and she politely accepted.

I need to leave for my flight in a couple of minutes but I decided to write to you before leaving.

I laugh looking back at my year here. So much has happened. I had so much fun at my dream job , had a fling with a famous F1 driver , made a new friend for life and made up with my ex. So much good things have happened.

So thank you for all this Paris.

Tu as été très bon avec moi

Anyways see you in London Diary,

Y/N signing off.

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June 19th 2021

11:57 p m

London, England

Dear Diary,

It's JJ's birthday again and we all celebrated it together out at dinner and afterwards at his place. We all had a fun time, he's 28 now and that's CRAZY. Cause that's the age that we wanted to get married at , you know slow things down and start a family age.

He pulled me away from everyone for a chat too and asked me out for a date . I said I would think about it. I want to go , trust me I WANT TO GO but I don't know if going down that road again is for the best. All the girls think it's for the best and so do all the boys but I still have my doubts.

You know what I'll give it a try. Nothing can go wrong after a date can it.

I'll message him and tell him yes , we'll go on a date. If it's good okay and if it's not then that's okay too.

I'm hoping it goes well though eventhough to others it seems like I don't want it to go well.

I hope JJ suprises me and things work out.

See you soon Diary,

Y/N signing off.

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September 7th 2023

10:43 p.m

London, England

Dear Diary,

We finally got married. I'm finally Y/N Olatunji.

Everything went perfectly. Like not 1 problem came up , it seemed like a fairytale.

I cried a lot during the day. Cried while putting on the dress, cried while walking down the aisle with Simon , cried while JJ read out his vows. It was amazing all throughout the ceremony.

These past 3 and a half years have been such a rollercoaster. Us breaking up , me moving to Paris, both of us getting in new relationships, then getting back together, all the trips away , all the new memories made.

It's been amazing and there's no one in the world that I would want by my side than my husband JJ..... Damn my husband like he's MY HUSBAND. I've been dreaming about this for almost 7-8 years now but it still feels surreal.

Like I'm sat here in my room and looking at him and I can't believe he's mine to hold forever. I love him so much and I'm so thankful for going out on that date in 2021.

I'm thankful for everything.

I'm going now and looking at the look in JJ's eyes , I can feel I'm in for the night of my life.

See you tomorrow Diary,

Y/N Olatunji signing off.

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December 25th 2028

10:45 p.m

London, England

Dear Diary,

We've just had the best Christmas ever. Me , JJ and Skye spend the whole day together, just the 3 of us celebrating together.

JJ wanted to make this Christmas special since we felt that this would be the first Christmas Skye would properly remember, she was just 4 but God she was smart.

We started the day by opening presets and just like always JJ had gone all out. He had brought all kinds of toys for Skye and some jewellery for me.

I brought him a matching bracelet that we could wear together all the time and he loved it.

We all then prepared the Christmas meal , well I did and JJ and Skye helped as much as they could. We ate then all cuddled together on the sofa and watched all our favorite Christmas films.

It was perfect... Just like my life was perfect and I couldn't be more thankful for JJ and Skye for making my life perfect. They were the perfect husband and daughter any one could ever ask for and I am blessed to have them in my life.

We also took loads of pictures to go into the memories album and loved every minute of the day.

Skye is now asleep, she was tired from playing around all day with her dad. I said JJ would be back in a minute after writing this entry.

He thinks it's cute that I still write in here but little does he know how much you've helped me over the years.

Thank you Diary and I hope I see you again soon,

Y/N Olatunji signing off

A/N

Hope you enjoyed this .

Idk how it came out but the idea seemed good in my head.

A new smut coming soon.

Send in requests if you have any

Love you all

Elora signing off ✌🏻

[limneticvillains]

The Kiffie Bullyshit Saga Continues Part 1 of 4

It seems I must once more post about my 3 year ordeal with my online harasser and stalker, Kiffie 'The Dreamer', whom I have recently enough reported to the UK police.

This time I shall include a host of screenshots and detail my experience from start to finish. This may be rather convoluted as it has spanned 3 years, as such I'll write it in 4 parts, this one will be an introduction to Kiffie himself, the man of the hour, he wants attention so, he can have it. This is in response to, despite doing my best to ignore the chap, his continued ranting and lying and attempting to frame me as the agitator, or in his words, the 'bully'. I think it's all frankly pathetic but he has written his version of events and this time I shall respond, with loads of screenshots! So strap in if you'd like.

It's all rather silly and I wish the guy would just leave me alone and move on with his life but it doesn't seem like he can, he's obsessed, and I'm starting to think he may actually be dangerous, because this level of obsession is frankly pure insanity.

This is Kiffie. He is a man from the UK that attempts to make music and wishes to be famous and beyond anything else acknowledged as 'possibly the most prolific artist in the world', his own words.

What you'll see here in these blog posts are some of his public Twitter posts, many of which were sent to me by various mutual followers on social media and some of my own private DMs. Let's see what one of Kiffie's previous best friends has to say about him...

That's a shame, they used to get on, Kiffie even had that guy celebrating one of my first false Twitter suspensions in a thread with him. Apparently I deserved it, I'm not sure for what, but blocking Kiffie is wrong, maybe even a crime! Kiffie really doesn't like it when people block him. Here's what happened when someone else whom he didn't know (and was probably a twat) blocked him.

Poor Kiffie wanted to give this twat he had never interacted with a shout out, but the twat he had zero interaction with blocked him, how dare that random twat do this to Kiffie. Sounds like it might be bullying.

Kiffie hates bullies, who doesn't? He has been angry at them for a long time, I think he mentioned the words bully, bullies and other such adjacent words over 150 times on his social media before he got around to calling me one. He worked in a school, so I'm not sure if it was always other teachers bullying him or perhaps some of the children bullied him too, either way, the guy has been apparently bullied his whole life everywhere he has gone, and sadly even on the internet. Tut tut internet, you're a disgrace. I have no way to tell if Kiffie was being bullied by children when he was a teacher, but what I do know is that Kiffie didn't like the head teacher in one of the three schools that all made him redundant, and he tried to get all the other staff together to have that head teacher sacked, because the headguy was a bully apparently. I don't know if the plan worked but if it did Kiffie probably considers himself one of the most prolific slayers of bullies ever. Go him.

Who doesn't hate bullies? Although it's a bit of a strange word for a fully grown adult to use. I guess they do exist throughout society at all ages and in all walks of life, I'd never personally refer to horrible people or controlling or awful bosses as bullies, seems rather juvenile, but that's neither here nor there really.

Anyway, I made a mistake when I blocked Kiffie because of his massive throbbing ego, a few months afterwards someone asked me why I blocked him and I said something like 'because the man has a massive ego'. Well, this somehow got back to Kiffie and before I knew it...

It was the first Bandcamp Friday of March 2022 when I got my first suspension on Twitter, I had done nothing wrong. It was overturned fast enough. Apparently I was using multiple accounts to harass someone, which made no sense as I only had one account at the time. This was changed a few times when I was appealing the decision, eventually they told me they had it wrong. The April of 2022, again, the first Friday of the month, Bandcamp Friday I was suspended again, and it took 3 months to get my account back, again I had done nothing wrong. But more about that in the next post...

See over the years it has become clear that beyond me being labeled a bully by Kiffie, there's also a crack team of bullies who are all bullying sweet Kiffie. They are bullying and defaming him. Oh no!

Now I'm not sure if Kiffie is being haunted by these bullies still or if he's changed his mind and decided this 'hard-core' group are all just me in disguise, (that's a thing Kiffie thinks is happening, he thinks I'm like 8 different accounts all out to get him, he has even made reference to 'kiffie hate accounts', I've never seen one but apparently I run loads of them according to Kiffie).

So that's Kiffie, doing his thing. Sounds like he knows what he's talking about right. Fighting the big bully boys of Sony after stealing their music for a video he made. Damn you Sony, you big bullies you.

In part 2 of the Kiffie Bullyshit Saga we'll get into the meat of what happened to me after Kiffie went about telling people to block and report me, screenshots included of course! We will explore DMs from himself and his friends, have a look at some emails, it's going to be a fun time, stay tuned! And remember, real actual bullies are scumbags. In the real world as online; try to avoid conflict, it's mostly pointless. Defending yourself is an important skill however.

Part 2 coming soon.

All the best

-Limnetic Villains

[voxofthevoid]

Posting Schedule: March 2024

Due to a bunch of reasons, I'm cutting down my updates to four a month for the foreseeable future. For MCU and Bleach, I'll alternate months. I only have one fic left for Bleach anyway, and it's missing the last chapter. For JJK, I won't be doing the sane thing and sticking to the three ongoing fics I have (now that the time-travel threesome is done). I'll still keep a roster of four fics and post three a month; they'll skip a month on a rotating basis.

No skipping this month, though the posting of your resistance, prophetic self-destruction has been pushed back to...May, actually, since it's uncertain what April will be like.

The fic timeline is now permanently obsolete since it's predicated on me posting four JJK fics a month, though I'll still update it to the best of my ability whenever I finish a story.

March 01–08: Chapter 2/6 of found my dulcinea (but i don’t remember when)

MCU; stucky. Extreme canon divergence future fic featuring a long-lived Bucky as Captain America, who meets his match in a vampire bar.

March 09–16: Chapter 7/7 of there’s a lover in the story, but the story’s still the same

JJK; goyuu. During the basement training era, Satoru de-ages to his seventeen-year-old self due to an experiment gone wrong, and Yuuji’s left to handle the aftermath.

March 17–23: Chapter 2/9 of everything burned, as promised

JJK; goyuu. Post-236, Satoru travels back in time with the intention of stopping Kenjaku and Sukuna by any means necessary, and Yuuji’s raised like a lamb to the slaughter.

March 24–31: Chapter 7/18 of (let me be clear) every version of the story ends with you being slaughtered

JJK; goyuu. Yuuji chooses a different hell at the crematorium, and Satoru decides that kidnapping him is a reasonable response. It escalates in all kinds of ways.

[milfmorrowind]

Catch Me When I Fall (Epilogue)

whoops! I wrote another chapter to this. turns out I had more thoughts. anyway, enjoy!

chapter word count: 4,249

fic word count: 12,658

link to full work on ao3 | parts one two three

When Mailie trudged her way back into the Flagon, Delvin and Vex were waiting for her. Delvin beckoned her over with a wave when he saw her enter and she came without comment, too tired to voice a response.

"You were in there for a while," Vex remarked as Mailie approached.

"Telling him off took longer than I expected," she responded, leaning against the fence surrounding the pool. Mere months ago she would not have trusted it with the weight of a tankard, but one of the first renovations she'd had performed was replacing the existing fence with a newer, taller, and stronger one. She didn't need anyone falling in and catching a cold-- there were children around, for gods' sake.

"I hope you told him what an idiot he is," Vex said as she crossed her arms. "And to never go running off like that again."

Mailie had to smile at that. "I did-- or in so many words, anyway." She suppressed a yawn. "How were things while I was gone?" She didn't really want to ask for fear of an answer that might keep her awake even longer, but she knew she had to.

Delvin set his notebook down onto the table next to him. "We got on well enough. Rune picked up a few interesting items that should fetch us a pretty penny, provided we can find the right buyer. I've got Ton working on connections as we speak. Cynric thinks he's got a lead on a big score, though he's been stingy on the details."

"Meaning he doesn't have them," Vex interjected.

Delvin snorted. "Right you are. We'll see if he actually comes through. Beyond that, business as usual. I'll spare you the details. You can check the ledgers yourself if you want them." Mailie nodded gratefully, knowing she would probably be doing just that. Later.

"Thanks, Del. I need one of you to talk to Herluin and find out what we owe him for supplies. Preferably before he has a chance to think too hard about it."

"On it." Before Mailie even finished speaking, Vex was marching off towards the apothecary's shop. Delvin watched her with an amused expression.

"I don't envy him if he tries to pull one over on her," he muttered.

Mailie snorted. "Me neither. Though a part of me would love to see him try." She rubbed the bridge of her nose. Gods, she was tired.

Delvin raised an eyebrow at her. "Take a seat," he said, pulling out a chair. She all but collapsed into it. He sat down across from and gave her an appraising look. "If you don't mind my saying, boss, you look like you'd lose a wrestling match with a skeever at present. What are you up to next?"

Mailie sighed. Sometimes she was glad that Delvin could read her like book, and other times she hated it. She wasn't sure which it was at the moment. "I don't know. Food, bath, sleep. Haven't decided on the order yet."

"I can help with one of those." Delvin stood and disappeared to the bar for a moment before returning with a bowl of soup, which he placed in front of Mailie. "Eat that, and get some rest. You've earned it."

She managed to let out some appreciative noises before setting upon the soup. It was Vekel's usual, meaning it wasn't anything special, but it was by far the best thing she'd eaten in days. Delvin let her be while she continued eating. When she finished, she stood and left the Flagon, too tired to care that she'd left her dishes on the table. Vekel could hardly complain; he had her to thank for his booming business.

She returned to her bedroom. She slowly pushed open the door to avoid making any noise that might wake Brynjolf. Thankfully, he appeared to be fast asleep.

Mailie shut the door behind her and crept to the other side of the room. Carefully, she removed her borrowed armor and set it atop her dresser. She then undid her braids and combed the tangles out of her hair, wincing at the snags on her scalp. She'd need to properly wash the sweat out of it at some point, but it could wait. Finally, she blew out the candle on her nightstand and crawled into bed.

Brynjolf stirred. "Lass?" he said groggily into the darkness.

Mailie lay down next to him. "Right here," she whispered as she pressed a kiss to his chest.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, humming appreciatively. "S'good to have you here."

She smiled, and draped herself over him. "It's good to be here."

***

The Winking Skeever was alive with activity, but Mailie partook in none of it.

She stayed at her corner table with her cup of mead, overlooking the lively scene on the inn's main floor. It seemed as if every working person in Solitude had elected to spend their gold here tonight, filling the air with shouted conversations and raucous laughter. Which suited Mailie's purposes just fine.

The sound of footsteps came up the stairs. Mailie kept her eyes trained on the bar below her as the argonian crossed the balcony and sat in the other chair.

Gulum-Ei carried his own drink, which he set down on the table. Mailie drained the last of her mead.

"I assume there's a reason for all this secrecy," he murmured.

"Apologies." Mailie put her tankard down. "I wouldn't normally go to these lengths, but I have extenuating circumstances to contend with."

"As long as it keeps me out of the dungeons, I don't mind." Gulum-Ei took a sip of his drink. "What do you have for me, then? I assume it's something good."

"The opposite, actually." Mailie crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. "I'm looking for something."

"Oh?" Gulum-Ei seemed intrigued. "We get plenty of unusual items passing through Solitude. I'm sure I can help you. What are you looking for?"

Mailie shifted. "Information."

The smuggler rapped his fingers against the table. "On what?"

Mailie leaned over to meet his gaze. "Three weeks ago, the Legion arrested a man breaking into a house near Castle Dour. A Nord, red hair, leather armor. He was badly injured and needed help changing out of his armor before they put him in the cell. I need the name of the guard who helped him."

Gulum-Ei stood. "Wait here."

Mailie emerged from the tavern the next morning. Instead of any of her usual armor, she'd donned a Nordic dress. Whether or not it would make her less conspicuous remained to be seen. She walked down the streets of Solitude, missing the familiar weight of Dawnbreaker on her hip. She was not without substantial protection-- there was a dagger on her waist and in her boot, she had her magic, and these streets were rather safe, besides, but she felt naked without it nonetheless. It had killed her to leave the sword behind in her room at the inn, but she knew it would draw far too much attention.

She spotted her quarry. Gulum-Ei's information had been sound, as usual. The guard was standing near the Hall of the Dead, squinting in the early morning sun. He was younger than Mailie had expected-- she normally wouldn't have been able to tell, but his helm was visorless. Probably a more comfortable option in most circumstances, but on this particular day he was probably wishing for a closed helm, if for no other reason than to block out some of the sun.

Mailie walked over to him. He didn't seem to notice her approach as he stared blankly across the street.

"Good morning, sir."

The man nearly jumped. Clearly, passers by did not often stop to talk to him. "Ah-- Morning, ma'am," he sputtered out. He looked around him, as if expecting to see some kind of emergent situation occurring behind her. "Can I... help you with something, ma'am?"

Mailie folded her hands in front of her. "I do hope so," she said. "I believe I find myself in a situation in which--" She glanced over her shoulder, then stepped forward and lowered her voice. "Might I speak to you in private, sir? It's a rather delicate situation."

The guard blinked. "Certainly," he said in an uncertain voice. "I, er-- Let me take you to the fort, ma'am."

They walked up the streets to Castle Dour. In the courtyard, a few guards milled about, practicing with bows, swords, and axes. The guard led Mailie past them and through the door to the castle's interior. Once inside, he turned and led her down the stairs to the barracks. A few people looked at them curiously as they passed, but none seemed to pay them much mind. Finally, the guard opened a door to a small side room, and Mailie followed him inside.

He shut the door behind them. The room was windowless, though a pair of candles provided enough light to see. "I don't believe I caught your name, ma'am," the man said as he removed his helmet.

"Amelie." Technically not a lie.

"A pleasure to meet you then, Amelie. The name's Erik." He gestured to a table behind him. "Please, have a seat."

Mailie shook her head. "No, thank you." Refusing him was a gamble, she knew, but she didn't want anything between her and the door.

He looked at her curiously, but did not press the issue. "Suit yourself." He put his helmet down on the table. "What can I do for you, ma'am?"

Mailie placed her hands over her belt, fiddling with the fastening. "I don't know if you'll have heard, but... a few weeks past, a man was arrested near Castle Dour. I don't know if he'll have given his name, but it's Brynjolf. My understanding is that he was hurt quite badly and needed some assistance-- perhaps you heard some of this from the guard who helped him?"

Erik's jaw moved silently for a moment as he stared at her. "I did hear of it, ma'am. Well, in a manner of speaking. I was the one who helped him."

"Oh!" Mailie feigned surprise. "I suppose I can cut to the meat of it, then. I know it's a lot to ask, but is there any chance that I could see him?"

Erik's whole body seemed to tighten. "I'm afraid that's not possible, ma'am."

Mailie looked down. "Of course. I understand. Security is very important, especially with the war on. I'm sorry to ask this of you, but would you take a message to him, at least? I would not ask under normal circumstances, but..." She pressed her hands to her stomach and let her cheeks redden. "As I said, it's a rather delicate situation."

"I--" Mailie thought that Erik's face might be redder than her own. "I'm afraid I can't do that either, ma'am, though not for the reason you might think. Brynjolf disappeared from the dungeons not long after he was captured."

"I see." Mailie put on her most crestfallen expression. "Thank you for your help, sir. You have been most kind." She dropped her hands and turned to leave.

"Wait." She turned back around. Erik looked positively terrified. She wondered if he'd even meant to speak.

"Yes?" she said hopefully.

Erik looked to be at a loss for words. She was close. She stepped forward so that she was barely a foot away from his face.

"Sir-- Erik, if I may-- I don't mean to press you, but I find myself in a very difficult situation. I will likely never see that man again. If there is something you wish to tell me--" She placed a hand over her chest. Below it, her heart beat a steady rhythm, but more importantly, the Amulet of Articulation pressed against her palm. "I would very much like to know it."

The guard looked down at her. Mailie could almost see the turmoil in his head. Finally, he reached inside his uniform and pulled out a small object, wrapped in cloth. Without a word, he pressed it into Mailie's hand.

"You should go," he murmured.

Mailie stepped back and nodded. "That I will. Thank you, sir."

***

The walls of the Ratway were, predictably, wet. For once though, Mailie did not particularly mind. She walked briskly down the winding halls, barely even noticing the weight of her pack. When she finally reached the office door, she entered without knocking.

Brynjolf sat behind the desk. He looked up at the sound of the door with the most disgruntled expression Mailie had ever seen him wear.

"Welcome back," he said sullenly. The desk before him was littered with papers, books, and a sprinkling of coins, but was dominated by a heavy leather-bound ledger.

Mailie walked around to his side of the desk. She slipped her pack off her shoulders and dropped it onto the floor, then shoved a few items to the side and closed the ledger so she could perch on the edge of the desk. "Has Delvin seen what you've done to his books?"

Brynjolf crossed his arms. His leg, still splinted, was propped up on a short stool. A pair of crutches leaned against the wall behind him. "As a matter of fact, he has."

"And he let you live? Clearly you're more charming than I thought."

"I'm charming enough. At least for you, it seems."

Mailie smiled and dropped off the desk. Brynjolf tilted his head up into her hands as she leaned down and kissed him. His hands went to her waist and pulled her in close.

"Hm." Mailie tucked his hair behind his ear after retreating from the kiss. "For future reference, I greatly prefer this to the welcome you gave me."

Brynjolf's thumbs rubbed circles into her sides. "I don't know if you've noticed, lass, but I'm a tad limited in my movements." He shifted his splinted leg. "Sorry to disappoint."

Mailie rolled her eyes, but sat down on top of his leg-- the good one. Brynjolf wrapped his right arm around her waist to hold her steady.

"How were things while I was out?" she asked, still playing with his hair.

"Fine." He shifted forward a bit so he could lean back, giving Mailie more room. "Nothing of note, really."

Mailie finished with his hair. "Does whatever broke Vipir's nose count as 'nothing of note' to you, then?"

"If by that you mean his own stupidity, then yes. He managed to lift an entire book out of a mage's pockets without rousing a bit of suspicion, then tripped on his own feet two streets away. You should have seen him when he got back. Thrynn nearly fell in the water, he was laughing so hard."

Mailie winced. Vipir's nose would be fine, but she was a bit concerned about what might be in that book-- and even more so with who he may have taken it from. She resolved to ask him for details later.

"I'll take your word for it." She cupped his face in her hand and stroked her thumb gently back and forth across his cheek. Brynjolf was never especially attentive in maintaining his beard, but he'd let his whiskers grow even longer than usual in the week or so that Mailie had been gone.

"After all this time, you finally take me at my word." He tilted his head to the side to let her fuss over his cheek. "And what adventures did you find yourself on this time, lass?"

"Running back and forth across the whole damn province, mostly," Mailie grumbled. "I've cleared Herluin's bounties in Whiterun and Winterhold, but Ulfric's steward is proving difficult. I might actually have to prove his innocence to get it taken care of."

Brynjolf looked at her skeptically. "You sure he is innocent, lass? I'm not saying I don't trust him, but I wouldn't leave him alone with my porridge, if you catch my meaning."

Mailie shrugged. "Innocent may be something of a stretch, but I know he didn't kill the man in question. Directly, at least. I'll speak with him about it later. Hopefully he can provide some helpful information, or at minimum a convincing lie." She leaned in until her face was finger's breadth away from Brynjolf's. "But that's a task for another time. For now, I have more pressing concerns."

When she brought their lips together into a kiss, Brynjolf's arm tightened around her waist. She let him pull her in against his chest as she continued to run her fingers over his scraggly beard. His hand rested comfortably on her knee, stabilizing her as she balanced atop his leg.

They came apart for just a moment. Brynjolf's fingers dug into Mailie's side, but she barely even felt them.

"I missed you," he whispered against her lips.

Mailie smiled. "I missed you too," she whispered back, tilting her head in for another kiss.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Mailie jumped off Brynjolf's lap with a barely concealed yelp of surprise and brushed herself off. "Come in!" she called, hoping whoever was outside didn't think anything was amiss.

Vex strolled into the room with her usual composure. "Oh good. You're both here," she remarked. "Get to the Flagon when you can. Cynric came through on that score he was going on about, and I want to show you the details." She looked them over and raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know why you're both looking at me like that?"

Mailie shook her head and prayed fervently that her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. "Don't worry about it. We'll be along in a bit, I want to finish looking over the books."

Vex shrugged. "Suit yourself. Enjoy your numbers." She left the room, closing the door behind her.

Mailie turned around to see Brynjolf looking at her with an amused expression. "It's not funny," she insisted, but his grin only grew wider at her indignation. "Brynjolf!"

He chuckled, which did nothing to calm her. "You have to admit, lass, it is a bit amusing. You're redder than a tomato."

She leaned back against the desk with a scowl. "You're insufferable."

He winked. "You love me for it."

She did, but she wasn't sure she could say so at the moment without it coming out as a smart remark, so she kept quiet. Her fingers drummed along the edge of the desk. "Bryn, can I ask you something?"

Brynjolf leaned back and rested his elbow on the back of the chair. "I serve at your pleasure, Princess."

Mailie didn't have it in her to roll her eyes. She looked down at the floor, suddenly doubting herself. Brynjolf seemed to notice her consternation and straightened a bit.

"What's on your mind, lass?"

She took a deep breath. "When did you know?"

"That I loved you?" he asked quietly. She nodded, not trusting that anything she tried to say would leave her mouth willingly.

Brynjolf paused to think. "I've two answers," he said after some consideration. "When you and Mercer went missing... I suppose that's when it started. I knew you could both take care of yourselves, but couldn't for the life of me work out why he wanted you to settle the score with Karliah. If I'm honest, I spent the whole time I was searching for you steeling myself to tell him off for it." He snorted. "In a way, I did, eventually. But to answer the question of when I knew for sure... I suppose it's when we made you guildmaster." His jaw was tight, and Mailie though she saw him grind his teeth. "It-- something changed in you that day, lass. When I put that amulet around your neck, all I could think of was how far you'd come, and how proud I was." His voice broke off a little at the end and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "What about you?"

Mailie knew she couldn't very well skirt the question after that. "I-- I don't think I realized until I heard you'd been arrested. I didn't think much about it, I just had to find you. You knew that, though." Her cheeks were burning redder than ever. "As for when it all began... it was Karliah. I didn't think anyone would believe her, Bryn, but you did. I--" Her words were failing her. She nudged at his leg with her foot. "You're a good man, Brynjolf. Better than you know."

He looked away. They were terrible at this. Mailie bit her lip. There were a hundred things she could say, but not one of them felt right, and every one was harder to say than the last.

"We should go see Vex," Brynjolf said finally. He moved as if to grab his crutches.

Mailie scrambled off the desk. "Wait." She'd forgotten half the reason she came in here in the first place. She rifled quickly through her pack and retrieved a small cloth bundle. "Here, I have something for you," she said, and handed to Brynjolf.

He looked at her curiously. "What is it, consolation for my leg?" He began to unwrap the bundle. "I'll admit you've surprised me, but it's not much substitute--" He froze.

Mailie watched with bated breath as he unfolded the cloth. Her hands were on the verge of trembling, so she clasped them in her lap. The cloth fell to the floor, ignored as Brynjolf laid his father's amulet across his palm.

Mailie drew in a shaky breath. "I'm sorry to spring this on you. I meant to tell you when I came in, but--"

She was cut off by Brynjolf launching himself at her. She caught him as he fell forward against her and would have toppled over if it weren't for the desk behind her. She would have scolded him for being so careless of his leg, but he pulled her into a kiss before she got the chance.

His hands cradled her head gently as he placed kiss after kiss on her lips, cheeks, nose, jaw, and every other inch of her face he could reach. The amulet's cord was looped around one of his fingers and bumped against her back with every movement, but Mailie barely even noticed. For once in her life, she let someone else shower their affections over her without hesitation. Her hands were braced against his shoulders with just enough strength to keep him balanced on his good leg, but she otherwise let his lips wander over her face.

It took him a while, but Brynjolf eventually remembered that Mailie needed to breath. He ceased his attentions and leaned his head back enough to look her in the eyes. "How?" he whispered in a voice full of wonder.

She placed one of her hands over his heart. It beat like a drum inside his chest. "Gulum-Ei found me the name of the guard who helped you out of your armor," she said. "And told me his schedule. I found him and convinced him to give me the amulet."

Brynjolf shook his head in disbelief. "I was certain he'd have gotten rid of it as soon as he could. It's not worth much, so he couldn't have sold it, especially not in Solitude. I've been imagining it at the bottom of the ocean more often than I'd care to admit."

"You'd be surprised what people are willing to buy," Mailie muttered. As if he didn't know that.

Brynjolf shook his head again. "What did you even say to convince him to hand it over?"

"I told him I was carrying your child."

Brynjolf choked. "That was your solution?" he sputtered.

"It worked," Mailie said with a shrug. "And I more implied it, anyway."

Brynjolf eyed her with a trepidacious look. "Just so we're clear, lass, you're not--?"

Mailie rolled her eyes. "Obviously not, Bryn. Do you really think that's how I'd tell you?"

He shuddered. "Forgive me for choosing to not give it too much thought."

Mailie chuckled. The hand holding Brynjolf's amulet had gone from her cheek to the table beside her to support his weight. Almost instinctively, Mailie rested her own hand on top of it. He lifted it from the table and laced their fingers together, then brought their hands to his lips and kissed the backs of Mailie's knuckles.

Mailie let her fingers slip out of his. They tangled in the amulet's cord as she lifted it from Brynjolf's hand and slipped it over his head. The amulet thumped against his chest, and she took his face in her hands and brought him into a soft kiss.

"Thank you," he whispered, resting their foreheads together.

Mailie kissed him on the tip of his nose. "Don't mention it."

Brynjolf's hands settled on her waist as he nuzzled along her jaw. "How long do you think we can keep Vex waiting before she sends someone after us?"

Mailie snorted. "I think she's far more likely to proceed without us." She stroked Brynjolf's cheek with her thumb. "We should go to her. I'd like to see if this score is as good as Cynric seems to think it is."

"Very well." Brynjolf leaned back. "Shall we pick this up later, then?"

Mailie rolled her eyes. "Not sure I have much choice in the matter, seeing as you've been sleeping in my bed." She dropped off the desk and handed him his crutches. "You need to shave, by the way."