#bonnie gold series

[charliemwrites]

Good morning! This is just a warm up, not canon to the series.

Anyway — bark, woof, awoo

It’s a cool fall day when you nearly die.

Johnny’s run off into the woods barking - not his scary bark but his excited bark. You’re worried that he’s gonna get his teeth in some poor local wildlife and go hurrying after him, boots unlaced.

Of course it’s hopeless to go chasing after a wolf-dog even running at half speed, but you can’t stand the thought of him coming home with a dead bunny or something. So off you go, clomping through the trees, calling for your big dumb fluffy butt to come home.

But it’s not your Johnny that comes trotting out of the trees. No, it’s an even bigger, wolfier looking dog. Creamy white fur, honey gold eyes, and odd black markings around the face like a skull. You instantly know he’s not like your goofball, a little less human-friendly, perhaps more feral. Looks at you like he’s trying to decide if you’d make a decent meal.

Is someone breeding them and just.., letting them out?? Some weird poorly thought out attempt to reintroduce wolves to the UK? The thought makes you frown, praying that you won’t come out here one day to find some poor pups struggling in the wilderness.

For now though, you’ve got yet another gorgeous animal in front of you.

“Well, hello,” you coo, softening and smoothing your voice. His ears tick forward. “Look at you, handsome thing. Have you seen my Johnny boy?”

The dog tilts his head - your first indication that he is familiar with humans, recognizes the tone of a question. You hum.

“Alright big guy, would you like to come with me to find him or are you doing your own thing?”

He doesn’t respond (of course) except to make a little “ruff” noise. You consider him for another moment, then decide he’s not being aggressive and it’s safe to continue your search.

You turn and continue on the path, calling for Johnny. Don’t get far before your new friend sweeps in front of you, blocking the way forward. You make a noise as you stop quick, nearly losing your balance to avoid stepping on his paws.

“Oh you big jerk,” you huff. He instantly starts pushing at you, big shoulders pressing against your stomach as he shoves a big, wet nose into your neck and face, focusing on your mouth. You roll your eyes and gently push his nose away.

“Knock it off,” you grumble, trying not to laugh. “You wolves are so rude. You don’t need to do that to smell me.”

He moves on to your clothes, all the way down to your crotch. You’re ready this time though, taking a big step back and guiding his face up by the chin.

“No.”

He snorts and shakes off, looking almost annoyed.

“Oh, yeah, how dare I not let you sniff my junk?” you scoff, rolling your eyes. “Grow up, you big baby.”

A deep, raspy grumble starts up in his chest. You ignore him, patting at the thick muscle of his shoulder.

“Yeah yeah, you’re a big scary boy,” you joke. “Ya gonna bite me? Show me your big pretty teeth?”

When you reach for his face he takes a step back, ears flicking. Looks almost shellshocked. You finally break, giggling as you croon baby noises at him.

“Oh, poor boy, did I spook you? I’m sorry, baby. No, no you’re very scary. Very intimidating.” You start scooting around him, amused how curves around you almost like he’s afraid you’re going to touch him. “It’s okay, buddy, I just need to find my boy. I’m not out to get you.”

As if on cue, Johnny comes bursting from the trees. He barks when he sees you, then almost comes up short when he realizes the other dog is there.

You become acutely aware that you’re not all too sure how Johnny will respond to another dog - especially one so close to you given his protectiveness. You instantly move between them, calling his attention.

“There you are, Bonnie Johnny! Where have you been?! Naughty boy, you better not have eaten anything fluffy.” His ears go back, a little whine starting up. He ducks his head to let you grab at his muzzle, inspecting him for anything gross. “I do not feel like wrangling you to brush your teeth.”

Luckily, he seems clean. Whatever had him so excited, he must not have caught.

Movement behind you catches your attention, the other dog loping closer. Your eyes bounce between them, watching body language for any aggression or hostility. To your relief, Johnny seems almost excited by this new friend - the other one… well, he seems a bit more subdued, but lets Johnny lick at his chin and bump into his side.

“Okay, ready to head home, baby boy?” you ask, giving Johnny’s collar a gentle tug. “I have to start making dinner.”

He whines, turning those big blue eyes on you and positioning himself behind the other dog. You groan.

“Johnny, really… I don’t know if I can handle two of you. I don’t even think he likes me very much.”

As if to spite you, the other dog sits and leans in, licking at your hand. And damn it, it’s cute.

“Alright, hold on, let’s just see if…”

This time, the other dog lets you touch, feels around his neck for a collar that unsurprisingly isn’t there. You feel around his shoulders too, hoping for that tiny bump that means he has a microchip, but nope.

“If I have a nickel for every time I found a wolf-dog in the woods…” you sigh, turning back for home. “It would be two nickels but it’s weird that it happened twice.”

When you notice both pups stalling, you whistle sharply.

“Come. It’s getting cold.”

Johnny instantly bounds ahead with excitement while your new companion is slightly slower, staying just a bit behind and to the side of you so that you can see him from the corner of your eye.

Back at home, Johnny leads the way inside. The strange dog looks around curiously, sniffs at a few spots. It’s then that you remember Johnny marking the house his first couple days and notice that Mystery Dog is also unaltered.

“Hey.” Both dogs turn to you. You point at the new one sternly. “If you pee on anything in here - anything - I’m dying you pink. By god I’ll do it, there are dog safe hair dyes.”

You get a sneeze for that and he walks away with disinterest, but at least he keeps his leg down. You’ll take it.

Dinner is interesting, no fussing or fighting over food from either of them. When they’re done, you retire to the couch, Johnny happy to follow up until he sees that his new friend isn’t coming as well.

He starts yipping, bouncing, bowing, trying to get the new one to follow. You’re amused up until Johnny nips and the bigger dog growls, showing teeth. You plant yourself instantly between them.

“Hey.” You look the new dog in the eye, get into his space and back him away from Johnny. “No the hell you’re not.”

The new dog stares, eyes locked on yours, ears swiveling. You don’t back down, watching and looking waiting, still bodily between him and Johnny. Until finally his ears go back and he sneezes, laying down.

“Good.” You soften your voice, sigh. “Good boy.”

You offer your hand. Get a sniff and a resigned lick, then scratch at your new boy’s ears.

“You be nice, big boy. Everyone in this house is mine. I take care of everyone.”

His eyes do a weird thing then. You’re not sure how to describe it, combined with the way his head tilts. But you just chalk it up to Weird Dog Things and finally return to the couch, an oddly subdued Johnny clambering up with you.

“You can join us, honey,” you call to the other dog. “You’re welcome up here if you behave.”

He doesn’t take you up on it for awhile. You and Johnny settle in for your usual nightly shows. And then, about an hour later, movement draws your eye. The Mystery Dog, standing at the edge of the couch with his tail down, ears neutral.

Earlier drama forgotten, you smile at him.

“Hi there,” you chirp, “you want up? C’mon, bud. Up.”

He hops up with surprisingly gentleness, picking his way around your limbs and Johnny’s. He ends up crawling over your dog and settling half on top of him, and half on top of you, his chin settled between Johnny’s stupid perky ears. Johnny seems thrilled so you laugh a bit.

“What good boys,” you coo, giving them each a scratch and receiving a kiss in return. “Alright, this isn’t so bad.”

You fall asleep there, already trying to come up with name for your new pup. Maybe Phantom.

Main Story | Konig pt. 1

Masterlist

[onlyangel4]

your love's like. mv1. smau.

max verstappen x wife!reader

a slip of the tongue leads to max revealing that he married his long term girlfriend in private.

faceclaim: aitana

sabrina carpenter series masterlist

f1wags posted a story

written: max verstappen's long term girlfriend y/n y/ln has arrived in zandervoort ready for max's home race

y/ninsta posted a story

written: bonnie is so excited to watch her dad race

f1updates

liked by user1, user2, user3 and 34,192 others

f1updates: max verstappen's girlfriend y/n y/ln and dog bonnie have arrived at the paddock ready for media day, this is bonnie's first time in the paddock!

view all 2,129 comments

user1: cat dad max verstappen and dog mum y/n y/ln are the best pairing ever made

user2: it is so funny that all the other drivers have tiny designer dogs and max just has bonnie, whom his girlfriend found behind a bin three years ago

user3: i just saw a video where bonnie spotted daniel and ran towards him almost pulling poor y/n over

redbullracing posted a story

written: our dog is better than your dog. scuderiaferrari. alpinef1team

maxverstappen posted a story tagging y/ninsta

written: busy day today but ready for qualifying tomorrow

maxverstappen posted a story tagging y/ninsta

written: got my lucky charm, ready for race day

f1updates

liked by user4, user5, user6 and 47,284 others

f1updates: in a surprise turn of events lando norris has gotten pole position for tomorrow.

view all 3,293 comments

user4: i bet max is mad

user5: y/n running over to him before he had to go and do an interview was the cutest thing ever she gavbe him a kiss whispered in his ear and then left

user6: guys wtf was that interview

f1wags

liked by user7, user8, user9 and 132,211 others

f1wags: i genuinely have no words...

interviewer: "i bet you are dissapointed that you do not have pole for your home race"

max: "i am disapointed but not discouraged, i have won from much worse places than second but i did want to get pole. you know, show off in front of my wife"

interviewer: "your wife?"

max: "oh shit, y/n is going to kill me"

view all 12,573 comments

user7: mum and dad are married and they never told us

user8: he looked so panicked when he realised he messed up

user9: the camera panning to y/n shaking her head was comedy gold

y/ninsta posted a story

written: surprise !

y/ninsta

liked by maxverstappen, danielricciardo, alexandrasaintmleux and 1,231,002 others

tagged: maxverstappen

y/ninsta: 03.08.2023

the best day of my life

view all 54,122 comments

maxverstappen: i love you so much

y/ninsta: i love you too, even if you did leak our marriage to the world

danielricciardo: that picture of jimmy makes me die every single time

y/ninsta: my son is a refined gentleman

user10: they have been married for over a year what the actual fuck

∘•···············•∘ʚ ♡ ɞ∘•················•∘

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[evilgwrl]

TF 141 x Reader (Apocalypse!AU)

Immune: Eight

WARNING: This is a 18+ Poly!141 series (MDNI)

CW: Riding, unprotected sex, titty sucking, groping, Ghost being a stalker + his perspective

Taglist: @beebeechaos @h3art3at3rr @johannxseb @cndy-l0v3 @nylluns @pomegranategum @tapioca-marzipan

Masterlist

Glass panes fogged over, the abyss surrounding you long forgotten through the rusted panes, your reflection like static as your hips ground down against a plush belly, curls of pubic hair wisping up as they tickled against your pelvis.

Sweat dripped from your pores, leaking down the backs of your thighs, trapping themselves amongst the aperture of your knees. The Scotsman was everywhere, tummy practically bulging with his member as you whined out every time you bounced onto him, cock kissing your bruised cervix as a grunt left his lips.

Soap’s eyes were curled up towards your breasts, occasionally glancing over your fucked-out face as you cooed sweetly into the air. Veined hands ruggedly found your tits, squeezing the flesh in his palms as he lapped in every movement caused by the collision of your pussy sinking down on him.

“F’cken milking me bonnie, keep going jus like that,” He spat into the open air, his pupils blown with lust as he watched you. Your lips tucked in between your teeth, metallic spilling into your mouth as you bit back a squeal, head rolling back desperately as your thrusts grew sloppier.

“Dinnae tell me ye’ getting tired, lass.”

You barked out a, “Shut up,” hand slapping against his chest as you raised your hips once more, the squelch of your wetness filling the blank walls, bouncing from timber to window as you whined, thighs burning. Soap cocked out a laugh, now gripping at your hips, groping the fat as he thrust his hips up, meeting your slowed movements.

His length was fathomlessly stroking your walls, eyes cavernous as he watched your face contort up, squeals singing from your throat as he began to take over, cock ramming inside you with an insatiable vigour as your hands fell beside his head, tits hanging low against his face as he fucked up into you.

Scorched skin found his mouth as he licked against your breast, the saltiness of your sweat spurring him on as he grazed against a nipple, tongue wrapping around it as his hands gripped your waist. As Soap continued, you wailed out an expletive, practically choking on the dust that littered the room.

“That’s it, love, fuck – so fucking tight, ain’ ya? Jesus-“

His mouth was filthy, only pulling away from your chest to spit out praise as your walls milked him. Your neck was littered with sweat, hairs clawing against the skin as you held yourself in place, taking every thrust he gave you. Heavy hands slapped at your ass, keeping it apart as he set his bruising pace, balls crudely grazing against the flesh.

“Fuck – Johnny, too deep – I can’t.”

“Ye can f’cken take it,” he grunted, his pace somehow growing faster as you screamed out obnoxiously, pleasure wracking through you. Your body was on fire, veins gushing with pure arousal as your cunt squelched around him, every hair on your body raised as your skin prickled under his touch.

Your legs were weak, shaking mercilessly as the Sergeant held you in place, orgasm bracing you as your stomach tightened, incoherent babble ludicrously scorching through the air as you gripped onto his shoulder blades, a cocky smile across Soap’s face as he fucked you through an orgasm, pussy milking his member before he stuttered out a deep thrust, holding your thighs as he flipped you over.

You whined at the overstimulation against your g-spot, tears breaking the surface as your legs continued convulsing before he pulled out, hot spurts of ivory ceasing against your plush tummy, pants wracking through the both of you as you collapsed.

Your lashes fluttered around subtle light as you felt Soap moving against you, dampness hitting your stomach before prickly cotton engulfed you.

Arrogant gold hues crept up through the slumber of the night, tenacious stars clawing at the midnight of the sky, the early settlers of birds cawing out to the living dead in a mocking manner before settling in the depth of the trees, out of reach to groping, rotting hands.  

Silk weaved between the trees, dew settling between the earth and the branches they clung from before soaking into the dirt, the stench of the morning stalling across the forest. Heavy footsteps thudded against the floor, the indents between large boots stunk of mud and broken sticks as leaden hands grabbed at spider webs, tearing them apart between sudden movements.

A hoarse grumble left the man’s throat as he trenched through the woodlands, the soft bristle of the wind whistling against the thick, black cotton of his mask, eyes salty with sleep. It wasn’t unusual for Ghost to never sleep past sunrise, his body achingly creaky from the distant memories of military life, fists slamming against punching bags whilst others were only just settling down to sleep.

A rugged scar ran across his lip, the faded colour a shimmering pearl under the morning light as he pulled the balaclava down. Even alone, during the apocalypse, the eeriness of vulnerability sank into his stomach as he took in a deep breath before pulling it up again.

Thick fingers gripped around carbon steel, the head of the sniper inches away from the forest floor as the Lieutenant crept through, almost unhidden by the woodland creatures, the occasional squirrel popping its head out before flustering away into its burrow once more.

Thick thighs held their ground, buried in the bushes, the occasional snag of a thorn rustling throughout before the silenced sound of a gun went off, a gentle flurry of birds scattering around before quietude muzzled the wood surrounding him.

He worked best alone and used to never rely on anyone, no matter the stage of his life. The task force became a second home, a cold place that was only warmed by the familiar faces he worked with. His body ached with every movement, the remnants of past wounds only seeming to heighten when he began to forget about them. It was an alarm that gunned through his head, working at the speed of light through his spinal cord to remind him that he would never escape his work.

No matter where, no matter how, it would always stay with him. Sometimes Simon wished for death, the peacefulness of nothing welcoming him like a hot bath, skinning the flesh from his bones in a chamber of perdition.

Blood stained his padded hands, soft speckles of the afterlife draining from the deer’s eyes step by step as he trekked back to the farmhouse. There was a soft patter of rain that littered across the sky, the crops thriving amongst muddy soil, fertilising amongst burrowing grubs and worms.

Your eyes met the door, staring down at his damp figure, the gruelling emphasis of nature splattered among the subtle tears in his clothes and weaves of silken strings displaced on the dark clothing. You peered down at the carcass in his hand, offering him a polite small.

“Thank you,” you murmured, the morning air still shivering across the walls as you adjusted to not making as much noise. After all, you didn’t live alone anymore.

Ghost was unsure of you. He watched you a lot, umber shades shelling over with an unknown feeling. He took in the way your spine creaked through the skin of your back when you bent over or the way your lids would crease over as you laughed. He noticed the way you looked down when you didn’t want to answer a certain question and he could hear from the crack in your voice when you reached your peak, sweaty body writing under anyone, anyone but him, as you clenched around them.

Maybe it was jealousy. Jealous that you found this place, you got to make a life for yourself and earn potential freedom, a rarity that he was unsure he would ever have. Jealous of the fact that he watched you first, eyes glazing over you weeks ago in a town hours away, muscles soaked in salty residue, thighs burnt out from the relentless biking.

Jealous that he didn’t get to sink his teeth into you the night he walked in on you, pussy pathetically gushing around nothing as you attempted to shelter your moans, his cock aching with a demand for release as he stalked back into his room, rutting into Johnny’s mouth.

The deer fell on the kitchen counter, your bodies in close perimeter as he gaped at you. His voice was rugged, holding a girthy tone of citrus to it with every syllable he pronounced.

“You gonna show me how to be a man around here or you just gonna fuck m’ with your eyes?”

[brummiereader]

I was SO excited to see the notification for this when I checked my phone. Being the Impatient person I am I started reading this while leaving my place. I guess I stopped walking and looked so engrossed in my phone because a woman came up to me thinking I was a tourist and asked if I needed directions 🤦🏼‍♀️😳. Now that I'm back home I finally have time to comment!

Arghh! Honestly my heart started beating so fast straight away, I was so worried moldy Mosley had done something to Amelia. You have no idea how relieved I was to see Bonnie had come to her resuce 😩. That man is vile, If only Bonnie gave him a knock out he didn't wake up from, god he is gross. And Oh my god!...The restraint Tommy had to not kill him right then and there had me on the edge of my seat, I really thought he was going to flip at any moment, but he didn't, unwilling to play his game. Did Mosley know Amelia was Tommy's daughter before the party?

😩 I knew this conversation was going to come between father and daughter. My heart is breaking for her. She finally has a family and now Tommy is sending her away, even if it is to protect her. She's been through so much already, her reaction is exactly how I thought it would be. "For me or your fucking career?” she bit back"...ouch ouch OUCH! That was a punch in the gut for Tommy. There's a little truth in there even if it is very complicated as to why he needs to further his career, he needs to take that vermin out!

I do love the fact she is back on the road with Bonnie, back to her roots. Something about that way of life is so appealing to me ❤️. Oh my heart. This whole part with Aberama was so beautifully written. He was one of my favourite smaller characters in the show, I was so sad when they killed him off. But that's the best thing about fanfiction, we get to bring loved characters back, and you wrote him perfectly Lee. I particularly loved the way his conversation with Amelia sounded almost like a father reassuring a daughter, he was soft in his approach and truthfully wanted to ease Amelia's thoughts.

These two 🥰! I'm going to miss their youthful interactions. I don't think you could have paired Bonnie with anyone other than Amelia, they compliment eachothers personalities perfectly. From the little we see of Bonnie in the series, I am in awe at how you have expertly captured his character. His confession had me kicking my feet, we knew he had fallen for her the moment he saw her, all of us did except Amelia 😅❤️. Aww, the start of a young love, you could feel the excitement and anticipation they were both feeling through your words, I just adored every part of it!

Thank god that creep is dead! This series is honestly a dream. Mosley dead and the characters I loved so much still alive ❤️.

“And what, might I ask, happened to “not as long as I live?” This line had me giggling, and the way Lizzie just hushed him right after 🤭. Dad mode out to try an embarrass her just once more 😂. The special moment Amelia and Tommy spent together warmed my heart, there has been a lot of hurt and pain, but in that moment I really think Tommy couldn't have been happier to have his daughter back and the air cleared.

“I will love, honor and cherish you for as long as I live.” what beautiful last words to end this incredible series with, echoing the title of this wonderful story❤️. You gave us the perfect ending to this! Amelia has quickly become one of my fav OC, her strong will, witty, resilient, fiery personality is everything I absolutely love about her! Thank you for sharing this amazing series with us, you are a phenomenal writer ❤️!

As Long As I Live (Part 4)

Tommy Shelby & Amelia Holland (OC) x Bonnie Gold

Summary: When things go wrong at Lizzie's party, Tommy proposes a solution Amelia finds difficult to accept.

Author's Note: Requested by the lovely @kpopgirlbtssvt. This will be the final part to the series and the longest at 4K words!

Warnings: drinking, language, mention of assault and blood, mention of pregnancy, minor character death

Masterlist

“How long is a fucking ballet anyway?” Arthur asked, fumbling inside his coat pocket for his flask of whisky. Finn only shrugged in reply, barely watching the performance himself in favor of staring at his pocket watch. He ducked his head to study the time, only to find the minutes passing more slowly than before. He gave a tired exhale of breath as a hand clamped over his shoulder.

“Finn, we need to get Tommy,” Isaiah said out of breath and uncharacteristically rattled by something. 

“Thought you were supposed to be with Amelia,” Finn noted. “Tommy’ll have your balls if something happens to her.”

Isaiah’s face turned grim as he confided, “Something’s already happened, mate. She’s probably with Frances by now, but Tommy should come to the garden straight away,” he urged.

“Y-yeah, ok,” Finn stammered as he moved into action, glancing at Arthur who didn't look like he'd be much help in his state of inebriation. 

Quickly shuffling between seats, Finn found Tommy and whispered to him. Watching Tommy excuse himself from the front row, Lizzie pressed her fingertips to her temples, willing away a throbbing headache, unaware the night was about to get worse.

As Tommy rounded the corner of the garden he found Bonnie throttling another man, arm pulled back to deliver a punch. “Oi! Get the fuck up!” he yelled, pulling Bonnie off with all his strength and struggling to contain him.

“What’s going on?” he demanded to know, squinting in the dim light to make out the bruised and bleeding figure on the ground. The man rose to a sitting position, holding his ribs and heaving for breath as he searched for a handkerchief to dab at his bloody nose. A sliver of light cut across the garden path illuminating his face and Tommy’s eyebrows raised at the sight of Sir Oswald Mosley.

“One of your thugs attacked me,” Mosley accused, pushing himself up from the ground with great effort. 

Tommy looked to Bonnie for an explanation and Bonnie turned away as he stuttered, “He-he had Amelia. If I hadn’t come-” Tommy held up his hand, his mouth suddenly too dry to speak. He understood Bonnie’s meaning immediately as Mosley’s ghastly reputation preceded him. It wasn’t hard to believe, though he did wonder why Isaiah hadn’t kept her away from the party like he asked. It was no time for that, however, as he attempted to handle the matter at hand.

“I want to know what you’re going to do about this, Shelby,” Mosley demanded, stalking toward Tommy angrily. “This animal belongs in jail for attempted murder,” he seethed, pointing at Bonnie. 

“Nevertheless, you attacked one of my guests first,” Tommy replied, attempting to restrain the venom seeping into his voice. 

Mosley scoffed at Tommy’s comment, taking the handkerchief from his face as he sneered, “One of the whores you employed for the evening?” He waited for Tommy to take the bait, revealing the true nature of the relationship. However, Tommy held firm, swallowing harshly to hold down the bile that threatened to rise in his throat. Seeing no other option, he realized he would have to acquiesce to Mosley’s demands or give that illusion until he could formulate a plan.  

“Alright,” Tommy reluctantly agreed. “If you’ll step inside I’ll make the necessary calls and see that you receive proper medical attention,” he said with lips pursed tight, otherwise expressionless to hide the fear of how he might find Amelia. Tommy exchanged one last concerned look with Bonnie before escorting Mosley inside, his mind preoccupied with his daughter’s well-being before he could begin to think of a solution to this catastrophe. 

———————————-

The next morning blinders guarding the front entrance of Arrow House could hear the shouting from Tommy's office. It reverberated off the paneled walls and down the corridor. The men exchanged nervous glances as pieces of the conversation drifted out toward them. For the better part of an hour Tommy attempted to persuade Amelia to flee without providing details of his treacherous ties to Sir Oswald Mosley. However, his proposal of having her return to a life of travel with Bonnie Gold was not something she was prepared to entertain. 

“How could you do this? Cast me off like some cursed soul?”Amelia yelled. She realized she was being dramatic, but that’s how she felt. 

“Amelia, please, I’m trying to see that you’re taken care of and...,” Tommy trailed off, words failing him suddenly. Was he doing what was right? He’d only just gotten her back. Could he relinquish her so easily? He wasn’t so sure of his decision now that he was saying it out loud, but this was the best plan he could think of on short notice. 

“You’d never do this to Charlie or Ruby!” she shouted, turning to face him with tears stinging her eyes. At a time when she had finally come to believe her father loved his children equally, this was irrefutable proof he saw them very differently. Although she had been attacked in the garden, she felt she was being blamed for it. Her father's insistence on her protection felt more like banishment so he could continue living a life of respectability amongst the toffs he claimed to despise. 

Tommy halted, taking a deep breath as he thought about what he was asking of his eldest daughter. Amelia took his silence as complacency and it infuriated her more. When he finally began to speak she wouldn’t allow more than a few words. He began, “Amelia, I wish you’d consider…” before she interrupted.

“I don’t want to hear about Bonnie Gold again as long as I live!” she said defiantly.

Tommy removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose as he exhaled loudly. She was stubborn and headstrong, qualities he loved about her normally. However, faced with the sickening fingerprint shaped bruises on her neck, he was desperate to get her to safety. “What if Aberama and Polly go with ya?” he pleaded. He clenched his fists to hold back the feelings of helplessness he’d experienced when Izzy disappeared all those years ago, willing this time to be different. 

Amelia looked at Tommy with fiery determination wanting to object, but knowing it was useless because her father was also relentless when he wanted something. It was a battle she would surely loose, a humiliating defeat with only her heart at stake. Finally she gave in with a slow nod of agreement.

Tommy’s posture instantly relaxed knowing he’d found a compromise. “Thank you, Amelia. It’s for the best,” he assured her.

“For me or your fucking career?” she bit back.

“That’s not why I’m doing this,” Tommy urged, holding her gaze in hopes she would recognize the sincerity of his words. 

"It doesn't change the fact that you're giving up on me. Because that's what you do when things are too difficult for you to handle, isn't it? You abandon people... like you did with mum," she confronted him, voice constricting in her throat. 

Tommy felt an uncomfortable weight settle in his chest at her accusation. “I wanted you here, Amelia. It just couldn’t be,” he murmured. He wished to express how much she meant to him, but his words fell away as he noticed the look of disillusionment spreading over her like a disease. 

Amelia’s stare remained harsh as she waited for something more. An apology would have been a start, though she knew her father was unaccustomed to issuing them under any circumstances. 

"You should pack," Tommy finally told her, in a resigned voice.

Amelia shook her head in disgust and turned on her heel, slamming the door behind her as she went. Passing Lizzie in the hallway, she ran to her room.

As Lizzie entered, she found Tommy slumped forward in his chair, elbows on his knees, contemplating what Amelia had said.

“Tommy, what’s happened?” Lizzie asked, pulling her dressing gown closed against the chill.

Tommy exhaled slowly, reaching for a cigarette. He took his time lighting one for his wife and himself before answering, “I’ve fucked it all up, Lizzie, and now she’ll never forgive me.”

“What did you say?” Lizzie asked hesitantly and Tommy told her plainly what was to come. He explained how Moss would arrange Bonnie’s transport early the next morning with just enough time for his men to intercept at a crossroads. Then Aberama and Polly were  to whisk him away deep into the mountains. He held his breath before admitting Amelia would be with them.

“Oh, Tommy, no,” she sighed, abandoning her cigarette in the ashtray and collapsing into a chair. “You promised me she’d be taken care of after everything…” she said, lowering her head into her hands.

“And she will,” Tommy said, coming to stand next to his wife’s side.

Lizzie looked up at him with a shake of her head. “I don’t understand you sometimes. What is this good that you will become?” she demanded to know. “When you turn away your own family. Is this work with bloody fascists so important you’d lose everyone you care about?” 

“Lizzie, please, I need you to understand,” he said, reaching for her hand, but she stood suddenly to avoid his touch. Walking to the door without a backward glance, she left him alone with his thoughts and his regrets.

————————

There was something comforting about being in nature again after nearly a year on Tommy's estate. Now that she was back on the road, it was as though she’d never left. The circling of the crows overheard and the welcoming softness of the velvety moss under her feet were all she needed to feel at home again. Despite the desperate ache she felt leaving her younger siblings behind, she soon found routine in her chores and conversations with Polly, who helped her understand the person her father became in order to survive after the war.  Amelia listened to the stories out of curiosity, but disregarded the silent plea for forgiveness. That wasn’t something she was prepared to give just yet.

Sometimes she contemplated what her life might have been if she’d disobeyed her father and stayed near Small Heath, but those were only fleeting thoughts. She wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted. It was a thought that crept up on her, chilling her even in the warmth of the campfire. Amelia shivered as she stared into the abyss of the flickering light, too lost in the past to notice Aberama approaching. She startled at the feeling of his large palm on her shoulder when he softly asked, "May I sit with you, child?”

She immediately nodded in agreement, gladly accepting his company as she had changed her opinion of him during their travels. He’d proven himself to be generous with her, ensuring her comfort by providing plenty of fresh meat and repairing the old vardo where she slept. She’d also witnessed his fair and honest dealings when trading and felt ashamed at her earlier accusations. 

Taking up a place on a log beside her, Aberama stoked the fire before rubbing his hands together to feel the warmth radiating from the flames. If there was a moment to say what he'd been holding back, now was the time. "You know, I traveled with the Hollands many years ago," he said with a small smile playing on his lips at the memory.

Amelia's head shot up at the mention of her mum’s family, fingers clasping the gem at her throat nervously. "You did?" she asked hesitantly.

"Aye, and I knew your mother," he recalled. "You'd not find anyone better with horses," he mused, eyes drifting upward with the curls of smoke twisting in the night air. Then he added sadly, "She was a rare gem and she would have made a fine wife."

Amelia swallowed a lump in her throat as she asked, “I don’t understand. Were you in love with her, Mr. Gold?”

His head dropped as he huffed out a little laugh, “I think everyone loved Isidora, but we all knew her heart belonged to Tommy Shelby,” he said, reaching for a piece of kindling and his small pocket knife to distract himself with a bit of carving. He was growing nervous at the thought of revealing secrets long buried and looked to his work instead of the girl at his side as he continued. “Amelia. I didn't think it was my place to say anything before, but now perhaps you should know something," he ventured. 

However, Amelia soon grew uncomfortable and attempted to push away the topic that caused a deep chasm to open within her chest. "It's alright, I know my father abandoned her when she was pregnant," she said dismissively, rubbing her thumb over the sapphire in silent apology to her mum. 

Aberama's hands dropped to his sides as he stopped to look at Amelia with a look of confusion, mixed with pain. "No, child, he loved that woman."

Amelia scoffed, "You must have him mistaken for someone else. He never wanted her...or me," she noted bitterly.

"That's where you're wrong," Aberama corrected. “Your parents were very much in love, but your grandfather kept them apart because of a feud.”

“Dad never mentioned that last part,” Amelia said, knitting her brows. 

Aberama considered the piece of wood he held in his hand as he said, “I doubt he knew his father’s deceitfulness caused him to lose Izzy.” He glanced up at Amelia with a mournful look, wishing he weren’t the one to tell her this.

“Your grandfathers were friends. Well, they gambled quite a lot together,” he corrected himself. “Izzy’s father owed money to Tommy's father and in 1914 they began to quarrel," he explained. Amelia leaned forward unsure if she wanted to hear more. Aberama took a deep breath before continuing. "Soon after Izzy fell pregnant and her father came to believe it was some kind of retribution. He was outraged that the Shelbys would collect a debt in such a manner so he sent her away. Said he’d be damned if she married a man with no honor. Of course, your father went to war and by the time he returned, you and your mother were long gone.”

Amelia's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief, wondering if this misunderstanding could be the cause of so much pain. Furrowing her brow she asked the question still lingering in her mind. “But…that doesn't explain why my father never looked for her," she said accusingly.

"He did. For years he asked my family for help, but we never found her,” he said in a voice close to a whisper. Amelia could see the look of regret etched on his face and didn’t ask anything more, choosing to sit in pensive silence. She knew there was little else he could have done to help, time ticking away the years her mother had left before fever claimed her life. She knew from Polly’s stories that in those years Tommy became a hardened criminal and any suspicion the family had about him was cemented in his deeds with the Peaky Blinders.

Amelia’s fingertips lingered over her necklace as she thought of the promise it contained and she realized her father had told the truth when he said he was coming back for his true love after France. She sat back against a log, taking in a deep breath as she closed her eyes and imagined her parents together. It healed her fractured heart to know that they had been happy for a brief time and in a way, their love remained through her.

With the fire crackling between them, Aberama studied Amelia and watched a look of contentment settle over her face. He placed his knife in his pocket with a nod, standing and brushing himself off before leaving the campfire. As she listened to his footsteps, Amelia’s eyes opened and she called out, “thank you.”

Aberama turned back and tipped his head toward her in acknowledgment before joining Polly in their vardo.

———————————

Amelia didn’t spend much time with Bonnie when they first set off into the mountains. He reminded her of the awful night at Arrow House that drove them all away. Sometimes when she looked at him she blamed his jealousy, and the temper Aberama claimed he inherited from his mother, for what happened. However, as time passed, she found it hard to hold a grudge. As her own mood improved she became curious to know Bonnie, though occasions were now rare seeing that he often kept his distance from her.

Sitting by the riverbank, Amelia watched Bonnie cross a log, his feet swift and sure, never faltering, and it reminded her of the day in the boxing ring when he'd shown such promise. Suddenly she found herself thinking of everything he’d given up that night in the garden after she dared to spit in Mosley's face, provoking his animalistic impulses. 

Unable to contain the question as it came to her she blurted out, “Do you hate me?”

Bonnie wobbled on the log for the first time, looking over at her in surprise. He'd waited for the moment Amelia might speak to him again. He feared she might never trust him after the beating he gave Mosley. Thoughts echoed in his mind about the brutality she’d witnessed from him, even after she yelled for him to stop, protesting how she could have managed on her own. But the image of Mosley's hand against her throat as he ripped Amelia's dress replayed on a loop nearly every night and he knew he’d do it all again if necessary to keep her from harm.

Without a hint of hesitation, he replied to her question, “Course I don’t hate ya.” He made his way to the end of the log and jumped down, joining her on the soft grass. “What makes you say that?”

“You’ll never get to live your dream now. Don’t you remember the day in the gym when you told me you wanted to be a champion?” Amelia asked sadly, turning her face away from Bonnie and hiding in her shoulder. 

“I didn’t say that, dove. You did,” Bonnie reminded her gently, looking out over the river.

“What?” she asked in confusion.

“I said I didn’t want to waste my life and I’m not so long as I’m with you,” he replied.

Amelia peeked out from her hiding place, to glance at Bonnie. He laid back against the grass looking up at the passing clouds as he continued, “The day I met you in the stables, I knew you weren’t like anyone I’d ever met. You've got a wild spirit that makes ya fearless. Hell, sometimes I watch you just to see what you'll do next!" An easy laugh escaped his lips and he rolled over to lean on his elbow looking at Amelia as he turned serious. "If I never went back to boxing again, that’d be alright.”

“You’re lying,” Amelia sniffed, though she felt the truth behind the sentiment in the gentle way he spoke, without rushing his words.

Bonnie's heart caught in his chest as she began to cry. He moved toward her slowly, coming to kneel beside her. “M not. Even if you said you hated me, I’d stay.”

“Why?” she asked. “After all this..” she wondered aloud, wiping a tear away with the back of her hand.

Bonnie shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Stubborn, I reckon,” he said with a grin, ducking to catch her gaze.

“That’s it?” she giggled in spite of herself.

“No," he said with a soft shake of his head, hand brushing over the luscious grass as he plucked a daisy from the ground. "I’d like to get to know you better cos there’s something else I think I’d like to ask you one day,” he said, offering her the flower and the whole world all at once.

———————

Eight months later…

Arrow House was quiet with the children at school and Lizzie attending a meeting for one of her charities. Only Cyril was left to keep Tommy company on this cold winter’s day, but he didn’t mind. He was soaking in the last moments of tranquil solitude before the entire family would be reunited at last. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so at ease. With Mosley's assassination, his plans for the party could go forward and Bonnie and Amelia were now safe to return home.

A fortnight ago he sent Johnny Dogs to deliver a handwritten message, asking her home to talk and offering an apology for the way they parted. He finally found the words he’d been unable to speak months ago. Though the letter had unburdened his soul, he hadn't slept until he received word she would see him. He also promised Lizzie not to interfere with Amelia's plans after the visit, allowing her to choose her own path now that she was eighteen. 

As luck would have it, she and Bonnie arrived two days before Christmas looking well and much more agreeable than when they left. Tommy wondered what transpired in their time in the mountains, ushering them into his office for a chat. The pair beamed as they requested an audience with both Tommy and Lizzie, smiling from ear to ear. 

As drinks were poured and everyone found a seat in Tommy’s large study, Lizzie held her breath, noticing the obvious sparks between the young couple. Amelia was the first to speak, a glow about her as she excitedly announced her engagement to Bonnie Gold.

“And what, might I ask, happened to “not as long as I live?” Tommy asked incredulously from his place beside his wife.

“Shhh, Tommy,” Lizzie hushed him. Whispering in his ear, she reminded him of his promise to concentrate on Amelia’s happiness from now on. He waved her off, saying, “Alright, alright, Lizzie.”

“Of course, you have my blessing,” he said, standing and extending a hand toward Bonnie.

“Thank you, Mr. Shelby, sir,” Bonnie replied with a wide grin. He pumped Tommy’s hand with a bit too much vigor, excitement and adrenaline coursing through him. 

Lizzie rose from her seat to offer her congratulations to Bonnie and Amelia faced Tommy. She  clutched his letter she’d kept in her pocket since she’d received it. “I’m sorry too, Dad,” she whispered as he held her in a long embrace.

Tommy pulled away to study her dewy eyes asking, “What do you have to be sorry for, eh?”

“I said the worst things before I left. I was hurt, but I didn’t realize you were in pain too,” she managed in a shaky voice, stopping to look deeply into his eyes. “I’m sorry you lost mum, but you won’t lose me again,” she promised.

The breath left Tommy’s lungs as he listened to Amelia’s heartfelt declaration, leaving him speechless and happier than he’d felt all year. As Lizzie looked to them with a tilt of her head, she decided not to pry into their private moment. Instead, she asked the group, “Shall we ask Frances to open a bottle of champagne? We should celebrate properly!”

“We should,” Tommy agreed with a wide grin. “Me daughter’s home and she’s getting married. It’s a good day,” Tommy declared, staring back at Amelia with a look of pride. 

Lizzie looped her arm in his and they set out toward the dining room, peppering Bonnie with questions about his adventures, his easy laugh filling the corridor. 

Amelia watched them happily as she placed a hand over her necklace, feeling the presence of her mother beside her. She hadn’t experienced this kind of inner peace for a long time. The circumstances of her short life had taught her to be wary of this feeling as it was ever changing and tended to shift beneath her feet whenever she found herself on stable ground. However, when she married Bonnie Gold the following spring she knew it was everlasting. As she stood before him in a flowing white dress and a crown of daisies adorning her thick mane of dark curls, she was comforted by the quiet promise in his voice when he proclaimed, “I will love, honor and cherish you for as long as I live.”

----------

Tag list:

@peakyswritings

@evita-shelby

@shelbydelrey

@alanadetigy

@severewobblerlightdragon

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[hellbornsworld]

JUNGKOOK FANFIC RECOMMENDATION(9)⛓

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

❤︎ seonbaenim! | Jungkook X Reader | OneShot | @trivia-yandere

❤︎ number: unknown | Jungkook X Reader | OneShot | @aft3rhrs

❤︎ definition of love | Jungkook X Reader | OneShot | @sparklingchim

❤︎ 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙚 | Racer!Jungkook X Reader | Series | @bonny-kookoo

❤︎ Inevitable | Jungkook x (f.) Reader | Exes AU | Series | @ahundredtimesover

❤︎ sweet apple biscuits | jungkook x reader | OneShot | @rosaetae

❤︎ Primrose | Emperor Jungkook x Empress Y/N | @mingshits

❤︎ Answer My Calls | possessive jk X Reader | OneShot | @74jeon

❤︎ Red and Gold | Iron Man!Jungkook X Reader | OneShot | @thedefinitionofbts

❤︎ The Offer | CEO!JK X Reader | Series | @nanamilkandbrownies

❤︎ SATIVA. | husband!Jungkook x fem!reader | OneShot | @2hightocare

❤︎ the underwear thief | jungkook x female reader | OneShot | @gukyi

❤︎ METAMORPHOSE | postmilitaryracer!jungkook x she | Series | @hoseoksluna

❤︎ and my man, thank you to my man | dealer!jeon jungkook x (f)reader | Series | @darklingjeon

❤︎ All Over Again | Dad!JK X Reader | OneShot | @jungkookstatts

❤︎ Nine to five, Five to Nine | side chick dancer female reader x boxer jungkook | OneShot | @thvlouvre

❤︎ peppermint gum | jungkook x reader | TwoShot | @whatifyoulivelikethat

❤︎ Come Back to You | Reader x Soldier Jungkook | OneShot | @ahgasegotarmy116

❤︎ Endless Summer | jock!Jungkook x nerd!reader | OneShot | @koostattoos

❤︎ By your side always and forever | jungkook X fem!reader | OneShot | @le3worl

❤︎ Birthday Cake | Jungkook X Reader | OneShot | @blueberryarchive

❤︎ Lucifer | demon jungkook x (f) reader | @elijeon

❤︎ KNOCK OUT | Jungkook × reader | OneShot | @btsbrat

❤︎ Daddy Daycare | Technician! Jungkook x Teacher's Assistant! Reader | @miraclesatnightfall

❤︎ Semantic Error | Techie inexperienced fem!reader x Artist fuck boy Jungkook | Series | @ahgasegotarmy116

❤︎ LOVE. | pinkcoquette/Sanriolover!oc x bf!jk | OneShot | @sayokodiary

❤︎ Aşk-ı Memnu | non idol! Jungkook x fem! married! Reader | @sweetcarrotsandroses97

❤︎ new beginnings | ceo!jungkook x figureskater!oc | OneShot | @nochukoo97

❤︎ timing | Ex!JK X Reader | Series | @spideyjimin

⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆⋆༺𓆩☠︎︎𓆪༻⋆

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Here’s Why Everyone Is Talking About A Pirate Drama That Ended In 2017

Black Sails has been described as Game of Thrones with pirates

If Black Sails kicked off in 2020 instead of 2014, it certainly would have thrown fuel on the raging fire that was TikTok’s sea shanty obsession. The reality is that this TV series aired on Starz from 2014 for four seasons, coming to a close in 2017. So why is everyone talking about it now, a decade after it began?

Black Sails is coming to Netflix very soon, triggering its fans to emerge from the woodwork and promote the show online. ‘I am SO excited for people who’ll be watching this show for the first time,’ one user wrote, with many others recommending the series to fans of Game of Thrones. With House of the Dragon still a few months away, here’s why you should tune into Black Sails this month.

New To Netflix: Black Sails

What Is Black Sails About?

Black Sails transports us back to 1715 – aka the Golden Age of Piracy. Set in New Providence, an island in the Bahamas, we meet the feared Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) who brings a new younger crew member into the fold (‘Long’ John Silver, played by Luke Arnold) as his crew continues to fight for survival and negotiate their space on the island.

Is Black Sails Based On A Book?

Black Sails was written as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, Treasure Island (1883).

Is It Based On A True Story?

While Black Sails isn’t based on a true story, it does trace real events. The first season focuses on the hunt for the Spanish treasure galleon Urca de Lima, a real ship that sank in 1715 near Fort Pierce in Florida (where it still lies). Season two traces the fallout of Urca de Lima’s treasure being stranded in Florida, strictly guarded by Spanish soldiers while pirates prowl the shores. The subsequent third and fourth seasons then look at the war for the control of New Providence between the pirates and the British Empire – a la Pirates of the Caribbean.

Likewise, some of the characters are based on real people. Real pirates fictionalised in the show include:

Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson)

Anne Bonny (Clara Paget)

Benjamin Hornigold (Hakeem Kae-Kazim)

Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz)

Charles Vane (Zach McGowan)

Ned Low (Tadhg Murphy)

Israel Hands (David Wilmot)

Meanwhile, Captain Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts) – who represents the British Empire in seasons three and four – is based on a real English sea captain and slave trader, and subsequently the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas.

Was Captain Flint A Real Pirate?

Captain Flint is a fictional character who was first created by Robert Louis Stevenson in Treasure Island. He has since appeared in multiple works of fiction, including A. D. Howden Smith’s Porto Bello Gold (1924), John Drake’s Flint and Silver (2008), Pieces of Eight (2009) and Skull and Bones (2010), and J. M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy (1904).

Where Was Black Sails Filmed?

Black Sails was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, mainly inside at Cape Town Film Studio. Because the real city is so different today than it was in the 1700s, Nassau – the capital of the Bahamas, located on New Providence island – was built from scratch in a studio over a period of four months, as were two large water tanks to house the series’ two ships. Some scenes were filmed outside in and around Cape Town when new terrain was required, but most of the series was filmed on set.

The Cast

The cast of Black Sails is incredibly large, but key characters to know include:

Toby Stephens as James McGraw/Captain Flint

Hannah New as Eleanor Guthrie

Luke Arnold as ‘Long’ John Silver

Jessica Parker Kennedy as Max

Tom Hopper as William ‘Billy Bones’ Manderly

Zach McGowan as Charles Vane

Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham

Clara Paget as Anne Bonny

Mark Ryan as Hal Gates

Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Mr. Scott

Sean Cameron Michael as Richard Guthrie

Louise Barnes as Miranda Hamilton/Barlow

Rupert Penry-Jones as Thomas Hamilton

Luke Roberts as Woodes Rogers

Ray Stevenson as Edward Teach

David Wilmot as Israel Hands

Harriet Walter as Marion Guthrie

The Trailer

Interested? Here’s the trailer for a taste of the action.

WATCH

All episodes of Black Sails are streaming on Netflix from 17 April 2024.

Source: Country & Town House

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Part 21: The Shadow of the Abattoir

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x OC

Summary: Tommy's frantic search for Lucy causes him to lash out in destructive ways.

Word Count: 4,530

Notes: Warnings for depictions of suicidal thoughts, pregnancy, panic attacks, Tommy throwing multiple temper tantrums and getting briefly a little aggressive towards Lizzie, and references to torture, rape, blood, and pedophilia.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 22: Made of Wood & Wire

Tommy was aware that he was panicking.

Pacing back and forth like a caged animal across the length of the betting shop floor, fingers flexing at his sides, he battled to keep his head on straight. Every instinct inside him wanted to race out the door, and tear the entire city apart brick by brick until he’d found her. 

The clock on the wall served to torment him. Every time he glanced at it, he was reminded that with each passing tick of the second hand around its circumference, the possibility of finding Lucy alive slipped a little further away.   

After receiving no answer from Lizzie’s house, he’d called up Arthur, Isiah, Jeremiah, Johnny Dogs, his Uncle Charlie, and all the men that they had in the area to send them out to search across the entire city. He had initially been intending to go with them, but Ada had convinced him to instead set up a base of operations at the betting shop.

The idea itself wasn’t bad; it meant that everyone knew where to go or call with any information they might find. What Ada hadn’t taken into consideration, however, was that standing around, doing nothing, just waiting to hear if the woman that he loved more than anything in the entire world was fucking dead or not, was about to drive him to the brink of insanity. 

“Tommy, love, come sit down for a moment.” Ada tried, not for the first time. She was seated at one of the long tables by a telephone, a pile of takings stacked nearly to her left. Beside her, having only just returned from her excursion with the Golds to hide Michael with kin out in the countryside, was Polly. Upon their return, Aberama and Bonnie had hastily joined the search.

Ignoring Ada, Tommy continued to pace, feeling seconds away from jumping out of his own skin. In his mind, for easily the thousandth time, he went over everywhere that Lucy might’ve gotten grabbed.

It was not just visions of Lucy dead or beaten or injured that swam behind his eyes anymore. It was memories of Charlie, swiped from right under his nose by Father Hughes’s people and barely returned to him in one piece. Grace, with a bullet in her chest and her blood gushing out to form a puddle around them while she died in his arms. Greta, her hand clasped in his, her breaths rattling in her lungs until her grip went slack and she breathed no more. 

Not her too. Please, not Lucy too. Have I not already lost enough?

He didn’t think he would survive it, if Lucy was taken from him.

“Maybe she just got sidetracked going after a lead on one of the Italians,” Polly suggested. Tommy shook his head with a grunt. 

“No.”  

She had promised, after going after Alessio, not to do something like that again without telling him first. She had promised. And Lucy was not one who often broke her promises to him. 

His stomach clenched again with that sick feeling that something was horrifically wrong. 

“I’ll be back before lunch.” Her words echoed in his head. But lunch was long gone, and she was nowhere to be found.

The door opened, and Arthur came in, sweeping his hat off of his head.

“Where is she?” Tommy demanded, voice dangerously close to pleading. Arthur’s expression was grave.

“We don’t know.”

Tommy felt like he was going to be sick. It was like what had happened with Charlie all over again. 

The boy had been up earlier, intrigued by all the excitement, and when he asked Tommy innocently where Lucy was, Tommy had to fight back the urge to cry, instead plastering a smile on his face and scooping his son up into his arms to carry him to his room upstairs. All while explaining that Lucy was out, but that she would be home soon. 

He did not know how, if it came to it, he was going to be able to tell his son that he’d lost another mother. 

“How did this fucking happen?” he growled, starting up pacing again. “Eh? How the hell did this fucking happen!?” he was shouting, but at no one in particular.

“Tommy, calm down–” Polly started.

“Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down!” he swatted out with one hand and sent a glass of whiskey perched on the edge of a table flying. “Don’t you fucking tell me to calm down when we have at least a dozen Italians still after us, and the woman I love is fucking missing!” he stopped prowling from side to side, sweeping his arms out wide. “Now does anyone have anything fucking useful for me!?”

He was met with nothing but silence. Dropping his arms back to his sides, his gaze swept across the faces of everyone huddled in the shop. At some point–likely during his tantrum–Aberama, Bonnie, Johnny Dogs, Uncle Charlie, and Finn had all come in. Tommy shook his head, grappling at every ounce of strength he had left to keep himself pulled together. 

Everything had seemed to have become ten thousand times harder, without Lucy at his side. He could hardly fucking think, his mind so clouded with panic and fear for her.  

How could she have just disappeared, in the middle of their own territory, seemingly without a trace?

The thought that they’d been betrayed was not one that he’d wanted to consider. He’d shoved it away, until now. But when he glanced over at the clock on the wall and saw what hour it was, his throat went dry. 

He needed to consider all possibilities. 

Of all the people in their organization, there were two who hated Lucy enough for it to be not wholly improbable that they would willingly hand her over to the Italians.

Polly was the first. But she had been away dealing with Michael, and she’d had her chance to give him and Lucy up earlier, and she hadn’t taken it. No, Polly was smart enough to understand that the absolute hell that he would bring down upon her if he discovered that she’d sold out Lucy wasn’t worth it. And she had to know that Lucy was an invaluable figure in their organization with her skill sets. Not even Polly, much as she disliked her, would be rash enough to take one of their greatest assets off the board out of nothing but simple spite.

“We managed to track down Mr. Wilson from the shoe shop that you said Lucy planned to go to before heading over to Miss. Stark’s house,” Aberama spoke up. “He had closed up early for the day after lunch, but we found him at home. He said that Lucy came in to place an order for a new set of shoes and left without a fuss a little before eleven o’clock.”

That meant that she had completed her list of errands before heading over to Lizzie’s–assuming that she completed the list in the intended order, of course.

“We still haven’t yet heard from Jeremiah and Isiah. Maybe they found something at or on the way to Lizzie’s house,” Ada suggested. Tommy wiped a hand down his face. 

Lizzie; the other possibility for who could have sold Lucy out. 

Lizzie; who had more than enough motive at the moment to want to have Lucy gone for good. 

Lizzie; who Lucy had been heading over to see after completing all of her errands. 

Lizzie; who had insisted on buying a home near the outskirts of their territory, despite the risks. 

Lizzie; who had refused the guards he’d tried to insist on having posted at her house for security. 

Lizzie; who could have seen her chance, and decided to place a little call to Luca Changretta when Lucy arrived at her house.   

His fingers curled into fists at his sides. She would not do that, would she? Surely her jealousy was not that unchecked. Was she really so desperate to have him all to herself, to force him into her arms, that she would have the person she knew that he loved murdered? 

A chill wracked through him at the realization that he did not know for sure what the answer to that was. 

“I need to think,” he announced, and went into his office without another word before anyone could say anything more. He slammed the door shut hard behind him, pulling down the shade so that he would not have to see the family’s worried expressions peering in at him. From the other side of the door, he could hear the hum of Ada’s voice as she began to lay out new instructions to everyone.  

Going to his desk, he collapsed into his chair with his head in his hands.

Lucy had disappeared sometime around when she’d gone over to Lizzie’s. That, along with Lizzie’s inconsistent attitude and behavior towards her, was suspicious enough. Add on the recent circumstances that had likely done little more than to further compound Lizzie’s resentment of her, and…

God, why had he let her go over there alone? That he didn’t trust Lizzie to not be unkind to Lucy should have been reason enough for him to insist on coming with her to the house. 

He squeezed his eyes shut as if he were in physical pain. If she had sold Lucy out, Lizzie had to know that they’d trace the betrayal back to her, didn’t she? Or did she think that the baby inside of her would exempt her from any sort of ramifications he may decide to bring down on her for such an act?

A pained sound left his throat. That he was having a child with Lizzie was bad enough. That his baby was being carried by the woman who very possibly orchestrated the capture or death of his lover made him half tempted to put his revolver in his mouth.

Fingers running through his hair, he let out a deep sigh, finally raising his face so that he could fumble into his pocket for his cigarette case, pulling one out and lighting it. 

Settled on his desk, in a delicately ornate golden frame, Lucy’s face stared back at him from a somewhat grainy, black and white photograph, taken sometime in 1919.

Her curly hair was lightly tousled where it fell to brush against her chin. The angle of the image highlighted the shape of one of her cheekbones, her large eyes focused on the camera. Staring at him knowingly. Swallowing hard, Tommy picked up the photograph, running his hand delicately along the glass that protected the fragile paper inside. 

Was this morning the last time he would ever see her? The last time he’d get to hold her in his arms; to feel the soft press of her lips against his? Hear the soft lilt of her voice soothing in his ears?

A breath, shuddering and dangerously close to tears, blew past his lips along with a puff of smoke from his cigarette. 

He did not think that she was dead. Not yet, at least. It seemed unlikely that Luca would pass up the opportunity to torment him with it if he had already killed her. 

Which meant that she was somewhere, held captive and likely in pain. Tommy’s eyes squeezed shut, brow knitting as behind his eyelids danced all sorts of horrible, nightmarish images of what Luca could be doing to her.  

I’m coming, sweetheart, he promised, opening his eyes and staring into her gaze from the photograph still clutched in his hands. I’m coming as fast as I can.

His mind drifted back to Lizzie, fingers tightening around his cigarette, jaw clenching as a rush of rage began to burn within him, threatening as much danger and destruction as a wildfire. With any luck, Isiah and Jeremiah would find her at her home and bring her back here. 

Future mother to his child or not, she was going to have a whole hell of a lot of explaining to do. 

∗ ∗ ∗

“Are you sure that you don’t want to go to the hospital?” Isiah asked, remaining in step beside Lizzie with a nervous expression across his young face. “We can relay everything that you’ve told us to Tommy…”

She shook her head. “I want to talk to him directly.” Her voice was strained and hoarse, but Jeremiah had determined after having a look at her throat that she was just bruised up and would recover fine with a cool compress and some warm tea with honey. He didn’t seem all too worried about her head either, and Lizzie trusted him to give her an honest assessment.  

She’d ran into them on her way from her house. Apparently Tommy had already figured out that Lucy was missing and was sending just about every man they had all across the city in search of her. Jeremiah had informed her that Tommy had tried calling her, but she hadn’t picked up.

“Phone got smashed to pieces,” she’d explained, after telling them the rest of the story while they headed towards the betting shop. Having an escort with her put Lizzie much more at ease, no longer having to keep her hand settled on the gun in her handbag or her head on swivel for any lurking Italians. 

“Right, Liz, we’re gonna go over and get some boys from Charlie’s yard to check out the area around your house and see if we can track down this gardener of yours, alright?” Isiah informed her once they’d walked her to the door of the betting shop.

She nodded. “Alright.” Her eyes lingered on the two men as they started to wander down the road. A bubble of nervousness grew in her chest when she turned her gaze back to the door, eyes focusing on the worn wood. 

Would Tommy know that she’d considered not saying anything? Would he sense that for a moment–just a teeny, tiny second, really–she’d thought about leaving Lucy to die?

Gulping, she settled her hand on the doorknob. The hinges squeaked a little as she pushed it open and stepped inside.  

The shop was empty, save for Ada and Polly, seated at one of the long tables, cups of tea in front of them, a phone perched in the middle of the wooden table. Their heads were huddled close together, speaking in hushed voices that Lizzie couldn’t make out. 

Clearing her throat, tugging anxiously at her coat and scarf, Lizzie closed the door behind her and stepped deeper into the shop. 

“Polly,” she approached the table, and both women looked up at her. “They took Lucy. They broke into my house and attacked us. They smashed up my phone so I couldn’t call you. Do you know where Tommy–”

The door to his office blasted outwards. 

“WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Tommy roared, hurtling towards her, grabbing her hard by the arms. Lizzie recoiled, eyes widening. He gave her a light shake. “What did you fucking do, Lizzie!? Where is she!?”

“Tommy–!? What…?”

“Did you fucking sell her out!? Did you give her to the fucking Changrettas?”

She was only vaguely aware of Ada and Polly jumping from their seats, shouting at Tommy and trying to pry them apart. 

“No! Of course not, Tommy! I came here to tell you–”

“Did you think that getting rid of her would make me want to be with you? Is that it? Huh?”

“No!” Yes, her mind corrected. But only for a second. Just for a second. Surely you can’t blame me for that. She wrenched her arms out of his grip, taking a step back. His words, spat at her venomously and boiling with rage, hurt worse than a slap to the face would have. But she forced herself to stand up straight and ignore it. He was scared and upset, that was all. By his view, Lucy had come to her home, and then vanished into thin air. And given her recent attitude towards her, Lizzie supposed that it wasn’t entirely out of bounds to be suspicious about that. 

But, God! Had she not proven her loyalty? Over and over again, had she not made it clear that she was devoted to him? How many times had she been there for him–him and Lucy, even if they all knew that she was only there for him–whenever he called? Every time, without fail, she came running like a dog to his side, eager for the brief affection he’d offer before prancing off with his precious little Lucy while she got left watching from the sidelines…

Even with his fucking baby in her belly, he was still putting Lucy before her. You can bet that if Lucy were the one pregnant, he wouldn’t have shipped her off to a house tucked far away; out of sight, out of mind. He wouldn’t have barely spoken to her for days upon days, or neglected to visit. And he certainly wouldn’t have grabbed her like that and screamed in her face, no matter how angry he might’ve been. 

Hate, so sharp and hot that she felt it cause her cheeks to flush, roiled within her. Towards him. Towards his darling little redhaired bitch who’d come sweeping in and snatched him up without even fucking trying. Lizzie wanted to stamp her foot and fucking scream. She was here first, goddamnit! She was in his life well before Lucy was. She was going to give him a child, not that barren cunt who had stolen the man Lizzie was supposed to be with and then played the victim when Lizzie didn’t want to be her fucking friend. 

It was all so fucking unfair. She had always been there for Tommy too. And yet Lucy was the only one who was rewarded for her loyalty, while all Lizzie got was his cock every once in a while along with a wad of bills chucked her way. Meanwhile he got down on his knees and worshiped the very ground Lucy walked on, his heart cut out and handed to her on a silver fucking platter.  

She slammed her eyes shut and took a long, slow breath. It was a battle, but she somehow managed to keep a lid on her emotions, stuffing the hate down far away. He was upset. He was emotional. Of course he was; a woman who he cared for had just been kidnapped by someone who could only intend horrific things for her. 

Despite everything, I do not want Lucy dead, she reminded herself. I will do the right thing, because if I don’t, Tommy will never forgive me, and any chance for me, Tommy, and our baby to have a life together will be gone forever.

Selfish? Maybe. But that hope was all she had to cling to, anymore. 

 “Tommy, no, I would never hurt Lucy, I don’t know why you would think that–”

He sneered, clearly not believing her. “You want me to draw you up a fucking list–”

“Right, that’s enough! You come with me right now!” Ada snapped, seizing Tommy by the arm and half dragging him back into his office. His blue eyes, gleaming as if they saw right through her, down to her very soul, glinted knowingly. Lizzie shuddered, arms wrapping around herself defensively at the paranoid thought that he may very well have been able to read her mind, and therefore knew exactly what her real intentions that she’d just been musing to herself were.

“Are you alright?” Polly asked, taking her gently by the shoulders. “Here, come sit down,” she guided Lizzie to the kitchen and into one of the many uncomfortable wooden chairs placed around the table. “I’m sorry,” she kept her voice soft. “He…” she glanced over her shoulder towards the office. There was the muffled sound of voices, raised in agitation, from the other side of Tommy’s closed office door. “He’s been unraveling since she went missing.”

“I can imagine,” Lizzie said, voice cracking a little, the hoarseness growing worse thanks to her yelling at Tommy. 

“What happened to you?”

With a wince, Lizzie slowly unwound the scarf from around her neck, revealing the blossoming hand-shaped patches of purple on her throat. Polly’s eyes widened, hand reaching out to run gently along the tender skin.

“Who…?”

“Luca Changretta,” she explained simply. Polly’s expression grew alarmed.

“We should get you to a doctor.”

Lizzie shook her head. “Jeremiah already looked me over. He said that the bruising would heal with a cool compress, tea, and time. He wasn’t worried about the bump on my head, either.”

“You hit your head?”

“Mhm. Luca slammed it against a wall,” she obediently turned her head so Polly could examine it.

“You really should go see a doctor, then…”

Again, she gave a shake of her head. “The only thing I’m worried about is this,” she rubbed a hand across her still flat stomach. “I was unconscious for a few hours, I think, and when I woke up I was on my side, but I’m not sure…”

Polly reached out, resting both hands on her stomach, feeling around a little. “Baby is fine,” she announced after a moment, leaning back. 

Relief coursed through her. “Are you sure?”

Polly gave her a small, knowing smile. “Yes, love, I’m sure.” She gave her a pat on the arm. “I’ll get you some tea.”

“I really do need to talk to Tommy. I have information that might be helpful in finding her–”

“Give Ada some time to get him to calm down, first. If you go in there now he might blow his top again,” Polly began banging around with the kettle. “Don’t take it personally, by the way.” Her expression was grave. “That whole explosion wasn’t really about you. He knows you didn’t do anything. It’s just like what happened with Charlie. He’s scared and lashing out at everyone unfortunate enough to be near him.”

“Mhm.” Lizzie mumbled, and stared down at the worn wood of the table, resting her head miserably on her palm. Polly came to sit down beside her, placing a comforting hand on her arm. 

“I don’t like her, sometimes,” Lizzie said, thankful that it was Polly with her. Polly, who probably understood better than most how Lizzie felt about the redhead. “But that doesn’t mean that I want her dead,” she did not know if she was trying to convince Polly, or herself.

Polly gave her arm a squeeze. “I know, dear,” her eyes strayed to the window. It had grown fully dark outside, the only light coming from the flicking bulbs of the streetlamps. “God, do I know.”  

∗ ∗ ∗

“What the fuck was that!?” Ada demanded of him in a harsh hiss, slamming the door to the office behind them. 

“I don’t trust fucking either of them,” Tommy gestured to the door. “Not when it comes to Lucy.”

Ada stared at him, mouth agape, then shook her head. “You’re upset–”

“They have both hated her from the moment she stepped into our lives, Ada.”

“Lucy and Lizzie are friends.”

“No,” his head jerked from side to side as he shook it, footsteps thundering against the floorboards as he paced about the room. “Lucy tries to be Lizzie’s friend,” he corrected. “Lizzie just jerks her around and uses her to try to get close to me.” His breathing was coming in harsh, sharp bursts, chest flexing with each one, and his hands were shaking, desperately in need of a cigarette or the grip of a revolver to curl around. 

“Tommy, you’re becoming paranoid.”

The raggedness of his breathing was becoming worse and he could hear his heart pumping frantically in his ears. His head felt as though it were full of a thousand, angry bees, swarming and buzzing and stinging at will.   

One by one, in quick succession, images blurred past his eyes. They were taking too long. They were taking too long, and now–

Lucy, screaming while Luca drove a knife into her flesh.

Greta, chest heaving with her final breaths, the blood she’d coughed up staining her lips.

Lucy, sobbing for him as they ripped out her fingernails, one by one.

Grace, crumpling to the floor in his arms as the bullet ripped through her chest. 

Lucy, hysterical, wailing in pain as they gouged out her eyes. 

Charlie, one second fussing in his arms, the next snatched away by a seemingly nondescript maid, ushered away into a car to a pedophilic priest before he could do anything to save him. 

Lucy, expression hopeless while tears streamed silently down her cheeks, as Luca let his men rape her. 

John, laid out on a cold slab, his body riddled with bloody bullet holes. 

Lucy, eyeless, body drenched in her own blood, hacked and bruised until she was nearly unrecognizable, curled on the ground, whimpering in terror as Luca raised an ax over his head, and sliced her head off cleanly. A gift to be sent to Tommy’s doorstep. 

“Tommy? Tommy!?” Ada was gripping him tightly by the shoulders, giving him a small shake to try to rouse him back to himself. He did not remember collapsing back into his chair with his head in his hands, wheezing for breath because his chest felt too tight and his heart was pounding against his ribs. It was wholly possible that Ada had to guide him over to it. He honestly had no way of knowing. “Tommy, breathe,” she ordered, kneeling down beside him with her hands gripping the leather material of each armrest, staring up anxiously into his face. “Breathe. It’s alright.”

No, it’s not. If we don’t find her in time, nothing may ever be alright again.

“Ada,” he wheezed out, and immediately cringed at how small and broken his voice suddenly sounded. Like a frightened child. He could plainly hear the tears that he was struggling to fight back wobbling within his voice, threatening to spill forth at any moment. The mere suggestion of that only served to make the panic worse. Not only was everything around him spiraling out of control, but so was his very being, rebelling against the carefully maintained authority that he always exerted over it. 

“I’m right here,” Ada tried to soothe, brushing some of his hair back. “What do you need?”   

Lucy. Lucy could always calm him down on the rare occasion this happened. Usually after a nightmare. He wanted Lucy. 

The first sob managed to sneak its way past his lips, and he immediately raised a hand to cover his face, ashamed at allowing her to see him like this. Not even after Grace had died did he let any of the family see him cry. Except for Lucy. 

“Oh, Tommy…” Ada wrapped her arms around him, pulling his face to rest against the soft material of her blouse where it covered her shoulder. “We’ll find her, I promise. She’s strong, Tommy. She’ll be okay.”

He didn’t believe her. God, did he wish that he could, but he didn’t.

Even if they did manage to find Lucy and bring her home, she may never be okay again. 

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

[justalonelyslytherin]

This post hurt a lot. Like a lot a lot. But I appreciate it for the themes it brings up, as I hadn't looked at it that way. I really like the suggested theme here as much as it breaks my heart. Arthur was such a good character but absolutely under-used in the latter ones (as was the fate of most of the characters aside from Tommy).

I would have absolutely loved to have more focus on the individual Shelby's and their struggles. This is really making me want an alternative story where this is thematized.

Do you guys ever think Arthur thinks about his own dad when he sees the golds? Especially after seeing Abe's support before Bonnie's big match or when he realized that abe is Bonnie's coach?

Oh look! A father looking to avenge his son and walking trash looking at the son he abandoned for the first time in a decade

Bonnie and Abe hug so casually, and Infront of people (idk if this is a bts pic or not but in my mind it's cannon if it isn't already) while I feel like Arthur² hugged it was more one-sided :(

Bonnie and Abe are literally just celebrating a small win for them while Arthur Sr is pulling his bullshit again >:(

I like how Abe is genuinely so proud of Bonnie while Arthur Sr just introduced his son to a bunch of random people after beating him Infront of said random people, but his face while looking at his dad :(

[sockie2sock]

I need more Jeremy Jordan content because I'm running out.

Something that's not death note, newsies, the last five years, supergirl, tangled the series, hazbin hotel, bonnie and clyde, the violet hour, the great gatsby, the greatest showman, waitress, heathers workshop version, it's all coming back to me, disney medleys, spinning gold, joyful noise, smash, little shop of horrors, even the livestream he had during quarantine with Ashley and Clara.

I need more, man, I need more.

[silvereyedowl]

What We Know About Series 14

Doctor Who series 14 is coming up next year. This is a roundup of advance information and leaks about the season and the preceding Christmas special. Sources are at the very bottom below the cut.

CAST

Ncuti Gatwa as the Fifteenth Doctor. Unlike his predecessors, this Doctor changes his outfit a lot.

Millie Gibson as Ruby Sunday. Like her actress, Ruby is a native of Manchester.

Returning characters:

Jemma Redgrave as Kate Stewart, head of UNIT.

Bonnie Langford as former companion Mel Bush.

Villains:

Jinkx Monsoon as a villain favouring piano-themed attire, described as "the Doctor's most powerful enemy yet". Not everyone survives the encounter...

Indira Varma as the Duchess. RTD: "a whole new audience will be hiding behind the settee when the Duchess unleashes her terror." Varma previously played Suzie Costello on 2 episodes of Torchwood.

Other characters:

Aneurin Barnard as Roger ap Gwilliam.

Jonathan Groff as a "mysterious key" character.

Lenny Rush as Morris, in time for the Doctor's "greatest nightmare". RTD: "But what secrets does he hold? What's secreted in the Segway?! And will his terrifying probabilities be proved true..?"

Jack Forsyth-Noble as Will.

Gemma Arrowsmith and Mary Malone will appear in the Christmas special, while Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy and Billy Brayshaw will appear in separate episodes.

Also announced to be appearing: Sophie Ablett, Anita Dobson, Michelle Greenidge, Bhav Joshi, Millie Kent, Eilidh Loan, Pete MacHale, Miles Yekinni, Hemi Yeroham. Dobson previously appeared in the audio play "Blood of the Daleks".

EPISODES

There will be a Christmas special in December 2023, followed by an eight-episode season. (The BBC posted that the season would air in spring, but then removed the information.) Russell T Davies is the showrunner.

A guest star from 2005 returned for the special.

Episode 1's title was coincidentally spoken aloud in a third-season episode of Star Trek: Picard. It includes the words roar, Glastonbury, and conquistador.

Episode 2 contains the words Liverpool, legions, and non-diegetic. Scene 10 begins "INT. CANTEEN. DAY."

RTD thinks episode 4 is one of the best things he's ever written. The line "I once went to the top of the Shard" was cut from it.

The script for episode 7 begins with the line "INT. COFFEE BAR, USA — DAY, 1947".

Episode 8 will contain the words kingdom, gold, and Tigella. Scene 73, featuring the Doctor and Ruby in the TARDIS while "enemies are being fought", was the last scene filmed for the season.

There's a 1960s episode, featuring the Doctor and Ruby in snazzy period outfits.

The episode guest-starring both Varma and Groff will be set in the Regency era. "Dress to impress, and beware the Duchess."

CREATOR RAMBLINGS

According to RTD, we will be "staggered" by the 2023 festive season surprises.

There are monsters which are "impossible to describe" without referencing Fourth and Seventh Doctor adventures.

RTD promises that there are "plans still unfurling" which have yet to be made public.

Production designer Philip Sims said he was excited about "designing a new Dalek".

Davies has hinted that the blue doors Michelle Greenidge and Anita Dobson were photographed with are significant.

Script editor Scott Handcock mentioned filming which required nine babies, as well as Ncuti and Millie.

Monsoon's first day on set "teams her with an unexpected name from the Tom Baker era".

Anita Dobson has said she's playing Ruby's neighbour, whose name is either Mrs. Flood or Blood.

RTD used a potato emoji while commenting on publicity photos from the Regency episode (Sontarans?). Davies was also very coy about the identity of Groff's character.

RTD mentioned one episode having gone through three titles with no decision having yet been made. Another episode had "sixpence" in the title for a while, until the coin was cut.

RTD teased a famous guest star appearing in a scene with a giant statue head in the finale.

While writing about the final days of filming, RTD said that "Yasmin Finney wrapped a few days ago".

OTHER

Filming began on December 7, 2022 and wrapped on July 14, 2023.

Block One was directed by Dylan Holmes Williams. Block Two was directed by Mark Tonderai. It included the Christmas special. Block Three was directed by Julie Anne Robinson. It contains "two wildly different episodes, by two different writers". Block Four was directed by Ben Chessell. Block Five was directed by Jamie Donoghue.

Posters of the Doctor and Ruby.

Fifteen will be getting a brand-new sonic screwdriver.

previous

Leaks and sources below the cut!

LEAKS

Michelle Greenidge appears to be playing Ruby Sunday's mother. Since Greenidge and Millie Gibson are different ethnicities, she is presumably an adoptive, foster, or step mother.

Campaign posters for the "Albion Party", with Roger ap Gwilliam as the "Space Saviour", were spotted on location filming.

Jinkx Monsoon is in the '60s episode.

Millie Kent is playing Valerie, and Sophie Ablett is Marti Bridges.

Mel Bush will be appearing in the season finale.

Reports from finale location filming, albeit second-hand, of someone on set saying, "This is where the Daleks come in".

According to his CV, Majid Mehdizadeh-Valoujerdy will be playing Carson in an episode directed by Julie Anne Robinson.

Davina McCall may be the returning 2005 guest star. She will apparently host a genealogy show on which Ruby appears, and will be crushed by a falling Christmas tree.

RUMOURS

UNIT may be getting its own spinoff. (SOURCE)

The DWM production journal has led some fans to theorize Steven Moffat will be returning as a writer.

SOURCES

Doctor Who filming begins with new director

Doctor Who filming in Penarth as Doctor and companion costumes revealed

Doctor Who filming at Capitol Shopping Center in Cardiff

Doctor Who filming with new monster at Swansea Bay Campus

Doctor Who filming in Newport with UNIT, Space Saviour and companion

Doctor Who filming in Swansea: new monster details

Doctor Who filming with Aneurin Barnard at Cardiff City Stadium

Doctor Who filming with Millie Gibson on a moving train from Cardiff

Doctor Who filming at Loudoun Square flats

Doctor Who Filming in Bristol With Millie Gibson, Michelle Greenidge and Anita Dobson

Doctor Who filming in Pembrokeshire with Millie Gibson

Doctor Who filming: new photos of Millie Gibson in Pembrokeshire

Photos snapped of Millie Gibson filming Doctor Who

Doctor Who filming: Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson in Pembrokeshire

Doctor Who filming in Bristol with Millie Gibson and Anita Dobson

Russell T Davies talks “exciting” Doctor Who scenes as programme films in Bristol

Doctor Who filming with Ncuti Gatwa at two venues in Cardiff

Doctor Who filming: Block Three begins

Doctor Who filming: clue found for secret location filming

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson film 1960s Doctor Who scenes

Doctor Who films in Bristol with Ncuti Gatwa and Jinkx Monsoon

Doctor Who filming in Cardiff with Beatles connection

New Doctor Who photos of Jonathan Groff alongside Nucti Gatwa and Millie Gibson

Doctor Who filming at Margam Park

Doctor Who films more scenes with a Beatles connection

Doctor Who films in Cardiff theatre

Doctor Who films in Cardiff with Ncuti Gatwa and Bonnie Langford

Michelle Greenidge films Doctor Who in Cardiff

Ncuti Gatwa, Millie Gibson and Bonnie Langford film Doctor Who in Cardiff

Millie Gibson and Ncuti Gatwa film Doctor Who at Cardiff City Hall

Doctor Who films scooter stunt on Cardiff streets

Bonnie Langford and Ncuti Gatwa film Doctor Who scenes on a scooter

Ncuti Gatwa and Millie Gibson film Doctor Who in Barry

[existslikepristin]

Little later than expected because I feel like shiiit. And, I know. "What's new?" But at the moment I mean physically. Regardless, here's ya dang story:

Tags: NSFW, S.M.U.T., genie, poor game design

(Story Index)

Figure the app out

“Well,” you say with a sigh, “I can’t read any ancient languages, so can you just help me out here?”

“Oh duh. Sorry about that, master. Old habits die hard, even if said habits are a few millennia old. We’re currently speaking… ah, yes! English! Easy peezy squeezy my buttcheeks. There you go.”

You look at your phone again. The mass of text bubbles all over the screen are now written in English. It’s still… a lot of nonsense.

“Just point me to the important parts?”

“Of course! Let’s just make you a little more comfortable.”

By the time she finishes the sentence, you’re in your room, sitting on the edge of your bed with Joy pressing her chest into your back. She reaches over your shoulders and speaks softly into your ear as she taps your phone.

“So here we have your Harem Hub, which is where you’ll be spending a decent amount of time swapping back and forth between screens. Where you’ll be spending most of your time…”

Joy touches an image of a tower with gold coins spilling out of it.

“… is here, in your Inventory—it’s called that because you own the people in your harem like they’re inanimate possessions—, where you can organize, sort, search, and summon the members of your harem as desired. As you can see, it’s currently empty, so let’s go back to the Harem Hub.”

While Joy pokes around with one hand, the other is softly rubbing your shoulder. It’s quite relaxing. Come to think of it, you are a little tired.

“Right in the center of the Harem Hub is the Summoning Portal, which summons anime girls to your Inventory, not into the real world, which is a different kind of summoning. Let’s give it a try now and see who you get!”

Before you can do anything yourself, Joy taps the portal and the app begins a series of over the top animations of overlapping summoning circles and colorful overlays. About fifteen seconds later, a naked anime girl with a pitch black hime haircut, nearly black eyes, and rather small breasts flashes on screen. She looks like pretty much every other anime character being drawn these days.

Joy gasps very dramatically, “Oh my gosh, master! You got Anecha on your first try! But she… she’s a Super Rare! You only had a zero point three percent chance of that happening! She’s from the mythical land of Sorgania, and she’s a hybrid of all three class archetypes, able to spec into any skill tree you want! She’s one of—if not the—most versatile girls you can get!”

“That’s cool,” you mutter, “Can we summon her and get fucking?”

“Oh master, you’re so funny. You can’t summon a character naked.”

“But, the whole point is to have sex with her…”

“Well yeah, but when you’re not having sex with her, she’s going to be questing! We’ll get to that in a minute. First, check it out. She was just the rarest of your summons for this pull,” Joy wraps her legs around you, fully bear hugging you from behind while she yammers on, “You also got Heyri, Emi, Bonnie, and Magz. That will make for a pretty balanced party, though you can expect Anecha to handle basically everything on her own until you get to World 4, at least. Obviously though, we need to go back to tow—I mean the Harem Hub to purchase some basic equipment. No, not that shop. That’s the cash shop where you can get more summoning shards. Right here, at the Blacksmith. You’ll want to equip Anecha first to make the first few quests as easy as possible, and you’ve got all these coins ready to go, so… Oh, fantastic! Tim has lava katanas in stock, so we absolutely have to take advantage of that in the next two minutes. We better make sure some of your other girls can benefit from those stats though, so if we check the party status screen you can see their preferred stats are highlighted in gold. It looks like Emi prefers Gumption, so a lava katana is—”

Joy’s words fade into the ether and your eyes drift shut. She’s so warm, holding you like this…

“… and that’s why you always save up your electrum ingots. You don’t want to be willy-nilly turning those into…”

“… obviously, but don’t forget that any skill cooldown can be refreshed by…”

“… back from the arena! We should go congratulate her for defeating the sand kraken, because that will bump up the congratulatory meter. Sometimes you want to hold back though, since doing it too often will give diminishing returns…”

You’re woken up by the sound of squawking birds outside and sunlight blasting your eyes through the window. You’re on your back, legs hanging off the bed. Looking to the side, you see Joy, still naked and hunched over, tapping your phone. “I know it’s labeled as a PVP mode, but since the magic is actually built into you and not the app, that’s not actually a thing. The other players’ names and teams are just randomly generated but slightly optimized versions of your own builds so that you get an idea for what’s actually possible when you spend your gems properly.”

With a yawn, you sit up, make note of your own nudity, and flinch back as you nearly headbutt a new stranger standing at the foot of your bed. “What the fu—who are you?!”

It’s a woman, wearing a skimpy purple bikini with silver trim and blue ribbons hanging off of it. Her hair and fairly large eyes are dark, midnight black. Despite the fact that she’s holding what definitely appears to be a katana made out of lava, she looks a little bit nervous. “S-sorry, master. She,” she points at Joy, who is paying you no mind, ”um, she told me to stand here and wait after summoning me…”

You look her up and down. She’s… taller than you thought she’d be, and her face is a little rounder than it had looked in the image. That picture didn’t do her pouty lower lip or her flared out hip any amount of justice. “Anecha?”

“Sorry, master. It’s pronounced ‘AH-neck-ah,’ but… No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t correct you. Sorry.”

Options:

Um, it’s the morning now. You need to go to work already. You’re probably late.

Responsibilities can wait because they’re for losers. Get a blowjob from Anecha.

Take that sword from her and mess around (safely). It’s so awesome!

Joy called Anecha "the most versatile." Fuck her while you jerk off her futa cock all over Joy’s face.

[brummiereader]

Another chapter already 😍. You're spoiling us Lee!

I really do love the first scene with Tommy and Amelia. You can really see that father daughter bond starting to develop. Tommy really has fallen into father mode with her so quickly, it's honestly adorable.

Gosh...I just love Amelia's fiery personality! “For fucks sake, hit him already!” 🤭, and the fact that bonnie did exactly that and she was in shock that he had knocked him out was hilarious 😂. I adore how you have written their interactions, it's so youthful and refreshing.

“Oi! No fucking fighting with the lads!” he shouted before storming out" Dad mode activated 😅!

Lizzie taking Amelia in the way she has is so sweet. She's become a part of their family so quickly, something she has been desperately wanting for so long. It broke my heart a little when she said "Everything's going to be alright now, mum." Because we know Tommy will send her away, which is only going to cause a huge rift in their relationship. I'm so curious as to how and when this wall all happen.

Ohh Bonnie 🥰. He's already looking out for her. He has a lot more respect for her and her dad than Isaiah does 😬. Isaiah are you mental?? Tommy would lose it if he knew how you was talking!

“Who might that be?” Ew 🤢! God he is gross. I love Polly's response but I get the feeling this pervert is going to seek her out 😩.

Annnd I was right 😠. No no no No!! Get away from her you creep! And just to add to the terrible situation Amelia is now in, she feels casted out by Tommy, which honestly breaks my heart ☹️. Come on Bonnie where are you, knock him out like you did with that guy in the gym.

The last line has honestly left a horrible feeling in my stomach. And you've left it on a cliffhanger 😭, arghh!! Amazing chapter Lee, I can't wait to find out what happens next ❤️!

As Long As I Live (Part 3)

Tommy Shelby & Amelia Holland (OC) x Bonnie Gold

Summary: Bonnie begins to fall for Amelia. Lizzie invites Amelia to her birthday party, but the girl garners unwanted attention.

Author's Note: Requested by the lovely @kpopgirlbtssvt.

Warnings: language, mention of drugs, assault and blood

Masterlist

"One more stop before we head home,” Tommy proclaimed, steering the car toward King Maine’s boxing gym. When they arrived, Tommy glanced at Amelia quickly before exiting the car. Noting her eagerness to follow, he leaned back into the driver’s side window with a stern look. Before she could ask he warned, “This is no place for a young lady, Amelia.”

“Then it’s lucky I’m no lady,” Amelia grinned at him mischievously. “Please…I’ll be with you. What could happen?” she begged.

Tommy shook his head with a laugh and opened the door, allowing her to slide down the bench seat. “Alright, C’mon,” he motioned.

Amelia scurried out of the car and fell in step behind her father, wide eyed at the sight of two large boxing rings and a dozen men in training all around her.  The atmosphere was thick with stale sweat and the muffled sounds of leather gloves striking flesh, groans punctuated by an occasional thump against the ropes.

Almost immediately upon their arrival Tommy’s presence was requested for a business matter and Amelia was told to wait on a bench. Full of curiosity, her eyes scanned the room. Her eyebrows raised at the sight of Bonnie in the far ring sparring with a lad twice his size.

As she watched the young man, she scowled at his overconfidence, taunting his opponent like a bothersome fly. She could see the rage building in the larger man, his balance faltering slightly with every dodge of his fist by Bonnie. She couldn’t help but wonder if the bravado was only a tactic to wear down his opponent for lack of proper skill. Drawn to the performance, she found herself inching closer until she was hanging at the ropes. Finally she couldn’t stop herself from shouting out in frustration, “For fucks sake, hit him already!” 

Bonnie’s face registered a momentary jolt of shock before furrowing his brow in concentration and delivering a knock out punch. The larger man’s body hit the canvas with an enormous thud, landing before Amelia, his arm splayed out close enough for his glove to touch her. “What did you do?” she gasped, looking up into the ring.

Bonnie squatted to her level and said, “Thought you told me to hit him.”

“I-I did, but I wasn’t expecting that,” Amelia sputtered, taking a step backward.

Bonnie huffed out a laugh. “You underestimate me.”

“You’re talented enough, I’ll give you that,” Amelia replied with a roll of her eyes, “but has anyone dared tell you that your defense could use some work or that your left hand is weak?” she ventured.

Bonnie looked down at his left glove and held it up in a guard position. 

“See? You carry on that way and all it’ll be good for is wanking,” Amelia chided.

“If you know so much, why don’t you show me?” he responded without thinking. Then with a blush creeping into his cheeks, “the stance, I mean.” He eyed her briefly before holding up the rope allowing her entry into the ring.

Never one to shrink from a challenge, Amelia looked to see if anyone was watching and gathered her skirts, climbing up to join him. With a toss of her dark mane, she got to work, adjusting his posture and standing adjacent pretending to spar with him. “You see? It’s better!” she grinned triumphantly. Bonnie begrudgingly agreed, watching her with something akin to wonder and a hint of amusement. She couldn’t be sure as it was soon broken by the arrival of Mr. Maine.

“You! Get the fuck out of my ring!” he said, pointing to Amelia. “And, you, get down and skip me 200 for taking the piss out of a fine fighter!” he yelled at Bonnie, face red with anger as he took note of the man coming out of his stupor on the canvas.

Bonnie and Amelia looked at one another quickly before ducking between the ropes and jumping down from the ring. Bonnie picked up a skipping rope and began his punishment as Amelia looked on teasing, “So you want to be a champion of the world, do ya?”

“I want to do something with my life. I won’t see it wasted,” he said, barely breaking a sweat as the rope turned quickly in his hands, the muscles in his arms tensing ever so slightly with the familiar motion. His eyes held a look of determination and ferocity she’d never seen in anyone.

He finished his count, coming to a sudden stop before her. “What is it you want?” he asked, hazel eyes shimmering through the dust and filament of the sunlight streaming through the skylight. He passed her the rope, fingers brushing against hers a moment longer than necessary.

“Amelia!” Tommy’s voice echoed through the gym, the sound of his heavy footsteps breaking them apart. His face was tight with concern and a hint of anger as he pointed at her. “I thought you said you’d behave?”

Amelia looked at her father innocently. “Nothing’s happened,” she lied.

Tommy huffed in frustration. Pinching the bridge of his nose he sighed, “Can’t believe I have to say this, Amelia, but you can’t interfere with training.”

“But I wasn’t—“ she began to protest.

“Oi! No fucking fighting with the lads!” he shouted before storming out.

Amelia heard a snort and turned to see Bonnie peering at her from behind a bag, a huge grin on his face. She stuck out her tongue at him as he returned to his training, watching him a moment before rushing to the car, afraid to keep her father waiting any longer.

————————-

“Amelia! Amelia, come and have a look,” Lizzie called from her bedroom. 

Amelia popped her head inside the door to see her stepmother holding up a fashionable beaded gown that caught the light as she moved. “Do you like it?” Lizzie asked excitedly.

“It’s lovely, Lizzie,” Amelia said. Everything Lizzie chose was something devastatingly chic. She had an enormous wardrobe filled with clothes and insisted Amelia allow her to buy her garments as well when she arrived. It wasn’t an offer Amelia had been comfortable with in the beginning, but as she settled, she realized it was a way for Lizzie to show affection and learned to accept the gifts graciously.

“I’m pleased you like it because I’m giving it to you to wear for my birthday party,” Lizzie informed her with a wide smile.

“I couldn’t accept…” Amelia said, feeling the familiar tug of guilt at taking from the Shelbys.

“Yes, you can because it’s my birthday and I want to give it to you,” Lizzie said.

“Aren’t I supposed to give you a gift?” Amelia asked with a giggle.

“Wear it to my party and enjoy. That will be your gift to me,” Lizzie replied, holding out the gown. Amelia carefully took it into her arms, admiring the intricate patterns of beads as she traced her fingertips over the delicate needlework. 

“Thank you,” she nearly whispered.

“It’s going to be so much fun! Have you ever seen a ballet?” Lizzie asked as she turned to her wardrobe, sliding the hangers aside to find her own gown.

“No, I haven’t,” Amelia admitted. 

“Tommy took me to one when we were in Paris on our honeymoon. I’ve never forgotten it,” Lizzie mused, her hand pausing a moment over the rack. “He isn’t all paperwork and boring politics, you know,” she said with a breathy laugh. As she turned to face Amelia she had a tear in her eye as she said, “You must know it though, you’ve brought out the best in him since you’ve arrived.” 

Amelia could only beam in response to the compliment. All she wanted was a family to belong to and it seemed she’d finally found hers again. Feeling overwhelmed she excused herself to her room, closing the door as a tear slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, fingertips fumbling to find the pendant around her neck. Closing her eyes she whispered, "Everything's going to be alright now, mum."

————————-

As the music from Lizzie’s party wafted through the rooms of Arrow House, Amelia fidgeted with her gloves and the neckline of her gown one last time before making her entrance. She knew she'd need more than a deep breath to get through the evening and swiped a glass of champagne from a passing tray. Downing it as quickly as possible, she hoped it would give her the courage to enter the room where partygoers were already gathering and chatting to one another happily.

“Little miss looks a treat, don’t she?” Isaiah said, jabbing Bonnie in the ribs to get his attention. Bonnie was already looking in Amelia’s direction, however, scanning the room for anyone who might have ill intentions toward her. When Isaiah began talking about tempting Amelia to follow them to the servants' quarters to play in the snow, Bonnie took offense.

“She’s a good girl, ‘siah. She don’t do that stuff,” he said, feeling sick at the thought of someone corrupting her.

“Maybe she’d like to try it with a fella she trusted then,” Isaiah said, with a roguish arch of his eyebrow.

“Leave her alone,” Bonnie warned, pressing Isaiah against the wall suddenly.

Isaiah chuckled as he watched Bonnie’s nostrils flare. “Alright, I see how it is. Want her for yourself,” he said breaking free and straightening his jacket.

“We’re here to protect her. That’s all,” Bonnie admonished him firmly, stepping back.

“Keep telling yourself that, mate,” Isaiah said with a smirk, sauntering off into the crowd.

Across the room, Ada took note of Amelia’s uncomfortable posture, rigid as a statue in the corner of the room. Taking pity on her, Ada crossed the floor to speak with her before the poor girl died of nerves. “Amelia, does Tommy know how lovely you look this evening?” she asked, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

“He’s been so busy, I don’t even know if he realized I was coming,” Amelia confessed absently as she looked around at all the elegant women around her. "I don't belong here. Everyone's starin' like they expect me to sell pegs and tell fortunes," she fretted.

Ada couldn't help but laugh at her remark. "First, they're not staring, they're admiring. And it's not just you! It's me as well, thank you very much," she said playfully. Leaning in, she whispered conspiratorially, "We're the only guests in the room under the age of sixty! They all wish they were as young and beautiful as we are," Ada said with a cheerful smile, linking arms with her niece. Amelia finally relaxed as she let out a little chuckle, grateful for her aunt's sense of humor.

If he hadn’t known before, Tommy was instantly aware of his daughter’s presence, his eyes growing wide at the sight of her when he entered with Lizzie on his arm. “Lizzie, what’s Amelia doing here?” he whispered harshly into his wife’s ear. 

“She’s here to celebrate my birthday, of course. She’s part of the family,” Lizzie replied from the corner of her mouth, trying not to let her guests see them arguing.

Tommy pulled her aside, a note of concern evident in his face as he confided, “There’s going to be political figures here tonight and I wasn’t ready to answer questions about-“

“Hang your politics, Tommy! She’s your daughter,” Lizzie scolded. “You weren’t ashamed of me, don’t hide Amelia away either.”

“It’s not about that, Lizzie. I can’t go into it right now," he rushed the words out as he realized he had to find his daughter. "I need you to trust me,” Tommy pleaded as Lizzie looked on in confusion.

“Tommy! Look who I found. Isn’t she lovely?” Ada gushed as she guided Amelia over to where Tommy and Lizzie stood.

Lizzie greeted her stepdaughter with a warm smile and a hug, complimenting her as Tommy thought of what to do next. Deciding it best to keep his daughter a well-guarded secret from his work colleagues in Parliament at least a bit longer, he motioned for Isaiah. Then turning to Amelia he instructed, “Darling, I need to ask you to go with Isaiah.”

“I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?” Amelia asked, crestfallen at the thought of being asked to leave before the ballet even started. 

Lizzie exhaled loudly in obvious disagreement, looking away as Tommy placed a hand to Amelia’s arm reassuring her, “You’ve done nothing wrong, eh?”

Amelia nodded slowly, still not understanding. Tommy added, “I’ll explain later. Just please go.”

As Isaiah approached, Tommy leaned in to whisper something in his ear and Isaiah seemed to take pleasure in escorting Amelia away, tears welling in her eyes as she went.

“Was that really necessary, Tommy?” Lizzie asked, hands crossed over her chest.

“I’m afraid it was, love. I’m sorry,” Tommy replied, adjusting his bow tie and offering his arm. He breathed a sigh of relief as he noted the person he was most concerned about was not yet in attendance.

In the dining room Polly greeted Sir Oswald Mosley, approaching him in all her regal glamor, an ostrich feather fan in one hand as a barrier between them. “We have opium, cocaine and brandy,” Polly offered. “I also have a list of options for the end of the evening. You’ll notice the maids wear name tags. We hired them especially for those guests staying the night. All things are available except the ballerinas,” she said, temptation dripping from her tongue. A smug look of satisfaction crossed her lips as she finished speaking, certain one of the many options would content him.

As she fanned herself, she noticed Isaiah guiding Amelia away and her eyes tracked the pair as they hurried through the room. Mosley too took note, his gaze hawklike and predatory when he sensed opportunity. “Who might that be?” he asked of the raven haired beauty with rampant curiosity. 

Polly’s eyes flashed with momentary fire as she replied, “She is a princess amongst the Romanies and she too is unavailable.” 

—————————————————————

The crowd at Arrow House had grown, guests wandering in and out of the house even as the ballet began and Bonnie had lost sight of Amelia. His worry only intensified when he realized Isaiah was also missing. By the time he found them in the cellar, he was enraged at the sight of a giggly Amelia being held close by Isaiah. They were wrapped up together in a slow dance to the tune of the music seeping through the floorboards overhead. As Isaiah’s hands began to wander over her body, Bonnie charged at him, breaking them apart. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” Isaiah asked, pushing against Bonnie’s chest, slamming him into a wine barrel.

“I could ask you the same!” Bonnie shouted. “What did you give her?” he asked, taking hold of Isaiah’s lapels and shaking him.

“Nothing. I didn’t give her nothing,” Isaiah said disgustedly as they began scuffling. 

Bonnie ripped an empty blue bottle from Isaiah’s pockets and shoved it under his nose. “I don’t believe you!”

“Bonnie, stop it!” Amelia called to him, halting their fighting momentarily. “He’s telling the truth! We were only dancing," she said with a toss of her head. "Jesus, you’re worse than my father telling everyone what to do. Why can’t you leave me alone?” she huffed in frustration, tearing from the room and up the stairs into the darkness of the cool spring evening before they could catch her. Running as fast as she could past the manicured flower beds and deep within the maze of Arrow House's gardens, she stopped to listen to the music of Swan Lake.

She leaned against the craggy stone of the garden walls, breathing deeply as she looked up into the night sky full of twinkling stars. Maybe it was wrong of Lizzie to invite her tonight, pushing her father to acknowledge her existence so publicly. As she toyed with the beads of her expensive dress, she felt the hot tears collect at her lash line and bit them back, not wanting to admit how much she’d desired acceptance. Somewhere along the way, she’d wanted a place in the Shelby family and now it seemed she was being shut out. She dropped her head into her hands and wept, unaware of the footsteps along the path beside her.

“And what do Romany princesses have to cry about?” a smooth voice glided through the air over her shoulder and into her ear like the gentle hiss of a serpent. 

"I'm no princess," she corrected without looking up. “And no daughter either, apparently,” she sniffed almost inaudibly. Silence hung in the air for a moment before she turned to see a well dressed man with a thin mustache standing over her.

Her body stiffened when she realized his close proximity. “I should go,” she mumbled, brushing past him.

“You intrigue me. Do stay and tell me your troubles,” he coaxed, reaching an arm out to grasp her wrist. Amelia’s eyes darted to his as his lips curled up a bit too harshly at the corners, the lack of warmth mirrored in his darkened irises.

Amelia shivered at the lack of sincerity in the gesture. “I’m cold, I need to go inside now,” she forced out, looking down at her arm still trapped in his vice like grip.

Voice dropping dangerously low he growled, “I must insist.”

---------------

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[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Why 'Black Sails' Is Still Worth a Watch

These pirates' lives made for some great television.

(Spoiler alert for people haven't watch!)

The Big Picture

Black Sails is an underrated pirate series that serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island.

The show explores the origins of Captain Flint and John Silver, and their journey from noblemen to pirates.

The series features an ensemble of real-life pirates, has a prolific cast, and delves into darker and more introspective themes than other pirate shows.

Pirates make for great entertainment. From the swashbuckling thrills of the Pirates of the Caribbean films to the animated antics of One Piece, and recent hit shows like Our Flag Means Death, buccaneers and their battles on the high seas have provided a wealth of stories for screens large and small. One of the most underrated pirate stories happens to be the Starz series Black Sails. Over the course of four seasons, a gripping narrative of blood and betrayal was woven.

Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Black Sails was crafted to fill the void left by Starz's previous heavy hitter Spartacus. And much like the Rome-set series, Black Sails features an ensemble cast and drew inspiration from another creative work. In this case, the show serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and focuses on two characters from the novel: Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and new crew member John Silver (Luke Arnold). While other prequels to famous works feel the need to explain every little detail that surrounds the preceding source material, Black Sails takes a different path and explores how its pirates came to be the men they are.

Captain Flint and John Silver Are at the Center of This Swashbuckling Story

In the second season, Flint is revealed to have turned from a nobleman's life to that of a pirate following the imprisonment and death of his lover Thomas Hamilton. Adding salt in the wound is the death of Thomas' wife Miranda, which pushes Flint over the edge. Throughout the series, he attempts to gather his fellow pirates into a force that will rival the British fleets; he also tracks down and kills those who wronged him. By the series finale, Flint has finally won his war and becomes the ruler of the pirate nation Nassau. Stephens portrays Flint with a quiet intensity that often boils over into bloodlust and/or rage given who he interacts with.

During his quest, Flint must deal with Silver, who often schemes against him and ultimately winds up betraying him in order to gain a greater share of the gold hidden in the Spanish ship known as Urca de Lima, which drives the plot of the first two seasons. However, over the course of the series, Silver grows to be a loyal ally to Flint and the crew of the Walrus, and uses his schemes to help them survive. True to the book, Silver suffers extreme torture in Season 2 that forces him to have his leg amputated — but even though he has a peg leg, it doesn't make him any less dangerous.

'Black Sails' Explored the Lives of Real-Life Pirates and Deeper Themes

Black Sails was also notorious for introducing several real-life pirates into its narrative. Chief among them was Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson), who goes by his real name of Edward Teach. Teach enters into a partnership with Flint and the other pirates when they seek to retake Nassau from Captain Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts), who Teach wants revenge against for reasons initially unknown. Stevenson is utterly terrifying as Teach; he towers over everyone and even defeats Flint in a sword fight — when Flint is the one who challenged him! Other real-life pirates include Zach McGowan as Charles Vane, Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham (otherwise known as "Calico Jack"), and Clara Paget as Anne Bonny.

Black Sails contains what may be one of the most prolific ensemble casts for a cable series; each member went on to star in more genre fare. Tom Hopper, who portrayed Billy Bones, is a major part of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix. Jessica Parker Kennedy, who plays Max, made an appearance on The Flash as Barry Allen's daughter Nora. Stephens has appeared in the James Bond film Die Another Day, as well as Netflix's Lost in Space. Stevenson has been in all sorts of genre fare including Ahsoka (in his final performance), Punisher: War Zone, Thor, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This is another thing it shares in common with Spartacus, as that show has seen many of its alums go on to alternate genre fare (none likely more famous than Lucy Lawless, who defined early genre TV when she played a certain warrior princess).

Black Sails stood out from other pirate series by going into darker places, especially where its characters were concerned. Though Flint was the protagonist, he'd commit cold-blooded murder, especially if anyone crossed him. Betrayals were second nature; one minute two of the pirates could be allies and the next they'd be at each other's throats. And for all the blood, sex, and swearing, the series was rather introspective; it explored the mental cost Flint's past took on him, and was willing to question whether or not he could truly find peace. Black Sails was definitely a series ahead of its time, not just in pirate media but in genre storytelling on the whole, and the map it laid out would lead to many similar elements playing out in shows that would soon follow, like Game of Thrones and The Witcher.

Black Sails is available to stream on Starz.

Note from admin: Black Sails coming to Netflix US on 1st January, stay tuned!

Source: Collider

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Part 21: The Shadow of the Abattoir

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Pairing: Tommy Shelby x OC

Summary: Tommy and Lucy finally meet face to face with their latest adversary.

Word Count: 5,151

Notes: Warnings for depictions of smut and violence.

Previous Chapter • Series • Fic • Next Chapter

Chapter 6: None of You Will Survive

“What are you doing in here all on your own?”

Lucy turned from where she’d been feeding apple slices to Wraith and Sin, smiling a little at the sight of Tommy walking through the entryway, hands pulling free from his pockets.

“I’ve got these two to keep me company,” she said, the horses snorting in agreement. Tommy came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and nestling his face in the crook of her neck, pressing a few kisses and nuzzles into her skin. Her eyes fluttered, leaning back into the solidness of his body with a sigh. 

“I spoke with Polly.”

“Mm,” he rested his chin on her shoulder. “How did that go?”

“Could have gone worse,” she shrugged, then craned her head back to look at him. “Could have gone better, too. I’ll tell you about it later,” it had seemed that her conversation with Polly had taken up most of her remaining energy, leaving her feeling so fatigued, she was half tempted to crawl into Sin or Wraith’s stable and fall asleep beside them on the hay. 

I spoke to Aberama Gold. He wants us to help his son, Bonnie, become a boxer.”

“Oh? Is he any good?”

“I think he might be. We’ll do a test later.”

She hummed, nodding and closing her eyes. Tommy chuckled at the way she leaned more of her weight back into him. 

“Tired?”

“Mhm.”

“After we eat, we can go back to the house and get some rest,” keeping one arm around her, he reached out the other to give the horses a gentle pat. He then turned her in his arms so that she was facing him, cupping her face with both hands. “Eh?”

She nodded, then dropped her head forward to land heavily on the center of his chest. Tommy laughed softly, squeezing her and kissing the top of her head. One of his large fingers curled under her chin, tilting her head up until he could kiss her softly. 

“Come on,” he took her hand. “Food’s ready.”

Fingers clutched in his big, warm hand, she squeezed his palm, and let him lead her from the stables. 

∗ ∗ ∗

She’d heard from somewhere–she couldn’t quite remember where, maybe from one of her cousins or aunts on her yearly visit to them and their caravan in the mountains–that funerals made people want sex.

Maybe it was the need for comfort. Or maybe it was the reminder that life was fleeting, and so you might as well make the most of it while you still could. 

Lucy sighed, back arching up, pushing her bare breasts harder against Tommy’s hands, his calloused skin sliding and squeezing hers and making her shiver. Her legs were hitched up around his waist, feet pressing into his lower back and urging him to go deeper. He kissed her softly, taking his time in mapping out the landscape of her mouth with his tongue. 

With John gone and Arthur, Ada, and Polly all staying at their own separate houses, they’d claimed one of the empty bedrooms in the Shelby house, letting Charlie have Tommy’s old room.

Everyone had dispersed after dinner to get settled in or deal with any business–family or otherwise–that they needed to before they set hard to work the next day. They were alone, save for Charlie sleeping soundly in the other room and Asher dozing dutifully outside his door. 

Tommy purred as she moaned into his mouth at a particularly deep thrust. “Can’t be too loud, love,” he warned, even as he grunted softly at the way she tightened around him when he bottomed out. 

She pulled him in closer for another kiss, hands smoothing along and squeezing his strong biceps before finding purchase on his back. He growled lowly when she circled her index finger around a scar on his shoulder. 

His public bone rubbed up against her sensitive clit with each thrust, his hands all over her as they kissed again, and again, and again. There was no chance of her being chilled like she had been earlier at the yard. Not with her back to the mattress and Tommy on top of her, his skin hot like there was an inferno swirling within him. He’d always ran warm. It was part of what made him so good for snuggling.  

“Tommy,” her head fell back against the pillows. He’d already made her come once with his mouth tonight, and she could feel her muscles, tired but eager, preparing for another one as it continued to build, growing closer with each roll of his hips into hers. 

“I know,” he was moving a little faster, cock throbbing with his own approaching release. “I know; it’s okay. What do you need?”

“Faster,” she requested, and he immediately picked up the pace. She scrabbled at his shoulders, soft moans leaving her lips. Tommy kissed her again, one strong hand sliding up to cup her face and the side of her neck. Humming, he used it to tilt her head just so, placing kisses along the expanse of her exposed pale throat. 

“Close, so close…” 

His hand dropped to brace by her head, keeping the bulk of his weight off of her as he started to go even faster, still hitting deep, but bucking at a more frantic pace. Lucy’s hips met his at every thrust, their skin slapping together audibly. 

“Ah…” she jerked her head forward, pressing her mouth to his neck to try to stifle her moans. Tommy groaned, cock twitching inside her. 

Without warning, his hand was between her legs, thumb pressing hurried circles into her clit, and she bit down roughly into his shoulder to stop what would have been a very loud cry of his name as her walls clamped down around him in release. 

Tommy growled, eyes rolling in his head at the sting of her teeth in his flesh, thrusting a few more times, moaning at the tightness and the gush of her orgasm around him, before his cock twitched, then throbbed hard and he stilled, sheathed fully into her while he emptied. 

Neither of them moved for a long time, choosing to remain entangled beneath the blankets. Tommy was kissing up and down the side of her face lazily, practically purring. 

“You bit me.”

She smiled to herself at the mild amusement in his voice, and leaned up to press a kiss to the spot on his shoulder. “Sorry.”

He just kissed her temple, and with a somewhat overdramatic groan, pulled out and rolled over to sprawl on his side of the bed. Lucy rolled onto her side, pouting at him while he grabbed his cigarette case from the nightstand and lit one. When he noticed her expression, he chuckled, hooking an arm around her and drawing her in tight against his chest. 

“C’mere.”

She made a happy little humming noise, snuggling in close, taking drags from the cigarette whenever he offered it. 

“Gonna be a long day tomorrow, isn’t it?” she mumbled, voice slurry with sleep as her eyes closed. 

“Yes.”

“Mm,” reaching up blindly, she took the cigarette from him and clumsily stubbed it out in the ashtray. Both arms wrapped around his ribs, hugging him like she would an oversized teddy bear. “Try to sleep, Tom.”

She felt him sigh and shift against her, getting more comfortable, his face pressed into her hair, breathing her in and relaxing. “I love you, Lucy.”

She stroked his back lazily, smiling a little. “I love you too.”

They were both asleep within five minutes.  

∗ ∗ ∗

The walk to the factory was smoky and riddled with fire and clangs from the machinery they were passing, men covered in soot and sweat shot curious glances her way until they recognized the red of her hair or who she was with and quickly looked away. 

All men in Small Heath knew that if they looked at her for too long, they risked losing their eyes. 

“I talked to Charlie on the phone before we left,” she reported to Tommy, adjusting her grip on Asher’s lead. “He said May got in and picked up the horse with no trouble.”

“Good.”

“I still wish we could have said hello.”

“When I talked with her on the phone, she said that she might try to come back at a later date to see us.”

“That would be nice.”

“I thought so too.”

“Tommy! Lucy!”

She glanced in the direction of the voice, smiling a little at the boy jogging up to fall into step beside them. “Hello, Isiah. What have you got for us?”

“Nothing yet on Luca. The boys are still scouring.”

“Tell them to keep an eye out for his mother, too. She would have come with him from New York. Any other relatives?”

“With Vincente and Angel dead, there’s just a cousin in Birmingham. Luca came from New York to be best man at his wedding sometime between 1919 and 1920,” he handed Lucy a photograph of a group of men dressed in suits gathered around, smiling at the camera. “The boys checked his flat in what used to be the Changretta’s territory, but he’s gone.”

“Hm. Tell them to keep looking. And don’t do anything if you find him, just report back to me or Tommy. What’s his name?”

“Alessio Changretta.”  

“Right. Good work. Keep it up.”

He nodded, and melted away into the smoke.

“He’s a good kid,” she commented, holding out the photograph for Tommy to have a look.

“Yes, he is.”

“He’s been helpful with running the spy network this past year. If I ever were to be out of commission for a prolonged period of time, I think he’s getting close to being able to run it without me for a little while.”

Tommy shot her a look. “Are you planning on getting horrifically injured again sometime soon?”

“No,” she chuckled, raising a hand unconsciously to rub over the scar just under her left ear. “But it’s always good to be prepared just in case.”

As they finally made their way to the factory, she spotted Arthur waiting for them near the entrance with Aberama and Bonnie Gold. They all greeted each other warmly, and followed Tommy into the factory. Sparks flew and blazed all around them, the clang of metal increasing. Asher’s ears twitched, momentarily lowering against his skull, but he settled when she stroked a hand along his head. 

“I know, boy. I know. It’s loud. C’mon.”

He looked up at her with big, trusting brown eyes, tongue falling from his mouth, sticking close to her side as they moved deeper inside and to where it was a little quieter.    

Devlin, the factory manager, rushed over to them. Tommy began giving him instructions to clear the area and get him some rope and a bell, then indicated for her and Bonnie to follow him deeper into the depths of the factory.

He called out to a man Lucy had found by scouring their employees' records the night before: Billy Mills, a former heavyweight champion. Tommy offered him a heaping sum of money to fight Bonnie while Lucy leaned against the wall, fighting off the curl of amusement on her lips as she watched Tommy work. As soon as Billy had agreed to the fight, Tommy was marching back up to where they’d come, the area already starting to be cleared off the way he’d asked. Rope was tied on posts to create a square for the fight to take place in, Arthur taking bets while Billy and Bonnie prepared. 

Lucy linked her arms with Tommy’s, Asher sitting dutifully at their feet. Someone rang a bell, and the fight was off. 

The kid had good form, but was leaning heavily on the defensive. Lucy chanced a look up at Tommy, and bit back a smile at the way his eyes were narrowed in concentration, analyzing every single second of the fight, the men around them hollering and cheering.  

And then, suddenly, with a quick order from Aberama, Bonnie downed Billy Mills, the Heavyweight Champion, in but a handful of punches.

Lucy had to fight back the urge to whoop. It was always nice to see someone small and slight take down someone bigger than them.

As a card carrying member of that club herself, she approved. 

“Alright boys, that’s enough sport, get back to work!” she called to the men around them, and they began to disperse. 

As they spoke with Aberama, Devlin came up to them again, informing them that Jessie Eden was waiting upstairs. Tommy told him they would be there in a minute, but he hesitated. 

“She’s becoming impatient.”

“Offer her tea or…something while she waits,” Lucy said. 

“We already did.”

Her head snapped around, brow raising at Devlin’s tone. He immediately looked down at his shoes. 

“Well, offer again,” she said slowly. Devlin’s eyes darted between her and Tommy, visibly shrinking in on himself at the coldness he was met with from both parties, nodding and shuffling off. She shared an exasperated look with lover, stepping to the side with him and Arthur to speak in low voices by the car. 

“What do you think?” Tommy asked them. 

“I like him,” Lucy said, looking back at where Bonnie was talking with his father. “And it would be good to have something substantial to hold the Gold’s loyalty to us. Besides, we could use some fresh blood around here.”

Once the three of them were all in agreement, they approached Bonnie and Aberama again. Tommy told them to speak with Polly regarding a deal about money, and held out a peaked cap for Bonnie to take. 

“We better get upstairs. Before Devlin has a coronary,” Lucy said, angling her head towards the stairs, shooting a warm smile Bonnie’s way. “Congratulations.” 

At Tommy’s heels, she followed him up the stairs and into the conference room where Jessie was waiting for him. 

“You can go,” she told Devlin, and he hurried out the door. “Asher, no,” she gently chastised the dog, giving a small tug on the lead when he moved to try to sniff Jessie’s shoes, guiding him instead to follow her towards the far end of the table, hanging up her coat and plopping down in the seat to Tommy’s right at the head of the table. Asher laid down beside her, head on his paws. She reached down to stroke his huge head, scratching behind his ear before straightening and getting to work. 

The conversation with Jessie did not last long, and ended with her whisking from the room, followed quickly by the shrill shriek of her whistle, initiating the beginning of a strike, echoing throughout the entire factory. 

Rubbing at her face, Lucy stripped off her suit jacket, hanging it on the back of her chair. “How many meetings do we have today?”

Tommy turned his cigarette over and over between his fingers. “Several.”

She sighed, and wriggled out of her gun holster, loosening the straps and contorting slightly to get out of it. She passed it to Tommy, who took it and hung it up next to their coats and his own holster. Best not be displaying a loaded weapon around when in professional meetings. 

When he went to the door, she got up and followed him, Asher in tow, to watch over the railing from the level above as the men below put down their tools and started to walk towards the door. 

It was eerily quiet, once all of the men downstairs had left. Lucy felt her nerves jumping, even after they returned to the conference room. Asher sniffed around the coat tree where they’d hung their jackets and holsters, but let Lucy pull him away and coax him to lay back down at her feet. She was grateful that she didn’t have to do much more than take notes during the various meetings they had for the day. By the time Devlin came in to inform them of their last meeting, it was getting late, the light filtering in through the windows beginning to fade. 

Tommy tossed his pen onto the table, rubbing at his eyes and sighing.

“Last one, right? Then we can go home,” Lucy reminded him. Beside her, Asher suddenly rose from his spot laying at her feet, back arching, legs planted firmly as he stood in front of her. “Ash?”

A deep, rumbling growl sounded from the dog’s throat, lips curling back in a snarl, dark eyes focused on the door.

Lucy’s head snapped up, suddenly on high alert. Devlin came in, followed by a tall, dark haired man. Lucy didn’t hear the name Devlin introduced him by. It didn’t matter, anyway. It wasn’t his real name. 

The fingers of her left hand curled in Asher’s collar to keep him from lunging prematurely. Her right hand slipped unconsciously to her ribs, and the cold gasp of panic suddenly encircled her throat at the realization that her gun wasn’t tucked snugly against her side like it usually was, but instead was hanging in her holster dangling from the coat tree.   

Her eyes darted to Tommy as Devlin left, momentarily caught frozen like a deer in headlights. She had a knife in her shoe, and her aim when throwing it was almost as good as her shot with a revolver, but bending to retrieve it risked alerting Luca to what she was planning, and in the split second it would take for her to pull the blade from her boot, he could hurt Tommy. 

She could sic Asher onto him. Let the dog tear him to shreds or at the very least distract him long enough for her to get her blade out. But that approach had its risks too. 

They were cornered. 

Tommy’s eyes met hers, just as shocked as she was, for a second. But he recovered fast, gaze flicking to Asher, still growling at Lucy’s side. She could see him analyzing the situation just as she had, turning over every approach and possibility in his head.  

Stand down, his eyes commanded silently.

Are you sure? she asked back. 

Yes.

She swallowed roughly. “Asher,” it came out in a hoarse, soft rasp, then, in Romani, “stand down.”

The dog immediately stopped growling and sat back on his haunches, but continued to watch Luca with eyes as suspicious as those of his two owners, prepared to spring if given the order. She looked at Tommy again, more tense than she thought she’d ever been in her life, even as Luca moved to sit in the chair across from them. Every miniscule movement from him had her on edge, ready to give Asher the order and reach for the blade in her shoe at the first sign of aggression. 

Tommy?

I want to hear what he has to say. He tries anything, you know what to do.

The calmness of his voice, even just in her head, helped to ever so slightly relax her.

Tommy pulled out his cigarettes from the pocket of his coat where it was hanging, along with their gun holsters. Good. He could get at them easily if he needed to. 

Luca reminded her of a snake. Everything, from the way he smiled, to the glint in his green eyes. He spoke slowly, and she swore that a hiss undercut his every word. He placed a toothpick between his teeth, and Lucy wondered if it would be too much to hope that he choked on it. 

“I am surprised how easy it was to get into a room with you,” Luca said, low, smug. 

Tommy pulled his gun from his holster and cocked it. “And now?”

Luca held his hands up, sarcastically, tauntingly, and Lucy felt her blood chill as he explained how earlier, during the commotion on the factory floor, he’d sent a man up to unload their guns while they dangled unguarded from the coat hanger. He reached into his pocket, and drew out a handful of gleaming bullets. Tommy checked his gun, and Lucy could see the silent, rather colorful language flitting through his head behind his eyes as he took in the empty chambers. A sick feeling twisted in her stomach, but she forced herself not to move; to remain calm.  

If Luca wanted to kill either of them here, they’d likely be dead already. But she still kept careful watch over his movements.

Luca began to list off the names of each individual Shelby while setting the bullets cupped in his hand down upright onto the table. There was one for each of them: Arthur, Polly, Michael, Ada, Tommy, and John. He flicked the one for John across the table towards Tommy with a taunt and a clatter. 

“None for me, Luca?” Lucy asked. He had yet to acknowledge her at all. Hadn’t even looked at her, in fact. But his snake-like eyes were on her the moment she spoke, and she smiled widely, letting it shimmer madly in her eyes to hide the way that her heart was pounding in her chest. “I’m hurt.”

Luca looked her up and down, fingering his toothpick. “Ah…” he settled the slip of wood between his teeth and cocked his head. “The little demon. At first, I’d hoped to get a meeting with you alone, Mr. Shelby. But my mother…my mother said that that would be almost impossible. She says that wherever you go, your Red Demon is never far away,” he smiled at her in a way that sent a chill down her spine and made her stomach turn. A scoff that reminded her more of a hiss left his lips. “Lucy Winters,” he said her name with both contempt and disappointment, the final s of her surname drawing out between his lips. “She made you sound terrifying, but…” he clicked his tongue, looking her up and down. “Hard to see what there is to be so terrified of.”

“At least get to know me first before you start making assumptions,” she smiled, confidence returning slightly. He did not take her seriously. He did not believe her to be a legitimate threat, despite his mother’s warnings. 

They could use that. 

Luca chuckled, continuing to gnaw on that damned toothpick, grinning at her with it jammed between his teeth. “No bullet for you, little one. Though make no mistake, I will put you down the same as I do the others, if you make me,” his eyes suddenly sparked with cruel mirth, gaze darting between her and Tommy, eyeing him smugly before returning his gaze to her. “But, after your lover here is dead, if you find yourself feeling lonely…” he trailed off, grinning at the suggestion. Out of the corner of her eye, Lucy could see Tommy tensing. Luca noticed it too, glee dancing in his eyes at getting under Tommy’s skin. “Since you have a taste for gangsters.”

“I’ll take the bullet to the head,” Lucy sneered back. Luca just chuckled, unbothered at her answer.

“Loyal, hm? I can respect that. Well done, Shelby,” he tipped his head to Tommy with another smirk, though his eyes still remained on her as he shrugged. “But…if you ever change your mind…”

“That’s enough,” Tommy growled out, jaw set. And Luca’s eyes were on him entirely again, all shining spark of humor abruptly snuffed out. Lucy watched him, brow lifted and unimpressed. Not for one second did she believe Luca to be legitimately interested in her. He’d written her off as of any significance the first second he laid eyes on her. The only usefulness she suspected that he saw in her was in using veiled threats against her to get under Tommy’s skin. 

But in the few minutes he had been in the room with them, Luca Changretta had revealed a good many things about himself: he underestimated her–and potentially other women, too–he was cocky, gloating, and believed that this would be an easy victory for him. His suit was pressed, shoes clean. That meant that he had not had to travel far to meet them. It was likely that he was staying in or close to Birmingham somewhere. And he had come here, not to kill them, but to talk. That indicated some level of honor.  

All knowledge that would be quite useful in pinpointing his weak spots. 

It was like she had disappeared entirely, the hate Luca felt making itself known across his face, darkening his eyes, his focus solely on Tommy. 

“None of you will survive.”

He rose from his seat, still hissing his cocky, mocking words. Promises of death to all whose names he’d just listed out. He advanced on Tommy slowly, though Tommy did not move, did not speak. Asher started growling softly as Luca drew nearer, and Lucy tightened her grip on his collar with her left hand, the fingers of her right itching for her knife.

At Luca’s suggestion that they fight the vendetta with honor, Tommy put down his empty gun–though Lucy suspected he was greatly tempted to try to bludgeon him with it.

“No civilians. No children,” he said.

Luca nodded. “No police.”

One half of Tommy’s lips pulled up in a sarcastic smile. “Welcome to Birmingham, Mr. Changretta.”

Luca’s lips pulled into something that was more grimace than smile. “Grazie,” looking between them, he smiled. “I will leave you two to your business, then,” he started for the door. “A pleasure meeting you both.”

Neither of them moved, or said a word, until the door was swinging shut behind him, the sounds of his footfalls retreating as he headed for the stairs. They were both waiting for the sound of him returning, or the crack of gunfire to explode in through the windows. When it became apparent that neither was coming, Lucy jumped from her seat, releasing her hold on Asher’s collar and scrambling for her gun in its holster. She pulled it free, the sensation of the grip in her palm soothing. When she cracked it open, she was met with the empty chambers, fumbling for the spare bullets she kept in her pockets to refill them. 

Tommy was hastily closing the blinds and locking the door. 

“Holy fuck,” she said, breathing suddenly more rapid now that she was allowed to show more emotion. “Tommy…”

He was pacing back and forth, rubbing at his eyes and looking like he wanted to scream and cry in equal measure. She caught him by the arms, hands flying up to touch his cheeks. He latched onto her biceps, holding onto her suddenly as if she were the only thing anchoring him to the earth. Her eyes searched his face, and for a moment, she could see plainly the fear in his eyes–fear for his family, for her, for himself. She leaned into him, thumbs stroking his cheeks.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. They’d made it out of the meeting quite well, all things considered. Especially since they’d been caught so unawares. The children were effectively all safe, thanks to the deal Tommy and Luca had struck. And it had allowed them a real glimpse of their adversary. A chance to gather information and to get to know the man they would be warring against. That type of understanding of him would be invaluable going forward. 

But…

“I’m sorry,” she wetted her lips. “I should have had my gun with me…” Stupid. So fucking stupid. If she hadn’t taken off her holster, she could have ended this whole fucking mess then and there the second Luca walked through the door. 

“Not your fault. I made the same mistake,” Tommy finally spoke, seeming to have somewhat come back to himself. 

“We got some useful things out of that, though.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Yeah, but it’s not safe here. Grab your things.”

“Right.”

Hastily, she pulled on her holster, replacing her revolver in its proper place nestled against her side, then put on her suit jacket and coat, hat pulled securely on her head. They gathered up what papers they needed to take with them, and with Asher’s lead clutched in one hand and Tommy’s hand squeezing hers in the other, they rushed from the factory.

∗ ∗ ∗

Tommy sat beside Arthur, Lucy leaning into his side with her head on his shoulder, while he and his brother talked about death. 

Arthur thought that John was in hell. Tommy didn’t believe that there was such a place. Not really. Nor did he think there was a heaven. When you died you were just…gone. There was nothing.

“I think it’s probably what life was like before you were born,” Lucy had said once, when he’d asked her what she thought life was like after death. “Which…I suppose, wasn’t so bad, was it?”

She was probably right. After all, every explanation humanity had tried to conjure up to explain what came after death was just a wishful fantasy. No proof in any of it. 

The ache in his chest, the one he worked so hard to ignore, throbbed. He swallowed hard. While he could never fully bring himself to believe in any of the religious dogma he’d been taught as a child, it was moments like these that he understood why so many clinged to it so desperately. 

The thought he would never see any of the people he’d lost over the years was almost paralyzing in the sorrow it struck him with.

He felt Lucy rub a small palm up and down his chest, as if sensing the emotions roiling with him. 

Arthur stood, sobbing dryly and knocking his head lightly against the brick wall across from them. Tommy watched him for a moment, then sighed, pulling himself to his feet. Lucy rose with him, looping an arm around his waist while he spoke to Arthur. The warmth of her against him was a comforting balm against everything else. 

“But it’s like with Grace, Arthur…” he said, and felt Lucy tense a little against him. They almost never spoke her name when in the company of others. It was too hard. Even now, he could feel it burn up his throat, reawakening the grief that he always felt for her where it had momentarily been slumbering. He hooked his arm around Lucy’s shoulders, thumb stroking up and down in what he hoped was a comforting movement. “They’re just gone…just fucking gone.”

Lucy tightened her arm around him. Staring out straight ahead, a roil of frustration, strong and potent as the burn of whiskey down his throat after a long day, rushed up inside of him. Seizing his gun, he took aim at a few bottles in the distance, the bullets he let loose as he pulled the trigger shattering each one.

The gunfire echoed like a clap of rageful thunder, promising to bring with it a torrential downpour, the likes of which no one had ever seen before. 

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[joleneghoul]

This is going to be less of an essay and more of a disorganized infodump where I just ramble about my favorite character Rip has a relationship with and that's Jeff Smith.

I actually find Jeff to be more important to Rip's entire story and character background than Booster. There will also be some mentions of Bonnie because the Rip, Jeff & Bonnie dynamic is pretty important.

Though partially that is because the erasure of Jeff is what has made Rip such a boring character to read within post 90s Booster Gold stuff.

Jeff Smith is probably one of my favorite characters nobody really knows about and comics forgot about (until recently, but I'll get to that).

To sum it up quickly, Jeff is Rip Hunter's partner in the broad sense of the term. He was Rip's mechanic, his best friend, his scientific other half, and even once a cowboy (howdy).

More under the cut because this info-dump got long!

Jeff was Rip's partner from Rip's first ever appearance in showcase #20 and stuck with him onward to the 90s. While the stories had Rip's name on them, Rip and Jeff were postured as more of a duo than otherwise.

Bonnie and her brother Corky were along for the story but not as front and center as Jeff and Rip, hell even the story starts with Rip telling them to stay home while him and Jeff test their time machine by going on a jaunt to the prehistoric together.

The time sphere was first and foremost a creation of Jeff and Rip's scientific and mechanical prowess put together. I find it more interesting this way than if Rip were some sort of solo genius.

Later within the Rip Hunter series from the 60s-70s Jeff Still plays the role of Rip's partner, even saving Rip's life multiple times over. A characteristic that is strengthened as time goes on with Jeff is that he is the more calculated and thoughtful one of the pair. This remains the case in the Time Masters 1991 series.

Jeff, much like everyone gets a redesign for this series and a bit more heft to his character motives/personality. This is a series (while not good) that follows a linear story line instead of a collection of adventures so it was needed. I honestly only reread issues of this series for Jeff because I like the way him and Rip's relationship is handled here, as it strengthens the fact that pushing others away can only hurt everyone involved and being alone can be worse than your fears.

He is introduced not only as Rip's partner but his best friend. According to Rip, Jeff is one of his only close friends on account of his obsessive personality. A lot of Rip's own characterization in my opinion mirrors someone who has OCD. His obsession becoming stopping what he saw the future became while in Booster Gold vol 1. Hell...Will Magnus tells him he's paranoid.

Specifically I think the relationship Rip has to his paranoia and fears vs the relationships he has with others is really interesting. This, while comes up with Rip's relationship to Bonnie, is shown mostly with his connection to Jeff.

Jeff throughout the series is the one to break through to Rip even as he pushes others away at everyone's expense. This is shown in the start when Jeff breaks Rip out of spiraling overthinking, bringing him back with his logical thinking. Then all the way to the end when Jeff comes up with the idea of how to fix the time sphere, while Rip was caught up in his own paranoia and had at that point pushed everyone else away or caused them to leave him.

ALSO Jeff has to tell Rip to trust BOOSTER, who in retrospect is Rip's father. I just find that interesting.

Now, I'm going to be talking about subtext which is just how I interpreted things not saying they were intentional but it's just what I picked up on. Also I have a lot to say about how Bonnie is treated I really hate it because she's so disrespected when shes supposed to be equals to Rip but- a rant for another time ig.

The relationship between Jeff, Bonnie, and Rip (and Cave but not really tbh) are at the forefront of the interpersonal drama. It's worth mentioning that every scene Bonnie has romantically with a man (like Jeff or Cave) is mirrored immediately with Jeff and Rip. Specifically usually when Bonnie struggling with her own relationships vs when Jeff and Rip are coming together.

There is when Jeff shows up to Rip's office in a green trench coat (not pictured in this panel bc he took it off) and sits on Rip's desk to tell him he'll be his partner. Then within the same issue Bonnie in her green trench coat trying to seduce Cave (who is HER scientific partner) by getting on his desk- but then getting rejected.

Then again when Jeff chooses to leave Bonnie (in bed) to go be with Rip VS the end of that issue when Rip solemnly makes the choice to leave Jeff (in bed) to go chase his own hubris. (later we see Bonnie make the choice to steal the time sphere and go live in the future and make her own life teaching people post nuclear war, thank god she didn't end up with any of these men after all that)

Also side note- When Jeff and Rip go to ancient Atlantis together that's practically the first time in issues we see either of them really happy since like, issue 2. The only thing that tips Rip off is once again when someone brings up his paranoia. Also they get these gay earrings.

Anyways at the end because Rip ends up alone, without Jeff who was his only close friend, Rip realizes that time changes everything and to not be so worried about the literal end of the world- and that hopefully in time even he can change and be a better person to others.

....WHICH I feel is totally ignored and thrown away later on when Rip returns as Boosters son and Jeff was erased from the picture entirely (Bonnie still managed some appearances in other media but Jeff did not- not even in lot so I've heard..which is odd because that was inspired BY time masters). Rip became characterized as the lone mysterious savant who always has a plan (or can easily figure one out).

Despite the reader knowing his secret that he is Booster's son, we do not tend to get to see much of their family relationship since Rip is more shown as a mentor than anything else. Otherwise Rip is used as a narrative device for stories to bring in a little time travel spice if Booster or that one treadmill isn't available.

I actually find the more interesting Booster and Rip interactions being the ones where Rip is shown to be overwhelmed, in the wrong, or confused instead of the "guy who knows everything". Sadly we don't get to see this often.

Jeff after over 30 years has come back to comics but not in a way I really like, he just doesn't feel like himself at all but neither does any of the time masters. We haven't seen him much yet but I'm just not excited because the reason we have this "loner" characterization of Rip still is because of the same writer who's bringing them back- and yet again its a case of "Rip is running around alone" "ah that's just Rip". Like I thought we went over why that's bad for him LOL.

Anyways I guess the moral of this infodump/rant is this:

FUN FACT TIME:

Jeff and Rip met at MIT where they were both top of their classes!

He is as smart as Rip who is classified officially as a super-genius.

Jeff according to the DC ttrpg books is as wealthy as Ted Kord was when he was still apart of Kord industries.

He also apparently has connections to the Metal Men and Magnus still while Rip does not.

[tragicfrabricofdreaming]

Dark Hearts .2

Summary: Cori Douglas has lived a somewhat quiet life in mystic falls. Despite a few slip ups, she has managed to fly under the radar with her best friends. That is, until her junior year when two new mysterious men roll into town and shake everyone up, including her best friend Elena. What will Cori find out about these mysterious men and about herself? Mostly follows the storyline of tvd show but may take some creative liberties.

“She swore vengeance on all men with dark hearts.”

― Lisa Papademetriou, Siren's Storm

Series Masterlist

“Thanks for being my date,” Bonnie says to Cori as they wait in line to get into Lockwood’s mansion for the founder's party. Elena and Stefan were going together and Caroline was bringing Damon as her date (gross) so Cori and Bonnie decided to show up together so that they could have fun on their own, probably making fun of people from the corner, their favorite activity. 

“Are you kidding me?” Cori loops her arm through Bonnie’s, “I should be thanking you, this is much better than having to come with my dad.”  Almost the whole town was out at the Lockwood’s house, dressed in their Sunday best and ready to one-up each other with their family heirlooms. While the Douglas’ were a part of the founding families and Cori’s dad Hayden was a part of the town council, Cori could honestly care less about all the hullabaloo that surrounded the town’s history. To be honest it was just riddled in racism and they shouldn’t be celebrating it anyway. 

“Free champagne, prime people-watching real estate, what more could two nosy girls ask for?” Bonnie nudges her playfully and the girls laugh. Once inside the house, Cori loses track of Bonnie after she slips away to sneak a drink. Pouting to herself, she decides to stroll over to all of the artifacts that the families had put on display, stopping in front of the one labeled for her family. She had seen all of the items before but she hadn’t expected to see one in particular because she thought her sister was off at college wearing it around her neck. 

Cori’s fingers touch the glass case softly, tracing the outline of the necklace through the barrier. Her dad had given the necklace to Grace on her eighteenth birthday but Cori had always admired it since she was a little girl. It was beautiful–a gold pendant on a gold chain with a silhouette of a mermaid embossed on it. Another shorter chain dangled from the pendant with a small, iridescent pearl at the end. It had belonged to one of her ancestors, she could never remember which one, but Cori was utterly obsessed with it. Her dad must have asked Grace to send it back home so he could put it on display with some of the other items. 

There was a journal from one of her female ancestors she couldn’t remember the name of, a small scrap from the sail of the ship they had traveled over on, and a medium-length, golden trident with stones of sea glass decorating the handle. Cori rolls her eyes slightly as she brings her champagne glass to her lips, the thing had always looked like it was bought at a Halloween store but apparently, it was very old and valuable. Whatever. 

“Ah, the Douglas’,” Cori choked on her champagne mid-sip as Damon appeared beside her, “Your family looked to be very…little mermaid-esque.” He frowns at the items. 

Cori recovers from her small spit take and wipes the remnants of champagne from her chin, “I need to get you a bell. Like a cat. So I can hear you coming.” She was still very weary of Damon Salvatore but Caroline had gone off on Cori a bit, telling her she just needed to give him a chance and get to know him just like she had with Stefan. So, Cori agreed to be civil and not threaten him with sharp objects but she was still keeping an eye on him. 

“Good to see you too, Cordelia,” he smirks, taking a sip of his bourbon, “I must confess, your family history has always intrigued me the most out of all of these other snobs.” he gestures to the other displays around them. Cori sighs, turning to face him. He cleaned up nicely but no amount of hair gel and dress shirts would take away the smug air around him.

“There’s not that much to them.” She admits, “They came here from a very small island off the coast of Ireland,” she explains, “They were very superstitious about sea creatures and stuff so the journey was difficult for them, but they made it and there isn’t much else after that.” Cori shrugs, taking another sip of her champagne and her eyes move to the necklace in the display again. 

Damon examines the side of her face, seeing the longing in her eyes as she looks at the piece of jewelry, “I won’t tell anyone if you want to snatch it.” Her eyes snap to his and she looks guilty like he just caught her with her hand in the cookie jar before dinner. “It would go great with your outfit.” He gestures to her light blue dress. 

Cori chuckles nervously and blushes while she shakes her head, “No, it’s not mine.” she says. 

“It belongs to your family, though.” 

“Well, yes,” she nods, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger anxiously, “but it’s technically my sister’s now, my dad gave it to her before she left for college. I think she’s just letting them borrow it for the display.” A small smile graced her lips and maybe it was the champagne bubbles going straight to her head, or the number of people crammed into the room making her feel lightheaded, but regardless of why she does it she just keeps talking to Damon, “When I was little, I used to sneak into my dad’s office after everyone was asleep,” her voice lowers to a whisper as if she was still a little girl trying not to get caught out of bed. Damon finds himself leaning in, “and I’d take the key he hid under his keyboard–” 

“Terrible hiding place.” 

“I know, right?” Cori laughs, “But, I’d take that key and unlock the top drawer of his desk and take the necklace out and just hold it in my hand–I couldn’t figure out the clasp on my own–but it was like I was so restless–like I couldn’t sleep until I just looked at it and held it in my hands for a while. To remember what it looked like, what it felt like.” The palm of her hand rests against the glass case, right above the necklace, “It was…grounding, almost.” 

Damon could picture it in his mind, or maybe he had snuck into her mind without realizing it. A young Cordelia, standing at her dad’s desk holding the necklace in her tiny palm, admiring the jewelry. He can see Cordelia the age she is now, watching her sister open a present on her birthday, and can see the sadness in Cori’s eyes as she realizes the necklace now belongs to her older sister and is forever out of her reach. “And I sound insane,” Cordelia says, finishing off her glass of champagne, “it’s just an old piece of jewelry.”

“It means something to you, though,” Damon speaks up. Cori looks at him, her eyebrows scrunched together at his tone, “and maybe it isn’t entirely about the necklace.” He shrugs, “Maybe it has more to do with your sister, how you feel about her.” 

“I love my sister.” 

“I didn’t say you didn’t,” he recovers quickly, “I just mean…” Damon’s eyes scan the room, landing on Stefan and Elena on the dance floor. Cori follows his gaze and her frown deepens, “Maybe it’s more about how she makes you feel. Like she’ll always be first, get everything you want even if you wanted it first.” They stare at each other for a second. Cori knows he hit the nail on the head, and Damon knows it too, but neither of them will move to speak that it was true. 

“There you are, sweetie,” Their stare is broken by Cori’s father appearing at her side, placing his hand on her arm and pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, “I was beginning to think you skipped out on the evening.” 

“Of course not, Dad,” Cori blushes, gritting her teeth slightly. She quickly places the empty champagne glass on a nearby table and clears her throat. Her father and Damon are eyeing each other carefully, “Uh, dad, this is Damon Salvatore, Caroline’s boyfriend.” She gestures to Damon and then to her father, “Damon, this is my dad, Hayden Douglas.” 

“Ah, Damon,” Hayden and the older Salvatore shake hands firmly, “Cordelia has told me all about you.” His daughter’s eyes widen immediately and Damon smirks, glancing at her. 

“All terrible things, I hope.” 

Hayden laughs, “Well, she has always had an… imaginative vocabulary.” 

“Alright!” Cori chuckles, clapping her hands together, “You guys get acquainted with each other, I’m gonna go find Bonnie.” 

After walking around what felt like the entire party, Cori finally finds Bonnie standing just outside of the dining room, “My date!” She gasps in relief as she stands beside Bonnie, “I just had my first conversation with Damon without threatening him, so I think I’ve had enough abnormal experiences for the week.” 

Bonnie chuckles lightly, opening her mouth to respond when something distracts them both, “Look around,” Carol Lockwood is in a heated conversation with one of the event workers, “What’s missing?” The worker looks around the room, looking confused and scared, “The flames, the candles. Why aren’t they lit?” There were an alarming amount of candles in the dining room that were unlit but there didn’t seem to be a reason to yell about it, “There’s matches in the kitchen.” 

The worker scurries off to the kitchen, looking traumatized and Mrs. Lockwood leaves the room in a huff, “Bitch.” Bonnie mutters. Cori scoffs in agreement. Instead of turning and leaving the room, Bonnie stays for a moment, staring intently at a closeby candle. Cori watches her with a confused look but doesn’t say anything because it doesn’t exactly last long. When nothing happens after a moment, Bonnie sighs and grabs Cori’s elbow, “Come on,” she turns to leave the room but Cori stops her, gasping in shock. 

“Bonnie, look,” her friend turns back around and sees what Cori is so amazed by. As if by magic, every single candle in the room is lit, seemingly like they had been for hours. Cori laughs in amazement, looking at Bonnie, “You did that!” she exclaims, “Bonnie, you’re a witch I–” 

“Shh, you can’t tell anyone.” Bonnie urges her friend, grabbing her hands as they face each other. 

“But, I believe you now! I’m so sorry I doubted you before but this is insane, Bon, I mean–” 

“I know, but I need to talk to my grams first, I don’t really know what this all means, and I…I wanna know more before I go telling people, even Elena.” Bonnie is pleading with Cori, squeezing her hands gently. 

Cori looks at the candles Bonnie just lit with her mind and then back to her magical friend, nodding slowly, “Okay, your secret is safe with me.” She promises, “I won’t tell.” 

“Thank you,” Bonnie smiles. They look at each other for a minute, the moment remaining serious until Bonnie’s face breaks out into a full grin, “I’m magic!” She squeals. 

“You’re magic!” Cori squeals back and they start jumping up and down with their hands clasped, giggling with each other like they had over such smaller events in the past. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hayden was thankful that his daughter had left him alone with Damon all on her own so he didn’t have to corner him at another time. “Cordelia and I were just admiring your family’s collection–” 

“You need to stay away from her.” Hayden cuts Damon off in a low voice. They stare each other down, looking incredibly out of place among the mingling crowd but no one seems to take the time to notice. 

“Oh,” Damon smirks in amusement, “Papa Bear roars.” He doesn’t seem phased by Hayden’s threatening glare. “Don’t worry, pal,” he claps him on the shoulder, “your precious little girl isn’t my type.” 

Hayden shrugs off his grasp, his jaw clenching, “I don’t care. Regardless of what you tell everyone else, you obviously have some weird interest in speaking to her and that needs to stop.” The music stops briefly before the next song plays so Hayden steps closer to Damon, his voice lowering but not losing any of its sting, “You roll into town, and before your car’s engine is cold you’re meddling in the lives of your little brother’s friends. It’s weird and I know your intentions can’t be good so you need to leave my daughter out of it.” 

“Is this supposed to scare me?” Damon motions between the two of them. He could rip this guy's throat out in two seconds and not feel an ounce of guilt about it. Maybe later he would, there were too many witnesses right now. 

“She’s been through a lot, she isn’t exactly stable right now.” Hayden’s gaze shifts to the other side of the room where Cori had just re-entered. Damon follows his gaze and watches as Cori whispers something to Bonnie excitedly. Her cheeks were flushed, probably with the champagne she had been drinking, and she was gesturing with her hands wildly as she talked to her friend, “Cordelia is…fragile. She’s barely getting back on track after an incident at the end of last school year and one wrong move from you–” Damon draws his gaze away from the girl and back to her father, “she might not come back so easily.”

Damon scoffs, “What do you think I’m going to do to her?” 

“I don’t care. I know guys like you–” 

“No one is like me.” 

“Whatever agenda you have going on, I don’t care. But Cordelia cannot be a part of it.” Hayden growls. 

Damon considers this a threat and he isn’t exactly taking this human man as someone who could cause him harm, but he did think he could be of use to him, “I’ll tell you what, Hayden,” Damon starts, “I’ll leave your daughter alone if you can get me into the next town council meeting.” 

Hayden considers him for a moment. Yes, the patriarch of the Douglas family was a part of the Town Council but he didn’t see why this twenty-something who just rolled into town would have any interest. “Okay,” he decides, “I’ll talk to the council and get you in.”

Damon smirks, “Deal?” He holds his hand out for Hayden to shake and, after a moment of hesitation, Hayden grips his hand and seals the deal. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cori sighs at her reflection in the mirror. This was the worst group costume you have ever come up with, Caroline, she thinks to herself as she adjusts the straps of her large, circular costume piece. Caroline has insisted on her, Bonnie, and Elena dressing up as witches and Cori could be the cauldron. Why they couldn’t just all be witches or be the Cheetah Girls or something, Cori had no idea. Bonnie was also not a huge fan of the idea considering it felt a little too on the nose of her recent experiences but since Damon had supposedly left town and subsequently ended Caroline’s short-lived relationship with him, they were obligated as her friends to make her happy. 

Although, contact with Elena had been scarce as of late so there were questions about whether she would even be at the party at the school tonight. Either way, Cori was stuck with this fabric, a makeshift cauldron that hung around her midsection as her costume. She had gone with a black dress to wear underneath it and her hat had green plastic balls glued to the top of it to appear as bubbles. Sometimes she wondered if Caroline just liked making a fool of her. 

As she struggles to slip into her black boots around the obstacle of her costume, her dad steps into her room and lets out a laugh, causing Cori to glare at him, “Toil and trouble,” Hayden says, the laugh still evident behind his voice. 

“Very funny,” she mumbles, finally managing to get her shoes on, “I’m sure that won’t be the last time I hear that tonight.” 

“The things Caroline can talk you into,” he shakes his head, leaning against her doorframe while he watches her collect her things and slide them into the pockets that are inside the cauldron costume. “You heading out?” 

“Yeah, Bonnie is picking me up.” She tells her dad, looking in the mirror while she adjusts her hat. 

There’s a beat of silence as Hayden considers his daughter. He thinks back to the conversation he had with Damon Salvatore at the party the other night, and how he had been going on and on about how fragile Cordelia was. While he knew it was true, he couldn’t help but feel like he was being a little too overprotective of her as he watched her get ready to go out with her friends. Right now, in this moment, she was just a normal 18-year-old girl, and that’s how he wanted her to be. He just hoped she could remain this way forever, “Be careful out there tonight.” He says softly. 

Cori looks at him over her shoulder and flashes him a grin, “Of course, I always am.” And he knew that was true. She was responsible and cautious and never missed curfew…she was nothing like her older sister who was responsible for the graying hair on Hayden’s head. She was good and he needed to reward her for that. 

There’s a car horn honked outside, snapping Hayden out of his observations of his daughter. “That’s Bonnie,” she says, taking one last look in the mirror before turning toward her dad, “how do I look?” She asks. 

Hayden smiles at her, “Cutest Cauldron I’ve ever seen.” 

Cori rolls her eyes but grins at her dad as she makes her way out of the room, “Thank you,” she presses a kiss to his cheek, “I’ll see you later, save me some candy!” She calls over her shoulder as she heads downstairs. 

“Be home by midnight, if you’re going to be late, call me!” He calls after, listening as she opens the front door. 

“You got it!” The front door closes behind her and the house falls silent around Hayden. There was a lot he needed to tell his youngest daughter, and he would have to do it soon. He just wanted her to remain a normal teenage girl for a little while longer. 

////

Three Lockwood special ciders later, Cori is wandering through the high school hallways looking for her friends. She had departed from them to go to the bathroom but couldn’t seem to remember where she had left them. She reaches into her cauldron and pulls out her phone, looking down at it as she walks. Just as she’s sending a text to Bonnie asking where she is, she collides with someone right in front of her and gasps. “I’m so sorry–” she stops short, looking up at the pillar of a human she had just crashed into to find Damon Salvatore. Filled with shock and confusion, the only question that she can manage to ask is, “I thought you left town?” 

Damon scoffs, looking down at her, “Hello to you, too,” he says sarcastically, causing her to roll her eyes, “My brother loves to spread rumors about me.” He adjusts his leather jacket, looking her up and down, “What the hell are you supposed to be?” He asks. 

Cori blushes and looks down at herself, slumping in defeat, “I’m a…cauldron.” She says slowly, looking back up at him, “It makes more sense when I’m with Bonnie and Caroline, they’re witches and I’m…their cauldron. Elena was supposed to be a witch too but I think she came as something else.” She’s rambling now so to cut herself off she takes another drink from her cup. 

“How’d you draw the short straw?” Damon asks her. 

Cori shakes her head as she swallows her drink, “Caroline drew it for me.” Damon lets out a small ‘Ahh’ as if he totally understands now, “But I don’t mind,” she says quickly, “people tend to laugh at me behind my back anyway so I might as well give them a reason to do it to my face.” Something about running into Damon made her just spill everything. Or maybe that was just the cider talking. 

“How do you know people are laughing at you?” She leans against a row of lockers against a nearby wall and Damon stands in front of her, tilting his head as he observes her. 

“Caroline told you about my little incident last year?” He nods, remembering that dinner at Elena’s when Caroline mentioned the time she choked at the state finals for the swim team. “The whole school knows about it, and they know that it happened when I was younger, too, that’s why I got held back a year and am an 18-year-old junior.” She takes another drink from her cup, “They all think I’m crazy.” She stares at the floor in front of her, thinking back to how it felt in middle school. The first time she had one of her episodes in the pool and had spent the next two months in a psychiatric hospital in practically a catatonic state before she was able to return to school. Because of this, she was forced to stay back a grade. That was when she met Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie. She hadn’t been in their grade until that point and while everyone else at school whispered about her reputation, those three didn’t care. They accepted her as she was. 

“Maybe you are.” Is Damon’s response. Not the typical response she got when she opened up to people about this but it made her laugh. 

“Probably.” She says simply. And she meant it. There was no guarantee that at any moment she wouldn’t snap and start hallucinating in front of her eyes. There was nothing that triggered it, she could be in the pool the majority of the time and feel completely normal and there were years between the two big incidents that had occurred so there was really no pattern to it.  

Damon quickly changes the subject, “I think this is the longest conversation we’ve had without you threatening me.” He remarks. 

Cori snorts, quickly covering her mouth with her hand at the awful sound, “Well, Tyler’s cider is very strong and I’ve had three of these,” she holds up her cup, “You caught me at a good time. Plus, you’re leaving Caroline alone.” 

He smirks, taking half a step closer to her, “Don’t get too excited, I might just get attached to another one of Elena’s friends.” There’s a look in his eyes that sends a wave of warmth through Cori’s body. She blames it on the cider. 

Rolling her eyes, she pushes off of the wall, “I’m too drunk to threaten you in a witty way right now, call back later.”  She turns away from him and starts down the hallway to continue her search for her friends. 

“See you around, Cordelia.”  She doesn’t turn back around at the farewell, simply waves at him over her shoulder.