#cape town creatives

[sianmoss]

Makeup and Hair: @sianbiancamoss @gloss_artist_management Photographer: @laurencemoorcroftphotography Model: @imaan_higo

[cloudyytoofly]

mission/decision

[xhosabits]

ARTinFACT: Banele Khoza

Banele Khoza is a Swaziland-born Visual Artist now based in South Africa, Braaimfontein, producing some of the country’s acclaimed work as a young creative.

[the-officialashleycraigbrandt]

The Mother City

[thingsdavidlikes]

there are journeys from which one cannot return... by .bella.

[titan-creative-group]

Titan Creative Group : Your Partner for Effective Google Ads services in Johannesburg

In the bustling digital landscape of South Africa, standing out is key to success. That's where Titan Creative Group steps in. Our Google Ads services in Johannesburg are designed to cast your online presence to new heights. With a team of certified experts, we create targeted and result-driven Google Ads campaigns that drive traffic, increase conversions, and boost ROI. We understand the complicacies of Johannesburg's market, ensuring your ads resonate with your local audience. Let us take your digital marketing to the next level with data-driven strategies and comprehensive management. Partner with Titan Creative Group for a brighter online future.

[angelxface90120]

[adrivoulgarellis]

Sketchbook Inspiration: a little Plant Sprig from our Garden

Hi friends, watch this new sketchbook idea art shorts video on my YT channel:) - Hope to see you there!

Hi friends 🙂 I wish you a creative day & week ahead! In the link is a new Shorts video, fun sketch idea on my art channel.. just in case you are looking for a little bit of art inspiration. I hope to see you there! https://www.youtube.com/@adrivoulgarellis/shorts

[soarrenbluejay]

Supervillains for a community. (Well, except those jerks over in Gotham, insular lot, but they’re they’re one problem) Of course they do- supervillains are a group defined by strong opinions and a willingness to see them through, often with a healthy dash of societal failures and trauma as a catalyst.

The fentons, while not active even on the online message boards, are well known and explosive when they do show up, full of fascinating insights and hours long rants on mad science on hair pin turns courtesy of that ADHD attention span. Bit of the cryptids you feel honored to bump into kind of deal. Besides, like a good quarter of the community as it aged, they’d settled down and had kids (not necessarily in that order) and taken it very seriously! Out in the middle of nowhere, where even the most fearsome government outpost members, the local branch of the IRS, quake before them in fear. Out of the way.

Reveal gone okay-ish, Danny moves to Gotham still to get some air bc now things are Akward and he landed that engineering scholarship which is loads better than any other college would give him with his track record. So- the mysterious Fenton children are finally crawling out of hiding! Everyone is psyched! And roll in to Gotham en masse to witness the fireworks!

Except Danny is Determined To Be Normal. He’s had enough of the throwing himself into harms way shit for a lifetime- he wants to be free to peacefully built Rube Goldberg machines and unintentional increasingly complex bombs to his hearts content. JAZZ, on the other hand- the coveted token Normal One, has finally snapped! She’s watched her baby brother she practically raised throw himself into danger over and over and could do nothing, and now that she’s exposed to this whole network of superheroes outside of small town Amnity, some of those uglier emotions are coming out. And boy is she pissed! And can’t afford to show it much while filing the paperwork to have Arkham legally razed to the ground!

See I love this idea of like, niches in superhero society. A villain the heroes know they can plop their kiddo down with for an exciting afternoon brawl while they take care of a particularly grisly case and come back to a few hours later ranting about some new life lesson and a new move they really want to try. A villain who has a functioning moral compass despite their somewhat batshit long term goal and you can contact to fuck with another villains’s plan so they can laugh at them and you can have an easy afternoon. One who pries up hostile architecture and fills in pot holes, idk man. Get creative here, there’s such potential!

So Jazz becomes a Training villain- someone the heroes know their sidekicks will walk away from in a fight 100% of the time, usually with some new lesson to ponder and only a couple of bruises. Sometimes even snacks!

She also absolutely ambushes mentors to check that they’re worth the kiddo, which they appreciate once they get over being jumped in a dark alley by a 7 foot Amazon trained force of nature. They are not used to being on that side of the jumping, it’s a little unnerving.

(Yes, she low key adopts Shazam upon checking in with him on cursory ‘is the main hero of this city and asshole’ checkin. Yes, the super clones get yoinked out from under Superman’s negligent thumb to go have a blast with Ellie. What about it?)

This however only encourages more assorted weirdos to crawl out of the woodwork. It’s not often one of their own forfeits their potential spot for the running of the coveted Most Normal I Swear prize, but when they do it’s bound to be good! But jazz is off hounding various heroes and punching the faces in of pedophiles and shit whenever there’s no cape within easy reach, and so is a mite bit harder to contact than Danny, who has innocently gotten an apprenticeship under a clockworker for access to their workshop and is gleefully going about doing nerdy shit with great abandon.

Plus this is Gotham. No one gives a shit if someone in the Mad Alchemist uniform and still smoking from their latest experiment pokes their head in a window to bother the local shrimp teen- none of the usual social rules apply, everyone’s crazy here! So everyone drops any and all attempts at masking and just acts their genuine unhinged selves, much to the alarm of the Bats and frustration of Danny.

Bc he cannot get these mfers to go. Away. Even liberal use of the creep stick has little effect when the interloper is calibrated for an opponent with super speed or laser vision or whatever, and he’s trying to maintain his guise as a Normal College Student Do No Investigate.

So he calls in the big guns. He’s not super active in the supervillain kids group chat ever since things in amnity calmed the fuck down post becoming King and then immediately using a loophole that says he will not take the throne until he is grown, as defined by finishing learning his trade a la the medieval standards Pariah set up. So he can just take his sweet ass time with his graduate degree and out of inter dimensional bull shit that much longer! Point is, he hasn’t taken the chance to rant over there in a while, so his Crazy friends are getting a lil worried.

The change to come over and shout at their batshit crazy but (mostly) well meaning parent AND see Danny? Score!

The bats, however, are getting awfully suspicious about this one kid that villains from all over the country are flocking to, especially young and upcoming ones as of recently! And he’s acting his engineering course- all the worst rogues are known to have flown through their PhD studies prior to Cracking. They seem to have a real problem on their hands with this Fenton guy.

[tiffanys-aus-and-headcanons]

Terrible Visions

A scrambled timeline is a timeline that has proceeded much like ours, except that some particular facet has been mixed up all over the place. For example, in the scrambled timeline we will consider today, our world's fictional stories have been told by different people, and in different ways.

Bryan Lee O'Malley, in this alternate timeline, is best known as the cartoonist responsible for Homestuck, a popular comic series about a group of children who become embroiled in a cosmic-scale video game known as Sburb. Although Homestuck is probably most often associated with the cult classic Edgar Wright-directed film adaptation released in 2016, the comics themselves are highly-regarded, and the film brought a new audience to them. Netflix has commissioned an animated continuation, The Homestuck Epilogues, which is due to be released soon.

Andrew Hussie, on the other hand, is a figure you're likelier to know if you're overly online. His "MS Paint Adventures" series - most notably including Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, which is kind of like Homestuck but weirder and hornier - have firmly remained a fixture of obsessive Twitter fandom culture. It doesn't help that the best-known iteration, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, is infamous for stretching thousands of pages of meandering digressions out of a simple and focused narrative starting point. Scott Pilgrim fans have developed something of a toxic reputation, which is not entirely deserved - although of course Knives discourse is interminable, and back in the fandom's heyday there were reportedly incidents of fans assaulting each other "for being evil exes".

Scott Pilgrim fandom was very big back in the day, though, and consequently it was a nexus for other creative figures who would go on to surpass Hussie. Perhaps foremost among these is indie developer Toby Fox. He was literally living in Hussie's basement when he produced ROSEQUARTZ, a universally-beloved retro Goonies-like RPG about a human hybrid boy born to a race of gem-based aliens. He's now developing an episodic spiritual successor, RAZORQUEST, with more overtly dark themes. It revolves around an inheritance dispute among a demon-summoning family.

Other foundational figures in this timeline's internet culture include Alison Bechdel, who helped get the webcomic scene started. Although she's now more seriously acclaimed for her personal memoirs, her gaming webcomic Press Start To Dyke, which premiered in 1998, was once everywhere. It had a broad appeal, and at its height, it was common to see even straight guys sharing pages from it. Time has not been especially kind to it, though, and at this point its main legacy is test.png, a meme spawned by one of the comic's most ill-advised pages.

Then there's John C. McCrae, more often known by his pseudonym Wildbow. A prolific and reclusive author of doorstopping "web serials" - long-form fiction published online - McCrae's best-known serial is still his first, Wind, a noir superhero story set in an alternate history where capes are mostly just a subculture of unpowered vigilantes. Wind landed in a culture already rife with comic book deconstructions, like Alan Moore's 2002 graphic novel Worm Turns, but it nonetheless managed to stand out from the pack with its extensive cast of characters and its themes of coordination problems and the end of the world. Later McCrae web serials include Part (the first "Otherverse" serial; an urban fantasy story about a couple who die in a car accident and find that they have become ghosts), Tear (a "biopunk" story set in a collapsing underwater city), Warn (the controversial Wind sequel), and Play (the second "Otherverse" serial, set in a small Indiana town that helps hide a psychic girl from the CIA).

Last and perhaps least, we should discuss J. K. Rowling. Far and away the most famous of any of these authors, Rowling's name is inseparable from the YA series that she debuted with, the Luz Noceda books, which remain her one successful work. Although it was heavily derivative of older fantasy novels - like Jill Murphy's Academy For Little Witches, or Philip Pullman's Methods Of Rationality trilogy - Luz Noceda was still a monumental and unprecedented success in the publishing industry, and the film adaptations were consistent blockbusters. The final book, Luz Noceda and the Watcher of Rain, contained some allusions to a romantic relationship between Luz and her recently-redeemed associate Amity. Rowling confirmed that this was her intent in subsequent interviews and indicated that she had fought her publishers for it; the film would then go on to escalate matters slightly further.

There have been many lengthy and heated online arguments as to whether the references in the book itself constitute text or mere subtext. Whatever your stance on this discourse, a new complication has been introduced recently: although she has put out no official statement on the matter as of yet, it has become quite apparent from Rowling's shrinking network of contacts and her conspicuous silences that she is certainly TERF-sympathetic, and likely an outright TERF herself. For many, this is leading to a critical reevaluation of the social values inherent in the Luz Noceda series; others, to say the least, are holding off on that kind of reappraisal.

Anyway, Scott Pilgrim just beat Luz Noceda in a Twitter poll for Most Gay Media, and people are piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissed

[kyri45]

ISAT Sky Cotl AU Headcanons Masterlist

Here's the masterpost of the AU with all the comic! Feel free to suggest more if you want!! The list will be updated as the story goes to avoid major spoilers

About the Light /Wishcraft

Everything that is triggered originally in SKy in the AU is triggered by wish craft, which is a power that comes directly from the stars.

The island is filled with mechanism that recognize wish craft users and are modelled based on constellations

Most emotes are the equivalent of different forms of advanced craft hand signs, and each can be used like in Sky to activate certain doors (or to be able to call for creatures, or do other stuff like floating etc...)

There's a high concentration of star (wish) magic at the highest point of the Kingdom (where the eye of eden is currently) and if the habitant get's too far away from the island they wont be able to use some of their original abilities derivated from them (like for example they can't regenerate their wing levels)

About the habitant of the Island

Everyone is born naturally, but they all come from a line of people who were moslty made of stardust

The different seasons are periods of time like the chinese years, and are used as a reference for when people were born or even occurred.

People wear pendants with the season symbol they were born in. The season you were born in doesn't necessarily reflect your personality but can influence your passion

Every year, on the birthday of each sky kid, they meditate at the temple of the prince to visit Orbit and gain more power from the stars. They then come back with new "wings" every time. All kids do it with their parents or guardians until the age of 17th, which is the mark of them gaining their 6th wing wedge. From then on, they are officially considered an adult and can fly to orbit by themself. (I'm dividing the sky levels in half, since no one could live up to 200 years, so 4 wings is 5 y/o, 5 wings is 10 y/o, 6 wings is 17/18 y/o, 7 wings is 27 y/o, etc…)

People can decide to follow one of the Elders based on what they want to do in life/ which elder they are closer to (Dawn elder teaches navigation throught the stars, Forest elder teaches creativity and architecture, Valley twins trains your phisical ability and the Vault elder teaches you about the more advanced crafts). After they succeded in all the quests and finished their studies, they are blessed by the elders (which is the equivalent of finish one of the constellations, so you get the same gifts. Yes, the Valley Twin gift is literally them just allowing you to copy their haircut)

Moths are the equivalent of very young kids who still haven’t figured out which kind of person they want to be, which Elder they prefer to follow.

Elders are as big as they are for the same reason of the King in ISAT, the abnormal amount of craft they use is reflected in a collateral effect in their body

About their colture

Paper boats are rituals they used to send messages and wish anonimously, and are crafted so they can't get wet in the water

All capes are crafted so that you are always not too cold or too hot regardless of the climate

Creatures such butterflies, manta, fish and bird all are made of stardust as well, and recognize sky people as one of them and are able to charge them like in Sky

Their language is written with an alphabeth based on constellation shapes

SInce constellations are seasonal you would end up having different events based on the constellation they are under at the moment (days of nature, days of color, days of love, days of fortune)

About Siffrin

lived on the more outside part of the island, in the towns over the black sand beach (isle of dawn) which is the only part of the Kingdom open to visitors, travellers, traders, merchants.

Siffrin was born during the season of Performance and the Performance Guide was one of their first childhood presence during his first years. He continued to be passionated by acting even though he didn't live in Valley, but he and their parent still visited the Village Theather occasionaly to see some of their spectacle.

Had their cape made by his mother as custom, and before coming back to the island could never understand why it was so important that he should always wear it.

Siffrin before the events in the game always felt weird when it rained, was like slowed down and tired and sleepy. (by @forwonderfulpeople)

His call is the bird one (by @lone-owl-s-nest )

About The Wish (AKA The Eye of Eden)

The wish created a cataclysm so big people, not even Elders, can rememeber which was the original wish that caused it.

it made dissapear all people who were on the island, leaving only a spark of their memory

The Wish make you both forget and lose your wish craft power.

Krills are very big sadness

[backwards360]

im 360'ing into your inbox

what do you think are some hobbies that noobs would have? so far i've got:

collecting chicken bones and making them into instruments/other assorted objects (whittling leg bones into flutes, wrapping fabric around a ribcage to make a shaker, ect)

fabric crafts (people spawn in with the clothes on their back right? seawatt has a cape, would other people have capes? thats a lot of extra fabric without any purpose. jackets, scarves and extra layers could be used as fabric, and chicken bones could be used as pins and/or needles)

singing and storytelling (strong biased headcanon here that noobs have a strong culture surrounding folklore and folksong. they cant read or write so these things are all passed via word of mouth. i also headcanon that everyone in a town will meet up regularly to sing together- at night so pros cant try to stop them)

painting (blood as a medium, anyone? chicken guts as a medium, anyone? thats really gross but like they eat raw chicken so at some point i assume you'd grow desensitised to it)

its really fun since they canonically have access to so few resources, i imagine they'd have to get really creative with it. if you want, then hobbies people on other layers could have (especially the fighter layer. i need to cook there..) then LMK!!!! i need to brainrot

OBSESSED WITH ALL THIS ACTUALLY!!!!!

i dont have a lot of ideas for noobs but im using this as a vague way to talk abt my jewelry headcanons and then ill get into other hobbies

so. the fighter level. i like to think they made jewelry to give to each other.

before a big fight loved ones would be given pieces of jewelry by their loved ones as a good luck charm but also as a sign to the opponent that this person has things to fight for.

eventually this spread to the other levels via fighters giving noob/pro/masters jewelry.

noobs very rarely get any and the ones they have arent very intricate (why waste your nice stuff on someone whose just going to die within the month)

pros have a decent amount but it doesnt play a huge role in their culture.

masters. masters love their jewelry. HUGE status symbol. the more you have the better you are to them.

especially after the fighter layer was erased and now no more people are making jewelry, every piece is priceless.

anyways!!!! other hobbies!!!

i have a few for fighters but like. no one else LMAO

- reading and writing!! they're the only ones with access to libraries so most of them enjoy both reading and writing

-p.parkour. obviously. but specifically battling friends!! a great way to practice battles and to have fun with your friends, you yield when you get to two hearts, one shot moves arent allowed obviously thatd just be killing someone

-dancing and festivals and stuff!!! culture on the fighter layer was soooo colorful trust trust

uhhhh yeah thats all i got i might add more later giggles

thanks for the ask !!!

[world-of-wales]

─ •✧ WILLIAM'S YEAR IN REVIEW : 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 ✧• ─

𝟑 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales released a statement ahead of his trip to South Africa for the fourth annual Earthshot Awards. He departed from Heathrow Airport for South Africa. It was announced that Earthshot Awards had led to the creation of 650 jobs in Cape Town & contributed to their creative industries.

𝟒 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William arrived at Cape Town International Airport and was received by the British High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa (Antony Philipson). Afterwards, he joined Young Environmentalists participating in the inaugural Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Programme. He then visited the Atlas Foundation at Ocean View Secondary School.

𝟓 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William met Rangers and Mayine e-Africa volunteers at Table Mountain National Park. He shot a Q&A video with Robert Irwin at Signal Hill. Later, he was received by the President of the Republic of South Africa (Cyril Ramaphosa) at his residence. The UK & Soth Africa delegation held a Bilateral Meeting. Afterwards, he attended Conservation Roundtable Meeting at Portside Tower. William attended the Earthshot+ Summit. Finally, William attended the United for Wildlife Global Summit, and announced the "Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative" to provide rangers access to in-service & medical evacuation insurance cover, and training and leadership development opportunities.

𝟔 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales held a Meeting with Finalists of the 2024 Earthshot Prize Awards at Kirstenbosch Gardens. He held a Meeting with Prince Rahim Aga Khan. Afterwards, he attended a Founding Partners' Lunch at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa. William then attended a final rehearsal and gave an Interview to the BBC. In the evening, William attended the Earthshot Prize Awards at the Earthshot Prize Dome. Finally, he attended an Earthshot Prize Thank You Reception.

𝟕 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited the National Sea Rescue Institute in Cape Town. Afterwards, he visited Abalobi - a 2023 Earthshot Prize finalist and took part in a traditional fish braai lunch. He met will wishers during a walkabout. Subsequently he attended a Seaweed Innovation Showcase at the Portside Tower. Finally, William departed Cape Town International Airport for the United Kingdom.

𝟖 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : He arrived at Heathrow Airport in London from South Africa. William gave an Interview to the press on the conclusion of his trip to Cape Town. Kensington Palace marked Lady Louise's Birthday.

𝟗 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kensington Palace released a 2024 Earthshot Prize short film documenting William's visit to Cape Town.

𝟏𝟎 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince and Princess attended the Remembrance Day Service of Remembrance and laid a wreath at the Cenotaph. Afterwards, he took the salute at the March Past of Ex-Servicemen and Civilian Organisations on Horse Guards Parade. A new portion of William's Interview in South Africa was released.

𝟏𝟐 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William held an Investiture.

𝟏𝟑 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William held a Reception at Windsor Castle.

𝟏𝟒 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William was received by the Lord-Lieutenant of Belfast (Dame Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle) at Simon Community. He visited The Foyer. Afterwards, he met representatives of the Northern Ireland Creative Industries and young people learning screen industry skills at Ulster University where he was received by Deputy Lieutenant of Belfast (Mr. Shane Quinn). Kensington Palace marked The King's Birthday.

𝟏𝟗 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales attended the Diplomatic Corps Reception.

𝟐𝟎 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited Cyfannol Women's Aid in Newport. Later, he was received by the Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent (Robert Aitken) at the Nelson Trust. Subsequently, the Homewards Newport Coalition published the "Newport Women’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment" Report. The Prince of Wales became Co-Patron of the 'Jewel of Arabia Expedition' along with Crown Prince HH Theyazin bin Haitham of Oman.

𝟐𝟐 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : The Prince of Wales was received by Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London (Stuart Shilson) at the launch of Jewel of Arabia Expedition at the Royal Geographical Society. He was joined by the Crown Prince of Oman. William appeared in a video message to mark the 5th Anniversary of National Emergencies Trust.

𝟐𝟔 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William visited the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards at Salisbury Plain in his role as Colonel-in-Chief.

𝟐𝟕 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : He attended the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Savoy.

𝟐𝟖 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 : William and Catherine released a personal statement offering their condolences on the passing of Liz Hatton.

[vincentask]

Chapter 1: MidNight Plaza

It’s as if the world was against her.

 

The once optimistic, creative, and energetic little girl just suddenly felt like the world wanted to take revenge from her for taking the special person in her life away from her.

The girl, who looked like she was around twelve was going to go back to her Auntie’s house after school, all through the while she could not stop thinking about what had happened… 

No, I can’t keep thinking about her, it 

happened all so fast but….

She isolated herself from her friends, even if her auntie and father wanted to talk to her, but it always felt.. empty… when talking to them. As if there was something missing…

She looked down into the pave ways of the street, keeping a fast and steady pace for herself while she was kicking the tiniest rocks on the street

Who would do such a thing, she thought, 

No this can’t be right, why is no one telling me what happened? I want to know the truth!

As she crossed the alleyway that she usually crossed, in the corner of her eye she spotted a fluffy, pink bird-like creature with cat ears. She stopped her stride for a minute and looked at the strange, and rather cute creature for a minute.

“Timmu, timmu!”, the creature exclaimed, it wanted the girl to follow her. She followed the creature up, at least there was something to cheer her up about, it looked a bit cute..

At the end of the alleyway, she came across an abandoned, yet grandiose theater with glistening lights on the facade and with a big sign that read:

Wonderworld Theater

She never heard of this theater at all in her town, so she looked from left to right to see if anyone would take notice of the theater, but people passed by as if it never existed… it’s as if time stopped when she approached it.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted a poster standee of a shadow on what it looks like the shadow was wearing, a top hat bearing a grin. She found it...unnerving at best.

“Timmu?”, the small creature questioned. She looked down on the creature who was entering the door, it was as if it was saying “Well, aren’t you coming?”

“Well, who couldn’t say no to you..?”, she said to herself, so she opened the door and went inside….

.

.

.

Once she entered inside, the entrance doors immediately shutted with a click!

She jumped and turned back and tried to pull the doors back open.

Great. Locked.

She didn't know what to do so, she looked around...

The theater inside almost didn't even looked like a theater at all, the entrance inside was a gorgeous checkered floor, and a pristine chandelier on the cathedral like ceiling. There were mirrors on the walls that looked like there were shattered, some were covered up with linen blankets. Someone must've broke inside, the girl thought as she tensed.

There were also movie posters on the wall as well, some posters were stored in untouched boxes in the dust, there were also props and other nick-nacks that weren't organized and left in the dust. The actors and the language on the posters were ones that she didn't recognized either.

Maybe the theater was closed? But why were the doors open in the first place?

As she continued to look, she saw in the corner room--a tall man, sitting in a chair looking at the gem, he had a glittering top hat with a red band around it, with a flamboyant white suit and cape and heels, adorned with red frills on his wrists and red ascents on his legs, the same man from the poster. He was looking at a yellow gem until he caught a reflection of the girl....

Eeyahoo~?

...?!

The girls heart rate skipped a beat in surprise at the man's sudden deep voice,

"Why, hello there..."

He slowly stood up from the chair, and suddenly was floating and spinning rapidly and bowed in front of her with a gracious bow,

"...And Welcome!", he welcomed with charisma, giving a friendly smile. The eyes in the red band of his top hat seemed to

The girl was unable to speak, it all came out as stuttering as she was trying to say what was going on.

The man only circled around her, his grin never fading. He was almost amused by her and chuckled as she was stunned until he pulled out the same fluffy pink-like bird with cat ears.

"Here child, have this! And tell me lass, what is that you amiss?", he asked. He pulled out a stethoscope, a popsicle stick as if to check her throat, he even checked her eyes as well. It's as if he was trying to emphasize his sentence in a theatrical way, she was trying to congest and ask what was going on, but it almost felt like the man was bouncing all over the walls of energy in this theater.

"What I mi--?"

The man interrupted her as he comedically threw away all the doctor supplies, "Why of course, a piece of your heart!"

"My hear-? YAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"

He grabbed her by the sides and laughed triumphantly as he pushed her and dashed in lighting speed into another theater door.

He then placed her in a more smaller theater, and spun her around in a playful manner. it had a ton of tables and chairs, it even had it's own bar in the back.

"Now what--" she asked as the man was humming and kicking boxes and cleaning of any remaining dirt and dust as if he hadn't cleaned this place in days or years,

"Is going on? What are you doing in this part?" the man laughed joyously smiled, cutting her off mid-sentence again, it was almost getting annoying.

"Now I'm sure you have tons of questions you have in your mind, but for now...." he snapped is fingers and immediately and all of the room went dark, all of the stage lights were directed by the flamboyant man with the top hat.

"It's time....for the show to start!" he boomed with grandiose.

He started with a theatrical stance... and then started dancing and twirling, and even doing backflips. The man was so elegant and fast with his dancing and his movements, the girl was almost mesmerized by him.

The man then snapped his fingers and suddenly, he summoned clones of himself as back dancers, one of them flew and spun right by to her and somehow shapeshifted into a chair for her to sit.

It was as if she was floating on where she was sitting, with the little creature in her hand, she was then sended straight to a portal summoned along the stage, the man joining along with her as well...

.

.

So far it was as if along the ride... someone or something took her....

.

.

The girl was walking along the vast, empty and almost dream-like city. It was what she could think of right now at this stage, no new ideas were thinking of her at this time. Except the plaza, the plaza fountain and the big, humongous chapel; all quite similar to the ones she saw in her city. When she was walking around the shopping area in the plaza, she stopped and saw on the windows two blank mannequins. 

She tilted her head and all of the sudden, there was a flash of creativity that struck her immediately so she went inside the little shop.

There, she saw an empty boutique… there were even more empty mannequins, a vintage green sewing machine, and some paper with a pencil with an eraser. It seemed like the mannequins were neverending as she overviewed on how many there were…. She felt a little uneasy about how many there were.

She glanced down at the paper on the desk, she picked up the pencil, as if by a quick second she was done with a simple summer dress. Now how to sew it and put it somewhere… Surely, her favorite hobby to do was to draw and design dresses in her sketchbook. She didn’t know how to sew her own designs, but she dreamed of being a fashion designer someday..

.

.

.

It seemed like hours, or years, or who knows how long that she has been drawing and designing. It was so easy for her; draw a fashion design, and the sewing machine will do it for you. She wish she could do this forever until… In the corner of her she saw a yellow gem drop on the floor, with curiosity striking her she picked it. It was pretty at first but looking at the reflection of it, it’s as if she saw someone… or something in the gem. She couldn’t recall who it was but it looked like the person was really happy, it sounded like from the gem, cheering and laughing. She smiled a bit but then, looking at the floor there were more gems lying on the floor! Her eyes widened with shock as she saw more and more scattered across.. Before she continued to pick them up, these small, shadowy creatures with white masks and pink and purple creatures tried to eat them and swallow up.

“What…? Hey! Give those back!” she shouted. She ran and tried to swoop back the drops before the shadowy creatures tried to swallow it whole, but she couldn’t with no prevail. The more they tried the more faster they were than her.

She was about to give up and keep drawing until a shadowy figure swooped through her vision.

Huh?!

Swish, sling, swoosh! The figure captured the drops and fought the creatures with what it seems like a sword and captured the drops in an instant.

Who was that….?

The figure looked like it counted up the drops in his hand and grinned with satisfaction, as if by magic he swooped in his jacket, making them disappear. The girl was in shock.

The figure looked like a man, he didn’t really say much but when he turned to her, her heart skipped a beat and beated faster. The man was really tall, he had a caliver hat with feathers pinned on the side, it seemed to pull right down to his eyes like a mask. When he looked at her for a good minute he squinted his eyes and gave her an impish grin, it was full of mystery and it was as if he was begging her to come along, but there was something in her mind that was forbbinding her to go. As her heart calmed down, in her left hand was the yellow gem that she had earlier, when she was about to catch him up assuming that he dropped it, he was gone.

“Questions, questions, questions!”, a voice exclaimed in the distance, it was almost angelic at least. “Growing curiouser of this theater by the day aren’t you? Oh, you poor little lamb, you wander and wander for your own sake for a day or two..”

Click clack clack, the golden heels from the man echo off the shop, or her stage, as the girl was greeted by a handsome, tall man with striking white hair and white cloak that covered his shoulders.

It was Lance, the Maestro of Wonderworld

“Huh?!” the girl fumbled by the response as she hid the strange gem behind her back, “I-um… well… it’s.. nothing” she didn’t want this stranger to be concerned about what she saw.

“Really?….Nothing?” He chuckled as tilted his head, speaking in a kind manner as if he heard this many times.

“Yeah! I’m sure!” she said nervously, “But… uh…” she looked around her stage and then down again, kicking some of the dirt on the ground lightly.

Lance, being the most patient as ever, waited for the girl to say at least something with a sad smile. He putted his hand on her shoulder, but before he could say anything he looked around her near empty stage, “Well one things for sure; for a stage this grand. It does need some sprucing up at hand!”

“Sprucing up…?” she asked

“Hmm,” Lance thought, “this is your first time here, yes?”

The girl nodded.

The shoulder on his hand felt… nice.. warm.. comforting? A sharp ping of warmth crossed to her heart, this was the most content she felt, she didn’t know why though. It’s as if this is what she really needed the most. 

“By the way, mister,” she asked, “who are you?”

"...You don't know who I am..?" Lance inquired,

The girl shook her head no.

"Ah... well.."

 Lance hadn’t introduced himself yet so smirked in a cat-like smile and bowed down like a prince would,

"My name is Lance, the Maestro --or perhaps your guide-- of Wonderworld. My job here is to make sure your heart is in tact. With the state that you are in my dear, tis not the fact!"

Your heart is in tact...? She felt like she's heard of this before.

"Say, wasn't there someone who's just like you?", she asked.

"What could you mean, love?" Lance tilted his head in curiosity.

"Well, I just saw a man with a hat, or... maybe I saw one before I'm not sure...." she pondered, "but, this one had a sword and he was grabbing.... I think it was gems?? lt was shiny for sure!"

Lance tensed up, almost knowing what the girl was saying, but he had a confused, yet almost amused look in his face. He was so amused by this little girls inquisitive questions and what details she can remember on the top of her head, it was.. adorable to him to say the least.

He chuckled, "Now now, I'm not sure what you mean, but I can assure you that there is me and only me! If you are thinking about those 'creatures' grabbing gems, those are the negati. They're quite harmless, as you can see."

His head turned and pointed to the black, ink like creatures with neon patterns and stripes, grabbing and munching at the remaining gems.

Even though they were cute at least, that still doesn't answer her question.

Everytime she questions something, why does no one answer to her..?

Lance could notice that she was a bit discouraged at the answer, but he could sense that something else was wrong. He brushed his long, silver like hair to his ear and kneeled down in a gentle manner.

"Child, if there is anything that worries your mind, speak! Please know that I am always here to talk if your heart remains week.." Lance said in a gentle and reassuring manner. He held both of her tiny hands, contrast to his abnormal, large hands and gave them a reassuring squeeze.

The child made a deep sigh of relief, as if she needed to hear that from this kind gentleman. She broke from Lances hands and shrugged,

"It's... nothing. But...."

"But?"

"...Didn't you say that my stage needed...sprucing up?" she asked, as if changing the subject.

"I have haven't I..? Well, since this is Wonderworld, the stage here is at your command!" he struck his friendly smile as he got back up, "Your stage here is quite a unique one in my case. Shall I teach you tricks on what and where to place?"

"What do you mean?"

He gently grabbed her hand, his eyes twinkled with intrigue, "Come come! I shall show you!"

He lead her out of the boutique and in the middle of the empty shopping area of the plaza. He waited for her as if to do something, but it felt like she was more confused than ever.

"Alright....? Now what?"

"Nothing..? Not a single thing that you can think of?" he mused.

"What's there to think about? Is some building just going to pop out of nowhere?" she quipped sarcastically.

And just like that, another building from the shopping area did in fact, popped out of nowhere.

"Well, if you can think of that my dear!" he giggled.

Her eyes popped from surprise and her mouth fell open, she couldn't believe she actually thought of that.

"Just like that?!" she exclaimed.

"Just like that." Lance confirmed, "Now then, think of other things that can add to your own stage--add your own flare. Or change the place up if you like--theres no reason to stop there!"

She hummed, thinking of other things in her stage to add. She looked from left to right to center for other props she could add. She added more shops, some city props like street lamps, fire hydrants, some apartments, even a fountain in the center. It didn't had a statue in the center, but she didn't mind.

As Lance watched and helped the girl set up her stage, he commented, "You know, you remind me so much of a detective--always inquisitive and looking for clues. It's no wonder your striving out for answers--ike looking for news..."

Lance's eyes widened as if they thought of an idea, "That's it--Detective! Your name shall be Detective."

"Detective? You know you can't really name someone by their appearance... it's a little silly." she gave a sheepish laugh.

"Who says you can't? I believe you can." Lance shrugs.

As Detective thought about it, something stumped her. Why couldn't she remember her name...? She was actually gonna tell Lance her real name, but for some reason she can't remember.

Really silly indeed. However, detective that a cool sounding theme to it, so she let the thought go and stuck with it.

"I guess you have a point," she agreed.

As she was done with what she wanted from her stage, Lance rested his hand on his hip and gave an approving nod.

"Very good, and very well done! I'd say, love--you have quite the imagination on where you have gone..."

He looked around the stage and was on awe with the night time-like and dreamy atmosphere that Detective had brought out.

"Now then, I leave you at your own command. I believe my job here is done for a while--but please do not hesitant at all to call me by my name--I will be there to ail to your needs, hand in hand." He bowed graciously in farewell. His sincerity looked like he really meant what he said to Detective

Before he disappeared with a flourish with his hand, Detective called to him, "Lance, wait!"

Lance was half-transparent as he looked at Detective in an inquired look.

Detective softly smiled to Lance, "...Thank you."

Lance smiled back in a mysterious manner, as if knowing what was going on with Detective; leaving her on her own on her stage.

<- Previous || Next ->

[the-officialashleycraigbrandt]

And just like that, it snowed ❄️

[joelalorian]

Whisked Away

Dave York x f!reader | WC: 3200+ | Masterlist

Summary: Dave York is full of surprises. A secret getaway leads to the next step in your life with Dave. A follow-up to my one-shot Blown Away, but could be read as a standalone.

My contribution to @secretelephanttattoo's Secret Springs Creative Challenge.

No warnings for this one - it's pretty tame with some humor, fluff, and a teensy bit of angst. No use of y/n. Reader is pretty much a blank slate with hair.

Sunlight reflected off the crystal blue waters as the small plane descended over the luxury resort town. Your mouth dropped open at the view.  

“Welcome to Secret Springs,” the pilot announced over the radio. “The best-kept secret this side of the Rockies. Hope you all enjoy your stay.”

Dave refused to tell you a thing about this surprise getaway to celebrate your first anniversary together, the only information he offered limited to advice on what to pack. Even in your wildest dreams, you didn’t expect a trip to somewhere so extravagant.

Quaint like Cape Cod, the town was rich with culture and life, an air of money and vibrant excitement wafting through town the moment you stepped out of the airport. Artisanal shops and cafes lined both sides of the cobblestone street, the hired driver pointing out his favorite spots to recommend. Dave nodded in response to the recommendations he agreed with – apparently, he did a lot of preparation for this little getaway.

Your mouth dropped open again when the car pulled up in front of a stately inn, the wrap around porch and beautiful awnings restored to its once historical perfection. “Dave,” you breathed in astonishment as you walked inside, eyes widening at the silver leaf domed ceiling and hand carved wooden grand staircase. “This is too much.”

“Nonsense,” he replied, placing a kiss on the crown of your head after slipping the attendant a tip for taking care of your luggage. “This is exactly enough. Come on.” His handsome face split into a cheeky grin.

A weight had lifted from Dave’s shoulders after he quit the DIA and the contract work. Now, there was a bounce to his step and a brightness to his burnt umber eyes. You smiled lovingly watching him stride to the concierge and followed as Dave led you up the grand staircase to your third-floor suite. Good thing the attendant took care of the luggage for you both – there was no elevator in this historical treasure.

Breath once again stolen from your lungs, you shuffled into the large room, eyes taking in every little detail from the ornate, mahogany four-post bed to the clawfoot tub to the bay windows overlooking the lush landscape below. You could just see the water sparkling in the sunshine in the distance. The room was resplendent in antique furnishings, and, certain you’d never stayed anywhere quite so beautiful, you hesitated to touch anything for fear of breaking something priceless.

Flopping back onto the plush mattress, you giggled when Dave plopped down on his side next to you. Right arm bent to support his head, he stared down at you with those soulful puppy eyes, a smile curving his pouty lips.

“Did I make you happy?” Dave asked, fingertips blazing a gentle path down the side of your face.

“You always make me happy, Dave,” you replied in a soft voice. “But, right now, I’m downright euphoric.”

Chuckling, Dave leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to your lips. “Is that so?”

“Mmhmm,” you giggled, pulling his face close for another kiss, this one deeper and sweeter, stoking the fire building inside you. “I think I should show you special thanks for making me delirious with happiness.”

“I like the sound of that,” his voice rumbled from deep within his chest as he pulled you up from the bed. “Let’s test out that tub before dinner.”

Filled with hot water and copious amounts of bubbles, the clawfoot tub was a luxury you wished you could take home with you when this trip ended. More than large enough for two, you could spend all night in there cuddled against Dave’s chest with his arms wrapped around you. Lovely and romantic, it gave honeymoon vibes, and, not for the first time, you wondered what it would be like to be married to Dave, though you dared not mention if for fear of scaring him away. During your time together, you got the sense he didn’t want to get married again, though he never explicitly said so.

Your vivid dreams and imagination pictured lazy afternoons, sketching him and the girls in your book as they played together in the yard, trips to the park and the mall, holidays full of merriment, maybe even a dog. A large, fluffy thing always happy to see you and chase the girls around the yard.

You pictured a house in the mountains, exchanging suits and dress skirts for jeans and hiking boots at the end of the day. Taking long hikes on the weekends. Romantic candlelight dinners on the patio during the weeks the girls were at Carol’s.

There would be the usual responsibilities like work and school and bills and… but you shook that reality away in favor of focusing on the happiness and love of being together, of coming together and changing each other’s lives the way that you did.

It was a pretty picture.

Your fingers itched to draw it.

Your heart longed to live it.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, sweetheart?” Dave questioned after a period of prolonged silence. He always read you so well.

“Hmmm,” you hummed,” just imagining the future.”

His broad body practically engulfed you as his arms tightened. “Tell me,” Dave’s voice purred in your ear, a command you could not deny. So, heart in your throat, you told him all the precious things you imagined while he nuzzled into your neck. When you finished, he peppered kisses across your shoulders. “Is that what you want? A life with me and the girls?”

The moment of truth… and you froze. Dave’s tone gave nothing away. Terrified of rejection, however soft he was with you, you merely hummed noncommittally.

Dave chuckled warmly. “Mmhmm, I get it. We haven’t talked about the future yet and you don’t want to get hurt if I don’t want the same things as you,” he murmured, hot breath in your ear causing a wave of gooseflesh across your skin. He was too good at getting right to the heart of the matter.

“I’ll go first, then. Ok?” he asked, placing a kiss on the tender flesh right beneath your ear. “That is the life I want… with you. Getting married and living somewhere exactly like this, spending our lives together in a quaint town with lots to do and see, watching the girls grow up and flourish. In fact, I can’t think of anything I want more.”

“Really? That’s what you want?” Turning your head, you saw him nod reassuringly. “It’s just… you always made it seem like you didn’t want to get married again.”

A laugh slipped past his lips before he could stop it and your shoulders hunched in dejection. “No, sweetheart…” his arms tightened around you until your skin practically melded together. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you, I swear.”

Part of you didn’t believe him, your breath catching in your throat as he tried to explain himself.

“My life was so different before I met you, sweetheart. I didn’t think finding love again was possible, not the way that I lost myself in the darkness of the contract work. Carol and I had been together so long, it was comfortable, but not romantic, not like it used to be. I thought I’d never have that again, so I put it from my mind.”

Dave’s thick fingers grazed across your skin as he spoke.

“I fell for you fast and hard, and if I’m being honest, it scared me a little. I couldn’t bring you into my life the way it was – it would have been unfair to you. It was already unfair to Carol and the girls… I couldn’t tell her everything, that’s part of why Carol wanted a divorce. I found myself wanting to tell you everything, to be a better man for you and the girls.”

“Dave—” He cut you off to continue his train of thought.

“Without realizing it, you gave me a reason to quit that life and all the things that made me unhappy,” he said, strong arms turned you to face him. His dark eyes glistened in the low light of the bathroom. “The past year has been amazing and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you how seriously I take what we have. I do want to get married again… to you. And only to you. When you’re ready.”

Tears leaked from your eyes, mixing with the tiny droplets of water still falling from your wet hair. “Thank you for sharing that with me. I’m glad we want the same things,” you said, voice rough from fighting back the tears for so long.

“Me, too. I love you, sweetheart.” Dave kissed you deeply then, teasing his tongue into your mouth. When he finally pulled back, he added, “I have another surprise to show you after dinner. After this conversation, I’m certain you’ll love it.”

“Just how many surprises have you been hiding from me?” you questioned with a grin.

“Just this last one, I promise.”

“I love you, Dave York.”

Dinner consisted of exquisite, tapas-style portions of tuna tartare, pan-seared scallops, mini beef wellingtons, and a few other delicacies cooked to perfection. Savory flavors burst across your palette with each bite. You didn’t want the culinary experience to end, especially when dessert included the most decadent chocolate mousse concoction that nearly had you orgasming at the table.

Appetites sated and senses dulled by a heady wine buzz, Dave escorted you down the sidewalk along the main street, your hands clasped with fingers entwined. The evening air was warm and dry without being oppressive, a gentle breeze tickling your skin and rustling your hair as you walked.

“I love you,” you blurted happily, feelings for this amazing man suddenly overwhelming, especially after your confessions earlier and the romantic dinner you just shared. His grip tightened around your hand as his lips curled up into a smile. “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

Could this evening get any better? Could this life you were building together get any better? You didn’t think so.

Dave slowed to a stop in front of an empty store front. “Here we are.”

Confused, you glanced around, searching for evidence of the surprise he told you about. All you saw were dark, empty windows and a tinted glass door giving nothing away. Seeing your bewildered expression, Dave stepped back towards the cobblestone street, pulling you with him, and pointed upward.

An artful marquee sparkled brightly above you, finally cluing you in to what he wanted you to see. “Whisked Away Art Gallery,” you read aloud in a shaky voice, “very whimsical.” After a moment, you turned to Dave with wide, wondrous eyes. “What is this?”

His resulting grin and excited, warm eyes melted your heart. “This is your art gallery, sweetheart.”

You gulped. Did you hear that right? Surely not. “Mine?” you questioned. “What do you mean my art gallery?”

Smile never dropping, Dave motioned you to follow him as he unlocked the door and led you inside, one hand reaching out to flick the lights on.

“I bought it, for you. It’s yours, baby. You can display your work and that of any other artists you chose. It’s time you shared your work with the world. It’s too good to keep hidden in that sketchbook of yours.”

His words washed over you without absorbing into your bewildered brain. Too fixated on staring around the large, empty space with your mouth open, imagination running wild as you envisioned various pieces artfully displayed on the walls. Shaking your head, you asked him to repeat what he said. You couldn’t believe it.

“But… how? I mean, it must have cost a fortune in a town like this. And how am I meant to—”

Pressing a thick finger to your lips, Dave cut off your impending spiral. “Remember that future we talked about earlier? This is the next step in building the life we want. You fell in love with this town as quickly and deeply as you fell in love with me. That’s gotta be a sign, right? This town was meant for us.”

You melted against his chest. How did he always know exactly what to say to you?

“You want to live here in Secret Springs? Together?” You spoke into Dave’s neck, lips grazing the skin.

“I know we haven’t talked about officially moving in together, but we’re always together at your place or mine. I thought maybe it’s time to take the next step,” he explained. A moment later, he hesitantly added, “Would you like that?”

You leant back, placing your hands on either side of Dave’s face, and stared directly into his beautiful brown eyes. “I would love that. A life with you is all I want.” You kissed him, letting your lips convey the depth of your feelings, your happiness instead of your words.

The world around you disappeared as Dave gave in fully to the kiss, the coil inside your core tightening with each playful stroke of his tongue against yours. At the first moan that slipped past your lips into Dave’s mouth, he pulled back, eyes full of lust and breathing heavily.

“Let’s get back to the inn, sweetheart. I have an idea on how we can celebrate taking the next step in our relationship.” Without waiting for a response, Dave grabbed your hand and practically dragged you out of the gallery, stopping only long enough to lock the door behind him.

The inn wasn’t far, conveniently located in the heart of the small town, but the journey back still took too long for your liking. Your need for Dave nearly overwhelmed you when he tugged you through the front door of the inn and up the three flights of stairs, all the while ignoring greetings from the staff and other guests. He was a man on a mission.

The door to the suite barely clicked shut before Dave pounced. He left a trail of searing, open-mouthed kisses down your neck and along the bare skin of your shoulders, slipping the thin straps of your dress down your arms. Dexterous fingers pulled the zipper down as his mouth blazed a trail of kisses right behind the falling fabric.

Dave stepped back when you stood before him in nothing but a pair of black, lacy panties. “Damn, baby,” he breathed, dark eyes burning with desire as he drank in the sight of you. Pointing to the large, cushioned ottoman near the antique settee, Dave added, “Face down and ass up on the ottoman, sweetheart.”

Later that night, you laid in bed with your head resting on Dave’s chest, one ear pressed to his skin listening to his heart thump. Having forgotten to close the curtains earlier, moonlight danced across the room from the bay windows. You loved the ethereal glow it left on yours and Dave’s skin.

“Dave?” you asked, lifting your head to rest your chin on his chest. Head resting on a pillow propped against the wooden headboard, he peeked at you with sleepy eyes.

“Yeah, sweetheart?” You felt more than heard his response, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest.

A million questions swirled in your brain from the conversation earlier, but where did you start?

“How were you able to buy the gallery? It had to be expensive in such a hidden gem like Secret Springs.”

With a yawn, Dave ran a hand over his face before smoothing it down your back. “I, uh, made a lot of money doing that contract work. That’s why the boys and I started doing it to begin with – to support ourselves and our families when the military kicked us to the wayside. It turned out to be more lucrative than any of us expected. I made more than enough to make sure the girls are taken care of and build our new life together.”

He paused, giving you the opportunity to ask for specifics if you felt the need, but you didn’t. You knew enough of the man he used to be and the things he thought he had to do to give Carol and the girls a life worth living. He wasn’t proud of the things he had to do to survive, but at least he did them with good intentions.

“Besides, it wasn’t nearly as expensive as you might think. I am a very thorough negotiator.” Dave smirked as you rolled your eyes.

“What about the girls?” you questioned.

“What about them?” he returned with furrowed brows.

“Won’t we be too far from them to keep the visitation the way it is? I don’t want you to miss out on any time with them, not with how fast they’re growing up.”

This was probably your biggest concern. You didn’t want Dave to regret any moves he made with you if they impacted his relationship with his girls. A truly devoted father, he loved Alice and Molly to pieces, and you refused to be an impediment to that.

Silence filled the air like static and you panicked for a moment. Was this the moment he realized being with you, starting a new life would cost him too much in terms of time with his girls?

Dave shifted down the bed until your bodies curled together from head to toe and his dark eyes stared into your worried gaze.

“Stop worrying, sweetheart,” he said, his deep voice gentle and smooth. “It will all work out, I promise. Carol was offered a promotion with a relocation; her new office will be in the next town over. Believe it or not, she’s the one who told me about this place and set all this in motion.”

You beamed at him. “Funny how things work out, isn’t it?” You couldn’t help the ‘what if’ thought of what would have happened if you weren’t both ready to move into together? Would you have tried long distance?

Looking at you with a gooey warmth in his eyes, Dave kissed your lips. “I know what’s going on in that pretty head of yours. Stop worrying. Everything is working out just as it is meant to. Don’t waste energy thinking about the what ifs. Besides, if things didn’t work out like this, I would have figured out another way to have you with me wherever life took me.”

Tears sprang to your eyes unbidden. You couldn’t help it. Strong feelings always made you cry, and you felt such overwhelming love for Dave in that moment, fighting back the tears would have been a complete waste of time.

“Baby,” Dave cooed, pulling you impossibly closer, worried about your tears.

“They’re happy tears, I promise,” you blubbered, the tears only coming faster as you added, “I’m just so in love with you.”

“Well, that’s good. I’m so in love with you, too. It would really suck if I was in this on my own,” he teased, one hand cradling your as he pressed his lips to yours in a watery kiss.

“Are we really going to live in this amazing town?” you asked a little while later after the overwhelming emotions settled.

“As soon as we find the perfect house. Speaking of, I talked to a realtor, and we have a few lined up to see the day after tomorrow.”

How was this your life?

Exhaustion finally took over and you dreamt of finding the perfect house and building a life in this beautiful paradise.

fin