#choicesaprilchallenge2021

[lem-20]

Something Different

Summary: Ethan and MC discuss the new experience they just shared. 3.8 rewrite.

Book/Pairing: Open Heart/Ethan x f!mc (Cecilia Gibson)

Category/Rating: Fluff/Mature

Word Count: <1000

Prompt: @choicesaprilchallenge2021 Day 10: Horizon

Disclaimer: Characters and some dialogue owned by Pixelberry

A/N: I have accepted that Ethan & MC like to try new things, but I feel like they should have addressed it more during their conversation, so I've added a little to it (in my usual soft af way)

They lay tangled together in Ethan's bed as he traced the sharp line of Cecilia's hipbone through the sheet.

She turned to look him in the face. The darkness in his eyes seemed to have subsided, if only a little.

"Glad I stayed?"

"Yes. Though I hope...that the experience wasn't too much for you," he said, a genuine look of concern on his face.

"Did it seem like it was too much for me?"

He shook his head. "No, it didn't. I've just never met someone whose appetites could match my own."

"So...this is something you've tried before then?" she asked, a little nervous of the answer.

"No. It is something I've thought about in the past, but never really felt comfortable enough to bring it up to anyone," he shifted slightly, looking a little embarrassed. "I had fully intended on having a conversation about whether it would be something you were interested in trying, but after everything that happened today, I guess I got a little carried away."

The confidence he had shown earlier in the night was long gone and had been replaced with a look of vulnerability, having revealed his secret desires to her.

"It's okay," she replied running her fingers tenderly over his chest. "I do have a couple of questions though...if you don't mind?" She gave him a warm smile, not wanting him to feel uncomfortable or embarrassed.

"Of course," he replied with a cautious nod.

"Did you buy these...props for me?" she asked, running her hands over the straps of leather clinging to her curves. "Or have you had them longer than that?"

"I bought them a few months ago. It wasn't long after that night where we used the whipped cream." She noticed a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the memory and couldn't help but join him with a smile of her own. "It's always excited me when we've tried different things, but I knew this was a slightly bigger step and I've been a little nervous to broach the subject."

"I get that. You don't have to feel nervous talking to me though Ethan, about anything. I love that you feel comfortable enough with me to want to try new things. It's not something that I had thought about myself, but...I enjoy experimenting with you." She placed a gentle kiss on his lips as she drew her fingers lovingly down his cheek. "You must have done your research though, because it definitely seemed like you knew what you were doing," she smiled.

"Yes," he chuckled, looking a little more at ease with the subject. "I wanted to know what I was talking about if we were ever to try it."

"Well you definitely succeed there," she giggled, "did it live up to your expectations?"

He paused for a moment. "Yes, I really enjoyed it...was it okay for you?"

She nodded before adding a "yes" in confirmation.

"I just hope I didn't made you feel uncomfortable by springing it on you like I did."

"I won't lie, I was a little surprised, but I think you should know by now...I'd go anywhere with you. In bed... but also just in life. We could be bare naked in the snow in Iceland, and I'd still enjoy myself. As long as it was you I was enjoying."

"That's good to know," he responded with a smile, "I'd never want to do anything that you weren't fully on board with though."

"You know I'd tell you if I wasn't, but to be honest I quite enjoy going beyond my comfort zone with you. You're definitely full of surprises you know. I never would have thought that the esteemed Dr. Ramsey would be so kinky," she giggled.

"Well, it's not exactly something I would broadcast is it," he chuckled, "and we all have our secrets. I'm just glad I can share mine with you."

Her heart fluttered as she smiled to herself.

A few moments later, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at him. She lazily brushed his hair away from his forehead. He looked calmer...but still troubled.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, thinking back to events earlier in the day.

"Pleasantly spent... but I take it that's not what your question is referring to," he sighed, running a hand through his hair and tilting his gaze up to the ceiling.

They talked for several minutes about Ethan's decision and the consequences surrounding it.

He reached for her hand across the tangle of sheets, leaning in to lay a soft kiss on her lips.

"Thank you," he said.

"What for?"

"For being here tonight. For helping me work through this," he responded, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I'll always be there for you, Ethan. Even when I don't agree with you," she replied sincerely.

"I know... and I hope I never take that for granted."

She sighed, gazing out the windows at the twinkling city lights.

"What happens when we go back out there?"

He considered for a moment, a flicker of the storm returning to his gaze. "To be honest, I don't know what will happen. But I am sure of something. Whatever it is, I'm less afraid of it knowing that I'll have you by my side."

Together, they knew they could face anything and they'd support each other no matter what.

Their lips joined for a long deep kiss, before drifting off to sleep in each others arms.

~~~~

Thank you for reading. I couldn't rest until I had written this. I hope you enjoyed it 🥰

~~~~

Tags: @pixie88 @lifeaskim @shewillreadyou @queencarb @udishaman @lucy-268 @starrystarrytrouble @txemrn @ethanramseylover @irisofpurple @alina-yol-ramsey @maurine07 @stygianflood @iemcpbchoices @mercury84choices @binny1985 @caseyvalentineramsey @mainstreetreader @coffeeheartaddict @wingedhairstylemusicweasel @dorisz

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

[sfb123]

Stealing Moments

Book: The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir

Pairing: Liam x Riley

Summary: The Royal family spends the afternoon taking part in some pre-Easter (or preaster, if you will) activities.

Rating: G - I’m not going to sugar coat it (sugar is the last thing this story needs), this is some majorly fluffy stuff here. Even for me, and I’ve produced some pretty fluffy work.

Word Count: 1,947

A/N: So this story is a triple threat:

I am participating in @wackydrabbles prompt #88 “I meant every word.” Which will appear in bold.

I am also participating in the @choicesaprilchallenge2021, day 3 teal. That prompt will appear in italics.

I am also participating in @trraw, day 2 Liam. That prompt will appear in the form of a handsome and charming King.

A/N 2: This is an idea that I thought of while I was writing my upcoming Uncle Drake fic (you’ll see that one on Sunday), so I decided to write it up as a little prequel to that. Thank you to @jessiembruno for encouraging me to take my crazy throw away ideas and make them into something, and also by contributing this adorable moodboard. You are a Canva master. To think, not too long ago you hated it and cursed it out on the regs!

Tags: You know the drill, they’re down below. I hope you get it! If you want to be added or removed, let me know!

Liam sat in his study, wrapping up some paperwork before his next meeting when there was a knock on the door. “Come in.”

Bastien entered the room and shut the door behind him. “Sir, Lord Neville is demanding an audience with you. Immediately.” 

“Of course he is. Tell him I am unavailable, and to make an appointment with my assistant before he leaves.” 

“I did. I explained to him that you have an important afternoon meeting that could not be rescheduled. He didn’t appear to care.” Bastien chuckled to himself. This wasn’t the first time Neville had tried to weasel his way into an urgent meeting with the King.

Liam let out a deep breath as he stood, scrubbing his hand over his face. “Of course he didn’t. That’s fine, I need to get to my meeting anyway. I will tell him myself.” 

Almost immediately upon exiting his study, Neville was in his face. “Your Majesty, I have an urgent matter that requires your immediate attention-”

Liam held up a hand, silencing him. “I’m sure you do, Lord Neville. Unfortunately, I am on my way to a very important meeting, so I am unable to sit with you right now. Please see my assistant on your way out, and she will be happy to book you for my next available appointment.” 

“With all due respect Your Majesty, that simply won’t do. It won’t take long, perhaps I could walk with you to your next meeting?”

Liam internally rolled his eyes at the suggestion. He knew just how to stroke his ego to get him to back down. “Lord Neville, as one of our most valued members of court, I couldn’t possibly do you the disservice of giving you anything but my full attention on what I’m sure is a crucial matter. That is all I would be doing if I allowed you to continue at this time. I will make sure that my staff adjust the schedule to provide us enough time to examine the issue thoroughly. Please send me any documentation as soon as possible so that I may review it before our meeting. That way, we can hit the ground running when we do meet.”

Neville stood tall, a smug expression quickly spreading across his face. “Very well, Your Majesty. I appreciate your assistance in the matter. I will leave the documentation with your assistant.” He bowed, and Liam nodded in response before exiting the area and moving on to his next meeting. 

“If I may say sir, the way you handled that situation was truly masterful.” Bastien commented as they walked through the palace. 

Liam chuckled and patted his security guard on the back. “All in a day's work, my friend. Everything is in place for this afternoon, I trust? I will have no disruptions for the remainder of the day?”

“Yes Your Majesty, the staff has been fully alerted that you will be unavailable. I will be at the door to ensure that you are not bothered.” Bastien replied. 

Once they arrived at their destination, Liam crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. He was the last to arrive, so the sound of the door caught the attention of those that had already gathered. 

“Daddy!” Eleanor jumped out of her chair and ran straight for Liam, leaping into his arms. 

“Hello Princess.” He chuckled as he held her close, placing a kiss on her cheek. “Are you ready to decorate some Easter eggs?” He carried her through the livingroom area of the royal quarters, returning her to her seat at the kitchen table.

“Yep! I helped mommy mix all the colors together. It was so fun!” She gestured to the cups of coloring spread out across the table. 

Liam couldn't help but laugh at his daughter’s enthusiasm as he approached his wife, who was standing at the table making the final preparations for their afternoon project. “Hello, beautiful.” He leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on Riley’s lips. 

“Hey handsome. You made it right on time. I’m impressed.” She teased. 

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything in the world. No matter how hard Neville tried.” 

“Neville, yuck!” Eleanor chimed in, causing both of her parents to burst out laughing. 

Riley turned her attention back to her husband. “Alright, you go get changed. I don’t want you ruining your fancy king clothes with egg dye.”

Liam kissed his wife and daughter before going into the bedroom to put on some more casual clothes. He returned unnoticed as Riley explained the egg dying process to Eleanor. He stood for a moment and watched them, his girls, his world. He couldn’t help the smile that quickly spread across his face at the sight. 

“Daddy, come on, we can’t start without you!” Eleanor called out to him from the other side of the room, breaking him from his thoughts. 

He returned to the table and stood between his girls. “Alright, I’m here. Where do we begin?” 

Not only was this Eleanor’s first time decorating Easter eggs, but Liam’s too. He was told that as a Prince, there were more productive ways for him to spend his time. It was just one of the many childhood experiences being royalty simply didn’t allow for. He was so happy, not just to have this experience for himself, but to share it with his daughter. Another way to give her the childhood he never had, but always wanted.

Once Riley explained the process, they got to work; since she was the seasoned professional, she let Eleanor and Liam take the lead and do most of the work. She marveled in the similarities in their gestures, the concentration on their faces as they placed their white eggs in the dye, and the excitement when it would come out dyed a bright color. At one point, Riley couldn’t help but laugh when they pulled out their eggs at the same time, and looked up at her with identical expressions of joy, showing off their creations. 

They had gotten down to the last egg, Liam turned to Eleanor, “Ok Princess, we’ve got one left. You get to pick the color.”

A thoughtful expression overtook Eleanor’s face as she surveyed the colors that surrounded her before turning to her parents and confidently announcing her decision. “Teal.”

Riley and Liam locked eyes and shared a confused expression. There was no teal, they had only prepared basic colors, blue, green, yellow, pink, and purple. “Baby girl, we don’t have teal. These are the only colors we have.” Riley explained. 

Eleanor’s lip started to quiver as her arms went across her chest. “I want teal. Please.” Her parents had been teaching her the importance of manners, so she figured if she said please, they had to give her what she wanted. 

They both knew what that lip quiver meant, they were going to need to move quickly to avoid a total meltdown. Liam approached the princess and started rubbing her back to keep her calm. “It’s alright Eleanor. Why don’t you tell me why you want a teal egg so badly?”

“It’s my favorite color.” She looked up at her father, a pleading expression etched in her face. Her eyes glistening with unshed tears. 

There was no question that Eleanor had the King wrapped around her finger, and when she looked at him like that, there was absolutely no way he could deny her. “Alright, let me go talk to mommy and see what we can do for you.” He kissed her on her cheek and returned to his wife. “Riley, there must be something we can do. I can send someone to get teal coloring. We have unlimited resources at our disposal, there must be some way we can make this happen for her.” 

Riley shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Man, you really are a sucker when it comes to her. Aren’t you.” 

“For both of my girls, actually.” He lifted her hand to his lips and brushed them gently across her knuckles, while giving her a hopeful expression. 

She sighed deeply, as much as she tried to fight it, she was also a sucker for her family. “Alright, I guess I can try to mix the blue and green together. Maybe I can get the right ratio to make a teal dye.” 

Liam turned to Eleanor and gave her a thumbs up, she clapped her hands and cheered in response. Riley got to work carefully mixing the two dyes into a third cup, occasionally dipping a piece of paper in to test the color. She smiled to herself when the fourth test paper emerged from the cup. Mission accomplished. “Did somebody want to make a teal egg?”

“Me me me!” Eleanor raised her hand and jumped up and down in her seat. 

Riley placed the cup in front of Eleanor and handed her the egg. The pair worked together to color the final egg to the princess’s exact specifications. 

Liam watched as the two of them completed their family project. His heart was so full at that moment that he felt weak in the knees. He reached behind him and laid his palms against the kitchen island to steady himself. He stood there as his wife, the love of his life, sat with his daughter creating memories in their home. In that moment, he wasn’t a King, he was the luckiest man in the world. 

With the help of her mother, Eleanor pulled the egg from the dye, her smile growing exponentially as she proudly looked up at her father to show off her work. “Daddy, we did it! It’s teal!”

Liam chuckled at the sight in front of him. “I think it’s the most beautiful egg I have ever seen, Princess.”

Riley looked up and noticed Liam’s expression before leaning down to Eleanor. “Hey sweets, why don’t you go wash up for dinner while I put all of this away.” Her daughter looked up and nodded before rushing down the hall. Riley approached Liam and put a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, are you alright?”

“Love, I can honestly tell you I have never been better.” He placed a hand on her cheek. “Do you remember our first date? During the social season?” She nodded. “You asked me what my dream was, and I told you I wanted a real family, one that was close and listened to each other.” He paused, staring deeply into her eyes. “I have that, because of you Riley. You’ve made my dream, my heart’s desire, come true. Going into my social season, I had all but given up on falling in love, and assumed I would simply marry for duty. Then you uprooted your whole life to give me a chance at happiness. I will never be able to tell you how truly grateful I am for all that you have given me.” He placed a lingering kiss on her lips.

“Liam, I did it for me too. That night in New York, I had never felt like that before. I was not that girl, the one that drops everything to fly around the world for a boy I just met, but I knew there was something there that was worth exploring.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. 

“Really?”

Riley laughed gently. “I meant every word.” She leaned in to kiss him, and he pulled her close. 

They pulled apart just as Eleanor bounded back into the room. She ran straight for her parents and jumped into Liam’s arms. He held her against one side, and pulled Riley into the other. He was sure that life couldn’t get better than that very moment. 

Tags:

Permatag- @anjanettexcordonia @athena-penrose @cordonia-gothqueen @cordoniaqueensworld @gabesmommie1130 @gkittylove99 @hopelessromanticmonie @iaminlovewithtrr @jessiembruno @kat-tia801 @khoicesbyk @kingliam2019 @lucy-268 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @mile9213 @mom2000aggie @pixie88 @queenrileyrose @secretaryunpaid @sweatyrysconnoisseur @theroyalheirshadowhunter @twinkleallnight @txemrn

One Shots- @darley1101

Liam x Riley- @jared2612

@choicesficwriterscreations @wackydrabbles @choicesaprilchallenge2021​ @trraw​

[monsoonblooms12]

Bittersweet (Ethan Ramsey x f!MC)

Summary: OH Book 1 Chapter 4 written from Dolores Hudson's POV

A/N: I really wanted to do this because Dolores is such an amazing person and this chapter is one of my favourites in the entire OH series. This picks up from the office fire and ends at Dolores's death.

A/N 2: The flashback portions are indented

If you enjoyed the story, please like it, leave a comment or reblog. Your feedback keeps me going🤍

Characters: Dolores Hudson, Ethan Ramsey, f!MC (Pooja Sharma)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Pooja Sharma (f!MC)

Word Count: around 2.8 K

Rating: General

Category: Fluff then Angst

Disclaimer: PB owns most of the characters and some of the dialogues. I only own my MC.

Triggers: Complications in pregnancy, Few Curse Words, Character Death

Prompts: @choicesaprilchallenge2021 Day 23: Classic/Classical

Other Works

Clickety-clack!

Dolores's fingers danced on the keyboards in a swift motion as she strived to complete this last email and get home and have a sleep that she missed yesterday due to late-night cravings.

Around her, a chaos of whispers spread as her colleagues engaged in mindless chitter-chatter of the last hour before the end of the office day.

A few nudges of Hey, Dolores! and its variants reached her, but she steered past them, focusing completely on her work.

Just one more line anndd,

Done!

She hit the send and the ping of the 'sent' notification calmed her overworked nerves.

Come on, Lil tadpole, let's file these papers, get ice cream and go home.

She fondly rubbed her belly. 26 weeks in and yet the fact that she was going to become Mamma Froggy was overwhelming and exciting.

She got the prints and in a hurry, nearly got a paper cut.

Careful there! She cajoled herself and started filing those messy sheets of her hard work of the day.

She was almost done just as-

Waaahhh!

The blazing sound, very much like a siren's, reached all of them, leading to the eruption of panicked commotion between all of them.

They had been run through the fire drill so many times that they didn't need to be told that it was a fire alarm.

Dolores left all her possessions, carrying only her bag with the stuffed froggy she had bought for her baby and tried to run.

But being pregnant doesn't make it very easy. Even more, if there was a fucking fire at the place.

People went haywire. Very few cared about the fact that she was carrying a baby, and they should have the minimum decency to help. Most would selfishly try to save themselves, not giving a damn about anyone.

Dolores tried to pave a way for reaching the elevator. It was nearly impossible for her to get down the stairwell in time to save herself from the hazardous situation. She could see that most of the people had already evacuated.

Why was the fire department not here yet?

The fire was ablaze, surroundings hot, and amidst all, Dolores walked slowly, worried only about her little tadpole and not herself.

She pressed the buttons of the elevator. Waited. But nothing budged.

Fuck it!

Smoke engulfed her and she felt suffocated. All through the light-headedness, she could faintly hear, the siren of the ambulance. She hoped someone would save her from this fiery hell.

But there was no one to help her. No one around. The building burnt and if she did not think of something quickly, she would burn with it as well.

Not viewing any other options, she screamed with as much strength she could garner. Once, Twice, Thrice.

The next actions happened quicker than the blink of an eye. She saw a handsome EMT rush towards her. Even though she was already in a blazing environment, she couldn't stop the he's hot reflex of her brain cells. He came to her and reassured her that he would be able to save her and her baby, picked her up, and slowly, yet swiftly, got out of there.

Just like a superhero.

She thought of telling this story of Super-Man coming to save him and his Mama to her baby and the thought made her giggle.

Her head was light, and she felt choked, but her mind would keep going to the little angel of her womb, worrying only for him.

The last she remembers was reaching the ambulance and coughing vigorously. She couldn't breathe normally. She tried and failed miserably. A slow sensation of blacking out and after that, everything blank.

After who knows how long, Dolores feels the glare of white lights around her giving her eyes a painful competition to open up. She squints, tiredness spreading through her body. From office work or the life-threatening experience? She does not know.

She slowly, very slowly, tries to sit up, her hand on her belly, tenderly stroking it, as if to let the child know that his Mamma would not let any harm come to him. Nurses check in on her, one of them replacing the oxygen mask with a nose tube, and she felt a bit more relaxed.

As she was taking in the surroundings, she realized,

Edenbrook!

Coming back here after so many years brought back many memories. The first time she came here. Oh, how panicked she was! She was getting jitters but that calm and brilliant doctor took care of her, not only inside the hospital but also outside it.

Dr Ethan Ramsey.

He still worked here, he had told her in his last email. I need to meet him! She thought.

When was the last time they had met? In that coffee shop last year, right? It had been long.

She traced the name she had thought for her tadpole over and over again on her belly as if to make him memorize it before coming here to her, and looked around.

There was a minimum difference between the room she had been kept in the first time and the one in which she was now, but the time gap made her feel everything was new.

All of a sudden the door swayed, letting in a young doctor and,

Ethan!

She was genuinely excited about seeing him. Of all the possibilities, she hadn't really considered the fact that he would be coming to treat her. He has important cases to take care of than petty smoke inhalation, right?

A frown appears on his forehead. "What did you get yourself into this time, Dolores?"

His stern tone is the tough layer of a walnut, which hid his soft corner, the concerned heart. She smiled at the realization.

She quickly filled him in with all the details. The fire. The hot superman. The baby. Everything.

She finds the young doctor's surprise about Ethan having friends amusing. The look of surprise she had on her face was priceless.

But when the doctor asked her,

"Was Dr Ramsey always so mean?" she guards her mouth using her hand, "And so handsome?"

It was Dolores's turn to be shocked. She knew just how much Ethan hated interns. He used to whine about how stupid they were all the time to her, online & offline. And here was this intern, having enough courage to ask her such a question in front of him.

Impressive!

"This man's definitely got grouchier than before, but even then he had an edge"

"And as for handsome, I think he has aged like a fine wine" Dolores winked and Ethan fumbled for words.

When he got his tone back, it was strict.

No matter what anyone else thought, Dolores knew the real Ethan. The one without his rough and tough exterior and mean demeanour.

And that Ethan, if he ever came out, would make everyone fall in love with him.

As the doctors mumbled between themselves, she looked around, searching for something.

Umm Hmm. She couldn't see it.

"Excuse me Doctor Sharma" Both of them turned to look at her. "I remember having my bad when the hunk brought me out. Did they bring it here?" She asks, anxiety on its borderline, ready to burst out.

She needed it. Very Much.

Dr Sharma looks around for a bit, carefully conscious eyes trained to spot abnormalities. Her eyes, soon enough, fall on the side table of the bed and she picks the purse up and hands it over to Dolores.

Another frantic search follows. She turns all the contents up and down, her happy demeanour replaced with a visible frown.

It's not here, she says, evidently panicked.

A sadness spreads on her face.

"I must have dropped it in the office" She is on the verge of crying.

Dr Sharma places a kind hand on her shoulder. What Happened? Her questioning eyes wordlessly ask.

Dolores sighs, "It probably sounds stupid but I saw this adorable little frog on my lunch break and had to get it for my little tadpole."

"My parents are gone and the father's not in the picture." She adoringly places a hand on her swollen belly, "I just want everything to be perfect for him."

Dr Sharma gives her shoulder a gentle push of reassurance, and adds, "It's not stupid Dolores, absolutely not. I feel like you're going to be a great mom."

Her words make Dolores smile despite the upsetting circumstances, "Thank You. I- I just wished I hadn't lost it."

She stays lost in the thoughts and daydreams of her little tadpole playing with his first gift, growing ever more upset with every passing second.

"I and Dr Ramsey will find it for you!" Dr Sharma's excited tone jolts her out of her thoughts.

She is surprised first and slowly a smile appears, "Really Ethan? You would do that for me?"

He hesitates.

"Erm- Yes, sure." He fumbles.

"Dr Sharma, let's get this urine sample to the lab first. I will meet you in the lot in ten minutes."

Relieved and Happy, Dolores exclaims, "I am 26 weeks pregnant, Ethan. Not gonna take 10 minutes to make me pee!"

And in 15 minutes, they take her urine sample away and bid adieu with a promise of bringing her token of love for her tadpole back.

She was extremely grateful for Dr Sharma. She doubted if Ethan had given in the first time if it had not been her taking initiative.

Wait a Minute.

Ethan Ramsey listened to an intern? That too, in the first time itself? The observation blew her mind.

She recounted the time he had called her to his home to give a dinner treat. Lovely memories of a different face of the man came to her mind like the waves reaching the shore, one after the other.

"Mmm... Ethan, this is delicious!" Dolores found herself falling deeply in love with this masterpiece of Georgian stuffed chicken.

"Thank You, but it wouldn't have got done without your help" Ethan was never the type to take credit. Boast, Huh? What's that?

That's what she liked the most about him. A fine, handsome man, talented without bounds, a successful doctor having shitloads of money and a chef. He was a complete package and yet seemed to be subtly unaware of it.

They chatted about everything from opera to music to their first meet. It was a jolly time.

That is, until, the conversation landed on romance.

"So, seeing anyone?"

"No, not currently." He blushes a bit.

"Imagine" Dolores leans back on her chair, stretching her legs, "if, I said if, you fell in love with," she pauses to look at his curious face, "an intern?"

"Impossible."

It came even before she had finished the word. Dolores was amused.

"Just imagine!"

"I don't want to waste time imagining something as implausible as that. Can we talk about something else please?"

And here he was today, listening to an intern, a different demeanour than usual. Not that it was love, yet, but there was something.

Was he impressed by her?

He talked differently, listened patiently to the young doctor. That Ethan Ramsey who would not stand with an intern for 5 minutes, listened to one?

Anyone who knew him would laugh off the fact and say it was a joke.

Dolores made sure that if it happens, the falling in love with an intern, she will not let Ethan see the end of it. Teasing him to annoyance, yes that's what she would do.

She turned on some soft classical music on her phone, spreading an instant calm and dozed off for a while...

She gets up with a start on the sound of the door opening. She rubs her eyes to get a better view of the people in front of her.

It was Ethan and Dr Sharma!

She looked at them and yes! there it was, her tadpole's froggy.

She was overjoyed.

"You got it!" Dolores breaks into a grin as the sterilized frog is given to her.

"Happy now?" Ethan asks, the faintest glimmer of happiness in his eyes.

"Yes, very, very, much! Thank you so much, Ethan."

She pulls Dr Sharma into a small hug, "You too Dr Sharma, thank you!"

"Of course, Dolores." The young woman's beautiful face gleams at her, "and you can call me Pooja."

After few minutes of chit chat, Pooja leaves to get Dolores's reports.

"Switch on the TV Ethan, it's boring to sit here and do nothing."

"You know you can do better things than watching stupid TV shows?"

"I am doing it because I want to. The least who can do is help me." She shrugs.

"Fine, fine."

After going on a roundabout tour of the various broadcasted shows, they settled to watch a comedy.

Soon Ethan's stoicism got lost in the wilds and he started laughing along with her.

All the while Dolores held the Froggy affectionately to her tummy, to her little tadpole, as if to show it to him and ask if he likes it.

Amidst all the laughs, the medical reports are completely forgotten until there's a soft knock on the door and Ethan looks at someone from the corner of his eye and go out to meet them.

Still, she remains blissfully unaware of her health conditions and basks in the moments of delight she gets alone with her tadpole.

Her eyes remain glued to the TV screen until the doctors come in and from the morbid faces they wore, she knew that the reports were anything but good.

She switches off the TV.

"What is it? Ethan?"

Pooja steps forward, "I want you not to worry, Dolores."

She feels a mild panic attack bursting inside her, "T-That's what people say when there is something to be worried about. Is my tadpole okay?"

Pooja sighs, "Have you heard of preeclampsia? It's a disease affecting one out of ten pregnant women. In most cases, it is manageable, if monitored properly. But in your case-"

She pauses. And Dolores knows that whatever's coming will not be hopeful.

"It's serious."

Dolores quickly asks, "How serious?"

Not too much. Not too much. Please, god, not too much. She crosses her fingers.

"The blood flow to the placenta is slowing. It could deprive your baby of vital nutrients and oxygen."

With his morbid mask matching his melancholy tone, Ethan says, "Your baby is at risk."

Shit.

"B-But I can still feel the baby kicking!" She urges them to come and feel for themselves.

"Dolores it just means the delivery needs to be done early."

"Impossible." Dolores remarks with a deadly determination. "It's too soon."

"Babies delivered at 26 weeks have a good chance of survival." Dr Sharma tries to convince her.

"A-A chance?"

She is not going to play a game of chances with her beloved tadpole, her little jewel.

They keep convincing her.

"Yes he'll have to spend some time in the N.I.C.U and there are chances of post-birth complications-"

"And some don't make it at all. Is my baby is in danger now?" She asks with a motherly force.

"No, not immediately. But-" Ethan is on his tracks to convince her again.

"Then my little tadpole is staying put."

"Dolores—"

"No, Ethan! Just...give me some time! As long as you can give me. Please" It is a request from her heart, and she is on the verge of tears.

"I give you tonight. To come back to your senses."

When they leave, Dolores cries, caressing her belly, her little tadpole in there. She cannot take a risk with his goddamn life, never ever.

Tears roll down her cheeks and she holds the stuffed frog even tighter to herself, praying to god for his magical abilities and to save her baby.

Please.

She fell asleep while crying. When she wakes up, she finds a few unknown nurses and doctors standing there.

She tries to speak but cannot form words. Her head feels light, just like it did in the office building. She could not sense anything, swallowing was trouble.

She makes random sounds and the people come rushing to her, just as her body breaks into violent convulsions.

"We need to take her to the surgery, QUICK!"

They call for a code blue and everything that happens following that is a haze to her.

They are rushing her to the surgery. Her body shakes vigorously, and she can feel that she doesn't have much time left.

She holds the doctor's hand who was rushing her to the O.R.

"N-nam-me him-m E-Ethan."

And with that, she slowly spirals down the realm of unconsciousness, the last thought to ever strike her mind was,

Little tadpole, mamma loves you. You will be okay. Mamma will always be there with you, for you.

And with that her breath leaves her body, the last tear dropping on the O.R. bed.

As Ethan Hudson sees the light of his new life, Dolores passes away into the darkness.

I love you little tadpole.

PS: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you have a great day ahead! Love, Manamee🤍.

Tags (Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed!): @bbrandy2002 @whimsicallywayward15 @ohramsey @natureblooms24 @nervoussaladsludgeopera @trrfanaddict @hopelessromanticmonie @ilikemenbutonlyethanramsey @lovablegranny @bellcat2010 @gkittylove99 @kingliam2019 @starrystarrytrouble @3riche @chetachisblog @zoehanji @withbeautyandrage @drariellevalentine @mvalentine @aestheticartsx @angela8754 @schnitzelbutterfingers @ao719 @choicesstan1 @neotericthemis @nikki-2406 @anotherbeingsworld @maurine07 @sophxwithers @twinkleallnight @choicesaddict5 @gardeningourmet @mysticaurathings @jessiembruno @stygianflood @aleynareads @mercury84choices @udishaman @jamespotterthefirst

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @choicesbookclub

[choicesaprilchallenge2021]

Choices April Challenge 2021🌟

Hiya to everyone💙 How are you doing?

This is Manamee, @monsoonblooms12 and I am super duper excited to announce that I am going to host the April Challenge 2021🎉! April is a month that I hold close to my heart, because not only is it my birthday month🌸, it is one of the most light-hearted months for me in the year💫. I would also like to thank the amazing @lovealexhunt for letting me take the responsibility and for all the help💛

I am really thrilllled to look at all the beautiful creations you make this month🌟, and I hope you have as much fun making them as much as I have looking at them💙. Lots of love and let's get going💙!

🌸𝓡𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼:

Every form of work, be it 𝑭𝒂𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒔, 𝑴𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔, 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔, 𝑬𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒔, 𝑨𝒓𝒕 𝑷𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝑷𝒐𝒆𝒎𝒔, 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝑺𝒌𝒆𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔, 𝑫𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒍𝒆𝒔 and more are heartily welcome!

Every and Every Book, New or Old, from Choices and entire Pixelberry Universe are welcome💛

You are not bound to participate daily! You can take part for selected days, for a week or even one day!

Don't forget to list the Day and Prompt for which you are submitting your entry

If your work is NS*W, please label it as such and use appropriate warnings. It would also be appreciated, if the adult content was hidden under the page break.

You can get creative with the prompts! It can be a variation of the word and/or concept. It doesn’t have to be exact or literal. If the word inspires a train of thought that led you to something different, put that in the notes and send it in! Have fun with it! Make them work for you💫!

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓰𝓸𝓪𝓵 𝓲𝓼 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓭 𝓳𝓸𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰💫

If you want to participate in a day that has already passed, that is absolutely fine, just note that in your post and I will still reblog it and then edit the masterlist for that day to include our post!

Please tag your works with #choicesaprilchallenge2021 and #cac2021, and don't forget to mention @choicesaprilchallenge2021💛!

Feel free to tag me @monsoonblooms12 in your works💙 (Also, Tumblr tags can get wacky at times so don't hesitate to DM your work to me💫)

🌸𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽𝓼:

Day 1: Pranks and Jokes

Day 2: Carpe Diem

Day 3: Teal

Day 4: Egg Hunt

Day 5: Caramel

Day 6: Sonder

Day 7: Beer

Day 8: Diamond

Day 9: The Smell of Rain

Day 10: Horizon

Day 11: Cherry Blossom/Sakura

Day 12: Gifts/Balloons

Day 13: Polaroid

Day 14: Now or Never

Day 15: Solitude

Day 16: Glitter

Day 17: Marine

Day 18: Soft

Day 19: The Game is On!

Day 20: Dimples

Day 21: Library

Day 22: Mother Earth

Day 23: Classic/Classical

Day 24: Frenemies

Day 25: Bliss

Day 26: Spring

Day 27: Mountains

Day 28: Bollywood

Day 29: Sunkissed

Day 30: Bracelets

Once more, really glad to have got this chance and super-duper excited for April🤩

𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮,

𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚎 @monsoonblooms12 💛

[luxurylives]

@choicesaprilchallenge2021 - Day Fifteen: Solitude 

Thank you @dejavidetc for drawing MC and Jaime Lewis from Wishful Thinking 😊

[estellaelysian]

Day dream

Her eyes remind him of infinity.

Just like that of the teal colored oceans or the vast sky that stretches above them.

They hold clarity, and they can be read openly.

But, when he is on the receiving end of her gaze, they also hold the capability of fogging up his mind. Making him lose focus. Making her hard to read.

It’s strange, he thinks, that he is wondering about it now, when she is staring at the sun which dips low at the horizon, sending a crimson flood over the sky. Her eyes hold the fading sunlight in the most intoxicating manner possible, and he knows he is losing himself in their depths again.

Just like he did when he was in Amazon.

When, for the first time, he went to explore the deep green profundity of calm, he felt like he was finally able to breathe again, and at the same time, not breathe at all, because his dull ache had heightened again.

Those days remain with him forever.

Isn’t that the way mind works? Sometimes, all you remember are those things which you want to forget, put back, bury away somewhere in the depths of the past.

He sighs, tracing circles onto her bare skin.

Far too many times, too many for his liking, he has tried to remember what was the last thing they talked about before he left. All that he can gather are fuzzy, blurred snapshots merged into black. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t remember.

A long sigh leaves him as she sits up, her hair tumbling past her shoulders as they lift off his chest. Almost immediately, he wants to reach for her, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he watches her silhouette bathed in gold, every bit intoxicating as she stares outside the window.

What is it like to wage a war with your own mind? Does it feel like this? Unsettling, rootless and directionless?

That’s what it feels like when he thinks about them.

He wants to give her the world, everything she deserves. A lot more than he ever thought would be possible.

But at the same time, he thinks he’ll just mess it up somehow.

Isn’t that what happened in the past?

One too many times?

The pure gold light spills onto the hardwood floor, liquid and warm, as he sits up himself, wrestling with the idea of saying something.

Maybe he is getting used to her presence now.

And yet, the intensity of emotions she can stir inside him is something he is still learning to anticipate and expect.

Being with her is like day and night.

Sometimes, it’s like knowing exactly what he wants.

And other times, it’s like fumbling about a dark cave until he finally sees the light.

It possesses a stark difference, and yet, it’s all the same.

He reaches for her hand, lacing his fingers with hers.

One thing he knows to be as true as a morning dream.

He’ll never leave her.

After all, all men don’t dream equally. Those who dream by the night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they act on their dreams with open eyes to make them possible.

And she is not a vague dream of an inky blue night.

She is his day dream.

**********

Notes: This was an attempt at trying to write something without dialogue, so I hope it worked well.

Thank you all for reading

Taglist: Let me know if you want to be added or removed from the tags

[bebepac]

Country Glitter

I am participating in @wackydrabbles​ prompt # 90  “Need some lotion?”  which will appear in bold.  

I am also participating in @choicesaprilchallenge2021​​ Prompt # 16 glitter.   I hope you like my interpretation of glitter.  Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.  

This is also chapter 14 of Mia’s 🌎 World:  To catch up on what you’ve been missing please click:  Mia's World Masterlist

Or if you would like to see how this story began with Mia and her pals  please check out:  Pop's Place Masterlist

The Book:  TRR x The Freshman

Pairing:  TRR MC x M!OC (Mia x Jaiden) / Chris x Emily

Word Count: 1989

Warnings and Ratings:  A few curse words and fluff.  Mention of fear of miscarriage (Past recount of character) / Teen: 

A/N:  All my series intersect with each other in some way. In this series Ren and Jason Brooks did not adopt Riley.  “Riley Brooks” technically does not exist in this series though Mia is the MC.  If you’ve read my The Life of Riley Series, this is the same Jaiden from there. However in this AU he survived and so did his parents.  I love seeing them this way. They are so happy in this world.  

Original Post Date: 04/15/21 at 11:20PM EST

It was Spring Break.  Jaiden was excited. Life couldn’t be more perfect. He was back together with Mia, and everything felt so right.  He had planned to take Mia to Wrightsville Beach for a few days and meet up with Emily, Chris,  Leo, Hana, and the gang.  

Jaiden wanted everything perfect before they left. One of the things Jaiden took pride in was taking care of his vehicle.  He knew how to do minor work on it, and weekly hand washed Rubi.   Jaiden had just completed putting his first layer of wax on his candy apple red jeep, and it was glistening in the sun.

Their family was a Jeep family.  His dad had a white wrangler.  His mom after the Green Meanie finally died, purchased a black Jeep Grand Cherokee X.  Jaiden had a red soft top rubicon that was his pride and joy.  It was a high school graduation gift after everything had happened to him, and still managed to graduate third in his class of 1000 students.

Jason whistled when he walked out of the house seeing Jaiden’s vehicle sparkling in the sunlight looking like it was fresh off the store room floor.  

“Why’d you wash Rubi?”

“I have a date with Mia, and tomorrow we’re going to Wrightsville.  Rubi has to look hot for the trip.  I might even take the top off before we leave.”

“I don’t think you want to do that.”  

“Why not?”  

As if foreshadowing the events to come, Jaiden sneezed.  

“Geez where did that come from?”

“You’ll see,”  Jason chuckled.  “Have fun, and be safe.  

He had taken the soft top off and drove over to Mia’s house.  

"Hey Pops!"

"Hey Jaiden! How are you doing, Son?"

"Pretty good, about to starve, is Mia ready yet?"

Pops laughed.  "Want me to fix you something to tide you over? She was still in the shower a few minutes ago. We still have some leftovers from Easter. I can make you a sandwich."

"Thanks Pops."

"Or better yet, you do it, you're not a guest here, you're family. At least I think you want to be someday. I see how you look at MJ, and she looks at you.”

Jaiden's face turned pink, and he smiled.

"I love her."

Pops placed his hand on Jaiden's shoulder.

"I know you do. You saved her life."

"And she almost died because of me Pops, because I hurt her."

"You can't blame yourself for that Jaiden. None of us knew deep down what Mia was struggling with. She wasn't ready to tell any of us. I'm glad she finally did."

"Me too Sir."

Jaiden looked through the fridge finding the ham and potato salad.

"How did I not know you would go for those two things?"

Jaiden smiled.

"I'll leave you to it."

Jaiden was half way through his "snack" when Mia came downstairs, with her hair still wrapped in a towel.

"Jai! You're eating right now?!? Like right now?!?!?!??! We're supposed to be going to dinner in a little bit!"

"Babe, I was hungry, and you still weren't ready yet, I had to eat something."

She glanced down at what he was eating.  Her lips quirked into a smile, him eating what she cooked for Easter dinner. She kissed his cheek. "Well don't get too full."

"I won't. Take your time, I'm good."

A little bit later they walked out to Jaiden's Jeep.

"Oh hell no Jai. Put the top back on."

"What? Why? It's a nice day?"

"Don't you see it?"

"See what?"

He sneezed again.

"You see there it is."

"Mia what the hell?"

"The country glitter?"

"Do what?"

"Pollen. It's already in the air. It's already starting to accumulate on your jeep. Put the top on now."

"How bad can it get?"

"Did you not have pollen in New York? What the actual hell Jaiden?"

"Babe it's not called the asphalt jungle for nothing. We lived in a brownstone in New York, we didn't even have grass. The first time I cut  grass was down here!"

"So you hadn't seen an open field until you moved here? Did you know what cows looked like in real life? Have you been to a petting zoo?"

Jaiden playfully hit Mia. "Your voice you're using right now, I didn't live in a cave in New York you know."

"Are you sure? Because you didn't know what the hell pollen is."

"Can we go?"

He put her suitcase in the back next to his.

Jaiden sneezed again.

"Do you have seasonal allergies?"

"No."

"I kinda don't believe you Jaiden Brooks."

Jaiden sneezed mostly through dinner.

Mia asked him multiple times if he was alright.

In true male fashion, he insisted he was fine, even though he was starting to sound really congested.

"Stop by the pharmacy so we can get you some allergy medicine."

"I'm fine." Jaiden insisted.

When they were finally back upstairs in his room  and he was in his pajamas he grumbled. "I feel like crap babe."

Mia sighed.

"That's why I asked if you wanted to stop by one of the TWELVE MILLION pharmacies we passed by coming home. Come on let's run back out. Put your shoes back on."

"Can you just go for me?"

Jaiden collapsed on the bed like he was dying.

Mia laughed. Oh my God. She thought.

"I would, but I don't have my car Jai."

"My keys are on the dresser, just take Rubi."

"I've never driven your jeep before."

"I trust you."

"Okay… I'd kiss you if you weren't so snotty right now. I won't be gone long."

Jaiden groaned.

"Oh my God you big baby!!!"

It was something they had talked about a while back. Mia didn't care who drove her car. It was old, and not everyone could drive a manual anyway, so that limited people asking her about her vehicle. Jaiden on the other hand, had told her the only person who had ever driven his vehicle was his dad.

She grabbed her purse and went out to Rubi. She had to adjust the seat since Jai was 6'3".

Mia was smiling as she drove his jeep down the street, in her boyfriend's ride. He trusted her.

Maybe he shouldn’t have....  Mia screamed in delight.

She got an assortment of things to make him feel better, including the soft tissue with the lotion  since Jaiden was looking like Rudolph, with his red nose.  She wasn't gone long but she loved driving his jeep. She forgot to adjust his seat back carrying the stuff back in. Jaiden was grumbling in bed.

"Jai, sit up and take this."

She handed him a tablet and a glass of water.

"Thank you baby."

"You're welcome, and I got you the good tissues."

He smiled at her.

"Now go do this nasal rinse it will clear you up right away so you can sleep."

"Nope."

"What do you mean nope?"

"I mean I don't like to use nose stuff."

Mia laughed.

"You are such a big baby. Then you use this instead. Go take a shower, and drop one of these tablets into the water stream."

"Wait, how did you know?"

"My mom told me to get those just in case. She gets them for Pops. I like them too."

Jaiden went to take a shower, Mia went back downstairs.

"You look like you're gonna be up for a while Mrs. Brooks?"

"Jason works until 2. I just like to see him home. It's something I've always done. I worry about him out on patrol. I'm so glad Jaiden never had a desire to go into law enforcement. But he's still the protective type."

Mia smiled. "He really is."

"Did you get him all squared away?"

"Yeah I got him some allergy tablets, and menthol tablets for the shower. He refused to do the nasal rinse. Do you want to see what I got him?"

"No, I think you can handle it.  You two take good care of each other. If he starts snoring come back down stairs and hang with me if you want."

"Jai doesn't usually snore."

"When he's not feeling good, he's a buzz saw like his father."

"Okay. Then you might be seeing me again."

"I'd enjoy the company. Good night Mia."

"Good night Mrs. Brooks."

Jaiden was sitting on the bed in his boxer briefs when she walked back in the room.

"How are you feeling Jai?"

"Better than I was, thank you for taking care of me." He still sounded a little congested.

"I really can't believe your mom is okay with me sleeping over."

"I mean… they know what we're doing and they know we're being safe. Ready for bed? I am."

Jaiden flicked off the light, and Mia snuggled into the covers with him. He pulled her closer to him, spooning against her.

"I love you."

"I love you."

Mia fell asleep first.

She woke up startled to Jaiden loudly snoring.

"God why Jai????"

Mia got out of bed. Jaiden did not even feel her get up.

She went downstairs to see Ren watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn.

"Would you like some company Mrs. Brooks?"

"Yeaaaa! Would you like some popcorn, and I can get you a drink?"

"Yes please."

She jumped up, running into the kitchen.

"Do you want ice for your drink? I just got a bag of ice from Sonic. They have the best ice."

"Yasssssss!"

Ren chuckled, "A girl after my own heart."

She handed Mia the drink but took her hand in return.

"I'm so glad you and Jai found your way back to each other."

"Me too."

"He's changed so much since he met you. He was our miracle baby.  We tried for him for years. Then, a few weeks after we found out he was a boy, I fell down the stairs at work. I was sure we lost him, because I couldn't feel him moving, and I was so afraid, we were so afraid.  And when they checked, his little heart was still going.  So we held him so close to us."

"Mom? You never told me that."

"I know. It just never came up. Not that I ever wanted it to."

"What are you doing up Mia?"

"Keeping your mom company."

Ren burst out laughing.

She's too sweet to tell you your loud ass snoring kept her awake."

Mia laughed loudly, so did Jaiden.

They heard the door unlock and Mr. Brooks walked in.

"Sounds like a party in here, what's everyone doing up?

"My mom's brutally honest, I promise I can take it. I'm sorry Mia."  

"Your son's snoring woke up his girlfriend."

Jason kissed Ren on the cheek.

"Home safe like I promised."

"What are you watching?"

"Low budget  movies."

"My favorite."

Mia yawned.

"Good night."

Jaiden stayed with his parents for a little bit.  Mia was about to drift to sleep when she felt Jaiden climb in bed with her.

He sighed.

"Are you alright?"

"Just thinking about the story my mom told you.  They've always been helicopter parents, and now I get why. Before I even got here, they almost lost me. My dad had hinted at something, and I thought it was about my football accident, but it really wasn't.”

"That had to be scary for them. And I don't know what my life would have been like without you, and I don't want to imagine it."

Jaiden held her tighter in his arms. “Neither do I."

The next morning Mia was getting ready. She was looking in her bag for something that she couldn't find. Jai had slept over enough to know Mia's beauty routine.

He held out a bottle for her to take.

"Need some lotion?"

"Yes! Thank You Jai."

Once they were dressed, they had a quick breakfast and they headed out to Jaiden's jeep with their luggage.  It was covered in a layer of pollen.

"My Jeep!!!  Rubi isn't Ruby anymore!"

"That's Country Glitter.  It gets on everything!"

Tags in the comments!

[stygianflood]

Like the Shoreline and the Sea (Ethan x F!MC)

Summary- Ethan is asked out on a date right after Miami in Book 1. Ethan’s PoV

Genre, rating, words- Angst, teen, 2k

Open Heart fanfic tropes- birthday, office.

March Challenge Day 13 prompt Someday; April Challenge Day 9 prompt Smell of the Rain 

A/N: nor’westers-  violent thunderstorms in northern plains of India, before the onslaught of monsoon.

Title inspired by Leonard Cohen’s Hey, That’s No Way to Say Goodbye.

‘This will improve our understanding of adiposity and sarcopenia in this population, help identify thresholds predictive of metabolic risk, and ultimately prevent or ameliorate… ’

Better prevent than ameliorate.

‘...ameliorate the long-term impacts on health and…’ 

Twenty five years should be long enough.

Hers is a singsong voice, the warm, trilling kind. Mellow sun dances on the frills of her dress. The yellow one. 

The man at her side twirls her on the empty kerb. Dips and kisses her. Her laughter is all that is pure and golden.

A child follows them, embarrassed. She bends down to kiss him, and he is furious. 

The scene shifts.

The child is on the front porch, eyes set somewhere beyond the wild bergamot bushes. 

Tear tracks on pink cheeks mingle and dry with dust from his afternoon’s exploits. Something like a steely resolve troops in his eyes.

Ethan Ramsey has been staring at the same sentence for fifteen minutes now.

Whoever coined the term ‘nostalgia’ from the Homeric nostos and algos was speaking of anguish caused by an inability to return. But they failed to discern the inevitable tethering of reminiscence with habituality.

That is more or less the case with him. Louise Ramsey walked out on her husband, and eleven year old son some twenty five years ago right before his birthday. For a very long time now, home is not about apple crisps or kitchen gardens. 

About this time every year, a crevice in his mind he likes to call the amygdala dwells on the same days. 

Almost as a ritual. 

He is a scientist. A rationalist. And like every year, he reminds himself there is work to do.

Unless there’s a knock at the most unpleasant hour.

He never returns to the article. Never manages a come in. The distraction walks in, messy hair knotted with a pencil. Probably because she has lost another hair tie. 

He mustn’t be that aware. 

But she talks too much. 

‘Dr. Mukherjee.’ He sounds gruff. They’re supposed to be redrawing their boundaries, even if he is the only one making an effort. ‘I thought your shift ended-’

‘Two hours ago.’ Rigours of a sixteen hour shift mark her visage. Her smile is a little too conniving for his comfort. ‘I had work afterwards.’ 

She starts shuffling papers on his desk, permission be damned. He pinches the bridge of his nose, and manages an exasperated sigh. Since when have interns started walking into his office with… birthday cakes?

‘What do you think you’re- It’s not my-’

‘I heard rumours that Dr. Ramsey had to cancel a date.’ She sounds amused. He does not miss the split second glance she shoots his way before continuing. ‘On his birthday, too. Such a shame.’

He scoffs.

‘No one knows it’s my birthday.’

‘Oh, they do. They’re just too afraid to… ah, invoke the wrath of Dr. Ramsey.’

Of course, she is not one of them. She has absolutely no regard for the immutable drill he has observed for nearly four decades. And why must she, when her sole intent is to swivel the rusty axis of his life.

Ethan has never known the first shower of an Indian monsoon. It is sudden and torrential, just as it is feared and revered. It smells like summer, and mango blossoms. 

Ethan has never known one until this year.

‘I’m thirty seven, Rookie,’ He manages weakly. 

‘And I would’ve bought the candles accordingly if I knew that.’ 

The tealights she arranges look so much better, he thinks. The cake is a simple blue and white affair. Not the ones that have more icing than cake, he notes. Not the ones he disapproves of.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Terminator

‘I could’ve whipped something up without sugar,’ She rambles, suddenly starting to blush. ‘Or ordered one. But I only just came to know it’s your birthday. And there wasn’t a lot of-

‘Thank you, Apu.’ Tresses of warmth curl about his chest and the gravel of his voice.

Ethan has avoided birthday cakes for a decade now. Unless it’s Naveen’s birthday, he thinks with a pang.

In his time with Harper or his brief involvements in med-school, no one has ever convinced him to do birthdays. He checks himself. This is just an intern being kind.

But interns aren't kind to Dr. Ramsey, are they. 

She assures him the photos are not for social media. They settle on the couch, it’s his first birthday cake in over a decade. 

He is glad for an innocuous reason to look at her, laugh at jokes that in any other company would draw his scorn. She is oddly comforting. Unlike most interns who avoid his office at all costs, she moves about it as if she was meant to be here all along. 

He must have stalled birthdays worth twenty years only to spend it on a couch with her. 

The plates are disposable. It is nothing like the restaurants that come with his status, for there is an endearing simplicity about it. 

It almost feels like… home.

He steals occasional glances at her. It has been four agonisingly long days after their return from Miami. And for all his attempts to redraw their boundaries, it has been a non-return of sorts. 

Aparna drives him to distraction, flouts each and every one of his rules. Seeks him out in supply closets and muddled dreams. And every time he breaks her heart a little more, he finds himself floundering in his own squalor.

The German counterpart to the English ‘nostalgia’ is ‘sehnsucht’. Like ‘nostalgia’, it has the charm of what has been. But unlike it, it also has the enigma of what has never been. Miami will remain the swansong to an ideal that slipped through Ethan’s fingers. 

A surge of anguish ripples through him as he realises all of this is his for the asking, and he will have none of it. 

‘It wasn’t a date,’ He blurts out.

He wouldn’t tell her that if he wants her to move on. Not truly.

‘You don’t have to-’

‘She is Declan’s associate in Panacea. She suggested signing the contract with the Diagnostics Team over dinner tonight. So…  just business.’

Claudette Wilson is the most promising young face of Panacea, and Ethan needed less than a minute to know why. 

Sleek, dark hair styled at her nape played up her high cheekbones. The ruby of her pliant lips, almost risqué for a meeting such as this, always lingered a little longer on the rim of her coffee mug. Even the measured spoons of her laughter came with an all too enticing lilt.

Ethan has met the other type. Vacuous and synthetic. But the steely glint in her eyes came with a weighty intelligence. An unfaltering wit. And when a perfectly manicured hand brushed the contours of his cuff, he knew it was never meant to be just business. 

She was irresistible. And so was he.

That afternoon, the bitterness in his mouth had nothing to do with coffee. He learnt he would refuse Claudette even if her pay checks did not come from Panacea.

Aparna falls silent, almost as if discerning in his words everything he left unsaid.

They have run out of jokes and topics for a harmless chat. He is getting terribly comfortable with her again, he realises alarmed. And she is fidgeting with the ring on her finger.

She’s nervous too. He knows. He could define every twitch and turn of those fingers. 

Somewhere in their conversation they have edged so close that her knee juts into his thigh. The couch is surprisingly small for two people. Minutes pass, and despite himself, he does not want her to leave. 

His fingers rest on her flustered hands, it’s a deep-rooted reflex. Looking down, she weaves his hand in both of her own. Even as the adrenaline surging in his blood incites him to flee, the delirious part of him emerges stronger and more naive.

He thinks she is leaning in. Soaking up the mayhem in his eyes. The slight movement causes wisps of errant hair to slip from the messy bun. There’s new growth around her brows, a faded scar on her forehead. But it’s her eyes that still hold sway over him. 

They stroked him with a strange, silent awe on a balcony on the shores of the Atlantic.

She is nothing like interns that hover around him year after year. Sucking up for recommendations. Sometimes more. She can devour him, and just as easily cast him aside without batting an eye. 

And yet she is here. Snuggled in his office while her friends call it a night with cheap beer and rowdy escapades. 

But she is different tonight. The quiver in her eyes tentative, even wary.

His hand rises of its own accord, tucking strands of hair behind her ear. Inadvertently, it brushes her face, lingers a little longer against her cheek.

She caressed his face as the ocean crashed around him. It was like falling from the top of a precipice. Tumbling into the amorphous, a terrifying weightlessness. He waited.

‘It’s getting late.’

She smells like the hospital, muted shades of honeysuckle, and like herself. 

The cool breeze hummed a steady rhyme against the tumble of her midnight blue dress. Bits of the moon bounced off the dark curtain of her hair, plunging into her eyes. Ethan had never seen such fathomless eyes.

‘I should go.’ She leans into his palm, eyes fluttering close. 

‘You should.’ 

And then she caught him. It was the hollow of her neck. It was soft. Like the rest of her. 

Neither of them move today, silently imploring the other to charge. Or retreat. The battle drum in his chest is a dull ache. Throbbing and inconsolable.

The ridges of her collarbone bore traces of his ruin. Traces she covered every morning and stripped every night, like the rites of a godless liturgy.

His free hand is still laced in hers, the other drawing her face nearer. 

Her lips are inches from his own as he draws a languid finger across them. Her warm breath spills on his lips, warring and mingling with his own ragged ones. 

Her mouth was stained with wine. Numbing and inciting. He was battered, and bruised. Marooned at her side. And she was warm. So warm.

His hand traced the pummelling of her heart, kneading the softness of her chest. Her tongue jousted with his own as the ocean lapped at its shore. Tireless and persevering.

She was wild. Like her Gangetic nor’westers on a sultry afternoon. He was bewitched. She was doing something good to him.

Suddenly the air around them is ripped by the sound of his phone. 

It’s his father.

The two of them recoil to their own spaces, Ethan horrified that he let himself stray so far yet again. Silencing the still erring device, he faces Aparna bracing for another apology.

‘I know.’ 

Her smile is placid, all traces of vulnerability gone. He is vaguely aware of the gentle pressure on the hand still clasped in her own.

‘Happy Birthday, Ethan. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ 

She is gone before he can marshal his thoughts.

Ethan flops back into the couch, shivering and alone. The incandescent glow from the solitary lamp drenches the office in a soft, ethereal haze. She might not have been here at all but for the little things she scatters around him every time she forays into his life.

Today she leaves with him a caesura. It thwarts the cadence of a life he has been putting together since Miami.

After a minute, or perhaps a staggering nightmare, when he rises to pack the rest of the cake, he sees it. 

She must have forgotten her hair tie was in her pocket after all. 

It stares up at him from the floor, the silken, mute witness of his transgression. He gingerly picks it up, and turns it in his hand as though it houses some ancient sorcery. 

Laying it on his desk, he considers texting her. But scarcely does he scroll down to her name when he stops himself. And pockets it. 

Somewhere in the Atlantic, waves still crash upon the rocks, moistening, but never quite lingering. 

The waves are relentless. Someday, the rocks crumble into fine sand.

Thank you for reading this! Let me know if you’d want to be added or removed.

[twinkleallnight]

Remember me -3

Book: The Royal Romance AU

Pairing: Leo x Madeleine

Word count: 1206

Disclaimer: All characters belong to pixelberry.

Rating: Mature

Warning: Mention of death.

Prompt: Features @choicesaprilchallenge2021 Day 10-horizon.

Summary: Leo has returned, has been brought back to Cordonia after almost three decades. But he is not the same Leo we knew. He is devastated after his wife Katie’s death and his own brother Liam is not able to revive him out of the grief. Everyone looks at one person with all hopes: Madeleine. Will their story begin again at the twilight of their lives?

Catch up here

Present day...

The Lake... Madeleine crossed the tall boundary around the palace, beyond which grew the flowers and shrubs, wildly on the lakeside. The fence was made of wired mesh, which was camouflaged by a thick growth of the blue morning glory over it.

The flowers attracted Madeleine even today just like they did when she was eleven years old....

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

Past...

Queen Eleanor had softened the rough look of the fence with her aesthetic touch. It was serendipity when Madeleine had run away, trying to play a prank on Leo one day when she had first witnessed the blossoming wall…

“Caught ya!” Leo pounced on Madeleine while she was lost in the beauty of the bloom. She lost her balance and both of them tripped and rolled down the slope to the lake. When they finally came to a halt, Madeleine’s head was a bush with a few wild flowers hanging out of her golden tangles. Leo pointed at her head and doubled up laughing. “You look like a clown! Mad Maddie!”

Madeleine frowned at him and he quickly started picking the twigs from her hair. She blushed when he tried moving his fingers through her curls like a comb. “There. Now you are all good.”

“Thank you.” She lowered her eyelashes shyly.

He cupped her cherubic face with his stubby fingers. “I am sorry I didn't mean to let you fall like that.”

Her jade eyes shone brightly, “It is fine Leo. It wasn’t your fault. I lost my balance.” She turned around to look at the calm waters. “This place is beautiful. I never saw it before.”

“Yes, Mom is trying to beautify this side of the palace. She got the hedge maze done and Liam claimed it all. She has promised me that she is going to make a beautiful lakeside garden especially for me here.” Leo boasted.

“It is so sweet of her. She loves you so much even when you are her step son.” Madeleine covered her mouth with shock as soon as the words spilled out.

Leo kept smiling, unaffected.

She tried to explain. “I am so sorry! That was not my intention. It's just that I… I have a mother but she doesn’t care.” Madeleine was almost in tears. Leo clasped her shoulders and proudly said. “It’s okay. You know, my Mom is very loving. She loves you too.”

He stood up and pulled her up along with him and beamed at her, “You can share the lake side with me. We can plant your favourite flowers here with Mom.”

“Really?” Madeleine jumped in excitement as she hugged Leo.

“Yes! Why not!” He exclaimed. "It's my special place. And I want to share it with you."

Both the kids dusted each other's clothes and rushed back to the palace to speak to Eleanor.

After a few days, Madeleine chose Hydrangea to match the blue of morning glory and they planted a row of the flowers. The next time, she got Bluebells.

“Why are you planting all blue flowers?” Leo asked her as she placed some wet soil over her newly planted shrub.

“I love the blues, they match your eyes.” She said bashfully.

“And the greens attached to them?” Leo teased.

“That is the colour of my eyes.” She gazed into his sapphire eyes and then faltered when she realised Leo was staring back at her. “They also resemble the horizon." She pointed at the other end of the lake where the row of olive groves met the firozi skies. Leo sat with her to admire the beauty of the horizon till late in the evening. They left with a promise to come back with more plans and plants.

But the warmth of their favourite little outing place didn’t last long. Their world came crashing down with Eleanor’s sudden death. Liam was too young but for Leo this was the second trauma. He lost his mother once again. Madeleine tried to alleviate his pain by doing his favourite things.

One such day, she pulled Leo to the lake side to surprise him with the new planters of Iris flowers. She chose these specially to dedicate them to Eleanor. But it brought back his mother’s memories making it more painful. He felt more hurt. Tears rolled down his burning eyes as he picked up a planter and threw it away in anger.

“Blue and green never meet.” His lakeside garden dream was shattered. “It's all false. Nothing is true. It is all flawed. Blue and green never meet! The horizon is fake. It is an illusion! Look Madeleine…” He shouted. “its an illusion! It was never true.”

He stomped away in anger. A disheartened Madeleine held herself tightly as she cried out, her cries turning into sobs and sobs mellowing down to few hiccups. As the shine of sun turned to twilight and twilight dulled down to darkness.

But she never gave up. She kept adding little shrubs and bushes of blue flowers in the memory of Queen Eleanor, till it was complete one day. Till, Leo came back with her to his garden, their garden. Till they held hands and stood quietly looking at the horizons.

Present day...

Today, she could see a stooped old figure lethargically moving in that lakeside garden. She took a deep breath. Once again she was going to remind Leo of the happier times. Once again she was going to stand holding his hand gazing at the horizons, reliving the warmth of their yesteryears.

She closed the distance, crossing the gentian blues and the phlox shrub. As she neared the back of the figure standing in the greens, her heartbeat raced. Twenty six long years! She placed her shivering hand on his shoulder. “Leo?”

The tall man turned to look at her. His face had more wrinkles than she could count. The eyes she was searching for were dull and listless. The lips that smiled once were dropped at the corner.

“Yes?” he spoke in a shaky voice. Gone was the tinker in his voice, she noticed.

“How are you?” Madeleine knew better to keep her calm and continue the conversation.

“I am good, thank you.” He completed the formality in a monotone.

She looked down at his hands holding iris flowers at the green stem.

"You remember." She said in a whisper, her heart fluttering.

"How can I forget?" He said in a heavy voice, as if he would break down at any moment.

Madeleine tried to show support and placed her hand on his, holding the flowers.

But he suddenly snatched away. "What are you trying lady?" He yelled at her.

"Leo?" She searched his eyes. "You said you remembered?" She asked him confused.

He glared at her. "Yes. I remember. I remember Katie. How can I forget her?" He thumped his way up to the palace, mumbling incoherent words. Madeleine stood facing the serene waters while the flood from her eyes refused to stop.

The line of olive grove that met the blue sky seemed to be hazy and it faded completely, as the sun went down.

A voice echoed from over the surface of the lake. "Look Madeleine! The horizon is fake. It is an illusion! it was never true."

Tags: @annekebbphotography @alj4890 @anjanettexcordonia @bascmve01 @charlotteg234 @choicesficwriterscreations @cordonia-gothqueen @cordonian-literature @drakewalker04 @gkittylove99 @krsnlove @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @idontknowwhysblog @indiacater @jessiembruno @kingliam2019 @lisha1valecha @neotericthemis @ntoraplayschoices @princess-geek @princessleac1 @secretaryunpaid @sirbeepsalot @speedyoperarascalparty @texaskitten30 @txemrn @sweatyrysconnoisseur @theroyalheirshadowhunter @aestheticartsx @yourmajesty09 @efecom @grsarco-blog @lovelyladyk88 @mainstreetreader @choiceskatie @claireloutoo @tinkie1973

***********

Return to Masterlist

[sfb123]

Uncle Drake and the Easter Egg Hunt

Happy Easter! I figured today was a great day for a fluffy piece, and what better way to celebrate a fuffy holiday than another installment of...

Book: The Royal Heir

Pairing: Uncle Drake, Eleanor (uncle/niece/friendship)

All characters belong to Pixelberry, except for Thomas (who is ever so briefly mentioned), he is my OC.

Catch up on Uncle Drake here.

Rating: G

Warning:

Word Count: 1,975

A/N: I am participating in @choicesaprilchallenge2021​ day 4, egg hunt.

Tags: Listed below. Let me know if you want to be added/removed.

“Alright, are you both clear on the rules?” Liam asked. 

Eleanor and Bartie both nodded in agreement, gripping tightly to the empty baskets at their sides. It was Easter Sunday, so Liam and Riley were hosting their friends on the south lawn of the palace for brunch and an egg hunt for the kids. In the days leading up to the hunt, each child was given a dozen eggs to decorate as they pleased. The eggs had been strategically placed around the garden by the palace staff earlier that morning.

“Now, each of you gets to select one adult to be your partner. Please keep in mind, they are there to help you, not to search on your behalf.” Liam states, gesturing to the group of adults standing behind him. “Bartie, since you are our guest, you may select first.”

Bartie looked over the crowd pensively before locking eyes with Maxwell, who was waving his arms wildly in an effort to catch his attention. “Uncle Max!” He screamed. 

“Awww yeah, that’s my nephew!” Maxwell spun around and began moonwalking towards Bartie. Betrand rolled his eyes at the pair. 

Liam cleared his throat to cover the small laugh that escaped him at Bertrand’s frustration. “Very well. Eleanor, who would you like as your helper.” 

Without skipping a beat, Eleanor locked eyes with Drake and gave him a hopeful expression. “Uncle Drake, will you please help me?” 

Drake smiled and approached her, giving her an exaggerated bow as he responded. “It would be my honor, your highness.” She giggled at his formal reply. 

The two teams stood next to each other, waiting for Liam to give the signal. “Are both teams ready?” He asked. 

Eleanor looked at Drake, and her eyes widened. “WAIT!” She yelled, before dropping her basket and running back to the table. Everyone looked at each other in confusion, not sure what they were waiting for, until Eleanor returned with a pair of white bunny ears which she handed to Drake. 

“What are these for?”

Eleanor gestured for Drake to come closer, he knelt down so that he was face to face with her. She took the ears out of his hand and placed them on top of his head before kissing him on the nose. A blush crept over Drake’s cheeks as everyone let out a collective ‘aww’. He stood up and ruffled Eleanor’s hair. 

She picked her basket back up, and turned her head to Liam. “Ok daddy, ready now.”

He nodded at her in response. “Ok, ready...set...go!” 

Bartie and Maxwell broke off into a sprint heading into the gardens. Eleanor started to run off, but Drake grabbed her arm to stop her. “But Uncle Drake, we have to go! Bartie is going to find all of the eggs!” 

“Hold on kiddo, they may be going faster, but we’re going to go smarter.” He lifted her up and placed her so she was sitting on his shoulders. “Now keep an eye out. They’re running around looking low, but you have a grown up helper, which means that there are eggs hidden up high. Those are the ones we’re going to look for first.” Drake began walking them toward some of the trees on the far side of the lawn. 

“Found one!” Eleanor reached into the hand of one of the statues along the pathway, and held up an egg in victory before placing it into her basket.

“Told you so.”

They continued throughout the garden, finding a few more eggs. When Drake would notice one, he wouldn’t blatantly point it out to Eleanor, but suggest a particular area where she should be looking. They were so in sync that she would find the egg almost immediately. Their basket had six eggs in it, so Drake decided to have a halftime strategy meeting with the princess. “Alright Eleanor, we’re halfway there and I know exactly where to go next.” He nodded over to the garden maze and winked at her. 

She smiled wide and arched one eyebrow. “Can we run there?”

“Bet I can run there faster than you.”

“No way Uncle Drake, I’m way faster!” She immediately turned toward the maze and started to run full speed. 

“Cheater!” He yelled as he chased after her. Just as she reached the entry of the maze he caught up to her and grabbed her by the sides simultaneously lifting and tickling her, she screeched with laughter. 

Once he put her down they hurried into the maze and began the search, immediately finding two more eggs. They heard footsteps coming up behind them, Eleanor peeked around the corner of the closest hedge and saw Maxwell and Bartie entering the maze. 

“They followed us.” She pouted. 

“That’s alright. Don’t forget, your dad and I grew up here, we were in this maze all the time. You’re in this maze all the time. We’re maze masters, we’ve got this.”

“Yay! Maze masters!” She jumped up and down in excitement before continuing the search. 

Drake and Eleanor worked their way deeper and deeper into the maze. By the time they hit the center, they had found 11 eggs. “Only one to go kid, where should we look?”

Eleanor brought her index finger to her lips and began tapping them as she looked around the maze. Drake chuckled to himself, it was the exact face that Liam made every time he was deep in thought. Her eyes lit up as she pointed to the swing hanging from the hedges. “There!”

The two approached the bench, and just as Eleanor thought, she found a purple egg placed between the ropes on the left side of the swing. She grabbed it and held it up to Drake proudly. 

“Way to go champ, good eye!” He patted her on the back as she placed the final egg in her basket. “Now let’s get back out there and enjoy our victory with some chocolate.”

They made their way out of the maze and triumphantly marched toward the table where everyone was waiting for the teams to return from their search. 

“Alright Eleanor, that’s my girl! First one out of the maze!” Riley stood and applauded her daughter before turning to face Savannah and placing her hand palm up in front of her. 

“Yea yea yea, you win. I don’t have my purse with me. I’ll pay you before I leave.” Savannah folded her arms across her chest. “It’s Maxwell’s fault, Bartie would have done better on his own.” She huffed.

Bertrand’s eyes went wide, looking between the two women. Liam grabbed Riley’s arm and pulled her attention to him. “Love, you gambled on the outcome of our daughter’s Easter egg hunt?”

She smiled as she sat down in Liam’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Of course, she’s smart like her father. I knew she’d win.” Riley winked at her husband. He chuckled and shook his head in response, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the lips. 

“Mommy, daddy, no kissing!” Eleanor announced as she approached her parents, scrunching her face and shaking her head. 

“Yea, so gross you guys.” Drake added. 

The winning team joined the group at the table, and as promised, Drake handed Eleanor a small chocolate bunny from the candy bowl at the center of the table while taking one of his own. They clinked them together before each biting into their own. 

The table continued to chat and enjoy their time together. After a while, Riley looked around the garden, a confused expression on her face. “Um...guys, shouldn’t Maxwell and Bartie be back by now?”

Almost as if it were planned, Liam’s phone started to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket and arched his brow. He held the phone up, showing everyone Maxwell’s picture on the caller ID, before swiping his thumb across the screen and putting the call on speakerphone. “Maxwell, where are you? Eleanor and Drake returned quite a while ago.”

“Yea...well, the thing is...we kinda, sorta...got lost in the maze. We don’t know how to get out.”

“Maxwell!” Bertrand spoke up, “You lost my child!?”

“No, I didn’t lose him, he’s right here. We just don’t know how to get out of the maze.”

Everyone at the table, except for Bertrand, was laughing as Liam replied. “Just stay where you are Maxwell. I will send someone in to escort you out.” He hung up the phone before turning to Eleanor and Drake. “How would you two like to go on a rescue mission?”

“I say we send Eleanor in there on her own. Let Maxwell get rescued by a five year old.” Drake chuckled. 

“Hey, I’m five and a half!” Eleanor protested. 

Drake bowed his head to Eleanor. “My apologies, Princess.” 

Liam leaned down to his daughter. “Eleanor, do you think you would be able to go in there and return safely with Uncle Max and Bartie?”

“Of course, daddy. I am a maze master.” She responded proudly. Drake smiled widely behind her. 

Liam stood up straight and said to her in a very official tone, “Very well then, on your way princess.” He gestured to the maze and smiled as she marched with purpose into it. 

Fifteen minutes later, Eleanor emerged from the maze with Maxwell and Bartie following behind. The group rushed towards them, Savannah quickly pulling Bartie into a hug while Bertrand approached Maxwell, who began chuckling nervously. “I think that’s quite enough fun for today.” Bertrand announced as he stared at Maxwell, angrily arching his brow. The group said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. 

A few months later, on a warm June afternoon, the south lawn was buzzing with activity as the court assembled for an elaborate tea party. Liam and Riley sat at the head table along with Eleanor, Drake, Maxwell, Savannah, Bertrand, Bartie, Olivia, and Hana. As the wind shifted, an overwhelming aroma began to waft over the tables. Guests instantly began contorting their faces while fanning their hands and napkins in front of them. Angry murmurs began to fill the space as guests looked around trying to find the source of the offending scent. 

“Drake, I thought by now you’d know you need to shower before these events.” Olivia pinched her nose, trying to protect herself from the smell. 

Drake rolled his eyes and spoke through the napkin that was pressed firmly against his nose and mouth. “What the hell is that? Did something die over here?”

Liam quickly motioned for one of the staff members, the king instructed him to send all available personnel to search for the source. Bastien and the guards also began searching the area. 

After a few minutes of searching Thomas, Eleanor’s guard, approached the head table. “Your majesties, we have found the offending odor.” He held up an egg, the sudden closeness of the smell caused everyone at the table to gasp and turn their heads away. 

“My teal egg!” Eleanor yelled in excitement. 

Liam instructed Thomas to get rid of the egg immediately, and he had the staff prepare one of the smaller ballrooms and begin ushering guests in there for the remainder of the event. As people started filing out of the area, Liam stood and addressed the table. “It seems as though not all of the eggs were uncovered on Easter.”

“We found 12, that was the game.” Drake shrugged. 

Maxwell slouched down in his seat. “We got so caught up in being lost, that we must have forgotten to take a final count of our eggs.”

As Liam and Bertrand turned to Maxwell, Drake leaned down and whispered to Eleanor. “Sounds like we won the Easter egg hunt, kiddo.”

Eleanor giggled, covering her mouth with one hand and holding the other up to Drake who raised his and met her in a high five. 

Tags:

Permatag- @anjanettexcordonia​ @athena-penrose​ @cordonia-gothqueen​ @cordoniaqueensworld​ @fanjessfic​ @gabesmommie1130 @gkittylove99 @hopelessromanticmonie​ @iaminlovewithtrr​ @jessiembruno​​ @kat-tia801 @khoicesbyk​ @kingliam2019 @lucy-268 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite​​ @mile9213 @mom2000aggie @pixie88 @queenrileyrose​​ @secretaryunpaid​​ @sweatyrysconnoisseur​​ @theroyalheirshadowhunter​​ @twinkleallnight​​ @txemrn​​

One Shots- @bebepac​​​ @darley1101​

Uncle Drake- @burnsoslow​​​

@choicesficwriterscreations​​ @choicesaprilchallenge2021​

[monsoonblooms12]

Pooja Sharma

Lydia Archambeau

Margita Viblemo

Sienna Trinh

Odette Dawson

Day 2 of An edit a day

@choicesaprilchallenge2021 Day 3: Teal💙

Tags (Please let me know if you would like to be added or removed!) :@bbrandy2002 @whimsicallywayward15 @ohramsey  @nervoussaladsludgeopera @trrfanaddict @hopelessromanticmonie @ilikemenbutonlyethanramsey @lovablegranny @bellcat2010 @gkittylove99 @starrystarrytrouble @3riche @chetachisblog @zoehanji @withbeautyandrage  @drariellevalentine @mvalentine ​ @aestheticartsx ​@angela8754​ @schnitzelbutterfingers ​ @ao719 ​ @choicesstan1 @neotericthemis ​ @arnikki-2406 ​ @anotherbeingsworld @maurine07 @sophxwithers @twinkleallnight

[ratanslily]

Queen B x BP: A fan-made spin-off concept by me. (deets below the pics!)

for @choicesaprilchallenge2021 day 16, glitter. (they're all dressed in glitter clothing!)

New hair, New style, New city. Veronica takes the belvoire babes for a girls trip to Vegas, but when instant sparks between Chloe and a mysterious stranger quickly turn to a marriage proposal, will Veronica be able to stop the doomed wedding and open up to Chloe about her feelings... or will she be caught in a crossfire of growing enmity between Betty, Zoey and Poppy, Chloe? and are there more dangers which stay in hidden in the sin city?

most importantly, will these spin of events reach The T's ears? 'Cause what happens in Vegas, doesn't stay in Vegas after all...😈

[estellaelysian]

Mémoir

‘Today was absolutely amazing,’ she says, tracing faint lines on his arm as they bask under the ebony sky.

‘Yes it was.’ He pulls her closer against him, watching a faint smile play against her lips. ‘And so were you.’

‘Shut up,’ she whispers, trying to flit away the emotions rising in her chest. Her gaze turns to the sprinkle of stars falling in her window, on the moonlight that dances on the sill. He knows she thinks he can't notice, but the blush spreading on her cheeks and shoulders is crystal clear to him even in the gloom.

‘I am serious,’ he says, his breath a hot murmur against her ear.

She knows it's inevitable, the things she'll say to him someday, but now, she just wants to be here, in his arms.

They'll be inevitable someday soon.

**********

For @choicesaprilchallenge2021 Day thirteen: Polaroid

Tagging (although this is not a proper fic): @tenaciouslandvoidgiant @choicesaddict5 @schnitzelbutterfingers @starrystarrytrouble @jooous @vishhhi @sophxwithers @genevievemd @mercury84choices @caseyvalentineramsey @ethansramsey @stygianflood @cielo-estrelladoo @maurine07 @quixoticdreamer16 @shanzay44

[missameliep]

The Sweetest Melody - Mr. Sinclaire x Lady Clara (MC)

Book: Desire and Decorum Pairing: Mr. Sinclaire x Lady Clara (MC) Rating: G Word count: 4k

Summary: Music has always been Lady Clara's favourite companion, and during a storm night, she reminisces about some important events in her life.

Notes: * All characters belong to Pixelberry; * English is not my first language. And sorry for any typos; * This time, @princess-geek​ was not my beta, because this fic is a birthday gift for her. Débora, I hope this time I have the date correct! Happy birthday, my dear friend! 😊🎁🎉

* This is aso my submission to @choicesaprilchallenge2021 - Day 9: The Smell of Rain

Ledford Park – march, 1819

Lady Clara’s soft voice silences and her eyes flick from the page of the book in her hand to her surroundings. At last, nothing but the gentlest sound of deep inhales resonates at the children’s chamber. A satisfied smile curls her lips, and she closes the book, returning it to the spot over the nightstand, and leaves quietly to not wake Percival and Beatrice.

Walking down the stairs, the lady rubs her belly fondly.

“And at last, only the two of us remain, little one,” Lady Clara says caressing the roundness of her bump, still too small to be perceived by anyone else underneath the layers of clothes and loose waist. By her counts, she is almost halfway through the pregnancy and her bump seems bigger than when she was carrying her Beatrice, and much livelier. Perhaps a big boy is coming this time.

“I hope you are in the mood for music.”

Her feet take them to the only place she wishes to be in a quiet evening like this.

At the drawing room, the pianoforte calls to her. Her mother Mary filled their world at Grovershire with music, her singing was a constant companion while doing chores together and sitting by the fire at evenings as quiet as this one. It is undeniable that she passed on to her the same love. Luckily, she was blessed with a voice equally angelical, and with the years, at Edgewater and later at Ledford Park, she has learned to enjoy music in different forms.

The perfect atmosphere set at the drawing room; every little detail prepared for her, just like she enjoys. The fire crackling, casting a gold glow; the illumination cosy and inviting and two of the large windows half-opened allowing the breeze inside. The wind carries the fragrances of the incoming spring, and the moist of the incoming rain.

Carefully, she removes the shawl and folds it, before adjusting the long skirts and taking her seat by the pianoforte.

Her fingers touch the keys and deftly glide, drawing the sweetest melody. After a few minutes, she is startled and stops playing, surprised by the little dance performed by the tiny being on her womb.

Smiling, she caresses her stomach and muses, “Do you like this one, my darling? That is your father’s favourite as well. Tomorrow, God willing, he shall be here with us and you might witness an extraordinary occurrence: a duet. He shall never admit it publicly, however whenever we are only the two of us, he sings. Do not tell anyone,” she whispers.

A gush of wind invited the curtains to an impromptu dance and the flames in the bronze candelabra sitting over the pianoforte flickered and almost faded. An earthy scent invaded the parlour. The rain was most certainly washing the fields beyond the estate. Raising from her seat, she moves to the closest window.

Resting her elbows at the windowsill, she inhales deeply, rejoicing at the pleasant smell that brings countless wonderful memories to her mind, including her favourite one: the evening she almost had her first kiss with her now husband at the Westminster Bridge four years ago.

The way his eyes rested upon her face and gazed at her lips caused her breath to hitch back then and are etched in her mind. A glimpse of the flames burning behind those blue eyes and his stern façade. Not even his fancy tied cravat could disguise his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down when he swallowed hard staring at her. How could she forget that or every tiny detail? His half-closed eyes. The sound of his breathing. His scent mixed with the smell of rain. His lips oh-so-close.

For weeks, her mind, her body, her soul had already been conquered by him; however, he did not know, he could not see that. But the skies did, they did see that and envied what was blooming between them.

The gates of heavens opened, and the rain poured down over them trying to extinguish that fire. Cold large drops, countless, washing him and herself and the entire world around them.

The downpour surprised and interrupted them, and his lips fled from hers like a defeated army withdrawing; nevertheless, not even if an entire ocean poured down their heads that night and every other night could put out the flames that were already burning. Every trial and tribulation on their path have showed that they could last and survive any storm. And ever since he has proved her over and over the intensity of the fire that lays inside of him…

Despite the wind that kissed her face and tousled the braided hair falling to her shoulder, freeing a few brown strands, an intense heat creeped its way to her cheeks, causing them to burn beneath her cold hands. She smiles a nervous smile, and fans herself with her hands.

How can a simple memory of him be so intoxicating?

The first droplets of rain hit her arms and face like ice shards, and she closed the two large windows before it damped everything inside, including herself. Were she at Edgewater, Lady Dominique would have had a servant close every single window of the manor hours ago at the first indication a storm was coming, and certainly would admonish her about the dangers of a draughty room to one’s health, specially to a woman in her condition.

A slow smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. Her Ernest sounds like the elderly woman sometimes – protectiveness and worry dripping from every word, every gesture. If he had his wishes, she would only leave the house after the baby were born and would not be allowed to use the stairs to not risk tripping and falling.

Too much concern for her safety and sometimes too little for himself.

Staring at the starless sky, now covered by the dark blanket of the stormy clouds, she hopes for once her dear husband does not succumb to his customary stubbornness and stay put and safe at the London’s townhouse. Stormy nights are not made for travelling.

Not that she is particularly thrilled to spend the night without him. On the contrary. Had she been granted her wishes, after enduring months apart and countless hardships, they would never spend a single night apart, and his steady heartbeats would lull her to sleep.

Sometimes, however, life does not grant one’s wishes. That is one of those occasions.

With a sigh, Lady Clara returns to the pianoforte and to her music.

The pitter-patter turns into a louder drumming as the raindrops collide against the glasses and rooftops. Lady Clara’s brown eyes raise from the music sheet to the windows, for the briefest moment, but do not disturb in any way the fingers that keep moving effortlessly. Each finger striking with certitude every key, drawing the notes perfectly. Years of practice provide that – the realization brings a smile to her lips.

Edgewater – April, 1816

When she first arrived at Edgewater in 1816, Miss Parsons offered her lessons.

“A skill any accomplished lady should possess,” Lady Dominique would repeat incessantly for the next weeks.

Playing the pianoforte, another skill in a long list of indispensable knowledge that included learning the proper songs to entertain guests – unthinkable to sing or dance any of the country songs from her days at Grovershire! –, painting, embroidery, poetry and, specially, how to smile demurely. There was something quite wrong with the way she smiled, she heard at the time. Too open. Too frank.

“A woman should never meet a men’s eyes like that,” Lady Grandmother admonished, touching her granddaughter’s arm with her closed fan, and demonstrated the proper way, hiding a slow smile that barely reached her eyes behind the fan. “Leave an aura of mystery.”

There was a proper way to do everything, Lady Clara was taught. And everything she did was intended to please guests, and mostly important to entertain and captivate possible suitors.

“With that voice, I have no doubt men shall parade before our home, demanding her attention!” Lady Dominique anticipated, a pleased smile curling her thin lips, while she listened to the young woman perform a duet with Miss Parsons.

Very soon, she understood the excitement elicited by the opportunity of finally having a young girl to train and impress society with. Little did they know at the time that Lady Clara would not fit the role of the prim and proper lady of her grandmother’s dreams. Marrying a man of higher rank was the last of the young woman’s concern.

“If not for love,” Lady Clara repeated firmer and clearer, “I have no intention to marry at all.”

Her grandmother almost toppled, outrage dripping from every word in the long speech that followed.

Whilst in her mind, Lady Clara pondered why even fight for an estate that was never her home in the first place? Guided by prudence she did not utter those words. As amusing as it could be to see her grandmother’s exasperation, there was also something else… something else she could not say at first. A secret she kept to herself.

From the very first day after her arrival, one gentleman inhabited her thoughts and caused her heart to race faster than any of Edgewater’s racehorses. There was one name that inhabited her dreams and she whispered alone at her chambers. Mr. Sinclaire's name. It was not clear if he wished to be her suitor or court her, however it did not prevent her mind from fantasising about him.

Perhaps, he was the gentleman who could tame her wild heart. Or perhaps she would be the lady to bring passion and wildness to his heart and his life.

And because of him, not even the highest of titles, not even a king himself would persuade her into marriage. She could not tell her grandmother that, unsure of the man’s intention. But in her heart, she knew there was only one proposition that mattered, only one she could ever accept.

Ledford Park – present day

Lost in her thoughts, Lady Clara barely notices the approaching footsteps with the music and the drumming of the rain.

When she finally acknowledges them, she does not have to turn around to know Mr. Sinclaire is coming. The man stops briefly at the door, and she can feel his gaze. And the familiar warmth reaches her cheeks.

“A stormy night is not the safest for traveling, is it, sir?” she teases, and does not look at him.

“During most of our journey, a cloudless sky and the moon accompanied us,” the man says and presses forward, stopping only a few steps from her. “We almost beat the storm to get here.”

The music comes to a stop, and she turns to face him.

“Do not stop, my darling,” Mr. Sinclaire pleads, but his wife moves away from the bench to face him.

“I shall welcome you home properly, my dear husband,” she says with a warm smile, that soon fades.

Even in the dim light, she notices the droplets glistening in his hair, and running down the sides of his face. “You are soaked to the bones!” she squeals, and her eyes and hands inspect him.

“Just a drizzle in my hair.”

Her fingers touch his cheek, cold as ice. And without requesting, she takes the handkerchief from his pocket and wipes the water from his face.

“We must get you out of those clothes!” she says, pulling at the lapels of his jacket.

“Are you worried about my healthy or only wishes to undress me?” He raises an eyebrow, and she chuckles.

“Can’t it be both?”

He tilts his head, her eyes never leaving his, and he lets her remove his jacket and fold it.

“I cannot believe you came tonight. What a risk! What if a tree fell over the carriage? Or a bolt of lightning –” the string of words is cut by the finger he presses to her lips.

“Your love gives me the courage to face every risk,” he says, a small teasing smile curling the sides of his mouth, and before she can protest, he embraces her, pulling her flush to his chest. “How could I spend another moment apart from you?”

She revels on the feeling of having him so close, the warmth radiating from him. Mr. Sinclaire presses a kiss to her forehead, and she tilts her chin to meet his eyes and his lips. A chaste kiss on her lips and they both smile. Sometimes, words are no longer necessary to express what they need to tell each other.

“How was London?” she asks softly breaking the silence.

“Dreadful.”

She chuckles, and pulls from his embrace to look at him.

“I do not believe it was that bad.”

“Believe me when I say it. The city has not changed. Besides, any day without you cannot be anything but dreadful.”

“My, my, do my ears deceit me, Mr. Sinclaire, or is it flattery I hear?”

“I do not believe that the truth could be considered flattery…”

She smirks, and her cheeks grow warmer under his gaze.

“What about the dinner at Mr. Chambers and Mr. Konevi’s house?”

“It was the only pleasant exception. The four of us had a delightful evening,” he replies.

“Four?” she echoes.

“Prince Hamid is back from his travels and joined us.”

“How is he? I hope he made a safe trip! I can only imagine how many wonderful new tales he shared with you!”

“More than you can imagine...” Mr. Sinclaire smiles. “He got engaged.”

“Engaged? To whom?”

“One of Admiral Caldwell's daughters.”

“Which one?”

“I do not know.”

“How can you not know?” she laughs, and he frowns in deep concentration.

“Perhaps the eldest? Is any of them called Elizabeth? I cannot recall. The Admiral has too many daughters!”

“Ernest, you did not allow me to travel to London because of this pregnancy, the least you can do is provide me the gossip,” she sighs and shakes her head in mockery.

His thumb caress her cheek and he smiles.

“I think not indulging in gossip should be seem as a virtue.”

Narrowing her eyes, she huffs, “Absolutely not. And I cannot believe after so many years you would still think that!”

He turns around and reaches his jacket, and fishes something in his pockets while she stares at him.

“Mr. Chambers sent you a letter to update you on the latest happenings and apparently some mysterious person is publishing an entire section on gossip at one of London’s daily newspaper and causing too much ado... He sent you a few clippings.”

He moves back and places two envelopes on her hand.

“Oooh! Intriguing!” she says, her eyes inspecting the envelopes, and already imagining the content of the thicker one and all the gossips she has been missing. “I shall save it for later. Now tell me more about our friends…”

“Mr. Chambers and Mr. Konevi sent their best regards and want us to assure Beatrice that she can have a kitten from their cat’s next litter. Though I do not recall agreeing on more pets…”

“We can talk about it later, darling,” Lady Clara says and presses a soft kiss to his cheek.

“And Prince Hamid brought gifts for everyone, including our children.”

“That is incredibly thoughtful. I shall write him a thank you note.” She touches her chin with her index finger, and muses, “And ask about this fiancée of his.”

“You can thank him personally. I hope you do not mind, but I took the liberty to invite them all to spend a time with us in a fortnight. The invitation includes Prince Hamid’s fiancée.”

“I do not mind at all, the company is more than welcomed. And I can share the news with them,” she says, cradling her bump, and his hands do the same. “In case you already haven’t.”

He shakes his head, and she takes his arm to lead him upstairs.

“Would you indulge me?” he whispers into her ear, pointing at the pianoforte.

“Are you not tired?”

The only reply to her question is a smile as he takes her hand and guides her back to the pianoforte. They sit side by side, his knee brushing hers, and she plays an entire song and he remains quiet listening to it, a hand brushing the bump from time to time.

“Should I play another, my love?” she asks, running her fingers through his moist locks, and the man closes his eyes, revelling into her touch. Sometimes it seems he still has not grown accustomed to tenderness.

He takes a deep breath before finding his voice, which sounds rougher. “If you please.”

Her fingers move from his face, which she memorised by heart, to the keys.

“I always adored seeing you playing,” he whispers.

“Is that so?”

“I still remember the sight of you at the pianoforte at Edgewater...”

“I do not remember playing for you there…”

“It was just a few weeks after you were brought to the manor. If I am not mistaken, Miss Parsons was giving you lessons…”

Edgewater – 1816

“Watch the tempo,” Miss Parsons says softly, while they are sitting side by side at the bench in front of the pianoforte.

The sounds of footsteps draw her attention for a moment, while Miss Sutton rushes into the drawing room.

“Mr. Sinclaire is visiting again,” Miss Sutton says out of breath, “Mr. Woods walked him to the Earl’s study. He seemed distraught.”

“Did he?” Miss Bowman asks, leaning forward and peeking through the crack at the door, even though it was impossible to see the study at the second floor from where they were.

“Mr. Woods said it was an urgent matter!”

“Oh, my! What might have happened?”

“Another day, another visit from Mr. Sinclaire,” Miss Parsons whispers and Lady Clara chuckles softly, eyes trained on the music sheet, though her mind wanders. Her curiosity takes her to her father study as well, wondering the reasons behind this unannounced visit.

Two days since the garden party, and they have not exchanged more than two polite words during his last visit. And does she wish they have! For the first time since they met, she saw glimpse of what could be hidden beneath his stern façade and one could say Mr. Sinclaire enjoyed her company.

Lady Clara’s fingers stop, and she remains awfully quiet.

“Why do you think Mr. Sinclaire came today?” she whispers her question, and Miss Parsons cast a curious glance at her friend.

“Businesses, I suppose,” Miss Parsons replies, while her friend stare at the door. “Is it not the reason that usually brings him here?”

“My dear, you leave to London in a few days with a mission. Less talking.”

“My fingers ache, lady grandmother. From stabbing them with the needle this morning and all this practice… I need to rest.”

“Mediocrity does not suit this house.”

“Miss Parsons is leaving to London as well. We can continue our classes there,” she says, throwing a knowing look at her friend, who nods and agrees.

“Certainly. Lady Clara is an exemplary student. It shall be my utmost pleasure to help her improve her abilities.”

“There is much room to improvement. That is for certain.”

“But I shall not offer a concert anytime a guest comes to the house, lady grandmother. There are other forms of entertaining like talking or reading poetry. Perhaps, I should explore those options too.”

“Gentlemen look for a temperate and accomplished lady, with impeccable manners. And music usually holds the key to a man's heart.”

“I thought that flirting was the path to a man’s heart,” Lady Clara quips. “Was that not the reason why you taught me the secret language of the fan?”

The elderly woman lets out a long-exasperated sigh.

“I wonder if Adelia faces the same struggles with the young Miss Holloway?”

“Considering her venomous tongue and bad temper, I believe she faces worse,” Miss Parsons whispers very low so only Lady Clara can hear it, and they hold in their laughs, but a snort escapes the Earl’s daughter’s mouth.

Lady Dominique is about to reprimand her when a sharp knock at the door silences the room.

With a grave voice, Mr. Woods announces Mr. Sinclaire; and after a few seconds of ruffles of dresses, hushed voices and pinching the cheeks, the visitor accompanied by the Earl of Edgewater walks inside.

After the proper greetings, the men take their seats.

“We heard music from the hallway, and we came here expecting to listen to the performance,” the Earl says. “Was it you playing, Miss Parsons?”

“It was not, my lord. Lady Clara was practicing what I taught her earlier.”

“Miss Parsons was kind enough to teach our dear Clara how to play the pianoforte,” Lady Dominique says.

“I hope to not be intruding,” Mr. Sinclaire says apologeticaly, and a tint of bashfulness blushes his cheeks when his eyes meet Lady Clara’s gaze.

“Nonsense,” Lady Dominique waves her hand at the young man. “You are practically family, Mr. Sinclaire. Is he not, Vincent?”

“Practically.” The Earl places a hand on his shoulder and cast a not-so-subtle glance at his daughter. “Perhaps you could play a piece now that Mr. Sinclaire is here,” the Earl suggests with a smile.

“Of course, father. It would be my pleasure to play for you,” Lady Clara says demurely not looking directly at the men, and Lady Dominique throws an approving smile. “And I shall enjoy any opportunity to practice.”

"Liar," Miss Parsons snorts and hides her laugh behind her fan, and her gaze accompanies her friend moving with confidence from the settee to the bench in front of the pianoforte.

Despite the external poise, inside, Lady Clara’s stomach churns and she fears that she’ll disappoint her father and make a fool of herself in front of Mr. Sinclaire. Her cheeks warm and she takes a deep breath. Her fingers touch the keys, and the melody resonates. Out of key at first. Fingers trampling and sliding to the wrong position, but in less than a minute, she finds her composure and finishes the piece with very few mistakes, mostly only noticed by the more attentive ears.

The Earl claps his hands and kisses her knuckles, congratulating her. The man cannot hide his pride. And Lady Clara cannot hide her smile.

Mr. Sinclaire simply stares at her impassive. He hated it, but he is too polite to say anything, she thinks.

“Oh! That time!” She laughs loudly. “That was a terrible performance.”

“It was memorable.”

“Memorable for the wrong reasons… Judging by the look on your face, I thought you hated the entire thing!”

“You impressed me. How could a woman who never played the pianoforte be so confident in her skills to perform in front of…” he pauses, searching for the appropriate word.

“Of a possible suitor?”

“Yes,” he nods. “You were not afraid.”

“I was afraid.”

“No one could tell. Despite not hitting the right notes at first, your skill impressed me. You impressed me. In a matter of days you were playing! I could only wonder what else you could do if you only set your mind to…”

“Well, you know now…” she giggles, and he takes her hand, squeezing it lightly.

“I do. Nothing seemed impossible to you.”

“Then I am pleased my terrible performance made quite an impression on you.”

He lifted her hand, and took it to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss.

“It still impresses me now. And it always will.”

Her hand covered his, and she brought them to his lips, and kissed his knuckles.

“Play another one for me, will you?”

“Will you sing with me?”

“Can I ever say no to you, my dove?”

With that, the Sinclaires sang their favourite song and another one, until tiredness and sleep reclaimed their minds and bodies. That night, the sweetest melody of Mr. Sinclaire’s quiet breathing and his steady heartbeats lulled Lady Clara to sleep, and everything was perfect in her world.

[storyofmychoices]

Together

[Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley Masterlist]

Pairing: Bryce Lahela x Olivia Hadley (OC) Book: Open Heart (Book 3, Chapter 1) Word Count: <400

Synopsis: After spending some time alone together in the serenity garden, Bryce and Olivia decide it’s time to return to the party. *Fluff*

A/N: This is a Rewrite of the end of the diamond scene. I’m sure this has been done a bunch of times, but since I hadn’t played before now, here is my take. It’s short and sweet but hopefully it better captures Bryce and Olivia than the actual chapter did. Bryce would never tell Olivia to sneak out separately.  Prompts: bliss @choicesaprilchallenge2021​​​

He nuzzled his face into the depths of her fiery red hair, holding her in his arms. The peaceful trickle of the fountain behind them drew them further into their bliss. 

Olivia played with his hand, tracing his magic fingers with her own before intertwining them together. She wished this quiet moment was all there was, with him, like this, here in the serenity garden, just the two of them. It was perfect. 

Every now and then, a noise pulled their attention, reminding them of the party they were meant to be attending. 

She breathed deeply, letting the moment linger as long as possible. "We should go back." She turned into him, resting her forehead against his. 

"We should go back." He nodded his agreement, their noses brushing together at the slight movement.

Her eyes closed as her smile spread. "You're not moving."

His lips ghosted over hers, "Neither are you."

Olivia sucked her lower lip. "Together?"

"Always," he whispered as their breath tangled together. 

Reluctantly, Bryce stood, offering Olivia his hand.

She laced her fingers with his and followed as he led them toward the exit and back to the party.

"Wait!" Bryce stopped, blocking her path. He turned into her, his gaze tracing her features, a look of adoration drawn on his face.

"What's wrong?" Olivia questioned nervously. Her fingers smoothed over her hair and dress, making sure she hadn't missed anything. 

"Absolutely nothing," he offered under his breath. His joy deepened at her curious expression that met his words. He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I just wanted to steal one more minute with you all to myself."

The skin around her eyes crinkled as she attempted to look down. "Bryce—"

His finger curled under her chin, lifting her to him once more. He silenced her words with a soft and lasting kiss, refusing to let another moment pass without being nearer her. He cradled her face delicately, only breaking to allow them a chance to breathe. "Now, we can go."

Olivia nodded, breathless. Words to describe his tenderness escaped her. Every time she thought she'd seen the best of him, he found a way to take her breath away. She followed his lead as they returned to the party, hand in hand, a matching glow warming both of their features.

A/N#2: I’m currently binging (by clicking through as fast as possible, and only playing Bryce scenes) OH3 since chapter 11 is actually supposed to be good. So I might have more little Bryce/Olivia drabbles as I go. I have no intention of rewriting this atrocity of a book (at least not right now) but little drabbles like this are certainly possible throughout the week. 

** If you are not confirmed, I will drop your tag at the end of the April (so in a few days) Please let me know if you wish to stay on the list.  

Choices Perma: @the-soot-sprite​​ ; @princess-geek​​​​ ; @gardeningourmet​​ ; @katrinegrey​​ ; @trappedinfanfiction​​ ; @aleynareads​​ ; @lucy-268​​ ; @xjustin-ethansgirliex​​​ ; @maurine07​​ ; @nikki-2406  ​

Not confirmed: @lilyoffandoms​ ; @zeniamiii​ ; @whimsicallywayward15​;  @tyrils-star​ ; ; @schnitzelbutterfingers​​ [I already dropped some people, so if you were on this list and you don’t see your name and want to be added back, just let me know. 

Bryce: @burnsoslow​​ ; @callmeellabella​​ ; @ariondevereux​​ ; @ofpixelsandscribbles​​ ; @nyastarlight​​ ;  @superharriet​​ ; @jamespotterthefirst​​ ; @brycessgirl​​ ; @kat-tia801​​ ; @anotherbeingsworld​​ ;

Bryce, Not confirmed:  @thearianam​​   ; @mvalentine​​  ; @rookie-ramsey​​ ; @missmiimiie​​;; @adrianadmirer​​ ; @bitchloveskcbaseball​​ ;  @doriansapprentice​​

** If you are not confirmed, I will drop your tag at the end of the April (so in a few days) Please let me know if you wish to stay on the list.  

[drethanramslay]

°Dr. Bryce Lahela°

Don't cover up your greatness.

@choicesbookclub initiated the replay of oph b1 and to commence this, I had to make a moodboard for my beloved surfer boy🥺

Day 17 of @choicesaprilchallenge2021 : Marine (Bryce reminds of the sea so hence the blue tones hehehehh)

Tagging-> @mvalentine @the-pale-goddess @bratzlahela @starrystarrytrouble @blossomanarchy @nooruleman @anotherbeingsworld