#choicesaprilchallenge24

[tessa-liam]

Marabelle Series

The Game of Kings 2 

Chapter 11

Choices – The Royal Romance, AU – (cross-over with Rules of Engagement) 

Series Premise – An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobility, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret? 

Marabelle Series Masterlist 

Main Pairing – Prince Liam Rys x F!OC Lady Sophia (Sophie) Taylor 

Other Pairings – Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel (from NYC), Drake Walker x F!OC Melanie Smithson 

Most characters belong to Pixelberry Studios 

Series Rating – M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material & innuendo, crude language, intimidation, physical violence.

Not Beta’d - Please excuse all errors. 

Category – Alternate universe/on-going series/angst/fluff/cross-over with Choices Rules of Engagement 

Words: 3259 

The Game of Kings, Part 2 – Chapter 11 

Chapter Summary – It is game day! Let the games begin... Liam discovers Leo’s plans to abdicate. Sophie is targeted by an opponent. 

Music Inspiration: Till Forever Falls Apart, Ashe, FINNEAS 

A/N1: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the U.S. and is Barthelemy Beaumont’s second wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) is Bertrand’s mother. 

A/N2: ‘Social Season’ in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in Balls, dinner parties and charity events. 

A/N3: My submission for @choicesaprilchallenge24, dialogue prompts: “(Congrats.) You’re one of us now.”, ‘games’ 

The Royal Cordonian Polo Club, Game Day 

The sun was shining brightly over the expansive polo field, casting a golden glow over the lush green grass and fluttering banners that adorned the venue. It was the day of the highly anticipated charity polo match to raise funds for flooding relief due to the earthquake that struck the coastal duchy of Portavira.  

The atmosphere was charged with excitement and anticipation as spectators arrived at the venue. Royalty, nobility, and the common folk were all greeted by the sight of elegant tents and marquees set up around the field. Grandstand bleachers were erected around the perimeter of the playing field to the south, while across the field in the VIP area, distinguished guests and sponsors were treated to a luxurious experience. The VIP tent was elegantly decorated with floral arrangements and comfortable seating, offering a panoramic view of the polo field. Waitstaff moved gracefully among the tables, offering champagne and hors d'oeuvres to the noble classes enjoying the pre-match festivities. 

Members of Liam’s team, Sophie, Drake, Melanie and Maxwell were assembled at center field waiting anxiously, but enthusiastically, to start the match. The opposing team members, Rashad, Penelope, Neville, Kiara and Tariq stood opposite, discussing strategy in hushed voices. As each player stood beside their steeds, Marabelle snorted impatiently, muscles tense with anticipation as she felt the energy pulsing through the crowd. Sophie stroked Marabelle’s mane as her hooves pawed the ground, eager to explode into action. 

Standing beside Maxwell, Liam listened intently to Drake’s scheme to outwit the other team but was periodically distracted by Sophie’s voice as she spoke soothingly to her horse. He looked over and admired the smooth contour and silky skin of her neck as her long hair was pulled up and hidden underneath her safety helmet. As Maxwell asked Drake a question, Liam stepped closer to Sophie and murmured into her ear, trying not to be overheard. "I have a confession to make.” 

"What's that?" Sophie giggled as his breath tickled her neck. 

"I'm totally checking you out right now." Liam shamelessly flirted, watching her reaction with delight, and enjoying the moment. 

"Oh, am I distracting you, Your Highness?" Sophie cheekily whispered, grinning wide. 

"Extremely," he admitted, their banter adding an extra layer of excitement between them. 

"Then we're even," she smirked, batting her eyes. 

"Even for what?" Liam chuckled not knowing where Sophie was going with that comment. 

"For the flowers and the note." Liam paused, recalling the gift he had sent over to the Beaumont estate on Valentine’s Day. 

"Ah, yes, the flowers and the note," he said, biting his lip, trying but failing not to smile. 

"That was very sweet of you." Sophie replied glancing up, watching his reaction through her eyelashes, smiling demurely. 

"Well, I try." Liam winked, turning his attention to acknowledge the referee walking towards him. 

Melanie could not help but notice their intimate, and soft conversation as she needlessly adjusted her mare’s saddle, moving in close by to stand beside Drake. 

“Congrats. You’re one of us now.” Drake’s voice interrupted her thoughts with his congratulatory remark to Sophie as she spun around to his voice, her annoyance clear.  

“What?” Melanie snapped; her tone sharp as she pivoted to him. 

"Whoa ... whoa, Smithson! Calm down..." Drake responded, raising his hands in a placating gesture, seeing Melanie's irritation. The tension between them was now palpable, adding an uncomfortable twist to the atmosphere between them. 

Melanie's frustration simmered just below the surface as she glared at Drake, her eyes narrowing. She had always felt like an outsider amongst this group, and seeing Sophie being welcomed so warmly and repeatedly by everyone only intensified her feelings of exclusion and jealousy. 

Drake, sensing her ire, took a step back. "I didn't mean to upset you, Melanie," he said, his tone more cautious now, trying to diffuse the situation. "We're just happy to have Sophie join us." 

Melanie huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Sure, whatever," she muttered, turning her attention back to adjusting her mare's saddle. But deep down, she couldn't shake off the hurt of feeling left out once again. 

Drake's face fell. He'd meant what he'd said, but it seemed like no matter what he did, it was always the wrong thing where Melanie was concerned. 

He opened his mouth to apologize, but then stopped himself, realizing that anything else he said would only make things worse. 

With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked away, leaving Melanie to stew in her own irritation. 

Meanwhile, Sophie, oblivious to their underlying tension, beamed with excitement at being accepted by the group. She couldn't wait to join them in their adventures and create lasting memories together. Little did she know the dynamics within the group were about to shift in unexpected ways very soon. 

The referee approached Liam, bowing respectfully before him, presenting the game ball with a solemn air. Liam inspected it carefully, making sure it was in good condition. After confirmation, Liam signaled all the players to mount. 

"Good luck out there, everyone," the referee said, and then he stepped back, signaling the start of the match. 

Liam led his teammates as they kicked their horses into action, eager to get the game underway. 

Sophie, riding Marabelle moved alongside Liam. Her heart was racing, and she could not believe she was about to play in front of such a large crowd which included the king and queen.

She looked over at Liam and nervously smiled. "There are so many people here," she called out. 

"Yeah, this is the biggest turnout we've had in a while," he responded. "Are you ready?" 

"As ready as I'll ever be," she answered, feeling the butterflies return to her stomach. 

"Just focus on the game and having fun. That's what it's all about," Liam smiled. 

"Right," she said, taking a deep breath. 

"We've got this," he assured her. 

As all the players took to the field, the crowd cheered and waved flags bearing the colors of their choice team. 

Liam rode his horse first onto the field. His teammates followed behind him, each looking confident and determined. 

"And here they are, ladies and gentlemen, the Cordonian Royal Polo team and the Domvallien Polo Club team!" The announcer’s voice boomed over the sound system.

The applause was thunderous as Liam smiled and waved at the cheering crowd. 

Lord Rashad, the heir to the Duchy of Domvallier led his team onto the field as he also waved to the crowd. 

"Let's give them a big hand," the announcer continued. "They're going to be giving their all today, in support of the relief efforts for the victims of the recent floods in Portavira." 

Sophie smiled and nodded, trying to calm her nerves, as she noticed her Aunt Bethany and Daniel waving to her from the stands as she rode by.

The starting pistol sounded and the game was underway. Liam and Drake took turns driving the ball toward the opposing team's goal. Sophie watched their fluid movements with admiration, trying to predict their next moves alongside Maxwell. Across the field, Neville and Rashad were also closely following the play as Kiara and Melanie followed closely behind Penelope and Tariq. 

Liam passed the ball to Sophie, who received it confidently, her body moving in sync with Marabelle. 

She deftly guided the ball toward the opposing team's goal, her mallet striking the ball with precision. 

The crowd cheered as the ball sailed through the air and landed in the net. 

"And the first point goes to the Cordonian Royal Polo Team!" the announcer shouted. 

"That was incredible," Liam shouted, smiling with admiration. 

Sophie smiled back, her heart pounding in her chest. 

"Let's keep it up," he said, giving her a wink. 

Sophie's heart fluttered, and she nodded, her determination renewed. 

As the game progressed, Neville seized an opportunity for the opposing team and scored a goal, eliciting cheers from his teammates and spectators. Passing by Sophie, he could not resist shooting her a snide glare, his expression smug and condescending. 

 Sophie, unfazed by Neville's behavior, remained focused on the match and ignored his intimidation tactics. She knew that in polo, actions spoke louder than words, and she was determined to contribute to her team's success. 

 Liam, watching the interaction, felt a surge of protective instinct towards Sophie. He made a mental note to keep an eye on Neville's antics to ensure that Sophie was not affected by his arrogance. 

Sophie and Liam's performance throughout the game was electric and their team was flawless as they dominated the field.  

Sophie felt a sense of pride as the crowd cheered. She could not believe she was actually doing this. It was exhilarating. 

VIP Tent 

"Duke Barthelemy, so glad you could make it," Constantine welcomed, offering his hand. 

"Constantine, good to see you," Barthelemy acknowledged, shaking his hand. Dressed in a tailored suit, his salt-and-pepper hair neatly groomed, he took a seat at the table next to the King. 

“Your Majesty.” Bertrand bowed. "This is quite a turnout," Bertrand commented, surveying the crowd. 

"Indeed, it is," Constantine agreed. "I see Maxwell and Sophia have joined my son's team for the match." 

"I must admit, I'm a bit surprised to see my youngest son playing on the same team as the prince," Barthelemy said, a hint of disapproval in his voice. 

"Nonsense, Barthelemy," Constantine replied. "Maxwell is a fine player, and a valuable addition to the team.” 

"And it's always paramount to support the Crown," Bertrand added. 

"Yes, well, I suppose," Barthelemy said, his lips pursed. 

"Oh, come now, Barthelemy," Constantine chided, laughing heartily. "There's no need to be so apprehensive. This is a charity match, after all. Lighten up and enjoy yourself." 

Barthelemy gave a tight smile. "Of course. You are right, your majesty.”  

"Good," Constantine said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now, let's watch these youngsters put on a show." 

“However, Constantine, I am surprised your other son is absent from today’s activities."

"He's a grown man, Barthelemy. He has his own life." 

"Still, this is a very important day for the monarchy, and he should be here, supporting the Crown and country. He is the Crown Prince." 

"Leo has a lot on his mind, and he needs time to sort through it." Constantine replied stoically, purposefully not revealing any information to his old friend.

Barthelemy noticed the look of irritation on the King's face. "I see. Forgive me for being forward, Your Majesty, but I feel the need to remind you that this is a pivotal moment for Cordonia. And as the Crown Prince, Leo has a responsibility to the people of our country along with his betrothed." 

"I'm well aware of my son's duties," Constantine replied, his voice low and terse. 

"Come now, Constantine. There is no need to be distressed." Regina patted his arm trying to defuse her husband's aggravation.

The game was nearing half-time as Barthelemy watched his niece with admiration. His thoughts were singular... Her dedication, talent, and composure on the field spoke volumes about her character and capabilities. 

As he watched Sophie and Liam's undeniable chemistry and teamwork, Barthelemy's thoughts turned to her future. He knew that Sophie had all the qualities of a great leader and ruler. Her compassion, intelligence, and ability to inspire others were qualities that would make her a remarkable queen one day. 

King Constantine glanced at Barthelemy, noticing the proud smile on his face. "She's quite impressive, isn't she?" the king remarked, acknowledging Sophie's talent. 

Barthelemy nodded, his gaze never leaving Sophie. "Indeed, Your Majesty. She has exceeded all expectations today. It's moments like these that reaffirm my belief in her potential." 

 'She will make a remarkable queen', Barthelemy mused, having heard abdication rumors amongst the nobility; his speculation peaked.

The match continued with intense excitement, each team giving their best effort. Sophie and Liam's team kept their lead, highlighting their dominance on the polo field. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and anticipation as the last moments of the first half approached. 

At half-time, the players dismounted and enjoyed refreshments in the players tent. Speaking with Liam, Rashad asked what he thought of Leo’s phone call to his father, the king.

Liam sighed, "Leo is probably just frustrated and needed time to think, away from the palace."

Rashad looked concerned. "But the timing couldn't be worse. With your father's health declining, and Leo refusing to take the throne..." 

"Rashad, I've known Leo my entire life. He's stubborn, but he always comes around." 

"I hope you're right," Rashad sighed. 

“My apologies, your highness,” a royal courtier addressed Liam, interrupting the conversation, handing Liam an envelope.

After ending his conversation with Rashad, Liam read the note from his father announcing that he was to meet with his father at the Royal tent at the end of the match. 

As the game progressed, it was clear that the Cordonian Royal Polo Team had a strong advantage to win.. They scored several goals, much to the delight of the crowd.  

Sophie felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins with each successful play. The cheers and applause from the crowd fueled her determination, and she rode Marabelle with unwavering focus and skill. 

Sophie's skills were improving with every play, and she quickly became an asset to the team. 

However, as the game continued, she could not help but notice that Liam seemed distracted, his usual focus and intensity absent.  

As the final whistle blew, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Sophie couldn't hold her joy and excitement, exchanging high-fives with her teammates and sharing a triumphant smile with Liam. 

The Cordonian Royal Polo Team had won the game and the match raised a significant amount of money for relief efforts in Portavira. 

Liam approached the players'tent, a broad grin on his face. "Congratulations, everyone," he said, his voice filled with pride. "That was an amazing game. I couldn't have asked for a better team." 

Sophie blushed, the thrill of victory still coursing through her veins. 

"We couldn't have done it without you, Liam," Drake replied. 

"We couldn't have done it without our secret weapon," Liam corrected, his gaze resting on Sophie. 

"Thanks, guys," Sophie replied, touched by their support. 

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Drake asked. "Let's go celebrate!" 

"Not just yet," Liam said, his expression growing serious. 

"What is it, Liam?" 

"My father has requested to see me. I will meet up with you guys later at the beer garden." 

"Sure, whatever you need, man," Drake replied, patting Liam on the back. 

Liam kissed Sophie's cheek. “I shouldn’t be long, love.” 

“All right, see you later.” Sophie grasped Marabelle's reins and started walking towards the stables. 

Liam left his team, walking across the grounds toward the VIP tent. He spotted his father standing outside, surrounded by a small group of nobles and officials. 

Constantine noticed Liam approaching and waved him over. "My son," he boomed. 

"Hello, Father," Liam said, his expression solemn. 

"That was quite a performance out there today."

"Yes, thank you. The team performed admirably. "

"Indeed. And Lady Sophia," Constantine added."Quite the addition to the team."

Liam's face lit up. "She's incredible, isn't she?"

"I can see that you are quite taken with her. She is a charming young lady."

"Father, I don't just think she's charming, I --"

*I know," Constantine interrupted. "But we can discuss that later. For now, I need to speak with you about an urgent matter."

Liam nodded in understanding, "what is it, Father?"

"Your brother," Constantine replied, his voice grim.

"Leo? What about him?"

"He has refused the crown."

"He has what?" Liam's jaw dropped. 

"Calm yourself, Liam. You are in the presence of others," his father reminded him. 

"Father, I..." 

"Later," Constantine cut him off. 

Liam was shocked and angry. He couldn't believe his brother would abandon his responsibilities like this. 

"Liam, it's time we had a discussion about the future of our kingdom," Constantine said, his voice low. 

"Of course, Father," Liam replied, his thoughts racing. 

"Walk with me," Constantine instructed. 

The two men walked in silence, the crowd of nobles and officials following them at a respectful distance. 

"Liam, you must prepare yourself. The crown will soon pass to you, and with it, the heavy responsibility of leading our country," Constantine began. 

Club Stables 

Neville had been watching Sophie with growing annoyance. He couldn't understand why Liam and the others were so taken with her. She was just a commoner, a nobody, and yet they treated her like she was special. She was fortunate to be a relation to House Beaumont, however, she was an American. Not nobility. Another commoner for Liam to grant station to.

After Sophie dismounted from Marabelle and secured her into a stall, Neville approached, a smug smile on his face. 

"Good job, Lady Sophia," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. 

Sophie looked over and ignored his comment, trying to get her bearings. 

"Hey, I'm talking to you," he snapped, stepping in front of her. 

"Leave me alone, Neville," she retorted, trying to push past him. 

Neville grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her skin. 

"Get your hands off me," she hissed, struggling to free herself. 

He pushed her and Sophie stumbled backwards, losing her balance. She tried to regain her footing, but her foot caught on the edge of the gate, and she tumbled to the ground, landing hard on her side, her head smacking the ground.

She winced in pain, clutching her arm. 

"You should be more careful," Neville sneered, stepping over her. 

"You bastard," she muttered, tears stinging her eyes. 

Neville laughed, his expression mocking. "That's what you get for thinking you're better than you are." 

As he walked away, Sophie lay on the ground, tears streaming down her face. 

She was hurt, and angry, and she didn't know how she was going to get up to get help, feeling dizzy. She laid back down holding her arm close, listening to Marabelle whinny as she reared in her stall.

But one thing was for certain: she was not going to let Neville get away with hurting her like this. 

"Squirrel? Are you okay?" Daniel exclaimed, rushing to her. 

"No, I'm not," she replied, her voice choked with emotion.

"What happened?" 

"Neville happened," she said, anger replacing her pain. 

"What? Why would he do that?" 

"Because he's a jerk," Sophie replied, her voice breaking as she covered her face with her hands.

Daniel helped her to sit up, his face etched with concern. He reached for his phone and tapped Maxwells number.

"Do you want to tell Liam?" 

"No, I don't want to make a scene. It's just a few bruises." 

"Okay, if you're sure," Daniel said, his voice uncertain. 

...I swear that I'll be yours forever, till forever falls apart...

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📌Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @choicesaprilchallenge24

[jerzwriter]

The Big ONE

Happy Birthday to little Samantha, who turned one on April 20th!

I asked @/artbyainna (IG) to help create artwork to commemorate the special occasion, and I'm simply squealing at the results! While Tobias and Casey are captivated with their little angel, Pietro is all too happy to jump in and get a bit of that cake he's been eyeing all afternoon! I'm just blown away by this!

I wrote a fic highlighting a few moments during Sammy's big day below. I hope you enjoy the sugary sweetness as much as I do!

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Tobias Carrick x Casey Carrick (F!MC) Characters: Vivian Carrick (F!OC), Jordan Carrick (M!OC), Rose and David MacTavish (OCs), the OH gang, and of course, Pietro - the original cat. Rating: Teen Words: 1,700 A/N: @choicesaprilchallenge24 / Kitchen Table

Standing at her kitchen sink didn't typically usher in so much joy, but then, today wasn't any ordinary day. Casey's heart was full as she peered out the kitchen window into her backyard. It was tiny by suburban standards, but in Boston, it may as well have been an acre. The storms that had been forecasted earlier in the week held off, and the bright sun and azure blue skies provided the perfect canopy for their guests who came to celebrate.

The telltale rattle of the backdoor handle interrupted the silence, and Casey turned to find her husband coming inside. He looked so gorgeous in the fitted pink shirt he bought just for this occasion that she didn't initially catch his expression. Was it bewilderment? Vexation? She couldn't quite make it out.

He reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of Sam Adams. Popping the cap off, he leaned against the counter and shook his head.

"I can't believe there's a freaking petting zoo in my yard."

Casey chuckled as she closed the distance between them, her head coming to rest on his shoulder as her arms encircled his waist.

"It’s not like you weren’t warned... albeit inadvertently.”

“Still...” he sighed.

“You know, from what I’ve heard, this place was a perpetual petting zoo in the past. Of course, it wasn’t the G-rated type, but even so... this shouldn't be so foreign to you.”

She closed her eyes and pressed closer against him, relishing the way his chest reverberated against her as he laughed.

“While the stories of my past can be a bit on the wild side, they tend to be overexaggerated, my dear.”  

Casey squeezed him tighter. “I can’t believe our baby girl is a year old already.”

“I know,” Tobias replied with amazement. “It all went by in a flash.”

“It did,” Casey agreed. “Although, some of the nights felt like they lasted an eternity. Especially in the beginning. God, sometimes I didn’t think I’d survive.”

“You?” Tobias marveled. “No way! You had the whole motherhood thing down pat from the start. You're a natural, babe.”

“A natural?” She laughed. “Are you kidding me? From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I was a hyperventilating mess!" Her hands rubbed along the silky fabric covering his chest, and her voice filled with emotion. “If not for your bright outlook and constant support, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. You’re my rock, T.”

The tender moment was interrupted when the door handle rattled again, and several of their friends stepped inside.

“Jesus!” Jackie groaned. “Do you two ever stop with that lovey-dovey shit?”

“Aw! Leave them alone!” Sienna smiled. “I think they’re adorable.”

“I might be more accepting of that adorable title if it was any random day,” Bryce interjected. “But what the hell are you doing inside with this kissy face crap when you have a freaking petting zoo and bouncy house in your yard?”

“Yeah,” Tobias chuckled. “Ma didn’t read the memo when we said we wanted a simple party with our friends."

“She also didn’t get that none of our friends have children, and Sammy’s too young for friends of her own... I don’t know that we needed all this.”

“Are you kidding?” Bryce gasped in horror. Vivian is a goddess! I’ve been in the bouncy house for the past hour, and that little wallaby out there is now my best friend. You two really need to come out.”

“Oh, I will so be in the bouncy house before this day is over!” Casey enthused.

“And I’ll be there to gleefully record every second,” Tobias winked. “But we’re going to set up to have the cake in here now.”

A peal of laughter wafted in through the open window, and everyone looked outside to see Sammy flying through the air—her face aglow as she giggled with abandon.

“Give her back to me!” Tobias’s brother, Jordan, insisted as Ethan swung the little one around again.

“Sorry,” Ethan responded. “She’s made her position clear. I’m her favorite uncle. You’ll just have to acclimate to being number two, Jordan.”

“Number two,” Bryce blurted as he was about to stick his hand into the nacho dip. “He’s not number two! And Ethan’s not number one! Sorry guys, I have to get out there and reclaim my ground!”

Jackie heaved out a sigh. “I suppose I should go supervise the children.”

“And I’ll make sure she doesn’t hurt anyone,” Sienna said, quick on her friend's heels.

Tobias slid behind Casey, wrapping his strong arms around her as they watched the joyful scene unfolding outside.

“Oh, no! Our parents are getting in on this now,” Casey observed as Tobias kissed her shoulder. “We better go retrieve Sammy before she's more spoiled than she is already."

"Nah," Tobias declined. "She's in very good hands, and I want just one more moment alone with my beautiful wife."

Casey turned around in Tobias's arms and gently kissed him, but he turned that little kiss into one with decidedly more passion.

"Keep that up, and we'll end up with baby number two," she giggled.

"Damn, she's on to my plan," he winked.

~~~~

A short time later, the circus had moved inside as the guests crowded into the family's living room to open gifts.

“I was told we were coming inside for cake,” Bryce pouted. 

Vivian, seated next to him, promptly slapped his knee.

“OW!”

“It’s presents before cake, Lahela. Everyone knows that.”

“I don’t think Sammy would mind either way,” he replied but acquiesced when he saw how happy the little girl was ripping into the gift wrap on her presents.

“Look!” Sienna said, tapping Casey’s Mom, Rose, on the shoulder. “She loves the stuffed pony you got her!”

“She does,” Rose beamed. “Although Grandma Vivian supplied the real pony in the yard!”

“Yeah,” Casey’s father, David, laughed. “We’ll have to up our game next year, hon. Vivian here is stealing our thunder.”

“NO!” Tobias and Casey yelled in unison.

“Don’t worry,” Tobias insisted. “My mother is going to be banished from next year’s celebration! We can have some normalcy.”

“Like hell I will be!” she spat as Jordan roared with laughter.

“Please, you have a better chance of Derek Jeter being elected mayor of Boston than you do of Ma missing any of Sammy’s birthdays.”

“That’s right! This fool made me wait almost four decades to be a grandma, I'm not missing any of it now!"

Tobias wrapped his arm around his mother’s shoulders and squeezed her close. “I know you wouldn’t, Ma. And we wouldn't want you to, but... can we celebrate without so many animals next year?”

“I don’t know,” Vivian smirked. “I think it would be wrong not to include your friends.”

~~~~~

A pile of opened gifts sat stacked neatly in the corner as little Pietro played happily with the bits of colorful gift wrap that remained taped to the boxes. But the cat wasn’t the only one excited; after all, it was finally time for CAKE!

“Casey, you look great!” Jordan stated. “But, Tobias, I need you to move a bit to the right.”

“For God's sake,” Tobias groused. “Can you just take the picture already?"

“Can we start singing?” Vivian asked. "I want to sing to my grandbaby."

“As soon as I get this picture,” Jordan replied. “All right! Casey, Tobias... perfect! Now, everyone, help me get Sammy to look this way.”

Everyone gathered behind Jordan, making faces, clapping their hands, and doing all they could to get the precious little girl to look their way. But Sammy only had eyes for one thing... the fluffy pink birthday cake that was just outside of her reach. That is until her feline best friend hopped on the table, stealing her attention and leaving her squealing with delight.

Casey lifted him, placing him gently back on the floor. “Not on the table, Pietro.”

“Yeah!” Jackie replied smugly. “No cake for you.”

The cat hissed at his nemesis as the clamoring to get Sammy to look at the camera continued.

“Oh, for the love of God,” Tobias bewailed. “Can you just take the picture!”

“I sure can,” Jordan nodded. “On the count of three! One... two... three!”

But just as her uncle snapped the photo, Sammy lurched forward and grabbed a fistful of the cotton candy colored icing, and when Tobias attempted to intervene, he ended up with a tiny fistful of sticky, sugary goodness splattered onto his face. A family photo that would be celebrated for generations to come was born.

Beaming, Tobias lifted Sammy off Casey’s lap as her chubby little hands mashed the icing deeper into her father’s beard.

Laughing, Casey pulled her phone out of her pocket to snap some shots of her own. “Our little girl has you wrapped around her finger, T!”

Tobias reached over and pulled Casey close; the sticky icing became a family affair when he kissed her cheek. “She sure does. Just like her, Momma!”

Amidst all the chaos, Pietro saw an opportunity, and he took it! Leaping onto the table, he stuck his paws into the cake and delighted in his sugary bonanza until Casey spotted him out of the corner of her eye.

“Pietro! No!” she hollered as Jackie, the only one who had seen the cat on the table, broke out laughing.

“You saw him and didn’t rat him out?” Casey teased. "What's happened to you?"

Jackie merely shrugged. “You have to admire him. He wanted something, saw an opening, and took it. I’m not about to turn him in for that.”

"Are you and that cat... bonding?" Casey asked.

"I guess Sammy's birthday is capable of miracles."

~~~~~ 

Hours later, after the final guest had gone home, Casey and Tobias snuggled together on the couch. Sammy slept in her playpen just feet away while Pierto kept a protective watch over her. Despite being exhausted, the proud parents couldn’t wipe the grins off their faces.

“This was such a great day,” Casey smiled. “I knew it would be, but it exceeded all expectations.”

“It was a really great day,” Tobias agreed. “And I think Ma only violated three town ordinances by insisting a wallaby was included in the petting zoo."

“She didn’t break any ordinances,” Casey laughed, her eyes suddenly going wide. “At least, not any that we know of.”

“Well, if she did, we successfully evaded charges, and that's all I can ask for."

“Mmmm,” Casey hummed, snuggling closer to him. “So, do you still want to add another Carrick to all this craziness?”

Tobias sat up, his interest piqued. “Damn straight, I do. Honestly, I want our girls to be close together. Jordan and I had a big age difference, and I’d like Sammy to grow up with her sister, you know?”

“Tobias,” Casey chuckled. “You know we have no way of knowing if we'd have another girl!”

His eyes lit up, and that little dimple Casey found so irresistible took center stage. “Oh, yes, I do. Now the big question... are you ready to have bambina number two?”

Casey sunk back into the fluffy couch cushions with a smile. “Soon? Maybe we can start trying around the end of summer. You know, it might not happen right away, but if we start then, maybe Sammy can have a little sister... or brother... by the end of next year. What do you say?"

“First, sister,” Tobias grinned. “And it will happen right away. Look at how fast it happened with Sammy.”

“Babe, we weren’t planning on Sammy.”

“Exactly,” Tobias grinned, holding Casey close. "I work that damn well when we weren't even trying... you just wait until we are."

Sammy made a funny little noise, and when Mom and Dad realized she was just having a happy dream, they returned to holding each other close.

"Well, I feel a lot better right now than I did a year ago at this time," Casey stated. "I mean, a day of family and friends is a cakewalk next to labor and delivery."

"Yet, you're willing to do it again," Tobias chuckled.

"Yeah, I think I'll make it through," she smiled. "I love our little family, T."

"So do I," he said with a kiss on her forehead. "And I love you."

~~~~~

That's some serious sweetness here, my friends! I hope you enjoyed it... Pietro sure did!

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesaprilchallenge24 @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[liaromancewriter]

Stand By Me

Premise: Cassie experiences the downside of having Ethan Ramsey as a mentor.

Book: Open Heart (post series) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine) Rating/Category: Teen. Angsty Fluff Format: Prose + Text and Pic Fic Words: 2,610

A/N: Submission for @choicesaprilchallenge24 prompt, two-word sentence starter: "you're wrong"

Part 1: The Calm

Cassie Valentine had never traveled quite like this. The cargo plane’s interior was cavernous and dimly lit, a stark contrast to the tightly packed but bright commercial jet that had flown her and Ethan Ramsey from Boston to Miami for the first leg of their trek to assist humanitarian efforts after an earthquake in Haiti.

Cassie thought idly that the jet had been more comfortable with its plush seating. She sat cross-legged on the cold, metal floor, a duffle bag shoved behind her, cushioning her lower back from the unyielding steel, and scanned her surroundings.

The sparse interior was devoid of the usual comforts of commercial flights. There were no overhead bins, seatback trays or in-flight entertainment to pass the time. Just an expansive, unadorned metal hull echoing with the sound of the engines, a constant, deafening roar that made any attempt at conversation futile.

“Hope you’re strapped in tight, folks,” Hank, the team leader, shouted above the noise.

Standing in the center of the plane, his legs spread for balance, he stretched his long arms to grip one of the loops hanging from the ceiling.

“It’s going to be a bumpy ride, but at least there’s no middle seat to fight over,” Hank continued matter-of-factly as the plane gained speed on the runway, its sides rattling in response. A few people chuckled.

He finished his safety instructions a minute or two before the wheels lifted off the tarmac, and quickly strapped himself into a jump seat on the far side. He caught her watching him, and winked flirtatiously.

Back on the ground, Ethan had greeted Hank with an easy familiarity borne out of their shared experience during the Amazon mission years earlier. The casual insults had rolled off their tongues as they needled each other jokingly.

Cassie suspected this trip would be eye-opening in more ways than one as she spied on Ethan’s relaxed profile out of the corner of her eye. As if sensing her scrutiny, he glanced askance at her and she gave him a thumbs up signal.

She huddled inside the leather jacket, shivering from the chill that permeated the aircraft as it began its ascent. Leaning her head on Ethan’s shoulder, she smiled ruefully at Libby, the petite red-haired fifth-year surgical resident strapped in across from her.

They’d gotten to chatting in the hangar as they waited for the plane to be loaded with boxes filled with medical and food supplies and humanitarian aid packages. Libby, on her third trip to a disaster zone, had been a fount of information on what to expect and advice on how to manage in crude living conditions.

Cassie felt a sense of adventure mingled with apprehension. The headlines coming out of Port-au-Prince had painted a bleak picture of destruction, death and despair.

When Ethan’s contact in the WHO reached out asking for medical volunteers, Cassie knew she wasn’t going to be left behind this time. She might not have experience in field hospitals, but it was time she got it.

Ethan hadn’t argued or tried to talk her out of it. They were doctors; this is what they did.

As the plane reached cruising altitude, Cassie peered out of a small window near the floor. The view was obscured by a thick mesh covering the outside, but it did little to diminish the sense of wonder at the vast blue sea below, the calm surface broken only by the white crests of waves.

The flight was long, longer still, with nothing to do to pass the time. Cassie found herself drifting off to sleep, lulled by the monotony of the engine’s roar and the comforting feel of Ethan’s arm around her.

The next thing she knew, he was nudging her awake. The plane’s vibration beneath her had changed, gradually descending as they approached their destination. The atmosphere inside was abuzz with anticipation. Shortly after, the plane touched down on the tarmac, the landing rougher than the take-off.

“Ready?” Ethan asked as they unstrapped themselves once the plane had come to a halt.

Cassie nodded, stretching her arms and legs to shake off the stiffness. “Next time, remind me to grab a sleeping bag and some snacks.”

He chuckled, but his smile was soft as he stared into her green eyes. He ran his index finger down the side of her face, tucked back a lock of blonde hair that had escaped her ponytail, and tilted her face up.

The kiss was a mere brush of the lips, whisper soft, barely there before it was gone. It was the last moment of normality. Once they disembarked, everything would change.

Part 2: The Storm

The oppressive heat and humidity were unlike anything Cassie had experienced before, although she’d certainly been to the tropics. Her brother’s island home on St. Thomas was a few hundred miles east, but its luxurious, air-conditioned environs were worlds apart from the rows of beige-colored tents spread out in every direction.

The back of her short-sleeved cotton scrub top was damp from perspiration, so she lifted the hem to air it out. Exiting the stuffy interior of a medical tent housing non-urgent cases, Cassie took a deep breath. The pungent smells of human waste and unwashed bodies hit her nostrils immediately, and she started gagging.

Sweat dripped down her face, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. In the last few days, she’d lost her weight in fluids as they dug latrines, carried supplies from one end of the field hospital to another and spent hours in airless spaces treating patients whose eyes were inconsolable with loss.

It had taken her more than a minute to get her bearings, but Ethan had been in his element. She knew he’d volunteered with Partners in Health when he was a resident and fellow. But she’d had a hard time picturing the sophisticated, opera-loving Dr. Ramsey in such crude surroundings, digging ditches, boots covered in mud, grime staining his clothes.

They had both been busy in their respective areas, retreating every night, bone tired, muscles aching, to their assigned bedroom in staff housing near the hospital. All they did was sleep before waking up early to do it all over again.

Suddenly missing him and desperate to feel his arms around her, Cassie marched down the dirt path between tents, her green eyes searching for him or someone familiar who could tell her if they’d seen him.

Her ears pricked when she heard his deep voice and distinctive laugh close by. Changing directions, she followed her instincts and turned left, slowing down when she saw him standing in the middle of a clearing, his back to her.

Ethan was with an older man she hadn’t met before. His gray hair was long from the back, brushing past his collar, with deep-set eyes and a hooked nose. He spoke English with a heavy accent, gesticulating with his hands for emphasis.

The other man caught her spying on them, and his voice boomed, chiding. “Ah, another acolyte for my young friend. It’s always the same story, eh, Ramsey?”

Cassie flushed when she realized he was referring to her.

Surprised, Ethan spun on his heels and relaxed when he spotted her. “Cassie.”

Her earlier euphoria faded, replaced by a gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach as she joined them.

“You know each other?” The other man asked, glancing between her and Ethan.

“Klaus, meet Dr. Valentine.” Ethan made the introductions. “Cassie, this is Dr. van Rijn, special missions head at the WHO. We go way back.”

“Valentine, Valentine. Why do I know that name?” Dr. van Rijn tapped one finger against his lips before his eyes cleared in recognition. “Ah, yes, of course.”

Cassie felt a momentary high at being recognized by someone of his stature, but his next words had her deflating like a balloon popped with a pin.

“You’re the intern!”

“That was six years ago,” Ethan shook his head in amusement. “She’s hardly an intern anymore, Klaus. Dr. Valentine is—”

“Your mentee, or rather, your protege,” he interrupted. “Yes, yes, Ethan, I remember. My hair is more gray than when we last saw each other, but my memory is sharper than ever.”

“But your hearing could use some work,” Ethan retorted, shoving his hands in his pant pockets. “As I was saying….”

Cassie saw herself standing in a long tunnel, the dismissive words spoken by the other man echoing around her. Intern. Mentee. Ramsey’s protege. Reduced to nothing more than that.

“Cassie, are you alright?”

Ethan’s concerned voice broke through her reverie, and she looked up, startled. They were both staring at her, one in disquiet and the other with curiosity.

“Sorry, I was miles away,” Cassie said. “What were you talking about?”

“Ethan was just telling me you’re now leading his former team,” van Rijn said. “That’s quite an accomplishment for one so young. You made a smart decision when you chose to train under Dr. Ramsey. He’s one of the best and most astute physicians I’ve ever met. You’ll go far if you keep following in your mentor’s footsteps.”

Incensed at the implication that her success was not of her own making, Cassie opened her mouth to deliver a cutting retort or at least defend her record. But Ethan stepped in front of her, figuratively, and beat her to it.

“That’s unfair, Klaus,” Ethan said sternly. “Dr. Valentine is brilliant. She diagnosed and found a cure for Naveen when he and I had both given up. She’s the keynote speaker at this year’s AADM conference, just like I was all those years ago, and is a special advisor to a Congressional national committee on healthcare affordability.”

He paused, frowning slightly before continuing. “And before you shove your foot even further down your mouth, you’ve apparently forgotten that she’s also my wife.”

Cassie stared in shock at Ethan, her ears ringing. His wife?!? That’s how he chose to end this? She thought they were partners and equals first, but clearly, she’d been mistaken.

“I heard you’d gotten married,” van Rijn said, flustered, “but I didn’t realize it was to…”

His words trailed off, and his cheeks turned red with embarrassment as he glanced at Cassie.

Ethan, too, watched her warily as she continued to stand there in stony silence, arms folded tightly across her front.

As she grappled with her emotions, feeling the old imposter syndrome return, Cassie knew she would blow her top if she didn’t walk away now. Preferably with her dignity intact.

“It was a pleasure,” she almost tripped over the word, “to meet you, Dr. van Rijn. I have to get back to work.”

She nodded rigidly at Ethan. “I’ll see you later.”

She was practically running once she was out of sight, unable to slow down despite the heat making her lightheaded.

Cassie often counted her blessings that she’d gotten a chance to work with Ethan, the compassionate and caring doctor who’d captured her heart. But for the first time in her life, she wished she’d never met Dr. Ramsey.

Part 3: The Aftermath

Part 4: The Closure

Ethan poured Malbec into a long-stemmed wine glass for Cassie the moment he heard her keys rattle in the apartment door. He’d had his ears cocked for the last half-hour, the trepidation building with every passing minute.

He heard the swoosh of the hallway closet door as she likely hung up her coat and the clatter of her shoes hitting the hardwood floor. Just as she walked into the living room, he took a large swallow of his wine and promptly started coughing when it went down the wrong pipe.

“Are you okay?” Cassie asked, her brow furrowed in concern as she approached him and brushed her hand up and down his back.

Ethan nodded, wheezing as the cough tickled his throat. He set the glass on the counter before he spilled the drink all over the kitchen floor. Finally, he managed to get himself under control.

Cassie lifted the glass of wine he’d poured for her and sipped slowly, her eyes closing as she savored the taste.

“You always know just what I need,” she said with a deep sigh. “M&M was particularly long and exhausting. Tell me, why did I choose to stay in academic medicine?”

“You’re wrong,” Ethan said quietly, causing her eyes to drift open and stare at him in surprise. “I don’t always know what you need. Something’s gone wrong between us. Things haven’t been the same since Haiti.”

Cassie pursed her lips and watched him above the rim of her glass, not reacting to his statement in any other way. Then she finished her wine and set the glass down on the counter.

“We already discussed this back then and today on text,” Cassie reminded him. “What else is there to say?”

She shrugged, and then her eyes turned hard like steel. “I need to stand on my own, but who you are, what you are…well, it casts a long shadow. I didn’t like how you and Klaus reduced me to someone who exists only because of what you saw in me. And not because I worked hard for it.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know,” Cassie cut him off. “You might not have meant to, but you defending me without giving me a chance to do it myself, you might as well have.”

“Why can’t I stand up for you?” Ethan said, frustration leaking through as he stabbed his fingers into his hair.

“I need you to stand by me, not for me,” Cassie said, her tone measured in response to his heated one. “I will always be measured by your reputation, just like you have to contend with Naveen’s legacy. We can’t control what others say or do. I’ve accepted it.”

“Then why are you angry with me?” Ethan shot back.

“I’m not angry.”

Cassie closed the distance between them, her smile throwing him off. When she took his hand and laced her fingers through his, he felt as if the tight band around his heart loosened.

“I’m not angry,” she repeated, squeezing his fingers. “But I resent that, despite what we talked about in Haiti, your natural inclination on seeing that Pictagram post was to respond defending my honor.”

“Don’t deny it,” she cautioned when he started to do just that. “If I wanted to shoot down small-minded individuals, I’m more than capable of doing it myself.”

Ethan took a deep breath in and then exhaled. “I did want to do that,” he admitted. “I saw red because what they said was so far from reality.”

“If you thought that was bad, it’s good you’re not on Reddit,” Cassie said, twisting her lips in a wry smile.

“You know, if someone attacked your reputation, I’d be upset too.” She nestled against him, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

“But we both know the truth. I respect you enough to let you tear into shreds anyone that came at you. Give me the same courtesy, at least professionally,” Cassie added, angling her lips to kiss the underside of his jaw.

“If it was a personal attack, you have my permission to destroy them with that deathly Dr. Ramsey glare.”

Ethan snorted with laughter when she perfectly mimicked his angry expression.

“You’ve got yourself a deal,” he said, framing her face between his hands. His lips hovered above hers, waiting, prolonging the anticipation.

“You may kis—”

But she didn’t need to finish for he was already kissing her, and she was kissing him back. Everything was finally right in their world.

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

All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @justyourusualash @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[hanaleeappreciationweek]

We begin our first day of Hana Lee Appreciation Week 3.0 TOMORROW!!

In our previous editions, we had kept Hana's AWs on days that celebrated her passion - music! This time, we decided to shake things up a little, and hold the event around the time of World Book Day! This time of the year is also fitting because it will be spring in many parts of the world, and there are very few things that remind us of Hana more than flowers do!!

Day 1 has two themes to choose from - Character Appreciation and Throwback.

We love having Character Appreciation as a theme because it encompasses everything!! Anything goes - as long as it includes whatever you love most about Hana.

Throwback is simple - any creative work on Hana that you've done before this edition of HLAW came out! Reblog any fic, art or meta that you've done before on her, and if you'd like to take us through the process of how you made the work - we'd love to read all about it!!

Any content is welcome!! Fanfic, fanart, edits, moodboards, interactive, media, headcanons, screenshots, playlists, meta...even screenshots of your favourite scenes would be great!! Our only requirement is that the content is centered on Hana, and that the depiction of her is positive. You can also send in WIPs in case you don't complete a work!

You can also send in a work on the days following a particular theme - this is no pressure for it to be put up exactly that day! We will also have an extra week for anyone who still needs time 💕 May 4th will be our final official date for entries (to incorporate into our video!) but HLAW will still be open for entries for the rest of the year until the next event!

You can find our full list of prompts here!

Be sure to do the following when making your posts:

1. Use the tags #hanaleeappreciationweek and #HLAW in the tags (along with the day you made the post for - #HLAW Day 1, #HLAW Day 2 etc)

2. Tag @hanaleeappreciationweek as well as hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes, we don't miss out on your posts!

FAN CONTENT BLOGS are instrumental in keeping the fandom alive - with events and fun activities that encourage us all to contribute and create. They have also been amazing in their support towards our character events. Do check them out to see all the new incredible events and prompts coming up!

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily fanfic and fanart (no AI allowed). Check out their rules and roster of events!

@choicesmonthlychallenge & @choicesaprilchallenge24 - Any and all content welcome! They have a collection of prompts you can use for the month of April!

@choicespride - Any and all content is welcome, as long as it is centered around queer characters and/or themes.

@choicesflashfics - Primarily fanfic under a 2500 word count. Every week they use new dialogue prompts. The prompts for the coming week will be out soon!

@choicesholidays - Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Spring Fling!

@choicesprompts - Any and all content welcome! You can check out their current Round Robin event here!

Hope to see more incredible works from you all for Hana this week!

Happy Hana Lee Appreciation Week, everyone!!

[storyofmychoices]

Cloud Watching

[Beckett Harrington x Emma Carlyle Masterlist] 

Pairing: Beckett Harrington x Emma Carlyle (F!MC) Book: The Elementalists 2 Word Count: ~1,000 Rating/Warnings: general, none Submitting to: @choicesaprilchallenge24: Clouds ; @choicesficwriterscreations FotW; @choicesbookclub TE2

Synopsis: Emma tries to teach Beckett to cloud watch.

"Despite the slight distraction-" His cheeks flushed red as his gaze drifted to her lips. He swallowed hard and continued. He took a step forward, following the path back to the dorms. "I think we can say this was quite a productive study session."

Emma's gaze softened as she watched him process the academic merit of successfully completing the cloud shape-shifting spell. And yet, she couldn't help but wonder if he was missing something more important entirely. 

"Haven't you ever just lied back on the soft grass on a sunny day and just watched the clouds drift by?" Emma held her finger up, quieting his reply before continuing, "-without magick?"

"What would the value of such an activity be?" His brows knitted together as he questioned the notion. 

"To enjoy the beauty of nature."

"I suppose we could discuss the types and classifications of clouds and how they form. Nevertheless, that's rather elementary knowledge." He adjusted his blazer. "Knowing how to manipulate them and bend the air and water vapor to your specifications and designs takes far more knowledge and control."

"You're such a nerd." She shook her head gently. "Not everything has to be about learning or gaining knowledge of information. Some things can be for fun or to relax."

"Did you not have fun shaping the clouds?" A frown fell on his features. To him, mastering a new spell was the perfect amount of fun. It was productive and efficient without any of the more frivolous aspects of fun that caused others to lose control.

"It was fun, but sometimes, just pausing to breathe and enjoy the moment without anything other than nature's own magic is something special." Her gaze shifted to the heavens, letting the sun warm her face. A soft smile spread across her features. "Do you trust me?" Her attention returned to him. 

"You need not ask for you know the answer is always." The tips of his ears turned pink despite his attempts to compose himself in her presence. 

She held her hand to him, lacing their fingers with his. "Follow me."

Emma guided him off the path and across the quad, finding a spot where the grass was just right, not too short where it would be scratchy and uncomfortable or too long where it might threaten to tickle their skin with the breeze. "Perfect." 

She sat on the soft ground, patting the surface for him to sit beside her. Despite his hesitance in getting his khaki pants grass-stained, he complied with her request. 

"Now, lay back on the grass and just look at the clouds." Emma led by example, reclining on the quad. Her eyes fluttered closed as she breathed in the fresh air and the scent of the wildflowers dancing in the breeze. 

She opened her eyes to find Beckett very much in the same seated position. Her eyes narrowed at him, insisting he follow suit. 

"But my blazer!" His eyes widened in horror.

"Take it off if you must, but you're not getting out of this, Harrington. If anyone needs to learn how to cloud-watch, it's you!"

He grumbled slightly, though his eyes betrayed the sentiment. He mirrored her pose. "Okay, now that I'm lying in the dirt, what is it that I am supposed to do?"

"Just watch the clouds."

"Watch them for what?" 

"Just watch how they move. How slowly. How swiftly. Do they dance across the sky? What can you see in them? Can you make shapes? animals?—without magick!"

Beckett propped himself up on his elbow, looking over to her with great skepticism. "Is this some sort of tuneless prank?"

"Not a prank."

"So this is something tuneless people do for enjoyment?"

"Some. Others miss the point."

"I must admit that I might be one of them."

Emma sighed before breathing in again, refusing to give up so quickly. She shimmied closer to him, resting her head against his. "See, that one there—" Lifting her arm toward the sky, she pointed toward a fluffy cloud. "—that one's a bunny." 

Beckett suppressed the urge to protest. Squinting at the cloud in question, he turned his head to the left, then to the right, trying to see what she saw. "I suppose... if you squint and tilt your head like this, it is uh—vaguely...resembling of a rabbit..." He couldn't stop his analytical mind. "But, from a scientific perspective, clouds are formed by the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere. Any thought that they form particular shapes is just the human mind searching for meaning. Cloud formation is dependent on temperature, humidity, and air currents." His voice trailed away as the potential of the air magick sparked at his fingertips. "Can't you feel the atmosphere all around us? The air currents pulling in the sky, forming the clouds, shaping them into what they are and could be?"

Emma laughed softly, brushing a kiss on his head. "I love your beautiful brain, but let's focus on trying to bring out your imagination." Her hands drew out a rainbow in front of her head. She knew he wouldn't understand the tuneless reference, but she had seen the meme too many times for her to say the word without the accompanying gesture. 

His lips twitched up. "I admire your persistence." He pulled her closer.

Emma rested her head on his shoulder. "Try again." She searched the sky, pointing to the next one. "There. See. Right there, that one is a dragon."

His gaze flickered to her, watching as her face illuminated with wonder. He nodded, squinting as he followed where she gestured. He let the sun warm his face and nodded slowly. "If I squint and... turn my head...and—" 

"It's okay." She snuggled into him, giggling at the steady concentration drawing almost painstakingly across his face. "You get an A for effort, Mr Harrington." 

"OOo!" Her attention was captured again by the sky. "Now, it looks like it's breathing fire! ICE fire!"

"Ice fire?" His brow arched, amusement dancing on his lips. "I suppose that isn't entirely inaccurate. The clouds are made of ice crystals!"

"At least we can agree on something." 

The pair relaxed on the quad, letting the sun caress their skin. With each gentle breeze, the clouds above shifted and danced, creating new shapes and designs for Emma to decipher, reminding Beckett of the magic that could be found in even the simplest moments of life.

A/N: Emma loves Spongebob. Once she learns a spell to make a rainbow, she'll be doing this all day and no one will get it but her and Atlas, because she introduced Atlas to Spongebob and she binged the first few seasons without pausing to sleep!

[ladylamrian]

Fragile

Female Main Character: Alexis (Alex)

Pairing: F!MC×NikRyder

Summary: Thomas's wraith was defeated by Alex. But the battle wasn't easy. She was now fighting between life and death.

Word Count: 6.3K words

Rating: Teen/Mature

Warnings: Angst, Heartbreak, Hospital, Health...

-> My complete Nightbound Masterlist <-

Taglist: @lilyoffandoms ; @secretaryunpaid ; @blackcatkita ; @liviusofpella ; @peonierose ; @jdstar88 ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @tessa-liam ; @mxdanni ; @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @rosepetals1 ; @stars-are-within-me ; @dutifullynuttywitch ; @thosehallowedhalls ; @bri1234 ; @artbyalz ; @choicesaprilchallenge24 [Prompts: "What happened?" ; "Shut up!" ; "I'll take care of you." "Just relax" & "Wake up." ] @choicesficwriterscreations and whoever wants to join...

Comments via Reblog wholeheartly welcome

Author's note: Nightbound rewrite of last scene.

Nik's girlfriend, Alex was lying on the hospital bed, injured, unconscious and not waking up. Nik held back the tears that came to his eyes. Tears he didn't think would appear so easily for a tough man like him. He watched her for a long time and then kissed her forehead.

"Don't worry, rook. Everything will be alright, I swear. Just don't leave me. Wake up, I'm here. Your Nik is here with you and never left your side.", his voice trembled as he whispered. After a little pause, he continued.

"I... I think... I love you... I never thought that I would ever fall in love so deeply with you. Never imagined the thing I would fear the most would be losing you. Hell, I can lose everything but not you. But oh, not you. Please... Wake up."

He sat quietly by the bedside holding her hands, and couldn't help but keep talking to her even when she was unconscious.

"What I would give to hear your voice again...", he stroked her silvery-black hair, remembering their happy moments, their first meeting, their first kiss. Wiping away the tears that kept coming to his silvery-gray eyes, he thought he should have protected her better. He failed. Not ready to lose her like he once lost his birthparents and Elijah. He failed again. He couldn't protect her from the bloodwraith which attacked his girlfriend. Now she's fighting between life and death. Struggling.

"That Thomas bastard... Damn Lady Fate who couldn't fight that bastard before all this happened before. Powerful Fate? The hell with that!!! Thomas's gone now, but at what cost...?", he muttered as his eyes burned with anger and revenge.

Even though Thomas and his bloodwraith who tried to kill Alex and all the supernatural elite, were finally defeated at the Mardi Gras event by Alex's mysterious powers. But before its defeat, the bloodwraith just had to attack her. Its claws sank into her body, making her lose so much blood that the wraith itself ended up bloody. She lost so much blood, but it was somehow a miracle that his girlfriend was still with him. For now...

After a moment later, a doctor entered the room to check Alex's status and vitals. For his luck, the doctor was a fae, disguised from the human sight through the glamour spell. He wouldn't question much about the happenings and already knew that this was the work of a supernatural being. The bloodwraith, a killing machine. And since Alex was partly fae, he would understand her better than the rest of the doctors. Nik got up from the chair where he was sitting and approached the doctor.

"How is she?"

The doctor turned his attention to him and appeared a little worried.

"I'm afraid her situation is rather delicate, she's still unconscious. She's in a coma, her condition is serious but stable. She's been intubated and connected to many machines that keep her alive. I can't give you a date when she would wake up... it could be tomorrow or it could be in several days... I'm absolutely sorry, sir."

Nik was visibly shaken.

"And she will survive this right? Right?!!"

"The truth is... I can't know for sure. We just hope she'll pull through without any further complications.", the fae doctor informed without meeting his eyes. He paused before he continued. "We need to run some tests to know more."

Nik's body suddenly trembled slightly and his fists tightened into a ball. Taking a deep breath, he tried to remain calm.

"But in the meantime, there must be something you can do for her right?"

The doctor felt sorry, looked at her condition on the monitors and then adjusted some of them.

"She's a half-fae, right? She appears to be stable, for now. The most important thing we could do for her is allow her body to rest. And we will perform several tests so please if you want, you can be with her during the tests."

The young nighthunter nodded and watched his girlfriend. Her long hair was so beautiful, her face full of peace even when unconscious, she seemed so still, so fragile. She was now his Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her to finally wake up because he couldn't bear thinking of the worst. He gripped her hand tightly, feeling her warmth and how her skin was soft as silk and whispered to her. For him, she looked like an angel on earth. Peaceful.

"Please wake up rook, don't leave me alone..."

The doctor left the room to give him some privacy. Nik kissed her on the forehead and held onto her hand. His face is completely devastated and broken. Every fiber of his being was being torn away by this pain. Tears kept flowing down his face, his heart felt like it was about to explode and shatter in many tiny pieces. His thoughts were so chaotic and filled with dread. He blamed himself for everything. If only he could have protected her better. If only his last memory with her was a happy one. If only he made sure that Thomas and his bloodwraith were really really dead and defeated. The young man felt so powerless in this situation. He wanted to do something for her. His helplessness was torturing him, but there was nothing he could do right now. He could only wait. Nik's head whirled, his hands trembled and all that he could do was to keep holding on to this only connection he had left with his beloved.

Weeks passed and Nik Ryder was still sitting next to his girlfriend's bed. He hasn't left the hospital room since the deadly bloodwraith tried to kill her. He looked exhausted and his eyes were red as if he hadn't slept in days. He had barely eaten anything and just couldn't leave her alone. The doctor and the nurses tried to urge him to leave the hospital for a while, but he refused. Every time they suggested he go rest at home, he shook his head, because he was afraid that the second he left her, she would slip away to leave him forever. A tear ran down his cheek as he saw her lying motionless, so pale and so fragile on the bed. She looked like a small and innocent child. Alex had lost so much blood, but he was grateful at least that she was still here with him. But the fact that she was so vulnerable and helpless... Just seeing her like that cut him with a knife to his soul. He couldn't imagine what he would do if something worse happened to her. He held her hands again, and couldn't help but be overwhelmed with fear.

"I'm here love. I'm not gonna leave you. I swear.", he felt his own heartbeat as he whispered to her.

Again, weeks have passed and Nik was still sitting at her side. Every single day, holding her hand. He has barely eaten anything in all this time and now looked very pale and tired. His eyes got even more red and swollen from all the tears and exhaustion. He never left her, not a single moment. Every second he spent beside her bed because his only concern was her. If only she knew that too. He watched her with the same devotion as if they had just met and he had fallen in love. She was so peaceful in sleep, she looked so cute to him with her delicate face, her hair still so soft and shiny. But he only wanted her to wake up. If there's a god in this world then please let her wake up, he thought. Please. He would even die for her.

"It's me, darling. I'm here. Come back to me. Please.", he whispered as he stroked her silver strands and gently kissed her forehead.

"Wake up, love. Wake up, my rook... Alex, my love... You're everything to me and I need you. Wake up, please."

He stared at her, not taking his eyes off of her, looking at her face with a mixture of love, affection and fear. The silence in the room killed him and was only interrupted by the faint noise of the machines that tried to keep her alive.

Hours later. Nik was still next to her, holding her hands, caressing her hair, watching how she was in this state of deep sleep. His Sleeping Beauty. He hasn't left her side for a second and for all this time, he has barely eaten anything in the last week. Still devastated and exhausted, everything he was going through was overwhelming him. Nik Ryder was broken. His face was covered with wrinkles, and his silvery-gray eyes looked even more lifeless and swollen. He looked very pale and even a light beard began to grow. All his fears overcame him and the doctor did not give him any hope. His heart was in agony. He leaned over her and looked at her face again. So peaceful and pure with closed eyes as if she was a sleeping angel. He caressed her soft hair with devotion, his eyes were full of pain and fear. He spoke to her in a hoarse voice.

"Please wake up love. I need you. I need you so much."

"Nik, I..."

Nik sensed words coming out of her mouth and froze. Did she just say her name or was he imagining this? Did his brain start to play tricks on him since he hadn't slept for days? But then he heard her again and a spark of hope was ignited in his heart. He leaned over her and watched her lips carefully, waiting to hear her again. His hand trembled a little bit and his heart raced in his chest. Beating fast. The man took a deep breath in anticipation of the next word she would speak. He whispered to her with excitement and hope.

"Yeah? You wanna say something, love?" He was watching her lips intently to try and discern what she was trying to say and he was desperate to know if she was alright and that it was all just a bad dream.

Alex opened her eyes weakly and was struggling to open her mouth. She couldn't speak. The machines attached to her were beeping louder which made Nik immediately rush outside to call the doctors and nurses. They quickly followed him back inside the room where Alex was lying. The doctor came over to help her raise her head a little. Nik watched her lips and managed to capture the last word "You". What was she trying to tell him? He kept trying to listen to what came next, as she kept struggling to move her lips to try it again. It really looked like she wanted to say something. She managed to mumble a couple more words, but Nik couldn't understand what she was trying to say. He leaned down very close to her to listen to her words. She kept repeating the same words which sounded like "you and me". The rest he couldn't understand the rest and requested her to stay silent and not lose any energy. Nik watched as the doctor and nurses worked on giving her medication. Nik was relieved that she was showing signs of improvement now.

But she's still confused and disorientated. There were a lot of machines and tubes around her. She tried to speak again. Her voice is even more hoarse but this time she managed to murmur a few more words. This time she tries to say "I'm scared, what's happening?"

She seemed desperate to get up, not understanding why she couldn't move and why her body was still so weak. The nurses and the doctors kept checking her, giving her medicine and trying to soothe her. Nik whispered to her with empathy.

"My rook. What do you want to say?"

"Nik? Is that you?"

Nik smiled immediately at the mention of his name. He caressed her cheek with affection while feeling a lot of relief. His heart pounded fast, it was her! She's finally starting to regain consciousness!!

"Yeah It's me, I'm here love.... ", he whispered in a warm voice and smiled. He caressed her cheek and hair with more tenderness. He wanted to hold her but he was too afraid to move her since her body was still so fragile and weakened. At least, he was very happy to hear her sweet voice again.

"Yeah rook, it's me. You're alive!!"

"Nik...", she got emotional and began to sob. He softly wiped away her tears and stroked her rosy cheek.

"Hey, calm down. Don't cry. Just relax, you're safe here." He wanted her to feel safe and loved. Almost holding his breath, he also had tears in his eyes, felt very touched and so much love for her.

"Where am I? What happened?", she asked and he noticed her confusion.

He held her close to him and he wiped away her tears.

"You're safe now. We're in a hospital. Everything will be alright, don't worry."

"Nik, don't leave me here alone."

"I won't leave you alone, I swear. I've been here with you every day since this happened.", he sighed with sadness and held her hand tightly without taking his eyes off her. Nik wanted to experience every second she was awake to be able to comfort and support her. She's everything for him. There was silence between them while the doctors and nurses were working in this room and all Nik wanted to do was stay by her side. Then he noticed that she silently kept looking at him. Her face suddenly washed with sadness as if she just remembered something very important. Her break-up with Nik.

"Rook, try to rest, your body has gone through a lot. Let me stay here with you, I won't leave your side.", he promised, not being aware of what she was currently thinking. A few seconds later Nik watched her as she silently fell back asleep. Her body was so exhausted from what it's been through and she couldn't withstand being awake for a long time. Nik felt like a part of his soul was slowly being taken away with every moment he saw her in bed with the machines keeping her alive. He was still so worried and afraid. His whole body shook with fear and desperation. Taking a deep breath, he continued looking after her. Stroking her hair gently, holding her hand to never let go, he stayed there with her in silence. Only the sound of the machines that kept her alive filled the room.

Days later, finally at home.

Nik was carefully carrying her from his Black Range Rover to his apartment. Finally home. He was still holding her in his arms like a baby. Her body was so light and fragile that seemed as if he was carrying something much more delicate than a human being. He entered his apartment and took her to his bed, placing her gently on it. He watched her with tenderness, a lot of love and concern for her state of health.

"You're gonna to be okay and you'll get better, rook. I'll take care of you."

"Are we home?", she whispered, still dazed. Without noticing she accidentally said the word "home" as if she accepted that she and Nik live and belong together, sharing a home.

"Yeah, we're finally back home.", he kissed her gently on the cheek which confused her and got back to her senses.

"But... But Nik, why? Why kissing and loving me? I thought you broke up with me."

He now felt ashamed of himself, looked down to the floor for a moment to avoid her eye contact and cleared his throat before speaking.

"I... I had to think things over, and calm down, but when I realized that I'd lose you forever. I couldn't let you go anymore. I know a little sorry won't be enough to make it up, but you're so damn special to me and I never felt like this to anyone before. I still love you, my rook. I want us to be together. I want to hold you. And kiss you again. I want to feel you against me and your skin on me. To hear you breathe. To hear your heartbeat. Wake up with you every morning and sleep at night. I need you. I need you more than ever needed in my whole life. You changed me to a better man. The rules I made in my life... I broke my rules just for you."

"Nik, you broke my feelings. You hurt me. It won't be easy anymore.", she scolded him which made him feel very guilty. Ashamed, he looked away without being able to hold her gaze. She was very disappointed in him and it probably won't be the same anymore. Nik thought that he had been very selfish and unfair towards her, yet this was something he had to say, knowing the pain it could cause both of them.

"Rook..."

"Shut up, I'm not your rook!!!", she almost yelled.

"Sorry, I mean... Alex. I was a coward, but please let me explain, I swear that I'm damn sorry. I can explain..."

"Nik, I want to rest.", she decided to change the topic before she burst into tears in front of him. She didn't want to cry, feel sorry, look weak and little in front of him. She knew that Nik was taught since childhood to move on which was harsh, but it hurt her so much. She would love to be happily together with him because she never felt that way to anyone but him. Their love was so deep, strong and passionate, but that sadly didn't last for long. She wanted to be back with him, but she couldn't.

"Yeah, of course. Rest now, but later we need to talk and fix things. Or just at least hear me out to understand why I did this?", he begged for forgiveness.

"We'll see.", she answered coldly which filled him with desperation and guilt.

"I promise you that I'm gonna make it up to you and I understand your anger. Hell, you're allowed to be angry with me. But please don't...", he couldn't finish his sentence because she immediately moved away from him as he squeezed her shoulder for support.

Nik was shocked by the fact that she did not let him touch her or even get close to her. He noticed that she had gotten very distant from him which broke his heart with every move she made away from him.

"Please don't be like that. Don't push me away."

"You pushed me away first, Nik."

The man nodded, accepting his true guilt, but he couldn't argue with the fact that she was right. He also knew that for every word he said, the situation would only get worse and cause her more anger and pain. He watched her sadly, with no words left to say. A wave of guilt overwhelmed him and he felt truly terrible for what he's done. He stayed silent for a moment and faced the floor with his face full of agony. The man didn't know what to say anymore and regretted pushing her away that night before Thomas's wraith attacked her. When Nik wanted to sit on the bed near her, she immediately stood up which broke his feelings. That distance. He froze and just watched her in silence. He couldn't handle the silence and her cold attitude towards him anymore. Nik wanted to see her looking at him again, but instead, she tried to walk away. Taking a few steps forward got difficult for her because she still felt weak. Nik saw her losing balance and his natural instincts kicked in. He quickly ran towards her and placed his hands on her arm. His touch was so delicate, his grasp so gentle as he held her. He got concerned.

"Gotcha, rook. Are you okay? You were about to fall. Here, sit down, lemme me help you."

"I feel a little dizzy, nothing else."

Nik analyzed that her condition had worsened and he noticed that she got very pale, her eyes were almost closed and her body was now leaning more to one side. He held her gently by the waist and tried to help her to sit down. The nighthunter looked into her eyes with worry and was very concerned about her health. He sat her down on the bed slowly and held her, afraid of letting go. The girl was so fragile. He had taken care of her every day since she came home from the hospital. The doctors were surprised by her recovery but told him to expect some weakness for several days. Nik was very careful with her, carried her in his arms everywhere he could and not letting her out of his sight. He felt so much guilt about everything that happened. He couldn't bear to even look at the scars and all the bandages. Knowing that she almost died broke him. Alex was not yet ready to talk because of her weakness which she didn't want to show. She hated to be weak, helpless and belittled.

"Nik, I..."

"Don't pressure yourself. I'm here and I'm not gonna go anywhere. You can recover at your own pace, I'm not gonna push you, I just want you to get better, rook."

They were silent. Now looking very peaceful and relaxed after closing her eyes. Nik was glad that she was at least resting and not thinking about anything that stressed her. They stayed like this for a long time until Nik broke the silence speaking softly to her.

"You are stronger than you think. You will get back on your feet soon, I have faith in you."

He smiled as he looked at her. Nik felt a new inspiration to fight for her and was more determined than ever to give her whatever she needed. He stayed with her and was patient.

"Nik...", it took a lot of effort for her to speak.

"What is it?"

"Why? Why are you doing this for me?"

"Because I love you. It's as simple as that. Why else would I be doing this? I don't want you to be alone, or be sad or in pain. I just want you to be happy, and if I have to go through every obstacle and take every step, I'll take it, as long as I can see you smile again someday. I love you, Alex. I love you so much."

"Are you sure? You're not just loving me because I almost died?? Because if this wouldn't have happened you might..."

"No!!! Hell no, I loved you before too and still do. Before all this... this death thing happened. You broke all the walls I've built and opened me up a bit. I never felt this before. Never felt like this towards anyone before. I love you, Alex. You're so special and it would kill me if something happened to you because everyone close to me died horribly and I wanted to prevent that. Keep you safe by separating each other. What a damn mistake I made. I couldn't even keep you safe from my bad luck by breaking up with you and you still died. Almost. I love you still. Since the beginning."

She wasn't responding very much to what he just confessed, but at least she didn't seem to be angry anymore. Just tired and weak.

"So this is the only reason why you're helping me? You weren't offered some extra money or something like that, huh?"

"No rook, damn the stupid money!! You're more important than money. You're not only a job to me, but something more. More than a job. Alex, you have become so dear to me. I care for you and you're everything I have left now in this darn, cruel world. You mean so much to me. I love you, Alex."

She felt like her heart skipped a beat when she heard her name coming from his lips in such a gentle tone. She gazed at him for a moment before responding.

"You're complicated, Nik."

Her words reminded him that many people have told him this before and she was sadly right. His emotions which he always kept hidden from the world were like a tornado which confused him too. For him, choices weren't always easy like black and white. But right now, it's hard for him to explain himself to her in this state. The young man just wanted her girlfriend to get better, so he spoke with tenderness and sympathy.

"I know you're tired and everything confuses you right now. But later, I will explain everything to you."

Again, days have passed and she felt much better but still had some weakness for not being able to walk alone. At least she could sit on her own and she seemed to be more energetic. She was even able to hold conversations for several minutes without getting tired or bored. But she still seemed angry, didn't let him touch her and she just shortly answered him. However, he was still trying to show her that he had changed and that he was going to make amends for what he did.

Nik, the nighthunter discovered her sitting on the white sofa, reading a book. Her face is expressionless with no trace of the beautiful smile he once knew. He missed the good and romantic times with her. She seemed very distant from him and it saddened him to see her this way. He knew the reason behind her behavior was him and he couldn't blame her for that. Taking a deep breath, he approached her gently. He stood in front of her and he spoke softly and with a lot of sadness, honesty and determination, willing to take whatever came, even if he had to suffer. At least he tried to make up for what he did to her in the Mardi Gras Parade. The break-up. He cleared his throat and tried his best to express himself as honestly as he was.

"Rook... I mean, Alex... I know you're angry and you're upset because I left you. Because I wanted us to go separate ways and move on, but listen, I was a coward and I was afraid to tell you the truth. Since childhood I was taught not to trust anyone, to be alone and to move on. I made you believe that I no longer felt the same way I felt about you before, but that was never true. Alex, I never stopped loving you, and I will never stop loving you.", he paused, hoping that the words he was saying had some effect on her and so that he could understand the damage he did to her. She remained silent and looked at him indifferently which hurt him just looking at her that way. The young man didn't want to pressure her and he knew that for now, he had to be very patient with her.

"I... I'm really sorry for hurting you, for making you think that I don't love you.

"Alex, I can't find excuses for what I did. It just wasn't the right thing. I'm sorry..."

He knew it would be very difficult for her to forgive him for the heartbreak he caused her. Still, at least he got her to listen to him and had a brief conversation. That's the start he needed, now he just had to keep his promise that he was serious about making it up to her and that he would show her how much he really loved her.

"Listen, Nik... Thank you for taking care of my health and getting me back on my feet, but I think it's time for me to go."

A wave of sadness hit him when he heard what she just said. His heart sank and he felt desperation welling up within him.

"What are you talkin' about?", he asked, looking at her with eyes full of longing and a kind of fear that perhaps his last attempt to have her stay with him has been lost.

"I will go back home where I came from, Nik."

"But you're still not in a condition to do this alone. Who's gonna take care of you at home?", he was suddenly taken aback.

"Nik, you broke up with me. I can't live with you like this"

Nik sighed sadly and faced the floor. He knew that he had no right, as this was a natural consequence of his own actions. He was upset and depressed for causing this break-up and for losing her true love, but he had only himself to blame.

"I'm trying to fix everything between us, I swear. I don't want to lose you again. I love you and I can't imagine my life without you anymore. Please, I beg you to stay."

"But Nik, can I trust you? Will you prove yourself? How will I know you won't change your mind again?"

It seemed like a small window of hope was still open to him and he felt like he actually had a chance to convince her to trust him again. He thought for a few seconds before he spoke, this was probably one of the most important moments for him. He gazed at her directly in the eyes with a serious expression and he spoke with pure honesty.

"I know my words alone aren't enough for you to trust me again, but I can assure you that I'm serious about fixing the mess I created and proving I can be a better man for you. So, what do you say? Wanna start our love story again?"

"Nik, it feels good to hear this. Thanks, but I need time."

The blond-haired man was very understanding when she confessed that she needed some time and he knew that he had to be patient and give it to her. He smiled at her with kindness and sincerity, but his smile also hid a sadness in him because of all the pain he had caused her.

"I don't want to rush anything, I know I have to win back your trust little by little, so just take the time you need. But, please, do me a favor... Just don't close me out, okay? I know right now we can't act like we used to, but lemme be here for you. Lemme help you. Lemme stay by your side, please."

Nik knew that she still had a lot of anger towards him, but he also hoped that in time, he could find a way to make her see that he was indeed a changed man.

"Hmmph, I try my best.", she muttered.

He tried not to show impatience, tried to be patient and to respect her decision. Patience and tolerance. She was also making an effort to at least stay calm and listen to him, which was also a good sign for him, even if she hadn't forgiven him yet.

"Thanks, Alex. All I ask you is to not give me your back. Lemme be here for you, that's all I want."

"But I can't live here with you just like that without any relationship, right?"

"I know... I don't expect you to trust me 100% in your present circumstances. That's why I'm telling you that we should take things slow and that you need time to regain your confidence. However, I do expect that you let me continue to help you."

"I know, but... But Nik, I don't want to bother you."

He chuckled and his response was honest and spontaneous as his natural personality returned at the sound of his humorous side coming back.

"Don't be silly, rook. How are you bothering me? Quite the opposite actually, I'd be bothered if you didn't let me help you..."

Nik's laughter felt heartwarming which made her smile a little. Though it was still quite small, he felt his heart skip a beat at her sweet smile and his affection for her grew even stronger. She was like a small kitten he wanted to cuddle and protect.

"See? Now, that's a cute smile more like the ones I like to see on your face...", he confessed which made her blush.

"Thanks", she whispered as her cheeks turned softly pink.

Nik and Alex's relationship has progressed over the past weeks, despite the slow pace they had, she let him stay near her and help her. She became more receptive to his help and she even showed some affection with her attitude, though sometimes she was still very distant and a little cold towards him. He knew that the break-up was very painful for her and she was still struggling with her anger, but he was determined to help her. Both would get through this difficult situation and still work hard to build something strong again.

A few days later, Nik was in the kitchen helping her clean the dishes, as he had done with her these past few weeks. She looked a bit more comfortable and smiled a little bit more. However, she was still tad cold with him as she couldn't easily forgive him yet, but he was patient and tried his best to make her realize that this was all in the past and he was determined to win her affection and trust and heart again.

"Woah!!", she shouted as she was about to slip. Nik quickly rushed to catch her before falling. He pulled her close to him. Alex looked down at the fallen dishes from her hands and realized that he caught her just in time. She gazed at him with a surprised expression upon realizing he was there for him.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"Nik, I..."

He held her close to him and couldn't help but feel an increased affection increase as their eyes met each other's.

"Alex, are you feelin' weak again? It's okay, I'm here for you."

His tone was affectionate and protective, which could give a hint of his growing feelings for her. He could see that her condition improved a lot over the past few weeks, but she was still a little fragile. He held her close to him, feeling her body pressed against his and she didn't even protest about it. They stood there for a few seconds like this as if the time froze. He was still holding her with affection. She was in his arms and felt his gentle touch which felt comforting.

The physical proximity between the two brought them closer on an emotional and sentimental level, which was evident by the soft glances he gave her. His gaze spoke of affection, it gave a hint of an awakening feeling that was becoming more sincere and profound. They stayed like this for a few more moments. His arms were tightly wrapped around her and he was almost holding her close to himself. More affectionately than he should, although his intention was only to comfort her as much as possible.

"You can lean on me as long as you need. I have you..."

She looked at him with surprise and appreciation and she was finally able to feel this affection that he had been expressing towards her. A hint of emotion started to form in her eyes and she couldn't help but feel comfortable with his touch. Safe and protected next to him. Her heart beated faster with satisfaction and she couldn't resist the feeling of affection towards him that began to form within her. She leaned her head slightly against his shoulder and allowed herself to feel sheltered.

"Nik, I missed us."

Her words made him emotional. He missed the relationship they had before too, loved the bond they had and now he saw its spark reigniting.

"Me too... I missed us too... My rook."

[choicesmonthlychallenge]

2024 Choices Monthly Challenge Past Events

January:

@choicesjanuary2024 [Prompts] [Masterlist]

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@february2024choiceschallenge [Prompts] [Masterlist #1 ] [Masterlist #2]

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@choicesmonthlychallenge [Prompts] [Masterlist]

April:

@choicesaprilchallenge24 [Prompts] [No Masterlist]

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@choicesmaychallenge24 [Prompts] [Masterlist]

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@choicesjunechallenge2024 [Prompts] [Masterlist]

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@julychallenge [Prompts] [Masterlist]

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@choicescommunityevents [Masterlist]

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@choicesmonthlychallenge [Prompts] [Masterlist]

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@zchoicesmonthlychallengenov2024 [Masterlist]

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[theartoflovingthomashunt]

@choicesficwriterscreations: Art of the Week 💖 Title: Love Among the Flowers

@choicesaprilchallenge24: smiling 💛

I love you for all that you are, all that you have been and all that you will be 💖

Can we take a moment to appreciate how sweet and beautiful this art by the wonderful @bayleedraws-sometimesx is? Oh, and let's also appreciate the absolute kindness and generosity of the amazing @dutifullynuttywitch for gifting it to me!!!

I am blown away by Baylee's talent and Léa's vision and kindness! I can't thank you both enough for this gift. 🥺🥹😭🥰❤️ I will never stop cherishing this or both of you!!!! Gahh THANK YOU!!!!!

I am so, so in love with this! Alex and Thomas will always be my first and forever Pixelberry love. They are why I joined this fandom and are still my favorites. Look at themmmmmmm!!! Dying (in a good way) at their cuteness!!! 😍😍😍😍

[All Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer Masterlists]

[jerzwriter]

A Novel Concept

Ethan Ramsey is in the dog house. It's apparently clear, and his buddy, Tobias, comes in with an assist. But will his advice help or hurt Ethan's chances of getting back in Kaycee's good graces?

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC) Characters: Tobias Carrick Rating: Teen Words: 1,778

A/N: Thank you, Nonny, for this ask from the @choicesaprilchallenge24 prompt “A picnic?! Have you swallowed a romance novel?”" It went a little longer than a drabble, I hope you don't mind! (Didn't have much time to edit... so hope it's all good!)

My Masterlist

The tension in the Diagnostic Team Office was almost palpable. So palpable that Harper retreated to her office nearly an hour before. But Tobias was braver than that – or just stupid; the jury was still out.

He remained behind, his eyes darting up from his laptop every time Ethan mumbled under his breath or Kaycee let out an exaggerated sigh. Both of them assumed Tobias was doing research on their recently admitted patient, blissfully unaware of the missive he was typing, all about professionalism in the workplace and why it’s ill-advised to date your colleagues. He’d shoot that to them in an e-mail once he was sure they were in better moods. But the truth was, Tobias Carrick was nosy and was not about to leave before he got the tea. And there had to be tea!

Tobias was in on the secret, but to most, Ethan and Kaycee were the worst-kept secret in Edenbrook. On a typical day, they were all heart eyes and butterflies, but today, they barely acknowledged each other during their morning meeting, and that hadn’t changed since its end. Even Kaycee incessantly tapping her pen against the conference table hadn’t earned any commentary from the stone-faced Dr. Ramsey. Not a single sarcastic comment, endearing remark, or complaint fell from his lips.

Kaycee was the one to finally break the standoff. Standing up with a huff, she pointedly looked at Tobias and announced she was going to make her rounds. With a side-eyed glance at Ethan, she slunk out the door without another word. Tobias waited patiently for his friend to open up... but that never occurred. If the man retained water as much as he did his emotions, he’d be their next patient, not to mention a sideshow act: Edenbrook’s human blowfish! Tobias laughed at the image in his mind, finally requiring his friend to acknowledge his presence.

“Care to share what’s so amusing?” He said after clearing his throat. “Did you finally figure out the knock-knock joke Dr. Lewis told at the conference two weeks ago, or are you imagining what your latest conquest’s reaction will be when she figures out how old you really are?”

Tobias pushed back from the table with a raised brow, “Really? Do you want to go there, Ramsey? Because according to my calculations, Kaycee is about three years younger than my latest... has she figured it out yet?”

Mouth agape, Ethan was eager to change the course of the conversation. “So... what were you laughing at.”

“I was imagining you as a human blowfish.”

“You know what... remind me to never ask you what’s on your mind again. It’s too dark and scary in there.”

“As if you could resist!” Tobias laughed. “But I want to know what’s on your mind. What’s with you and my buddy MacKlennan? You could cut the tension in here with a knife this morning.”

“Nothing is going on,” Ethan said, offering no genuine attempt at being convincing.

“You’re a shitty liar, Ramsey. What did you do?”

Ethan finally looked up from his notebook. “Why do you automatically assume I’m the one to blame?”

“Because you usually are,” Tobias smirked. “Now, what’s going on?”

Ethan took off his glasses, placing them on the table with a sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Kaycee is mad at me because I forgot our six-month anniversary.”

“Man,” Tobias chuckled, “You suck.”

“That’s not the worst part. See, I didn’t forget. But it happened to coincide with me coming off my second double in three days. I was so tired. I truly thought it was still a day away.”

“But that’s understandable, and Kaycee is reasonable. Why would she be so upset with you over that?”

“Probably because I followed up with ‘who celebrates six-month anniversaries anyway? High school students and people who are certain they’ll never hit the year mark.”  

“Really?” Tobias glared. “All these years, and still none of my charm and charisma has rubbed off on you? What were you thinking?”

“I wasn’t!” Ethan protested. “I was exhausted and cranky.”

“YOU?” Tobias teased.

“I’ve apologized a half-dozen times, but she still barely speaks to me.”

“Well, in fairness, she’s worked a lot this week, too. I doubt either of you are your best selves right now.”

“Thank you, Mother Oprah. Now, do you have any wisdom to help me repair this situation?”

“As a matter of fact, I do, wiseass... but keep talking like that, and you can add me to the list of people barely speaking to you.”

“All right,” Ethan surrendered. “I’ll be nice...how do I fix this?”

“A sincere apology, not the half-assed shit I’m sure you’ve mustered so far... and then you’re going to have to go all out to celebrate your anniversary.”

“I’ve already made reservations at Mistral. I just don’t think she’ll want to join me at this point.”

Tobias waved a dismissive hand. “Anyone can make reservations at Mistral. You need to do something better than that,” he snapped his fingers as an idea came to mind. “A picnic! Show up at her place with a picnic basket filled with her favorite treats, then take her to a pretty, secluded spot... for a small fee, I can share some of my favorite places... you may even have to pick wildflowers for her, buddy.”

“A picnic?” Ethan sneered. “Have you swallowed a romance novel?”

“Fine!” Tobias said, shutting his laptop and rising to his feet. “If you don’t want my advice, figure it out on your own.”

“Wait, wait...” Ethan softened. “I’m sorry, did I mention the sleep deprivation?”

“You did... but face it, we all know you’re still an ass when fully rested.”

“A picnic?” Ethan asked, ignoring him. “Do you really think she’d like that?”

“Chicks, dig that shit,” Tobias insisted, pulling a pen from his lab coat to jot some notes. “Here... these are some very romantic spots within driving distance, and the name of a little gourmet deli in Cambridge that will make a great lunch and pair it with the perfect wine... I can write some of my go-to lines when I need to get out of the dog house if you like?”

“No... no... I’m good. If I’m honest, I don’t think you’ve had a relationship that lasted more than three months in the past decade, so I may need a different approach.”

“Yeah, but that’s not because they didn’t want them to last longer... I think you’re missing out.”

The sound of footsteps approaching caused the men’s heads to turn toward the door, where they saw Kaycee coming down the hall.

“Shh!” Tobias ordered. “She’s back! Here’s your chance.... turn on the charm, bro. I know you’ve got it in you.”

Oblivious to Tobias, Kaycee walked up to Ethan with a look of contrition. “Ethan, we have to talk.”

“No,” he said, reaching for her hand. “I have to talk. I am so sorry for being a jerk. It’s not an excuse, but I’ve been tired and more of a curmudgeon than usual. But of course our six-month anniversary is something to be celebrated. I hope you know how much each day I’m with you means to me, and I hope you’ll let me make it up to you.”

Kaycee let out a breath, and her lips twisted into a tender smile. “I mean, I kind of like the fact that you’re a curmudgeon... just not when it’s aimed directly at me.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, brushing a tendril away from her face. “If you’ll forgive me, I will make it up to you.”

“Oh, will you?” she simpered. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well,” Ethan glanced at silent Tobias, who gave him the thumbs up. “I know this quiet little spot on Spectacle Island. I thought we could go there for a picnic. I’ll get your favorite wine, some baguettes, a nice brie... chocolates for after. Maybe we can pick some flowers before, you know...”

“Really?” she asked, “That’s what you want to do? A picnic?”

“Why? Don’t you like the idea?”

“I do,” Kaycee insisted. “It’s just... it doesn’t sound like you. Did you swallow a romance novel or something?”

Ethan's eyes shoot to Tobias, who bursted into laughter.

“Tobias?” Kaycee said, finally noticing he was in the room.  

“I’m sorry! I’m leaving,” he grinned. “But you two need to work whatever you’ve got going on, and do it now... because, I swear,  you two... you’re perfect for each other.

Ethan smiled proudly and wrapped an arm around Kaycee’s shoulder as Tobias slunk out of the room. “He’s right, you know... we are.”

“He is,” she blushed. “But be honest... the picnic... that was his idea, not yours. Right?”

“What? Don’t you think I’m capable of planning a romantic date for you?”

“Of course you are! And you have, but did you come up with this idea?”

Ethan leaned back against his desk with a sigh, pulling Kaycee against him. “How did you know?”

“Hon, do you have any idea how many people he’s brought to Spectacle Island? The stories in the hospital are legendary.”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously! Nurses...doctors... the new PT assistant in pediatrics.... the communications director....”

“All right,” Ethan laughed. “I get it... so that means we won’t be making a spectacle of ourselves on Spectacle Island?”

“Well, it’s not that I’m opposed – but we can do it our way, not Tobias’s.”

“Then what do you say we go with the evening I had planned for us?”

“Oh?” She asked curiosity piqued. “And what did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking we could get all dressed up,” he said, placing a kiss behind her ear.

“Mmm... go on.”

“Dinner at Mistral?” he offered, brushing her hair away from her neck as his lips traced her newly exposed skin. “Maybe a little dancing after... so I can show you off?”

“Mmmhh,” she sighed. “And then?”

“Then we go back to my place... and we get to  take off all those fancy clothes...”

Kaycee pulled back with a playful smile. “To do what, exactly, Dr. Ramsey?”

“Things that will make you forget you were ever mad at me?” he winked.

“Now... how can I resist that. When will you be picking me up?”

“Saturday? Six o’clock?”

“It’s a date,” she beamed. “And Ethan?”

“Yes?”

“You’re pretty good at this romance thing all on your own.”

“Shhh,” he whispered in her ear. “Don’t let that get out. I have a reputation to uphold.”

“I get it,” she said, stepping away and straightening her clothes. She was at the door when she turned with a smile. “We can’t have anyone thinking you swallowed a romance novel.”

~~~~~

@choicesficwriterscreations @choicesaprilchallenge24 @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[jerzwriter]

It's Bugging Me...

This little text fic is based on this ask from @cadybear420, who sent the three-word prompt: Casey, Tobias, and ladybug. This just worked perfectly! Thanks for the prompt! 🐞

Open Heart || Tobias x Casey || Teen (slightly raunchy, it's them...) This takes place when Sammy is about 4 months old, Casey is still on leave.

@choicesaprilchallenge24 Ladybug @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others seperately.

[jerzwriter]

In the Garden

Thank you to the always lovely @aria-ashryver for this ask! Come spend the first spring day in Olympus's garden!

Book: Wake the Dead Characters: Zoe Rivera (F!MC), Troy Hassan, May Words: 1,100 Rating: General A/N: @choicesaprilchallenge24 | Vegetable Garden and @choicesholidays "Spring is a time of new beginnings, how appropriate..." (though I tweaked it just a bit!)

Spring is a time of new beginnings, so it was no surprise that on its first warm day, the residents of Olympus were eager to be outside. After a brutally cold winter, it was evident that spring fever still existed, even after a zombie apocalypse, and the colony’s leader was not immune.

Scrunching down atop a patch of soil, Zoe stopped for a moment to wipe her glistening brow with her sleeve. Sounds of laughter caught her attention, and she turned to find several children playing a game of hide and seek nearby. 

“Joey,” she yelled to the oldest, a boy of about ten. “You know it’s not safe to hide alone. It’s early spring, and the zombies will be back.”

“ I know,” Joey grinned. “That’s why we have a parameter set and a big kid watching us.”

Zoe’s brow furrowed. There were only a few “big kids” in the colony, and they were doing chores during this time of day. “Really,” she asked. “And who is this big kid?”

A raspy throat clearing could be heard from the edge of the children’s play area, and Zoe shook her head. “I should have known,” she laughed.

“What,” Troy winked. “Can you honestly say you've never described me as a big child?"

“No,” she agreed. “I haven’t. The descriptor of “big” would be too generous. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be doing chores, too?”

His face dropped, and he feigned shock. “I am! I’m supervising the children! You should really just go ahead and make me a teacher.”

“So our governing committee can lose all faith in me and revoke my leadership? I think not. Besides, aren’t you scheduled to help me with the gardening?”

“But Miss Zoe!” A little voice wailed. “We are having so much fun, and it’s the first day of spwing!”

Lily was an adorable child with a long mane of curly, black hair. Whenever they flashed Zoe that mostly toothless grin, everyone in sight knew Lily would be getting her way.

“That’s fine, Lily,” Zoe conceded. “Troy can remain the big kid that he is.” Glaring over at the “big boy," she yelled. “You owe me, Hassan! Now I have to do all the gardening myself.”

“No, you don’t,” a voice cried, and a small hand slipped inside Zoe’s. May looked up, her face beaming brighter than Zoe had seen in a long time. “I can help you. I love gardening.”

“I know you do,” Zoe smiled. “And we all know you’re better at it than I am... but don’t you want to play with the kids... and Troy?”

“Nah,” May insisted. “I love gardening even more, and besides, Troy is taking bribes to tell the person who’s “it” where the others are hiding.”

“HASSAN!” Zoe hollered, but Troy had already scooted to the other end of the yard.

“What? Sorry! Can’t hear you!” he yelled, chasing after the children.

An amused Zoe turned to a delighted May. “I’m going to have to talk to him about this later, but for now...”

“For now, we garden!”

Time seemed to pass by in a moment, and before they knew it, the late afternoon sun was beginning to set in the sky. May was engrossed in her work, and Zoe tapped her shoulder to gain her attention.

“We should start heading in. We both have to get washed up before dinner.”

“I know! And I can’t wait for dinner! Eli is making chili tonight.”

“He does make a good chili,” Zoe agreed.

“He’s the best cook! I told him we were planting zucchini, and he said his mom used to make fried zucchini flowers. He’s going to make them for us as soon as these grow.”

Zoe quietly surveyed the little plot of land, her eyes downcast. “If they grow,” she signed, surprised she had said it out loud.

“Of course they will grow!” The enthusiastic little girl replied. “Why wouldn’t they?”

“Well, gardening doesn’t always... work,” Zoe lamented as she sat on a nearby step. “Especially when I’m involved.”

May was quick at her side. “What do you mean? You’ve gardened before. Feather says you’re a natural.”

“Well, Feather is very kind. But I don’t always feel like I know what I’m doing.”

“That’s because you grew up in the Tower,” May said, patting Zoe’s back. “I bet you didn’t even have dirt there.”

“No,” Zoe laughed. “Which is surprising because there sure were a lot of dirty things."

“Yeah, but I grew up at Sunflower Creek. That’s why I know a lot about gardening, and I’ll teach you. You can teach me all the things you learned at the Tower. Then maybe one day when I grow up, I can lead Olympus, too.”

Zoe reached over and lifted the girl onto her lap, squeezing her closely in her arms. “You will be an amazing leader one day,” she smiled. “I just know it.”

“And you will plant really amazing zucchini,” May giggled.

“You know what? You’re right!” Zoe grinned. “This is why we all need each other.”

The sweet moment came to an abrupt end when fun but chaotic screams shot from behind. They turned to find Troy buried under four of the children, each pulling on a different limb. Zoe rushed over, despite her side-splitting from laughter.

“HELP!” Troy screamed.

“Troy Hassan,” she scolded. “What is going on here.”

“We found out he was taking bribes from all of us!” Joey replied. “Now he’s getting all of our pudding after dinner.”

“Troy?” Zoe questioned with a stern glare.

“I’m not really going to take their pudding,” he insisted. “I’m just providing valuable... business lessons.”

May tugged at the hem of Zoe’s shirt. “This is why we all need each other,” she smiled.

“That’s right, we do. But right now, Troy needs us to get him out from under that heap of kids!”

“Oh, that’ll be easy!” May stated.

“Yeah? Why?”

Just then, the creaking sound of the old wooden kitchen windows could be heard, and Eli's head poked out.

“Come and get it!” he yelled. “The chili is hot!”

Squeals of delight mixed with Troy's whimpering and grimaces as a stampede of children trampled over man. Zoe extended her hand with a smirk.

“Let’s get you into the lodge before these kids do you in.”

Troy stumbled along beside Zoe, attempting to catch his breath. “Since they assaulted me, can I have their pudding after all?”

“No,” Zoe reprimanded. “But how about I sneak you an extra cup from the kitchen.”

“You will?”

“Consider it payback for all the treats you used to sneak to me at the Tower.”

“Nice,” he grinned.

“Yeah. Besides, you’ll need the extra energy for tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” he asked. “What’s tomorrow?”

Zoe removed her gardening gloves and smashed them into Troy’s chest. “You’re on gardening duty, Hassan... and tomorrow, you’re on your own.”

~~~~

Thanks again for the prompt @aria-ashryver! :)

@choicesficwriterscreations Tagging others sepeartely

[jerzwriter]

It's Delicate...

You can thank @genevievemd (or not thank her! lol) 4/19 is a big day for Swifties, and Casey is amongst them. When her mother-in-law Vivian realizes this is the day before her precious grandbaby's first birthday (and party), she needs to have a few words with her son... then he needs to have a couple chats himself. He reaches out to Bryce and Sienna for reassurance that all will be OK and Sienna may have a prescription to save the day.

Enjoy the silliness.

Book: Open Heart Pairing: Tobias Carrick x Casey Carrick (F!MC) Others: Vivian Carrick, Bryce Lahela, Sienna Trinh Category: Text fics Rating: Teen @choicesaprilchallenge24 - teasing

Tobias assures his mother - but he's not about to let her know that the truth is - she's rattled him a bit. Now he's wondering if all IS OK, and he needs to go to the guy who set his mom off... enter Bryce.

While he's somewhat reassured, he's not totally there yet. He needs to to the most sensible Swiftie in the friend group before comfortably returning to his day. Enter, Sienna.

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[jerzwriter]

BOOPED!

Carolina's phone would not stop "bleeping"! But when a friend helps her get to the bottom of it, she and Trystan are in for some startling discoveries about each other.

Book Boop: Crimes of Passion (post Book 2) Pairing: Trystan Thorne x Carolina Rose (F!MC) Characters: Luke Watanabe Summary: See above Rating: Teen Words: 2.150 A/N: All right, so I may have been a total party-pooper with the "boops," but that got me thinking how my OTPs would have handled them... and that led me here! I hope you enjoy it! Participating in @choicesaprilchallenge24 - prompt - "You're not going to believe what I just found."

*Bleep*

*Bleep*

*Bleep*

The utter silence of the Ginovesi Detective Agency’s offices was rattled each time Carolina’s phone “bleeped.” Trystan eyed the phone warily, glancing between it and Carolina every time it went off. For a woman who demanded complete silence when they were focusing on a case, she was doing her best to ignore it, but Trystan knew it was only a matter of time...

“¡Ay, Dios mío!” she cried out... and there it was. “¿Qué carajo es esto?”

Taking the phone in hand, she frantically tapped away at it, but the bleeps kept pouring in, and with each new arrival, Trystan watched as his girlfriend became more unhinged. “¿Qué es esta mierda?”

That’s when Luke entered the mix. Slinking into the office with his hands nonchalantly stuffed in his pockets, he slouched into a chair with a half smile.  

“Oh no. I heard nothing but Spanish coming out of you from way down the hall. This can’t be good.”

“It’s not!” Carolina spat as Trystan debated whether her frustration was utterly adorable or good cause for him to evacuate the office as quickly as possible. “I can’t get this fucking thing to stop bleeping!”

There were many things Trystan could have said or done, but as was often the case for the former prince, he reclined in his chair and chose chaos.

“It seems one of her former suitors isn’t taking the hint and won’t let go easily,” he smirked. “While I may no longer be a monarch, I still have some pull. One phone call to Lydea, my love, and I will have that man relieved of his testicles. Give me a name and number,” he winked. “I assure you, the bleeps will stop within the hour.”

Carolina glared at him with anger in her eyes, but despite her desire to remain cross, his stupid grin managed to do her in.

“Bold of you to assume it’s a he, your highness,” she derided. “There is a far greater likelihood that it would be a she. So, someone will be deprived the pleasure of performing an orchiectomy today.”

“An orchiectomy...” Luke queried, pulling up Google on his phone, but Trystan pushed it aside.

“Spare yourself the pain, man. It’s the art of relieving someone of their balls.”

“Ouch!” Luke shuddered. “Of course, I can see how the inability to do that would cause some Drakovian guard to fall into a deep depression, but still... ouch."

Trystan turned back to Carolina with a shrug. “It’s OK, love. They can remove body parts from women as well.”

“That’s so good to know,” she laughed. “But I’m afraid this isn’t as salacious as a spurned lover trying to get me to bend to their will.”

“Then what is it?” Trystan asked. “Your phone���s been going off all day, and I’ve never heard that notification tone before.”

“It’s,” she began, stopping herself as four curious eyes stared at her, eager for a response. “It’s... nothing. I’ll just turn the sound off my phone.”

“GASP!” Luke mocked. “During work hours! When you could potentially miss... something?”

It would have ended there for Luke, but Trystan wasn't done. Realizing something was amiss, he closely watched his love, not about to let her off the hook.

“Why don’t you just turn notifications off? What’s so embarrassing? Is it... Facebook?” he chuckled.

Carolina was an animal entrapped in a corner, desperate for an escape, but when it became clear that none existed, she surrendered. Burying her face into her hands with a languid groan... she confessed.

“I freaking wish! It’s .... worse!”

“Worse than Facebook?” Luke said with feigned horror. “What is it? Your old OKCupid app?”

“No!” Carolina said, throwing a pencil his way.

“Your old FarmersOnly account!!!”

“What?” Trystan snickered.

“I didn’t have a FarmersOnly account! Well, I did... but it was just a joke to frighten Uncle Tommy! Besides, I deleted that long ago!”

Trystan turned to Luke in confusion. “What... what’s FarmersOnly?”

“That’s unimportant, “Carolina interrupted. “It’s... it’s my Tumblr. I haven’t used it for longer than I can remember; I didn't even know it was still on my phone. But I’ve gotten like seven hundred notifications today, and I have no idea why!”

“So,” Luke shrugged. “Turn the notifications off.”

“I can’t! I forgot my password... and before you say it, I don’t remember what e-mail I created the account with. So I can’t reset it.”

“So,” Luke shrugged again. “Just delete the app! Problem solved.”

“But the detective in me needs to figure this out," she sighed. "Who knows why this is happening? When I go home tonight, I’ll try to remember what e-mail accounts I had circa 2016. Maybe I can figure it out.”

“It was probably something like myglitteringlittlenyyankeepony@ yahoo.com or something like that,” Luke laughed.

“More like LinaJeterClubPengin@hotmail.com,” she tittered.

“Dear Lord,” Trystan groused. "Both sound dreadful, but can we circle back to something potentially even more embarrassing? You had a Tumblr account?”

“Oh, shut up!” Carolina defended. “It was 2016! All the cool kids had a Tumblr account!”

“I didn’t,” Luke announced.

“I said cool,” Carolina retorted. Still, Trystan was undeterred.

“What on earth did you use your Tumblr account for? Were you in a fandom?”

He had intended to let it go, but when Carolina’s cheeks turned brighter than any apple he ever witnessed in a Cordonian orchard, he knew the quest was just beginning. Raising a brow in wicked delight, he teased. “Yesssss....”

“I was into Divergent,” she said, raising her hands. “Big fan... The Hunger Games, too.”

“All right,” Trystan nodded with a smile. “I can see that....”

But now it was Luke’s turn to incite, “Really? Because I could have sworn you once told me you used to write fanfiction for Princess Di.....”

“Obviously, you’re mistaken!” Carolina shouted. “Katniss! Katniss x Peeta, my OTP! That’s why I was on Tumblr!”

“Wait,” Trystan interrupted. “Princess Di? Were you into Princess Diana?”

“No,” Carolina spat. “Luke is just losing his mind, that’s all!”

“Oh, come now, princess,” Luke chided. “Is this the foundation you want to build your relationship on? A throne of lies?”  

“No,” Trystan smiled gleefully. “Thrones of lies are bad. Very bad."

“I believe they are,” Luke chuckled. "I'm sorry, Carolina. It’s confession time.”

Trystan slunk over to Carolina’s side, playfully nudging her with his shoulder. “Time’s up, dear. Tell me the truth, or I’ll have to employ ancient Drakovian torture measures to get you to speak!"

“Yeah! And not the kinky ones you’re into!” Luke grinned.

“Fine,” Carolina exhaled with disgust, her voice barely a whisper. “I was very into... The Princess Diaries."

Trystan’s lips began to curl, the dimple in his cheek becoming more pronounced. “I’m sorry... what?”

“The Princess Diaries! OK!! I used to love The Princess Diaries!”

“In 2016!” Luke scoffed. “Weren’t those movies popular in like... 2004?”  

"So?! I was a little behind the times. I was a nerd... so sue me! My Tumblr was all about The Princess Diaries... are you satisfied now?” She asked, hiding her face in shame.

Trystan rubbed his chin in delight as he allowed Carolina to sweat it out, thinking of the best way to torture his prey.  

“The Princess Diaries! This all makes so much sense now!”

“What?” Luke wondered aloud. “That she always had a soft spot for monarchy scum?”

“Well, yes,” Trystan responded. “ But, seriously... how long did you have these fantasies about being a long-lost princess, my dear?”

“What! Never! I’m a Boricua from the Bronx! A freaking badass, bisexual Boricua from the Bronx! Being a princess was nothing I aspired to!”

“Yet you were writing Princess Diaries fanfic?” Trystan tsked. “Then... you relentlessly pursued me.”

Horrified, she slammed her hand on the desk. “I DID NOT!!! You know I didn’t!”

“I’m not sure what to believe anymore, Carolina. Right now, I’m feeling sort of cheap and used.”

Luke howled with laughter. “In fairness, there’s nothing cheap about you, Trystan. Used? Sure, I can see that. But cheap? No way.”

“Thank you, Luke,”  Trystan acknowledged.

“Don’t mention it.”

But Carolina wasn't smiling. “I never had some monarchy fetish! I just liked the stupid movie! It was escapism for me, OK? But you know damn well you being a royal was a detriment to me, not a bonus! I wasn’t all, ‘Oh, now I need to land this guy!’ you know that!”

“I can't be sure anymore. I think I have to have this investigated to make sure your intentions with me are pure!”

“You know that’s not a bad idea,” Luke nodded as he typed away on his laptop. “I do know of a good agency that could help you.”

“LUKE!” Carolina yelled, so flustered that she hadn’t noticed her phone stopped bleeping several minutes before.

“Relax... princess...” Luke teased. “I just hacked into your Tumblr. The bleeping should stop now.

“But... how?” She asked, immediately catching his sarcastic stare. “Yeah, don’t bother answering that.”

Trystan stood over her shoulder as she opened the app. “700 notifications? Seriously, why the hell did I get all these notifications today?”

“It looks like they were having some kind of a “boop” thing for April Fools? I guess it’s like the old Facebook poke? Everyone seems to be sending boops.”  

“But why?” Carolina asked, dumbfounded. "Don't people have better things to do with their time?"

“Look,” Luke chirped. “I'm capable of doing a great many things, but making sense out of anything that happens on Tumblr.... that’s asking too much...even of me.”

“True,” Carolina mumbled. 

“He makes sense,” Trystan nodded in agreement. “Now, let’s read some of your old fanfic.”

“Oh, hell no!” Carolina insisted. “There’s no way!”

“Please?” Trystan begged, with puppy-dog eyes in full effect.

“All right, fine! But only on one condition!”

“Name it!”

“You show me your old Tumblr... and don’t lie and tell me you didn’t have one. We both know you did.”

“Sorry, my love,” Trystan shrugged. “But I didn’t.”

The couple turned to Luke when he sighed again. “Do you really want to start this relationship sitting on a throne of lies, Trystan? Or should I call you PlayfulPrince315.  Dude! Using your actual birthday? I know you were a tween then, but still, you should have known better!”  

“Playful... Prince?” Carolina beamed. “OK, Mr. Playful, what were you doing on Tumblr?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” he winked. “I was searching for beautiful want-to-be princesses from the Bronx.”  

“Nah,” Luke laughed. “Minecraft. He was into Minecraft.”

“Really?” Trystan asked, dragging a hand down his face.

“Hey, I outed Carolina, and she’s my best friend. You knew you weren’t safe.”

“Minecraft?” Carolina said with mock disgust. “Tell me it wasn’t Minecraft porn... please?”

“WHAT?" Trystan asked in shock. "Was that even a thing?”

“Sadly, it was,” Carolina laughed. “I’m sorry, but I need to know if you were into that. I don’t care how long ago it was; I am not marrying any man who once got off to Minecraft porn.”

A devilish grin slowly spread on Trystan’s face as he stepped confidently toward Carolina.

“Marry... you say?” His grin miraculously grew wider. “Have you been thinking about marrying me, Carolina?”

“I... uh, I...” she couldn't have been more grateful for Luke jumping out of his seat.

“Well, I think I’ll leave you two alone. You can handle this conversation without me.”

He headed toward the door, but not before handing Trystan a scrap of paper. “Here, this is your Tumblr password, Playful Prince. You two can figure out your weird pasts alone.”

“Oh, like you didn’t have weird things in your past!” Carolina yelled after him.

“At least they aren't archived for prosperity on Tumblr,” Luke grinned. “And I’m relieved to say it doesn’t look like Ruby has to deal with that, either. But I can’t wait to tell her about the two of yours.”

Luke whistled as he exited, turning one more time before shutting the door. “Oh, and Playful one? You got 200 fewer boops than Carolina... and you’re royalty, man? Embarrassing! Just... embarrassing! I don't think she should consider marrying you!"

Trystan turned to his blushing girlfriend. "So, back to that marrying thing.... how often does that cross your mind?"

"Uh, you know what," she said, reaching up for a soft but passionate kiss. "Why don't I tell you all about FarmersOnly instead."

"Uninterested," he beamed.

"All right," she said, pulling out her phone. "Then let's say I allow you to read 3,500 words of angst I wrote about Princess Mia and Prince Harry circa 2016?"

Trystan's eyes lit up. "Seriously?"

"Here," she said, handing him her phone. "Go through my whole masterlist. By the time you're done... you'll forget anything else."

Trystan slunk back into the chair, tossing his feet on the desk for comfort. "Don't count on it," he winked. "Don't count on that... at all."

@choicesficwriterscreations

Tagging others separately.

[liaromancewriter]

Lavender Getaway

Premise: Cassie and Ethan spend a weekend relaxing after a busy time at work.

Fandom: Choices

Book: Open Heart (post series)

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Cassie Valentine)

Rating/Category: General. Fluff

Format: Edits

A/N: This fic is inspired by visual prompts that @peonierose sent me. Hope you enjoy! Submission to @choicesaprilchallenge24 prompt “basket”

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All Fics & Edits: @bluebelle08 @coffeeheartaddict2 @crazy-loca-blog @jerzwriter @lady-calypso @mainstreetreader @peonierose @potionsprefect @queencarb @quixoticdreamer16 @tessa-liam @trappedinfanfiction

Submissions: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Ethan & Cassie only: @cariantha @custaroonie @youlookappropriate

[hanaleeappreciationweek]

We are finally reaching our last day of HLAW!! And we've got such incredible entries - this time also from new people who have sent us such fabulous work! We're grateful to all our contributors - both old and new - for the love and enthusiasm you've shown us so far and hope to see more in store today as well!!

Day 5 is all about the relationships!! Whether familial, platonic or romantic, Hana gives each one her all 🩷 She is also someone who is attempting to learn a new normal - how to continue loving others while also taking care of herself! This is a chance to explore Hana's connections with other people, whether in canon or your OCs, and explore her unique way of navigating them!!

Any content is welcome!! Fanfic, fanart, edits, moodboards, interactive, media, headcanons, screenshots, playlists, meta...even screenshots of your favourite scenes would be great!! Our only requirement is that the content is centered on Hana, and that the depiction of her is positive. You can also send in WIPs in case you don't complete a work!

You can also send in a work on the days following a particular theme - this is no pressure for it to be put up exactly that day! We will also have an extra week for anyone who still needs time 💕 May 4th will be our final official date for entries (to incorporate into our video!) but HLAW will still be open for entries for the rest of the year until the next event!

You'll find all the HLAW 2024 themes here!

Be sure to do the following when you make your posts:

1. Use the tags #hanaleeappreciationweek and #HLAW in the tags (along with the day you made the post for - #HLAW Day 1, #HLAW Day 2 etc)

2. Tag @hanaleeappreciationweek and hosts @sazanes and @lizzybeth1986 in your posts, so we don't miss them!

FAN CONTENT BLOGS are instrumental in keeping the fandom alive - with events and fun activities that encourage us all to contribute and create. They have also been amazing in their support towards our character events. Do check them out to see all the new incredible events and prompts coming up!

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily fanfic and fanart (no AI allowed). Check out their rules and roster of events!

@choicesmonthlychallenge & @choicesaprilchallenge24 - Any and all content welcome (No AI content)! They have a collection of prompts you can use for the month of April!

@choicespride - Any and all content is welcome, as long as it is centered around queer characters and/or themes.

@choicesflashfics - Primarily fanfic under a 2500 word count. Every week they use new dialogue prompts. The prompts for the coming week will be out soon.

@choicesholidays - Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Spring Fling!

@choicesprompts - Mostly fanfic preferred! You can check out their current Round Robin event here!

As tomorrow will be our final HLAW day, we'd like to remind everyone once again that we always keep a bonus week for entries!! So if you weren't able to finish your piece on time, you still have till May 4th!! We will also be keeping the event open all year round for entries - so if you finish a piece before next year's HLAW, don't hesitate to send it to us and it will find a place in the masterlist! We will be open all year round! 💕💕

We usually make a thank you video for all our contributors and signal boosters at the end of the bonus week! Typically it is put up on YouTube and we share it here. If you would prefer not to feature, do let us know and we will keep your name out of it based on your comfort levels.

@lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes will be hosting Kiara Theron Appreciation Week (KTAW) on the 21st next month! If anyone would like to be tagged on that or knows people who may be interested, let us know!! The blog for that event is here: @kiaratheronappreciationweek.

Happy Hana Lee Appreciation Week, everyone!!

[hanaleeappreciationweek]

We have crossed the midway mark for our week! There are only two days left, and we're immensely excited with all the wonderful work our Hana fans have put up so far and can't wait to see what's next!

Day 4 is packed with not one, not two, but three themes!

First up is Competitive Hana! One of the most delightful aspects of her growth is the joy she shows in expressing competitiveness and being a tough player. People both in canon and the fandom may fool themselves into viewing her as passive, but seeing her play or pit herself against an opponent tells us a whole different story altogether!!

We also have Music, a favourite among our community of Hana lovers who fondly remember her passion for music (especially the piano).

There's also Culinary Love! Whether it is her happy dance when she dips fries into milkshake, or how she revels in the symbolism of French pastries, or the way she gleefully shows the MC her favourite hot chocolate recipe, food has always had an important and delightful part of Hana's life. We'd love to see how you explore her relationship with food!!

Any content is welcome!! Fanfic, fanart, edits, moodboards, interactive, media, headcanons, screenshots, playlists, meta...even screenshots of your favourite scenes would be great!! Our only requirement is that the content is centered on Hana, and that the depiction of her is positive. You can also send in WIPs in case you don't complete a work!

You can also send in a work on the days following a particular theme - this is no pressure for it to be put up exactly that day! We will also have an extra week for anyone who still needs time 💕 May 4th will be our final official date for entries (to incorporate into our video!) but HLAW will still be open for entries for the rest of the year until the next event!

You can find all the themes for this year here!

Be sure to do the following when you make your posts:

1. Use the tags #hanaleeappreciationweek and #HLAW in the tags (along with the day you made the post for - #HLAW Day 1, #HLAW Day 2 etc)

2. Tag @hanaleeappreciationweek and hosts @lizzybeth1986 and @sazanes in your posts so we don't miss out on your work!

FAN CONTENT BLOGS are instrumental in keeping the fandom alive - with events and fun activities that encourage us all to contribute and create. They have also been amazing in their support towards our character events. Do check them out to see all the new incredible events and prompts coming up!

@choicesficwriterscreations - Primarily fanfic and fanart (no AI allowed). Check out their rules and roster of events!

@choicesmonthlychallenge & @choicesaprilchallenge24 - Any and all content welcome (No AI content)! They have a collection of prompts you can use for the month of April!

@choicespride - Any and all content is welcome, as long as it is centered around queer characters and/or themes.

@choicesflashfics - Primarily fanfic under a 2500 word count. Every week they use new dialogue prompts. The prompts for the coming week will be out soon but the last week's are here.

@choicesholidays - Any and all content welcome, as long as it is centered around one of the holidays listed! Currently, they are hosting Spring Fling!

@choicesprompts - Mostly fanfic preferred! You can check out their current Round Robin event here!

Happy Hana Lee Appreciation Week, everyone!!