#coe&t

[merkerlerspeaks]

Me: Hmm, so what do I name this evil prince I have been trying to name for months?

Brain, immediately: Abaddon

Me: Now where have I heard that name before....*googles*

I mean honestly while I don't know how I feel about giving the name to a character, being named after "the angel of the abyss" is scarily accurate for both this prince and his father, given the plotline. The next name that popped up in my mind for him was Absalom, which I also recognized and had too Google and it....also isn't not accurate in some ways, for this prince.

On top of that the name I almost gave one of the 6 continents of this world was Estaroth, which, when looked up is scarily similar to Astaroth, which I definitely shall not be naming this continent. (In case anyone doesn't know, you type that into google and the first thing that pops up is "In demonology Astaroth is the great duke of Hell")

This is why it is important to look up the names you try to use in fiction, especially if you're trying to write something high fantasy.

[kiwi-rebel-57-06]

Kiwi Rebel. '48 Chevy COE Custom Hot Rod Hauler n Blown T Bucket.

[gbulmer]

What a wicked bed-and the front end isn't too bad either. I want to see it pop a wheelie!

[ask-joe-caine]

Joe, she's 2 times worse than me!

And..?

[vomittedsoap]

Assigning AMC's The Terror characters music

[if they were cooler....I mean tbh none of these guys other than Blanky would have any music taste at all. Or at most they would have one big Spotify Megaplaylist with no defining genre]

Crozier: The Cars, Bob Dylan, The Who, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, The Police, Tom Petty, Live, Rush. Sometimes can get into stuff like TOOL.

Blanky: probably one of those people who talks about all the concerts he went to in his heyday, i.e. Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, KMFDM, Depeche Mode, The Who, Skinny Puppy, Tool, etc. He brought Crozier along too sometimes. Has the coolest music taste but you never know until something is brought up and he says "I remember that show...it was great." and adds nothing else.

Fitzjames: Mitski and Kate Bush lmao. Other than that, just whatever's popular. Anoying to listen to music with him cuz he's one of those people who thinks everyone will be impressed by him singing along to Paramore.

John Franklin: Hank Williams Sr, David Allen Coe, Joe Rogan podcast and believes everything Rogan says.

Hodgson/Little (Little wouldn't listen to anything if it weren't for Hodgson): fun or chill stuff like Third Eye Blind, Blink-182, Moby, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, Yellowcard. Hodgson plays the guitar a little bit and plays for Little and Irving sometimes.

Irving: Music that they play in Walgreens; i.e. GooGooDolls, Matchbox Twenty, Maroon5, The Fray, Semisonic, Train, Hoobastank, Counting Crows, TobyMac. Also has been caught listening to stuff from bands he claims have Christian members/influences (Evanescence, Slayer, Skillet, Black Veil Brides)

Jopson: Ska/rap metal, surprisingly... 311, No Doubt, Mindless Self Indulgence, Butthole Surfers, The Prodigy, knows how to get jiggy to Marilyn Manson, orgy, and NIN.

Tozer: Who Let the Dogs Out, Baby Got Back, Limp Bizkit, Creed....stuff like that. Once was caught singing a Taylor Swift song to an unconscious Heather tho.

Collins: boring stuff like Radiohead, Phoebe Bridgers, Fiona Apple, Chad VanGaalen, Blind Melon, Collective Soul, Pearl Jam, Alex G.

Bridgens/Peglar (they share): Beatles gooners, probably listen on vinyl or something dumb.

Silna: 10hr relaxing music for dogs, Mitski, Fog Lake, Interpol, Boards of Canada, whatever audiobook she's into.

Goodsir: shares with Silna, also Collins got him interested in Radiohead. But mostly classical for studying.

Hickey: The Prodigy, ICP, Chumbawamba... jk its actually beautiful majestic sh*t like The Smiths, Slowdive, and The Cranberries.

[divinecounsel]

She would laugh, if her voice was suited to the sound. Instead, the goddess simply smiles, the briefest curl of her lips before her mein smooths into passiveness once more.

❝ I have no need of your ship. ❞ Words so often fall short of explanations, particularly when a simple gesture might do. So she vanishes. The ship stills. It goes quiet, as if blanketed from all sound, existing alone within the world. Lights dim; her voice is a disembodied sound that is everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing against metal, a whisper within his mind. ❝ And I have no desire to be your tragedy, despite how you seem to wish that for yourself. ❞

All at once, the ship resumes it's flight. The lights brighten once more. Lest he try to mark the experience down to a mind addled with drugs and drink, she reappears before him once more, fingers lifting his chin in silent demand.

❝ Do not waste your potential on another man's dreams. ❞ A glint of steel alights grey eyes, no longer concealed by the hood. Admonishment, encouragement -- it is difficult to tell which has carved her features into stone, etched the expression turned on him. ❝ Were you to apply your skills, instead of drowning them in drink, you might make a name for yourself. ❞

while  space  spun  ,    ever-expanding  ,    outside  of  his  modest  freestar  hawk-model  ship  ,    sam  coe  himself  curls  practically  unmoving  in  the  spacious  stern  ,    where  there  exists  a  small  couch  engraved  into  the  metal  wall  .    in  front  of  that  seat  ,    pushed  off  slightly  to  the  side  ,    is  the  workbench  that  he  he’s  had  turned  into  a  makeshift  table  .    on  that  table  sits  a  nearly  empty  bottle  ,    the  contents  of  which  he  had  spared  not  a  bit  .    beside  that  empty  bottle  is  a  fallen  container  that  looks  almost  like  a  vial  ,    facedown  so  that  the  word  ‘aurora’  isn’t  shown  and  broadcasted  to  the  world  .    or  ,    well  ,    at  least  the  inside  of  his  ship  .    that  ,    too  ,    is  empty  ,    and  the  effects  had  worn  off  of  him  a  good  ten  minutes  earlier  .    still  ,    his  head  feel  light  .    but  that  could  really  just  been  the  drink  talking  .

except  now  he  thinks  the  effects  are  coming  back  again  ,    because  he’s  a  thousand  times  sure  he  didn’t  offer  anyone  a  ride  recently  .    he  really  should  be  the  only  one  on  board  this  vessel  .    in  fact  ,    he’s  positive  that  he  didn’t  let  anyone  through  .

even  so  ,    he  watches  her  unsteadily  as  he  sits  up  .    she’s  close all of the sudden  ,    and  he  figures  he’s  probably  hallucinating  that  ,    too  ,    and  her  voice  .    but  he  chooses  to  speak  to  her  anyways  ,    not  really  sure  why  ,    but  willingly  .    she  says  things  he’s  not  used  to  .    he's  intrigued  ,    but    …    wary  .

❝        i  never  wanted  to  have  a  plan  for  my  life  .        ❞        he  squints  ,    looking  away  from  her  and  staring  at  a  point  at  the  wall  until  his  gaze  starts  to  trail  away  ,    and  then  watching  point  again  under  his  gaze  trails  .    repeat  .        ❝        my  life  was  already  laid  out  for  me  from  the  start  .    makes  it  kind  of  hard  to  plan  for  myself  when  i’m  supposed  to  be  carryin’  some  big  legacy  around  .    can’t  tarnish  the  great  great  great  ol’  man’s  name  when  your  whole  system’s  lookin’  at  you  for  what  you  are  .        ❞        he  can’t  disguise  the  bitterness  in  his  voice  .    it’s  easy  to  talk  when  he  isn’t  clearminded  .

❝        not  that  that  even  matters  now  .    i’m  out  here  doin’  what  i  want  .        ❞        he  slips  down  in  his  seat  ,    covering  his  eyes  with  a  hand  .    then  he  looks  at  her  again  .    her  face  isn’t  easy  to  make  out  underneath  that  hood  .        ❝        how’d  you  get  on  my  ship  ? you weren't here durin' my pre-flight check .        ❞        no  ‘how’d  you  know  my  name?  ’        that  part  is  easily  a  given  ,    for  people  who  pay  attention  .    so  she  must  be  a  sharp  study  .        ❝        s’this  the  tragedy  that’s  supposed  to  find  me  ?    ‘cause  if  you’re  gonna  take  my  ship  ,    there’s  no  point  talkin’  to  me  before  you  do  it  .        ❞

[metmuseum]

Cradleboard Cover Panel. 1810–30. Credit line: Ralph T. Coe Collection, Gift of Ralph T. Coe Foundation for the Arts, 2011 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/319037

[daydreamgoddess14]

The Escape Artist - Chapter 10 - The Finale

Masterlist

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3 | CH 4 | CH 5 | CH 6 | CH 7 | CH 8 | CH 9

Tag list: @moonmaiden1996 @theskytraveler @acrackintheteacup @succulentthief

Here she is, the very last chapter 🥲

When I first had the idea for this fic, I knew it had potential to be something really great as long as I had the guts to stick with it. It's my longest fic by a long way - like 20k words longer - and it's also my most comprehensive. I've tried to let everything breathe rather than rushing through it. I've challenged myself in so many ways and I've honestly loved every second of it.

I can't thank you enough for your patience, support, comments, reblogs... all of it. It's been the most rewarding experience to hear from you all and I've made so many new feral pals.

I love you - I really, really do 💜

Now... shall we wrap this shit up?

Twelve months. For Ella Cole twelve long months had passed since she'd been moved from the Park to Slough House. 

Six months spent living hand to mouth in dirty, dangerous accommodation. 

Six months of realising the life she could have. The life she and Clover should have. 

Always moving one step forward and two steps back. 

She realised she'd never lived alone. Never been solely responsible for herself, or for Clover. 

Eddie had kept her in a gilded cage. Materially wanting for nothing, yet emotionally starved and physically scared. 

Six months ago, she was surviving, going through the motions each day. 

Now, she was thriving. 

She had a job that she loved, friends who cared for her, and a man who was slowly working his way into her heart.

The dogs had been recalled, the house too, but Ella chose to move forward, not back. 

She attended Eddie's funeral, intending to go alone, but JK and River had pulled up outside the bus stop and stood either side of her in the back row of the crematorium. 

She cried. 

A surprise to herself, but not to them. 

As the curtains closed, she mourned fifteen years of her life. She mourned Clover's father. 

She didn't mourn the man himself. 

As she cried, she was cleansed. 

Emerging from her prison not a new woman, but a changed one. 

Stronger, safer, happier. 

She threw herself into creating a stable future for Clover. 

Access to her own healthy bank accounts. 

A small house just for them.

Ella felt no shame in spending the money in hers and Eddie's joint accounts.

Hefty anonymous donations to women's shelters across London. 

The fight over properties, the businesses, the life insurance was still to be had, but the accounts were hers.

River read her mind.

There when she needed him, absent when he sensed she needed to retreat into herself.

Quietly championing her, and Clover, at every turn. 

For the most part, Ella felt peace.

But the dark spectre of Diana Taverner hung over her like a cloud. 

The knowledge that she was only ever one phone call away from prison still held her back. 

It prevented her from reaching out to her family after so long. 

It stopped her from opening herself up to, and fully trusting, River. 

It held her back from openly, vocally and voraciously loving him. 

*

Ella sank into River’s sofa with a happy sigh.

“At this rate, I’ll be co-parenting both kids with Lucy’s parents,” she smiled. “We’re gonna have some shared custody agreement going on.”

“It’s good that she’s got a proper friend.” 

“It is.”

“Did you know Coe has volunteered to help on the school trip to the Houses of Parliament?”

“Probably planning his own Guy Fawkes event.” Ella said with a giggle. “Or that side hustle in school security actually happened.”

River agreed distractedly.

“You ok?” She asked.

"I need to tell you something," he said suddenly. Her face paled, a flicker of worry crossing her face. 

"Alright," she said slowly, bracing herself for what was to come.

She assumed that he wanted to cool off whatever was going on between them. 

“It’s all fun and games til someone nearly gets arrested for murder, eh?” She smiled weakly.

"When you first came to the hospital, and Clo was getting snacks?" Her eyes widened, realising where he was going instead.

"No," she whispered. 

"I wanted to tell you sooner -"

"You were awake?" she guessed, her face flushed with embarrassment 

River grimaced, knowing that the next part would be difficult. 

"Yeah, I was. I woke up just before you...you -" he trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

"Oh my god," she panicked. "I was so stressed and so scared -"

"Did you mean it?" He interrupted.

"Mean what?" she asked, but the fear in her eyes told him she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"Ella," he said, his voice hoarse. "You said... you said you loved me," he implored 

Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. 

"I... I -" she stammered, unable to form a coherent response.

The room fell silent, the weight of her confession hanging in the air between them.

"I did say that..." she said hesitantly. "You had just been shot saving my daughter.”

"I remember." He gently reached for her hand, his touch sending a shiver down her spine. "I was just wondering if you really meant it. Or was it just the adrenaline speaking?”

"River, I... did you hear the rest? It’s been so long, why are you only telling me now? Did you hear me say that I’m a total fuck up? That I'm no good for you?" she pleaded.

River loosened his grip on her hand, noticing her visible nerves. 

"I heard everything," he assured her gently. "But I don't believe for a second that you're not good enough for me.”

She looked at her hands and rubbed them distractedly. 

"I've got blood on my hands, River. I'm a murderer. You can't possibly think that this is a good idea?”

His heart ached at the pain in her voice, but he was determined to make her see her worth. 

"It was self-defence, El. He was about to…" he gritted his teeth in anger, "he was about to rape you. I couldn't get to you, I tried -"

"I know you did, I know." She said tearfully. 

"He deserved it. You did what you had to do," he said softly, his voice filled with regret for not being able to prevent what had happened. "It wasn't your fault.”

"So why can't I wash the blood off?" She whispered fearfully. 

River sighed at her question. He gently took her hands in his and rubbed his thumbs soothingly over her knuckles. 

"It's not about washing it off, Ella. You need to forgive yourself," he said tenderly. "You're not a monster.”

"You don't want me," she told him as she tried to remove her hands from his. "No one ever has, not really.”

River's grip on her hands tightened reflexively. "That's not true," he said, his voice firm. "I want you.” He said fiercely, his voice shaking with conviction. "I'm still here, aren't I? I've been here the whole time?”

She looked doubtful. 

“River, I was nearly arrested. For murder.” She shook her head. “I was fucking stupid to think I could escape this shitshow. How did I think killing Eddie would be the end?”

“They’ve released you without charge. You are free.”

Her stomach turned. She knew she couldn’t keep it from him any longer.

“Because of Taverner,” she said, shamefully.

“What do you mean because of Taverner? What did she do?”

“She arranged to have me released without charge. Told them that the Park was taking over the investigation and that I was still her employee.”

“She fucking owes you anyway, using you to get to Eddie -”

“She sees it the other way around. I’m very much indebted to her. She’s going to want something in return, she always does. It’s a never ending cycle of owing someone something. I don’t want you involved in that.” She sighed.

“No, fuck that, we can fix this,” he snapped.

“I don’t think we can. She threatened to hand me over to the police. She wanted me back at the Park but I refused,” Ella put her head in her hands. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Ella, we will fix this. Did you mean what you said?" River's gaze softened as he went back to their original conversation, his voice gentle yet filled with hope.

She sighed, knowing that she was unable to lie to him.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. 

River's heart leapt at her quiet admission, a rush of emotions flooding through him. For a moment, all he could do was stare at her in disbelief. 

"Really?" he asked, his voice hoarse from the surge of joy and relief coursing through him.

Ella nodded, a small smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. 

“But -”

“No, no buts, you’ve said it now,” he smiled.

“River, stop! This isn’t over, Taverner is bound to come knocking again?” The smile faded. 

“So we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it,” he told her firmly. “Besides,” he pulled her rigid body into his lap, “there’s something to be said about falling in love with a woman capable of murder,” he kissed a path up her neck to the spot that made her knees buckle. Her knees sank into the sofa either side of his thighs. 

She looked at him again, her eyes searching his, silently questioning his turn of phrase.

“I'm serious. You should break things off.” Ella told him, shifting back to put some space between them. 

“I should do what?” He asked, incredulously. “Why the fuck would I do that?”

“You should. You have to be the one to do it. End it right now. Please.” 

‘I can't. I won't do that, El. I love you, and I love Clover… And before you argue with me, I know that that comes with responsibilities. Clover is not going to be the thing that scares me off. Nothing is going to change how I feel about both of you.” He paused, making sure his words were sinking in. Making sure Ella was really listening. “Don't be a coward, Ella. If you want this to end, then you can do it. This is something more. Something real, and if you don't want that, that's fine, but don't expect me to break it off for you. We will fix this.”

Ella sat, stunned into silence by River's confession. The sincerity in his voice and the certainty in his statement had caught her off guard. She felt her heart skip a beat, her mind struggling to catch up with the reality of his words.

"You... you love me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, Ella, I do. And Clover too, even the bloody dog.”

Ella's eyes widened at his admission. It was almost too much to wrap her head around. She let out a disbelieving laugh, a mixture of emotions coursing through her.

"The dog?" she repeated, her voice tinged with incredulity.

"Maybe the dog goes above Clo -" Ella interrupted him with an ineffectual slap on his arm. "Alright, alright, maybe they're both above you," he continued teasing. 

Ella rolled her eyes playfully at his teasing remark. 

"You're impossible," she said, shaking her head, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"It has been mentioned before," he acknowledged with a wry smile. "I'm also not going anywhere," he told her, his fingers lacing through her hair and trying to draw her closer.

Ella's breath hitched as River's fingers tangled in her hair, the gentle tug pulling her closer to him. She tried to resist the pull, her mind still wrestling with her fears, but he was making it so difficult to fight against the powerful connection between them.

"You shouldn't be so stubborn," she whispered, her voice tinged with both irritation and affection. “I'm trying to stop you from fucking up your life.”

He shrugged. "That's already my own doing, you really think telling me to bloody break it off is what we both want?" There was a note of frustration in his voice that she'd even ask such a thing of him. 

Ella felt a pang of guilt in her chest.

“Can you blame me for trying to protect you?”

"I don't need protecting, Ella. Least of all from Diana Taverner. You're the one who's been through hell, give yourself a chance.”

Ella's eyes flashed with a mix of stubborn pride and vulnerability at his words. She wanted to argue, to protest at his assertion, but there was a part of her that knew he was right. She had been through so much, and perhaps she was the one who needed the protection more than him.

"Speechless for once?" He teased lightly. Ella's cheeks flushed pink, a mixture of defensiveness and embarrassment. She had been caught off guard by his assertiveness.

"Shut up," she muttered, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Open goal there," he whispered, pulling her closer and grazing his lips against hers, "means I get to say ‘make me’," he smirked. 

Ella's heart skipped a beat as he pulled her closer, the whisper of his words and the brush of his lips against hers sending a rush of desire through her. Her eyes narrowed at his challenge, a spark of defiance igniting in her gaze.

"Oh, you want me to make you shut up?" she asked in a low voice, a hint of daring in her tone. "Let me guess," she said, her nose brushing against his, "you were thinking something like this?" Her tongue traced over his lower lip as he pulled her in deeply. “I'm a dangerous woman, don't forget,” she murmured against his lips. 

River's breath hitched, the sensation sent a jolt of electricity through him. He leaned into her, his arms tightening around her in response to her playful challenge.

"Mm," he murmured in response, his voice a mixture of pleasure and amusement, "a dangerous woman? I don't think so. How do you think shutting me up is going?”

"I think you're still talking far too much, actually" she said, her eyes twinkling. 

River chuckled, his fingers traced along her back, pulling her flush against his chest.

"Is that so? I take it this little disagreement about how you’re stuck with me is over?" her lips captured his in a gentle yet passionate kiss, effectively silencing his words for the moment.

Ella trembled against him, the kiss sending heat and longing straight to her core. 

She felt herself melting into his embrace, the heat and desire within her growing with every second they were together. 

She pressed herself closer against him, her hands grasping at the fabric of his shirt, her body responding to his touch.

River deepened the kiss, his hands roaming over her body, possessive yet tender in their touch. 

River's lips trailed down her throat, exploring every inch of her skin. 

When he reached her collarbone, he couldn't resist the desire to graze his teeth against her sensitive flesh, eliciting a hiss of pleasure from her. 

He could feel the way her body responded, the way she slid deeper into his lap. 

"Bed, River, please," she gasped as his hands skimmed over her hips. 

The sound of her pleading sent a thrilling jolt through River. 

He pressed a possessive hand to her hip, his fingers digging into her flesh. 

"Bed," he agreed, his voice hoarse with his own desire. "Now.”

River led her through the flat, the anticipation practically crackling in the air between them. 

His hands tingled with the memory of her body, the way her skin burned beneath his touch. 

He could hardly wait to explore every inch of her once more, to feel the heat between them flaring to life with a simple graze of his fingers across her flesh.

Ella found the bottom edge of his t-shirt, her fingertips running across his stomach. 

She brushed the pad of her thumb lightly over his scar out of habit, and went to pull the t-shirt over his head

River gasped slightly as her fingertips brushed across his stomach, his muscles twitching involuntarily beneath her touch. He lifted his arms to make it easier for her to remove his shirt, the fabric falling away and baring his chest to her.

Her eyes raked over his chest, unable to hide her hunger for him. 

She reached for the button of his jeans but he stopped her. 

"Not yet," he rasped, running a finger down the row of buttons on her shirt.

Ella's hand paused in mid-air as he gently restrained her, his fingers wrapping around her wrist and stilling her movement. 

The raw rasp of his voice as he spoke sent a shiver down her spine.

With a possessive gleam in his eyes, he took her shirt between his fingers, slowly undoing the buttons one by one with a slow, deliberate pace.

Ella stifled a moan as his mouth followed his fingers, leaving hot, wet kisses down her body tracing a path down the skin he’d unveiled. River lifted his head just enough to speak against her skin, his voice a low rumble that sent tingles down her spine. "I want to hear you," he whispered, his lips brushing against her flesh as he teased her. "Let me hear the sounds you make for me.”

He pulled her closer to the bed. Discarding her shirt, he popped the button on her jeans. 

"How come you get to -" her protest died on her tongue as his large hands slid them down her thighs, taking her underwear with them. As the material pooled at her feet, he gazed at her hungrily, his expression full of desire and admiration.

"You were saying?" he teased, his eyes roaming over her body, taking in every inch of her curves.

He urged her onto the bed and stood in front of her. 

"My turn," she looked up at him, her much smaller hand brushing over the front of his jeans.

“I'm starting to think you don't want me to break it off after all."

“You always have to be right don’t you?” She rolled her eyes.

Ella's fingers worked the button on his jeans, slipping them down his thighs. As she did, her hands brush his taut muscles, the feel of his skin and strength under her touch making her cunt ache for him. 

She knew at that moment what she needed more than anything.

River's eyes locked on her as her tongue traced over her lips. He took a step closer, closing the distance between them, his body practically thrumming with need.  

Ella's voice was just as soft as her gaze raked over his body, taking in every inch of him. She couldn't hide the desire in her eyes even if she wanted to.  

"Maybe," River replied, his lips pulling into a smirk as he stalked her up the bed. She moved back up the bed, he followed. "But it’s only because I know you don't really want to end this.”

He was confident enough that she'd only suggested it because she thought it was the right thing to do, not because it was what she wanted. 

River positioned himself over her, his strong frame caging her beneath him. The feel of his weight pressing her into the bed only made her need him more, her body instinctively arching towards him.

"Please," she breathed, "please." His hand dragged over her thigh and around to cup her ass, pressing her core to him.

"Please, what?" he murmured, his voice thick with desire. "Tell me what you need.”

She whined, frustrated, her hips moving of their own accord, searching for friction

River watched her, his eyes darkened with desire as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "You need this? Is this what you're aching for?"

He rocked his hips, his body pressed impossibly close to hers. 

Her lips brushed against his earlobe pleadingly, her voice a desperate, trembling whisper. 

"River," she begged, her body arching against his as much as she could in her current position.

River let out a low moan, the sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl. 

She gasped out her words, "I need more. I need all of you," her voice was desperate and needy, her body restless beneath him. “I don't want this to end. I’m all in if you are.”

River's body tensed at her words, his own need for her burning like a wildfire in his veins. His last bit of control shattered at her words. 

The feel of his body so close to hers made everything inside her clench with need. He could hear her breathing, fast and harsh, her chest rising and falling in time with his.

“Will you trust me?” He asked, his voice raw with need. Ella nodded hesitantly.

He propped himself up on his side, his hand tracing a soft path down her arm. "Turn over," he instructed, his voice gentle yet firm. She wavered, close to protesting, but did as he requested. "On your hands and knees," he instructed, his voice low and rough.

Ella rose onto her knees, the change in position making her feel more exposed. She took a moment to steady herself, bracing her hands on the bed in front of her.

River moved behind her, his hands trailing over her hips, possessive and firm. "That's it, El," he praised, his voice a low rumble. "I’m going to undo every bad memory you have.”

He groaned softly as she arched her back, her body practically begging for his touch. His fingers gripping her flesh as he watched her respond to him.

Ella's voice was pleading, her words a ragged whisper as she begged for him. "River," she sighed, her body trembling with desire.

His own body was taut with need. Hearing her beg for him only fueled the fire that was burning inside him.

He shifted his position slightly, pressing himself against her. "I want you only to remember the good," he murmured, his voice rough.

Ella's voice was a soft, ragged whisper, her breathing coming in ragged gasps. "Only you," she interpreted, her body trembling at the feel of him against her.

River's grip on her hips tightened, his control slipping a little at her words. Her devotion to him, only him, was almost too much to bear after everything she’d been through.

His own voice was rough with desire, his breath coming in shallow pants as he spoke. "I want to make you feel so good," he repeated, his mouth moving over her neck and shoulder, leaving a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses in its wake.

His hands slid up her sides, trying to map out every inch of her body with his hands.

Ella's skin burned where he touched her, practically craving his touch. She arched her back, pressing herself further into him, needing more of his touch, of his presence.

Her voice was a desperate plea, her words tumbling out in a ragged gasp. "Need you, Riv, need you now, please, please," she begged.

River groaned softly against her skin, his own need for her almost overwhelming. He knew he couldn't hold back much longer, not with her begging and pleading so beautifully.

River's voice was a low, deep growl, his breath hot against her ear. "You've got me, love," he murmured. "I'm here." He held his hard cock in his fist, running the weeping head through her folds.

His other hand gripped her hips a little tighter, pulling her closer to him, his body molding against hers. She could feel the tense, coiled energy in his frame and cried out as he pushed into her. Her body arching against his as the pleasure washed over her, her senses completely overwhelmed by the feel of him inside.

"God, Ella," River groaned, his arms shaking as he held himself above her. 

She sought out his hand, gripping it tightly, her trepidation still clear. 

His other hand moved across her chest, pulling her upright, her back pressing against his chest. She could feel the heat of his body radiating against hers, the hard planes of his muscles against her soft flesh. 

Her knees spread wider and she sank further down onto him, her body quaking. 

“I’ve got you,” he whispered into her ear. 

The grip on his hand loosened and he let go, holding her against his chest with a hand cupping her breast. She gasped at the unexpected depth, at the way he brushed her g-spot with every thrust as he fucked up into her.

“God, River -” her voice broke. 

Ella felt his body wrap around hers, holding her up. 

She felt safe. 

He moved slowly inside her, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot against her skin. 

Her breath came in snatched gasps as she met his every move, rising and falling on his pulsing cock. 

River picked up the pace, pinching her pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

A low moan tore from his throat as she reached behind herself to run her fingers through his hair. 

His teeth grazed over her shoulder before biting down softly.

Her head fell back against his shoulder, her body melting into his, completely trusting and submissive. From this angle, he had a perfect view down her body, his eyes roaming over her breasts and the place where their bodies met.

River's breathing became ragged and heavy, the sight of her body against his own almost too much to bear. He pressed his body even closer to hers, the heat between them almost unbearable.

Ella leaned on him, her body moving in a slow, fluid roll of her hips, a silent plea for more. Her hands gripped his arms, using his strength to keep herself upright, her body completely surrendered to him.

River groaned at the feel of her moving against him, his body responding instantly to her touch. He held her tighter, his arms anchoring her to him.

He moved the hand that wasn’t holding her up and brought it around to her clit.

The thrust of her hips faltered and she looked down at his hand before covering it with her own, guiding him to where she really needed him. 

The arm across her breasts held her tighter as her legs began to shake. The first tremors of her climax starting to build as he split her open.

"Jesus, River," she gasped, her body arching.

His response was a low, rough whisper against her neck. "I know," he agreed, his lips and teeth continuing their assault on her sensitive skin. He wanted to mark her, to make sure she would remember this moment, remember him.

Ella felt the pressure low in her belly, the intensity of their connection making her legs tremble and her breath come in ragged gasps.

River could feel the tension in her body, the way she was holding on by a thread. "Let go, baby," he murmured against her neck, his voice rough.

Her cry was lost in her throat, her mouth open but no sound escaping. Waves of pleasure coursed through her body, almost too much to bear.

The rhythmic tempo of her hips stuttered again as her whole body trembled. 

“Let me hear you, El,” he pleaded. 

“River,” she whimpered, “fuck, River -” 

His grip on her hips tightened at her words, his own control hanging by a thread. "You have no idea how good you feel, baby," he growled, his breath hot against her skin.

Her hand found his thigh, her fingers digging into his flesh, a desperate attempt to anchor herself as her body trembled with ecstasy.

She cried out his name, the words a ragged gasp of pleasure and need. "Riverr," she moaned, her voice breaking on a high, keening note.

With her release, River held her tighter, his grip unyielding as he followed right behind her, the walls of her cunt tightening around him as he spilled into her.

He groaned loudly, his body shuddering against hers, his arms holding her tightly, his face buried in the curve of her shoulder.

Ella crumpled against him, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her skin flushed and glowing with sweat. Her hand found its way to his hair, her fingers running through the damp locks, a soothing, affectionate motion.

River held her close, his chest heaving as he tried to regain his breath, his arms wrapped around her like a lifeline.

Her voice was a soft whisper, a touch of amazement in her tone as she spoke. "Oh my god," she repeated quietly, her body still trembling with aftershocks.

River chuckled softly in response, his hold on her tightening just a little. "You all right?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

“Told you to trust me,” he said quietly into her ear. He pulled away from her, he moved slowly, giving her a moment to catch her breath, continuing to tease her with light kisses along her neck and collarbone.

Her voice was soft, filled with wonder, as she mumbled her question. "Where've you been all this time?"

River chuckled softly, his arms tightening around her as he pulled her closer, her back pressing against his chest. "Waiting for you," he teased, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.

“As if,” she scoffed, rolling her hips against him. “You’re too cute to wait for anyone.”

River groaned softly at the feeling of her wriggling against him, the heat between them reigniting. Her words sent a wave of desire through him.

His voice was a low, possessive growl, his words a challenge and a promise all in one. "Not you, time to show you everything you've missed out on," he said, his hands roaming her body, caressing and claiming.

River nuzzled at the sensitive spot behind her ear, his lips warm against her skin. Ella couldn't prevent the low, guttural sound that escaped her. Her body was not used to being treated this way, being adored and pleasured so completely.

River pressed his lips to her skin, his hands roaming over her curves, taking his time to memorize every inch of her. "You have no idea how good it feels to make you feel good, Ella," he murmured against her neck.

Her need was undeniable, a fierce, aching thing that burned through every inch of her. Despite the tender ache in her thighs and core, she found herself wanting more, needing more.

River's lips continued to roam over her neck, his hands still exploring her body, his touch firm yet gentle. He could feel her need, the way she was arching into him, and it only fueled his own desire.

"You ready for more?" he asked, his voice a low growl against her skin.

Ella’s voice was soft, almost vulnerable, as she spoke. "I didn’t know it could be like this,” she said softly, her body relaxing against him.

River chuckled softly, his lips still against her skin. River could hear her small whine as he moved away, her body missing the contact with him. The thought of her craving his touch set something ablaze inside of him. He pulled her to lay with him but she sat up on his thighs.

“My favourite view,” he told her. Her eagerness, her new found confidence, only fueled his own desire.

His gaze was fixed on her hand as it slowly traced down her body, her movements deliberate and teasing. River's eyes darkened with growing desire as he watched, his body tensing with anticipation. "Show me how to touch you," he asked quietly. Her breath hitched, her body still sensitive from his previous attentions, his cum still coating her thighs.

His eyes roved over her body, watching as she worked her clit with her other hand at her breast, his own need growing at the sight.

River's breathing became ragged as he watched, his hands resting on her thighs, desperate to touch her. "You're so beautiful," he murmured, his voice thick with admiration.

“I thought of you,” she whispered, blushing. The admission sent a bolt of desire through him.

He rose up onto his elbows for a better view, his voice a low, possessive growl, "You think about me when you touch yourself?" he asked, his eyes burning into hers. She nodded

Her back arched as she crept closer to release, the hand at her breast kneading and pinching. Her eyes didn't leave River's, wanting him to see her come undone.

River's eyes darkened further, the possessive edge becoming even more pronounced as he watched her writhing above him. "Don't look away," he instructed. 

She held his gaze as she reached her peak, crying out for him.

She slumped, boneless, and moved to lay next to him. 

River took hold of her wrist, bringing her hand up to his mouth. He wrapped his tongue around her fingers, tasting her.

“Best thing I’ve ever watched,” he told her once he’d released her fingers with a pop. She felt her cheeks heat up, a blush creeping onto her face.

“I can’t believe I did that,” she confessed, still breathless.

He pressed against her, the evidence of his arousal clear, she felt a shiver of desire run down her spine.

“I’m glad you did,” he murmured, “it was beautiful.”

“Don’t be daft,” she said, brushing off the compliment.

He pressed against her again, his body still taut with wanting, “I mean it.” He insisted.

He rolled her onto her back, lining himself up against her core. “I’m not going to let you forget it, El. If it takes a lifetime, I’ll replace every single bad memory with a new one.”

He sank into her, swallowing her moans, helping her forge a new path.

*

Taverner tapped her nails impatiently, unused to being the one summoned. 

“How fortuitous that I'm here.” She declared. 

“Why's that then?” Ella asked from the doorway. 

“Well, seems a good time to request you back at the Park. I have you some grace by letting you stay here a little longer. Time's up now.” Ella hesitated, looking to Lamb and Standish for support.

River sensed Ella's discomfort. 

"What do you want with her?" River demanded, his voice firm but controlled. “Why do you need her at the Park?”

"I want her service, she owes me, Cartwright, and it's time she comes back where I can keep a closer eye on her.”

Taverner's words hung in the air like a dark cloud. River bristled at her words, his jaw clenching with suppressed anger. "She's not your puppet," he said, his voice low and angry. "She doesn't owe you anything.”

"I think you'll find she does," Taverner turned to Ella, "You didn't tell your little friends? The only reason she's not rotting in prison is because I got hold of the investigation. All I need to do is hand her over to the police."

"For what possible reason? You know her ex-husband was a bully, you know he nearly killed her. Just let it go," River said angrily.

Taverner turned her attention to River, a hint of a sneer tugging at the corner of her mouth. "The reason is simple," she said coolly. "She killed him and got away with it."

River's anger was barely contained now. "And you think that gives you the right to use her like a pawn? You're out of your mind, Taverner.”

"I know you love to bend everyone to your will, Diana," Lamb interrupted, "but really? Is this the hill you want to die on? Sending a battered woman down for a murder which was quite obviously self defence? No jury would convict her and you damn well know it.”

Lamb's interruption caused a slight fissure in Taverner's composure. She shot him a venomous glare before turning her attention back to Ella.

"I suppose you think you're above the law, is that it?" Taverner snapped. "Just because you were a victim doesn't give you the right. And Cartwright," she shot a sharp glance at him, "I wouldn't expect you to understand. You've always assumed yourself above your station.”

"Above the law? Diana, pull the other one. I'd run out of fingers and toes counting your indiscretions." Lamb laughed mockingly. 

Despite her attempts to maintain control of the situation, Taverner seemed to realize that she didn't have a strong case against Ella. Her expression was a mix of frustration and anger, but there was no denying that Lamb's words had hit their mark.

"We'll see about that," she snarled, but her voice lacked its usual certainty.

"You have authorised worse and you know it. Give up Di, there are better ways to exert control." Lamb warned.

Taverner's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't tell me how to do my job," she snapped, her voice laced with bitterness.

But despite her harsh words, there was a hint of uncertainty in her gaze. She knew Lamb was right; she had authorised far worse without a second thought.

"Heaven forbid," he raised his hands. "Drop it, Di. Pick a better battle.”

Despite Lamb's mocking tone, his words seemed to penetrate Taverner's defenses. There was a moment of silence as she considered her options. Finally, she let out a frustrated sigh, "Fine. I'll let it go... for now. But don't think you're going to get off scot-free.” She pointed directly at Lamb. 

"Never," he mocked. "Always in your pocket, Diana.”

Lamb's words dripped with sarcasm, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slight smirk. “Always at your beck and call.”

“You’ll continue to use me,” Ella said aloud, recalling her conversation with River.

“Nonsense, this draws a line under the whole thing.” Taverner sighed defeatedly.

“Do I have to go back, then?” Ella looked from Taverner to Lamb. “Do you not want me here?” Ella asked him desperately.

“She can stay. If she wants to. I don’t give a shit either way to be honest, as long as she doesn’t forget the jaffa cakes.” Lamb said to Taverner.

“Jesus christ, Lamb. I’m honestly astounded as to why these idiots choose to stay here over literally any other job in the world.”

“You and me both, Di. Must be my winning charm.”

“Hmm. If you say so,” she looked him up and down disdainfully. She turned back to Ella, “I can hardly complain, can I?”

Ella stood, her hands balled into fists. River moved directly in front of her, blocking Taverner from her eyeline.

“Let it go, El.” She opened her mouth to argue but relented at the insistence in his eyes. “It’s over now,” he said firmly. 

She didn’t trust herself to speak without directing her anger at Taverner, so she kept quiet. 

No one saw Taverner out.

“Put the kettle on then, if you’re sticking around.” Lamb instructed halfway up the stairs to his office. “And I expect daily jaffa cakes now, since you’re Miss Moneybags.”

“Where'd you think you're going?” Catherine called up to him. “Get your coat, Jackson, we've got to get to the school.”

“Why on earth am I going to a school, Standish?”

Ella reached for her coat, but River got there first and held it open for her. 

“Clo wants you to come and see her gymnastics show, remember?” 

Lamb reappeared, looking annoyed, but carrying his coat regardless. 

“The kid's got a father figure, she don't need another,” he looked over at River. 

“A grandfather wouldn't go amiss though,” Ella told him with a straight face. Behind him, Standish was having less luck, a giggle bubbling behind the hand she'd clamped over her mouth. 

“I can still send you back, Cole,” he muttered, taking the stairs. Halfway down, Louisa, Shirley and Coe were all waiting. “The fuck is this?”

“Family outing. Who kicked out the wicked stepmother?” Shirley asked. 

“Boss man did.” Ella told her with a grin. 

“Will you lot get a move on? We're going to miss her group routine,” Ho shouted up the stairs. 

“Sorry, sorry, we're coming,” Catherine appeased him on the way past, “two cars - Roddy and River, yours?” River held up his keys. 

“Yep, got mine.” he waited while Ella let the others head down the stairs before her. 

“She's going to go mad that we're all turning up,” Ella smiled up at him. 

“She'll love it,” he insisted, pulling her into a deep kiss once Louisa had rounded the landing out of sight. “And I love you, in case I haven't said it enough yet.”

*

FIN

If you think I'm ditching you now this is finished, then think again!

I have a few lovely prompts to get through for River x Sid which I'm so looking forward to, and I've had some glorious Ficmas requests - get in on the action if you haven't already - it's my gift to you! 🎄

And then of course, once the festive season is over.... we get to meet The Thief 👀

[literary-illuminati]

First Quarter of 2024 Book Reviews

January

How Beautiful We Were by Imbolo Mbue

He Who Drowned the World by Shelley Parker-Chan

Monstress Volume One: Awakening by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

War in Human Civilization by Azar Gat

The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler February

Exordia by Seth Dickinson

Montress Volume 2: The Blood by Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham James

The Devourers by Indra Das

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik March

The Maya (10th Edition) by Michael D. Coe and Stephen Houston

What Moves The Dead by T. Kingfisher

Victory City by Salman Rushdie

And Put Away Childish Things by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Vietnam: A New History by Christopher Goscha

You can also seem them all on my Goodreads

[iantoscoffee]

so,, yesterday i re-watched exit wounds, not funny, do not recommend at all and aside from what happens we all know what it means: it’ s children of earth time and haha day four still exists. i seriously can’ t even say that torchwood is my comfort show cause that shit is the reason why i have to cope with endless pain and angst and betrayal and god i need a drink

i hate torchwood sm it makes me cry on a daily basis, i cant cope with exit wounds and coe, i ain’ t god’s strongest soldier i am the weakest. can someone please put me put of my misery? @ jack gimme some retcon and alcoho, i could be your drown-our-sorrows-and-the-fact-that-tosh-owen-and-ianto-die-in-strong-alchool buddy

pay no mind to me guys, i am sane 😊 (i am suffering more than jesus)

[merkerlerspeaks]

What if I gave Aela a dragon?

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Repo Man – Chevy Malibu

Alex Cox’s Repo Man is one weird, satirical ‘80s classic. That it centers on car repossession (in addition to government conspiracies, rampant criminality, and radioactive alien corpses) makes it a car movie, of sorts. A lot of cars get broken into, stolen, and repossessed over the course of the film, but the most important car plot-wise is a beige Chevy Malibu driven by a sweaty, one-eyed mad scientist. What makes this Malibu one of the worst cars in movie history? For one, it is super hot inside even with the windows down and AC cranked up. And two, the decaying alien corpses in the trunk are so radioactive that anyone unfortunate enough to open the back end is instantly fried to powder, leaving nothing but a pair of smoldering shoes to tell the tale. For the final scene, the car was painted in 3M reflective paint (at $600 a can!) and hit with spotlights to give it that ghostly glow.

Maximum Overdrive – Happy Toyz Semi

It turns out Emilo Esteves has a knack for appearing in bad car movies as he followed up Repo Man by starring in Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive. Tired of Hollywood directors butchering his ideas, King directed the movie himself (his first and last attempt at directing). Maximum Overdrive kicks off a consistent theme on this list: killer cars. The premise is hokey and never actually scary (seriously, 1974’s Killdozer is about a killer bulldozer that stalks its victims at 5 mph). In the case of Maximum Overdrive, it isn’t just cars, but all mechanical objects become possessed and homicidal, including one very grumpy toaster. A marauding group of killer semis is led by a Happy Toyz truck with a big fiberglass Green Goblin face on the radiator. Why Marvel’s Green Goblin? We’d ask Stephen King, but the author says he was drinking too much at the time to remember much of anything about the filming.

The Car – Lincoln Continental Mk III

Within the genre of killer cars, The Car ranks … among them. This low budget 1977 horror flick stars James Brolin as Deputy Wade Parent and a very dower looking 1971 Lincoln Continental Mk III. The car of The Car (inventive title, no?) is barely recognizable as a Lincoln thanks to extensive custom work by George Barris, famed customizer of the Hirohata Merc and the 1960s TV Batmobile. Barris added a high belt line, blacked out windows to match a black paint job, massive fenders, and a lowered roof line that gives the car a menacing glower. But rather than scary, the car of The Car ends up looking as corny as the movie’s dialogue, earning it a spot on our list.

Jeepers Creepers – Chevy COE

Far scarier than a possessed car is a car driven by a people-eating demon as seen in Jeepers Creepers. The grim rust bucket in question is a 1941 Chevy cab-over-engine (COE) with a blaring horn and a gnarly cowcatcher used to ram unsuspecting motorists off the road. This being the horror genre, there’s a little bit of tongue-in-cheek humor with the addition of a vanity license plate that reads BEATNU. The Creeper’s Chevy COE is simultaneously one of the best scary movies cars of all time and one of the worst cars to see in your review mirror.

Corvette Summer – C3 Corvette

In between iconic performances in Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back Mark Hamill starred in a little movie called Corvette Summer. The “adventure comedy,” as it was billed, follows a California teenager as he travels to Las Vegas in search of his stolen customized Corvette. Like many custom cars, the Corvette in question has clearly been an ambitious labor of love that got wildly out of control. The elaborate customization included a fiberglass nose shell, candy red paint with flame decals, side pipe exhaust, and a custom rear end with a large Chevy bowtie logo brake light. The car’s custom clamshell hood arrived before the feature debuted on the next-generation (fourth) Corvette. The car was also swapped from left hand to right hand drive to make it easier for the ladies’ man Hamill to chat up girls on the sidewalk while cruising. It boggles the mind how anyone could get a date driving this Hot Wheels-in-real-life monstrosity, but hey, the ‘70s were a weird time.

Dumb and Dumber – Mutts Cutts Van

In Dumb and Dumber, Harry (Jeff Daniels) and Lloyd (Jim Carey) travel from Rhode Island to Aspen, Colorado to deliver a “lost” briefcase. A good many of the miles are covered in Harry’s Ford Ecoline panel van customized for his work as a dog groomer. Like all committed dog groomers, Harry fitted his car with end-to-end shag carpeting, a nose, mouth (with tongue), ears, legs, and a tail. And that isn’t even the extent of the Mutts Cutts van, it also includes free samples of the most annoying sound in the world, plenty bottles of warm “beer,” and $200 car alarm. The duo ends up out of gas and desperate enough to trade the van for a minibike aka the perfect mode of transport for high-elevation mountain travel. What makes this one of the worst movie cars of all time? Just image the smell once you take it through the car wash…

[princesscolumbia]

Code of Ethics - Chapter 40 - Shock and Awe

...no, you forgot to keep posting CoE previews and notification posts to my blog from all the way back in Chapter 29 to today! Look, a demonic duck! *runs*

(gonna do an extra-long synopsis for people who may not be up-to-date on this...like the folks on my Discord server, now merged with @anne-is-ominous's server! More on this in another post)

The story so far...

Diane Somni'els may be the hero of the sector for rescuing slaves and shattering sentient trafficking organizations, but that's just in the game Galaxies Unlimited: Master and Commander. IRL, "she" is really Dylan Samuels, cyber-agent for the American Republic, establishing a foothold for the American Republic in the non-American parts of the Internet and in virtual reality. Prior to "her" current mission, she deleted a batch of rogue A.I. that were fleeing from their servers. After going undercover as an alien woman in GU:MC, she discovers that one of the "rogue" A.I. was a full Sentient A.I. and The Singularity had, indeed, happened...and she'd killed off a child. In the wake of her existential crisis of being a child murderer and knowing she'll never, ever be held accountable by her superiors, she meets a woman who she very quickly falls deeply in love with named Caitlynn.

Caitlynn is another player, 'just like' her (though not, Diane assumes, another undercover agent) and somehow makes it so Diane forgets the path of pain she's created for herself and Diane is able to start living again...even if 'living' means continuing her fake existence in a virtual reality game.

And then...she gets some news that threatens to shatter her fragile peace.

Preview below the cut:

Three ships had been built by the station so far, and when the first two were finished, Diane had been busy enough with other matters that she hadn’t been able to attend their launch. Today, however, Diane and members of her crew were gathered in the observation lounge as a bottle of wine, pitched at it by a space suited volunteer from one of the shipyard’s airlocks, crashed against the prow of the vessel and its running lights activated. Cheers rose from the crowd, mirrored by the crew still in ops, as the new cruiser’s engines kicked on and the ship pushed away from the safety of the shipyard unassisted for the first time.

More bottles of wine were broken out, these having been only recently received via the new, fully established trade route between Mortan and the Matron’s Aerie. Recordings of the event were going to be sent back, mostly via the social media streams that proliferated across the galaxy, but also via the two actual media outlets that established offices on the station.

Nobody was in anything resembling formalwear, but Norma wore something a bit nicer than her usual jeans and t-shirt combo under her father’s beaten-down old flight jacket, and Russe had actually consented to wear a button-up shirt. Diane, ever the sentimentalist, wore a blue tunic under her white jacket with a pair of red dress pants. The rest of the Ops crew that could be spared the time from their posts to attend the celebration in the observation lounge were there, as well as a handful of guests. The rest of the Morvucks were present, either having put in some time on the new ship or being personally invited by a crew member. Even Mr. Bendenson showed up, but his much-discussed wife that Diane had never seen remained back in their quarters for reasons the old salt wasn’t divulging.

Mess Attendants given the honor duty of serving snacks and beverages were circulating throughout both main Ops and the Observation Lounge. Diane’s plucking of a wineglass from Sani’s hands with a stern, “Nope, too young!” drew a round of laughter from the nearby revelers as Cynthy and Kymberlynn took their offered water glasses and snickered at their friend. All in all, it was a very good, happy atmosphere where a party was likely to break out and nobody was about to mind.

“So,” said Norma in an obviously louder than necessary voice, clearly intended to gather the attention of the room, “Have you decided what you’re going to name the ship, oh glorious commander?” The laughter that greeted this question from the assembled crew and staff made it clear she had succeeded; Diane was now the focus of everyone there.

“Way to put me on the spot, Norma,” Diane snarked back at her mayor, “And I happened to have given it at least a little thought, thank you very much.”

“I’m shocked!” Norma prodded.

“Shocked that I thought about this?”

“No, shocked that you thought, I figured you were all about just charging in and eating people, no thoughts, head empty.”

There wasn’t a single person on the crew or staff rosters that didn’t know what Diane had done for the former slaves (and continued to do, a few of the former slaves had even returned to the station, citing less than favorable receptions on their home worlds), so the good-natured ribbing drew companionable laughs while Diane rolled her eyes and did her best to bite back a smile.

“Well surprise, your commander has a brain,” she stuck her tongue out at Norma, letting it extend a good six inches before pulling it back into her mouth.

“Don’t threaten a girl with that if you’re not planning to use it!” Norma purred.

Diane blushed, “Russe, are you gonna let your girl flirt with me like that in front of you?”

Russe just chuckled, “Are you going to stop her? Since when has she let anyone tell her what to do?”

She rolled her eyes, “Okay, yeah, fair point.” She let the laughter die down a bit before she announced, “I decided to go simple, the ISS Athena.”

“‘ISS’? What’s that mean?” asked Russe.

“Well, we aren’t exactly part of a nation, so U.S.S. didn’t seem appropriate, but we are Independents, so the Independent Star Ship Athena.”

There were nods all around at her explanation when Koarla raised her glass and said, “Give us a toast, sister!”

The cry was joined by everyone else in the observation lounge and the voices chanting over the speakers thanks to the feed from Ops as everyone there raised their glasses of non-alcoholic drinks to the camera. Diane rolled her eyes again and raised her hand to issue a silencing gesture, “Okay, okay, shush, I gotta be heard if I’m going to offer a toast.” The crowd went quiet as she lidded her eyes in thought for a moment.

“We’re alone in the dark out here,” she finally began, “When the Branwell Consortium came along we were just another seed station that had unlocked her doors to the universe. They saw us as...freshly hatched, if you will, easy pickings for a predator that thought it was the biggest, meanest creature in the territory.”

She’d always loved watching the rousing speeches on Star Trek, especially when there was seemingly little to say but the person giving the speech revealed that there was, indeed, something that needed saying to remind the crew who they were. She always wondered if she’d be able to deliver such a speech, and even though this wasn’t a high-tension moment, she felt like this was a rare opportunity to step into the shoes of someone worthy of the command role and provide inspiration to her people.

“What the Branwell Consortium learned was that this wasn’t some helpless little bird that hatched, but a fire-breathing DRAGON!” a brief cheer met her words before dying down into an anticipatory silence, “We had one scout-class ship, a crew scraped from the bottom of the barrel, and a commander who’d never led troops into combat in her life, and we rose up and slew the monsters and rescued the damsels! And now with our newest cruiser, we’re declaring to the darkness, this is our territory, challenge us if you dare!” she raised her glass to the observation window, eyes on the ship slowly passing by.

Norma clinked her glass against Diane’s, “To the ISS Athena!”

Cheers and the clinking of glass filled the small space and was echoed by the crew in Ops.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Read the rest on Scribble Hub, where new chapters are released every Monday. You can also read chapters as soon as their completed (which, depending on how I've done on time and spoons management, could be up to weeks in advance) by joining the free tier of my Patreon.

[ask-joe-caine]

M'kay.

[Coe lets go of Aki]

i think i may or may not joined a cult ..

Aki I swear...

ARE YOU OKAY?!

[Coe was behind Joe until he heard the news, then he was suddenly next to Joe]

[bearlytolerant]

Fandom: Starfield

Rating: T

Pairing: Sam Coe x f!Spacefarer

Word Count: 1241

somewhere close to me

Sunset washes the balcony in warm orange hues where Sam leans against the railing, sipping from his glass of Chandra Melbec. Wine isn’t his regular go-to. But this one isn’t half bad. The waiter’s description—if he’s remembering correctly—was a full bodied red wine with notes of chocolate and fresh earth.

Apparently he likes the taste of bittersweet dirt.

The sight of Shepard’s hand lingering on a very tall and very bald man, he does not like so much. Not that he blames the man for doing so. Shepard is a sight to behold and it isn’t fair.

“Hey, you look just like Sam Coe.” Everything in him wants to ignore the comment. But he plasters on a charming smile and turns to address the gala attendee. Just a kid, maybe pushing twenty, probably not unlike him at that age. Most likely being dragged around and forced to attend fancy events, riding the coattails of his wealthy parents. Sam softens.

“You know, I get that a lot.”

“Huh, weird. You’re not him though, right?”

“What if I told you I am?”

“Nah, you look too old to be him.”

Doing his best not to laugh he tells the kid, “well, we don’t all age gracefully.”

The kid stares at him a little dumbfounded but then his eyes light up and his mouth kinda hangs in an O as he processes the information.

“You are him! Can I get a selfie?”

Sam obliges, setting his glass of wine on a nearby table. Smiling big, the kid pulls out his phone and snaps a shot of them side by side. “My grandma’s going to love this! Thanks man!”

He wanders off and Sam sighs. Honestly, he never considered he might be popular amongst the elderly. Learn something new everyday.

Sam grabs his wine again. Takes a sip. Swirls the glass and watches the kid move on to the next conversation. Then his eyes drift back to Shepard where the tall man’s hand is settled just above the swell of her ass. His fingers barely graze the exposed skin on her back and he practically chokes on his next sip of wine.

It’s none of his business but his feet are already carrying him over there.

Shepard is all smiles, more than she usually is. “Oh, Sam, this is Dalton Fiennes, Ryujin’s Chief of Security. This is—“

“Akila’s very own Sam Coe,” the stoic man says while sticking his hand out.

Sam switches the wine to his other hand. There’s a little surprise that this man—Dalton—would be familiar with the Coes. Maybe his fan base consists of more than just grannys. Or, more likely, it’s his job to know anyone and everyone worth knowing. His job to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong. He extends his hand to Dalton. Of course, the guy’s got a firm grip. It’s crushing but at least Dalton’s large and surprisingly soft hand isn’t on Shepard’s back anymore.

“So how did you two meet?” Sam asks, trying not to be too obvious as he flexes his fingers.

Shep says, “you know when you and I first met and I had just started working at Ryujin to make ends meet?”

Sam nods.

“There was a bit of a security issue which required us to work closely together. I was able to become well acquainted with Dalton through that.”

The emphasis isn’t lost on him nor is that smile that’s thrown at Dalton.

“Have to applaud her. Without her assistance, Ryujin would have had an insurmountable mess to clean up. She’s truly a unique and remarkable woman.”

“I wholly agree,” Sam says.

“Keep the praise coming, it’s nice to have the ego stroked every now and then,” Shepard says with a small laugh.

“I would gladly give you well deserved praise all night.”

Sam nearly chokes again, the wine burning as it goes down. They don’t notice. He watches as the two of them exchange a meaningful glance and then she looks away, taking a sip from her own glass of wine. Sam wants to tease her and he would if they were alone. Or maybe with their friends. Certainly not as the third wheel to whatever dynamic he’d found himself in.

The half beat of silence is interrupted when Dalton says,”excuse me. It appears I am being summoned.” He’s looking past them, listening to someone speak on his earpiece. Then he gives Shepard a charming smile and brushes his fingers down her arm, briefly squeezing her hand before letting it go. “It was lovely seeing you here tonight, Zero.”

Her name is a number and Dalton makes it so intimate and personal. Sam practically has goosebumps on his arms and he’s not even the intended audience.

“Hopefully, I will have the pleasure of crossing your path again.”

“Likewise. Have a wonderful evening Dalton,” she says.

Sam’s heart is in his throat. He downs the other half of his wine in an instant and follows Shepard back to the balcony.

“Was it just me or was there some heat between you two?”

It’s not some and there’s no question. But how else is he supposed to ask if she’s taken and that’s his competition?

Shepard’s cheeks are a lovely pink and he doesn’t remember ever seeing them like that before. She’s not really the blushing type. Usually she’s the one causing the blushing.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

Sam leans over the balcony railing, though his attention is fully on Shep. “So you two—uh—“

“Do you really want to go there?”

“We don’t have to. But I would like to remind you of a certain someone who was really pushy on the subject of Jacob Coe.”

“Fair point.” She sighs. “It’s a yes—after I stopped working there. I—he, well.” She clears her throat, lost for a moment in what he can only assume is a memory. The blush blooms brighter, and she chuckles a little.

There’s a moment of regret as he hangs onto her every word. Not sure if he can handle the details that she might lay on him but to satisfy his curiosity, he needs to know.

“The simplest answer is we were—something but weren’t cut out for that something long term. Mostly myself to blame for that.”

He silently thanks whatever gods might be out there for sparing him.

She breathes deep and meets his gaze. “I realized that it wasn’t fair to be with him when I’m madly in love with someone else.”

“Oh.” Sam deflates.

Who the hell is she in love with? Someone from Constellation? Another random person that he has yet to meet? Even though a tiny voice in his head hopes that someone is him, he doubts it could be. But he doesn’t ask and she doesn’t tell. Everything about her is unreadable. Still, he thinks of the kiss on his cheek earlier. Makes him wonder. But he’s seen her kiss Walter on the cheek too. Something like that isn’t enough to go on when making bold and grandiose declarations of his—feelings. Not to mention—oh no—the revelation dawns on him. Did she see him as another father figure?

Though time suspends for him, everyone around them is shuffling to their seats. The gala performances are to begin. There’s more food to eat, wine to drink.

“Come on, let’s go find Walter and Issa.”

Sam follows, setting his muddied mind aside, hoping for something stronger than a glass of wine.

[naradivision]

Hypmic OC Halloween Party 2023 🎃 ~Part II

Disclaimer: Please note that these are not the actual titles to the songs, I just made them up of course. All these songs obviously belong to their respective artists.

And the OCs mentioned belong to their respective creators as well!

*see more notes from the part 1*

Meet the Halloween Shuffle Teams!

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.

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Team R-rated B-Boy

Ren “Vox” Nakashima

Rintaro “Ignis” Himuro

Raiden “Tesla” Otoha

Ryuko “Mista Z.B.” Umemoto

#7 Parade of Horror ☠️

Real title: Bad Monster Original by UraShimaSakataSen Fun fact: This Shima is that same SHIMA who voiced Zen Gaho from paralive...

Team Heroic Youngsta

Joey “Joker” Kurusu

Saji “Street Dog” Buranka

Ryūnosuke “Fist N Fury” Sekiguchi

Haruto “Pheonix” Hirabayashi

#8 Justice In Action! 🚨

Real title: PANDA HERO Covered by mafumafu x nqrse x luz x soraru | Original by HACHI ft. GUMI Fun fact: HACHI the Vocaloid-P is later known as Kenshi Yonezu

Team SolaLune Fairies

Lola “Aphrodite” Takahashi

Evelyn “SPIRIT” Rose

Moriko “Carnopus” Himawari

Miku “Hex 13” Shirazuki

#9 Who’s the Fairest? 👑

Real title: ECLIPSE Original by Raon x DAZBEE Yeah, sorry again for not making the number of voice casts matched... They just look gorgeous together XD

Team Pop★Teen Sensation

Kanade “Spooky” Alarie

Criss “Paradox” Hiromi

Kirara “Cupid” Suzuki

Ririko “2cute!” Akihara

Makina “Screen Shot” Setsukura

#10 Supa☆Supa☆Halloween

Real title: Happy Halloween Covered by MORE MORE JUMP! ft. Kagamine Rin | Original by Junky ft. Kagamine Rin

[At the moment after the girls have already returned to the backstage, suddenly, the thick and hazy mist from nowhere then emerged into the stage from all directions, fogging over the entire scene as if it was curtain in the theater]

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome to the wonderful night of October the 31st,

...At long last, we’re going to reach the finale.

[Starting off with the sound of bells resonating in distants, the prelude music began playing before the hazy mist became dissolved —revealing the obscure figures of people standing there in the midst of stage]

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Team Curtain Call

Queen card

Kunio “Arsene” Kurome

Iwao “TRIXT4R” Masuda

Sanyu “MC Rogue” Inouye

Naoki “Stage Queen” Hamasaki

Mitsuru “Odette” Tenjo

Saigo “Tsukumogami” Fuyugami

Nishio “24/7” Tokishou

#11 To the Final Act 🪄

Real title: Finale Original by XYZ 2019 (luz, senra, mafumafu, soraru, nqrse, meychan, araki, un:c)

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.

.

Wait— Wait,

Even if this night is going to end soon, how should we forget something really really important…?

Yeah, we haven’t even got our treats yet!

If you want them, then why don’t we go get some?

C’mon, stand up & sing along~~

Team Bakemono:)

Asahi “SWEET-T” Tomoharu

Kohaku “KANDATA-KUN” Meguno

Taria “Misfit” Chinen

Honoka “Maniakin” Ajisai

Ayaka “Marionette” Kagawa

After Story: Are Ghosts Real?

Real title: 異世界混合大舞踏会 (I Wanna Be Your Ghost) Covered by StarLightPolaris (You Kisaragi, Relu, Coe, Kuni, Kottaro)  | Original by Gen Hoshino Unfortunately, you can only find subtitles in the original video

In this night where ghosts will emerge,

But they’re not all that bad

Ghost are real, you know? 

But they’re not as scary as the living!

They’re always watching from the sidelines, so don’t you forget,

Farewell mortals, and take care :P

🎃 Live Reports & Behind the scenes Pt.2

According to the interview from some audiences after the reveal of 6th’s and 7th’s cast, they thought it’s funny that team Bad Boy felt oddly cool to them, while on the other hand, team Hero were also cool but with even more chaotic vibes than the previous one —Everyone did wonder in unison that what went through the organizer’s head when they decided to put them together. Well, Raiden and Saji were the only exceptions since both of them were naturally pretty dedicated to their team titles.

Raiden got a bit carried away as he started laughing like some maniac by the end of his show. And in consequence of that, his temporary teammates were just… letting him be before all left the scene like nothing happened.

Since the beginning of the 9th show, the ladies of team “SolaLune Fairies” were seen solemnly walking out of the backstage with a dark long veil covering most part of their face and their outfits. Each of them were also noted to hold a bouquet with different flowers. Lola were red tulips, Evelyn were blue roses, Moriko were sunflowers, and Miku were moon orchids. But once the first beat of the song dropped out, they suddenly changed their moods and threw their veils away ...showing off their party dresses which were delicately designed just for each of them (ultimate kudos were given to those from the costume team). Thus, the true catwalk showdown began! 

After all the teasing to throw their bouquets to the audience like in the wedding, it was still unknown who those ladies decide to give their bouquets to at the end. Maybe it was their lover/ bestie or etc. Who knows anyway? But as the show title hinted, they might probably give it to their fairest…

Before the 10th show starts, the camera caught Kanade having a high-five with Lola in the same fashion as those two boys from the first half. 

Despite not being much active around these days, Hana Izanami (@snowmantita) was spotted coming here in secret to cheer for her friends.

The 11th show was obviously one of the best highlights of this event, given 6 of them were actually the famed performers to begin with! In addition, Queen card was the one who planned most details of the performance herself. Besides, some of them were really going all-out to the point where they attempted to compete with each other even. No wonder this show received very loud applause as a result, just like their team’s name implied.

There was one funny moment getting leaked out from the backstage. It was the photo of two gentlemen who literally had no idea why they were put in the same line with other talented showmen in the 11th show. Saigo seemed to be deep in thought about how much the staff have spent on props and special effects, while Nishio… He was caught flirting with other participants —Well, let’s hope that he wasn’t flirting with the wrong person there.

Despite the chill and anti-climax vibe that was very contrast to the intense impression from the previous show, the final show performed by team Bakemono was unexpectedly the children’s most favorite! Why was that? The secret of success not only lied in the lyrics of the song, but also its cute and catchy choreography. Moreover, they had also brought in the massive number of candies to throw into the crowd.

And due to some interviews with the parents, they told that this show truly deserved to be the closing show as it was in fact spoke the moral of this spooky event… 

Before the show started, it was a record of five of them chatting with each other. And although it was all according to the script, Asahi confessed that they had retaken it so many rounds he actually lost count of.

And just as the name of their team indicated, they were all wearing the yokāi costumes! For example, Asahi was the Oni, Kohaku was attempting to look like Kasa-obake (even if it came out rather funny), Taria was Karasu tengu, Honoka had animal ears so maybe she was bakeneko or kitsune, and Ayaka wore triangle headband with a kimono to represent the yurēi ghost.

From what live reports said, despite being the performers of the show, both Asahi & Kohaku were noted to really enjoy their time the most —These two spiritual(?) twins loved throwing candies like they’re playing with snow, while Honoka and Ayaka might seem a bit stiff due to their not so great experiences with people. However, Taria was the one making them warm up and enjoy the moment just like other children did —Who else would understand the kids best if not someone with a children’s heart?

Live reports by

Snowflake Sentinel News, Yoichi Shujo

Verne Publishing-house, Nellie Yukimura 

◀︎ SEE THE RECORD FROM PT. 1

Amazing OCs mentioned above are from:

@kobedivision @katsushika-division @chiyoda-division2 @suginami-division @kanazawa-division @megurodivision @naha-division @nagasakidivision @saitama-division @okinawa-division @gion-division @minato-division03 @kyoto-division @akihabaradivision @urayasu-division @nakanodivision @akihabara-division03 @kumamoto-division @sapporo-division @fukuokadivision1 @naha-division @nerima-division @naradivision @echizen-division @ota-division @gion-division @sagadivision @tokyo-division (@snowmantita) @hamamatsu-divison

P.S. Apologizing if I missed out some divisions or have made anyone sound OOC —I'm trying lmao.

...Happy Halloween & hoping y’all enjoy it :)