#emma talks wrestling

[chanoeys]

NOW THAT’S UCEY, LETS GO JIMMY.

[cowboyshit]

mustafa ali isn’t with wwe anymore??????

[fellhellion]

Wow the old adage rlly is true (you will, by no fault of ur own, create M-mancing detectives with trust/commitment issues)

[zerokurokawa]

hi, i love your works, they are amazing! i don't know if you accept any requests, but if you don't mind could you write a one shot with Baji x reader, where they are 12-13(maybe before boys formed toman or just formed), she can be his friend, classmate, tutor, neighbour, Emma's friend, whatever your prefer, and Baji is so in love with her that everybody can see it and reader also and his friends tease him

Young Love | Baji x Reader

You were twelve and he was thirteen when he first saw you at Mikey's family dojo. From then, you swore he couldn't keep his eyes off you while you were hanging with Emma, his best friend's little sister.

"Why do you keep staring at y/n?" Mikey asked, as he drew his foot up for another kick.

"I don't know, really." Baji said, kind of irritated that Mikey caught him staring at you.

You all decided that once the session was over for the day, to go get something to eat. Emma invited you to tag along and so you did. The only issue was, who were you going to ride with?

"You can ride with me, y/n," Baji spoke up as he handed you his only helmet, "but holding on to the strap isn't safe so you should hold on to me instead." He smiled with his bright eyes and fangs showing.

You didn't say much, as you were nervous to be riding with him to begin with. You got on the back of his bike and he took off, trying not to scare you but to impress you at the same time.

Weeks had passed and Baji and had felt every need to keep hanging around you. He would constantly find excuses for Emma to invite you over and have you tag along with all of the guys.

"Emma, Draken is just going to ignore you, so why don't you invite y/n to come along so you won't be alone?" He would say, hoping Emma would pull out her phone and put you on speaker so he could talk to you.

"Are you sure you're not wanting me to invite her solely because YOU want to hangout with her?" Mikey would tease him, ruffling his hair. Baji would blush and shove him off, saying he just thought you were cool and wanted you to be apart of the group.

"Yeah, rightttttttt." Draken would let out a husky laugh as Baji continued to blush at his antics. Soon enough, you arrived and Baji was overwhelmed with excitement; it was surely showing through his toothy grin.

You all hung out for the entire day with Baji clinging to your side like a lost puppy. Even while at the arcade, he insisted that you two play games together, even the one armed arm wrestling one. He tried to win a big stuffed animal for you, but soon ran out of money.

At the end of the day, he finally got the nerve to ask for your phone number, but not though you, he asked for it through Emma. Emma reluctantly gave him your number so that way he could call and text you to hangout on his own time.

"Come on Emma, stop. I just like her cause she's cool!" He beckoned at Emma's teasing gestures as she would giggle and call him a love sick puppy.

"Yeah Emma, don't discourage our poor Baji from being in loveeeee." Mikey would perk up and join in the teasing.

Baji's face was completely red after this incident, but you still received a call from an unknown number later that night. Of course, you decided to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Uh, Hi, this is Baji… I uh, got your number from Emma and was wondering if you wanted to hangout tomorrow after school?" He finally mustered up the courage to ask.

"Sure! I'd love to!" You smiled through the phone.

Hanging out with him after school and on the weekends was always the best times. He would take you to eat, to the arcade, to the beach, and on random bike rides around the city. He really tried his best to behave in order not to scare you. Of course, you knew that Baji liked you, yet you decided to keep the teasing at a minimum since you liked him too.

Thus, beginning your relationship with a young, bashful Baji Keisuke.

(A/N: I hope you enjoy!!! :))

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

Heeey have you already done Shinichiro headcanons? Do you have any? Thanks!!!

Sure here are some for Shinichiro!

Attends all of Mikey's races in the good timeline, also brags to everyone that Mikey is his brother and talks about how proud he is

Inui once called him big brother by accident, Shinichiro was thrilled.

When Emma started to grow older he bought a book on menstruation and tried to learn about it to help her. 

Even though they're all adults he still occasionally grabs Mikey, Emma's and Izana's hands if they're walking together out of habit.

Cries when someone actually accepts his confession 

He recorded a whole bunch of home videos of his siblings growing up, will show Draken and their other partners. (He sees it as something cute not embarrassing)

We didn't get to see it but he gave Emma a few lessons on driving a bike as well as Mikey and Izana.

Goes with Wakasa on his fishing trips a lot

After his fight with Izana, he never gave up on trying to call and text him.

Always has tissues on hand in case he or someone else starts crying

Doesn't celebrate his own birthday too much, but it's ok since his friends and siblings always do a lot for him.

Is terrible at cooking and baking

He has the cheesiest pick up lines

Always considered school to be very important and tried to pass that on to his siblings

He's the one who taught Mikey to not hit girls 

Is actually very good at multi tasking.

When he has a partner he offers to drive them around everywhere. He likes to feel them pressed up against him while driving and wants them to experience how much fun a bike is.

Basically considers Baji as another sibling, he tries to teach him things the same as his other siblings.

If he'd lived through Kazutora's attack then he would've forgiven him. 

Found his first bike broken and ditched on the side of the road. He then practically self taught himself with books on how to fix it up.

Has had a heart to heart talk with Sanzu before over the difficulties of being a big brother and being responsible for your younger siblings.

He's also tried to talk to Takeomi about going easier on Sanzu before.

Gets along very well with Ryoko, she trusts him with Baji a lot.

He has a sweet tooth and also snacks a lot

Is a very fast runner, actually being faster then Mikey (even as adults Mikey still demands races)

Can play the guitar and taught Izana

Sometimes he arm wrestles with Benkei, he knows he won't win but still finds it fun.

In a relationship, Shinichiro is the first to tell you he loves you. But not in a typical way, he actually says it sleepily one morning before realising what he just said and cursing because he wanted the first time to be more romantic.

And finally, after meeting Izana he bought extra taiyaki so he could take one home to Kakucho. 

[celestica-1988]

Some other Tokyo Revengers characters headcanon. There will be SPOILERS.

When Mikey left the Sano household he brought with him his towel and some pics of the people he lost. Almost every night when he's curled up in his towel ready to sleep he watches the pics and cries. Yes, even when he's in bonten.

Draken biggest regret is not confessing his feelings to Emma. So when he gets up and goes to bed he always says "I love you" to her pic on the wall.

Baji is so scared of his mother tears because when she cries she turns in a really strong opponent. She's the female version of the blue ogre.

Chifuyu thought that his mother hated Peke J till one day when he got home from school and found the two sleeping together snuggling.

Takemichi finds some notes of his past self in which he's confused about being friends with people he doesn't even remember he knew and lately being involved in a gang. Past Takemichi is afraid he's going insane so our Takemichi writes te a note in which he explains everything. Not surprisingly past Takemichi is even more confused and thinks he need a therapist.

Kazutora is proud of his tattoo. He just wish people in Japan wouldn't be so scared of tattoos because sometimes is tired of hide it with turtlenecks.

Takuya likes to watch wrestling.

Yamagishi dream is that his delinquent encyclopedia would be published one day.

Akkun dies his hair red by himself as a training to be an hairdresser.

Mitsuya is very good at karaoke, he likes to sing rock songs.

Hakkai is the first and more hardcore shipper of Mitsuya x Yuzuha. He really wants Taka-chan to be a part of his family.

Sometimes Taiju babysits Mana and Luna. One time they asked him to watch IT (the 90s version) with them since Takanii forbid them to watch such a scary horror movie, Taiju accepted but not much longer the movie started Mana and Luna started to cry and Taiju did his best to comfort them (he said he would punch any clowns that goes close to them or something similar). In the end the little ones fell asleep in his arms and Taiju had to live for a week with the Mitsuya because Mana and Luna felt safe only near to him. Needless to say an angry Mitsuya scolded Taiju.

When Pahchin gets released all the Toman members throw a party for him. He was sad Mikey was not there though.

When Yasuda confessed to Pehyan he malfunctioned and froze for a solid 15 minutes.

Angry thought for a while that he would be a nurse when he will be an adult. He changes his mind after seeing Nahoya smiling with his eyes wide in delight while eating the ramen that he prepared. Since then Angry wants to be a ramen chef.

Smiley once stole Angry favorite stuffed animal, Souya got so upset that accidentally unleashed the blue ogree. Since then Nahoya always politely asks to Souya if he can borrow one of his plushies.

Mucho goes to punk rock concerts, one time he brought Sanzu with him, but it wasn't a good idea. Sanzu beated almost all the people in the venue.

Sanzu ends up regretting killing Mucho, he misses the older brother he was for him. Especially when he feels lonely and he realizes he has got nobody to talk to.

When Kisaki reaches the afterlife Baji punches him in the face so hard that for a moment he was sure he would come back in the world of the livings.

Hanma likes to play shooting games at the arcade, but when he loses he usually punches the machine.

Kokonoi lives in a traditional house when he's in bonten. There are a lot of candles, lanterns and things that make it a cozy place. Only Miley is admitted in his house and only for urgent matters. The house is his sanctuary to find inner peace after dealing with his crazy coworkers.

Inui likes goth girls more because they understand and appreciate his hobbies.

When Izana listens to Queen the whole neighborhood listens to Queen.

Kakucho learned to cook from Mochi.

Mochi hates creeps who harass women and always beat them down to a pulp. Harassing a woman is not an honorable behavior for a man!

Shion always fails tests of courage since when he was a kid. He believes in ghosts and he's afraid of them.

Rindou panicked when Ran slept for a whole day, he thought he was dead or in a coma. That's when he realized how important Ran is to him. When Ran woke up he cried for joy and ran to buy a mont blanc for his brother.

Ran cut his hair because he was tired of Sanzu calling him Wednesday or Annabelle.

Never insult someone because they are not fully Japanese in front of South, he will punch the living shit out of you. Since he's also a mixed race person he hates when people are bullied for that reason.

Wakasa saved a stray cat once and let the kitten live with him. Now when he doesn't wanna hang out with Takeomi he said he's busy... Busy cuddling his cat that he treasures so much because it help him avoid unnecessary social situations. And because... Who doesn't love a cat?

Benkei likes to built copies of castles in miniature. It relaxes him cause it takes great concentration and ability to do that in the right way.

Takeomi gossips like an old lady with his coworkers (may God help them)

Shinichiro cried the first time he watched Titanic, it's one of his favorite movies.

Yuzuha meets with Emma and Senju every month to talk about how hard it is dealing with problematic brothers.

Hinata is a fan of Avril Lavigne and sometimes she dreams of touring around the world playing the songs she wrote. Unluckily she can't sing but she has got some alternative fashion clothes.

Emma talks and sleeps with the plushie Draken gave to her. She calls him Kenken.

Senju goes often to Harajuku to take inspiration for her outfits.

[gfmima]

c. 東京卍リベンジャーズ | tokyo revengers + f!reader t. you’re WAY out of his leagues and he knows

sano dojo, it reads.

an hour before to your arrival, mikey decided to text you his home address, inviting you to meet him prior to your date at the beach.

it was weird to say the least.

you two already had a habit of meeting at the location itself to save time thanks to his busy schedule and whatnot. your mind overflows with different thoughts all at once — some whisper it was bad news, others reassure it was nothing for you to worry over.

the very last thing you need to do is freak out on such a nice day… or was it? maybe you should’ve brought an umbrella? is it too late to go back? maybe you can ask mikey to bring one just in c—

“can i help you, miss?”

your body tenses up.

a man stands opposite you with an equally clueless look. he holds the door open on stand-by to hear your response until a wave of recognition washes over his face.

“you must be mikey’s girl! hold up… y-you’re mikey’s girl!?” he opens the door wider and welcomes you inside his home with an expression of disbelief. he then introduces himself as your boyfriend’s eldest brother before guiding you to the kitchen where he stayed.

you try to ignore the bizarre looks he sent you and walk two steps behind him. was there something on your face? your hand reaches to grab your pocket mirror.

“oh, mikey~! look who’s here to see you~!” shinichiro says in a sing-song manner, forcing all eyes to be on you now.

you’d be lying to yourself if you said you didn’t feel the least but self-conscious by their reaction. it wavers from surprise to stupor like they’ve seen a real-life ghost and you can feel your nerves prickle from their intense stares.

with his unruly blond hair obscuring his face and dried drool on his cheek, you would’ve chided him for wasting precious time if his siblings weren’t studying you like a new organism under a microscope.

“i’m not interrupting something, am i, ‘jiro?” you scurry over to his side, holding his forearm like a frightened child.

mikey shakes his head and reached to rest his arm over you immediately, his expression visibly brightening at the sight of you here. he looks at izana, who scoffs at him, and sticks his tongue out as if he wasn’t a full-fledged adult.

“ha! i told you she’s real!”

you tilt your head. huh?

shinichiro offers an apologetic smile for his brother’s idiocy, whereas emma and izana continue to gawk. the pair glance at you, then at mikey, then back at you.

“you’re lying. no way a woman like her would date someone like you. back me up, em!”

“uh, i’m staying out of this.” she raises her hands and backs away. “you two handle whatever this is on your own.”

your boyfriend purses his lips in a serious pout. he turns his back on his older brother, scoffing, “well… you’re just being jealous!”

his comment spurs them to continue arguing like little kids. you stand in the middle of the crossfire as it ensues, greatly confused by the entire ordeal. should you step in?

“i’m super, duper sorry about them. boys are boys, y’know? they’re dumb.” emma’s sheepish tone pulls your focus from the chaos. “so… you must be mikey’s girlfriend! you’re very pretty. i can see why he always talks about you!”

then there was izana… who cuts the conversation short just to look at you closely and demands, “quick! blink twice if he intimidated you to be his girlfriend!”

“is he really not paying you to do this?” is the last thing you bank on to be the first thing your boyfriend’s older brother would say to you.

your mouth opens to give him piece of your mind, though, it promptly closes, not sure of what to tell him. you must have look like a fish out of water as your mind wrestles to process what he said to you.

your foots taps along in an uneven pace, counting down the seconds in your head until rindō came home from his short trip to your go-to restaurant for dinner take-outs.

“what do you mean?” you settle on asking him, as you try to keep your tone neutral as possible.

ran picks a piece of lint off his sleeve and looks at you in the eyes. “what i mean is, he isn’t the most popular with women because of attitude. breaking news, right? and, well, you’re very easy on the eyes. it’s weird to think my own little brother was able to convince a pretty little thing such as you to be his.”

he didn’t mean it to sound as harsh as it did.

he just impressed by how long rindō was able to keep silent about your relationship. he didn’t even realize anything was amiss until he returned one day with you clinging to his arm like a high-strung puppy.

the fact his baby brother — a twenty-one-year-old man — was no longer, a baby, albeit endearing, was baffling.

“i’m not interested in hearing about his dating history. rindō treats me right and that’s all i care about.” the blunt edge in your tone piques his interest.

huh, you weren’t paid to play pretend girlfriend after all. you appear genuinely upset with what he said. still, he can never be too sure. he lived with rindō long enough to know he was just as stubborn to prove him wrong.

“there’s no need for the attitude, sweetheart. i’m just…” ran chooses his next words carefully. “expressing how shocked i am. that’s all. you understand, right? you’re the first girl he brought home and introduced to me — the only one without a three-week expiration. he’s like a changed man.”

you bite the inside of your cheek. what on earth is he trying to imply?

“i’ve got no clue what you did to him but he’s been happier lately.” if you strain your ears, you can hear him offer a tiny, “thank you,” under his breath.

“trust me, the feelings mutual.”

ran shows you a silver of a grin.

despite your cumbersome start, it was obvious he cares for rindō like any other older brother would, putting in the extra effort to embarrass him any way he can. you suppose going here wasn’t a bad idea after all.

delighted with your answer, he offers to show off every baby photo of your boyfriend, especially the unflattering ones. he even lets you take a few pictures with your phone.

“he was so pale then, plump too… he kinda resembles those daifuku mochi, no?”

[h8ani]

A Gift For You

Pairing: Chifuyu Matsuno x Reader

Anime: Tokyo Revengers

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: Nothing really, Emma isn’t really canon in this, Sano!Reader, fluffy cute as shit, her and Emma argue 🤣 lil sister tingz, afab! reader in mind!

A/N - I just wanted to say thank you @kkittycries for proofreading and helping me revise this because I most definitely would’ve trashed this 😭😭

“God, you’re so in love with him.” Emma says before taking a sip of her drink. She watches you stare off with hearts in your eyes beside her as you two sit by Hina at the shrine. Your eyes were zoned in past Mikey and on the vice captain of the first division, Chifuyu. His focus looking up as Mikey speaks aloud to all of Toman, his body straight and center, you could see his hair sway with the crisp fall breeze that came every now and then.

You weren’t listening as Emma spoke to you, barely hearing the giggle Hina let out until she nudged you to get your attention. “Huh- what?” You look at the two girls who were just smiling at you.

“Stop gawking at your boyfriend and listen to me, we need to talk about your party.” Emma says. Your eyes narrow before turning fully to her. “At least I don’t have a Draken shrine in my room.” A gasp leaves her as she sits up, slamming her canned drink on the ground.

“You didn’t!”

“Oh I did.”

The tension rises as you two stare daggers at each other, Hina uncomfortably clears her throat before speaking up. “No family fighting please! The last time you guys fought you two tumbled down the stairs.”

“That was her fault!” You both say in unison while looking at Hina causing her to shrink up at the outburst.

You and Emma were close in age which more than likely reasoned with why you two argued so much. She was a year younger than you and Mikey yet you out of all of the siblings look the most different. You had darker hair like your older brother Shinichiro and you were taller than both of them as well, standing a few inches taller as your siblings were just under you.

Emma and you were very alike aside from constantly bickering and wrestling around from time to time. You both were really sweet, caring about your friends the second you grow that bond, she has a big heart for those she loves and you’re just a bit more reserved. You’d rather like someone from afar while Emma goes and gets what she wants when she wants it.

You sigh and bring your attention back on the blonde boy you were fawning over earlier. You spend most of the nights you come here with Emma and Mikey doing this, staring from afar and not doing anything but thinking of how cute he is. You’ve been introduced to him when you were younger, always knowing all of Mikey’s friends and most of the members in Toman yet you still knew nothing about him. Sometimes you wish you could trade places with Emma, at least she’d know how to catch his attention. “Hey (y/n)?” Hina speaks up, “do you ever talk to Chifuyu?” She asks.

Your thoughts about said blonde were cut short as you feel yourself deflate. “No...” you mumble, tucking your knees against your chest.

“She’s too scared he won’t even know who she is.” Emma teases, “she’s too chicken.”

“Am not!” You whip around, glaring once again at your younger sister who’s snickering to herself. As much as you love her, you want to tackle her down the stairs once again. The bickering between you two never ceases to stop even once the meeting ends and others pass by you sparing glances at you both.

“Just go talk to him!” Emma shouts

“Who does (y/n) want to talk to?” A voice speaks up from behind you, you turn to see your brother walking up the steps of the shrine with Draken following close behind.

Your mouth drops open slightly, how much did he hear? Does he know of the feelings you’ve had? No, he couldn’t. You’ve only told-

“Oh she wants to talk to Ch-” you whip your head around to send another set of daggers at her, a sly smile spreading across her lips before she can finish her sentence. “No one, she doesn’t want to talk to anyone so nevermind.” She smiles up at Mikey, her attention now settling on Draken as she stands up.

Your eyes stay on your sister as Mikey’s stay on you, a smile threatening to form on his face as he says his next words. “I’ll just tell him to go ahead then leave then.” All three of you girls look at Mikey, curious as to who it was.

“What?” Emma asks while glued to Draken’s side.

“Who?” You raise your eyebrows, curious as to who wanted to speak to you.

A small hum came from beside you, Hina’s features riddled with confusion as to everything that’s been happening. Poor girl.

“Chifuyu, he said he wanted to talk to you but I’ll just-”

“Where is he?” You interrupt making Emma snicker and Hina lets out a small gasp. You rise to your feet and look at Mikey who can’t help but let a smile across his face. “He’s waiting by his bike, better go before you’ve made him wait too long.” You’re gone walking down the stairs before Mikey could even finish his sentence, his head follows you as you keep a steady pace trying to walk too fast to the boy who wants to talk to you.

As he watches you a smile stays formed on his face, seeing his 2 minute younger little sister who’s clearly walking like she’s on a mission was heartwarming. You tried to be tough on the outside despite you keeping everything bottled up and being one of the more sensitive siblings; you’re sometimes the spitting image of his older brother and it does something to him. Yes he’s protective over you, that’s what brothers are for, but with the similarities you give he can’t help but give you a push in life and especially in the love department, god knows Shinichiro needed it.

Your thoughts were everywhere as you made your way towards all the bikes, what did Chifuyu want to talk to you about? Why’d he send your brother out of all people? Did he catch you staring at him? No he couldn’t have you would’ve seen him look back at you there’s no way that’s the reason. But what if it is? Someone else could’ve told him and he wants to talk to you and tell you that you’re a creep. You grab onto your fingers anxiously pulling on them as your mind goes in high gear. If you turned back now you could highjack Mikey’s bike and never look back-

“(y/n).” A voice calls out ahead of you. You glance up and see Chifuyu and realize that you made it to all of the bikes. He smiles at you as he’s leaning against his own, his hands tucked away in his pockets, cheeks a light shade of pink, the weather did drop a bit since being out here. God he was just so cute. You were staring again, no words able to leave your lips as you gawk up at the boy in front of you. Embarrassment quickly takes over once you hear him chuckle. “I wanted to give you something.”

“Huh?” The word came out before you meant for it to as you were snapped out of your mindless stares. “I heard it was your birthday.” He speaks again while standing up from his bike and walking closer to you. You blinked standing there dumbfounded as you put two and two together of what he just said. Did he just say a gift?

He pulls his hands out of his pocket and raises a small necklace up in front of you. It’s a small moon pendant with a little green stone in the middle of it. Your eyes widened upon seeing it and he swore he could see the stars in the night sky sparkle in them, a smile graced your lips as you looked closer. The relief he felt once he saw your smile relaxed him a bit. “I know it’s your birthstone but if you don’t like the color then I could always return it-”

“I love it.” You interrupt while clasping your hand over the pendant. “Thank you Chifuyu. I really do love it.”

“Want me to put it on you?” He asks, you look at the necklace and hand it back to him and turn around, pulling your hair to the side so he can clasp it on better.

The necklace hangs perfectly, it’s not too big but not too small either. You turn around and meet his eyes, he smiles seeing you wear his gift.

“So um I’ve been meaning to actually ask you something.” His cheeks deepen in color as he scratches the back of his neck and chuckles. “It’s stupid really and I’m sure whoever told me is just joking.” You tilt your head in confusion but still nodding nevertheless “Do you stare at me like Mikey says?”

Emma is going to only have a sister soon enough.

[yichuuonvenus]

Charleston Girl

Dark!Arvin Russell x Reader

~Description~

You were the wealthy good girl from the “better” side of Knockemstiff, Ohio only that was so far from the truth. Arvin was never one to judge for you being a hidden troublemaker but he can’t help but want to straighten out a girl who doesn’t want to be handled. 

~Warnings~

Rape/Non-con, Underage drinking, Smoking, Fingering, Forced Orgasm, semi-public sex

“It’s so pretty on you,” you said as Lenora gave you a twirl. She was wearing a pretty pink tea-length dress. It was one of your own. You had so many from Momma, that you didn’t bother hanging this one up. It was in a box in your attic. You hadn’t thought of it until Lenora asked you about wearing something to the dance and what you would wear.

All you thought about was going to the dance with Lenora. You couldn’t care less about what you were going to wear. It’s always been that way. You and Lenora. You both were two peas in a pod. You were never seen without the other the day you found each other. It was in Kindergarten after Tommy Matson pushed quiet, good Lenora into the mud. He got a bad black eye and you got a new best friend. As you both grew up, you wrestled less with boys your age and found yourself under their sheets while Lenora became a godly goody two shoes. You kept up with the persona of the do-gooder for Momma of course. There was no way of talking your way out of one of Momma’s lectures. 

So you tried your hardest to seem like that good rich girl from the “better side” of Knockemstiff, Ohio. Many people didn’t look past the facade. You played it up so well going to church, never staying out late, never drinking or smoking. Little did everyone know you were doing more than they even realized. No one saw past it. Well, mostly everyone didn’t except for Arvin Russel. You didn’t know Lenora’s cousin that well even when you were at their house most of the time. He never talked much to you only gruff hellos and a few forced waves. 

He knew what you were plain as day but he never spoke on it. Never called you out for your sinful ways when you and Momma were over and Emma was going on about how much of a good girl you are, when you would laugh and giggle next to Lenora during prayer, or when you would lie to the boys you flirted with about being a virgin. 

Arvin never even batted an eye. That was until you found yourself being flirted with by Tommy Matson. He was just a dalliance in your eyes. He didn’t mean much to you plus it wasn’t like you were actually planning on sleeping with him but to Arvin… 

Arvin acted as if you sold yourself to the devil. 

He treated you so coldly after he saw you with Tommy one day. You had been kissing something you always did. Tommy got too handsy when you finally called it off. You rolled your eyes when he cursed about you being a tease and how Susie already went to third base with him. You spit the taste of him out and wiped your mouth. 

“Not all of us are easy like Susie Cox…” you snarled.

He rolled his eyes before spitting, “I was told you were easier than Susie Cox.” 

You cursed at him before shoving him away only to find Arvin looking in your direction with a hard glare. You stared back not knowing whether to give him a hard glare too. You chose to leave. Tommy was being a total drag anyway.  

“Good luck findin’ a way home,” Tommy said as you walked off. You couldn’t stop the middle finger that raised from you as you walked away with your arms crossed over your chest. 

You made your way down the road to your house. It wasn’t far from where you were now. So the walk wouldn't be anyways. You were by yourself for what seemed like ten minutes before hearing the sound of a car slow down next to you. You ignored it, thinking it was Tommy until a sound came from inside of the car. A sound from a voice you didn't want to hear right now. 

You stopped dead in your tracks and sighed, “Arvin…” 

You didn’t want to see him, especially not after your make-out succession with Tommy Matson. To be honest you would rather have him be Tommy than Arvin. 

“Get in,” he bit out. 

You hesitated a bit. You could tell he was upset and you could figure out a good and well enough reason as to why. He opened the door to his truck and you hurried in. It was quiet, so quiet it had you listening to the wind from outside the car for comfort. You wanted him to say something instead of this awkward silence that had your insides ripping themselves out. 

Finally, you couldn’t bear it any longer and said something. 

“Don’t tell Momma,” you whispered as you stared out into the road. 

You didn’t know why you said it because it wasn’t like he would’ve. He never did and yet… you had this overwhelming feeling that today might’ve been different, You could hear his grip tighten on the wheel ever so slightly at the plea. 

“And if I do?” He quietly asked. That caused you to finally look at him. You blinked in his direction, and he kept his eyes straight on the road. 

“She’ll kill me.”

“Is that such a bad thing?” he grunted as he pulled into your driveway. You stared at him as he finally turned his attention to you. His frown and hardened eyes stared right back at you. 

You swallowed, “Please… don’t tell Momma.”

He stared at you for what seemed like a long time before he eventually tilted his head, with a small nod. You thanked him for the ride and then that was it. You both never talked about it again nor was there even a reason to. To find your cousin’s best friend making out with a guy who bullied them both would have anyone shaking their heads at the sight. To this day you still don’t really know why you agreed to it in the first place. You supposed it was you were just bored and Tommy was the only one near that had anything interesting about him. 

You shook your head as Lenora pulled you up from the flowery bed. 

“Your turn,” she said with a smile, “You need a pretty dress too.” 

Lenora shuffled through the old boxes of dresses. It could’ve been decades worth of dresses. Momma had a keen eye for style. Lenora pulled out a pale blue dress you’ve never seen before. You smiled at it when Lenora held it up to you in the mirror. 

“Gorgeous.” 

You stared at it for a bit before Lenora spoke up again, “Hurry and put in on.”

You nodded and went to your bathroom. When you got the dress on you noticed how much prettier it was. The ruffles needed to be puffed out more, but it was a beautiful dress. When you came out Lenora couldn’t stop smiling and complimenting you about how you looked in it. You giggled when she twirled you around her. 

“Well don’t y’all look so pretty,” Momma said as you both smiled towards her. 

“Don’t we?”

She started to walk closer but you found Arvin right behind her. Your smile faltered a bit at the sight of him. Momma smiled at him as she gestured to you and Lenora. Arvin cleared out his throat a bit before agreeing. 

“Oh is it time to leave already?” Lenora asked. 

Arvin nodded as he stared at you both, mainly you. You didn’t know how you felt about the look he gave you. It was a soft gaze, softer than the day he saw you with Tommy Matson that’s for sure. You turned and grabbed Lenora’s hand trying to ignore Arvin’s eyes, “Let's go pick up your things, hm?” 

Lenora nodded and followed you back to your room. You helped pack the rest of her things and sent Lenora on her way with Arvin, who still looked at you with a strange look you couldn’t pinpoint. 

. . . 

You held the bottle to your lips chugging down the burning whiskey quickly you knew that if you didn’t it would all come bubbling up. 

“Slow down, sugar. What’s the rush?” the blonde boy slurred with a chuckle he was way drunker than you by a tenfold. Time and time again he always told you that he could hold his liquor and time and time again you always proved him wrong. 

You rolled your eyes and pushed him away when his hands started to palm at your thighs. It wasn’t the first time Ricky tried to pull something like this. You could usually forgive it because he would cry about how sorry he was the next day. You huffed and closed your eyes, drinking the last bit of the whiskey before throwing it down. You could feel your body warming up finally after an hour or so sitting there for what felt like forever with this boy. 

“Ricky, if I wanted to fuck something I wouldn’t have called you.” You said so bluntly it had him frowning and leaning forward. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“It’s okay,” you sighed. You pulled out a cigarette one you stole from Momma, it was one you knew she wouldn’t be missing. You lit it up and took a small drag from it. “I’m gettin’ tired.” You tried to do a convincing yawn. It worked since Ricky was too drunk to notice how fake it was. 

“I'm going to start headin’ home, Rick.”

“This late? It’s dark out...” 

“I’ll be fine I'm just down the road from you,” you stated as you pulled your cardigan around you. You gave him a wave and left. The real reason why you left was you couldn’t stand having to take care of boys when they were drunk. It reminded you too much of your father.

You got far away enough to where you could only hear the sound of the wind blowing through you. You kicked a few rocks and missed causing you to slip and fall on your side. You could barely feel the scrape on the side of your arm courtesy of the alcohol Ricky supplied you. You laughed at yourself mostly because you magically saved your cig. You took a long drag and inhaled deeply. You picked yourself back up a task that now seemed a lot more difficult than normal. You swayed a bit and tried to keep yourself upright. You could make it to your house: just another mile or two to go. You continued on your merry way, taking one last hit of your cig before throwing it down and stomping on it. 

By then you didn’t notice the sound of a car slowing down by you. You would’ve broken out in a run, that was if you could run. Thankfully it wasn’t a cop but the sight that was held before you had you cursing underneath your breath. 

Arvin stared at you for what seemed like a long time before he huffed and opened the passenger seat door. You would’ve ignored it and kept walking if your whole body didn’t feel like you were carrying bags of sand. You made your way in, closed the door, and leaned your head against the window. You knew you probably smelled like a cheap liquor store, so Arvin could easily guess what you had been doing. 

It was quiet for a minute, you could tell he wasn’t as upset as when you found you and Tommy but he was disappointed. The car slowed back down a bit and pulled into an area with a lot of brush. 

“I don’t get why Lenora associates with you…” he calmly said as he put the car in park. “You two are so different.”

You huffed and stared at the window. You weren’t going to get lectured by a boy, especially Arvin Russel. 

“How are we so different?” You chuckled as you stared out into the dense forest. You turned your head to find Arvin looking directly at you his eyes were unnerving you a bit. You can tell he mumbled something but you couldn’t make it out, you were a bit too drunk. You thought you could hold your liquor, not tonight. 

You didn’t understand what happened at first. You found his lips on yours and his arms around your waist. It was all too quick for your drunk mind to comprehend. 

“Ar- Arvin,” You mumbled into his lips. 

He shallowed your pleas instantly with his tongue as he forced it into your mouth. You usually didn’t like it when boys would try to take control and it was no different now. You tried your best to fight him off but your slaps were weak while he was tasting your mouth. You moaned into him when he pressed a spot on your thighs it had you trying to close them but Arvin only pushed them wider. You could finally breathe again when he pulled his mouth off of you but instead opted to kiss your jaw and the side of your neck. You could feel his fingers on your underwear. They slowly rubbed up and down and you could feel the pair becoming wet. 

“You’re fucking drippin’ is that all for me?” he sighed as he pulled your underwear to the side and stared at it. Never in your experience has a boy even taken a peak. All the other times it was dark with you usually on top. It made you feel uncomfortable to have him this close. To have him staring at an intimate spot. To have him be the one that was overpowering you. It made you feel small, and you didn’t like the feeling of not being in control. He entered with a finger slowly bringing it out and in before adding another one. 

“Arvin please,” you gasped when he curled his fingers in a way that had you tensing. You pulled at his wrist until you felt his fingers go a bit faster. 

“Say that again,” he leaned over your body and whispered in your ear. “Say please and say my name again.”

“P- please, Arvin.”

Arvin kissed your lips as soon as those words left your mouth. His fingers didn’t stop nor slow once. Back and forth back and forth while you were squirming and moaning beneath him. Your hips met up with his hand every time causing his other hand to hold over your stomach to make you stay still. You cried out when his thumb started to rub at your clit. It was all too much for you, you were too weak, too intoxicated to get him off of you. It got to the point where he had you whining out for him. Begging him pleading for him to let you come. He smiled a devilish smile that had you furrowing your eyebrows, kissed your cheek, and nodded. You saw white and grabbed onto his hand that was holding you down. You moaned so loudly you swore that the woods were still echoing the sound that left your lips. Your body was too hot and paralyzed to even move. You breathed deeply as he fixed up your underwear and smoothed over your skirt. He stuck his fingers in his mouth tasting you while he stared at you. He stared at you while he did it. You could’ve slapped him if you weren’t too out of it to say something. 

“Let's get you home, hmm?” he said a bit out of breath too. 

You nodded and tried to pick yourself back up to a comfortable position. You both were deathly silent in the truck. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of your breathing. When he finally pulled into your driveway you thanked him and went on your way. You didn’t turn back as you went inside of your house and you didn’t hear him pull out until you closed the door. 

. . . 

“Y’all look like princesses,” Momma said as she fluffed up your dress and then did the same for Lenora. 

Emma smiled as she watched you both from the dining room chair. 

“Arvin is drivin’ y’all to the dance, right?” Emma asked as she got up and leaned against the archway. 

“Yeah,” Lenora said happily. 

You could’ve broken something right then and there. 

“Arvin?” you said lowly and Lenora nodded in a smile. She didn’t notice how upset you were but Momma did. 

“Don’t worry I am sure other people are going to be comin’ up in trucks too,” she giggled as she fixed your hair again. 

You weren’t worried about that yet you played along. You sighed at Momma and Emma picked up your guys’s shoes. You didn’t want to go out of your house all of a sudden. You didn’t want to go and see him. You haven’t seen him in over a month. You didn’t know how you managed not seeing him considering he was basically Lenora’s brother. Yet you did, you hid away. You haven’t been out drinking since that night which made some of your “other” friends upset. You couldn’t give them the real answer as to why so you opted to just say you were grounded. 

Lenora held your hand and guided you outside. Momma and Emma followed behind, smiling as soon as Arvin’s truck was in their line of sight. 

“Be good girls,” Emma said as you and Lenora jumped into Arvin’s truck. You both gave them a quick wave and went on your way. 

The car wasn’t silent but it wasn’t very talkative either. Lenora seemed to notice the complete energy shift and she was hesitant to start the conversation. Somehow she did. She and Arvin did some small talk. Now and then she invited you to a conversation. You would reply with one-word answers. Finally, you made it to the dance you knew that some people were already tipsy before even walking in just from the way they walked. 

As soon as you and Lenora walked out of Arvin’s truck she checked on you. She whispered when she asked if you were alright. You only nodded. You didn’t want to be near Arvin for a moment more. She accepted it and walked you to the door. You glance to your right to see Tommy smile at you with a brown paper bag he isn’t careful hiding. 

“You go on in, I'll meet you inside, okay?” You said and Lenora looked between you and Tommy. She didn’t look pleased but she didn’t say anything. She nodded and walked in. 

You felt bad and you knew that what you were doing was bad. What you were about to do was impulsive but you couldn’t stop yourself as you walked towards Tommy. His little gang wasn’t there with him, it was just him with a bottle. 

“I knew you couldn’t hold up on a good time forever,” he said. 

You frowned and took the bottle from his hand. You downed whatever it was easily. It was sweet and burned the back of your throat. It was a pleasant burn, one that made you feel a bit better about leaving Lenora. You leaned against Tommy’s car, never noticing how he only stared at you. 

“You look beautiful tonight…” 

“I’m sure Susie would agree too,” you quietly said as you sipped the bottle. 

“You’re still mad at that?”

“You said that I was easier than Susie Cox. Who wouldn’t be mad at that,” you quipped.

He stared at your lips then your eyes and only smiled. His hand touched your cheek, smoothing out your jawline and then finally holding it. 

“You know I don’t believe that…” he whispered as he moved his face towards your lips. 

You let him kiss you and you smiled. He was an idiot and a bully but you still let him kiss you. You couldn’t fully get why you did. You closed your eyes as you let him fully relax onto you. His hands started to make their way down to your neck then your back. It was calming, you felt calm as he held you. That was until you felt air circulate you, and Tommy was on the ground with Arvin on top of him hitting him repeatedly. You gasped as you stared at them. You couldn’t even scream from how stunned you were at the sight. 

“Stop, Stop it! Arvin quit!” You yelled at him and pulled at him but you couldn’t get him off of Tommy. “Please, Arvin please stop.” 

You could feel tears in your eyes. You know once you started crying you couldn’t stop. He only stopped when blood started pouring from Tommy’s nose. You yelped at the sight of his face. The whimpering sounds of the younger man were startling to hear. You couldn’t quell it though as you were being pulled away. 

You were farther away from the dance from Tommy’s bloody face. You cried when Arvin shoved you against his truck, “Why did you do that?”

“How could you willingly give yourself to that boy?” 

You didn’t know why he asked that or why he even thought it was any of his business.

“You’re not my dad. I shouldn’t have to tell you why I do the things I do and it shouldn’t bother you.” 

“I don’t think you understand…” he quietly said as he took your hair in his hands. You screeched when he pulled your head back. He quickly covered your mouth. The searing pain of your hair being ripped and pulled back had you sobbing. You could barely look at Arvin from how blurry it all was. 

“From the moment I touched you I claimed you. You don’t get to whore yourself around anymore. Not with me around to stop it.” His sharp words made you quiver against him. “Unless you want me to go to your mother and tell her all the sinful things I’ve watched you do.” 

You shook your head whimpering at how tight his hands were around your hair. 

“Are you going to be good from now on?” He asked and you nodded your head. His lips curved up at that. “Turn around, hold your dress up, and bend over against the truck.” 

You paused for a moment before finally doing what he ordered. You knew crying wasn’t going to get you out of this but you couldn’t stop the tears that traveled down your face. You held up your dress and you bent over the side of his truck. He held your hips tightly and pulled you back so your ass could fully be seen by him. He slapped it harshly once and then again and again. You could barely hold yourself in the position from how bad his slaps burned into your skin. When he was done he pulled down your underwear and stuffed his fingers inside you. 

“Soakin’ my fingers,” he whispered in your ear. You tensed at that. Your nails felt like they were going to snap as you gripped his truck for support. 

You heard the sound of his zipper going down and the ruffling of clothing. If you could make yourself run right now you would’ve been you couldn’t wield yourself to move. Not even an inch. You gasped when you felt his head push into you. It was going to be a tight fit and you didn’t know if you could handle it. He was so thick that you could feel every vein and inch of him. You whimpered when he finally was flushed against you. 

“That’s my good girl,” he said as he smoothed over your ass. 

His touch was soft against you like he was saying sorry for slapping you but his thrusts were deep and rough. He was sending a message through them through each powerful thrust. You moaned at the feel of him and when he pulled you close to him, your back was to his chest. 

“You’re mine now,” he grunted. “No one else gets to use this anymore. Just me, only me.”

You nodded as he fucked you against his truck. You squeezed your eyes shut when he hit a spot within you that had you cursing his name. He held his hand over your mouth and with one final thrust had you seeing stars. You came all over him. He didn’t stop only going in harder than before. You didn’t think he would come inside you not until he whispered breathily about how you were milking him dry. You mumbled under his hand trying to plead with him. But he only chuckled and held his other hand to your stomach. His finger slipped onto your clit rubbing it over and over again. 

You didn’t know you had another in you until you were coming around him a second time. This time it sent him off the edge too. You sobbed when he held himself there planting himself deep inside you. When he pulled out you cringed at the feel of his come dripping down your thighs. No boy has ever came inside you there was no possible way you would ever risk getting pregnant. Yet Arvin did it. Without your permission. You wanted to hit him, to curse at him but you couldn’t even move. Arvin pushed some of his come back into you and pulled your underwear back up. 

“Now go inside and give Lenora a good time.”

You nodded quietly doing what he told you to do. You could barely walk but somehow you made it to Lenora. She could tell something happened to you but to be honest you were too out of it to even notice. Just grabbed her and danced. Here on the floor, you could forget about Arvin and your newfound terrifying relationship with him.

[obaex]

see you in my nightmares - rafe cameron

summary: rafe is forced to make a decision that will alter the course of your future together, but how long can he live with the consequences of his actions?

word count: 6k

warnings: angst!

soundtrack: welcome to breakbreak / kanye west + back to december / taylor swift

Maybe this is wishful thinking Probably mindless dreaming But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right

Present

"Here you go, Kelc, that's Henry and that's Emma" Topper said, pointing to the picture on his phone of your two children, one and three, with bright blonde hair, squealing with laughter at the beach. He continued to swipe through photo after photo of them playing in the sand, in the water, finally landing on a picture of you crouched in the sand with them, their arms and popsicle-stained fingers wrapped around your neck as they climbed on you, pressing kisses to your cheeks.

"Get out of here, Top, Henry is your mini me. Holy shit. It's kinda freaking me out, I'm not gonna lie" Kelce said. "He's gonna suck at golf too if you don't let Uncle Kelce show him a thing or two." He punched Topper playfully in the arm as Topper grimaced at him.

"Nah, in all seriousness, man, you've got it made. Your kids are beautiful and Y/N looks better than ever" he said, shooting Topper a knowing look, one eyebrow raised scandalously. "Being a Thornton looks good on her man, shiiiiittt" he said, still swiping through Topper's phone where he had landed on a picture Topper had snuck of you sprawled out in your bikini.

"Geezus, give that back!" Topper said, nearly launching himself at Kelce, reaching for the phone as Kelce held it out of his reach, inspiring a howl of laughter from the group of guys they were with. They whistled and cheered as Topper wrestled the phone out of Kelce's hands.

"I leave you assholes alone for a few years and this is what I come back to?" a deep voice cut through the chaos.

Kelce's eyes flickered to the voice. "Do my eyes deceive me or has the man, the myth, the legend come back to grace our presence gentlemen?" he said, relinquishing Topper's phone as he stood up to take in Rafe Cameron on the deck of the Island Club for the first time in three years.

Rafe looked older, more mature with his hair shaved, but his boyish grin still rested on his lips. He had grown into his lanky body, filling out a suit that was more expensive than Kelce could mentally calculate.

"Un-fucking-believeable, man!" Kelce said, launching himself to embrace Rafe as a few of the other guys also stood up to shake his hand and clap him on the back, launching a barrage of questions at him.

Topper hung back as the memory of what life was like the last time Rafe was on Kildare Island clawed its way to the forefront of his mind. He slipped his phone protectively into his back pocket.

"Don't let me interrupt" Rafe said as he noticed Topper's movement, "what was I missing?"

The atmosphere shifted noticeably as the rowdy group fell silent.

3 Years Ago

Rafe watched you through the sea of bodies in the backyard at Tanneyhill as you talked with Sarah and Wheezie at their family barbeque. He watched your eyes shimmer and your lips curve into a perfect smile as you laughed at something his sisters had said, his ears straining over the music for a chance to hear that perfect sound that made his heart dance. He took in your sundress, draped over your shoulders, sitting perfectly on your tanned skin. After almost five years together, he could never get enough of you, could never wrap his head around how beautiful you were, how lucky he was to be yours. You lifted your eyes, scanning the crowd, searching for him and when they rested on him it was like fireflies in his stomach to see your face light up for him. You looked at him with such admiration, joy and happiness. He smiled broadly at you and stood to make his way over to you just as Topper joined your group, jumping into your conversation with his sisters and stealing your attention away to offer you a big hug.

Rafe hung back for just a second longer, watching the way Topper listened to Sarah but continued to shoot sidelong glances at you that went unnoticed, eyes shifting to your profile, your sundress. Rafe knew that tactic, knew that look in Topper's eyes because it was the same damn way he looked at you. His feet were moving before he could register what he was going to say or do. He tried to gather himself as he sidled into your group and slid a hand around your waist, pulling you flush against him. Topper had the decency to look embarrassed as he blushed and cleared his throat before sticking his hand out. "Good to see you, man" he said.

"You too, Top" Rafe said, eyes narrowed.

The next morning, Topper was long off of Rafe's mind as he lay in bed and watched the early morning sun shine through the blinds in his room, casting spotlights of warmth on your bare back as he drank you in, thinking not just for the thousandth time how lucky he was to have you curled up beside him, tangled in his sheets that now smelled permanently like you, like a perfect summer day. His heart warmed at the sight of you. You were everything that was perfectly right in his life. He felt himself orbiting around you, drawn to you like the moon draws the tides.

You shifted slightly in your sleep, letting out a contented sigh that was both extremely cute and undeniably sexy at the same time, making him smile. His mind drifted to the ring in the velvet box stashed at the top of his closet. His heart raced at the idea of making you his. His fingers twitched, aching to run his hands over you and eventually his urge won out as he moved his fingers over your back and pulled you gently against his chest, nuzzling into your neck. You let out a sweet laugh that coated him like hot honey as you turned around and buried yourself in his chest, nuzzling him back as his warm arms wrapped snuggly around you. This is heaven on earth he thought.

Present

Topper stood, his hand outstretched, ever the gentleman, as he attempted to change the topic. "It's good to see you, Rafe, welcome back, man."

Rafe took Topper's hand in his strong grip, nodding again to Topper's phone, "well, don't leave me hanging, are you going to show me what had everyone so riled up?"

3 Years Ago

"Sit" Ward said, gesturing to one of the leather arm chairs in his office as he walked to a side table to pour two drinks.

"Dad, I can't, I'm on my way to pick up Y/N, we have reservations in 20 minutes."

"She's what I want to talk to you about, son."

His father had never offered to talk about anything that didn't have to do with work. Rafe's chest bloomed with the idea that he wanted to have a conversation about you, that Ward was finally coming to understand how important you were to him.

He placed the drink in front of Rafe without meeting his eyes. "I know about the ring" he said simply.

Rafe's head shot up at that. He didn't think anyone knew about that, purposely taking a trip to the jeweler on the mainland alone, spending an entire afternoon picking out what was just right for you. As Rafe was getting ready to ask, Ward simply held up his hand, whisking away the question in a gesture that said Of course I know, I know everything.

"Son, man to man, I'm telling you, this isn't a good idea."

"What?!" Rafe said, anger and shock roiling in him, so taken aback at where this conversation was headed he stood to his feet.

"You love her, that's plain to see, Rafe. Which is why I know you'll do the right thing. She's a good girl, Rafe, a sweet girl, she deserves someone that can give her the future she deserves. Someone with... fewer skeletons in their closet." Silence fell heavily between them as Rafe met his eyes in a cold stare. They had never spoken about Peterkin directly or indirectly since it had happened. Ward moved to his desk, pulling out what looked to be a tape recorder and pressed play. Gavin's voice rang clearly, "...He's protecting his son. It was Rafe Cameron that killed Sheriff Peterkin."

Rafe nearly dropped the glass of bourbon in his hand, managing to set it down at the last minute. "W-What are you doing with that?" he asked, gesturing manically to the tape recorder, his voice rising in panic. "Dad, what the fuck is that, what are you doing?!"

"I'm not doing anything, Rafe" he said as he slid the tape recorder back into his desk drawer. "This tape will never be played for anyone else. I want to be sure of that. I want you to help me be sure of that. I need you focused now more than ever, focused on the company, not focused on Y/N. You know what you need to do." And with that, he waved Rafe out of his office.

Rafe stumbled into the hallway, shutting the door behind him, his hands shaking as he shoved the heel of his palms into his eyes. He could feel the sweat gathering at the base of his neck as he began to pace, his mind going a mile a minute.

What Ward hadn't considered was the fact that Rafe had already told you. He'd told you everything, about his drug addiction, about Peterkin, about the darkest parts of his soul... and you had stayed with him through it all, through rehab, through recovery, through finding a way to forgive himself. But all of that was before the threat Ward had just dangled in front of him, the threat that he would ruin Rafe's future and by extension your own, that one day he could hand that recording in and you would be left alone, abandoned as Rafe spent the rest of his life in prison. "She's a good girl, Rafe, a sweet girl, she deserves someone that can give her the future she deserves." He swallowed the bile in his throat as he realized his dad was right.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he swiped it open to see an incoming text from you.

He spent several minutes thinking about how to reply before typing out, "Hey, sorry, something came up, can we reschedule?"

Present

Topper cleared his throat. If he had known Rafe was coming tonight, he wouldn't be here.

His phone burned in his pocket with the pictures of you, his wife with his children. Rafe had lost the right to ask about you 3 years ago. Rafe's gaze was on Topper, unblinking, like a dare. Topper's mind raced with an excuse, a response, another way to change the topic of conversation when his thoughts were interrupted by a soft voice.

"Topper?"

The group turned as you walked through the door, cradling your daughter in one arm and holding your son by the other hand.

Rafe's head snapped to you, drinking in the sight of you while desperately trying to piece together what was in front of him, head turning from you to Topper and back again like he was watching a tennis match only he could see.

"Guys, I am so sorry to interrupt, I know it's boys' night" you said.

Topper brushed past Rafe and walked hastily over to you, pressing a kiss to your cheek. "Everything okay?" he asked quietly.

You continued talking to Topper, eyes trained on his face, a soft smile on your lips that Rafe swore at one time was reserved only for him. He tried to hear what you were saying but the blood in his head was rushing so loudly, it made it sound like everything around him was underwater. All he could do was stare, mouth agape, at the child in your arms and the other by your side. They looked so much like you. They had your eyes and your freckles, even the outline of your nose; it made his heart physically ache. But they also looked like Topper, especially your son who Topper had bent over to pick up and who was hugging him around his neck. The world started to spin as Rafe tugged at his collar, trying to get air in his lungs as he took in the future he would never have with you. He was desperately searching for some sort of explanation, for something that wasn't exactly what was right in front of his eyes.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he said finally, louder than he had intended to as everyone turned to look at him.

You could hear a pin drop.

He wanted to be angry, he was angry. He thought about all the times Topper had ogled you, even when you were his. He wanted to punch Thornton so hard he would never wake up, his fists clenching in response. But more than anger, he felt a deep deep sadness and remorse that sat like an anvil on his chest. His breathing became erratic and before he could control his emotions he started to cry. To cry. He didn't even have the wherewithal to feel embarrassed, too overwhelmed by the picture of the family in front of him, the family that should have been his.

He could feel himself coming undone like buttons flying off a too-tight jacket one at a time. Plink-plink-plink.

You looked at him strangely, your movements, your eyes, your voice devoid of emotion, like you had just noticed he was standing there. "Rafe, are you okay?" you asked.

Rafe's own anguished cries woke him up as his eyes shot open. He was breathing heavily and sweat coated his skin. He sat up, physically clawing at the pain and heaviness in his chest as he looked around and tried to remember where he was. A clock blinked on the bedside table: 4:37 AM. His mind frantically tried to figure out his surroundings. He was in bed. He was in bed in a hotel room, in New York City. He was in bed...

It was a fucking dream?

It felt so real he could feel the tears burning behind his eyes and despite the minutes that passed, he couldn't slow down his racing heart, gasping for breath as he untangled from the sheets and slid onto the floor, head in his hands. Memories that he had tamped so far down into his conscious that he was surprised they were still accessible flew to the surface...

3 Years Ago

You were crying.

You were crying so hard that Rafe didn't know what to do. Every fiber of his being ached to pull the words he had just said back into his mouth, to swallow them whole, to undo the last 20 minutes, to pull you into his arms, but he couldn't. I can't be with you anymore he lied. I don't love you he lied. We don't want the same things he lied and he lied and he lied.

You were so confused, so upset. You begged him, you pleaded with him to give you another chance, thinking you had done something wrong. You promised you would change, promised you would be better and that was when he had finally had enough, unable to take it anymore. He stood up, leaving you alone on your couch and walked out your front door without any further explanation.

He barely made it out of your driveway before his tears caught up with him and he slammed his fist repeatedly on the steering wheel in frustration. He didn't make it another 10 minutes before he had to pull over and get physically sick on the side of the road at the thought of what he had just done.

She deserves better he told himself then. She deserves better he told himself every moment since then.

Present

Rafe had spent every single day trying to forget you as he moved out of North Carolina, resigning himself to a life spent travelling from hotel to hotel, city to city, responsible for the expansion of Cameron Development, which was booming. He worked 75-hour weeks, throwing himself into work as a way to forget. To forget the feeling of your fingers tangled in his hair, shaving it in a desperate attempt to help. To forget the taste of your lips on his, your soft skin under his touch, the way you looked at him and only him, like he was your whole world. The way you loved his sisters, the ring he had bought for you, the dreams you had shared of a family, of a life together, of the way you had loved him when he was unlovable.

He sat on the floor for hours, letting himself feel the things he hadn't let himself even think about in three years through sobbed breaths, living, reliving and killing his own dreams.

Finally, as the sun rose, he grabbed his phone and called Kelce.

"Rafe Cameron? To what do I owe the pleasure, my man, how's it going?"

"Hey Kelc" Rafe said, clearing his throat, his voice still thick with emotion that he was trying to hide. "I uh I'm thinking about coming back into town. Look, this is random, but, Y/N, is she with anybody?"

There was a long pause. Rafe held his breath.

"Rafe, I don't think it's my place to say anything. If you want to talk to her, you can come see her for yourself. But.... I can't promise she'll even speak to you... after everything. She's working at the law firm on Calhoun Street."

Rafe said goodbye, hung up and began packing.

He spent the entire flight and the 40-minute drive from the airport in a daze, trying to think about what to say, what he could possibly say to you. As his truck wound down the familiar roads of Kildare Island, he was overwhelmed with memories, the restaurant he had taken you to for your first date, your favorite place to get ice cream, the beach where you'd kissed him for the first time. He shook his head, trying to right his mind as he pulled onto Calhoun Street, realizing he hadn't made any progress in what he wanted to say. He hadn't slept, hadn't eaten; he caught a glimpse of himself in the rearview mirror, taking in his bloodshot eyes and wrinkled shirt. He looked like shit, but he had already wasted years getting here, years making his own life into a disaster, he wasn't going to wait any longer.

He stepped out of the car and began walking towards the law offices when he heard the unforgettable, unmistakable sound of your laugh that pierced his heart and nearly brought him to his knees. He turned to see you walking up the sidewalk with a young boy in your arms, deeply focused on what he was saying as he babbled and played with a loose strand of your hair.

His heart plummeted into his stomach. I'm too late he thought.

He was standing there, unmoving, eyes transfixed on you.

As you got closer, his figure caught your attention and unlike in his dream, you noticed him immediately. You stopped in your tracks, like you had walked into a brick wall, your eyes widening in recognition.

Rafe Cameron.

Rafe Cameron was here. Rafe Cameron was on Kildare Island and he was standing in front of you, staring at you. Your body shut down like it was in self-preservation mode at the memory of what he had done, and the words he had said the last time you'd seen him. You couldn't move, you couldn't speak, you didn't know what to do. He had taken your whole heart with him when he left and even though 3 years had gone by, even though you had desperately tried to move on, even though you had made significant progress, seeing him made you feel like you were right back on that day, like a vase he had knocked over, shattering into a thousand pieces that would never be fully right again no matter how many times you tried to reconfigure it.

Rafe wiped his hand over his mouth and walked over to you as your heart pounded relentlessly in your chest.

"Hey, h-how are you doing?" he asked.

How am I doing?! You destroyed my life, broke my heart and now you're back 3 years later and want to know 'how I'm doing?' You thought bitterly. You swallowed your feelings, unwilling to let him see how much he still affected you.

He looked nervous, jittery, anxious, his eyes flickering between your face and the boy in your arms and your heart squeezed for a moment at the idea that he might be using again. That, at least, would be a plausible explanation for this ridiculous situation.

"I-I'm okay" you said. The boy in your arms had started to wiggle and you set him down. "Hey, sweetie, why don't you run inside, okay? I'll be right there." The little boy eyed Rafe skeptically before making his way inside.

Rafe cleared his throat as his eyes followed him. "He's-he's sweet" he managed to eke out.

You smiled, looking after the boy affectionately, "He's a handful, but I do what I can to help Rachel out."

Rafe's eyes shot back to you, pointing between you and the door the boy had just gone through, desperately trying to put the pieces together, praying he had heard you right but forbidding himself to get his hopes up.

"Wait, he's not - you're not?" he said, gesturing.

"What? No!" you said, fighting back the tone of offense. Like Rafe had any right to know anyway.

Suddenly, Rafe grabbed your left hand, eyes shooting to your ring finger, which sat bare.

Your hand tingled at the feeling of his warm touch, but you managed to gather yourself quickly, pulling your hand back.

Rafe looked confused, eyes shifting to yours and then away quickly. "I-I thought...Topper...I didn't know...."

"We...dated...." you replied, clocking the tick in Rafe's clenched jaw in response. "It didn't work out."

He wasn't you you thought. Nobody is you and that's the problem.

Rafe turned his back to you and began to walk away, running his hand through his short hair before turning back around, chewing on his thumbnail, startling you with the look in his eyes that were pained, anguished with something else running deep below the surface that you didn't want to linger on.

"Go out with me tonight" he said after a moment.

"What?!" you spat, exasperated.

WHAT!!!!!!!!!! your mind screamed.

"Please, just give me a chance to explain."

"Rafe, I don't know what you could possibly have to say at this point" you replied quickly. You could feel your emotions bubbling up. You needed to get far, far away from him as you felt your resolve begin to crumble. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Please Y/N, I'm begging you. Please. One night. No expectations at all. You can walk away after that, I will completely understand."

Silence.

He took a step closer to you, his voice low as he whispered, "I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but please just give me this."

No, no, no, no, no, no your mind echoed on repeat.

"Okay" you whispered back.

Rafe entered the side door of Tanneyhill quietly, pleasantly surprised that his key still worked. There weren't any cars in the driveway, he hadn't told anyone he was coming home, but he didn't want to take any chances.

He wandered the hallways quietly, equal parts surprised and unsurprised that little-to-nothing had changed in his long absence as he made his way to father's office.

For so long he had cowered in fear of this room, this man, of the threat that hung over him like a guillotine. Not anymore. Let Ward do his worst. He wasn't a little boy anymore. If Ward swung, he would swing right back. He itched to, in fact, as he thought about the conversation three years ago in this very place that had stolen everything from him. He quickly pulled open the drawers of the large mahogany desk, rummaging through the contents before he found what he was looking for.

To Ward's credit, the tape recorder was covered in dust and looked unused and unplayed, buried at the back of the drawer. Rafe set it down on top of the desk and glared at it, reliving momentarily the mistake he had made years ago, deep in the midst of his drug addiction in an effort to save his father, to save his family. He reached for the lamp on the desktop and brought it forcefully down on top of the tape recorder, sending bits of plastic pieces flying onto the floor and across the desk as he nearly ripped the lamp out of the wall, pounding it over and over and over again until all that was left were indistinguishable shredded pieces of plastic and the dented mahogany. Rafe was breathing heavily, his breaths coming in and out shakily as he felt tears burning in his throat, promising himself that he would become more than his mistakes.

After a long shower and a longer nap, Rafe's head was more clear than it had been in weeks in terms of his priorities. Nothing mattered more than you, nothing had ever mattered more than you and he was going to do everything he could to make you see that.

As he navigated to your house to pick you up, he couldn't help but think of the date that he never should have cancelled and how different his life would have been if he had chosen to go out with you that night instead.

You looked achingly, stunningly beautiful in an open-backed dress that teased your tan skin. For years, he hadn't let himself think about how beautiful you were and now that you were in his front seat, riding shotgun where you belonged, he could barely keep his eyes on the road. The drive was silent but for the quiet scratch of the radio. The entire way he stole sidelong glances at you that he hoped went unnoticed, but brought a blush to your cheeks all the same as you desperately tried to keep your own eyes facing forward. His gaze felt like the sun's rays on a hot summer day, as it traced your long eyelashes, your lips, your everything.

You didn't let yourself think too long about the way your body felt under the warmth of his blue eyes.

He didn't let himself think too long about the fact that you had dressed up for him.

Dinner was nice... but awkward. Rafe hated himself for that. He hated the awkwardness and the tension that simmered beneath the surface of every conversation. Things between you two had never been awkward, ever. You were like his second half. You used to be so at ease with each other, life with you was so effortless. It was evident that your guard was still up, so he kept the conversation light, asking about work, your family, your friends, desperate to learn everything new about you that he had missed, like a little kid trying to put together the last pieces of their favorite puzzle.

He managed to make you laugh. Twice. It made him feel like the king of the universe and he tried desperately to keep that smile on your face for the rest of the night; something that used to be second nature to him, now a battle every step of the way.

After dinner, you both stepped outside into the night and a cool breeze tickled your skin, making you shiver. Rafe reached out a hand instinctively to warm you, but pulled back at the last minute, balling his hands into fists at his side.

"Take a walk with me?" he asked, knowing he was on borrowed time at this point, as the night was coming to an end.

You took a deep breath and looked around, trying to think of an excuse, any excuse not to, but you couldn't deny that some part of you was enjoying this; the sweet pain and sweet pleasure of having Rafe back, if only for a moment, like holding a firefly in your hand, brief, fleeting. You knew how this was going to end: you, alone again, back to square one, picking the pieces of your heart up off the ground. But, you wanted to pretend, you wanted to keep living in this make-believe world where the past 3 years hadn't happened for a little while longer.

You looked at him and the way his midnight blue eyes traced your face and you cursed yourself for the unwarranted tenderness you had towards him, would always have towards him, despite everything. You nodded, and followed him to the nearby pier.

You walked side by side for awhile, the only people on the otherwise abandoned walkway; your only company the sound of the waves that lapped against the boats in the water and against the dock. What once would have been a comfortable silence between you felt thick and heavy, weighed down with 3 years' worth of unspoken words and two broken hearts. You bit your lip softly to keep from crying as your emotions caught up with you and your mind whirled. Rafe stopped walking beside you and turned to face you.

You realized looking at him now that ever since he'd come back, he'd looked uncharacteristically nervous and unsteady. The Rafe you knew, or thought you knew, was always confident, self-assured, cocky even. Now Rafe's unease matched your own, putting you further on edge.

"T-thanks for agreeing to this tonight. I don't even know where to begin to explain myself" he said, looking around, avoiding your eye contact.

"Look, I'm a grown man, I've made my own decisions and I know I have to live with that but... fuck... FUCK." He began to unravel quickly as his breaths came out heavy and he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and began to pace.

"Rafe" you said, reaching for him before you knew what you were doing, the instinct to comfort him wound so tightly in your DNA.

"I was gonna ask you to marry me" he said, pulling his hands away from his face to find yours.

Your head spun in confusion and you felt your dinner lurch in your stomach.

"What?" you whispered, your voice wavering.

"My dad knew it. He... threatened me.... he told me you deserved better and the more I thought about it the more I realized he was was fucking right. You are such a good person. Honestly? You're the best person that I know. You had no business being with me. I was living on borrowed time with you as it was and-and I wasn't going to resign you to a life like that, with me. You deserve so much more than to settle for second best, for someone with so much bullshit in his past. A recovering drug addict? A murderer?" he said as he shook his head strongly and tears spilled from his eyes, "I wasn't going to do that to you."

"Rafe you were 19, you were high, you weren't in your right mind. It was a mistake, a horrible mistake, but you have to forgive yourself, you can't let that hang over you anymore."

Your heart and your mind were racing with each other to try to sort out everything he had just said to you. He wanted to marry you? What he was saying now was in such stark contrast to everything he had said then... that he didn't love you... that you wanted different things.... Your own tears bubbled over at the memory and you wiped at them furiously, even though they wouldn't stop.

Rafe hated to see you cry. He hated himself more for making you cry, again.

"And here I am making a fucking mess of it all anyway, just like he said I would" he said as he looked at you. "I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry, baby" he said, stepping forward like he wanted to comfort you as he watched you begin to cry in earnest, his term of endearment tearing open your wounded heart. He pulled himself back, both of you stuck in limbo, your emotions spilling out in front of you, unsure of how to act on them.

Rafe continued to ramble, like his explanations could dry your tears, "I tried so hard to tell myself I was doing the right thing, that you'd be happier without me. Shit, maybe you are!--" he said, throwing his hands up in frustration.

I'm not you thought, I am so desperately not.

"--But I had to come back here and tell you that I never stopped loving you. Not for one minute. I didn't mean anything I said back then. I missed you with every part of me. I-I haven't been with anyone else. I couldn't. They weren't you. It felt awful.... You're it for me. You always have been, you always were" he choked on his last words as he rubbed the back of his hands over his eyes in an attempt to stop his own tears now as he whispered in a grovelled voice, "You're my girl. I wanted... want..." he stumbled over his words, his breathing erratic, "Want you to be my wife. I want the future we always talked about babygirl, you, me, our family..."

You tried and failed to hold back a sob as you covered your face and turned away from him, your stomach in knots. You were having trouble breathing and you couldn't compose yourself under his gaze, not when he was saying things like that.

He was quiet for a moment.

"Fuck" he said quietly. "This was so selfish. I shouldn't have said anything. I-I just had this dream about you..." you turned around to face him as he continued, "...you had moved on, and I just thought if I got to you before it was too late maybe by some miracle, by some gift of God you would give me a second chance. But, I think I know that's too far gone now. You've built an amazing life for yourself, sweet girl, you don't need me."

He looked earnestly, deeply at you, his own face scrunched as the tears rolled down his face. "But God I am so sorry baby, I am so so sorry for what I did" he said, he flexed his fingers desperately wanting to reach for you again, to comfort you.

If anyone asked you later how or why the next few minutes unraveled the way they did, you wouldn't have had an answer for them. Sometimes, there is no answer for the way two hearts, two souls respond to each other. There wasn't a plausible way for you to make a decision about anything, your head was swimming with your tears and as you struggled to catch you breath, you met Rafe's eyes with your own. And like so many of the nights you had spent missing him, the only thing you wanted, the only thing you craved was to feel his arms around you, for him to tell you that everything was going to be okay, that he was sorry, that he didn't mean it, that he wanted you back.

So, you let yourself have it.

You stepped forward and you buried your head into his chest, arms curling around him, grabbing the back of his suit jacket like a lifeline.

He was frozen to the spot and you squeezed your eyes shut as your whole body shook with your cries before he tentatively, gently put his arms around you. When you didn't flinch or step away, he pulled you in deeper, nuzzling into your neck. "M'sorry, I'm so sorry" he whispered over and over and over again as he rocked you gently back and forth.

Eventually, you put your arms around his neck and he could feel your hot breath and your warm tears against him. He could have fallen to his knees. As it was, he was having a hard time keeping himself steady at the feeling of you pressed against him, trying to figure out what it all meant. For now, he wasn't going to question it, he was going to take it one step at a time.

EPILOGUE - 2 Years Later

Rafe was at the sink washing dishes when he heard you padding up behind him in your bare feet. When he turned to look at you, his soul melted.

You were cradling your son in your arms who was just waking up from a nap. His blue eyes were just like his dads as they fluttered open, his head resting on your shoulder as he clung to you. You brushed his bright blonde hair out of his eyes and the ring on your finger that had sat for so long in Rafe's closet caught the sunlight. It looked perfect on you, just like he knew it would.

You were smiling down at your son before you looked up at Rafe and he smiled back at you, shaking his head, thinking how lucky he was to finally, finally be living his dream. You smiled at him, that smile that was his and his alone that felt like the first touch of the sun on a spring day as he reached down to kiss you softly, sweetly. "I love you, Mama" he said as he wrapped one hand around your waist and the other rested against your growing belly.

taglist: @ietss, @gillybear17, @palmwinemami, @sweetestdesire, @softcoremaybank, @diary-of-jj, @m-indkiller, @underscorebabbabybabay

[theglassesgirl]

THIS IS THE EXACT THING MELINDA SAID TO EMMA IN EPISODE 2 “relinquish yourself to me!”

But in this case…..I don’t think Morgan Le Fey was actually talking to her daughter, Melinda, but the POWER that possesses her daughter Melinda

She’s literally wrestling w Melinda’s powers, which overpower Morgan and apparently corrupts her into the Evil™️??

I think there’s something about Melinda’s powers itself that is….Not Right™️

Merlin has already shown himself to be someone who values “the greater good” - even Edred pre-reincarnation cycle considered him cold hearted and cruel to Melinda.

I wouldn’t put it past him to consider Melinda’s powers a necessary evil, something that HAD to be kept from Morgan, who would value the life of her daughter over whatever design fate has.

She might’ve actually DONE Melinda a favor by …..splitting? The power up between them - The Evil part corrupting Morgan while the Rest of It remained w Melinda

As a child, Melinda was already convinced that her power was Special™️ and all powerful, something she refused to part with at the behest of her father’s words. And in the “present” she doesn’t consider Emma as a person - just someone who ought to “relinquish herself” and allow Malinda to use her power without censor.

Now idk how accurate this part of the memory is, it might be Melinda’s trauma coloring it, but it gives weight to the idea that Merlin might’ve HAD a vision for what he wanted Melinda’s powers to be and it’s place in the world, and having her mother “split” it up ruined that vision, and lead to this endless cycle of reincarnation for both Melinda AND Morgan.

[chanoeys]

Sami better be brought in as a witness for the Trial of the Tribal Chief on Friday.

[razorblade-richards26]

a new story I made for the outsiders:

I will be outside of Broadway and I noticed a new character ace and I noticed she was the only female greaser that didn’t have a story so I thought maybe it would be nice to give her one so here’s a pic.

A NEW ACE IN THE PACK

cast:

greasers:

Ace: played by Tilly evans Krueger

ponyboy: played by Brody grant

Johnny: played by sky Lakota lynch

Dallas: played by Joshua boone

sodapop: played by Jason schmidt

two bit: played by Daryl tofa

Darrel: played by Brent comer

Socs:

cherry valence: played by Emma pittman

Marcia: played by Sarah Grace Mariani

bob sheldon: played by Kevin William Paul

Paul Holden: played by Dan Berry

trip: played by Kevin csolak

Chet: played by r higton.

brill: played by Barton Cowperthwaite

chapter one.

[Scene 1: Abandoned lot – Morning]

The Greasers are hanging out in their usual spot, talking and joking around. Ponyboy, Johnny, and Dally are sitting on a broken-down car, while Sodapop and Two-Bit are playfully wrestling nearby. The sun is shining brightly, and the sound of birds chirping can be heard in the background.

Ponyboy: (laughing) Two-Bit, you're gonna break Soda’s arm if you keep that up.

Two-Bit: (grinning) Nah, he’s tougher than he looks.

Sodapop manages to flip Two-Bit over, pinning him to the ground. They both laugh as they catch their breath. Suddenly, a shadow falls over them. The group looks up to see Ace standing with a confident smirk on her face.

Ace: Well, well, well, what do we have here? A bunch of Greasers causing trouble?

Dally: (grinning) You could say that. Who’s asking?

Ace: Name’s Ace. Just moved into town. Figured I’d see what the local scene’s like.

Ace’s posture is relaxed but ready for anything, her eyes scanning the group with interest. She has a tough, yet approachable demeanor, her playful energy palpable.

Sodapop: (eyes widening) Nice to meet you, Ace. I’m Sodapop. This is Ponyboy, Johnny, Two-Bit, and Dally.

Ponyboy: (smiling) Welcome to the gang.

Ace: (playfully) Don’t I get a grand tour or something?

Two-Bit: (laughing) Sure, why not? Come on, let’s show her around.

The group gets up and begins to walk, Ace falling in step beside them. Two-Bit starts explaining their usual hangouts and some of their inside jokes.

Two-Bit: So, this is where we hang out most of the time. We call it the lot. It's not much, but it's ours.

Johnny: (smiling shyly) We spend a lot of time here. It’s a good place to get away from everything.

Ace: (nodding) I get that. Sometimes you just need a place to chill.

As they walk, Dally and Ace start talking about their favorite spots around town. Dally is impressed by Ace’s knowledge of cool places, even though she’s new in town.

Dally: You seem to know your way around pretty well for a newcomer.

Ace: (grinning) I’ve got a knack for finding the best spots. Plus, I’ve been on my own for a while, so you learn quickly.

Sodapop keeps sneaking glances at Ace, clearly smitten. Ponyboy notices and nudges him with a grin.

Ponyboy: (whispering) You’re staring, Soda.

Sodapop: (blushing) Shut up, Pony.

They continue walking and talking, getting to know Ace better. 

[justarandombrit]

I did the thing again. If you missed the livestream but want to know what happened, I wrote down some notes again. (Spoiler warning, obviously, as I will mention who won the death match)

. The Nightmare Time theme is so fucking good

. Xander murdered Grace last death match and won

. James and Matt like wrestling (not each other - the sport)

. BOTTLE IMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!

. WORKIN BOYS GETS RELEASED ON YOUTUBE AT 425,000

. Lmao the backing music is Jane's A Car

. We are the Lords In Black

. HARMONY AND BARRY!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HARMONY SO MUCH

. Ted and Hidgens are a duo lmaoooooo

. Melissa and w o m a n

. Mariah really loved w o m a n

. CCRP set up a water filtration system that pissed people off

. USE IT OR LOSE IT

. Harmony and Barry are just so annoying that Paul and Emma want to fight them

. Paul is the first to die

. Coffee makes Barry stronger

. Jon is the only one who thought Paulkins would win

. Rip Harmony :(

. Paul throws spare change at Harmony and Barry, summoning the Homeless Man, who wins the fight for them

. Bill and Alice get an easybake oven stolen from them by Sherman

. Love Vs Crazy

. Frank and Bill get mistaken for eachother mid-fight

. Sherman is vicious

. Frank wants Sherman to die

. Alice eats Sherman's soul and becomes a little kid again

. Ruth has a crush on Hidgens

. Ted and Hidgens have a dead body???????

. The dead body is a Frankenstein amalgamation of all the Workin Boys

. Frankenruth?????????

. RICHIE HAS THE POWER OF GOD AND ANIME ON HIS SIDE

. Ted and Hidgens win with help from the Workin Boy

. “w o m a n is here!”

“I'm fucking here, bitches”

. Shapiro + Bailey are looking for Roman

. Dog…

. Oh no

. Roman is the dog.

. Melissa and w o m a n die

. MISS HOLLOWEEN!!!!!!!

. Bottle Imps was supposed to be between Forever and Always and Time Bastard

. Bill meets the founder of CCRP

. CHARLES IS IN IT

. CHARLES FOUNDED CCRP

. HARVARD LAW SCHOOL COMMUNITY ORGANISING PRICK?!?!?!?!?

. HOWIE?!?!?!?!?!?

. Bill's been at CCRP 13 years

. Coven’s Communication Research and Power

. Charles wants… ALL the money

. If it's actually Billted oh my god…

. Jane didn't die, but their dog did so she divorced him

. THEY'VE COVERED THE PROTESTS LIVE AT THE HATCHETFIELD KENNEL

. THE PROBLEMATIC PUPPY BIT SOLOMON LAUTER

. DONNA WANTS THE DOG TO DIE

. THE DOG IS IN THE CAR

. THE DOG CAR RUNS OVER DAN AND DONNA

. GOT MY PAW ON THE GAS

. Everyone is cheating on each other

. Ethan used to bully Pete

. Pete and Steph don't tip

. Lex flips out

. Lex suddenly develops a gluten intolerance????

. Jason and Kyle save Steph and Pete

. Max breaks into Camp Idontwannabang, Grace reads him Bible stories, they're about to kiss, then Boy Jerry and Girl Jeri burst in to kill them

. Grace is so Jesus loving that Lumberaxe kills the Jerries

. MISS HOLLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN

. Excorcism???

. “Christ’s in hell with your mother”

Riley

. Miss Holloway has a witch hat!!!!!

. Evil mask??

. Riley's in hell smh

. “You basic bitch”

. MISS HOLLOWAY THROWS HERSELF INTO A WOOD CHIPPER

. Joey is Ted again

. YELLOW JACKET

. Alice and Bill get pissed about Paulkins trash talking Mamma Mia

. Joey: “This is the future the libs want”

. General MacNamara drops in from a helicopter and shoots Bill and Alice in the head

. James will murder Paul and Emma himself if they survive again

. Ted accidentally confesses to murdering Ruth and Richie

. Joey: “Here's the thing, ACAB”

. Thrash murders Shapiro for being a cop lmaooooooo

. Sam’s a dick to Tim at Pizza Pete’s

. Hannah straight up murders Charlotte and Sam

. I have to go to bed :( (Stopped right before Holyghost v Lautity)

. I'm baaaa-aaaaaack! It's the next day, I have pancakes, and I'm just realising I accidentally wrote Lautity instead of Lautski… I just love them too much

. I haven't checked Tumblr cause I don't want to be spoiled for who wins

. OH SHIT WORKIN BOYS IS ON YOUTUBE

. I'm back on the livestream, I'll check that out later

. They're at Perky's Buds, Grace has dragged Max there for a protest, Steph dragged Pete there for weed

. Grace wants Steph to go to heaven

. Five minutes for A THOUSAND DOLLARS?!?!?!?

. THEY DID IT IN ONE MINUTE

. Joey: “You horny little fucks”

. Max just murders Steph and Pete

. Max wouldn't want to hit a girl, Ziggs comes out, fails to land a single shot on them, but attracts the nighthawks which peck out Steph and Pete’s eyes

. Nicole Rodriguez is so fucking talented damnnnnnnnn, also I love Cool As I Think I Am (Reprise)

. This song will always destroy me emotionally :(

. Why is Joey doing a British accent lmaoooo

. This isn't the next scene, but is after it chronologically

. BRENDA!!!!!!!!!!

. BRENDA WORKS AT MISS RETRO'S

. If only it was a real werewolf… Wayward Guide, anyone?

. “Shit-eating grin” is my favourite Americanism. It's so funny I love it

. I kinda love Tucker

. More skidoos???

. Kyle's in college?????????????? Damn

. Even Stacy's in college

. Miss Holloway: “Cause the 80’s were bitchin’ ”

. Oh nooooo :(

. Miss Holloway: “The intranet”

. Oh god

. Oh shit

. Oh fuck

. Even though I knew this was going to happen I'm still devastated

. Oh god :((((((((

. God we need NMT3

. Joey: “Is this a bad time to announce Curt and Kim are getting divorced?”

. VIRGINITY ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

. Tedgens are stealing from CCRP, Paulkins are about to go on a date, they find them, and Hidgens goes all murder-crazy

. Corey: “Some of us are wrong and many of us are right”

. Joey: “Jon, Ted is gooning all over this office”

. Jon: “Great job everybody, all the food is gonna be poisoned next week”

. Goddamnit I just got spoiled for it :(

. Tedgens manage to find the Bastard's Box and trap Paul and Emma in it

. Hidgens hears Workin Boys coming from the box, but Ted stops him from touching it

. Tom and Becky want to buy the Waylon Place, and find Grace and Max burying Pete and Steph

. Tom coaches the Hatchetfield Nighthawks??????????

. Gen Z Vs Millennials

. Someone pulled $800 from the Kickstarter :(

. Will arrived literally as soon as Max died

. Grace and Max are ghosts now

. Meg Lloyd is also insanely talented

. Will loves Tom and Becky

. Sauce Saturday

. RUN AWAY WITH MEEEEEEE

. They're in the Starlight theatre, Wilbur is there for some reason

. “He was driving the car that killed your dog”

. NOOOOOOO JENNY

. LAUREN!!!!!

. Wilbur just straight up cheats so Tedgens win

. OHHHHHHH TED VS HIDGENS

. Ted always dies though :/

. A girl Miss Holloway saved has died

. MISS HOLLOWAY IS RENEGOTIATING HER DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

. Lore….

. Miss Holloway chops off her toes?????

. AND DIPS THEM IN CHOCOLATE?????????

. AN OLD POP STAR THE WORLD’S FORGOTTEN

. That's what that tune is called?

. OH MY GOD THE LORDS

. I NEED TO DRAW THIS

. Why do the Lords eat toes

. Blinky has a mouth???????

. Nibbly lmao

. Mariah: “Lauren, you're muted, baby”

Lauren (muted): “FUCK”

. Blinky, my love

. This is so fanfiction coded I love it

. Tinky likes Miss Holloway????? Duke really was right about everyone being in love with her

. I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY

. Lmao Tinky

. Double calculators, and an abacus????

. Blinky (covering his ears): That's a bad word!

. BLINKY HAS EARS??????

. HER NAME

. BE A PALLY WAL

. OH MY GOD MISS HOLLOWAY

. Ted wins!!!

. THEY'RE GONNA DO DND

. Well.

. Nightmare Time Cover!!!!!!!! Needy Beast, my love

. Oh god that was amazing

[ratherembarrassing]

Geeta Patel on helming House Of The Dragon’s slow-burning season finale

The director discusses pulling off Alicent and Rhaenyra’s reunion, those Game Of Thrones nods, and more

House Of The Dragon closes its second season without big battles or dragons setting cities ablaze. Despite that lack of action, “The Queen Who Ever Was” still feels monumental because of the charged reunion of Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent (Olivia Cooke) that promises to turn the tides when HBO’s drama returns in 2026.  

Their conversation isn’t in the source material Fire & Blood, and it’s not the only creative liberty HOTD takes in the finale. Another big swing comes in the form of Daemon (Matt Smith), whose latest haphazard vision features a cameo from a Targaryen family member and two major Game Of Thrones characters. Clearly, the Ryan Condal-created adaptation is attempting to pave a unique path for itself

To do so, the show entrusted Geeta Patel to bring these key moments to life. The director had previously helmed two other HOTD installments, along with episodes of Ahsoka, The Great, Dead To Me, Superstore, and The Mindy Project. This year, she also produced and directed Hulu’s true-crime drama Under The Bridge, which earned series star Lily Gladstone an Emmy nomination. 

The A.V. Club spoke to Patel about how she framed Rhaenyra and Alicent’s big talk, why Daemon’s visions were her favorite part of the episode, and going back to her roots with projects like UTB. 

The A.V. Club: When did you find out you would direct the season-two finale? What did you want to achieve in the episode? 

Geeta Patel: Ryan called me after I had finished working on my season-one episode “The Lord Of The Tides.” I wanted to do a good job on it so I was just happy that he was happy enough to invite me back. It was a very nice surprise to do the finale. After that, I got all the episodes, read them, and saw what needed to happen, which was that we needed it to feel like a big rising action moment. I challenged myself to bookend the season premiere, so I went back and watched that the theme of it was sacrifice for duty. So I kept looking for opportunities to come full circle on that theme in the finale. It’s all in the writing because [episode writer] Sara Hess and Ryan had already spent probably a year making sure of it. So it’s just my process of understanding and finding my way through it visually. I also just wanted to make sure that the scene between Alicent and Rhaenyra was building off of the scene in episode three, which I also directed, I don’t think coincidentally. Maybe that was Ryan’s intention that we were all working together again. 

AVC: You directed the only two scenes that Olivia and Emma share in the season. Their conversation in the finale carries way more emotional weight. What did you all want to evoke with their interaction here?

GP: We wanted to feel as if there was that sacrifice made for duty and that Rhaenyra is pressing Alicent against the wall to do what she’s never done before, which is to take action. What’s interesting is that these two women were friends to begin with, and then it became an eye-for-an-eye type of relationship. Now there is so much pain behind them that this scene is a wrestling match with pain and forgiveness. They both were telling themselves, “I’ve moved on. I can’t feel anything.” But all we saw was emotion. All we saw were these two friends who still loved each other and yet had gotten a divorce. And you ask yourself, Why are they both in this room again? 

It’s because they couldn’t stay away from each other. Yes, we can reason that it’s because of the kingdom and the realm. But when they come together, they are young girls again. Both actors together become a little juvenile and innocent with their facial expressions, like Olivia biting her nails again. Emma contours their face like a child with exaggeration. That made it grounded and real. My hat is off to Sara, whose writing brought so much humanity to the scene. It was like watching a great film with two people who’ve taken this long journey together. It could have been boring, but the writing made it nail-biting and heartfelt. 

AVC: At some points, they’re close and face-to-face, while at other times, Alicent is moving around almost manically while explaining herself. What was your directive to the actors? 

GP: It’s a very collaborative experience. When we work on a scene like this, we’ve had rehearsals beforehand where we talked about the point of the scene. I mean Ryan, Sara, Emma, Olivia, and myself. What we came to is that the shift in the scene is when Rhaenyra says, “A son for a son” and then Alicent agrees. That’s what we’re building to, so if we think about that tone-wise, we’re already at a 10. 

The truth is also when we started the rehearsal, Emma and Olivia are such talented actors, they ran through it and started walking, and I was just watching. There is something to be said about allowing the performers to just be the characters. I do this quite a bit as a director. I say, “Okay, go ahead, do whatever you want to do.” I check that one moment that we know is about the shift and make adjustments along the way, some of which are technical because we want to make sure we can make the day if we have too many camera moves. I also thought it was lovely that at one point, there was a silence between them, so I asked them to keep that and exaggerate it if they felt it was right. I just said, “Don’t worry, keep going; we’ll keep rolling.” So those moments were beautiful and came from the two actors and me experimenting within the parameters set out. 

AVC: What was it like to prep with Ryan and Sara for this critical scene? 

GP: Ryan and Sara are extraordinary in that they’re very easy to approach. One of the things I love about the show is we got all the episodes before we started shooting, so I would write all my notes and questions, mainly questions at that point. So much of what Ryan and Sara want for the show is between the lines. For example, in the first season when I did episode eight, it was about linear analysis between Rhaenyra and Alicent in that episode. I remember thinking even back then that they never say what they’re feeling, but it’s intentional. That’s a great part about Ryan’s vision for HOTD, and that’s why it’s so exciting to work on it because it feels very real even in a world with dragons in them. 

I asked them questions, but it was not for them to change the script. Instead, it’s for me to understand what’s intentionally not on the page. And then from there, we start molding the scenes together. I’m constantly checking in with them about what I’m thinking. I push their buttons and say, “No, no, but what about this?” Sometimes they’ll say things like, “No, you’re wrong” or “Okay, sure, let’s try it.” So, at that point, I’m trying to serve them and challenge their vision in a way. 

As we start shooting, we usually have rehearsals for the bigger scenes, and Ryan, Sara, or one of the writers would come to help us understand what the writers intended. A lot of times, what we found in the finale rehearsals is there’s something we needed [to set up] for season three, so it had to be this way. It’s valuable to have the writers there with you the whole time because they know more than we do. Or sometimes there’s a change to another episode, right? So then they’ll make sure that we check that. A lot of things in this episode had to do with the tone of the characters since we were introducing a few new ones. 

AVC: I presume one of the questions was about Daemon’s visions of things like Rhaenyra on the throne, him in the water, the Night King, and Daenerys. What went through your mind as you read it in the script about how you’d execute it? 

GP: In the script, it was exactly like that: a list of the moments in his vision, almost like bullet points. Ryan and Sara wanted it to feel fragmented. So my first question to them was [about] what they want out of it in terms of story because it’s such a visual moment. And they particularly didn’t want it to be too literal. So they wanted me to run with it. Their main point to me was that this vision has to change Daemon’s point of view. It has to tell him Rhaenyra belongs on the throne, and everything he’s been doing this season or thinking about how his wife is putting him down and he’ll never work for her isn’t true. He needs to see that he’s part of something bigger than him, which was a huge undertaking. [It was] a huge challenge for me that definitely had some sleepless nights involved because Daemon is inherently someone who only thinks about himself. He is not someone who learns lessons easily. So we needed this to be powerful, and yet there are no words in it until the very, very end. 

I sat down with the storyboard artist, took everything they told me, and started filling in the blanks of what I thought we needed to get to what they were saying, finding transitions visually between them to give it an organic feel. Ryan wanted the tone of this scene to feel like something specific to HOTD and unlike anything you’ve seen in fantasy television before, or even in Game Of Thrones. So I spent some time looking to give it that treatment. I was quite honored. That was one of my favorite moments in my career as a TV director, to give this my voice and put it together with the storyboard artists. Once we came up with it, I presented it to them. I’ll never forget that day.

AVC: What was it like to put Matt Smith and Phia Saban in a scene? We rarely see Daemon and Heleana together.

GP: It was fun to put them together, and I think they both enjoyed it too. It’s magical because Matt had been playing in this different dimension in season two.  For Daemon, it’s exciting to find someone who shares his powers. Phia has always played this person who is lost in her universe, and now there’s someone else in it. So it’s random, but it also makes sense. 

AVC: One of the new faces you introduce is Admiral Sharako Lohar, played by Abigail Thorn, who was originally a male character in the book. Her scenes with Tyland Lannister bring a degree of comic relief. Was it refreshing to have this aspect in the finale?

GP: What’s great about Sara is she also has a comedy background, and it comes across in her effervescent writing. As a director, I’m trying to take her writing and make sure that everything I’m doing with it works together along with lighting, blocking, and tone. The second film I made, Meet The Patels starring my brother Ravi, is about my family, and it’s a comedy. What I learned while working with him was that a lot of comedy came from improvisation, feeling very comfortable, and having the space to play. As I started directing TV comedies, I would constantly work with the actors in that way and try to support them and give them space to do many takes. I know sometimes people say, “Oh, this great director can get a scene in two takes.” That’s fine, but I do love pushing the actors to take advantage of their talents. So many actors might say, “I can’t improv,” and I look at them and reassure them and say, “I’ve got you; if it’s not good, I’ll throw it away.” 

So when it came to this finale, it was the same thing. I would say [to Abigail and Jefferson Hall], “Go ahead, let’s do this” and later move to, “Okay, now forget everything I said and do whatever you want.” It’s like an exercise in theater, and these are excellent performers. Matt Smith particularly also loves to play, as does Emma, and when they do, every take is different. As for Abigail, when the audition process started, I think Ryan knew she was the one. She was so great to work with. If you look at the Lohar scenes, you don’t know much about her background. Abigail and I wanted to make sure that her character felt very lived-in and had history. I wanted to give her all the tools she needed so that when she said something, it was coming from a deep, authentic place. We spent a few weeks on and off training, and she would improv moments of Lohar’s history. We had one of our esteemed dialect coaches play against her. We played out her childhood, who her mother, father, and sister might be, where her pain comes from, and everything leading up to this episode. It helped shape her voice, the way she moved, and her tonality.

AVC: The finale ends with a montage revealing where every character stands. It’s a big season-three setup. Were you nervous about pulling that off?

GP: With the final montage, my biggest fear was it would be boring because it’s so many images. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t, as a director, treating everything similarly. We wanted the montage to have rising stakes for the impending war. When you have that many images, we need to keep up the pulse of the sequence. So the first thing I did was to ask myself if I could break it into three acts and what the shift point would be so it doesn’t all feel monotonous. The big thing I settled on was a sacrifice, which is Aegon. His placement had to come at the two-third mark. I had hoped it would give the montage its shape and sustain it. It also tells a story because, in the previous scene, Rhaenyra says to Alicent that she hasn’t sacrificed anything, and they decide it’s going to be a son for a son. The montage is to show everyone’s going to war, but Aegon has now left. So the stakes have changed. What’s going to happen now? It’s an interesting way to leave the season. 

AVC: This year also saw the release of Hulu’s Under The Bridge, which you directed and executive produced. What drew you to it? What was it like to bring personal experience along with your expertise to this undertaking? 

GP: Yeah, so I’ve been looking to do a pilot for a few years. There are exciting episodes like House Of The Dragon, of course, but I’ve been wanting to direct a pilot. When I read the script for Under The Bridge, about an Indian girl in Canada who was bullied and killed, I couldn’t stop crying. I was bullied around the same age of 14 for being Indian, and that still stays with me. It’s shaped me. I know UTB is a true story, and I felt so bad that it happened. At the time early on, the project was small and no big stars were attached to it yet. There wasn’t a lot of money for this project. While developing it, it was about what angle and perspective to take, and when that was done, I got the job of directing the pilot. 

The next thing was to make sure the performances felt real and that we were doing Reena Virk justice. I particularly had four young actors who hadn’t done much yet simply because of their ages; they were 12 to 15. None of them had done anything that resembled UTB’s tone, which was going to be very 8 Mile and Fish Tank. In a method similar to HOTD, I spent a few weeks and weekends workshopping the characters with the actors. We improvised their histories. It was very hard for the girls, and it was hard for me to watch. We also worked on their voices. Vritika Gupta, if you hear talk, it’s very sweet. When she’s playing Reena, her voice goes down. UTB was a labor of love. Again, I had a collaborative showrunner and studio. I said to them in the beginning that I can deliver a show that’s just like something you’ve seen before, or I can deliver what you want, but you’ve got to give me time to work with these talented actors. 

AVC: As someone who’s directed big-budget dramas, TV comedies, and gritty documentaries, how do you think playing in different genres has developed your skillset? What do you want to work on next? 

GP: I grew up going to India almost every year of my life, and I’ve constantly recognized a clash of cultures. So I’ve always wanted to work on topics of civil and social justice through my work, which is how I started in the documentary space. But then I realized quickly that doing it was preaching to the choir because a lot of liberals were watching the movies made by me, a liberal. So when I entered the entertainment industry, I planned to hone my skills and come back to doing those kinds of things and expanding my audience. I want to make a difference. So it’s been eight years that I’ve been trying to hone it. The three episodes of HOTD feel like the Olympics for me. It’s what I’ve wanted to do for years along with the comedies. 

Now it’s time for me to switch gears. I want to bring more South Asians to the screen. I am working specifically on stories like that, which have my voice, having now learned whatever I have. I have an entirely Gujarati language film I wrote because everything doesn’t have to be in English anymore. You can make shows and films from other backgrounds. I don’t mean a Hindi-language Bollywood film, but something even more different. I mean, we watched and loved Squid Games, right? So I’m going back to my roots to explore these topics of race and gender. I also want to make things that are classics that I could watch over and over again like When Harry Met Sally. 

[tokyo-daaaamn-ji-gang]

What are some of your Shinichiro headcanons? ☺️🖤🐉

Here they are!

Attends all of Mikey's races in the good timeline, also brags to everyone that Mikey is his brother and talks about how proud he is

Inui once called him big brother by accident, Shinichiro was thrilled.

When Emma started to grow older he bought a book on menstruation and tried to learn about it to help her. 

Even though they're all adults he still occasionally grabs Mikey, Emma's and Izana's hands if they're walking together out of habit.

Cries when someone actually accepts his confession 

He recorded a whole bunch of home videos of his siblings growing up, will show Draken and their other partners. (He sees it as something cute not embarrassing)

We didn't get to see it but he gave Emma a few lessons on driving a bike as well as Mikey and Izana.

Goes with Wakasa on his fishing trips a lot

After his fight with Izana, he never gave up on trying to call and text him.

Always has tissues on hand in case he or someone else starts crying

Doesn't celebrate his own birthday too much, but it's ok since his friends and siblings always do a lot for him.

Is terrible at cooking at baking

He has the cheesiest pick up lines

Always considered school to be very important and tried to pass that on to his siblings

He's the one who taught Mikey to not hit girls 

Is actually very good at multi tasking.

When he has a partner he offers to drive them around everywhere. He likes to feel them pressed up against him while driving and wants them to experience how much fun a bike is.

Basically considers Baji as another sibling, he tries to teach him things the same as his other siblings.

If he'd lived through Kazutora's attack then he would've forgiven him. 

Found his first bike broken and ditched on the side of the road. He then practically self taught himself with books on how to fix it up.

Has had a heart to heart talk with Sanzu before over the difficulties of being a big brother and being responsible for your younger siblings.

He's also tried to talk to Takeomi about going easier on Sanzu before.

Gets along very well with Ryoko, she trusts him with Baji a lot.

He has a sweet tooth and also snacks a lot

Is a very fast runner, actually being faster then Mikey (even as adults Mikey still demands races)

Can play the guitar and taught Izana

Sometimes he arm wrestles with Benkei, he knows he won't win but still finds it fun.

In a relationship, Shinichiro is the first to tell you he loves you. But not in a typical way, he actually says it sleepily one morning before realising what he just said and cursing because he wanted the first time to be more romantic.

And finally, after meeting Izana he bought extra taiyaki so he could take one home to Kakucho.