#even if her route isn’t voted on I still hope she gets some kind of character arc

[jthealien]

I fear I’m kind of obsessed with cashley

she reminds me a lot of sweetheart from omori :3

[jumpywhumpywriter]

Brought Back to Life -- The Hero Returns

Warnings: dead Hero brought back to life, attacking friends, pain

IMPORTANT CONTEXT: a new threat has risen that endangers the human city Thomas and his friends live in... but with the strongest member of their team having died 5 years ago, how can they face the danger and survive on their own without her? (Spoiler, they don't.)

This event takes place after "The Final Battle" followed by "Hero Death -- The Afterworld"

"There’s only one person I ever knew in my life who could successfully pull off a stunt like this and still come out on top, who could take down a threat of this magnitude, despite the ridiculous odds.” Tanner paused. His expression looked torn, and Thomas could see many different emotions flash across his features; guilt, regret, wistfulness, hopefulness, and hesitation. But at last, he spoke again, with slow, careful words.

“We can’t do this on our own. We… We need Shadow.”

The whole room went silent as a crypt.

“...What?” Thomas croaked at last.

“That isn’t funny, Tanner. Not in the least.” Roy frowned.

“I know it isn’t. And it wasn’t intended to be a joke.” He sighed, letting his words sink in.

“So… if it wasn’t a joke, what was it?” Roy pressed.

“A… suggestion.”

“What do you mean?” Thomas asked. He could hear his own pulse quickening.

“I mean… what if there was a way to bring her back?” Tanner elaborated.

“And how would we do that?” Roy squeaked.

“I know of something that, in theory, can… bring back the dead. No guarantees, but it might work. If we even decide to take that route, that is.” Tanner looked like he was deeply regretting every single word coming out of his mouth. A long silence followed, and Thomas could feel millions of thoughts and questions racing through his mind.

Is that really possible? After all this time? And even if it is, SHOULD we bring her back? I can’t believe Tanner never told us before… He felt his shock quickly dissolving into hurt and anger.

“So… all this time… you let us believe she was really gone, dead forever, but you knew of a way to bring her back?” He said through gritted teeth.

Tanner winced regretfully. “It’s not that simple, Thomas. To bring someone back from beyond life… There are so many variables at play. It’s impossible to predict the outcome. But more than that, it’s flat out dangerous. The Shadow we get back… If we get her back at all… She wouldn’t be the same. She could try to kill us for all we know, and when dealing with someone as lethal and powerful as she can be… I’d hate to think of the outcome.”

“Who cares about that?!” Thomas’s voice rose angrily. “We could have at least tried to do something, instead of accepting her death as a fact. You’ve been a loyal friend to her for practically her entire life. How could you not want her back? Did you really even care about her at all?”

Tanner’s eyes flared angrily, but he kept his calm. “I did care. And I refrained from telling you this information because I cared. I was thinking only of what was in Shadow’s best interest at the time, not my own. It would have been plain selfish of me to bring her back just to fill the hole of grief. I couldn’t in good conscience put her through that kind of suffering. It’s not a painless process…”

“You could have at least given the rest of us a vote in it,” Thomas’s voice cut in sharply. His hands were trembling at his sides.

Tanner looked at him knowingly, his eyes full of sympathy and wisdom. “I understand why you would be angry at me for this. But I hope that in time you will see that my point was a very valid one…”

“Stop. Just stop trying. Nothing you can say now will fix this. I’m going to get some fresh air.” Thomas whirled around angrily and stormed out of the room.

“Thomas, wait–” Roy started to follow him, but Tanner put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Give him some time to cool off on his own,” he said softly. Thomas spent an entire hour pacing furiously outside, mulling over Tanner’s words, before he composed himself enough to rejoin everyone.

“All right, I’m ready. Tell me about this ‘way to bring back the dead’,” he grunted unhappily.

Tanner nodded slowly. “There was once an ancient rumor that there was a pit of water that somehow generated a low-level magic of its own, even though it wasn't a living thing. Previously it was thought that only a pureblooded bird-folk could produce such magic.” He massaged his temples.

“But anyhow, the pit was discovered to have healing properties that could almost instantly mend slight injuries. And then apparently someone got the bright idea to put a dead body in it and see what would happen, to try and discover if the healing would only work on living creatures. But voila! The dead were raised again, but the person that came out of the waters was not the same as they once were. They were broken, incomplete, and eventually had to be put back down, deemed too dangerous to let live.” He visibly winced.

“It only took a few attempts before everyone finally realized how dangerous it really was, and banned its usage for any reason whatsoever. No exceptions. I have only ever heard horror stories about those dreaded resurrection waters. People who were desperate to bring loved ones back, only to pay the price with their own lives when their once dead friends turned on them.” He suppressed a shudder.

“And to even entertain the thought that we might have to put down Shadow with our own hands if things go wrong… I don’t think I could do that. No even if she were trying to kill me. And that’s the exact reason that so many others got themselves killed trying to raise the dead. Because they would rather die themselves than fight their own friends and family.” His face was stern and serious. “So if we are going to genuinely consider this as an option… We need to be absolutely sure we can deal with whatever comes as a result of our actions. This is not something we can make an emotional decision on. This is a time to think logically and clearly.”

“...How about we vote on it?” Thomas offered. Everyone shared uneasy glances.

“I-I don’t know, you guys… This doesn’t sound like a very good idea to me,” Roy squeaked anxiously. “I mean, sure I miss Shadow… but I don’t think I’m ready to be killed by her if things go wrong.”

“So that’s one ‘no’,” Tanner announced.

Thomas stepped forward. “I vote yes. We /need/ Shadow to help us. I don’t think we can do this on our own. And she never deserved to die like she did in the first place.”

Tanner pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course it's a tie... which leaves the final choice… to me.” His brow furrowed, and Thomas held his breath, feeling a pit of hopelessness in his stomach. Tanner rubbed his face in distress, the weight of the two options presented before him heavy on his shoulders. He stayed silent for so long that Thomas wondered if he would even answer at all, but finally…

“...I vote yes.” His voice was barely more than a whisper, but powerful with authority and resolve. “We will try… to bring Shadow back.”

Thomas couldn’t believe it. He had made it clear that he didn’t seem to particularly favor the option, which is why his unexpected vote was so surprising.

“For real?” Thomas asked, just to make sure. Tanner’s cautious eyes met his, and he gave a small nod.

“With that being said, we need a plan. And a good one.” He ran a hand through his hair. “If this even works… we need a guaranteed way to safely restrain Shadow and bring her back to the lab without failure for her to recover. No doubt she will be disoriented and confused when she first comes back, which could easily transform into a very dangerous situation for us.”

“I have a powerful sedative I could make and put into a miniature tranquilizer gun,” Thomas offered. Tanner arched an eyebrow at him.

“Are you sure its strong enough to take out one of her species?” He asked skeptically.

Nope, not in the least. But I’m not about to turn down this miracle of an opportunity.

“Yes, it should be more than potent enough,” Thomas said, ignoring his doubting thoughts.

“Then it's settled. Thomas, you get that device ready, and Roy, prepare to help me transport the body." Tanner stood up straight. Roy’s face paled.

“M-Me?” He stuttered.

“Don’t worry, you won’t be anywhere near where the two of us will be when we bring Shadow back. You’re only acting as our helper.” Tanner rolled his eyes. Roy relaxed a fraction, but still didn’t look too happy about the whole idea.

“I’ll go get some supplies of my own together,” Tanner announced, and began walking out of the room. “We’ll leave in an hour,” he tossed over his shoulder. Then he was gone.

---------Timeskip---------

The resurrection waters. Ten minutes before life.

Thomas followed close behind as Tanner and Roy worked together to carry the coffin down the spiraling stone steps to the pit, one in the front, and one in back. It took awhile, going deeper and deeper into the heart of the earth, but at last the small group reached the bottom, where there was a short tunnel that opened up into a shockingly large cavern.

Thomas couldn't help gawking at the sight before him when he entered. In the center, back part of the cavern, there was what appeared to be a large pool of dark water with small stone walls around the edges keeping it contained. What was strange about it, though, was the air above the water. There was an eerie, thick, solid white wall of fog hovering over its surface, that extended from the top of the water all the way up to the ceiling, and some of the mist billowed down the stone steps leading up to the pool, looking like something from a fairy tale. It was truly hypnotizing.

All around, the walls of the cavern seemed to glow with odd, mystical light that seemed to emanate from strange patches of moss or lichen growing on the ceiling and walls, illuminating the fog of the pit. Thomas gazed down at his open hand which held the syringe containing the powerful tranquilizer that they planned to use on Shadow should something go wrong with the resurrection.

Which it probably will, knowing our luck. Thomas forced the unwelcome thought from his mind and turned around to see Roy and Tanner ever so carefully laid Shadow's coffin on the floor nearby, taking a brief moment to enjoy the cavern's ancient, haunting beauty.

"I guess this is it." Thomas jumped at the sound of his voice echoing around the expansive stone-filled underground cave room. He had an unnatural quivering feeling in his stomach as nerves got the best of him, a mixture of fear, excitement, and wonder. A cold chill ran up his spine, and he shuddered. “We're really going to bring her back."

Tanner and Roy exchanged nervous glances as he said it.

"Don't get your hopes up too much. Like I said before, every time this has been attempted in the past, it has always ended badly," Tanner replied.

"Yeah, I still have a really bad feeling about this... what if something goes terribly wrong?" Roy shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"And that is why you won't be here for any of this." Tanner gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "You'll be far away from any danger. Besides, it might be best if the first faces she sees are the ones that are most familiar, assuming this even works to begin with."

Roy's gaze flitted between Thomas and Tanner before he reluctantly nodded.

"Well… Good luck, then…" He pushed off into the air with his legs, his brown wings carrying him back through the tunnel and up the long spiraling stairway to fresh air. After he had left, Thomas watched as Tanner wriggled his way into a waterproof hazmat suit he had brought along in a large bag.

"What's that for?" Thomas tilted his head to the side inquisitively.

"It's to protect me from the effects of the water." Tanner grunted as he wrestled with the suit. "Remember, the water doesn't just bring people back from the dead, it heals those who are still living. But every time a person uses it, it is said that they lose a small fraction of their soul."

"Oh! Yikes,” Thomas exclaimed.

"So, basically, I'm not taking any chances," Tanner chuckled. Once he had successfully gotten himself inside the hazmat suit, he walked over to the coffin, still laying on the floor, and paused, glancing briefly over at Thomas, who stood next to him.

"It's not too late to back out. Are you sure you're ready for this?" He raised an eyebrow at him. “Keep in mind that we’re responsible for whatever comes out of that pit.”

"Ready as I'll ever be." Thomas tried to sound confident, swallowing the rising fear in the back of his throat. Tanner gripped the lid of the thin-walled stone coffin and heaved it off, causing it to land on the ground with a loud crash that reverberated around the room. Thomas couldn't help a choked gasp.

Laying before him was the legendary Shadow herself, a fallen hero, looking almost exactly as he remembered her. Only now, she looked thin and frail, every bone on her face highly visible beneath her black leather mask. She looked... older. A lot older. The skin was tight around her frame, and her hands looked so small as they still grasped the hilt of her favorite dagger. She didn’t look as degraded as he would have expected for someone who had been dead for five years.

Thomas felt his heart flutter with anxiety as he watched Tanner carefully remove the weapon from her grasp, setting it on the floor nearby before delicately picking her up as if she were made of glass, being extra cautious of her glorious white wings. Her head lolled back in his strong arms as he walked up the steps of the pit, the fog flowing lazily around his feet.

Without hesitation, he started wading into the water until it was chest deep, and then Thomas lost sight of him completely in the white screen of solid-looking mist. He started to pace anxiously as he waited for his return.

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

Meanwhile, inside the heavy fog, Tanner continued to make his way through the water until he reached a circular, round stone platform that was only half a foot or so beneath the surface.

Here goes nothing, he thought, and gently laid Shadow upon it, the water washing over her so that only the top of her face was free to the air. Tanner stood there for a long moment, simply watching as her wings drifted around weightlessly, the wetness quickly soaking into her white feathers, and sending up hundreds of tiny bubbles.

"Come back to us, old friend," he whispered hopefully, and then began his retreat.

Back outside the pit, Thomas was still walking back and forth nervously. It had been a few long minutes, and there was still no sign of Tanner. His mind had started to wander while he waited as he remembered the last time he had seen Shadow, the day she had died, bleeding out from a fatal wound caused by the sword that had been meant for Thomas himself. Then he remembered with a jolt something that she had said to him before the darkness claimed her life, after revealing that she had foreseen her own death in a vision.

"Hey... don't be sad... this isn't the last... you will see of me... I promise you that."

Shadow's voice echoed quietly in his mind and a realization occurred to him.

Is this what she was talking about? Did she know we would try to bring her back from another vision? He was left pondering the idea until he spotted a familiar figure finally emerging from the water.

"Well? Did it work?" Thomas rushed up to Tanner as he took off his hazmat suit, casting it to the side and running a hand through his hair.

"Patience, Thomas. This kind of thing takes time," he replied, and extended his hand towards him, gesturing for the tranquilizer. Thomas gave it to him and he checked to make sure the device was in working order.

"So now what?" Thomas asked uneasily.

"Now, we wait."

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

Eternal darkness, and then... Shadow awakened. In the dark. In the cold. Alone. Her whole body felt so strange. She didn't know where she was. Who she was. Or what was happening to her. Her skin crawled with a thousand spiders as water splashed gently against her face, the only thing that wasn't completely submerged.

Darkness floated around her mind... silent, heavy, and suffocating… a cold weightlessness that filled her head, encapsulated her entire being. She couldn't move. Everywhere was blocked by an invisible wall. She was trapped somewhere. Somewhere small and dark...

Then... Something rose up inside her. A change. A transformation. Pain flared throughout her entire body and primal instincts surged to the surface, flinging her into the backseat as they took control.

And then came the first breath. It wheezed into her aching lungs, the air feeling oddly heavy and unnatural inside of her, foreign. Her heart began to beat and struggled inside her chest, pounding with increasing horror against her ribcage, and her pulse felt strangely distant, yet she could hear it roaring in her ears. Her newfound breaths came faster as panic set in.

Where... where is everyone? What’s happening to me?

Memories floated hazily in her mind... a chaotic jumble of random images flashing by. Her head throbbed from the overload of information. Then she remembered the pain, the cold, the fear. The feeling of Tanner's sword as it slid into her chest.

I... I should be dead. Why am I not dead?

Her mind, grasping for purchase in the endless black abyss, seized upon a new, powerful memory, and reality came crashing back all at once, strength flooding into her cold limbs.

For the first time her eyes flew open, seeing only an endless screen of white hanging above her. She blinked rapidly, centering herself, and finally found the energy and the will to move and dragged herself to her feet, swaying dizzily, the world spinning wildly before her eyes, the sounds and smells around her overwhelming her heightened Falkry senses.

Her entire body was soaked with a strange looking water, and it sloshed around her shins greedily. Shadow gasped and clutched her head as a new wave of searing agony coursed through her mind, every last nerve on fire with pain. An electric buzzing sensation tingled in her spine, like a swarm of angry bees, and she could feel a cold, hard surface beneath her feet.

I'm standing on a rock…?

She stumbled blindly to the right, trying to get a grip of herself, breathing shallowly and beating her wings lightly to keep her balance as the humidity pressed against her skin. Everywhere she looked there was an eerie white fog... or maybe just mist? Somewhere in that fog she could barely make out two dark silhouettes in the distance as she peered through the thick haze.

Escape... must... escape... The thought repeated itself in her mind, a deafening roar that engulfed her completely. Desperation gripped Shadow's heart in its vise-like grip, and she staggered towards the figures. Desperation to escape this nightmare. This unknown place of darkness, death, and pain. She had never felt such powerful, overwhelming fear before. Suddenly, her feet slipped off the edge of the rock and she sank into much deeper water that was chest-high.

Her grip on sanity loosened as the terror overtook her entirely, her wings beating furiously against the water's surface with loud, wet slaps. They were weighed down heavily, but at last she managed to fly a few feet in front of her until she met a solid stone wall, and clambered onto it, dragging herself out of the dark pool.

Her pulse skyrocketed as the figures in the mist came into focus. One was a tall man with hazel eyes and black hair. A small distance in front of him was a younger man who looked to be in his twenties or thirties, with brown hair and eyes.

Something about the second man seemed vaguely familiar, but the feeling quickly passed when she looked back to the first person and noticed the unusually shaped weapon in his hand. It triggered a new, vivid, fractured memory to surface... a bloody battlefield... death everywhere... the haunting screams...

Danger! Her mind cried, overwhelming the small fraction of rational thinking that remained in her hollow, broken thoughts. Danger!

All other concerns were cast to the wind and Shadow's body acted against her will, hurling her from the stone edge directly at the nearest of the two threats to destroy it, her conscious mind dissolving into nothingness as she lost control of herself altogether.

(Who wants me to post the second half?)

Masterlist

Masterlist #2

@scoundrelwithboba @lumpofsand @isikedmyself878 @iamheretohurt @fleur-a-whump @otterfrost @sausages-things

[camuslittlesister]

Summer of Smut 2023 - 4

This was technically intended for the prompt for the 26th but then my body decided to punish me for the fact my otome husbandos cannot get me pregnant sooo I adapted it.

Almost Lover

Prompt Sneaking out of a pool party Otome Brothers Conflict  Ship Tsubaki x female OC (ok, I’ll admit it, this is a poorly disguided self-insert 🥹 as if I could get away with this specific brand of a n g s t in front of my friends. She isn’t named tho) Warning It spoils a circumstance between Azusa and Tsubaki (it takes place in a hypothetical future at the end of the summer after Azusa’s route) and something about Hikaru. Also, if you played Olympia Soirée, this is your TW, f l a s h b a c k s. Well, one. Still, it was our collective trauma of 2021.

Well, I'd never want to see you unhappy I thought you'd want the same for me Goodbye, my almost lover Goodbye, my hopeless dream

- A Fine Frenzy

Her moans sounded like she was far more into it than I was. I looked back down at her, her long hair a mess on the pillow, a different colour than Ema’s and, yet, it was hard for me to truly see her. I could feel her hands tightening around my arms when I thrusted, her hips moving to meet the hit, all her muscles tensing and releasing when it counted. How many lovers had she had to be this good? And, yet…I just couldn’t help but think that I would have rather felt Ema’s inexperienced first love instead.

I didn’t feel guilty, although maybe I should’ve. She came to this hotel after I drunkenly told her all about how Azusa always takes everything I want from me. I wonder why. I’m sure she doesn’t lack any opportunities with guys. I was so distracted by my thoughts I was finding it hard to come. She smiled at me. It was a soft smile, the kind Masaomi has for his patients. Dammit, now I truly have gone and killed the mood. I was so angry with myself I went at it even harder. 

Well, at least  she likes it. Unless she is faking it. No, she isn’t, surely? It’d be too hard to fake those spasms. Well, whatever. She pushed me over the edge at last and I rolled over by her side. She didn’t try to make shallow conversation. I just stared at the ceiling for a while. She got out of bed and headed for the table, her beautiful figure almost ethereal in the moonlight. For a moment I wished I had met her at any other time but this. She deserved more than the half-assed fuck I gave her. 

She returned to bed with a bag of gummies with a kawaii character or other and offered me some. “Thank you ⭐️” I tried to be my usual cheerful self, she didn’t buy it.“You’re really mad at your brother, huh? I’m so sorry…I hope you feel a bit lighter now. Your smile lights up the room, but it’d be even more beautiful if genuine…” “Why do you think I’m mad at Azusa?” “You went really hard at it, like a raging bull, and you had no reason to be that angry at my vagina…” I did not reply. I took another gummy from the bag and lowered my head on her shoulder like I always did on Azusa’s. 

*

“So that’s the infamous Azusa?” she was looking around the garden trying to piece together my family.  “No, that’s Natsume. Azusa has dark hair and glasses. Do you not read magazines?” “I buy them if you’re in them?!” “So you should know what Azusa looks like!”  “He’s your twin, he looks like you but not as good. As does that guy”“Yeah. We’re triplets…fine, I forgive you” I stole a kiss and took her hand, finally walking out into the garden and making our presence known. 

We may have walked two steps when the menace that are two of my older brothers descended on us: Hikaru and Kaname, one teasing me about how fast I moved on from being in love with Ema like everyone else, and the other pointing out that with a girlfriend as pretty as mine it was understandable, what wasn’t is what she saw in me.  I pouted: “Hey, that girl’s magazine voted me the hottest seiyuu this year” everyone laughed, even Ukyo nearby chuckled behind his hand, trying to hide. 

“The real question is how she puts up with his personality” I could have recognised that voice among thousands speaking at once.“Azusaaaaaaa ⭐️” I turned around and hugged him. “How does it feel being the mistress?” Hikaru asked my girlfriend.“It’s fine. The doujinshi sell like hot cakes…” she was joking…right?Kaname did not miss a beat: “If you ever need to offload your pain, I’m a good listener…” 

I turned their way, my arms still around my twin, glaring. Azusa smiled gently: “You must be the girl nobody believed was real. Thank you for taking good care of my brother, he’s a lot of trouble but please continue to take care of him” Why is she not denying the accusation? I’m no trouble.  “Is Ema not with you?” I asked Azusa. It was the first time in a long time that we were all in the same place at once, as I had left Sunrise Residence to move in with my now girlfriend when they first got together. 

“She’s playing in the pool with Wataru” he replied. There was some awkwardness between us for a moment. I had never really addressed that I had moved out because of them even though he and I had been joined at the hip for most of our lives.  My girlfriend noticed, as perceptive as ever, and changed the topic: “Won’t you introduce me to everyone else?”  “Okay ⭐️” I finally disentangled myself from Azusa and took her around to my other brothers, and my mother and Rintaro-san who had, by then, arrived. Mother gave me a knowing look, before dropping a metaphorical iced bucket on my head: “I’m so glad to have a second daughter to dress up.”

My girlfriend looked at me with questioning eyes and I tried to change the subject. It was true that we lived together, even with all the risks involved for me if the tabloids found out, and that I never took a girl home to meet everyone, but our circumstances were more complicated, and our relationship far shorter than everyone thought. 

“Oh, if it isn’t the first daughter” Mother’s attention shifted to Ema, who had now joined us too. I felt my hand being squeezed as I forced my brightest smile and turned towards the girl who had broken my heart. I could overhear my mother talk about how beautiful it would be if we had a double wedding. I tried to block her out of my mind, as Ema was as sweet as ever, complimenting my girlfriend over being as beautiful and glamourous as Hikaru. Ema was right, I thought, as I watched her gracefully accept the compliment. She was unlike other girls I had ever met. 

“Tsubaki, will you show me to the bathroom please? I need to powder my nose…” Ema tried to volunteer, but I made the excuse of needing to go too so that I would be the one. As soon as we were out of sight in front of the bathroom, she hugged me: “I’m so proud of you”“What for?” “How you handled seeing the girl that broke your heart and the brother who helped her do it…it’s painful to see someone you love with someone else, and have to act like you’re happy for them when maybe on some level you are but your feelings are more complicated than that…”

I looked at her, her eyes earnest. Did she think I was still in love with Ema? “It’s true. It was so painful seeing Kaname and Hikaru flock to you like that” I replied. She looked surprised. I kissed her, opening the door behind her and walking us into the bathroom: “Did you actually need to go?” I asked her, not thinking through what I had just done.“No, I wanted to speak to you in private…” 

“Good” I smiled, and locked the door. I lowered my voice to one of my acting voices, the one I used for ikémen, or as she called it my seme voice: “You need teaching a lesson. You mistakenly believe I am still in love with Ema no matter how many times I do this to you…” I kissed her, pulling her skirt up to her waist and realising she was wearing a one piece swimsuit. Of course. I used one hand to move it to the side, so I could use the other one to tease her.

She leaned back against the cabinets, relaxing at my touch. I knelt down in front of her. Gosh, I wish it was a bikini so I could pull it down…I had to hold the swimsuit out of the way instead of using both hands to play with her. I let my tongue reach as far as it would go, playing with her for a while, before inserting my fingers while my lips and tongue focused on the outside. She was a lot quieter than usual, which somehow made it even hotter. It didn’t take long before she had to use her hand to muffle her climax. I stood back up and hugged her, returning to my normal voice: “I think we should get married…”

She looked at me like I was absolutely insane.  “I want to prove to you that my love is real.” Ever since I had fallen in love with her, I had stopped having sex with her. If anything happened, like it just did, it would just be me treating her like the princess she is, as if trying to atone for how badly I used her and hurt her at first. “Okay ⭐️” she replied, clearly making an impression of me “I will consider your proposal for real. But for now” she turned around in my arms “stop it with this whole thinking just of me out of guilt”

I didn’t know how to react at the fact she knew. She didn’t like sex from behind all that much, so that told me she really wanted me, even with how we got together all wrong. I prepared myself and slid inside her, careful not to hurt her even though I had been so rough to her and she had still stuck by me.  “I love you” she said, as I pushed the whole length. I realised that I had proposed to her without ever telling her I loved her! “And I love you” I replied, bending over her back so I could reach her face to kiss her. It had been so long since I had been with her fully that it was the shortest I had ever lasted, but I didn’t care. The smile I saw in the mirror told me I would have a lifetime to please this woman. 

I make no apologies about the stars. I bet that you read all the lines in Tsubaki's voice because of it

CC:  @voltage-vixen 🖤 @xxsycamore​ 🖤

[junova]

↬ 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐭 | 𝐬. 𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬

abstract: the one where steve finds your love letters.

pairing: au!steve x fem!reader

word count: 3K+

warnings: cussing, fluff, angst, crying, slight self-deprecation.

[author’s note]: hey guys! i’m really new to the writing scene so kind words are appreciated! srsly just testing my writing style out and wanted to just post something to motivate me to keep writing. hope u like it. <3

also thank u ari for the inspo and that bomb ass album that saved twenty-twenty. now we just need biden to get elected.

ps. don’t forget to vote! <3

Stevie,

First and foremost, I want you to know how proud of you I am. You have become the man you’ve said you become, the one I always knew you would. You have finally seen what the rest of us see.

A good man.

The soul you carry within you shines brighter than I’ve ever seen. Just for that only, I’m thankful for the time we’ve spent together. Maybe one day, I’ll be brave enough to tell you this without hiding behind the comfort of this notebook. She won’t spill my secrets, fortunate for me.

Some days you have no idea how badly I want to tell you. I think it’s on the days I discover a new fleck of green in your eyes or maybe when you show up to class with a cup of coffee for me without request.

More. More. More.

More. More. More.

It’s selfish of me, that much I know. More days than not, I would say you give too much of yourself away. Always wanting to appease everyone, you, Steven Rogers, the bridge to making the people around you happier than they walked in. Even when Bucky drags you into his nonsense bullshit, you say yes without hesitation.

I’ve got not a a clue on how you continue on, how you still remain you when you tend to spread yourself so thin. Who watches out for you? Who cares for you? Who loves the almighty, selfless Rogers?

For me, it’s much easier to pretend you carry too much on your plate than to deal with the rejection I would receive from you. You’re just too good, more than I deserve. More than I would be willing to take. I know I couldn’t possibly give you what you deserve but, I hope that one day you might see me differently. You would see me more than the light I’ve painted myself in.

Even though the shade is lovely, I want to be deeper. Deeper into you on a level which only seems unattainable at this point.

A forever friend. To be in your life, just as a friend, is an reward in itself.

But someday I hope you would love me in the same way I do. It’s all a love struck girl could do. Hope for the best, bet be prepared for the downfall.

With much love, your forever friend.

Tearing the page away from the binding of the overfilled notebook, dispensing it in the first empty drawer you could find, you abandoned the feelings as soon as the pen’s ink bleed out dry.

“You know it would just be easier to tell him how you feel.” You peaked up at the sound of her voice, before realizing she was looming over you, watching your write the letter.

Your supposed, secret letter.

“Nat, please. No.” Opening the drawer, she grabbed the letter but was surprised with just how many she found.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve written about him multiple times?” You sank in the soft, plush material of your seat hoping that just maybe it would begin to swallow you whole. Hopefully, fast enough were you wouldn’t have to endure the rest of the conversation. One you had been trying to avoid, for the past three years.

“It’s nothing Nat, just forget it.” Just like a Romanov, she couldn’t leave it alone. Even if she tried it was laced in her blood to see any little thing through.

“You really shouldn’t wait so long. A window might close for you, much sooner than you think.” With a curious eyebrow lifted, you felt your breath leave you.

“What does that supposed to mean?” Steve certainly deserved the best and you knew it was only time for him to figure out you would never be enough for him.

“Peggy Carter.” Peggy.

The one girl of a sea of many who had been enamored by Steve. He never really seemed to spend anytime with the women who vied for his attention, but Peggy was surely different than the rest.

Even if Steve was oblivious when it came to the advances everyone would make on him, he saw Peggy. Considering she was the most beautiful woman you had ever seen, she intimidated you. God, did she ever.

On numerous occasions she and Steve had gone out, and even though he assured you they were just friends you were starting to believe he was only trying to protect your feelings. As a friend.

He had never cancelled on you once for her and he would tell you if he had started to date someone, just like he had before.

Even though the entire three years you’d known him he only had one serious girlfriend and after eight months, the pair broke up and even now he still didn’t budge on why they broke up.

“Steve can do whatever he wants with her. He’s a single man. He’s gone out with her before and he’ll probably go with her again.” Then Sam was the next to speak up, dismissing the total bullshit spouting from your mouth.

“Can’t you see he doesn’t want to? The damn man follows you around like a goddamn puppy.” Okay, when did he even come in here?

“God, fuck, no he doesn’t. He would have said something by now, he’s had three years and it’s been nothing but radio silence.” With an all knowing smirk, Sam proposed a new concept into question.

“It has been three years. So, have you ever said anything to him?”

Shit. Fuck you, Wilson.

“W-Well, not exactly.” Sam didn’t have to say anything in response. You knew he was right and you hated it.

Your unwillingness still stood for you, there was just no way he actually would reciprocate your feelings.

“Listen, I think it would be really good for the both of you to air everything out. Peggy is sinking her claws in him and it isn’t too long before they get stuck. Just talk to him.” You nodded silently, but you weren’t sure if you’d ever have the courage to.

—

Emptiness.

It’s all you seemed to feel today. Following you around was a dark cloud, looming over you. Wishing you could be anywhere but your own body. Nothing in particular happened to make you deserve the feeling you were granted with. It just so happened to be one of those days.

From the moment you got out of bed — or rather stayed in bed until four in the afternoon, you felt like anything you would have done just didn’t feel enough. The feeling was fleeting, never staying for more than a day or so, but it made the day drag on. Never ending.

Your muscles sore, body aching from the lack of activity your presumed. Or maybe you had built it in your head too.

Thankfully for you, Nat was busy helping Bucky move into his new place the entire day. She asked if you wanted to help, but mentally you didn’t feel you would be useful for anyone. Simply, telling her you would hang back, claiming you had another an essay to write.

Which you did, you weren’t completely lying, but there was more than your sour mood to blame for your dismissal of social interaction.

You hated to be that girl, the one who needed the presence of men. Specifically, the company of one very beautiful, blue eyed one.

His absence in your life the past few weeks felt heavier on you than you thought it would. You knew from Sam’s intel he had been hanging out with Peggy more and more. He said the two of them were getting close, mercifully sparing you the details.

You hated it’s you’d become. A girl so damn struck over a boy who was giving his attention elsewhere. Upset you were though. Before even if he was busy between classes and his internship at the gallery, he would still text to check up on you.

Now, it was nothing but radio silence letting you draw conclusions on your own. Very, very dangerous territory for you to travel to.

Steve and you are just friends. Get. Over. It.

You thought you’d be alone the rest of the Saturday, especially since it was nearly midnight. Figuring Nat was staying over at Bucky’s and Wanda leaving earlier in early hours of the morning to see her boyfriend for the entire weekend.

Then, an incredibly drunk Steve stumbled into your quaint apartment, the thoughtfully sweetness in him blubbering out with the alcohol flooding through his system. It was like he was on overdrive. More than ready to crash at any given moment.

You had enough when Steve started shamelessly raiding your kitchen, but you remained on the couch attempting to maintain some distance between the two of you. He had a history of being incredibly handsy whenever he had bit too much to drink.

Stumbling his way over to you, almost tripping on the rug, until he was basically cuddling up to your side. His arms latched tightly around you, pulling you into him. Not spared a choice, not that you’d want one.

The security of being wrapped up to him wasn’t something you ever grew tired of. You don’t think there would ever be a time you would ever be capable of turning him away.

“I’ve missed you. It’s been too long.” His soft tone, penetrating the tiny resistance you held towards him. “Me too. I was starting to think you disappeared on me, bubba.”

“Never.” His iron grip holding so tight like he was afraid you’d slip right through.

“Is everything alright?” Trying to pull from him, but Steve seemed unable to let you go. You whispered in his ear, caressing his back.

“I think so.”

“Here, let me grab you cup of joe and some water. Okay? I’ll be right back.” Leaving him a kiss on the cheek, before heading him into the kitchen.

If you had been around him recently, perhaps you would be more in tune with how he was feeling. Then the guilt sept in.

“Sweetheart, do you know where the phone charger is? It’s not by the recliner.” You heard him shout, trying to stop your heart from hammering into your stomach.

Just make him some coffee, sober him up, until he crashes.

Steve always seemed to be a lightweight and somehow whenever he did decide to drink he always found himself routing his way into your home. You thought it was simply for accident alone. The bar he frequented at was only a few block from you.

The past few times he would just stumble into your bedroom, immediately passing out in your soft, silky sheet. Now, he seemed to have more pressing matters at hand.

“Check the drawers, Stevie. I think there’s one you left around here somewhere.” You grabbed the filters and the grounds out, brewing the coffee. Soon, with a black cup of coffee and a water bottle in hand you took note of just how quite he was being.

He was never this silent and it was freaking you out.

“Are you sure you’re o-”

Just like that.

Fuck.

Hunched over, practically on his knees, he read over the endless letters you wrote about him. Confessions never meant to be seen by him. You lost track of how many you had written over the past few years once realized how irrevocably in love with him you are.

He didn’t realize you had found him and you were suddenly paralyzed. Unaware of your presence he continued to read through them and his expression was unrecognizable. One you’d never seen from him before, and you didn’t quite know how to react.

No. He wasn’t grimacing nor did he seem to be elated either. He just stood there just like you, afraid what would happen next.

What did this mean for the two of you? Your entire relationship was purely riding on whatever happened next.

Softly, with a gentle hand, he sifted through them all like he was looking for something specifically. Steve let them fall to the hardwood floors as your shaking hands could no longer support the weight of the dainty coffee cup he had actually sculpted himself.

The glass shattering everywhere, several pieces making their way towards him, thankfully not fiercely enough to penetrate his skin.

Truly, you had never been more sorry than when he looked up at you with tears in his eyes. Threatening to spill over. Because of you.

You didn’t have to be told, you already knew.

Carefully, Steve stood up making his way over to you around the shattered mug. Still you couldn’t bring yourself to move. Simply just watching him until he was right in front of you — more silent than you’d ever seen him before.

“Those were about me. Weren’t they?” You nodded having no reason to lie other than to protect yourself from a rejection you been hoping to spare yourself from.

“I didn’t want you to find out like this. Or at all really.” Your resolve dropping instantly when Steve took a step further gripping by your hips, pulling you closer.

“Why not?” He questioned you, again. Almost like he needed a verbal affirmation of every secret he had just read.

Unintentionally, stealing your soul served for him on a silver platter.

“I know how you’d feel about me, Steve. It’s not how I want it to be and it’s okay.” You remove yourself from him, traveling to the other side of the living room. Suddenly, the apartment seemed suffocating with him in it. “I’m fine, Steve.”

Hearing him sigh in frustration only furthered your immense feeling of being a burden to him.

You’re just one more obstacle he has to deal with.

“One of them dated back for over two years ago. Two fucking years.” His harsh tone, piercing through you like a knife.

“I know. I should have told you.” You whispered, wishing you could disappear into any abyss that would take you. Deeply wishing you just didn’t have to endure for the rest of this conversation. Wishing you could have stopped him from opening that stupid drawer. “I tell you everything, but I just couldn’t bring myself to speak about this. Look at how you’re reacting? How could you blame me when every fear I have about this is justified?”

You really should have kept those elsewhere, not your open, public living room.

“Because it’s us. I’m always here for you.” He was still crying through broken words and you didn’t know why. Almost like you had shattered his resolve and his control leaving with it.

“Not lately. You’ve been otherwise occupied.” Suddenly find the plant in the corner of the room. It certainly weren’t trying to distract yourself from the insatiable cerulean eyes.

The breathtaking british woman wasn’t even here and as soon as she was brought up — there was a wall. Seperating, you from whatever was between the two of you.

“This isn’t my fault. You never said anything. How was I supposed to know you feel that way about me?” He tried to make his way towards you but you just stalked off in the other direction. Circling around the living room like a coward.

“It didn’t matter though, did it? You found someone perfect for you regardless of how you feel.” God, you wish he would just leave so you could let the dam break.

“No. You don’t get to do that. Since the moment I met you I only had eyes for you, but you never seemed like you were interested. So, I dropped it. Okay? You never left me a crumb to think you would ever want to be more than just friends.”

“You were my best friend. You still are. No matter how I felt, it could never outweigh the need I have for you to be in my life.” He sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. Trying to figure out what was next for the both of you. Steve always had to initiate and this time was no different.

“Peggy told me tonight she wants to be exclusive.” His confession washing over you like a ton of bricks. Crushing you.

You really couldn’t have any ill feeling towards her, she was just doing what you lacked the courage and the tenacity to do.

“But I didn’t really know what to do.” He took quiet steps towards you, not wanting to spook you. He voice not no longer held the a warmth of teddy bear, but a man on a mission rather took over.

Steve kept quiet until he had you backed up into a corner, no escape route in vision for you.

“’Cause there’s this other beautiful woman, absolutely breathtaking — and I just I really needed to know how she felt. If I had known before,  I never would have gone anywhere else.” His hand caressing your soft, plump lips. Pulling on your bottom lip with his thumb, sending you into a frenzy.

“Then, I just wanted to forget about everything until Sam called me. Three beers deep, when he told me of a drawer filled with letters I should take a look at.” You could feel his breath on you, temple pressed against yours.

“I just need to hear you say it. Just once.” Taking it a step forward, intertwining your finger with his own.

“I love you.” It was all he needed as he sealed his own affirmation with a sweet kiss, inking your lips with all of his love.

[forasecondtherewedwon]

Only in a Sitcom

Fandom: WandaVision Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Jimmy Woo Rating: T

Summary: Darcy has no idea what the hell’s going on with this WandaVision thing, but neither does Jimmy. It’s kinda fun to have somebody to binge-watch alternate reality TV with.

read ch. 1 one / 2 two / 3 three / 4 four / 5 five 6 six / 7 seven / 8 eight / 9 nine / 10 ten 11 eleven / 12 twelve / 13 thirteen / 14 fourteen 15 fifteen / 16 sixteen / 17 seventeen / 18 eighteen

this fic is now complete!

Darcy, Jimmy, and Monica have been working their way across Westview in as straight a line as possible, knocking on every door in every cute little cul-de-sac in their path. It was Jimmy who asserted they should never put their backs to a dangerous situation, but Monica who overruled that statement, pointing out that they were more likely to stay focused if they didn’t keep staring at the fight in the sky.

Darcy thinks they were both right. There’s a tingle rippling up and down the back of her neck, like she gets when she’s up in the middle of the night, spooked by shadows her anxious, overtired mind is too eager to turn into monsters, but the heebie-jeebies give her the energy to work quickly. She takes on an entire crescent on her own, readying people for a departure she’s certain they’ve been longing for. As she’s coming out the crescent’s other end, she realizes the Hex is getting brighter; the red storm clouds are being sucked back into themselves to leave a thin daylight.

Standing at the corner, she watches Jimmy and Monica emerge from the street opposite. Darcy jogs over, wincing. Wanda could’ve put orthotics in these Escape Artist boots. They’re blistering her feet.

“This has to be a good sign, right?” she asks, motioning to the calm skies.

“Look,” Monica instructs. She jerks her chin and Darcy and Jimmy follow her line of sight to see Wanda, Vision, and the twins coming up the main road.

Darcy gasps.

Wanda’s gone from bumming-around-the-house sweats to battle-ready chic. With her armour-like bodice, gloves that leave those magic fingers free, and an usually-shaped tiara framing her forehead, she’s both intimidating and otherworldly. But she’s smiling. Darcy would call it a sad smile and it hurts her heart to see it, even though she doesn’t understand.

As Wanda passes them with her hand held fast in Vision’s, she turns her head to nod at Monica. It’s in her eyes too, the same thing that’s in her smile. Something tired but present. Gone are the comedically darting glances of her persona as the bumbling new girl in town and the frazzled energy of a mom trying to corral a couple of superkids. It looks like she’s finally letting go of the illusion/delusion.

“Can we do anything for her?” Jimmy asks as the family continues on down the middle of the street.

“No,” Monica says. “The rest is for Wanda to do on her own.”

“We might as well head back towards the center of town,” Darcy says. “We don’t need to waste time at the edges. They’ll be the first to wake up.”

She points to where the Hex is shimmering on the horizon. The seconds pass and the shimmer looks messier, a weave of overlapping wires fritzing with energy. The edge is coming closer, but unlike when Wanda pushed the boundary farther, closing it around Darcy and her S.W.O.R.D. nemeses, this isn’t menacing. Wanda’s powers are no longer looking to consume more territory, they’re contracting. Faster than the incoming wave of the walls, the Hex goes dark. The red glow is intensely magical in the sudden night.

The three of them fan out, hitting the houses in their new route, and make their way back to the town square. They’ve been telling everyone to remain in their homes until they receive further instructions to evacuate, but Darcy spots a figure on the sidewalk by the department story. It’s Agnes, except… not as they saw her lately. No wild hair or billowing, layered outfit. No levitation. Darcy’s wary in the face of the woman who appears so much like her former self, the one supposedly under Wanda’s control. This Agnes has a damn Peter Pan collar poking out of her sweater! She couldn’t look much less threatening.

“What do you think?” she asks Monica when she joins her.

“I don’t know.” Monica peers across the street at Agnes in the dark and when Agnes notices, she flashes a wide smile.

“Well, maybe we should— Hey, no, wait!”

But the Captain strides across to meet Agnes. Darcy almost follows in her idol’s wake, but she quickly remembers that Monica has powers to protect herself that far exceed the right hook Darcy used to drop Agent Handcuffs. Whatever Agnes’s deal is, Darcy knows she’s an entirely different kind of beast from an asshole S.W.O.R.D. agent.

“What’s going on there?” Jimmy wonders, coming up beside her.

Thanks to the stress of trying to speak to as many citizens as possible in a short amount of time, including looking dozens of people still under mind control in the eye and aching for their lack of agency, the fear of and for Wanda as she witnessed that clash in the sky, and, really, the car crash that’s still pretty recent, Darcy reacts to her boyfriend’s presence by wrapping her arms around him tightly. With his tie pressed to her cheek, she feels him hug her back.

“I don’t know,” she says, carrying on the conversation without pulling away an inch, “but Monica’s finding out.”

“Agnes looks like an average Westviewer again. It’s disconcerting.”

“She must’ve been faking right up until she went head-to-head with Wanda.”

“And now she’s one of them for real.”

“Seems like,” Darcy agrees.

When Monica returns to confirm Agnes’s newly mind-controlled status, Darcy peels herself most of the way away from Jimmy, leaving her arm around his back, beneath his FBI jacket. He rests his arm around her shoulders.

“I don’t know what we do with her,” Monica says, hands on her hips. “We can’t undo what Wanda did, but do we leave Agnes here in Westview, trusting that she isn’t able to hurt anyone? Do we bring her in?”

“If it’s beyond our power to help her, maybe we just leave her here,” Jimmy suggests. “Wanda knows where she is, so we let Agnes stay in a place she can be found when or if Wanda decides to release her.”

“It’s tricky,” Darcy says slowly. “Agnes is capable of doing so much damage, and I’m sure she’s going to get good and angry while Wanda has her trapped inside herself. You and I know how that feels,” she says to Monica. “But that Agnes is secure—as far as we know—inside Sitcom Agnes, like little Agnes nesting dolls. I don’t know if this is the kind of punishment she deserves for pushing Wanda to the brink, but I do know it’s not going to be pretty if that inner Agnes is unleashed with nobody around to mitigate the consequences.”

“Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division,” Monica says softly.

“Hmm?”

“S.W.O.R.D. That’s what we’re supposed to stand for. I think, without Tyler Hayward around, it’s high time S.W.O.R.D. went back to its roots of trying to understand exceptional people, circumstances, and technology instead of just attacking them.”

“Sounds as though you might have a plan, Captain,” Jimmy says. Darcy glances at his face and catches his small, knowing smile.

Monica beams back.

“The former Director may have kicked me off the base, but I’m still S.W.O.R.D. and I still believe in my mother’s original goals for the organization.”

“Hey, it’s your legacy,” Darcy says. “You have my vote for Director.”

“You want to put Agnes under S.W.O.R.D. observation?” Jimmy asks.

“Not just Agnes. Not if Wanda’s willing to listen.”

With the sky rapidly lightening, Monica roughs out a plan that involves a partnership between S.W.O.R.D. and Wanda Maximoff. A partnership because any other dynamic would surely fail. After what they all witnessed today, it’s obvious that someone as powerful as Wanda can’t be held against her will. In exchange for Wanda making reparations to the people and town of Westview (not the least of which will be repairing all physical damage, which Monica knows Wanda’s capable of, since there’s no longer a Monica-sized hole in her living room wall) and an agreement to be held in the custody of S.W.O.R.D., under the leadership of Director Monica Rambeau, Monica thinks she has plenty to offer Wanda.

“You think she’ll do that deal?” Jimmy asks.

“That’s my question too,” Darcy says. “I mean, without the deal, Wanda can go where she pleases, right?”

“But she’ll be alone,” Monica counters. “We know what her loved ones mean to her. That’s what all this has been about—Wanda doing whatever it takes in order to go through life less alone.”

“What can you give her?”

“Vision,” Jimmy says abruptly. “The other one, the one who left. You think he’ll be back.”

“I think he’ll want answers,” Monica agrees. “Whatever Hayward did to him, he did at S.W.O.R.D. and I’m betting that Wanda will see that’s her best chance to reunite with Vision.”

“Vision will come back,” Darcy says, putting it together, “and Wanda will be there waiting.”

“And in the meantime, we use her expertise as we continue our work in a… more transparent vein. Give her access, keep her busy.”

“Keep her happy,” Jimmy cuts in. Monica nods her acknowledgement.

“Yes. Show her what it’s like to help people again. What better way to remind her there’s more to the world than her artificial paradise than to have her consult on the work we’re doing in space?”

“If you need somebody to sell Wanda on the space angle, I’m your girl,” Darcy volunteers.

“I’ve already had some ideas about that,” Monica promises with a smile.

Her eyes focus beyond Darcy and Jimmy and they turn to see what she’s looking at. Black hood drawn up over her head, Wanda’s walking back into the downtown. Alone. Darcy hopes that the fact that she’s black-hatted doesn’t mean she’s already decided against working to redeem herself to rejoin the good guys.

“You better stay in touch too,” Monica tells Jimmy, shifting as she prepares to intercept Wanda.

“If you reach out to Darcy, I’m sure I won’t be far,” he says. Darcy’s heart performs quick, happy thumps.

With that, Monica walks purposely towards Wanda. Darcy watches her cautious body language and Wanda’s tension in response to being accosted, but there isn’t any visible escalation. When FBI vehicles and the team Darcy assumes belongs to Major Goodner roll up the street, Wanda doesn’t flee. Darcy looks to Jimmy.

“You better go take charge,” she suggests.

He gives her a bashful smile.

“I will in a minute. The evacuation should run like clockwork after all the prep we did. With the Hex removed, everyone’s free.”

“They’re free, I’m free…”

“Are you free Saturday?” The smile’s a little slyer now.

“After all this, I don’t even know what day of the week it is,” Darcy admits, “but yes.”

He laughs.

“What are you thinking?” she asks, twisting to face him as his hand moves from her shoulder to her waist. “Quiet night in watching TV?”

“You know, I think I need a break from TV for a while. How about a movie?”

Darcy grins.

“You buy the tickets, I’ll buy the snacks?”

“Deal,” Jimmy says, and smiles against her mouth when he ducks his head to kiss her.

[1ddotdhq]

🚨 Fri Aug 28🚨

!!!!!!!LIAM’S ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reading both the Sun and the Daily Mail’s version of events is a headache and a massive web of contradictions, but it’s all we have to go off of, because no one else decided to chime in today, including Liam himself! 

On August 27, 2020, The Sun reported Liam’s engagement to *mumbles number between 19 and 20 here* year old Maya Henry after two years of dating. This number is brought to you by the same source that says Maya was 20 years old. According to People, the first year was secret! The Sun did publish pap pics from 8/26 with what was reported to be a £3 million engagement ring on her finger. The fandom’s reaction has been mixed at best, though largely, an air of confusion prevails, followed quickly by anger and frustration. And just like that, we have returned to a hostile fandom environment with a LOT of differing opinions which have drawn lines in the sand. 

And then, of course, Liam went live. This happened at around 8 pm BST, and he spent 20 minutes talking about his upcoming show because,oh, also, the LP Show is in ONE day! What else did he have to say? Well, he talked a bit about his haunted house, doing more food challenges, premiering new songs on Saturday (!!!), Harry’s nipples (???), the way he pronounces ‘adore’, the Umbrella Academy, COVID life and how he keeps his depression at bay (love u, bud), and he sang a bit of Watermelon Sugar, while promising that Saturday’s show is the culmination of a lot of hard work, and he hopes it goes well. I do, too! The comments on the live, however, only seemed to want one pesky question answered: is he actually engaged?? For what it’s worth, Liam ignored everything related to this topic, and did not once mention his girlfriend/fiancee. Thanks for that, Liam! 

We at 1 dee discourse inc. gave it a day, but, despite Liam’s conspicuous evasion of the subject in his live, this very much seems to be the route that Liam - or, rather, his team - are taking, as his rep seems to have confirmed the engagement with The Sun so! Don’t shoot the messenger!  However, as we are still in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, they seem to be headed for a lengthy engagement - or at least that’s the hope.  My piece of advice to them would be: don’t try to break the social distancing guidelines with a wedding, you crazy kids! 

( Intern’s note: Honestly, if you have something mean to say about Maya, please don’t put it in my notes - she’s nineteen years old, and I don’t want to hear it.)

Let’s see...what else happened today? OH YEAH, Louis put out a brand new merch line!!! Okay, guys, my bank account is not going to survive this. Lyric Drop 1, as this collection is called, dropped on the 28th of August (today, as it so happens!).There were also rainbow face mural T-shirts and hoodies, as well as - get this, guys!! - a crop top hoodie!  Anyways, the Lyric Drop line seems to mean that each collection will be inspired from different lyrics in Walls. This one is the “You’re Written In My DNA” Collection, which showcases a green and red double helix on top of a...fence? It’s DNA inside a cage? Behind a wall? (I actually really like that last one, so that’s what we’re going with!) 

Well, at least it isn’t called the “DNA test” line, but it is pretty funny, considering...everything. This begs the question, though, of what lyric they will adapt next! I personally vote for “come so far from Princess Park” or “singing something poppy on the same four chords” or “it’s a solo song, and it’s only for the brave”. Regardless, I am curious as to how they’re going to design some of these lines, AND I think that “the Princess Park line” sounds like a super cute name for merch! 

I think I should not have been surprised by this drop, given that he was seen meeting with a designer about merch a month ago (but not, as we thought, his twin brother, the head of UMG), but. I was still surprised. Soooo...does anyone want to help an Intern out and buy me the DNA tank top or an oversized hoodie of his eyes?? ~This is a joke I’m not actually asking you to buy me merch.~

Because Louis and Harry always have to be #twinning, there was an unusual development about Harry’s merch, as well. HSHQ might pick a legal fight with Forever 21 for, uh, *double checks* putting the phrase “Treat People With Kindness” on a hoodie. Harry did actually trademark that phrase in the UK, the US, and the EU in 2019, so he may have a legal case? Let’s get this square - as Louis would say - Forever 21 sucks. They suck, and they’re almost bankrupt, so this did not seem to be a smart move on their end. If it were me, though, I would urge HSHQ to recognize the fact that similar merch is being sold at a much lower cost, which seems to make it more accessible to fans - who are more than willing to buy it! 

Zayn is zayning? I think that’s how you use that word. It has been noted that he has been more visible (for him) on social media, lately, so that might hint at a new project he might have coming out, which absolutely could be the case! In the same vein, Icarus Falls was re-released on all major streaming platforms with two more tracks: Dusk ‘Til Dawn and Still Got Time. This brings the tracklist to a total of 29 tracks and the length of the album to almost 1 hour and 40 minutes!! That’s crazy!!! Even crazier, the album has now surpassed 1.1 billion streams on Spotify! Go Zayn! 

Meanwhile, a former Syco (or psycho, as I like to call them) artist confirmed the label’s dissolution while shading the fuck out of them. The Wikipedia was quickly changed to more accurately reflect the situation. It now reads: “...the record label [was] founded by British LOUIS TOMLINSON SUPREMACY…”. Also, if you change your Google settings to Spanish and Google ‘Harry Styles’, you’ll be informed that he’s been married to Louis Tomlinson since 2019. Happy anniversary, boys! 

[bunny-hoodlum]

Asynchronous With You: Ch 6

ship: naruhina

rating: teen (quite possibly mature or explicit later)

tags: Modern Day AU, Foster Siblings, Family, Angst, Unrequited Love, Poor Communication, Missed Opportunities

summary: An awkward journey full of self-denial and missed moments between two foster siblings. Perhaps their love will find the right timing someday.

"I think everyone should know," she said.

They were walking the usual route to their high school, the train station coming up ahead. Naruto kept a protective though furtive gaze on Hinata as he walked behind her on the steps.

He swore she's never modified her skirt. It would be against the dress code she's forced to protect. So he has no idea why it feels like he's seeing more of her than usual.

"Know what?"

Usually he's already doing this, because he's worried about perverts. Even in grade school, he was worried. If it weren't for their teachers educating them on Stranger Danger, he probably would have had to do it himself.

He had to learn it the hard way before Kurenai-obasan took him in, but so did Neji apparently. That's why he's gotten good at being less obvious with his suspicion, and also why he can better tell apart intent based on their body language.

He used to perceive everything around him to be potentially malicious. He never realized the toll that had been taking on him until Neji taught him how to really see.

He stood close behind her on the platform as they waited.

"That we're fosters."

A burst of wind shot through the platform, ruffling overcoats and business suits and whipping pleated skirts and loose hair in a sudden frenzy.

The PA announced the train's arrival, and it wheezed to a stop soon after.

He observed Hinata as she flattened her skirt down and smoothed her bangs, but none of it registered in his brain.

It was simply auto-pilot for him to follow her onto the train, then using his larger frame to block the other passengers from nearing his little sister.

Right. His foster sister.

In all of their nine years together, they've never told anyone. It wasn't that it seemed weird, it just… never occurred to them?

But now it did seem pretty weird.

"Why, though? In a couple years, it's not going to matter anymore."

She turned her face against her shoulder to look at him, but he didn't know what she was thinking. It was the same schooled features she put on last night when visiting Neji, like there was a one-way mirror and only she could see through him.

Then she looked away.

"You're not going to introduce a girlfriend to Kurenai one of these days?"

"Hmm?" The suggestion bloomed in his mind and quickly withered. The idea wasn't… very appealing. Something about inviting judgment onto his life and stuff. He defends himself in every aspect but at home, and he'd rather keep coasting on the good thing he's got. "Dunno. Hadn't ever thought about it."

He certainly wasn't going to introduce any of the one's he's taken to bed when the apartment was empty. He's rarely done it with the same girl twice, mainly because he can't help but lose interest.

He blames it on sexual incompatibility.

"Well, I know I will."

He misses the melancholy hedging around her words, and latches onto the opportunity for an easy ribbing.

"You're gonna bring a girlfriend over?" he's happy she shoots him a look so that she can see his corny grin, otherwise he worried she might've mistaken him for serious.

He's nonplussed by the severity of her glare, but then she says "Maybe when you're not around," and he no longer knows what to think.

"Wait, what? Hinata?" He's craning left and right in hopes of catching a smirk or a giggle from her, but she's evasive. Has she? "Hinata, are you--?" And since third grade she said? "Also, what's that supposed to mean 'when I'm not around'? Huh? Hey, what's that supposed to mean 'when I'm not around'?? Hinata???"

"We're getting off topic--"

"Bullshit! I have questions!"

She ignored him.

"I vote to tell our friends that we're fosters. And I'd like to have it taken care of during Lunch. What's your vote?"

Is this what she sounds like during her Public Morals Committee meetings? Because it was doing something to him.

Oh, right. She wanted an honest answer.

But… "What do you get out of announcing this? I mean, aside from knowing how to introduce me in the future or whatever. Have you thought this through at all?"

What's the rest of the school going to say?

The guys who share their skin mags with him might get wary and reject him. The girls he's dumped might try to get to him through her. Teachers might give up on disciplining him, essentially offloading their responsibilities onto her as both Public Morals Committee and his sister. And he wasn't having any of that shit again.

All kinds of things could bite them in the ass one way or another.

She hasn't replied to him at all, and he thinks she's upset again, but he has to make his point.

"Hinata, the way things are now isn't broken, so what are you trying to fix?"

"It would help me."

"Huh? How? With what?" He waited, and she was silent. A drop of dread sank in his chest for her. "So something is wrong," He leaned in closer, causing her to shrink. He sighed. "Hinata, for someone who wants the world to know we're fosters, you sure don't seem willing to rely on me like a sibling."

"I don't favor Neji-niisan over you."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to," Tension clutched at their throats. "People always have more history with their blood. I can't really compete, y'know?"

He can't compete at all, actually.

Sometimes he thinks his only true brother is Sasuke, but he still wants to work at this. She just has to let him.

"I'm sorry. I just thought it would be less lonely if we could talk to each other normally again. And we only see each other at school these days, so…"

He envisioned her waving to him in the halls between periods, or her having a reason to cheer him on during a deadlift tournament. It would prevent people from making the wrong idea about them.

Damn, he felt stupid now.

"Fine!" He intoned with mock-annoyance. "If it'll make you happy."

She looked over her shoulder again, and what she found was his warm, supportive smile.

________________________

Hinata gathered her friends, Kiba, Shino, Ino and Sakura.

And he gathered his friends, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and Chouji.

Ino had tsked in distaste when she saw Sasuke, had gone as far as to drag Sakura away so that the others sat in-between them. He caught some sort of nickname from her lips, but wasn't sure what she had really said.

As Naruto stood before them alongside Hinata, his gaze fell on the skinny lad scribbling away at his sketchbook, and immediately his fight instinct was switched on.

"What's your monochromatic ass doing here??! Did anyone invite him?!" He jabbed a finger in Sai's direction.

The monotone, softboy, little creep didn't even look up.

"I'm making a record of these proceedings for posterity," he lifted the sketchpad and flipped it around.

Inkified Naruto was pointing right back at him with an agape snarl. Sai then proceeded to show everyone else individually, and they all cracked up, one by one.

Ino was absolutely dying. Stomach-clutching and tears rolling, the whole nine yards. She snatched the sketchpad from Sai and begged if she could keep it.

"Whaddya want that for??" Naruto interrogated. He was so about to punch Sai and throw his art supplies in the pool. This was Hinata's announcement and the softboy was ruining it.

Ino mockingly tilted the sketchbook side to side. "Something to keep your ego in check, Charato."

Hinata faintly snorted. He wasn't sure until he saw how she had her face turned around and her shoulders were lightly trembling.

He frowned at her, feeling betrayed.

"Ahhhh, alright, enough! Me and Hinata have gathered you all here for a reason! So shut up and listen! Hinata, tell them!"

Hinata jolted out of her humor, her face flushing as though this were the first time she's done public speaking.

"Uh, Uhm… Naruto-kun and I… we're foster siblings. We, uh… we live together," Hinata froze up under their collective stares. With a stiff smile, she half-heartedly sang "Ta-da," and punctuated it with rather embarrassed jazz hands.

"And as our friends, you're the first to know," Naruto added. "Also we don't care if the whole school finds out. So don't worry, we're not sharing this out of confidentiality."

Their collective shock evaporated rather quickly.

Sakura was the first to speak. "Well, that answers a lot of questions. And raises plenty more." She ended it with a growl and a glare. That accusatory look irked him.

"Feel free to ask away! I've got nothin' to hide!"

Sakura flattened the back of her skirt as she rose up like a dignitary representing The House of Hyuuga. And then like a certain video game attorney, she pointed at him.

"I always wondered why you obsessively protected Hinata in the past, but never showed any romantic initiative towards her. Now I have to ask, knowing the sex maniac that you are: Do you ever sneak into her bedroom?"

"No," He answered unconvincingly. He looked at the jury one by one, unsure how much of their scrutiny was sincere or misperceived. Sasuke was leaning forward, arms circling around his knees. He looked a little too interested in the idea of him and Hinata… doing things… "I-I've never done that! I would never do that! Hinata's special to me, okay?! You've got a filthy fuckin' mind, Haruno!"

"Me?! You've tried to sneak into the female locker rooms!" Sakura took off her shoe and slugged it at him. "Multiple times!"

Naruto hunched up and twisted away as the shoe smacked his shoulder and bounced away.

Hinata moved in between him and the one-woman mob. "Okay, this is getting out of hand--"

"I will never fucking do that to Hinata. I was in an orphanage for six years. And they're not all run by saints."

Dammit.

This was way more than he ever wanted to share.

He took a few steps back before turning tail. He jogged downhill as fast as he could.

What was he doing?

Uzumaki Naruto doesn't run away.

But it was either that, or… have them watch him cry.

________________________

AN: So this is missing a scene cuz I cut it. I might not use it anymore, and instead I'll see if the backstory I had expanded upon will be worked in later on in the plot. Because before I started writing this, I had anticipated that things would actually get cuter from here on out. (Also anticipating that I may work in at least one smutty chapter in the future. Yeah, it's totally diverging from this fic's original concept when I posted it for Secret Santa, but that's okay!) And the total Ego Death I unexpectedly wrote just feels kind of Deus Ex Machina in a way to Naruto's vices. I just can't have him maturing right now. That's a plot route I don't have any material for, and I don't quite see it as not defeating the other stuff I had planned to write. (I'm also happy to state that I'm starting to get a better picture of how to condense this content on AO3, because I honestly feel like this could be Ch. 2 now. :B I mean, it's too short on its own if I do, but it kinda has that hook for the rest of the story.)

I hope you enjoyed this update! 😘💕💕💕

[sou-ver-2-0]

Alice and pain

10) How they deal with pain – Alice

Delighted to get an ask for our king Alice!! I’ll answer the second part of your question here, Anon.

For this question, I’d like to examine Alice’s characterization before and after losing Reko. Ironically, when we meet Alice, he has one of the healthiest attitudes towards dealing with pain. Even though he is a suffering prisoner, he doesn’t repress his feelings like other characters do. He is open and earnest. However, Reko’s death breaks Alice’s spirit like nothing else ever has. Losing his beloved sister means that he no longer sees a path forward, and he becomes desperate and vengeful. I view Alice as someone who began the Death Game with healthy priorities, but that falls apart if he loses the person he loved most.

Before losing Reko

As we get to know Alice, we see how he suffers from the guilt of murdering someone. He knows that his actions harmed people, including the people he loved most. However, even though it is clearly difficult for him, Alice demonstrates an earnest desire to atone for his crime. This is what he says when Sara asks him if he wants to repair his relationship with Reko:

“...I am... / ...not a person who asks selfish things. / I intended to atone for my crime...! For the victim's family!! And for my own...!! / If only it weren't for this Death Game...!! / There's... not enough time left to do this in the proper order... / So just once before I die, I... / I want to apologize to Reko... / ... / Sara Chidouin. / Thank you. I will give her the bongos.”

Alice wants to walk the path of redemption. He wants to change himself for the better. He’s proactive in asking Sara for help with this. He knows that this path won’t be easy, but he is still determined. Even when Fake Reko breaks the bongos, I don’t believe that Alice completely gives up hope. He was already preparing himself for that kind of heartbreak. When Alice insists that he isn’t selfish, he means it. Doing the right thing is more important to Alice than his own life. So as long as he can still help Reko from the sidelines, that’s reason enough for him to keep going.

Alice’s earnestness makes him one of the game’s most easily likable characters! In spite of his scary appearance, simply talking to him makes it clear that he is a sincere person with a good heart. He puts his own pain in perspective by acknowledging that he harmed others, and his first priority is to try undoing some of that harm before he dies.

This puts Alice in direct contrast with Keiji, one of the game’s most complicated characters. When Sara talks to Keiji about his murder, this is what he has to say:

“...I'm a killer. / Not even permitted... to be judged by the law... / ...A true piece of shit, burdened with my sin for life.”

“Well... so that's the kind of guy I am...”

“Sara, your friendly policeman... / Can't even trust himself. / Not ever... since that day.”

“...Sure ran my mouth there. / Truth is... maybe you're better off not trusting me after all... huh.”

Keiji exhibits the opposite attitude of Alice. Instead of saying that he wants to change himself, he doubles down on “that’s the kind of guy I am.” He dwells on his own pain instead of thinking about how he can still help others. He feels hopeless about the state of his conscience. That’s why he admits to Sara that he can’t even trust himself. Would Keiji prioritize doing the right thing above his own self-preservation? Keiji clearly thinks he wouldn’t, and he’s too ashamed to try to change himself.

Alice is different. That’s why Alice votes for Shin instead of Kanna. No matter how much Alice is suffering, he can put that pain in perspective, and he’ll try to prioritize helping other people who need him to step up.

After losing Reko

Unfortunately, Alice loses hope for a future in the aftermath of Reko’s death. This is how Sara describes Alice when she watches him leave Reko’s body:

“Those were… eyes of revenge. / Revenge against our enemy who plotted the Death Game. / Anger and hate… Those made the only path that would move Alice now.”

Alice sounds completely jaded after losing his sister:

“So why would you help each other? Why try to be kind… / ………. / …Reko was the same. / If she’d thought only for herself a little more, maybe she wouldn’t have had to die like that…”

In contrast, when Reko loses Alice, she still manages to comfort those around her. Reko holds Gin and tells him that he has nothing to apologize for. She is still trying to be kind, in spite of her grief.

Of course, the most dramatic difference between Alice and Reko after losing their sibling is that Reko refuses Safalin’s forgetfulness machine, while Alice accepts it. He decides that he will forget those heartbreaking memories of Reko, because the pain has become too heavy to bear.

I don’t want to say that Alice is “weaker” than Reko for choosing to use Safalin’s machine. Alice had already suffered so much up to that point. He lived in prison for years. He never received forgiveness from his sister. I don’t know if I could say “no” to Safalin if I were in his shoes.

Alice and Reko were coming from different positions, and Alice’s position was harder. I’m certainly not saying that Reko had it easy! But I think Reko had already done soul-searching which better prepared her for this loss. Reko took a hard look at herself after Alice went to jail, and she could no longer rely on her responsible older brother to clean up after her messes. She became a kinder person, and I want to believe that she was proud of the person she became. I think Reko would take more pride in her kindness than her talents. This allowed her to maintain healthy priorities after suffering another loss.

But I don’t think Alice has a high self-esteem, in spite of his arrogant demeanor. Alice is someone who grew up in the shadow of his talented prodigy sister. He always knew that she was the special one. Alice simply tried to support Reko as she smashed through bands and became “the industry’s problem child.” That was honorable of him, but it sounds like he never took the opportunity to consider his own dreams or self-worth. His sister always came first.

The Alice-Reko dynamic parallels the Shin-Kanna dynamic, and the way these older brothers and younger sisters each perceive their own worthiness is telling. For the older brothers, the worthiness of their younger sisters is self-evident. To Alice, Reko is a shining star, a beacon of musical talent. But Alice only measures his own worth by his ability to support his talented sister. Meanwhile, Reko learns to judge people for their kindness and humanity, so she believes in both her own and her brother’s worth. In contrast, Kanna makes a logical appeal that Shin has worth because of his talent with computers, while Shin would say that Kanna is worthier than him because Kanna is kind.

In both cases, the older brother’s sense of self-worth is dependent on their ability to protect their younger sister. If they fail, what do they have to live for? That’s why the Alice and Shin routes feel darker than the Reko and Kanna routes. The older brothers cannot handle the pain of losing their own sense of worth, and so they cannot see a path forward. Instead, they swear revenge.

[40sbarnes]

Medici: Spymasters of Florence

Chapter 13: A Flicker of Melted Ice

okay just letting you all know i have this story planned for 20 chapters and it should still fit into that... sorry it’s super long!! i do appreciate you guys still sticking around <3 

also a special appreciation to @nana035 who has been so so kind and supportive from the very start!! i appreciate your comments and asks so much <3333

tag list; @brynthebulldozer @mythicalamphitrite @nana035 @valravnsraven @hannahhistorian92 @not-thatweird @isaac-lahey-is-bae @angrygardendeer @unstoppable-xavi

pairings; slow slowburn lorenzo x reader, platonic francesco x reader

Hundreds of voices spoke over each other, all droning into one loud chatter as it reached your ears. You had successfully made your way into the banquette. Lorenzo had entered separately earlier, of course, to avoid suspicion, trusting you to snake your own way in. Which you had. You stood at the end of the hall, taking in the scene before you. You were now dawned in your new dress, which forced your posture that slight bit taller. Between you and Lorenzo fussing, you had figured your hair into a resemblance of how you'd seen noble women wear it. Still, you felt a little out of your depths. You had performed similar missions for Pazzi before, he claimed it as one of the advantages of having a woman work for him, but those had been in Florence. Sure, Venice wasn't all so different, but you weren't granted the same knowledge Lorenzo's schooling as a child had given him. You knew little of the place, or the people there either.

It was certainly an unsettling feeling, not having the secrets of the guests stored away, as if they were weapons themselves. Of course, you still had your actual weapons, but a nonviolent route was always preferred. You never appreciated the sensation of Lorenzo being better equipped than you, but as you scanned the crowd, and you found him entertaining a group as they threw their heads back in laughter, you were forced to endure it. His eyes fell on yours for a second, his lips twitching further into the smirk already sitting on his face, you shot him the tiniest of smiles before looking away, in fear someone would notice. 

And then, you began to work. Making your way around the hall, eavesdropping on the finest of the Venetian population. Most of it was beyond boring, rich people droning on about rich people things. Some of it was juicy, but nothing of real substance, nothing that could help Lorenzo until…, you over heard the name 'Jacopo Pazzi' fall from someone's lips, and you made your way closer. They were discussing exactly what you'd hoped.

"Well he promised Vitelli a percentage of the trade through Bologna when they cease trade with Milan," one of the men spoke.

"How can Pazzi promise such a thing? Isn't Medici pushing for a treaty with Milan currently?" They lowered their voices as they continued, clearly aware the man they spoke of was in attendance.

"It won't pass. Not after his sister disgraced Soderini and his son. They needed his vote," the men sounded far too smug for your liking.

"A Pazzi in charge of Florence? I never thought I'd see the day," they all chuckled, and you had to stop yourself from joining in. They wouldn't see that day. Not if you could help it.

Parting from the groups of people standing around, you searched the room for Lorenzo once again. You eventually located him, on the dance floor, engaging in the routine everyone magically seemed to know. You assumed it to be taught in their schooling, and you imagined a young Lorenzo tripping over his feet. You forced the smile off your face, surveying not only Lorenzo but the people surrounding him, the dance seemed repetitive enough, and if you joined it would be an inconspicuous way to discuss your new found information with him.

Edging closer to the dance floor, you continued to watch Lorenzo, as he switched partners to a beautiful young woman. She whispered something in his ear, and a grin fell onto his lips. You felt your heart twinge slightly, but forced the feeling away as you tried to keep a straight face.

"Not enjoying the banquet?" To your shock, Vitelli had appeared at your side. You immediately bowed your head.

"No, Messer, the banquet is wonderful. Your grandson even more so," you congratulated him, hoping he wasn't offended.

"A heavy boy he is as well," he chuckled, and you eased up slightly, seeing his light humour.

"That is what they're saying," you grinned, your eyes not listening to your better judgement and falling on Lorenzo where he was still enjoying himself.

"Madonna..." he trailed off, not knowing your name.

"Cellini," you finished for him, "Anastasia Cellini."

"Well, Madonna Cellini, how long are you planning on watching the festivities before joining in?" His question caught you off guard.

Your eyes locked on his, before quickly shifting to the floor beneath you. "Me? No... I couldn't," you shook your head, playing up the modest act you knew noble women to put on.

"Why ever not?"

"I have two left feet," you chuckled, holding your hands together in front of you.

"Luckily for you, I have two right," you spun to the sound of the voice, to see one of the men who had been discussing Lorenzo earlier standing behind you.

"Cousin!" Vitelli embraced the man, they must've been second cousins or something of the matter, as the man didn't seem many years your senior.

"Madonna Cellini, this is my cousin, Porziano Lisi," Vitelli introduced you too, and you curtseyed before him, but he took your hand into his, placing a kiss on your knuckles.

"My pleasure," he lowered your hand, although not quite letting go of it. You felt eyes on you, but you didn't dare look for the owner. "Well, shall we?" He offered, strolling backwards to lead you to the floor as the band came to the end of the song.

"Enjoy!" Vitelli laughed, before spinning around to the people waiting to congratulate him.

"I was not spinning a tale when I said I do not have an aptitude for dancing," you warned him, as he positioned you in line with the rest of the dancers, readying themselves for the next song. You glanced over your shoulder to see Lorenzo staring at you, not seeming amused. You turned back to your partner, Lorenzo wasn't far behind, and it wouldn't take long to get to him.

"I find that hard to believe, a woman of your grace," Lisi grinned down at you, you mustered a smile back, as the gentle strumming of the bands instruments began to fill the hall once again.

In fairness to your partner, he lead you in the dance with little trouble, and when it came time to swap partners, you found yourself facing Lorenzo already. You don't know how he managed it, but you were grateful. He was more than enough to satisfy your quota for dealing with rich men.

"I didn't realise we were here to enjoy ourselves, Bellondini," Lorenzo smiled, his hand mirroring yours, as you began the movements of the dance.

"That's amusing coming from you," you bit back laughter, "but I certainly am not. I've been busy," you raised an eyebrow as you turned to face him, continuing the dance, although you were notably close. Lorenzo mimicked you, his own brows lifting, asking a question he didn't say aloud.

"Pazzi promised Vitelli profits of trade he has set up with Bologna when Milan falls through," you informed him of your findings.

Lorenzo scrunched his nose in frustration, glancing away for a moment, "Well..." he sounded defeated.

"No, not well, Pazzi can't promise that. Not with your Milan treaty," you reminded him, confused as to why he seemed so pessimistic.

"I don't know if there will be a treaty. Not without Soderini's vote," Lorenzo sighed, as he lifted his arm to twirl you underneath. "And now that my sister won't marry his son, I fear I will no longer have it"

"Don't you have someone other than Bianca you can sell off to Bastiano?" You teased, Lorenzo sharing a smug look with you.

"His heart was set on her," his face suddenly fell serious.

"So melt it, and reset it," your faces were but inches from each other. Lorenzo let out a chuckle at your words.

"I'm sure you know all about melting hearts," his thumb brushed the back of your hand, "but reset on who? Are you offering?" You scoffed at his words, making his grin wider. "Oh, come on, surely a marriage to a wealthy man is your dream. Then you could legally steal from him," he bartered, just mocking you at this point.

"I can assure you I do not spend my nights dreaming of marrying Bastiano Soderini," you smirked up at him.

"No?" He questioned, his breath warm on your skin.

"No," you replied simply.

Lorenzo grinned, his eyes locked on your own, "Then who?"

You took in a breath at his words, not having a witty reply. Lorenzo took a step forward, you hadn't even realised you would be changing partners, but you soon fell into step with the man now standing beside you. Lorenzo stole one last glance as he peered back over his shoulder, before focusing back on the dance.

At the next swap, Lorenzo excused himself, and you carefully watched, as he greeted Vitelli, and they left the hall soon after. He must've come up with something, as he always does. You waited a song or two more before leaving, muttering about how you were parched, and heading to one of the tables full of food. You poured yourself a drink, keeping up the excuse. When you were sure no one was looking, you slipped two drops of the poison into your drink, swirling it slightly with your finger before taking a sip. You had been upping your dose slowly, and felt barely anything at a double dose anymore. It gave you a strange sense of accomplishment, pouring the liquid down your throat that could quite literally kill anyone else in the room.

You remained at the table, unsure of what the next move was. You assumed Lorenzo would ensure Vitelli's vote soon enough, it was probably time for you to exit soon. Your eyes fell on the man of the evening himself as he re-entered the hall, although he did not seem a joyful as you would have hoped.

Vitelli soon joined you at the table, pouring himself a drink just as you had, notably without your secret ingredient. His eyes shot across the table of delicacies, before he moved for the gelato, now somewhat melted, and began scooping it into a bowl. He didn't even seem to notice your presence, he was so caught up in himself.

You took a step closer to him. "Not enjoying the banquet?" You teased, and his eyes fell on you. He quickly tried to shed his anxious exterior, although it wasn't too effective, he shot you a smile.

"We meet again, Madonna," he raised his glass to yours before taking a large swig, “have you tried the gelato?” he continued smiling anxiously, eating a scoop of it.

"Is everything alright, Messer?" You furrowed your brows, lowering your voice slightly so only he could hear you.

"I feel as though I have been split in two," he was no longer looking at you, instead his focus was on the man who had given him all this stress. Lorenzo was making his way throughout the banquet again, although now he seemed to be saying his goodbyes.

You pitied Vitelli, "I'm familiar with the feeling," you hummer. All too familiar.

"I shouldn't burden you with my problems, I apologise," he turned back to you.

"Do not worry for me, Messer, I enjoy being of assistance," when you got paid for it.

"Well, it is like this. I was certain about something, it seemed to be the best option. But now I feel torn. Maybe it wasn't as simple as I had imagined, as I had hoped," he watched the content of his cup as he swirled it with a flick of his wrist. "I do not know what the right choice is," he glanced back to you, searching your eyes as if they would give him the answer. You sympathised with him, having had this internal struggle since you'd first began working for Lorenzo.

"But you do know," you told him. As did you.

"Pardon?" He was confused, rightfully so.

"You do know what is right. Your heart knows," your eyes found Lorenzo's, he turned away as they did, exiting the banquet.

Vitelli seemed deep in contemplation at his words. "You've always known," you told him.

He nodded slowly, accepting your words. "I suppose I have," a hint of a grin fell on his features, "what helpful advice on a matter I have told you nothing of," he laughed, the stress fading away.

"I will not push any boundaries and dare ask," you began, Vitelli cutting you off.

"It is a Florentine matter. I suppose it would hold no importance to you even if I told you. But a young man was in attendance at this very banquet, attempting for my vote in a matter there," he explained, and you acted as if it was all new information to you.

"I see," you nodded along, "and his attempts?"

"I imagined would be futile. Still, I entertained him and now..." he trailed off, "I don't suppose you know Lorenzo de ‘Medici?" Your composure was tested, but you held it.

"Not personally, no," you shook your head, lying through your teeth, "but I have certainly heard of him and his family."

"And?" He pushed, desperate for your advice.

"You fear voting in his favour?" You took a sip of your drink, your eyes watching Vitelli for his reaction.

"Well no, certainly not, it's tha-" you cut off his ramble before it could begin.

"Things are not always as complicated as we make them, Messer," you could tell that whatever Lorenzo had done had worked. Vitelli would vote for him. You simply knew it.

"Maybe so," he took a drink himself, before a woman appeared behind him, gushing over his grandson, and he was pulled away from you.

"Thank you, Madonna!" You simply nodded at his brisk goodbye, finishing your drink before heading off yourself.

The warm reds of the sunset seemed to perfectly match your attire as you skipped down the front steps, feeling a chill as the night air crept over your skin. You were staying not too far from where the banquet was held, in another quaint inn. You set off down the road, until you sensed someone behind you.

Ready to strike, you spun around to Lorenzo already grinning at you. "You never told me you could dance."

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Credit for 22-Jump Street 2014 Movie goes to Columbia Pictures & Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Credit for Cuphead Series goes to StudioMDHR

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

it seems that scene is really REALLY popular by fans,

that it has become a meme....I just had to draw it.

sure I can’t make it into animatic, but this is just as good.

I do plan to post this at the other place I go to.

but I think I will wait until later to do it, maybe a hour or so.

the word “Patty-Cake” seem like a good word to put down.

playing patty-cake can be personal to toons.

so yeah I am using the word as a censor for the real word

that is used and well even if I have only seen little bit of clips,

and seen the animatic crossover of the Captain’s Daughter.

I hope to watch the full movie someday.

as for who the Angel (with demon horns headband on to hide the fact she isn’t a demon.) is in this drawing.

she is suppose to be Devil’s Daughter and King Dice’s Step-Daughter.

and no she doesn’t have a Mom,

and the Devil didn’t just create her on purpose.

ya see when a Soul, even a former Angel like Devil,

they can go through a fragmenting, where a piece of their Soul

will break off from their very being and make what is called

a newborn soul, if there are two souls about to fragment

a part of themselves then the two fragments will merge together,

making the newborn soul that is formed have two Soul-Parents instead of one.

so yes the daughter in this drawing

was born Soul-Asexually.

and I know I said this before

but I will say it again, that the Asexual Reproduction

should not be confused for the Asexual Identity,

even if you only use the word “Asexual”

and could mean one or the other, it is best to be clear so there is no misunderstandings.

speaking of identities, I wonder if it is normal to form

a type of Species Identity?

is it weird the other day ago

I started to think of myself being Demi-Human...?

well with the soul/spiritual heritage I have,

I guess I would still be a Demi-Human either way.

I mean try to hope that me having Vampire heritage was just a prank,

but my pendulum gave another Yes about it,

went Yes again when I asked if my spiritual heritage 

is Earth Angel & Succubus.

well spiritual heritage is something you are stuck with for life,

even when you end up being reborn, it will be stuck with you for eternity.

 at least I was given a No when I asked if I have werewolf heritage.

but it be cool if it did give me a Yes about that question.

it did give a Yes when I asked if my Older Brother has werewolf heritage, so if I had to guess, if he supposedly has it,

it would most likely be from his dad.

my pendulum did give a Yes when I asked if my Brother

has Vampire heritage too, and another Yes when I asked if it comes from our Mom.

so if my pendulum isn’t pranking,

that would mean that my brother is like Vampire/Werewolf.

well I know I wouldn’t want to go all drinking the same thing as the full vampires....no thank you.

plus I do like garlic sauce and find it really yummy,

and I have a reflection.

well, even if I am some kind of descendant of some unknown vampire

ancestor (unless it is my and Vlad The Impaler’s shared paternal ancestor, who’s two wives make us distant half-cousins.)

that would only be my biological heritage, my vessel form.

like I said the spiritual heritage is something you are stuck with...

for life and eternity.

at least I got permission to go live with the Divine Mother/Goddess

over at Earth-Heaven/Neo-Heaven...

because of what I am, I don’t think I would fit in very well...

 I know one thing, if it is true that the 9 Circles of Heck

is in the 5th Heaven, then people might not take it very well.

I think I want to see that as a Fan-Headcanon for Hazbin Hotel.

of course it might only be Fan-Canon to a AU of it.

plus hypothetically let’s say that it is true

that the Circles/Rings of Heck/Hell is in the 5th Heaven,

 and is in Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss.

wouldn’t that mean that Charlie doesn’t know that her subjects,

both demon-born and former human/sinner-demon,

are technically already in heaven, they are just in the 5th part of it,

but are inside a type of Ring Prison.

wouldn’t that blow one’s mind if that turned out to be canon.

but I don’t think that would be added into those two shows.

but it would still be good and interest for Fanon-AU use.

some stuff that fans come up and theorize,

wont always be canon to the series and that’s fine.

well Starco ended up becoming 100% Canon.

which I think if things turned out different, Star could of ended up with Tom because of that vote/poll.......pretty sure that had something to do with Star and Marco ending up together in the very end.

also while playing Yandere Simulator the other day,

I had figured out that it is a bad idea to take a ring...

cause if you don’t put it in Osana’s bag

or keep it and then try to leave Akademi,

you will get in big trouble, so if you are trying for a Pacifist Route

and only want to befriend Osana and try to get her to be with Kyuji,

then do NOT take that ring that you will find on the rooftop

next to one of those two purple haired sisters.

I had to start all over because of that, of course I still have the save where I fully beat Osana and it now says that the new rival is Amai.

so right now I have two saves, and in the new save I wanted to try to save Osana’s cat and try to get her and Kyuji together.

so far Kyuji has changed himself to look like Osana’s dream guy,

I just hope me leading him to the library and getting him to study,

had helped....

of course when I did help him talk to Osana while hiding behind a tree,

I had to re-send that letter to Osana and tell her about it again,

because when I was waiting behind the school, she was a bit late.

so yeah I had to leave the place and go and send the letter again

and then I had to tell her about it again.

 interesting to know, that before I went to save her cat,

I got the blonde hair dye first (from using Ayano’s computer.)

and then when I ended up at the Stalker’s place,

Ayano’s hair was blonde, so that was fast.

and it was still nighttime in the game too.   

I also decided to join the cooking club,

I think if I am a part of the cooking club it might make it more easy

to try to talk to Amai, at least I can only hope it does.

each time I tried to talk to her in my other save,

she just couldn’t and was busy.

in my other save I am in the Music Club.

when I make another save, I want to try to join a different club.

I am taking a bit of a break from playing the game right now,

I will play more of it later.

I do have a theory about Fun-Girl from Yandere Simulator,

I can’t help but think of her being a like Gaster.

I even did a crossover drawing of Fun-Girl and Gaster.

I will post it up on here too, and also post it over at the other place I go to as well.

anyway back to this drawing, it is a crossover

and it is a reference to that 22 Jump Street Movie,

which once again I hope to watch someday.

and yeah Cuphead is holding a cross, for obvious reasons.

Mugman is of course is still thinking and processing

what Snake-Eyes are talking about.

well we know how it will end up,

and Mugman is going to be very amused.  

I don’t really feel like drawing that, so it’s fine that it is just this.

the OC in this drawing, in the role of the daughter,

might end up being a one-shot character...

if someone wants to do a continue drawing response to this drawing,

like make a short comic or animation of it, I guess I be okay with it...

but the likely of someone drawing a continue/comic version of this,

is perhaps very little and not likely to happen.

but at least I enjoyed drawing this.

I think sometime I will post a song I wrote a few years ago,

when I was in a very dark place, I was happy to find out that it survived

after what happen in March this year....

it is something I put some very personal feelings down in the song.

also it’s okay that not many agree with me having a species identity,

I mean if I am Aroaceflux, Gyno-Agender and Demi-Human,

then that’s just makes me, well, me.

even if it it did take me time to figure that out.

I just figured out this year on the Month of May,

that I started to see myself as a Demi-Human.

sometime I should draw three flags

that has to do with the Sexuality, Gender and Species Identities. 

also I need to point out that I have added a certain site

to my list of Semi-Misanthrope.

first I want to say that I have nothing against Jesus,

but that  Jesus-Is-Savior site.......

it is just....I can’t stand it, Rock’N Roll ain’t evil,

I mean there can be mature rock, but there are different forms of music.

 and even if someone is homosexual or homoromantic,

outside the human body and at the core of the soul,

we may appear Masculine or Feminine, but the soul doesn’t have a biological sex/gender, and has no organic binary.

plus if a man did like other man in his present life,

were to be reborn as a woman in his next life and still like men in her new life where she is reborn as a woman,

would that still make her a homosexual...?

I think that truth would kind of make anyone think.

if when I do get reborn, I don’t EVER want my biological body

to be male....I feel more comfortable with the other, and if it takes me time to figure out I am Gyno-Agender in that next life, then it’s fine by me too....

I don’t know if the humans who dislike homosexuals,

really think about the logic that has to do with when a human dies,

if they become reborn into a different bio-gender/sex

they might still be attracted to the guys or gals that they were in their past life.

I hope my explaining about that doesn’t get misinterpreted.               

I don’t like when my words end up misunderstood.

well small misunderstandings okay, but when it is big and ends up hurting feelings then that is really not good.

but yeah, I just don’t like the toxic stuff that is going on in that site.

 maybe I should try not to worry about it.

right now I am listening to some music,

I’m listening to Agnes’s Don’t Breaking My Heart.

anyway, I’m just gonna hurry and post this

and then post that Undertale x Yandere Simulator Crossover.

hope some of you like this drawing,

and I hope some like how King Dice

is making the scary eyes at Cuphead lol.

once again I enjoyed drawing this,

I even drew wedding rings on King Dice and Devil’s fingers.

and them saying the same thing to both Mugman and Cuphead.

[narcissasdaffodil]

20 for Lottie x Marisol, cuz i loved their oneshot! 💕💕💕

Thank you so much for the prompt! Recently sad stuff comes more naturally to me, so enjoy this one. This is the same verse as my oneshot.

So casually cruel in the name of being honest.

Marisol started to make her way upstairs to the roof terrace. She wanted desperately to have some time to herself, to sit with only herself for company.

She heard voices as she passed the bedroom, and ducked into the dressing room. The voices are coming from the roof terrace, and they float downstairs. The dressing room was the perfect vantage point to listen in on conversations from the roof.

“It isn’t worth it! Trying with Marisol that is. I should just focus on Gary, she’s just treating me like a puppet on a string, pulling me along and expecting me to follow her every word. You’re lucky to have Lucas, he’s honest and clear about his feelings for you. I wish Henrik stayed, maybe then I’d have another option.” Lottie snapped, her voice clear as a bell and obviously pissed off. But she’s the one who’s new to a relationship with a girl. Not you, you’ve done this before. Your only proper relationship with a girl was Olivia, and that ruined you, losing a friendship and a girlfriend all at once. How can she be so definite, and not scared of starting something new? You struggle with commitment, Olivia burnt you badly.

“You need to be more patient, Lottie. She isn’t like Lucas, and probably has a reason for struggling so much. Have you even thought of asking her? Of trying to understand her side. Love isn’t supposed to be easy, and when you decided to go down this route, I thought you realised that. If you wanted easy, you’d go for Gary.” Livia explained, trying to placate her a little bit. Lottie on a rampage was something difficult to solve, only Livia ever had any luck with her like this. Maybe you did make a mistake. Maybe being stuck pining for Livia would be far better than whatever this is.

“Oh please. She’s so fickle. And you keep making excuses for her, despite the fact she’s hopped from guy to guy like she’s collecting them or something. Nothing’s worked out at all, maybe because they can’t stand having her psychoanalyse them. I mean, she even tried for Lucas, but he turned her down, politer than she deserved. And you forgave her for that. I don’t get you sometimes.” Marisol could hear the sound of heels from the roof, likely Lottie pacing about. Fickle? It’s not your fault nothing has worked out for you. And you’re stuck in yet another friendship couple, with Bobby. The same person who tried to get Livia interested in him by getting her involved in Operation Nope, and pretended to be offended when she was offended by it. He even tried to get you involved. Maybe he’s also sick of you, you wouldn’t be surprised. The only person you really have is Livia, and she has Lottie for a best friend so you’re only second rate to her too.

Marisol took in a deep breath and fiddled with a loose curl of hair. She could feel tears pricking behind her eyes, what Lottie was saying hurt.

“You’re being too harsh. What if she heard you talking like this about her? I know I’d be considerably pissed. Also I forgave her for Rocco, and the Lucas thing, I wouldn’t take either back also. Both her and Lucas apologised to me about that, Lucas didn’t need to, it wasn’t his fault she liked him. The fact both of them were open and honest about it made me respect them more. It takes guts to be honest about something.” Livia sighed audibly. You chose to put all your love on the wrong person it appears. Maybe you don’t know for sure if Livia would have reciprocated it, but asking her even if she turned you down in the way Lucas did would have worked out well compared to this mess with Lottie. The way she’s treating you is completely wrong, she still keeps coming for you, and everyone else lets her do it. There’s only two people who keep defending you, Livia and Lucas and you don’t understand why Lucas is doing it.

“She’s not the type to eavesdrop. Besides, I don’t really care as I regret wasting my time on her. I know she even voted Henrik out too, after the little bait and switch you had to do to keep Lucas. I don’t blame you for it, but part of me thinks I’d have been better with Henrik. She wouldn’t even have needed to tell you if she hadn’t stabbed you in the back. Not even Priya, after her stunt with Noah, wastes her time with Marisol, and Hope stays clear too. That does say something in my eyes. She’s alone for a reason, not even Bobby likes her and he likes everyone. That’s something you need to realise, how she’s completely bad news.” Lottie laughed, the sound harsh and scratching at Marisol’s ears. Wasting her time on you? That’s not the first time someone has said that, but even Olivia wasn’t so obvious when she gave up on you. Or quite as quick. You did vote Henrik out, but that was in a desperate attempt to keep Rocco, even if your decision might fuck Livia over. Thankfully she saw that coming, and actually understood your reasoning. There’s a reason you prefer your own company, you can’t betray yourself. You must deserve to be alone, it’s far safer that way. Apart from Livia, who likely only pities you.

“Wow. You’ve changed your tune. You’ve gone back to the same you were when Roccogate happened, I did hope you’d grown as a person since then. She hasn’t even hurt you, or done anything to you.” Livia appeared frustrated by her tone alone. Marisol wanted so desperately to just leave the room, but as she tried to get up from her seat at the dressing table, her knees buckled under her weight, which caused her to sit down hard on the chair. Her vision blurred with tears and she removed her glasses, watching the mascara tears drip down her cheeks in the mirror. Lottie’s broke your heart in the blink of an eye, you don’t matter to her one bit.

“Whatever. I’m not going to go over old ground with you yet again. I’ve got over it, so why haven’t you? These shoes are killing me, so I’m going to change them then find Lucas. Don’t follow me.” Livia made her way to the door, the sounds of her heels echoing against the roof.

“But!” Lottie protested.

“But nothing. You tell me that you’re not a bad person, but you turn on people so quickly. You lash out at everyone, apart from me. It appears I haven’t earned a place on your bad list so far. You’re a cruel person, Lottie. Especially in the way you talk about Marisol. I bet you wouldn’t like it if Mari was talking about you that way, yet you easily do it to her.” Livia replied while making her way downstairs. Lottie doesn’t respond to that comment, and the dressing room is silent apart from the sound of heels, and Marisol’s sobs. She is cruel. You can’t love someone like that, who’s casually cruel in the name of being honest. She has it out for you specifically too. It really hurts.

Marisol heard the click of the door, and looked over to see Livia making her way inside.

“Marisol? I didn’t know you were in here. Are you okay?” Livia’s eyes widen at the sight of her, and Marisol feels like she must be quite a mess for Livia to act that way. She stood on shaky legs and wrapped her arms around Livia, unable to speak. She hid her face in the taller girl’s shoulder, and let go her emotions entirely. Her throat has a persistent lump in it, and she can’t speak past it. Livia stroked her hair gently and the simple motion is enough to ground her, to make her feel less awful. She stayed in the same position until she calmed down enough to look at Livia.

“I...I heard both of you talking. I heard it all, I guess I fell for the wrong person, huh? I can’t be with someone who gossips about others like that. I’m absolutely awful though, I get that much. I get why I’ve gone through so many guys here, I’d be sick of me too. I’m no one’s first choice, not even Lottie’s. You’re so lucky to have Lucas, I’m glad you’re happy at least, if I’m not destined for it.” She spoke past the lump in her throat and stared down at her feet. Meeting Livia’s eyes was hard, she didn’t want to be pitied.

Livia caught hold of her chin, turning Marisol’s face to face hers, and making direct eye contact with her, her emerald green eyes piercing into Marisol’s coffee coloured ones. “No. I’m sorry, but that’s a serious load of bullshit. You’re not awful, and I’m not sick of you. Don’t ever let anyone make you doubt your worth. You’re a wonderful person in your own right, you’re gorgeous. You’re also honest, which means I value your opinions. I definitely want you to find someone, you do deserve a genuine relationship. Someone will come along who puts you first, mark my words. And you’ll know when you know. Like me and Lucas.”

“But, how are you sure? Part of me wishes it was you I fell for, that would make a little more sense. And I wasn’t asked on a date, when Lurik came in. So of course I didn’t feel any major liking to either of them. I was the only one too, then adding the Bobby thing and OP Nope, it feels like I’m cursed.”

“Uh, uh. You’re not cursed. I have a feeling you have a reason for your walls being so high, so I’m not going to treat you like Lottie. Not kidding here, if she puts up with her nonsense, then I’m dropping her friendship. Easily too, I’d much prefer to have you for a best friend. This might not help, but if it wasn’t for Lucas, I’d like you too. I understand not having any dates did sting, I get that. But if they don’t see how awesome you are, that’s their problem.” Livia taps her on the nose playfully, causing Marisol to look up at her with wide eyes.

“R...really? You mean that? You’d drop Lottie for me? I can kind of handle being second to Lucas because it’s you. That does mean a lot. Thank you.”

“Really, really. I don’t say stuff I don’t mean. I don’t like bullies. If Lottie persists, then I don’t want her around me, point blank.” Livia wiped her tears gently with a discarded tissue and focused on cleaning up her face a bit. The pressure was gentle and she focused on the feeling of finger tips on her skin.

Marisol tried for a wobbly smile, and just about managed it. “Thank you. You didn’t have to do this, but the fact you did means a lot.”

“Of course. Mari, what did you expect me to do, just leave you all upset? I wouldn’t do that, and it sucks that you heard all that. Are you going to give her another chance, or is that it?” Livia let go of her chin and retrieved a pair of heeled boots, sliding them onto her bare feet. She put her flip flops back with her other shoes and turned back to Marisol.

“I don’t know. It should be easy to answer, but I don’t know. I want to give her another chance, but I’ve given so many.” Marisol tapped her hand on the dressing table, unexpectedly nervous. Be careful. Lottie could hurt you again.

[a-student-out-of-time]

April Fools Special Review: Part 5

Twisted Metal

Of course, Session 2 hasn’t ended but even this session had a lot of growth for Hibiki. While she has more or less accepted the true nature of her sister, and has decided to payback the kindness and support she got into helping others, there is still doubt and regret within her mind. Though Hibiki’s career is currently over, she still wants to get back into music eventually once things die down but now on her terms and not what Kanade decided, and there is still a part of Hibiki that loves Kanade like a sister. We also see that people who brush off music like a certain 11037, earn her ire as seeing him low key seeing music as a ‘easy route’ irritated her enough to confront the Future Ultimate Baseball Star himself on the matter. Despite the serious risk of exposure that she could have had, Hibiki might have been wearing a disguise at the time but there was already a scare in Session 1 when a date between her and Hajime was interrupted by a /r/niceguy fan, Leon wouldn’t have been into Hibiki’s genre of music so he didn’t realise he was actually talking to Hibiki Otonokoji. However, he was appreciative of Hibiki’s advice on the matter, and given that Sayaka would be in his class, someone who Hibiki has great respect for, she would be able to set him straight on the matter. When Hajime and co go back to school for their second semester, Hibiki, living alone in Hajime’s house decides to make an announcement on Twitter.com that she is still alive and is busy trying to sort her life out, but will go back into music eventually. The response she got was overwhelming positive as all her fans are pleased to see her alive, some apologising to her for any mean comments they might have made about her in the past, and others said they were worried that Kanade might have killed her. This brought Hibiki to tears as it’s not just the love she gets from her friends and lovers, she’s also got support from her fanbase. Her new emotional maturity is put to the test when Hajime loses his second life because a certain controversial Neurologist decides to test his time travel theory by killing him and Umeko, and of course the pain and trauma that comes from seeing a beloved friend’s dead body and himself getting stabbed. I don’t think the old Hibiki would have been able to comfort Hajime but this new and improved Hibiki was definitely able to comfort and calm him down. She’s not 100% mature yet as at one point she offers to lose her virginity to him, and despite certain lemony Anons wanting to see some spicy action, Hajime was like ‘No, just no’ and stated that no sexual matters will take place until they become 18, which in Japan is the legal age of sexual consent, and protection will be used.

Hibiki’s new fighting prowess had two intense trials throughout Session 2. The first is in Hide and Seek when she had to fight against Monaca’s robots. While she had the option of either joining Chiaki’s group in stopping Monaca from aging herself to death, or joining Hajime’s group in taking down Genocider Syo, she decided that she didn’t want to take on another serial killer, especially after being told that unlike her sister, Genocider Syo actually has some teeth to her and not just that one sprite of hers, and besides, Monaca is hellbent on making herself a adult and given her prowess in robotics, the likelihood of Team Monaca having to fend off robots are high and that group didn’t have a lot of fighters on them. She was able to seriously do a number on the robots, seeing as Chiaki and Emma get seriously injured at various points, Sora is more or less nullified due to the Anti A.I. Black boxes and Kyoji isn’t really a fighter, making her the main fighter on the team. Though like everyone, she is angry that they failed and Monaca is now a biological teenager, though thankfully not that deformed or dead, and that Emma’s and Chiaki’s injuries were for nothing. This again also showed how much she matured as while angry about it, especially about the fact that the aged-up Monaca is again taller than her, cursing her to always be the shortest female, she didn’t get too angry about it as Monaca clearly regrets her decisions and it’s a product of being in a very unhealthy environment and now that she is under Kyoji’s care, it’s not going to happen anymore.

But of course, the biggest test for her was in Twisted Sister, when Kanade was released from prison by Juu and via the aid of a mysterious person who might be a time traveller but one with darker goals then Hajime and co, was giving serious weaponry, technology and combat prowess. With this she was able to tear a bloody path through the Hope’s Peak halls and decimate any Hope’s Peak people who gets in her way. Upon finding out that her sister has broken free from prison and is on her way to ‘reclaim’ her, Hibiki’s first thoughts was to get some armour and then charge in to attack Kanade and just in time as she managed to incapacitate a grief stricken and enraged Nikei, and had just recharged herself with some Red Bull X. Not only is Kanade her own twin sister who she has zigzagged between being utterly terrified of to blaming herself for the monster she turned out to be, but thanks to the upgrades she became an equal match to Hibiki. In addition, this also says a lot about Hibiki herself because Kanade had advanced weaponry, dosed up on an addictive that could kill sleep for a week, advanced armour AND was able to defeat Sonia, Akane, Nekomaru AND Peko who all ganged on her with little to no effort, and yes she had been weakened by Nikei beforehand but said addictive rendered most of his attacks moot point, and despite ALL of that, Hibiki was able to equal with her and eventually with the help of Hajime, finally defeat her. And I didn’t mention the ‘puppet state’ because she never not even once regressed back into that, more or less confirming that is dead. Then again, the ‘puppet state’ may have not that hard to break as Kanade’s main motive for killing Setsuka in SDRA2 is that she could have reversed all the damage that Kanade had done to Hibiki and years of hard work, gone within a few weeks or so. And our lovely ronin sword-wielding vocalist had about 3 months to break the ‘puppet state’. While Kanade’s rampage was eradicated thanks to the third reset, the first one done on purpose, even in the current timeline when Kanade gets beaten deathless, Hibiki was able to knock a gun from Kanade’s hand, throw tear gas in to blind her and direct the rest of Class 77-B, and Juzo, into piling on Kanade and knocking her out, this being the last time we see old Kanade.

But despite all the carnage and pain that Kanade dealt her, there is still a part of Hibiki that cares for her like a sister and wishes for the Kanade she thought she knew back. And she got her chance when Yasuke offered to mindwipe Kanade and turn her into a gentlehearted girl. While the QC were deeply divided on the issue, when Hibiki was offered her input, she said that she was conflicted. Part of her wanted her sister back and Yasuke could quite literally grant her deepest desire at that point, but she is also aware that this is a form of execution, as while physically Kanade is still alive the Kanade that had existed prior to this is dead and never coming back, hopefully. As she isn’t a thinker like some of the QC members and understands the deep moral and ethical divides between them, she decides to hold a vote and whatever wins is the one they go for. Of course, the readers voted for Kanade to be mindwiped, and thus Yasuke got to work remaking Kanade while Hibiki helped to round up the other criminals that got out. I’m not dwelling too much on this as we’ve seen Hibiki’s greatest physical feat already and if she could take out swabs of armed headmen to some traffickers, escaped convicts shouldn’t be hard to deal with. Once the carnage dies down and we move into the Twisted Sister Aftermath Arc, Hibiki is hit with immense guilt. While she is grateful for that the sister she thought she had is back, she also knows what had to be done to ensure this occurs. But now that Kanade is back, she could make amendments as she was a rotten sister to Kanade beforehand and now she could try to reconnect with her, preventing her monstrous self from resurfacing itself. Of course, she has to juggle being with Kanade with also being a member of the Cuddle Puddle and general hero work, but life is never dull when you are with the Quantum Crew.

[kouei116]

Jakou no Lyla - Trap of musk: European night

Come, look at me. In return, I'll show you the most wonderful dream.

Well, I'm supposed to study for an exam, I thought I'll only procrastinate & play for a litttle bit, but... Welcome to the newest hell I'm currently stuck in - Jakou no Lyla (人´ω｀*)♡

It is originally a 3 part PC otome game but has been ported to the Switch. This game is one out of 3 games from triAngle project, so... there is a Spy Ending where MC will be with both guys ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Longer details under cut. 

Part 1 European Night - Vince Lugan (seiyuu Taniyama Kishou, e.g. Amnesia Memories Ikki) on the left hand side of the above photo - Rolan Crydelle (seiyuu Tachibana Shinnosuke e.g. MidCin Louis) on the right hand side of the above photo, my 2nd fav

Part 2 Asian Night - Korei Rin (seiyuu Okitsu Kazuyuki, e.g. Brothers Conflict Masaomi) the white hair guy sniffing MC's shoulder in 1st photo, my fav :3 - Kirei Rin (seiyuu Sato Takuya) the black hair guy at top right corner in the 1st photo

Part 3 Arabian Night - Lizaru Shanasa (seiyuu Morikawa Toshiyuki, e.g. DL Carla) the tan-skin guy with a whip in 1st photo - Jemiru (seiyuu Murase Ayumu) the guy with upside-down net bra(?lol) over his eyes in 1st photo 

The popular ranking (voted in Oct 2019) result is Lizaru (1), Jemiru (2), Kirei (3), Korei (4), Vince (5), Rolan (6). 

Vince: ... I want you

MC uses her special tattoo to seduce Vince, it is working... kinda. But Vince is a tough cookie, he realizes something isn't right with himself, grasps his short sword and squeezes his right hand on the sharp blade in front of the  speechless MC. He wants the pain to pull him away from the desire for MC.

V: Come in... Hey, turn this way. Look at me, Y...

During the Conference break, V saw MC talking with Rolan on the way to the market. He got very grumpy aweee. At the market, R fell down, MC helped R get up and her clothes got muddy too. When she returns to the palace, grumpy Vince saw her muddy clothes and told her to take a bath with him. He tried to kiss her but she pushed him away, poor V :’(

Y: Rolan-sama, please sto..

The special tattoo doesn't last long so the salon master comes to the palace to help her refresh. I thought she only has one on her chest, but apparently there is one on her back too :/ She has to keep it uncovered for 2 hours to dry. R came by and accidentally was affected by the tattoo. He started touching and kissing her back. She knows she has to push him away but she doesn't want to because she already knows abt his tragic past. She’s afraid pushing him will hurt his feeling (I'll explain his past in his route summary). She tried very hard to grab the veil, cover her tattoo and R turned back to normal, frantically apologized to her. 

R: You don't need to think about anything. Surrender everything to me...

MC (name is Shirien) is a dancer at show salon Kamal. Her parents were killed, the village was destroyed. The salon master took care of her and her best friend Aisha so she wants to do everything to repay him. The master also helped another kid (who arrived heavily injured) named Jermiru and asked MC to look after J as his older sister. MC and J works as secret spies for the master. MC has a special henna tattoo (made from teromeana mixed with medicine herbs) that can seduce men to the point they lose all reasoning. Then she uses a sleeping needle on them to make them sleep & dream that they are ichaicha-ing with her but in reality, she tries to find materials/info in their rooms for her spy mission. In addition, she collects blood of young healthy ‘excited' men to help research a cure for the salon master's sickness. The master also prohibits her to kiss the men targets because it can sway her heart (hence she pushed Vince away in the bath when he tried to kiss her). 

In part 1 European night, her clients are Theo (Vince's best friend) and Rolan Crydelle. Her mission is to seduce Vince to find out the whereabout of Pamela - Rolan’s younger sister - who they think was kidnapped by Vince when V destroyed the Crydelle kingdom. Theo will pretend to lose the drinking game and gives MC to V as a winning trophy.

V is a tough cookie to crack though, he pays 100% attention on his country/work, doesn't want to waste any time with women. In his country Lugan, women are not allowed to speak unless they are given permission. This is because in their history, a king lost part of the territory bc he spent too much time on women. That territory becomes the Crydelle kingdom. In contrast, Crydelle is led/dominated by women, while men only stays inside the house and cannot go out unless given permission by women. Rolan is a shy and naive because he is indoors all his life, he cares deeply about his younger sister Pamela, he carries a doll that looks exactly like her.

I only know a little bit about V from the common route and his appearance in Rolan's route, but he isn't as cruel as the rumour says. The more time MC spends with him for her spy mission, she realizes he (and his touch on her) are gentle and kind. Everything he does is for the benefit of his country. He did destroy the Crydelle kingdom, killed the royal family (except Rolan who was living in a secret room) so other princes at the Conference sneer at Vince during the policy discussion. Personally, I think the choices Vince suggests are actually effective and to the point, not wasting time trying to be merciful. In Rolan's good end, he even helps Rolan save MC. He gives me the IkeSen Nobunaga and MLQC Victor's vibes. 

The last Rolan photo above the cut is after the confrontation with Eleanor (who looks exactly like his sister Pamela but said she is not Pamela), R is very sad and ran to the old harem area to be alone. MC chased after him and tried to comfort him. He hugged her and started kissing near her chest, offered to make her feel good and begged her to not leave him (poor bb ;u;) MC stopped him, tried to calm him down asking him to tell her everything. In short, due to his past, R always wants to keep people happy, he thinks pleasing people is the only thing he can do to make his life has some values, the only way to keep people staying with him. MC told him none of these are true. Even after hearing his past, MC didn't look down on/feel disgusted abt him, and told him from now on, he will learn many other ways to make people happy. This makes him very happy, he asked to hug her for a bit longer ｡ﾟ( ﾟஇ‸இﾟ)ﾟ｡

---

Tbh, when I first looked at the suitors, I thought I'd go with Vince, but oughhh Rolan stole my heart during the common route. I guess not likely many people will like Rolan (he actually ranks 6th out of 6 suitors, my poor bb ;u;). It’s okay, I luv Rolan. I love his character growth throughout the route, desperately trying to grow stronger to protect MC. And his yandere doll-carrying creepy vibe. His 2nd bad end broke my heart badly ~ like CxM Shiraishi's bad end 4 level of heartbreak（ｉДｉ）I will write his route summary after I (hopefully) pass my exam.

I enjoy this game much more than I expected: kisses sound yayyy (not DL’s level of kissing & blood sucking but enough to burn my ears huehue), nice arts and BGM (melancholy music to stab on my heart even more while reading bad ends, nice!). I prefer the bad ends, they are more haunting and memorable to me; good ends everything get solved quite easily, but overall the story is fine so far. I get completely sucked into this game and finished all 6 ends for Rolan and Korei in 4 days (what is sleep, what is exam :3) Normally I only play the routes of the guys I’m interested in then move on to next game, unless I want to collect PS Vita trophies and autoplay. But I have high hope that since this game can surprisingly change my favourite from Rolan to Korei (still very close, I luv both of them lotsss) from the route story, I should read everybody’s routes properly and see who my favourite are in the end. My 2020 otome game year is off to a wonderful start already ahhh~ (*´╰╯`๓)♬

[seriouslyhooked]

Feels Like This (Part 6)

Emma Swan is a once lost girl who is now making good. She has made a way in the world for her and her young son, Henry, and after years of hard work, Emma is in her last stretch of schooling for the career she’s always wanted. Unexpectedly, she finds herself in a tiny nation no one’s ever heard of for her last year of study. She knows nothing about the place except that it’s beautiful, has a world-renowned child life program, and is filled with possibility. Meanwhile, Prince Killian is hardly happy with the title he received at birth. As the second in line for the crown, Killian has long tried shaking his royal duties. He built a career in the royal navy, and has stayed out of the limelight, but his ship has been called to port indefinitely at the request of his brother, the King. Fate (in her many forms) brings Emma and Killian together and the resulting fic is a cute, fluffy, trope filled romp featuring heart felt moments, a healthy dose of insta-love and an assured happily ever after. Story rated M and will have 12 parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5. Available on FF Here and AO3 Here.

A/N: Hey everyone – so I will start this chapter by saying we have quite a bit of intrigue happening here. Some of you may not be thrilled with where I am leaving things, fair warning it is not the fluffiest of places, and some may even call it a dreaded cliff hanger, BUT I promise that the next chapter for this story is already prepped and will be ready for posting next weekend. You will all be way happier with me in the next few chapters, but in the meantime,  I hope you still enjoy the fic and I can’t wait to hear what you all think!

How the fuck did it come to this?

The question had been plaguing him since the moment he left Emma’s side yesterday afternoon and landed in the middle of a political minefield, and he was no closer to an answer about how to get out of this giant mess.

Of course, he knew the facts: yesterday his brother had called him to parliament, a place where Killian very rarely played a role. He hadn’t been there in years, and even then, it was only a formality, but this time he was summoned through some antiquated process no one had ever heard of. What ensued thereafter was nothing short of a disaster. His mandated presence was initially thought to be merely a stall tactic, but then everything flipped and suddenly his brother lost control of what was supposed to be a historic day for the passing of landmark legislation.

Since taking the throne, Liam had been working diligently to change the very system of governing in Montenarro. He wanted more representation for the people, and to have more democratic processes in spite of the presence of the monarchy. He’d worked tirelessly for years to endear his cause to a largely unresponsive parliament, and finally he believed he had enough votes to make a bold and substantial change. He’d even made sure to cover his tracks, getting every signed-on lord to publicly state their support of the bill, but it turned out there were traitors in their midst, and when Killian arrived it became a full-blown spectacle filled with anger and hostility and nonsense.

For nearly an hour Killian bore witness to the political betrayal and the humiliation that followed. A group of usurpers, led by a Viscount with a long held vendetta, proceeded to fill the hallowed halls of parliament with lies and slander and speculation. Most of it actually centered around Killian, and all of it was completely preposterous. These lords were ‘suspicious’ of his absence from public life since being discharged from the navy, of his hesitancy to return to his role as Prince, and of his lack of ‘direction.’ The men went on and on about what kind of message it sent to the people when leaders failed to lead and represent the interests of the citizenry. It was absolutely ridiculous and infuriating. He’d been out of the military for one month – one month! – and apparently failing to return to center stage in that time made him untrustworthy and ‘wayward.’ There was absolutely no consideration for what he’d gone through in serving at all. In the end it didn’t matter – he was always a prince before he was a man, and expectations didn’t waiver, no matter what he’d given to this country or its people.

Liam, to his credit, was absolutely furious, and he’d made sure to lambast the men who criticized Killian, pointing out their dishonor and their disrespect for men and women in uniform. He reminded them all of how out of touch one must be to assume that a man or woman who’d been on active deployment and been party to war would want to just jump back into the fray with no caution or hesitations. Every soldier was different, and every single one of them deserved respect when they’d fought valiantly and enduringly for the country’s safety and interests. It helped Killian to hear his brother’s candid disdain for these men and their actions, and though they had never really discussed the ghosts of Killian’s service, it reminded Killian that Liam understood and that he valued the sacrifice he made all these years. But still it all came to nothing. The lords did not bow to any call for decency, the bill never was presented, the motion was halted, and despite how ridiculous it all was, a nefarious dialogue had been started. Now some people were curious about where Killian was and what he was doing, putting Liam in an incredibly uncomfortable place. In fact, it was so bad a situation that he’d done something he had never done before – he’d gone back on a promise he made to Killian.

That reneging of his word was the ultimate show of dishonor in Liam’s eyes, but it didn’t help Killian that his brother was sick over this choice. Killian was still being sacrificed in a way for the sake of saving face, and the way it would be done meant that Killian was, for lack of a better phrasing, royally screwed. He was totally and completely fucked, because right now, within the next, oh ten minutes or so, he’d be leaving with his family in the royal precession headed for the capital. It was one of the nation’s most cherished holidays, a celebration of independence and military success, but Killian had missed it for years and intended to miss it this year as well. He hadn’t felt ready for such a moment, loud, rambunctious, and public as it was. He’d been nowhere near crowds like this in many years, and the sound of fireworks and sparklers might trigger something in him, along with the high intensity of the crowd itself. But when Liam requested this, Killian kept those fears quiet. He was ashamed to admit that weakness, and now he was making a huge public appearance, one of the largest of the year. Still in spite of all the anxiety that would come just from the processions, it wasn’t even the worst part. No, the worst part was that – through the agonizing stupidity of his own choices – he still had not told Emma the truth.

This lack of disclosure did not come from lack of trying. He’d been forced to remain in chambers in Parliament without his phone until almost midnight, and by then it was too late to call her or go and see her face to face. Emma was asleep for the night and he couldn’t bring himself to tell her in a voicemail. He’d then decided to go to her this morning, but there was physically no way for him to do so. Every route, and he did mean every route, from the palace to her house was blocked off for the processions or being monitored by the media. It was truly nightmarish. As such, he’d done the only thing he could think to do. He wrote out his feelings to her, his worries and his confession. It was long, it was ugly, but it was real. In the letter he apologized profusely for never telling her the truth. He acknowledged that any pain she would feel was his fault and his alone, and he practically begged her to give him another chance. As soon as it was written he entrusted it to one of Jefferson’s team and he waited twenty minutes for confirmation that it was delivered to her home.

The seconds ticked by while he waited for her reply, slowly and terribly, and finally he caved and sent her a text. It said he was thinking of her, and reiterated his intention to talk to her more tonight. Now here he was, hours later, and he’d still heard nothing. He was in excruciating pain, and the only thing worse than not knowing where Emma stood was that he was forced into the customs and practices of this holiday. He was made to go along with a song and dance he hated, and now he was wearing his royal regalia, feeling a fool and a sham and a downright wretch.

“That collar is not going to get any more comfortable for fidgeting with it,” his grandmother’s voice said, drawing his attention back to where he was, outside waiting for the procession to begin from the castle grounds.

His mother and grandmother were set to ride in the coach as he and Liam rode behind them on horseback, but his grandmother wasn’t interested in complying with the order to sit patiently and wait until the very last minute. Instead she ushered him towards her, and began straightening his royal suit. She tidied all his medals and the pins of his military service, and made sure each line of his jacket was crisp and clean. It was clearly something she’d been doing for many years, and the action came naturally to her, so much more so than for Killian.

“For someone who detests the charade of royal life, you really do look so handsome.”

“Thank you, Gran,” he said, but he didn’t mean it. The words were kindly given, but impossible to value when there was so much else he was desperate to engage with.

“But there’s something more, isn’t there? You’re worried about this. Why? Because it’s been a while?” He shook his head. “Is there somewhere you’d rather be?”

He bit back the retort that there were about a million places he would rather be, but she knew his feelings. “There’s a woman isn’t there?” Bloody hell, how had she figured that out?

“Aye,” Killian admitted after a moment’s hesitation. It was no use hiding from his Gran. The old woman was like a blood hound, drawn into the smallest scent and hell bent on tracking until the truth was out.

“And you’re missing her now, are you?” his grandmother said with a nod. “Good. Real loves never bloom for the faint of heart. A good dose of yearning, and a little bit of missing your fair maiden won’t kill anyone. It’s just one day, dear.”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that, Gran.”

“Things usually are. I’m assuming she’s not from any of the royal circles. If she were there’d be far more chatter afoot. Not a one of those ladies of court can keep a secret. It’s positively ludicrous.”

“She has nothing to do with this world,” Killian agreed, woeful at the fact that she might reject it, but so glad Emma was not like those other women. She was so much more wonderful for being real and genuine. He would never change a thing about her. It was everyone else who should change as far as he was concerned.

“She’s uneasy with you being a prince, isn’t she?”

“She will be.”

“Will be?” his grandmother asked, her brows furrowing together in a look of actual concern. “I’m sorry, my dear. I don’t understand.”

“She didn’t know, Gran. She’s not from here. She’s a woman I met at the Institute. Her name is Emma.”

“Emma,” his grandmother said, nodding, like this announcement of his affection for a stranger who worked at their family’s charity was the most natural thing he’d ever said to her, despite the fact that he’d never mentioned to any of his family how much Emma meant to him. “But what do you mean she didn’t know? You mean about the holiday service?”

“About any of it. She didn’t realize I’m a prince. I’ve only just told her this morning in a letter.”

“That’s not possible,” his grandmother said and then her hand came up to cover her mouth in what could only be described as horror. “Oh my word. You’re serious. This morning? A letter?! Killian, what were you thinking?!”

“I wasn’t,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair in distress. His grandmother’s agitation only added to his own. “I’ve gone about things all wrong, Gran. I know that.”

“Explain it to me, Killian. Make me understand. How did it come to this?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t. At first I thought she knew who I was, and then she didn’t and it was selfish of me not to tell her-,”

“You can say that again,” his grandmother quipped, seemingly annoyed on Emma’s behalf though she didn’t even know her. “Foolishness. Pure foolishness.”

“I know I’ve messed up. I’ve known it all along, but if you knew her, you’d understand. I didn’t want to risk it. Emma defies explanation. Special isn’t the term, for she’s so much more than that. I know it was wrong not to tell her front the start, but I just wanted…” He trailed off, knowing it was useless trying to explain.

“You wanted to be yourself, without the title and the attention,” his grandmother said with a sadness in her voice. She knew his heart in this, and she felt for him, but tragically it changed nothing. “Oh my boy, my dear, sweet Killy, this is quite a mess to be in.”

They were both quiet for a moment, thinking to themselves, and Killian felt sick to his stomach at all that he’d done. This was truly all his fault and the guilt was beginning to unravel him. His grandmother though, was not yet done figuring this out. “So what did she say about it all? How did she take the letter?”

“She hasn’t responded,” Killian said hopelessly, bringing his phone up to check again. Yet again, nothing. Silence from his Swan.

“She probably needs time,” his grandmother said sympathetically. “And you’ll give her just as much time as this procession lasts before seeing her.”

“But the events after -,”

“Are not your concern,” his grandmother said vehemently. “You are hereby excused from those.”

“Gran, it’s not that simple. Viscount Mabrey -,”

“Viscount Mabrey can hang,” his grandmother said with a viciousness he’d never witnessed. It wasn’t refined but it was real, and he agreed with the assessment entirely. As the man who was leading this circus of speculation about his life, Mabrey was Killian’s worst enemy at the moment. “And I don’t care what Liam says. You shouldn’t even be here. Making you choose between Emma and the family… It’s just cruel, never mind undignified and unfeeling.”

“He doesn’t know about her,” Killian said and Gran laughed. She actually laughed and shot him a look like he was foolish.

“Are we speaking of the same Liam, your elder brother? The King of this country and sovereign of this crown, not knowing every last detail at play in his kingdom? Unlikely. No, he knows about her. Jefferson will have told him,” Gran said, prompting discomfort in Killian’s gut. Then she appeared to look a bit more forgiving as she weighed the possibilities. “Though perhaps no one has realized her ignorance on your origins. I certainly didn’t know.”

Killian’s brow furrowed at her comment, but his confusion was distracted by another question from her. “Did you ask her to come here at all? To see you? What are we to expect?”

“She was never planning to watch the procession, and I can’t imagine she’d want to now,” Killian confirmed, reiterating what Emma had told him previously. “She and her son were planning to go to the beach for the day, and no matter what state she may be in,” his throat closed up at admitting that she’d be hurting because of him. “Emma would never break a promise to her boy. They’ll likely miss the whole thing.”

“Mmm,” his grandmother replied. The hum was so noncommittal it only added to Killian’s agitation. But then she turned to him and looked serious. “Well you answer me this, Killian, and be warned if you lie not even the Gods of old can help you, do you truly care for the girl?”

“Yes.” In fact, caring for Emma was an understatement. His feelings, new as they were, went so much deeper than that.

“Do you love her?”

“Yes,” he admitted, knowing that this bond he felt to her was not a fleeting sort of fancy. He did love Emma, for all her many pieces. The way she loved helping people, the nurturing way she always had, the light in her eyes, the lilt of her laugh. She was perfect and good and true, and he never had any hope of deserving her, but damn did he want to. So badly it left an ache in his chest.

“And is there anything you won’t do to make this up to her?”

“No, ma’am,” he replied firmly, knowing that promise was absolute.

That was part of what was killing him now. He wanted to go this instant and beg forgiveness like a man. To look her in her eyes and explain to her how this had all come to be. Yet he couldn’t even give that to her. He was bound by a duty to his family, and he had never resented that duty more in his life. Even now he considered the merits of being here. He could go, show her how much she meant to him, and how she’d always come first from now on. But doing that would only humiliate his family. It would add flames to the fire and mean giving up the loyalty he’d always had for the people he was closest to.

“Good.” She answered, nodding her head and clapping her hands together in a matter-of-fact manner. “Well, dear, sometimes people make bad choices, and when they do, they must make amends. That’s all that can be done. You must do everything you can to make this right. It’s as simple as that,”

“That’s it? No sage counsel or particular detail on how to go about it?” Killian asked. He was desperate for guidance here. Should he call her? Should he wait? Should he go to her? What was he meant to do? What could be done at this point?

“My dear, the mistakes of men are frequent and seemingly unending. A queen does herself no favors getting mired down in them,” she said with a sigh, not helping him with the reminder that he was among those mistaken men. But she shook her head and then affectionately patted his arm in a sign of support. “Just remember this: your heart always knows which way to go. You’ll make this right, and when you do, I’d like to officially meet this young woman. All right?”

“Okay, Gran.”

With a quick pat to his cheek, his grandmother turned and entered the carriage with his mother who was watching curiously. The two of them shared a few words, but Killian didn’t pay much mind, for at the same moment Liam descended from the palace and things began moving rather quickly. It was time for them all to depart, and Killian could only gear himself up for what would be a painful few hours and hope that everything would somehow be okay.

…………………….

Waking up this morning, Emma had to admit to herself that she was really and honestly happy. The feeling was somewhat new for her, certainly in such a bold and front and center way, but after yesterday with Killian it was impossible to feel otherwise. The hope that he’d inspired in her and the heat that she still felt all these hours later, all prompted a smile she let loose as soon as she woke, and that had stayed with her all morning. To know that this man who had her tied up in knots felt the same way made her feel like a kid with their first crush. But despite the strange fluttering in her chest that came and went, and the constant distraction that her mind seemed plagued with these days, she didn’t actually hate it. If anything, Emma craved this feeling, loving that for the first time in so many years she felt eager to take a chance on something and someone other than herself and her son.

She’d been ready to take that step a while ago, feeling the draw to Killian for some time now, but after yesterday and that kiss, she was totally lost. She may be guarded, but Emma Swan was no fool. She could admit defeat when beaten, and right now her interest and her hope that this might be something real and true had won out. Hours later she could still taste him on her tongue. She felt the silky strands of his hair on her fingertips and the hard lines of his body pressed against her. The heat and the spark between them was all consuming, and the look in his eyes when they broke apart and he promised he’d see her soon -

“Mom, do you think I should bring my snorkeling mask or my regular goggles?”

Emma jumped at Henry’s question, which forced her out of her daydream so quickly she had whiplash. She shook her head, reminding herself that this was not the time or place. She was on Mom duty right now and she was supposed to be packing their lunch and snacks for the beach. But last night, when she was alone and all her responsibilities were met for the day, she’d allowed herself to imagine what could have happened if things were different. Would the moment have lasted longer? Would it have ended at the preserve?

“Mom?” Henry asked, his brow furrowed in confusion at her continued distractedness.

“Sorry, kid. Let’s go with snorkeling. It’s been hard for you to find the space to do that to this point, but I think today you’ll have the room to try.”

Henry agreed with her thinking and raced back to his room to grab his things while Emma chastised herself for her wayward thoughts. Now was totally not the time to be caught up in thoughts of Killian, hard as it might be to resist. She and her kid were spending the day together and she needed to focus on that. Henry and her had planned this outing all week, and she wanted to be present with him, even if a niggling though in the back of her mind wondered what it would be like if Killian was coming too. She already knew that Henry and he would get along. Killian had a way of making every kid he met love him, and her son was smart. He read people even better than she did, and Henry loved a good story, which Killian had plenty of.

“Someday maybe,” Emma whispered aloud as she packed the sandwiches in their temperature-controlled bag, but she knew there was no maybe. If things headed where she hoped they would, Killian and Henry meeting would come to pass, and probably soon. But for now, she’d soak in these precious moments with her kid and enjoy a little R and R down at the seaside.

Placing all of their picnic supplies in one bag and double checking that her tote had sunscreen, books, and other things they’d need down by the water, Emma stayed focused on her task. She took comfort in the mental checklist she had going, and when she was confident that they had everything, Henry appeared, carrying his snorkeling gear and smiling a megawatt smile that made her heart so happy.

“You have everything you’ll want for the day?” Emma asked and when Henry nodded she gave him another chance to double check. “Remember we won’t be home until late.”

“I know, Mom. We’re still going to the Center for a visit right? Cook said she’s making that fancy chocolate cake again!” Henry said, nearly as excited by the prospect of this dessert as he was for their beach day.

“Yup. I already told Marco to expect us. Dinner will be served at six thirty.”

Henry threw his fist into the air in some kind of celebratory move and Emma laughed at his antics, shaking her head and looking to all the stuff they had to get out the door and to the coastline. “And you’re totally sure you don’t need to see the parade? It may be fun,” Emma suggested, but she secretly hoped Henry would want to stick to their original plan.

“No way! Beach beats parade every day of the week. Especially this beach. It’s the best!”

Emma appreciated her son’s dedication to sunshine and the seaside. Truth be told, she and Henry had been burned by enough New York parades to be a little jaded. They always sounded like a whole lot of fun in theory, but there was a huge crowd of people which Emma never loved, and at every event there were people who just wanted to get wasted. It was pretty stressful as a parent, and Henry never really liked the noise. He was a quieter kid and preferred more peaceful moments, which were rare when living in the city. As such, they tended to avoid big events like this and made a habit of being wherever the masses weren’t. Today they’d decided the beach might be a good option. They’d managed to go a few times since arriving, and it was always fun but busy. Today they may have more space to themselves, and both she and Henry loved the idea of a beach to themselves.

It was still wild to Emma that they lived in a city with such easy access to a coastline, and not some questionable harbor view, but glorious, magazine worthy beaches. Everyone who lived here acknowledged that they were a hidden gem, and Emma knew if the world ever got wind of what they were missing in this tiny country then flocks of people would descend. She hated to imagine that though, since most of the charm of this country came from its authenticity. There were no touristy gimmicks or ploys. People here were just people, welcoming and friendly, not driven by a dollar. It was totally refreshing and deserved to be preserved and protected. It also made Emma think all the time that maybe she was doing Henry a disservice living in New York. Montenarro wasn’t really a viable option forever, at least she couldn’t bring herself to hope they’d be that lucky, but there must be other places in the US where she could find a job that had more of these things they loved. They’d miss Mrs. and Mr. H, but they were retired now and always talked about their want to travel. Who knew, maybe something could work out?

“Okay Mom, I’m ready to go. We better get a move on.”

Emma took in Henry all decked out in his beach gear and ready to trek across the city and she bit back another hearty laugh. Her boy was an adventurer through and through. He loved anything that felt like a quest and right now he was harnessing all the energy of kids in the throes of some magical imaginary universe. She loved his propensity for this kind of excitement, so she attempted to match it, gathering her things and saluting him as their leader as the left the apartment and locked the door behind them.

As they headed out, Emma couldn’t help thinking that she hoped the kids at the institute were having a good start to their day. This year none of the children would be attending the parade. Apparently there were some issues in years past with some older kids running off to meet friends and younger kids getting lost in the hustle and bustle of the festivities. It turned out to be a logistical nightmare for the staff, and so they decided they’d have their own celebration at the same coves along the cost that the older kids had driven to weeks back. Almost everyone, save the very little babies, would be going, and Emma and Henry had been invited as well. She’d come so close to saying yes, especially when she thought about seeing Cecelia and the others enjoying their day at the beach, but she knew there was a lot of time left to share such memories with them all and that tonight they’d join everyone for dinner and some fun and games. For now, she wanted to make sure her son felt special and supported. He was such a good sport about being in camp all the time while she worked and went to school. She didn’t think that he resented it even a little, but she felt like her first duty was to be a good mom and to give Henry the attention and affection he so rightly deserved.

“Excuse me, Miss?” a woman with bright red hair asked just by their front door. Emma recognized her peripherally. She’d definitely seen her in the neighborhood before. “Are you Emma Swan?”

“I am,” Emma said, and the woman let out a relieved breath. “Can I help you with something?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. My name is Merida. I live just there,” she pointed to the other house out here on the side street. “We received this this morning – or well my daughter did. I love the girl but if you catch her half asleep, she’ll say anything to shut you up and head on back to bed. Anyway, a royal courier came to deliver this earlier, asking for an Emma Swan, and she swore that’s who she was, took it, and then promptly fell asleep. I’m so sorry for the delay, I only just saw the thing in her room. But I promise it was never opened. As you can see the seal is still very much intact.”

“It’s no problem,” Emma said accepting the letter which was addressed in beautiful script. It had her name on it and a seal on the back with the same lettering as the foundation. She smiled, thinking it must be from the kids. They were so excited for their celebration today that she could totally see them making fancy invites and using an institute seal for adornment. She also didn’t think anything of a ‘royal courier.’ That was a thing in Britain too, right? It was the queen’s post or something. Countries with monarchies were just cute like that.

“Oh good, hopefully it’s nothing too timely,” Merida said with relief. “But either way you best believe my Iona received a stern talking to this morning.” Just then a bang came from Merida’s house and they all looked over there. Emma and Henry were concerned, but Merida only sighed and shook her head. “Those blasted boys of mine will be at it again. Dead set on turning every last hair on my head gray. Anyway, apologies again, and perhaps we can have you two over some time. I’ll do my best to wrangle this motley bunch before you do, aye?”

Merida made the offer even while jogging back into her house and Emma and Henry barely had time to say sure before she was back inside. They turned to each other and just shrugged, laughing. Then Henry pointed to the letter. “What do you think it is?”

“Probably something from the institute. But nothing that can’t wait for the beach,” Emma replied, and Henry smiled, following her down the lane in the direction of their plans.

Slowly but surely they made their way down the roads, but the more they walked, the more the patterns of foot traffic began to change. When they started, there were very few people along the street, but the further they went the fuller the streets became. Soon they were overrun with people, and admittedly all of them seemed to be having a great time without any kind of discernable drunkenness or issues.

“Wow, today must be a bigger deal than we realized,” Henry said, his eyes taking in the same sight as her, which was their increasingly familiar neighborhood flooded with happy parade goers.

“No kidding. Are we sure this isn’t the berry fest you read about?”

“They’re called montecaris, Mom. And no, that’s in August. It lasts a whole week. Today’s about a battle that happened a long time ago or something.”

“Must have been some battle,” Emma said. Looking back at Henry, she was struck with worry that he might feel like they were missing something big, especially when confronted with the throngs of people out here celebrating. “We could probably put the beach off a bit if you wanted to watch…”

“No way! I’ve got a full day planned and we’re already late. We gotta get going.”

Emma agreed and stuck her hand out for her son, more as precaution than anything else. With the crowds growing so dense she didn’t want to get separated from him. Henry understood and stuck close to her, but Emma noticed that the people congregated out here today for the celebrations were so much kinder and less intrusive than people back home. This might be a big party for people, but it wasn’t at the expense of families and non-celebrators. No one was taking things too far, and it made maneuvering through the streets much easier than expected, which Emma appreciated. They actually made great time, all things considered, but towards the end of their journey they hit a roadblock, quite literally.

“The road’s closed, but how will we get to the beach?” Henry said with a sad effect that reminded Emma of when he was younger. He never whined, her son, but he did get a teensy bit dramatic. It had much more impact in her opinion, and the pang of sympathy she felt at his disappointment had her rethinking this strategy.

“Excuse me, miss?” Emma asked a woman who looked to be walking with her own young children. “Do you have any idea how we could get to the beach?”

“The footbridge is still open,” the woman offered. She pointed them in the right direction and Emma remembered seeing it a few times while coming in and out of the city. It wasn’t far from here, and she and Henry were grateful for the insight. They made their way in that direction, and by chance they had to walk the parade route to get there. As such they were seeing so much of the parade while still heading to the beach.

“Kind of feels like the best of both worlds, huh Mom?” Henry asked and Emma nodded. It was really something to be sure, and as they walked they saw all sorts of processions. People in traditional dress dancing, musicians, acrobats. There were soldiers dressed up in old regalia and veterans from wars long past, but it didn’t seem like anything out of the common way. Only when the footbridge was in sight did the air seem to change around them and the whispers all began.

“They’ll be out soon, Mama,” a little boy said jumping up and down. “King Liam and his horse!”

“Yes, darling. They’ll be here any moment. Look, here they come.”

Henry was the one to stop moving at this point, drawn into the promise of seeing actual royalty in the flesh. Emma stopped with him and looked out into the street, feeling a flutter of intrigue as she did. Watching the procession at this stage felt like stepping into a movie. There were guards in their stately dress and horses with people she assumed must be some kind of current soldiers. All of the steeds they rode in on were darker, but behind them were white stallions drawing a carriage. Wow, she thought those were a figment of imagination. People really rode in those? Emma supposed they must, and then she got a good look at the women in the cart and she was convinced they must be royalty.

The way these two women were dressed was pristine and beautiful, and both women wore tiaras in their hair that reflected the light so beautifully in the summer sun. From what she could tell, both of them were older, though one was raven haired and the other had shifted to a silky silver. Emma wracked her brain trying to remember what she’d heard in passing about the royals. She knew there was a reigning Queen before who was much older, and apparently good friends with the Queen in England. She’d stepped down from her post years back, however, and now there was a King. She’d seen him, King Liam, on magazine covers in the grocery store. He was young, but always looked so serious, and Emma imagined he must be somewhere here too.

Sure enough, when the carriage passed there were two black horses, both giant, like Clydesdales. Both had royal riders as well, and Emma knew the first one was King Liam. He looked just as serious now as he had in the photos, and Emma wondered if it was hard to be King. It must be all-consuming, but still, a smile wouldn’t kill anyone, would it?

“Wait, Mom, that’s the King!” Henry said, his attempt at a whisper coming out comically loud. “He’s so big. I bet he’s super strong.”

Emma couldn’t argue with the assessment, and the stateliness of the man looked even more imposing in his formal regalia astride a horse. But there was something about him that was familiar. The darkness of his hair under his crown and the square of his jaw evoked something in her, and so, she realized, did the particular shade of blue of his eyes. She had trouble placing it before, but now she knew they looked like Killian’s. How strange that she should think that. She was only reminiscing the other day that she’d never seen eyes like his anywhere before.

Intriguing as the connection was, Emma didn’t think much of it. Instead her eyes moved to the other horse, and immediately her heart lurched. Was that? Oh my God, that was Killian! Her Killian, and he was…

“Prince Killian’s here this year!” a young girl said on the street beside them with awe. “Wow he really is handsome, just as handsome as King Liam, don’t you think, Mama?”

“Undoubtedly, dear,” the mother said but Emma barely heard them. She was stuck with the glaring and absolutely crazy realization that the man she’d been circling around for weeks, the man who’d kissed her senseless only yesterday, was a Prince. Like an actual, full-blown, royal. She was stunned and shocked, so thrown by this twist she hardly knew which way was up. All she could do was take this in and try to make sense of it all.

From where she stood in the crowd, Emma could see that Killian was dressed in the same uniform as his brother. Medals of valor covering his coat to a much higher degree than the King, so much so they almost didn’t fit. Despite being astride a horse, everything about him looked impeccable. The lines of his clothes were crisp and unforgiving, and his form on the stallion spoke to extensive experience. Still, she couldn’t say he looked comfortable up there. His expression was not nearly so serious as Liam’s, but Emma could see his uneasiness, even if it was subtle. Many others may not realize, but Emma saw pain in his eyes. Even now, when thrust into confusion and disarray, Emma felt like she could read him. He was uncomfortable up there, being ogled at by so many people and hearing all the noise and celebration. Still he was gorgeous, looking gallant and regal and all too good to look away from.

Seeing him this way filled her with a chaotic sense of conflictedness – on the one hand she still saw the same man she felt herself falling for, but on the other hand he’d shielded the truth from her. He was a prince, a freaking prince! And she was… well just Emma. It made her sick to her stomach to think about how much must separate them. She’d already felt the pressure of that just thinking he was rich and foreign, but throw royalty into the mix and she felt unbelievably foolish. This could never work. She was delusional if she thought that the two of them could amount to anything more than a mere flirtation given everything, and a wave of dread and despair crashed over her. She felt feint from the mix of sadness and betrayal and her heart was pounding in her chest. Panic began flowing. She had to get out of here.

As if her distress called to him in some way, Killian’s attention diverted from the procession and he looked into the crowd. In a matter of seconds his gaze found her, and she saw the look on his face, feeling the impact too acutely. He was surprised by her being there, and then looked pained himself. She was too stunned to move, but he didn’t feel the same. He stopped his horse, and looked about to climb down when a voice called out to him.

“Killian!” It came from the King, Emma and Killian both looked to him and Liam looked to Emma before turning back to Killian and shaking his head. “Not now.”

Emma didn’t know how to take that. Was he saying not now as in ‘not now, we’re in the middle of a parade here’ or as in ‘not now with your inappropriate and unacceptable life choices’? The former made sense to Emma, but the latter was what she was afraid of. Here she was, a totally normal person, a single Mom from another place with no freaking clue he was even a prince. What was Killian even thinking when it came to her? She was dying to know but also too afraid to face it. Killian, meanwhile, looked liable to go against his brother but he ultimately looked to her and she read the greatest wish of his heart as clear as day.

I know I fucked up, Emma. I know this is crazy, but please let me explain. She even watched his lips move and she read his words “please, Emma.” Her heart clutched in her chest. She closed her eyes unsure of what to do and then Henry pulled at her hand. Emma broke her attention away from this earth-shaking revelation and looked to her boy.

“You okay, Mom? You look a little funny.”

“Uh, yeah, Henry, I’m fine. Just a lot of people,” she offered emptily. She hated to lie to her son, but what could she say? Something like, don’t worry kid, I just think I have a date set with the Prince and even though it’s completely insane and he hid this from me, I can’t bring myself to hate him? Or maybe, to be honest I was actually falling for this man, like really falling, and I don’t know if I can stop even though I have to because we live in different worlds and I feel like my heart is breaking in my chest? No that wouldn’t work either, so a lie it was.

“You want to go home?” He asked and Emma shook her head, knowing that home was just about the last place she wanted to be. She needed distraction from whatever the hell this was, and if she added disappointing Henry to the list of things she’d done today, she’d never get past this.

“No way.”

“Okay! Last one to the footbridge is a rotten egg!” Henry said, taking off, and Emma spared one last look at Killian before she left.

In his eyes she saw everything, grief, sorrow, an attempt at about a million apologies. This was wrong. He had really messed up and she was hurt by his choices, but despite it all a small voice in her heart told her not to run. She should give him a chance to explain, as hard as that might be. She deserved those answers, even if he didn’t. With her mind made up, she wanted to convey to him that this wasn’t totally over but only then did she realize that the parade had stopped. Everyone was distracted by something in the main carriage, but it wasn’t emergent. In fact, the people were laughing, but Emma had clearly missed the joke. She looked back to Killian, whose eyes were trained only on her, and without any more delay she nodded, a silent show that she would listen even if she was hurt and confused. She only saw the beginning of his relief take form, before heading back to her kid, and though it was incredibly hard not to look back, she pushed forward, knowing that right now she couldn’t engage with whatever was happening. It was just too much to contemplate and too overwhelming to consider without knowing the whole truth.

……………………………..

Oh, Dear Lord in Heaven, what a day it had been.

Public outings were always tiring to Queen Eleanor, despite her lifetime of participating in them. But today was especially energetic, and that was putting it kindly.

She still could not fathom how in the world her grandson had been so thoughtless. How could Killian think that keeping the truth for this long would be okay? Surely, he realized that the longer he waited to tell Emma who he was the worse it would be. And then today, seeing the moment where Killian and Emma noticed each other out there in the precession, was like witnessing a car wreck before her very eyes.

The fright she’d had was instant, and she gripped onto Meera’s arm so quickly her daughter-in-law had thought her ill. Then Meera looked to the crowd and saw Emma too and she herself was tense and worried. It was all so terrible. The shock on the poor girl’s face, the hurt in her eyes, but there was more too. There was strength there, and feelings under that hurt that did give Eleanor a bit of hope. Everything wasn’t lost, but it was getting damn close. Killian tried to go to her, as he damn well should, but then Liam scolded him, keeping him there. It took everything in Eleanor not to snap at her eldest grandson for interfering.

“It’s not safe, your majesty,” Jefferson whispered to her from his position close by, reading her frustration. “She’d be a target if the public takes notice.”

“Oh – oh - oh barnacles!” she said with frustration, before inspiration struck. “Stop the carriage!” she cried to the attendant and immediately he did.

“What are you doing?” Meera whispered, alarmed at the break in protocol, but hoping for a good explanation.

“Buying them some time. Keep watch of them. Be discrete but don’t miss anything. We need every detail we can get,” she whispered, before turning to the street and waving her hand to a nearby man. “Excuse me, sir, I just wanted to say your cap is absolutely delightful.”

The man was stunned at her comments, and he should be. This was absolutely untoward. Royalty never did anything like this, but damn the customs. This was her grandson’s life, his future, and she’d do anything she could to see it aided and improved. When the man on the side of the road collected himself, he smiled and blushed, an uncommon sight for a man of at least 65 years of age.

“Please, your majesty. Take it.”

“Oh I don’t think I -,”

“It would be an honor,” he said.

“Are they good?” she asked Meera quietly.

“Just a bit more time. Her son’s perked up now. What a beautiful boy. Reminds me of Killian at that age.”

“Focus, Meera.”

Eleanor nodded to the security team and the man came forward. Offering her the hat. She smiled at it, taking in the tacky mess of patriotic color and appreciating it for what it was – a colorful distraction from the moment. She made up her mind to commit to this idea, and the crowd gasped as she put it on her head and then laughed happily. Some people even cheered at her attire, praising the new look that must make her look positively ridiculous.

“Okay, we’re good,” Meera said and Eleanor smiled graciously to the man who’d provided this opportunity to distract.

“Thank you very much, sir. A happy holiday to you and yours,” she waved pleasantly before telling the footman to drive on.

She’d then proceeded to commit to this charade for the rest of the outing, taking different gifts from parade watchers across the city. Even Meera engaged, accepting some colorful beads and a flag from some children who brought them forth along the way. She didn’t dare look at Liam the entire time, but she knew, even if it was unusual, that this would be a win for the king in the long term. The people had responded marvelously, and she’d managed to help both her grandsons in their quests at the same time, thank the Gods.

As soon as they arrived back at the palace, Killian was off like a shot, readying himself to go see Emma. They spoke with him briefly inside the palace before his departure, but she didn’t dwell on those important words now. Eleanor still didn’t know where he’d eventually find her or if he already had, but she hoped he would. Now though, hours later, Queen Eleanor was hiding out, trying to avoid another conversation that must eventually come.

“So are you going to tell me what that was all about today?” Liam asked, causing her to jump from where she was in the quiet of the library. Her hand came over her heart instinctively and she scowled at him.

“You take great liberty, my dear, scaring an old woman like that.”

“I take liberties?” he asked with a laugh. “Gran if this is another of your jokes, I’ll tell you now I don’t understand it and I’m not amused.”

“I know, my dear, but I just had to do it. Killian and Emma needed time.”

“You know about her?”

“Know about her, who do you think found her in the first place -,” Oh blast it! She wasn’t supposed to say that. Rats, now she had to tell him everything. This was not what she’d wanted at all.

“So you and Mum, you’ve been planning this,” Liam said some time later when the truth was revealed. “You’re matchmaking. Does Killian know?”

“No, he most certainly does not.”

“He’ll be furious when he finds out.”

“The moment she forgives him he’ll be nothing short of ecstatic.”

“And so that’s when you’ll tell him?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Gran.”

“Liam,” she parroted, knowing she sounded like a child but not caring.

“Bloody hell, Gran, I don’t know how you manage it,” Liam said, shaking his head as a low chuckle rumbled from his chest.

“I manage this family with the wisdom, grace, and know-how of a professional, Liam. You’d do well to remember that.”

He muttered to himself some things she couldn’t hear, but then he squared his shoulders and grew serious. “Look, Gran, as long as you promise not to interfere anymore, I will keep your secret.”

“When you say interfere -,”

“Gran, leave this to Killian. He needs to do this himself. Please.”

“All right dear, I will leave it alone.”

“Good. And you and Mum better not be planning anything like this for me.”

“You really think there’s just another woman who happens to be at the institute who would also be perfect for you?”

“No,” Liam laughed, forgetting the promise he asked for in the face of what he saw as a lunatic notion. Little did he know there was such a woman, and the ball was already in motion on that front as well. Still Eleanor did everything she could to shield that from him, attempting to appear the frazzled grandmother instead of a scheming assistant to cupid. Before he could press her further, a knock sounded at the door, Jefferson appeared, and Liam was called away. “We’ll finish this discussion later.”

“Not bloody likely,” she whispered under her breath and Liam raised a brow.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, dear. Nothing at all.”

Post-Note: Okay so there we have it. I keep making these chapters so much longer than I think I will, but there’s just so much I want to accomplish. I know it would have been better for everyone’s anxiety levels if I had Killian and Emma talk things out in this chapter but there simply was not time. Not to worry though, next week’s installment will definitely have that and I think you’ll all forgive me for my slight cliff hanger when you read the next chapter. Anyway, I would love to hear what you all are thinking and I appreciate every comment and review and message you guys have sent the past few weeks. It’s so awesome to have you all with me in this and I genuinely hope you’ll stick around to see what’s coming next. Anyway thanks so much for reading and have a great rest of your weekend! -Emily

[wildshub]

WHO: The Fearless Fifteen  WHAT: The castaways play a game of ‘Two Truths and a Lie’ to pass the time once they’ve taken shelter from the storm in the cave. WHEN: Day 5, later in the day NOTE: Just posting for record and so it’s easier to refer back to.

Jenny Since leaving the beach with the others Jenny had been struggling to stay present. Pain from their hand making them feel numb, and over time it was getting harder and harder to fight. The rain was loud outside the cave, quickly turning into a thunderstorm, but still they felt themselves fighting against fading completely. " Should we do something? " They voiced, looking to the others from their seated position. Their hair and clothes soaked completely, hoodie sleeve strategically pulled down over their still tender burn. The wet material was probably as close as they were going to get to soothing it tonight. " To pass the time, or whatever? "

Shane shane was squatting near one of the cave walls, wringing the water out of her shirt and hoodie, still regretting that she thought it was a good idea to take them off before the rain picked up. she was just grateful that divya suggested they moved here so they could actually get out of the rain. hearing jenny finally speak up, shane's eyes snapped to them, almost expecting them to freak out again. "never have i ever isn't as fun without alcohol," she commented. giving up on her clothes, shane sighed at sat down, pulling her knees up to her chest. "anyone know any other games?"

Divya While remembering the cave was good quick thinking on her part, getting to the cave in the rain was another story entirely. Divya was absolutely soaked after journeying through the jungle to get to the cave. She was in the midst of wringing out her hair when Jenny and then Shane spoke, a pang in her chest when the soccer captain mentioned games other than Never Have I Ever. "Wish I'd brought my UNO," Divya then said, lips turning downwards. It was difficult to remember in the midst of the heavy downpour. She sighed, plopping down on the ground against the wall of the cave. "Maybe we can play like a question game?" She then suggested after a moment. "Like Two Truths and a Lie or something." It was a simple enough game, one that didn't need alcohol or cards.

Jenny Trust Divya to long for her UNO cards when they were soaking wet in a cave on a deserted island with no idea where the rest of the group was. UNO cards didn't even crack the top 100 things they needed right now, but they did sort of wish she had brought them too. If they weren't so emotionally drained they probably would have made a joke about it but all they could muster was the corners of their lips tugging upwards a second. Though they didn't love the idea of opening up, especially when they were feeling so vulnerable already, it was Shane and Divya. The two they were closest to feeling safe around. And they didn't have any better suggestions either. " Yeah, I'm down, " they gave a pause to allow the others to agree before they launched the first round. Desperate for some noise other than the storm outside. " I'm an only child. I'm banned from like, most the bodegas near my house back home. And, " they trailed for a second, pretending to think of another one " my hand really fucking hurts. " They joked, not moving the hand in question from its delicate position. Now they only had to figure out which was the lie between the first two.

Shane shane couldn’t help the weak chuckle she made when divya brought up not having UNO with them, one of these days, they should really humor her and actually play a game. the idea of playing a game designed to get them to talk about themselves was not shane’s idea of a good time, but jenny and divya were probably the only two people that shane didn’t mind being around. at least it wasn’t joss; but as she thought that, she couldn’t help but wonder where the other captain was in this awful storm. she hoped the others were able to find cover somewhere. sighing, shane gave in, “okay, yeah.” jenny went first and of course they all knew the last one was true, but shane being herself went the sarcastic route, “oh the last one is totally a lie.”

Divya Despite all of the nastiness going on outside with the terrible weather, Divya was glad the lot of them in a cave could agree to do something fun and lighthearted like a game of Two Truths and A Lie to get their mind off of it. She chuckled at Shane's sarcasm. "Oh yeah, totally," she echoed with a smile. Though truthfully, she hoped Jenny would be alright. They would have to let them have a look at it later to see what the group could do about it. "But in all seriousness, I'm thinking the second one. The bodega one. No way you're banned by that many. How does one even get banned at a Bodega?"

Jenny Smile once again tugged at the corners of Jenny's lips while the other two joked along. It was a small thing, but it made them feel a bit better about it. And then Divya took a serious jab at it. And Jenny tried to hide any reaction, very easy to do in the growing darkness of the cave. " Is that your final answer? " They asked, raising their brows in her direction. Then they looked to Shane, wondering if she was thinking the same thing. Shane had the advantage, knowing what a bodega was like, and how annoying teenagers could be in them. " Do you think bodegas too? "

Shane when divya gave a real answer, shane thought she was off the hook on being serious for a moment. that is until jenny turned their attention to her. thinking it over for a second, she almost agreed with divya until she remembered how easily one of her teammates got banned one night when they were drunk. shane herself could have been banned too if she wasn’t outside having a smoke. “nah, i’m going siblings, bodega’s will ban you for anything. though, that sucks if it’s true,” she said the last part jokingly. “so which is it?”

Luna "What's a bodega?" Luna asked, pushing her dripping hair from her face as she looked up. She'd been quietly listening to the others, while tracing patterns into the dirt on the cave floor. She kind of wanted to play, but she was lost. "I can't know if you'd get banned from them all if I don't know what one is." Jenny They nodded at Shane's answer and pursed their lips as they did, mockingly, like they were weighing up which was true for themselves. But before they could reveal the truth, they were surprised to hear Luna pipe up. It threw them a little. And her question did too. " It's like– " they glanced to Shane in hopes of receiving a little help in describing the New York staple before they looked back to Luna. " Like a corner store, or something. It just sells like snacks and drinks and basic stuff. " They explained with a shrug of their shoulders. " So, only child or bodegas? Which is the lie? " They asked Luna specifically, now she was involved in the game.

Luna "So like a milk bar?" Luna replied, as if the American would somehow know what an Australian milk bar was like. She imagined it was like a bodega, but she didn't know. She bit her lip, tilting her head and considering the question. Truth was, she hadn't spoken to Jenny enough to know. Jenny had avoided her for so long, that their only real conversation had been about stars. "Dunno. Maybe the only child one?" she replied with a sly grin. Getting banned from every corner store seemed like the more fun option to be true.

Jenny "A what? " Their brows furrowed together, having no idea what a milk bar was but like, context made them assume it was what Australians called bodegas but like ... what the fuck? " Is that what Aussies call them? " they asked, still confused but also amused at this point too. But she voted only child too. They wondered for a second how much guessing was going on or if they were actually trying to figure it out. But they paused that snowball before it became a problem and simply told the truth. " I have two brothers and one sister. And I am banned from the five bodegas closest to my place. " They revealed, face cracking into a grin.

Luna "A milk bar," Luna repeated. She shrugged. "I guess so? I've never heard anyone call them something else except in movies." No one else was here to back her up--where was Joss? The other Australian, Luna suddenly realised, was not with them. She frowned, looking around them to check. But Jenny's reveal pulled her attention back. "Nice. What'd you do?"

Shane shane was right along with jenny in wonder what the fuck luna was talking about. “okay but do milk bars have cats? because there’s nothing better than a bodega cat.” she couldn’t help but feeling a little proud that she was able to guess correctly, but like luna, she wondered what they did to get banned from five bodegas. “yeah, whatcha do? am i going to see your picture on some wall of shame when i go home?” when. she was glad she said that instead of if because especially in the middle of this storm, shane was exactly hopeful.

Jenny Jenny wondered how a whole country could say milk bar with a straight face but they weren't going to press it. It was trivial. But Shane made a good point. " Bodega cats are the fucking best, " they agreed, suddenly filled with warm memories instead of the horrific ones that had been especially bad that day. They chuckled a little at the mention of the wall of shame. " Maaybe, " they answered, pretending to be coy about it for a second before they broke with a chuckle. They were definitely on a few walls of shame back home, Mia was on some too. " Just like, dumb things. Not paying for stuff, that sort of thing. " It was pretty much just solely shoplifting but they weren't sure they really wanted it to seem that way. " One time I just knocked a couple things over by accident but the guy was having a shit day I guess. " They chuckled again. But that was more than enough about them. In fact, give it a couple minutes, and it'd be way too fucking much. " So, who's next? "

Luna Her eyes widened. "Wait, you guys have cats in your bodegas? We don't have cats in the milk bars." Luna wished they did. She grinned at the idea of a wall of shame being a common feature in bodegas too. Shoplifters being on it made sense, she supposed, remembering the crappy CCTV pictures that were behind the counter in the small grocery store near her house. "I'll go, I guess." She hummed for a moment, deciding what to say. "Okay! I'm an only child. I was rushed to hospital to have my appendix removed. And I was homeschooled for a few years." The truths seemed benign enough for now, she hoped.

Divya Divya was loving this game. It was nice to learn about the other girls. You'd think with all of the free time they had on the island that they would have learned plenty about each other by now, but keeping yourself alive when you were stranded was hard. And very tiring. At the end of the day, you just wanted to sleep on your bed of sand. "Hmm." She narrowed her eyes at Luna, as if that would help her figure out which one of the three facts was a lie. "I'm gonna go with appendix," she decided after a moment. "What about you guys?" She asked the others.

Shane shane nodded, making a mental note to keep an eye out for jenny’s picture whenever they made it back home. kind of a small world moment if she was actually able to find them. attention shifted to luna as she went next and honestly she was stumped. she was pretty sure this was the most she had spoken to the other girl in the five days on the island so she really didn’t have much to go on, so she played it safe and decided to side with divya on this round. “yeah, i’m thinking appendix too,” she said with a shrug.

Jenny They considered the options presented to the group. They had already noted the scar of Luna's arm, so similar to their own, and though it had nothing to do with an appendix and made them think that she wasn't a stranger to surprise medical procedures. But, then that was the option Divya and Shane went with. " Guess I'll go with homeschool, mix it up a little. " They didn't think Luna was stupid enough to lie about being an only child so soon after Jenny had.

Luna It was a little surprising to her that the others caught her out so quickly. Except Jenny, who went with home schooling. "I still have my appendix," she confessed with a small grin, not admitting she had been rushed to hospital for a host of other things. "How did you guys know?" Maybe it was just a lucky guess.

Shane shane had a smug smile on her face when luna announced that she and divya were right. that’s two for two. though, she was mostly guessing, shane was still proud of her ability to read people. “honestly, i totally guessed and went with welbs on that one.” shifting where she sat, shane put her legs down since it was doing nothing to help warm her. after a moment of thought, she decided she might as well get her turn over with. “okay so, i lost my virginity to a guy at 14. i can play the guitar. and i have travelled to 5 different countries.” she was sure her lie was obvious but if everyone else wasn’t going deep yet, neither was she.

Jenny Jenny nodded a little at the reveal. If it had been someone they had spoken to more they might have been a little disappointed at the lose, but seeing as they and Luna had only spoken a tiny amount, and about stars of all things, they didn't feel too bad. But then someone they had spoken to quite a lot took their turn: Shane. Even though they hadn't spoken about any of those topics, Jenny would feel a little bad if they couldn't figure this one out. Once again brows furrowed a little as they thought. " I'm thinking either first one or last one. " They said aloud, looking around to gage what the others might be thinking. " Anything with a specific number is easy to make a little lie out of. " They added, to give reasoning to their thoughts. Though, on top of that, they'd be severely disappointed for Shane if she'd lost her virginity to a guy.

Alexa alexa couldn’t believe anyone would decide to turn her belongings into a rain collector, but the wind and the rain caused her to wrap all her things into a blanket in panic and head for the cave. couple wrong turns and she was starting to feel like she wouldn’t make it so she stopped by a massive tree to cry for over 20 minutes before continuing. as she entered the cave to find the peaceful atmosphere of the girls settled she dropped her stuff to the floor in relief. except the champagne now hanging from her hand. “okay who the FUCK ruined my suitcase? you know what? doesn’t matter! I hope you enjoy freezing instead of being wrapped in a nice DRY blanket. also i had the insides of that suitcase coated in special paint that reacts badly with water so all the water in there is basically toxic now. think about that next time you, the culprit, wants to fuck with somebody else’s shit.” she will drip all over Shane on her way around deeper into the cave and away from its entrance. “what did I miss? where is Joss?”

Divya Divya was having such a great time with the girls, smiling and taking guesses. They all really were making the best of a bad situation. "You make a good point," Divya agreed with Jenny when she caught their gaze. She gave it a moment's thought before turning to Shane and squinting, doing her signature move of narrowing her eyes - as if that held any real weight to how accurately once could sus out which fact was a lie. "I'm going with the first one. Too many details." A guy and at 14. Though the second she thought it, she realized: wait, maybe more details were better. She was just about to open her mouth to change her answer and then Lex made her way into the cave. Her heart dropped to her bum at the mention of the suitcase, gulping when she knew it was all her and Shane's doing . She looked over to the soccer captain, eyes clearly expressing panic.

Shane shane smiled to herself when jenny and divya read her so easily. she opened her mouth to give the answer right as someone walked into the cave. the second she heard lex's voice behind her, shane froze, staring right at divya. water dripped on shane's already wet head. running her hands over her head to wipe the water off, shane saw the visible panic in divya's eyes. shane just barely shook her head, hoping the other girl could pick up on the fact that they should keep quiet. "i haven't see joss since last night. hopefully she found shelter," shane said instead of acknowledging lex's suitcase. "we're trying to pass the time with a game. so do you think lex, i lost my v-card to a dude at 14, i play the guitar, or i've been to 5 different countries, which is a lie?" she tried to make her voice sound as neutral as possible as she tried to push the conversation away from lex's belongings.

Jenny Though Jenny had nothing to do with the further ruining of Lex's suitcase, having been preoccupied with the fire, they did feel a little guilty about leaving her behind. And when she mentioned Joss, Jenny was forced to think about just how many people were missing from the cave. And though it really wasn't, they immediately believed that was at least mostly their fault. Adjusting their position so legs were to their chest and arms wrapped around them, as a form of comfort. Their right hand hanging loosely off to the side to avoid putting pressure on the still stinging burn. As both Divya and Shane seemed to chose to ignore the whole suitcase thing and all the energy Lex had brought with her into the cave and instead push forward with the game, Jenny did too. " Divs and I are saying v-card. It has more details than the other options. "

Alexa Alexa couldn’t believe none of them even acknowledged her suitcase conundrum and she was determined to make them regret it. Shane’s quick change of topic and unreasonably welcoming behaviour made her suspicious as heck and she was now eyeing all of them as if they al knew and she was the idiot. Regardless she sits down, pulls out a couple of semi-dry shirts from the plastic bag. She puts on a fluffy pink pullover and passes the rest towards Divya. “Well, Shane has all the attitude of someone who should be getting laid but isn’t so, I’m gonna go with the 5 countries one. I don’t know man, what’s your zodiac again?” as if all the answers stood hidden in that one answer. Without much thinking she’ll pass the champagne to her right and pull her knees to her chest. “Seriously though has no one seen Joss? I need a shit liar in this circle if I’m even gonna attempt to win this game.”

Shane shane knew they were suspicious as fuck but considering alexa was probably already blaming her for it, there wasn’t much she could do besides hope divya wasn’t going to have a panic attack over what they did. but if worst came to worst, she’d take the fall and give some speech about how it was used for the greater good of survival and how alexa’s clothes could dry while they actually have water to drink. instead, she stays quiet and just rolls her eyes at lex’s comment. “well considering we’ve been stuck here for 5 days, it has been too long since i’ve been laid. and i’m an aquarius, but i don’t see how that can sway your choice,” she shot back. if shane was honest, she was worried about joss and the other girls. they could be anywhere right now and she just hoped they were okay. instead she just shook her head and frowned at the mention of her. “anyways, welbs and jenny were right. i was 14 but i would never sleep with a guy. who’s next?”

Divya Divya tried her best to keep her calm, swallowing her nerves and looking anywhere but Alexa's eyes to help her do so. She took the plastic from the girl with a nod, eyes toward the ground when she did so. She felt somewhat better rummaging the bag for something dry to wear, even more so when Shane revealed the lie and declared her and Jenny winners. "Yes!" She cheered, squeezing a hand into a victorious fist. At the same time she found something decent to change into from Alexa's bag, tossing it over to Jenny so they could have a nosey now. "I wanna go!" Divya announced. "I have an older sister, I've never broken a bone in my body, aaaand I took first place in a watermelon eating competition in Year 3." She flashed a grin when she was finished with her list of facts, smile faltering slightly when she accidentally made eye contact with Alexa.

Jenny When Lex mentioned Joss again, Jenny thought of piping up to say obviously they hadn't seen her. Or Oona, or like everyone else who wasn't already in the cave. If they had seen any of them they would have made sure they came with them. Or Divya would have at least. But when the question was followed by only wanting Joss around because she was a shit liar, Jenny bit their tongue. Their lips cracked a small smile once more when it was revealed they and Divya had been correct. Even a light chuckle escaped them as they witnessed the other's excitement. When handed the plastic bag, they reached for it with their good hand, keeping the other hidden in hoodie sleeve. Though they'd just argued that more details meant lie, they felt differently when Divya filled her last option with far more details than the rest. " I think broken bone, " they decided, pulling a shirt from the bag before passing it on. " I've seen how clumsy you are, there's no way you've never broken a bone. " They said with a sort of affectionate teasing as they looked to her. Plus, she was decked out in athletic stuff. There was no way an athletic kid hadn't broken a bone at some point.

Alexa she observed them all carefully and for a moment even Divya appeared suspicious. That’s how she knew she was probably tired and making stuff up at this point. Now focused entirely on the game, and lowkey annoyed that she guessed Shane wrong, she tries to look for hints on Divyas face but to no avail. She just seemed like she was lying altogether. Lex was never much good at reading people though, or situations, she just either vibed with people or didn’t. Jenny’s answer seamed very likely so she’ll nod. “Yes, yes I’ll second that too. I mean, it does seem the most plausible. But then the watermelon is so specific I’m...confused. Wait, how many is supposed to be a lie? One? Two?” She itches the back of her head and shrugs. “One lie, yeah no the bone, I’ll go with the broken bone...”

Shane shane smiled as divya excitedly celebrated that she and jenny guessed right. despite being stuck with alexa now, she was glad that she could ride out the storm with two of the people she did enjoy spending time with. but next was divya’s turn and shane was stumped. “i want to say the watermelon because it sounds so outrageous. but i also feel like it’s something you’d do and throw it in there to stump us. so i’m gonna copy them and say bone too.”

Divya “Bone? Really? That’s what you guys are going for? Sure?” A beat for any final changes. Divya gave them all a cheeky look before revealing the truth. “You’re all wrong!” She told them with a spirited bounce. “I really never have broken a bone before. Though, I probably should considering all the trouble I find myself in.” She chuckled. “And I really did win First Place for that watermelon eating competition. One of my proudest accomplishments in fact. I got sick right after though, threw it all up in the closest bathroom after I had my picture taken.” She shook her head at the memory. “I don’t have an older sister. I have an older brother,” she told them with a small grin, chuffed she was able to get away with it. “Well, half brother but brother nonetheless. Sean.” In her excitement, she turned to Alexa, completely forgetting her prior guilt. “He’s in the Royal Airforce actually. Or was,” she corrected herself with a tilt of her head. She turned to the rest of the group again. “He’s like private contractor or something now. Gets hired by random people and does all sorts of things.” She gave a wave of her hand, bored now with the details of her brother’s current occupation.

[classic-vision]

Apartment Hunting

Been super busy but wanted to get this out for the weekend. Thanks to @justaleapoffaith and @leia321 for voting on the prompts.

AO3 Version     Enjoy

“It’s not…that bad.”

“Which part? The roaches on the floor, or the ants on the wall?”

“Come on, MJ.” Peter says, brushing his shoulder off from the wall he was just leaning on. “I’m just trying to stay positive.”

She scoffs, scooping some dust off the counter with her finger. “We don’t have time for that. Why don’t we go somewhere nicer?”

“Because we don’t have money for that. This complex is our last hope.”

School is starting two weeks and they still hasn’t found an apartment. Unlike his previous years, Peter’s scholarship only covered tuition not housing. So much for being smart. He wishes he could’ve gone the athletic route. Now here he is finally experiencing the toughest part of being a New Yorker. Rent.

Good thing is, he has someone to split the rent with. Bad thing is, it’s is on and off again girlfriend throughout college. Peter and MJ still remain close, but somehow only seem to work better has friends. And somehow, he convinced himself that living with her in a platonic setting was a good idea. Senior year was getting off to a rough start.

“I thought Ned and Betty were supposed to help us,” Peter says, stepping over the roaches. “What are they doing?”

“I’d say that depends on whether or not Ned has protection.”

“MJ…”

Though, she was probably right.

“We’ll just have to downgrade to a one bedroom.”

“But there’s two of us.”

MJ nods to him slowly, not wanting to waste breath on the obvious. Peter squints is eyes at her, playing out the situation in his head. He’s about to ask her until a spark lights off in his mind.

“H-How would that work?” he stutters. “I mean, I’m sure we can make it work. Wait, I mean definitely works. I just didn’t know you would want it to. But if y-”

“Peter,” MJ interrupts, “Don’t go all male on me. We’ll still sleep separately.”

“Oh…”

“You’ll just have to take the couch.”

“WHAT”

___

“Oh nice, carpeting.”

Peter and MJ make their way into the next unit available in the building. It was an improvement from the previous one. But…

“There’s a stain in the bedroom.”

“I’m sure it’ll wash out.”

“The toilet water’s low,” MJ shouts from the bathroom. “Bad plumping. You can say goodbye to pizza night.”

Peter shook his head, trying to ignore her complaints and moved to windows. “These are some nice blinds.”

He twists the knob twice to get a better view and instantly it snaps off in his hand. He wanted to yell, but instead, he takes a deep breath to compose himself.

“There’s a couple mouse traps left in the closet.”

Peter wasn’t going to let that bother him. It’s New York City after all. Rodents should be their friends.

“The point is, there’s no ants or roaches,” he comments softly.

“One of these traps is occupied.”

“THAT’S IT”

Peter throws down the broken knob and storms out of the apartments. MJ chases him down the hall but can’t catch him until they’re out of the he’s in the elevator.

“Where are you going?”

“This isn’t going to work, MJ. I’m sorry I have to go.”

It’s not often that Michelle Jones is caught off guard about anything. But here she was stunned as the elevator doors closed on her and Peter leaves the building.

___

The complex is stunning. A gated building, standing tall and wide with blue and orange patterns around the glass windows. Inside, the lobby has marble flooring surrounding the beautiful water fountain complimented by jazz music in the background. Each and every apartment on every floor is luxurious, spacious, and comfortable. To top it all off, there’s a rooftop bar with a pool and great view of the city. It’s perfect, it’s a dream, and most importantly to Peter Parker…it’s a big waste of time.

“Dude, why did you bring me here? There’s no way we can afford this.”

“I told you, man.” Ned finishes chugging his complimentary water bottle he got from the lobby and sat up from the lounge chair by the pool. “The whole point of living in New York City is to live big. Right Hoggy?”

The tour guide gives an annoyed sigh and rolls his eyes. “It’s Happy.”

“Wait, your name is Happy? I thought they-”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard it all and relayed it to my parents. Are you guys gonna put in an application or what?”

Ned puts an arm around Peter, cutting him off before he can speak. “Of course, we will. Because I live across the street.”

Ned lived with his girlfriend Betty. Unlike Peter and MJ, they had their relationship figured out, and then some. The two were inseparable from each other. And take PDA to a new level.

“I wish I could afford to live in your building. Little alone, this place,” Peter pouts.

“Someone’s gotta chase the dream, Peter. I’ve been trying to Betty to move over to this building but she’s always talking about budgets and expenses and crap.”

Peter scoffs sarcastically, “Yeah, who cares about any of that.”

He hates the way things have been going lately. Money was super tight and the last thing he wanted to do was let MJ down. Students loans can only go so far so Peter decided to sell some of his personal items to help with living expenses in preparation for rent. The toughest one to let go was his Nintendo Switch. MJ doesn’t know about it, but he figured it would be worth the sacrifice. At least that’s how he felt at the time.

“By the way, what’s up with you and MJ? Back together yet? Because we kind of have a little bet going?”

Peter squints his eyes at his best friend, but quickly writes it off. At least someone had confidence in his relationship. Or whatever it was.

“I don’t know, dude.”

“Okay!” Happy shouted, tapping his finger to his watch. “If you two don’t make a decision in five seconds, I’m gonna assume it’s a no and get back to my meatball parm.”

Peter takes one last look around the rooftop. He always thought that his first apartment hunting wouldn’t be limited by a budget. He would be a graduate with a high paying chemist job. But here he is watching his dream start to fade.

“Ned, I want to live here.”

“Great!” Ned threw his fist in the air and gestured out to the view of the city. “This is the dream!”

Peter laughs and cheers with his friend. “You really think we can afford it?”

Ned shrugged. “You don’t know until you ask. Hey Happy, how much for a two bed room?”

“If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.”

“Dude..”

___

Peter and Ned walk out of the fancy complex with their heads down. Peter takes a step forward when Ned’s arm blocks him from moving forward. Peter questions his friend who seems to be lost in a daze until he looks in the same direction. And that’s when he sees them.

Coming towards them, are four girls jogging in place. Two of them he recognizes from class. As they get closer, the tallest one smiles politely at their gazes.

“Hi you guys,” Liz Allan says.

But they’re both too stunned, and embarrassed to speak. So, Peter just waves as the group of girls move pass them and enter the luxurious complex.

“Hi, Ned!”

Two of the girls, Betty and Liz ran back out of the complex sipping bottles of water.

“Hey, honey.” Ned says, kissing his short blond girlfriend.

“I was just about to head home. You helping Peter and MJ out with the apartment hunting?”

Before Ned can answer, Liz interjects.

“Peter, I didn’t know you and MJ were back together. That’s great!”

Peter gulped at the tall sweaty girl in front of him.

“Well, not exactly. But who can afford to live alone in New York?” he joked.

Liz wipes another beat of sweat off her head. “I hear you. One of my roommates kind of bailed on us. Boyfriend stuff. Anyway, we’ve got a spot open now. A couple of people are interested but, I felt like it would be rude if I didn’t ask you.”

Peter gulped again. He knew what he should say, but for some reason it was taking along time to say it. Perhaps he wanted to accept the offer. He could finally live the good life. A new life and new girl. Maybe it was time.

“Thanks, but I got my living situation covered,” Peter says, surprising himself.

“Oh, great. Well, I guess I’ll see you guys on campus.”

Liz waves at him and then to someone behind him before jogging back inside the building. Peter turns around and sees MJ standing there with her arms crossed.

“MJ, how long have you been standing there?”

She shrugs, “Long enough to see you drool your own pool.”

“I told her no.”

“Yeah, after like an hour of hesitation. That’s the life you want?”

Peter sees her getting tense and doesn’t like where things are going. But he’s not sure what to do. There still not even technically together.

“I just kind of wanted to see what it would be like for a minute,” he says honestly.

MJ scoffs again. “Let’s go, Betty”

The blond girl lets go of Ned’s hand and gives an apologetic smile to Peter before following her friend.

Peter watches MJ walk off. He still doesn’t know what they were. He doesn’t know if they could live together. He doesn’t know if they could be just friends. But the one thing he knows, is that he has to make things right. Because seeing Michelle walk off was too painful.

___

Peter and Ned arrive at Ned’s apartment about an hour after the girls. Ned thought it would be a good idea to let things cool down a little before going over there. That hour felt like an eternity to Peter. He needed to talk to MJ.

He rings the door bell and Betty lets them in. MJ’s sitting at the counter when she sees him and hops off to greet him.

“We’ll give you two a minute,” Betty says, shoving Ned out the door as he mutters something about it being his house.

Now it’s just the two of them. MJ shifts her feet a bit, stopping the silence. Peter exhales and decides to just dive into it.

“I’m sorry I stormed out. It had nothing to do with you. I just hated the idea of us living in crap.”

MJ laughs a bit and Peter is instantly relieved.

“It was crap,” she says. “But I didn’t have to be so blunt about it. I’m addicted to telling the truth. Even at the worst time.”

“It’s fin-”

“No, Peter,” she interrupts. The issue had been weighing on her mind apparently. “I know this can’t be easy for you either. “Things between us aren’t exactly ideal.”

This time Peter laughs. “Since when is anything about us ideal. That’s why I like you. You’re not normal.”

To anyone else, that would have been taken as an insult. But it brings a smile to MJ’s face. Peter takes the opportunity and puts his hands on her shoulders, standing close.

“You’re weird in the best way. I want to make this work. I want us to work.”

MJ wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer and gives the best compliment she can think of. “I think you’re weird too.”

And kisses him. For the first time in too long, Peter Parker is kissing the girl he loves. He makes a silent vow to himself that he will make things work this time. Because she’s too good to let go.

He pulls away from her only to look at her face and that pretty smile she rarely shows.

“Thanks. Because I don’t want to be someone I’m not. I’m good with who I am.”

“Hey, I got a surprise.”

MJ pulls Peter out of the apartment and straight to the one next door. Inside, is a wide-open floor of a two-bedroom unfurnished with clean counter tops and clean walls.

“I know you’re not crazy about wood flooring, but we can get big rug.” MJ runs over to the other side and gestures from corner to corner as if rehearsed. “I figure we can put the TV on this wall next to your video game stand. Then we can have my bookshelf at the edge on the way to my room.”

Peter walks around the actually livable apartment pleasantly surprised. “Good ideas but I don’t think we’ll need my game stand.”

“Sure about that?”

He turns to see MJ holding a small wrapped box out to him. He looks at her in disbelief until she gives him a nod of approval. Then he rips the box open like a kid on Christmas morning. His eyes grow big and legs to bounce.

“You got me a Nintendo Switch! I can’t believe it. I had to sell mine at Gamestop last month for $140

“Funny, I bought mine at Gamestop last month for $160.”

“What?”

“I’m kidding. Well, not really. Never sell to Gamestop, dude. But anyway, Ned told me about what you did. I had to get it back for you.”

Peter smiles brighter than he has the entire day. For the first time, everything was coming together.

“I love this. Can we really afford it?”

“Apparently we can. The landlord told me it’s been vacant so long that she knocked off $500 off the rent for us.”

“Wow, that’s great! But why is a place like this vacant?”

“Well, it’s next to Ned and Betty’s…”

“So?”

“The walls are thin.”

“Crap.”