#fd: the stand
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sunniedesi · 7 months ago
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Is the official Future Diary Website going down?
I don't know if I'm jumping the gun here, in fact, I really hope I'm mistaken, but it looks like Kadokawa might be removing the official Future Diary website.
When you try to access future-diary.tv you get this error message:
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Now, an "emergency maintenance" could mean anything, but I find it odd that Kadokawa would randomly decide to update this page. The Future Diary website is so old at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they were gutting it, especially since we haven't had anything new released for this series in many years.
Mind you, that message is actually quite recent. I can attest that the site was up and running up until 2 weeks ago, so time will tell whether my suspicions are right or not. I have a tendency to freak out over stuff like this, to then have it turn out to be a false alarm, so I'm hoping this is one of those times... though I have a bad feeling about this.
Again, I understand the website is old, but I really, really would hate to see it go. It holds so much information about the merchandising and history of the show... it's my main source of information when researching all the topics I bring up on my page. Thankfully, the site appears to be well preserved on the Internet Archive, but no amount of snapshots on the Wayback Machine could fix my broken heart.
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tatatatatara · 7 months ago
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If i can make a wish related to tokyo ghoul, i shall wish that there are different tags and names for takizawa and t-owl so everytimes i search for takizawa ill only have to see the brown puppy version and not the character that i avoid the most
Ok u know what, ill wish that ill never have to see t-owl
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teamjlry · 2 years ago
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"I don't know, and I don't care."
Yeah, I mean, I'm always on the verge of tears and raising my voice when I'm talking about things about which I don't care too.
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ficticiousdelicious · 18 days ago
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Title graphic sketches for my fanfictions (on Ao3):
'Legs to Stand On' (Main Pairing: GrimmIchi)
'Duckling' (Main Pairing: GrimmIchi)
'Ice Melts' (Main Pairing: GrimmIchi)
'Lives Under War' (Main Pairing: GrimmIchi)
Some of these fanfics are mature audiences only!
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wildflower-otome · 4 months ago
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anniesocsandgeneralstore · 1 year ago
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oh no i made them too cute actually
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pekodayz · 2 years ago
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i dont like fathers day rn bc nobody tells u that u have to wake up at 9am after drawing and giggling for 4 hours
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zivaninja · 2 years ago
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that eddie/mox stand off. my fucking god.
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phantom-at-the-library · 1 month ago
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youtube
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maiteo · 7 months ago
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If I see one more person call him Diego and not Diogo đŸ”Ș
same ppl wanting him to come to their bum ass nasty ass clubs can’t even get his name right it’s pissing me AWF actually
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purpleyearning · 2 years ago
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Jessica, I hate you. That is your little brother. Protect him.
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myimaginarywonderland · 9 months ago
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I truly want Eddie and Buck to fight.
Mainly because I have wanted Buck to blow up at someone from the 118 for years. I get that apparently there were off-screen apologies but the way every single member treated Buck when he got a lawyer, the way everyone has dismissed Buck's trauma before that, the way Buck was literally punshed by Chim, the way Buck's has (nearly) died multiple times and the trauma of that is never really acknowledged, the way Buck was sexually assaulted and everyone joked about it, the way Buck has had so much shit just put on him unknowingly sometimes by them, yes, I want Buck to snap.
I want Buck to finally stand up to someone and tell them that it's not okay, that what he went through wasn't okay and that he needed his family with him when they weren't.
I need Buck to finally see "I deserved better" and have someone show him he deserves better (aka Tommy.)
I need someone to finally be in Buck's corner, to tell him that what he went through wasn't okay and that he doesn't need to get over it because you just don't get over some traumas.
I need Buck to finally have a moment where he is allowed to be angry, where he is allowed to feel his emotions, where he is allowed to hurt and someone is immediately there to catch him, to be beside him.
I need Buck to finally be allowed to be proud of his work, to finally understand how much he has done as a firefighter when he didn't even have to, to understand that he can be more, that he is allowed to want more.
I need Buck to finally be allowed to go on a pathway up the FD ladder because he deserves it, he has earned himself the opportunity to get a chance to prove himself.
I need this season to finally lay the groundwork to Buck's full potential as a character, as a love interest, as firefighter. I need this to be the start of his true growth where he is finally allowed to want things and to get the things, the happy ending, that he always wanted for himself.
I need this to be a turning point for Buck where we finally see him settle into himself and I truly believe that for that to start he needs to let go of some unspoken things, he needs to be allowed to feel and to be angry at his family without knowing if he will have support.
And I need Buck to be the one to finally make Eddie realise how incredibly toxic and dangerous his behaviour is because no one else will probably get through to him. I also need Buck to understand that healing Eddie, that helping Eddie, can only go so far and that this is something that he can't fix because it's not his to fix.
I need Buck, the one person who always wants to help, who does everything to help, who will do anything to try to fix something, I need that Buck to be held and to be told that not everyone can accept his help. I need that Buck to be loved while someone tells him that Buck matters too, that Buck can not destroy himself for someone who might not even be ready to heal. I need Evan, the kid who always felt like something was wrong and that he had to make up for it, to be looked at and to be promised that he is enough, that just being him is enough and that he doesn't need to be more than that.
And yeah, if I think that Tommy can do that, then yeah, I need Tommy to be there while Buck is slowly realising that he matters too, that he deserves to be happy too.
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luimagines · 4 months ago
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Can I ask for FD Warriors or Sky post battle making sure Reader is ok?
Why not both?! :D
Masterlist
Content under the cut!
Warrior
He was furious.
The power coursing through his veins was intoxicating and compelling in the mortal sense of divinity.
This was a drug and the purest sense of invincibility.
Rage and fierce devotion were his only companions as it stands. They fought in the confines of his mind for control. He could keep fighting. He could continue to end the enemies that stood between his loved ones and their safety.
But the threat was no more.
Gingerly, he puts his sword away. He feels as if he is shaking.
The boys all come to him, asking his questions and attempting to get his attention to dullness of their reality. But that's currently none of his concern.
Warrior takes a deep breath, patting his brothers on the shoulders before he stalks his way through the camp.
He stops right in front of you and puts his hands on his hips. You were injured and bleeding. "you're hurt."
"I'm fine." You gasp as you attempt to shift out of your position.
Warrior shakes his head. Without prompting and without warning, he begins to tend to the gash on your arm.
"Warrior please-"
"silence."
You shut up.
Warrior takes the bandage and wraps it tightly around your bicep, not wanting it to get worse. He grits his teeth and clenches his jaw, willing himself with sheer force of will alone to keep his hands gentle.
The others wait on baited breath to see what he will do next. They are also paying extra attention to your own reactions, wanting to see how you fare dealing with the one who had donned the mask.
He finished fairly quickly and scowls at the bandage.
"It didn't insult your heritage." You say softly, taking your arm away. "Stop it."
Warrior raises an eyebrow, taking off the mask with little fan fare. He seems unbothered by the power that is sucked away from him and sealed with the wooden mask once more.
"You got hurt."
"It'll heal."
"I told you to stick to the plan."
"I'm aware that the group had elected a decision, but given that it was a stupid decision, I've elected to ignore it." You snarl back, turning away form him. You stand up in indignation and begin to storm away.
You pause and sigh in defeat before you could even take the first step.
"Thank you.... for saving my life."
"Always."
Sky
That was it. It was over. The power of gods was no longer needed.
He sighs and puts the familiar (?) weight of his sword on his back. This power was strange but not entirely foreign. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew how to use it and how to call it forth to use for his own benefit.
How fortunate, he thinks to himself for a moment, that he is not a god, nor is he on a rampage for vengence.
He feels invincible.
He looks over the carnage and walks through the fallen bodies with the same casualness as if he was on a mere Sunday stroll.
The others stare at him with varying degrees of shock and awe as he gets closer to them. They are not who he's after though. There's a specific person that eh wants to check up on and there currently no where to be found.
If he was a lesser man, he would have panicked, but with this form, he knew better. There was no voice telling him here to go. Sky has no idea why he seemed to know where he was going, but he wasn't about to question the force behind his actions.
He had saved the day by listening to them, hadn't he?
"Oh for the love of-! Sweet blueberry pie." You shout and fall silent suddenly at the sight of him. You step back, putting a hand over your fragile heart.
Sky takes a knee, putting his sword in front of him with his opposite hand. "Are you harmed, Beloved?"
You push yourself against a tree. You had attempted to create more space between you and his other worldly figure, but had only figuratively trapped yourself. You're silent. Jaw dropped and eyes widen, you find it in yourself to shake your head.
You're unharmed.
Good, Sky takes in a breath. His rather drastic attempt of turning the tides on the battle field had not been in vain.
He stands.
You slide down the bark of the tree, staring at him with an unreadable expression on your face. Sky doesn't think it's fear, but you've certainly reverted to a primitive sort of reaction.
Sky shakes his head. The call to the power is alluring and smooth. Soft and inviting.
A softer, almost imperceptivity softer curse leaves your lips.
Sky takes off the mask and wobbles on his legs for a moment. He takes a knee again, but not out of a sign of respect this time.
He's heaving.
"...Ow..." He raises his head, panting harshly. "...I'm not doing that again."
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ficticiousdelicious · 9 months ago
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I noticed that the image links on Ao3 were not displaying and I was about to just fix them with the old versions of this and realized I could just add updated versions instead, so..! This drawing isn't really finished, if I ever really finish this it'll be a miracle, but it has some updates. So here you go!
Drawn for Legs to Stand On.
(new!) Ichigo and Grimmjow Crops
(old) Original Sketch
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, Ichigo Kurosaki © Bleach - Tite Kubo
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occasionalsnippets · 22 days ago
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Oh noooo I’ve been kidnapped by a rogue, I hope a very sharp and smart sidekick doesn’t save me no ma’am
a/n: silly fd mc x random citizen thing from the pov of said citizen.
Taglist: @dragondevinity, @lonely-star2044, @sheep-from-rad, @ilxandra, @thethingwiththefeathers, @star-wars-lycanwing-bat, @sackofsadstuff, @zonked-times, @paastaboi, @venfia, @fantasy-angelo, @linaisadream, @shirp-collector-of-fixations
â€”ïżœïżœ
You hold your breath as the concrete crumbles just a little more in your apartment. The foundation will collapse soon and there’s no way you’re gonna be able to make it out of this 5 story building without dying.
Fucking Gotham. Fucking rogues. You should’ve moved to Central or something.
Your quiet wheezes continue to be muffled by the creaking of metal. You squeeze your eyes shut. If this is where you die, you don't want to watch.
Tapping. Feather light footsteps.
"-civilian. Yes, I'll bring them down to the ground."
Robin.
You open your eyes and sure enough, in traffic light colours, is the current Robin crouched by your window.
"Hey," they greet.
"You came."
"Of course. Let's get you out of here, shall we?"
Easier than you expected, they gather you into their embrace as you wrap your arms around their neck.
"Hold on tight." Their warm breath fans across your cheeks.
Robin aims, shoots their grappling hook, and the two of you fly into the night, towards safety.
—
Gotham's aristocracy holds too many galas in your opinion. If not for work, you wouldn't be here at all.
You glance around the ballroom where the decorations have been set up. The guests are due to arrive soon which means you need to leave before they see you. As you scurry towards an exit, your foot catches on a crease in the stupid expensive carpet and-
“Careful,” (Y/n) Drake says with a smile, her arm around your waist, catching you mid-fall.
Her dress is beautiful as always. Gems dangle from her ears and neck and wrists. They glimmer beneath the light of the chandelier alongside her glossy lips.
"Ah...um," you flounder as she helps you stand upright again. "Thank- Thank you."
She brushes a strand of hair away from your face and tucks it behind your ear. Her other hand rests innocently on the curve of your hip. You flush and resist the urge to squirm.
"Not a problem." She steps away. "Be careful, wouldn't want any more accident, hm?"
And then she glides away, thousand dollar heels clicking against the polished wooden floors. You think you can feel the heat still rising to your cheeks.
Gotham’s sweetheart indeed.
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zepskies · 10 months ago
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Take Me Home - Part 5
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Pairing: Beau Arlen x F. Reader 
Summary: You are another lost soul at Sunny Day Excursions. You’re aiming to settle in Helena, Montana, where Beau Arlen is the new sheriff in town. But you’ve both got a past you’re running from. 
AN: Welcome back, friends! We’re gonna start ramping up from here on out.
Word Count: 5K
Tags/Warnings: Angst and tension, a bit of heartbreak, a little Shakespeare, and another small cliffhanger

❀ Series Masterlist
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Part 5: Not That Simple
“I’m keeping close tabs on Carla and Emily just to be safe,” Beau admitted. 
Your face became the picture of concern. But before you could respond, a man approached the table, tall and lean, with a shaggy cut of dark blonde hair. He wore a pair of faded jeans, boots, and a gray Chicago FD t-shirt. 
Your face paled, and your mouth parted in surprise. 
“Hey there, stranger,” he said with a smile. 
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“Michael?” you gasped. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Beau’s eyes widened. Michael was younger than him, closer to your age. And cocky too.  
“Hey, baby,” Michael said. His smile quirked with charm, but his next words were anything but charming. 
“We need to talk,” he said, raising his brows.
“We actually don’t,” you retorted in a firmer voice. Cold even. You straightened in your seat. 
Beau saw none of your softness and good humor from earlier. This was a different woman, and he was actually proud of you for standing your ground. Though he realized then that he’d never gotten on your bad side. (He hoped he never did.)
Michael frowned, sighing through his nose. He seemed to expect your reaction, to an extent, but was still disappointed. His gaze slid to Beau. 
Seeming to realize his manners were lacking, he reached out his hand.
“Sorry for interrupting. Michael Hadley,” he greeted.
Beau stared at the other man’s hand for a moment. Instead of shaking it, he held all his true thoughts inside and flashed the newcomer an easy grin, as well as the badge on his belt. 
“Sheriff Arlen,” he replied, raising a brow. “So you’re Michael.”
Michael met your eyes briefly, then Beau’s again. Michael’s hand lowered back to his side.
“So she’s talked about me,” he said.
Beau’s eyes were sharper when they took the other man in. 
“Oh, believe you me, that’s not something to brag about, Mike.”
You had to bite your lip so you wouldn’t smile. Michael’s politeness thinned, but just as his mouth opened to offer a retort, Cassie and Jenny returned with the drinks.
“Hi, there,” Jenny said with civility (sort of), but her blue eyes raked over Michael in an assessing way. She’d clocked your surprise and discomfort from across the room.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to stop the party,” Michael said, making you want to scoff.
Of course you did, you thought.
“I’m Michael, her fiancĂ©,” he tried to introduce himself with an outstretched hand. Jenny also ignored that hand in order to set down the drinks.
It gave you the opportunity to interject with some reality.
“You’re missing an ex in there. As in no longer, and wish we’d never been,” you said. You crossed your arms and met Michael’s annoyed look with your firm one.
He eventually sighed and rested a hand on the back of the booth, behind your seat. You twisted to face him, but you were purposeful in leaning away from him.
Beau had to just watch the scene unfold. He didn’t like the way Michael leaned in, crowding your personal space when you were clearly trying to create distance.
“Can we talk?” Michael asked you. “Please?”
For a moment, you paused with indecision. You didn’t want to make a scene here in the middle of a bar. Not in front of your friends, where half of them were police officers. You didn’t want to stop them from having a good time either.
You met Cassie and Jenny’s eyes, and finally Beau’s. Despite the controlled, almost lazy way he’d handled Michael, you could see he didn’t look happy. You sighed.
“Sorry. Give me a minute,” you said. You got up out of the booth and went with Michael to a somewhat private corner across the restaurant.
Meanwhile, Beau tried not to seem like he was keeping an eye on you two. Cassie and Jenny were too, while sipping on their respective drinks.
“What’s the story there?” Cassie asked.
“Cheating ex,” Beau supplied.
“Great,” Jenny said wryly. Her lips pursed as she met Cassie’s knowing frown. They’d been there before.
Cassie turned to Beau and bumped his shoulder with her own. 
“You okay there, Sheriff?” Cassie asked him. Beau flashed her a look that showed he was unsettled. 
“I’ve got another one to add to the punch list,” he replied.
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“I can’t believe you’d ambush me like this!” you whisper-yelled.
Michael crossed his arms in defense. The two of you ducked a server who was coming in hot with a plate of buffalo chicken wings.
“You came all the way to Montana? For what?” you continued. “I already said everything I had to say to you last year. And at Mary’s funeral. Thanks again for that, asshole.”
“That’s such a lie! You wouldn’t even talk to me at the funeral,” Michael shot back. “And you haven’t been answering my calls, my emails. What the hell was I supposed to do?”
“You’re supposed to respect me,” you snapped. Though you couldn’t help the emotion making your voice shake, just a little. “You’re supposed to respect me, and my choices. That’s what you’re supposed to do. But I don’t know why I should expect you to start now."
You started to walk away from him, but he grabbed at your hand. You turned back around and jerked your hand out of his grasp.
“It’s over. It’s been over for months. Damn near a year,” you said. “What do you want?”
He looked down at you through sad eyes under his furrowed brows.
“I never wanted it to be over,” he said quietly.
“Well, you pretty much made that decision for us,” you said, crossing your arms. You didn’t know whether it was to stand firm, or to shield yourself. “And I’m done. Quite frankly, I could live the rest of my life without seeing you again.”
“Come on. You don’t mean that,” he said.
He genuinely looked gutted, which was the confusing part. You shook your head and tried to blink the frustrated tears out of your eyes.
“I don’t know what you want from me,” you said.
“I want to say I’m sorry. And I am, more than you know. I want
I want to ask if you can forgive me,” he all but pleaded. He touched your arms, not quite grasping. For the first time since you’d known him, he seemed desperate. “Look, you know how hard it was for me to come out here and beg like a dog, but here I am
because I still love you.”
You were shocked into silence for a moment, but not out of happiness.
Then, you had to sigh. You held up a hand against his chest, a subtle move at pushing him away. 
“I can’t give that to you. Even your apology is hollow. Because what you did
” you said, on a halting breath. “You did it to me for years, Michael. Pretty much from the beginning of our relationship, if it ever was one.” 
You shook your head as a tear made its way down your cheek. 
“And if you could do that, then you never really loved me,” you said.
Michael’s eyes fell away, to hide the emotion stinging in them.
“So
just go home,” you told him. “Be with Kate if you want. I could really give a shit.”
Once again, Michael held your wrist when you tried to leave, this time more gently. He met you with frustrated blue eyes. Those eyes you used to drown in. 
“She’s not you,” he said. 
You slipped out of his grip and uttered a laugh devoid of all humor.
“That, you should’ve known from the beginning,” you said.
He was hurt.
And when he was hurt, he tended to cover it up with anger. His jaw began to work with frustration.
“What, so you’re just going to run away? Live in this dusty piece of shit town until you die?” he said, with the derision you’d come to expect from him when he didn’t get what he wanted. 
“Go home, Michael,” you repeated. “I’m not going back.” 
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“Everything okay?” Beau asked, when you finally returned to the table. He didn’t tell you that he, Jenny, and Cassie had been watching on standby, in case Michael tried to press his luck and get more grabby. It had taken everything within Beau to stay in his seat for the past ten minutes.
You gave him a smile and took up the shot of tequila Cassie had brought for you. You downed it and grimaced at the burn.
“I’m good,” you said, with a bit of difficulty. Part of you felt accomplished, that you’d faced Michael and hadn’t let him soften your resolve. Yet there was a big part of you—not so deep down—that felt like utter crap.
“Sorry for the unnecessary drama,” you muttered. 
Jenny gave you a more serious look. One that said she had no problem stepping in if she needed to.
“If you ever feel unsafe, just let one of us know,” she said. 
“That’s right. If he doesn’t leave it alone, all you need to do is call,” Beau added. Cassie echoed that sentiment with a nod. You met Beau’s gaze, despite the uncertainty inside you.
If you need me, call me, his eyes said. 
You nodded then, with a thankful smile. 
Beau couldn’t help it. He felt protective of you. It welled up in his chest and simultaneously felt heavy like a stone. And he could admit, if just to himself, that it was in the personal sense. 
He tried to remember that his life was complicated right now. Too complicated probably, for all of that
but he cared about you. And he didn’t want to see you hurt.
Out of the corner of his eye, Beau spotted Michael Hadley at the bar. He was drinking a beer with an angry frown, and no good written all over his face.
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Carla called Beau in a tizzy yesterday morning. 
Not only had Avery bought a gun, but he’d given her some unhinged, quasi- “If I die” speech that had freaked her the hell out. 
In searching Avery’s vacant hotel room, Beau found the missing pages of Paige’s journal. Pages that contained a seed phrase passcode to unlock the $15 million crypto account she and Luke had stolen. 
If Avery had those pages, then it only confirmed that Avery had made a play for the money in order to save his failing business. He was attempting to break the encrypted code to unlock the account, likely for the shady-ass people Paige stole the money from in the first place.  
Naturally, Beau had gone looking to bring the man in for questioning. He’d found Avery at a different, much seedier hotel, being led away by another man who walked and talked like a killer. Beau rightly assumed he was a hitman, gunning for Avery, and quite literally about to take out the trash.
Maybe the people he was working with were tired of waiting on him to unlock the account. Or maybe he’d already done it, and now they’d decided they didn’t need him anymore.
Beau was able to save Avery’s life, shooting the hitman. Then he’d arrested Avery. In return for that save, Avery had been giving Beau the runaround all night, with a side helping of audacity. 
“What’s your plan here, man?” Beau asked. He leaned forward in his chair across from Avery’s. A narrow table lied in between them within the small holding cell for questioning. 
“New identity? Thailand? Or maybe you’re not into the whole heat thing. Maybe Winnipeg,” Beau posed, with all due sarcasm. “You see, these people don’t forgive. And they don’t forget. And the ones that steal from them rarely die alone, which means you have put Carla, and you’ve put my daughter into danger. Did you even think about that?”
Right about now, Beau himself was beyond forgive and forget. In fact, he was irate. But he held it all down beneath a thin line of professionalism, despite the fire in his eyes. 
Avery rested his elbows on the table as well.
“Everything I’ve done has been to protect my family. That’s all you need to know,” he said. “You on the other hand. You’ve made quite the mess, haven’t you? Killing that man put us all in more danger.”
He then leaned back in his chair, as if he held all the cards, and Beau was just a monkey wrench in his plans. It was a good front, but Beau saw right through it all. Avery was bluffing through his ass.
Still, he put on a good show.
“And now I’d very much like to speak to my lawyer,” he said. 
It took everything within the sheriff to stop himself from reaching across the table, grabbing the other man by the collar, and yanking him down hard on the table, face-first. 
Instead, he got up from his seat, deceptively calm. The only explosion of his rage came when he kicked his chair hard on his way out, making it slide across the room and hit the wall. He yanked the cell door open and closed it firm behind him.
He knew he couldn’t hold Avery, not even on Paige’s journal pages. As Avery had so cleverly pointed out, the money hadn’t been reported stolen (why would criminals drop a dime on themselves?). So Beau would let Avery go, for now. All he could do was wait for the cocky son of a bitch to mess up, even more than he already had. 
Beau hated waiting.
But his next step was returning to his office and calling Carla. He asked her to join Emily in staying with him, until this thing with Avery blew over. Likely the people he was working with knew where he lived, knew how to find Carla and Emily. 
Carla sounded shaken even on the phone, but she agreed.
“Is Emily at work right now?” he asked.
“Yeah. I’ll tell her,” Carla said, releasing a breath. “I’ll take her to your place again tonight, and I’ll bring an overnight bag for myself.”
“Good,” he said. “Thank you.”
After hanging up, Beau leaned back in his office chair and covered his bearded face with his hands. He rubbed at his tired eyes. What the hell do I do now? 
The answer eluded him, especially when a knock sounded against his door, disturbing his thoughts. He sighed.
“Yeah?”
“It’s me,” you answered from behind the door. “I come bearing baked goods.”
Beau’s eyes widened in surprise. He beckoned you to come in, and so you did. 
“Working hard, or hardly working?” you teased.
The sight of you was a balm to his frayed mind. Your familiar face, your pretty yellow sundress, the way you’d done your hair. It all managed to kick up his smile at seeing yours. Not to mention the delicious smelling basket you carried on your arm. The top was covered with a red checkered cloth. 
“Hey, there. How’re you doin’?” he greeted, trying to hide the brunt of his former frustration and worry behind a more upbeat attitude. 
He knew he hadn’t done well enough when your smile began to fall. 
“Sorry, did I come at a bad time?” you asked in concern. “Deputy Poppernak told me I could stop in real quick
”
Beau shook his head and waved you in. “It’s all right. Come in, please.” 
He stood and walked around his desk to sit on its edge. 
“I have a feeling I’m gonna want whatever’s in that basket,” he added, nodding at the whicker you carried. You offered it to him, and your warm hand brushed his on the exchange. 
“Just a little something,” you said. “And an apology for making a scene at the bar last night.”
Beau frowned. “You’re not really blaming yourself for that, are you?”
Though he soon brightened, whistling lowly when he found a half dozen chocolate chip muffins under the checkered cloth. A smile grew across his face when it dawned on him. The first thing you offered him when he met you was this very same treat. 
He had a feeling your muffins would be even better. (...And he tried not to think about the potential double meaning there.)
“Damn, between you and your aunt Denise, I’m gonna have to start running again,” he quipped. His eyes met yours in amusement. “And between you and me, I freakin’ hate running.”
You chuckled at that. “I’m more of a yoga girl, myself.”
Beau’s brows rose in interest, but again, he tried not to picture you in some tight-ass yoga pants.
“Thank you for this,” he said, instead, waving the basket of muffins. He set it down beside him on the desk. “I definitely needed a pick-me-up today.”
You searched his face and began to frown at what you saw there. He both looked and sounded
tired, down. Not himself. 
You drew closer and chanced resting a hand on his arm. “Hey, are you okay?”
Beau glanced down at your hand. He took in a deep breath through his nose before he met your gaze again.
“Yeah, don’t you worry. Everything’s fine,” he said. You gave him a somewhat chiding look.
“Beau, you don’t have to tell me it’s okay when it’s not,” you said.
He considered you ruefully. He should’ve known you were perceptive enough to see right through him. Or maybe he was just a shit actor. 
He blew out a breath and nodded. “I asked Carla and Emily to stay with me for the next few days. At least until this investigation of Avery plays out.”
Your patient expression melted into worry. You had a feeling he wouldn’t do that unless things were truly dangerous. 
“See, that’s what I didn’t wanna see,” he said, lightly bumping a curled finger under your chin. Despite yourself, you smiled a little. “I just want them where I can see them, is all.” 
He was putting on a good front, but you weren’t convinced. And Beau could see that. He nodded at you to change the subject. 
“Has Mike tried to contact you?” he asked. It was your turn to let out a sigh.
“Only two calls and eleven texts before lunch, but I’m not answering. He’ll get the hint and go home soon,” you said. 
But Beau was perceptive too. He knew you well enough to read your added thoughts as you frowned and looked away. It said, At least, you hope he will. 
Beau wanted to reassure you, not just to help make you feel safe, but because his gut churned with both unease and anger at the thought of that guy harassing you. 
Beau reached out and gave into the temptation to stroke a thumb across your cheek, earning not just your attention, but your widening eyes. 
“Hey. No more worrying, huh?” he said. His voice was quieter, warmer. He gave you a smile, along with an assured look.
“If anything happens—” he started to say, but you actually beat him to it. You held his hand to your cheek, surprising him this time.
“Yeah, I know. I’ve got the sheriff on speed dial,” you said. Your smile was sweet and teasing. 
Beau had to smile back. His gaze roamed your face. Then your eyes dipped down to his lips. There was heat between you, prickling across your skin and zipping up his spine. It was an inevitable, raw kind of feeling.
He wanted, more than anything, to lean in those precious few inches and find out what you tasted like
 He wanted nothing more than to haul you up on this desk, hands sliding up the skirt of that sundress.  
But he held himself back with more self-control than he thought himself capable of. His hand fell away from your cheek. You looked up at him in confusion, and a bit of hurt.
“I’m sorry,” he said, in a lowered voice. “My life is
complicated.”
“And mine’s not?” you countered.
“Not the same,” Beau said. “Trust me. I uh, I’ve got some things in my past that I’m not proud of. Let’s just say you’re better off steering clear.”
“Let’s just say?” you repeated. Your brows drew together in frustration. “Why don’t you just say it? God knows you know everything about my messy life.”
Beau sighed. His gaze fell away from yours. 
“It’s not that simple, darlin’,” he said. 
He saw your disappointment, tinged with disbelief. As much as he didn’t want to hurt you, he also didn’t really have time to explain things properly to you. The truth was, he didn’t have time for this. 
“Look—” he tried, but you cut him off.
“No. It’s fine, I guess,” you said. You looked down at your shoes and muttered, mostly to yourself. “Em was right. You are an old clam.”
“What?” Beau asked in confusion. 
You shook your head and withdrew from him. 
“Okay, sorry. I just
you know what? I need to go,” you stumbled over your words a bit, and you backed away.    
It had Beau feeling at a loss already, not to mention the lance of guilt hitting him between the ribs. He stretched out a hand to you.
“Wait—”
You were too quick for him to stop, however. He watched you leave his office in a hurry, and mentally kicked himself all the while. He sighed and looked over at what you’d left behind—the damn basket of muffins. They smelled heavenly. Torturing him. 
Damn it all, he thought, until he played back the reel of what you’d said in his mind.
“Old clam?” he repeated. 
Once again, a knock on his office door disturbed his thoughts. Except this time, it was Deputy Poppernak.
He stopped short, seeing the furrowed look of confused, guilty frustration on the sheriff’s face. 
“Everything okay, boss?” 
“Fine,” Beau said, shaking his head. “What d’you got?”
Poppernak hesitated for a second, but he held up a file that he passed along. 
“Here’s everything I could dig up on the guy from the hotel shooting,” he said. 
 Good, Beau thought. A worthy distraction. 
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You gave Poppernak a belated wave on your way out. You didn’t want to answer any questions or talk to anyone else. You just wanted to escape to your car, where you covered your face with your hands and tried to breathe through the tears stinging in your eyes.
Once again, you felt stupid. Your heart was racing in the worst of ways.
So you peeled out of the police station and headed home

Or rather, you almost headed home. When you saw Dewell & Hoyt P.I. coming up on the right side of the road, you turned into the parking lot and went inside to see if your aunt was working. 
Cassie wasn’t in, but Denise and Emily were. You greeted them both with warm hugs (and you tried to hide your frustrations from the latter, especially). 
“What brought you in, hun?” Denise asked. 
“Nothing really. I was just in the area and decided to pop in,” you replied with a shrug. Denise smiled and rubbed your arm.
“Well good. Em’s actually going on a coffee run for us. You want anything?”
“No, no, I’m good,” you said. 
“You sure?” said Emily. “I can get you a banana bread or something.”
You smiled and shook your head, touching her arm in thanks. “It’s okay, honey. I just had lunch not too long ago.”
“Okay. Oh hey! Did you ask Dad about being on the podcast?” Emily asked. 
You blinked as you went blank for a moment. The last thing you wanted to do right now was see that man (even if your heart called you a liar). You narrowly kept yourself from lying to Emily as well.
“Uh, yeah, we did talk about it. He’s on board with the idea,” you said, trying to give her a smile. Maybe it didn’t reach your eyes, but Emily seemed to buy it. She smiled back in triumph.
“Yes! Okay, this is good. Now I just gotta start thinking of some questions and we’ll set a date to record the first episode,” she said, doing a little fist pump into the air. 
You tried to match her enthusiasm, but you knew you were falling short. Denise could see it too. Lucky for you, Emily ran off to get to the nearby bakery, the excitement keeping her face bright all the while. 
Denise turned to you knowingly. 
“Okay, grab a seat. I’ll make us some tea, and you can tell me what’s got you looking white as a sheet,” she said.
You sighed and sat down in the lounge area—a seating of couches and a chaise. You sat on the couch while Denise took the chaise. And between mugs of jasmine tea, you told her everything that happened at the precinct when you went to visit Beau.
When you were done explaining, Denise looked contemplative and sympathetic. However, you knew there was more to that look. 
“Okay. Honey, I know you don’t want to hear this, but he’s in a complex situation right now,” she said. “Between investigating Avery, and how it’s falling back on Carla and Emily—”
“I know. He told me about that,” you said. You were worried about them too. While you didn’t know Carla all that well, your friendship with Emily meant something to you. And not just because you had some
unnamed feelings for her father. 
Your bond with Emily had started at that damned camp, and solidified the night of Mary’s murder. “Trauma bonding” was a thing for a reason. But besides that experience, you genuinely enjoyed the girl’s company, hearing her talk about her interests in school, careers she was considering after college, and even helping her explore her creative side. She was young, but she was bright and mature for her age. 
You cared about what all this was putting her through
though you finally realized that Emily might not be comfortable with the thought of “you and Beau.”
“I don’t want to upset Emily with all this either,” you admitted. “I don’t even know what she thinks of her dad possibly dating again.”
And something else you hadn’t considered. Could all this shakeup between Avery and Carla, not to mention her and Emily staying at Beau’s place now

“God. Maybe he wants to get back together with his ex-wife,” you realized, with some small shock. 
It wasn’t inconceivable, and it had tears welling up in your eyes for a whole different reason.
"Oh, honey, you don't know that," Denise started to say. You shook your head and set down your tea.
“You know what? I’m just gonna go home,” you said, but Denise tried to keep you with gentle hands on your arms.
“Come on. You don’t have to go,” she said. 
You shook your head and eased out of her grasp. 
“Sorry. I just
it’s his choice, and if he’s already made it
” you trailed. You didn’t want to even acknowledge that your heart was fracturing. “Well, if that’s the case, then I have to respect that.”
Denise didn’t know what else to say to you. But that was just as well. 
“Tell Em I’m sorry, but I had to go,” you said. 
Denise protested, but you left Dewell & Hoyt before your tears could fall in earnest. 
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When you actually got home, you were exhausted. It was a case of emotional stress weighing down your body as you forced yourself up the stairs to your second-floor apartment.
You didn’t bother changing. Instead, you grabbed a familiar book of plays from your desk and dropped yourself onto the couch. You got comfortable with Much Ado About Nothing. You hadn’t finished reading it while at the camp, and you needed to brush up on it if you were going to be mentally prepared for the coming school year.
It felt like a world away, but at least with the characters in Much Ado, you had familiar ground. In the scene you were reading, the main characters, Beatrice and Benedick, were already at each other’s throats:
BENEDICK: What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?  
BEATRICE: Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence.  
BENEDICK: Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted; and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart, for truly I love none. 
BEATRICE: A dear happiness to women. They would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood I am of your humor for that. I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.
It was hard to believe that these two were supposed to fall in love. Actually, their later “epiphanies” would lead them to realize that the sniping and the arguments and the misunderstandings between them had been love all along

But you’d come to realize that there was no “Benedick” for you in real life. Sometimes, the angry sniping wasn’t sexual tension. It was just a man who’d never truly respect you.
And sometimes, the arguments and misunderstandings were just two people in the right place at the wrong time, never quite meant to be. 
Thankfully, a knock at your door interrupted your romantic musings. 
Releasing a sigh, you set Much Ado on the glass coffee table in front of you. You got up from the couch and went to the front door, where you looked in the peephole. Your lips drew into a frown, but your disbelief had you unlocking the door before you could think better of it.
“Michael?! What are you doing here?” you asked. 
He stood there with determination set across his face.
“We really need to talk.”
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AN: *Sigh.* This guy just doesn't learn, does he? And I'm not just talking about Michael.
Next Time:
“If you give me one more chance, I promise I won’t mess it up again. I’ll be the man you deserve,” Michael said, taking your hand and uncrossing your arms in the process. 
“Believe it or not, I took a week off without pay, just to be here and get a chance to say this to you: I love you. I love you. And I know now that it’s meant to be you.”
You hesitated, and even made the mistake of looking up into his eyes.
▶ Keep Reading: PART 6
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