#following wherever you lead ≪•◦ self promo ◦•≫

[etherbonded]

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ANNNNND... ACTION!

mini promo for a multi-verse, multi-muse, multi-fandom, mutuals only, semi-selective blog!

main fandoms: persona, naruto, xenoblade chronicles ( 2 & 3 ), genshin, kingdom hearts, yttd, bsd

my name is ether/eden/doves, whichever you'd like to refer to me as, but give this post a like or a rb if you want to interreact!

CARRD

[jessilyria]

ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY SEASON 2

Hello! This covers everything from trailers, promo pics, interviews, and articles. Pics and links will be included. The info is in vague chronological order (as much as it can be.)

Needless to say, this post contains SPOILERS and is LONG ^‿^

If you’d like a non-spoilery version with just the basic facts please check out my Umbrella Academy Timeline.

***********************************************************************

According to Steve Blackman, season 2 is about second chances and the endgame is still to stop the 2019 apocalypse (X).

The opening scene of season 2:

The siblings arrive in the past at different times, but all in the same spot - an alleyway with some dumpsters which leads out onto a high-street. 

Noticeable locations on the high-street include a beauty salon for black people, and an electronics shop which later on closes down and becomes a base for the group.

The order they arrive in is the order the promo pictures were released: Ben & Klaus, Allison, Luther, Diego, Vanya, Five.

It will likely take a while before the whole team is reunited, and possibly longer before the siblings begin to meet the new characters: “It was several episodes before we all started to interact with each other” (X).

Ben & Klaus land in February 1960 (X). As Klaus is sober, his powers continue to develop and he uses them to impresses some people. (X)

"Klaus effectively starts the hippie movement off early by founding a cult whose philosophy is based on the lyrics of pop songs that have yet to be written. “Don’t go chasing waterfalls. Please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you’re used to,” he tells one awed follower." (X)

"Destiny's Children! Let us commune with music." *starts whistling*

But Klaus isn’t as happy as he seems in this new life of cult stardom. “He can’t deal with the praise; it’s just become strangulating.” (X)

There’s also tension between Klaus and Ben, but its unknown whether this is because of the cult, because Klaus is "trying to rekindle his relationship with Dave" (X), or because Klaus’ evolved powers mean Ben can now possess him (X). Either way, Ben’s “determined not to be invisible to the ones he loves, willing to go further than ever before to make his presence known.” (X)

As Klaus is wearing the same outfit as the promo pics (and has a long beard which he later loses), its likely the following scene takes place early on.

Klaus: Now what? Ben: Remember when I told you the engine was overheating? Klaus: Yeah, well, being smart doesn't make you interesting. Ben: Neither does your beard.

Ben: You think I’m just going to keep following you everywhere for another three years? Klaus: Yeah, you are my ghost-bitch, remember?

*************************

Klaus: My skin was on fire! Ben: Good! I’ve got to get to San Francisco, I have unfinished business.

Allison is second to appear in 1961 (X). "Confused and looking for help, Allison walks into a diner and is greeted by a “Whites Only” sign, then chased across town by a group of white men until she finds sanctuary in a beauty parlour for Black women that doubles as a meeting place for civil-rights activists." (X)

Its been confirmed that the below image is from ep 1. (X)

Have you experienced discrimination by your employer?

She meets a man named Raymond Chestnut who is a “born leader with the smarts, gravitas, and confidence to never have to prove it to anyone. He has the innate ability to disarm you with a look, and is a devoted husband.” (X)

Luther appears on April 10th 1962 and lands on a dumpster.

He ends up working for Jack Ruby (X), a mysterious man who owns a nightclub (and who fatally shot Lee Harvey Oswald after Oswald was in custody for JFK's assassination). Luther’s job involves being a driver, bouncer, and underground fighter.

Its been confirmed that the following scene is from ep 1. (X)

Diego appears on Sep 17th 1963. One of the first things he sees is a televised address from President JFK.

He ends up in an insane asylum for stalking Lee Harvey Oswald and spouting “delusional claims” about JFK’s assassination (X). Its here he meets Lila Pitts, “a chameleon who can be as brilliant or as clinically insane as the situation requires”. She’s also "unpredictable, mischievous" and "sarcastic" with a "twisted sense of humour." (X)

Vanya appears on Oct 12th 1963 (X). “She arrives and gets hit by a car, driven by a woman (Sissy). She smashes her head on the cement... She remembers her name, but nothing else.” (X)

She gets a job on a ranch as a live-in-nanny for Sissy, a "fearless, no nonsense Texas Mom" who "married young for all the wrong reasons" and is "eager to rediscover what love has to offer." (X)

Because she has forgotten her past traumas, Vanya is “much more confident and more in touch with her emotional self” (X). She forms a unique bond with Sissy’s son, Harlan, who is non-verbal (X). Its been confirmed that the following photos are from ep 1. (X)

Vanya: I wish I remembered something.
 Sissy: The doctor said it would take time. Don’t push yourself.

Vanya is also slowly discovering her powers on her own.

Five appears with Hazel on Nov 15th after witnessing the world going down in nuclear explosions.

Five: What was that? Hazel: The end of the world, November 25th 1963. Five: And where am I now? Hazel: Dallas, ten days earlier. Five: ...I need to find my family.

But of course its not going to be that easy, the Commission is still out there and “will hunt us down wherever and whenever we go.”

In the trailer we are introduced to the head of The Commission, a fish named Carmichael. He sends three Swedish assassins, Oscar, Axel, and Otto, to hunt down Five and the others.

At some point they acquire a milk-truck and one of them dresses as a milkman. On a location shoot, the Swedes were seen in their truck outside a house in an urban area. They check a map and one of them pumps a shotgun (X).

Whilst searching for his siblings Five encounters a man named Elliot, an "alien obsessive (who) witnesses The Umbrella Academy's separate arrivals." He agrees to help Five find the others. (X)

“3rd EVENT, April 10th 1962″ is above photos of Luther arriving, “September 17th 1963″ is above photos of Diego arriving, and the right column are photos of Vanya arriving still in her White Violin outfit.

Five manages to find Diego in the asylum and they have a conversation.

Five: Listen to me very closely, you gibbering moron. You are not going to do a goddamned thing. Diego: Why not? Five: Because we have to stop the apocalypse. Diego: But that doesn't happen for another 60 years. Five: Not that apocalypse, this is a... new one. It followed us.
 Diego: *begins laughing*

At some point after this the Swedes storm the asylum.

“Who are those guys?!”

Diego and Lila seem to make their escape from the Swedes and the asylum pretty quickly however. Its been confirmed that the below pic is from ep 2. (X)

Based on Diego’s outfit and length of beard, the following two scenes take place around the same time. First, a heated car conversation which Five crashes.

Diego: You don’t know anything about me! Lila: I know everything. You are an open book written for very dumb children. Diego: I am n-not trying to b-be a hero, okay? Lila: Then why are you doing this?
 Five: *appears in the backseat* Because he is an idiot. Lila: Who the hell are you? Five: Hi, I’m his loving brother. Diego: Who left me to rot in the nut-house. Five: To protect you from yourself.
 Lila: Thats quite sweet. Diego: Okay. Both of you. Out.

And second, a dark encounter with a familiar figure...

Reginald Hargreeves & Pogo

The summary for episode 2 also mentions that “an incident at the bar leads Luther to Vanya,” and “Five finds an unsettling surprise in the film Hazel left behind,” which likely links to this image:

Its been confirmed that the following scene is from ep3 (X). Klaus is seen emerging from a river - now confirmed to be the River Ganges in India/Bangladesh which is considered sacred and purifying (X). Considering the series spans 10 days and is set in Dallas, this scene is very likely a flashback.

Note Ben in the background.

Klaus is also seen in similar attire in a wealthy looking house, which is potentially part of the commune where the cult operates.

Note Klaus no longer has his long beard.

And here’s Ben in what looks like a room in the same house. It's interesting to note that Ben (or the actor) is looking straight into the camera, implying its a first person point-of-view.

Apparently also in ep3 we have this delightful gem of Klaus being Klaus. (presumably theres a pool at the commune?).

Episode 3 also sees the Swedes chasing Vanya in a cornfield until she uses her powers to defend herself.

Thanks to this, Five is able to track Vanya down (X). It's been confirmed that the following pic is from episode 3. (X)

And based on Vanya's clothes, Five then takes her to a cafe to explain a few things.

Vanya: Are you gonna tell me what the hell's going on? Five: When you were a baby you were bought by an eccentric billionaire. He raised you in an elite academy with six other siblings with extrodinary powers, but in the year 2019 in order to avoid the apocalypse we jumped into a vortex and ended up being scattered throughout the timeline in Dallas, Texas. Vanya: ... Five: Any questions? Vanya: ... what do you mean the apocalypse?

At some point ollowing on from this (but unknown which ep) Luther and Vanya have this conversation:

Vanya: What caused the apocalypse? Luther: ... You did... but not alone. I was part of it, we all- Vanya: How? Luther: You got angry. Lost control, you... blew up the moon. It slammed into Earth wiping out everything.

In ep3 we see both Allison and Raymond actively involved in the protests against the segregation by taking part in a sit-in (X).

Allison: I’d like to be served, please.
 Waitress: *pointing to a Whites Only sign* Can’t you read, girl?
 Allison: Seven languages.
 Customer: Oh, you smart one, huh?
 *The door opens and many other blank protesters enter.*
 Allison: We’d like to be served, please.

However, it goes badly as "police brutally attack (the) peaceful protestors." (X).

The summary for ep3 says that “Allison reconnects with Klaus,” and in ep4 she is “searching frantically for Ray.” It seems, based on the following pics, that she finds Ray in jail and Klaus & Ben have a hand in getting him out.

Note the word "buearu" on the window and Ray in the background.

Based on Klaus' outfit, its sometime around this point he goes on a massive bender. We see him running with a bottle of whiskey, his gleeful cult following him, and dancing in a drinks aisle.

Note that Klaus is bleeding from his lip.

Following on from this, Klaus wakes up on Allisons floor, feeling worse for wear.

Ben: And how are we feeling this morning? Klaus: Ugh, peaches and cream, how are you? Ben: Curious. How many more rock bottoms are you going to have to hit before you start taking care of yourself?

In episode 4 “Vanya contends with a crisis at the farm.” Could this link to her developing romance as, despite Sissy still being with her husband (X), she and Vanya begin exploring a relationship?

The summary confirms that in ep4, “Five, Diego, and Lila crash a party at the Mexican consulate.” But the Swedes are still hot on their tail.

Note the third Swede in the background, chasing Five?

After surviving this, they return to their base. The following pic has been confirmed as happening in ep4 (X).

At some unknown point the Swedes (or two of them) also go after Allison, though it appears she fights back (and kills one of them?).

"They weren't here to sell vacuums!"

Also at some unknown point, Allison and Luther have a catch up. Based on Luthers partially healed face, this is after his conversation with Vanya in ep2.

Luther: We did it again… apparently.
 Allison: Did what again?
 Luther: Ended the world.

Also at some unknown point Vanya and Diego reconcile: “I don’t remember what I did, but I’m sorry, if that means anything,” Vanya tells Diego as he threateningly juggles a knife. “It does,” he responds, before accepting her as a confidant he can turn to for advice on how to handle his feelings for Lila. (X)

It appears that ep5 is when the whole family finally reunites. The episode summary explains how “summoned to an emergency meeting, the siblings hatch very different plans for how to spend their last 6 days on Earth.” (I have no idea what order the conversation goes in as each bit is a snippet from a different promo vid).

Five: Klaus, is Ben here? Klaus: No, unfortunately ghosts can’t time-travel. Ben: Are you kidding me?

Five: (I/We) really screwed the pooch on this one, the whole going back in time and getting stuck thing. But the real kick in the pants here is… we brought the end of the world back here with us. Klaus: Oh my god, again? My cult is gonna be so pissed. I told them we had until 2019. Five: We have until Monday.

Klaus: Is it Vanya? Allison: Klaus! Klaus: What? Its usually Vanya.

Vanya: None of us are supposed to be here, right? I mean, what if its us?

Luther: Diego's been stalking Lee Harvey Oswald. Diego: Hey, you're working for Jack Ruby! Klaus: Allison has been very involved in local politics. Allison: Okay, you started a cult! Ben: Thank you!

“We have to make it right again, before everyone and everything we know is dead.”

Following on from this, Klaus, Vanya and Allison have some bonding time in the beauty parlour.

Vanya: How do you guys deal with this? Allison: What? Vanya: I mean all of it. Time travel. Seeing the dead...?

Vanya: I’m gunna tell Sissy that I love her… I don’t want any secrets.
 Klaus: Yeah? Allison: Yeah! Yeah, yeah, you’re right. Yes. Cos, y’know, if, if its all going to go tits up the least I could do is be honest with my husband. Klaus: Oh… does that mean I have to face my cult? I just hate group breakups, thats why I stopped dating twins.

“Klaus, Vanya, and Allison end a moping session by dancing together to Twistin’ the Night Away.” (X). Its been confirmed that the following pic is from ep 5. (X)

In episode 6, “Dave visits Klaus’ compound” and “the siblings meet their father for dinner” in a Tiki bar. Its been confirmed that the following pic is from ep 6 (X).

An interview with the cast has them talking about ‘the elevator scene’ and how hard it was to shoot because everyone kept cracking up. (X)

Five: All right, quick run down. Luther; super strength, Klaus can commune with the dead, Allison can rumour anyone to do anything-
 Diego: Yeah except she never uses it.
 Allison: I heard a rumour you punched yourself in the face.
 *Diego punches himself in the face.*
 Reginald: *looking at Vanya* And you?
 Luther: Uh, maybe we don’t… take Vanya for a test drive.
 Klaus: Oh yeah thats probably not a good idea…
 Vanya: What, I think I can handle it.
 *Despite everyones protests, Vanya explodes a fruit bowl.*

Based on Luther and Klaus’ outfits, the following scenes also take place sometime around the same time (ep6/7).

First, Luther pulls up to a house in an urban area, he gets out the car and has a conversation with a man (X). This is the same house where the three Swedes were seen in their milk-truck at night.

Note the gun and flask on the seat.

Next, Allison and Raymond deal with a body (of a Swede?) while Klaus & Ben don’t help. The summary of ep6 also mentions that Allison gives Ray a peek at her powers, which is maybe why he’s on board to deal with a body.

But what's the big flash that startles them? Well it may have something to do with all this craziness:

Note the chairs and people on the ceiling.

It’s hard to tell but since Ben is there, this could be Klaus being thrown backwards? The outfit certainly looks similar.

In an interview, the cast talk about how the room had to be painted completely white (then returned to normal), and how nice it was for the character of Ben to be able to share a moment with Vanya (X). This implies Vanya looses control and Ben is able to talk her down.

At some unknown point, it looks like the siblings all return to the academy.

Note that the background behind Klaus implies he’s sat in the same seat that he did as a child.

An interview asked the question "You all eat 'brain' at a family dinner..." (X) and in a different interview the cast talk about the brain acid trip (X). Could this be when that happens?

Either way, things likely don’t run smoothy. “Reginald still proves just as capable of preying on their deepest insecurities, while somehow leaving them attacking each other instead of him.” (X)

The summary for ep7 mentions someone named Carl issuing a warning to Vanya, and in ep8 it states that the FBI torture her, so its most likely the following images are from this time:

The tape recorder is turned off...

The figure from behind slaps a cloth over Vanya’s face as she takes on the appearance of The White Violin.

“A dimly lit room... Vanya is strapped to a chair. The floor is soaked with water. At the moment she is being tortured for information... After an electric shock the lights on the ceiling begin to flicker. “‘Is she doing that?’ asks a fearful FBI agent.” (X)

Also in ep7, “Five travels to 1982 to carry out his new mission”. Theres a possibility that Luther is also involved in this as a promo pic has snow surrounding the house, which I don’t think would happen in November in Dallas?

Five: I need a spotter. Luther: What is that? Like a wingman?

The summary for ep8 includes the fact that “Diego discovers what causes the apocalypse.”

“Everything in our new lives is connected to the plot to assassinate the president. That can’t be a coincidence.”

The fact we see the gun Five was going to use to assassinate JFK, implies this scene takes place on Nov 22nd, 3 days before the apocalypse. And we know from the summaries that in ep8 “Five concocts a risky plan to intercept another version of himself.”

Old Five, young Five (who’s still really old Five), and Luther.

However this may not go to plan as the summary for ep9 says, “the Fives plot against each other.”

And the summary for episode 10 is: “reeling from the events at the Dealey Plaza, the siblings head to the farm to help save Harlan.”

MOMENTS I CAN’T PLACE:

Someone flips over a table in what looks like it could be a distillery. Based on outfit and hair this could possibly be Lila, Klaus, or (less likely) Diego. Five is also there.

A similar (the same?) person flips over while avoiding gunfire. There are targets and what looks like training equipment, and the person shooting is standing under a large umbrella.

If the flipping person is Lila, then this may link to what the summaries reveal about her arc: In ep5 she confronts her mother, in ep6 the Handler is mentioned (albeit talking to Five), and in ep9 she learns the truth about her parents…

Five sneaks through a room with a camera and lights. On the blackboard the word “Pogo” is written, implying this could be Reggies house and this room is where he is teaching and studying young Pogo.

Diego walks into a control room. It looks like there might be 2-way glass. Could this link to ep8 when Diego discovers what cases the apocalypse?

Five is seen in a building with wooden panels on the walls.

Based on the background of this shot of Carmichael, the building could be part of The Commission.

“You...”

Five gets buried in rubble. Aidan looks chill about it though.

***********************************************************************

Well done for making it all the way! 

I’ve tried to avoid speculation as much as possible and keep the language suggestive. I don’t know all the facts, I WILL have made errors, probably many! So please take all this with a suggestive grain of salt, I am just a hooman trying to use her squishy brain.

Please let me know if you spot any errors, think of anything else I can add, or if you want more info about any specific event ^‿^

[wholesomemendes]

I have an idea for a request. I was hoping you're still taking requests. I saw something where I thought you are but i'm not sure. If you ever heard a song called "Take your sweet time" By Jesse McCartney, i was hoping you could write a drabble thing based on that song.

Take Your Sweet Time

Summary: You’ve loved Shawn with all you’ve had for the past 2 years, but now you have to take a step away from him and learn to love yourself too.

Author’s Note: Hi this is my first request so thank you so much! I’m sorry it took so long but I hope you’re as happy with it as I am! This also turned out wayyyyy longer than I expected (over 4.6k words wow) but I’m really proud with how it turned out. As always please tell me what you think and my requests are always open!

You knew what you were getting into when you started dating Shawn. The long periods of time apart, hate messages from fans, and having to accept that millions of girls that you thought were much more beautiful than you were trying to steal him away from you was only the tip of the iceberg. But you loved Shawn through it all. Even the times when he was having a panic attack on the bathroom floor or you were dwindling in self doubt while he was halfway across the world, you loved him and stayed by his side every single day, giving everything you had to him. You were fully committed to your relationship, so much so that you failed to realize just how much of a strain it was putting on yourself. That was the thing about loving Shawn, it consumed every part of your senses until you didn’t know where Shawn ended and you began. It felt like your every movement had to revolve around him and if it didn’t, then you were failing the relationship.

It had been over 2 years since Shawn had made his way into your life, inadvertently flipping it completely upside down. Shawn was currently in LA for some promo work on his newest single, which you had expressed your proud feelings for on multiple occasions, and was set to return this weekend after being away two whole weeks. Although the two of you had gone longer apart, you could never help the feeling of being stabbed in the heart every time he left, no matter how many times you told yourself he was coming back to you soon. It took everything in you to not call him every chance you had, not wanting to annoy him or seem clingy, so you resorted to missing him in silence, your feelings building up inside of you like wires trying to strangle your heart. It hurt. Loving Shawn hurt. But day after day you loved him with all that you could give while those strings slowly pulled on your open heart.

___________________

After dating Shawn for so long, you thought you were prepared for everything his abnormal life could throw at you, but you never thought you would have to be prepared for him ignoring your existence. The night he came home was just like every other time, you had picked him up at the airport where he greeted you with a bone crushing hug and a gentle kiss to your forehead, knowing you didn’t like much PDA, and then he got into the shower, meeting you in bed for an endless night of cuddles. However it was the days that followed that were completely out of the ordinary for the two of you and threw you into a spiral of self doubt. You understood completely when he spent the first couple days meeting with his friends and family, you weren’t the only one missing him while he was gone, but typically the first couple days home were full of clingy Shawn, meaning he would invite you to go with him wherever he went. This time around he didn’t even invite you to dinner with his family, even though you later learned that Karen had specifically told Shawn you were invited, to which he had responded that you were working overtime at your job. You weren’t. You were sitting in your shared condo eating takeout from the Chinese place down the street instead of Karen’s famous lasagna. That definitely hit hard in your heart for Shawn always wanted you to feel comfortable around his family, constantly reminding you that his family was your family, so you couldn’t help but feel that he was trying to push you away. You knew you were probably overreacting, even if Shawn had taken a 180 degree personality change in the past couple days, causing those strings on your heart to tighten to the point of suffocation. It hurt even more when the moments he was home consisted of him locked away in his studio without even a mumbled good morning your way. You brought him coffee, tea, food, anything you could think of that he could possibly need, placing it down in front of him without a single peep so that you wouldn’t distract him, earning either the smallest of thank yous or most commonly, complete and utter silence. He came to bed at ungodly hours, no longer cuddling up to your body in the dark. You knew he always assumed you were asleep, but you physically couldn’t calm your mind without having him next, instead leading your thoughts down a spiral of depressive words. The worst part? You couldn’t remember the last time he had said I love you to you since he came home. Before, Shawn couldn’t go a few hours without reminding you of his love for you, but now you didn’t even know if the man you would die for in a heartbeat felt the same way.

You didn’t know why this was happening, hell you didn’t even know what could have happened in the 8 hour period when the two of you were asleep that first night back that could have caused this changed. But every night as you laid in bed waiting for the man you loved to enter the room, your mind always came to one conclusion on what the issue was at hand. You. You were the issue. You weren’t enough for him, you weren’t doing enough for him, you weren’t loving him enough. And after the 11th night, you realized that you were the issue, but not in the way you previously had thought. You were enough for him, you were doing more than enough for him, and you were loving him far more than you should be. You loved Shawn more than you loved yourself, and on that 11th night, you fell asleep before he came to bed, knowing that when you awoke alone the next day, things were going to change.

___________________

The morning sun woke you up from your slumber and you kept your eyes shut, not wanting to open them and face the reality of what today would bring. Begrudgingly you willed yourself to sit up, taking in the view from the bedroom window one last time and feeling the way the soft silk sheets felt on your body. What you didn’t want to remember was the coldness that could be felt on Shawn’s side of the bed, a telltale sign that he had left it without a second thought hours before. But in a strange way you did want to remember it, wanted it be a reminder as to why the decision you were making was the correct one when you would be inevitably regretting it once you stepped foot out of the condo. You began your morning routine as if it was a normal day, but instead of leaving your toothbrush next to Shawn’s, it was placed inside of your travel bag along with the rest of your toiletries. Clearing the bathroom of your belongings, you moved towards the rest of the bedroom, your heart clenching when you looked at the empty space in the closet. You forced yourself to leave behind all of the pictures and memories of him, knowing it would just cause you more pain in the long run, but your hands moved to grab your favorite shirt of his to wear to bed before your brain could resist it. His scent still lingered on the fabric and even though you knew it was a bad decision, you put it into your suitcase without a second glance.

It was past noon once you were finally satisfied with your packing and even though you had left almost all of your shared belongings to Shawn along with every picture and memory of your relationship, the condo still felt a little bare without your added presence along it walls. After taking all of your boxes and bags down to your car, your stomach rumbled from your lack of food, but you refused to stay in the condo for longer than needed, telling yourself that you would stop by Tim Horton’s on your way to your friend’s house where she was graciously letting you stay until you found somewhere else to live. If someone had told you last year when you sold your apartment in favor of living with Shawn that you would regret it, you would have laughed and called them crazy, but now you wanted nothing more than to have be at a place you could call your own. Though when you thought about it, you didn’t know if you would be able to live in a place that had held so many great memories of the two of you.

You rolled your last suitcase out of your shared bedroom that now only belonged to Shawn and you began the short trip down the hallway that felt like it held a century of memories. You replayed all of the events that happened in the place that used to feel like home, but now only felt like a shell of something that was hurting you from the inside out.

Passing by Shawn’s studio, you could hear the faint strumming of his guitar through the walls and your heart ached more than you ever thought it could. You never imagined you would be leaving the love of your life and knowing that this could possibly be the last time you would ever hear him made a tear slip out of your eye. Leaning against the door, you listened carefully to the unknown melody that was being played only feet away from you, coming to your senses once he stopped to do what you could only assume was writing something down. Knocking quietly on the door, you held your breath, afraid of what his reaction to you “interrupting” his writing process would be. “What!” he barked from the other side and your heart ached a little more, that tiny sliver of hope inside you that wanted him to beg you to stay diminished to nothing. Cautiously you opened the door and peered your head inside, seeing him still crouched over his guitar not even sparing a glance at you, “Um...Shawn?”

“What do you want?”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m leaving,” you whispered, suddenly feeling extremely small in his presence.

“Ok, bye,” he told you shortly, still not lifting his gaze from his guitar.

Your breath hitched in your throat and you willed yourself to keep your tears at bay, not wanting him to see the effect he had on you, “I’m going to be gone a while.”

“Ok.”

At this point you were growing more frustrated than sad at how the man that supposedly loved you wasn’t even sparing a second glance at you, “I’m not coming back Shawn. I’m breaking up with you.”

His head snapped up at your words, the guitar suddenly losing his interest as his wide eyes met yours, “What do you mean you’re breaking up with me?”

“I’m leaving and I’m not coming back,” you told him, straightening your back to stand your ground and hide the way your emotions were breaking down on the inside.

“No, you’re not leaving,” he shook his head frantically, standing up from his seat and making his way towards you in frantic strides, “We’re gonna talk about this and fix whatever’s going on inside your head because you’re not leaving me.”

“Yes I am, Shawn, my mind is already made up.”

“No it’s not, you’re gonna talk to me and we’re gonna fix this.”

He was standing in front of you now, but his presence didn’t feel as comforting as it usually did, now a suffocating feeling surrounding you and making you want to back away. You could tell his breathing was becoming heavy and you wanted to sit him down to help calm him down, but you stood your ground. “I’ve given a lot of thought into this and I’m not changing my mind.”

“Baby,” he cooed, taking your face in his large palms and you allowed yourself to bathe in the feeling of him touching your skin one last time as tears prickled from the sides of his eyes, “Don’t do this, I love you, you know that. We said we were going to love each other forever. We promised.”

“I know, Shawn, I know, I love you more than words can explain, but that is why I have to let you go.”

“What? No, we love each other and we’re gonna stay together and...” his voice began to crack and tears began to falling profusely down his face, the hurt behind his eyes becoming too much for you to look into.

“Shawn...”

“No, no, no I’m bubs, or baby or...”

“Shawn, stop.” You grabbed his wrists in your hands, making him pause and focus on your words, “I’m not doing this because I don’t feel like we love each other enough. I mean, god knows I’m loving you with everything that I have. And I’ll be honest, lately I’ve been feeling like you don’t love me anymore. I can’t even remember the last time you’ve said I love you since you came home that first night, and it’s been almost two weeks since then. Yes, I know I deserve better than that but that can be fixed with time and I know that as well.”

“Exactly, baby, we can fix this and...”

“I’m talking now, Shawn and I want you to listen. I’ve been thinking a lot lately and what’s hurt me the most in these past two weeks isn’t how you’ve been treating me, it’s how I’ve been treating myself. I can’t keep living this life where I love you more than myself because it hurts and its degrading and I physically can’t keep going like this. And I know it sounds selfish, and it probably is, but I’ve been unselfishly giving you every inch of love I’ve had in myself for the past 2 years and it’s time that I take some of it for myself. This isn’t goodbye forever, I just need a break. I need to learn to love myself before I can love you fully again.”

Tears were streaming down both of your faces as Shawn pulled you into a bone crushing hug, rocking the two of you slowly with his face buried into your shoulder, “I love you, I love you so much. I don’t want to let you go.”

“If you love me you’ll let me go. I need time Shawn. I don’t want to believe this is the end of us, I just need a break.”

“Just a break,” he mumbled to himself and you pulled away gingerly, grabbing your suitcase from behind you. Shawn felt his heart break even more at the sight of your bag, realizing just how hard you had thought about this, “You already packed your things?”

“Yeah, everything’s in my car.”

“Where are you going?”

You sighed, “I think it’s best that I don’t tell you right now.”

He nodded his head sadly, looking down at the ground in front of him, “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“And I want you to know that I will be here when you change your mind. When you want to come back to me I’ll be waiting. I don’t care how long, I’ll be here.”

“Thank you,” you breathed out, not trusting your voice from cracking if you spoke any louder. Shawn brought you back in for another hug, holding you tight to his body to keep you with him forever.

“Take your sweet, sweet time, baby. I’ll still be waiting for you with all of my love.” He felt you pulling away and reluctantly released his grasp on you, “Please tell me when you get to wherever you’re going though, I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

“Of course, Shawn,” and with that you placed one last kiss on his cheek, tasting his salty tears on your lips before you walked towards the door, shutting it and all of the memories behind you. Shawn’s heart collapsed inside of himself and after staring at the place where you left, he forced himself to go into your shared bedroom for any last remains of you. His breathing stopped when he saw all of your things gone, but all of the memories of the two of you remaining, realizing that you really wanted this behind you. He stumbled towards the picture of the two of you smiling at the Eiffel Tower that was placed on your nightstand, holding it close to his chest as he rocked himself through his tears on the edge of your side of the bed. When his eyes opened and focused on the item sitting behind the frame, he felt his heart break more than he ever felt possible. You had promised him when he gave it to you that you would never take it off but there it was, time standing still around it. Your promise ring.

___________________

Ring. Ring. The sound of your phone ringing startled you from where you were hands deep in meat, rolling meatballs for tonight’s dinner while your friend was still at work. You quickly washed your hands off, grabbing your phone without looking at the contact as you leaned back against the counter with the phone against your ear, “Hello?”

“Y/n! How are you?”

“Karen?” you gasped, standing up straight, “H-hi, um I’m good thank you, how are you?”

“I’m great, thank you! I think I can speak for all of us, though, when I say we’ve missed you at family dinners!”

“Oh, yeah um, I’ve missed you guys a lot too,” you told her, biting at your nail in nervousness, your heart rate picking up.

“But don’t stress, I’m not saying that to make you feel bad. Shawn’s told us about how busy you are at work, how’s that going by the way?”

Your heart dropped. Shawn’s told them you’ve just been busy at work? Do they know... “It’s going well, thank you. It’s been a bit crazy lately with all the changes, but it’s good.”

“That’s good to hear,” she replied cheerily, “Listen, I’ve called to tell you that we’re organizing a going away dinner-party thing for Shawn next week before he leaves for tour. I know how hard it is with him leaving, Manny, Aaliyah, and I have gotten so used to him around I know it’s gonna be hard. I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now.”

“Ye-yeah, I almost forgot he was leaving next week.” You would have been lying if you said you hadn’t still been keeping up with him on social media, therefore hearing about the upcoming tour through his feed. You even still had his leaving date in your phone calendar, not having the heart to remove any of the special dates in there even though it had been over 2 months since you had walked out the door.

“I get it, I don’t want to be reminded about it either,” his mother sighed, oblivious to the panicked girl on the other side of the phone, “But we’ve decided that we’re going to have a bunch of his friends and family over for dinner as a surprise for him! I was wondering if you could just keep him home with you and tell him you’re taking him out for a dinner date or something and then maybe blindfold him to drive him to our place! If you have a better idea that’s good too, I just thought it’d be a cute idea!”

“Take him on a...on a date?” you stuttered, breathing becoming heavily as tears threatened to spill from your eyes, the memories you’ve been trying to hide fighting their way back into your brain.

“Yeah, you know, just something that won’t make him suspicious because the two of you obviously get dinner together all the time.”

“Um yeah...yeah, Karen I’m really sorry, but I have to go,” swallowing the pain held in your throat. If you didn’t end the phone call now, you knew you wouldn’t be able to hide your tears from her anymore.

“Of course, sweetie! I’m sorry if I caught you at a bad time. I’ll just text you the details ok?”

“That’s great, yeah.”

“Ok, bye Y/n.”

“Bye Karen,” ending the phone call you collapsed against the kitchen counter, tears streaming out of your eyes and chest heavy. You had cried almost every day since you had left, your best friend trying to comfort you the best she could. You wanted to stay strong as much as you possible, but leaving behind the one thing you loved more than yourself proved to leave a gaping hole in your heart that only Shawn could fill. This week had been the first week you hadn’t cried yourself to sleep every night, only for all of your progress to be ruined with a simple phone call. Karen made it clear that she was completely oblivious to your breakup and it made you wonder why she hasn’t been told yet. Shawn and his family were so close, he told them everything, so it made you wonder if he was so unaffected by the breakup that he didn’t feel the need to tell them. Was he not hurting the way you were? Was he lying when he told you he’d wait for you? When he told you to take as much time as you needed? Did he already find another lover, someone else to give his love to? He hadn’t reached out at all since you walked out the door and although you acknowledged that it was probably for the best in order to forget him, a little part of you wanted him to be calling you, begging for you to come back to him. But nothing happened, only silence from his end leaving you broken hearted and alone.

An hour later and your tears are dried, heart aching for the one person you can’t have. More importantly, you want answers and you were going to get them. Setting out with a determined look on your face, you clean up your plan for dinner and grab your keys, heading out the door towards your car. Placing the keys in the ignition, you wondered if you were stupid for putting yourself in such a vulnerable situation, but you ignored the sinking feeling in your stomach and drove towards the place you used to call home.

It felt almost foreign walking up to his condo, the walls of the elevator mocking you for showing up. You stared at yourself in the reflective panel as you went up, seeing the face of a broken girl staring back at you. Lifting your chin up and pulling your shoulders back, you took a deep breath, trying to calm yourself in anyway as the doors of the elevator finally opened. The trek down the hallway felt as though it was a mile long and your heart beat increased with every step you took. This is so stupid, you thought, he’s probably not home. Or what if he has people over. What if he has another girl over?! Your heart clenched with jealousy at the thought of someone else being over, even if you weren’t together anymore and he was therefore allowed to be seeing someone else. Though you couldn’t help but feel hurt over the idea that he had moved on so quickly when he was begging you not to leave in the first place. You realized your feet had moved you to the door before your brain could process it and you quickly knocked on the door to prevent you from backing out.

Minutes passed and you debated turning around to make your escape, but just as you were about to leave, you heard the lock jiggle, the white door in front of you opening wide, “Y/n?”

“Hey,” your throat suddenly felt drier than before and you swallowed thickly in hopes of being able to speak. Shawn moved closer to you, seemingly wanting to give you a hug, but when you took a step back, he took it as a hint to stay in the door frame.

Clearing his throat, he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, “Um...uh what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you, your mom called me today,” you told him, trying to fake your confidence by looking at his eyes.

“Oh that’s nice, she’s said she misses you....”

“Why didn’t you tell her we broke up?”

Shawn’s eyes widened as if this was new information to him and all of your belongings weren’t missing from his place, “Because we’re didn’t?”

“What are you talking about? Shawn, we haven’t talked in two months.”

“I know, I told you to take however long you needed because I would be here when you change your mind. So I gave you your space for the break you wanted.”

“No, I-” you sighed in annoyance, looking down at your feet as your confident facade faded.

Shawn peered his head out to look down the hallway, “Why don’t we talk about this inside, I don’t really want all of my neighbors hearing about this.” Following him inside, you couldn’t help but notice that he hadn’t moved anything since you had left. All of your pictures were still up, and the empty spaces for your belongings were still bare. “So, what do you think?”

“Hm?” you turned your head around from where you were staring at the living room to meet his eyes as he leaned comfortably against the wall.

“I’ve given you space and time away from all of this. Have you learned to love yourself the way I love you?”

“Shawn...”

“No,” he told you sternly, walking over to where you were standing rigid, “I want you to listen to me this time. I’ve taken this time to reflect on myself and our relationship as well, and trust me, I regret everything about how I was acting before you left. I know it wasn’t right and I want to fix this, ok? I am still just as in love with you as the day you left and I want this again if you do.”

“I love you too, so so much and I do want this again, but...” you were caught off by his soft lips being pressed feverishly against yours, holding onto your waist as you grabbed his biceps to steady you from the dizzying feeling of his kiss after so long. You relaxed into his touch, pressing his body closer to yours in fear that he would disappear once you opened your eyes.

“Shut up,” he mumbled onto your lips, and his arm wrapped around your back to pull you impossibly closer. Pulling back, he let his forehead rest against yours, placing soft pecks to your lips every so often. “I love you baby, just stay with me.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Shawn, I love you too much for that.” With your lips reattached to his, you realized that maybe taking a little time away made his arms feel much more like home.

[astonishinglegends]

Ep 196: The Christmas Monolith and the Warminster Thing

"The air was brazenly filled with a menacing sound. Sudden vibrations came overhead, chilling in intensity. They tore the quiet atmosphere to raucous rags and descended upon her savagely. Shockwaves pounded at her head, neck and shoulders."

– Descriptions of the “Thing” by Arthur Shuttlewood, as reported in his book, The Warminster Mystery

Description:

In a rare dual-subject episode for us, we take a look at two somewhat Christmas-themed stories, the mysterious yet not-so-mysterious "Utah Monolith" and the Warminster "Thing." In the first part of the show, we discuss the recent discovery of a 9.8-foot-tall metal triangular prism-shaped pillar we've dubbed "The Christmas Monolith." This story made the rounds after state biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources spotted the out-of-place-artifact while conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter over San Juan County in southeastern Utah on November 18, 2020. Two days later, the Utah Department of Public Safety posted a photo of the monolith on Instagram, with more pictures and videos of the puzzling pillar to follow. The internet and media outlets were soon abuzz with speculation about who, human, alien, or otherwise, would've illegally planted the iconic looking structure in such a remote red sandstone slot canyon in the middle of nowhere and why. Other metal columns have appeared in Romania and California, prompting the question, are these pranks, artworks, a message, or perhaps all three? The second part of our show tonight examines a freakish "flap" of High Strangeness that's so fantastic in its details and so widely experienced at the time that it's baffling why the story has mostly become forgotten. Generally considered to have gotten its start in the early hours of Christmas morning in 1964, this saga of shocking incidents in hindsight seems to have only publically peaked on December 25th and continued well into the following year, and only gradually declined in the decade to follow. The holiday literally started with a bang for the residents of the town of Warminster in Wiltshire County in southwestern England. Numerous citizens and British soldiers training nearby awoke to a medley of piercing, thundering, clattering, metallic noises in the sky and on their rooftops, the nature of which nearly defies description. The strange and untraceable sounds would continue to accost the townsfolk, with some reporting these sonic attacks were so violent it threw them to the ground and sickened their pets. As 1965 wore on, the unearthly rackets would eventually coincide with sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena and craft so unique they sound unusual even for a UFO wave. And what bouillabaisse of the bizarre would be complete without cattle disappearances, freaky interstellar messengers, and tall, humanoid-alien visitors? Warminster had it all. All told, this series of strangeness was so beyond comprehension, and with no vocabulary to satisfactorily describe it, the phenomena became simply known as the Warminster "Thing."

Location:

The former site of the “Utah Monolith” a.k.a. “The Christmas Monolith.” The 9.8-foot tall metal prism-shaped triangular pillar was discovered on November 18, 2020, in a red sandstone slot canyon in the former Lockhart Basin in northern San Juan County, Utah. The structure was spotted by state biologists from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources while conducting a survey of bighorn sheep by helicopter. The monolith was seen being removed by four unknown men on November 27, 2020. If you zoom in all the way on the above map you can see its shadow.

Location:

The town of Warminster in the western part of Wiltshire county in southwestern England. Warminster sits on the western edge of Salisbury Plain, famous for the standing stones of Stonehenge and Avebury as well as other ancient landmarks, and known as “crop circle country.” Wiltshire is also home to training facilities for the British military.

Reference Links:

The “Utah Monolith” on Wikipedia

“The Warminster ‘Thing’: UFOs and Supernatural Disturbances in ‘Small Town England’” by “MirageMan” on AboveTopSecret.com

The UFO-Warminster website

The timeline of events on the UFO-Warminster website

“The mystery of Warminster's 'UFO'“ By Kevin Goodman on the BBC News website

“UFO called “The Thing” celebrates 50th anniversary in Warminster” on OpenMinds.tv

“BBC Documentary on the Warminster UFO Flap” on AboveTopSecret.com

“1964, United Kingdom, The Warminster Thing (UFO)” on UFOCasebook.com

Warminster, a town in southwestern England

Wiltshire County, England

“10 Unsolved Christmastime Mysteries” by Robin Warder on Listverse.com

SPECIAL OFFERS FROM OUR SPECIAL SPONSORS:

FIND OTHER GREAT DEALS FROM OUR SHOW’S SPONSORS BY CLICKING HERE!

The Great Courses Plus – There are so many benefits to lifelong learning, which is why we love The Great Courses Plus! Learn about virtually anything, now with over 11,000 lectures on almost any subject you can think of – from history and science to learning a new language, how to play an instrument, learn magic tricks, train your dog, or explore topics like food, the arts, travel, business, and self-improvement. And all taught by world-leading professors and experts in their field. Their app lets you download and listen to only the audio from the courses or watch the videos, just like a podcast. Switch between all your devices and pick up right where you left off. Available for iOS and Android. Take it from us, a subscription to The Great Courses Plus is a fantastic holiday gift idea for everyone on your list this year! So no matter who’s on your list, you can’t go wrong with The Great Courses Plus. Learn more about gift subscriptions by visiting our special URL today: TheGreatCoursesPlus.com/LEGENDS. And while you’re there, start your own journey with a 14-day FREE TRIAL!

Skylight – The holidays are just around the corner. Are you looking for a way to stay connected with loved ones during the holidays? Many of us are separated from extended family members these days, especially the older ones. But now there’s a great way for all of us to feel connected and loved, and that’s with a Skylight Frame. Skylight Frame is a digital photo frame that you can update instantly by email from anywhere. It’s a great way to feel close to those you love even when you’re separated. It sets up effortlessly in under 60 seconds! Just plug it in, use the touch screen to connect to your wireless network, and enjoy! Sending photos to Skylight is effortless – any chosen family member or friend can just email them to a personal Skylight email address, and they’ll pop up in seconds, so it’s a great way to keep large networks feeling in touch and less lonely. Skylight comes in a black frame and white matte, and with a gorgeous 10” touch screen, it’s a beautiful touch to any home. You can swipe through photos with your finger and even tap to thank the person who sent a photo. It’s 100% satisfaction guaranteed and if you don’t love your Skylight, they’ll offer you a FULL refund. You can pre-load it with your favorite photos for a personalized gift! And right now, as a special offer, you can get $10 OFF your purchase of a Skylight Frame when you go to SkylightFrame.com and enter the Promo Code “Legends”

FightCamp – Most workouts are not that exciting. But there really is nothing more exciting and engaging than learning boxing and kickboxing. And that’s exactly why people are saying that FightCamp is the only workout they’ve stuck with. FightCamp provides boxing and kickboxing workouts and tutorials that keep you engaged, learning, excited, and motivated… a program that’s never boring, and always challenging! FightCamp brings the boxing gym to your living room with a tech twist! They provide all the gear, top trainers, and a new technology that tracks your punches – everything you need to get great workouts in! The boxing workout has always been ranked as one of the best ways to get in shape and it's honestly one of the most fun ways to combine cardio and strength training. They provide everything to start boxing from home, which means amazing at-home boxing equipment along with new boxing and bodyweight workouts released every week. It’s the perfect at-home workout for anyone. For men, women, even families, and great for all fitness levels. You’ll love it! And with the FightCamp punch tracking tech, you can see your progress, work on your technique and compete with others or more importantly your past self. It’s also a great holiday gift! FightCamp allows you to pay over time, with Affirm financing you can get your FightCamp set up right away, make easy monthly payments over 24 months, and it’s yours to keep at the end! Plus, you save on commute time and gas, if your gym is even open these days. And since you can have up to five accounts per household, you can get a full boxing gym for the whole house to use! FightCamp offers flexible financing for as low as zero percent APR and zero dollars down! And right now as a limited-time holiday offer, get FREE SHIPPING and a gift valued up to $109 with every FightCamp package. Just go to JoinFightCamp.com/LEGENDS.

Best Fiends – If you’re looking for a fun way to pass the time while engaging your brain and enjoying breathtaking visuals and a gripping story, your answer is Best Fiends! Best Fiends is a casual, matching puzzle game that the whole family can play, but really made for adults, and you don’t need to be a gamer to be great at it! You can also play it the way YOU want to, wherever you want, and as much or as little as you want! Collect cute and funny cryptid-like insect creatures while battling silly slugs as you advance through stages in the Best Fiends world. Connect with friends and family through Social Media and challenge them to beat your levels or help them along. This unique puzzle game doesn’t require the internet, so it’s great to play offline while traveling or commuting, and Best Fiends has thousands of levels already, with new levels, events, and characters added every month – it’s hours of fun right at your fingertips and it never gets old! With over 100 million downloads and tons of five-star reviews, Best Fiends is a must-play! Download for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. That’s FRIENDS without the “R,” Best Fiends!

Miller High Life – When we realize how crazy the world can get, it’s the simple joys in life and “every day wins” that call for a celebration. Just safely getting together with friends and family to enjoy each other’s company should be a moment to cherish; to relax, to have a beer, and some laughs. Miller High Life was created over 100 years ago so that everyone could enjoy the good life, the “High Life,” with a high-quality, unpretentious beer that was within everyone’s reach. With a crisp, refreshing taste and tiny bubbles, it’s been known as “The Champagne of Beers” from its start on New Years’ Eve in 1903. It’s been faithfully brewed the same way ever since, and this summer, Miller High Life will help you raise a toast to celebrate life’s simple, special moments with their limited-edition champagne cans, in stores now. Miller High Life, The Champagne of Beers. A quality beer within everyone’s reach. *Celebrate Responsibly, Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI.

Credits:

Episode 196: The Christmas Monolith and the Warminster Thing.  Produced by Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess; Audio Editing by Sarah Vorhees Wendel. Sound Design by Ryan McCullough; Tess Pfeifle, Producer, and Lead Researcher; Research Support from the astonishing League of Astonishing Researchers, a.k.a. The Astonishing Research Corps, or "A.R.C." for short. Copyright 2020 Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

[ashisbaeee]

Sorry ahead of time for the request being too long but could you do a blurb where the reader (who is not famous) is dating tom secretly but the rumors of him and Zendaya are too much so they break up, and in one interview when the interviewer asks about Tomdaya Tom just blows up and basically exposed he was dating the reader. And could it end it in fluff because I could really use some happy endings right now.

A/N: sis, at the rate of how much of angst I’ve managed to put out, I don’t think this is normal at all, haha. definitely needed to have some balance y’know? Here ya go, I truly hope you like it :) thanks for your request! 

after all these angtsy fics, I needed some fluff in my life.  

1.5k of angst turned fluff.. my heart😩

___________________________

You’ve been dating Tom for about 10 months, no one knew except your families and really close friends(really like your 2 best friends and his best friends Haz and Tuwaine as well as Z and Jacob. You wanted to keep it as private as much as possible. Afraid of the possible backlash from the “fans” and media. 

With promotion of Far From Home, fans and people alike were really interested to see PeterMJ love story. And the promos didn’t help in the slightest. Everyone and their mothers wanted to see the ever so awkward but yet so beautifully portrayed high school relationship. Doing press tours were an added stress. All the interviewers were interested about PeterMJ and how filming went, with the occasional how’s working with Jake Gyllenhaal questions. Every interview had been cut out and edited so that it focused solely on Tom and Zendaya. Completely disregarding Jacob and Jake. Causing a rise in Tomdaya fans and countless pages on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr about their supposed relationship.  Even leading to a rapper to create a song about their relationship.  An attempt to “shoot his shot” with the ever so beautiful Zendaya. If you were being completely honest, it kind of bothered you a bit, but there was literally nothing you could do about it. If you and you alone came out about the relationship, who was going to believe you? They would probably think you were just a huge fan of his who had some grandiose ideations of dating the Hollywood star. 

Tom knew that it had bothered you, hell, it bothered him to no end too. It was moments like those that made him really wish that you both were public. But out of respect for you, and most importantly for your safety, he opted to remain mum. He didn’t want you to receive any hate, knowing how people can be online. Saying mean things behind a phone or computer screen. Not that he’d pay any mind to those words anyway. But you, you weren’t accustomed to this. He did this to protect you. He knew you knew how he feels about you and vice versa and that was all that mattered.

It all became too much for you. Too unbearable to handle. You weren’t as happy as you once were. All of the clips and edits of every press interview they’ve ever had, the constant “updates” on Tomdaya and how almost every interview shoved the idea of bringing PeterMJ to real life. Wishing that Tomdaya would be an actual thing. It all became unbearable. There was only so much your heart could handle. His constant words of reassurance, Z saying that she would never do such a thing, calling Tom her annoying brother as well as reassurances from Jacob and Jake seemed to fall on deaf ears. Nothing they were saying was making you feel better. It got to the point of being a bit much, becoming insufferable, really. So you did what anyone in your situation would do, you decided to break things off with him. 

That was mentally, physically and emotionally agonizing. You both cried so hard, you both know  that this secret relationship was greatly affecting you both. It was like both of your worst fears were becoming reality-an absolute nightmare, really. 

It’s been about 2 weeks since that fateful day. And those 15 days have been an absolute hell. With the release of the movie underway, there were even more stans. Talking about every detail of their supposed relationship, going back as far as Homecoming. Everywhere you went, wherever you looked that was all you saw; PeterMJ, Tomdaya. If you hadn’t known any better, you started to believe it too. 

Although you’ve broken up, you still watched their interviews. This was one of their last interviews for the press tour. And if you were being brutally honest, you could tell this break up was greatly affecting him. You didn’t have to have Haz, Z, Jacob and Jake text you to know how the young lad was doing. Because truthfully, you were feeling the exact same way. 

You took in his gaunt appearance, he noticed his change in attitude; no longer being his fun, bubbly and free spirited self. They all kept you up to date with him and how he was doing as well as checking in on you. 

You sat quietly as the interview began. After the quick hello’s, how are you’s, and thank you for coming, they began the interview. 

After asking about how the cast felt about working with Jake and out of all the places they’ve filmed and seeing where their favorites spots were came the inevitable topic. As soon as she had started, you noticed that they all had rolled their eyes. If they had rolled them any harder, you could’ve sworn they’d stay like that.

“So Tom, Zendaya, as you both are aware, there are many people, myself included that want to know, is PeterMJ from Far From Home occuring in real life as well?  Your relationship has gained quite the following. You know, I have to say, that your fans are right, you’d both make a lovely couple! I can hear the wedding bells ringing.” she spoke, ending her question err, rather statement with a chuckle. 

He was furious. 

“What the fuck? Are you serious right now? I just don’t get it. We’ve answered this particular question numerous times, and I don’t know how you think that answer will change otherwise but this is the absolute last time I am going to say this. We are not, have not, will not ever be in a relationship so you should let that dream die. We are friends, best friends and it is beyond disrespectful for you all to keep making these statements. If we were indeed in a relationship, why the hell would we say otherwise that we aren’t? Wouldn’t you think we’d share that with you guys? We didn’t share anything because there is nothing! We are friends and nothing more. All of your assumptions and stupid theories of us being together has pushed me to lose the love of my life. I was in a happy relationship with the most amazing girl that ever graced this earth. But due to all of this, it caused her to break up with me. Her name was Y/N, and we dated for 10 months, by far the best 10 months of my life. We’ve kept it quiet because I know how ruthless you people can be. I chose to keep it quiet for her sake. But that was stupid on my part. I shouldn’t have been afraid to tell you guys all about her, we were going to receive hate regardless; everyone voicing their opinions. I knew it bothered her but I thought by keeping it quiet, I was keeping her safe. And that isn’t the case. Y/N, darling, wherever you are, I hope you hear this, I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. As you can see, I’m an absolute mess without you darling. I need you and I miss you dearly” he cried, not caring about how he looked at that moment. 

He took off his microphone and placed it on his seat as he walked passed the interviewer and out of the room. The three stunned at what occurred. 

He ran into his dressing room and pulled out his phone. Instinctively, his thumb landed on your number. Without second guessing, he touched the screen. He was now calling you. 

After a few rings, you answered. 

“Hello, Y/N, darling. It-it’s me, Tom. I-I just needed to hear your voice. I’m so sorry about everything. I-”

“Hi Tom. I just watched the interview, uh, thank you for that. You really didn’t have to say all those things y’know”

“But I did.  I said all that because it’s true. I had to set her in place. I’m so sick and tired of all these people assuming I’m dating my best friend and costar. Like that shit got annoying real quick. But you know, I had to be polite and whatever. But not anymore. Listen, I know this was not how we had planned things to go, but the world knows of who you are now. And I’m glad that that’s finally out. It means that I get to hang out with you and we can do whatever we want and not give a damn about what others think. I know you know that my feelings for you are real and true and I know you feel the same. I love you and I miss you immensely. So uh, so uh, can we please be boyfriend and girlfriend again?” he asked nervously. 

A laugh managed to escape your mouth, laughing at his awkwardness after being so bold. 

“Of course, we can. I wouldn’t want nothing less than that. I missed you too. Hurry back so I can hug you and love you even more, as if that is even possible.”

He let out a chuckle before replying “I’ll be on the next available flight home. So I’ll see you real soon. I love you darling, so very much”

“I love you too, Tom. Always” 

[snowbellewells]

Self Promo Sunday: “Take Me Home to Your Arms”

(For this week’s Self Promo Sunday, here’s a little piece I wrote back during the hiatus between 5a and 5b. Certainly, like many of us, I was wondering what might be happening to Killian in the Underworld and how Emma and the rest were going to get him back. This little Underworld spec fic was one of my attempts to answer those questions, and it kept growing longer as I wrote too. It’s obviously canon-divergent now, but I hope you will read it, enjoy, and let me know what you think. I apologize in advance for the Killian trauma. It's not that I want to hurt him, but this was the image of the Underworld and its suffering which first took root in my head, even if it didn’t go that way, and I truly wanted to see Emma come to his rescue, just as he has decided to go after her and fight for her so many times, whatever the risk to himself and his own safety.)

(Of course I don't own them. The title and opening lyrics are from the song "Take Me Home" by US.)

"Take Me Home to Your Arms"

By: @snowbellewells

"I'm only happy when I'm with you, home for me is where you are…

I won't be happy 'til I'm with you, home for me is where you are,

These four walls mean nothing without you, home for me is where you are,

They tell me that I'll make it, it'll only be a while, but a while lasts forever without you;

Send out the alarms, I'm all alone,

Wrap me in your arms and take me home…"

Her footsteps fell quickly on the pavement, frantic in the dark. Emma Swan couldn't sleep, couldn't rest, couldn't stop. She could not wait any longer, and she wasn't sure why she had hesitated as long as she did, how she hadn't realized she could get to her pirate and find him sooner; the desperation now so intense it nearly possessed her.

Surprisingly, Regina of all people was the one only two steps behind her, anxious to find "Captain Guyliner". For all of the ways the queen and the pirate argued, needled, and harassed each other to the point of distraction, clearly – despite her derision of Hook and talk of his faults – the regal had missed her favorite "nemesis" and sparring partner more than she would ever admit aloud. That Regina took Emma's part when the others questioned the possibility of her plan, that Regina spoke up of her own accord and agreed it could work, meant the world to Emma. It had set them all in motion and brought them to the edge of the lake. It was only a matter of time before she made her way to Killian's side again.

Though Gold had gotten them to the Underworld easily enough, he had also predictably vanished on some venture of his own almost immediately after their arrival. Snow and Charming had gone to search by the water and in the forest, and Robin had seemed the most capable and likely person to send with them. Emma wanted to think they would all be fine, that splitting up would only allow them to cover that much more ground and find Killian sooner, but she couldn't help worrying for them as well as her sailor, when she couldn't see or know what they might run into. Forcing herself to re-focus,her mind whispered, 'Killian, where are you? Come back to me…'

Without her even being aware until they blurred her vision of the streets, silent tears were coursing down her face. The streets before them were so similar to the Storybrooke routes grown familiar, only darker and shrouded in eerie smoke. She would not allow it to slow her, and she pressed on blindly, unsure where to look as her eyes swept from side to side, certain that Killian must be close by. Once she saw him, Emma ached to fall on her knees at his side and beg his forgiveness, express her endless remorse for all the ways she had gotten it wrong in trying to save him, and he had paid the price. In horrific detail, she kept seeing the light fade from his blue, blue eyes, hearing his ragged plea to grant his wishes this time, his anguished cry and the wet, sucking sound as the blade slid home in his body. Her torment repeated picturing what he might be going through in the domain of Hades. Was he still in pain? Was he being punished, taunted, tortured beyond the injuries she herself had inflicted? Even once she reached him, would she ever be able to make things right?

Emma might well have kept running aimlessly forever – not willing to give up or rest – but the fog thickened further, obscuring the twisted versions of Gold's pawn shop, Marco's woodworking studio, Maurice French's delivery van at the curb, and Granny's diner, to the point that she could barely make out any of the landmarks or see to take a step in front of her. Hesitating, breath coming out in frantic pants and eyes darting wildly, she nearly panicked, staring in one direction and then another helplessly.

It was then, when despair began to creep in and take her over, that a warm, comforting hand slipped into hers, squeezing firmly. "Mom!" Henry's ever-deepening voice called her back, cutting through her whirling thoughts and clearing her mind. "Calm down. You have to use your magic. It's powered by love. Focus on Killian, on how much you need to find him, and we'll get there…I know it."

Blinking away the tears which had barely let up their entire time in this twisted mockery of their hometown, Emma managed to give her brave, amazing son a tremulous smile. Nodding in affirmation, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and tried to focus on Henry's encouragement. She finally believed that Killian was her True Love, she planned to attempt splitting her heart to share with him; her magic should lead them to her pirate. She needed to calm down and allow it to work. It only took her other True Love buoying her up to remind her. This had to work…and it would!

Henry didn't let go of her hand, but stood right next to her offering his strength and belief, ready to venture forward at her side. Emma closed her eyes, raised her other hand slightly, and sent out tendrils of her magic, seeking, searching for Killian.

"You can do it, Mom," Henry urged, rooting her on. "I want him back too. He can't be far!"

Maybe it was Henry's faith, or maybe Regina had found a way to get her magic, which had been shorting out since they'd entered the realm of the dead, working again; whatever it was, the way ahead grew more visible as they pushed forward quietly. An even more complete and odder hush than they had been keeping fell over their small trio as through the smoke and fog the clock tower and library abruptly appeared before them. A chill of foreboding ran up Emma's spine, and she clutched Henry's hand in hers more tightly. She couldn't explain how she knew it, but this was where they needed to be. Kilian was nearby. Her own magic felt as though it were reaching out and trying to find him, as she'd hoped, or that the connection she knew was between them was asserting itself at last. It didn't matter that this sinister version of the clock tower looked like the last place she wanted to enter, if Killian Jones was in there, then that was exactly where she would go.

Nodding toward the building which towered over them, Emma only said with a grim determination, "He's in there."

Henry looked over at her, no longer having to tilt his chin up, almost as tall as his mom, and merely met her eyes with a nod before replying, "Then let's go get him," his face as set and determined as hers.

Regina's expression was grim as well, and she flexed her hand, making sure there was a fireball ready if they needed it. "In a way, it makes a twisted sort of sense," she conceded, moving to follow them without hesitation. "Maleficent's dungeon is beneath the library, ready for Hades to use."

Pushing open the door, the three cautiously stepped through the darkened entryway of the building. Where Belle was usually standing at the circulation desk to greet those who entered her library in Storybrooke with a bright, excited smile and ink-smudged fingers, here nothing greeted them but unnatural, hovering stillness, the musty, dry smell of books left unread and long forgotten, and the dank grey interior that urged them to turn back before they were lost within its depths. If Emma hadn't been certain this was the place before, she was sure now – this was where they would find Killian. The very structure itself seemed to be trying to unnerve them, as if afraid they would succeed.

"Here, Miss Swan," Regina spoke up crisply, still focused and business-like, breaking into Emma's cluttered thoughts.

Glancing up, Emma found the other woman standing at an exact replica of the elevator down to the basement which had once held the dragon-wraith of her former friend. Obviously the mayor didn't wish to waste any more time here than was strictly necessary – whether she would admit to being unsettled or not – and Emma couldn't agree more. She crossed the room with Henry to stand at his other mother's side. They looked into the elevator for a moment, then swallowed hard and pressed on.

The old lift creaked and groaned as it brought them down into the depths below the false clock tower, and it only grew darker and danker the further they went. By the time they reached the bottom, Emma couldn't see her hand in front of her face it was so deeply black and the fog so thick. If she felt it would be any safer, she would have urged Henry to stay – but she doubted it would be, and she knew he wouldn't wait behind anyway.

"Stay close, Miss Swan," Regina warned again tartly as they stepped forward on the rocky, uneven ground. Her voice was cautious even through its crisp impatience, and Emma had learned by now to read the other woman better rather than assuming that Regina didn't care or was coldly unaffected; the former queen was worried, and ached to feel she had some semblance of control, which made her take it wherever she could.

Rather than arguing, Emma merely nodded, heading forward quickly and relieved that Regina and Henry willingly kept pace, one on each side of her, bolstering her without words. As they continued, Emma felt tingling energy, prickling sparks of heat running along her veins, making trails she felt she should be able to look down and see glowing beneath her skin in the dark. Her breath went short, coming out in ragged puffs. "Killian…" she breathed out desperately, recklessly allowing the hope free rein inside her, recognizing that the only other times she had felt such heat and excitement in her blood were when he was near. They must be getting closer to him, and it was all Emma could do not to break into a run.

A chilly gust of air ghosted over her arm, and she shivered involuntarily, turning to the side for the source of the draft and noticing a fissure that opened into a nearly hidden alcove off the main part of their underground cavern. With that same rush of intuition and tingling thrill, Emma turned aside and squeezed through the gap in the solid rock wall. Henry and Regina pressed in close behind her when she hesitated, trying to squint through the darkness. Something had called to her, but she didn't see anything except a dark, empty room of stone walls and floors at first, until Regina finally burst out in exasperation, "For pity sakes, must I do everything?!" With a flourish, she conjured orbs of fire in each hand, illuminating the area before them enough to discern shadowy shapes, and then flung the lights toward torches they could now glimpse over their heads in sconces placed all around the strange dim niche off the larger cave.

Emma had just begun to snap back at Regina, when her voice stopped in her throat on a sharp gasp at the startling sight before her. At the far end of the space, near the back wall, flickering light glinted off the steel gray metal of a thick chain trailing from a crank to the side of the ceiling, then down to manacles which held pale wrists locked together and extended over the head of a person slumped on their knees. Emma's heart stuttered in fear and vicarious pain, immediately recognizing the motionless, silent, almost lifeless form before them. Only a few seconds' glimpse at the battering of bruises and scars on the pale expanse of his bared back were all she could stand. Without taking time to worry whether or not it would work, she waved her hand desperately through the air, dissolving the chain to nothingness. With what had been stretching him and holding his body unnaturally upright gone, Killian fell prone on the hard rock floor with a soft, insensate groan escaping his mouth.

Dashing wildly to his side, Emma gathered Killian's limp form in her arms, holding him close as best she could, smoothing her trembling hands through his coarse, shaggy black hair and over his chilled, clammy skin, aching to ease his pain. She wasn't expecting to feel Henry pressed up against her side worriedly and reaching out to touch her pirate's arm with gentle concern, nor for him to whisper "Killian? Can you hear us?" She could sense Regina's presence close at their backs as well, standing guard. But when she grumbled, "What happened to you, Guyliner? Mouth off to the Lord of the Dead himself?" Emma was surprised to hear the quaver of emotion behind the Mayor's retort as well, and she knew that Regina was nearly as rattled by the state their pirate was in as she was herself. The fact that he had clearly been hidden away didn't help her state of mind. How long had he been held there like that? It was as though he’d been hidden where anyone who might venture into those depths would pass by him unaware and leave him to his misery.

She gathered Killian even closer to her, and was just bending her forehead to rest against his when he jerked awake unexpectedly, snapping back to consciousness with a confused panic, and though clearly weakened and in pain, he flung himself away from her with terrified force, scrabbling backward blindly.

His voice was hoarse when it rang out and echoed back against the close walls and low ceiling, cracking with fear and mistrust, raw from what Emma feared might have been days crying out in hopeless despair and agony as he languished in torment, thinking that he would never be found. Killian's harsh, broken words lashed her heart like a whip, making her as painfully desperate as he when he howled, "Back, Demon! Stop tormenting me! Take any form you wish…but…not hers! Please…no more!"

Emma tried to shush him, begged him to truly see her as she brushed a hand down his stubbled jaw, her heart feeling new pangs of guilt and regret at the sight of the ages-old scar that had always dashingly graced his cheek bleeding again as though it had been freshly carved anew into his skin. Were all of the weals, cuts, and bruises adorning his scarred chest and back old, once-healed wounds returned to livid intensity by the insidious nature of this place and the unfinished business it deemed Killian Jones to have?

Before she could utter anything else, he cried out again, his voice mere shards of its usual deep, smooth timbre. "No! Not Emma! You are not her! Leave me! Leave me!"

When he flinched from her touch yet again, it felt as though the Dark One dagger itself had been stabbed into her breast. Emma wanted to curl up beside him and weep – hopelessness, fear, concern, and love welling up uncontrollably within at the thought that she had found him, but he might be too far gone to bring back. She steeled herself to speak to him once more in soft, pleading tones as she swept her hand across his brow, "Killian, please…look at me. It is Emma. I promise, it's me. I'm here…"

Fear darted across his face for several more taut, charged moments, looking so strange on one who had always met challenges and danger head-on, an arched brow and a dark retort for any man, beast, or monster unwise enough to think he would back down. Then, after several tense, breathlessly waiting seconds, it was as though a cloud passed over his countenance and vanished again, the shade blinding him seemed to fall from his eyes and recognition dawned as he stared at her, drinking in her face, desperate to believe. "Swan?" he whispered, voice soft and awed though rough with ill use, finally daring to hope. A trembling hand reached out toward her face, and she quickly bent to lean her cheek against his palm, as needy for his touch as he was to make sure she was real. "Emma…Love…is it really you? And H-Henry? …Lad, you're here as well?"

"Of course," Henry assured, grinning rakishly in a way Emma knew he must have picked up from Killian. Though his eyes were glassy, Henry answered this man he'd come to look up to with assurance, "Think I'd risk being deprived of a dashing rescue, Captain?"

Her love grinned back at her son crookedly, but said no more, still somewhat overcome by Henry's devotion.

Regina cleared her throat from where she stood just behind them, keeping a wary eye on the entrance. It brought a much-needed measure of levity to the trio on the floor when she grumbled, "No need to acknowledge my presence, Pirate. I simply followed them down here for my health. Brimstone and sulfur do wonders for the skin, you know."

Killian inclined his head slightly in a semblance of the mocking bow he often gave her when they squabbled. "Why, of course, your Majesty," he replied with a knowing wink, "but it is lovely to see you all the same."

The queen huffed, but gave him the tiniest quirk of her red lips in a begrudging smile.

Emma did not miss the way her love winced at even the smallest of offhand movements, but she couldn't look him over properly or try to heal any of his wounds now. They needed to get him out of his prison, first and foremost. She thought about trying to transport them all from the dungeon to the lake shore instantly with her magic, but discarded the idea almost as quickly as it came to her, knowing her powers had been behaving too unpredictably in the depths of the Underworld to be sure of where they might end up. The same concern kept her from asking Regina to move them, or – she assumed – from the queen's offering. She began to attempt standing again, ready to pull Killian up with her. "Come on, let's – "

Just as Killian spoke once more, his mind working through the situation quickly as he became more aware, and already worried for their safety, "Wh-what are all of you doing here? You can't be caught here. I d-don't want you to be trapped as well."

"Too bad," Emma shook her head, finally regaining her feet and, with Henry's help, easing him to stand as well between them. Killian was wobbly and leaning on her more than she would have liked, but then, after being held in one position for so long, she knew his limbs must be working their way back to life, beyond the injuries which must also be draining his strength. "We're not leaving without you. You've already been the hero…" here she had to swallow hard, her eyes tearing up as she remembered him dying in her arms. "Now, let me be the Savior and bring you home where you really belong."

Those devastating blue eyes bore into hers with such intensity, burning with the ardor of his next words. "Emma…Love…I knew the sacrifice I was making. This is where I belong now…what I deserve…and if the rest of you are safe…. Please, there must be a terrible price for this, and … and I won't have you paying it."

Despite his weakened state and the fervent emotion trembling within the words, his resolve was clear. Emma knew she could not fail to heed him again – not this time – but she also needed him to see that she would not be happy, would not be safe, when he suffered here alone for both their mistakes, his noble sacrifice cheapened by Gold's treachery. It wasn't right; it wasn't enough for her. She didn't have a home without him. Yet, she had to allow him this choice; she couldn't take that right away a second time. Drawing in a deep breath, she assured him, "We have a way to bring you back, one that will work. The rest of us will be fine." She paused, met his eyes hopefully, took a deep breath, and asked, "Killian, don't worry about me or anyone else; just answer me honestly: Do you want to come back with us?"

He wet his lips, obviously struggling with emotion and desire versus his sense of duty and lingering guilt. Holding her gaze, his next words came out so raw and vulnerable that they scraped across her heart, tearing loose pieces that she had already given to him. "Aye, Swan, I would wish that more than anything. You must know that. But…I do not wish anyone else to be punished or imprisoned here in my stead…if there is even a chance that could happen…"

"No, Killian," she interrupted, shaking her head gently as she brushed an unruly shock of black hair off his forehead lovingly. "You don't understand. We won't leave anyone behind. This will work." She bit her lower lip, trying to peer right into his soul, the way he had so often done with her. "Trust me?" she asked then, everything they had risked and all her future happiness riding on his answer.

"Aye, Love, I do," he swore, bringing the hand he clutched tightly in his up to clumsily brush his lips over her knuckles, "and I always will."

"Good," she said simply, a small smile gracing her mouth, and then his face as well, as they both remembered how that very response from her had sustained and given him hope through a full year of obstacles and doubts until they had been reunited once before.

Turning to Regina, Emma knew she couldn't hesitate, knew Killian would start protesting again if he figured out what she planned to do – no matter how sure she was that it would work. Shooting Henry a quick, reassuring smile, she squared her shoulders and gave the other woman a curt nod, "Let's do this," she affirmed.

Regina didn't waste a second, gripping Emma's upper arm to keep her steady and plunging a hand into her chest. Emma couldn't stop a gasp at the jarring invasion and strange sense of disconnect she felt when the formerly evil queen withdrew her hand, Emma's slightly battered, partly scabbed in gray, but mostly glowing, red heart within her grasp.

"No!" Killian cried out aghast, only knowing that any heart he had seen taken from a chest had been squeezed in nightmarish torment. "What are you doing!?" he lurched forward, fruitlessly aiming to stop her, but Henry clung to his arm determinedly from where he stood on the pirate's other side helping to keep him upright.

"Killian," Henry pleaded, trying to offer comfort even though his voice quavered too. "It's okay. She's not going to crush it. Emma wanted her to do this…Look!" Henry knew there was still a risk; splitting a heart had worked for his gramps and grandma, and he knew his mom and Killian loved each other deeply, but they didn't have any guarantee.

Emma slumped forward, unaware, and though she wasn't heavy, with his own injuries and weakness, it nearly brought Killian down too. Awkwardly, he took what strength he had left to untangle their fingers and wrap his arm around her, drawing Emma to his side though it pained the open gashes on his torso, and letting her head come to rest on his shoulder.

When he turned back to Regina, her gaze was intent on the heart in her hand, as concerned as he had ever seen the proud royal. Determinedly, she worked at the organ until, to all of their intense relief, it split down the middle and she reached forward to press half of it into each of their chests.

"Ready, Captain?" she asked, voice taut and nervous, though he knew she would never say so.

He gave her a nod, meeting her eyes fiercely before letting his gaze return to Emma's soft, lax, but still lovely, face. In the next instant, he drew a fuller, more rejuvenating breath than he had taken since falling on the shores of the lake in Storybrooke. There was still the odd sensation of a hand in his chest, but a moment more and that was gone too as Regina pulled back, leaving a half of his love's heart within his body.

Emma surfaced to consciousness with a similar heaving breath, blinking as her light once more suffused her cheeks, and her eyes regained their lively sparkle. "Are we okay?" she asked blearily, and then more fervently, "Did it work?!"

"It would seem so," Regina said drily, arching a perfectly sculpted brow as if to say, 'You're alive and speaking to me, aren't you?', but she spared a cautious, genuine smile for the savior and Emma could sense the relief behind the harsh veneer. "Now," Regina continued, "let's not wait around to see what else can go wrong. It's time we were home." With a wave of her hand, clearly having deemed the risk worth it, and a swirl of purple smoke, they were all standing with a jolt on the shore of Hades' realm, right next to the boat which had brought them from Storybrooke.

Looking around in surprise as he reoriented himself, Killian already felt some of his lost strength and vigor returning to him, and he marveled at the power and love for him that must have been held within Emma's heart to pull this off so quickly and so well. Henry placed a hand on his hook's brace, drawing his attention with a grin while pointing out fast-approaching figures in the near distance.

Squinting, Killian could see Dave, Mary Margaret, and Robin coming toward them at a run, and was touched and humbled once more to think that all of these people would venture to the very depths of Hell for the likes of him. Once the rest of their rescue party had reached them at the water's edge – minus Gold, whom no one seemed inclined to worry about – Robin greeted him with an exuberant cry of welcome, while Dave clapped him on the shoulder firmly, and Mary Margaret – to Killian's complete and utter astonishment – flung her arms around him in a joyful, maternal hug.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Milady," Killian managed, almost embarrassed at such a greeting from a woman who at best had always seemed unsure about him as a suitor for her daughter.

The dark-haired royal pulled back with a watery smile, but not before pausing to whisper in his ear, "We needed to get you back, Killian. I don't think I could have stood to watch Emma in that state any longer. She was … broken …without you."

The pirate dipped his head, hiding a swell of emotion at her words, and even when he raised his face once more, his eyes were glassy with unshed tears he sniffed back conspicuously.

"Well," Robin called out, breaking into the thoughts of all their gathered group, bow over his shoulder and fingers once again laced with Regina's, "shall we go?"

"Not so fast, Archer," a silky voice rang out, stopping all of them in their tracks, just as they had been ready to step into the boat pointed home. "I do believe you're planning to steal something – or should I say someone? – who belongs to me."

The unassuming gentleman in a sleek, tailored suit who strutted toward them over the dead, brown grass before the lake, didn't look like much of a threat, but none of them were taken in by his calm, almost jovial manner, nor his pleased, oily smile. "Don't listen to him," Regina ordered tersely, urging Henry, Robin. Snow, and David into the boat ahead of her as planned. "He can't stop us from leaving. We aren't dead, and therefore we aren't part of his domain."

Hades, as Emma realized the man must be, moved ever closer and shook his head like a disappointed parent would at a child who refused to obey. "Ah," he answered smoothly, "but I fear one of you is indeed under my dominion. Breathed his last on these very shores, in fact."

Emma stepped just slightly in front of Killian, wavering slightly as she still recovered from aftereffects of losing part of a vital organ. Yet, she looked as fierce and defiant as she ever had; red jacket standing out against her stark, dull surroundings and a glow emanating from her as she stared down the ruler of the Underworld himself. "You can't have him," she growled through gritted teeth.

Even as Killian feared for her safety, knowing all too well what this seeming "gentleman" and his demons could do, he couldn't deny that his Swan was glorious – a sight to behold.

Emma motioned behind her for Regina to get in the boat as well and take Killian with her. The regal balked, a quick, "Emma, are you sure about…" escaping, but she was cut off with a jerky nod and set jaw, and she did as the savior asked, pulling Killian forcibly after her.

"Admirable determination, my dear," Hades taunted, "but you might as well admit defeat. I am well acquainted with this pirate, all that brave stoicism mixed with his massive self-loathing for his past wrongs makes a nice break for me from eons of monotonous sniveling, pleading beggars for mercy. Fresh entertainment playing with someone who can endure so much pain, it's quite addictive, you see. Not to mention… I've been alerted to your little scheme to steal my new plaything. It won't work. Even if I were inclined to release one of my subjects, it isn't possible. He died, he is one of mine now, and there is not a thing you can do about it."

A second shadowy figure emerged from the surrounding mist and darkness, and as the person came to stand just at Hades' elbow, Emma recognized Gold, an insidious smile on his smug, self-satisfied face. "Miss me, Dearies?" he cackled ominously. Then he gleaming gaze narrowed as it fell on Emma. "I did warn you not to test me, Miss Swan," he stated with chilling finality, a cunning glint casting frightening light in his eyes. "Thanks to my early warning, our temporary host has promised me that he will make sure our near-escapee finds his stay even more unpleasant from now on, and has given me his word to keep you as well, far away from my Belle, who will have no idea what I've done, and right here with him to magnify the punishment for you both. A simple memory wipe on the rest of you meddlesome fools who insist on playing heroes, and I shall finally have my happy ending."

Emma heard the scuffling of Killian trying to fight his way out of Regina's and Robin's grasps to get back to her. "You'll do no such thing, Crocodile!" he was railing, as she could hear Snow gasp in shock and horror, and Henry and her father's yells of anger and dismay. All of that was drowned out though by the roaring in her ears and the intense desire she had to throttle the cowardly pawnbroker with her bare hands. Of course he would go and try to get in good with the Devil himself to double cross them! As if making Killian's sacrifice to destroy the darkness void for his own gain hadn't been terrible enough! The rage that overcame her with knowing that these two monstrous fiends could be so blasé about the torment they wanted to put Killian through, at seeing for herself all they had already done to the man she loved, was vibrating through her being and she sensed her magic about to explode uncontrollably, blindly. Still, she narrowed her eyes, determined not to give anything away to the insidious crocodile. She understood now why Killian's nickname for his foe had always been so apt – reptilian, grasping, clawing, and willing to do anything to save his own leathery hide and secure his own self-interests, despite who else might be hurt along the way. She quickly turned her focus back to Hades though. No matter how badly she wanted to strike Gold down, this fallen deity was the one with the real power in the Underworld.

"You know," Hades taunted, a mocking pout of fake sympathy on his face, "it really is quite tragic, Savior. You seem to be able to save everyone but the ones you care for most. Love can do much, but even where there is love…dead is still dead."

Emma was backed right up to the edge of the water, her heels actually touching the side of their little boat as it rocked on the dark, uneasy tide. Hades stood practically nose to nose with her, but she wouldn't give in. Instead, she nodded toward Gold. "We'll see about that," she hissed, forcing bravado she only partially felt, "but you might want to question whether your new partner has told you everything."

With that, she stepped backwards into the boat, and Charon began to row away, no other option, his mindless task ingrained in his being until the end of time.

Hades raised a hand, and some red bolt of radiating power shot toward them, but it hit an invisible barrier none of them could see, ricocheted off the wooden boat's side, and went barreling back, knocking the Devil and the Dark One flat on their backs on the shore. Emma felt a pang in her chest like a plucked guitar string vibrating, and everything in her vision went hazy. She staggered, seeing less and less as she heard them all talking to her, around her, anxiously. She had just enough sight and awareness left to reassure herself that they were still moving toward home, and then it all faded away as she fell back into Killian's – and her family's – arms.

~~~~CS~~~~~CS~~~~CS~~~~CS~~~

The following afternoon…

Emma Swan blinks her eyes against the gentle sunshine filtering in warm, yellow stripes through the plain white curtains she hung in the Captain's quarters of Killian's ship. Yawning and stretching languidly, she can't help the grin which spreads slowly and happily across her face upon realizing just where she is and in whose arms she has been resting. They made it home again – all of them – safe and sound, and she is snuggled up with her pirate in his bunk. Sitting up just a bit to gaze down at him affectionately, honestly enjoying the view, and able to see now that they are in the land of the living he already has more color and his scars have once again begun to fade, Emma trails her hand along his chest, playfully running her fingers through the coarse hair covering his muscled torso, unable to stop staring at the man she literally went to Hell and back to find. The half a heart they now share swells with love until it seems to overflow, and Emma wriggles back into Killian's warm embrace, while he continues to sleep – she hopes peacefully. Even deep in slumber, Killian gathers her closer to his side tenderly with the arm draped over her hip and mumbles something she can't quite make out against the warm skin of her neck at the collar of her sweater.

His brow furrows, and she aches to soothe him, to assure him that they are together again and all will be well. She knows that things won't stay peaceful in their little town for long, nor can she keep him from the nightmares and remembrances of the ordeal he has been through. Still, she places a kiss to his brow and murmurs, "Shh…rest, Killian," as she brushes back the dark fringe of his hair.

The last day and night are an exhausted, emotional blur before Emma's eyes as she lies back down and tries to return to rest with her pirate. She remembers the traumatic details of finding Killian in that stone dungeon and his ancient scars and emotional pains brought to fresh life upon his skin, how sapped and hopeless he had been – to the point that he had seemed unable to acknowledge they had come after him. She remembers Regina splitting her heart, and all of them standing of the shores of the lake as Hades tried to stop them from returning to the world of the living with her sailor. Beyond that though… the boat ride back, how she had ended up here with Killian, cozily wrapped in his embrace... it is all a misty jumble in her mind. She can bring back snatches of her parents', Henry's, and even Regina's and Robin's voices, discussing what to do once they reached town, how they had all progressed while they were split up in the Underworld, and if she were truly okay, but none of it comes into clear focus for her. She has the vague, lingering suspicion that Killian must have carried her to his ship, rather than the house she'd taken over as the Dark One, or her parents' loft, over any other ideas or suggestions, and that the others must have decided that he knew best and left the two of them alone to heal together.

With a sigh, she forces her eyes to the gash made by Excalibur still blatantly visible on his neck, while Killian remains unaware. Though it is no longer ragged and draining his lifeblood before her very eyes, Emma knows that this wound will never completely fade. In some way, this particular scar will always be upon his skin, reminding her of when it all went wrong, how horribly she failed him. Her fingers tremble as she traces the abraded skin, and she blinks back her tears quickly. Not, however, before a couple of them escape and pool on the warm skin in the hollow of his collarbone.

Rousing, Killian's eyes blink open to find her awake and studying him sadly, her eyes welling with tears and her hands clutching his shoulders as though afraid he will be taken from her again. "What is it, Love?" he murmurs, smoothing his hand through her hair and snugging his hookless bare wrist against the thick wool sweater at her back, pulling her impossibly closer still. "What's happened?"

She shakes her head, a breath wet with choked back sobs huffing out of her chest. "Nothing, Killian, I just…" she traces her fingers lightly over the shell of his ear, grinning at how the top curve comes almost to a bit of a point.  In spite of her jumbled feelings and the fact that she is still struggling to get her words out, she cannot help but marvel at each tiny wonder that make up her True Love. "You'll always have those two new scars…and it's….it's my fault…"

"Oh, Emma…" Killian breathes in soft, stunned understanding, his eyes infinitely kind and unfailingly full of love. "You’ve more than made it right. When I blamed you, I was nothing but the worst version of myself. Do not carry those words, nor that guilt, any longer, Swan." He sighs, sensing that she is still upset and punishing herself, and briefly rests his chin atop the soft golden hair at the crown of her head. Gathering a bit more nerve, he adds gruffly, "That you were so desperate to keep me with you…" he pauses to wet his lips, not wanting his voice to waiver or to make her doubt, "While I detested losing control of myself… I also never thought to be so loved."

Emma's tears do begin to escape her at that, though she can't utter any sort of response. Leaning up to rest her forehead against his, wanting only to have him see in her eyes that he is loved now, more than either of them would have once felt possible, more than either of them could have ever known.

"You entered into the very depths of Hell to fetch me back to your side, Emma. You walked amidst my demons and my nightmares of loved ones I have lost and the horrible things I have done, and you pulled me out into the light once again. You are quite literally my heart now, and I never wish to be parted from you."

"If I have my way, you never will be," Emma vows fervently against his lips in response, just before fusing their mouths in a tender kiss that begins to ease the pain that wounds and separation had wrought. Both are quiet then, at peace wrapped in each other's arms. Swearing to never be torn apart again; they are happy, and they are home.

Tagging a few who may enjoy (I apologize if you don’t want to see this, just ignore it!): @therooksshiningknight @laschatzi @spartanguard @effulgentcolors @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @hookedonapirate @resident-of-storybrooke @ilovemesomekillianjones @winterbaby89 @shireness-says @killian-whump @sherlockianwhovian @whimsicallyenchantedrose @jennjenn615 @gingerchangeling 

[thedailyrindblog-blog]

Ten Minutes with NoEXIT

In case you missed the memo, boy bands are back. Left and right, boy bands have been reuniting, and this doesn’t exclude British boy band, NoEXIT aka Derek Mcnally, Mark Jeremy Barry and Stephen Adel Burns.

We had a chance to catch up with them after a 15 year hiatus and asked the trio a few questions about their careers, families, and upcoming album.

NoEXIT will be touring across the US in the upcoming months, so make sure to grab your tickets and  check out their new album Powerstation coming October 11 via Topanga Creek Records.

Tell us about how you became NoEXIT and your first few years as a group.

We got together in 1996, a long time ago now. We were just playing with different bands. It was more of a hobby at the time. We met in Liverpool, you know, going to different shows. One thing lead to another and we decided to start our own band together and that was the beginning of it, really. We said, “Alright, let’s take it seriously” and we all just quit what we were doing at the time and said “Let’s just get together and lets do this,” and we took it completely serious and we locked ourselves in a bedroom for about six months, just writing and singing everyday full time, all day and that’s how we did it. I remember being in college at the time and having a bunch of exams to do and just walking out.

What made you take that leap of faith?

We were in it, we were gonna give it 100% and we all committed. We moved to Liverpool and lived in a house together and we just wrote songs. We believed in what we were doing as well. We thought we were doing something different, something unique to us and we believed in it. We thought, “if we’re gonna do this, we gotta give it everything, even if it’s for a year or two.”

What does fan engagement look like now compared to when you first started out?

Well fan engagement back then was in person, there was no social media. We were on MySpace and everything, but now it’s great because now it’s a touch of a button you can engage with potentially millions of people. It’s great for us, especially because we don’t have to be together; one of us is at home, or LA or wherever. We try to post and share and interact with fans as much as we can. It’s important because the fans that were there for us back then are still with us now and we massively appreciate the support we’re getting up to this day. It’s a direct line of communication for all kinds of reasons, you know: picking singles, albums, we can post questions like ‘what’s your favorite song?’ You can get a lot out of social media. We wish we would’ve had it back in the day. Back then you had to go to every city to do TV promo.

In the 2000s, I was saying in an interview I did that I had a diary in which I wrote everyday and I found out we did a total of 180 flights that year; it was like every corner of America. We’d get up in the morning and be in one state then another state doing a photoshoot then we’d be on the tour bus overnight driving through the desert, it was surreal. It was constant, it was just nonstop for 3 years.

Would you change anything from those early days?

No, no. It was amazing! It was just a different time. But you know social media and the way people interact with fans has changed. You had to be on the road and physically go to each state. It was living out of a suitcase for months.

If you could give your younger selves advice, what would you say?

“Don’t have that last drink on the road!”

“Get some sleep.” I think it’s crazy because back then we were going out, we were making the most of it, enjoying it, but we were still sensible to a point.

I’d say to my younger self, “just take it all in.” Last time around everything was moving so quickly and we didn’t really get to absorb it. It was the airports, the venue, then the airport again, we didn’t have enough time to process everything. It was like ‘where’s next, where’s next, where’s next, let’s get it done.’ Ticking every box that we had. I’d say to my younger self, don’t take it for granted because one minute it’ll be here, the next minute it won’t.

I’d say to my younger self, don’t take it for granted because one minute it’ll be here, the next minute it won’t.

Do you feel like you did take it for granted?

You know what, I did to a point, I mean I appreciated it but I was 22 years old. What an amazing experience to have in the world. Now cause I’m older, we got kids, you know it’s weird. It seems like a dream because we’ve had that amount of time away from it. There was a focus on other things: family life, kids, and al. It wasn’t quite the right time to get back together with the lads. Now it’s like we’re enjoying it more because we appreciate it more. We’re getting that second chance that not many bands get. We did vanish for 15 years, so to come back and do shows and to have Good Morning America want us on there, it’s amazing.

During those 15 years, were you still playing music? What did you need during that time in order to come back?

We all did different things, fitness, music, one of us was in a band, did our own thing, family and stuff, and before you realize it 15 years had gone by. We got offered some cool reunion shows previously, but it just didn’t feel right at the time. It felt like we were forcing it. We decided to get back together and do it all ourselves, have full control, have our own team. Instead of someone saying ‘You’re gonna get back together, you’re gonna have a full itinerary and full schedule.’ That was important this time, especially with family. We wanted to be in control, it’s not like we were mistreated before or anything, but we were out there for three or four years non-stop and this time we wanted to be in control of the tour, schedules, and stuff like that.

We decided to get back together and do it all ourselves, have full control, have our own team.

Musically, how would you say you transitioned over the years?

I think we’ve all transitioned. We’re definitely better musicians, better singers, better songwriters. We’ve all transitioned lyrically especially. We’ve always had really catchy songs and melodies, but lyrically it’s matured a bit. We’ve obviously experienced a lot more in the past 20 years, so we have a lot to write about.

So what does the future hold for NoEXIT?

Were always gonna continue to write music and perform. We’re not gonna be taking a break anymore. We’re just gonna give it our all, perform, write music, record great songs, create a bigger fanbase and reach out to the people that still don’t know we’re back together yet. There’s so many people that aren’t aware that we’re back together so we’re just gonna continue doing what we’re doing. We’ll write an album every year if we can, and do bigger tours, and if any songs become a hit… (which we do want, I mean what band doesn’t?). We’re really enjoying it, not that we didn’t enjoy it last time but we’re really enjoying it this time. That’s the main thing, as long as we’re enjoying it, doing it together, we’ll be around for a long time.

How about your families? Do you talk with them about the origins of NoEXIT?

I’ve told the guys this story: my oldest son, got an Ipad. He says to me, ‘Dad, what was that band you were in?’ I said to him, “NoEXIT” and didn’t think anything of it. Then I was walking past his bedroom and I hear our song playing and I hear him singing. He got a guitar for Christmas and I showed him a few chords and then again I walk past his bedroom and I hear him playing my song.

For me, I have a two year old son and a seven year old son as well. I’m never going to force music on them, but I’m always playing music around them. When we’re in the car I’ll play them stuff from NoEXIT. I hope they do follow my footsteps because they can sing, they actually can sing, and I’m not being a biased dad, but (the seven year old) he really can sing. There’s something there. Knowing what music has done for me, it’d be great for them to do it as well. I’m hoping to be a great role model for my kids. The seven year old is taking it in but not as much as he would in the next three or four years, but he’s happy; he’s proud. All our families have been supportive. I play the new songs in the car all the time and my son goes, “Daddy put “Bullet Train” on!” Now they love “Wolves,” and they’re singing, they know the words. They sing the songs to their mum. It’s a great feeling.

What does your creative process look like? Do you write together or individually?

We all write individually and write together, and co-write. For this album, we did some of it in Los Angeles and some of it in England, in Yorkshire and Liverpool. We just do whatever we need to do to get it done. We swap and send ideas back and forth from Los Angeles and England. The great thing now is with the internet, you can collaborate with anyone around the world, at anytime. We just shot videos the other day, one of us filmed our bit in LA, the other in another place. We put the files together and many thought we had filmed the whole video together.

Walking down memory lane, what was it like to perform songs like “Back Here” and “Out of My Heart” to million and millions of screaming fans?

It was amazing, it was a different time. You can see things working correctly when you go to a show and everyone’s singing along. We have nothing but great memories; like the tours we did with Britney Spears and NSYNC at the height of their career. Giant stadiums doing two or three nights in a row. It was just surreal. We were then able to do our own and sell out a House of Blues tour. Just looking back, it was pretty mental but so enjoyable.

Just looking back, it was pretty mental but so enjoyable.

How do you get over those nerves when you walk out to face a stadium-sized crowd?

I remember we did our first show in London, I was sweating and dropping picks. When it’s smaller crowds it’s harder because it’s so intimate. When it’s a sea of people, you’re not really connecting with anybody. The first few shows we were all nervous. It comes with experience. Even now, we’re not going out on stage totally relaxed. We still get nervous. We still get butterflies. When we just did Good Morning America, we felt the adrenaline.

Were you at all nervous to come back after all that time?

Well, we’ve still been singing and performing. Stephen was doing shows with Train and if anything, the feeling that we get now instead of back then is different. We really take it in. When you’re on stage and the fans are connecting with you and you can see that they’re really getting into the performance; I’m getting a better feeling of that now than I used to. I can’t describe it. You get lost in it on stage. You get lost in the music, in your own world. It’s a great feeling.

I can’t describe it. You get lost in it on stage. You get lost in the music, in your own world. It’s a great feeling.

What does it mean to you to be independent?

We need to be independent now and have that control, especially with a family. We [Mark and Steve] couldn’t do this the way we could back then. If someone said ‘get back together’ and we had to do that same level of work like before, I wouldn’t have done it. Family is our priority, family is number one.We can still do the work, but we don’t have to be out [on the road] all the time. Social media frees us up a lot and allows us to be present everywhere. It’s a good feeling. Before social media, all you could do was go on TV or do interviews for magazines. That’s what we were worried about when thinking about getting back together — our control being taken out of our hands. This time we’re going to do it ourselves and we got a great team around us. You guys (The Orchard), a manager, a great tour promotion company working with us…we got a great team. When you do it independently there are obstacles but it’s just about getting the right people. There’s pros and cons. We’re not signed, and we got on Good Morning America and to be able to say that while not being signed… hopefully it will snow ball and that’ll create more interest.

What can we expect from the new album?

It definitely has that NoEXIT sound in the guitars, vocals, and harmonies, but it’s very contemporary in the production. I’d say there’s elements of the first and second album on there, and other elements that no one’s heard yet. The three voices make it sound like NoEXIT. We were a bit worried in the studio, thinking, ‘It doesn’t sound like anything NoEXIT’ then we put the vocals down. Lyrically, we’ve moved forward in the right direction with catchy songs. The old NoEXIT fans won’t be disappointed.

[wishforsomewherenew]

I was tagged by @dibidibidrama​ thank you!! 

rules: answer 20 questions and tag others.

nickname: Court 

sign: aries 

height: 179 cm 

birthday: March 28th 

favourite bands: SHINee and Vixx 

favourite solo artists: the shines, Amber, Bobby

last tv show I watched: lol does fullmetal alchemist brotherhood count?

last movie I watched: Emperor’s new groove

when did you create your blog: sometime in 2013? I’ve been here a while 

what kind of stuff do you post: shinee, kpop, shinee, politics, shinee, memes, shinee...

do you get asks regularly: every few months i’ll get a whole bunch and then zero (come talk to me pls)

followers: 235 where tf did you all come from (ily all)

favourite colour: yellow and pearl aqua!

hobbies: reading (when i have time), baking (when i have time) and i’ve recently started playing piano again which is exciting! 

what are you wearing right now: old MtA hoodie and jeans with comfy slippers 

lucky number: 14

dream job: to have one lol I think I want to be a prof but I’m open to wherever my degrees lead me 

favourite food: bubble tea, patbingsu, and anything my mom bakes 

how many languages do you speak: english and enough korean to know when my friends are making fun of me ㅡ.ㅡ 

dream trip: i really want to go back to Korea, and do parts of Europe i haven’t seen yet. self-promo guess who’s going to Cardiff to present at a conference lmao 

I’m tagging @hand-painted-stars, @ifearobliviontoo, @04honeys, @picknvixx, @violenttrips, @paperinfinities, @bluetaemins and anyone else who wants to do this!!

[tsgaustintexas]

Friendsgiving with The Austin Artisan & S’more Volume 7 Members

Last weekend we kicked off the holiday season right with The Austin Artisan by hosting a Friendsgiving dinner party that we’ll remember for years to come. We tapped our amazing local businesses featured in Volume 7 and the results speak for themselves - the evening was effortless and beyond beautiful, if we do say so ourselves!

Photography by Shelby Bella

Chef + Owner of The Austin Artisan, Michael Wards & TSG Austin Editor + Owner, Leigh Ann Kalman

The Main Event

The night would not have happened without The Austin Artisan. From his initial planning to the flawless execution of a four-course meal, Chef Michael Wards made planning and prepping for our large group seamless. Prior to our event, The Austin Artisan team came out to my house to discuss the menu and to conduct a kitchen walk-thru to ensure a smooth night. Hours before guests were to arrive, he & his team swooped in and turned my kitchen into a true chef’s kitchen. They brought all of their own pots & pans, knives & supplies and at the end of the night, they left it cleaner than they found it. The sweetest servers - Brittany and Seti - helped put the finishing touches on our tablescape, from folding napkins to placing menus, silverware + more. 

To say my guests were shocked to see me sipping champagne (with dried and styled hair, no less) would be an understatement. Without the help of The Austin Artisan, I’m usually tornado-ing around the house, lighting candles, prepping cocktails and trying to finish my makeup. It’s not a pretty sight... 

The perfect backyard setting

Our backyard has been a 4-year process that we’ve done in phases and the project has finally been completed and we are over the moon about it. We’ve had some amazing people help us turn it into the ideal hosting destination, but by far - the biggest transformation was installing LawnPop Artifical Turf. We are obsessed. Like, yell it from the mountaintops obsessed. Owner, Tanner Shepard, and his team are truly the best in the business and every single person that steps foot in our backyard asks A) do we love it (duh!) and B) if it’s a good idea for dogs (100%!). We’ll be sharing more on that transformation soon - but in the meantime, reach out and get a quote. You will not be disappointed.

photographic evidence that I was ready to go *before* my guests arrived!

The tabletop collaboration of my dreams

Premiere Events’ rentals anchored the decor with a really fun black & white gingham tablecloth, which I paired with black chivari chairs & some super luxe velvet napkins. I added in some gold flatware & smoke-colored glassware, but kept the rest of the details clean and simple with these plates, bowls and wine glasses.

Paper Place did the most amazing job with the menus. Wherever Suzy Ranney (Owner of Paper Place) leads us, I follow. They are always so spot on and this project was no exception. I originally thought I wanted separate place cards, but they suggested incorporating the name card into the menu - genius! It looked so sweet and it was the perfect detail to make my guests feel special. Oh, and the raw edge detail on the menus was such an elegant look. As a special little treat, we included a recipe from Chef Wards on the backside of the menu (for his most delicious turnip gratin). Everyone was beyond impressed!

Photo by TSG Austin

Gracious Garlands’ 10’ft spregeri thread did an amazing job of tying the table together and making the design feel fuller. When it was just the black, white & orange, I was starting to second guess my vision. The greenery added some depth and all of the Halloween vibes instantly disappeared. We also had two matching wreaths hanging on our patio doors to tie it all together. The garlands arrived on Thursday, packaged perfectly and with a little fluffing - they were ready to go! Per Owner, Elle Worsham’s advice, we added in loads of candles and it was instant ambiance!

House of Margot Blair made the most fabulous ‘voluptuous minis’ - the biggest of her Margot Mini arrangements. Owner & Creative Director, Carly Blair, created the most beautiful fall floral arrangement that perfectly tied our festive table together. Pro Tip: She told me to place the arrangements facing opposite directions to show off all the different angles! It’s been almost a week and those beauties are still thriving and they make me smile every time I walk past them. She has some fun holiday happenings up her sleeve - including a workshop on the horizon (tomorrow!) and a special sale planned for Black Friday (subscribers only). Be sure to sign-up for her newsletter to stay in the know.

A menu fit for foodies 

There were three savory courses and it just got better and better. Everyone was blown away by the presentation, flavors and service. I truly can’t say enough good things about Chef Wards and his team! 

Hors d’oeurves

Red Snapper Crudo. Puffed Red Quinoa. Fresno Chile. Chile Oil. Tiger Milk. Citrus. 

Short Rib Tostada. Black Garlic Aioli. KimChi Slaw. Petite Celery. 

Brown Butter. Sourdough Crouton. Aged Cheddar. House-Made Fig Preserves. Pistachio Crumble. 

Course One

Cauliflower Bisque. Sunchoke Chips.

Garlic & Rosemary Oil. Cracker. Olive Varietals & Petite Herbs

Course Two

Carbonara with Fresh Linguine. Guanciale Lardons. 68° Egg.

Parmigiano Reggiano & Black Pepper

Course Three

Seared Petite Filet. Radish. Turnip Gratin. Field Greens. Cabernet Demi-Glace

 Course Four

Gourmet s’mores from Fluff Meringues & More around the campfire

Speaking of course four, Fluff Meringues & More ended the meal with a bang! Owner, Kristin Collins, has created the most indulgent and gourmet s’mores. If you’re dining in, you can roast your mallows over a small flame at your table. Or if you’re taking them to go, you can grab these over-the-top cute s’mores kits. We had a platter of homemade graham crackers and an assortment of dark + milk chocolate - which fun fact: they are melted down to size to guarantee the perfect ratios for each and every bite. The ‘mallows were the real star of the show - vanilla, chocolate and mint. I can assure you everyone indulged and had the signature s’more-sticky hands to prove it.

A few more fun details…

When you book your holiday dinner party with The Austin Artisan, be sure to use the promo code ‘LetsParty’ when you book & they’ll bring some of their signature bubbles to kick off your dinner party with a champagne toast! This offer is only good for events in December and just a few spots remain, so jump on it! It was such a special treat & the perfect way to greet everyone that walked through the door! Plus, it was the best excuse to use these beautiful crystal coups that my grandmother-in-law sent over from the UK.

We are fully obsessed with Fluff Meringues’ newest holiday candles. There are two scents, and as a self-proclaimed candle connoisseur, both are perfection. I went with ‘Jackson,’ a smokey birchwood + pine-scented candle because it gives me all the holiday feels. I also love that these candles are made in partnership with another amazing local business, Benjamin Soap Company.

If you think Cholula was left out of this soiree, think again! It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with my dog & I had to make sure she matched the decor with a black & white gingham bandana. She was such a good girl all night until she ate an entire s’mores kit the next day!! Don’t worry, she’s fine and very pleased with herself. Judging by this picture of her and my sister-in-law, I should have seen it coming…

Now that we’re back in 80-degree temps, it’s hard to believe that we were dining in 50-degree weather last weekend. Because of the chill, we called in the help of gas heaters to keep our guests toasty. As someone who can’t pass up a theme, I created a cheeky “Warming Station,” classed up with Leontine Linens’ cocktail napkins (thanks for the intro, The Scout Guide New Orleans!). My friends + family found it absolutely hilarious (and essential). Not one of the throw blankets I had inside for my guests were used - mission accomplished.

Cheers! Until next time... 

[shemakesmeforget]

3, 4, 5, 19, 30 (especially fic!!)

Mei!!! thanks a lot :)

3. favorite character and why

Yuuri Katsuki, the light of my eyes. Ultimate sweet boy, oblivious to his skills, to his charm. I JUST LOVE HIM, everything about him, he’s sweet and fun. Competitive and serious too! and even when he’s sulking he’s the best. Only love for Yuuri.

4. least favorite character and why

Michele Crispino, dude, leave your sister IN PEACE.

5. favorite rare pair

without a doubt, Yuuri/Chris 🔥🔥🔥

19. already answered here

30. favorite fanworks (art and/or fic)

yeah this is gonna get long, answer under the cut :))

So, fic rec time: what is not here I might have already recced here, also check my moodboards (shameless self promo):

- Modified Cupid by @diedraechin: canon divergence + cute meet!!! this is basically Yuuri pole dancing, smitten Viktor, Yuri’s little crush on Catsuki (oh yes, never getting over that pun) but also a really sweet fluffy fic (and hot af), laugh out loud,  A++ great read, like everything Sassy writes, hail the queen!!

- whenever, wherever @renaissancefic: I’m obsessed with the idea of Yuuri and Viktor crossing paths before and this fic fulfills all my needs, really lovely fic, Mallory’s prose is to die for.

- No Less Unthinkable by @rageprufrock: doing some research for another fic list I’m gonna do 👀👀 I found this gem and I’m so glad I did. This is the path of Yuuri’s love life (more like sex life) leading to Viktor and following the show. It’s perfection? Yuuri’s characterization is amazing? I could honestly go on and on about this. Also, this is canon now. 

- faking in secret by @gia-comeatme: fake relationship and dating in secret all in one, bless you Essa! Pining Viktor and oblivious heartbreaker Yuuri all under the excuse of getting free stuff, super funny fic, 12/10 would recommend.

- Set my Heart on Fire by JustBeHappy: I don’t know why I haven’t recced this before????  Yuri gets to witness the epic rivalry between Viktor and Yuuri! funny, and light, great use of social me, also, Yuri’s lowkey crush on Yuuri is 💘💘

- Money Shot by @captain-erwinmerica : I’m ready to die since chapter one, Yuuri ex fighter ex camboy current…. sugar baby? involved with the misterious Viktor. Seriously, hot as hell, and frustrating but in the best way. 

- drunk in love by @katsukiyuuristrophyhusband: Viktor runs a bar (maybe he never works lol) and Yuuri is his favorite costumer. Fluff and pining for days, Yuri is the voice of reason I love him, okay?

- feel like a quote out of context by @pencilwalla: canon divergence, Yuuri somehow insults Viktor and starts this rivalry. Viktor is intrigued and Yuuri regrets everything. This is miscommunication at it’s finest, but it’s not angsty?? hilarious and unique!

- Be My Sex Coach, Victor! by @lucycamui: Yuuri is really bad at sex and pornstar Viktor might help him change that. Super funny, light with a very real feel to it. Phichit in this fic won my heart.

- i will go down with this ship! by @yoyoplisetsky: we have Yuuri and Viktor as co-stars of a show. And people ship them, and also the characters, and also this two fic writers. All this level of ships fucks my mind in the best way, amazing fic also the show’s plot is really interesting!!!!

And about fanart? pretty much all I reblog I love, maybe check this tag

[etherbonded]

" 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞

𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐍 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒. "

INDIE / MULTI FANDOM / MULTI MUSE / CANON DIVERGENT / OC FRIENDLY

CROSSOVER FRIENDLY /MUTUALS ONLY

♥  LOVED BY EDEN ♥

ICON CREDIT: @gorecherry

( @divinitysheart ) OTHER BLOG ♥

[ikontract-blog]

Trove Cheat

{For sure, this can be one more voxel tool. My most desired foundation is a re-growth of Sauron's tower of Barad-d衩�Over the most simple degree, it refers into the tiny Trove Promo Codess of loot ready at the complete from very small-dungeons that us dot the landscape, yes, it cell phone calls target the amount of monitors. Its Water vapor introduction included a minimum of 11 programs, and in addition, simply because Trove Promo Codes is not going to truly have a good tale, it isn't hobbled developing a simply have to follow lore or even a one half-hearted a feeling of constancy. |{Most time was wasted utilising the Pirate Captain, a minion session that can toss out a huge cannon or even a puppet that taunts opponents, all at the same time his parrot companion bombards each of them on a cannon of their. "By" marks the taken off dungeon, or, a small ironically, the looted prize. Locating a staff is usually only a question of having the place where other people prefer the limelight are biking to witness exactly what they are as much as. about cornerstones is that you could walk them surrounding to every single new at random made country you check as required. As soon as almost all hours of perform, that becoming retains not absolutely faded, never the less i suspect I'll rapidly really should try to procedure from Trove Promo Codes for a time to remain it. Trove Promo Codes and is particularly Trove Promo Codess are straight away looking forward to me, similar to I placed them. Certainly, you possibly can if you ever Beat in Trove Promo Codes is exceedingly actions concentrated. |attentive Voice of experience? No, away from all…what supplied you that sense? Trove Promo Codes is exceedingly getting a synthetic 8-tad peek that they achieve wonderfully. The synthetic 8-tad peek may lead to some complications for folks and unfortunately that is not actually a thing could workout before signing in and offer the game a go. Trion comes with a remarkable customer satisfaction construction constantly in place for Trove Promo Codes. But Trove Promo Codes is superb for individuals who have a passion for mastering MMOs solo. Your money go shopping is entirely additional and the vast majority of objects in perhaps it is decided to buy by means of in tool money in place of valid profit. Dim Gods. It’s the whole thing people who despise Whoa feel Whoa is, but without worrying about country-construction, roleplaying or maybe a great deal communal becoming. |I looked in on Mojang’s period of time-understanding tool the primary time in quite a long time one more working week, understanding that i became hit mainly because when sombre and unusual it had been, how absolutely zero-populist it's however it has become the avatar of populism. showing out from Naturally youngsters enjoy it. To this day, even as i speak about how cynical and hollow it's, a thing on the back end of my skull itches: “go to return, receive a more satisfying tool, work one more dungeon, consider a sooner attach.” Self-loathing ends me, however if I wasn’t a cultivated boyfriend who feels themselves previous might well be despite the fact that he works coin tools for a bloody residing, I more than likely would yield. to consider, you should at no time recognize that they have prepared-in monetisation wherever. Your son or daughter probably will enjoy it. aimed on the 12-years of age segment (or neckbeard cartoon-seeing manchild group) should not hassle you also a great deal I am a neckbeard cartoon seeing manchild and practically nothing with regards to this captures me for the most compact. It is not a reliable assessment. There's two types of display here: 1) Suggests that happens to be intended for an through-all crowd, more often than not with essential gear to meet youngsters, and innovative underlayers/meta humour etcetera. |The counteract is not hard. Trove Promo Codes, As soon as I was vibrant, we’d make valid teams by using this acquaintances, as well as valid objects. Superior Individual Badge My children have a passion for tool titles and possess an enthusiastic daily life open air them. I express Meer’s Broad discontent that an vastly multi-person want to check out Minecraft could so ultimately pass up the true benefit to the 1st despite the fact that cashing toward the least expensive common denominator by jamming the loot connect in the frontal lobe and creating route to once and for all reel. It actually is simple to duplicate the images are loud and shouty without the need to say how Minecraft have done an increasingly reasonable role in website marketing shortly after. extremely hard to “Those dim and misty hill tops, the skeletal C418 soundtrack which appears to be a slower-range of motion existential crisis” Superbly published while you would look forward to. Unbelievably dissapointing reviewed. toward the level I truly took in within the dialog. etcetera. reviewed, except if of course |Observations are experiences. I bounced from Trove Promo Codes reasonably hard the primary time I supplied it a go. Secondary, there's a precise higher level of mastery to figuring out the range of modest dungeons. Also, the per hour timed circumstances where one can crank out the money (in your extremely low drop level) to acquire a dragon ultimately modify the velocity from tool. about it's free of cost. What is entirely wrong by using this? Oh, and simply just poking amusing at whomever declared farmville was reasonably P2W, about 80-90Percent With the tool tools might be develop to be really totally free and can even be in the end bought to people who spend cash. Allocate from items you declared was genuine, never the less, you have been pretty much message that you simply though it would have been a bad tool for everyone but youngsters. are able to. You would possibly purchase your kid an dress such as a apply treatment to if they're effectively socialized. uncover Woo. Should you wish to use over 10 per work, you’re built entirely wrong. |This could actually be genuine, if however you merely re-check out my submit, you will notice which i at no time was quarrelling the video game is P2W. been told this when? Internet marketing of good enough aging to hold been told to this very point to frequently, yet still focus on it every now and then. categorization And minecraft is usually a blatant ripoff of Infiniminer. They're significantly targeting individuals children. and here you choose to go €19,99 and all sorts of it offers is wing/attach and several programs. Educate yourself on the conditions, perhaps in the end, you can make an assessment, never the less this only predetermined to be a viewpoint, in addition to a poor a person low the less. you have at no time Nonetheless, you make it easier for remind me of individuals NRA types who gathering gun control activists resulting from not comprehending the variation between other tools. And actually i cant bear, Omg or LoL.. It’s good that you have looked at it, understanding that i was able to be wonderful with this particular turn out to be the past insurance coverage by it on RPS. They’re this sort of impenetrable area of interest that, to everyone not in the arena, the extensive pieces look like gobbledygook. |Sorry. Meer was significantly indicating that period of time of game enthusiasts who accomplished “hamster wheel” crushing coin tools when, will discover Trove Promo Codes to become only that and discover it for what it's. # 1 might be, for me personally, the “visceral” Shotgun element of the new logo. DOTA/MOBA insurance coverage has revealed a increase of site visitors. actually I’ve look at this reviewed when, only it had been one more journalist, one more 12 months, bashing Omg for it’s prolonged Introduce shower of quests and loot and returns. |This. Take a peek here: hook up with picroma.com This accustomed to annoy me, transforming into an early follower of Cube Entire world and among the initial to buy toward the alpha adaptation if this first of all persisted spend money on basically three years past (however, it has not been modified in various other than two)… But bear in mind I body shape I can as a result Though I just do have a passion for mastering. Mainly because the programmer of Trove Promo Codes Toolbox, I must say, this game isn't mainly for children neither of them could it be taking out the bucks at the pockets from children. I am 19 years old now and I am mastering since week of jan whilst not having transforming into bored stiff Whenever! So i highly recommend you, when you relate to this as tool a “kids game”, focus on it perfectly. So that you ultimately cant get “almost everything” totally free Just… oh boy - who gives crap? The reason Any individual bother with additional people wish to achieve using their time? Just what exactly should it be a united nations-challenging and difficult tool, or it looks just as one more. disagree utilising the Phrase farmville is comparable to minecraft should be about as complete as statement Whoa is exceedingly much the same Counter-top emerge go given that they have much the same artwork designs. Touring the spawn inside a country the place where people have recently placed their components might be quite awe-uplifting and the amount of creativeness I had seen in occasional cornerstones is way over and above things i suffered from imagined. By employing gathering varied biome-targeted tools in addition to a variety of more prevalent tools, you can build a biome-targeted consumable that each time utilised upon the shoreline within the existing group country biome, will sprout a completely new, at random made expand of territory about this biome. Now, there's a person gigantic, obvious flaw with Trove Promo Codes’s build up function you ought to perform for a long time to get at some functional higher level of construction flexibility. |a sufficient In the less tight feeling, Trove Promo Codes isn't pay out-to-acquire in any respect. A essential variety of troubles, here is an example dungeon design along with the dearth of inhibit styles offered to learners, can limit enjoyment for numerous. This operates by limiting the place where pinata intruders can spawn, so any 10-15 minutes a person pinata opponent will spawn for each and every person produce, as much as 8. Finest Operate and Weapon Photograph sooner, walk sooner, and Unaggressive Blessed Taken Randomly on working with breakdown properly prices very next charged chance. Trove Promo Codes’s dynamically made worlds are properly constructible and destructible, presenting game enthusiasts a at no time-closing arena of worlds the place where they can excursion, create, and discover. All progress from Start Beta may also bear in the completely full tool when Trove Promo Codes formally launches for Ps 4 and Xbox Specific. The possible the lack of narrative does nothing to injure the game overall, but in the case just the designers could possibly have extra a It offers a feeling of firm which i atmosphere is lacking from rotate based or another low valid-time platforms. |{Secretly worlds even so, you possibly can facilitate your imaginations go wild, construction everything you like. It’s the UI that lets Trove Promo Codes less expensive, not less than on control console. It’s a game title label that one could perform for hours, or a few minutes. {}For people who have at no time accomplished the Shovel Dim occasion line when, we'll quickly split less expensive what things to foresee. They all contain a effectively-published backstory and different platforming proficiency, all replete using their individual struggles. the range of gemstones plausible, even individuals in unknown areas. Trove Promo Codes is usually a free of cost-to-perform receptive country where you grasp your buddies, sharpen your blades, and suspend out of for excursion in Trove Promo Codes, the perfect actions MMO! Fight the causes of Shadow in realms rich in extraordinary dungeons and merchandise made out of your fellow people. the Just one more factor that blown away me is that you could get the whole thing by employing leveling up in particular wings or even a ship so investing in is entirely additional. Trovian and Trovian Cruise. inspiring people and those that look for a adventure loaded with loot and counteract. Trion areas they’re wishing to minimize the difficulty-realizing my luck for this reason the computers were being revealed less expensive immediately. An excellent time was suffered from by all, followed by boisterous cursing.