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that-good-trash · 4 years ago

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That Should Be Me

Kaminari x Reader

Word count: 4,153

Warnings: None

Summary: You were everything to Kaminari, and he was everything to you. So why did he feel like he lost you? Was there a way to get you back?

Comments: Just a nice little romance fic that I threw together to try and cure my writers block. Enjoy.

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The world was such a colorfully gorgeous place when you were in love. The sun seemed to shine brightly with warm rays that blanket over you. The best mornings were when you would wake up to sweet texts reminding you how beautiful you were and how much they missed you. The way your eye lite up when you looked at your phone caused your classmates to tease you. You couldn’t help how you felt so much emotion for your boyfriend. He was average to anyone else but to you he was amazing. He didn’t go to the same school as you, he didn’t go to school for being a hero at all. In fact, you had only met him by accident. You had been getting coffee for you and the girls. You hadn’t taken into consideration how many drinks there was gonna be and how you were gonna carry all of them. With two drink holders full in your arms you attempted to leave. One of the drink carriers fell out of your grip when the door didn’t open completely. You watched with horror as the drinks almost hit the ground. A boy had caught them in the holder, not spilling a drop. He looked just as nervous about them falling. He lifted the drinks up and went to give them to you but found he couldn’t. Your sparkling E/c eyes shimmered with gratitude. They were like whirlpools dragging him in. His mouth went dry trying to think of anything to say but lacked the ability to.

“Thank you so much!!!!” You grabbed the drinks from him waiting for him to reply but he didn’t. You awkwardly waved a few fingers since you couldn’t use your hand. You walked past him but stopped when he yelled for you.

“Go on a date with me!” You stopped and couldn’t turn because your cheeks were red. He almost screamed at himself because he had yelled it in front of everyone. You set the drinks down on one of the free outdoor table before quickly writing down on your phone number on your cup. You carried the drink to him and handed to him.

“That’s my favorite drink, you can treat me to one next time.” You weren’t dumb or completely shy like most people assumed. He was not expecting you to give him your drink and he definitely wasn’t expecting it to have your number on it. A huge grin spread across his face before you grabbed your friend’s drinks and fled before he could say anything else embarrassing.

That was a month ago and the two of you spent most of your free time together. You would go on dates and talk on the phone for hours. You had been scolded by Iida on more than one occasion for being on your phone during class. You and him were a loving cute couple. He was attending a normal high school with dreams of becoming a biologist. You supported him and he listened to you talk about hero things. The difference was that while you gave him your support, he didn’t seem to like the idea of you being a hero. The first fight you had was over your ‘reckless’ behavior. During training you missed an attack and received the brutal end of Kirishima’s fist. Kirishima felt so bad as you laughed at the swollen bruise across your cheek. You told him it was a good hit and it didn’t bother you. This bothered your boyfriend. He didn’t like you putting your life on the line. You stopped talking about school to avoid upsetting him. You loved being a student at UA and you loved him. You just tried to find the perfect balance of both of them. Though the more time you spent with your boyfriend the less you spent with your best friends.

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“What does he have that I don’t!” Kaminari’s whining could be heard down the corridors of UA. He had thrown his head back running his hands down his face. Kirishima laughed while walking ahead of him next to Bakugou who was trying his best to ignore the bitching blonde. Mina rubbed Kaminari’s back in a fake comforting way.

“He’s got Y/n, that’s what he’s got.” Sero had to dodge his besties fist. He laughed while hiding behind Mina who rolled her eyes but was also laughing.

“Denki!!!” Your voice cut through the chatter of the crowds around them. You rushed around the students and directly into Kaminari’s waiting embrace. He wrapped his arms tightly around you before spinning. You giggled and to anyone watching they’d think you two were dating. Actually, until you told your classmates about your boyfriend, they all thought you and Denki were a couple. Mina wanted so badly to be able to support both of you but it was hard since you were happy with someone else and Kaminari so desperately wanted to be with you.

“What’s up babe?” That was the thing with Kaminari, he came off as a playboy. He was smirking at you with the pet name slipping from his lips. You giggled since you were so used to it by now. He was your best friend. However, Kaminari wished you knew how much he wanted to be with you. He wanted the pet name to be real, not just something he said with false confidence. You knew he was playing around but he actually wasn’t. The term was enduring, and he wanted to tell you but couldn’t. Especially now looking at the diamond necklace around your neck with your first initial and your boyfriends.

“Denki! You better not be looking at my chest!” Kaminari flushed red and looked at his friends for help. Sero was laughing manically, clutching his middle while holding onto Mina for dear life. Bakugou had already abandon all of them to go to class. Kirishima looked like he wanted to follow the blasty boy but waited for the rest of their friends. “I wasn’t staring, I was admiring your necklace.”

You believed him, or at least the smile that spread across your face seemed like you had. You lifted the necklace holding the charms between your fingers. Oh boy how he wished you would look at him like you looked at the chain around your throat. You returned your attention to him letting the necklace drop against your skin.

“Denki. I want you to come to dinner with me tonight.” Kaminari almost fainting at your statement. You had Mina and Sero’s jaws on the ground. “I want all of you to come to dinner with me and meet my boyfriend”

There it was, there had been no way you were actually asking him and he was let down. He knew he shouldn’t have gotten his hopes up. Mina and Sero looked at their friend with pity. Sero bit his fist shaking his head, hurting for his buddy being done dirty like that. Kirishima smiled and nodded, he would be acting as the ambassador of the Bakusquad in Bakugou’s absence.

“We’d love to. When did you want to have this dinner?” Kaminari felt betrayed by Kirishima even though he wouldn’t be able to tell you no. “Tonight at 7, we have reservations at that Chinese hot pot place downtown. I hope that’s okay with you guys.”

“Sounds amazing, we’ll be there.” Kirishima flashed you his manly smile which you returned. You hugged Kaminari before running off to class. Kaminari was frozen not wanting to move. He had a permanent pout as his friends dragged him off to class. He would try to play nice but if a plug malfunctions and electrocutes your boyfriend it can’t really be helped. He thought about a million excuses to use to get out of this. He already had a hard time watching you text or hearing you talk about your boyfriend. He would literally die if he had to watch it with his own eyes.

“I’m not going.” Kaminari had his arms crossed while leaning against Kirishima’s door. Kirishima raised a brow before pursing his lips in annoyance. He was going to scold Kaminari about how unmanly that was but Bakugou beat him to it. “If I have to fucking go so do you dunce face.”

“But” Mina walked in through the open doorway pouting at his attempts to bail. They knew he liked you and that his was hard but they wouldn’t let him hurt you like that. “No buts except yours out that door and to the hot pot place. We can’t keep them waiting.”

A groan of frustration and heartache escaped as Mina dragged in out by his wrist. Kirishima laughed walking out with an annoyed Bakugou. Sero was downstairs waiting for his friends and when he saw Kaminari he slapped his back. “It’s okay, if you wanna bail later just say you got a stomach ache and leave.”

With his friends by his side and a good back up plan to bail in his pocket Kaminari was ready to face his fear.

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Laugher broke out amongst your friends as they made fun of something you had done during training a week prior. Your face was red from laughing so much and you were wheezing. Your friends just kept throwing out stories about you which flattered but also embarrassed you. Bakugou elbowed Kirishima when he leaned over mentioning the angry blondes soft spot for you. Sero chimed in mentioning how you were allowed to insult Bakugou playfully and not die. Mina talked about how gorgeous you looked in literally anything but also how you owned a lot of stupid clothing pieces. You choked on water before smacking her hand. She shrugged talking about how you owned mens Hawaiian style shirts and light up glasses.

Every time you laughed you would look at your boyfriend to see if he was enjoying himself. He was quiet but smiling. He would laugh once in a while which made you extremely happy. You wanted your best friends to get along with your boyfriend. As much fun as this was you weren’t completely happy because your favorite person wasn’t happy. Kaminari hadn’t contributed to the conversations and barely touched the food. Every once in awhile he would smile or nod along. It made you sad, broke your heart. Did he not feel well? You excused yourself to the bathroom to think of a plan on how to get him to tell you what was wrong. You skirt lifted up pretty high when you jumped up. Mina giggled when she caught sight of your underwear. You could be ditzy at times so you didn’t even notice it happen. Bakugou growled at your stupidity while Kaminari’s hand shot out pulling the fabric back down. He wasn’t even looking at you when he did it. You turned watching his hand return to his side. You didn’t catch the dark aura that surrounded your boyfriend but your friends did. Without any words you ran off. Sitting on the toilet you watched your phone screen typing and retyping questions for Kaminari. Eventually you dropped your head. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Y/n?” Mina called out for you as she entered the bathroom. She didn’t like the tension that was surrounding the table so she left to check on you. You opened the stall and she saw the sadness in your eyes. “What’s wrong.”

You got up and walked into her waiting arms. She hugged and rocked you slightly. The one thing about the Bakusquad was they were very protective of you. She knew something was bothering you even before you left the table.

“I think Denki is mad at me.” Mina was actually surprised by your statement. Never would she expect you to think that. Kaminari never gave the impression that he was upset with you, even today she thought he just gave the aura that he didn’t want to be around your boyfriend, not you. He always looked at you with admiration and longing. He was an idiot but not dumb enough to hurt your feelings. That’s why he was here. “Kaminari isn’t mad at you, he’s just being dumb. He doesn’t like your boyfriend.”

She knew that saying it was controversial and would cause problems but she had to say it so you didn’t think ill of him. You looked so confused. “Why?”

What could she say? Hey Kaminari is in love with and he can’t stand to see you with another guy. Or maybe she could say, hey the moment you left your boyfriend stared down the boys with a look that was laced with possession and jealousy. Bakugou looked like he wanted to kill him and Sero looked physically uncomfortable and usually he was the one that got along with everyone. She didn’t want to start drama.

“Well, um. He doesn’t like when other guys are around you. He’s kind of protective of you.” You looked unconvinced.

“I hang out with guys in class all the time, how is this different? This is my boyfriend. I just you guys to all get along.” Your hands play with the ends of your skirt and she just wants to hug you and leave the boys to take care of this. That’s not how this night was about to go. Outside the bathroom in the private seating area you had reserved things were heating up and not because the hot pot.

“You don’t own Y/n!” Bakugou snapped at your boyfriend who made a comment about how you should wear more modest clothes around boys. Kirishima was pissed along side the hot head.

“I don’t own her but she is MY girlfriend. She shouldn’t be showing her panties to every guy around her. Also, it seems like you guys have sleepovers together. That’s gonna stop. She will not be spending the night with a bunch of guys like some kind of whore.” Bakugou was ready to attack but he didn’t have to, Kaminari slammed his fist into your boyfriend’s face. The sound of his knuckles meeting the boy’s jaw could be heard through the thin paper doors. “She’s not a whore and you’re a fucking asshole.”

Bakugou smirked while Kirishima told him to stop. Your boyfriend rubbed his face before hitting Kaminari back. You ran out with Mina when you heard yelling. You ended up walking up as Kaminari hit him again. You screamed for him to stop and his blood ran cold. You witnessed him as the bad guy and he never wanted that to happen. He watched the harsh glare you sent him as you held onto your boyfriends bleeding face. “Y/n it’s not what you think!”

“Don’t… Just don’t.” You left with disappointment in your eyes. Your boyfriend won and the real story was never told. The Bakusquad knew the truth and were willing to tell you since they wanted you to break up with him. Kaminari left ignoring his friends. He harshly rubbed angry tears into his hoodie as he walked the darkening streets. He just wanted to protect you. He knew that guy was right for you and now he just lost the ability to prove he could love you the way you deserved to be.

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“You can’t hang out with them anymore.” You had been icing your boyfriends’ nose when he spoke up, he was dead serious. You were mad but not mad enough to end friendships over this. “But they’re my friends.”

“Aren’t I your boyfriend? Don’t you care about me? That crazy red eyed demon said horrible things to me and that electric idiot hit me. How can you defend them when I’m bleeding?” You were mad when he called your friends insulting names. You knew this was a bad first impression but you didn’t want to tear apart your life because of this. You looked at him and he stared back with a stern look. You felt guilty like this was all your fault. “For now, I’ll give them space but I don’t think I can stop being their friend.”

This was a small victory for him but a lose for you. You couldn’t imagine a world where they weren’t in it, but this is what he wanted and you loved him, right?

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A few days passed and you hadn’t talked to your friends and it was killing you. They didn’t avoid you so it was even harder. Kirishima tried to talk to you but you just ran off. Sero and Mina cornered you but you escaped. Bakugou tracked you down but you hid in the girl’s bathroom for hours till he gave up. Kaminari hadn’t gone after you and that part broke your heart even more. You wanted to ask him what had happened but couldn’t get yourself to go against your boyfriend’s words. This whole fucked up scenario and started affecting your work and training. You were distracted and tired. Everyone could see what that boy was doing to you, expect you, you couldn’t see his manipulation. Deep down you knew, how could you not. It was just hard to think that he was bad when he was so caring in the beginning.

“Y/n!” You couldn’t run when the whole squad excluding Kaminari approached you. They had you trapped, no where left to run. “Okay, tell me what happened.”

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You stood in your UA uniform leaning against the fence surrounding the park that you had many lunch dates with your boyfriend at. You had texted him to meet you. Your friends had told you what was said by the man you were supposed to trust and love. You didn’t want to believe it but it had to be true. They wouldn’t hurt you unless they had too. You knew what needed to be done even if it hurt and left you with scars on your heart. The breeze blowing by lifted your skirt which you pushed down to avoid another incident like at the restaurant. You look up and see your boyfriend smiling at you. He hugs you before you can speak. “I was gonna ask you to meet up with me and then you texted me, what perfect timing.”

You wondered what he wanted to talk about and the possibility of him telling you the truth popped into your mind. You hoped he wanted to own what he had said and done. Oh boy were you wrong. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Oh, I wanted to tell you that I think you should quit UA. I think being a hero is to draining and it doesn’t look good on you. Your always getting injured and that hurts me. I can’t worry about you. I don’t want to have to fight for your attention. That school is bad for you. You should transfer to my school; you’d look better in our uniform anyway.” Talk about a blow to your chest. He hit you where it hurt. You loved UA and your dream, that you mentioned all the time, was to be an amazing hero. He wanted you to give up who you were to be his, his arm candy. You were strong, courageous, heroic but to him you were clumsy, reckless, and in over your head. You wanted to believe that he meant well but this wasn’t at all in your favor. You were a doll and everything your friends told you made perfect sense and fit directly into this puzzle. A puzzle you no longer wanted to be a piece of. “I’ll give you time to think about it.”

“No.”

“No…No? What do you mean no.” He was looking at you with distain, like you just spit on his new shoes.

“I’m not leaving UA. Actually, the only thing I’m leaving is you.” You wore your confidence proudly. A girl passing by yelled that she was proud of you and that fuck him. You had to bite back the laugh that wanted to escape. You crossed your arms waiting for his response. He nodded and started pacing. He looked pissed, his lip twitching. He turned toward you dropping his arms by his sides and walked toward you. You stood your ground as he looked down at you. You looked him over before staring into his burning eyes. He was heavily breathing and for a moment you thought he was gonna hit you. “You’re a stupid whore anyway and I don’t need you. Have fun with your fucking gang bang.”

“I will.” He hadn’t expected you to get the last word and so proudly spoken to. You threw him off guard but he punched you off your feet. You were on your ass stunned. He turned to leave and you saw the girl from a moment ago yelling while running toward him. Another person came running cause your ex to ditch out. You helped yourself up thanking the strangers. Beside the pain of your swollen lip you felt good, free. You headed home with a slight pep in your step.

“Denki?” Kaminari was waiting outside the dorm building. He turned wanting to apologize but stopped. He saw your lip and felt rage course through his veins. He stormed passed you but you caught his arms stopping him. “He did this to me but it’s okay. I broke up with him. It’s actually why he did it. Fuck him though, right.”

You were smiling despite your bruised lip. Your eyes gleamed with life and happiness again, it was enough to calm Kaminari’s anger, for now. He sighed before going back into the dorm building. He returned with an ice pack. He held it to your lip earning him a huge smile from you. He smiled back at you causing your heart to clench. You hadn’t realized how much you missed him till he was in front of you. You lean against his side while he ices your wound. “Hey Denki, Mina told me you didn’t like my boyfriend before all the fighting happened. What made you hate him prior to meeting him?”

He could have lied and lived with the truth forever but he needed you. He loved you and would give up anything for you to realize that. This was the moment he could free himself from carrying this burden. If you broke his heart, he would still love you and be your best friend.

“I hated him because he had the most important thing in my life and I didn’t. He had your love, your heart. I, I love you and just wished that I could have been him.” He was red and he was sure he was about to go into cardiac arrest but hey he said it. You had wished that he had told you before, before all this shit had to happen. You wished that you never went out with that asshole but chased after Kaminari. You had liked him all this time but thought he was just being nice and flirting because that’s who he was. Hearing him be shy yet confident and tell you made you realize you could have had this all along. A happy ending with your favorite person. You started crying and hit him which made him think he fucked up. You held into his shirt sobbing while looking at him. He was scared and hated himself for making you cry.

“Y/N please don’t cry! I’m sorry, you don’t have to like me.” You hit him again before hugging him. He hugged you back with no hesitation. “I don’t hate you idiot. I just wish you saved me the heart break and told me earlier. I love you too Denki.”

His heart stopped and you actually could physically feel him breathing, you let go and waved a hand in front of his eyes. He looked like he had just overused his quirk but with a little more shock and less stupid. You felt like you should get somebody but before you could escape you were grabbed. His arms held you tightly against his body, his breath hot against your ear. “I hope you realize what you’re getting yourself into.”

“Denki, I’m well aware and willing.” You giggled and pressed your nose to his. He countered your cute sentiment with his own. His lips gently pressed into your own with hope that it wouldn’t be painful for you. There were sparks which was cliché and almost ironic but nonetheless there were sparks. Your lips moved forming themselves perfectly against his. Despite the swelling and bruising you felt that this was exactly how your first kiss should have gone. It could have lasted forever but that was unrealistic. You had to pull away to breathe. He laughed and your foreheads met when he leaned down, his arms holding your waist. You didn’t know it but there were now pictures and recordings of this timeless moment because a certain group was watching. They were happy for the both of you. Bakugou though made a mental note to take the squad out later to find your ex and repay him for your lip.

#bnha #bnha x reader #mha #mha x reader #mha imagines #kaminari x reader #denki kaminari imagine #denki kaminari x reader #mha kaminari #bnha kaminari

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treatian · 4 years ago

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The Chronicles of the Dark One: The Dark Curse

Chapter 110: A Different Kind of Deal

Sheriff of Nottingham. Dammit. The Seer always delivered. Sometimes he just didn't understand how she delivered until it was right upon him.

There the Sheriff sat, mounted upon his steed as a few other men of the King's guard collected what appeared to be paupers and threw them into the back of a jailhouse wagon. What he knew about the Sheriff was little, he'd only ever seen him in that one vision he'd had of Robin and the one he'd had only a few days ago of beating the gentleman over something that had made him angry enough to kill. But this certainly wasn't that moment. The setting was all wrong, and, if the clothing and metallic "cars" told him anything, he was fairly certain it was bound to happen after the Curse was cast. And yet he had a bad feeling about the Sheriff now. Was it simply a bias the vision had caused in him that formed this dislike he felt as they walked closer and the Sheriff dismounted? Or was it more? He wasn't particularly fond of military men, much less ones that drank as much as he did. He was drunk. He had to be. He'd seen him pull a flask from his saddle a bit ago, but that had merely been a sip. One didn't come to smell the way he did, or act the way he did, from merely a "sip". If he had to wager a bet, he'd guess the flask was nearly empty. He staggered over to the pair of them sniffling in the chilly air with bloodshot eyes that had nothing to do with the cold. He did feel angry at him. No, he didn't like him. But it wasn't enough to want him dead. What was it that would make him despise him so, or want to kill him one day? Something about this incident? He didn't understand, if the Seer's voice was to be believed, then the Sheriff was about to be of some use…

"What are you doing in my woods?!" he called out to them strutting about like some kind of peacock. As if he had something to display…

"Pardon the intrusion Sheriff, ahem…" he cleared his throat, his voice automatically taking on an accent from a previous Dark One who had lived here once upon a time. He stooped his shoulders, hunched his back, and avoided the larger man's eyes, pretending to be far more humble and less intimidating than he actually was. The Sheriff wanted to strut? Fine. He could let him strut so long as it got him answers. "I'm looking for a thief. He attacked me with this bow," he explained pointed at the object which the Sheriff immediately set to inspecting. "I chased him as far as these woods, and then he vanished."

"Yes, I know exactly who you're after, but I also know who you are…Rumpelstiltskin."

Well, if that was the case…

"My reputation precedes me! Excellent!" he stated, standing up tall and dropping the former Dark One's voice for his own. If he already knew who he was there was no point in hiding.

"Yes, as does your penchant…for making deals!"

Now…that he didn't like. It was hard to pinpoint what he didn't like the most. Was it the way that he'd said that, his patronizing tone of voice? Was it the way he mocked him by giving his hands a little flourish like one that he had mastered hundreds of years ago? Or was it his face? That stupid sneer and dark, entertained gleam in his eyes?

Maybe it was all of it.

But did he not like it enough to kill him?

What did it matter to him so long as he got what he wanted in the end? And if the Sheriff needed a little something for the information he had, and he could make a deal from it, then he was always willing to do business; especially when it allowed him to teach a lesson.

"I'll tell you where you can find your thief, if you give me something in return," he clarified drunkenly, as if he hadn't been entirely clear before. He took another drink from that flask of his, and then he waved him closer.

"What do you want?" he asked warmly, like a good Papa asking his boy what he might like in exchange for a pretty penny. The Sheriff would never pick up on it, but treating him like the child he was acting as was plenty entertaining for him.

Until the man's gaze drifted from him, to something over his shoulder.

"A night with your wench," he slurred, looking him in the eye.

Something…or someone?

He'd heard his fair share of unbelievable deals in the past, but this one sent him reeling. For a moment, he wondered if he'd said what he thought he'd said, if he'd heard correctly. But then his hungry, slobbering gaze drifted over his shoulder once more. He wasn't mistaken. A night with his "wench".

He was talking about Belle.

He followed his pitiful gaze over his shoulder and looked timidly for the woman. From the confidence in the Sheriff's, he half expected to find her doing something scandalous, giving him some kind of tempting look that might suggest she wanted his attention. At the same time, he knew immediately that kind of behavior was uncharacteristic for Belle.

Sure enough the moment he laid his own eyes on her he could see that she was pale; paler than usual. He could hear her heart racing as she stepped away, gaping at what she'd heard. Sheltered she might have been, but she knew what he'd been talking about. And she was in no way pleased or asking for it.

He returned his eyes back to the Sheriff and found him still staring at her, practically drooling. They'd both been looking at the same girl, the Sheriff had seen what he'd seen and yet her reaction didn't change his reaction or his desires. Vermin.

"Ah, she's not for sale," he stated quickly. His stomach was already rolling around in his belly, disgusted at the thought, he couldn't imagine what she was feeling. All he knew was that they both wanted to be away and gone from here. It wasn't safe. And suddenly he felt guilty for submitting her to such a request. This "punishment" had been a terrible mistake.

"You can't part with her for say…an hour? Twenty minutes?"

Belle's heart was racing again, he could hear that easily. Her lack of breath told him that she was far more afraid than she'd been with him and she had every right to be.

He was the Dark One, a monster. He'd killed people over stupid things, it was safe to say that his morals were not the straightest and as such there were very few crimes that set him on edge. But this was one of them. Rape, the careless abuse of a female just because they were seen as weaker, an urge to overpower in the darkest of ways; it was foul. The thought of him yanking Belle away from him and carting her off to some tavern for a night, or holding her behind a tree for an hour, even a few minutes, while she screamed and struggled beneath the pig in front of him…it was disgusting. Maybe because he'd had aunts or been married or had women who he counted as friends once upon a time, but he considered it the most unmanly thing he could think of doing. It was cowardly and degrading and suddenly he wanted to make sure that he understood that. When they'd stepped out of that carriage, he hadn't wanted to kill the Sheriff, now he wanted more. He wanted him to feel the humiliation that any woman who found themselves pinned beneath him might have felt-for Belle's sake.

"Let me think…" he joked, putting his hand to his head as if to concentrate. Instead, he called upon his magic and summoned into the palm of his hand the Sheriff's tongue.

It was a perfect punishment. Though he had so desperately wanted to steal another part of his anatomy from him, and was still considering it, his tongue would be so much more fun to watch and made better by the fact that he'd be speechless. If he was so bold as to ask him for Belle in such a way, he was willing to bet there were more women who he'd made feel speechless and powerless in his past. Now it was his turn.

He watched with joy as the Sheriff stared in fear at the black smoke that he saw, then tried to say something, or perhaps scream, and instead gagged. He tried again. His heart began to hammer against his ribs. He could smell fear on the Sheriff as he choked, sputtered and gagged, and all he could bring himself to do for several long seconds was laugh as he enjoyed every bit of it. In fact, he probably let it go on for longer than necessary though he thought that his victims, perhaps even Belle, would have disagreed. After all, he didn't see her racing to stop him. Certainly, his men could see that he was in some kind of distress, but they didn't run to help him.

"I propose a new deal. I give this back to you," he finally stated, holding up the offending muscle for him to observe, "and in return, you tell me everything you know about the man I am hunting. You ought to be more careful with your possessions!" he shouted, shaking the thing carelessly and flagrantly around in front of him. It was precious to him, perhaps he'd take a lesson in seeing something so important used so shamefully, though he was doubtful it would happen in this moment as he turned purple.

"Do you agree to my terms?"

He nodded and grunted. Clearly, willing to do as he said.

"What was that?" he questioned again just for sport.

Again, he grunted and nodded with an undeniable fervor.

"Oh, I'll take that as a yes then," and with another wave of magic, his pushed the tongue back into his mouth. Instantly he drew a great breath and coughed as if it was his breathing that had been affected. Then he brought his hand to his mouth and touched his tongue several times as if testing whether or not he'd actually put it back. A silly thing really, he'd seen black come out and black go in. Obviously, he knew it was there. And now he was wasting his time.

"Start talking…" he growled.

"The man who you're after, I've been chasing him for years!" he shouted. "He ruined me! He stole the woman I love and made me the laughingstock of all of Nottingham!"

All helpful information, though if he really had stolen the woman he loved, then he could only imagine what that woman had endured from him.

"Where can I find him?" he pressed.

"Last I heard, he was hiding out in Sherwood Forest," he answered without hesitation. Good. He loved it when a deal followed through.

"And his name?" he asked finally, hoping he possessed that one important piece of information. Even if it was an alias or a nickname, it would help him locate the thief.

"Robin Hood," the Sheriff answered. "He goes by Robin Hood."

Another Robin. How convenient.

He turned back to Belle without offering a word of goodbye to the Sheriff. He didn't deserve anything more than what he'd gotten. Especially if the look on Belle's face was any indication. She was breathing again. Her heartrate was elevated, but it wasn't as bad as it had been before. She was still pale, so pale he was surprised she hadn't swooned as so many of her gender might have. She was a strong one, maybe stronger than even he had realized.

But she didn't move. Her eyes weren't on him, they were trained on the Sheriff, unflinchingly so. Had she been alone that would have been a smart thing to do, one should always keep one's eyes on the true threat at hand. But she wasn't alone. She was with the most powerful creature in their realm. He wouldn't allow harm to come to her, especially not in that way.

Finally, her gaze broke. It was only once he purposefully moved between her and the Sheriff, forcing her to break her stare that he saw her focus shift. She swallowed so many times that he knew her mouth had gone dry. He could smell fear on her too. It was the first time she'd been that afraid around him. But it hadn't been him she'd been afraid of. It was the Sheriff. What a strange world they lived in.

When she didn't move to leave, he placed his hands at her waist and applied a gentle pressure to turn her around and move back toward the carriage. He kept his hand around her back. She trembled, but he knew it wasn't from him. If she didn't want his hand there, she easily could have moved out of his gasp. Instead, she leaned into it and stumbled a few times as they moved. The fucking Sheriff had left her terrified.

She grasped his hand tighter than normal when he helped her back into the carriage as if afraid she might fall. He could have sworn once the door was closed, and they were on their way again, that he heard her sigh in relief.

"Thank you," she squeaked out suddenly, without confidence or malice.

He wouldn't say she was welcome. He couldn't. He shouldn't have had to do what he'd done to begin with. He shouldn't have had to thank him for forcing a rutting pig to keep his dick in his pants. He was sorry she'd had to go through it. He was sorry for any woman who had to go through it.

"I don't make those kinds of deals," he muttered. He wanted to make sure she knew that he was disgusted by any man that would have allowed a deal like that to have been made. But the words never came. He listened to her heart once more and found it was still faster than it should have been, but it was better. She smelled better too; less fearful, more like...Belle. That was something, at least.

So he turned his attention from her and what had happened and instead began to seek out Robin Hood.

#Rumbelle #Rumple #Rumpelstiltskin #Dark One #Belle #sheriff of nottingham #Robin Hood #ouat #ouat fanfiction #fanfiction

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comicgeekscomicgeek · 5 years ago

Text

Their Hero Academia - Interlude 2: Heroes and Villains

The next installment of my on-going, next gen, My Hero Academia fan fic “Their Hero Academia”, raw and unedited.

This interlude is actually in two parts, for easy readability. Several of the work study pairs as well as portions of the dialog were suggested by @msalliepants

Chapters 0-24, plus the first interlude, can be found here

Their Hero Academia – Interlude 2: Heroes and Villains

Part 1: Heroes

Izuku Midoriya thanked the hostess who had shown him to the restaurant’s back room and looked upon some of his best friends in all the world. They didn’t get to all see each other as much as they liked anymore, not since so many of them were so busy with their careers as Pro Heroes, but they liked to get together when they could. At least he got to see Kacchan and Eijiro on a regular basis, since they actually lived next door to each other, with Denki and Kyoka on the other side, in a gated community that catered to Pro Heroes. Tetsutetsu and Itsuka actually lived across the street, as did Monoma and his wife.

Momo had actually bought the restaurant many years ago so that they could get together when they wanted with some modicum of privacy. Considering they counted among their number a very large number of Heroes in the Top Ten, it was a necessary precaution.

“Deku!” And there was the voice that could brighten his world immediately, his wife of twenty years, Ochako. She leapt up from her chair next to Tsuyu and ran over to him, wrapping him in a hug that he gladly returned, followed by a kiss. Behind them, he could hear Denki and Minoru hooting and hollering, but he ignored them.

“Hey you,” he said. “You get the kids dropped off at Mom and Dad’s okay?”

Ochako smiled. “Yeah. Hana’s being moody about the whole thing, but Mako’s just happy to be seeing her Grandpa Might.”

Not surprising. At almost thirteen and with no interesting in turning Pro Hero herself, Hana was a typical teenager. At five, Mako was perfectly happy to be her Grandpa Might’s “sidekick.” So long as she wasn’t setting things on fire with her Fire Breath Quirk, anyway.

They’d come a long way from a classes of teenagers thrown into the deep end of the Hero pool. Now they were adults with careers and families of their own. They all had children, many of them more than one. A lot of potential little Heroes, as Dad liked to say.

“Good,” he said, as he took her hand in his and joined their friends at the long table. There were thirty-three of them all together. Himself and Ochako, Tsuyu and Fumikage, Tenya and Mei, Denki and Kyoka, Momo and Shoto, Kacchan and Eijiro, Mezo and Haruko, Hitoshi and Camie, Hanta and Mina, Mashirao and Toru, Koji and Ibara, Minoru and Pony, Yuga and Haru, and Rikido; they were also joined tonight by Itsuka and Tetsutetsu, Kota and Eri, and Mirio and Melissa. It made it a little hard to have a conversation, but they managed. Most of them had been through hell together and that had forged bonds that nothing would ever break.

For his part, he spent some time talking to Mirio and Melissa, gushing over how well their eldest, Tamaki, was doing as one of his sidekicks. Considering both he and Mirio operated together out of Might Tower (an extraordinary graduation gift from Dad), and Melissa ran their Support division, it was probably unnecessary, but he couldn’t help but share what he felt.

Around him, the others were engaged in conversations of their own, interrupted only briefly by the wait-staff arriving to take their orders. Ochako and Tsu exchanged parenting tips, Mei and Melissa were lost in some technical discussion he couldn’t follow at all, Haru and Haruko were talking as the always did, of the troubles of being a non-Hero spouse. Eijiro and Tetsutetsu were proudly sharing pictures of their youngest to anyone who would listen, while Kacchan looked more and more exasperated by his husband’s antics by the minute. Mina was teasing Tenya about being future in-laws. And he was fairly certain he heard Mina telling Toru that she was pregnant again.

Finally, after the food had been brought and they eaten, Izuku clinked on his glass with his spoon to get everyone’s attention.

“Okay,” he said. “As nice as this has been—really great to see everyone again—we actually do have a real reason for getting together tonight. As you know…”

“Oi, Deku!” Kacchan shouted, giving him an annoyed look. “Nobody says “as you know!” We all get it, the Sports’ Festival’s coming up in a couple weeks!”

Izuku moved on, not letting that stop him. “Well… yeah,” he said. “That. Anyway, we all know it’s coming up. And while I’m hoping all of our kids do well enough to get a lot of offers…”

“YEAH!” Eijiro interrupted. “My Katsumi’s gonna kick so much ass! You’ll all get to see how awesome she is!”

“Shit down, Shitty Hair,” Kacchan said, yanking him back down in his seat.

“Sorry, Izuku, Bakubabe!” Eijiro said. “Got carried away.”

Izuku waved it off. “It’s fine, it’s fine. But like I was saying, we’ve talked about it before, but we want to make sure all the kids have offers. I know some of us can remember how bad it felt not to have any.”

Around the table, several of his friends and former classmates nodded.

“Just remember to keep an eye out for General Studies kids too,” Hitoshi said. “U.A.’s gotten better about getting people into the Hero Course, but there’s still a lot of them slipping through the cracks.”

“Not that being in General Studies is bad,” Haruko said, from her spot next to Mezo. “But we were all proud of you for making it, Hitoshi.”

Hitoshi gave her a polite nod in return. “Lots of hard work,” he said. “You could have made it too, you know.”

She shook her head. “I was never cut out for it. Besides, one Hero in the family is enough for me.”

“Anyway,” Izuku said, “I got an e-mail from Aizwa this morning and it basically said that if any of us even thought about taking our own kids for Work Study week, he would track us down and beat the stuffing out of us.”

Minoru let out a terrified shriek, clinging to Pony at the very thought.

On the other hand, Eri and Hitoshi both let out a laugh. “Sorry,” Eri said. “But that’s just such a Dad thing to say.”

“You really can’t see how frightening he is, can you, babe?” Kota asked.

“He’s really a softie,” she replied. Kota gave her a look that suggested she’d gone mad, but didn’t belabor the point. All things considered, Izuku didn’t blame him. He still considered Aizawa to be one of the scariest people alive and he’d taken on some incredibly frightening Villains in his career.

“He still means it though,” Hitoshi said. “But he’s softened in his age if he’s giving us a warning.”

“Wait,” Denki piped in. “So that means…”

He trailed off and Kyoka buried her head in her hands. “Take your time, Idiot.”

Denki have this some thought for a moment, before shaking his head. “Nope, I got nothing.”

“I assume you’re suggesting there’s nothing preventing us from extending offers to each other’s children, Izuku?” Momo asked.

Izuku nodded. “Right, Momo. So I thought maybe we could work it out ahead of time.”

“I must object!” Tenya said. “Surely, this premeditated behavior is unbecoming of Pro Heroes such as ourselves, not to mention unfair to the sportsmanship of U.A!”

“Oh, relax, Tenya,” Ochako told him, looking mildly annoyed. Izuku could understand it. Tenya actually had relaxed some since they were in school, but could still be a stick in the mud most of the time. “We’re not depriving the kids of any offers. We’re just making sure they all have one if they want it. And we can scout more than one student if we see someone else who really catches our eye.”

Tenya grumbled a reluctant agreement.

“Nejire and Tamaki let me know they want to be involved too, if they can,” Mirio said. He’d known in advance, of course, since Izuku and Ochako had discussed it with him.

“A good plan,” Shoto agreed. “But who gets whose kid?”

“I was getting to that, thanks, Shoto,” Izuku said.

“Well, hurry it up, Deku!” Kacchan snapped. “Some of us haven’t got all night!”

“Funny you should mention that, fam,” Camie said. “Hitoshi and I were talking, and we think it’d be mad lit if you’d take Shota.”

Kacchan’s eyes went a little wide as he fixed the two of them were a glare. “And what makes you think I’d wanna take the little loudmouth?”

Hitoshi was unfazed by Kacchan’s glare. “Shota has a Quirk that is both unique and powerful. But he is prone to distraction and sometimes lacks discipline. You should be able to provide some instruction on the first and temper the latter.”

After a moment of sustained eye contact, Kacchan backed down. He waved a dismissive hand in the air. “All right, but you owe me big for this, Sleepy. Your kid never shuts up.”

Hitoshi simply shrugged in reply.

“He gets his mad gift of gab from me, fam,” Camie said, proudly.

Izuku decided it was best to simply move on. “All right, that’s one down. Before we start digging into everyone, I, ah, I think it’s probably best that we deal with the “difficult” children first.”

“Difficult children?” Mina asked. “We don’t have any difficult children!”

Well, this was going to be awkward. But Izuku pressed on. He coughed, awkwardly clearing his throat. “Mika, Chihiro, Takuma, Katsumi, and the Twins.”

Predictably, the room exploded.

“How dare you accuse my little princess!” Minoru shouted.

“Minny…” Pony said, trying to calm him down.

“What’s wrong with Chihiro?” Denki demanded.

“She’s got your genes,” Kyoka told him, rolling her eyes.

“What the hell, Izuku?!” Mina shouted. “I thought we were friends!”

“Your kid’s always getting Kenta into trouble, Mina,” Rikido said, crossing his arms. Hanta just looked awkwardly between his friend and his wife.

“I am hurt by these unmanly accusations!” Eijiro cried out.

“Deku, you take that back, damn you!” Kacchan roared.

“What did you say about my babies?!” Mei screamed.

“Excuse me,” Tenya shouted, arms flailing through the air. “My children are not difficult!”

The room went quiet for a minute, before everyone turned to state at him.

“They are a handful,” Tenya added, pushing his glasses up. “There is a difference.”

Eyes returned to Izuku and he swallowed nervously. He’d rather have been facing a room full of super-villains. “We all know what I’m talking about,” he said after a moment. “We all love our kids, they’re all great kids. But some of them need a little more guidance or a little firmer a hander than others. That’s it. Maybe difficult wasn’t the best word, but… still…”

Fortunately, things settled after that.

“I’d be happy to take Chihiro,” Momo said. “Kyoka and I have been talking with Eri already. It will be a good opportunity to begin preliminary plans for Support equipment she can use.”

“Thanks, Momoyao,” Kyoka said, clearly relieved. “Just remind her she’s got my genes too, okay? Don’t let her do too many stupid things like my Idiot here.”

“When have I ever done anything stupid?” Denki asked, looking slightly hurt.

“You really don’t want me to answer that question.”

Minoru stretched a hand into the air. “Oh! Oh! Tsu! You should take my little girl! You’ve got an all-female crew, right? No boys to get her in any trouble?”

“Minny, you know Mika doesn’t just like boys,” Pony corrected him.

He pressed on anyway. “Boys her age are nothing but trouble. Should have sent her to an all-girls school.”

Fortunately, Tsuyu didn’t’ focus on that part. She put a finger to the side of her mouth. “I’d love to whip her into shape,” she said, “but she can’t swim, *kero*.” Tsuyu had taken over from Captain Selkie many years ago and primarily patrolled the waters of Japan. She was good at it too, good enough to have become the Number Nine Hero. That she was popular with children and adults didn’t hurt.

“However,” Momo said, “she could use someone responsible and disciplined.”

Several pairs of eyes fell on Tenya. Shock crossed his face at first, but was then replaced by his usual look of determination. “Very well,” he said. “I shall do my best to instill in her the proper values of a future Pro-Hero and UA student.”

“I can take Tensei,” Mezo volunteers. “Your son is… excitable, Tenya, but skilled. I can teach him how to observe and think.”

“And I can take Sora,” Mashirao adds. “Mezo and I both have a pretty back to basics approach that’ll do the Twins some good.”

Mei waved a hand in their direction. “Oh, sure, if you wanna be boring about it!”

Tenya was calmer, giving them both a polite nod. “Thank you both,” he said. “I apologize in advance for any trouble they may cause you.”

“Okay, we’ve got the Terror-Twins sorted out,’ Mina said. “Can we go back to the part where you think Takuma is difficult? Because that’s clearly wrong. He’s just building his brand!”

“He’s a bad influence,” Rikido said again.

“They’re just kids,” Toru said. “And they’re having fun!”

“How can you say that, Rikido? After everything I’ve done for you?”

“He lacks discipline,” Fumikage said, cutting through the arguing. “I can correct that.”

Mina blew air out through her lips and Izuku was certain he was going to have to intervene. “Fiiine,” she wailed. “But I don’t see what need fixing.”

No one was going to touch that point. That Mina was a terrible disciplinarian who let her children run all over her was well known. Hanta wasn’t much better, but he did try to keep things under control.

“Maybe if you didn’t have so many kids, Raccoon Eyes,” Kacchan sneered, “you could keep your eyes on this one.”

“Oh, come off it, Katsuki!”

Hanta placed a restraining hand on her arm. “Honey, it’s not good for you to get stressed… It’s not good for the babies.”

“Babies?” Eijiro asked, grinning. “Are you pregnant again, Mina? That’s fantastic!”

“Aren’t you a little o…” Denki began, but a sharp glare from Mina stopped him from completing that thought. It a rare show of life-preserving sense, he stopped talking.

“Yeah,” Mina said. “Twins this time. Last kids, I promise. I just can’t keep Hanta off me! Of course, it’s pretty hard to resist, with how big his…” Next to her, Hanta turned several shades of red.

Izuku didn’t know how Mina and Hanta did it. His and Ochako’s three were enough of a handful. They had five kids already, and now two more? He grinned, though. “I guess congratulations are in order, then!” Various congratulations went out from the other members of their group, except for Kacchan.

“There’s still time for you to get back in the contest, Tsu!” Mina said.

“What contest?” Tsuyu asked.

“The kids contest!” It was true, after Mina and Hanta, Tsuyu and Fumikage had the most kids.

“That’s not a contest,” Tsuyu said.

“Said the loser.”

That got a few laughs from the group, before they moved on.

“Anyway,” Mina said, “I wanna take Asuka. She could use a chance to loosen up.”

“Ah,” Hanta said. “You’re going off active duty before the Sports Festival, hon.”

“Aw, dammit!” Mina said. “I forgot!”

“I’ll take her!” Toru piped in. Izuku assumed she was waving her arms excitedly, judging by how the straps of her dress were moving, but he couldn’t be certain. “We’ll make it a girls’ week!”

“And teach her something, *kero*,” Tsuyu said.

“Yeah, that too!”

“Perhaps I should take Kimiko?” Yuga asked, one hand on his chest, staring slightly off to the side as he often did, as though looking into some invisible camera. “The unseen could use a few tricks about visibility and standing out.”

“I’m going to have to pull rank on this one,” Eri interrupted. “Kimiko’s expressed some interest in continuing her medical education and I’m do for some field work during that week anyway. I think it might be good for her to see what it’s like out there.”

“Who am I to refuse such a lovely lady’s request,” Yuga said, bowing slightly in his seat.

“Let me know if you’ll be at my hospital,” his husband, Haru, said. “I can probably arrange a few things if you can’t.”

“Of course, thanks,” Eri said.

“And thank you, Eri,” Mashirao said. “Kimiko seems really excited about this. I think she’s found her calling.”

Eri smiled. “Just happy I could help.”

“I want to take Katsumi,” Ochako said.

“You do? What’s your angle here, Round Face?” Kacchan asked. “She’s no Rescue Hero.”

“That’s not all I do,” she said. “Besides… I think a little Gunhead-style martial arts instruction will really help her focus.”

“It is a manly art,” Eijiro said, rubbing his chin. “I like it! Thanks, Ochako!”

Kacchan crossed his arms and scowled. “Fine. But no going easy on her!”

Ochako made her meanest face back at him. Which looked more ridiculous than scary. Izuku had to turn away to keep from laughing, which would have gone very badly for him.

“Okay,” Izuku said, “moving on…”

“I’m taking Toshi,” Mirio said. “I already called this when he was born. You’re not taking that from me. I’ll fight you.”

“No you won’t,” Melissa told him.

“No I won’t,” he agreed. “But I am calling Toshi.”

“So instead of his dad, he gets somebody just like him. Great.” Kacchan rolled his eyes again. But he didn’t argue the point. Mirio was good at what he did. Izuku was well aware he’d set the bar as the Number One Hero incredibly high… and Mirio still found occasion to surpass him in the Rankings. Little wonder that Dad had once considered him a possible successor.

“Oh yeah,” Mirio said, grinning. “Tamaki said he’s take Kenta. Figures he could teach him a few things with an eating-based power.”

Rikido nodded thoughtfully. “That’d work. Kenta’s working hard, but I know he’s struggling to find ways to make his Quirk work well. Tell him thanks.”

Mirio tossed off a little salute. “Will do.”

“I’ll take Daisuke,” Tetsutetsu said. He flexed and let out a shout. “It’ll be a manly week!”

Itsuka patted his bicep. “Inside voice, please.”

“Sorry, babe. Got excited.”

That seemed satisfied to Mezo, who gave a simple nod.

“And who wants my darling boy?” Aoyama asked.

Hanta cracked his knuckles noisily. “I can do it. He might benefit from a down-to-Earth point of view.”

Aoyama turned to Hanta, who was wearing cargo-shorts, with sandals and socks. He looked like he was turning a little green. But Haru leaned close and whispered something in his ear and some of the tension seemed to leave him.

“Oh, very well. A little worldly experience will do him good.”

“What about Izumi?” Shoto asked.

Momo frowned. “I’m afraid to admit, I’m a bit concerned… but she also hasn’t had any health or Quirk-related concerns since the one outburst. Her doctors have given her a clean bill of health to continue.”

“I can do it.”

If he’d had a chance to bet everything he had on this, Izuku never would have expected that it would have been Denki who had spoken up.

“You?” Kyoka said, making the word almost an accusation.

“She’s gotta be careful not to overdue her Quirk. I can help with that.”

“He… has a point, Kyoka,” Momo said, after a moment. She turned to Shoto, who nodded. “Please take good care of her, Denki. We nearly lost her once, I don’t know what we’d do if anything happened again.”

Denki gave the both of them a thumbs’ up. “You know it!”

“Can Akaya swim?” Tsuyu asked Koji and Ibara.

She can, Koji signed. Surprisingly well.

“She takes well to the water,” Ibara agreed.

“Then I can take her,” Tsuyu said. “I can teach her about water planets and how to use her Quirk in a different environment.”

“What about you, Izuku?” Mirio asked. “Isn’t that everyone? Going to hold off judgement until the big day?”

It was well known in the Hero community that Izuku always picked at least one, sometimes two students for Work Study after the Sports Festival. He understood that the gambling halls spent considerable time and effort trying to figure out who he might pick, updating their odds until the very last minute. But no one had ever really figured out his pattern. Despite being the Number One or Number Two Hero at any given moment, he never picked anyone who placed in the top three. He rarely even picked someone who placed in the top ten. He’d been doing it for over twenty years and no one had ever figured it out.

Izuku always picked someone who looked like they deserved a chance to prove themselves. Maybe not someone who’d placed high, but someone who was trying their hardest and just needed a little spotlight to make their mark. He knew how it felt to be a kid with no offers, to be trying so hard but not measuring up to some horribly high standard. And he didn’t want anyone to go through that if he could help it. It didn’t hurt that he still had a fantastic eye for analysis. He’d actually written a couple of books on Quirk analysis and application that were still being used as textbooks in a few of the Hero Schools.

“Maybe,” he said. “Toshi’s been talking up one of the kid’s classmates. His parents aren’t Heroes, so I want to get a good look at him in the Festival.”

“Haimawari?” Shoto asked. “Izumi’s mentioned him too. I think she still feels rather guilty for injuring him. But I’d planned on watching too.”

Both snapped their attention to Eri and Kota, who had had more contact with the kid than either of them.

“Nope,” Kota said. “I’m not playing favorites here or saying anything that might influence you. You’re going to have to wait and watch.”

“He’s certainly got a heart for heroics,” Eri said, clearly not feeling bound by the same rules as her husband. “Dad says he reminds him a lot of two of you when you were students.”

“Interesting,” Shoto said.

“Definitely,” Izuku agreed. “So… I guess we just watch and wait and if we like him, we’ll make offers and let him decide?”

“Sounds fair.”

Kacchan slammed a fist on the table. “What’s so special about this kid that’s got everybody excited over him?!”

Izuku held up his hands to pacify his friend. Even though they had put their differences aside ages ago, he’d be lying if he said Kacchan’s outbursts didn’t make some small part of him still flinch inside. “Just hearing good things, Kacchan. We’ll see where it goes.”

A smug grin crossed Kacchan’s face. “Yeah, well, maybe I’ll watch for this kid too. Snipe him right out from under you and IcyHot.”

“That’d be great! You’ve got a lot to offer, Kacchan!”

“Dammit, Deku, you can’t even compete right…!”

Izuku just smiled, which only made Kacchan glower more. Some things never changed. “I think that’s everyone? Tetsutetsu, Itsuka? Did you want somebody to take Kana, or…?”

“I can do it!” Ejiro volunteered.

“Yeah, that’d rock, bro!” Tetsutetsu cheered.

“Bro.”

“Bro!”

“Boys!” Itsuka shouted. “That’s really nice, Eijiro, but probably not a good idea. You and Tetsu are too alike for her to learn anything new. Besides, she might start sliding back to when she and Katsumi wouldn’t tell you two apart.”

“We’re alike?” Eijiro asked. He looked at Tetsutetsu, who simply shrugged.

“But we’re fine, Izuku,” Itsuka said. “Neito’s mentioned taking an interest in her, but we know she’ll do well enough to find somebody.”

“Or me!” Pony said. “I’d love to take Kana!”

“Let her get some offers, Pony,” Itsuka said. “But we’ll see.”

“I can respect that,” Izuku said.

From there, the conversation drifted back to simpler topics. Day to day concerns, children, choices of whether or not to take a side job or endorse some piece of merchandise. For a little while, they world went away and they were just a group of friends getting together. Izuku smiled. This happened far too rarely and he intended to savor every moment.

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mlmdarkfiction · 6 years ago

Note

What about a yandere leatherface who takes the male reader as his after he murders his friends ❤

I resent this to myself because the original sender had some errors in the ask!

But yes! I love Leatherface so I’m totally down for this, I know some people differentiate between Thomas Leatherface and Bubba Leathersface and tbh I do too. For this I’ll do Bubba just because ??

i got hella carried away with this woops

Tw: kinda angsty?, mentions of death but not yours or bubbas so

Everything had gone to hell fast. Even now you aren’t sure when it exactly it went wrong. A series of bad decision making leading you here.

You hadn’t wanted to join your brother and his friends on their Spring Break trip to Austin, but they’d somehow managed to force you along anyway. That was the first bad decision. If only you’d held your ground, and told your brother there was no way in hell he was going to convince you to leave your dorm. You’re too much of a homebody, and like it that way.

The next decision was letting your brothers friend Alex be in charge of the gps, the fact that he can even turn his phone on is a marvel, and it’s his fault all of you got lost in the middle of fucking nowhere. It’s because of Alex, and his inability to follow or give simple instructions that leads your group to that damned gas station.

It was too late from the minute your car parked. No one could save you then. No one could save you now.

Your brother had been the last person standing in the man, the freaks, way of getting to you. Sure, in the two days he’d kidnapped you and kept you in this house, in this room, he’d been nice to you, almost unsettlingly nice, it still didn’t change the fact you wanted to go home.

There was no way you could stay here, or be happy here, what you knew the man wanted, based on his behavior.

You’d watched him, and his family kill all your friends.

It was by luck alone your brother had survived, ran away from the farmhouse to live another day. If nothing else, you’re relieved. Even if that meant you were stuck here alone, maybe your brother could get help, or…even if he couldn’t, at least he was safe.

But then your brother made a wrong choice.

-It’s another idle day, without him here, there’s nothing to do. He’s locked the door tight, and the room itself is bare. There’s a window, but other then looking out at the desert-esque landscape it provides for no entertainment. You could jump, if you had a death wish, it wouldn’t be a lethal jump in and of itself, but you’d break at least one of your legs. So far he’s been nothing but kind to you, you hate to see what would happen if you were caught trying to escape.

Before you see the commotion, you hear it. A sound you hadn’t heard since your friends had died, and your brother escaped. The sound of a chainsaw.

Immediately you feel the fear tight within your being, it takes everything you have to move your frozen legs, and go to the window. You have to see what’s going on. You have to know.

It’s your brother, and him, Bubba, you’d heard one of the others call him. Your brother had come back for you!

The brief moment of relief, and joy is almost immediately corroded with horror at the realization of what’s to come. Sure enough, your brother can’t outrun Bubba. You can’t bare to look, so you don’t.

The trauma of it all has you on the ground, on your knees, before you curl up into yourself. There’s no visible gore, no, but you hear it. Hear the sound of chainsaw against flesh, hear your brothers dying screams, and then silence.

It’s hours before Bubba returns to your room. You don’t know exactly how much time has passed, only that the sun has begun to set. You ache, everything in your body hurts, having not moved from your curled position in the floor, along with your throat and eyes stinging from sobbing.

Even now you cry, it’s choked, and there’s no real tears anymore, but the meaning is the same. For a moment you think of how your brother would have, in the past, taunted you for such behavior, saying how ‘unmanly’ it was of you to be such a crybaby. The thought only makes you sob harder.

This sobbing doesn’t go unnoticed though. Bubba had already been informed about the racket you were making from his mother, and as soon as he’d finished preparing the meat, he was to tend to you. She didn’t mind his keeping you, but you couldn’t make so much damn noise.

It breaks his heart to see you in that position. So small and scared, shivering and shaking as you desperately try to calm yourself. He knows it’s partially his fault. That this whole thing has to have you terrified, and that you were being so strong before now, so unbothered. He wishes you would understand that this was the only way he could save you. Maybe one day you would understand, and then maybe you could even begin to understand why he bothered to save you in the first place.His boots create heavy footsteps across the old wooden floor, steps he couldn’t have muffled, even if he’d thought about it, but you’re far too lost in yourself to even notice his approach.

The way Bubba lifts you is gentle. It makes you sick. You know what this man is capable of, what he’s done, and yet he still carries you with such delicacy. What makes you so special?

You resist, but you’re too tired to even make a difference against the broader man. The hand that had been attempting to beat on his chest simply falls limp against it, fingers knotting into the top of his stained button up as your sobs turn to whimpers.

He’s gentle. He lays you in bed, he kisses your head, strokes your hair, and even hums a song you recognize as ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’.

It’s only then you realize.

You realize why you.

Why you’re special.

He likes you.

He wants to keep you.

He wants to love you.

You don’t have a choice.

#I PUT SO MUCH WORK INTO THIS WTF #slasher x reader #slasher imagines #horror imagines #horror reader insert #slasher reader insert #Leatherface #leatherface x reader #Bubba x Reader #Bubba Sawyer #Male Reader Insert #Male Reader #Male X Reader #Male imagines #Yandere Imagines #Yandere reader insert

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popofventi · 7 years ago

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MENTAL YOGA SUNDAY / 5 FAVORITE LONG FORM READS THIS WEEK / ISSUE No. 16

The best Sundays are languid, slow motion, sprawling, stretching cats in sunshine kind of days with a good long something to read and a good long silence in which to do it.

INSTAGRAM’S KEVIN SYSTROM WANTS TO CLEAN UP THE &#%$@! INTERNET. (Wired)

"KEVIN SYSTROM, THE CEO of Instagram, was at Disneyland last June when he decided the internet was a cesspool that he had to clean up. His company was hosting a private event at the park as part of VidCon 2016, an annual gathering that attracts social media virtuosos, and Systrom was meeting with some Instagram stars. They were chatting and joking and posing for one another’s phone cameras. But the influencers were also upset. Instagram is supposed to be a place for self-expression and joy. Who wants to express themselves, though, if they’re going to be mocked, harassed, and shamed in the comments below a post? Instagram is a bit like Disneyland—if every now and then the seven dwarfs hollered at Snow White for looking fat.

AFTER THE CHAT, Systrom, who is 33, posted a Boomerang video of himself crouched among the celebrities. It’s an ebullient shot of about 20 young people swaying, waving, bobbing, and smiling. In the lower right corner, a young woman bangs her knees together and waves her hand like she’s beating eggs for a soufflé.

The comments on that post started out with a heart emoji, a “Hoooooo,” and “So fun!” Soon, though, the thread, as so often happens online, turned rancid, with particular attention focused on the young woman in the lower right. “Don’t close wait just wait OPEN them leg baby,” “cuck,” “succ,” “cuck,” “Gimme ze suc.” “Succ4succ.” “Succme.” “Go to the window and take a big L E A P out of it.” A number of comments included watermelon emoji, which, depending on context, can be racist, sexist, or part of picnic planning. The newly resurgent alt-right proclaimed over and over again that “#memelivesmatter.” There was a link in Arabic to a text page about economic opportunities in Dubai. Another user asked Systrom to follow him—“Follback @kevin.” And a few brave people piped up to offer feedback on Instagram’s recent shift to ordering posts by relevancy rather than recency: “BRING BACK THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER!”

Systrom is a tall, lean man with a modest bearing. His handshake is friendly, his demeanor calm. He’s now a billionaire, but he doesn’t seem to play the alpha male games of his peers. There is no yacht; there are no visits to the early primary states; there is no estranged former partner with an NDA. Systrom’s personal Instagram feed is basically dogs, coffee, bikes, and grinning celebrities. A few years ago, Valleywag described his voice as “the stilted monotone of a man reading his own obituary,” but he’s become much smoother of late. If he has a failing, his critics say, it’s that he’s a sucker: He and his cofounder, Mike Krieger, sold Instagram to Facebook too soon. They’d launched it a few years after graduating from Stanford, and it went into orbit immediately. They got $1 billion for it. Snap, which spurned an offer from Facebook, is now worth roughly $17 billion.

Systrom takes pride in this reputation for kindness and considers it a key part of Instagram’s DNA. When the service launched in 2010, he and Krieger deleted hateful comments themselves. They even personally banned users in an effort Systrom called “pruning the trolls.” He notes that Krieger “is always smiling and always kind,” and he says he tries to model his behavior after that of his wife, “one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.” Kevin Systrom really does want to be the sunny person on display in @kevin’s feed.

So when Systrom returned from VidCon to Instagram’s headquarters, in Menlo Park, he told his colleagues that they had a new mission. Instagram was going to become a kind of social media utopia: the nicest darn place online." - Read Full Story

In the future, your body won’t be buried... you’ll dissolve (Wired)

"The Resomator stands monolithic in the corner of a room in the bowels of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). It's as sterile as a hospital here, but every patient is already dead. This is the penultimate stage of their time under the care of Dean Fisher, director of the Donated Body Program at the David Geffen School of Medicine. Bodies are wheeled in under crisp sheets for disposal in Fisher's alkaline hydrolysis machine, which turns them into liquid and pure white bone. Their bones will be pulverised and scattered off the coast by nearby Camp Pendleton, the Marine Corps Base, where they will float and then disperse, because pure calcium phosphate will not sink. From the coastguard's helicopter it looks like drug lords flushing their stash.

The machine emits a low hum, like a lawnmower several gardens away. The cadavers awaiting grinding sit in blue plastic containers at the back of the room, identities anonymised by numbers and dog tags. The chalky bones are soft enough to destroy by hand: touch a femur and it falls apart." - Read Full Story

The untold story of QF72: What happens when 'psycho' automation leaves pilots powerless? (The Sydney Morning Herald)

"Booooom. A crashing sound tears through the cabin. In a split second, the galley floor disappears beneath Maiava's feet, momentarily giving him a sense of floating in space. Blood rushes to his head as he, the off-duty captain and his wife are propelled into the ceiling, knocking them out.

Flight attendant Fuzzy Maiava was slammed into the aircraft's ceiling during the nosedives. He relies on visits to the gym to cope with his physical and psychological injuries. Photo: Chris Skelton

In the cockpit, Sullivan instinctively grabs the control stick the moment he feels the plane's nose pitch down violently at 12.42pm (Western Australia time). The former US Navy fighter pilot pulls back on the stick to thwart the jet's rapid descent, bracing himself against an instrument panel shade. Nothing happens. So he lets go. Pulling back on the stick does not halt the plunge. If the plane suddenly returns control, pulling back might worsen their situation by pitching the nose up and causing a dangerous stall.

Within two seconds, the plane dives 150 feet. In a gut-wrenching moment, all the two pilots can see through the cockpit window is the blue of the Indian Ocean. "Is my life going to end here today?" Sullivan asks himself. His heart is thumping. Those on board QF72 are in dire trouble. There are no ejection seats like the combat jets Sullivan flew in the US Navy. He has no control over this plane." - Read Full Story

The Last American Baseball-Glove Maker Refuses to Die (Bloomberg)

"The town of Nocona, located some 100 miles northwest of Dallas and named after a Comanche chief (hence the Native American-in-headdress logo on Nokona gloves), developed a reputation as a leather-goods hub.

The company’s name is spelled with a “k” because it was told in the 1930s that the town’s name couldn’t be trademarked. Today, Nocona is home to about 3,000 people and a few stoplights. “God Bless America” banners line the street, and locals wish you a “blessed day.”

Founded in 1926, the company originally made wallets and purses. It was a former Rice University baseball player named Roberts Storey who steered Nokona into ballgloves.

In the early days of baseball, it was considered unmanly to use a glove. Broken bones were common. The first mass-produced gloves had little padding and no fingers. In the 1920s and ’30s, companies started producing gloves with a web between the thumb and forefinger, to create a pocket.

The shift to Asia in the 1960s nearly put Nokona out of business. Storey wouldn’t budge. “It hit him all wrong that we would have to go to Japan,” said his grandson Rob Storey, now the company’s executive vice president. “One of his favorite sayings was: ‘If I have to tell my employees we’re closing up and they don’t have jobs any more, I may as well get a bucket of worms and go fishing’." - Read Full Story

A 2:15 Alarm, 2 Trains and a Bus Get Her to Work by 7 A.M. (The New York Times)

"Sheila James starts her Monday, and the workweek, at 2:15 a.m. This might be normal for a baker or a morning radio host, but Ms. James is a standard American office worker.

She is 62 and makes $81,000 a year as a public health adviser for the United States Department of Health and Human Services in San Francisco. Her early start comes because San Francisco is one of the country’s most expensive metropolitan areas. Ms. James lives about 80 miles away in Stockton, which has cheaper homes but requires her to commute on two trains and a bus, leaving at 4 a.m.

Plenty of office workers get up at 5 a.m. or a bit before, but 2:15 is highly unusual.

“Two-fifteen is early enough that some people are still having their evening,” she said on a (very) early morning. But she likes to take her time and have coffee. She keeps the lights low and the house quiet and Zen-like. “I just can’t rush like that,” she said.

When the second alarm goes off at 3:45 — a reminder to leave for the train in 15 minutes — her morning shifts from leisure to precision." - Read Full Story

#Long Form Reading #wired #Longreads #The Sydney Morning Herald #Bloomberg #The New York Times

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hipandcriticalblog · 8 years ago

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Man vs. Masculinity pt.1

May 4, 2017

With this series of writings, I hope to discover more about masculinity and how it affects the common man, more specifically its emphasis on the black man in America.

I plan to gather information from personal experiences, interviews with other men, and other literary works about masculinity to help answer some key questions. Part one will consist primarily of interviews from men considered to be millennials. Part two will focus on men 30 and up, while part three will look at masculinity from the perspective of women. My goal - purely motivated by curiosity, is to satisfy the urge to understand more about myself as well as human nature regarding men.

What is Masculinity and who is affected by it?

The dictionary vaguely describes the masculinity as: the possession of qualities traditionally associated with men. With this definition, it is not directly implied that masculinity only applies to men nor does it follow a set of specific characteristics. Instead, it suggests that manliness rests completely on the culture of the people. If this is the case masculinity, or manliness, is not a monolith - meaning that it can vary greatly between different groups of men (or women).

So how does it apply to the black man of America? In my youth, I thought of a man of being a strong, hairy, muscular figure (much like American superheroes), with the capability to achieve almost anything. Men were who you turned to when you needed something done. They were the ultimate problem solvers, able to lift and move the things that I was too weak to. They were the facilitators of obtaining wealth, by giving me dollars to chase down ice cream trucks, and the ones to bring down a harsh punishment when I committed a household crime.

In parts of my interview with Charles Davis, a 20-year-old cook and artist, he revealed that like my own childhood depiction, he had very similar ideas of what a man was.

What do you think it means to be a man?

A man is a provider, protector, and a warrior. He takes care of his own by any means necessary.

What was your image of a definitive man as a child versus now?

Someone who loved his family and someone who is kind. Still is now, just now I have more respect, it’s hard out here.

If your son were to ask you right now how to be a man, what would you tell him?

Just be about your word. All a man has is his word, and his word is bond.

Masculinity in Practice

Having these views and images of what a man is, how many of us actually live up to these depictions? Eric Garland, a business advisor, says all American men grow up with figures that reinforce these types of attributes of a man. In his article, The Crisis of American Masculinity Garland writes,

“ Every male in America grows up with these older images of masculinity - soldier, cowboy, farmer, family man- and fewer men than ever are able to connect their real lives to those archetypes.” In my interview with Charles Davis, he agrees with this idea, explaining he doesn't fully feel connected to his own depiction of a man. When asked how does he describe his own masculinity, he responds by saying its “a subtle form of masculinity.” But what brings about this disconnect? Are we setting our expectations so high that they are just not achievable? Or has something changed that renders this form of masculinity irrelevant?

When looking back on the definition of the word masculinity, it says that it depends on the traits traditionally associated with men. If these traditions have changed, where does that leave our view on men? In my experiences from growing up from childhood through my teen years, violence and aggressiveness became the main attribute of masculinity. Having to prove that you are stronger than everyone else, through aggression and imposing your will upon others through force became the new way of the man. This new-found aggression however, has bred a negative form of masculinity, hypermasculinity. Hypermasculinity is a psychological term for the exaggeration of male stereotypical behavior, such as an emphasis on physical strength, aggression, and sexuality. This form of masculinity becomes extremely dangerous to everyone who lives outside of this archetype, and even to some that do.

Some of the most targeted by hypermasculinity are, women, homosexual men, and young men. I think the reason that these people are targeted, is because they pose the biggest threat to masculinity. When asked what he thinks is the biggest threat to masculinity Davis responds, “To be honest with you as shallow as it is, a strong independent woman. I feel, if she's so independent, all I am is just a mate, not a provider, because she can do that on her own. Just feels like that would make me useless”. In regard to same sex love, it’s viewed as perverse and unmanly to those living by the code of hypermasculinity. It undermines what they feel a man should be. But if someone is gay, can they not truly still be a man and hold some of the same views of that of a heterosexual man? The answer to this question isn't something as easily found. As I go back to my interview with Davis, we briefly touch upon the topic.

Do you think sexual orientation affects manhood?

Yes.

How so?

Honestly, I don't know. Some gay men are more aggressive, some straight men like myself are more passive, there's no clear answer if that makes sense.

But I wonder what are the views of the subject from someone who is homosexual. With the urge to discover more I interviewed Brian Whitsett, a 23-year-old man who works in retail. In the interview with Mr. Whitsett, I ask similar questions that I did for Davis, but also questioned what shaped his view on masculinity.

What do you think it means to be a man?

To be a man? To be strong! Never cry, don't show emotion, take care of everyone else no matter what! I don't personally believe this but this is what we are taught! I believe that being a man is just being the best “you” you can be.

How would you describe your masculinity?

My masculinity is different from the way the world will describe masculinity. My masculinity is open; it has emotions, it's not closed up like we are taught growing up as black men.

What experiences do you think helped shape your view on masculinity?

Hmmmmm. A lot. The school and community I went to and grew up in. Growing up in the church and the different men in my life.

What role does a woman play in defining your manhood, if they do at all?

A lot. They teach you that manhood is not a steel door with no emotions. It opens and talks and feels. It’s like watching Angel Beats, and it loves hard.

Do you think sexual orientation affects manhood?

Yes, it does.

How so?

Sometimes when you decide to be with someone of the same sex, some guys are more feminine then other guys, and they take on a feminine personality and they forget that they are still a man.

What do you feel threatens your masculinity?

My sexuality.

Looking back at the interview, Brian reinforces the ideals previously stated, while also revealing another important factor that plays a part in hypermasculinity. Having no displays of emotion. I can vividly remember being told by older male family members that boys don’t cry, whine, or even smile in pictures. This lack of emotional display coupled with the misguided need to express violence and aggression, creates a need to associate oneself with dangerous lifestyles. However, the thing I found most surprising about this interview was, that he felt his own sexuality was his greatest threat to his masculinity. His answer helps solidify the idea that homosexuality is indeed an enemy to hypermasculinity. Yet, I find this conclusion deeply unsettling. To have to constantly question your manhood, due to your sexual preference, is a struggle I will never be able to fully understand. After reviewing the interview, I had nothing but sympathy for anyone who is going through the same internal struggle.

Reflections

Looking back at my younger years, previous experiences with other men, and the two mentioned interviews, I’ve started to get a new understanding of what masculinity means to me. By looking at what threatens masculinity, it shows me that it is homophobic and misogynistic in nature. Not only does it seek to victimize homosexual men and women, but it also leaves those following its code emotionally disconnected from themselves. It strips away one’s ability to express love, sadness, loneliness, and compassion and replaces it with aggression and violence. This notion that a man must live up to these dangerous ideas, wreaks havoc on the black community.

It glorifies violence as being manly, and helps push young men into the vicious lifestyle of drug and gang culture. It also promotes the stereotype that all black men are violent thugs. It traps a man’s mind into holding these views as gospel. Although I do believe there is way disengage from this harmful ideology, it requires one to interact with those whom have already been labeled a threat to the person seeking to escape. Some men maybe won’t even think there is another way to live after years of indoctrination into this set of beliefs.

Even after coming to these assessments of masculinity and its hyper form, I wanted to still get another perspective from someone else. This lead me to interview Greg. A new father of a young son, and a man who works in the home aide profession. Within our interview, he shows to have a negative outlook on masculinity.

How would you describe your masculinity?

Honestly in and of itself it's fragile. Never self-defining, it always relies on the set standard - even when I know that it's toxic.

Is masculinity something you’re born with, is it something that’s earned, or is it taught?

I think at the end of the day it's something that is taught. I had no concept of it growing up and that was fine, until others told me that I was doing it wrong.

What experiences do you think helped shape your view on masculinity?

It has all but ruined sexuality and intimacy. The unbelievable standards and inability to access emotions for years has made it difficult to really invest myself in meaningful relationships especially platonic ones. Especially things such as being told that men do not cry and that I've got to be tough no matter what. There are times when people need a cathartic release and masculinity cuts that off. Then I recognize that it's also afforded me many opportunities that non-men don't get. So, the privilege is something that comes with its own set of guilt.

What was your image of a definitive man as a kid versus now?

As a child, I viewed a man as a big tough person who protected those near to him and always did the right thing. Now I know that a man is nothing but a person who identifies as such. The traits of being strong and passionate and everything else have manifested themselves in folks of all genders and associating them with myself seems more egotistical than anything.

What role does a woman play in defining your manhood, if they do at all?

Initially they played the entire role because manhood was nothing if not in proximity to the type of women that engaged with me. Still I hold on to the toxicity of it so especially women I know play a part in making sure that I stay responsible with my privilege and making sure not to use it to be abusive in any way, which is harder than it sounds. I have a duty to do my best for women because men like me have taken advantage of them for too long.

Did having a child change your view on manhood?

Absolutely, I now aspire first off not to pigeon hole my child into a lifestyle based on what's in their diaper. And should my child identify as a man I want to teach them not only the responsibility that comes with privilege but also how to reject those toxic roles to lead a more fulfilling life.

If your son were to ask you right now how to be a man, what would you tell him?

Simply to feel as such. I'd tell Amal that being a good person is so much more important than being a man.

In this interview with Greg he seems completely aware of the negative circumstances that are associated with masculinity. He sees the affect that masculinity has on others, as well as himself. Other than him pointing out the flaws and ugliness of masculinity, he speaks about the privilege of being a man. Even though he knows he is plagued with the burden of masculinity, he still knows that he has a privilege above other people by just being born a male. The thing that stood out to me the most in this interview, was what he would tell his son. Not to be an alpha male, or unemotional, strong, but to just be a good person.

In summary, I have uncovered an old view of masculinity and witnessed its transformation into perverse set of ideals. In the next series of writings, I want to dig further into this ideology, by interviewing an older group of men.

J. Covington (Jamm)

#think piece #man vs masculinity #j. covington #jamm #hip&critical #man

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romanticatheart-posts · 6 years ago

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Trust

This story spans over two days: The day before and the day of the wedding. Some of it is from Liam's perspective but it all comes together at the end. It's a bit long but I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to re-blog or comment. I appreciate constructive criticism or suggestions. Thanks for reading!

Pairings: Liam x MC (Catherine)

Warnings: NSFW Disclaimer: Pixelberry owns all characters.

Master List

Trust definition - A firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something.

That is not a word most of us think about in our daily lives but to one, it is particularly important. To him, it is the very foundation of life… his.

For Liam, trust was not absolute. It was more of a principle by which he used to decipher the intentions and motives of those around him. And unbeknownst to him at the time, would later prove to be his salvation. Being born and raised a prince, he was exposed to many underhanded, corrupt and downright malicious people. He learned at an early age that life as a royal was challenging at best, especially when choosing friends. He was introduced to many noble children as a youngster and it was expected they would be included in his circle, but to Liam, most were just as pretentious and insecure as the adults who were raising them.

The Wedding Day

At the palace --

Liam sits at his desk reading the morning newspaper with coffee in hand. This was not his usual routine since being crowned the king, but this was not a typical morning by any means. His thoughts drift back to a time in life that helped in shaping his future…

He was particularly close to his brother, but they certainly had their fair share of conflicts too. There was often tension between them, especially when Leo’s boisterous personality was at a specific peak. But Liam learned to overcome his own submission against this overactive display of brotherhood, by way of retaliation. Many times, they would be marched into the private quarters of some courtly function they were forced to attend and then reprimanded for their improper behavior. After the scolding, they would scurry back into the crowd as if they’d never left. There was never any real discipline delivered… Not that Liam needed much to begin with.

Almost a year ago to the day, Liam learned that he would be next in line for the title of king, when the time came. “Little brother, I finally know what I want in life and it does not include being a Crown Prince or anything associated with it.” “What are you saying exactly?” “The crown is yours Liam. I am officially announcing my abdication at breakfast in the morning.” Liam’s expression turns to shock as he tries to absorb the magnitude of Leo’s words. Liam never really placed much faith in his status as royalty, but at least with Leo being the Crown Prince, he’d never have to worry about fulfilling familial expectations of becoming the king… but now things were different. “What made you decide to denounce the throne?” Leo smiles, “For the first time in my life, I know what is most important… I fell in love Liam… I’ve always known I wasn’t suited for this lifestyle, but meeting Katy was the deciding factor for me and I plan to ask for her hand in marriage as soon as this is final.” “Do you know that she’ll say yes?” “That’s the beauty of it little brother, I don’t. But it’s a risk I’m willing to take because life itself has no guarantees and sometimes you have to take a leap of faith and trust your own instincts.” Liam considers these words for a moment, happy that Leo has found his true love but at the same time, torn by fear and the weight of his own impending future. Leo watches Liam’s expressions and sees the conflicts working in his mind. “It’s only befitting that you should take my place as the Crown Prince. I know it’s a lot to drop on you all at once, but I know in my heart that you were always the most suited for the role. I would have been a terrible king, trust me.” “But I’m not sure this is what I want… I certainly never expected it to be an option… Of course, I’m happy that you found someone to share your life with, but there are so many things I have to consider now.” “I know it won’t be easy… but for what it’s worth, I’ll stand behind you no matter what decision you make. That, you can count on.” Leo claps Liam on the shoulder with brotherly affection as they say their goodbyes. Liam stays behind to try and put things in perspective and grasp the significance of his uncertain future. He walks around the square for hours, touching the old stone walls, his eyes filter through every detail in the city and finally he stops in front of a clock that sits high atop a tower…

As Liam takes another sip of coffee he reads the last excerpt from the front-page article about the ‘Royal Wedding of His Majesty, King Liam and the beloved Duchess Catherine Beckham of Valtoria’. This time tomorrow he will be on his honeymoon, waking up to the love of his life for the first time as a married couple. Seeing her sleepy smile as he cuddles her in his arms… the tousled hair falling around her face… framing her natural beauty like a silhouette… He can’t help but smile, wondering what is going through her mind at this very moment.

As your maid of honor, Hana had arranged a sleepover for all the ladies at Valtoria the night before. In keeping with tradition, she felt it best that you be away from the palace after the rehearsal dinner in case there was an accidental meeting of the bride and groom the next day… or a not so accidental one either…

Liam still sits in his office awaiting the flurry of activity to begin when he hears a knock on the door. “Come in.” Drake pokes his head in and looks around to make sure Liam is alone. “Hey, you got a minute?” “For my oldest and dearest friend, always. Come in.” Liam gets up from his chair and walks around to the front of the desk sitting partially on the corner. “What’s on your mind Drake?” “Well, I know you’ve got a lot on your plate today with the wedding and all, but I wondered if you could spare a minute and have a drink? For old times’ sake?” “It’s a little early for whiskey, but I won’t object if you do.” “I figured you’d say that, so I brought a fresh pot of coffee.” “Good choice.” He goes out the door and into the hallway retrieving a pot and two cups, sitting them on the desk. Drake pours the coffee, handing one cup to Liam and picks up the other and sits in the chair in front of the desk. “Thank you.” “Yeah, I know how you like coffee in the morning and I’ve kinda developed a taste for it myself. It helps with a hangover.” “So, is there something you wanted to talk about?” “Well, I’ve been meaning to give you a wedding gift, but with the tour and all, it just never seemed like the best time.” “That’s not necessary Drake. Your friendship is gift enough.” “Yeah but I think you’ll really like it.” “I’m sure I will. What is it?” “Hold your horses, I gotta lead into it. It’s kind of a funny story actually.” Liam’s expression becomes quizzical, but he patiently waits for Drake to continue. “When we were in New York this last time, Beckham tried to help me find you the perfect gift. Hell, I was in furniture stores, pet stores, hardware stores… none of which she approved of by the way.” Liam chuckles. “I started to think it was a lost cause and we finally took a beat and sat down on a bench outside a bunch of shops. I was getting pretty frustrated over a lost afternoon and still no gift, but out of nowhere an object was reflecting in one of the store windows and caught my eye.” “So, what gift were you hoping to find in a furniture store?” “Never mind that.” “Heh. I bet it was one of those reclining chairs… or maybe a table with a secret compartment.” “Ha, ha, very funny. It doesn’t matter anyway because it’s not the gift I ended up with.” “So, what did you end up with?” “I got this.” Drake reaches in his pocket and pulls out the antique compass and hands it proudly to Liam. He takes it and looks at it carefully and then opens the dial. “Drake this is a wonderful gift, but I have to ask, what can I use it for?” “Well, since you’re king and all, your life will be going in a lot of different directions and with everything your dad did to you and Beckham, I thought it might serve as a reminder to never lose your way like he did.” “Drake… I don’t know what to say… it’s a wonderful sentiment, and a perfect gift.” “Yeah, well I thought you might like it and I figured you’d get your share of useless stuff, so I wanted to give you a gift that meant something.” “It does. I really do appreciate this Drake, more than you know.” “Well, you are my best friend after all.” “I know you don’t do the whole hugging thing, but would you settle for a handshake instead?” Liam reaches out his hand to Drake. “Yeah, nothin’ unmanly about a good old hand shake.” Drake shakes Liam’s hand as Liam turns back to look at the compass. Maxwell walks by the door and stops when he sees Liam and Drake. “Hey guys. Bertrand is looking for you Liam and he said it was important.” Liam sighs. “Everything is important with Bertrand.” Maxwell laughs. “Yeah, I know. I remember one time when we went to a concert and…” Liam interrupts Maxwell midsentence. “Ahem… Maxwell, I don’t mean to cut this short, but I should probably go see what he wants.” “Oh, right. He’s in the boutique.” Liam excuses himself looking back at Drake with an impish grin. Before Maxwell can start his story again Drake heads toward the door. “Uh…I’ve gotta see a man about a horse. Later Maxwell.” “But I didn’t get to finish my story…” Drake says nothing and exits the office as Maxwell calls out to him. “Hey wait. The stables are that way…”

The Day Before

At the palace --

After the rehearsal, everyone heads back to the palace. A line forms to enter the elaborately decorated ballroom where dinner is going to be served. Normally there are not so many invited to a dinner following a wedding rehearsal, but this was no ordinary wedding. You and Liam stand near the back and he takes your hand leaning over to whisper in your ear. “Would you sneak away with me? From the looks of things, it will be at least an hour before we’d be missed.” “You read my mind.” You both smile as a twinge of heat passes between you. Once the coast is clear, Liam takes your hand and guides you down a hallway and to another set of stairs that leads to the second floor. He stops long enough to plant a passionate kiss on your lips, leaving you breathless. “Wow… I hope there’s more where that came from.” “Much more my love…”

Upon reaching an empty bedroom Liam ushers you in and closes the door, locking it and then reaches for you. He pulls you close, your lips crashing together, and the clothes start dropping around the room as you inch your way to the bed. You lay down and he follows, bathing you with wet, hot kisses down your neck and lower. His mouth grazing your nipple as he takes it in gently sucking and then draws sensual circles with his tongue, caressing the curve with his hand. “Oh Liam…” Your hands in his hair as he continues to lavish your breasts with his lips and his hand. “Mmmm… you are so beautiful…” Your hands move from his hair to his arms and then to his back, digging your nails in from the intense yearning welling up inside you. He kisses slowly back up to the curve of your neck and then finds your lips again...his hand exploring down your body and dips in between your inner thighs. “Catherine…” He moans feverishly as his hand reaches your wet folds, stroking ever so gently until your hips writhe in his hand. He looks into your eyes as his fingers slowly penetrate, causing a moan of undeniable pleasure. “Liam…” You reach up with your hand against his cheek and he closes his eyes for a moment, leaning into your touch kissing your hand. He looks at you, searching your soul and drawing you farther into his realm of passion. You close your eyes, sinking your head deeper into the pillow, your breaths become shallow. “Mmmm… Liam.” “Catherine...I need you…” You reach down, taking him in your hand… stroking his erection and he moans as you feel him harden even further as if he might burst at any moment. “Catherine…” “Like that?” “Oh God… yes…” He kisses you deep and then his lips slide down your body… with your hand still grasping his length, he delves between your legs kissing and tasting every inch of you… you turn over with your legs on each side of his head, pulling his legs toward your upper body, he moves the rest of the way. While stroking, you begin kissing his tip and then slowly taking him in your mouth… you feel his hot breath quicken between your legs and he penetrates you with his tongue as his fingers caress your clit. You both move together as the intensity grows from each kiss and every touch… Liam moves around with your body between his legs and he is now towering over you. His muscular body glistening in the light and gazes into your eyes with a hunger. You reach for him pulling him into a kiss so passionate, powerful waves of energy flow to your swollen vortex of heat as he gently slides inside you… his body lifting you off the bed with each commanding thrust… you soon match his pace as he pushes deeper, harder… he slows the pace for a moment when he feels the intense vibrations from deep inside you. “Oh Liam!” Immersed in the force of emotion between you, he picks up the tempo kissing you deep and hard and with clenched teeth his resistance gives way to release. “Oh Catherine…”

With both of you sweating and breathless, you lay in each other’s arms until the trembling subsides. “I…love you…Liam.” “I love… you too…Catherine.”

When he finally catches his breath, Liam rolls over on his back pulling you close. With your leg draped over his, you lay your head on his chest. Content and satisfied you sigh. “I can’t wait to marry you Liam.” He kisses into your hair. “I feel the same way. I’ve ever been more excited over a royal event as I am about our wedding.” “I’m glad we had this time together. After dinner tonight, Hana is kidnapping me, and I won’t see you again until the wedding tomorrow.” “Even though it’s only one night, it will feel like an eternity.” You both lay in silence, fulfilled by the warmth of your bodies against each other.

“Do you think anyone’s missed us yet?” “Perhaps, but at this point I doubt anyone cares.” “I’m glad we had this time together, but we should get back to our guests.” Liam sighs. “You’re right as always, but I wouldn’t have missed this time with you for anything.” Reluctantly he gets out of bed and holds his hand out for you. Upon reaching the bathroom, you both get cleaned up and then gather your scattered clothes and get dressed. You both return to the dinner, blending back into the crowd…

After the meal has concluded, you and Liam stand at the exit to thank the well-wishers for coming and give them a few moments with their king and future queen. Once the last guest has been properly acknowledged and the doors to the palace have closed, you both breathe a sigh of relief. “It’s good to know that so many people will be attending our wedding, but I’m exhausted.” “Tell me about it. Entertaining a few hundred nobles at once can certainly take its toll.” “I have a few more things to pack before Hana takes me away... would you keep me company while I finish?” “I’d be happy to.” He flings his arm around your shoulders as you wrap yours around his waist, walking slowly up the stairs and into your bedroom. Liam has a perplexed look on his face that you can’t help but notice. “Something on your mind?” “Catherine, talking about entertainment has got me thinking.” “What about?” “About this sleepover tonight with the girls… will there be any… entertainment at this little soiree?” “I don’t think so but why would you ask that?” “I’m just making sure that I will have no competition vying for my soon to be wife’s affections.” “It’s not a bachelorette party Liam. As a matter of fact, we’re going to watch a movie and I’ll be going to bed right after.” “I suppose it was a ridiculous question… but it never hurts to be sure.” You smile and pull him in for a kiss. “Why would I ever look at anyone else when I’ve got the most handsome and loving man standing right here in front of me? You have nothing to worry about.” He smiles and pulls you closer. “That’s good to know. And I’ll take the flattery.” You lean in and whisper in his ear. “You’ll get more than just flattery come this time tomorrow night.” “Mmmm… if you keep talking like that I might have to kidnap you myself.” “Oh? And what are you going to do to keep me from escaping?” He places his hand on your cheek and looks lovingly into your eyes. “I’m hoping after a night with me, you wouldn’t want to.” “I’m not going anywhere Liam.” “Good.” He presses his lips to yours and you melt into the embrace. “I might sneak away during the movie and call you if that’s okay.” Liam smiles. “I’d like that.” “Okay, it’s settled then. I guess I should finish packing. Will you open that bag?” “Of course.” You smile at him and trot off to the bathroom as Hana steps in.

“Hi Liam. Is Catherine ready?” “Yes… she is finishing up now.” You come out with both hands full and place the items in the bag and then close it. “Hey Hana.” “Are you ready to go?” “Yes, I think so.” Hana looks down at your suitcases sitting on the floor. “Do you need some help with those?” Liam turns to you. “I’ll take them down for you.” “Oh, okay.” “Then if you’re ready everyone is waiting.” You reach for the bags on your bed and Liam turns to Hana. “Hana would you give us a moment?” “Oh, of course.” She turns around to leave and then stops. “Oh! I forgot to mention that Olivia has decided to join us tonight. And… she’s a bit agitated already.” “That’s no surprise. Tell her I lost an earring or something.” “That might work.” She smiles, and waves then leaves the room. Liam takes you in his arms once again as you wrap yours around his neck. He leans in and kisses you passionately and pulls back looking deep into your eyes. “I can’t wait to marry you Catherine Beckham.” “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He kisses you again and then sighs. “I suppose we should get you downstairs.” “Right. We don’t want Olivia having a meltdown.” Liam smiles and reluctantly releases you and then reaches for your bags, looking around the room. “Catherine, where is your wedding dress? I don’t see it anywhere.” “Oh, Hana had it delivered to Valtoria this afternoon. She wanted to keep it under ‘wraps’ until the big day tomorrow.” “Oh, that’s good. You are going to be beautiful.” “Aww… you are so sweet. I can’t wait to see what you’ll be wearing.” “I suppose we’re both in for a surprise.” After loading your bags, he walks around the vehicle and opens the door for you. “Good evening ladies.” Everyone says hello and then you turn back to him, kissing him one last time. He smiles tenderly as you step into the vehicle and Liam closes the door. You roll down the window, leaning out and waving as you watch his silhouette become smaller and smaller until finally he is out of sight. “What took you so long? And what’s with the love-sick school girl act? You’ll have him forever after tomorrow.” “Well Olivia, if you must know… I’m going to miss him.” “Well I hope in the future you’ll be able to restrain yourself from such ridiculous behavior. It’s embarrassing.” “Leaving like this reminded me of that night at the Coronation.” Hana chimes in. “That was a bad night for all of us but think about at all the good things that’s happened since then. I mean look at all of us, we’re finally friends.” “Must you always find the good in every situation? Honestly, it’s exhausting.” “It’s just who I am Olivia.” “Don’t you ever find it degrading to be so polite all the time?” “Olivia, being aggressive works for you but I’m just not like that. I accept that sometimes you’re overbearing and outspoken, but not everyone can pull it off as well as you do.” Olivia continues as if she didn’t hear the sarcasm nor the giggling between Kiara and Penelope at the frankness of Hana’s words. “Those are traits well served by a Nevrakis and I’m not ready to just forget my lineage, but… I suppose the nice act does have its advantages.”

At Valtoria --

When you arrive at Valtoria, a few staff are waiting to take the bags to your respective rooms. Kiara is the first one out of the vehicle, followed by Penelope and her poodles. “Magnifique Catherine.” “Thank you, Kiara.” Penelope looks around at the massive estate in awe. “Catherine, this place is so nice. Merly and Mora will have so much fun. Didn’t you bring Chance?” “No, Maxwell insisted on keeping him tonight.” “Oh, that’s too bad. Merly and Mora was looking forward to seeing him.” Penelope bends down to pat Merlin and Morgana with a sad expression. “I’m sorry you two, but Chance won’t be joining us tonight.” They look at her inquisitively but is soon forgotten when she stands up leading them to the grass. Olivia steps out of the car and looks around the estate with a less than enthusiastic expression. “I suppose these accommodations are sufficient, but Lythikos would have been a much better choice in my opinion.” You respond. “I’m glad you agreed to join us Olivia. I hope it won’t be too hard for you to spend a night under such paltry conditions.” “I’ll certainly try, but I’m not making any promises.” Hana is already at the front door and motions for you all to join her. Once inside, she leads everyone up to their respective rooms to get settled in.

Before long you and your friends are seated around a big screen and waiting for the movie to begin. “I personally loathe romantic comedies. Can’t we watch something a bit more realistic?” Hana pours everyone a glass of wine and passes around the hors d’ oeuvres. “Romance is real Olivia, but I guess it’s not for everyone.” “Hmph, I’m not buying into the whole romantic, lovey dovey crap. If you ask me, marriage is more like a symbol. It represents a purpose.” “Mon ami, marriage is about sharing, no?” “Yeah, like sharing trivial nonsense.” Hana chimes in. “Olivia, when you find someone whose happiness means more to you than your own, you’ll understand.” Olivia sips her wine and nervously adjusts herself in the chair. “I’m just saying that there is more to a marriage than just a simple fairytale description.” You reach for an hors d’ oeuvres. “Of course it’s more than that. Marriage is a representation of unity between two people who share common interests and where love is the foundation. What Liam and I share is beyond fairytale status. We don’t always agree, but we respect each other’s opinions and beliefs and I think that in itself is the perfect formula for a successful partnership.” Penelope speaks up. “I agree with Catherine. Love is the foundation of any relationship, whether a marriage or a courtship.” Olivia snips, “We’ve all seen how you moon over Kiara’s brother. I guess that makes you an expert on this subject.” Penelope smiles sheepishly. “No. I’m no expert, but I think I can relate to what Catherine is saying.” “This whole conversation is relatively boring. Can we just watch this ridiculous movie, so I can get some beauty sleep?” Hana grabs the remote, pressing the button and the movie begins…

Halfway through it you excuse yourself. “Should I pause it until you get back?” “No Hana, I won’t be long.” Olivia smirks. “Tell Liam we said hello.” You look at her not really surprised by such a candid remark. “Well, I did promise to call, and I don’t want to keep him up too late.” “Don’t let us keep you then.” Olivia says sarcastically. You say nothing and keep walking up the stairs. When she thinks you’re out of ear shot, she comments to the others, “Can’t those two be apart for even one night? Honestly, it’s as nauseating as this movie... pass me the wine!”

You walk into your room, grabbing the phone and lay down propping up on a few pillows. You dial the number and Liam answers immediately. “Hello my angel. I’ve been waiting for your call.” “Hey sweetheart. I miss you.” “I miss you too… How is everything going over there?” “Oh just hanging out watching a movie but I don’t want to talk about that. I want to talk about us.” “Okay my love… Are you nervous about tomorrow?” “Not at all. I’m more impatient than anything else.” “I know exactly what you mean. The anticipation is almost more than I can bear.” “This is your last night as a single man… any doubts I should know about?” “Catherine… there has never been any doubt about my love for you and starting tomorrow I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much… What about you though? Do you have any concerns you’d like to share?” “Not even one. There is no one that could ever make me as happy as you do.” “Your happiness means everything to me Catherine… I hope you know that.”

There is a slight pause in the conversation as tears of joy begin to well up in your eyes.

“I do but… we should talk about something less emotional. I’m already weepy… I can only imagine the tears when I see you standing at the alter tomorrow…” “Catherine... I’m not certain that I’ll be able to contain my joy when I finally see you walking down the aisle.” “I guess we’ll both be a mess then… maybe we should just elope and forget all this pageantry.” Liam laughs heartily as you laugh in return. “Your laughter is just one of the things I love about you Liam…” “Catherine… there are so many things I love about you… it’s impossible to think of just one.” “Just give me the highlights then…” Liam chuckles and then pauses in thought... “Well, what comes to mind at this moment is...” His words come softer and more intense. “…I love how you smile right before our lips meet, and the way your eyes sparkle when we touch… I especially love how it feels when I hold you in my arms…” “Oh Liam, I wish you were here right now…” “So do I Catherine… so do I.”

You each feel the strain of this brief separation but knowing it is only for tonight, Liam sighs in resolve.

“It’s only for tonight, but it’s definitely going to be a long one to say the least.” “I know. All I can think about is you, and I still have a movie to finish watching.” “You should probably get back to the others then…I don’t want to keep you any longer.” “Yeah, I guess you’re right but I’m glad I could hear your voice and say good night at least.” “Until tomorrow, My Queen. And I know you are going to be the most beautiful bride Cordonia has ever seen.” “I’m glad you think so. Good night Liam.” “Good night my love.”

You hang up heavy hearted and slowly head back downstairs only to find everyone else has gone to bed except Hana. She is cleaning up when you walk in. “Where is everyone? Is the movie over?” “Yeah, it ended a few minutes ago.” “Here, let me help you.” When the glasses and dishes have all been cleared away you both plop down on the couch and Hana turns to you. “Are you excited about tomorrow?” “I’m more than excited… I’m finally going to be married to the love of my life.” “It’s hard not to see how much in love you two are. And it’s going to be a beautiful wedding, I just know it.” “Thanks’ to you! What would I have done without my best friend?” “I’m happy to be a part of it. After all, you’re my best friend too.” “I don’t mean just the wedding… You’ve been there through everything, even when things were tough and for that I am thankful.” “Aww Catherine, that really means a lot. But truth be told, I think you would have been just fine without me.” “Well, I’m glad we’ll never know for sure.” You both sit in silence for a moment when inspiration suddenly strikes you. “Hey Hana?” “Yes?” “Why don’t we do the pillow fort thing like we did back in Shanghai?” Hana thinks for a moment and a smile comes across her face. “Well, we won’t have any movies to watch but we can still talk and paint each other’s nails… I say we do it.” “Good. Come on.” You both head upstairs giddy with laughter and into your room. After several hours of talking, laughing and nail polishing, you both fall fast asleep.

The Wedding Day

At Valtoria --

The next morning, you are awakened by a knock on the door. It’s Penelope and Kiara. “Catherine, breakfast is being served and everyone’s waiting.” “Oh! What time is it? Did I oversleep?” ��Pas vraiment. It’s only seven, but we do have a surprise downstairs.” You stretch and yawn and request a few minutes to get dressed as they walk away happily down the hallway. You look over only to see that Hana has already left. (“I wonder what they’re up to?”) You hurriedly change clothes and head downstairs. When you reach the bottom of the stairs Hana is waiting with a smile. “We have a little surprise for you Catherine… right this way.” She leads you to the sitting room where the other girls are sitting in a circle of chairs and Olivia smiles. “You take forever sometimes.” You smile and look around at everyone curiously. “What is all this?” Hana beams as she leads you to one of the empty chairs and then sits in the one beside you. “It was impossible to give you a wedding shower with the tour and all… but before the chaos begins, we wanted to give you our gifts.” “Well in that case, I suppose I should give you yours as well.” You get up and walk to a tall chest pulling out several small bags and then pass them out to each one of your friends. “I wanted to give you a token to symbolize our friendship, but most of all to thank you for your dedication and sacrifice. Each of you have played an important part in uniting Cordonia and as your future queen we may not have moments like this often, but I want you to always remember the bond we share.” They each open their gift and gasp joyously. A gold necklace, with individual charms symbolic of your friendship to each of them and one larger than the rest which is the Cordonian crest. Hana is the first to speak. “This is a perfect gift Catherine and I will cherish it and our friendship always.” “Mon ami, this is très chic, no.” Penelope tries to fight back tears. “Catherine… this is so beautiful… and thoughtful.” Olivia sits looking at the charms on her necklace. “I certainly wasn’t expecting such a lovely gift from you Catherine, but I suppose there’s still hope for you yet.” “I’ll take that as a compliment.” “Well it was meant to be.” After admiring each other’s necklaces, Hana indicates it’s time for you to open yours. “We didn’t think you’d be needing traditional gifts, so we focused on something else… lingerie!”

At the palace --

Liam is standing in the boutique being fitted one last time before leaving the palace. Bertrand and the seamstress are discussing a decoration be added to his military uniform. “His Majesty has requested this last embellishment so how soon can we expect it to be completed?” The seamstress thinks a moment and then replies. “I’ll have it ready by noon.” “Very good. We’ll have ample time for another fitting before departing to the church.” Liam looks at Bertrand. “I’ll change and come back later then.” “Very well Your Majesty.” Liam goes into one of the changing rooms and once dressed he comes out handing the uniform to Bertrand who bows and then gives it to the seamstress. “I’ll see you two at noon.” Liam says as he walks out of the boutique. As he walks down the hall Bastien meets him from the other direction and bows. “Your Majesty.” “Good morning Bastien. Were you looking for me?” “Yes. Your presence has been requested in the dining room.” “Thank you Bastien.”

At Valtoria --

After the lingerie ‘party’, you and the other’s head to the dining room for breakfast. With the conversation being about their favorite and which you should choose for the honeymoon, Olivia doesn’t utter a word. You interrupt not really wanting to continue the topic anyway. “Since you guys brought up the subject, I thought I would mention that Liam and I won’t be leaving for the honeymoon until tomorrow and we’ll be staying at the palace tonight.” Hana responds. “I completely forgot about that. We’ll make sure no one disturbs you two tonight Catherine.” “Well after this wedding, I’ll be heading back to Lythikos, so I certainly won’t be guarding the door.” You look at Olivia and notice a twinge of pain across her usually tough persona... “Olivia, if you wouldn’t mind I’d like to have you help me decide on something while I’m getting ready.” Olivia rolls her eyes and snips. “Like what? Which color lipstick goes with Liam’s eyes?” You ignore her sarcasm. “No. I can’t decide on which hairstyle would work with the veil and you have such good taste, so I was hoping you might have a suggestion.” Olivia carefully considers your request and her expression softens somewhat. “Well, it’s only fitting that you would ask for my advice. After all, I am the only one here with any sense of style...And I certainly can’t let you make Liam look bad… I suppose I might have a few suggestions.” “Good.” Everyone finishes breakfast and goes upstairs to get packed and ready for the trip to the church.

At the palace --

Things are busy at the palace. Liam has been fitted for the final time after a last-minute addition to his military uniform. After that it’s time to head to the church where Liam and his groomsmen will get ready and the Archbishop will visit for the official blessing before the wedding ceremony starts. Maxwell, Drake and Bertrand rush to the awaiting limo which will follow behind the motorcade. On their way to The Archbasilica of St. Martin, the streets are lined with the official Cordonian flag and banners signifying that a wedding is about to take place. And people have already started gathering to watch the traditional procession back to the palace immediately following the nuptials. They wave frantically as the motorcade goes by. Crews are setting up with their camera’s and security is circulating throughout the town and at the church. Once arriving, Liam is ushered inside and into a holding room, along with the others, to get ready for the wedding of the century. Maxwell is the first to speak. “Man did you guys see all those people lined up on our way over?” Bertrand responds. “This is considered to be one of the most widely anticipated events in the history of Cordonia. I’m not the least bit surprised by the display of public participation.” “Yeah, it’s kind of scary.” Bertrand senses that the king needs a peaceful moment. “Maxwell, I need your help with a few last-minute details.” Bertrand walks toward the door. “You want my help?” “Well you can at least watch and learn. Come along.” Maxwell follows Bertrand, leaving Drake and Liam alone. Drake walks over beside Liam and looks out the window where Liam stands deep in thought. “Hey, how are you holding up?” “Better than expected actually.” “Yeah. Well, I know it’s been tough getting here, but this is what you’ve been waiting for.” “Yes. It almost seems too good to be true.” “What does that mean?” “I just hope I can live up to Catherine’s expectations Drake… her happiness means more to me than anything else.” “Well I’ve seen how Beckham looks at you and I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Hell, I wish I had someone that loved me half as much as she loves you.” “How can you be so sure?” “Do you really have to ask? Anyone that’s seen you two knows you belong together. She wouldn’t have come all this way and went through the hell this court dished on her if she wasn’t.” Liam smiles and then pats Drake on the shoulder. “Thank you, Drake.” “For what?” “For keeping me grounded and for always having my back.” “Hey, you’ve always been there for me and I don’t forget that easy.” “I know, and I appreciate it.” Suddenly, the door swings open and Maxwell rushes in breathless. “Catherine’s here! I don’t know what she did, but man she looks gorgeous! You’re a lucky man Liam.” Liam smiles. “I already knew that Maxwell.” “Then it’s show time, let’s do this!” Drake looks over at Maxwell curiously. “What’s that on your face?” “What?” Drake points at his cheek. “Oh!” Maxwell rubs at the spot Drake pointed. “I bet she did that on purpose…”

At Valtoria –

While sitting in your room thinking about the wedding, you are startled by a sudden knock on the door. You open it to find Olivia on the other side. “Hey Olivia.” She walks in smiling. “So, I’ve been thinking about what we can possible do with that unkempt hair of yours and I can’t decide until I see the veil. Where is it?” You walk over to the bureau and open the box sitting on top. Olivia looks in and examines it carefully, then takes it out for a closer inspection. “Hmm… it’s not as exquisite as I had imagined but I think it fits you perfectly.” “Olivia, can we just cut the sarcasm? It’s just you and me in this room right now and you don’t have to keep up the façade.” “What do you mean façade?” “I know you’re not as vicious and cruel as you want everyone to believe. And deep down there is a kinder and gentler version of yourself… why do you continue to hide it?” “Uh…what? I’m not hiding anything. What you see is what you get. And besides, I am a Nevrakis… it’s expected.” “You know, with the stigma you claim is attached to your lineage, why would you want to hold onto the negative aspects of it? Only you have the power to change those expectations of what being a Nevrakis means. You’re not being true to yourself…” Olivia’s expression begins to soften as she carefully considers your words and suddenly she bursts into tears. “Why do you even care? It’s not like you’d get some medal for piecing together my wretched life… I know I’m a terrible person… and even if I wanted to change, it’s not that easy for me. I have a reputation to…” You reach and pull her into a comforting hug where she tenses at first and then softens into the embrace. “Olivia, you’re not a terrible person. I think you are just misunderstood. If people could see what I do, they’d know what a warm and generous person you are.” Olivia backs up and looks at you questioningly. “How would you know all that?” “I guess you could call it a gift, but I’m good at reading people. And pretty accurate most of the time.” “Well… I suppose you’re not completely wrong about me, but I just don’t know how to be any different. I don’t know how to be a… friend I guess.” “Well, you’re doing a pretty good job right now. I mean you did agree to come help me with my hair and only a friend would be so generous.” She looks at you with an arched brow and the hint of a smile. “So, this was all a ploy to have me bear my soul… so I’d be in your little circle?” You smile. “Well… maybe. But it worked didn’t it?” Olivia looks down, toying with her fingernails and then looks back up to you. “I guess that’s still up for debate but…” Olivia grabs a tissue and dries her eyes and then gestures for you to sit at the vanity. She takes a brush in hand... “I have an idea about how we can do your hair that will simply look marvelous with that exquisite veil. You are going to be the most beautiful bride Cordonia has ever seen.” You smile and sit down as Olivia begins…

After your hair is done and everyone has praised Olivia for how beautiful it looks, it’s time for makeup and then off to the church. Upon arrival you see Maxwell in the hall before you step into the holding room and he comes running up to you. “Catherine! Wow!” “I take it you like?” “You could say that… damn you look good!” You laugh. “Do you think Liam will approve?” “He won’t be able to take his eyes off you. Hell, I can’t take mine off you…” “Well you’ll have to because I need to get out of this hallway in case Liam happens to come out here. And besides I have to finish getting ready. You know, the dress?” “Oh yeah… right. Well, I guess I’ll see you at the wedding then.” You reach up and kiss him on the cheek, smiling mischievously and then head into the room where the others are waiting to help you get dressed. Maxwell scurries down the hall and into the men’s holding room.

At the church –

Once the blessing has been completed, the men exit leaving Liam alone. He stands by the window again but this time with a gentle confidence and peaceful thoughts about the woman he will soon marry. He has never been as happy as he is in this moment and he smiles knowing that in a matter of moments, he’ll be standing beside the woman of his dreams vowing his love to her for an eternity. “Catherine, My love… Since I was old enough to understand my purpose in life, I had only dreamed about the kind of woman I could spend the rest of my life with. I had many ideas about her… She would be kind, generous and inspirational… She would be courageous, determined and strong willed… She would be cheerful and sincere, keeping true to herself and her beliefs regardless of the expectations placed before her… And most of all, she would never allow anything to alter her character. From the moment we first met, there was no doubt that you were this woman…the one I had dreamed of. Your presence has brought so much to my life and I only hope that I can give you half of what you have given me. All that I am and all that I have, I offer to you in love and joy. From this day and until my last breath, I will comfort and protect you, hold you close in my heart, embrace you above all others and remain faithful to you… Beyond all these things, I give you my everlasting love… in sickness and in health. With everything that I am, I give myself to you for an eternity.”

Bertrand knocks and then opens the door to tell Liam it’s time. “I’m ready.” Liam follows Bertrand through the hallway and into the basilica where a live orchestra sits in the nave. The musical sounds reverberating off the walls lending a pleasant atmosphere. Liam steps in and walks to the alter where his groomsmen are already waiting. He stands with his arms in front, one hand crossing the other, quietly waiting with anticipation to see his bride.

After the traditional blessing, it’s almost time for everyone to take their places. Once you have put on your dress and all the adjustments are made, the ladies leave you for a moment of solitude before the ceremony begins. The veil pulled over your face creating silhouettes of light as you stand by the window… you reflect about your life and where you are at this moment… but mostly you think about Liam and how much you love him and the happy life you’re about to begin with the man of your dreams.

You take a moment to rehearse your vows. “Liam, I never really understood what love at first sight meant, but when our eyes met, it became so clear to me... You were the one I had been searching for, the one I believed only existed in my dreams. When you came into my life I realized that what I always thought was happiness was nothing more than a delusion. Nothing compares to the joy that loving you has brought me. You give me hope and peace, joy and laughter, but most of all you give me love… A love so pure and true. You are a part of everything I think, do and feel. With you I know anything is possible. You are and always will be the love of my life…. My soul mate. Today I give myself to you with every ounce of my being. I will love you without reservation, cherish you and hold you with the highest regard... I will support you and comfort you through life’s joys and sorrows. I will encourage and inspire you… be honest and faithful to you. I will stand by you in sickness and in health. All these things I promise to you for as long as I live and breathe. I love you now... and I will love you forever.”

You can already hear the music playing and your heart is beating wildly. Hana steps in the room. “It’s time Catherine. Are you ready?” “Yes. I’m ready Hana.” You smile as Hana grabs the train of the dress and you walk assuredly down the hall and to the right, stopping in front of the closed double doors. Bertrand is there to walk you down the aisle and the children stand with baskets of rose petals to drop ahead of you during the procession. “How are you feeling my dear?” “Happy… more than I ever thought possible Bertrand. And thank you for everything.” “There is no need to thank me. You are a Beaumont after all… and you look positively radiant.” You smile as he takes your hand.

Soon the double doors open and the journey down the aisle begins. “Just keep your chin up and smile.” You lift your head and take a deep breath. “I can do that.” As the procession slowly moves forward, you see Liam standing at the alter and your heart skips a beat. “Oh God!” Bertrand continues to smile but whispers… “Breathe my dear, just breathe.” You can feel the tears stinging your eyes but manage to compose yourself when you see the smile on Liam’s face. It is warm and loving… it’s as if there is no one else in the room but the two of you…

Liam turns facing the doors when they open, he gasps as he sees you walking slowly to him. His heart pounding in his chest, and he smiles as tears come to his eyes. He takes a deep breath trying to remain poised…to him, your beauty is undeniable, even under the veil. He sees only you as everyone else seems to fade away…

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