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jalebi-weds-bluetooth · 5 months ago

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Saheb, Bibi aur Ghulaam

Thank you to the lovelies @arshifiesta for celebrating IPK and setting up the great moodboards and AU.

1878, Calcutta

Eleven years old Arnav Mullick had not spoken a word in a year.

Some thought it was his parents' traumatizing deaths that led to his silence. But death was nothing new. The house had lost its middle son, his Mejda Akash at tender age of 19.

So no, death made no difference to Arnav. In fact he was happy when his philanderer of a father died of drinking as well. He deserved it. Not once had he seen his father home at night.

Arobindo Mullick would often scoff when stopped, that if any man of this house had ever spent a night in his own house?

So then some speculated that Arnav's behavioral issues had gotten worse, hence why he stopped speaking for a year.

If his darling mother was alive, she would've wrestled with anyone who thought such against her Arnob. Shyam, Arnav's Borda (boro-dada = older-brother) would perhaps be the only one to chuckle and agree with the society. Arnav was tempestuous as a child.

But quiet? Never quite.

The society would never understand that it was Akash's falling for a Baiji (courtesan) at the age of seventeen, his frequent visits leading his early introduction to alcohol despite their mother's best to protect them for it that hurt Arnav the most.

This was when Arnav swore off love.

That his otherwise pious brother was gullible to follow his father's footsteps to a kotha - where Arobindo Mullick spent all his nights.

It was his mother's haunted face and tears that left Arnav speechless. Or rather Arobindo's reply to her request to stay at home.

Has any Mullick ever spent a night in their own home?

This was when Arnav swore off marriage.

Or that despite Raja Rammohan Roy having abolished Sati-pratha a good sixty years ago, Arnav's mother was dragged to her undeserving husband's pyre by her conservative in-laws to follow patni dharam.

This was when Arnav swore off religion.

But if maa was alive, what life would she have had? Arnav saw how his uncle, Kaku, eyed her. And Arnav had seen that in the months prior to his mother's death, how she was shaved, dressed in white and forced into a strictly ritualistic dreary life.

His mother, whose hair spilled like the Ganges from Himalaya, had a beauty who could rival the Goddess, lived a life none deserved simply out of rituals and religion.

Thus when Shyam gave their mother mukh-agni, Arnav found his devotion die in his mother's pyre. And when his only hope, Borda (Shyam) set sail to London abandoning him, his words died as well.

-- -- --

1880, Calcutta

Arnav had been wrong about Borda. He returned as a Barrister from London, swiftly kicking out Kaku (father's younger brother) by bringing up property possession rights and threatened the rest of the Mullicks with incarceration for having forced their mother to die.

Thirteen years old Arnav did not know what to do when the brother he thought so wrongly about did the most just thing. It was then he decided that he too would run away to London when he came of age.

But the other thing he couldn't figure out was what to do with Boudi (bhabhi; sister in law). Their grandmother had fixed Borda (Shyam's) alliance with a member of the Tagore family.

Barely two years older than him, fifteen years old Anjali Devi was to manage the household of a twenty five years of Shyam Mullick. How could Arnav accept her as the lady of the house when the post truly belonged to Maa and only her.

But Arnav realized no rebellion was needed. Boudi arrived with the biggest reverence to their mother, along with the grief of losing her own. She chatted constantly with Arnav, not questioning his silence at all - Borda had gotten fed up after a few tries.

And over the years Arnav realized he had a sibling more in Boudi than in Borda.

Perhaps, perhaps maa's essence found its way into Anjali Boudi. It would explain why Arnav's first words were celebrated by Anjali as if it was her first child who had uttered their first words.

A child she was unable to give through all of her married life.

And perhaps his family was cursed against joy for the moment Arnav saw his mother in Anjali, he saw his father in Shyam.

The easy money he made as a barrister faded quicker given his lavish expenditure in trying to out-host the British and the Indian royalties. He belittled Anjali's lineage as much as he could and tried to prove that he was a bigger industrialist than the Tagores.

Lawyer he was, businessman he wasn't.

And thus at age eighteen Arnav had to run to London, no longer chasing any dream, but at least attempting to make the fortune his brother boasted of having.

-- -- --

1893, London

London was far more accommodating than India would ever be. This was what Arnav believed until, of course, an intellectual sparring with Boudi's cousin - Rabindranath - would get him thinking about perspectives.

To think of it, majority of India's existing regressive laws were nothing but British Victorian laws.

Then who was regressive?

It had been a lazy afternoon where Arnav was entertaining his thoughts, alone, as usual when a telegraph changed his life.

URGENT STOP SHYAM DA MARRYING AGAIN STOP

Arnav tossed the telegraph aside, grabbed his documents and hailed the first ship - premier class - to India.

He only had two goals.

Stop Shyam Mullick from marrying and ruin everybody who stood as an obstacle to Bo- Didi's happiness.

-- -- --

A/N: Yes, babua is here and so is his very very painful history! Lemme know what you all think :)

Tagging @shiyaravi @maansiloves @featheredclover @chutkiandchotte @laad-governess @msbhagirathi @phuljari @hand-picked-star @barshifan (updating it slowly and steadily)

#ask #ipkknd #ipk 13th anniversary fiesta #ipkknd fanfic #jalebi writes

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phuljari · 3 months ago

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social media au! part 6

summary : khushi is a model and influencer; arnav just seems to stumble upon her profile one day— not so much by accident. (or what if khushi fell in love at first sight?)

warnings : if you don't know already, i suck at updates. yes i mean it as a warning!

a/n : i am...trying something new (by using the word prompts) #IPK 13th Anniversary Fiesta @arshifiesta

Notifications (aakash_r)

payaliyaa followed you back

iMessage

Unknown: Khushi ji agar aap kal subah tak jawab nahi dengi toh hum ye pictures post kar denge

Unknown: Aur haan, humne aapke sabhi account hack kar liye hai toh sochna bhi mat

iMessage

Unknown: arnav stay right where you are

Arnav: ???? Who's this?

Unknown: khushi

Unknown: hum jiji ka phone use kar rahe hain

Unknown: someone's hacked my phone

Arnav: WTF?

Arnav: What about the picture you just sent?

Payal: 😭😭😭

Payal: tabhi toh keh rahe hain ki rukiye

Payal: can you ask someone from your IT team to sort this issue out?

Arnav: Let me check

Arnav: Also, turn off your phone

Payal: yes yes, already did

iMessage "Raizada" Group Manorama: Aakash bitwa Manorama: Hum tumhare liye miss tip-top chun liye hain Manorama: e dekho Manorama shared Lavanya Kashyap's Instagram profile

Manorama: Hum hi apna ID change karva lete hai HP se Manorama: divamanorama kaisan rahega? Manorama: hello hi bye bye, ekdum hi fantashtic sound karat hai naahi? Aakash: Maa, ye sab kya hai? Aakash: Maine kaha na aapse ki mujhe abhi shadi nahi karni Nani: Shaadi. Toh. Karni. Padegi. Aakash. BITWA Anjali: Are waah mamiji, ye toh badhiya choice hai aapki Anjali: Aur inhe toh Khushi ji bhi follow karti hai Anjali: Unse baat karein kya?

Anjali: Theek rahega Aakash: DIIIII Aakash: 😭😭😭

thekhushigupta

liked by divalavanya, hari_prakash, preetika123, saritaraman, nandiii and others

thekhushigupta tick tick tick gulabi aankhien ✨

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hayerenandkishorekaahai HAYE RE NANDKISHORE E KAA HAI

hayerenandkishorekaahai LAGTA HAI POORI PHOTU DAALNA BHUL GAYI HAINN

hayerenandkishorekaahai AE SANKA DEVI

hayerenandkishorekaahai AADHE KAPDE THEEK THE PAR PHOTO TOH POORI SHAKAL KE SAATH DAALO

hayerenandkishorekaahai AAJ KAL KI LADKIYAN

preetika123 Darling, you're sparkling! ✨

saritaraman Is that the roberto cavalli dress a certain someone brought from a certain somewhere?

nandiii Beautiful Khushi ji!

user1 fishy

⤷user1 esp the caption

hellohibyebye phati sareeee! accha kiya post kardi! hum toh puchna hi bhool jate tumhein, e konsa shade lagayi ho lipshtik ka?

⤷hellohibyebye hum yaad karke oo naa le e he liye

⤷hellohibyebye bahutey bekaar laagat hai 😒

payaliyaa

liked by aakash_r, arnavsinghraizada, divalavanya, nandiii, anjaliiiii.r and others

payaliyaa ❗❗❗IMP NOTE: Hello everyone, as you may or may not know Khushi's account has been hacked recently. We request you all to cooperate till the situation is back in control. Please do not engage with any of Khushi's accounts on any social media until further notice. ❗❗❗

Love to all the 378M followers! Be careful of scammers and hackers out there!

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divalavanya: Oh my god! please be careful, i just received a dm from this account asking me to transfer 25k because of some server issue and i had almost done it thinking that was khushi user1: is this a PR scheme by ardesignhouse? they've hired khushi for their new collection photoshoot and this will def create a buzz ⤷user2: I heard Khushi was supposed to work for Pro Fashion before she signed with AR ⤷user3: maybe pro ppl have some revenge plan up their sleeve? ⤷user1: it's possible. but let's wait to see what happens rather than jump to conclusions

user4: Hope Khushi is mentally safe and sound! This can be an extremely terrifying situation to have your private space infiltrated. Cyber crime is no joke,,, this is def not a PR scheme

user5: Should we block and report?

⤷payaliyaa No, it would be difficult to regain a lost account. We're working on the security, will update everyone soon

iMessage

Arnav: Khushi, try resetting your password from any other device

Payal: okay

Arnav: Shit

Payal: ???

Arnav: Well, that photo you sent me? Not so private any more

Payal: omgggg

Payal: hey devi maiyaaaa 😭😭😭

Arnav: Why are you so goofy even in tense situations lol😂

Payal: kya goofy? hum omg kar rahe hai hindi mein

Arnav: Uh okay. Didn't think you were a devout person

Payal: something new you learn everyday

Arnav: I guess

Payal: wait, is that a bad thing?

Arnav: We'll talk about that later

Arnav: Did you change the password?

Payal: i tried from my laptop but the verification goes to my phone

Payal: so i need to switch it on

Arnav: Okay

Payal: yes, i guess it works now

Arnav: Change your passwords everywhere and add two factor authentication

Payal: yes yes, thank u so much

Arnav: No problem! I'm leaving now but Aman will stay at the office overnight in case something happens

Arnav: A threat to you is a threat to us

Payal: you don't really need to...

Payal: oh ok, when you put it like that

Payal: but i swear it's just some insane stalker guy trying to get me to talk to him

Arnav: Nonetheless

payaliyaa

liked by arnavsinghraizada, aakash_r, divalavanya, thekhushigupta, hari_prakash, preetika123, saritaraman, nandiii and others

payaliyaa Cheers to khushi getting her account back (would've posted a pic with @/thekhushigupta but it seems like we don't click enough pictures together)

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thekhushigupta: jiji hai toh sahi 😭😭😭

⤷thekhushigupta: bohot sariiii

⤷payaliyaa : jisme tum bilkul pagal lagti ho

⤷thekhushigupta: sach sach bolo jiji, tumhari photo acchi nahi aati

⤷payaliyaa : hum toh tumhe beizzati se bacha rahe the par agar tumhe manzoor ho toh karde post..?

divalavanya: Thank god everything is fine Khushi! I was damn worried about you yaar!

⤷thekhushigupta: girl 😩❤️😭

preetika123 omg wtf happened

⤷thekhushigupta bestieeee 😭😭😭😭

hayerenandkishorekaahai BAHUT E PYAARI LAGAT HAI HUMRI PAYALIYA

hayerenandkishorekaahai E LAMBE PYALE ME SE KAA PI RAHI HO BITIYA

nandiii Not bad Payal ji, not bad! Maybe aapko model banana chahiye tha

⤷ nandiii BTW so sorry about Khushi ji's online harassment :(

⤷thekhushigupta nanhe jii wo sab chodiye banana 🍌nahi ban-na kehte hai usee

⤷nandiii Oh sorry, sorry! Typo Khushi ji, maaf kar dijiye

aakash_r You're so beautiful Payal ji! 🙇‍♂️

⤷payaliyaa Thank you Aakash ji! 😌

arnavsinghraizada

liked by aakash_r, anjaliiiii.r, hari_prakash, hellohibyebye, mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada, gulabo_devyani, payaliyaa, nandiii, laxmi.ji and others

arnavsinghraizada I have a knack for playing

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aakash_r Bhai hope you enjoy your stay!

anjaliiiii.r Aree Waah! I'm so proud of you

user1 Sir, are you hiring?

gulabo_devyani Arnav + Khushi. BITIYA ENJOY

titaliya_k

liked by arnavsinghraizada, anjaliiiii.r, hari_prakash, aakash_r, gulabo_devyani, payaliyaa, divalavanya and others

titaliya_k much needed pampering

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divalavanya My absolute fav! Hope you enjoy the little getaway we @/payaliyaa planned for you <3

⤷titaliya_k you have no idea la! you're the best <33

hari_prakash Didi PAMPERS OUT OF STOCK HAI

nandiii I bet you smell amazing Khushi ji!

⤷arnavsinghraizada She does, now back the fuck off

⤷nandiii nannav wtf

⤷titaliya_k omg calm down boys!

aakash_r Hope you enjoy the jalebis too Khushi ji!

⤷titaliya_k AAKASH JI😭😭😭😭tysm

Notifications (nandiii)

preetika123 followed you back

(1) new messages from preetika123

preetika123: Hey, you're NK right?

nandiii: Yes yes

nandiii: Nice to meet you pretti woman!

nandiii: Khushi ji has told me so much about you!

Notifications (aakash_r)

divalavanya started following you

(1) new messages from divalavanya

divalavanya: Hi

Notifications (payaliyaa)

abhishek_kumar started following you

(1) new messages from abhishek_kumar

abhishek_kumar: Hey

abhishek_kumar: Garima ji showed me your account

abhishek_kumar: Hope you don't mind

abhishek_kumar: Hope your parents mentioned me

iMessage

Khushi: hahahahahhahaha omggg

Khushi: look at these two goofballs

Khushi: aakash ji, payal ji, aakash ji, payal ji

Arnav: You know I'm sitting right besides you right?

Khushi: yesssssssssssss

Khushi: but it's easier to say things here

Arnav: Yeah?

Khushi: stop looking at me all flirty

Arnav: Your sister, my brother and your friend planned this one day getaway for us to "cool off"

Khushi: you're clearly doing the opposite

Arnav: Uh huh

Khushi: like how your fingers on that piano were driving me crazy

Khushi: the swiftness with which you played

Khushi: and those rolled up sleeves arnav, you're killing me 🫦

Arnav: Stop it

Khushi: what

Arnav: Stop biting your lip like that

Khushi: only one way to stop me

TBC

#aakash got lasik done lolol no more chashmish #late to the party?#naah *shows up after the party is over*#so chaotic that i had lunch after 5 today and you expect timely updates #phuljari plays the game of delete or post drafts #what's next in phuljari's clearance sale?#ipkknd #ipk 13th anniversary fiesta #iss pyaar ko kya naam doon #arshi #arnav khushi #word prompt thingy

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the-californicationist · 1 year ago

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Guile & Guilt (Ch. 03)

AO3 Link

SEPTEMBER

“I’m not askin’ you to hang the moon, Johnny! I’m askin’ you to drive to Glencoe. I told you, I dinnae ken who made the appointment, but it cannae be changed. Please, just do this for me. I’m your sister.”

“Don’t pull that shite. I dinnae mind makin’ the wee drive to Glencoe, but I dinnae ken fuck all about cakes! I just got back from fuckin’ Faridah, didn’t I? What do I ken about fuckin’ buttercream? Tell your maid of honor to go. She’d pick a fine cake!”

“She is going! Haven’t you been listening, you eejit? You’re takin’ her with you. She’ll help you…” a pause, and then, “I know, I know. I’m sure you were gonna meet back up with Bekah, or Cherise, or Anjali, or -”

“Hey! Tha’s no’ fair. Take it back right now, or I’ll tan your hide.”

“Come on and try, boyo! All those wee military exercises and I’ll still have you whingin’ for mum like you did that one Christmas when -”

You knocked on the door, hoping to prevent fraternal bloodshed, and the voices stopped. A long pause stretched out into infinity.

You had been standing on the porch of the MacTavish house for quite a long time. At first, seeing his Jeep in the driveway had kept you trapped in the cab, much to the cabbie’s chagrin. Over the past three months, you’d had plenty of thoughts about Johnny MacTavish and his sister. He had taken you home from the bar and put you to bed, but not in the way you might have thought, given his…reputation. The next morning, he was gone again. Pidge said they’d given him only two days away, and then he was back to Urzikstan to do whatever sandy, nasty job he had to do there.

You’d been planning on leaving as well, needing to return to the endless slog of your studies, so you booked a train home. Back at your flat, you’d started overthinking and obsessing.

How embarrassing was it that you’d gotten so drunk? He must think you’re such a loser! A girl who can’t even hold her alcohol. They all must think that about you. And now you have to do a whole wedding with them! You were never drinking again. Well, that resolution lasted about half a day, because when you started rehashing the feeling of being carried in his arms and the smell of whisky as it hung on his breath as he tucked you into his bed, you needed a fucking drink.

So, wine in hand, you began to unpack.

You weren’t completely sure if it had been a drunken accident or not, but you found Johnny’s shirt in your bag, and you immediately felt a pang of regret. Perhaps you were a thief after all. You didn’t remember putting it in there. What else had you done that you didn’t remember?

Damnit .

You thought about it for a moment, but then you caved and you put on the shirt. You rationalized it, claiming you’d wash it. No big deal.

But then, three months went by and you had found a small hole in the sleeve from overwearing it.

“Fuck!” You lamented, fingering the threads as if it couldn’t be true.

You were not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, but you threw a stitch in it and prayed he wouldn’t notice.

Now, it was September, and he was back to attend the official MacTavish-Hamilton engagement party. You had planned to stay the whole week with Pidge, canceling your meetings and bringing your laptop with you. You had a chapter due next Wednesday, and it was crunch time. But now, apparently, you were going to Glencoe.

With him.

Alone.

You knocked again, a little louder. The door creaked open and only Pidge greeted you over the threshold.

“Hey, babes! Come in! We’re in the kitchen. Got loads to share. So much to do… Oy, your bags are so heavy! What did you bring in here, hen? Bricks?”

“Close,” you half-smiled, “Books.”

“Och, Jesus,” she struggled a bit and then dropped them in front of Johnny’s door unceremoniously.

“Thanks, Pidge.”

She plodded into the kitchen, and you followed behind. As you rounded the corner, you saw him busying himself with the dishes, putting away cups and plates. The kettle was on, and in a few minutes, there’d be tea. He stopped as soon as he saw you, drying his hands on the striped tea towel and smiling at you. The grin didn’t quite meet his eyes, and his obvious disappointment with needing to babysit you for this Glencoe outing put a stake right through your heart.

“So,” Pidge broke the news to you in front of her brother, “I know you were going to come with me to the dress fitting, but I double booked, and now the cake shop wants to do a wee tasting. I will owe you my literal first born if you go in my place, babes.”

You tried to act surprised,

“But, wasn’t I supposed to do a fitting as well?”

“Yeah, I told them the situation, and they booked you tomorrow bright and early. Please? Don’t let my fuckin’ brother pick out my wedding cake. It’d be chocolate on chocolate and nothin’ else.”

“What’s wrong with chocolate?” Johnny was indignant.

Pidge gave him a warning look and then turned her attention back to you,

“Will you pretend to be me for a day?”

The look in her eyes told you that an option for denial wasn’t even on the table, but the look in his as he gazed down at his white-knuckled grip on the counter, said there wasn’t room for anything but.

You didn’t care what he thought (liar), and you were there for Pidge, not him.

“You know I will. They think I’m you?”

“Yes, and you need to sign for it as well. Bring back the receipt, if you would. God, you’re the absolute best.”

She kissed you on the cheek and grabbed her bag from the counter, turning to you once more before she walked out of the door,

“And don’t let this dafty give you any shite. If he’s not on his best behavior, I’ll injure him, so help me God.”

As she walked out of the house, Johnny rolled his eyes and grabbed his keys,

“C’mon, lass. It’s a trek, so we need to get petrol before we head out.”

“Sorry that you have to go with me,” you apologized, acknowledging his disdain.

He smiled and shook his head, walking you out to his jeep. The top was off, along with the doors. You quickly braided your hair back, realizing it was about to be a wind-swept drive.

“Not your fault, hen. My wee sister’s just plottin’ against me, that’s all. You ever been to the Three Sisters?”

“No,” you told him, “Not much of a hiker.”

You knew about the famed mountains, and you had heard of their stunning beauty, but you hadn’t had the opportunity to go north to see them for yourself. Without a personal car, it was hard to get out of the city much less to the mountains of Glen Coe.

You climbed up into the Jeep, using the handle to hoist yourself inside. He jumped up into the driver’s seat with ease, pulling a pair of sunglasses down from the visor and shoving them onto his face. Johnny reached over you and into the glove compartment, digging around for a bit before handing you a matching pair. They were extremely sporty, and you were certain you looked ridiculous in them, but he made them look so stylish.

“Here ya are, lass. Gonna be a long drive. We’ll go the scenic route. Cannae believe you’ve never seen the mountains. Tha’s a bloody crime.”

As you drove, he pointed out landmarks, good coffee shops to visit, and sang loudly to the radio (which was muffled by the roaring wind). He made you feel so at ease, and now that Pidge wasn’t lurking around every corner, you let yourself explore him with your eyes indulgently. You laughed at his jokes when they were funny, and smiled freely. Johnny was constantly talking to you when he wasn’t signing, asking about your work, about America, and about the places you’ve been while you were in his country.

“Oh! I know you know this one! The Cranberries? C’mon, lass, don’t break my heart,” he turned up the song as far as it would go and watched you to see if you’d sing along.

“Who doesn’t know this song?” You smiled, singing right along with him.

“…You know I'm such a fool for you. You got me wrapped around your finger…”

He smiled at you, pleased that you were playing along, practically screaming the lines.

By the time you’d made it through the gorgeous landscape to the base of the Three Sisters mountains, you were sore from laughing, and hoarse from singing, and you’d fallen head over heels for the handsome soldier again and again and again.

Eventually, you made it to the town of Glencoe, and you pulled up your map on your phone, giving him directions to the bakery. He parked in the street. It was misting a little, and he helped you out of the Jeep to bring you under the awning of a small Nero cafe. You zoomed in on the map to get a better view, and he leaned over your shoulder to see it.

He beamed,

“Aye, just ‘round the wee corner. And it’s right by the pub! Stop in for a pint after, what do you say, lass?”

“Only if we get out of there without arousing any suspicion. We have to convince them that we’re getting married.”

“Don’t worry about that. If you were my wee hen, I couldn’t keep my filthy paws off of ya. Havin’ a hard time now as it is,” he wiggled his eyebrows at you, keeping up with his jokester attitude.

“Easy does it, Hammie. I’m saving myself for the wedding night, you know?” You joked right along with him, playing coy.

“Dinnae worry your wee heid, lassie. I’ll take you to confession tomorrow, and all the sins of tonight will be washed away,” Johnny grabbed you by the hand and led you back into the street.

He paused for a moment, looking down at you as your palms touched, fitting together like a glove, almost as if he had forgotten something. He shook the thought away and walked with you to the store in companionable silence.

When you arrived, he held the door open and let you step up into the warm, quiet bakery. All of the wind and the noise of the street disappeared in the little shop, and the smell of sugar overwhelmed your senses. You heard Johnny sigh, enjoying the smell himself.

“Hello! Welcome to Stiff Peaks,” a cheery little grandmother of a woman greeted you from behind the counter.

Her earrings were tiny whisks, and she had a bit of flour on her cheek. She came out from behind the register and shook your hands,

“You must be the Hamiltons, or I should say the future Hamiltons.”

“Yes ma’am,” you smiled, downplaying your American accent, “We’ve come to try your wedding cake offerings.”

“Of course, right this way.”

She led you both down a tight corridor to the back room where a single two-person table waited for you. A black camera hung obviously in the corner. You eyed it when she wasn’t looking, and Johnny met your gaze, giving you a wink.

“Here you are, Pigeon, have a seat,” he held out your chair for you to sit down, adding a level of romantic gentlemanly affection that you were not expecting, kissing your neck from behind as you sat.

The feeling of his lips sent a shock through your system. They were so soft and plush, and when he pulled away, you could feel the cold air rush across the wet spot he left behind. The sting of it tortured you, and you felt your cheeks flush. He saw them, and instead of ribbing you, he averted his eyes with an emotion you couldn’t quite place.

“Och, you lovebirds,” the baker beamed, “Warms my heart, it does. I’ll be back in a spot.”

She was gone from the room, and you were about to make a comment to him, and then you remembered the camera. He was looking at it, too, and then he focused back on you. He spoke to you in a voice that was low and deep, a slow rumble that covered you like a fog, blocking out everything around you,

“Feeling alright, Pidge?”

“Just fine, mo chridhe,” you used Hamish’s favorite nickname for Brigette, and smiled sweetly at Johnny, testing out your accent.

He looked like he’d seen a ghost, but he recovered quickly, whispering, trying not to be heard by the camera,

“Do you know what that means?”

“Babe? I call you that all the time, babe.” You raised your eyebrows as the baker came back in, warning him.

He shook his head slowly, as if fighting making a comment, drinking down most of the water she had brought to the table. She also set down the first course of cake bites, one plate for each of you.

“Okay, dearies, here is the first selection. We have the classic vanilla, Italian creme, lemon custard, and a black forest. These are less adventurous, and suitable for just about any wedding, no matter how formal. Gave you a pair of wee score cards there to keep up with your winners. I’ll leave you to it!”

You looked down at the scorecard and back up at the cakes. Johnny grabbed his and immediately crossed out the black forest and the lemon custard.

“Hey!” You protested, “You haven’t even tried those. And, besides, Pid- uh, I love lemon!”

“Aye,” he cut his eyes at you, “You do love lemon, Pigeon. But, you’re the only one in the family who does. It’s out.”

“Well, I think you, Hamish, would balk at vanilla and Italian creme. Too pedestrian for a man of your exotic tastes, wouldn’t you say, mo chridhe?”

“Sure, mo mhèirleach, I’m an adventurous sort of man,” his tone turned darkly suggestive, “You ken that well enough, don’tcha?”

You felt his hand on your leg as he skated it up your thigh, giving it a hard squeeze, making you gasp. Just before you could chastise him, he cut you off, whispering in your ear,

“Careful, bonnie. Tha’s a sound I’ll like to hear again.”

You whispered back, too low even for him to hear - almost,

“Johnny…”

He gave you a look that contained that same nameless emotion as when he first grabbed your hand outside in the street. You lingered there for longer than you should have, and you were interrupted by the baker.

“Annnnd…” She gave you both time to return to your seats politely, pretending like you hadn’t just been caught breathing each other’s air, “Here is the second round. How did we like the first set, lovebirds?”

You shrugged,

“They’re beautiful, but we’re looking for something a little more…”

“Sexy,” Johnny said in a matter-of-fact voice.

You backhanded his chest, hard.

“Hamish!”

The baker laughed,

“No, no! I get it! I agree. I think you’ll like these much more. Can I get you some more water, dearie?” She asked him.

“Aye, tapadh leibh.” Thank you .

“Se do bheatha. An ann à Gleann Comhann a tha thu?” You’re welcome. Are you from Glencoe?

He shook his head, the only part of the conversation you could understand,

“Chan e, dìreach an seo a’ fheuchainn ri cèic a bruadar fhaighinn dha mo bhean bhrèagha.” No, just here trying to get my beautiful bride the cake of her dreams.

“Is urrainn dhomh innse dhut gu bheil thu dealasach.” I can tell you’re dedicated.

He laughed,

“Aye. Barrachd na thuig mi, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh.” More than I realized, I think.

Then, the baker was gone. You whispered to him,

“What did you say to her?”

“Just told her I’m allergic to almonds.”

You searched his face to see if he was lying. You couldn’t tell.

“Are you?”

“No,” he smiled, looking down at his cue card.

In the end, you went with the hummingbird cake and coconut creme filling, with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It was perfect for Pidge’s love of citrus, and adventurous enough for Hamish’s tastes. The baker left you with a bag of goodies; cookies, slices of the cake you selected, some macarons, and a copy of the contract.

“Thank you so much for having us. We can’t wait for the big day,” you shook her hand again and she smiled at you.

“Of course, dearie. Looking forward to it. You two enjoy each other. The days go by so fast,” she winked.

Johnny opened the door for you and let you out into the street again.

“So, Mr. Hamilton,” you said, keeping up the charade a little longer, “About that pint…”

“Mmm,” Johnny grinned rakishly, “I have a better idea, lass.”

He took you back past the cafe and ducked into a Spar. He said he needed to pick up a bottle of scotch for one of his mates, an Oban 14-year, and while he was there, he grabbed two cold pint bottles of Caledonia cider from the refrigerated section. He loaded up the Jeep again, and you waited patiently in the passenger seat, thinking you were heading home.

“You ready for your surprise, bonnie?”

“Surprise?”

He laughed, shoving his sunglasses back on and smiling as he turned off of the main road and onto a smaller lane. As you drove, the greenery became more verdant than ever. It was early September, so even though some of the leaves began to change colors, most of them retained their deep emerald hues. The branches and brush rushed by you, and from the open door of the Jeep, if you weren’t so afraid to lose a limb, you could have reached out and touched the leaves. Then, just as you rounded a corner, the hillside gave way to a stunning view.

A valley stretched out before you, showcasing the high, sloping peaks of the Three Sisters. You’d seen them from the other highway, but this road made it seem like you had entered into another realm. Just when you thought you’d have to pass them by, Johnny pulled off the road into a small car park and shut down the engine.

You got out, phone in hand, ready to take some photos. It was too beautiful not to, and if you were honest with yourself, you wanted to remember this day.

“Well, go on then, get my good side,” you spotted Johnny over your shoulder on the screen.

He put his hand around your body and squeezed you in, making sure you were both framed in the screen. You took the selfie, and then he made a noise of discontent,

“Ahh, that won’t do. Another!”

When you took this one, right as you reached for the button, he planted a kiss on your cheek. He pulled away and grabbed your phone out of your hands to look at it,

“Yeah, that’s the one.”

You watched as he texted it to himself, leaving his number in your phone as “Mo Chridhe”.

“Is that how you spell it? I never would have guessed that,” you tried to keep your voice level, pretending like the cheek kiss hadn’t phased you.

“Yeah, we just keep all the other letters in there to confuse you foreigners,” he winked, “C’mon, bit of a walk.”

He pulled the bag of drinks from the back of the Jeep, shoved a towel in the sack, nicked the macarons from your goodie bag, and left everything else in the car. You followed him up the hill quite a ways, but it wasn’t an impossible climb. By the time you reached the top, however, you were out of breath. He kept going up, motioning for him to follow you, and you found yourself next to a shallow pool, no larger than a hottub, out of view of the highway. It was quiet, and none of the tourists had followed you up even half as high. You were very much alone together.

He pulled off his shirt and glasses, tossing them on one of the towels, and went to shuck off his pants and boots. You raised your eyebrows,

“What are you doing?”

He looked up at you, knowing he was shocking you a bit,

“Braw days like this don’t come often. You heard the baker, yeah? The days go by fast. Live a little, mo mhèirleach.”

There was that nickname again. You vowed that you would look it up online later, if only you would be able to spell it.

“Johnny, we can’t just swim here, surely. Someone will come and -”

“And what? Tell us to get out?”

He dunked his head under the clear pool and came back up for air, panting from the chill of the fresh water.

“I don’t have a swimsuit…” You put the bag of treats down and sat on the edge of the pool.

“Aren’tcha wearing any knickers, mhèirleach? Gods, say no, hen. Say no…” He swam up next to you to tease you some more.

“I am!” You told him, and he gave you a look, rolling his eyes.

“Well, go on, bonnie. I’ll even turn around, since you’re savin’ yourself for our wedding bed and all tha’.”

You laughed in disbelief, unsure of everything and yet going along with his plan anyway. You waited for him to avert his eyes before pulling off your pants and as you went to take off your top, you thought you saw him peek under his lashes, but he averted his gaze again so quickly, you couldn’t be sure.

You dipped a foot into the pool. It was cool but not cold. You could stand it, but you wanted to complain a little anyway.

“Jesus, it’s cold in here. Brr!” You feigned a shiver.

“Och, c’mon, lassie. It’s no’ tha’ bad. Here. Have a wee seat by me, and I’ll get some drinks to warm us up.”

He popped the cap on the ciders using the edge of a rock, and handed you one. You drank it, savoring the dry, apple taste and soft fizz.

“There, mhèirleach. All better?”

You nodded, sitting next to him in the pool and laying your head back on the large stones, relaxing, taking in the view. It looked like something you would put on your laptop screen. It was unreal.

“You made a pretty good Hamish today,” you complimented him.

“Spent a lot of my life pretending to be other people. Comes natural at this point, ye ken?” He stared off at the mountains with you, enjoying the view.

“I’m sure you’re ready to be back in the action instead of tasting cakes with your sister’s American friend,” self-deprication was your bread and butter, so you offered it up to him to punish yourself with.

“No,” he turned his eyes away from the grandeur and focused them on you, “What did Pidge tell you about me?”

“Well, she…”

“Ah ah, no. Don’t sugar-coat it.”

You sighed, looking into your cider for courage,

“She told me not to let you get too close. Said you’re a bit of a playboy.”

He laughed in a bitter way, taking a sip of his cider,

“Did she, now? And what do you believe, hen?”

You paused, not knowing what to say. So, you just told the truth,

“I think she’s probably right. I don’t know why she’d lie to me. And Bekah and Cherise -”

“Bekah and Cherise are full of shite. And so is my wee sister.”

He shook his head, clearly upset by your appraisal. You stayed silent, not knowing what to say. You decided to try to lighten the mood,

“Bet you take all the pretty girls to this spot, playboy.”

You elbowed him in the ribs, and he spun on you, quick as a shot. He grabbed your arm that had elbowed him and faced you, standing in front of you in the clear water. It rushed along his chest, moving around the plump muscles and dusting of chest hair, matting it against his skin. He smelled so much like oranges right then, and it was invading your senses.

He ignored your attempt at a joke, and his face became serious instead,

“I ken why she kept you from me now. You’re off-limits. She knew how I’d feel. My sister knows me better than anyone, and I hate her for it.”

“Hate her?” You tried to understand what he was saying, but you didn’t pull away. His breath smelled like alcohol and apples and his eyes gleamed in the low light of the afternoon sun.

“Well, not hate, maybe. But, she must’ve known. She had to.”

“Known what?” You knew what. Some animal part inside of you bared its teeth and warned you, but you asked it anyway.

“She knew I’d like you.”

It was so quiet in your little secluded glade.

He pressed his hands to the sides of your face, staring into your eyes, looking into them, his own eyes searching them for an answer to a question you couldn’t hear.

You let him kiss you. You even kissed him back. He was cinnamon and apples and cake and sugar and tobacco and some other human taste that you chased and chased and chased.

Then, you pulled away.

“We can’t. I…I promised.”

“Aye, as did I. But, she’s a hypocrite.”

“She’s my best friend.”

He looked into your eyes and saw your desperation there, knowing he’d won but surrendering anyway.

Johnny let you go and finished his drink in a single gulp. He sat behind you, and you didn’t turn around. You felt him pull you into his lap to sit on the rough stone ledge, and he whispered,

“Tell me the sonnet you like, bonnie. You said you studied it.”

You tried to make excuses, not in the mood to show off,

“It’s not a very good one. A lot of people -”

“Say it for me. C’mon, lass. Just this once. I promise I’ll bring you back to your friend. But, just this once…”

You paused, feeling his arms wrap around you, not too tight, and nothing inappropriate, hugging you to himself platonically, waiting. You cleared your throat and tried to enunciate,

“Those lips that Love’s own hand did make, Breathed forth the sound that said ‘I hate’, To me that languished for her sake…

His fingers made little circles on your ribcage, rubbing your skin beneath the water.

“But when she saw my woeful state, Straight in her heart did mercy come, Chiding that tongue that ever sweet Was used in giving gentle doom; And taught it thus anew to greet…”

You grabbed his hand with your own, lacing your fingers together like a tied knot.

“‘I hate’ she altered with an end, That followed it as gentle day, Doth follow night, who like a fiend From heaven to hell is flown away. ‘I hate’, from hate away she threw, And saved my life, saying ‘not you’.”

He let out the breath he’d been holding. You couldn’t breathe. Johnny MacTavish liked you, and you couldn’t do anything about it.

“Thank you, mo mhèirleach. Time to take you back. Been away with the fairies too long, I ken.”

The drive back was quiet. You held hands through the mountains. You let go as you pulled into the driveway. Your bones ached. Your wet bra and panties were making you cold, and you had tangles in your wet hair from the drive.

Johnny had left his phone in the Jeep cupholder, so you grabbed it along with the wet towels you had used. Pidge came out of the house to greet you and help with the bags,

“Jesus! What happened to you two?”

“Caught in the rain. Here’s your contract, Pidgie. I need a shower,” he covered for you.

“Roger’s here,” she reported.

Roger was Hamish’s younger brother, just a teenager. Johnny paused, looking at Pidge with a hard stare,

“And where’s he gonna sleep? We cannae put the lad on the floor, Bridgette.”

“You sleep on the floor then, you numpty,” she slapped his arm.

You interjected, torturing yourself,

“We can sleep in his bed. It’s not a big deal. It’s just for a few nights. Is that alright with you, Johnny?”

Pidge was standing between you, so she missed the pale face of fear plastered with Johnny’s open, shocked mouth.

“Shite, are you sure, babe? He snores like a bear.”

You nodded,

“No worries.”

“Johnny MacTavish, I swear on -”

“Go ‘way an’ bile your heid with that shite, Pigeon. I’m not in the mood to be your whippin’ boy.”

He walked into the house, leaving you outside with your best friend, just as he promised.

Something vibrated in your hands. It was Johnny’s phone. He had one missed call from Bekah, and as you were dismissing it, trying to close the lock screen, you saw her text pop up in the banner bar:

Ettrick’s for pints again, Soap? xx

You felt a cold shiver tremble through you as you followed Pidge inside.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Notes:

mo chridhe (moh HREE-yuh) - my heart mo mhèirleach (moh MER-lakh) - my thief

Chapter 04

#johnny soap mactavish #john soap mctavish x reader #soap cod #soap mw2 #john soap mactavish #soap mctavish #johnny mactavish #john mactavish x reader #soap mactavish x reader

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bibliophilea · 14 days ago

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The Lake Beckons

Inspired by "Misery's Lake" by @bubblegumbeech

Album artwork by bibliophilea

Lake wave recordings by arpeggio1980 and TRP on freesound.org

For @invisobang 2024

Flynn has lived on the edge of this lake for as long as he can remember. And for just as long he's been trying to make sure no one else ends up like him or the ghosts he calls his siblings. Unfortunately for him, the teenager that keeps knocking on his door seems to have the wrong idea about things and it's only a matter of time the Lake gets him too.

Read the phic here: ao3 Listen to the song here: bandcamp | spotify

Thank you @kinglazrus, for heading Invisobang, and putting so much work into making it such a phun event! And thank you, @strawberrycamel and @underforeversgrace, for all the work you guys put into helping run the event! Y'all are amazing, and you make this event amazing!

And thank you, Bee, for writing such a phenomenal phic! You write creeping horror incredibly well, and I adore how you weave it into everything about the story - the characters, their surroundings, the narrative, the style, everything! I love how you characterize Flynn in particular, and how he relates to his situation, and how he relates to Danny! It's so well done, and so well crafted!

I hope the music does your work justice!

Passage from Chapter 1 under the cut:

A call came from across the water.

“Do you see anything?”

“No,” Flynn called back, half bent over the edge of his small dinghy. His eyes scanned as far as he could see in the dark. The lake was still, flat: more like a black glass mirror than anything else.

They weren’t going to find anything. They never did.

Flynn had to help the search anyways.

It was best to try and avoid anyone else disappearing, and an unorganized search in the middle of the night through miles of deep water was a surefire way for more than just a two-person canoe to disappear.

The one other volunteer with him, Valerie, shifted the searchlight a few inches to the left, lighting up another long strip of identical lake water.

“You’d think they’d stop asking every five minutes when we’ve been giving them the same answer,” she grumbled; frustration, worry, and a distinct lack of sleep all warring for prominence in her features. “This is a waste of time. We’ve never been able to recover anyone from this lake.”

Flynn shrugged, keeping his eyes on the expanse of dark water. For a moment, something blue flickered beneath the calm surface, then disappeared. “You think they’d stop letting people in.”

“Not with the new marina they just opened.” Valerie looked over at him, taking her gaze off the search for a moment just to throw him a look. Assessing.

He couldn’t quite hide his scowl, and turned away to look somewhere else. “Nothing I can do about that, good old imminent domain and the importance of tourists’ pocket money.”

That got him a chuckle and a gentle ribbing on his side with her elbow. “This your origin story as a Scooby-doo villain?” she asked, and Flynn let himself smile, let himself relax.

They wouldn’t find anything tonight, the boat they were looking for would have long capsized and sank to the bottom of the lake. In the morning they’d send out a new crew; different volunteers looking for corpses instead. They’d probably try to dredge the bottom of the lake.

Flynn wondered if they’d find the bodies this time, or if the thick layer of sediment and mud had claimed them already.

“I’ve never liked being out here.” Valerie shivered, taking one hand off the searchlight to try and bring her coat in closer. It was always a bit colder on the lake. She hadn’t properly prepared for it. People rarely did.

A whistle sounded, calling for the end of the search, and Flynn tried not to make it obvious how much his relief relaxed him. “No one actually likes it out here,” he said, back to Valerie’s point. “It's creepy as hell.”

He pulled the starter cord and let out a soft breath when the engine purred back to life. Maybe he’d be able to relax soon, enjoy his night and sit with a cup of tea, a nice book. Maybe he could even get enough sleep to tend to his garden in the morning.

It was a choice to ignore the way Valerie was staring, and how heavy her gaze weighed on the back of his neck.

Continued Here...

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ipkkndlovescenes · 5 months ago

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Ye Ishq hai ya kuch aur hai

Arshi Poolside Moment

Epi 25

"Sometimes reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey..."

>>>>>❤️<<<<<

A dreadful night drenching him completely with burning memories. A girl in red made him halt his tracks of life for the very first time, and his heart an unknown tune along with his heartbeat. He had no idea it was her heartbeat mixing with his own. She was unaware, too, along with him. But he was enraged over this, and not only that, but he was furious over saving her in the rain as well.

Whose fault is that?

It was hers...His brain denied his heart, but his heart was pinching his brain constantly.

How dare she has this much power over him to make him restless?

Walking back and forth, he was immersed in her thoughts, in his own guilt for making her suffer this much, but his brain had this big NO written all over for the acceptance over anything, so he called La to get Khushi Kumari Gupta's number who was the reason of his restless state of mind.

Ye Ishq hai ya kuch aur hai

Yaa Bas Khali Khali shor hai

Well, his ears got entangled with something very different.

Chalo Maiya ke Bhavan ...Bhavan

Ah, these suit Khushi's personality yet fit on him right now as he was proceeding towards her, and she was instigating his hopes by admitting falsely that " hum aap hi ke phone ka intezaar kar rahe thay..." I was waiting for your phone call.." Like, really, Khushi?

While he was adamant about making her life hell...

"ittni asaani se chain ki saans nahin laine doonga?

"I won't let you breathe peacefully...Khushi Kumari Gupta."

Was he complaining or stating his own state of mind?

"Ji? Aap Kaun?"

Who are you?

How dare she? How dare she forget me that easily? The one who was the reason for my sleepless night? That nonchalant attitude of her enraged him a little more, and he demanded her to be awake along with him by assigning her overnight unnecessary work. It was pretty much obvious, and he wanted to see her, talk to her, yell at her and much much more but being a BOSS. Of course, he wouldn't accept her effect on him.

"If your nonsense has reached its end, then do what I said...and tomorrow morning reach my home at 7 am sharp" Well, a man who didn't want to see her in his office was inviting her over to his home. Interesting...He couldn't sleep either. A silhouette in red was hovering over his brain while he was tossing and turning, even turning off the light wasn't helpful.

"Every man somewhere in the world has a woman who was created just for him. She is not better than the others, but she’s the only one he really needs. And every woman, too, has such a man; But very few lucky people meet each other." ~Boris Akunin~

The day reached with a revelation to Khushi that the fire and the water live under one roof. Anjali, such a sweet person, is living with that Alligator? Even HP couldn't resist denying that I guess.😆

The second revelation was when she stumbled upon the beast's den, where he was busy nurturing and watering the plants so diligently. A true "What the!" moment for her.

He stumbled while turning around, and she dropped the typewriter to save him. Well, he was saving her as well, you know.😆 They both claimed it after falling for each other or saving each other, and it is a really complicated issue, but not for Anjali, who hid her laugh.

Well, she wasn't the only one who was stunned. He wasn't expecting her there either. He must be thinking of her coming into the living area where he could see her, yell at her, and say "Get out", but things got a bit daring here

The second revelation was like a fire on ice when Anjali dropped a bomb on his ears, telling him that Khushi was also here in Shantivan.

What the hell? How dare she?

An astonishing look followed by a killing and devilish stare at her like he was gauging her moves, thinking of her as a real culprit here, like a gold digger. He had no idea she was wondering too that Chote is the one who is allergic to sweets as well when she heard his name for the very first time from Nani. She didn't want to cross his line [ Arnav's rekha] either.🤣 I mean his shadow, a venomous one whose hiss she could feel and hear from miles.

Anjali invites her over for breakfast and the very first blessing they both received together. "May God bless you both!"

God Bless dono ko!!!

Nani picked the right vibes here. Were you getting wet in the rain like Chote, Khushi bitiya?

Yes, Naniji, Bitwa and bitya are sailing in the same boat...

They both were getting drenched again in the pool of that drenching night...or you can say that they had been inundated with complaints from their eyes.

Arshi poolside moments

#arshi #IPKKNDepisode25 #khushi kumari gupta #arnavkhushi #ipkknd #arnav singh raizada #my ipkknd gifs #arnav kissing khushi

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the-butter-churner · 1 year ago

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you guys don’t understand how much i love amangeaux. like i knew i would love her but i LOVE her. the way anjali plays someone who is so desperately trying to hold onto some good, whose world has been upended more times than she can count, who’s trying to be a mother to one who doesn’t want it and one who needs it, whose armor crumbles each passing episode as more of the influence she once had fades away until she's left with none of it— nothing but her own resolve. there is something so heartbreaking about “somehow, i make this right.” and the world doesn’t remember her for it. amangeaux disappears, right? barely a footnote, just like they intended for her to be. but she changed everything. she made things right, like she said she would, and she doesn’t even know how right she made things. i can only hope that twenty years later, digging through one of her banned books, a licorice princess finds some mention of amangeaux epicée du peche, and finds within her a similar resolve. i can only hope.

#sorry for trw posting when I haven’t even finished the latest ep 😭😭#dimension 20 #d20 #lady amangeaux epicée du peche #the ravening war #trw #trw spoilers

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renatogpadilla · 7 months ago

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THOUGHTS ON CR3E92 IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:

- FIRST EVER CR CROSSOVER EPISODE?!

LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

- Dariax said "This Flute doesn't play itself anymore." Doriax canon offscreen?

- "After all the handjobs, this is what we mean to you?!" Damn... I mean, I'm glad Opal and Cyrus found a way to relieve stress, Gods know they're both stressed, but damn.

- Ending the episode on Opal Twice-Crowned hitting phase 2 of the boss fight was EVIL!

I love it, @quiddie ! I feel like when this gets animated in a decade or so, we'll get this fight and the fight with Otohan Thull overlayed one on top of the other for a Season Finale or something!

- Raven Queen going two for two on Rogues turned Paladin! Which is great, but now I have to replan Morrighan's moveset for that imaginary Critical Role fighting game that only exists in my head (somebody ask me about it please, I NEED to talk about it!) but at least she gets some Smite options out of the Bunny Hop command jump!

- Dariax is a Bard now too! That's honestly so perfect for Matt! And the fact that both Sorcerers and Bards are Charisma Casters makes me feel like the Synergies are gonna be great!

- Oh, Dorian, wonderful blue king... That's a lot of strength that your Dice will never agree to let you use for anything cool. I missed you SO MUCH!

- Speaking of that imaginary CR fighting game, this just solidified Opal as a puppet character. The tag combos with Ted would be WILD! Think Kenshi from MK1!

- Fy'ra Rai... Just... FY'RA RAI! Gods, I've missed Anjali at the table! Her memory with Opal, her tug-of-war with her thoughts about her sister... THE LAVA WHIP! Nothing sexier than Monks! Except a pissed off Wizard or Druid.

- On the other side of the table, I LOVE the moment the girls all collectively remembered they had to break the news to Frida... Oh, that's gonna hurt BAD!

- Anyone else noticed that Ashton is BURNT OUT and laying on the ground after his Titan form wears off, but Fearne just says she's really tired and just KEEPS GOING? Ashton is DONE for now, but Fearne needs to keep moving forward... Fuck, I love these two.

- Orym... Just... Orym. If you take a level in Barbarian after this, I wouldn't blame you.

- Side-Note: This means Dorian DID get Orym's last message before they went to the moon! He just didn't/couldn't answer! Which means, through the static and everything, Dorian COULD hear Orym! And now he's probably gonna get this message once the battle is over... Jesus, if they get to Zephra and Keyleth went to the Lodge next to the lake that's gonna be a problem...

- Side-Note Side-Note: Anyone else hoping to GOD that Allura called the Nein to help? Cause Beau and Caleb were involved, but now it feels like an "All Hands on Deck" situation, and we could use Kingsley's small army of pirates right about now...

- So much happened this episode between the grieving and the flashbacks and the rolling for handjobs that I didn't have time to process the splinter cell of Xhorhasians that split their soul in twain until I woke up... Opal may have forgotten, but maybe Ted hasn't? Though if they're the same person, maybe they both forgot...

- Aabria, the corrupting of the Memories was FOUL, I LOVE IT!!!

- Somebody needs to tell Essek about the soul-splitters. In fact, let's get to that while we deal with Ashton too!

- IF OPAL DIES, AMY CAN COME OVER AS DENI$E! Like, I don't WANT her to die, but Westruun isn't that far... 👀

- I just realized this is the first ever FULL episode of CR without Sam at the table... Fuck, man, when it hurts it hurts. Glad Marisha brought back the fan.

"Forgot the Consonants?" "No Letters." OUCH, MISS RAY, WHAT THE FUCK?!

- Raven Queen Paladins hasting themselves first thing in the fight. Vax is back, and he's a Bunny Girl now!

- I like that the Crownkeepers are a two-way Overwatch reunion (McCree Cassidy and Symmetra) and a three-way Persona 5 reunion (Yusuke, Ann Futaba and Akechi).

- Everything was so fucked this episode that everything with Liliana got knocked to the background for me, THAT'S how good it was!

- The SECOND Evoroa said Ludinos was on Exandria I knew EXACTLY where he would be! Now we HAVE to get the Nein involved, right? Unless the bastard makes the city float again...

I cannot WAIT for the next episode! And if Sam brings a new character when all the groups are together, it would be SPECTACULAR! I'm guessing he's going to play one of the moon races, because that just sounds cool... Either that or Tary!

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guilty-pleasures21 · 8 days ago

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Chapter 7 - the race

I get it if this chapter feels a bit abrupt in some places, but I think I want to finish the story first, then go back and properly write it so it flows better 😅. This is sort of just my first draft specially for you guys.

Warnings: none.

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She surveyed the stands, trying to find a place far away from anyone she knew. She hadn’t slept very well last night, instead spending most of the night tossing and turning in her bed as she’d puzzled over the Queen’s observations. Miguel couldn’t … She couldn’t be his first love … Wait, no. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about Miguel today! The man had taken up so much space in her mind already, she wanted just a single day without any thought or mention of him whatsoever. She stayed behind as Anjali bounced down the stairs and towards Gayatri and some of their other friends.

“Lady X?” an unfamiliar voice questioned from behind her. “Is that you?”

X turned around and was startled to find Frederick greeting her with a warm smile - well, as warm as he could fake it. Had he heard about her and Miguel’s alleged courtship then? Was that why he’d suddenly taken an uncharacteristic interest in her?

“I have been meaning to make your acquaintance, my lady, ever since whispers of the Queen’s favour towards you began making their way around the ton.” Frederick’s smile turned knowing and X let out a soft, practised laugh in response.

“I am sure these whispers have accompanied greatly exaggerated rumours, my lord,” X joked, lowering her gaze and fluttering her eyelashes up at him. Frederick’s lips twitched at the corners and he frowned suddenly, caught off guard by his own reaction. But wait, he needed to charm this admittedly not unattractive young lady if he was to find out any damning information he could use against his half-brother. He forced his features back into a smile.

“Yes! Well, I was hoping-”

“Lady X?” X’s heart stopped at the sound of Miguel’s voice. She dug her fingers into her palms and swallowed down her nerves before plastering a smile on and turning to face him. Her expression faltered briefly at his thunderous expression, but she quickly recovered.

“Lord Miguel!” She opened her mouth to continue, but was unsure of what to say next. ‘How wonderful to see you here today’? ‘Nerve-wracking’ would be a more apt word. ‘I did not expect to see you here today’? But he loved horses; of course he would show up to the most famed race of the year!

“Our seats have been prepared, my lady.” He walked up to her and held an elbow out for her to take, but she didn’t miss the way the muscles in his jaw continued to work as he ground his teeth together in irritation.

“Right,” X mumbled, gingerly wrapping herself around his arm. Why did she always have to curl herself around him like this? It made her seem so small and helpless and impossible to stay mad at.

“Lord Frederick.” Miguel nodded at his half-brother as he walked past, emphasising his title so that Frederick’s cheeks turned noticeably red. He held his anger as Miguel led X to their seats, however, not wanting to make himself look bad in public.

“Ah! There you two are!” Anjali exclaimed once they’d reached their seats. “I was wondering where I’d lost you, Penji!”

She grabbed her sister’s arm and tugged her to the empty seat beside her, sandwiching X between herself and Miguel. X snuck a nervous gaze at Miguel, but he continued to avoid her gaze, his expression unreadable as he kept his focus on the track before them.

“Lord Miguel?” X turned to follow the accented voice and found a well-groomed gentleman studying Miguel with narrowed eyes. Miguel turned to look at him and the man grinned. “Ah! How wonderful to meet you! And Lady X! It is lovely to see both of your family here as well!”

He leaned over Miguel to smile at Gabriel and X’s siblings in greeting, then he gestured to Frederick walking up behind him. “Lord Frederick! Have you met the Lady X?”

Frederick shot X a smile, his expression uncharacteristically warm. “We met earlier, before taking our seats. It is lovely to see you again, Lady X, I do hope we will be making each other’s acquaintance more often from now on.”

Miguel’s body tensed in irritation as he kept his stony gaze fixed ahead. X let out an awkward chuckle.

“Er, I hope you enjoy the race … sirs.” She waited for the two men to sit down, then she leaned over to her sister in confusion. “Who is that man with Lord Frederick?”

“Mr Felice Orsini from Italy,” Anjali groaned, rolling her eyes at the name. “The only thing he seems to love more than himself is his country. Though the two topics do seem to be in quite close competition with one another.”

She raised an eyebrow at her sister and the both of them broke into soft snickers. Soon, the crowd quietened and they settled into their seats to watch the race.

Frederick shifted in his seat, quietly seething over Miguel’s insolence. How dare he think he posed a threat to his title in any capacity! And then to barely acknowledge him in front of high society! Such impertinence could not go unpunished! How dare he walk around with his head held so high, as if he wasn’t just some half-breed illegitimate- Wait a minute. Did no one else know? Was he shielded behind an armour of secrecy? Frederick glanced over at Miguel, then at the man’s other half-brother. They both appeared similar enough in looks - more so than Miguel and Frederick. Their mother’s genes must run strong. It was no wonder, then, that anyone had yet to question Miguel’s origins. But surely, the late Viscount must have known? They’d had a hasty marriage, but not quick enough that the old maid could have reasonably passed Miguel off as his son. Had the Viscount been trying to protect her then? But whatever for? Frederick startled as an elbow nudged him in the side and he turned to his friend in question.

“You should offer the lady a refreshment when the race ends,” Felice suggested, zipping his gaze over to X. “You must take advantage of every opportunity to get in her good graces.”

Frederick nodded and stood up as soon as the last horse had crossed the finish line. But he was already too late: Miguel had gotten out of his seat as well and his large form made it impossible to catch a glance at the significantly smaller young woman.

“I know how much you admire horses, my lady,” Miguel began, his voice just loud enough for Frederick to overhear. “Might I interest you in a tour of the stables?”

She must have agreed because before he knew it, the two of them were squeezing past him and walking off in the direction of the stables. Frederick clenched his fingers into fists, then loosened them again when another young lady stopped by their row.

“Mr Orsini?” The woman looked past his shoulder with wide brown eyes that shimmered like honey in the light of the sun. “I thought that was you!”

“Lady Annabelle!” Felice grinned and moved past Frederick to plant a kiss on each of Annabelle’s cheeks. “Ciao, bella! Have you met my good friend, Lord Frederick?”

Annabelle turned to Frederick and held a hand out to him in greeting. “Lord Frederick! I am very sorry to hear of your father’s passing. My parents wish to send you their condolences.”

Frederick clasped her hand briefly as he straightened his features into a neutral expression. He did not recall having met the young lady before, but being the son of an earl, many people would know his name whom he had never before encountered. “Thank you, my lady. Have you known Mr Orsini for long?”

Annabelle peeked up at Felice from beneath her eyelashes, her expression mischievous. “Not yet. We met at the opera the other night and have been so unfortunate as to not have met again since.”

“Ah, but we are meeting now, are we not?” He returned Annabelle’s smile with an equally knowing grin of his own and she quickly lowered her gaze.

“Annabelle?” Gabe began, walking over to her when he’d spotted his old friend. “What a lovely surprise! I did not expect it, but I was rather hoping to see you again today.”

He flashed her an earnest smile, his cheeks colouring the slightest shade of red as he looked at her, and Annabelle couldn’t deny the way her heart fluttered in response. But she had a mission to focus on. She swallowed down her delight and nodded politely at him. “It is good to see you as well, Lord Gabriel.”

“Would you like to get some lemonade, my lady?” Gabriel offered, studiously ignoring Felice standing in between them. Annabelle hesitated as her stomach churned at his invitation: what if she returned and Felice was nowhere to be found? How disappointed would her handlers be if they thought that she was so easily swayed by any handsome young gentleman who approached her?

“That sounds wonderful, my lord,” Annabelle agreed, her brain working to come up with a way to salvage the situation. “Would you like to join us, Mr Orsini?”

Gabe’s jaw tightened as he turned to Felice to hear his response. Why would she invite this other man along with them? Was interested in him, with his well-kept exterior and his fancy accent and his easy manner? His chest tightened at the thought, but he forced himself to smile when Felice agreed and together, the three of them made their way to the refreshments area.

Her eyes flitted from his clenched fists to his wavy hair to his broad back that looked that much wider when he was hunched over in annoyance as he was now. But why was he so angry? She’d only been making polite conversation with the son of a highly distinguished member of society! Finally, Miguel stopped and turned around to face her.

“Why …” ‘Why were you flirting with Frederick?’ Ugh, that sounded so … possessive! What did it matter to him who she did and did not flirt with? But of course it mattered - they needed to get engaged by the end of the Season, after all. “Why were you speaking with Frederick?”

Her features twisted into a look of amused disbelief before she could stop herself. “Was I supposed to ignore him when he came up to me and greeted me?”

Miguel narrowed his eyes and slid his gaze to the side as he pouted at her response. She had a point, but he didn’t feel like being so understanding, for some reason. “Why did you even wait for him to come up and greet you? You could have just walked away when you saw him!”

X’s brows furrowed as Miguel’s voice began to grow in volume. “I did not see him, Miguel, I was facing the other way!”

She wrinkled her nose at him and his irritation only worsened as his heart fluttered at the familiar gesture. He folded his arms across his chest and continued to glare at her. “Well, maybe, you should be more aware of your surroundings, princesa.”

“Why are you so upset, Miguel?!” X asked, taking a step closer to him and craning her head back to hold his gaze. “I already agreed to prete-”

She caught herself quickly, remembering that they were in a public place, where anyone might overhear them and discover their ruse.

“I already agreed to be with you, Miguel,” she continued, a little softer this time. “And I believe I have done more than my fair share of the work. Short of grabbing you and kissing you in front of everyone, I have even managed to convince the Queen that-”

‘That I am in love with you.’ The words caught in her throat, the gravity of their meaning weighing heavily on her heart. They weren't true, though … Were they? No. Of course they couldn't … She gulped and glanced up at Miguel, an eyebrow raised as he waited for her to continue. But so consumed was she by her own emotional dilemma that she failed to notice the way his Adam's apple bobbed up and down at her suggestion.

His eyes keep flicking back to her lips, drawn to them by an almost magnetic force. Dios, they looked so soft and glossy, so tempting and sweet as they waited patiently to be kissed. Coño, did she have to put the image in his mind of her grabbing him by the neck, sliding her fingers into his hair and pulling him down so she could press her mouth to his?! His stomach flipped excitedly at the thought and he swallowed again as his mouth filled with saliva.

“The Queen is convinced by our ruse,” X finally admitted, her features smoothing out into a neutral expression. “She wholeheartedly believes that we intend to pursue a relationship with one another.”

Miguel lowered his head, the back of his neck heating up with embarrassment at the way he'd chided her earlier. She was right: Frederick himself wouldn't have approached her if he hadn't perceived her as a threat to his inheritance. Miguel glanced between X and the ground, his fingers aching to reach out and take hold of her hands so he could run his thumbs across her soft skin in apology.

“I'm sorry, conejita,” he told her, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “I … There is no excuse for my behaviour.”

Her chest warmed at the earnestness in his tone and she took a moment to steady the rapid beating of her heart before finally looking over at him. Her heart sped up again as soon as her gaze landed on him, his copper eyes shining with sincerity as he gazed at her. A lock of his hair blew loose and fell over his forehead and she immediately reached to tuck it behind his ear.

His eyes fell to her lips, much closer now than they had been before, and he decided then and there that he could restrain himself no longer; he had to kiss her. His eyelids grew heavy as he leaned forward and he noticed her eyes widen for the briefest of seconds before they, too, began to flutter shut.

“... and just think how fast he'll be once he's gotten a year more of training!” The animated voice of a man clearly in the midst of a sale broke through the silence suddenly, dragging X and Miguel back to reality. X's lips parted with horror, then she quickly snapped them shut again before turning away from Miguel.

Goodness! She had to stop getting herself into situations like this! This was exactly why she should have been avoiding him today! Miguel cleared his throat beside her and she turned back to him with a wince, cautiously maintaining some distance between them.

“Shall we … return to our seats? My lady?” he suggested, holding his elbow out for her to take. But Dios, he didn't know if he'd be able to stand it if she curled herself around him again, her lavender scent floating through the air and tickling his senses teasingly. But she just tucked her hand into the curve of his elbow, taking care to ensure that no other parts of their bodies touched. Miguel didn't know whether to feel disappointed or relieved as they made their way back to their seats, but he couldn't stop himself from spending the rest of the race wondering which emotion she was leaning towards.

Gabe watched his brother curiously as they sat in the carriage on the way home. He looked distracted, staring gloomily out the window as he lost himself in his thoughts. He’d been like this ever since he and X had returned from the stables, neither one of them exchanging more than a brief word with one another until they’d finally parted ways. Gabriel waited for his brother to explain himself once they’d entered the foyer of their house, but Miguel just turned and walked up to his bedroom without a single word.

“Miguel!” Gabriel yelled, racing up the stairs after him. “Wait! We need to talk!”

Miguel sighed as he turned to face his brother. He was exhausted by the day’s events and all he wanted was to take a hot shower and collapse into his bed until his mother barged into his room and forced him to stop hiding away from society. But it seemed that his brother had other plans.

“What happened with you and X?” Gabriel asked once he’d caught up with Miguel. Miguel raised an eyebrow, pretending to play dumb. “You didn’t … You both seemed miserable after returning from the stables earlier. Did you do something wrong?”

He narrowed his eyes at Miguel, looking at him the way one looked at a naughty child who needed to be disciplined. Miguel scoffed and folded his arms across his chest. “What … How is that any of your business?!”

Gabriel frowned. “Because! She is my friend as well! Of course I would care about her getting her feelings hurt!”

Miguel rolled his eyes and let out an incredulous snort. “Oh, please. Some friend you are. When have you ever cared about X’s feelings?!”

Gabriel spluttered at his brother’s accusation, trying to come up with a response, but Miguel refused to give him the chance.

“You have always been too busy gallivanting around with your gentlemen friends, doing everything in your power to ensure that everyone forgets your true identity!” Miguel continued, unable to hold himself back any longer. “But forget about me and our mother for a moment, the way you treat X when we are out in public? Always sticking so carefully to your formalities and abandoning her company for someone you deem more ‘respectable’? Just because she is an immigrant as your own mother was?! ¡Es deplorable, Gabriel! (It is deplorable, Gabriel!)”

Gabriel clenched his fists, his entire body heating up with rage - and embarrassment - at his brother’s words. Because if he really thought about it, perhaps there was maybe a tiny kernel of truth in them. Gabriel took a step closer to Miguel.

“This isn’t about me, hermano!” Gabriel argued, stumbling over the foreign word. “Why are you getting so worked up over her?! It isn’t as if you have treated her with much respect either! Teasing her and making jokes at her expense and always forcing her into situations you know she will be uncomfortable with! Even now! I bet you have only been flirting with her so you can make her look like a fool in front of the entire marriage market! But why do you care?! What does it matter to you if she marries someone of a good station and background, who will be able to provide for and look after her in every way she deserves?! Someone who shares her love of the sciences and reading and history and language? Why would you begrudge her such an opportunity-”

“I will not!” Miguel exclaimed suddenly, his eyes burning with rage. “I would never let anyone take any such opportunity from her! I would strike down anyone who dares stand in the way of her passions! She deserves absolutely everything that she desires and I would do anything to make certain that she gets it! She wants to read? I will buy her every single book ever written! She wants to learn history? I will bring her to every museum ever built! She wants to learn a hundred different languages? I will learn them all myself first so that I may teach them to her!

“I would give her everything that she could ever desire,” he continued, his voice getting softer as his fury turned to hopelessness. “She is so sweet and so kind and so innocent. She does not think anyone capable of true evil. She sees the good in everyone, even when it is but a single dying ember, and I would do anything it took to make sure that no one ever destroyed that illusion for her.”

The pressure built behind his eyes as he thought about everything he wanted to give her but couldn’t - because she didn’t love him. And besides, he had absolutely nothing to offer her; nothing but himself. And himself hadn’t been good enough for anyone, so why would it be different this time?

Gabriel felt his heart squeeze at his brother’s heartfelt declaration. He was in love with her, utterly and hopelessly in love with her. But he didn’t seem to realise that she was in love with him too. Gabriel sank to the ground where his brother had ended up after his speech. He leaned back against the railing beside him and placed a reassuring hand on Miguel’s shoulder.

“So go tell her,” he said quietly, as if it was the easiest thing in the world to tell someone that you would give them the world if they asked for it. Miguel gave his brother an incredulous look.

“I can’t tell her that!” he argued quickly, his stomach churning at the thought of her rejection.

“Why not?” Gabriel asked, his eyebrows knitting together in genuine bewilderment. “She’s clearly in love with you too. She’s just - as you said - too innocent to know what to do about it. So go tell her that you love her.”

Miguel swallowed hard at his brother’s repeated use of the word. ‘Love’. Such a simple word it was, just four small letters, and yet, how much power it held over the world. “I … She’s not-”

“Don’t try to deny it, hermano,” Gabriel warned him, a slight note of teasing in his voice. “You know when a woman fancies you.”

He shot his brother a knowing look and Miguel relaxed slightly at the joke.

“But this is more than that,” Gabriel continued, thinking back on all the time he’d seen them alone together. “You should … P*tas, hermano, you should see the way she looks at you everytime her eyes land on you! It is like … It is like she comes alive! Like everything has finally come together … in perfect harmony and all is right with the world again. It is like a sense of relief. And you … You have been in love with her ever since that first time you met her when we were still children. The both of you have loved each other for so long, Miguel. You’ve both just been too dense to see it!”

Miguel fiddled with his thumbs, still too afraid to admit it. Out loud, anyway: he was in love with her. He loved her. He’d always been in love with her - always loved her. He loved her, he loved her, he loved her. He loved her. But no matter how many times he repeated it in his mind, the word never lost its meaning. He loved her.

“Let’s sleep on it, shall we, hermano?” Gabriel suggested, getting up and dusting his pants off. He held his hands out to Miguel and pulled him to his feet. “Buenas noches, Miguel.”

Miguel’s lips curled at the ends at the careful way his brother pronounced the words: he was trying, at least. Then he bid his brother goodnight as well.

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dustedmagazine · 2 months ago

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Amy Rigby — Hang in There with Me (Tapete)

Photo by Chris Sikich

“Yeah, yeah, age is just a number. Bullshit…I don’t want age to be just a number, I want all the experiences we’ve been through to add up to something” wrote Amy Rigby in a June 2024 newsletter. That sentiment resounds on Hang in There with Me, her latest album of tough, witty rock and roll. In “Hell-Oh Sixty” the loose, boisterous song that kicks it off, Rigby reviews in brief each decade of her, more or less, adult life: “30 was the best/30 was the worst/know I was blessed/thought I was cursed”; “50 didn’t fit/had to let out the seams.” The music has a spaciousness to match the timeline: jangling steel strings slide over martial drums while fuzzy synthesizers burst and Rigby repeats the title phrase. She sounds both invigorated and uneasy; a little bit triumphant and a little bit daunted by her arrival.

Lyrically, Hang in There with Me often speaks to the stacked layers of life; the emotional and material detritus we accumulate. What to do with it? How to build on top of it; where, even, to begin. One answer: wherever you are, that’s where to start. Or, as Rigby puts it in the sunny, biting kiss-off anthem “Bricks,” “I’m working on my future days…these bricks won’t lay themselves.” You hear that weary, still defiant tone again on “Too Old To Be So Crazy,” when she sings “I tried a thousand times to give it up/fall down and fuck it up/you can call it a victory/trust the mystery” and in the “Requiem” lines “try your whole life to make something that matters…doors don’t always open/that won’t stop you hoping.” Later, around the “Paint It Black”-ish progression of the latter, she raises the stakes on Neil Young’s longevity question, wondering whether it’s better to “fall apart” than “to burn out.” There’s no question of fading away when you have so much to sort through.

It’s appropriate, then, that the music is so textured and dimensional. “Too Old to Be So Crazy” is a good example. Coming in hot after “Hell-Oh Sixty,” we get yet more jangle; more ripping guitar; and, perhaps best of all, more squelchy-gorgeous synths. The use of electronics on the album is pronounced and varied, from the windy swirls and blinking bells of the wistful “O Anjali” to the scratchy fringes and reverse reverb of the unsettling character study “Bad In A Good Way.” Nearly haptic sounds like these constantly whir and bubble up around the album’s glammy grooves, complementing the sharp but unfastened playing – take, for instance, the heavy buzz that drives the chorus of “Dylan in Dubuque.” It all hangs together thanks to a lively, naturalistic mix. Rigby, with her spouse and recording partner “Wreckless Eric” Goulden, left in all the right mic-to-amp ambience. There’s enough room to hear everything going on but not so much that it isolates or chills the warmth of any given instrument. Even something like the compression effect on Rigby’s “Heart Is a Muscle” vocal feels lived in.

One of the least adorned songs is “Bangs,” a punky piece of garage pop that contains some of the record’s best lines. Which is saying something. Rigby the writer is, as usual, funny and cutting, casual yet precise, but it’s the conviction with which she lays down a couplet like “keep your Ann Taylor and Chico’s/I didn’t come here to play” in her burned-but-not-burned-out, scuffed diamond voice that makes her lyrics really stick. It’s her humor, too, that keeps an album so concerned with the existential pulls and shoves of life so grounded.

In that regard, “Last Night’s Rainbow,” the closer, is particularly effective. Rigby opened for Warren Zevon in the last years of his life and Hang in There with Me’s final song shares something of his comic grandiosity and tragic gravitas. She begins with “today is shit/today’s a bust…” and ends “...and I must hold on…’cause I sure would miss seeing you.” Here, like in so much of Zevon’s work, relentless joie de vivre shines through the bummers. Sure, life’ll kill ya, but you already knew that and Rigby does too, so what now? Hang in There with Me catalogs a lifetime of drags, uncertainties and disasters, but returns, again and again, to the people, moments and experiences that make it worthwhile, or bearable enough. The chuckle in her voice on “maybe there’s hope/’cause last night’s rainbow/that was dope” tells you everything you need to know. It all adds up.

Alex Johnson

#amy rigby #hang in there with me #tapete #alex johnson #albumreview #dusted magazine #rock #singer songwriter #aging

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hand-picked-star · 3 months ago

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The 13th Anniversary Arshi Fiesta

Moodboard : Historical AU

Whispers of the heart | Chapter 22

DISCLAIMER: The story is set in the early 20th century. While I have made efforts to capture the essence of the era, there may be inaccuracies as this is a work of fantasy. I do not own the characters Arnav and Khushi, and this story is purely fictional with no relation to any real individuals, living or dead. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

WARNING: 18+, MATURE CONTENT (Trigger warning-mention of r*pe and murder)

Chapter 22

"You know who I am, right?" Arnav asked softly to the little girl hunched down in her bed, clutching her knees to her chest. Her mother had died in the early morning, leaving 11-year-old Amelia in the hands of a complete stranger. Arnav saw the little girl bobbing her head slowly.

"This is my wife, Khushi," he said, drawing Khushi close and clutching her hand tightly. "We are going to take care of you, okay?" Arnav said, trying to sound reassuring. The girl raised her head to look at her brother."I know it's going to be very hard for you. but we are here for you, Amelia"

"Amy," she said softly. When Arnav looked at her questioningly, almost missing her remark, she added in her sweet trembling voice, "Only people call me Amelia when they're angry."

"Okay."

On the last Monday before they were scheduled to leave for India, Natalia passed away as her condition deteriorated considerably. Although Arnav had made arrangements for Amelia to be escorted safely to India by a friend in the event of her mother's death, but it was better that they were bringing her to India with them.

After Arnav decided to adopt Amelia and take care of her himself, he and Khushi discussed the details of bringing Amelia into their home. They decided to keep Amelia's parentage a secret from society, as growing up in a foreign society would be challenging enough for her. They didn't want to burden little Amelia even more. They would only reveal her parentage to close family members, such as the Rajputs and Anjali. Arnav did not want to lie to Anjali.

Her heart broke for the little girl as Khushi watched Arnav gently guide Amelia into their home in Delhi. Amelia's eyes were wide with a mix of fear and curiosity. The sight of Amelia's small, trembling hands clutching her frock stirred something deep within Khushi. The shadows of loss and uncertainty in Amelia's gaze mirrored the ones Khushi herself had once known all too well.

Amelia clung to Arnav's hand, her steps hesitant. Arnav's calm and reassuring voice broke through her reverie. "Khushi, why don't you show Amy her room?"

Khushi nodded, extending her hand to Amelia with a warm smile. "Come with me, Amy. Let's get you settled."

They reached the small, sunlit room Khushi had asked Gauri Ji to prepare for Amelia. "This is your room, Amy," Khushi said gently, leading the girl to the bed. "You can decorate it as you like. We'll go to the market tomorrow to buy some things, okay?"

She watched as the little girl looked around with a lost expression and nodded slowly. After a few moments, Khushi introduced Gauri Ji to Amelia. "This is Gauri Ji. She'll be with you all the time."

"Hello, Amy ji," Gauri Ji greeted Amelia awkwardly and in return, she received a forced smile from Amelia.

Together, they unpacked Amelia's few belongings. That evening, they were invited by the Rajputs for dinner. Arnav and Khushi decided to reveal the truth about Amelia that night. Khushi prayed for everything to go smoothly, but things did not turn out as hoped. As soon as Anjali learned about Amelia, she got up and locked herself in her room.

Arnav tried for several minutes to get her to open the door, but she did not respond. After much persuasion, she finally opened the door and went straight to her bed, sitting down with her back to Arnav. With a deep sigh, Arnav sat beside her.

After a long silence between the siblings, she said in a soft voice, tears evident in her tone, "How could you do that, Bhai? How could you betray Mamma like that?"

"It's not about betraying Mamma, Anjali. The girl had nothing to do with whatever happened between our parents."

"But why do you have to bring her here to remind us of that horrible incident for the rest of our lives?"

"She had no living relative except us. Imagine if Mamaji and Mahindar Chachu didn't help us when Mamma died. " Arnav said, looking down at his folded hands. "Hume sab kuch bhulake aage badhna chahiye."

"You can take care of her all you want, but please don't expect me to accept her anytime soon."

"You don't have to."

The siblings sat there silently, thinking and reflecting on their lives. "You know, I am so jealous of her right now," Anjali finally said.

"Why?"

"When I was young, I missed you so much. I always wished you didn't have to go to boarding school so I could have more time with you," Anjali said, lost in memory. "Now, she will have you with her all the time, time that I didn't have." She ended with a melancholy tone.

Arnav turned her around and hugged her shoulder sideways, and she rested her head on his shoulder. "You will always be my little sister, Anjali, even if I got a hundred others. I'm sorry I wasn't always there for you."

Meanwhile, Khushi took Amelia to her childhood room. Little Amelia was on the verge of crying.

"What happened, Amy?" Khushi asked, kneeling in front of Amelia as she sat on the bed. "Why are you crying?"

"I am causing problems, ain't I? Are you going to send me back?"

"Oh, sweetheart, no," Khushi tried to reassure the little girl. "We are a family now. We will take care of you always."

Khushi took a deep breath and started again. "Anjali Bhabhi didn't know about you earlier. That's why she's sad. Arnav is talking to her. Everything will be alright," she reassured Amelia, squeezing her small hand.

Then to cheer Amelia up, Khushi conjured up all of her excitement and said, "I have something for you." She opened her almirah and retrieved an old rag doll, a cherished toy her mother had made for her before she died. She lovingly caressed her childhood favourite toy. She gently handed it to Amelia, hoping the cherished toy would bring some comfort and joy to the little girl.

"This was mine when I was little," Khushi said, pointing to the rag doll. "My mother made it for me. She died when I was eight." Amelia looked at Khushi with surprise. Khushi offered her a small smile and continued, "When I got scared or felt alone, I would hug this doll, and everything felt better. I want you to have it." Little Amelia clutched the doll with her tiny fingers, hugging it tightly to her chest. She began to cry softly.

"Come with me," Khushi said softly, leading Amelia to the window. "My aunt used to say that when someone dies, they become a star....See that big, twinkling star? That's my mother, and the next one beside her is my father.... They always watch over us from above." Amelia's little face searched the sky, trying to find her own mother among the stars.

"Arnav lost his parents when he was about your age as well," Khushi added, still looking up at the sky. "I know you miss your mother very much. But, Amy, I want you to know that you're not alone. We're here for you, and we understand what you're going through." Khushi whispered, clutching Amelia's hand tightly.

Feeling a presence behind her, Khushi turned to find Arnav standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed with a soft expression on his face. Khushi extended her hand, inviting him to join them. He walked over and wrapped his arms around both of them from behind and the three of them watched the stars together.

As the days went on, Amelia slowly adapted to her new life. Each night, they enjoyed quiet dinners together. Khushi watched Arnav interact with Amelia, his patience and kindness evident in every gesture. In these moments of quiet connection, she realized how much they had grown and how far they had come from their painful pasts. It reminded her of her own childhood, when Arnav was her saviour, her only confidant. She came to understand that she didn't mind sharing him with Amelia at all. But seeing Arnav with Amelia ignited a new yearning in her-to see him with little versions of themselves.

Arnav's work schedule after returning home was intense. Being new to the field, he had to invest a significant amount of time and attention into his job. His expertise and reputation grew gradually with each successful case, but he was propelled into popularity as Delhi's best emerging criminal lawyer when he bagged the Singhania double murder case and won it.

Meanwhile, Khushi focused on establishing her charitable foundation, "Little Happiness," for orphaned children. She envisioned expanding it into an orphanage and school for underprivileged children, but securing resources proved challenging. Though NK and La joined as benefactors, Khushi struggled with the foundation. In addition, Khushi and Arnav began working on their new haveli. Khushi was jotting down ideas and designs, outlining everything she wanted in their home. They were actively searching for suitable land, and once they found it, they planned to start building their new home.

One day while Arnav was at the office, a lawyer named Mr. Arjun Mittal arrived with some property papers. He informed Arnav that his only uncle and his two sons had died of tuberculosis, and according to the law, the haveli had been transferred to him. Arnav was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.

"What do you want to do now?" Khushi asked Arnav as she lay in his arms with her head resting on his chest.

"I don't know. The haveli doesn't hold much importance to me," Arnav said, lost in thought. After a moment, he added, "Khushi, how about you use the haveli for the foundation? It has seen many horrible things, and maybe these children could bring some good fortune to it." With this idea, Khushi found a new direction for expanding the foundation, allowing her to achieve her vision.

Everything was going smoothly, with each piece falling into place, until Arnav was appointed as the public prosecutor for "The Crown vs. Mohan Rajjani and 8 Others: The Tiwari Family Attack" case. Arnav initially thought little of it, viewing it merely as a high-profile case. However, as he began investigating and studying the case, all the past dirt started coming to light.

Mohan Rajjani was the accountant-slash-manager of Delhi's renowned businessman, Shyam Manohar Lala. His association with Mr. Lala complicated the case even more. The Police had been aggressively pursuing the notorious Delhi Thuggee group, which was responsible for a series of dacoity attacks in the area. As a result, Mohan Rajjani and 8 others were caught red-handed during an attack on the Tiwari household. The attack led to the deaths of 25 people, including the household staff and also included the brutal r*pe and murder of a ten-year-old girl.

By far, their modus operandi involved killing their victims through suffocation, typically using long fabric, most likely the 'gamchas' that were confiscated from each member of the group. This group remained pretty tight-lipped despite multiple tortures and interrogations by the police, very unusual for a regular dacoit gang.

It's a pretty much open-and-shut case, but the problem was with Mr. Rajjani. According to Mr. Rajjani and Mr. Lala, Mr. Pankaj Tiwari, the head of the Tiwari family, had sold Mr. Lala some of his lands and asked Mr. Rajjani to come to his house to retrieve the property papers on Mr. Lala's behalf. The same property papers that had been confiscated from the crime scene. According to Mr. Rajjani, that's why he was there and just happened to be present when the attack occurred.

"Sir, do you think Mr. Rajjani is innocent?" Rakhesh Roy, Arnav's assistant, asked him curiously.

"Umm, 98% no," Arnav replied. Then, after a pause, he added, "Why is he still alive when 25 others are dead? The remaining 2% scenario is that he's either extremely lucky or extremely persuasive." Arnav shut the file. He needed to interrogate the accused as early as possible, but before that, he needed to gather more information.

"Mr. Roy, please fetch all the files of dacoit attack cases from the last 10-12 years in Delhi," Arnav said, addressing his assistant.

"Sir, I have made notes. There are more than 15 cases. Should I fetch all of them?"

"Hmm, no, narrow it down to the cases where r*pe was involved."

When Mr. Roy returned with the files, there were only five cases he had come up with. He, alongside his assistant, began to study the cases. All of these cases involved the r*ping of a girl child ranging from 8-10 years old and then killing by suffocation. Among all the dacoity events that occurred in that area, these were also the only cases where the entire family was completely wiped out. There was a distinct pattern in the way this group operated.

"Why did they only r*pe the child instead of any adult female in the household?" Mr.Roy couldn't help but ask aloud.

"We are dealing with a very mentally sick individual with an equally sick preference," Arnav remarked in response to Mr. Roy.

Arnav wasn't quite satisfied with the development they made so far. They didn't have any solid proof, only speculations and theories. He reached for the last file, but the name on it made him stop in his tracks.

The Gupta Family Dacoity and Murder Investigation

Arnav never knew the intricate details of Khushi's parents' murder, as he was not in Delhi at that time. He only knew that the dacoit had killed her parents. As he opened the file, his hand trembled slightly, as he had a suspicion of what he might see written inside.

His whole body went numb as he saw the bloody details of the murder while reading Madumati ji's statement from 12 years ago. He snapped the file closed, his entire body trembling with rage. Hastily, he left his office, instructing his assistant to keep making notes.

Arnav only intended to take a short stroll. An incident from that morning kept replaying in his mind like a tape recorder. At the breakfast table, after the meal, Gauri had served him tea but instead of leaving, she lagged behind, clutching the tray tightly in her hands as if to say something.

"Yes, Gauri?"

"Kya aap Rajjani ji ke khilaf lad rahe hain, bhaiya?" Arnav was taken aback by her question and only nodded.

"Bohot bure admi hain, bhaiya. Aap unko zaroor saza dilwayiega," Gauri said before leaving without saying anything else.

His short stroll became long enough to lead him to the gate of the former Raizada Haveli, now marked by a signboard that read "Little Happiness Foundation."

He watched her from the corridor of her office, sitting at her desk, talking animatedly on the telephone with one of her associates. She always radiated light. It was hard to imagine the darkness of horror she had endured.

And just as she always seemed to know when he was near, her eyes met his instantly, and her whole face lit up. She stood up, coming around her desk. "What a pleasant surprise, Mr. Raizada! How can I help you?" she said smiling widely.

Arnav's hand immediately went around her waist as he pulled her closer, burying his face in her neck. His height made Khushi stand on her toes as she instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. Khushi's two assistants, who were working on some accounts, left the room, red-faced, watching Mr. Raizada's actions.

"Arnav?"

"Hmm."

"Is everything alright?"

"Can't I hug my wife without any reason?"

"Yes, but here? In front of everyone? What will people say?"

"People will say that Mr. Raizada loves Mrs. Raizada very much." Khushi's face softened at his words as she entangled her fingers in his hair, massaging his scalp lightly. He hugged her untill he smelt like her and then taking a deep inhale of her scent, he set her gently on her feet.

"What happened?" Khushi asked, cupping his face.

"Nothing," he said, kissing her palm. "Just a case... I have to go back to the office." He nudged her nose with his. "Thanks for the hospitality, Mrs. Raizada." He kissed her forehead before leaving her office.

Then Arnav went straight to their house. He had some business he needed to take care of.

"HARIPRAKASH!"

"Yes, bhaiya?"

"I need two men who can guard Raizada Haveli as long as Khushi stays there, and then escort her back and forth. Can you arrange that?"

"Yes, bhaiya."

"How long will it take?"

"Umm..."

"Arrange them as soon as possible. It would be better if you could have them ready by tomorrow."

"Thik hai, bhaiya."

"I'm going to my study. Ask Gauri to fetch me a cup of tea."

Hariprakash hurried inside to convey Arnav's message to his wife.

A timid knock on the door alerted Arnav to Gauri's arrival. He wanted to talk to her, actually interrogate her; the tea was just an excuse.

"Your tea, bhaiya."

"Take a seat, Gauri. I need to talk to you."

"Yeess, bhaiya," she stammered, uncertain of what her employer wanted.

"What did you mean this morning when you said Mr. Rajjani was a bad person? Did he ever do something bad... to you?"

Gauri's breathing quickened, and she started to sweat. Her hands trembled as she fidgeted in the chair.

"Gauri, trust me. Nobody will know if you don't want them to."

"Hari doesn't know... I... I didn't tell him."

"He won't know."

"My mother used to work there, and I did too when I was little."

"How old were you?"

"I was eight. We lived in the servant quarters. Rajjani ji used to come there at night. He would clamp his hand over my mouth and carry me to his study. And there he... he..." Gauri started sobbing quietly. "My mother knew. She told me not to tell anyone or no one would marry me."

Arnav's lips pressed into a hard line, suppressing his anger.

"Were there any other girls besides you?"

"Yes, bhaiya. There were two other girls working with me. Nobody said anything."

"Okay, Gauri. You can go now.....one more thing..... you should talk to Hariprakash. No relationship can stand on the basis of a lie."

Gauri nodded solemnly and left Arnav to ponder over the recent developments in the case.

@featheredclover @arshifiesta @phuljari @chutkiandchotte @msbhagirathi @jalebi-weds-bluetooth

#ipkknd #arnav singh raizada #khushi kumari gupta #arshi #ipk 13th anniversary fiesta #13 years of ipkknd #whispers of the heart

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centaurianthropology · 1 year ago

Text

Okay, that was a GOOD episode. The first episode definitely had some pilot difficulties, but it seriously feels like they’re hitting their stride with this one. I am totally in love with what Laura’s doing with Arlo, and Ashley is a delight as Auggie. Anjali’s performance as Charlotte gets more and more nuanced and tragic, and I can’t wait to see where she’s going with it. They were all so compelling this time around, and taking some major hits and poor roles meant that they all got shaken up a lot worse this time around.

Matt’s DMing also felt a lot more tuned into the horror side of things this episode, with the monster being intensely Soulsborne-y (the mass of bodies glommed together is such a Dark Souls thing, but I love it!), and had a lot stronger of an eldritch horror vibe, with some Hunger Beyond Time coming after everyone because of an artifact. I really, REALLY hope they get sent to Oldfaire next episode, as it’s their last for this Circle, and I really want to see that part of the city, given how much it’s been hyped up, and how likely it is to intersect at least with Arlo’s backstory, and possibly also Charlotte’s (and maybe Howard’s too??).

But there was one stand-out tonight, in an episode in which everyone was on top of their game, and that was Robbie Daymond. Holy shit, no one heard “you are in a horror game” and took it to heart quite like he did. He’s going full Reanimator, and I love his choices. His self-trepanning scar was horrific in the best possible way, and then there’s whatever happened at the end with him. Who is Dean? Was that his reason to get into Candela? And what the hell does it mean that the phantasmal force just dove straight into his head?? He is getting more and more unhinged as we get into this story, and I am so here for it. I get the feeling he’s the most likely character to die in the next episode, with Charlotte very close behind (”You have to give everything” has a very ominous ring to it), and I think Arlo and Auggie might make it out to make later reappearances, but who knows? They rolled like ass tonight, so hopefully they saved a lot of sixes for next time. I’m honestly only sad that we only get one more episode with this Circle, but then again it makes sense. Horror campaigns generally have to run short, because they lose the scares the longer they go on. And I can really hope that next episode is downright terrifying.

I’m really looking forward to seeing the level up for the next game. The more I see this system play, the more I really want to pick it up once the Core Book drops. The flavor of Newfaire is great, and I think it would be great for short campaigns with friends who really want to dig into some gnarly horror material.

Man, that was a fun episode. I am seriously going to miss these characters, as they’re all so delightful and vivid. The players are great, and they’re a fantastic intro to a system I now really want to buy once it comes out.

#Critical Role #Candela Obscura #Candela Obscura spoilers #Robbie Daymond #Anjali Bhimani #Laura Bailey #Ashley Johnson #Matt Mercer

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momsforroadhead · 1 year ago

Text

I recently watched the first ep of Desi Quest and guys. You simply have to watch it.

Jasmine Bhullar. She's such an incredible DM. I discovered her through Coffin Run and I really love her style! I particularly love her adorable NPCs (BATCHA!!!!!) and her love of props (remember those vials of blood from coffin run??). So excited to see more of the world she's built!

Rekha Shankar. top two favourite dropout cast members. she is truly one of the funniest, most witty people i've ever been aware of. her character, Ladoo Auntie, is SO FUNNY. i had forgotten how much i adored her perfect comedic timing

Sandeep Parikh. i don't know him almost at all (i remember him being pretty funny on dirty laundry) but it's my understanding that him and his production company are behind the show to i am thankfull. also, his character, ash, is very cute! i really appreciate his commitment to the bit of not knowing the right words and calling everybody a rubbish bin

Omar Najam. OMG!! I discovered him on Acofaf and like. ace rep of all time. remember in the AP when Omar praised him for making an ace character (Andhera) important in a setting where fucking is so paramount (regency) and he just responded with "thanks! it's. my life" yeah me too. big cardigan energy and his character has it too

Anjali Bhimani. again, i don't know her as much as some of the other people, but i love her vibe and her character already seems to be carrying some mystery in her backstory!!!

Anyway the show looks great, i can't wait to see the rest! And i also hope this inspires people to make actual play shows/create custom dnd worlds rooted in their culture, because as somebody who knows little to nothing about desi culture, it's really cool to see it through this fantastical lens. and i personally think a french canadian dnd actual play show would go crazy

#jasmine bhullar #rekha shankar #sandeep parikh #anjali bhimani #omar najam #desi quest

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phuljari · 5 months ago

Text

social media au! part 4

summary : khushi is a model and influencer; arnav just seems to stumble upon her profile one day— not so much by accident. (or what if khushi fell in love at first sight?)

warnings : lots of hindi, some english, cussing in (either) languages. deliberate typos. online stalker!shyam. text heavy.

a/n : i am...trying something new (by using the word prompts) #IPK 13th Anniversary Fiesta @arshifiesta

laxmi.ji

liked by gulabo_devyani, arnavsinghraizada, aakash_r, hari_prakash, hellohibyebye, nandiii, anjaliiiii.r, mahendrarudrapratapsinghraizada and others

laxmi.ji Tum aa gaye ho, noor aa gaya hai @/nandiii

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hellohibyebye e goatwa ko postwa karna kaun sikha diya haiiiiin?

⤷gulabo_devyani Manorama. khabardaar 😠

hari_prakash Nani ji humein kyu crop kar diya?

anjaliiiii.r Laxmi ji! Kya lag rahi hai!! :)

⤷gulabo_devyani :) E. Kaa MATLAB ka. Hai. Anjali. bitya.

nandiii Arey waah, ghatiya lag rahi hai laxmiji ekdum 👌

⤷aakash_r NK bhai 😭😭😭ghatiya nahi badhiya 😭😭😭

iMessage "Raizada Group"

NK: Di mera instagram suspend ho gaya 😭

NK: Ab me kya karunga diiii

NK: It's saying that I was reported for abusive language

Anjali: Aree, ruko hum dekhte hai

Aakash: 👀

NK: Dii, mere bichaare followers kya sochenge

NK: Mai toh nadaan ho gaya di

Aakash: 😭

Aakash: Nadaan nahi, pareshaan 😭

NK: Sach sach bolo Aakash, tumne report kiya na mujhe?

NK: Tumhe mere hindi sacchi nahi lagti

NK: *Acchi isiliye

Aakash: Nahi NK Bhai, mai kyu report karunga?

Anjali: Chotte 😒

NK: Nannav main tumhari paav padta hu

NK: Please mera account suspend hone se bacha lo na

NK: Nannav

Anjali added Arnav to Raizada Group

NK: Nannav

NK: Mere bhai 🙏

NK: Mujhe Khushi ji ko invite karna hai

NK: Dinner ke liye

NK: Shantivan

NK: Ab mai unko message kaise karunga? 😭

Arnav seen

Notifications (nandiii)

Your account has been cleared of suspicious activity and/or abusive language.

Thank you for your patience.

(1) new messages from nandiii

nandiii: Khushi ji!

thekhushigupta: nanhe ji!!

nandiii: Aapko bhojan ka aamantran hai aaj raat 8 baje

nandiii: Shantivan 📌

thekhushigupta: ji bilkul! 🫶

nandiii: Waise what's your fav dish?

thekhushigupta: oh i devour aloo poori, chaat, jalebi, pakore 😭 anything lucknowi also works

nandiii: Of course Khushi ji! Humari choice is same to same 😌

thekhushigupta liked a message

thekhushigupta: nanhe ji, ek question hai

thekhushigupta: hum apni jiji ko bhi laaye kya saath me?

thekhushigupta: if you don't have a problem?

nandiii: Why not Khushi ji? The more, the merrier! :)

nandiii: Aur haan Khushi ji, I forgot to tell you that this is my cousin's home

nandiii: He's most probably not going to be around but in case he is, don't mind his presence 😂

nandiii: And the rest of the family will be there too

nandiii: Hope that's okay Khushi ji?

thekhushigupta: aree kyu nahi! i'm already so excitedddd

iMessage

Preetika: What's up buttercup?

Preetika: Still in your lover era?

Khushi: OMG

Khushi: no

Khushi: yes

Khushi: maybe, idk 😭

Preetika: Ooo what's the tea?

Khushi: we went out but

Khushi: he was only trying to stay out of his home

Khushi: cos guests or sm

Preetika: Oh no, girl, I'm so sorry :((

Khushi: no you're not

Preetika: No, i'm not😂

Preetika: At least you found out early enough that he wasn't as interested as you were

Khushi: i guess 🥺

Khushi: but what do i do with all these feelings? 😭😭

Preetika: You wanna talk over coffee?

Khushi: i wish!! but i've gtg for dinner at this place

Preetika: Okay wow, I get it. I'm not even on your priority list 😔

Khushi: noooooo

Khushi: ofc you are

Khushi: he's just a friend and he's visiting from australia so can't say no na

Preetika: Oh, is he single?

Khushi: idk 😭

Khushi: i'll see tho

Preetika liked a message

titaliya_k

liked by aakash_r, shyamjha, hari_prakash, arnavsinghraizada, saritaraman, hellohibyebye, theshyamjha, usershyam, nandiii, laxmi.ji and others

titaliya_k raghbat <3

@/nandiii thank you for hosting this amazing dinner and fulfilling my 'ghar ka khana' needs 💖

and @/laxmi.ji for the wonderful company!

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nandiii Anytime Khushi ji!

⤷titaliya_k 🫶

aakash_r We were delighted to host you and your jiji!

⤷titaliya_k it was lovely to meet you! 😌

⤷hellohibyebye e kaa dusra accountwa hai ka phati saree?

⤷user1 this is her personal account and @/thekhushigupta is her professional one

shyamjha Accha toh aap idhar thi Khushi ji! Hum toh pareshaan ho gaye aapko dhoondhte dhoondhte

*this user has been blocked. click here to unblock*

usershyam: Waise aaj aap khule baalon me kaafi sunder lag rahi thi

*this user has been blocked. click here to unblock*

user2 yummy!

hari_prakash humne banaya didi

(2) new messages from titaliya_k

titalilya_k: nanhe ji!!!!!!

titaliya_k: aapne bataya kyu nahi 😭😭

nandiii: Kya hua Khushi ji? Kya nahi bataya??

titaliya_k: ki aap asr ke bhai hain 😭

nandiii: Oh sorry, mai bhool gaya Khushi ji 🥺

titaliya_k: 😭😭😭

nandiii: But everything went well no? Nannav said something to you?

titaliya_k: haan par

titaliya_k: wait NANNAV?!😂😂

titaliya_k: i'm cackling! 🤣🤣🤣

titaliya_k: ek din me do do nicknames 😂😂

titaliya_k: chotte had me giggling af lol

nandiii: Di and Nani ji only call him that 😅

titaliya_k: btw naniji is soooo cute! i absolutely enjoyed spending time with her!!

nandiii: Oh? She said the same thing about you two! But especially you 😌

titaliya_k: anjali ji was pretty sweet as well

titaliya_k: nothing like her chotte 🤭

nandiii: 😂😂

(1) message from thekhushigupta

thekhushigupta: hey

arnavsinghraizada: Yeah?

thekhushigupta: chotte 😂

arnavsinghraizada: 😒

thekhushigupta: istg it was so funny

arnavsinghraizada: Funny was you meeting my family on the second date itself

thekhushigupta: it wasn't a date 😒

arnavsinghraizada: You were literally staring at me the whole night

thekhushigupta: ok no need to call me out like that

thekhushigupta: so what? i like to look at pretty things

arnavsinghraizada: I'm pretty?

thekhushigupta: yessir

arnavsinghraizada seen

thekhushigupta: oh!! hello!!! don't ghost me!!!

arnavsinghraizada: Kya bolu ab?

arnavsinghraizada: I don't get it. You asked me out, we went on a date. And then YOU ghosted me.

arnavsinghraizada: And now you're flirting?

arnavsinghraizada: Tum thodi pagal ho

thekhushigupta: haan 😂😂

thekhushigupta: bua ji hume sanka devi bulati hai 😂

thekhushigupta: but you had the ghosting coming

thekhushigupta: who says on their first date that they're only there to avoid their cousin?

thekhushigupta: who btw is my friend!!

arnavsinghraizada: Wow you assumed that i was there to avoid NK

arnavsinghraizada: Okay, fair. I was actually

arnavsinghraizada: Doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy your company

thekhushigupta: oh?

TBC

#this was more text heavy hope you guys don't mind!#i took some liberty with depiction so it's not exactly accurate #guess who operates laxmi ji's account? lol #it's literally in the text if you didn't notice!#and if you're wondering why nk doesn't make mistakes while talking to khushi it's cos he annoys aakash before replying to every text #ipkknd #arshi #ipk 13th anniversary fiesta #word prompt thingy #okay okay just imagine that everyone followed titaliya_k #cos she tagged laxmi ji ofc #yeah i'm tired and it shows oof #another filler thingy #promise next one would be fun tho!!

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khaleesiofalicante · 1 year ago

Note

I'm willing to pay cash to see Anjali's reaction upon receiving the "complaint" letter from Arthur. Also, the conversation with Rafael about deciding to fund the tech for his school.

Something I've noticed so far In the new LBAF timeline is, that Max has become so much similar in character to Alec's. The way he's parenting and communicating with the kids.. its very much like Alec. It's hot. It's mature. It's beautiful.

I accept payments in the form of Lewis Hamilton Thirst Traps :)

PS - Your observation about Max's parenting is >>>

“Are you in there?”

“Yeah!”

She leaned into Cami’s bathroom and sighed. “Rafael. I’ve told you to let her handle it.”

Her husband, who was leaning into the tub and wiping at it furiously, didn’t even bother to turn around to answer. “The drain got clogged again. How much hair does she lose when she showers?”

“She can unclog her own drain next time,” Anjali rolled her eyes. “Can you come out for a minute? I need to talk to you.”

“Just a second, amor, I need to let the baking soda sit for a minute-”

“It’s about the New York Institute.”

The blue latex gloves came off immediately as the man rushed to wash his hands and came out of the bathroom. “What happened?”

Anjali pressed a soft kiss to his lips first. Just because she wanted to. Just because he deserved it. He deserved all the love and appreciation. He needed to know that. Especially with everything going on.

Anjali sat on the edge of her daughter’s bed and held out the fire message. “This came in earlier today.”

Rafael’s brown eyes scanned the contents the letter carefully.

She’d been at a meeting with the auditors when the fire message appeared in front of her, thankfully she was always glamoured at office.

She read it twice and then spent the next ten minutes wondering if it was a prank. A quick chat with one of her colleagues in admin revealed that mundanes did indeed cut up open frogs in biology class.

She almost felt as if nephilim were better.

Then she remembered that nephilim used to do that to downworlders not very long ago, and so no, nephilim weren’t any better.

Maybe everyone just sucked. Except for her Rafael.

“Well,” Rafael said when he finished reading, and neatly folded the letter. “What do you think?”

“He spelt positively as paw-sitively,” Anjali pointed out. “This school obviously needs all the help it can get.”

Rafael chuckled tiredly, pulling the edges of the letter which had traces of glitter. “Do you think Max knows about this?”

“Honestly?” She asked and shook her head. “I don’t think he would’ve allowed it.”

“He’s a proud man,” Rafael mumbled.

“He’s a pig,” Anjali replied, still a little hurting because Max didn’t attend Arjun’s rune ceremony. Even after Anjali has specifically asked him to. “A stubborn pig we love.”

“He used to be like this,” Rafael said, chuckling softly again, unfolding the letter. “He was always kind to animals.”

“He never got a pet?” Anjali asked, wondering why she had never asked that question before.

Rafael chuckled properly and shook his head. “Chairman Meow likes being an only child.”

Anjali smiled at that and touched the man’s arm. “I’m thinking of helping him out. It shouldn’t be too difficult. Some of our donors are interested in working with private schools.”

“Okay,” Rafael nodded quietly.

“Are you okay?” she asked him carefully.

“He’s in high school,” Rafael said, clutching the fire message tightly. “I’ve missed a lot, haven’t I?”

“They’ve missed a lot too, Rafael,” she reminded him gently.

“I just hope the next time we’re all in the same room isn’t at a funeral,” Rafael sighed.

“Whose funeral?”

“Does it matter?" Rafael sighed again and managed a smile. For her. The way he often did even when he was hurting. He’s gotten a lot better at it over the last few years. “Thanks for sorting this out. I’m gonna finish cleaning up.”

“Rafael?” Anjali called. “Should we tell Max about this?”

“The donation?”

“Yes.”

Rafael exhaled and shook his head. “He doesn’t have to know.”

“Maybe it would help to know.”

“I don’t want him to think I’m trying to cosy up to him with money, Anjali,” Rafael said in frustration.

“From what I hear, your brother is doing just fine making his own money,” Anjali hummed.

“Don’t listen to Clave gossip.”

“Even if it’s from your father?”

Rafael pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t tell Max.”

“Is it because you don’t want him to know you’re helping him or is it because you want him to reach out to you first?” Anjali asked.

Rafael opened his mouth and closed it. “This bath tub is not going to clean itself.”

“You’re a proud pig too, you know!” She called out after him.

“Well, you married this proud pig,” he yelled back from the bathroom.

He still cared a lot. She knew that. He always will.

He didn’t give back the fire message to her after all.

+ Bonus - Arthur’s Letter to Anjali.

Dear Aunt Anjali,

I wanted to talk to you about something that's hopping around my heart like a little bunny. You see, in my freshmen biology class, we're about to do a frog dissection. Apparently, it's part of the curriculum. That’s not very nice, is it? I’m sure you agree with me. My daddy and papa say you are very smart!

I was thinking about Devlin Corp and the super cool 4D technology you have. Wouldn't it be pawsitively amazing if we could use that cool tech to explore the mysteries of life without hurting any innocent animals?

Everyone keeps saying it doesn’t matter because they’re already dead. But if we can’t even be nice to dead things, then that’s very scary.

I totally get that this is a tadpole of an idea, but if you could consider it, it would mean the world to me and, hopefully, to all the little froggies out there.

Love, Arthur x

#them >>#rosewood #lbaf

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