#horrible woman. lots of cake. great fun

[aromantic-goldfishdeactivated202]

This is slightly unrelated to the teeth thing but related to the king cake thing. It’s a tradition that whoever gets the slice of cake with the plastic baby in it has to buy the next king cake for the next event until Mardi Gras Season (yes, it is a season) is over. As you can imagine, us middle schools absolutely took advantage of this tradition. One student would bring in a cake near the start of the season. The teacher would pause class, we’d all eat cake, someone would get the baby, we’d all be sad we weren’t the one to get the baby, continue class after a thirty minute break. Two days later the new person would bring in cake. Repeat for weeks until a) the teacher said no more cakes or b) mardi gras break starts and we get a week off school, so the cycle would be broken. good times

Shoutout to Louisiana for having the #1 worst baseball team name of all time.

[fandom-go-round]

Can I ask for an Obey Me! request? Where the brothers (if you dont want to do all of them then just whoever you feel like writing for) make casual comments about weight related things and they dont realize it upsets the plus size reader until later. like causal comments like "oh that's allot of food" and stuff like that. hurt /comfort please! love you!

Warnings: Fatphobia, Hurtful Comments about Reader’s Weight, Insecurities About Weight, Crying, Emotional Reactions

Mammon:

Mammon always has a way of sticking his foot in his mouth and this is no exception. You’re at a modeling job with him, waiting for him to finish up his shoot so you can go to dinner together. You had grabbed a large smoothie on the way over and are sipping as you watch, half curious about how modeling works and half checking him out. You’re almost done with the smoothie when he makes the comment, coming over to hang on a quick break.

“You’re not gonna need dinner at the rate you’re goin’!” There’s no malice in his voice but you freeze, eyes wide as you look to see if he really said what you thought he did. Mammon doesn’t notice, jogging back over to the set as his manager calls him over. The rest of your smoothie quickly goes into the trash and you spend the rest of the shoot looking at all of the models and cursing yourself; of course the Devildom values skinniness like Earth does.

It takes Mammon days to notice that he’s upset you, mostly because he’s too busy running the high of having money again. He does notice when you dip out of movie night and refuse to let him take you to dinner. Everything comes to a head when he barges into your room demanding an explanation and you’re crying.

He feels like absolute shit when you tell him what’s wrong. He blows off all your reassurances that you’re used to this and that you know he didn’t mean it. Weight isn’t an issue that Mammon has ever had to deal with but he does know about being teased and made fun of. He’s quick to beg your forgiveness and make things right. He becomes your number one supporter, buying you cute clothes and whatever you want to feel better. He’s quick to snarl at anyone who even makes a comment vaguely talking about weight in your direction. Mammon would support you if you wanted to lose weight but might pout a bit; he loves that you’re soft and have places for him to grab onto.  

 Leviathan:

Everyone knows that anime and manga have some of the most unrealistic women out there. That doesn’t stop people from being into it or loving 2D women more than real women. Being into anime before the Devildom had you prepared for this but Levi takes it to another level with Ruri-chan. You shouldn’t have been surprised by the comment but you would have thought Levi might be able to understand, considering his own insecurities.

“I don’t understand how anyone wouldn’t want to look like Ruri-chan! She’s the perfect woman!” You’re mind takes it the way you’ve always taken comments like that: ‘perfect woman’ means thin. You make an excuse to leave quickly after that, Levi only half noticing as he goes into another rant.

He doesn’t understand why you keep avoiding talking to him! An episode of your favorite anime is out and you refuse to come watch it with him! It’s blasphemy! It takes him almost a week to work up to nerve to come to your room and demand answers. Levi is a stuttering mess but when he finally gets out what he wants to talk about you look away, seeming almost as embarrassed as he is.

Levi starts to spiral in the middle of your explanation, blaming himself for being a gross otaku and giving you these thoughts. He know anime expectations are unrealistic (it’s one of the reasons why he likes it) but its another to see it used to hurt people. Both of you end of crying and there’s a lot of frank talk about body image. It’s a good way to bond, even if it did happen for a crappy reason. Levi is more sensitive to what he says and tries to find anime with more diverse characters. He also starts trying to find more plus size hentai… not for any reason in particular though!! He just wants to make sure there is some, that’s all!

 Asmodeus:

Hanging out with Asmo can be a blessing and a curse. He’s beautiful and loves fashion and you love to go shopping with him. The downside to that is you have body negative days that tend to match up with Amo’s feeling great days. The shops in the Devildom are a lot like Earth’s; plus size store exist but they’re more expensive and harder to find. Asmo doesn’t fit into any of the stores you do and you never ask to go, not wanting to point out the obvious differences between the two of you.

“You really should take better care of yourself darling, just think of all the things that would look good on you if you did!” You freeze immediately at his words, dropping whatever you had been looking at like it burned you. Asmo had been watching you in the mirror, eyes trained on your hair and skin but all you could think of was your weight. That’s a harsh comment, coming from the Avatar of Lust and you have to resist the urge to burst into tears in the middle of the store.

He knows the moment you start holding back tears that he’s messed up but he has no idea what to do. He tries to explain himself but you wave him off just saying that ‘I’d like to go home now’. You both leave the store after that, heading back in silence. You quickly go to your room and skip dinner, making everyone interrogate him about what happened. Satan is the one who points out that it might be weight related and Asmo has to resist the urge to cry at the table.

He bursts into your room the next afternoon and forces you to get up. You were planning on staying in bed the entire day but he convinces you to have a spa day with him. You’re not mad at Asmo, just yourself. You know how vain he is so it shouldn’t have surprised you. Asmo, however, apologizes for the first ten minutes, practically begging you to forgive him. You have a conversation about dos and don’ts and Asmo takes it to heart, listening to you and trying to understand your struggles. After your spa day he surprises you by bringing out a mountain of outfits; he had run to some of the shops that fit you and got things! If there’s anything you hate it’s quick to disappear but he wants to pamper you and this is the best way he knows how.

 Beelzebub:

Beel loves hanging out with you because you love food like he does. Not to the same physical amount of course, but you’re always willing to try new things and go new places with him. Everyone knows that if there’s a new restaurant you and Beel (and sometimes Belphie) are going to be some of the first people in line. Just because you love to eat doesn’t mean that you’re immune to the things people say about the two of you. You just wouldn’t have thought that Beel would say anything.

"That’s a lot of food.” You freeze, looking up from your plate to look across the table. Beel’s eyes are locked on your plate and not his own, even though his plate is pilled much higher than yours. “Are you going to eat it all?” You don’t hear anything after his second question, appetite suddenly gone. He doesn’t wait for your response, eating his own food with vigor and eating yours once you push it over to him.

You stop going out to eat with him after that, hardly eating at school or at the House of Lamentation. Sure, you eat enough so that no one says anything but Beel knows better. You don’t snack like you used to or eat cakes with him, you just eat and then that’s it. He talks to Belphie about it and his bother helps figure it out; when did they stop eating? Why? He puts it together after that, feeling horrible once he remembers you talking about how people used to make fun of you in the human world.

Beel shows up at your door the next day, a box from Madame Scream’s in hand and a determined look on his face. He asks to talk to you and you have a conversation about what he said, ignoring the box even as his stomach growls. He apologizes for upsetting you and says that he doesn’t care what size you are, he likes you for you. If people are going to make fun of you or try to bully you, he’ll protect you because you mean a lot to him. You end up splitting the box of treats with Beel, happier than you have been all week. He doesn’t tell you but he prefers that you’re bigger; he’s a big guy after all and it’s a relief not to worry about hurting you as much.

[youarejesting]

Even the Cake is in tiers

Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Namjoon  Jin x Reader Genre: fluff, angst, drama, slice of life, almost wedding day.  Words: 4k

Summary: About to marry the man of your dreams in less than one week. 90 guests invited. Venue booked. Family overwhelming yet appeased. Nothing could go wrong... unless you count your soon to be mother in law slipping you a cursed present, and inviting your fiances high school sweetheart. The Kim family is full of secrets. 92 Plates set.

[Request] @insfirebunny​ - I strayed a little from your ask I am sorry. I went with cursed instead of demon. I had a lot of fun with the puns, I love Jin just breaking all the awkward silences with a pun, and the reader slowly warming up to them.

This was the most important week of your life, your family and your soon-to-be husband's family were coming together for one week in a huge country club. You were on edge, your fiance was a brilliant businessman, he was a genius, and the kindest man you had the pleasure of meeting. In a week this brilliant, kind, and clumsy young man would be your husband till death do you part.

You met Kim Namjoon in your senior year, you were in a similar department. As a business major yourself there were a lot of opportunities to cross paths. Between the projects and the department dinners, the two of you naturally grew closer. Coffee and studying became dinner and movies as you proudly courted Namjoon like a proper lady. 

Insisting to pay And spoil the young man was the best way to spoil him. Normally he was too shy to speak up about what he wanted, but you were very perceptive. Always noticing the way his eyes would repeatedly glance towards the item or shop. With a small curious lift of his eyebrows, he would press his lips firmly together with a face he made when he read or saw something interesting in a book or movie and a dead giveaway to his interests and desires.

You first made the connection when passing an arcade, Namjoon’s eyes lit up sparkling as he spotted the small blue Koala stuffed toy. He walked closer to the claw machine and you watched his features change into the very same curious expression.

It felt like a rush of satisfaction when you had successfully retrieved the soft plush from the crane and presented it to the beautiful man. It warmed your heart to know that you could make this magnificent guy smile and so you made it your hobby and pastime. You couldn’t be more in love with him and you knew he was in love with you.

The only problem lied with his mother, who was upset that he wanted to marry someone who wasn’t from South Korea. This was understandable, the idea that different was scary was ingrained into most people, you tried to be respectful and always show your best qualities. 

Honestly, you were just hoping that you could keep both sides of the family happy for one week. ONE WEEK. Then you would be married and you could live your lives together. The Country club was full of life, filled with distant relatives from each party and young children running around the grounds pulling pranks on their cousins.

With a polite bow and well-behaved mannerisms, you were on the road to charming Namjoon’s parents. It surprised you how civil they were and how his mother had yet to say something against you. The ladies were enjoying high tea when your mother-in-law presented you with a gift.

A small wooden jewelry box, engraved with strange symbols some you swore felt a little sinister. She gave you instructions to open it later that night when you were alone. Taking her words seriously you were going to fulfill her request hoping not to offend anyone’s traditions.

Leaving the dining hall early with the box in hand you were wondering what could possibly be inside. It was so nice that Namjoon’s mother was so accepting of you, taking the time to get you a gift. 

Shutting the door behind you, you glanced at the garment bag, which housed your wedding dress. It took a while to find the perfect dress but you knew it was the one when it fit everyone's expectations. It was the perfect amount of beautiful and conservative as well as sexy and fun.

Sitting on the large bed you missed cuddling with Namjoon, the two of you had been waiting for marriage and to be honest it wasn’t a big deal. You both were more interested in intertwining your lives than your bodies. Opening the wooden box, the weight increased until it collapsed onto the floor salt spilling onto the floor. You saw footprints in the salt and as they appeared across the floor soon followed ankles, calves, and knees. 

Mesmerized by the man materializing in front of your eyes, at least you believed he was a man. The smirk and the god-tier features on a flawless face. Who was this man and what was he doing in your room? He pulled his plump lips into a pointed grin, his eyes flashing as they landed on your frozen form. His gaze didn’t linger for long before your vision faded.

~

What a strange dream you had, you had heard that brides often had horrible dreams leading up to their wedding but this felt so real. Sitting up from the soft fluffy blankets you squealed when you saw the handsome young man sitting on the beautiful chaise by the window.

“I don’t know how you got into my room, but you need to leave?” Your voice held no authority and no strength, your lips shaking with every breath, tears prickling behind your eyes. “Are you from the Kim Family, I can help you find your room?”

“I am from the Kim family, but I can’t leave your side. You opened the box in which I was captured many years ago.” He said simply enjoying fruit in the sun, you noticed he was wearing traditional Korean clothes and had longer hair. There was something about the way he looked that made him look so ethereal and out of place. 

“Who are you?” You said, sure now that this was some sort of prank being played by the Kim family so you decided to play along.

“Kim Seokjin,” He grinned looking at the door as someone knocked.

“Hello dear, are you coming down for breakfast,” Namjoon’s voice broke you from the daze you fell in when admiring Seokjin’s face?

Running to the door you opened it and gave him a kiss on the cheek, “I will be down soon, let me get dressed.”

~

Walking to the dining hall Seokjin followed you around, it seemed no matter what turn you took, you couldn’t run away. He had however changed his appearance which scared you beyond belief. His long hair was cut short and a fine suit that mirrored the one on the cover of a magazine strewn on the coffee table. Stepping into the dining hall you saw Namjoon’s mother smiling wickedly in the corner as Namjoon was hugging a young woman, the two grinning and talking adamantly.

“Hey Joonie, I am here.” You smiled trying to gain his attention again, you didn’t have to worry, this would be his relative of some kind and you were to be his wife so you had nothing to worry about. Right?

“Hey, Y/n this is my old high school friend Bom, we have been best friends since we were young, I didn’t even know she was coming but mum said it was a surprise. Isn’t that great my soulmate at my wedding?”

Oof that hurt. You knew he didn’t mean it to sound the way it did and you were happy as long as he was happy. Having in fact heard of this friend on multiple occasions from him. She was beautiful and everything you knew Namjoon’s mother wanted in her son’s bride. The leading factor being she was Korean.

“Namjoon tells me so much about you,” You smiled and she shook your hand and grinned. 

“Let me tell you somethings about him then to even the playing field,” Her smile was genuine and she sat at breakfast Seokjin silently taking a seat at the table. She was quick to refuse some food by the waiter, “I can't, I am allergic to seafood.”

“That must be a bit of a hassle.” You didn’t know what to say and the silence was getting awkward. Seokjin chuckled reaching for an apple from the center fruit bowl. “I am glad you are getting your apple-y ever after.”

That did it. Chuckles all around and a small knowing smirk from Namjoon’s mother, Seokjin lied saying his name was Taejin and that he preferred just Jin. 

After breakfast that you pulled Namjoon aside, “Hey Joonie?” you asked

“Yes dear, what is it?”

“Who is Kim Seokjin, your mother was talking about him last night?” The question had been burning in your mind all morning and now that you two were alone you felt safe enough to ask him.

“Haha, did my mother tell you that old story? She is a superstitious woman,” Namjoon was laughing to himself before he gathered himself enough to answer your question seriously. “Back in the day, when Korea was still ruled by monarchs, the Kim family had different uh factions, the noblemen and the servants. One of the Kim Noblemen was supposed to marry the most beautiful young woman in town. But on the day of the wedding a young man named Kim Seokjin, part of the servants of the family, was throwing petals with the other servants and caught the bride's attention.”

“What happened then?” You pressed further watching said man from behind your fiance’s shoulder. As he listened watching the small television in the corner playing a murder mystery K-Drama.

“Well, it was said that Kim Seokjin charmed the woman and stole her from the wedding, stealing her away crying. It was said that when he found his bride he locked Seokjin in an ornate box, a family heirloom passed down through generations.” Namjoon smiled, kissing your cheek enthusiastically. “I have to go, Bom says she is going to challenge me today in golf.”

“I heard you stole someone's bride and were trapped in a box,” you muttered

“Ah is that what they believe, it’s funny how stories change over time. I didn’t steal anyone, she tried to call off the wedding before it even began and in a fit of jealousy I was almost beheaded but was cursed into the box.” Seokjin laughed, “I am not someone who steals someone’s lover.”

“But she looks like she would,” Seokjin muttered while leaning over the balcony, looking down over the side you could see Namjoon laughing at Bom hanging off his arm. Jealousy felt like sickness in the depths of your stomach. A queasy feeling that burnt its way up to your throat.

“Namjoon isn’t like that,” you defended your fiance, he was a sweet bean who only knew how to love with his whole heart, “He is a nice guy who wouldn’t dream of cheating on anyone.”

There was a small pause as your thoughts wandered to what-ifs, you trusted Namjoon but could you trust her. “Look if you trust him that’s great but I know a thing or two about the Kim family and when they find something they want, nothing can stop them or stand in their way until they get it. So he might want you now but what if these days leading up to the wedding he changes his mind?”

“Why are you doing this to me? Why am I letting you get inside my head?”

“I assure you I am not trying to make you doubt your future husband, I am trying to help you secure him,” Seokjin said, pulling out a rather fancy dress, it was a little more revealing than what you had been wearing around Namjoon’s mother, you were unsure why you had packed the dress in the first place. “Now put on this outfit and go to him, you need to impress him. Be like a beer, pitcher perfect” 

“Haha.” Your laugh was dry, but you had to hand it to him, he had a quick wit and you liked that a lot, “I don’t need to impress him, I am his fiance and we are getting married.”

“Listen I will distract her and if the situation calls for it, sabotage her plans of stealing your fiance, the last thing I need right now is to be cursed back into a box thank you very much.” He threw the dress at your face pushing you into the bathroom. You turned to give him an offended look and he leaned down so his face was level with yours a condescending smile. “For butter or worse, I want to toast the lovely bride and groom, I need you both happy then you can all leave me alone. ”

~

Seokjin’s plans weren’t working. The dress made Namjoon send you back to the country club to get changed as he thought it was a little too indecent for golf. To make matters worse, when Seokjin tried to interfere and push Bom into the lake, Namjoon jumped in after her. As if things couldn’t get worse, Namjoon gave her his jacket and escorted her back while you dragged your feet back to your room. 

It was at this point you fell into Seokjin’s ideas, the two of you trying to conjure up situations where you looked superior to Bom and stole the spotlight. Seokjin critiqued your outfits and told you how to act charming and attract Namjoon’s attention. 

“So should I wear my hair up or down?” You asked him, curiously whilst standing in front of the mirror, tonight was the night before the big day and you were feeling downhearted. Namjoon was spending the majority of his time joking and talking with Bom and all your attempts only made them grow closer.

“You look beautiful either way, when your hair is up it shows off your slim jaw and long neck but down makes you look more feminine and beautiful.” Seokjin’s voice traveled through the bathroom door, but you could hear the truth in the words he spoke. There was no hesitation, he replied as if you had asked him about the weather.

“Oh,” Your cheeks looked so red, in the mirror, you had never seen yourself flushed before. It was kind of a romantic look, you hoped tomorrow you could look just as beautiful walking down the aisle. “No one has ever really said that to me before.”

“What about the Kim?”

“Namjoon doesn’t really talk about looks, which I appreciate he says he prefers personality over appearances,” You opened the door and stepped out, he stood up from the couch slowly, his jaw slack.

“You are very pretty,” For some reason, the confidence in his voice died away and he sounded so shaken and breathless. He offered his hand, which you gratefully took, “We should get you done to the party, you are getting married in the morning.”

“Why are you more excited than I am?”

“I love weddings, I find them so... Engaging” He looked at you with a serious expression pausing for effect and you slapped his arm with a grown

“I hate you and your puns.” struggling to control your features, you couldn’t admit he was funny.

~

The party was just beginning and the music was soft, Seokjin politely pulled you onto the dance floor and began leading you around. “I will try to distract Bom tonight, focus on having fun, okay?”

“Okay,” You smiled, gripping his broad shoulder, you tried to let all your worries disappear and it helped that Seokjin spun you around until you were dizzy and then demanded that you spin him too. In fits of giggles, you were interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

“Do you mind if I cut in?” Namjoon asked eyeing Seokjin.

“Of course, she is all yours”

Namjoon took your waist and began leading you albeit clumsily through a slow dance, “I feel like I haven’t seen you all week.”

“It has been hard to see you when you were hanging out with your friend but I understand, you haven’t seen each other in a long time and we have been together for a really long time.” You admitted trying to settle the uncertainties in your mind.

“Yeah, I feel like we just get each other and sometimes we lose track of the time.” He whispered.

You both heard Bom and Seokjin laughing together, they looked happy but you felt sick, Namjoon didn’t ease your insecurities and the one person you had been confiding in was also laughing with the other girl.

“I know he said he was a Kim but I have no idea who that guy is?”

“Your mum invited him, she said he is a distant relative,” deciding not to say his name in hopes Namjoon guessed he was the Seokjin from the legend.

“Ah must be very distant.”

You two were talking and you felt some form of reassurance that Namjoon still loved you and wanted to marry you. It was silly how worried you had gotten because his best friend had crashed the wedding.

Crash!

Turning you saw Seokjin looking horrified as Bom was in anaphylactic shock, racing over you watched as your fiance saved her and you dragged Seokjin away. “What was that, that wasn’t part of the plan.”

“I didn’t mean to, we were talking and I offered her what I thought was a chicken sandwich. It was incorrectly labeled and I didn’t know it was crab until she hit the floor.”

“She was supposed to be removed from the wedding, I didn’t want her to be killed”

“Look, either way, this works out, maybe this is a better plan. She will be in the hospital while you are getting married. This plan is better.”

“Plan?” A voice said behind Seokjin and he stepped aside revealing a confused and hurt Namjoon. 

“I didn’t ask or want or plan for something like this to happen, I just wanted to spend some time with you before the wedding cause I hadn’t seen you all week.” You attempted some form of explanation when Namjoon raised his hand effectively silencing you.

“I wanted the same thing and I am disappointed you resorted to these jealous and petty tricks that almost cost someone their life. I am going to the hospital, and I will see you tomorrow at the altar.” Namjoon turned, briskly walking away, chasing him with tears rolling down your cheeks. You begged him not to go. “I am disappointed that you were doubting me this whole time, it’s like I don’t even know who you are anymore.”

~

The rest of the night you spent getting drunk in your hotel room passing out after crying yourself to sleep, you woke the next day with a headache. The hairstylist and the makeup artists were polite and didn’t mention the puffiness of your eyes and did their absolute best to make you look like a picture-perfect bride.

You looked in the mirror feeling alone, you hadn’t seen Namjoon or Seokjin since last night and you were unsure if you could face Namjoon but you were longing for Seokjin. He knew exactly what to say to cheer you up. He knew exactly how to make your problems disappear. If he was here you knew you could get through this day.

There was a knock and Seokjin smiled at the door, “You look truly beautiful, a blushing bride indeed, can I escort you down to the hall?”

“Of course,” You breathed, taking his hand. He led you downstairs and to the doors of the hall. You stopped and hugged him, his broad shoulders keeping you grounded and you took a few deep breaths.

“Hey no matter what happens, I am here okay. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He smiled softly. You thought for a moment he was going to kiss you and at that moment you wished he would, it was like something had taken over you. 

“I am so nervous, I think I need to go to the bathroom.”

“Well, you better go now, or forever hold your pees." The softest laugh seemed to shake as he stepped back letting his hands fall to his sides.

The music started playing and Seokjin walked away out of sight and the doors opened. Clutching the bouquet tightly you began walking down the aisle, your eyes met Namjoon’s and he gave you a smile that told you everything was forgiven. 

Needless to say, the tears started flowing, you were supposed to be happy but instead it felt like you were being married off to a stranger, someone who loved who you pretended to be not who you were. Namjoon liked the you that took care of him diligently and bought him his favorite things and was that really you.

You reached the altar and turned to face him and as he took your hands you noticed Jin slip into the back row of the hall.

~

“I knew you were the one when you took care of me, in other relationships I was expected to buy gifts, to provide, and yet with you I was the one being cared for and provided for. You cleaned up my messes when I was clumsy and you always made my favorite foods, you're so independent and wonderful and I can’t wait to make you my wife.”

“That’s, That’s not me,” you interrupted me, “I liked winning you a prize at the arcade but then you sang my praises and I became the one buying you gifts, which made me happy because you were happy but you didn’t return that love, you know you have never called me beautiful.”

“You push for me to be independent which I love but would it kill you to show me affection. I know we are all about equality and letting me get the bill but how is that equal if you have never offered to cook clean or pay for dinner. I haven’t been your partner in any of this, definitely not your girlfriend. I have been your mother.” 

“Speaking of your mother, your mother gave me an ornate box which you explained held the Seokjin Curse so thanks for trying to have me stolen away before the wedding. She invited your best friend from school because she wants Bom to be your wife, someone who knows the culture and background”

“And honestly it hurt this whole week trying to get your attention and you always turned to her, what happened last night was unfortunate and I am glad Bom has recovered so quickly, my friend told me the chicken and the crab sandwiches had been mislabeled. But the most important part is I saw you Namjoon. You were so loving this week, but not with me, with Bom.”

Taking off your viel you put it on Bom and lead her up to the altar and join their hands. “I am sorry, I am sorry that you never got to see the real me, I am sorry I played along with the image of me you created in your mind. I want to be friends but I cannot marry you Namjoon.”

He was crying, “I think you are right,” He hugged you kissing your cheek, “I loved you a lot and I am sorry I never told you how beautiful you were, I wish I could have allowed you to be yourself.”

“I have to go.” You whispered before walking out of the hall awkwardly with your head down. Namjoon escorted you out and everyone followed you to the dining room where the DJ and Namjoon’s close friend got on the mic.

“Let’s not waste a party.” You gave him a thumbs up and headed upstairs and changed quickly into the dress Seokjin had picked out for you earlier that week. It was a little revealing but you didn’t care, it’s not like you had anyone to impress anymore.

It was three drinks in and sixteen songs that the cake was brought out, the cake topper removed and you grinned as the song ‘Not Today’ filled the room. You were dancing wildly and Namjoon and Bom were having a blast.

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean for you to feel like I stole Namjoon, I was honestly really excited for you too,” she admitted and you grinned.

“He has known you since you two were little and I realized when I met you that his ideal type was you and he was projecting that image onto me, it’s better off this way.” A hand wrapped around your wrist and spun you until you landed against a strong broad chest.

“I liked the whole wedding, but it was the reception that really took the cake.” Seokjin grinned leaving you in hysterics.

[pbandjesse]

Today was very productive but I was very uncomfortable for so much of it and that made me sad. I'll be okay. I just wish it wasn't so hot.

I slept alright. I felt like I was tossing and turning a lot. But I didn't feel to bad when I woke up for real so that was something.

I made the bed and was not happy when I left the room to find out how hot it was. It was so stupid humid. I wish it would just rain because this is pretty unbearable for me. I just want it to cool down. Hopefully soon. Though the ten day forecast doesn't make me feel to positive about it.

I had a little breakfast and decided I would catch up on my knitting and once that was done I would go do my errands.

Thankfully the pain I was having in my palm has stopped. My injured finger still hurts when I squeeze my hand but it hasn't been swelling as much so that's positive. It took a while but I got all caught up. But I needed more yarn. The mistake thick yarn I got for 80 degree days went such fast, I think because it's so thick it took more? I'm not sure. But the big plan today was to replace that and the 90 degree yarn.

So I headed out. I felt pretty gross out there but I was in a good mood.

I went to joann's first. I was excited that screen printing ink was on sale! So I am able to try that out. And I got my yarn which was also on sale. And I got some felt to make more flowers for our banner. And I was just having a great time.

The line for checkout took a while because they only had one cash register open. But while I was in line I saw Liz from access art come in! So we chatted and caught up. I told her about the pop up workshop I'm doing. And promised to post more about it on social media. It was so nice to see her though!

I checked out and dropped everything off in my car before I walked down to the dollar store to look for Lego bases. Which I was able to find but three of them didn't have barcodes. So the guy gave them to me for free?? Amazing. I told him that it was very kind of him and he was all smiles.

I went to the Home Depot across the way next to look for a base for our wedding cake and donuts. And after some searching and failing I asked for help. And it turned out if I had walked 10 more feet I would have found it. I was very excited.

I paid and went back to my car. An older lady told me I looked very nice today and that made me feel happy too. Things were good.

I went to five guys next. I had brought my own drink so it didn't feel as expensive. They really have raised their prices a ton. But it was still good food. And I watched a video while I ate.

And then to Towson to go to Marshalls and target.

This was not as good. Marshalls was fine. I got lotion and a nice dress on clearance. The checkout didn't take long. I enjoyed looking for Halloween stuff. And then I went to Target.

Target was not fun. At all. This target was a disaster. Stuff was literally everywhere. On the ground. Left behind drinks everywhere. It was very loud and very hot. Just abandoned full carts everywhere. Picked over shelves. Way to many people. And half of the stuff I was there for wasn't. And I was not having fun. I was trying to hold it together but I wasn't have a good time.

I went to check out and had a woman in front of me with a full cart. And then we find out why there were so many abandoned carts. All the snap and EBT cards were being declined. The system was down. I felt horrible, I wanted to help. I couldn't help. I feel guilty that I didn't help.

The cashier had to take a minute to help get the stuff back in the cart and took it away. And so I was in line for 15 minutes while people around me were being told their cards weren't working. It just sucked. Eventually I was able to buy my kitty litter and get out of there.

I was just not having fun. I was overheated and just wanted to be home. I hate being in Towson. Every time I'm there I hate it. And I hate the drive home from there.

But I went home and would be okay. I got everything inside, except for the kitty litter. James would get that later.

I spent the rest of the afternoon getting things out away. And then I got to work on finishing my letter stamps! And trying that on my totebags. I just made the one but I'm so excited about it. And the letters themselves. I love them so much.

I would also play with the Legos a bit but then I wanted to sort the shapes so James would pick up some new containers for me to do that. So progress is being made.

I watered the plants and tried to get myself together. But my stomach started to hurt real bad. So I laid on the couch. Which wasn't great. I was to hot and my stomach hurt.

James got home and kissed me a bunch. They made enchiladas for dinner and then we started working on our banner more. James worked on the letters. I worked on more flowers. It is going really well. I hope we have that done soon.

I would keep falling apart because I was to hot. And my stomach hurt. Eventually I would go on the fire escape to enjoy the little breeze and sit with Sweetp who kept biting me but was Judy being very playful. I love my kitty.

I had some ice cream. And took a cool bath. And soon after that Brandon came over to watch the new game of thrones with James. And I am in the ac feeling a lot better. Very tired but good.

Tomorrow I am going to puhtok for a highschool program. It's the same one I did with Ellen last year. So I gotta really knock it out of the park. I hope it's fun. I hope it's not horribly hot.

I just packed my backpack and have everything ready to go. They are giving us lunch. But I'll bring some snacks and water.

I hope you all have a good night and a fun day tomorrow. My dad has his doctor's appointment so fingers crossed they have a plan of attack. I love him so much and I want my parents to feel alright again. Safe and healthy. It will all be okay. Good night everyone. I love you!

[madlori]

Coming soon: “Strike Anywhere”

Sooooo like a month ago I had a fun lil plot bunny and banged out a short Schitt’s Creek fic called “Burn Out the Night.” In it, Patrick is a firefighter and David is a city engineer and they do Not Get Along, in fact they are infamous for their fights at calls. Except this night, a warehouse fire goes badly, and in the course of the situation Patrick is injured, at which point it’s revealed that these two bitter enemies are in fact married. Everyone is SHOOK. SEEKRIT HUSBANDS. It’s also super fun to have both these guys really lean in to their latent troll tendencies.

People were into this concept, and I jibed so much with the premise that I launched into a prequel story about how these two met and came to be seekrit husbands. I expect to finish it in the next few days and start posting soon (one chapter per day). So I thought I’d post a lil trailer!

Title: Strike Anywhere Fandom: Schitt’s Creek Rating: E Length: 65K Tags: David Rose/Patrick Brewer, Firefighter AU, Enemies-to-Lovers, Secret Relationship, First Responders, Hurt/Comfort, Patrick Brewer/OMC, Patrick Brewer Is Gay (and has been out for awhile), these are just temporary tags the real ones will be on the actual story with content warnings (none of the Big Four)

------

Patrick Brewer would always remember the first words ever spoken to him by the man who he would eventually marry, because they were “What the fuck are you doing? Are you an idiot?”

He straightened up, blinking dust and grime out of his eyes, a futile attempt given that he was standing in the middle of a destroyed store with a car through the front of it, holding a pneumatic cutter. The man who’d just called him an idiot was lurking on the sidewalk, peering in through the jagged hole in the storefront, dressed in expensive-looking shoes and massive white-framed sunglasses, his impressive eyebrows halfway to his hairline. “I’m baking a cake,” Patrick said, dryly, and went back to what he was doing.

-----

Once the woman in the car had been extracted and whisked off to the hospital, Patrick left the scene to the police, the tow trucks and the insurance adjusters and toted his equipment back out to the fire truck parked outside. He stowed the pneumatic cutters, spotting David Rose standing with Ronnie by her truck. Pique rising in his chest, he stalked over to them. “Okay, somebody wanna explain to me who this guy is and why he gets to barge into my rescue?”

Rose turned to face him, tipping his sunglasses up on top of his head. “Who are you, sturdy wee man? An intern, or something? Does the fire service have interns?”

“I’m Captain Brewer of the 315,” Patrick said, flatly. “I’m in charge here.”

----

Patrick went back to his truck, tossing his helmet into the back with more force than was probably recommended by its manufacturer. Shit, he thought. This is going to suck, a lot. Having someone hovering over everything he did, second-guessing every decision he made, would be bad enough. But that wasn’t even the worst part.

The worst part was that he’d be suffering the unwanted interference of possibly the hottest guy he’d ever seen, and there wasn’t a damned thing he could do to make that not true.

----

“Ugh, I had the worst day. I spent three hours driving around with that snotty Captain from the 315.”

“You mean Brewer? The one you won’t shut up about?”

“Complaining about! Bitching about!”

“Sure.”

“He’s a self-righteous prick and I deserve some kind of peace prize for not flinging myself across the car and throttling him to death with my bare hands.”

“I’m sure that keeping yourself from, uh, flinging was a real struggle.” Stevie picked up David’s tablet and started Googling something. “You know when you told me about this horrible Captain Brewer, your arch-nemesis, I pictured some grizzled, crotchety old guy. You neglected to mention...this,” she said, brandishing the tablet with a flourish.

On the screen was an article from the paper with the headline “Toronto Fire Services Promotes Youngest Captain in its History,” above a very nice photo of Patrick in uniform, arms crossed, smiling and looking like a recruitment poster.

“What, exactly, did I neglect to mention? Young guys can be grizzled and crotchety.”

“You neglected to mention that Captain Brewer is a snack.”

“If he is, he’s one of those tasteless low-carb sugar-free snacks full of xylitol that’ll give you explosive diarrhea and make you wish you’d never been born.”

-----

“Why’d you do it, anyway?” David suddenly exclaimed, coming off the wall to stand right in Patrick’s face.

“Do what?”

“Save my life, you fuckhead!”

“That’s my job! What was I going to do, just stand there and let the truck fall on you?”

“Great! Except now I have to, like, be nice to you.”

“I am begging you not to be nice to me, I might drop dead of a heart attack from the shock!”

David’s lip curled in a sneer. “I don’t know what kind of carnage I committed in a past life to deserve this. Look at you with your fireman outfit and your respectably-gay undercut and you probably have a modest tattoo somewhere under there and I could axe-murder you, I really could, you just had to be the big damn hero, throwing me to the ground like some damsel in distress, and that isn’t even the worst part!”

“What’s the worst part?”

“That a guy I can’t stand saved my pointless life and it was so goddamn hot that I might have to jump off a cliff!”

------

...coming soon!

[heavensenthearty]

Since you're new to LOK, favorite and least favorite character?

Oh, good question! For my favorite character, I have two categories: "My favorite character based on my own headcanons" (😅) and "My favorite character from canon".

For the first category, I'd say Asami. And it isn't even that all my love for her comes from headcanons, I just like to dwell a bit more on what we know about her from canon: she is a chaotic mixture of girly and sports fanatic, those that are really passionate. Since the rise of nonbenders inclusion into sports, she keeps inviting the Krew to the mixed-fight matches — (Republic City's version of mixed martial arts) — and she is one of those fanatics in the first row so engrossed in the fight and screaming to the top of her lungs when her favorite fighter takes the upper hand.

She got into a mixed-fight club herself and they have their own matches for the communication and raising charity funds from time to time, and sometimes her opponents are very good and she knows her face is bloody and nasty when all her friends tell her she looks good but she still manages to win. (She isn't going to let people question her place as companion of the Avatar 😌.)

And she loves junk food, she's one of those people that can eat a cake or an ice cream bowl practically without breathing. But she also loves romantic movers and she'll probably eat that ice cream while trying not to cry during one.

She has horrible time-tracking skills tho, she'll get so absorbed in work that at one moment she'll look up and say "Hey, what happened to the sun?!"

She's so chaotic good 😂.

As for my favorite character from canon, I'd say Jinora. She is every pre-teen girl dream self. I know I would have liked to be her when I was her age. And she matures a lot throughout the series, too, just like the main cast. She is a great big sister and an amazing spiritual guide. I think she should have had Tenzin's place as the Avatar's mentor all along, it would have been hilarious to see the teenage Avatar learning from 11-year old 😂

My least favorite character... that's a bit more difficult. In canon, I don't care enough about any of the villains to hate them, and we didn't learn enough about many of the characters to see much of their flaws.

... Maybe Desna.

Not even Eska, just Desna.

He had no mind of his own and yet he acted like he was above everyone. He has no role in the story aside from being his sister's unnecessary twin. In fact, Eska would have been so much more interesting if she was an only child. Imagine it: nobody to balance her out, Unalaq calls his child to hunt down the Avatar, and the one that enters the room is this teenage girl with spilled blue mascara, tangled hair, and a raggedy, wet wedding dress like a reverse Azula. And after all that, we would have finally seen a woman as a full Water Tribe chief.

So, yeah, I just hate filler characters, and from all the ones in TLOK, Desna is the worst.

Thanks for the ask, this was fun!

— 💋

Ask games!!

[dzamie-oc]

11 - Holiday

i’m what the kids call tired

Length: 1500 words Rating: T (suggestive words, only kobolds are naked and they’ve got scales) Summary: Morning for a particular adventuring group, and it turns out there’s a holiday about slaying a dragon about. What an event.

-----

Falina groaned and shifted under the covers. A pair of somethings yawned, then snuggled back in against her, trapping one arm. Her mind paused for a moment, then, staying as still as possible, the human woman moved her free arm to carefully, tentatively feel what had latched onto her in her sleep. Scales. She felt the tough, but not unpleasant, texture of scales under her fingers. Opening her eyes, she found herself still in the room above the Adventurer’s Guild, with her elven partner still in his trance state against the wall.

A lump under the blankets shifted. The woman lifted them away, and found herself staring at a pair of jaws spread wide, baring a plethora of small, yet sharp teeth. Adrenaline surged through her body, and she reached for the knife on the table... when those jaws closed, revealing the face of a small, dragon-like creature with yellow scales and eyes to match, slowly blinking sleep from her eyes.

Right in front of her, Rinta sat up on her knees and stretched her arms up with a groan, giving Falina a good view of her bare scales. Then, the kobold leaned over, nudged the other lump in the blankets, and made some growling and hissing noises Falina assumed to be Draconic. A few moments later, a second, green head poked out of the covers. Kassar said something back to Rinta, but extracted himself from Falina’s bedspread and shook himself. The human looked at the yellow kobold, and noticed she was looking back at her. No, not at her - at the knife in her hand.

“A-ah,” Falina said, letting the weapon fall back onto the table. “Look, to my tired eyes, a yawning kobold looks a lot like a hungry dragon, especially a foot away from my face.”

To her surprise, the kobold smiled, and her tail swished back and forth excitedly, running into Falina’s leg. “Really? Oh, thanks!” She hopped off the bed and began to stretch the rest of her body, then looked back over at the human. “I’m glad your reaction time is lacking, then. I use magic best when there’s not a dagger buried in my scales.”

With her two apparent bedmates no longer on the bed, Falina threw the sheets off of herself and sat up, feet on the floor. With the kobolds having discarded their clothes before getting in her bed, she was relieved to find that her own garments were still on her. “Yeah, well, try not to yawn in my face once Arwyn and I hit silver rank. You’re not like the tales of evil kobolds passed around the Guild hall.” Falina pulled on pants, then a shirt, both a little baggy to conceal the tools of her trade. “So why were you two in my bed?”

“Why wouldn’t we be? You invited us to sleep with you last night,” Kassar chimed in, “something about it being cold.”

“I WHAT?!” Falina exclaimed. Off to the side, she heard Arwyn chuckling; the elf was evidently only feigning to still be in a trance.

“Yeah, I’m glad you’re warming up to us a bit,” the green lizard replied, “you’re very soft, by the way. I mean, obviously without scales, but still! Very comfortable.”

“I- with you two?!”

“Hm? What’s that supposed to mean?” Rinta said, scaly arms crossed over scaly chest. “We may not be dragons, but there’s no need for tha-”

“Ah, you younguns. Before we spill each other’s blood...” Arwyn interrupted, “Falina. They meant literally that they slept alongside you. Rinta, Kassar. In human slang, ‘to sleep with’ someone means to have sex with them.”

“Ohhh...” Kassar and Falina said.

Rinta huffed and put on her cloak. “That reaction was still rude.”

After they all got dressed, they opened the door of their room, ready to see what people needed helping and what creatures needed slaying. To their surprise, the hallway had been decorated with streamers, and they could hear raucous cheering and singing more clearly from the hall below.

“Oh, that’s right!” Falina said, “it’s Drachenfell today! Oh, we’re definitely taking a day to have fun.”

“Drachenfall?” Rinta asked. A human adventurer rushed past them, knocking her aside; in retaliation, she gripped her staff and growled at the receding hooligan, the glow in its crystal fading when a green-scaled hand pulled at her arm.

Falina pretended not to notice the interrupted spell, and instead explained, “yeah, about seventy or so years ago, a team of the king’s great knights slew the terrible dragon, uh...” She snapped her fingers a few times, trying to remember the name, and finally continued, “Kazerahad. And it happened close to here, so we celebrate it like it was entirely our doing.” With a proud grin, she crossed her arms and nodded. “Which, of course, it was, even if the knights came from other places.”

Arwyn tossed his dark brown hair. “Ah, and to your people, this is all ancient history, I’m sure.”

Two tails and a hand smacked the elf. “You’re forty, ‘gramps;’ nobody’s buying it,” Falina said.

Arriving in the food hall, the group broke off their conversation to grab a meal: meat for the kobolds, a salad for the elf, and eggs and toast for Falina, herself. They all reconvened at an empty spot at one of the tables. Next to them, a few adventurers with badges of copper or iron traded extremely true stories of the many, many dragons they, personally, had defeated, oftentimes without the aid of their party. Falina caught Rinta looking between her meat and the boisterous braggarts with a mischievous, hungry glint in her eye, so she reached over and tapped the kobold’s snout with the handle of her fork. “Hey, none of that. No fighting in the Guild Hall.”

“I wouldn’t call it a fight-”

“Not happening.”

Rinta still looked reluctant to give up her quarry, so Kassar spoke up. “So, this Drachenfall thing,” he started, “it commemorates the death of a dragon, in one of those ‘don’t be sad because it’s over, but happy because it happened’ things?”

“Well-” Arwyn started, but Rinta cut in.

“No, it probably started as a somber event, but over time got happier, because festivals are more fun than days of remembrance.”

Falina furrowed her brow. “No, it’s a celebration that the dragon died. There was a monstrous, fire-breathing beast terrorizing the city and devouring people, and the valorant knights saved the citizenry from its horrible hunger.”

“Ah... right,” Rinta said, her downward-curved horns seeming to reflect her mood. She tore off a bite of her breakfast and lethargically swallowed it in a few gulps. “So... maybe Kassar and I will take a small assignment or two, and leave you people off to celebrate the killing of Khazhra’ad.”

The human, for her part, felt like a bit of a jerk. She looked down at her own plate, idly listening to the roar of voices all around. The only one not downspirited seemed to be Arwyn, who finished off his salad before suggesting, “a pair of small, dragon-looking beings unaccompanied around town, on a day that’s, well, kind of about dragon slaying, and therefore probably has plenty of world-ignorant children and cocky teens with toy swords? I can’t say I like that combination.”

Rinta sighed. “Yeah, and beating or eating kids is a no-go, no matter what you think about my...” she cast a glance at the adventurers who were showing off scars that totally came from dragon fights and not accidentally stepping on a cat’s tail, before continuing, “... hunting desires. So, what then, Arwyn? Because if you think we should just stay in here all day, I’m gonna invite at least one of those humans to our room and have myself a snack.”

“We could go with them and try to forget the real theme of the holiday,” Kassar put forth. The others gave him strange looks: Arwyn looked impressed, Falina looked confused, and Rinta looked at him like he had renounced koboldhood and would be living as an alligator. So, the green kobold explained, “you said it yourself, there’s enough time for the celebrations to change. Besides, this is a pretty major thing, it seems; if we spend the day avoiding it, we’ll come up miserably short in our report to Azurel.”

Rinta gulped down the rest of her breakfast, and chased it with a swig of her drink. “Alright, for Azurel.”

Falina smiled, though her enthusiasm was still tempered by her earlier misstep. “Great to hear! So, we’d have to avoid... that, that... that one... probably there... oh! I know what to start with. You two can eat sugar and bread, right?”

Kassar shrugged. “We can eat just about anything. Our lack of gag reflex isn’t just for draconic pleasure.”

To the side, one of the noisy adventurers choked on his toast. Rinta leaned over and remarked, “another casualty of draconic superiority. Tragic.”

Falina shook her head at the yellow kobold, then leaned in conspiratorially to Kassar. “Well then, you’re about to learn the glory of funnel cake.”

[coffeebeannate]

Nate Watches Things: A Saga

Or in this case, one thing. One thing that was far too long of a thing, but such a bizarre venture that I felt rather compelled to put an actual review of said thing together.

Why? Because I can and because others HAVE to experience this..this journey. A nice lil journey called Die Pfeiler der Macht/ A Dangerous Fortune. And I watched it solely because Luca looks cute in Victorian clothes, and I was intrigued by the gifs.

Curiosity has always been such a great human motivator, eh?

And..guys. I just. I don’t know what the 3-4 hours (it’s two movies, and I took a couple days to watch it) WERE, exactly, but they were..a thing? I know that it’s based on a book by Ken Follett and that this production is German. Despite being based in England. 

Oh, and Luca’s character Mickey Miranda, is uh, Spanish. Make of that what you will.

So the summary is this:

A shocking secret behind a young boys death leads to three generations of treachery in this breathtaking saga of love, power and revenge, set amid the wealth and decadence of Victorian England.

And no it does not do this thing justice whatsoever.

Review under the cut. It’s too long *again, two movies here*, and I took far too many screencaps of this absolute wtfery, and uh, it’s probably better suited for a real-time live blog but nah. You can have this instead.

Some images under the cut are NSFW because nefarious boning is a key point in this..thing.

SPOILERS. So many spoilers. This thing is a spoiler fest. The caps have a very obvious Luca bias, I know why we’re here everyone. Hehe. There’s also some triggering stuff in this thing, so be warned there too.

BEHOLD:

So, a point I want to make is that the costuming in this movie is LEGIT. If absolutely nothing else works? Note that the costuming absolutely does.

The opening credits are very nice, Luca’s very pretty, this cap serves purely to showcase that because I’m a very serious man doing a very serious review.

Pretty.

So the beginning is..confusing. We have a girl, Maisie Robinson. (Around 10-13 here?) Her father is very poor and it’s her and her two siblings. He works for a man who is part of our main characters, the Pilasters?  and they run this bank. The head of the bank commits suicide, since they’re having financial troubles and he cannot repay his workers. He pens a note to his young son *under 12 at this point*, Hugh. 

Hugh never finds out about this letter, but anyway. At the moment, it’s 1866. Maisie’s father was one of those employees. Destitute, he leaves Maisie to..raise her siblings, and goes to America.

We never hear from this man again.

Hugh goes to live with his aunt (Augusta/Augustina?), uncle Joseph, and cousins, Edward and Clara.

THEN IT’S 1877 (we jump ten years)

Maisie’s two siblings have died, and she has a daughter, Rachel now. Who is also dying. This movie is very keen on people dying. I’d also like to point out that there is like, endless plots all happening alongside one another, and it took me until mid-way into part two to even really grasp what the main plot is.

The movie has a LOT of bank talk as well. I cannot express this earnestly enough, there is SO MUCH bank chatter. SO MUCH. This thing does not have to be as long as it is but again, bank stuff.

Anyway, the one plot is that Maisie is from the poor area, she’s had a horrible life and has struggled from day one. She’s in a constant battle with Hugh, and they argue a lot. A lot. (They like each other, they met as kids, but they’re from very different worlds. Hugh has money, she doesn’t, but Hugh has suffered as well and basically it’s your normal class struggle social commentary thing).

Maisie and Hugh in 1866, as kids, after Maisie’s father left for America. This is the funeral for Hugh’s father. So that’s the theme I mean.

Anywho.

Back in 1877, this is Samuel *left*, Joseph *middle* and Edward. The Pilaster’s get marched into work like they’re freaking army Captain’s and not just rich ass bankers. Imagine saluting your CEO. At work. Outside of the military. WHERE IS THIS A THING? Maybe this was a thing in Victorian England I have no clue I’ve certainly never come across it in my studies. Ffs.

Anyway.

So while all this is going on, there’s this man that wants to marry Maisie. 

And his name is,

(That’s Rachel, Maisie’s daughter). Anyway, Solly here loves Maisie and wants to marry her. But Maisie loves Hugh, and neither of them realize this yet. Solly is a himbo and we mostly like him, but stay tuned because that doesn’t stick. Sorta. Depends on how-

Nevermind I’ll just keep going.

ANYWAY, more plot.

Here’s Edward again, doing drugs, being gay, and overall..useless. Edward is..Edward is kind of like a person who would make an interesting wall decoration. Fun enough to look at, but utterly freaking hopeless, and useless, and so dumb. Just so dumb. This character is given the substance of ash fault. Kinda like, only vaguely solid enough to be entertaining. Kinda.

I don’t know guys, BUT LOOK!

It’s his good old pal Mickey! And he’s slapped Edward awake out of his drug coma (okay he grabs his face and shakes him rather than slapping but given how much slapping happens in the rest of this movie I think I can be forgiven) and he has PLOTS.

Mostly it’s his dads plot, but it’s a plot. A very devious scheme and he needs our favourite wallpapers assistance!

(Sorry Edward, but it’s true)

So keeping in mind that the ‘theme’ of this movie is bone-and-soul crushing sadness paired with periods of intense chaos and insanity that  you never see coming, our plots continue to thicken.

What Mickey means here, is that Edward’s family denied Mickey’s father what he wanted *weapons deal*, and beat the crap out of Mickey in a carriage. But that’s fine that’s fine Mickey is not deterred! BECAUSE.

*sigh*

So.

OK.

This scene.

Remember what I said about how this movie goes from being incredibly boring to so off the walls bonkers without actually WARNING YOU that it is going to do this? Yeah.

Edward, you see, really does not ‘do’ women. He’s gay. He’s extremely gay. Edward’s mother wants him to marry Florence Stalworthy for idk rich people reasons.

So..Mickey. Uh. Mickey’s solution is..this.

What is this, you ask??

Fuck if I know.

Anyway, no, uhm. This is a brothel. So (not) pictured here (I can’t post the scene on tumblr guys we have a ban) is Edward on a couch across from mask-and-feathers MIckey and this tied down woman, with another woman who is not tied down. And this is Mickey..showing Edward..how to.have sex with women. Apparently. Sort of. His lesson falls very flat. It is not a good scene, Mickey’s ‘instructions’ get increasingly louder, and he at one point makes this noise that sounds like a Joker laugh.

It is...it’s something.

(Also note there’s some extremely uncomfortable, misogynistic name-calling on Mickey’s part here..so yeah).

Oh, and it doesn’t convince Edward. At all. IMAGINE.

Around all this time, the Hugh/Maisie/Solly plot is also ongoing. And that also encompasses bar fighting (bare knuckles boxing and wrestling I think? And gambling)

Hugh has gambling debt we’ll get back to this. (He’s also obsessed with getting Russian bonds into the bank, again, the banking plot losses me a LOT)

So meanwhile, Mickey meets up with Edward’s mother.

But why Edward’s mother, you ask??

Well. *sigh*. Something I didn’t mention earlier is that Mickey likes Ed’s mum. A lot. A lot a lot. Mickey wants to take that woman to town and then some, is a very basic way of me putting it and-

Fuck it. Mickey wants to bang Ed’s mum. BADLY.

(She’s not opposed either, at all)

So their little scheme here is that Ed’s mum wants Ed to take control of the bank, but with the father-in-law alive, that’s not going to happen. So they’re plotting to take down the next person in charge who would succeed said father in law, (Samuel) who is in a relationship with the secretary mentioned above, Michael.

Yes, another GODDAMNED PLOT.

(Samuel is fairly unpleasant like all of these people, so I don’t feel that bad for him. He also kinda treats Michael like garbage, and is called out for this by Joseph later in the movie)

So the scheme here is to get rid of the father-in-law, and get Ed married. Cake walk!

(Also, while ALL THIS is going on, Mickey’s got his own mini-plot about doing these things for his father, the weapons and stuff but we don’t actually find out about the main goal of that whole thing till the end, you’ll see)

Oh, and since we’ve not had a good dose of ‘WHAT THE FUCK’ lately, Solly proposes to Maisie with an honest-to-god Alice in Wonderland party.

Yeah.

Meet the Mad Hatter! He’s a guide, he says nothing. Other people are in costume too, but you know-I have enough caps as it is.

So anyway, Maisie and Solly get engaged, Maisie and Hugh meet up at some point and bang instead. 

And while that’s happening, Edward is convinced by Mickey to marry Florence.

So he does.

Lookit this shit faced smug ass grin.

(Also ahead is Samuel again, and Hugh)

BUT THEN the bank finds out about Hugh’s gambling debts. So he leaves. Taking his cousin Clara (Edward’s teenage sister-at her insistence) to the USA. And just like Maisie’s dad, another man abandons her for the States.

So the father in law is still alive, so! 

It’s murder time.

Perfect wedding time event yeah?

So Mickey murders the father-in-law. (He jumps on him, suffocates him with a pillow, gets caught by Augusta and then they do this..weird ‘tensely make the bed thing’)

Murdered.

And then, exactly five seconds or so later..

Nothing like some murder pre-boning with the dead guy two feet away amiright?

Anyway at this point I was just:

And yelling at my ceiling. Not pictured.

I was a Hannibal fan and I STILL went !?!?!?

END PART ONE.

Part two starts out in 1912, and then cuts back to 1882. So in this messy timeline, note it has been six years since part one. And Hugh is married now to Nora, an American singer, and Clara is older and pregnant. (Father is never determined, but he’s a married man and that’s why Clara didn’t stay)

SO the three of them are returning home. Maisie and Solly have a son, David, and Maisie is depressed and distant, so Solly is the one who spends all the time with David. He’s shown as a legit good dad and it’s quite cute watching them.

(The kids Hugh’s, btw, he and Maisie both know this, Hugh does not, it’s revealed dramatically later but we still have so many plots)

Edward and Florence are childless. Edward doesn’t sleep with her. Everyone knows this.

(At this point I kept asking myself when this would end, I cannot stress how LONG this thing feels at times)

So Hugh and Nora meet up with Maisie and Solly, and they chat and there’s more love plots, more bank plots and a masquerade party where at some point Maisie thinks a little girl at the party is Rachel (who died in the end of part one, sorry!) and there’s a fire and Maisie and Hugh make out and Nora and Solly are both upset and it’s a whole thing.

Samuel now does something of a side business that’s unspecified with Michael, and pregnant Clara is being persued by the only man who might be a good match for her (she’s not keen on getting married. But he’s also..really old.) PLOTS.

And Mickey and Augusta are..still a thing. And Edward being chlidless is becoming an issue. So what is the solution dear friends??

*BANGS HEAD INTO A WALL*

Why the fuck not.

Absolutely flawless! Eddie will NEVER notice.

SO with this plan in motion, Mickey sets out to seduce Florence, Eddie’s neglected wife. He starts in a church, and I have to admit, this one line he gives is quite funny.

“I don’t go to church.”

Cannot begin to imagine why.

Also, around this time is when we get the infamous scene about how he fcked the wives of the three men and then made the guys suck his dick one by one. I didn’t cap that since it’s in gif form, but yeah.

Hugh and Solly and Nora and Maisie are still having their love issues. And there is still bank stuff as all this is going down.

But while on his Florence quest, we see Mickey beat up a guy who was abusing a small boy, and Florence see’s him do this as well and:

He looks so baffled. 

‘Me? GOOD? I really don’t think so.”

She’s also holding a baby, and he gives the infant this face:

“Eugh, what is that?”

He also finds her in church again at some point and comes alongside her like this:

”Sup? Whatcha prayin’ about?”

Anyway, while doing all this, he’s still having some issues. He needs Eddie’s signature for a bank transfer (for his father, his father’s plot is STILL a THING) and so it is time to seduce someone ELSE. This time it’s Edward. This won’t be hard. Edward wants him so bad you could probably see it from fucking space.

Mickey is well aware of this.(I don’t think it’s one sided either, he looks at Edward all wide eyed half the time, but he’s so manipulative it’s hard to judge).

Actually me right now tbh.

So that’s this followed by the infamous gif set.

Edward takes him up on it.

‘Come along my dear there’s nefarious boning to be done’.

Absolutely vital screencap below (which is the most we get anyway and I didn’t cap the line about the freaking signature because fuck plots over nice images okay)

Vital

Anyway Edward gives him the bloody signature. And then Mickey goes along to talk to Augusta. But at this point Mickey is very much beginning to unravel. His goal seems to be more centralized to finishing whatever long ass convoluted job his father has been making him do for the last six years (possibly more tbh) and he’s sort of done with everything.

And Edward see’s this exchange. Le. Oof.

SO! IN BETWEEN ALL THIS. There’s some party where there’s drama and then basically Nora..willing gives up Hugh so he can be with Maisie and Solly just..I don’t even know, single dad for life and all. Edward knows that his family has basically been doing shit all around him, and Mickey STILL seduces Florence. He has her meet him outside that night at two am and they get together, but when he’s with her he kinda has these doubts but she wants him anyway so they bang.

Yeesh.

AFTER that there’s Edward again, because Edward knows shit is up, Mickey goes to a room to grab a bag and see’s Edward there. He tells Edward goodbye, but Edward pulls a gun. Mickey just...drops the bag, tells him to shoot. Edward doesn’t, instead he turns the gun on himself and then Mickey shoots himself in a chair.

Yeah.

DEATH! SADNESS! REMEMBER-THIS MOVIE LOVES DEAD PEOPLE~!

At some point in all this, Augusta goes to her daughter, Clara, apologies for being an absolutely evil mother for her entire life and then the movie sort of begins to wrap up.

Maisie and David were going to leave for the States together, but David wants to stay with Solly, who well DID raise him despite him being Hugh’s kid. So Maisie and Hugh are alone and David lives with Solly and the Pilaster bank has discovered the ACTUAL FREAKING PLOT OF MICKEY’S DAD AND THE ENTIRE BACKGROUND THING. Which was this:

THIS DIDN’T NEED TO BE ALMOST FOUR HOURS, GERMANY.

SO Hugh lets the mob inside. We don’t see what happens after that, but Augusta comes in to tell Joseph Edward shot himself.

Lots of sadness.

So the movie ends in 1912, with David and Hugh meeting up. David never saw Maisie again *she’s deceased now, as is Solly.* they talk, there is some moral lesson or something about love. The goddamned end.

OOF.

SO overall?

I don’t know.

It’s a movie. It has a script and plot and..it was put on screen? The costumes are legitimately amazing. They might be the best thing about this thing. But it REALLY feels like Ken really wanted to make a movie about banking, noticed that’d be boring and tried to make it spicy.

It’s so bizarre. So depressing. So many people are horrible. So many bad things happen. So much slapping, so much weirdness. There’s nothing happy in this thing. Not one. The so called ‘good’-ish ending falls flat amongst a sea of depression and I re-iterate, IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SO LONG.

I distinctly recall lots of clock watching at times, wondering how I could POSSIBLY have more to go. It then goes so completely off the rails that you just don’t know what is happening and it’s just WEIRD.

At times that weirdness makes it fun, but overall it’s really not great. I probably would never rewatch it, and I can say that it’s an uh, experience in movie-watching.

A good one? I don’t know. But an experience, none the less.

[charlotte-hepburn]

BIRTHDAYS AND RINGS.

WHO: Jace Kingston ( @jace-m-kingston ) & Charlotte Hepburn, ft their children and family.

WHEN: Darla's 14th Birthday Party.

TW: None I could think of lmao.

JACE.

Jace just sat there with his chin in his hand. 14 years ago he became a father for the first time and right now he was watching the young women who made that all possible. “I’ve done so much wrong in my life. Shut up, I have.” He added looking over at his girlfriend friend. “But her….her I’ve done right.” He said watching Darla with her friends. Taking pictures of herself and her friends with her new phone which Jace finally let her have. It was her birthday after all, it was time she had a cell phone. He tapped his fingers on the table before shaking his head. “14….fucking 14! How on earth did that fucking happen?”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte sat beside her boyfriend as she kept an eye out on the little ones running around nearby but looked his way when he started to speak. the woman rested her hand on his back, rubbing it softly before smacking him lightly at this second comment. "i didn't say anything," she shushed him. she looked back the fourteen year old and recalled meeting her ten years ago as she was so small and still so sassy. "time flies on by doesn't it? i remember meeting her for the first time and my lord, she was so tiny. but yes, you have, my love," she leaned over to press a kiss against his cheek. "she's so big now, miss darla jean."

JACE.

“You were thinking it.” He said looking at her with a smile. “I remember that day. She said you were the prettiest woman ever.” He chuckled before smirking at her. “I guess she was right.” He teased. Watching the teen with her friends he just shook his head. “She really is big now.” Jace paused for a moment. “She just like you too ya know. I’m glad she has a mum like you.”

CHARLOTTE.

“maybe,” she teased him, leaning her chin on his shoulder looking at up at him. she hid her face in his shoulder as he spoke about darla’s words about her when they first met. “she has my heart, you both do,” she said softly to him, looking back at him. her eyes looked back to the darla and then back to jace. “i’m so blessed to have her in my life, honestly. i love her so much. that’s my girl, that’s my daughter,” she sighed dreamily looking back to darla. “she may not be biologically mine but i love her like she is and blood doesn’t matter.”

JACE.

“Well no one thinks she biology mine. Have you seen us?” He laughed shaking his head. There was countless articles written about now Jace wasn’t her father but he brushed them all off. “We can change that, ya know? Legally I mean. When I was in rehab I signed right over to you temporarily but why don’t we make that permanent? It’s one thing we don’t have to worry about when get married.” He said speaking like a wedding was planned to happen in a few months from now

CHARLOTTE.

“well, yeah but then you get to know her and that’s all kingston genes for you,” she giggled out lightly. she never understood how people could write such horrible things about darla and jace throughout the years. media and the people were always talking but none of it mattered. charlotte looked up at him as he spoke up about her fully on adopting darla and leo. then when he brought up their wedding, she smiled softly and kindly at him. “i would love that,” she hummed, placing her hand on his cheek and pressed a kiss against his lips. “marriage huh?” she teased him, leaning her head back on his shoulder.

JACE.

“Oh she’s mine when she opens her mouth for sure. But looks…..” he shook his head with a chuckle. “Yeah? I can get that paperwork started soon. I’m sure Darla will ask why it took this long.” Jace’s eyes rolled before he leaned into the kiss. “Yeah. We’re getting married, you know this.” He said pulling out his vape. He didn’t smoke his cigarettes around the kids. “I mean I have this with all the time.” Jace pulled out a ring box but kept I closed. “Just in case the moment ever feels right because….well you know me. I don’t think I just do.” He put the box back in his pocket and took a drag from his vape as he looked at her. “You can’t have it yet. Being an ass is still part of my DNA, ya know.”

CHARLOTTE.

"she is beautiful. people always want to create drama for their own amusement but she is all you, my love," she told him, looking back to see darla with her friends. it made her so happy to see her so happy with her girls and taking selfies and doing their dances. "oi, i could already hear her already," she laughed softly. "oh, maybe we can do something cute to announce it to the kids or something," she said dreamily as she started to think of all these ways to make it memorable for them all. the woman snapped out of her mind as she heard his voice along with the words. "of course, i'm just waiting on the ring," lottie teased, she brought up her left hand and wiggled her freshly new painted fingernails. "wait - you do?" she turned her head at his next words to see the ring box in his hands, her hand dropped back down. "you wouldn't be jace if you don't just do it," she smiled sweetly at him. the blonde pressed her lips together, shaking her head then released her lips with a full smile and giggle. "i wouldn't have it any other way."

JACE.

He blows out the strawberry flavor smoke before smirking. “Okay I’ll make one promise. I’ll make sure your nails are done before I ask. Because I know the gram has to have that perfect picture.” He said jokingly holding out his hand before smirking. “It’ll happen. I don’t know when. You don’t know when. Be a fucking surprise for everyone. I’m just gonna find myself on the ground one of these days.” He took another drag from the vape and shrugged. “Yeah….your weird. Most women would be pissed at what I just did.”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte laughed out and nodded her head. "sounds like a promise to me, mr. kingston. i mean, you're not wrong. have you seen my instagram? everything is perfect." she was a perfectionist when it came to certain things. her insta didn't have a theme but she always wanted to make things look so pretty and eye capturing. "i mean, that's the whole point of proposing, it's all a surprise. i'm still going to cry when it happens," she laughed once more before looking back to him. "how am i weird? i mean, i know it's coming so there isn't a reason to be mad about it. you said it yourself, you're waiting on the right time to get down on one knee. i am perfectly happily right now with you and our babies," she hummed out, running her fingers through his hair and smiled at him. "how many times have i told you? i'm not like other women." she kissed his cheek.

JACE.

Jace made a face. “Be-“ he pulled the box out of his pocket again, blowing his cloud out of his mouth. “Because I did this.” He said leaving the box on the table as he turned to her more. “And you didn’t even bat an eye…….Darling that’s weird.” He said. “Like that little box should be driving you mad and ya telling me it doesn’t?”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte couldn’t help but scoot over when he turned to face her and she was able to face him more. she shrugged her shoulders lightly. “i mean, yeah, i’m curious to see what it looks like so yeah a bit,” she said truthfully. “but that’s just me because you know how i am with jewelry and everything. also you said it yourself, we’re getting married. one day.” charlotte replied back to him, reaching over to pick up the ring box and taking his hand to put it back in his. “you’re just waiting on the right moment and i totally understand that.” she brought his hand up to his lips and kissed it gently leaving her red lipstick on his skin before moving her hand with his towards his heart.

JACE.

He watched her for a moment, listening to her words before she put the box back in his hands. Jace looked over it before meeting her eyes through his long hair. “Mum! Dad! Can I set up a Instagram?” Darla came bouncing over. When Jace gave her the iPhone there were rules. It wasn’t locked and they could go through it whenever and she had to ask about social media stuff before making an account or posting. Darla was a child who grew up in the spotlight and Jace was just worried what the Internet world could do to her.

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte offered jace a sweet and kind smile as he looked at her. “i love you,” she whispered to him. the blonde turned around to face darla as she bounced over and asked them about making an instagram. she kept her smile as she looked over to jace. there was a lot of trolls and mean people on the internet. plus darla was just like jace, she had those kingston genes and she wasn’t the one to bite her tongue. charlotte wanted to make sure that she was safe. she looked back to darla. “i think we need to talk about it first, babe. how are you enjoying your party love?” charlotte asked out, smiling up at her from her seat.

JACE.

“Okay.” She said let it go for now. She knew when to pick her battles. “It’s so much fun!!! We’re gonna go in the pool soon I think.” She said looking over at her friends then back to them. Jace pushed his hair back and looked up at his oldest. “We’ll set up everything later tonight, yeah?” He said simply as he spun the box around his hand

CHARLOTTE.

the blonde smiled up at the now fourteen-year-old and could feel her heart feel so full of love. “i’m glad you’re having fun, babe. i’ll bring out the cake in about an hour or two, how does that sound?” she giggled out before looking at jace as he said they would set up everything later for her and spun the box around in his hands. “go have fun, baby,” lottie winked at her before turning back to jace. “i’m so glad to see her having fun. plus the gram? she’s gonna be over the moon.” she hummed out excitedly. “how are you feeling, my love?” the blonde asked her boyfriend with a gentle smile.

JACE.

“Okay! That sounds great.” She said happily before looking at her father for a moment. She smiled and kissed his cheek before going back to her friends. Jace watched her before looking back at his girlfriend. “Yeah. Fine.” He said taking a hit for his vape. “Just thinking.” He said blowing his cloud out

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte watched the two before her and her heart swelled. it was clear to see how much the two were so close, they had been through so much in their fourteen years together. “do you wanna talk about it, my love?” she asked him gently.

JACE.

He slid the box back into his pocket. “Nah. I’m fine love.” He said before giving her a smile. “Honestly. Just had a passing thought if now was the right time but meh. Moments passed.” He said scooting out of his seat. “I need a real smoke.” Jace said pulling out a cigarette out from underneath her hair which was was sitting behind his ear. “Also I need a blood hair cut.”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte nodded her head as she listened to him but paused as the other words slipped from his lips. but a smile took over her lips and leaned over to press a kiss against his lips. “you’ll know,” she hummed before nodding her head. charlotte stood up, she wasn’t going to follow, she was going to make sure the kids were okay as they were now quiet. “i think it’s sexy,” she replies going over to run her fingers through his hair. “i love it.” she giggled out.

JACE.

“Yeah the moment passed.” Jace hummed and shook his head. “A trim at least.” The man walked over to the gate and light up his cigarette before walking through to the front yard and taking a drag. His phone out as he sent Val a picture of Darla and her 14 balloons

CHARLOTTE.

“hm, maybe,” she teased him before winking at him then walking back towards the grass to find the babies. leo and caden were playing on the jungle gym while the girls were sitting on their small picnic table with some food. she went over and pushed the boys on the swings before they ran to the other playhouse then went over to sit near the girls. “mum, yum!” felicite fed lottie a chocolate cupcake. “oh so yummy, baby girl. what about you jo? it’s so yummy?” she asked sitting up and feeling her hand out some candy. “thanks baby.” she giggled out, leaning in to press kisses against their identical cheeks.

JACE.

Jace found himself sitting at the front seat. Blowing some smoke up into the air. He rolled back so the look up to the sky. Reaching into his pocket and pulled out the box again, this time popping it open. He looked at the ring. “Why didn’t you ask her?”

“Not that easy, Darla.” He sat up and snuffed out his cigarette.

“What’s so hard about getting down and asking?”

“A lot….trust me. A lot.”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte stood up from her spot on the grass and fixed her sundress. “i’m going to get the cake.” she said out loud but mostly to herself. the woman noticed darla going to the front of the house, she wasn’t going to interrupt what was going on in the front yard. she got it out of the fridge and placed it on the counter then went to the front. she slowly opened the door and peeked her head out. she didn’t hear anything. “hey my loves, i hope i’m not interrupting anything but you ready to sing happy birthday?” she smiled softly at the two, pushing her blonde hair from her face.

JACE.

Darla rested her head in her hand as she looked at her father. “Scared?”

“Yeah….but no. It’s just….I got mixed feelings about marriage it’s self. Like I said, there’s a lot.” He said closing the box and putting away before he heard the door open. They both smiled at the blonde, nodding before getting up from their place

CHARLOTTE.

the woman opened the door wider for the two to come back into the house for the cake. "we picked up your favorite cake, babe," she smiled, wrapping her arm around darla and walked towards the kitchen. "i am still not over the fact that you're fourteen," the blonde playfully squeezed her in a hug. "i'll bring it outside, let's go sing," she playfully sang out herself before removing her arm to grab a lighter from the drawer and lit up the two candles on the cake, one was a one and the other one was a four. once darla was outside with her friends and siblings, the blonde looked over to her long haired boyfriend. "do you want to carry it my love?" lottie asked her boyfriend smiling over at him. "i think it'll mean a lot to her."

JACE.

Stepping aside into the bathroom he grabbed a headband to push his hair back before he grabbed his guitar and put it on his back. “Sure, love.” Jace slid the cake into his hands. Looking over the cake before glancing over at the blonde. “I feel like it’s like her first birthday all over again.” The male hummed as he walked outside with the cake in his arms and set it down

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte smiled softly as jace picked up the cake, she walked ahead of him to open the door for him and let out a small hum of her own. "oh no, i'm going to cry. first birthdays always get me teary eyed," she closed the door behind her. "let's sing!" she called out, watching the youngest kids run over and climbed onto the table along with darla and her friends. "one, two, three - happy birthday to you," she sang out softly along with everyone. "happy birthday dear darla," she smiled then clapped her hands when she blew out the candles. soon enough, the woman cut the cake and handed it out to those who wanted one and held up a plate to jace. "cake?" she smiled at him.

JACE.

Once he set the cake down he started playing along with everyone’s singing. He smiled at them all gathered around and singing. It made him happy to see her so happy with everyone around. Once the candles were out he kept strumming along. Scrunching his nose at the cake offer. “I’m not big on sugar.” He hummed as he just played a tune

CHARLOTTE.

"okay, baby," she nodded her head before setting the plate back down onto the table. she watched the kids and went to sit down beside the twins. "bath time is gonna be a mission tonight," she chuckled out, seeing the younger sibling's faces filled with frosting. shortly after, the cake was nearly gone and everyone was back to doing their own things. "what are you strumming over there?" charlotte giggled over at her boyfriend, picking up some plates.

JACE.

He took a seat on top of the table as he played. “Nothing. Just been a while.” He said strumming a long. “Darla asked me to play this morning. She told me her birthday wish was gonna be for me not to retire.” Jace said plucking at the strings.

CHARLOTTE.

the blonde set down the plates near the other table before going over and sitting down by his legs. she rested her head on her hand while she watched him, listening to the strum of the strings of guitar. "really? and what are your thoughts on that?" she questioned him. they had bickered before about his music. truthfully, charlotte never lied when she told him that she loved the sound of his voice. his album is amazing, as well as his time in one direction. if anyone noticed how charlotte looked at him, she had hearts in her eyes.

JACE.

He let out a sigh and set the guitar aside. Lacing his hands together as he rested on his knees. Watching his kids. “Home life is not her normal.” He said. “She known tour. Bus to hotels to flights across the world.” He started. “That’s the life I gave her from the start. When I told her I was done signing her first words were why are you ruining the life I know….” He chuckled slightly shaking his head. “She was 12 then and I’ve never been so hurt by 12 years old that much in my whole life. But time passed, she understands now why I wanted to stop but she still wants that life back.” Jace looked over at his girlfriend for a moment. “Now that I’m helping her with her singing……guess I see why I do love it so much….”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte watched jace from her seat as he spoke about his and darla's life on tour. it was true though, she had been around the two for a few years and she always admired how jace handle fatherhood from as a young teenager, being in the most famous boyband, and traveling around the world. it's hard to adjust to a normal life after being in the spotlight all of your life. "she is a very smart girl," lottie commented looking over to the teenager swimming around with her friends then back to her boyfriend above her. "very talented too but i know where she gets it from," she smiled up at him. "it's a kingston thing," giggled the woman.

JACE.

“Yeah….and she doesn’t want that….but then the others, that’s all they know.” He said looking over at the younger kids who were loving life with his sisters who had come over for a month long visit. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Maybe going back to singing would be good? But it brought so much pain and trouble with it.” Jace looked over a Lottie. “Well you’r a Kingston too so you would know all about it.” He smiled as he picked up her and gave it a kiss before holding it in his own

CHARLOTTE.

the blonde nodded her head while she listened. she had no idea what kind of path the kids were going to pick when they got older but she knew that jace and herself had tons of advice about the music industry. it's what they were growing up in with both of their parents. "if you do decide to go back into music then we can take it one step at a time. there is always going to be tough times but whatever it is, we can get through it, we always do," charlotte offered her boyfriend a caring but kind smile. her smile grew at the sound of his words, the sight and feeling of him picking up her hand and kissing it. "i love you," she hummed up at him, her eyes set on his.

JACE.

“Yeah we’ll figure it out one way or another.” Jace let his thumb run over her hand for a moment. “I love you too, darling.” Jace meet her eye and place a kiss to her lips, giving her hand a squeeze as he did. He put her hand back in her lap as he got up and took a hit from his vape. “But! If music doesn’t work out. Maybe a magician.” Jace looked over his shoulder as he stood by the pool and popped open the ring box. “You should check your hand.” He smirked as he blew out his smoke.

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte nodded her head in response. she did love his album that he put out last year, all of the songs on that album made her happy to hear his voice again after such a long time. it’s quite honestly all she listened to while he was in rehab. the blonde smiled sweetly as she watched him but took her eyes off of him when she heard screams coming from the other side but it was only caden who was playing with his siblings. “what?” she turned back to look at him and lifted her left hand up to see the ring on her finger. the femme’s heart started to race as she noticed how beautiful it was. her eyes swelled up instantly, her free hand covered her mouth, noticing the ring box in his hand was empty and stood up from her spot on the picnic table. “jace,” gasped out the woman. when he told her that the moment passed earlier, she wasn’t sure when it was going to happen but now it was on her hand. the woman wrapped her arms around him and cried. “a thousand time yes!” the woman cupped his face and kissed him on the lips.

JACE.

Jace just watched over his shoulder at her reaction. It’s what he expected from her. The crying, the screaming, the pure excitement. He smiled into the kiss before laughing. “I didn’t ask.” Jace took her hand and looked at in. “I mean I knew the fucking answer since we just talked about this 30 minutes ago. This wasn’t exactly a question I needed an answer to.”

CHARLOTTE.

charlotte couldn’t help but wipe her eyes, attempting not to mess up her makeup. that’s how she was, she had to look good in everything and anything that she was doing in her life. the blonde shook her head with a small laugh coming from her lips. “yeah, i know but look! it’s on my hand,” she wiggled around as a happy dance. “either was 30 minutes ago to a few months ago, my answer will always be yes.” she said with a soft smile on her lips.

JACE.

He smiled at her, laughing. “I know. I put it there.” Jace hummed as he dried her face. “Your gonna get married. You’re gonna have a big wedding. With your girls by your side.” He hummed happily. “Which reminds me…” he took in a breath. “WE’RE GETTING MARRIED!!!” Jace yelled happily before smirking down at her. “And I’m not sorry.” Quickly he picked her up and tossed her into the pool.

CHARLOTTE.

the blonde femme smiled up at her now fiancé. this was actually happening, they were going to get married and be husband and wife. when jace used to tell her back in the day that he was never going to get married, the idea was pushed far from her mind to begin with. she was scared anyways but now she felt more relaxed, she was truly happy with the life they are building together. “you too, you’re going to get married,” she giggled up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, playing with the ends of his long brown hair. charlotte let out a laugh as he yelled it out and watched as everyone stopped what they were doing and cheered them on. she tilted her head to the side in confusion before being tossed in the pool. “jace!” she screamed as her body hit the warm water and she swam up, pushing her blonde hair from her face but was met with darla wrapping her arms around her.

[axwalker]

Tears in heaven 7: Grief

Synopsis: Alexis O’Brien is about to get married but memories of her old life are coming back to haunt her.

Pairings: Liam x MC Drake x MC (TRR)

Warnings:   This is an 18+ blog.

IN THIS CHAPTER: CAR ACCIDENT, DEATH OF A CHILD, GRIEVING PARENTS.

 if you’re triggered by any of these issues, PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS STORY

To catch up: Masterlist

A/N: The story will go back and forth between two different periods of time (2015-2019) 

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Songs inspiration: Tears in heaven by Eric Clapton

Thanks to @burnsoslow for so so so much. Not only she corrected my several English mistakes but she helped me with her feedback, and with Alexis’s letter and the horrible phone call she receives.I LOVE YOU  ❤️

Thank you @pedudley for beta reading, for ALL the feedback and for listening to my incessant whining while I was writing this chapter. I LOVE YOU  ❤️

November 2014 – November 2018

That Saturday had started like many others before. Drake woke up early to the sight of Alexis’s soft, bare skin next to him. He leaned over to pepper her back with lusty kisses. They were going to be apart the whole weekend, and Drake wanted to show his beautiful wife just how much he was going to miss her. Alexis woke up smiling and enjoying the jolts of pleasure that his ministrations always produced. Unfortunately, they both heard the voice calling them from the next room, suddenly interrupting their morning plans. Drake chuckled, resigned, as Alexis put on his Rolling Stones T-shirt. Twenty seconds later, Drake brought a sleepy Tom to the room with a book in his hands.

“C’mere, little man.” Drake placed him next to Alexis in their bed. Tom snuggled against his mother and gave her his favorite book as he did every Saturday morning. “I’ll go make us breakfast, Lexie,” he said and left for the kitchen after placing soft kisses on Tom’s and Alexis’ heads.

“Let’s see what you have this morning, Peanut.” She read the title out loud: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar. You really like this one, don’t you, hon?”

Tom nodded vigorously.  Alexis giggled and started reading as her son ran his little fingers over the drawings of the book.

When their reading was over, Alexis took Tom to his room. She went to the drawers to pick out his clothes.

“So, Shrek or Cars, Peanut?” she asked as she pulled out two different T-shirts from the top drawer.

“Shek!” Tom yelled excited.

“‘Shek’ it is, then,” she said, winking at him.

After a few minutes of chasing Tom around the room because he refused to wear his pants, they came down to the kitchen.

Drake chuckled at the sight of Tom wearing his green Shrek T-shirt with yellow pants and the cowboy boots Bianca had sent from Texas. His mother didn’t even know Tom. Those boots were the only gift she had sent him in three years, but Tom loved them.

“Bold choice of outfit, little man. Uncle Max will be proud.”

Alexis giggled. “He refused to wear anything else,” she said, placing Tom in his chair. “I can believe I have to work on a Saturday. I’m going to miss you two so much.” She pouted.

Drake was going with Tom to Ramsford for Savannah’s birthday. Alexis had gotten a job as the assistant to a renowned literary agent. She loved it, but it meant that she had to leave with her boss for the weekend to Portavira’s Book Fair.

Drake cupped her face before speaking. “You’re killing me with that sad little face. The weekend will be over before you know it. Tomorrow night we will be here waiting here for you, and we’ll have dinner ready. Do you want to cook with Dad, Peanut?”

Tom clapped with the spoon still in his hand, splashing strawberry yogurt all over the kitchen. “We make cake for Mommy!”

She took a kitchen towel and cleaned the mess, smiling at Tom’s vitality. “Well, if a delicious chocolate cake will be here waiting for me, I’ll be very motivated to come back as fast as possible.”

“I hope you’ll be motivated by more than cake, Lexie,” Drake said teasingly as he served them the food; he had prepared his Saturday special: Belgian waffles with Nutella and fresh bananas.

Alexis gave him a sultry kiss and whispered in his ear, “Finishing what you started this morning is definitely motivation number one.”  

Drake blushed. God, she loved him so much it hurt. “You look cute blushing, Mr. Walker.”

He chuckled. “I love you, Mrs. Walker.”

They ate and talked until Alexis’s phone beeped with a message. “Fuck, Drake! It’s Charlie; her car is picking me up in less than 10 minutes.”

Drake smirked. “A dollar in the jar, baby. And I’d like to remind you that you’re losing,” he added smugly.

Alexis stuck her tongue out at him, making Tom laugh. She took a bill out of her wallet and put it in the jar they had placed in the kitchen. They were both trying to stop swearing in front of Tom. Surprisingly enough, Drake was much better at it than she was.

After fetching her bag and coat, she sat on her husband’s lap, looping her arms around his neck. “I have to go -- please take care of our baby. I’m going to miss you two like crazy.”

He gave her a small peck on her nose. “Me too, Lexie, and don’t worry. We’ll see each other tomorrow night. Right, little man? Are you ready to have an adventure with your dad?”

“Yes, an aventure!” Tom exclaimed, beaming and making his parents laugh.

After saying goodbye to Drake with a deep kiss, Alexis took Tom out of his chair and bounced him around, making him giggle. “You behave, Peanut. I will be thinking about you,” she said, rubbing his stomach. “I love you so, so much, my baby.”

Tom placed his small hands on her face. “Me too, Mommy.” Her heart tugged when she put her little boy back in his chair. She was having more trouble than usual saying goodbye.

Drake smiled at the scene. He scooped Tom up into his arms, and they went to the door to wave Alexis goodbye as her car drove away.

Alexis worked hard that day; Charlie was a great but demanding boss. That night, she went to bed with The Goldfinch, Donna Tart’s latest novel. Tart was one of her favorite authors, but she was unable to focus on the story. Alexis finally closed the book and unplugged her phone. Scrolling through The Cordonian Times News website, she saw that a huge storm was about to hit Ramsford. She decided to call Drake.

“Hi, baby. How was the Fair?” he asked.

“Great! You know Charlie. She’s a shark. Three new writers will be signing their contracts next week.” She toyed with her ring before adding, “I just saw that it was rainy as hell in Ramsford.”

“Yeah, the storm is pretty shitty, but I’m a good driver, Lexie. Don’t worry.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay at Ramsford tonight? It’s safer. Please?” she insisted.

“Yes, I’m sure. But please don’t worry, baby. I’ll be careful,” he answered, smiling. She worried too much about them.

Alexis knew better than to insist; Drake was even more stubborn than her. “Fine. Is our Peanut having fun? Did you take pictures?”

“Yes, lots of pictures. I’ll send them when we hang up. He’s napping now, but Max and Liam played with him all afternoon. I swear, I don’t know which of the three of them was having more fun.” Alexis giggled, making Drake terribly nostalgic. “I miss you so much, baby. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.”

Alexis looked at the picture of them that she kept in her wallet. “Me too, Drake. And I’m glad that Tom is having so much fun. Tell him I love him with all my heart. I’m sorry he’s napping; I was hoping to talk to him.” She sighed, before adding, with a hint of worry in her voice, “Drake, please be careful. Don’t leave Ramsford if it’s raining too much.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll call you when we get there. I love you like crazy, Lexie.”  

“I love you like crazy too, Drake. I can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” Both of them hung up the phone smiling.

Drake looked out the window. The storm had calmed down, but it was still raining. He decided to leave anyway; he was a good driver, and the cabin wasn’t far from Ramsford.

He secured Tom in his car seat and left.

They had been on the road for half an hour when Drake took a sharp curve. It happened in a matter of seconds: The wet road caused the Jeep’s tires to slide; Drake reacted fast and was able to regain control of his car.

But the car behind Drake’s didn’t react so quickly. The gray sedan crashed into Drake’s Jeep on the right side ... where Tom was sleeping.

Alexis had fallen asleep with her phone in her hand. She woke up and checked the time: 11:30.

That was weird; Drake should have called her by now. Alexis called Drake, but it went straight to voicemail.

An uneasy feeling took over. She called Savannah, who told her that Drake had left Ramsford around 9:30. She suggested that maybe they had arrived at the cabin and fallen asleep. Alexis thanked her and hung up. She knew Drake by heart -- he would never go to sleep without calling her first. She opened a bottle of water trying to calm herself. She was surely overreacting.

Suddenly, her phone rang, startling her: an unknown number. Alexis took a sharp breath before answering the call that would change her life.

“Hello?”

“Good evening. Am I speaking with Alexis Walker?”

“Yes, this is she.” Ice settled in her stomach.

“Mrs. Walker, this is Lynn from Ramsford Hospital. Your husband and son were involved in a car accident tonight. Are you able to come right now?”

Alexis couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe. “Hello?” She swallowed. “Yes. I’ll be there. Are -- are they safe?” “Your little boy is in surgery. Your husband is being checked by a doctor. We’ll have more information when you arrive, Mrs. Walker.”

“Th-thank you.”

But the woman had already hung up.

Charlie insisted that Alexis take her car and driver. Alexis accepted and left immediately.  The questions and uncertainty were killing her. During the torturous four-hour drive, she didn’t stop bargaining. If they’re okay, I will never complain again. I promise, God, I’ll never take them for granted. If you let them live, I’ll come to church every Sunday. Every day. I swear. Please, God, just let them be fine. Please, I beg you.

Alexis arrived at Ramsford Hospital around 4:00. She had practically jumped out of the car and run to the reception desk. She saw Maxwell and Liam sitting in the waiting room.

“Where are they? How are they?” Alexis realized how hysterical she sounded, but she didn’t care.

“Blossom! Thank God you’re here! Drake is fine; he suffered a small concussion and some bruises, but he’ll be fine.”

Alexis nodded, terrified of asking about Tom. Maxwell took a sharp breath before speaking. “Tom has been in surgery for a few hours ... the doctor will come out with an update soon.”

She nodded again, feeling a sudden need to see Drake. “Take me to Drake, Max. Please. I need to make sure he’s fine.”

Drake was sitting on a bed in the ER with Savannah. His eyes were red and puffy. He had scratches and bruises all over his face and arms, and a doctor had patched up his head with a bandage.

Alexis ran to him, intensely relieved to confirm that he was okay. Drake stood up and hugged her tightly, his eyes tearing up again. Alexis had never seen her usually-confident husband in such a state of desperation. It scared her to death.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry. He has been in surgery for hours.” His voice broke. “They won’t tell me what’s going on!”

Drake wrapped his arms around her; she sobbed against his chest for a long time, waiting for the doctor to come. After a few more hours, the surgeon and a young nurse entered the ER. Drake was facing the door, so he saw them before her. His heart stopped.

The doctor’s expression told him everything he needed to know.

Drake held Alexis tighter, trying to shield her with his arms for a few more seconds from the pain they were about to experience.

The doctor cleared his throat. Alexis turned her head, trembling, unable to breathe. He took his cap off and held it in his hand.

“I’m very sorry. We did everything we could, but-”

Alexis shook her head. “No, no, no, no!” She didn’t realize she was screaming. “Don’t say it! No! It's a mistake.” She turned to Drake, crying hysterically. “Drake, please tell me that Tom is ok. Please, my love. I beg you.”

Drake held her, but he was shaking himself; he felt his heart actually breaking. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry,” he said, crying. He was trying to calm Alexis, but his words had the opposite effect. She bawled desperately. Her heart seemed to pound even faster, even harder. She tried taking a deep breath to calm herself, but her breaths were sharp and shallow. Her vision got darker and narrower.  She heard Drake’s panicked voice as if he was talking to her from a long distance. She barely felt a nurse injecting a sedative into her arm … and then everything went dark.

Alexis woke up, and for a few seconds she didn’t remember. But when she opened her eyes, the sight of the fluorescent light in the ceiling brought everything back. Her heart broke all over again as it would break so many times in the future. Drake was sitting on a chair next to her. He hadn’t slept all night as his eyes stared at his phone, looking at Tom’s last pictures. He heard Alexis moving on the bed, so he went to sit next to her and took her in his arms. She hid in his chest and cried again while he soothed her, rubbing her face with his fingers. Alexis couldn’t believe that she would never see her little boy again. It simply couldn’t be true.

“I want to see him.” Her voice was trembling.

“They were waiting for you before … before taking him. Let’s go.” He helped her out of bed and called a nurse who took them to see Tom one last time.  

Those last moments with their son were the saddest moments of Alexis’ and Drake’s lives. Alexis refused to let go of him until a nurse gave her another sedative.

Alexis spent the first four weeks after Tom’s death sedated. She went to his funeral, but she wasn’t really present. Drake took care of everything with Savannah's and Liam’s help. After the ceremony, she went back to bed and lay there for hours staring at the ceiling. The pills had the side effect of making her feel empty and numb, but at least the pain in her heart was silent. Drake fed her and took care of her during that time.

After Tom’s death, nothing seemed to matter anymore. Drake’s emotions were a mix of sorrow, emptiness and desperation. The “what if”s were going to make him crazy with guilt. He tried to use alcohol to drown his shame and grief, but it didn’t work. Nothing worked.

Five weeks after Tom’s death, Alexis heard a noise in the middle of the night. She got out of bed and found Drake crying in Tom’s room. Her heart tugged seeing him so broken. She sat on the floor next to him and hugged him. They held each other for hours, crying for their son.

From that day on, Alexis started to get out of bed. She stopped taking the sedatives and promised herself that she would try to fight for herself and Drake. It worked for a couple of days, but soon the mere effort of waking up in the morning was exhausting. Everything was exhausting. Alexis did it anyway. She’d wake up, take a shower and go to Tom’s room. She only meant to spend a couple of hours there, but once she went inside, she wasn’t able to leave. And more often than not, the whole day passed with her crying there, incapable of doing anything else.

Drake was destroyed too. Tom had been the light of his life. Sometimes he felt like a sunken ship.  

During the second month after his death, they shared some afternoons where they’d cuddled against each other in front of the fire without speaking, just trying to cope with the deep pain. Those few stolen moments were Drake’s and Alexis’ solace. But they were unable to really communicate, to speak of the bubbling feelings beneath the surface.

Without the pills, Alexis’ mind wasn’t foggy anymore. She felt a deep, breaking pain in her heart and a colossal rage circulating through her veins. At first, her bitterness was directed at God, at life, at fate. But soon, Alexis started to be angry at Drake, too. She tried with all her heart to stop those feelings, but she couldn’t. Drake had chosen to drive in the middle of the storm, after she had asked him to stay in Ramsford. And that had cost her son his life.

Alexis didn’t want to hurt him or to add to his guilt, so she started to avoid him as much as possible. It didn’t work. Drake’s way to cope with his own grief was to take care of her. He truly believed that their love would be enough to keep them together, and for a fleeting moment, Alexis had believed it too.

The rage that Alexis felt for him began as a small spark, but it had soon turned into a burning fire that scared her. She was distant and cold and did everything she could to drive him away.

Drake tried his best to make her feel better. He had even suggested visiting a counselor or joining a grief group. The same Drake Walker who hated to share or talk about his feelings was willing to do it for her. They went once, and it was a disaster. Drake had tried to share a memory of Tom, but the words simply didn’t come out. Alexis had brooded and scowled the whole time.

Alexis felt like she was going to explode with all the emotions she was feeling. She became rude, evasive. She ended up moving into the guest room. Drake was desperate; he tried to make her understand that he loved her, that he needed her.

It was the three-month anniversary of Tom’s death. After yet another sleepless night, she went to Tom’s room. She lay in his tiny bed and cried all day. Drake tried to comfort her, to hold her. But she had chased him away, more haunted than ever by his brown eyes. That night, she had come down to the living room and saw Drake drinking. Alexis sat next to him and poured herself a big glass of whiskey. She gulped it, poured herself another one and gulped it, too.

“I can’t do this anymore, Drake.” Alexis was crying wholeheartedly.

Drake sighed as he looked at her. She had lost 10 pounds and looked tired, pale, extremely depressed. It was the first time since they had met that he didn’t dare take her into his arms. “We need to get help, Lexie.”

Alexis scoffed, “Do you mean like that amazing support group you signed us for?”

For three months, Drake had tried to be supportive and patient. But he felt lost and tired;he didn’t know what to do anymore.

He gulped his tumbler of whiskey before he answered, “I’m doing what I can to help you, Lexie. But you won’t let me. I want us to fight this together.”

Alexis balled her fists. All the feelings that had been accumulating for the last months were threatening to explode.

“I don’t need anyone’s help.” She felt like burning inside. “Especially not yours.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Alexis?” Drake stood up next to her.  

When she finally answered, her voice was trembling with fury. “Why?”

“What do you mean?” Drake asked, puzzled.

Alexis’s eyes filled with tears. “Why did you have to come back that night? Why couldn’t you listen to me? I told you it was raining, I told you it wasn’t safe.” Something dark and dangerous had taken over her, and she couldn’t stop. “But no. You always have to be right, so you couldn’t do what I asked. And now he’s dead. MY SON IS DEAD because you’re too fucking stubborn.”

Drake raised his voice, too. “OUR son, Alexis. TOM was OUR son. I miss him just as much as you do. Stop acting like you’re the only one who lost him.” He sighed to calm himself. He raised a hand to touch Alexis’ face, but she dodged it. “You have no fucking idea how it feels when I try to get close to you and you reject me every goddamn time.”

Alexis tried to wipe her tears with the back of her hand. She answered, furious, “Can’t you understand that looking at you fucking hurts? Every time I see your eyes, I see him. And it’s driving me crazy. It breaks my heart every single time.” She took a swig of whiskey to calm herself, but it didn’t help. “You can’t help me; you’re actually hurting me.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. You’re drunk,” Drake stated, pointing at her glass.

“Yes, I am drunk. But that doesn’t change the fact that it hurts so fucking badly, Drake. Why? Why did you do it?” She shoved him.

“Stop!” He grabbed her wrists. He couldn’t believe what she was implying. “Stop it, Alexis!”

She was bawling, agitated. She wanted to take the weight of her emotions off her chest, so she yelled at him without thinking. “You killed him! You killed our son, and I will never be able to forget that.” As soon as she said it, she regretted it. But it was too late.

Everything went silent for a few seconds. Drake’s mouth went dry. His heart stopped. Every time her eyes darted when she looked at him, or every time she flinched when he touched her, he wondered if she blamed him for the accident. But until that moment, he had refused to actually believe it.

Letting go of her wrists, he grabbed the bottle of whiskey and his glass. He spoke with a gravelly voice. “You’re drunk, I’m drunk. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Alexis swallowed her tears so she could talk. “No, Drake. I’m very sorry for what I just said. You have no idea how much, but I can’t do this anymore. I’ll be gone in the morning.”

“You don’t know what you’re saying. We’ll talk tomorrow.” Drake went up the stairs. The weight of her words oppressed him. He lay down on the bed and tried to drink his pain away.

Alexis stood in the middle of the living room hating herself for hurting him. She didn’t want to feel so angry at him, but the rage was stronger than her. She curled up on the couch and cried for a long time -- for her son, for the horrible pain of missing him so much. And for Drake, for the man she loved so desperately but was unable to forgive. Alexis needed to leave, to flee from their house, from the grief. She prepared a small bag with some clothes she had in the guest room. Before leaving, she went to their room where Drake was sleeping heavily after finishing the bottle of whiskey. Crying again, her heart broken, she kissed his forehead and muttered a sad good-bye. She took off her wedding rings and set them on the nightstand. Drake needed to understand that she wasn’t going to come back for a while.

When she arrived at Maxwell’s loft, she took her old sedatives from her bag. Now that Alexis was away from Drake, she didn’t need to fight anymore. She was exhausted from pretending that she wanted to be alive. So she took two pills with a glass of water and finally fell asleep.

For almost two days, thanks to the sedatives, Alexis didn’t do much besides sleeping and waking in a fog to drink a bit of water. She was exhausted after all the sleepless nights she had had since her son had died. Maxwell checked up on her regularly, but he let her rest. On the third day, he entered her room with a steaming cup of coffee.

“Here, Blossom.”

Alexis grabbed the cup and took a sip. “Thank you, Max.” Her eyes teared up.

Maxwell sat next to her and put his arm around her shoulder. “What happened with Drake, Blossom?” he asked, concerned.

“It was my fault. I’m so angry all the time, Max.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “I tried not to be -- I really did -- but that night, something snapped. I said horrible things to him. And the worst part is that I love him so much, but I can’t stop feeling like that.” Her lip quivered. “I didn’t want to hurt him like I did. I swear, Max. He looked so broken.” The memory made her cry again.

“Calm down, Blossom. You need to talk to him. Even if it’s a painful conversation, you need to talk. Drake has called several times since yesterday; he’s worried about you. I’ll take you back to the cabin.”

Alexis was utterly confused. She didn’t know if their relationship could be saved. She didn’t know if she would be able to overcome her bitterness. But she still loved him with everything in her, and she owed it to Drake and herself to at least try.

“Thanks, Max. I’ll take a shower and then we can leave.”

When Alexis arrived at their cabin, everything was silent. With a huge lump in her throat, she went upstairs. Drake was gone. He had taken some clothes, photos, and her wedding rings. Alexis sat in their bed and cried for everything she had lost. The next day, she left the cabin and rented a small studio with her savings. After that day, her grief became more and more difficult to bear.

Drake woke up the morning after the fight feeling dead inside. His desperation only got deeper when he discovered that Alexis had disappeared, leaving her wedding rings on the nightstand. Drake spent all morning trying desperately to find her, until Maxwell finally answered his phone and told him that Alexis was at his house, that she needed time.

During those two days, Drake called Alexis several times, but every time, Maxwell told him that she was sleeping. Drake knew that it was a lie; Alexis barely slept more than a few hours a night. He thought about going to Max’s loft but dismissed the idea. It was pointless to force her.

Her words replayed in his head over and over again. Looking at you fucking hurts. It breaks my heart every single time. You’re actually hurting me. You killed my son. Drake felt the weight of his guilt crushing him

Forty-eight hours later, Alexis hadn’t contacted him or answered his calls. With her wedding rings wrapped in his hand, Drake realized that it was time to accept that she had really left him. He couldn’t stay there. He was going to die if he had to keep living alone in the cabin where they had been so fucking happy. Alexis was everywhere. Tom was everywhere. The next day, he tried to call her one last time, but she didn’t answer. Drake didn’t insist anymore. He left for Spain, destroyed. Before getting on the plane, he called Liam to ask him to take care of Alexis; Drake knew his best friend wouldn’t fail him.

After three hellish months in Andalucía, Olivia had called him to tell him how desperately depressed Alexis was. Drake immediately tried to fly back to Cordonia to be with her, but he had only found tickets for the next morning. That single night changed everything. Drake had been arrested and sent to prison. He asked Bastien and Savannah to keep his secret because he didn’t want to worry Alexis or distract Liam from helping her.

Drake felt desperate knowing that he couldn’t help her himself. Savannah and Bastien visited him often, but no matter how much he insisted, they never talked about Alexis. Drake sensed that they were hiding something, but it wasn’t until his release that his sister had told him the truth: Alexis had been committed to a clinic after she had tried to kill herself.

Drake didn’t lose any time and jumped on the first plane back to Cordonia to be with her. Sick with worry, Drake didn’t even go to his house to leave his bag; he had gone from the airport directly to the clinic.

When Drake had seen Liam at the hospital, he was relieved to confirm that his best friend had kept his promise; Alexis hadn’t been alone. Liam had known nothing about his stay in prison, so Drake wasn’t surprised at his best friend’s cold reception. The only thing that mattered to Drake at that moment was Alexis. Seeing her again had been the only thing that had kept him alive.

Drake would never forgive himself for all those months that Alexis had been forced to fight her depression alone, without him there to help her. If she gave him another chance, Drake would spend the rest of his life showing her how much he regretted it, how much he loved her.

Liam had asked him to come back the next day. Apparently, Alexis needed time to get used to the idea of seeing him again. Drake accepted willingly. He was desperate to see Alexis, but her recovery was the absolute priority.

But the next day, things didn’t go as he had hoped.

“You left a broken woman, Drake. She has been in hell, depressed and missing you for months. You have no right to come back and burst into her life, now that she’s finally doing better.” Liam cleared his throat. “She told me she doesn’t want to see you anymore. I’d say I’m sorry, but frankly, I agree with her decision,” Liam said, taking an envelope from his jacket and giving it to him. “This is the letter she wrote to you before she tried to kill herself. I didn’t read it, but I know she was desperate. Seeing you again will trigger her and probably set her recovery back months.  If you still want to see her after you read this, call me, and I’ll talk to her. But for Alexis’ sake, I really hope you won’t insist anymore.”

Drake sat on a bench and opened the letter.

Drake, my love,

Before anything else, I beg you to forgive me. For all of it: blaming you. The words I said. This.

I blamed you for the accident and I drove you away.

It was never your fault. I knew that all along.

And now? I have nothing. There is nothing without him. I have walked through the last seven months in a fog of desperation, and I can’t do it anymore.  

I don't even want to try.

Please move on. Live your life. Be strong the way I cannot be.

It is what he would have wanted.

I have always loved you, with everything in me.

Your Lexie

Drake sat on the park bench and read her letter several times. It was devastating. Picturing her grief, her pain, in his mind was hard enough. But having to face it, having to read firsthand how broken the love of his life had been, was more than Drake could handle.

In spite of what Alexis said in her letter, Drake knew that Tom’s death was his fault. He was also aware that Liam was lying. Drake was sure that Alexis didn’t know that he was looking for her. But Liam was right; after all she had suffered, nothing was worth jeopardizing her recovery for -- least of all him. Drake hadn’t even gone back to his cabin that night. He went to the cemetery first to visit his son’s grave. Then he left directly for the airport, headed back to Spain.

His first year back in Andalucía had been a nightmare. Until then, Drake had stupidly clung to the idea of seeing Alexis again. She had been his motivation to stop drinking, to get help from the prison counselor. Her face was the last thing he saw before falling asleep every night. After all that hope, Drake had a rough time accepting that he had lost her forever.

For a few months, Drake went back to his old bad behaviors and heavy drinking. But one night, reading her letter for the hundredth time, he realized that Alexis was right. Tom would have wanted him to move on. Drake couldn’t continue to hide behind his grief anymore. He suddenly felt the urge to fight for himself. Little by little, he tried to get better. He couldn’t practice as a veterinarian in Spain, so he took a job in a stable training horses and moved out of Bastien’s house into his own apartment. And most importantly, he stopped day drinking.

Drake knew himself; he was never going to love another woman as he loved Alexis. Some nights, he’d go out, meet a beautiful woman, and they’d have fun together, but it never went further than a good night and breakfast.

One afternoon, he met Yolanda at the stables; she was a veterinarian too. Yola, as her friends called her, was a short brunette with pretty green eyes and a wide smile.

Something about her made him think of Alexis. Yolanda wasn’t as sunny as his Lexie, but she was beautiful, funny and smart. Like Alexis, she seemed to love life, and that was contagious. They dated for a few months, but Drake soon realized that he was only trying to replace Alexis with Yolanda, and that wasn’t fair to her. He ended the relationship before her feelings became too strong and resumed his life of endless one-night stands.

Drake’s life was finally back on track when he had received the news of Alexis and Liam’s engagement. It had been a complete shock. In the past, Drake had suspected that Liam was in love with his wife, but he would never have imagined that Liam’s feelings were reciprocated. Drake was well aware that Alexis had every right to rebuild her life, to fall in love. He knew that it was his own fault that Alexis hadn’t even tried to call him and give him the news herself, but the rage was still there. During the weeks that followed, Drake couldn’t avoid the horrible jealousy that was threatening to eat him up. He kept picturing them together and it drove him mad. Until one day, talking to Savannah, he realized that it was time to let Alexis go.

For three years he had lived as an exile in Andalucía so Alexis wouldn’t have to see him again. But she was clearly over him now. Maybe it was time to come back. Drake missed Savannah and Bartie, his country and his veterinary career. So he decided to stop fleeing. He wanted to see Alexis again and make sure she was all right. After that, they’d sign the divorce papers, and he would finally be able to move on with his life.

However, when he saw Alexis again, all of his good resolutions went out the window. Drake had felt angry and jealous seeing Liam’s diamond ring on her finger. In the weeks that followed that encounter, Drake had felt unstable and confused … until the last day at the coffeehouse.

April 2019

Alexis left the coffeehouse frustrated and angry at herself. She couldn’t believe that Drake’s touch was still capable of making her feel that nervous. She got in her car and started the engine. After all that time and the tears that she had shed trying to forget about him, she had finally done it. And she was not going to go down that path, not ever again. To love someone as passionately and as intensely as she had loved Drake wasn’t right or healthy. It was painful and heartbreaking. His departure had nearly killed her. Alexis was aware that Drake had left because of the hideous things she had told him, but she still had waited for him for years, convinced that their love for each other would make him come back. But it didn’t. And now, she was happy again. Liam made her happy. He was sweet, kind and smart. A great lover. He accepted her shortcomings, her traumas. Alexis couldn’t ask for more. She refused to let Drake disturb her life. Whatever feelings she was having for him again, was surely due to their lack of closure. The only thing that should matter to her now was her engagement to Liam. They were going to get married in a month. Liam deserved nothing less than her fidelity and devotion.

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

Drake was shaken after his encounter with Alexis at the coffeehouse. Even hours later, he could still feel her skin on the tip of his fingers. He sat with a whiskey in his hand, thinking about her reaction. As stupid as it seemed, he was sure that Alexis had felt the same powerful electricity that he did. They still shared their old chemistry, even when they had fought at Savannah’s party; it had been heated, passionate. He savored the malty liquid burning his throat as he thought about how gorgeous she was. For the first time since he had seen her again, Drake allowed himself to freely think about her -- her beautiful dark eyes, her soft features, the way she flicked her hair. The old sparkle of her eyes was still there; it was hidden behind a shadow of sadness, but it was still there. That afternoon, Drake had had to actively stop himself from kissing her.

There was no point in lying to himself any longer; he was still desperately in love with Alexis, even more than before. Drake admired her new strength, her determination to fight in spite of the pain. He missed her sarcasm, her sense of humor, the way she always put him in his place. He was as captivated by her mix of sweet vulnerability and intense fire as he had been 10 years before. God he had missed her so fucking much all those years. Drake was destined to love Alexis for the rest of his life.

However, the last thing he wanted to do was to disturb her life. So Drake made a decision. If Alexis was truly happy with Liam and her new life, as much as it killed him, he would sign the divorce papers and leave her alone. Even if that meant that he’d have to spend his life loving her from a distance. But if he discovered that she still loved him too but was too scared to admit it -- if there was a chance that he could still save his marriage -- Drake wasn’t going to leave without fighting for her.

PERMATAG:  @ac27dj @twinkle-320​ @kimmiedoo5​ @marshmallowsandfire​ @loveellamae​ @burnsoslow​ @mskaneko​ @pedudley​ @lauzales​ @pug-bitch​

TEARS N HEAVEN: @ao719​ @yukinagato2012​ @kingliam2019​ @forthebrokenheartedthings​ @texaskitten30​ @cordonia-gothqueen​ @bebepac​ @nomadics-stuff​ @hopefulmoonobject​ @cordonianroyalty​ @msjr0119​

[cannibalcreepers]

If you could rank the wrong turn movies what would be at the top and what would be last 👀

Oh boyo oh boyo

So! This is personal taste of course 😌

Please know that if you do like one of the movies I talk poorly about, know that this is just my taste, my opinion and it does not mean anything

I am happy that you enjoy them, even if I don’t

-----

But here is my ranks and why:

 1. Wrong Turn  10/10

The first and original, just OMG the designs of the 3 boys 🥰😍

They're rugged and feel so real, like you could actually end up accidentally running into them in the West Virginia mountains! The protagonists are actually amazing too, I liked them, I felt for them when they died, I could feel the fear and tension and that is how these kinds of movies should be.

The axe scene is just, wow! The practical effect they used for it was soooo good!! definitely top one out of the whole list. The best out of the whole series up, just too good.

2. Wrong Turn 2   8/10 

The second of the franchise, I was a little iffy at the idea at first cause as past movies have proven adding new family members to an established antagonist family never ends well, looking at you Texas Chainsaw 3. 

But when I finally watched it, I enjoyed it very much! 

The protagonists were not as great and there were really poorly shot scenes such as the BJ scene between M and Elena, you could see his crotch area and Elena's head was positioned by his leg like? How did you mess that up??

Also the axe scene in that one was not as great, sorry whoever did that it was just poorly done and I know they were proud of it but, it looked very fake. As for the cannibals tho? AMAZING, they stuck with kind realistic but sadly they didn't do well with Three-Fingers, the reason why he now looks like a goddamn goblin 😔

But Brother, Sister, Ma and Pa are just omg yes, perfect family dynamic, I felt for them, I wanted them to survive more than the protagonists, they did amazing with their acting. Perfection 💘

3. Wrong Turn 4  6/10

Now this is where things start to drop in quality, but Wrong Turn 4 was fun and brought more gore and entertainment than it's previous films.The scene with the doctor being pulled apart and eating the man alive like he was some kind of cake, loved it! Also, One-Eye and Saw-Tooth is back!

 And One-Eye looks so cute 😍 like an utter baby, while his two brothers could've looked a bit better but I enjoy their looks and how they act. 

We also get to see them act more like brothers and caring for each other along with seeing them as kids, so that's pretty cool. As for the antagonists? Eh, nothing, don't care for them. Boring, rude and just stupid. Not worth caring about. 

4. Wrong Turn 5   4/10

This is where things start getting worse and the quality is dropping in make-up, design, character, story, camera work and acting. Just hmmm nope, there are not enough shits in the world for me to care for these protagonists.

The three boys save it for being a bit goofy and fun, I just found One-Eye running the blade over his tummy to intimidate the woman at the beginning to be hilarious and then Three-Fingers was just a complete riot with stepping in front of her and licking his lips as she flips him off, hilarious.

The three boys designs dropped in quality real bad here, like I would've put them at 5 had they not been funny purely for the fact they look bad. Saw-Tooth looks too short, One-Eye seemed to have gotten as fat as Saw-Tooth and Three-Fingers looks like he is a damn goblin from Harry Potter! It’s a good thing they’re still goofy enough to entertain. 

Everything else tho, bleh. I did not like Old Man Maynard in this one, complete change of character, bad very bad and boring. 

5. Wrong Turn 3    2/10

Protagonists are stupid as hell and I hate what they did to my sweet boy Three-Toes. 

I love Three-Toes design and how sweet and fatherly Three-Fingers is, annoyed that this film is the reason they got both Three-Toes and Three-Fingers deformities wrong. Their deformities were on the left and then they switched it to the right??? And thus the next films after started doing that like, NO! Three-Fingers messed up hand is on the left not the right 😤

Once again the protagonists are trash, so horrible and not because they're convicts. You can make criminals interesting characters that you can make the audience love, but these guys, the fucking worse in who they are, how they act just ew. Plus not all of then were convicts and only one of them was an actual serial killer neo-n*zi while the others were petty thieves/criminals or just had bad luck, one was an undercover marshal for god's sake.

Yet they had no personalities, bland ass characters. The scene with Three-Toes murder is what gets me, no one protests or feels guilty or anything, just outright murder a child just cause "Oh he's a mutant and trying to kill us" BITCH THAT'S A SMALL ASS CHILD! and they knew he was a kid too! Heck I would've felt for them had they felt anything at all when it happened, not even the chick felt sorry, just looked away cause 'ew gross beheading'

That's when I was hoping Three-Fingers would just go murder ballistic John Wick style on their ass. But no, he gets killed by the lamest of protagonists 🙄😒 

Completely unsatisfying and annoying. Deserved a proper battle to the end. 

6. Wrong Turn 6    0/10

WHERE DO I BEGIN!!

Omg a dumpster fire of a movie, I have never been so upset by what they do to the boys!

Their designs are just, NOOOO what did you do to them? They're so nasty looking, so fake, they look like really poorly made statues, i don't know how to explain how much it hurts me as an artist to see the poor make-up work like, make-up artist I just wanna talk! Were you held against your will? Were you only given 30 mins of work??? 

The story is whack, I do not like the antagonists woman and I do not like protagonists at all, they're annoying and stupid.

 The whole cult thing is stupid and just throws you off, I don't accept this part of lore, it's ridiculous.

 I have pushed out the whole movie from my mind as well so I've forgotten a lot about it. Only thing I liked was that one scene where she caresses One-Eyes cheek because I wish I could do that and that is all. 😂

[rosesnvines]

That First Step

“Rapunzel! Rapunzel!” 

“Coming Miss Gothel!” The brunette came bounding down the stairs. 

“My goodness child, you’re no longer seven! No need to let out the elephants!” 

Rapunzel laughed. “I’m sorry, I can’t help it! My birthday’s going to be here soon! I’m so excited!” 

“Yes, yes, and I will be here for that. I just need to know if there’s anything you need before I leave.” 

Rapunzel thought for a moment and shook her head. “No, nothing I can think of.” She pouted. “Are you sure I can’t go with you? I should start learning about how to handle art shows.” 

“Nonsense!” said Gothel, placing a kiss on Rapunzel’s forehead. “Why should you go out into the world and expose yourself to all those deadly diseases and criminals? No, stay here where it’s safer, dear. Besides, you can work on your next big piece while I’m gone.” 

“You’re right, of course,” said Rapunzel with a soft smile. 

“Of course I am,” said Gothel, kissing Rapunzel’s forehead again. “Are you absolutely positive you don’t need anything?” 

Rapunzel gave a firm nod. “Positive. I have enough food in the freezer and the pantry for the next month and enough eggs and milk for the next two weeks. I’ll be fine until you get back. Oh, and I had an idea for a story, I want to try to work on that.” 

“Ooh, that sounds like a great idea, but don’t forget, the art comes first, that’s where your income comes from.” 

“Yes Miss Gothel.” 

“Good girl. Now, wish me luck, though I doubt I’ll need it. Your art sells like hot cakes.” 

Rapunzel chuckled. “That’s good that so many people like it!” 

“Yes yes, now, I really must go, I have a plane to catch. I’ll be back in a week!” 

“Bye Miss Gothel! And good luck!” Rapunzel waved as the woman walked out the door. Rapunzel closed and locked the door. She turned, let out a huff, and rolled up her sleeves. “No time to dwell on it. Miss Gothel’s right, it's dangerous out there and I’ve got work to do!” Her mouth trembled slightly as she frowned. “Though I really, really wish I could have gone. Just once! But maybe next time. After all, I do want to celebrate my birthday at home.” She smiled and chuckled. “Besides, there is still a lot to be done. And I do want to work on my story!” She rubbed her hands together. “Alright, Raps, time to get to it!” 

She started by cleaning up the house and taking care of her pet lizard, Pascal. Then she got to baking and prepping her meals for the week. Once she got that finished, she finally sat down to eat some breakfast. Then she got to work painting. She painted a couple of nature scenes, plus a couple of dance scenes based on a few movies she had seen recently. She really liked seeing the long gowns cascade and twirl so gracefully when the women moved. She tilted her head when she deemed one finished. It was of a couple caught mid-twirl. They seemed to be laughing, enjoying the thrill of the dance. She wondered if this was how Cinderella felt, watching all those balls from afar. How would she, Rpaunzel, enter herself?

In her mind’s eye, the painting came to life. Couples dancing gracefully in time to the beat, enjoying the party and having fun. Rapunzel envisioned herself in a similar dress to the other women. But what color? Pink? Purple? She decided on a pale mauve before descending the stairs to join the party. Several men asked her to dance, and she obliged. She danced and twirled and sang and talked, just being the life of the party. One man, though, stood just out of reach. He never approached her, but he always waved when he caught her eye. He was kinda cute, brown hair, brown eyes, a merry twinkle to those eyes too. Why did he not come out to the dance floor even though he waved to her? Did he want her to go to him? 

A loud banging startled Rapunzel out of her daydream. She blinked several times as she came crashing back to reality. Someone banged on the door again. Thinking that maybe Gothel forgot something by mistake, which was unlike her, Rapunzel quickly ran to the door, unlocked it, and threw it open. She gasped when the twinkling brown eyes of the man in her daydream was looking back at her, hand raised to pound on the door again. 

“Uh, package for Rapunzel Green,” he said, holding out a box to her. 

“Oh, uh, um, ok?” said Rapunzel taking the box from him. “Um, thank, thank you?” 

He raised an eyebrow. “What’s the matter? Don’t get out much, do you?” 

Rapunzel blinked. “Uh, um, what, what makes you say that?” 

“I’ve never seen someone so engrossed in their daydream that they don’t see me through the window.” 

Rapunzel’s eyes and mouth flew open. So that was why he kept waving and never joined her on the dance floor! “O-oh! Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry about that!” 

He grinned. “You’re fine, it looked like a fun daydream.” 

Rapunzel chuckled. “It was.” She bit her lip. “Um, well, uh, thank you again for delivering this package.” She glanced down at it, realizing with a start that nothing had ever been delivered to her before. Miss Gothel would have a fit that someone delivered something to her and would move her again. Maybe she could avoid that.  “But, um, is there any chance you could take this to another address? I’m, I’m not supposed to be receiving packages.” 

The fellow raised an eyebrow. “What? How come?” 

“Oh, my agent wants me to be safe, that’s all. Someone tried to kill me once and she’s been making sure nothing like that happens again, so we have things like this sent to another address.” 

“Oh, well, the guy who told me to deliver it said to deliver it to you and that it can only be opened by you. But, I can deliver it . . .”

Rapunzel placed her hand on his arm, eyes wide. “What did you say? What man?” 

“Uh, this guy who practically pulled me off the street and paid me to deliver it to you. He said there wasn’t much time and you needed this.” He shrugged. “That’s all I know.” Rapunzel glanced down at the package. What should she do? Gothel always knew what to do. “I mean, if you think this guy is trying to kill you . . .” 

“I, um, I want to open it.” She paused. “But, but I don’t know if I can do this alone and, and . . .” 

His hand touched her shoulder gently. “Do you need me to stay? Because I will and I will track down that guy for you if he was intending to kill you. I don’t want to be put in jail for his crimes.” 

Rapunzel bobbed her head. “I don’t you to either, Mister . . .”

He extended his hand. “Jackson Overland, but you can call me Jack.” 

She smiled and shook his hand. “I’m Rapunzel Green, but you can call me Raps. But uh, I guess you knew that.” 

“Well, Rapunzel Green, yes, did not know about the Raps. Good to know, and nice nickname.” 

“Thanks!” 

“Shall we find out what’s in this mysterious package?” 

Rapunzel nodded and opened the door wider to let Jack in. Once he stepped in, she closed and locked the door before leading him to the dining table. She pulled out a pair of scissors and quickly opened it. She reached into the box and pulled out some papers. 

“Well, unless that guy wanted to kill you slowly by way of a papercut, there doesn’t look like there’s anything that will harm you,” said Jack, rummaging through the rest of the papers in the box. 

Rapunzel, however, was reading the papers she had pulled out. She gasped as she sat back in the chair. “Jack!” 

Jack walked over to where she was sitting and read over his shoulder. “‘Princess of Corona went missing at only six years old after a near attempt on her life. If anyone has any information on her whereabouts, please contact the king and queen or the chief of police immediately.’” Jack took the paper from her. “Wait, I’ve heard about this story. The Princess simply vanished into thin air!” He glanced at Rapunzel. “Does that guy seriously think you’re the princess of Corona?” 

“I-I don’t know. I don’t know anything about my parents.” 

Jack grabbed her hand. “Then let’s go find out!” 

“No! Miss Gothel told me I should never leave! There are so many deadly diseases out there, and all those criminals? Oh, we’re bound to catch some horrible disease and shrivel up or get murdered!” 

Jack blinked. “She, she did?” Rapunzel bobbed her head. Jack crossed his arms. “Ok, I think that warrants the need for you to do this just so you can leave this house. Don’t you want to do anything beyond shriveling away in this house?” 

Rapunzel winced at the words before glancing at the painting she had finished. “Well, I’ve, I’ve always wanted to go to a party, to a museum or an art show . . .” 

“Then we’ll look into this and go do all three before your agent finds out.” 

“Oh, but she’ll be gone for only a week!” 

“Then we’d better get started, Cinderella.” He waved his finger. “And you know what, I’ve got an idea. I’ll be right back.” Jack dashed towards the door. 

“Where are you going?” asked Rapunzel, chasing him to the door. He had it unlocked and open.

“To see a friend. You be ready when I get back! Won’t be long, promise!” He  shut the door and was dashing down the street. Rapunzel bit her lip. Should she really? She glanced down at the papers, papers that hinted that she might be a princess long thought missing, or worse, dead. Her fingers tightened around the papers. She had to know, she had to find out more. Perhaps she and Gothel could have a good long laugh over it afterwards, but right now, she just needed to know. She tossed the papers on the table before dashing up the stairs to pack. 

She had a suitcase and a backpack packed and ready to roll along with a box for Pascal when Jack came back. He carried in a bag, but stopped short when he saw the luggage.

He let out a low whistle. “Boy, you look like you’re heading out on the vacation of your dreams!” 

“I, I didn’t know how much to pack, so, I packed some clothes, some food, and art supplies.” 

Jack raised his eyebrow. “I see. Mind if I double check?” 

“Oh would you? I don’t want to forget anything!” 

“Well Ok then.” He opened the backpack. It was mostly art supplies with a few cans of food and some shirts and undergarments. He dumped the contents on the dining room table. He went and got the suitcase. More art supplies along with food and clothes. He pulled out a week’s worth of clothes and a few art supplies and stuffed them in the backpack. “Here, that’s all you need.” 

Rapunzel’s eyes widened. “What?” 

“We can get the food while we travel and your lizard can catch bugs. If you want to get back here before your agent, you need to pack light.” 

Rapunzel gulped as she took the backpack. “Um, alright.” 

“Great, and now . . .” He opened the bag and pulled out a blonde wig. He placed it on her head. “Now your agent won’t recognise you should anyone take a picture of you.” 

“But then, the king and queen wouldn’t either!” 

“We can take the wig off for the king and the queen, that’s not a biggie. But we’ve got to go, now.” He grabbed her arm and led her towards the door. She stopped at the doorway. He paused and glanced at her. She turned and looked back at her house. It was cozy, warm, and safe. Maybe Gothel was right and she really shouldn’t expose herself to deadly diseases or nasty criminals. But then she turned and glanced at Jack, and out at the street. And yet, she still wanted that taste of freedom, just one small bite. If she didn’t like it, she could come back and stay home forever. Besides, this seemed important and needed her special attention. She took a deep breath and let it out before stepping down the steps of her house, the first steps out into the world. 

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 35 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Violet’s promotion became official, and Bianca set her sights on a certain blonde.

This Chapter: Violet begins her new job, and things are not exactly what she expected.

***

Even though everything was technically all the same, Violet felt like she had walked into a completely different building.

She had greeted Roxy with a smile, the receptionist at her desk when Violet had walked in at 9:30 for her visit with HR, people actually present unlike when Violet usually came in at the crack of dawn. Trixie had insisted that she take a slow morning, almost forbidding her to come in with the rest of the floor, and Violet guessed that it made sense since it was her first day.

Violet walked out of the elevator, her heels clacking on the floor, her stomach filled with butterflies.

Her morning had been a lot more messy than she preferred. She had changed her clothes a million times, unsure what to wear, until she had finally settled on a simple long sleeved top and a full skirt. It was completely Fame approved, but Violet felt comfortable in it, none of it too flashy or attention grabbing. Violet knew how to use a sewing machine in heels, but she still had a pair of flats in her bag, just in case someone truly cared about the company's safety guidelines.

She paused in front of the door, smoothing down her skirt, one, two, three times, before grabbing the handle and opening the door to the first day of the rest of her life.

“Violet!” Trixie smiled brightly, standing up from where he had been leaning over Gia’s shoulder, who was somehow still miraculously working at the company - even after her screw up in the Fall. “Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here.”

“Oh,” Violet stopped. She couldn’t remember ever being greeted with so much enthusiasm when coming into work, but it was nice, very nice. “I’m happy to be here?”

“Yes you are,” Trixie grinned, walking over to her, the man wearing a somewhat ridiculous white t-shirt with a pink and blue band logo Violet didn’t recognise. “We’re going to have so much fun, but first, Everyone!”

Trixie clapped his hands, catching the attention of the entire department who all turned to them.

“This is Violet Chachki, you all already know her as Fame’s assistant,” Trixie smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “Say hi.”

“Hello,” Violet said, lifting her hand in greeting. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself, the whole thing horribly embarrassing, everyone looking at her. Violet wasn’t unused to attention, but she disliked it heavily when it was focused on her person, and not on something she had created.

She attempted a smile, doing her very best not to let anyone know how awkward she felt.

“She is going to be working with us now here in the best department of Galactica!” Trixie released her, earning a laugh from everyone. “I want you all to make her feel welcome and settled since we all know what it was like to be new,” he finished with a lot of them looking on with slight smiles and waves.

“You got it coach!”

Violet turned to look at the source of the voice, an incredibly tall bald man with a gigantic smile and a raspy voice the one who had called out. Violet recognized Bob, who was the design department's project manager, though she didn’t think she had ever seen him in Fame’s office.

“Let me show you around.” Trixie looped their arms together, dragging Violet with him before she had the chance to put down her bag, or even take off her jacket.

The design floor was a myriad of various fabrics in countless colors and prints with a multitude of textures to choose from.

Dress forms, in an assortment of sizes, lined the walls under large glass windows that brought in natural light and a beautiful view, of the east side, of Central Park.

The floor had neat rows of long work tables each with their own computers, drawing sections, sewing machines, hanging dress form and a rolling stool.

“Aaaaaaaand this, is your desk!” Trixie smiled brightly, throwing an arm out as he showed Violet her place.

“What…” Violet looked at the big collage that was put right in the middle. “Is that?”

“Right?” Trixie grinned, clearly very proud of himself “I made it for you.”

“Oh…” Violet bit her lip, unease welling up in her body. The gesture was kind, but it was strange to see so many pictures of herself, most of all because she had no idea when most of them had actually been taken. “Thank you.” She was sure she could stuff it in her drawer later, the paper looking sturdy enough to be shoved down there.

“Don’t mention it,” Trixie gave her a halfarm hug, holding her against his side for a minute. “Now, next on the agenda- Jovan, pay attention.”

“Sure thing coach.”

Violet watched as Jovan turned around, the man sitting backwards on his chair, one of his long limbs pulled up in what looked like an extremely uncomfortable position.

“Hello.” Jovan smiled, a gigantic white toothed grin on his face. He was bald, the top of his head somehow not smooth like Bob’s, but instead sort of wrinkly.

“Jovan will be your desk mate.”

Violet had wondered who she’d be seated next to, and while she had never actually spoken to Jovan, he wasn’t her worst option.

“Hello,” Violet held out her hand, “I’m Violet.”

“Please,” Jovan snorted, grabbing her hand in a surprisingly hard grip. “I already know who you are.”

“Jovan is one of our contemporary designers.”

Violet nodded, hiding a smile. It was clear as day that Jovan was in contemporary, his shirt a multicolored almost neon asymmetrical tunic.

“One of the best,” Jovan squeezed her hand, letting it go, “contemporary designers. Don’t touch my stuff, and I promise that you and I will get along great.”

“Jovan-” Trixie started scolding, but Violet cut in.

“I’ll keep my hands to myself.” Violet put her bag on the table. She had never seen Trixie scold anyone, but judging by the furrow of his brow, Jovan was toeing the line.

“What’s on the agenda, coach?” Jovan had somehow managed to cross his legs around the chair, a pencil dangling from his mouth.

“Oh,” Trixie smiled, and Violet reached inside her bag, grabbing her notebook. “Violet has the morning off.”

“Wha-” Violet paused, unsure if she had heard Trixie correctly. “Excuse me, what did you say?” It was only Monday, but Violet knew that design had their weekly department wide meetings every Thursday, and if she was being honest, she had expected to be thrown directly into the work, the Christmas collection just around the corner.

“The morning off.” Trixie grinned. “Decorate your desk, say hi to everyone, get all your little knick knacks in order and later we’ll have cake to celebrate your first day.”

***

Jovan groaned slightly. He was supposed to be working on the holiday collection but he just couldn’t seem to find an interesting angle.

Jovan didn’t like making gowns, and though he had managed once or twice to sneak in a pants suit or something mildly interesting, Raja and Fame had a clear almost inarguable preference towards high classic glamor when it came to the holidays.

He flipped back and forth between his sketches, pencil in his mouth, erasing a line here of adding one there. After a bit, he sensed a disturbance in the energy, his attention shifted slightly across the table to his new deskmate.

Violet was sitting at her desk, tapping her nails on the wood, her lip between her teeth as she was looking out on the department. She was practically radiating nervous energy, her desk already all neatly set up.

Jovan noticed a leather bound planner, a collection of pens and pencils in an empty Dior box, a thick stack of sketching paper, as well as a well stocked sewing kit, a golden pair of scissors sticking out.

She seemed to be in worse shape than he was, clearly not used to being given idle creative time, and Jovan smiled slightly, deciding to take pity on her.

“Hey, Violet.” Jovan pushed his chair out, scooting over to her table. “I’m working on this dress,” Jovan put his sketches down on Violet’s desk, “and I can’t figure out the hem length. Will you check it out?”

“Oh, um, sure…” Violet leaned over the desk table, pushing a bit of her hair behind her ear. Jovan hadn’t noticed the bracelet or her rings before, the golden jewelry clearly well worn, but also well taken care of. “What’s the problem?”

“See, I’m trying it three different ways, but they all feel wrong...” Jovan tapped his sketches, already enjoying how seriously Violet considered the question, examining each sketch closely and looking at them back and forth a few times before attempting an answer.

“I like the length on the second one, but the shoulders on the third one might balance it out more,” she finally said, and he smiled.

“Yeah, good call, thanks!” Jovan stretched, yawning slightly. He was already feeling much better, but Violet still looked lost.

“I need caffeine.” Jovan stood up. “You wanna come for some espresso or a latte or something?”

“Oh.” Violet looked genuinely surprised at his request, sneaking a quick glaze at Trixie’s closed office door before she made up her mind. “Um, alright…” Violet reached for her coat, but Jovan stopped her.

“No,” Jovan smiled. “I just mean the espresso machine we have in the break room.” Jovan pointed over his shoulder, Violet following his fingers, her brow furrowing. “You did know that we have a break room down here, right?”

Jovan had heard the rumor that Fame only drank Starbucks, though he hadn’t imagined that her assistants shared the luxury, but Violet shook her head, the woman both looking mystified and curious, and Jovan realised that he had never actually seen her in any of the Galactica break rooms ever.

“Come on,” Jovan grabbed her elbow, giving it a squeeze. “I’ll show you.”

***

“Stop, omigod, I can’t breathe,” Maxwell wheezed, clutching Bob’s shoulder and practically choking with laughter at his boyfriend’s story.

“No, but listen. Then Acid turned to him and-”

Maxwell reached up and covered Bob’s mouth with his hand, having just spotted Jovan strolling towards the break room with Violet in tow.

“Incoming mole,” he warned, giving a nod with his head.

Maxwell had been working at Galactica for his entire career - over ten years now. He’d seen many assistants come and go from Miss Fame’s office.

Most of the time, they moved on to other jobs in the industry, working for buyers or as stylists. Occasionally, they were promoted within the company. Shangela had started off as Fame’s assistant years ago, and so had Laganja in marketing. But this was the first time anyone had been sent to design. Granted, Violet was one of the more competent and longer-lasting assistants, but still.

He was suspicious.

Bob seemed perfectly ready to welcome Violet to the family with open arms. Maxwell, on the other hand, was more cautious, and the last thing he wanted was for Violet to walk in on some debaucherous story about drag queens.

“Look professional!” he hissed, before removing his hand.

“First of all, I’m always professional. And second, would you relax?” Bob smirked, leaning against the table, his favorite mug in hand. “She seems perfectly nice.”

“Oh please,” Maxwell huffed, “You just want upstairs gossip.”

For as long as Bob has been at the company--nearly as long as Maxwell, he’d been utterly fascinated with senior management. Their weird quirks and tempestuous moods, all the tabloid nonsense.

“Uh!” Bob gasped, holding a hand to his chest. “I resent that!”

“Well, resent it or not, it’s true,” Maxwell quipped.

“You name one time when I’ve been the source of gossip around here,” Bob said, a hand on his hip, in full queen mode.

“That’s...what...all the time!” Maxwell sputtered, caught off guard by that ridiculous defense. Bob was a notorious gossip. He was the only person Maxwell knew who still talked on the phone with multiple people every day, for fun. It was half the reason why they’d never moved in together, Maxwell unable to imagine living with Bob’s need to talk on the phone for hours in the evening. Maxwell enjoyed people too, sometimes, but after work, he more often than not wanted some peace and solitude.

“So you can’t name one specific time? Interesting.” Bob’s brown eyes glittered with amusement, always the happiest when he was in teasing mode.

“You’re impossible!” Maxwell turned to Jovan, who was now busy with the espresso machine. “Bob says he’s not a gossip.”

“Ha!” Jovan snorted. “Violet, what do you want?”

“An americano is more than fine.” Violet smiled, and Maxwell realised that he wasn’t sure if he had ever seen that expression on the former assistants face before.

He had never spoken with her before, Ivy always the assistant who came along to the design meetings, but he had seen her follow Fame down the halls, and he still remembered how bad he had felt for her during Fame’s temperature meltdown at their September show.

“Violet, Violet, Violet,” Bob put a hand down, turning his body towards her. “Do not listen to them.” Bob pouting at both Maxwell and Jovan. “I’m not a gossip. I’m a very trustworthy confidante, so if you have anything you need to share about, you know, upstairs...I’m all ears.” Bob grinned.

“Ah!” Maxwell cried triumphantly, “Case in fucking point you fucking gossip!”

“Upstairs?” Violet looked genuinely confused for a moment.

“You know,” Bob pointed at the ceiling, “Upstairs.”

“Ah.”

Maxwell made a face at Bob, clearing his throat slightly.

Why did he have to reveal everything right away? They didn’t know how trustworthy this girl was yet, and so they should really assume zero percent. It was the only safe and logical conclusion.

“Sorry, assistant code,” said Violet with an apologetic shrug. “My lips are sealed”

“Wow. Okay, I see how it is,” Bob said, and Maxwell rolled his eyes.

“Honestly Bob, what if she’d come down here and started reporting all kinds of rumors? Wouldn’t that make you concerned?” he asked, reaching up to tug on on Bob’s ear.

“Concerned…. Entertained… Potato, potahto.” Bob grinned, taking another sip from his mug.

“Goddammit,” Jovan said, struggling with the machine. “Cracks, can you help me? This fucking thing, we need a new one-”

“Sure.” Maxwell stepped over to the machine to assist. He remembered when Trixie first got it for them, almost six years ago, how everyone had just gone crazy over it. But lately it was acting up, and the designers were not pleased when they needed to wait an extra 30 seconds for coffee. The company should really take care of it before there was some kind of mutiny. He made a mental note to talk to Trixie later.

“So, Violet,” Bob continued, “How’s it going? Is our boy Jovan being cool, or is he in one of his moods?”

“Fuck off,” Jovan cut in, sitting down heavily. “I’m fucking delightful.”

Maxwell chuckled to himself over that, Jovan’s stormy moods something everyone in the department knew intimately.

“He’s been very kind,” Violet said, her hand gripping the edge of her skirt.

“Yeah, yeah.” Bob smiled, rolling his eyes. “Look, Violet, let me give you some advice,” Bob turned to Jovan. “You’ve gotta pay attention to that big vein in his forehead, and when it starts popping out...run.”

“Oh.”

“Eat a dick, Bob.”

“Yours?” Bob looked down, leering at Max’s brown khakis, a grin on his face, “Or like, any dick?” Bob teased, wiggling his brows. “Either way, I’m down.”

Maxwell rolled his eyes, giving Bob a Look intended to say ‘not in mixed company,’ gesturing towards Violet, the poor girl probably scandalized by this kind of talk, judging from her ramrod straight posture and demurely folded hands.

He turned to Jovan for backup, only to find him sitting at one of the tables, big wrinkly head in his hands. Maxwell tapped him on the shoulder, hoping to help him avoid an existential crisis before eleven am.

“How’s the Hanukkah dress?” Maxwell asked, which is what he’d been jokingly calling the blue cocktail number that poor Jovan was working on. Jovan rolled his eyes.

“Killing me. Violet had a good idea though, so I guess I’ll try that.”

“Are you gonna embroider a menorah on the front?” Maxwell teased.

“No, I was thinking that the skirt would just be a giant dreidel.”

Maxwell laughed at that, though truth be told, you could never be too sure with Jovan. He might just do it.

“Did Coach assign you anything yet, Violet?” Bob asked.

“No..” Violet tilted her head. “Is there a reason you call him that?”

“Oh. Yeah. So, Trixie’s the only straight guy around here-”

“Straight identified,” Maxwell corrected, and Violet snorted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

“Yeah, so, we like to give him shit. We call him Coach. You know...” Bob made his hand into a fist and punched Violet very lightly on the shoulder, deepening his voice. “Coach!”

“He’s the only straight guy, and of course he’s the one in charge of the department,” Jovan added pointedly.

“Well, yes, there’s also that,” Bob chuckled. “Anyway, have you gotten an assignment for the holiday collection? I’ve seen some pictures of your student stuff,” Trixie had dropped by with Violet’s portfolio, shoving it to Bob who had loved flipping through it. “I assumed you’d be doing gowns most of the time.”

“No-” Violet opened her mouth, but then seemed to rethink it, and close it again. “Not yet.”

“So...Chachki,” Maxwell said, handing her coffee over. “Are you Jewish?”

“No,” Violet said simply, and Bob burst out laughing.

“She said nope,” he giggled, popping the p.

“Well, where are you from? What’s your deal? Tell us everything,” Maxwell continued, undeterred by Bob’s laughter.

“Oh. Um… There’s not much to tell. I graduated from Parsons a few years ago. I’m originally from Atlanta-”

“Hey! Me too!” Bob exclaimed. “I’m from Clayton County. Where’d you go to high school?”

“-But I’ve been in New York since I was 13.”

“Oh, gotcha.”

“I got a job working for Miss Fame, and...that’s about it.” Violet looked around, her lip between her teeth.

“Wow. Fascinating,”

“Sorry, I’m not very interesting.”

“No no,” Maxwell said. “You should write a memoir.”

“Omigod, she’s like twelve years old, leave her alone,” Bob said. “In case you haven’t noticed, Violet, these guys are a mess and you should ignore 98% of everything they say.”

Bob put his arm around Maxwell, squeezing him affectionately even as the insults rolled off his tongue.

“And what about you?” Maxwell asked.

“Me?” Bob asked. “Oh, fully same.”

***

“What,” Violet was staring at the table, a brown concoction staring right back at her, “on earth is this?”

“You never seen one before?” Alexis smiled, getting in next to her, “They call it a cronut, girl. Everyone in the city is obsessed with them,” she grabbed one, “and they’re delicious.”

Violet had spent lunch with Alexis, Gia and April, the three women slipping back and forth between English and Spanish, their conversation practically impossible to follow, but Violet hadn’t minded.

It had been incredibly nice to just sit with someone for lunch without constantly checking her phone, Violet unsure if she had ever actually had an uninterrupted lunch break at Galactica before.

“Huh.” Violet bit her lip, still not too sure about the offered treat. “Are we already-”

“Hey, Violet-” Violet turned her head to see Blu slip in next to her, a big smile on the Irish woman's beautiful face. Her ginger hair was pushed back with a hairband, her grey eyes attentive and kind. “Are you coming to the happy hour?”

“Happy hour?”

“Mmh,” Blu nodded, “a couple of us always go round the corner for a pint on Mondays at 5:30. You know, for bonding and stuff.”

“Huh.” Violet bit her lip. She had seen Blu and Gia working that morning, but it seemed strange to her that they were expecting to be let go at 5:30, the whole thing even stranger since both Blu and Gia were actively enjoying the pastries.

“So, you coming?”

“Oh, no,” Violet did her best to smile, to look genuinely apologetic. “I can’t.”

Sutan had texted her about whether or not she wanted to come over after work, and Violet couldn’t wait to cuddle up on the couch, tucked safe and sound under Sutan’s arm. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Blu smiled, though Violet wasn’t sure it actually was based on the look in her eyes, “You can come next time-”

“Violet!” Blu was cut off as Trixie came over, “Blu! Are you enjoying the cronuts?”

“Yes boss,” Blu held up her cronut, over half of it gone. “It’s delicious.”

“Have you had any, Violet?”

“No, not yet.”

“Here.” Trixie grabbed a plate, quickly scooping one up for her. “It’s pumpkin chai this month!”

“Thanks.” Violet took it, unsure what to do. It wasn’t that she hated all desserts, wasn’t that she hated all sweets, but what she did hate was trying new things when she was feeling nervous, and even though everyone had been beyond kind to her so far, she couldn’t help the unsettling feeling in her stomach that something wasn’t right.

“I can’t wait to see your finished blouse,” Trixie was smiling, his hand on Blu’s arm. “I’m counting on you.”

“Mmh,” Blu nodded, pride in her eyes, and Trixie gave her one last squeeze, clearly intending to walk on and make sure everyone was having a good time.

“Trixie-” Violet took a step forward, her now boss turning around to look at her.

“Yes sweetheart?”

“I was wondering, if I could-” Violet wanted to throw herself out the window, the entire thing so terribly awkward, the fact that she was daring to even consider questioning her boss’ process, “it’s about the holiday collection-”

“Oh, that silly thing?” Trixie laughed, “Don’t worry about it.”

“But,” Violet took another step forward, “I’d like to, like to worry, that is-”

“You’ll watch the design meeting on Thursday, see how things are done around here.” Trixie smiled. “Ease into it, take it slow.”

“But I have an idea for-” Violet didn’t know if she was allowed, but she had already picked up a few of the unfavored fabric swatches, a white silk and some crushed red velvet so to Fame’s taste that she knew she had to give it a try.

“If you really want to speed things up, you can spend tomorrow shadowing April.”

“Really?” It wasn’t what Violet truly wanted, but anything, literally anything, would be better than another day of ‘taking it slow’.

“It’ll be perfect for you,” Trixie smiled, “I promise.”

Trixie then took a bite of the cronut in his hand, his eyes going wide. He turned from Violet to call out, “Kimberly! Kim, did you try these pumpkin chai cronuts?! Oh my god...”

As her boss wandered off to wax poetic about his pastry, Violet dug her fingers into her palm. Wasn’t this department supposed to be the lifeblood of the company? Why was everyone so chill?

Violet tried to be positive, tried to believe that Trixie was only doing what he thought best for her, but she couldn’t help wondering if she was still working for Galactica, the feeling of utterly uselessness washing over her for the first time since she had started at the company.

***

“Are you feeling chopsticks or fork?”

“Fork please.”

“Of course.” Violet smiled as Sutan began to dig through his cutlery drawer, soft jazz playing from the radio in the window. She had gotten somewhat used to seeing him without his suits in Paris, early morning Sutan walking around in pajama pants and t-shirts for as long as he could, but there was something special about seeing him in casual chinos and the sweaters he seemed to favor now that it was getting colder outside.

They were in his kitchen, Violet sitting at the table. When she had come over, Sutan had been setting up in the dining room, but she had asked him if they could please sit in the kitchen instead, the room so much cosier and lived in than the dining room.

Violet had been looking forward to her first day in design since she started at Galactica, but now that she had gotten there, it felt like a hollow victory.

She was sure tomorrow would be better, that it’d be more meaningful, but for now, she just wanted to spend time with the man she really genuinely liked.

“Here you go.” Sutan handed her the fork. “You know,” Sutan smirked, crossing his arms, “You should really learn how to use chopsticks.”

“I know how to use chopsticks,” Violet looked up at Sutan, putting her fork down. “I just prefer not to.”

“Sure lovely eyes.” Sutan grinned, grabbing the back of her chair, leaning down to kiss her, when the doorbell rang.

“Ah,” Sutan gave her a quick peck, his lips tasting faintly like peppermint with an undercurrent of cigarettes, his eyes sparkling.

“That must be the food.” Sutan stood up, reaching into his pocket for a wad of cash Violet hadn’t even noticed. “Do you mind finishing setting the table?”

“Of course not.” Violet stood herself as Sutan walked out, and she quickly crossed the room, opening the cabinet she knew housed Sutan’s plates.

The request hadn’t been anything out of the ordinary, Violet helping more often than not, but as she actually looked at the kitchen table, she realized what she had accidentally said yes to.

Sutan’s laptop was sitting in the middle, but besides that, the table was covered in work stuff, Sutan’s laptop, headshots, what Violet could only assume was contracts, folders and modeling portfolios spread all over.

She couldn’t see any kind of system, and if she had been at work she wouldn’t have dared to move a single thing, but Sutan had asked her to take care of it, and take care of it she would.

Violet knew Sutan had an office, but she had never actually seen him use it, or heard him mention it. Violet felt weird moving Sutan’s work things, but as she quickly piled it all on one end of the table, she recognized that this was probably why she liked the kitchen so much.

It was obviously the place in the apartment Sutan used the most, and the one she instinctively felt was more Sutan than Raja; everywhere else, even Sutan’s own bedroom, so obviously designed and furnished by his twin.

It was a strange thought that Raja had so much influence on Sutan’s life, but it wasn’t something she was ever going to bring up, their relationship none of her business.

Violet was just a moment in time for Sutan, so who was she to make any sort of suggestion about anything.

“Ah, great.” She was just setting the plates, when Sutan returned with more takeout bags than Violet had ever expected. “You’re almost done.”

“Are we expecting company?”

“Company?” Sutan looked confused for a moment, and Violet nodded her head towards the food in his arms, which caused him to laugh. “Please. This is just for us.” Sutan put the bags down, opening up the first one. “I figured it was worth celebrating your first day.”

“Huh.” Violet sat down on her chair once again, watching as Sutan produced one white cardboard carton after another. “How much did you get?”

“Oh you know, just a little bit of everything. I have dumplings, wontons and egg rolls, chow mein, orange chicken, beef and broccoli, black pepper scallops, garlic eggplant. I wasn’t sure what you’d like.”

Violet didn’t want to tell Sutan that she only had a very limited idea of what she genuinely liked beyond orange chicken and white rice, a childhood of bland suburban chain restaurants and her years in New York on a tight budget never leaving her much room for indulgence.

“Interesting.” Violet bit her lip, but Sutan grinned, continuing the unpacking. “Have you ever heard of cronuts?”

“What?” Sutan paused, a carton in hand. He turned to her, an eyebrow raised. “Lovely eyes. I may be older than you, but I don’t live under a rock?”

“Hmm.” Violet had no idea that cronuts were apparently so well known, but she wasn’t going to show Sutan that. “We had them at work today.”

“Did you like them?”

“Not really.” Violet took the carton of rice Sutan handed her. “They take a lot of breaks, at work, I mean.”

“Sounds like a nice place.” Sutan smiled, sitting down.

VIolet nodded, opening her rice as Sutan started talking about his day. It was always nice to be around him, Sutan often chatting away in his low baritone, filling out the silence so Violet never felt obligated to speak if she didn’t want to.

“Oh-” Sutan paused, a piece of broccoli in his chopsticks. “That reminds me. What are you wearing on Friday?”

“Friday?” Violet quickly ran through her week in her head, and she was fairly certain that she had nothing on the agenda for friday.

“Yes? For Bianca’s birthday.”

“Bianca’s birthday? Bianca Del Rio?”

“Mmh.” Sutan popped the broccoli in his mouth, quickly chewing it. “It’s her 40th, and I figured it’d be nice if we coordinated.”

“Oh.” Violet bit her lip. Surprised that Sutan was dumping it on her like this, since she knew for a fact that he hadn’t mentioned it until this very moment. “And the birthday is this Friday?”

Violet tried to hide her anxiety, her heart speeding up in her chest. She didn’t have any idea what the dress code was and what to wear or where the party was being held.

“I can invite someone else?”

“What?” Violet’s head snapped up at the words. Sutan looked completely relaxed, like he hadn’t just dropped a gigantic bomb, like this wasn’t strange at all, like it was normal for him to have so many girls lined up that he could find someone with no problem at all.

“If you don’t want to go-”

“No, no.” Violet closed her hand, digging her fingers into her palm under the table. “It’s fine. It’s fine. I’ll figure something out.”

[hopesbarnes]

Wildest Dreams

Based on the song Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift. 

Summary: Everyone said he was a bad guy, that he broke hearts. But maybe they were wrong about him. 

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Warnings: Curse words, SMUT, angst, fluff

A/N: I should be working on the two series I have right now, but I was inspired and this happened... 

Everybody gave warnings. Said he broke hearts and left girls dizzy and confused. Your sister recited stories heard around town. 

“I heard he got Dot pregnant, that’s why she left,” she stated over ice cream when he was spotted getting off his bike one day. He looked like the stereotypical bad guy. Leather jacket and ripped oil-stained jeans. Hair sticking up in every which direction, and a smirk on his lips. 

“Based on what?” you asked snippily. 

“Someone saw them in a car together headed out of town, and nobody saw her since then,” she replied half paying attention. You licked your ice cream and ignored her gossip. It was never anything real, just silly rumors that the girls spread.

She started another round of bullshit tales but having enough you announced you were going on a walk. Throwing out the finished ice cream, you secured your purse and walked around the building towards the park a mile or two away. Around the back of the building, he was in view again, a cigarette in hand and a phone in the other.

“Did ya do it on purpose?” you asked before pausing to recognize the words were spoken aloud.  

“Do what?” He asked laughing. Realizing a hole was dug you continued on.

“This!” you said motioning to him. “The whole stereotype looks, it’s almost as if you’re asking for those rumors to be spread.” He was hysterical now. His laugh filled the entire alleyway and giggles fell from your lips in response.

“I guess I am a stereotype! Never really looked at it that way. The bike I just like, put it together myself. I wear the jacket as protection when I’m riding.” he said.

“Mechanic huh? That explains the oil on your jeans. The smoking though, I bet you did that to keep up with the image?” 

“Definitely. Been wanting to stop, but how will they know I’m the bad boy without it.” A smile crept across your face at the joke.

“I’m Y/N.”

“Bucky,” he responded returning the smile. 

“I was going to the park, wanna join?” 

“Sure,” he replied stubbing out the smoke and following. “Ya know,” he said. “You look exactly like the stereotypical good girl the bad boy corrupts,” he stated motioning towards your outfit. Dressed in skinny jeans and a pink sweater with a collar sticking out paired with light pink vans it was true.  

“Who’s to say I’m not already corrupted and just hiding it?” you asked walking beside him. He smiled and looked down and followed along to the park. The first of many dates.

He said, "Let's get out of this town

Drive out of this city, away from the crowds"

I thought, "Heaven can't help me now"

Nothing lasts forever

But this is gonna take me down

It only took a month for the whole town to catch on to the relationship. Every outing had someone whispering or pointing with snide comments. It didn’t matter that the ‘bad boy’ volunteered at the animal shelter. Or that he took his little sister to play dates. Or even that he had only been with one girl before you, a girl he didn’t get pregnant. A girl he helped go to rehab.

All anyone saw was his image, and from that, they gave him the reputation of a drug runner who slept with countless girls and ditched them the next day. Everyone thought he was ruining you, and it would end in hurt. 

The talking was beginning to get to you, and he could tell. Anxiety across your face at the diner and barely talking on the phone that night. He decided a day away from the small town would help. He borrowed his friend’s SUV and drove to your house early the next day, with his little sister Becca in back. He texted announcing his arrival.

“Hey!” you greeted outside. A quick kiss was shared before greeting his sister. “Hey to you too miss Becca,” she said hi and unbuckled to give a hug. 

“I know this place is getting to you, so Becs and I decided we’d go to the drive-in movie theater two towns over. Spend a day exploring and watching a movie tonight,” he said nervously. 

“Thank you! I’d love to spend a day with my Barnes!” you exclaimed putting your bag in the back and climbing in the front. The drive took an hour and you and Becca talked about school. You loved Bucky’s little sister as your own and saw a lot of yourself in her. She was fierce and ignored what everyone said about her brother. 

After arriving in the town, the three of you went to Brunch and ordered a mix of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and fruit to share. After eating you braided Becca’s hair and went window shopping. A few things were bought for the three of you, and things for your sister and mom along with Ms. Barnes. 

Eventually, it was time for the movie and everyone piled into the back that was filled with blankets and pillows. Bucky bought popcorn and soda and agreed to watch the new Disney movie you and Becs begged to see. 

As the movie went on, with you snuggled against your boyfriend your mind drifted. You hoped this relationship lasted. But even if it didn’t you knew it was worth whatever heartbreak you’d face.   

He's so tall and handsome as hell

He's so bad, but he does it so well

I can see the end as it begins 

My one condition is

A few more months passed, and with every day you grew more confident in yourself. Wearing the clothes you always wanted, and bright lipsticks. No longer staying quiet when things bothered you. You felt alive. It was all thanks to Bucky. He encouraged self-expression and encompassed you in compassion.

But it was getting hard. The whispers continued and the rumors were horrible.

“I heard he forces her to wear those outfits.”

“She’s only with him because nobody else wanted her.”

“He’ll get bored with her eventually.”

It was horrible. No matter how hard you tried to ignore them, their words filled your head and they would never understand him the way you did. Your sister kept questioning your decision to be with him, and it felt like the world turned against you. The fair had come to town and Bucky suggested a date. It was your favorite thing to do in Fall, and finally, there was someone to share it with. 

He picked you up on the motorcycle, which had quickly become one of your favorite things. Starting with the rides you bolted, him barely keeping up. Clinging to him on the Tilt-A-Whirl and giggling as the Scrambler whipped around, it was so much fun. You went on a few more rides before going to the Ferris Wheel. Kissing at the top and it felt like you were in a teen rom-com movie. It was perfect. But like all things, something got in the way. 

You couldn’t decide between funnel cake or cotton candy and Bucky suggested to get both. You split up to get the treats and got in line for the funnel cake. A woman a few years older stood in front of you. She turned to see you then looked forward again. She did it again before speaking.

“I can help if you need. You don’t have to stay with him,” she said calmly.

“What?” you asked confused. Was she talking to you?

“You don’t need to stay in a bad relationship. I know it’s hard being on your own. But you don’t have to rely on him,” she continued.

“Why- what? I’m in a great relationship. I don’t wanna leave him. He makes me happy,” you said starting to get irritated.

“I just want to help. Nobody deserves an abusive relationship,” she said reaching out to put her hand on your shoulder.

You flinched back, “Please don’t touch me. I don’t know you. I’m not in an abusive relationship, I don’t know where you heard that but it isn’t true.”

Deciding it wasn’t worth the snack you left the line and bolted for a place to cry without anyone seeing. Everyone in this town judged your relationship and that was hard enough. But now they thought he was hurting you? It was ridiculous. 

You found a tree a few feet away that was hidden and slumped down. All the stares and snickers finally got to you. The tears started falling, and you let out everything you have been holding in these past months. You had makeup running down your face, and dirt-stained your clothes but you couldn’t seem to care.

It took Bucky 15 minutes to find you. He looked frantic, eyes panicked holding long-forgotten baby blue cotton candy.

“I-uh went to meet you and you were gone. I freaked. Are you crying? Fuck. What’s wrong baby girl?” He said rushing to sit beside you. You choked out what happened and leaned your head against his chest.

“Fucking hell, I can’t believe she said that. I hate this town so much,” he whispered rubbing your hand. You leaned closer to him, not knowing how much longer you could take the gossip.

Say you'll remember me 

Standing in a nice dress 

Staring at the sunset, babe 

Red lips and rosy cheeks

Say you'll see me again 

Even if it's just in your 

Wildest dreams, ah-aah, haa 

Wildest dreams, ah-aah, haa

Two more months passed. You stopped going out to crowded places for dates. It just wasn’t worth it. Your phone chimed pulling you from your thoughts.

Bucky: Wear a nice dress, meet outside in an hour.

You looked at your phone confused, but abided and dressed in a flowy maxi dress. You put on red lipstick and finished getting ready. Before long you got a text telling you he was here.

Bucky was dressed in a button-down, his hair slicked back and he was grinning against the SUV he borrowed again. You’ve never seen him this nice, he looked absolutely sinful like this. You smiled to yourself, knowing he was all yours. 

“You look… wow,” he said stunned. “I have so many words but none of them are appropriate.” 

You giggled, “You’re one to talk! Who knew you could clean up so nice.” He smiled and shook his head bashfully. 

“C’mon. God a good date to take my girl on,” he said proudly. He opened up the passenger door for you and you climbed in. Immediately, you went to change the music. He playfully pushed your hand away when he got in. 

Anytime music was on it became a game. Him wanting something like AC/DC, and you wanting something more like Lana Del Rey. There were a few rounds of back and forth, but he eventually gave in and handed over the AUX cord. You leaned over, kissed his cheek and put on “Blue Jeans”. He laced his hand in yours and you sang along to the song. 

You drove for some time before reaching a cliff-like area that overlooked the town. It was late afternoon, and he reached into the trunk and pulled out a blanket and basket.

“We deserve a fancy picnic, and this way it’s just us,” he said shyly.  

“I love it,” you said kissing him.

The picnic went perfectly, and it was nice to be wrapped in a Bucky bubble for some time. But you knew it had to end eventually. Nothing good lasts.

As the sun set, you turned to him.

“If this burns to the ground. If they end up splitting us apart promise me one thing,” you said somberly. 

“We’re not going to break up, not now. Not later,” he said stubbornly. 

“Bucky,” you pleaded.

“Fine.”

“Remember me like this, dressed pretty and in love with you. With sunset in the background, and my lipstick smeared from your kisses.”

“You love me?” he said barely whispering.

“Yes, you goof. Now kiss me, my love.”

I said, "No one has to know what we do" 

His hands are in my hair, his clothes are in my room 

And his voice is a familiar sound 

Nothing lasts forever 

But this is gettin' good now

Despite being together for 8 months, you still hadn’t been together. Your last boyfriend tried to pressure you and it gave you a bad taste in your mouth when you even thought of sex. So you decided to wait. Wait until you found a guy who loved you for you, not who they wanted you to be. And you found him. He’d been a saint. Never brought up going further, and always asked when he put his hands on your legs or waist. He was the epitome of a gentleman, and you knew you wanted it to be him.

You had spent the day babysitting Becs with him. Watching Disney movies, making blanket forts, and baking a lopsided cake. It felt so domestic, and you could see it now. Years later with mini versions of him running around and a wedding ring on your finger. 

You were back in his apartment now, and you told him you wanted him. He asked a thousand times if you were sure before moving you into his lap.

“Baby I love you, and if you want to stop at any time just let me know,” he whispered against your skin.  

“Bucky, dear. Lovely boy. Stop trying to get me to stop, I want you. Just touch me for Christ’s sake!” you whined and moved his hands to your waist. He laughed, and the sound filled the room and crowded your head. God, you could get used to it. 

He stood up and you wrapped your legs around his body. He guided you to his room and put you down long enough to remove his shirt and yours. 

“Fuck you’re hot.” he groaned. “Know I should probably call you beautiful and compare you to a flower, but all’s I got is that.” Before you could giggle he had his lips pressed against your neck and a moan slipped out. He slipped his arms around your back and undid your bra, letting it fall to the floor. He took his time mapping out your skin and placing kisses across your chest. 

You undid his jeans and pushed them down with shaky hands, and he helped steady them when you took your skirt off too. You slipped your panties down, leaving only his boxers separating you. 

He moved you onto the bed and kissed down your body. He nipped gently at your thigh and parted them. You grabbed a hold of his hair and he looked up at you and winked. Before you could process that he had licked you where you needed it most. A moan fell from your lips and he continued the motion a few times. Then he added a finger and sucked on your clit making you see stars. Before long you came, feeling weightless in his arms and he smiled at the sight of you coming undone on his tongue. 

“That was the best thing I have ever seen. Hope you’re cool with me doing that like all the time,” he said meeting your lips in a passionate kiss. 

“Not gonna complain about that,” you answered.

You tugged his boxers down and he grabbed a condom from the night table and put in on. He aligned your bodies and wordlessly asked if you were ready. When you nodded he slowly pushed in, and you felt every vein and inch of him. It was a stretch, but an inviting one. He stilled and peppered kisses across your skin once he was fully inside you. 

“Baby,” you moaned. “Move.” 

He wasted no time following your request and started to thrust in at a slow steady movement. You kissed him breathlessly and cherished the feeling of having him completely. It felt right having him with you, no matter what anyone thought. He made you feel complete and loved for the first time.

His breaths got shorter and he let out a deep moan letting you know he was close. You were right behind him and felt another orgasm approaching. Then as if in sync with one another, you both tipped over the edge at the same time and collapsed on the bed in a symphony of pants. 

“That was amazing,” you said breathlessly. 

“Agreed, now snuggle with me,” he said and pulled you close. 

You'll see me in hindsight, tangled up with you all night 

Burnin' it down 

Someday when you leave me, I'd bet these memories 

Follow you around 

“Isn’t it time you find a real job and forget this silly dream?” Your mother said one day when you got home from your job at the coffee shop. It didn’t pay much, but it did give experience. You wanted to open your own store. It was a pipe dream, but it was your pipe dream. Your mother would rather you work for her at her accounting firm. 

“It is a real job. I enjoy it quite a lot.” You countered.

“Between that job and that troublesome boy you’re going nowhere in life y/n! You dress like a hooker and stay out late all the time. He’s a bad influence on you, and you need to be more like your sister.” It always came down to her, even though she was a gossip she was married and a housewife. 

“Leave Bucky out of this! I’m sorry I don’t want to be a Stepford Wife like her.” you huffed. “I’ll be back later I need some air.”

With that, you rushed out of the house and drove towards the auto shop Bucky managed. He would be at work right now, but you didn’t even care. Just being close to him would be enough for now. 

When you got there he was fixing an engine in a beat-up car. His eyes lit up when he saw you and he patted his hands on his jeans before pulling you in for a hug.

“Baby girl, what’s wrong?” he said seeing your tear-filled eyes.

“Just my mom. It’s nothing. I just needed to see you, remind me of the only good thing in this town.” 

“I gotta work on this car, but I have lunch in an hour. You can wait in my office if you want. Or just pull up a chair and watch me work?”

You nodded and pulled up a chair near the toolbox. You watched him work and listened to his rock music, and before long he was finishing up and ordering Chinese food for lunch. Over lunch, he spoke. 

“We could leave.”

“What?” you asked confused.

“We could go. Find a new town, you could open a cafe and I could find a shop to run. I got a friend in New York, bet he’d give me a job.” 

“We can’t leave. Our lives are here, your family is here! I’ve never left, I wouldn’t know anyone.”

He frowned for a second, “Ma’s been wanting to move for some time. We’re both miserable here. It would be a fresh start, we deserve one.”

You thought it over, leaving would be good. This place made you feel worthless. 

“Okay,” you answered him.

“Okay!” he exclaimed. He dropped his fork and rounded the table to spin you around. 

“Let’s start our lives together,” you said finally hopeful for the future.

“Let’s do it,” he said in agreement.

[revisionaryhistory]

Three Days ~ 56

~*~Emma~*~

Sebastian and I talked and laughed until early morning. By the time I was finished packing it almost wasn't worth going to sleep. There was no way in hell I was going to hang up before he was ready. Cathartic or not, tears are tears. And with his history of being emotionally unavailable, calling me with puffy red eyes is a big fucking deal.

Throwing my phone across the room when the alarm went off seemed like a good idea. I fought off the urge. Half an hour and a cup of coffee later I was on my way to the airport. Flying out of White Plains was a shorter drive with a longer flight. Wound up being about the same as the long drive with a shorter flight from LaGuardia. I loved flying much more than driving. Plus, TSA at White Plains is cake. Past security I got another cup of coffee and settled in until boarding. I had a lovely breakfast on my layover in North Carolina. I do love a good chicken biscuit. In Atlanta I took a picture of the “Welcome” sign and posted it with the caption, "Back where I was born." I hadn't called Atlanta home in many years. I said things like, “It's good to be back", "I missed being here.", and "I'm happy to see you guys." New York was home. Seattle was home. I rarely called Alpharetta home except as a throwaway word to avoid having to explain.

Almost immediately I got a text.

Sebastian ~ Excited for family pix

Emma ~ And live on FaceTime?

Sebastian ~ I’m not afraid of your father. I hear he's a cupcake compared to your dad. Think I can tell you and Amy apart?

Emma ~ We'll see….

 We'd talked about him meeting them. I hadn't thought about how strange it’s been for him to have me all the Vedders, even texting with Ed, but not met my parents and sister. It's way more complicated with the bio family.

I had no idea who was picking me up. I exited security and immediately saw my twin and our mini-me. Amy pointed to me and Katie squealed. Amy let go of her hand and my little niece came running. I scooped her up with the reward of having my face covered in kisses. Best welcome ever. Katie wrapped her arms tight around my neck, not letting go even when we got to her mom. I was shocked by Amy's appearance. I held Katie with one arm and hugged her, "We haven't looked so identical since we were thirteen." I combed my fingers through her shoulder-length hair that was now nearly the same color as mine.

Amy put her head back and shook out her hair, "Took three visits to get the red out and tone down the brassiness."

I smiled, "If I say you look gorgeous is that vain?"

"Definitely, but also true." She hooked her arm in mine and we headed to baggage claim. "The parental units want us to drop by the hospital before heading home. They took off Monday and Tuesday. They have a full schedule for you."

I rolled my eyes, "You can fill me in as we drive. Anything we talk about I'll just have to repeat when we get to them. Right now, I want to hear from my munchkin baby girl." I tickled Katie, getting her laughing and successfully avoiding questions. I'd figure out when to tell them about Sebastian when I heard what was planned. My tentative plan was for tonight at dinner.

Katie told me all about her preschool and her toys while we waited for my suitcase and halfway to the hospital. She only stopped when her favorite song came through the speakers. After a rousing rendition of "There's a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea" I turned my attention to Amy. "What's the plan?"

"Today we're on our own until dinner. They said we'll decide on food later. A bunch of people from high school are going out on the lake tomorrow. I thought that would be fun. Mom said they'd keep Katie."

A lot of our old friends still lived in town. I hadn't seen anyone for a couple of years. "Sounds fun."

"Sunday family is coming over. Mom wants to tell you the rest. I promised."

I laughed, "Shopping and a spa day."

"I didn't tell you."

Fifteen minutes later we were swinging Katie between us across the parking lot. Mom and dad were heads of their departments. Neuro for dad and OB/GYN for mom. Our directions were always the same upon our arrival. Sign in and proceed to the fourth-floor doctor's cafe. Security would have paged them and they'd meet us there. I got coffee for us and ice cream for Katie.

Mom arrived first. She was the blond hair, blue-eyed version of me. Dad had dark hair and blue eyes. Amy and I were a great combination of them. Mom had us young and was not quite fifty. They always said we were planned, but who the hell plans kids right after graduating from college. Mom deferred her first year of med school. We had a wonderful nanny.

After a long hug, mom held my hands and stood back to look at me. "You look beautiful as always. Maybe a little tired."

Such a mom thing to say. "I was up late and slept on the plane."

She nodded and hugged me again, "A day by the pool will be good for you."

"Always. I hear family is coming Sunday?"

"A cookout." She looked at Amy then back to me. "I suppose your sister told you about Monday?"

"No." I slowly smirked, "I guessed, but she neither confirmed nor denied."

"Your father's going to give Wendy the day off and spend the day with Katie while we do a bit of shopping then a trip to the spa." She fingered my hair. "Maybe cut some of this."

I pushed her hand away playfully, "Nope."

I felt hands on my shoulders before hearing my dad’s voice, "I can not imagine what you'd look like with shorter hair."

I looked up and behind me with an incredulous look on my face. I pointed across the table at my twin. The one with shorter hair, "Possibly exactly like her?"

"No, you two look nothing alike." Worst dad joke ever. He took me away from mom and hugged me. "How is my youngest daughter?"

"Good. Waking up."

Dad sat on the opposite side of me from mom. "I've never understood how you fall asleep so fast on a plane."

"I like to float."

I turned my attention to mom, "Are we still on for Tuesday?" Mom did exams at a local woman’s shelter. The head counselor, Stacy, had worked at the rehab facility I’d been hidden away in. Going to visit her and the women was always the highlight of any trip back.

"Stacy is excited to see you."

"And me her."

She put her hand over mine," Not a problem to move my day."

"Thank you."

A man who looked to be a few years older than me approached our table. From the ID badge on his white coat, I knew his name was. Dr. Burns and he was a Neuro Fellow.

"Dr. Marcum, I didn't know you had two beautiful daughters and granddaughter."

"I’m overrun with beautiful women. I'm very lucky."

"Of course," he looked at my mom, “Dr. Marcum as well."

I looked at Amy to see her cover her mouth with her hand. Eligible doctor as bait was new.

Dad introduced us, "Emma is down from New York for a long weekend. Always hoping we can persuade her to move back home."

I looked at the bait, "I hope he's as clear with what he wants from you."

Bait laughed, "I'm lucky to have the opportunity to train with your father."

I was feeling like a prize to be won. Thankfully, there was someone else who thought I was a prize in a less icky way. I didn't respond to bait, preferring to take a drink of my coffee.

"I need to check post-ops. Nice to meet you, Emma. I'll see you upstairs, Dr. Marcum." He nodded to my mom and was off.

Amy burst out laughing, "Oh dad, that was horrible."

"What?" He shrugged, "Young, single, wants to stay here in Alpharetta. We could invite him to dinner. I know his schedule."

I groaned. I guess now was the time. "I appreciate your attempt to lure me back, but I don’t think my boyfriend would like me going on a date with someone who isn't him."

Amy perked up, "Boyfriend?"

"There's a picture of us on Instagram. I’ve been waiting for you to comment.”

"No!" She whipped out her phone. "This picture of the volleyball tournament is the only... oh wait... there is a man wrapped around you. I didn't pay attention."

"Let us see," my mom took the phone. "This is too small. Plus, he's hidden behind you in a hat. We can barely see him."

"He must be ugly." Amy stole a bite of Katie's ice cream.

"He is not ugly."

"Deformed in some way. A huge hairy mole in the center of his forehead like a third eye."

I laughed at her, "Are we thirteen again?"

"Thirteen was fun."

My parents were enjoying our banter, I was too. Mom looked at me, "Do you have a better picture?"

"I do." I pulled up the one from the festival with the teddy bear. "This was a couple of weeks ago. I won the bear."

I handed my phone to mom. Her eyebrows raised. "Not deformed. Or Ugly. Not even close. He looks familiar."

Amy took my phone and in under two seconds looked at me with her mouth hanging open, "Carter Baizen?"

"I didn't know you watched Gossip Girl?" I was in Seattle before it premiered.

"Everyone at school did. I only pretended I didn’t."

Dad took my phone, instantly smiling, "You look like you're having fun."

I laughed, "It was a fun day."

Mom looked at me then Amy, "Who is Carter?"

"He was a character in Gossip Girl. Hot, but an ass. The actor who played him went on to in the Marvel Movies as the Winter Soldier."

Dad scrunched up his face, "The brain damaged assassin who killed Tony’s mother?"

"Yes." I was not about to argue brain washed versus brain damaged with a neurosurgeon. "His name is Sebastian Stan."

I took my phone back and swiped to a picture of us at the volleyball tournament. Dad raised his eyebrows with a nod. Mom said, "He's very handsome."

Amy smirked, "If I swipe will I find nudes."

"Sorry, no."

"No, I won’t find them or no you don’t have any."

"Don't have."

"Damn."

I don't know what I expected from Amy, but this wasn't it. I hadn't told them about Jimmy. I just brought him home. He was the last real boyfriend. Amy’s current reaction was much more typical of early high school. My parents looked cautious.

Amy cut her eyes up to me, "Kissing in the dark restaurant. Go you, little sister."

Dad turned his attention to me, "Is this serious?"

I could feel the tension leech out of me and my face soften with a smile, "Yes, it is."

"When do we get to meet him?"

I shrugged, "We can FaceTime him after dinner. He's getting ready for a role and is home."

"I'm looking forward to meeting him." Mom put her hand on my arm. "What's he like?"

"He's very sweet. Awkward at times and trips over himself. We laugh all the time and have these great conversations about books, movies, and music. He's very good to me." I didn't want to talk non-stop about him. I wanted them to know of him and over the weekend they'd learn about him. About us. "I'm sure you'll get sick of hearing about him. What are we doing for dinner tonight?"

Katie yelled, "Pizza!"

"I love pizza." There was an amazing pizza place near the house. We’d been going there since we were Katie’s age.

Amy agreed with me, "Easy and we don't have to get out of the pool."

I looked at my arm, "I desperately need a tan."

Dad stood up, "I'm going to get back to work so I can get out of here to enjoy my girls."

"Tell Dr. Friendly the date's off."

Dad glared at Amy. I didn't try to hide my smile. Mom stood while shaking her head. I got up and hugged them. I stayed still while they walked away then looked at Amy, "Let's get out of here. Can I drive?" I was feeling a little out of control and needed to be in charge of driving.

Amy threw me the keys, "As long as you can talk and drive."

Any guesses what the topic of conversation was? The drive home wasn’t long. Walking into the house I felt much more at ease. I think I was more nervous than I was aware of. Sebastian's important.

Amy handed Katie off to the nanny, Wendy. That felt familiar. We'd grown up in this house. This scene had happened innumerable times when we walked into the house. I waved when Katie turned on her way downstairs to her playroom. I followed Amy up the stairs to my room. She stopped at my door, "Are you going to unpack? And call Sebastian?"

"No." I shook my head, "I'll do both later. Can you send me the picture of me with Katie at the airport?"

"Absolutely. We'll be thirty soon. Bio-clock is ticking."

I was aghast, "Amelia! Our mother is an Ob/Gyn. You know that's not true." We laughed.

"Ok, so he can see how good you look with a kid."

I sighed dramatically, "Everything is not about Sebastian. Plain old Instagram. Me and my niece." I’m not playing those games with him. "The picture I'm going to have you take of me in my bikini... that's all about him."

That perked her up, "We'll get Wendy to take a twin picture."

I rolled my eyes, "He'll enjoy that too."

Five minutes later I was jogging down the stairs and heading out the French doors. The water was sparkling with the sunlight. It was hot and sticky outside making floating perfect. I threw a couple of towels on the loungers and threw two floats into the pool. Amy was coming out the door as I grabbed my phone off the table. I unlocked before handing it to her.

Amy followed me around the pool, "Remember when we'd pretend we were models and take pictures of our fashion shows?"

"I do. Our phones would be full of them. I’ll need to learn more editing skills when the wrinkles show up."

Amy rubbed at the corners of her eyes, "Crows feet already."

"I have a great eye cream." She took some of me then we got Wendy to take a couple of us, ending with us floating in the pool holding hands. I hopped onto the pool edge and took my phone back. I waited for Wendy to go inside, "Ok, jump out and take one more of me on the float.” Amy took my phone and I took off my bikini, lying face down on the float.

"I cannot believe I'm partaking in this."

"Oh please, who better. It's my naked ass and yours looks identical."

"My ass doesn't look like that anymore. Pregnancy stretched that out too."

I looked at my twin in her black one-piece with cut out sides. She always had the thinner body I wanted. After Katie, she'd not lost the last bit of baby weight from her stomach and her butt. "You look great, Amy."

She put her hands over her breasts, "These have stayed a little bigger too."

"I think I’m insulted."

Taking the picture Amy asked, "Are you going to turn over?"

"Absolutely not."

"Seriously? He has seen it, right?"

"Yes." I slid into the water and started putting my suit back on. Anything that naked he or I was taking.

Amy was back on her float before I was on mine, "I've sent nudes. Not just my butt."

"To whom, dear sister?"

"It's been years ago now. He lives in Marietta. I met him at a playground with Katie. Single parents’ version of a bar. Only he was pretending to be single."

I cringed, "Ouch, I'm sorry. How did you find out?"

"When his wife called me from his phone. We'd been seeing each other for a couple of months I thought I was falling in love with him, but I was just a side piece. He wanted to keep it going even after." She shuddered, "Not mistress material."

I made a decision to trust her with something. It had been a long time, "I never told you why Jimmy and I broke up. He'd been cheating with another lawyer in his firm for months. As the one who was cheated on, I thank you for refusing to go on with it once you knew."

"Did you know the other woman?"

"Yep, even considered her a friend."

"I'm always paranoid now that there's a hidden wife. After Jimmy do you worry Sebastian will cheat?"

I didn't need to think, but I took a moment anyway. "I'm not worried about him cheating. I don't think he would. If he does... I've survived it before."

We shared a look I hadn't anticipated. We’d both survived things. I reached for her hand. "I love you, Amelia."

"Love you too, Emiliana."

"What about now? Seeing anyone."

"Maybe sorta. Back after Christmas a bunch of us from high school got together. Max was there. He's divorced with a daughter in first grade. He has custody and wanted to wait until summer to move back so his parents can help with her. We texted and talked some. He moved back a couple of weeks ago. We've gone out to dinner. It was good. He'll be there tomorrow."

I remembered Max very well. He was a baseball player who looked very good in those pants. He was a year ahead of us and I had no idea what he'd done after high school. I didn't keep up with anyone except the occasional text or Instagram from a couple of girls on the volleyball team. Anything I knew was tidbits from Amy. She'd tried to get me to go to her five and ten year reunion, but I didn't graduate from here. I went to my reunions back in Seattle. Kept up with more friends from there and saw them when I was home. "Didn't you have a crush on Max?"

I recognized the smile on Amy's face. She looked just like me when I'd been caught. "He won't let me forget."

We laid in the pool laughing and talking. It had been a long time since I'd felt this close to her. I can't be sure if that's her, me, or a little of both. Doesn't matter because it was just good and before we knew it mom and dad were home. They brought Katie with them out to the pool deck. "We sent Wendy home. Just family this weekend."

Amy sat up, "Remember we're going out on the lake tomorrow."

Mom smiled, "I remember. Are you two hungry?"

The second she mentioned food my stomach growled. I put my hand over, "Very."

A discussion about pizza toppings ensued. At the end I got out of the pool, "I'm going shower before the food gets here."

Amy followed, "Me too."

[callsignbaphomet]

🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊🖊

Y'think thats enough pens? Either way I don't expect you to do somethin for aaaaaaaaaall of em lol

Gsudkblbzysuv hun, this is so beautifully chaotic!

🖋 Ginger's a vampire but both of her dads (Lee Grimm and Glenn Grimm) are werewolves (Mist Walkers). Both are trans men.

🖋 Jelani uses male, neutral or female pronouns. Has no preference to which ones someone should use.

🖋 Trevor knows ASL. His little brother was deaf and in his memory he learned ASL.

🖋 Angelus sorta, kinda had a daughter. Ok tl;dr back in the late 1800s he ran into this little girl that was living in the street and tried to steal some money off him but she got caught. He gave her everything he had on him and then she ran off and he lost track of her. Much later he found her again but this time she was a bit older, like 11 years old. They recognized each other and they both went to get a bite to eat and she told him she ran away from home because her parents were abusive. Obviously coming from a similar background he heavily sympathized but he didn't know the first thing about kids but he still took her in. She grew up, married and had kids of her own and those kids grew up and eventually his adopted daughter (her name was Alice) grew old and died of old age. He kept in contact with his sort of grandkids obviously but as his great grandkids grew older and had families and kids of their own Angelus distanced himself. How the fuck are ya gonna explain your sort of adoptivr great grandfather looks like a 20 year old twink? He's kept an eye out on them as a "friend of the family".

🖋 AJ introduced Angelus, Mahmud, Tre and Madison to his favorite hobby: parkour. The five of them regularly get together to free run in places they think would be both challenging and fun.

🖋 Madison introduced Mahmud, AJ, Tre and Xiomara to spelunking and scuba diving as a hobby.

🖋 Sanaa loves and collects windchimes. So Ingvarr modified an alarm clock to make any chime she puts on it chime whenever she sets the alarm. So instead of some jarring alarm she wakes up to a windchime.

🖋 Angelus has an abnormally high tolerance for pain to the point where he won't react to most injuries. This was due to years of having to learn to control his cries of pain because the more he cried out the harder he'd get beaten.

🖋 Trevor holds the world record for longest confirmed sniper kill. Can't be found in any public record but it's in Oracle records and that's good enough for him.

🖋 Jelani (Loke and Jela's grandad, not J lol) and Subira made a spell called "Bright Light". Basically a faint little orb of light that when cast makes anyone near it calm down. It works for regular nervousness, anxiety, panic attacks, anger and so on. It's one of those beginner type spells that barely requires any energy and it can either hover over the caster's palm or it can be "attached" to an object.

🖋 Sunniva (she was Ingvarr's first wife and the woman who gave birth to Loke) is still alive. After she became pregnant she heavily regretted it so that's why as soon as Loke was born she ran away without telling anyone anything. Loke was always told that she disappeared but honestly speaking he never knew her so he has no attachment to her. To him Sanaa is HIS mother and only her.

🖋 Latoya was what you would consider a sickly kid. Someone in another country sneezed and she got sick. Her colds and flus lasted longer than usual and she was a super skinny little girl. When puberty hit she took up sports and when she was 18 she started lifting weights, blew up in terms of muscle tone and got laser eye surgery. Now she's like Rambo in his prime but pretty.

🖋 Abigail is constantly coloring her hair different colors but her favorite is any hue of green since that's her favorite color. She'll also help and color anyone else's if they ask her for help.

🖋 Ginger and Abigail got married on October 13th. Yes, the wedding had a Victorian goth theme to it. Even though they couldn't eat it the cake was red velvet with black frosting and everything. It almost looked like a funeral 'cause everyone was wearing black. I hope to doodle Ginger and Abby in their wedding dresses someday.

🖋 Haakon had a habit of collecting leaves from different countries he visited and kept them safe. Ingvarr and Jørgen both keep journals with leaves of different countries they've visited. They write down the tree the leaf came from, country where they got it from and date.

🖋 Anette can't drive until she's 21. When she was 14 she took Jelani's car, drove her and a bunch of her friends super late at night in winter (from what I've read driving in Norway during winter is horrible), crashed into another car after she lost control, totalled both Jelani's car and the other car and severely injured some of her friends and the other driver. The funny/not funny part is Jela was planning on giving her that car when she got her license but she totalled it. It was BMW by the way. Fuckin' teenager driving around in a 2 year old Beemer lol.

🖋 Speaking of cars. Grete (Anette's mother and Loke and Jelani's aunt) is horribly afraid of driving. She can't get behind the wheel of a car without freaking out. Anette crashing made the fear 10x worse. She can be in a car as long as she isn't driving and the car isn't going too fast.

🖋 During a visit Anette convinced both her parents and Jelani to let her stay with him during the summer. She also convinced both Leah and Xolani to stay over as well. So for a whole ass summer Jelani had three teenagers staying over as a kind of sleep over vacation. It actually turned out fun in the end, the kids had fun and Anette and her rebellious attitude kinda softened.

🖋 Anette, Xolani and Leah have one defining thing in common. None of them know what to do with the rest of their lives. Thing is Leah is very nervous about it, Xolani is kind of aloof about it and Anette is kinda of frustrated about it. Anette is frustrated which leads her to act out and cause trouble. Xolani just looks like they don't care but they do. Leah is super nervous about it. Another thing they got in common is the three of them tend to look up to Loke and Jelani 'cause they feel both understand them better than their parents do.

🖋 Ginger is kinda very obsessed with portals. She's fascinated by them but also respects them as they are incredibly dangerous and unpredictable. She is basically the only person in the world that managed to control portals even if it's for a short amount of time.

🖋 Shaine got really into explosives when she was just a kid. After an accident with a dozen cherry bombs she was left partially deaf, now has to wear a hearing aid and is the explosives expert.

🖋 Before joining Oracle Katya financed her transition by making fake IDs and passports. She also doxxed corrupt government officials and ransomed vital information she got off them.

🖋 Loke is allergic to bird dandruff but would love to have a pet pigeon. At least he can have dogs which is his other favorite animal. His favorite dog is the pitbull.

🖋 Until he got together with Jelani all of Angelus's previous relationships were short and ended in kind of disaster because he constantly compared them all to Jelani and to him they didn't measure up. He ultimately said no to relationships around the 1930s and just fucked around. Obviously until he got shit faced once and confessed to Jelani he was in love with him and the rest is history.

🖋 Tre is one of the super rare seers that can see and feel visions. He's so sensitive that merely standing in an area with a lot of energy could affect him.

🖋 In Oracle there is a head of the organization and two leaders. Current head is Aleksey with Jelani and Angelus as leaders. There's always three as kind of a callback let's call it to when Oracle was started. Aleksey and two close friends started it so from then on there's always 3 leads. When Aleksey steps down Jelani will be head, Ginger will be the second lead and Angelus is the third lead, however he plans on making Trevor the third lead. The reason is because Angelus is fully aware of what he can and can't do and he knows damn well that he isn't lead of an organization material. When he steps down he'd be the Trickster team leader, that he can handle, and since Trevor left a vacant spot Loke would take that spot.

🖋 There is a place called Kironia. It's theorized to be a sort of epicenter for portal activities. Angelus and Ginger have been tasked with keeping an eye on it but it's shrouded in so much mystery most people don't think it's real.

🖋 Despite the fact that Trevor personally knows a Maker and a goddess (Jade, Latoya's girlfriend) he's still an athiest.

🖋 Trevor didn't have a name growing up, he chose the name Trevor because it sounded pleasant. He took his surname, Ravencroft, from a woman he'd heard of from other Oracle agents. He eventually got to meet Morgana Ravencroft, she thought it was flattering he took her name.

🖋 Speaking of Morgana Ravencroft, Angelus was first introduced to the concept of magic because of her. He went with Trevor to help him with some supplies and after being completely hypnotized by some illusions she gave him a book on the basics and helped him get started.

🖋 Loke stopped aging and it's something of a weird occurrence that is brought up every so often. When he was 28 years old he and Jelani (who was 15 at the time) were delivering some supplies to another village. They ran into bandits and as usual Loke was trying to protect Jelani and in doing so he was fatally wounded. Of course Jelani freaked the fuck out and his "fail safe" kicked in. Jela doesn't remember but Loke does, he saw Jelani change form and after dealing with the bandits he turned his attention to Loke and stopped him from dying. He was rusty as fuck so he put a little more oomph behind it and a tiny portion of his energy slipped into Loke. Neither of them know but Loke is basically kinda frozen in time when it comes to aging. So because of this Loke can't die unless Jelani dies.

🖋 Loke has a black feather that's warm to the touch and small embers can be seen floating out of it. He's never mentioned it to anyone and keeps it close to him. The feather came from Jelani when he changed form to fight off the bandits. After he blacked out and changed back Loke found the feather on the ground. He knew where it came from that's why he kept it. He's never told Jelani about that day because he doesn't know what it means and he thinks telling him would only serve to confuse him further.

🖋 Continuing with Loke, he's your average run of the mill berserker. That means he cannot use magic while in berserker mode or even with his weapons. The only ones that can do that are arcanist berserkers (the Nyota tribe). Sanaa is an arcanist berserker, she can use magic while in berserker mode. However, through years of practice Sanaa managed to teach Loke one spell that her people are really fond of. Falling Stars is a spell that has the user charge a single arrow. The arrow is shot upwards and as soon as it reaches high enough it splits into hundreds of arrows that rain down on the target. Loke started practicing when he was 8 years old and by the age of 30 he managed to pull it off making him the first berserker to use magic.

🖋 Jelani and Leah are two of the extremely rare and fortunate people that have gone through a portal and have returned. Whether their return was sheer luck or the fact that he's a Maker is something I'll elaborate on later.

🖋 Haakon knew Jelani wasn't a berserker. Haakon himself had a feeling that his grandson was something far more, if that makes sense. The day Jela was born Haakon had a dream but instead of fear he just felt an insurmountable amount of wonder. He's only ever told his wife, Eli, who in turn believed him. Both always made sure Jela didn't feel out of place and Haakon frequently encouraged him.