#how in the world did Billy come from William???

[weepingfishturtledragon]

What if Batman didn't know Billy was a nickname for William? I'm saying this because I didn't know before reading it on here. I know it's unlikely due to Batman being THE Batman, but wouldn't it be so funny! After searching for months and not finding anything about Captain Marvel, Batman feels like he's going crazy, but then Captain Marvel makes a tiny mistake. Maybe Captain Marvel accidentally perked up at the name Billy or Freddy accidentally called him by his actual name, whatever the reason, Batman is one step closer to finding out his identity. Which is what I would be saying if Batman knew that Billy was a nickname for William!

He spends hours going through every type of legal document he can think of, which is especially hard when all the technology is outdated in Fawcett City. (He might find out about the time bubble this way) Only to find absolutely nothing that can actually connect to Captain Marvel, he's 5 seconds away from tearing out his hair and screaming into the void. Either he finds out the truth from Captain Marvel revealing himself or he finds out from one of his kids off-handedly mentioning the fact.

[becauseicantthinkwritings]

Objects in Motion

Part 2

Alpha!Billy Russo x Omega! Reader

Part 1 here

You’re deep in sleep when a loud bang wakes you.

Bolting up with a gasp, your heart pounds in your chest for a few minutes. You’re not sure what the noise was- a door slamming shut, or maybe something falling in the apartment above you, but the echo of it in your head keeps you awake for a while, hating that your anxiety doesn’t let you sleep.

.

You go to another dry cleaners, you do your best to avoid going out. You go to work, and back home for a couple of weeks, worried that someone will find you and scold you for what you’ve done.

You think about being scolded by him, you doubt you’d be able to last a moment in his presence.

After you’d ensured the safe delivery of the coat, did you finally research the owner.

William Russo, his stoic, borderline angry expression staring back at you through your computer screen had only made you aroused all over again.

This, this was the Alpha with a scent so magnetic, you couldn’t resist it.

He was rich, a CEO, and you could only look around your threadbare apartment and sigh sadly, there was nothing you could offer him that would interest him.

So, you try to move on with your life, work hard so you can afford to buy alleviators for your next heat, and stay away from alphas that would no doubt hurt you.

The art museum was a big comfort. On a Friday evening, when it was at its emptiest, you’d go in, and stare at all the paintings. You’d study the brushstrokes till your eyes burned, items like Starry Night, and Street Light were beautiful works that always made you dare to dream of a life better than the one you were in. Today however, The Lovers was the one that kept you most occupied.

Two people, with white cloths over their heads as they lean into each other, kissing.  Hidden from each other’s sight, you wonder if the painting only holds its romance because of the seemingly anonymity of the subjects. If the mystery was removed, would there be more love, or less?

It was kind of how you felt right now, pained, searching for something that you weren’t familiar with. An alpha, to call your own.

None of the alphas you’d met had ever been right for you. There was an entitlement written into them, the belief that your station was lesser, so you were supposed to submit. Alphas constantly lived with that air of superiority surrounding them, and they were easily upset when you did not give them what they wanted. 

The alphas you dated were wrong to think that submission was something freely given, in reality, it had to be earned.

You wondered if the alpha on your mind would ask nicely.

Probably not. It was a good thing he existed only in your fantasies.

.

Your omega privilege means you get to stay a little after closing. You smile gratefully in the security guard’s direction when he comes to escort you out.

“We’ve got a new piece coming in tomorrow. You won’t be able to stay late anymore, but I’m sure you’ll like it.”

You smile in delight.

“Do you know which one it is?” You ask.

“Not really, not much of an art guy, but it’s a big deal, really expensive.”

You nod, enthusiastically.

“Well, I can’t wait.” You reply, wishing the beta a good night when you finally reach the exit, pulling your jacket tighter around you to protect from the cold.

.

Not for the first time in his life, he feels the loneliness. 

It’s only that he’s never felt it quite like this. Usually, people just didn’t want him, his mother gave him up when he was a baby, and he’d never really understood why. Through his life, people had assumed he’d present as a beta, because he’d been a scrawny kid. Things had only gotten worse when at ten, his alpha denomination had shown through.

Then, everyone had wanted a piece of him, an opportunity to say that they’d fought an alpha and won, uncaring of his age and size- the world had forced him to become ruthless very quickly.

He’d let the world’s rejection shape him, and he’d only realised that when he’d met Frank.

Frank had made him understand, that alphas were not supposed to be cruel, but rather the very definition of safety and security.

He'd tried his best to ignore the hollow feeling inside of him, and that had worked.

At least, it had, up until he'd smelled that stupid coat.

Now, it was like someone had taken a piece of him and ran off with it, ripped a carefully placed bandage off and left him with an open wound. He could feel the absence, like if it was a whole other person in the room.

He wanted his omega.

It was all he’d thought about now, as he pressed the coat to his nose every night, struggling to catch her fading scent, he wondered if he’d ever be able to sleep again when the scent fully faded.

He keeps going, maybe he even pushes himself harder, his work distracts him, helps him keep a clear head.

He’d even accepted a job to secure artwork for the museum, even though his specialty was protecting people, and Frank was usually the man that handled asset protection.

He’s following closely behind The Scream when he stops dead in his tracks.

One of his employees tosses him a confused glance, but he ignores it as he takes a deep inhale. 

He’d know that vanilla scent anywhere, the smell of apples mixed in and his heart gives an eager kick.

Surely not-

He turns his head, sees a painting of two lovers hiding from each other, kissing through a shroud of white cloth. He studies it for a moment, his mind racing at speeds he can’t fathom.

When the painting gets too far ahead, he turns and resumes his stride, thinking about all the ways he can do his best to get what he wants.

.

He gets permission to access the security footage of the museum.

Who’s really going to deny an alpha anyway?

Billy finds her, or at least the back of her head, and he can’t help the excitement that after weeks of searching, he’s managed to get lucky and obtain a lead on her.

He talks to the security guard that walked her out. With a sleepy voice over the phone, the man tells him that she’s a frequent visitor to the museum on Fridays, and she doesn’t cause any trouble so he lets her stay a little after closing.

“She just likes looking at the pieces, and I can’t be mean to an omega as shy as her.”

Billy’s mouth twitches upward, amused at the biological imprint inside everyone to protect omegas. The men who’d done her a favour to deliver his coat had said near the same thing.

It had made him fond, of a sweet girl, that would no doubt be spooked if he showed up at her home unannounced. Even if he now had the means to trace her back to her home, he couldn’t take the risk. He had to play this right.

.

When you hear Edvard Munch’s The Scream is on display, you vibrate with excitement. Instead of going the opening week, you wait till your usual time the next Friday, when hopefully there’s much less of a crowd to contend with.

It’s not completely empty, but you’re okay with the sparse crowd, you smile, tiptoeing to peek over shoulders so that you can catch a sight of it before you’re at the front.

You love everything about it, the colour and the expressionism of it, you wonder how much the paint has faded over time. The little paragraph beside the painting describes an infinite scream, a universal anxiety, and you think you can almost feel that as you stare at it, the idea that you’re being watched sending a nervous thrill down your spine.

When you move away from the painting however, the feeling lingers. You take a deep breath, closing your eyes to shake the feeling, you don’t understand how a painting can have such an effect.

To clear your head, you find an impressionist nearby, Monet’s reflections of clouds on a lily pond, and you stand in front of it, letting out a long sigh.

When the distinct smell of bergamot hits you, you stiffen. 

Your heart squeezes into your throat, and you try to look around as casually as possible, betas turn to look at you as they scent your distress in the air. 

Did you feel like you were being watched- because you were actually being watched?

You take in another breath, and this time, you’re sure.

Cracked pepper, citrus- 

The alpha was here.

Someone says your name behind you, and you turn in fright.

There he was. Dressed down in casual clothes, trying to blend in with the people around him- as if an alpha as handsome as him ever could.

Billy Russo was devastatingly gorgeous up close.

But you were fucked.

Your eyes widen and you take a step back, knowing that this was definitely about stealing his coat. He would no doubt try to make you pay for cleaning- or worse yet- a new coat entirely.

Your body flushes with fear as you back away from him on shaky legs.

His head tilts as he watches you go, dark eyes caught on your retreating form.

“Don’t run, omega.” He says easily, taking a single stride as you back away, his presence looming over you, igniting something in your stomach like a match being struck.

You make a small sound in the back of your throat, and you do exactly what he says not to.

You run.

Well, not exactly.

More like a quick walk, looking back to see if he follows, you beeline for the bathroom, hoping to hide in there for a moment.

You groan, splashing your face with water, internally grumbling over what you've gotten yourself into.

You should have never grabbed that stupid coat with your stupid omega senses always searching for the right alpha. What did you think? That just because he’d had an amazing scent meant that he wanted to take care of you? 

No, he was probably going to scold you, and force you to pay him back, and you couldn’t afford three thousand for a coat. 

Your throat tightens in panic, your body flushes with fear.

You couldn’t think too much on what he would do if he caught you, all you needed to focus on right now, was getting away.

So you take a deep breath and you shed your jacket, tucking it under your arm and stepping out of the bathroom behind someone. 

There’s not a lot of people, but luckily you know the museum, and you take the most secluded paths that you doubt anyone unfamiliar to the museum would know of.

You sigh happily when you see the exit door in sight, making large meaningful steps, looking back every now and then. Behind you is empty, and you think that you might have actually lost him.

It sends a pang of sadness through you, but you shake your head to shove it away.

You look back once more when you push your way through the exit doors, making sure the path behind you is clear of any six foot alphas.

And you walk right into him.

You’re not sure it is at first, but his size and smell give it away. Your face is pressed securely to his chest, and his hands come up to grip your upper arms firmly.

You raise your head in panic, trying to wrench back from him.

“Relax omega, you’re not in any trouble, I promise.” He says, something in his voice that makes his words sound believable.

You whine in distress.

“Please, I’m sorry, I can’t afford to replace your coat. I shouldn’t have taken it.” You plead, voice wobbling with the struggle to speak under duress.

“Shh, little one, I’m not here to ask you for money.”

His words don’t register in your head, and you begin to cry. Thick swells of tears fall from the corners of your eyes.

“I can’t pay.” You struggle out in a tiny voice.

He grunts, his hands move to cup your face, your tears spilling onto his fingers instead.

“Omega.” He says meaningfully.

The command in his tone makes you look up at him, brain going quiet, the power of his voice catching your attention easily. His stern expression softens.

“I’m not here to make you pay for anything, and I promise you’re not in any trouble.”

You make a little sniffle.

“ ‘M not?” You ask weakly.

The corner of his mouth curves up.

“No, I just want to talk.” 

“Talk?” You repeat dumbly.

His thumbs trace over your cheekbones gently, a soft tingling sensation swims in your head and settles at the top of your spine. Your eyelids flutter as you watch him nod.

“I’ve been searching for you for weeks, omega, since you left me that coat drenched in your sweet scent, I haven’t had a clear thought since.”

You gulp.

“I’m sorry.” You whisper.

“Don’t be sorry just-” He squeezes his eyes shut as if he’s looking for the right words, “Have dinner with me. Tonight. My treat.”

You take a deep breath, eyes widening.

“I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.”

He lets out a swift breath, you worry that you might be aggravating him.

“What aren’t you sure about? Your safety?”

You feel your heart pick up its pace beneath your ribcage, tormenting your body with the feeling of panic.

You reach up, cupping his hands in yours and peeling them off your cheeks. 

“Alphas are… notorious for getting angry when they don’t get their way.” You reply anxiously, your hands uncurling from his, filled with so much trepidation. 

“I understand, but give me a chance to prove myself. There’s something between us, omega, you just have to open yourself up to it.”

You blink, stomach flipping as you debate your options.

You eye him warily, too afraid to say no, too scared of how he would react.

You take another step back, and his face looks pained, his body tense.

You shake your head, scared, taking another cautious step away.

“Please don’t run.” He says softly, it makes you pause.

Maybe… maybe a chance wouldn’t be so bad.

“What about lunch tomorrow?” Somewhere bright and public that would make you feel safer about being around him.

He lets out a slow breath.

“Lunch is great. Where?”

You think for a moment.

“We can meet right here, there’s a place not far from here with nice sandwiches.”

He inclines his head.

“Sandwiches are great.”

You give him a soft smile of amusement, still a little unsure.

“Okay, we’ll meet here tomorrow? Around 12?”

He nods, digging into his pockets for a moment before pulling a card out and extending it to you.

You blink, a little cautious, reaching for the obsidian coloured paper in his hand. You study the raised silver lettering, his name, his job title, his company.

“The one on the left is my cell. Let me know when you get here. If you want, we can look around the museum too.”

Something flips in your chest at the thought. You wonder what he thought of The Scream.

“No,” You mumble, shaking your head, “The museum is packed on a Saturday. I hate crowds.”

He nods in understanding.

“No crowds then, maybe we can take a walk in the park.”

“Maybe.” You reply, still a little unsure of this entire scenario.

“You're safe, Omega, I promise.”

You offer a sad smile.

“That's what they all say.”

.

He was going to kill every Alpha that had ever made you feel unsafe.

He sits in his car, after you'd denied his offer to at least take you home. 

Your scent fades where he'd touched you, his body demanding more. Apples, so fucking sweet his mouth waters. 

Halfway to his home, a text comes in from you, shyly informing him that you'd made it home.

He'd asked, wanted to make sure that you were safe as the late evening had turned to night.

He keeps it simple, types out a small message to put you at ease.

Thank you. Sweet dreams

.

.

.

A/N: Pretty sure y'all are gonna hate this. Sorry.

Also, just asking for more without leaving any kind of feedback makes me feel kinda used 😅

[littlemissmiller]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥

Pairing: billy the kid x fem!reader

Summary: you are a bartnder/saloon girl at a bar in town. when billy rides into town, he is absolutely in love with you, but takes it slow. one night you invite him home and he can’t resist you any longer

Warning: 21+ (drinking) fluff, smut, p in v, semi-rough sex (ass slapping), hickeys, oral (f receiving), aftercare, porn with a plot

Word count: 5.1k

A/N: hello friends :) first i just want to say thank you for the support! it has truly exceeded my expectations given i thought like three people were going to read my last two posts sooo thank you thank you thank you all! second, i was trying to get this out to y’all sooner, especially with season 2 being announced, but alas life be busy and i wanted to get this just right so here y’all go! a cute lil fluffy smutty billy moment. i hope to release more billy(and coryo) related content as well as other stuff soooo get excited ♥︎ ! p.s. there is a lil treat at the end ;)

Artwork

The moment you saw him ride into town, you knew you had to have him. You had seen a lot of cowboys come into town, handsome ones too. Something about Billy however, had you wondering about what the story was behind those mysterious eyes. His pretty blue eyes that pierced into your soul. He always looked at you so intently under the brim of his hat and would study you. Trying to figure you out just as much as you were with him. 

Billy became a regular at the saloon and would start to stay and wait for you to walk you home. It never went beyond that. He was such a gentleman, despite how easily you would have accepted him had he offered himself to you. Little did you know that he was being patient with you because he liked you so much. His last encounter with a woman ended up being a short and fast heartbreak, which pained him at the time and made himself feel like a fool in the long term. So he had swore to himself the next time he had the inclination to want someone he thought was good enough for love, he wouldn’t rush it. He didn’t want to scare you off like the precious creature you were to him. 

One morning you can’t stop thinking about him on the way to the market. Your sister was coming into town with her family and you had a big dinner to plan. As you arrived at the market, you were greeted by a familiar face. 

“Well good morning, darling” Billy stated tipping his hat “What brings you into town so early?” 

“Could ask you the same” you smiled “I need groceries”

“New rope for cattle ranching. Could I offer you any assistance sweetheart?”

Your heart fluttered at the pet names and your face went flush. You felt hot, your corset somehow becoming tighter, and your stomach nearly dropped. You nervously tucked your hair behind your ear. 

“Well if you insist” you quipped back

Billy held your basket for you as you shopped. He eventually obtained his rope and the pair bought their goods and were on their way. Of course, Billy offered you a ride home, despite the short distance. You rode on his horse as he rode with you behind him. You loved the feeling of being able to grip onto his waist like this. A seemingly innocent action that you reveled in. And with being this close to him, you happily took in the scent of gunpowder and fresh pine wood that wafted from his shirt. He would occasionally glance over his shoulder to sneak a look at you. He smiled to himself at how pretty your eyes looked as you held onto him tightly, your basket of groceries tucked in your elbow. They arrived soon enough at your home and Billy assisted you inside. 

“Well thank you Billy. Always willing to help me ain’t ya.” You smiled sweetly at him. The kind of smile that made Billy loose his thoughts. Your big doe eyes once again captured his attention. 

“Of course. A lady like yourself deserves all the help in the world.”

“Why are you sweeting me up like I’m hot tea William Bonney?” 

“Maybe because you are sweet. Like honey.” He smiled back, taking a step closer to you. This time, sensing your nerves, he pushed your hair back behind your  ear. 

“So what is all this food for anyways. Not that I would judge but it seems like a lot for a women who lives alone.”

“Got family coming in. They’ll be wanting a nice meal the first night at least.” You explained lightly gripping his bicep, rubbing his arm with your thumb. 

“And I reckon you’ll need some help cooking that. Don’t you think?” 

Normally you wouldn’t need the help. Especially since you enjoyed to cook and was very picky about who was in your kitchen. But with Billy asking, how could you say no.

“You don’t have somewhere better to be” she teased 

“Where else better to be than with you. Besides just so happens I’m free all day, sugar.” 

“Well then, I suppose I better keep ya busy. But I ain’t no nice cook. You’re going have to listen to me” you instructed 

“Yes ma’am” he agreed 

The two spent the whole day preparing the meal for later that evening. Billy practically danced around you all day. Using any excuse to get close to you. Whether it was reaching across you to grab a cutting knife or touching your lower back when he had a question about something, he was as bold as a man could be without crossing the line too much. Not that you didn’t want him to. His actions were more than welcomed and excited you each time he said “pardon me darling” or “I got another silly question for you dear”. 

With Billy’s help, preparations took half the time it usually would. You poured a glass of whiskey for you both, as they finished the last of the preparations. 

“Well I think this is well deserved. Thanks again for all the help.” 

“Anytime. Thanks for the drink.” He smiled

“It’s the least I could do Billy.” 

“Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair before your family shows up.” He announced, taking a sip of his drink

“Oh don’t feel rushed.” You reassured 

“I don’t want to overstay my welcome darling. Don’t worry about it.”  

He finished his drink and you insist on pouring him one more, just to keep him longer. He thanked you once again for the drink, tipped his hat to you, then was on his way. He gave you one last smile over his shoulder and was off back to the ranch. 

Once your sister arrived, you found it hard to concentrate on the joy of seeing your family. They were only in town for the weekend, on their way to visit your brother-in-law’s family two towns over. As excited as you were to see your sister, nephew and brother-in-law, your mind was elsewhere. And your sister noticed. 

“Hey, you seem distant. Is everything alright?” 

“Yes. Just lost in thought.” 

“Lost in thought about what pray tell?” Your sister asks

“A man” you whispered 

“You’re finally seeing someone?” Your sister, asked suspicious yet hopeful. 

“Not really. I’d like to. I sure do fancy him.” You admitted 

“Does he fancy you?” 

“Seems to.” You guessed “I tried to make him stay and dine with us but he was too polite”

“He was here?” Your sister perked up

“He helped prepare the meal.” 

“Did he now? A gentleman and a cook”

You rolled her eyes. “You know I didn’t let him get anywhere near the oven. He washed and chopped some vegetables. And helped season the beef cuts. 

“What a fine young man nonetheless” Your sister smiled

The rest of the evening went by. You’re sister, her husband and their son stayed until about 8 o’clock. After they left, you went upstairs and prepared yourself for bed. You changed into a white nightgown, and your long hair falls out of your neat, tight bun. As you brushed it out at your vanity, your attention wondered back to your favorite cowboy. You couldn’t help but wonder what he could be getting up to at the moment. You desperately wished that somehow he would want to find his way back to your doorstep and come stay the night with you. You didn’t care if that was too unbecoming of a proper lady. You wanted him. 

The next morning when you woke up, you headed off to see how your sister and their family were settling in for the weekend. They had rented a room at a boarding house at the end of town, you got ready and made it out the door. Once she arrived, her sister was already sat down at breakfast with her son and husband. They spotted her and invited her to join them. Another patron entered the bar and you turned to briefly look who it was. As he entered, Billy looked around for a seat and spotted you. He smiled, tipped his hat, and strode over to the bar where he took a seat. 

“Is that him?” She asked and you nodded

“My word ain’t he handsome.” You’re sister exclaimed 

“He looks familiar…” your sister’s husband noted as he peered at him 

“That’s just because a pretty face like his stands out.” You’re sister smiled at you 

The rest of the day you, along with your sister’s family, shopped for some new shirts for your nephew, some new dresses for herself, and you’re sister insisted on buying one for you to impress Billy. 

“Come on! What about this blue one?” She exclaimed

She held up the dress and you examined it. It was long, ruffled, and had a square neckline that was laced in white trim. It was pretty, but something else caught your eye. A purple dress, with a sweetheart neckline. The sleeves were short, puffed out and the waist was made to look like a corset, tying snugly in the front. 

“If you’re gonna get me a dress to impress Billy, then this is the one I want” You declared, striding over to the dress and showing it off to your sister. 

Your sister bought you the dress and you accompanied her family back to the room they were staying in. You tried on the dress, which fit you perfectly. Your sister was practically gawking at you, in awe at how beautiful you looked in it. 

“You’re so beautiful” you’re sister exclaimed 

“As are you.” You rolled your eyes

“Not as beautiful as you look right now!” Your sister protested. “He’s going to love it” she whispered. 

Your sister and her family left the next morning to see her husband’s parents. You bid her a goodbye and watched as she rode out of town. You decided to head into the boarding house for a quick breakfast. You enjoyed a plate of eggs and ham alone, paid, and headed back home. 

“Family left this morning I see!”  Billy’s voice called out to you as you stepped out of the boarding house. You whipped your head around to look at him and smiled. He was hauling two jugs of water over his back with the intention of hooking them up to his horse to bring back to the ranch. You walked towards him and he set the jugs down next to his horse. He grabbed a torn up towel from his hip and wiped the sweat from his brow. From this distance, you could see that he had already spent a hard morning working. His face was dirty, his handsome features almost hidden. 

“They did. Thanks for all your help again the other day.”

“Of course. Anything for you darling.” He smiled 

“You know I was thinking I really wish you had joined us the other night for dinner. They would have loved your company I’m sure.” You smiled back 

“It’s fine. Don’t want to intrude.”

“Well I want to make it up to you regardless. Are you free tonight?” You asked tentatively 

“I can be. Why?” He asks, taking curious steps toward you

“Well I was thinking maybe tonight you could stop by and actually have dinner. Now that everyone is gone. I thought it could be just us?” You suggested 

“That’s sounds lovely darling. I get done at the ranch at sundown. I’ll swing by after. How does that sound?” He asked with a light grip under your chin. He rubbed it in between his thumb and forefinger, smiling at you  lovingly. 

You nodded, but Billy held his grip on you. He spoke up again. “That ok?”

“Yes. I’ll see you after sundown.” You spoke up 

You silently begged for him to kiss you. You wanted to taste his lips, his salty sweat, and his tongue dancing with your own. You decided to be somewhat bold and also get a taste of what you wanted. You kissed his cheek, savoring his soft, slightly dusty flesh against your lips. 

“Don’t be too late now.” You whispered into his ear. You pulled back before he had a chance to take any action. As much as you wanted to kiss him, you wanted to leave him wanting more. 

You rushed home enthusiastically. You spent the rest of the day cleaning your house and making cornbread for dinner. You had some extra cuts of steak from dinner the other night and decided it would pair nicely with some potatoes, and would make a steak and potato stew, which you knew how to season just right. You were nervous, wanting everything to be perfect for him. Thankfully, you prepared for his arrival with just enough time. After putting the cornbread in the oven, and keeping the stew on a low simmer, you went to take a bath. You bathed and shaved your body. Not that you were expecting anything to happen between you and Billy tonight, but you weren’t sure what type of man he really was. How badly did Billy desire you too? You supposed you’d find out tonight. 

After your bath, you adorned the purple dress you had bought with your sister. You admired yourself in the mirror and picked out a purple silk bow to match. You tied your hair half up with it and gave yourself one last look in the mirror. You were absolutely adorable and you knew it. Finally you heard a long awaited knock on your door and scurried over to answer it. 

Billy stood in your doorway, nervously straightening up his vest and looking down at the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand. 

“Mr. Bonney. Glad you didn’t keep a lady waiting too long. Please come in” You invited him, giving him a girlish smile

“Of course not. These are for you.” He replied handing you the flowers. You gladly took them and he watched your expression as you did, noting how cute you looked as your lips curled up into a wider smile.

“Always such a gentleman. Can I get you a drink?” You asked

“A whiskey would be great.” 

You poured him a glass of the brown liquor and he took it as he sat down on your couch. 

“You seem like you had a long day.” You remarked 

“I did. But glad that you invited me over. Makes it worthwhile.” 

“Then I should invite you over more often” 

“You should.” He agreed, taking a sip of his drink. 

You poured yourself your own glass and joined Billy on the couch. You scooted close to him, your knees barely grazing. 

“So…” he started pushing your hair behind your ears. “Tell me about your day.” 

“It wasn’t anything special. Just spent the whole day getting things ready for this handsome cowboy.” You whispered knowingly 

“Oh really? Sounds like you were working hard too hmm?” He remarks 

“Not too hard. As long as he likes my cornbread then it will all be worth it.” You smirked 

“I’m sure he will.” 

You sipped on your whiskey without taking your eyes away from the piercing blue ones in front of you. You batted your eyes at him and moved closer. Just as you felt as if you’re about to lose yourself in his eyes, the smell of cornbread fills the room, indicating that it was done. You excused yourself and took them out of the oven. You also take the opportunity, while you are up, to completely turn off the oven and blew out the flame under the stew so it doesn’t boil over. You walk back to him, sitting even closer. 

“Hungry?” You ask

“I-I hate to be rude but…” Billy started leaning in closer. “I just…Can I please kiss you darling?” 

You nodded and closed your eyes in anticipation, but Billy needed verbal permission from you. To hear it, to make sure that it’s what you wanted from him. He didn’t move in, but simply danced his thumb over your lower lip, waiting for you to speak. 

“Yes Billy, please kiss me.” You gasped 

He swooped in, capturing your mouth. He held your chin delicately in his hand, tilting your face up more. He kissed you deeply, not wanting to break away. He finally had you. Finally got to feel you in some way and he wanted more. Damned be any dinner, despite his hunger he felt, he was hungry for something else. He moved his lips with your own, hoping that his movements didn’t come off as too needy. Just before he pulled back entirely, he placed a few sweet, quick pecks to your lips then, he smiled at you. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for that.” He remarked 

“As have I” you breathed 

Billy dove back in. His soft lips danced with yours again. He cupped your face fully, eliciting a moan against his mouth that made him smirk in satisfaction. His thumbs caressed your cheeks, touching you as if you were made of glass. He was in awe of the moment he found himself in. Having you all to himself like this was exhilarating. You moved to straddle him, your dress pushing up against your thighs as you did. Billy splayed his hands over your newly exposed skin, inhaling sharply as he touched you. You were soft, legs freshly shaved during your bath, which Billy noticed. He snaked his fingers through your hair and admired you on his lap like this. It made his length twitch against your core. 

“Billy, ain’t you hungry?” You asked softly 

“I’m starving sweetheart, but I’m only hungry for one thing at the moment.” 

Billy recaptured your lips, pressing his firmly against your own. He continued to cup your face, holding you like he never wanted to let you go. You sighed into him and rolled your hips against his crotch. He moaned at your actions and sprung into action. Billy moved to stand, gripping your ass, hoisting you up. You gasped as he moved, clinging to him. He loved the way you held him and loved that he was strong enough to hold you like he was. It made his chest swell with pride. 

“Where is-“ Billy started 

“To the left” you huffed 

Billy carried you to your bedroom, kicking the door behind him and tossing you onto the bed. He stood at the edge of the bed, pulling his suspenders off his shoulders, all the while never breaking eye contact with the beautiful girl in front of him. He smirked as you stared up at him, gawking in awe. You slowly sat up until you were on your knees. You placed your hands around the sides of his neck as he snaked his own behind your back. He was quick to untie the thin string that held your dress up. It fell past your shoulders and you gasped at the cool sensation of the room. He brushed the rest of your dress down, revealing your bare breasts to him. He dove in, groping them and massaging them, while he pressed deliberate kisses to your chest. The soft mounds of skin fit perfectly in his hands. Both hands giving you the amount of attention and pleasure you deserved. 

You arched your back at the sensation, shoving your chest further into his face, which Billy very much enjoyed. He continued kissing your chest fervently. Feeling bold and drowning in lust, Billy started to leave marks all over your chest. He sucked and bit down on your flesh, causing you to mewl.

“Billy” you whispered 

Billy gave your chest a few quick kisses before pushing you back onto the bed. He undid the buttons of his shirt before tossing it off. He climbed back on top of you. He stroked the side of your face gently, admiring the pretty girl below him. He glanced down to your chest, equally admiring your bruises. He slipped the rest of your dress off, stripping you of everything. Bare before him, you felt timid and vulnerable. You had been with men before. A few men in town had fancied you, but also fancied other girls at the same time. As you laid under the handsome cowboy, you were utterly breathless and anticipatory.  Billy splayed  his hands over your stomach, grabbing the fat of your hips.  

“So gorgeous like this. More beautiful than I imagined.” 

“You imagined me like this?” 

“From time to time. I just couldn’t help myself darling.” 

You gasped with a small smirk at the confession. The feeling of being wanted in that way made your core throb. Billy had imagined you like this several times in fact. He would imagine you bare for him as you are now, begging for him to touch you, taste your sweetness, and the feeling of you around his cock. Billy found himself more and more thinking about you in such an intimate way. He couldn’t help but get off to the idea of you. And now he had you all to himself, caged in under him. He palmed his now hard, aching cock through his pants. 

“What else did you imagine…with me?” you whispered 

He cocked his head, his jaw going slack as he looked at you with amusement. He leaned back down and kissed your cheek. 

“Why don’t I just show you?” 

You bit your lip in anticipation. Billy began to kiss down your body, each kiss feather light and delicate. You were sensitive to his touch, flinching slightly as each kiss landed on you. When he reached your hip bone he sucked down to leave another scandalous mark. You shuttered at his actions, and slithered your fingers through his hair.  He finally made his way down, down, down, until he reached your thighs. He spread your legs apart, roughly and greedily groping the meaty flesh. He began to suck. The idea of marking you up so much drove him crazy. He liked leaving you with the small reminders of the pleasure he gave you. 

“Billy!” You gasped “why you leaving so many marks on me?” You raked your fingers through his chocolate brown waves and gave him a curious look. 

“You wanted to know what I was thinking about when I was getting off to you right?” 

She nodded her head. 

“I thought of you branded like this. I just want you to remember every spot I touched you at. So you know this ain’t no dream.” 

Lazily, you nodded your head. His lips trailed closer and closer to your core. He glances up at you for approval and you nod. Billy moves his mouth to capture your wetness. He lapped you up, his lips practically making out with your sweetness. Your hips moved in his face slightly. You couldn’t help it, the pleasure he brought you was overwhelming. Billy didn’t seem to mind too much however and you became aware of how much he was enjoying you. 

“Christ Billy, I’ve never been with a man who loved to taste a woman this much.” 

Billy pulls away with a gasp, looking up at you with the most dazed out look in his eyes. As he smirked, you noticed how wet his mouth is covered in your juices. 

“That’s cause they ain’t real men, sugar.” He gave the inside of your thigh a few sloppy kisses, resting his head against it. He groped the soft skin greedily. He trailed his fingers over your clit, rubbing gently on the sensitive bundle of nerves. You cooed at him, squirming slightly. He grinned against you. 

“You gonna let me keep tasting you then?” 

You nodded your head and he kissed your clit. His passion overtook him as he sucked and swirled his tongue on your core. You watched him, transfixed on the way his mouth moved against you. You let out a few shaky breaths, gripping his hair harder. Your head fell against your pillow and you let your body unwind. As he ate you out, all you could do was moan and grind against his face. Billy did truly love tasing a woman like this. Especially a woman such as yourself. The sweetness, how wet they got. How their thighs would quiver around his cheeks. He loved it. Which is exactly what he loved when he was pleasing you. Especially the way in which you fell apart under his tongue. Billy was satisfied watching you like this. But he craved more. As did you. He pressed a few more fervent kisses to your slit then pulled away. He crawled up on his knees. 

Billy worked feverishly to undo his belt, his hand trembling slightly. He quickly wriggled out of his pants, taking his boxers with him. Grabbing the base of his cock, Billy lined himself up with your slit. You moaned as he coated himself in your wetness, diving into your weeping entrance. Billy pressed in slowly, then bottoming out. He took a moment to feel you around him before he began to move his hips. 

Lust over took his sensibilities and all he wanted to do was keep you here, caged under him, inside you all night. Billy quickened his pace at the thought. His actions elicited beautiful moans that rolled off your lips. Billy reveled in the fact that he could play you like a guitar as you continued to let him know how good he felt. A devilish grin curled up in the corner of his lips and he scoffed in amusement.

“Oh my god you’re so beautiful.” he whispered gently 

 He looked down at you with curiosity and amazement. He wondered just what else he could do to you. What else he could coax out of you. He trailed his hand down your stomach until his thumb was pressed firmly on your needy clit. He rubbed tight circles, enjoying you as you writhed, once again, under his touch. He did his best to keep your back on the bed, pressing a hand to your pelvis. The movement of his thumb was almost overwhelming. You were completely under his control, despite the seemingly involuntary movements of your hips bucking up against his hand. 

“S-s-so good Billy. Please just like that.” You groaned as he sat up on his knees, readjusting his angle. 

He gripped your ankles and tossed them on his shoulder. He kissed down your ankle and along your calf. You decided to take some control and moved your hips with his rhythm as he pumped into you. He ducked his head down, squeezed his eyes and let out a groan. His jaw went slack and he glared down at you. He slowed down his movement and tossed your legs back down on the bed. You gasped in confusion. Billy let a knowing grin sit on his face as he maneuvered your hips and waist, flipping you on your stomach. He kissed your shoulder and down your back, each kiss sending an electric current up your spine and shoulder blade. Then, with one hand on your upper back, he lowered you down. 

Billy adjusted you so you were on perfect display for him. He admired your perfect, round little ass perked up for him. He slipped back into you, pulling your hips toward his. He gripped onto your waist with one hand and gave your ass a firm slap with the other. You yelped and Billy gave you another one. He wasted no time moving inside you at a quick, tempered pace. He knew he wasn’t going to last much longer, so he simply enjoyed the view and fucked you with a satisfied grin on his face. You squirmed and whined under him. You could feel yourself becoming undone. His free hand wandered down your spine, tracing your body to memory. His touch was toxic, his fingers felt like fire. He continued to rock into you. He loved the way you bounced against him, and he filled you up so good too. 

Your collective moans filled the room, and soon enough Billy was pulling out and readjusting you one last time. He made you stand up for a moment while he crawled under you. He rested his head against the headboard and patted his thighs. You nodded your head, swinging your legs around his waist. You slowly sank onto his cock, your ass landing down with a small plop. You bit your lip and watched Billy’s face melt into pure ecstasy as you rode him. He loved having your breasts bounce in his face like this. He groped them and sucked them as you continued taking him. You tried to steady yourself on him, cupping his face as you rocked your hips. You lean in and kiss him, his lips felt hot and dangerous now. His hands travel up your back, holding you close to him. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted this.” He panted “How long I’ve wanted you.” 

All you could do is nod. He smiled, and returned your lips back to his own. He held your hips and began to move them a bit faster. He was close and so were you. Your stomach began to tighten, your legs felt weak and before you knew it you were shaking around him. Billy pulls his face away to watch you. He gawked at your fucked out form on top of him. It nearly sent him over the edge. A few more hard bounces and he was spent. Billy spilled himself inside you, panting as you tamed your breathing. 

“Fuck.” He groaned sharply. 

You both settled down from your high, breathing in sync as you rested your sweaty forehead against his. He kissed your jaw and cheek, regaining his composure. You chanted his name like a prayer, whispering it into his ear. 

“Mmm yes baby?”

“Th-that was so good. You’re so good.”

He nodded in agreement and kissed you once again before he spoke. 

“Say darling, would it be too forward of me to ask to spend the night?” He asked

“I would want nothing more than to share my bed with you Mr. Bonney” you smirked

“You sure doll? I know how townsfolk like to gossip and peg beautiful women such as yourself with such nasty names. I just want to be sure-“ he started but you cut him off with a deep, passionate kiss

“Does that answer your question?” 

He nodded lazily, a goofy, boyish smile planted on his face. With that he stayed. You crawled off his lap and the pair settled under the sheets. He held you in his arms, playing with your hair until you fell asleep. He kissed your forehead occasionally as you slept, continuing to stroke your hair, until sleep found him as well and he rested his head against yours, holding you close all night long. 

꧁🝮❤︎︎🝮꧂

Artwork

[cherry-pop-elf]

Unleashed

Bill Weasley x Reader

You decided to be a good partner and see your boyfriend Bill. You heard he was on vacation from Gringotts, and knew he would be at the beach side house. There was just one problem. The Goblins give him those vacations for more than just keeping his mental health strong. He had one at the end of every month, and the day you arrived was when the moon was out

18+, Dubious Consent ((Not really but respect people who aren’t into that!)) Breeding, Gender Neutral Anatomy Scratching, Biting, blood play, overstimulation uncanny valley, werewolf stuff in general, after care, disabled talk, crying, fluff

Commissions Open

“Oh Billy~!” You sung, as you stepped out of the fire place. You were so excited. Your boyfriend was on vacation, and that meant you could hound him with kisses and cuddles. As a Curse Breaker, he needed to make sure his mental health was strong and in check. Unless the curses consume him. That meant the Goblins made sure he got plenty of vacation days. Even a week off at the end of every month!

“Come on out you big ole dog. I know you are here.” You giggle, as you set your bag on the couch. Now where did your boyfriend go? You would hurry to the porch of the house. Leaning over the railing, and admiring the beautiful view. It was just stunning. The salt air against your skin, the cool water under the stars, oh it was like out of a fairy tale. Made you understand why he loved the beach so much.

“Oh to live here.” You sighed, as you looked to the sky. Admiring the clouds, as they rolled by. As they moved, you furrowed your brow. Was the moon full? You squinted, as you leaned over the railing more. Trying so hard to get a better view. As you did, there would suddenly be a warm presence behind you.

“There’s my Habibi.” You would hear, growled into your ear, as hands would grab at the railing. You were pinned against it, as you saw the clouds shift. The moon was full, and glimmering so vividly. Right against the water, and causing the world to be casted in a nearly blue glow. It’s a full moon, and your boyfriend had you pinned.

“Way to go, dumbass-“ You muttered to yourself. William wasn’t a real werewolf. Given his curse breaking job, he held an almost immunity of sorts. He wasn’t like his uncle Lupin. He didn’t have a proper transformation. He did have little habits, like eating raw meat. Just small things. He did get paranoid though. Always avoiding everyone when the moon was full. Seems like tonight will be a night to test some theories.

“You smell so good-“ He sighed, as he would nuzzle his scared up nose into your neck. His body grinding into yours, as he kept you trapped. You swore his skin seemed paler than normal, from looking at his hands. You did your best to turn your head, and his normally straight hair was in thick waves. As if fur that was dense around him. The way his eyes stared into you. Well, eye.

After his attack from Greyback, he lost a large amount of his face. Leaving his teeth exposed, and missing an eye. One that Uncle Moody replaced with one of his old ones. So the two brown eyes never quite matched. You didn’t find him ugly for having one eye, missing an eye lip, exposed teeth, or even how the scars cut into his hair line. You weren’t there just for his looks. He’s your Bill. Seems tonight you’ll be his trophy.

“You taste so good-“ He added on, as he ran his tongue across your neck. The way his working eye’s pupil was blown out. As if on some kind of drug, and you were the supplier. His body was just burning up so badly, as he held you tightly. That’s when it registered he was naked. You’ve seen such many times before, but now felt so different. Despite being the werewolf, this was still a vulnerable position he was in.

“You in there, Billy?” You asked, but not in fear. He was clearly showing signs you were mated, and he couldn’t infect you from the fact he wasn’t properly turned. You were never in real danger, and you knew this was beyond his control anyhow. You knew this would be something you would deal with. Every time the full moon was close, he always got more primal anyway. You were prepared, and never afraid. Seemed like he could smell your lack of fear, and that had him excited.

“Hm-?” He hardly recognized you were talking at all, as he was just grinding his crotch on your ass. Like the dog in heat that he was. “That answered that-“ You muttered, as you looked around. It was in a private area, sure, but you much rather no risk someone thinking you were being assaulted.

“Come here boy-! Come on-!” You whistled, as you quickly ducked under his arms. Just narrowly slipping out, and leaving him confused on where you went. He was quick to turn around, and watched as you started to take your top off. A means to lure him back into the house. Seemed to work beautifully, as he was quick to hurry back inside. Nearly tackling you down.

“WOAH WOAH-!” Hardly had another thought, before he was tearing your clothes off like paper. Did his nails get longer? You swore you could feel thin lines over your body already. Had a sting, but you knew he wasn’t trying to actually hurt you. It was just caught in the cross fire.

“Oh you are fiesty-“ You admit, as he was just devouring you. His tongue tracing over your chest, and drinking you in. You wondered if he was only acting like this because you were a couple. That because his mate showed up he went feral. You won’t lie, that made you feel really special. That even the wolf in his head was madly in love with you. Had you blushing more then the way his tongue felt so rough on your skin.

“I need you, so badly-“ He was panting already, as he was spreading your legs wide. You covered your mouth, as you looked up to him. You swore he looked like a god. The way the moon was casting around him, like some kind of wisp outline. The way the stars sparkled through his burning hair. Looking like the gods he’s talked about, when he used to live in Egypt. You were falling in love all over again.

“All mine. You are all mine.” He repeated, as his nails dug into your ankles. As if to mark you from head to toe. You were soon feeling the burn in your thighs, as he forced your legs towards you. Maybe taking up yoga with Luna was a smart idea, because wow was this pulling muscles you didn’t even know you had.

“All yours. I’m all yours, big boy.” You nodded, as that made your boyfriend give an eerie sight. With only half his face working, it made all his features so much more strange. How his smile was curled so high, and teeth so sharp. The way his working pupil was staring through you, as drool was dripping out of his exposed teeth. He was starving for you, and it was almost easy to forget there was a human inside of that devilish grin.

“And never forget it, Habibi.” He warned, before you suddenly felt his cock slam inside of you. It burned, and stretched you wide. Your head was spinning, as he was already snapping his hips into yours. Not leaving any room to breathe, as he had to make sure he breed you. If there wasn’t a way to knock you up, he’s gonna try anyway. The wolf in him didn’t care if it was possible or not. He just had to claim.

“Oh William-!” You moaned, as your fingers pulled at the carpet under you. Feeling how your legs were soon resting on his shoulders, as his own hands were tearing at the fur on the ground. Leaving deep lashes, as if the human in him was trying to make sure you weren’t in its war path. Bill was still in there, and you knew he was fighting. Maybe he shouldn’t.

“B-Billy….It’s ok-“ You begin, as you reached a hand up to his face. “I like this….I l-like it a lot.” You smiled, as you swore you saw something flicker in his working eye. Something human again. “Let it happen. Let go. I’ll be ok.” You hushed, as you traced his scars with your thumb. To try and let him finally let go. He’s constantly been holding back. He’s never been allowed to not be ok. He’s the eldest brother. He’s had to much weight on his shoulders. He deserves to let loose.

“Habibi….” His voice trailed, before you forced him to kiss you. To truly let him know you’ll be ok. Time seems to freeze, before he let himself go. He returned the kiss, before his claws were firm on your thighs. Sinking into the flesh, and leaving red lines. You whined, but were quickly cut off by the sharp smack of your hips.

“Fuck fuck fuck-“ You couldn’t stop yourself from whimpering, as he was soon sinking his teeth into your neck. You weren’t dreaming it, his teeth did get sharper. He was truly treating you like a chew toy, and you didn’t mind. Your Billy was always so anxious about hurting you, but now he finally had an excuse to let go. You love his gentle side, but getting frisky is always adored.

“Oh William-“ You moaned his name, as he was fucking you into the floor. You swore he would break through, with how rough he was being. Might break your back, but you didn’t care. You were loving the mixture of pain and pleasure. How he would rub your nerves just right, whenever he bit into you to deep. As if his human half was fighting his wolf half.

“AH-! WILLIAM-!” Your head was thrown back, as you were quick to climax. Your body shaking, but he wasn’t stopping. He wasn’t going to stop until he was satisfied. How long would it take for him to feel release? You didn’t know. You just knew you were sobbing, as your body was trembling at the next climax already building up.

You didn’t know how many times you came, but it was all becoming a blur. Was just blood, sweat, and tears. And you were loving it. Just nothing but meat to satisfy. The bliss of turning your brain off, and just be nothing but owned by your lover. To be covered in markings, and showing anyone who saw you that you were off the market.

What finally brought you back to reality was the howl. He out right howled. You could feel your insides being pumped so full of his seed. You swore you came again from it. His voice was just echoing, as he had claimed you. Inside, and out. Was such a wonderful warmth. You felt so satisfied with it. Was making you fall asleep so peacefully. All to the nursing licks of your boyfriend.

You swore you hadn’t slept that good in ages. It was a hard sleep. A good long one, that had you feeling refreshed. If not for all the pains and aches in your body. That was what woke you up, compared to the summer sun light. Creeping in through the bedroom curtains. Seemed like someone tried to keep them closed, but it slipped through.

You, slowly, sat up. As you did, you could feel bandages all over you. Along with a sweet smell of flowers on the bedside table. You looked over, and saw that poor Bill was pampering you. Feeling so guilty from last night. Flowers, chocolates, sweets, little things that you enjoyed. Along with a little note.

“Sorry: William”

You chuckled, as you set the note aside. With the covers off, you looked yourself over. Every wound was patched, and you were covered in bruises and hickies. Made you a little giddy, you couldn’t lie. So many people would kill to have a werewolf boyfriend. You felt so smug, and wanted to proudly show them off. But first, William needed to be cared for.

After every full moon, he would suffer extreme muscle fatigue. His bones were literally breaking and re breaking after all. Your muscles don’t feel so good after that. Along with other issues. Chronic pain, exhaustion, and just over all trouble walking. It normally passes after a day or two. Hence why the goblins give him that week break. So he can recover. You even went as far as to pick up books about werewolves, and spoke to Uncle Lupin. You may not feel his pain, but you damn well will try and help.

“Willy-?” You called, as you were safe in a bath robe. There you found him. Barely awake, on the couch. His hair a mangled mess, and his body visibly throbbing. The muscle spasms were kicking in. Kicking in bad. You tsked, as you accioed a comb. Soon you were on the couch with him. Forcing him to sit up, and you would nurse at his hair.

“I-“ But you cut him off. “I already know what you are going to say, Mr. This is a disability. One that I know 100% about when I was going to date you. I knew what I was signing up for. I also could have very well floo my way out, or even attacked you with chains. Since you aren’t a full werewolf. We’ve been over this.” You kissed his cheek, as you would brush through his hair. A means to let him have some mercy.

“I love you. Disability or not. You just need a little extra help, now and again. That’s ok.” You reassured, as you began to braid his hair. That way it didn’t get tangled for a while. “Besides, I had fun.” You tease, as you laid on the couch. Forcing his head on your chest, as his legs would kick from the muscle spasms.

“What did I do to deserve you?” He asked, as he looked up. That big, beautiful, brown eye. So full of love. “By being you~” You reassured him, as you would rub over his shoulder. He was soon cuddling into you, as you both shared a lazy morning.

Least now you both knew what to do together next full moon. Have a few potions, a med kit, with a bottle of wine. That’s a date night for you two. Unconventional? Yes. Just right for you two? Damn right. He’s a Weasley. You really expected things to be normal? Normals boring anyway.

[yup-thats-me]

—memories• William J. Moriarty

paring: William x wife!reader summary: Hair holds memories. Something that William had said in the past. did it mean anything to his darling wife? yes. more than he could imagine. warning: hurt/comfort, manga spoiler, angsty, rapunzle-hair, like lots and lots of hair. a/n: this came to mind while doing my haircare. Enjoy.

The first thing William had looked for immediately after entering the mansion and sharing brief greetings with his dear brothers and comrades was to ask them about his wife. During his time in New York with his now close friends Billy and Sherlock Holmes for the better half of three years, he had never forgotten the treasure he left behind in London; the treasure he was forced to part from���his darling wife, Y/n; she had stayed by his side when the world had mistaken him, misunderstood all the crimes he patriotically committed; measures needed for the greater good.

Not once could he stop his tears nor the hurt that crushed his entire being when he thought how miserable Y/n was. After all, everyone believed Lord of Crime, William James Moriarty was dead.

He did not expect to see the heads of all the people in the hall droop. Some of them had sighed, and some of them could not meet his eyes.

“Where is my wife?” he had asked again, growing impatient. He had frankly believed that Y/n would have moved on by now and perhaps jumped in his embrace the moment he revealed himself to the MI6. He was more worried than disappointed.

It was Louis who spoke up. “She’s in her—your room…” but he did not finish the sentence.

And William did not need him to. Without wasting another second, he rushed up the stairs through the all familiar halls; his feet did not stop, not until he was standing outside of their room; and the scene before him broke his heart to a million pieces.

The moonlight dimly illuminated the room, as if adding life to the atmosphere. There were no sound save one—the soft humming coming from the open balcony.

William had carefully treaded his way to where Y/n was sitting with her back towards the door.. However, his feet stepped on something dark, long. Hair.

Was this Y/n’s hair? How did this get so long? Was this some kind of rope? Why would she grow out her hair? Unless…

“I like your hair, my love,” a youthful and lively Moriarty declared as he played with his wife’s lose hair. The woman blushed, hiding her face with the book she was reading.

“…then should I grow out my hair?”

The man shook his head, a loving smile on his lips. “Whatever you wish, darling,” he had pecked her lips. “Speaking of hair, I read somewhere,”

“Hair holds memories.”

The present-day Y/n asked her hair as she combed it without a care in the world. “Do you think he had a rebirth? No. Maybe he went to heaven…if it exists. He was a good man…”

William’s heart ached. Ached he could do nothing to make up for the pain he inflicted on her. Ached for he had no words to apologize with, nor the face. All he could do was call out to her, in a soft, trembling voice.

“Y/n, darling…”

 Y/n had stopped her humming and looked out at the night sky before her. “William?”

She thought she had finally lost her mind. How could you hear voices of dead people? That was nothing but her imagination. Imagination where William lived…and was before her.  

“Darling,” William called out again, now walking towards the woman.

Y/n stood up, frantically looking all around her to search for the source of the voice, when her eyes finally landed on him. There he was, standing with his arms wide open for her; like he always had.

She cautiously walked towards him, as if still making sure she was not daydreaming again. “Are you really here?” She had asked while she gently caressed his face.

Without a word, William had embraced her and held her close. So close but still not enough. It was not enough for the two. They needed more than touch, more than words. They needed more.  

Eventually, the two could not hold back anymore and cried. Cried for the hurt they felt, the hardships they went through, and the pain they suffered; but also for the immense joy they felt. Especially Y/n. How many people in this world could say they met the person they had lost to time? It was no less than a miracle. And this time she would not let go, even if the gods came asking for him.

But all of that could wait. William gently held her meter-long hair and asked, “…why?”

She had kept quiet for sometime when she at last said “…hair holds memories.”

The tears did not stop, rather they increased but William still had that gentle smile on his lips. He hugged her yet again. Slowly, he grabbed the small knife he always hid in his socks and began to cut the thick hair gently, while whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

“Now I’m here. We will make more.”

Memories.

do not steal, copy or translate my work to any other site. All belongs to yup-thats-me™ on tumblr

[hooked-on-elvis]

ELVIS interviewed during filming of 'Change of Habit'

— AMONG OTHER THINGS, YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT HOW ELVIS DID SOME IMPROVISATION IN HIS LINES FOR THE MOVIES AND HOW SELF CONSCIOUS HE WAS ABOUT HIS OWN FILMS

Filmed on location in the Los Angeles area and at Universal Studios during March and April 1969, Change of Habit was released in the United States on November 10, 1969.

Elvis Presley On Set: You Won’t ask Elvis Anything Too Deep?

Elvis talks, but he doesn't say much

BY WILLIAM OTTERBURN-HALL HOLLYWOOD – The notice outside the big grey double-doors was simple and to the point. SET CLOSED, ABSOLUTELY NO ADMITTANCE. You find notices like this outside a lot of film studios, and they tend to have a certain elasticity. This one, outside what looked like an aircraft hangar but was actually Stage D at Universal Studios, meant it. Inside, Elvis Presley was filming. And where Elvis goes, the barriers go up as if some sinister germ warfare experiment were being carried on within. Like a suckling infant, he is swathed and coddled against the realities of the world outside, as if he were made of rare porcelain rather than hewn from good old-fashioned Tennessee stock. But this day he was on show. I had been given the magic formula. The secret open-sesame known only by its brand name of “Colonel Parker’s Okay” had been handed me. The doors swung wide, and I was in. They say Colonel Parker is the man who built Elvis from the erotic gyrating days of the swiveling Pelvis through 14 long and fruitful summers to his present status, by pushing and pulling his protege through the tricky cross-currents of pop music taste. I wouldn’t know. I had asked to see him, this onetime Texas fairground barker, to thank him for the green light. But he was always somewhere else. In his office at Universal, over at Metro, down in Palm Springs, in Las Vegas to lay the trail for the next live show... always somewhere else. No matter. Who needed Colonel Parker when Elvis himself was alive and well and filming? The Publicity Man who escorted me as close as if he were handcuffed said proudly: “I’d like to work with him again, he’s so sweet and uncomplicated. I was surprised you got through – no one’s talked to him yet, you know. There must have been a good breeze blowing.” The good breeze continued to blow as far as the set. A mauve-walled pad with kitchen adjacent and a king-size bed visible through half-drawn yellow curtains. Elvis sat at a table, staring at his hands, while three mini-skirted girls, Mary Tyler Moore, Barbara McNair and Jane Elliott, scurried around with trays of food.

L-R: Mary Tyler Moore, Jane Elliott and Barbara McNair.

The film is about three nuns who pose as nurses to “identify with the people” in a Negro ghetto in New York. The title is Change of Habit (yes, it is) and stars Elvis as a medic who falls for one of the nuns. Elvis is wearing a paint-stained blue denim shirt and tight blue jeans. He looks relaxed and affable and rather meatier around the jaw-line than one remembers from previous films. Marriage (back in May 1967 to Priscilla Beaulieu) is obviously agreeing with him. His eyes have that smoky slow-burn of the old-time movie vamp. He seizes a guitar and strums a few chords. It’s the last week of shooting, and like the good days between exams and the end of term.

The atmosphere on the set is hip and loose, full of leather-clad youth and clever in-talk. The director is thin and intense, wears a check shirt and gym shoes, and is called Billy Graham, which is going to look interesting on the posters of a swinging nun. Elvis produces some dialogue. He is never likely to win an award as an actor, but he knows what the kids want and he gives it to them. The girls are talking about a party. The cameras turn. Elvis says: “You get a lot of people down here on a Saturday night, and all the old hates come out. Before you know it they’re bombed out of their skulls and you’ve got World War III on your hands.”

The scene is this one below. NO, it was not cut out during the editing of this movie.

Earth-quaking stuff. But this simple homespun philosophy is off-key. “Bombed out of their skulls” wasn’t in the script. And the director isn’t too happy about it. “It’s a good line,” says Elvis. “Okay, okay,” says Billy Graham. The line stays. Maybe it will come out in the cutting room, but it’s there for now. “The whole thing is downhill,” says a technician. “He don’t talk to anyone, except his own friends.” There is no sign of tension, but then Elvis has nothing to be tense about. He can go on churning out the same thing for another decade, and they’ll still queue to see it. If he’s over the top, as some unkindly souls occasionally try to make out, he doesn’t seem bothered. He is 34 . . . Raised in Memphis . . . Once a truck-driver, stumbled into records, took the world by storm as the original snake-hips . . . Now lives in cloistered seclusion in a colonial mansion near Nashville, with a Rolls, a solid gold Cadillac, a wife, a daughter (Lisa Marie, aged one) and several bodyguards for company . . . Has made 29 films, grossing 220 million dollars at the box office, and sold more than 200 million records.

Elvis Presley and director William A. Graham on the set of Change Of Habit (Universal 1969) between takes.

Elvis heads for his trailer in the far corner. A group of friends (known in some quarters as the Memphis Mafia) close around him like a football scrum after a loose ball. The code-word is given. I am beckoned over. The good breeze was still blowing. “You won’t probe too deep, will you?” The Publicity Man asks anxiously. “This is just an informal chat, that’s the deal. So keep it light and airy, okay?” Well . . . okay. I checked my notes. Does Elvis fly high on acid trips? Does he see himself as a prophet for the new generation? Does he think his style is too square? Does he have any sexual hang-ups? His marriage altered his attitude to life in any way? Does he kick his cat? Does he have a cat to kick? What are his views on pop, religion, hippies, demonstrators, Vietnam? Stuff like that. No, I wasn’t going to probe too deep. In the dressing room Elvis shakes hands in a firm grip. “This is Charlie, this is Doc.” Two small, burly men light leather jackets and open-neck shirts rise and shine briefly and subside again. The trailer feels a bit crowded.

Elvis Presley on the set of Change Of Habit (Universal 1969). Mary Tyler Moore, Elvis and director William A. Graham share a joke between takes.

Elvis talks. He speaks slowly and carefully, and puts a lot of space between his words. “The film? Uh, well . . . it’s a change of pace for me, yeah. It’s more serious than my usual movies, but it don’t mean I’m aiming for a big dramatic acting scene, no sir. The way I’m headed, I want to try something different now, but not too different. I did this film because the script was good, and I guess I know by now what the public goes for." “Most of the scripts that come my way are all the same. They’ve all got a load of songs in them, but I just did a Western called 'Charro', which hasn’t any songs ‘cepting the title tune. It did have a couple of nude scenes, but they’ve been cut. Anyhow, can you imagine a dramatic Western where the hero breaks out into song all the time?” He has said plenty, and now he leaps to his feet, hands flashing to imaginary holsters, and sings in a deep drawl: “Go for your guns . . . you’ve got ’til sundown to get outa town . . . ” It could be the start of a promising sketch. The others follow suit, singing, clowning, all on their feet. If this is the Memphis Mafia, they’re a friendly bunch.

Elvis on set of 'Change of Habit' (Universal 1969) talking to fans.

Elvis sits down, and everyone stops singing. He eyes himself in the dressing room mirror. “I don’t plan too far ahead, but I’m real busy for a while now. I’ve got a date in Vegas, and maybe another film after that. Then I’m going to try to get to Europe, because I’ve always promised I would and I’ve got some good, faithful fans over there.” Slow-talking Elvis may be. But he certainly isn’t the slow-witted hick from the backwoods his detractors make out. If he is, then he’s a better actor than they give him credit for. Get through to him, and you find a pleasant, honest, not-too-articulate hometown boy who has been protected for his own good from the hysterical periphery of his present world. The party was warming up. Elvis cracked a gag. Charlie cracked a gag. There was a call from the door. Elvis was wanted, and the good breeze was still blowing as he made for the set, one hand on my shoulder. Charlie and Doc were all smiles.

Elvis and his manager, Colonel Parker, on set of 'Change of Habit' (Universal 1969).

“Okay?” said the P.M. “You did real fine.” "Well . . . not quite." I said. "This Colonel Parker, would he be around for a word later?" Elvis stopped in his tracks. The P.M. went a whiter shade of pale, and whispered something to a friend. The friend nodded in sympathy. “I must tell you about an experience I had like that once,” he said, eyeing me as if I’d just crawled out of the woodwork. Elvis said: “I think he’s in Palm Springs. I’m not sure...” He hurried off. The P.M. said: “Don’t let’s push our luck any more. We never trouble him for too long a time. You should be very happy. You had more than anyone’s had in years.” Somewhere along the line, unaccountably, the good breeze had dropped. This story is from the July 12th, 1969 issue of Rolling Stone.

Source: www.rollingstone.com

[thatsmybook]

Trigger Warning: child death and parental guilt

Some Agatha All Along musings.

The three boys deaths in Agatha All Along and the tragedy and senselessness of death is explored so well and at times in a very short amount of time.

In episode 6, we learn of William Kaplan's death after having gotten to know and love him. We see his dead body, which is so unique for a Disney or Marvel show. Then, we start to feel empathy for his parents, who have no idea they have lost a child. But, we can imagine with Billy's mind-reading abilities that he knows just how devastated they would be if they knew that William was gone.

We hear in just a couple of lines about a boy who is from a loveless home and is bullied as far as being murdered. We are heartbroken for his existence and circumstances of his death.

Lastly, We get to know Nicholas Scratch, the circumstances of his birth, and the dread of knowing that he is going to die. We come to love this good egg of a boy and feel the tragedy of his death.

I think that Billy's telepathy has made him a uniquely empathetic person. Because he understands how and why his own mother (Rebecca Kaplan) loves, he is able to quickly understand Agatha's feelings about her dead son. Feeling guilty himself for William's death which can easily be misunderstood as him killing William to have his body, he can suspect that Agatha is misunderstood and he understands her grief even though he can't read her mind. Then there is his guilt about the boy who's body he is claiming for his brother. He doesn't need to know a person to feel empathy for them or genuinely care about their well-being and agency.

Billy sees Rebecca Kaplan in Agatha, and Agatha sees Nicky in Billy. Rebecca was driving when William died. Agatha fell asleep while a sickly Nicky died in her arms. Parental guilt for not being able to control and protect your children will always override the fact that you are not at fault for your child's death.

This is why Billy also tries to banish her - to put her at rest away from him. She used her insatiable need for knowledge and the opportunity to run the experiment of the road to override the moral responsibility to curtail the dangerous magic user who made it. He is afraid of his magic and he cannot rely on her to help him tame it. She would instead encourage more danger to other human life. But he also cares for her and probably sees that she needs him a he is her only anchor to decent humanity in the world.

The best magic Agatha did in both these shows is when she firmly and with care guided him to bring Tommy back. That guidance was uniquely Agatha and priceless. She did it too with Jen and Alice's pep talks. The way she watches and understands human motivations is a skill. One that Billy can hopefully use for good instead of scamming humans as she has been doing for centuries. He needs her.

Their complicated relationship and Billy's relationship to all these mothers is so interesting going forward.

[thediktatortot]

A Valentines exchange gift for @adelacreations ! It has a little snippet of story to go with it. @hellfirevalex

------

"I..I don't understand...What do you mean you're-"

"Dead? Un-living? Cursed to walk these lands on this earth at night until raptures comes?"

A rumble had escaped from Steven's chest like the thousand hooves of wild buffalo running in the summer nights of the Californian grassy planes, a laugh so deep that I could feel it in my bones as it shook the wooden planks of the floor were we stood.

"Are you scared of me now?"

"...I could never be afraid of you Steven."

"You are though...afraid of me, even just a little. It's alright though, I'm not upset."

I was scared that night, I will admit. Terrified of what the man I had come to know as a friend...a lover really was. The biggest secret he had been keeping from me finally revealed. I had been terrified before of course, laying with another man while the Mother Mary and her child rested on my breast bone, God's judgement weighing heavy on my soul while my breath was light in my throat.

"Will you kill me now?"

"Kill you? No...never...Exactly the opposite my dear William...my Billy."

I'd never been afforded the opportunities and grandiosity that my Steven had been able to shower me with while he courted me, lavish outings and fine clothes draped over my shoulders all paid for by his aloof parents dime. Of course, after he turned me that night, draining me within an inch of my life before supplying me with his own, I found out his parents had been dead for at least a hundred years now.

"S...Steven?...I feel...fa...faint."

"Shh...save your voice my dear."

I'd fallen in love with the man regardless of the gifts and the money, regardless of the lies he had told me to lure me into his web of blood and honeyed words. There was no doubt in my mind at the time that I would have made any other choice than what I did, falling into his arms like a southern bell in the thick summer heat and I was happy for it.

"I'm...I'm scared."

"I know my love...it will be over soon, I swear it."

We had our rough times of course, as all relationships do. Most would call it a human condition but it is not, love and companionship accompanied by hard times and disagreements long settled in by old hurts and misunderstanding Is merely how the world works.

"S...st..."

"Shhh...Once you wake, I will be there to greet you. And then?....Then we can truly begin to live."

However we always made up after a time, slowly gravitating back towards each other over a few years of brooding or ill tempers. It was in our nature after all, something we couldn't fight against lest we fell deeper into the pit of mania. It was easier to embrace it, to throw the punches when tensions got high...yet we always regretted it.

I loved him once. I love him now and I'm most positive I'll be able to love him again in due time.

[tessa-liam]

Turning the Page  

A Step Back in Time, chapter 11

Choices, The Royal Romance, AU 

Series Premise: As Riley Brooks journeys through life as a single parent in New York City, an epiphany strikes as she contemplates the future for herself and her two-year-old son. 

Turning the Page Series Masterlist 

Main Pairing: Liam Rys x F!OC Riley Brooks 

All characters belong to Pixelberry Studios, except William Brooks (Rys) and Matteo Magro, who belongs to this series. 

Category: On-going series, contains angst/fluff/depression. Cross-over fic with Choices, Perfect Match. 

Rating: M🔞 - Warnings - Series will contain crude language, weapons, NSFW material – not Beta’d - please excuse all errors. 

Words: 3268

A Step Back in Time, Chapter 11

Chapter Summary: Liam, Riley and William arrive for a weeklong retreat in Lythikos. Olivia takes Riley ‘under her wing’ to mentor and to offer advice for her return to court. Olivia was determined to get her friend into the right frame of mind and to ultimately get the sparkle back in her eyes. 

Music Inspiration: What Was I Made for? Billie Eilish ; Lose Control, Teddy Swims 

A/N1: In this alternate universe, after King Constantine orchestrates two individual scandals to humiliate and entrap Riley Brooks and Olivia Nevrakis in shame, Madeleine Amaranth secures her position as the Queen of Cordonia. Riley, as the King’s mistress and Olivia, in self-imposed exile. Tariq is never found.  

A/N2: Damien Nazario has been assigned as William’s personal bodyguard. (Series cross-over with ‘Perfect Match’) 

‘Cause I, ‘cause I 

I don’t know how to feel 

But I wanna try 

I don’t know how to feel 

But someday I might 

Someday I might 

Think I forgot how to be happy 

Something I’m not, but something I can be 

Something I wait for 

Something I’m made for 

Something I’m made for’ 

Cordonian Royal Palace, Capital 

If you told Riley Brooks that she would be living in Cordonia, in the Royal palace, with the King of Cordonia just last summer ... she would not believe you. She would tell you that ‘once upon a time’, she fell in love with that King and competed for his hand in marriage in his social season. By reason of the cruelty of fate, and the callousness of the Royal court, that dream would be ripped away from her by a world that was foreign to her. Where outsiders, or commoners, were frowned upon and/or deemed lesser than the noble class. She would be relegated to be the other woman, the mistress to that immensely powerful man whose duty to his country dictated that he must marry a ‘chosen’ woman, even though he did not love her. 

...and she had to watch that man she loved, marry another. 

...because she loved him, she remained. Confiding to him, ‘I’ve made my decision ... I want to be with you. I don’t care what it looks like.’ 

...and it broke her. 

In the Royal east wing, inside William’s bedroom, Riley meticulously packed his clothing into a large suitcase. Carefully selecting each item with love and care for their winter vacation in the Alps of Lythikos, she folded his small woolen sweaters with matching pants and jeans. Soft mittens and a woolen cap were nestled next to his favorite plushie, Scooby; ready to go with him on his snowy adventures. 

"Li Li, sweetheart, come here please," Riley called out, her voice echoing through the spacious room. William bounded towards her; his eyes wide as he watched his mother pack his belongings. 

"We go away, Mama?" William asked, his voice filled with wonder. 

"Yes, my sweet boy," Riley replied with a smile, scooping him up into her arms and placing him down on his bed. "We're going to the mountains with your father to visit a good friend of ours. It's going to be so much fun." 

William's eyes sparkled with delight at the mention of his father. In the five short months since he met his father for the first time, the bond between father and son had grown stronger exponentially. William adored Liam, who always had time for his son's playful antics in New York and now, here in Cordonia, as well. Despite his Royal duties, Liam made the point to spend as much time with William as possible. Riley was not surprised. Liam often spoke about what kind of father he wanted himself to be. The exact opposite of his own father. She could tell that Liam was trying his best to make up for all the time they had lost. And she could not be happier. 

Riley continued to pack, tucking away William's favorite books and toys to keep him entertained during their trip in Lythikos. She had already arranged for snacks with the kitchens, ensuring they would have everything they needed for the long drive to the northern chateau.  

Riley looked up, catching Liam's gaze.  

Liam stood and silently watched, leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded. A gentle smile played on his lips as he watched Riley packing their son's belongings for their trip, while William happily tried to help his mother. 

"Come, my King," Riley softly spoke and smiled with a playful glint in her eyes. "Help me double-check if we have everything for our little adventurer." 

Liam pushed himself away from the doorframe and strolled over to Riley; he crouched down beside William, who was wide-eyed with anticipation. 

“Daddy, look.” William pointed to the large suitcase, smiling happily at his father. 

"Hello, my little prince," Liam greeted, ruffling William's hair. "Are you ready for an adventure?" 

William giggled and nodded his head vigorously, his eyes reflecting the admiration and adoration he held for his father. Liam chuckled, “I see you have lots of toys packed.” 

William climbed over to the suitcase and plucked his favorite plush to show his father. 

“Ah, I see you packed your little dog. Is he your special friend?”  

“Yes, Daddy. I love puppies.” William grinned, squeezing his toy. 

“You do? That is good to know,” Liam winked at Riley as William returned his toy to be packed. 

“I will meet you two in an hour. All right, love?” Liam asked Riley. 

“Okay, Daddy,” William answered as Liam and Riley chuckled together at his response. 

As Liam left to go to his study, Damien entered, bowing to Liam, “Your Majesty”. 

Liam smiled and nodded 'hello' in response as he walked towards his assistant waiting in the hall followed by his security detail. 

Nevrakis Chateau, Lythikos, Cordonia 

Driving through the majestic mountains, Riley stared at the vista overlooking the Nevrakis chateau. Memories flooded her mind as they passed the frozen lake below. The lake where she, along with the other suitors skated on, with Liam during his social season years ago.  

Riley shivered. Was it from seeing the beautiful winter landscape or from those memories of past competitions for the man she loved? Riley’s thoughts were interrupted by the happy sound of her son’s voice. 

William giggled; totally enthralled by Liam’s storytelling of his past adventures in the snow. The sight of father and son was precious to Riley, as she softly smiled at the two of them. William was sitting on Liam’s lap as he pointed to the large chateau coming into view ahead. 

The escalade stopped at the grand entrance of the Nevrakis chateau as members of the royal guard went into formation and opened the vehicle doors. 

As they made their way toward the entrance, a flurry of snowflakes fell from the sky, adding a layer of white powder to the ground. 

"Wow, this is beautiful.” Riley raised her arms to the sky. “I remember my first visit here during your social season.”  

"It is. If I remember correctly, it was just as cold." Liam quipped adjusting William’s scarf. 

Members of Olivia’s waitstaff greeted the party as they entered the lavish and grand estate. Standing at the base of the grand staircase, Olivia grinned as William squealed at the pair of Alaskan malamutes sitting inside the foyer. 

“King Liam, Lady Riley and Prince William ... welcome to my quaint northern lodge. I am delighted to host the three of you.”  

Liam approached Olivia and kissed her cheek, then gestured to Riley and William to join them. 

"Olivia, it's been far too long since I last visited. The grounds are magnificent.” 

"Indeed, thank you, Liam.” Olivia beamed with pride. 

"Thank you for hosting us. Your hospitality is greatly appreciated.” Riley added. 

"Anything for my dear friends." 

Olivia's attention was drawn to William, who was petting the dogs and giggling. 

"Well, hello again, prince William." Olivia walked over and knelt beside and offered treats to her two canine companions. 

William looked up at her and smiled. 

"Hewwo." 

"He's even cuter than I remember," Olivia grinned. “This one,” she motioned to the brown tipped dog, is ‘Mischa’. And this big guy is ‘Zeus’, "she cooed. 

"Now, Riley." Olivia stood and walked forward slowly, looping her arm through Riley's arm and leading her inside. "We have lots to catch up on. Liam, make yourself at home. Your Royal suite is ready for you. Gustav will be your personal attendant for your stay." 

"Thank you, Liv. That is much appreciated." 

"You are quite welcome. Now, Riley, let us get started on our girl time.” Liam winked at Riley, his shoulders shaking as he chuckled at Riley’s faux scared expression. 

"Okay, sounds good." Riley shook her head grinning as she walked by Liam. 

Olivia and Riley climbed the grand staircase and disappeared around a corner while William sat on the floor playing with the dogs. 

"William, let's get you changed and settled." Liam extended his hand down for his son to take. 

"Okay, Daddy." 

“Bye bye puppies.” William exuberantly spoke to the large dogs. 

***

 Riley and Olivia sat on a plush sofa in front of a large window overlooking the mountains. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the snowy landscape. 

"It's so beautiful here." Riley marveled at the picturesque view. 

"I'm glad you like it.” Olivia proudly acknowledged as she handed a large glass filled with chardonnay to Riley. 

Olivia sat back and watched Riley; her expression turning serious. 

"Riley, I know that things have been difficult for you since you've come back, but you have to remember, you're a force of nature. You are stronger than you think.” Olivia was continuing the conversation of their last visit at the palace.

Riley looked down at her hands, which held onto the wine glass with a death grip. She knew the invitation to spend the week in Olivia's duchy was not just a holiday for her, Liam and William. Her once adversarial friend, and now, her good friend, wanted to assist her with reuniting with Liam.

"I can see the pain and sadness in your eyes." Olivia continued. 

"Oh... "  

"How is it really going? Riley, how is everything between you and Liam?" 

Riley sighed and set her wine glass on the table. 

"I'm...I'm not sure." 

"Do you still love him?" 

"Yes, of course. I have never stopped loving him.” 

"Do you think he loves you?" 

"Yes.” There was a small smile followed by biting her top lip. 

"Then what's the problem?" 

"I'm not sure."

Olivia shook her head and sighed. 

"You have to trust him, Riley. He loves you. And I can see how happy William makes him.” 

"I know that.” 

"But there's something else, isn't there?" Olivia eyed her friend for clues.

"It's just that... we've spent so much time apart. And now that we are back together, things feel different.” 

"I think I understand. That is quite normal, all things considered." 

"And I'm worried that he'll eventually resent me for leaving him while I was pregnant with William." 

"He could never resent you, Riley. You are the mother of his child. It'# not in his DNA.” 

“I keep thinking that that there will be another scandal around the corner. That something or someone will tear us apart.” 

"What happened to that confident and free spirited American girl? The one who turned the court on its' head. Where did she go?"

"I know what you are asking. I feel scared; waiting for the other shoe to drop.” 

"Scared of what? And why?" 

"That he won't forgive me." 

"Riley, listen to me. That is your guilt talking.” 

Olivia reached over and grabbed Riley's hands, looking her in the eye. 

"Liam loves you. He will always love you. You and William are his world. And I know that he wants nothing more than to make you happy.” 

"But..." 

"But, nothing. There is no 'but'.” 

"Okay." Riley was not convinced. "But, Madeleine ..."

"Is out of the picture; where Liam is concerned. You have the power of position now, make Madeleine feel it." 

Riley looked at her friend and took a staggered breath.

"Most importantly, you hold the King’s heart...show the world, show Cordonia, show Madeleine what that means...you will bring her to her knees." Olivia sneered. 

"This is why I wanted you to come for a visit. To remind you of who you are and what you are capable of.” 

“Olivia ...” Riley sighed, shaking her head, ‘no’. 

"Now. Come with me." 

Olivia stood and motioned for Riley to follow. 

Olivia took her down to an armory in the bowels of the chateau. 

"Here we are." Olivia turned and motioned to a wall of weapons. 

"What are we doing down here?" Riley asked, eyeing the collection of weapons displayed on the wall.

"We're going to do some training.” 

"Training? For what?" Riley questioned, perplexed. 

"For the press." 

"Why do I need training for the press? With weapons?" 

"Because they're vultures. They will try to get a rise out of you. They will ask rude and invasive questions. They will try to trip you up.” 

"But why do you think I need training? I know you haven’t forgotten that I was subjected to them during Liam’s social season." 

"Because they're relentless idiots.” Olivia sneered. 

"Okay, but ...” 

“Now that you are back in Cordonia, the mother of the crown prince, no less ...they want to find out your intentions with their king.” 

Riley took a deep breath, closing her eyes. 

"Don't worry. I'm going to teach you how to handle them.” Olivia confidently proclaimed with a smirk. 

"Thank you, Olivia.” Riley sighed as she eyed the collection of pointy weaponry again. 

"Of course. Now, let us get started.” 

Riley was grateful for Olivia's help and advice. She knew that she was right about the press, having dealt with them through the engagement tour, after the scandal was brought to light. 

Riley didn't have to know that. At least, not yet. 

And she knew that she needed to be prepared. Riley understood the extent to which the press would dig and manipulate information to get a juicy soundbite. But she was not aware that Madeleine would have her own agenda to discredit and sabotage her at every chance she got, all the way from Morocco. However, Olivia was well aware of Madeleine’s spite and her bitterness over losing the crown. 

"First off. I want you to choose a weapon." Olivia pointed to her collection of weaponry mounted on the wall. 

"A weapon?" Riley’s eyes were wide looking at the selection before her.

"Yes. You cannot fight the press with words alone.” 

"Um...okay." Riley answered sceptically. 

Riley looked at each weapon closely. There were swords, halberds, axes and daggers, among others. 

She picked up a sword. 

"Hmm...a sword? Interesting choice." 

"It's light and I can move fast.” 

"Good. Particularly good.” Olivia nodded approvingly. “That would be a weapon that Liam would choose.” 

“Really?” Riley admonished. 

"Now, we'll practice some moves.” 

"Moves?" 

"Yes. Maneuvers. Stances. Blocking and parrying.” 

"Wow. This is serious.” 

"Indeed. I'll start slow, but don't let your guard down.” 

"I won't.” Riley responded warily. 

"Good. Now, attack me." 

"What?" Riley looked aghast.

"Attack me." 

"Oh, um ... okay." 

Riley raised the sword and ran at Olivia, who easily dodged the blow. 

"Is that the best you've got?" 

"No.” 

Riley lunged at her again, and again, Olivia sidestepped each attack. 

"You're leaving yourself open.” Olivia challenged.

"I am?" 

"Yes. If this was a real fight, I would have cut you down by now." Olivia chirped. 

"Oh.” Riley let out a large breath, wondering to herself how this lesson was going to end. 

"Here. Let me show you." 

Olivia demonstrated a series of moves, her sword flashing and swooshing in the air. 

"Now, you try.” 

Riley imitated the movements, her sword swishing through the air. 

"Better.” Olivia critiqued. 

"Thanks." Riley answered questionably. 

"Again.” Olivia commanded with Riley going on the defensive. 

They continued to spar, their swords clashing together. Riley was impressed with Olivia's skills and ability to read her opponent and react accordingly. 

As they continued to fight, Riley became more comfortable with the sword, her moves becoming more fluid and graceful. Liam slipped into the back of the room, quietly watching the sparring.

"Excellent.” Olivia praised.

"Thanks.” Riley smiled at the compliment, picking up a bottle of water.

"Now we need a target." Olivia led her to a stuffed, practice dummy.  

Riley chuckled as she watched her friend attach a large face photo of Madeleine onto the head with a dagger.  

"Here, let me help you." Olivia handed her an assortment of knives, before she expertly threw her dagger.

Riley's first few throws landed wide, but she quickly found her mark, sinking several blades into the center of the picture. 

"Nicely done.” 

"Thanks." 

"Feel better?" Olivia snickered as Riley laughed. 

“Yes! Yes, actually I do. But I don't understand. How is this going to help me?” 

 "When the press asks you questions, you need to stay calm and confident. If they try to rattle you, throw them off balance. Focus on your target.” Olivia pointed to the picture. 

"Let's practice."

"All right."

"Imagine I'm a member of the press. And I ask you, 'Lady Riley, where have you been all these years?'"

Riley cleared her throat and straightened her posture. 

"I've been raising my son in New York. It's where he was born and raised.” 

"Why did you leave Cordonia?"

"I left to protect my child. And because I knew that King Liam had an obligation to the Queen.” 

"What are your intentions now that you've returned?” 

"I'm here to support my son and to be a part of his life.” 

"Do you still love the King?” 

"Yes, of course." 

“No! STOP!!!” 

Olivia moved assertively towards Riley. "This is where you say, 'that's all the questions for today’ and then you walk away from the microphones. Show confidence. Show determination. Show stoicism. Control the narrative.” 

Riley raised her eyebrow. "How did you get so good at this, Olivia?" 

Olivia shrugged, her shoulders rising slightly. "I'm the duchess of Lythikos. People talk. And sometimes they don't realize I'm listening." 

Riley nodded, a new respect for Olivia blossoming in her heart with a renewed sense of determination in her step. 

Feeling his arms, Riley giggled and leaned back against him with a content smile. 

Liam sauntered up to Riley from behind, wrapping his arms around Riley’s waist. 

Riley turned around to look at Liam, her eyes filled with love. 

“The Royal guard will then lead you away from the gathering,” Liam interjected. “You will never be left without protection.” 

"Thank you, Liam.” Riley tearfully smiled.

"I want you to know that while I am alive, you will always have a home in Cordonia. And I will never let anyone threaten that ... or you ... ever again.” 

Riley felt a warm feeling in her chest and a sense of calm.

Maybe everything was going to be all right, after all. As long as she had Liam and William, she knew she could face anything.

"Liam, I love you."

"I love you, too, Riley."

Liam pressed his lips to hers, and Riley melted into his embrace. They kissed for a long moment, savoring the feel of each other's bodies.

"Come, let's go get some sleep. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

"I'm ready.*

"Pleasant dreams you two. Good night."

"Olivia, thank you for your expertise. It is much appreciated.

"Your welcome, Liam. It's my pleasure."

Good night." Riley called out.

Riley followed Liam out of the room, her hand firmly grasped in his.

And for the first time since she had come back to Cordonia, she truly felt like she was home.

"Thank you, Olivia," she whispered as she lay in Liam's arms, his steady heartbeat lulling her to sleep.

Thanks for reading; please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from this series.

My current tag list:

Perma tags: @ao719 @queenmiarys @sfb123 @twinkleallnight @alj4890 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @harleybeaumont @busywoman @karahalloway @kingliam2019 @imjusthereforliam @lovingchoices14 @kyra75 @tinkie1973 @emkay512 @malblk21 @kristinamae093 @charlotteg234

TRR Liam & Riley TTP: @emersyn-in-cordonia @mainstreetreader @belencha77 @walkerdrakewalker @iluaaa @mysticalfangirl @queenwalton @bascmve01 @umccall71 @choicesfrog @amandablink @ownworldresident

Submissions:@choicesficwriterscreations

[chvoswxtch]

midnights- blurb (less than 500 words) based on a lyric, book, tv/movie quote (request a vault track to make it spicy)

“If I were truly courting you, I would not need flowers, only five minutes alone with you in a drawing room.” (from bridgerton) uuuuurrrggghhhhhh fake dating with billy!!!! brb i'm gonna go pass out because that is too hot. and becasue it's so hot, from the vault PLEASE AND THANK YOUU!

okay don't hate me but i've never seen bridgerton

but I seemed to do okay with the matty one you sent so I hope i'm doing it justice with billy boy too

as a reminder, from the vault means it's spicy! (minors dni)

blurb below the cut

admit it (billy's version) (from the vault)*

if I were truly courting you, I would not need flowers, only five minutes alone with you in a drawing room

Goddamn William Russo. Goddamn his enchanting obsidian eyes and his perfectly sculpted cheekbones that could make Adonis weep. Goddamn his silver tongue that constantly lashed at your ego with his sharp wit just to soothe the sting with candied whispers that bewitched your body, much to your own annoyance. Goddamn his skilled fingers that were currently underneath your dress, deftly strumming your chords to elicit the most sinful melodies from your lips.

“Admit it.”

Billy’s cocky tone dripping into your ear nearly chased away the high you were so close to approaching, but you refused to give in. Not yet. You squeezed your eyes shut and tried to drown out the wicked smirk on his lips, focusing solely on the pleasure that was steadily building up in your lower stomach like an agonizingly slow crescendo. 

“No.”

The way you grit your teeth and struggled to spit out that one word made Billy chuckle. He leaned in to nuzzle his nose against your throat, the scruff of his beard scratching deliciously over the sensitive skin he had previously assaulted with his teeth and tongue, and he pressed his thumb firmly against your clit, causing you to let out a surprised gasp. Simultaneously, he slowed the pace of his index and middle finger that were conducting a symphony between your thighs, and the loss of stimulation had you letting out a pathetic whimper.

“Billy-”

“C’mon, darlin’. Don’t be so stubborn. All you gotta do is admit it.”

You weren’t sure how you ended up here. One minute you were begrudgingly agreeing to let Billy pretend to court you at a ball to ward off any potential marriage proposals you were not ready for, and the next Billy had you pushed up against a wall with your dress hiked up to your hips and his hand in your panties trying to prove a point; that you wanted him.

Clearly the mess he had created that was soaking his hand wasn’t proof enough. The ornery fucker wanted to hear you say it. He wanted verbal confirmation that would prove what he suspected all along; that you were not immune to William Russo’s charm. As much as you tried to fight it, and God did you try, somehow you always knew you would end up here. 

You enjoyed constantly bantering with Billy. You enjoyed seeing him get all worked up. He was the only man that could keep up with you, and found your combative nature amusing instead of disrespectful. He even encouraged you to fight back with him and riled you up just as much as you did him. Billy was your match, and he knew it. Now, he just wanted you to admit it.

As if he could hear your inner turmoil, Billy curled his fingers upwards in a “come hither” motion that made your eyes nearly roll into the back of your head, and he let a saccharine promise drip into your waiting ears.

“I’ll give you whatever the hell you want. You want the world? It’s yours. Just lemme hear you say it.”

This little game had gone on for too long, and he had you exactly where he wanted you. The reward he was offering was too good to pass up. Swallowing your pride along with a prepared insult, you let out a sigh of defeat and pressed your forehead against Billy’s chest, gripping onto his strong biceps tightly.

“I want you.”

Billy’s lips immediately stretched into a wolfish grin, as if he had just won the biggest prize there was.

And he had.

He won you.

[erikiara80]

Will is paralleled to the god-like turtle of The Dark Tower and IT. Maturin, symbol of creation, light and protection

In the Byers' house there's a little detail, a turtle and a red flower, that might be a big reference to those stories, and a huge hint at Twelvegate and Will's creation powers.

(El and Shardik, the cyborg Bear)

@lilitblaukatz @chirpsythismorning @shippingfangirl013 I think you'll like this.

In The Dark Tower series the Rose symbolizes the Tower and a higher being. The Tower holds the multiverse together and protects it. In fact, in the darkness there are primordial, god-like monsters which will destroy everything, should the the Tower fall. But there are also benevolent god-like beings who protect the Tower and the multiverse. One of the most powerful is Maturin.

(From Stephen King's IT Wiki and VS Battles Wiki)

Maturin the Turtle A kind, wise, and compassionate cosmic being with god-like powers. He is said to be constantly withdrawn into his shell, but one of the occasions that he did come out of it was when he had a stomachache which caused him to vomit out the mainstream universe, (something that occured as he was belching up some sort of "egg") after which he promptly retreated back into his shell. He's one of the twelve Guardians of the six Beams that hold up the Dark Tower and ensure the survival of existence as a whole. He is light and kindness, and its nemesis is IT (Pennywise) who takes the shape of a clown and a giant spider. In the novel IT the member of the Losers Club who speaks to Maturin is Bill (William) Denbrough.

The parallels with Will are incredible! But there are two guardians for each Beam. In Stranger Things, two keys, Will and Eleven.

Maturin vomited the universe. IT laid eggs. In Vecna's mindspace there are eggs and little spiders. Will throws up Dart.

And near Castle Byers Hopper and Joyce find a egg, that is also a reference to Alien. Will's character has many feminine traits and is the one associated with birth and creation.

Nancy in S4: It's like the Christmas lights. When Will was in the UD lights came to life. Steve, in 3x01, when the gate opens: Let there be light.

But Vecna/One is using him, he wants to corrupt him. And I think that Henry was kinda like Will, and he was the first one who was corrupted (by R. Brenner and the particles?)

Will is Bastian, the artist who creates and build things. He built Castle Byers with Jon just the way he drew it. This is the first time someone mentions building something in the show, before the Mind Flayer tells Billy (William) that he wants him to build what he sees, and One asks El to help him re-shape the world. It's interesting that she refuses and also destroys Twelve's tower (I'll make a post about that too)

Speaking of Twelve. Maturin is one of the twelve guardians of the Beams that hold up the Dark Tower, and Will has been associated with the number 12 many times since S1. So, Twelve represents him. And we see him build a tower.

They focus on the tower because it's important, a hint at Will's powers. In the poster in his room there's a red building.

Maturin is a protector, but tends to withdrawn into his shell. Will is kind and quiet. Always quiet, Lucas says.

But he's Will the Wise, a Cleric, a healer (the poster of The Cure) In his very first scene Dustin tells him to cast protection, and in S2 he tells the others how they can defeat the Mind Flayer.

The UD is "stuck" on the day he went missing, his name is on the grandfather clock, and he was given the Forever Clock. So he is connected to time itself. And (SPOILERS ON THE DARK TOWER) in that series there's a multiverse and a time loop. So maybe ST is about many timelines in a time loop?

IT, Maturin's nemesis, can take the shape of a giant spider and represents chaos, destruction and darkness.

Will's enemy is the Mind Flayer/Vecna, a man (or two?) who merged with a cosmic being and wants to destroy the world.

But maybe there's also another parallel with The Dark Tower. The red storm of the Mind Flayer and the red tower that Twelve builds remind me of the Crimson King.

This is so epic!

I know this post is long, but there's another thing. I think it's interesting that the two scenes in the show where we see the I forgot your birthday card are the one in 2x04, when Will is possessed by Vecna/Mind Flayer, and the one in 1x02, when Will is in the UD and we see the turtle, and the light gets very bright, just like when Vecna uses his powers.

[madwheelerz]

Seeing as a lot more compelling evidence than the evidence used in the original theory has come to light, I’ve decided to redo the manifestation theory. So here we go and far warning for any potential plot twist reveals.

Overview

The manifestation theory is a theory of mine that the show operates as one huge D&D game and that a lot of the settings that we see such as characters, locations, and events aren’t real, at least not in the traditional sense. They exist in the real world, but they originated from a child’s mind. Mike’s mind.

First let’s see why Mike would’ve randomly started manifesting monsters. The simple answer is that he wouldn’t not without a reason and certainly not on purpose. What I think Mike did is that he tried to turn back time and succeeded, but with the consequence of having expended the reach of his mind a little too far and releasing beings from the mind. Mike is the DM after all so if anyone might be pulling the strings it’s him.

Let’s provide some evidence that the events aren’t actually happening first.

Do I have your attention yet? Good. What I think happened is that Will died. He was murdered in another timeline and after around a year of learning to use his powers Mike turned back the clock to the last time, he saw Will alive, the initial D&D game. This would’ve been something of a save point and is why so many important things show up in relations to that game.

At 8:15, Karen stops the game. Will dies after rolling a seven, Mike wanted twenty more minutes. The works. Will leaves and is kidnapped into the upside down. If Mike is the writer here, then Will is acting as the main character. The game is built around protecting Will except it’s hitting a point beyond Mike’s control.

The barrier between Mike’s mind and reality is weak and it keeps getting weaker the more time passes. The involvement of time travel explains Mr. Clarke bringing up that multiple world’s interpretation and the references to curiosity voyages.

Mike is highly suspicious in the way that he seems to be constantly framed over dialogue suggesting a connection to other worlds and the “Vale of Shadows”, which is what the kids were originally calling the upside-down.

There is also the way Mike sometimes knows stuff and is completely unable to explain how.

So, none of this is real. We’re in a kid’s game and Mike is the DM. This I think is the reason that the three playlist left belong to Will, Billy – literally the other William, and Mike. Mike’s playlist description is also referring to a 5-hour (season?) D&D session despite the fact that none of Mike’s campaigns are that short nor does his playlist actually last for that long.

So, Mike dies = the upside down dies or something to that effect. The Hawkins National Lab isn’t real, but wasn’t one of their main goal to discover time travel?

Weren’t they pushing so hard that they released monsters onto the world. No one from the lab would’ve seen Will prior to his kidnapping to the upside-down, at least not in enough detail to recreate it quite that perfectly, but Mike saw him. They spoke, Mike was acting weird, Will told Mike that the Demogorgon got him. Why do I think the lab isn’t real well…

This is the very first DM book that Mike has. We get a nice shot of it right before Dustin starts to read about the “Vale of Shadows”. As he’s reading, we see Hopper traveling through the interior of HNL. This is also Mike’s first campaign book, so it makes an appearance twice, which is interesting simply because the DM books don’t seem to appear twice, but especially not in the same season.

When Mike narrates from it is connected with the guy in the lab running from a Demogorgon. It’s also interesting to note that the book is the only DM book that we can clearly see has the design of a building on it. So a building design connected with the interior of the lab. It also carries a small drawing of the cardinal directions right above the building and considering that later Dustin is using a compass to lead them to the lab that’s pretty interesting.

This and the fact that Mike’s D&D campaigns take place in the basement and most gates only open in a basement of some sorts. For example, the HNL basement and the starcourt basement, but also the Mindflayer’s main operation being in the basement of steelworks. Basements, basements everywhere.

Why do I think that Mike might’ve turned back time first?

This and the way that Mike is constantly associated with running out of time. With that I’ll leave you to it, but if you decide to watch the show with this interpretation fair warning it gets trippy.

[jar-of-ectoplasm]

tf2 mercs as horror characters and why i think so

sooooo i know this isn't what i've been telling you guys i was gonna post BUT i'm uninspired and i re-listened to welcome to horrorwood (ice nine kills) and it got me thinkin about this

i'm gonna start out with the mercs that i have the most solid reasoning and then it'll slowly turn into bullshit

it's pretty similar to an old jojo post i made a while ago

pyro:

OBVIOUSLY i'm gonna make pyro the miner/harry warden (from my bloody valentine) because they're both silent stalking freakos with gas masks

i also think it's pretty fitting considering valentine's day is all lovey-dovey and cutsie and pyro-vision is pretty much the same way

i could also see pyro being the thing (from the thing) because of the mystery draped around pyro's identity/what they actually look like and i just love that movie so damn much

spy:

PATRICK BATEMAN PATRICK BATEMAN ARE WE SERIOUS???? they're both sophisticated homicidal dickheads i personally think it's a perfect match

psychopathe francais coming to all theaters right now go buy a ticket

medic:

oh medic you silly guy you

i have two visions for medic, one of which is herbert west (from re-animator) because DUH mad science

BUT (even if it's a bit of a stretch) i think medic would go perfectly with pinhead (from hellraiser) because 1) medic did sell his soul to the devil so the whole demon thing works out, 2) medic is a sadistic freak and 3) i just think it would be sexy alright

demo:

demo wouldn't be a horror villain he would be ash williams (from the evil dead) because i just can't see demo being a serial killer (even though he technically is) he's just too silly for this world and he deserves a silly character to go with it

soldier:

in a similar manner to demo, solider can and will not be given a deep brooding character because he is simply too silly. soldier is one of the werewolves from what we do in the shadows (the movie not the show) because my heart tells me and by god my heart is correct

sniper:

i didn't have very many ideas for sniper but i think the best fit for him would be the collector/asa emory (from the collector series) because in my opinion, sniper's weird hunter-like relationship with the people he kills kinda reminds me of how the collector functions with all the traps and the games he plays with his victims [not like jigsaw though, it's different] (granted i haven't seen the movie in a little bit, cut me some slack)

heavy:

honestly i could see him as being any of the big, silent killers in film (jason voorhees, michael myers, you know the drill) but i think it would be funnier if he were frankenstein's monster and medic was dr. frankenstein

scout:

he is being difficult but it's not because i don't have an idea for him, i have too many ideas for him. i think it would be really silly if he was norman bates (from psycho) because he's a momma's boy, but i could also see him being anton tobias (from idle hands) because he's silly and dumb but i could ALSO see him being billy lenz (from black christmas) because he's a depraved little freak

engineer:

he is giving me the most trouble. i want to keep his southern-ness but i also don't wanna dumb down his character because i love engineer. honestly the only characters i could give him that do him even a little bit of justice is bo sinclair (from house of wax) or tinker sawyer from the god awful texas chainsaw 3 (which i love with all my heart)

[theknightlywolfe]

Thoughts on Agatha All Along since I gave in to watch it since people on Tumblr seem allergic to tagging their spoilers.

I know it was inevitable but I am annoyed we didn't get Lilia's trial before she was killed off.

Why did amnesia Billy/William go goth-lite? There was no indication from either boy's life. Did he just realize he was gay and randomly choose that from the twink aesthetic catalogue? Did he go with it once he heard about witches and decided to lean into the commercialized version of that aesthetic that they had the whole co-opted culture rant about? If so, that would be hilarious. A bunch of witches stuck with a little fanboy in a Spirit Halloween costume of them the whole time.

I think the potion didn't work for Sharon/Mrs. Hart because they forgot to add her hair to the potion, not because she had drunk more of the wine.

It's going to be interesting to see how the passing of time on the Road vs regular world goes. Because we are talking about a regular of Westview life and a teenage boy just up and disappearing for a while. Lillia can close her shop and it's whatever, Alice just lost her job, and Jen it would make sense she went into hiding to avoid the charges. But Sharon and Billy were expected home for dinner soon. Knowing Marvel, they're just going to ignore that.

Given that only two witches can make it off the road, are they going to loophole Billy (and/or Rio?) since he wasn't one of the witches who summoned the road (or because they're going to technicality him into something not a witch), are they going to end it by trapping/killing Agatha in the vein of destroying the last of Vision in Wandavision so everyone knows there's no s2, is the other witch who made it off the road with Agatha the first time going to come into play (watch, it's Rio), or is Rio not going to make it? I can't imagine, with the poorly done hints at assembling the Young Avengers, that they're going to kill Billy. Also, let's be real, it's still Disney and their execs get nasty at the suggestion of killing children in their media, especially on screen.

The whole jade egg thing was hilarious.

How has Agnes been surviving for three years? Especially with the implication that she randomly goes cuckoo. Is Ralph still paying the mortgage and utilities in the hope he eventually gets the house back? Is she normal enough long enough to hold down temporary jobs to cover her bills and maintain friendships with the neighbors? Especially since they show up to bring her food and make sure she's okay when she does go cuckoo and they all know she didn't live there before Wanda showed up. Does Agnes have access to Agatha's bank accounts and has just been unknowingly draining her savings?

I really need one of those Bohner family tshirts.

On a tangent:

If they are going to Young Avengers Billy, I am even more annoyed at the implication that Kate and maybe Yelena are going to be part of that. Yelena is 30, Kate is going into her mid 20s, and Billy, Kamala, America, and Cassie are mid teens. And how is Shang Chi supposed to fit in? Are they ignoring Secret Invasion or are we really going to see Super Skrulls? If so, what good will Kate and Yelena be except as coordinators and trainers? Billy is the most powerful living witch, America is a universe jumper and wizard, Kamala has super powers and bangles which can build intergalactic wormholes, and Cassie can shrink into a realm where physics work differently and from where she can summon a multi-powers army of friends. Kate and Yelena fight good. Which is kinda useless against Hulk power Skrulls.

If they're going to ignore Secret Invasion the way they seem inclined to ignore Eternals and they're dropping whatshisface because of the actor's legal troubles and poor audience response, then what is the new generation going to be fighting? And if it's basic foot soldier invasion at a level two non-powered mortals can deal with, then what do we need Shang Chi, Kamala, America, and Billy for? I mean, even with everything the Avengers dealt with, the heroes were pretty low level power wise until the last Thanos battle. Thor didn't have his full powers and they're still kind of weak, Wanda didn't know the full extent of her powers, Vision was so busy waiting for Tony to give him orders he never actually used any of his real power, and the rest were mortals. Like, yeah, Cap and Hulk could hit hard but what good is that against Shang Chi or Billy?

So, what? The new full Avengers will be Sam and Shang Chi, with Katie along for the ride to fill the archer role and maybe Yelena, maybe She-Hulk? And then the Young Avengers will be Kate and Cassie and a few planet destruction level super powereds? And if they are going to split Hawkeye 2.0 and Widow 2.0, why bother introducing them to each other and making them be friendly.

And, again, if they are going to give everyone amazing archery skills, why bother with Kate Bishop at all? Kamala has plucky optimism and knows Fury, America has the active connections to the OGs through Strange and Wong as does Cassie in some ways, and Billy brings the purple. Kate has no tactical or strategic training or knowledge, no powers, and while the rest have experience with super powered battles, Kate has ... fought gang members.

And really, how stupid to have all the powers be on a Young Avengers roster while the only person in the potential new full Avengers who would maybe even survive a battle between them is Shang Chi. Because with what they have done since Endgame, all the powers except for him are with teenagers. Shang Chi is the only super powered who can walk in a bar. Are we going to have to wait eight years for them all to be acceptably aged? Is a Disney owned studio really going to lean into child soldiers? Is Sam just gonna swan off and do his own thing and not build a new Avengers team? Is Shang Chi gonna be a Young Avenger? Or is he gonna be the new Strange, there when needed but not really an Avenger.

Is Billy going to be the new big bad? His mom destroyed the Darkhold and the throne room place so he doesn't exactly have the path to world ruling and her full power. And again, is Disney really going to be okay with sending teenagers to kill each other in bloody battle? If Agatha might be the new big bad after she gets her powers back in the show, then they only need to send Shang Chi and Kamala against her since their power weapons are tech not magic and she can't steal them. Or maybe Billy distracts her while Yelena sniper rifles her from behind.

If they just let their stories run, fine, but they hint at team ups that just make no sense.

[madraleen]

Moriarty the Patriot - Ryōsuke Takeuchi & Hikaru Miyoshi Chapters 65-76 : A heavily ship-oriented commentary.

-louis thanking william for choosing to live, he's so sweet

-aw lil louis hugging his brother

-the three brothers are together again :')

-i don't recall seeing louis this peaceful ever before, as now that william and albert are returned

-i feel like i'm reading a prolonged happy epilogue and i'm alright with that

-why is albert's and mycroft's reunion so soft omg

-erm? bond/mrs hudson, y/y? THIS IS SO WHOLESOME I SHIP IT

-THE CLOSE-UP ON SHERLOCK'S EYES AS WILL WALKS INTO THE ROOM, WTH! groom meet groom

-i love smiling william. i really do love smiling william, i smile along with him

-ah, sunshine billy!

-louis pretty much loves everyone on this dinner for helping his brother

-AHAHA BILLY IS ONTO YOU, SHERLOCK, HE KNOWS YOU DOTE ON WILLIAM (re: the fruit being 9o% for him)

-i'm really happy for louis, he looks so content

-OKAY BUT LOOK AT HOW BOND LOOKS AT MRS HUDSON! I SHIP IT

-"SHERLY"

-ASFDKM, WILLIAM "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF BUT I KNOW I ENJOYED BEING WITH YOU." finally william is also reciting his wedding vows. he opened up his heart to sherlock (or rather, sherlock barged his way in it) and now the world suddenly looks beautiful, yes.

-aw will bb cries :(

-oh. liam and sherly lived in brooklyn. *steve/bucky flashbacks*

-the amazing thing is that neither sherlock nor liam make a fuss about others commenting on their relationship, ever. they're like, "yeah, i simp for this bitch, and?"

-"sherly." i'm sorry, i'll stop making a note of it, but... it comes so casually now. "sherly" :')

-aww, william crying at being thanked by the girlie

-argh william and sherly separately staring at the fire and worrying for one another

-one liam was indeed more troublesome than 100 soldiers, but this is such a cute comment, sherlock, shut up

-fucking william, literally a knight on a white horse

-that one time holmes and moriarty were in a western

-oh i'd say william's body is done recuperating, sherlock. you missed that action hero entrance

-i can't wait to see sherly's face when he sees liam. okay yeah i saw it, it's predictably soft. he's falling in love all over again

-sherly be like "i've dragged that man back from death kicking and screaming and nursed him until he couldn't take it anymore, YOU AIN'T SHOOTING HIM!"

-"why did you come," asks sherlock, with a grin up to his ears

-LIAM WANTS THEM TO LIVE TOGETHER, SHARE THEIR WORRIES TOGETHER, HELP ME! me? help sherly, is he okay, is he fainting right about now?

-SHERLY WANTS THEM TO LIVE TOGETHER AND GUIDE EACH OTHER TOO, GUHHH. they're getting married. again.

-it had been a long while since liam looked like a kitten

-LMFAO EVEN BILLY CALLED THEM WEDDING VOWS HELP. and literally no one contradicts him. 

-seeing the gang react to sherlock's story like we just did is hilarious

-william had been looking for moran but he was too good at hiding? hilarious.

-hahaha the entire gang will be working together for mi6, nice. this feels like a "and they all lived happily ever after” fanfic in the best way

-we interrupt for a "moran becomes a cooking show judge" interlude

-OKAY, the happiest of endings! i'm glad!

[directdoggointerviewarchive]

DirectDoggo interview with facts_indie (archive)

In 2022, the (no longer active) Twitter page "@Facts_indie" interviewed DirectDoggo creator of Dialtown and Dayshift at Freddy's. This is an archive so that it's easier to find in the future!

(Note: One of the account owners asked me to not name them by their name, so they will be referred to as "facts_indie")

Hey, y'all. I'm DirectDogman. I bang rocks together and sometimes, shoddy video games miraculously appear. I was the developer behind Dialtown: Phone Dating Sim, a quirky video novel on Steam and Dayshift at Freddy's 1-3 on GJ/Itch. I was asked by @facts_indie to do a lil interview, so I thought, why not? I'll answer the questions in the thread via this doc, just because Twitter's per-tweet character limit really screws with stuff like this.

I'll try to get to most questions, obviously I'll ignore duplicates or questions I feel may be silly or that I can't understand. Alright, 20 questions, let's go!

"do you get the phone/object heads in dialtown off of google/another site or do you just have all these phones/objects and take pictures yourself?" (Dialtown quest) - @cryptictones Answer: I don't source assets from google images as that'd be illegal! (Assets on Google Images are just web search results, and images you find on there are generally copyrighted media!) I use a mix of licensed stock media and photos of phones/objects that I've taken photos of. All of the datable heads, for instance, are real world photos (with the exception of Karen, whose head is a 3d model, alongside the player's and Callum Crown's!)

"Do you plan on translating Dialtown into other language?" - @WaddleAAAAAAAA Answer: "Nope! I don't speak any language completely fluently other than English, and Dialtown is too writing-heavy to really just pass off to a translator without letting them know what they're in for. It'd cost a fortune to get Dialtown translated by any service, and to be frank, I think the game'd be excruciatingly weird to translate. Dialtown uses a lot of really funky goblin language and I doubt that'd translate exactly into other languages as we'd read it, heh heh."

"When does dialtown take place? Also, how do you pronounce Gingi's name?" - @veronicaisdead_

Answer: Dialtown takes place in 202X. Gingi's name is pronounced however it sounds in your head!

"whats your favorite dialtown passersby i like little billy a lot" -@iceandwinter

Answer: Passerby, huh? Well, I'm partial to Nathan in Downtown. Some of the NPCs in Dialtown are incoherent and some are British, but Nathan is the intersection of that venn diagram. Special.

"Why did you use voice forge for willy afton" (DSaF Question) - @That1Acer 

Answer: Because it sounded funny as shit. Of all the voices for William to have, c'mon! I'd do it again.

"Whats your favorite character from DSaF and from Dialtown?" - @WaddleAAAAAAAA

Answer: From DSaF? Probably Phone Guy, predictably enough, as a whole. I turned the overworked middle manager from canon into an entire species of exploited worker. A big theme of DSaF's satire was the idea that with every new FNaF game, there's a new location in the FNaF timeline, and thus, more dead kids, etc. DSaF's comical timeline is the culmination of stacking tragedies upon tragedies into the same timeline until suspension of disbelief gives way. It's the ordinary FNaF premise, but extrapolated to comic levels, really. I have big issues with the actual nitty-gritty timeline for DSaF, which is pretty concrete and has few holes for its overall size, but yeah, that's something I'm glad I parodied with DSaF. And y'know, The DSaF 3 phone guy character arcs had a huge impact on what Dialtown ended up becoming for sure.

For Dialtown, no idea. I do enjoy writing Mayor Mingus a lot, Callum Crown and God are also fun! Oh, and Tango. Ray of sunshine, that guy. Actually, player dialogue is pretty funny too, I like how specifically unhinged a lot of it comes off as. Man, I'm spoiled for choice here.

How did you decide on what traits to give the main cast (Norm being a space cowboy, Karen's inability to detect sarcasm, ect.) (Dialtown question) - @Brainrot_real Answer: Oh man, that was entirely different for each character. For Randy, I was rummaging around for potential props and found the old Nokia in the same drawer as the gauze wraps and naturally thought of how funny it was seeing the two together, given that Nokias are associated with their durability, and bandages are for, y'know, broken flesh. The name "Randy" and the phone sex-hotline part came shortly after, pretty much just like that (Randy's full name is a stupid pun.) After I figured out that the hands were bandaged, I thought "huh, how on earth could he have ended up with such mangled hands?" and sure enough… I'd been bitten by a swan not long before production began and the bite(s) were fresh on the mind. So. It was so.

A lot of Karen's character is pretty much an answer to things I personally think aren't depicted enough in autistic characters. Autistic scientists and mathematicians are common in media, but autistic artists tend to get overlooked. Also, typically, autistic characters in fiction tend to either fully understand sarcasm (and hence, it's not mentioned) or they're unable to literally comprehend a sarcastic statement even after it's been fully explained. I wanted to have a middleground where Karen misses idioms first-time, but gets them each subsequent time she re-hears it, because she remembers the explanation. 

For Oliver: Early on, I knew I wanted a character who was dressed in plaid and spoke like a greaser. My friend Phil pointed out that Randy and Karen both had head decals (bandage + horse sticker), but that proto-Oliver hadn't. (He was fezless). So, I thought to myself: "Hey, maybe I should add something cool, like a hat?" Exciting stuff, I know. Anyway, my mind instantly jumped to the fez. Guy comes off as a fez wearer to me, anyway. Bet he adores that thing. Fun fact, I almost cut Oliver from the game during development (I originally had 6 datables, not 5, and decided to cut one of the 6 before production ended to make the game's scope more manageable.) I almost cut Oliver instead of the guy who was cut. It's weird imagining a Dialtown without Oliver, huh? Guess I made the right call.

Bigfoot… I want to believe, man. Look, me? I'm a lover of all things Squatch. Enough said. I wore the Bigfoot suit in Dialtown. When my buddy took shots of me wearing the suit, I made the ape noises Bigfoot makes in-game for EVERY shot. Had to. Wouldn't have turned out right if I didn't mantle the Squatch metaphysically, y'know?

Norm Allen's name can be attributed to Phil too, that pun was his idea, though making him a sergeant was mine. After the name was on the table, the space motif was considered as one possible reason to explain how a human being with a normal head had time traveled to a time where phone heads had taken over. I remember pitching another alternate Norm to a few friends, he was in a cryptid investigation FBI-esque bureau, akin to the well-known SCP Foundation or Men in Black/Area 51. Reason I went with NASA in the end was the stronger visual identity (space suits are instantly recognizable, unlike… black suits and shades. Yawn.) Norm being a cowboy kinda came from the conflict I'd already developed in the game's earlier draft with Mingus already banishing Norm early on. I knew why Mingus had gotten rid of Norm, and with a spaghetti-western-esque plot developing and with a showdown at the end, I decided to finalize making him a cowboy as well as a spaceman because it's kind of thematically funny. It's probably fair to say that there's a little bit of Fallout New Vegas in him, the whole spaceman meets cowboy aesthetic. God, I adore that game.

Phonegingi came to me pretty much all at once, like a chair to the face. Actually, if I recall correctly, the very first scene of the game was the first Dialtown dialogue I ever put to paper? Close to it, if not the very first scene. Egglaying. Yeah.

"Theres any scrapped ideas for yours games you realy want to use in future projects?" - @dawnmaskedguy

Answer: Dialtown has an insane number of scrapped scenes and lil arcs. If I ever make DLC or sequels, I won't be short of ideas to pull from! ;)

"Question: will the dog EVER get to fully consume the waffle?" - @Cattusontwitt

Answer: Just as the Greek emo Sisyphus eternally pushes his boulder up the hill, only for it to roll back down just as it reaches the top, some bites are just too big to be finished. Not tonight.

"How did you came up with the idea of Dialtown?" - @rubesova_anna

Answer: This isn't the most interesting story, but one I get asked a lot! The last series I'd developed before Dialtown, Dayshift at Freddy's, had these guys with phones for heads in 'em. In each game, you got closer and closer to your resident phone person (going from distant coworkers in DSaF 1, to siblings in DSaF 2, to then giving them life advice and therapy pretty much in 3!), and I had a parody spinoff game idea using Phone people (of course) that involved dating phone guys as the 'next step' in phone-to-man intimacy (there was a lot more to the idea than that of course, lots of other off the wall stuff.) My friend Phil, upon hearing the pitch in its entirety, said "I really liked the phone dating bit. I'd play a whole game based on that part alone", which made me say "Oh snap… Give me a moment." and Dialtown's plot was drafted VERY soon after that! Same deal as DSaF, really, it was the best part of a weaker pitch fully developed as its own idea.

"I'm a bit curious about this.. How did you come up with the idea of Dayshift at Freddy's?" - @CreativeGamer22

Answer: I was experimenting with RPG Maker (tinkering away, as I often did) and I had the idea of creating a lil free roam pre-rendered FNaF fangame where you work for the rebooted Freddy's restaurant franchise after FNaF 3. Springtrap, BB, the whole thing was a fever dream. Anyway, the game ended with the player being transferred to the Dayshift, and I thought it'd be cool to show the place during the day, and I think I was the first fangame developer to really attempt this. Felt super obvious, the more I thought of it later, and goes to show how the game has cemented itself in the fandom, even now.

Either way, upon playing my first completed alpha build, I was kinda disappointed with how boring and uninspired the early gameplay that took place at the restaurant itself after-hours (like all official FNaF stuff) felt. But, I felt the Dayshift part at the end had so much potential and thought of many ways to build off it. In the end, I decided to start again from scratch. DSaF 1 was my second attempt at this first concept.

"Favourite FNaF animatronic and why? [ ] If you had the chance to have a FNaF game remade, which would it be and why?" - @The_NeonGhoul

Answer: My favourite FNaF animatronic is Golden Freddy (any version)! Has been for a long time. Have a soft spot for Springtrap too, though he really has become a prune now, hasn't he? FNaF 2. I feel like every FNaF game was constructed from a perfect base concept and each game captures its core concept by differing amounts. In my opinion, 1 does the best job at reaching its 'core' potential (it's exactly what it needs to be, no more, no less) and 2 does the 'least' good job of reaching its own potential (lot of great ideas/iconic characters introduced, but the game is kinda vast compared to 1, and its mechanics/the robots' AI's just don't scare me at all. I've even beaten every mode in FNaF 2 other than 10/20 mode. The gameplay loop is extraordinarily easy to cheese.) There isn't a main series FNaF title I don't like, but 2'd be my pick to completely remake from scratch, as a nice 'what if', y'know? Scott did a MUCH better of job than I'd have done in his shoes, designing the rest of the series with only FNaF 1 as a base, but half a decade of contemplation later, I'd love to be a creative designer/director with complete creative control over a FNaF 2 remake… if I wasn't busy with my other work, naturally.

"What's your overall goal with creating games/content creation?" - @dirtynoodlebowl

Answer: Hmm. Big question. First and foremost: I love the process. I love making stupid lil games and publishing them online, seeing people bond with the characters. It's neat to see, and 99% of the time, it's a really positive experience for the developer. Also: I know I'm definitely not doing this for money, 'cause I've still got a day job, heh heh. I'm always amazed when I see fanart, or when I see videos on youtube of DT footage with a lot of interaction. I don't think there's one single reason I do this, but "I enjoy it" is probably the closest that I can give. I think if I stopped, my brain'd explode due to the viciousness of the 3 brain cells I'd have floating around in here that'd be now completely unsupervised and thoughtless. Game design allows me to share weird dialogue with strangers all over the world through the medium of dating sims about antique phones. That's not an everyday kind of opportunity, y'know?

"what inspired you to become a game dev?" - @Dabominhiding

Answer: Hey, y'ever see those Goosebumps books that have narrative choices in 'em? Y'know, you'll get to the bottom of a page and a little bit of text on the footer'll say "Turn to page X to enter room A, turn to page Y to enter room B", allowing you to make a choice that affects what happens next in the story. That kinda stuff. Anyway, I read one of these as a kiddin' and it dawned on me that stories could be written with diverging paths that react to reader intentions, and that made my wee lil mind race. I tried to write my own story with diverging paths, physically, on large amounts of fax paper. The end result was a mess to say the least. A little later on, I discovered text games online and realized that you could use game design or scripting tools to tell stories with paths that diverge depending on what the viewer decides, like in those Goosebumps stories, but with no awkward page flipping, and you could track as many details as you wanted without the viewer even knowing what info you've held onto. Adding visuals + music to the text game formula gives you visual novels, which is what I make. I love telling stories and realizing that game design as a medium can transmit stories that no other art form fully can the same way is what pulls me back towards game development any of the times in the last few years that I've come close to entirely quitting, and boy, have there been close calls. I often once thought about backing away entirely, y'know. Anyway, the element of choice/user interactivity that games allow for is still magic to me. To be frank, most of the games I made pre-DSaF weren't uploaded (and the few that were didn't stay up for very long.) Mainly, they were just enjoyed on my desktop PC, hanging with my friends after school, us laughing at our heads edited onto sprites, full of in-jokes, etc. Scott Cawthon releasing Five Nights at Freddy's really changed that though, because I didn't just kinda get into FNaF. I was hooked, and hung around in places where the other people who refreshed Scottgames.com hung out. FNaF was the first fandom I became really integrated in, and I quickly realized that I was missing out on a lot by never publishing my stuff. So, I swore in 2014 to publish games one day!

"What was the inspiration for turning Henry into the big bad?" (DSaF Question) - @BigMadRabbit

Answer: I thought it'd be a neat inversion, setting up William (Dave) as an obvious contender for the role of the series villain, as he is in canon FNaF, only for someone much worse to appear out of left field, and by its very nature, act as an explanation for how things ended up their own unique flavours of fucked up, essentially. Judging from user feedback I've gotten over the years, it seemed to have been a popular call.

How long did the development of each game take and were there any issues/problems during it? (All Games) - DNoshit

Answer: For DSaF 1-3, I'm afraid I don't know off the top of my head as we're talking about over half a decade ago now for DSaF 1's development. Hell, 2's early development too. I remember small issues cropping up involving small engine quirks and for some of 'em, I never found out the cause 'til Dialtown development started. But, by and large, the games came out just fine. Those games have… rough edges to say the least. That general lack of quality control definitely helped speed things along, no doubt.

Dialtown took 3 years. The biggest issue I had with them is with these goddamned mobile ports, partly because an OS update broke one build and an app store criteria change forbade DT from being on its platform. Some hassles just aren't worth it.

"Why isn’t there more god?" (Dialtown) - @KittyPi53783769

Answer: I hate to break it to you, but there's a ton of cut God content on paper! It's all canon (well, most of it, anyway), but none of it's shown in-game. I just couldn't justify giving such a worthless NPC so much screen time! The universe was created a good, what, ten thousand years ago, for cryin' out loud, the dude's GOTTA stop milking the universe that he churned up a couple o' eons ago and put something NEW out! Washed up hasbin.

"What’s their favorite Easter egg?" - @EggsNoCntxt

Answer: Favourite easter egg in any of my games are the gnomes in Dialtown. If you know, you know.

"What creature is phonegingi" - @risepticeye

Answer: Good question.

"Do you plan on making more dialtown related contents? Maybe sequel or something else very different but related to it?" - @LathyLatte

Answer: Dialtown has only been out for a couple of months so far, so it might be a little early to answer this question. Truth be told, I cannot see the future. Fuck, man, I'm nearsighted, so I struggle to even see the present. That being said, I do really like Dialtown. 

That being said, I've also had a few other projects come across my desk that would also have a lot of potential, non-Dialtown related stuff. Ah, the agony of choice. At the moment, I'm enjoying the rest while my creative batteries recharge. 3 years of development time DRAINS you, so the last thing I'd wanna do is announce anything tonight. BUT: If Dialtown's fandom continues to grow, perhaps that could motivate me to shake the moss off of myself and churn some more phone related stuff out? Just maybe. ;)

 (Finally a bonus 21st question from @facts_indie, who asked me to do the interview) "What advice do you have for aspiring game developers?"

Answer: Oh, man. That's actually real tough to answer since I'm not really anywhere near the end of my journey yet and definitely not somewhere I'm comfortable giving advice for achieving success from. I guess if you wanna do what I do, just consider the obvious: You will work on content you're excited for, and it won't do as well as you'd have hoped. Maybe sometimes, maybe all the time. You will do game design at a LOSS before you ever make a cent off it, that is, if you do ever make a profit off it. If you are fully willing to accept the last 2 tips, then good news, you no longer need advice. You "have" what it takes, now! I can't honestly tell you "Oh, just do what I do, and you'll succeed!" because… like I said, I'm still working a day job right now. Yeah, I'm calling it, 3 years from now, I'll either own my own country or be lying dead in a dumpster in Belarus. Maybe we can revisit my bountiful choices then. Until then, all I really have are the three practical pieces of advice that got me THIS far.

Make what you wanna make and do it because YOU want to. I can't emphasize this enough, if not making money off game design is a dealbreaker for you starting, then steer clear from it. Like say, the indie animation field, it's a lot of work for comparatively little payoff and what becomes successful and what doesn't is largely random in the end. But, if you love it, the work's its own reward. Game design will be torture if you're watching your numbers constantly, bemoaning your lack of success as people discover you.

But, if your head is completely focused on your work itself and you know why you're doing this, you'll be okay. This point is specifically if you're looking for what I have, by the way. You could also just go to college and get a degree in game design, get a development job at a company, though that's very far removed from creating your own stories and characters and publishing them online for all to see, which is what I do.

Generally speaking, if you do wanna make a game, try to make a game that you can make more or less on your own. The one definite reason none of my work ever got publicly canned kinda suddenly (like a lot of big FNaF fangames from yesteryear that you can likely remember) is because when I decide what kind of game I want to make, I keep my own limitations in mind and avoid games that would require lots of essential team members. Remember: Each core position you add to your project is another position that will need to be filled if a team member walks, and 99% of the time I've seen a fangame project get canned, it was not long after somebody significant left, yet another vacancy opened up and the lead just gave up trying to pass the cursed project between collaborators. I'll give y'all a for instance here: I love working with Nathan Hanover (composer of Porkchop's Adventure or The Joy of Creation story mode), but if Nathan declared me a villainous fiend and declared I couldn't use any of their music again… I have (albeit depressing) royalty free options. Granted, those tracks wouldn't be even a fraction as good as what Nathan makes, but the sudden split wouldn't cancel any project I was working on with them. I'm sure it sounds kinda callous to say "Don't make big games that you can't complete without the help of others", but I'll put it this way… If you spent months working on something, pouring your all into it, do you really want to hand someone else the power to decide whether or not your game gets finished? I've seen this first-hand and it's heartbreaking. Hell, I've seen this RECENTLY. Also important: No developer releases their magnum opus first, and the key to maybe getting there is getting started. Small releases can help you get a few games out there.

Determination. You really can't do jack shit without it. Some parts of game development royally SUCK. It takes forever and in the end… … …BUT, if you can persevere, good gravy, you've got an immensely time consuming and sometimes very rewarding hobby.

And that's it. I have no better advice to give you, 'cause if I had THAT, well, I'd be first in line to test it!

Alright, that's it, those are my answers!  I hope these answers sufficed and whatnot. Obvious shill now: you can get my latest game, Dialtown: Phone Dating Sim on Steam riiiight over here. Buy it for yourself, or like, a friend, if you hate them. Come on dooown…….. *bares teeth like stressed chimpanzee*