#how she'd probably be obsessed with the fact you two are matching

[ghost-proofbaby]

thinking about how eddie munson probably has a ridiculous collection of guitar picks. little jars of them. some collected at shows, some he picked up for a nickel at the only local music shop he's ever trusted to do work on his Sweetheart, some he was gifted for free at his local record shop that he's been frequenting for years now. the little old man running the record shop even gets excited when new vinyls are sent out with promotional merch, and he knows it's a band or musician eddie is into. probably even called eddie in at times and handed him a handful of metallica themed pics, hardly worth much, but solely because "i knew you like them and will find a good use for these, son".

my point is, he's got a pick for every occasion. shitty plastic thin ones for just fucking around with. thicker, nicer ones that might have been proper holiday gifts to him. the kind that are meant to hook on his fingers like rings (he tried using them a few times, especially for rifts, but ended up saying he played better when he felt the strings against his skin instead while picking away). novelty ones, ones that just looked plain cool. so on and so forth.

and he's got his collection just sitting in little jars across his room. he used to keep them in other things, like old ash trays or tin cans he'd cut and mold to be good containers. but then he started dating you, and you insisted on lending him any empty jars you weren't using. you had your own collections in yours: pretty stones found down by the creek, bottle caps of the sodas you and eddie get every time you stop at the gas station right on the edge of town by lover's lake - you even had one of every single crumpled up note eddie had ever given you over your time of dating. a few jars of those, actually. so what was lending him a few spares? at this point, the jars were a collection in themselves, and... well... it was prettier to see his vast collection in those glass jars anyways. being able to pick out the vibrant tones of the guitar pick you'd been with him as he'd purchased two weeks prior, or the pick from the show you'd gotten him tickets to last christmas. it was nice. a cute reminder of time spent, of what made eddie munson tick.

the important thing is, eddie munson isn't blind. he sees the way you look at that collection, especially after he fills the jars with it.

how some days, he'll be strumming away on his guitar, softly humming, and you'll just grab a jar to pick through. interrupting his nonsensical playing to ask him where he got one you didn't recognize, sometimes asking for the stories behind ones he knew you already knew. he'd caught on to the way you just liked hearing him talk, especially about the things he cared most about.

you also really, really liked the pick he wore as a necklace. it was probably your favorite in his collection, and you knew it was his favorite too. giving it as a gift to you was never an option, because it had been given as a gift to him originally by his mom.

so he does the next best thing.

he figures out your favorite pick in his collection. the one you always go back to, the one you ask for the story behind on a nearly weekly basis. one similar to the one always resting against his collarbones. pearly sheen, marbled tones, a slow indent the shape of his thumb being worn into the old tortoiseshell. it's a little less red, a little bit brighter, and he can't even strum it against his strings anymore without thinking of you. it's somehow become his lucky pick - the pick he cherishes most aside the one from his mom.

and the one he chooses to turn into a necklace, for you.

does it all himself. carefully piercing a hole through the top just like his own, picks out a nice chain that costs two paychecks of his, takes an old pocket knife to it and spends weeks carving your initials into the shiny material. he's gentle as hell with it, finishing it off with some gold paint to fill in the carving that matches the chain and swirling tones of the picks.

a week before christmas he nearly backs out of the gift idea, and almost begs wayne to help him go to the mall and pick out some other basic but safe gift for you. a perfume/cologne, a nice sweater, anything. wayne refuses to let him, and the only thing the gentle old man will offer is a nice box for eddie to place that necklace born of love into.

the look on your face on christmas morning, sitting in the center of the munson's living room, on the verge of happy tears as you lift the homemade necklace so gently, soothes away every single doubt ever had about it all.

and the look on wayne's face is a simple, caring, stern vision of i told you so.

[allpiesforourown]

I never really do this, but I mostly wanted to let you know you're my favorite SVSSS blog here. You've got all of the characters dead on as far as characterization goes and your AUs are hilarious and super fun. It's nice to have someone that doesn't just remember the fandom version of things. That being said: what's your least favorite part of the story, for curiosity's sake?

Hehe thank youuuuu

My least fav part was definitely the vague way they handled Qiu Haitang's end?? Like every other characters got their plot holes wrapped up (Yue qingyuan got to apologize, airplanes story was finished how he wanted, etc) and then for Qiu Haitang's character we just got... this line

I literally remember jerking in place, going "huh???? she died????", going back to the chapter and needing to reread it again and finding this

DUDE. You can't go "oh we'll just assume she's dead" with two small paragraphs to kill her off

And honestly I think there could have been a lot of depth to her character. The first time I read svsss, obviously I hated her for her braindead "we treated our slaves nicely, why would shen jiu do that!" take.

But after reading and rereading scum villain so many times I've realized she's another victim of Qiu Jianluo's..

In Shen Jiu's extra we read this:

If Haitang married Shen Jiu, she wouldn't need to leave, and she'd still rely on their family for food, clothes, and money. It would be as good as not marrying her off in the first place. The plan had no flaws, other than the fact that matching her with Shen Jiu was a bit like letting a toad get a taste of some sumptuous swan meat.

Like what the fuck!! He manipulated his sister into being engaged to their slave so that she would remain dependant on him!! That kind of obsessiveness is not normal and I want to know what other things he did to make her end up in her place.

And there's the fact that Shen Jiu did genuinely consider Qiu Haitang someone he cared for, to the point he was very close to Yingying due to their similarity

Can you imagine her point of view of how things went down? Can you imagine having all he men in your house murdered, having your house burned down when you're a YOUNG GIRL, finding out it was your FIANCE that did it, and spending years hunting him down to get revenge for your family? And then right when she thought she was getting justice for her brother, she found out all along her brother was the bad guy.

Like holy shit her reaction to finding out the truth about what happened was THIS:

Give me a Qiu Haitang extra !!!!! I want to know more!! What did she think of her engagement to Shen Jiu? Did she think she was helping him out of slavehood? Where did she search for Shen Jiu all those years? How did she start working with the palace master and what lies did he tell her? What did she do after finding out the truth?? I refuse to accept "she probably died" as her end!!

[woolying]

i meant to post this last week before the first in-game comic came out but i forgot oops.... anyywayyy i am sooooo obsessed with teruko plays among us so im posting my initial predictions based on canon/what i think would be funny (girl who likes mongy monday and drdt a bit too much and is trying to be normal about it) also i explain the roles for people who may not know them!

i might update these each week as more info comes out in the comic

(under the cut bc its long / drdt spoilers)

DAVID

jester (neutral role, has to get voted out to win) - i think its kinda self explanatory as to why lol (i hope teruko shoots him <3)

i would say imitator (crew, in meetings can select a dead crewmate with certain roles and take it for one round) and he uses it on xander if (probably when) he dies, to sorta match what he does in canon, but i didnt put down any imitable roles for xander... but i guess he still could be anyway if im wrong about xander's role

ACE

morphling (imposter, can disguise as other people) - bc blackened, and he imitated eden in the note?? idk

either that or swooper (imposter, can temporarily turn invisible) - bc hes sneaky like that

veteran (crewmate, kills anyone who interacts with them) - the scared of other people role

XANDER

executioner on teruko (neutral, has to get teru voted out to win) is my fav guess i think

maybe vigilante (crew, can guess imposter roles in meetings to kill them, if they guess wrong they die) - just bc it suits him?? idk

one of the imposter roles idk - bc attempted murderer, maybe teruko shoots him?

^^ i wrote these before episode 3 came out and we have since seen xander doing a task so this is a no (tbh i dont think executioner does tasks either?? i forget if its a toggle or not)

CHARLES

amnesiac (neutral, basically no role but if they find a dead body they can steal their role and be it for the rest of the game) - haha get it because he forgot...anyways

investigator (crew, sees footprints when people walk around), tracker (crew, can place arrows onto people to see their location), or spy (crew, can see exactly who is where on admin table) - investigative roles that don't involve dead bodies

^^ another update post episode 3: charles on admin table!!??? (but notes say he always does that what a loser)

WHIT

swapper (crew, can swap votes onto someone else in a meeting) or transporter (crew, can teleport two people to trade places during the round) just bc i think he'd have fun with it lmao, both can be very chaotic/annoying roles or rlly good/helpful depending on how the person uses them (he uses them to be annoying)

mystic (crew, gets notified whenever someone dies) - just vibes tbh

EDEN

engineer (crew, can vent and fix sabotages remotely) - a support role suits her i think

i kinda got nothing really oops??? we'll see i guess

MIN

undertaker maybe?? (imposter, can drag dead bodies) - bc blackened, altering the crime scene🔥🔥🔥

tbh a more suiting imposter role might be traitor (a random crewmate who becomes imposter if both die early) but idk how this group would manage to kill the imposters that quickly... either that or amnesiac picking up an imposter role based on the fact that She Didn't Want This

altruist (crew, gets to sacrifice their life to revive a dead participant) - min voice i just wanted to save you!! i can imagine teruko dying in the middle of nowhere and min bringing her back

J

vigilante or jailor (crew, can tag people to be jailed during the round and choose whether to execute them during the meeting) - i think shes pretty involved in trials so a meeting crew role makes sense? though j gives off such bad guesser vibes lol may she rest in peace

tracker - partially vibes, but also i think it would be funny if she got a role that can be kinda boring in some circumstances bc she'd be so mad about it

AREI

guardian angel on eden (neutral, wins if eden wins) - Arei "I guess this time I can be the person you rely on" Nageishi

jailor maybe - it reminds me of her in mins trial with the pen idk vibes

tbh im not rlly sure if the blackeneds will end up being imposters?? bc it almost feels too obvious but maybe the simplest answer is the right one yknow? also since min was added off a poll i was kinda doubting, but i feel like nico/levi could also be imposters if they were chosen instead? but idk who else would be if not the blackeneds bc at that point its just random so i cant really guess

these could be all totally completely wrong honestly im just having fun thinking about it! i cannot wait to see more YAYYY YIPPPEEEE

[inbetweenknacksandnooks]

Heya! Gosh, you were really over-achevieving with those headcanons, huh? It's great to see! (As long as you're fine with it and don't get overwhelmed/burnt-out ofc)

I was kind of wondering what your favorite girlies are! So is it alright if you tell?

It can be HSR, ZZZ, or both!

—🔺️

Glad you saw my little headcanon work! I wasn't getting burnt out, so much as I was worrying about my works being repetitive/bland to read, since I made all the HSRs in one night and stuff...

And sure!

For HSR I have... too many, I think... I don't really have one singular one I obsess over, so much as I have a bunch of gals that I say, "Awe! Look at the cute idiot babygirl! I luv her so much! Awee! She so dummy! HEY! BACK OFF FROM HER! I STF I WILL FIGHT YOU! GO AWAY!" Whenever there's interaction with them.

For HSR there's Asta, though I think I mostly like her backstory and her Character Event Quest because she sadly doesn't get all that much interaction throughout the game :<.

She'd be such a caring girlfriend, though! She's probably never had someone who's genuinely wanted to date her for her, so she's constantly overanalyzing everything that she and you do. She probably tries her best to have good communication, but frets and worries if it's something too small, and probably blames herself for the smallest things, like if you were to get a migraine, or are pushing yourself at work a lot and come home late.

That's something she'll need to work on a bit, but she'll catch on if you're clear about what you say, and a simple, "I'll tell you if I need some space, or if I have a migraine, so you don't have to guess." Should put her at ease.

March is so silly, and I adore teasing her in-game, her reactions are incredibly cute and amusing. And the way that she just basks in the fact that you're praising her in the new Marcher event is honestly so, so cute! If there was ever a choice between teasing and praising, I'm not so sure I'd be able to choose between the two.

She'd absolutely be such a fun girlfriend to have! I like taking walks a lot, and it would be really cool to go sightseeing or something with her!

Stelle is the little idiot-jokester... I love her corny face so much. And. That. Voice! Have you HEARD it!?

I took a bunch of recordings of her voice, at first it was mostly because it was so rare for her to talk, but later it was because of how it sounded! I began to notice during the Ruan Mei event, when Stelle's choices weren't matching with her words. Then in Fyxstroll Garden Quest, and now in 2.4 she's more vocal than ever! It's great!

She's also such a mischievous little goober! If she had earned any less than 2 Praise-of-High-Morals during her lifetime, she'd totally be doing poorly-done graffiti, and I would 100% follow along!

Topaz, Robin, and Firefly are some standouts. I just keep. Coming. Back to them.

Topaz was the first banner I ever rolled on after getting HSR, when I was a confused little nugget that had no clue how to work this new UI, and... I failed and got Yanqing instead...

Robin was the 2nd banner I rolled on, before I even hit the Luofu. I was majorly confused about her, but caught wind of the Robin!Lesbian?! Drama and defended her by.... ignoring the ones in denial, because everyone else argued before me, and also better than me, so I stayed quiet, but began to learn about her on the side.

Long story short, I rolled for her and got... Gepard.

Finally, I reached Penacony. And really, really ended up falling pretty hard for Firefly. Robin was great, but I didn't get to interact with her all that much :<

Firefly, though...

Throughout your journey on The Astral Express, we've visited many places. And while some journeys collided in opposition, others coalesced for a common goal, journeying with Firefly and going on little dates with her...

Felt like the first time I was exploring someone else's world.

Once I heard Firefly's banner was coming up, I saved like 50 bucks, and a bunch of Stellar Jades and got...

Gepard.

Again.

Then I rolled and got Firefly 50 warps later :D!

I like lots of the HSR girlies, but these are some of the more special ones.

Now for Zenless...

None of them are specially special, but I adore Anby so much! I want to go on a movie date and get some really great junk food with her!

I love characters that have this straight-forward, but not-quite-all-there sort of brainspace. I really, really want to see more of Anby!

Nicol is pretty neat, too, though I mostly have a little attachment to her because, just like with Anby, I insta-upgraded her as soon as I could. I don't care if neither are going to be useful longterm, my wifies. Need. Their. Promotion!

I want to wait a while before anything else. Currently she's at Cinema level 5 with the banner.

Oh, who's banner by the way—?

Zhu Yuan's.

She and Grace are two characters that I like pretty-well. I think it's mostly the promotional material (since I sadly haven't gotten to their parts in-game yet :( ).

So much personality oozes from what they do, what they love, and how they interact with the world.

Once again, though, I really love them, but I can't vocalize why until I see them in-game.

B-b-b-booonuss rooound!

I'm never going to do Genshin Impact, but screw you, I'm giving you the ladies I love from there, too!

Fun-fact:

I've only played Genshin three times.

Each time was because of 1 character.

I love 5 of them.

Let's start.

I first started playing because I was reading TV Tropes to see what Genshin was all about, and went into the character section to check out some of them, because like 3 of my friends were just like, "Yoooooo! This dude character has a jiggly BULDGE!"

"Okay?"

"AAAAA!"

Thus. I stumbled upon Collei. Then, I read her manga. Then fanfiction. Then I checked out some of her art.

I heard there was an event going on at that time where you could get a free Collei.

I assumed it was limited time event, and downloaded the game. Wow... it sure is taking a lot of gigs... even more than FateGO and the Yu-Gi-Oh card game combined... it's still going....

Anyway, after hopping on, not understanding anything about what anyone was saying and getting a Noelle I turned the game off to go to sleep.

I woke up, got my wings from Amber, and tried to do this quest for this Pirate Dude in Fantasy Police Force.

Then I began to travel and died by a level 12 Hillichurl.

"Too bad there's no automatic healing system and no quick-telwports..." I grumble to myself, not realizing that there are, in-fact, quick-teleports.

I dropped the game after that, but I still really love Collei.

I like Amber because she's Collei's best friend and helped her through serious trauma, and also from a fanfic I once read.

I liked Amber enough to make an OC similar to Collei, except her trauma isn't very traumatic, and she lives in the forest with her mother and people who kidnapped her when she was a child.

Then Jean.

I really like Jean

Funfact: she's extremely reminiscent of my first favorite Fate GO character: Chevalier D'eon.

Additional fun-fact: The first X Reader I read was a Jean x Reader headcanons!

She's so baby, and I want to hug and cuddle all her stress away!

Arle. Fricken. Cchinno. Arlecchino.

I don't think you know how many Arlecchino x Fem bots there are on Character AI. It was SCARAMOUCHE level (well, maybe half his level, but that's still a ton!)

I kept seeing various Arlecchino x Fem!User bots over and over, and so... I clicked, and chatted, and chatted with various others.

It was only when I heard her in relation to Genshin that I found out, "Wait? She's an already-established character?" And the rabbit hole was jumped down yet again.

Only this time I burrowed.

I picked up the game again, for a day, and spread the contagious dirt into my best friend's eyes (as I often do), until she was infected.

Then we were making regions and OCs, and Archons.

Very fun.

I love Arlecchino, and, though I'll never get her, she'll likely be my first thought whenever someone mentions Genshin.

Lastly, and most-recent:

Mavuika!

I don't know a lot about her... but... those sunglasseeessss! Those EYES! That zipper that I somehow didn't notice until someone mentioned it. Those eyes! Gooooshhhh! I really just want to push her into a wall and nuzzle my head right into her throat while she squeezes me tight!

Legit thinking about installing Genshin for a 3rd time, just for her.

A/N:

Wow! All of that was super-long and unhinged.

Why am I like this?

[mod-kyoko]

hey hey mod kyoko this is my first time requesting something on your page so i'm going easy on ya!

May i request Tsumugi Kirumi and Korekiyo with a ultimate astrologist s/o? like they study space and stars and mars and the other sturf of astrology? For some odd reasoning i find shinguji extremely comforting and pleasant to the ear and eyes :)

Thank you and Happy New year!

-Mod Kaito

ahh the v3 cast <3 (specifically kirumi <33)

dude i hope you meant astrology as in horoscopes too because that's how i interpreted it

tsumugi, kirumi, korekiyo x astrologer!reader (gender neutral)

tsumugi is definitely the type to appreciate an art such as astrology

in fact, she's super into it

she thought some posters would liven up her room so she bought some charts of constellations and the planets

she'd ask you to teach her how to interpret a birth chart, get obsessed, and then ask everyone she knows for their time and date of birth lol

she spends a lot of time reading up on this sort of stuff because she knows it's your passion

anyway, she's done so much research she knows almost as much as you, so the two of you can have hour long conversations, which is refreshing, because most people you talk to think astrology is fake? weird? yadda yadda

tsumugi's recent birthday gift for you was a brand new telescope

it was the latest model, with newer technology built into it, like the kind a laboratory would have, and now it's in your home!

thank tsumugi for being almost unhealthily obsessed with your interests

you and kirumi will stay up late at night drinking tea, starting a fire, and gazing at the night sky through the windows

she always plans these nights on a calendar, like the super organized maid she is, and prepares small entrees as well

she is always pointing to constellations and asking you to name them

she's really good at making conversation about your interests, it's like she has a database of conversation starters specific to you because it's her heart's desire to make you feel wanted and cared for

though, she doesn't really understand the horoscope part of astrology

she asked you if it was real one time

she probably meant is it accurate?

you'll tell her to take it with a grain of salt. some people really believe in it, and others think it's silly.

though she recognizes horoscopes as a pseudoscience, she does think it's fun to read them and see how accurate they are for her

the two of you are literally always going to be outside at night. always

korekiyo actually bought you both a tent so you could camp

the two of you have contests to see who can spot the most planets, stars, and constellations

imagine sitting on a blanket in the grass together, and he has his arm around your shoulders as he points up to the night sky omg

astrology appears in many cultures so of course he knows all about it, and you're the perfect match for him

he has always wanted an s/o who appreciates the universe as much as he does, and has interests similar to his own

and in moments like this when you two are talking about your shared interests is when he truly falls in love with you over and over again

sometimes he'll ask you to just rant to him about astrology so he can see your face light up as you talk about your passion

and of course you're so focused on info-dumping that you don't realize how kiyo is staring at you so intensely with our adoration in his gleaming eyes

♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧♤♧

literally didn't even like korekiyo but now because of my own damn writing im a simp 😭

-mod kyoko

[emphasisonthehomo]

Hi! I just read all of 'Where Waters Do Not Curve' and I'm obsessed and I was just wondering what you see Rachel's reaction being once she finds out Steve and Danny are dating/ hears the new that they are moving in together (or her getting to design a room at Steve's house).

(Sorry if this is super annoying lol) love your writing!!!

Thank you!!!

Thank you so much!!! And you're not annoying at all, I always love getting asked about my fic. (The fic in question.)

I think Rachel is deeply unsurprised, but also unimpressed. Frankly she had an idea that something was going on with those two before they got their shit figured out.

On principle, Danny doesn't tell her he's seeing Steve until the thing with his apartment comes up and he has to move in. And the only reason he does is because it means that Grace will now for sure be spending the weekends at Steve's house. (Not that she didn't spend a lot of weekends there already, but this time it's Official.)

And Rachel is about "well about damn time" because in her head they've probably been sleeping together since Matty was in town. She'd be shocked to find that's not the case, but she and Danny don't really talk and he feels no need to give her more information because it's not her business.

Rachel is fine with their relationship, she doesn't really care. Steve is a good man and Grace likes him, and Grace's safety is her top concern. It does begin to bother her once her second marriage starts to fail though. It hurts that Danny can make his second major relationship post divorce work, and she can't.

In her mind, a significant contribution to her marriage with Danny failing hinged on his "refusal" to change. In reality it was more complicated than just that (lack of communication, the fact that they had different priorities, etc) but from her perspective that's the main reason.

So when Danny starts this new job and has a new relationship and seems to be thriving, she sees this as "oh so now he's willing to change, he wouldn't change for me but he'll change for Steve" situation rather than what it actually is. It's actually a combination of bullshit luck, Danny learning from his past mistakes, and the fact that Steve is full stop just not Rachel. Steve and Danny match each other's crazy in a way that Rachel and Danny never did.

But for the most part she's fine with it, if a little bitter. She and Steve don't really get along, but they're civil with each other. I think her relationship with Danny does smooth out and get less rocky as the years go on, but they stay firmly as co-parents and don't ever really become friends again.

I'm still up in the air for how I'd handle Charlie in this au tbh, it's not possible for there to be any surprise babies. Plus I hated the whole infidelity story line anyways, and their relationship in this fic is different from how it is in canon.

[keikuri]

I do not hesitate.

a kagamari fic I won't finish. people are free to finish it if they want, credit and tag me tho!

Kagami admires marinette.

that is a known fact to her. she admires marinette. she envies marinette. she has a perfect life, perfect parents, perfect grades, perfect hair, perfect eyes, perfect smile, perfect, soft skin, perfect-

kagami shoots up in her bed. no. she is not going to let herself think like this. no. she won't allow herself to. she sits on the bed for a few moments, contemplating why exactly this girl has been on her mind so much lately.

she isn't anything special. she's a regular girl with a subpar talent in clothing design, average to poor grades, and no distinguishable features, save for her eyes.

then kagami is thinking about her eyes again. those beautiful blue crystalline eyes full of emotion, how they sparkle like a clear lake on a summer's day when she's happy, and holds the rage of a storm when she's not. when- she stops herself. there was no time in her life for relaxation, much less anything that would make her as happy as being with marinette-

Kagami forces herself to sleep. she'd deal with these feelings tomorrow. or not. whatever the day brought.

-------

tomorrow isn't any better. Marinette had come to watch fencing practice, which baffles kagami. she had no particular interest or connection to the sport. then she sees how intently she watches adrien. a pool of a familliar emotion bubbles within her. it's rage, white hot rage, and jealousy. jealousy. Kagami is moving before her brain can stop her, challenging adrien to a fight. she is looking at marinette, waiting for her response. when she says nothing, like the rest of the fencing team, the match starts. It is over before it begins. Kagami is victorious. she stands over adrien, sword aimed at his chest. Over at marinette, she looks. and she sees disappointment in her eyes. Kagami steps back, confused and sad, and angry and even more jealous. it is clear as day. she favors adrien over her. she favors this failure over her. Kagami helps adrien up, and storms off, not taking another look back at the faces of the stunned and disappointed fencers, and especially not marinettes.

---------

Kagami is at marinette's house. the two had been slowly fixing their relationship that kagami had no idea was even broken. they have been getting closer and closer, and Kagami has oftentimes imagined closing that distance, her lips on Marinette's, hand on her waist, and hers on Kagami's face. But she couldn't allow herself to think about that now. not when she's listening to marinette ramble about adrien. Those stupid, green eyes. those ugly lips of his. that dirty, dandruff-filled blonde hair. she's almost obsessed with him, and kagami is very much jealous. she doesn't show it though, intently listening to Marinette's every word and taking note of it all.

she notices a small, red blur watching her, and she sits up. "what was that?" she asks defensively. "what was what?" marinette responds. there is that face again. the cute one. the one she makes when she's confused. "there was something red there. it was flying. was it a bug?" Kagami asks, moving the table. then she watches as a slow realization appears on Marinette's face. "oh yeah, it was probably just a bug." she says dismissively. but there's something laced in the dismissiveness. anxiety. "we should wait for it to go back home. i don't feel like dealing with it." she emphasized the words go back home. "i can deal with it," she said, taking off her shoe and waiting for it to appear again. "It's okay, really! you're a guest here and we wouldn't want you having to kill any nasty bugs!" Marinette says, grabing her arm and pulling her back down. both of them turn a deep shade of red and pull apart, Kagami wondering what just happened, and why marinette would let her stay in a bug-infested room, but she lets it slide. it is her house after all. Marinette avoids her for the rest of the visit. Kagami misses her

-----

Kagami has not been outside of her room for a week. she refuses to speak to anyone, see anyone or move from her position on her bed. she has been watching romance shows and movies with themes of found family for the whole time, only getting up to feed herself and pee.

that is, until, marinette shows up at her door. she slowly turns her face to the door, the rest of her body silent and still, the television blasting sailor moon and other comfort shows. she can smell the pastries in her hand, along with that sickeningly sweet perfume she wears through the door. "Kagami? it's me, Marinette." she says softly. as if she is afraid kagami is going to break if she says the wrong thing. "I wanted to make sure you're okay. Everyone in class is worried about you. they all made a card and helped with the pastrie-" then the door is open. kagami's hair is a mess, and her eyebags are nearly black, making her skin look pale in comparison. it occurrs to kagami that she looks gross. her mother would be disappointed in her. she allows marinette to enter her room, to which she hands her the box of nice-smelling pastries.

[n7viper]

Oh my! I was sooo waiting for you to reblog that headcanon post and now I find out you already did?? YES! Now I have the perfect excuse to launch Hawke at Mihri like a dart on the board 👀💛

I'd love to be a fly on the wall and listen to their interactions! He has no filters, he's constantly horny, plus he's a powerful bullshit detector. Would point his finger at her and say "I trust this girl with my life", but then he'd ask her to pull it, because he's a complete idiot or she probably had a bad day so he needs to distract her and that's the more obvious joke

I don't think she'd be impressed by him at first? Like, I think for her it would be like a kombucha girl moment but then they'd both realize there's more and more under the surface and just click. Hawke would ask for her opinion on literally anything, because she gives him a raw sweetness vibe, plus she's super fun to hang out with! I know she is!

But also, I so picture theirs like those ride or die friendships where one of them appears on the other's doorstep at 3am and just goes "get in loser, we're going on a quest" but it's just a trip to the ice cream parlor. And then they'd just sit in the middle of nowhere talking about the meaning of life and how awesome it would be if they had chicken nuggets to dip on that ice cream. Anyway, there's a group of venatori nearby, let's just kick some ass and then grab something to eat (chicken nuggets mukbang a few minutes later, but the audience is just the advisors trying to get some work done while these two are talking about di-- fereldan politics in front of the war table)

Oh my god, I am obsessed with this!

I'm sure at Haven, Varric can't resist telling Mihri all about Hawke and how he thinks they'd get along so perfectly. When he first shows up at Skyhold, she's just sort of like "...this is the guy? He's ok I guess." Then the first time he slips in a dick joke at the War Table (met with a big sigh from Cullen), she finally gets it, and they're best friends now.

She would love spending time with him at the tavern and hearing about all of his adventures (and exploits) in Kirkwall, especially the really raunchy ones. She'd probably try to make up some tall tales to match him, and he can totally tell that she's lying, but he eggs her on anyway. I imagine at some point he jokingly sighs and laments the fact that she wasn't in Kirkwall -- they could have gotten up to so much trouble. "Thank the Maker you weren't," Cullen sighs and asks for another ale. It's gonna be a long night... This is probably the punishment from the Maker for his past, he thinks, having to suffer both of them together. With that, though, Hawke strikes me as the type to be like "this guy? Girl, you're dating this guy? Let me tell you every embarrassing story I have about him," while Cullen melts into the floor.

They are BFFs, I'm declaring it now

(Send headcanons of our OCs relationships)

[thalassous]

oh i don't know the ship names UH sonya x dolokhov and anatole x mary

OOH LETS GO MY TWO BEST FRIENDS WHO ARE EVIL

SONYAKHOV

why don't you ship it?

I MEAN . i dont think with sonya's people pleasing/dismissal of her own feelings it'd be very fun even in like. an evil way but this is a HEAVY asterisk (i think dolokhov would find out who she was truly and absolutely despise her personally . and the crux of this ship is that dolokhov actually likes someone for once . via canon etc etc)

what would have made you like it?

honestly if dolokhov was more patient and less stuck in his own head, and if sonya ACTUALLY could stand to realize someone out there was willing to care for her without any blood relation (nobody ever ask me how i feel about the rostovs) give both of them time and they would be a good match for each other. my read on sonya is pretty aro as far as it goes and dolokhov DOESN'T have a very nice relationship with romantic love so i think. i think they'd understand each other on a certain level which is nice. (comet canon is soo different and thats a whole nother. thing)

despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

coming back to that asterisk. IF they were fucked up in a romance way. oh how badly would i be down for them. LIKE wap ships are gonna be interesting to me since there's already very few that are nice, healthy relationships. but if you took an obsessive dolokhov and a distrusting sonya and ACTUALLY made it work. grits my teeth together id be so normal about that dynamic .

MARYATOLE

what made you ship it?

I DONT SHIP IT ROMANTICALLY I JUSR HAVE A SOFT SPOT FOR IT PERSONALLY. reading wap itself, marya thinking she can fix anatole and the possibility of that actually playing out is the best to me. i fuckihg love them. the blueprint is right there tolstoy did all of the work im obsessed

what are your favourite things about the ship?

ITS ANOTHER SUPER DUPER FUCKED UP EVIL ONE!!!! in the sense. that. we know for a fact anatole would never treat it seriously for even a second. marya is putting all her energy into this but she's probably aware of how futile it is and yet. she'd definitely end up feeling a little responsible for him and.. ! if that doesn't say anything about either of those two characters. im sorry marya you cant feel responsible for people i know thats what you're used to but :,(( anatole in fact needs people to stop letting him off the hook and taking his damage as their own failings :,((( let this man die marya hes gonna do it anyw—

is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

mm. hey. i cant let you all into my brain but here me out. queer platoni[is shot and killed]

[never-not-ever]

Yes I made an iced vanilla latte at 10:30pm 🤷🏻‍♀️ (it's now 11:30, but I started this post an hour ago 😅). But it’s some instant Maxwell coffee packet which I keep meaning to google to see if there's even any caffeine in these (about 60ish hmmm). I remember last year I was hooked on these when I was inpatient.

Also these are my current nails. Hard to tell in the photo but it's supposed to be a sparkly dark purple. On my other hand it's the opposite. So white on my index and middle finger. I just did these last Wednesday and normally I give them at least two weeks but I have this new Christmasy set I found at T.J. Maxx that I really want to put on...

The green looks a lot darker in person. I guess I'll make this a silly little useless ramble post about nails....

So I've been using nail strips, specifically Dashing Diva for about two years now and I'm still so obsessed. Even during my 10 months inpatient every couple weeks I'd do my nails. It was always a nice little self care.

I used to get acrylics done every 2 weeks with my ex best friend all the time. I'd always tell my nail lady that I had to get acrylics, that my nails were too thin and frail and to be honest they were. But she'd always tell me I hd to just give my natural nails a chance.

I eventually switched to gel and then to dip. When I moved out of my childhood home and had to start paying rent and bills like an Adult ™️ I figured I needed to start saving money and stopped getting my nails done and nails were in the worst shape. It was such a painful transition especially because I worked with my hands in the florist and they were constantly getting wet watering plants and such.

Anywho I'd occasionally get my nails done for weddings but that was it. Fast forward a couple years later, I went to a wedding and tried Color Street nail strips and they were great for the night but they peeled off and didn't last long. But I loved the quick application process and how nice they looked right away. So then I ventured out and tried Dashing Diva and I've been hooked ever since. It's been two years I think.

Like I said they last me about two weeks but I could probably stretch it to three. For anyone who doesn't know, they're a flimsy strip that sticks to your nail and you can file off the excess but over time I've found that using nail clippers works best. Which is why I like to wait at least two weeks cause then it works out that I'm like trimming my nails and cutting off the excess at the same time.

I've ordered from their site where it's priced from like $7-$10 depending on designs but T.J. Maxx and Marshall's always has them for like $5 which is such a steal! Target and Walmart have them too. They also have a nail strip that hardens with a UV lamp and they have press on nails too. I honestly love this brand so much.

They have about 30ish different sizes and it's supposed to be simple that you just find one that fits your nail bed and tada! But about a year ago I started becoming very picky and using nail scissors and trimming it to fit my nail even better. What started out as a quick 10-15 minute process can now take me over an hour lol.

When I was inpatient in the beginning I had to resort back to just matching it as best as I could but then over time I was able to sign out my nail scissors which to be quite honest I am SHOCKED they let me sign out, even during art because those things are sharp as fuck but I wasn't complaining lol.

Anywho maybe I can look back and find some old favorite sets of mine...

Ughhhh that was from 2 years ago and I've never been able to find that set again!! It was one of my favs... Fun little fact.. There's a silver sheet in between the layers of the nail strips and it makes a reflective shadow on the wall which is Jett's favorite thing in the world so whenever I'd do my nails he would join in on the fun....

That stained glass design was another 👌🏻

I'm not much of a mauve colored kind of gal these days but those two bottles at the bottom- I didn't use to use way back when I first started using these. So if anyone is reading this and considering giving it a try these two are a must. The Magic Off is to get the strips off. I used to just peel them off, and boy did that ruin my nails for a bit. That red cap bottle is just a base seal that you put under the strips before you put them on.

I can talk about these things forever. Clearly.... Let me see if I have anymore photos 😅

Using my cat as a backdrop lmao. But another photo of Jett joining me during Nail Time 😭

I swear I had more but oh well. Better to end this long post already. Maybe Sunday I'll redo them with the trees and presents which now that I think of it... kind of ironic since I hate the holidays and am very Grinch like 💚

[chcrrybcmbs]

✼  ʾ   𝑎𝑐𝑡.   𝒊   ,   the   connections   . below you'll find some wanted connections for river , i'm going to try to update it & keep current plots / connections at the bottom .

younger   brother   ,   m   /   nb   .

should   be   between   24   -   27   ,   he   would've   been   born   once   the   family   set   their   roots   in   oxford   ,   england   .   the   two   brother's   have   always   been   close   although   in   many   ways   y/m   would   be   much   more   reserved   in   nature   than   river   .   probably   one   of   few   people   who   can   call   river   out   on   his   antics   and   he   actually   listens   or   atleast   hears   his   brother   out   .        

ex   -   fiances   ,   f   .

#1   they   started   dating   when   river   was   19/20   and   while   he   did   love   her   and   was   prepared   to   spend   the   rest   of   his   life   with   her   when   he   proposed   in   2013   .   nothing   could   quite   prepare    him   for   the   onslot   of   women   who   would   throw   themselves   at   him   and   he   did   what   (   he   likes   to   say   )   any   man   in   his   position   would've   done   .   he   cheated   .   again   and   again   ,   until   he   was   caught   .   when   she   finally   asked   him   about   the   rumors   his   response   was   cold   ,   probably   because   he   knew   the   end   of   their   relationship   had   been   dropped   at   his   feet   ,   saying   "   took   you   long   enough   to   ask   me   "   .   naturally   ,   they   split   afterwards   .   i   think   it'd   be   fun   if   she   were   the   ex   he   always   found   himself   going   back   to   even   if   they   never   offically   get   back   together   .         #2   npc   .    #3   his   most   recent   failed   engagement   .   their   friendship   dated   back   to   when   he   cheated   on   #1   ,   yes   she's   one   of   the   women   he   cheated   with   .   around   the   end   of   2017   ,   just   months   after   his   second   engagement   had   ended   ,   they   decided   to   start   dating   .   something   of   a   power   couple   .   the   publics   obsession   with   the   two   of   them   together   was   almost   unbearable   at   times   but   there   was   a   certain   level   of   adoration   between   the   two   of   them   ,   well   really   he   just   adored   the   fact   she   adored   him   .   in   2019   ,   he   proposed   .   they   were   madly   in   love   ,   atleast   that's   how   it   seemed   but   by   the   time   the   wedding   had   been   planned   and   they   were   just   weeks   out   from   the   big   day   river   was   looking   for   any   excuse   to   call   off   the   wedding   .   the   second   he   got   his   hands   on   a   picture   of   the   dress   she'd   chosen   ,   he   ran   with   it   .   calling   off   the   wedding   and   claiming   "   if   that's   the   best   you   can   do   on   the   biggest   day   of   your   life   ...   i   don't   wanna   see   40   years   from   now   "  .   they   split   ways   in   2020   and   have   not   ran   into   eachother   since   ,   whether   it   be   purposely   avoiding   one   another   or   just   a   draw   of   luck   .  

#deported   ,   m   /   f   /   nb   .

they   were   with   him   when   he   was   arrested   for   a   dui   in   august   ,   after   a   night   out   celebrating   his   win   at   the   us   open   .   before   that   night   they   had   always   been   close   .   y/m   often   seen   in   river's   player   box   during   matches   ,   the   two   going   on   vacations   together   it   all   came   to   an   end   that   night   though   ...   this   could   go   one   of   two   ways   ,   either   they've   tried   to   distance   themselves   from   river   which   obviously   wouldn't   sit   well   with   him   or   he's   been   ignoring   them   out   of   frustration   that   they   hadn't   swapped   into   the   driver   seat   when   they   were   pulled   over   that   night   .   either   way   ,   the   two   haven't   spoken   in   months   and   are   due   for   a   reunion   ,   will   it   have   a   positive   out   come   or   is   their   friendship   really   over   ? 

savior  complex  ,  f  /  m  /  nb  .

this  person  is  constantly  attempting  to  swoop  in  and  save  river  from  himself  .  they  want  to  be  the  good  influence  in  his  life  ,  but  river  just  finds  them  a  bit  overbearing  ,  really  .  maybe  they  were  family  friends  or  just  met  him  but  either  way  they  see  past  the  public  persona  and  want  the  rest  of  the  world  to  be  able  to  see  him  for  who  they  think  he  is  --  a  good  ,  passionate  guy  .  

million  dollar  man  ,  f  /  nb  .

inspired  by  the  lana  del  rey  song  ,  million  dollar  baby  . it  started  off  as  innocent  flirting  ,  "  just  jokes  "  river  would  say  but  at  some  point  they  started  to  fall  for  him  .  despite  seeing  him  for  what  he  is  ,  in  their  eyes  the  pros  outweight  the  cons  when  it  comes  to  him  .  in  a  rare  occurance  ,  he  actually  cares  about  them  and  that's  why  they'll  never  have  a  label  more  than  friends  .  from  the  outside  looking  in  you'd  think  otherwise  though  ,  constantly  seen  together  and  is  that  --  is  that  river  being  affectionate  ?  he  teeters  the  line  with  them  ,  one  minute  she  likely  thinks  he'll  finally  give  them  a  shot  but  then  he  pulls  away  entirely  and  she's  left  heart  broken  only  for  the  cycle  to  repeat  itself  . 

[waynes-multiverse]

Glad to hear the tête-à-tête with Ted went as expected 😂

Let's dive into this wonderful comment! 🤍

Seeing a glimpse of their growing friendship in the first flashback scene was somehow both sweet and bittersweet, but of course, there’s also that hint of “more” on Beau’s side that he’s desperately trying to hide. 😅

Definitely bittersweet 😭 Makes you really feel for Beau. What an incredibly tough situation to be in, honestly 💔

Loll not the dad voice! So sweet that he tried to “cut her off,” even though he ultimately wasn’t successful. Always more shit hitting the fan, isn’t there? 😬

Yup, and they both know it. They've picked a very hard job 😅 But it's hard to resist the dad voice! But there's understanding on both sides. Beau, for sure, knows what it's like to be obsessed with a case 🙈

That’s what makes their situation all the harder – the fact that she’s in law enforcement as well and understands this aspect of things all too well. 😰 It’s truly amazing that she and Beau were able to get past this hurdle and actually fall in love. It shows how forgiving she is, I think.

Yes, this 💯 And I definitely see her as forgiving. She knows who the real enemy is, and it ain't Beau. She knows even good people can make mistakes. Part of the job. Tragic, but it happens 🤷‍♀️ Plus, I think considering her own hidden feelings for him, she had an easier time seeing past all that.

HELP. I’m deceased. 🤣🤣🤣 I was smirking/laughing throughout this entire exchange, but this in particular took me out! Ted has nothing but audacity. But at least the reader had Beau’s back on this one. 😆

Glad that exchange made you laugh! I honeslty love writing those ridiculous scenes. This one reminded me somewhat of Ben vs. Colt in Rehab 😂

I imagine Ted as some stuck-up, somewhat bougeois prosecutor that both Beau and Randy talked a lot of shit about behind his back. So Beau's not only offended she dated him for himself, but probably for Randy too 🤣

Ahh, nice that they had this heart to heart, and also this revelation. But while of course that really does nothing to soothe Beau’s guilt, at least it allows her to forgive him.

I saw this mostly as an attempt to soothe Beau's guilt. You can tell she was still a bit judgmental in her thoughts à la "Well, I, the genius, wouldn't have done it/seen right through it, but oh well, guess not everyone can be me..." 😅

Eventually, she forgave him either way because she knows the risks and dangers of the job and that not every decision you make will be the right one in the end

LMAO Oh Beau. You’re right, it is funny to imagine him saying “slimy coyote.” 😂 Bet this is what he wishes would happen to Ted:

Oh, he for sure wanted to Wile E. Coyote Ted 🤣🤣

Oooh what a declaration that is from her! The fact that Beau’s the best she’s ever had, even including Randy, I’m assuming. 😅

Well, there's two options lol, right? Either she only said it to make him feel better, knowing his insecurities. Or, it's fully true and she decided to go for it. I honestly think it's the second. Beau seems to match her energy a bit better than Randy probably did 😂🔥

And Beau, sweet Beau, that was a beautiful rom-com worthy line right there. 💗

Ikr? Imagine Carla hearing that! She'd be livid 😂😂 But I enjoyed playing with the lines there of "first loves" vs. "true loves"

Ooh shit, Diane is certainly up to something. 😬😬

Oh boy, we all should be concerned! She might have some (deathly) surprises up her sleeve... 👀

Polaris – Chapter 7

Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Pairing: Beau Arlen x FBI Agent!Reader

Warnings: 18+, fluff, angst, serial killer, mentions of cartels, grief, smut

Word Count: 7.2k

A/N: The chapter where we find out why Ted is on Beau's punch list aka The One With Ted... 😂

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Tag List

Chapter 7: Storm Coming

May 2021

“I sold the house,” you said, your voice ripping through the quiet of the car during another starry stake-out night.

“So you’re homeless now?” Beau joked and peeled his eyes away from the front window view and glanced at you from the driver’s seat, his hand resting on the steering wheel, the other one in his lap.

You chuckled. “Yup, but I got a hot plate now in my motel room and one of those Italian moka pots. So, you know, some would say I’m living the dream.”

Beau snorted in amusement before he pensively rubbed his mouth with two fingers. “You didn’t have to sell the house, you know?”

You heaved a sigh. “Yeah, I kinda did, though… I didn’t like staying in there anymore. It’s just… too many memories, I guess? ‘Sides, I’m always down here anyways. Actually considering moving here.”

Beau frowned at you, his nose scrunching. “What, to Mexico? Are you nuts? Over my dead body are you doin’ that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you had a say in it,” you retorted rather playfully and put a shocked palm on your chest in mock.

“Damn right, I do,” Beau scoffed his reply with a teasing grin. “Who do you think is lookin’ out for ya, huh?”

“Wait, you think you are? That’s what you believe?” You snorted a laugh, entering banter territory with him.

It was usually how you passed your time during most of these stake-outs – laughing, teasing, and the occasional talking about your problems. You’d never known Beau like this before. He was your husband’s best friend, but he had been more of an acquaintance to you. Now, after months of spending close to every day together, it felt like he was your best friend. Since Randy’s death, he’d been there for you, even if it was mostly out of guilt.

“Yeah, what d’you think?” Beau countered challengingly.

“Oh sweetie, you’re not looking after me. I’m looking after you,” you stated confidently. The smile that twitched on his lips seemed to actually agree with you. “Out of the two of us, you’re the way bigger wreck. Some would even think it’s your husband who died, not mine.”

“Are you calling me a girl?”

You coolly shrugged your shoulders. “Either I’m calling you a girl, or I’m calling you gay. I’ll let you pick.”

Laughingly, Beau scoffed and muttered, “You wish I was gay.”

However, you still heard his mumbled reply and responded, “Actually, I wish you were a girl and that I was gay.”

Beau stared at you and leaned back against the door for a better view of you, his brow raised and the corners of his lips drawn slightly upwards in amusement. “What are we even talking about?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted with a shake of your head.

The two of you then burst into loud laughter that filled the entire SUV. For a moment, all your sorrows and hardships seemed to be forgotten, carried away to the desert with the nightly breeze. Then, the familiar and comfortable quiet took over the car again.

“I’m moving out of the house, too,” Beau said, his eyes focusing on the barren landscape and desolate road ahead. “I’m giving it to Carla. I mean, she didn’t ask me to. God knows she can take care of herself… But I want Emily to keep living in the home she grew up in, you know?”

“Yeah, I get that. That’s really nice,” you said quietly. Your soft smile then morphed to a grin. “So you’re homeless, too, huh?”

Beau laughed, throwing his head back into the seat. “Yeah, guess I am. Maybe we should live together?” he suggested half-jokingly.

“Like roommates? Ugh, God no!” You scoffed in abhorrence. “We’re way too old for that. You’re over forty, I’m barely in my thirties–”

“You do know I know exactly how old you really are, right?” Beau teased.

You decided to ignore that jab and continued, unbothered. “It would be seriously so sad. The Widow And The Divorcee – sounds like the worst sitcom on the planet. ‘Sides, it’d be super awkward if one of us starts dating again.”

“Fine, maybe you’re right,” Beau relented with a soft chuckle and then glanced at you sideways. His heart gained speed in his chest. “You ever think about it? Dating? Gettin’ out there again? Been nine months.”

You twitched your shoulders, choosing not to look at him. “I don’t know. Is nine months long enough after your husband died?”

Thoughtfully, Beau licked his lips and let out a small sigh. “I don’t think there’s a timeline, or a right and wrong. I just think it’s one of those things that when you’re ready, you’re ready.”
 “Well, consider me not ready then, I guess,” you replied honestly.

“Alright,” Beau accepted, bobbing his head. “But I still think you should try again at some point, you know? You shouldn’t be alone for the rest of your life. First of all, it’d be a total waste, ‘cause, I mean, look at you. And secondly, you’re barely in your thirties, after all,” he repeated your earlier joke with a soft grin.

You felt the heat creep to your cheeks in the moonlight. As you looked at him, you could see his smirk, making you laugh. “Noted,” you replied and were thankful for his pep talk. “I mean, there’ve been offers.”

Beau quirked one eyebrow, a hard lump forming in his throat as his chest tightened. “Offers? Like plural? Who?”

“Well, just some of the guys from our team. Cody, Jordan, Ted…” you named a few. “Also a few locals. Remember those guys we played pool with a few weeks ago? Two of ‘em asked for my number.”

“Huh. That is plural…” Beau pursed his lips and couldn’t keep his brow from wrinkling, his grip on the steering wheel stiffening. “Well, you know, when you’re not ready, you’re not ready. Shouldn’t force anything. No rush, darlin’.”

Smooth, Beau thought wryly with an internal sigh.

“Right, I know,” you agreed. “I do miss sex, though. Getting kinda bored of my vibrator.”

Beau choked on his spit. “Jesus…”

“What? Am I not allowed to talk about it? I thought we were friends. You’re supposed to care about my well-being and happiness,” you argued, frowning.

“I do care. Just… Can we please not talk about that?” he begged and exhaled a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his freckled nose.

“Fine. I miss having women around…” You shrugged and muttered, “Didn’t peg you for a prude.”

“Okay, let’s just get one thing straight – I’m not a prude,” he clarified in defense, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red.

“Alright, also noted,” you quipped, smirking to yourself. Sometimes you enjoyed making him a little uncomfortable. His blushed cheeks could be quite cute. “What about you? Have you still not talked to Carla? I’m sure you can win her back if you tried. You’re a lot better now.”

“Well, thank you for the, uh, vote of confidence, but it’s really over, I guess. We just talked about all the divorce proceedings last time. I actually think she started datin’ someone recently,” Beau told you.

Your eyebrows rose in surprise. “Really? Who?”

“I guess some rich tech guy. I don’t know…”

“And you’re good with that?” you questioned in disbelief.

Beau scoffed a humorless chuckle, shaking his head. “Ha, no… But what am I gonna do? Kinda shot myself in the leg with that one. I don’t blame her for moving on. It’s been over for months now.”

“That sucks. I’m sorry. I was kinda rooting for you two,” you admitted.

“Well, thanks, but we weren’t you and Randy,” Beau said. It made your brow knit.

“What d’you mean?”

“C’mon, you know what I mean,” Beau replied as if it were obvious, but you still shook your head. He sighed. “You and Randy would’ve never gotten divorced.”

“You don’t know that.” Honestly, you doubted it yourself, but you were too curious to find out what he meant by his statement.

“I do know that,” Beau insisted with certainty. “You guys had that once-in-a-lifetime kinda love. The kind that made other people jealous, you know? Your love made every other relationship pale in comparison. I always figured once the honeymoon phase was over, you’d settle and be less vomit-inducing, but that never happened. Me and Carla were never like that. Not even in the beginning,” he explained, a small, soft smile shaping his mouth. “You guys were special. True love. The stuff folk singers write cheesy songs about.”

“I guess we were,” you mused quietly, the memory of everything Randy was to you causing tears to well in your eyes.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Beau apologized as soon as he noticed the sadness on your face. He reached his hand over to your side and squeezed your thigh gently, just above the knee.

“No, it’s alright,” you brushed him off, swallowing your heartache down. “But hey, if Carla wasn’t your once-in-a-lifetime, maybe she’s still out there. You just haven’t found her yet. I mean, that’s kinda a nice outlook, right?”

Licking his lips, he bobbed his head, his gaze focused on his hand on the steering wheel. “I doubt it.”

“Why? Never say never,” you said encouragingly.

“Well, maybe I already met her, and it’s too late now,” he replied. It sounded more like an actual fact than a hypothetical theory. You found yourself wondering.

“What, did you have like an old college flame? The one that got away?” you teased lightheartedly, but he only grew more serious.

“Somethin’ like that,” he replied vaguely, rubbing his mouth with his fingers.

“Look her up on Facebook. Maybe she’s divorced, too. You could reconnect or something,” you suggested. He nodded but didn’t seem too convinced. You then shot him a hesitant glance from your periphery. “So, now that Carla’s moving on, are you gonna start dating now, too? Jump back into the game?”

“I guess so… Why?” A part of him was curious to hear your response, while another part reminded him that his desired answer was only wishful thinking – and completely insane on top of that.

“That fiery brunette lady at the bar last night seemed really interested in you. Maybe you should hook up with her if she’s there again tomorrow night?” you proposed in earnest.

Wide-eyed, Beau blinked at you in incredulity – like you had lost your goddamn mind. “I’m sorry, what?! Hook up? Who are you right now? Are you tryin’ to set me up?”

“Yeah.” You shrugged simply, not seeing what the big problem was. “Don’t look at me like I’m trying to convince you to get a tramp stamp above your ass with a dirty needle. I’m just trying to be a good wingman… woman. Randy would’ve tried to set you up, right?”

Beau sighed frustratedly. “Yeah, he would’ve,” he admitted in a grumble and then barked, slightly more furious, “But you ain’t him. And I don’t want you to be, so stop it, alright?”

“Geez, I’m sorry. I was just trying to help,” you mumbled defensively and raised your hands in surrender, unsuccessfully hiding your upset over his reaction. He felt guilty when he saw the small pout on your face.

Beau rubbed his forehead before dragging his palm over the rest of his face. “I know. I’m sorry, too,” he said and let out a deep breath through his nose. “I just-… I guess I’m just waiting, okay?”

“Waiting for what?”

Beau squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. For you to be ready, he wanted to say. But he couldn’t very well do that now, could he?

“For Christ’s sake, Y/N…” he breathed exhaustively. That was all he managed to say. With his palm on his mouth, he rested his elbow against the car door, gazing out the window.

“Why are you so upset?” you asked, your brow woven with confusion.

“Switch subjects,” he requested.

It was a phrase the two of you used whenever you didn’t want to talk about something anymore. When someone pushed too much, or the topic got too emotional and you needed a break. The only rule was to always respect the request, so you had no choice but to let it go after that.

“The Texans game sucked last night, huh?”

That elicited a snort from him, and he looked at you with a warm smile. “Yeah, goddamn awful.”

“How many times are you gonna watch those?”

Beau’s question broke your concentration. Your gaze snapped from your laptop screen to his concerned face. You’d been rewatching the victims’ videos for four days straight now, trying to find more clues. Maybe even something that directly led to Diane.

“I keep thinking maybe I’ve missed something,” you mumbled and stared back into the computer, your teeth gnawing on the pen between your lips. “It’s 48 hours each. We have twenty-four victims. I keep watching them sped-up to get through them all, but maybe I should slow ‘em down. I mean, I’ve watched them full-length, normal speed a couple of times before, but maybe I should watch ‘em even slower and really focus, you know? There’s gotta be something there…”

Bobbing his head worriedly, Beau pursed his lips and took a scan of your desk. He counted eight empty cups of coffee and five cans of energy drinks. There were bags under your red eyes and your hands were jittering. He knew you hadn’t slept a lot. He tried to hold you in his arms, but as soon as he dozed off, you snuck out and went back to work.

Beau shut the laptop. “You’re cut off.”

“Hey!”

“Y/N, you need to sleep. Just look at you, darlin’. This obsession isn’t healthy. I’m taking you home,” he declared sternly, ignoring your protests. You were pretty sure he had used his dad voice, too.

“Y/N, you need to sleep. Just look at you, darlin’. This obsession isn’t healthy. I’m taking you home,” he declared sternly, ignoring your protests. You were pretty sure he had used his dad voice, too.

“I need that woman in prison, Beau.”

“You startin’ to sound like Jenny…” Beau quipped under his breath.

“We’re running out of time. There’s only one day left before the next victim drops,” you stated and tried your best to keep your voice steady as it broke off towards the end.

“I know.” Beau clasped your shoulder and squeezed gently. “And we’ll get her. I promise you. But you’re no good to any of us if you’re exhausted and losing it right now.” You nodded and rose from your chair. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you flush against him, kissing the top of your head affectionately. “How about some dinner, huh?”

You grinned warmly. “What, like a second date?”

“Exactly like a second date,” Beau said and mirrored your grin. He was making up for lost time as best as he could, even if it meant taking you out every night for the rest of your life.

Your phone buzzed on the table, your brow quirking at the number. Eagerly, you picked up and wound yourself out of Beau’s embrace. “Special Agent Y/L/N… Uh-huh… Great, thank you.”

Beau pursed his lips. “We’re not going out, are we?”

“‘fraid not, Sheriff.” You shook your head and chuckled at his groan. “That was IT. They’re finally done and sending over the IP addresses.”

“Alright, guess I’m gettin’ take out,” Beau announced with a small sigh, knowing the two of you were in for a long night – and not the one he had planned.

You smiled and pecked his lips. “Thank you.”

August 2020

Beau’s heart thudded frantically in his chest as his knuckles tapped your front door in the early evening. The sky was a color spectacle full of azures, indigos, and apricots as the summer sun slowly set. His boots only stood on that same spot not even twenty-four hours ago. It still felt like a surreal nightmare he couldn’t escape, his hope to wake up soon a ceaseless prayer.

He’d stayed with you all night, held you as you cried yourself to sleep. Beau awoke on your couch with your head resting on his thigh and a strange feeling in his gut. He couldn’t help but think you were beautiful, even in a state of utter turmoil, shoving said thought swiftly down into the depths of his darkening soul.

But he’d spent all day thinking of you, plagued by guilt and torn by misplaced feelings. He’d sat through hours of interviews, going over and over the events of last night till his mind spun like a hamster wheel. He was forced to fill out forms, sign documents, and recount each unforgettable step. He’d listened to lectures, sermons, and admonitions. His captain gave him a tongue-lashing that sounded like mere white noise before he was sent home with a suspension – investigation pending.

Only he didn’t go home; he came here.

At home, his wife and daughter were waiting – for a husband, a father, an explanation. None of which he could provide. Beau wanted to wallow in his grief, his guilt, his loss in peace. He lacked the strength to be strong, play pretend, and act above it all. He wanted to be punished, sent to perdition, and held accountable for his lapse of judgment. A suspension wasn’t good enough. It barely patched the abysmal gaps in his heart.

The only suitable punishment was you. Witnessing your suffering was his personally crafted hell. You were the broken remnants of his destruction, the shattered pieces of his idiocy, the explosive fallout of his arrogance.

And you hadn’t answered a single call or text of his. His torturous worry was part of his penalty.

Consecutive rings of the doorbell and incessant knocks remained unanswered. For a moment, Beau rested his forehead on the door. He felt helpless and clueless all the same. You had friends and family to take care of you, probably better suited and closer to you than him, but somehow he felt burdened with the responsibility.

He took the spare key out of the left-side planter and barged inside. The ground floor was deserted. Last night’s uneaten dinner still sat untouched on the table. It felt like a whiplash against his bare back.

Bolting upstairs, he found the door to the main bedroom ajar. He pried it open slowly, the sight of you delivering his second lashing. This time, he felt the sting burning through to his heart.

He found you curled up in bed, on your husband’s side, in your husband’s t-shirt, with your wedding photo album clutched tightly in your arms. His breath halted for a moment; his heart did, too.

Did he do this? Was this all his fault?

“Y/N?” His deep voice was quiet and careful as he spoke. Slowly, he walked over to your side and knelt down in front of you. “Darlin’, hey… You need to get up. Eat somethin’.”

Beau was sure you hadn’t moved all day. He didn’t ask you if you were alright or how you were doing. The question seemed insulting. The answer was obvious. Your phone was lighting up on the nightstand with a million unanswered calls and messages, his own among them. Your beautiful eyes were vacant, red, and empty. You didn’t cry, however, not anymore. You were dehydrated and all out of tears at this point. You never looked at him, not even a glance.

“I want him back,” you whispered, your voice coarse from screaming, crying, cursing.

Beau nodded, licking his lips. Caringly, he caressed your head, brushing a few strands of messy hair out of your face. “I know. I hope you know I’d trade places with him in a heartbeat if I could.”

For the first time your eyes found his. Your gaze was scathing and piercing. “Tell me what happened.”

Beau let out a harrowing sigh. He had rehashed the story all day long. He wasn’t sure if he could do it again, but maybe this version was the most important one. Who deserved the truth more than you?

“Y/N, I don’t think this is such a good idea, darlin’,” Beau tried to reason, mostly for himself. He wanted to hold on a little longer, the idea of you hating him tearing him apart. He wanted to spare himself the additional guilt, the anger, the hurt.

“Tell me or leave.”

Beau closed his eyes and nodded hesitantly. “Okay, alright.” He took a deep breath and settled down on the floor, leaning his back against the wooden bedside table. “We were closing in on that biker gang. Few murders, arms trafficking, drug deals… You know the drill. I’m sure Ra-… he filled you in.”

Not that long ago, Randy had asked you for advise on the case. You gave him your contacts in the DEA and a number to a CI.

“Your DEA guy warned us. Said the gang was working closely with the cartel down in Juárez. But I had my own intel that only a few members were meeting at the Hatcher warehouse in MacGregor. It was supposed to be a small deal. But I figured it could lead to bigger things if we shook ‘em down, you know? But fuckin’ Harper told us no like usual. Refused to give us back-up. Said to pass the case on to the DEA. But Randy and I worked our asses off the last few months to get even this far. We were so close. I didn’t wanna let go… So, I suggested we go in anyways. It was supposed to be only three guys from the gang. I knew if we were smart about it, we could easily take ‘em down, you know?”

You rolled onto your back and propped yourself up on the bed. Shaking your head, you chuckled humorlessly and grabbed the half-empty whiskey bottle from the nightstand. “‘Course you did. It’s not the first time you broke a rule or shit on authority.”

“Yeah, and I was right every single time,” Beau bit. His anger wasn’t geared at you but at himself. He knew he was in the wrong. He flew too close to the sun and got burned. But he still felt the need to defend himself, even if it was unjustified.

His gaze drifted to the dresser and the patch of wall above it, decorated with photographic evidence of yours and his partner’s life together. The wedding, dates, vacations, holidays – it was all there. Beau had watched it all, start to finish. He wished he could rewind the tape and cut off the ending, all so you could have the love of your life back. He didn’t know yet your cassette had a B-side. One that featured him.

“You got fucking lucky, is all,” you scoffed.

“Randy backed me up on it!”

“Of course he did! You’re his fucking partner! He would’ve followed you anywhere if you asked him to,” you snapped, shaking your head. You gulped down some whiskey then and locked your jaw before you met his eyes again with a glare. “And? What happened then, Beau? Was it only three guys?”

“No.” The word was almost inaudible. He shook his head with a harsh swallow. “They were meetin’ with a few cartel members there. My intel never said anything about that. When we were inside and saw what was really going on, it was already too late to get out. They made us, bullets started flyin’… They got a hold of Randy and… shot him.” A tear escaped down his cheek, his throat closing as he tried to choke out the last bit of the story. “I had to leave him there. I barely got out myself. I’m sorry, Y/N. I know this is on me.”

Your lips twitched with a bitter smile. You didn’t look at him, just rubbed your tired eyes. “Damn right it is. Get out.”

“Y/N, please–”

The storm in your eyes made him stop as you met his gaze, his useless apologies becoming stuck in his throat. “I said, get out. I ain’t asking a third time. You’re the reason my husband is dead. You’re the reason I don’t even have a body to bury. So, get the fuck out.” Like a snakebite, your words were targeted, sharp, and venomous.

You finally got out of bed and prodded towards the en-suite bathroom. The truth had been what you needed to switch the fighter inside of you back on. You knew what you wanted to do then and were determined to get it.

“Y/N–”

“Do you know what cartels do to bodies, Beau? To rivals? To law enforcement? ‘Cause I just came back from a job where we found forty-eight decapitated bodies, left to rot inside the walls of a house. Still haven’t found the heads yet. Probably never will,” you told him and stared him dead into his dark green eyes. “Ever seen that before, desperado?”

Beau bit his lips, averting his gaze. “No.”

“Yeah, didn’t think so.” You scoffed and crossed your arms over your chest. “Now, leave. Please. Get the fuck outta my house. I don’t wanna see you anymore,” you spat and slammed the bathroom door shut behind you.

Beau then grabbed the whiskey bottle you’d left and walked out of your home. It was the first of many nights he started to drink himself to sleep, but at least it kept the nightmares temporarily at bay.

“Theodore.” Beau forced a bright smile onto his freckle-dusted face, although the stiff features could barely fool anyone. At least, they wouldn’t have fooled you.

“Beau, good to see you again.” Ted smiled and did a more convincing job of it as he waltzed into Lewis and Clark County’s Sheriff’s Department. It almost seemed like he meant it. “I was surprised when Y/N told me you got a gig as a sheriff here.”

Translation: I was surprised because you were such a fuck-up back in Texas.

Beau feigned a chuckle. “Yeah, I bet you were.”

“Hopefully, you’re givin’ the DAs here less headaches,” Ted jabbed under the disguise of friendly banter. He then turned to Jenny with that same shit-eating grin. “Your sheriff is a little troublemaker.”

Sweet Lord, Beau wanted to whack the bastard.

The blonde deputy coolly brushed the accusation off. She shrugged and playfully nudged Beau’s arm, sending the Texan attorney a smile. “I prefer him that way.”

“Hey, there she is!” Beau smiled with frazzled relief when you finally hurried into the station. A little while longer, and he definitely would’ve thrown a punch.

“Hey, Ted. Thanks for coming. How was your flight?” You greeted him with a warm smile and a quick hug.

“Good, good. Never been to Montana before,” Ted said and then let his eyes wander up and down your body. “Look at you. You look great!”

“Oh, uh, thanks.” You subtly cleared your throat. You could physically feel Beau stiffen next to you. In your periphery, you could spy a tightly clenched jaw and a few strained muscles in his neck.

“Mind if Y/N and I borrow your office, Sheriff Arlen?” Ted asked and emphasized his title. “Considering the nature of this case, I’d like to keep it as private as possible. Don’t want anything to reach Ms. Newton’s ears.”

Your hunch had been right. Several IP addresses pointed to Diane, some to public Wi-Fi’s. You and the team still needed to connect her to the other states and find out where she’d been staying there, but you could definitely trace some posts in recent weeks to her home in Montana. It was enough for an arrest warrant, but you still needed more evidence.

Additionally, it had all come together a little too easily. It seemed like a giant trap you were walking into. Diane wanted to be caught. But why?

“Why don’t I just join you? I’m sure Y/N here doesn’t mind,” Beau suggested with a tight smile and then snaked his arm around your middle, pulling you closer. “Ain’t that right, darlin’?”

Internally, you sighed a little at his obvious territorial pissing, but you were willing to throw him a bone. You stretched up and claimed his plump lips in a fervent kiss that Beau only all too happily reciprocated.

“Not at all, Sheriff. You know I always appreciate your input,” you replied with a dirty smirk at the double entendre.

As Beau looked down at you, he mouthed ‘God, I love you.’ You grinned in response.

“Happy to give it to you,” he said with another sweet peck of your lips. A triumphant and slightly cocky grin graced his lips as he looked back at Ted.

“Oh, so you two are back together?” Ted realized, his brow rising to his hairline. He’d never seen you two together but certainly had heard the whispers down in Mexico from your old task force. He’d been the DA for those cases as well. You’d never explicitly told him about you and Beau, though, even when he had tried to pry a little on those dates you went on.

“Well, I’m a hard one to quit,” Beau quipped almost proudly, like a peacock showing off his fan of feathers.

“As are cigarettes and many other vices,” Ted shot back with the same stupidly proud grin.

Translation: You’re an ass. And a failure. She deserves so much better. I’m ‘better.’ But maybe that didn't need a translation.

Beau should’ve known it was hard to out-argue a lawyer and ground his jaw. After all, he’d been married to one for many years.

You, on the other hand, shared a wide-eyed and baffled look with Jenny that bordered on amusement. You had almost gasped in shock. You hadn’t expected such a fiery reply, sure the men would stick to their Southern manners. But, oh well, everyone’s packing in fucking Texas…

“Why don’t you two go ahead? I’ll join you in a minute,” you ordered more than you earnestly proposed and shooed the two men down the hallway towards Beau’s office.

“Sure it’s such a good idea to lock those two in a room alone?” Jenny teased, her eyes lingering a little too long on Ted’s perfectly formed ass as he sauntered down the hall.

You couldn’t blame her. You had checked out Beau’s in the same breath.

“It’s only for a short time. They’re not gonna kill each other,” you laughed it off. Jenny arched a doubtful eyebrow at you. “That quickly,” you added a correction. “So, what did I miss here?” you asked and nodded towards the two men, closing the door to Beau’s office behind them. All you heard last was them talking about the recent Texans game.

Ugh, of course, they’d end up by football…

“Dick measuring contest,” Jenny supplied wryly.

“Ah, figured…”

“Well, better them than to lock Agent Y/L/N and the sheriff into the same room,” Poppernak joked with a soft chuckle as he appeared next to you and Jenny, chiming into the conversation.

You gaped at him in mock-shock. “Mo! I can’t believe you just said that,” you chided playfully.

His cheeks turned crimson red. “I’m sorry, Special Agent Y/L/N,” he apologized in a fluster.

“Mo, I told you to call me by my first name,” you reminded him with a smile. “Or I’m gonna have to start giving you silly names like Beau does.”

“Oh, I love Sheriff Arlen’s nicknames,” he quickly defended with a nervous laugh.

“Do you?” Jenny tilted her head with a questioning eyebrow.

He shrugged. “They’re clever.”

August 2020

“Old Fashioned,” you ordered with a look at the bartender, feeling Beau’s confused eyes and crinkled brow wander up to you. “Couldn’t have picked a nicer bar, huh? This place is a dump. You know that, right?”

Beau clicked his tongue and took a sip from his Ranch Water. “What are you doing here? Thought you never wanted to see me again.”

You let out a small sigh but didn’t meet his gaze. “Carla called me. Your family is worried about you.”

“I didn’t tell her where I was. How did you know I was here?”

“I didn’t. Carla said you haven’t been home in three days. Figured you’d gone on a bender. This is the fifth cop bar I checked out. Finally got lucky,” you said and thanked the bartender as he placed his drink in front of you. You settled down on a barstool next to Beau.

“Quite the effort. Sure I’m worth it?”

Your tongue swept over your lips. “Beau, look at me.” His forest-green eyes found yours upon your soft plea. “I’m sorry I put all that shit on you. It wasn’t fair. It’s not your fault, okay? His death isn’t on you. I know you loved him like a brother.”

“I did.” Beau took another sip of his drink. “But it is my fault. I was reckless and arrogant. We both know it.”

“It was a set-up, alright? I talked to my DEA contact. Cody said your intel was wrong. They knew you and Randy were closing in on them. They wanted to get rid of you,” you explained.

Beau smacked his lips. “I still shoulda known better. I should’ve seen it was a trap.”

“Maybe,” you admitted. You couldn’t say you would’ve done the same thing, but you knew Beau would’ve never purposely put Randy in danger if he had even the faintest idea. “But it could’ve happened to anybody. This was bigger than you knew.”

“It wouldn’t have happened to you,” he stated quietly. You couldn’t argue with that. You were more by-the-book than he was. You would’ve never gone against a superior’s order. You would’ve respected it.

“Look, just go home. Talk to your wife. Get some help,” you said. “You missed your suspension hearing, but I spoke on your behalf. Told them it wasn’t your fault. The DEA backed me. Harper’s gonna reinstate you. Just come back as soon as you’re ready.”

Beau nodded slowly. Even if he didn’t say it, you could tell he was thankful for your efforts. “I can’t go home.”

Your brow furrowed. “Why? I’m sure Carla will understand. You need to talk to someone about this. Go to therapy – and not the alcoholic kind. Losing a partner is not something you get over quickly. You need people in your corner, including your wife.”

“You mean the wife that lets criminals out on the street?” Beau’s gaze was focused on the glass in his hands. The wrinkles on your brow deepened. “The guy that shot him… Carla’s his defense attorney. Was, at least. He was supposed to do time, but two months ago, she got him paroled.” With a dark chuckle, he emptied his glass.

“Beau…” You knew he had always struggled with Carla’s job, making you sometimes wonder about their dinner conversations at home. “It ain’t her fault more than it is yours. She’s just doing her job. You know that. You’ve been together for so long, you’d think you’re used to it by now.”

Beau scoffed a chuckle and gestured to the bartender for a refill. “I was a young cop back then. Wasn’t on the job as long. I didn’t know it would bother me so much. Still lived in that hopeful bubble, I guess.”

You smiled knowingly. “You mean the ‘I didn’t think I’d see as much shit and injustice as I do now’ bubble?”

He snickered softly. “Yep, that one. Just didn’t think it’d be this hard, you know?”

“I get it. I mean, me and Carla butt heads all the time over this stuff. But we do it in a competitive fun way and then get drunk,” you said with a light chuckle. “Guess it’s different when you’re married, though, huh?”

“Yeah, it is…” he sighed.

“Still, go home. Talk to her,” you encouraged but could see your words of wisdom fell on deaf ears. “By the way, the funeral’s on Saturday.”

He turned his gaze away from his glass and found your eyes. “You need any help with that?”

“Maybe you can give a eulogy. You knew him best. I think he would’ve really liked that,” you said with a warm smile. No matter your own feelings, you knew deep down Randy would’ve wanted you to forgive his partner.

“Yeah, I can do that. Anything you need, okay?” Beau clasped your hand that laid on the bar counter and squeezed reassuringly before dropping it again.

You smiled appreciatively and teased, “Maybe show up sober. Or at least close-to.”

Beau chuckled a little. “I promise.”

You stood up from your seat then and put some cash for your drink on the counter. “Alright, I’m heading home. You need me to call you a cab?”

“Nah, I’m good. I’m just gonna finish this drink, then I’ll head out, too,” he said.

“You sure? Don’t make me come back here,” you threatened playfully.

Beau laughed softly. “I won’t. Thanks for everything, Y/N. I mean it.”

You sent him a smile and gave his shoulder a squeeze on your way out. “You’re welcome. Get home safe, okay?”

However, Beau couldn’t keep any of his promises. He made it home after three more drinks and woke up on the front lawn of his house. Carla wasn’t happy when she found him in the morning as she brought Emily to school. But Beau couldn’t stop. Every time he closed his eyes, the tragic events flashed before him like a horror movie, witnessing Randy’s death in a never-ending loop. He kept seeing his partner get dragged away, heard the shot over and over again like a rain of bullets without a ceasefire.

The guilt was eating him alive. The guilt of getting his partner into this mess in the first place. Of leaving him behind. Of surviving and coming out alive when he didn’t deserve to.

So, Beau kept drinking to forget, even though he knew it was a futile endeavor. The memory would never fade, but at least it was blurred.

Your heavy breaths echoed through the small trailer. His mouth moved down the column of your throat, leaving a wet path of ravenous love bites in its wake.

“Fuck, baby,” you moaned wantonly, his grip on your flesh punishing as he kept you pressed flush against him while he devoured you on the little dining table. Your ass sat on the wooden surface, your crossed ankles locked tightly behind his muscular back.

“God, you made me so happy today,” he growled against the shell of your ear, his rising length rubbing against your core through layers of denim.

“I can see that.” You giggled, your hands dangling in his hair. “There’s no need to hate him so much, you know?”

“Says you,” Beau quipped and unzipped your jeans, eagerly pulling them off you as his mouth sucked your clavicle purple and blue. “That slimy coyote always had it out for me.”

Beau removed your panties as well, tossing them behind his shoulder where they landed in the kitchen sink. “Whoops.” He grinned charmingly but was unstoppable, freeing his throbbing dick as he shoved his jeans and boxers barely over his ass. He didn’t bother to slip out of them all the way, too impatient to wait any longer to enter you.

“Still, I’m already yours. I’ve always been yours,” you said and braced yourself on his broad shoulders as one large hand on your back pulled you closer to the edge of the table. His other hand grabbed his cock, twisting his fist along the hard, long shaft a few times before he glided his cockhead through your slick folds.

“Not always.” With one harsh thrust, he pushed inside you, your tight walls fighting to make room for him and adjust to his stretch.

You gasped at the pleasurable burn that coursed through your body and ignited every sizzling nerve. He dropped his head to your shoulder, giving both of you some time to get used to each other. You could tell you were in for a wilder ride tonight. You always loved when he fucked you rough and hard. There was something raw and animalistic about the need in his hypnotizing green eyes.

Beau then claimed your lips with one fervent kiss, enough of a spark to cause a wildfire. He met your gaze, hands gingerly cupping your cheeks. “But I love that you’re mine now. And I’m sure as hell gonna make you mine tonight, darlin’.”

You crashed your lips against his, your kisses frenzied and untamed as his hips began to slam into you. His pounds into your pussy were relentless as you swallowed every inch of him. You gripped him tight, already feeling your first orgasm bloom. It accumulated like dark, violent storm clouds on the horizon, forecasting roaring thunder and heavy rainfall.

“Oh God! Fuck, baby!” You screamed as your climax tore through you like a hurricane, your cunt gushing on his cock and pulsing around him. Your nails dug into his shoulder blades and scratched down his back as you came undone.

Beau groaned into your ear, squeezing his eyes shut as he barely held on himself. But he didn’t let up and kept up his furious pace, not ready to stop yet. “Shit, keep doing that. You’re so fucking tight, Y/N,” he grunted against your skin, your sensitive flesh barely withstanding his ruthless pumps. “Want you to come again, darlin’.”

With his declaration, his hand slipped between your sweat-clad bodies. You came close to losing your mind as he thumbed furiously at your clit, the stars already starting to twinkle in front of your eyes. You could feel yourself get shoved to the edge once more, staring down the steep cliffs of white-hot ecstasy.

Your mind was consumed by need, his grip on your hips bruising as you exploded. You cried out raucously, your whole body quaking in his hold upon your eruption, the aftershocks so powerful they could cause cracks in your bones.

Beau spilled his seed deep inside of you, his body stuttering in rhythm with yours as your earthquake took him down with you. Hazy gazes met each other with lazy smiles as ragged breaths mingled.

“Fuck, that was good. I think that one might make it into our Top Ten.” Beau chuckled gravelly and placed a gentle kiss on your temple.

“Hmm, not sure. We have a few greatest hits.” You giggled and bit down on your lower lip with a mischievous twinkle in your eyes. “Can I tell you something?”

Beau cupped your cheeks, thumbs caressing the heated and rosy skin as he lifted your gaze. “Anything.”

“Just between us, you’re the best lover I ever had,” you confessed with a wide grin. The corners of his mouth rose to match yours.

“Well, between us, I’ve never loved anyone like I love you. You’re it, darlin’. You know that, right? You’re the love of my life,” Beau revealed, making you smile brighter than you ever had before.

“I’m not sure about the sex, but this moment, right here, is probably gonna make it into the Top Ten,” you said softly as a few tears stung your eyes.

“Good.” Beau smiled and pecked your forehead.

The buzzing of a phone shifted your attention. You recognized it as yours, and Beau was quick to retrieve it from your jeans pocket in the pile of clothes on the floor.

“It’s Jenny,” you told him before picking up. “Hello… What?! Uh-huh, we’ll be right there.”

Beau’s brow furrowed as he watched your features flicker through an array of emotions. “Bad news?”

“Uhm, honestly, I don’t know,” you said and swallowed some of your confusion down, gathering your thoughts. “Jenny said Diane just walked into the station and gave herself up. She is ready to confess but only wants to talk to us.”

“Us? As in us two?” Beau’s eyes narrowed. You nodded. “Well, that doesn’t sound fishy at all,” he commented wryly.

“Yup, I don’t like it.”

Chapter 8: Chemical Bonds – JUNE 26

A lot of revelations and foreboding in this one... 👀 Also, I just love having Beau say the word "coyotes" for some reason 😂

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@nesnejwritings @autistic-gothic

Everything Beau Arlen: @snowayumi

Polaris Series: @corruptedcruiser @spnfamily-j2

[chocoenvy]

Back with a few final questions, simply because rounding it out to 11 seems quite fitting for questions relating to the Fatui (not counting the bonus)

Ninth Question: Would Sandrone's reactions to the 6 & 7 Questions change if she was just starting to obsess over reader? Would she enjoy those often yet meaningful bits of affection reader gives more if she had reached the point of obsessing over reader too?

Tenth Question: If Reader managed to convince Tsaritsa for a little bit of extra blood, would Sandrone accept it if reader offered her to some, with the only condition being that one of the two vials she gets that feeding is poured on reader's wrist or neck, would Sandrone accept, and would she be surprised if the two bloods mixed tasted better to her than one or the other?

Finally, the Eleventh Question: In the very first match between Arlecchino and reader, how would the Fatui react to an unarmed reader ending the fight by breaking whatever weapon Arle was using and knocking her unconscious in a quick instant a few minutes into the fight? I imagine most of the Harbingers would be shocked, especially if it was something as drastic as shattering a sword blade with a simple strike of their palm. Tartaglia would probably be upset reader didn't put that much effort into a fight with him. I also imagine Sandrone, being a fellow vampire, having enough knowledge to know reader held back when knocking out Arlecchino, and that is was not luck, but a carefully thought out plan.

OKAY IM ANSWERING THESE FIANLLLY SORRY IT TOOK FOREVER IT DELETED LIKE TWICE AND I NEARLY TORE MY HAIR OUT i hate no auto save feature

Ninth Question: Would Sandrone's reactions to the 6 & 7 Questions change if she was just starting to obsess over reader? Would she enjoy those often yet meaningful bits of affection reader gives more if she had reached the point of obsessing over reader too?

I see Sandrone as an obsessive yandere. Tipped all the way towards the obsessive side no questions asked. If she fell in love/became yandere for the reader before their 180 switch, she'd hate the change and possibly lose all romantic interest. Because she wants her love to stay the same forever, never changing. Hence why she wants to make them a doll. Because she just wants the nice moments to last forever<3 you can't deny her that. But! if sandrone were to become yandere after the switch she'd most definitely enjoy the small bits of affection. Albeit she'd still act rather coy and cold towards the whole thing but you'll notice how she clings on just a little longer, she's putting her hands on you more, and her touch lingers. It's subtle but it's there. And definitely with the whole confrontation of sorts Sandrone would find herself red in the face but she's not exactly opposed to such a thought. Of course The Tsaritsa is still her number one but she can't deny the fact that she has grown fond of actually receiving some scraps of affection. So she doesn't combat you as harshly, but is still panicked because holy shit you're talking like that to the tsaritsa.. AND DRAGGING HER INTO IT TOO.

Tenth Question: If Reader managed to convince Tsaritsa for a little bit of extra blood, would Sandrone accept it if reader offered her to some, with the only condition being that one of the two vials she gets that feeding is poured on reader's wrist or neck, would Sandrone accept, and would she be surprised if the two bloods mixed tasted better to her than one or the other?

FUCK YEAH SHE WOULD. she'd be super pompous abt it tho whining the whole time but she gotta get a taste she can't help herself! She feels like she's defiling the Tsaritsa's blood and ruining a special moment she could've had with the tsaritsa but you waft the vial in front of her face and she physically can't restrain herself she needs to try it.

The moment the combined taste hits her tongue she let's out an audible noise of surprise. Which is very out of character for her but the fact that it tastes so... good??? confuses her so much???????? she asks if u tampered with it or smth bc no way ur blood tastes so good. To which you just cackle.

She reasons with herself that maybe the Tsaritsa's blood has tampered your own blood's taste. To which she convinces herself entirely that this is the reason it tastes so good and... better than the Tsaritsa's blood by itself. (which considering the fact that vampires' hearts are dead and don't pump blood might? be? true??? but idk how vampires work so interpret it however u like)

Finally, the Eleventh Question: In the very first match between Arlecchino and reader, how would the Fatui react to an unarmed reader ending the fight by breaking whatever weapon Arle was using and knocking her unconscious in a quick instant a few minutes into the fight? I imagine most of the Harbingers would be shocked, especially if it was something as drastic as shattering a sword blade with a simple strike of their palm. Tartaglia would probably be upset reader didn't put that much effort into a fight with him. I also imagine Sandrone, being a fellow vampire, having enough knowledge to know reader held back when knocking out Arlecchino, and that is was not luck, but a carefully thought out plan.

I feel as though the general consensus about the reader has been that they're just annoying. Just the annoying purse dog of the Tsaritsa. If in this match between Arlecchino and Reader, they manage to break her weapon and knock her unconscious easily the entirety of the harbingers are now on edge.

You were always annoying and never a real threat, but now they see that they highly underestimated you. Which i think in this case would be a part of the reader's plan (whatever that may be). To get the harbingers to think that they're just annoying, they're not strong and they rely on the Tsaritsa for help. But the truth is, is that the reader is perfectly capable of themselves. So much so that they could last in the Zapolyarny Palace without the protection of the Tsartitsa, the fact that they could easily handle one of the harbingers without breaking a sweat.

The question is: why you're revealing this to them now?

Basically reader gains all the respect and fear in one fell swoop. You got actions to back up your big talk now, but just what exactly are your plans for the fatui? why were you hiding such strength? and what does it mean now that you've revealed it?

Hope this was good! Very excited to see what you've written >:))) and scared too. If these questions have anything to do with the fic then I think i'll enjoy it very much! >:)) also sorry again this took me so long

[charmixpower]

Was rewatching secret of the lost kingdom on my friends huge tv after like 8 years and honestly there is so many rivusa crumbs I never noticed and that just heals my inner child🤪 like there’s the scene where after they rescues the boys from the rock eagle and she just runs and straddles him like pls they are too cute and theres also the part where after he wakes up at alfea where she hugs his arm after she sees he’s ok😭 just fits with my hc and the season 2 finale the Musa loves to hug rivens forearms and biceps🥺 omg after they manage to free domino right and blooms family is having a reunion, and Musa just grabs rivens hand after seeing them reunite😭 there’s also the part during the transition zoom out before the royal ball where everyone is clapping EXCEPT rivusa Bcs they’re in their own little world and she just looks up at him and he looks down at her and smiles while he wraps his free hand around her waist (would have never noticed this if it weren’t for the big screen)😭 then during the royal ball scene at the end after sky “proposes” to bloom and it shows the shot of the rest of the girls and guys (including nabu which like ??? Where was the man throughout the movie) riven just wraps his arms around her waist😭 I know it’s probably not that deep but to me every moment after the stabbing part is just their offscreen reconciliation we were robbed off Bcs I would love nothing more than to have seen smth of them talking out what happened and stuff (and worst part is I can’t find any fanfics of it too🤡) and also the fact that she basically got impaled and there was never any injury always bothered me (ik u had a drawing of matching scars from these 2 idiots sacrifices and honestly I like to hc that riven likes to kiss that scar Bcs it’s technically his doing but oh well kids show things🤪) like I like to think that him holding her waist is kinda like a protective instinct and a subconscious act Bcs of guilt of smtb from his actions

All in all secret of the lost kingdom has so Many whacky plot holes and yet movie rivusa always serves everything. The cuteness the angst (like stabbing ur loved one Bcs you weren’t in control of your own actions and Bcs they wanted to protect the innocent party?? Peak angst) and the small moments. I just believe that in movies: rivusa is always superior

Rewatching Winx movies is self care

Ah YESSSS!!! their so so so so so cute!!!!

I love how these two are like *holds each other* *grabs each other* *wraps around each other*, like.... physical touch love language represent, their so affectionate and adorable

Them being in their own world is YES

Nfkskfjejdkekejeje

If it makes you feel any better if you go though my Winx secret of the Lost Kingdom tag you'll see me yelling about the fall out in—NFKSKDJS YEAH SAME!! Riven is super affectionate to Musa's scar because he feels it his fault and he's trying to make it better in some small way, and Musa is super affectionate to Riven's scar because if it wasn't for him she'd quite literally be dead and it's the physical representation of his dedication and love for her and OH MY GOD I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS FOREVER

Yesssss I feel like Riven actually managed to fight off the body puppeting spell for a while, matching how Riven broke out of a spell to save Musa in s2, but he couldn't hold on long and Musa was using the fact that he didn't want to hurt her to stop Matorgora form using him. Basically putting Riven into a situation where he has to fight as hard as he can because Musa refuses to move and if he doesn't he'll majorally injure the person he loves the most. There is just SOO much emotion, like most of him feels guilty because Musa was steadfast in the idea that Riven could hold off the spell and he tried his best but he couldn't

Oh im so obsessed with that, he gently tries to protect her injury so she doesn't get hurt again

I have a hc that he does the same thing when he's feeling anxious or depressed unintentionally making himself feel way worse by reminding him of the worst possible scenario

Yes yes yes YES!! big agree!!!! Rivusa is just amazing in the movies, I love them always, but the movies are *chef's kiss*

Ough the parallels of Musa and Riven taking an injury to help their partner out, never getting over it, never getting over it

[rhysismydaddy]

Prisoner's Game Pt. 3 (Rowaelin)

~Aelin~

There was something decidedly pleasant about sneaking out of prison.

It was the thrill, she supposed.

She'd always been a bit of an adrenaline junky, and there was nothing that matched up to the excitement of breaking out of a maximum security prison with no one being the wiser.

Aelin ran through the tunnel, her steps sure and soundless, a smile blooming on her face. What she was doing shouldn't give her such joy, but along with being a thrill seeker, she'd always been just a little bit vindictive.

Or maybe a lot.

The map of the tunnels was still crystal clear after all this time, and she had it memorized down to the number of steps it took to get to the right turn.

It was a three hour run. Two underground, then one through the city out into the suburbs.

While the first two hours were definitely not fun, it was the last hour that was tricky.

Avoiding cameras, not drawing any unwanted attention, dressing so no one could see her face without looking too much like the criminal she was.

It was also more exhausting.

It was an hour of sprinting across rooftops, sprinting through town, then sprinting some more.

It was a little funny to her that the journey to where she needed to go was more difficult than actually breaking into the building.

She had a set of scrubs stored in a nearby lockbox, along with a wig and a few prosthetics to make her look more like Ansel, one of the nurses working the night shift.

The security guard, Shelly, was prone to reading romance novels during her shift and never questioned why she occasionally thought she saw two of the same person wandering around.

It was no different tonight.

Once she had everything in place, Aelin strode confidently through the halls, grabbing charts and nodding like she knew what the hell she was looking at.

No one stopped her, no one questioned her.

When she got to the room and chart she wanted, she slipped inside soundlessly and crept up to the bed.

Despite the ever-present urge to hurry things along, she stuck to her plan and kept the dose the same.

The person on the bed never woke up, never noticed her slip an extra drug into the IV bag hanging on the wall.

Silent, efficient, traceless.

Just like she'd been taught.

Leaving was even easier than entering.

She waited until real-Ansel had been out of the guard's sight for a while, then walked out the back door of the facility like she hadn't just committed a felony.

One of the few crimes she actually deserved to be in prison for, ironically.

Then she ran back, hiding in the traffic camera's blind spots and ditching the wig along the way.

It was a little stupid and drawn out to do it this way, not to mention unbelievably cruel, but Aelin had always had a flair for the dramatic.

Plus, like she said: exciting.

~Rowan~

Doubt is a strange emotion.

It starts small, so small you hardly even realize it's there.

And then, over time, it grows and grows like a fungus, eventually becoming something that you think about all the time. Something that kills you.

Rowan didn't believe in doubt.

His problem had never been with not believing in himself, it'd always been with the opposite affliction: over-conviction.

He believed things so fully, so deeply, it was hard to see it any other way.

It was what made him such a good lawyer. As the top public prosecutor in the city, he had a reputation for being impossible to win against.

He convinced himself of the defendant's guilt so completely, the jury had almost no option but to believe him.

He hadn't always been that way, he didn't think. Argumentative and stubborn, sure. His mother could attest to that. But never so unflinchingly self-assured. So alright with deceiving himself if need be.

If he had to guess, he'd say it'd started two months after the day of Aelin's trial.

He hadn't been lying to her four days ago; every word had been the truth. He'd worked his ass off all those years ago, trying to find something that would help him either clear her name or at least fucking sleep at night.

He'd given himself a timeline, deciding that if he couldn't find a single lead in two months, there probably wasn't one. Two months, and then he'd let it go.

He didn't regret stopping his hunt--he'd seen what an obsession could do to someone.

And when that day had come, he'd thought he was ready. He'd exhausted himself working both her case and the ones he was assigned, burning the candle at both ends and sleeping in the office more nights than his own bed.

There'd been nothing to be found. The evidence, the testimonies, the medical examiner's reports... they'd all pointed to Aelin.

So eventually he'd forced himself to stop looking.

But the sight of her swinging between the two court police officers, fighting for just one more second with him with a desperation he'd never seen from her... he hadn't known how he could just forget something like that.

The image followed him, haunted him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw hers. Lined with tears and disbelief and so much hurt he felt like invisible hands were wrapped around his neck.

So he'd hardened himself against it.

He'd repeated the pieces of evidence against her, told himself she was guilty until the words were easy to say, forced himself to visualize the crime scenes of her victims whenever he thought of her.

Piece by piece, he'd swapped out the months of positive memories they had with stone cold facts.

And it had worked.

After a month, he could sleep again. After a year, he hardly thought of her and when he did, it was with disgust.

Yet now, over eight years later, he found himself with just the slightest amount of doubt again.

It was the same nagging, incessant feeling he hadn't been able to shake eight years ago. Back for round two, apparently.

At first, he'd played it off as nerves from their conversation. She'd worked him up so much he'd admitted how much he'd once loved her and said things he shouldn't have.

His body was reacting to the sadness in her eyes, the surprise that had bloomed when he'd told her he'd fought for her. It was emotion, nothing based in logic, that made him want to start looking again.

At least that's what he told himself.

But four days later, he found himself on the couch--he really did need to give up and just buy a new bed--staring at the ceiling, trying to sleep and not being able to.

Because... well because what if she was telling the truth?

Why else would she have told him that story?

What had he missed during all those late nights spent hunched over her folder?

The questions grew and grew, until that once-little shard of doubt started to slowly drive him mad.

The uncertainty, no matter how small it had begun, had grown to be almost irritatingly large and unavoidable.

He couldn't stop thinking about what she'd said. The breadcrumbs that apparently only he could find.

What did that mean?

And why couldn't he just let it go?

"Fuck!" he yelled, throwing his blanket off and storming to the closet.

Like a love-struck idiot, he'd kept a box full of the stuff she'd left at his apartment during their relationship. The stuff that wasn't evidence, at least.

If it was something only he could find like she'd said, it was probably something only he had access to.

He dropped the box on his kitchen table and opened the lid.

Then cursed when the first thing he saw was a pair of red lace underwear. That was the last thing he needed to be thinking about and remembering.

Especially when he'd barely been able to resist the temptation to kiss her in that interrogation room.

Something about the way she'd looked at him after he'd told her he'd fought for her all those years ago had rattled the grip he had on his control hard.

She'd seemed so... sad. So hopeless. It had brought out the urge to comfort her in whatever way he could.

Hearing about her childhood and how she'd been raised by Arobynn Hamel hadn't made it any better. Truthfully, it'd broken something inside of him.

She'd always been so positive around him--a ray of light he'd felt was put on this earth just for him.

And all the while, she'd been forced to live with and work for one of the most notorious crime syndicate members of all time.

He'd always known she hadn't had a good childhood, but there was a difference between foster care hell and an actual house of horrors. Rowan couldn't even imagine the things she'd seen. Been forced to see, to do.

She made it out, he reminded himself, taking a deep breath.

But had she?

If what she'd told him was true, she'd killed those people because she'd been forced to.

It hadn't been her choice.

But there was something else about her, something he couldn't stop thinking about.

The secret she'd eluded to, the one that apparently only he had the key to solving.

A secret she'd promised would explain everything.

He tossed the underwear on the table, vowing to ignore them.

Then threw them in the trash a minute later when that became impossible.

You're such an asshole, he told himself, shaking his head. It's been eight years.

Even if that part of their relationship was most definitely memorable.

"Jesus," he laughed, running a hand over his face. Why was he even thinking about that?

Maybe it was the look in her eyes four days ago, or maybe it was simply that Aelin had been an important part of his life. He'd never forget the connection they'd had. Maybe it would always be a part of him.

But that was ridiculous, because he'd been connected to plenty of women since. Plenty of gorgeous brunettes and redheads.

For some reason, he hadn't been able to date a blonde, but that didn't mean anything.

He was over her.

Obviously.

Forcing his thoughts away from Aelin, he grabbed the next thing in the box.

Her address book. Maybe she'd left a note in there?

He flipped it open, scrolling through blank page after blank page. Her cousin's address and phone number were there--both of which he confirmed with police records--but other than that, it was blank.

The next thing he found made the ache in his chest expand to a soul-sucking hole.

It was a travel brochure for Aruba.

The edges were frayed from how much she'd flipped through it, and notes in her handwriting were scribbled throughout the pages.

He remembered this, all right.

He'd woken up one morning, a morning that seemed like a lifetime ago, to find her laying on top of him, leafing through the travel pamphlet with a huge grin on her face.

"We're going to Aruba," she'd whispered in lieu of a greeting, leaning down to press her lips to his.

"Why?" he'd asked back between kisses.

"Because it's the perfect place to hide from your real life," had been her laughed response.

She'd planned a trip for them at Christmas. Their very first trip together.

Every time they saw each other, she'd shown him a new page or told him about a new activity she wanted to do.

In general, she was a happy, excited person, but he'd never seen her so thrilled over anything like she was that trip.

He'd hidden it better, trying to play it cool, but he'd been excited, too.

He'd pictured her on the beach, running in the sand and smiling and laughing and drinking from a coconut. He'd imagined sneaking to the beach one night and making love to her in the ocean.

He'd imagined getting down on one knee and asking her to be his travel partner for life.

She'd been arrested two weeks before they were supposed to leave.

He tossed the little magazine back into the box, shaking his head to clear it of the memories and long-lost dreams.

The only thing left in the worn box was books.

Aelin had volunteered at a publishing house, trying to get hired as a fiction editor, and she'd always had a book in her ridiculously heavy pocket book.

She'd given him a few of her favorites, claiming that if he ever wanted to know the "real her," he had to read them.

A statement that made a lot more sense now than it used to.

He grabbed the one on top and leafed through it, going through the pages and scanning.

When that didn't yield anything, he flipped to the back of the book and looked at the inscription she'd written him.

March 1

Rowan,

I know you're not a fan of fiction, let alone romantic, feminist fiction, but I hope you'll read this and fall in love with Elizabeth's character like I did.

Aelin

He turned the book over and looked at the front again, then flipped through it again, then went through the whole process again.

Why did he feel like something about this didn't add up? And why was this, of all things, what she'd left as a breadcrumb?

He didn't figure it out until he reread the inscription for the fifth time and realized the date she'd written.

March 1st.

It was wrong; she'd given him this book on his birthday in February. He remembered because he'd laughed about her giving a grown man a romance novel for his birthday.

Why had she put March 1st? And why did that date stand out in his mind?

Stomach dropping, he finally figured out why that date was so important. It was the date of the first murder.

Maddison Kliff, a state senator who controversially wanted to fund renewable energy in the upcoming year, had been murdered the morning of March 1st eight years ago.

Breadcrumb.

He grabbed the next book from the stack, Wuthering Heights, and flipped to the end.

Almost the exact same inscription, except the date was April 13th, and the inspiring character was Linton Heathcliff.

April 13th was the day another victim died.

Rowan's heart started pounding, so hard he thought he was going to either pass out or go into cardiac arrest.

What was the connection between these dates, characters, and victims? Rowan could feel it in his gut that this was what she'd been talking about. It had to be.

He flipped through the books again, looking for something else, but there was nothing there. Nothing was underlined or highlighted, and the books were all in brand-new condition, no pages were bookmarked.

"What are you trying to tell me, Aelin?" he whispered, rubbing at his temples.

He made a list of all the dates and characters, stared at it until he thought he'd go blind, and tried to think like her.

Except her mind was a complex puzzle he'd never quite solved, so that didn't give him anything besides a headache.

He looked in the box again, hoping to magically find another note or something that explained everything in simple, idiot-proof terms.

But all that was there was that damn Aruba magazine.

It's the perfect place to hide from your real life.

The words came rushing back to him, so suddenly and violently it was like his subconscious had been shouting it for a while.

Was that it?

Maybe the connection wasn't only between the dates and characters, but it also had something to do with Aruba.

Maybe that was where this secret, whatever it was, was hiding.

Knowing he was probably grasping at straws, Rowan grabbed his phone and called the one person who'd help him.

"What the hell do you want?"

"I need a favor, Gavriel."

He heard a heavy sigh. "Like a we've been friends for twenty years favor or like an I'm the Chief of Police favor?"

"The latter," Rowan answered.

"Dammit, Rowan, you're going to get me fired one day." That was what he said every time. There was a long pause, then, "What do you need?"

"Flight manifests from Rifthold to Aruba from ten different days eight years ago."

Gavriel caught on quickly. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with a former flame of yours, would it? One currently serving time for ten murders from eight years ago?"

"Of course not," he lied, knowing he was busted.

Another sigh. "You need to let this go, kid."

Rowan ran a hand over his face, knowing that wasn't possible. Not when, for the first time since he'd been assigned this God forbidden case, he had a lead.

"Can you help me or not?"

"I will, as long as you promise to drop it once whatever you're chasing ends up to be yet another dead end."

Knowing he didn't have another choice, Rowan agreed.

Gavriel told him he'd send them over, then said softly, "I know you loved her, Rowan, but it's time to move on."

It's not that easy, he thought, thinking once again of Aelin sitting in that tiny cell, skin pale and hair too long.

"Thanks for your help," he said instead, hanging up before the lecture could continue.

A few minutes later, he was printing out the passenger lists from all the Rifthold to Aruba flights on each of the ten dates.

Starting with August 1st, he went through, passenger by passenger, and looked for an Elizabeth.

There'd been three direct flights to Aruba that day, so by the time he found it, his eyes were so tired he almost missed it entirely.

But there was a name that stuck out, one that was straight out of his copy of Pride and Prejudice.

Seat 14C had been occupied by Elizabeth Darcy, and she'd flown directly from Rifthold to Aruba on August 1st.

Rowan's jaw damn near hit the floor.

His hands shook as he highlighted the name, writing the victim's name next to it to keep it straight in his head.

His mind whirled with possible explanations, but he didn't let himself think about anything except the next date.

With a sinking feeling in his gut, he went through the passenger list for April 13th.

And sure enough, Linton Heathcliff was on one of the flights. In the same damn seat.

"Holy fuck," he whispered, grabbing the next sheet of paper.

He went date by date, flight by flight, and by the time he'd located every character, he was sure of what he'd found. What she'd left for him.

It wasn't a breadcrumb, it was the whole goddamn loaf.

Rowan barely made it to the kitchen sink before his stomach emptied as an explanation of what had really happened eight years ago started to form in his mind.

He didn't have all the pieces, but the ones he did have made him literally sick to think about.

Her insistence on being innocent, her begging him to look again, telling him only he could find the clues... it all made sense.

The doubt he'd been struggling with for eight long years suddenly disappeared, replaced by a certainty so swift and thorough and all encompassing, it almost took his breath away.

She hadn't been lying.

She hadn't killed those ten people.

She couldn't have, because...

"They're still alive."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

dun dun duuuuun

part 4 out next Friday (sorry for the slow updates I'm in summer school)

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[missmorosis]

Jealous

anonymous asked:

I’m BEGGING for a hc where zuko and sokka like the reader and get jealous of one another. Plot can be anything! :)))

anonymous asked:

oomgomg Hii u replied to me earlier 🥺👉🏽👈🏽 LOVE THAT YOU LOVE SOKKA!!! I love zuko too but sokka needs more appreciation imo.

Would u ever write an zuko and sokka x reader or oc where they both like the same person? Because I find myself conflicted between who I like more because they’re great for totally different reasons! Idkk but anyways looking forward to reading more of ur work!! And happy early valentines dayyyy 💕💕💕💕💕

please this prompt makes my true beauty heart go 📈📈📈

ALSO THE TWO OF YOU BASICALLY HAD THE SAME REQUEST LSAKDJS

enjoyyy <33 THIS MAKES NO SENSE IM SORRY

Pairings: Sokka x Reader x Zuko

Warnings: fainting and sickness (sighh yes yes i wrote another sickfic IM OBSESSED) & it may be the worst thing ive ever written-

Summary: a sick y/n is caught up in a love triangle... which boy is better?

Word count: 1.4k :)

The doorbell rang, and Y/N rushed to answer it. She opened the door to reveal a smiling Sokka. He was your best friend, so he normally showed up unannounced once in a while.

"Hey, Y/N!" he said.

"Hi, Sokka! What brings you here?"

"Knowing you, you probably haven't had dinner yet?" She nodded with a laugh. "Wanna get something to eat?"

It was past dinnertime, and she still wasn't hungry... In fact, the thought of food made her nauseous. Y/N nodded anyways, and Sokka smiled, getting his car keys out of his pocket.

Driving past the streets, the two blasted music out of the car's speakers, and Sokka sang along to all of the pop songs on the radio. Y/N laughed at the silly expression Sokka had on his face, even though the music was way too loud; it was honestly giving her a headache, but it was okay. She looked out the window to see Zuko, another close friend, heading out of the Jasmine Dragon. He must've just finished work...

"Oh, it's Zuko!" she chirped, giving him a wave. Sokka said nothing, his singing quieting down to silence, but he pulled over anyways to say hi. He parked his car, and the two hopped out.

“Y/N!” Zuko ran over with a huge grin on his face, waving his hand as a greeting. “Nice to see you again! Oh... hi Sokka.” Zuko’s cheerful smile slowly morphed into one of distaste when he noticed that she had been with Sokka.

“Hey, Zuko,” Sokka acknowledged. Y/N turned to see that Sokka’s face also fell when his eyes met Zuko’s. Sokka slung an unnecessary protective arm over her shoulders, and Y/N cleared her throat to clear up the growing tension. Shaking Sokka’s arm off, she opened her mouth to speak.

"Is it cold out here or is it just me?" Y/N blurted, causing Zuko and Sokka to look at each other worriedly. Sokka pulled off his jacket to throw it onto her. He zipped it up, and met her eyes.

"It's not cold at all... you feeling okay?" Y/N nodded slowly, signaling that she was okay, so Zuko and Sokka dropped the subject. She could have sworn it was chilly out.

"Anyways," Sokka continued, heading into his car, "wanna go grab dinner together or something?” The other two nodded, also following Sokka into the car. Y/N hopped into the passenger seat, and Zuko was stuck in the back seats. She could tell he wasn’t happy with her sitting next to Sokka, but she ignored it. They were just being plain childish, and it was giving her a headache.

“Oh, Y/N,” Sokka started. “I went to-”

"Sokka, go left," Zuko interuppted. Sokka sighed and turned the wheel, following through with Zuko’s command. 

As the car turned, it pushed Y/N to the side of the car, forcing her to lean on the car door. Deciding not to get up, she nuzzled closer to the car window, her warm breath fogging it up. She blinked, trying to stop the growing sleepiness clouding her head. 

Y/N heard Sokka ramble on about his day in the background, and her eyes closed for a second... just a second. She was just so... exhausted...

"Hey... Y/N? Are you asleep?" Sokka's voice asked softly. He poked her side, making her slightly stir awake. She tried to lift her heavy eyelids. Wow, she felt so sluggish.

"What, is Sokka boring?" Zuko laughed, as Sokka gasped, offended. "I should have been the one driving next to her."

"Y/NNN- how could you fall asleep in the middle of my story?" Sokka shook Y/N awake with his free arm. "Come on, you can't leave me with Zuko."

"Hmm?" Y/N hummed quietly, letting them know she was awake. Her voice was raspy; she had a sore throat, but the boys seemed to wave it off as a symptom of sleepiness.

"Am I too boring for you?" Sokka asked.

"No, of course no-"

"So you're saying you'd be with Sokka rather than me?" Zuko accused.

"N-no-"

"So you'd rather be with Zuko?"

"What? You guys are arguing for no reason," she mumbled, but the two boys ignored her.

"Of course she'd rather be with me; she's just too nice to say that to your face," Sokka argued, his voice increasing in volume.

"No, then why would she fall asleep while you were talking? You're boring." Zuko's voice was also loud.

"Please stop," Y/N whispered, rubbing her temples, and this gesture didn’t go unnoticed. Sokka and Zuko froze at once, watching her with concern.

"You have a headache? Are you sick?" Sokka asked immediately. Y/N sighed and nodded.

"Is... that why you fell asleep- because you were sick?" Zuko added, and Y/N nodded again weakly, and sighed. Sokka reached out next to him and put his hand on her forehead.

"Y/N, you're burning up..." Sokka gasped.

"Let me see," Zuko mumbled, placing his hand on her forehead. He sighed. "Y/N, you feel really warm."

"I'm so sorry for waking you up- it would have been better for you to stay asleep," Sokka apologized.

"No, no. It's my fault." She shivered, pulling Sokka's jacket tighter. “If I knew I was sick, I shouldn’t have come with you guys.”

"Here, have my jacket, too." Zuko wrapped his jacket over her as well, draping it over her shoulders.

"She doesn't need more than one, Zuko," Sokka scoffed quietly. "Anyways, we can go home if you'd like?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about me! We can go get dinner or something, it's just a headache. It'll go away," she reassured them.

"I don't know..." Zuko said. "Maybe we can get something to eat at your house?" Sokka turned around, heading back towards Y/N's home.

"I agree, you need rest." Sokka looked at her in the mirror. "Sorry to break it to ya, but you don't look so good."

"Okay... if that's alright..." she said, and Sokka smiled.

Everyone arrived at Y/N's house, and Zuko helped you out.

"Shall we?" he asked, gently grabbing your hand.

"C'mon, Y/N," Sokka said, glaring at Zuko. He grabbed your other hand, and pulled you along.

"Y/N," Zuko muttered.

"Zuko, let go of her," Sokka said, warningly.

"Who do you think I am? I don't have to listen to you," Zuko snapped back.

"You guys are driving me insane, can't you both just shut up and get along?" Her voice now matched theirs in volume, and the two stopped arguing, looking apologetic.

Boy, were you lightheaded all of a sudden. She staggered on her feet, and she buried her face in her hands. Not now...

"What's wrong?" Sokka's voice immediately asked.

"Are... are we scaring you? We promise it's not going to get too serious..." Zuko sounded concerned. She could feel both of the boys' arms hovering around her body, trying to protect her, catch her if she fell, or give her reassurance.

"No, no..." she breathed. "I'm.. fine..." With that, she promptly passed out.

Both boys rushed to be the one who caught Y/N. Zuko scooped her up into his arms, and he carried her into her room, leaving Sokka alone.

Zuko gently laid her down onto her bed, pulling the blanket over her. With a swift kiss that he was tempted to do all evening, he got up and headed out the door.

"Well..." he said, glancing at Sokka. The atmosphere was now awkward, and neither boy was going to leave for a while...

Y/N woke up, and judging from her headache and how warm she felt, she wasn't any better. Groaning, she got out of bed, expecting to be alone, but she was wrong.

She opened her eyes to see two boys asleep on the couch. They had stayed...

Medicine was laid out for her on the counter, and she gladly took it.

"Y/N?" Zuko's voice croaked, making her jump.

"Oh, hey... I wasn't expecting you two to stay..." she said, and he rolled his eyes.

"Of course we stayed... you feeling better?" Concern was written all over his face.

"I still feel like trash..." she answered truthfully.

"Maybe I can kiss it better," Sokka said with a small, playful smile, now awake as well, and she laughed.

"Anyways, thank you both..." She gave a quick kiss on both of their foreheads, making both of them blush. "Now, get some rest at home... I'll be fine."

"No way, I'm staying," both said at the same time. Y/N sighed; there was no way of getting rid of them, and she loved them for that.

"Do you need anything?" Sokka asked, getting up to get her some water.

"Nah, I'm alright... we can watch a movie, though?" She flopped onto the couch, in between the two boys. She turned on the classic Meet the Robinsons and laid back.

Both boys rested their heads on her shoulders, and she laughed.

"You two are idiots, you're going to get sick." They shrugged, and she smiled.

LMAOBDJJEEK OKAY WHOO IM TIRED BUT I WANTED TO GET SOMETHING OUT

this is totally unedited too IM SORRY

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