#i am in love with photographer!bianca

[weissaddams]

Date With Death

Chapter 7

The next few hours were a blur of photos, hugs and threats. 

Wednesday hadn’t thought much of her outfit. She’d always favored black and white, after all, it would make sense that she wore those same colors on her last day on the planet. Her fondness for blue made itself known after a few years of knowing a certain blonde wolf.

Bianca and Yoko, however, thought it was very convenient that she was dressed like a groom. Though grooms normally wore vests and coats, Wednesday needed none of that to clean up well, as Yoko so graciously put it. It certainly didn’t hurt that she chose to wear her hair the same way she did at their first Rave’N at Nevermore.

Which was why the three scheming girls all but pushed the raven and the werewolf together for some much needed bestie photos, as Yoko liked to call them. 

With bridesmaids. Without bridesmaids. Just the two of Enid and Wednesday.

Just Enid. Just Wednesday. Just Wednesday with either Yoko, Divina or Bianca.

Just Enid with all three girls. Just Enid with her bouquet. Just Wednesday with the bouquet looking confused as hell as to why she had to pose with a bundle of flowers that were certainly not hers.

Just Wednesday and Enid. Standing together.

Looking like they were getting married.

It certainly wasn’t how the raven thought her last hours would go, but she supposes there were worse ways to go.

Yoko and Enid were having the time of their lives doing odd poses for the photographer when Bianca silently asked her for a word in private.

They’d walked to the adjacent terrace, just far enough not to be heard if they talked quietly, and near enough to watch their friends continue to have fun.

“I take it you’ve talked to Ajax.”

“Yes, we had a very illuminating conversation.”

“And you’re happy with letting Enid go? Without a fight?”

Without a fight? Was that how things looked? Wednesday cowering from a fight for the love of her life when she was so bravely standing here right now, appreciating her last moments of life with the people she had come to care about? 

“It may not seem that way at times, but I will fight for Enid until my dying breath, and I will never obligate her to do the same for me. Happiness is not a requirement.”

Bianca always thought it was amusing how Enid thought she was hard to love and Wednesday loved her like it was as easy as breathing. 

Wednesday loved Enid, despite everything and everyone that surrounded her. Even now, the siren could practically see Wednesday's heart on her sleeve as she fondly watched Enid make silly faces with Yoko for the photographer to capture.

“And if she wants to fight for you?”

“I am not worth fighting for.”

“Enid would kill you for saying that.”

Wednesday chuckled darkly. Enid certainly would kill her for saying that. After today, she’s sure Enid would love to kill her for many other things. Too bad she wouldn't get to experience those glorious claws.

“I am sure Enid will live a long and happy life with her beloved husband-to-be. I have been a witness to that love, after all.”

“She loves you, you insufferable ass.”

“She also deserves more than I can give her, Bianca. A loving husband, children. A happy and colorful life that is out of my reach.”

Bianca had never seen Wednesday look so defeated and yet so resolute. The Wednesday who would bend over backwards to make Enid smile. The Wednesday who would throw the wedding of the fucking century if Enid asked her to even if she hated anything that involved people. 

The siren couldn’t understand how the Wednesday standing before her now and the Wednesday she knew all those years ago were one and the same. Defeated but calm? Something was up, and the raven was not going to budge about it.

“I swear to gods if you yell out I object later when the officiator asks because you finally realized you want to fight for her, I’m going to fucking stab you.”

“If I don’t, may I stab you?”

Bianca groaned. She could not believe this girl had the audacity to smirk at her after asking that. Of course she would take a threat as a goddamn challenge. Classic Wednesday Addams. 

They were dragged back into the room by Enid and Yoko shortly after their conversation.

It was time for the bridesmaids-only photoshoot when Enid pulled Wednesday over to the couch.

“Can I borrow your phone?”

Wednesday wordlessly hands it to Enid, noticing the smile that graces the bride’s lips when she sees that her selfie was still Wednesday’s lock screen display. It was a selfie Enid took as she sat beside Wednesday who was discussing a classical piece with her.

“You’ve had this lock screen for a while, I think it’s time we change it.”

“Oh?”

Enid shuffles closer to the seer and places a hand on her shoulder, as best as her dress would allow, anyway. She holds her hand out to frame them and just before she clicks the shutter, she gives Wednesday a kiss on the cheek, capturing the raven’s reaction perfectly.

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Date With Death master post

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PSA: I changed Wednesday’s outfit in Chapter 1 to look more like a groom outfit. I added the link below if you wanna see. I’m sure your mind will show you the rest of the outfit once you click the link.

Neckerchief

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How are we feeling? Are you guys liking the slow pace so far?

While you’re here, do give me Wenclair fic recommendations or even Bumbleby or Whiterose fics. Would love to read them.

I mostly started writing this so I could read it? Lol yeah I love angst. That said, I really love it when you guys reply or comment on my writing so please do!

Will probably make an AO3 account once I finish everything on Tumblr.

[allgoodnamesrgoneee]

MASTERLIST

 

Warnings!  Fluff, Angst, Smut (18+). There are a few chapters that mention sexual themes but I will give a warning before every chapter.

PAIRING: Kylian Mbappé x female photographer reader

Word Count: 90K

Note: I am new to my Kylian era and I love it😍This is my first fanfic so please be gentle with me 😘

Yours Truly, Bianca🌻

Summary:  Maila Moreno has not had much luck in the love department. Being twenty-one, she has yet to fall in love, and after her last relationship, she's not sure if she ever can. In comes, Kylian Mbappé, a charming and talented soccer player who captures Maila's attention. Intrigued by his genuine kindness and charismatic personality, Maila finds herself drawn to Kylian in a way she has never experienced before, wondering if he could be the one to break her streak of bad luck in love. 

Will their love withstand the trials they face in the bustling metropolis of Madrid? Or will their differences ultimately tear them apart? Only time will tell.

Series: Forever my heart

Prologue

Un

Deux

Trois

Quatre

Cinq

Six

Sept

Huit

Neuf

Dix

[pavedinashes-if]

How would MC dad and step mom feel about MC being in a relationship with any of the ROs?

Definitely one of my favourite asks so far. Damn. (1) Your Step-Mom: Kassandra, 45 years old (2) Your Dad: Henric, 44 years old

Your Neighbour - Samual / Samantha (Police Officer), 25 years old (1) "Why would you do that? Police? Is this...what do you young people say...some kind of kink? (2) "An honest profession. And they seem to make you smile. They better make sure not to get shot...*thinks* or stabbed."

Your Ex - Felix / Felicia (Rich Kid), 20 years old (1) "I told you. You had to come to your senses. I am just happy they took you back." (2) "Seriously? Wasn't it enough the first time around? *sighs* I would prefer if you kept away from them...and their family."

Your New Foe - Alex (Lawyer), 25 years old (1) "Who? Ah..." (2) "Do they treat you right?"

Your Best Friend (Photographer), 23 years old (1) "Are they still painting? Photography it was? No better." (2) "Really? REALLY? I KNEW IT! I fuckin' knew it!"

Your New Friend - Xavier (Musician), 22 years old (1) "Another of your experiments?" (2) "Musician? Aww that's so cool! What kind of music? Can we visit a show together?"

Your Childhood Friend - Bianca (Student), 19 years old (1) "What are they studying? [redacted] ? You know you could do better. You should think twice about which ponds you fish in." (2) "Aww, I always loved them. Say Hi from me and make sure they come visit soon. It's been soooo long."

Your Rival - Laurenz / Laura (Pro Skater), 21 years old (1) "You must be trying to make a fool out of me. Are you serious?" (2) "A Pro Skater? That is impressive! I know you always wanted to become one. What are they like?"

Your Best Friend's BF/GF - Francesco / Francesca (Model), 22 years old (1) "That pretty face? *sighs* Is it just a hobby or do they model professionally?" (2) *High Five*

Your Boss - Dima / Dalia (Club Owner), 34 years old (1) "I will absolutely NOT tolerate this. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? My early grave, oh lord..." (2) "I'm not sure I like this. I am sorry, but, I have to be honest with you."

Your Doctor - Michael / Michaela, 29 years old (1) "...I...It's good to have a doctor in the family..." (2) "Wow, that's mighty impressive. And what exactly do they want with your little pea brain? *laughs way too hard at his own joke*

Your Supplier - "Sparks" (Drug Dealer, they don't know officially), 24 years old (1) " Something is not right about them. I don't know what, yet. But I assure you, I will find out." (2) "You think I am dumb, don't you? You know I don't tend to judge a person's heart by their profession... I just don't want anything to happen to you. ... I trust you, please be careful. Promise me..."

A stranger - Paul / Paula, 38 (1) "NO!" (2) "Why...? Tell me, why would you...? Why...do they...? Are they...? Are you...?"

[uzumaki-rebellion]

"Sinner & Saint" : Creed III Chapter 10

Need to catch up? Masterlist HERE.

"You are my light in the dark

Show me the way with your heart

I know I'm not used to this feeling

But it's clear even when

I'm a thousand miles away

I'm so taken by ya, can't stop thinking bout ya

I am in love and from where I stand,

I am your man, I am...all, all…"

Terrell Grice feat George Lovett & Saeed— "All"

Donnie blinked at all the photographer lights flashing white and yellow blasts at him. Bianca and Amara sat to his right and Athena and Tony sat to his left with his new business partner Herb Raffe and the always ubiquitous Buddy Marcelle. Behind them on a giant ESPN banner his likeness held the coveted heavy weight belt and his upper body glistened and popped with muscles. Donnie knew this day would come, and the emotions roiled deep inside his chest.

Seated near the phalanx of news media and photographers were a few selected fighters on his roster, including Dame. The usual rush of questions came at him and he answered with the sophistication that all of his media training provided. Donnie needed to appear adroit and confident as a new brand manager and businessman. The transition from boxer to brains behind a multi-million dollar operation had to go off without a hitch.

"Why now, Adonis? Pundits say you have a good two-to-three years left in you."

The female reporter asking the question stood up holding a small notepad. She was a familiar face in the boxing scene, Carly Deloach, the daughter of a media magnate. Carly tossed back blond highlighted hair and gave him a warm flirty smile coaxing him to give her juicy details.

"It's time. I've reached the pinnacle and done everything I can to show the world that the Creed legacy is something to admire and be proud of. There's nothing left for me to do but usher in a new generation of talented boxers and pass on the wealth of knowledge I've gained from my training with Rocky Balboa, Tony "Little Duke" Evers, and the matriarch of the Creed family, Mary Anne Creed…hey Ma, love ya!"

Donnie winked and blew a kiss toward a camera that he knew transmitted his message to his mother at home. Another reporter jumped in, a cocky Sports Illustrated veteran who had doubts about Donnie from the very beginning until he finally won the belt. Patrick MacLaughlin was an asshole, but a fair one when he looked at the stats on all boxers. Patrick's stomach lopped over his belt, and his thinning hair stayed slicked down.

"Adonis, you toss around legacy a lot, and as the talented son of a beloved icon who has brought back a coveted world champion title to the family name—"

"I have to cut in, sorry Adonis…" Buddy said.

Buddy Marcelle gave a smirk that Donnie couldn't tell if it was meant to be rude or just hustling for air time. The man glanced at Athena who looked beautiful as always, dressed in a tight pumpkin top, and dark flared designer slacks. Buddy cleared his throat and continued.

"The Creed legacy can't be spoken about without mentioning the fact that Athena Creed brought back the first championship title to the family. I know this press conference is about Adonis, but Apollo Creed has two world champion fighters up here on this panel. Put some respect on your big sister's name, Adonis."

The crowd chuckled and a few of the women representing the media clapped and called out Athena's name.

"You right, you right," Donnie quickly blurted. He threw his arm around Athena. "My big sis is the first of Apollo's children to bring home a title. You people out there in the MMA arena are lucky she's a sports manager now instead of whooping ass!"

Athena laughed it off.

"Athena! Athena! Could you beat Adonis in a one on one?" Another reporter shouted.

Donnie pushed his table mic closer to her.

"Tell 'em," Donnie said.

Poised and polished, Athena leaned in.

"I had to always keep Adonis in check. The only thing he has on me is height and muscle weight," Athena joked.

Buddy horned in again.

"I think we need to see a big ticket event with these two, Creed versus Creed."

Athena waved a dismissive hand to Buddy and she patted Donnie's arm to get him back on track.

"Athena… what does this moment mean for you watching your brother retire?" Carly asked.

Something sad flashed across Athena's face and she composed herself. Reaching out to hold Donnie's hand she squeezed it and took a deep inhale.

"Our father would be very proud that both of his athletic children have found their niche to excel beyond fighting. Adonis will bring in a lot of new talent so that other boxing legends can come forth down the line…Donnie?"

Athena pushed the mic back toward him and sat back in her seat.

A new volley of questions hit him and Tony up fast and he allowed the last few questions to go to Bianca and Amara, who signed her delight at having her father home more since he didn't have to train and travel so far away as much. Bianca translated for the media and everyone clapped when Amara said that she planned on being a boxer like her Auntie Athena and her daddy.

Once the retirement portion was handled, Donnie spent the rest of the press time answering questions centered on his new venture. He revealed his partnership with Buddy Marcelle in promoting the new company. Everyone in the audience saw dollar signs and a revitalized boxing scene. Afterward, Donnie posed with his family for pictures. He also posed with a few of his boxers. Dame was pulled into the mix and Athena made sure he stood next to Donnie's future cash cow, Felix Chavez. There was still bad blood between Dame and Sleepy from their sparring dust up. But Felix soaked in the media exposure knowing he was the guy to watch. Two other strong contenders for heavyweight champ status enjoyed the limelight too.

A buzz entered the room the moment Dame's name rang bells, and during the retirement mixer Donnie set up for the ESPN coverage, Athena fielded questions with Dame. Felix felt a way about Dame shifting attention his way, but that was all due to Athena. The press loved getting soundbites from her and she was an expert at snagging spotlights for clients. She damn near twisted his arm to get Dame a seven figure signing bonus. She haggled for more through Dame's lawyer when they went over the contract, but Donnie didn't want to get his partners riled up over an untested client. He sweetened the deal by offering to put Dame in their ads over the next six months to bolster his visibility. She agreed to that…barely.

Athena was a pitbull, and she worked the room forcing him to do the same for Felix and the other boxers. They were both hustlers and no matter what she did to get Dame more exposure, it only helped Creed Enterprises.

"Hope I didn't step on your toes during the press chat," Buddy said, easing next to Donnie.

"Nah man, you were right to bring it up. Athena was the first, and she was way better than me when I started."

"I think people in this business tend to overlook her fighting talent. Just so you know, I want her to work for me one day."

"I doubt if she would, but you can certainly try," Donnie quipped.

"How come she's not a part of Creed Enterprises?"

"She wants to do her own thing."

"So no hard feelings if I poach her from her current gig?"

"Like I said, good luck with that."

"Her managing Dame isn't a problem for you?"

"Dame needs special handling. My sister likes a challenge and she is making a lot of good moves for him."

Buddy kept hawk-like eyes on his sister. Bianca and Amara joined them and they worked the room celebrating his new life. Patrick from Sports Illustrated approached him. Donnie pumped his hand up and down with enthusiasm.

"When can Felix sit down with you for that cover story?" Donnie asked.

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about an in-depth interview with Damian Anderson. Athena pitched me a whopper of a comeback tale and I want to jump on it before Rolling Stone does."

"Pat, we talked about getting Felix on there before his next fight. He is the next big thing—"

"Yeah I know, but Damian is a more compelling story right now. When can we get together and talk shop about him?"

Donnie checked for his sister striding across the room holding a plate of food with Dame stuck to her side.

"Call Maxine to set up a date on my calendar, Pat"

"Great. You've got a helluva roster Adonis, and if the buzz on this Damian pans out, you and your boxers could dominate for years. Congrats on the retirement, too."

Pat shuffled off to speak with other reporters and Donnie stared at Felix who chatted with his mother/manager by the bar. He now had to come up with an excuse as to why he wouldn't have the next cover story. Fuck. Perhaps he could work in a one-on-one interview with Stephen A on SportsCenter for immediate coverage to get Felix out there first.

Athena handed Dame a shot of top shelf tequila and they both gulped back the liquid, letting it warm a trail down their throats.

"Doing okay?" she teased, watching Dame's lips pucker up from the intense taste.

"I don't need no more of that today," he joked.

"Look alive," Athena said.

Buddy Marcelle looped around a group of former boxers hooting it up and slapping backs at battles long past won.

"Today went well," Buddy said.

"Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate the shout out."

"I only spoke straight facts. You my dear are the crown jewel on Apollo Creed's crown. Folks need to remember an accurate legacy history. By the way, you look lovely today. That color brings out your skin tone."

"I can leave if you just wanna flirt," Dame said.

He had a smile on his face, but his tone said different. Buddy patted Dame's shoulder to defuse the heat in the boxer's eyes.

"Beauty and brains need to be acknowledged kind sir. I'm about to head out, I have an interview with Molly over on First Take tonight."

"Oh yeah?"

Buddy noticed the arch in her eyebrow and chuckled.

"You smell blood in the water and want to jump in, huh?"

"Hell yeah. I set up a cover story for Dame with Pat over on Sports Illustrated. I'm taking Eden from Rolling Stone to dinner tomorrow, trying to pitch my client."

Buddy eyed Dame with a sly quirk of his lips.

"Maybe let this man win some bouts before lining up too many interviews."

"I'm aiming for exclusives down the road for that."

"Okay…get his name out there. I see you. Can we meet up with some of my people to talk future promotions? Your brother's roster is full and he has to strike with his first string."

"He promised to give Dame as much attention too as part of our contract deal."

"Athena, you know how the game is. Chavez, Alvarez, and Jackson have Adonis booked and busy. Take advantage of some promotions in Dame's favor. My connections run deep big sister. Dame, I hope you do some serious winning these next six months before Adonis loses interest."

"He won't," Athena insisted.

"All I'm asking for is a sit down with you and Dame on my turf. Check out the lay of land and get in where you fit in." Buddy glanced at his rolex. "Call me when you're ready. We can make it dinner at 71 Above. Javier has a new menu I think you'd both like."

"I'll let you know."

Buddy meandered toward the exit leaving Athena with thoughts about Donnie cooling on her client. She snatched up another shot of tequila from the bar.

"He's right. You've got to win big to stay on Donnie's radar."

Dame put a hand around her waist and pulled her in close. His touch ignited arousal in her and she wanted so desperately to kiss his lips. They hadn't had any private time since they returned from Vegas. She needed him…needed the intimacy that shut out the world.

"Careful," she said stepping back from his solid wall of warmth.

Dame grinned and removed his hand before anyone clocked their true relationship.

"Invite Marcelle to my first fight. He'll have no doubts about me," Dame said.

"Don't worry, he'll be there on his own. That man doesn't miss anything that can make him richer. I think you should mingle with the other boxers now. I'm done beating the bushes for game."

Dame touched his index and middle finger to his forehead and saluted her before walking over to Donnie and the other fighters. She grabbed a glass of white wine and bee-lined over to Bianca and Amara. Her niece hugged her waist and Athena ruffled the spiral curls on top of her head.

"Excited?" Athena asked Bianca.

"Relieved. I couldn't wait for this day. Ma is ecstatic because he will finally use that business degree from college."

Amara took off skipping over to her father. Bianaca studied Athena's face.

"Does it bother you when people forget that you're a champion too?"

"That was so long ago—"

"Not really. You seemed happy that Buddy brought it up. I could tell."

"I appreciated him saying it."

"Will you come by our place for dinner tonight?"

"I thought there was going to be a big dinner celebration with Ma at the mansion."

"I wanted to do something at our house to give her a little break."

"A break from what?"

Bianca pulled her to the side.

"Have you noticed Ma slowing down or forgetting things a lot lately?" Bianca asked.

"Slowing down, yes… but that's her getting older and not doing the stretching and strength training I've tried to help her with. Maybe her hip is acting up. I mean, it's been a year since her replacement surgery, but…"

Bianca's expression hinted at something more serious. Her voice went even lower in volume.

"I think you and I should go with her to get checked out. The other day she was driving me to lunch and I noticed some eye-hand coordination things that have me concerned."

"You think it's something serious?"

"If I broach the subject she'll dismiss it, but if you come with me and talk to her about it, maybe she'll listen. I'm with her all the time and a different voice may convince her to make an appointment. Donnie had a lot going on and I didn't want to worry him about it. I was thinking we could talk to her after dinner. If it's at my house, she can't make an excuse to be busy hosting everything. It'll be out of her element."

"What time?"

"Seven. It'll be a catered BBQ around the pool, casual dress. Donnie wanted a lowkey family-oriented party. No celebs or anything like that. Just our people."

"Okay, I'll come to the house and do some girl time. Who else is coming from the gym?"

"Tony, Stich, Smoky... Padman and Amir. You can bring Dame if you want."

"Why would I bring my client?"

"Girl, be serious."

Bianca snickered and Athena rolled her eyes.

"That man has heart eyes for you and can't let you out of his sight without his neck swiveling."

Bianca moved in closer, and her eyes darted about before she spoke.

"I know what happened with him and Donnie."

"How do you feel about it?"

Bianca glanced over at Donnie and Dame speaking with the other boxers.

"It was a shitty situation and they were kids back then. Dame sounds like he wants to make the most of the opportunity to box again and Donnie will help him."

"It's the least he can do, right?"

Donnie walked over swinging Amara's hand.

"Ready to dip?" Donnie asked.

He kissed Bianca's cheek. Bianca spoke and signed at the same time.

"Yeah. I need to get the house ready for our guests tonight and check in with the caterers."

"Coming by right?" Donnie asked Athena.

"I have to check in with a few other clients downtown and I'll be over around seven-thirty depending on traffic."

"Cool. Hey, you were great up there. I'm glad you agreed to sit at the table with me. I wish Ma was here though."

"She hates media stuff and I'm sure she wanted the focus to be about you. I'll catch everyone tonight. Bye Ladybug."

Athena signed away for Amara, and her niece hugged her tight then clutched both of her parents' hands. A surge of people bid farewell to Donnie. Athena made her quiet escape from the crowd and sought out Damian.

"I'm going to pick you up at seven tonight," she said.

"For what?"

Dame followed her steps out of the ESPN building and waited with her for their valet parking.

"You were invited to attend Donnie's private family retirement party at his house by Bianca."

"Not Donnie?"

"Not sure, but Bianca is on to us. I think that's why she extended the invitation. Do you want to go? Sorry for assuming you would just go with me."

His lion-like eyes brought butterflies again. Dame had a way of looking at her that made Athena feel safe and protected.

"I want to go…with you. I like that you assume that about me. It's true."

"Okay, great. It's a date. We'll have to carry on like client-manager for appearances, but it'll be more relaxed. My mother will be there…if you change your mind, I won't be offended."

"Nah, its fine. It's time that your mother met me away from all the limelight. Maybe she'll finally see the real me."

"Trust me. She won't.

"Well then, that's on her. Not me."

The valet brought her car around and they both climbed in for the drive to Venice Beach.

"Want to come inside for a minute?" Dame offered once they reached his place.

He stood outside of the passenger side, leaning in through the window. Temptation reared up, but job responsibilities took precedence for Athena.

"I can't. I have some work to do."

"How about I meet you at your place and save you the drive out here? I'll leave my car in your parking garage."

"That'll work."

"Later," he said.

He tapped his fist on the door and strolled to the house he rented a room from. Despite having a million dollars in his bank account, Dame chose to stay in his Venice rental until he won his first post-prison fight. That would be in one week, and she had a lot of things to do to drum up more pub. The buzz about him in the ESPN mixer could only last so long before the sports media moved on to the next interest story.

Her day continued until she clocked out from her office. She swept into her condo showered, and changed into a comfortable pair of olive green cargo pants and a knotted, off-the-shoulder knit top in a loud tangerine color. Slipping into heels, she checked her landline for messages and ignored the ones from her ex who flew back into town from Toronto. Nolan was a long-distance fling that became a bit more the previous year, but Athena caught wind of some red flags, one of which was a whole ass wife and child with another baby on the way. Before the discovery of his indiscretion with her, Athena's gut warned her pre-relationship not to entertain a man below her pay grade with a Drake-like personality of feigned kindness and "you-go-girl" performative musings in her ear, but she was in a dick drought and a hook up every now and then from a Canuck worked around her schedule at the time.

Nolan started acting weird too, sending her flowers and gifts out of the blue, even after she clearly defined the boundaries of their relationship after she broke it off. Now he was back to leaving messages swearing he divorced his wife and was ready to make a true commitment. What a fucking loser. He had deluded himself into thinking they were serious instead of just a poor match. She blocked his number, erased the other unimportant messages and waltzed out of the premises to meet Dame at her garage entrance.

He arrived on time and she showed him where to park his car and ordered a ride from her reliable car service. They were picked up promptly and she held Dame's hand in the backseat, snuggling against his shoulder like they were headed to prom together.

"You look nice," she said, sniffing the cologne on his neck.

She noticed a new platinum and diamond chain around his neck.

"Finally splurged," he said as she fingered the necklace.

"Good for you. Listen, since this shindig is at Bianca's, my mother may be a little more extra because she can't lord over anyone in the family mansion. If she becomes too much or gives you a hard time, let me know and we can bounce quick."

"I'm not worried. Relax. This night is about Adonis—"

"Tuh…trust me, everything will revolve around her. Me and Donnie know how to stay outta her way when she gets nitpicky."

"She gets along with Bianca?"

"Yeah, they're pretty tight. Bianca lost her parents young and most of her family is back in Philly. She's a great buffer for me because she doesn't have a mother-figure in her life, so she takes up a lot of mother-daughter duties that would be hell for me if I had to do it all the time. Don't misconstrue anything though. I love my mother and we have our own good times, but sometimes she gets a little classist and obsessive about things and I can't take it…so Bianca does. It smoothes Ma out and brings balance to the force when we don't butt heads."

"I hear ya young Jedi," Dame teased.

By seven-forty five they reached the private entrance of Donnie and Bianca's place. Athena hopped out of their ride to punch in the gate security code. A yellow cab pulled up to the driveway behind their hired driver. An older man with a black hat climbed out from the back of the cab and looked around the neighborhood. Athena recognized the pale leathery skin and puffy nose. She sprinted down to the street.

"Ohmigod, Rocky!" she shrieked.

Rocky Balboa stood humbly dressed in an old black bomber jacket and a clean white shirt. His wrangler jeans were faded and comfortable-looking. He held out his arms for Athena, accepting the big kiss on his cheek from her.

"Yeah, I just happened to be in the neighborhood and thought I'd check up on some retired boxer whose s'posed to be living here. Am I at the right spot?" Rocky joked in his heavy Philly accent.

His jovial eyes stared at her.

"Athena, my god girl, look how beautiful you are. It's been years sweetheart," Rocky said.

Athena wiped her eyes from errant tears.

"Whaddya crying for? It's just me, Uncle Rocky. Is the BBQ here yet? I'm starvin'."

"I guess we'll go see," she said.

"Me being here is supposed to be a surprise. Bianca said to give the gate intercom a code word to hide me from Donnie, but my old brain is gettin' foggy with time, so…hell if I know what the magic word is to get inside."

"No worries, you can come in with me and…Dame…come over and meet the only Italian in our family."

Dame walked over with a grin on his face. He held out his hand for Rocky to shake.

"An honor to meet you Mr. Balboa, sir."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Dame. This is a nice-looking young man Athena. Mary Anne must be excited to see you settling down like your brothers."

"Um, actually Rocky, I manage Dame. He's a part of Donnie's new venture."

"A boxer. What division? I don't keep up on the ins and outs as much. I spend more time with my grandkids up north," Rocky said.

"Heavyweight," Dame said.

"You're going to know more about him in the weeks to come. Let's get you inside before Bianca sends out the calvary," Athena said.

She punched in the gate code and Dame gave up his seat in the back of the car to Rocky. He climbed into the front next to the driver and Athena linked her arm around Rocky's.

"I can't believe you're here. You look good Unc. Being up north looks great on you."

"Thank you. Health is holding up. Knees are a little rusty sometimes but I'm still here."

"Drop us off right by the statue, please," Athena told the driver.

They all left the car and Rocky continued looking around.

"Nice…lotta space," Rocky said.

Athena texted Bianca and three minutes later she bounced out from the house trying to contain the squeals at seeing Rocky.

"Bianca…"

Rocky hugged her and Bianca squeezed his shoulders.

"So happy you're here. The caterers finished setting up out by the pool. Everyone is here mingling, so Athena, I'll go back in with Dame first to throw off Donnie, then you can bring Rocky in through the house."

"Sure thing," Athena said.

Music started playing and echoed in the front of the property. Bianca led Dame around the side toward the back and Athena guided Rocky inside the front door. Amara met them while coming down the stairs and the little girl's hands flew around signing her happiness at seeing the Italian Stallion, her godfather. Rocky hugged her and used sign language to warn her about the surprise. His thick fingers moved slower and he checked with Athena to make sure he did alright. Amara understood everything, complimenting him on his ability to sign so well and clasped his hand to follow Athena through the living room and long gameroom that led to the back patio door facing the pool area.

The music, a jazz fusion, buffeted the laughter and loud talking. Athena could smell the delicious aroma of ribs and her stomach growled in anticipation. She stepped outside first and took in the celebratory scene. At least forty people chatted and drank expensive liquor. Donnie was in the middle of introducing Dame to Padman and right away she observed her mother's lips growing tight as she stood with her companion, Archie. Athena ignored the cool facial expression of her mother and caught Bianca's eye. Bianca gave her a nod, and she cleared her throat.

"Hey, Donnie, there's a man over here looking for you. I don't know if he's supposed to be here," Athena said.

The tone of her voice over the music brought everyone's attention in her direction. Donnie rushed over and Rocky appeared next to her with Amara grinning by his side.

"Unc!" Donnie yelled.

Everyone reacted with a burst of praise shouting, rushing over to Rocky. Bianca clasped her hands together, pleased that her surprise brought on the intended reception. Dame hung back near the food set up, right across from Mary Anne and Archie.

The glee of having Rocky there showered the air with rousing sounds of joy all around, but Mary Anne's eyes cut over toward Dame, and he gave Athena the biggest smile of support. She could face anything with that smile in her corner.

Athena took a deep breath and strolled toward her mother.

Tag List:

@unfriendlyblkhotti3   

@cherrellek  

@yomiloo

@goddessofthundathighs​

@eyeknowmywrites

@melaninpov

@movie-enthusiast22

@themakingsofdion

@prettyisasprettydoes1306

@capswife

@nessa41890

@smoove4jazz

@blackerthings

@sk1121-blog1

#creed 3

[svsaskbox]

Hello everyone!

Welcome to the SVS ask box! We are a small group of SVS members/creators where you can ask our OCs all sorts of questions!

here's an introduction to all the individuals behind this blog:

@bamjammy - Hi! My name's Jammy, pronouns he/they, and I like to make OCs and never use 'em!

available characters:

Tarty Hart - Evil scientist smarties

Wizz Fizzy - chaotic pixy stix

Teri Chang - famous sour(?) singer/actress

Valentina Velvet - red velvet cake killer/bakery owner

Carolina Carrot - carrot cake detective

Toast - innocent marshmallow taffy kid/Tarty's somewhat son

@toastygal666 - a gal whos toasty, with only girl OCs cause men are hard to draw :>

available characters:

Delicie - jawbreaker girl

Hecate - pumpkin witch

Vemp - vampire mermaid

@jynxiejinx - I’m Jynxie! I’m a 19 y/o character artist, and your local chill hippie enby. any pronouns are cool!

available characters:

Penny Sucre - peach tea fruity guild leader

Bianca, Barry and Huey Poppins - bubblegum triplets

Fable Frosting - mythical animal cracker unicorn centaur

@kitn3x - Hi hi, I’m Kit, your genderless fool of an artist!

available characters:

Paddie (Rainbow paddlepop ice cream) - sweet local robin hood who eat the rich and feed the poor situation

Milly (Milo nuggets) - a bittersweet member who dream of becoming a mechanic

Bannie (Bandung drink) - A sweet singer who dream of peace between sweet and sour nation through music with her fellow friends and members

Hex (Sparkling honey drink) - ur avg waiter who works in a honey pot tavern in coco cabins

Isbert (Ice shaved dessert) - An ex-knight who now works as a lumberjack to take care of his remaining family member and ensure there's no harm on them

Peps (Hot cocoa Pepsi) - Shark boi who friends with a sweet and dreamt of becoming a famous swimmer

Aurora (galaxy cocktail) - Once a child actor, now a pop singer in the sour nation! She have fallen in love with a famous sweet underground singer

Killian (c1000 drink) - William Fishbert's beloved husband who works in a military with him before the incident :)

Aiden (hot hot pop foot lollipop) - Father of a certain shark boi who works as a bartender at Gobstop! Also his appearance may scare you if its a curse thing or bless you or maybe blursed

@seanthejester - Hi! I'm Sean (he/him)! I'm 19 years old and like drawing silly little guys.

Available characters:

Brandy Butter - He was almost the pastry guild leader and he's all about advocating for peace and integration. He's currently working on creating a peace organization in the Sweet Kingdom

@minibigboy - I’m Fin / MiniShark (he/it). I’m a bit funkee and tired, but I have art and ocs :)

available characters:

Ananas - piña colada

Lucius Sandía - watermelon flash pop

Angel Cake - …angel cake…

Girlypop - sour rainbow strips

William Fishbert - the fishbowl

Joe Cupp - black coffee

@jacket-pigeon - Hi! I'm Pigeon (they/them) and I like making OCs too much

available characters:

Pomelia (Peppermint) - Grumpy ex-soldier

Moxy (Bubblegum poprocks) - Playful troublemaker

Jambo (Sour belts) - Eccentric TV show host

@itayati - Hey! I'm a 19 yo artist (she/her) and an enjoyer of cute things and the colour pink

available characters:

Pea O'Sour (Peach sour rings) - Cheerful photographer

Minty Drop (Mint drops/landrines) - Quiet jewellery maker

Malina (pierogi with blueberries and strawberries) - a bit socially awkward fruit seller

@ikeaunderscorecat - Yo, im ikea (she/they) and i am here also! hopefully you enjoy my funny fellows as much as i do

available characters:

hedron - red velvet oreo, very angry arms guy

@asrielcipher - Hey I’m Ace (they/them), please enjoy my ocs

available characters:

Bea Flutters (Butterfly Pea Tea) - a doctor with no self preservation, who wants to help others at her own expence

Moon Flutters (Ramune) - an influencer and Bea’s younger, meaner sister

[wishmaker1028]

Farewell to You, ch 3

They turned, seeing that Ritchie, Duplica, and Todd also arrived. Ritchie and Duplica were holding hands.

Brock smiled, "Hey Ritchie, long time no see! I didn't know you were dating Duplica."

Ritchie blushed, "Well, we've been keeping it quiet for now. This is our first event together."

Duplica winked, "You got that right!"

Sparky did a peace sign, "Pika pika!"

Mini Dit had transformed into a version of Pikachu, intimidating Sparky. "Pika, pika!"

Todd took their picture, "They are just so photogenic."

Dawn walked over to him, "You look familiar... Are you Todd Snap?"

Todd replied, "That's me!"

Dawn squealed, "Eep, you're the photographer that Hermoine asked to come?"

Todd confirmed, "Yes, correct."

May was a bit confused, "Wait you meet thee Hermoine from the Hearthome Collection?"

Dawn turned to her friend, "Yeah I met her, Paris, and Paris' Lopunny when the Collection started. They wanted nothing but the best photographer for the Poke Chic magazine!"

Todd modestly stated, "Well I don't know if I am the best but I do a pretty decent job."

May responded, "Didn't Ash once tell me that you took a picture of an Articuno?"

Dawn gasped, "Whoa, for real?"

Todd nodded, "Yeah, I even brought the print. Hang on." Todd searched his pockets for a minute before he finally took out a small, faded print. He told Dawn, "I had planned to use this picture to help win over the job but it doesn't feel like the edge they are going for."

Dawn breathed, "It is beautiful..." She gave the print back to Todd and offered, "Maybe seeing a contest might give you an edge?"

Todd thought for a moment, "It's not a bad idea but right now, I'm not sure if it'll help."

Zoey teased, "I think Dawn just wants to do a contest right now."

To that, Dawn blushed out of embarrassment. Todd just chuckled, slightly blushing at Zoey. Dawn perked up. She thought, 'Does Todd like Zoey?' That's when the population of Pallet Town arrived too. Everyone greeted each other. They started to laugh and talk. Even though the guests of honor hadn't arrived yet, everyone seemed to be having a good time. Scott had finally arrived. With him were: Palmer, Johanna, Norman, Caroline, Brandon, Luka, Lance, Prima, Steven, Reggie, Maylene, Cynthia, and Wallace.

Max teased, "I think you brought the crowd there, Scott."

Scott laughed, "Yeah, you aren't kidding."

Paul turned to his brother, "Glad you came."

Reggie smiled, "Hey thanks, me too."

Ranee told Maylene, "I am so happy for you two."

Maylene blushed, "Thanks Ranee."

Cynthia stated, "It seems almost everyone is here and everything is done."

Steven replied, "Yeah, you're right about that. I was hoping we got here earlier though. I would've liked to set up."

Delia offered, "You can always help with the cleaning."

Steven responded, "I would love to help you with the cleaning, ma'am."

Cynthia told him, "See? It all worked out."

Steven said, "I know, you are right."

Cynthia teased, "Aren't I always?"

To that, everyone laughed. Steven took Cynthia's hand, lacing their fingers. Cynthia squeezed his hand gently. Norman and Caroline smiled at them.

Johanna stated, "I am so glad that Cynthia is happy."

Dawn teased, "You're not happy for me, mom?"

Johanna giggled, "I'm always proud of you, sweetie. And yes, I know you're teasing me."

Dawn smiled, "Of course."

Dawn and Johanna had a hug, both of them smiling. They parted from the hug.

Palmer commented, "I am glad that I could make it."

Barry said, "I was worried that you wouldn't, Dad."

Palmer stated, "Same, Barry. But Scott has an important announcement later today."

Bianca pointed out, "You know, I noticed something. Where are the other Battle Frontier Brains?"

Before Palmer could answer, Scott did. "They didn't come. It's because I'm thinking of closing up the Battle Frontier operations in both Hoenn and Sinnoh. It's no secret that I'm getting older and I don't have anyone to take over for me."

"What?!"

Paul asked, "Does that mean I won't be able to challenge Brandon ever again?"

Scott answered, "Well, I won't close it down just yet. It will happen more at the end of the year."

Paul just kept quiet. While he did want the Battle Frontiers to close down, he saw Scott's point.

Ranee asked, "So does that mean the other Battle Frontier brains aren't coming?"

Scott admitted, "No, they are starting to close up shop."

Ranee stated, "Understandable."

"Hey everyone!"

That's when Ash, Pikachu, and Misty arrived. Her Azurill had evolved into Marill.

"Ash!"

Everyone went over to them, congratulating the new world champion.

Ash smiled at everyone, "Hey thanks everyone! But all the credit goes to my team. Especially Pikachu."

To that, Pikachu blushed but proudly.

Dawn told the Electric type, "Oh, someone's been waiting to see you!"

Pikachu perked up before he blushed out of love. Dawn threw a pokeball and out came her Buneary. Buneary looked around.

"Bun?" She asked. That's when she saw Pikachu. She covered her eyes with her fur, shyly. She said, "Buneary!"

Pikachu ran over to Buneary happily. "Pika pika!"

As the two got acquainted again, Misty watched Ash. She couldn't help but wonder...

"Hey sis!" Violet said. "'Bout time you and your boyfriend got here!"

Misty turned red as did Ash, "We're not dating!"

To that, Violet just giggled. It was just too easy.

...

As the party started in Pallet Town, in a far off corner of the Orange Islands, Lawrence III was looking out of his jail cell window. It had been a long time, at least it seemed that way to him, that he'd be in here. He often wondered if she ever found his records. He had hoped not.

...

Sadly, she did. Her name was Yoni, Lawrence's cousin. She had short light green hair, blue eyes, wearing an orange long sleeved blouse, a short orange skirt, and short orange boots. She was wearing an orange medaillon and long orange earrings. She had found Lawrence's notes and had created her own airship. It looked a lot like her cousins but it was smaller in appearance. She didn't want to attract any attention.

She said to the computer, "Soon, we collect the three pawns, the rook, and the queen. And that should flush out the king."

The computer said, "Analysis shows that there is a high voltage coming from Lumiose City in Kalos."

Yoni told it, "Then let's fly that way."

The computer did as it was told and headed in the direction of Kalos.

...

Wishmaker1028: Another chapter bites the dust! Or the Dustox! Hahaha, that was bad. Anyways, please read and review! And always think outside of the box!

[firstaidspray]

WIP Wednesday Thursday (Writing This Time!!!)

Was tagged by @adelaidedrubman yesterday and also @unholymilf to share some shit I'm working on, and while I shared some art, I actually got a bit of writing done, so I'll share that too. It's part of chapter 2 of my Nice Guys fic, When The Rain Washes You Clean, You'll Know (chapter one is already posted if you wanna read). The sacrilegious schemes begin.

Bianca adjusts her habit in the rear view mirror, and pushes her glasses back against her face with a single hand on the side of the frame. Holland tugs uncomfortably at his priest's collar. Healy checks the recorder. Holly flips aimlessly through the Bible they'd stolen from a motel room.

"Are you ready for this?" Holland asks, placing one hand on Bianca's shoulder and the other on Holly's. 

Holly nods confidently. "Yeah. Are you, dad?"

Holland scoffs. "Of course I am. Healy, you ready?"

"Ready." He places the recorder into the hollowed-out Bible and snaps the book shut, tucking it under his arm and stepping out of the car. "Just hope we don't all catch fire when we go inside."

First, Healy goes into the church. There's a side door that they're all going to use– nobody sees them go in, it's inconspicuous. Once he's inside, he heads to one of the empty confessional booths and takes a seat on the side a priest should be in. He feels mildly guilty, in the Catholic sense, as his Irish upbringing would consider this blasphemy, but Healy has grown wise and given up on God, so the guilt disappears. He'll take confessions of random people in the meantime, assigning Hail Mary's he has no business giving, absolving people of things he's unsure he should, but it's all necessary.

Next is Holland. He smokes a cigarette before he goes in, and when he enters, he tries to look harmless, to blend in. His anxious prey animal mannerisms and darting glances don't help, but he decides to get to work by plucking each Bible and hymnal from the backs of the pews, flipping through them. He'll claim that he's checking to make sure nobody has drawn or written in them– that excuse was his idea entirely, even if everyone else told him it was ridiculous.

Bianca goes inside a few minutes later, also finishing a cigarette before assuming her role as Sister Andrea. She saunters into the cathedral with a gait and general air unbecoming of a nun– a role-playing person assuming the role of a sexy nun, maybe, but not a real nun. She matches glances with "Father Elliott" and flashes a demure smile, half in-character and half real. He winks back at her with a cute little lopsided smirk, as he does, and her heart skips a beat when he does this. "Sister Andrea" then goes to the candles at the altar, watching the flames dancing. 

Holly is the last to exit their little hiding spot, parked just behind the church, but she doesn't go inside. She heads to the front steps and sits down, flipping open her Bible and attempting to parse the scripture. All of the old English phrasing and numbered paragraphs make her head hurt– Holly loves reading, but the good book isn't exactly her cup of tea. She waits until Byron shows up in the piazza across from the church, because Bianca knows he waits there and stares at the building, scared to go inside. 

Soon, "Anna" spots the man, knowing him well from Bianca's descriptions and photographs. Slowly, inconspicuously, she shuts her Bible and tucks it under her arm, then steps across the street to the square, and meanders through the crowd seemingly aimlessly, flashing an innocent smile at all the strangers. When she gets close to Byron, she feigns concern by knitting her eyebrows and approaches him.

"Hey, mister, you look sad," she says as innocently as she can sound. "What's wrong?"

He gives a small chuckle and smile to her. "Oh, it's nothing…just checking out the church, you know."

"Anna" tilts her head. "Why don't you come inside? We welcome everyone. We'd be happy if you joined us."

Byron looks away, shuffling his feet in what seems to be anxiety. "Ah, I dunno…I already belong to one church, I wouldn't feel right going to another…"

"Please," she says, "we don't mind if you visit more than one church. That just means more chances to worship, right? Come with me, I'll take you to check out La Chiesa di Molti Santi. We can pray together."

"Hmmm…" He hums with uncertainty. "I don't know that I have anything to pray about right now…"

"Anna" laughs. "Sure you do! There's always something you can tell to God, no matter how small. I'm sure I can help you find something to pray about."

As she says this, she flashes up innocent, bright eyes and a smile to match, hoping her youthful appearance will remind him of a young Bianca. It seems to work, as he shifts uncomfortably. 

"Ah, okay," he finally agrees. "I'll go with you. Lead the way."

She smiles victoriously. "Of course. Follow me."

As they cross the street, "Anna" walks in front of Byron, so he cannot see, but that smile turns to a devious smirk, and she anticipates meeting up with Bianca inside the church to really begin the plan.

[bansheeoftheforest]

I have more thoughts. This time it is majorly about Maria coz this has been stewing in my brain for a while (also also, since tumblr doesn't change posts that are edited, all eventual updates will be found in the reblog-section of this post!)

Maria Di Angelo takes 1 look at this scruffy teenager that Hades claims is another death god now sent to take care of her and her child(ren) and decides that this is her oldest son now, thank you very much.

My brain is convinced she names him Agostino because it is frankly easier to explain to the neighbours confused by his presence that he is her oldest who was away to study abroad or something if he has a italian-ish name and not like. "Yes this is my son, Anubis." Anubis just accepts that.

It probably takes quite a while for him to get used to not going by Agostino. The magicians call him "Anubis" and he is just "who???????"

Anubis is a collector of mother-figures honestly. He drinks his respect women juice every day.

Maria also insists that he is included on the few family photographs they take (I'm not even sure if those were canon but my brain is CONVINCED there was a Di Angelo family photograph mentioned somewhere).

I believe Anubis had some level of distance between the Hades demigods of yore, like, the relationships between him and them go from slightly strained at best to "begone foul omen of death"/"I don't NEED a babysitter fuck off and leave me be" at worst. But with the Di Angelos it takes him getting to meet Maria and hold baby Bianca and he is just. Yeah. He is a part of that family now. He doesn't really have a choice.

Makes it even more devastating when neither he nor Hades can save Maria in time from Zeus' wrath.

Majority of Anubis' personality comes from Maria tbh. Like he was mostly a personalityless teenager for the majority of the 2000 years between the fall of the Egypt and meeting the Di Angelos (as one is) but after those like. 5-10 years he spent with them all together he IS a strict maternal force to be reckoned with. He speaks violently with his hands and he is very good at making pasta.

I think Maria/the Di Angelos being a catholic family gave him a bit of a crisis because on one hand, he will happily follow the culture of the family he is staying with atm, but on one hand, he is a god and I am fairly certain the Christian god doesn't actually exist in the Riordianverse. Imagine being a pagan god and when you get mad you start swearing at another god that doesn't actually exist but does have beef with your pantheon.

Can you imagine being the Kanes and meeting the Egyptian god of death and he is inexplicitly/vaguely Italian. It feels right up RR's alley.

Maria can be happy that she came to the Greek underworld because I feel like Isis would dislike her solely for the fact that She Is Threatening Her Stance As Anubis' MotherTM. Nephthys isn't even part of that equation most of the time.

I do feel like he sneaks into the Greek underworld occasionally just to talk to her. Hades is well aware but lets it happen because, well, Anubis is a death god, so it is not like he is breaking any "no mortals in the underworld speaking with the dead" rules.

The fact that Anubis in this au is the closest Bianca and Nico ever had to having their mother after their memories are wiped makes me AUGH. He really is a single mom that works two jobs who loves her kids and never stops.

Still refusing to reread PJO/TKC but it is still infesting my brain so woe crossover au be upon yall

Au where Anubis casually gets assigned to be Bianca's and Nico's older brother, anyone?

(messy points below, mostly from Anubis' pov coz he is my pookie)

Like, once the other Egyptian gods start dropping like flies because the magicians are imprisoning them, assuming they may also go after Anubis, he turns to Hades as a very very very last resort because, well, he would like to not be imprisoned for all eternity, thank you very much. Hades agrees on the condition that Anubis looks after his demigods, since he otherwise really isn't to any use of him, which Anubis accepts. So, Anubis is basically the Hades/Pluto demigods' divine babysitter in exchange for some protection from the magicians who may or may not also want to imprison him.

I shall say that this either works bc A) Hades kids radiate enough death so that he can be around them without a host or B) it is all just bureaucracy so when the rest of the Egyptian gods are gone those rules simply do not really apply.

Anyways, once the Big Three ProphecyTM rolls around and Maria Di Angelo kicks the bucket, Anubis is left in charge of making sure the Di Angelo siblings survive, taking them to and staying with them at the Lotus Casino and the different schools that Hades moves them around to, either as their "older brother"/guardian or as their pet dog that the authorities simply don't bat an eye at.

The siblings, with their memories absolutely fucked up, simply accepts that they either have a brother, a dog, an older brother who is occasionally a dog, or a dog that only conveniently shows up when their brother isn't there and vice versa.

And since I haven't read any RR books since I was 12 and I never read the HOO series, I can't really talk much about the logistics from here on out but. I have some thoughts in general.

Anubis makes sure that he takes the majority of the responsibilities, so that Bianca can be a little more happy and a little less stressed than she would have been if she was alone looking after her little brother.

He also happily distracts Nico when Bianca needs a break, he can genuinely listen to Nico ramble about whatever for hours, remembers it quite well and can return the conversation, which Bianca rarely has energy for.

(He was the exact same when he was young and wants to make sure Nico has someone that listens to him)

Genuinely cannot rest until he makes sure the siblings are fine and safe, which becomes a bit of a problem when Bianca goes on her first and last quest, and even more of a problem when he is more stuck in the Brooklyn House and he has to keep contacting Nico before he allows himself or Walt to rest as a result of that.

He is so so so so SO protective of the siblings. He is absolutely ready to die or kill for them. He is not a fighter, more often than not a pacifist, but when it comes to them he is the first to throw hands.

Also him absolutely being ready to kill the demigods that find the siblings at the military school coz he is so used to the "any demigod or magician is here to kill one of us and I have to protect them at all costs" mode that he has been kinda stuck in for the last 70 or so years, minimum.

He is merely an older sibling running on the equivalent of 3 hours of sleep and 2 strong coffees, which really doesn't help the situation once shit starts going down in Brooklyn/the Egyptian pantheon.

Speaking of the Brooklyn House. After being a Divine BabysitterTM for like 2000 years he genuinely cannot get rid of those base instincts, which ends up with him fussing over the Kanes/Walt/Zia and the rest of the initiates because those are CHILDREN and they need to REST and be SAFE and EAT PROPERLY and TAKE YOUR DAMN VITAMINES, WALT.

Because of those 2000 years of babysitting, Anubis is genuinely amazing with kids. You'd think they'd be scared by him, but no. He is the first one they run to when they scraped their knee and need a band aid and a hug.

He also 100% stares right into Percy's and Will's souls the moment he finds out Nico has/had crushes on them. Despite being raised in an entirely different time he definitely is a "no dating until you are at least 25 otherwise I might have a heart attack" sibling and he is not letting some random demigod break his lil brother's heart. He accepts Will well enough though coz he makes Nico laugh which in the end is the most important thing.

Will might actually be more intimidated by Anubis than Hades but that doesn't stop him. Nico is his babygirl and he knows Anubis is (probably) more bark than bite (most of the time).

No matter if Hades allows him to like. stop being a babysitter once the gods are restored and Ma'at is balanced and all, Anubis still sticks around and checks in on Nico (and eventually Hazel). He gets antsy if he hasn't heard from them at least once a day.

He probably has a good base relationship with Jason and Reyna (bc both are protective older siblings when it comes to Nico) but he keeps Percy at a distance ever since Bianca's death (not that he blames him). But he isn't particularly close to any of them, as his priorities lay with Nico, Hazel, and the Brooklyn House.

Assuming Anubis doesn't like. Introduce himself to the greeks as "Anubis" and instead says he is someone else, I have absolutely no idea when or if he would ever tell any of the greek demigods what he truly is. But I suppose Nico would eventually find out that his older brother actually isn't related to him at all, or even from the greek pantheon, and instead only happened to become his older brother as a favour to Hades. Depending on how he finds out he definitely could get upset but I like to believe he sorta figures eventually, and is just happy Anubis genuinely cares for him.

I also like to think that the greek gods they meet when the demigods take the siblings from the school to camp half-blood, just gives Anubis A LookTM. Either they are fully aware he is protecting the Hades kids or they think an Egyptian god is just casually hanging out with some random demigods. Which must certainly be a sight to behold.

Can yall for a moment imagine being the Kane siblings, trying to get the feather of truth from the god of death to avoid the impending apocalypse, who then says "sorry I am mostly on babysitting duty so I can't really help yall more than this, good luck tho."

Walt who meets Nico and is so conflicted because in one way he is slightly weirded out by this tiny depressed gremlin, but in another way the Anubis PartTM of him is just going "protect protect protect protect", which is a weird first impression.

One of the Kane siblings would be interested in Mythomagic, I just know it. Either Sadie coz it is funky or Carter bc it is nerdy. Either way, Nico has at least one Kane to bond with bc of it.

Nico just has the ultimate diplomatic immunity because he can go between Camp Half-blood, Camp Jupiter, and the Brooklyn House basically as he pleases.

On a completely different topic, the majority of Nico's wardrobe is just shit he has stolen from Anubis, he just lets it happen, in part because it is not like he as a god has a limited wardrobe, and in part bc Nico is absolutely adorable when he drowns in Anubis' jackets bc they are too big for him.

Also, Anubis helping Nico train his death magic, and teaching him the easiest ways to build endurance while using it.

Frankly the thought of the rest of the gods being banished, imprisoned, in exile or attempting to free themselves while Anubis is playing babysitter is very funny to me in general. Imagine being Isis or Osiris and attempting to ask your nephew/son what he did during the 2000 years yall were imprisoned and he goes "I took a side job as a babysitter to pay the bills".

Honestly I might reblog this with more thoughts eventually. They are all just so pookie.

[shippy-pjo-shipper]

Thaliancoë ~ Vacation

A simple plan :

Zoe behind the wheel

Bianca with the camera

And Thalia....bringing the fun, let's say.

Or three huntresses of Artemis being allowed two weeks of vacation where anything can and will happen.

@them-awesome-rarepairs

[enchantzz]

ART & VAMPIRES - San Francisco

Amy and Mitchell go on a business trip to San Francisco. They find themselves transported back into time, to Mitchell’s past in the 1960ies, when they stay at a client’s house to do the art inventory.

Art & Vampires is about the relationship and developments around Mitchell, a vampire and Amy (Ames), a human. It’s about slow-burn love stories, the vampire world, the supernatural, but also about history, cities around the world, art, antiques and adventures. Face claims vampires: Aidan Turner - John Mitchell, Richard Armitage - Rick Marlowe, Jaime Murray - Alana (Lana) Lenoir and Ben Barnes - Ben Sheldon. Humans: Mila Kunis - Amy (Ames) Quinn, Bianca Lawson - Lena Parker (witch).

Art & Vampires Series - Master list and notes here 1. The Golden City 2. Blast from the Past 3. Sixties Reminiscence 4. Back to the Present

2. Blast from the Past

Amy and Mitchell ascended the stairs to the main entrance of the house. Steps that felt so familiar to Mitchell. It had been more than half a century since he had set foot in the house, but the memories came rushing back. They were greeted by Peggy’s family. After introductions, Mitchell learned that Peggy had settled down at some point and started a family. The people they met were her grandchildren, brother and sister.

‘Welcome, come in,’ Josie said. She was a spitting image of Peggy when Mitchell knew her. ‘How was the trip? Were you able to find it easily?’ she asked.

‘Yeah, I know my way around,’ Mitchell said absentmindedly.

`Shall we sit down in the dining room to talk things through?’ Jeff asked.

‘Yeah, that would be lovely,’ Mitchell said and almost started walking in the direction of the dining room, before he caught himself. He could not let them know that he knew the house, that this had been his home for several years, long ago. He smiled and let the clients show him and Amy the way.

‘I’m sorry,’ Josie said to Mitchell. ‘You look strangely familiar. Have we met before?’

‘Not that I know,’ Mitchell answered. Maybe I just look like someone you know, he smiled politely. Behind that polite smile, a slight panic set in. Peggy surely wouldn’t have kept the photographs that he had told her a million times not to take? If that was the case, then yes, Josie would surely have seen him before. Time for the doppelganger or grandfather story.

‘You are welcome to stay as long as you need,’ Jeff said. 'We have stocked the kitchen, so there is food and you can pick one of the dozen rooms in here to sleep in, although I recommend the master bedroom. It has a lovely modern bathroom. There is a garden next to the house as well, for if you would like to sit outside.'

‘Oh I know!’ Josie exclaimed enthusiastically. ‘I know where I know you from, but that’s silly. Just wait here for a moment. I’ll show you.’ She got up and left the dining room.

‘I wonder what she has up her sleeve,’ Jeff chuckled. ‘She has such a busy head, it’s hard to keep up with her sometimes.’

Just like her grandmother, Mitchell thought and smiled.

Josie re-entered the room with two photos in her hand. ‘Look,’ she said, putting the photos in front of Mitchell and Amy. Mitchell gulped. There it was. It was him in the pictures, just as he had feared.

‘Well look at that,’ Amy said, picking up the first photograph. ‘That does look like you, Mitchell. If this weren’t an old photograph, I would have mistaken you for the guy in the pictures as well. He could be your twin.

She looked at him and he knew that she knew. She played along well.

‘Yeah, he does look a bit like me,’ Mitchell agreed. ‘So, is there anything specific you would like us to look at?’ He quickly changed the subject.

‘Just anything really. Nothing is off-limits,’ Jeff said. ‘Please go ahead and take as much time as you need. You have our number for if anything comes up. We are a short drive away.’ After the necessary arrangements had been made, Jeff got up and so did Josie. When they had closed the door behind them, Mitchell let out a deep sigh and ran his hand through his hair.

‘That was close,’ he whispered.

‘So who was she?’ Amy asked, suspecting that Peggy had not just been a client in the past, but something more, and she was right.

Knowing that Any was sleeping to the owner, he said, ‘Peggy was my girl. I lived with her in this house for the years that we were together. That was back in the 60ies.’

‘I’m sorry she passed away. That must be one of the downsides of living so long. Losing people you once loved? I’m sure you have a lot of memories,' Amy said.

Mitchell turned around and looked at a painting of Peggy that hung on the wall in the hallway. His expression became a little sad.

‘It was a long time ago, Ames, and I'm not sure it's a good idea to talk about my exes.'

'It's alright, Mitchell, ' Amy said. 'I do understand that you have not been sitting and waiting your whole life for me to show up. I can handle it, honestly.'

Mitchell sighed. 'Thank you, Ames, that means a lot. And yes, outliving people, loved ones, friends, family, that is indeed not the greatest part of immortality, but I try to live in the now and that seems to work quite well. Come on, let’s go explore, shall we?’ he sighed.

Amy’s face lit up, like a kid in a candy store and she was off to one of the many rooms to have a look around. While Amy was exploring, Mitchell was taking a trip down memory lane. He was walking through the rooms, when he saw the painting that Peggy had him hang on the wall. It was still there. He smiled, thinking of how she had been running around, doing a million things at once for the big party they were having that night and still bugging him about the painting not hanging straight.

He walked into another room and another, each room full of memories. Happy memories. They had been good times, right before he had lost his way. Him and Peggy drifting apart, might have contributed to that. She had been an anchor when Rick started exploring the world and left business mainly to Mitchell. Alana had been somewhere in Europe and Ben had been back in London. Peggy had been his home and when he lost that, he also lost himself. He had fallen in with the wrong vampires, Barry’s crew. Thank god they exterminated that vermin in New York before Christmas last year.

Later that evening, after they had done the initial setup for the inventory and had dinner, Amy had gone upstairs to take a well-deserved bath. After she had been soaking in it for a good while, she dressed in her comfy sweatpants and top and started wandering around, while Mitchell took a shower.

There had been a time, on their first trips together, when Amy had trouble staying out of Mitchell’s bed, but now she had gotten herself turned around in the enormous house and had trouble finding her way back to the bedroom. She decided to find the main stairs in the hallway and start from there. She stopped to look at the magnificent stained glass windows on the stairwell, before making her way up. The house sure was gorgeous. At the top of the stairs, she remembered where she was and found her way back to the bedroom.

‘Where did you go off to?’ Mitchell asked, coming out of the bathroom, a towel hanging dangerously low on his hips. Amy stared at him, taking in the sight of his still wet curls, his muscled body, his hairy chest and the towel that she just wanted to rip off him.

‘Ames? You ok?’ Mitchell asked.

‘Yeah, yeah,’ Amy snapped out of her thoughts which were spinning out of control. ‘I just got a little lost. The house is so big.’

‘It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?’ Mitchell smiled.

‘It sure is,’ Amy said, not being able to take her eyes off of Mitchell and not entirely sure that she was still talking about the house.

‘Come on, let’s get some sleep. We have a full day tomorrow,’ Mitchell said.

‘Are you sure you are ready for sleep?’ Amy had stepped closer to him and tugged on his towel. She sought out his lips and feeling her lips on his, was all that was needed to convince Mitchell that sleep was indeed not what he needed. Mitchell picked her up and carried her to the bed. Quite a bit later, they finally fell asleep in each other's arms.

[one20th]

Hello tumblr! My name is Bianca and I am an automotive photographer 📸 I’ve been photographing cars consistently for 5 years now and I love sharing my work with others! I work with individual clients and a luxury dealership located in Dallas. My main goal is to be on either Porsche or McLaren’s media team, and work with either company to document the most incredible cars on the planet. I love what I do and I am so happy to have found my passion in cars and cameras. I have a large portfolio of work on instagram @/one.20th, but am slowly moving my work to Tumblr as well. I hope to see the community on here grow, as this platform seems to be the best for sharing art. I would love to get to know my peers in this space, comment below some information about yourself so we can all get to know each other and find other automotive creatives in this space!

[pavedinashes-if]

(Based on the last ask)

How would the ROs feel about the MC step mom and dad?

Ha, this is some hot spoiler sh*t. I'll answer as vaguely as possible. This are the ROs responses to your parents' comments - hope that's ok. (1) is their opinion on your Step-Mom and what she thinks of you two (2) is their opinion on your Dad and what he thinks of you two

Your Neighbour - Samual / Samantha (Police Officer), 25 years old (1)"It's fine, I get it. Nobody wants their child to be a widow/er one day because of some job choice." (2)"I appreciate it and will make sure to give it my best to not be an idiot out there, ok?"

Your Ex - Felix / Felicia (Rich Kid), 20 years old (1)"Ha! HA! HA! I told ya she loves me! And awww... *pats your head* such a good boy/girl for coming back to me. Of course I couldn't say No to those puppy eyes, could I?" (2)"Such a shame, really, but I'll make sure to conquer his heart in no time - watch out daddy H, I'm comin' for your big fat fluffy heart."

Your New Foe - Alex (Lawyer), 25 years old (1)"I am not the slightest bit surprised." (2)*takes a deep breath and doesn't comment."

Your Best Friend (Photographer), 23 years old (1)"Ouch, damn your ol' lady has some claws on her. Good thing I am a kitty tamer." *winks at you* (2)"What can I say..." *presses lips together and blushes*

Your New Friend - Xavier (Musician), 22 years old (1)"Tsk, oh I'll write a song about her and it will go viral and she won't like the contents of it..." (2)"Realllyyy? OMG, for sure, VIP tickets and guest list and free drinks and whatever he wishes... dad fans are the best! I swear."

Your Childhood Friend - Bianca (Student), 19 years old (1) "Oh wow, that is so rude. I'm happy you don't have her charms, seriously." *looks hurt* (2) "Totes, tell him I will bring him some of the cookies from my mom that he always loved. Believe me they got better each year. Well, I mean, she is making them each year, like, at least 20 times...they should be better...oh no I am babblin' sorry..." *blushes*

Your Rival - Laurenz / Laura (Pro Skater), 21 years old (1) "Fuck her!" (2) "That...is weird."

Your Best Friend's BF/GF - Francesco / Francesca (Model), 22 years old (1) "At least we can agree on the pretty face part." (2) *Just blink, then roll their eyes*

Your Boss - Dima / Dalia (Club Owner), 34 years old (1)"I am too old for this. Whatever your mommy thinks of me is..." *pretend to throw something over their shoulder* (2)"I appreciate his honesty, but...I don't care, you know?"

Your Doctor - Michael / Michaela, 29 years old (1) "I've heard this way too often, it's shocking." (2) *pretends to knock on your head* "Did I consider this properly...?"

Your Supplier - "Sparks" (Drug Dealer, they don't know officially), 24 years old (1)"I am sure I can find something in my little magical pouch that will help her losen up a bit." *looks at you* "What?" (2)"I like him. He's a good one."

A stranger - Paul / Paula, 38 years old (1)"That's what she said?" *he thinks for a while" "Good." (2)"And why exactly should I be bothered by his opinion?"

[kaitycole]

Black Dahila

Summary: Liam and Drake finally learn what happened when Constantine confronted Eleanor and Jackson about their affair.

Word Count: 3328

Pairings: Constantine x Eleanor, Jackson x Eleanor, Jackson x Bianca

Warnings: Mentions of adultery, murder, illegitimate children

Song Choice: n/a

Part 19 of WP. To catch up, read here.

It’s not until he goes to sit down and catches a glare from Bastien that it finally hits Jackson why his former mentee is here and he makes sure to grab Luke’s arm when he goes to sit down.

Liam sits down in the arm chair that is close to the sliding glass doors he assumes leads to the backyard. He scrunches up his brows when notices Jackson’s hesitant to sit down. It has been three years since he took the throne and the weight of his title still hasn’t fully clicked with him.

“Oh no, please sit. I’m not here as King, this is your home after all.”

Jackson nods, slightly embarrassed before he lets go of Luke who sits on the left end of the couch closest to Liam and Jackson sits in his usual chair, one that is across from Liam.

“It seems a lot has changed in Cordonia.” He lets out a nervous chuckle, the atmosphere starts to feel heavy, like all the weight was resting on his shoulders.

“Leo abdicated for love, truly pulling an Edward VIII. Olivia had a lot to say about that.”

“How is Olivia?”

“She told me not to even bother to come here.” “Sounds like her. And Lythikos?” “She rules with a silver dagger, the people love it, the suitors not so much.” Jackson lets out a laugh and Liam feels himself untense for the first time since they pulled back in front of the ranch. It startles him at first, the fact that he could feel almost comfortable with the one person he wanted to set on fire. But it is truly rare that he gets a moment to just chat with someone.

“The Beaumont brothers, how are they? Bertrand married to some insufferable noble woman yet?”

Liam and Bastien share a brief exchange before the corners of Liam’s lips threatens to twitch into a smirk. “You’d honestly be surprised at who he married. He even has a son.”

“Poor woman.” Jackson jokes which gets Bastien to crack a smile.

“If you’ll excuse me.” Liam stands up, holding up his ringing phone before walking out the glass doors behind him.

“I don’t suppose we could share a drink and talk about the old days, could we?”

“I am on the clock.” Bastien continues to look straight ahead, trying to simply just avoid his old mentor. His first concern is Liam, next would Drake, then maybe once they were back in Cordonia could he worry about his own feelings on the matter.

To say Bastien is hurt would be a gross understatement, he is angry, pissed the fuck off and devasted that the man who taught him what he knew didn’t feel the need to clue him in on what happened. The fact that he had spent most of his life raising Drake and Savannah like his own because of how much he owned Jackson all while pushing down the grief and guilt he felt over their alleged deaths.

“How is that if Liam isn’t here on King’s business?”

He finally lets his eyes flick over to the man he used to look up to, keeping his face emotionless. “My job is to protect the King regardless of the business matter. You should know that or have you forgotten the duties you had sworn to uphold?”

“That was Drake, he’s almost here.” Liam walks back into the house, unintentionally interrupting their conversations. Bastien just nods, his glance refocusing on the wall in front of him, eyes scanning across the family photos lined up on the mantle.

There was no doubt in his mind that it was Eleanor’s idea to have so many photographs taken, she was like that when she married Constantine. Even before Liam was born, she had pictures taken of them with Leo, of Leo through the years and once Liam was born, even more were taken. She made sure Olivia was included in the family pictures they took, even if the official royal family photo didn’t have her in it, she still kept the ones with her in her personal photo albums. Bastien makes a mental note to have the servants look for them when he returns so that Liam will have them if he wants to see them.

*                      * “Luke, why don’t you go bring the cattle back in?”

Drake arrived just moments ago, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch to Luke, meaning he’s closest to Jackson. Liam asked to hear Jackson’s version of Eleanor’s pregnancy which prompted Jackson to basically ask Luke to leave.

“This involves me too. I’m staying.”

“We can talk about this later, Luke.”

The young man simply crosses his arms, shaking his head. He wasn’t going anywhere, after everything he’s learned over such a short amount of time, he honestly didn’t trust his dad to tell him the same details he gave his older brothers.

“I’m old enough to know. You will literally be talking about me, I’m staying.”

“I really don’t see any problem with Luke being present. He must have questions just like the rest of us.” Liam’s regal tone comes out, while Drake is used to it, the other Walkers look at him amazed. A small smile curls the left side of Jackson’s lips, he could see so much of Eleanor in him.

*                      * With shaking hands, she pulls the tests out of her pocket and hands them to him; she had taken four of them. He looks at them, unsure of how to act and he feels himself unable to breathe. The unsureness of what this meant left him with a mixture of fear and unease.

“Please say something.” She pleas, tears swelling in her eyes.

“Congratulations.”

She reaches out for his arm, the plastic tests clattering against the floor as she drops them, throwing herself into his chest, “it’s yours.”

Jackson stumbles backwards, the reality crashes into him like a strong wave, leaving him breathless and fearful for another. The question on his tongue leaves a bitter taste, knowing that the words will hurt her, wondering if she’ll react the same way Bianca did when he asked her a very similar question.

“Are you sure?”

The Queen pulls away, her expression resembling a wounded puppy whose owner just pushed it away. She sucks in her bottom lip, eyes filling with even bigger tears as she bites down on her quivering lip. She lets out a shaky breath, nodding repeatedly before she turns and walks away, leaving him and the pregnancy tests behind her.

Liam stands up, anger radiating off of him which Drake quickly picks up on, standing up as well. “I’m sorry, did you really question my mother?”

“Liam…” Drake steps forwards, hands reaching out, trying to calm his best friend.

“How dare you? How fucking dare you act as though she was just some common mistress.”

Drake’s hands are on Liam’s shoulders, pushing him backwards even though he knows Liam can easily push him out of the way. He quickly looks towards Bastien who is watching, but not moving, honestly, he’d be completely fine if Liam beat Jackson to a pulp. He was completely surprised at Drake’s behavior, growing up he would throw a right hook without hesitation and for a lot less than everything Jackson’s done over the years.

“I know what it seems, but you have to…”

“I don’t have to do shit.” Liam pushes Drake off of him, sitting back down in his chair. “She risked her life, her family, everything for you and you dared to treat her that way.”

The room quiets, no one saying anything or even moving, the tension can easily be felt. Liam feels torn, torn between saying fuck it and leaving, returning to Cordonia as if none of this ever happened, but also wanting to know more about the events that led to his mother’s behavior. Drake is torn between his dad and his best friend and Jackson is torn between doing the right thing and telling the events for what they are or saving face with at least Luke.

“Would you like to call it a day, Sir?” Bastien takes a step closer to Liam.

“No,” he shakes his head, “I can’t continue to drag this or the trip out.”

*                      * Eleanor’s stomach drops, it isn’t uncommon for Constantine to have a guardsman summon her to his office, but something feels off. The last time she had even spoken to her husband was roughly two weeks ago, the day that he picked up on her sour candy craving. She has managed to stay holed up in her suite which wasn’t too bad seeing how her morning sickness was horrific this time around.

Jackson’s nerves twist even tighter when he sees Eleanor walking towards him, seemingly going in the same direction. He had been at home when Novak came to get him, telling him the King needed to see him immediately. For the last several days he’s tried to see the Queen, to apologize, but based off the maid gossip she had locked herself in the Queen’s suite, not even letting Liam in to see her. He tries to make eye contact with her, wants to try to give her a soft, comforting smile, but her eyes stay locked on the tips of her shoes.

Novak is standing outside the King’s office, opening the door when they both get close enough, a small bow for Eleanor and Jackson suddenly understands why he’s been called when Novak’s gaze avoids his.

The scene in the office isn’t reassuring for either Eleanor or Jackson, Constantine is standing with his back to the door and Timothy is standing to the right side of the King’s desk. Jackson can see something on the desk but he can’t make out what it is. 

He turns around, sitting slightly on the edge of his desk, looking at both of them, a stone-cold expression in his eyes. Constantine stares at his wife, trying to or more like hoping that she will give him some reason to forgive her. He wants to be wrong, he wants things to go the way that they should. He wants to be told that he’s just been overthinking and connecting invisible dots, but when all signs point one way, it’s hard to go towards the other.

“How long have you been two sneaking around?” “Constantine, I…”

“I think it’s important to remind you that I already know the answers to the questions I plan on asking, there’s really no reason to lie at this point.” His words are often chilling, but the coldness of his words sinks deep into their bones, a shiver creeps down their spines.

“Over a year.” Eleanor wraps her arms around herself, trying to calm down her racing heart that’s lodging its way in her throat.

“And this?” He holds up the pregnancy tests, tossing them to the ground between them. The thin white plastic tests clatter against the floor, bouncing a bit on impact. It had been reported to him that a maid found a few tests in the guardsman suite not to mention there were some found in the Queen’s bathroom.

“Three or so months.”

Constantine’s stomach drops, but he doesn’t weaver from his stoic nature. He couldn’t exactly calculate when she could’ve gotten pregnant, but he could be for sure that she was in no way carrying an heir. But even with this reveal, he had already known that, just not really wanting to accept it. Accept the fact that he’ll most likely go down in history as the king that lost two wives.

“But there’s a chan—”

The King starts laughing, amazed at just how far his wife is willing to go to try to save her lover. She has to know that he wouldn’t have called them both there if he didn’t have all the evidence that he needed.

“These prove that to be a lie.” He grabs the thick envelope off the desk, walking closer to Eleanor, who tightens her grip around herself. “Or do you need a reminder?”

She lets out a gasp at the explicit nature of the photographs of her and Jackson, face turning red from embarrassment that her husband had seen them. It’s the first time since the pair had returned from Valtoria that she felt shameful of her actions, curious as to how he actually felt at her betrayal but scared of what his plan was.

“What’s going to happen?”

Constantine walks to his desk, sitting in the thick leather chair before swirling it around to face them, a sinister look on his face. He wants to laugh, the fact his wife cheated on him with a man that hasn’t even tried to take some of the blame baffled him. Even when Liana had left, when he knew he had nothing to do with her choice, he still carried the burden of blame because to him, a real man wouldn’t be able to tolerate the woman he loves name being tarnish in any way.

“Despite the obviousness of the paternity, I had an appointment made for you under Ellie Rhys, your two highest maids will help you disguise yourself.”

Eleanor just nods, what more can she do, she’s already done enough. Jackson still hasn’t said anything, if he was honest, he hasn’t thought much of the fact Eleanor had told him she was pregnant. He doesn’t want to think that it could be his because it means that everything will come to the surface and he isn’t ready for that. He’s not ready to own up to what he’s done, for all the damage that will be the result of his selfish actions.

** The week’s wait is dreadful for Eleanor, especially on top of her hellish morning sickness and practically nonexistent energy level. Towards the end of the week she’s surprised to see Constantine slip into her room, asking how she’s feeling. But when she tries to reach out, to get him to really look at her, he excuses himself, his only warmth being given to the unborn child.

She’s summoned to his office just a couple days later, this time without Jackson which has her completely worried, but he assures her that he just wanted to speak with her privately first. He has Timothy hand her the sealed envelope from the doctor’s office, telling her it was addressed to her not him so he didn’t open it.

He doesn’t have to ask for her the results, he can read it on her face and while he had a strong feeling it wasn’t his, a teeny piece of him had thought it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. She looks up at him, tears in her eyes, but receives no sympathy from him, his expression as icy as ever. He waves Timothy who goes to the door and lets Jackson into the office.

“You two are to leave the country, actually this side of the Atlantic. What’s that things Americans wanted?” Constantine snaps his fingers as if that gesture would trigger his memory, “ah yes, a white picket fence. Surely you two could have that ideal now.”

She sniffs, wiping a few tears from her cheeks. “What am I going to tell Liam?” “Nothing, he’ll think you died, a pretty standard death of a noble when there’s a coup.”

“A coup?” Jackson finally speaks up, much to the royal couple’s surprise.

“Ah, yes.” Constantine taps his chin before looking at Timothy, “care to explain.” “Yes, Sir.” Timothy nods before turning back to Eleanor and Jackson, proceeding to go into detail about how things will happen. That they’ve been investigating a radical group called ‘la Force de Pert’ and staging a coup, under their name, could help them take action against them.

He tells them that an announcement will be made that says the Queen was taken hostage by the group and Jackson made the heroic decision to go rescue her without backup. That night after the media left, the two of them would be escorted to a private airport where they’d be taken somewhere in America, free to live their lives however they please.

Timothy makes sure to emphasis what the King has just said, that they are never to return back to Cordonia or anywhere in Europe for that matter. That the fifty states that America has to offer should be big enough for them, even the US territories were up for grabs, but once they landed, they weren’t to cross any ocean for any reason. They weren’t to talk about their prior stations, anything related to Cordonia, the two of them were to simply fall off the face of the earth.

“You expect me to just leave Liam? Leave him here with you?” Her voice breaks, she tries to understand what is being said but the only thing she can think of is her son. “I won’t, I’m taking him with me.”

Constantine chuckles, pushing himself out of the chair, slowly striding towards Eleanor, his hand cupping her chin, forcing her to look at him. “It’s almost cute how someone in your position thinks you can tell me how things are going to happen.”

“Please, Constantine.” Her lip starts to quiver, but he tightens his grip on her face.

“You have no room to make demands.” He drops her face, turning to go back to his desk.

“I’ll just come back and take him! You will NOT keep him from me!”

“If you step foot on this side of the Atlantic,” he stops, turning around on his heel, “I will have him killed.”

There’s a heavy silence that drops over the room, it’s almost smothering as Eleanor tries to catch her breath. Tears cover her cheeks, shaking her head, trying to understand his callousness, how he could threaten his own flesh and blood.

“You wouldn’t! He’s a prince of this country!”

“He is the SPARE!” His voice booms throughout the room, causing her to flinch, his ice-cold tone ripping through her.

“Constan—” Jackson stops when he sees the bewildered expression on the King’s face.

“You may be on personal terms with the Queen, but I assure you that we are not.” He sits back down behind his desk, “I should hope you also know the same sentiment goes for your children, if you try to return.”

Jackson just nods and Eleanor looks at him horrified, confused as to how he could willingly agree to this, agree to give up his children so easily.

“Don’t look so down Ellie, it’s honorable for a guardsman to die a hero, isn’t that right, Jackson?”

“I can’t just leave my son, Constantine. You can’t ask me to do that!” Eleanor cries out, unable to stop herself from falling to her knees.

“You’re right, I’m not asking, I’m telling.” He leans back in his chair, “but are you even thinking about Liam when you shout things like that?”

She looks up at him, tears still blurring her vision, a broken expression on her face, “of course I am.”

“Tsk.” Constantine shakes his head, “think about it. If you came back for him, you’d basically be telling him that your bastard baby is more important than him. If Liam really mattered to you, you wouldn’t have put yourself in this situation to begin with, you didn’t think that I’d find out and just let it continue in the palace, did you?”

“What about Drake and Savannah?” Jackson quickly asks.

“Ah, yes. Bianca will receive a sizable compensation for her loss so they will be taken care of. They will be more than welcomed to stay at the cabin, as long as they don’t threaten Liam’s reputation.”

“Excuse me?”

“Although he is the spare, Liam has an important role to fulfill as prince. It doesn’t look good for people of his station to be involved with those with yours. Just look at the predicament at hand.”

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 65 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Chapter 65 seems like a good time to tell you that there’s nothing we love more than talking to you guys about this story! We are both on tumblr (@theartificialdane and @veronicasanders) and we’d love to hear from you!! We also have other Galactica content there under the “galactica” and “galactica wardrobe” tags. XOXO!! Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Bianca threw a wrench in the annual holiday party when she brought Courtney as her date, and Katya tried to (not) deal with her surprise pregnancy.

This Chapter: Miss Fame and the team work on the final lineup for the spring runway, and Katya figures some things out.

***

It was Violet’s luck that she was a light sleeper, the first note of her alarm barely ringing before she had grabbed her phone from under her pillow and turned it off.

There really wasn't a need for Violet to wake up at 6, for her to start her day so early since she couldn’t go to the gym because of her ankle, but habits were hard to break, and she liked how quiet the world was in the morning, how it felt like she was the only one awake.

She wasn’t hungover, had barely had a drink because of her crutches, but she had a feeling all of her coworkers would be wearing sunglasses and asking each other to shut up, the Friday after the Christmas party always an experience.

Sutan’s bedroom was dark, his curtains swallowing the ever present lights of Harlem, the man asleep next to her, his head resting on his pillow.

It took everything in Violet not to reach out and run her fingers through his hair.

She had been so annoyed with him last night, so uncomfortable in the beautiful red dress she had bought with his money, the simmering anger not leaving her until she had felt Sutan’s clever fingers undo the zipper on her back, skin against skin finally freeing her from the smoldering fire.

“Stop staring at me.” Violet froze, Sutan’s voice deep with sleep.

“I’m not.”

“Oh?” Sutan cracked an eye open, a smile playing on his lips as he reached out, grabbing her hip on top of her blanket. “Could have fooled me.”

“Well,” Violet smiled back, allowing him to pull her in, “Maybe I was. A little bit.”

***

As her alarm sounded, Courtney groaned, burying her head into Bianca’s neck. Bianca laughed, reaching over to hit snooze, giving them a few more precious minutes in bed before Courtney had to get up.

Bianca had never been much of a morning person, but she’d discovered that, in many ways, this was her favorite part of the day. When the world was dark and still, and they were curled together under the covers, naked and warm. She trailed her fingers up and down Courtney’s back, pressed a kiss to her temple.

“You okay, sunshine?” Bianca asked.

“Mmmhmm...I just don’t want to go to work.”

Bianca smiled, one hand settling into the curve of Courtney’s waist, enjoying the way they fit so perfectly together.

“Then don’t,” she stated, warming up to the idea of taking a day off, just the two of them. “Call in sick.”

“I wish,” Courtney scoffed, a deep sigh leaving her. “But I can’t, so…”

“Why not?”

“The day after a party? Everyone will think I have some crazy hangover.”

“Yeah, so?” Bianca laughed.

“Plus, I’m pretty sure Miss Fame is less than pleased with me right now. I don’t want to give her any reason to be annoyed. And there’s a big meeting to decide on the spring runway, and I have to-”

“Alright, alright...forget I suggested it,” Bianca said, holding up her hands in surrender. “I just really liked the idea of spending all day in bed with you.”

Courtney raised herself up on her elbow, gazing down at Bianca with a dreamy smile on her face.

“Maybe, um...can we do that tomorrow?”

“You’re on, angel,” Bianca said, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair.

“And...we still have about seven minutes before the alarm goes off again.” Courtney brushed her lips against Bianca’s neck, murmuring, “You wanna go back to sleep, or…?”

“Hmmm...” Bianca cocked her head, pretending to think. “I may have some other ideas…”

Courtney let out a delighted squeal as Bianca flipped her onto her back with a wicked grin.

***

Maxwell groaned as a loud clatter sounded through the design floor.

“Sorry!” Kiara whisper-shouted, quickly picking up the pair of scissors she had dropped. Trixie had gone to the department head meeting about 20 minutes ago, which meant that everyone had given up the pretense that they were working. Alexis had gone straight for the couch to take a nap as soon as the door had closed behind him, April still nursing a terrible-looking green smoothie at her desk. “Sorry everyone!”

“Don’t even think about it girl!” Bob smiled, his phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear, and Maxwell groaned again, sliding down so he could rest his head on his arms, Bob chatting away.

He loved his boyfriend, he really did, but there were few things more annoying than when Bob had managed to get into any tabloid, the perceived fame of it always going directly to his head. And of course, it was made even worse by his friends and family back home in Georgia playing right into it, acting as if it meant anything at all.

“Listen, I didn’t ask to be born fabulous, but it’s my cross to bear, and I’m-” Bob laughed, adding, “Exactly!”

“He’s really getting into it, huh?” Maxwell looked up to see Violet standing next to his desk, looking over at Bob, Jovan at her side holding three cups of coffee.

“Here,” Jovan smiled, giving one of them to Maxwell, the scent filling his nose.

“Oh god I love you,” Maxwell grinned, taking the liquid magic. It was probably not healthy to be on his third cup already, but he didn’t care.

“Love you too boo,” Jovan grinned, taking a seat on the edge of his desk, Violet doing the same, balancing her crutch so she could take her own cup. They didn’t talk, and Maxwell loved that, Violet fitting so nicely into their little boys club that he barely even thought about the fact that she was a girl and straight most days.

***

“Pearl! Pay attention!”

Pearl snapped out of it, the wheels of her chair squeaking as she moved, her eyes wide open at the commanding tone in Fame’s voice.

“Sorry!” Pearl sat up straight, Bendela hiding a snicker behind a sketchbook, her brown eyes clearly filled with delight over Pearl getting reprimanded.

“God,” Fame rolled her eyes, her hand on her hip, her outfit of the day a white cropped cashmere sweater and white linen high waisted pants, her blonde hair in a high delicate updo, a golden belt snug around her waist. “Did anyone come to work today?”

If they had been alone, Pearl would have opened her mouth to point out that she was the one who always arranged for the Christmas party to be on a Thursday, but they weren’t, so Pearl kept her mouth shut.

“Fame,” Raja’s voice was warm, and it apparently functioned just as intended, her tone a soothing balm on whatever had Fame into such a tizzy. “We’re almost done.”

If Pearl had to make an educated guess, she’d say it was probably the whole Courtney and Bianca thing, though it could be anything from her breakfast grapefruit not being ripe to morning traffic to a photographer catching a bad angle of her last night.

“You’re right,” Fame sat back down, sliding her chair over to Trixie. “So, fourth look. What do you have?”

“I was thinking about these pants?” Trixie held out a sketch, and Pearl folded her hands over her stomach, watching her best friend do his job exceptionally well.

Fame tapped her fingers against the table, french tips hitting the wood and Pearl made a mental note to see if she could sneak in a visit to Fame’s office, providing their boss with an orgasm before lunch a great Christmas gift to everyone in the company.

***

V-List Alert: BDR’s Latest Blonde Bombshell

[Pictured: A large photo of Bianca and Courtney kissing on the red carpet, along with a few smaller shots of them looking giggly and affectionate. And lastly, a grainy, low-res photo of them on the street after the event, kissing while a driver is opening the car door.]

Well, well, well…

Okay, so to begin with, let’s all admit that BDR showing up on a red carpet with some sweet young thing is nothing new. In fact, it would be strange if she didn’t. But the shameless PDA last night at Galactica’s annual Christmas party—both on and off the carpet—had us wondering...who the hell is the new paramour?

We did a bit of digging and strap in kids, cause it gets juicy…

Turns out that this little darling is named Courtney Jenek. Sound familiar? No? Yeah it shouldn’t. But she happens to have two very interesting connections to BDR: 1, apparently she’s friends with B’s baby sister, princess of the underground punk scene Adore Delano. And 2, even more hilariously, Lil Courtney here is the Executive Assistant to none other than Miss Fame of Galactica.

Wonder what the illustrious and brand-conscious Miss Fame thinks of her bestie using her staff in what appears to be an extremely filthy unprofessional way? And how’s it all gonna play out?

We can’t wait to watch this drama unfold…

***

As Courtney slipped on her coat and grabbed her bag to head downstairs for yet another coffee run, she glanced at her personal phone, laughing to herself when she saw the 17 missed calls from Morgan. She scrolled through the text messages in the elevator.

MORGAN: COURTNEYYYYYYYY!!!

MORGAN: OMG PICK UP

MORGAN: WERE YOU PLANNING TO TELL US YOU’RE FUCKING BIANCA DEL RIO?????

TYRA: She’s WHAT

ADORE: You guys didn’t know? ;)

TATIANNA: Yawn, old news :p

MORGAN: BITCH

MORGAN: COURTNEY I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON’T PICK UP

MORGAN: COURTNEYCOURTNEYCOURTNEYCOURTNEYCOURTNEY

Courtney called her back, laughing some more when she picked up even before the first ring.

“You know I’m working, right?”

“I am going to murder you,” Morgan announced.

“Wow Morgan. A hate crime? I really thought more highly of you,” Courtney replied with a giggle.

“Omigod, shut up! How could you not have told me already?!”

“Well...I don’t know, I wasn’t sure what it was at first-” she said.

“It’s still fucking major!” Morgan laughed. “I guess it makes sense, though. God, you always chose the worst men.”

Courtney chuckled, nodding as she exited the elevator and headed for the coffee shop.

“So what did your parents say?”

“Uhhh...I haven’t exactly told them yet.”

“Courtney!”

“What? It’s not gonna be dramatic or anything, you know my brother’s gay.”

“Omigod, Court, you absolute idiot. You have to-”

“One sec.” Courtney lowered her phone to give the orders for the meeting, then went back to the phone. “Sorry, I’m on a coffee run.”

“Yeah, I heard. Listen, Courtney, you have to tell them! Do you really want them to find out that you’re dating a woman who’s almost twice your age from a fucking tabloid?”

“I don’t think my parents subscribe to American fashion blogs.”

“Did you even read the link I sent you?! Someone’s gonna send it to them, trust me.”

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell them,” Courtney told her with an eye roll. She really didn’t see the big deal though; telling her parents was the last thing on her list of worries at the moment.

“Also…” Morgan’s voice lowered, taking on a sing-song, teasing tone now that the business was out of the way, “When are we hanging out? ‘Cause you know I absolutely need all the sordid details.”

“Soon, I promise.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“I’m kind of busy tomorrow,” Courtney admitted.

“Busy getting railed, you mean?”

“Maybe…”

“Ha, you slag.”

***

Maybe she was avoiding going home. That was certainly possible. But on Friday, Katya just seemed to keep finding things to do to prepare for the next week of school. It would be their last week before winter break, so she knew that any kind of serious learning would be difficult. Rather than spend her time fighting with the kids to focus when they just weren’t capable of it, she planned as many fun projects as possible, and though a lot of them were old hat for her by now, the prep work never seemed to end.

Which is why, when Jasmine, the woman who ran the afterschool program, came to her door at almost 6:45, she was still there.

“Hey, I’m sorry to bother you…”

“It’s no bother, come on in,” Katya said, a big smile on her face, especially when she saw that Jasmine had Grace with her--one of Katya’s favorite students.

“You know we close at 6, and Grace’s mom is running late today,” Jasmine said. Her tone of voice was light and cheerful, but her eyes told Katya a different story--that this wasn’t the first time it had happened, and that she was likely furious. “I gotta get home, and Dani’s out with the flu, so...do you mind keeping her here until Leslie shows up? It should be soon, she texted me ten minutes ago that she’s on the way.”

“No problem. We’ll have a great time, won’t we Grace?”

The little girl nodded, skipping into the classroom happily.

“You’re a lifesaver,” Jasmine said. “Thank you!”

Katya turned to Grace, who had dumped her jacket and backpack on the rug and was already prowling around the book bins, likely looking for her favorite Junie B. Jones stories. Soon, the two of them were settled into bean bag chairs in the comfy zone, Katya reading a few chapters out loud to her before realizing that she was probably hungry and suggesting a snack. Grace was just finishing her juice box and goldfish crackers when her young mother, Leslie, came rushing inside, harried and out of breath, apologizing profusely.

“Mama!” Grace jumped up from her seat at the little table, knocking the chair over in her excitement to leap into her mom’s arms. She hugged her tightly, face buried in her neck, and Katya could see some of the tension in Leslie’s face melt away.

Katya stood up from her own seat, picking up the book they’d been reading.

“I’m gonna put this book in Grace’s backpack so that you can finish it together this weekend,” she said, and Leslie shot her a look of pure gratitude, nodding.

“Grace, can you say thank you to Mrs. Zamo?”

“Thank you Mrs. Zamo!” she echoed cheerfully, taking the backpack and her jacket as Leslie dropped a kiss to the top of her head.

“Honey, can you go wait for me on the bench for a minute?” she asked, tugging gently on one of her pigtails.

“Okay!”

As Grace skipped into the hallway to wait, Leslie turned to Katya, tears filling her eyes.

“I’m really so sorry about being late, I-”

“It’s okay,” Katya said, head tilted sympathetically. “I get it, things happen.”

“It’s been happening all week. I got this new job, and the hours are so tough and the commute is shit, but it’s an extra two dollars an hour and I can’t say no to that. But I just feel like...I feel like I can’t do anything right.”

“I understand,” Katya nodded, putting a hand on her arm. The truth was, though, she didn’t understand. Not really. She’d never been in a position where an extra two dollars an hour would make such a big difference in her life--not even when her dad cut her off. She’d always had money, and by the time her trust fund was depleted, she was living with Trixie, whose generous salary more than covered what they needed, her meager teacher’s salary mostly paying for fun extras, keeping them entertained and living their best lives, or just going in the bank.

She knew she was lucky, but until that moment, seeing the pain in Leslie’s eyes, the fear that she was failing at life and failing her child, maybe she didn’t understand just how lucky.

“I was sitting on the bus thinking about her waiting and waiting, wondering where I was.”

“Can I tell you something?” she asked softly. “Grace didn’t care that you were late, she was just happy to see you when you got here, because it’s really obvious what a good mom you are.”

“Sometimes I feel like the worst mom ever,” Leslie admitted, tears spilling down her cheeks.

“No way. Grace is an amazing kid. She’s smart and kind and enthusiastic--and it’s totally okay if you need some more help. That’s what all of us are here for. I can talk to Jasmine about maybe extending the hours next week, until you can get your schedule sorted. Or maybe Grace can go home with Joey’s mom...don’t you all live in the same building?”

Leslie nodded, a deep sigh leaving her. “Thanks, that’s a good idea. I...I’ll figure it out.”

“Okay. Just remember that you’re not in this alone, you know?” Katya handed over a box of tissues from her desk.

“Yeah. Thanks. Sorry, I-” Leslie wiped her eyes.

“Don’t be sorry,” Katya said, giving her a warm hug.

***

“Oh god!” Gigi groaned, pushing the door to the modeling apartment open, her shoulders aching, her fingertips numb. “Finally!” She dumped her bags down in the hallway, slumping against the wall.

She had been around the town with Sutan all day, shopping for what he called a model wardrobe, Gigi trying on several pairs of heels and flats, her new backpack and purse stuffed with a newly printed book and her brand new phone, their last stop of the day Gigi’s new gym that was just around the corner.

“Gigi?” Bimini popped her head out of the kitchen door, the golden rim around her eyes and her crimped hair clear indicators that meant she had been shooting, Bimini rarely bothering with removing hair and makeup on set. “Welcome home sweetie! How did it go?”

“I’m exhausted!” Gigi pushed out from the wall and kicked her sneakers off. “Who knew shopping could be that hard?”

Gigi heard Symone giggle, her friend sitting at the table and painting her nails, the apartment's newest arrival chopping vegetables for whatever vegan crock pot Bimini was cooking for everyone. They had someone new arrive every couple of days, most girls only staying for a night or two in the bunk beds in what Naomi had dubbed the summer camp room before they were shipped off again if they didn’t interest any of the agents.

“I told you, didn’t I?”

“I know,” Gigi groaned, dumping down in a chair to rest her aching feet, “but I thought you were kidding.” Symone had gone on the trip two weeks ago, her Instagram exploding with content now that she had a brand new phone to post with.

“Did he give you the drink speech too?”

She had eaten lunch with Sutan at an awkwardly fancy restaurant, three sets of cutlery surrounding her plate, her manager going through each set as well as her wine glasses, explaining it to her. Gigi’s mom had always insisted on good manners, but it hadn’t been anything like that.

“The ‘never leave your drink unattended’ one, I mean.”

“Mmh,” Gigi nodded. “The whole entire speech.”

She hoped it’d be unnecessary, but Sutan had run her through what he called the basic safety procedures like putting a hand or a napkin over her glass when she wasn’t paying attention, her manager drilling it into her skull that she shouldn’t accept poured drinks or opened bottles from strangers in clubs unless she saw the bartender prepare it.

“Is he seriously doing all that?” Naomi raised an eyebrow. “So far, all my agent has told me is that if I showed up in any tabloid looking messy, he’d drop my ass.”

Suddenly, Sutan’s mothering didn’t feel as smothering, the attention and assistance the man had poured over her nothing compared to the terrifying thought of being left basically on her own like Naomi.

***

At first, Katya wasn’t sure why she stopped at Macy’s on the way home. Especially now, on a Friday night during the holiday season, when the sales clerks were at their most frazzled.

She wandered around, unable to get Grace and Leslie out of her mind...and in particular, the look of pure joy on Grace’s face when her mother appeared in the doorway. Leslie was a single mom, and by the look of her, she was pretty young, but she had managed to raise an exceptional kid who was sure how much she was loved.

Why was Katya so afraid of having a baby? It was like she’d told Leslie--she wouldn’t be doing it alone. Not by a long shot. No, she was fortunate to have the most wonderful man in the universe by her side. And lord knew, Trixie would make up for any maternal instincts she may lack herself. And plenty of people, people much less capable and loving than her, had babies every day.

She stopped, looking around, realizing that she’d found herself in the baby department. Specifically, in front of a shelf full of tiny little infant shoes. She smiled to herself, knowing exactly what she needed.

When she arrived home, she was thrilled to see that Trixie had prepared dinner, heating up some leftover chicken and mashed potatoes and throwing together a salad--exactly what she was in the mood for.

She smiled when she saw him, announcing, “I brought you a present.”

Trixie’s face lit up, and for a split second she could imagine that exact same expression of joy on a tiny child, the thought making her insides warm as she handed him the little bag.

He looked inside, where the two tiny pink moccasin slippers sat in their plastic box, his head then snapping up to look at her with an expression of amazement.

“Kat, are you-” His eyes were bright with tears, hopeful but still a bit tentative.

She shrugged slightly, self-consciously, afraid to say what she’s been thinking out loud, but Trixie seemed to know anyway.

He rushed forward and swept her up into the biggest, tightest hug she’d ever had, repeating over and over how wonderful she was going to be. She took his face in her hands, kissing his tear-stained cheeks, finally sure that as a team, they could do it.

[greetings-humans]

Genderfluid Viktor Nikiforov

Disclaimer; I have no idea how Russian diminutives work, beyond what google can tell me. I hope this doesn't offend anyone! I'm also not genderfluid or transgender. Let me know if I made any mistakes! I'm an ESL and prepositions are my death.

(This is what happens when that 3 am plunny is still there when you wake up the next day. I wrote and edited this in one day, please be patient with me, the beginning is kinda meh. It's also like 3k so beware. Oh, and it's beneath the cut. Good luck!)

(Or read it here on ao3)

Viktoria Nikitina had always liked to listen to the “IDK you yet” on bad days. It was fitting. She didn’t know herself yet. She had slowly started getting increasingly more confused about who she was.

She was 17 going on 18 when she couldn't handle it anymore and told her coach Bianca, an Italian-Russian woman that had been raised in Italy but lived in Russia for the past 10 years and had coached Vitulya for the past 3.

Vitulya told her about the times when "I don't feel like a she" and about how "sometimes I do feel like a woman but not all of the time but I'm not exactly a man either, even though sometimes it feels like I am, but I don't know".

Bianca, though more open than one might expect, wasn’t all that knowledgeable about this, but she helped in any way she could.

("I have a niece that's more well-informed about these matters, I could ask her?")

Around the time when Vitulya was 18, just as she starts to consider changing her name, to let go of Viktoria and Vitulya and maybe greet Vitya, her parents were in a car crash and went into a coma.

They were comatose for roughly a year.

In that year, Vitulya slowly became, not Viktor –not just yet— she became Vitya. She started by cutting her hair. Even though she mostly used she/her, she started actively using he/him (mostly online).

Near the end of the year, she had top surgery too

She felt more comfortable, and she'd always loved jumps more than spins, something more prominent in men’s singles than in women’s.

When his parents woke up, they were greeted by a short-haired 19-year-old man, slightly muscular with a V built.

They were understandably shocked into silence. His father was more open to people being transgender but even then, there were times when Viktor felt like both man and woman, or something in-between, or neither at all, that the pronoun was ‘they’ instead of ‘she’ or ‘he’.

Meanwhile, the mother was coming to terms with her child being "one of them". She didn't mean for her words to hurt but she was worried for her beautiful child and the life awaiting someone who isn't cisgender.

Bianca was once again an amazing supportive figure. She helped Vitya in so many ways.

Surprisingly, the big bang came from the father. He could understand man to woman or woman to man, he could vaguely understand the fluidity of sometimes a man and sometimes a woman. But both? Neither?

(“Vitulya, that’s just nonsense created by attention seekers.”)

There was a chasm, and the mother was conflicted. She had understood it, all of it but her husband had a point. Then again, this is her child, the most precious thing in the whole world

Months before Vitya turned 20, he moved out. He started using he/him more than other pronouns, while still using she/her and tentatively starting to use they/them.

Vitya changed his name legally, from Viktoria Nikitina to Viktor Nikiforov, at the same time he moved out. It wasn't demanded by his parents, but he didn't want them to be bothered by anyone due to his skating or to accidentally out him to anyone because of childhood photographs.

Around that time, Bianca had to return to Italy to tend to a family matter. Their relationship had lost formalities a while ago; she asked him to come with her.

(“I would love to keep coaching you, Vitya.”)

They wanted to stay in Russia, though, closer to their parents. So Bianca gave her young student a way to contact an excellent coach in Russia, someone by the name Yakov Feltsman, and Yakov got a star on the rise that came seemingly out of nowhere.

(No one could find a Viktor Nikiforov in the juniors. They never will.)

Year 1 // Age 20-21

That year found a new skater in men's single figure skating. They got some bronze metals, some silver (less than bronze), a gold here and there, but they were always on the podium or at 4th place

Economically, it was rough. Vitya had to learn how to budget and how to gain enough money to survive. They wanted to be their own person and didn't really want to initiate contact with his parents. (Do check out the Viktor-is-a-financial-genius post by shysweetthing, it’s amazing!)

They lose touch with Bianca. A part of them regrets it but they have other things to worry about. We can always catch up later, they think.

Year 2 // Age 21-22

There were fewer bronze metals than silver and more gold ones. Around that year, their mother made contact. They started talking again, going out every 2 weeks or so. Once every 2 months, they would talk to their father, but both of them ignored the issue at hand.

Year 3 // Age 22-23

She's adapted to her predominantly male body fully; she's taking a set amount of T, inside the legal limit and the limit of how much wants to take. It's all very ironic because that year she felt more like a woman than she has in some years.

She finally has a routine, and she also gets a new poodle (her old one being the family dog that had stayed with his parents) and names it Makkachin.

That year, Viktor Nikiforov starts winning gold more consistently than ever.

Nationals are a walk, he gets gold.

Qualifications for GP? She gets gold in the first, and after a close cut gets gold in the second one.

GP finals? It's tough and the competition is rough, but their name is Viktor Nikiforov, not Looser the Defeated, so they give it their all. They skate their heart out, they skate for young, confused Vitulya and others like her, they skate for Bianca, for Yakov, for all the people that have helped them in their journey so far, for the audience’s surprise, for themselves, they skate to prove their mother’s old fears wrong, they skate to prove that they can. They skate to win.

They skate. Because that's what they've always wanted to do.

And lo and behold, they win.

It’s the beginning of a new era.

Vitya coordinates ice show after ice show, and appearance after appearance. She makes herself into the most iconic person on ice, makes sure that no one can look away. She hires an economic advisor and booking agent and a legal advisor. She makes the right calls and the right investments and associates with the right people. She's going to make the most out of this.

Year 4 // Age 23-24

His popularity rockets up as he wins every gold medal that year, as well.

His father tries to come in contact, he doesn't feel like talking to him. He shuts him out and never looks back, never sees the regret in his eyes. He's too caught up in his act, his persona, in being Viktor Nikiforov and maintaining all that he is supposed to be, all the strategic rumors, all the training, all the appearances

Year 5 // Age 24-25

They've been winning all gold for 3 years. It's otherworldly, it's outstanding. No one has ever seen anything like this. Nikiforov is a household name (and it's borrowed from one of their favorite characters in a book that not many read nowadays).

Vitya hasn't had enough time to talk to his mom face-to-face in about a year. He hasn't called her in 2 months.

Slowly, he's becoming a bit of a hermit. More mask than person. He's been more confused about his gender. He has been using he/him even when it doesn't quite fit, he can’t afford to slip up now. He promised himself he wouldn’t say anything about his gender until he retires, and he’s confused anyway, so there’s no reason to do anything like that now.

He hasn't tried dating in 2 years now. He's upped his training hours and his sleep suffers from it on some days, but it's okay, it's worth it. He can keep surprising everyone.

He wins everything again. His parents get divorced. His mom moves to Germany and his father to Canada.

Viktor takes care of the family poodle, a sterile female standard poodle named Irina.

She dies a few months later. He mourns her and so does Makka. His parents don't call. Even his mother has stopped calling. He hasn’t talked to Bianca in years.

He trains. He's getting a bit too bored so he's thinking about shaking things up again.

Year 6 // Age 25-26

It's an Olympic year. Viktor gets chosen; he wins. For a whole day, he's proud and amazed. It fades, of course, as he takes in the barely-there surprise in everyone's faces.

It was expected, he recalls.

So many people had expected him to win. He had. There was no surprise. He wins all of his other competitions, even though he can't participate in every single one of the competitions he usually does because of the Olympics.

Year 7 // Age 26-27

It's getting more tiring to wake up every day… He's thinking about retirement.

Once, when he wasn't talking to his parents (just like now), he'd promised that, for anyone who was just like him, when he retired, he'd come out as genderfluid. But how can he come out as genderfluid? He hasn't felt like anything other than a man in a long time. (He hasn't let himself feel.)

In the interviews, he admits to nothing and says he's simply thinking about what to do next.

(He doesn't come out in the end, it's all pointless anyway…)

The GP banquet is another one of those annoying things he will never miss. This time, though, it's something else…

Katsuki Yuuri is drunk and clearly unable to think properly, but there's passion in his eyes, grace in his bones, and a demand to be heard that doesn't quite fit with what he remembers of the asocial (shy?) competitor that ignored him earlier that day.

For the first time in so long, someone tries to see Viktor as a person and whatever it is that Katsuki Yuuri sees, it doesn't repulse him.

Chris and his other longtime competitors had long since realized that Viktor was mostly unapproachable and had barely even tried after the first two years. This man, though… This man doesn't seem to care about what others think at all. It's probably the alcohol but it still is so terribly refreshing.

They dance and Yuuri takes the lead. There's something humming in Viktor's bones. (He's been the man, the legend for so, so long...) It's over sooner than he (they?) would like. Viktor asks Yuuri to contact him (her?) on social media.

("I would add you myself, but then all of my followers would know")

He (???) thinks about the idea, the reckless proposal that Yuuri made. Coaching had never really seemed like a possibility…

Yuuri doesn't text.

He doesn't text, doesn't post anything with any sort of hidden meaning, doesn't call, or Skype or anything and Viktor is left wondering. Of course, he (??) would start falling for someone in a night, of course, he (?) probably only imagined that connection…

Katsuki Yuuri has been cruel to Viktor but also unbelievably kind because now, now Viktor knows what choice to make.

"I'll retire," he (they?? she??) tells Makkachin one day. "I need to find myself again, Makka…"

Year 8 // Age 27-28

One day, several of his followers and a handful of skaters he’s on friendly terms with tag his twitter account at a shared link of a YouTube video. The title is mostly in—Is that Japanese? The few Latin characters read "Stammi Vicino" and "Viktor Nikiforov"

He watches the video.

[recent google searches: flights to japan, transportation to japan]

As he soaks up in the hot springs, he thinks about how much he's misunderstood this… The onsen is dying, and the Katsuki family is middle-lower work class. It's a wonder Yuuri can afford to skate competitively.

Some hours later he hears Yuuri enter the hot springs, so he slowly edges back into the water. The steam will hide his scars.

"Ah, Yuuri! There you are! Give me 5 minutes to dry, da? And then we talk!"

He sends the stuff he moved here from Russia –the ones he doesn't need but still wants—back. The others he donates or sells. He gets comfortable as he can be.

He drafts a workout that will help Yuuri get back in shape, and he drafts a meal plan after some calls to his dietitian and a few conversations with Yuuri’s mother. It takes time, but Yuuri is finally ready for the ice.

Meanwhile, one of the skaters from St Petersburg, Yuri Plisetsky, ends up in Japan as well. He's talking about a promise, and Viktor cannot for the life of him remember. (He'd had that problem a lot these past few years; he's taken to post-it notes and alarms on his phone.)

"Who do you want me to be to you, Yuuri?"

(I've always been someone, the daughter, the rising junior, the out-of-nowhere senior, the icon, the legend, Viktor Nikiforov…)

"Just be yourself, Viktor!"

(How... How do I do that?)

Yuuri wins the Nationals, and he keeps advancing, though with no gold just yet.

In the cup of China, Viktor kisses Yuuri because what he just did, that-that meant so much, even if he botched the landing.

Later, in the hotel rooms, Viktor locks himself in the bathroom. He fills up the tub and soaks away the tension and the fear but lets the love and the surprise stay. He ends up falling asleep.

Hours later, Yuuri's hesitant knocks wake him. No. Not him. Them. They realize it just as they unlock the door, and their legs buckle.

Somewhere along the way, Katsuki Yuuri reminded them how to be themselves again, how to be Vitya again.

In the Rostelecom Cup, Viktor (Vitya?) sees Yakov again. They don't talk. Vik— Vitya feels like they have become their parents. They left someone they care about. They left. (Just like he did.)

Later, Mari calls and it's Makkachin and Viktor doesn't know what to do.

Yuuri does. "Go," he says. And Vitya does but not before making sure Yuuri won't be alone for the end.

Later, when they meet again at the airport, they hug and they confess and it’s so mundane, but the meaning isn't lost.

Yuuri proposes that they do a pair skate as his exhibition skate if he places on the podium.

Vitya knows they should talk about their gender with Yuuri, but they don't want to mess up his focus and they’re not willing to take the risk, not yet.

"After the finals, let's end this."

(I wanted to let you know me, me, Yuuri, the real me, I wanted it, and you...you're tearing this down... Why...?)

They track down Yakov. "I'll come back. I will skate again."

(I will skate my hurt, I will skate my confusion, I will skate my pain, I will skate my love…)

Katsuki Yuuri has been cruel to Viktor but also unbelievably kind because now. Now Vitya knows what choice to make.

"I remember," he tells himself that day. "I remember who I was and who I can be, and I won't wait for it to be my final surprise. I will tell the world who I am, and I will make them see. Even if it's the last thing I can do on the ice. I will tell the truth. That will be my surprise this season. I will take off my masks."

Yuri Plisetsky sets a new record with his short skate. Vitya couldn't be prouder of the person –the athlete— he is becoming.

Katsuki Yuuri sets a new record for the Free Skate and decides to keep skating. It's like a dream, Vitya thinks. But this is real and I'm not letting it slip my fingers.

They skate “Stammi Vicino” and the routine— it’s fluid and tragic and everything it was once and everything it has now become.

"Yuuri, I…I want to tell you something."

"I love you, Viktor Nikiforov. Man or woman or both or neither or something in-between."

Her father calls one day before they take the plane to Russia from Japan.

("I'm sorry, Viktor… I was wrong to do that to you, I was a bad father and a bad man --a bad person.")

A week after they move to Russia, their mother calls.

("I heard that a legendary figure skater turned coach and tackled their student on ice with a kiss."

"Did you now, mother?"

Their voice is cold and it's instinctive and they're sorry, but they also aren't.

"I made my mistakes, Vitulya. Viktor. I-I was behaving selfishly, and I am not sorry for thinking about myself, but I am sorry that I hurt you because of that.")

It's a long road but they're healing, they're mending.

One lazy Sunday afternoon, Yuuri has decided to marathon his favorite routines of all time. He's gone over the men's singles and even Vitya can't help but faintly blush at how many of his routines are there (all of them).

Yuuri moves towards the significantly less but still interesting compilation of female skaters...

A few days later, they're cuddling on the couch when Yuuri suddenly straightens.

"Vitya... Did you... Did your last name used to be Nikitina?"

And Vitya laughs, bright and happy.

"You figured it out on your own, wow! I was in the juniors as Viktoria Nikitina. I did want to change my name into something more masculine, especially since I prefer jumps and they are more prominent in men's singles. But I like my name. Luckily, there is both a feminine and a masculine version."

"And Nikiforov?" asks Yuuri, a little breathlessly.

"Oh," Vitya turns slightly sheepish. "A book character.” They turn their attention to Yuuri once again. "How did you realize, my Yuuri?"

"Oh, I… I was a fan… Of… Viktoria…"

"Yuuri!" they exclaim, hugging the other spontaneously. "You were always a fan, weren't you! Oh, you managed to find me with a different name and appearance! Your heart has always been leading you to me, my Yuuri!"

[lastsonlost]

Seriously, what does this bitch have to do before people Stop defending her.

Amber Heard ridicules Johnny Depp for claiming he is a victim of domestic violence in an explosive tape recording, exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com

She says: 'Tell the world Johnny, tell them... I Johnny Depp, a man, I'm a victim too of domestic violence... and see how many people believe or side with you'

Heard adds: 'You're bigger and you're stronger... I was a 115lb woman... You're going to get up on the stand, Johnny, and say, ''she started it''? Really?' 

'I have never been able to overpower you... there's a jury and there's a judge will see that there's a very big difference between me and you' 

The divorcing couple spoke over the phone in June and July of 2016, with Heard ultimately yielding to Depp's plea to settle out of court for $7m 

Their truce crumbled in December 2018 when Heard wrote an op-ed saying she was a domestic violence victim, although not naming anyone 

Depp hit her with a $50m defamation suit, saying she implied he was the abuser, which caused him to lose his prized role of Captain Jack Sparrow

In their legal battle, both accused the other of domestic violence and  DailyMail.com published a recording in which Heard confessed to 'hitting' Depp

Amber Heard ridicules Johnny Depp for claiming he is a victim of domestic violence in an explosive tape recording obtained by DailyMail.com - telling the Pirates of the Caribbean actor: 'See how many people believe you.'

The estranged couple were barred from talking to one another in May 2016 when Heard filed for divorce and sought a restraining order to escape her 'abusive' A-lister husband.

But the pair continued to clash over the phone, arguing bitterly about who was responsible for the blood-curdling violence that marred their toxic 15-month marriage and accusing one another of leaking to the press, DailyMail.com can reveal.

It's unclear if Heard realizes she is being taped during the expletive-flecked, 30-minute recording, the second bombshell audio released exclusively by DailyMail.com in the space of a week.

You are f**king killing me. Your f**king people are trying to kill me,' complains father-of-two Depp, as he begs Heard to go through private mediation rather than thrashing things out in open court.

'You've turned me into a... my boy goes to school and has kids go, so your f**king dad's a wife beater?'

Tearful Heard denies pushing Depp, 56, 'under a bus' and accuses the actor's associates of circulating details to the press of her arrest record and lurid rumors she was a stripper.

The 33-year-old actress also rejects accusations that she instigated the wild, physical violence that she pinned on Depp in divorce papers,

suggesting a court would be unlikely to take the side of a man over a slender female.

The full list of audio clips can be found in the Daily Mail article.....

Part 2

Do you know I'm a 115, well not anymore, but I was a 115lb, almost 115lb woman,' Heard protests. Adopting a jeering tone, she says: 'You're going to get up on the stand, Johnny, and say, she started it? Really?'

The former lovebirds spoke several times on the phone throughout June and July of 2016, skirting the restraining order by having a family member initiate the calls, according to a well-placed source. 

Heard would ultimately yield to Depp's plea to settle out of court, retracting her allegations the following month as the pair announced a $7 million divorce settlement. 

Their marriage was 'intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love,' according to a joint statement issued on August 16, 2016. 

'There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm.' 

The truce crumbled in December 2018, however, when Heard penned an op-ed for the Washington Post lamenting her experiences as an alleged domestic violence victim, though never naming anyone. 

Heard is currently dating her new girlfriend Bianca Butti and was seen arriving at the 4th Annual Women's March in Downtown Los Angeles last month.

The actress has said she is bisexual and previously dated women, including photographer Tasya van Ree from 2008 to 2011.

Depp responded to Heard's op-ed last year with a $50 million defamation suit, saying the 'hoax' account implied he was the unnamed abuser and caused him to lose his prized role of Captain Jack Sparrow. 

'Ms. Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse; she is a perpetrator,' his suit alleges, accusing his ex-wife of manufacturing evidence and faking injury photos. 

Heard doubled down with a 300-page filing of her own, cataloging the years of abuse she suffered at the hands of 'the monster', whom she met on the set of The Rum Diary in 2011 and married in February 2015. 

The actress stood by those claims last week when DailyMail.com published a separate recording from October 2015 in which she confessed to 'hitting' Depp as well as throwing pots, pans and vases at him.

"I'm sorry that I didn't, uh, uh, hit you across the face in a proper slap, but I was hitting you, it was not punching you. Babe, you're not punched,' Heard says on the tape, recalling an incident the previous night.

It's understood that she and Depp routinely recorded conversations consensually during the breakdown of their marriage, paving the way for yet more bombshell recordings to emerge. 

The latest audio clip published by DailyMail.com begins with Depp imploring Heard to reach an out of court settlement rather than waging war in public.

It appears to have been taped at Depp's end of things and the conversation has already begun when the audio supplied to DailyMail.com begins.

'I've been through the f**king hurt. You've been through the f**king hurt. I love you more than anything in life,' he tells his soon-to-be ex-wife.

'I do not want to go into a f**king court with you. I do not want to f**king tarnish your name... I want this to be done peacefully, between us. 

'And if you don't like the way that mediation is going, take me back to court kid. Cause I can't. 'This is the last f**king chance Amber. This is it. Once I file those papers we don't turn around man.' 

Heard insists, however, that it's Depp's team who are refusing to mediate, refusing to sign a gag order and leaking damaging stories about her to the gossip site TMZ. 

'Everything has been a defensive move because I'm being called a liar and a gold-digger,' she says.

'And I am not lying about any of this s**t, and I am not after a dime of your money.'

Depp suggests the pair should write a 'mutual letter' declaring that the divorce will be settled privately.

'Listen to me,' he warns the Hollywood beauty. 'Defending yourself by throwing someone under the bus is not going to look good.'

Heard fires back: 'It's not about that. It would not be about me throwing you under the bus. 

'You know what it would be? It would be released through documented people, coming on the record, and, having the protection to do so, that haven't had yet. 

'It would be eyewitness statements. It would be evidence. Tons of it. And it would be through years.' 

Heard goes on to ridicule Depp's doubts over the facial injuries she turned up with at court when she applied for the restraining order on May 27, 2016.

She also claims to have a trove of incriminating texts, paraphrasing a message to her publicist Jodi Gottlieb ahead of an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Cordon: 'I think, I've had accident, um, I think I may have, I busted my nose and two black eyes tomorrow'.

She tells Depp: 'No one is going to believe that one of the two alternatives, that I'm in a fight club or I've been getting, going through hair and makeup. . .through all these years where I have corroborating text messages between people that match those dates of those time stamped validated photos.' 

Heard warns Depp that her lawyers are urging her to make a formal police statement, saying that a criminal prosecutor told her it was 'most solid evidence, case of domestic violence case we've ever seen'.

She declined to do so, however, because she did not want to hurt Depp further, 

Heard says, complaining that their public spat has already led to her receiving death threats. 

The blonde actress also denies that it was her who rang the cops during the May 21, 2016 dust-up that took place the day before she filed for divorce. 

Depp was accused of hurling a cellphone in Heard's face at their downtown Los Angeles loft but two LAPD officers later said in a deposition that they found nothing to suggest a crime took place.

The  actor-musician reminds Heard about an incident in which his building manager, Travis, had 'to come up and f**king pull me away from you' though it's not clear which incident Depp is referring to.

Heard also refers to Depp's security guards, 'who by the way,' she says 'have said to me multiple times that I am going to get killed.'

She adds: 'I'm sorry because the last time it got crazy between us I really did think I was gonna lose my life. And I thought you would do it on accident.

'And I told you that. I said oh my god, I thought the first time.' 

Depp replies: 'Amber, I lost a f**king finger man, c'mon. I had a f**king, I had a f**king mineral can, a jar, a can of mineral spirits thrown at my nose. ' 

Their exchange seems to refer to a violent incident that took place in Australia one month into their marriage in which Depp suffered a severed finger. 

He claimed his then-wife 'went berserk' when he asked her to sign a 'postnup' agreement, hurling a Vodka bottle at him which shattered on a marble counter-top and ripped off the tip of his finger. 

Heard maintains in court filings, however, that Depp cut the digit off himself during an argument while he was 'drunk and high on ecstasy.' 

'You can please tell people that it was a fair fight, and see what the jury and judge thinks. Tell the world Johnny, tell them Johnny Depp, I Johnny Depp, a man, I'm a victim too of domestic violence,' she says on the tape. 

'And I, you know, it's a fair fight. And see how many people believe or side with you.' Depp cuts in: 'It doesn't matter; fair fight my a**.' 

Heard replies: 'Because you're big, you're bigger and you're stronger. And so when I say that I thought that you could kill me, that doesn't mean you counter with you also lost your own finger. 

'I, I'm not trying to attack you here, I'm just trying to point out the fact of why I said call 911. Because I was, you had your hands on me after you threw a phone at my face. 

'And it's got crazy in the past, and I truly thought I need to stop this madness before I get hurt.' 

Seemingly stunned by his former flame's version of events, Depp can simply reply: 'Oh my god.'

He reminds his ex-wife that she will have to repeat her allegations under oath in court.

'Do you believe all this Amber? Do you believe all this,' Depp asks. 

'Yes, the f**k, yes, yes,' Heard replies.

'Do you believe you're an abuser? he asks. 'Do you believe you abused me physically?' 

Heard replies: 'Do you know I'm a 115, well not anymore, but I was a 115lb almost 115lb woman. . .have I ever been able to knock you off of your feet? Or knock you off balance?

'You're going to get up on the stand, Johnny, and say, ''she started it''? Really? I have never been able to overpower you that's the difference between me and you. . .and that's a difference, that's a whole world, and there's a jury and there's a judge will see that there's a very big difference between me and you.' 

Depp finally seems to lose his cool when his ex-wife accuses him of spreading rumors she was a stripper, snapping: 'I will f**king see you in court.' 

He adds: 'You don't want to make f**king nice nice? I'm trying. I'm trying. 

'But you know what? I loved you for so many f**king years but you know what? You didn't exist. You don't exist. You're not there. You're not there. 

'You are a f**king made up thing in my head. And I can't believe you are doing this to me.' 

The 31-minute recording ends with Depp saying he needs a moment to himself before a door can be heard slamming in the background. 

Heard has thus far failed to have her ex-husband's defamation case thrown out or moved from Virginia, where the Washington Post is based, to California. However she did succeed in having it pushed back from last December to August of this year.

Depp's attorney Adam Waldman confirmed the recorded conversation took place while Depp was subject to a restraining order but said Heard initiated the call.

'Ms Heard delivers a chilling message to Johnny Depp any real abuse survivor will instantly recognize: Nobody will believe you. So you better do what I want,' Waldman told DailyMail.com.

'Ms Heard may continue to masquerade as a 'survivor' but the audio tape speaks for itself.'

Heard legal team offered a radically different perspective when provided with a transcript of the tape recording by DailyMail.com, complaining the recording was taken without Heard's consent and was also 'doctored'.

DailyMail.com has decided to publish the audio in its entirety so readers can form their own opinions.

'The latest recording provided to the Daily Mail continues Mr. Depp's ongoing efforts to abuse Ms. Heard,' her spokeswoman said.

'On the transcript of this recording (which notes that it is only a portion of a longer conversation), Ms. Heard repeatedly makes it clear to Mr. Depp that he was physically violent and abusive, that she feared for her life, and that even Mr. Depp's own security guards told her that if she stayed in the relationship, 'she was going to get killed'.

'What is most important on the tape, however, is not what Mr. Depp says, but what he does not say - not once on the tape does he deny Ms. Heard's statements about his violent attacks and the damage they caused, including her broken nose and black eyes.

'In fact, Ms. Heard specifically recalls that during a portion of the conversation not provided to the Daily Mail, Mr. Depp asked Ms. Heard whether she was recording the call and when she answered that she was not, admitted that she was not lying about the fact that he had abused her. As a result, Mr. Depp's use of this doctored recording at this time is not only a fraud and a crime, but an act of desperation.'

Amber Heard's spokeswoman provided the following statement from Dr. Laura Brown, a trauma expert and former president of Society for the Psychology of Women:

'Abuse is attempting to control a victim by any means necessary, including pushing this kind of news story. It is not unusual for victims of physical and emotional abuse to respond by acting to defend themselves. 

'But because intimate partner violence is about coercion and control every bit as much as it is about acts of violence, abusers often respond to these acts of self-defense with attempts to reassert control. 

'They do so through attempts at coercion, which often include projecting accusations of abuse at their victims for having had the audacity to attempt to defend themselves. 

'It is not unusual for the perpetrator of intimate partner violence to try to use the self-defense responses of their targets to claim the mantle of victimhood for themselves. 

'This is classic DARVO- Defend, Avoid, Reverse Victim and Offender – the construct developed by Dr. Jennifer Freyd. 

'When society and the media buy into these false abuser narratives, they are enabling the perpetrator to re-abuse the victim. We should not be fooled by a DARVO narrative.'

From the audio conversation..

'You're going to get up on the stand, Johnny, and say, ''she started it''?' Amber Heard and Johnny Depp clash over the phone during divorce

JOHNNY DEPP: But I'm telling you now, if I file, if they file the f**king papers tomorrow, which means the s**t I've got to file before we go to court on Friday, if they file those papers, first of all, it's very bad for both of us. 

AMBER HEARD: Well, your people are not going to file anything that's bad for you, trust me. 

JD: No, no what you're saying, you've got to do something to protect yourself which means throwing me under the bus for the, some video about me beating you? 

AH: Not me. I have to respond. I mean I'll have to go and pursue, no I'll pursue the whole course of action, because here's what you don't understand. If, if we do this, and basically will know. I called my lawyers and I said why aren't we negotiating now, what's going on, where are we, and they're like everything's under court. 

JD: No, they won't settle. Your agents won't settle. Your lawyers won't settle baby. I'm telling you. 

AH: We want to mediate. We even have a mediator, found a mediator and everything. But that was all worked out. But the thing that Laura [Wasser, Depp's attorney] wouldn't agree to, she did not want to agree to a mutual gag order. That's the problem, she doesn't want the gag order, why Johnny? Why? Why wouldn't she? Why wouldn't she want both parties not to talk about this in the press?

AH: I just want you to know. I'm not doing anything and have not been doing any move. Look it up, the timeline. Nothing was on the offense. Everything has been a defensive move because I'm being called a liar and a gold-digger. And I am not lying about any of this s**t, and I am not after a dime of your money.

JD: It's hurting You. It's hurting You. And it's hurting me. But the worst f**king thing is (unintelligible). Do you want to go to court Amber? Seriously? Do you want to go to court with this? I'm offering you an opportunity for us to make this finish in peace. Peaceful, man. We walk away. You go do what you gotta do, I go do what I gotta do. I, I, I've been through the f**ing hurt. You've been through the f**king hurt. I love you more than anything in life. I do not want to go into a f**king court with you. I do not want to f**king tarnish your name. I do not want to f**king tarnish. I don't want nothing. I want this to be done peacefully, between us. And if you don't like the way that mediation is going, take me back to court kid. Cause I can't. This is the last f**king chance Amber. This is it. Once I file those papers we don't turn around man. I know you hate me, and I know you whatever, I'm telling you now, there's no call, it doesn't need to happen like this. Please, for f**ks sake trust me man.

JD: Continuing through court is going to end up nothing but bad for you, and for me. It's just going to be bad. In any case, no matter whether we ruin each other or not, it's going to be f**king heartbreaking, it's terrible. Let's write a mutual letter that says look, in lieu of what's transpiring out there in the world with all this f**king crazy s**t, we have decided to take this private. We're not going to go to court, right now, over this. We are going to try to work something out, together. And then at least, at the very f**king least. I know you want to respond, and I know you want to defend yourself. Listen to me. Defending yourself by throwing someone under the bus is not going to look good. 

AH: I'm not. It's not about that. It would not be about me throwing you under the bus. You know what it would be? It would be released through documented people, coming on the record, and, having the protection to do so, that haven't had yet. It would be eyewitness statements. It would be evidence. Tons of it. And it would be through years. And it would be unbelievable. Unbelievable, um, to imagine that either I'm (a) in a secret fight club, or (b) I've had um...

JD: A secret what? 

AH: A secret fight club. Or that I have been plotting to do this for three years, and, while taking pictures of it, and documenting it, just saving it up for the right time when I'm not asking for any money and have nothing financial to gain from it. But no one is going to believe that. No one is going to believe that one of the two alternatives, that I'm in a fight club or I've been getting, going through hair and makeup or going through makeup through all these years where I have corroborating text messages between people that match those dates of those time stamped validated photos of either corroboration between people hearing us.

AH: All of that won't be me throwing you under the bus, that will be evidence, in the case. Which I will have to, it will be criminal as well, because I cannot go on Friday and file without filing a police statement first. And the only reason I haven't filed a police statement, which has been used against me by the way, every day, and the only reason I won't do it, haven't done it, is because I don't want to hurt you and that means it goes out of my hands and every, we had a third party guy, a third party prosecutor come and a criminal lawyer come, and they went, the problem is hearing from you like your biggest struggle, this is just, is that it is the most solid evidence, case of domestic violence case we've ever seen. And if you get this over to them or any part of it they will prosecute him. And I felt like, I would never want that. For you. Because I don't even, it's hard for me, I don't even call myself, like, in my head it's hard for me to even accept any sort of victimdom, ever. And I don't want to hurt you.

JD: I understand. I understand. And I don't want to hurt you either. I'm only going to say this. I love you. I love you. I've always loved you. And I know that, look, you do whatever you feel you have to do. I'm telling you now it's a mistake to go to court. If you want to go to court, we'll go to court. I would rather take care of it in a different way, I think it would be very good for you, and it would be very good for me. But you know what? 

AH: I've been called a liar. 

JD: Baby, you know what? 

AH: And I've been called a golddigger. 

JD: Baby. Baby. Amber, I didn't call you those things. I didn't call you those things.

JD: It's been going on too long Amber and we've got to stop this. It's got to stop it. 

AH: I don't know how to get my reputation back. 

JD: We write a letter together. Saying that we are going to take this out of the public eye. Saying that we are going to try and work this out on our own. Saying that the media has created such a f**king hateful storm that it's sickening. That we love each other. And that we want to make sure each other's OK. Have we had fights in the past, have we had this or whatever, f**k it, whatever, they already know all that s**t, it don't matter. Here's the deal. 

AH: Oh, it matters. I have been, I have been, you have no idea, every ounce of my credibility has been taken from. And done so in a dishonest way. You know.

JD: Amber, the abuse, the abuse thing is, is we've got to deal with that, yeah. We've got to deal with that Amber.

AH: We don't have any way of, my credit, It's my credibility. 

JD: Then why did you put that out there? 

AH: I did not. You forced me, your team, forced me to by going on the offense.

AH: Well I'm sorry. I'm sorry because the last time it got crazy between us I really did think I was gonna lose my life. And I thought you would do it on accident. And I told you that. I said oh my god, I thought the first time. 

JD: Amber, I lost a f**king finger man, c'mon. I had a f**king, I had a f**king mineral can, a jar, a can of mineral spirits thrown at my nose. 

AH: You can please tell people that it was a fair fight, and see what the jury and judge thinks.

Tell the world Johnny, tell them Johnny Depp, I JOHNNY DEPP, A MAN, I'M A VICTIM TOO OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 

JD: Yes.

AH: And I, you know, it's a fair fight. And see how many people believe or side with you. 

JD: It doesn't matter, fair fight my a**. 

AH: That's exactly. Because your big, you're bigger and you're stronger. And so when I say that I thought that you could kill me, that doesn't mean you counter with you also lost your own finger. I, I'm not trying to attack you here, I'm just trying to point out the fact of why I said call 911. Because I was, you had your hands on me after you threw a phone at my face. And it's got crazy in the past, and I truly thought I need to stop this madness before I get hurt. 

JD: Oh my god. 

AH: And I never think about myself that way. I never defend myself that way. I never see myself as a victim.

JD: There's also Travis coming to get me, there's Travis having to come up and f**king pull me away from you.

JD: You're going to have to do this under oath too you know. 

AH: I will because the unfortunate part is I can talk about all of this. 

JD: Do you believe all this Amber? Do you believe all this? 

AH: Yes, the f**k, yes, yes. 

JD: You believe I'm an abuser? 

AH Yes. 

JD: You believe I'm an abuser? 

AH: In May, In December, in, in April 

JD: Do you believe you're an abuser? 

AH: No. 

JD: Do you believe you abused me physically? 

AH: Do I physically believe, I mean do I believe I physically abused you? 

JD: Yes? 

AH: Do you know I'm a 115, well not anymore, but I was a 115lb almost 115lb woman and you have the capacity...

JD: That's not the question. That's not the question.

AH: Have I ever been able to knock you off of your feet? Or knock you off balance? 

JD: You started. You started these things. 

AH: You're going to get up on the stand, Johnny, and say, 'she started it'? Really? I have never been able to overpower you that's the difference between me and you. 

JD: Why did you try? 

AH: And that's a difference, that's a whole world, and there's a jury and there's a judge will see that there's a very big difference between me and you.

JD: You cannot automatically, you cannot think that it's just my side. You are f**king killing me. Your f**king people are trying to kill me. You've turned me into a, my boy has to go to school, my boy goes to school and has kids go 'so your f**king dad's a wifebeater'? You don't think about that Amber. 

AH: You don't think also my family, and all the death threats? Me and every single person in my immediate circle of friends and family is getting also matters? And you don't think I, you don't think I? 

JD: Death threats?!! 

AH: Your people put this out. Why, why, why, why did your security go on the record and lie? Why, that's a proactive measure. Why did your divorce attorney get to file for divorce period? At all? Second, why did she have to go and leak to TMZ? Why if you wanted it private, is TMZ being fed information literally by Laura Wasser and Marty Singer every step of the way? My, my my my arrest records. Who put that in the media? The rumors that I was a stripper? Or, of course I can expect that. I've known every step of the way, every single step of the way everything you give 'em. 

JD: I give 'em? I give 'em? That's it. I give 'em? I'll see you in court. No. I'll f**king see you in court. I will f**king see you in court. I never f**king said that. I never told anyone that. You f**king trusted me with that and I never f**king told anyone that. And you know what, Amber? 

AH: Thank you. 

JD: This is not, no, this is me. This is me saying I tried. And thank you. And I will see you in f**king court. You don't want to make f**king nice nice? I'm trying. I'm trying. But you know what? You, I loved you for so many f**king years but you know what? You didn't exist. You don't exist. You're not there. You're not there. You are a f**king  made up thing in my head. And I can't believe you are doing this to me.