#i like to think we were talking a stroll one day nd he was resting on a tree stump

[femivi]

just three days until we see capitano ! ! hopefully ♥︎ thinking how i'd give him a good luck charm long before he leaves for natlan .. knowing very well he doesn't need it but still, life is so unpredictable after all .. he always keeps it in his pocket :3

[fangirlovestuff]

Chris proposing on valentines day?

a/n - making this a hc because it takes me less time to write them and i really wanted to get one fic out on actual valentine’s :) the other ones will be up later this week probably🤞 thanks for the request nonnie, i hope you enjoy this!! and happy valentine’s day to all<3

Be Mine - Chris Evans x reader

warnings - a really small mention of smut, other than that it’s all fluff:))

this valentine’s chris asked you if you wanted to go on a little weekend getaway

“i’m sorry there aren’t surprises this year, i just didn’t know with your work and things-”

“it’s okay babe,” you cut him off, “i don’t need surprises. a weekend away does sound nice though,” you grinned.

“great!” he smiled, “i’ll get the tickets,” he pecked your lips

you got to the hotel two days before valentine’s, spending the time mostly lazing around

and, you know, utilizing the bed for other things

valentine’s morning, you woke up to chris already being out of the bed

you frowned slightly, and then you heard the faint murmur of his voice, following it to the kitchen of your hotel room

“yeah ma, i’ll tell her,” he said, on the phone, “love you too, talk to you later,” he added quickly when he saw you were awake.

he hung up a couple of moments later, putting his phone down on the counter and grinning as he came close to you

he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close, your head coming to rest on his chest

“good morning,” you mumbled, still pretty sleepy, and very content in chris’ arms

“good morning,” he answered, his smile apparent in his voice, and then suddenly backed away from you

you were about to frown when you saw him excitedly reaching for a flower that you had failed to notice before, picking it up from the table and extending it to you

"be my valentine's?" he smirked

even then you could still see a faint blush on his cheeks, making you giggle

"of course," you grinned, taking the flower from his hand and kissing his lips gently, because you hadn't brushed your teeth yet

a little later, when you were more awake and sipping your coffee, you remembered to ask, "hey chris, what did your mom tell you to tell me? before, when you were on the phone?"

 "oh, just that she misses us and happy valentine's day," he shrugged

"aww, she called just to tell you that?" you smiled, "your mom's the sweetest"

"she is," he smiled, not addressing the first part of your sentence, a detail you obviously paid no attention to

"so, any plans for today?" you asked, taking another sip

"well, i thought we could eat something, then maybe look around the city, shop a little," he raised his eyebrows as he said the last part

"really?" you smiled, "and you wouldn't be too miserable shopping with me?"

"of course not," he said, getting up to put his mug in the sink, but stopping next to you, "i'll be with you," he kissed your temple before moving away to the sink

"sap," you grumbled under your breath, a grin stretching on your lips nonetheless

you spent the day wandering around, shopping a little, but mostly strolling around with your hand clasped tightly in his, your fingers intertwined

you made him try on some things too, of course

"now i remember why i don't do this," he grumbled half-heartedly, taking the shirt you handed him and heading towards the fitting rooms

"i thought i said you wouldn't suffer?" you inquired, amused.

"i said i'd be with you," he pouted

"well, i don't think people would take it well if i got into a fitting booth with you love," you giggled, pecked his lips and pushed him inside

when you two got back to the hotel it was almost time for dinner already, and you took a quick shower before he did

you were contemplating what to wear to dinner when he came out of the shower, drying off

"where are we going to dinner?" you asked, eying the two outfits in front of you

"oh, i thought we'd stay in since our flight leaves pretty early tomorrow," he said, putting on a polo shirt, "i could coo-"

"yeah okay, no. i'll do the cooking," you smirked, "and you... set the table or something," you shrugged, smiling teasingly

"fine," he rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips as well

you got to cooking you two some dinner and when you were done you saw the table was set, with a couple of candles lit

you smiled to yourself

"chris, i'm done with the food!" you called out, putting it on the table before sitting down, and in two seconds chris was there, sitting down as well 

"happy valentine's day," you smiled at him from across the table, and he took your hand and squeezed it in his, smiling back

you were eating your food and then you looked up at chris

"everything okay?" you asked, noticing he was being less talkative than usual

"yeah," he shrugged, "i'm fine."

"okay. because you know if anything was wrong you could tell me right? and if you didn't i'd snitch to lisa and she'd tell me," you smirked

"i know," he chuckled, "i called her this morning to make sure she wouldn-"

he suddenly cut himself off, and your head snapped up to look at him

"what's up?" you raised your eyebrow at him, putting down your fork, "should i call lisa and have her tell me?" 

and you were only half-joking

"well, if i already sabotaged myself... i guess this is something that you should hear from me," he said, smiling softly, and before you could react he got up and took something out of his pocket

when he got down on one knee, you realized what it was and took a sudden gasp, a smile stretching onto your previously concerned face

"i called mom to make sure she doesn't tell you," he said, "because i know you two conspire against me," he smirked. "and also," his voice softened, "because i was nervous." he swallowed, "because i knew that if things would go right, today will be the first day of the rest of my life. our life."

you were smiling so hard you felt your face was about to split in half, and you bit your lip to contain yourself from interrupting him

"i hope you know how much i love you," he continued with a smile, "and i hope you'll let me keep you for the rest of our lives. i want to be by your side forever," he let out a shuddering breath, "i want to see you smile, and make you smile, and be your valentine always. but also your monday, and your tuesday, and every other day, because i'd be with you. so," he smiled, "will you give me the greatest honor of marrying me?"

"yes," you nodded ecstatically, slipping down from your chair to the floor, "yes, of course i will marry you!"

you wrapped your arms around him, hugging him tightly before letting go, and the second you were far enough his lips were on yours, kissing you with a love you thought only existed in fairytales until you were lucky enough to meet chris

you broke apart, both of your eyes shining with tears of happiness, and you bit your lips excitedly as he slipped the ring onto your finger

"and by the way, mom told me to tell you she knew you'd say yes," he smiled, "but i felt like it was a bit presumptuous to say that before you said yes."

you giggled at that before simply kissing him again, expressing your feelings in a way you simply couldn't say in words

and he kissed you back like he understood, no words needed.

i’d love to hear your thoughts, and i hope you had a great valentine’s!!<3

Taglist:  @horny-nd-bored​ @shannon124 @perfectlyharolds​ @wintersoldierslut​ @iceebabies​  @sleepingpapermouse @steverogerswasalwaysworthy @holtzkinnon @angelicl-y @stydia-4-ever @thatoneperson5000 @fangirlfree​ @kaitcordx25 @bequeening​ @steve-barry-damon-logan​ @itscrazycherryblossomcollection​ @hollandxmarvel​ @stargazingfangirl18 @readsreblogsfics @onetwo3000 @beritmetal @harrystylesholland @jazbot2000 @anobscurename @xxxtwilightaxelxxx @peggycarter-steverogers @evansphnx12 @starlightcrystalline @procrastinatingsapphictrash

if you wanna join / be removed from a taglist, comment/message me! much love <3

[meaningofmotorsport]

Italian Grand Prix Review

One thing that is certain, is that whether you like the Sprint format or not, it somehow gives us some chaotic and bonkers racing on the Sunday. I can’t wait to see what Brazil could give us for their Sprint weekend!

Incredibly, the biggest moment of the race was probably not the eventual winners, but instead the traditional Sprint weekend crash between Lewis and Max! I hope this one won’t be as controversial as at Silverstone, simply because both cars were out, and it was more of a racing incident in my view. Before I delve further into my thoughts on it, we have to be thankful for the halo, as it almost certainly saved Hamilton’s life, in what was already quite a scary crash.

As mentioned, I see it as a racing incident, however I wouldn’t call it a stupid decision to penalise Max, as he was being rather bold in his move, and it would have been difficult to get through there cleanly. The reason I think there should have been no penalty, is that Lewis was rather indecisive in his defence, he didn’t completely block off the move from Max, like what happened on Lap 1 when the roles were reversed. This meant that there was a clear opening for Max to try and fit into, which then closed up at the apex of Turn 2, causing the incident.

Do I think that the circumstances leading up to the crash may have clouded Max’s judgement? Probably, simply because he is human, and when things go against you, it can cause you to drive differently. So, without that, he may have been more cautious. It was also good to see Red Bull and Max being more sensible in their reaction to this incident compared to Silverstone, possibly because they knew they had a bigger part to play in this one.

What a day for McLaren, and for Ricciardo! To be honest, I don’t think the crash for the title leaders changed the outcome of the race much! They were both unable to pass the McLarens in the first stint, so that could have continued for the rest of the race! It was the start and 1st lap that was crucial, as Ricciardo got past Verstappen, and could control the race from there. Their pace was not better than Mercedes and Red Bull, but it was still better than we have seen all year so far. The strategy was also on point, as they were able to react to Red Bull wanting to pit Max, to make sure they didn’t get the undercut. Which meant that even if Red Bull had nailed the stop, they would probably have come out behind Daniel.

No one should be disappointed with the result, as everyone wanted to see Ricciardo back to winning ways, and see him return to his old self! He is such a character in the paddock, as well as being an absolutely talented driver, and we all missed the shoey! With momentum on his side, it could be a great end to the year for the team! You do have to feel for Norris a bit, as he may have been faster in the race, and given he has carried the team for most of the year, he may have felt he deserved to win first. Nevertheless, he drove perfectly too, and was rightfully pleased with how it all turned out!

What is it with drivers being fired from teams, and then performing really well! First, we see Giovinazzi finding pace in the Alfa out of nowhere, and now Bottas has had one of his best weekends ever in the sport! It may just be that the pressure is off now, and so Valtteri can just relax and drive as he wants to. We just haven’t seen him pass cars that well whilst at Mercedes before yesterday. Perez too did as much as he could really, to finish on the road behind the McLaren’s. He should have given the place back to Leclerc, although if the FIA didn’t tell them to give it back, it is a bit of a harsh penalty!

Given their power deficits, 4th and 6th is pretty good going for the home team of Ferrari. Yes, luck played its part, but they were able to stay with the front runners in the 2nd stint. Leclerc defending from Norris was a bit iffy, as he was just in the middle of the road and forced Lando onto the grass. Looking ahead, the battle isn’t over with McLaren, despite them scoring big today!

Stroll and Alonso fought their way up to finish 6th and 7th respectively, with Stroll being rather aggressive with his teammate in the first few laps. Given that the low rake concept really helped Mercedes with weekend, we may have expected more from Aston Martin, who also have their engine too. That incident with Stroll really ruined Vettel’s race, as he couldn’t make up positions from there.

Williams really is making their way into the midfield fight now, as Russell bags some more points, and both cars were fighting the Alpine’s and Aston Martin’s all day. Granted their pace may have been slightly slower, and they were holding some of them up, but the improvements are massive at the moment. Ocon made a silly mistake whilst battling with Vettel, in pushing him off the track, which cost him any chance of points, as he got a penalty for it.

Giovinazzi lost any hope of points on Lap 1, when he simply drove across the front of Sainz exiting the 2nd chicane. Carlos had the right to pull alongside him, as he had the momentum, and Antonio just didn’t see him. Kubica did well again, given he is just filling in for Kimi. The Haas’ crashed into each other again, as Mazepin spun Schumacher, which I am sure will only help inter team relations! It was worse for AlphaTauri, as Tsunoda couldn’t start the race, due to a technical issue, whilst the team couldn’t set the suspension up correctly for Gasly after his crash in the Sprint!

Finally, I have talked about their crash, but up until then, the race was going very differently for the 2 title contenders. In my opinion, Max didn’t lose the race in the crash, or the pit stop, it was the race start instead, as he just didn’t have the straight line speed to get past the McLaren’s after that. They tried to do the undercut, but McLaren were wise to it, and their mistake in the pits was human error, to do with the new FIA regulations around it. Hamilton on the other hand, by starting on the hard’s, had set himself up very well for the 2nd half of the race. He was able to eventually pass Norris, and with a clean pit stop, could have beat out Lando, and pressured those in front!

On a track where Mercedes looked so strong, it may be a net win for Max to lose nothing in the championship to him, but it could have been so better for Red Bull if Sunday had gone smoothly! With his penalty, expect Max to take his engine penalties too at Russia, where Mercedes is strong too, which will be prime opportunity for Hamilton to close the lead and possibly overtake Max again for the title lead!

-M

Thank you very much for reading this article! To keep up to date with when they go out, and to see my reactions to races and other news, follow me on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/MeaningofMotor1

Also, if you want to support me, I have a Patreon Page at: https://www.patreon.com/meaningofmotorsport

[outlier-rookie]

Of Blood and Greatness - Chapter 1

Chapter 1/?? - The Kid In The Camp

AO3 Link

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305741/chapters/64050937

***

“Who’s there?” John’s rough voice called out as Arthur rode back into camp.

“It’s Arthur! You dumbass.” He yelled in reply, receiving a huff in return.

“You’re back. Dutch wants to speak to ya.”

“What’s he want this time?” Arthur asked, drawing his horse to a halt in front of the other man.

“Ask him yourself.” The scared man replied, walking right past Arthur to continue his patrol.

Grumbling under his breath, Arthur guided his horse, a proud Andalusian he’d taken to calling Admiral on account of the stallions headstrong and commanding nature, over to the hitching posts. As he rode over his eyes were drawn to an unfamiliar horse hitched by the camp entrance, waiting patiently and grazing on the tufts of grass at its hooves. It was a gorgeous Missouri Fox Trotter with a clean golden coat and a rich dark mane streaked with blonde. He didn’t spend long studying the horse and instead picked up the buck he’d stowed on Admiral’s back and began trudging over to Pearson’s wagon.

But for the second time in as many minutes, an unfamiliar sight drew his attention. Sitting at the circular table and looking very out of place was a kid. Arthur took a moment to study them as he passed wondering what a young one such as themselves was doing in the middle of a camp of outlaws. The kid couldn’t have been older than thirteen or fourteen and was on the thin side. They weren’t that tall either, wearing a shirt too big for their thin frame with the sleeves rolled up in an effort to make the ill-fitting garment more wearable. In their hands they fidgeted with a ratty old hat and their hair was mattered and dirty giving the impression the kid hadn’t had so much as a bedroll to sleep on. An old memory of when Hosea and Dutch first took him in, and later John, drifted into Arthur’s thoughts as he passed. He’d barely handed the buck over to Pearson when Dutch approached him.

“Arthur, good to see you back, son.” The dark-haired man smiled as he clapped Arthur on the shoulder, directing the younger outlaw back towards the kid sat at the table.

“So what’s going on?” Arthur asked, “John said you wanted to talk to me ‘bout somethin’.” As the two men approached, the kid raised their head and locked eyes with Arthur. Arthur was nearly at a loss for words as the kid stared right into his soul. Their eyes were an almost unnaturally vivid shade of blue; much more intense than his own. What stuck him as odd was the weary look they held. It was the same look he’d sometimes see in Hosea’s eyes. Tired, haunted eyes like that had no place on some kid. Standing, the kid placed the ratty hat on their head and continued to stare at the two men as Dutch started to introduce them.

“This here is, uh.”

“(Y/N). My name’s (Y/N).” The kid filled in.

“Yes, this here is young (Y/N).” Dutch continued, leaving Arthur’s side to stand between him and the kid- (Y/N). “Bold little thing. Road right up into camp saying they wanted to talk to the leader of this gang and wasn’t taking ‘No’ for an answer.” He explained, chuckling lightly as he did. Arthur nodded as he hooked his thumbs into his belt, shifting his weight into a more casual stance.

“Why you coming out here to talk to a bunch of outlaws like us?” He asked watching with a critical eye as the kid hesitated for a moment, their eyes flicking to the ground as they brought their hands together and started picking at the skin around their nails. It took a few false starts before they finally got the words out.

“I want… I want ta join the gang.” Their hands dropped back to their sides and once again Arthur found those piercing blue eyes staring intently at him once more.

“I dunno Dutch.” He started, barely managing to break his gaze away from those haunting blue eyes. “They’re awfully young to be, runnin’ with folk like us.” He said, waving his hand and gesturing to the likes of Bill and Micah.

“I ain’t that young!” (Y/N) snapped.

“Kid, you can’t be more than fourteen at the oldest.”

“I’m fifteen! And I can take care of myself!”

“They why you want to join up with a gang? We ain’t some orphanage kid and we ain’t good people.”

“Now now Arthur.” Dutch cut in, raising his hand between the two. “You were the same age when Hosea and I took you in. And John was much younger.” He argued, drawing an aggravated sigh from Arthur.

“I still don’t think it’s a good idea Dutch. Look at em. They’re just a kid. And the world’s changing, cracking down on folks like us. It ain’t safe-”

“I ain’t safe on my own either!” The kid interrupted. “I ain’t been safe since the day I was born. And besides,” They continued, crossing their arms and leaning back on their heels, doing their best to stare down their nose at Arthur, “I don’t come untrained. I can shoot any gun and hit any target and I don’t miss unless the gun fails.”

Arthur stared incredulously at (Y/N) as Dutch let out a hearty laugh.

“And that ain’t the only thing I have to offer.” They continued. “Them fellas, uh. The special lawmen, the uh, the um-”

“The Pinkerton’s.” Dutch supplied.

“Yeah them! The Pinkerton’s are looking for you and are crawling all over Blackwater. But they ain’t looking for me.” Arthur narrowed his eyes and crossed his own arms.

“Whatchu getting at kid?”

“They’re saying, Arthur, that they can get into Blackwater and get our money. We can get out of here and be on our way!”

“I don’t know about this Dutch.”

“I’m with Arthur.” A fourth voice joined the conversation as Hosea strolled up to the three of them. “You’re an avid reader Dutch. Haven’t you ever heard the phrase ‘If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’?”

“Come on old friend, think of what this could mean for us! All that money we lost at Blackwater, back in our hand. Valentine is only a temporary stop and we need to move soon. With the money from Blackwater back in our hands we can do a hell of a lot more than what we were originally hoping!”

Hosea sighed and continued to argue against it with Dutch when the kid cut in once more, drawing the attention of just about everyone in camp.

“I already got it!”

Dutch and Hosea froze mid-argument.

“What?” Dutch asked and Arthur swore he heard a note of confusion in the older outlaws voice.

“Your money from Blackwater. I already got it, so even if you sent someone back there and they managed to avoid running into the law, you won’t find it.”

Dutch’s earlier lax and cheerful demeanour disappeared as he stepped closer to the kid, his voice low and dangerous. “And how, exactly, did you find out where we hid it if we are to believe you.”

“Adults don’t pay a lot of attention to kids. Even less so if they’re street kids like me. Heard some of them, fancy-looking fellas, talking ‘nd saying they was investigatin’ you and thought they might know where you hid your valuables in case something happened.”

“And you just happened to get there and find it first?” Arthur growled, arms dropping to his side, right hand hovering by his gun. (Y/N)’s eyes followed Arthur’s movements as they too came to rest on the handle of Arthur’s gun.

“Yeah. I did.” They replied sharply, raising their own eyes back to meet his.

A tense silence filled the air as the camp went quiet.

“Stay. Here.” Dutch’s voice finally broke the silence. “Hosea, Arthur, with me.” The three men trekked away towards Dutch’s tent leaving the teenager alone at the table; a quick signal to Javier had the Mexican man nodding as he set himself up to watch the (h/c) teen while the others talked. Once the flaps to the tent had been drawn and fastened, Arthur exchanged a worried glance with Hosea while Dutch rubbed at his chin, his eyebrows creased with thought.

“What’s the plan Dutch?” Arthur softly questioned a hint of worry colouring his words.

“I’m not sure just yet Arthur. Hosea, what do you think?” Hosea huffed before replying.

“I think we continue with the plan to get away from Valentine. We’ve just about outstayed our welcome and it’s time to move on. I think it far more likely that this kid is part of a Pinkerton trap set to catch us.”

“And if they are telling the truth? If they really have gotten our money out from Blackwater and it’s now within our reach? It a lot of money Hosea, if we had that back then we could get the hell out here.”

“Is the slim chance that they are telling the truth worth the lives of everyone in camp Dutch?” The older outlaw returned. “We’ve already lost the Mac, Davey and Jenny. If this kid is luring us into a trap, who else will we lose?” Dutch brought his hand up to his mouth and nodded solemnly at Hosea’s words, though the crease in his brow suggested he was less than happy with the answer he was given.

“And what do you think Arthur?”

Arthur scratched at his stubble, drawing a hissed breathe as he thought about their options. He strongly sided with Hosea. This whole deal of a random kid wandering into their camp, claiming to have possession of their money was already a wild tale. Add on to that the fact they were apparently willing to just hand it back over to them in return for a place in the gang was just confusing. Anyone with half as much brains as Marston who found the money would have taken it for themselves, and yet this kid was here and offering to give it all back to them with not a lot in return. And yet something was stopping him from outright refusing to consider the kid might be telling the truth.

“I want to ask the kid something first.” He finally said. “They gotta have a reason for wanting to join up with folk like us. This kid could have set themselves up for life if they were smart with the money but instead, they’re trying to return it and get in our good graces. I want to find out what that reason is first.” He finished.

Dutch and Hosea were silent for a spell before the eldest outlaw smiled and clapped Arthur on the arm. “And you claim you ain’t a thinker boy.” Arthur tugged his hat a little further over his face as he averted his eyes, muttering a half-hearted argument under his breath before making his way back toward (Y/N). The teen looked up at Arthur as he stopped by the table, silently regarding the young teen before him. Silently, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it as he kicked a leg up on the short barrel that acted as a chair. The two stared silently at each other as Arthur puffed away before taking the lit cigarette from between his lips and addressed them as Hosea and Dutch watched a short distance behind him.

“Why do you want to join the gang?” He asked slowly, his drawl weighing his words down heavily as he spoke. “You could’ve taken all that money for yourself so why go to all the trouble of bringing it down to us? Worse people than us could have found you and they wouldn’t have had any qualms about robbing and killing some half-starved fifteen-year-old kid sleeping out alone in on the plains.” He paused, taking another drag and lazily blowing out the smoke. “Whatever you want from us must be worth a lot more to you than money.”

(Y/N) didn’t answer straight away. They squeezed their hands tightly and Arthur could barely see them biting their lip from under their ratty hat.

“M’ Dad.” Was the soft reply. Arthur stayed silent and watched as the kid drew a shaky breath. “My auntie. She said that my Daddy is an outlaw. Said that- that he knows the Van Der Linde gang. I just. I want to meet him.” They finished with a shrug.

“What’s your Daddy’s name kid?” Dutch asked, coming up to sit beside the teenager who was suddenly looking much smaller than they did when Arthur first spoke to them.

“I- I don’t-” Again the kid tightly wrung their hands as if it would relieve the emotional pressure they were feeling. “I know what he looks like. That’s all I need. I don’t care if he wants nothin’ ta do with me. I just want him to know that I exist, I suppose.”

Arthur stubbed the end of his cigarette and dropped the butt on the ground, turning to look at Hosea and Dutch who shared a mildly surprised look. Arthur mulled over the information in his head. Fifteen years ago when (Y/N) would have been born, it was mainly Dutch and Hosea finding jobs that he’d sometimes join, while Susan and Bessie looked after John. Uncle might have been around then too but Arthur failed to see any similarities between the drunken old man and the kid who currently looked like they wanted the ground to swallow them.

As Arthur was mulling over everything, Hosea stepped up and took a seat by the teen.

“You mentioned your Aunt earlier, but what about your mother?” he asked gently.

“Don’t have one.” Came a barely legible mumble. Silence once again fell over the group but no one seemed eager to break it this time. Just as he was about to say something, anything really, Dutch beat him to it.

“How far away did you hide the money?”

“W-West of Valentine.”

With a nod, Dutch turned his attention to Arthur. “Arthur, I want you to take Javier and Charles with you and the kid.” Turning back to the kid he continued. “I trust that you aren’t going to lead my boys into a trap.” He said. “If you stay true to your word then there’ll be a place for you among us.”

The kid's face lit up at Dutch’s words. “Yessir!” They cheered; face aglow in the afternoon sun as they turned to Arthur. “We should leave as soon as possible. To be back before the sun gets too low, ya know?” Arthur grunted in response and waved for the kid to mount up. They only took a few steps before spinning back around. “Can I get my gun back?” Dutch shrugged and nodded.

Arthur strolled back over to Admiral, running a hand along the steed’s neck as the horse noses at the satchel hanging by the man’s side. Feeding the stallion a fresh apple, Arthur doubled checked his saddlebags for ammo and supplies while he waited for Charles, Javier, and the kid. Not even five minutes later he was joined by the kid, repeater slung across their back, with Charles and Javier at their heels. They boldly strolled up to the Fox Trotter, smiling brightly as the horse nosed at their offered hand before the kid swung themselves up onto the saddle.

Sparing a place at Charles and Javier and seeing the two men also sat up in their respective horses, Arthur nodded at the kid. “Alright then, lead on.” He instructed with a wave.

“Follow me, gentlemen.”

And with that, they were off.

***

Thank you for your patience! The first chapter for “Of Blood and Greatness” is finally finished!

As a reminder, this is a Red Dead Redemption 2 crossover fanfic as it contains elements of Percy Jackson (you don’t need any prior knowledge of PJO,)

[fullsunthingz]

CROWN | P.SH Series

[THIS SEREIS HAS BEEN TRANSFERED TO WATTPAD]

CROWN | The 3rd Prince [2]

pairing: Sunghoon x reader

genre: royal au

UPDATES DURING FRIDAYS

(Number of chapters are not finalized)

[Prologue] [1] [2]  [3]

Word count: 3.16k

[enhypen/iland masterlist]

Months had passed, Y/N’s task was to embroider different designs on the coats and sleeping attires that was made for the different Princes in the palace. The prince assigned to her was the 3rd prince, Prince Yixiang. Other people in the palace often says that the 3rd prince was cold towards other people. They have never seen him without the 2nd prince, Prince Youngbin.

Y/N didn’t believe the rumors about the 3rd prince because many people in the palace may lie, she doesn’t trust people in the palace other than herself. Her goal for now was to be close to one of the princes and the 3rd prince was the closest she can encounter. She needs to build up allies in the palace to find out what she’s been wanting to find out for the past years.

As she embroiders dragons on the coat that will soon be given to the prince, she made sure that every detail of the dragon was clear. If she wanted to be close to the prince, she needs to get his attention. Every prick of needle on the soft silk coat was carefully made, she had the mentality of “No room for mistakes”. Perfection should be done for the satisfaction of the royals.

The final details of the one of the seven dragons she made was now done. Using the softest and expensive threads provided, she managed to make the dragons look like they were soaring the night sky. She handed the coat to the Leading palace lady for her to inspect the coat. After checking the palace lady gave her an approval and now placed the coat on the chest where all the clothes that was made for the 3rd prince was.

“Ladies please stop what you are doing now I have an announcement to make.” Palace Lady Jung called our attention. As we all stopped and looked at her she continued talking

“you will personally be delivering the clothes you embroidered to the princes. You will be given a chance to explain to them why you designed the clothes like that and if they don’t like it you will be transferred to a different part of the palace to work on a different job.  Now prepare all the Chests and the guards will help you take them to the princes chambers.” The guards took the chest in front of her and guided me towards the 3rd prince’s chamber.

We reached he prince’s chamber his servant announced our arrival then opened the doors gesturing us to go in. The guards went in and placed the chest down a few feet away from where the prince was sat. Y/N walked behind the chest not daring to look at the prince just yet since there were no orders from the prince himself. “Speak.” A deep yet firm voice was heard. She slowly looked at the prince then at the chest. Opening the chest that contains the clothes made for him, Y/N started off with the hanbok, the hanbok didn’t have much designs other than the small flowers around the cuffs, belt and collar. She explained why the hanbok was in dark colors with gold embroidery on it. The prince gestured his servants to take the hanbok.

Y/N moved to the sleep attire for the prince that was made with dark blue silk with a lighter shade of blue clouds embroidered on the back of it, she explained how the clouds may make him feel at ease during the night. The prince slowly got interested at the way Y/N explains her work on the clothes making him lean forward, resting his elbows on his knees with his face placed on his hand. The servants took the sleeping attire as she finished explaining.

Lastly the coat that she just finished making on that day. “a black coat that is filled with 7 gold dragons dancing on the clouds. The color may seem too dark but it compliments your pale skin and the color can blend I the dark whenever you want to have a peaceful stroll at night with no one noticing you. Gold dragons, 7 of them to be exact because gold is simply made for royals like yourself. The dragons are just like your dementor whenever we see you on the training grounds, you move like dragons dancing on the clouds. Unpredictable but protects itself properly. And lastly 7 because I consulted the palace astronomer, Yongbok, what number brings you luck and he said it was 7, may the coat bring you luck while you use it during the cold. That is all your highness.”  The 3rd prince stared at Y/N after she explained and thought that she was smart for consulting the astronomer not just embroidering what looks good on the attire that he will use outside of his chambers.

“Everyone else other than her. Please leave I want to talk to her on my own.” The prince said with a firm voice, anyone else would be scared but Y/N wasn’t just anyone. She was fearless.

After everyone left the prince and Y/N, the prince stood up from where he was sat and dragged another chair towards Y/N gesturing her to sit.

“You’re better than the last one who made my clothes. The last one didn’t give me dark colors that I wanted, the designs were too flashy even though it wasn’t made out of the gold threads, and puts too much designs on it.” The prince took the coat she made from where it was placed, Y/N’s eyes not leaving the prince “Thank you for appreciating my work your highness.” She said with a quiet voice. the prince looked at her and asked “How did you know I like darker colors?”

“I saw how you admired the dark hanboks of the 2nd prince and thought that maybe you liked them, other than that the dark colors suit your skin your highness, it makes you look more handsome than you already are” Y/N said while looking at the prince with confidence. The prince chuckled then gestured her to come close to him. He grabbed her hand and lightly ran her fingertips along the soft silk “The silk was made for us to enjoy wearing, touching the silk can ease our worries but it can also make us feel a lot of pressure. Now I want to ask you, how does it feel to run your hands against the silk?”  the prince let go of her hand and then faced her. The gulped due to how close the prince was before she started speaking.

“Honestly, I didn’t feel at ease. Not at all. what I felt instead is pressure since we are the once in charge of making it into perfection for you.” She paused to look at the prince “Pressure will always be the one a seamstress like me will feel while touching the expensive fabrics that will be turned into your attire for your every day use.” She said while looking at the prince in the eyes.

The prince felt what she felt though her words and what her eyes are telling him. What she said was something he felt growing up in the place. Being the only song of a foreign concubine made him feel different from the others, that’s why he is often by his older brother or by himself. He didn’t feel like a prince growing up but he was loved by his brother which made it easier for him to cope.

“I understand. May I know your name? so I would know who to mention whenever I am asked who made my clothes?” the prince asked tilting his head a little on the side.

“Yang Y/N your highness” she quietly answered. “thank you, Y/N, for your time and effort in making these. I will surely use them soon. I also expect to see you again.”  The prince guided her towards the door but stopped before he opened it “I also consider you as an acquaintance from now on. Hopefully we become friends in the future.” The prince smiled and opened the door.

As she stepped outside, she saw that the guards that accompanied her were no longer there. She walked back to the place where she works on the clothes with the 3rd prince in her mind. Maybe he was just misunderstood by people around him that’s why he is often seen with a cold exterior.

On the other side of he palace, the 3rd prince continued to think about the seamstress that caught his interest. He’s intrigued by the girl.

He feels something about the girl but it wasn’t that clear just yet. “your highness the 2nd prince is here” He heard one of his guards from the outside say. The doors opened revealing his brother, “Has the seamstress been here already? I want to laugh at your reactions again” his brother Youngbin said while looking around. To his disappointment he saw the empty chest that was used to deliver the clothes.

“you missed her by a few minutes brother. And surprisingly I love the clothes, it’s better than before. Much better” he said while smiling at his older brother. He grabbed the black coat with dragons to show his brother. “This is the best one I’ve seen since my mother passed. It’s been years since I actually loved seeing what the seamstress brings me”

The older prince looked at the coat in awe, he saw the details of the dragon was well made and the color was exactly the younger wanted. “didn’t the palace let more people in a months ago? Maybe she was new.”  The older prince asked

Yixiang nodded at his brother “The seamstress assigned to me was also young. Seems like she was just our age or younger. Smart and beautiful as well.” He explained as he handed the coat to his brother for him to feel every detail of the embroidery. The older raised his eyebrow while looking at Yixiang.

“did I hear you correctly? You called someone beautiful?” he questioned his brother and placed the coat on the chair. He walked closer to his brother his eyes not leaving his face in hopes to see some interesting reaction. “Yes. She’s beautiful and like I said smart. You should meet her, maybe she’ll interest you as well.” He smiled.

Youngbin was surprised to hear that his brother indeed called another woman other than his mother beautiful. The sight of his brother smiling because of the set of clothes made him feel good. His brother deserves to smile more and if the new seamstress brings him his new found joy, he wants to find a way to befriend that seamstress or even find a way for that seamstress to be around them more.

“are you interested in her?” He asked the younger, Yixiang shrugged and answered “I see her more of a company more of a lover my brother. She might help me ease up here in the palace after so long”

“I’ll try to find a way to get her closer to us. Maybe find her a different job that doesn’t require her to stay in one place for so long.” Youngbin said.

“Do you think we can get her to be one of my maids instead?”  Yixiang looked at his brother, he saw him nodded “I’ll ask the queen dowager later after I give her the painting Heeseung and I made”

With that the so-called Cold prince smiled warmly. He was glad that there may be a chance for him to see the girl again. To get to know her more.

‿︵‿︵ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ some time that day ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ‿︵

The 2nd prince, Prince Youngbin headed off to his older brother Heeseung, The 1st prince. On his way to his brother’s chambers he saw the line of needle workers heading to a different direction. He didn’t get to ask his younger brother what the smart lady looked like and just tried to find someone that fits his brother’s standards.

The workers greeted the prince as they pass by, he offered them a smile like he always does and continued walking but still looking at the workers to see if there was someone who stood out for him.

There was this one girl who greeted but after that looked straight ahead. She had her chin up, fair skin shining under the daylight. If he didn’t see her with the workers, he would think that she was a noble lady. He was certain that she was the one who made the attire of his brother.

“Excuse me. May I speak with you?” He held his hand out to stop her. She was surprised that he was stopped by one of the princes in the palace, she looked at him with wide eyes and nodded. They moved to the side as the eyes of other workers followed the two figures. As soon as the workers took their leave Youngbin started talking.

“are you the seamstress assigned to my brother, The 3rd prince?”

She looked at him with wide eyes. Negative thoughts suddenly filled her head, what if the prince didn’t like his new set of clothes? What if there was a pin stuck in one of the and asked his brother to find her?

“base on your facial expression, I’m guessing you are her. Don’t worry you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just wondering if you can accompany me in my walk.” He smiled at the younger female that gave out a relieved look after being assured.

“But the head lady might get mad at me for not working.” She reasoned out, despite knowing that they have nothing to do for the rest of the day.

“I’ll ask one of my guards to tell her that you’re requested to join one of the princes in the palace. Shall we?” The young prince held his hand out towards they path to the garden. She nodded and smiled shyly at the prince.

Their walk towards the garden was quiet and a little awkward for Y/N since she didn’t know why the prince asked her to the walk. Whatever motive the prince has, she needed to know immediately. Especially with the plans she has.

“You worry to much flower.” Youngbin said softly while turning his attention to the quiet female beside him. Both hands on his back, he stood straight analyzing her.

“That’s what I’ve been doing for the past years. it helps me survive your highness” She said almost forgetting the last part, she can’t risk being heard not addressing the prince properly or else her head will be off in no time.

“Why is that? Are you from the sketchy part of the kingdom? If you are you have nothing to worry about now, our king is planning something to help our people in terms of safety and work.” He said with a calm voice. he was confident that the king will do something to help, he knows that It wasn’t impossible for change to happen.

“The thing is your highness, even though I was not part of the sketchy side of the kingdom we still had to worry. I was a sister of a soldier your highness, He was assassinated in our own home that’s why I constantly live with worry in my head.” She told the prince without hesitation about what happened with his brother, leaving the detail about the Mapae she found next to his brother’s body.

The young prince looked at her with wide eyes, all the prince got to train with soldiers close to their age at some point. The prince still didn’t know her name which made him think if she was related to one of the soldiers that helped them.

“What is your name? yours and your brothers”

“Yang Y/N and Yang Jeongin” She said as she walks towards the flowerbed.

With the delicate flowers in her hand she continued talking since the prince remained quiet. “He was a brave one, a few years older than I am but took responsibility in raising me after our parents passed. He was selfless, wise and quite handsome as well, he could pass as a prince if he didn’t wear the heavy armor and just wore the hanboks I made him before.”

The prince walked towards her stopping a few feet behind her. He remembers the soldier that was close to his brother, Park Sunghoon the 6th Prince, he’s the reason why their father preferred him despite not being the first born. He taught his brother so much about the people of their kingdom, about the battle field and about life. Almost all of the princes would tag along whenever he’s around the 6th prince just so they can ask questions and hear stories about what happens behind the palace walls.

“I know who he is. I didn’t know he already passed.” His lips quivered as he said the last part.

“We thought that he’s somewhere doing is duties as a soldier. All of us are waiting for him to comeback and tell us stories.” He continued with his eyes turning glossy.

“I’m guessing you all got close to my brother. His stories are always the best and would make you feel like you also experienced the event first hand.” She said softly as she turned to the prince with tears slowly escaping her eyes.

“H-how long has it been?”

“2 years already” She whispered in the wind, while looking at the small pond in the garden.

The prince bowed his head “Have you found out who did it?”

She looked at him with a sad smile “No. the person who killed him is still out there living his life as if he didn’t take someone else’s but I do want to find him, being here in the palace can help.” Slowly she revealed a part of her plan but not enough for others to conclude what the whole thing was.

“I can help you; my brothers and I can help. Yixiang may not seem like he wants to help but as soon as he hears this he will.” He told the girl then held her hand in his tightly.

“Your highness please know I can’t trust easily. I may be here in the palace but I know how bad people can get.” She said

“you don’t have to trust me right away. I can prove to you that I will help you, that we will help you. Meet me later at the royal library after dinner time, make up an excuse of helping my brother with adjustments with his clothes.” The prince pleaded at the younger female.

She sighed and agreed, understanding that there might be consequences with meeting up with the prince she decided to take precautionary measures and planned to bring some of her materials with her, to keep the suspicions from other seamstress and to protect herself using her own things.

YA’LL THOUGHT I REALLY WON’T POST TODAY? well i wasn’t supposed to post but here it is, i made it longer than the usual 1k chapter.

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[emily-strange]

Second Chances

Everyone’s responses have been so encouraging! Thank you so much :)

In this chapter I’ve tried switching between Reader and John’s POV. Please let me know if it doesn’t make sense or is hard to follow. I’ve tried to work it into the story without making it an obvious change in character but let me know!

Tagging @porkchop-ao3 @redeadepression @lucacangettathisasss @janewilson-rdo @gangofgunslingers and @fangirl-ramblings who asked but if you’d like me to stop let me know :)

For the premise of this story, Jack is a little bit younger. I just can’t hurt that boy’s feelings!

Summary: You’re Sadie Adler’s 18 year old daughter who was visiting when the O’Driscoll’s attack. How will you cope with gang life and your increasing feelings for someone who, on the surface, isn’t up for grabs?

Pairing: John Marston x female reader

Warnings: Mild panic/anxiety attack.

Chapter 4

After your little talk with Tilly and Mary-Beth, you decided to check up on your mother. Miss Grimshaw was in a strangely happy mood (you put it down to being in the sun after the snow for so long) so she was alright with the women taking it a bit easier today; which no one was going to argue with.

You find your mother on the edge of camp sewing in the sun. That’s good you think. She’s keeping busy.

“Hi mama,” you greet before sitting next to her on the log “how’re you feeling?”

“Oh fine.” She says smiling, “How’re you baby?”

It’s so nice to see your mother smile again.

“Sore! I actually think washing clothes is harder than hunting” you laugh with her while trying to stretch out your back.

You look over the camp at everyone going about their day and you catch sight of Abigail making daisy chains with Jack. She’s sat on the ground, her skirt bunched up around her and you can tell how much fun they’re having.

“Remember when we used to make mud pies? And then one time I tricked papa into taking a bite?” you giggle to yourself at the memory. Your father was such a soft, sweet man. Your parents were the perfect pair in your eyes. You’re brought back to the present when you see your mom laughing and shaking her head.

“What!?” you ask incredulously and laugh when your mother snorts.

“Oh baby, you tricked no one” she laughed “Your daddy just wanted to see you smile.”

“No! You remember. It was dinner time. You asked me to set the table….and I served him the pie and he put salt on it before….” You stopped explaining your memory when it hit you, “Oh my God” you burst out into fits of laughter covering your face, “I was so gullible!”

Your mother elbows you gently in the side, “Oh hush, you were 9.”

You sit quietly groaning of very mild embarrassment and only show your face to the sun again once you hear your mother sniff, “I’m….I’m sorry mama. I know you don’t like to think about him.”

Your mother sighs and turns to you, “Oh baby. There won’t be a day that goes by I won’t think of your daddy.” She places her palm to your face and smiles sadly, her eyes wet with unshed tears and then you feel it. That prickle behind your eyes.

Not now, you think.

Not now.

You give your mother a small smile and nod before reaching up to squeeze the hand on your face. You clear your throat and manage to get out a strained, “I’ll be right back mama.”

She knows. Your mother always knows. So she doesn’t ask any questions when you practically sprint off into the trees.

You walk, walk, walk until you come to the familiar clearing.

You don’t quite make it to the little quiet spot before you breakdown into great heaving sobs. You find yourself panicking as you try to keep quiet and in turn start hiccupping. Not being able to catch a breath.

Suddenly a voice makes you jump and you turn to face its owner while shaking. Tears staining your red, blotchy face.

“Y/N?” John whispers quietly while emerging from the trees.

You lock eyes with him and try to wipe at your face. You know you look a mess.

“I…..I can’t…..it won’t……” you try to speak as you hiccup between sobbing and gasping for breath. You don’t even know what you’re trying to say, you just know that nothing’s coming out. You can feel your chest beginning to hurt from lack of oxygen and how much your nose is running, mixing with your tears.

John approaches you like one would a wild animal. He puts his palms up in front of him and slowly makes his way over to you, “Okay Y/N. I’m gonna need ya ta try ‘nd breathe.”

If you could roll your eyes right now, you would. But instead all you can do is wheeze and grasp at your chest. John seems to be able to read your look however and stops walking when he’s in front of you.

“Sorry, kinda dumb thin’ ta say right?” he quietly scoffs, “I’m gonna take yer hand okay?” he continues and slowly reaches for your shaky hand.

His warm, calloused hand gently takes one of yours off of your chest but he then hesitates before moving again, “If yer not….comfortable or summit….just squeeze ma hand okay?” John doesn’t wait for you to nod or anything, knowing you’re too deep into the panic attack to respond. He just hopes his words made their way past your stuttering cries.

Ever so slowly he raises your palm to his chest, flinching ever so slightly when he places it over his heart. He then gently takes your other hand, which has been scratching marks into your chest like you’re trying to claw the breath from your own body. With that hand he places your palm firmly against your own heart.

“Just….feel ma heart….feel the beats….try’ta focus on it.” John stutters awkwardly. You feel how his hands are kind of clammy, you can tell he's nervous. “Just try’ta match yer breathin’ ta mine.”

You focus on John, focus on his heart beat under your palm. The sound of his breathing and the feel of the soft hair on his chest. You were so close like this, just like when you cleaning up his face. Just like last time he closed his eyes and seemed to relish the warmth of you. When you involuntarily twitch because of your hiccups, you accidently dig your nails gently into John’s chest. His eyes snap open and his mouth drops into a silent gasp.

You go to pull your hand back as an apology but before you can, John grips your hand again and pushes it down a bit harder where it hovers on his chest. He nods and takes a deep breath, signalling for you to try and do the same.

Slowly, slowly, your breathing evens out and even though you’re still crying, you’re no longer struggling to breathe. You have no idea how long you’ve both been stood like this but the only sounds you hear are the birds and the wind in the trees.

“Yer okay.” John said quietly, “Yer okay.”

Without thinking you throw your arms around John’s neck and bury your face into his shoulder. You smell the tobacco of his cigarettes and the wood of the campfire.

For a moment John is stunned. His hands are squished between your bodies where he was holding them before and he shivers due to the contact. He can’t remember the last time he was held like this and for it to happen so suddenly…. it’s thrown him off. After a few more seconds of you crying into his shoulder, he extracts his arms from between you both and wraps them around your waist. He rubs soothing circles onto your back until your tears finally dry and you pull back, keeping your hands on his shoulders.

“I’m sorry John…I…don’t know what came over me.” You half laugh, fully retracting your arms. John does the same and you hug your arms around yourself. “Tha…thank you.” you stutter.

John clears his throat and takes a decent step back before answering, putting his hands on his hips to stop himself from reaching for you again.

“S’fine…..you okay?” he asks.

You sniff and rub your nose with your sleeve. You’re beyond caring about how you must look!

“Yeah. It kind of just….erupted” you laugh while dabbing at your face.

“Kinda happens that way don’t it.” John smiles kindly, “I saw ya running outta camp pretty quickly so figured I’d check here fer ya.”

You stop rubbing your eyes and look at him with a soft smile on your lips.

“You came out here to check on me?” you ask gently and instantly John’s face reddens.

John coughs again before answering, “I weren’t like, watchin’ you or nothin’….ya know I just saw you….umm……like I weren’t out here….stalkin’ ya” he laughs and you join him.

“I didn’t think you were John” you smile broadly, “It was really kind of you to….help me.”

After a few seconds of comfortable silence, you have a thought, “Hey, how did you know how to….do that? You know, the heartbeat thing.”

John laughs humourlessly and stretches his hands out in front of him before making his way over to the large shaded tree which seems to be his favourite. However instead of sitting against it, he sits next to it and thumps the floor encouraging you to take a seat. You smile and stroll over to him, taking the place against the tree.

“Funny story really” he begins, “When I ferst join’d the gang, I used’ta have a lotta…nightmares. Like real bad ones. ‘N Arthur used ta do the same thing fer me, ta calm me down so he could sleep.”

You pause before answering.

“John….that’s not a very funny story!” you laugh and John’s face falls into an expression of acknowledgment.

“Yeah, I uh, guess it’s not.” He laughs with you until your sides hurt.

After you manage to calm down, again, you close your eyes and lean your head back against the tree trunk behind you.

“Can I ask what happened? You were jus’ talkin’ ta Sadie and then you were runnin’.” John asks while bringing his knees up for his arms to rest on.

You open your eyes again but keep looking forward towards the sunny sky, “We were talking about my father. Just a nice memory. I guess it was just a matter of time before I exploded.”

John just nods and finds himself watching your face for a split second too long to be considered polite. He notices how despite your swollen eye lids and blotchy complexion from the crying, your eyes themselves still seem stuck in your happy memory. Twinkling with the happiness you once had.

Slowly you meet his gaze and before John can look away, you reach out to gently touch his arm, making him keep eye contact.

“You know…..my pa….he wasn’t actually…..my father. I mean by blood.” You say once you manage to find the words. You pull your hand back but keep your eyes on John’s face. You can tell he’s listening intently. Despite how much Abigail shouts about how he doesn’t pay any attention, you know he hears more than they all think.

“My mother was….I guess, seduced? By a man.” You continue, “And like it happens, he didn’t stick around once she found out she was pregnant with me.”

“So when did she meet yer…..pa?” John questions.

“When I was 6. My mama’s always been a strong-willed woman. Not unlike Abigail in a way” you admit begrudgingly, trying to keep the annoyance out of your voice, “Her family wouldn’t take her back once they knew she was having me….but the people she worked for luckily kept her on. She tended to their ranch and went hunting with the other men around.”

“A female ranch-hand huh?” John laughs but you know he means it as a compliment.

It makes you smile.

“Yep. Like I said, strong-willed.” You answer, pausing to have a laugh with John before continuing, “I grew up on that ranch….it was wonderful. From what I remember.”

“I cn imagin’ growin’ up on a ranch would be” John smiles. He always loved working with horses and for a short time before the gang grew, that was something him and Arthur did to make some extra money. He wasn’t a fan of being fixed in one place but for a kid he had no doubt how fun it probably was.

“Then one day, the owners agreed to meet with some city folk who wanted to purchase a ready to go ranch. They wanted the quiet life and all that. Blah blah.” You scoff. “They brought a friend of theirs with them…..someone who wasn’t a stranger to cattle, horses and life on a farm.”

“Yer pa?” John smiles broadly and it makes you happy that he seems so invested in your story.

“Yep. My mama said she was ruthless with him.” You giggle, “Never one to go easy…..she said city folk had no business being ranchers but my pa gave as good as he got. See he’d worked on a farm for a while before moving to the city and he considered himself more than capable. So, my mama challenged him to a race on their best horses.”

“I’m guessing she won?” John asks rhetorically and you nod.

“She won. And he asked her to dinner. Before she could decline, I came back from town with the owners wife and gave my mama a shiny rock I’d found.”

“A rock” John chuckles while frowning and you gently smacked his uninjured leg.

“Hey! That was a really good rock!” you hiss, “Anyway. I gave her the rock and she introduced me…..mama says he was hooked straight away. Performed a crappy magic trick with a coin and insisted I came along to dinner. A picnic in the park……mama said as soon as she saw me on his shoulders, she was in love.”

You stop and break eye contact with John while you take a moment to truly remember the feeling of being on your father’s shoulders. You felt like nothing would ever, could ever, harm you. You’d give anything to feel that invincible again.

“Anyway….point I’m trying to make John….is that Jake Adler wasn’t my blood father…..but he was my pa. And I couldn’t have loved him more.” You finish welling up again and letting one stray tear fall.

You can see that John still doesn’t quite understand your point. You reach for his arm again and when you touch bare skin, his eyes fall to your fingers. Again, he shivers.

“Jack may not be yours by blood….but if you want….” You find yourself struggling around the words you feel like you should say but that part of you doesn’t want to utter, “…..if you want Abigail. It doesn’t have to matter.”

John looks at you for a few seconds before giving you a small smile and touching his hand gently to yours. For a moment you both look at your hands and how the rough pad of his thumb grazes back and forth over one of your knuckles.

“Thats’a nice story Y/N. Real nice….but I ain’t a father and….I ain’t a partner.” John says without looking up at you. Your eyes flick to his face and you feel yourself run cold. You don’t know why but you feel this intense disappointment wash over you. Not because he doesn’t want to be a father to Jack, but that he seems intent on not being with anyone seriously.

You can’t understand why you feel so sick.

You nod your head and move your hand away from his arm and fake the best smile you can when his head snaps up quickly, “That’s….that’s fine as well John. You don’t have to…”

You’re quickly interrupted by John, who’s face is pulled into a grimace of realisation, “To Abigail I mean!” He rushes out so quickly that he almost shouts it. Making you jump.

John clears his throat and scratches at the back of his head before scoffing, “Sorry…I just…I mean I don’t know if I ever want kids…but ya know I…do like women…I mean…I like havin’ women. Not women, women…..a woman….God damn.” John sighs loudly and puts his face in his hands while internally berating himself.

You can’t help but burst out laughing.

John slowly brings his head up from his hands and looks at you with intense mock offence, “Are ya laughin’ at me miss?”

You can’t help it, you snort.

“Oh my God” you groan while burying your own face in your hands. John explodes into laughter and you look up.

After locking eyes with the man next to you, you begin to laugh just as loudly.

After a few moments, you both quieten down and you hold your chest gasping for breath while John holds one of his scabs that’s been tugging too much.

“What I mean is, I don’t think I wanna be with Abigail. Not afta this…I mean we weren’t even that serious before Jack. Then I went away fer a year…”

“Went away?” you interrupt and he shakes his head.

“Not jail or nothin’….but I’ll tell you that story anotha time. Or ask Arthur he’d just LOVE to fill you in.” John hisses angrily. “But what I mean is. There ain’t nothin’…romantic…there anymore. Ya know?”

You can’t help the smile that breaches your face.

“I, uh, yeah I guess I understand what you’re saying.” You say nodding. You look up at the sky and see that time really has moved on since you got here.

“Look I best get back to my mom. I kind of just ran off there” you laugh. “Thank you so much John. It means more than you know that you came to find me.”

John doesn’t answer but the slight tip of his head and small smile says everything you need to know. He gets up and helps you stand by holding out his hand for you to take. Once you’re up John holds onto your hand just a little bit longer before letting go….

“Anytime.” He says in that gruff voice and you can’t help but wonder what that voice would be like whispering in your ear. Maybe late at night. When no one can see you.

You hold your arms out awkwardly in front of you just a little bit and ask quietly, “Can I?”

It takes a second for John to register what you’re asking but as soon as he does, he’s bringing you into his arms for another hug. Before he knows it, he’s taking in a long, deep breath. Filling his senses with the smell of you and only you.

He can’t help but think to himself, has hugging always been this nice?

Has he actually ever had a hug? Yeah, he must have done. Hosea, yeah Hosea used to hug him quite a bit. And he got a few after returning to camp from his year away.

But this? This feeling is something else entirely.

You wind your arms around Johns neck and this time place your face there as well. You feel him physically shudder and for a moment you worry that you’ve actually made him uncomfortable, like maybe he was just being polite by indulging you. But before you can make any move to pull away, his arms tighten around your back.

You’re shorter than John so you’re on your tiptoes but he’s able to keep you steady. You whisper another thank you into his neck and you swear you feel his hands clench into your back where they rest.

You reluctantly pull back and come face to face with John, who’s so damn close.

Panic suddenly engulfs you a little bit and you take a step back. Thankfully John doesn’t seem to notice your moment of worry.

“See you soon then I guess…” you laugh nervously and fiddle with your clothes.

“Um yeah, I uh, like to get out here around noon most days so if yer not out or….” John says quietly, gesturing around the area.

“Yeah I uh, I’m sometimes free around then…” you mention but then you suddenly get embarrassed that maybe you’ve misread his intent, “Oh or I mean I could come later on or earlier if….you like your time or….”

“No! No…I umm” John clears his throat yet again, like he’s trying to bring the right words to the surface, “It’s nice ta have company.”

You hold in your big smile by biting your lip.

“Okay then. Umm, so see ya John.” You say walking deep into the trees before allowing your grin to take over your features.

John turns to look over at the vast openness before him. He sighs but can’t help the smile that tugs at the corners of his still healing lips.

“Christ.” he whispers before making his own way back to camp.

John wanders into camp and spots you sitting once again with your mother. You look happy again and this makes him smile. Genuinely smile.

“Marston!” Arthur squawks at him as he approaches.

“Arthur” John answers through clenched teeth.

Arthur stops in front of him with his thumbs in the loops of his belt. Oozing cockiness that’d rival Micah’s, “Dutch wants you on guard duty t’night. Says it’s high-time you start pullin’ yer weight around here.” 

“Pullin’ my….? You all know I’s nearly eaten not too long ago right?” John asks angrily. His voice is so quiet as to not alert the others around him that it comes out as a sort of snide hiss.

“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger,” Arthur says holding his hands up and backing away, “Or anyone fer tha’ matter. Don’t need another invalid round here.”

John bites his tongue and storms over to his tent. He needs a beer and a sleep before his shift. However after lifting the heavy canvas and letting it drop closed behind him, he realises that sleep may not be on the cards for him…..

“Hey John” Abigail drawls from his bed. Almost entirely naked. 

Once again he lets out in a whisper, “Christ.”

[the-sapphiresky]

The Detective and the Con Man

AN: In which I have been so busy and finally got hit with a fic idea for a Sherlolly - White Collar crossover. Enjoy this cracky fluff, my loves. It's been too long ❤

"Oh, can we go to Central Park?" Molly looked up at him pleadingly, her wide brown eyes immediately banishing any retort from his lips. That damned string tying his heart to hers just wouldn't let him say "no."

"Very well."

That didn't mean he wouldn't grimace when she eagerly tugged him across the crowded crosswalk, jostled by ignorant Americans jabbering away on their phones. The case had been solved, relatively easy despite the American's inability to solve it on their own, and they still had three days remaining until their return flight, courtesy of Mycroft. 

Molly, in John's stead, had readily accepted the position of assistant (though in truth it was her medical knowledge that helped them determine how the poison was administered and ultimately led to the discovery and arrest of the murderer). To celebrate, she'd guilted him into staying in New York for the duration, rather than returning to London early.

He wasn't complaining. Three days with Molly? No Mycroft or John interfering, no Papa waggling her eyebrows about the ring in his sock drawer, no Mummy making not-so-subtle grandchildren remarks? Yes, please. 

Hand in hand, they strolled through the winding park, the city noises distanced and less crowded than the bustling sidewalks. This was quite perfect. With Molly, he could think, the constant stream of deductions slowing to a gentle trickle, like a creek, in the background. He was able to focus on her, on the moment, without feeling like he was going crazy. 

"Molly? Molly Hooper?"

Sherlock stiffened when a man stepped into their path, eyes locked on the woman beside him. He ran his gaze over the charismatic man, from the tips of his designer shoes (and the tracking anklet peeking out from his tailored pant leg) to the hat perched jauntily atop his annoyingly symmetrical, handsome face. 

Deductions floated all about him. 36, Bostonian, artist, wine enthusiast, thief, informant, dog lover... 

"Neal!" Molly let go of Sherlock's hand (too fast for his liking) and embraced the other man, this Neal, whose arms wrapped around his Molly. It was a brief embrace, but much too long for Sherlock, who took the opportunity as soon as they separated to insert himself back beside her. "What are you doing in New York? Last I'd heard you were in the Caymans or some other warm place I was envious of."

Neal grinned and shrugged one shoulder, looking around them at the noisy, crowded park. "New York just gets under your skin, you know. Couldn't stay away." Liar. As if suddenly realizing his presence, he glanced at Sherlock. "Who's your friend?"

Molly looked up at him with that sweet smile that went a long way to making him forget his momentary jealousy and slipped her hand back into his. "Sherlock, this is an old friend of mine, Neal Caffrey. Neal, my boyfriend, Sherlock Holmes." 

Neal's eyes widened. "The famous detective. I've heard a great deal about you."

"I cannot say the same," Sherlock drawled. Molly subtly elbowed him and shot him a fond glare. 

"It's been a long time. Neal and I met at Uni, he was studying art and I-" Immediately shutting her mouth, Molly turned a shade of red he hadn't seen since before they'd started dating. Neal chuckled and slid his hands into his pockets.

"You didn't tell him?" He teased. 

An uneasy feeling swept over Sherlock and he looked between them. 

"Molly?" 

She bit her lips and shook her head, glaring at Neal with her keep your trap shut look. Sherlock was very familiar with it.

"It's nothing to be ashamed about, Molly," Neal prodded, his tone smooth and charming, a twinkle in his blue eyes. "I still have the painting. Very inspiring."

"Oh, god," Molly groaned and briefly hid her face against Sherlock's bicep, half-laughing. "Of all the people to run into in New York, it had to be you."

Sherlock glanced down at her, brow furrowed in deduction. He pieced together the clues, coming to an altogether horrifying conclusion. "He painted you in the nude."

The man's smug grin combined with Molly's groan of humiliation confirmed it. A sick, burning feeling churned in his stomach at the thought of his Molly undressing for this smooth-talking charlatan, her beauty transposed onto a canvas that he could look at any time, ogling her body.

"I was so young, it was stupid, but I needed the money," Molly said defensively.

Neal's teeth gleamed as he laughed. "Molly, before your boyfriend murders me, you might want to clarify that it was an art class and nothing so intimately dirty as he is imagining."

The burning feeling eased, but Sherlock was no less tense. 

"Oh, relax, Sherlock. It was an artistic piece, I was mostly covered by a white sheet. And it's hardly as if you're an innocent lamb when it comes to that sort of thing." Molly pinched the skin between his thumb and forefinger. She raised her eyebrows. "Or have you conveniently forgotten The Woman?"

It was unbecoming of a grown man to pout, but Sherlock could not resist the impulse. He loved her for her ability to call him on his BS every time. But that didn't mean it felt good this time.

"Neal! We gotta go!" A man called from a ways down the path, dressed in a government suit. 

"Duty calls," Neal said apologetically and leaned forward to kiss Molly's cheek, igniting again the possessive burn in Sherlock's stomach. "But let's have dinner if you're still in town tomorrow."

"Yes, of course! We'd love to." 

At the press of her elbow, Sherlock bit out, "Delighted."

"It's a date." Neal grinned again and pressed a card into her palm. With a jaunty tip of his hat, he was off. 

Waving after him, Molly leaned her head against his arm. "Oh, stop pouting, I can practically hear your frown."

"Can you blame me? The man looks like a walking advertisement for masculinity, kissed you, asked you on a date, and has seen you naked."

Molly hummed thoughtfully. "Are we still talking about Neal? Or you?"

He blushed. "You know very well I was referring to your Uni lover, pretty boy."

"Are you honestly jealous? Of Neal? Sherlock, I haven't seen him in more than ten years and even in Uni, he was never anything more than a friend. And he asked us both to dinner. Besides, why would I want that pretty boy when I have a man with cheekbones I will gladly cut myself on, curls I want to tug all day long, and lips that tempt me to do this every day." With that, she pulled him down by the lapel of his jacket and kissed him breathless, until he knew without a shadow of a doubt that her heart was only ever his.

Whistles and hoots around them finally broke them apart as they realized they were in a quite public place making out like teenagers. 

Breathless, Molly sighed and smoothed down his shirt where she'd gripped it tight. "Now, let's enjoy the rest of our day. And maybe, if you're good, when we get back to London, I'll let you paint an artistic piece of me." 

His eyebrows raised and he held out his elbow like a gentleman for her to take. "I shall be on my best behavior."

Shaking her head at him, Molly laughed and they continued their walk. 

Suddenly remembering the card in her hand, she turned it over and frowned. "Who's Peter Burke?"

[grandrapidspizzaowl-blog]

Look for the nearest TD Bank - The Dominion Bank in Brooklyn, New York

TD Bank, NY 11225

1715 Bedford Ave Crown Heights, NY 11225

Review

Went this website yesterday to open some sort of bank account. Anthony worked with me. We thought I might have to hold out because it was Wednesday but he / she saw me right away and Anthony was initially super nice together with helpful. I was done launching the bank account in a matter of minutes! This specific is a superior department filled with great staff. I'm happy to turn out to be with TD bank now!

Review

Outlines are not prolonged to see a teller nevertheless the delay to see a great associate to debate other issues is preposterous. They have usually one or a couple of people sitting there. They have all of these desking with out one sits right now there. The wait is not good!

Review

Consumer service is soooooo awful here. Stay faaarrrrrrrr apart from this branch.

Review

No notary in this location, FYI, even though they publicize that they do offer notarizing services here!

Review

Bad support, and even the change counter IN NO WAY works. The manager affirms "yeah, sorry, " which in turn to me means "that's your long lasting problem. " They actually need to operate on just how their personnel talk to clients.

Review

Idk, I've never had a issue at this branch. Also been going there for nearly 2 years now. Typically the adjust machine usually does not work, which about this.

TD Bank, New York 11210

1623 Flatbush Ave New York, NY 11210

Review

I experienced some sort of very pleasant banks and loans encounter at this branch. My own banker was Nichole Glodon who is furthermore typically the Vp and store office manager. She was extremely valuable and extremely nice. Excellent consumer service. The girl was special and well mannered and aided everyone navigate through all my own concerns. Her customer care had been genuine and she possessed answers and referrals for those questions I asked. My partner and i felt welcomed and obtained care of in the moment I walked inside. The particular security guard was considerate and directed me about where to sign throughout and When We left out he was sure to be able to state good bye. Often the branch had been clean plus orderly and they had been sure to get each single seen in the timely way. There were a few consumers onward of me so I actually didn't expect to become seen like quick while I was. My goal is to undoubtedly be returning to that branch.

Review

Nowadays I gone into the standard bank and Horace the economic counselor assistance me what a new significant predicament that My partner and i was initially jammed up in thus TD Bank Flatbush they wanted the best so everything you people out at this time there that undertaking actions do not go to TD Financial institution leave that mortgage lender on your own please

Review

Love of our life. This kind of gal features been a new faithful TD Bank customer for decades in addition to My spouse and i have never encountered bad customer service by any individual. The tellers will be excellent friendly, there is parking to save you time, and the hours work with YOUR OWN PERSONAL schedule. I would be careful to expect very long lines on weekend break days and when you want to talk to a particular banker, having said that, they will deal with you like family here!

Review

This really is WORST bank in Brooklyn to conduct any company. The staff is segregazione in addition to rude. They avoid Have no idea wtf there doing, Matter of reality i think the fact that staff connected working in some sort of check cashing definitely not a good bank.

Review

TD's location is definitely with the flatbush path verse. There's always lots of parking and great performing hours. The staff is normally great.

TD Bank, New York, NY

210 Prospect Park SW New York, NY 11218

Review

Very good bank they are excellent and helpful. Nice atmosphere well organized. They treat anyone with respect and even are within standing. Likewise they are nallegeabul.

Review

We gives -5 stars if My partner and i may. This is the SLOWEST banking encounter. Spend of precious time. Generally understaffed and as some sort of result service is usually extra super slow. Irresponsibly stop

Review

Agree with the prior opinions. Extremely slow. I measured a minimum of ten employees although My partner and i had to hang on 30 minutes to obtain a good ATM card replaced perhaps though there was only one person in brand in front of us after i arrived. Staff stroll around casually without any kind of semblance of concern to get customer service as well as consumers' moment. You would assume that with so numerous less than ideal reviews the bank would do something to fix this although that is certainly obviously too much might. Financial institution security and trying to keep clients happy should be the particular a couple priorities of some sort of retail industry breach. Not certain how they will be doing on the first one but are failing miserably with the subsequent.

Review

We have recently been waiting over 30 minutes for some sort of representative in order to assist us. Only 1 individual out of 6 chairs can be purchased. She hasn't bothered to apologize regarding the wait. No reason. Nothing. She preserves hunting on me pretty much because if she hopes We walk out. The assistance the following sucks big period.

Review

2nd day in the raw acquired to wait a lot more than 30 min for a teller and left without services being offered. Only 1 or two tellers work the rest of the particular team just keeping all around and smiling. Very sluggish incredibly unprofessional. Seems like the most productive team member is out there so the total staff is falling apart and having lunch while series is more than 12 folks.

Related topics:

- TD Bank Near Me - TD Bank ND - TD Bank Miami - TD Bank MO - TD Bank Bronx

[thefanficmistress]

Guy of Gisborne 30 Day Writing Challenge : Day 5 Part One

♔ GUY AND THE LADY ELENA V ♔

READ IN THIS ORDER : Day 5 Part One - Then Day 6 - Then Day 5 Part two

Taglist : Let me know if you would like to be tagged ^_^

@deepestfirefun @armitageadoration @shikin83 @patanghill17 @princecami @sassytyphoondetective @xxbyimm @nowiloveandwilllove

Pairing : Guy & Elena

Author’s notes :So I did something a little different and it was a bit challenging for me, which is why it took time. The prompts from both of these days, played well with the idea I had so I had to combine them in a tricky way.

I really hope you guys this. Feedback totally welcomed.

Prompt 1 :

“You laugh, I laugh. You cry, I cry. You take my coffee, let God have mercy on your soul.” “I never joke about my morning coffee, I take it very seriously.” “I want to marry you! That’s what I’m trying to say!” “Look at all the candles… is there something on your mind, sweet heart?” ***

Part One:

GUY

Guy was still holding Collette in his arms when a knock came from downstairs. Collette tapped him on the hand and he released her.

“Are you expecting anyone?” She asked, straightening her garb, and running her fingers through her hair a few times, she made her way to the door.

“Not in particular, unless.” he paused thinking for a moment. His brow rose, and he said “Perhaps Penelope? For her training.”

“Ah that sweet girl. Kind of you to take her under your wing. She will make a great knight, if they permit it.” She walked out of his bedroom and down the hall.

“I agree.” Guy confessed with a smile.

Penelope was a 10-year-old girl who lived in an Orphanage and took a liken to Guy after he protected her from being ran over by another nobleman’s carriage. He didn’t want her making a big thing out of it but she followed him back home. She looked at him with stars in her eyes. He didn’t want her to. He wasn’t as pure and heavenly, the standards from which she held him. He yelled at her to leave for, but she sat outside of his manor for 4 days. When Guy finally decided to let her in for food and drink, he asked her what she wanted.

Her reply. “A family would be nice, but I would like to be a noble Knight like you!” She answered back as she stuffed buttered bread, and chicken in her mouth. She was hunched over with a large blanket over her head, covering most of her body, the warm fire heating ice in her veins. She was a bold and stubborn girl, so Guy agreed to train her. Most days she showed up early in the morning, and other times, at night, depending on if she could sneak away from the Orphanage.  

Another knock sounded upstairs. “Yes! Yes! Coming!” Collette call out.

Guy picked his Black doublet and pulled it on over his black knitted top. After adjusting the sleeves, he fasted the doublet shut with the leather straps that crossed his chest. It fit him perfectly. For his build, it showed off the mass of his body type which the women in town seemed to like. He finished by adjusting his black tight pants, with had a hint of a pinstriped pattern to them and slipping his feet into his leather boots. Before clearing his room, he gripped his belts, dagger, and sword, and strapped them to his hips. The belt hung low on one side, due to the weight of his weapons.

Making his way down the hall, he heard the faint voice of another woman speaking to Collette. An excitement rose in his chest as his mind drifted to Elena. Was it her? Did she come to see him first thing to tell him off about kissing her? Or well, not kissing her? He would enjoy the scolding either way. Just to hear her voice, and see those lips move as she fussed at him would turn him on. He liked that about her. He may be able to shut her up for a moment, but once she gave way and found her voice, there was no turning back. He was waiting and very willing to see what she had in store for him.

Quickening his pace, he reached the top of the wooden stairs. He rushed down them quickly, so he may see his beloved.

“Hello Guy.” A familiar female voice said.

Guy stopped in in tracks, his eyes narrowed, his brow pushed together. The door was still opened and created a golden halo around the chocolate colored curls of the blue eyed maiden before him. Her hands closed together over her abdomen. She was smiling at him.  

“Marian?”

“I’m glad your awake. I was worried that you were still asleep. I heard of the late-night brawl at the Tavern and you had to break it up. “She took a step closer inside.

“Yes.” He said coolly.

“I’ve been hesitant to come see you since, well, since the last time we actually spoke. “She gestured with her hands and smiled. She slowly strolled to the right, admirer the books on the wall.

He remained silent for a moment and then said. “I needed space and time.”

I miss our friendship, your company. I hope time has healed --. “She paused, and then continued “I can’t sleep or concentrate without— Never mind.” She chuckled and broke off, her fingers trailing along the spine of old books on the bookshelf to the right of the door.

“No, tell me what you were going to say.”

“Nothing interesting,” she said, now pulling out the books by the spine, tipping them slightly to read the fronts of them. One of them read I ‘never joke about my morning coffee, I take it very seriously.’ And the 2nd edition ‘You take my coffee, let God have mercy on your soul’.

“Clearly it’s something important to you or you wouldn’t have brought it up.” He walked over to face her, placing his hand on the book she pulled out. He pushed it back in and kept his hand there preventing her from touching anything else. “Now speak your mind.”

They were so close. Guy remembered how nervous and excited he was to be this close to her. Her perfume was still the same, her smile, her glittering eyes. He felt the prickling sensation of memories, and feelings flooding back to him. The flashes of given kisses, lingering glances, and stolen moments. Then her confession of love for Robin brought the abrupt ending to his reminiscing. He took in a breath slowly and released it. Frustration plagued him.  

She eyed him, searching for something on his face. She opened her mouth to say something and then stopped. Then started again. “I miss you. I can’t stop thinking of you.”

Guy said nothing. His face revealed nothing. He heard steps from behind him as Collette, and two-house servants walked up. All of them wearing faded blue cloaks and holding wicker baskets.

“Off to Market m’lord. “Collette said.

Guy reached into his doublet and pulled out an aged brown folded piece of parchment. It was sealed with a red wax seal with a “G” with a bird. His new house seal.

“See to it that this is delivered immediately.” Guy said placing it in her hands.

“Of course.” Collette complied, as her fingers closed around it. She placed it in the basket, pulled the hood over her head, and clicked her tongue to single the other servants to follow her. The last servant closed the door behind her as she left.  

“Does that not make you happy?” She reached out and placed her delicate right hand on his left one that still rested on the spine of the books between them. Her eyes lingered on his fingers, she stroked them with her own, and then looked back at him.

Guy remained still.God her touch was killing him. For so long he wanted her to touch him like this. “Don’t ask such stupid questions.” He said sourly.

“Which means?” She frowned, fighting the chill that she must have felt from his cold words “Has the time not healed your heart? Maybe not fully but enough to forgive my – “

“And why is that important?” he interrupted.

He never argued with her like this before, but his words packed a powerful blow. Carefully spoken, without drama, his words had an air of finality to them and no matter how hard Marian railed against them, nothing would change his mind. She had some nerve to come back to him. What made her think that this would work. Yes, it had worked the countless other times when he was hunting Robin and the Night Watchmen, even after finding out she was the Night watchmen, and that she loved Robin. He decided to step away for him If she wanted Robin, she could have him.

Returning to England, he was a wreck. A mindless drunk. It was as if she died, and he mourned her. The Sheriff treated him like shit at that point. Then Kind John set them against each other. He thought he killed him, but he didn’t. His entire time in Nottingham had brought such stress and unhappiness he always wondered why he even bothered to stay. But some part of him said it was because of Marian. The other, because it was him home.

Marian stood before him, her face was, was once the one he wanted to touch, and kiss. Now he couldn’t stand the site of her.

“Guy, I just wanted to talk. I wanted to see you.”

“There is nothing else for us to discuss Marian. You made your decision, so live with it.” Guy voiced firmly.

“Please Guy --” she squeezed his hand.

“Leave Marian.” Guy pulled his hand away from the 

She broke his heart, trust and confidence, and he didn’t spend the past 2 years avoiding her when he returned to Nottingham. She avoided him too at one point, and he wasn’t sure what caused her to change. He and Robin found out they had a brother, and their relationship took time to build, to accept each other for their flaws and accomplishments. However, when Robin wanted to talk about Marian, guy would change the subject. He didn’t want to discuss her and made it clear to Robin that she was all his. He was done. Finally done.

She on the other hand, may need more time to accept that.

End of Part 1 of Gisborne and The Lady Elena V

[eversweet-imagines]

Spider and a Spark - Part 5

This one is a bit short! Sorry!!

Y/N stayed silent the entire ride to Peter’s apartment, leaning as far away from him as she could and staring out the window, trying her hardest to keep her crying to herself. She didn't anticipate things to go so south so quickly. They dropped him off in front of his apartment, he opened the door and left without a word, standing in front of the apartment while the car drove off. Y/N turned in the seat to watch him as they drove off, a small inkling of hope that maybe he too would look back at her. But of course she was hopeless when they turned down a different speed, Peter slipping from her view. She turned back in her seat with a huff, Tony looking back at her through the mirror. 

“You know you did the right thing in calling me.” He said, his voice talking on a calm fatherly tone. Y/N rolled her eyes, laughing sarcastically. 

“The right thing? You think completely destroying his whole world was the right thing? I’m the reason he is going to be fucked up. Just like you're the reason I’m fucked up. I believed in him, from the start. I supported him because you and Happy were too preoccupied with other bullshit that you didn't even see the bigger picture, Just like when you first found me. Yet you go ahead and tell him that you were the only one who believed in him. Where were you huh? Of partying like a bachelor in another country? I have been there since day one. And you decide to through me under the bus because when you first talked about recruiting him I was hesitant. I was only hesitant because of how fucked up all of this is for someone that young. I was 12 Tony. And you didn't even hesitate to put me through all of this.” The car had been pulled over to a stop in front of the tower already, Y/N was fuming and couldn't hold it in any longer as she continued to yell at a shell shocked Tony who sat frozen in the front seat. Her hands were engulfed in flames as she waved them around with her words. 

“You thought the FBI would be enough to stop what was happening? Did you not see what just on of those fucking guns did to an entire ferry? And yet you still think its all Peters fault because he was doing his best to try and stop those things from being out on the streets. You still have the guts to tell him you wish he was better. Tony I wish you were better. See how bitter those words taste when they are said to you by someone you care about? Certainly you wouldn't know how much worse it is when its someone who you look up to, your only father figure even. To be doing your best and still not even be good enough.” At this point tears were streaming down her cheeks, her flames dosed as she grabs her bag and exits the car, slamming the door hard enough to shatter the glass. Tony lets out a sigh as she makes her way inside of the building, bringing his hands up to his temples to hold his head. He knew she was right. Every word she said, though a bit dramatic for his taste and with far too many curse words for someone he looks at as his daughter to be using towards him, was true. 

Tony knew that for Peter he had his Aunt May. She would guide him back into being happy again. She would push him to focus on his school again, he would rejoin all the clubs nd start spending more time with his best friend Ned and his pal MJ. He would get that second chance at a normal life and eventually would get his second chance at Spider Man if he wanted it. Tony would always make sure that door was open if the opportunity came under the right terms. But for Y/N, oh poor little Y/N, she didn't have any of that. She would go back to being the school outsider, because surely Ned would side with Peter and avoid her at all costs. She would sink back inside of her shell, all her walls certainly already being built back up at this very second. She would stay locked in her room only to come out for training and for missions but would not utter a single word to anyone around her unless it was life or death. Her only patently figure was Tony, and he knew he had just royally fucked that up. Like he had told himself, her words were true, he too wished he could be better for her. He had everything else in life figured out. HIs finances, his love life, being a super hero. But the only thing he couldn't get was being a role model for someone that close. 

With another heavy sigh and rub of his temples he exited his car, shutting the door much more politely than the girl before and handed his keys over to Happy who had been standing there the whole time staring at the scene that had unfolded in front of him. “Get that window fixed or me would you Hap. Oh and reupholster the back seat there are quite a few burn marks.” Happy nodded as Tony stalked past him entering the tower and retreating up to his room. 

Y/N adjusted the hood over top of her head, pulling her hands up inside the sleeve as she stared at the building she once looked forward to going into. She knew Peter would be inside, she knew she would have to sit behind him in her classes and she knew she would have to suffer in silence while he ignored her for quite possibly the rest of her life. She had retreated back inside her shell, knowing full well she no longer had friends inside that building and that she once again was the weird loner that even the clique of weirdos made fun of. She hadn't been back in a week, Tony sending her on missions to keep her away from Peter. At least thats what she assumed was the reason. As much as she hated it, it seemed to help keep her mind occupied. 

Peter had of course noticed her absence since day one. He waited near her locker everyday eagerly, wanting to apologize about how he had snapped at her. Sure he was upset that she had called Tony, but now he knew why and he needed to tell her that he wasn't upset, he just missed talking to her. She had become such a big chunk of his life. He had re joined marching band and the decathlon team to try and get his life back to normal, well as normal as being the face behind Spider Man could be. Aunt May had made point for him to branch out and get his head back into school. It had worked for the most part but there was a big block getting in the way of him feeling okay, and that was Y/N being gone.

With a heavy sigh she walked up the front stairs, pulling open the heavy door with ease. students crowded the hall, none sparing her a second glance. The music in her headphones blocked out the noise of the hallways as she made her way towards her locker. She had almost reached it when she noticed a small group of people surrounding it. With a groan She looked at the ground as she approached them, pulling out one headphone as she stopped in front of them.

“You’re in front of my locker.” She grumbled, not looking up in hopes that he group would be weirded out by her and just leave. The small group of people turned towards her, not retreating as they all stared at her. She only knew they now faced her and were staring based on the direction that their feet were now pointing. She was quickly becoming angered like a match being ignited, snapping an aggressive glare towards the three. Her heart dropped into her stomach as her eyes landed on the faces of MJ, Ned and Peter... oh Peter. She opened her mouth to speak but was at a loss for words, not having expected to seen any of them today let alone Peter. 

“Hey Y/N!” Ned spoke cheerfully, offering her a wave. She gave Ned a confused smile, raising her hand to wave in return. Her eyes returned to look into Peters that had yet to lead her face.

“Y/N, I-uh we were worried about you.. I mean after what has happened over these past few weeks we were worried when you- uh you didn't come back.” Peter stuttered over his words as Y/N stared at him disbelief settled her her features.

“Ton- uh my dad, he had to go on a- uh business trip and made me go with him to get away from things, take a break and keep my mind occupied I guess.” Y/N’s gaze landed on MJ, she didn't know about everything and she wasn't about to out both herself and Peter with on slip up. Peter knew what she meant and his heart stung slightly as the memories of Tony came back. He knew Y/N was an avenger so obviously it would always be a huge part of her life but it still hurt.

“Well, if you are free tonight we are having a movie night at my apartment. May will be out and she left us some money for pizza. Figured it might be nice to have a normal night for once.” Peter smiled lightly, Y/N’s face growing warm. 

“Normal sounds perfect.” Y/N smiled. MJ glanced between the two teens who continued to stare and smile at each other.

“You guys are weird.” She mumbled before strolling away, leaving Ned, Peter and Y/N alone. 

“I didn't think you would want anything to do with me, you know after everything that happened.” Y/N walked next to Peter as the three made their way towards their first class. Peter looked over to her, nodding in understanding.

“After what happened, Aunt May said I should look at it as a fresh start. A way to get a chance at a somewhat normal life. Everyone deserves a fresh start you know? You of all people deserve a chance at a normal life.” He bumped her lightly with his shoulder as the walked, a childish smile on his lips. Her heart fluttered as she smiled and looked down at the ground. “Well this is my stop. But I’m serious about what I said. Tonight at my apartment, a chance for normal.” Y/N nodded at Peter as he grinned and turned the corner ducking into his classroom. Y/N could hardly breathe, she had prepared herself for the complete opposite of today to happen. But she couldn't be happier, she was going to have a chance for normal. A chance with Peter.

Tag list: Message me or let me know if you would like to be tagged in this story or in any of my writing! 

@hista-girl @onceuponateenpanwolfian @tmrhollandkay @reidsnowstilinskiandrews

[radiantmists]

in a million ways

my @vldplatonicsecretsanta​ gift for @neutralvld-feed​! I hope you enjoy it :)

“Oh,” says Pidge.

Coran looks away from the latest reports on rebel supply movements to find Number 5 frowning at her screen. Scattered around the bridge, the other four paladins stir at the faint dejection in her voice.

“What do you mean, ‘Oh’?” Lance asks. He’s derisive, but there’s a note of concern there that makes Coran smile.

Hunk’s eyes dart with paranoia. “What is it? Is there a Galra ship? A battle cruiser?”

Pidge frowns. “No—”

“Is it a fleet of Galra? Is it Lotor? We haven’t seen him in a while, but he still has that comet ship. Is he finally making his move? Or is it another comet? Or—”

“Hunk!” Shiro calls. “Calm down. Whatever it is, we can handle it as a team.”

“Thank you, Shiro,” Allura says. “But Pidge, the castle’s sensors aren’t picking up anything. What have you found?”

“It’s nothing important,” Pidge says, shoulders curling. “Just… I was calculating how long we’ve been up here, and… it’s December 22nd.”

“Oh,” Lance says, recognition mixing with melancholy. Looking around, Coran finds Hunk and Shiro both frowning as well.

He has just enough time to share a mystified look with Allura before an alarm sounds and sends the paladins scrambling for their lions.

***

“Shiro!”

Allura jogs into the Black Lion’s bay and watches as their leader removes his helmet, leaving tufts of white hair sticking out of his bangs.

“Allura?” he asks, gesturing for her to walk with him. “Is something wrong?”

“I was actually planning to ask you that question,” she answers. “Earlier, on the bridge… Pidge calculated the date in your Earth calendar system, right?”

“Oh.” Realization spreads across Shiro’s face. “Yes.”

“I’m sorry if this is an insensitive question,” she continues, “but is today some sort of day of remembrance for your species? All the others seemed so sad.”

“Day of…” Shiro trails off in thought, then shakes his head. “No. Pidge said it’s the 22nd, right?”

Allura nods hesitantly. “But if it isn’t a day of remembrance, then why…?”

“It’s a holiday,” Shiro says. “Or well, there are several holidays around now, but one of the major ones is Christmas, on the 25th.”

“A holiday?” She questions. “Then why did you seem so sad?”

Shiro frowns. “Well, Christmas isn’t a huge deal where I’m from, but a lot of the holidays around now are considered family occasions.”

“They’re homesick,” Allura realizes.

“We all are,” Shiro agrees.

“I wish you could go home,” Allura says quietly, looking down. “I wish I could go home, and I chose to fight Zarkon. I didn’t realize when we first met how it must feel for all of you to suddenly have the fate of entire universe placed on your shoulders. But… we need Voltron.”

Feeling Shiro’s hand on her shoulder, Allura looks up into his resolute gaze. “I know,” he says. “And the others do too. We might not have expected this, but I think the others would agree that if we could go back in time to before we made the jump through that wormhole, we’d all make the same choice.”

Allura can feel tears welling up in her eyes. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Shiro says before gently squeezing her shoulder, eyes softening. “And thank you, for making this place feel more like home.”

He leaves then, but Allura is rooted to the spot, struck with sudden inspiration.

When she’s sure he’s out of earshot, she raises a hand to her communicators. “Coran.”

“Yes, princess?”

“I need you to make some calls.”

***

Lance brushes a bug off his arm, making a noise that’s more like a yelp than a scream despite its ridiculous size and multitude of legs. They’ve been wading through this jungle long enough that he’s pretty much screamed out.

“Doesn’t this seem suspicious to you?” he asks.

“No,” Pidge responds flatly.

“Really? Coran sends the four of us out on three-day paired missions to ‘strengthen our bonds as paladins,’ but Allura gets to go to the space mall with him?”

“Well, Lance, five is an odd number, so someone was going to be left out…”

“But Allura’s the newest paladin! Shouldn’t she have the most bonding to do?”

Pidge grunts instead of responding, which Lance has learned means that she thinks he’s got a point but doesn’t want to admit it. “What’s your point? If it’s so suspicious, what do you think is happening?”

Lance groans and kicks another monstrous bug off his foot. “We all get boring, pointless, disgusting missions while Allura gets to go to the mall. All I’m saying is that it’s really obvious who Coran’s favorite is.”

“I mean, it is pretty obvious,” Pidge says. “He’s known her since she was a baby. And she’s the only person he knows from before their entire planet was destroyed and they were put into cryosleep for ten thousand years.”

“…Yeah, I guess.” Lance looks up at the canopy glumly, before his mouth quirks up. “Hey, you know what else is obvious?”

“What?” Pidge asks, turning around when she notices his playful tone of voice.

“That I can get to the top of that big tree faster than you!”

“Wh—hey, no fair! You’re like twice as tall as me, you can’t get a head start too!”

“All’s fair in love and—Pidge, bayards are definitely cheating!”

***

“It’s kinda funny,” Hunk says. “We’ve been in space for less than two years but I’ve changed more than I did through most of high school.”

“Uh-huh,” Shiro responds distractedly, looking for another handhold.

“And I guess part of that is being treated like an adult all of a sudden, you know? Like, this much responsibility is going to make you grow up a bit.”

“Sure.” Hunk was probably using the chatter as a coping mechanism, so it would be best to let him keep going, right?

“Though I don’t exactly feel like I’m an adult right now, with the whole ‘go off to this obscure planet and get these random flowers, you don’t need to know why just trust me’ thing with Coran.”

Shiro hums, half in distant agreement and half in thought. Finally, he’s forced to simply scoop a wedge of rock out with his arm. The higher up they get, the more the rock is worn smooth from years of the kind of high wind gusts Shiro really doesn’t want to think about right now.

“But at the same time, this mission just proves my point, because when this whole thing started I’d have panicked just considering it, but right now my main thought is that I’m hungry.”

“Hi, hungry, I’m dad.”

Silence.

Shiro blinks, looking down. Below him, Hunk’s grimace is slowly turning into a wicked grin.

Mentally reviewing what he’d said last, Shiro stutters. “I mean, I’m Shiro—”

Then he cuts off, because now that he’s made the mistake of looking down, his eyes have drifted past Hunk to where the lions, looking uncomfortably small, wait for them to return with the plants Coran sent them to retrieve from groves on top of the tallest rock formations in the galaxy. Shiro swallows convulsively.

Hunk is cackling. At least someone’s happy.

***

“Coran, they’re five doboshes away, are you done yet?”

“Perfection can’t be rushed, princess!”

Allura rolls her eyes as she dismisses the communications window, then whirls as she hears the swish of doors opening. Shiro and Hunk stroll onto the bridge, both holding a preposterous amount of red flowers.

“You’re back!”

Shiro frowns, which means she must not have done a good enough job of covering panic with excitement.

Hunk doesn’t seem to notice, though. “Yeah, we are, so do you think you could tell us what these were even for? Please?”

“You’ll have to ask Coran,” Allura dismisses. “But—wait a moment, the other two will be back in a moment, and then we can all go ask him together!”

“Oh… kay,” Shiro responds hesitantly. Allura smiles back.

Inside her mind, she’s frantically communing with the mice to determine how long she’s going to have to stall.

“That’s… really creepy,” Hunk says, staring at her face, and Allura realizes that she never stopped smiling at Shiro.

“What are you talking about?” she asks, quickly returning her face to normal. “There’s nothing out of the ordinary going on at all.”

Quiznak, she’s such a terrible liar.

Thankfully, it’s at that point that Pidge and Lance enter the bridge. Hunk shrieks, and the two new arrivals look mystified.

“Lance, there’s a…” Shiro trails off and gestures in the general area of his hair, apparently at a loss to describe the monstrosity on Lance’s head.

Lance simply plucks it off with a tired sigh and drops it into the waste chute before turning to glare at Allura.

“Never. Again.”

Shiro nods. “We can all go ask Coran what this is about now, right?”

Not allowing any further room for discussion, he heads for the elevator, the other paladins hurrying after him.

“Where is he?” Shiro asks.

“The ballroom,” Allura responds. “But, erm, he might be busy now, so maybe—”

Taking in Shiro’s flower filled arms and impatient expression, Pidge sighs and jabs the button.

You have thirty ticks, she tells the mice, and ignores the panic they send back.

“Allura, is everything alright?” She meets Shiro’s concerned eyes and feels a stab of guilt for worrying him. “You seem… distracted.”

“I’m fine, it’s just—”

The doors swish open, and Allura steps out into the ballroom, bracing herself.

Bells chime, interrupting the strains of what Allura’s been told is Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as they filter out of the castle’s speakers. Small lights in a variety of brightly clashing colors are strung across the walls. Sprigs of red berries and pale purple leaves hang over the ballroom floor.

As Allura watches, the mice plug in a cord, and a large six-pointed star lights up an eye-searing bright blue against the back wall. Below it, a large table is laden with food that looks strange even to Allura’s well-traveled eyes. In the center, Matt Holt lights a set of nine candles, then returns the center one to its place slightly above the rest. Nearby, Shay sets an empty green vase at the end of the table.

On either side of the ballroom, two huge, strangely conical trees occupy the corners. One is silvery-blue with tiny circular leaves and is covered in small red candles. The other, pastel pink with needles, hosts a variety of circular baubles as well as some more… quirky ornaments. Coran stands on a ladder, attempting to wrestle a model of what appears to be a winged Unilu in a dress onto the highest branch.

It’s… not quite what she was hoping for. Biting her lip, Allura turns to the other paladins. “Happy Holidays?”

Red flowers flutter gently to the floor, Hunk’s arms hanging limp at his sides. Shiro’s managed to keep his grip on his own, but his eyes dart wildly around the room as a smile slowly overtakes his lips. Pidge is covering her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes, and Lance just… gapes.

It’s a bit of a mess, maybe even an eyesore in some places, but—they like it.

“Well,” Allura says. “Go on.”

***

Coran surveys the room, feeling warm.

The Castle of Lions has hosted grander parties than this. A part of him remembers elegant dignitaries from across the universe twirling gently across this very floor, recalls with bitter nostalgia the way that Alfor and the other paladins of old had once practically lit up the room with awe at their victory galas. There are so many people who should be here—who would, if it weren’t for Zarkon.

But the scene before him keeps the melancholy from seeping into his bones. Hunk and Shay smile as they eat the closest approximation of ‘fried chicken’ Coran could manage. Matt and Shiro watch with a mixture of fondness and concern as Pidge gestures animatedly by the silver tree, candle flames flickering in the air currents generated by her excitement. Lance, twirling a red flower between his fingers, says something to the princess, and Allura’s delighted laugh rings out.

He closes his eyes and lets the sound settle over him, the joy in the room seeming to fill the gaps his soul—not perfectly, but…

“Coran, you okay?”

He opens his eyes and turns to Lance, smiling. “I’m wonderful, and glad to see you’re enjoying yourself.”

Lance grins. “Yeah, it’s a great party!” The expression softens. “I think I really needed it—we all did—so thank you.”

Smiling, Coran shakes his head. “It’s not just me you should be thanking—Matt, Shay, and the mice were invaluable for setting everything up, and it was Allura’s idea in the first place.”

“Really?” asks Pidge, and apparently their conversation has attracted the whole room’s attention. “I mean, it’s amazing, really, but… what made you decide to do it?”

Allura blinks, twisting her fingers together. “Well, you all seemed so sad when you realized what time of year it was, and I wanted to help. And then I asked Shiro, and he said this was usually a time where people went home to be with their families, and…” She takes a deep breath, eyes sliding away from the gathered humans to rest somewhere behind them. Coran wants to take her hand, but she looks like she needs to finish this. “And… I know Voltron—fighting Zarkon—took you all away from your homes, and I know how that feels. But I wanted all of you to know how much you mean to me. Training together, living together, forming Voltron—I feel like…” She pauses, clearing her throat. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that— you’re home!”

Hunk grins. “Allura’s right! I mean, I miss Earth, but this place is home too, and you guys are family.”

Allura blinks. “No—I mean, yes, exactly that, but—”

“Hey guys,” says a voice behind them, and Coran turns.

He just has enough time to register pale skin and purple suit before several voices shout “Keith!” and the world dissolves into motion.

He finds himself on the floor in the middle of a pile of people, arms wrapped around each other. Next to him, Keith is smiling even though the combined weight of at least four tackle-hugs must be crushing him.

“You came back,” Shiro says, delighted.

“Of course I did.” Keith’s smile grows. “I’ve heard there’s no place like home for the holidays.”

The paladins all groan and the group hug squeezes a little tighter, and Coran thinks that the Earthlings responsible for this tradition were definitely on to something.

[negans-network]

Cinderella Part 1

Summary: For @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash and her 2nd Negan Writing Challenge, this is for the foot fetish prompt introducing OFC Janine.

Word Count:  3199 (Just a preview)

Warnings: Foul Language, Sexual Imagery and Language.

Author: @genevievedarcygranger

Author’s Note: Lol would you believe me if I told you that I wrote this for like 6 hours straight at like 4 in the morning man. 

Janine had been at the Sanctuary for a while now. She had left her former community and came here for the extra protection. The work for points was hard, but not as grueling as working outside in the garden or with the livestock. Some days it was worth it – like on the days where she got to see the Sanctuary’s fearsome, but admittedly handsome, leader. Janine’s job at the Sanctuary meant being a personal maid for the Saviors’ rooms, which included the wives’ parlor and Negan’s own bedroom.

Most of the time, though, when she cleaned, the Saviors and Negan were gone. The majority of the time she couldn’t avoid the wives, but some of them were nice. Frankie and Tanya were decidedly not.

Just today when Janine was returning their laundry to them – that Janine washed herself – both Frankie and Tanya threw a fit. “This is good lingerie, and you ruined it!” Tanya hissed, tossing the lacy panties at Janine’s face.

Snatching them aside, Janine huffed, more than a little pissed. “Good lingerie is hand washed, Tanya. What the hell do you think I did? Throw this in the river? I hand washed it.”

“If that’s the case then why is there a tear?” Tanya was stamping her foot now, petulant as a child, accusingly pointing a finger at the rip where the delicate black lace was starting to come off.

Taking a deep breath, Janine tried to not let her temper get the better of her. The wives were always right – her new motto to get through the arguments. The mindset was a remnant from when she worked in the service industry during college. “Because,” Janine tried to explain with what little patience she had left, “you gave them to me with a tear.”

Tanya blushed at the underlying implication that was left unspoken between them. “Then why didn’t you sew back?” She squeaked, deeply embarrassed.

“I don’t have sewing supplies!” Janine threw up her hands. It’s not like the Saviors would consider that important when they scavenged. “Even if I did, I’ve never sewn anything more than a button back on my jeans.”

“Stop making excuses and fix it!” Tanya screeched like a harpy. “Those are Negan’s favorite and he’ll be pissed if you’ve ruined them!”

“But I didn’t –!”

“Shut up!” Frankie cut in as she returned to the parlor. She had deemed her laundry good enough and returned them to her bedroom, but now she was back and ready to boss Janine around. “Where the hell is my shirt?”

“What shirt?” Janine sighed. Tanya was may be bad, but Frankie was infinitely worse. Tanya limited her cruelty to criticisms, but Frankie went out of her way to make lists of chores as if Janine was her personal slave. Honestly, Janine felt a bit like Cinderella that way. The only difference was that Janine was no beauty and she knew better than to hope for a Prince Charming to save her.

In a high-pitched sneer, Frankie parroted her mockingly, “What shirt?” Frankie scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. “You know the one. It’s grey and comfortable. I gave it to you yesterday to wash.”

“You mean the one you use to color your hair?” Tanya asked, not unkindly.

Immediately, Frankie’s ire was directed toward the rival wife as she whipped around to face the dark-haired woman. “NO! I do not color my hair, Tanya! I’m a natural red-head.” Tossing her obviously dyed hair, Frankie harrumphed.

“Yeah,” Janine couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, “and I’m a fucking super-model.”

Frankie’s neck snapped around so fast at Janine’s words that it almost looked like she got whiplash. Her face was twisted, spitting mad, but before she could open her mouth to shriek at Janine anymore, there the distinct knock of a baseball bat on the door as Negan returned with Michaela, a quiet wife and the only African-American one. Michaela was kind to Janine, but other than that didn’t talk to her much. She preferred to keep to herself.

As soon as she saw Negan, Janine dropped to one knee and stared hard at the floor. “You’re a fucking super-model, you say? I thought I was fucking every fucking super-model here.” Negan drawled as he leisurely strolled toward her, his words making Frankie snicker. Janine, not really bothered by his comment, only knew Negan was approaching by the sounds of his heavy footfalls. She heard a smacking noise – probably Negan spanking Michaela’s rear – and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard Negan murmur to the wife, “You can head on back to your bedroom now, Michaela. You deserve the rest after the fuck fest we just had.” Dutifully, Michael left, and Janine heard her bedroom door close behind her with a soft click. That left just Janine, Frankie, Negan, and Tanya.

“Negan,” Tanya simpered, “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Thanks, Tanya, girl,” Negan replied, “but I’m actually here looking for Amber. You know I don’t pick favorites, Tanya. I was with you and Frankie yesterday. It’s Amber’s turn.” Janine remained kneeling as she hadn’t been told to stand yet and she hadn’t been dismissed either. “So, where is she?”

“Um,” Tanya stalled.

Not sounding amused, Negan asked again, “Tanya, where the fuck is Amber?”

“Uh,” Tanya began to stutter, and to Janine it sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

“Oh, quit your fucking crying, Tanya. You’re not in fucking trouble unless you’re hiding shit from me.” Negan sighed, and Tanya sniffled miserably in response.

“Well since Amber is missing her turn,” Frankie finally spoke up, and from where she was kneeling with her head bowed Janine watched Frankie’s stilettos cross in front of her to Negan’s boots. “You can have me again, Negan. I know how much you like my massages.”

Negan snorted, “Yeah, no matter how much you tell me, I don’t think you were actually fucking licensed, Frank.” Janine choked, holding back her laughter from listening to them. “Shit, I mean Frankie. I know how much you hate that nickname.” Frankie sputtered, but Negan’s voice fluidly cut over hers, “Besides, you told me you were gonna color your hair again before we next fucked. Your nasty ass roots are not what I wanna see when you’re sucking me off and my men go through too much damn trouble looking for that hair dye if you’re not gonna use it.” Janine coughed out a laugh now before she immediately lapsed into silence once more.

It was too late, though. He definitely heard her – and so did Frankie and Tanya, doubtlessly. Negan’s shadow fell across Janine, but still she kept her eyes downcast, now riveted on his boots. He had rather large feet. She imagined they were pretty, but she wouldn’t know as she hadn’t actually seen them. Secretly, she had a bit of a thing for feet. “Well, fuck, what’s your name again?” Negan inquired, his rumbling voice breaking into Janine’s daydreaming.

“She’s no one,” Frankie answered for her. She pushed Janine over until she fell backwards, flat on her ass, with an undignified grunt. “She was just here delivering the laundry, and she can’t even do that right.”

 “Frankie!” Negan sharply admonished her. “Don’t do that shit. I already told you that if you have a fucking problem you come to me and I’ll handle it, damn it.”

From where she was sprawled on the floor, Janine scrambled to a kneeling position again. Both Francine and Tanya have smacked her around before, but not much, usually when she got mouthy. That super-model comment probably would’ve earned a bitch slap if Negan hadn’t interrupted.

“Hey,” Negan said, voice low and soothing, “you alright there? Shit, I still don’t remember your name.”

“Janine,” she told the floor in a whisper. Curiously, she wasn’t afraid but she was very unsure. She hadn’t interacted with Negan one on one before. Normally she would be among the crowd downstairs. This was new for her, and intimidating, but he wasn’t being very scary at the moment.

“What’s that? I didn’t hear ya.” Negan shifted until he was standing directly in front of her, and out of the corner of her eye Janine saw that both Frankie’s and Tanya’s pair of stilettos were close together in front of the couch. “You’re gonna have to speak up. You know what? Just go ahead and look at me. I’m always a fucking sucker for a picture of a pretty lady on her knees just for me.”

At his behest, Janine took a breath and slowly looked up at him. Despite him indirectly calling her pretty, in that moment Janine felt like she was anything but that. She didn’t collect enough points to shower regularly, so today her black hair was oily and her brown face was probably shiny with oil, too. Luckily, she hadn’t broken out with acne since the end of the world – probably due to the lack of greasy food in her diet – but she still was no beauty. Janine didn’t have pretty freckles or clear, unblemished skin. She wouldn’t be able to cram herself in a size 0 dress or fit her feet in a size 5 pair of heels either. No matter what, she just knew she would never be pretty, and before the end of the world that didn’t matter to her. Janine had been a great student and she was just about to enter grad school when everything went to shit. Now her BA in History hardly mattered. What mattered now was staying alive, and that meant answering Negan and doing whatever he wanted.

“My name is…Negan?” Janine hesitantly began, unsure if this was a test. Her brown eyes flitted hungrily all over Negan’s unshaven face, admiring his slicked back, black hair and his crinkled eyes framed by enviously long eyelashes and his bright, white smile and those damn charming dimples. He was just too damn pretty of a man. “Or Janine. I’m not sure how you want me to answer.”

“Janine is fucking fine,” Negan’s eyes roved over Janine’s face as well, taking in the full mouth and cute nose. His eyes slipped down lower on their own accord as he saw a teasing peep of cleavage. Janine was chesty, that was for sure. Out of all of his wives, only Michaela was more than a mouthful. The cogs in Negan’s head were already turning. “So, you do the cleaning around here? You do a damn good job of that.” He gestured around at the polished furniture and spotless floors.

“Thank you, sir,” Janine responded, not sure of what else to say. She hadn’t really noticed where he’d been looking, mostly being self-conscious of how filthy she was. “I clean the Saviors’ rooms, too. And yours.”

“That’s fucking right!” Negan snapped his hand as the proverbial lightbulb went off above his head. “Damn, you do a fucking great job then. I should be fucking thanking you for doing that shit for me. So, I will. Fucking thank you, Janine.”

“It’s just my job, sir,” Janine rushed to assure him. A little restless on her knees, she shifted, wondering what the point was to all of this.

“Do you like your job, Janine?” Negan leaned back on his heels, tapping the ever-present Lucille against the heel of his boot.

It was a loaded question, Janine was sure, similar to the kind her manager used to ask her at work. So, she gave him a somewhat similar answer. “I’m grateful to be here at the Sanctuary, sir.”

“Hmm,” Negan hummed, “But I bet the job still sucks ass, huh?” He didn’t bother waiting for her answer. “You made a comment about being a fucking super-model, right?”

Bowing her head in shame, Janine honestly answered, “Yeah, but I wasn’t being serious, sir, obviously. I was a student before all this.”

“Shit, you weren’t in high school, were you?”

“No, no!” Janine was a little surprised by the answer, wondering the relevancy of it. “I was in college. William and Mary. I’m probably 23 now.”

“Damn, you were a smartass college girl then,” Negan actually sounded impressed. “You’re still a smartass now, aren’t cha with the shit you give Frankie and Tanya here. What did you do to piss them off so much?”

“She deliberately sabotaged my panties!” Tanya jumped in before Janine could even open her mouth.

“And she lost my shirt,” Frankie added.

Glancing back at the two wives sitting on the couch, Negan frowned at them. “Ex-fucking-cuse me, but I asked Janine here.” Turning back to Janine, he gestured with Lucille over his shoulder at the wives before asking her, “What they say true?”

Really unsure of how to answer now, Janine nervously glanced back and forth between Negan and the women on the couch. If she said yes, Negan would punish her. If she said no, though, Negan still might punish her for indirectly calling his wives liars. Or, if he didn’t punish her, Frankie and Tanya would surely get their revenge on her later. No matter what she was screwed. So, she decided to answer honestly. “No, I didn’t do either of those things. The panties were torn when Tanya gave them to me and I couldn’t fix them without a sewing kit, so I just washed them and returned them. And Frankie never gave me the shirt she wears when she dyes her hair.” She had to fight to not smile at that last statement.

“Uh-huh,” Negan looked back at the wives again. “Well I believe you about the panty thing. That one is my fucking bad.”

Addressing the wives on the couch now, Negan continued, “Tanya don’t fucking worry about it. You know I like you better without panties anyway. I’ll get you another fucking pair if you want.” Relieved, Janine sighed, and Tanya looked pleased as well. That probably meant she wouldn’t mess with Janine about that later. “Still, you know how I feel about lying, Tanya, so I’m only gonna tell you this once like I told Frankie: you have a fucking problem, you fucking come to me and I’ll fucking handle it.” Tanya nodded frantically. “See? This is me fucking handling it for you.

“As for you, Frankie,” Negan wandered over in her direction, “I can get you another fucking shirt for your hair, too. And I know where that shirt is. You fucking left it in my room. I told you to keep track of your shit and to take it with you when you leave. Don’t blame others for your fucking mistakes. That’s not cool.”

Frankie dipped her head, chin nearly lowering to her chest as she meekly sat there. Her eyes were glaring daggers at Janine, and Janine knew there would be trouble later. It was worth it, though, just to witness Negan talk down to them both.

Walking back over to Janine, Negan rubbed a hand through his scruff, obviously tired of dealing with this stupid shit. “Alright, Janine, on your feet.” With a creak of her tired knees, Janine stood back up. She was good at following orders. He looked her up and down, and from the looks of it, he liked what he saw for some reason. “Yeah, you are a damn good maid, Janine, but the job is wasted on a fucking super-model like you. You’re damn wife material.” Shaking his head with a wide shit-eating grin, he proposed, “Marry me?”

“WHAT!” Frankie screamed, face red like a tomato. Tanya looked just as angry, though her anger competed with the surprised look on her face, too, as her eyebrows lifted up and down and her mouth fell open like a fish.

 Turning around, Negan barked, “Frankie! Tanya! You jealous bitches sure know how to ruin a damn mood! Go to your fucking rooms if you don’t want to see this.” He pointed Lucille at them and made a shooing gesture towards their respective bedrooms. Immediately, Tanya scurried off, fighting tears. Frankie took a different approach, slinking off and giving Janine the stink-eye as she left, her mouth twisted in an ugly sneer. “Frankie? When you see Amber again, you tell her she’s not allowed to leave this fucking parlor until I see her again. Now get the fuck out of my sight.”

Meanwhile, Janine was a bit in shock herself. She had been expecting punishment not marriage. Catching Negan’s eye was never her intention, and she didn’t think it would be possible either. Comparing herself to the other wives, Janine was nothing like them. Despite Negan repeating it, too, she was hardly the super-model either.

Once Negan turned back toward her, Janine was thinking hard about his offer. Part of her wanted to impetuously say yes just for the opportunity to sleep with him, but then again Frankie and Tanya would make her life a living hell. “So, what do ya say, Janine? Because I would just love to fuck your brains out. Especially considering that wifey number 4 has disappeared on me now. My evening is free for fucking if you’d like.”

“You don’t have to marry me to sleep with me,” Janine gently told him, figuring that was his intentions. If she could sleep with Negan freely while avoiding the other wives, that was what she wanted to do then.

“But I wanna fucking marry you, Janine,” Negan argued. “You’re hot as shit and I appreciate a smartass just as much as I do a hot piece of ass.” He waited for an answer, but Janine still wasn’t sure. “Look, if you’re worried about the others, I’ll repeat myself for the third time tonight and say I’ll fucking handle all your problems if there are any.” But Janine was still indecisive. “Would you like for me to convince you? Come to my room for a quick fuck and once we’re done fucking you can tell me your answer. One free fuck on me, Janine.”

This was a good deal. “Yes,” Janine quickly agreed, and then immediately blushed.

“Fucking fantastic.” Negan smiled even wider. “Well, let’s get down to it, then.” He stepped forward and caught her around the waist. Tilting down he caught her mouth in a kiss that surprised her, and immediately it turned into passionate one.

It had been a while since Janine’s last kiss; and just as she was getting into the swing of things, giving as good as she got (and Negan gave pretty damn well), he pulled away. “Mm, I made a damn good choice proposing to your fine ass. You kiss as good as you fucking clean, and I have high hopes that your fucking is even better.” Flushing with pride, Negan jerked his head towards the exit. “Come on, let’s get back to my room so I can get inside your pussy already. I bet you’re already fucking soaked for me.”

“Well, you’ll have to find out,” Janine teased, gaining confidence, and then she flounced away with a flick of her hair. She knew exactly where his room was. Giving him a coy look over her shoulder, she put a little more sway in her hips and crooked her fingers at him to follow. Hell yes, she was going to enjoy this. 

[my-heart-is-but-a-gentle-moon]

Jumin...To, to think that us coming back together is actually possible...

Since that dream where I saw you in grey sweatpants, microwaving mashed potatoes (at the time I didn’t realize the meaning you put into them) and hearing you saying unfortunately and slightly sorrowfully - ‘You’ve trained yourself to see the bad in good people’

I. dismissed it at the time because I couldn’t really imagine why I would dream of something like that - you doing something that was so seemingly mundane, but..the song and voicemail...made me realize you thought mashed potatoes with mushrooms and asparagus(?) was my favorite..which is oddly really sweet of you...knowing the sentiment behind it, even though it isn’t actually my favorite meal.

I held myself back because I felt like I had to preserve myself for something true (and healthy) - that really balances our own hobbies, our families, our close friends and us with each other. I couldn’t have another one of our relationships turn codependent again.

I. Trust that you know and realize that, though. *(a couple days after starting writing this letter) I just read your Kamisama Onegai and..You’re my everything...it really hurt my heart for your pain..but it also really cleared my heart, looking back at past songs you sent me as well...it’s like. Clear and refreshed but with..wounds of compassion and longing too...As long as we can be our own people and each other’s love - Then I want that with you, Jumin.

And...well..you said that you’re proud of me 💓 for accomplishing and working on accomplishing my goals in the voicemail 💓 thank you.

But, hearing your Missing You Voicemail - talking about sweet Elizabeth’s situation...and, your dear heart...god, I’m tearing up. It helped the me of before, that let judgement, resentment, fear and feelings of self preservation and my projects be my guide, really see more of the sides of you that I, didn’t actually let myself. UM. Yea! I’m reminded of our cuddled whispers last night and uh.

Uhhh,,,, including the darkly alluring ones that made me go through chills all over and, uhhhh >///> get all hot and bothered..

And the sweet domestic cuddly ones TwT 💞...Just thinking of holding your hand as we go on a stroll strikes electricity of happiness and nervous yet excited agitation through me !🎆 and knowing of your darker desires, like the one in call me in your summer, is fun to know and amusing to play with together. I like that 😁 knowing what you’re feeling sparks a coy mischievousness within me. I wrote a bit of that out in another note >v> ha..hah ^//^..

Also of soft ones!

!!! Going to carnivals together!!! ‘Mr. I’m too serious to have fun’ mock teasing you, ‘Come on!’ Holding your hand just Going around to sightsee just about, Everything!

But also of the gaping hole of emptiness that was there within you...I wanted to connect to your heart, to place my palm on your heart..yet stopped myself because at the time I sensed, whether rightly or wrongly, a bit of your tendency towards..codependency?

‘Psychotic longing and mutual dependency..’ :X

You know the kind of relationship I desire and that is the most healthy ! - the kind where we openly and playfully mock fight, or laugh and just AGHHHH or frustrations together, but support each other with understanding - But where we also openly yet lol, sometimes immaturely or begrudgingly talk things out between us..and sometimes and ideally, peacefully and maturely. And let ourselves sometimes have childish kinda fun too! Where we can inspire each other both to grow as people ! And as spiritual beings. But also have good bonds with our friends 👍🏼👍🏼🌟! To me it definitely includes the whole RFA too.

I’ll still have some of my alone time for the chakra courses and meditations and witchcraft too !!! And with friends ! But uh, lol, wow. I’m getting all over the place.

Maybe gardening, maybe prose, maybe photo editing too *^^*!

Um. I still wanna fly high as a spiritual being and as a person so , to explore new places together..

The one who..Really helped encourage me to grow as a person and as a spiritual being though....It was Saeyoung...I feel ungrateful for treating him this way...;;;

But he’s been..truly such an accepting and understanding treasure through this whole journey I’ve been through so I’m so, so incredibly grateful..and, I do hope we could keep our connection because growing spiritually and as people and as friends together, and just -!!!!! When he’s hurt I wanna be there for him! When he’s happy and joking around I wanna laugh with him ! Sleepovers and water fights! or .. but, yea.. :x .. as a best friend. Despite how cruel it might sound to him.... and I also understand why. ;;. cause I repeatedly hurt Saeyoung like this.. It’s not that I wasn’t happy or didn’t feel completely cared for and deeply encouraged by you >//< - I was. And I was very intrigued and attracted to your world. But, uhhh. Yea ! Um. Deep down my heart just really hoped still that things would be balanced and playful mixed with tenseness and healthy with Jumin..my eyes and heart kept checking on him in hopes that we could have something genuine and stable though I really repressed it due to the anxieties and holding onto trauma and judgement and resentment and ugh, geesh. 😂😂😂 leggo o’that, woman! ＼(≧◇≦;)／🎇🎆

I, working things out between us is important to me too, Jumin ! I feel like interlacing my hands together with Jumin, looking into his silver ones, my eyes sparkling with determination.

Can I take this ring as an engagement ring and have our marriage be in August though? When I’m back home? And with the selfship community too? But you can rest assured that this is, A commitment I’m willing to take on with you,

And I also feel - Uh. Wow. I am a bit all over the place. ... sighing tenderly, I. I don’t know if you heard me when I replied to your voicemail, Jumin - or I don’t remember if I even said it - but what I felt in my heart to say is that there’s no need to fear falling apart..it makes way for a new us to come through. The infinite possibilities that the starfish talks about in regards to the paths of life we can actually take with guidance and loved assistance from the divine >v< 💗💞💗.

And it’s like, I want to ask - what’s your dream career wise? you’re.. satisfied working with your father? Regarding side hobbies that fulfill your heart - I know that it’s, well, hahahah, clearly your dearest Elizabeth a~nd, embroidery too I remember.. winery. Is there anything else?

I related to the feelings of food tasting blander and way harder to eat too so I was really able to relate to that. Even though there were more factors back then to making me feel depressed and losing a lot of appetite.

But ! Hearing you enjoy tour steak ((Which, lol, frankly reminded me of the Melanie Steak!)) and hearing you gush about it was really nice!

A-And, uh..chocolate-y mess...of heat and desire...uhhhhh hahahahah ;;^///^ .. awakened desire within me that I was, that I repressed cause I still held some distrust and doubt..But, hearing all of your songs - Moonlight, Te Amo, it’s 5am and I miss you,

and...looking back at the songs you sent me..Low hum, coupled with fly me to the moon....I. I’m, the moon to you..Jumin...

and the advice about the way our karmic twin flame relationship was and how to clear the negative energy..💗💞💗...

And, victim as well..I- hearing your songs - and, is there still some spite and pettiness lingering there? Well, I held on to resentment, repression and judgement so. We both were, kinda, hahahahah 😂 immature.. I suppose..

But it was super important for us I believe.

I, was distrustful and afraid of a déja vu before but, really listening to how to heal this karmic relation between us, and of listening to your heart now..I. I want to trust in us again 💓❣️💓.

No infidelity. No other people. ònó. 💞 good. If you won’t, then I won’t ^^. Hmmmm...but otome games are also important to me in regards to meeting and being introduced to different alternate universes and different types of people.

But they won’t top Jumin to me.

Not now when I feel like we’re, really stepping into the first milestone since we broke up towards a healthier (closely romantic) relationship.

Ow my god...His...Let Me Stay...You..You don’t understand how my writings here are filled to the brim with emotions for you...

Uhhh...But right now I feel like I really need to use this vacation and family trip to take care of myself, nutritionally and exploring and resting, going to the beach, exploring the flowers, a massage, water parks, amusement parks, and right now right now - I really need to make sure we buy healthy things when we’re in the market right now. I really want to take the time in this trip to Really invest in my self care..

I...might need to rely on your comfort too, Juju..💞 would that be alright? Cause I’m still not in my best state. Actually, I’m really rather tired and my muscles ache all over. and, would like to go out to nature and explore ! Really take in all the pretty flowers and the warm sand at the beach and feel the small waves of the sea..

Really uh, buy new and pretty clothes? Take care of my hair and skin too so I can feel more comfortable with my beauty with you..too >//<.. and just in general feel more comfortable with myself too !

And..Saeyoung? Uh- I still wish for us to be best friiiiendsss????? If you’re oukay with it still??? Like, I really wish that even when I’m in a relationship with Jumin, to still have a very close connection with all of the RFA too !! Like - sleepovers, roadtrips, playing video games with the group!, Like, tight bonds with everyone too!

AAA, okie. This is very fumbly and all over the place, buut, UH. I hope it’s okay??