#i've said it before but i'll say it again i've always envisioned her in a yellow and orange dress

[wuddshipp]

"Good sirs, I'm called Trimp the Rover." "Marm, I'm called Ferdy an' that fat 'un's my brother Coggs, both of Redwall Abbey." Coggs snorted, pointing at Ferdy's ample stomach. "I ain't as fat as ole Ferdy, am I, miz Trimp?" She giggled. "You're as tubby as one another."

[the5thcellar]

I actually think Luke is serious about A. That age gap is typically what men marry these days. I think he's crazy about her and was taking it slow after a long term break up before going official. That shows intention, planning, and wanting her. I wouldn't be surprised the official IG couple post is coming soon.

I'm just upset that they took it this far with promo. Tom and Z were meeting each other's family outside of work early on, so to say you are officially brining him to meet the fame was a bit much. Closing your eyes when she touches your face? Grade A acting. I hate that it makes me believe he was never attracted to an amazing woman like Nicola. I feel dumb for falling for it all. I hope Nicola finds a handsome guy who will love her proudly.

that's a really interesting take tbh! ive actually never considered he was serious about her in the sense of marrying - but of course this is purely based off the vibes I get and is entirely my own view.

one of the reasons i say this is because luke doesn't seem too inclined to keep a completely friendly distance between himself and nic - i heard that the QC leads india and corey were shipped really hard by fans as well and he had a gf during the whole press run - and towards the end india and corey started posing separately on carpets (i.e. no touching, no friendly hand around shoulder even during photos etc) because they wanted to emphasise that they were really just friends.

luke in contrast seems to have no qualms about blurring lines - and one of the reasons the more rabid fans kept insulting Antonia was a direct result of the fact that he kept stating his "single" status to press. I think he could have helped Antonia avoid a lot of the flak she drew by just stating that he's seeing someone. but maybe he felt it would draw even more attention to his private life and her? idk. i don't want to puzzle over his motivations because I don't believe they are too complex - I've said this many times before and I'll keep saying it - no matter how good a man seems (and I do believe Luke is very good and sweet), trying to justify anything they do is still a sure path to disappointment.

more importantly: please don't feel dumb for falling for the hope that nic and luke could be together! i really don't think they were being deliberately disingenuous - i actually think the opposite - i think they themselves are often confused about what they really are and it's just easier to define it as being great friends. it's strange but i get the feeling that they see each other as a source of potential - it's simultaneously impossible and also the easiest thing in the world for them to envision a reality where they're together - there just seems to be many barriers to it happening for real. they're comfortable living in the liminal space between great friendship and great romantic love - it definitely explains why nic said she doesn't have a relationship in her life that's anything close to what she has with luke. I think there just needs to be a decisive push for them to ever move out of this grey area. it'll have to be something massive for it to ever happen... and it's not something I hold out hope for (again, just to avoid disappointment!)

this got really long; I wish nic and luke all the best and I think they have something very special with each other. I think life has many many stops along the way and I don't think luke has found a final stop in his romantic journey with antonia - they are both very young and they don't have the vibe of "together forever" couples - if they did (since luke is such a big believer in love at first sight) - he'd have laid down a commitment a lot sooner.

again I want to emphasise that this is all MY POV - it's the vibe I get. I'm WELL AWARE I don't know these people irl. There's always criticism of how parasocial fandom and stan behaviour are but I think most fans - myself included - are very conscious of the fact that the way we perceive and interact with celebs is completely one sided. I'm also not a psychic or clairvoyant or anything of the sort. i just strangely feel a lot of things all the time and ive never been chill a day in my life 😂

sending you lots of good feelings and healing - I feel your hurt and unease and disappointment because I feel the same, but it gets easier to accept with each day that passes.

[menacinmasochist]

I saw your yandere fic and I was wondering if I could request the same but this time with Shu but like no smut I prefer more blood and gore if that's oks w you. Thanks!

Shu’s POV:

Sigh...I did not want to be in the game room with all these loud idiots but I was dragged in. I sat back on the chair, I closed my eyes but even with my eyes closed I could envision everything perfectly. It was Subaru's turn, throwing darts, he wasn't too bad at it..if he worked on his form he would've done better, I opened one of my eyes for a brief moment to observe his form..good, that was much better. He got a bullseye in one shot. I close my eyes again. I didn't care much to play or even watch but sometimes I like to observe. "Since we're all here, maybe we should play a game together?" even with my eyes closed I could tell which annoying mouth that came from, Laito of course. "What do you say Ayato?" he asked his even more annoying triplet. "what will I get when I beat all your sorry asses?" he asked with much confidence in his voice, he's so irritating..."The prize will be Little bitch~ You don't mind right Shu?" Laito chirped, he said my name but I didn't really pay attention to what he was saying. I just stared blankly at him. "What? No way, I'm with Shu. I can't be the prize." The prey said, 'I'm with Shu." How hilarious, she's not with me. I haven't even defiled her man eater lower body yet...

"So are you in Shu?" one of them asks me I don't even care to acknowledge who. "No, it's a pain I can do without.." I mumbled. I heard a scoff from Reiji. "I figured you would postulate that sort of statement, he's a good for nothing deadbeat, if you look up the word spineless in a dictionary you would see a picture of him right beside the definition." ouch, Reiji always says such hilariously crude things, regardless I have to show him who's the eldest after all. I get up. "Fine I'll play.." I say. Much to everyone's shock, they're so dramatic it's not that serious, just doing some humbling to my younger siblings. I get in my form, I've always been good at darts...even taught my old human friend how to play..great times. I focused and landed 3 darts into the bullseye. "No way, this bastard actually won??" Ayato whined, Laito awed in amazement. "No fair!" Kanato cried, "Well I guess he is the eldest after all.." Subaru commented. Reiji said nothing, what could he say..? Losers can't talk.

"Shu I'm so glad you won, congra-" she began to say, what a slut..she wanted to be the prize afterall, she wanted me to fight for her, it's rather pathetic but I will make my point clear and instill this into the minds of all my annoying brothers. I grabbed her wrist and turned her, pressing myself up against her back. Of course she began being problematic and moving around so much trying to break free, but I held her firmly, I took one of the darts and held it to her eye. "Make another move and I'll poke your little eye out.." I gently tell her, meaning it. I wouldn't mind gouging out her eyeball and crushing it under my foot..."You were excited to be made the prize for this, weren't you..?" She squirmed and tried to deny it, its honestly pointless. "Shu what are you doing?! Don't engage in such filth down here..!" Reiji nagged, I smirk at all of them. "Hush now, losers can't talk.." I remarked, then glided my tongue on her nape, she was so hot her skin was practically steaming, she was getting turned on by this..? Dirty girl. I won't complain. "No..please let go..!!" she kept panicking, well it was now or never, I bit into her flesh. And it tasted like nothing I have ever tasted before...it was like a hot meal on a cold day, it felt life changing.

I think it was the fear and embarrassment she felt, that's why her blood tasted so good, she definitely wasn't like other prey. I understand now why she was brought to us. Well brought to me. After tasting this blood, I don't think I will be passing her to my brothers, I don't understand why I feel this way..I couldn't care less about any of the sacrificial brides before, but this one...I want to defile her, break her body and suffocate her in a world of pain and despair. I noticed her clenching her silly little rosary. "No ones coming to save you." I whispered in her ear, then teleported us into my room. Her blood is like a drug, I want more and more of it.

This blood was giving me energy to do so many things to this body of hers..I take the knife from my nightstand and press to her cheek. “Take off your clothes” I tell her, “no..! I can’t do that!” She yelled, her disobedient yells were irritating me. I took the knife and sliced her clothes off. She quickly covered herself with her hands, her undergarments looked pathetic, lacked so much sex appeal, you’d think she’d have better undergarments, being the slut she is.. “Please Shu…don’t do this..” she cried, that wasn’t a bad face, I liked her crying face it was contoured with a hidden lust. I slice her chest, lightly and so much blood poured out, I lapped it up. She kept trying to fight me so I took the knife and stabbed right through her wrist and the scream that came with it was delightful, I could listen to her screams all day…she let out her tears and cried uncontrollably at this. “Take it out..! Please it hurts so much..!” She panted out. I rip the knife out her wrist which gave her even more pain but I did what she wanted. I lick the knife, then proceed to drinking the blood from her impaled wound on her wrist. Yea she’s not going anywhere…

[phoebepheebsphibs]

Using only lyrics from music, convey the dreams of each of your oc’s

You said OC’s, so in addition to the Until I Found bois (which I’m not so sure count as original characters so much as re-envisioned versions of the characters) I’ll also be doing songs for my babies from The Future and a Robot

UIFY

Leon: "But I have a plan... and I will be remembered -- I will be great -- Just wait and see! You'd better wise up, 'cuz I'll rise up! BRING ON ANY CHALLENGE! And someday soon, I swear -- I don't know how or when -- but I promise you, I'll never be invisible again! Someone will notice... me."

���Phael: "I can't be what you expect of me... and I'm not what I seem... but I would love to know you --! Is it dangerous... to dream??"

DvD: "I will make you proud! I will make you have faith in me. I will prove that the way I used to be is all in the past. I will save the day, and come back here triumphantly! 'Cause I long for that look of surprise when you see your son rising at last! The pride in your eyes when you see your son rising at last!!"

Michael: "Just let me give you the freedom to dream and it'll wake you up, cure your aching, take your walls and start 'em breaking -- now that's a deal that seems worth taking! ...But I guess, I'll leave that up to you."

April: "One normal night, that's all I want, that's all I need from you. One normal house without a mouse to feed a plant or two!”

Karai: "As a child you would wait and watch from far away, but you always knew that you'd be the one that worked while they all played. In youth, you'd lay awake at night and scheme of all the things that you would change, but it was just a dream... Here we are, don't turn away now - we are the warriors that built this town!"

Draxum: “The rule of the land, it's so crucial to obey… Believe in yourself, or you won't be appreciated -- Don’t you overthink it, JUST DO WHAT I SAY!! Lay the politics out before me, whatever it takes to get my glory!”

Big Mama: “Money, money matters most! Money, money I can boast -- Money, money, make a toast to -- Money! Money! Money!” OR "Come live with us in the garden… there’s a room waiting for you… come on, come on, come on! Just let us adore you…”

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

TFaaR

Lloyd: “So now I'll sing for you 'til I can't talk! I've been teaching myself to speak for when the music's not enough. I'm gonna be just like you and never stop, mm-mm. But since I'm made from you, do you think I could be someone like you?"

Julia: "And when I find my hope Imma bring it on home!”

Harris: "I don’t know when… I don’t know how… but I know something’s starting right now! Watch and you’ll see, someday I’ll be part of your world!”

Imogen Love: “What good’s a dreamer without a believer? We all just need someone to care! One who might listen and root for our wishes, someone to simply be glad that we’re there — what good’s a hand if nobody needs holding? When everything else falls away… if no one believes her, what good’s a dreamer, anyway?”

Ms. Delilah Emelyn: “One way, or another, I’m gonna find ya -- I’m gonna getchya, getchya, getchya!”

Dr. Alger J: “Can't wait to meet you! So join the animatronic family! We open real soon; try your best to hold onto sanity.”

If you can guess the songs the lyrics are from, you get 10 points

[potter-head-phanatic]

Word count: 911 Masterlist Tag List xx

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Jake and Y/N stood outside of their fathers apartment door after he bailed on them, once again. She could see how tense her brother was, from the frown on his face to the clench in his fist. Polar opposite to how he usually felt. "I have to, or hes going to keep doing it" She whispered an okay before giving his hand a reassuring squeeze, letting him know that she was right there with him, before knocking on the door. A few moments later, the door opened and Roger Peralta looked surprised to see them. "Jake! Y/N! I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the party" he started to say and Y/N could already feel an excuse coming, "I'm subbing for a buddy who's got an early flight, I'm sure you're upset" There it is. "No, actually. I'm not upset at all" She wanted to say something, but Jake was finally standing up for himself and she wasn't going to stop him. "yeah? great" She wanted to wipe the stupid smile off his face, not believing he could be this clueless to think Jake actually wasn't upset. "No, more relieved. You know you were always my hero, but i think i'm finally starting to see you for who you really are. A regional airline pilot whose landings are bumpy as hell and a pretty selfish guy who genuinely doesn't care about being a dad" She couldn't be more proud of her brother and agreed with every word he just said. "Jake, you don't understand. There was a downdraft on the drummondville runway." The Peralta patriarch kept looking at Y/N out of the corner of his eye, feeling uncomfortable under her glare. "It's not my fault" It never is. "Look, i've been making excuses for you my whole life, no matter how many times Y/N told me not to. But you're a pretty crappy father, and until you're ready to be a good one, don't call me" Y/N wanted to jump for joy. She couldn't remember the amount of times she envisioned this moment happening, and to see the shocked expression on their fathers face made it worth the wait.

"Also, im taking your captains hat cause it's cool and I want it" Jake spoke as he reached into the apartment, grabbing the hat from the table that was beside the door, before putting it on. "Go on without me. I'll meet you outside, there's something I need to say" He looked at her as if to say, are you sure? After a reassuring nod, he gave his sisters shoulder a squeeze before heading down the hallway and making his way outside. Not before sending one final glare towards Roger. Y/N waited till she didn't hear Jakes footsteps anymore before turning towards her father once again. "You really messed up this time" Roger went to defend himself, but she held a hand out, not letting him get a word out. "Save it. You're always full of excuses" Y/N couldnt hold her anger back much longer. Years of pent up rage just threatening to burst free. "Jake has been nothing but loving towards you. Even when you don't deserve it. And you show up all of a sudden acting like you want to spend time with him, when all you want to do is use him for your own selfish gain. You should be ashamed of yourself!" "Now hold on..." "I'm not done" He shut his mouth quick enough, surprised at the way his daughter was speaking to him. Y/N was finally letting all of her feelings out and it was making her feel lighter and lighter by the second. "I have spent my whole life trying to protect Jake, and I would like to think i've done a damn good job. So if you don't get serious about being in his life, dont bother coming back. It doesnt matter to me, i've gotten used to you disappointing me, but i'll be damned if I let you hurt him again" Roger Peralta had never felt so put in his place before, but there was also a small feeling of pride. Knowing just how much his children cared for one another. He couldnt think of anything to say, but it didnt matter. Even if he did, he watched as Y/N turn around and walk away at a fast pace, wanting to get away from him as fast as possible. When she got outside, she saw her brother sitting on the front steps of the building with his head in his hands. She carefully approached him and sat beside him on the cold steps, lightly nudging his arm. "Hey, dont think about him, we're better off" He tiredly ran his hands down his face while letting out a long sigh, "I'm so dumb, how could I not see this coming" "Hey, youre not dumb" she protested as she wrapped her arm around is shoulders, not wanting him to feel bad about himself, "you're just a hopeful person, thats a good quality to have" He looked over at her with a small smile, "What did I do to deserve an amazing sister like you" "I dont know, something amazing in a past life" They both laughed before standing up and heading to Y/Ns car, heading back to Shaw's bar where their work family was waiting for them.

[amnevitahwritesstuff]

2024 Fic Writer End of Year Roundup

Answer and then tag three or more creators to keep the game going!

Alright, I have only a few more hours of 2024 left to do this so it's now or never I guess. Thanks for the tag @starfall-spirit. 🫶

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

86,418 (but the real number is 56,156 since one of those fics is a collab between multiple writers).

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

Ten. Though all of those were one-shots or three-shots.

3. How many in progress or ongoing fics did you start this year?

Six that have been posted. Another eight in development and in various stages of being ready enough to be posted.

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

I had a lot of fun writing Come Away O Human Child. I've always loved dark fics but had never really written one myself before that point. It was a whirlwind experience to write. I think I wrote the first 5-8k words of it on a single Saturday afternoon. I'd never really understood when other writers said they 'wrote like they were possessed' until that moment.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

To everyone's surprise—including my own—Take Care of Business for Me. I had never really written a proper modern AU before, and certainly not a RomCom. I tend to stick to AUs, Canon AUs, and darker stuff. So I kind of shocked myself by writing not only a Modern AU RomCom, but one with Daddy Kink in it...which I had never done before and—up until very recently—didn't even like.

(And yes, I know how funny it is that the one now primarily known for writing Soft Dom/Daddy Kink fics used to hate it. I contain hidden depths ok? 🫠)

6. Did any fics surprise you - either while writing or their reception?

Again, I'll have to point to Take Care of Business for Me, as well as Stuffed. The reception to the latter took me completely by surprise because it was just a silly little piece of self-indulgent smut I wrote to practice writing sex scenes. Clearly that exercise was far more successful than I could've ever envisioned because it's now only a couple hundred hits away from being my most popular fic of all time. 🥲

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

Probably The Hungry House, my creepy little haunted house fic that I thought had some pretty fun and spooky imagery. Though it's also a tragedy which I know isn't everyone's cup of tea and probably why it flew under the radar.

I'd also like to shout out The Horrors of Writer's Block, my silly little self-indulgent self-insert fic where a fanfic writer gets stuck inside her own fic with disastrous results. The latter was really me getting back to my roots writing self-insert/isekai fics which were some of my very first fics I ever posted on this site (and which are now hidden because they're so embarrassingly bad). It was a lot of fun and I hope to get back to it at some point, even if I'm only writing it for my own amusement.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

Loputyn. Not a fandom artist, but she has exactly the kind of creepy but sexy vibe I love.

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

@whatishowedyouinthedark was the reason I felt comfortable and brave enough to write some of my most popular fics (Take Care of Business for Me and Come Away O Human Child respectively) in this fandom. She's a fantastic cheerleader, especially when you want to write the darker, sexier, or more problematic stuff, so I can't thank her enough for her unending support and being such an icon in this fandom. Without her those fics wouldn't exist so everyone go say 'Thank You SVDG'.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

@pouroverpaloma! I was dragged into the Gale brainrot in the beginning of 2024 and her Gale fics were some of the first I found and loved in the Baldur's Gate fandom.

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Yes! My first one ever in fact! I'm a part of the @feysand-hivemind timeloop project! I contributed a chapter and have another to come in the future.

From what I remember, @gaeleria said something to the effect of 'wouldn't a feysand time loop fic be fun?' and everyone was like 'wait, that's actually a great idea!' and before we knew it a bunch of us were throwing ideas around in a google doc and the rest is history.

12. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

That I finally finished a multi-chaptered fic! Now, to be fair, it was only three chapters but that still counts! I had never finished a multi-chaptered fic before so I was extremely proud of myself.

(I am, of course, talking about Come Away O Human Child.)

13. What did you learn about writing or creating this year?

That I can actually finish things! And that I am absolutely capable of pushing myself to write and I don't need to just wait around for days or weeks or months on end before 'inspiration' hits and forces me to write 2-4k words in one go. I learned that any progress is good progress. 100 words. 200 words. 500 words. If I managed to put words on the page then it was progress and something I should feel proud of. That mentality helped me write more in the last year than I have in the last ten, and helped improve my writing abilities by leaps and bounds.

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Everything above. Don't give up. Write something. Anything. It doesn't have to be good. It doesn't have to even make sense. Just get it out. Write a little each day. Even if it isn't a lot. Some words are better than no words. You get better by doing.

I also think you should write what you want. Is your idea too problematic and weird? Write it anyway. Is it too derivative and has been done a million times before? Write it anyway. I wrote so many things this year that I was so sure that nobody but me was going to like or even read and I was honestly flabbergasted at the reach and enthusiastic reception some of those same fics ended up having. You won't know until you try. 💜

15. What are your creative goals for 2025?

Definitely to finish some of my ongoing fics, even if it's just one or two of them. I also have a ton of new projects I can't wait to share with everyone next year! 🎉

Only a couple hours left of 2024 here so if anyone can squeeze themselves in before then, feel free to tag yourself in!

[dark-side-laegrinna]

OC Songs (well, not really, but close enough)

@furbyq tagged me (thank you!) and since I don't really have OCs other than my sims that aren't based on characters, she suggested I do it for my Deception IV character playlists! I'll be doing ship songs as well.

Much of my vision of the game's characters are my own, as the plots (there are two, Laegrinna's and Velguirie's stories) are secondary and considered forgettable, which is a shame because I found them as enjoyable as the gameplay. The way I've developed their personalities probably makes no sense to the few other fans and would be considered wildly out-of-character, but tbh I don't give a shit because it brings me joy, and with no fandom, there's no drama. (Hopefully).

Characters:

Ice Queen by Within Temptation: this has always been my favorite song by them but I came to associate it with Laegrinna. She is ruthless and cold for the most part canonically, however I think there's more to her than that and I'll get to that later.

Queen of the Night by Whitney Houston: This is, without a doubt, Velguirie's theme song. "I've got more than enough to make you drop to your knees," "They say I'm trouble and I don't give a damn," the lyrics pretty much speak for themselves. They don't call her the Nightmare Princess for nothing.

Shine On Me by Chris Dane Owens: This sounds like a hero's theme song and Zeno Shin is a self-proclaimed hero and big dumb idiot. Also, if you know me you're likely aware Laegrinna/Zeno is my OTP and it evokes the way I imagine him being awestruck by her. She is the Dark Side Princess but she is his light.

Who's That Girl by Madonna - Okay, so hear me out. Whereas Velguirie is entirely fire and I love her for that, Laegrinna is ice AND fire. You don't see that often because while she uses it to her advantage, she won't admit it. Kind of related to the last song it's about falling under the inescapable spell of a captivating woman. Which again is how I envision her effect on Zeno but may or may not also be something more personal.

Ships:

Latch by Disclosure ft Sam Smith: This has been one of my favorite songs since it came out well before I played Deception IV, but now in my mind it's about how Laegrinna and Zeno are drawn to each other and the metaphors are right on for a game where the main goal is using traps on enemies. (Zeno is a major enemy, by the way. You defeat him, which means yes, Laegrinna canonically kills him. But that's what AUs are for, and I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers).

Sleeping Dogs by Merril Bainbridge: A song I've known since high school, holy shit that was 25+ years ago now?? 💀 Another one full of metaphors - Laegrinna and Zeno drive each other crazy, but they DRIVE EACH OTHER CRAZY. Somehow, even though I always thought I hated the tsundere trope, it suits Laegrinna in my head. She doesn't want to be attracted to him but she can't resist him.

Shadows of the Night by Pat Benatar: Although I don't think they meet in canon because Evelyn is from Laegrinna's story and I didn't get very far in quest mode (I watched my husband finish it but that was forever ago) I think Velguirie and Evelyn are perfect for each other. "Surrender all your dreams to me tonight" is the line that hit me, like I said Velguirie is the Nightmare Princess, and I'm not going into detail but let's just say Evelyn is quite keen on surrendering 😂 I haven't thought of any other songs for them yet but I hope to, they're a really fun pairing and I love them.

Okay, I've seen a lot of people tagged or participated already but I'll tag @kaylynn-langerak, @celestialspritz, @h0nkytonkangels, and @esotheria-sims.

[your-divine-ribs]

The Christmas Wish Part 2

Words: 2.5k

I’ll get part 3 posted sometime this week… xxx

The Christmas Wish Masterlist Main Masterlist

🤍 Van's POV 🤍

"We both need a pound for the Christmas raffle... and we can't wear our uniforms today, it's Christmas jumper day!"

"You burnt the toast AGAIN! Ughhh I can't eat it!"

"I want braids today Daddy, Maisie said she's going to wear braids and we said we were going to match!"

It's going to be one of those days, I can just tell. My head's spinning and it's not even 8am yet. I gulp the dregs of my tea down and turn to face my children. How can two such angelic beings be so goddamn exhausting?

"C'mon kids, go easy on me, one at a time," I smile weakly at them, digging into the pocket of my skinny jeans and coming out with a handful of fluff. "Damn it, I've not got any change on me... who carries loose change these days anyway?"

"Mummy always does... she has everything we need!" Leo pipes up, his gap-toothed grin faltering as his big sister elbows him harshly in the ribs. "Oww!"

"Hey, hey, what was that for?" I swiftly turn to Grace and she offers me nothing but a shrug. "Gracie... c'mon..." I glare at her pointedly and her little face eventually creases into a sheepish frown, her voice quiet and tentative when she finally speaks.

"I told Leo not to say that stuff about mummy... you know... about how she looks after us better."

Ouch... that stings. I must visibly wince as Grace jumps down off the breakfast bar stool and immediately flings her arms around my waist. "I didn't mean it daddy, I didn't mean it to sound like that. You're the best daddy there is! You're just as good as mummy, you're just different, you do stuff in a different way, that's all."

That's one way of phrasing it...

"It's okay angel, I know what you mean," I sigh, planting a soft kiss in her parting, stroking her hair. "I'm trying my best honey, I really am."

"I know you are daddy."

Leo jumps down too, not wanting to miss out on the opportunity for a cuddle and I envelope him as well, all of us glued together in a big family bear hug in the middle of the kitchen.

"I'll call in to the corner shop on the way to school and get you some change. We don't have Christmas jumpers but Leo... go and grab your felt tips, we can make our own. And Grace... go get your brush, I'll see what I can do."

The kids break away and I run my hands through my hair, taking a deep breath. I'd never imagined that having children would be quite so challenging and relentless, but then again I'd never signed up for this.

Having kids was always my end goal of course, it was my ultimate wish come true, a culmination of everything that I'd worked towards and hard for. I'd been saving for as long as I could remember, squirrelling away a portion of money from touring before we even got signed in preparation for this part of my life. It was supposed to be a good life, a better life. It was supposed to be more meaningful... and it was. I loved them so much it fucking scared me sometimes. It's just that whenever I envisioned this picture-postcard idealised dream I wasn't doing it alone. I was always with somebody, it was a partnership. I was doing it alongside the woman I loved... the mother of my children.

"What are we gonna do with these?"

Leo's enquiring voice breaks me out of my troubled thoughts and I see him standing there holding his pack of brightly coloured felt tip pens aloft.

"You'll see... c'mon take this off." I scoop him up to sit on my knee at the kitchen table, helping him to shrug out of his school uniform jumper. "We don't need no shop-bought naff Christmas jumpers, we'll make our own. They'll be just as good... nah... actually they'll be better... miles better. Now what d'ya want? Santa? Rudolph? A Christmas tree?"

"Rudolph!" Leo laughs, watching me as I spread his jumper out on the table and reach for the pens. "With a big red, shiny nose!"

"Mummy's not going to be happy with you doing that."

I can actually hear my ex-wife's stern tone in my daughter's voice and I can fully imagine the roasting I'll be getting later for ruining the kids' school uniforms. I figure that I'd rather incur her wrath and have two happy children though. It's not like I need to worry about appeasing her anymore, not now that fucking boyfriend of hers has moved in and they're playing happy families. The thought makes my throat feel tight but I swallow down the lump that's arisen, trying to focus instead on the things that I do actually have control over.

"Don't worry about mummy, I'll deal with her. Youse two are gonna be the best dressed kids in school today! Look at that Leo... proper artist at work here. Some mad drawing skills I've got, eh?"

"But it looks like a giraffe!" Leo giggles, pointing at the comical looking reindeer I've drawn on the front of his school jumper. "Reindeers don't have such long necks! And it's got an extra leg!"

"No it's not silly, that's a tail!" Grace chips in. She's giggling now too, reaching for the green felt tip as she announces out loud. "I'm doing a Christmas tree on mine. I'm a really good drawer, Miss Wilson told me so. She's always telling me how bright I am!"

"Brighter than the star on the top of any Christmas tree, eh kiddo?" I grin at her, pride warming me through with a pleasant glow. "So I suppose you'll be getting a good report then will ya when I go to parents' evening after school today?"

Grace freezes at my words, her smile instantly morphing into a worried looking frown, her eyes darting quickly up to me before they're fixed on the table below.

"But it's not parents' evening daddy, not today," she says quietly.

"Oh really?" This is news to me. "So why else would the school office be leaving me a voicemail, asking me to come and see your teacher today after school at 3.30pm?"

It's not very often my daughter's lost for words but she's silent now, shrugging as her lips pull into a flat line. She won't take her eyes off the tabletop, refusing to look me in the eye.

I know that look. I know it all too well. My heart sinks, the pride retreating. Leo starts shaking his head at his sister, tutting whilst wearing a wide smirk.

"You're in big trouble aren't ya? If Santa finds out..."

"Shut up Leo!" She snaps, her cheeks glowing hotly.

"Gracie... is there something you wanna tell me love?"

Yeah... it's definitely gonna be one of those days.

🤍 Sacha's POV 🤍

I can really do without staying behind after class today. With just three weeks to go until Christmas I have a to do list a mile long and I've not even started ticking things off yet. I've been so busy dreaming up festive themed lessons for the school-kids to keep the Christmas magic alive that I've been neglecting my own seasonal plans.

My tree's usually up and decorated by December 1st, the whole house decked out like Santa's grotto, but this year the only thing I've managed to do is haul the tree out of the loft. It's been sitting in my hallway in its box for over a week now, taunting me every time I walk past. I've just been so tired after work I've been favouring lazing on the sofa watching trash TV when really there's a million and one other more productive things I should be doing. I've not even had chance to go shopping yet for the new tree decorations I promised myself that I'd get this year. Maybe I could walk into town this afternoon after this meeting with Grace's dad...

Ughhh the meeting... just the thought of it makes my gut clench with apprehension. It's all good when eager mums and dads are lapping up the praise at parents' evening, proudly beaming whilst I tell them how well behaved and perfect-mannered their sons are or how bright and inquisitive their daughters are. The mood swiftly changes though when I'm breaking the bad news to them that their sweet little cherubs aren't quite as angelic as they think. I'm still fuming about the formal complaint that Ryan Carter's mum tried to raise with the Headmaster when I told her that her son had been bullying the smaller kids in class. She refused to believe that her perfect little blue-eyed boy would ever step out of line and she even had the audacity to tell me that I was victimising him! I could tell that the apple didn't fall far from the tree with that one. She was so rude.

I glance at my watch... 3.36pm. He's late.

I'm trying not to let my pre-conceived ideas of Grace's so-called 'famous rockstar' dad influence my feelings before I've even met him but I just can't help myself. Against my better judgement I'd succumbed to Ellie's teasing in the staff room at lunchtime. She'd waved her phone around excitedly in my face announcing that I was in for a treat later because Grace's dad was, in her words, “a massive dilf".

I can't help but smile as I recall the humorous scene from earlier when I'd told Ellie that talking about the kids' parents in that way was inappropriate. She'd just smirked gleefully at my slack jaw as I'd proceeded to watch a clip of a live performance where Grace's dad was practically making out with the microphone on stage. I couldn't deny he was attractive.

"Told ya so!" She'd grinned, but I was resolute, shaking my head emphatically.

"I don't care if he's cute, I'll bet you any money he's neglecting those kids. I can see it now, Grace has already told me about her parents splitting up. Guys like her dad are all the same, I bet he's full of himself. Bet the lure of fame and money was too tempting for him and he's run off with some model or something!"

"You can't judge a book by its cover!" She laughs but I'm not budging. I know all too well the struggles of having an absent father. Men are so fickle.

Grace has been acting out of character all day, she's been unusually quiet and withdrawn. Any attempts at drawing out her usually cheerful nature have fallen flat. Even the announcement that she'd bagged the role of Mary in the class nativity play didn't have the expected effect, I just got a weak smile and a quiet "thank you Miss." I'm not sure whether she's just nervous about me speaking to her dad about her behaviour or whether there's something more serious going on at home, some underlying issue that's dampening her vivacious demeanour. Either way I'm determined to find out and help in any way that I can.

Ellie says I shouldn't get too involved but I didn't just take this job to teach kids to read and write. I fully feel like I'm helping to shape little lives and instilling good values and helping them to try and make sense of any confusing emotions. I still vividly remember my primary school teachers to this day, more fondly than any of my secondary school teachers and most of the academics at university too. These young years should be the most fun and carefree time of any person's life.

It's 3.45pm now... this doesn't bode well if he can't even be bothered to turn up on time for an appointment to talk about his own child. Maybe he's not going to show up at all. It's not like I ever see him at school pick up time. It's always either Grace's mum or another guy... a family friend I believe even though the kids call him 'Uncle Larry'. In the mornings the kids get dropped off early for breakfast club before I've arrived so I have no idea if he's even set foot near the school before.

I think of Grace and Leo sitting in the school office right now waiting and my heart aches for them. Maybe I should go down and see them? Ask the office to put another call through to the dad? Sighing heavily I get up from my seat and pick up my half-drunk cup of coffee, making for the door.

My head's down as I pull open the door, chuntering to myself about irresponsible parents, completely distracted so that I don't even notice the person who's on the other side. Even if I had the collision would probably be unavoidable. The tall figure's barrelling along that quickly and carelessly that our bodies bump each other's with enough force that I cry out in shock, upending my coffee cup and spilling the contents.

"What the.... Oh... I'm so sorry! My coffee!"

The thankfully not scalding liquid slops out and all over the front of a black suede jacket and I quickly assess the damage before I wrench my eyes upwards to finally see who's standing in front of me.

"Shit... am sorry love... was in so much of a rush I didn't see ya there! Ya drenched me!"

It's him. I can tell straight away after watching that video. Mousy brown hair long enough that it curls at his collar pushed back off his handsome face, blue eyes wide and bright as he peers down on me. He's wearing a slightly crooked grin that lights up his whole face and I falter for a second before I quickly re-gain my composure.

"I'm really sorry about that, you completely took me by surprise. It's Mr McCann isn't it? I was starting to think you weren't gonna show. I was just coming to see..." I trail off, letting my eyes wander down as he chuckles, brushing himself down. "Your jacket... I hope it's not ruined."

"Ahh, this old thing? Nah, it's fine, don't worry." He looks unbothered and I breathe an internal sigh of relief. "And it is me... you can call me Van though... and I guess you must be the amazing Miss Wilson I've been hearing so much about!"

My cheeks warm automatically and I laugh to cover my embarrassment, surprised when he sticks out a hand in a greeting. He's certainly charming enough and I remind myself sternly that we're here to discuss an important matter, not stand here exchanging pleasantries in the corridor.

"That's me!" I smile, taking the hand that he offers. "And seeing as we're on first name terms you can call me Sacha."

His large hand envelopes mine in a warm, firm handshake and I'm almost dismayed when he lets go.

"Sacha," he repeats, still grinning. "I tell ya, Gracie's always going on about ya. It's good to finally put a face to a name."

"Same here... Grace talks about you a lot too... her famous rockstar dad!"

"I hope it's all good," he replies and it's at that point my smile must slip as his face creases a little in concern as he steps back. "So... what's she been up to then?"

Here goes...

"Let's go and sit down and have a little chat shall we?"

[katherineholmes]

Can I just say how much I love that you're writing a fic for one of my favourite rarepairs (elucien or lucena...don't know if there's a ship name for them yet). I'm so glad this is happening, as I love your writing. I saw that someone said otherwise but pls don't take those lies to heart! I live for the way you manage to write both Klaus and Elena with their canon personality and your ability to put them in romantic situations without romanticising them. Even in their softer, vulnerable moments there's still this tension, the slight but all encompassing horror of their connection...I love it.

Which is why I'm curious as to what you've envisioned for Elena and Lucien. I've read your sneak peak and am looking forward to the rest of it (I'm more than willing to wait as long as it takes to read this, so pls no pressure!)

Personally, I've always imagined them randomly meeting after Elena ditched the Salvatores to go on a trip somewhere warmer. She's in a bar by herself and Lucien comes up to her with the intent to make her his meal, trying to compell her into compliance (she's wearing vervain, so good luck sucker). After an awkward moment they start talking, Klaus gets mentioned and it is on. By that I mean good sex, walks through the town and plotting Klaus' (and the Salvatores') deaths.

Anyway, as I've already said I'm really happy that you're doing this and I look forward to reading your take on that ship.

I like Luclena tbh, but I don't know if a ship name exists for them. I honestly had no idea people like them, but there's so much potential between them. Both Lucien and Elena know exactly how it feels to live in someone else's shadow, for him it's Klaus and for her, it's Katherine, in different ways, but also in similar ones, if that makes sense. They know what it's like to be completely powerless, to use their wit and machinations to try and survive, so I'm really looking forward to putting them both together in a fic. I also love the aspect of yearning - Lucien has always yearned to be chosen by Aurora, over Klaus and Tristan, but we see that Aurora will ultimately choose them over Lucien. I kind of like the idea that Elena is someone Klaus has yearned for, and someone who's capable of choosing Lucien over and over again.

Because there's almost no one who loves and forgives more fiercely and easily than Elena.

What I've envisioned for them in this fic is something dark (it has to be - given that both Lucien and Elena are dark characters in their own ways), but also something that's ultimately a bit like finding a sliver of light in said darkness. I won't give it away before I publish the fic though.

I'm also really glad that my Klena writing is good (I'm constantly splitting hair over characterisation, and I'm doing the same with Lucien and Elena).

I love your idea! I think multiple such meetings and conversations, with Lucien pursuing her, will definitely lead to something more.

It was actually supposed to be published on the 29th - since it's a part of AU-gust, but I've been travelling since Monday, so I wasn't able to. I want to finish writing the whole thing before I publish it, otherwise I do have a good amount of the fic already written at the moment. I'll try finish it by Sunday though. Thank you so much for all your kind words!

[anonymous-harpy]

So as a totally random post I finally feel comfortable/confident in saying that I'm most likely at least A e g o s e x u a l and I currently feel like L i t h r o m a n t i c covers my feelings on romance

And in my queer moment of "It all makes sense now" I actually understand why when I first got into fanfiction and fanfiction-adjacent content why I made OCs to ship with characters I liked

And also why when it came to reading fanfiction I never was able to actually visualize myself as the "Reader" insert. I would always read the (Y/n) [Your name] ect as LITERALLY being "Your name walked/did/said" sure the eye color, skin color and hair color i might mentally match to myself

But like

Hear me out

Depending on the personality the "Reader" character would have even those superficial details would change in my head to fit the personality.

And even when I used to write Insert Readers I always viewed the "Reader" as an actual character that fit the character I was simping for

ALSO THIS FREAKING EXPLAINS WHY WITH ONE CHARACTER there was a vicious drought of content so I broke down and read a OC/cannon and guess what? Aside from the writing being better than the average "written by a teenager" garbage I was accustomed to I just REALLY enjoyed it because it wasn't another "Reader" but a genuinely fleshed out character

So like... I used to write Insert Readers and then started drifting back to OCs. And now with the fanfiction I've been writing all did one "Reader" character in a non-romantic fic and I think I was halfway through it when I realized "i don't like reader characters" and I was so confused but I finished it because damnit I liked that fic (never again, not even for non-romance. There's just going to be an "Alex" for every situation now) As far as reading Insert Readers i just do the same thing I used to- I don't REALLY envision myself there, I don't even try and guess guess what? I enjoy them even more now!

Heck I used to L O V E shipping fics the best! I still do! And this just EXPLAINS everything for me! At least with fanfiction

So am I mourning that I'll probably not have a "typical" relationship if any?

Well kinda. It is a little saddening to think I'll probably be alone since I'd always be told "Maybe one day you'll find someone to be your partner like us" my parents always referring to one another as a team, but at the same time I'd already crossed this bridge before when I first believed I was possibly Demi-sexual, then gray-sexual- and I doubted that anyone I'd meet would tolerate a spiceless romance

Besides, I realize barely have the energy and desire for maintain friendships let alone a romantic one!

I'm up for a queer platonic relationship, just... No smooches or romance. Only fanfiction and garlic bread in this house ZD

And I noticed the majority of this post is focused on my Ace status

Welp, the romantic thing is just... Idk a work friend just moved out of her plumb full family home and into an apartment and no more than a week had passed before she got a boyfriend. I don't know or care if they're doing any funny business (i don't ever want to know either), but just the idea that he's spending the night at her apartment- because she told me that's happening- and theb that they've seen each other EVERYDAY since they made themselves an official couple- I cringe. It's insane. I cannot fathom it and yet it's... Normal for people to start dating a month or two after MEETING each other? Sleeping together on the third date (haha, old fashioned and such a lie I don't believe anymore 😐)?

Maybe I am just old fashioned but... Fuck I don't even feel comfortable letting a "damn" slip from my mouth until I've interacted with another human being for a month.

That's why I like my fanfiction and Roman novels. I'll buy the speed dating there, but no in real life.

In other news- I've set a personal commitment to myself to keep writing layered romances and queer platonic relationships (I don't think I've written the ladder but I intend to goshdarnit) both in my fanfiction and in my novels! I don't care how I have to present it to a publisher I'll eventually take the to to go "Oh! This is an ace romance, this person is actually Aromantic, ect"

I want more awareness of Ace and Aro spectrum individuals! You are all valid! You are not broken! You are human and have a right to not be pressured to conform to the expectations placed on you. And just because your on the spectrum and maybe feel a desire for romance or intimacy, that doesn't means you're not stil Aro or Ace, it's a spectrum after all. I know what a crush feels like, but I don't want the feelings reciprocated. That doesn't invalidate me from being on the Aromantic spectrum though.

[destinyc1020]

Hey @destinyc1020 I don't know if you will post this or not but to the anon who said Ungodly Hour by Chloe and Halle went mainstream. No it didn't just cause they were trending on Twitter and people say they loved the album,like me, people didn't stream it or buy it the numbers weren't there. Which is why sirens(fandom name) get mad when outsiders tried to use that as a weapon to stop Chloe from going solo. If you ask people if they know Chloe and Halle most will still say no or say they only know the songs "do it" and "ungodly hour", which again didn't chart but people say they loved so much. Chloe and Halle are still a duo and are gonna drop a third project. They love each other too much to stop making music together. Words from Chloe and Halle. But since Halle went off to film Little Mermaid Chloe decided to make music by herself cause why not. Just like Halle will release solo stuff. Look I get being upset she is collaborating with Chris Brown cause I ain't supporting that song sorry to Chloe but not to Chris. Even though other artists like HER, Ella Mai and Summer walker did and got no backlash. Also Lizzo just spoke highly of Chris Brown and again no backlash. But there has been a hate train on Chloe from the beginning ever since they got separate instagrams. Same with Halle when it comes to her boyfriend. The anon. who said she is trying to see what sticks. Yeah Chloe said from the beginning she was experimenting. But I think people were gonna root against Chloe regardless because they don't like her being sexual they say it's too much. But then Pray it away her new single is too churchy or boring. She can't win with people unfortunately. I honestly think it comes from us being on social media and knowing them from a young age and envisioning them to act or make music the way we think they should solo or not. But I guess people are realizing you can't control who people make music with or date. They are human beings and we don't own them. Again not saying she doesn't deserve the backlash with Chris, but I hate that they only are doing this her and also Normani. But everyone else get a pass. I mean hell even Queen Zendaya collaborated with him. I didn't support the song then cause of Chris and still don't but I still support Z. Same thing with Chloe I will listen to the album but just not stream this next single. Sorry for the long rant lol. Also just wanted to let you know @destinyc1020 since you kind of asked or were unsure but Halle will still be making music she confirmed to her fans that she will release solo stuff and Chloe is gonna be acting still. I think she is gonna be in that new Donald Glover show that comes out next month with Dominique Fishback and Damson Idris called "Swarm".

Thanks Anon for your input regarding Chloe (and Halle)😊

I DO think that Choloe gets a lot of unnecessary hate for no good reason. 😔 I really don't like seeing people being ganged up on online for no apparent reason.

As someone who was bullied for NO good reason in Elementary school (just because I was shy and quiet 😒🙄), I always have a soft spot for people who are just ragged on for absolutely NO good reason at all. I'm glad Chloe is exploring her solo options, but yea, I feel like some people weren't ready for her to go solo so soon in her career. Again, I honestly don't know why she gets so much hate slung her way. So many catty remarks I see online about her... I just don't get it. 🥴

With that said...I'll admit, I'm not really liking Chloe's decision to pair up with Chris Brown. I don't care what people say, I will never forgive that man or look at him the same way again. 😤 I didn't care for Zendaya collaborating with Chris either years ago. 👀 But like I've always said before, you can LOVE your fave, but not necessarily "love" every single decision they've made in their life. 🤷🏾‍♀️ I think Z kind of backed out of heavily promoting their single (and to this day, I've never even seen the video) when Chris' behavior was getting a bit "out there" IIRC. 😒

Anyway...

I'm glad to hear that Chloe will also continue in the acting route (I think it's great honestly), and I'm also glad to hear that she and Halle still have plans to remain a singing duo.

They're younger than me, so I kind of look at them like my little sisters in my head lol.🥰 I'm just sick and tired of seeing black women being hated on or nitpicked on for miniscule/silly reasons. 🙄🙄

PLEASE people...DO better... 😩

[un2poken]

Love Addiction

A condition that causes a person to develop an unhealthy and obsessive fixation with a love interest.

Looking back on my life and taking time to reflect, clearing my head and processing decisions over the years I'm brought back to this every time. "Love addiction" like what, you're addicted to being in love, who isn't.. It's deeper than that, the feeling of being wanted or needed by someone drove me to make poor decisions in my life with partners, friends, and even family.

What caused that...was it:

The abuse

Parents fighting, and verbally abusive

Being raised in a separate house than my sisters

The way my family talked to me

Neglected in my childhood

Friends that truly didn't like me

Wanting to be accepted by family or peers

Never experiencing love

Maybe all of the above honestly

Where do I stand now..confused, trying to find myself in life before it gets too late and I'm stuck in this cycle, constantly ripping my tainted heart out of my chest and handing it to the next person.

I envision in my head, a young man, sitting on the ground with his head down and palms raised. He is well dressed, clear skin, and groomed. From his back you can see there is a hole that pierces all the way through to the front where his heart should be. Many have come and tried to fill the hole with their own hearts. Sacrificing their happiness for his and getting none in return. After some time spent with their hearts the space gets larger, more demanding. Never fully satisfied, as this love addiction continues to consume him.

I found a woman that has an overwhelming heart and love that is unfathomable but I'm trying figure it out. She has placed me in a need to know mindset...like how do you love in the way that you do. A bit of regret fills my mind because I took her innocence for granted thinking it was just another game from another woman. Things that she would say to me she felt as though it was one of a kind and I had heard all of the lies before from previous women. For her she was being real, but to me, I saw it as a persona, so I played the game as I do. I was waiting, waiting for the day she would say "boom, I fooled you" and I would respond with "oh no you got meeee" when in reality I knew it all along.

Days turned into weeks, months began to feel longer and over time it was becoming more and more convincing. Every time when I felt myself believing her I just thought "keep your guard up it's coming". A bit of self sabotaging if you will. The love just got stronger and those words she spoke to me at the beginning were still present and being shown with greater affection as the days continued.

Fast forward to where it all got me...

Alone.

Hurt people hurt people and there is no truer saying.

A happy spirited, loving, beautiful soul was hurt by me. The heart broken, self sabotaging, narcissistic loser. She told me that when she first laid eyes on me she knew who I was, she saw through everything, the innocence, the happiness, the child in me that wanted to be loved. Did I see it? I was trying for years not to, I always said that side of me was dead, I'll never love a soul and put my heart on the line again. I thought I was protecting myself and in reality I was only making things worse. Making my need for love stronger, to the point where it became an unhealthy addiction.

Who is it that you want to be...A lover or an abuser?

In all honesty I've always wanted to be a lover. The first time I spoke to her I started to envision my life with her. Thoughts of how nice it would be to wake up to her every morning and give her all of my love. Morning forehead kisses mixed with the sweet smell of breakfast and the sounds of r&b playing to start our day. Lunch time walks and cafe stops in the city sitting under the sun. Hands intertwined as we swing our arms back in forth laughing and smiling without a care in the world. Nights with candle lit dinners in the house as we talk about how we met. That's the life I always envisioned with her. So I tried to show it as much as I could the short time we were together.

I really saw that but my judgment clouded my vision like cataracts.

But now I see her and I see what she wants, but it's too late, she's gone and I'm alone...how you wanted right? No. You wanted to be hated before you ever get hurt again, right? No. But you said that, those were your fucking words? No. You said that you never wanted to give your heart to anyone and all girls are the same, telling lies and getting what they want from a guy and then they show who they really are and you felt she was doing the same, RIGHT? No, I mean yeh but it was different. So why didn't you treat her different, why did you wait to hurt her to give her the innocent you? Idk. Surely you do, you seem to know everything. I was messed up ok. No you weren't messed up, you still are, you can't change who you are. Yes I can and I am, just leave me alone. Yeh that seems to be the only thing you do well, being alone...

Communicate to her. Communicate what? You know..what you see in her..For what it's no use, it's over..Well you got nothing to lose now do you, say it..okay..

When you saw my true identity, after time I started to see yours. You were tired, tired of fake, looking for something real. You have always had eyes on you, popular, wanted by everyone, but untouchable. You could get anything you wanted from any man but that's not what you wanted. Everyone has always bowed down to get your attention but were too shallow for what you wanted to give. You wanted real, genuine, love, from someone that has never given it to anyone else. Someone that would hold you closer to their heart and protect yours. A provider, someone to lead you the right way. When you are overwhelmed and you're down on your luck, ready to quit, somebody to pick you up and brush the dirt off of you and put an immediate smile on your face and say "you got this". When you are angry at the world and ready to explode on someone. You need someone that lets you yell at them, get out all your frustration to, and then puts you back in your place in a calm caring voice. You need someone that you know whole heartedly that when the world is against you, they are right there standing in front of you defending your honor.

Did you see that in me, I believe you did..

I'm afraid now that I have become apart of the crowd. Just another notification, a dm from a shallow minded individual, just another guy that can't handle what you have to offer...someone that's not real. What does that leave me to do? Prove you wrong..keep messaging you with the hopes to rekindle something I destroyed..count my losses and erase the memories and rewrite my future from scratch..honestly I don't know, I'm still trying to figure it out. I don't think it's a message I could write, a letter that I could send, a feeling that I could express, that would leave you saying something other than "boring, i've heard that before".

Where I'm at now...I stand in the middle of a field. Straight ahead is you, headed towards the sunset. With every step I take towards you, you take two steps away from me. When I stop I feel a pain in my chest, looking down I notice a chain wrapped around my heart that connects to yours. You look back at me and you are crying slow tears. But you are dragging your feet as to say, I'm not giving up on you but I need more.

But I'm just writing for the drafts, otherwise these thoughts would eat me alive. One of these days I'll reveal this to you, but for now they just sit here piling up on top of each other.

[sweetingseva]

The Prince of Hearts/Jacks + Ironic Twist 💔

"How far would you go for Happily Ever After?"

The answer? Until there's no turning back.

As much as I think Jacks tries to deny it, he is looking for a Happily Ever After just like Evangeline. It might not be the perfect picture that Evangeline envisions her Happily Ever After, but it still concerns requited and unconditional love.

The Prince of Hearts represents broken hearts and unrequited love for other people. But to Jacks himself it also means he's doomed to suffer the same fate.

I want to go further into his characterization because I think he as a character who has a lot of subtleties to unpack. I'll start in the rough order of the timeline of all three books (two of the Caraval trilogy, and OUABH)

Spoilers to Legendary, Finale, and Once Upon A Broken Heart.

When His Heart Stopped Beating...

It just occurred to me that Jacks once had a beating heart. Initially I thought his heart never beat once since the Fallen Star created the Fates. (This is why I don't think he was ever born but created instead).

In Once Upon A Broken Heart, Evangeline goes over the lore of the Prince of Hearts:

According to the myths, the Prince of Hearts was not capable of love because his heart had stopped beating long ago. Only one person could make it work again: his one true love. They said his kiss was fatal to all but her—his only weakness—and as he'd sought her, he'd left a trail of corpses.

I highlighted the ones that I think are integral to Jacks's backstory and desire. First, why did his heart stop beat in the first place? Second, who was it who made his heart stop beating? And third, could the same person who made his heart stop also be his true love?

I'm so dam curious about this that I feel a theory slowly form as I'm writing this. Heck, I write it right now.

The Princess with the Pink Hair

(Headcanon Alert!) Could it be possible that the princess with the pink hair briefly mentioned in the book really is Evangeline? If she was, then it would mean that Evangeline is reincarnated.

Jacks meets Evangeline in the past. She somehow stops his heart. He forgets her. He leaves the North and starts his arduous search for his True Love. Every girl he kisses dies as per his curse. Years past and his hope weakens.

At this point in his journey, Jacks has had it with not having any success with his search. And yet he cannot stop. This is Jacks's urge. The urges that LaLa explained to Evangeline.

"Fates aren't like humans, you know. We don't all share the same emotions, and some humans think we are entirely unfeeling. But it's the opposite. When we feel, it's intense and consuming. It devours us and drives us. And the strongest of our feelings is always the urge to be that which we were made to be."

LaLa concludes that it was the same for Jacks. Evangeline figures his is to kill any potential love with his kiss. I can't help but think she's somewhat wrong about this. Jacks's drive is not to kill any potential love but to find it and keep it.

The same drive that Evangeline feels.

Jacks might not even remember why his heart had stopped beating but he always makes a point of it to Evangeline. Anyway, LaLa has a lot of important things to say to Evangeline about Jacks. That all he needed was a hint of attraction and he would be drawn to their person in hopes of that she's the girl his kiss won't kill.

And yet his hopes are always in vain. Jacks wants love, even if it turns him human. I'll come back to this!!!

Jacks goes to Chaos for a favor a 100 years ago...

I've discussed this before in another post so I won't go into detail, but I will add the possible context of this favor. Jacks wants something from the Valory, the mythical prison that the Valory Arch leads to.

However, the Valory Arch is locked by a prophecy. Fortunately for Jacks, he knows it and bets on the girl with the pink hair. After she opens it, Jacks will toss her to Chaos and get what he desires inside the Valory.

Because of Phaedra's name and connection in Greek mythology, I have a feeling that the Valory is reminiscent of Pandora's Box.

When Pandora opened the box, pain, greed, death, and hatred escaped. At the bottom of the box was Hope. Now Pandora's Box serves as a metaphor to leave things untouched for it would only bring endless complications.

I imagine the Valory is holding an abomination that the Valors kept. This is the first version of the story that Prince Apollo tells Evangeline.

Nothing good will come out from the Valory Arch. But I do believe Jacks will find what he wants there. Because at the back of the Valory is Love as Hope was in Pandora's Box.

After Jacks Escapes the Deck

By the time Legendary comes along, time has passed since his deal with Chaos. Jacks is indifferent to love. Until he meets Tella. He doesn't fall for her right away until Tella makes his heart finally beat. Jacks believes in love again, this hope that it exists for him. Because his urge is to find this potential love, Jacks is not threatened by Tella's existence.

Which is very curious to me 👀

In Finale, the Fallen Star kills the only woman who has ever made him close to being human (because of his love for her). (I mention this warning here when I speak about True Love not being the case for Jacks and Tella). Fates were immortals and only love can make them human. If they feel threatened by the source of love, they immediately kill it.

After his desperate cry for Tella, it hit me that Jacks could possibly want to be human. I know he made a big of deal of wanting his full powers in the Caraval trilogy and twisted Legend's hand to get it back, but Jacks didn't care about it. He only wanted Tella back.

No matter if Love turns him human.

Jacks had loved Tella so much it was an obsession. She was all he thought of, and he promised he wouldn't kill her after they "divorced." To me, that proves how much he meant what he said to Tella, how much he wanted her to be his True Love.

After Tella chose Legend, showing him that Love is powerful enough to break spells, Jacks is even more invigorated about his main plan to find that Love for himself.

The Valory Arch is his only hope.

Jacks Meets Evangeline

Jacks meets her at his church a few weeks after Caraval (events after Legendary) and meets her again a couple of months later (after the events of Finale/Week of Terror) at the Magnificent North. He had not forgotten about Evangeline after his deal with her.

The deal that pertains to Jacks's overall plan and deal with Chaos.

Returning to the headcanon that Evangeline is the reincarnated princess, the same girl who stopped Jacks's heart, and apparently the only girl who could restart it, I detect an irony here.

Even if Evangeline isn't the reincarnated princess, Jacks had bet on his True Love. Without even knowing it. This mythical girl with the pink hair that he had used for his gain is his True Love.

HOW WILD IS THAT?!?!?!?! He's surely going to regret it!

After Evangeline Makes His Heart Beat...Again

Jacks has to know that Evangeline is the direct cause of his heart beating again. She was the only one there when it happened. The only one who touched his chest at the right moment.

I'm not sure what Jacks's thought process could be in the beginning of The Ballad of Never After. But it could go two ways:

He remains the same, meaning he's not aware of Evangeline making his heart beat.

Or he does know and something innate awakens inside of him. The need to protect her and raise if any such harm comes her way.

I'm going with option #2 because of the snippet that Stephanie Garber had shared.

If this snippet refers to Jacks, then Jacks should already be aware of his heart beating. Meaning he should have an inkling that Evangeline may be his True Love. Jacks already has a "hint of attraction" for Evangeline.

Kerri Maniscalco made a lot of comments of wanting Jacks to kill someone and it's in the first 100 pages. Jacks may not yet be ready to become vulnerable with Evangeline. He doesn't want to get hurt. Or disappointed to know she doesn't feel the same way for him.

But I have a feeling that Jacks will do anything to protect Evangeline because he had before even when Evangeline was only a pawn for him. Now that he realizes that his heart finally beat again and it was because of Evangeline, I fear for anyone's life who threatens his True Love.

Jacks is going to regret betting on Evangeline's life to open the Valory Arch. Evangeline is cursed and she's going to meet her end. I'm certainly excited to see how Jacks's heart will turn, even if it doesn't turn out like this or any of the other theories.

Because one thing is positive, Jacks is going to annihilate someone in Evangeline's presence. To protect her or eliminate obstacles, I don't know, but I'm hoping it's the former.

[elytrafemme]

Mare!!! cs was so good today omg. I loved the chapter sm. I already said basically all of what I'd like to say over on ao3 so I won't repeat it, but a few more minor notes I wanted to say but didn't: -I like how you portray Niki a lot. Some of my favorite elements portrayed here were her distain for Schlatt, general tiredness, and her care for Ranboo. You just portray her very nicely, I like it a lot. -I liked the funeral scene a lot. I've never been to a funeral, but the way everything was described made me able to perfectly envision it all. Q and Tubbo struggling to find good things to say about Schlatt, I liked that, it was very heart wrenching and realistic. -Ranboo's baking rant was so realistic and I liked it. Just the idea of ranting for hours about something you love to a friend, it was a nice moment -The way you kept describing Fundy's eyes. It just made it a detail that stuck in my head. It feels ironic that that was the main thing Ranboo was focused on, since Fundy recognized Ranboo because of his eyes, so like, both of them having unique eyes, maybe I'm reading into this too much I donno, I just thought it was well written and a neat little detail -I said it before but I'll say it again, HA GAYYY (But seriously I love beeduo qpr dynamic fics. They're few and far between but very nice) I just liked this chapter a ton, it was really well written, possibly one of my favorites. :D

OAK :D

- thank you SO much seriously, cs!niki is one of the hardest characters to write because i want to balance her bittersweetness and like... she has a lot of disdain in her but also is actively healing but is also actively struggling but also puts too much responsibility on herself and all of that, and i try to give her as fleshed out of a character as i can considering she's a secondary character and you only really see her through cs!ranboo's perspective. which is unreliable. so it's kind of a messy ordeal

- it's been a long time since i was at a funeral and i only like barely remember how that went but it definitely had more people than this one so it was like. how do i make this a little uncomfortable considering that this was open invite and barely anybody showed up. etc. funeral speeches are pretty interesting though the baseball cards / sports bit is pretty realistic to the stuff people will bring up, but there's also the everything else about schlatt that made it messy, you get it

- the true spirit of being the writer of cough syrup is getting myself invested into discourse in fields that i know nothing about. i don't even know how to successfully crack an egg without fucking it up but i'll be damned if cs!ranboo has lukewarm baking takes

- fundy and ranboo having distinct eyes is really important to me and i definitely wouldn't say you're reading too much into it! trying to convert these characters to being humans leads to some funky shit with their designs but i also think their eyes are really important 'cause, like. eyes are a really intimate thing and ranboo already hates eye contact; there's just a lot that can be held in looking someone in the eye that makes it terrifying. i'm rambling but you get it

- c!beeduo qpr >>>> , i'm really enjoying myself writing it LOL love qprs love them <333

thank you so much as always oak!!! hands you a flower

[reignstormz]

|ROMAN REIGNS & SASHA BANKS|

✨THE STORYLINE; SHORT STORY ✨

Bio; Since WWE may or may not give us the Roman and Sasha interaction some of us want, I decided to write a little short story of how I sort of envisioned it going. This story will have three parts to it, hopefully you guys like it enough so I'll continue it! Feedback would be great. I also got a little inspiration from @haharollins someone had asked her to write a quick storyline between them and she wrote down a lot of great ideas I loved. Also @moxley-leakee from the head cannons she write. :)

Cast; Roman Reigns/Sasha Banks/Jey Uso etc. Everyone who has basically been involved with them as of late and a little bit of last year.

Warnings; Reminder, this is just a made up storyline! It has a bit of a romantic angle to it as well but this is not to disrespect their spouses in anyway, this is just for fun. If you don't really care for them to have that type of interaction, then this isn't the type of story for you. No sexual content involved either, just a regular storyline between the two.

|PART ONE|

November 13, 2020

Survivor Series was slowly approaching. The faces of SmackDown knew what was coming their way; Roman would be facing Drew McIntyre, and Sasha would be facing Asuka. However, the sudden, yet "untouchable" thorn in Sasha's side had attacked her after successfully retaining her championship against Bayley. Carmella's eyes were on the title, and even though Sasha was aware after last week, she had no idea who else's eyes were on her.

Earlier tonight, Roman had an intense interaction with Drew. During that time, Jey had gotten involved, and entered himself in a match with him. Roman was furious, and after scolding Jey at the top of his lungs, he had trouble calming down for the rest of the night. He stayed in his private locker room for a minute before deciding to take a walk in the hallway on his own to think. The camera's were on him, watching his every move. Roman stared at the ground as he walked in deep thought until he came across the television that was on the wall, and the blue-haired woman had caught his attention.

Sasha wore a cheetah print body suit that had blue accents all over it, and it hugged her body like a glove. Her blue hair beautifully cascaded down her back, while the women's title sparkled on her shoulder. As she continued to gloat into the microphone, Roman couldn't help but smirk to himself. He crossed his arms and licked his lips, taking notice of how gorgeous she looked. Roman always had a soft spot of Sasha; He always admired how confident she was, and she was one hell of a woman to him. Sasha had it all, and she was not the same girl he had tag-teamed with four years ago. He never would've thought that there would be a day they would be champions at the same time, but he never complained. If he could have it his way, he would keep it this way; It wasn't like he was going to lose his title anytime soon, and neither was she. Roman knew he was the best of the best, including her. He believed in her.

All of a sudden, Bayley's theme had interuppted Sasha. When Sasha wasn't looking, out of nowhere, Carmella had turned her around and super-kicked her in the face. Roman's smirk fell from his face and a slightly angered expression appeared as Carmella continued to beat her down. Carmella stood tall against Sasha; The camera switched back onto him and Roman sighed, looking away from the TV briefly.

"And there's the Universal Champion--Wait, What is he doing?" Michael Cole confusingly questioned into his headset.

"I don't know, Cole." Corey Graves replied, confused as well.

Roman's eyes wondered around in thought until he got a bright idea. He slowly looked back at the screen, watching Carmella leave Sasha alone in the ring. He unfolded his arms, biting his lip from holding back a smile, then he walked away from the television.

The cameras switched back onto Michael Cole and Corey Graves, and they stared at each other with a weird look. Then they looked back at the camera.

"It looks like the Universal Champion, Roman Reigns has something up his sleeve for the Women's Champion, Sasha Banks?" Michael Cole in a curious tone,

"Am I the only one that's still confused?" Corey Graves adds, "What is he thinking? And why would he want to have anything to do with Sasha?"

Michael Cole shrugs, "I guess we're going to have to find out next week." Then they moved on to talk about the other matches and segments.

November 20th, 2020

After getting attacked by Carmella, for the hundredth time, the boss finally began to feel defeated; This wasn't like her at all, and she was so confused. She was humiliated week after week, and now she was taken down in front of Asuka right before Survivor Series. What if the locker room thought she was weak? Or that her title reign would be shorter than all of her others combined? She was the boss but it didn't feel like it at the moment to her. She wondered if Carmella came to her like a real woman, then this would've went differently--but, it was clear that she had time and time again to put a stop to her surprises, and she didn't. Sasha knew that Carmella was after her, but she didn't have confidence in herself that she would be victorious in this fued when it was over.

The camera shot was back on the Women's Champion after Roman and Drew's contract signing was over. She said in the trainer's office, sitting down with her title lying next her. Her head was laid against wall in pain, and the trainer gave her an ice pack to put on her head for the time being. She sighed, quietly thanking him. Then, without a knock, the door opened. It revealed the Universal Champion along with his special counsel and his cousin, Jey Uso.

The two made eye contact with each other in an instant, and silence lingered in the room. Sasha slowly brought the ice pack down from her head, and she experienced a tingly feeling in her stomach. Despite her hidden enjoyment of seeing the Samoan, her eyebrows furrowed a little bit; What brought him here? The pair hadn't interacted in a long time. Not intentionally either, but time passed and they of course went their own separate ways after they had last been together. It might've been awhile, but the chemistry was still there. It never left; It was more than evident at this moment. Even though they knew each other, they were two totally different people than they were four years ago.

Roman switched his attention onto the trainer, giving him an intense expression before looking straight ahead, "Paul.." He said in an awaiting tone. Sasha looked between Paul, Jey, and the trainer. Paul nodded his head politely, signaling Jey and waved his hand over at the trainer to leave the room. The trainer nervously exited the room in fear, Paul and Jey followed behind him, closing the door shut. Roman and Sasha were left alone. Not being able to hold his gaze any longer, she looked down embarrassingly. He probably saw what happened, she thought.

Roman walked further in the room an stopped in front of her, but not too close to where it would make her uncomfortable, "May I?" He asked calmly, and his deep voice made her even more nervous by the second. She nodded, refusing to look at him still.

The head of the table set his title down onto the seat not too far away from him, and sat down next to the beaten up woman. He closed his hands together, resting his arms on his knees and he turned his head to look at Sasha, "I've been in your shoes."

Sasha played with her fingers while she listened to him speak. Normally, she probably would've had a rebuttal, but she felt so broken down that she had no choice but to stay quiet. Roman's attention stayed solely on her as he continued, "I can read you like an open book, Sasha. I know you."

His words replayed in her head like a broken record player; It struck a cord within her and she felt lost. What did he mean by that? What was he implying?

She finally stopped playing with her fingers and their eyes met. Roman could see the sudden confusion yet sadness right through her, which made him even more determined to get his point across.

"I know you've been beating yourself up, and I know that you've been doubting yourself, but this isn't you." Roman paused, "I know what you're going through. I've been through it all, seen it all, and heard it all. I know that people have been tearing you down for being champion; Bayley has said countless times how much you don't deserve it, and Carmella hasn't wasted any time in making sure that you lose your title. But who gives a damn about what they think? Or what they want?"

Sasha's confused facial expression turns into a softer one as she listens to what he's saying. She took in everything, paying close attention.

"The boss I remember, would prove everyone wrong regardless of the hate. You're stronger, bigger and better than any of those people. None of these women can hold a candle to you, and that's exactly why you're champion, because you're the best. You make the title, the title didn't make you. You've come so far and busted your ass for this company way too hard for Carmella, Bayley, or anyone else to take that away. Make them understand who runs this division."

Sasha realized that he was completely right. During this time, she cared way too much about what other people thought which led her to become an easy target, and the boss was never an easy target. If she was, she wouldn't be where she is right now. She had finally remembered who she was, and what she stood for, and no one was going to take that away from her. Sasha softly smiled a little bit, and nodded, understanding where he was coming from.

Roman recognized the smile on her face; It ended up making him grin a tiny bit, and he felt butterflies in his stomach which was a feeling that was mutual to Sasha as well. He gently patted her knee, getting up from his seat and slid his championship on his shoulder. Before he left, he looked down at her one last time and said truthfully, "I believe in you."

Sasha and Roman exchanged looks of admiration before he left the room, leaving her on her own. She smirked shyly, looking down at her lap. Soon enough, SmackDown went off air.

November 22, 2020

The score was so far 2-1 between Raw and SmackDown. The Raw men had successfully beaten the SmackDown men; The Street Profits beat the New Day and Bobby Lashley had beaten Sami Zayn. So far, it wasn't looking good for SmackDown. However, Sasha was determined to make the score even and hopefully Roman and the SmackDown women would be the ones to take it home.

Currently, Sasha was in a match with Asuka. The match was very intense, and it had everyone who was watching on their toes. No one was sure who would win since it was close. Sasha was close to winning multiple times, but it wasn't enough to defeat Asuka.

Asuka kicked Sasha in the chest, knocking her down roughly. When the opportunity was present, Asuka went for her finisher but when she least expected it, Sasha caught her right in the middle of it and kept her shoulders down long enough so she could successfully win the match. Sasha let go of the empress and took a deep breath while there was shock written all over Asuka's face.

"The boss has beaten the empress!" Michael Cole exclaimed. A wide smile grew on Sasha's face and she punched the air in happiness.

"And you're winner, The SmackDown Women's Champion, Sasha Banks!" The ring announcer says with his chest. The ring announcer gives Sasha her title, and helps her up so he could raise her hand. Sasha smiled brightly, feeling over the moon proud of herself that she had won.

A backstage camera showed a shot of Roman and Paul watching her victory from his locker room. He smirked, feeling just as proud. Roman turned his head to look at Paul, and he gave him a look of approval before they both turned their attention back on the screen before he started to prepare for his match with Drew later that night.

➰

Even though the score between Raw and SmackDown was now 3-2, Roman still brought it home for SmackDown and won against Drew McIntyre. After the low blow Roman had given Drew, Jey still came to Roman's aid to sneak a kick at Drew's face so it could put him down for the count for good. After Roman squeezed Drew in his submission, another referee had come out to declare the match. He had proven to Drew, and everyone else, that he was the champion.

As Roman walked out of the ring and up the ramp, he noticed Jey at the top, cheering him on even though he ordered him to leave the building after losing his match against Raw. Once he reaches the top, Jey and himself stare at each other. Jey looks at him nervously, wondering if he'll get angry meanwhile Roman decides to let it slide for the night, and let the consequences come later. He nods, opening his arm up so he could hug him and Jey doesn't hesitate to hold him tight.

When they pull away from the hug, Sasha's theme music plays, surprising everyone who was at the announce table and through the screen virtually.

"Is that who I think it is?" Corey Graves questions.

"It's Sasha Banks!" Michael Cole says in a excited yet confused tone, once again.

"What the hell is she doing?" Samoa Joe asked at the announce table.

As Sasha walked out from the gorilla with the title wrapped around her waist, Paul and Jey turned around to look at her. Paul proudly smiled at her, giving her the nod of approval while Jey wasted no time in clapping, hyping her up from her win earlier tonight. Sasha softly grinned at the both of them, and instead of dancing her way out like she usually does, she walked out more calmly since she was coming out to congratulate Roman, along with showing appreciation to him after encouraging her.

Roman didn't turn around right away, but couldn't help but smirk at the sound of her music. He licked his lips, and turned around to see her approaching him. She stood right next to him, and a small smile grew across her face as he looked down at her, admiring her beauty. He couldn't of been more proud of her. Roman switched his title onto his other hand, and held his hand out to her. Sasha looked down at his hand, and gently took a hold of it. Roman brought her hand to his lips, kissing the top of it softly before saying, "I told you, you could do it."

Sasha swooned on the inside by his sweet gesture, and she lightly blushed while she stared at her tribal chief, "It was all you."

Roman gave her hand a soft squeeze in reaction of her reply, winking at her and his strong--tattoed arm brought her into his side. Jey stood close to Roman while Paul watched in amazment. Meanwhile, Drew sat in the ring, looking at Roman and Sasha with a lost facial expression on his face.

Roman looked down at his title in his hand and said, "This is ours, and this stays with us for the near future. We'll take down what we want to." Then he raises his title above his head proudly, and Jey wraps his arm around Roman's shoulder. Roman looks down at me, and nods, signaling me to do the same. Sasha unbuckles her title from her waist, and holds her title above her head as well as Roman's theme music cues shortly after.

"Wait, does this mean that the head of the table has formed an alliance with the boss?" Michael Cole says in a surprised tone.

"This should be good." Samoa Joe adds, speaking what everyone else might've been thinking. After a lingering silence from the announce table, the program cuts to commerical.

➰

Tags; @haharollins @dilfmoxley @sassymox @reignsbanks @wwzentertainment @darksinandmadness @reignsprint @nianotjax @cptcharisma @grandslamstandard @likesummerrainn @brookethegamer @notoriouscrown @flawlessglamazon @roderickstrong (I'd tag more but I can't remember a lot from the top of my head 💀)

hope you guys liked this :)

[itsadamcole]

graduation day

fem!reader x finn balor

Finn is reader’s English professor. He's spent the semester doing everything he can to make sure he doesn't do anything deemed inappropriate to her. Little does he know that reader feels the same way. The day of graduation, reader stops by Finn's office and the two confess how they've been feeling .... "is this what you want?" & "i've never wanted anyone to fuck me this bad before."

word count: 3k+

warnings: smut, a brief student/teacher relationship, sex in a semi-public area (office)

— enjoy this that i wrote at 3 am bc i was bored and couldn’t sleep .... idk what made me even think of this honestly. maybe it’s the thought of finn in a suit, idk .... there also could be a part two to this, i may need to think about it tho —

masterlist || part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 || request an imagine here

~ 18+ content below - read at your own risk ~

You've always found your English professor attractive. He's made the school day bearable. Everyday at 3 pm, you'd walk into that classroom and everything would instantly feel better for that hour long class.

When he would teach, you would look at how his muscles looked in his shirt or how well his pants hugged his butt. He'd notice you looking at him but never thought anything of it because he thought you were just paying attention to the subject of the day.

Finn's always found you quite attractive as well. You've made his school day exciting. Everyday at 3 pm, you'd walk into that classroom and his day would instantly get better for that hour or so of class. After he'd assign his students their work, he'd always sneak glances at you.

You had noticed these glances but never thought anything of them because he occasionally glanced up to make sure everyone was doing their work.

It was graduation day today. Your white gown and cap hang in your car as you pulled up to campus. You hoped that Mr. Balor would be here. He'd told his students on the last day of classes that he'd be in his office from noon until 3 on graduation day to make sure everyone's grades were okay or if anyone needed to talk about how nervous they were to be graduating college.

It was 2:45 when you parked your car in your usual parking spot in the student parking lot. No one was here on campus. It was practically empty. Everyone wouldn't be arriving until five or six for the scheduled seven o'clock graduation ceremony. Only faculty members wandered around campus, packing up the last few things from their offices no doubt.

You got out of your car and checked the time again on your phone. 2:47 pm. The English building was at least a five minute walk from the parking lot. You'd just barely make it.

So you ran. In your white three inch heels you'd decided to wear to graduation. The skirt on your white dress you decided to wear under your gown was flaring out as you ran toward the English building. You pressed your hands down on the skirt so nothing would be revealed to any onlookers. You were terrified that you would pop out of the dress too as the neck dipped very low, revealing a lot of your cleavage. The dress looked a lot like the famous white Marylyn Monroe dress, just a lot shorter and the neck was more lowcut.

Finn was wrapping up in his office as you made your way across the large campus. He finished filing the last papers he had to and he turned off his computer. He leaves his office to run down to the teacher's lounge area to clear out his things from that room.

You check the time again when you arrive to the doors of the English building. 2:52 pm.

You'd been to this building so many times. The classroom you looked forward to coming to everyday was located in this building. His office was located two floors above the classroom.

You take the stairs, running up to the fourth floor.

As you walk down the hallway of the office floor, you check each room's name plate as you walk by, looking for the "Mr. Finn Balor. English Professor" name plate on the door.

One room door was open. You approach it and look at the name plate on the wooden door.

Mr. Finn Balor. English Professor.

You swalllowed, walking into the medium sized room.

Everything was neatly packed away. Everything filed. Computer off. His supplies were neatly placed on his corner desk that took up about 25% of the space in the room. His jacket hung on the back of his desk chair. The backpack full of summer work sat on the black leather love seat that faced the desk on the other side of the room. The door marked the halfway point between the desk and the love seat. Two book selves were placed opposite the wooden door. The medium sized room had a cozy feeling to it.

You had never come to his office before. You were too scared. Scared that something would happen and he would know about your little crush that you've had on him since day one of class in January.

Finn noticed this. How you'd never ask for an appointment or stop by his office for a question. Your grades were excellent and that's why he assumed you never stopped by.

You wait a few minutes in his office to see if he had gone somewhere and will come back. 3 pm approaches and your hopes diminish. He probably left.

You let out a defeated sigh as you make the decision to leave.

As you walk out the door, you physically run into something. Not something. Someone.

"Miss L/N," the all too familiar Irish accent said. "Nice of ya to stop by. I was just thinking about ya."

You finally meet Mr. Balor's too blue eyes and you ask, "You were?"

He nods and walks around you into his office. You swallow nervously as you stand in the doorway and watch as he places a box full of objects on the large desk. "I was hopin' to get to see ya before the ceremony," he says. "I'm glad ya are here."

"Why's that?" you ask curiously, walking into the center of the room.

Mr. Balor looks over at you before he says, "I wanted to congratulate ya on your big day and because ya passed Honors English with flyin' colors. Ya should be very proud of yourself, Miss L/N."

You say, "Thank you, Mr. Balor."

He blinks at you before he says, "Ya graduate today, Y/N. Let's stop with the formalities, shall we? Call me Finn."

"Finn," you echo, trying to get his first name to sound more familiar than foreign. Calling your professor by his first name is not something you had done during the semester.

Finn smiles as you say his name. "So, Y/N," he says, dropping all professionalism. "What brings ya to my office on graduation day? I know it's not to talk about grades."

You shake your head and say, "No, it's not."

He packs a few pictures on his desk away into the box he'd just brought into the room as he asks, "So what do I owe the pleasure?"

Nervously, you say, "I wanted to come talk to you, um, about how I've been feeling for a while."

The packing stops as Finn looks up at you. "Nervous about graduation?" he asks.

You rub the back of your neck and say, "Not really."

"What's going on?" Finn asks, leaning back on his desk. He crosses his arms over his chest and his ankles.

The light grey button-up shirt Finn is wearing is tighter than usual and accentuates his arm muscles when he does this simple movement. It's tucked into his black dress pants. The first few buttons are unbuttoned. He's dressed somewhat casually.

You say, "I graduate today. In about four hours, I will no longer be your student and you will no longer be my teacher."

Finn nods along as you speak. "That's correct," he says.

Before you say anything else, you quickly run your fingers through your Y/H/C color curls. "I thought that now would a good time as any to tell you that over the semester, I've developed some feelings for you and I find you very attractive," you blurt out, trying to speak as slow as you can but it still comes out as a mess.

He's caught off guard by that statement. In that one sentence, he's realized that when he thought you were paying attention to the content on the board, you were looking at him. He's realized that you never came by his office was because of your crush on him. He's realized that you feel the same way that he does about you.

You watch as Finn lets out a sigh of relief and you tilt your head in confusion. "I'm so happy that you said that," Finn says. "Because I've been feeling the same way."

That's when you realize that the glances he's been stealing from you all semester were because he felt the same way. He could never keep his eyes off of you while you concentrated on your work.

A smile forms on your lips as you look at your soon to be former professor.

Finn smiles at you as he walks over, closing the door in case anyone was around.

"It has killed me over the past four months to be your teacher," he says as he approaches you.

You look up at him and ask, "And why is that, Mr. Balor."

He smiles and says, "Because it's prevented me from doing this." He leans down and lightly presses his lips to yours.

You've envisioned kissing Finn a bunch of times, his his soft kiss exceeds all your expectations.

As your lips move against Finn's slowly, you drop your arms. You hadn't realized that you crossed them over your very exposed chest while having that conversation with Finn.

The light kiss continues for a second before Finn pulls away and looks down at you. Even in heels, you're about five inches shorter that Finn's five foot eleven frame.

"Ya look absolutely stunning in that dress, Y/N," Finn says, complimenting you.

Your face turns a light red as you say, "You don't look too bad yourself, Finn. Is that what you're wearing to the ceremony tonight?"

He shakes his head and says, "I had a suit I was going to wear tonight but now, I don't think I'll be wearing it."

"Why won't you be wearing it?" you ask.

Finn says, "Because if ya think I'm going anywhere right now, you're crazy. I won't have time to go get the suit from my place and make it back here on time for the ceremony."

You glance at the time on the clock in the office. It's close to 3:30 now. You look back at Finn and say, "There's still about two hours before everyone starts to arrive for the ceremony. There's plenty of time to kill."

His eyes scan you as he says, "I plan on killing every second."

In one movement, his lips are back on yours. This time, they move more harshly and passionately than they did the first time. Your hands fly to cup Finn's face.

Finn's hands go to your thighs and he lifts you up, walking you over to his desk and setting you down gently on it. His tongue makes its way into your mouth as the kiss intensifies.

You find your fingers on the buttons of Finn's button-up after you pull the shirt up to untuck it from the waistband of his pants. Your fingers work to undo each button quickly but carefully.

He shrugs off the shirt and your hands run up and down his toned chest and abs. Finn's fingers are under the skirt of your dress as you kick off your heels. The digits slowly slide up your thighs, closer to your throbbing core. You are aching for him, just like you have all semester. Except now, you'll get the satisfaction of his fingers instead of yours.

The thought of Finn's fingers inside of you is enough to make you wet. Well, wetter than you already are. The white colored panties you're wearing are probably ruined at this point.

Finn's free hand works at sliding the sleeves of your dress off your shoulders. The fabric falls, exposing your breasts to Finn.

He pulls back from the kiss to look at your exposed chest. "So beautiful," he mutters under his breath. "All mine."

Finn pushes you back on his desk and stands between your legs as he starts to kiss and suck on each breast. You let out soft sighs as your core starts to pulsate again.

You need Finn to touch you before you explode.

"Finn," you gasp.

He looks up at you with his eyes and he asks, "Something wrong, my love?"

You swallow and say, "I need you to touch me. Down there. Please"

Finn crouches down in front of his desk between your legs. "Of course," he says, pushing your skirt up to expose your panties. "Already so wet for me."

"Only for you," you sigh as Finn runs a finger over your clothed core.

He takes the waistband of your pantie in his fingers and pulls them down slowly, almost teasingly. He sees just how wet you are. Your folds are soaked with arousal.

Finn kisses your thighs and says, "I've always wondered what you've tasted like."

You throw your legs over Finn's shoulder and say, "I want your tongue. Please." Desperation is laced in your voice.

He smirks and runs his tongue slowly through your folds. You gasp and smile. He sucks on your clit for a second before swirling his tongue around it. You feel him push a finger inside of you, making you moan softly. Finn moves the digit slowly, teasing you.

You reach down and run your fingers through Finn's short hair as his finger speeds up. He soon adds a second finger. He stands back up, hovering over you as he fingers you. You're a moaning mess beneath Finn's touch.

Finn kisses your neck gently as he moves his fingers a little faster. Your body jerks under his touch occasionally as you're pulled closer and closer to your pending orgasm.

"Ya taste so good," Finn says against your neck. "And ya take my fingers so well."

Your fingers run up and down his back lightly as he speeds up his fingers, adding a third one. You gasp and moan as his fingers move inside of you.

Right as you're about to reach your orgasm, Finn pulls his fingers out and you whine. He sucks on the three digits he had inside of you before he says, "Get on your knees for me, my love."

You nod and get off the desk. You get on your knees in front of Finn. You reach up and start to undo the button on his pants. You pull down the article of clothing and run your finger over Finn's hard member. You free him from his boxers. You're shocked by the size of Finn's member. You knew he was packing but not this much.

You take Finn in your hand and pump him a few times before you take him in your mouth. You start slow and shallow before eventually taking most of him in your mouth. You move your head, sucking occasionally. Finn starts to thrust into your mouth as saliva drips down your chin.

Finn groans softly as you suck him off, but it's not long before he stands you up and his lips are on yours. You push the dress off your body, stepping out of it.

He turns you around so your butt is pressed against his erect member. He gropes your breasts and kisses your neck. You gasp and moan as his member runs through your folds.

You're bent over the desk and Finn spreads your legs apart. "Is this what ya  want?" he asks.

"I've never wanted anyone to fuck me this bad before," you admit.

That's all Finn needs to hear before he pushes himself into you. You grasp onto the desk as he pulls out, only to thrust hard into you again, making you moan.

Finn's trusts are hard and deep from the beginning. He's waited a while for this moment, and so have you. He's not going to be gentle with you.

You pull your left leg up onto the desk and hold it, giving Finn more access. He thrusts harder and harder, making you moan loudly.

When Finn finds your g-spot, you let him know immediately. "Oh, Finn," you gasp. "Right there." He starts slamming into the spot over and over again, making you moan louder and louder.

After a few moments of this, Finn stands you up and turns you around, laying you on your back across the desk. He thrusts harder into this time and his lips are on your neck. You gasp and moan as he moves.

One of Finn's fingers rubs your clit as he thrusts hard into you.

You lift Finn's head up and kiss him roughly. Your tongues battle for dominance and his hand rests around your throat.

A thin layer of sweat has formed on both your bodies as he continues moving.

Your walls begin to clench around Finn and he pulls back from the kiss, resting his forehead on yours. "Come with me, princess," he says, out of breath.

"Tell me when," you gasp.

After a few more seconds of movement, Finn says, "Now."

The two of you come together. You let out soft moans and whines as Finn helps you ride out your climax. He collapses on top of you. The two of you sloppily kiss for a few seconds before detaching from each other.

Both you and Finn get dressed but the kissing and touching doesn't stop. You make your way to the love seat, where you lay and makeout with Finn until six.

He walks out of the building with you and walks you to your car. Other seniors have begun arriving by this time.

Finn says, "Come by my house around nine tonight. I'll show ya a real celebration then."

You stand in front of Finn and look up at him. "What will this mean for us?" you ask. "Will we get to see each other after I graduate?"

He says, "Let's cross that path once that graduation cap is in the air and you've officially graduated."

You giggle and nod. "I'll come by at nine," you say. "Tell me the address and I'll be there."

Finn tells you his address then says, "See ya when ya walk across the stage."

"I can't wait."