#liam and amelia water thing one

[upsidedowngrass]

yaa

[jellyaibo]

awesum splendid dream!!! (im lying)

so in this dream cheesy decided to randomly release a post finale thing for hfjone, that seemingly had the main 3 (bryce, amelia, and liam) and even airy having a good ending. it starts off with liam, amelia, and bryce going to some bridge above a river, there was also a tunnel on the bridge too (this is important remember this), and they were chatting about a fourth person coming to take a photo with them, which then reveals that airy was going to join them.

liam turns around and sees airy waiting to cross a road, liam and bryce decide to help him cross since to them it looks like he had no fucking clue where he actually was, so they waited for the cars to stop and helped airy cross, both of them held his hands like he was a fucking child and they kept joking and talking about how he can barely function, with airy not really even paying attention to what the two are saying. then, as the two approach amelia who was still standing at the bridge, bryce decides that just carriying airy would work much better, so he cradles him basically like a child. help!

anyways everyone gets ready to take the picture and once its taken they realize that airy wasnt looking at the camera so they make fun of him and decide to take another picture, while they are getting set up again airy somehow gets his hands on a match and somehow nobody fucking notices him lighting it and putting it out for funsies because they are too busy making fun of him because he called the camera a "flash box thing." so the smoke from the match starts wafting into the tunnel, and makes contact with a faulty lightbulb that was hanging inside of the tunnel, which caused the match to ignite again suddenly, and set bryce on fire since he was still holding airy.

obviously this made him drop airy and he was desperately trying to pat the flames off him, liam and amelia were also rushing to put out the flames and while this was happening bryce was just fucking screaming his lungs out, then i think amelia manages to get a bucket of water from the river below and puts out the flames but i think it was way too late cuz the flames fucking melted bryces face off (and i mean this literally, when she threw the water onto him his face fucking came off, it wasnt gruesome at all because there wasnt really any gore except for his eyes since they seemed to be gone after this??? idk its weird to describe) oh and he also slipped on the water and fell into the river, which now seemed to be RUSHING with so much water compared to how calm it was in the beginning, so bryce got quickly swept away, you could still hear him screaming for a minute but then he went quiet and got swept away. liam dived into the river after him but then he was just- never seen again after this, i think he immediately fucking died, or maybe something else happened but i cant remember for the life of me. anyways amelia is scrambling to find a way to save the two, she tries calling for help and looking around for airy but he also seems to be gone, but then the camera cuts to under the river where airy plunged into the water himself for . some reason and is thinking really hard about things, but then he remembers that he needs to breathe so he frantically swims up to the surface and nobody is there anymore, just him and the tunnel bridge. theres some music playing here i think, and we just have a shot of airy getting out of the river and walking onto shore (the river is completely calm again btw) and then it just fucking ends there??????? theres . a lot of credits and even a little fucking "thanks for watching" from cheesy, and i tried skipping to the end of it which revealed a fucking after credits scene where amelia is in a PSYCH WARD . but for some reason there was some creepypasta shit going on here cuz when i tried to go back to the psych ward part it just didnt exist anymore, and instead was replaced by a very….interesting montage.

so it showed two furry wolf characters, one of them wore a green hoodie and the other wore a red suit, the green hoodie wolf was trying to mug the suit wolf. then it cut to two children in kindergarden, one (obviously) had a green backpack and the other had a red lunchbox, then the red lunchbox kid tried to either play with or…bully the green backpack kid, i cant remember but- basically this was cheesy saying "oh yeah bro the lore is deep" and these two have been destined to meet in every "past life." and they were also destined to die together in some way, i think it then showed how the wolves and children die which was upsetting and this went on for a bit longer with other "sodapack colored" characters until the video just suddenly ended. and uh yeah, it was 5 am when i started writing this and uhmmm i cant go back to sleep cuz of it

oh and also heres my recreation of their last photo

(ofc it was much more close up but i wanted to show how the bridge looked too, also its messy cuz its. fucking 6 am now helpme)

[smile-files]

um also could u do bryce liam & amelia for the pokeymon thing :3

bryce really feels like a dragon-type to me! i don't know why!! gabite seems bitter enough to be suitable for him.

i wanted a normal-type for liam, one that looked relatively docile, one that i could imagine going kind of insane, and one that could easily hold things (the axe). farfetch'd is a pretty good fit!!

a calm, soothing water-type like lumineon is great for amelia!! the fact that lumineon can light up is cool too, as amelia is a candle.

thank you!!! :D

[osc-confessions]

I hate Liam. I hate him sooo so much. It’s entirely writing wise too. I think he was really interesting from episode 10 to 13 because it explored him as a character and make hi kinda fucked up? And I found that really interesting! He WAS doing all of this for himself and he continues to do that after him and Bryce’s fight in episode 13. But the thing is this is never acknowledged ever ? And the show constantly makes Liam be the one in the right and it annoys the hell out of me

He SHOULD be a really flawed protagonist, especially after all that trauma, but his motives and personality end up switching on a dime all the time.

Liam stops being scared of death despite only dying once before this and it really traumatized him but it’s never brought up again. He falls into a body of water and doesn’t have any memories of when he last died.

He lies to Owen so badly and barely reacts to seeing his friend from college after 7 months and he never describes or longs for his old life in San Francisco, making him saying that he lost his life feel like a lie.

He guilt trips Bryce multiple times from episode 10 to 13 and it never gets acknowledged again even after Bryce says. TO HIS FACE. That he doesn’t actually care about Amelia and that he’s doing this for himself. Liam glosses over this entirely and after this episode it never comes up again. In episode 15 Bryce is all buddy buddy with Liam as if Liam didn’t take away his hard earned life again and guilt tripped him several damn times and was generally an asshole. And so everything Liam has done that could be considered bad up to this point is completely brushed aside and considered good ??? What the hell ???

He’s shown as selfish multiple times despite how he’s never really portrayed as in the wrong every time. He heavily alters viewer perception over events and he’s almost always is portrayed as in the right as said earlier and I can complain about that a LOT just on it’s own.

Liam feels bad for Airy very quickly from a storytelling stand point despite the fact that he travelled across the country and died over 20 times to stop Airy. The viewer can feel sympathetic for Airy without Liam doing so too !! And Texty was kinda just used for Liam’s internal conflict which could’ve been portrayed in way less time and would’ve been easier but whatever

Liam is both very tunnel vision and takes his time. He waits a while to do anything related to the show but when he does it he’s determined to get it done which really doesn’t connect ? And he goes to the stone and sf note first instead of directly to airy despite how it’d make more sense considering the tunnel vision portrayals. They don’t stick with one when writing him and it sucks

He’s also portrayed as both selfless and selfish and I’m just like??? PICK ONE ALREADY ??? Him not caring about the other contestants makes episode 8 feel really pointless because then what was the point of making them all supposedly get closer together? And this is made worse because of episode 16 since none of the contestants’ wishes are about each other at all, despite the fact that they didn’t have any lives at all before this. Like. It would’ve been really good to have that to show that they care about each other. But I guess NOT. This is a Liam rant though so I’m moving on

Comparatively, if they had him as more selfless then he’d also be interesting it’s just that I feel like that would be the situation if Amelia was the protagonist lmao.

Side note his personality is so indistinct that his wiki page is shorter than Texty’s who has less than half as much screen time as he does and also is kinda a plot device lol. They just do all the work for Liam and Bryce despite foreshadowing how Liam was going to search up the plane online and how it could be really interesting to play with death as a serious subject with actual stakes but eh

tl;dr: His lack of backstory and inconsistent personality make him a bad character and I’m sorry for this long ass ask

idk what to say lol

[thefirstcourtesan]

Best Laid Plans (TRR a fic)

Best Laid Plans

By Misha

Disclaimer- Not mine.

Author’s Notes- I don’t really write TRR fic anymore but this one is a quick little birthday fic for my friend @lizzybeth1986. This is set in my Drake/Amelia universe, which ignore TRR. It is a Hana and Amelia friendship fic.

Rating- PG-13

Pairing- Drake/MC, slight Hana/Kiara

Summary- When Drake has to go away on Cordonian business, Amelia assures him she will be fine, but their daughter has other plans.

“I can send someone else.”

I didn’t even bother looking up from where I was folding clothes. “Drake, we have been waiting for over ten years to track down the last of the Sons of the Earth, you need to do this.”

My husband groaned and run his fingers through his hair. “Grant…”

This time I did look up. “Drake, I am not due for three more weeks and both the boys were ten days late. You will be Drakovia for two days at most and you will have access to a private plane, flown by the Cordonian Air Force.” I grinned. “I am just sad I can’t go with you.”

I had tried to argue my case, but I had been shot down by Drake, Liam and Olivia. Who in addition to being my husband and two of my best friends were also the head of Corodian security and the King and Queen. So, no out-of-country trips hunting down extremists for me. The downsides of being almost 37 weeks pregnant.

“Hana and Kiara are coming to help with the boys,” I continued, “and you know Hana, she won’t let me tire myself out, packing this suitcase is likely the last lifting I will do for the next three days.”

“You promise to call me if you need me?” Drake asked, stepping closer to the bed.

I moved away from the suitcase into his arms. “I promise. Now, help me close this suitcase so you can get on a plane and end a terrible chapter of our life once and for all and then you can come back and our baby girl can be born into a world where no one shoots at us or tries to kill us.”

**

“You know I promised to make you take it easy,” Hana teased the next day as she brought me a glass of lemonade.

I looked up from where I was kneeling in the garden. “I am gardening, not chasing down armed assassins, Hana.”

“Which is a good thing,” she reminded me, then she smiled knowingly, “how badly do you you wish you were in Drakovia right now?”

“So badly,” I sighed, leaning back and taking a sip of the lemonade, “I tried to plead my case, but no one was having it.”

“Shocking,” Hana said and I could hear the laughter in her voice, “you just have to accept that you can’t always be the Hero of Corodnia.”

I rolled my eyes. “I hate that nickname.” I stood up, something that took more effor than I wanted to admit, and then promptly doubled over.

“Amelia!” Hana rushed to my side and wrapped her arm around me, “are you ok?”

Before I could answer, I felt wetness on my legs, and I knew Hana felt it too.

I looked up at her, panic in my eyes, “Hana, my water just broke.”

She took a deep breath. “I am going to help you to the chair and then I am going to go get Kiara and we’ll call for help. You’ve got this.”

I nodded, though inwardly I did not feel even remotely calm. I was having a baby while my husband was in a foreign country on a very sensitive diplomatic mission.

“You really have been causing chaos from day one,” I murmured rubbing my stomach as Hana helped me into a lawn chair.

“Like mother, like daughter,” she said, squeezing my hand, “you got this, Amelia, and I’m here.”

I smiled up at her. “I know.”

**

“I tried calling Drake, but he is not answering,” Kiara told me once I was settled in my bed, “neither are Liam or Olivia.”

I fought back a curse. Why had I initiated Drake go? Oh yeah, because it was the right thing to do and if I couldn’t be the one to bring in those bastards, I’d wanted Drake to do it.

“We’ll keep calling,” Hana assured me, fluffing my pillow, “your midwife will be here in 5 minutes. I also was able to get a hold of your parents and they are taking the next flight out of New York.”

“Did my mother yell a lot?”

“A bit,” Hana confirmed with a smile, “and she said a few very rude things in Italian and then apologized once she remembered I could understand what she was saying.”

I laughed. “Sounds like my mother.” I took a deep breath. “The boys?”

“The nanny is watching them,” Kiara answered, “but I am going to go relieve her soon. Bertrand and Savannah are on on their way here to take the kids. They are also going to take the twins and Rose.”

“They are going to watch 7 kids, did someone slip Bertrand something?”

“Maxwell is going to help,” Hana aid and then grinned, “although, that just means they will have 8 children to look after.”

I giggled. “I think I’d rather be in labor.” Just then I got hit by another contraction and winced. “Or maybe not.”

“You got this,” Hana assured me, “you’ve done this twice before.”

“And never planned on doing it again,” I reminded her and then regretted it. This baby might not have been planned but she was a miracle. “I wish Drake was here, he is easier to yell at.”

“Yelling at Hana is like yelling at a kitten isn’t it?” Kiara asked, giving her wife a quick kiss on the cheek, “I am going to go help with the children and I will keep trying to call Drake.”

“Tell him I am ripping his balls off myself,” I called out.

“I will not,” Kiara replied, but I could hear the smile in her voice as she left the room.

**

“Good news or bad news?” My midwife asked me after she finished checking me.

I glared at her, “not a question you ask a woman in labor!”

It had been maybe 40 minutes since my water had broken and the contractions had gone from ‘ouch’ to ‘oh god, kill me now’ very quickly.

“Everything looks good, you and baby are both doing great,” Ana assured me, “but your husband will not make it in time because you are fully dilated.”

“What??? It took me 17 hours to have Jax and 13 with Will,” I reminded her, “how can I be ready to have this baby now?!” I practically shouted that last word as another contraction hit me.

“Every baby is different,” Ana reminded me, “I know you didn’t plan to hav ea. baby today, but your daughter had different plans. I am going to need you to get ready to push.”

“I am here,” Hana assured me, grabbing my hand.

I smiled weakly. “I know, you always are, I love you, Hana.”

“I love too,” she told me, “my first friend, my best friend, my sister. You’ve got this, Amelia, and I’ve got you.”

Just then the door of my bedroom flew open and Kiara ran in, holding her phone. “Grant! Grant, what is happening?” I could hear my husband’s voice on the other end.

“We’re having a baby,” I told him as I took the phone from Kiara, looking into Drake’s worried face, “like right now.”

Drake cursed. “Shit. I can head back, I should be there—“

“She means right now, Drake,” Hana interrupted, taking the phone, “Amelia is getting ready to push. Just stick with us,”

She handed the phone back to Kiara and took my hand again as Ana instructed me to push. I could hear Drake offering encouragement and I focused on that and Hana’s hand and after a few minutes, I heard the beautiful sound.

“A healthy girl,” Ana announced, placing her on my stomach,

I smiled down at my daughter. “She’s here, Drake, our daughter.”

“I love you both so much,” he told me, “I will be there as soon as I can.”

“I know.” After the call finished and Kiara had excused herself again to go make more calls, I looked up at Hana, “thank you for being here for me.”

“There is nowhere else I’d rather be,” she assured me, smiling at both me and the baby.

“Antonella, meet your Aunt Hana,” I said softly, “the best and most loyal friend anyone can ever have. I know that you are going to be so lucky to have her in your life, just like I have been.”

End

[doodlebeeberry]

while im waitin for laundry again: like half-ish of a sketch in which soda bottle makes pancakes. might finish n clean this up later cause i like. really like plain domestic shit with these three

For several minutes after waking Soda opted to just lay there, bathing in the warmth of the morning sunlight pouring over him and the arm wrapped around him loosely, setting him into place. They’d somehow gotten shuffled around in their sleep, so that he lay in the center, Liam’s face smushed against his left shoulder and Amelia strewn over his right side. Muffled birdsong drifted in through the window, and he’d bet five bucks that there was a robin perched on the windowsill right now, the same one that’d been setting up shop there every morning for the past two months.

He was comfortable where he was. It was a bit early to be up still in his opinion, and he very much contemplated going back to sleep, but then Liam would mumble dream-laden nothings or Amelia would curl closer into his side, holding tight, and something deep win his chest would warm a bit, blooming in his throat and making him feel nothing short of an unending fondness, even if it came at the cost of his arms being a bit pinned at odd angles around them. 

Then his stomach rumbled, and he very much recalled the second thing keeping him awake: he was hungry.

So, ten minutes of laying about later, he set himself on the daunting task of untangling himself from the mess of limbs and bedding they’d become, leaving behind a hollow where he’d been laying. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he watched just for a moment how the sunlight framed them. Both warm-toned by it, edges softened in honey-gold light, glowing lovely, even as Liam rolled over unceremoniously, very nearly smacking Amelia in the face in the process, seeking her out as though trying to fill the gap. He smiled a bit when they found each other. 

So very fond indeed.

He took a moment to lean over, holding gently first Amelia’s hand, then Liam’s, offering each a soft squeeze. He didn’t really think they were awake enough to hear it, but even still he mumbled, words warm to match

     “I’m gonna go make breakfast, alright?”

He didn’t get much reply beyond a soft sigh from Liam. Even still, he pulled back, lingering for just a moment before leaving them to sleep in peace.

Setting their little electric kettle to boil, Soda found himself tangling with the pressing issue of what exactly to make. Digging through the cupboards didn’t really yield much: some flour, vanilla, salt, sugar. They were running a bit low on milk and were completely out of bread, and by the time the water was boiling he found himself compiling a rudimentary grocery list instead of deciding what to make. 

Instant coffee, he discovered as he scraped the last dregs of it into his mug, was very much on it. He added a bit of milk before sipping the bitter drink slowly, thinking.

Flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs...did they have baking powder? 

A bit more digging revealed that yes, they did, though it was edging close to its expiration date. He set everything out on the counter beside the stove, alongside a bowl, whisk, and, after nearly turning the kitchen upside-down looking for it, measuring spoons. He stared them down a moment. He hadn’t made pancakes from scratch in a long time, well before he met them at least. The boxed stuff, sure, he’d thrown that together at least once in recent memory, but he was at least fairly certain he hadn’t attempted this since he was a teen, guided from the sidelines by his mother, always a bit of a back-seat chef. He tried to ignore the rose-tinted nostalgia for now in favor of dredging up the recipe as he remembered it, starting with a single cup of flour.

He was very nearly done with the batter, mulling over its thickness and adding just a bit more milk, when someone shuffled in. He stopped right behind him, and though Soda couldn’t see him he could piece together what he was doing fairly easily by the click of the kettle switch. 

     “We’re out of coffee by the way”

Liam turned.

     “We are?”

     “Yep. Just drank the last of it.”

He hummed, a bit flat, and stepped to his side. Liam only glanced at the slight mess on the counter before rummaging through the cabinet over his head.

     “Do you know if we still have that one tea?”

     “The black one? Top shelf I think” he paused his mixing, “I thought you didn’t like that kind?”

     “Eh,” Liam shrugged, nabbing a packet from the half-full box, “it’s not the best but it’s alright.”

Soda shrugged a bit,

     “Suit yourself.”

He’d never really understood the appeal of tea, to him it always seemed bland. From time to time they’d bicker about it inbetween grocery store aisles, fights he’d always lose the moment he plucked a container of coffee from the shelf. For now though he left the matter for another day, instead plucking the half-stick of butter from the fridge, yet another thing they were low on, and began his search for a pan. The kettle clicked again. Liam watched him as he filled his mug.

     “What’re you making anyway?” he yawned around his words, “Pancakes?”

    “Yeah,” Soda replied, poking through the cabinet beneath the cutlery drawer, “If I can find the stupid frying pan—”

Something tapped him between the shoulder blades. Pulling back, he found Liam holding out the old black pan, taken from its place between the sink and the other drying dishes.

“Oh. thanks.”

Liam hummed, sipping his drink and watching Soda step up to the stove.

    “I didn’t know we had pancake mix” he said once the front-right burner had been clicked on. Soda dropped a thin pad of butter into the center.

    “We don’t. I made it from scratch.”

    “You know how to do that?”

    “Kinda. Pass me a spoon? A big one.”

Liam pulled a serving spoon from the drawer, stepping to his side before passing it. Soda swirled the butter around in the pan.

    “‘Kinda’?”

    “It’s been a while.”

They watched the butter sizzle, foam, and fill the room with savory scents before Soda dropped the first spoonful of batter in.

Amelia joined them partway through the frying process, still very much fighting off sleep. At the lack of coffee, she simply opted for a glass of milk, not wanting to bother with the kettle. She leaned a bit on Liam as they watched him cook.

“You can go back to bed for a bit if you want,” Liam offered after her third yawn, “we’ll leave some for you.”

“‘S alright. I don’t think I’d be able to go back to sleep anyway.”

“Doubt it,” Soda said, checking the golden underside of the pancake, “you don’t even sound awake yet. Your gonna fall asleep standing up—” he flipped it. It only half landed in the pan right, the rest flopped along the side, marring its shape. “Damn it.”

“Deserved”

“That one’s yours”

[jazy3]

Thoughts on Grey’s Anatomy: 17X5

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I’m going to go right ahead and say it. This episode felt like a PSA to me, but it was well done. It was emotional and impactful and the storyline about Bailey’s Mom made me tear up, but at the same time the episode felt very stagnant and I feel like the lives of the other characters didn’t really move forward or go anywhere. It felt like they were all standing still. I liked the conversations between Jackson and Richard and Bailey and Maggie about how COVID has impacted black and brown people more than other races and how unfair that is and how politicians and decision makers need to pay more attention to that.

I loved the conversation between Bailey and Maggie. I liked that they addressed what happened with Maggie’s Mom because that storyline bothered the heck out of me. Maggie treated Meredith and everyone else horribly when all they did was try and help and then she forced her mother to undergo treatments she didn’t want because Maggie couldn’t handle the fact that she was dying and then they just dropped it. I’m glad to see that make a comeback and that Maggie has recognized that what she did and the way she behaved was wrong and is now using that experience to help others.

I loved their comments about guidance counsellors and others assume black people aren’t as bright or as capable as white folks and how insidious that is. It’s not something I’ve experienced myself as a white person, but I’m glad they’re highlighting it. This episode was written by Zoanne Clack who is a black woman and a former E.R. Physician. The previous episode was written by Julie Wong who is an Asian woman and I think it’s great they are utilizing the talent that they have so that people of colour can share their stories and their experiences on a global scale. 

By telling these stories through the lives of characters we know and love and can empathize with it allows people who will never have these experiences understand a little bit more. Representation is important and this show has always done a really good job in my opinion of highlighting important topics and social issues in a sensitive and thoughtful manner. These characters are fictional, but their stories are taken from the lives of real people and I think an important step in the process of creating a better fairer world is creating media that reflects people’s realities in order to cultivate empathy so that people who might not otherwise understand or get it have a window into that experience.

Maybe it changes their mind. Maybe it doesn’t. But the point is that it opens people’s minds to the possibility of seeing a side that they didn’t before and that is half the battle when trying to get people to understand someone else’s experience or point of view. I’m going to be seeing my family this holiday season virtually and in small groups from a safe distance. As is the case for many visiting with relatives over the holidays means having to listen to a lot of ignorant opinions, frustrating statements, and in some cases racial slurs and inappropriate remarks. 

So I’ve been thinking a lot about how I’m going to handle that this year because my tolerance for that crap has gone out the window. All this to say it’s nice to see good people fighting the good fight to get these stories out there to a global audience so that maybe some people will get it and maybe some good will come of it. And even if it doesn’t seeing characters and stories that represent you on screen is powerful and moving and wonderful and we all deserve that. I teared up watching Bailey suffer with the deterioration and death of her Mom.

The end scene where Bailey describes the patients she’s lost to COVID in the voice over while her and Richard sing ‘My Girl’ to give her Mom that moment of peace and a death with dignity got me. It really put a face on the disease. Watching her and her Dad struggle with it was so hard. I loved Bailey’s voice over where she shared info about the COVID patients she’d lost so far and who they were not just their disease. That was well done. Made me tear up.

I loved the talk between Meredith and Bailey at the hospital and on the beach. This episode wasn’t as shocking as the previous ones, but it was still good. I’m glad Meredith is getting better. I will miss the beach, but I’m excited to see her wake up, get better, and hopefully spend some time with Hayes. Which brings me to my chief complaint with this episode which is where the heck was Hayes?!?! This is the second episode he’s been absent from for no discernable reason and no explanation has been given as to where he is.

I did not sign up for this. A big part of the joy I felt when they announced that he was being upped to a main character was the implication that he was going to be given his own storylines and character development outside of Meredith and his relationships with Abigail, Liam, and Austin. But Hayes being absent when Meredith’s not awake robs of him that. Don’t get me wrong. I love Meredith and Hayes together and all I want is for them to be together and live happily ever after.

But, Hayes has such a rich and interesting backstory and there’s so much to explore there. Richard Flood who plays him brings such a wonderful depth to the character and he deserves to have his own story apart from Meredith and I really want to see him interact with the other characters more. We’ve seen him interact significantly with Jo and Bailey, but I’d love to see him interact with Maggie, Amelia, Jackson, and Owen more. His absence this episode reminds me of the episode after the Conference Episode last season where he was suddenly missing for no reason and they didn’t explain where he was.

I’m confused because he was upped to a main character just before this season started so he should be in every episode or almost every episode like the other characters are. I’m starting to get concerned that the actor who plays him has fallen ill or tested positive for COVID-19 or that he’s dealing with some kind of family emergency and so they had to cut him out of the episode last minute. I hope I’m wrong, but I honestly can’t think of another reason the actor would be missing for upwards of 2 to 4 weeks when these episodes were filmed.

I can’t see his absence being a story choice because it doesn’t make any sense and they haven’t addressed it on screen as they usually do when an actor has departed or needs time off and they have time to write that in. He also doesn't appear to be in the promo for next week’s episode which is strange considering it shows another meeting being held by Richard where some of the other department heads can be seen and we get shots of most of the other characters. After the Premiere aired he appeared in the promo for Episode 3 standing outside Meredith’s window and in that episode we saw them have a heart to heart that I thought was really beautiful and lovely.

At this point it’s unclear if Meredith even knows that Hayes is the one that found her and got her help and is distraught over her condition. He’s the head of Peds which is a pretty important department. Where the heck is he? They can gladly write off other characters in the second half of the season to give him more screen time in my opinion. I really hope the actor and his family are okay.  I’d also hate for his sudden absence to wreck Meredith’s storyline.

I love their friendship and flirtations and I’d hate to see her wind up alone or with someone that clearly isn’t right for her and that she doesn’t really love because something unexpected happened with the actor. I really really hope he���s in the mid-season finale next week! Jo suddenly declaring that she wants to quit general surgery to become an OBGYN came out of nowhere and makes no sense to me.

She spent years being with and then married to the Head of Pediatric Surgery and was decidedly lukewarm on the idea of having kids or even being near them. So her and Alex split and in the wake of that she randomly decides she wants to be an OBGYN and deliver babies? What the heck? I’m also confused because I feel like Hayes should have been there because it was a Peds case and he wasn’t and if Jo wants to re-specialize it would make sense for her to talk to Carina or Hayes.

Carina’s a main character on Station 19 and is still reoccurring on Grey’s so she can talk to her for an episode or two, but anymore than that and I think that would fall under Hayes perview because he’s a main character. But he’s currently MIA and we don’t know why. I did love Jo’s scenes with Levi though. They’re always hilarious and I think they bounce off of each other really well. I’m glad that Tom improved and apparently isn’t dying.

I like him with Teddy and I hope they get back together at some point. I’m glad they are choosing to be friends again. More than anything I want Teddy to pick a lane here. Owen or Tom. Pick one and go with it. Stop flip flopping all over the place like a fish out of water. Teddy’s a hot mess these days. I liked Amelia’s speech to Teddy. She has feelings about what Teddy did and didn’t do, but as she says she herself has done horrible things, some of them involving Owen, so she’s not in any place to judge, but she also doesn’t want to be friends with Teddy or really talk to her. And that’s fair. I have to say I love Amelia post-tumour. She’s great.

Also what happened to Casey Parker the resident from last season who was transgender and former military? I really liked him! Where did he go? I’d much rather see him that DeLuca or Nico on screen. Based on what I caught of next week’s promo it looks the COVID situation at Grey Sloan is about to get worse. We see Richard addressing staff in the cafeteria saying that they need to prepare for a surge of patients and that their patient load could double. We’re in May in the current Grey’s timeline so that fits.

It’s apparently also a cross over. I don’t want another cross over. I want to know where the hell Hayes is! And it looks like Amelia is back in the OR and the doctors are treating two teenagers who were kidnapped and held captive. Yikes! And we see Meredith smiling at someone on the beach before suddenly waking up. My guess is that it’s Derek and we are finally going to get to see them embrace and then Meredith is going to return to the land of the living. And hopefully interact with Hayes.

Until next time!

[cyanicats]

An evolution of my anthro cat characters~ Some of the older ones have been around since I was 11, so weird to think how fast time has gone! > n < But it’s also cool to see how my art has changed over the years.

I organized them in the order that they were created; from top to bottom, there’s Liam, Catherine, Ash, Roxy, Percy, Amelia, and Jason. *Liam and Jason still exist, I just haven’t drawn them for a long time so I don’t have anything recent to share of them. And now for some brief info about them!

Liam was originally intended to be a character in a game that my younger brother and I wanted to make; you have to fight him a few times but he becomes an ally later on. *My bro and I don’t work on this game anymore, but I still like to use the characters in comics and drawings. Liam was born with the ability to manipulate and create lightning at will, which also allows him to move at incredible speeds. He can be somewhat confrontational and competitive with people, but deep down he has a kind heart.

Catherine was going to be Liam’s battle partner, but now that’s up for debate since I’ve changed up their stories to the point where it would be hard to make it work. She is Ash’s younger half-sister, and has the ability to manipulate water. She is shy and quiet, and likes to spend most of her time reading books and writing poetry.

Like Liam and Catherine, Ash was created for my bro and I’s old game. Originally he was going to be a villain, but he grew on me so much over the years that I decided to make him a good guy (but I still left some of his bad boy traits in him, i.e. he is that one guy that will skip school for lols). He was born with the ability to create and manipulate blue fire. He is somewhat soft-spoken, and deceivingly gets himself into a lot of trouble but he’s fiercely loyal to those that he cares about.

Roxy was created to be Ash’s girlfriend (even though she wasn’t going to be part of the game series that he’s from). *I started a “what-if” comic about what it would be like if all of my characters went to high school together, and Roxy was originally made exclusively for that AU. She's strong-willed, athletic and tomboyish, and has the ability to create and manipulate fire. She has a hard time opening up to people, but eventually will do so when she grows close enough to someone. 

Like Roxy, Percy was created for the high school AU comic, to play the role of Ash’s best friend/partner in crime. The two of them were too much alike, so I decided to make Percy more of the cautious type always trying to keep Ash out of trouble. His ability is foresight, allowing him to see a short distance into the future and predict bad outcomes of things, and while this may be a useful skill to have, the drawback is that it’s made him somewhat paranoid. But he is also very smart and can make friends with pretty much anyone.

Amelia was also a part of the high school AU comic, suggested by my brother to be Percy’s love interest. She is from a rich family that puts a lot of high expectations on her, but she tries not to let that stop her from pursuing her own wants and needs. She’s one of the few characters that I didn’t give supernatural abilities to, but I’m still keeping that option open as I develop her personality more.

Jason was from a series of his own, but he did make regular appearances in the high school AU alongside the other characters. Black cats are often seen as bad luck by superstitious people, and Jason, being a black cat himself, tries to prove the superstition wrong but fails since he has constant bad luck (always slips on conveniently placed banana peels, for instance). This is why he always looks grumpy. He’s also the world’s one and only vegan cat :P

I love these guys and I still draw them to this day~ I’m continuing to develop their personalities and will be sharing lots of them on this Tumblr account, so stay tuned for more in the future!

[purplesurveys]

1123

survey by zqrwrgnani

What do you typically have for breakfast? I skip breakfast Monday to Friday. On weekends either of my parents will usually make fried rice served with 3–4 of the following: eggs, hotdogs, corned beef, dried fish, ham, longganisa, and luncheon meat.

Where do you purchase most of your clothes? There’s a tiangge at the local mall where they will change up the collection of clothes being sold every couple of weeks. They have trendy choices at really low prices so that’s where I liked getting clothes back when I went out more.

Do you have any opinions on Anna Delvey? Literally have never heard of her. Should I know who this is...?

What are you currently streaming? I have an episode of (surprise!) 2D1N turned on, but it’s paused.

What do you typically order when you go for coffee? Iced caramel macchiato. I actually switched it up today and went for a basic iced mocha, though. Just wanted to try something new, I guess.

Anything you’re looking out for at the thrift? No, and I don’t usually make trips to thrift stores either.

Who are your favorite YouTubers? Louise Pentland is a recent favorite. There’s also Good Mythical Morning, Grace Helbig, and The Try Guys. I also like a ton of BuzzFeed people but I don’t think they count as YouTubers. I like a good number of local vloggers as well but they’re no one you would recognize.

Describe your skincare routine. I just splash some water onto my face first thing in the morning, every day.

What’s your typical morning routine look like? Work has conditioned me to automatically wake up at 6:30, and by then I have the choice to either go back to sleep or try to properly wake up by watching YouTube videos. Either way, I have to be up by 8 so I can start working. And like I said, I briefly wash my face, then I immediately head to my laptop. That’s it, really; it’s super uneventful and I'm sorry I can’t make it any more interesting lol.

Are you still playing Animal Crossing? I never bought the game, actually. I asked Nina if I should buy it and she said it probably won’t be suitable for me since the game requires a lot of creativity, which as y’all know by now I lack entirely hahaha. I have my eyes set on other games.

How has the pandemic specifically affected you? It kept me from having a memorable final year in university, and it kept me from having a graduation ceremony. We also had to sell one of our cars, which I really loved driving when we still had it, so that bummed me out. I believe the pandemic had also been a slight factor in the crumbling of my former relationship as well.

Where’s your favorite place to go for brunch? I never go out for brunch.

What’s on your nightstand? Right now there is a bunch of books on it and a paper envelope from work.

What do you think about before falling asleep? Anything except my already pending deliverables work for the following day.

What is your main source of anxiety? Continued from the previous evening. I don’t know if there’s a main catalyst...a lot of things have the ability to make me feel anxious.

Any bands or artists you’ve recently discovered? I’m going further down the K-pop rabbit hole as I know it, lmao. It’s starting, you guys. This week I discovered GOT7; I’ve only heard one song so far but I’m extremely hooked. Ravi’s also very talented and has catchy songs.

What are your goals for today? Have a great rest of the evening and enjoy the start of my weekend.

What kind of games do you play on your phone? I haven’t been playing a lot of games on it, actually. I mainly use it to keep track of my Viber notifications (because my laptop sometimes won’t, and I end up replying to some work threads late) and to watch on Viu. But the last game I downloaded was a logo quiz game for old times’ sake.

Are there any packages you’re waiting to come in through the mail? Nah, haven’t ordered anything recently. I think I’m over my online shopping phase hahaha. I was just really excited about it when I got my first couple of paychecks, but now that the initial thrill has passed, I mainly look forward to spending on food – exactly like how I predicted it would be for me.

Describe your favorite t-shirt? I’d neverrrrr throw out my CM Punk Best in the World shirt for the world, no matter how more tattered and stained it gets. It’s one of my prized possessions and it reminds me of a really happy and carefree time in my life.

Do you have a specific aesthetic? I don’t know if I fit into a certain one; I certainly don’t consciously try to. You’d have to ask my friends if I do have a specific kind.

Skinny jeans or mom jeans? Mom jeans, a thousand times over. I dread wearing skinny jeans.

What’s your favorite 90s cartoon? The Wild Thornberrys.

Describe the moment you realized you were falling in love with someone. I felt scared more than anything else. I’ve never felt such a heavy sensation before, so I didn’t know what was going on. I also felt the need to be around them as much as I can, as I was starting to love and enjoy their presence, and be the one to attend to their needs.

Have you tried the feta and tomato recipe? No but sounds delicious.

What’s your favorite sparkling water brand/flavor? I don’t drink that. Sounds nasty.

What’s your favorite makeup brand/brands? Don’t wear makeup, either.

What’s your all time favorite movie? Two for the Road.

What are some female names you would name a baby? Olivia, Mia, and Amelia are some of my favorites.

What about male? Erm, probably names like Mason, Elliott, Matteo, Liam...I don’t want a son, so I don’t think about boy names too often lmao.

Do you have any subscription boxes? No. I’ve always wanted to subscribe to one with a quirky concept, like a Korean-themed one, or international snacks or condiments, or curated alcoholic drinks, etc. but at the end I feel it’s a luxury I could do without.

What did you purchase the last time you bought groceries? The last time I got groceries was for work, and for that instance I got several of the following: coffee packs, soju, various canned goods, spaghetti set, Nutella, and toiletries.

What fictional creature would you like as a pet? Wouldn’t keep him as a pet but I feel like Maximus from Tangled would be such a fun dude to be around.

Describe your favorite piece of jewelry. I don’t have one. I love borrwing my mom’s Tiffany’s jewelry, though.

Have any local businesses closed that you’re sad about? So fucking many of them, especially the ones I frequented back in college. I went back to Katip last week and the place felt like a damn ghost town.

How do you feel about the BLM movement? I support it, of course. And I feel infuriated by those who try to counter by saying aLl LiVeS mAtTeR or worse, bLuE lIvEs MaTtEr.

What’s the worst advice you’ve ever taken? I don’t think I ever took an advice I knew was bad or would be useless or irrelevant to me. But this reminds me of my mom’s favorite piece of advice for every bad situation, which is to pray lmao.

How do you feel about your neighbors? I feel like I answer this a lot on this surveys, but I don’t think anything of them. We mostly keep to our own business.

What kind of dwelling do you live in? A house.

Have you been watching this season of The Bachelor? I’ve never tried watching it and have no desire to.

What’s typically kept in your purse/wallet? Paper bills, receipts I have the tendency to stuff and keep there even though I’ll never have to use them again, my Paramore ticket, TIN ID, copies of 1x1 and 2x2 photos of myself just in case I have to whip one out, driver’s license, my debit cards, and my vape.

How do you feel about TikTok? I gravitate towards the tutorials and unique prompts (like people showing their parents of different nationalities, the then-vs-now of their pets, etc) more so than the dance-y/meme-y ones. I’ve never felt the need to get the actual app, though. I get my TikTok fix on Facebook, which makes me feel old saying so LOL

What’s the hardest thing you’ve done/been through? Dealing through a breakup was surprisingly harder and more excruciating than deaths I’ve had to go through.

Did you/do you still have a Neopets account? I never had an account but I did have a Neopets game on my flip phone.

What do you look like on a day where you don’t leave the house? Haggard.

Do you have any opinions on Amberlynn Reid? Have literally never heard of that name.

Any current trends you dislike? Most streetwear.

[bigtimefreq]

gonna reblog this time vvv

i kind of hate how fanon treats him and TBH i think its another example of how fandom in general treats characters who get angry like its their only personality trait. which sucks because sometimes trauma can cause anger and it just kind of contributes to the idea that people with anger issues are Bad People or whatever

i dont think at any point in the show has it shown him just being angry for no reason. like you said he's always stressed, there's always a stressor for it. he isn't just some guy who walks around pissed off all the time (i headcanon he has a resting bitch face and can come off as intimidating but that's besides the point), he is dealing with trauma. and i think his response to trauma and stress is to both fight and flight (yelling, moments of anger, vs the avoiding his problems and burying himself in some maladapted coping mechanism). i think liam's response is somewhere between fight or freeze, because while he has moments of anger during stress it's not as prominent as bryce and he tends to dissociate while still having that drive towards the situation.

and as someone who is in the same boat, with a lot of unprocessed trauma, whose response to feeling threatened is to fight back (even in situations where there is no danger present), i can sympathize with him and i wish the fandom didn't water him and liam down to "guy who is angry and mean and guy who is happy and nice" because neither is particularly true (to be honest though i think that they are both nice and good people and i think there is a difference between 'good' and 'nice') but that's fanon for you. lol

he cares, of course he does, and in my mind i think that he didn't go a day without thinking of amelia even when he was trying to move on with his life. ("is she still there" which is like, a weird line in hindsight bc the both of them only bring amelia up again twice after that first conversation but i like to think it was because she was at the forefront of his mind even when he didnt want her to be. im a little biased because im a brymelia enjoyer but also i wish this line had gotten more context. liam, bryce and amelia were the ones who had gotten the closest to each other while on the plane so i guess it makes sense that she would leave this much of an impact on him. i think her determination was what left an impact on him, and i think seeing her like that is what pushed him to try one last time)

also the thing that was bought up about the crashed car literally made me open my third eye because wtf how did i not see that before. i think the fact that his first instinct was to check if anyone was in there, i think it makes me a little insane actually. it could be easily explained with "he wants to find liam because he's pissed" but i think that it is remnant with (what we think) happened to stella, and i think that it reminsed him of that, and i think his actions were driven out of trauma, out of anger, but also out of fear and concern because what if liam had still been in there. what then.

(also just as a sidenote but i feel like liam's weird limp in that scene was because he injured his leg again 🫡 this is probably obvious though im sorry if this was pointed out already im a bit slow)

i do think he *was* the one who riled up the other contestants enough to try and pull the plug out. and i think that it was him who gave amelia that last little scrap of hope left even though it didn't last long. i could be wrong (im not able to go back and watch the ep) but i think it was amelia's last push that managed to pull it out. which i think is. awesome and interesting. i think amelia having the least explored backstory is interesting to me too. you mentioned that one is a show that more conveys effect rather than cause, and i think that

1. amelia never. HAD a cause to begin with. the plane was her cause. she was okay before it happened. we can argue that liam was too but also i think that it makes more sense for him because he is a main character and his case is more to show what shit can do to a guy who is ordinary in almost every sense of the word

2. it's a little symbolic for the fact that by the end she doesn't even remember her own name anymore. she doesn't have a story before the plane because in her mind there is no story to tell. this is what it's always been. her old self is a completely different person.

reading your and jaspers posts about bryce with silent admiration because im too scared to contribute but i really love bryce so much hes my girlfriend and my husband and i like hearing u guys talk about him because youre Right. especially as someone who struggled from grief and trauma and being abused i think bryce's case interests me more than any of the other characters (even though liam is my favorite, and it says a lot because i find all of them interesting) because there is so much to him. i doubt he has processed a single thing about what happened. i think stellas death was recent too honestly, within the last few years at least, and he copes by... not coping. burying himself in work and drinking in the hopes to forget about it. not even to mention the fact that in episode 7 it showed him driving home drunk personally i feel he was past the point of caring to the point of engaging in risky/dangerous behaviors (this speaks for itself, i dont think i need to say why). i think that the plane impacted him so much that within those 7 months after leaving he got his shit together. i cant speak for if hes totally sober or not but at the very least he doesn't drink as much as he used to and i doubt he's putting himself in danger anymore. to be honest i think bryce is one of the characters who has changed the most because of the plane, which makes him being rejoined all the more interesting to me. im probably just making shit up but i like to read into it a little more than "bryce and liam were getting along but now theyre separated and liam has to fix it oh no". sorry this ask is kind of word vomit im not in the headspace to tidy it up but i hope you get what i mean

i think if one had continued for longer than it did it would have been interesting to explore bryce finally accepting and coming to terms with his past (him not seeing his childhood home in the wr anymore kind of representing this). i love bryce and he deserves to heal

TY!!!!!!! im glad my thoughts warrant admiration to you :D!!!!!!!!!!! (i will say tho that every time uve ever posted YOURE thoughts i am like ohhhhh.... ur SO RIGHT. i think u have some of the BEST interpretations of the one characters ive seen!!!!!)

(talked SOOO so much .so there is a readmore :) )

brcye really IS such an interesting character???? ik ive said it before but i AM biased towards protagonists so i usually focus on liam but like ...... bryce really IS probably one of the more. indepth ? characters in one in terms of like. background and how he Acts. i think ALL of teh characters are written really incredibly but i think, given how much of his bg is clarified (esp in contrast with how little is shown of the other characters lives pre-one) his motives, personality, emotions all end up being SUPER super elaborate and i REALLY love how he was written ??

(that said i think the reason he IS elaborated on sm is bc like. one doesnt elaborate on character backgrounds like MOST of the time. even charlotte is mostly left up to interpretation, bc one is more about the HOW people respond rather than WHAT made them respond that way. but charlotte and bryce are both outliers, and bryce ESPECIALLY so. because both obviously have Things they havent worked through properly, but bryce is directly just. Living in it. its the fact that he WONT acknowledge the actual Things that hapepned enough to heal that warrants the elaboration. while the other characters stop acknowledging ANYTHING about their lives , save for charlotte, who gradually works out her issues themselves, because THATS whats effecting her, bryce is CONSTANTLY just. he Needs to go back, but his problems ARE about what happened, and the fact that his life outside of the plane was what MATTERED to him, but that even then, he just Wouldnt acknowledge that life when he Needed to. idk if that makes sense but ohhh i think about the decision to elaborate on some characters and to not on others bc it feels Important)

hes so. he mirrors all of the contestants in some ways, but he mirrors amelia a LOT in that both of them respond to trauma by Setting It Aside. like That Trauma Cant Affect Me If I Dont Look At It. like. ur right bryce has NOT processed ANY of his trauma. which like it makes SENSE bc. it prob feels so much easier to him to not think about it by drinking instead, because its a Lot to think about. its a Lot to come to terms with. but bc he WONT acknowledge it but its still AFFECTING him he just gets More and More miserable (the detail about him driving home drunk and not even caring is so. :( )

what IS one of the most. compelling? aspects of his character to me is the way he responded to Everything after getting eliminated. bc it just feels So Real. because he IS healing, not completely, and not in the best way, but he clearly like. started putting SO much work into improving his life??? (the detail of him finally getting an end table for his bed instead of just... using a cardboard box ALWAYS gets to me. and that + the fact that the photo of stella is put up makes it seem like. THATS what was in that box. he LITERALLY started Unpacking thigns. its like poetry to me.) because it IS hard, and i think hes still putting things to the side, shoving the trauma from the plane to the side now instead of all his other grief and trauma. and the removal of the cans from his room yknow?? that hes getting up for work on time now?? its like. yeah i agree idk if hes necessarily SOBER yet but he really does seem like hes working really hard

its not perfect, but its BETTER and it feels. correct?? (and tbh? trying to brush off the plane as a dream isnt even teh worst thing he couldve done with that, i think, bc reasonably what WAS he supposed to do w that experience?? i dont think there WAS a good answer) bc the plane was a whole new kind of trauma. and i think surface level, one would THINK hed get WORSE after further trauma but like. i think he DID in some ways but in the ways that actually affected how he acknowledged and responded to his pre-existing trauma DID get better bc, as he puts it, hed Thrown his life away before, and didnt want to do it again. bc this time, he very well couldve died. and while he was on the plane, being home, on earth was SO much better than the plane, and it recontextualized Everything. hell, maybe after that, the earth finally felt Less daunting, like somewhere he Wanted to be, because for once, he WANTED to be back, and rationalizing That and the fact that he got Lucky, that something Worse couldve just full on Killed Him Forever really DID mean he didnt WANT the worse to come, at least not as much as before. but that meant he HAD to start actually Working on improving things, and i think he may not have Intended to acknowledge Worse things, but simply because the things he had to do to improve his life, like drinking less, making his house more Livable, they all Forced him to think about things More. hes still certainly not thinking about them as much as he Should, hes still not Processing things, but hes Heading in the right direction . he really was SO changed by ONE

and then liam showing up forces him, once again, to think about something he tried to push to the side. aaaaaaaandd then he rejoins and its so. it feels thematically fitting and IS so so SO interessting. because for once in his life hes REALLY facing his trauma head on. but then is brought straight back into it. and i need to think about that aspect more bc those thoughts are a bit less Focused than my other thoughts but given how complex his writing is after he gets OUT, its. SO interesting to think about how being BACK affects him

esp bc like. him starting ep 18 Pissed Off- which historically his responses to trauma are to either just Be Shocked, as depicted a LOT in ep 14, or to get Very Vocally pissed, as shown through the first half of s1, esp ep 6, and ep 11, and ep 13, and ep 18. ive seen it written as 'he doesnt have anywhere to direct the sheer amnt of STRESS and fear so he just. ends up yelling at people bc what else CAN he do' and i think thats?? probably fairly accurate. i dont think hes as Constantly Irritable and Irrationally Angry as fanon presents him , bc it tends to be. excessive. but he DOES get reasonably angry in response to stress !!! i always think abt how his body language in the 'credits' scene of ep 6 look like hes yelling at airy. and im. lays on the ground. i dont even know if thats ever as much 'just anger' as it is Fear and it FUCKS ME UP

but the way i see it, that ties to ep 18 a LOT. because he was really Getting better. hell, what he thought was the WORST that could happen HAPPENED (dying) but he. came out OKAY? its like he was being forced to think about and work through his trauma and he survived and was ok. but being sent back is like. 'oh god i did that all for nothing.' but i think it also sort of?? serves as the Last Push for him to really, REALLY acknowledge the plane (which is why it makes sense so thematically for him to be the rejoiner. he WAS the only contestant whod Chosen to ignore it all. but that has nothing to do with the plane, he cant choose if the plane ignores Him.) past talking about its affects, how its affected people. because after everything hed worked toward, hes Back. hes back, and everyone else is STILL HERE. liam had said they were all still There but seeing them there is a whole other thing. hed SEEN the effects of making it out after 7 months. but he never saw what it was like to still BE there after all that time. and bryce CARES about them (fanon sometimes treats him as if he is a bit. coldhearted? but i think people misattribute him being unhappy with liam as him not caring. i think the problem is that he maybe cares too much, and was affected a LOT, but didnt and doesnt know how to handle that. so he WANTS to ignore it, because it was all he could do, and haaving to backtrack on his haphazard healing from the plane is. highly daunting and uncommfortable and terrifying. thats not being cold though, thats VERY different) and now he HAS to acknowledge Everything, has to be a part of it Again. and i think its a combination of 'liam was here for 7 months after we all thought itd only be a few weeks. Anything could happen. who knows how long ill be here for?' and 'liam didnt have anything when he came back. will I have anything when i come back?? will i have worked so, so hard to heal and fix my life for Nothing?' and 'i dont WANT to be here again.' and 'oh my god all of them Really Really Are Here. Theyve been here the whole time.' and i think all that culminates in an appropriate amount of horror, and that prompts him to do what hes STARTED doing, which was All He Can. and hes pissed off cus hes terrified, so he spurs everyone into pulling out the plug. and then. it doesnt work. it doesnt work and thats the LAST of what he had, and i think iirc hes the LAST one to close his eyes afterwards. because hed BEEN off the plane, hes the one of them who had any hope to give them anymore. and it didnt work

(i also think a lot about how it mustve felt seeing the contestants all so. resigned. because bryce was like that before all this, but ever since one began he was stubborn, and didnt WANT to give up. and i think finding out that these people youd seen try so, so hard just to Handle Any Of This be SO resigned would be. so fucked up. he knew amelia when she was so determined to leave, and while charlotte seems a bit saddened by her resignation, bryce was there BEFORE that happened. he wasnt there like liam or charlotte was to see it gradually develop, and to develop that despair alongside them. all hes seen is that amelia was so determined. and that he may not have known her THAT well before, he knows shes different. he knows she Gave Up and like. GOD. and also i think abt how he mustve Felt seeing the plug for the first time because ehs the only one of them who hadnt seen it before (given its likely all the other characters had, since they casually refer to it). and given the short time frame between him getting there, and the contestants trying to pull the plug? it almost seems that that was like. the last straw. and ive never posted it but i once drew stuff abt it bc. the damage to it is noticable. and i think hes already aware liam was fucked up, but this is like. a tangible, permanent record of that on the plane. and he cares about liam, and has been grappling with all the things liams told him, but thats. thats something he can See. And i think it all of it culminates in him deciding that what hes been avoiding is doing Soemthing about all this, because before he couldnt, and then it was. an awful idea to, and then he didnt have many choices BUT to help. but now theres hardly anything to do, but he has to try. he doesnt want to give up. and it makes me soooooooooooooooooo. head in hands.)

anyway that was a LONG tangent the point is. YEAH. i think rejoining would be. very very significant for his character i dont think youre making shit up its DEFINENTLY a topic w a lot of things to discuss about it

but god. yeah it wouldve been SO nice to see him come to terms with everything hed been through before one. i think the show purposefully included what it did and ended when it did because it makes more sense thematically for it to go unresolved, because the point was that NOTHING was able to be resolved nicely because unfortunately, many things are Out Of Their Control. things COULDVE resolved almost perfect but enough things went wrong at just the right (or more fitting, wrong) time for all of that to not work. i think him no longer seeing the suburbs may have signalled more that maybe, just maybe, he could Do something to help the other contestants even if HE was Dead, that now he finally HAS a goal, if that makes sense (though i think even in the timeline of the series it still wouldve taken way longer for him to process everything Fully, they WERE only in the waiting room for probably about a day) but the idea of finally seeing the waiting room as it is bc hed finally worked through everything .... man.............. man

ik ive already said it though but i DO think it is sooooo so possible for him to heal post canon. im a firm believer that no matter what, at LEAST bryce and ameliaa get home (liam and charlotte have more room for error but i DO generally interpret the ending as them both getting home too, theres just less room for things to go wrong w amelia and bryce). and i think after everything? hed be able to heal. it would SUCK but i think hes, shockingly, in a better place Logistically for things to improve, because he has a support system, he has what hed already worked on in those 7 months, he has so much to aim for. it would be rough and take long but i think ultimately? hed be able to heal :) and its what he deserves

[crimsongodss]

open to: all, Dinner Cruise @ Navy Pier 

Amelia has thoughts and feelings about this plan, but she keeps them to herself. All she can do in the face of all of this is to adapt. It begins as a squabble at the table next to her and she realizes that all of this setting in far faster than she’d anticipated. Liam’s warned her, so she pushes away from her untouched meal. 

10 minutes later, she’s in the bridge, out of bullets, with only a few spatters of blood on her skirt. The Captain, rest his dying soul, is just that - dying. He gets dragged and kicked into a closet. Maybe the real sign of Amelia’s privilege is that she actually knows how to steer one of these things. Rich kid, summer camp, you know?

What is she doing here? She thinks to herself as she steps up to the helm of the bridge. Stuck on the water, far from her family. Amelia’s always been though a strategist and so a plan forms quickly. There’s a cop and a Vasile down there - it could be one hell of a ransom scenario if she made it one.  Barricade the door first - she tells herself.

Before she can, she hears it swing open as someone shoulders through. Amelia turns on them, back against the console. She scans their eyes, painfully aware she’s out of bullets. There’s no fear though. She’s resourceful. There’s plenty here she can use.

“Hello.” She says calmly. “Are you here to help or are you here to make this harder for me?”

[krsnlove]

While We’re Young [chapterThree]

Summary: Drake tries to get his youngest daughter to sleep. Sparring session with Olivia goes wrong. Nevrakis-Walker family prepare for one of Maxwell’s crazy ideas. 

“I know what you’re doing Jade,” Drake tells his youngest daughter as he stands in the doorway of the bedroom.

“But I’m thirsty Daddy. My throat needs water.”

A small reluctant smile comes to his lips as he shakes his head at his daughter’s antics. He used to consider himself well-versed in this parenting thing but his youngest seems to defy everything he’s learned from raising his first two children.

He quickly pours water into a small cup and makes his way back into the bedroom.

“After this no more water,” Drake watches Jade take a small sip before she hands the cup over to him. He moves to tuck her into bed, again, and places another sweet kiss on her forehead. “Good night sweetheart.”

Drake is barely out the door before she calls out to him again.

“Daddy!”

His head drops low in response as he slowly turns to face her.

“Yes Jade?”

“Can you tell me a story?”

“I’ve already read you a good-night story Jade.”

“But I want one of your stories.”

Olivia Nevrakis-Walker stands out of sight from her husband and youngest daughter as she listens to the exchange between the two. Shaking her head in amusement she knows Drake isn’t going to win with Jade tonight. She hears him give into their daughter’s latest request.

“All right. But one more story. Then you’re going to bed young lady.”

“What story would you like to hear?”

“Tell me about Mommy!”

Drake lets out a small chuckle as he tries to think of a story about the red headed Duchess he’s called his wife for the last twenty years.

Olivia creeps up to the bedroom door as she remains in the shadows, careful not to make a sound as she listens in on the conversation. This should be good she thought to herself.

“Okay. Got one.” Jade’s eyes widen with anticipation as she prepares herself for one of her Dad’s exciting stories.

“Once upon a time there was a girl who had long red hair…”

“Like me!,” Jade exclaimed as she raised her hand.

“Exactly like you sweetheart,” Drake agrees with her before continuing with the story.

“And she was locked in a high tower where no one could reach her…”

“Poor Mommy.”

“I know. And do you know why she was locked in the tower?”

“No…,” Jade shakes her head as she looks at her Dad expectantly.

“Because,” Drake leans down to his daughter’s level and whispers, “she didn’t go to sleep when she was supposed to.”

It takes all of Olivia’s self control to not laugh out loud as she hears the ending of the story.

Drake places a sweet kiss on the cheek of his pouting daughter as he lightly chuckles at her dismay.

“You’re a mean Daddy,” she tells him as she lays her head on her pillow.

“I know. Sweet dreams my Jade,” he tells her as he turns the light off ensuring the night light was on before closing the door.

He shakes his head in amusement knowing in the morning she won’t feel that way. At least he still knew how to do some things he proudly thought to himself.

He turns to make his way to the master bedroom of the large suite when a pair of hands pull his arms in a lock behind him.

“If I remember correctly,” Olivia’s voice tickles his ear as she tightens her hold, “I never went to bed on time because someone kept me up all night.”

Her words bring a look of smugness to his face as a flashback plays through his mind of the early stages of their relationship.

“And if I remember correctly,” Drake manages to free himself from her grip and moves to stand behind her as they switch positions with Drake pulling her arms into a lock, “you weren’t complaining in the morning my Duchess.”

Olivia leans into him for a brief moment tempted to break free from his hold and give herself to him but she is a Nevrakis through and through. She flashes him a seductive smile as she moves to face him. Drake misjudges her sudden closeness and begins to loosen his grip as his arms move to pull her close.

His hands rest on her waist as she moves her arms around his neck. “I never said it was a bad thing,” she whispers into his mouth without touching his lips.

His lips curve into a smile as he begins to close the distance but is caught off guard when Olivia brings her hand up to be used as a barrier between their lips.

Drake looks at her with curiosity as a hint of mischief comes over the red headed Duchess. Before he has a chance to remove her hand, Olivia pushes him up against the wall of the spacious suite as her hand tightens around his mouth.

He tries to speak but fails when the only sound he can make is muffled gibberish. Olivia flashes him a knowing smile before placing a delicate kiss on his forehead.

“What was that Walker?,” she turns so her ear is close to his face as she attempts to understand what he is saying. Slowly removing her hand from his mouth, he lets out a small chuckle.

“I said,” he begins to whisper into her ear, “you don’t want to play this game with me.” As soon as he finishes, Drake again breaks out of Olivia’s hold in one swift move and places his hands around her waist as he dips her low just above the floor.

An audible gasp escapes her mouth as Olivia is caught off guard at his sudden movement. Drake stares down at her, beaming at her expression.

“Truce?,” he asks with a hint of a amusement.

“Think again Walker.”

Drake shrugs at her determination as he begins to stand her upright. “All right. But you asked for it,” he says just before dropping her again just above the floor.

“I swear Walker if you drop me…”

“Say it Duchess.”

Olivia gives him a side glance as she shakes her head before giving in. “Truce. For now.” Drake places a sweet kiss on her lips as a sign of good faith before standing her upright. She looks down at her shirt and begins to smooth out the wrinkles their sparring has brought on.

“You wearing that to bed?,” Drake’s eyes survey the jeans Olivia is wearing. He loves her in everyday clothes as he notices the loose fitting shirt and light jacket she has on.

“I’m not going to bed,” she says matter of factly.

“Oh?,” a smirk rises to Drake’s lips as he pulls her close to him. Olivia scoffs in response as she breaks away from him.

“As fun as this was Walker, we are going out.”

Drake lets out a groan at her answer as he settles into the nearby recliner. So much for a night in he thought to himself. He looks up and realizes the perfect excuse should be asleep several feet away.

“But Jade is asleep. Someone should stay with her. And,” he tries his hardest to look disappointed, “I’m willing to watch our daughter while you go out.”

“Nice try Walker but Amelia will be over with her nanny and they’ll be keeping Jade company tonight.”

“Amelia? Where is Liam and Riley?”

“They’re going out with us.”

Drake gives her a questioning look before Olivia tosses his phone sitting on the table.

The group chat that includes him, Olivia and everyone else has over 20 unread texts. Shaking his head he locks his phone refusing to read the missed messages.

“What’s Maxwell up to now?,” he asks as he briefly closes his eyes letting out a resigned sigh.

“He wants to relive the night you all met Riley.”

Drake opens his eyes to look at her, surprised, at her willingness to go along with this.

“And you want to relive that?”

“Don’t be foolish of course I don’t. But,” she finishes slipping on her other heel, “it’s our last night in New York. I can’t think of a better way to end this trip than visiting the bar Cordonia’s Queen used to wait on.”

The knock on the door signals the arrival of Amelia and her nanny. Drake stands to open the door and is met with the smiling faces of the members of the Royal Family.

“Uncle Drake!,” Amelia shrieks with excitement as she runs to greet him. Liam, Riley and the nanny step into the apartment while two guards remain outside the door of the suite.

“You’re still not dressed?,” Liam asks his oldest friend. Drake looks down at his jeans and plain button up shirt. No visible stains, he thought to himself.

“What are you talking about? I am dressed.”

Olivia shakes her in disapproval knowing it was futile to argue with the man when it came to his wardrobe. Rolling her eyes, she tosses Drake a light jacket nearby as they prepare to head out.

“Where Jade at?,” Amelia begins to survey the room in search of her best friend.

“Sleeping,” Drake proudly announces.

“Jackson and Jules leave already?,” Riley asks Olivia who nods her head in agreement.

“They’ve been gone almost all day. Just barely stopped by an hour ago to say good-night.”

“Hey, where’d Amelia go?”

They begin to look for the young child before the nanny appears from the bedrooms down the hall.

“I’m so sorry your Majesties. I tried to stop her but I got there too late.”

“She’s awake now!,” Amelia giggles with excitement as she and Jade emerge from behind the nanny, walking hand in hand towards the group of adults.

“Hi Mommy! Hi Daddy!,” Jade says with a proud smile.

“Crap,” Drake mutters. Riley lightly hits him in the gut before kneeling to the young girls level.

“Hey you two. Be good for Nanny Elsie tonight okay?,” both girls nod their heads before Riley places a kiss on each of their cheeks.

Olivia bends down and hugs the girls close, “Don’t stay up too late. Keep an eye on the place,” she says with a wink before placing a kiss on their heads. She and Riley begin to discuss the Council meeting in the upcoming week while they make their way down to the waiting limo.

Liam and Drake begin to carry their reluctant daughters to bed before saying goodnight. With the girls sharing a bed, both fathers kneel at each of the bedsides.

“Good night Princess,” Liam places a kiss on Amelia’s forehead grateful that her eyelids were beginning to become heavy. A generous yawn escapes her lips as she nods to his farewell not able to respond with words.

“Good night my Jade,” Drake tells his youngest daughter for the umpteenth time tonight as he strokes her forehead. This time though, like Amelia, she doesn’t fight the sleep slowly overcoming her.

“Night Daddy marsh’allow,” she says just before closing her eyes. Drake internally curses Olivia for telling Jade the story about the tin full of marshmallows he received from Riley all those years ago.

Before wishing Elsie a good night, Liam and Drake finally head down to the waiting limo that held Olivia and Riley.

“Took you both long enough,” Riley says as they climb in.

“You know if we’re really reliving the night we met you...I don’t remember having to put a feisty five year old to bed before going out,” Drake says as he attempts to stifle a yawn that easily comes to his lips.

“I guess we can’t totally relive the night we met you my love,” Liam says as he looks at Riley with adoration.

“Ugh get a room you two,” Olivia says as Drake nods his head in agreement. Riley chuckles at the suggestion when her phone begins to ring.

“It’s Maxwell,” she says before answering his phone call.

“Hey-...Yeah, we’re com-...Uh-huh...We’ll be there in-...Okay...good-bye.” All eyes are on Riley when she disconnects the call.

“Just calling to see where we’re at and what is taking us so long. He might be the most excited one out of all of us,” she says with a chuckle.

“At least some things never change,” Drake mutters to himself as the limo begins to pull up to the familiar bar.

Tagging: @alj4890 @carabeth @lodberg @vickypoochoices @hopefulmoonobject @darley1101 @thecordoniandiaries @toglidethroughlife

[runaway-fiction]

I Love You Too (Liam x MC x Drake)

A/N: This fic is a continuation/re-appropriation of the The Royal Romance sections of my two-part crossover fic “This Doesn’t Mean Anything”. If you are interested in a TRR x ES crossover, please see those fanfics. This one, however, can be read as a standalone. (UPDATE: this has now become a multi-part series. Please see my Masterlist for the subsequent parts). This is all angsty angsty angst until the end, when my usual irrepressible smut comes through in true runaway-fiction fashion. 

This fic picks up right near the end of The Royal Romance Book 2 and continues into Book 3. I wanted to explore the Liam x MC x Drake dynamic more, and celebrate the love these three characters have for one another. (Also I wanted a scene where Liam and Drake work out together, because reasons). My MC’s name is Amelia Alvarez. Rated R for language and sexual content. 18+ only please. Thank you and please enjoy!

“I broke off the engagement.”

Drake paused in his set, nearly dropping the bar on his sternum as Liam failed to spot him again as he did bench presses. He took a moment before responding, hiding the tightening corners of his mouth with a gulp of water. He knew what this meant.

“Yeah?” Drake asked, not meeting Liam’s eyes. Liam nodded. “You broke it off with Madeline?”

“Yes. I think regardless of my feelings for Amelia, I would have broken off the engagement with Madeline anyways.”

“Really? Why?”

Liam sighed. “She’s rather…unstable.”

Drake gave a hollow laugh, but Liam didn’t seem to notice. “Hell, I could’ve told you that.”

“You did. Many times. But seeing for myself, I knew I had to wait until Amelia’s name was cleared. After all, Madeline herself could have been involved.”

“She still somehow was, I’m sure,” said Drake darkly. He and Liam both headed towards the free weights. Grabbing 45 pound dumbbells for Liam he corrected Liam’s form so that his shoulders balanced squarely above his hips, his feet planted parallel to each other.

“Good. 3 sets, 25 reps, go.” After Liam’s sets, Drake picked up his own dumbbells at 50. 

“Pushing hard this morning, are you Drake?”

“Oh, you know…” huffed Drake in between reps, “…curls…Hrr…for the girls.” Liam chuckled, then grew thoughtful. 

“How about you, Drake? I’ve been so busy on this damn tour I haven’t gotten a chance to think, let alone check in with you. Are you seeing anyone?”

Drake nearly dropped the dumbbells. Struggling to breathe, he stopped mid-set.

“You all right?” asked Liam. Drake hastily gulped some water again. 

“Yeah just…got a cramp…Anyways…yeah, I don’t know. I have my eye on someone, but I…” he looked at his friend’s face. He lost his nerve. There was no way he could lie to Liam. His integrity wouldn’t let him. They had been through too much. He had been waiting for a chance to tell him what was going on with him and Amelia, and now that Liam was technically single again, Drake had to come clean. 

“Drake, you’re acting strangely. What’s going on?” asked Liam, now concerned. Drake sighed and sat down heavily on the mat, looking up at Liam.

“I’m in love with Amelia, Liam.” 

Shock, then hurt and betrayal splayed across Liam’s face. He stood frozen. 

“What did you say? Did you say you’re in love with Amelia?” Liam asked. Drake nodded, his face full of regret.

“Ah. I see.” Liam looked away and then back at Drake. After a moment, he sat down next to Drake on the mat. 

“I’m sorry, Liam, I didn’t mean for this to happen.” Drake said, his head in his hands. “I knew what was going on, that you didn’t really love Madeline, and that Amelia still loved you. I tried to stay away, I swear. But since for all intents and purposes you were engaged, Amelia and I began to spend time together, first as friends, and then…”

“Lovers?” asked Liam, looking up. Drake shook his head.

“We haven’t had sex if that’s what you’re wondering,” Drake answered. Liam nodded.

“I understand.”

“You do?” asked Drake, surprised. Liam sighed.

“Yes, I do. Amelia is a modern, beautiful young woman from New York. She’s different from all the women at court. In hindsight, if I hadn’t met her first and fallen for her, I’m thinking now I probably would have tried to set you up with her. She’s exactly your type.” Liam said, smiling wryly. Drake groaned, leaning back onto the mat, covering his face.

“Ugh, man, how did this happen?” asked Drake through his fingers. 

“How did we fall for the same woman? Well, Amelia, she’s perfect,” stated Liam matter-of-factly.

“Perfect?” Drake scoffed. “Hardly! She’s stubborn, naïve, and entirely too nice to make it at court. She’ll get eaten alive. She’s a frustrating woman.” 

“Hmm. I think that’s where you and I differ, my friend. I find no fault in her.”

“But Liam,” said Drake earnestly, “You don’t see anything wrong with that?”

“See anything wrong with not finding anything wrong with her? …No.”

Now it was Drake’s turn to sigh. “I suppose that’s why you’re the only two people I really trust…you’re both just decent people at heart. I don’t want either of you getting hurt. And Liam you’re tough, but Amelia…”

“Amelia’s tough too.”

“Yeah. So was my dad. So was your mom.” Liam looked at Drake.

“I see.” The skin around Liam’s eyes had tightened.

“Ah, Liam, I’m sorry.”

“No, it is I that needs to be sorry.”

“You? What could you possibly—?”

“I’m going to ask her to marry me, Drake.” Drake froze. 

“Tonight?” he asked.

“Yes.”

Drake could feel his heart hammering in his chest. He tried to keep his countenance impassive, but he knew his face betrayed every iota of fear and jealousy he felt. 

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” said Drake gruffly. His voice took on a softer tone. “I’m happy for you Liam, I am.”

Liam shook his head. “I can see that this will be difficult. Choosing between your broken heart and mine is not something I relish in. So, in asking Amelia to marry me…she’ll—”

“She’ll have to choose between us,” finished Drake. 

“Precisely,” said Liam softly. 

“I suppose that’s the way it should be.”

After a moment, Liam got up. He extended a hand to Drake. He sighed and accepted, but held onto Liam’s hand. They met eyes.

“Brothers?” he asked. Liam nodded.

“No matter what,” agreed Liam, clapping Drake on the back with his free hand.

They left the gym together, heading into the early New York rush of traffic. They knew that whichever way the day unfolded it would hurt somehow, but Drake felt a measure of relief that at least they could always count on each other. 

———

Following Liam and Amelia to the Statue of Liberty was a horrible idea. Drake knew he should have given them privacy, but he needed to see who Amelia would choose. He had a sinking feeling in his heart that he knew exactly who she would choose (Liam was offering her a kingdom, after all), but he had to know. He had to see for himself. He didn’t think he’d be able to keep from doing something stupid if he found out in front of their friends that she had chosen Liam (his best friend and king, Liam) over him.

He knew he had told her that he wasn’t a possessive guy, but he didn’t know if that was true anymore. He supposed he could always sleep with her on the side, as was Cordonian custom, but he never thought that might be an arrangement that would work for him. But then again, he had never fallen for a noble, let alone a royal, and she was about to become second only to Liam in the kingdom. The arrangement would likely be the only way he would get to be with her if she accepted Liam’s proposal.

He peered through the trees. Bastien, as a personal favor, allowed him to be there. He knew Drake would never harm Liam or Amelia. Drake’s breath caught in his chest when he saw them come into view, walking arm in arm.

She looked exquisite. Her hair fell in dark tresses down her bare back, kept out of her face by her customary braid. The beaded gray dress she was wearing hugged her in all the right places. Drake’s heart sank. The way she was looking at Liam, her dark eyes glowing in the moonlight, did not bode well for him.

He watched as his best friend held the woman he loved in his arms, watched as they kissed, holding each other close against the night air’s chill. He heard Liam’s whistle as he called Amelia’s corgi, Apple, his short legs waddling over with a tiny box jingling from his collar. Even Drake could admit despite his growing apprehension, that his friend was a damnably, brilliantly romantic man.

As Liam got down on one knee, asking her the question which Drake dreaded, the lights of New York City twinkling behind their silhouettes, it was Amelia’s shocked stare and then exuberant cry that told him once and for all, which of them she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

The regret of never knowing what it would be like to really be with her, to touch her as his own, to build a future with her hit him like a punch in the gut. Never before had Drake known such crushing disappointment. He felt as though the pit of his stomach was curling from poison.

He turned away. He couldn’t bear to see Liam place that ridiculously enormous royal engagement ring on her finger, couldn’t bear to think of Liam taking Amelia’s hand, leading her up to the Statue of Liberty and making love to her, doing all the things that Drake dreamed he could do. Something in him had broken. Even worse, he feared that something between him and Liam had broken too. He never doubted that he loved Liam like the brother he never had, he thought a life of being in Liam’s shadow was something he had accepted completely. But losing Amelia to him was the final straw. He needed time, he needed to escape. He wanted to run away from everything that reminded him of Liam, Amelia, or Cordonia.

But everywhere he turned, he saw her. In every corner, in every landmark, the ghosts of her smile haunted him. He found himself in Times Square, thousands of people streamed past him.

A drink, he thought, Fucking hell I need a drink. But he couldn’t even think about whiskey without thinking about the bottle he had shared with her in the Nevrakis cellar or their drinking game in Paris . He remembered how relaxed he felt around her, how natural it felt to pour whiskey into her glass and let words spill out of his mouth to her. He remembered the feeling of her lips, pressed hotly against his in the bar booth, how badly he wanted to slide his hand up her tight black dress, feeling her throbbing center…

“Drake?”

They were on the train back to Cordonia. He had spent most of the return trip in his cabin, and even Maxwell knew to steer clear of him. He had come out to the main area for the first time in days to have breakfast with Liam and Amelia so that they could announce their engagement. Drake hadn’t seen either of them since he followed them to the Statue of Liberty that night, but they knew he knew.

Amelia had tried to meet his eyes across the table but he stayed focused on the empty space in between her and Liam’s head. Night had fallen again and he had ventured out into the main car so he could have a drink in silence. But of course here she was, his name in her mouth, dressed in clothes that suited her, not the sparkly ballgowns and ridiculous headdresses that so often accompanied royal events. He looked sidelong at her left hand, seeing it glitter from the enormous jewel weighing on her finger.

“Alvarez,” he said, acknowledging her only by lifting his glass to his lips, “Shouldn’t you be with Liam?”

She sighed, then seemed to steel herself.

“Cut the shit, Drake.”

He looked around at her, surprised. Before he could help it, he was staring into those big, dark eyes. Fuck, he thought. She had him again. He tore his gaze away from hers, setting him mouth into a hard line.

“What shit?”

“We need to talk.”

He did not want to talk. He got up to pour himself another drink. She followed him, stopping only a few feet away.

“I don’t really know what it is we need to talk about,” he said gruffly, avoiding her gaze. She crossed her arms.

“You do. You do know.”

“Inform me.”

“Us, Drake, us. We need to talk about us.”

He slammed the bottle onto the bar.

“There is no us,” he hissed.

She widened her eyes at the loud noise but didn’t even flinch.

“Well there could have been.”

“And how is that exactly, when you have my king and my best friend’s ring on your finger?”

“You know that there is something between us, Drake.”

“We’ve kissed, so what? It apparently didn’t stop you from getting engaged did it?”

“Well it apparently didn’t stop you from pretending like nothing happened! Liam told me, Drake.”

He looked round at her.

“Liam told you what exactly?” His eyes bore into hers.

“He told me you loved me.”

“Yeah? And what good that all did!”

“You stubborn asshole! Liam told me you loved me but you never did.”

Drake froze. Her eyes shone with tears, red around the rims. He looked away.

“So? What does that matter now?”

“Drake, what did you think was going to happen? I knew you had some feelings for me but you always held back. Liam…Liam told me he loved me, I knew exactly how he felt about us. But you…I never knew. What was I supposed to think?”

“You did know, you had to…” Drake muttered, but her words were causing him to shake.

“I can’t read your mind, Drake!” she cried, throwing up her hands. She began to pace, agitated. 

“I left New York, entered some weird royal competition in a foreign country, then got my privacy invaded and plastered all over Cordonian news. I gave up my whole life to be here, Drake. Were you expecting me to reject Liam, a person you know I care for, all for you, a man who won’t fight for me? Who will kiss me and tell me to be with his best friend, but won’t tell me he loves me? How can I say yes and risk it all for someone who may just leave me? I’ve been in too many relationships, Drake Walker, where someone has wanted me and once he had me, once it came time to be serious, he was gone. When I said you were more my type, ages ago when we were flying to Cordonia together? It’s probably because you remind me of exactly all those guys who would desire me and desire me but never do anything about it!”

He had never seen her so angry. He wanted to block out her words but hope had begun to stream into his being, a hope that he thought he had killed in himself the last few days mixing with his own rage. He hated this effect she had on him. Amelia strode up right to him, her eyes glittering with frustration.

“I don’t give a fuck that Liam is offering me a kingdom, I could fucking care less!” she said angrily, “What I care about is that I know he loves me and that he wants to make me his wife, and that I care for him in return. So you can act like this about Liam being king and me choosing a kingdom but you had a choice too Drake. And you chose wrong!”

“I chose wrong?” Drake asked her, hands gesturing at himself, “I chose wrong?”

“Yes, you did,” she poked a finger in his chest, eyes never leaving his.

“Enlighten me, Alvarez,” he growled, “How exactly did I choose wrong?”

“You chose not to be real with me. You chose not to tell me you loved me.”

“And if I had it, would it have made a difference?” he asked her, his voice raising.

“Yes, it would have!” she yelled, balling her hands into fists.

They both stopped, eyes still locked onto each other.

“It…it would have…?” Drake asked her uncertainly.

“I…” Amelia’s eyes were widened in panic. She turned away from him, retreating to the center of the room. “Never mind Drake…we both made our choices. It was mistake to have come here.” She raised a hand to push her hair out her face, the engagement ring gleaming in the moonlight. She looked around to leave.

“Amelia.”

She stopped. He saw that tears had begun to fall from her eyes. She bit her lip.

“Drake…Drake don’t…”

“I love you. I’m an idiot. I should have told you sooner.”

“Oh Drake…”

And as he reached to wipe the tears from her face, they came together in the dark train car as it moved through the mountains, the moon’s silvery rays resting on her beautiful face as he kissed her, feverishly, trying to pour into his kiss every ounce of passion he felt for her. He wanted to hold her in his arms and never let her go.

Drake buried his hand in her dark hair, he wrapped his other arms to press her close to him. He felt something profound move within him, his heart seemed fit to burst.

He loved her. He knew and she knew. It was all he could have asked for. He didn’t know what the future held but right now, only her lips moving against his, her arms around his neck, mattered.

——

“Good morning darling,” he said as Amelia moved next to him. He placed an arm gently around her naked body beneath the sheets.

They were in the royal bed, the sunlight streaming through the open curtains. She smiled. “Good morning, my love,” she said sleepily. ”Are we late for something?”

“Not right now.” He began to kiss her neck. She arched her body closer to him, arousing him. They made love for hours last night but even now he was not sated in his desire for her. He threaded one hand through her dark hair, pulling it slightly in the way that she liked so that he could suck on the tender skin underneath her jaw. The other hand drifted down her belly and then lower, eliciting a moan

“Liam…” she said, “again?”

“Oh most certainly,” and he entered her from behind as she gave a sexy moan. He moved against her, delving into her wet heat, pushing against her perfect ass, arms around her throat as he pulled himself into her. She opened her legs and turned so she could kiss him as he rubbed her clit.

“Oh God, Liam, yes…” she whispered.

He moved faster, “Ah, I love you Amelia,” he panted as he came inside of her and she cried out as she came as well, her sex contracting around his in a way that made him groan aloud.

“Oh, oh Liam, I love you too…”

——

Drake gasped as she mounted him. Her breasts gleamed in the low candlelight.

“Oh yes, babe, that’s…” but he could barely speak as she began to grind against him. He held her waist as she moved, each movement bringing him closer to his inevitable end. She was just as fantastic in bed as he imagined on nights he was alone. She was passionate, moaning his name as he took control, thrusting up into her. Her nails dug into his back. He flipped her underneath him as he began to push into her, groaning as the angle of the bed allowed him to penetrate her deeply.

“Drake! Oh, fuck, yes, right there!” she cried. He didn’t stop until her pussy contracted all around him and she orgasmed in his arms, he pulled out to explode on her breasts but she surprised him by taking it all in her mouth, swiftly meeting his dick to swallow his cum.

He collapsed on the bed next to her.

“You’re amazing, Your Highness,” he said, breathing heavily with a laugh.

She rolled over to him.

“Not ‘Your Highness’ to you Drake Walker.” She kissed him on the cheek. Her eyes were full of laughter.

“Fine. Amelia when we’re making love, and Alvarez when we’re…” and he smacked her bottom as she reacted with a yelp.

“Drake!” she chided. Amelia checked the time on her diamond watch. She groaned. “Ugh, I have to go. The Italian delegate arrives in the morning and I need to go over my notes.”

“So you can’t stay over tonight?”

“I wish I could, but duty calls.” She began to dress. He looked at her with a smile.

“Hey, Alvarez.”

“Hmm?” she asked, looking up.

“I love you.”

Amelia smiled at him.

“I love you too.”

“Tell Liam I said hi.”

“Of course. He’ll meet you in the gym at 5 am.”

“Good night, Alvarez.”

“Good night, Drake.”

And off she went into the night, the love of his life, to serve Liam and the kingdom of Cordonia, body and soul, just as he had his entire life. All was as it should be.  

Please see my Masterlist for more Choices fanfiction! :)

[jessiemieli]

I was tagged by like eight people to do this 11 questions thing (which made me feel very loved so thank you guys<3) and i put them all in this one post for some reason that i might come to regret later on. you can just skip to your section if you want cause i am sleep-deprived and most of these answers are... just terrible.

rules: answer the questioned given to you by the one who tagged you, write 11 questions of your own, and tag 11 people!

@chlobenet‘s questions

If you could live in any fictional world (book/movie/tv) which would it be and why

Def the mcu cause then I could have superpowers

What was your favourite movie growing up?

Oooohh probably spirit: stallion of the cimarron. I watched that movie like 500 times in a row and my siblings hated me for it

What is your favourite movie now?

I honestly cannot choose one, but few of my top choices are wreck it ralph, breakfast at tiffany’s, and spirit cause i will never stop loving that horse or that soundtrack

Top 5 fanfics? 

ummm this is so hard, but I’d have to say the gloaming by @yourpalmoony, eventide by @emiliachrstine, the dotn series by @fraysquake, ophidian by @chlobenet, and black sheep by @recklessyouthinme

Which of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World would you most liked to have seen? Why?

Probably the hanging gardens cause it looks like it would have been beautiful and very relaxing

Favourite Greek God/Goddess? 

Maybe artemis

Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans or Chris Pine?

I’m gonna have to go with my fave aussie hemsworth

What is the one song you will always sing along to, no matter what mood you’re in?

I have so many but one of my faves is glitter and gold by barns courtney. I can never resist singing along

What OC Crossovers would you most like to see with your own characters?

I know it’s a copout but I am a crossover slut so I would love to see any and all of them (honestly if you have an idea for one hmu cause i love em)

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Ireland Ireland Ireland Ireland. someone should take me to Ireland.

What is something you have in the past/or still do collect?

Books. My room is mostly just books.

@cherylmblossm‘s questions

When is your birthday? (I’m only asking this because I need more birthdays to add to my list lol)

October 20th

What are your writing goals for this year?

To at least start my original story version of my soul to take

Which of your ocs are your favorite/are you the most proud of?

This is so hard but adeline or caroline

Were you a Disney or Nick kid growing up?

Disney more than nick but I watched both religiously

Favorite Holiday?

christmassss

First fandom you were a part of?

Ehhh vampire diaries???

If you were to sit down and have a meal with any famous person in the world, dead or alive, who would it be?

Audrey Hepburn hands down, no doubt

What is your least favorite household chore?

Doing the dishes. I still dread doing them to this day

Favorite meal of the day?

Lunch cause it’s the only one I actually eat every day

Are you a coffee person or not?

YUSSSSSSS

If you had to eat only one kind of food for the rest of your life, what would you want it to be?

I’m immature so I’d have to say chicken nuggets. The dinosaur shaped ones preferably. (I’m also really really tired so don’t hold me to this)

@bradysuttcn‘s questions

What’s your favorite tv show?

the walking dead... or game of thrones

For which fandom do you enjoy to write the most?

Atm I’d say none

Your favorite otp of all the times?

kim possible and ron stoppable. They still own me even ten years later.

Your favorite animal?

horses

Which fandom do you prefer in term of mentality/attitude?

Walking dead I guess. They don’t have too many problems, at least not that I’ve seen

What’s your passion in life?

Writing I guess

If you could be another person for one day, who would you choose?

Ummm I honestly have no idea

What’s your favorite season?

winter

What do you find most attractive in a person’s personnality?

Empathy probably

Do you enjoy tv reality show?

Not really

Do you believe in astrology?

Depends on what I read lol

@yourpalmoony‘s questions

You’re stranded on a remote island, and have to survive for what could be months. Which three fictional characters would you want there? And why?

diana prince cause she lived on one (and she’s a total badass), rick grimes cause he’s super survival smart and nice to look at, and jack shepard cause he’s a doctor and he nearly survived THE island… and he’s nice to look at. Gotta have those distractions sometimes

What is your go-to happy show?

These days it’s riverdale cause I spend nearly the whole hour laughing. Before that it would be impractical jokers.

What three songs are you obsessed with at the moment?

breezeblocks by alt-j, blood // water by grandson, and I took a pill in Ibiza by mike posner

Pick one of your ocs, now pick a band or artist who’s music and vibes really resonate with that oc

Uhh idk maybe ruelle for caroline cause like five of her songs are on her playlist lol

What is your guilty pleasure fandom?

Riverdale has turned into my top guilty pleasure lately

Say something nice about someone else's writing (I know its not a question but lets spread some love, huh?)

So many to choose from but @emiliachrstine is amazing at weaving her original characters into existing universes and timelines. Not to mention that all of her ocs are very unique and complex. I’ve fallen in love with every character of hers that I’ve gotten to know and I can’t wait to see what (or who??) else she creates!

Which of your edits are you most proud of? Put it in here!

this one cause making those runes look realistic was super hard

Which of your ocs deserve a damn vacation? Name four of them, and pick where they would go and why?

Caroline would go to some remote town in Ireland or Africa or somewhere that doesn’t have wifi to get away from everyone, if she could Adeline would go visit her hometown NOLA cause she misses it like crazy, Mia would just go anywhere there weren’t a shitload of zombies and bring rick and her fam with her, and Juliet would go to france or Italy cause she’s always wanted to see the world and travel

Make an OC now! Face Claim: Michael Cera

Oooh I love these.

Name: Liam O’Neill

Fandom: Jurassic World

Synopsis: Liam thought it would be fun, working at an amusement park housing a bunch of extinct monsters. He thought that after the boatload of stupid mistakes that were made with the first park, there was no way the new park owners would let history repeat itself. Unfortunately for Liam, he was dead wrong and he just happens to be working tech support at the indominus rex exhibit the day it goes on a murder spree and all hell breaks loose. He’s forced to put up with Claire and Owen’s bickering as they try to outrun a 40 foot tall killing machine, but as with all sci-fi thrillers, amongst the chaos and carnage, the nerdy and lovable Liam might just find the woman of his dreams (spoiler alert: he won’t).

Think of your main oc, now make them a POC, who would play them? If you have a main poc then go with secondary! If this doesn’t pertain to you, then write a few sentences on why you love me.

I was so prepared for this question. I’d change Adeline’s fc from Maia Mitchell to the gorgeous Courtney Eaton (if she had more material, this change would actually happen)

@emiliachrstine​‘s questions

Choose an oc from another fandom you would like to crossover with? (it can be yours or someone else’s)

I think caroline and Melissa would get along pretty well tbh. Caroline and Bianca stilinski (@recklessyouthinme) would have a great time too I think

Favorite sentence or passage from a fic you’ve read?

The opening part of the prologue for Take Me Down by @fraysquake literally made my jaw drop (I would copy and paste it here but it’s a little long) Everyone should go read that amazing fic.

Choose one of your ocs, what would be their theme song?

blood // water by grandson for Caroline

If you could have one of your ocs become canon within the established fandom, which oc would that be?

Juliet for stranger things cause she’d add a new characterization to the mix without having to change too much to fit her in

Which oc would you be willing to become for a day?

Adeline cause I’d get to kiss DOB hahahaha (but just for one day cause I don’t think I could take any longer than that)

Guilty pleasure movies? TV shows?

Chicago PD (only cause I’m the only one in my fam who actually likes it) and Riverdale for tv shows and maybe star wars tfa for movies

What is the one thing that helps to get you into the writing mood?

Music. I usually can’t write if I’m not blasting my tunes so loud that I’m causing early hearing loss

The one thing you absolutely can’t live without.

my computer unfortunately. It’s my only escape.

If you could meet any actor, who would it be and why?

this was nearly impossible, but I’d have to go with my love Daisy Ridley. She just seems so sweet and caring

Top 5 fav fics?

I answered this above somewhere but I should add amamnesis by @wild-stdreams

Current TV show/Movie obsession?

It’ll always be an obsession, but the walking dead. Rick Grimes is (one of) the love of my life

@beepbeep-richietozier‘s questions

What is your favorite movie and why?

Uhhh wreck it ralph is one of them cause it makes my heart happy

Which of your ocs would you get along with best in real life?

Probably adeline and juliet or amelia and sawyer cause they have a lot in common

If you could be a character in any fandom what would it be?

So many options, but I’ll have to go with either teen wolf or shadowhunters

What is your favorite musical?

Singing in the rain if that counts??

Which of your ocs would you put in another fandom?

Caroline would go to Sons of Anarchy cause she’d fit right in with the Tellers and their totally legal “motorcycle club”

Who are you favorite ocs from other creators?

nikita grace by @yourpalmoony, stella sharpe by @recklessyouthinme, princess aspen by @chlobenet, melissa hughes by @emiliachrstine, and ariana petrakis by @fraysquake just to name a very minuscule amount

Do you play video games? If so, what is your favorite?

Used to but not really anymore

What helps you write?

music

Is there a story you’ve been holding off from writing? If so, what is it?

I was putting off writing poisoned but then I wrote the first chapter and it kinda tanked so that’s going back on the shelf for a bit. But I’m also putting off Juliet’s story and Kaden’s story

What are some fcs that you would like to use?

courtney eaton for adeline but she just doesn’t have enough material to work with. I used to want to use Alfred Enoch, but then I made my own dreams come true and have put him in my original story mwahahaha (i’m sleep deprived)

What fandom would you like to read stories for but you haven’t yet?

I think I’ve read stories for most fandoms I’m in, but I wish there were more stories for the walking dead tbh cause I’d be all over that

@curious-fools-howl-to-the-moon‘s questions

3 OCs who you haven’t read but are curious about!

This is hard cause when I find an oc I like I usually annoy the shit out of the creator until I know everything there is to know about their oc. BUT there’s always a few that I miss so I’d like to know more about fred ackerman by @susiesamurai, sawyer grimm and her whole fam by @feralcherry and regan mccall by @jones-fp.

A fic you’ve written that you’re most proud of and why?

Only two chapters in, but My Soul to Take cause I love my baby addie to death and from what I’ve been told my characterization of mental illness is believable so whooo (plus I’m working on turning it into an original story)

One of your OCs can become canon, who will it be?

Ahhh I’d die with joy if that could happen with any of my ocs. I’ll go with Caroline this time just cause

What’s something in a fanfiction will automatically make you want to read it?

best friends to lovers trope

Your favorite sentence from your current WIP?

Every time Caroline looked at her hands, all she saw was blood, none of it her own

Have you ever wanted to write for a fandom you’re not a part of? If so, which one?

I don’t think so… or I’m just too tired to remember it

If the OTP from the last fanfic you wrote in couldn’t happen, who would your OC be with?

Caroline doesn’t really have an otp so I’ll go with Adeline’s fic. If Stadeline (adeline x stiles) couldn’t happen then I’d go with raekall (adeline x theo) [which might actually happen… but someone should probably talk me out of it]

Have you ever completed a fanfiction?

Two and they shall not be named cause they were short and terrible, nothing to be proud of

What’s your longest running fanfic?

I think my game of thrones fic Snow Like Ash but I’m too tired to check sorry

3 OCs (yours or someone else’s) that your current favorite OC would be friends with? (and you can mix fandoms/original stories)

Atm Caroline Grey is my favorite oc and I’d think she’d have fun with Melissa Hughes (@emiliachrstine), Bianca Stilinski (@recklessyouthinme), and definitely Aspen Mills (@chlobenet)

What’s the hardest thing to convey with writing? (ie: emotion, expression)

Anything smut related. I avoid it like the plague when I write.

@recklessyouthinme‘s questions

who are your top 5 favorite celebrities?

I’m going with living celebs: daisy ridley, andrew lincoln, sophie turner, chloe bennet, and tom hardy

what songs make you feel at peace?

georgia by vance joy and Comes and Goes by Greg Laswell

if you could see any concert what would it be?

Imagine dragons

what’s something you want to achieve this year?

Finishing my certification so I can get a good job and get some money and get out of this house of horrors

who is your biggest role model?

My mom

what did you want to be when you were growing up? 

A veterinarian I think

do you have a favorite character to write for? if yes who and why?

I like adeline a lot cause I relate to her in some ways and in other ways I have to go out of my comfort zone

what’s your all time favorite movie?

Ahhhh I honestly can’t choose

describe your perfect weather.

Cloudy and drizzling or raining, whichever

what’s the meaning of life?

Idk, if you ever figure it out let me know though. This girl can use some help

where am i?

At home?? lol

I’m not gonna do the 11 questions cause i am pretty sure everyone has been tagged in one and i am too tired to come up with 11 not-terrible questions at the moment. But thx to everyone who did tag me. I feel very loved right now.

[doodlebeeberry]

Fire in the Clouds

    “It’s getting late,” he said once they’d fallen quiet, “we should get going. I don’t wanna be all the way up here when it starts—”

     Tap  

 He blinked a bit. The droplet landed just between his eyes.

     Tip-tap  

 Two hit Amelia’s cheek. She wiped them off, squinting at the water on her fingertips.

    “Is it…”

 Another low rumble of thunder, and a fine drizzle opened up, pittering against them lightly.

    “Damn it.”

in which Liam, Soda Bottle, and Amelia enjoy each other’s company

yet another fic update for objectober for the fourth prompt, rain! They get caught up in the rain and a rest stop but its ok cause they are sweet n i love em

ch 2/2

(ao3 link in source)

The three of them stayed on the hilltop long past sundown, as the early stars were hidden by the growing clouds and Soda Bottle clicked on his phone’s flashlight so he could see their faces. He and Amelia chatted for a while, about every little thing they could think of. On occasion, Liam mumbled in his sleep, nonsense spoken fondly, before shifting from leaning on one’s shoulder to leaning on the other’s. In the distance, the town’s lights cast a faint bright spot among the clouds. Soda Bottle kept an eye on the time and on the weather.

 Halfway through a conversation on fruit Liam stirred, rubbing at his eyes.

      “What?” he said, voice still somewhat laced with sleep, “no, you can definitely peel an orange in one piece. You’re just peeling them wrong”

      “Told you”

 Amelia raised a hand, admitting defeat.

       “Alright, alright. Didn’t know I was in the presence of orange peeling masters”

       “It’s not that we’re masters, it’s that your bad at it.”

 She scoffed and shouldered Liam lightly. He snickered a bit at her feigned injury and the grin she was trying oh so hard to bite back. It carried on a gust of wind, and Soda Bottle took a moment to check his phone. Far off past the distant town, low and faint, thunder rumbled, lightning turning over in the clouds.

 Soda Bottle stretched, the action carrying over into his voice.

       “It’s getting late,” he said once they’d fallen quiet, “we should get going. I don’t wanna be all the way up here when it starts—”

     Tap  

 He blinked a bit. The droplet landed just between his eyes.

     Tip-tap  

 Two hit Amelia’s cheek. She wiped them off, squinting at the water on her fingertips.

 “Is it…”

 Another low rumble of thunder, and a fine drizzle opened up, pittering against them lightly.

 “Damn it.”

 Liam and Amelia looked upwards, taking in the rain unblinking for a moment. It was a bit of a shock to them, though, given how the clouds had been gathering since that afternoon, it wasn’t entirely surprising. It was just a bit chilly, a consequence of the season, and after a moment they pulled themselves to their feet, Soda watching on from the grass.

 Liam was the first to break the rainy quiet. He chuckled, just barely, and it grew, and grew, and grew until it drew Amelia in, both laughing like mad at the revelation that it was raining. It was raining. Little droplets that fell en mass, gathering on their skin and pooling where it could. Amelia turned to him, beaming, catching Soda’s soft look of fondness.

       “Did you know?”

       “Maybe,” he shrugged. He absolutely had. He’d known for well over a week at least, before he’d even invited them over. To say the timing was coincidental was a bit of a lie.

 He finally joined them on his feet.

 “Though I was counting on being closer to the car when it started. Now we’ve gotta walk all the way back.”

       “That’s not so bad,” Liam said. He’d closed his eyes and turned his face to the sky, savoring the sensation even as it chilled him, just a bit. A small puddle had already begun gathering on Amelia’s candle, though she hardly seemed to mind. “

 You didn’t mention it though.”

       “I wanted it to be a surprise.” He looked out at the lights in the distance. The vague warmth in his face was hard to escape.

 “You both said you hadn’t seen a good rainstorm in a while.” Truth be told, there hadn’t been a good rainstorm in a long while. A slight shower here or there, but nothing more really. Even still, he knew how much the two of them appreciated them, or any sort of storm, or even just the changing sky. Just counting stars and tracing pictures in the clouds always brought at least a faint smile to both their faces.

 Almost a year straight of endless sunny days would do that to someone, he supposed.

So caught up in thoughts and attempts to hide the growing fondness on his face, he nearly flinched when something touched his arm. Liam wrapped his own around it, fingers brushing. There was something genuine in his expression as their eyes met, something gentle. Amelia took his other hand, squeezing it gently and pressing equally close. There was something similarly soft in her eyes as well. They were warm, both of them, despite the weather. Not even the sun could beat it.

Soda never wanted to let them go, not in any sense.

Thunder purred through the clouds.

“We should still probably get going, though.”

       “Come on, we can stay a bit longer,” Amelia said, “it’s just a little—”

 Like a switch had flipped, the sky opened further. A bolt of lightning and it positively poured.

       “...yeah, ok, let’s go.”

       “Why do rest stops only play the worst music?”

 It had taken a bit, but eventually, they dragged themselves back downhill, thoroughly soaked by the time they reached the car. It hadn’t helped either that the heater in Soda Bottle’s car was kind of shitty, and his apartment was at least an hour drive away. So, rather than freezing together in a pile on the interstate, they peeled into the first rest stop they could find, only about five minutes away.

Now they clustered together in plain-coloured metal chairs around a too-small table, munching on a fine dinner of fast-food burgers and fries gather in a great big pile on the tray between them. Despite maintaining that they could pay for their own food, Liam made good on the bet he’d lost and covered it. Music crackled through the speakers, and the rain clattered against the windows. One other lone traveler sat in a booth off in the corner, leaning against the window and scrolling through their phone. They had the place to themselves, beyond that.

 Liam glanced at Soda, a half-eaten fry in hand.

       “Cause it’s popular. What else are they supposed to play?”

       “Something decent at least, maybe? I mean, what is this? It sounds like a shitty Soundcloud remix.”

       “I think this is a Soundcloud remix, actually,” Amelia chimed around sips of her coffee. They’d all opted for warm drinks over soda. “I’ve heard the original on the radio. It definitely sounds better than this.”

       “See? You get it.”

       “I don’t think you’re supposed to focus on the music, man.”

       “Well then, maybe they shouldn’t have let a twelve-year-old pick it.”

 Liam rolled his eyes, but otherwise let the comment hang there as the song faded to its end. Thunder cracked outside. Mellow guitar music followed, much more pleasant than the previous song. He held his half-warm coco gingerly in his hands.

       “I think they heard you,” Amelia said. Soda bit into his burger.

       “Good.”

 Amelia glanced out the window, watching it get washed down. Despite previous efforts, some water still remained on her head, swirling about across her candle when she moved.

       “When’s the rain supposed to stop?” she asked some time later, after they’d finished eating and only a few small dregs of cold coffee remained in her cup.

       “It’s supposed to rain until noon.” Soda replied, yawning a bit before continuing, “I think it’s supposed to lighten up in a bit though.” It was past midnight now. They’d been sitting there for well over an hour, probably several, each of them drifting in and out of dozes whenever the conversation lulled. They always awoke with at least one hand laying over theirs idly, if not two.

       “How soon is a bit?”

Soda checked his phone.

       “About...half an hour, give or take. Why, you wanna get going?”

 She hummed in affirmation.

       “You two look like you’re about to pass out.”

       “Oh please, we’re not that tired.”

 She leveled him with a mildly suspicious look. He threw his hands up a bit.

       “What!”

       “I mean,” Liam added, himself buried in his arms curled on the table, “you did fall asleep, like, five minutes ago.”

       “I did not.”

       “What were you doing, then? Resting your eyes?”

 He flushed a bit but ultimately didn’t answer. Amelia softened and, after several moments, laid a hand on his arm.

       “Don’t worry about it. I can drive us back if you’re tired.”

 Soda raised a brow.

       “You can drive?”

       “Yeah? I’ve got a license. What made you think I can’t?”

       “You never mentioned, and I know Liam can’t”

       “He can’t?” she turned to him, “You can’t?”

       “Nah,” Liam replied, “Never really had a reason to learn. I thought you knew?”

       “No, you never said.”

       “Wh-yes I did.”

       “When?”

       “Like, months ago. When we were still...you know.”

 She searched a bit, but her time in The Plain was a bit of a blur, to be honest. She shook her head.

       “Whatever, we’re getting off-topic.” She turned back to Soda, “Point is, I can get us back if you give me the directions.”

 He looked her over, considering.

       “You sure? If you’re tired too—”

       “It’s fine, I don’t mind.” she ran her thumb along his arm softly. “Promise.”

 He relented, sighing a bit.

       “Alright, alright.”

 Forty-five minutes later and it was still raining, but it had once again turned to a light drizzle. Orange streetlight zipped in and out of the car, blinking them in on-and-off beams of warm light once more. Liam leaned on the center console at an odd angle, having been condemned to the back seat but still remaining determined to stick as close to them as possible. He’d fallen asleep about five minutes into the ride, halfway through a conversation about dogs. Soda followed quickly enough, leaning up against them, their hands clasped together. Once she thought they were both asleep she moved to flick the radio on. He cut in before she could get halfway to the button, watching with a single half-lidded eye.

       “You’re gonna turn on the radio, aren’t you.” he mumbled.

       “Was planning on it,” she replied. It turned on to static, “What, worried it’ll be a repeat of the rest stop?”

       “Mm, god no,” his eyes slid fully shut, his parting words a breath, “you’ve got better tastes.”

 She chuckled lightly, turning through stations. Many of them were unreachable thanks in part to the storm. After several minutes of searching she settled, leaving it on NEPR, playing a marathon of late-night smooth jazz. She let her hand rest atop theirs. In his sleep Liam mumbled a bit, fingers twitching at her addition. He shifted a bit so that his cheek just brushed against her arm.

She’d no doubt she’d be tired in the morning, and they’d be achey from the position they were in once they arrived. She could already imagine the three of them stumbling into Soda’s apartment, flopping into his bed in a tangle of travel-weary limbs and sleeping late into the day, all cozy in each other’s company.

 Soda snored quietly. The music crackled a bit, and distant thunder rumbled the skies. Amelia grinned once more, already warm again.

 This was enough.

[jeremystrele]

The Young Designer Using Traditional Leather-Working Techniques To Create Accessories Inspired By The Australian Landscape

The Young Designer Using Traditional Leather-Working Techniques To Create Accessories Inspired By The Australian Landscape

Studio Visit

Sasha Gattermayr

Leather craftsman Liam Dillon has a workshop in Brunswick, located inside the Parigina Footwear shoe factory where he trained as a student! Here he makes a range of accessories from kangaroo leather, which is a natural by-product of official pest control programs the government conducts annually. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Liam uses traditional machinery to craft his accessories, from awls to hammers and an old Pfaff sewing machine. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Liam’s workshop has a roller door, which he throws open to let the sun in (and his dog Rosie bask) while he works. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Liam employs a range of ancient techniques to while working the leather by hand, from skiving to beveling. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Though Liam has extensive training in making footwear, leather accessories offered many more possibilities to experiment with the material. Photo – Pete Ryle and Marsha Golemac. Sculpture by Jo Wilson.

He works with one material only: vegetable tanned kangaroo leather. Sourced from Packers Leather tannery in Queensland, it is the most sustainable genuine leather in Australia. The hide itself is a by-product of annual government culls of pest kangaroo breeds, and then dyed with plat-based tannins derived from natural bark and leaves – making it an entirely native Australian product. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

‘As with human skin, vegetable-tanned leather naturally ages with time. It can darken, mark and scar with use with use. It changes with you.’ Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

‘I dye and burnish the edges on a smooth circular wheel of wood that, with heat and friction, creates a high shine on the natural leather, with many steps and techniques in between,’ Liam explains. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

‘I love to collect old beautiful things that inspire me. I have a collection of books about the Australian landscape, industrial lamps, wooden boxes and a gold foil stamp that I use to mark my products,’ Liam says. ‘I am attracted to objects that tell stories and have a unique practical purpose.’ Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Liam makes zipped pouches, folded wallets and boxy backpacks with envelope flaps. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

As they are dyed with natural tannins, the leather of each piece reflects the ochre earthiness of the Australian landscape. Photo – Pete Ryle and Marsha Golemac. Sculpture by Jo Wilson.

Some weathered treasures in the workshop. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

‘Kangaroos are wild animals, so their skin is often scarred or marked. They get in fights, they bound through the harsh Australian bush, they get bitten by insects. I choose to embrace these imperfections in the leather because they tell a story,’ Liam says. Photo – Amelia Stanwix.

Liam Dillon grew up on a dairy farm in South Gippsland, and trained as a painter straight out of high school. But it wasn’t until years later when he was working at a cafe in London, and made a friend who was training to be a cordwainer (a shoemaker who crafts specifically from leather) that he realised the depth of his own passion for the same material.

‘I was inspired by the ancient skills and techniques my friend spoke about,’ Liam says. He returned to Australia and enrolled in a custom-made footwear course at RMIT, scoring a job at Parigina Footwear in Brunswick (a family business from the ’60s making men’s formal shoes) soon after. Liam did all this with the intention of launching his own his shoe brand, but as time went on, he became more and more interested with the possibilities of leather beyond footwear.

Liam Dillon Designs was founded around a single material Liam discovered over the course of his experimentation: vegetable tanned kangaroo leather. This unique material is a natural by-product of annual pest control programs, which are overseen by the Australian government and operate under strict guidelines. As kangaroos are not farmed or bred, there is no water or land involved in cultivating their skins, all of which makes it arguably the most sustainable locally available leather.

On top of this, Liam only uses hides which are treated with plant-based dyes. ‘Vegetable tanning is a completely natural and ancient process that uses the tannins found in leaves and bark to produce a non-toxic and biodegradable material,’ Liam explains. ‘As with human skin, vegetable-tanned leather naturally ages with time. It can darken, mark and scar with use. It changes with you.’

Liam sources his kangaroo leather from the Packer tannery in Queensland – an internationally renowned family business now run by the fifth generation of Packers. And it is the only material he uses, cutting each piece by hand and employing a traditional technique called ‘skiving’ to bend the leather into shape without wearing out the crease. After cutting and shaping the leather, Liam stitches the folds together on an old Pfaff sewing machine; though with some thicker pieces he must bevel the sides by hand. Such a deliberate choice of a single material means he can focus on doing one thing and doing it really well.

‘I work with incredibly beautiful, old machinery, knives and hand tools that I have acquired over time,’ he says. ‘Working in an old craft means that a lot of my machinery has been around longer than me.’

It may sound painstaking and old-fashioned, but Liam relishes the time and focus the process involves, and it’s given him an intense respect for the life his materials have lived before they reach his studio. ‘Kangaroos are wild animals, so their skin is often scarred or marked. They get in fights, they bound through the harsh Australian bush, they get bitten by insects. I choose to embrace these imperfections in the leather, because they tell a story’ he says.

As the native leather is dyed in natural tannins, the ochre earthiness of the dry Australian landscape shines through in every one of Liam’s designs. A true representation of the land it came from!

As enamoured as we are with Liam’s dedication? A selection of his pieces are available at Handsom and Error 404. He will also have a stall at Rose Street Artists’ Market in Fitzroy on the 23rd of January, the 6th and 20th of February. 

Learn more about Liam Dillon Designs here.