#like she's not supposed to get married and have kids to be happy/for her plot to be full

[nadiajustbe]

@entanglementbroke

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT!!!

A little post about the parallels between Sophie and Howl and Justin and Suliman because I cannot be the only one seeing this

Fist of all — and I've already mentioned this in one of my older posts but it's worth mentioning again — Witch of the Waste is apparently rather repetitive in her plans, because she took Ben as "a bait to fetch Justin" the same way she has to get Sophie in order to catch Howl.

And the fact they were both very adamant about it: the loser Howell went to search for Sophie looking like a SCARECROW and Justin was arguing with his brother for month without changing the topic before he just RUN AWAY TO FIND BEN ANYWAY.

They say lovers are crazy, after all.

Second of all, whatever is happening here. I mean, I get it, Sophie is too happy too look away from her horrible husband but THESE TO GUYS DOING BASICALLY THE SAME THING THEY'RE DOING TEN STEPS AWAY FROM THEM? (Except they weren't holding hands, but well, there was no chance of happening anyway).

And the fact that there's no dialogue — all of these guys are basically just looking at one another in silence for some amount of time.

(I do not now how to comment this third quote. Besties seemed to be really happy to see eachother as this shaking hands-hugging stuff happened immediately after the horror that was Percival)

Third of all — and there's probably more but I'll stop on these one cause it needs context and one of my favs — this small moments in CITA hinting on both soldier's and the genie's real identities through Ben and Sophie accordingly.

This becomes even funnier when you remember that Howl and Justin were affected by the same kind of spell (although Justin's were lighter) and these two were a bit desperate to notice something familiar, anyway.

(Also I find it especially funny how Ben still stands on his take of knowing the solider even when Abdullah told him pretty clearly that's a random guy from Strangia. "Then he reminds me of someone who I know" HE LOOKS LIKE HE HAS BEEN THROUGH TEN WARS, HAS A DIFFERENT HAIRCUT, UNIFORM, HASN'T SHOWERED PROPERLY IN SOME TIME AND YOU LOOK AT HIM THROUGH DUSTY MIRROR?? These gives me Sophie's "what genie" vibes)

[ladykailitha]

Sweet Home Indiana Part 3

Shit! I can't believe I forgot to post this this morning! I don't know where my head was, honestly.

I'm reaching a point where I'm running out of plot so I don't think this story is going to be longer than 10 chapters max. A lot of the second half of the movie takes place over months as the main character gets ready to marry the rich bachelor, only for her to find out that her husband signed the divorce papers and she forgot ON HER WEDDING DAY (as in she was informed on her wedding day that she forgot). Which really won't work for this story.

So yeah, I suspect to be finished with this story sooner rather than later.

Eddie does have to do a lot of grovelling but he unfortunately gets worse before he gets better. He's really REALLY dumb in this, okay?

Part 1 Part 2

****

Eddie watched Steve walk away and he gently put the brownie back into the box.

Fuck.

His stomach churned as he swallowed down the bite in his mouth. He had forgotten so much about the man he once swore to love until the end of his days. But he remembered that look of absolute betrayal before the mask dropped.

So Eddie did what he was good at when times got tough, he ran. He was supposed to have been trying to convince Steve to come with him, but he had fucked it up so badly there was no coming back from that.

The worst part is that there had been a few times in the last decade where Eddie could have healed what was between them, that he could have reached out and gotten back in touch. But Eddie had ran each time.

He wouldn’t say each time ended in a rushed marriage, but two of them definitely did.

Eddie would think about reaching out only to hear about how well Steve was doing from Dustin or Max and how happy he was and Eddie would run out a marry the first guy who would fuck him.

The other times he would think about contacting Steve and some small trouble (or not so small in the case of his band breaking up) would crop up and he be scrambling to keep his head above water.

Steve was thriving here in Hawkins and wasn’t that just a kick to the head. He had a little bakery that was doing well, Robin was here, and if all the times the kids called Eddie were any indication, Steve was still on speaking terms with all of them.

He needed a fucking drink. He didn’t care that it was only a little after noon, he needed to turn off his brain. He turned on his heel and stormed out of the bakery.

“I thought I recognized the van,” a warm voice said. “Were you gonna tell me you were in town?”

Eddie looked around before he spotted his Uncle Wayne, leaning up against the side of the building.

“Wayne!” he cried and threw his arms around his neck.

Wayne hugged him back. “It’s good to see you kid.”

“Of course I was going to tell you I was in town,” Eddie scoffed. “I was just trying to take care of something first.”

Wayne looked behind him at the bakery and raised an eyebrow. “You coming back to make an honest man out him or are you setting to break his heart?”

“Why are you on his side?” Eddie whined. “Yes, I said some pretty stupid shit, but he wasn’t blameless in all the fuckery that went down.”

Wayne’s expression softened. “I know.” He put his arm around Eddie’s shoulders. “Come on, I’ll buy you lunch and we can talk about why you’re in town.”

“Mmk,” Eddie said weakly, letting Wayne lead him down the street to the nearby diner.

****

Steve was hyperventilating. He couldn’t do this. He wasn’t strong enough. Eddie Munson was the biggest asshole in the world and he still looked like sex on legs.

That funny little lopping walk he did when he wanted to move fast but didn’t want to run.

The long hair in waves around his face. His lean body stuffed into the tightest pair of jeans Steve had ever seen and he used to wear tight jeans for fuck’s sake. The god damn eyeliner on his big doe eyes.

And peaking out of the leather jacket were even more tattoos. Which it made sense considering he was some hot shot tattoo artist up in Seattle. But still! It wasn’t fair that the man who broke his heart wasn’t fat and balding at thirty. Nooooo...he had to come back to blue his balls as well as break his heart.

“Do I need to break his balls?” Robin asked coming back from the freezer. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. Not at Steve specifically, but glared at the situation in general.

Steve gave a kind of hiccuping laugh and his lungs filled with the air he desperately needed.

“No,” he said with a broken smile. “I handled it. I’m just going to send it to Hal to make sure he’s not trying to take me to the cleaners or some other bullshit.”

Robin nodded. Hal Peterson was their business attorney, but he’d know enough to make sure Steve wasn’t being shafted by the whole ordeal.

“So what’s got you around the twist?” she asked.

“He looks hotter now than he did before he left,” Steve whined. “He’s supposed to balding and fat and falling apart at the seams. But no...he’s leaner, still with those long ridiculous curls, and better put together than I was.” He waved a hand at himself. His hair was greasy from standing around a hot oven, his hands and apron were covered in flour, he had frosting on his nose.

Robin came over and gave him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and he let out a little sob.

“I’m sorry, Steve,” she murmured. “Are you going to be okay?”

He let out a shuddering sigh. “Probably not until he blows out of town again.”

Robin kissed the top of his head. “Let’s go out to the Hideout tonight. The shop will be fine. We handled today, we can handle tomorrow, too.”

Steve let out a shuddering sigh and nodded into her stomach.

“Good,” she stepped back and cupped his cheeks. “I know this sucks but you are the strongest, most capable person I’ve ever met. A weaker man would crumble under all this, but that person is not you. You understand me?”

He let out another shuddering sigh. “Thanks, Robs. I needed that.”

“I know you did, dingus,” she said fondly. “So lets knock today out of the ballpark, yeah?”

“Yeah!”

****

“I was hoping,” Eddie was telling Wayne, “that I could roll into town, get him to sign the divorce papers, and spend the rest of the week with you. But no, he’s being a stubborn ass.”

Wayne snorted. “You always did aim too high.”

“I thought he’d want to be rid of me,” Eddie huffed. “I’ve done nothing but run around all over this god forsaken country just to put some distance between me and him. I’ve hurt him in every possible way. I thought he was just wanting closure you know, calling me into town like he did.”

Wayne furrowed his brow. “He called you into to town?”

Eddie nodded and placed his chin on his hands on the table. “I was a bit of an ass about it because I didn’t explain things to Chrissy, but yeah. He told me that if I wanted to divorce him so bad, I’d have to come back to Hawkins and do the job proper.”

The waitress came set Wayne’s food down and Eddie sat up so she could do the same for him.

Wayne waited until she was gone before he turned back to Eddie. “When you told me you were marrying Chrissy, I was more than a little surprised.”

Eddie rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. “I know. I have my reasons, I just can’t tell you yet. But I promise it’s for a good reason.”

“He’s done really well for himself here,” Wayne said softly.

“And I haven’t?” Eddie spat out a tad too bitterly.

Wayne scowled. “Did I say you hadn’t, boy?” he snapped.

Eddie’s head reared back from the shock of his normally mild mannered uncle to snap at him. He shook his head, his lip beginning to quiver.

“I’m on your side,” Wayne said, to Eddie’s scoff. “I know I keep hyping up Steve, but I remember what you two were like when things were good, son. You were incandescent. But I look at you now and that sparkle has gone. I want to be happy for you, but first you’ve got to show me that you’re happy for yourself.”

“You don’t think I’m happy?” Eddie asked in confusion. “I have my own tattoo shop, I’m going to marry a great girl, and I’m still friends with most of the members of my band. What’s not to be happy about?”

Wayne shrugged. “You tell me.”

Eddie frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man.”

Wayne dug his thumbs into his belt and licked his top lip nice and slow. Eddie ignored him and just stabbed at his food.

“Kiddo,” Wayne said, shaking his head, “you’re still in love with that boy even with these ten years gone.” His chin jutted up to point to Eddie’s food.

Eddie froze with his fork half way to his mouth and then looked down at his plate. It took him a full minute to realize what Wayne was talking about.

“Oh.”

He had ordered the breakfast platter. It had hash browns, scrambled eggs, ham, bacon, and sausage with a side of chocolate chip pancakes. But Eddie didn’t like hash browns or sausage. He would give them to Steve who did.

He thought about the little box that was sat next to him on the bench and the brownie Steve had concocted for him so long ago.

Eddie swallowed thickly, his stomach turning sour as he stared at the hash browns and sausage he was never going to eat.

“Eat up,” Wayne said with a soft smile. “You don’t want it to go to waste.” He scooped up the hash browns and put them on his plate and then stabbed both sausage.

He dipped the first sausage into his over easy eggs, ignoring Eddie’s turmoil. At least for the moment.

Eddie brought the fork all the way to his mouth and chewed, not really tasting it.

He ate through most of the food that way, until it came to the pancakes. He moaned happily.

“Seattle just doesn’t make pancakes the way Benny does,” he said softly.

Wayne’s smile was no less tender this time, but infinitely more fond. “You could always come back to Hawkins. You can set up a tattoo shop anywhere, so why not here?”

Eddie shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that to Steve. Divorce his ass and then move back into town with Chrissy in tow, shoving it in his face that I moved on.”

“I can see that,” Wayne murmured. “I just miss my boy is all and would love to see you more often than I get.”

Eddie took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I know you do. And I would like you to meet Chrissy before the wedding.”

“I’d like that too.”

****

Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10

Tag List:

1- @mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @emly03

2- @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie

3- @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @chaoticlovingdreamer @maya-custodios-dionach @danili666

4- @goodolefashionedloverboi @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog

5- @justforthedead89 @vecnuthy @irregular-child @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690

6- @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon

7- @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @dragonmama76 @scheodingers-muppet @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

8- @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95 @blackpanzy

9- @amazing-spiderkeys @oldpinghai @raisedbylibrarians @kultiras @swimmingbirdrunningrock

10- @steddie-as-they-go @captain--low @micheledawn1975 @thespaceantwhowrites @mac-attack19

[stonedmhababe]

Ayooo

If you’re doing requests what about

Dilf!Older!Eijirou x Bimbo!Reader

(( reader doesn’t need to be a complete or typical ditzy personality but similar/sum characteristics ))

NSFW — daddy, dom/sub, choking, biting, slight bondage

Halloweenie Setting — the plot is up to you !

— 🧿 anon

I have never wrote NSFW so hopefully you like it and it’s not horrible 😅

18+ MDNI age gap! Daddy dom! Choking, biting.

He couldn’t get enough of her, the way her eyes shined like he hung the stars and moon her every night and swapped them with the sun every morning. The way she looked at him like he had the universe in his hand but it’s only because she’s so easily forgetting things, she needs him. She couldn’t survive without him, that cute little head on her shoulders always believing what others say to her, never questioning anyone’s true intentions. She was smart in her own way just not about the things that would keep her safe that’s why he was her hero. Eijiro kirishma had just turned 37, he didn’t think he’d find anyone to settle down with all his friends were having kids or had kids and were married then there’s him the fun uncle that over time developed a slight stocky dad bod while still maintaining his muscle, this gorgeous giant man felt like he was missing something in life. Then he met you, a 21 year old all on her own looking lost while trying to find the store, being red riot the manliest of hero’s he had to stop an help even if he was already off the clock.

“Hi little lady are you lost? Is there anything I can help you with?” Kirishma ask as he slowly gently approaches her making sure not to scare or startle her.

She looks up at him with these big eyes and happy bright smile, one that almost matches his. “Uhhh yea I think I’m lost, I was supposed to be going to the store but I have no idea where I am.” She giggles while clasping her hands together, making her breast pop out of tank top even more then they are seemingly like she doesn’t know what she’s doing.

“That’s alright sweetheart I can help you find your way if you’d like, my shift is over so I was just heading home to get ready for a Halloween party but I don’t mind helping you first.” He smiles brightly “what store were you looking for hun?” He ask while trying to to be respectful and not stare at her cleavage but he can’t help that he’s secretly a closeted pervert.

Y/n smiles at kirishma even more and bounces up down not having the slightest clue what she’s doing to him “I’m looking for the Halloween store! My friend invited me to her cousins Halloween party and I need a costume”

“Here let me show you where it is.” Kirishma smiles at her biting the inside of his cheek to stop him from staring a tits jiggle in her small tube top that looks like it could fall off at any point in time.

As kirishma shows you the way to the Halloween store he can’t help but notice how you have to fast walk to keep up with him and normally he’d slow down but he can’t help himself but keep his pace as he has the perfect sight of your breast jiggling as you walk and can see down your top and notices you don’t have on a bra and he has to hold back his groan.

You guys finally arrive at the Halloween store “here we are sweetheart, I hope I was helpful enough and you find what you’re looking for” kirishma lets her know

Y/n looks up at him and smiles, she grabs her phone out of her back pocket “could I have your number? You know in case I need help finding something again” she ask while blushing and holding her phone out

He takes it and puts in his number “of course anytime you need me I’m at your service beautiful “ he smiles as he turns to leaving feeling good about himself.

~Time skip~

Later that night as kirishma enters denkis and hantas party dressed in his werewolf costume, he scans the already moving bodies looking for his friends when he sees a familiar face he just met earlier that day wearing a slutty red riding hood costume.

Kirishma smirks as he walks over to you and sees some of his friends near you as well giving them a nod as they make eye contact then walking towards you

“Well don’t you make a great red riding hood” he says to you while biting his lip scanning your body

“I’d love to have you as breakfast lunch dinner and dessert” he mumbles to himself thinking you don’t hear him but little does he know you do, you just don’t say anything about it.

“Hiii!” You exclaim while jumping up and down in front of him. “Your costume looks so good!” You tell him while biting your lip and looking him up and down

Kirishma smirks “yea you think so? I think yours looks way better, why don’t you give be a twirl doll” he tells you while biting his cheek.

Y/n smiles and give eijiro a small twirl going slow to make sure he can take in every detail of her costume.

Eijiro smiles down at her as mom walks by giving him a drink that he takes in one setting like it’s a shot as you stare up at him smiling swaying left to right slightly biting your lip.

Eijiro can’t help it but stare at you dirty thoughts of all the things he wants to do with you. “You got a drink yet?” He ask as he scans the surrounding area to see where drinks are located.

Y/n smiles and turns around and picks up a cup from the table behind her off to the side “yea I think this one’s mine” she’s smiles at him without a care in the world.

Eijiro takes her cup and sets it back down on the table “why don’t get you a new drink? You really shouldn’t leave you drink just laying around honey someone could slip something into it or do something to it” he tells you as he walks you to the kitchen his arm around you on the smaller part of your back.

“Ohh ok that makes sense” you say as you smile up at him giggling “thank you for taking care of me” you giggle some more and step closer to him once you arrive to the kitchen and he pours you two shots and four for himself you both taking them, he feels the liquid courage in his body.

He smirks looking down at you as his thoughts become too much and with the help of the alcohol he ask you what’s been on his mind since he met you. “Hey do you wanna go find a more private place to hang?” He ask looking down at you, your chest pressed his slightly chub stomach.

“I’d love that” y/n smiles up at him pressing her chest even more into him and giggling. Eijiro smirks while picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. He marches his way up the stairs to the guest room he uses whenever he stays at the party house after drinking to much, it’s the one night all their friends get together and spend together it’s not always a party but tonight he’s happy it is.

As you both enter the room eijiro closes the door and locks it pushing you against it and kissing you with so much passion and heat he can’t help it, you’re different then the girls he’s use to.

He starts kissing down your neck leaving hickies in his path as he travels down, listening to your sweet moans and whimpers as he gets to to your collar bone he nips at you. Y/n can’t help but whine and plead for more as eijiro bites her leaving more marks on her then she’s ever had before.

“Please eiji baby please” she begs shes not exactly sure for what as her mind is so fuzzy and thoughts muffled by how good she feels from just his mouth on her neck.

Eijiro smiles big “please what princess come on talk to me, tell daddy what you want baby.” He can’t help the loud groan that leaves the back of his throat as he feels you grind your wet panties against his rock hard clothed cock.

You whine and try grinding against him “want your big cock daddy please” you look up at him face pleading eyes big and full of desire and want.

Eijiro groans “anything you want pretty girl anything you want” he starts stripping you both of you clothes as he continues to kiss all over you, his hand sliding up to your throat grasping to tightly but enough for you to still breathe. You whimper as you feel his hand grasp your throat.

Eijiro moves you from the door to the bed tossing you on it chuckling as you squeal from being tossed he smiles as he stalks over to you like you’re his prey.

* I can make a part two if you want more smut but it’s hard to write with one hand😅*

[lightlycareless]

Valentine's day '24 special — pt. 2

sequel to this.

Heya everyone!!! Sorry for the delay, you will not believe what happened to me 💀 I was intending to upload this much earlier, but by some strange reason my neighborhood just didn't have electricity anymore—for hours. BUT It's finally back, and with it, the second part of my valentine's day special :>

I won't say much, except that the whole plot turned to be quite different than what I envisioned; will I say I didn't like it? No, I feel like it was according to the character's personality and such, very... teenage awkwardness 😂🤭

Anyways, I won't say much anymore, outside of the warnings: highschool au. no major ones. angst. a jealous/possessive naoya.

Without further a do, happy reading, and happy valentine's day!

taglist: @sureconfused

You weren’t the only one excited for this day, by far, albeit for other… reasons.

Made into a well-kept secret, Naoya, heir of the Zen’in, was impatiently waiting for the day he’d effectively label himself as the best catch there ever was—

And win your affection.

Although he’ll have to admit that achieving this feat wasn’t all too easy as he once expected, less with the unwanted advancements valentine’s day brought upon.

Was it a matter of not getting chocolates? Even with his reputation, he still managed to bag a few. Naoya was handsome and rich after all, things that didn’t necessarily need to intertwine with a good personality in order for someone to like him. One has to be blind for that!

The problem here was that none of the gifts he got that day belonged to you, and that put him in a very, very bad mood.

More so when learning that Geto was the one stealing his rightful spot.

“How come he got chocolates from her, and not me?!” Naoya would cry to his best friend, Ranta, as soon as classes were over. The poor kid, although miles away and safeguarded by the other side of the line, still recoiled in surprise by his tone. “What, suddenly I’m not good enough for Y/N?!”

“I wouldn’t say that necessarily, Naoya.” Ranta attempts to comfort him, whatever he can through his friend’s frantic state anyways. “From what you told me, Geto is really popular, right?”

“I’m popular too.” Naoya quickly responds.

«But not for the right reasons» Ranta holds his tongue from saying, instead, he sighs.

“Just take it as what it was—a popular guy getting chocolates; that’s all. He must’ve gotten a thousand, he probably didn’t even notice.”

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn’t. Naoya is quickly irritated by the notion of your efforts being disregarded.

“I would’ve noticed!”

“Then do it.” Ranta says, Naoya frowns, confused. “White day is next month; it’ll be the perfect moment to let her know of your feelings!”

“What?—no. She has to come to me.” He corrected, Ranta does his best to not groan out of exasperation.

“Naoya, have you even spoken to her, outside of jujutsu stuff?”

Nope. Not at all. And yet, Naoya already envisioned you’d be the one he’d marry.

“Then start by something simple.” Ranta continues. “A letter telling her your feelings and how you’d like to know her better can go a long way.”

“But I don’t—men aren’t supposed to do that.”

“Well, what you won’t, maybe Geto will.”

“…I dare you to say that in front of my face.”

Ranta knows he’ll live to regret it later, but honestly, it was the only way he could get Naoya to actually do something about this growing infatuation he’d long determined to be more than a mere attraction.

He’s never seen his friend so… whipped for anyone before, ever, to the point of spending most, if not all, of their conversations talking about her.

There was even a moment where Ranta felt like he was unwittingly third wheeling, and they weren’t even dating yet!

But putting that aside, this could be a positive influence on Naoya’s life too. Perhaps you could soften his edges or make him a better person! —The way his mood improves whenever you’re in his mind is something he could get used to.

Except this time, of course, but that’s within reason (even for Ranta, Naoya’s jealousy still adds up.)

So, after the right motivation (or more like threat), Naoya begins to write down the perfect letter to demonstrate his feelings and intentions with you.

Or tries to.

Naoya has never considered himself particularly the best when it came to showing vulnerability, even though he’s taken countless classical literature courses many would’ve assumed amounted to something—

But like a true man in love, the things he once impossible were nothing but small hindrances along the way.

And soon, here he is, letter in hand as he heads over to the small booth Mei Mei set up for her stupid Cupid Mail thing she set up or whatever she called it—coincidentally, the perfect way to deliver his missive.

Because obviously, beneath his exuberant overconfidence, Naoya is actually very, very shy when it comes to approaching you.

“Off to confess your feelings for darling Y/N?” Mei Mei asks with a sly smirk that passes undetected to him, ass well as her words, once arriving.

“Yes, I ought to before anyone—wait, where did you even get that—”

“I have my ways.” She interrupts. But to anyone with eyes, it was nothing less than obvious. “Anyways, you know my price when it comes to keeping secrets.”

It’s not the first time he’s used her services, and it seems it wouldn’t be the last either.

“Whatever—just—send this letter for me. To Y/N.”

“Hmm… it’ll be ¥1500 please.”

“To send a letter?!” he cries. “What are you going to do, have it signed by the emperor??”

“No, but for people that already have lots of letters piled up, I tend to charge an extra fee—and an additional one if you want it to be first in line.”

“…what?” Naoya breathes.

“What? Thought you were the only one that liked her?” she snickers.

“What do you mean she has piled up letters?” Naoya asks, and having to repeat her words made his heart sink further into his stomach. “From who?!”

“That’s confidential, Zen’in-san.” Mei Mei discloses. “I can’t risk the identity of my clients—”

“How much do you want?” He counters; not buying her sudden righteousness, not even for a second.

“¥100,000”

“Fine, just—”

“Per letter.”

Naoya’s eye twitches at the outrageous bank statement he’d later have to defend before his family.

But even then, he feels no regret when it comes to knowing who could be having the upper hand against him and seize it.

“Here—take whatever you want but let me see who’s sending her letters.”

Mei Mei grins once Naoya sends her a money transfer equivalent to the 15 people that had written out their feelings for you (allegedly), happily obliging when handing over the missives for his open scrutiny, alongside some silly gifts that made him wonder if he also should’ve gotten you something more than just a paper.

However, that thought doesn’t last longer than a few seconds when his eyes fall on the names of the senders. The familiarity of one catching his attention to the fullest, blood running cold upon acknowledging the depth of your relationship with him, and what this could mean for his own advances.

Nanami.

Your proclaimed best friend…

Had sent you a letter, because more likely, he liked you.

…

Naoya didn’t bother to ask Ranta for advice for he already knew what to do. Or at least what his heart was pushing him to commit.

“She’s quite the popular one, isn’t she? Must be because of her siblings—”

“How much to not send anything to her?”

“Oh.” Mei Mei’s eyes glinted with greed and surprise. Although her interest mostly dwelled on the first. “Don’t tell me the great Naoya Zen’in is feeling threatened.”

Or more like afflicted.

“Just tell me how much. And so no one else can send her anything either.”

She smiles—Mei Mei couldn’t believe it was that easy to hit jackpot, but she won’t complain.

“A million.”

“Done.”

“Are you still sending the letter?” she still asks, shamelessly, as if she hadn’t just secured her living for the foreseeable future.

“Yes.”

Although not by itself anymore.

Understanding the sensibility in which he’d greatly miscalculated the intervention of others, Naoya rushes to make himself stand out by all means possible, as well as show just how strong his determination was to be with you.

Thus, the plushies he heard were of your liking, your favorites, or simply reminded him of you, soon began to make their way to him, settling the first foundations of the boxes he was to send you.

Alongside the sweets he’s seen you bring along for lunch, either through the nearest vending machine or gifted from your siblings and friends—didn’t matter how, just that you loved them.

To add a twist, jewelry was also included. Ones he thought would look great on you, both representing a piece of his immeasurable wealth, and his undying affection for you.

And lastly, but not least, roses. Flowers that were prided on for their beauty and significance, the perfect way to profess one’s feelings and cement them as real—he found no personal use behind them, not when he thought you much more alluring, but if necessary…

Amongst the other gifts Mei Mei managed to sneak in, like a true visionaire, for her financial gain.

Down to the smallest detail, everything was intricately planned for White Day to unfold: yes, even their tardy arrival.

The reason why Naoya chose the end of the day to deliver his countless gifts was simply because he thought he’d make a greater impression this way, give you something to think about after a long day of boring work and once back in your room.

To keep your mind completely on him, wondering who was attentive enough to bless you with all these gestures…

And of course, making you smile, cheeks flustered and face beaming in the same beautiful way that always mesmerized him—just like now.

“I… I can’t believe it.” You’d whisper to yourself while overlooking your gifts one more time; gaze lost in the ocean of sweets, flowers, and jewelry alike. There were just too many, you simply didn’t know where to start!

Or how to take them with you.

“I, uh… I think I’m going to need help to move them to my dorm” you say, eyes circling back to Mei Mei. “Do you think you can—oh.”

But she was already gone, possibly to complete more of her money-hungry schemes, such as convincing Satoru to spend more money on Suguru, or scam an innocent, unsuspecting student to confess their feelings to their crush, whom she knows has no chance with, via her postal service, or not. Mei Mei was always a mystery.

What was not a mystery, was the unwitting companionship she left you behind with, an astonished crowd slowly surrounding you the moment the first gift graced your hands, all in a similar state of disbelief, if not jealousy—

Alongside a fascinated admirer.

“Oh, how am I going to move all this—”

“Let me help you.” Keeping a close eye at a distance, Naoya sees this opportunity as his moment, and steps in.

“Naoya!” You gasp, startled by his unexpected appearance, a rare occurrence unless it involved sorcery manners, or Satoru. “I didn’t see you get here, where did you come from?”

“My class just finished, and I was heading back to the dorms.” He explains—a blatant lie, considering the teacher didn’t show up because of a date, or so many theorized. “What’s with all the gifts?”

“I know, right? Can you believe they’re all for me??” you bubbled—grabbing on the compliment bait he’d thrown. “But they don’t come with a sender.”

“Really? How weird…” Naoya plays along, wanting to hear more of your enthusiastic praises. “You don’t think it’s from a creep or something, right?”

“I don’t to think so... I don’t want to think it was.” You say, twisting your lips in concern. Naoya then quietly scolds himself for foolishly planting the seed of doubt in your mind. “Anyways, I thought it was sweet.”

As if he couldn’t fall more in love with you. Naoya smiles.

“I’m glad you did.”

For the slightest of seconds, you press your brows together, finding his words to be a bit odd, if not contradictory, to his previous statement���almost as if he were somewhat involved.

“Thanks…?”

“So…” Naoya says, walking over to one of the many baskets and picking them up. “What do you think of this?”

Even when finding his sudden interest odd, since he never struck you as the kind of person to care about these “silly” (his words) situations, you agree to indulge him only because he’s helping you.

And because this is so in-your-face, you really couldn’t blame him for being curious.

“About the gifts?” You ask.

Guess the weird part of it is that he’s insisting so much. Wasn’t your previous answer enough?

“Yeah.”

“Well, I told you; it was sweet.” You repeat, leading him towards your dorm. “And even though the mystery surrounding the sender adds a layer of romanticism to these gifts, I really want to know who did it.”

“For what?” Naoya pushes forward—all because in his mind, he thinks you’ve now unknowingly fallen for him too, and wants to confirm it.

“Oh, uh—I’m just curious! I mean, I’m human, you know?” you explain with a chuckle. “Don’t you feel the same way when this happens?”

Then, something in your mind clicked.

“No—Naoya, don’t tell me you didn’t get anything?!” you gasp.

«From the one I want, no.» he wishes to say, but it felt redundant to do so.

“I didn’t ask that.” Naoya responds instead, words that sting you, although not so much anymore, since you’ve long accepted that he can be quite… crude when he doesn’t want to talk about something.

“…Sorry.” You murmur, moving forward. Something so nice shouldn’t be ruined by his inability to socialize like a normal human being. “But… yeah, I guess I’m just curious. I mean, I’ve never gotten so many things like this before, it almost feels like I’m undeserving!”

“You’re not.”

You frown once again—why is he acting so weird, today, of all days?

“Well, at least I won’t have to buy sweets for a long time now.” You say with a smile, already savoring the delicacies before you. “Although the mochi are not making it past today! How did they even know taro was my favorite?”

And there was still one last thing for you to see—his letter.

Naoya was planning on giving it to you once arriving at your dorm, but your excitement, alongside your beautiful beaming smile, and your glistening eyes, pushed him to act now.

“Y/N.” Naoya says, a stern tone that makes you stop and turn around.

“Hm?”

“…What would you do if I… told you I knew who sent all these gifts?”

“You do?” you breathe. His heart clenches with longing.

“Hypothetically.” Naoya says. Even if he’s absolutely confident he wants to do this, there’s still a part of him, although very small, that fills him with hesitance. He can’t be judged for wanting to be cautious, right?

“Oh, well, if that’s the case… I’d like to thank him first.” You respond. “Although a bit exaggerated, it was still the nicest gesture I’ve gotten in a while. And it definitely made my day! I was just about to head to my room to whine about not getting anything, haha! Anyways… what I mean to say is, I’d like to thank them and… maybe even get to know them bett—”

“Me.” Naoya says without further precedent, you blink.

“What?”

“Me. It was me. I sent the gifts.” He reiterated, through the sudden knot forming in his throat and the rising heat of his cheeks.  “I’m the one you want to thank. The one that sent everything: from the box in your hands, to the rest of the things in your dorm.”

Naoya was wholeheartedly expecting you to glee and cheer now that the revelation was, open the door for the relationship he envisioned would begin from this day forward…

And not your following reaction.

“That’s—that’s a good one, Naoya!” You laugh nervously. “You almost got me there!”

If he didn’t know any better, it would seem you were attempting to hide disappointment. And your once dreamy laughter became his absolute nightmare.

“I’m not joking.” Naoya justifies, growing defensive of what little dignity he had left.

“Oh…” murmur, chuckle slowly subsiding while opening way to your true emotions, filling you with tension at the one outcome he never considered palpable.

“Were you expecting someone else?” He dares to ask, with an accusatory tone that lets you know you’ve stung a nerve.

And as much as honesty seemed to be the most intimidating path to take, it was still the right one.

“I—I mean… yeah.” You anxiously admit, his frown deepens.

“So, what? Even with my gifts, I’m still not good enough for you?”

“What? No! That’s not it, Naoya!” Your voice trembles—regretful for the misinterpretation of your words; but truth to be told, there was no amount of assertiveness that could’ve mended Naoya’s slowly breaking heart.

“Then what is it?” influenced by a thousand reasons, he goes with the most hurtful one. “It’s someone else, isn’t it? Was it Nanami?”

“What does he have to do with anything?” you cautioned.

“Nothing.” He rushes to cover, thankfully for him, you seem to drop the subject all together. “Why does it seem so shocking I got you these things? Weren’t you say how much liked them a few minutes ago? Or how much you wanted to thank the person behind them?”

“I didn’t—I mean… I’m still grateful for the gifts, but… I have to be honest.” You thread carefully, heart on your throat. “I don’t… know you. And you don’t know me, either.”

“What do you mean you don’t know me? We’ve worked together before, hadn’t we?”

“Naoya… We barely talk to each other outside of class, and—and… forgive me if I don’t believe your interest in me, but what am I supposed to think after the way you act whenever I’m around?”

“What way??”

While the rest of the world seemed to be nothing but acknowledging of Naoya’s infatuation with you, if not irritated by your obliviousness—

All this time, you were seeing the other side of the coin.

Starting from the silent way he’d stare at you, a piercing gaze that made you feel miniscule, scrutinized, urging you to leave his sight as soon as possible.

Followed by the irritation in his face whenever you’d interact with someone else, as if wondering where you’d get the audacity to interact with his fellow classmates, or anyone at all.

Adding the way he’d swiftly avoid you when accidentally bumping into you—uttering a quick watch out before leaving you to your own devices, careless to bother checking if you were hurt, or not.

And now, the defensiveness in which he took your skepticism.

Was it surprising that you didn’t believe his intentions? From your point of view, it was only obvious.

But to him, it was the highest of distresses.

Guess explaining his behavior towards you up to that point would amount to nothing.

Why would he bother wasting his breath affirming to you that the only reason why he did all those things was because he was afraid of approaching you? Ignorant on how to make you like him? Or because he was jealous of others?

…when he’s already ruined everything, anyways?

“I thank you for all the beautiful things you got me, Naoya, but… I think they’re better off with someone you do like.” You say, looking down at the box, before moving it closer to him. “Besides, we both know I’m not your type.”

“Not my type? What’s that supposed to mean?”

From the rumors surrounding him, to his behavior, it was the only conclusion you could get at.

But more precisely, the continuously proved reputation he’s got of dating girls only to dump them a few days later.

While he might be exceptional when it comes to giving gifts, you were looking for something a bit more… long term, permanent, in the emotional department.

And to you, Naoya was just not that kind of person.

The silence between the two gave you enough time to define your next step.

“I can give you the things back if you want—”

“No, keep them, I got them with you in mind anyways, what good will it do to give them to someone else?” He frowns, his heart effectively shattered at this point. “Or throw them away, I don’t care.”

That would be the last time you’d see Naoya that week, who’d still helped you move all of the gifts towards your dorm and placing them just outside the door before retreating to what you supposed to be the city—no doubt in your mind that he already had other plans for the day, just staying around to see if he could try his luck with you, before going to plan B.

After all, a man like him surely couldn’t settle for just one person, a date being nothing but a box to check in his routine.

And you were surprisingly accurate—

If you were referring to the Naoya who hadn’t met you yet.

Because since you arrived in his life, you’re all he thinks of. All he could bother to care for, day and night, he only longed to be with you.

But after today, he’s not sure if this is even something he wishes to continue doing. If there’s even hope for someone like him, who’s ruined all his chances—a purpose to fight for.

A friendship with you is the last thing he could expect to happen now, especially after the gruesome conclusion you granted him. Perhaps there was never even a reason to start off from, only his delusions longing for something better.

Yet, unbeknownst to him, this was only the beginning.

Ok so I do feel a bit guilty for going down the angsty path BUT hear me out, it makes sense!!! naoya is the kind of person to make up this whole life with you and he hasn't even spoken with you lol.

outside of that, the beauty of oneshots is that I can literally write 10000 versions of this same scenario 😏 I already have another one in mind, but I'll postpone it to after the other requests I have on my ask.

Either way, I still hope you enjoyed this piece :> Happy valentines day!!

Take care, and hope to see you around ❤️

[inbloomwriting]

the ledges of our lives II Tommy Miller

Plot: Tommy has been in love with (Y/N) since the first moment he laid eyes on her. One fateful 4th of July he finally tells her how he feels and nothing can keep them apart ... except maybe the apocalypse.

Pairing: Tommy Miller x female reader

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of food and alcohol, semi-sad ending

Notes: Friends lovers. Not necessarily a happy ending but not super sad either. 8.9k words.

Likes, reblogs, comments are all much appreciated. I am German. Sometimes I get the tense wrong or make mistakes. I am useless when it comes to punctuation. Go easy on me, please

The Millers don’t shoot fireworks on the 4th of July, they never have, at least not that Sarah can remember. No one has ever really said why, it was just an unspoken thing they all adhered to. Like a special non-tradition in their family. Sarah thinks it might have something to do with the sticker on her dad’s car, she doesn’t mention it though. 

The Millers aren’t big on parties either, it’s mostly just Sarah and her dad and uncle Tommy — and (Y/N). Just to four of them in their perfect little harmony. (Y/N)’s been there from the start, a friend of Uncle Tommy’s who entered their lives and found a permanent place in all their hearts. She’s part of the family as much as the rest of them. Where Tommy is (Y/N) is and the other way around. Sometimes Sarah wonders why the two of them aren’t dating, it would make so much sense, they’re married as it is. But then again, she’s 14 years old. What does she know about messy grown-up romance?

A heavy heat rests upon Austin on the 4th of July of 2003. The kind that makes your hair go frizzy and your clothes stick to your skin. Joel’s turned on the sprinklers a while ago, after some soft nagging from Sarah. He’s been grumbling about how it’ll ruin the lawn to have them on while the sun burns down on the grass. He’s ended up chasing his daughter through the spray of water anyway, earning a round of laughter from the girl.

The radio is playing quietly in the background, mostly drowned out by the sizzling of the steaks on the grill. They were supposed to grill hot dogs but the shop was all out of buns. So steaks and veggie skewers it is. 

“Harrold is crazy if he thinks we're gonna pay that much for some copper pipes. Lost his damn mind. Hey - are you even listening to me?"

Tommy's eyes snap up to meet his brother's amused smirk. 

“What? What’s the shit-eating grin for?” 

“Don’t worry about it. Just nice to know where your attention is at.” 

Joel nods his head towards the other end of the backyard where the picnic table sits that he and Tommy built when Sarah was just a little kid. There are handprints on the wood, his in blue, Tommy’s in green, (Y/N)’s in Orange, and Sarah’s tiny handprint in purple. Another summer years ago that seems so far away and yet it feels like nothing has changed. 

"That sundress is really doing a number on you, huh?"

Tommy's gaze flits towards the girls as they are sitting at the picnic table, playing cards in hand and bright smiles on their faces.

(Y/N) is wearing a yellow sundress, so bright and vibrant it rivals the sun itself. She looks damn good in it. Like a vision plugged straight from a dream Tommy's had once or twice (or many nights but who's counting).

"No idea what you're talking about, old man."

Joel lets out that familiar scoff, the one Tommy knows so well after all these years. He’s had the same scoff even as a child. The kind that lets you know he doesn’t believe a single word you’re saying without him having to tell you outright. It’s infuriating when it’s directed at you and hilarious when directed at someone else. 

“I don’t know what you’re on about.” 

“Sure you don’t, knucklehead. Look, I’m just wondering if you’re ever going to do something about — this,” Joel exclaims and motions his beer bottle between his younger brother and the goddess in the sundress sitting just a few steps away.

It’s not the first time they’re having this conversation. In fact, Tommy's had this conversation countless times before with pretty much all of his friends, his parents, even Sarah has mentioned it before. And quite a few times with Joel too. 

Maybe the question wouldn’t bother him so much if it didn’t force him to think about the what-ifs himself. Like what-if he actually mustered up the courage to make a move, and what-if she said yes? But then what-if she said no and everything they have now would be utterly destroyed never to be repaired? 

He doesn’t think of himself as a coward, in fact, he knows he’s given his mother more than one heart attack in his lifetime by being just a little bit too reckless. But there is something absolutely terrifying to him when it comes to making a move with (Y/N). She’s been part of his life since he was just a 10-year-old lanky kid with a big mouth and an even bigger ego. She liked him then and she likes him now and is it really worth risking all the love she gives him now for a what-if?

“Since when have you become a love expert, huh?” 

“I haven’t, “ Joel replies and takes a sip of beer “ I just know when things work and you guys, you seem to work.” 

He’s right but Tommy is never going to admit that. Joel would never let him hear the end of it and there’s hardly anything more annoying than proving Joel right. 

“And I get it, she’s beautiful and smart and — “

“Okay, cool it. You wanna make a move on her?” 

Joel gives him that snarl that reminds him so much of his dad and the way he used to look at Tommy and Joel when they were kids and he disapproved of something stupid they did.

“Don’t even go there, kid.” 

Kid. He hates when Joel pulls the older brother card. Then again, he could’ve done so much worse when it comes to family, when it comes to brothers. With all his faults and quirks, Joel is a good guy. He’s loyal and protective and he puts family above anything and everything else. Just don’t tell him that, he’ll deny being a good guy. He’s humble like that.

“Just don’t want you to regret not doing anything about it when it’s too late.”

Before his mind can wander off too far, further down the road paved with what-ifs and sickeningly sweet visions of a future unknown, (Y/N)’s voice cuts through his brain fog.

“Oh, I love that song! Turn up the radio, boys!”

The opening chords of “Here comes your man” by the Pixies fill the air, louder when Tommy turns the little dial up a notch or two.

She’s on her feet, barefoot dancing on the grass, illuminated by the hot July sun, pulling Sarah up to dance with her. 

The younger girl starts moving begrudgingly but even she isn’t immune to the contagious enthusiasm that (Y/N) radiates and two seconds later she’s dancing along as if she was never hesitant in the first place. 

There’s just something about (Y/N). 

“Her taste in music, however — “ Joel teases before turning over the steaks as they sizzle on the grill. 

Tommy doesn’t mind the teasing. Not right now. He hardly processes it. Not when in front of him, he gets to watch his whole world twirl in the sun and laugh as if life has never been sweeter. 

"Here comes your maaaan!" 

She can't hit a note if her life depends on it and it doesn't matter to Tommy at all. Not in the slightest. He loves hearing her sing. He loves when she unapologetically lets herself enjoy the little things in life. Like a good-bad song.

"… and here comes the food!" 

Joel isn't quite as enamored with her bad singing as his younger brother is but even he can't stop the corner of his lips from pulling up. There's just something about her that hits each member of the Miller family straight to the heart. 

By the time the steaks and veggies are gone, the sun is about to dip behind the horizon.

Dusk paints the sky in pinks and purples and fireflies start blinking all over the yard like tiny stars.

The air has cooled down with the sun saying its farewell for the day and if things were different they’d stay out here a little longer. Not today though. 

Where other people gather their friends and family to watch the sky be illuminated by a kaleidoscope of colors, the Millers call it an early night and make their way inside before the first firework is lit. 

The Miller’s Fourth of July ends on the couch with a movie playing on the TV and when the outside world gets loud, they just turn up the volume a little more.

“Swing away Merrill. …” 

“Fucking water?! They want me to believe the solution to an alien invasion is fucking water?! ON EARTH?!” 

Joaquin Phoenix flickers across the screen, fighting an Alien with the help of a baseball bat and a bunch of abandoned glasses of water but Tommy can’t seem to keep his eyes off of (Y/N). Her hair messed up from dancing around the yard all day, from sweating and running through the sprinkler. Her lips wiped clear of the red lipstick she'd put on earlier. The slight shiny residue of sunscreen on her skin. 

And that look of absolute disbelief and outrage on her face.

“You’re telling me out of all the planets in the solar system, they chose to come to Earth? A planet that is 71% water? When that is their biggest weakness? Sounds highly implausible to me, honestly.” 

She scrunches her nose in irritation and for a split second, Tommy sees the little girl again that he first befriended all those years ago.

“Darling, it’s a movie about Aliens. It doesn’t have to be plausible. It just has to be entertaining.” 

Letting out a huff, she sinks further into the couch. “Well, it can’t have been too entertaining either.” 

Motioning her head towards the other couch, Tommy lets his eyes follow only to be met with a much familiar sight.

Sarah is fast asleep, legs thrown over Joel’s lap and head resting on the side of the couch. It looks anything but comfortable but it doesn’t seem to bother her much judging by her snoozing away softly. Her soft snores are accompanied by Joel’s loud rattling ones. 

“Sarah’s a kid, what does she know about cinema? And Joel has always had shit taste in movies, even when we were kids.”

“Tommy, babe.” (Y/N) exclaims and places a soft hand on his biceps. He wonders if she knows that even a touch as small as this one, as insignificant, makes his heart race. “I hate to tell you this but Alien movies are a bit shit in general.” 

“You say that now, but just you wait. The day we get invaded I will be prepared and you will be sitting here wishing you had paid attention to these movies.” 

He loves the giggle that falls from her lips. If sunshine made a sound he’s sure it would sound like her laugh. Even if it comes with her making fun of him. He’ll take all the teasing if it means he gets to hear her laugh.

“So are you saying if we got invaded by Aliens you’d just let me get abducted? Is that what I am hearing?”

“Absolutely. And you best be telling me everything once they bring you back.”

“You’re full of shit, Tommy Miller. You’d go crazy without me. Hell, I’m only leaving for 3 months this summer and you’re already whining about it.” 

She’s right and he hates thinking about it. Back when they were kids she went to visit her grandparents in Montana every summer and Tommy was miserable without her. Those visits grew few and far between as they got older but with her grandfather suffering a broken leg and her grandmother unable to tend to their farm all by herself it served as the perfect opportunity for (Y/N) to fly out and relish in childhood nostalgia.

“I’m not whining, Darling. Just worried you’ll miss my handsome face too much.” 

“Oh please, you just — “

“Can you guys cut it out? People here are trying to sleep”, Joel’s gruff voice cuts through their bickering, putting an immediate stop to the conversation. 

“Sorry Joel” they reply in unison, like a pair of scolded children having been caught staying up past their bedtime. Though Joel pays no mind to their apology, his snores fill the room once again.

As Tommy turns back towards (Y/N), her arms are stretched out wide as a tired yawn leaves her body.

“You tired? Need a ride home?” 

“Are you offering?” 

“Always, baby.”

Tommy doesn’t consider himself a big romantic, doesn’t really believe in all those grand and larger-than-life rom-com ideas but sometimes when the fireflies light up the world outside and the air smells like sunscreen and campfire and when she looks at him with those beautiful eyes of her he gets a weird feeling that spreads all around his body. It fills him from the tip of his nose to his feet. Those moments make him reconsider for a second. Maybe the movies are onto something.

Even though the sun set a long time ago, the air outside is still thick and muggy. It makes the hair in the nape of his neck curl up and stick to his skin. 

It’s sticky and uncomfortable and yet, Tommy loves nights like these. They allow him to remember the boy he used to be. All those late summer nights with (Y/N) by his side, driving down back roads and shooting the shit and talking about everything one can only imagine. Those nights felt like they belonged to them only and like they lasted a lifetime. All that youthful magic caught in a moment. 

The windows are rolled down and Billy Joel is blasting from the beat-up car radio. (Y/N) is softly humming along to Summer, Highland Falls, eyes closed, messy-haired and barefoot, and a smile playing on her lips as she soaks up the gust of wind.

“You do know I was joking, right?” 

She opens her eyes and looks at him with that infinite softness that she reserves for certain people only. Mostly him and Sarah and Joel.

“About what?” 

“The Alien thing.” 

“Huh? You mean to tell me you’re not prepared for an invasion after all.” 

He retorts with a gentle nudge to the shoulder. “No, stupid. I mean that if something were to happen, anything at all, I would never leave you behind. I’d never let them take you.” 

“The metaphorical aliens.” 

“Yeah, those. And anyone else too. You know that, right? Sarah, Joel, and you, that’s all that matters to me.” 

This is as honest and raw as Tommy gets when it comes to talking about his feelings and emotions. He wasn’t raised like that. His dad was stoic and silent and filled with toxic ideas of what a man should be and how a man should behave. Joel and Tommy have tried their best to unlearn a lot of the toxic traits their dad had bestowed on them, especially once Sarah came along, but some things just stick with you.

“I do know that. You know I’d do the same, right? You guys are my family. You are my family.” 

He wants to kiss her so badly. All the voices in his head are screaming at him to do it, just do it. She’s leaving tomorrow and won't be back until early October and by then he will probably have talked himself into chickening out once again.

But what if?

What if he kisses her and fucks it all up? 

“It′s either sadness or euphoria” 

And Billy is so right. 

The euphoria he would be thrilled to experience.

The sadness, he thinks, the sadness might kill him.

So he rids himself off the foolish little dreams, pushes them back to the furthest corner of his heart where they can live amongst themselves to only come to light when the night is lonely and Tommy feels like torturing himself.

He takes her hand, presses a gentle kiss on her knuckles, and nods in agreement.

“Yeah, I know.” 

And the wind blows through the open window, and the fireflies dance, and the crickets sing their song. He thinks they should call it “The Ballad of the Coward, Tommy Miller.” 

The gravel crunches under his wheels as Tommy pulls up (Y/N)’s driveway. He can’t help but think back to all the times he climbed the trellis up to (Y/N)’s window so the nights didn’t have to end yet. Back before her parents moved to Florida and gave the house to her. Now that childhood bedroom is an office and the trellis is overgrown with roses. 

As he turns off the ignition, the silence of the night settles upon them like a blanket. Things unsaid heavy in the air, resting on his shoulders. 

“I didn’t say it earlier but I am gonna miss you this summer. And Sarah,” (Y/N) says as she slips back into her sandals and grabs her bag from the backseat. “Joel too but don’t you dare tell him I said that.” 

A chuckle falls from Tommy’s lips. “He won’t hear a peep from me.” 

“You’re not gonna say it back?” 

“C’mon now, sweetheart. You know damn well that I’m gonna miss the shit out of you. I don’t have to tell you. You know.” 

There’s something in the way she looks at him right then. Something he thinks he’s seen before but can’t place, can’t name. After all these years there are still mysteries about her.

“I do know.”

Kiss her you fucking fool. He wants to, he really does. But his hands are stuck to the steering wheel and his feet bolted to the car. Even if he wanted to move, his body won’t let him.

“Anyway uh — have a good summer Tommy.” 

“You too. Have fun and tell your grandparents I said hi.” 

She throws him one last look before making it halfway up the path leading to her front door. Billy Joel continues singing about caviar and cabernet when (Y/N) stops in her tracks. Illuminated by the moonlight and that one tiny lamp by her front door, she looks almost ethereal. 

Tommy’s eyes meet hers across the driveway and she rushes back towards his side of the car.

“Hey, did you forget — “

Before he can finish the sentence she’s leaning into the car and pressing her lips against his with fierce determination.

It’s rushed and quick and for a second Tommy thinks he’s dreaming. He’s not though. This is real. The smell of her perfume and the feel of her hair and the taste of her lips on his.

The kiss is over before Tommy can even fully comprehend it even happened. All that is left is the knowledge that it did happen and the shocked look on (Y/N)’s face.

“Tommy I’m so sorry, I — “ 

“Don’t apologize. Let me get out.” 

“What?” 

“Let me get out of the car so I can kiss you properly.” 

He doesn’t have to tell her twice. As soon as she takes a step back, Tommy is out of the car and pulls (Y/N) into his arms. She’s so warm. So soft.

There is still a nagging voice inside his head that whispers poisonous “what ifs” to him. That tells him he’s not worth it, that he will ruin all they are. That he will ruin her.

But for this one fleeting moment, Tommy chooses not to listen to the worries and the doubts and those damn insecurities. 

Tonight he will kiss her stupid and he won’t feel any regret about it. He could never regret her.

With her back against the car and his hands on her hips, their lips meet again. This kiss is different. It’s years of longing and dreams they never allowed themselves to fully believe in all caught in one touch. Passionate and sweet and loving and desperate. 

Nothing ever felt or tasted like this. Nothing’s ever come close.

When they pull away, Tommy goes in for another one and then a third. He never wants this moment to end.

But he’s not delusional, he knows everything ends. Especially moments like this one. 

“I uh — wow.” 

“Mmmh…wow. How, why — I mean … what ?” 

“Tommy I meant to do this a long time ago I just always chickened out. Tell me I didn’t make a mistake.” 

He places another peck on her lips, a sign of reassurance, knowing he’s not good with words. 

“You didn’t make a mistake. I wanted this too. I want it, present tense.” 

“Okay, good. Good, I — eurgh I’m so annoyed I’m leaving tomorrow morning.” 

Tommy gently cradles her face in his hands. “It’s just 3 months, right? It will be over before we know it. And then we can talk about it and see where to go from here. I waited so long, what is 3 more months? After that, we have all the time in the world.” 

“Ugh, you’re right.”

“Course I am. I’m always right.”

“Sure you are,” she giggles and meets his lips in another sweet kiss. “Okay, I guess I’ll see you at the end of summer.”

“I’m counting down the days, baby.”

He’s called her baby countless times before but this one feels different. 

Watching her walk up towards her house is hard. All Tommy wants to do is pull her back into his arms and hold onto this moment just a little bit longer. But he knows he can’t and even if he did, he would never get enough. He would always want just a little bit more.

So he drives off knowing that by the end of summer, he’ll be able to call her his. Properly, entirely, forever.

September comes and with it the end of the world. 

(Y/N) wraps the thick knitted scarf tighter around herself trying to keep out the cold. To no avail. The cold is everywhere. It's permeating every article of clothing, sinking into her skin and settling all the way inside her bones.

She barely remembers the last time she didn’t feel this relentless cold throughout her entire body. It must have been before she was forced to leave the farm. Not a day in the wild has gone by without her feeling like she might freeze any moment now. Her skin feels raw and dry and burning and the only thing taking her mind off of the cold is the empty pit in her stomach.

It’s been 2 days since she ate the last of the dried jerky she took from the farm and ever since she’s been surviving on dry crackers and nuts. It’s not a lot. It’s barely enough. 

Long gone are warm summer nights in Austin or days on the farm surrounded by her family. There are no months or years. All there is now is the cold and death. And it’s never-ending.

A sound in the distance makes her head snap up. There is movement, 3 shapes moving towards her, big and fast. People on horses, she realizes as they come closer and her hand moves towards her gun. It’s not the undead walking which is good but there are worse things out there. Worse people than those that are people no more. Fates worse than death.

“Lady, drop the gun”, a voice cuts through the harsh winter air. 

“Not a chance!” 

“Drop the gun. We know you are alone, we can help you.” 

They always say that. We are friendly. We can help you.  They’re never friendly. And nowadays you can’t afford to trust strangers, especially not those who offer you help. They will leave you scarred — and that’s the best-case scenario.

It’s three men on horses that surround her now. Their faces are mostly covered by scarves and they’re all wearing cowboy hats. 

“Ma’am I need you to lower the gun.” 

(Y/N) pulls her scarf down a little so as not to muffle her voice. They need to know she means business. They need to know she’s determined and not some little girl who will go down without a fight. That’s what life is now, fighting. Always fighting. The living, the dead, everything at all times.

“I can’t do — “

“(Y/N)?”

It’s strange, she thinks. It’s been so long since she heard his voice and yet it feels like just yesterday that same voice has been teasing her for one thing or another. It’s deeper, worn, and weary, but it’s still the same in all the ways that matter.

“Joel?” 

“It’s okay, she’s family! She’s family.” 

It’s a statement directed towards the other man, (Y/N) realizes. 

Family. It’s been a long time since she’s had that. A proper family. People she can rely on. 

Joel dismounts his horse, snow crunching beneath his boots as he makes his way towards her. Time feels to slow down as he wraps his arms around her, warm and comforting and familiar. It’s been a long time since she’s been touched by a hand meant to bring comfort not inflict pain. 

These days you can not afford to trust strangers. Maybe, though, maybe you can trust this stranger because he is not a stranger at all. He’s Joel — he’s family. 

For the first time in a long time (Y/N) lets go of the weight, of the pain and the hurt and the fear. For the first time in a long time, she allows herself to cry.

And for the first time in a long time — they are happy tears.

Being in Jackson feels strange. It all feels a bit artificial. Like Disneyland. Not bad but not quite real. This can’t be permanent, she thinks. Sooner or later something is gonna happen and she’ll be ripped away and back comes the cold and the fear and the reality of the world they are living in now. A world ruled by the dead.

Joel has wrapped her up in a thick, warm blanket. He’s provided her with food, warm and tasty. Food that was not meant only to keep you alive but also taste good. 

He put a steaming hot mug of tea into her frostbitten hands and he hugged her. For a long time. And Joel was never a hugger to begin with, even before — before everything. Birthdays and funerals were the only two occasions she’d ever gotten a hug from him. 

“I can’t believe it’s you,” he says as he pulls away and looks at her. He’s older, looks tired and weary. Marked by life and all the things he no doubt had to do to survive. But he’s still Joel. His eyes still hold that undeniable fondness of an old friend, a family member, a father. 

“Where’s Sarah?” 

She doesn’t mean for it to come out like that. Doesn’t mean to even ask in the first place. But Sarah always had a place in her heart so big she might as well have taken the whole damn thing. She was fierce and so terribly smart, they all joked that she could not have been a Miller, must’ve been switched at birth. Obviously (Y/N) always thought both Miller boys were selling themselves short. They were smart as fuck in all the ways that mattered.

Joel’s eyes grow distant for a moment and he doesn’t even have to say it out loud for (Y/N) to understand. In a world like this, everyone has lost someone but losing a child, that must be a whole nother level of pain.

“I’m sorry, Joel.” There is nothing she can say to make it better, to make it right. There is only grief and sadness and the knowledge that it is shared. “I’m so sorry.” 

He nods and squeezes her once more. She thinks what’s left of her heart might be crushed into tiny little pieces at the agony mirrored in his eyes. “It’s been a long time.”

Time does not heal a wound like this. It’s but a bandaid on a bullet hole. There are only two options, (Y/N) thinks. You either learn to live with the pain, accept that it is now a part of you, that it changes you fundamentally. Or you let it kill you.

A cold gust of air wraps itself around (Y/N) as the doors to the building swing open. The Tipsy Bison, the sign above the door proudly proclaimed. A bar. They even got a fucking bar in here.

“Joel wha— holy shit.” 

Back when they were teenagers, (Y/N) always tried to get Tommy to grow out his hair. Though she loved those messy curls of his, she was so damn curious to see what he would look like with longer hair. Hot, she assumed. And she was fucking right.

He looks so handsome. More rugged and older but that’s to be expected, time has passed. But still so goddamn handsome that it sends a shockwave straight to her heart. 

“I thought you were dead.” 

She doesn’t even realize he’s moved until he is right in front of her, hands cupping her face. 

“I — we drove up to Montana, tried to find the farm but most everything was gone and burned down. People said there was nothing left so I — I thought.” 

“I can’t believe you grew a mustache. You look like your dad.” 

Joel lets out a snort next to her. She always took pride in getting a laugh out of Joel. A snort is even better.

“We haven’t seen each other since the world went to shit and the first thing you do is make fun of my mustache?” 

Oh, how she missed that smile. Tommy truly has one of the best smiles she has ever seen, there is no competition. It’s warm and comforting and a little bit mischievous. And he never fails to make you believe that you are the only one he deems deserving of that rare special smile. It’s entirely yours for a fleeting second.

“Like old times. What else would you want me to say?” 

“I missed you would be a good start.” 

“I missed you, Tommy. More than anything.” 

He engulfs her in his arms. It’s been so long since life gave her softness instead of cruelty. His breath feels warm against her skin as he rests his head upon her shoulder. There is something so familiar about his touch that for a second she feels like that version of her again, young and careless and alive. 

She loves Tommy Miller, it’s an undeniable fact. Love, (Y/N) thinks, is something that never truly goes away. It might warp and twist and change and sometimes it gets buried underneath the grief and the pain and the fear. But nothing can take it away entirely. Even the world ending, literally, doesn’t change the fact that she is in love with Tommy Miller. Every version of her since she was but a teenager has loved him. And every version of her yet to come will love him still. 

“I missed you too.” 

His deep brown eyes shine with something so familiar that for a moment she knows that he loves her too. Always has, always will.

The cold is back, another gust of wind clashes like tiny daggers against her skin. And with the cold comes a beautiful woman, all kind eyes and gentle smile. 

And when the woman steps up next to Tommy, he wraps a loving arm around her waist and presses a kiss to her temple. 

“Maria, this is (Y/N). She’s my best friend.” 

The woman, Maria, regards her with nothing but kindness. A welcoming warmth radiating from her like that of an old friend, a loving neighbor.

“(Y/N), this is Maria, my wife.”

She hopes in that moment that her eyes are kind too. That her smile seems genuine and that neither of them can see her dying inside. Because for the second time in her life, (Y/N) thinks the world might be ending once and for all. 

A squeeze against her hand lets her know that at least one of the Miller brothers does notice it. She hopes that Tommy, at least, is blissfully unaware. He deserves a good thing, a loving wife, a family. Even if it’s not with (Y/N). Even if it breaks her heart.

“(Y/N), Tommy’s talked about you so much. It feels like I know you already. We thought — it’s really something that you found us.” 

“Well, Joel found me. It was truly by chance.” 

“Which makes it even more special. It’s like you were meant to be here with us.” 

She looks at Tommy then, into those big brown eyes that have known every version of herself she’s ever been. 

“Yeah, maybe I was.” 

“You were! You’re family. Come let me show you where you can get a nice hot shower and some fresh clothes. And then one of the boys can give you a tour of the town, how does that sound?” 

This would all be so much easier if Maria was unlikable. If this was a movie Maria would be rude and snobbish and mean, unkind to everyone and so easily dismissed as a roadblock in our main character's path to happiness and eternal love. 

But life is not a movie and Maria is not the villain of this story. She’s wonderful. She’s funny and sweet and affectionate. On their walk towards the showers, she makes (Y/N) feel more welcome in this strange place than she has ever felt welcome anywhere before. She’s smart and there is no doubt in (Y/N)’s mind that if Sarah were here she would adore Maria. No matter how hard she tries to find a flaw in this magical woman, (Y/N) comes up empty. There is no reason to blame her or villainize her simply for falling in love with Tommy. Heaven knows it’s the easiest thing in the world.

Even a hot shower doesn’t get rid of all the cold. Not that certain kind of cold that has settled deep inside her bones, festered and grew. But it is nice either way. God knows how long it’s been since she was able to properly wash her hair. 

Maria left some clothes out for her. Nice and cozy and it’s like another stab to the heart. To know this woman wants the best for her when (Y/N) is still so terribly in love with her husband. It feels wrong, feels icky, and vile. If only love had an off switch life would be so much easier.

“Hey uh — can I come in?” Joel’s gruff voice calls out from behind the door.

“Yeah, sure.” 

Snow is sticking to his hair and shoulders as he steps into the room while (Y/N) laces up the boots Maria provided her with. Back in the day, she loved snow. It very rarely did snow in Austin and even then it was usually very little snowfall that didn’t stay around for long enough to enjoy it. Back then snow was something magical.

Now snow is just another reminder of this god-awful cold. 

“Maria said to give you a tour of the town and then show you your new place but uh — I know it can be a lot so if you want to postpone the tour that’s fine.” 

Joel was so good at this, always has been, at knowing what you needed before you did. 

“That would be nice. I think I just want to sleep.” 

He nods and motions his head towards the front of the house. “I thought so. Grab your jacket and let’s go.” 

Jackson is decked out in Christmas lights and wreaths. Ribbons and ornaments. There’s even a Christmas tree in the middle of town square. 

“Is it Christmas time?” (Y/N) asks as they pass the tree, people greeting her with friendly smiles and the occasional wave.

“Mmmh. Tommy said they have a few people who kept track of the dates.” 

The sight of smiling families gathering around the tree involuntarily brings back memories of Christmases past. Sarah always loved Christmas. If she had been allowed to do so she would’ve put up the tree by November 1st. It was always a big thing in the Miller household, going out and cutting down the tree. Joel and Tommy would set it up in the living room then and (Y/N) and Sarah would put on old Christmas records and dance around the tree while decorating it. 

Memories are a weird thing. They are what keep you going, they are what you are made of but they also manage to bring a deep sadness with them, impossible to shake. They leave you simultaneously grateful to have them and devastated you can never go back to those moments.

“There’s a big get-together happening tomorrow night. It’s some kind of town celebration, I don’t know, but Maria and Tommy thought you might want to come. Said I’d ask you but you might want to get acclimated first.” 

In the universe, there are very few things at the moment that (Y/N) wants to do less than spend the evening celebrating with the man she loves and his new wife. However, this is gonna be her life now and she needs to get used to it. These people took her in, and yeah even though she knows Joel and Tommy that does not mean anything anymore. She’s a stranger to the people of Jackson, to Maria, and they still welcomed her in with open arms. She owes them. She owes Maria. 

"Yeah, I'll come.” 

“You sure?” 

“Sure, why not?”

Joel gives her that look. That signature Joel Miller look that calls you out on your bullshit without him even having to say a single word. God, usually that look was reserved for Tommy and Sarah, mostly Tommy. It does not feel very good being on the receiving end of it.

“What? I need to get involved in the community if I want to stay.” 

“Sure, but it doesn’t have to be right away. “ 

(Y/N) shrugs her shoulders in what she hopes looks like nonchalance. Might as well rip off the bandaid, it’s not holding her bleeding wound closed anyway.

“You know you are allowed to be sad, right?” 

It’s weird hearing Joel say something like this. Joel who never talked about feelings or emotions or anything like that. Who was stoic and silent when it came to things like this. Not unemotional or anything like that, he just wasn’t raised that way. He let you know he cared in other ways. No words needed.

“About what?” 

“About what was taken from you.”

Snow crunches beneath their boots and the laughter of people grows distant. Silence wraps around them for a moment until Joel clears his throat and speaks up again.

“When I arrived here and Tommy told me about the baby I felt so angry. Not really at him. I was angry at the world. That he got to have this when it got ripped away from me. That in all this shitshow he got something good and precious and all I got was — just pain. I didn’t think it was okay to have a baby in these conditions but not because I didn’t want Tommy to have this, I was just scared that he’d have to go through what I had to go through. You get to be angry at life, you just can’t let it consume you.” 

In another time she would’ve commented on how weird it is to hear Joel open up and be vulnerable. This is not that time though. At this moment all she can focus on is that one word “Baby”.

They’re having a baby. 

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?” her eyes snap up towards Joel who regards her with concern. “Yeah, I — I’m good. Just tired and this is all so much all at once.” 

“I get it. But you get to sleep now. That’s your new house.” 

The house is a small one-story building that looks like it used to be painted a vibrant shade of blue once but has now faded with time. 

“I live over there,” Joel points out across the street and two houses down. “Tommy and Maria live around the corner, yellow house on the right.” 

“Thank you, Joel, for everything.” 

“Of course. You’re family. You always will be family, you hear me?” 

(Y/N) replies with a half-hearted nod which earns her a nudge against the shoulder. 

“I said do you hear me?  You know you will always be a part of this family, right?” 

“Yes, I do. Thanks, Joel.” 

“Sure. Now go get some sleep. You’re safe here. I promise.” 

Sleep doesn’t come to her though. Her body is tired, her mind is exhausted but sleep avoids her. 

When you’re always on the lookout for danger, never allowed to truly let your guard down, your body gets used to it. For a long time, she couldn’t afford to get a good night of deep sleep. Now that she can, her body has unlearned just how to do it, it seems.

So she makes herself a cup of tea, something they have here for everyone to enjoy in their own home, and sits down on that big comfortable couch in the living room with nothing but the ticking of the clock filling the silence and her thoughts keeping her company.

Tommy is going to be a dad. There’s no doubt in (Y/N)’s mind that he’ll be good at it. He is loving and fun but he can put his foot down when needed and he’s as protective as they come, both Millers are.

And yet — 

Back when they were just teenagers (Y/N) had this stupid little vision of a future, one where Tommy and her realized that they were meant to be. In that vision, they got married on her grandparent's farm. They moved into a house next to Joel and Sarah. They bought a dog — or maybe 3. And one day she’d wake him up with kisses and tell him that she felt off for a while and finally took a test this morning. In that vision, Tommy looked at her with his beautiful Tommy Miller smile and kissed her stupid. And they both cried from happiness about what their future would hold. A little baby equal parts Tommy and (Y/N).

She feels silly basking in that little teenage daydream right now. It’s not ever going to happen. That life is gone and buried. Time to write a eulogy to a life that never was. 

A quick knock pulls her from her thoughts and as she opens the door Tommy’s dark eyes look back at her.

“Hey, sorry did I wake you up?” 

“No. Can’t sleep.” 

Tommy nods as if he understands, she wonders if this place already existed when he arrived here or if he helped build it. So many questions and yet she feels like none of them matter at this moment.

She motions for him to step inside, desperate to close the door again and banish the cold from her house.

“Why’s that? Anything wrong with the house? The bed? We can get you relocated, get you a new bed if — “

“No, Tommy. The house is great, the bed is great. It’s none of that. I think it’s just me. My brain and body have not realized yet that this is a safe place.” 

“Oh, oh yeah. Sorry, It’s been a while since I was out there. I mean permanently. It must’ve been rough.” 

Rough. It was rough but at some point, you grow so tired and cold, it just is. You grow numb and maybe that’s the most dangerous feeling of them all.

“Mmh.”

They sit down on the couch and it feels strange. She hates this feeling. This man has been in her life since she was a teenager. They’ve been through so much together and yet, sitting here after all this time, it feels like they are so unfamiliar. Not strangers but close.

“If I had known you were still out there I would have kept looking for you. I — they said everything further north than — “

“Tommy it’s okay.”

“No! I need you to know that if I had even the smallest flicker of hope that you were still alive I would’ve kept looking. Every night for a long time all I could see when I closed my eyes was you. And I felt like the biggest coward on this planet because I loved you and I stopped looking for you. It’s just after Sarah, I didn’t have any hope left.” 

“You thought I was dead and you had to keep yourself alive. I don’t blame you for anything Tommy.” 

“Well, I do!” There are tears in his eyes threatening to fall. She’s only ever seen him cry one time and that was at his mom’s funeral. “If I would’ve just continued on I could’ve found you. I could’ve — we could’ve…” 

He trails off. (Y/N) wonders if he even knew where he wanted to go with that statement in the first place. 

“I loved you, (Y/N). So much. I just want you to know that. ” 

Loved. Loved. Loved. Past tense. 

Of course past tense you idiot. He doesn’t even know you anymore. It’s been too long. So long. It feels like another lifetime altogether.

“I know that Tommy, you told me every day on the phone.” 

She remembers those phone calls like it was yesterday. Her grandparents called her a loved-up teenager, and maybe it felt like it too. But that was more. That was Tommy. Her Tommy. 

Until the phones stopped working and death came knocking on her door.

“I’m just wondering what if — what if I just kept looking a little longer. I could’ve found you and maybe we’d — “

“Tommy, stop! Those what ifs, they ain't doing either of us any good.”

“Do you not think about it?”

How can he ask that? How can he not know that it's all she's thinking about?

“Of course I do. It’s all I think about. But if I let myself get lost in it then it'll kill me. What if I never went to Montana in the first place? What if I came back to look for you? What if you found me? What if what if what if. The truth of it all is that it didn't happen. You have a family now, Tommy. A wife and a  -  a baby. And it hurts to know that if things had been different maybe that could've been me you married and me you had a baby with. But it's not. And I do find comfort in the fact that you're happy. I just want you to be happy.”

Tommy smells like woodfire and winter as he wraps her up in his arms and buries his face in her hair. “I want you to be happy too.”

“And I will be. I am. I got you back and I got Joel. I got parts of my family back.”

“I will always love you, (Y/N). Even if I love you differently now. “

It's an unshakable truth. Love doesn't go away. It warps and changes but it never vanishes.

“I know that. I missed you, Tommy Miller.”

“Miss you too. Now … do you really hate the mustache? Does it really make me look like my dad?”

She hasn't heard her own laughter in so long. It feels magical. It feels like healing.

“Holy shit”.

“Told you they're going all out.”

The big barn is all decked out in string lights and candles. The round tables set up in circles around the dance floor all hold a beautiful floral centerpiece.

“Well glad to hear even in the apocalypse event management is still a booming business.”

Joel nudges her shoulder and hides his smile behind the rim of his beer bottle as he takes a sip.

“I wish Sarah could see this.” 

“Yeah me too.” Joel agrees, his voice sounding strained. Then adds: “You'd make her dance with you, huh?”

“Oh absolutely. And she'd pretend to hate it but that girl was a dancer at heart no matter how much she tried to deny it.”

The smile she gets out of Joel now is a different one. That one isn't brought on by teasing or a bad joke. That one is all love. Shared love for someone so deeply missed. That smile means a lot more.

Maria and Tommy make their way towards Joel and (Y/N), smiles on their faces.

“You made it! The boys weren't sure if you were up for it yet but I was hoping you'd show yourself.”

Maria's words never sound like there is any hidden meaning or agenda behind them. She's honest and true and just so straight-up nice it's hard to comprehend. 

“I'm not going to lie, it's a bit weird. Not you guys just … the whole situation.  Going from surviving day by day to a party with lights and drinks and music.”

“Is it a good weird?” Maria asks, a look of concern on her face.

“It's a great weird.”

“Good, I'm glad. Now I heard some stories about you back in the day and if I'm not mistaken someone here still owes you a dance.”

Back when they were just kids, Tommy and (Y/N) had planned to attend prom together. Just as friends, nothing more. Silent pining included. Unfortunately, his reckless driving landed Tommy at the hospital just a week before the big day. 2 days later he came limping out of that very hospital, a cast on his foot and crutches under his arms. 

“Sorry about that,” he said as he slid into the passenger seat of (Y/N)’s car. “I guess I owe you a dance, huh?” 

She has almost forgotten about that memory, it feels so distant. Like it happened to someone else and all she got to be is a voyeur in that person’s love story. The fact that Tommy remembers though, means so much to her. And not only does he remember, but he deems the memory so important he even told his wife about it.

“I guess so.” 

“I made sure he didn’t go slipping on any ice or falling off a horse before tonight. Won’t let him get out of the dance a second time.” 

Maria’s words make (Y/N) laugh. It feels so good to laugh. Maybe this can be a good thing. Tommy and Maria and Joel and the whole Jackson settlement. Maybe it doesn’t have to be all heartbreak.

“ Oh, come on. Is this how it’s gonna be now? You two are gonna team up against me?” 

“Three of us, actually.” Joel jumps in making Tommy scoff though a small smirk is pulling the corner of his lip upwards. 

“Whatever.” he holds out his hand towards (Y/N) and in his dark eyes the fairy lights are reflected like tiny stars in an inky night sky. “May I have this dance, my lady?”

There’s a man with a guitar sitting on the little stage at the other end of the room, and as Tommy and (Y/N) reach the middle of the dancefloor, his fingers begin to strum the very familiar cords of a song she hasn’t thought about it years. 

“Did you know he would play this?” 

Tommy doesn’t even try to hide his smirk. He even looks a little proud of himself. It breaks and mends her heart all at once. “Might’ve put in a request with him.” 

“They say that these are not the best of times But they're the only times I've ever known”

It’s a hit straight to the chest, hearing this song again. The last time she heard it was that fateful fourth of July. When life was easy and the earth was kind. 

These are not the best of times, Billy Joel is right about that, but as Tommy slowly sways them both to the melody, she thinks that maybe this isn’t all bad. She is here, she’s found him again and the love is still there. Even if it is different now. She has him back. Has Joel back too. And maybe as time goes by she can grow to see Maria as an extension of her little family. A friend even. She sure is lovable, that’s for sure. 

“In another life, we would’ve danced to this song at our wedding.” Tommy’s voice softly murmurs into her ear. “I would’ve loved to be your husband.” 

And while she wants to pull him closer and tell him that he still can, that she is here now and the future they imagined can still happen, the rational part of her knows that those dreams are officially dead and buried. With their loved ones and their old selves.

“And I would’ve loved to be your wife.” 

“I’m sorry we — “

“Tommy, it’s okay. I’m glad for that little time we got. And look, we found each other again. I got you back and I got Joel and maybe a whole new family too,” (Y/N) says, and lets her eyes wander around the room for a moment. “It’s not what I envisioned sure, but It’s more than a lot of people have. I think all things considered I am very lucky.” 

“It's either sadness or euphoria.” 

Maybe Billy Joel wasn’t completely right when he wrote that song, she thinks.

Within all the heartbreak of coming to terms with the fact that she will never have the future she wanted, there is hope and joy in knowing that she found a place where a future is possible. Not the one she thought she’d get but a good one either way.

Maybe Billy Joel was wrong.

Maybe there can be sadness and euphoria all at once. 

[alyheartsjess]

what i would do if i was a gilmore girls writer:

april storyline:

i feel like instead of the april storyline liz could have given birth a bit earlier and and luke and lorelai would have to step in to help raise doula a lot. first of all we’d get to see them with a baby, which is cute. but there’s also a lot of room for conflict in deciding how to handle the situation. aka conflict that makes for good TV (”should we even have kids together if we can’t even do this?”, ”we have to make these decisions together, we’re getting married!” etc.) but isn’t life altering enough to ruin the couple. it also draws parallells to the jess storyline (which was a huge part of the earlier seasons), luke’s established family issues and his earlier disagreements with lorelai which makes luke’s character arc and the show as a whole more cohesive and satisfying. i could see this drama lasting for all of season 6. in the end because these characters have grown, they would actually figure it out somehow. and then they’d have season 7 to settle down and be happy. i actually do love april but they could have made her a young sheldon type of guest character at yale and paris could have developed a soft spot for her or something.

literati in season 3:

so i feel like they wanted to show us that this is rory’s bad boy phase. they made their relationship about dean a lot and most of the episodes centered around them were like ooooh jess did this sucky thing and dean never would have. and i get that maybe they needed to try something new and didn’t want to just recreate the boyfriend storyline with a new guy (aka see how he fits into her grandparents world, saying i love you for the first time etc). they already did the good stuff with dean so they decided to make this rory’s bad decision and only came up conflict to show us. but they didn’t even fully commit bc rory didn’t change with jess the way she did with logan. that was her bad boy phase, literati was always supposed to be something more. so instead of showing how bad of a couple this was compared to dean/rory, they could have drawn different parallels. because dean/rory was not a perfect relationship and they could have shown how in some ways why this is better for rory. what does she want? not her grandparents and not her mom. after all the buildup literati was the audience’s favorite and most anticipated couple, so i really think painting it as an unexpected but positive change of direction in rory’s journey would have been worthwhile.

like show us how when they go on dates they want to do the same things (as opposed to donna reed or rory just watching dean’s games). show us how they both want their alone time and them not calling each other every day because rory wants to study and jess has to work can be an OK thing (as opposed to the infamous 14 calls a day). show us how jess maybe doesn’t fit into lorelai and rory’s flow as well as dean did BUT how that’s also ok because rory is getting older and going off to college so this makes sense. but then also show us some god damn character development and lorelai and jess actually learning to get along (pls make that an entire episode’s storyline actually. have them be funny together and make it emotional). and show us nice scenes with luke, lorelai, rory and jess. where was all of this when they were dating??? nowhere to be seen. although i would have liked for luke not to kick jess out (i will make another post of how i would handle jess and luke’s relationship in season 3) i know it had to happen because milo had to leave. and i wouldn’t change major plot points like that because i like jess’ arc too much. but if they had shown everything i wrote here, literati’s realtionship would have canonically been stronger and jess would have at least told rory about not graduating and his dad showing up and why he felt like he had to go before he went.

dean cheating on lindsay with rory:

actually i would have had lindsay push him in the lake luke pushed jess in but oops plot twist, dean can’t swim

[happypanda101]

How Sakura’s Love Interest Ruined Her Character Development

Alright. I promise this is the last Sakura related content I’ll do for a while. But after seeing several other people on here talk about about this subject, I thought it would be interesting to discuss. This isn’t gonna be a full on analysis, rather my thoughts as someone who loves Sakura and was disappointed to see how her character was handled in canon.

I think a lot of the fandom can be agree that Sakura’s biggest flaw was her love for Sasuke. Love is typically supposed to be a character’s strength, but unfortunately for our pink cherry blossom, it’s her weakness. And her downfall.

Now, I’ve already made it clear what my feelings on SasuSaku are. I like the pairing, they could have been better developed and aren’t nearly terrible as people claim they are. However, it would be ignorant of me to not acknowledge that canon Sasusaku is… kinda shitty.

Don’t get my wrong, they have their cute moments in blank period, like Sasuke asking Sakura to wear the clan crest, but things start going downhill when they get married and the plot of Burrito rolls around. Sakura is left to be a single mother while Sasuke is off god knows where for that stupid space alien/ “remains of Kaguya” whatever plot. Sasuke never writes to check up on his family, it’s implied that Sarada doesn’t remember him at all or what he looks like, and Sakura is left there trying to assure her poor daughter that Sasuke is doing this because he loves them. But when Sasuke comes back, he rarely acknowledges or wants to spend time with them at all. Not to mention, he seems to care more about Naruto’s kid than his own. Naruto suffers from this problem as well, but that’s a discussion for another time.

For the canon endgame, Kishimoto certainly doesn’t write any of his characters being happy in their relationships.

Anyway, Sakura and her character development. It may not have been grand as her teammates, but it was still there. Sakura went from a naive girl that was obsessed with boys and her looks to someone who acknowledged that she had to work harder if she wanted to help and protect those she cared for. She went from disliking and envying Naruto to someone who was willing to throw her ninja career away so her friend could follow his dream. She wanted to help Naruto to bring Sasuke back, but realized she wasn’t strong enough, so she went to Tsuande for help and become a damn good medical ninja as a result. She became more confident in herself and was always there to support her friends. She never needed an epic fight or a tramatic backstory, I would say her development was pretty great.

But then all of that gets thrown away whenever Sasuke comes into the picture. Sakura may be able to stand up for others, but never does she stand up for herself when it comes to Sasuke. When he belittles her in the War Arc for simply asking him what was going on, she gets all quiet and sad. Defeated. Worst part is that Naruto can’t even stand up for her properly.

The kunoichi who broke off Kaguya’s horn and aided in sealing her, therefore saving the world, is left a begging, whimpering mess for Sasuke to come back to her, to come back to team 7. And what does she get in return? A genjustu of him killing her.

And just when you think oh this has to finally get her to realize that she can do so much better than him, or at least get her to step back and reevaluate her feelings, let her spend time away from him, it’s just forgotten about! Forget traumatizing and hurting her, it’s okay because Sasuke apologized and now she wants to go with him. Don’t get me wrong, I do think that was a genuine apology, but the fact that she was just expected to forgive him at the snap of a finger was infuriating. And down right sad.

It doesn’t help that nobody else comments on it, or tells Sakura “hey, what he did was pretty shitty, you didn’t deserve that.” Or stand up for her at all. Kakashi kinda did, but it was so weak.

In Naruto, a woman’s role is to support the men, because what else are they good for? And if they ever move on from a guy they like, they’re a “terrible person,” in Kishimoto’s words. Whatever improved or developed Sakura’s character, it reverted backwards or was simply forgotten for Sasuke. Because Sakura loves him, she can never disagree or argue or fight with him, because that would make her a bad person.

Sakura had the potential to become one of the greatest heroines in anime, but that was all thrown away becasue of her misogynistic creator and his idiotic editors. She deserved better, every female character in Naruto deserved better, and burrito should have never happened because it’s an abomination to the Naruto franchise.

[gaygirldoodles]

Im gonna make a two posts about my original characters and then one thats about the world building. This one is about my characters that have their own world, the other will be about my pjo ocs. I'm gonna link both at the end of this as soon as I am done

I don't have too much in the way of epic backstories for most of my characters. Their lives are pretty chill before and after the plot besides maybe Delilah

Cw major character death

Delilah is a mage. Mages are like a sub-species of human that are super closely related to Homo Sapiens except they have an organ that allows them to use magic (more abt them in the other post)

Delilah is born into the house of Ainsworth which basically means her family is old money and they have quite the reputation when it comes to teaching about magic and selling magic stuff

Delilah wasn't the most rebellious child, but it was clear that she did not want to inherit the family business, reputation, etc or want to have that burden placed on her from a young age. This was a problem since she was the only heir of the Ainsworth family since her mother nor anyone else in the family really had kids

Delilah's mother ends up deciding to put an illegal tracking spell on Delilah to help keep her in check and stuff

The reason the spell is illegal is partially because Delilah was around eight years old when it was placed on her and partially because it hurts like hell to be cast

The spell left a lichtenberg scar on her back that stemmed from the basr of her neck that only grew as she aged and her magic matured

She always wears long shirt and turtlenecks/scarves and stuff like that to hide her scar since her mom never wanted anyone to find out

Btw her dad died pretty early on

Anyways, eventually she figured out a way to counter the tracking spell so long as she refreshed it every so often and she fled to some city where she met some of the other ocs

Before she fled, she discussed her plan with Rose, her best friend, until it was absolutely perfect

Delilah started rooming with Taylor (and they were roommates!) and they even worked the same job at a local cafè

There, Taylor introduced her to Lily and Chloe and they would all become fast friends with one another

During this period, Delilah and Rose often caught up with eachother via letters. Although Rose was very happy about how her friend was able to leave her abusive mother, she still deeply missed her friend

Taylor and Delilah start catching feelings for eachother but Lily, Chloe, and even Rose, all figure out way faster than they do

They end up having their first kiss together under a mistletoe on Christmas while they were taking their break at their usual spot. This was entirely planned by Lily and Chloe and they watched as they continued on with their shift

Not too long after, I'd say about March, Delilah either forgets to refresh the counter-tracking spell, or it fails somehow or something like that, but either way, her mother finds her and makes her come back home so she can marry this guy to help the business (how homophobic)

The guy she's supposed to marry doesn't like the idea much either and helps her not have to go through with it

Taylor and co. crash the wedding, Tayor says I object, etc etc and Delilah doesn't have to get married since legal loopholes and it not being an actual arranged marriage more like a forced one (its complicated)

Before that however, Delilah's mom decides to be a dick and turn Lily into a crow which kinda really sets off Delilah. She's so angry in fact, that she makes all the silverware, plates, and cups float but before she can attack her mother, Rose who had been attending, stops her

She gets Lily turned back into a human, but after a few weeks of being back home, she starts being able to understand crows. Then she starts to collect more shiny things. Then she stars growing feathers which she tries to pull out every morning until she can't keep it secret anymore.

Shortly after getting back home, Delilah and Taylor start dating and so do Lily and Chloe

Eventually, Lily can turn into a crow on command. I don't have a name for them yet, but although it is uncommon, normal folk with a mage ancestor(s) can sometimes gain abilities if they are hexed by a mage, depending on how far back the ancestor(s) was and stuff

The more she does stuff like that with her newfound abilities, the more she turns more crow-like

Her eyes change, she starts growing more feathers, and one night after really testing her powers, her feet change to more bird like, her fingers grow a bit longer, and even some of her organs change a bit which btw kinda really super hurts (jane doe quote)

Rose ends up visiting more often and since she's way better at potions/alchemy stuff, she whips up an elixr that helps keep Lily more human

At the last arc cus i have no idea how to do in between stuff, Delilah ends up doing the ome thing you're not supposed to do. Trusting strangers. By this point, girl is pretty desperate. She feels as if all this stuff her friends have gone through is her fault. She needs to protect them and she's greedy for power. Maybe if she wasn't so weak, she would help Chloe's siblings get out of that hellhole of a home.

So she ends up taking experimental magic steroids. Everyone told her this wasn't a good idea. But this is supposed to boost her magic! It was supposed to fix what was wrong with her!

It ends up making that magic sav organ work way too hard and overworks the heart. There's too much of that magic stuff in her bloodstream. It accelerates the growth of her scar, making it grow to her face and making her partially blind. Not that that would matter since she doesn't last too long after that. Give it at most 20 minutes before she passes.

I have more but its more ending stuff and i dont really have that much for in between so yeah

Also heres just a bit abt their identities:

Delilah: She is a lesbian and goes by she/her pronouns. she would be a Hecate kid if she was in pjo and she would be a Ravenclaw. I don't have a voice claim for her yet

Taylor: she is bisexual and uses she/they pronouns. She has big codependency problems and really freaked out when Delilah went missing and blamed herself a lot. She would be a child of Nike if she were in pjo and she really likes working out. She would also be a Gryffindor

Lily: She is asexual, demiromantic, and panromantic. She uses she/it pronouns. She would be a child of Iris if she was in pjo and a Hufflepuff. While she is quite intelligent, she is incredibly loyal to her friends and is the mom of the whole group.

Chloe: She is bisexual and goes by she/her pronouns. She would be a child of Apollo if she was in pjo and she would be a Hufflepuff. She is the sunshine friend of the group, always using her humor to help lighten the mood, even at inappropriate times.

Rose: She is aroace and goes by she/they pronouns. She would also be a child of Hecate if she was in pjo and she would be a Ravenclaw. She hates feeling left out and desperately needs to feel included. She puts in a lot of effort for her friends and is always there for them when she can be. She doesn't live in the same city as them, but she visits quite often. Aside from Delilah, she is the closest to Lily, especially since their personalities are pretty similar and since she makes the elixr for her.

[stealeroflemons]

eah plot hole fixer thing #27 because I'm stressed as hell and need a distraction

Okay so we've all been wondering how the hell the whole inheritance of destiny and kingdom management and nitty gritty details about certain elements of eah work. Well today I'm gonna dive in a little.

1.) How did the Evil Queen curse Sleeping Beuty to sleep for 100 years and steal Madame Thorn's destiny when all their kids are the same age?

Here's my little fix-it theory. If you know anything about fae lore then you know there's a general rule not to step into faerie circles (made of mushrooms or flowers but most commonly mushrooms) because you will lose all sense of time and become a slave to the fae or become a blood bag to them. (at least that's one of the more common interpretations)

I think the Evil Queen is far older than we realize. I think she's hundreds of years old but has used magic to keep herself young. I also think destiny is more fluid than we realize and that being the next evil queen is dependent on if you have the heart for it.

Thirsting for power and glory, the Evil Queen stepped into a faerie ring not to become a blood bag, but to learn the secrets of the dark fae. Since time works differently in the fae realm, she managed to stay young enough to walk back into the mortal world with vast amounts of new knowledge.

Wanting to prove she had a dark enough heart to earn the title of Evil Queen, she stole the destiny of Madame Thorn, Faybelle's mom.

Then to escape Madame Thorn's wrath of a lost destiny, she hid in a different pocket of the fae realm

Seeing that she got a taste for cursing princesses to eternal sleep, she emerged in time to go to school to pick Snow White as her next target.

2.) How does ruling kingdoms work if destinies run on different timelines?

I think there's a reason why many characters in the eah canon universe have siblings that don't have concrete destinies.

Take Briar for example. Even if she were to sleep for 100 years after being cursed by Faybelle, she canonically has eight younger brothers who could rule the kingdom and produce heirs to rule while she slept through her 100 year timeline until she could take her place ont he throne with her supposed true love

Historically also, kingdoms rise and fall all the time. If Ashlynn is supposed to live in poverty and be abused by her step mother and step sisters, it would make sense if her kingdom fell or was conquered and that is what drove her family to poverty. Then if she marries say a random Charming (which is canon that there are multiple unrelated Charming families) who isn't bound by a destiny, she is following the story of marrying a handsome prince. Then, once they're married, that is the next Cinderella kingdom.

3.) What about the stories where they aren't supposed to grow up as royalty?

Think back to Briar again. In the more popular version of Sleeping Beauty, Aurora doesn't know she's a princess. all she knows is that she's been raised by faeries her whole life until she turned sixteen. She knows nothing of the curse she's placed under.

I believe that when many of the elder generations reach adulthood, they don't feel the need to take precautions for their children. They believe that their children must grow up knowing their fates so that when the time comes, it'll go down smoother.

4.) What's with the names?

"why would Apple be named Apple-" because Snow White is a narcissist. She has a fantastic life where she's famous, adored, rich, beautiful, and virtually untouchable. How did she get this life? Because she bit a fucking poisoned apple. She's naming her daughter after the very thing that acted as a gateway to her happiness. It's like when guys name their daughters after their ex-girlfriends because "if we didn't break up I wouldn't have the life I do now", that shit

Same with the Charmings! They all name their kids after admirable attributes because they want people to admire them. It's a word association. Like when girls are named Grace or Aria or literally any flower with an aesthetically pleasing name.

These are just a few of my own little fix-its and theories and shit. You don't have to agree with them or think they're correct, but ultimately, we're looking at the logistics of a kids show guys, I promise you not even the creators were looking this deep into it lol

[cakerybakery]

I’m in the mood to write for The Stork, so I’ve being doing a bit of edited and rereading to remember what was going on because I haven’t worked on this since the summer. And I had to laugh that this part.

-

“Half the time that voice in my head has been telling me what a crappy dad I am and how much better you are at being a dad. That you can provide better than I ever could. And shit like, ‘you’re better as the mommy’ and ‘you want to be bred as Lucifer’s cow-wife’. And shit like that!”

Lucifer looked into pissed off Adam’s black and gold eyes. He couldn’t stop the shit eating grin spreading on his face. “Cow-wife?”

He swiftly found himself being smothered by a pillow.

-

The coincidence makes me laugh cause I finished up that mpreg part two of Milk Snake where Adam is a cow sinner for Taters the other day.

The Stork Adam of course looks human

With only his horns, teeth, and eyes making him outwardly demonic, so the cow-wife thing is his brain being mean to him. And of course this story isn’t an mpreg. River was delivered by a stork.

The plot being that back in Eden, Adam had a fight with Lilith and demanded an angel make it so he could have babies with someone else, he didn’t care who and threw out Lucifer’s name. Demanding like a spoiled brat that he and Lucifer have babies instead. And so this little angel finds himself tasked with figuring out how to get Adam what he wants, as the angel is supposed to give the humans whatever they want, without altering Lucifer or Adam to be able to get pregnant because that’s not an option either person (or heaven) would go for.

He founds the Department Of Miracle Babies. He’s the reason behind myths about where babies come from cause he’s testing them out on people on Earth that ask for kids. But keeps getting in trouble and having to stop. Plus he’s trying to figure out the wording of the contracts so the baby won’t starve to death.

He finally thinks he’s got it, and now he’s trying to sort out how to get them a baby without getting one of them pregnant when he leaves his office for the first time since Eden and realizes it’s been 10,000 years and he is VERY late on getting Adam that baby. So he slaps together the contract and sends them a baby in hell via a stork (breaking the rules but fuck it, he’s late!)

Adam signs without reading the documents. Lucifer pisses off the stork and gets attacked by it. He signs to make it stop hitting him. Adam opens the basket up and is immediately flooded with postpartumhormones as he signed to be the biological mother of their daughter.

And the story from Adam’s side is him navigating his hormones, being the primary caregiver of an infant almost completely on his own (he’s incredibly protective of her), his feelings about Lucifer, and his struggles with what he was taught in Eden about needing to be a man/father and the reality of the situation that he can’t fulfill that role he was taught he was created to be and has to be River’s mother. She needs his breast milk to survive.

From Lucifer’s side it’s struggling to connect with Adam because he doesn’t understand why Adam has been antagonizing him for months, he’s in survival mode, just trying to keep Adam happy because his emotions are out of whack in order to pry their daughter out of Adam’s overly protective hands. Trying to understand and when they both finally realize Adam’s had a crush on Lucifer for eons it sends Lucifer reeling a bit. At first he’s pleased, no issues, then he remembers, he’s still married. Not happily. Lilith has been trying to divorce him for years but Lucifer is wracked with guilt over causing her to fall and their early lives that he’s kept telling himself if he can just make up for it, she’ll be happy. He eventually realizes the way to make her happy is to let her go. That the past is in the past and he can’t make himself and her miserable to reveal himself of the guilt for what happened. It’s okay for him to be happy.

[madamedevil]

I know I just posted the first chapter of another WIP and I do not have the time/mental energy to write two fics at the same time, but I’m thinking about this Case of the Haunted Cruise (Ghost)Ship idea again. It’s more vibes than plot right now but I’m going to ramble about it here in hopes it percolates into something actually useful:

The gang takes on a case on a cruise ship (what’s the case? Idk yet but something that seems straightforward like a kind of Scooby Doo-esque mystery on the surface but is actually a lot more sinister once you start digging). Charles and Edwin pose as a middle-aged married couple in their people disguises going on vacation with their dear teenage daughter, Crystal, and her bff Niko.

Charles immediately gets Way Too Into playing happy family. He never went on family holidays as a kid (or at least none that weren’t miserable). So he’s gone Full Vacation Dad Mode having the time of his (after)life—he’s laying out on the deck in board shorts ordering fruity drinks in fishbowls with tiny umbrellas that he can’t drink. He’s making friends with other middle-aged dads at the pool. He’s embarrassing Crystal left and right with corny dad jokes and socks with sandals. It seems harmlessly annoying at first but then it starts to get weird, like Charles really believes he’s a middle-aged dad on vacation with his family and not a teen ghost wearing a costume to go undercover while trying to solve a case (what case? He keeps forgetting about it.)

Edwin manages to be horribly seasick the entire cruise despite being a ghost. He’s clearly being cursed or something but he’s too nauseous and miserable to figure out why or who’s doing it or do anything but lie in bed wanting to die again. Crystal is all out of sympathy and fucks for him—something seriously spooky is going on and Charles has lost his marbles, Edwin needs to fucking do something. Edwin finally manages to emerge from their cabin in to assist, except Charles won’t even acknowledge his presence or remember who he is unless he’s also in disguise. He’s totally lost touch with reality and is now rapidly dragging Edwin with him in some kind of supernatural folie à deux. Crystal is soooo finished with these idiots, she might just push them both overboard, but she’s a professional detective so she’ll resist the temptation.

She and Niko have to solve the case on their own. I’m thinking it’s a Shining Overlook Hotel type situation where the ship itself is ~evil (once you get on, you never get off. Karaoke and all-you-can-eat buffets forever and ever and ever. Maybe it turns out allllll the other guests are ALSO ghosts but the ship makes everyone forget they died. Idk is that too bleak a reference? This was supposed to be a lighthearted crack-treated-seriously affair, but god knows I can’t resist a turn into horror.) ANYWAY—the cursed cruise ship has its hooks in Charles and Edwin—Crystal and Niko have to figure out how to free them and escape. Something, something, FIN.

[niuniente]

I've been following your DHD since the beginning and I have loved it so incredibly much! I was so happy I finally found a comic where main character is single and not interested in dating, relationship etc. It's so hard for me to find such things (books, comics, TV shows, fanarts, you name it) since there's always a plot twist where main character ends up in a relationship anyway one way or another (side note: I've been single my whole long life, not interested in any of that stuff) so finding Alrick and you was a blessing! However, since Kizzie arrived and she started to have "hots on Alrick", I've start to lose joy and love towards DHD. Every update brings me fear and horrible anxiety Alrick will end up with Kizzie (she spreading her legs to him) and that would make me nope myself away from DHD. I adore you, love your arts and blog over all (you are too kind to this world), finding you has been the best thing in my life so, please please please, don't take this personally! You are wonderful person and I really like you! I just fear where DHD / Alrick is heading.

What I can say with 100% certainty is that Alrick will not get married. Or engaged. IF it's up to me, I mean, I didn't decide that Alrick starts to have a crush on someone. IF it was up to me only, there wouldn't be anything like that going on. An establish relationship to that sorts will not fit the story and it will take too much away from Alrick's own story. I do not wish his story to be too deeply linked into anyone else. DHD does require sort of a solo thing from Alrick. Yet, I can't really always control where the characters themselves want to go but I will do my best not to get Alrick TOO involved with anyone. DHD is not supposed to be a romance comic anyway.

And, like said, Alrick not interested in romance or such in general but it doesn't mean he couldn't have a crush on someone (which he clearly didn't expect).

I do encourage people to have fun with the ships because life's not that serious and a fictional story of mine is even less serious.

Love can appear in many, many forms, which I do not want to limit to just one form, not in art. Take this from someone who has been single for almost 20 years and haven't even hold anyone's hand during those two decades and who is childfree by choice and has no pets either. There's still love in my life and I love deeply even without a partner, kids or pets.

I hope this answers your concerns!

[cartooname]

I don't know how many of ya'll knew this but I originally had a different OC I would ship with RM which wasn't a self insert.

Her name was Rosemary cookie and I was supposed to introduce you all to her and her lore a long time ago, but then Cookierun released an official Rosemary cookie so I ended up benching my OC since then.

She was going to be Royal Margarine's ex-wife. They've divorced cause Rosemary didn't like the unwanted attention from the public that being married with Royal Margarine brings.

Their dynamic/ plot was going to be some kind of Rom-com where the two would slowly fall in love together all over again but this time even harder. There was also going to be a love rival who was Strawberry Fondue cookie who was Rosemary cookie's old friend.

As for the kid in the very first image of the post, that was Tulip cookie. She is Rosemary's child that she adopted a year after her divorced with Royal Margarine. She's a frail child that could get incredibly hurt easily due to how fragile she is. She's the reason why Royal Margarine and Rosemary constantly meet up again. She loves adventure and dragons, and Royal Margarine couldn't break the heart of a sickly kid cause her mom is his ex-wife, so he just lets her have fun. Rosemary in the other hand had never seen Tulip this happy, so despite hating her ex- husband, she just lets them be.

One of the main reasons why I abandoned this ship cause there's already a cannon Rosemary cookie, so I ended up losing interest in my own OC. The second reason why I gave up is cause some RM simps see the word "ex-wife" and think Rosemary was a horrible person towards RM and mischaracterized her, which made me uncomfortable.

Rosemary and RM divorced civilly. It immensely hurt, but they decided not to make things worse and try to let go. The thing about those two is that deep down, they still really love each other, but it's their pride that prevents them from going back to each other.

[servuscallidus]

Finished Il conte di Montecristo 1966 yesterday. Some points:

Albert is too cute but it's obvious this is the actor's first role and he's not very good in dramatic moments. Still, very enjoyable, a good face for Albert

He's at least a head shorter than every man on screen, at all times. This is how I'll forever imagine Albert now

He was very good in the duel scene though. You could see him swallowing his pride

Not happy with the casting choice for Mercedes, doesn't feel like her at all, too wane, but the actress is good and her interactions with Edmond are so painful

Very good the scene where she tries to call the duel off

They gave the count the Beard of Evil because frankly Giordana's face is too clean and delicate, plus fashion changes and of course he doesn't want to be recognised. But he looks bad! It doesn't suit him!

The man is a beanpole btw

Every version of Albert is smitten with him and can't get close enough to him.

There is a scene where it sounds like the count is proposing him to fuck (cosa desidera fare mentre prende il caffè? I'm paraphrasing)

Eugenie has something like three lines, a weird, high pitched voice (sorry), but the actress was a singer and they have her sing and wow she's good

Btw one of her three lines kinda made me like her anyway. The moment Danglar explains to her that he wants her to marry for the money, she immediately negotiates for herself a hell of an allowance

Villefort going mad was excellent, and so were his interactions with his father

There are some weird camera choices, such as a lot of focusing on the eyes while the actor speaks, people talking directly to the camera while in the middle of a dialogue, and getting very up and close with it

They do this A Lot

A few times they focused on the mouth, again for no particularly good reason

There is a scene where Hydee is playing some sort of violin and the actress clearly has no idea what she's doing

They could have cut Franz out and it wouldn't have changed anything. Frankly I'm not sure why he was even there, except to insist on his marriage with Valentine

He doesn't even say he loves her or anything, he just sounds a bit bummed out that she doesn't want him

He never interacts with the count ever :( and he's clearly much older that everyone else

Beauchamp was very nice instead and very close to Albert

At a certain point the count says that he never meant for his revenge to hurt the kids, which, what? He's ruining their families, how are they supposed to be kept safe from the fallout

Plus he totally meant to kill Albert in the book and there's even a scene where we see him practice his shooting from 5, 10 and then 20 steps, like in a duel, and never miss, which I thought had something to do with that but apparently not?

When the count is in his abate character he speaks with a high pitched, kinda scratchy voice and it's hilarious

The interactions between Caderousse and Benedetto are surprisingly funny

Caderousse was surprisingly funny

In the first episode there's an appearance from the kinds, more preoccupied with some chocolate mousse than with the chance of Napoleon escaping and ignoring a very frustrating Villefort

I can't remember if it happens in the book, I don't think so, but it's very funny and the king is kinda limp wristed. But maybe it's just because he's nobility idk

Every cut scene from the book that was a secondary plot point or a set up is narrated to the viewer through people gossiping at parties

There are a lot of parties and people dancing. It's very enjoyable

[hetalia-club]

Stark Family Tree

This is only immediate family.

House Stark

Not my favorite house at all. But they are the subject of the main character of my main story in my AU.

Why exactly does Ivan think Peter is his bastard? Well probably because Amelia told him that, why did she do that? She's not even totally sure. She also told him that he was never born and she drank moon tea to get rid of it. Which is what she was SUPPOSED to do with Arthur’s kid but she didn't really feel like it. She lives for creating unnecessary drama in her life and pinning powerful men against each other and watching them fight over her like rabid dogs a girl needs a hobby I guess. Not like she can play Nintendo or something.

Not to mention if he just thought about it logically for a second, which is asking a lot here. He would realize the time lines don't even add up. But 'not using their brains' is what got both he and Arthur into this situation. Poor Amelia just wants to go to Essos...just someone drop her off there already and forget about her she causes so many problems. Abandon her in the Dothraki Sea she would be fine. She would be married to a Khal in a week and have them all convinced she’s their moon goddess. She would be fine.

Lovino actually doesn't care about any of this and he's off at Casterly Rock dicking around. Which is his favorite thing to do.

Now I can explain this situation a little bit. Amelia was engaged to Arthur first. 2 years ago before the story starts he snuck her away one night and took her sailing, this is where Peter comes from. When he was born her father shipped him away to Pyke to 'hide her shame' assuming when they got married they could just brush it under the rug and legitimize him and then no one would care. Which she was very upset about as you can imagine. She did get to name him at least before they sent him away. She would ask Arthur about him a lot in letters. This left Arthur at an Impasse, he had zero desire to raise a kid. But allowed Peter to just exist in his house basically because he was his key to Amelia. She started showing a lot more interest in him romantically when he had her son at his house.

After Arthur broke a treaty her father called off their engagement and set her up with Lovino Tyrell. Amelia didn't want to marry him because she thinks he's boring and instead started messing around with her cousin Ivan because she really just wants to fly his dragon across the sea. So she sets up this whole murder plot to kill his sister and Ivan is dragging his feet about actually doing it afraid for you know 'getting caught' which is a very big deal and would end them both being killed. So, Irritated with that Amelia starts up sending love letters to Arthur. I mean she doesn't actually mean what she's writing in them and it's more just to get him worked up and make him mad. Again she just wants his boats. Om her side that’s all this is and all it’s ever been, while Arthur genuinely believes she is madly in love with him and revels in it. He does not necessarily ‘love’ her in the traditional sense and she is mostly a status piece for him. She very beautiful and a lot of the high lords want her as matches for their sons, so it’s like a “haha look who I have” type thing for him. He does think she’s beautiful and he does think he’s in love with her. But again it’s more of an obsession than actual love. So she sets up an elaborate kidnapping for herself by him. He takes her away to Pyke. He wants to get married basically the second she steps off the ship and she just rolls with it. But she kind of hates him a little bit because he's a prick and always drunk but he's a pirate so what can you expect. But he's also like crazy about her, like actually crazy. Like 'If you try and leave me I'll lock you in a cell, but don't worry it would be a nice cell.' crazy. So now she's stuck there. Too bad so sad, play stupid games win stupid prizes. But she is pretty happy to have her son back, so that’s one win I guess.

[rey-jake-therapist]

I'm back to my Overture brainrot! Lol, who am I kidding, I never left. This story and its potential and canon implications haunt me on a daily basis, to the point I changed a major plot point of my Sandman fic so it would work with Overture. A fic I should be writing instead of this post buuuuuuut let's not go there LOL

I remember we recently discussed it with @writing-for-life, and if I remember well admitted that Morpheus' story would have always been a tragedy, even if things had turned out differently in Overture.

This might be true, but it's fascinating to think of the canon consequences the events of Overture had on Morpheus' life.... Before saying goodbye to Dream, Calliope tells him the Oneiros she knew would have left her to rot. He doesn't seem to disagree, and we as an audience know being a prisoner for a hundred years changed him.

But watching this scene it struck me hard - even though I already knew - that he would have not been caught by Burgess if he hadn't been weakened by the recent events. And the recent events wouldn't have happened if he had killed that star, a billion years ago... And why didn't he kill this star? Because he didn't want to kill another living thing. Because after blowing up an entire planet, he still had compassion in him. So it's fair to say that it's the compassion he had then, that sealed his fate... Had he killed the star like he was supposed to do after blowing up the Vortex's planet, there would have been no need to fix the past.

It's often believed, including by other characters who know him, that Morpheus was nothing but a cruel prick before he was kept prisoner of Burgess. But doesn't the fact that he refused to take innocent lives, and took the risk to let a star live, show that the frontiers between good and bad, and between before and after aren't that obvious? My theory is rather that being kept a prisoner didn't change him, but made him go back to his original state, the Morpheus he was before destroying so many lives: compassionate, and deeply kind.

We aren't told that in the new reality, Dream killed this star himself -ghost Hope just asks the dreamers to live a world where a star died-, but if we admit that he did, this day would have necessarily changed him. If he killed the star that day, it means that he had no compassion left for anyone. It's unlikely that the death of this changed the course of *his* reality that much because when he meets Hope, he was very lonely and even wonders when was the last time someone held his hand.... There's probably not a reality where Morpheus was happily married, of when he gets a happy ending... But it's possible though that in the reality where he showed compassion for this star, he didn't become the cold, cruel Morpheus we're told he was before Burgess caught him. Maybe in this reality, he didn't condemn Nada to Hell... Maybe he was more a listener for Orpheus.... Maybe he kept a good relationship with Calliope...

I mean, maybe that's the real tragedy: that because he showed compassion one day, he paid the high price for it, and spent a big part of his life being someone he never wanted to be....