#love her but the 70s gown..... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

fkmarrycill · 11 months ago

Text

One Shot: Pre-Gaming

(Pic added after the original post because it totally fits the vibe of the story. 😌)

1191 words, 🔞 for that smut

Notes:

Can you tell I'm really, really concerned about how our man will survive awards season? ☺️ I'm not sure if he'll attend any of the shows (really hope he does), or if he has any rituals for situations like this, but this is where my imagination took me. 😈

This is pure fiction, and in this scenario, Cillian is in a relationship, but not married and no kids. I read Cillian as an intelligent, decent, sometimes awkward guy who is also capable of being spicy when needed or desired. 😌

It's M/F dynamic, and I often keep the lady leads generic in description so more people can imagine along. 😉

Thanks for reading! ❤️

Cillian had gone silent. His arms were crossed, and he was staring out the window. Maybe he saw the city cruise by, or maybe he was too lost in thought to notice; she couldn't tell. All she knew was that he was relaxed at the hotel, but as soon as the limo door shut, his mood had changed.

She'd had her hand on his thigh for the whole ride so far. That subtle reminder of her support wasn't enough for him, she realized, but she knew what would be.

“Cill?” She addressed him gently.

“Mmm?” He responded absentmindedly.

Definitely lost in thought. “You need to relax. I'm going to make you feel better before we get there. Would you like head, or a quickie? Neither is not an answer.”

“That obvious that I'm fucking nervous, eh?” He chuckled in spite of himself. “Of course, I would’ve rather stayed home, but…” He trailed off and watched her kneel before him and begin to unzip and lower his tuxedo pants.

“What?” She said in response to his quizzical expression. “I thought maybe this would help you decide.” She looked up at him and winked. At this moment, she was glad she'd chosen the little black lace number instead of the gown with the train. She'd be able to move more freely for him, and it would be harder to mess up the dress.

“Now, what’ll you have, Mr. Murphy?” She placed her hands on his thighs and caressed them softly.

He glanced at the closed partition between them and the driver, checked his watch, and a mischievous grin bloomed on his face. He leaned forward. “Looks like we have plenty of time. Hmmm… Film award nominees tend to get special treatment, isn't that right? Give me both, love. Your mouth first, then that irresistible cunt.”

“Spoken with the confidence of a winner, whether it's tonight or another night. It's coming, either way.”

“Just like me, in a matter of moments, thanks to you.” He tried and failed to stifle a laugh. “Christ, we sound like some dreadfully unimaginative 70s porn! Let's stop talking, before we turn each other off.”

“Excellent idea.”

Both of them laughed, partners in crime with the same sense of humor.

She gave him one last affectionate smile, then began to caress his thighs with long, soft strokes that made him shift on his seat. She traced the same path with her lips, on one thigh, then the other, nuzzling the expanses of skin.

He turned the volume up on the music, in anticipation of giving in to wherever she led him. She stretched herself higher and loomed over his lap, then tugged at his underwear. He shifted on the seat to help her efforts in removing her last barrier. He placed his hands on her head and squeezed softly, a gentle request for the warmth of her lips on his hardened, eager cock.

He groaned softly as her lips surrounded his girth and her hands connected with him, and he hissed, eyes shut tightly, when she teased the sensitive underside of his dick with her tongue.

His million-dollar face contorted–jaw clenched, brow furrowed, nostrils flared, full lips parted–as he savored her work. By then, she had taken more of him in, feasting on his length with her enthusiastic licking and sucking.

He began to grind his hips, arching into her mouth to feel her deeper and more intensely.

She loved seeing him like that, focused on the sensations, thoughts as far away as possible from cameras, paparazzi, and all the sequined and bow-tied cogs in the Hollywood machine–everyone they'd be unable to escape for hours once they left their mobile love nest. Giving him release was the least she could do for him. She was well aware of all the effort and sacrifice he put into his celebrated performance as Oppenheimer, and she thought he deserved to be in the right mood to enjoy his moment of recognition, win or lose.

She knew she was wet already, from the way her body throbbed in excitement. She had one more ace to play, one more thing to share that would push him past the point of no return. “I was going to surprise you later,” she murmured conspiratorially, “but this will give you something else to think about in your seat…”

He watched her through glazed, darkened eyes as she climbed into his lap, hiked her dress, and sank down on him, inch by inch.

“Holy fuck,” he gasped. “No fucking panties… Are you trying to kill me?”

“No, babe, I'm just trying to fill your head with good thoughts before we get there.” She rolled her body at a brisk pace and kissed him deeply.

He grasped her hips and overtook the pace of her thrusts, writhing against her in a controlled manner that made both of them wail. She rocked into him and edged closer to being completely undone.

One of his hands crept up to the small of her back, while the other meandered down her leg to find her clit, which he massaged the way she loved, ratcheting up her cries in the process.

Their rhythm quickened some more. A lock of his hair fell down, toward his eyes, and she brushed it back into place. She desperately wanted to clutch her hands in his hair, like she normally did, but quickly nixed the idea, remembering the effort that had gone into his sophisticated look. There'd be plenty of time later for reckless behavior, she thought–on the ride back to the hotel, or in the bed, regardless of whether they were celebrating or preparing to return to their usual pace of life.

“Oh, fuckkkk…” His breathing was shallow, and his face flushed as his eyes rolled back. “I'm gonna…”

“Me, too, baby,” she said, equally breathless. The tightness that had built up at her core gave way to waves of bliss, and moments later, Cillian tensed as his own climax tore through his body.

He held her in a tight hug and kissed the top of her head while they caught their breath.

After a while, she moaned contentedly and looked up at him. “Feeling better, Cill?”

“You have no idea, lass. Thank you.”

“Anytime, my dear, beautiful boyfriend.”

He kissed her softly, then looked at his watch. “We should be there soon, better get ourselves back together as best as we can.”

They scrambled to straighten up and return to their initial positions in the car.

“You know,” started Cillian, as they rounded the corner to the venue, “At some point tonight, when I can't stand it anymore, I'd love to steal away with you to a bathroom or somewhere else that we can be alone…”

“I like the way you think! But what if we get caught?” She gathered her purse and prepared to exit the limo.

“I think ecstatic award winner caught fucking his girlfriend will be much better for my brand,” he said with air quotes, “than those pics of me pissing on the side of the pub, don't you think?” He winked and kissed her passionately.

Before she could respond, he opened the car door and they emerged. They were quickly besieged by camera flashes, and the huge smiles on both their faces were real.

#cillian murphy #oppenheimer #fan fiction #my writing #short story #one shot #fkmarrycill library

107 notes · View notes

crushedsweets · 4 months ago

Note

do u have any more bonnie lore that u can share with us? i’m obsessed with her design and her story<3

Ok I’m assuming you mean ghost Bonnie… hmm… but let me see if I can collect random thoughts. Also thank you anon youre a sweetheart <3

General summary: “The Ghost Bride” is a version of my crp OC bonnie made for a 2014-fanon slender mansion AU with my friends! She lives in the mansion w all my friends OCs. The mansion is in a.. pocket dimension sorta? I think?

This is really funny but I watched inside out 2. Anxiety/maya hawke is probably her voice claim. HAHAHAH

She sorta gives the energy of Megan in “but I’m a cheerleader”. She’s largely in denial about being a lesbian and is pretty clueless/ignorant on it, having grown up in the 70-80s before she died

Her fiancé was a very traditional American guy. Huge family of hunters, which always made Bonnie uneasy going to his house and seeing deer heads displayed on the walls. When he hunted her down for running off the aisle, she was mostly thinking about all those deer. And how she was next, obvi

Her story (after death) mainly goes in 2-3 arcs:

1. She spends several decades(although time is distorted) in the slender forest just roaming around, sobbing, begging her fiancé not to shoot, hiding behind trees and rocks and heaving nonstop. It’s impossible to talk to her and she’s MOSTLY not even visible to other residents, considering she’s a ghost - but occasionally she spooks people

2. Eventually she starts to settle into the mansion. Slendy sorta messes with her head - he tries to make her forget what happened to her, and make her forget that she’s even dead, but it actually just leaves her really confused and having a constantly warped sense of reality and what stage of life she’s in. Sometimes she thinks she’s back in highschool fawning over a crush, sometimes she thinks she’s days away from her dream wedding, sometimes she thinks she’s been married for years. In general she’s just kinda like… stupid …. Super ditzy, just lays around in bed all day in nightgowns and reading teen magazines and chewing bubblegum. Doesn’t throw tantrums but she will have random moments where she loses her shit and starts tearing her room apart freaking out over a wedding. Gets called bridezilla by a certain somebody… 😒😒

3. She ends up killing her fiancé, and that’s sorta what snaps her back into reality. She understands, remembers, and accepts what happened to her. She spends time with her friends and begins the whole “ghost recovery acceptance processing your own death” thing. She’s mostly okay with it, considering she’s exactly where she wants to be - a freaky mansion with her friends, ran by some guy she views as a father figure

She tends to the mansions garden the most I believe. Usually drags her friends out and makes them do a lot of the harder work (mowing the lawn, dealing with pests, cleaning gutters) while she does the rest. Eventually gets told off for gender roles or something funny . LMAOOO

She cannot cook. Swears she’s gonna be the best damn house wife in the world. Cannot cook. Can not cook. Hear me when I say this. She can not cook. OK IM EXAGGERATING but she does suck at cooking…

Loves wearing bunny slippers and making her friends match other animal slippers with her.

Always has to be in some sort of bridal wear - whether it’s a wedding dress, a bridal party dress, a slip dress, night gown, robe. Something white and frilly and preferably silky

I dunnooo… lmk if y’all have any specific questions cuz I haven’t really been working on her lately

#asks #sm au #sm bonnie #thank u again anon <3

24 notes · View notes

bellysoupset · 7 months ago

Note

I know Leo said that he didn’t need to see the ring, but could we maybe get a little ficlet about the morning afterward where he sees it?

Alright just a teeny tiny ficlet of the morning after!

------- *--------

Leo woke up with Jonah speaking French.

He had a headache from the emotional roller coaster that was the night before and quickly realized he had slept past his alarm, judging by how much sunlight was filtering through their sheer curtains - they had forgotten to pull the black-out curtains.

Jon's hand was in the middle of his back and Leo sighed, snuggling up more, his cheek resting on Jonah's lower belly as he heard the other man continue to speak in a low, calm voice.

A chuckle.

Jackie's voice answering, always so smooth and calm, with that little vocal fry she had thanks to smoking most of her life. Then Angie, in rapid fire French, her voice much louder than everyone else's.

Leo smiled, opening his eyes and stretching. He rolled slightly on the bed, forcefully removing his head from Jonah's tummy - it was gurgling pleasantly and Leo nearly fell right back asleep - and staring at the ceiling for a second.

He was engaged.

"Mum, stop," Jonah switched to English, realizing Leo was up and the blonde turned his head, rubbing the sleep off his eyes.

Jon hadn't bothered to look put together to break the news to his family, which was adorable in Leo's opinion. His mop of curls was going up, almost in a 70s style, and he was wearing the huge hoodie from Vince still.

"Leo's up," he said and Leo frowned, not wanting Jackie to see him with his just-woke-up face, but Jonah didn't seem to care. He turned the phone around and Leo opened a sleepy smile to the two women on the screen.

Jackie occupied the upper half of it, she was home and it seemed to be night for her already. She was in a huge kitchen that made Leo want to inspect closer, moving around in a long gown as if she was shooting an ad.

Angelina was in the bottom half, in just gym clothes and where Leo easily recognized was the gym of her own house. At least Angie looked normal, he thought, waving to the girl, only for her to let out a squeal.

"Leo let me see the ring!" She leaped forward, gluing herself to the phone and Leo let out a chuckle, turning his hand so she could see it. In fact, he hadn't had the chance to really look at the ring yet.

Angie let out a string of "awww" and "ooh", while Jackie crossed the kitchen so she could inspect it better. She raised her eyebrows, "Jonah should've gotten you a bigger rock, sweetheart."

"No, I like it," Angie pouted, "it's classic and beautiful. Did you like it, Leo?"

"I love it," he said truthfully, even if he had properly looked at it yet. Jonah snorted at that, handing him the phone and getting up from the bed with a stumble, causing Leo to look up, worried the vertigo hadn't fully vanished.

"I'm fine," Jon mouthed to him, swaying to the bathroom and Leo scooted up on the bed, grinning as he heard Angie say she was so excited for him to become a part of the family.

"We're gonna have to meet to plan this party," Jackie told him, "You and Jon need to come here, Matteo has asked non stop and that was before you two got engaged."

"We will," Leo promised, while mentally cringing as he imagined what Jackie had in mind as a wedding party. That would be a whole quest on its own, "Angie, you're still coming over next month?"

"Wouldn't miss it," she opened a gummy smile, whole face lighting up. They chatted for a couple more minutes, before eventually hanging up, Leo blushing as Jackie called him mon cher.

He put down the phone, then looked at his hand, feeling his heart speed up. It was a beautiful ring, the diamond not too large, but not so tiny it was just a dot and most importantly... It just fit him. The type of ring Leo had no intentions of removing, ever.

He let out a dreamy sigh and then smiled as Jon walked back in the room, now without the hoodie and smelling like toothpaste as he crawled on the bed.

"I'm engaged," Leo whispered, when Jonah draped himself over him, wordlessly.

"Yeah?" Jon yawned, resting his chin on Leo's shoulder and looking at the ring, "still a yes?"

"Still a yes," Leo turned his head to kiss him, bringing up his hand to cup Jonah's cheek and then grinning as he saw his ring pressed to his fiance's cheek, "definitely a yes."

#fluff #mywriting #leo wagner #jonah banks

27 notes · View notes

milesdickpic · 2 years ago

Text

His Little Girl | Bradley Bradshaw x Reader P. 70

Click here to see the master list

Hi, my lovelies! It's been a minute BUT It's finally here! Our Leia girl is officially graduating from kindergarten! I hope you are all enjoying the story! I love you all so much! ❤️ Happy reading and enjoy! 💕

A/n: Leia's big day, she's officially finished with kindergarten. Bradley gets a surprise from Phantom.

Nani: pronunciation {Nah-knee}

Word Count: 3k

Warnings: cursing, crying, but so much cuteness and love 😍

Please don't take my work, I will find you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following day was Leia’s last day of Kindergarten and her graduation. She was away at school for a half day to spend time with her class and let them say their good-byes. You, Bradley, Hangman, and Phoenix were at home getting ready.

Bradley was putting on a A blue, black, and white striped relaxed short sleeve dress shirt and some black pants. He fixed his collar and slipped on his chain. He was looking in the mirror position it nicely. He started to put on his belt and slightly tucked in his shirt corner to his pants. He started to comb his mustache.

You came up behind him and wrapped your arms around his waist. You peaked your head around and laid on his arm. “You look so handsome, Bradley.” You smiled and kissed his exposed bicep. “You’re also showing quite a bit of chest for a kindergarten graduation.” You giggled.

He shook his head, “Gotta show off the pecks to the dads that’ll keep checking you out.” He started to laugh as he turned to you. He placed his hands on your back and kissed your forehead. “You look so beautiful, sweetheart.”

You scoffed and looked down at your super pregnant belly in your sun dress. “I look like a good-year blimp.” You looked up at him laughing.

He shook his head and bit his lip, “No.” He brushed your hair from your cheeks, “You look absolutely beautiful. I love you being pregnant.” He placed his hands on your belly. “You are perfect, baby.” He looked at you with his puppy dog eyes. “If you weren’t already pregnant, I’d give you another one.” He smiled and pinched your cheek.

“I’m going to freaking throw up. I always come at the worst of times.” Hangman leaned against the door way of your and Bradley’s room. “You love birds ready to go? Gotta be at Leia’s school before 1.” He looked at his watch, “It’s already 12:30.” He chuckled and crossed his arms waiting for you two.

Bradley rubbed your arms, “Ready to watch our little girl graduate?” You nodded and he kissed your forehead. “I’ll grab her cap and gown.” Bradley winked at you.

Bradley helped you into the truck. Hangman and Phoenix took Jake’s truck to the school. The back of his cabin was full of balloons, flowers, and teddy bears for Leia. Bradley grabbed your hand and interlocked your fingers together with his. He pulled your hand to his lips and kissed it. “I can’t believe our Leia is graduating kinder already.” He sighed, “Before you know it, she’ll be graduating high school.” Bradley cringed thinking of it.

You let out a laugh, “Hold on there, Lieutenant. She hasn’t even officially made it out of kinder yet.”

He looked over at you and smiled, “She’s just growing up quick. It makes me so sad.” He bit his lip, “And her birthday is coming up again. She’s going to be freaking 7.” He tapped the steering wheel. “What do you think she’ll want to do for her birthday?” Bradley looked over at you.

You shrugged, “I guess we just have to ask her, so we can plan accordingly.” You looked over at him and smiled.

You all arrived at the school. Bradley helped you down from the car and grabbed Leia’s cap and gown. Bradley grabbed your hand and skipped with you to Leia’s classroom. You were both laughing as Bradley pulled you along with his high jumps and long strides.

“Bradley! Slow down please!” You begged him in between laughs.

“No time, sweetheart!” He picked up his pace.

You laughed louder trying to catch up with him. “I’m going to have these boys right here and right now if you don’t!” You tried to catch your breath.

Bradley stopped and laughed with you. You were out of breath and so was he. He rubbed your belly and gave you a kiss, “I guess we should skip more then!” He acted like he was going to pull you into more skipping but he stopped and just laughed, “We are close, so we can walk now, baby.” He threw his arm around you and you walked to Leia’s classroom.

When you both walked in, all the parents were there with their kids getting them ready. Leia ran to you and Bradley when she saw you. Bradley picked her up and spun her around, “How is my graduate?” He covered her face in kisses.

“I am so ready for 1st grade daddy!” She gave him kisses back.

Bradley let her down and Leia came over to you and hugged you. She kissed your belly twice. “Momma you look so beautiful.” She looked up at you with her puppy dog eyes.

You started to tear up. You held them in. “I love you, my Leia.” You pinched her cheek.

Bradley started cleaning up Leia’s face with the wipes you brought. He took out Leia’s braid and brushed her hair. He attempted to rebrand it and got confused. “Sweetheart. This is hard. You wanna take over?” He looked over his shoulder at you.

You laughed when you saw the messy braid, “I got you, Brad.” Leia came over to you and you started to braid her hair. Bradley picked up her gown and held it up to himself.

“Leia do you thin this will fit me?” He posed while holding it against him.

Leia started to giggle. “Daddy, stop! You’ll rip it!” You finished braiding her hair.

Bradley took the gown off of the hanger and draped it over Leia’s shoulders while she inserted her arms. He straightened it out for her and zipped it up. “Now the cap, daddy!”

Bradley grabbed the cap and placed it on her head, “Oh, my little girl.” Bradley placed his hands on Leia’s arms as he started to tear up, “Where has the time gone?” A tear rolled down his cheek.

Leia reached for the falling tear and wiped it from Bradley’s cheek. “Don’t cry, daddy. I’m still your little girl.” Leia leaned her forehead against Bradley’s.

Bradley cupped her face and kissed her forehead. “I have something else for you, baby girl.” Bradley went to your bag and pulled out a fresh flower lei for Leia. She gasped when Bradley showed it to her in its case.

“Daddy’ its so pretty!” She covered her mouth with her hands. “That’s for me!”

Bradley smiled and nodded as he began to remove it from the case. “For my pretty smart, baby.” He put it over her head and positioned it around her neck gently. “So beautiful.” Bradley cupped her face. “I also got you a matching crown to go with it, but you’ll wear the after so you can wear your cap.” He kissed her cheeks.

Leia started to tear up as she looked at the necklace, “I love it so much. Thank you.” She looked up at Bradley through her lashes.

“Anything for my girl.” He smiled at her and kissed her nose.

The teacher called for all the students to line up for the processions. They would be graduating with 3 other kindergarten classes. Leia gave one last kiss to you and Bradley before she want to line up. Bradley helped you over to the gymnasium where Phoenix and Hangman were already situated, saving spots for you and Bradley. You plopped down next to Phoenix. She reached over and placed her hand on your arm.

“How is our Vapor girl?” She patted your arm and smiled.

You smiled and placed your hand on hers, “She is so excited to graduate and go to the first grade already.” You started to laugh.

The graduation started. You all cheered and clapped for all the children that were being called. You watched eagerly as they all crossed the stage and got little diplomas and hugs from all the teachers and principal. Next was Leia. She was standing in the stair well waving to the four of you in the crowd. She was bouncing in excitement.

Hangman hit Bradley’s shoulder, “Here comes our girl! Get the camera, man!” Bradley pulled the camcorder back up and hit record. He zoomed in on Leia, she was waving and blowing kisses to you all.

“Leia Rey Bradshaw!” Leia skipped across the stage waving and blowing kisses to you four.

Hangman stood up and blew a fog horn. “That’s my girl! I love you Vapor girl!” He started to whistle. Phoenix stood up and started clapping for Leia.

“I love you my Leia girl!” She cupped her mouth and yelled over all the cheering and clapping.

Leia waved over to you all, giggling. The teacher handed her her diploma and the photographer snapped a picture as they shook hands. Leia gave her teacher a hug and ran over to the other teachers and gave them a hug. Leia put her diploma into the air and you all stood and cheered for her.

“That’s my little girl!” Bradley yelled as he pumped his fist in the air.

“I love you so much, Leia!” You cupped your mouth and cheered for your daughter.

Right before she got off the stage she stopped and pointed to you all. She held her cap on her head and started to shimmy like her dad. Bradley zoomed in on her as she danced. She laughed and waved to you all one more time before she exited.

Hangman started laughing as he wrapped his arm around Bradley and slapped his shoulder. He was falling into him as he laughed, “Dude, She is your daughter! That looked like you up there!” Hangman was patting Bradley’s shoulder laughing.

Bradley started to cry. He clenched his fist and brought it to his lips. He squeezed his eyes tight, “I have a first grader. Holy shit.” He started to cry hard and Hangman pulled him in for a hug.

“You’re gonna be okay, Bradshaw!” Hangman laughed as he hugged and patted Bradley’s back.

You were wiping your tears as Phoenix pulled you in for a hug and rubbing your back, “Congratulations, momma!”

After the graduation, you all waited excitedly for Leia to emerge from the group of children. Bradley and Hangman were looking over all the parents trying to scout out Leia. Bradley spotted her skipping around looking for you all.

“Vapor Girl!” He called over to her and waved his hand in the air. Leia screamed and ran over to her dad. She immediately jumped into his arms.

“Daddy! I did it!” She threw her fist into the air. Bradley mimicked her and they yelled together.

Hangman grabbed Leia from Bradley and kissed her over and over again. “My girl! I am so proud of you!” He kissed her cheek hard one more time and tickling her side.

“Okay! My turn with my Leia girl!” Phoenix held her hands out and Leia jumped from Hangman’s grasp to Phoenix’s. She clung onto Phoenix and laid on her shoulder. Phoenix laid her head to Leia’s and cradled her head. “I am so proud of you, little Leia! You are so smart! You 100% get that from your mom.” She nuzzled into Leia’s cheek.

Leia pulled back, Daddy’s… smart too…?” She said questioningly. Phoenix started to laugh as you all looked over to Bradley. He was not amused.

Phoenix covered Leia in kisses, adding “MUAH!” With each peck. “We have presents for you, sweet girl!” Phoenix hugged Leia harder.

Hangman held up all her balloons, stuffed animals, and flowers. Leia screamed and bounced in Phoenix’s arms. Phoenix let her down and she ran over to Hangman. “Oh my gosh! It’s all for meee!?”

You waddled over to Leia and she hugged you tight. You took her cap off and kissed the top of her head. You held onto her cap while Bradley placed the flower crown on her. Hangman and Phoenix placed more Leis onto Leia’s neck and she could barely see over them. She was jumping for joy as you all cheered for her.

Bradley snapped pictures of Leia to send to everyone back home. Phoenix came over and placed her hand on your belly. “One down, two more to go, mama.” She smiled and gave me another hug. “Congratulations to you too, Mom! You got her through her first year of school.” She laid on your shoulder as you both watched Hangman and Bradley make Leia laugh for pictures.

After a couple of pictures of Leia with her teachers, friends, and principal, you all headed back to the house. Bradley invited Phantom and his family over for Leia’s small celebration.

Hangman started to barbecue because some of the LTJGs from work would be joining in on the fun. A couple of them had kids in Leia’s class and thought it would be fun if they could all hangout together and play. Phantom would be coming with his wife and kids again.

Bradley helped Leia dress out of her cap and gown. He hung it up on a hanger and placed it in her closet along with some of her necklaces. He changed her into a cute palm leaf printed pattern off-the-shoulder romper he had bought her. He placed her flower crown back on her head and her Lei.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek, “I am so proud of you, baby.” He pinched her cheek gently.

“Thank you, daddy. I couldn’t have done it without you and momma.” Leia looked at her outfit, “I love this pattern! It’s so cute!”

Bradley nodded. “You look beautiful, Leia.” He straightened out her crown. “Go have some fun. Your friends should be here in a little bit. Make sure you thank everyone for coming, okay?” He kissed her again.

“I will, Thank you daddy.” She kissed his nose and ran out of her room.

Everyone started to arrive at yours and Bradley’s house. You met some of Bradley’s co workers and students. When Phantom got there, He had a basket full of presents for Leia and Evelyn, his wife, had made cookies. His daughters ran to the backyard to play with Leia and her friends.

Phantom came in and sat Leia’s gift on the counter. You called for Leia and she came in. Bradley squatted down next to her and placed his hand on her back.

“Sweetheart, Phantom and Evelyn brought you some presents.”

Leia stuck her hand out to Phantom. “Vice Admiral Lynch. Good to see you, sir.” She said it so properly. Bradley started to chuckle.

Phantom started to chuckle as he grabbed Leia’s hand and shook it. He squatted down and gave her a proper hug, “Captain Bradshaw. Pleasure.” He poked her in her belly as they laughed together. “Congratulations on your graduation, my little nani.”

Leia got shy, “Thank you Phantom. Thank you for coming.” She hugged him tightly. “What’s nani?”

Phantom rubbed Leia’s back, “It means pretty girl.” He smiled at her.

Leia gasped and looked down. “Thank you Vice Admiral Lynch.” She leaned her forehead to his shoulder.

He chuckled and patted her back. “Of course, Would you like to see what we brought you?”

Leia looked up quickly. “YES!”

Bradley looked at Leia with wide eyes. “Leia Rey.” Leia looked back at Bradley embarrassed.

“Sorry, daddy.” She looked at Phantom. “I mean Yes, sir. Please.” Leia held her hands together and placed them under her chin as she waited patiently.

Phantom stood up and grabbed the basket off the counter. “The girls and I put together a basket for you” He showed her everything in the basket. “It has candy, a water bottle for when you’re out at the beach, a pineapple that we can crack open right now, some sunglasses, and a little ukulele. The girls also added in some of their favorite products they use for their hair, some hair pieces, and some nail polish.” Leia looked at everything with excitement.

“I love it so much! Thank you so much!”

Evelyn showed Leia the cookies she made for her graduation. They were decorated nicely. Some were Hawaiian shirts, hula skirts, coconuts, plumerias, pineapples, hula dancers, and some that said congratulations grad. It was such a sweet gesture. Leia gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Leia grabbed a cookie and brought you the pineapple, “Momma, can you cut this open pleaseee!” She gave you some puppy dog eyes.

You grabbed the pineapple and brought it over to the open counter space to cut it with Leia.

Bradley’s POV

Phantom came and put his arm over my shoulders. “Got a quick minute, Rooster?”

Evelyn patted Phantom’s shoulder, “Honey, not at his daughter’s party. Leave work for work.”

Phantom placed a kiss on his wife’s forehead, “Okay just this conversation and I won’t talk about work, baby.” He smiled at her and she shook her head and laughed before she went to join you and Leia.

Phantom and I walked outside to one of the corners of the backyard. We over looked the mountain side. “Bradshaw, we have matters to discuss.” He was still looking out into the distance.

I looked at him and nodded. “Sir.” He looked at me and smiled.

“Lieutenant Bradshaw.” He patted my shoulder hard. “Or maybe I should say Lieutenant Commander Bradshaw.” He started to laugh and patted my shoulder.

“Holy shit.” I looked at him with wide eyes. “Sir, I’m sorry. Excuse my language.” I started to laugh.

“No need, Rooster. Holy shit indeed.” He started to laugh as he pulled me into him for a hug. He patted my back hard and held me tight, “Congratulations, son. Your mother and father would be so proud of you.”

I was shaking as I hugged him. I pulled back and placed my hand on his shoulder and the other to my chest. “Oh my gosh. Are you serious? This is real. I got the promotion?” He nodded with a smile from ear to ear. I threw my head back and let out a sigh. I put my hands over my face as I laughed. “Thank you so much, for everything.” I ran my hands through my hair and hugged him again.

“I did nothing. It was all you, Bradley. Your hard work has definitely shown and you deserve this more than anyone. I am so proud of you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's official! You have a first grader on your hands! I don't know about you, but I cried over everyone's excitement! This was so wholesome. I am so happy hangman, Phoenix, AND Bradley were able to experience with you and Leia. And OMGG! Daddy Brad got the promotion! How do you think he will tell all of you? I will see you all in the next chapter! 🫶🏼

My party babes are in the comments 🌺🥳

200 notes · View notes

the-darkness-does-not-bargain · 24 days ago

Text

Act I, Scene I: The Wedding

The wedding of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laena Velaryon was a grand affair, of course. The ceremony was held in the Sept, with sunlight streaming through the fine glass windows, and the benches were crowded with highborn attendees from all across the continent. Hoary old Rickon Stark was there with his son Cregan, sitting two rows behind Jason Lannister and his young wife. The widowed Lady Leonette Tyrell sat beside Alicent’s own family, and all of them were kept away from the representative of House Martell, who had come as a peace ambassador following the war in the Stepstones. Everyone was talking amongst themselves, and the Sept’s high ceilings created a reverberating echo that only quieted when the High Septon called for the ceremony to begin. Alicent could hardly think in the noise, but the proceeding silence was just as jarring.

Rhaenyra cut a dashing figure in her wedding attire. Her cloak was a masterpiece of midnight black velvet with an army of red dragons flying upon it. The three-headed sigil of House Targaryen was embroidered in the center, encrusted in a mine’s worth of rubies. Blackfyre hung from her belt, a gift from her father. It was customary for alphas to wear a sword during their wedding ceremony, but carrying the Conqueror’s sword was an especially pointed statement. Here is my heir, your future queen, Viserys was saying. Look upon her and bend the knee.

Laena was stunningly gorgeous in her own right. Her dress was vibrant, shimmering, and blue as the Summer Sea. Pale seahorses danced along her skirts, and her arms, fingers, and neck were swamped in silver jewelry. She was perfectly put together, but Alicent knew she had been up early that morning, having her skin perfumed and her curls tamed. She’d yawned incessantly all through the breakfast feast, to the gentle chastisement of her mother.

Alicent was in no position to judge, as she’d spent the morning dealing with her own problems. Three months in, the hardships of pregnancy were already weighing heavily on her. Her breasts were sore and sensitive, requiring frequent massage, and all her gowns were being resized to accommodate her growing belly. The dress she wore today had been mercifully altered, but even so, she prayed the ceremony would end swiftly so she could change out of it.

“You look lovely,” Rhaenyra had mumbled when they waited for the wheelhouse. Her cheeks had flushed when she delivered the awkward compliment, but it warmed Alicent to hear.

At the altar, however, the princess only had eyes for her bride. Don’t her cheeks hurt? Alicent thought, watching Rhaenyra’s face split into the biggest smile she’d ever seen. It barely budged when she recited her vows, and remained in place even after the ceremony as their carriage rode through the streets of King’s Landing. There was even an echo of it on Viserys’s face, one of the few times Alicent could discern a resemblance between them.

The wedding festivities were many and grandiose, and the following feast was entirely too lavish. Over 70 dishes were served alongside 50 desserts, and wine and mead flowed faster than water, splashing into cups with such vigor that it made her ill. The curse of morning sickness had passed a week prior, but Alicent still found her constitution sensitive. She nursed a single cup of wine through the entire evening, and avoided the punch after she saw a lord of the Fingers pour something into it from a hip flask. Even when her husband called for toast after toast, she kept her lips dry and her head clear.

The bride and groom were not concerned about such things. Though neither drank heavily, their inebriation was apparent when they laughed and stumbled onto the dance floor for their first turn as newlyweds. It was heartwarming to watch. Or it would be, if Alicent’s heart was a kind or magnanimous thing. As it was, the sight just made her dour. She refused all offers to dance, citing tiredness from the baby, and sulked at the high table while the celebration passed around her. Viserys was her only company. His health had improved a great deal in recent weeks, but he was still easily fatigued, so he too refrained from joining the throng.

“A few more weeks, and I’ll be good as new,” he assured her. “Mellos insists I still limit myself to our daily walks, but I mean to host a grand hunt once he gives his approval.”

“A hunt would be exciting, my love, but you must be careful.” If her response was hollow, she hoped he didn’t notice. He’d been sweeter to her, of late. The babe had won his attention back for now, and he’d spared no expense in the past three months meeting Alicent’s every wish. He could be a kind man, when he thought to be. Yet his expensive presents were paltry compared to the single gift given by his daughter.

Rhaenyra had shown up at her door a day after the Grand Maester confirmed her pregnancy. “I heard the news.” Her cheeks had been pink; from exertion or shyness, Alicent couldn’t say. “C-congratulations, my Queen.”

Alicent’s lips had trembled when she tried to smile. “Thank you, Princess. The King and I are very happy, and your well wishes mean a lot to both of us.”

“I’d like to do more than simply offer well wishes,” Rhaenyra had pushed, stepping closer to her. “If you’ll allow it, I want to give you a promise.”

“A promise?”

“For the babe,” the princess nodded. “Syrax will soon lay a clutch of eggs. When the child is born, I will bring one for their crib.”

Alicent had been startled out of her inner turmoil by this information. “You would put a dragon egg in the crib of ou- of a baby?”

Rhaenyra had grinned so proudly at her. “It’s tradition. All Targaryen children have a dragon’s egg placed in their crib. Father would do it, but he doesn’t venture into the Dragonpit anymore. So I will.”

She’d said it with such conviction, and such eagerness too. She was excited about the babe. Alicent could hardly believe it. At best, she hoped Rhaenyra would be kind to her “sibling”, if not close, but even her most far-fetched fantasies hadn’t considered this to be a possibility.

She was happy for their child. She already considered them a true Targaryen. She was going to give them a dragon’s egg.

I love you. The words had sprung to her tongue with force enough to dislodge teeth, and she barely bit them down in time. Rhaenyra had rambled on about something to do with the Dragon Keepers, but Alicent had been too stunned to pay attention to it. She only recovered when the princess bid her a cheery farewell and marched away.

Ever since then, the illuminated histories and brand new horse that Viserys bestowed upon her meant next to nothing.

“The bedding!” Someone shouted from the crowd, quickly followed by dozens of raucous, cheering voices. “Bedding! Bedding! Bedding!”

Alicent’s teeth dug into her cheek as Rhaenyra and Laena, still laughing, were shuffled to opposite sides of the hall. Laena was swarmed by loud, obnoxious alphas while pretty, preening omegas danced circles around Rhaenyra.

“You could join them,” her husband suggested, to which Alicent quietly balked.

She could join them, yes. No one would look twice at a mated omega joining the bedding ceremony of her alpha friend. But she couldn’t bring herself to. Unlike those silly creatures fluttering about her, Alicent knew Rhaenyra’s body intimately. She knew how it felt, its curves and contours. Her touch would be too familiar, and even if no one could possibly notice, Alicent couldn’t shake the paranoia.

Her restraint was also due to jealousy. She was not so craven as to deny it. To participate in the bedding ceremony would be to prepare Rhaenyra for someone else, and she would rather die than do that. So she simply glared as careless, lustful hands stripped away the princess’s clothes. Soon, Rhaenyra and her entourage were out of sight, and the revelry continued in her absence. Alicent stayed at the high table, and asked the nearest servant to refill her cup.

#house of the dragon #hotd #my writing #alicent hightower #rhaenyra targaryen #rhaenicent #this is the very first snapshot scene of the first installment #i think there will be 3 in total

9 notes · View notes

jennyboom21 · 1 year ago

Text

Before Taylor Swift was sparking headlines about "squad goals" or attracting throngs of Hollywood stars to The Eras Tour, she and Dianna Agron were nearly inseparable.

The "Style" singer and "Glee" star became close in 2012 and were quickly identified in the media as "blonde BFFs." However, the following year, Swift and Agron suddenly seemed to lose touch. They haven't been spotted together since 2014.

Keep scrolling to see everything we know about the once-close pair.

They became friends while Swift was working on 'Red'

It's unclear how and when Swift and Agron met. In 2010 and 2011, Swift became friendly with "Glee" stars like Cory Monteith and Chord Overstreet, so it's possible the women were introduced by Agron's castmates. They both attended the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, but there's no evidence they interacted.

Swift and Agron were spotted in public for the first time on September 4, 2011 at a flea market in Los Angeles. Swift was between shows on the Speak Now World Tour, while Agron had recently wrapped a series of Glee Live! concerts.

By this time, we know that Swift was in the process of creating her fourth album because she had already written "All Too Well."

According to her diary excerpts (released alongside "Lover" in 2019), the beloved song was conceived in February 2011. She decided to name the album "Red" in September 2011.

Dianna Agron and Taylor Swift in 2012.

January 7, 2012: Agron tweeted that Swift looked 'beautiful' on the cover of Vogue

Swift was photographed by Mario Testino for the February 2012 issue of Vogue, for which she was given retro-style bangs. According to a behind-the-scenes video, the photoshoot took place on the eve of her 22nd birthday.

"Taylor looks all kinds of 70's beautiful....and love a hat! Great job," Agron wrote on Twitter, tagging both Vogue and Swift.

March 25, 2012: Swift and Agron went to see 'The Hunger Games' together

A group of fans snapped a photo with Swift and Agron at the theater during the movie's opening weekend.

April 12, 2012: Agron shut down rumors that she was in a 'love triangle' with Swift and Tim Tebow

For some reason, in early 2012, tabloids ran wild with a theory that Agron was dating NFL quarterback Tim Tebow while Swift was harboring a "puppy dog" crush on him.

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Agron quashed the rumors. She clarified that she had a "10-minute chat" with Tebow and hadn't seen him since.

Kimmel also asked her to address her relationship with Swift: "Are you dating her? That would be great."

"Wouldn't that be juicy?" Agron replied, blowing a kiss to the camera and adding, "Hi Taylor."

April 24, 2012: They wore vintage gowns and flower crowns to celebrate Shirley MacLaine's birthday

Swift, who costarred with MacLaine in the 2010 film "Valentine's Day," played dress-up with Agron and two more friends in honor of the actor's 78th birthday. The small group shared photos of the occasion on social media, though most have since been deleted.

"We dressed up full-time fancy and went out in celebration of Shirley MacLaine's birthday," Swift wrote on Twitter, per E! News.

"Had a long day & don't know what to celebrate later…? Because you need a moment to be young? Find your moments," Agron added in her own tweet.

April 28, 2012: Swift celebrated Agron's 26th birthday

Swift wore a tiger costume for Agron's circus-themed birthday party, which she called "the most magical night" on Twitter.

"The blonde BFFs have been spending a lot of time together as of late," E! News wrote.

May 15, 2012: They dined together in Los Angeles

Paparazzi caught Swift and Agron leaving Dominick's, an Italian restaurant in West Hollywood, after a Tuesday night dinner.

July 4, 2012: Swift and Agron spent the holiday in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts

Swift was spotted in the famous East Coast town during Fourth of July weekend, mostly hanging out at the Kennedy compound. She was accompanied by Agron and their friend Claire Kislinger (neé Winter), according to the Boston Herald and Us Weekly.

Kerry Townsend, the granddaughter of Ethel Kennedy, tweeted at the time: "Arrived at my Grandma's house to find her chilling with Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron. I hope I'm this cool when I'm 83!"

October 22, 2012: Swift released 'Red,' which includes a dedication to Agron

Swift is known for leaving coded messages for fans in the liner notes of her album. The secret message for "22" was four names: "Ashley Dianna Claire Selena."

In addition to Agron and Kislinger, these most likely refer to stylist Ashley Avignone and Selena Gomez. The song is about spending a carefree night with friends, though hints of ill-advised romance are sprinkled in: "You look like bad news / I gotta have you."

There could be another reference to Agron in the liner notes for "Everything Has Changed." The song's secret message is "Hyannis Port," where Swift spent some time with green-eyed Conor Kennedy that summer. ("All I've seen since 18 hours ago / Is green eyes and freckles and your smile," Swift sings.)

However, many fans have noticed that "Hyannis Port" is actually misspelled in the liner notes as "Hyiannis Port," which mirrors the spelling of Dianna (who also has green eyes).

The day that "Red" was released, Agron congratulated Swift on Twitter with a screenshot of her phone playing "Everything Has Changed."

December 3, 2012: Swift and Agron both attended the Ripple of Hope gala

Swift and Conor Kennedy reportedly split in October 2012 after a few months of dating. However, later that year, Swift was still honored with the Ripple of Hope Award from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights.

The annual gala was held at the Mariott Marquis in New York City. According to E! News, Swift had Agron "by her side" throughout the event. She also performed "Starlight," a song from "Red" that was inspired by Ethel and Bobby Kennedy.

"Was a beautiful night last night. The RFK foundation provides help to so many truly deserving," Agron tweeted. "Plus @taylorswift13 was truly lovely."

April 2013: A fake artice, which claimed Swift and Agron were dating, went semi-viral

Shortly after Swift embarked on the Red Tour, a doctored screenshot from a fake tabloid began circulating on Twitter. The headline from Stars Daily, which does not exist, said "Taylor Swift is in a new relationship...but it's not what you expected."

"Country pop singer Taylor Swift has confirmed being in a relationship with Glee star Dianna Agron," the fake article continued. "Lesbi-honest! Right after the rumors were confirmed, the two were spotted out on a dinner date." (The attached photo was from Swift and Agron's dinner at Dominick's in 2012.)

On April 23, 2013, "Skins" actor Dakota Blue Richards tweeted about the rumor: "So apparently Taylor Swift and Dianna Agron are dating. Sorry Brangelina, you just got taken over as the worlds hottest couple."

Neither Swift nor Agron publicly responded to the rumor. But Richards' reaction seemed to increase its virality, and the following day, Agron deleted her Tumblr.

"Thank you friends for following the journey," she wrote in her final post. "But as an old chapter closes, a new chapter begins."

September 4, 2013: Swift, Agron, and other friends went to a Fun. concert

"Modern Family" star Sarah Hyland shared a video from backstage at the Fun. concert, which took place at the Greek in Los Angeles. Swift is featured in the short clip, while Agron is briefly shown standing off to the side.

"Watching @OurNameIsFun live tonight at the Greek was unforgettable," Swift wrote on Twitter, per Taste of Country. "Such incredible musicians and showmen. It was just SO good."

Two days later, Agron also tweeted an inside joke about the concert, tagging Swift.

This seemed to be the last time they intentionally hung out (at least in public).

October 27, 2014: Swift released the deluxe version of '1989,' which includes a breakup song called 'Wonderland'

The lyrics of "Wonderland" clearly reference "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll. When Swift performed the "1989" deluxe track as a surprise song on The Eras Tour, she said it was a "twisted" take on the fairy tale.

In the song, Swift describes her muse as having green eyes and a "Cheshire Cat smile." She says they "fell down the rabbit hole" and got lost in Wonderland, all without considering the consequences.

"Haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds?" she sings in the pre-chorus, a reference to Alice's observation that "curiosity often leads to trouble."

Swift concludes in the bridge: "In the end, in Wonderland / We both went mad."

Some fans have drawn a connection between "Wonderland" and Agron, who has repeatedly tweeted about her love for Alice.

"I love 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'The Hobbit,'" Agron said in a 2011 interview with Elle. "Those books got me into reading and storytelling — I could escape to a different world."

Indeed, Agron reportedly had a Tumblr, deleted in 2013, that was called "felldowntherabbithole."

She also had a reference to "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" tattooed on her ribcage: "We're all mad here," which is a quote from the Cheshire Cat. Fans noticed that Agron was in the process of removing her tattoo in 2017.

November 23, 2014: They had a brief interaction at the 2014 American Music Awards

Although she spent most of the evening with Karlie Kloss, photographers did catch Swift having a moment with Agron at the 2014 AMAs, where she also performed her single "Blank Space."

This was the last time Swift and Agron were seen together in public. Notably, Agron did not appear among Swift's many celebrity friends in the 2015 "Bad Blood" music video, which seemed to confirm they were no longer close.

October 5, 2019: Agron went to 'SNL' when Swift was the musical guest

Agron was photographed leaving 30 Rock after "Saturday Night Live" finished filming. Swift was that night's musical guest — she performed "False God" and the title track from "Lover" — but there's no evidence she interacted with Agron inside.

May 7, 2023: Agron was asked about rumors that she and Swift were 'in a relationship'

During an interview with Rolling Stone, Agron was asked about her influence on Swift's music, specifically "22."

"Me? Oh, if only! That's more because of a friendship than being the inspiration for the song," she replied. "But I would not be the person to ask about that. I cannot claim that!"

The reporter also asked how Agron felt about being "shipped" with Swift, which he explained as, "You two were made out by the media and some fans to be in a relationship."

In response, Agron described the speculation as "so interesting."

"I… I mean, there have been many stories about my dating life that are so wildly untrue. That's funny," she said.

#Swiftgron x msm mention #gaylor swift x dianna agron #mainstream media x Swiftgron #Swiftgron 2023 #Swiftgron 2012 #Swiftgron 2013 #Swiftgron 2014

42 notes · View notes

glendajackson · 1 year ago

Text

RIP Glenda Jackson (1936-2023)

Glenda's love affair with acting began in her teens. Near Hoylake, in the North Country she comes from, there were three neighborhood cinemas, each showing two films a week. She hardly missed a one, and very quickly in her growing up, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford became her ideals.

They still are, and she longs to meet them. "They had incredible style and ability," she says. "They knew their medium and what they could do with it. They had a superb sort of arrogance. When they walked, they ground the poor beneath their heels." (When she was told of Glenda's devotion recently, Joan Crawford asked, "Who's Glenda Jackson?") Glenda remembers every film Joan Crawford made; and that she wore a different gown in every scene, no matter how humble the character she was playing. And, when her husband died, "the marvelous, tight-fitting black dress and widow's weeds she wore to the first board meeting of his company after the funeral."

For years, hunger was a commonplace in the lives of Roy and Glenda. They had five shillings (about 70 cents) between them when they were married 12 years ago. Their first flat was so inhospitable that they spent their nights in a "super four-poster," center stage in the London repertory theater where they were both working, and the bed was one of the props. An understanding carpenter would bring morning coffee when he awakened them. "It was the largest bedroom I ever slept in," says Roy.

It was the beginning of two years in which the only steady work either of them could get was waiting on tables, working in factories and pubs, selling in shops, where Glenda would steal little things like food or packages of razor blades that she could hide under her skirt. They don't apologize for this now. "It kept us alive," Roy says. "The terrible part about hunger" says Glenda, "is that you can never see when it will end."

Despite this hiatus in her career, Glenda has somehow managed to appear in about 200 productions, which could go far toward explaining why she is so skillful and adaptable as an actress. Often, when she was in repertory, she did a new play every week, seven shows plus morning and late-night rehearsals for next week. She would double as assistant stage manager, which meant sweeping out the theater at night, scrounging props and stage furniture, painting scenery.

Glenda was, she says, the first actress in London to go on stage completely nude. It was a play in which, incredibly, she was both Christine Keeler on her way to jail, and Jacqueline Kennedy at the funeral of her husband. Christine's bathtub, overturned, became the President's coffin. The whole skit lasted only four minutes.

Since then she has been willing to act in the nude, "as long as the purpose is not spurious or sensational." Clothes, she feels, like stage sets, often only hamper and distract from the action. "You can't equate nudity and sex," she says. "Actually, the greatest intimacy between two people doesn't depend at all on whether they can lie together naked."

What does she regard, then, as a convincing way to evoke intimacy? "Maybe a couple cutting their toenails. No one ever does that in public." In any event, she is delighted that "the whole enormous hang-up about sex is well and truly smashed, and a much saner attitude is around."

#glenda jackson #</3 #interview is from 1970

79 notes · View notes

taylorswiftstyle · 2 years ago

Text

TSS PREDICTIONS: 2023 GRAMMYS

I do have a tentative suspicion that Taylor will make an appearance at the 2023 Grammys, which are set for February 5. Taylor is nominated for four awards, but the biggest of them all is her SOTY nomination in the general field. This is one particular category at the Grammys that has eluded Taylor and god it would be so great if she won for “ATW10MV”.

Her other nominations are “IBYTAM” for Best Country Song, “Carolina” for Best Song for Visual Media, and the “ATW10MV” short film for Best Music Video. Given the obvious opportunity to nod to the RED era, I’m making my prediction choices based on paying that time period a modern homage rather than something that more obviously furthers the Midnights aesthetic.

With that in mind …

Alberta Ferretti Pre-Fall 2022

The inspiration for this look comes from the 2014 Grammys performance of “All Too Well” when Taylor wore a Pre-Fall 2013 gown by this same designer. It was such a special moment for Taylor and for us as fans to see this song come to be something greater than itself by being performed on music’s biggest stage. People who were not fans of Taylor’s may not have understood the decision to play one of the album’s deepest cuts, but isn’t it so wild almost a decade later to have a ten minute version of that song nominated for an award in the general field? And much like the bow design on this dress - what a gift winning that particular award for this particular song wearing this particular designer would be. There’s no other option but some big fluffy curls, a black winged liner, and a bold red lip - of course.

Michael Kors Spring 2023

This actually feels like a fun slideshow continuation of her gold 70s jumpsuit by The Blonds at the American Music Awards a few months ago. It ties into the current Midnights motif of sexy glam while obviously still being a very scarlet homage to RED. Super smoked out glam, a glossy red lip, and a slicked back bun would be great here.

Elie Saab Pre-Fall 2023

I could actually convincingly see this on Selena Gomez as well. The neck tie and floral embellishments seem up her girlish alley. But as we know, Taylor can rock the classically feminine styles so well. With the inclusion of the neck tie, I’d actually love to see a fun ponytail happen to go with the playful feel of the gown. Contrasting pink drop studs and a swipe of Dragon Girl (a watermelon red) for nostalgia would go with this so nicely.

Naeem Khan Spring 2023

It doesn’t feel quite like a Taylor predictions list unless I include a metallic. I can personally see Taylor turning this into a cap sleeve moment with big, teased hair and a dark, gunmetal smoky eye. Red lip, for once, optional.

Who do you hope Taylor wears to the Grammys (should she attend)?

#tss predictions

148 notes · View notes

dollsorwhatever · 2 years ago

Text

Finished up my Doctor Barbie/Quick Curl Barbie repro redress!!!

Pretty simple custom, she's wearing the 1979 Wedding Party fashion with some additions; yellow ribbon belt and choker with added daisies and seed beads, yellow shoes (also with added daisies- it was a huge bitch to sew them into the plastic shoe lol) and a full hair restyle, complete with daisy in her hair! So basically I just covered her with flowers and called it a custom but I'm proud of her anyway lol I've always been in love with the very heavy Edwardian influence in some 70's fashions, especially the trend of lingerie dress-inspired wedding gowns a la Laura Ashley, and once I styled Barbie's hair I knew she would be the perfect candidate for this kind of outfit! I've named her Edwardian Springtime Barbie and I think she'd be a kind of proto-Angel Face Barbie if she had been released in the 70's like this, or perhaps this would've made a nice Quick Curl fashion pack lol Alternative names could be: -Mary Lennox's Dead Aunt Barbie -Mary Poppins Gets a Girlfriend Barbie -and Phyllis Schlafly: Time Traveler Barbie (lol) Considering I have had this doll sitting on a shelf for over a year with no clothes and unstyled hair, I'm glad I could actually turn her into something and focus on dolls I already own instead of just...buying another one and ignoring the rest of my collection lol

#Barbie #vintage barbie #edwardian #lingerie dress #70's #quick curl barbie #1973 #1979

102 notes · View notes

calder · 8 months ago

Note

"I'd use a bullet on myself, but with all these critters an' mobsters about it feels a waste, don't it?" -Clutch, about why he hasn't killed himself

Clutch Connors is a human male that can be found in the area south of Connors Farm. When approached he will bark a series of quips in a random order, sometimes based on player statistics.

"Razorgrain, rays-or-grain. Heh, yeah. I'll take the grain any day of the week.

Whatever happened to bullfrogs?

You jack off with that arm Mister Meaty? (If the Sacrificial Lamb has a Strength score of 7 or higher.)

'S okay pardner, I'm not much for books either. (If the Sacrificial Lamb's Intelligence is 3 or lower.)

Met a guy named Fallout once, ugly motherfucker.

What the fuck is a cow anyways?

I'm a centrist, 'cept when 'm not.

Don't ask me about roads.

War... What was it about war...?

Please, kill me. Just fucking kill me. Do it before the shmuck with the buttons makes you walk away. Please. (Has a rare chance of occurring if the Sacrificial Lamb has the Wild Wasteland trait.)

Clutch is involved in the quest Saint James Infirmary Blues and is one of the escaped patients the Sacrificial Lamb is tasked with rescuing, while the quest is active, you can speak to him and at first he will be apprehensive about returning, the player can either use a Speech check of 40 to convince him to return, or state that they'll take him there by force, after which he will become immediately hostile. If the Sacrificial Lamb has a Medicine skill of 70 or has Frankie in their party, they can determine that Clutch is not a danger to himself or anyone around him, but unless they can also get Weezel to confess to struggling with gender dysphoria and convince Rhonda Simmons to stop taking Day Tripper to hide her autism, the quest will not be marked as complete until they either kill him or convince him to go back to Dr. Rollins.

After the conclusion of St. James Infirmary Blues where he stays at the farm, Clutch will be hostile to any entities hostile to the Sacrificial Lamb in the area, and the player can initiate dialogue with him where he opens up about his struggles with suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. After exhausting all dialogue options, every time the Sacrificial Lamb talks to Clutch, he has a chance to give a Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, Instamash, Pork n' Beans, Tin Can Grenade or Radweed Joint to them along with a random statement of gratitude.

Thank you for being my friend.

Thanks for not takin' me t' that funny farm.

Hey, I love you... don't make it weird.

Nobody's ever been that nice to me before, here, have this.

Hey, I like men too. (If the Sacrificial Lamb has the Black Widow perk)

Hey, I like men too... you're not my type, though. (If the Sacrificial Lamb has the Confirmed Bachelor perk)

From one motherfucker to another motherfucker, eh?

Hey don't tell Ma about this one. Heheh. (When giving a Radweed Joint)

If the Sacrificial Lamb instead takes him back to Dr. Rollins, he will be wearing a Patient's Gown and standing inside the New Unity Clinic, where if spoken to, he will normally be silent with the subtitles simply show "..." He has a small chance to whisper "Fuck you." and if the Sacrificial Lamb has the Wild Wasteland trait he can also say, "You know you'll lose Karma for this, right?" At the conclusion of the quest Bad Medicine, if Dr. Rollins is killed, he will sometimes stand over his corpse and talk to it with his arms crossed, regardless of if the Sacrificial Lamb kills Dr. Rollins or gets Ranger Sykes to arrest him, Clutch will eventually return to Connors Farm with his inventory reset, but will keep the barks from convincing him to return to the clinic.

Clutch's inventory contains a random amount of regular 10mm ammunition and one random special 10mm round (but he will have more if the Sacrificial Lamb has the Scrounger perk and kills him.) He is equipped with leather armor and a 10mm pistol. While staying at the New Unity Clinic, he is equipped with a patient gown and his inventory is empty.

Exhausting all of Clutch Connor's dialogue after completing Saint James Infirmary Blues without killing him or returning him to the clinic is essential to completing the Basket Case challenge and receiving its related perk.

Trivia

Clutch almost recites the classic phrase "War never changes." found throughout the Fallout series, but forgets the rest of the sentence.

His apprehension regarding the subject of roads may be a reference to players in Fallout: New Vegas being able to ask characters about the NCR-Legion conflict, where many of them will bring up the safety of roads. (citation needed)

His Wild Wasteland dialogue in the New Unity Clinic is a reference to Karma, a statistic that tracked the morality of players' actions in previous Fallout games.

Mister Meaty was the name of a puppet show that briefly aired on Nickelodeon from 2007-2008.

Glitches

Prior to Patch 1.03, Clutch would become immediately hostile to the Sacrificial Lamb upon starting Saint James Infirmary Blues.

Prior to Patch 1.17, Clutch would sometimes be dead of a gunshot wound if the Sacrificial Lamb approached him and then left Connors Farm without starting or completing Saint James Infirmary Blues. Using console commands to warp directly to the farm from the clinic will show that he was meant to be shooting at tin cans on a fence, but because the cans have no collision until picked up, if a caravan is walking by, he can hit one of the caravan guards, traveling merchants or pack brahmin, causing them to turn hostile and kill him before returning to their route.

Clutch will sometimes use the same combat barks as the Stargazer cultists or Infected Commandos

Clutch will sometimes say one of his perk or item dependent lines when giving the Sacrificial Lamb Pork n' Beans, regardless of if they have the prerequisite perk and not receiving a Radweed Joint.

If Dr. Rollins is spawned in front of Clutch after killing him during the quest Bad Medicine using console commands, he will still talk to him as if he was dead.

this seems to be an entertainment-oriented article for a bunch of fallout that doesnt exist. i have no idea of the context or joke but this was a fun read, thank you !

#'i knew a guy named fallout' is kinda sending me

13 notes · View notes

an-abyss-of-stars · 1 year ago

Text

☮ Rhaemond 70s Era Fic ☮

The year is 1978, 22yr old Rhaena Targaryen, is a singer/songwriter on tour in the States with her band Black Star. A folksy/bluesy rock band with music that rushes waves of ecstasy and ethereal beauty over whatever size crowd they play for. Rhaena graces the stage with all the grace and majesty of a fairy Princess or a glorious Goddess-like enchantress. Silver tresses and colourful flowing cape-like gowns that twirl and spiral with her every move, her sleeves hang like wings and flow as such as she spins and glides across the stage. She's known for losing herself in her music, as if she leaves her body on the stage and ascends to a higher place, her voice hypnotizing and mesmerizing her audience.

She's a marvel.

She's unreal.

A must see live.

With songs that spoke of mythical tales, dragons and burning lands, magic and royalty. And yet the song that was topping the charts recently was about a tortured lover, a dark figure who could not be shaken no matter how hard she tried. It was a song that left her screaming soaring notes out into the air, with so much anguish and internal rot, her rasping notes playing on par with the ripping final guitar solo.

And yet, the effervescent Rhaena Targaryen was not romantically tied to anyone, as far as the public knew.

They couldn't place the man she spoke of, but her emotional tale still ripped at the audience just right, connecting the feeling and the emotion...an unrequited love gone wrong.

An aggressively beautiful voice paired with the perfect music backing her. With a band that consisted with her as their lead vocalist, her twin sister Baela as both vocals and their lead guitarist, their half-sister Aemma as the keyboardist as well providing backing vocals with her other half-sister Aerea their bassist. Rounding out the band were Rhaena's two cousins, Aegon as their drummer and Daeron as their 2nd guitarist.

Black Star as a band and their music, was a growing sensation. So much so that Rolling Stones magazine had sent their very best writer to cover them, someone who reluctantly knew the genre well...knew the band even better...and after analyzing the lyrics, was quite certain he knew who that popular song was really about...

In 1978, 24yr old Aemond Targaryen, had worked his way up the writers ranks at Rolling Stones magazine. He'd always been an avid lover of music and culture, and while he could hold his own decently enough on guitar, it was more of a private activity as opposed to a career path. No, his talents lay on the written page, with his added photography skills. In his time at Rolling Stones he'd had the opportunity to interview some of the best the 70s had to offer. From Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac, Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Dio, Buck Dharma of Blue Öyster Cult and even Donna Summer.

He'd worked his way from covering lower up and coming musicians and bands to meeting some of the greats. So it was to his surprise and slight disappointment when his chief editor slapped down a newspaper on his desk that read in bold letters "Black Star Shooting All The Way To The Top" and asked him to immediately jump on the task.

Maybe it was because he hadn't heard that band name in years...ignored it purposely for 4 years to be exact. Maybe it was because the moment his brothers had told him they were moving to Germany to "solidify their sound-" he stopped listening all together. Burning at the fact that his pretty little cousin...the one woman he wanted to stay within his orbit...was moving across the world to a whole nother continent, let alone country, just to get away from him.

Possibly it was because Aemond had been the one who fucked all it up to begin with. He'd been an idiot then, told her he loved in a letter...only for her to drive up just to see him making up with his on again off again girlfriend, Alys Rivers.

Rhaena had never let him explain, she wouldn't hear a word of the truth, the fact that Alys had practically lunged onto him, kissed like it would be forever. Only to turn around and dump him the week afterwards, Alys had said it was because "his heart wasn't in it", and truthfully it never was...

Only, Rhaena was back. And now there was a song playing on the radio, one that seared through him as it practically detailed the whole of their backforth relationship. There were technically three songs about him to be exact, although the other two seemed far more covert in their delivery. And now he was being forced to follow her...and the band…on their tour for their final 3 shows. Rolling Stones wanted it all, close and personal candid shots, interviews with the whole band, but most importantly he was meant to shine a light on their mysterious enchanting lead singer. To have her decode the songs and lyrics on their latest record.

If Aemond could look past the bitter sting of regret and the annoyance of how fate seemed to be weaving his life around. Then maybe he could see this for what it was, an opportunity to win her back...just maybe…

#aemond x rhaena #rhaena x aemond #hotd fic #hotd fanfic #aemond targaryen #rhaena targaryen #rhaemond #modern au Rhaemond #i have absolutely NO idea when I'll actually start writing this 😂😂#but i really dig the concept #so hopefully this rather long synopsis is good enough for now 😂😂#i also couldn't narrow myself down to 1 or 2 mood boards SO i used 3 😂#like i haven't entirely nailed down the character looks i want for this one?#like do they have regular Targaryen/Valyrian features in this?#do they have regular hair colours and 70s era hairstyles?#many questions 😂😂

51 notes · View notes

swampythesweetsketch · 1 year ago

Text

I wanted to open my dumb mouth and now there is words spilling out. And I'm eepy so take these au bullet points for tonight. I'll draw her in the morning.

Fem!Wu AU

Her name is Oolong. Her dad knew well ahead of time of her being addicted to tea.

She dresses a bit more provocative than canon Wu cause being a immortal, good looking chick is a pro.

When she severed the tie with Garmadon that kept her young- that was a con.

Now looks to be a fashionable 70 looking year old woman.

Wears the usual get up, but more a gown/kimono than a robe. Her hat has a mesh with sewn-in tea plant blossoms.

Met the Ninja in the opposite order. Kai and Nya first cause Oolong wanted to see her bestie (Maya) and found the kiddos home alone.

Then Zane as she was trying to hire help, since she then went back and forth to keep track of the kiddos. He was hired, and then made a student when Kai lost his patience at work.

Jay was found in a junkyard not of his own and was dug out of a collapsed pile by Zane and Oolong. They went there to yet Nya building scrap and came back with a sad sop.

Cole was last, crying his eyes out during a birthday party his dad was hosting. But it only had his dad's rich friends and their bratty kids, and it was hard enough being there when it was the same day his mom died. Oolong popped in as an old friend and convinced Cole to sneak out the back door with her since Lou wasn't trying to cheer up his son.

Oolong and Misako hate each other. And not for the og love triangle, Oolong suspected Misako only being into Garmadon for gaining ancient history tidbits not accessible in history books.

Misako told a really inappropriate joke about Oolong's attachment to Garmadon, which resulted in a heated argument and Garm left with Misako as a result.

Oolong treats Nya really well, as if she was her own daughter. The boys don't get that same treatment, and Kai especially hates it.

He thinks Oolong is going to kick him out and keep Nya.

In truth, Oolong just hasn't recovered from her brother deserting her to be with Misako and has a misguided distrust towards brother figures.

Her strictness with the boys keep them in line.

When Lloyd gets involved, she shuts down from the massive abandonment issues Garmadon gave her.

She wanted to get rid of Lloyd, but ultimately took him in cause Misako's absence screamed volumes to her.

#ninjago #au #fem wu au #idk what ti rly call this one

28 notes · View notes

threeletterslife · 2 years ago

Text

29 | Legends of Darlaria

⨰ summary: You wake up in yet another unfamiliar place. This time, however, these strangers seem to recognize you. With your previous judgments and aspirations thrown out the window, you're now forced to face where your loyalties really lie. Who will you betray? And which General will you choose to stand by his side?

⨰ pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15

⨰ genre: 70% angst, 30% fluff | war!au & magic!au

⨰ warnings: profanity

⨰ wordcount: 3.5k

⨰ join the taglist! (pm/send in an ask/reply/reblog)

⨰ previous | series m.list | next

⧖⧗Circa Opal⧗⧖

Tread carefully. But maybe not too carefully. Those in power have a knack for smelling fear.

So you decide not to smile when the Darlaean General enters your chambers, but you do give him a small nod of acknowledgment. For a second, it’s silent as both of you take in the other’s appearance. Today, he’s in all-black: black slacks, black dress shirt, black leather boots. The only thing he’s wearing that isn’t black is the silver sparkle of the handle of his sword—the one that always sits sheathed in his belt. The one you swore flashed a strange, royal blue light at you the last time you saw him. With his impossibly perfect posture and towering stature, he looks intimidating. But you must be imagining it because he’s actually smiling. Not with his teeth, but it’s enough to slightly lift the corners of his lips and put a little glint in his dark eyes.

“It suits you,” he says, gesturing toward your gown. “Purple has always looked good on you.”

“Thank you,” you say in an even tone. You glance back at the mirror again, turning slightly around to see what you can do about the clasps in the back.

“Please, allow me.”

In three swift steps, the Darlaean General’s standing behind you, taking the clasps from your hands into his own. They’re surprisingly cold, but you don’t dare to offend him by flinching. So you stay as still as possible as he meticulously hooks each one together. Then, he takes the loose sage green ribbon around your waist and ties a neat bow, quite gently, too, as if to make sure you have plenty of room to breathe. “Is this fine?” he asks in a quiet voice.

“Yes,” you breathe, aware of how close he is to you. Is it wrong to think that this moment reminds you of when Yoongi helped you put on your necklace? The last time this had happened, you’d felt a little too warm and flustered. This time, though you can sense the intimacy of the Darlaean General’s actions, you feel nothing yourself. Maybe Doyun is right. Maybe he does still love you. In that case, what an awkward time the rest of this night will be.

The door opens once more, which startles you so much that you subconsciously step away from the Darlaean General. (You hope he doesn’t notice.) Your lady-in-waiting comes in, pushing a silver cart filled to the brim with steaming dishes. The delectable waft of scent reaches your nose in an instant, making your mouth water. Behind her, four men come in, dressed in similar attire. Two of them carry a large, wooden table while the other two carry two plush-looking armchairs. They set up the dinner quickly, positioning the table and chairs in the middle of your room and placing the silver platters, dishes and silverware on top of a mauve tablecloth. Before you can even tell them your thanks, they leave. Almost as if they’re ghosts, never meant to be seen.

The Darlaean General pulls out your chair for you, and you sink into it, muttering a soft, “Thank you.”

He nods, then walks to the other side of the table where his chair is. He sits, then immediately pours himself a glass of red wine. When he notices you staring, he pauses. “Would you like to try some?” he asks. “You’ve never been a fan of alcohol, but maybe your tastes have changed.”

“They haven’t,” you assure him. You’ve had sips of Takju in Solaria over the years but only to fit in during social situations. It was never to drink your issues away or drink to solely get drunk.

The Darlaean General slowly raises his wine glass and sips. “Well then,” he says, gesturing toward the food. “Help yourself.”

You don’t need to be told twice; to spare yourself the awkwardness of talking to this man in front of you, you’ll dive into the food. It looks like today, you’ve also been spared meat. There is an arugula and spinach salad topped with pomegranate seeds, strawberries and dried cranberries, drizzled with a heady balsamic vinaigrette that looks like a beautiful start to your dinner. A spiced carrot and lentil soup sits steaming in a small cauldron, waiting to be tasted, and next to it is a pot of what you think is tea—a palate cleanser. But the main course today seems to be the roasted butternut squash and sweet potatoes, sprinkled with some sort of crumbled nut and lemon zest. The fresh, citrusy smell of the lemon sauce they’d poured onto the dish is enough to have you reach for it first, before trying the appetizers or the tea.

The food is delicious—just as it smells. Of course, in the back of your mind, you think of the frequent toilet trips afterward due to the richness of the food that your stomach hasn’t yet gotten used to. But it’s almost worth it. You eat steadily but without a single moment of hesitation, and for several embarrassing minutes, you forget that you have the Darlaean General in front of you, watching quietly as you dine ferociously. When you come to the realization that it has been completely silent except for your own chewing and crunching, your mind scrambles to find something to talk about to fill the awkward silence. Talking about the food seems to be the safest bet, the only thing you and the Darlaean General seem to have in common for now. But before you can open your mouth, he speaks.

“I didn’t think you’d accept my invitation,” he says, slicing through the seasoned sweet potato on his plate. He stops momentarily to stare at you across the table. But it’s not really an intimidating stare, though it almost feels like it. He just seems more curious. So you decide to entertain an answer.

“Well, I didn’t really think I had any reason to reject it,” you reply, setting down your silverware to take a sip of your ice water.

The man nods. “I should’ve known that even after spending all that time with those helluvians, you’d still be kind. You always were.”

You can’t help the frown that creases your forehead. But the Solarians are kind, too. In fact, they showered you in kindness when you lived there for three years. How could he be so wrong? But then again, you suppose the Solarians only showed you kindness because they thought you were one of them. Had they realized you were actually of Darlaean blood, they would’ve tortured and killed you a long time ago. Like the war prisoner with the boxy smile.

Oh. You feel a sudden pang of grief in your chest thinking about him. So you hadn’t been going crazy after all. He had recognized you! And to his despair, you hadn’t. You wonder now if he thought you were acting, if you were putting up a show to assassinate the Solarian General and bring home victory. But he could’ve also thought you sold out Darlae, and that’s what it really looked like when you saw his face: the hurt, the betrayal.

“I’m sorry,” the Darlaean General says, breaking you out of your thoughts. He must’ve noticed your contorted face. “They treated you with kindness; I understand. It’s been hard to let go, I imagine.”

You look up at him, wondering if he’s tricking you into revealing more than you have to. But as soon as you think that thought, you scold yourself. How could you be like that? He’s obviously being genuine; he was your lover, for fuck’s sake. He’s only worried—simply sympathizing with you, not fishing for information. So what else can you do but tell the truth: “It has been difficult,” you confess. “I’ve been confused, mostly. Sad, too. But… But, yes, well, I’m trying to get used to things around here, and it’s going…Well, it’s going…” you trail off. “I’m sorry, did I keep a bird?”

Your abrupt question catches both you and the Darlaean General off-guard as the both of you stare at each other, wide-eyed. Then, you’re laughing nervously, shaking your head at your stupid blunder. “I saw a birdcage earlier when I was exploring my room, so I was curious,” you say attempting to explain yourself.

To your relief, the Darlaean General smiles. And this smile is wider than the one you saw earlier; it’s enough to melt away his intimidating exterior. For a split second, you finally see the man you saw in your dreams in him. But it goes away as quickly as it came. “You had a pet phoenix,” the Darlaean General says in an even tone. “A delicacy around here, especially here in the 12th city. But you saved it from the royal butcher when you were young.”

“A phoenix?” You cock your head.

“A bird made of fire,” he explains. “A bird of much controversy. They say the helluvians cursed the common Darlaean blackbird, which created the phoenix. We eat them to get rid of them, but they can be quite invincible.”

There’s an unsettling feeling that begins to grow in your stomach. “What happened to the phoenix I used to keep around?”

“We didn’t eat it, Y/N,” the Darlaean General says. “I never let them touch him. I know how much the bird meant to you. We’ve frozen him to keep him safe from hunters.”

“Frozen?” you gasp.

“It won’t kill him,” he says. “It keeps him in a stable state. If we were to… defrost him, he would still be fine. As I’ve said, his kind is quite invincible.”

“But the Darlaeans have found a way to kill them?” you ask, feeling a little sick at the mention of dead birds but unsure of how else to continue the conversation.

“Well, yes,” the Darlaean General says. “We have found a way to kill them. But let us not focus on those details. You often get squeamish when we talk death and gore during our meals.”

“We ate together quite often, didn’t we?” you say, almost apologetically (and also quite thankful that he insisted on a topic change without your asking).

“Every night,” he says, though he doesn’t smile this time. “After three years, we’ve rekindled our tradition. It’s nice,” he says. But both of you know it’s really not. You can’t tell by the look on his face since he keeps every facial muscle so still, but you can tell by the way he says it, his posture, too. Or maybe it’s intuitive. Maybe you’ve been with him for so long that even after you lose your memories, you still know how to read his body language.

“It is nice,” you agree, though nothing truly nice has happened yet for you to declare so.

Silence.

Now you really can’t eat another spoonful of anything. The awkwardness pierces through the air like a knife—and it’s not a butter knife but a butcher knife that does it. So you sit with your clammy hands folded in your lap, wondering for the umpteenth time that if you hadn’t fought so hard to attend the battles, you wouldn’t be here. It’s a selfish thought to have, considering that the man desperate enough to risk his nation’s victory to bring you back is sitting right in front of you. But things will all be better when I get my memories back. It’s what you’ve been telling yourself whenever you miss Solaria. When you get your memories back, maybe you won’t think about Solaria as much anymore. Maybe it’ll all feel like a faraway dream. Just as how you dreamed of Darlae when you lived in Solaria.

“I hope it hasn’t been too boring here alone,” the Darlaean General says, and you can tell he’s trying hard to make the conversation sound natural, which makes you want to try harder as well.

“I’ve been entertaining myself,” you say, opting to keep your answer a little vague to avoid telling him about your thoughts about Yoongi and your conversations with Doyun (which might put you behind bars in their hospital wing for all you know). “I read one of the stories from a book I found on my desk. Guseul’s Hill? From Tales of the Blackwoods?”

The Darlaean General nods in recognition. “You cherished that book,” he says. Sometimes, it feels like he’s talking to a dead version of you, reminiscing on the lost memories. It makes you feel strange. “Did you enjoy it?” he asks. “Guseul’s Hill.”

“I did,” you say, which is the truth. “It was lovely, though a little sad at first. It reminded me…” you trail off, realizing that you simply cannot tell the General of the Darlaean Army that a Darlaean tale reminded you of Solarian stories.

But he seems to understand what you didn’t say, anyway. He nods, face darkening just slightly. “I’m glad they treated you well.”

You look up—a little too quickly—and meet his dark eyes immediately. “O-Oh,” you whisper, unsure what else to say. Does he expect you to agree with him? But that seems like the wrong move, somehow.

“You don’t have to say anything,” the Darlaean General says. He finally sets his silverware down and daintily dabs the corners of his lips with a dark cloth. “Not if you don’t want to. We used to sit in silence quite often.”

You hate that you find it hard to believe him. And even though his invitation of sitting in comfortable silence sounds quite tempting, you know that the silence would be anything but comforting. So, you decide to ask the lingering question that had been on your mind since you’d met him (or re-met him, you suppose).

“How are you able to read my mind?”

You’re genuinely curious. Is it a little Darlaean trick? Did you use to be able to read his mind? Is that how the two of you would be able to sit in silence but have entire conversations with each other?

A small smile cracks on his lips again. “I can’t,” is his answer. “But I tend to read things that are intangible.”

“Oh,” you say, but now you have more questions than you began with.

“You must have more questions.”

He’s doing it again. How does he do it so well? Are you that easy to read?

“I’ll stop,” he offers, “if it’s unsettling.” He searches your face for signs of discomfort.

“Oh, no,” you say, shaking your head. “It’s just surprising. That’s all. I… I imagine we used to communicate a lot in silence?”

“Yes,” he says. There’s something nostalgic about the way he says that single word. He must be thinking about all of those silent conversations. And for a second, you feel a pang of guilt.

“I’m sorry,” you say.

His eyebrows twitch, but that’s the only sign of surprise he gives. “Don’t apologize.”

“But how can I not?” you ask.

“Because it wasn’t your fault,” he replies. It’s the most merciful thing you’ve heard him say.

“But how would you know that? I surely can’t remember what happened. I surely don’t know how I ended up in Solaria with their uniform on my body. What if it is my fault?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the Darlaean General says.

“But it does,” you say. “I-I’m a stranger to you. I’m not who I was before. And even worse, I betrayed Darlae. I-I—”

“I’ve forgiven you,” he interjects.

Your eyes widen. And for a few seconds, you’re speechless. “But…”

“You’re hard on yourself,” he says. “Even now.”

“Because even if you forgive me,” you say, “it wouldn’t undo the pain I’ve caused the Darlaeans…” You hesitate. “M-My…My own people.”

“You’ll make it up to them,” he replies. “After you regain your memories.”

But it’s not that simple, you want to say. It can’t be that simple. As soon as you recall your life in Darlae, you’re supposed to forget about Solaria? Just like that? How can you create plans against your friends? Against Yoongi?

Maybe if you were to lose your memories of your time in Solaria, things would be easier. But you would never bargain away what you have… had with Yoongi. You would never bargain away those memories, those feelings, those early mornings and late nights. It’s a traitorous thought, and the guilt must be plastered all over your face because the next thing you know, the Darlaean General speaks again.

“You’ve always enjoyed fairytales,” he says. “We used to read them together in the castle libraries.” His speech slows down as he begins to recall the events in his mind. “If no one stopped us, we could’ve spent circas inside, just reading.”

You’re thankful that he’s changing the topic for you. In a strange way, he really does seem to care about your comfort. You respond with a polite smile, “I suppose some things never change. Do you still read often?”

“Not as much as before,” the Darlaean General replies. “When I do, it’s mostly history books and strategy sheets. But I was never an avid fairytale reader like you. I stuck to my textbooks and encyclopedias, which you claimed were tedious.” There’s a lilt to his voice that makes you think he’s joking, but you can never be too sure with him. How does he always speak without a single lick of emotion on his face?

“You must have a great deal of knowledge, then,” you say. “A walking encyclopedia, if you will.”

His lips twitch upwards; it’s not even a full smile, but the single movement makes you feel pleased with yourself. If he’s reacting to your joke, he mustn’t hate you! (At least, you hope so.) He’s just a little hard to crack, to get to know. So for the rest of the evening, you attempt to keep the conversation in good spirits. Yet, the atmosphere still feels askew.

By the time the Darlaean General excuses himself from the dinner, telling you that he doesn’t want to invade your time and space any more than he already has, it is dark outside and you’re mentally exhausted. Turns out, it is extremely difficult to keep a conversation from becoming tense and uncomfortable. You’re sure he’s exhausted, too.

You stand behind the clear glass, fingers grazing against it. It’s ice cold to the touch. Your hand draws back instinctively, but you stay behind the window, gazing outwards. The moon looks further away tonight, despite the fact that you should be closer to it, so far above the ground. And far away, past the dark outlines of the orchard you saw the day before, there are twinkling lights of a nearby sector. They shine in mostly dim yellows and muted reds; from your position in the castle, they look like little fires. If you squint hard enough, you can make out the silhouettes of the Darlaean homes with their strangely sloped roofs and tall statures. If it weren’t so foreign, it would’ve been a beautiful sight. Calming in its own way.

The moonlight washes over your chambers, bathing the furniture, the walls, the floors in its shine. When you turn around to stare, your back against the cold window, you realize how homely it feels. Or maybe you’re out of your mind. You must be drunk in the moonlight; you’d often work under it back home—no—back in Solaria. So there’s no doubt that it brings you comfort now, even in a different nation.

You lethargically crawl into your bed, body already sinking into the mattress; yet sleep avoids you. Your mind naturally drifts to your recent conversation with the Darlaean General. It hadn’t been as bad as you thought it would be; but then again, you thought it would be terrible. It shouldn’t be a surprise that your low expectations were surpassed. Still, he seems like a reasonable man—dare you say a good person (at least to his nation and the people he cares about).

But you can’t imagine having loved him.

There’s a heavy feeling that settles in your gut the moment that thought enters your head. But you can’t help it! He’s… stiff. So rigid. He feels like a person pretending to have a heart. Oh, how mean of you to think that! But to compare him to Yoongi, who pretends like he doesn’t feel much yet wears his heart on his sleeve, who cried when his lieutenant passed, who confessed his feelings for you—

You shouldn’t make such comparisons.

How many times do you have to tell yourself? Things with Yoongi are over.

But you can’t help it.

Even when sleep eventually ends up overtaking your senses, the last thing on your mind is him.

⨰ previous | series m.list | next

⨰ a/n: :))) what do you think of the darlaean general so far?

please consider telling me your thoughts with a comment, an ask or a reblog :) i love hearing readers' impressions/rambles/predictions! if you want to join the taglist, send in a private message, ask, reply to this post or reblog with your request!

54 notes · View notes