#mari knows herself well enough to know she will fuck shit up

[maneskinwh0re]

“one more word.” ~ butch!wolverine x ladypool!reader this is just a wlw honda odyssey scene bc i need butch wolverine to be real. i also aimed to write them in character! give feedback babes plsssss

cw: outdated cultural references, fourth wall breaking, nsfw, blood, f!ngering, strap!sex, idk just lotta gay shit xx

wc: 4.3k...👁️👁️

"get. in the fucking. car."

"it'll get you there safe and sound!" nicepool reassures with a loving pat to the top of the grey honda odyssey. "lil betsy always does." his eyes then fall to dogpool, who is held tightly in your arms. "you're gonna have to give me my dog back, though..."

"i know," you reply matter-of-factly. "listen-" you start before mary puppins places a paw on your hand. "yes, child... if you ever want to give her up or if she needs a new home, or if something should happen to you, i'd love to be her mama."

nicepool only wheezes at your remark. "what would ever happen to me?"

"lots of stuff," you reply with a shrug, smiling innocently under your red mask.

as soon as he realizes your seriousness, his smile fades and looks to the older woman standing to his right in an ask for help. the wolverine lets out a huff as she pushes herself off the honda and moves to grab the dog from your grasp.

"n-no! we're running away- agh- the corn was too dense, girl!" you say in apologies to mary puppins and watch sadly as laura hands the you-variant over to the other, nicer-you-variant.

you begrudgingly get in the passenger seat of the shitty car, waving goodbye to dogpool. the obnoxious sound of you singing "we'll meet again" is muffled by the car windows as laura drives you both away.

time passes. maybe 15 minutes, maybe an hour. doesn't matter, reader— don't worry about it. you haven’t been paying attention to the time because you’ve been sneaking quick gazes at the wolverine in the driver’s seat to your left. the way her brown hair curls up on either sides of her head looks so cute. yet the way her large, gloved hands grip the steering wheel causes your mind to wander other places. all you know now is there’s been a lingering thought poking at your brain since you picked this wolverine up from that bar in her universe.

"okay i'm just gonna ask. what's with the suit? first thing i did when i flamed out: i took mine off."

"drop it." laura mutters.

"it's not that ugly..."

"stop talkin about my suit."

"did you make it yourself? been there!"

"quit. now." the tension in her voice is rising.

"the x-men make you wear it? those sons of fuckin bitches. they are not your friends, i'll tell ya that. friends don't let friends leave the house looking like they fight crime for the los angeles rams-"

"shut the fuck up about the suit," she snaps.

"woahwoahwoah watch your frown lines, angel baby." you back off, lifting your hands in a motion of surrender. "i'm just trying to bond a little bit-"

"yeah? well then talk about something else."

"fine!"

there's an uncomfortable silence between you two, only for a moment before you play around, making spiderman web motions with your gloved hands. you just can’t help but annoy the woman next to you, it’s too much fun. it’s like your duty as passenger princess.

"stop it," she snaps again soon enough.

"why? don't wanna get distracted seeing my fingers in this motion?" you tease, moving your middle and ring finger back and forth. laura only scoffs at the sexual innuendo. "ahh, the natural hand position of the sapphics." you turn to look out the car window and make eye contact with the reader. "is that why so many masc lesbians are obsessed with spiderman? i guess only earth-616 knows the correlation..."

and wait- if i'm supposedly you, the reader, but as ladypool-- then how am i breaking the fourth wall? gasp! a fourth wall break inside a fourth wall break... that's like- sixteen walls... am i talking to myself? or talking to myself? whatever. anyway i know why you're here, you slut. let's make conversation by pushing wolvie's buttons some more, yeah?

"if they could fix your world, what's the first thing you're gonna do when you get outta here? some rubbing alcohol shots? maybe a wiper fluid chaser?"

laura's gaze slowly turns to you. "what did you say?"

"i said when you get back, what's the first thing you're gonna do-"

"no no, before that."

"if-" you catch yourself. shit. "-they can fix your world?"

with an aggressive slam on the break, your seatbelt doesn't even have time to prevent your head from colliding with the dashboard. and as the car stops, you know there's nothing that can save you from the rage behind wolverine's tone.

"what do you mean if?" she asks through gritted teeth, body fully turned to face you.

"i mean-"

"you lied to me. you don't have a fucking clue if they could help me fix things. do you?"

"no, but i mean-" you start to defend yourself before three metal claws impale your thigh, and probably extend under you all the way through to your seat. "agh- fuck! fuck! i didn't lie!"

"you lied!"

"no! i made an educated wish!"

laura only tilts her head at your defense, eyebrows furrowing.

"because i need you," you continue as you unfold the photo that was in your pocket and hold it up for her to see. "this is why. right here. cause if we don't do something, they die. i don't know anything about saving worlds, and why would i even care? cause my entire world is right here in this picture. it's only nine people, and i have no idea how to save it alone. i know how to fuck people up for money but you- YOU know how to save them... at least the other wolverine did-" at that last comment, laura twists her claws in your thigh, striking enough pain for more curses to escape your mouth. "f-fuck! ah- i guess i'm stuck with the worst one-"

"did you just say you made an educated... fucking wish?"

"they call me the merc with the mouth. they don't call me truthful timmy the blowjob queen of sass catoo-"

the three metal blades are quickly removed from your thigh only to be brought up next to your face. laura's shaky breath exercises seem to be the only thing keeping her from slicing you apart.

"one more word... please, give me one." her guttural voice is a low warning. you wait a moment as if thinking to a random word generator in your brain.

"~gubernatorial~" you say simply before cowaring behind flailing arms when laura prepares to stab you in the face, only fake you out. her breaths are deeper, more steady as if she's trying to calm herself.

"you know what? you're a fucking joke... no wonder the avengers didn't take you, or the x-men or fuckin anyone. i mean you are a ridiculous, immature, half-wit moron. i have never met a sadder, more attention-starved, jabbering, little prick in my entire life. and that says a lot 'cause i've been alive for over two hundred fucking years." the volume in her voice begins to rise with each word, striking your emotions further and further as you sit there speechless, yet her anger keeps rising. "and i'll tell ya- that villain chick was right about one thing: you will NEVER save the world. you couldn't even save a relationship with a goddamn stripper! and motherfucker i wish i could say you'd die alone, but it's one of GOD'S best jokes that you can't die! except that's all on all of US!"

she hits nerve after nerve. the pain in your chest hurts too fucking bad. you are not only speechless, you never want to speak again. you have millions of words to say yet none at all.

how fucking dare she bring up vanessa like that? who does laura think she is? no fucking hero, that's for goddamn sure.

"you got nothing to say, mouth?" she asks, almost out of breath from yelling accusations.

all you can manage to say is one sentence. and she doesn’t even fucking deserve the warning too. "i'm gonna fight you now."

wolverine only snorts, a pitiful laugh towards your remark. "oh, are you?"

you take note how a quick punch to her nose shuts her right up, and watch in satisfaction how blood trickles out her nostril down to her upper lip. your small victory is cut short by her fist colliding to the same spot on your own nose. she pushes you to the window and grabs the back of your mask, then slams your face down onto the center head unit multiple times. different radio stations flick back and forth as you make contact with the buttons and nozzles, eventually landing on a song from the original 'grease' soundtrack.

♡ last gore x nsfw warning !! :3 ♡

you lift your hand to grab one of your swords but another punch to the cheek causes your vision to cloud. by the time you come to your senses, laura has buckled your seatbelt and is digging her left claw into your stomach, twisting her hand slowly.

“not talkin’ now, are ya?” she growls before withdrawing her claws and moving to stab you again. pulling the lever on the side of your car seat, you fall backwards to quickly dodge her blow. you kick your foot against her shoulder to keep her back, and then tightly wrap your legs around her head. another three blades enter your side in a sudden motion, causing you to release your chokehold.

“agh! you dirty bitch!” you shout before kicking her out the front windshield of the honda. you laugh and point as she rolls and tumbles through the leaves and dirt. as soon as she gets up, you unsheathe your swords while she sprints back to you. she’s a fucking animal—ramming herself into the front of the car, causing the airbag to go off on your stomach and send you flying back into the reclined seat.

laura jumps through the broken windshield and lands claws first on top of your already bloodied body. slash after slash, you both further each others’ injuries until you flip laura over and pin her down to the seat. there is surprise in her eyes with a hint of something else that you can’t quite pinpoint. trying to catch your breath, she only looks up at you with a ratted smile, as if amused to see you attempting to kill her. blood stains her face and fanged teeth, and her short hair is tangled and damp with sweat. fuck—it’s a sight. with your elbow against her chest, you’re still close enough to smell her alcohol-tainted breath.

“need a mint, you preening slut?” you ask before you are flying through the sunroof of the honda and falling to the ground outside the car. after kicking yourself up, your little wolvie gestures for you to come back with a simple hand wave behind the window. who are you to keep her waiting? throwing the swords over your shoulders, you take out your baby knives before running back to the car and jumping through the window.

broken glass and blood is everywhere, but neither of you care. you’re both having too much fun trying to murder the other as you take turns regenerating. it’s a pointless waste of time and energy. a total meaningless circle of fighting and healing.

you pin laura through the broken windshield and onto the front hood of the car, stabbing her shoulder and arms repeatedly with a knife. the sleeves of her suit eventually fall apart, fabric scattering and leaving her muscular arms to your gaze. so clearly you’re distracted. she grabs your wrist behind her and heaves your arm over her head to hold you in her place for a moment to catch her breath.

she then drags you by the belt from across the car and holds you down with her body in the back seat. her claws sink through the red fabric and into your sides. again. and again. the repetitive motions of the sharp metal soon causes a big tear in the fabric of your suit, exposing the skin under your breast. it seems as if neither of you notice at first, continuously fighting until another stretch from her pinning your arms above your head causes a terrible ripping sound. you both stop and look down, unsure on who has the decency to yield the fight first.

wolverine pauses for a moment, hovering over your bare tit before suddenly attacking your nipple with her mouth. there is nothing gentle about it, and you can’t tell if her actions are still a way of fighting with the harsh ways her sharp teeth nip and bite.

you lay there for a moment in shock, chest heaving up and down in short spurts as you try to breathe. your hands drop the knives to the car floor behind you, yet your wrists are still trapped in the wolverine’s grip. before you can think to stop it, a breathy whimper escapes your lips. the sound pricks laura to come to her senses and looks up at you with a flushed expression.

fucking hell. if you weren’t okay with what’s happening, you would’ve said something by now. even laura knows that—considering how fucking chatty you are.

“were ya hungry, peanut? needed a mid-fight snack?” you tease, tilting your head with a raised brow.

“i didn’t say i was finished.” she smirks before lowering her head to your chest again. her tongue circles and flicks at your nipple, treating it oh so lovingly before biting and pulling at it so fucking roughly. you chew on your bottom lip to muffle your own moans—all because you’re too stubborn to let her know how fucking good it feels.

she’s holding herself back, yet you kick her chest and propel her weight backwards onto the head unit, while the momentum pushes you the opposite direction into the third row of seats. as she falls, the grease song playing from the radio is muted, leaving you two to a short-lived silence.

"i was wrong—the honda odyssey fucks hard,” you say, rolling your head back and cracking your neck in the process. looking back to laura, you usher her to you with a teasing two-finger motion. “too bad you don't, needle dick.”

“oh, we’re just getting started, bub,” she replies, eyeing your manspread position before lunging to you again.

calling her an animal is to say the fucking least. but you’re no better. she rips and tears your suit, not giving a single fuck in the world that you may need to keep it in tact for later in the plot line. she pulls the tough fabric apart, exposing your tits to her lingering eyes. it’s like a switch is flipped. all of a sudden she can’t get enough, wanting- needing to see more of you. for a moment, you just let her. your belt is removed followed by your pants all while you just lay back and watch her do the work. soon you’re only in your black underwear, smirking under your red and black mask at how fucking needy she looks. her callused hands grip your waist, easily pulling you up to her as her mouth finds your other nipple.

“you’re not you when your hungry. and clearly, you always seem incredibly hungry, wolvie.”

“shuh du phvck uh.” is what you make of her boob-drunk gibberish and assume she’s simply cussing you out.

“huh? couldn’t quite catch that. y’ know you really shouldn’t talk with your mouth full-”

a large, gloved hand muffles your masked mouth before her lips release your tit with a pop.

“off,” she says. you furrow your eyebrows in confusion and she must be able to tell by your silence, causing her to elaborate quickly while her free hand lingers on the black lace of your underwear. “i don’t want a damn word out of your filthy mouth until you’ve taken these off. if you want me to fuck you, you’re gonna have to let me.”

fucking hell. panties are soaking wet right now.

you slowly nod your head in her restrictive grip, and lift your hips to remove the damp fabric from your body. damp from blood or sweat or something else… who fucking knows and who fucking cares. you toss them to the side and immediately pull laura closer to you. her harsh kisses mark your neck and collarbone before she wets her middle finger with her tongue and starts to rub quick circles on your clit. you almost push her away, her starting speed too overstimulating at first, but you soon get used to it, bucking your hips in a physical ask to move faster.

“keep still, sweetheart. that’s it,” fuck even her praise is still low and demanding somehow. you wrap your hands around her hairy forearm, hissing curses as you feel yourself grow closer and closer to the edge.

“fuck- you know, i bet you’re a pretty good dj in some other univers- oh my god!” your silly quip is cut short by her pushing one finger into you. then another. and before you know it, you’re a blubbering mess as you soak her hand as well as the car seat beneath you. her mouth is against your masked ear, shushing your witticism. white rings of cum coat up to her knuckles while her thumb resumes a quick pace on your clit.

banter is over as quiet whimpers replace your usual chatterbox routine. her large fingers feel so much better than your own, and then that’s where she leaves you—fingers curling inside your cunt causing your brain to see stars. your orgasm hits you hard, but not as hard as she does—a rough slap to your face intensifies every sensation, leaving you pained like putty in her grasp as you come down from your high. “don’t got much to say now, huh?”

your eyes focus on her hair and how it twirls up on both sides—the classic hairstyle for any and all wolverine’s across the multiverse. “why do~you style~your hair like that?” your voice slurs with dizzy haze, and laura only looks down at your drunken state quizzically. “were ya going f’ wolf? ‘cause it makes ya look more like a cat. like my little meow meow~”

a growl creeps from the back of her throat before three claws find a home—digging into the flesh on your shoulder.

“shit! you angry ‘bout it, mama?” you ask teasingly before watching her slowly remove her belt. “no- not the belt! i won’t be a naughty girl, i swear!”

“don’t be dramatic,” she scoffs as she tosses the belt aside and straddles you again.

“that’s kinda my job. hashtag drama queen. hashtag full-time. ‘round the clock. just like how your full time job is hiding a fully comic accurate superhero suit under your clothes for when its use comes once every twenty fucking years.”

that switched something in her. she yanks your mask off your head and glares down into your eyes. then a smirk sneaks its way onto her lips. fuck. what does she know that you don’t?

“you think this suit is the only thing i keep under my clothes?” your jaw tenses when laura unzips her pants and allows her strap to spring out to your view. it has to be at least eight to nine inches, the color matches her skin tone and the base of it connects to the black harness buckled around her boxers.

“marvel jesus h. christ! where did you even get that thing? the prop table from the set of alien?!"

you half-expect an answer, but she only lifts your mask and forces a mouthful of the red fabric down your throat, leaving your fear-factored size question hanging in the air. “there… silence is nice. isn’t it?” you’ve lost your voice, but you don’t protest. your frustrated whimpers are muffled and shaky breaths escape through your nose as laura traces her dick up and down your wetted lips. “just relax, beautiful,” she whispers as she slips the tip into you. the tone of her voice is teasing, clearly loving how much power she so easily has over you. pushing in deeper, her pace stays agonizingly slow, as if she’s having to think about controlling every thrust. your eyes follow the grinding movements of her hips and your legs instinctively wrap around her waist. as laura starts to speed up, your backside rubs against the car seat. trying to find a sense of stability, your hands scatter up the butch’s clothed torso and eventually grip her broad shoulders. you can’t help but buck your hips again, no longer ashamed of how fucking needy you look doing so. one of her hands claw at the shoulder of the seat behind you while the other has a strong hold on your hip, guiding your body with hers. guiding soon turns to holding and holding soon turns to pinning. not only is she now chasing her high, but she will do whatever she needs to get to it.

“agh~ fuck. is this what you wanted? to be wrapped around me like this? you’re so pathetic, it’s adorable.”

when all you can do is moan in reply, laura knows she’s fucked you stupid, but still long ways away from being done with you. she suddenly stops altogether and pulls out of you, chuckling quietly when you groan due to your pleasure being delayed. she turns you over and props you up on your knees, then holds you down by the back of the neck with one hand and finds a firm grip on your ass with the other. her relentless thrusts continue, causing a repetitive sound of her hips slamming into the backs of your thighs. every time she pulls back, you follow her dick—leaning to her to chase that friction.

she hits nerve after nerve. the pain hurts too fucking good. your words are still muffled against your ladypool mask, the fabric now damp with saliva and drool. maybe tears as well.

“speak up, princess. ‘s hard to hear you,” laura instructs as she removes the piece from your mouth.

“i… i’m… gonna-” you start before trailing off, finding it hard to focus on words as laura speeds up her pace.

“what, pretty thing? y’ gonna cum?”

“tha-that’s what she said!” of course. of-fucking-course those are the words you can get to leave your stuttering mouth.

“god—do you ever shut the fuck up?” laura groans before tossing your mask to the side and holding your hips steady. when she notices your silence, she leans forward, a hand massaging your tit and her teeth taking a harsh bite at your earlobe. “or maybe you just need to be fucked speechless, don’t you?”

yes. a million times yes.

quiet whimpers leave your lips, the smell of cigars and alcohol mixed with the stench of blood and sex is almost overwhelming. laura slows her pace again, taking her sweet time watching, playing, torturing you for pleasure. that sadistic fuck.

“i do love these cute little noises you’re making, yeh? tell me how good it feels. i know it feels good but i wanna hear you say it—come on. spit it out,” she says into your ear. her lips have gone dry from breathing heavily and sweat trickles down her forehead and nose. the torn fabric of her yellow and navy blue suit rug-burns against your skin from all the excessive movement, but you don’t care. laura pulls your arms behind your back before yanking a seat belt out of its buckles to wrap tightly around your wrists. the rough material hurts, but it’s a good-hurt. when you only let out a porn-styled moan (half-exaggerating to poke fun at her), the wolverine behind you reaches under your neck and grabs your jaw. “you’ not gonna use that mouth?”

“fuck- okay! yes, it feels good. you feel so fucking good. just- please, let me- let me cum!”

and your begs get so easily rewarded. laura must have a soft spot for you because her thrusts speed up again, and this time hit hard with no intention of stopping.

what has little wolvie turned you into, hm? you, ladypool, a beggar? breaking out of character many would argue, but maybe that’s her goal: finding what breaks you.

“not yet. shit- wait ‘til i say.”

the hilt of her strap hits her clit just right as she continues to drive herself into your pretty cunt. as minutes pass and breaths quicken, her metal claws unsheathe and dig themselves into the seat beneath you two. she’s close.

with clamped hands still tied behind your back, you sense that knot in your stomach growing. guttural sounds from the back of the throat slip from laura’s lips, filling your ears as she hits your g-spot again and again, pushing you so quickly towards your release for the second time.

“right there! plea- please, please! i’m… gonna-”

“go on, sweetheart. fucking cum~”

at her words, her command—you feel yourself tighten around her. and your moans must’ve been what did it for her because immediately after—husky groans are heard from behind your bare, trembling body. the heavy weight of a wolverine falls against you, breathing hard onto your skin as her sweat-coated face buries itself into the nape of your neck. a trail of little bite marks, enhanced by her small fangs, are left scattered across your shoulders and upper back.

her middle finger finds your clit again to draw little circles, bringing out pitiful whimpers and post-sex muscle spasms from your worn out body.

“ca- canada…”

your contorted face and senselessness brings her to hum—which is her version of a laugh in this dizzy state. she broke you. and it didn’t take very much, did it?

she turns your chin to look up at her, her face reflecting that drunken haze with the ghost of a smile across her lips. her focus falls to your parted mouth for a moment before finally connecting her lips with yours. the kiss is softer than you expect, as if her hunger’s satisfied, yet the warm taste of cigars and alcohol linger.

“y’ did good, sweetheart.”

just good? must she always be so condescending?

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

spent way too long on this lol comment/repost if you like it, loves !!

this is so gonna flop but idc i wrote it for me and bookie 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩

taglist: @pr1ncessjo <3

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

i'd love to see more from the poly reader x poolverine verse im obsessed w them

"I didn't realize your... roommates were home today," Your sister said helping the youngest into his coat.

"It's what happens when you don't call," you caution. "They live here. You want free babysitting, you accept the terms. Sometimes it's kazoos. Sometimes it's roommates." For now, you'd accept her calling them roommates. It was partly true. And it was less rude than what your mother had said. She called them your caretakers.

Sarah narrowed her eyes at you and you shrugged, "They're fed and in one piece. And Zach has part of his social studies paper done. You're welcome."

She watched for a second as her boys willingly accepted hugs and kisses as you ignored her, beseeching them to learn something at school and make good choices and she sighed, "Thanks."

"Call next time," you tell her giving her a meaningful look. You didn't live alone anymore. And if she didn't want her kids exposed to certain things then she needed to give you enough lead time to hide those things... Today she got lucky.

________________

"Shhh," Wade said, holding up a hand, "You hear that?"

"Hear what?" Logan said opening a beer.

"Silence," Wade sighed, sinking on to the couch next to you, handing you a glass of wine. "Holy shit."

"And that's why I like being the cool Aunt," You tell him yawning. "I show up late. I bring presents. I leave before the crying starts. And then I enjoy my nice quiet house."

Logan snorted and reached over to rub your neck as he took your other side and picked up the remote, "Nice little racket, bub."

You take a sip from your glass and stretch, snuggling into Logan's side and putting your feet in Wade's lap, "Not too shabby, boys."

"For roommates," Wade teased, smacking the bottoms of your feet affectionately. "Didn't know roommates fuck like we fuck."

"Sorry-"

Logan grunted and wrapped his arm around you, "Pause was doin' some heavy lifting there."

"Mom... doesn't approve. What dad knows depends on the day. And I think my grandparents would just drop fucking dead. So. There's that." You lean over and lift a sleepy Mary into your lap and stroke her back before resting your head against Logn again. They are who they are and you are who you are. You don't fit in with the cookie cutter perfect family they have and you haven't from the second you took your first breath. But you fit here with a variant and a mercenary and their ugly little rat dog.

"We could ruin Christmas," Wade offered, "Just go make out in front of-"

"Or," you hum, "we can leave well enough alone so I can still hang out with the kids and let them have someone around that's somehow less fucked up even if I'm objectively a mess."

The boys traded a look and Logan kissed the top of your head. They'd work out the specifics later but for now, as long as your sister kept her comments to herself they'd behave- mostly. As long as it meant you got to see the kids. Because it was clear it made you happy, and because; truth be told, it hadn't been too bad today.

Wade cradled one of your feet in his hand and grinned, "I got a question."

"Might have and answer," you tell him, hissing when his thumb hit a tender spot on your instep.

"Why do all the rugrats call you, Shush?"

"My parent's housekeeper calls me Sugar," you answer. "Everyone sort of adopted it and Zach couldn't say it- so it devolved into Shush and stuck."

"Stop it, that's precious," Wade cooed, "I thought they called you that because they were always telling you to shut-"

"Not all of us went to school thinking our first name was Damn it," you snort.

Logan smirked and let go of you long enough to light his cigar. "What'd she call your sister?" he asked.

"Honey. Or Princess if she was being annoying... it's just that neither ever really stuck."

[nevernonline]

✧.* grow as we go; svt smau.

entry #22��end it all.

synopsis: over the past ten years you’ve fallen in love many times. one day someone happens to stumble across your journal sitting out on your nightstand and started posting your entries online. after all of your secrets are leaked it’s clear things would ever be the same again.

𐦍 paring: svt members x afab! reader.

𐦍 feat: non-idol! svt

𐦍 genre/s: reader is super angsty low-key, fluffy, sexual themes.

𐦍 content: swearing, bullying, crazy ex’s, mentions of sexual relations, some drinking& mary jane 🍃

word count: 5.7k (some texts in between writing as well)

masterlist ▸ 021 we're so back.  ▸ 023 signing off for now. (coming soon)

Y/N sat waiting for this moment for the past 24 hours, sitting around on Mingaho’s couch, his carpet in the living room, the floor of the shower, literally any spot you can name when he wasn’t at work or out with their friends. Which was a luxury she couldn't afford as of yet. 

Mimi hurt her deep and it wasn’t just her she was hurting anymore. It was everyone around her. Somehow y/n didn’t even care enough about her own wellbeing to do anything prior to the incidents with Minnie and her further threats towards her male counterparts. It hurt her to see the people she loved despite some bumps in the road hurting more than she was. 

Even though Mimi had single handedly been the issue in her life for many years she still couldn't figure out a way to hurt her back. Of course she could publicly embarrass her, call her family, fall in love with a boy that Mimi once wanted for herself, but it wouldn’t be enough, nothing would ever feel enough to get rid of her. Well, other than murder and y/n wasn’t ready to give up one weird fucked up version of prison to get the real one. Some part of her even wanted to just say fuck it and give Mimi friendship in hopes of all of this fading away even though she knew it none of it would be enough. 

Laying her forehead on the clean glass of Minghao’s coffee table, she took in a big ass sigh just waiting for the clock to hit 5:00pm when she’d finally be in her confrontational mode. Nipping (hopefully) all of this shit in the bud. 

“y/n?”

Mingaho walked through the arched threshold of his house, the secret house apparently nobody had been too other than her. Standing in front of her staining his coffee table momentarily with her makeup, just looking at her with his concerned eyes, somehow still as statuesque as ever. 

“Yes?” 

All she could come up with was a simple response, wiping her stain not so secretly with the sleeve of her gray sweatshirt. 

“I got you some food, come on.” 

“Does this food happen to start with a “W” and end with a ‘INE?’ Or anything involving a content higher than zero?” 

“Do the letters THC sound okay?” 

“Wow, yes three of my favorites.” 

Minghao led her into the kitchen, still holding a grip on her arm from his helping her off the floor. Sitting her down at his overly modern kitchen table, where he set her lunch complete with a napkin that had a knife, fork, and rolled up joint sitting on it like it was meant to be used for her to shovel the various dishes into her mouth. 

“A real Ramsay.” 

“I do take pride in my plating and table setting.” 

“Did you roll it yourself?” 

Minghao waved his fingers to her, catching a slight smile from the girl as she beamed at the hello kitty themed rolling paper he had ordered online. 

“Feeling okay?” 

“Despite everything, yeah. I’m just ready to get rid of her at least for a while.” 

“Still not going to tell me what you planned or?” 

“No, sir. Out of the question.” 

“Ah, come on, I can keep a secret.” 

“I used to think that, but you’re friends with Jun now, he’d still find out.” 

“No way.” 

“How do you think I knew you had a garden in the back of your place, he stalked you. He’s impressive.” 

“And not scary at all.” 

“He’s harmless.” 

The pair ate the rest of their meal in silence not knowing how to continue the conversations they had been having recently, both in the same frame of mind and their end goal in sight. Minghao couldn’t lie that Y/n keeping him in the dark about what her plan was wasn’t making him nervous, he had built up a protectiveness to her, something he’d never experienced with any of his other friends. He knew that she could handle herself, but it still didn’t ease his anxiety further. 

“Hey, what time is it?” 

Mingaho just looked up at her, unaware she had been trying to ask him a question as he was in his own head. 

“Oh, uh. 4:30.” 

“Alright. Hand me your lighter and let me get a hit in before I have to dress for revenge.” 

Mingaho just laughed, handing over the black electric lighter to her across the table, being careful to not touch her fingers and go back into his trance. 

He had been doing good the past few days, not intruding on her space with his feelings to much, keeping it just how she wanted it, just friends. Hopefully, for him that just meant until she got the whole Mimi thing handled. 

Y/n took a deep exhale and blew the smoke behind her to not get it into Minghao’s space. The pair's phones  lit up at the same time, letting them know it was time to meet up for hopefully the finale. 

Minnie and Y/n stepped outside of Mingyu’s black car, weirdly the perfect car for their bondess actions, not quite matching their casual outfits to their gut feelings. Minnie linked arms with y/n as they walked up to Mimi’s apartment, waiting for their meeting of the devil they both know. 

“Honestly, I’m surprised she lives here? I thought she had a good job?” 

“Last I heard she did? Some sort of social management or something?” 

“Perfect for her huh? Managing other people's lives.” 

“Yeah, but this.. Don't tell that truth.” 

“Maybe she was lying?” 

“Or y/n, maybe it’s a set up?” 

“No. I don’t think so. Her name is on the call box.” 

“This is becoming even more bizarre than I would’ve thought in the first place, ring the buzzer.” 

“Minnie, you ring the buzzer.” 

“Why would I ring the buzzer? You have longer fingers than me, less chance of being electrocuted or something, plus you have long sleeves you can wrap your hand in. They must protect you from that stuff too, right?”

“I don’t know? I’m scared to ring the buzzer. What if she puts some sort of magic powder on it and it turns me into a frog or something, I hate frogs.” 

“Why don’t we both ring the buzzer at the same time and then if there's a chance that she is some weird witch then we both turn into preferably not frogs but maybe cats or something?” 

“Well the witch thing is true. Okay, together.. Uh, ready?” 

“Sure.” 

Minnie and Y/n reached their pointer fingers together closer to the buzzer of apartment 4C that apparently belonged to their mutual enemy. When they made contact with the sticky silver knob they both jumped as the door unlocked, Mimi must have been waiting for their arrival right next to her intercom. 

“Okay.. Call me a snob or whatever y/n but this place is, uh-” 

“Not what you were expecting?” 

“Right.” 

“Me either.” 

The girls walked through the courtyard following the signs on the side of the bricks that would lead them to the staircase up to the fourth floor to find Mimi standing outside with her door cracked, watching them timidly walk towards her. 

“I see you guys have no respect for other people's time still, you’re ten minutes late.” 

Y/n looked down at her watch. 

“Actually, we’re right on time, see?” 

She shoved her electronic apple watch screen with the exact time running across. 

“My mistake, I guess. Want to come in or are we just going to talk out here? Maybe the best idea considering you guys probably have some insane plan to tie me up and poison me or something.” 

“Why would we waste prison time on you exactly?” 

“Touche, Minnie. Come on, let’s get this over with.” 

Minnie and Y/n gave each other a look of disbelief as they walked into her apartment, clothes strung around everywhere, a board with thumbtacks of documents, pictures of her dog, some weird excerpts from fashion magazines.  Her laptop plugged into a wall socket paused on a scene from 13 going on 30, dirty coffee mugs staining on her side table. Definitely not the place she assumed Mimi was living, especially since Y/n knew her parents were unbelievably well off. 

“You guys can just sit on the couch or at the desk, it doesn't matter. Just throw the clothes on the floor. They should be clean, but I’m not sure.” 

“Is this your apartment? Like, full time or?” 

“Yes, y/n. Laugh all you want, but this is my apartment.” 

“What happened to-” 

“To the luxury one? Well after my parents found out about some of the things I’ve done, they cut me off. Luckily my job had a way for me to find vacant places I could actually afford considering I spent all my money on clothes the entire time I was working for my dad, so I had no savings. That’s how.” 

“Sorry.” 

“Sorry? That’s all you guys can say is sorry? After you basically ruined my life? You’re both part of the reason I’m here right now.” 

“What the fuck? How are we responsible for this exactly?” 

“Well, Minnie. Since you so kindly asked. You know exactly why. Your parents told mine that I am a quote bully unquote to poor sad Y/n who gets everything she wants, so I blame you for that.” 

“You blame us for the way you obsessively have been trying to ruin y/n’s life for years?” 

“Ruin her life? Please, what life?” 

“What life? Are you like.. Doing well? On drugs? Hitting your vape pen a little too much and losing all your brain cells or?” 

“Come on, Minnie. Don’t tell me you actually think her leeching off other people and making them feel sorry for her to get them to hangout with her is actually having a life? Half of you guys are just her barking dogs because she’s too much of a pussy to call people out herself. Even now, you’re here with her fighting with me over a comment I made about y/n. Barking little dog. Seokmin too, just absolutely blind to the fact that she’s a shitty friend to him while he’s picking up all her broken pieces over and over again. She can’t even get a fucking boyfriend, all the boys she’s ever loved have fallen for her best friends over her, Me and Joshua, now you and Mingyu, I wonder who’s going to come and scoop Minghao up from under her considering she’s never going to give him wha-” 

“God can you stop being a fucking cunt for one second? What the fuck have I EVER done to you to make you say this shit about me? What? Tell your parents that you were recklessly drunk driving? You almost killed my father? You paralyzed a woman from the waist down? But, you left completely unscathed, no injuries aside from a little vomit and a paper cut sized gash on your hand because your vodka bottle shattered into the steering wheel as you drove into oncoming traffic? Tried for years to get Joshua to see that the type of person you are isn’t who he sees, that you were brainwashing him? Fuck. I even left and signed your stupid fucking note claiming I was doing all of this for attention, left my life, my friends, took time off of work, just because I needed you to stop trying to take it over and just wanted to give it to you so I never had to see you ever again. You think I actually want to sit here and look at how you’re living just so I can feel good about myself? No, it doesn’t make me feel good, Mimi. I don’t think this would make anyone feel good. But, unfortunately it’s karma. Karma for all those goddamn years of you poking and prodding and sticking daggers in my back until I finally bleed out completely and give you what you want. Well it’s fucking done, it’s over.” 

“What’s over, y/n? Huh. You think you’re actually going to win? Over me?” 

“Hah. I don’t care. Don’t you see that? I don’t fucking care anymore. I want you to get the fuck and stay the fuck away from me for a good long time. If you ever pull any of this shit again, you won’t just have a shitty apartment, you’ll have a shitty jail cell.” 

Y/n stood up now itching in closer to where Mimi was standing, leaving Minnie sitting with a shocked look on her face, almost proud. 

“What? Coming close to me so you can punch me or something?” 

“No. But, thanks for the idea.” 

Y/n took one last look into Mimi’s face before taking a deep breath in. 

“Stay the fuck out of my life. Leave my friends alone. Get a different hobby or you’ll get a very unfriendly visit from me accompanied by a few police officers coming to search your apartment and I’m sure you’ll love the new pretty set of silver jewelry they put on your wrists, matching cuffs are super in right now.” 

Y/n then pulled a twenty dollar bill out of her purse, walking away from standing in Mimi’s face, placing it under a thumbtack on her board. 

“Should get you a couple more trips to the laundry room, you could use it. Let’s go Minnie. Thanks for having us, Mimi. Your place is delightful.” 

Minnie got off the couch turning to follow y/n out, but turning back around just as quickly to look at Mimi feeling her rage build in her stomach. 

“Wait, I think I forgot something.” 

“What’s that?” 

Minnie lifted her right hand and laid a slap that could’ve been heard across town on Mimi’s cheek, making her gasp in pain. 

“Have a nice life, bitch.” 

Y/n and Minnie stayed nearly silent, running down the staircase from Mimi’s apartment and all through the courtyard back through the front doors and into Mingyu’s car. 

He wasn’t sure what they were thinking or even what they did, he just drove away without a word until the two girls made eye contact and started hysterically laughing, talking so loud in between their laughing breaths he couldn’t even make out a coherent sentence. 

“I cannot believe you did that, the delivery was SO good.” 

“What about you y/n? That speech, I mean that was cinema worthy, what the hell. I feel so proud of you after I finish laughing I might just cry? Also you tacking down the twenty dollars on the cork board was such a slap in the face.” 

“Oh my god, nothing like your actual slap in the face? I have so much adrenaline right now I feel like I could run a fucking marathon.” 

“Ew, no don’t do that. Let’s go get a drink at my place. Come on.” 

“Mingyu? Drink?” 

“Yes, of course. And I’ll need a full run down once the two of you stop laughing like two little girls, please.” 

“Shut up, you love us.” 

“Right.” 

Mingyu smiled at the pair just laughing and giggling in the rearview mirror. Pulling his car into the parking lot of Minnie’s apartment, very different scenery than the one they just were at. 

“Wow, you know I just realized I’ve never seen your new place yet?” 

“Oh my god, I totally forgot about that, it's really cute. I’m trying to convince this tall bitch to move in with me.” 

“And what’s holding you back, Gyu?” 

“Nothing actually, I was going to tell her yes, might as well do it now while you guys are still on your high.” 

Y/n stopped in her tracks and held Minnie's arm, prompting them to jump up and down and scream slightly. 

“Wow, who would’ve thought THE Minnie Pinnie would have a MAN living with her. And her boyfriend at that, so adult.” 

“Hate to break it to you y/n, but we are adults.” 

“Psh, I know. “ 

“Okay, so let’s go up to my apartment first, I can lend you some clothes especially since you literally just sat on Mimi’s dirty laundry and weirdly stained couch, and we can wash yours.” 

“Sounds good to me, thank you my princess.” 

“Anytime, King Y/n.” 

“King? Excuse.” 

“It just came to me. Mingyu, do you mind grabbing the ice bucket and some wine and bringing it up to the roof? We’ll come in a few minutes.” 

“On it.” 

Minnie dragged y/n through her apartment, room by room, showing her all the new things she acquired to decorate, even though some of them are partially out of boxes waiting for their time to be hung up on the newly painted white walls. 

“Here, this was actually meant to be your birthday gift, but obviously we got distracted. Open it, open it, open it.” 

“You didn’t have to get me anything?” 

“Are you kidding me? Of course I did, I haven’t missed an y/n gift giving experience in a decade, come on.” 

“If anything I should be the one buying you a gift.” 

“My gift was slapping that bitch, hard, hurry please, I have to pee.” 

“Okay, okay.” 

Y/n tore through the tissue paper inside the pink bag, grabbing a hold of a garment inside and pulling it out, a silk black mid length dress with a matching black knit shawl on top. Something she remembers pointing out to Minnie through a car window months ago. Months before Mimi had entered their life again. 

“Oh my god, you didn’t.” 

“Hello? Of course I did, have you met me? Try it on while I pee, be right back.” 

Y/n took this silk fabric between her fingers and placed it carefully on the back of Minnies desk chair, sliding out of her jeans and t shirt and into the soft buttery fabric of her new dress, pulling the shrug over her arms and shoulders twirling a little, already wishing for somewhere to wear it. 

“Oh wow, y/n” 

Y/n walked over to Minnie with outstretched arms, hugging her tightly as another thank you and confirmation that she loved her gift. 

“I’m sorry we fought, I’m really sorry for everything, especially that you got hurt. I love you, Min.” 

“I’m sorry too, but it's over now, we’re perfect. Can I do your hair just so we can see how it’ll look with the dress?” 

“Yeah, sure. What about, Gyu?” 

“Ah, he’s fine, he has beer and a phone he can entertain himself well for ten more minutes, sit down.” 

Y/n obliged and sat down at the desk once again, letting Minnie brush her hair into a ponytail, slipping bobby pins in it, she was totally blind to what had been happening to the back of her head, Minnie came to her side brushing her bangs back and pinning them too into a perfect slicked back bun, topped off with a large black scrunchie as a hair accessory. 

“Okay, go look.” 

Y/n stood in the mirror, taking a long look at herself, some sort of light came back into her eyes, she looked almost happy. 

“You made me look good, now please sweatpants.” 

“No, you’re wearing this, I just put in all that work.” 

“But, you’re in sweats?” 

“I’ll change too, like a cute cheers to us killing a vampire.” 

Y/n smiled as Minnie very pixie floated around her room and grabbed a cute outfit to toss on very quickly all the while handing Y/n a few lip glosses and eyeshadow pallets touch her makeup up, and in five minutes she came out looking like an angel. 

“Drink time?” 

“Please.” 

Minnie and Y/n walked back out the front door and up the single flight of stairs to the rooftop, little did y/n know lying behind the door to the sunset were the rest of her friends, here to makeup for her birthday one last time. 

“Can we be up here? Sounds like someone is having a party?” 

“Yes, y/n. You are.” 

“I am? I am what?” 

“Having a party stupid.” 

“You didn’t” 

“Like I said before, of course I did. Let’s celebrate, come on.” 

The two of them pushed open the door to a cheer of people, Mingyu smiling holding his glass of beer next to Wonwoo and Vernon who clapped as Y/n and Minnie ran through the door, Minghao sitting next to Jun, trying to push off his affectionate hug, Joshua, Jeonghan, and Seokmin huddling around each other next to the snacks cheersing the two girls who came outside. A few of y/n’s other various friends are smiling and taking sips of their cocktails.

“I must be really dense? You had this all planned?” 

“Duh. I can’t believe you didn’t catch on. Now go, my beautiful friend. Have some drinks, I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” 

“Fine.” 

Y/n was waved off as Minnie made her way over to Mingyu, jumping into his arms, waving to the boys he was sitting with. Y/n couldn’t help but smile seeing her friends so happy, she walked on her own looking over the city to the bar on the corner of the roof and grabbed the first clear cocktail she could get a hold of before turning around to find Seokmin smiling at her like a lost puppy. 

“Hi.” 

“Hello, lovely lady. How did it go with Mimi?” 

“Seokmin.” 

“Noo, no Seokmin, it’s over now I get to know what happened, that's the rule.” 

“Then can we make a deal? Let me finish at least three cocktails and THEN we can talk about Mimi, but a hint that it went perfectly.” 

“Good, come sit with us.” 

Seokmin picked up two more drinks and led Y/n over to a spot to sit in between himself and Jeonghan, she gladly nuzzled in between them, Joshua sitting across from her just smiling shyly, clearly not knowing how to insert himself again into a conversation after the one they had at her house, the tension was obvious but hopefully with the help of her friends he would get comfortable around her again while she made up her mind. 

“Happy Late Birthday, y/n. I missed you.” 

“Thank you, Hannie. I missed you too.” 

y/n wrapped her arm around him tightly after their hug letting it still rest around his shoulders, drinking away as he and Seokmin explained their crazy night out that somehow involved jumping off the pier after losing a bet with some girls at a bar. 

Y/n couldn’t help herself looking between Joshua and Minghao all night, almost like she was trying to force her eyes into making the decision for her. She knew in her gut what she actually wanted, but also wasn’t ready to hurt someone in the process. 

But, something about standing up for herself today made her realize a part of what Mimi was saying was true, maybe she did use people to make choices for her, maybe she was always too scared to admit how she felt because she was scared of the rejection that came with it, that’s why she chose to hide it away with pen and paper, obviously never thinking those things would come out. 

Her feelings for Joshua were nearly life long, she remembered when he didn’t feel like her friend anymore and moved himself into the painful crush category. Ever since fifth grade she couldn’t stop having feelings for him, all through high school, his stint with Mimi, even after he said and did terrible things to her, she did  them back so it was an even playing field. When she first lost her virginity, when she was seeing Mingyu, and even now. Joshua was so evident in her DNA from her childhood, it wasn’t really easy to shake him from her mind. 

Only one person had done it, Minghao. She didn’t always trust him or his intentions, which turned out to make sense once he had come clean, but she knew from the night he spent at her apartment, when he asked about her life, her photos. Even the simple things about him made her like him more, the way he’s always so engaged in her stories, never looking away from her eyes or her lips as she spoke, never using his phone when he’s with her only to take photos or show her a song that reminded him of her, writing down the movies she suggests just so he can understand her weird references she makes. He was a caretaker, someone who never questioned her, never made her feel less than, he always knew how to make her happy when she didn’t want to be. He fought for her, the same way she did for her friends. 

After her two drinks dried up and much of her conversations were lost on her picking her brain of how to make a choice between two worthy candidates, she got up to use the restroom, heading back down to Minnie’s place, on the way back out she ran into Minghao coming into the front door to pick up another case of beer to bring upstairs, he put it down and let her pass by, giving her hand a small squeeze and a smile without saying anything. Subtle but effective, he let her know he’d be right behind her on the way up. 

“Those are all for you I assume?” 

“No, you know I don’t drink beer. Mingyu is a little drunk so I offered to come down and grab it for him, I didn’t want him to get hurt.” 

“How very chivalrous of you.” 

Minghao put the case down and pulled a few out to pop into the cooler, grabbing a bottle of wine and an opener, waving y/n along to the otherside of the roof where only a few people were sitting and smoking. 

“Let’s share that birthday drink I owed you last time.” 

“Sounds perfect. I’m going to steal this blanket, hold on.” 

Y/n walked over to a couple sitting at a small table smoking a joint, holding hands lovingly watching the sunset. Minghao noticed her bright smile as she talked and waved to them while stealing the stray gray blanket from the open chair and skipping back over to Minghao covering them both up as she saw on the plush floor cushion. 

“That’s Mark, the guy I work for. I think I told you about him before. He’s super nice, he’s planning on proposing to her tonight. Maybe we’ll see it happen.” 

“That would be cute.” 

Minghao smiled at y/n’s eyes, lighting up talking about their proposal. He noticed they did that alot when she would talk about people being happy. It was one of the things he liked the most about her. 

“So, Swan.” 

“Yes, Mungbean?” 

“How was she?” 

“Ah, the subtle approach, I love it.” 

“Well, the place she's living in was sort of alarming at first. It’s totally fine, but not what I had expected, especially since last time I saw her she said she was living in some highrise just a few blocks over from here, actually. I guess it’s all she can afford because her parents cut her off for what she’s doing, she tried to blame me and Minnie, but we didn’t even say anything to them this time? Obviously, someone did.. Maybe Joshua or his mom? Not sure.” 

“Well, that’d be kind of silly for you guys to tattle on her like she's a child.” 

“Right. That’s exactly what I thought. Even if she does act like a child sometimes.” 

“What else happened? You guys just talked?” 

“I wouldn’t say it was talking, it was more of a shouting match at first. But it felt good to finally stick up for myself and not let someone else do it for me.” 

“So, she’s fine with it? Going to leave you alone?” 

“I threatened her with handcuffs.” 

“Kinky.” 

“No, the police kind. I said if she ever tried any shit ever again I would come over and her small world would become a small jail cell, something like that.” 

Minghao laughed, picturing y/n upset, yelling at the girl who made her life hell as he poured them both another glass of wine, halfway through their bottle and moment alone already. 

“Surprised she didn’t try to rip your hair out or something. So you guys really just went over to talk?” 

“ No, not exactly, we did have more of an elaborate plan, but we got side tracked. Oh! And I tacked a twenty dollar bill to her board and said she needs to use it to do laundry which turned her face so red I thought she was about to, but Minnie slapped her instead and we ran off.” 

“What?” 

“What?” 

“The last part again?” 

“I know, I was so shocked I knew Minnie was a feisty bitch but I did NOT expect the slap it was so perfect. We laughed the entire way back here about it.” 

Minghao laughed, picturing the two girls running away childlike after Minnie finally let their bully have it. It seemed like the type of thing he wished they had gotten on camera. 

“But, yeah, nothing more than that. Just a bunch of girls fighting and slapping each other, something weird people on the internet would pay a lot of money for I think.” 

“Too bad you wasted your twenty on her.” 

“I can spare it, I think. Plus, she did have a lot of dirty laundry.” 

“Do you feel better now? I mean, less stressed about it? Because I was worried about you today, you looked like you were going to scream at any second.” 

“Yes, so much better. Thank you for this and for dinner and for letting me stay at your place, it was so nice seeing where you actually live, I was beginning to think you were some type of woodland creature at night or something.” 

“A woodland creature?” 

“Yeah, just you never showed anyone where you lived before. I don’t know? It’s really beautiful though, you should have people over more often, it's so cozy.” 

“You could move in.” 

“What?” 

“No, I just mean. I know you were afraid in your apartment alone after a while and I have the space, I mean you could have an office and a bedroom all to yourself, I don’t mean like-” 

“Are you ever going to ask me out?” 

“What? I-” 

“No. I mean. I’d like to go out with you, I’d say yes. We’ve moved faster in all the other steps and we’ve never really been on an actual date, so.” 

“I didn’t think you wanted me to ask you out?” 

“I thought I was the oblivious one.” 

“Oh, I-” 

“I mean at my parents house when we went outside, I thought you almost did. But, you never actually said anything. And I like spending time with you, just alone. It doesn’t have to be anything amazing or special, just us hanging out, unless you want to do something fancy? You’re kind of fancy. I like that. We kind of were getting to the maybe dating part before your art show, but that went to shit and I was dumb and went on a date with Joshua, which I’m sorry about by the way, that's complicated, but I don’t have feelings for him anymore like that, I have feelings for you. So? I’m talking too much, right?” 

“You’re not no.” 

“So? Yes? Unless you don’t have feelings for me which then makes this incredibly weird and we can just be friends. At least think about it. I-” 

“Y/n.” 

“No, really just give it a few days. I’ve never asked anyone out before so this is weird, plus someone who’s my friends and friends with my friends, so.” 

Minghao took his hand and covered y/n’s mouth for a second just to get her attention back to him and stop her rambling so he can finally get a word in through her rant. 

“Hey.” 

“Y/n, I do like you. I thought that was obvious. I thought you just wanted to be friends.” 

“I thought you just wanted to be friends.” 

“I mean I like being your friend, but I’d like to go out with you. Thinking about staying your friend while I’ve liked you all this time and then watching you date someone else would probably kill me a little. So, yes I’d love to go on a date with you.” 

“Really?” 

“Yes, please.” 

MInghao took y/n's hand, holding it tightly while he set their glasses of wine down in front of them and pulled her in for a small kiss on her stained lips. 

“The music started, should we go dancing?” 

“Shouldn’t we plan our date?” 

“That’s up to you, Mr. Minghao. I expect it to be nothing less than fabulous.” 

“Wait, but you asked me out, shouldn't you be planning it?” 

“Is that how it works?” 

“Normally.”

“Okay, I will.” 

“Really, y/n. No, I can plan it.” 

“No. I’m planning. Now come on, let’s dance please.” 

Y/n pulled Minghao up from the ground, running with him to find the rest of their friends on the dance floor, never letting his hand fall from hers almost like a claim. 

Y/n and her friends spent the rest of the night, talking and laughing. Minnie told the story about the slap heard around the world to every separate group of people she talked to. 

When it was finally time to leave, y/n and Minghao hopped in a cab to his place. A place that someday, if things go right could be theirs together. 

When they finally shut the outside world away and got ready for bed, y/n glanced at the various mentions online from her friends, pictures, tweets, instagram posts, and some texts. But, one of them stuck out the most, a text from someone, an anonymous number she never had contacted before something that made her hair stand up on the nape of her neck. 

note: hi! hope u enjoy this final written chapter, the next (two?) lil insert(s) will just to be finishing up this story and then we will be onto the next which I hope you'll all enjoy just as much!! have a good weekend my angel bb's :')

taglist:@sun-daddy-yoriichi@hipsdofangirl@kissesfrmwonwoo@minhui896@wonwooz1@porridgesblog@jasssy051@soonyoungblr@saucegirlreads@musingsofananxiouspotato@young-adult-summer@punkhazardlaw@bibs-world@the-swageyama-tobiyolo@wonuulvr@woozixo@k-drama-adict@90s-belladonna@blaycke@dnylwoo@to-mi-yo, @nonononranghaee@bee-the-loser@mxnhoeuwu

[cressthebest]

Crimson Rivers thoughts pt. 47

chapter 72:

1. “The day of Marlene's memorial is the first time Dorcas decides she's going to kill herself.” oh shit, oh fuck wait

2. bro dorcas is unwell. like holy shit. i forget that the war started because of dorcas’ love for marlene. like. this is just as much of a dorlene fic too

3. dear god i wanna help dorcas so badly

4. call it instinct, but i knew dorcas’ hair would be a crucial part of her healing journey 💃🏼💃🏼

5. i love well rounded female characters but at what cost. dorcas is well rounded but at what cost? she’s suffering and it hurts to read

6. god damn. finding out that dorcas’ mom was in charge of a quarterly quell is fucking insane. considering that dorcas all but ran the resistance

7. “”You said it first, didn't you? There are no good people in war. I lived by those words, did you know that? All that you were wrong about, but that…" She gives a brittle laugh. "You were right about that."”

foaming at the mouth oh my god. i wanna chomp glass

8. DORCAS NO! (she started drinking fyi)

9. dear god dorcas, you aren’t the only one who knew the “real” marlene. people other than you loved her.

10. dorcas finally admitting that if she could choose someone other than dorcas it would be lily hurts. especially since lily has mary.

11. “Marlene was the love of her life, and that's it. Simple as that. She'll never love another.” OWWWWW

12. “She will make sure Lily never knows that Dorcas looks at her now and thinks before this life, it could have been us; maybe in some other life, it is. And that's more than enough.”

DNDNSMMSJSKEJNS AHHHHHHHHHHHHH

13. brb i’m sobbing

okay i’m back. dorcas just found out marlene was gonna propose and now i’m a sniveling mess

14. so much thanks to bizzarestars making the effort to learn about the way war vets healed and dealt with ptsd

chapter 73:

1. sirius having an emotional support dog >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

2. also imma make predictions now: this is the chapter where sirius goes home. it’s time

3. YES YES YES YES THEYRE GOING HOME FUCK YEAH

4. “A homely little home with a porch-swing under the stars. Sirius is homesick for that, too.”

this is my dream too. like it’s been my dream for so long. i can’t even fathom how sirius isn’t bawling like a baby over this. IM bawling like a baby over THEIR porch swing

5. regulus saw sirius and was willing to risk it all just to hug him omg

6. “Barty was the sort of person who needed no outside guidance into being a bit insane.” LMAOOOOOO

7. they’re running a business together and they’re gonna do it forever and now i want to gnaw on wood and glass and plastic and anything i can get my hands on

8. lmao not sirius sitting like a spoiled puppy dog as james and regulus argue over him for the wedding

9. “"Oh, please," James scoffs, rolling his eyes. "One, I'm not stealing your brother away from you, and you know it. Two, who the fuck else would be my best man, hm? Who? Go on."

"Oh, you want to go there?!" Regulus shouts. "What about me? Yeah, didn't think about that, did you? My best friend is dead. Oh, and so is Barty. Who do I have, James? Hm?"”

FUCKING CACKLING

10. awwwww sirius’ compromise is so sweet omg. i’d literally cry if i was james and regulus

11. ugh gay people are so confusing. like you’re allowed to be freinds with the same people and freinds with any gender. so like, it makes wedding planning so hard. who goes on who’s side? what if i said that when i found out about gay people, my biggest hold up wasn’t religion or anything like that, but instead wedding side logistics

12. canonical genderqueer tonks!!!!!!!!!

13. regulus went to aberforth to cause a scene, and damn if he didn’t succeed

14. damn they’re both stubborn. and both got their way jfc

15. full circle. dorcas is designing their wedding clothes. i’m losing my mind, actually

16. the bookshelf. the fucking bookshelf from the first arena. i’m losing my mind oh my god

17. CACKLING OMG. REGULUS WAS WORRIED THAT JAMES WOULD BE SCARED OF THE DAGGERS, BUT INSTEAD HE GOT SO FUCKING TURNED ON OMG

18. STILL FUCKING CACKLING OMG

19. i didn’t know i needed insecure james, but oh i did

20. i get to read the crimson rivers jegulus wedding and oh my fucking god i’m losing it. i am so unbelievably happy

21. “For him, it's easiest to show love when it's a tragedy.”

dksjdjjsjdjsmdjske holy shit

22. “You're hesitating, love."”

AHDHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

23. “You might wish to know a lot of things about their wedding, and their love, but frankly, it's no one's business but theirs.” so feral over this. that’s literally one of the biggest themes of the story omg i love this

24. hi, anyways, i am so unwell

25. the authors notes about the wedding are golden

[impala-dreamer]

Tourniquet - Chapter One

A Supernatural Dean x Reader Series Told Backwards

~Y/N has been by Dean’s side through his worst days, always there if he needs her, forever just a call away. Love is impossible to fight and more impossible to live with. Just a side character in his epic life, Y/N would give anything just to give Dean a moment’s peace.~

Please see MASTERLIST for full info/warnings/chapter links.

Impala-Dreamer’s Masterlist  ~  Patreon  ~ Published Works

All The Damage That This Dark World Does

It had been raining on and off for days and the ground was little more than a muddy expanse that swallowed up the soles of their boots like quicksand. 

The forest was dark and the air rang loud with the requiem of nature. Birds sang low and sad; branches crackled underfoot. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled and the hunters froze. Each set of ears turned towards the sound and eyes darted about while tired minds calculated distances. 

Bobby’s gruff whisper broke through the rain’s symphony. “‘Bout a half a mile east.” 

Dean nodded and Y/N squared her shoulders. 

“And where’s the rest of them?” she asked, tone a little harsher than it needed to be as she glared at the old man. 

Dean shot her a look but she didn’t flinch. Mary shifted uncomfortably between them, not wanting to get involved. 

Bobby adjusted his cap and shrugged. “Gotta be close. They’re hunting us as sure as we’re hunting them.” 

She sighed. “So which way do we go? I’d rather not run right into the pack.” 

Dean cleared his throat and cocked a brow her way. She wasn’t going to let up and he knew it. 

“Why don’t we split up,” he suggested, looking at Bobby and his mother. “You guys go south, we’ll keep heading west.” 

Mary nodded. “OK. Just stay safe.” She smiled and Y/N half returned it. 

Bobby huffed. “You two be careful and holler if you get in trouble.” 

Y/N rolled her eyes and set off before Dean could spin around. 

“Why are you such a bitch to him?” he asked, easily catching up to her with his long stride. 

“You know why.” She swatted at a low hanging branch and groaned. “That’s not Bobby and it’s fucking creepy.” 

Dean laughed at her. “It is Bobby-” 

“Not my Bobby.” 

He sighed. “You get used to it.” 

“No thanks.” 

Another howl, this time closer and followed by another. 

Y/N stood still and tall, listening with her entire being. Dean came up behind her and she held a finger to her lips, ordering him to be silent. 

The earth was damp. The fallen autumn leaves were too wet to make a sound, but she heard the squelch of mud as a creature ran through it. The being gained speed, and the wind picked up, chilling their faces as sure as the adrenaline prickled their skin. 

She nodded towards his right and Dean raised his pistol, gripping it tight and following the line of sight into the dank woods. He squinted and a mess of black, matted fur moved behind the trees. 

“Shit.” 

Y/N flipped off the safety on her gun and steadied herself. She took a breath, gave him a wink and set off to the left. 

He knew her well enough to understand the plan without conversing, and Dean moved off to the right. They’d wrap around in a circle and meet behind the beast, hopefully catching it off guard and raining silver down upon it. 

It was a good plan. Solid. Proven. 

Y/N moved swiftly through the trees, careful to tread lightly through the muck and avoid the fallen soldiers of the wood. The rain picked up and with the distance now between them, she lost sight of Dean, but she wasn’t too worried. They were professionals, after all. 

Another few yards and the tree line gave way to a clearing. Y/N wondered for a moment if she’d gotten turned around in the forest, but her internal compass told her she was going the right way. 

A wolf’s cry made her sure.  

The grass was tall and free, untouched by blades or trampled by tires. She pushed through the weeds and a flash of memory struck her. 

The sweet smell of spring; the tickle of grass against her cheek. Rusted metal and chrome gleaming in the sun. The smell of burgers burning on charcoal. Perfect green eyes. 

Y/N shivered at the sensory overload and blinked into the clearing. She was taller than the grass now and so much older than her days in the junkyard.

She took a deep breath and heard her name. 

From across the field, Dean emerged from the trees and shouted her name. He spun his hand in the air and she cocked her head, staring at him, confused but smiling. He was just as beautiful as the first time she’d seen him, though a bit more broken down and tired. 

Again, he yelled for her, and the slow motion world around her cranked back up to full speed. 

“Y/N!” 

She heard it then- the horrid, hungry growl. She smelled the dirt, the wetness. Felt the fear as her body tensed. 

Y/N turned and the wolf attacked. She pulled the trigger but it only made the beast more aggressive. 

Powerful jaws clamped down on her defending arm; razor claws ripped through her flesh. The wet ground accepted her body as they fell, the mud curled up around her as the grass gave way. 

Two shots rang out and the wolf was hit. It reared back and leapt over her, gunning for Dean. 

Y/N flipped over in the mud and tried to get up to help him, but her arms gave out and she sank down, her face cradled by the soft grass. 

One more blast from the gun and she heard the monster fall. Boots splashed through the mud and she felt Dean’s warmth as he fell to his knees beside her. 

Big hands turned her carefully and Dean scanned her face. Her eyes were rolling, her lips curled into the sweetest smile. 

“No. No. No.” His bottom lip trembled as he peeled back her jacket and saw the damage. Her chest was torn, her stomach ripped open and gushing blood. He pressed his hand into her middle and she cried out. 

Pain spread through her at his touch and then subsided. 

She grabbed at his arm, wrapping her fingers around the canvas sleeve. 

“I… I’m sorry, Dean.” 

Her voice was quaking as badly as his hand and he closed his eyes, shook his head.  

“No.” 

She smiled, laughed a little. “Yeah.” 

Again, he shook his head, refusing to let her go. “No.” He sat up a bit, craned his neck over the tall grass. “Bobby! Somebody! Help!” 

Weakly, she lifted a hand to his face and guided his gaze back down to her. 

“Hey. It’s OK.” 

He raged inside. Grit his teeth. “It’s not OK!” 

Blood rushed beneath his hand like a dam had burst on a river. Her skin paled, her eyelids fluttered. 

His heart raced, breath quickened. “Please don’t. Don’t leave. Please.” 

Her shoulders twitched inward and the pain returned. She cringed but kept her smile, unwilling to go out like some terrified victim, some damsel in distress. 

“Dean…” She pet his cheek, wiped away a hot tear. 

“Please.” 

“Do you remember when we met?” 

He chewed his lip, closed his eyes, and took a breath. 

“Yeah, Y/N/N. Of course I do.” 

Her fingers tensed on his cheek. “You were the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. You still are.” 

“Don’t say goodbye to me, Y/N/N. You can’t.” He turned his face and kissed her palm, grabbed her wrist with both bloody hands and kissed her fingertips, kissed her knuckles, kissed every inch. “You can’t leave me.” 

With her free hand, she tugged at the chain around her neck and pulled the necklace free. 

“Here. Take this back,” she whispered, hardly able to spare the breath to speak any longer. 

Dean gasped and dropped her hand, ran his fingertips over the old lug nut pendant. “You… you still have this? After all this time?” 

She laughed painfully. “Of course I do, you idiot. I never take it off.” 

He closed a fist around it and shut his eyes, trying to erase the tears and be strong for her. It was all ending and he knew it. She had just moments left and he couldn’t let her go without letting her know the truth. 

“It’s my good luck charm,” she said under a harsh breath. She coughed and the taste of iron flooded her mouth. She swallowed it down and held on. 

“Didn’t do you much good today.” 

She smiled and closed her hand around his. 

“I’ve always loved you, ya know. You… you were always it for me, Dean. Always. I’ve… I’ve loved you since that first day by the stream. I’ve never not loved you. I just need you to know that.” 

He shuddered, sucked in an uneasy breath. “I knew, Y/N/N,” he confessed. “I always knew. I… I love you, too. So fucking much.” 

Her eyes lit up for a second and she shook her head sadly. The tears broke free and refused to leave. 

“Then why? Why didn’t-” 

She couldn’t finish the words, but he understood. 

He pressed his hand lightly to her forehead and smiled. “Come on. I’ve told you a thousand times, Y/N/N. I don’t deserve someone like you.” 

He leaned down, held her cheek, kissed her forehead, her cheek, her lips. 

Y/N closed her eyes, safe in his arms, and felt the sweet pull of sleep yank at her limbs. 

“Shut up, Dean,” she whispered. 

He laughed gently. 

She smiled. 

He would be OK.

Dean stared into the fire, watching through bloodshot eyes as the flames licked at her silhouette. 

Her necklace gleamed in the pyre’s glow and he closed his fist around it, holding it tight. Despite the heat of the fire, the metal was cold against his palm. 

She was really gone. 

She’d been there almost his entire life, always at his side when he called, always there to stitch him back together. But now she was gone. 

He’d watched a hundred bodies burn over the years, said goodbye to every friend he’d ever had, but this was too much. There was a piece of him gone, a wound had been carved out of his chest that would never heal. 

So many things he should have told her, so many times he’d taken her for granted. Guilt pulled at him and grief chewed at his veins. So many years wasted. So many nights he could have been alone with her, happy and loved. 

The blaze burned hot, the wood crackled. 

Dean stared silently, drowning in his pain. Forever the man she loved. Still the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. 

The boy with the green eyes.  

Tourniquet Tags: @prettyinplaid94 @winharry @muhahaha303            

2024 Forever Tags (Always Open! Send an Ask!) @babysimpala @beardburnsupersoldiers @chenshemesh1 @cosicas-cuquis @deans-baby-momma @deanwinchesterswitch @feelmyroarrrr @foxyjwls007 @impalaspixie @jackles010378 @kazsrm67 @k-slla @leigh70 @lyarr24 @nancymcl @peachy-vans @pizzagirlxnsfwx @rachiem4-blog @sexyvixen7 @the-wounded-healer05  

[theunholybastard]

Mary On A Cross (Sister Imperator x Mr Psaltarian)

Requested by @gogodollie !!!

Tags: Workplace Romance, Drug Use, High Sex, Blowjobs, Cum Swallowing, Riding, Multiple Orgasms, Praise, Overstimulation, Creampie, They're So Silly I Love Them

Sister Imperator exhaled deeply, a cloud of smoke escaping her lips. She had a long day, and it was hardly over yet. The way she normally overworks herself had gotten the better of her, leading to a short albeit nasty mental breakdown in her office. Its not her fault everyone she works with is a fucking imbecile! Well, not everyone. Mr Psaltarian, walking in unannounced in hopes he could sneak in a quick fuck, witnessed the whole thing unfolding; And that just made it worse. She had never felt more embarrassed, Lucifer forbid she express an emotion in front of someone else. Which is why Psaltarian commanded she take the rest of the day off. She huffed and puffed, but eventually begrudgingly agreed. It's not like she had much of a choice in the matter, with him technically having more power over her in the Ministry.

So that led the two of them back to Psaltarians chambers, lounging in his bed and sharing a much needed joint. She passed it back to Psaltarian, who raised a brow and scoffed quietly at the way she inhaled practically the whole thing, but said nothing and took a puff of what little was left for him to share. She needed this more than him. Plus, he was already quite high, having had some to himself earlier, the good shit he keeps hidden in his office for when he and Sister meet up after work. And as he took the last puff, coughing as it was more ash and paper than weed at this point, he couldn't help but focus his gaze on her chest, rising and falling with each breath she took. 

 Sisters bra was who knows where, frustratingly tearing it off of herself and flinging it away the second she stepped foot inside. And thanks to the cold December air, and the Ministry's shitty heating system not working properly, her hardened nipples shown clearly through her top. He tried not to, but it's all he could look at. He wasn't very good at self restraint in this state, hell, he's hardly able to resist ogling her tits sober. His mind started to wander pretty quickly, images popping up in his head of how beautifully they bounce when hes fucking into her, and the squeals of pleasure she lets out when his tongue dances around her sensitive buds. He's not subtle with his staring whatsoever, and is snapped out of it by the sound of Sister loudly clearing her throat to get his attention. 

“Psaltarian.” She says his name sternly, trying to hide her amusement. “How long have you been staring at my tits?”

“I’m not sure. What time is it?” He jokes. He hadn't noticed how visibly hard he was till he glanced down at his lap, his erection very prominent through his pants, standing tall and proud, begging for attention. Sister rolled her eyes at him, a small smirk creeping across her face as she tries to feign annoyance. Her hand comes to rest on his thigh, creeping its way up to his twitching cock agonizingly slow, teasing him. “Is this all for little ol’ me?” She purrs. He sucked in a breath and nodded.

He hates when she does this, delaying his pleasure, making him wait. He's not much of a patient man, in fact he's far from it,  meanwhile she seems to have all the patience in the world when she's the one taking control. That has been the only ‘downside’ to their sex life thus far, if you can even call it that. Sister sees it as more of a challenge. ‘If you're going to touch me, then touch me.’ He'd always say. But his mind was far too foggy from the blissful high he was experiencing, and he didn't have nearly enough energy to fight her on this one, so all he could muster was a grunt of slight frustration as he lied back and let her continue. 

She softly palmed his hardness, eliciting a low, shuddering groan from him, eyes fluttering closed. As fun and rare as it was to see him so pliant, she was growing a bit bored of the heavy petting after a while. “Do you want my mouth, baby? Or my cunt?” She whispered breathlessly in his ear, gently nibbling his earlobe. Her words took a second to register, too caught up in her touch to even realize she had spoken. “W-what?”

“You don't think I'm just gonna tease you forever, do you?”

“I wouldn't put it past you.” 

“Well, now that I think about it…”

“Mouth.” He cut her off. He didn’t even want to think about what torture she’d put him through if she had the chance, and he wasn’t about to let her think about it for too long, either. “I mean, I want your mouth please.” She snickered playfully as he made his way to sit at the edge of the bed. She followed, dropping to her knees in front of him and fumbling with his belt.

“So polite. How could I possibly be so mean and tease you for any longer? A man like you deserves to feel good…” She swiftly frees his cock from the confines of his trousers, and from the moment her mouth is on him, he lets out a shaky inhale, full body shuddering. “A man like you deserves to be treated like a king.”

“I- I’m supposed to be helping you relax. Sh-shouldn’t I be the one on my knees for you?” He laughs deliriously, her tongue skillfully working up and down his length, leaving a long trail of saliva from the base to the tip. 

“Trust me, this is helping. Besides,” She licks another stripe down his shaft. “You’re a bit too, uh… sloppy when you're stoned.” 

“Wh- sloppy? I thought you liked it!” 

“Well, it definitely looks like you like it. Your addled brain seems to forget where my clit is when you're slobbering all over my pussy.” Ouch. Psaltarian would be more hurt by that if her mouth didnt feel so fucking good. A beautiful woman leaving red lipstick marks on your dick while she swallows you whole will make you forget things pretty quickly. She moans around his length, hardly even gagging as she takes the entirety of him down her tight throat, over and over again hitting the hilt. She was a pro at this, it was always so hard for Psaltarian to last as long as he does. Even when she's trying to take it slow, trying so hard not to be so damn impeccably good at this and draw out his orgasm, he still finds himself going purple in the face as he desperately tries to hold himself back from cumming. Plus, her sweet and tender praises that spilled from her mouth every time she came up for air made his head spin. 

Soon enough, no matter how hard he tried to delay it, he came, flooding her mouth. He tried to be a gentleman at the very least and warn her before, but all that could come out were strangled huffs and moans. Luckily, she's been with him long enough to recognize when he's about to cum, and was prepared for the warm rush spilling down her throat. She swallowed it all eagerly, licking her lips when she finally pulled off his slowly deflating cock. He hissed when she pressed one last kiss to the sensitive head as a way to say goodbye.

“Fuck. You're so damn good at tha-” His words caught in his throat when she abruptly came to straddle him. She took his hand, guiding it underneath her skirt to let his fingers rub her through her dampened underwear. “You feel that, my love?” Her voice shook with lust. “You made me so wet. I need to feel you inside me. You better hurry up and get hard again so you can give me the fucking I crave so badly.” As his fingers hooked around her panties, feeling her slickness, he felt his cock twitch.

Two fingers slid inside her with ease, pumping in and out of her greedy cunt. Despite the awkward angle, she seemed to be enjoying it, or at least she was playing up her moans and gasps to help him get hard again. If that's what she was trying to do, it was working, each little mewl shooting straight to his cock, slowly rising again with newfound life. His fingers didn’t stop with their ministrations till he reached full hardness, which took a while, but was worth it when Sister lined herself up with his manhood and sunk down, drawing in a sharp gasp of air. Already she had started to perspire as she gradually took him inch by inch, hair stuck to her forehead and brows tightened in concentration. It was always a troublesome fit, even with her pussy sopping wet and stretched by his fingers. Psaltarian was struggling too, his poor fat cock still incredibly sensitive from the last orgasm, which he was given zero time to recover from. The sensations pulled whimpers and cries from the both of them. 

“S-shit, so big! Oh, my love, I can hardly take all of you. You f-fill me so good…” Sister coos, gasping as she finally sinks down completely, impaled on his cock. Once she felt fully stretched and ready, she was ruthless, each slam of her hips pulling a yelp from Psaltarians swollen lips. Lucifer almighty, the stamina this woman has. She was a beast, grinding and bouncing feverishly, he couldn’t catch his fucking breath. His shaky hands gripped her hips bruisingly tight, but soon found a new place to fondle when she paused her brutal riding to take off her shirt. At last, he can finally get a good view of the wondrous pair of tits that put him in this position in the first place. He reached his hands upwards to pinch and tug at her perky nipples, knowing it only encourages her to cum faster. Maybe she'll leave his aching cock alone after this. Maybe.   

Her orgasm hit her hard, every once of pent up frustration, stress, and tension melted away in a second. She continued to ride him even while she was coming down from his high, despite the intense feeling of overstimulation it was bringing her. She still needed one more thing from him.

“You gonna cum again for me, baby?” Coming from her, that wasn't a question; it was a demand. He winced and nodded, her pussy tighter and wetter than before, practically strangling his cock, it was bringing him close all over again. All it took was a few more minutes, one last crash of her hips and he spilled inside her, mouth hung open in a silent scream. There wasn't much to give her, just a couple pathetic spurts, but it was more than both of them expected it to be, considering she just utterly drained him moments prior to doing the splits on his dick. She hobbled off of him, a few droplets of cum leaking onto the sheets, but they can worry about cleanup after they get a second to breathe, maybe drink some water. 

And, of course, take a nice, long nap together.

-

[kingdoms-and-empires]

So we got the ROs rank for cunning, but what about charisma? 👀

Hmmm. Shit this may be difficult to answer ngl. Its why i kept it in mah back pocket for a time. Ill answer it two ways. Charisma for peacetime vs charisma for wartime.

PEACETIME (Administration and vassal relationship matters):

Nysthe: Hands down has the highest CHA of all the characters for peacetime relations. She can talk to people and razzle dazzle their pants and skirts off, and she can make sure vassals listen and want to do what she asks.

Amina: Princess of a kingdom herself, and student of her mother Queen Khari, Amina has learned the ins and outs of leadership and public speaking. You can count on her to handle CHA shit without worry.

Edward: Though reserved and quiet, our boy here is respected by all. As the third highest CHA, with a high INT, Edward is balanced and seemingly has no weaknesses when it comes being depended on to lead or hold discussions with vassals or other parties. A solid administrator.

Voryn: His mother is the Grand Vizier, and through her he has learned much in the way of handling vassals and nobles. Coupled with his natural charisma, Voryn could have been 3rd, but his arrogant attitude towards nobles he doesnt like (theyre alot) it brings him down to 4th.

Lucina: Beauty and charm are her weapons and Lucina knows how to utilize them well, earning her 5th place. Balls, banquets, and parties may not seem like a battlefield, but to Lucina, they are. And she wins those battles, regularly. In terms of administration, Lucina is weaker than the other ROs. But for a Politician MC, Lucina is a top tier partner to have in executing your intrigue. Would be third place if this were for that field.

Mary: Empathy goes a long way, enough for Mary to be 6th. Her ability to feel what the other person is feeling lends itself well to hearings, discussions, and leading. She is more of a listener, and sometimes, listening is better than speaking.

Cheris: An imperial noblewoman through and through, she knows how to handle herself when it comes to CHA matters. Her main weakness however, is having no fucks in calling other people out. She is too direct. Yet, like Lucina with Politics, Cheris would be higher placed if this were for Tycoon. Then, Cheris's head for numbers would show.

Veriel: He has a natural CHA that should propel him higher on the list, but the list is for administration and vassal matters. Sadly, Veriel is quite average in that department, and is outshone by the other ROs in this list. However, Veriel be much higher in the next list that deals in wartime as a leader of soldiers.

Astrid: {RETRACTED}

Zera: Son of the Kin, an outsider, and a grumpy sort of fellow, Zera is hilariously not the guy to send for handling vassals or managing people during peacetime lmao.

Max: Do not. Just don't. Your vassals will believe you're fucking with them by sending them a commoner.

WARTIME (As a leader of war):

Voryn: His men would follow him to the gates of hell. He knows how to talk to a soldier, he fights alongside them, and he makes sure their salaries always come through, even at the expense of the nobility. He has the loyalty of his soldiers, and his soldier's has his. Voryn leads from the rear and only comes to the front at critical moments.

Max: A man of the common soldier. A jumped up commoner who somehow clawed his way to the top of the imperial ranks, and his men love him for it. Beloved by his soldiers for his easy to approach attitude and reputation as a father to his men, Max is a ridiculously effective wartime leader, and decisive when others would balk. He and Voryn are neck and neck in their rankings. Max leads from the fore, and tries to break the enemy before the weakness of not having a commander directing in the rear becomes apparent.

Zera: It is only in the fires of war that Zera can showcase what a great leader he is in the face of adversity. Kin or not, Zera inspires the people around him, and he will soon create a loyal following of soldiers. He is a fair and just leader, and Zera's soldiers can expect him to protect them from malicious officers or nobles. Zera leads from the rear, coming out to the front when critical moments in batle occur.

Veriel: Like a good hunting dog that only feels alive when on the hunt, but lazy and fat when staying indoors, so is Veriel. As someone who worships King Uriel, and seeks to emulate him, Veriel will prove himself leading in battle. He has a strong battle voice, and the soldiers listen to it, as they love his larger than life persona. Of course, he leads from the fore as would King Uriel.

Edward: Again, Edward proves himself to be a balanced and solid leader who can and will meet any expectations thrust upon him. His soldiers respect him, and know they can trust him to lead on to victory. Edward as a leader is more of the logistician type. He will always make sure his soldiers are well fed and stocked, and for this, they follow him. He leads from the rear.

Amina: If this were a leadership ranking for naval combat, Amina would be third place. However, this is overall, and she faces exceptional individuals who excel in too many other facets of wartime leadership. Thus, Amina is an average, yet solid leader. She has no real weaknesses to exploit, aside from a lack of experience. She leads from the rear.

Mary: She was trained by her father, and by Master Feren on matters of war. As such, Mary is an average leader to follow in war. She can command a battalion, but an entire army would prove difficult unless she gains more experience. She leads from the rear.

Nysthe: Wartime is not her forte, and she knows this. So, she does what someone should do, and delegate. And she delegates well. She knows who to choose, and who to listen to. Nysthe will not be a commander, so she does not lead from the rear or fore.

Lucina: Only by virtue of her brother Veriel, and his constant talks regarding war and chivalry, does Lucina have some clue on how to lead people in times of duress. However, she considers herself a lady first, and does not ascribe to the martial side of her people's culture. Will also not be a commander, so she does not lead from the rear or fore.

Cheris and Astrid: As imperial noblewomen, these two have a grasp of martial matters that will help them understand basic necessities required of a leader of war. But the two are below average in this field, and are better suited for other expeditions.

[woodchipp]

Thank you for spelling out your character development, Aubrey! You really needed to because you didn't actually have it in the first place, but the game needs to pretend as if you did!

"I felt like everyone abandoned me... and abandoned MARI too..."

I'd like to note the way Aubrey phrases this line. Mari is tacked on at the end of the sentence as if she's an afterthought.

Considering how self-centered Aubrey has shown herself to be over the course of the game, it reads more as "Everyone abandoned me, goddammit! oh and there's that dead girl too ig"

It's very subtle and intricate writing when your characters rant about their foibles to the audience as if they're standing in a confessional.

"After SUNNY stopped coming to school..."

Which he did on a whim, apparently. Nowhere in the game is it stated or implied he was homeschooled or granted some special exemption.

Also... the writer... totally... isn't... overusing... ellipses...

"I just wanted to go through the photos, because... well... I guess I just wanted to see everyone happy again."

It always circles back to Aubrey and what she wants. It didn't occur to her to leave Basil's things alone since going through the album might bring up some painful memories for him. No, all that mattered is that she wanted to "see everyone happy again," even if that makes those same people miserable now.

Aubrey is an asshole.

"All of our memories together..."

Because the giant "BASIL'S MEMORIES" on the album's cover wasn't convincing enough for her, apparently.

I have already touched on this in other posts, but for the purposes of this one, I have to reiterate.

1) Aubrey's immediate reaction to a perceived slight was to basically disown her close friend of God knows how many years (even though she had no reason to blame him, nor did she let him explain himself) and make a conscious choice to start harassing him. Because that's what strong friendship is, isn't it?

2) She conveniently doesn't specify other "things like that" she called Basil, which implies she might have called him something way worse than "creep"

As you should.

You won't get to do anything about that, though, because the story is going to shift its focus to Sunny in a few minutes anyway.

Peak writing!

And now she's turned on the waterworks because the game's running short on time allotted to her "character arc", so we need to pity her as fast as possible.

I find it funny how the fact Aubrey nearly killed Basil back at their old hangout spot the day prior is not directly brought up or addressed by her at any point of her rant. Her sudden breakdown would have made more sense if it came after her admitting how guilty she actually feels about the accident because she crossed a line or something like that. Nothing of the sort happens, and all we ever get is a vague "What I've been doing is worse than what BASIL did"

BULLYING PEOPLE IS NOT A "MISTAKE". IT IS A DELIBERATE DECISION YOU MAKE.

FUCK YOU.

(also, Sunny taking a few steps back instead of trying to comfort his friend like Hero and Kel speaks more of his character than the game ever could)

"I'm going to acknowledge I'm a shitty friend, but you're not going to see me develop! What do you take me for? An important character?"

"sorry I didn't put my life on hold to keep you all from turning on each other because I'm this group's singular braincell, apparently :<"

Yes, they don't deserve an asshole like you as a friend.

Sunny and Aubrey are both friends no one deserves, actually. One is so unreliable he walked out on his bestie when said bestie was at his most vulnerable and the other harassed her friend for four years just because she assumed he wronged her

Hero's argument to convince Aubrey she does care about her friends after all omits the fact she stole one of her friends' property and then bullied said friend because of it.

Love that no one gives a shit about Basil in this game.

And you couldn't say this while you were talking to her in the church on Three Days Left because...?

>>"We should all be here for each other!" >>Sunny is due to move town the next day

fucking lmao

And that's it! Aubrey's redemption is official!

Except it literally took a single poorly-written rant. And a hug.

Because that's peak writing.

143/10 once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece would absolutely kill my sister because I couldn't watch the TV for as long as I want again

[tooneys-russo]

Best Friend's Enemy

Plot: Ella and Charlotte are enemies on and off the field knowing exactly how to piss each other off. The only thing is that Ella's best friend Alessia may enjoy Charlotte more than she should.

WARNING: Smut 18+

Chapter 1

Ella Toone and Charlotte Anderson were mortal enemies. The Manchester United midfielder and Chelsea midfielder would constantly be at each other’s throats during games, for both club and country. Charlotte played for Australia and was a key midfielder, she was known as the key playmaker linking up with Sam Kerr up front and this translated perfectly for Chelsea. 

Once the 2021/22 season was underway all eyes were on Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal as the potential front runners for the title. Match week 3 saw Chelsea traveling to Leigh Sports Village to take on Manchester United, it was the match of the week and Charlotte was ready to play, especially against Ella. The Manchester midfielder was excited to be able to take on the reigning champions and especially taking out their cocky Aussie midfielder. 

In the tunnel Ella and Charlotte stood next to each other, Charlotte turned to the Manchester player. “Well Toone, I’m surprised you actually got named. Not been the best start of the season for you.” Ella clenched her jaw. “You’re one to talk.” Charlotte laughed. “Dunno if you saw my games Toone, I’ve scored three goals already.” Alessia was stood in front of Ella and turned around to the Aussie. “Shut up. She’s twice the player you’ll ever be.” Charlotte smirked. “Damn Russo. You gotta help Toone now? Thought she could take care of herself.” Alessia clenched her jaw. “You are such an asshole. Can’t wait for us to destroy you today.” Charlotte stepped closer to Alessia so they were face to face. “You can destroy me anytime you’d like. Nice to see you back on the field, Russo. Even if you play for a shit team.” She tugged at Alessia’s shirt and turned to face the front of the line. Alessia stood staring at the Chelsea midfielder for a second then got back into line. “Fucking hate her.” Toone said just loud enough that Alessia could hear her. 

The first half was started by Manchester United, with Alessia passing it back to Ella who was immediately tackled by Charlotte and dispossessed. The Chelsea midfielder played it through to Sam Kerr whose shot was saved by Mary Earps, Charlotte followed up the ball and scored in the top right corner of the goal. She celebrated and ran past Alessia giving her a wink, she glared at the midfielder as she took up her spot. By half time Ella was fuming, Charlotte was having a phenomenal game having scored one goal and gotten another assist. 

Alessia was more determined than ever coming back out for the second half to make an impact, three minutes in she got her chance, Manchester won a corner and Charlotte marked Alessia. She grabbed onto the back of her shirt and gave it a gentle tug. “Good luck scoring Russo. I got you in my back pocket princess.” Alessia pressed back against Charlotte trying to knock her off balance, Charlotte just grabbed Alessia’s hips holding her against her chest. “Didn’t know you felt that way about me.” Charlotte said in her ear. As the ball was kicked Alessia pushed Charlotte back and jumped up, the ball connected perfectly on her head and into the back of the net. Alessia smirked and celebrated next to Charlotte. “Who is in whose pocket now princess?” She said to the Chelsea midfielder. This spurred Charlotte on, she set up another goal and bumped past Alessia and Ella on the way back to her half with a smug grin. On the next run that saw Charlotte sprinting down the right wing, Ella was tracking her closely, she slid in and got Charlotte and then the ball. The tackle led to Charlotte sliding right into the field fencing, she got up quickly and pushed Ella back. “The fuck Toone, I know you are shit but that tackle was fucking shocking. Could have fucking hurt me. Is that the only way you could stop me?” Ella put her forehead against Charlotte’s as they pushed against each other. “Fuck you Charlotte, you might be winning but you are a fucking prick.” Charlotte felt a hand on her chest pushing her back, she turned and saw it was Sam Kerr. “Hey, take a walk.” Charlotte stepped back, catching the eye of Alessia who was pushing Ella away from the potential scuffle too. Charlotte and Ella were taken off to avoid there being any more issues. 

From the bench Charlotte watched the game, taking mental notes on what they could work on in the upcoming training sessions. Her eyes kept drifting over to Alessia Russo, she moved so incredibly on the ball, she was even phenomenal off the ball. It frustrating to know just how good Alessia was and to know that she played for Manchester. At the end of the game Charlotte shook hands with the Manchester girls, she shook Ella’s hand but neither of them spoke a word to each other. When Charlotte got to Alessia she held out her hand. “Good game Russo, I hate to admit it but you had a good game.” Alessia grabbed her hand and shook it, their hands lingered for a minute while they spoke. “You beat us 6 - 1.” Alessia bit back. “Not looking at the score, you move well. Very, very dominant. I would almost say I was impressed.” Alessia bit her lip as she stared at the midfielder. “I would almost say you had a half decent game.” Charlotte smirked and ran her thumb over the back of Alessia’s hand and let it go. “Catch you next game princess. Next time can you press your ass more into me during a corner, it was a bit of a tease today.” Charlotte winked as she walked off. 

Alessia sat in the change room thinking about the exchange with Charlotte, she was very annoying but also very hot. Ella sat next to Alessia. “I wish I could just punch her. If I ever saw her out I would knock her out.” She kicked off her boots. “She gets a kick out of pissing you off. You can’t let her get into your head.” Alessia looked over at Ella. “I know. But I need to kill her. She does my fucking head in. Can we go out tonight and just drink?” Alessia smiled and nodded. “Yeah, let's do it.” 

Alessia put on a black skin tight dress and put her hair half up and half down, Ella wore a crop top with black skinny jeans. They went out to a local bar, they sat in a booth with a few of the other Manchester girls, Alessia was at the bar when she heard a familiar voice. She turned to see the blonde Australian wearing a white t-shirt with black jeans at the pool table. Charlotte was chatting to a random girl, she had her arm around her waist and had a beer in her other hand. She quickly finished her drink and gave the girl a kiss on the cheek, then walked over to the bar standing next to Alessia. “Oh wow, Alessia Russo. How nice it is to see you out of a football uniform.” Her eyes raked over the striker’s body. “Anderson. Nice to see that this place just lets anyone in. Does that girl know just how insufferable you are?” Alessia finally turned to Charlotte. “Not yet. But I mean she doesn’t have to know anything about me to sleep with me now does she.” Charlotte motioned for another beer to the bartender. “Charming. I just feel bad for that girl having to admit to her friends that she actually slept with you.” Charlotte grabbed her new beer and slid over a 50 pound note. “Oh princess, I know you would love to experience a night with me.” Charlotte looked at the bartender. “Whatever she wants as well. Give me a call Russo if you want to do something you will regret.” Alessia watched as Charlotte walked back to the girl, Charlotte pulled the girl close and kept her hand on her lower back as they talked. Charlotte leant in and talked into the girl’s ear while locking eyes with Alessia. 

As the night went on the Manchester girls were getting more tipsy as they congregated on the dancefloor singing along with the music. Charlotte had lost interest in the girl as she watched Alessia dance, as soon as the Manchester striker went to the bar Charlotte followed her. “You look like you are having fun.” She leant against the bar close to Alessia. “Yeah I was. Until you came to annoy me.” Charlotte put her hand on her heart. “Shit you hurt me Russo. Why don’t you and I have a dance and you can decide if I am annoying.” Alessia looked Charlotte up and down then looked at her friends preoccupied on the dancefloor. “Give me five minutes princess.” Charlotte ran her finger along Alessia’s arm making her skin feel like it was on fire. Alessia leant in getting close to Charlotte making the Aussie’s breath hitch for a second. “Not in your wildest dreams Anderson.” Alessia grabbed her drink and walked back to her friends. The next time that Alessia turned to look at Charlotte the girl was gone. 

Alessia woke up the next morning with a headache, memories of Charlotte and how close they were and how gorgeous she was. Alessia was so thankful that she didn’t give into the Aussie, but she couldn’t stop thinking about her. To try and distract herself from the Chelsea midfielder she went onto Instagram, there was one notification, ‘CharAnderson has started following you’. Alessia stared at the notification and succumbed to looking at Charlotte’s profile, there were so many pictures of her at the beach that Alessia became fixated on, especially the ones of her skateboarding and surfing by the beach. 

It wasn't long until they were in close proximity again, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United were all at the same nightclub after their games. Ella and Alessia went to the bar and saw the Chelsea midfielder standing alone and sipping a drink. “Looking for another victim?” Ella smirked at the Aussie. “Ella Toone, can’t say I have missed you in the slightest. Alessia Russo however, I definitely have missed you.” Charlotte smirked as she looked at Alessia. “Charlotte, a pleasure as always.” Alessia rolled her eyes and turned away from Charlotte as she and Ella ordered a drink. Alessia’s eyes kept drifting to the Australian as she went to the dancefloor with some of the other players, her arm was snaked around Jill Roord and their bodies were pressed together. “You okay Less?” Ella looked at the striker. “Yeah, come on, let's go dance.”

The two girls joined some of the other players from all of the teams on the dancefloor, Alessia kept Charlotte in her eyeline while they all sang along with the music. Alessia excused herself to grab another drink, she leant against the bar trying to focus, definitely feeling the alcohol. An arm wrapped around her waist and a familiar voice sounded in Alessia’s ear. “Princess I know I am gorgeous but you just can’t seem to stop staring at me.” Alessia bit her lip and gripped her drink tighter. “S-shut up Charlotte.” The midfielder gripped onto the striker’s hip and turned her around so they were face to face. “Make me.” Her voice dropped. Alessia clenched her jaw and dragged Charlotte out to the smokers area into the far corner where no one would see them. She pushed the Australian up against the wall and kissed her deeply. Charlotte grabbed Alessia’s bum as the blonde tangled her fingers in Charlotte’s hair. There was nothing gentle about the kiss, it was desperate and lustful. Charlotte flipped their positions to push Alessia against the wall, her lips making their way down Alessia’s jaw to her neck. “Charlotte fuck.” Alessia held Charlotte’s head against her neck, the Australian’s hand slid up Alessia’s leg, under her dress and to her inner thigh. Alessia felt her knees getting weak as the hand made contact with her g-string making her moan. Charlotte reconnected their lips as she pulled the g-string to the side and a finger circled her clit. Alessia bit Charlotte’s lip making the girl moan into her mouth, Charlotte slid her finger further down and pushed inside Alessia making the girl dig her fingers into her back. The thrusts were deep but slow to begin with, this wasn’t enough for Alessia she pushed against Charlotte’s finger, the midfielder added a second finger and sped up. She dropped to her knees and circled Alessia’s clit with her tongue while continuing to finger her. Alessia gripped onto Charlotte’s head and pushed her deeper, feeling herself getting close to release, her legs shaking and struggling to keep her up. Charlotte felt as Alessia finally let her orgasm take over, her fingers didn’t slow until Alessia struggled to stand. “You okay princess?” Charlotte stood and held Alessia close to her body. “Shit.” Alessia rested her head on the Australian’s shoulder. 

The two stood there for a few minutes while Alessia caught her breath and found her feet again. Alessia looked at Charlotte and kissed her softly. “It's okay if you regret it.” Charlotte’s voice had a bit of vulnerability in it. “I don’t. I just can’t do it again. Ella would kill me.” Charlotte nodded knowingly, Ella hated her and she hated Ella. “All good princess. Have a good night.” Charlotte kissed Alessia’s cheek and fixed her clothes before going back inside. Alessia followed a few minutes later but Charlotte had left the whole bar. Ella pulled Alessia onto the dancefloor, barely noticing that she had even left for half an hour. 

The following morning Alessia followed Charlotte on Instagram and liked her most recent post. Hopefully it would break the ice between the two, she got up and had a shower washing off the night before remembering the moment with Charlotte. She didn’t regret doing it, it felt amazing and Charlotte is gorgeous but it would never work. Ella would kill Alessia if she found out they so much as kissed. Alessia looked at Charlotte’s Instagram but it was quickly obvious that Charlotte had blocked her, she rolled her eyes at the girl’s petty response to what had happened.

[justnerdy15]

Flash Fiction Friday (12.6.24)

wc: 999 prompt: @flashfictionfridayofficial out of love notes: random fic. not attached to a wip

“What do you mean, you’re out?” the woman demands, hands pressed against the countertop, pushing herself up to peer over the edge. Her eyes narrow at the sight of empty vials, haphazardly tossed into a dingy box.

“I mean, we’re out. We don’t got nothing. Nada. Zilch,” the little shit responds, turning their back to her as they pull another cabinet open. Her fingers itch to knot themselves into their cropped hair and yank them back here so she can shake some answers out of them. These damn path-techs. Useless.

She breathes out heavily, rolling her shoulders to ease the tension out of her back, and forces herself to pull away from the counter, letting her hands drop to her sides. “And why don’t you?”

They shrug. “Supply chain issues. You know how it is.”

“Right. Supply chain issues. Do I need to remind you that you lot deal with magic and the Great Cosmic Forces? What kind of supply chain issues could you possibly be having? Not enough fairy dust?”

“Sterile containers,” they replied dryly. They glance over their shoulder and their eyes shine a brilliant teal underneath the overhead lights. “And I don’t appreciate the snark, Claudia.”

Well I don’t appreciate being left empty-handed. The words are on the tip of her tongue, but she swallows them down. “Nice try,” she says instead, “But my name isn’t Claudia.”

“Christina?”

“No.”

“Chloe?”

Her teeth grind together, an eye twitches. “No.”

They snap their fingers. “Ah, Cecilia.”

“You know, no wonder the fae abandon their young. I would if you were my kid.”

They bare their teeth at her, needle-sharp. “Cute.” They snatch a box off the counter. “Just so you know? Being an ass isn’t going to change the fact that I can’t issue any eros today. Or anything else actually.”

“I mean, there looks like some perfectly good vials right there,” she replies, pointing to the box. “Just slip me one —”

“NO. Are you crazy —”

“— and no one will be the wiser! I’ve got to get Q off my back about this damn case, please.”

They shake their head, golden curls swooshing back and forth. “Nope! I’m not doing that. You are out of your mind.”

She throws her hands up. Why can’t this jackass just work with her? “Jeez, what’s the big deal? Just use one that had eros in it already!”

Scoffing, they point an accusing finger in her direction. “This is the problem with you damn cupids. You have no idea what we do here and you don’t listen when we tell you!” They snatch a used vial and hold it up. “This is contaminated. Full stop. It doesn’t matter what was in it — if I put a new potion in it, even if it’s the same as before, it will change because it will interact with the remnants of the previous one. So unless you want your case to turn from eros to mania or, heavens forbid, misos, I suggest that you wait until we have our new vials.”

She huffs, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks, and scuffs her boot against the floor. “Fine,” she mutters, looking away. “Message received.”

She’s fucked.

“Okay,” she says after a moment. “Just let me know when they come in. If you don’t mind.” She offers a weak smile. “Sorry for the intrusion.”

When they don’t say anything back, eyes watching her intently, she decides to save whatever dignity she has left and make her way to the door.

Her fingers graze the handle.

“What do you need it for?”

She doesn’t turn around.

“It’s a hail mary for a man Q’s given me.” She scowls at the memory of that sullen bastard. She’d have better luck finding a match for the actual Antichrist. “He’s my. . . punishment for what happened in Montreal.”

There’s a low hiss. “Oh, he’s one of those, then.”

“Yeah,” she said flatly. “One of them.”

She can hear them messing around with something behind her, fidgeting perhaps.

“I really can’t give you the eros,” they say, voice softer, apologetic even. “I’d hate to make it worse for you when it sounds pretty precarious to begin with by giving you a contaminated potion . But —” they stop and she decides to look her over shoulder at them.

“But?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.

“You can’t tell anyone that I told you. But. If you want to go old-school, like real old-school, I heard there’s some stuff in the warehouse, in the upper-levels, that could help.”

She can’t help it — she turns around. “Like what?” she asks, incredulous.

They quirk an eyebrow before holding out one fist in front of them before taking their other fist and pulling it back from the first. “Hope you have good aim,” they said with a grin.

Her mouth drops. “Are you serious?” She scrubs a hand across her face, before dragging her hand down. “We still have those?”

“Not officially.” They laugh and it sounds like bells. “It may score you some points with Q, you know? Going back to tradition,” they say, wiggling their fingers at her.

She huffs out a laugh. “Yeah, if I manage not to kill anyone.”

Shrugging their shoulders, they hold out their hands, palms up. “If it’s for love.”

A rude snort escapes her and she gives the path-tech a sardonic grin. “What does that have to do with anything? I deal with the strictly physical, thank you very much. Gotta get this dude’s rocks off and I’m off the hook.”

They wrinkle their nose at her. “I thought cupids were supposed to be romantic?”

“What can I say? I’m a natural-born cynic.” She reaches behind her for the handle and offers one last smile. “Thanks for the tip.”

[cels-not-so-secret-love-affair]

falling to the music pt. 2 (jily)

a/n: part 2 to my band au jily noodles arrives! featuring coffee, more of mary and a slight misunderstanding…

previous | next

Lily goes four whole days with no new messages. Okay, fine, her friends text her, and she gets some emails from university about upcoming assignments, and her Waterstones app cheerily supplies to her the hottest novels of the month in a push notification, but she doesn’t get a text from James, which means none of that counts. And Lily is not bothered about this in the slightest. She’s fine about it, dandy even. Her friends have not complained about the new habit she’s developed of checking her iMessages every spare moment she has. Only, maybe they have. Once. Or twice. Or thrice. It’s just she thought it had gone so well. She had flirted, hadn’t she? And he had been interested, or so she’d thought. He’d gone to get her a pen, for fuck’s sake. She’d written her number on his skin. She’d basically temporary tattooed him, it was a Sharpie and everything. But she hears not a peep from him, so apparently he’s just a typical guy-in-an-indie-rock-band who flirts with girls and never follows up. Which is fine, honestly - that’s his prerogative. All it means now is she’s got to learn to quell the incessant and unrelenting desire to see him again. Easier said than done, though.

It’s a Saturday when she decides to ring Mary up and meet her for a coffee. This is what I need, she thinks. I just need to let it all out in one sitting and then move the fuck on. I only bloody met him once. So she dresses up. She picks out that nice skirt she got in a charity shop in York and her pair of sixties style boots and douses herself in perfume, and goes marching out to enjoy a good old rant and a latte. She’s determined to have a nice morning, and to have everything go her way for once. And she almost gets that. Almost.

The coffee shop, to its credit, is exactly as she wanted it to be. An independent joint on a pretty street corner, it’s perfect for people watching, and decorated quite pleasantly with all sorts of vintage knickknacks. She likes it. It’s unknown enough that it doesn’t get too busy, and not so awfully pretentious that it doesn’t have any proper seating. Seriously, why does no one seem to want to let you sit down anymore? Settling herself comfortably in a gorgeous green armchair by the window, Lily sets her phone face down firmly on the table. She vows silently and fervently to herself that she will not check it until she has left the building. Then, she pulls out her novel, Emma - which is in every aspect the perfect comfort book - and contents herself to caring solely about what’s going on in Highbury. So far, so good.

Mary turns up about ten or so minutes late, despite her optimistic suggestion over the phone earlier that this time it might only be five. This is not an issue though because Lily knows her best friend like the back of her hand, and thus knows better than to believe that she might arrive on time. Things are still as they ought to be.

‘Right then, Lils,’ Mary says after having brought over their drinks. ‘I have it on good authority that we’re pissed off today, is that correct?’

‘However did you guess?’ Lily deadpans.

‘Oh, I think the scowling at your mobile whilst I was in the queue may have tipped me off. It’s about that guitarist of yours, isn’t it?’

‘Obviously, yeah. Him, and the fact that men are the root of all evil.’ At this, Mary throws her hands up as if in worship, closing her eyes and humming appreciatively.

‘Too damn right, babe. Although I will say, dating girls can still be tricky.’

‘Yeah, but I reckon I’d probably feel like less of a fool if I was this hung up on a pretty girl. Instead I’m here whining about not getting the attention of a good-for-nothing, piece of shit, stupid fucking man. Christ.’ She reaches forward to take a sip of her coffee, looking somewhat defeated.

‘He still hasn’t texted you I take it?’

‘Not once. I don’t know what I did wrong, Mary. I thought he liked me. You saw him, you saw how Sirius introduced me. Didn’t he like me?’

‘I mean yeah, it looked like it. I’m sure you didn’t do anything wrong, so don’t go blaming yourself for it. Guys fall at their feet for you. Maybe he does want to text you, but can’t. Maybe there was an emergency so he’s been too busy to think about dating, or maybe he’s a flustered coward who can’t work up the courage to ask you out, or maybe he’s driven off to the Welsh countryside on a lads trip to fuck about with his mates and didn’t realise he wouldn’t have any service. Or maybe it’s none of those things, and he isn’t interested at all. Whatever it is, you can’t start losing all your marbles ‘cause you’re waiting for a text.’ Mary puts both her hands down on the table palms up, and waits for Lily to take them. When their hands are slotted properly together, she gives a gentle squeeze and continues.

‘You, Lils, are a wonderful woman. And you have a wonderful woman’s life full of all sorts of wonderful things. Don’t waste it fretting over some bloke in a band.’ Lily takes a deep breath.

‘You’re right,’ she sighs. ‘You always are.’

‘I know,’ Mary answers with a smile.

‘Thanks. For putting up with all this, I mean. I promise I’ll be back to my usual self now. Nice, normal, non-boy-obsessed Lily.’

The phone that had been set face down on the table about twenty minutes ago chooses this moment as the perfect opportunity to buzz. The vibration sends it inching closer to the boundary between the safe, charted territory of antique mahogany wood, and the sheer drop down to the floor as if it, too, aches for the sweet release of death. Fuck me.

‘Fancy checking that?’ Mary asks sweetly.

‘Nope. No. No can do. Not going to check it.’

‘You can if you want to. We’ve all been there, I won’t judge.’

‘I have more resolve than that. I just said I’m back to normal. I don’t care if it’s him or not, I’m not going to look.’ Mary just stares at her. It’s not in any way critical, nor condemnatory. If anything, it just looks like she’s waiting it out. Lily counts about ten seconds of pained eye contact before-

‘I’m so sorry, I have to look.’ She snatches her phone from where it’s ended up suicidally near the edge of the table, taps it to light it up and of fucking course. There it is.

iMessages: Unknown Number

hii :) it’s james. is this lily?

‘Is it him?’ Mary has one eyebrow raised.

‘Fucking- yeah, it’s him.’

Lily wants so desperately to ignore the message. Here is a man who’s made her feel so incredibly pathetic, so incredibly angry, and he’s just waltzed on into her notifications without a care in the world. She shouldn’t dignify him with a response. And yet.

Lily: Lily Evans speaking.

James: oh, yay! okay perfect. well, hopefully you know who i am then. i’m the guitarist from the gig, like four days ago? you wrote your number on my arm.

Lily: Mhmm.

James: listen, i’m really sorry i didn’t get in contact sooner

James: you remember how when we were chatting that night i told you i was a dunce?

Lily: I do recall.

James: that is the truest thing i have ever said in my whole life. i am a dunce. i am stupid to the point of being unsalvageable. i am, you might say, a total buffoon.

Lily: And all this to say, what?

James: i dropped my phone :((

Lily: That’s why you haven’t texted me for four days? You dropped your sodding phone?

James: down an entire flight of stairs!

James: completely killed it

James: basically shot it dead and then broke both its legs for good measure

Lily: Right.

James: so then i was going to text you on sirius’ phone, but sirius is awful for pranks, and i didn’t want him to do something dickish or pretend that i died or something just to mess with you

James: he’s my best mate and i love him half to death, but he’s a bit of a knob sometimes

James: you don’t deserve that

James: and then remus is a fossil who still carries around a fucking nokia brick looking thing that i don’t even know how to use like he’s someone’s grandpa

James: no luck there

James: and peter was away with his girlfriend for their anniversary

James: so i had to wait till i got a new phone sorted to be able to message you

James: i’m really sorry :(

Mary takes a sip of her hot chocolate and looks somewhat disdainfully at Lily’s phone.

‘Chatty, isn’t he?’ Lily pulls an apologetic face.

‘I promise I won’t text him forever, I’m just… processing. Give me two minutes and I’m with you.’

Lily: I’m out with a friend right now so I can’t chat. But fine, I accept your apology. I’ll call you later and we can talk properly.

James: okay! absolutely no worries. talk to you soon?

Lily: Yes. Talk to you soon. But I’m still angry at you, so you’d better be on your best behaviour.

James: yes ma’am.

Lily clicks her phone shut, and pinches the bridge of her nose.

‘What did he say?’

‘He couldn’t text me because he chucked his phone down the stairs.’

‘Oh?’

‘And I hate to say it but… I buy it. It’s something he’d do.’ Mary humphs, unimpressed.

‘You still want to see him, then?’

‘I- yeah, yeah I do. He’s really… he’s really nice.’

‘Well then. Let’s see how Mr Nice keeps up.’

[adelaidedrubman]

one clown fifteen lines

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

i was tagged by dears @simplegenius042 @direwombat @gwynbleidd @sofrosine @nightbloodbix @corvosattano @voidika @quickhacked to post a lil bit of oc dialogue samples! outgoing tags below cut + like here to opt in:3

1. “Yeah, ya know, they’re actually teachin’ all kindsa folk how to read an’ write these days,” she answered his second question with a sarcastic exaggeration of the natural twangs of her accent, ignoring his first entirely. “They ain’t even makin’ you go all the way to law school for it no more.”

2. “Piss off, Earl,” she spat, elbowing him out of the way. “I mean, honest to god fuckin’ piss off, alright?”

3. “Opossums are fuckin’ marsupials, Mary May!”

4. “I would fuckin’ carve out your eyes and throw them in the lake first, so that the only thing you’d ever see of me again is my fishing hook when I came back here to catch whatever trout had the bad luck of eating you.” 

5. “Familiar enough to know that if you’re calling me a ‘Delilah’ or something that’s some misogynistic bull —”

6. “Probably do a little publicity tour, once it all makes news. A few TV specials, tell-all nightly news interviews, a true crime podcast here and there. I bet I could make a good buck writing some kinda fucking memoir or something about this shit. Everyone would eat it up, you know, out of guilt, ‘cause —” she paused, raising her pitch a bit in nasally mocking, “‘cause we should really be focusing on the victims, not making the perpetrators famous,” she chimed, followed by a dismissive wave of her hand at the thought. “But you know, they’d still all be reading it to see what I said about you of course. But no skin off my ass, as long as they buy it. Figure I could spend… two, maybe three months as America’s sweetheart, then slip back into anonymity. Live off the royalties. The occasional consulting fee, anytime someone decides to make a movie about you and your fuckin’ cult.” 

7. “Head wasn’t that good,” she replied flatly. 

8. “Yeah, pretty sure they make a pill these days for when a gal realizes she’s made that kinda mistake,” she retorted with an exaggerated batting of her eyelashes as she pulled the flask from his hand. “And if you’re the baby daddy, she really would be wising up to take it.” 

9. “Oh, I’m back, baby.” She forced the smile to fall from her face, lips and brow tensing with sudden gravity. “And I’ve rigged this whole fucking mountain with explosives set to go off any second now. This thing is gonna blow sky fuckin’ high, and you and I are going to blow up with it. ’Cause I —” she feigned a gasp, brought her wrist to her brow as she threw her head back in a pantomime of being on the verge of fainting. “I can’t deny it any longer — I’m in love with you, and I want us to fucking be together forever in the fiery abyss of death.” 

10. “Tell your big bwother to make his stump speeches even scawrier next time — I’m sure it’ll make the canon fodder he sends out harder to kill, if he gravels his voice a bit more.”

11. She snorted. “You worried I’m not playing with a full set or something?”

12. “I jest,” she hissed, knocking his hand away. “You haven’t fuckin’ gotten that by now? It was a fucking joke.” 

13. “C’mon, that the fucking best miss church camp coachella can do to scare me?”

14. “For the fuckin’ record, I’m prolonging the void of nothingness when my organs stop functioning and I cease to exist in conscious form, not eternal damnation,” she finally spat. 

15. “It’s gonna be hilarious, actually,” she replied, pushing herself off from the door frame with a parting wave. “Tell your friends!” 

tagging: @cassietrn @shallow-gravy @derelictheretic @socially-awkward-skeleton @lordundying @florbelles @henbased @belorage @8bitpizzacoupons @firstaidspray @theresaruggedroad @afarcryfrommymain @clicheantagonist @v0idbuggy @orionlancasterr @strafethesesinners @deputyash @confidentandgood @strangefable @stacispratt @miyabilicious @omen-speaker @nowandthane @hctknives @wrathfulrook @fourlittleseedlings @galaxycunt @josephslittledeputy @just-another-wasteland-merc @voidika @captastra @blissfulalchemist @shellibisshe @thedeadthree and anyone who would like to share!

[maxinemartinsdrill]

spn women I have strong feelings about:

1. ROWENA ROWENA ROWENA. Rowena will get CRAZYYYYY interesting backstory dropped in various episodes and ppl just ignore it. like she grew up poor and when she had Crowley she was miserable and alone and she despised him for it because she needed to be strong and he felt like a weakness to her. and then she spends years fleeing witch hunts running around Europe and she finally grasps some level of power to find security because magic is her way out magic is her strength etc etc. and we first see her killing pimps and then helping those girls and then punishing them for lacking the strength she wants to see in them. like is she a nice person? absolutely not. but the reasons for her desperation to hold onto power are SO SOS SO COMPELLING. ppl would be allllllll over her if she were a man I mean that so sincerely.

AND THEN. She meets the Winchesters and they keep kidnapping her and she gets thrown into all this shit with Lucifer and she's not as strong as she thought she was. she's not strong enough to be safe. but the she gets to know Sam better and she finally gains the levels of power she's sought of angling for as well as some of the emotional security because he's vulnerable with her and he gets it a little bit. and she can let herself be bit more vulnerable and she can open herself up to feeling more than just scared or vengeful. the fact that when she's safe she will let herself love people??? excellent. like her becoming less evil to me is wayyyyy more interesting than the way spn does this a lot of the time and it feels rly fucking authentic.

AND EVERYTHING AFTER THA IS GREAT AS WELL. her trying to decide where she stands morally, admitting she did awful things to herself and getting on with it, only being able to love her son after he's dead, bequeathing Sam everything she had after she died. LIKE THERES SO MUCH THERE. and obligatory Lucifer trauma mention because samwena Lucifer trauma bonding was what got me back into spn and into Sam in the first place.

2. BILLIE. singing oh death in the hospital. holding Rowena while she completely loses itm she is THEE benevolent death to me. I love the fact shs one of the only characters who banters with Dean on his level of strange anachronisms. Love how when she was reaping him she was debating whether to tell him sam was still alive. possibly I am just obsessed with her because for once they gave a woman interiority in a way that wasn't inherently evil (like she wasn't portrayed as a saint for it but it was like just business) and then s15... At least 75% of my hatred of the cas confession comes from the fact they made Billie 'evil' in order to set it up.

3. Mary.... ohhhhhh mary. More about the implication than anything else - 'they couldn't stand each other at first but by the time we were done with them...' truly awful. the way she tries her whole life to get away from hunting and runs right back into it. and she comes back to deeply troubled children who she is expected to parent without having any idea of how to do this because she does not know them. and she's a mother to them not mary.

4. bela talbot :(( you're dying. And utterly alone. and you died to free yourself and you've been running and running your entire life but you can't run any longer. and there's someone on the phone, maybe the only person who can understand you. you're similar and he may as well be the only person left in the world. and then he calls you a bitch and says you deserve to die. and you get ripped apart by dogs and tortured for the rest of eternity.

5. KELLY KLINE!!!!!!!!! craziest mf on the show istg. again do I think the writers were trying to do anything serious with her? No. BUT THE IMPLICATIONS. like as I have rambled about before she is insanely republican and Christian pregnant with the antichrist AND on the run with a queer fallen angel who went on a blasphemous murdering homophobes and republicans spree a couple of years back. she is overwhelmingly positive despite this possibly because she is completely divorced from reality due to her bizarre politics (how to have an affair with the president in a god honouring way is it morally wrong to get an abortion if the fetus is the devil etc). and for some reason she is convinced that jack will save the world which is so fun!!!! I also really enjoy the fact that most of her bizarreness was left to be implied because it allows us to see her as a normal person doing her best in an awful situation and empathise with her. Despite the fact that they could have easily made her a full blown lady Jessica type (i don't know enough about dune to say if this is right) with the whole magical pregnancy manipulative religious delusions/cult type thing going. which would have still been interesting but also lacked depth in places. here they just tell you shes absolutely ridiculous and then have her interact completely normally despite the abnormal circumstances. which (accidentally???) gives her a lot going on. also the bit where she meets jack in heaven and realises he's dead the 'cas said he would look out for you' one of if not the most devastating line in late seasons spn not even joking.

honorary mentions:

Amara :))) literally 90% if when she is on screen I am unconvinced however gimme shelter was sooooooo good. SHES A FEMINIST!!! OBLIGATORY SHOUT OUT TO THE WIRE MOTHER CLOTH MKTHER DEAN AMARA POST

[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Closure

Fandom: Elvis Presley, American Musician

Pairing: Elvis Presley x Addison Goodwin

Characters: Elvis Presley, Addison Goodwin, Jessie Goodwin Presley, Lisa Marie Presley,

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 7145

Summary: The Class of 1980 aren't the only ones learning a few things.

Tags/Warnings: Graduation, Set in 1980, College Graduation, Angst, Fluff, Past Trauma, Arguing, Lying, Past Cheating, Mistrust, Kissing, Affection, Miscommunication, Mentions of Death/Dying, Long Term Illness,

Notes: The last one was far too fluff heavy so here’s a lil angst sandwiched between some fluff <3

Also the inspo for scott is tom cruise in looks only cos I don't fuck with that man AT ALL but as 80s heart throbs go he's a good one - I would've had rob lowe if he wasn't my inspo for young jerry

ELVIS MASTERLIST // ELVIS AND ADDISON MASTERPOST

Addison winced as she tugged on her skirt, realising too late in the day just how short it was and that it would no doubt be no defence in stopping the backs of her thighs from sticking to chair plastic in the rampant June heat. She just thanked her lucky stars it was the dry heat of California and not the swampy warmth of Memphis she’d long since become acclimatised to. As she tugged it again it gave way a little, stopping just short of her mid-thigh but making her grunt in disapproval as her mood soured a touch more. Not that her outfit choice had much to do with how she was feeling. Still, today wasn’t about her. It was about Jess and she wasn’t going to let some silly outfit or anything else ruin that. She’d done her job, she’d raised her baby to be a good person, a sweet young woman who was ready for the next chapter in her life which was entering the big wide world. She’d got her to graduation and Addison was going to be damned if she let anything stop her enjoying that.

When she walked out of the bathroom she found Elvis sitting on the bed slipping his shoes on though his movements slowed as he watched her move around the room finishing getting ready. She could feel his eyes on her but she said nothing, rubbing perfume into her pulse points as he watched on quietly.

‘Still not talking to me?’ he said after a moment of silence, his words finally getting her to turn around, a scowl on her pretty face.

‘Are you gonna accuse me of more ridiculous things?’ she asked, watching him expectantly, ‘because if the answers yes then yeah, I’m still not talking to you.’

‘Oh Addie come on you’re being ridiculous,’ he said standing up from the bed and coming towards her. He’d expected the frosty nature she’d left him with last night to have thawed by now though he should’ve known his wife well enough to know that once she was set on something she’d see it through to the end. He had just hoped the end would’ve come before they had to leave for Jess’ Graduation.

‘I’m being ridiculous?!’ she scoffed incredulously, ‘after last night?’

‘What am I supposed to think?’ he asked defensively.

‘You’re supposed to trust your wife!’ she said angrily, pushing past him and heading to the door, grabbing her purse off the dresser as she went.

‘And you’re supposed to tell the truth!’ he said hot on her tail. At his words she whipped around, trapping him inside their room as she stood on the threshold, the anger from last night back on show though he could see she was trying to stifle it, pushing it down inside herself and allowing a mask to take hold.

‘You know what?’ she said, ‘I’m not doing this.’

‘Ads,’ he sighed.

‘I’m not talking to you about this now,’ she said.

‘What are we gonna do sit in silence?’ he bit back.

‘No,’ she said firmly, ‘we’re gonna smile and be supportive of our daughter on her graduation day because she deserves her parents to be there for her and not wrapped up in their own shit.’

‘Addie,’ Elvis said feeling his anger and irritation be ripped away only to be replaced by guilt.

‘I mean it Elvis,’ she warned, ‘we are not ruining today for her got it?’

He watched her for a minute forcing whatever upset and anger she was feeling down inside herself all in the hope that Jess would have a good day. He knew it was probably wrong to do so, to force the emotions bubbling through the pair of deep inside themselves, but as he thought of Jess preparing to enjoy her special day he couldn’t help but agree with his wife. Today was about Jess. Their little tiff would have to wait and so he did the only thing he could do, nod.

‘Thank you,’ she said tersely moving away from him as she said, ‘be downstairs in five.’

And then she disappeared heading downstairs as Elvis flopped back against the door jamb, closing his eyes with a sigh. He knew it was his own fault. That this little spat they were having probably could’ve been handled a whole lot better it was just that his own doubts had gotten the better of him. He’d allowed ideas to fester, to spin out of control, until finally he’d snapped, his anger fuelling his wife’s and leaving them both unhappy in the process.

‘Oof what did you do to piss her off?’ he heard a voice say nearby and looked up to find Lisa watching him with a bemused expression.

‘Nuthin’,’ Elvis grumbled, ‘and what have I told ya about swearin’. It ain’t lady like.’

‘Well whatever it is you better fix it,’ Lisa warned, ignoring the jibe about her household etiquette like she did most of her attempts to reign her in, ‘because she’s right. Jessie don’t need you two screaming at each not today.’

✵✵✵

‘Jessie Josephine Presley,’ the dean said forcing Addison to sit a little taller in her seat as she watched her daughter emerge from the side of the stage walking towards him with a smile on her face, one that grew slightly embarrassed as she heard a distinct rise in the noise level as Elvis leapt to his feet hooting and hollering with help from his entourage as they celebrated her.

‘Dad stop embarrassing her,’ Lisa grunted, pausing her clapping to tug on his jacket as she tried to corral him back into his seat with little avail. It was only then Addison’s eyes left their daughter going instead to her husband who continued his celebrations before they landed on Lisa.

‘Leave him be,’ she said smiling as Lisa rolled her eyes and went back to her own applauding. Only once Jess was safely across the stage did he sit down, sinking back into his chair as he pretended not to notice the ogles and stares from other parents as realisation sunk in. They weren’t the only ones staring though as beside him Addison couldn’t help but glance his way her heart swelling with pride. Even in the sweltering June weather he seemed to feel the heat of her gaze, their eyes meeting for the first time since they’d sat down. Elvis smiled at her, his heart too full to even think about their current situation and though Addison returned it her mind seemed to wander back to it quicker than his as she looked self-consciously back towards the stage. Elvis held in a sigh, the guilt from before creeping in, and in order to fend it off he leaned in hoping his sentiments would be regarded in the way he intended as he murmured, ‘I know we’re not speaking but you did really good with her.’

‘We did good,’ Addison corrected, offering him a smile in return.

It wasn’t much but it was enough to ease the palpable tension they’d been sitting in just a little though as the dean continued to drone on, listing his way through the rest of the alphabet, it didn’t stop either of them from thinking about the reason they were in this mess in the first place.

Elvis was sitting in his room staring at the phone as if looking at it would change the information he'd heard come from the helpful lady at the bank not ten minutes ago. As if looking at it would vanquish the hurt inside him, hurt that only worsened as Addison appeared at the door, an apologetic smile on her face as she rushed into their room, kicking off her shoes and dropping her purse to the floor as she said, 'hey, sorry I'm late I hit traffic on the freeway.'

'Hm,' was all Elvis could mutter in return, his lacklustre response not noted as she continued in her own world, oblivious to the temperature of the room. 

'And I know we said we should go out to dinner tonight but would you mind if we skipped it? I mean we're going out tomorrow and it's only Mar and Jer,' she reasoned. 

'Mmmhmm,' Elvis said, though his jaw was so tight he wondered how he'd even managed to get the noise out, but its quietness evidently spoke volumes as she turned around, watching him curiously as she said tentatively, 'everything okay?' 

'I don’t know,' Elvis said honestly, 'why don’t you tell me?'

'Huh?' she asked, her brows knitting together in confusion that only made the hurt inside him turn to irritation. 

'I mean I thought whilst I've been spending time with our daughter you were out doing the same but apparently not,' he said, watching her closely as she started putting the pieces together. She'd seemed genuinely confused at first but as he mentioned Jess, the pawn in her lie, the realisation appeared to surface.

'Elvis,' she sighed and though her tone was gentle he knew it was still a warning. But Elvis wasn't listening, he didn't want to give her a chance to lie to him and so he continued, 'I mean you sold it well. I have to admit your actin' skills could land ya in Hollywood.' 

'What's that supposed to mean?' she said.

'No, no, Elvis you spend the week with Lisa and Cilla. Give me some one on one time with my little girl,' he said mockingly which made Addison's jaw tighten. They were teetering on the edge of a full blow row, his mocking and mentioning of her only trigger, their daughter, only adding fuel to the fire, but she was holding back. He could see it in her eyes that she was trying to calm herself but he had no interest in letting her, too heartbroken to take a minute to think.

'Let me explain,' she said.

'Why don’t you explain why you said you were spending the week with Jess when in reality she hasn't seen you at all,' he spat.

'I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean to lie to you. I just thought-'

'What that I wouldn't figure it out?' Elvis scoffed, shaking his head as he moved away from her, 'funny ain't it. I mean I always thought I'd be able to read you but I guess we're both stupid.'

'Just let me explain,’ she said indignantly.

'What so you can tell me I'm wrong? That you ain't lied to my goddamn face? Though again I guess in the scheme of things lyin' ain't the worst thing here,' he said, he was by the window now, staring out at the view of their backyard as he felt tears building inside him.

'What?' Addison asked angrily, 'what exactly are you accusing me of? Because I admit I told a lie but I told you I'm sorry-'

'And is that supposed to make up for cheatin' on me too?' Elvis said spinning around to face her in the hopes that there was still some part of him that could read his wife. That in the heat of the moment he'd know the truth.

'Wait you think I'm having an affair?' she asked the disbelief in her voice matching that on her face though it broke through to laughter. Laughter that died as she noticed he remained stony faced, ‘you're serious?'

'As a heart attack.'

'Elvis,' she said, all amusement gone from her voice as she watched him brokenheartedly, 'you really think I'd do that?' 

'Why not? It's happened before,' he reasoned. 

'You mean Cilla?' she said and though he didn't reply his silence was enough. After all he'd been down this road before. He'd lost his last wife to another man but that he could understand. That had been down to his own actions. Their marriage wasn't like his and Priscilla's which is why he didn't understand how she could do something like this, why it hurt so much more to think that she could. 

Whatever hurt Addison had been feeling however turned to anger, the tears brimming in her eyes being quickly brushed away as she said, 'well excuse me if I thought that our marriage was a bit stronger than that.'

'Don't turn this around on me!' Elvis protested.

'How could you think that after everything we've been through? How could your immediate thought be that I'd throw our marriage, our life, away and for what? Some guy? Some five minutes of nothing-'

'What am I supposed to think?' Elvis said, 'you lied to me. Told me you were hangin' out with Jess when you're hanging around seedy motels in Reno.'

'How did you-' Addison whispered, confusion bubbling inside her once more though he wasn't letting her have any time to process it.

'So come on what is it? Some old boyfriend from Vegas? I mean it's perfect distance from here, hell, you don’t have to bother goin’ all that way-'

'You were checking up on me?' she asked, the puzzle pieces slotting together as she realised the only way he could've known where she had been was by tracing her credit card.

'I got curious,' he spat, 'sue me.' 

They were both quiet for a moment, watching each other closely as the anger between them festered in the air. She knew he would be angry. She knew that he wouldn’t understand that had been why she had elected to keep it a secret in the first place, well at least until she was sure about what she was going to do. But to have him think this? To think that one little white lie could be a cover for her throwing their marriage away hurt her deeply. In fact, she couldn't even process how he could think so low of her. 

'You're unbelievable,' she said, breaking the silence as she turned to walk away from him. He could be angry if he wanted. He could shout and scream but she was angry too and she wasn't going to dignify his ludicrous accusations with a response. Not until she had calmed herself at least because she knew if she did she'd only be flinging the hurt he was feeling back at him. And that was asking for trouble.

'Don't you walk away from me,' he shouted.

'I'm walking away from you being ridiculous,' she called as she headed into the bathroom.

'I'm not being ridiculous I'm asking my wife for a fuckin' explanation,' he said, grabbing her by the arm though she wrenched it from his grasp as she whipped around to look at him.

'No! No, you don’t get to accuse me of doing something like this and then expect explanations. If you wanted an explanation you could've just fuckin' asked me but you had to assume the worst of me,' she said brokenly.

'Addie,' he said, the anger in his voice evaporating when he saw how hurt she was.

'Leave me alone Elvis,' she whispered, and before he could protest she shut the bathroom door in his face, leaving both of them standing on either side of it wondering how their night had come to this. 

✵✵✵

'Jess over here!' Elvis called gruffly as he spotted his daughter, too busy chatting to her college friends as they made their way through the stands to be actively looking for their respective families. As she looked up she broke into a smile and bid a quick goodbye to the girls around her before she hurtled towards them, breaking through the pockets of people gathered around until she was in front of her parents.

'Hi guys,' she said as he swept her up in a hug, holding her so tight she felt as though he may have squeezed all the air from her lungs, not that she minded given they hadn’t seen each other in weeks.

'Congratulations!' her mother said watching as Elvis finally let her go, allowing her to be able to hug her.

'Thanks,’ Jess smiled.

‘C’mon now let’s see it,’ Elvis said gesturing to the diploma in Jess’ hands which she unfurled so they could have a look at it causing Elvis to offer up an impressed whistle, ‘phew ain’t that sumthin’. Now that’s goin’ in the trophy room for sure.’

‘Dad it’s not that big of deal,’ Jess blushed, tucking it back under her robes and out of sight as a blush tinged her cheeks.

‘It’s a huge deal! You worked your butt off,’ Addison said with a proud smile.

‘Your moms right,’ Elvis agreed, ‘my daughter is a college graduate and that’s something worth celebrating.’

‘Yeah well I heard your celebrating all the way from the stage,’ Jess giggled.

‘That was just the start,’ Addison said, ‘plenty more to come.’

‘No party right?’ Jess asked hesitantly.

‘No, we followed your orders,’ Addison said.

‘Yeah we followed your rules,’ Elvis grumbled, ‘you guys really know how to ruin my fun ya know that.’

‘I couldn’t risk you asking everyone over to our house like my high school graduation,’ Jess said raising her eyebrow at her father who shrugged as though he didn’t recall inviting every member of Memphis Catholic High’s senior class over to Graceland despite the fact Jess only had a few close friends given that she barely spent time there due to their chaotic schedule.

‘Well we did exactly as you said and booked a table at boulevard like you wanted,’ Addison said unable to stop herself from smiling at the memory which didn’t go unnoticed by Elvis who smirked in response.

‘Thank you,’ Jess said, ‘because I just want-’

‘Hey Jess!’

At the sound of her name being called she whipped around to find a boy coming towards her a beaming smile on his face. Elvis and Addison watched as he rushed up to her her, wrapping her up in a hug as they beamed at one another.

‘Congrats!’ he said excitedly as he finally pulled back though he didn’t let her go. Addison and Elvis shared a look.

‘You too!’ she said excitedly, ‘can you believe it we actually made it.’

‘I know it doesn’t feel real,’ he said with just as much enthusiasm.

‘I know what you mean I,’ Jess said stopping mid-sentence as she seemed to come back to reality and realise her parents were still standing beside her, watching her and her friend with the same curious expression, though admittedly her father’s was a little more hostile. The boy seemed to notice they weren’t alone at the same time though his face seemed less embarrassed and more in awe as he realised just who was watching them. It was a look Addison had seen a million times before, one she’d never quite gotten used to, seeing strangers fawn over her husband but she wasn’t interested in looking at Elvis. She was eying the boy in front of her and more importantly the way Jess had looked at him.

‘Uh mom, dad, this is Scott,’ Jess said as she detached herself from the boy who placed his arms firmly near his sides, ‘Scott this is my mom and dad.’

‘Nice to meet you Mr and Mrs Presley,’ Scott said offering a hand out for Elvis to shake though he merely looked at it, scrutinising the boy as he sweated in his formal wear.

‘Mmhmm,’ Elvis grunted.

‘Nice to meet you too,’ Addison said rushing to relieve the tension by picking up the conversation though not before she subtly nudged her husband who rolled his eyes but put the boy out his misery and shook his still outstretched hand, ‘I take it you’re graduating too.’

‘What? Oh yeah,’ Scott said, ‘though I don’t know how. I wouldn’t have made it without Jess she got me through our business class for sure.’

‘Is that right?’ Elvis asked again earning himself a discreet dig in the ribs for his tone.

‘Well isn’t that nice,’ Addison smiled, ‘you know we’re having a little get together if you want to join? The more the merrier and all that.’

‘Mom,’ Jess said red glowing underneath her radiant summer tan as her blue eyes went wide.

‘Actually,’ Scott said awkwardly, ‘my folks have a party planned but uh thanks.’

‘It’s f-fine,’ Jess stammered, ‘don’t worry about it. Enjoy your party.’

‘Call you later?’ Scott asked.

‘Sure,’ Jess nodded, offering him a small smile which he returned before he disappeared into the crowd. Jess looked at her parents exasperatedly though both of merely shrugged. Before she could berate either of them though she was engulfed in a sea of people as the rest of the celebrating party descended forcing Elvis and Addison to take a step back. Elvis wasn’t really paying attention to the mob, his mind too focused on his little girl, well his not so little college graduate and the way she’d beamed at the presence of that Scott kid. He did however notice how a hand slipped into his, a head on his shoulder as his wife watched the group too, her mind on the same thing.

✵✵✵

The air was cool when Addison stepped out of the restaurant though she didn’t know if there was a chill in the air or rather that the restaurant itself had been sweltering due to the sheer amount of people Elvis had invited to join them. Jess may have gotten her wish of having a simple get together rather than a party but that hadn’t stopped him inviting every friend and family member they had. Still, Addison couldn’t complain because even with all the fuss she’d declined wanting she’d seen just how happy her daughter had been all afternoon.

‘So, how’s it feel to be a college graduate?’ Addison said sidling up beside her daughter as she left the building and diverting her away from the masses of people gathered on the sidewalk, ready to head home or continue the party dependent on the whim of the Presleys.

‘Pretty good,’ Jess smiled leaning into her mother before she pulled back.

‘It suits you,’ Addison giggled, ‘so what do you wanna do now? We could go back to the house I got a cake.’

‘Actually,’ Jess said her happy smile dimming with nerves as she murmured, ‘I’ve been invited to a party.’

‘Oh,’ Addison said trying to not sound too disappointed.

‘Yeah,’ she said, ‘that’s okay right?’

‘Of course it is. It’s your day after all,’ Addison said with a smile as she moved a strand of hair off her face as watched her. At her acceptance Jess visibly relaxed and Addison couldn’t help but smile. It never failed to make her laugh, how days like these had been something she’d used to dread, and yet now she couldn’t help but enjoy them. Sure she would’ve liked to have spent all day with her but she was just happy that Jess felt comfortable having her own life. A life that may or may not have included a handsome brunette boy. At that thought Addison smiled. She may have been able to let her little girl go but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to have some fun of her own.

‘This party wouldn’t happen to be Scott’s would it,’ Addison said quirking an eyebrow as Jess flushed deep crimson.

‘We’re just friends,’ Jess stated.

‘Okay,’ Addison giggled.

‘Mom!’ Jess chastised.

‘What?’ Addison asked feigning innocence.

‘You’re looking at me like, well, like that,’ Jess scolded.

‘Oh I’m not looking at you like anything,’ Addison said waving her off, ‘and if you wanna be just friends that’s fine.’

‘I know that,’ Jess said.

‘But your dad and I were just friends,’ Addison added watching as Jess rolled her eyes.

‘Well thanks for your input but like I said we’re just friends. Though speaking of dad thanks for coming today,’ Jess said swiftly moving the conversation on in the hopes it would get that warm fuzzy feeling to leave her stomach.

‘Like we’d have missed this,’ Addison said.

‘I mean even though you guys are fighting,’ Jess said, batting that awkward feeling back into her mother’s court.

‘How did you know that?’ Addison asked.

‘Well Lis ratted you out,’ Jess answered, ‘but I would’ve been able to tell anyway.’

‘Well don’t worry about it. Besides it’s nothing to do with you guys,’ Addison said guiltily.

‘We’re a family remember. It has everything to do with us,’ Jess said, ‘you guys good?’

‘We will be,’ Addison said firmly.

Jess looked as though she wanted to get into the semantics of it all to make sure that there was nothing to worry about but fortunately for Addison a car pulled into the parking lot before she could ask any further questions. It wasn’t that she minded how much Jess cared about her parents because she knew it only came from love. It was just that it wasn’t her place to worry about them. She had her own life. She didn’t need to parent her parents. It had been one of the reasons that Addison, though devastated, had insisted she go to college where she wanted to which just so happened to be two thousand miles away from Memphis.

‘That’s my ride,’ Jess said waving at the two girls in the front of the car which was idling in the middle of the lot.

‘Go,’ Addison said with a smile.

‘But dad,’ Jess protested, looking for her father who had still yet to emerge from inside no doubt having been collared by fans or friends.

‘I’ll tell him you said goodbye,’ Addison said leaning in to hug her before pulling back and pushing her towards the car, ‘now go! Have fun!’

‘Bye,’ Jess nodded, ‘love you.’

‘Love you honey,’ Addison said as Jess dashed towards the car, chatter immediately breaking out amongst the girls as they headed off on their journey.

Addison watched as it disappeared onto the street her mind running over the past twenty-four hours. It had been a rollercoaster of emotions, not all great, and yet on the whole she felt fine because as she felt a hand touch her waist, her husband’s handsome face coming into view as she turned to look at him, she knew that when she had told Jess everything would be okay she was telling the truth.

‘Where’s Jess?’ he asked, scanning the sidewalk but seeing his eldest nowhere amongst the crowd.

‘She had a party to get to,’ Addison replied.

‘She ditched us?’ Elvis asked incredulously.

‘Maybe we’re not the best company,’ Addison said.

‘Addie,’ Elvis sighed. Since they’d gotten to the restaurant the mood had changed and he’d hoped that their tiff had been forgotten though it appeared that was not the case.

‘Wanna go for a ride?’ Addison asked softly. Elvis paused. The tiff might not have been forgotten but he could tell from her voice this wasn’t a request for a repeat of the screaming match they’d had the night before and given he wanted to get to the bottom of it too he couldn’t deny her only request.

‘Sure,’ he said.

Even though most of the party would be headed back to the same house as them it took a while for them to get away from everyone given that they were all still in the party mood. Eventually though the pair managed to break free, climbing into the car and heading out onto city streets until they got to the coast line. Since it was still relatively early and a weekend the beaches were lined with people and Addison watched them as they whizzed past, frolicking on the shore line and sunbathing under the western sky. Elvis however wasn’t watching the scenery, he was barely watching the road, because he was too focused on watching his wife, wondering what was going on in that head of hers. Eventually he couldn’t take it any longer and so he pulled into a little parking bay overlooking the cerulean waves below. When she kept her eyes forward looking at the expanse of ocean in front of them he cleared his throat causing her hazel gaze to find him.

‘So, is this round two or a truce?’ he asked, quickly looking back out the windshield as he awaited his answer hoping it was the latter as he wasn’t sure he had another fight in him.

‘The second,’ Addison said, ‘I’m sorry about last night.’

‘Me too,’ Elvis agreed glancing at her though he couldn’t help but shift guiltily under her gaze, ‘I know I shouldn’t have said what I said.’

‘It really hurt me…that you could think that stuff about me after everything. E, I would never do that to you, to us,’ she said quietly.

‘I know, I know,’ Elvis said turning to look at her properly, ‘but you gotta understand where I was comin’ from. I mean it’s happened to me before, hell, I’ve been the one cheatin’ before Addie. It was just the sneakin’ around, the secrecy, it stirred up all this worry in me and I didn’t know what to think.’

‘Maybe…but you know me Elvis. You know me better than anyone. Even if you had a million ideas in your brain surely you knew I wouldn’t do that,’ she said.

‘I know,’ he said sadly, ‘and deep down I knew it couldn’t be true but honey you ask me to trust you and I do. But you lied to me. Anyway you slice it there was a lie there.’

‘I know,’ Addison said sadly. She knew he had a point, that she had no right to expect his trust given that she had lied to him, but it was the fact he could contemplate her betraying him like that. He was her love. Her only love. But that didn’t mean he’d understand. That didn’t mean that they always saw eye to eye and that had been what she’d been afraid of which is why she had lied.

‘Don’t ya trust me?’ Elvis asked hoping her answer wouldn’t be anything but positive.

‘Of course I do!’ Addison said, ‘El I trust you more than anyone on this planet it’s just…I didn’t know how you’d feel. I didn’t know how I felt about it so until I did I didn’t wanna tell you. Until I worked it out for myself.’

‘You’re pregnant?’ Elvis asked unsure as to what could be so daunting she couldn’t bear telling him.

‘What no!’ she said swatting him on the arm with a roll of her eyes, ‘like I wouldn’t tell you about that!’

‘Oh come on Addie it’s gotta be something big if you didn’t wanna tell me,’ he grumbled making her smile apologetically.

‘Okay, okay,’ she said turning towards him properly, ‘you were right. I wasn’t staying with Jess like I said. I wasn’t even in Stanford this week. I was in Reno…visiting my mother.’

‘Mona?!’ Elvis asked any thoughts he’d been having immediately disintegrating under the shock of her words.

‘Yeah, even after all this time she’s got a knack for getting between us huh?’ she said bitterly. Of all the things she could’ve told him he would never have thought of that and as bile started to churn in his stomach at the idea of the woman he sighed. No wonder she hadn’t told him.  

Still, questions swirled around inside him each of them fighting to get out first yet as he watched her drop her gaze guiltily he held them back and tried to remain calm. She was right, even all these years later Mona had managed to cause a rift in their relationship and though he wasn’t exactly happy about the lie she’d spun he could forgive her for it because to not would to be play further into her mother’s hands. And so he decided not to fire on all cylinders, to hold himself back in the hopes she’d explain as he said, ‘what happened?’

‘She wrote me a letter a few months go saying she wanted to see me, that there were things she needed to tell me.’

‘Yeah probably give me some cash,’ Elvis said through gritted teeth, his emotions catching hold almost immediately though he softened as she threw him a look muttering, ‘sorry.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ she said placing her hand over his large one where it rested between them on the seat, ‘believe me I fully intended on ignoring it. There was nothing I wanted from her so I threw it away and tried to forget it.’

‘But?’ Elvis said. Addison sighed.

‘She wrote again,’ she said gnawing on her lip, ‘said it was important and well I got to thinking.’

‘She got in your head,’ Elvis said.

‘No,’ Addison sighed again, ‘maybe…but I just started thinking what if it is something important? I mean what if it’s something that could affect me or Jess like some genetic thing or whatever and then I thought what if it is and I don’t find out.’

‘She got in your head,’ Elvis said knowing how all of this would’ve been swirling around inside, gnawing at her brain the way she gnawed on her lip when she was nervous.

‘Yeah,’ Addison admitted meekly.

‘So?’ he asked.

‘So I replied and asked her what she wanted. She wrote back and asked to see me, gave me an address in Reno. I didn’t do it lightly you know. I thought about for a long, long time and I only decided to go because I knew I’d always be wondering and I’d probably drive myself crazy in the process,’ she said.

‘Why didn’t you just tell me?’ Elvis asked. He didn’t like Mona but if he was being honest that wasn’t the part that hurt him. Her keeping it from him was.

‘I thought about it but I knew what you’d say. And I wanted to make this decision for myself,’ she admitted.

‘If you’d have just asked I would’ve respected your wishes,’ he said.

‘And held your tongue?’ she said raising an eyebrow which made him sheepish, ‘I just wanted to have all the information but I should’ve told you. I hated lying to you…but like you thinking I could…y’know sometimes I still think like that stupid kid all on her own.’

‘Well you’re not,’ he said moving to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

‘I know…I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. If it makes you feel better all I wanted was to talk to you about it,’ she admitted.

‘Yeah?’ he asked.

‘Yeah…it was what I was going to tell you when I got home last night before well everything,’ she said fiddling with a button on his shirt.  It seemed silly now to not have told him but at the time she couldn’t bring herself to. She knew he’d try his best, to let her go through with seeing Mona if it was what she truly wanted, but he’d always be watching – threatening to cloud her judgement. Except once she had landed in Reno all she had wanted was to talk to him, to tell him everything that was happening. It had been why she hadn’t bothered Jess by telling her they were fighting. She knew it was in built in her oldest daughter to worry about them because she had spent so much of her childhood watching Addison pretending she was okay. Jess had seen how she’d held herself together thinking she was all on her own but now she had him, she always would. Her mother had just stirred up all that hurt, like she always did, and somehow she’d lost sight of that causing this whole ugly ordeal.

‘Well you can tell me now,’ he said.

‘I know,’ she said.

‘What happened?’

‘I showed up at the address she gave me, to this dingy little house on the outskirts of the city. It was awful, practically fallin down around her and she was just sitting there looking worse than ever,’ she said growing quiet for a moment before whispered, ‘she’s dying El. Six months.

‘Yeah right,’ Elvis scoffed gritting his teeth and trying to make himself look more understanding as she pulled away from him.

‘I know, I know!’ she said exasperatedly, ‘I didn’t want to believe her either but…El she looked awful. I don’t think she’s telling lies this time.’

‘So what?’ Elvis said.

‘I listened to her sob story. I let her tell me how she regretted everything, how she was only now seeing how badly she’d messed everything up and how she was sorry,’ Addison said. She wasn’t looking at him now, her gaze out the window as she stared at the bright blue of the horizon a wistful look on her face as she murmured, ‘but you wanna know something?’

‘What?’ Elvis asked.

‘In all that talk. In all the apologies and promises and begging for my forgiveness…she didn’t ask me one thing about Jess. Not one. I mean I can understand us, our whole ordeal has been plastered in enough papers by now but I had a baby less than a year after she left and she never even thought to ask about her. Not how she was. Not how I coped. Not if she could meet her…her own granddaughter,’ she said finally looking back at him except now the sadness on her face was hardened like it had been the night he’d told her she’d left town all those years ago. Every time Mona had blitzed into her life she’d always had hope, something that he’d thought had been truly stomped out at seventeen, but now at forty he could see it was. That even though she’d given her mother the benefit of the doubt by speaking to her it hadn’t been because she’d hoped for more.

‘I mean I didn’t expect her to have changed no matter what she told me but even on her death bed begging for help she couldn’t even put in enough effort to pretend. Not even for five minutes. She could spin a yarn, give me her sob story but she couldn’t even ask one question about her own granddaughter,’ she said bitterly.

‘Yeah will it Jess was probably of no use to her,’ Elvis said honestly.

‘I know,’ she said.

‘So what did you do?’ Elvis asked.

‘I heard her out. I listened to her pretend she was all torn up about being a terrible human being waiting for the other shoe to drop and what do you know it did,’ Addison said, explaining as Elvis’ brows knitted together, ‘she’s not got any money for her doctors bills or rent.’

‘That’s why you were cashing cheques,’ Elvis said connecting the dots quicker than expected and sighing as she dropped her gaze to her lap, ‘Addie.’

‘I know I shouldn’t have after all she’s done to me. I know I should’ve left; I shouldn’t have even gone. I know she’s a terrible person but I’m not. El I know you might not get it but I’d rather be thought of as a fool who gave her money out of the goodness of my heart than the bitch who refused to help someone who needed it.’

‘Oh honey,’ Elvis sighed.

‘You understand right? Please tell me you understand,’ she said.

‘Of course I understand. C’mere,’ he said pulling her into him and allowing her to be engulfed by his presence. He held her to him stroking her hair as she nestled against him.

‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,’ she sniffed, ‘I don’t know why I couldn’t bring myself to.’

‘Your mothers tricky business. She gets in your head, she always has, it’s not your fault,’ he said, his voice soothingly rumbling against her ear. She settled then, the pair of them falling quiet for a moment though Elvis couldn’t stop his brain from spinning yet this time there was only one question on his mind, ‘are you gonna see her again?

‘I don’t really see the point,’ she said turning so that she wasn’t completely tucked into him though she didn’t pull away, ‘I paid six months rent on a room in a care facility for her. I gave her a cheque to cover any extras she might need and told her not to blow through it because that was it. I have no illusions of her wanting to see me again not now she’s got everything she needs.’

It had always been odd to him how a woman could want nothing to do with her only child. How Addison could be centre of his entire universe and yet the woman who should’ve thought the same could only ever begin to bother with her when she needed something. He couldn’t ever contemplate doing that to either of his girls and he couldn’t picture his parents or Joe doing that either. That was why he hated her so much because of all of them she’d gotten the most time and yet she’d squandered it away. She watched him mulling it all over, concern falling on his face as an idea struck him, his bright blue eyes looking down at her as he asked, ‘do you want to?’

‘Honestly?’ she asked, Elvis nodded, ‘no. I think I needed to do this for me for closure I guess that’s why…’

‘Why what honey?’

‘On my way out of Reno I stopped by a funeral directors. I paid for a package and called the warden asking him to let me know when...when it’s over.’

‘Well that’s an honourable thing to do,’ he said moving her hair off her face as she leaned into his touch.

‘I think it was more for me. So I know that’s it,’ she said, ‘I don’t know if I would wanna go yet.’

‘Well if you do we can. Both of us. Whatever you need baby,’ he said leaning in to kiss her. She was still for a minute before she leaned into it, their lips melding together as he pulled her to him as if they were teenagers desperate for a moment alone rather than married fortysomethings.

When they pulled apart she was breathless, a thankful smile on her face, and though he knew he should probably be serious he couldn’t help himself, electing as he always did to put a smile on her face which came immediately as he smirked and said, ‘so Scott huh?’

‘They’re just friends,’ Addison giggled pulling back and sitting beside him, her head on his shoulder.

‘Is that right?’ Elvis asked.

‘Mmmhmm,’ Addison smiled.

‘Well I’m glad,’ Elvis murmured, ‘he seems nice.’

‘Elvis Presley!’ she gasped pulling back with a beaming smile, ‘are you actually conceding your little girl should actually be allowed in the big wide world of dating?’

‘She’s a college graduate now,’ he said seriously, ‘time to let her live a little.’

‘You’re still gonna put him through the wringer huh?’

‘Oh for sure,’ he smiled.

ELVIS TAGS

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[princess-of-the-corner]

QSC thought, given you said Chloe stops giving a fuck about earning her parents love, that stuff that mattered before no long does. Plus she has also mentally decided the team, both original and expanded are her friends and she wants so save them/them to like her.

I wonder if she takes up fencing with Adrien to do a bonding thing, and also potentially increase her combat skills?

I imagine the reason Marinette in the original oneshot said there was still tension is a combo of her specific history with Chloe and Chloe not really knowing 'how' to get along well with others. So while Adrien may not have drifted to the same extent, she's still fumbled plenty of social rolls, let alone being busy trying to set things up for the future.

Oh yeah 100% like

Chloé has new priorities where she knows that she wants to get better, that she wants to ignore the nonsense her parents are doing, and so on and so forth.

But there's three things stopping her from this:

1.) The obvious: She doesn't fully know how to do this on her own, and everyone around her is skeptical of her because of her past actions. They're reset to Origins, so they haven't had time to see her be better. She doesn't prompt Audrey after 'Style Queen', so they don't have as big of a blowup just her earlier behavior to show how little she cares. She doesn't reveal her identity as Queen Bee, so no one can see her do things that are genuinely heroic and/or know that Ladybug gave her approval of her potential to be better

2.) Chloé is. High-key traumatized. Everyone she cared about died by her forced hand. And while she technically knows why she was upset in Miracle Queen and that Hawkmoth manipulated the shit out of her, she has such a low opinion of herself that she's seeing it as a ridiculous action. "They died because I threw a petty tantrum".

3.) There is some merit in preserving the Timeline. Events where she caused problems made good things happen for others. For example: Darkblade. If Chloé drops out as Class President, then probably Rose or Kim would've taken the spot and things would be normal-ish. Because Marinette only entered to oppose her. So Chloé has to keep up enough of the act in the moment to make Mari enter and win and gain the confidence for it.

[s-wave-entertainment]

Also, fuck it, a vague mention isn't enough (I will talk about Murder Drones: Eps. 5 and 7 here so just in case I have any new fans!):

For my main audience, I have an AU for you too! It is also still being workshopped, but it has a lot more structure than the TADC one does. Basically, I built a "What If?" scenario in which The Solver had kept its promise (ACTUALLY, DON'T GET INTO TECHNICALITIES WITH ME I KNOW THE LOOPHOLE I KNOW) and not discarded her. If she had survived the massacre and been left to fend for herself, until The Solver needed her again.

Tessa walked away from the massacre that night. Not okay in the slightest, but physically unharmed. She had no known relatives or family friends (that would be willing to take in a child, that is), so for a while JCJ housed her themselves in a cleared-out office room. This is when the researcher who rescued her that night, Dr. Lisa E Merit, decided "this is bullshit and this child needs Actual Help," and decided to adopt her herself - and actually pay for the counseling Tessa needed.

There was a drone involved eventually - who was originally Lisa's work assistant - named Mary. Lisa realized after a few days that Tessa didn't exactly do great all by herself in a house all day, so she eventually asked her to come home and assist her adopted daughter instead of assist her at work. Mary agreed (initially reluctantly as she had no idea how in the hell to interact with a kid), and her and Tessa became pretty fast friends.

I actually gave her a pretty good family, so you're welcome for not torturing her any more! ...That is until a few years down the line (Tessa is maybe 23, 24 when this happens) when the Solver appears In Her Apartment and basically tells her "Hey I'm gonna fuck this bitch up in three days, and you have those three days to decide if you wanna help me (and live) or not (and die). I've got a peace offering for you in case you're still mad about the whole 'killing your entire family' thing." And that peace offering is Serial Designation J, in her disassembly drone form.

Obviously, beyond J being her friend, I should explain a little more. Tessa, after she concluded her education, was easily recruited into JCJ. She didn't want to do this, but if she had any hope of finding the truth about what happened to her friends that night, she needed the company to help her do it. So basically Tessa is running her own operation under the JCJ name behind everyone's backs (except for Lisa, who knows about it and actively helps her). So there's that.

Anyway, this is why she took J as a peace offering but had her help hijack a ship and escape Earth before shit got fucked. The whereabouts of Lisa and Mary are unknown to me currently - I may have Tessa have taken them as well since in CANON she arrived with three ships, but at the moment they did not make it off the planet. I have a little content, mostly writing, but what do y'all want - should I drop it?