#new orleans fine jewelry

[marzipanandminutiae]

Hi, I want to talk to you abou this image:

This illustration is titled "black slave women of different african nations". I find the combination of traditional African elements such as face-paint, necklaces and what appears to be ritual scarification and Western fashion worn by these women incredibly striking, but what made my jaw drop is the idea that these women are slaves.

While I am aware that maids and other lower-class women were sometimes able to access fancy clothing hand-me-downs from their employers, I had expected the nature of slavery in the Americas to make it impossible for enslaved black women to do the same.

So, this is a drawing. Whether it's drawn from life or not, I don't know, but the artist could easily have staged these women in fashionable (early 19th century) dresses or made the outfits up from their imagination. That being said, enslaved women absolutely did attempt to have "best" clothing and follow the fashions when they became aware of them.

Humans are human, no matter the circumstances. You can't crush that drive for beauty out of people, however you oppress them.

I know a bit more about fashion and later generations of Black women enslaved in the southeastern US, after scarification and such had been stripped out of their culture, but that certainly bears out this idea of treasuring beauty and trying to make space for fine clothing in their lives. Church services, weddings, and holidays like Christmas were often occasions for enslaved women to wear the best outfits they had, along with any jewelry or other finery they had managed to make or inherit. Some enslavers did give "favorite" people they held in bondage cloth, castoff clothes, cheap jewelry, lace, etc. At other times, the enslaved people cleverly made things themselves- one WPA Former Slave Interview in the 1930s, which I cannot find again for the life of me, featured an elderly man recalling that he once made hoop skirts from dried grapevine with an enterprising friend, selling them to the women in his community for a nickel (many enslaved people earned small amounts of money taking side jobs outside of their punishing work schedule).

Obviously such clothes could not be worn while working, but like I said, there WERE occasions of joy and celebration even in the harshness of slavery. The tradition of Black women wearing elaborate hats to church may in part originate from enslaved women (and their free but economically disempowered sisters) taking advantage of a rare chance for self-expression and elegance.

(Of course there were also less positive instances in which an enslaved woman might have fine clothing, namely sex trafficking, or habitual rape by an enslaver who then attempted to compensate her for this heinous crime with presents. New Orleans' infamous "fancy girl" market is enough to turn your stomach if you look it up.)

After the Civil War, some white commentators were incensed to see Black women in fashionable attire walking the streets where they'd once been enslaved. For these women, it acted as a visible and tangible way of asserting their freedom- as their ancestors despite wringing what happiness they could from life -had been unable to.

If anyone has more to add on this, please chime in! Enslaved women's fashion specifically is not my area of research, so I welcome input from people who study this more extensively. Cheyney McKnight is a wonderful source on enslaved people's lives in general, and a historical costumer herself.

[starythewriter]

KLAUS Mikaelson and Elijah Mikaelson X you, a seductress perspective.

TW: blowjob… hair pulling.

You approached Davina, as you both were on a conquest to restore a crystal. This crystal was an ancient artifact used to weaken and or prevent the hollow from stepping foot into New Orleans.

You traveled past their mention, near Katherine’s old cave, you both prepared some torches, along with some leaves to start a ritual.

As Davina started chanting you combined some extra crystals around the big bright triangle shaped crystal.

A powerful energy blast was sent out toward New Orleans. You both quickly ran, finding a giant clock tower, “let’s put it up there” suggested Davina with a smile.

“Perfect, it’ll cover all major New Orleans grounds”

This was the perfect place you thought, however the position allowed the hollow to travel only with the very rims of New Orleans, meaning she wouldn’t be able to get past a house, even a light post.

You focused your energy as did Davina on the crystal it slowly rose up to the clock tower, it was then tied to the clock tower with some magic rope.

It glowed strongly, sending a much bigger blast stretching out hundreds of miles. “We did it” cheered Davina. “Here let’s go for a walk” she suggested.

You walked side by side as she invited you to a local coffee shop, “here’s this artifact, it may look like an old dusty blue crumpling book, but it is much more than that.”

“WOW it’s glowing” you said surprised davina smirked, having a mischievous smile. “Yup it’s a powerful grimoire passed down through generations… but…” he stared behind you… “I’m gonna go… I see klaus…” she said whispering to you.

She walked out of the coffee shop as klaus came over to sit by you.

“Hey love” he said with a grin. “Hey”you said being nonchalant.

You got up to walk out but bumped into Elijah, “where are you going?” He asked staring into your eyes trying to make you submit to him.

“Away from you.. what you did to Davina wasn’t fair.”

“Oh please she deserved it” said klaus.

He giggled almost enjoying seeing you angry.

“She did not… she was simply keeping a balance and that’s why she didn’t let you get the artifact”

You said sternly using your mind to paralyze them. You walked away strutting confidently.

You got by to your house, setting down a book you were reading, you began to put on some jewelry, as you wanted to spend some time on your balcony.

Out of nowhere your cameras saw someone, it was klaus… you decided to hide, but he knew you were in there. Klaus wasn’t allowed to come in, you kept him out… well not really you thought, because your house was new so he was never invited in “let me in” he growled “convince me” you said seductively as you stood at the door way.

But Elijah�� he entered quickly, “let him in Y/N”

“No” you said, he grabbed your arm before you could storm off “do it ma lady” he said with a seductive voice. “Relax” you whispered as you walked out the back door, running to there mansion. “I got you” said klaus.

He pinned you against the wall, but you were fearless. You lived toying with these brothers “listen to me” he said angrily “don’t run from me” you slowly unbuttoned his shirt making him, shiver.

Elijah and klaus were both needy for you, so you decided to make them squirm by, walking away, “stop playing games” said Elijah, “you enjoy it” you whispered kissing his earlobe.

He groaned, he felt his erection grow, and klaus, he couldn’t control himself… “let’s go to a bar… please love” he said begging you, his eyes were needy.

“No”

“Please” said Elijah and klaus, but you knew what they were gonna pull. You walked away, but klaus grabbed you and begged “please. I promise we will behave”

“Fine. But, don’t say I didn’t warn you, you won’t last long”

You all arrived to the bar. You started to play some pool, with Elijah, klaus watched you as he drank some bourbon.

You watched as klaus took shots, his smooth skin, his pretty eyes and the way. He would gulp everytime he saw you touch Elijah.

“Relax… I know what you’re doing” said Elijah. But you continued to occasionally tap his leg, or run your fingers across his chest.

“My love join me for a dance” said klaus, “fine” you agreed, you both began to dance, but klaus clearly had other things on his mind as he grinded himself against you, “ah” you moaned.

“Stop teasing” said klaus sternly, Elijah joined in, “I don’t need to your both already hard”

You giggled. Slowly, klaus and Elijah twirled you around. You spun off giving klaus a small kiss on his jaw and feeling out Elijah’s abs…

As you finished dancing, klaus said “darling… you are so beautiful” he whispered kissing your neck. “Ah”

You distanced sitting back at the door. “Someone’s in another world today” said Elijah. “I’m not I just don’t want chaos” you said sternly.

“Oh but I know you don’t mind chaos in the bed” said klaus. Whispering behind your ear, as he sat behind you,

You turned around to kiss him, he kissed back.

“If your that egar then show me” you whispered, you kissed Elijah and klaus.

Klaus took you to a fancy stall, “darling you’re so tasty…” he said, slowly sinking his fangs into your shoulder “ah-“ yoh moaned loudly. You felt how he got bigger ever single second.

Slowly he removed his fangs kissing your chest, “we don’t need these” he said taking off your clothing.

“Get on your knees” you told him… “no… darling” he said sternly making the contact. “It was a request not a question” you said, he lowered himself onto his knees, “good… now undress” you said, he took off his pants, shirt and underwear revealing his super soft body.

“You making me feel so good-“ he moaned out. You got on your knees slowly stroking his member. “I guess you’re not as conquered considering I just conquered you with the power of lust” you tasted.

“Shut up” he groaned, pushing your head into his big cock. You bobbed your head into his dick making him groan “ah-“

“Fuck” he said feeling the pressure you applied.

You started to message his member along with kicking it causing klaus to shiver “baby— relax-“ he said.

You didn’t say anything you just kept going faster “ah-“

He said feeling overwhelmed in the best way possible.

“God you… always make me cum so hard-“ he mined out loud as he climaxed leaking all of his juices into you.

“You… made me go insane” he said as his eyes fluttered feeling tired.

“Love you” you said

“I love you so much fucking more” he responded smiling

THE END

[conjuremanj]

Erzulie/ Family Of Loa

Erzulie (sometimes spelled Erzili or Èzili) is a family of loa, or spirits, in Voodoo. She is a great sport for any one to work with. And yes any religion can work with her.

She's the Vodou Lwa (spirit) who represent the essence of love and women. She has many forms, from fierce warrior mother to red-eyed weeping crone, and can be counted among either the Rada or Petwo lwa (spirits or gods).

During the times of slavery, and Petwo lwa were dark and powerful. (Not evil) Erzulie manifests with deep passion, and Her mood can range from the height of joy to the depths of misery.

There are a number of sister forms of Erzulie, and She is sometimes is considered by some to be a triple Goddess.(but is not) (As such She has three husbands–Damballah (is the original force of creation, believed to be the inner voice of God), Agwe (the spirit of the sea), and Ogoun (warrior spirit and iron) Like the Triple Goddess in other religions.

Erzulie Dantor: 👇is a spirit the essence of love not the Voodoo Goddess of love, romance, art, jealousy, passion, & sex. Erzulie Dantor is not the patron loa of lesbian women, nor domestic violence. But is the patron loa of New Orleans. She is deeply caring and dedicated to her children and will stop at nothing to protect them. She is also a guardian and protector of orphans, sick children, and those who have been abused. Erzulie Dantor is a mulatto woman who is often portrayed as the Black Madonna, or the Roman Catholic “Saint Virgin Mary, sometimes Barbara Africana”. She loves knives and is considered the protector of newly consecrated Voodoo priests and priestesses. A common syncretic depiction of Erzulie Dantor is St. Jeanne D’Arc, who is displayed carrying or supporting a sword. Which is pretty cool.

You can see that she holds a baby the baby's name is Anais. Anais is her daughter she is the translator for Ezulie Dantor because she cannot speak only can say one syllable, the sound of her tongue clicking on the roof of her mouth, “ke-ke-ke-ke!”. Story goes during the revolution Manbo Mayinet Priestess call on her and her husband to help against the slave owners. During possession a priestess her tongue was cut out by Haitian Revolutionaries who feared she would betray them. just in case she is captured she won't speak their secrets. She is now a Lwa in the Petwo Nation. But their other stores too about her that you can read.

Rada:

Erzulie Fréda Dahomey: ☝️ the Rada aspect of Erzulie, is the spirit of love, beauty, jewelry, dancing, luxury, and flowers. She wears three wedding rings, one for each husbands. Her symbol is a heart, Her colors are pink, blue, white and gold, and Her favorite is jewelry, perfume, sweet cakes and liqueurs. She is femininity and compassionate. But has a darker side. She is seen as jealous and spoiled and within some vodoun circles is considered to be lazy. When She mounts a person (possessed) She flirts with all the men, and can treats all the women as rivals. In Christian she is the Virgin and Child, because She is the mother of Ti. Common syncretizations include Our Lady of Lourdes because She is usually depicted as light-skinned.

I took this pic of the Ezili altar form a voodoo society in New Orleans.

Erzulie Freda: is the sister of Ezili Dantor, and Her opposite in every way. Where Dantor is a hard working single mother, Freda is a glamor girl. 🙂. She is said to be the most powerful sorceress in the pantheon. Her colors are pink and pale blue, she like pink champagne and roses, frosted cakes, jewelry . Make Shure to keep Her things clean or she will not arrive in the temple.” She is a powerful spirit. To receive her as a guest during rituals, practitioners must treat her with honors due to her status as a fine lady. She loves heady perfumes, jewels, and anything related to beauty and coquetry.

Erzulie Mansur: (Erzulie the Blessed) - Represents maternal love and protects children from harm.

Granne Erzulie (Grandma Erzulie) - Represents the wisdom granted by experience and maturity and grandmotherly kindness and love. She is syncretized with St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary.

Petro:

Erzulie D'en Tort: / Erzulie Dantor (Erzulie of the Wrongs) Protects women and children and deals revenge against those who wrong them.

Erzulie Balianne: (Erzulie the Gagged) - "Silences" (heals or calms) hearts. Keeps secrets or ensures that secrets will not be revealed. Helps people to forget past loves and overcome passionate emotions. Her "horses" tend to speak as if they have a gag in their mouth. She is syncretized with The Immaculate Heart.

Erzulie Mapiangue: (Erzulie the Suckler) Deals with the pain of childbirth and the protection of unborn and newborn babies. Her "horses" tend to get in a fetal position or birthing position and cry tears of pain. Common syncretization is as the Virgin and Infant of Prague, which wear matching red velvet robes and gold crowns.

Erzulie Yeux Rouge or Erzulie Ge-Rouge (Red-Eyed Erzulie) Takes revenge on unfaithful lovers. Her "horses" cry tears of bitter sadness.

Erzulie Toho Aids: the jealous or slighted in love. Her "horses" cry tears of anger.

Others:

EditErzulie La Flambeau (Erzulie of the Torch)

Erzulie Wangol (Erzulie of the Sacred Banner)

Erzulie Shango Pye Nago loa that is a feminine aspect of Shango.

So you see she is represented in different ways not just as a loa in Haitian Vodou and a Orisha but in different forms of voodoo.

[deepwhisperchaos]

No one asked, but as a crazy fanfiction-nerd and romantic at heart I couldn't miss an opportunity to write some fluff relationships headcanons with male adults of the film, including two sweethearts and one asshole. Frankly speaking, I've never written hcs before, so I hope that in spite of possible mistakes and a bit of ooc it turns out to be fine.

Sebastian J. Cricket

Sebastian notices how charming and friendly you are and tries to make the best impression on you, behaving like the most sophisticated and educated bug in the world (he definitely is).

His manners are impeccable and various scientific facts and philosophical theories he tells you are no doubt interesting. But all of this can't be compared to the very first moment he has made you laugh like a child. It's time when both of you realize, that it's just the beginning of your story.

Each day spent together you enjoy the warm mutual feeling of both peace and euphoria and your bond is getting stronger and stronger. Soon you move in with him, which makes you and Sebastian (and Pinocchio by the way, who already considers you a member of his family) even happier.

Your pastime usually includes tea-parties, poetry, singing, chess, as you share his fascination of literature and music. He even plays the violin in order to help you fall asleep and have the sweetest dreams.

Sebastian is a clingy little guy. He uses his four arms for big hugs and tickles you with his moustache and antennas to hear you laugh. However, such method can easily be used against him and in this case you'll never see a cricket faster than him, as he runs away from your tickling with the speed of a lightning.

The cricket tells you a lot about his adventures in faraway lands. You're amazed by the stories of mountains of Peru, voodoo magic of New Orlean, colour festivals of India and temples of Tokyo and Sebastian dreams about taking you with him next time.

In spite of how many books he has read, sometimes he may have troubles finding the right words to express everything he feels about you. But the way he writes his memoirs, saying that he's very grateful for having you in his life, is one of the most conclusive proofs of his affection.

Geppetto

The woodcarver had no idea, that he would find love again so many years after he had lost his wife. Nevertheless, he has no right and honestly no desire to grumble when he gets to know you.

You're kind and patient and such features are appreciated by someone like Geppetto. The way you treat him with all care and gentleness simply melts his old heart. By the way, you love watching him work, observing how pieces of wood turn into something delicate in his hands. This pushes him to give you some carving lessons. At first, it goes slowly and you may feel a bit clumsy, but his encouragement and your efforts lead to one of the most memorable pastimes ever.

When it comes to wooing, Geppetto is adorable. He carves small cute things for you, like a little ring with a bright pattern or a jewelry box. He also brings you wildlife flowers as often as possible and makes delicious meals (the best stews, soups and pies) before you show up. Moreover, it's not obvious at the first sight, but the old man is shy as if he is a 17-year-old boy on a date. He may even blush a little, when you give him a hug or a kiss on the cheek.

You take long strolls around town and its neighbourhood, chatting about everything that can come to mind. Geppetto is not only a great storyteller but also a good listener, who is always very attentive to every single detail you mention. However, it's likewise relevant, that you feel absolutely comfortable when you don't talk. The moments of sitting on a hill in complete silence and watching the sky or standing at Carlo's grave, leaning on each other and holding hands are cherished the most.

Due to some age difference Geppetto may be a bit grumpy and act parentally at times. However, the relationships with his sons have taught him that the happiness of his loved ones has to be in the first place and your own opinion and choices are highly respected by him.

Geppetto is very touched, seeing how easily you get on with Pinocchio with all his endless energy and curiosity (little boy is eager to know, for example, when you and his papa are going to get married). You're very pleased to spend time around Pinocchio, treating him like your own child, which convinces Gepetto once again that he has made the right choice.

Count Volpe

Volpe isn't used to having a regular partner, one-night stands are quite sufficient for him. But your case is some kind of exception. He is enamoured by your beauty and wit and initially tries everything to make you a part of his lovers' "collection". He hardly knew, that the whole process would be much more fascinating than the result.

Volpe amuses himself like a king and he doesn't mind sharing the delights of his life with you. Whenever he shows up in public, you're always by his side. As a man of culture he often takes you to the opera house and theatre to enjoy not only arts, but also the intimate atmosphere, when he sits in a box next to you. He ends the day with going to the most exclusive restaurant and taking you on a night ride in his silver-blue Bugatti.

With you Volpe is very courteous and ready to fulfil all your wishes. He sends you numerous bunches of roses, camellias, irises and peonies, spoils you with gifts like boutique clothes, books, perfume and all kinds of delicatessen.

As time passes, Volpe realizes that he actually likes you. It doesn't mean that he will give up flirting with other boys and girls. He just genuinely enjoys your company and doesn't become less interested in you, when he gets what he has wished for.

He uses words more often, than deeds to show that you're dear to him. For example, he comes up with a lot of pet names: sunshine, mon trésor, mon bonbon, chaton, honey...

Volpe is very tactile and touch-starved, he express his affection both in private and public: a little pat on a shoulder, a slight thigh stroke, a kiss on the ear. Dancing is another way to stay closer to you, whether it's a passionate tango or a slow-dance to soft songs on the records. By the way, you're the only one, who is allowed to play with his hair, even when he's asleep.

When he loses almost all of his fortune, you have to cope with his fits of anger and despair that end up with arguments. Anyways, you support him, trying to find a solution. Volpe refuses to take you with him in carnival tours, explaining that he will find you when the things get better. The letters you send frequently is the only way to maintain contact. He rereads every single one, keeping them in a special box which even Spazzatura isn't able to find.

[lizzbaldini]

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[perzysprumia]

TENDAI GOLDSMITH.

full name: tendai goldsmith species: vampire turned by: niklaus mikaelson age: 450+ 26 birthday: august 26th zodiac: virgo gender: cisgender man pronouns: he/him sexuality: pansexual (female/femme-presenting leaning) race: black hair color / style: black-brown / short eye color: brown height: 190cm / 6'3" traits/personality: ambitious, skilled in fencing and jewelry making, stern, charming, patient, blunt, prone to violence if provoked, refined taste in a number of things, methodically manipulative, very good liar, persuasive, good at getting what he wants from people, always using the people he spends time with. family: adoptive parents (both deceased), five adoptive siblings (two remain alive, both vampires turned by ten himself) fandom: the originals first appearance: S01E01 faceclaim: rege-jean page

H I S T O R Y :

Tendai (pronounced ten-die) was born in Zimbabwe in the mid 1500s, and he and his mother fled the country once Spanish men began taking their people and selling them into slavery for the new world. They made their way through Europe and to England, where the 4 year old Tendai was adopted by a very progressive, high-class family after his mother died from plague. He took on the name Goldsmith but his adoptive parents kept his given first name, shortening it to Ten to be more socially acceptable.

Ten was raised in the same manner as his adoptive brothers and sisters (of which he had 5 siblings) and was treated no differently by his family. When Ten came of age, though, he learned that the shelter of his family home kept him safe from the cruelty and judgement of the outside world. He refused to let others’ judgements define him though, and attended Oxford the same as his siblings, worked under his adoptive father in the fine jewelry business, even climbed to the top of the social ladder in London with his fantastic taste for throwing very lavish parties.

It’s at one of these parties that he meets Niklaus Mikaelson, who seems to have an eye for him and continues to come around Ten even well after their initial meeting. They are both stricken with each other and after a few months, Ten even follows Klaus to Italy, despite his family’s disapproval. It is in Italy that Klaus reveals his vampiric affliction, which Ten takes as an opportunity to use to his advantage. He is highly competitive and thinks vampirism would set him over the top within his social class, seeing as he could persuade people in many different ways to give him what he wants: more money, status, and power. All things Klaus himself can offer him, but when Klaus finally turns Ten and spends at least a year teaching him the basics of being a vampire, Ten disappears. He flees, and Klaus uses this situation as further proof that he can neither trust nor love anyone.

While Klaus is looking for Ten in England, Ten is actually in France, which is where he meets a woman by the name of Desdemona Godfrey. She is the only immortal other than the Mikaelsons he has ever met, except she is a true immortal; she cannot die no matter what she is killed with. They quickly become friends, as they are both very driven people with the same goals for themselves: gain more power. While the two of them have slept together and continue to do so, Ten would hardly call it a relationship, mainly because what he had with Klaus was far more intense. He doesn’t think anything else will ever compare, but he remains close with Desdemona throughout the decades.

After spending over a century traveling through Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, Ten gains word of the Mikaelsons for the first time in years. He makes his way to New Orleans in the mid 1700s and rekindles his relationship with Klaus after a few years of avoiding being killed by Klaus’ own hand. He gets close with the family, far closer than he had been before, and even helps young Marcellus adapt to being around vampires when Klaus decides to adopt him. Ten opens an antique jewelry shop in the French Quarter and all seems well until 1919. Rather than outright kill Ten to get to Klaus, Mikael compels Ten to forget the Mikaelsons altogether. Klaus doesn’t find out until he goes to find Ten as they’re fleeing New Orleans, and Ten has no idea who he is.

When Mikael is put down by Abby Bennett (pre-TVD), Ten’s compulsion breaks. It’s been a century and he has no idea where to find the Mikaelsons, but he moves back to New Orleans and stays there, helping Marcel run the city until the Mikaelsons’ inevitable return. This time around, though, Klaus makes it clear that whatever happens between them remains casual. Ten doesn't understand why until he finds out that Klaus had come to New Orleans to be with someone he had met after Tendai was compelled; Desdemona's sibling, Tobias Godfrey.

Needless to say, Ten is jealous. It is only after he helps bring Desdemona to New Orleans to seek revenge on her sibling that Tendai learns Klaus is having a child. While he was already close with Rebekah and Elijah, he had never met Hayley before, but made it a point to gain her trust. Despite his new disdain for Klaus, he vows to help protect the baby no matter what happens, and he does. Ten is a vital caregiver throughout Hope's life and helped take care of Hayley while she was pregnant.

Ten's devotion to Hope stems from his deep-seated desire for the large family he had while he was human, and for a family of his own that he can no longer have. He lets people believe it's because she is Klaus's child, because that's easier than being vulnerable.

affiliates for this muse: godmona, tricursed.

[golden-route]

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[thelastadventureblog]

You're probably wondering where I've been. I'm sure it seems like I stopped just as I was getting started. I'll get to that, but first, let me tell you why I began writing this blog. And if I'm talking to myself, I suppose that's fine.

(TW: suicide, depression)

In the spring of 2022 I lost a friend to suicide. This wasn't a friend that I was particularly close with. We weren't closer for no reason other than we only saw each other at work, and seldomly at that. Our usual conversations were about jewelry making, and art markets. As jewelry makers and silversmiths, we'd show off our newest pieces to each other, and talk about how sales were going. I had always been impressed by Sleepy's creativity.

Then one day I had arrived at work, and people kept asking me if I knew Sleepy. I said I didn't know them very well, though jewelers do seem to know each other. We all talk. Apparently Sleepy didn't show up to work that day, and that just seemed very odd. That made me nervous, and at the time I didn't know why. There were some mumblings about maybe they were sick, or going through a breakup. I wasn't sure myself. By the end of the night, however, it became clear, and my heart sank. They took their own life. My dear friend Joe broke the news to me. He pulled me close and told me how much I mean to him and that if I ever need some to talk to, he'd be there. I'll tell you that he has lived up to his word, and still checks up on me from time to time.

Their death hit me a lot harder than I expected, however. I spent the following days sobbing for hours in my bedroom. You see, I too had been in a dark place around that time. In truth, I had been suffering from depression since childhood. For all of my adult life up to that point I have experienced the gnawing feeling of deep loneliness. There were times when I'd feel as if I had been eaten away until there was nothing left, like I'd been hollowed out. I had suicidal ideation, thinking of all the different ways I could die, like Harold without Maude. Nobody really seemed to care or understand. Or maybe they believed my lie whenever I said I was doing okay. Whatever the case was, the advice I was given to combat these feelings were as follows: hug your roommates, talk to people, get over it, have sex with a random woman, maybe you're gay, get off the internet, etc.

I wanted to feel a real connection with people and places, and I wanted to once again experience the touch of a woman who truly loves and cares about me. The Pandemic™, as one can imagine, made my touch starvation worse. Any semblance of a relationship fizzled out at that time as well.

Before that time, when I had been in relationships, they were long distance and not physical. I silently suffered in them because I didn't want to feel lonely. They too fell apart in the end. Any friendships I had that involved a cush (I've had a few), just stagnated until I was eventually ignored completely. So I've held onto that resentment and grief well past their expiration date.

At Sleepy's memorial, thrown by close friends, I learned that he had a crush on me. I didn't know. There are a lot of things that I'll never know, and many things that were left unsaid. I didn't want that to be me. Being in my 30's, I felt that I had stayed silent for too long, that I hadn't really experienced life or accomplished anything. I left the memorial service with love in my heart from a person who couldn't talk to me anymore. I knew I needed to make a change in myself.

Soon after the memorial, I pushed myself to get a therapist. With a little help from some friends, I found one. Together, my therapist and I made a list of things I wanted, and how to achieve those things. The first thing on my list was travel. I took the opportunity to stay with my neighbor and her family on Dauphin Island that June, and returned to New Orleans just before July 4th.

By August I had train tickets, and I was off to Chicago. It was during this trip that I started writing a blog, hoping to capture my personal experience as it happened. After a few wonderful days there, I was on my way to New York City. I found NYC to be different from Chicago, but what stood out to me the most was that despite how many people were crowding the streets, I still felt lonely. That feeling stayed with me there, and followed me home. I stopped writing the blog.

In September, I met someone at a friend's birthday party. Soon after, we started seeing each other. She was everything I liked in a partner: smart, creative, nerdy, dresses up nicely, great taste in food and movies, curly black hair, drop dead gorgeous, and she liked spending time with me. We would spend time doing nothing, just enjoying each other's company. Some nights we'd cook and watch a movie. Although Initially physical, within a few months, all pretense of that stopped. My romantic feelings were unwanted, and I was being pushed away. Regretfully, I didn't respect her boundaries as well as I could have. While I feel like there were mixed signals in the beginning, I couldn't help but have feelings for her, despite her telling me not to have them. I couldn't be with someone in that way without having feelings for them. That's not how my heart and mind work. However, she wasn't about that. And... I miss her, and whatever closeness I once had with her. We still talk now, but without urgency or importance, and I fear that I'll be forgotten about some day.

Suffice it to say, I needed to not have another mental breakdown. So I talked to my therapist, worked some things out. Here I am now, my needs still unmet. It's been difficult to progress without slipping into the same cycle I've been experiencing for decades. I hope in the future, I'll find a way to communicate my feelings better.

So get out there and love someone. You never know.

[labellenouvelle]

LIKE AN OPEN BOOK

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[rere-the-writer]

Title- 'To win her back'

A part two to this request

a part three - ????

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, Protective Mikaelsons

You were surprisingly happy after a good cry when the Mikaelsons left. You thought over Elijah's words wondering if you could truly forgive them. You stood huffing as Ryan rush to your side worry written over his face.

"You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine I am just tired." You tell him as Ryan smiled softly taking you to bed. Marcel thought it would be a good time to visit you a month after your lovers found you.

"So all that is from them?" Marcel asked taking the cup of tea from you as you sat down looking at the boxes. Since the Originals found you and did as you asked it didn't stop them from sending gifts and things for your baby. Rebekah sent baby clothes, Kol sent toys, Klaus would send paintings he did while Elijah began paying your bills not trusting Ryan to keep you living comfortable.

"Yes. Their way of apologizing, showering me with gifts." You said having not open any of them though you couldn't stop Elijah from paying the bills.

"How is the little guy?"

"Heathly, him and his twin brother." You tell your best friend watching him light up touching your belly smiling.

"Wow twins. That amazing."

"It is....how are they?" You couldn't help but ask as Marcel leaned back thinking how things were back in New Orleans. Things were tense between the Mikaelsons and Hayley as they blamed themselves for you leaving and Hayley was trying to get them to let you go.

"Well they are tensed with Hayley and a little jealous that you let Freya visit." Marcel tells you as you sighed it was true you only allowed Freya to come up to see you so the only way your lovers knew that you were okay was though her and Marcel.

"Tense with Hayley? Why?"

"Well other than blaming themselves for you leaving, they also blame Hayley." Marcel says as you thought over what he said. You knew from what Freya told how they were doing Klaus dosen't really leave his art studio, Rebekah and Kol sleeps in your bedroom and Elijah ignores Hayley spending his time looking though your photo album.

"I see. Well I got a doctor's appointment."

"Right. See you again soon." Marcel said hugging you walking out with you.

"Yeah Mar."

You huffed feeling annoyed seeing dozen red roses on your door and picked the box. You reading the card seeing it was from Kol and you put the roses in a vase while doing so you noticed two empty glasses of wine.

"What the?" You muttered walking seeing pair of women panties that you knew wasn't yours. You realize what was happening as you marched to the the bedroom finding Ryan in bed with his secretary.

"RYAN! Are you fucking kidding me!" You shouted surprising the lawyer and his secretary. You eyes narrowed seeing the gorgeous necklace around the woman's necklace and realized it was one that Rebekah sent as an apology.

"Gifting her my jewelry?!" You shouted at him throwing a picture frame at him as the secretary ylep.

"Baby listen it was an accident."

"An accident?! Get the fuck out of my home and you take my jewelry off!"

"Baby! I'll be out on the street!" Ryan said giving you a puppy dog look as the secretary scrabble to take the jewelry off and got dress. You crossed your arms glaring at Ryan who look pathetic pleading for you to not throw him out.

Elijah was walking down stairs knowing how quiet it was with Klaus up in his art studio, Kol spending all his time with Freya and Rebekah had yet to really leave your bedroom. Hayley came in stopping seeing Elijah and made an attempt to talk to the Original as he had been cold to everyone that wasn't family.

"Elijah, you can't keep ignoring me."

"What do want me to do Hayley? Come running to you? Seek comfort from the one thing that reminds me of the pain I cause to the woman I truly loved?"

"Wow. I hope you say it to her face." Elijah looked up seeing you standing there with a baby sling that held twins. Elijah's breathing hitched finding you just gorgeous dressed in a long sundress hair cut short.

"Y/N?" Elijah whispered finding it hard to believe you were standing there as Rebekah had heard Elijah say your name with Klaus and Kol.

"You guys act like you have seen a ghost." You teased as Rebekah reached you first worried you'll pull away but was glad you let her hug you.

"Are you back for good?"

"I sure hope so because I didn't drive a truck load of stuff for nothing." You said noticing how nervous they were around you as if it was your first night with them all over again.

"You came back to us." Elijah said watching you being lead to the den by Rebekah. They followed after as you frowned noticing the dust on things as you took a good look at your lovers.

Marcel and Freya wasn't kidding when they told you that the others weren't doing well. Each of them looked as if they weren't really feeding, Elijah wasn't dressed in a clean suit, Rebekah looked a bit duller, Klaus looked scruffy with paint on his clothes and Kol was just as dull as Rebekah.

"Well I thought seven months in your mistake was enough." You say sitting down with Rebekah sitting next to you. They looked seeing the twin boys that was asleep.

"So you came back to throw it their faces that you are happier."

"No Hayley. Truthfully I missed you all so I came home it would be unfair to keep Oilver and Henrik from their family." You said as they stared and Elijah swallowed walking over kneeling letting Kol take the other side of you and Klaus stood behind you.

"You named one of our boys after our little brother?"

"Yeah to honor Henrik." You say softly letting them get a better look at the sleeping boys. Hayley crossed her arms staring at you.

"So what hoping to move back in like nothing happened?"

"No. I bought the town house across the street. I forgive them but I am not ready to move back in." You tell Hayley as Oliver woke whining getting your attention. You had Rebekah take a still sleeping Henrik as you fed Oilver.

"How old are they?"

"A month in a half." You answered Kol watching Oliver latch onto you to eat. Elijah was in awe staring at his sons noticed how much Oliver and Henrik looked like him but he was glad they had your nose.

"Baby, as much as we would love for you move back in if there was one thing we learned was. Let you do what you need."

"I am not going to keep the boys from you all unlike some people but I need time before we jump back into this."

"Take all the time you need love. We can wait a thousand years if needed." Klaus says softly rubbing your shoulders. They were happy you let them touch you and was every willing to go as slow as you wanted.

"You want to hold him, Elijah?" You asked when Oilver was done and Kol fix you up. Elijah held his arms out as you placed the wake Oilver in his arms.

"Henrik is smaller than his brother." Rebekah said handing you the sleeping baby as you smiled softly.

"There was a bit of trouble during childbirth. I mean Hen is heathly he'll be fine." You tell them noticing the worry on their faces.

"Are you guys really okay with her just coming back?! After all the pain she put you all in?" Hayley walking in as you stood up getting the twins comfortable in the sling.

"Clearly you guys need to work things out with Hayley. I'll be across the street." You said walking out missing the glares the Mikaelsons gave Hayley. Marcel helped you bring your things inside with Josh and Davina.

"They are cute." Davina said watching over Henrik and Oilver who were wake in baby swings. You smiled opening boxes looking at your boys.

"Yeah they sure got the cute Mikaelson baby genes." You tell Davina as Josh and Marcel brought in the last of the boxes.

"I'm glad you're back. Me and Josh missed you."

"You guys could have visited with Marcel."

"Yeah but someone had to make sure the Mikaelsons take care of themselves."

"Was it really that bad?" You asked looking at them as Davina sighed.

"I am not going to lie to you. Yes it was Y/N, they were a mess. Marcel had to watch over the city."

"Hell they barely let Hayley in the Abattoir unless she was dropping Hope off." Josh tells you as you looked out the window looking across the way staring at the Abattoir.

"Freya never told me how bad it was."

"Because we agreed that you should come back home on your own not because of guilt." Marcel tells you as you looked at them while you were glad that they wanted you to come back on your own. You wished they told you how they really were doing.

Later that evening Klaus stopped by with Elijah and you let them in as they noticed you were in one of Klaus's old shirts and sweatpants.

"Unpacking love?"

"Yeah if you guys didn't send so much I wouldn't be still unpacking." You tease lightly as Klaus smirked while Elijah knelt down in front of the boys. Oliver was reaching for Elijah's hand and he let the boy grab his hand.

"Where is Kol and Rebekah?"

"Getting you dinner." Klaus said moving to help you unpack while Elijah was playing with boys.

"Where is Ryan?"

"Back in New York. Caught him sleeping with his secretary."

"Sorry to hear the love." Klaus says rubbing your back as you chuckled leaning into him.

"It's okay. Ryan wasn't you guys...he didn't have that same warmth."

"We brought food my beautiful righteous Queen." Kol said making you laugh which made the babies laugh. The Mikaelsons were happy to hear your laughter again and this time they were going to do their best to be sure you felt loved as they weren't going to let you go this time.

[skeletal-kitt]

Here have some random favorite head cannons for Nico that I don’t see very often (some of these might just be me projecting onto them but idc)

He struggles with insomnia, mainly because he doesn’t want to have nightmares and waking dreams/flashback of Tartarus, also because his spine and shoulders are little crooked it can be hard to get into a comfortable position to fall asleep in (the last part is definitely me projecting)

Nico is fine with being the little spoon while he’s awake but the only time he fell asleep as little spoon he had a nightmare and woke up to something or someone pinning him down and breathing down his neck so he assumed the worst and lashed out in self defense almost accidentally hurt Will. Nico refuses to sleep as the little spoon ever since and always rolls over to face Will so when he wakes up he can see it’s someone he trusts laying next to him.

When he’s not having nightmares it’s weird and obscure dreams that make no sense and he doesn’t remember them an hour after he wakes up.

He sleep talks during those dreams and says a lot of random stuff. Sometimes Will has weird conversations with half asleep Nico.

Nico sleep talking: Mom? Mom where are you?

Will: babe who are you talking to?

Nico: mom. Where is she?

Will: who? Your mom?????

Nico: yeah where’d she go?

Will: .........🥺angel I don’t know how to tell you this-

Nico: 😂BAHAHAHAHAHA *😂busted out laughing for no reason*

Will: *taken aback and confused* 😟w-what......Nico what are you laughing about???

Nico: *still gleeful*😂 she’s been dead for eighty years!!!!😂 *wheeze*😂I don’t need her anymore I take care of myself now😂!!!lmaooo love ya mom🖤rest in piece🪦

Will: *very concerned* 😦.......am I dating a psychopath???

Nico: *doesnt answer, falls into deeper sleep and starts snoring*

Hades somehow saved a few things from Maria’s old apartment, Nico and Biancas childhood teddy bears, a few more of their toys, family photos, Maria’s jewelry,

The skull ring Nico wears all the time used to belong to Maria. Hades gave it to her as a courting gift. When she died Hades held on to it until Bianca was out of the Lotus Hotel and he intentionally put the ring in her path where she would find it. When Bianca died she met her father and told him to give the ring to Nico.

He hates lightning and thunder because of what happens to his mom and the whole big three rivalry doesn’t help. He doesn’t like rain either but it’s not as bad as lightning. Absolutely loathes storms like tornados and hurricanes and natural disasters like tsunamis and earthquakes if they’re caused by Poseidon and hates electricity bad weather in general.

Nico is like the supernatural beacon of camp. Whenever someone has a supernatural problem like they were playing with a ouija board and accidentally summoned a demon or something like that they go to Nico for help. Even if he doesn’t have control over demonic entities he probably knows someone who does or knows how to get rid of it and close the portal.

this kid speaks or at least understands like 10 languages, and has a vague understanding of most Romance languages. There are the obvious: English, Greek, Latin, Italian/old school Venetian from the time period he grew up in. And things he was probably learning in school in Mussolini Italy in the 20s/30s: German and French.

Nico is frenemies with Sherman Yang, no I will not electorate on this, just think about they’re dynamic in The Hidden Oracle, it makes perfect sense. Nico shadow travels into Sherman’s chariot he was flying and beat the crap out of him and threw him overboard just to steal the chariot to help Apollo. Sherman claims he’s going to kill Nico but decides not to at the end of the battle.

He still has his old aviator jacket that Lycaon tore to shreds, he doesn’t wear it but he’s so attached to it he can’t throw it away

In The Demigod Files: The Sword of Hades Nico said he was just in a cemetery in New Orleans, I think he was hanging out with Anubis

This next one is random but here

Roman demigods are raised by wolves, Egyptian magicians are raised by wild cats, Greek demigods are raised by coyotes,(except for the underworld kids, they send their children off the to be raised by jackals), and Norse demigods aren’t raised at all, it’s every Norse demigod for themselves until they die and be sorted into the afterlife

That all I have for now folks, I’m gonna try to get some sleep now

[bluebellwriting]

Love Me Tender Part 6

Hey folks! I know it’s been a minute, I’ve been super busy with work and school, but I’m by no means done with this piece and you know I had to post something for Valentine’s Day (to make up for the fact that single and lonely 😆😭)

Despite popular belief, Hell does in fact freeze over. It’s Hell, after all, and in the world of pain and torture, everything is fair game. And it’s February, historically one of the coldest months for you back when you were living and certainly the most miserable in Hell too. The roads are slick with sheets of ice, you can’t walk a block without a three-foot icicle nearly spearing itself through you, and everyone’s car is perpetually trapped in a snowbank thanks to Lucifer’s “generous snow plow program.” Each winter day reminds you of the worst snow cyclones from when you were growing up in Brooklyn, cold yes, but in a way it’s all very sentimental. They remind you of the winter nights cuddled up with your siblings, hot chocolate in hand, listening to the winds blustering against your windows. It’s all rather lovely, in a strange way.

Your boyfriend of four months does not seem to agree, if the way he’s gripping you and nuzzling into your neck is anything to go by. You’ve been trying to extricate yourself from your practically shared bed for the last ten minutes, but each attempt only causes Alastor to pull you closer. He’s basically on top of you now, those boney forearms are stronger than you’d think.

“Sweetheart,” you whisper. “It’s time to get up.”

Alastor groans but otherwise your voice falls on deaf ears.

“Come on, we have to make breakfast and then--”

“But darling, it’s freezing,” he sighs. “And why would I go anywhere when I have my own personal heater right here.”

It’s really hard to stay mad at him, especially when he places sweet little kisses from your cheek to your shoulder and back again.

“Well your personal heater has some errands to run and needs to get her day started.”

“Ugh,” Alastor whines and inch by inch, begins to roll off of you. “How can you even stand to be out in that unbearable cold? Don’t you want to stay right here with me, your loving and adoring boyfriend?”

“You know I would,” you boop his nose. “But then I wouldn’t be able to get your present.” 

His ears perk up immediately.

“Present?” He coos. “A present for lil’ ol’ me? Dearest, you shouldn’t have.”

“Yes, but I can’t pick it up until I get out of this bed.”

“Oh fine. I suppose I have some things to do for tonight as well,” he teases and kisses you on the nose before finally allowing you to shift out of bed.

“Although before you leave me,” he whines. “I have a little something to kick off the festivities.”

With a snap of his fingers, a red garment manifests in your arms.

“Oh, Alastor.” You run your hands over the thick velvet of the dress. “It’s lovely.”

“This is just the beginning, love. Now go try it on,” he shoos you off to the bathroom, then immediately curls back up into the comforter to protect himself from the draft leaking in from your window. 

The dress is beautiful and warm. As soon as you change into it and assess yourself in the bathroom mirror it hits you that this has to be a customized dress. It fits you far too perfectly and the fabric is so soft, it’s like a blanket heating you up and snuggling you in. It’s either custom or enchanted with Alastor’s magic. Or maybe both, you wouldn’t put it past him to make this the perfect dress.

The last four months together have been a dream. A blissful and rapturous dream that you never want to wake up from. If you thought he was sweet before you began dating, then this is an entirely new level. You two are practically glued to the hip, and he finds a way to make every possible moment so enthralling and exciting that it doesn’t even matter. 

Everything about him is just enthralling, and the best part is that he can’t seem to get enough of you either. It makes your face warm and your mouth split into a grin just thinking about it.

You poke your head out of the bathroom door and giggle at the sight of Alastor in his own personal blanket cocoon. 

“Comfortable?” You ask.

“I’d be more comfortable if you were here with me.”

“While that sounds tempting, I wouldn’t want to ruin my fabulous new dress.”

He shoots up, blanket still around his shoulders, eyes wide and alert and trained on the way the bodice clings to your curves. It’s even more perfect than he could have expected.

“Do you like it?” He scoots to the edge of the bed and holds his arms out for you to step into.

“I love it.” You smile and step between his legs to fall into his embrace. “It’s perfect. Thank you, my love.”

“That’s just the beginning, dear,” he cheers.

“Alastor, you didn’t--”

“Nonsense! It’s our first Valentine’s together and it must be the best of all time!” Ever one for theatrics, with a flourish of his arm the room is filled with red roses.

“Oh my goodness,” you giggle and cup his face in your hands. “You darling man.”

Alastor melts into your hands, letting the softness of your palms warm his cheeks.

“Only for you, love.” He leans forward and nuzzles your nose. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, dear.”

If you weren’t worried about getting to the store and back in time, you would have stayed here, exactly like this, for hours more. 

“Let’s begin the day, shall we, love?” You whisper.

“But it’s cold!” He whines. “And you’re so warm!”

“Ugh, you’re such a southern boy,” you tease and pull away from him, if only to draw him out of his blanket nest and into the world. 

“You love this southern boy,” he laughs and finally rises. With a quick snap, he’s dressed in a redder-than-average suit with one of the red roses on your floor now pinned to his lapel.

He hands you your coat, gloves, hat, scarf, and tries to force another sweater upon you but you stop him before you’re a complete bundle of wool and layers.

---

Charlie must have gotten up early because the entire lobby is littered with hearts and confetti. Chocolates are on every available surface and your fearless leader is currently snuggling with Vaggie in matching heart sweaters. You watch Angel hand Husk a box of chocolates wrapped in a lovely bow. Hesitantly, Husk opens the box and spits out whatever he was drinking all over your brother before stomping away with a red face.

“What did you do to that poor man?” You call over.

“Just gave him an innocent token of my affections,” Angel chimes and shows you the contents of the box: three rows of chocolates with letters printed on each piece, spelling out “Best Dick Ever.”

“Angel, that is so vulgar,” you exclaim.

“It’s the day of love, sis.” Angel pops one of the pieces into his mouth.

“That is not love, my fellow,” Alastor chastises.

 “Aww, that’s cute coming from you, strawberry pimp.”

“I’ll have you know that I am plenty romantic,” Alastor says incredulously. “Aren’t I, (Y/N)?”

“You are, love. The most romantic,” you coo. “Now I have to get going. Please be nice, boys.”

“And you,” Alastor leans down to pull your scarf tighter around you, “promise me that you will be careful. You’re sure I can’t come with you?”

“I’m sure, love. I’ll be fine. Angel,” you turn to him. “Be nice.”

“’K, mom,” he calls back to you, waving as you begin your journey into the chilly winds.

“So,” Angel drawls, sidling up to Alastor. “What are you doing for my sister on this ever most sacred day of love and affection?”

“Something special and perfect and I will not have you distracting me,” Alastor sighs and snaps his fingers, transporting himself to his cottage deep in the woods of the Pentagram. Because only a crazy person would want to walk out in that cold. Good thing Alastor loves your kind of crazy.

---

It’s been a while since Alastor has been to his home, his actual home, one that is reminiscent of the large, Queen Anne-style homes of New Orleans. Dust is collecting on the counters and window sills, but that’s nothing that some quick magic can’t fix. The real task at hand is the redecorating and the meal he has to prepare for tonight to be as perfect as can be. This is certainly not the first time that you’ve been to his home but he’s hoping that it will be the last time that he calls it “his home.”

If he had it his way, tonight would be the night that Alastor asked you to marry him, to spend the rest of eternity -- or as long as you’d have him at least -- together in Hell as husband and wife, as partners in crime until the very fabric of the universe began to fray at the seams. He’s known for so long, long before you began your courtship, that he wanted to marry you and it took everything within him not to propose to you on your first date. But he had to be patient, suave, a perfect gentleman, because the last thing he wanted to do was scare you off with a hasty courtship and engagement. The last man who had attempted that with you, well, Alastor was still in the process of hunting him down so he could offer you his head on a spit. That was supposed to be the second part of your Valentine’s gift but alas, the wretched soul was more slippery than he had anticipated.

Hopefully you’d be impressed enough by the way he had decorated the house with some of your favorite colors and furniture from the 1940s, things to make it look more like a home you could share and grow into. 

---

The beauty about Hell in the wintertime is that there are so few people out on the streets to bother you. The sidewalks and roads are eerily quiet, the snow swallowing up distant sounds so the only ones left is the crunch of your boots. Your trip to Rosie’s had been quick, as the poor woman was overrun with sinners trying to buy up last-minute Valentine’s gifts. As she said to you in passing while gift wrapping some tacky jewelry for a panicked demoness, “good for business, bad for relationships.”

You clutched your gift bag close to your chest, guarding it from any muggers who would even dare steal the most perfect gift for your Alastor. This was weeks in the making and you were not about to let someone ruin your first good Valentine’s Day. 

You approached the door to the hotel, already anticipating a warm fire to warm your cheeks and nose, when suddenly an arm is around you and you’re no longer in front of the hotel. No, after blinking your eyes to readjust, you’re now staring at Alastor’s home, which means the arm and body hugging you close belongs to your sweet, adoring, and sometimes startling beau.

“Alastor!” You squeal. “What have I told you about surprising me like that?”

“I’m sorry, love,” he chuckles. “But I just couldn’t have you out in the cold any longer.”

“If this wasn’t a day dedicated to love you’d be buried in snow right now,” you grumble.

“I don’t doubt that, sweetest. Now come on, the fire is waiting for you.”

When Alastor first brought you into his home it was your one-month anniversary. You were actually relieved when it wasn’t a massive mansion like most Overlords pick for themselves, and you couldn’t help but be charmed by the perfectly retro, 1920s decor.

But it’s different now. The living room has new, floral wallpaper and some of the furniture reminds you of... your old home back in New York.

“You redecorated,” you shiver as you allow the warmth of the home heat up your body. Alastor rubs his hands up and down your shoulders to warm you up as soon as your coat and layers have been shed.

“Do you like it?” He asks, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.

“Oh it’s lovely,” you breathe and inhale, smelling the hot meal he’s probably slaved over. “Just surprising. What brought this on?”

“Oh, just, wanted to try something new. Are you ready for dinner?”

“I’ve been salivating since I first stepped into the door.”

Dinner is delicious, mouth wateringly incredible and cajun. But all throughout dinner you couldn’t help but notice the way Alastor’s knee bounced or the way his hand shook whenever he held his fork to his mouth. Not to mention the eery quiet between you two. You can’t seem to get more than a one-word response out of him. It makes your heart drop, and the way his eyes shift away from your gaze makes a pit form in your stomach.

“Alastor, love. Is everything alright?”

His eyes dart up to meet yours. His teeth worry his bottom lip and you can hear his fingers tapping excessively on his seat.

“Of course, darling. Everything is right as rain. Are you enjoying your food?”

“It’s amazing, Al. It’s always amazing.” You beam at him and reach across the table to hold on to his hand.

“If you don’t have any more delightful surprises for me, love, could I give you my gift now?”

“(Y/N) you didn’t--”

“I won’t even dignify that with a response.”

Reaching down beside your chair, you pull out the perfectly wrapped present and slide it across the table to him.

“It’s not much,” you explain. “But I hope you like it.”

It’s perfect. So perfect, the wrapping, the bow, the very idea that his darling has given him a gift at all, that he doesn’t even want to open it. As much as he wants to tear it open, there’s the urge to keep this moment preserved in his mind forever and ever, just in case his present to you goes south tonight.

But from the way you’re looking at him, eyes wide and hopeful, he knows he has to open it right now.

Inside is a little plastic... view finder? He’s really never seen anything like this. They look like binoculars but there’s a little white disk inside with small film negatives along the circumference.

“It’s a reel viewer,” you explain. “Put it up to your eyes and click the lever.”

So he does. And with each click he’s met with little candids of you and him, some from before your relationship began, some from after, all of them more perfect than the last and preserved forever just for him. His heart swells and warms an overwhelming amount. His joy leaks from his mouth and eyes, until it feels like the sun itself is pouring through his teeth and tears.

“Oh, (Y/N), darling...” he sniffles.

“I know it’s not much but--”

“It’s everything, dearest.” It really is. And more importantly it’s enough for him to get his act together. He feels like he can breathe again, like the fog of doubt has finally been lifted. What was he so worried about? You love him, of course, you love him.

“It’s perfect.” He rises and comes to kneel before you. “More lovely and wonderful than you will ever know. So much better than my gift to you but I hope you will love it all the same. I love it, (Y/N). I love you. So, so very much, dearest.”

“Alastor, I’m going to love anything you give me because I love you, sweetheart.” You peck his nose.

“Yes, well, that’s the thing. Because really, this feels more like just another gift from you to me.”

“Is it now?” You tease.

“It is...” he sighs. “I love you. I hope you never have to doubt that for an instant in your life. And I know this might be too soon, and you can say no for now, or forever, but I have never doubted for a minute that you are the one for me. My gift to you, love, sweetheart, darling dearest, is this.” 

He motions to the dining room.

“The... dining room?”

“No, love,” he chuckles. “The house. My house... Our house. If you’ll have it. If you’ll have me.”

You gasp and tears flood your eyes so quickly that you have to blink them away to see Alastor’s hopeful eyes properly.

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“I am. I’m asking you to make this house, our home.”

“Oh, Alastor.” You launch forward and wrap your arms around his neck. You press your lips to his in a bruising kiss, letting him bundle you up in his own arms and grip your waist.

You pull way for a brief moment, short enough to mumble out a fervent series of ‘yeses.’ 

“Of course,” you say between kisses to his face. “Of course, I’ll move in with you.”

[lizzbaldini]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: MIGNON FAGET, STERLING SILVER VINTAGE RED BEAN 18K Gold Post.

[samatheia229]

PJO Mortal AU (Solangelo-centric)

 The Olympia Family

(AKA the family with so much chaos and drama, they would have made an even more popular reality TV show than Keeping Up with the Kardashians)

Thalia Grace - 24

An ambassador of the Artemis Foundation

Badass

Won't hesitate to throw hands at anyone who messes with her family.

Very protective of her little brother and cousins.

Not afraid to speak her mind and fight for what she thinks is right.

Has a kind of love-hate relationship with her stepmother Hera. While Thalia respects and acknowledges Hera as her stepmother, she is a free spirit, and hates being chained down by the old-fashioned rules Hera imposes.

Briefly dated Luke Castellan for 2 years, but broke up due to reasons. The break up was mutual and Luke still remains as one of Thalia's closest friends.

Deadly with a bow and arrow (she'd be hunting down hunters like they hunt animals for living if it weren't for the fact that murder is unfortunately illegal).

Jason Grace - 19

Sophomore at Uni (double majors in Management and Aerodynamic Engineering)

Flight school graduate

Heir to Jupiter Airlines (given that his father doesn't plan to retire anytime soon, Jason is considering becoming a pilot in the meantime)

Hera's favourite child since he actually follows her rules (He bends them slightly every now and then, but she doesn't need to know that).

Regular at the Manhattan Chess Club

Has an intense rivalry with his older cousin Percy that's been going on for like 10 years now... (his life goal is to beat Percy. They're currently at a stalemate of 3795 wins each.)

Very protective of Nico. He almost had an aneurysm when he heard that grumpy, little stay-away-or-I’ll-death-glare-you Nico had a boyfriend. A boyfriend.

Has a best friend Leo Valdez who is an engineer student with an eccentric personality and is a mischievous menace. His childhood friend, Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano, is an athlete in javelin-throwing and currently resides in her hometown in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but they still keep in touch. 

Dating Piper McLean, the 19-year-old founder of the Beautifully Imperfect Foundation

Zeus Olympia

CEO of Jupiter Airlines

Drama Queen TM

Favours Thalia more despite Jason being his heir and enables most of her rebellious antics, much to Hera's chagrin.

Can be rather childish and petty ("It's been 43 years, and I've long since given up on expecting him to change," Hades deadpanned.)

As the youngest child of the Olympia family and with his father on Death's doorstep, Zeus was given a lot of free reign, hence his playboy tendencies. He eventually did settle down with Hera Junos, the single daughter of one of the oldest families in Greece. Hera was fond of children but was unable to sire her own due to medical issues, which led to Zeus getting a mistress (with Hera's begrudged consent), Beryl Grace, the daughter of Hera's family chef. Beryl has always had a rather strange personality and an unhealthy obsession with alcohol. A few years after giving birth to Thalia and Jason Grace respectively, her liver gave way and she died before they could find a solution.

Hera Olympia (formerly Junos)

Zeus' wife

The kids call her ‘Aunt Ra’

Jason is her favourite child because he actually listens to her

Coming from both a high-class and old family, Hera was raised to be a perfect lady (a lady should not wear pants or speak out of turn etc. etc.) and has a rather old-fashioned way of thinking, enforcing strict rules in her household.

She still loves Thalia, but because the way Thalia acts goes against everything Hera was taught, her relationship with her stepdaughter is a bit strained. Hera now mostly lets Thalia do her own thing, but every now and then might still be a bit controlling. She's trying, okay?

Bianca di Angelo - 19

Sophomore at Uni (majors in Journalism and English Literature)

Works part-time at the Artemis Foundation

Generally quiet and shy, but has a tendency to fuss over small details.

Very responsible and possibly the only one with a brain cell among the cousins. (Proteus and Triton don’t even live in the same continent half of the time; Kym doesn't give a damn; Thesi is too nice to reprimand them; Ro‘s too busy fawning over her fiancé; Hero is more likely to fan the flames than quell them; Thalia, Jason, Percy and Nico are always either competing against each other or breaking the Internet with their antics again; Hazel is pretty innocent but has a slight vindictive streak so caution must be exercised; and Tyson and Estelle are innocent beans of sunshine that must be protected).

She can be bold when she wants to be, as well as reckless. 

Has her father's habit of gesturing with her hands while talking and when she is on edge.

Ace

Nico di Angelo - 17

High school Senior

Heir to Pluto Corp.

Resident Emo in the family (“I'm not emo!” “Your only-dark-clothing phase says otherwise.” “It's not a phase, Persephone!” “Like father, like son.”)

Stubborn AF

Can't deal with all his overprotective sisters and cousins

Currently pining over William Solace ("Shut up!")

Avid gamer, plays digital games, card games (his childhood and to-this-day favourite is Myth-o-magic, which is one of the reasons he approves of Hazel's boyfriend, Frank) and all games in general (he visits the arcade monthly to make sure he's still 1st place in every game there)

Has a tendency to hold grudges and gestures with his hands while talking or when on edge, a habit he shares with his father and older sister.

Plays the violin (Persephone had introduced him to it, and he'd taken a liking to it)

Hazel Olympia (formerly Levesque) - 14

High school Freshman

Aspiring artist (she’s won thirty different art competitions locally in the span of three years and placed silver last year in the Chelsea International Fine Art Competition under an anonymous name because she wanted to win by her own merit rather than rely on the Olympia name. Hades plans to surprise her by giving her own exhibition hall for her next birthday.)

Regular at the Manhattan Riding Club

Has a bit of a vindictive streak in her that was probably born out of spite due to her upbringing

Exudes a powerful aura of passive aggressiveness, but is also incredibly kind and magnanimous

Has the ability is summon, manipulate and detect precious minerals, as well as the ability to place curses on them. (This knowledge is confidential and hidden from the public)

Loves her family with all her heart, and literally no one is more protective of Nico than she is

She was the first but also last person to know about Nico's boyfriend (First because she goes to the same school and is not dense, thank you very much, but technically last because she was the last person that Nico officially told since Will is terrified of her for some reason, something about her being 'the FINAL BOSS'; this amuses Hazel to no end).

Has a very cute crush on Frank Zhang, a HS Junior who’s an archer and animal lover (it’s mutual, by the way).

Hades Olympia 

CEO of Pluto Corp., one of the largest companies in the mining industry.

#DONE with life and all the people in it, particularly his crazy family

Functions solely on his children, Persephone and caffeine, usually caffeine because the other two are often the cause of his high blood pressure

Broods a lot (”I don’t brood.” “Yes, you do.”)

Deadpan 200% of the time and takes no shit

Loves all his children equally and definitely does not have a favourite (it’s Hazel, in case you’re wondering) 

As the eldest son of the three brothers, Hades was betrothed and wed to his childhood best friend Persephone Terrafield by their fathers in an attempt at a business partnership (Spoiler Alert: It didn’t work out in end). Admittedly, Hades and Persephone did have a small infatuation with each other when they were younger, but it never grew into anything serious, and as they grew older he saw her as more of a sibling than a lover and vice versa. After the inevitable death of his father, Hades and Persephone divorced but literally nothing in their relationship changed since they’d never loved each other romantically in the first place. When Hades decided to court their mutual friend, Italian diplomat Maria di Angelo, Persephone supported both of them wholeheartedly. In the span of the seventeen years they were together, Maria gave Hades two beautiful children, Bianca and Nico. Unfortunately, Maria passed away after being on life support for two years in result of a plane crash when Nico was 6. 

In the two years when Maria was hospitalized, Hades was so desperate to find his beloved a cure that he sought out a witch doctor that was rumoured to be in New Orleans. Marie Levesque, the aforementioned witch, was a greedy, manipulative person with a deluded and unstable mind, who drugged Hades and essentially raped him because she thought his spawn would have the perfect blood for experimenting magic on. She used magic to wipe his memory of the previous night’s events and handed him an ‘antidote’ that was actually just water dyed a milky white. After ten years, Marie finally revealed to Hades a 12-year-old Hazel, who looked miserable, was suffering from malnutrition, wounds, burns etc. and had a supernatural ability which Marie proudly said she had bestowed to her via dark magic. Hades was absolutely mortified, revolted and a bunch of other things. He filed a lawsuit against Marie, charging her for rape, child neglect, child abuse and human experimentation, as well as taking permanent custody over Hazel Levesque (now Hazel Olympia). 

Persephone Terrafield

CEO of jewelry enterprise The Red Pomegranate which was a sub-branch of Pluto Corps. The enterprise has the highest production rate in the US. 

Self-designated matchmaker for Hades (Hades always tells her she should focus on her own love life first, but he’s just an ungrateful brat)

Current life goal is to fulfill Maria di Angelo’s dying wish: help Hades find love again. (Mission status: still at Square 1 because Hades has some trust issues after the Levesque Incident)

The kids all call her ‘Aunt Seph’, but she loves the children as though they were her own

She and Hades often joke that they would totally still be married if they didn’t see each other as siblings and platonic soulmates and she hadn’t had her sexual awakening of being lesbian.

She lives with Hades and the children as she finds it too much of a hassle to move into her own place, not to mention lonely (with the kids at school and doing club activities, someone needs to make sure Hades gets exposure to the sun anyway).

Persephone is the daughter of an unnamed businessman and Demeter Terrafield, an agricultural revolutionist and healthy-cereal-obssessed woman.

Her mother and Hades have this sort of weird rivalry going on whenever Demeter visits; Demeter hates Hades because he hates healthy cereal, and apparently anyone who hates healthy cereal isn’t good enough to be hanging around her daughter, so she always replaces all his coffee with decaf and puts the healthiest cereal she can find on his bedside table every morning; in retaliation, Hades will deliberately eat the most sugary sweets he can find in front of her and locks her out of their personal greenhouse. (The glass walls are made of the strongest glass he could find and the door is locked by multiple manual and digital locks.)

Hestia Olympia

CEO of WarmHearth Interior Design Agency (WHIDA)

Everyone's favourite person, indefinitely

Has the infinite patience of a goddess

Gentle, kind, very wise, gives great advice

The kids call her ‘Aunt Tia’ 

Often fondly exasperated by her younger brothers' antics (because no, just because they’re grown men now does not mean they are going to stop their childhood feuds since despite their protests, they are all petty AF), but once she snaps, they all line up like toy soldiers and behave nicely.

Knits a lot. Most of her carpets, quilts, bags, scarves etc. are handmade.

She looks relatively innocent, but don't be fooled. There's a hidden arsonist in her that is always ready to come out when she's angry.

Hestia has a 'I'm not mad, just extremely disappointed and upset' Mom Look that has sent people bawling their eyes out and begging for her forgiveness with just one glance

She is the oldest of the Olympia siblings, but as a child had a frail and weak body. Kronos wanted to get rid of her since she was 'useless and couldn't be wed off', but Rhea, their mother, begged and pleaded Kronos to let her live. For some unknown reason, Kronos complied.

Her brothers are all very protective of her

YOU DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, MAKE HER ANGRY

[taramikealson]

Just a random Drabble from WattPad. Klaroline edition (When is it not?).

The sun was just peaking over the horizon, shadows of the New Orleans skyscrapers tall buildings blocking the warm rays. Although, on the other side of the Big Easy in a particular house in the Quarter, sunlight cascades into the silent room, a lone antenna wire from a neighboring building leaving a shadow into the room that stretched across the old, yet well kept wooden floor. The shadow made its way up the far corner of the bed, over dark expensive covers and bulges where feet were.

The warm rays of orange heat made one of the bodies in the king sized bed stir. A long inhale and her lungs took in the sweet New Orleans air as her lips twisted into a smile. Shifting, the body under her murmured sleepily before settling back into the silence of sleep.

She moved her head to rest her chin against his solid chest, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the bright rays of sunlight the streamed in through the French doors of his room. Unable to help herself, her eyes wander the handsome face before her.

The sunlight had managed to barely reach his face, cutting his face diagonally up, one side in the shade of the dark room and the other lit up from the natural rays of the sun. His lips were relaxed in an almost ghost of a smile, forehead wrinkle-less, and eyelids closed, a once in a while motion under his eyelids would indicate of some sort of dream he was currently having. A sharp jawline was only intensified by the exceptional lighting, as well as all of his other overly handsome features; high cheekbones, strong chin, perfect neck, muscled shoulders, creamy skin, and all.

Normally, he'd be the one to wake up first. In some cases, he'd even be already out of bed. Most times it would be for business matters. 'The expectations of ruling over a city,' he would call his responsibilities. But in those other than often instances, he'd sit himself in the chair on the other side of the room and sketch. During those special mornings, she'd wake up to see him clad in the black boxer briefs that he seemed to favor as he peeked up at her every once in a while, most likely sketching her. She'd call him a 'stalker', he'd reply with an explanation along the lines of how it was the perfect lighting. Now, she understood the meaning to his words because, right now, he looked like he was glowing in the bright sunlight. He looked absolutely gorgeous, even though he already did, but she'd never admit that to him. He already had a big enough ego, no need to add onto it.

"What is it?"

His voice slightly startled her but she ended up smiling. She shouldn't have been surprised, he always knew when she was looking at him. Hell, he absolutely knew her. Knew when she was upset, disappointed, mad, sad, happy. She enjoyed his special ability to read her emotions even if it was a pain in the ass when she was mad at him and was choosing to try, and unfortunately fail, at punishing him.

She shook her head. "Nothing."

It was a lie. She could tell that she wasn't telling the truth by the small hesitation before she spoke. And if she could tell he could definitely tell.

His lips quirked up into a smirk, eyes still closed. She knew that smirk. In fact, he had all different kinds of smirks and she knew most of them. Like his 'I'm-Going-To-Kill-Someone' smirk, 'I'm-Going-To-Seduce-You-And-Then-Rock-Your-World smirk, 'I'm-Going-To-Do-Something-You-Don't-Like smirk, 'You're-Going-To-Die-Slowly-And-Painfully' smirk and his 'l-Know-Exactly-What-You're-Thinking' smirk. Right now, he was wear his 'I-Know-Exactly-What-You're-Thinking' smirk. God, did he look hot with that sly smirk.

"Liar." His accent drawls the word perfectly.

Caroline smiles. "Maybe I'm a little surprised that you're still here." She says. It's true. She was surprised to see him still in bed with her considering him and Marcel were still in the middle of a tug-of-war battle with the human faction and their leaders. In fact, he had been out every morning this whole week and had came back late some nights. Even Elijah saw how long Klaus was out and offered his services even though the two brothers were at odds for the moment.

As much as Caroline enjoyed having him here, in their room, in bed, she was suspicious.

Klaus opens his eyes and turns his head towards her, eyebrow raised. "I do live here, do I not?"

Caroline gives him a knowing look. Apparently, he was playing his favorite game of 'Let's-Be-Deflective'. God knows he's the best deflector in the world but, fortunately, she knows how to get through his mind games.

"You know what I meant."

He smiles and sets his head back on the pillow, hand creeping down her side.

"Can't I enjoy a morning with my beautiful blonde vampire?" His eyes hold a knowing gleam in them as his hand pauses on her upper thigh, thumb caressing her in light circles.

He was up to something, she knew it. She didn't know what it was, but she had to guess it would be at least a little dodgy considering it is him after all. "I'd believe that, except for the part where you're in the middle of a Whole-Owns-New-Orleans' fight with the mayor and the humans, in which is why I've been waking up alone every morning this week."

She satisfied when he sighs and swipes his tongue over his lips. Yup, she cornered him. It took the whole ten years that they've been together to learn how to, but the results make up for it. Of course, she needs to fine tune a few things to get the exact answer she wants out of him.

Giving in, he mutters an, "as you wish."

He begins to turn himself towards the side of the bed but looks back skeptically at her as if he was making sure she wasn't going to move from her place. Then, he reaches over to his wooden nightstand, one in which he always held his sketchbook and a few extra pencils for when he decided to wake early and sketch her, and pulled the drawer open.

Caroline watched as he grabbed something small from it then closed the drawer and settled back into his spot next to her. He pulled himself up a little and she did the same, making sure to hold the covers close to her body -not because she was embarrassed to be naked in front of Klaus (hell, she had come accustomed to his 'I-Like-You-Better-With-Nothing-On' attitude) but because of the slight cool morning breeze that came from the open French door in their room graced by what the Louisiana winter gave.

She thought it vaguely unusual when she saw the black velvet material of the small jewelry box in his hands. It was hardly rare of him to purchase her gifts every now and then or after a fight when he felt bad when his pride wouldn't allow him to properly apologize. Although, the difference between those instances and now is that he'd always leave them somewhere. Her vanity, her pillow, her nightstand. He never made a show to give her a present, so what was so different about this one that garnered the special occasion?

He cupped the top of the box and opened it so she could see what was inside.

Her eyes went wide and a hand went over her mouth in shock.

Sat in the pocket of the jewelry box was a ring. Not any kind of ring, but a vivid pink diamond ring with a an engraved silver band. It was the most beautiful rings she had ever seen in her life.

"Oh my, God."

Her eyes parted with the ring and connected to Klaus' blue orbs. His eyes danced around her face, picking up on how she was reacting, but they stayed on her eyes. When he spoke, his voice was soft and had a tinge of nervousness to it. She had never known him to be nervous.

"I'd planned to do this over a romantic dinner in an even more romantic city with a little more flair, but I felt lamentable and couldn't continue omitting to you." Klaus admits with a slight wavering look in his eye like he was contemplating on doing something.

His Adams-apple bobbed in his throat after a hard, nervous swallow. He pulled himself up a little farther making the expensive sheet slide down his torso and crumpled up at his waist leaving his toned chest on display unintentionally.

"Caroline Elizabeth Forbes," he begins to say. Caroline is just in pure shock with her eyes wide as his lips continued to move. "Marry me."

Her heart skipped a few beats or maybe a dozen. It was a statement. Of course, it was a statement. Klaus always had a finite way of saying things and 'asking' for things. In fact, he hardly ever asked for anything, because that was how he was. He didn't ask for permission, he took it and did with it what he wanted. Although, this time was difficult. Caroline knew it and Klaus knew it. This was a symptom, if you will, of who he was and how he spoke. He wasn't traditional. He was anything but. That's why Caroline loved him.

He sat there for a moment, barely breathing in anticipation as she looked wider eyed at him. Then, she snapped out of her shock and let out a joyful noise that was close to a laugh. "Yes! Oh my, God! Yes!"

Klaus hardly had time to move the small box from his hand and to his lap before Caroline was in him. Lips smashed against his and he gladly and happily reciprocated. He let out a delighted hum as his hand dove into her messy, sex-rumpled, blonde locks.

A wetness on his cheek had him pulling away to see happy tears leaving an even happier Caroline's eyes. Her smile was bright as overjoyed, short, laughs escaped her lips. Klaus' eyes softened and his lips turned into a wide smile as his heart leaped in his chest.

"I love you."

"And I, you."

A joyful half-sob half-laugh tumbles from her lips.

Klaus breaks the strong connection that is their gaze and looks down to the small velvet box in his lap. He picks it up and displays it to her again. "Shall I?" He asks with a smirk and she excitedly nods with a few tears flowing down her cheeks.

The Original plucks the ring from its pocket and discards the empty box to his nightstand a little carelessly. He then pulls Caroline's left hand up and slide the silver band over her ring finger. Klaus allows her to pull her hand away to inspect the beautiful piece of jewelry. Her eyes take in the deliberate and precise cuts of the pink jewel until they land on the small, delicate engraving that was so subtle it would hardly be noticed.

"Your Last." She whispers, finger tracing over the italicized letters. Caroline almost chokes up at the sentiment, remembering the exact words -no, promise, that he had murmured at her graduation.

Klaus' hand settles on her thigh under the covers, fingers tracing delicate, imaginary lines that only seemed to soothe her. "The diamond, Liz Mundi, was about to be swiped off the auction floor in November before I pull a few uncongenial strings." He then nods to the ring and takes her hand in his to feather his thumb over the silver of the ring. "The band, however, I had made. I won't fault you for not recognizing it being that the last time you held the ring it had nearly been half decade ago."

Her eyes widen. It was January and he has had this ring since November. He'd had it for nearly two months. Normally, it wouldn't be that long for a normal man who was going to propose to his girlfriend. Granted, they were no conventional couple. In fact, he refused to be called her 'boyfriend' and call her his 'girlfriend'. Instead, he would refer to her as 'his' and she'd finally caved and called him 'hers'. As well as that, she knew he hated lying to her, he had only done it a couple of times, and he could be extremely inpatient and impulsive. It wasn't quite like him to keep something under wraps for a week from her, no less a couple months. That is how she knew it had been extremely important to him to make sure that he proposed at the right time. Also, he had used his thousand-plus year old daylight ring. He had the lapis lazuli torn out of it and resized just for her. She knew how much the ring meant to him and she could barely understand how he could do that for her.

"You had this in your nightstand for two months?"

"Well...," he begins with a self-satisfied grin. "At first I had kept it on my person but I thought twice of it."

Then, Caroline goes quiet. Her eyes wandering to the material of his pillow behind him, her mind clearly focused on something else. Klaus tilts his head about to ask her if there was something wrong but she opens her mouth hesitantly.

"Why?"

"Well, as of keeping it on me, you do have a tendency of having wandering hands and-," he's cut off when she shakes her head.

Her eyes return to his. "No, what I mean is, why ask me to marry you?"

The Original blinks. "I was under the impression that this is what couples in love do, is it not? Do you question my solicitude for you?"

Again, Caroline shakes her head, putting her hand on top of forearm. "No, I don't have any doubt that you love me. It's just whenever I brought up marriage or regular human relationship stuff, you'd dismiss it and call it 'trivial human traditions'. It makes me wonder if you know the weight of what you are doing. I mean, this is it. Once you do this, you can't exactly go back."

It's true. She had an inkling of a fear that this was one of Klaus' acts of impulsivity and that after a year or so, he'd find out that he no longer felt the same way. He wouldn't really be that trapped by marriage because she doubts that he'd officiate it through the government considering they are immortal. But, there could be a possibility that he'd be hesitant to call things off with her or that he'd be miserable because of the weight of being a married couple.

"Caroline." He calls, bringing her out of her thoughts, a small sighs exiting his lips.

"When I spoke those words, nearly four years ago, I had no vision of what truly being with you meant. It was different going from country to country than residing here, in New Orleans -our home, with you by my side, in our room, our bed, the large amount of time that we have granted together, in which gave ample moments to fight over trivial things like my unscrupulous tendency to leave you in the middle of the night or your habit of over analyzing every bloody thing." She arches her brow at the last part of his small speech and he lets out a short chuckle before raising his arm, pulling a stray curl behind her ear. "You worry that I haven't thought this through quite enough, perhaps your right. But, I am not mistaken when I tell you that I will not bore of you. Never."

He lets a smile creep into the curve of his lips. "We may fight and have a myriad of hinderances, but I intend to stay by your side."

Caroline's eyes search his as he sits up a little and cups her face with one hand and the other rests on top of her delicate hand. "Caroline, love, my decision is anything but rash. I want your voice to be the first I wake to, your moral compass the guidance I go to, your smile when you discover new and intuitive things. I crave you. I want all of you, always." He pauses as his gaze softens. "My love, I want you when you challenge me to be a better man, when we first wake, when we are at the most beautiful of places in the world, when you throw your fierceness and criticism my way, and when you try to impress me by putting on your best lingerie and seduce me even though you're already more bloody seductive than the God of Seduction herself." He chuckles the last part out as Caroline lets out a huff of a laugh, a tear escaping her eye.

The pad of his thumb brushes away the stray tear with a smile. Caroline's heart jumped in her rib cage. It wasn't rare for Klaus to express his affection physically but, it was indeed very rare for him to admit it vocally, as well as actually tell her that he loved her. But, it didn't ever, really, bother her, she understood that he wasn't completely comfortable with saying the words. As good as he was articulating a threat, he was lost when it came to affection, in which she doesn't blame him. So, to say it touched her to hear him say those things is a total understatement.

"Me too."

The smile grows on his lips.

"Well, then. Do you have a specific place in mind for the reception, Mrs. Mikealson?"

Caroline laughs before lightly nudging his chest making him fall back on his pillows in compliance. She hums and straddles his waist, hands gliding up his solid chest. "I was thinking... Paris. Do you have any disagreements, Mr. Mikealson?"

Klaus growls when she pulls her lip in between her teeth. He then takes hold of her waist and flips them over causing her to make an excited and shocked noise fall from her lips. "That sounds so sexy falling from your beautiful lips." His low voice whispers into The collarbone that he chooses to lay delicate kisses on.

As he continues with his journey along her shoulders, her hands roam the expanse of his muscled back, nails lightly scraping the skin on his shoulder blades.

"Does that mean I have authority to call you Niklaus?"

His body lets out a subtle shutter as his hand tightens around her hip.

"Bloody hell, woman."

"Is that a 'yes' to Paris?"

He pauses his assault on her shoulders and instead places his forehead there, most likely trying to think of his available options.

"Niklaus."

She feels his eyes close at his full name coming from her mouth and she giggles. That was the hook and sinker.

"Yes."

She gasps and he looks up. He expects to see her wide-eyes and content expression but instead his eyes close when she presses her lips to his. Her fingers tangle in his shirt curls, turning his head to gain more of him. Klaus groans as their tongues meet, his skillfully battling hers in an endless war that neither will win.

Unfortunately, she pulls away right when he was about to take it a step further. Caroline places her hands on his chest to keep him from kissing her again.

"I have to call my mom."

Klaus furrows his brows. "You can tell her later."

"Yeah, no. I'm calling her now. She'll probably already be pissed because you proposed without her here."

He cocks his head to the side. "I'm not sure she'd be quite fond of seeing her daughter fornicating with her future son-in-law."

She rolls her eyes. "Whatever." Caroline then crawls out from underneath him and stands up from the bed. Klaus falls back first onto the bed with a sigh as he watched Caroline pick up his discarded Henley and reach into her jeans for her pants. He can't help the smile from forming on his lips. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't content. For centuries he had thought his life was going to be full of trying to gain power, battling his enemies, continuing his bachelor lifestyle. He is now so bloody thankful that he met Caroline Forbes -correction, Mikealson.

Caroline Mikealson.

Caroline Mikealson.

He was in love. Happy, content -as he will ever get to be with some enemies still out there, but content nonetheless.

May God have mercy on him. He'll need it, but, by God, he will take the life with Caroline with a smile.

[alias-b]

sins of my youth. 004

Billy Hargrove x OC! Evie Fenny~ Also posted to my AO3

Summary: It was common knowledge that Billy Hargrove hated Hawkins. Hated Cherry Lane. Even loathed the strange girl next door. Evie Fenny wasn’t too fond of the chaotic Cali transfer either. An awful high school tradition sparks a chain of events that changes everything, ultimately bringing two frayed souls together.

A/N: Hello all! Pushing out a baby chapter early so I can focus on my other fic! Thank you so much for the support on this fic. Billy goes to dinner and Tries It. That's the chapter. :D  Tag list open!!!

Chapter 4: No Day But Today

   “Claudia, do you have the keys?” Mona crossed the salon floor.

   “I do, we’re fine here, go on. Dusty is spending the night at the Wheeler’s place. Having some castle and dragons party.” She'd gushed.

   “Feel free to close up early if we’re dead the last hour. Thanks, sugar.” Mona patted her back as she followed Evie out the door.

   “Can I drive?”

   “I was hoping you’d ask.” Mona smiled.

   Evie was saving for a car. And college. And her future. 

   And it was a lot.

   Truthfully, she didn’t care for school. It was in the way. Wished her lyrics could carry her straight to the red carpet before all those flashing paparazzi.

   Wanting to unwind, Evie hid in her room when she got home. Shut the curtains and prodded at herself before the vanity. Sorted dangly earrings in a mesh metal display. Huffing to lean over when Bourbon swept into her legs. His little body shivered and she plucked him up.

   “Okay, BB, you’re my best guy. You can’t let me down.” She scratched under his chin, gave him a little boop on the nose. “You take one look at that walking Def Leppard poster and you hiss and run. Got it?”

   A purr.

   “Good boy. You’re my only hope here. We can’t lose. Not to Billy Hargrove.” Arms let him down. She'd feel this sentiment often about Billy. A sigh. Evie applied a fresh lip color and paused. “Ugh.” She pushed up and didn’t change. Did her school work to get it out of the way and wandered out, turning the TV on to some game show. The savory smell of dinner wafted. “Need help here, Mom?” One tug and the ceiling fan spun, cycling cooler air.

   “No, I have it. You can set the table for me.” Mona drained some noodles.

   “Got it.” Plates and cutlery clicked around. Evie slid everything into place, perked up when the doorbell rang. Mona turned and smiled as her daughter adjusted fabric and fixed curls into place all the way to the door.

   Evie half expected Billy to not even show. But, there he was. Sly smile and all. Billow of date night cologne. A vision in moonlight.

   “Hey.” Evie said slowly. The surprise evident.

   “Hey." He mirrored it.

   "You're here." An exhale out. He blinked, found himself again.

   "I was gonna steal flowers from the old lady’s garden across the way, but there’s a huge opossum in her trash guarding it.” He tilted his head, earring catching the porch light and she cracked a grin.

   "Big Ben? Yeah, he's the neighborhood menace. Chief Hopper's nemesis because they get so many calls about it. You'd be a hero if you took him on." Evie persuaded lighter. His face fell.

   "I'm not trying to die in Hawkins, Indiana. That thing was bigger than anyone on our football team."

   “Color me impressed. King Billy didn’t want to do battle for the first time?” She actually teased him. Her nose crinkled when she smiled. Cute. “Shock and awe.”

   Billy felt this tug pulse up his ribcage. Pulled a genuine chuckle from his lips. He had to look away to give it. Glowy in starlight.

   “Sometimes I surprise people. I know my weight class and the pests here look like they were grown and mutated in some lab.” He shrugged into the door frame with one fist lifted, clicking his lighter shut. Hooded eyes all over. Evie went still as he leaned forward to her face with his tone lowering. “Am I allowed inside? Pretty please?”

   “With cherries on top?" Bright, wet lips parted. His lashes fluttered, a baritone sinking. Bringing her with him.

   "With anything your heart desires on top." Smooth.

   "Huh. I guess. For now.” Evie stepped out of the way. “We go to school with plenty of those lab grown pests by the way.”

   “No kidding.” Billy shrugged his jacket off and she awkwardly reached to take it. Hung it up behind her.

   Evie turned to see him staring again and swallowed a hard lump down. Thought maybe he saw all the begonias blooming behind her eyes and up her throat.

   “Billy.” Mona came out of the kitchen, arms out. “So glad you’re here.”

   “You saved me from a sad date with a TV dinner.” Billy winked, charming Ms. Fenny to bits. She giggled and shook her hair out.

   “Dinner’s got about ten minutes. Why don’t you show him around, baby?” Mona hurried back off, leaving them alone again.

   “Tour? Great idea." He peered behind Evie. A mission at hand. "Where’s the cat?”

   “Hiding from you, clearly.” Evie beamed, gesturing. “Welcome to the living room. Mom's showroom is a better word.”

   “Your mom like tchotchkes or what?” He came to the full mantle. Scanning.

   “How’d you guess?” Evie reluctantly trailed to his side.

   It was strange to let this boy wander around and see little bits of her life. Guess things about her as he went along, trailing deft fingers about the fireplace. She wondered what was blooming within the pit of his stomach, if anything.

   Mona Fenny's house overwhelmed.

   Photographs, plants, and crafts. Little porcelain figurines. Too many handmade candles. Crochet projects. A full dollhouse on a table in the corner.

   “My grandma passed a lot of craft skills down. She owned this amazingly strange trinket and voodoo shop in New Orleans that my aunts run now after Nana died."

   "Your mom didn't stay for a piece of that?" Billy let his eyes trail over every little thing.

   "Ah, I don't know. She was the baby and married pretty young. Seemed like she wanted something new," Evie peered behind her and whispered. "Never really got along with Nana like her older sisters did."

   Billy hummed a little. Decided not to pry with Mona in the next room. Evie brought him to the corner and flicked a lamp on.

   "Mom’s dollhouse is her pride and joy. Lights up and everything.”

   “Tell me why your mother has a framed photograph of Dolly Parton next to a picture of you two on the fireplace. And the same photo shrunk down in the dollhouse?”

   “Science may tell us the truth one day when the world is ready. And I fear for that day.” She replied in all seriousness and Billy snorted. Laughing.

   A truly enchanting sound Evie decided she liked.

   “And I have to say,” he plucked a photo off a bookshelf with a broad grin, “this one is my favorite.”

   One of Evie on Halloween. Had to be about six. Dressed in the campiest pink daisy costume with a huge toothy smile.

   “Gah,” she cringed and swiped it from his hand, “this house is a museum of embarrassment.”

   “You’re into the museum shit, guess this is like our first-” Billy stopped himself from producing the damning word when Evie turned. Blushing. Oof. He scratched the back of his neck. “So, uh, you got a bedroom in here or do you sleep in the dollhouse?”

   “You won’t find the cat that easily.” She caught him peering around again and led him past the kitchen. “C’mon, not much to the rest of the house. Garage. Spare room.” That used to be her dad’s office space. “Mom’s room. Attic up there and on this end. My cat's room that he lets me stay in too.”

   The door was open so Billy prodded it to peek inside. Evie exhaled and flicked the light on.

   It didn’t feel like a teenage girl’s bedroom. Not covered in decorations and pictures like the rest of the house. No posters cut from magazines covered in pink lipstick kisses.

   A vanity full of disorganized makeup. Desk. Overfilled bookcase of novels and tapes. Crafts and trinkets she collected in labeled tin boxes. Dresser covered in jewelry. Music player. Bed. Closet. Couple of pictures taped by the vanity and headboard. Mostly Evie and Heather laughing and bright. Her beloved acoustic guitar propped in the corner. 

   It felt like it was decorated by one trying to take up as little space as possible. Everything was compacted. Billy eyed the wall by her bed. Realized most of the papers were notes with random lyrics and words patched together.

   “Yeah, I tend to jot every little thought down even when I’m half asleep and hope it makes a song eventually.” She peered aside. It felt too intimate, letting Billy shift about the space.

   "Hey, everybody has a method." Two fingers traced over a note taped up to straighten it. She caught the ring gleaming on his middle finger. “My-”

   “Ah, don’t read them aloud, I may combust.” 

   “Oh?” Billy slunk toward her, licked his lips. A hungry way about it. Mouth watering fangs full of sweet venom. Wonder how they'd feel sinking into her throat. “Because I make you nervous, Angel?”

   “No, it’s just...just…weird.” Evie pressed up into her desk. Billy closed the distance. Got within inches of her. “It’s weird.”

   Repetition didn’t ease the sear of those ocean eyes drowning her too sweetly. She felt her chest fill and flutter all the way down. Flowers unfurled to be plucked and caressed. Billy pushed into the space until she was seated there on the desk. Scrambling further. Unable to climb the wall.

   “You do seem nervous though, Evie.” His tone hushed. Fingers brushed her thighs and palms came to rest there. The bunched fabric of her dress barely separating them. She inhaled his cologne. Smelled peppermint from his breath. Chest heaving.

   Billy knew this wasn’t part of the quest. If that’s what this was, maybe that was a nicer way to put it. Maybe rationalizing it a thousand times would help him get some sleep at night. Just show her a good night, cash in, and go home.

   It still sounded shitty. Wasn't doing Evie any favors. This girl painted too many iridescent colors. They could bleed and Billy wouldn't step away if it pooled too close.

   He liked to watch the blush spread across her freckled cheeks. Rose petals falling into a cool pond. Liked the way her nose scrunched when she smiled and when she was cross with him. 

   Billy didn't want her because she was a conquest. A challenge. Sure, she challenged him, that was part of it. And she also made him smile like he was looking at the rocking ocean waves again. Sand and wind kissing his warm skin. There was a mystery in those molten eyes he wanted to taste for himself. Maybe it was possible to just enjoy a person without strings.

   To let colors bleed and swirl. To just watch it happen without fear or judgement. To not step away from it either. Just sink right in and create those echoing ripples.

   It was too sweet and peculiar, how soft Evangeline Fenny was against the hard edges of his steel frame. So sharp, it warded everyone off.

   But, not Evie, she fit perfectly against him. Fire with fire. It gave them so much in this world that had forgotten them both. Freckles to count. Eyelashes to wish upon. Flesh curves and razor angles to explore.

   Hell, he even enjoyed how shaken she got as he neared and how still she went when his fingers trailed up her legs. 

   Evie watched his muscled chest rise, the saint pendant caught the light. Looked up at his eyes and then his mouth because it couldn’t be helped. Billy Hargrove filled Evie's space and lungs with sugary smoke. He was too many colors in one soul. So, he pushed further because those painted lips were big and full and right fucking there.

   One curious taste, that couldn't hurt.

   Brought his hand up toward her chin and leaned forth when…

   “Dinner!” 

   Evie practically shoved Billy back. Scrambled up so the desk gave a rut. Bright red as he stumbled.

   “Sorry.” She shuddered, passing him. Smelling of amber perfume. “Coming, mom.” Billy stared at the back of her hair. Blinked a couple times to pull himself together. To rationalize some.

   Curiosity. A deadly thing and so sweet too.

   It felt like he was dreaming and woke up sitting at the dinner table. Evie clicked a Coke in front of him, flashed a knowing expression that made him smirk before she sat down.

   “Now, I left a bowl in the kitchen to cool. We always bring extra to Miss Abigail, she’s three doors down.” Mona was setting plates about.

   “It looks amazing, Ms. Fenny.” Billy even shifted a dish to help make room for another.

   “Please, Billy, just Mona. Ms. Fenny was my mother and she was a harder woman.” She set a glass of water down and smoothed her dress out, sitting. Billy went for his fork and his hand was snatched. Evie shot him a look as Mona reached out. “I always say grace. Don’t feel pressured to join, sweetheart.” 

   Billy peered at Evie’s warm hand in his and accepted her mother’s. Bowed his head a little so Mona could say her prayer. 

   “Bless us, oh Lord. For this and all we are about to receive, make us truly grateful. And thank you for bringing Billy to our humble table, may he truly feel welcomed in our home. Please guide and protect him. Through Christ, we pray. Amen.”

   “Amen.” Evie offered softer. Lips lifting when Billy peered at their hands again leaving each other. Clearly not expecting such words from a neighbor.

   “You’ll forgive me, Billy, some people say they leave their hearts open. I just let mine fill the room.” Mona settled a napkin in her lap. “May I ask, if your family is religious at all?”

   “Dad’s Lutheran.” Which meant Susan was by default now whatever she believed before. “We don’t go to church or anything.”

   As if Neil Hargrove could drag his son under a steeple without one of them spontaneously combusting.

   “Well, that’s perfectly fine.” Mona cut each of her meatballs into smaller pieces which Evie mirrored. “Evie doesn’t attend with me when I go. Although, the choir sure misses her voice.”

   “Mom...” A teenage whine, near silent as she prodded at noodles.

   “She get all the solos?” Billy encouraged the pink spreading Evie’s cheeks.

   “Oh, every single one. She’s even been asked to come sing the national anthem at minor league baseball games.” Mona prattled and Evie’s head fell back.

   “Mom!” Another drawn out groan. Evie sunk down lower.

   “Oh, Evangeline, let your mother brag about you.” Mona ignored her.

   "Yeah, Evangeline." He chimed in, earning a harder glare.

   “Now, Billy, you’ve been in Hawkins just over two months?” Mona continued. Blue eyes lifted from the plate before he gave a nod. “How are you liking it? I’m sure it’s such a huge change from California. You must miss the beach.”

   “Getting used to the cold.” Billy speared a meatball and didn’t sound convincing.

   “I’ll bet you’ve never seen snow before, your poor sinuses aren’t going to know what to do. Anyone in your family takes ill, just give us a ring.” Such a mom. “It took me a few years to get used to the cold here too. We moved when Evie was just a baby straight up from N’aw Lins.” 

   Billy bit his tongue.

   “What type of music do you write?” Billy asked and there was a beat when Evie realized he was looking at her. Addressing her pointedly. Maybe to make conversation and suck up to her talkative mother. Evie’s back grew taut, lips opening.

   “Evie’s gonna be a folk singer.” Mona had cut in. “Voice of an angel, she’ll make it big. She’s been in competitions, just one look from any talent scout and she’s sold.” Evie sank down again to go back to her food. Billy watched her roll a meatball around her plate like it was the most interesting thing in the room. 

   Mona Fenny struck Billy as a woman who always meant well. Frilly like a lace doily. So well, she steamrolled over you because she knew best. Evie barely got two syllables out before her mother was flicking her hair and boasting. A doll that constantly had the string in its voice box yanked.

   Billy learned a great deal about her.

   That Mona had been arrested twice in her life for marching and protesting. Civil and women’s rights. She joked that she hadn't been arrested for gay rights yet, but looked forward to the inevitable. She was a pageant queen too. Stopped when she found out she was pregnant and couldn’t compete after that. No bitterness there of course. She had a daughter to mold and complete the legacy now.

   Mona insisted on taking the plates away. Grabbing her own, Billy’s, and a side dish. 

   Evie was still rolling that meatball around until Billy plucked up a fork, stabbed it, and swallowed in one bite. She perked with flushed cheeks. Glared again.

   Billy wanted attention.

   “Your mom is friendly.” Statement of the fucking millennium.

   “Just wait til she busts out her old pageant scrapbooks. You'll never see home again.” Evie quickly flashed a smile and picked up her own plate to follow her mother off. Billy stood too, peered around. That cat had to be close. “Give it up.” Arms crossed when she leaned into the doorway working a melting ice cube around her mouth. Swallowed it whole instead of crunching. Water ran in the kitchen behind her.

   “We agreed on an hour of television.” Billy matched her stance, saw her hip cock.

   “Half hour.”

   “Hour.” Billy went in to sit on the couch like he owned it. Legs spread. “Come on in, the water’s fine, Evangeline.” Evie plucked up the remote, sat as far away from him as she could. Turned the TV on to something campy just to make him suffer.

   “Fucking Love Boat. Really? Susan watches this crap.”

   “You said the full hour.” Evie flashed a smug grin. “I think The Golden Girls is on too.”

   “Love Boat is fine.” Billy lifted his hand. Swiped the remote from her to set it on the other side of him. They both sunk in there. Eyes on the screen. Mona left them alone to bring the plate to their neighbor, stayed for conversation.

   Billy fidgeted. Stretching to scoot closer so he could nudge his knee into Evie's. Her face remained at total peace. She pushed back at his leg which drew slow smiles upon them both.

   “What kind of music do you really like, or does your mother always do all the talking?”

   “Doesn’t matter.” Evie felt him peer back over and held herself. A beat.

   “Yeah, your dreams. They don't matter." Came sarcasm. "A girl who wants her name in lights. Don't spend too much time feeling for the switch in darkness, Angel."

   "Why do you want to know?"

   "Just asking. You really want to sit in silence to this cheesefest? Young actresses paired with old ass grandpas playing love sick.” Billy put his arm up over the couch. Missed Evie twitch. Got his hand smacked for tugging her curl like a giddy little boy. 

   “I don’t know,” Evie faced him with a shrug, “somewhere in the rock and pop area. Maybe with a touch of soul. Not the hair metal I’m sure you’re into."

   How beautiful she looked when she hoped.

   "And my name in lights won't ever be enough, I need people to chant it too.”

   Lips curled at Evie.

   “Better than folk music.” Billy decided. Pride welled because she smiled too. Genuinely. Evie fiddled with her necklace. Delicate little music note caught the technicolor glow. Brown eyes turned to see him, she tried to bite the smile down. Failed.

   “So, what’s the deal with this party thing? A dance?”

   “One of many in the city. Bunch of high schools will probably run drunk through the streets with everyone else. No one will get carded because no one cares on New Years. Dancing and whatever. Watch the ball drop, it’s just the feral thing to do that night.”

   “And you could score with any girl, but you’re asking me. It won’t be like a date or anything.” Evie dropped the charm in her fingers to see Billy’s eyes linger.

   “You mentioned that. I know how to get out and have a good time without fucking. I have all sorts of tricks.” He noted the word didn’t make her wince. “Not looking to break your seal.”

   “You’re gross.” Again, no argument on the details of it.

   “You’re too tightly wound.” He paused, whispering. “Maybe not, but you hide it.”

   "Nothing to hide, I'm an open book."

   "A never ending record," Billy pushed into her so their legs pressed flush, "not nervous around me though."

   "Nope." Her lips popped, fingers curling into the hem of her dress when his arm snaked behind the couch. "Not nervous."

   "Not running either." That realization seemed to hit them both.

   "Why would I? I can handle you just fine." She hissed at that because it came out sexual. Billy licked his lips and snickered, shifting to face her head on.

   "Oh, I like the sound of that." He'd murmured, inches from her face. Evie found herself wondering how he managed to weasel his way in this close. Wondered why she was drinking him back in. "Picture this. You and this perfume enjoying a couple free drinks and some fireworks in the city. No strings attached. Not a date. Just those exploding lights and that chilly wind cooling your cheeks down, because you'll be blushing and you won't know it."

   "Uh huh. I guess I can see it." Evie sized him up and crossed her legs to lean back into him. "You and the roar of a Camaro commanding the city to its knees. Glam and hairspray working their magic."

   "I love an audience, Angel." Billy shook his head and froze because her palm came to his knee. Bold move. "But, I don't mind the front seat to see you blush too."

   "What about you?" She whispered with a hum. "What makes King Billy blush? Does all the noise you like to make hide it?" A spark flitted up her eyes. Made his chest heave. "Is that your secret?"

   "Come to the party, I'll tell you all my secrets." Fingers grazed up her arm when soft digits gave a rhythmic tap against his thigh. Billy went for it. "Do this dance with me."

   "You don't play as hard to get as you let on."

   "Not when I want something bad. Better to just play harder." Lips parted to hit that word. Her brows lifted at such an admittance. "You're sizzling up a fuse, aren't you, Evie?" She shook her head with a lazy smile. Eyes finding his again after. Near sultry.

   "You have to light a fuse first, Billy, for it to sizzle." Her hand crept along denim. Felt him go rigid and part his thighs just a little bit wider before she sat back. "And the fire's out anyway. I'll make good on the deal. If you win."

   "I hope you have a dress picked." Billy scoffed, breathless and still intent on her while she looked ahead at the screen.

   “Time is ticking. As if you taking me out will do me any good." Evie rolled her eyes and reclined back into his side. Quite comfortably like she wasn't thinking about it. "Give me cool points so Tommy and Carol leave me alone.”

   “They’re assholes to everyone. It’s not you.” Billy replied dismissively. Curled his finger into her locks behind the sofa.

   “You don’t notice who they target because you’re too busy chasing skirts and fighting others yourself. Also haven't seen the writing about me on the bathroom walls. School hierarchy rules. Open those pretty ocean eyes and see the world for what it is. You're untouched because of your front. Everyone wants to be Billy Hargrove or screw him.”

   Evie looked at him there, blinking.

   "What side of the line are you on?" He bit his lip. "I can guess."

   She plucked his hand from her shoulder and placed it back into his lap. Patted it for good measure.

   “So, you really think my eyes are pretty?” Billy laughed when a square pillow nailed him in the face. "You said it before too! When we were drunk and you still think it now that we're sober. Telling."

   Tension shattered. Evie glittered right back at him, teeth flashing. Still chuckling, he tilted his head back to create the magical sound. Quieted.

   “Fine. I’ll pay attention if it helps you sleep at night.”

   Evie blew air out her lips, let a curl fly up and bounce down. They watched the screen again. Shared a space. Maybe it shouldn't have felt so intimate. 

   “Episode’s almost over. Thanks for playing.” She about sang. Triumphant.

   “I guess you have me, Fenny.” Billy pushed up. “Mind if I take a leak?” He was already pacing off so she said nothing.

   Just watched couples go hand in hand into the sunset.

   There was a flush, the sink running, and then Billy’s huge smile crept back down the hallway. The boy was gone all of three minutes.

   Bourbon in his arms. Purring. Perfectly happy. Evie’s jaw dropped open.

   “Guess who crawled out of the shower to eyeball my junk? Not that I blame him.” Billy quipped, scratching the cat’s chin. Bourbon rubbed back into the touch. Rasped his scratchy meow for more.

   “Traitor...” Evie muttered, coming to her feet. “Damn it.”

   “Oh, yeah. You’re mine now, Evie. Seven o’clock. Wear something short if you like.” Billy’s lips were pressed up. Such an ass.

   "I call foul." Her finger lifted.

   "And I'll be calling on you. New Years Eve. Just an annoying dance. It'll be fun and free." His chin gestured at her. "Just say yes, Evie. Get out of this small town and see some lights for once. You want your name in them so bad, you gotta look at the damn things first. No day but today. Right?"

   "Right," a lengthy sigh, "but, the fire's still out. Bourbon, why? First, mom and now you. He's just hypnotizing you both.” Evie took the cat from Billy, watched his face scrunch.

   “Your cat is really named Bourbon?” He said flatter.

   “I found him when we visited family in New Orleans. Bourbon street.” She let the feline nuzzle into her chest.

   “God, Angel, I hope your lyrics are more creative than that.” Billy lightened, chest shaking as he peered away shaking his pretty head. “Well?”

   She pouted and if that cat wasn't between them, Billy didn't know what he would have done. Another time or place. Another pretty dress. Another shared beat of bleeding together.

   That itched him the rest of the night.

   “I’ll go. Seven. I’ll dress nice. It’s not a date, so don’t try anything and get me home in one piece. I reserve the right to leave you if you act like too much of an ass.” Evie grumbled some about it, defeated.

   But, she wondered about the lights and what it might be like to share them. Suppressed all urges that longed to hope.

   “That much I can do, I might even keep my ass in check. Don’t flake, we have a deal. I’ll be your Mr. Darcy or whatever.” Billy made for the door, plucking up his jacket as she opened it.

   “That’s an impossible standard, but keep dreaming.” Evie sighed out. Watched him turn to beam. Offered a pet to Bourbon. “Least you got his name right.”

   “Quick learner, I get points. New Years Eve. Don’t make me chase you, Evie, because I will.” Billy stepped off the porch lighting a cigarette, idly waved behind him.

   Game. Set. Match.

   “I’m not gonna be nice about it.” She called.

   “So, you’ll be your normal, cheery self with me. Great. Won't ask for anything else, we have a good thing going.” He turned to wink, curling a final smile. Evie stilled, petting her cat before sighing into the cold air. “See you then, Fenny.”

   “Whatever you say, Hargrove.” She shut the door as he climbed his own porch. Looked at her cat.

   “You did this to us, I hope you’re proud.” 

   Bourbon blinked. Another rumbling purr in response.

** ** **

   “The world...” Evie plucked an idle cord. Sang soft to not disturb her mother down the hallway sleeping. Nestled into the wall on her bed next to the window. “May think I’m foolish. They can’t see you like I can...”

   Darkness shrouded save for a small set of twinkling lights around her bed frame. Eyes kept averting to the clock.

   “Oh, but anyone...who...” 

   Another pause to see the clock. Eyes flickered out along the street marked with lamps. Cracking her window to see out. Nothing. Evie settled. Changed the tune to something original and plucked another heart string.

   “Those ocean eyes… Drowning me out. What I wouldn't give to...” Her palm caught the vibrating cord to snuff the sound. A groan as she set the guitar aside. “Shit.”

   That was not happening.  

   A car went down the street at the exact moment the clock struck eleven. Evie grabbed her coat and locked her bedroom door. Checked her hair and makeup before hitching one leg over the window. Felt the naughty thrill pulse into her heart as she snuck out.

   Billy peered to see beyond his own window near the foot of his bed. Unseen in the pitch black space. Thought about catching her. It was always a Saturday night. Evie Fenny crept out like clockwork. Wearing something nice under a jacket she held close. Sometimes with the guitar on her back. Lips painted red. Went down the street and returned as the sun rose. He’d observed it often. Sometimes it happened on school nights. Two to three times a week. Never asked because it didn’t seem important enough before. But, now…

   Billy knew a teen girl didn’t paint her lips red at eleven o’clock on a Saturday for just anyone.

   Evie hurried down the street toward the woods at the end. Got into a shiny car. Disappeared until sunrise.

~~~~~

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