#or seeing other muses comment on things. it's such a joy and adds a special layer of interaction and community engagement

[townofcadence]

One of my favorite things about rping on tumblr is the dash commentaries and getting to engage each other even out of threads! I used to do it all the time and I want to try and do it more often since it's such a fun part of the experience. In relation! If you have any dash commentaries in relation to me, please feel free to tag me in the post or in the tags!! i don't want to miss anything and it makes me happy, so please don't worry about it bothering me or anything like that ^^

[crowfootwrites]

The Boyfriend | Part IV [Taza Romero x Fem!Reader]

The final installment. I like it, and I hope y'all do too! Thanks for sticking with me 'til the end of this one!

Warnings: angst (and fluff); pregnancy complications/references to childbirth complications; hospitals | Words: 1,502

Part I of The Boyfriend | Part III of The Boyfriend

Taglist: @chibsytelford @megapeacelovemusic-blog @est1887

A rhythmic beeping beside your ear burrowed its way into your head. Your senses returned slowly and you gasped at the overwhelming ache in your belly. Panic simmered at the edges of your mind as you were flooded with the last of your memories; it was followed swiftly by the deep smolder of fear for your child. Your eyes snapped open and you squinted at the blinding light above your hospital bed.

Immediately you felt the warmth of Taza’s hand on your arm. You turned your head slowly to look at him, afraid to read the expression on his face, knowing it would tell you what had happened. Your eyes met his and he smiled softly, and that was a good sign. “Mi alma (My soul),” he murmured, pressing his lips gently to the back of your hand. “Tenemos una hija (We have a daughter).” Tears welled in your eyes and you didn’t move to stop them as they spilled over, your mouth curling into a joyous grin.

“She’s ok?” you croaked.

“They’re still checking her out,” he explained in hushed tones, rubbing his fingers soothingly over your hand, “but it seems like she’s a strong little girl. Just like her mamá.”

You breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed back onto your pillow.

“What happened?”

“You had a placental abruption,” he admitted soberly. “The doctor said it was severe.” He paused, his jaw clenching at his remembered anguish. “I could have lost both of you.”

You reached a gentle hand out to caress his cheek and you watched as his dark eyes focused on you again. Your eyes slid over his shoulder for a moment, and you blinked in confusion as you registered the presence of your mother and father standing by the door to your hospital room. Your gaze landed back on Taza, your brow knitted in displeasure.

Taza squeezed your arm lightly, reassuringly.

“When you called me, I tried calling your father,” he explained. “I – I just wanted to have someone here for you, and I knew he could get here before I could. But I couldn’t get a hold of him… so I called your mother.” He paused, searching your eyes for any anger or resentment towards him. “I’m sorry if you’re upset with me, (Y/N). I know you two have things to work out… But when I called her, she didn’t hesitate, didn’t question. She just came. She was the first one here.”

Your eyes slid again to your parents huddled worriedly in the doorway, then immediately back to Taza.

“I’m not angry, amor (love),” you said, squeezing his hand reassuringly.

You didn’t know if it was the recent addition of your daughter to the world that had you feeling so forgiving, or the tremendous cocktail of hormones that were sure to be raging inside you, but you motioned your parents forward.

They stepped closer to your bedside, your father looking quite faint and your mother looking completely repentant, an expression you had never seen from her before.

You allowed your parents to hear the words that you hoped would reassure Taza. “No estoy enojada (I’m not angry). I’m just overwhelmed, I guess. I just… I don’t know, I thought this would be different. All of it. I thought I would get to celebrate this huge milestone with my family, that it would be… joyful and sentimental.” You stopped to breathe, speaking a much greater endeavor than you had anticipated. Taza handed you a plastic cup of water and you took a sip gratefully.

“I hoped that people, especially my own parents, would – would be able to see how much we love each other, and how much of a blessing this is for us. That we would get to have our home birth and it would be private and special. And I know that things don’t always go according to plan,” you rushed on, “and that’s fine, but this… our baby came into the world under such traumatic circumstances and I haven’t even met her yet, and it’s just… hard to come to terms with.”

You sighed, pressing your fingertips to your temples. Your eyes felt heavy, but you fought it, desperate to sort things about before you met your daughter. You didn’t want to add to her trauma before you had even brought her home.

Your gaze returned to Taza and you took a deep breath. “Would it be alright if you give me and my mom a minute?”

Taza’s smile was proud and he nodded, squeezing your shoulder reassuringly before guiding your dad out into the hallway. Your mother moved forward sheepishly, taking the seat beside your hospital bed.

“I’m not going to apologize for the decisions I’ve made in my life,” you mused, your mother’s eyes glued to the white sheets of the hospital bed. You tapped your fingers on the bed, capturing her attention, and she glanced up at you. “You did a good job raising me, mom. You can trust me to make good choices.”

You adjusted yourself against the pillows, your insides aching with every motion. “I know that you don’t understand them. I know this probably isn’t what you had imagined for my life. But… I’m happy. I love, and am blessed to be loved in return. And that’s–” you blinked back tears, your mind wandering to the daughter you hadn’t met yet, “it's really all I’ve ever needed.”

Your mother peered back at you and a chorus of emotions flitted across her face. She swallowed hard. “I’m sorry, (Y/N).”

Your mother had never apologized to you for anything.

“I want the best for you, (Y/N). Not just better than what I had, but the best that it can possibly be. You’re my child, you’re… you’re precious to me. And I know I’m not always the best at showing it, but you are.” She paused and you studied the way her fingers tied themselves in knots in her lap.

“I am sorry. I’m sorry that I let my opinions get in the way of our relationship. In the way of your happiness.” She placed her hand gently over yours on the bed sheet, and when you didn’t pull away, she gripped it tightly. “I do trust you,” she promised. “And if you’re happy, then I will work harder to try and understand your perspective.”

She straightened in her chair, sniffing and hastily wiping tears from under her eyes. “Apparently, I’m a stubborn mule,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes dismissively, “so it might take some time for me to… rethink the rules I’ve always lived by, honey.” She patted your hand softly. “But I promise, I’m trying.”

“I know, mom.”

She got to her feet just as Taza and your father came back into the room. You watched with a touch of incredulity as your mother pulled Taza to the side to speak as your father came to your bedside. He dropped heavily into the chair, a soft expression on his face as he gazed at you.

“A stubborn mule, huh?”

Your father chuckled and shrugged. “It was about time she heard it.”

“And how much of this,” you began, motioning towards your mother talking in a hushed voice with Taza in the corner of the room, “was your doing?”

You father chuckled, rubbing a hand nervously over the back of his neck. “We, uh – we might’ve had it out a couple of weeks ago, hence the mule comment.” He grasped your hand tenderly, wearing a pensive frown. “You know, baby, I’ve been content, for my whole life, to take a backseat to your mother. Because when she’s in her element, she’s… a sight to behold. Much like you.” He smiled fondly. “But when that fire, that drive, is aimed in the wrong direction? It can be devastating. And I couldn’t let that happen to you. To us. She had to make peace with you. And with herself.”

More tears pressed behind your eyes and you sniffled. “I love you, Pop.”

“I love you, too, baby,” he said, leaning forward to plant a tender kiss on your forehead.

It was several hours later that you were able to hold your daughter for the first time. She had been given the all-clear and when they finally placed her in your arms, your heart skipped a beat, unbridled joy bubbling up in your chest.

Taza rested against the hospital bed, his strong arms wrapped around you and your daughter, tenderly smoothing your hair and running gentle fingers over her tiny hands. The two of you marveled at the incredible little being your love had made.

Your parents gathered delightedly beside the bed, your mother resting her head against your father’s shoulder. “What’s her name?” your father asked, his smile wide as he gazed down at your little family.

“Kasimira,” you murmur, the name you and Taza had agreed on only a week ago. You hum in amazement as the appropriateness dawns on you: “It means ‘commands peace’.”

[ficsnroses]

Motorcycle Sex - Keanu Reeves x Reader

summary : your boyfriend, keanu, shows you his brand new motorcycle...then fucks you on it. hard.

warnings : nsfw, smut. cum heheh. lots of fluff too though! x f! reader.

words : 3.1k

❧ Requested!

notes : well...here ya go ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I know you didn’t ask for smut, wonderful anon friend, but my brain did it anyway. hope you enjoy! please consider leaving comments and feedback, means a ton. xox

“I think you’ll like this one,” an enthusiastic Keanu spills, excited mocha eyes ecstatic, a gentle hold to your hand as he leads you to the garage of your home. A new model of an Arch had been released today, the first piece of its kind reserved for the man behind copious of the creative process. “I really like this one.” He chuckles, the bulk of his hand placed to the small of your back as he allows you into the garage doors first, holding the door open.

The piece stands bold, black, colossal; sharp Michelin tires, a sheened glaze of shined fresh charcoal black paint, stood stout on its carbon wheels. Gasping, your thumb rubs a soothe to the palm of your boyfriend’s hand that holds yours, comforting the rougher skin. “Is that the one, Ke?” You shine, holding back a cheeky grin.

This; spark in his voice, passion of craft coursing inside his flowing blood was your happy place. Him; this way, would always be your happy place.

Beautiful, radiant, his smile burns you piece by piece, the joy exhilarating off his skin is warm; something so au fait. Something special grows inside him, something special the crowds don’t understand.

Ambling up to the bike, you stand hand in hand with your love, his eyes glossing over the fine piece of machinery, before to a lock of eyes with you. There’s an inquisitive twinkle to his gaze, a gentle wonder of assurance brewing on his lips. Your opinion matters to him, you matter to him. “Well?” He asks, brining your bundle of interlocked hands up to his lips for a soft kiss to your fingers. “Neat, right?”

“It’s beautiful, baby.” You beam, soft skin of your dancing fingers velveting over the leather seat. His embrace is inviting, the curve of his neck a safe haven for your arms to loom around. Smiling into his lips, your hand cups his beard embroidered cheek, smiling a warm symphony his way. “Hey, I’m really proud of you.” Whispering, your sprightly fingers rest a squeeze to his skin. “You made something so, so beautiful.” Assuring, a kind kiss daubes to his cheek off your rose stained lips, in awe with the way his eyes décor over your features; stay lost in the embodiment of you. “Almost makes me want to ride one.” You roll a chuckle, feeling his warm hands embed around your waist.

“We could.” Keanu smiles, heavy palms gently moving along your back, soothing, comforting. His smile hardly contains, and the faint freckles speckled to his cheeks warm around a blushy peach hue.

Each day with him, as this, you fall further. Further into this sanctuary, this paradise he’s built with you.

You giggle, gaze downcast slight as your fingers smooth to his nape, twirling the ends of his dark chocolate locks. A nervous admission bubbles in your throat, and his eyes furrow ever so slight to your dropping gaze. “I’m just a little scared though,” Confessing, a thick sigh laces your tone, Keanu’s hands removing off your waist in a hearty chuckle, just before his hands hold to your arms, bringing them off his shoulders, in exchange for a loom around his waist. “Well,” He starts, drawing your body closer, flush against his chest. As your arms wrap around his larger body, Keanu’s own circle around you once again, cheeky smile plastered to his lips. “All you have to do is hold on to me.” He muses a deep, throaty chortle, features warmed the way of his love. “I know you can do that.”

Grounded, spellbound in his sincere hold, you absorb a moment to solely,

relish. To sink into the feel of his arms holding you, reminding you that all you have to do, to be alright,

is hold him.

“No,” Giggling, you add. “I meant like, I kind of want to learn how to ride. By myself.” You clear, toying a smooth to a wrinkle that cultivates on the fabric of his black shirt. Engaged, a knit of brows tints to Keanu’s dark, crisp features, a gentle smile twisting his lips to your admitting words. “I’d love to learn, actually; but I’m just…”

Keanu’s ears perk, awaiting the completion of your sentence; yet, as it dies half hearted in your throat, his fingers firm into the skin of your hips, thumbs circling a coax to your figure as he waits. “What, sweetheart?” He wonders, and the crumble of his engaged voice melts in your ears, smiling to the way he listens to each word, each vowel, each syllable that falls your lips. With a gentle bite to your lip, your heavy sigh punctuates with spoken confession, fingers raking a soft run through the dark mane of your boyfriend’s hair.

“I’m scared.” You frown, holding a locked gaze with him for a mere few seconds longer. Rich, Keanu’s chuckle flows through you, the sound of his amuse so delightfully, your beloved remedy. You blush, peachy pastel hues sputtered on curled cheekbones, a roll of eyes his way as he draws in closer, kissing a soft peck to your forehead.

“I was scared too, first. I could teach you, yenno, just how to sit on it, how to control it?” He offers, and his hold around you tightens. “And then, if you want to, maybe you could take a class?” Downcast, his eyes linger for a moment, fishing the right words. “I am a little wary because it can be dangerous, and I can’t have you getting hurt, sweetheart.” The joy in his tone rings in ripples. “But, It’s amazing, Y/N, the sights, the sounds, the views. It’s a heaven of it’s own.” Your gushing boyfriend praises, bulky hand finding yours below. “Is it really something you want to do?” He asks again, fingers interlacing a tender thread with yours.

And with a hopeful grin, you nod, hand coupled to his stubble ridden cheek, gently scratching. “I wouldn’t mind you showing me the controls.” Feverishly grinning, your hand trails suggestively low, groping his ass. “Hot teacher? Sign me up.” You wink, letting go of his frame to move towards the bike.

“How do I sit correctly on this one? It’s a little bigger than your other ones.” You wonder, touching the seat with a trace of your finger. With his hand on the small of your back, Keanu taps your thigh, urging it over.

“Bring this leg over,” He instructs, holding your waist, helping you on. “Alright, how does it feel?” He asks, once you’ve positioned on the leather seat. “Comfortable?’’ He probes, stroking your back in a gentle assure.

“Yeah, feels okay.” You declare, squinting your inquisitive gaze. “Gosh, Ke. How do you control this thing? It feels so heavy.” And with a rich giggle, your helpful boyfriend grasps your forearms, gently guiding them to the sturdy handles. “Hands on here, sweetheart. Annnnnd, rest your feet on the footrests.” He encourages, positioning your hands exactly where they need to be. “Alright, now lean forward a little bit, it helps with the balance.” Detailed with proper instruction, his hands hold your arms. Coincidentally, despite the bike being on its stand; stationary, and there being minimal risk of any harm protruding your way, Keanu still kept a hold on you, perhaps unconsciously; unknowingly.

For Keanu, your safety; you being alright, would always cast his thoughts.

You follow as instructed, leaning forward in optimal stance, smiling when you catch his whiskey gaze gloss over your figure, a knowing grin spread to his own cheeks.

Keanu breathes in a sharp inhale, drinking in the way your delicious figure displays on the bike. Spellbound, his earthy twinned pupils glaze over the curve of your breasts that purse together, hanging lower off your chest, in beautiful definition as you lean forward. To the hike of your hips, your ass looks beautifully plump, peachy from this angle, and he swallows tight; his hands smoothing their way down your arms, finding rest to a hold above yours on the bike handles.

“Wow,” He sighs, deep and gruff. “You look so sexy, baby. On my bike.” In his pants, a rush of warmth floods to his cock, and he attempts to quell the lust that cascades through his mind, the sinful thoughts of how he could ruin his deliciously beautiful girlfriend, right then, right there. He attempts greatly to shun the immoral depths, yet his efforts prove fruitless when you bite your lip, leaning further, pursing your breasts tighter together in allowance of your cleavage to bloom in front of him, the valley of your breasts on display for his prying eyes to see.

You understood the effect you’d had on him; a prominent tent slowly swelling to the seams of his manhood. Keanu watches you, simpering, smiling a smirk when you climb off the bike to the sight of his heavy hand palming his clothed cock, stroking his jean clad region, murals of your body painting his thoughts.

“You know, baby,” you whisper, suggestive. “You can touch me.” And with a nipped kiss to his jaw, you drip. “Nothing is off limits to you. Only to you.” And to the ring of your tone, Keanu groans a husky exhale, inquisitive palms finding the swell of your breasts, soothing over, gently kneading the soft flesh in his hands, thumbs circling your perked nipples that ache for him.

“Fuck, babygirl,” he moans, low, feeling the weight of your smaller hand travel to his pulsing length, palming over the clothed erection that bulges inside. His lips catch yours in a domineering kiss, before you travel lower, peppering small, mindless kisses across his chests, to his stomach, kneeling in front of him as your fingers work the buckle of his jeans, mouth watering.

Peeling the fabric of his boxers down, you admire his glorious cock in its entirety, beautifully erect, monstrous, rosy tip swollen to a blushy hue. It surrounds in bush of thick hair, similar to the drapes that flow off his head. Peering up, you feel his hand rake in your hair, locking the strands in a hold when your lips find his member, wrapping sinfully around in a warm, wet hold, slowly taking him in inch by inch.

He tastes of salty precum, with a tinge of something sweet, a faint trace of his delicious, creamy release a delicacy to your tongue. “That’s…that’s it baby,” He groans, gently pushing your head further down on him, yet cautious of making sure he doesn’t offer you more than you can manage.

Someday, you want to be able to fit his entire cock; tight, throbbing down your throat.

You’ll get there, someday. You’ll just have to keep practicing…

With an abrupt pop, you allow him to fall out your mouth, raising off your knees as you travel higher, hands resting to the broad of his chest, and his lips capture yours once again, sighing to the feel of your petite hand wrapping around his aching cock, slowly, leisurely pumping, jerking, twisting the sensitive skin that sends coils of shock building inside him. Your breath is hot against his lips, two of his fingers hooking to the waistband of your bottoms, slowly peeling.

“I want to fuck you.” He whispers, deep, gravelly, sending a bubble of want throbbing within your empty cunt walls that soaked, preparing for his taking. Nodding, your chest heaves breathy exhales, taking his hand in a firm lace, quick to lead the way inside, ready for his body to work you so fucking well within the silky sheets of your shared bed, similar to the way he often does, on frequent nights.

Nevertheless, Keanu’s body doesn’t move an inch, his hand gripping your waist before he stops your move, rejecting. “No, darling,” his hand moves to your mound, palming the fabric that shields your modesty from him. “I want to fuck you here, on my bike.” He gruffs, need flooding each inch of his body, the throb of his cock almost painful to how hard it swells for you, sore; tender; desperate to be buried inside your welcoming, warm haven.

Nodding, you feel the heat building inside, realizing this must have been one of your boyfriends sinful, envisaging fantasies.

He adores you, and he adores his bikes. Seeing you on one? It was a recipe for his sex starving thoughts and corruptly swelling desire. Nonetheless; you don’t mind.

Sex with Keanu is irresistible; his expertise, his skill, the girth of his cock and how perfectly it fits inside you,

Your body welcomes him, each and every time, slick arousal and frustrated whines far too frequent when he undresses your body slowly, delicately peeling the fabric off your figure for his eyes to devour. Once fully nude and exposed, Keanu’s lips trail to your breast, swirling a nipple with his warm and wet tongue as you continue to pump his member, slicking smears of dewy pre cum over his thick shaft.

“Here baby, sit on my bike.” He drools, heavy hands planting firm to your bare ass as he lifts you gently, positioning your weary, sex craving frame on the opaque seat of his brand new bike. You abide, trusting him full, devoutly as he tears off the texile of his shirt, exposing his bare chest for you; peppered with flushy patches of rosy pink, impending with need. For release.

“Bring your legs around my waist, sweetheart.” Keanu huffs, grabbing hold of your silken skin as it curls around his waist, and you blush. Despite being with him hundreds of times before, being on display for him, this way, your pussy completely vulnerable and exposed; you still feel your breath hitch when he sees you like this. Once sure that the bike is stable, and won’t collapse when he drills into you, Keanu drinks in the sight of your voluptuous body; stroking his cock in preparation, before gripping his length firm, tapping his shaft to your cunt a couple of times in anticipation.

“I got you, sweetheart, do you trust me?” He asks, holding your body tight in position, and you nod for him, a gentle smile his way. “Are you ready for me, baby?” He probes, lined up with your heated entrance, enhanced by his primitive desire and the weight of his cock resting on your cunt lips. You nod, swallowing tight before taking hold of his biceps for balance, feeling the pads of his callous thumbs sink into your waist. Keanu’s lips kiss you soft, quick, before slowly pushing his entire length into your cushy walls, feeling you tighten around him to the point that it burned, feeling his weight inside your small, fitted entrance.

“Fuck, Y/N,” He snarls gruffly, wasting no time before his needy cock beings pounding your core with an aggressive roll of hips, sweaty palms holding tight to your waist, sure to keep you safe on the limited space of the bike seat. Keanu is fucking you so hard, so well, so rough that you swore you could feel him in your stomach; lewd moans and breathy gasps bouncing off the cold walls of the garage. The raunchy sounds of his thick balls slapping against your pussy echo the walls, and he shivers, throaty growls released as his hands roam the bulk of your breasts, praising the feel.

“Fuck, baby,” He moans, rough and profound. Your walls feel delectably tender, warm, and he loses himself within you, the sounds of your whimpers and cries turning him on tenfold. “Ke, faster, faster,” You yelp, encouraging, feeling your cunt sore to his imperative pace and enticing whispers. “Make me cum, Ke, please make me cum,” You beg, sensitive, feeling him shudder as his thumb moves to circle your clit, toying harsh with the bundle of nerves.

His pace quickens, and he pounds into your body, piercing moans and stifled whimpers only encouraging him before you feel the bubble of ache within you intensify, your orgasm spilling in a tender, excruciating wash over each inch of your body, feeling his member stretch deep, deep inside your pussy as he chases his own nirvana. “Fuck!” You gasp, becoming oversensitive, yet still deliciously full of your boyfriend’s massive cock imploring inside, the baritone moans and breathy heaves of his chests, paired with the way his biceps look delectably toned and bulked as he holds tight to your hips; its all far too gorgeous, and you fall far too deeply within the entirety of him in this moment.

“You gonna cum for me, Ke?” You encourage, soft hand travelling below to massage the fullness of his balls, stimulating a delicate, tender wave of pleasure to his manhood.

“You’re so…so wet,” His breath hitches in his throat, and he slams into you harder, and harder, praises of your name, reciting acclaim for your heavenly pussy sashaying off his love drunk lips before channling a rhythem of fast, profound, hard, almost animalistic thrusts into you, his thick voice warning. “Where do you want it, baby?” In reference to bursting strings of creamy cum that would seep out his cock soon.

“On me.” Dark, lustful, in love, your eyes lock to his, and with a wave of absolute pleasure stinging each of his veins, Keanu’s moans roll deep in his throat as he spills your name, laced with satisfied groans,

His cock pulling out quick, spurting streams of his sticky, glossed white cum all over your bare belly, and you sigh, you moan and lose yourself in the way he looks, a heavy hand firmly wrapped to his relieved erection as he pumps himself, emptying his seed onto your body.

Lowering his head, he sighs, so content, holding your hips as he hovers over you on his bike. “Fuck,” Keanu sighs, breathes rugged as he catches his breath, his forehead connecting against yours as you both relish, floating in a paradise of joint euphoria after your orgasms.

His hair falls, draping, curtaining his eyes, a few tousled strands sticking to his sweaty forehead. Brushing it aside, you kiss his lips soft, brushing your tongue over the sensitive skin before planting your hand to his chest. Neither of you speak, collecting your breaths, smiling goofy grins at each other, thoughts hazed by what just happened.

Quiet, yet thoughtful, Keanu holds you to his chest, arms circled around your frame still positioned on his bike. “You okay babe?” A kiss from his lips to your temple. “Was I too rough?”

“Perfect.” You assure, smoothing your hands over his bulked biceps, sighing content. Below, however, you feel a mixture of your releases coat your thighs; trickles of your mess coating his bike seat. Lip bitten, you connect your eyes to his, concerned. “Shit, Ke, your bike is a little…dirty…” You frown, heart warming to the sound of his generous chuckle, and the weight of his cock still resting heavy on your thigh. Again, as a hundred times before, he’d quenched that satisfying long inside you. Fulfilled you so fucking well, even when you had no idea you’d needed it.

“Well,” He smiles, warm and contagious; a wet kiss to the silky dip of your neck. “At least we broke in the new bike.”

➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴➶ ➴

My taglist will be posted in reblogs, let me know if you want to be added or removed! :)

[killiansprincss]

Never Forget You ch.14

Season 6A Canon Divergence.

Emma is happy. Finally happy with her parents, son and boyfriend. But this happiness is taken away from her when the Evil Queen curses her and turns her into a toddler.

Heartbroken and angry, Killian and Henry run away to Neverland to wait for Emma to break her curse.

But when she does break it and comes looking for them 25 years later, she soon realises this Neverland is very different now it is no longer under Pans rule.

Will she be able to save Henry and Killian in time, or will this new ruler of Neverland keep them hostage forever?

Hi all here is the newest chapter in Neverland fic and it is angsty from here on out ;)

this fic means the world to me it brings me such joy writing it so if you liked it please let me know I’d love to hear what people think of it!

Link to AO3

“So I still don’t understand why she wants to keep the two of you?” Snow asks the next morning at Henry’s treehouse.

 Killian and Henry look at one another, “You want to tell them the truth, Lad, or should I?”

Henry looks over at his family, “It’s my blood that has allowed us to stay for so long, I’ll tell them.”

“Blood? Excuse me?” Emma asks ready to murder the fairy.

“It’s okay love. Listen.” Killian says putting his hand on her back. It felt like normal again, with his hand finding the spot on her back that always managed to calm her. David and Snow were glad to see them all working together again.

“Gold told us that because I still have the heart of the truest believer, a few drops of my blood would restore the youthfulness of this place. So when we came here, I gave a few drops, but it needed more. I sorta passed out because a voice was telling me it needed more blood.” Henry explains, but seeing the look on his mother's face, he then quickly adds, “But I was totally fine, Killian saved me before it was too late. But now I think our time is running out, if I don’t give this Island more of my blood then the fairies can’t stay here and the magic will be gone.”

“Not too dissimilar from Pan then.” David comments. “So how do we defeat her?”

“I have a theory I’ve been sitting on for a while, but it’s dangerous, and I don’t want a repeat of History.” Killian says gesturing towards David.

“No. No. No.” Snow yells. “I almost lost my husband once, we can’t risk it.”

“It might be the only way.” David tells his wife. “Do you want to get off this Island as a family?”

“Okay someone fill me in please. Unless you forgot, I was not born when this happened!” Neal interrupts.

“Dreamshade.” Emma tells her brother. “It’s Neverland's most deadly poison. Dad got infected last time and almost died.” She turns back to Killian, “But the water saves you as long as you stay on the Island, so how does that help us?”

“Wait hold on-Dad got poisoned? And almost died?” Neal suddenly realises there is so much about his family that he didn’t know about.

“I have a concentrated dose on my ship that I’ve been working on. In theory, even if she does drink the water, she can’t leave, she cannot try and stop us.” Killian explains.

“A concentrated dose like the one you gave Gold in New York?” Emma asks, smiling fondly at the memory.

“Aye. Except, a much stronger dose. Hopefully to a fairy, the dose will reach her heart much faster than it did the Dark One.” He looks over to David and Snow. “I’m fully aware that it could go wrong and I don’t want to put you in any danger.”

“We’re aware of the danger, but it’s nothing we haven’t faced before. We can handle a fairy.” David says confidently.

“With all due respect Gramps, these fairies aren’t like blue or any of the other fairies in the Enchanted Forest or Storybrooke.” Henry explains, worrying about their newfound confidence. “In Neverland they play by different rules, they use dark magic, darker magic than mom used as a dark one.

_________

Cecelia was angry.

She didn’t like visitors. Especially if those visitors were the ones trying to take away the magic that kept her alive in her home.

She needed a way to stop her new visitors, especially the blonde who was taking the pirate away.

Normally she would spend her nights in Pixie Hollow with her sisters, but she had a feeling the blonde wasn’t going away. At the end of the night, she flew over to the Lost Ones clearing and what did she see? The blonde with Hook. This could not happen. She needed a plan to separate the two of them, get the blonde back to wherever she was headed, and keep Hook and the boy here.

—

Pan was a nightmare. He was ruining her Island, though he called it ‘his Island’. He had been here a hundred years and already the Island had changed, the pixie dust was running out, in another hundred years or so the Island would likely die. Pan was apparently searching for a boy that would save the Island, but Cecelia didn’t buy into it-prophecies are 99% of the time wrong, if this boy ever did show up she wonders if he would save the Island.

Thankfully Pan was not able to enter her safe haven. And neither could Tinkerbell since her wings and magic were gone. She could easily avoid her, and if she did see her again, what could the little green fairy do anyway she was powerless. But it did affect her access to fairy dust, he used most of it on his pack of Lost Boys who were typically using it to fight with real weapons, or use it to battle the Pirates that were now stuck on this Island.

Cecelia decided she was sick of hiding in Pixie Hollow, she wanted to see what Pan had done to her home, and see if she could stop it. That’s when she saw him for the very first time. The Pirate. With a Hook for a hand. He was dressed in all leather, a red vest with a large black leather coat and leather pants. He had scruffy black hair and eyes as blue as the sea in Neverland cove.

She transformed into human size so she could follow him. He was with another pirate, this one short and stocky, blue and white striped shirt and a red hat. Not nearly as gorgeous as the man with the silver Hook. She tried to understand what they were saying, something about a weapon, a dagger.

“The dagger is the only weapon that can defeat him. If I can get my hand on it I can skin myself a crocodile at last. I just need a way off this blasted Island.” The one with the Hook said, he sounded angry, whatever this crocodile was, was sure to be a force to be reckoned with.

“Even if Pan gives us a way off this Island, how do you plan on getting the dagger? Baelfire said-“ the shorter man begins to say before the Hooked pirate cuts him off.

“Don’t say his name.” Whoever this Baelfire was, he clearly made a lasting impact on the Pirates lives, the way he sounded upset by the thought of him.

“Sorry Captain. But say we get back to the Enchanted Forest, how do you plan on getting the dagger if he has it on his possession?” Ahh it made sense now, the Hooked Pirate was a Captain, the way the smaller one almost quaked with fear when speaking to him.

“I have a plan.”

One moment Cecelia is walking a fair few paces behind the two pirates, hiding in the darkness so they don’t see but still within earshot, and the next moment the leather clad Pirate had a dagger to her throat and her back against the nearest tree.

“Who are you and why are you following me?” The Pirate asks. It was the leather clad Hooked pirate, the smaller one had scurried ahead leaving just the two of them in the hot Neverland Jungle.

Cecelia laughs as she clicks her fingers and the dagger against her throat disappears and reappears in her own hand.

“A fairy.” The Pirate states, not asks, as he takes a step away from her.

“You know of my kind?” Cecelia asks him with a seductive smile.

“I’m not fond of fairies. Especially the ones I’ve met on this Island.” The Pirate sneers.

“Let me guess Tinkerbell?” Cecelia asks, she assumed Tink was the only fairy who would run into a pirate, but she couldn’t be sure, she needed to protect herself in case there was someone working for Pan who would report her.

The Captain laughs in a husky tone, “not a fan of her either I take it?”

Cecelia shrugs, “she’s not my friend, but she may see me as an enemy.”

“Whatever did you do to the poor girl?” The captain asks. He was very handsome, Cecelia had encountered many pirates in her life, yet none quite like this one.

“Well like Pirates I’m sure, a fairy never reveals her secrets.” Cecelia was flirting, the Captain was sure of it, so he decided to flirt back.

“Hmm secrets are a delicate thing. Is your name a secret too, or do I get the pleasure of knowing it?”

“Cecelia.” She replies with a glint in her eye. “And yours? I can’t just call you Captain now can I? Or would you like that?” She whispers the last part into his ear.

“Hook.” He tells her smirking as he uses his Hook to bring her closer.

“Clever.” She muses. “You’re a pirate, I assume you have a ship.”

“The Jolly Roger, she’s the most powerful in all the realms.”

Cecelia fondles with his Hook for a moment, “Would you like some company?”

Hook grins. “Are you offering?”

________

Her talk with the blonde Hook was in love with, didn't go down well as well as she had hoped. Cecelia threatened her, told her to leave and she didn’t. She was a stubborn stupid human, but she needed to take it to the next level.

Show her what Hook and her had, how it was nothing compared to what the blonde experienced with him in her land. She couldn’t kill the blonde right away, not with her whole family here. No, she needed to make her leave and she will get Verena to help kill them all if necessary.

____

The next two nights Cecelia watches the blonde with the Lost Ones. She sees how Hook looks at her, and how she looks at him. It makes her sick. The Lost Ones even look happy, they’re never happy. What was it about this girl that made her so special? Why of all the women, this plain girl was the apple of her Captains eye.

“You know you kissed me for the very first time right around here.” The Captain tells his blonde. She listens in, to see what she can find out, and what she can use against them.

“I remember. You were annoying me, I thought I would just kiss you to get you to shut up!”

“And you realised you’d made a huge mistake as you fell in love with me?” Cecelia couldn’t tell if he was teasing or not, their relationship was still a mystery.

The blonde hits him playfully, “you’re such an ass. If you recall your confession in the Echo Caves, you were the one you realised you couldn’t live without me.”

“Now, now Swan whose rewriting history. I am amazed that you still chose me, you love me after all I’ve done.”

The blonde runs her fingers through his hair, “hey. Stop. We talked about this, you’re not that man anymore, I fell in love with you because you chose to change, you said you wanted to be a better man and that’s exactly what you are. I don’t care what you did on this Island while I was cursed, it doesn’t matter, you’re still the man I fell in love with who risked everything for me, who is selfless and chooses to do the right thing.”

Cassandra turns away as they start to kiss, she doesn't need to see that. So, the Captain has insecurities, that she can take advantage of.

The Echo Caves.

Cass hadn’t heard of those in centuries. She knew Pan liked to use them to trap his unwelcome visitors, but she hadn’t known her Captain was a victim.

They were used in the olden times of Neverland to reveal the darkest secrets of fairies who were going bad and had to reveal the truths of their actions, but Pan ended up using it as a trap and to cause a rift between friends. And that’s exactly what Cecelia was going to plan. She would cause a rift by making them reveal their darkest secrets, and the blonde would go back home.

“Verena! Verena! Wake up!” Back in Pixie Hollow she decides to let her sister know of her plan, and how she can help her.

“The Echo Caves? Are you serious Cecelia?” Verena had heard the stories of the caves, how fairies were forced to reveal their darkest secrets and it was never pretty.

“Whose side are you on?” Cecelia was suddenly starting to doubt her sister, it wouldn’t be the first time.

“Yours obviously! But is it safe?”

“I heard the Pirate talking to the blonde, they went through it before when Pan was still in power. If it didn’t break them before, this time it will.” Cecelia feels confident, Hook had been here for 25 years all alone, his desires had clearly changed.

“So what’s the plan?”

_____

On the fifth night of watching the Pirate and his blonde, Cecelia decides this is the time to intervene. She’s sick of seeing Hook, a fearless and deadly Pirate turned into a “hero” by his lover.

The Lost Ones are finishing up, slowly disappearing back to their beds. Hook luckily is still in conversation with the young boy, the blonde however had finished talking to her lost girl, she was all alone.

Shrinking down to fairy size, she flies into the Lost Ones clearing, and freezes Hook and Henry before returning to human size.

“Cecelia.”

Cecelia smiles at the blonde, “the one and only.”

“What do you want? I already told you, I am not leaving this Island alone.” She was brave. But bravery almost meant stupidity.

“You and Hook just look so happy together. But I’m afraid he’s been keeping secrets from you.” She says, in a sweet but also malicious tone.

“What secrets?” Emma was convicted this fairy was just trying to mess with her head, Killian had been honest the past few days since they reconciled, no way would he be keeping secrets.

“I trust you’re familiar with memory magic?” Cecelia asks as a dream catcher appears in her hands.

Emma nods, all too familiar with dream catcher magic.

She watches as Cecelia makes the dream catcher glow as scenes of her in Neverland start to play out.

“I really don’t need to watch your life story.” Emma says rolling her eyes. But then.

Killian. She sees Killian in those memories. Well, he was in Neverland for 300 years and their paths were surely to cross. The dream catcher doesn’t have any sound, but she doesn’t need sound for what she sees next.

It’s Killian and Cecelia. Together. Lips on one another, bodies pressed together and legs tangled up.

Emma feels like she could vomit.

“You’re lying. This is, this isn’t true.” She manages to say, thoughts whirling around in her head.

Cecelia smirks. “You’re familiar with memory magic, you know how it works. I couldn’t tamper with it even if I wanted to. I guess Hook hasn’t been as honest with you as you thought, such a shame.”

Emma stands there for a few moments, resisting the urge to bring up everything in her stomach. Cecelia just flies away looking satisfied with herself.

“Everything alright love?” Killian appears a few minutes later, completely unaware of the situation.

“I don’t know. You tell me.” Emma feels betrayed, how could he do that to her?

“I’m not sure I understand love.” He says, giving her a puzzled look, “are you feeling okay? Want to take a sail on the Jolly, clear your mind a bit?”

“The Jolly? Where you’ve been fucking Cecelia? I’m good thanks.” She spats.

Killian is lost for words, “Emma what the hell are you talking about?”

Glaring at him, she tells him of Cecelia’s visit to her, and the memories she saw of the two of them.

“Emma, please understand. That was a long time ago. It-“

“Oh so you’re not denying it happened?” She cuts him off, how dare he.

“I would never lie to you Emma. But whatever she showed you, happened a long time ago, long before I met you.” This was all part of Cecelia's plan to drive them apart, Killian was sick of her tricks.

“Just because I was cursed doesn’t mean I’m stupid. How am I meant to believe it was before you met me?”

Killian takes a step toward her, to take her hand but Emma snatches away. “I can’t prove it, but you’ve gotta trust me.”

“I’ve been cursed for 25 fucking years, Hook. That doesn’t give you an excuse to fuck the first woman you see just because I’m not around.” Her voice was getting louder the angrier she was getting.

“Emma I love you. Don’t act innocent though, like you said you were cursed for 25 years, you’re telling me you didn’t jump into bed with a man that isn’t me?” Killian was now just as angry, sure it had been 25 years but he expected better of her.

Emma doesn’t answer his question.

“I thought you said you saw me in your dreams.” Killian says tremulously. “That you were always seeing me. Was that all a lie to get me to go back with you?”

“No! Of course not! I did see you in my dreams, but that’s the thing you were a dream. I had no idea who you were. But don’t change the subject, I was cursed I could sleep with as many men who weren’t you and it would be okay. You on the other hand, slept with the fairy while you were waiting for me. You clearly don’t love me, so I think If we defeat Cecelia, I’m taking Henry and my family back with me, you fsnnstau here I really don’t care.” Emma’s voice was wobbly she felt like the was about to burst into tears.

“Emma. I do love you, whatever she’s shown you is a lie. I never touched her while you were here, I would have never do that to you.”

He tries to call out after her, but it’s no use, she’s walking back to her camp angry and upset, he was going to kill the fairy.

[lgchunji]

✧ .・゜゜hello, lgc admods!

     chwe hunji and jin eunji’s leaf wants to say: “hey admods! i know this may look a little sudden and a little weird but by the time you see this, i’ve been going around asking all the members what they want to say to you guys to show their appreciation! i know admin e probably already told you, but i used to do theater for about two years and i volunteered my time. i probably worked fifteen-thirty hours a week at a theater and i did not get paid and barely was thanked but i always put in effort. i gave them one hundred percent of myself and, if i was lucky, i would get a five dollar starbucks gift card in return. i was so exhausted and even stopped writing because i could not handle how much of myself i was losing every day. i gave a hundred percent of myself away and got five percent back. now, though, with legacy, everything has been flipped! you guys put a hundred ten percent of yourselves into this amazingly fun and honestly complicated place and i feel like i never get to give back. i know the joy of it all is in watching people write together but for me, just having fun was not enough, i wanted to compile something together for you guys! you do so much for us so i thought it was time i give just a sliver of myself back to you. so! under the cut is a lot of people’s messages that i’ve gathered. a lot of members were unable to send in something in time so i do apologize that not everyone is here, but i added a space in the bottom for anyone and everyone who wants to add something at a later date, so admins and members, be sure to check that often! in the meantime, though, you guys are so amazing and this place already means so much to me, i really hope legacy can continue to grow and flourish beyond your guys’ dreams because you really deserve it! p.s. the below notes are not in any particular order of length or alphabetized, they’re just random C:”

     han insoo’s al wants to say: “thank you for your kindness and dedication. you guys are troopers. i’m not very vocal about things publicly out of shyness but also bad experiences. i hope you guys know i appreciate to be here and that you guys have kept this up for so long despite the setbacks. it’s been a while since i felt comfy in a directory. much hugs and kithes!! thank you for being so open and welcoming!”      kang yonghwa and choi daehyung’s muffin wants to say- "thank you so much for all of the hard work! legacy is not an easy rp to run with all these career branches and events going on. i appreciate all of the mods for making this rp extra special by celebrating birthdays, holidays and other occasions. I love you all muahhhhhh~"      liu jiao and ok miyoung’s faye wants to say- “i disappeared from the rp scene for awhile and was kind of lost when it came to fitting back into everything. but joining legacy helped me along and i am so glad i decided to put my muse here. thank you to all the mods and for all of their hard word. i felt so welcomed by not only them, but the other members of the directory as well. so thank you for the lovely community you’ve brought together here. i am happy to say that legacy holds a special place in my heart.”      yoon shinha and pongsak, tee's simone wants to say: “when i first joined legacy it was because i had some friends here and i had read about it a lot on twitter. i was nervous and scared, which is how i usually feel when joining a new place. working on my own points page from scratch was a first but i was proud of myself and i felt accomplished when i finished it. i joined as a connection and it gave me a boost when it came to plotting. everyone was so nice and welcoming and i honestly love that when joining a new directory. the events were many and i was both excited and scared at how many there were. even if i couldn't understand something i knew i could ask an admin or mod and would get a quick reply. i love how kind and supportive the staff is. i've been here for a few months now and i always recommend it to others. i know that no matter what, i can go to a staff member with a question and i don't need to feel stupid for asking something bc the staff are so helpful and understanding. the thought that goes into this roleplay and the events are amazing and i am honestly so amazed every time a new event gets posted. they give sufficient time frames for events and i know they try to make it as fair as possible. i honestly love it here and i love the hard work and the time that is put into legacy.”      park taekyung and heo jane’s bobbi wants to say: “thank you for taking the time to create this awesome community! the time and effort you put into this rp is what makes it such a fun place and i hope that this post brings you just as much joy as you bring us! <3"      mayura nana’s cc wants to say: “i’ve been on and off in the group, seeing the first time it opened and how hard working the admins were to coming back and seeing the amount of growth in just a few months. i truly appreciate all that you guys have done for your members, the patience and love you put into every little thing you do so everyone can develop and enjoy themselves. you guys make this rp fun and safe and i’m forever grateful to have found a true home for my muse. keep up the good work and i can’t wait to continue being here and witnessing even more love and growth from the team ❤️”       park seojin, im hana and kang seyoon’s sara wants to say: “hello lovely team. it's been a great ride thus far and i'm so happy to have been here from the beginning to see the community grow. you've built a really nice and wholesome place here and it's been one of the best roleplays i've been in so far. it's hard running things but always remember that people love and respect you and so many of us are rooting for good things every day. you're human too and if you make a mistake, never beat yourself up over it. you keep things so much fun. truly nothing more i could ask of from a team. i’ve sent other messages in the past but there's really no limit to the praises and support i can offer to you guys. keep up the good work!! ♡♡”      wu aaron and kim alex’s em (aka the awkward cookie) wants to say - "to the amazing admins of this rp, i haven't been here nearly as long as others but i really enjoy having my muses here! i love lgc so much and you're all amazing admins who work very hard to keep this place running with amazing events! keep up the great work and i can't wait to see what else you all have planned! (please torture alex as much as you can. xD) i don't think i've really talked to the admins here much but still, i love you all and everything you do! <3 please don't let any negative comments or reviews get to ya'll and just know you're all doing great!"       choi jongsuk, son jieun, and kim jinah‘s jen wants to say -  "@ the mod team from your resident meme! you guys know how much i love lgc. i'm not shy annoying y'all with compliments and praise. every sunday is a highlight because there is always something exciting being posted- be it just a date lottery update or new events; you never fail to surprise and spoil us all with fun and creative ideas! also the way you manage to keep things as fair as possible for everyone and still manage to not make anyone feel left out or left behind. the quick replies to any kind of questions are just so nice to see and it makes me personally not scared ever to ask anything at all no matter how stupid the question may be! i probably annoy y'all with how often i said this already but i love this rp. i love the graphics, the concept and the execution of it all. thank you for creating this amazing space for all of us to write and hopefully to many more years! true to my name i shall exit on a meme~"      hwang subin and han allie’s nic wants to say - “hello admins!!! it's me, a nic. i know that i've said a lot of this in the past but to sum it all up, i love you guys!! thanks for giving me a place to feel a bit more comfortable when i don't feel that way in rp a lot lately. i love that you guys are always gracious and accepting of criticisms, questions, and critiques and i hope you continue to always be that way because i think it's important for rps to listen to their members. i also want you to know that you don't have to stand for rudely stated words just because you do that, either!! i appreciate the time you take to answer my questions, whether it be through the manager blog or through discord and for all the opportunities you've given my muses ( even if ONE of them might not be so grateful. i'm lookin at u subin ) so yeah ;u; i hope u all are having a lovely day, pls take care!!!”      tsai sunisa, park sarang, and jung jihye’s the ghost rper wants to say - “number one, thank you for making legacy an rp! i'm having a lot of fun with all of muses! especially since it's given me a chance to bring muses i've played before alive in another rp. two, they're [the admins] awesome for all of the stuff they've managed to do for the group and how many options you have to be apart of the industry and do more background related stuff! third, just stay awesome and remember to put yourself before rp! since without ya'll we wouldn't be here!”      min soyoun and kim jinseo‘s clara wants to say - "hi mods! thank you for making lgc a fun and safe haven for us. i appreciate the love, thought, and effort you all put in every single mission/event that happens in the roleplay. you guys are doing amazing!"      kwon sihyun‘s shinobi wants to say - “thank you for making me feel welcome!”      park iseul and ahn dohyun’s nine wants to say - “thank you so much for all your hard work! over the months i've been at lgc i've always felt like the admods have kept every single muse in mind when creating events and moulding the rp to fit the members. i've never felt as in love with an rp as i do now. keep up the good work, i can't wait to see the rp grow more and more!”      choi max and im nari‘s jada wants to say - “hi there mods !!! i didn't want this whole appreciation to go by without saying some words of my own, so here i go ! when i joined legacy a few months back i was hesitant to even join, doubting that i'd want to stay to make it even past the next activity check. it was an act of pure impulse, but perhaps the best thing i could've done ! alongside the many great friends i've made along the way, if it was not for all the hard work you do, the roleplay would not be nearly as lively of a universe as we've all made it to be ! i always compliment legacy for the dedication you all clearly have to making it enjoyable - from events going on all the time, to in-character posts that liven the spectrum of our creativity, to your speedy responses and patience whenever we have trouble ! i think me and the rest of the members can agree that what you do makes us enjoy the roleplay even more, and we always will be appreciative of that !! i think you guys run the roleplay SO smoothly at times that we forget the hard work you put in and the bumps you might encounter along the way, but it's times like this that make me realize how much more we should thank you. because of the team behind it all, i've once again found my place in a roleplay that's made me feel at home, and always ready to write and have fun !! i'm extremely grateful for the passion you've shown us and i hope that i too can do my best to make sure your hard work pays off and give thanks ! i'm looking forward to writing with all of you and giving a voice to our muses for as long as i'm able to type, haha ! <33 “      ahn yeoreum’s kay wants to say - "my first experience with krp wasn't exactly the best. i didn't land myself in the most welcoming environment and was planning to never join another krp. but i took a chance in lgc and didn’t regret it. since day one, everyone has been so welcoming and i loved playing yeoreum here. the admods have worked so hard to make this such a nice environment to rp in and i love how well thought-out all the events and activities are. thank you so much, admods !! we are super lucky to have such a talented and hard-working team. <3″      ji haneul’s maddy wants to say - “to legacy admods uwu, thank you for your endless hard work! seeing how the community has grown over the last few months, as well as the tons of opportunities for character development has made my time here absolutely amazing. i just want to say how much i love the rp, and how inspiring it can be in churning my writing muses. keep up the good work, and i hope you guys would also be able to have as much fun as the work you've put in in maintaining the rp! take care, stay safe, and stay awesome >:D *flings plushies in your directions* ♡"      lee seungjae’s fifi wants to say - "hello admods!!! i just wanted to say thank you for everything that you've done for lgc! i haven't been here long but everything about it is great and i can tell you've put in so much work to make it the great place that it is!"      kang dana‘s jay wants to say - “thank you so much for working so hard on this roleplay and allowing all of our characters to develop however we like! i have never enjoyed a rp as much as this one <3"      hwang jaerim and im hyunjin’s jia wants to say - "hello admod team, yall know im always here to bother u all with my weirdness and you guys are all great to talk to. i've been lucky enough to have been here since day 1 and to see this place flourish and see all the efforts you put into the rp, makes me glad to be here. thank you!!"      oh max and park viggo’s lyn wants to say -  "as one of those muns that has been in legacy from the very beginning, i've witnessed this rp grow and i can’t help but to feel extremely proud and happy for the admod team who works tirelessly to make sure that the progress isn’t only with the rp but genuinely with the muses within it. the admins take it into their own hands to celebrate the achievements that muses have obtained and put them on the spotlight, personally i've experienced screaming and getting emotionally overwhelmed with some of the mods at how happy and ecstatic i felt with some of the results for my muses. with that said i want to make it clear that my muses don’t always get what they want, when it happens, i do share some down time with said mods as well- not to complain but to just talk. the same happens vice versa, when the mods' muses don’t get a spot in future dreams or didn’t get the center of a group, or when they land a cf spot or has made progress by moving on a different path, i'm able to witness their reactions as muns as well- which quite frankly is humbling considering that it reminds me that their muns too and not just mods. essentially what i'm trying to say is that based on my experience and mine alone although i have no doubt i'm not the only one who feels this, clearly this post proves it, that the admod team is not just there to provide us with countless numbers of events or answer our endless amount of questions and woes with admirable patience or guide us in the right direction when we misplace a point or two in our submits, but rather to present us muns with a safe and progressive platform to comfortably establish and allow our muses to flourish in a highly entertaining environment. so thank you legacy team for your heartwarming and admirable work, i know this hasn’t been easy for you guys but hang in there, a lot of us got your backs ♡"

these are the folks who wanted to add something after this post was first published:

no one at the moment! if you want to say something to our lovely admins please either message them through the lgckrp askbox or, if you’re more shy, send me an IM or send it to lgchunji’s askbox with your message in quotations, which blogs you run, and your name/alias!

[treya-barton]

4. cooking together for the fluff asks 👀🙏🏻💞 (uh with souyo obvs XD)

Yosuke realized that while he had eaten plenty of meals prepared by his partner, he hadn’t ever watched him actually prepare one before.  Yosuke and Yu were spending their first weekend in their small dorm that they were sharing, and Yu had decided to cook them dinner for the first time. Throughout the week they had used their meal plan or brought something home from the convenience store to eat since they had been so busy with class, but tonight Yu had decided to make them something to celebrate their new relationship and completing their first week of university.  

After their long train ride from Inaba and getting their dorm set up the weekend before their first day of class, Yosuke and Yu had been listening to the album that Yu had shared with him on the ride over.  In the middle of their favorite song, Yosuke had blurted out his confession, and he wasn’t sure who had been more surprised, him or Yu.  He had been planning on waiting and getting settled in before confessing his feelings to Yu, but something about the song just made it seem like the opportune moment and he had spoken before his brain had a chance to catch up with itself.  Usually that only ended in disaster for him, but this time it had worked in his favor with Yu gratefully returning his feelings.

Which brought him back to this moment.  “How do you chop so cleanly?” Yosuke asked.  “I tried helping my mom out in the kitchen a few times but my vegetables always came out looking rough.”  It was the fifth question Yosuke had asked so far as he crowded Yu in their very tiny kitchen.  They had one burner and hardly any counter space, and Yosuke was worried he may be getting in the way and annoying Yu, but he couldn’t help himself.  It was his first time seeing Yu at work making the food that Yosuke loved so much and he wanted to know more about the process. It amazed him at how efficient Yu was in the kitchen, even if he really wasn’t surprised since he had tasted the fruit of his efforts in the past.  Also, he could tell by how relaxed his partner was how much he enjoyed cooking and he felt himself drawn to the process even more; he wanted to experience the things that brought Yu joy, just as Yu had for him.

To his surprise, Yu wordlessly placed the knife in Yosuke’s hand and positioned him where he had just been standing.  He then stepped behind Yosuke, having to press close due to the lack of space in the kitchen, before placing one hand over Yosuke’s on the knife and his other over Yosuke’s free hand.  “Hold the knife like this,” Yu instructed, carefully adjusting Yosuke’s fingers until the knife rested more naturally in his hand.  Yosuke shivered slightly at the sound of Yu’s voice next to his ear and the feeling of his warm breath over his shoulder, and he couldn’t help but feel flushed over how close together they were.  He glanced at Yu and noticed that his cheeks were also tinged with pink, although he seemed very focused on showing Yosuke what to do.  Seeing that Yu was also flustered somehow helped Yosuke relax a little, and he returned his focus back to the matter at hand.

“Like this?” he asked, and Yu withdrew his hand as Yosuke showed his grip on the knife.  It was a little different from holding his kunai, but it still felt pretty natural now that he knew how to hold it properly.

“Perfect.  Now I want you to slice the top off of the onion, holding your fingers of your other hand bent like this and away from the knife to avoid cutting yourself,” Yu explained, using his other hand to position Yosuke’s to show him how to hold the onion.  Yosuke did so and was surprised by how easily the knife sliced through; Yu seemed to keep his sharper than the ones his mom had at home.  Yu showed Yosuke how to peel the outer layer off on the onion before walking him through how to cut it in half and how to make the cuts so he would be able to do an even dice, using the curved fingers on his free hand to keep the knife aligned on the onion as he went.  Within minutes, Yosuke had a perfectly even diced onion, and he looked at his little pile in amazement.

“Did I really just do that?” he asked excitedly, and Yu grinned at him.  Yosuke continued to cut the rest of the vegetables with guidance from Yu as his boyfriend prepared the rice and chicken for their curry.  Yosuke watched him as he expertly diced the chicken and noted how quick and efficient he was with the knife, and he wondered how long it would take him to feel as comfortable as Yu was.

Yosuke at least knew how to use the butane burner since he had helped set up the ones at work that they used when cooking samples for customers, and Yu showed him what setting to use in order to cook the onions, peppers, and carrots so they would soften before they added the chicken.  Yosuke had fun using the wooden spoon to push the vegetables around, and he relished in the fact he was really cooking for the first time.  It was pretty fun, even if smelling the food as he worked on it was starting to make him feel hungry. Yu was peeling the potatoes and dicing them up so it wouldn’t take as long for them to soften up once they added the water. Yosuke had offered to do so, but Yu had replied that the work was tedious and could be slow and that he’d let Yosuke try his hand at it another time.  After watching Yu peel potato after potato, Yosuke couldn’t help but feel his partner had made the right choice.

“The chicken looks like it’s cooked through,” Yosuke commented, after noticing that none of the pieces looked pink anymore.  

“Time to add the water then,” Yu replied, giving Yosuke the measurements so he could pour it into their measuring cup.  He then poured in the water and brought up the heat in order to bring it to a boil. Yu added the potatoes and had Yosuke bring the temperature back down in order for it to simmer for 20 minutes.

“Now it’s time to clean up while we wait,” Yu instructed.  Yosuke put on some music for them and as Yu washed each dish that they had used to cook, Yosuke dried it and put it away.  In no time at all, they had both finished and still had some time to spare while the rice and curry cooked.  “It’s nice to have someone help me cook,” Yu mused.  “Nanako would help stir sometimes but she’s young so she could only do so much. You really did a great job – I appreciate the help.”

Yosuke beamed at the praise and put his arm around Yu’s shoulders.  “Only because I had a great teacher,” he said, shyly pressing his lips to Yu’s cheek.  Yu blushed and buried his head against Yosuke’s shoulder.

“You’re a good student,” he replied.  “You catch on pretty quick.”  His hand clutched at the collar of Yosuke’s shirt, and Yosuke couldn’t help but find it cute that his normally confident partner was acting so shy.  They had so far been moving pretty slow, since they were still getting used to the idea of being a couple, which in retrospect had made Yu’s move earlier where he was practically hugging Yosuke as he showed him how to dice a pretty big step forward.  Yosuke wrapped both arms around Yu and hugged him to his chest for a moment, relishing in how good it felt to be so close to him, before Yu’s timer on his phone went off, signaling that it had been 20 minutes.

“Time to add the curry blocks,” Yu said, pulling away from Yosuke as he opened the package that was sitting out on the counter.  He handed it to Yosuke who broke apart each block and tossed it into the curry, before mixing it in until the blocks dissolved and formed the roux.  The food finally began to smell like curry, and Yosuke felt his mouth water.

“Give it about five minutes for the roux to thicken and we’ll be ready to eat,” Yu instructed.  The rice in the rice cooker dinged to let them know it was ready, and Yu moved to pull down some bowls for them to use.  He shoveled some rice into each bowl, and once five minutes had passed the curry was finally ready to go and Yosuke took the bowls in order to spoon the curry over the rice.  To his surprise, instead of taking a bite right away Yu offered his first bite to Yosuke while looking at him expectantly.  “It’s your first time making curry, right?” Yu pointed out.  “You deserve to get the first taste.”

Yosuke shyly opened his mouth and leaned forward in order to eat from Yu’s spoon, blowing for a moment to cool down the steaming curry before taking the bite.  The curry tasted delicious, and Yosuke quickly took a spoonful from his own bowl before offering it to Yu.  “Not quite as good as the stuff you make from scratch, but I can honestly say I’m pretty happy with it,” Yosuke said.  Yu grinned at him before taking his own bite, his eyes sliding closed as he chewed thoughtfully.

“This is the best curry I’ve ever had,” he said once he had savored his bite, and Yosuke blushed before poking his arm.

“We both know that’s not true,” he replied and Yu shook his head before opening his mouth again, clearly wanting Yosuke to feed him another bite. Yosuke complied, and after Yu finished eating with a satisfied sigh he gave Yosuke a thoughtful look.

“I am being honest. There’s something special about a dish someone lovingly cooks for you,” he replied.

Yosuke rubbed the back of his head before softly muttering, “Maybe that’s why your food always tastes so damn good,” which caused Yu to grin at him.

“It was always cooked with love,” he said straightforwardly, and Yosuke quickly shoved another mouthful of curry in Yu’s mouth in order to get him to stop talking.  They continued to feed each other the rest of their meal, and they each ended up eating an extra bowl which left hardly any left for lunch the next day which had been the original plan.  After putting away the pitiful amount of leftovers and cleaning up the rest of the dishes, they made their way to the couch where they cuddled up against each other, bellies full and happy after their delicious meal.

“We should do this every Saturday,” Yosuke decided.  “You teach me how to cook something new until I get good enough to do it on my own.”

“I like that idea. Although I wouldn’t mind both of us cooking together all the time,” Yu replied.

“You never know – I may want to surprise you one day,” Yosuke replied with a twinkle in his eye. Yu smiled at him before leaning forward and placing a quick, chaste kiss against Yosuke’s lips.  It was warm and tasted faintly of the curry they had just shared, and the gesture filled Yosuke’s heart with ease.  

“A home cooked meal from my partner?  Sounds good to me,” Yu agreed.  He looked excited at the idea, and Yosuke couldn’t wait until he had enough skills to make it a reality.  He wanted Yu to really know how much he appreciated him and was glad he now had something that Yu was passionate about that he could share with him.  He looked forward to what next Saturday had in store.

[ariagrans]

🖤 🇴​🇴​🇨​ 🇦​🇵​🇵​🇷​🇪​🇨​🇮​🇦​🇹​🇮​🇴​🇳​ | 🇬​🇪​🇹​ 🇹​🇴​ 🇰​🇳​🇴​🇼​ 🇲​🇪​ 🖤

How long have you been roleplaying?

↳ It’s been a solid 9 years now! I started off in Starkid Productions roleplays, a fun college musical group that Darren Criss started out in, and he was my first muse ever.

What are your hobbies outside of writing?

↳ Aside from work and sleep taking plenty of my time, I’ve started dedicating this year to being a content creator for my other blogs and also slowly learning Korean.

Do you have any pets? Tell us about them!

↳ I do! 2 actually, a dog named Thor and a cat named Cali. I’ve had Cali for 2 years now and she’s the light of my life. I’ve had Thor since new years, and he’s still a pup and acts like it, but he’s my baby.

If you had a month of free time to learn to do something new, what would you choose?

↳ I’m incredibly interested in seamstresses? I just think to be one would be incredibly useful and creative, and if I had the time to invest in learning even the basics, I’d be down.

Do you listen to music while you write? What are three songs on your playlist?

↳ Sometimes! It depends on what mood I’m in, and if I’m struggling to focus. It’s super weird but my playlists are of an artist’s full discography since I can listen to one artist for a long time if they’re my mood. I’d say my top three artists to listen to are Ariana Grande, Stray Kids, and Halsey, though!

What’s a favorite recent youtube video/channel?

↳ Dylan is in Trouble is a movie commentator/roaster, and our very own Nikki can vouch for how funny he is! I’ve been watching him so much since I discovered his channel. @hcurly​​

Tell us one random fact about you!

↳ I love, love, love horror movies! Specifically the Scream franchise and you could quiz the hell out of me on that one.

Who is an FC you’ve always wanted to use but haven’t yet?

↳ I’ve yet to play Halsey, and I genuinely love her. I think what’s held me back is wanting my other muses to write against a Halsey instead so we could love her down.

What’s a plot you’ve always wanted to write but haven’t yet?

↳ I haven’t really thought about them lately, but you know.. I think from exes to best friends would be cool. They don’t ever have to be romantic again, but they’re okay again and then beyond that they’re closer and more supportive than anyone else? I love that shit.

Do you have a favorite plot you’ve seen someone else in the group do

↳ I've grown super fond of seeing Timothee and AnnaSophia. They’re just super precious, and I love everything about their chemistry and what they’re doing. @itstchalamet​​ @itsannasophiahq​​

Who on the dash makes you smile?

↳ Oof, you could being twist both of my arms and I still couldn’t just give you one answer. Of course I get a big grin when the love of me life ( @mlaney ) is doing replies on all her boys, and Nikki knows how much I love them. For almost a year now, KJ ( @hqnessa ) and over a year with Sam ( @dcvescameron ) and Lara ( @evanpeaters​ ), they’ve really been my best friends that can keep me grounded in my emotions, so seeing them on the dash and participating with all of us is always a pleasure. Might I add that I’m hella fond of Emmy ( @flcpvgh​ ). Her muses are so fun and interesting, and I’m smiling ear to ear when I see and hear from her ic and ooc! Of course I love this group as a whole, and our dash runs because of each and every one of you, and though I’m very much so a baby among many of y’all, I think of these players as my own babies and you’ve got all of my love. I smile every time I think of how I get to be a part of this with you.

What is your favorite memory in the group?

↳ Being brought in to be a part of the Admin team has been one of the best experiences I could ever ask for, and it’s amazing to be one in a group that I hold so dearly to my heart. I knew when I joined that I wanted this roleplay to be my home, and now that I get to help carry it on is just a wonderful feeling. Each day that passes is another day that I feel closer to my fellow admins, so I’ll use this spot to let them all know that I love y’all very much. @ohlizzo​ @itsgenevievegnt​ @larsonhqs​ @joekcery​ @diannahq​ 

What’s your favorite thing about your celeb(s)?

↳ I hold all of my muses close to my heart, and I follow them closely in the real world to further feel connected, so it’s hard to pick one thing that I love, but.. I love how dedicated Ariana is to making her fans feel loved. She does so much for us and works her ass off to keep giving content. Even when social media can be too toxic to handle, she still makes sure to get on to interact with those who love her, and she cares about us and the world as a whole. As for Fionn, it’s so hard to learn much about that boy sometimes since he’s so private, but in the three years I’ve stanned, I’ve picked up on how accepting he really is and he’ll turn down bigotry in a heartbeat. Niall might be my newest muse, but he’s the one that I’ve followed the longest ever since 2010, and what’s not to love about that boy? He’s a guy that I’d want always around just cause I know the vibe in the room would be so elevated and happy because of his presence and energy.

What’s a plot you miss?

↳ Of course I hold a special place in my heart for all past ships I’ve experienced here like Kenari ( @hqnessa​ )and Fernrock ( @evanpeaters​ ), but there are a lot of friendships I miss quite a bit. Like Ariana and Joe with @hcurly​ / Fionn and Asa with @jocklowden​. Both friendships brought me so much joy, and the teasing with both cracked me up all the time.

What would you love to see this group do in the future?

↳ Just more of what brings us all together! I’ve said it before, this group is my family and to be a family, we’re all stickin’ together and we’re here for one another, and anything that can really spotlight our connection to one another is what I’d look forward to.

@hollywoodland-hqs​

[pamphletstoinspire]

The Triple Novena to Join Padre Pio’s Spiritual Children

“I have made a pact with the Lord: when my soul has been purified in the flames of purgatory and deemed worthy to be admitted to the presence of God, I will take my place at the gate to paradise, but I shall not enter until I have seen the last of my spiritual children enter.”

—St. Padre Pio, from a letter to his spiritual daughter, Antonietta Pompilio

With a promise like that, how could anyone resist the desire to become Padre Pio’s spiritual child? And yet, there’s even more encouragement from this dear father, for he also said:

“I love my spiritual children as much as my own soul, and even more . . . Once I take a soul on, I also take on his entire family as my spiritual children . . . to my spiritual children, my prayers for you will never be lacking.”

And finally,

“If one of my spiritual children ever goes astray, I shall leave my flock and seek him out.”

And yet, desire as we might to become St. Pio’s children, we might wonder how exactly to forge this relationship. I know two very easy ways, and I won’t delay in sharing them with you.

Just Ask

First, just ask. Here is a prayer that gets to the heart of the matter, and like a little sacrament, effects what it signifies:

Dear Padre Pio, I recall your promise to the Lord, “I will stand at the gates of heaven until I see all my spiritual children have entered.” Encouraged by your gracious promise, I ask you to accept me as your spiritual child.

A Triple Novena

You can’t get much more direct than that, but you may want to share this treasure of Pio’s spiritual fatherhood. That brings us to the second way to become his spiritual child, which is by participating in an unfailing Triple Novena that began on September 6, but in virtue of its three phases, allows for jumping in mid-stream. The following prayer will suffice:

O Blessed Padre Pio, holy bearer of the wounds of Christ, accept us this day as your spiritual sons and daughters and keep us always on the Little Way by your intercession. And do thou, O our Spiritual Father, relieve our suffering and the suffering of those we love, and then stay there at the Gates of Heaven, as you promised, until all of your spiritual children have entered through, even and including us and all those we love.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

That’s it, you’re in! You are now, without question, a beloved child of Padre Pio. And if you were hoping, also, to have your prayer intentions answered, you’re in luck there too. By reading these Padre Pio prayers, you are now officially part of the first annual unfailing Triple Novena. Moreover, you’re in for the long haul even if you don’t remember to say another single prayer for the duration. How can it be this easy?

How Does It Work? The best way to explain it is by telling you this is the Calvinball of novenas. Do you remember Calvinball? In it, Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes) plays a rowdy game with ever-changing rules that evolve to meet the needs of Calvin and his friend Hobbes.

This Triple Novena won’t knock anyone’s block off, but it will knock your socks off, because one of its first rules is that anyone can join throughout the course of its 26 days, and even learning about it is enough to count one in. This is the Novena to end all Novenas, and like St. Thérèse’s Little Way, it is easy, new, and guaranteed to quell perfectionism at the get go. Here’s how it works:

Starting on September 6, a select group who stumbled upon my blog, Miss Marcel’s Musings, began a triple novena after discovering that nine days (a single novena) would end on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Furthermore, if we made it a double and began another novena the following day (Our Lady of Sorrows), we would end on St. Padre Pio’s feast day, September 23. But when it comes to prayer, the more the merrier (especially regarding participants and intentions), and we saw that by making it a triple novena and beginning again on September 23, we would land smack on the Feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, October 1.

The consequence? A triple novena!

Different Novenas

You probably already know that novenas come in all shapes and sizes. One of the secrets of a great novena, though, besides some variation on the number nine, is that the days (or minutes) it takes to say the prayers have an almost miraculous relationship to one another.

Take, for instance, the 54 day Rosary novena. Did you know that if you start it on August 15, Our Lady’s Assumption, you will end, 54 days later (after three novenas of petition and three of gratitude) on October 7, Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary?

Or take the mini-novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe (a sneaky three-day novena, hence “mini”) — it begins on Juan Diego’s feast, December 9, and ends in time for Our Lady of Guadalupe’s day on December 12.

Then there is Mother Teresa’s emergency (or “flying”) novena of 9 Memorares said in a row with a tenth in thanksgiving. My friend Maura wrote about it here, and as she explains, you will discover in this quick novena a way not only to calm your fears, but also to get your prayers answered lickety-split.

Our triple novena is akin to Mother Teresa’s novena and the mini-novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe, because although it is longer than most novenas, covering as it does 26 days (you can do the math later), it also answers the needs of our hearts without demanding a long attention span.

Start Today

Are you reading this after September 6? You must be, unless you’re in 2020 already. This is an ideally suited novena series to cure perfectionism, as well as to answer prayers and cover your needs—and I do mean to include the needs of all those you love as well. It’s likely you didn’t start praying this triple novena at the outset, but as I mentioned already, joining it anywhere in the middle, you’ll still get full pay, like the workers in Jesus’ parable.

This is our certainty. More importantly, we can count in everyone who runs across the path of our novena. Those two lovely Jehovah’s Witnesses who just rang my doorbell and shared with me 1 Peter 5? They may not realize what happened, but they are even at this moment being commended to Our Lady and the Saints!

Other Prayers

The only thing left to tell you, then, is the rest of the prayers this Triple Novena employs. You already have your choice of Padre Pio prayers, but here is what you may have missed in the first novena, and what’s coming up in the third. First, An Old French Prayer for Friends:

Blessed Mother of those whose names you can read in my heart, watch over them with every care. Make their way easy and their labors fruitful. Dry their tears if they weep; sanctify their joys; raise their courage if they weaken; restore their hope if they lose heart, their health if they be ill, truth if they err, and repentance if they fall. Amen.

And last, our prayer to St. Thérèse. For the short version, we suggest that perennial favorite: “Little Flower, in this hour, show thy power!” But if you like something a little more formal, you might try this prayer from the Carmelites of Lisieux:

St. Thérèse, you who promised to make fall a shower of roses, see what confidence I put in you and receive my intentions. Ask the Lord to grant my prayers and obtain for me the grace to always love Him and make Him to be loved. Amen.

God knows all of our intentions, and what a gift that He has promised: “Ask, and you shall receive.”

If you feel so inclined, add your special requests in the comment section below, but above all, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Not only that, but Padre Pio promised to have your back (and the backs of your loved ones) all the way to Heaven, so rejoice, little one, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

BY: SUZIE ANDRES

ANOTHER WAY TO BECOME A SPIRITUAL CHILD OF PADRE PIO AND JOIN IN THE MONTHLY PRAYERS BEING OFFERED UP DURING THE MEETING IS TO CONNECT TO OUR WEB PAGE BELOW AND FOLLOW ALONG WITH THE PROGRAM OFFERED FOR THAT PARTICULAR MONTH. YOU CAN ALSO E-MAIL US FROM THE CONTACT FORM PAGE TO GET PERIODIC UPDATES FOR GROUP MEMBERS.

https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/spiritual-children-of-padre-pio-1

From: https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/

[artificialqueens]

Flowers in Bloom, Part 1 - Daisy (Shinkx) - Albatross

AN: The sequel to ‘The Language of Flowers’ - This will feature the Shinkx and Trixya dates that follow immediately where their last chapters left off.

So this didn’t end up being as long as I thought it was going to be at first but that’s alright. I’m trying to learn not set imaginary pressures or deadlines on myself and just enjoy the process of writing. Not sure when the Trixya date will be posted, I haven’t started it yet but I’ve got a lot planned. The next piece to be posted is very likely to be Biadore (because that seemed to be the overwhelming want from the little mini poll on AQ) and then Trixya. I’m also torn between starting on the magical girl AU right away or jumping into Rajalaskam. Might just start both and see which one is finished first. Quick little side note for the chapter names - the flower that I pick as the title is going to be how I feel best describes the date. In this case the Daisy represents innocence and simplicity.

In a matter of seconds, Sharon had followed Jinkx beyond the shop’s door and stepped onto the sidewalk beside her. In the short amount of time it took her to lock up the building for the night, Jinkx found herself suddenly slapped with the reality that she was about to go on a date with her boss. Her heart began racing in her chest as an overwhelming smile threatened to break out across her lips. She just couldn’t believe this was really about to happen!

In a strange way she was glad it was all decided so suddenly; if there had been any lapse of time between her subtle confession and the date itself she was sure she would have gone into a full-blown panic mode. As for right now the immense joy coupled with a heavy dose of shock was the perfect thing to keep her from freaking out entirely. The only thing she hoped for right now was that her expression didn’t betray just how nervous she actually was beneath her relatively composed exterior. However, the smile Sharon shot towards her once she was finished securing the shop threatened to override that thought completely.

As they walked down the moderately busy street, Jinkx found herself toying with the hem of her sleeves. It offered a small bit of distraction but she longed to be able to clasp onto Sharon’s hand. She probably would have tried had the blonde not already shoved them into her pockets. To anyone else she probably would have looked like the picture of perfect composure but Jinkx noticed all of the little tics that betrayed her true feelings; the slightly higher pitch of her voice, the twiddling of her fingers with the items in her pockets, and of course her struggle to maintain eye contact between the frequent breaks to watch where they were going.

Their conversation remained idle but natural as Sharon led the way to the restaurant she had in mind. To both women’s surprise neither fell into the old classic of discussing work as a safety net. Although shortly after arriving at the cafe that was intended for their date, they were reminded all too quickly of the night’s earlier activities. Jinkx hadn’t noticed the issue at first, she was more concerned with trying to dodge the miscellaneous clusters of patrons loitering outside the cafe’s entrance, but Sharon’s less than quiet call of “Oh, for fuck’s sake!” soon caught her attention.

Following the blonde’s line of sight, Jinkx quickly spotted the problem; it seemed that Katya and Trixie had also decided to take their impromptu date here as well. They had been seated at a raised table out in the enclosed patio section and were eagerly chatting away about some random topic Jinkx couldn’t quite make out.

Sharon’s face as she took in the scene was a study of indecisiveness. She didn’t want to risk being exposed to Katya’s unique talent of effortlessly annoying her, especially in front of Jinkx when she could easily lose her cool…but even more so, she didn’t want to delay her date with the redhead any longer. She’d spent so much time simply pining after her from afar, she just couldn’t handle pushing it off for another night now that it was finally within her reach!

Bracing herself, Sharon began to push herself towards the hostess’s stand to request a table but Jinkx catching her arm stopped her dead in her tracks. Sharon’s heart stalled for a moment until she saw the reassuring smile resting upon Jinkx’s lips.

“I know another place we can go,” she offered politely, “If you don’t mind walking a little further.”

Very much relieved, Sharon replied that it wasn’t a problem in the slightest all while making a mental note to herself that’d she probably walk the length of the city just to keep her date with Jinkx tonight. Thankfully the substitute cafe Jinkx had in mind was only an extra ten minutes away. It was a bit more quiet than the bustling restaurant they had just left but there was still a moderate flow of foot traffic coming into the shop. Given that the weather outside was still pleasantly warm, it seems the majority of the customers decided to take their orders to go or at the very least enjoy them at the open air tables and benches. This particular cafe seemed to specialize with coffee and smoothies rather than prepared food, which probably helped to account for the transient stream of customers.

Once inside the first thing Sharon noticed was that it was rather homey instead of strictly a place for business. There was a relaxed atmosphere that seemed to contradict just how busy the shop actually was. The decor was a bit odd to her mind; a lot of the space had been filled with various knickknacks that anywhere else would have probably been very out of place. Before Sharon could truly take in the sights around her, Jinkx was already guiding them towards the small line at the counter. A number of the people waiting for their drinks seemed to be part of one group in particular and as soon as their orders were filled they took their leave and the majority of the shop’s background noise as well. Sharon had just begun to let out a sigh of relief at the newfound peace when she heard a delighted squeal emanating from behind the register.

“Jinkx!” the brunette exclaimed in excitement. “I haven’t seen you all week! Where have you been?”

“Sorry, we got really busy at the shop. We…kinda messed something up and spent the last couple of days fixing everything,” Jinkx admitted with a sheepish grin and quick glance towards the blonde.

Amused, the brunette inquired, “Oh? And just what have you been getting up to? Not starting any trouble at your new job, were you?”

Placing a comforting hand in the small of the redhead’s back, Sharon replied with a proud smile, “No, she’s been an amazing worker and she’s definitely learned her lesson with all that went on this week.”

The barista cocked her head to the side as she sized up the blonde in vague confusion. The realization that they hadn’t yet met dawned on Jinkx and with a polite interruption she introduced the pair to one another, “Sharon, this is Dela, my old coworker and Dela, this is Sharon…my new boss.”

Scanning her eyes around the shop with a new appreciation for the atmosphere, Sharon mused, “So this is where you used to work? I’ve driven by a few times but never stopped in. If I knew this was where I’d find you I’d have wandered in here sooner.”

At the statement made by the older blonde, Dela’s lips curled into something of a teasing smirk and immediately she began nosily asking, “You’re the one Jinkx asked me to order those coffee beans for? Glad to see you’ve got good taste…”

Darting her eyes back to Jinkx, she threw a quick wink and added in, “Both of you.”

Almost immediately Jinkx felt herself taking a heavy swallow in a pointless attempt to will away the growing blush on her cheeks. To her utter relief, Dela didn’t feel the need to make any further comments on the subject and fell back into her usual customer service mode to brightly ask the redhead, “Your usual?”

“Please,” Jinkx replied with a grateful smile.

Turning towards the blonde, she inquired, “And for you?”

Sharon’s eyes raked over the menu hung up behind the counter before ultimately settling on a large cup of the house brew. Dela gave an approving nod of her head and turned to make the drinks but was quickly stopped by both of the women. Each wanted to pay for the order but the brunette assured them, “It’s on me…”

Jinkx was in the midst of a very appreciative word of thanks to her friend until she heard Dela add in, “So long as Jinkx tells every little detail of how your date goes!”

Eyes narrowing at the proposal, the redhead quickly shot back, “I’d rather pay for the drinks then!”

Smiling away, Dela refused any form of payment and informed her huffy friend, “No choice, I already closed the sale in the register. You’ll have to tell me everything later!”

Shaking her head in disbelief, Jinkx muttered, “I hate you so much.”

A final proud grin was shot her way before Dela spun around to continue her work. Jinkx honestly couldn’t believe just how persistent Dela was being…It’s not like she wouldn’t have told her a quick version of it afterwards…She probably just wants something extra to talk about when she compares notes with Ivy….Jinkx really wouldn’t put it past her not to provide real-time updates to their mutual friend anyway. Oh, well. She can’t stop it so she might as well just resign herself to the fact that Ivy was likely to know the majority of her date before Jinkx gets a chance to tell her on her own…

In a matter of minutes, Sharon and Jinkx’s drinks handed back to them in cute little To-Go cups with their names scribbled along the sides in some of Dela’s best handwriting. Jinkx for one couldn’t wait to take the first sip. She hadn’t had a chance to stop in for her regular pick-me-up since Sunday thanks in large part to the fiasco with Katya and Trixie. Her overly sweetened latte would be a welcomed treat after successfully cleaning up the mess that she and the other assistants helped to create.

Almost as if she were walking on air, she led Sharon towards her favorite table in the back of the shop and sat down to enjoy the first very satisfying taste of her drink. Dela was one of the few employees here that she trusted make her coffee exactly right. Try as she might, Jinkx couldn’t hold back the soft sigh of pleasure that escaped from her lips after the nearly too hot drink finished washing across her tongue. Very much intrigued, Sharon asked, “Mind if I try some?”

Jinkx faltered for a moment before sliding her cup across what little empty space remained between them. With a noticeable amount of hesitation in her voice, she warned, “You can but I don’t think you’ll-”

The face Sharon made as soon as the drink passed her lips was truly a sight. Her eyes went wide with disbelief and something akin to fear that someone would willingly drink something as sugary as what she had just tasted. If she hadn’t seen Dela preparing it herself, she would have sworn that no coffee at all had been used while making that drink. Quickly pushing the cup back in front of Jinkx and washing away the after-taste with her own coffee, Sharon commented shakily, “That was very…sweet.”

Jinkx gave her an apologetic grin and took a long sip of her latte in order not to have to say anything more for the time being. Swallowing away the lingering taste of caramel and sugar, Sharon further questioned her, “I’m a bit surprised though…I thought you always took it black?”

The redhead felt a light blush returning to her cheeks and finally admitted in a sheepish voice, “Actually, I only started doing that because of you…I’ve never seen you add anything to yours so I didn’t either as long as you were around…”

Sharon’s eyes widened and just vaguely it looked like a hint of pink was rising to her face. Deciding it was now or never, Jinkx continued on as she toyed with a lock of stray hair, “I just kinda wanted to impress you, I guess. You always made it look so cool and sophisticated…adding my usual amount of sugar and creamer just felt…childish sometimes.”

With the final confession, Sharon’s shocked expression immediately softened and her hand came to rest on Jinkx’s drawn in shoulder. Scooting their chairs closer until their legs were almost touching, the blonde assured her, “Jinkx, never worry about impressing me. You’ve done that already…you still do actually.”

The pair shared a fond smile before the intimacy of the situation became too much and each broke away with an embarrassed smile. They drank in further silence for another minute or so before a new topic was cautiously proposed by the older woman. It felt like the hours slipped by unnoticed as countless customers came and left the shop while the two remained close and cozy in their hidden corner. Around half an hour before the cafe was due to close, Jinkx asked with more than a fair amount of trepidation, “So this…us, I mean. What do we do at the shop?”

Her gaze was curious but also concerned and fearful. She didn’t want this to be a one time thing but it was also a bit of unfamiliar territory to be potentially dating her boss. She didn’t want anything to mess up her personal or business life but if she would have to pick now, she wasn’t sure which she would chose to pursue. Luckily, Sharon had no intention of forcing her to make that choice. Enclosing her hand around one of Jinkx’s fiddling ones, she consoled her employee in a simple but gentle voice, “We’ll do the same thing we’ve been doing; we remain professional with each other while at work.”

“And then after work?” Jinkx questioned in a meek yet hopeful tone.

Smirking just a tad, the blonde gave a comforting squeeze of her hand and stated confidently, “After work…we’ll be anything but.”

Jinkx felt a smile of previously unknown size growing across her lips as she beamed up at her boss. Her heart felt like it would soon flutter out of her chest but she could hardly care about that. Everything felt like a dream at this point and no part of her wanted to wake up any time soon.

She was almost finished with her drink when Sharon placed her empty cup next Jinkx’s. Leaving their hands resting on the table, Sharon worked her phone out her pocket and opened the camera app. She jutted her head towards the pair of cups with a silent request for permission to take a picture yet left the option open for Jinkx to refuse. Vaguely wondering who she’d send the image to before ultimately deciding that she didn’t care, Jinkx nodded her head with a gleeful grin settled on her lips. She found that she wanted everyone to know; both at the shop and the rest of the world.

Crossing the last few inches of space that remained between their bodies, Jinkx let her head fall onto Sharon’s shoulder as the blonde snapped a quick picture. Just at the very edge of the image, Jinkx could see their interlocking fingers making a small cameo while the cups with their names scrawled up the side took up the majority of the screen. With one click, Sharon forwarded the picture off to probably every employee at the shop.

Following the subtle announcement of their relationship to their coworkers, the pair quickly drank what little remained in their cups and bid Dela a short ‘Goodbye’ and word of thanks as they exited the cafe. The walk back to the flower shop was quiet and peaceful, yet over all too quickly to both of the women’s displeasure. Pausing outside the door to Sharon’s apartment, Jinkx stood on her tip toes to press a soft kiss to Sharon’s cheek as she whispered sincerely, “I had a really good time tonight.”

Before the redhead even had a chance to try and disentangle her hand from Sharon’s, the older woman carefully pulled her in closer and offered up hopefully, “Well the night’s not over yet…want to come inside for another cup?…I still have have those coffee beans you gave me…”

Jinkx’s face lit up and without a second thought, she dare to place a brief peck to Sharon’s lips and replied, “I’d love to.”

[multiracialmedia-blog]

Ask Lisa Advice: Mixed Children as Trophies

Today I caution a young Black mother with a White fiancé against the trap of viewing mixed children as trophies.

Dear Lisa,

I’m a Black female with a White partner. In the last two years we’ve had two beautiful boys. During my last pregnancy, my fiancé’s sister got pregnant with her Black boyfriend’s baby six months after me. She had never dated a man outside her race, ever! So, when she decided to have a baby with a Black man I felt like she was stealing our thunder.

I am not saying my fiancé and I got together to make mixed babies to be exciting or anything. But having kids did bring us a lot of attention from my partner’s side because we were the first Biracial couple in the family. My fiancé’s sister has been known to be an attention seeker, but I never thought she would do something like this.

The way she met her partner was a scandal in itself. That was enough drama to overshadow my pregnancy to begin with. Now that her child is here I feel like our boys are old news. She even gave the child her maiden last name, which I found to be strange since she says her boyfriend is very traditional and that they are deeply in love.

Am I just being ridiculous or could she have really had a baby out of spite/jealousy toward us?

Wondering.

Dear Wondering,

You are the first person to add brown to an otherwise White family, which is no small enterprise. I know what that is like because I have done it myself. I was fortunate that my husband’s parents were accepting from the start (it helped that my mother’s background was the same as theirs). Still, I remember the anxiety of single-handedly integrating a family, the uncertainty of how I would be received as a permanent member.

Under these circumstances, having a child—always a big milestone—becomes momentous on many levels. For one thing, you will no longer be the only person of color in the family. For another, you will be related—by extension, through your child—by blood, rather than simply a legal document.

For Many People of Color in Interracial Relationships, Providing White In-Laws with Grandchildren can Bring About Acceptance and New Status

In any family—of any color—a couple with young children enjoys a special status. Some people bring casseroles to gatherings and celebrations; you bring the joy, laughter and heart-melting cuteness. The fun and games begin in earnest when you enter with your brood. Your holiday cards are the most anticipated. When the next couple has children, the first batch doesn’t usually lose the spotlight—the glow just expands to fit everyone.

In your case, however, I am concerned about your sentiment that your sister’s baby makes your boys “old news.” Why isn’t there room for two interracial families, two sets of Multiracial children? Does having a little cousin who is mixed like they are make your boys any less special? No! Of course not.

I am not sure why you are in direct competition with your sister-in-law but it sounds as if your children—your boys and her new baby—are at risk of becoming pawns in the battle!

I am sure you don’t want this. Fortunately, you are in a great position to turn this around. Be the bigger person than your sister-in-law: don’t get caught up in the drama. Maybe she is an attention seeker. Maybe—though I deeply hope not—she did get pregnant for the sole purpose of showing you up. But that pregnancy is now a little person, just like your boys. In fact, that baby is their cousin. And what a wonderful thing, that your two sons—the first Multiracial children in the family—will now have a cousin whose racial makeup is the same as their own! In my opinion, this is a gift.

Which brings me to a larger point: the danger of seeing mixed children as trophies. I see this all over the internet: memes and photos of Multiracial kids with captions like “Mixie-luv,” “Perfect li’l blend” and “Mixed just right,” (as if there’s a wrong way to be mixed?), as well as others implying that mixed babies are the antidote to racism.

This trend colludes with the practice of objectifying mixed folk. Many Multiracial people grow up in a strange spotlight, our looks public, fair game for comments and musings. Focusing on the appearance of racially blended kids—no matter how lovely and unusual you believe they are—sets them up for self-esteem issues, along with body image problems and potential toward eating disorders.

When Parents View Mixed Children as Trophies, Young Self-concepts are at Risk

Seeing these kids as little ambassadors of cuteness, implying that their presence alone can build the bridges necessary to wipe out racism, puts way too much pressure on them. Instead, we must let mixed children be who they are: kids. Enjoy your children for themselves, not their skin tones, not their hair textures, and not for the status they bring you in your fiancé’s family.

As for you and your sister-in-law, I suggest you model the kind of behavior you want your children to learn. Reach out to her with the help of your fiancé; extend some kind of olive branch so that these young cousins grow up together, playing safely, feeling cherished and embraced by their entire extended family.

Even if you and your sister-in-law never become friends, you can drop the competition and embrace your kids’ relationship. It will be easier if you all remember not to view your mixed children as trophies, but instead as the wonderful, complicated, three-dimensional people they are.

Ask Lisa Advice: Mixed Children as Trophies if you want to check out other voices of the Multiracial Community click here Multiracial Media