#reviewer 3 if i knew who you were i would make you regret you were born | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

thir10th · 9 months ago

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are you in?

summary: compilation of short blurbs of your's and Emily's relationship before the team knew. Some based on actual chapters. it's just basically how you managed to keep it a secret TW: I fucked up the show's timeline so try to forget all you know about it, "only one bed" but reverse (it may be shit lol), suggestive content, i think that's it A/N: Writing this one has been a pain in the ass because every time i edited it i'd loose the changes so there are parts that i don't actually like at all but here it is nonetheless. As always: English isn't my first language. Reviews are appreciated. Like and reblog <3

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ new blouse?

A near death experience really deserves some kind of celebration

and you suppose a near-job loss experience does too

a week had passed after Emily and Hotch had rejoined the team on that case on Milwaukee, and Emily's head injury was almost just another scar, so when Morgan had asked you if you wanted to go out for drinks, you had looked at your girlfriend and said:"yeah, wny not"

and there you were, sitting at a table right next to Penelope, waiting for your girlfriend to bring all your drinks, and overhearing a conversation she was having with Hayley and Hotch, who seemed very relieved to have the night for themselves. You were supposed to be a part of that conversation, but you couldn't bring yourself to care enough to listen.

All your focus was deposited on your girlfriend, she had her arms rested on the counter trying to get the waiter's attention, a pair of dark jeans accentuated her figure, and all you could think about was getting home and ripping that blouse off of her.

You would have to settle for just staring, for now. Emily turns around to take a look at your table and catches you starring, you blush instantly, but she just smiles and gives you a wink, which makes you smile too, and suddenly your taken out of the trance by a voice.

"y/n are you listening to me?" Penelope says trying to grab your attention

"sorry, yes, what is it?" she looks at you suspiciously, as if with just her eyes she could decipher what was going on inside your head. She can't go on because Emily comes back with all your drinks, leaving them on the table and sitting next to you , maybe just a little bit too close but you could not complain.

She simply joins the conversation like it was nothing, meanwhile you sip on your drink hopeful that the alcohol will help you take your girlfriend away from your mind. However, Emily has different plans for you, as she rests her hand on you thigh behind the table so no one can see, dangerously high, she can't be bothered at all, she just keeps talking to Hotch as if nothing was going on, but all you can think about is her.

Morgan, who had spent a good hour on the dance floor, collecting girl's phone numbers, comes around, he grabs Penelope's hand to take her to the dance floor with him.

She shoots from her sit, swinging her hips to the rhythm of the music, Morgan guides her, a huge smile on his face as he pulls her to dance with him.

To everyone’s surprise Hotch pulls Hayley to dance with him as well, and just like that, in a matter of seconds, Emily and you are left alone.

When you turn your head to look at her, she places her face closer to yours, dangerously close, you’d say, but you can’t bring yourself to separate.

“Are you having fun baby?” She asks, a soft smile on her lips “yes, but it’s getting hard not to touch you” she smiles, her face closer now you can almost feel her lips brushing against yours. Her hand, which was still on your leg, starts caressing your thigh, setting progressively higher. You’re starting to lean into the contact when you suddenly remember where you are. Anyone who looked at you right now could see the whole scene.

“Em, stop” you say, drawing her hand away from your leg and separating your face form hers “they’re gonna see”

“Ok, yeah, sorry” she says, fake regret on her face as she takes another sip of her drink

“So, I caught you staring at me before, what was it that was so interesting?” She says like it’s the most innocent question ever, but you just know she wants to bother you a bit more. You would never admit how much you love it.

You check no one is looking at you. Both Hayley and Hotch are in their own little world, and Morgan and Penelope are too focused on each other to care. So you lean into her to whisper in her ear

“I was thinking how hot my girlfriend looks and how much I want to rip that blouse off of her” she chuckles and you go for another sip

“Thank you, it’s new” she says louder, like you just asked her the most simple question about her clothes

She leans into your ear this time, with the softest, sexiest voice she just whispers, the feeling of her breath on your ear is suffocating now

“I would love to let you take it off however you want. Do you want to go?” She asks, you eagerly nod your head, begging her with your eyes to take you home right now.

“C’mon, I’ll tell them you’re not feeling well and I’m driving you home” she smiles at you and winks, you follow her to the back of the bar where JJ and Spence are, to let them know you’re leaving.

For your surprise, JJ walks up to you too.

“We have a case” she just says, and you look at each other with disappointment.

Looks like Emily’s blouse was staying on for now.

𖨆♡𖨆 3x03 scared to death

It had been a weird morning.

You woke up with a headache. After your last case you had arrived at Emily’s apartment, and parked your car outside so you could get to work on different cars the next day.

You were thinking about having a calm night. A bottle of wine, a movie, Chinese takeout, falling asleep early enough so you wouldn’t be so tired the next day, all that.

Little did you know Emily had some things in mind for you.

The first glass of wine was alright, you were barely feeling it, but after that one another 3 followed, you came up with this stupid game of drinking every time the movie had a cringe scene, and lucky for you the movie was really bad. You would sometimes forget that particular wine affected your girlfriend to a certain level, so one thing leading to another you had fallen asleep at more or less 4am.

Next day you wake up to a very loud phone call. You turn around confused by the phone ringing, but you’re not sure where exactly it’s coming from. It had flown away yesterday night along with your clothes and had landed on the bedroom floor.

Emily's arm was wrapped around your waist, your leg on top of hers, you were both just a mess of sheets and naked bodies. You get out of bed, waking your girlfriend up, who lets out an angry groan.

You finally find the phone behind Emily's pants, JJ's name appearing on the screen. "Hello?" you answer "Hey, we have a case, I can't reach Emily, and you're both late, do you know where she could be?" she asks. You check the time

8:15am

Shit

shitshitshitshitfuckfuckfuck

"yeah, I'm sorry, ugh... i don't know where Emily is, i had a problem with my....kitchen sink...but i'll be there as son as i can ok? bye JJ" you don't even wait for her to answer, you just hang up the phone and run to wake Emily up.

"Em! Baby wake up its 8am we're late!" she finally opens her eyes, her somnolent face tries to decipher what you just said. Her body starts moving first, siting upright.

"JJ just called, we have a case, you have to call her back, tell her there's traffic or something, I'll leave first ok?" you run around, trying to find something wearable. You already had your own drawer at her place for times like this.

You fly around the apartment checking you have everything with you, car keys, purse, phone... You walk up to Emily, still getting dressed, only a pair of pants on and her bra, she’s looking around for something to wear with the pants.

You grab her waist, pulling her in for a kiss “I’ll see you there ok?” You tell her. She smiles at you, then grins, still half a sleep, and you leave.

You weren’t exactly sure if it had been the wine, or the 4 hours of sleep, but you were hoping the meds you had taken with your breakfast (a coffee) would start acting quickly, because your headache was starting to get unbearable.

Sitting on the round table, you revise the file with the case, when Emily arrives, excusing for being late, but Hotch hasn’t even arrived yet and we hadn’t started, so she’s technically still on time.

As soon as you look up to catch a glimpse of her, your headache magically disappears. You regret it immediately because now she’s all you can think about.

It’s ridiculous, you spent hours last night with each other, hell, you spent all day with her! You should’ve had enough of her by now! But how could you when she was wearing that red tank top?

You stare at every movement she makes, taking her jacket off, uncovering her slightly muscular arms, you cannot physically take your eyes off of her, following her every move. Red was definitely her color, there was no argument about that. You could not focus on the case anymore.

After the usual “wheels up in 30” they all leave the room, but you grab your girlfriends arm last second, trying to keep her from leaving. “Em wait a second” You’re both left alone, looking to see if there’s anyone left in the room, everyone has left and far from you two.

"What is it?" she asks

You feel the need to whisper although there's no one in the room anymore "You look so good in this I'm genuinely considering going down on you now" you say tugging the red fabric between your fingers. She smiles widely, getting closer to your face.

You aren't sure where this renewed confidence is coming from, it's just that Emily made you feel like that sometimes.

"was yesterday not enough?" she says in a teasing voice, but you can tell she's feeling just like you. Her face mere inches from yours, you are almost begging her for some action.

"we still have 30 minutes" she twirls her head as if asking you, and you nod, unable to form any words

"ok you go first, I'll meet you down" you're already crossing the door when you turn around, check for anyone who could see you, but there's no one even close to your vicinity.

You rush back, giving Emily a peck on her lips, and separating to go run downstairs.

˚☽˚｡⋆ Can I join?

It's almost time. You can even taste it.

A free night. It's been some time since you got one of those.

You could even see it. A wine glass, your big ass bathtub, a dozen candles, some exotic scented bath products and your wonderful girlfriend.

You look across the room for her, she's working on some files still. You could say she literally feels your eyes on her, because she turns around and catches you staring at her, smiling warmly at you and winking, which makes you instantly blush.

"Any plans for the night, Prentiss?" Morgan asks her coming by her desk, you're already walking up to them so you don't miss a thing from their conversation.

"yes. I got a date" she just says like it was nothing.

A weird sensation runs through your body, a mix between jealousy and excitement. You obviously knew you were the date, but the jealousy came mostly from the fact that she could not mention it was in fact you.

"really? who's the lucky one?" Morgan asks rising his eyebrows

"hot tub" she answers like nothing, just playing it cool, but the grin on her face suggests she has been picturing your night just like you had.

"oh, that sounds like a party" he teases, but she doesn't lose a single second on it "you're so not invited"

"am i?" you come from nowhere, you are right behind Emily, who turns around, holding back a smile, she gives in the game, after all, this is the perfect way to make them not suspect a thing.

"now you, i could consider it" she answers, and you lower your head, smiling to the floor so no one sees it.

"Now that sounds like a better party" he mutters.

.•°•.•. .•.•°•.

The soft bathrobe hugs your body keeping it warm, a wine glass in your hand, resting your back against the sink, you wait as your girlfriend finishes the bath.

The whole scene is idyllic, candles lit all around, low warm light illuminating the stance, Emily's black hair falling on her shoulders, her robe barely closed, she lights the last two candles, and checks the water temperature before walking up to you

"ready?" she asks sweetly, untying the knot in your robe, she takes off hers and gets in first, giving you a hand to help you get in, yourself.

You lay back, resting your back against her, relaxing immediately into her touch. White bubbles around both your bodies. She kisses your neck from the back. Breathing out, you groan at the feeling, she caresses the skin of your ams with her fingertips, gently.

"do you think Morgan can even begin to imagine this?" you ask her, she stops her ministrations to answer you

"i really hope he doesn't, but teasing him is fun" you chuckle

"well, imagine how we'll blow out his mind when we tell him" you begin wondering. She kisses the sensitive skin on the curve of your neck, nipping at the skin, you close you eyes leaning on the contact.

"are you thinking about it?" she stops to ask

"Morgan? hell no" she chuckles

"i mean about telling Morgan" you turn around to look at her, making a bit of water overflowing the tub

"well, yeah, I mean, I think about telling all of them" she twists her head trying to understand

"not now though! Not yet... at all" you can see her relaxing instantly, a smile begining to form on her lips

"Em, this past months have been...amazing, and i want to keep that for ourselves just a little bit more... also the sneaking around is very fun" you both laugh in agreement "but?" she asks waiting for you to add something more

"but, that doesn't mean I'm not excited for our friends to know, you know? I mean, going out together and actually kissing, dancing together, to be able to say we are, well, together tonight... basically just doing it all together" her big brown eyes linger on to you, she's full smiling now, you know she feels the same, but she just wouldn't be the one to tell you.

"i love you" she mutters, you smile, holding to her shoulders for support, warm drops of water running down your arms, you kiss her gently in approval.

"well, i say let's enjoy the meantime then" her hands fly to your waist to hold you, and you kiss her deeply again.

𓇢𓆸 Care to share?

Hotch had decided to call it a day, it was too late, and you all knew how difficult it could be to function when you don't get enough sleep.

You had't had time to check in earlier at the hotel, so when you got there and saw it, you knew that wood creaked like shit.

You had expected nothing less, being in a cold state, the hotel reception had a big fireplace which kept the ambience cozy and warm, the wooden planks creaked behind your feet even behind the thick carpet.

Hotch turns to us, with the room keys in his hands "I'm sorry but this is a small village, this was the only place that still had spare rooms, and they're all packed up this week so some of us will have to share" he says.

"how many?" Morgan asks concerned "two double, three single rooms" Hotch says

"well I'm not sharing with pretty boy here" he complains

"Dave and i can share one" he says "Well, y/n and I also don't mind sharing" Emily rushes to say. You walk up to her "right?" she asks as if she needed to make sure "yeah of course, no problem" you say, smiling at her. Her quick willfulness to share with you and you eager reaction winning you a suspicious look from JJ, but you couldn't bring yourself to care, because tonight none of you would have to sneak out, waiting till it's late enough for the rest to have fallen asleep, you wouldn't have to wake up early to get back to your room, you had your place tonight.

"alright, thank you" you think it's funny, you should be the one thanking Hotch, not the other way around. You grab your key and Emily follows you upstaris.

.•°•.•. .•.•°•.

You can tell the place is old just by the keys, it's an inn more than a hotel. You turn the key in the lock, opening the door partially, when you feel Emily's hands on your waist, grabbing it, you close your eyes as soon as you feel her lips on yours, and she kisses you deeply, possessively.

You surround her body with your arms for support, leaning into the kiss, closing the door behind you with your foot. Tugging your hands on her hair, you surrender to the connection and just give in, not caring who could've caught you mere seconds ago on the hallway.

She pushes you agains the door, her hands finding the way behind your shirt, touching you everywhere, she moves to kiss the corner of your lips, your cheek, the skin behind your ear, leaving a trail of wet warm kisses, finding your pulse point you let out a needy whimper in approval.

"you think JJ knows?" you ask breathlessly "she suspects something, but she can't technically prove it" her lips brushing your neck with every word, her soft breath warm on your skin.

"Well, she should start paying more attenti-" your mouth falls open. It was the first time you had tken a good look at the room since you entered "Em, look" you say trying to stop her ministrations much to your distaste to make her look around.

Emily turns around and takes a look at the room. You should've guessed this would've happened. Hotch would never slept in the same bed as Rossi, and you shouldn't have to do that ether, right?

"Two beds?" she says, in awe. "what do you suggest?" she asks

"should we join them?" you try "we'll end up falling through the middle" she says "ok, then. You chose"

Next day you wake up completely wrapped around Emily, your nose buried in her neck, inhaling her scent, you were almost thankful for the small size of that bed.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

A/N: this one took me a long ass time to finish so i hope its not shit. Like & reblog, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Also I'm open to requests because I'm almost out of ideas

#criminal minds x reader #emily prentiss #emily prentiss imagine #emily prentiss lesbian #emily prentiss x reader #lesbian #lesbian pride #wlw #wlw fanfic #wlw smut #sapphic #criminal minds #criminal minds one #criminal minds oneshot #emily prentiss x you #emily prentiss x y/n #emily prentiss x female reader #emily prentiss fanfiction

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linghxr · 10 months ago

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My spring 2024 cdrama/cmovie/cvariety updates

I can't believe it's already been over 6 months since my last watching updates post! I've been watching more movies, and I'll also mention a couple variety shows, so it's not just cdramas.

Shows/series:

Some of these were mentioned as “currently watching” in my previous post.

《不良执念清除师》 Oh No! Here Comes Trouble A young man learns to use his supernatural calligraphy powers to help strange beings, with help from his frenemy and a young police officer. This show was like a breath of fresh air and very humorous. That being said, it was difficult to follow all the storylines. If you're going to watch it, I think you should binge it if possible. Content warning: Death, gore

《此时此刻》 At the Moment An anthology of quirky pandemic love stories, not all with happy endings. It's kind of like Love Actually in that the characters are connected across stories. Initially I didn't plan to watch because of the pandemic through line—I thought it would bum me out. But it didn't, actually. My favorite episode was Head of the Family. Content warning: Unhealthy relationships, sex and nudity

《隐秘的角落》 The Bad Kids Three kids accidentally film a murder and try to blackmail the killer, resulting in devastating consequences. I felt the first half of this show was more captivating than the second half—the second half went a bit overboard IMO. Apparently the original novel is way darker so…! But I still recommend it wholeheartedly. Content warning: Death and violence (but not graphic)

《沉默的真相》 The Long Night The murder of a disgraced prosecutor seems like an open-and-shut case, but his past reveals a much more complicated story. This show masterfully weaves together three different timelines. I was so confused after the first episode, but it all made sense in the end. I don't recommend binge watching it—I regretted doing so. Content warning: Violence, death, sexual assault

《双镜》 Couple of Mirrors A young woman's personal and professional lives are turned upside down, and she befriends a mysterious woman with a dark past. You have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this show. There was a ridiculous number of car accidents! It's a GL drama, but if I hadn't know that, I don't think I would have noticed until the end. Content warning: Death, violence

Variety/reality:

《披荆斩棘的哥哥》 Call Me by Fire In the past I didn't include variety shows, but this time I thought why not? I finally finished all 3 seasons of this show, the male spinoff of 《乘风破浪的姐姐》 Sisters Who Make Waves. It's similar to an idol survival show, but instead of trainees, the contestants are established celebrities. The sets are always amazing, and I might have enjoyed this show more than 《乘风破浪》 honestly!

Movies:

《家庭简史》 Brief History of a Family The description of this movie sounded dull, but I ended up enjoying it a lot! I've seen reviews compare it to Parasite and Saltburn. There is definitely some similarity–it's about a well-off family that takes in a mysterious, quiet boy–but the takeaway of this film is very different. It leaves a lot of room for ambiguity.

《流浪地球》 The Wandering Earth After being on my watchlist for years, I finally got around to seeing this movie. I knew the basic premise: humanity bands together to move Earth away from the expanding sun. I wasn't expecting that it would focus on one family, which gave the movie a more personal feel. I enjoyed it despite not being a huge sci-fi person. Content warning: Death

《美国女孩》 American Girl A family moves back to Taiwan for their mother's cancer treatment after several years in the US, and the eldest daughter struggles to adapt. It's set during the SARS outbreak, but I don't remember that being very prominent. This movie was quite bleak and bummed me out. And I found the ending rather abrupt. It wasn't for me I think. Content warning: Illness, disease outbreak

《你好，李焕英》 Hi, Mom This movie was super popular when it came out. It's about a woman who gets transported back in time and meets her mother (who is young and childless at this point). At first I was confused about where the movie was going—it didn't seem to be building to much. But it had a heartwarming and touching ending. Content warning: Death

《周处除三害》 The Pig, The Snake and The Pigeon After seeing a lot of buzz about this movie online, I had to check it out. It follows a terminally ill hitman who learns he is the third most wanted criminal in Taiwan and decides to kill the two criminals ranking above him. Despite this, the main character is actually pretty likable. I enjoyed the movie despite the violence. Content warning: Excessive violence, death, sexual assault

Currently watching:

《火星情报局》 Mars Intelligence Agency This is a variety show. The cast consists of celebrities who take turns telling funny stories and making jokes. I started watching because my favorite singer 薛之谦 is a cast member. I was unsure about the concept at first, but honestly it's really entertaining!

《��天大楼》 A Murderous Affair in Horizon Tower I finally started this show, which has been on my watchlist for a while. I'm only 2 episodes in—so far it's mostly been about the past of the titular murder victim. I'm not yet sure what direction the show will go in, but I'm excited to find out.

Abandoning:

《你的孩子不是你的孩子》 On Children I got through 3 out of 5 episodes before abandoning this show. Each episode is the length of a movie, so they drag on. But I totally understand why episode 2, Child of the Cat, was nominated for and won so many awards. The acting was really strong.

《汉化日记》 God Troubles Me I wanted to try watching a 动画, but after a few episodes, I wasn't feeling this one. Each episode is quite short, so it's an easy watch. I think it just wasn't for me.

On my watchlist:

《漫长的季节》 The Long Season

《尘封十三载》 Thirteen Years of Dust

I'm trying to be better about content warnings. But please note, I only included them for things I finished watching, not things I'm currently watching or abandoning.

#my watchlist #cdrama #cdramas #chinese drama #chinese dramas #variety show #taiwanese drama #taiwanese movie #chinese movie #chinese #mandarin #mandarin chinese #chinese language #studyblr #langblr #chinese langblr #mandarin langblr #languageblr

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aidensteddybear · 4 months ago

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(Tw for swearing and yelling btw)

Can you make a Jaiden fic where Aiden is like lets say 2-3 and James is taking him out grocery shopping bc it was planned beforehand Aiden just so happened to be regressed the day it was already planned, before they left tho James accidentially slammed his hand or got hurt somehow, nothing serious and said something like “motherfucker” (an example bc thats what I say when I get hurt) and later hes asking an employee where something is and Aiden says that to the employees face because he thinks its the funniest thing in the world and gets them in very mild trouble, James is pissed off at him because before that Aiden was being a brat earlier, more overwhelming and caffinated but a tiny bit of a brat so there James was upset earlier that day and accidentially went off on him as soon as they left the store and immediately regretted it, sorry I have an issue with overexplaining bc thats the only way I can process it

Regressor! Aiden w/ Caregiver! James

“Come on, Aiden! Let’s go!” James called out while he waited at the front door. Aiden quickly came toddling over to James, immediately lifting his arms up when he got to him.

“Are you ready to leave? Do you want anything before we go?” James questioned as he picked Aiden up.

“Weady!” Aiden happily answered, so James began to carry him out to the car.

James had been planning to go to the store today, as weekends were typically when he and Aiden would get groceries.

Though, since Aiden ended up regressing today, James asked him if he just wanted to do the grocery trip tomorrow, Aiden really wanted to go to the store, so they were.

James was just hoping Aiden would behave himself. He was very hyper today and acting a bit bratty. If Aiden would be calm and quiet in the store, then everything would go well.

James opened the car door and placed Aiden in the backseat, since that’s just where he preferred to sit when tiny. James buckled his seatbelt for him, then shut the door.

After that, James got in the car and closed his door. Unfortunately, the door closed a little too fast and it ended up hitting his elbow.

“Ow! Motherfucker!” James shouted. His eyes immediately widened when he realized his mistake of cursing in front of Aiden, since he loved to repeat those kind of words after James said it.

James looked in the review mirror at Aiden, who was giggling at the word that was said.

“Dada say bad word!” Aiden exclaimed while he kept on laughing about it. “I know, baby. It was an accident. Dada shouldn’t say those words and you shouldn’t repeat them, okay?” Aiden only continued to giggle and laugh.

James really didn’t care if Aiden started repeating the word in the car or when they got home. He was just hoping that Aiden wouldn’t start saying it in the store.

The entire drive to the store, Aiden just kept giggling over what James said. That was only making James more nervous that Aiden was going to end up repeating it, probably at a very inappropriate time.

When they finally got to the store, Aiden was still a laughing mess while James unbuckled his seatbelt for him.

“Aiden, I need you to be on your best behavior. No running around or saying anything bad. Understand?” James told him.

“I be good!” Aiden responded as James helped him out of the car.

James still wasn’t fully convinced, so he knew this trip would have to be quick. They would be in and out, only getting the things they needed.

At first, everything was going fine. Aiden was being a little loud, but that was only because he was still very giggly. James had gotten almost everything he needed, until there was a particular item he couldn’t find.

So, James went to go find a worker with Aiden, who was holding his hand and giggling to himself.

Soon, James found someone who worked at the store and went up to her.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” James said. The woman turned to him with a smile.

“Do you know where-”

“Motherfucker!” Aiden loudly interrupted James while laughing. He proudly looked up at James, expecting him to laugh, but instead James had a horrified expression on his face.

“Excuse you?!” The woman spoke angrily as she looked at Aiden. James couldn’t help but to awkwardly chuckle as he began to speak.

“I am so sorry, ma’am. He..uh..he’s not really in the correct mindset to fully understand what he’s saying. He doesn’t know that that is a very inappropriate thing to say.” James tried to explain.

“Mhm. Well, you two can go find someone else to help you with your problem.” The woman responded, before leaving the isle.

Aiden stared up at James with a confused look on his face. He began to gently tug on James’s shirt.

“Dada? Why mad?” Aiden asked with an innocent voice. James let out a frustrated sigh before talking.

“We will talk in the car, Aiden. Right now, I am just focusing on paying for our groceries and leaving.” James spoke as calmly as he could.

Aiden frowned and looked down at the floor. He didn’t understand why James was upset, he thought he was just being funny.

The two were both silent the entire time they were in the store. James only began to speak when he was buckling Aiden back into his seat.

“Why did you say that, Aiden? Do you know how rude that was? You do not say that to a stranger, especially one that’s trying to help!” James scolded.

Aiden softly whimpered as he looked up at James. He very rarely got in trouble, but when he did, he always got anxious about it.

“I told you to behave in the store, but you didn’t listen! All day, you haven’t listened to a single thing I’ve said! Do you understand how frustrating it is when you don’t listen and just act like a brat!?” James uncontrollably yelled, before shutting the car door.

James didn’t exactly process all of what happened, until he opened the trunk to load the groceries in, and he could hear Aiden crying.

“Oh shit…” James muttered to himself when he was able to realize what he had done. He felt like an asshole for yelling at Aiden and calling him a brat.

James quickly put the groceries away and returned the cart, before going back to the car. He opened the backseat door, and sat down beside of Aiden, who looked at him with tears running down his face.

“Aiden, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to yell at you, I know I shouldn’t have handled what happened like that.” James apologized as he slowly grabbed Aiden’s hand and held it, hoping to provide him a bit of comfort.

“I said things I shouldn’t have said, things I didn’t mean. I know it’s not your fault, but I just feel frustrated because you’ve been misbehaving a little today.” James explained.

Aiden looked down at his lap with a quivering lip as he squeezed James’s hand a bit.

“‘M sowwy…” He muttered. “It’s okay, Aiden. I promise I’m not mad at you. Do you think you can try to listen and behave a little better today?” Aiden sniffled and nodded.

“Thank you, baby.” James gave a small smile as he gently wiped Aiden’s tears away.

“And I’m sorry for reacting the way I did. I should’ve mentioned and talked to you about it in a much more calm way. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, I know you didn’t understand what you were being yelled at for and it only made you more upset.” James told him.

Aiden didn’t respond, however he did give James a hug.

“I love you, baby. I know I keep apologizing, but I’m truly sorry that I upset you so badly.” James spoke while rubbing Aiden’s back.

“‘S okay..” Aiden mumbled while resting his head on James’s shoulder. He was still very upset over what happened, though he did understand that James didn’t mean it.

James held a tight grip on Aiden as he hugged him. He didn’t care how long they were sitting in the car and in the store parking lot, James was going to continue hugging Aiden and staying in the backseat until Aiden felt better.

He caused Aiden to become upset, so right now all he cared about was making him feel better.

#disventure camp agere #disventure camp age regression #disventure camp #disventure camp aiden #disventure camp james #disventure camp jaiden #fandom agere #agere fandom #agere fic #age regression

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planetcruspy · 7 months ago

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VIDCON AFTER THOUGHTS: a review of my first and sadly final day of vidcon anaheim

SO I'm just making this because I have a lot of thoughts AND for anyone who didn't get to go this year who wants to know what the experience is like! This is going to be really long post so apologies for that :3

Registration was pretty easy for me, but I also could just ask literally anyone for help if I was confused.

FIRST MEET AND GREET: MR. TELEVISION aka AIMSEY TV

The queue had 5 lines, the first ones being those with disabilities, so that they could go first. I was in the fourth (or fifth depending) line. The wait wasn't very long, plus we could sit on the floor. They sadly couldn't sign anything due to time, BUT gifts were allowed and there was a little box to put them in. OKAY SO the actually meeting and greeting was VERY quick, infact I think aimsey made a tweet about how they had 20 minutes to spare when they thought the time was up. This being my first ever meet and greet I was SO NERVOUS, as was probably everyone in the line. This being said ITS OKAY TO BE NERVOUS. The best thing to do is plan out everything you want to do and say in the line or even before you arrive! I would make sure you can get everything done, including poses, in under 15 seconds. NOW don't be like me a rush so much you regret it. Here's how my turn went:

ME: Haiii

armsey: hiii you look amazing :000

mE: thankss! :3

oh yeah i gave them a hug

and then we went 👍👍 and ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)(☞ﾟヮﾟ)☞ and i gave them another hug and then i ran away as fast as i could/j

I really wish I did more, like chatted some and I also thought of some killer poses the day after, but it was my first time like I said and i was nervous so i dont blame me! BUT they were super nice and gave great hugs too!! By far the best M&G

Next I jumped right into another line for ranboos meet and greet!

The wait was the second longest wait out of the three, but I talked to some awesome people in the line so it wasnt that bad. Plus by that time I was a little tired and dehydrated so that didnt help the wait feel any shorter lmao. I planed literally two poses I think and those were just thumbs up and me sucker punching them in the face :3 Other that I honestly couldnt think that good with the nervousness paired with the dehydration and shortness of breath from my binder. AND QUICK DISCLAIMER: DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT WEAR A BINDER THAT IT TOO SMALL FOR YOU, I had a new one waiting at home for me and the smaller one was sadly the only one I had. I also didnt bind at all that week except for that day because I knew how small it was. ALSO DRINK WATER, BRING WATER BOTTLES. I wasn't that badly dehydrated but I still made the mistake of not bringing a water bottle. SO please please bring some water with you, Especially at conventions. Disclaimer over :) SO heres how it went

The photographer was having trouble with the camera (or maybe not just something held him up) so he didnt get to scan my wristband right away, so I just stood there awkwardly for a minute lol. And then he scanned it and then I didn't hear the thing go off immediately so I stopped AGAIN.

Me: Hiii

Ran: Hello! :D

mE: so erm can we do thumbs up?

RRAN: yuh!

Me: and then can I like punch you..

Ran: sure! lets do it

and then i said my goodbye and ran

ran: Nice to meet you!!

THOUGHTS:

I DIDNT ASK FOR A HUG AND IM SO PISSED ACTUALL SOBBING ABOUT IT

I really wanted to talk more but I got in my head about time and stuff and ended up not saying much of anything 😭 And of course I thought of better poses the day after. But again all on my part and it was lovely to get to meet them ^ ^

NOW my third and last M&G was Jack manifold!

This was probably the longest wait out of the three, since there was also someone finishing up their meet and greet when we got there. As well as he was signing things too, which I am so happy about! so I didn't mind the wait.

By now I had loosened up, got something to eat, so I was feeling a lot better. Heres how it went!

Me: HIII

J munee: Helloo :)

me: Thank you sm for being here! (and then something about all the people)

Jack: Its alright!

Then we did thumbs up, mewed like gods and um

WHICH TOOK HIM LIKE 4 TRIES TO GET IT RIGHT BTW

ANYWAYS Then he signed my House of Leaves book! So awesome, big thanks to jack for staying to sign things and chat with everyone!

SO that was my big post talking about vidcon and my thoughts. A big reason why I did this was to also process everything myself lmao. Um thanks for reading lol, sorry this was long tbh I was debating on posting this for a minute cuz of cringe but i am free

#vidcon #jack manifold #aimsey #ranboo #long post #soz

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bereft-of-frogs · 28 days ago

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disorganized best (and worst) books/films/shows of 2024

I finished 68 books, watched 105 films and 35 TV shows, and finished 3 games.

Honestly, the math might be off because it turns out this was a terrible idea. At the start of the year I was like 'oh it will be fun to do one big list!' It was not fun to do one big list. It was really hard to keep count. I already have a plan for next year, it's going to be much more organized. If you can decipher these lists feel free to ask me for a review about any entry on the list.

This isn't really going to be a top 5 or 10 or anything because I felt like it would be more fun just to kind of highlight my favorites (and least favorites) rather than forcing myself to pick a specific number. Fits the theme of disorganization like the lists above.

Onwards!

I had a really good TV year, book and film were a little more meh, not a lot is sticking out in the same way the best TV shows are:

SILO!!! (AppleTV). I'll be real honest, I started watching this because post-Dune Part II, I had a crush on Rebecca Ferguson. It had NO BUSINESS being this good for a show I was exclusively watching disrespectfully for Rebecca Ferguson wearing tank tops. That doesn't usually work out this well for me. But it is so good. There are flaws but also no there aren't, because it's made so earnestly that some of the shakier acting performances and awkward dialogue moments just don't matter to me. It's almost like the shows I used to watch on SyFy Fridays except with AppleTV money and production values. Which makes it so fun.

Severance (AppleTV). This is where I really knew I was in trouble with AppleTV. I was not going to be cancelling that free trial. This show is SO good and I cannot wait for the new season in a couple weeks.

AppleTV honestly kind of killed it this year, I also really enjoyed Dark Matter and Constellation, which both meet my criteria for multiverse shows, aka 'could these be branches of The OA's multiverse tree'. I've also been really enjoying Shrinking, even though it's not my usual genre. I'm so mad I signed up for a free trial and then got so completely hooked on the quality of their shows that I've continued to subscribe long after the trial ended. Outrageous. How dare they be making such excellent, high quality television. I'm appalled.

Giri/Haji (Netflix). It turns out that the show that keeps appearing on 'hidden gems of streaming' is good actually. WHO KNEW? The excellent characters and performances really elevated this gang war crime drama.

Scavenger's Reign (Originally HBO, but I watched it on Netflix). This show was gorgeous and so creative. I'm so sad they're not getting a second season. I cried twice. It was short but it made an impact.

Special Film Category: Films that Actually Scared Me.

Since I mainly watch horror, I significant marker of quality for me is if I actually get scared watching a movie and two movies genuinely freaked me out this year: Oddity (2024) and Pyewacket (2017). For both, there were moments where I was like 'oh no I don't want to go to bed alone tonight'. Normally I love living alone. Regretted it only after these movies. The concept of the murder in Oddity was enough to freak me out but even outside of the inciting incident, it kept delivering with the deeply unsettling scenes. Pyewacket wasn't perfect, I think Adam MacDonald is the kind of filmmaker who builds a whole film based off one scene he has in his mind and the rest of film isn't quite as strong as that one scene. But that scene is so disturbing and I haven't stopped thinking about it. (Same with his Backcountry (2017), it was fairly weak except for this ONE scene that I'll never get out of my head.)

Also Dune Part II was pretty great, super glad I saw it on IMAX and I'm pretty sure it's like half the reason Hans Zimmer ended up on my Spotify top 5 this year. (Interstellar was the other half, SO glad I finally after a decade got to see it on IMAX!)

For books, I really enjoyed The Fishermen by John Langan. It's a great meditation on death, AND had a dark ocean, which you know I love.

Silver In the Wood by Emily Tesh's only crime was how short it was! I do still have to pick up the sequel, but I was definitely down for a full length novel of this.

This was the year I also discovered I CAN listen to audiobooks, which is part of why my count is higher than ever. I'm not done with this but I've been listening to Leviathan Wakes by James SA Corey and really liking it. I'm hoping to read the whole of that series in 2025.

Also, of course, while the quality of the individual books varied, my marathon of the Star Wars High Republic series was probably the most fun I've had with a series in years. Looking forward to the last couple books in 2025, though I'm sad to see it end.

worst of the year + notable DNFs under the cut so you don't have to scroll past my griping if you want to stay positive on this New Year's Dat. I'll reveal the list here in case I am saying mean things about your fave and you don't want to click the readmore: The Acolyte, Ronin by Emma Mieko Canton, City of Brass by SA Chakraborty, Aurora by David Koepp, Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie

The Acolyte (Disney+). Ok first off, I don't want to downplay that the experience of watching The Acolyte was one of my top of the year. Watching and theorizing week-to-week, live reaction posting, my High Republic book marathon leading up to it, those parts were SO fun. However. The longer I think about this show, the more I just cannot ignore how bad the structural issues are. This is even setting aside my personal issues with the show -- mainly the second-half pivot toward the enemies-to-lovers romance that really didn't land for me, and the treatment of Vernestra's character, and some of the things Headland said in interviews. The two full flashback episodes with no framing devices or any content in the present is just...bad television structure. I mean the first one just dumped on us was bad enough, but the second one where the episode before looked like it was setting up a framing for the flashback, only for the finale to be like 'never mind, that's not what was happening at all', was absurd. I dream of living in the branch of the multiverse where this is properly edited. Imagine how good it could have been, if the flashbacks were properly cut into the primary story, and we had more development of all the characters? Every time I watched something this year with extensive flashbacks (The Head, Dune: Prophecy, Black Doves, Giri/Haji) I thought 'alas, what if??' I think what happened though is Headland came up with the Rashomon comparison early and didn't change when the story would have been better served by not doing the conflicting perspective Rashomon thing, and using a more normal flashback structure.

There were good things! The fight choreography was truly excellent, episode 5 was a standout, and it didn't deserve the hate it got from toxic fans, but ultimately it had more downsides for me than up and I can't say I was particularly disappointed when it wasn't renewed. Though even that wasn't really deserved because it's FAR from the only Disney+ show to have really deep structural issues. Most of their series actually just aren't very good television. This isn't even the first time I had a great experience watching something and was engaged enough to write fic for it, only to in hindsight realize how flawed it was. (Loki came first, then Obi-Wan Kenobi, though the fic inspired by The Acolyte is shaping up to be the longest -- the others really only got short oneshots, I'm looking at a beast with this fic, 40k and counting!) And unless Disney+ makes some major changes in the TV production wing...I doubt it will be the last.

Ronin by Emma Mieko Canton (DNF). Technically, I would say this book isn't bad and why I labeled this section 'notable DNFs' as well. I think it's a good example of the way that concepts work really well in some formats, and don't translate well to others. I LOVE Visions, and I love "The Duel", specifically because the studios aren't bound by Star Wars canon. The open creativity of that series is a feature, not a bug. But I didn't find it translated well to the longer format of the book. I would follow the plot for a while and then get absolutely thrown by worldbuilding or backstory I couldn't follow. I think it needed more exposition. It was kind of odd that it was written like any other licensed book that didn't need exposition, but it was so different from standard canon it was hard to follow and I ended up giving up.

City of Brass by SA Chakraborty. I tried, babes, I tried. Everything said to make it to 50% and it would get better but I just could not do it. Nahri was so deeply annoying and I wasn't engaged enough in the rest of the plot to keep going. If she 'realized' one more thing I was going to lose my entire mind. I'm sorry.

Aurora by David Koepp. This is another where, like Ronin, it's not technically bad. I just ended up getting kind of pissed off by the end. It felt like it was trying to be Station Eleven but was too cynical. And maybe just now because my parents live in an area that gets a lot of power outages, I was kind of pissed that he reduced the accomplishment of getting the power grid working again to one line towards the end. I would have been way more interested to hear about that collective effort over the 'the suburbs make a utopian commune while all those scary urban people immediately descended into chaos' thing.

Episode Thirteen by Craig DiLouie. I feel so bad for saying this, but Craig DiLouie just wasn't intellectual enough to achieve what he was aiming for in this. Or at least he didn't put enough time or effort in to developing th? It couldn't counteract the truly stupid moments like the time when a character says he's going to shoot a ghost. But hey, it did lead to a reread of House of Leaves and further appreciation for one of my favorite underrated found footage films, As Above So Below. Because that was the crux of my problem with this book, that it wasn't well thought out enough to be House of Leaves and it didn't have enough heart to be As Above So Below.

I don't know why almost all of my least favorites this year were books, I guess I just have a lot of opinions on books. I also tend to DNF books less, so I end up having more negative thoughts about books, whereas with TV or film if I don't like it I just don't finish it or don't pay attention.

Congratulations for getting to the end. Again, feel free to ask thoughts about anything else on the list if you want (and can read it). I promise it will be more organized next year. Happy New Year! What were your favorite/least favorite things this year?

#2024 wrap up #silo apply tv #severance apple tv #giri/haji netflix #scavenger's reign netflix #oddity #pyewacket #silver in the wood #the high republic #the fisherman #long post

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mywingsareonwheels · 1 year ago

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It's funny how much interpretations can vary. I saw another post where someone felt Lewis was too soft on Thursday by showing us what happened and therefore making us know that how it played out wasn't quite as bad as what Morse was probably imagining.

Although I disagree with you re: Thursday, I sympathize with the mixed feelings. I think there's a few factors with Endeavour which will influence how you feel about it. There's people who will know Morse through the books, people who know him from Inspector Morse, and then fans like me who were introduced to him as the young man in Endeavour. Fans of each of these versions seem to have wanted different things, and I reckon the problem Lewis ran into was trying to make everybody happy.

Like me for instance, I honestly feel he would've been better off pretending Inspector Morse didn't exist because then he wouldn't have been limited to twisting the story towards it and could take Morse and the other characters in a more organic direction. Endeavour might be a prequel, but it was made in such a different era of television, and I think it's ok for it to do something new. However, fans of Inspector Morse hoping to see how he became his older self would be disappointed if he did that. While watching the series I read old reviews from when each season aired and was surprised by the number of people impatient for the Thursday plotline to end to make way for McNutt. Then you have someone like Shaun Evans who read the books but didn't see the show, and that's perhaps why his interpretation of Morse and his future was darker.

At the same time that openness of how the character can be perceived is part of the joy and does allow you to get more out of what the ending means.

I actually really liked what they did with Thursday and how they connected it to Big Pete because I felt it went along with the recurring theme throughout the series that no matter how much these characters want to do good, as policemen they are still part of a messed up system causing harm, and they're not immune to protecting their own over doing what's right for the public they serve. That includes Morse. The whole tragedy of Big Pete and Blenheim Vale is an indictment of the police and remains so.

My takeaway regarding the Morse/Thursday ending is that it wasn't so much about Thursday being a bad person and Morse regretting the relationship because of it, as it was him being confronted with the reality that he had put him on a pedestal. He needed to let go of his naivety. I don't agree with the above point that Lewis was too soft on Thursday, but I do find it interesting that there is a distinction between Morse's perspective and ours. We saw parts of Thursday he didn't and we saw parts of Morse which Thursday didn't. They never truly knew each other because of being suppressed 20th century British men, and maybe that's the real tragedy of Endeavour.

Nonetheless, Morse still credits him with being the best mentor and loves him enough to protect him and his family. I think that's why he ultimately feels he has to close himself up. Because getting too close to the Thursdays put him in a position where he had to compromise his principles and couldn't get justice for Jakes, Big Pete, and the others. THAT'S what really hurt him imo. I also feel like the connection to Inspector Morse can work in that IM is him opening himself back up and Lewis bringing back a side of him which had been missing. I like the idea of Morse being a character constantly learning and changing.

Sorry, I didn't mean for this to turn into a whole essay. lmao

Hee, never apologies for writing a thoughtful essay about "Endeavour". :D

And yeah, as you say you and I don't fully agree about the show (esp. Thursday) but I found your thoughts so interesting and I really enjoyed reading them! Thank you. :)

Also that's a darn good point about Shaun. I've only read a couple of the books and I've seen I think about 1/3 of Inspector Morse (I mean, I watched a bit when I was a kid (I was 9 when it first started) but never got into it fully until I'd seen Endeavour and am meaning to catch up on more v soon), and Thaw's Morse is definitely different from Dexter's original Morse. So... yeah, it makes sense that Shaun had a different trajectory from the one I'm more familiar with. :) (And, well, then you have Roger who likes to play as much drama and emotional intensity as possible, so... ;-) )

Morse constantly learning and changing: yes, definitely. I like that. :D

#itv endeavour #long post #endeavour s9 spoilers #endeavour s9 #endeavour spoilers #endeavour morse #fred thursday

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amemixfan · 2 years ago

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So I had previously canceled VIP because choices had a dry spell with books that seemed interesting, but I recently reactivated it with Kindled coming out. I also took the time to check out some of the other VIP books.

So rapid fire reviews:

1. First Comes Love is a garbage fire. The entire book radiates so much Pick Me energy that I’m half expecting MC to go into a “pick me, choose me, love me” speech.

I can practically imagine that entire book told in a Reddit post from the point of view of Rebecca. “Help, my lover’s toxic girl best friend is trying to break us up.” It’s so, so toxic. We could have gotten an interesting story of friends deciding to marry out of loneliness while realizing they had feelings for each other yet we got a love triangle with the emotional maturity of a playground fight. I’m surprised they didn’t make Rebecca a cheerleader just to hit all the “You Belong With Me” boxes that book is trying to hit. (Seriously I mean, gasp! Rebecca loves to travel and likes fancy stuff? Oh the absolute horror!!!)

2. Roommates With Benefits. Meh. I couldn’t make it past the first episode because the book seemed dull. The love interests didn’t interest me and the writing is meh. Not much more to say.

3. Kiss of Death. This book is frustrating because they’re selling you a mob star crossed lovers book with an MC who is so outside of the world of mobsters that most of the book is just her venting about how everyone treats her like a kid. It’s not a mob book if the main character is shut out of the family business.

I wanted to like it because it gave me Halsey’s music video vibes of Now or Never which I liked, but the end result is meh. The book would have been fascinating had MC actually been a trusted member of the mob and had a lot more power and importance. Instead, it seems like this is a teenage coming of age story with no edge or flair.

I treated it as a diamond mining book and didn’t see any relationship development that isn’t just lust or horniness between MC and Vic. MC tells them she loves them after one day and there’s not much explanation why. Even her bestie calls her out on it. The book just hinges on one random less than a day long encounter years ago as the premise of their love story. Like I get Romeo and Juliet were also dumb kids who thought they knew what love was, but Choices’ characters are supposed to have been grown adults.

4. Getaway Girls. This book I’m actually enjoying. It’s funny and light hearted. I’m just a few chapters in but it seems fun. Not a huge fan of the constant POV change, but each character has their own personality and taste which keeps it from becoming repetitive. We’ll see how it goes.

5. The Duchess Affair. I love a good period piece and am always biased in favor of it. This one isn’t the best Choices has put it, but it’s interesting compared to its other VIP books. The adultery aspect is bleh for me, but it’s not surprising giving The Nanny Affair was such a hit. I wish they hadn’t made the husband such a tool and given more high stakes to the story, but I guess they had to let people not feel guilty about cheating.

I will say though, it’s weird to see MC fawn over their tutor while diamond mining. I haven’t taken any premium choices so her worrying and fretting over committing adultery is bizarre given she’s only just talked to her tutor a handful of times and sat close to them. This book was definitely not designed to be diamond mined.

6. Kindred. This one seems promising. I love the art and the premise behind the book. The LIs seem interesting and the world seems fascinating. I definitely don’t regret resubscribing just for this book. It seems like it could become a favorite of mine.

My only complaint is that the plot moves fast. It’s very blink and you miss an entire explanation. The book thrusts you into what seems like an already developed world and expects you to just know everything already. I can keep up with some ideas because I’m pagan and know some of the concepts, but it’s still confusing to have so many revelations in the first two chapters and no time in between. I wonder how many things were cut from the book before publishing. It just seems like the entire thing is on fast forward and the characters themselves don’t react to major, groundbreaking news. Hopefully this’ll be fixed going forward.

I also know there’s a select release for a TNA POV book, but I don’t have access. I envy those of you that do though.

So yeah, this current line up is not the best Choices has ever had, but it’s also not the worst.

#playchoices #choices vip #vip choices

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papermint-airplane · 2 years ago

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List 3 of your favorite sims from other simmers you enjoy and explain why (Send this to 10 other blogs 💖💖)

Gaaaaah, you're really making me work here. 😅 Three? Only three? But I love so many!!! 😫

In no particular order:

Noel IcantrememberhislastnameplsforgivemeIamsuchabadfriend from @happy-lemon and if you've ever seen her No Rules Legacy, he's waaaaaaaaaaaay back there in the generations. He wasn't an heir but he was the husband of Kana the...gen 2? heir. I am horrible with numbers, but I think she was immediately after Nara. Anyway, he had such a wonderful laid back vibe to him. I always lovingly referred to him as Dumpster Boy because that's where Kana found him. In the dumpster. He was dumpster diving and she pulled him out of the trash, fixed him up, and he went on to become the cutest dad/husband/Sim you could ever want. Trish was kind enough to send him to me, for reasons I don't remember because it's been a while...I'm fairly certain I didn't beg on my hands and knees but who can say? It's lost to time. I turned the boy into a werewolf because I thought it would be funny to have a vegetarian werewolf and it was. It really was. Noel was just as sweet and laid back in my game as he was in hers and he was instant best friends with Duchess the dog. Those two were inseparable. It was so cute. 🥺🥺🥺 You knew he was going to be on this list, Trish. This was calculated lmao. 🤣

Nero Lieder from @getboolpropped and I think the reasons why should be obvious. Bad person? Check. Transformed into a toad for an extended period of time? Check. Absolutely hilarious in any form? Check. I had me a binge of @getboolpropped's blog recently and of course I fell in love. The style, the editing, the humor. 👨‍🍳👌💋 Literally immaculate. And while I will miss Nero's toad form, the schnoz is iconic.

Why are you only allowing me three? I can't believe you've done this. Ok ok I'll stop whining (lies, I'll never stop whining). Jonah from @gaiahypothesims I mean it isn't just Jonah but you did say a specific Sim but honestly all the characters are so interesting and the storyline is so good and Jonah is very very very attractive. 😁 He's rough around the edges but he loves his daughter and he's got layers to him. Idk I'm always reluctant to describe other people's characters because I start getting panicky like "omg what if I read the character wrong and I'm totally off base from what the writer intended and I'm just displaying my ignorance to the entire world and the writer is gonna see this and know I'm a dumbass" and this is the entire reason I don't write book reviews on Goodreads because I start wondering if I really understood what I read but like that's probably just me. Anyway, that's for my therapist to untangle. I'm a sucker for a tough guy who loves kids in any media. Go read the story and fall in love with Jonah and everyone else, too. It's very well-written. You won't regret it.

Ok I'mma send this other people but I always hate doing that because I'm like what if they don't want to do it and I'm just being a nuisance what if they secretly hate me what if--LAURA OMG call your therapist. Just my disclaimer: if you get this message from me, you are under no obligation to do the thing. I have no expectations. You are free. I love you. 😚

#ask #answered #sims 3 #ts3 #just simblr things #why is my neurotic trait coming out to play today

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libertyreads · 1 year ago

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Book Review #320 of 2023--

Suddenly a Murder by Lauren Munoz. Rating: 3 stars.

Read from September 27th to 29th.

This review will be a little bit of a mess and I apologize for that ahead of time. With the whole buying a house and prepping to move and having a cat who gets anxious when anything at all ever changes, the stress lately has been causing me to get more migraines than usual and having one now is going to create a non-optimal review experience. I picked this one up because I was having such a bad time with the omnibus I read before this that was a historical fiction/fantasy/mystery series. And you know I love a good YA Mystery. Two of my favorite authors are Maureen Johnson and Jennifer Lynn Barnes. This is a murder mystery on a private island with snooty rich private school kids with lots of drama. Imagine Gossip Girl + murder + the classic detective characters.

I wasn't surprised to find that this is the author's debut novel. The thing that stood out to me the most was that all of the characters and all of the tension felt like I was being held at arm's length. I never really felt those things. I wanted to care more, I wanted to feel more in general, but the descriptions that would normally make me feel that way were missing for this one. Everything was so succinct and to the point that I never connected. The one area where I would say the author did a great job was describing the drama these characters were going through. I knew how every little crumb connected so the story at least made sense when we got to the resolution. I didn't love the resolution, but it didn't make me regret the read.

Overall, I thought this was just a middle of the road YA Mystery for me. There were moments that I DID enjoy, but I could never really connect with the characters or what they were going through. I think the author had a lot of original stuff to add to the genre so I'm excited to see where she goes as she develops as an author.

(I really hope this review makes some kind of sense. This is a pretty rough migraine for me and I can't tell.)

#suddenly a murder #Lauren Munoz #books read in 2023 #2023 reading challenge #goodreads challenge #goodreads #booklr #bookblr #bookstagram #bookish #books #book #mystery #thriller #murder mystery

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irisrecsbooks · 2 years ago

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"The Martian" by Andy Weir

369 pages

***I review books on this blog! All reviews are my opinion and spoiler free! Actual review below the cut. If you've read the book, feel free to tell me your opinions or what you agree/disagree with!***

MY RATING: 10/10

Set in 2035, Mark Watney is part of Ares 3, the third mission in a set sending six astronauts to Mars in the name of science. On day 6 of the mission, a large dust storm hits that forces the team to evacuate, but Mark gets left behind after his suit tears and leaves the others thinking he's dead. He wakes up later that day knowing that his only hope is to make it 4 years until the next Ares mission comes to pick him up- only one problem: he doesn't have that much food. And nobody knows he's alive. And there's so many other ways he could die. Okay, maybe he has a lot of problems. Good thing he's not ready to sit back and let Mars beat him, the objectively best guy on Mars.

BUT FIRST: quotes!

"I was just one of her crew. Actually, I was the very lowest ranked member of the crew. I would only be 'in command' of the mission if I were the only remaining person.

What do you know? I'm in command." - Mark Watney

"Technically it's called 'Carl Sagan Memorial Station'. But with all due respect to Carl, I can call it whatever the hell I want. I'm the King of Mars." - Mark Watney

"Yay, I get to stare at a wall for several hours! Let me know if you come up with a way for me to not starve." - Mark Watney

Okay, I know some people don't like to rate books 10/10 because they can always be improved or whatever, but this is one of the best books I have ever read, which is why I wanted to post a review. Mark Watney's dry humor and witty personality make him an excellent main character, as you never get bored of listening to him.

Speaking of listening: if you, like me, aren't a fan of first person books, do NOT let that steer you away from this. The use of first person in the "diary entry" type of format adds to the story and is written so well that you barely even notice. It's also interspersed with breaks of third person to check up on other characters, so even if you're worried, I'd give it a shot.

The plot makes science sound exciting and actually manages to teach you a couple things all while staying within the realm of future possibility, excluding a few things. The only major thing I've seen is that Martian wind storms can't actually get bad enough to do as much damage as they do at the start of the book but, besides that, it's sciencey enough that if you like space you'll love it. If you know nothing about space or science, however, don't panic! The first time I read this book I knew next-to-nothing and was able to understand everything perfectly, though I did have to google a couple abbreviations that I forgot the meaning of.

The plot of this book is amazing and clearly well thought out. The plot twists are exciting but not whiplash-inducing like some books are, and not a single part seems shoved in or out of place. Everything combines seamlessly into a literary work of art.

The characters, even those with a small amount of time in the pages, all manage to have their own personality that really makes you able to connect with them. Characters like Mark who take up a lot of your time reading seem like real people by the end of the book, and even smaller characters like Rich Purnell, with maybe 1 1/2 pages devoted to him, are somehow developed in their own way. I can't say the last time I've remembered the names of minor characters from a book, as they're typically forgettable, but I could list off names of people you barely see in the book.

This book, I guarantee, will get you invested. I can not recommend this book enough to anyone who is willing to give it a chance. If you pick it up I promise you won't regret it.

#my reviews #the martian #the martian andy weir #andy weir #mark watney #mars #martian #ares 3 #book review #book recommendations #book reccs #booklr #bookblr #reading #book #books

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onelickactivate · 3 days ago

Text

HyperHost Review: Is It Truly the Ultimate Unlimited Hosting Solution?

This is a digital world. In this world, your business can work very well without having a physical brick and mortar store, but it is very difficult to persist without having a website. Almost impossible.

<<<Elevate your website’s speed and uptime with HyperHost!>>>

So, if I say that your website is the new storefront, it won’t be exaggerating. And, it holds true for literally every business— whether you're a blogger, a small business owner, or an entrepreneur who is building an e-commerce empire. How effective, fast, appealing and easy-to-use your website is, that determines its success, and ultimately your business’s.

However, sometimes people focus too much on the overall aesthetics of the website, or its content. But one thing that often gets overlooked are the web hosting platforms. With a huge pile of options out there, choosing one hosting service can be a pretty overwhelming task, especially when you are just starting off and want to balance performance and budget.

So, for all of you, today we are going to talk about HyperHost, a web hosting platform, which honestly has blown away my mind with how fast and reliable it is. And yes, it is more affordable than you can imagine.

Let’s Talk About Some Common Hosting Problems We Face

If you have meddled with website hosting before, I’m pretty sure you will agree with me if I rant about how complex that thing gets. It just throws a barrage of problems at you, and expects you to solve those on your own. Like, how crazy is that? First, these platforms charge you loads of money, and then more if you want to keep your website alive, or as they call it “renewing your domain”.

How about fixing the slow load times first? Who is going to compensate for the tons of customers that I have lost just because my website took 3 more seconds to launch than it should?

You are expected to pay $500 to $1,000 to handle a domain, and that doesn’t even include the SSL certificates, and if you know anything about SSL certificates, you know that without one you can only dream about getting your website ranked anywhere. And you know how users are always looking for an extra layer of security, right? Nope, you can’t give it to them. Extra bandwidth? Forget about that too!!

Don’t even get me started on the loading speeds. These hosts charge you like they are the most premium platforms in the world. Of course, that would increase one’s expectations. And then you see how slowly your website loads, and all you are left with is regret. And this is actual studies saying this, that even a 1-second delay makes 7% users leave the site. When the delay goes any longer, you can only imagine how high that dropout rate gets.

Then there are those hosts that lure you in with their “low costs”, and then when the time for renewing comes, you see it clear as day, how the renewal costs make up for those “low costs” and how you were fooled.

How HyperHost Gives Those Hosts A Run For Their Money

Now if you too are stuck with a provider who has made life difficult for you, or if you are new in this game and are finding the perfect host to begin your website’s journey, HyperHost stands as a brilliant option.

I will go as far as calling it a beacon of hope, because that’s what it is, but maybe you should first get the chance to learn how unique it is. Then you can decide for yourself if it is as special as I'm making it out to be.

Here’s why it stands apart:

Servers are Actually Fast: Having tried those usual hosts and having heard their claims, I know what ultra-high-speed servers are and what aren’t. And HyperHost stands true to its claims.

99.9% Uptime, Guaranteed: It seems like the creators of HyperHost knew how big of a deciding factor reliability is. Because it gives you practically no downtime during critical moments—your website will always be live.

An All-In-One Solution: It’s very rare to find platforms like HyperHost that handle everything from domain management to website deployment. And handling isn’t all, it makes it simple for you as well.

One-Time Price: What I liked the most about HyperHost is that this is not one of those yearly fee products. What they do is they offer you a one-time payment plan and that plan covers everything you need for hosting. Would you not want to save thousands annually?

Unlimited Bandwidth & Websites: The deal breaker for me was that you can manage as many websites as you want. And this time the host actually understands a growing business, and grows with you— without asking for your credit card again.

At $47/month $14.97, You Get:

Free Commercial License + Low ONE-TIME Price During Launch Period Only! (With a 30-day money back guarantee)

Fast Hosting Really Matters, and Here’s Why:

Okay so, when we see how digital oriented everything is today, we realize that a lot of it stems from the need for speed. Everything has to be fast, and sometimes even fast doesn’t cut it— it has to be super fast. When it comes to websites, speed definitely is the one defining factor, no matter how beautiful the site looks, or how appealing its content is. Let me tell you why:

SEO Rankings: This one is pretty well-known if you have ever tried to rank a site of yours— the load time. Google, and as a matter of fact every search engine, prioritizes websites that load faster. Have a slow site and watch how your rankings suffer.

People Leave: Now comes a lesser known fact: 53% of users abandon a website if it takes more than THREE seconds to load. But, if you think as a user once, you yourself will leave a site that takes 3-4 seconds to load. Am I wrong?

And It Hits The Revenue: What do you suspect happens next? That’s right, a business whose visitors are cut in half even before the site opens, is never really able to make profitable sales.

But you know what? With HyperHost’s advanced technology, if there is one thing that you can be absolutely sure of, it's that your website will always be at its best. It will always keep its users satisfied and engaged.

A Simple 3-Step Process, and Voila!

What I loved about HyperHost during my time with it, was obviously its speed, but other than that, its simplicity. I’m fairly experienced with hosting solutions and web development, so I thought this would be just like every other platform in terms of its complexities. But I was really surprised to see how simple everything was!!

Here’s how easily you can get started:

Log In and Add Your Domain: The platform has such a user-friendly dashboard, that setting up a domain will feel like a cakewalk. Plus, with just a few clicks, you can add as many domains as you want.

Deploy Your Website: Next, choose your preferred app (like WordPress), the platform will install it instantly. Remember the SSL certificate that we talked about earlier? Yes, this time you get that.

Manage Your Website Anywhere: Anytime and anywhere you can access your website, and make all sorts of updates. HyperHost will provide you the maximum possible uptime, a super strong malware protection and the bandwidth is of course, unlimited.

<<<Elevate your website’s speed and uptime with HyperHost!>>>

Who Is HyperHost For?

A platform like HyperHost isn’t built for just a very particular group of people. It has everything that makes it a perfect companion for a wide range of users, including:

Freelancers and Entrepreneurs: If you come in either of those categories, then you are most probably looking to save money while also maintaining high-quality web hosting. Don’t worry, HyperHost is here.

Small Business Owners: Small businesses don’t want to go out of their way to spend on hosting. Something that is easy on the pocket and reliable, or in other words, HyperHost, is what they need.

Bloggers and Creators: Content creators don’t really have the time to focus on hosting technicalities. When they have to, their content suffers. But for all those, HyperHost is the perfect solution, since it comes with free SSL encryption and unlimited bandwidth.

At $47/month $14.97, You Get:

Free Commercial License + Low ONE-TIME Price During Launch Period Only! (With a 30-day money back guarantee)

Is This The Right Time To Switch?

So, I made this observation, that the web hosting industry is evolving everyday. New trends and technologies are shaping its future. This is why I think that now is the perfect time to make that switch to HyperHost:

Companies are skyrocketing their hosting prices everyday, which makes HyperHost’s one-time fee even more appealing.

HyperHost has built-in SSL encryption and a VERY strong malware protection which will keep your website secure.

As your online presence grows, with HyperHost you will have a hosting partner that grows with you—without any extra fees.

Empower Your Online Presence with HyperHost

So, has this blog been able to convince you that HyperHost is WAY different than your usual hosting solutions? Because honestly speaking, I felt like this platform really has the power to be game changing. Finally I can say that website hosting is as easy and affordable as it should be.

If you want to build a successful online presence, then you can’t spend half that time figuring out the hosting process and what is wrong with it every second day. HyperHost has lightning-fast servers, affordability like no other software, and a very user-friendly design.

Can I make any more clearer as to why HyperHost is the perfect choice for you?

Don’t let high costs and technical complexities hold you back. Make the switch to HyperHost today and experience web hosting that is ACTUALLY fast and reliable, while being highly affordable.

<<<Elevate your website’s speed and uptime with HyperHost!>>>

What All Do You Get If You Join HyperHost Today

Super-Fast Cloud Hosting - $9,000 Value

No Limits On The Bandwidth = $1,590 Value

Free SSL Certificate = $490 Value

Super Fast with SSD Powered Technology = $990 Value

Free Daily Backup = $1990 Value

100% Uptime Guarantee = $290 Value

End to end encryption to safeguard your Data & 24*7 malware protection = $490 Value

24/7 Customer Support = Priceless

4 Fast Action Bonuses - Worth $1,997

Double Your Money Back Guarantee = Priceless

Total Market Value of Everything:

$14,130

At $47/month $14.97, You Get:

Free Commercial License + Low ONE-TIME Price During Launch Period Only! (With a 30-day money back guarantee)

#HyperHostReview #WebHosting #UnlimitedHosting #FastWebHosting #HyperHostSpeed #WebHostingProvider #HostingReview #WebHostingServices #UnlimitedStorage #WebsiteHosting #HostingFeatures #HyperHostPerformance #ReliableHosting #HostingSolutions #SpeedTest #WebHostingExpert #HyperHostExperience

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carry-on-my-wayward-meg · 4 months ago

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I'm gonna confess something serious here, life or death, about other people:

I KNEW there were telepaths with higher powers in this world WAY BEFORE I started hearing voices. I could FEEL them. And I KNEW they could control the world.

But BEFORE, they were on my side. We would talk using only feelings.

Then out of nowhere, they became against me. ( I don't know why, I reviewed my entire life multiple times, and I found no reason).

About the same time (I didn't know they were against me yet), I had two relationships, one after the other, people who were VERY toxic towards me, one of them VERY abusive. What I felt back on that time it is as if I was dealing with psychopaths. One of them threatened 3 times to kill me.

So I ORDERED these telepaths to KILL them.

I tried to take action, I'm not the only person they abused.

Nothing happened to them.

What I mean is:

I already tried to kill 2 people in my lifetime. With a STRONG and TRUE intention.

So to whoever is reading, judge me as you prefer.

Am I lesser than other people because I tried to kill 2 other humans?

Should I keep paying for this?

Should I DIE to pay properly?

Is ANY type of life really so valuable?

Does EVERYONE really deserve to live?

Because there are VERY bad people in this world.

I am confessing an attempted murder. My intentions were real. I don't feel like killing them anymore. It was a long time ago. 13 years ago. But I don't regret it. I only regret that they didn't die. But I didn't order suffering to the first of them. I only ordered death.

If telepaths with higher powers are real, and if there was a chance that I could be successful, what should happen to me?

The telepaths already were abusive to me before this, they tried to kill me twice being ran over by two cars, I just didn't realise. But it got worse after I tried to kill these people. They destroyed my body, destroyed my peace, they control my body and mind and control my feelings to make me feel unwell and sad.

I can't take my life anymore.

I confessed.

What should happen to me?

I don't regret it. Why are they trying to kill me instead of them?

Why do people that I like and love keep betraying me? It hurts SO MUCH! I never betrayed anybody on my entire life!

#Meanwhile Myself #Meanwhile my Life #Important

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cheloumita · 1 year ago

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To the one who ghosted me,

Have you been sleeping well?

Do my memories haunt you at night or when you drink coffee at 3 pm, remembering how I like it?

How do you feel when my name comes up in conversation?

How do you respond when someone asks about me?

How would you explain to them that you chose to stop talking to me?

How would you explain that you didn't just deceive me, but also fooled them?

How would you clarify that you still haven't given me the explanation I deserve for your sudden disappearance?

Was it worth it?

Did it make you a better person?

Was it the best decision?

Do you ever regret it?

Did you regret meeting me, or did you regret leaving me?

Was this your plan all along?

You told me you prayed for me and asked God for a specific sign. You were convinced we were meant for each other, and your feelings intensified over time.

For 6 years, you were there, showing up at the most important times, even when I didn't expect you to.

You stayed long enough to become one of my closest friends, my confidant. You were the keeper of my secrets and my human diary. You knew the passcode, and I let you in.

Gradually, I realized that while I gave chances to unworthy individuals, you remained concealed in plain sight. Everyone else saw it, they rooted for you. The choice was clear, yet I was oblivious. All this time, everything I'd been looking for was right before my eyes.

I gathered the courage to let you know how I felt. Finally, after 6 long years, the chance you'd been trying so hard to get was now handed to you. Whatever this thing is between us has the potential to grow even deeper, something that can last forever.

With you, I felt the security I longed for. I felt that you cured my trust issues because finally someone knows all of me and decided that I was worthy to keep. You saw me for who I am. You knew my fears and flaws. You accepted them along with my other less-appealing qualities. I thought my heart could finally rest.

But then you went radio silent on me.

You vanished.

Suddenly gone.

For almost 2 years, I wondered, "What did I do wrong?" Did I say something that scared you away? I reviewed our past conversations countless times, scrutinizing each exchange, trying to discern why you disappeared. I enumerated potential reasons and even questioned my own shortcomings. Despite my self-assuredness, I magnified every flaw, driven to uncover the cause of your sudden departure. I was fully convinced that the problem was me.

You and I could talk about anything. Maybe your reason for leaving without a word is valid. Maybe you're not emotionally ready to share it yet. Despite the silence, I clung to the belief that it would make sense. I was prepared to apologize.

And when I finally talked to you, you never gave me a reason.

All you had for me was, "I'm sorry, I was wrong."

I begged for a reason, but you gave a petty excuse, reeking of cowardice.

You didn't really get in touch with me for an explanation; you reached out for reconciliation. You thought you could go back and pick up where we left off.

You were confident I'd take you back because you knew me. You watched me fall for you, slowly but surely.

You presumed you can have me back whenever it's convenient for you.

You knew that I was the type of girl who doesn’t fall easily. I take my time before I give my heart. I was loyal, even to a fault and you used that against me.

You played the long game, covering all bases for a sure win.

You are the type of person that gives and then takes it all away.

But I can't take back a person who wasn't truly sorry. Someone who stopped talking to a girl he professed love to because it was suddenly inconvenient. Someone who was okay with me hurting and waiting.

As much as it pained me, I decided to stop talking to you. I poured out my feelings, explaining in detail why I won't talk to you anymore. Up until the end, I gave you clarity, while you just gave me heartache.

To top it off, you accepted my decision without any resistance. You didn't even say you'd wait for me to forgive you. You just said goodbye, fast, like we meant nothing.

You even have the nerve to try and evoke guilt, saying, "I guess they're right, I don't deserve a girl like you."

Your words dripped with pathetic insincerity.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes you have to lose someone for a lifetime to learn your lesson.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes there are no second chances.

To the one who ghosted me, you should've kept me.

To the one who ghosted me, you hurt me the most.

Because of you, my defenses heightened and became impenetrable.

Because of you, I can't trust new people. I can’t even trust myself.

I told you what hurts me, and you did it perfectly.

Because of you, I hate parts of me I used to love.

Because of you, I question if I can ever be loved.

Because of you, I question motives of anyone to tries to get close to me.

To the one who ghosted me, sometimes I still miss you and what could've been.

To the one who ghosted me, I'm still picking up the pieces you broke.

To the one who ghosted me, I hope the echoes of regret will haunt you for life.

#letter #unsent letters #ghosted #Spotify #letter three

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zyafics-recs · 3 months ago

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reblogging comment review from @zyafics

i said i was gonna read when u edited and now u given me the signal 🫡 let's see if i'm ready to let go of pretty maybank and rafe <😭3 ⬇️

Some gave you that look—you know, the one that said, “Oh, sweetie, you again?”—while others just shook their heads, probably wondering when you would finally stop playing caretaker and start looking out for yourself.

maniacally scribbling down this sentence into my notes bc i am in love with how it flows?? i have a writer-crush on u bc of the way u string together words so elegantly

Brand new driver’s license, barely knew how to parallel park, and boom, you’re getting woken up at like 2 a.m. because your dad’s been arrested.

don't even know if im gonna to even talk about the story atp but one of my FAVORITE things about ur writing is how u add these little specific details that makes the characters come alive !!!

It wasn’t the first time you’d seen him wasted or bruised up, but this time felt different. This time, it hit you that this was gonna be your life now.

why did this line hit me so deep???

Now, sitting in the small, stuffy waiting room of the sheriff’s department, you glance around, feeling a knot of tension tightening in your stomach, the fluorescent lights doing little to help, making everything appear sterile and unforgiving.

love the word fluorescent lights, could never learn how to spell it without google

JJ’s next to you, his leg bouncing like he’s got caffeine running through his veins instead of blood. You’re already annoyed, and it doesn’t help that Rafe is sitting on your other side, looking just as pissed off.

THIS IS MAKING ME GIGGLE SO BADLY THE DYNAMIC TRIO

"You wanna talk about sisters too?"

the way i went—

JJ nods, fiddling with his shark tooth necklace, the one you’d given him when he was seven.

u mesh so well with canon events 🩷🙂‍↕️

You glance at the two men beside you, each representing a different part of your world. Your brother stubs out his cigarette, glancing over at Rafe with an exaggerated sigh. He smirks, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

thought this man was gonna be nice and offer rafe a cigarette but i guess wer're not there yet

It’s been a month since the nightmare with your dad, and you’ve pretty much been living at Rafe’s new place ever since. Sure, you’ve got your own house, but it just doesn’t feel like home anymore. Rafe’s apartment though? It’s like your little safe haven now. You don’t officially live there, but who are you kidding? Most of your stuff is in his drawers, he’s stocked the bathroom with all your skincare, hair stuff, even a toothbrush. He tried to go all-out, buying you everything, and you kept telling him to stop, but it’s like talking to a wall. You gave up eventually.

so bf of him

“Anyways,” He rolls his eyes, ignoring the way you tried to cut him off, his hand now lightly squeezing your knee, “You were out there showing off, catching wave after wave. I was so fucking annoyed."

why is this so funny LOLL

“You know, it’s funny. Back then, I thought you were just this arrogant piece of shit who was always trying too hard to fit in.”“That’s so sweet.”

im literally gonna miss them sm 😭

Ward’s expression turns cold once more, but there’s a flicker of something—maybe regret, maybe just a reflection of his anger.

FEARRRR

“Let’s go home." You nod, a smile spreading across your face. “Yeah, let’s go home.”

such a cute ending <3

FINAL THOUGHTS • i literally am going to miss them so much, it was such an adventure to read this series (and despite how late it is), and with the new edits, i can just see how much you grown as a writer. it's glorious and im so happy to have been there for the ride! can't wait to read more of ur things and also, how the fuck do u write so fast? i blink and there's 15304 different rafe fics out by you??

THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE - rafe cameron (+18) - seven (finale)

request: "a rafe enemies to lovers 🫣 the reader is jjs sister the whole drama before but then she gets left behind on the ship and rafe ends up comforting her and then yea that’s all I got you can do whatever else the rest 😛" + "def some little smut during the enemies part and a long story"

word count: 6.3k

warnings: last chapter <3

You’ve been to Kildare County Sheriff’s Department way more times than you care to admit

Being the oldest kid in your family—and somehow the only actual adult—you lost count of how many times you had to drag your dad out of jail between the ages of sixteen and twenty. It felt like a full-time job.

Then there were the countless times you’d been there for your friends.

JJ, for instance, had been taken in more than once for public disturbances. It was almost a given that he'd end up in that shithole whenever there was a party or some kind of trouble brewing. You knew every officer by name, and they knew you too. Some gave you that look—you know, the one that said, “Oh, sweetie, you again?”—while others just shook their heads, probably wondering when you would finally stop playing caretaker and start looking out for yourself.

But you always showed up, no matter what, because that’s what you did. You took care of your own.

The first time you had to pick up your dad, you were sixteen. Brand new driver’s license, barely knew how to parallel park, and boom, you’re getting woken up at like 2 a.m. because your dad’s been arrested. You were shaking the whole time, gripping the steering wheel like your life depended on it, eyes blurry with tears. It wasn’t the first time you’d seen him wasted or bruised up, but this time felt different. This time, it hit you that this was gonna be your life now.

You were stuck.

You remember pulling up to the station, parking all kinds of crooked because your hands wouldn’t stop trembling. You ran inside, still half-asleep, and the officer at the desk gave you this sad little smile. “He’s in the back,” he said, like you didn’t already know.

When you saw your dad slumped over, bruised, and barely awake, something inside you just... cracked. He looked up, and for a second, he recognized you. “Hey, kiddo,” he mumbled, still drunk, still out of it. Back then, there was still some part of him left, some shred of the man he used to be.

You signed the papers, helped him stumble to the car, and drove home in silence while he passed out in the passenger seat. It was the first of so many nights like that. And you knew it wasn’t gonna be the last. When you finally pulled into the driveway, you helped him inside and onto the couch. He mumbled a thank you before passing out, his snores filling the room.

You wish you could be anywhere but here.

“Will you stop bouncing your leg JJ?” You grit out, already irritated from waiting longer than an hour.

“Why the fuck did he have to come?” JJ mutters, throwing daggers at Rafe with his eyes.

“JJ, not now.” You put your hand on his arm, trying to keep him from starting something. The last thing you need is another fight.

JJ glares, but his jaw clenches shut. “This is so messed up,” he grumbles.

“Messed up is leaving your sister alone with your drunk piece of shit father.”

“Like I knew he was there, you dumbass?” JJ shoots back, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Maybe stop leaving her alone.”

“Oh, here we go,” you mutter, feeling the tension rise again. The last thing you need right now is for these two to start another fight.

Ever since JJ came back to the mainland only to pick you up from Taneyhill, things had been…tense. It was one thing to talk about you and Rafe, it was a completely different thing to see you together.

You know your brother hates every second of it.

“Oh, but you wanna talk about drunk pieces of shit? How many times did your daddy bail you out?”

Rafe’s eyes narrow, his fists clenching, “How many times did you make your sister bail you out, huh?”

"You wanna talk about sisters too?"

You shut your eyes, attempting to ignore the way they’re clawing each other’s throats out with tainted insults. It was a miracle they're standing in the same room without killing each other, but you can only take so much. It’s like they’re about to throw punches, right there in the middle of the sheriff’s office.

"Shut the fuck up Maybank."

“Fuck you, Cameron!” JJ snaps, standing up so fast his chair skids backward, “You think you’re better than us?”

Rafe stands up too, stepping closer to JJ, “Better than you? Yes.”

“Don’t act like you’re doing this for her,” JJ scoffs. “You’ve never helped anyone but yourself, you manipulative asshole.”

“That’s enough,” you snap, standing up and stepping between them, pushing them apart. Your voice is shaking with frustration. “You two are going to shut the fuck up or take this shit outside. It’s nine in the morning. I didn’t get a wink of sleep, and I’m not gonna sit here and hear you two bitch it you.”

JJ glares at Rafe over your shoulder. “We don’t need this asshole’s help. We can handle it ourselves.”

Rafe sneers. “Handle it? Like you’ve handled everything else?”

Your brother lunges forward, but you push him back, your voice shaking. “Sit your ass down or leave, I’m not going to repeat myself.”

They both just stare at you, their harsh words still hanging in the air of this stuffy room. The tension is almost suffocating, but there's no way you’re letting them keep tearing each other apart. You’re exhausted, emotionally and physically drained. The last thing you need right now is to play mediator between them… again.

Rafe finally sits down, arms crossed, biting his tongue—for your sake, you know. JJ’s sitting too now, still fidgeting like he always does, tapping his fingers against the armrest.

"Look," you say, your voice still firm, "We're here for a reason. Let's just get through this and get out, okay?"

Your brother just grunts, glaring at the wall like it’s personally offended him. Rafe lets out a sigh and gives you the tiniest nod, like a reluctant “fine.” You sit back down, feeling a bit of the weight in your chest ease up. Rafe leans in and gently takes your hand, mouthing, "I’m sorry." You give it a little squeeze—apology accepted, for now.

JJ notices but looks away too quickly for you to read him. You know he’s pissed, but at least for the moment, he’s staying quiet.

The minutes crawl by, each one feeling like forever, and finally, a cop shows up at the door, calling your name. The three of you stand up at the same time, and Rafe and JJ follow behind you, silent but close, as you walk down the hallway.

The clanging of barred doors shutting behind you makes your stomach twist, and you eventually end up in a small interrogation room. The officer gestures to a chair, "Take a seat." He heads off to get paperwork, and you glance at Rafe, who’s watching you like he’s afraid you might disappear. You know he won’t relax until your dad is completely out of the picture.

Your brother, on the other hand, leans against the wall with crossed arms, a brooding expression on his face. He's always been protective, even if his way of showing it often led to clashes with others. You wish things could be different.

Officer Malcom comes back with a stack of papers, but before you can even look at them, Rafe’s lawyer, Mr. Johnson, walks in. Rafe's had him on speed dial since the whole mess started, and honestly, he's been a lifesaver. He sits beside you, reviewing the papers calmly, and just having him there makes everything feel a little less scary.

“Alright, folks, let's go through this step by step. The first form here is the petition for a temporary restraining order. It outlines the incidents and reasons for seeking protection.”

“Are these incidents documented with the sherrif’s office?” Mr. Johnson's expertise is evident in the way he examines the document meticulously.

“Yes, sir. We have reports dating back to—" Officer Malcom stops for a second, checking the data, “About eight years ago, give or take.”

Rafe’s head snaps in your direction, brows furrowed, clearly pissed off that this has been going on for that long without anyone doing anything. You try to ignore it, focusing on the papers in front of you instead.

“What happens after I file this?

“Once filed, a judge will review the petition. If approved, a temporary restraining order will be issued, usually effective immediately. Then, there'll be a hearing within a few weeks to determine if a permanent order is necessary.”

“What if he doesn't abide by the temporary order?”

The officer only nods sympathetically. “Violating a restraining order is a criminal offense. He could face fines, jail time, or both.”

Rafe’s still looking at you, “Does she have to serve him personally with these papers?”

“It’s crucial that he’s officially notified. We handle that part, though.”

Rafe’s lawyer is taking notes when he speaks up again, “If he contests the order, he’ll have the opportunity to present his side at the hearing. Both parties can bring witnesses or evidence. But based on your father’s behavior, that’s unlikely.”

You hope to God he doesn’t. The thought of seeing him again makes you feel like you might throw up. You take a deep breath, hands itching to twirl a piece of your hair.

“How long does the process usually take?”

You feel a hand touch your shoulder, gently tightening the grip around the skin, you don’t have to look back to know it’s Rafe. By now you know the lines and the ridges of his hands as if they are your own.

"The timeline can vary, but typically, from filing to the hearing, it might take a few weeks. It depends on the court's schedule and any potential delays."

You nod, absorbing the information while trying to steady your breathing. None of this feels real. Not the legal stuff, not the fact that this could actually be over soon. As the conversation continues, Mr. Johnson outlines the next steps clearly, discussing what will happen during and after the hearing.

The officer quickly gathers the papers in his hands, “I’ll get everything started then. Just a moment.”

As he leaves to process the paperwork, a brief silence settles over the room. You exchange glances with JJ and Rafe, both of them entirely too interested of the concrete floor.

“This is the right thing to do, right?”

You know it is. You’ve known for years, but it’s still hard to understand how it came to this. Your life could’ve been so different.

JJ nods, fiddling with his shark tooth necklace, the one you’d given him when he was seven. “Yeah. He shouldn’t be able to just...” He trails off shaking his head.

Rafe squeezes your shoulder once more, then lowers himself to your level and plants a quick peck on your temple, “You’ve got this. It’ll be okay.”

Mr. Johnson finally puts his pen away, turning to you, “I’ll stay on top of the filings and keep you updated on any developments.”

This moment is a culmination of years of struggle. It's daunting, but you’re not alone.

"Thank you.”

JJ shifts his weight, his agitation visible. "I hate this," he mutters.

"I know," you reply, not knowing what else to say.

The door swings open again, and Officer Malcom re-enters, holding a stack of papers. "Alright," he says, handing you a pen. "Just sign here, and we'll get this process started."

You take the pen with shaky hands, knowing there’s no going back after this. As you sign your name, you can't help but sigh in relief.

This is a step towards freedom.

Rafe watches you intently, his eyes full of concern. He reaches out, placing a hand on your back, a little reminder that he's here for you. JJ stands close by, his protective instincts on high alert.

After you finish signing, Officer Malcom takes the papers and gives you a reassuring nod. "We'll take care of the rest. You should hear from us soon about the next steps."

You stand up, feeling a little lighter, but the emotional toll of the day still kicks your ass. As you make your way out of the room, Rafe keeps a steady hand on your back, guiding you.

Once outside, the morning sun feels almost blinding after the harsh fluorescent lights of the station. JJ immediately lights a cigarette, taking a long drag and exhaling with a sigh.

Rafe looks at you, his expression softening. "You're good?"

You nod, managing a small smile. "Yeah, I think so. Thank you for being here, both of you."

JJ smirks, though there's a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Where else would I be?”

“Gotta admit, I never thought I'd see the day when 'Rafe the Retch' would be helping us out.”

A laugh escapes your lips before you can stop it, but you quickly cover it up, turning it into a cough. You’d forgotten about that one.

Rafe’s eyebrows shoot up. “'Rafe the Retch'? Seriously, what the fuck?”

“Ask her,” JJ nods in your direction.

“You called me that shit?”

You bite your lip, “To be fair, I called you worse things.”

Rfe tilts his head, hands on his hips, “Like what?”

“You don’t want to know.”

The three of you start walking toward the parking lot, as you reach the cars, JJ pulls you into a quick, tight hug. “We’re gonna get through this,” he murmurs, his voice filled with determination.

You hug him back, “I know, Jay.”

Rafe stands a few feet away, watching the exchange with a thoughtful expression. When your brother finally lets you go, he steps closer, “Ready to go?”

JJ looks at you, the concern in his eyes clear. "I gotta head to work. Do you want a ride home? It's on the way.”

You glance at Rafe, then back at JJ, sensing his reluctance. “No but thank you.”

JJ’s shoulders tense, but he nods, trying to hide his disappointment. "Alright. Just... call me if you need anything, okay?"

You smile, appreciating his concern. "I will. Drive safe."

He nods again, glancing one more time at Rafe before getting into his truck and driving off. You watch him go, knowing that things are still far from being okay between the two of you.

You know he’s never going to change his opinion about Rafe, maybe not until he witnesses the changes in him, but you hope that one day they’ll find some common ground. It’s a lot to ask from your brother, you know that, and it’s why you never push him.

“You sure you’re doing okay?”

You nod, leaning into Rafe now that he stands behind you, “Yeah, just a little tired.”

He wraps an arm around your shoulders, guiding you towards his car, “Did you get any sleep last night?”

"Barely," you admit. "Just couldn't stop thinking about today.”

He unlocks the car, opening the passenger door for you. "Well, now that it's done, you can rest. I’ll even put that bullshit show you like.”

You gasp ready to punch him in the shoulder, but by the time you turn he’s already on the other side of the car, “Love Island is not a stupid show!”

He chuckles as he starts the engine. "If you say so.”

“You watch it too.”

“Only because you force me to,” Rafe counters, a playful glint in his eyes.

As he pulls out of the parking lot, his hand slides over to grab yours. It’s such a simple thing, but it makes the tight feeling in your chest ease a little. You’re both quiet for most of the drive, but it’s not awkward or anything. It’s actually kind of nice. You never imagined he’d be so...attached. Things between you are still...somewhat undefined, but it definitely feels like a relationship. That thought is pushed to the back of your mind for now. It's just not the right moment to talk about it—not with his father’s trial only weeks away and your own dad still recovering in the hospital.

When you pull up to his apartment, the building feels familiar in a way that makes your stomach flip. He hops out of the car and, as usual, rushes around to open your door for you. It’s such a small thing, but it always makes your heart race.

Once inside, the place feels so different from the craziness of the day. It’s cozy, warm, and just... safe. You kick off your shoes and flop onto the couch, sinking into the cushions.

“Wanna watch your show?” Rafe asks, giving you that half-smile you’ve come to love.

You chuckle, feeling lighter than you have all day. “And you say you don’t love it.”

He grabs the remote and turns on the TV, navigating to the show. As the familiar theme song starts playing, you snuggle closer to him, finding comfort in the routine. It's all trashy drama and ridiculous contestants, but it’s the distraction you desperately need. Rafe’s arm stays around you, like always. But as the episode progresses, your eyelids grow heavy. The events of the day, combined with the sleepless night, catch up to you. You feel yourself drifting off, your head resting against Rafe’s chest, his heartbeat a steady rhythm lulling you to sleep.

“Rest, baby,” he murmurs, his voice a soothing whisper. “I’ve got you.”

Next thing you know, you wake up to the smell of something cooking. Blinking your eyes open, you realize Rafe’s in the kitchen, and the living room is dimly lit. A blanket slips off your shoulders as you sit up, and when you look over, he’s already smiling at you.

You’ve seen him smile more times over the past month than all the years you had “known” him combined. It looks good on him, makes him look younger.

Stretching, you ask, “What’s all this?”

“Dinner. Figured you could use a good meal,” he says casually, like it’s no big deal that he’s cooked for you.

You sneak up behind him and wrap your arms around his waist. “Look at you, Chef Rafe.”

Ever since he moved in on his own, he’s been slowly learning how to take care of himself. You’ve caught him watching cooking and deep cleaning videos more times you can count. You find it endearing. It makes your chest ache, in a good way, to watch him slowly turn into his own person, not the Rafe his father shaped him to be.

He chuckles, giving you a quick forehead kiss. “Eat before it gets cold.”

You sit down, and the first bite has you practically moaning. He snorts at your reaction, but you can tell he’s proud of himself. As you eat, though, you notice he seems a little off. His shoulders are tight, and there’s something in his eyes that makes you pause. You reach across the table, placing your hand over his.

"What is it?”

“Nothing.”

“Rafe. What’s wrong?”

He hesitates, then sighs. “Got a call from my lawyer. About Ward.”

The mention of his dad sends a chill down your spine. “What about him?”

Rafe’s thumb brushes your knuckles as he looks down. “He wants to talk.”

“Do you want to talk to him?”

Rafe's jaw tightens, and he lets out a slow breath. “Yeah. But every time I’ve tried to stand up to him, it’s backfired."

You squeeze his hand, “He can’t hurt you anymore, you know that, right? You're not the same person you were before," you remind him gently. "You've grown so much, Rafe. You’ve made your own life."

He looks up at you, his gaze softening. The intensity in his eyes is clear—vulnerability, determination, and a deep-seated fear. It's as if he’s silently pleading for your reassurance, for the strength to face his demons.

“You think so?”

It's in the way his eyes become softer when they meet yours, the slight quiver in his lips, the way he holds your hand just a little tighter.

“Wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.”

“Okay. I…I’ll think about it.”

The two of you finish dinner, the conversation shifting to lighter topic. After cleaning up, you find yourselves back on the couch, the TV playing quietly in the background.

Everything feels so domestic it pulls at your heartstrings. And it hits you how much you love this, just being here with him.

But you can still feel the tension rolling off him. You turn to him, tracing little patterns on his chest. “You’re still worried, huh?”

He sighs, throwing his head against the cushions, his hand coming up to rest on yours. "Yeah. I’m scared talking to him will pull me back into that dark place.”

You press a kiss to his clothed chest. “You won’t go back there. Not while I’m here.”

He tightens his hold on you, “You know you’re too good for this world. It’s ridiculous.”

You narrow your eyes, “Am not.”

“Yeah, you are, Pretty Maybank.”

There it is. That nickname. “You know that’s so stupid, right?”

He grins, completely unbothered. “You love it.”

You nudge him with your elbow. “I tolerate it.”

He catches your hand, bringing it to his lips for a soft kiss. “Fits you perfectly.”

You roll your eyes, but you can’t help the grin tugging at your lips.

“If you say so.”

His eyes soften as he looks at you, his thumb tracing gentle circles on your hand. “I do.”

“Shup up,” You feel a blush creeping up your cheeks. “Don’t even know how you came up with that shit.”

Rafe laughs, the sound low and rumbling, his hand moving to rub your leg. “It’s really stupid.”

You raise an eyebrow, teasing. “’Course it is.”

“Remember when we were fourteen, and we were both at the beach for that huge surf competition? You were this cocky, skilled little girl with an ego bigger than the waves.”

“And you were a suck-up mother—"

You raise an eyebrow, giving him a skeptical look. “Oh, so you were secretly in awe of me?”

“Maybe,” he admits with a sheepish grin. “Or maybe I was just bitter because you made me look bad.”

“I made everyone look bad.”

“Okay, Gabriel Medina. You were out there showing off, making everyone watch you like you owned the ocean. All the boys were ogling you, calling you pretty, and you were loving every second of it.”

You smirk, remembering the day. "I was pretty good, wasn’t I?”

“Good?” He snorts, shaking his head as his fingers trail up and down your thigh. “You were more than good, you were unreal.”

"Yeah, yeah, so how does that tie into the nickname?”

“You came out of the water, hair all messy, sand on your skin, but you had this huge smile. One of the boys called you 'Pretty Maybank,' and you just laughed, brushing it off. But I— I guess I remembered it. It fit you.”

You blink, momentarily thrown off, "I...I didn’t know you remembered that."

“You’re kinda hard to forget Maybank.”

Your heart flutters at his words, the sincerity in his voice making it hard to breathe, “Shut up.”

He leans in, capturing your lips in a gentle kiss, his hand cradling the back of your head. It only lasts a few seconds, before you’re pulling away, mumbling against his lips.

“You know, it’s funny. Back then, I thought you were just this arrogant piece of shit who was always trying too hard to fit in.”

“That’s so sweet.”

You cup his face, brushing your thumbs across his cheeks, “Hmm. You were always showing off, too.”

“Well,” he drawls, pulling you a little closer, his arms wrapping around your waist, “We both grew out of that phase. Mostly.”

“Mostly,” you agree with a grin. “But I guess some things never change.”

“Yeah,” He doesn't take his eyes off your face, “Some things don’t change.

There’s a brief silence, filled with the quiet sound of the TV and the comfortable presence of each other. His fingers continue to trace patterns on your hand, and you can feel his earlier stress easing if only a little.

“I don’t want to mess this up,” He admits quietly, “With you.”

“We’ve come this far, haven’t we?”

Rafe’s fingers gently brush a strand of hair behind your ear, “Yeah, we have.”

“I’ll keep you in check, Cameron.”

He holds you tighter, his breath mingling with yours. “You're too good for me, y’know that?”

You laugh, “I know.”

Before you can react, his fingers are dancing across your sides, tickling you mercilessly. You squeal, wriggling and trying to escape his grasp, but he’s relentless.

"Rafe!” You gasp between fits of laughter.

"Say sorry,” he demands, his fingers still working their magic.

"Never!" you manage to choke out, tears of laughter streaming down your face.

He grins wickedly, the movement driving your tummy insane.

"Wrong answer."

You squirm in his grip, the tickling intensifying. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry!" you finally relent, breathless and giggling.

Rafe stops, his hands coming to rest on your waist. His grin is triumphant, but there's a softness in his eyes that makes your heart skip a beat. "That's what I thought," he muses, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to your forehead.

You catch your breath, still smiling. "You know, for someone who's supposed to be a tough guy, you’re surprisingly good at this domestic stuff."

He chuckles, pulling you closer until you're nestled against him.

"What can I say? You bring out the best in me, Pretty Maybank."

"I like this," you admit softly. "Being here with you, just... us."

"Me too," Rafe murmurs, his hand gently stroking your hair. "Feels right, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does.”

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Three weeks later, Rafe finally agrees to visit Ward in prison.

His lawyer arranged the meeting, emphasizing the importance of having this conversation to find closure. Despite your protests, Rafe insisted on doing this alone. Plus, prison's security measures are stringent, and there’s no way you could accompany him inside.

Instead, you’re stuck waiting outside, the anxiety killing you slowly. You're sitting on a bench outside the high-security prison, your foot tapping nervously against the ground.

The sun is blazing, making the wait even more unbearable. You wish you could be in there with him, supporting him. You glance at the ugly building, feeling desperate to get the hell away. Your phone buzzes, snapping you out of your thoughts. It’s a text from JJ.

"how's it going?"

You quickly type back.

"he just went in. kinda losing my mind out here."

"he’ll be okay. devil spawn and all yk".

"not helping???"

"my bad sis, just trying to lighten the mood. seriously though, he's got this."

You sigh, putting your phone down and glancing around the barren surroundings. The high walls and barbed wire of the prison seem to loom even larger now. Time drags on, every minute feels like an hour. You find yourself looking at the entrance every few seconds, hoping to see Rafe walk out.

Inside, Rafe is led through a maze of corridors, the echo of his footsteps bouncing off the cold concrete walls. The guards are stoic, their faces expressionless as they guide him to the visitation room. His heart pounds in his chest, but he forces himself to stay calm, to stay focused. He's going to be just fine.

When he finally walks in the room, he sees Ward already seated, the older man looking surprisingly composed. Of course he'd care about his appearance even when he's locked up. There's a glass partition between them, with phones on either side for communication. Rafe sits down, picking up the phone with a shaky hand. He wishes you were here.

Ward's eyes are piercing as they lock onto Rafe's. "Look who finally decided to visit," he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Took you time, boy."

Rafe takes a deep breath. This is it.

"Only came to tell you something."

Ward raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. "Oh? And what's that? That you’re an ungrateful piece of shit?”

Ignore him, your voice echoes in his head. He knew Ward was going to try to get a rise out of him and he hates that it might work.

"I'm done," Rafe says, his voice steady. "You don't control me anymore."

“After everything I've done for you?"

Rafe's grip on the phone tightens. "You didn't do shit for me. You did it for yourself."

Ward leans forward, his eyes narrowing. "You have no idea what you're talking about, boy. You need me."

"No, I don't," Rafe retorts, “No one needs you.”

Ward's eyes flash with anger, but he quickly masks it with a calculating smile. "Is that what you really think, son? That you can just walk away from everything? From me?"

Rafe feels a rush of anger fighting it's way up his throat, but he holds it back, remembering your words. He takes another breath, steadying himself, “I don’t care.”

Ward's smile fades, replaced by a sneer. "You think you're so strong now, don't you? Do you think you can survive out there without my influence? The world is a cruel place, Rafe. You won't last a day. You think that Maybank trash is gonna solve all your problems, huh?”

“You’re not getting under my skin.”

Ward's eyes narrow further, and he leans in closer to the glass, his voice dropping to a whisper. "So, it’s about her now, is it? What makes you think she’ll be any better for you than I was? She doesn’t know you like I do."

Rafe’s temper flares, but he forces himself to stay calm. He can’t take the bait.

"Keep her out of this.”

“You think you’re so righteous, so superior. You’ll need more than just some girl to get you through.”

“I don’t need you,” Rafe insists, his voice firm. “I never did.”

Ward’s expression turns cold once more, but there’s a flicker of something—maybe regret, maybe just a reflection of his anger. “You can pretend you’re free, but you know I’m not so easily forgotten.”

Rafe takes a deep breath, forcing himself to stay composed. “I don’t need to hear anything else from you. I’m done.”

“You won’t be able to keep her safe.”

He knew the conversation wouldn’t be longer than five minutes.

He stands up abruptly, the phone clattering against the partition as he drops it. He doesn't need to hear Ward any more. He turns his back on his father and walks out of the room, the door clanging shut behind him. As he walks back through the maze of corridors, his thoughts turn to you, knowing you’re outside overthinking and ready to hug the live out of him.

He’s striding to you the moment he sees you. You're still on the bench, trying to distract yourself with your phone, but it’s no use. You jump up, rushing over to him. You’re always so endearing to him it pains him to know he hurt you so badly over the years.

“You okay?”

Rafe’s arms wrap around you, finally breathing normally. His breath is warm against your ear as he whispers, “Yeah. I’m okay.”

You wrap your arms around him, holding him close as if you can protect him from the Ward’s harshness. “I was going crazy waiting out here.”

“Sorry for making you wait,” Rafe murmurs, his voice muffled against your shoulder.

“I don’t care,” You pull back slightly, your hands moving to cup his face. Your fingers trace the lines of his jaw, feeling the faint stubble beneath your touch, “You did what you needed to do. And I’m proud of you.”

He smiles a small, tired smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, “Needed to hear that. Thank you.”

You nod, your thumb brushing against his cheek. “For what?” you ask, leaning into him again. “You did great, baby. You stood up to him. That takes so much strength.”

You take his hand, your fingers intertwining with his as you lead him away from the prison. His grip is strong, his palm warm against yours. The two of you walk in silence for a moment, the only sound the gravel crunching beneath your feet. You glance at him, noting the way his shoulders have relaxed a litte.

“I felt it. Like a weight lifting off me. It’s not completely gone, but it’s lighter.”

You stop walking, turning to face him fully. Your free hand reaches up to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. It had grown so much over the past few weeks. “And it’ll keep getting lighter,” you assure him.

“You think?”

“I know. You’ll keep needing to stand up to him,” you acknowledge, “But it will get easier each time.”

His hand brushes a stray hair from your face, copying your earlier movement. “And you’ll be here with me?”

“Always.”

Rafe’s expression softens, the hard edges smoothed away by the promise in your words. He leans in, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

His lips linger there.

“You really are too good for me,” he murmurs against your skin, the sound blending with the hum of the car engines in the distance.

“I know.”

He pulls back slightly, his eyes searching yours. The intensity in his gaze takes your breath away, but it’s a different kind of intensity than you’re used to seeing in him. It’s softer, more open, and entirely focused on you.

“Let’s go home."

You nod, a smile spreading across your face. “Yeah, let’s go home.”

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron series #rafe cameron (by @itneverendshere)

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