#ride 713

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 713: Kiji Kyuui, start!!

Pag 4

2: Ahhh

3: The weather's clear today too, yon

Pag 5

9: Pfui

Pag 6

1: Yes, theey're about to close the gates

I got here just in time

As expected, mountain bikes really are

2: so fast....!!

'morning!

Good mornin!

Come on, let's go

Pag 7

1: Gunma prefecture, Harugishi

Ryousei high school

2: Waaaa

Uh-

3: Look at that guy

Right!?

He's so tall!?

4: It's the first time I see him, but I've heard rumors about him since the first day of school!

Chestnut-colored hair and pale-colored eyes.... right!?

7: And he got two consecutive victories with his club in a national competition!?

What!? Two consecutive victories, isn't that amazing!?

The third year....

Pag 8

1: Kiji Kyuui-senpai!!

3: Kyaaaaaa!!

Ahhh, taking off my sunglasses really is dazzling

4: He has a lot of grass on his back!

Are those leaves!?

What road does he take to come to school

5: But whatever, it's okay!!

Pag 9

1: Yeah

You know, this morning when I was waiting at the bus stop....

Ohh

Isn't this cute?

4: Fuu

5: Yoo Kiji!!

The window seat is no good

6: I heard ypu had a game yestarday!? Ah, a “race”, right!?

7: So, how was it!?

Pag 10

1: Huh?

I'm here, here

2: Sorry, I can't see with my eyes closed

Then open your eyes!!

3: You changed from individual competitions to team sports? From this year you're going from “MTB” to “road racing”?

4: I know from the kendo club, too

Surprisingly, team competitions don't go as planned, right?

5: You were the strongest in “MTB”....!! I mean, you won two times in a row, that's amazing

But when it's “road racing”, with several people

6: It doesn't go well!!

Right!? Right!?

7: Z.......

Keeping your eyes closed is making you sleepy, look!! Oi!!

Pag 11

1: Yeah, well

First of all, it's not like I changed sport, yon

2: I'll do both mountain bike and road racing

3: Huh!?

You didn't “switch”? Really?

4: And also, the Inter Highs in the summer....

5: I'll win both of them

6: That's it, yon

7: He really plans to do this, this guy.....!!

The.... then it's a challenge, I'll also aim to be the first in Japan in ken.....

Kiji-saaaaaan....!!

Pag 12

1: Is Kiji-san here!?

Excuse me!!

Huh?

2: Why is a second year suddenly raising his voice!?

Oohata-san from the kendo club! Congratulation for getting third place on yesterday team competition!!

3: Come in

He's glad he remembers so many things 

4: Ah...

5: Yesterday was hard, wasn't it

No!!

Is the bruise you got from falling from your bike okay

6: That's not important

It was for Kiji-san!!

7: You saved me, yon

Pag 13

1: Ichifuji-kun

Fou!!

2: After my debut race during last August, even if I lost to that four-eyes guy, you still made me your pupil!! Thank you so much!!

Yeah yeah, I've heard that at least thirty times, yon

3: Howl, my Merida!!

They're both desperate!!

Pag 14

1: I placed second, but still I was glad

2: Because then I could always follow Kiji-san's back on the mountain bikes field

Thank you so much for teaching me so many things!!

Yeah yeah

4: Finally, I made it today!!

5: Really?

6: Let's go right now!!

That's why I came to call you!!

Thanks-chai

7: Kiji-san, that day

Last autumn....

8:  When you came back from Chiba....

Pag 15

1: When you said “I'll do road racing too, I need to make a team”

2: I'll run in road races

3: I thought I also wanted to help you somehow

4: So, even if it was a different high school from the one I thought I'd go to, I persuaded my parents to let me move here to Ryousei

Fou!!

5: Are you regretting it?

6: No way

Pag 16

1: Here it's the closest I can be to see Kiji-san's great enterprise!!

The double victory of the mountain bike and road race Inter Highs!!

3: You're passionate!!

Pag 17

2: I came this morning and set up everything

Ohh... as expected, you're so attentive

3: So far

4: It's been tough

5: I asked the advisor teacher, and I didn't know anything about road racing, so I studied

6: I got the rollers and collected quite a bit of equipment

7: I asked

8: the guys on the field and even collected members

And we reached this point!! From now on we can start!!

Pag 18

1: The bicycles club of Gunma's Ryousei High School!!

Pag 19

2: From now on, this will be our clubroom!!

3: It just so happens that most of the members I gathered were raised on mountain bikes!!

So let's show them!!

Pag 20

1: How we're going to invade the “road racing” world!!

Pag 21

3: Like in yesterday's race

Let's show them the overwhelming difference between pur powers!!

[chocochipsushi]

𝐎𝐡, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐬!

SFW

🌸Word count: 713 words

🌸AU: Toji x clumsy bimbo reader (part 2)

🌸A/N: I got inspiration for this scenario from tiktok (again lol) and thought it was so cute I needed to write it out.

<< Part 1

You are walking towards the workshop where you see Toji towering over a timid-looking man staring up at him. Your lips stretch into a wide grin as your hold on the strings of some helium balloons tighten in excitement. 

It is Toji’s birthday and you bought a present and a bunch of balloons to surprise him with. You wonder if he will like them. He decorated your room filled with pink and red balloons on your birthday this year so you wanted to do the same for him, but with black and white balloons since those are pretty much the only colours he wears. 

You see the man he is talking to flinch and cower when Toji reaches out to tap his cheek scarily, almost condescendingly. Deciding that this would be the best time to announce your presence, you prepare yourself as you adjust the black box under your arm and the balloons in your hand. 

Except, when you were rearranging the balloons in your hand, the gift box slips so you try to clamp your arm down on it. In the midst of doing so, your fingers loosen around the strings and the helium balloons are carried away by the wind. 

You stand there in shock for a second, just staring at the floating balloons before trying to jump and catch them fruitlessly. Your heart starts pounding with anxiety. 

“Toji!!!” you call out instinctively. Your boyfriend can solve everything. You glance at Toji, who has his hand stationary in the hair of his mechanic, his head turned to you. “Toji!” you cry out again, feeling increasingly more helpless and useless now. 

Immediately, he pushes the man’s head away roughly and strides over to you. He glances up in the sky when he sees you staring upwards. 

“I got you balloons because it was your birthday and they flew away!” you whine, feeling tears spring to your eyes just as you voice out what had happened. 

“Aw, baby, thank you,” Toji coos, quickly placing a hand on the back of your head to hug you to his chest even though your head is still turned to look at the escaping balloons. 

“Toji…” you sob as you watch your gift float away. 

He turns your chin gently so you are facing him, and he notices your tear stained cheeks. “Princess. Why are you crying?”

“Because! The balloons flew away!”

He looks up again to follow your finger pointing at the helium balloons. It is a good thing that it is not even evening yet so the black and white dots are still visible in the sky. 

“It’s okay. I can see them.” You only cry more at his pacifying tone. He cups your face in his huge, rough hands. “Oh, baby. I can see the balloons! Thank you.” Toji leans down to kiss you on your warm lips but it only makes you sob harder. Your boyfriend pulls you into him and engulfs in a tight hug. “Oh, Princess…” he coos into your hair. “We can buy more balloons.”

You wrap your arms weakly around his sturdy frame and cry into his chest. “I’m so stupid, Toji…” 

He kisses your crown and pulls back slightly. “You’re a sweet little thing, that’s what you are.” He wipes your cheeks with the back of his hands. He glances down at the bulky thing in your arm. “You got me another present?”

“Yeah…” You sniffle and hold it out to him. 

Toji takes it as he undoes the neatly tied ribbon and opens up the box. He sees a pair of black leather gloves. He takes them out and looks at you inquisitively. 

“The weather’s cold now so you need something to warm your hands while you’re riding,” you murmur thickly with a pout, still upset. 

His scarred lips tip into a smile. Putting the gloves back into the box, he holds your face again with his warm palms and leans down to drop a gentle kiss on your nose, then your lips. 

“You’re the sweetest. Thank you, Princess. For the gloves and the balloons.”

“Oh, the balloons!” you start crying, now reminded of it again. 

Toji lets out a defeated chuckle. To him, you’re a cute little mess he never wants to stop cleaning up after.

-

© chocochipsushi 2024 all works are mine, please do not rewrite/plagiarise

[luvyeni]

hii! most hair pulling toe curling dog barking jake smut pls <3 im really looking forward to the future of ur blog! 🫶🏻

GOOD GIRL; SIM JAEYUN

pairings: popular!jake x shytutor!reader

Wc. 713

warnings: fem reader, public sex, fingering, praise kink

this isn't toe curling, but jake sim himself is toe curling so...

Trying to tutor jake, but the boy has other things on his mind.

—

You didn't even want to be here, you didn't want to tutor jake sim, but due to your shy nature you couldn't even tell the professor that you didn't want to do it.

Jake sim was the most sought after boy at the university — rich, handsome, smart and athletic... Girls wanted to be with him, and guys wanted to be him (some of them wanting to be with him too).

"I'm done." You began to pack up your things, you weren't just gonna sit and wait. "Wait don't leave." You watched as jake ran up to you breathless. "I'm here."

"2 hours later." Basically mumbling to yourself, you were too nervous to even look him in the eye.

Jake took a notice of your timid state, smirking.. you were cute.

"Maybe we can reschedule for next week." You stood up, but he was blocking your way. "Excuse me." You said, eyes glued to the floor.

"Please, I need you." You finally looked up, staring into his eyes... those goddamn eyes. Sighing, you sat down, pulling everything back out.

"Sit."

He sat down... with absolutley nothing in his hands. "Where are your books?" He curses under his breath. "I left them in my buddies car, can we share yours?" He leaned in real close to your face. "o-oh um.. s-sure." You slid the book in between you two.

You fanned your cheeks that began to heat up—jake notices this, smirking... he couldn't help it, he wanted to ruin you.

You knew it was a bad idea, he did absolutely nothing... he just sat there, staring at you, occasionally throwing you a wink when you'd turn to instruct his face back into the book.

"Let's take a break." He sat back in his chair. "It has only been a hour." You looked through the book. "And you've barely done anything."

He didn't get upset at what you said, because he hadn't been listening to a word of what you had been saying, he'd actually be staring at your legs, watching your skirt ride up due to you constantly moving.

"Why are you so shy?" He questioned, eyebrow lifting. "I-i'm not."

"You are, you can barely look at me, it's cute." Was he making fun of you? "I-i can."

"Okay princess, look at me." you can feel his breath on your face, as you slowly twist your head in his direction. "Good girl."

That sent a shiver down your spine, not going on by the boy. "You like that?" He smirked, getting even closer, knee to knee.

"W-what a-are you talking about? pay attention to the book." You stared at the book, trying to ignore the wetness in your underwear.

"Answer my question." His hand slowly making it's way up to where you so desperately wanted him. "Come be a good girl and answer."

You bite your lip to contain your moans. "J-jake." you breathing began to stagger.

"Say it." His hand was now at your heat, rubbing your clit through your panties.

"You're dripping princess, all you have to do is say it and i'll give you what you want."

"I-i d-do, i like being called that." you said quietly, he smiled, pulling your panties to the side.

"Jake" you moaned out as he slid one finger inside your pussy, but he shushed you. "We're in the library, you have to be quite, can you do that for me? hm, can you be a good girl for me?"

You nodded, and he added another finger speeding up his movements. "Fucking hell, you're so wet, you're gonna cum already?, cum for me." you began to shake in his hold as you came on his fingers.

"Be a good girl and cum for me."

"You look so pretty like this." He slowly pulled his fingers out of you slowly, staring you directly into your eyes, putting them into his mouth. "Soooo fucking good."

"Jake."

The whimper you let out made jake's cock twitch in his slacks.

"Princess, let's go." He grabbed your bag, stuffing all the stuff in there. "G-go w-where?" you grabbed his hand, stopping his movements. "To my house."

"I can't just let you go like this, i need to fuck you before I lose my mind."

[joaoolover]

Bad match .

summary : joao lost a game and he’s very angry . he decides to take it out on you and well , let’s say it’s gonna be a long night .

warnings : angry smut , unprotected sex , oral sex , etc . (lazy to write more tbh . 😭)

authors note : this is my first time writing smut .. so sorry if it’s not good 🧍‍♀️ .

word count : 713

———————————————————————

you were laying down on the couch and you hear the door slam shut . you turned around while you and him made eye contact . joao roughly kicked off his shoes . “hi ba-“ I get interrupted by his lips harshly smashing on to yours .

he picks you up from the couch and puts you over his shoulders . “put me down joao ! “ again he ignores me . he goes upstairs and opens our bedroom door .

he throws you on the bed while you grunt as your body touches the soft mattress . “you’re all mines tonight” he says while taking off your shorts and underwear . he goes up to you and starts kissing your neck while you moan . “f-fuck joao” you say while stuttering . he trails down wet kisses all the way to ur wet pussy . “so pretty” he says . he teases you by flicking his tongue in your entrance . “s-stop being a tease jo-“ she get interrupted by joao’s tongue fully inside of her . “fuckk joao” she says moaning loudly .

she looks down at the view and sees joao head moving up and down . he sucks on your pussy while you keep whimpering and moaning . “I-i’m so close joao “ you say moaning . you whimper disappointed due to the lost of connection from his tongue .

he starts taking off his shorts while he’s only left with boxers . he starts playing with your boobs and sucks on them harshly until there are hickeys . he starts taking his boxers off and lines up to your entrance . without any warning , joao puts his dick inside of you . you moan while he’s stretching you out . you’ve guys have fucked before but you will never actually get used to his size .

he starts thrusting inside of you like crazy . “you like that don’t you huh?” he says while grunting . “y-yes fuck joao” you say while he’s hitting your g-spot . it’s not to long till your orgasm is approaching because he didn’t let you cum last time .

“I-im so close baby” you say . “you can’t cum till I say so” he says while you whine . he starts thrusting inside of you harder while your whimpering since the pleasure is wayyy to much . you can’t stop moaning uncontrollably .

it’s been a few minutes already and he tells you that you can cum now since his orgasm was also approaching . your legs start trembling & shaking while you cum all over his dick . “It’s not over yet amor” you hear joao say . he lays downs while he’s telling you to ride him . you go on top of him and line yourself up . he pushes himself inside of you while you moan . you start riding him slowly but then start going faster after hearing him whimper .

you can already feel ur second orgasm approaching . “f-fuck so close !” you say while clenching around him . it’s not to long till you cum all over his dick . he flips you over while he was still inside of you . he starts thrusting inside of you while he grunts and moans . you leave red marks all over his back . he keeps slamming himself inside of you every second . you tug on his hair while moaning loud because it feels way to good .

it has been three hours since joao had arrived in a bad mood and this was ur fifth orgasm . you both were sweating and out of breathe . joao goes to the bathroom and gets a warm towel so he can clean you up . you just lay in bed until he comes out of the bathroom again .

you feel two arms wrap around your waist and a kiss on your neck . “sorry if I was rough on you , I love you so much amor” he says . “it’s okay hermoso , I love you too “ he kisses you on the cheek while he puts his head on your neck . you both fall asleep in each others arms .

———————————————————————

[gingerjunhan]

boyfriend headcannons - kim jungsu

☆彡 letting the delusions win once again so Jungsu stans come get y’all juice!!!!!

word count: 713 | pronouns used: none | genre: fluff, established relationship | cws: all caps used, he’s blushing, I’m blushing, we’re all blushing, let me know if I missed anything!! 🩷

← previous member | next member →

starting off by saying that in my head Jungsu is the most Boyfriend™️ member of xh and nobody can change my mind!!!!!!!!

he’s also the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen??? okay moving on

he strikes me as a romantic!!!

not like, Seungmin type of romantic though (although there can be some overlap)

he’s the type of romantic that knows your coffee order by heart

watches “chick flicks” with you over and over again

always puts your needs before his

willing to drop everything for you

gives you his hoodie the second he sees you shiver

does absolutely nothing without asking if you’re okay/ comfortable with it!!!!

that type of romantic

“that’s literally the bare minimum-“ SHUT UP it's the little things that count

anyways moving on

I know I’ve mentioned this before in a fic somewhere but Jungsu is so so so SO respectful and he just wants to make sure everyone is happy and safe so I can see him wanting to have a long, in-depth conversation with you about boundaries

you’re both in this relationship because you love and care for one another, and he’s not gonna let you forget it!!

he is so madly in love with you it physically hurts him

like,,,, YOU chose HIM???? he can’t wrap his mind around it

he knew you were “the one” shortly into your relationship

hype man

imagine him wrapping his arms around you while you’re looking at your outfit and he just makes eye contact with you in the mirror and hits you with the “you look so pretty today baby” and then gives you a little kiss wherever he can reach UGHHHHHH THIS MAN

MATCHING OUTFITS MATCHING OUTFITS

“Oh you’re wearing blue today? Okay good to know.” and then he immediately goes and changes

I can picture Jungsu as the type who finds it really hard to sleep without you

like,, he needs a cuddle buddy

but in public?

people would never guess that

I talked about this in my PDA fic, but I don’t think Jungsu is big into PDA

like, aww you’re holding hands? that’s enough 🧍🏻‍♀️

he gives me the vibe that he doesn’t like seeing other people’s PDA so he doesn’t do it either LMAOOO (me too)

okay I talked about this with Gunil so I feel the need to bring it up again

your family loves him

if you have siblings or cousins who are younger than you?? they ADORE HIM

Jungsu gives me lovely big brother energy and in my head I think he’s be great with kids (ignore those Rock The World episodes lol)

give this man a toddler I need to see it

imagine coming home to Jungsu and your kid and Jungsu is dressed up in some silly costume, too wrapped up in the child’s land of make-believe to realize you walked in the door

he’s just so sweet :(

okay okay okay so if you couldn’t tell by the fact that I think I’ve mentioned them in every single Jungsu fic I’ve written… I love Jungsu’s broad shoulders

Jungsu is just so big and strong and I’m swooning right now

he’s so tall and pretty and UGH what if I cry

you can’t reach something?

he’s picking you up

you’re feet hurt?

piggyback ride

he’s giving you the Princess Treatment™️ truly

I also feel like Jungsu gives the best hugs in xh

those arms of his 😵‍💫 hugging machines

the feeling of being wrapped up in his strong arms and broad shoulders oh my god

safety

he’s like if a fuzzy blanket was a guy

he’s just so awesome I love Jungsu dude

I can also imagine having some good late night talks with Jungsu

telling secrets and sharing stories

he’s not afraid to be emotional in front of you!

within the first month of your relationship you saw him cry and tbh he’s so real for that

he can put up the front that he’s all tough or whatever but that facade cracks with you around

he’s just so blushy and giggley with you!

Jungsu totally believes that you bring out the best in him, and he’s so glad to be with you

he commonly fantasizes about his future with you

he’s so excited to spend forever with you :(((

taglist⁉️: @dazzlingligth , @mini-mews , comment to be added!

[miss-tc-nova]

We Want To - Vanitas x Reader

Aww, it's been a while since I got to write about cranky Vani. I really do love him. I hope I stuck to the theme enough though. Sorry if I strayed too far. Excuse the lame title, lol

Premise: Vanitas isn't all that amused at the amusement park

Words: 713

~~~~~

               Inconvenienced, absolutely beyond fed up, Vanitas gets dragged through the crowd towards yet another gaudy, mechanical attraction.

               He’s not entirely sure how he ended up here, let alone in this situation. For the last few weeks, Vanitas has been trying to navigate this strange world. He never thought that his greatest bane would be the whimsical maniac in human guise. He’d barely spent two hours wandering the streets before being bowled over and descended upon by this clown. Somehow, the encounter culminated in daily accosting and today’s torment has been deemed the amusement park. The amount of amusement, however, has been miniscule. Most of the last hour has been trying to decipher his predicament and the fool that dragged him into it.

               An arm flails in the direction of a spinning machine. “This is one of my favorites! It spins really fast and you stick to the wall! But you can’t ride it too many times or you might get sick. I did that once! Like four years ago me and some of my friends—”

               Yet another wild, ridiculous tale from that unstoppable mouth. Still, Vanitas endures the blathering as the line winds down. Eventually, it’s their turn to board.

               His companion isn’t the only one that seems eager for the ride. All the other passengers chatter as they stand in front of panels lining the round room. He doesn’t understand. Everyone was like this on the last one too, but it just seemed like a bunch of jerky, flailing movement. And this one’s just supposed to spin fast. The purpose of this place is beyond him, let alone the reason for all these people to be so riled up about it.

               Hell, his new “friend” has been like this about nearly everything. Every moment is filled with random things. At first it was aggravating, but now, it’s all just weird.

               The ride starts and, true to the explanation, the room spins so fast the gravity pulls him against the wall. People laugh and cheer, some twisting and turning until they’re sideways or upside down. The thrill is lost on him, but Vanitas is fully aware of the mirth from the person beside him. Even as the ride ends, the happiness continues, finally prompting the voicing of his confusion.

               “Why are we doing this?”

               Full attention turns to him. “Huh? What do you mean why?”

               His arms gesture to the colorful world around. “What are we doing here? What’s the point?”

               “There is no point.” That smile drops his guard against his will. “We do it because we want to.”

               The answer is so blunt and simple that he almost misses it. But it makes its mark. Vanitas had done plenty of things because he “wanted to,” in a world far from here. He’s done his best so far to blend in and consider what he’ll do next, but he can’t deny being drawn in by the frivolity of a simple fool. Something about the harmless chaos attracts his attention. Running around without a care in the world as if nothing mattered is so different from the mission-oriented life he has beyond the borders of Quardratum.

               The words slip from his mouth.

               “Do I?”

               Maybe he didn’t “want” to do those things. Hurting others and being hurt in return—the war flashes in his mind and his whole body flinches.

               “Vanitas.”

               Then a hand rests against his arm. His gaze falls on the face of concern.

               “Do you?”

               He’s not sure. But in this moment, he is sure he doesn’t want to think about everything outside this normal, boring, silly, surprising world. He wants to live in this moment.

               With the clown that found him.

               For the first time since he arrived on this world, Vanitas cracks a smile.

               “Yeah, I do.”

               The shock on his friend’s face ignites embers in his ears, but Vanitas continues to smile. Then the enthusiasm comes exploding out. It’s so chaotic he can barely understand what’s being said, but he has to jam his one request in.  

               “Hold on. I wanna do that spinny one again. I could totally stand on the wall in there.”

               In a blink, Vanitas finds himself being dragged through the crowds again, but this time, he feels all the same excitement.

~~~~~

Nova’s Kingdom Hearts Masterlist

[siempre-bucky]

Can I please request prompt "Fake dating to appease the parents but it turns real" for Rooster??

Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw x Reader

wc: 713

Summary: Rooster confessing his feelings at his parents house

Rooster always sat up on that perch, waiting for just the right moment. Moments that never came, Jake constantly reminded him. He did however have one foot off the snow covered perch when Nick and Carole asked him if he had anyone to bring with him for the small Bradshaw Christmas get together in the mountains. 

“Are you gonna bring a girl home, Bradley?” Carole asked, wagging his brows. 

“What about that girl you always talk about?” Nick added.

His heart raced and his mouth went faster than his mind. “Y/N?…yeah.” Bradley didn’t step off the perch—he fell and landed face first. 

So he asked you, from the safety of his perch at the last minute. “Be my girlfriend for the weekend? You should have seen the look on my mom's face.” It should have surprised him with how quickly you said yes and the warmth in his chest should have surprised him too. 

He flew back up onto his perch and watched as you charmed his parents, helping with baking and stringing popcorn for the squirrels Nick didn’t want to leave out in the festivities. You held Bradley’s hand sometimes and rested your head on his shoulder on the long car rides home from the Christmas festival in the little NorCal town. 

You sat with Carole Sunday morning, letting her show you, in her opinion, the best way to wrap Christmas presents. Bradley just so happened to walk past his parents bedroom door to take in the sight, his mom smiling and you giggling along. Suddenly, there was a little more room on his perch—if you’d sit next to him. 

He kept the new feelings close to his chest, he even laughed to himself when he thought about how chiche it was to fall for a friend he entered a fake relationship with. Bradley sat on the plush loveseat in the study, swirling the amber whisky in his glass in compilation. You walked in in the long gold dress you prided yourself on bringing, “Christmas Eve and you’re all alone,” you said with a slight tilt in your voice. The sound of the party in the living room was drowned out by the indie Christmas playlist Bradley had insisted on playing at all times during the trip. 

“I can only hear Last Christmas a few times before wanting to jump off a bridge,” he joked, scratching his mustache. 

“Silver Bells is any better?” you countered, standing in the middle of the room. 

Bradley smirked and took in how the hung christmas lights made your dress shimmer, your skin looking softer than normal. “It’s a true classic.” Bradley put the glass on the old oak table and rose from his seat. He held his hand out, praying that it wouldn’t start shaking. “Easier to dance to.” 

You looked down, heat rising to your face as you smiled kindly at the strong hand. Your lips slightly parted as you felt the electricity as you put your hand in his and how it ran up your spine as he held you against his chest. His heart was thundering as much as yours, intoxicated by the smell of cologne and perfume mixed with the scent of the christmas candle burning in the room. 

“Thank you for coming,” he whispered. 

“Thank you for inviting me,” you replied, “your parents are as great as you made them out to be.” 

Bradley hummed. “They love you.” 

There was a long pause, the party’s noise making its way to your ears. You slowly pulled your head off his shoulder and looked up at him. Pretty hazel eyes staring back at yours as you swayed back and forth. “Are they,” you spoke quietly, not trusting your voice, “the only Bradshaws that love me?” 

Still stuck on that perch. Bradley took a deep breath, lightly tightening his hold on you, eyebrows furrowing. One foot then the other, he climbed down slowly. His hands slid and rose to cup your face, “No,” he said, “there’s another that loves you more and he’s sorry he didn’t realize it sooner.” 

“I’ll forgive you if you kiss me.” 

And he did just that, his eyes fluttering closed as he leaned in to kiss you. “I love you,” he muttered lovingly. 

“I love you too.”

[blazescompendium]

Rambling About Inari Okami, foxes and a bit of Shinto.

Kazuma Kaneko's Inari: Ukamo Mitama, and the Fushimi Inari Temple in Kyoto, picture taken by my best friend!

Hey, this was not planned to be a post of my Compendium Entries series, and it will not be. As a friend of mine who is a designer started a work with the Inari as inspiration, and my best friend visited a shrine in Japan, i got curious and studied this deity a bit, and wanted an excuse to ramble about it! Still, it was not enough research to enter the Compendium, and also i think i have spent a lot of time in Asia in this series. So, while we are moving from the continent, let's add Inari as a side note, because it is such an interesting kami!

But as always... Don't make me tap the sign...

Warning: Faith and religion are important real life topics, that tackles the culture and way of life of millions of real life people. It is a cultural expression, and must be respected by all means. Here, we use a video-game series only to ignite the flame of learning about the matter, using its art when well depicted, but we do this with all due respect to the cultures we talk here, grounded by real life sources, cultures and people. And i mean this with respect. Hope you all enjoy.

The Identity of the Inari

On contrary on what many could think, Inari is not a name associated to one god. But rather, it is like a title to many kami! Inari is not necessarily a fox entity as well! But their true identity ca be a bit complex. But what do end up in every interpretation, is that Inari is related to prosperity, fertility and food.

What really gets me is that... Inari is not one Kami, but rather many!

Since it will vary depending on what time, place and culture you are inserted in, Inari has many faces. According to the book ''The Rice Goddess and Fox In Japanese Religion and Folk Pratice'' There is a version of the tale that tells about a time o great hunger in ancient Japan, when Inari descent from the heavens mounting a big white fox. She brought forth the grains capable to grow in the swampy soil at the time, and so that saved Japan.

I could not find more about this version, only that it is being parroted over the internet for a while, but let's give the benefit of doubt here because you know... language barriers.

The name Inari was originally written in many forms, and with many meanings. According to the Fushimi Inari Taisha temple (more on that later) there are many examples like that, like for example the Inari being mentioned in the Ymashirokoku Fudoki, a cultural report on Japanese provinces finished in the year 713. The most modern way to write and the meaning of Inari, seemed to have originated in the year 827. [1]

The Cultural Alliance Brazil-Japan (A government organization focused in cultural exchange between both countries) says that Inari has many interpretations. And indeed, if there's a thing you notice researching the Inari, is that theres no consensus on its interpretation.

They mention some interpretations like an old man with beard with two white foxes, or a woman with two bags of rice riding a big white fox. But they are also frequently associated and confused with the foxes that adorn their shrines.

The Inari are very popular in Japan! It has a large variety of temples and shrines, being revered by people and organizations that pray for prosperity. The main Inari shrine is located in Kyoto, the Fushini Inari temple. It's main features are the thousands of Tori, and fox statues.

Thankfully they have an English site for you to visit and read about this temple. A neat thing that i learned is that this temple was built in the year 711, which means it is more than 1300 years old! That's older than anything in my home country! my best friend was there, and took some great pictures!

Inside the thousands of Tori in the Fushimi Inari Taisha temple! Picture by my friend!

According to the temple's site, there are shrines to the Kami: UIkanomitama, Satahiko, Omiyanome, Tanaka no Okami, and Shino Okami in the Fushimi Inari. They are all Kami going by the Inari title, and being revered as such.

In my researches i got the name Ukanomitama quite often! You will also see them a lot, because it is one of the most associated Kami with the Inari. Ukanomitama has two origins, as long as i could find:

The first came from the Japanese ancient book of the Nihongi, written in the year 697 is one of the oldest Japanese written works, and still is of immense cultural importance to the Japanese culture. Some famous Kami and Yokai came from there!

But Ukanomitama also did. In this book, in only one verse, it narrates how it was born from Izanagi and Izanami's hunger. You can read the entirety of the work, or some parts translated to English here:

Link to the Nihongi

The other source for Ukanomitama cames from the book Kaijiki, which is also more or less from this period of time. Around the 8th and 7th century. In this version, the change is that this Kami was born from Susanoo.

Either way, Ukanomitama ended up associated as a food Kami, an entity to end hunger, which made it considered an Inari, being even enshrined in the main Inari temple.

To go deep into the Inari identity, i came forth to the famous site Living With Kami, which belongs to a Shinto Pristress and Professor on the topic! Luckily she had a few articles to talk about Inari, which is no surprise due to the Inari's popularity.

(This site is pretty awesome, with tons of amazing knowledge about Shinto. You should take a look if that interests you!)

According to the Pristress, theres not ONE Inari no Okami, but as we discussed before, that's kinda like a title. Therefore, all Kami enshrined at Fushimi Inari, for example, are Inari no Okami. This includes our friend Ukanomitama!

Still according to her, Inari are, in some times and places, associated as a shapeshifter entity, possessing no defined gender or physical appearance.

Theres no definitive answer on this matter, and will depends on the person you ask, their fate, their culture, their place, etc... So, Inari is pretty much a group of Kami.

In Takkekoma Inari, the second biggest and oldest temple dedicated to the Inari, other two Kami are enshrined: Ukemochi and Wakumusubi.

The foxes, the red and the devils

Another great picture from my friend!

For us westerns, and in pop culture, The Inari are almost always associated to foxes, and even became foxes some times. But still according to the Fushimi Inari temple, the Inari are not necessarily taking the form of a fox, but rather they are affiliated with the foxes. They symbolize the Inari and act as their messengers, that's why people pray to the foxes and give offerings to them.

They could be Kitsune, which are a relative term to supernatural foxes, not only a Yokai, but there is also no consensus on this either. They are not regular foxes, that's for sure.

They are time to time confused with generic Kitsunes or the Inari themselves, its normal that it all became mixed. Specially because of the worldwide popularity of this Kami.

For my personal interpretation, since Kitsunes are supernatural foxes, and the Inari foxes are supernatural, (I know, that's not a very good explanation) i believe every Inari fox is a Kitsune, but not every kitsune could be a Inari fox.

There's a fun trivia about the Inari foxes and food, which is fitting: again according to the Japan-Brazil Cultural Alliance, the offerings to the Inari foxes are usually Abura Age, some type of beans dish. That's said to be the foxes favorite food! So much so, that there is a type of Sushi made using Abura Age, called Inarizushi!

The Japan-Brazilian association of earlier, also talks about a theory that foxes are associated with rice, due to their apparitions in rice fields during harvest seasons. This is debatable inside folkloric studies of Japan.

The other thing that is very much associated with the Inari, is the red cloths that they are usually wearing, most commonly on statues, but some times they have red details in their bodies as well. The red details can be seen on the fox masks people usually wears during festivals.

But why the color red? What does it mean, and where it came from?

The red cloth they wear often is interpreted starting as people putting it on Inari foxes statues to ask protection for their families. Accoring to the Fushimi Inari Taisha, quoting them directly:

''Vermilion red is considered an amulet against evil forces, and is used in many ancient palaces, shrines and temples. At Fushimi Inari Taisha, it is described as a color that expresses bountiful harvests that Inari Okami gives us, but vermilion red is used for many other shrines too. The pigment used for vermilion red buildings like this is made from mercury and red earth. This mixture has been used to preserve wood since ancient times.'' -FAQ Fushimi Inari Taisha.

According to Onmarkproductions (a pretty amazing website that works as a dictionary for buddhist and shinto faith) Red has been associated with specifically the Kami of Smallpox Hosokami. (疱瘡神) Small pox has been first recorded in Japan in the Nikon Shoki (日本書紀). This was around the year 720 A.D. It is thought that the disease reached Japan much earlier, at the year 550. As many of you already know, it was a very deadly disease and it inspired fear in many.

The Japanese started recommending that children with Smallpox were to be clothed in red clothing, as the ones carrying the sick as well.

Still at this source, many Japanese folk beliefs regarded Red as a color for ''expelling demons and illness.'' For example, the rituals of spirit quelling taken by the Yamato court during the Asuka period (522-645 AD), were mostly centered around the Fire God (a red deity).

As the time passed, and the red color was used more and more for this purpose, the symbolism to sickness was replaced by red signifying life creating and life sustaining powers, so the red started to pop in at deities that were related to fertilit and healing. This is the case of Inari!

But the curious part is that, this is not exclusive to Japan! It seems that in other parts of the world, the red color was also associated to sickness and sickness cleansing. For instance, the Queen Elizabeth I of England, when infected with Smallpox, was exposed to the color red. In the Yoruba mythology, the measles god Sopona was associated to the color red as well. Personally, i can't explain exactly why those beliefs were so similar being so far apart, i think there is much research into human consciousness to be able to decipher this phenomena. But it is nonetheless very interesting indeed!

in short, that was the reason Inari foxes wear the red scarfs! I find them cute.

Africa, Europe, Asia: All had their forms to use red against sickness

In conclusion: Inari is not a singular entity, and they are multitudes, enshrined by those asking for prosperity. It took me in a big rabbit hole of the red color, and sickness gods and demons, and i thought it would be cool to take you guys along!

In the end, my best friend provided me with great pictures to illustrate this text, and my other friend ended up creating amazing designs using the Inari motif. It seems that even millennia passing, Inari keeps influencing the Human mind to this very day.

In case you got curious, here is one of my friend's Inari designs!

My designer friend contact info, in case his work catch your eyes!

Sources: -The Rice Goddess and Fox In Japanese Religion and Folk Pratice

-Fushimi inari Taisha temple [1]

-The Nihongi

-Nikon Shogi

-Living With Kami

-onmarkproductions.com

[forcebookish]

new fic masterlist (now by fandom!)

(tumblr now suppresses internal AND external links, so i may as well have the proper links in the original posts going forward.)

organized by alphabetized media type (ctrl + f: ANIME/MANGA, COMICS+, RPF, and THAI DRAMAS to find what you're looking for), then in order of most recent to least recent.

ANIME/MANGA

the weight in her heart (2/5) BLEACH M | IchiRuki | 10,509 WC

In the span of a few days, Ichigo goes from giving the transfer student a ride to school on his bicycle to watching her die right in front of him. With nowhere else to go, Rukia’s ghost haunts him, hoping to find out what killed her and move on. Claiming it’s only about getting her out of his closet, Ichigo does everything he can to help her move on—including confronting her family and, of all things, going on a date. Yet the more he does for her, the less he wants to let her go. And the closer they become, the heavier the Chain of Fate on Rukia’s chest grows.

COMICS+

kiss you or kick you (4/5) Captain America (MCU) M | SteveBucky (Stucky) | 15,710 WC

All I had to do was hold him. After the fallout from the Sokovia Accords, Steve, Bucky, Sam, and Wanda find refuge in a Wakandan safe house. Desperate to keep Bucky by his side, Steve convinces him not to go back on ice and instead try to loosen Hydra’s grip on his mind. With the help of Shuri and Wanda, Steve tries to put back Bucky’s pieces in the hopes they can finally be together—but what if they’re both too broken to reach for each other? What if it’s like Bucky falling from the train all over again? (Takes place after the events of Captain America: Civil War.)

self defense (one shot) Wonder Woman (DCEU) G | Diana/Barbara (WonderCheetah) | 1,113 WC

Diana may have taught Barbara self defense, but there’s no defense against their mutual attraction.

RPF

thirty minutes (one shot) Thai Drama RPF (GMMTV) E | ForceBook | 3,800 WC

So much of Force and Book’s life together is play pretend, the boundaries between them and their characters drawn out in bold—but for thirty minutes every week, the lines blur.

melt away (one shot) Thai Drama RPF (GMMTV) G | ForceBook | 1,374 WC

Force reminds Book of who he is; he always has. After a day without Force on the Only Friends set, Book has a hard time getting out of Mew’s mindset and the anger he has for Top’s betrayal—so he goes to Force’s to remember what it’s like to love him.

slow down (2/2, sequel to Love Out Loud) Thai Drama RPF (GMMTV) T | ForceBook | 1,556 WC

1. like gravity would betray him: A sleepy, clingy Force helps calm Book before a daunting Only Friends shoot. 2. standing in the eye of a typhoon: Between takes, Book struggles with the most challenging scene in episode six and Force helps him focus.

Love Out Loud (2/2) Thai Drama RPF (GMMTV) G | ForceBook | 1,406 WC

1. I wouldn’t want it with anyone else. After the whirlwind weekend of the 2023 Love Out Loud Fan Fest, Book needs a hug to get to sleep; so does Force. 2. You’re supposed to say it back. (Prequel.) Backstage, Force has a hard time meeting Book’s eyes—but that’s not what Book is looking for.

THAI DRAMAS

make my heart tremble (one shot) Only Friends M | TopMew | 4,385 WC

(Episode 9) After his blow-out fight with Ray, Mew gets wasted and runs into Top at YOLO; he can’t tell if Top is the last person he wants to see or the only one.

a compelling argument (one shot) Only Friends E | TopMew | 2,044 WC

(Episode 11) Top proves to Mew one of the benefits of living with him.

False Alarm (one shot) Only Friends T | TopMew | 1,145 WC

Since the fire at the hotel, Top’s dreams have gotten worse. Even Mew’s presence cannot fight all the demons in his head.

taste you again (one shot) Only Friends E | TopMew | 1,128 WC

(Episode 4) “You wanna go faster? After making me wait so long to taste you again?”

Thunderstruck (one shot) Enchanté T | AkkTheo | 713 WC

Recently married, Theo still protects Akk from thunder like when they were kids.

more than forever (one shot) A Boss and A Babe E | GunCher | 2,311 WC

(Episode 12) Cher left because he wanted—wants—to be with Gun forever, and Gun means to hold him to that.

Extrême (one shot) A Boss and A Babe E | GunCher | 4,536 WC

Cher loves Gun’s new cologne; Gun just loves Cher—publicly and privately.

these are only the fics i've written since i started my blog/under the farewellswords pseud; check out my ao3 for older ones!

[doewhiteauthor]

Thigh Rider

Title: Thigh Rider

Fandom: Marvel

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Summary: Bucky Barnes is a Fucking Tease

Age Rating: 18+ Minors DNI

Word Count: 713

I am open to requests! 

Bucky Barnes was a fucking tease. Sure he came off as a closed-off traumatised soldier who knew nothing of modern sex. But he knew way more than he was letting on, and as soon as he knew what you liked, he used it to his advantage CONSTANTLY. He very quickly found his love of teasing you, riling you up as much as possible before finally giving in to what you wanted, what you NEEDED. This time was no different, another one of Tony’s large and extravagant parties in full swing, Bucky had chosen your outfit, and reminded you constantly of what view everyone would get if you bent over in it. He loved to see you blush when he would drop something and ask you to pick it up, but always seemed disappointed when you could crouch down to pick it up rather than bend at the waist. You wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. 

That only meant that he upped his game. He was looking particularly handsome tonight, in a shirt that showed off his muscles, sleeve rolled up to his elbows. He looked at everything something straight out of a romance novel. But he wasn’t the only one who could tease. In your short dress, you made your way onto the dance floor, you could feel his eyes on you as you swayed your hips as you walked. Tony had invited so many people you didn’t know, so you found the first stranger in the crowd and began to dance. You weren’t famous, no one knew your face, so the stranger was more than happy to dance with you, pulling you a little too close for comfort, but it was all in the name of being a tease.

It didn’t take long at all, Bucky was mixed in the crowd, casually pulling you away from the stranger's arms into his, giving the stranger a warning look before pulling you off of the dancefloor. He dragged you into a corner of the room, away from the big crowds. Wrapping his arm around your waist he pulled you close.

‘You want to be a whore on the dance floor,’ Bucky growled,  ‘then you can stay right here and cum on my thigh.’ He pulled you forward with his hand on the small of your back. You stumbled into him, this allowed him to force his thigh between your legs, brushing it up against your pussy. Gasping, you gripped onto his shoulders.

‘Bucky…’ you tried to speak, but he pushed his knee up again, purposefully rubbing his thigh against you. 

‘Less talk. More riding.’ Bucky moved into a more comfortable position, his thighs still between your legs and a smirk across his lips. You glanced over your shoulder, everyone else was too busy with the party to notice either of you in the corner. 

As a red blush covered your cheeks, you began to grind your hips against his thigh. After a few movements, you managed to find your rhythm, every movement rubbing all the right places. You gripped his shirt, trying to keep your balance as you lost yourself in the pleasure. Bucky held onto your hips tightly, stifling your movements slightly for his own pleasure and your torment. You could hear voices behind you get louder and quieter as people walked past, too engrossed in the party to even notice you in the corner. You pushed yourself right to the edge, sealing your lips into a thin line in an attempt to silence any cries. Buky leaned down to whisper in your ear.

‘Cum for me..’ he pressed his lips against yours to swallow any cries as you did just as you were told. You came on his thigh, your whole body shaking as the orgasm blew through you. 

It was nowhere near as powerful as what Bucky delivers with his own hands, but with the added risks it felt like something completely different. When Bucky pulled away, he smirked down at you.

‘Feel better now?’ he asked. You chuckled, leaning your head on his shoulder.

‘You’re an evil man, Bucky Barnes.’

‘How about I make it up to you?’ he removed his thigh from between your legs and grabbed your hand, pulling you towards the exit. The party wasn’t that interesting anymore. 

Like what you read? I also do have Patreon options where people can order 100% customised fics as well! 

[sexygaywizard]

I posted 13,234 times in 2022

That's 6,559 more posts than 2021!

1,536 posts created (12%)

11,698 posts reblogged (88%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@sexygaywizard

@wizardpotions

@telltaletypist

@ghoul-wizard

@nastywizard

I tagged 7,477 of my posts in 2022

Only 44% of my posts had no tags

#wizardposting - 1,921 posts

#art - 923 posts

#i answer - 918 posts

#i talk - 850 posts

#fashion - 774 posts

#aesthetic - 713 posts

#cuties - 315 posts

#outfits to cast spells in - 260 posts

#tell me about your gender - 259 posts

#vibes - 204 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i add to my ramen: egg + sausage or pork (whatever spare meat i’ve got) + sriracha + lime juice + steamed carrots + mushrooms + green onion

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Sometimes I'm a boy or a guy but I'm never a man. "Man" as a term is too serious for me. Men do taxes. Guys commit tax fraud

43,660 notes - Posted June 16, 2022

#4

I hate when spellcheck tries to capitalize the word “god” or “christ” like bro I’m literally trying to use the lord’s name in vain over here, please DONT put some respect on his name

48,149 notes - Posted September 7, 2022

#3

The average woman is less than 2 feet tall. The average woman cannot ride a rollercoaster. I frequently confuse women with moderately large Golden Retrievers

48,406 notes - Posted July 11, 2022

#2

Who wants to come with me to New Jersey to go on an exciting adventure to find the magical mystery baseball mud

66,596 notes - Posted May 24, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Holy shit, oh my god! 50 of them??

122,061 notes - Posted May 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

RAT SAGA FOR POST OF THE YEAR 2022 BITCH U ALREADY KNOW

[kmomof4]

A Mistress to No One Part 3 Ch. 10

🎶 It’s the FINAL CHAPTER🎶 Yes, those musical notes are to indicate singing those words to the tune of Europe’s The Final Countdown. Yeah, I know I’m dating myself, but I DON’T CARE!!! We made it to the end and happy endings abound in this last installment! 

Speaking of this last installment... Y’all... this fic has been finished for six weeks. But I decided on Thursday to add just a bit to the end... well, that bit turned into approx 3,000 words, bringing the final word count of the chapter to just over 10k 😳😱 I have NEVER posted a 10k chapter... So be sure you have plenty of snacks and a drink handy when you sit down to read... That bit also includes smut, which is again separated at the beginning and end by a double scene change line, like this...

~*~*~

~*~*~, if you’d like to skip it.

Thank you all so much for coming along on this journey with me! All the love, comments, likes, and kudos this fic has gotten has been so thrilling and humbling!! I am so glad y’all enjoyed the ride! Thank you all so much again!!!

All the love and thanks in the world to @hollyethecurious for her love and support, and for whom the fic was written, @jrob64 and @zaharadessert for their betaing expertise and their help getting unstuck, and finally to @motherkatereloyshipper for her manips I used in the artwork. Thank you all so much, ladies!!! Love y’all very much!!!

Summary: Bastard Emma Swan enjoys one night of pure magic and romance in the midst of a life of drudgery and abuse- attending a masquerade ball and meeting aristocrat Killian Jones. Two years later, the same man she met on the best night of her life reappears, saving her from a dire fate in the process.

Now, she must keep herself from falling in love with a man she can never have. But when that proves impossible, is there any hope for a happy ending between two people from such vastly different worlds?

Rating: M (smut)

Words: Just over 10k of nearly 65k

Tags: Birthday Fic, Inspired by Benedict’s Story in Bridgerton, Regency Romance, Smut

On ao3 From the beginning/ Current ch

On Tumblr Prologue Ch1 Ch2 Ch3 Ch4 Ch5 Ch6 Ch7 Ch8 Ch9

New Tag List! Please let me know if you’d like to be added or removed.

@jrob64 @teamhook @winterbaby89 @hollyethecurious @xarandomdreamx @undercaffinatednightmare @the-darkdragonfly @stahlop @superchocovian @pirateprincessofpizza @tiganasummertree @anmylica @cosette141 @motherkatereloyshipper @zaharadessert @jonesfandomfanatic @ultraluckycatnd @jennjenn615 @allons-y-to-hogwarts-713 @kymbersmith-90 @booksteaandtoomuchtv @wistfulcynic @mie779 @snowbellewells @lfh1226-linda @aprilqueen84 @whimsicallyenchantedrose @pirateherokillian @elfiola @ilovemesomekillianjones @justanother-unluckysoul @poptart-cat-78 @myfearless-love @goforlaunchcee @searchingwardrobes @gingerpolyglot @gingerchangeling @djlbg @cocohook38 @cs-rylie @thisonesatellite @donteattheappleshook​ @deckerstarblanche @veryverynotgoodwrites @wefoundloveunderthelight​ @fleurdepetite @alexa-fangirl-forever

Under the cut, unless Tumblr ate it.

Dearest Reader,

La! What excitement yesterday on the front steps of Lady Jones’ residence!

First off, Mary Margaret Blanchard was seen in the company of not one, not two, but THREE Jones brothers, surely a heretofore impossible feat for the poor girl, who is rather infamous for her wallflower ways. Sadly (though perhaps predictably) when she finally departed, it was on the arm of the viscount, the only married man in the bunch.

If Miss Blanchard were to somehow drag a Jones brother to the altar, it would not only be the end of the world as we know it, but This Author, who freely admits she wouldn’t know which way was up in such a world, would be forced to resign her post on the spot.

Now if Miss Blanchard’s gathering wasn’t shocking enough, not three hours later, a woman was accosted right in front of the townhouse by the Countess of Glowerhaven, who lives right across the street. It seems the woman, whom This Author suspects was working in the Jones household, used to work for the Lady Glowerhaven. Lady Glowerhaven alleges that the unidentified woman stole from her two years ago and immediately had the poor thing carted off to jail.

This Author is not certain what the punishment is these days for theft, but one has to suspect, when the alleged victim is a Countess, it is quite severe, indeed. The poor girl is likely to be hanged. Or at the very least find herself transported to Australia.

Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers

May 8

~*~*~

Killian’s first inclination the following morning was to pour himself a stiff drink. He may not normally partake this early in the day, but after the emotional upheaval from the night before and then the lousy night’s sleep he’d had, he thought he was entitled.

But then he remembered he’d made a date with David for a fencing match that morning. Skewering his brother sounded rather appealing, no matter that he had nothing to do with Killian’s quite wretched mood.

What else were brothers for, anyway?

“I’ve only an hour,” David said as he attached the safety tip to his foil. “I have an appointment this afternoon.”

“No matter,” Killian replied, lunging forward a few times to loosen up his leg muscles. It had been quite some time since he’d fenced. It felt good to hold the sword in his hand. “It won’t take more than an hour to best you.”

David rolled his eyes and pulled down his mask while Killian walked to the center of the room. “Are you ready?” he asked.

“Not quite,” David said. Killian lunged again. “I said I wasn’t ready!” David cried, jumping out of the way.

“You’re too slow,” Killian snapped.

David cursed under his breath. “What the hell’s gotten into you?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Killian all but snarled. “Why would you say so?”

“Oh, perhaps because you nearly took my bloody head off,” he said, sarcasm dripping from his words.

“If I did,” Killian snarked back, “it’d be quite bloody indeed.”

“Are you ready?” David asked, getting into position.

Killian nodded and bent his knees.

“Regular rules,” David said, assuming a fencer’s crouch. “No slashing.”

Killian nodded sharply.

“En garde!”

Both men raise their right arms, twisting their wrists until their palms faced up, foils gripped in their fingers. Killian advanced immediately, lunging and attacking, but David had always been rather fleet of foot, and he retreated carefully, meeting Killian’s attack with an expert parry.

“You’re in a bad mood today,” David said, lunging forward and just nearly catching Killian on the shoulder.

Killian stepped out of his way, lifting his blade to block the attack. “Yes, well,” he said through gritted teeth. He advanced again, his foil stretched straight out. “I had a bad day.”

David sidestepped his attack neatly, touching the handle of his foil to his forehead in a mock salute.

“Shut up and fence,” Killian growled.

“I didn’t say a word,” David chuckled. He advanced, swishing his blade this way and that, keeping Killian on the retreat. “It must be a woman.”

Killian blocked David’s attack and quickly began his own advance. “None of your damn business.”

“It’s a woman,” David said, the smirk on his face clear from the tone of his words.

Killian lunged forward, the tip of his foil catching David on the collarbone. “Point,” he grunted, unable to keep a smug smirk off of his face.

David gave a curt nod. “Touch for you,” he said. They walked back to the center of the room and resumed their position.

“En garde. Fence!”

This time David went on the attack. “If you need some advice about women…” he said, driving Killian back to the corner.

“If I needed advice about women,” Killian interrupted, blocking David’s attack with enough force to send him stumbling backward, “I can assure you, you’d be the last person I’d come to.”

“You wound me,” David said, regaining his balance.

“No, that’s what the safety tip is for.”

“I certainly have a better record with women than you,” David asserted.

“Oh, really?” Killian said sarcastically. “‘I am certainly not going to marry Mary Margaret Blanchard.’”

Killian could almost feel David wince at the reminder of his faux pax.

“You,” Killian continued, “shouldn’t be giving advice to anyone.”

“I didn’t know she was there.”

Killian lunged, just missing David’s shoulder. “That’s no excuse,” he said. “You were outside, in broad daylight. Even if she hadn’t been there, someone could have heard and the bloody thing would have ended up in Whistledown.”

“I was foolish,” David acknowledged. “But you are stupid.”

“What the hell does that mean?’

David sighed as he pushed up his mask. “Why don’t you do us all a favor and marry the girl?”

Killian just stared at him, his foil down at his side. Was there any possibility that David didn’t know who they were talking about? He removed his mask and looked into his brother’s blue eyes and nearly groaned aloud. David knew. He didn’t know how David knew, but he definitely knew.

He supposed he shouldn’t have been terribly surprised. David always knew everything. In fact, the only person who ever seemed to know more gossip than David was Ruby.

“How did you know?” he asked, quietly.

One corner of David’s lip lifted into a crooked smile. “About Emma? It’s rather obvious.”

“David, she’s…”

“A maid?” David interrupted. “Who cares? What is going to happen to you if you marry her?” he asked with a careless shrug of his shoulders. “People you couldn’t care less about will ostracize you? Hell, I wouldn’t mind being ostracized by some of the people with whom I’m forced to socialize.”

Killian shrugged dismissively. “I’d already decided I didn’t care about all that.”

“Then what in bloody hell is the problem?” David demanded.

“It’s complicated.”

“Nothing is ever as complicated as it is in one’s mind,” David asserted.

Killian thought about his brother’s words then took a deep breath. “Do you remember Mother’s masquerade?”

David blinked at the unexpected question. “Two years ago, just before she moved out of Jones House?”

Killian nodded. “That’s the one. Do you remember meeting a woman in blue? You came upon us in the hallway.”

“Of course. You were rather taken with…” David’s eyes got big as saucers. “That wasn’t Emma?”

Killian nodded.

“But… how…”

“I don’t know for sure how she got there, but she’s not a maid.”

“She’s not?”

“Well, she is a maid,” Killian clarified, “but she’s also the bastard daughter of the Earl of Glowerhaven.”

“Not the current…”

“No, the one who died several years back.”

“And you knew all this?”

“I knew she was a nobleman’s bastard,” Killian admitted. “But I just found out his identity yesterday.”

“I see.” They were both quiet for a minute. “What are you going to do?”

“That… is a very good question.” Killian looked down at the floor. Yes, he was still angry and confused over her concealing of her identity, but his speculation about where she came from made the bile rise in his mouth in disgust. He knew the Countess of Glowerhaven was a witch, but if his guesses were true, there was no measuring his hatred for the woman.

And what of Emma herself? He’d already decided to risk social ostracizing and ask her to marry him. The bastard daughter of a nobleman was better than a servant, but only slightly. It was quite possible he and Emma would have to eschew London society for a quiet life in the country. It took him only a moment to realize a life with Emma in the country was far preferable to a life in London without her.

But would she agree? She said she loved him. But the things he’d said to her, the anger and bitterness and leaving her the way he did… Did it really matter that she was the woman from the masquerade?

No. It didn’t. She may have concealed her identity from him, but as he spent time with her the last month, she took up more and more of his heart, of his mind. He knew her soul.

When they kissed, when they laughed, when she kept him company as he sketched, that was the real Emma.

And he loved her.

“You look like you’ve come to a decision,” David said quietly.

Killian eyed his brother thoughtfully. When had he grown so perceptive? Or rather, when had he grown up? David had never had to assume any real responsibility and his character had always reflected that.

But as Killian looked at him now, he saw a man. His shoulders were a little broader, his posture a little more steady. And his eyes were wiser. That was the real difference. If eyes were truly the windows of the soul, then his younger brother’s soul had gone and grown up on him when he wasn’t paying attention.

“I owe her a few apologies,” Killian said.

“I’m sure she’ll forgive you.”

“She owes me several as well,” he said wryly.

He could tell David wanted to ask him why, but instead he said, “Are you willing to forgive her?”

Killian nodded.

David took Killian’s foil from him. “I’ll put this up for you.”

Killian stood there stupidly for a moment. “I have to go,” he blurted out.

David raised an eyebrow at him. “I surmised as much.”

Killian was suddenly taken by an overwhelming urge. He reached out and pulled David into a hug.

“I don’t say this very often, but I love you.”

David pulled back and patted him on the shoulder. “I love you, too. Now get out of here.”

Killian handed him his mask and strode out of the room.

~*~*~

“What do you mean she’s gone?”

“Just that, Killian,” his mother informed him, her eyes sad and sympathetic. “She resigned her position and disappeared.”

The pressure building behind his eyes was almost too much. He rubbed his temples in agitation. He felt like he was going to explode.

“And you just let her go?”

“Killian, I couldn’t very well force her to stay if she wished to leave.”

“Where did she go?”

His mother seemed to deflate in her chair at his question. “I don’t know. I, of course, insisted that she take one of our carriages, just so I’d know where she went, but she disappeared before it could be brought round.”

Killian ran his hands through his hair, gripping at his temples trying to relieve the blinding headache forming there. How could he possibly find her? London was a huge city, and if she didn’t want to be found, he knew it’d be impossible to do so. She’d proven that two years ago.

“She’s Glowerhaven’s daughter,” he said, cutting his eyes toward her to see her reaction.

She nodded. “I surmised as much. Illegitimate, I assume?”

Killian nodded. She opened her mouth to say something else. But before she could, Tink and Tilly burst into the room, completely out of breath.

“What is it?” Lady Jones asked, rising from the sofa.

“It’s Emma,” Tink panted.

“Yes, I know,” she said, “She’s gone. We…”

“No!” Tilly cut in, slapping a piece of paper down on the desk. “Look.”

Killian tried to grab the latest edition of Lady Whistledown, but his mother got there first.

“What is it?” he asked, watching as his mother’s face lost all color. She handed him the paper. He scanned through it until he came to the section about Mary Margaret Blanchard, then he came to the section that could only be about Emma.

“Jail?” he whispered. His eyes met his mothers and the fear and concern in them sharpened into determination.

“We must see her released.” Her eyes flashed and she looked like a general about to charge into battle. Killian was already halfway to the door. “Wait!” she called. “I’m coming with you!”

Her words stopped Killian in his tracks. “You are most certainly not coming. I will not have you exposed to…”

“Oh, please,” his mother shot back. “I’m hardly a shrinking violet. And I can vouch for Emma’s honesty and integrity.”

“I’m coming, too,” Tilly said, skidding to a halt next to Tink, who had also followed them out into the upstairs hall.

“No!” The simultaneous reply from both their mother and brother silenced whatever protests they may have thought to utter.

Killian turned to his mother. “If you want to go, we leave immediately.”

“Have the carriage brought round, and I’ll be waiting out front,” she assured him.

Ten minutes later, they were on their way.

~*~*~

Emma sat in the dark, dank prison feeling utterly sorry for herself. It was cold, it was filthy, it stank, and there were rats. Just the thought made her shudder in revulsion.

“You have a visitor.”

Emma jumped at the gruff, unfriendly voice of the warden. She couldn’t help the increase of her heart rate. Was it possible that Killian could have discovered what happened to her?

“Well, well, well, what have we here?”

Cora. Emma’s heart sank.

“Emma Swan. I never would have guessed that you would have the audacity to show your face in London again,” she crooned. Emma held her tongue and let all the hatred she had for the woman show on her face. She knew Cora wanted to get a rise out of her, and she refused to give her the satisfaction.

“Things are not looking well for you,” she said, her head wagging in false sympathy. She leaned forward and whispered, “The magistrate doesn’t take very kindly to thieves.”

Cora watched her, waiting for her to say or do something, she was sure, if only to try and tack that on to the list of charges against her.

“The shoe clips were bad enough,” Cora said, tapping her chin with her finger. “But he grew positively incensed when I informed him of the theft of my wedding ring.”

Emma’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I didn’t…” she said, before cutting herself off.

“Oh, didn’t you?” Cora replied, a sly smile on her face. She held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers in front of the bars. “I don’t appear to be wearing it, and it’s your word against mine.”

Emma’s rage was white hot at this hateful, hateful woman, but she didn’t say a word. Because Cora was right. No one would take her word over a countess. Cora smiled.

“You’ll either be hanged or sent to Australia,” she informed Emma with a shrug. “Not that it matters to me. Either way, I’ll never have to see you again.” Her smile turned cold and absolutely evil.

Emma looked at this woman, who had tormented her for so many years and she suddenly had to know. “Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you?”

Cora came close to the bars and spoke, a sneer in her voice. “You exist. He forced me to live with you. He was punishing me for not giving him an heir.”

Emma could say nothing.

“How could he have gone and had a child with some whore and I couldn’t give him a child?” Emma knew she didn’t really expect an answer, and so she remained silent.

“I hated you. I hated to see you. I hated to hear you. I hated that you had to live in my house.”

“It was my house, too,” Emma whispered.

“I know,” Cora said bitterly. “And I hated that, too. So once he was gone and I was forced to keep you, I decided to take everything I could from you. You deserved it. And I was entitled.”

Emma shook with rage, humiliation, and fear. How could she stand up to such blind hatred? But as she stared at this woman who’d done everything in her power to destroy her, Emma suddenly felt the fear disappear and a resolve fill her that she’d never known. She stood up as straight as she could and looked Cora right in the eye.

“I was right. All those years ago,” she said, quietly. She didn’t expect her words to make any difference, but they brought her a peace she didn’t expect, given her circumstances. “My heart is far kinder, far better than yours. If you even have a heart. No matter what you do to me, you will never be satisfied. You will always be hateful and bitter, and cruel, and you will never know love. And that is no way to live.” Emma felt the tears gather in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. At least she had known love, even if it was beyond her reach now. Simply loving Killian Jones, actually experiencing it for herself, made her a better person.

There was a commotion around the corner that caught both their attention.

“What the devil?” Cora asked, stepping back and craning her head to try and see. And then Emma heard a very familiar voice and her heart leapt.

“Killian?” she whispered.

Cora snapped her head toward Emma. “What did you say?”

But Emma ignored her.

“I said,” Killian roared, “let us pass! And bring the magistrate!”

“Killian!” Emma shouted. She forgot that she didn’t want him to see her in such degrading circumstances. She forgot there was no future for them. All she could think was that he found her. He’d come for her.

A rather sickening smack, obviously that of flesh against bone, echoed through the air, followed by a thud, likely the target of the first smack falling to the floor. Then she heard running footsteps.

“Killian!”

“Emma! My God, are you well?” His hands reached through the bars, cupping her cheeks, touching her face everywhere he could reach. His lips found hers, the kiss this time not of passion and desire, but of terror and relief.

“Mr. Jones?” Cora squeaked.

Emma somehow managed to pull her eyes off of Killian and onto Cora’s shocked face. In all the excitement, she’d quite forgotten that Cora was unaware of her ties to the Jones family.

Killian turned blazing eyes on Cora and crossed his arms over his chest. “What are your charges against her?” he demanded.

And instead of cowering and quaking as any sane person would have done in the face of Killian Jones’ ire, Cora straightened up, planted her hands on her hips and looked him straight in the eye.

“Theft!” she shouted.

Suddenly, Lady Jones came around the corner. “I cannot believe that our Emma would ever…”

“This…” and here Cora threw a scathing glance at Emma through the bars, “girl had the audacity to steal my wedding band!”

“I didn’t steal your wedding band and you know it!” Emma cried, unable to contain herself any longer.

“You stole my shoe clips,” Cora shot right back. Emma snapped her mouth shut. “Ha! See?” Cora crowed. “A clear admission of guilt.”

“She is your step-daughter,” Killian growled. “She never should have been put in the position of feeling the need to…”

“Don’t you ever,” Cora seethed, her face turning red, “call her my step-daughter. She is nothing to me.”

“I beg your pardon,” Lady Jones interjected, “but if she was truly nothing to you, why are you here, in this filthy and stinking jail, gloating over her and trying to get her executed?”

Cora was saved from having to answer by the arrival of the warden, who sported a spectacular black eye, and the magistrate. Since the warden had spanked her as he pushed her into the cell, Emma could not find it within herself to feel sorry for him.

“What is going on here?” the magistrate asked. He was a thin man, with a head of curly red hair and spectacles on his face.

“This woman,” Killian began pointing at Cora, his loud voice effectively silencing the rest of them, “has accused my fiancée of theft.”

Fiancée?

Emma clutched tightly to the bars, as her legs threatened to give out on her.

“Fiancée?” Cora gasped.

“Yes,” Killian confirmed, glaring at her.

“And who exactly are you?” the magistrate asked, obviously realizing Killian was someone important, even if he didn’t know precisely who.

“Killian Jones,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Er…” the magistrate began, looking a bit nonplussed. “Any relation to the Viscount?”

“He’s my brother.”

“And she’s your,” he said, gulping hard and pointing at Emma, “your fiancée?”

Emma couldn’t believe what she was hearing and stood silently gaping like a fish out of water.

“You can’t marry her!” Cora screeched.

“And why not?” Killian looked first at Emma, love shining in his eyes, then at his mother. “As long as she agrees, is there any reason I need to consult Lady Glowerhaven about this?”

“Not that I’m aware of,” Lady Jones confirmed.

“She’s nothing but a whore!” Cora screamed. “Her mother was a whore, and so is…”

She was cut off sharply and completely by Killian pushing her to the wall, holding her there by the throat. “Do not say another word.” His voice was low and deadly and Emma thought she might swoon.

The magistrate tapped Killian on the shoulder. “You really should let her go.”

“Might I put a muzzle on her?”

The poor man looked torn, but he did eventually shake his head. With obvious reluctance, Killian let her go.

“If you marry her,” Cora wheezed, rubbing her throat, “I will make sure everyone in the ton knows exactly what she is- the bastard daughter of a whore.”

Killian moved into the countess’s face. “And your step-daughter,” he growled.

“She stole from me!” Cora cried.

“No, you stole from her!” Killian roared. The room descended into complete silence.

“You stole her very childhood from her! The hatred and abuse she suffered at your hands from the time you married her father, and then, after he was gone, making her a servant in her own house!” Killian knew he was veering into unconfirmed territory concerning Emma’s past with his words, but the pain in her eyes and her desperation to keep the truth hidden from him told him he could probably bet his sizable fortune that he was very close to the truth. Close enough that no one would question it. He turned back to the magistrate. “My fiancée is the bastard daughter of the late Earl of Glowerhaven. And that is why the dowager countess has falsely accused her of theft. It is revenge and hatred. Pure and simple.”

The magistrate looked from Killian to Cora, and finally to Emma. “Is this true?” he asked her. “Have you been falsely accused?”

“She took my shoe clips!” Cora shrieked. “I swear on my late husband’s grave, she took the shoe clips!”

“Oh, for heaven's sake, Mother, I took the shoe clips.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open and everyone’s attention turned to the newcomer. “Regina?”

Killian looked back at Emma when she spoke to find her white as a sheet.

“Get out of here,” Cora hissed. “You have no place in these proceedings.

“Obviously she does,” the magistrate interjected. “Now just who are you, miss?”

“Miss Regina Mills, sir,” Regina introduced herself. “Daughter to the countess. If Emma is to be transported for theft, then I must be, too.”

The warden took out his keys and looked to the magistrate. “Sir?” he asked.

“Put those away,” the magistrate said. “We’re not incarcerating the countess’ daughter.”

“Do not put those away,” Lady Jones cut in. “I want my future daughter-in-law released immediately.”

The warden looked helplessly at the magistrate. “Oh, very well,” he sighed. “Release her. But no one is going anywhere until I have this straightened out.”

The warden dutifully released Emma, and Killian moved quickly to gather her in his arms. “But no lovey-dovey reunions until I figure out who is to be arrested.”

“No one is being arrested,” Killian growled.

“She is going to Australia,” Cora cried, pointing at Emma.

“No, she isn’t,” Regina shouted, “not if I’m the one who took the shoe clips!”

“Regina, will you please be quiet?” Emma whispered, “Trust me, you do not want to be in that cell. It’s dreadful. And there are rats.”

Regina began to inch away from the cell.

“You will never see another invitation in this town,” Lady Jones said to Cora.

“I am a countess!” Cora hissed.

“And I am more popular,” Lady Jones replied with a haughty lift of her chin, the snide words so out of character for her that both Killian and Emma’s jaws dropped with surprise.

“Enough!” the magistrate shouted. He turned to Regina while pointing at Cora. “Is she your mother?”

Regina nodded.

“And you said you stole the shoe clips?”

Regina nodded again. “I kept them in my own closet. And no one stole her wedding band, either. It is in her jewelry box at home.”

But Cora insisted. “It is not!”

The gleam in Regina’s eye was evident and Emma felt like cheering. Yes, she was thrilled that Regina was speaking up on her behalf, but more than that, that she had finally found the strength to speak against her mother.

“Oh, yes, it is,” Regina continued. “The one you keep in the third drawer on the left.”

Cora’s face lost all color. The magistrate turned to the countess. “You don’t seem to have a very good case against Miss Swan, Lady Glowerhaven.”

Cora shook with rage as she pointed a long finger at her daughter. “Miss Swan stole from me and my daughter is lying,” she hissed in a low voice so full of malice it almost didn’t sound human. “I don’t know why she is lying or what she hopes to gain from it, but she is lying.”

It was all Emma could do to keep from rolling her eyes at Cora’s hypocrisy. But her stomach began to churn painfully at the thought of what Regina would face when she got home. She couldn’t allow that.

“Regina didn’t…” Emma stopped, completely breathless from where Regina had elbowed her in the belly. Hard.

“Excuse me,” the magistrate asked. “Did you say something?”

Emma shook her head, completely unable to speak. Regina had knocked her breath clear to My Cottage. The magistrate let out a weary sigh and pulled off his glasses to clean them. He looked at each of them in turn when he was finished and then spoke.

“Clearly, there is more here going on than just a shoe clip,” he said.

“Shoe clips,” Cora interjected, “There were two.”

The magistrate rolled his eyes. “Regardless, you all obviously detest one another, and I would like to know why before I go ahead and charge anyone.”

For a moment, no one spoke. Then they all started speaking, shouting over one another.

“Silence,” the magistrate hollered over them all. “You,” he said, pointing at Emma, “start.”

“Uhhh…” Now that Emma had the floor, she was rather self-conscious. Killian held her closer, and Regina squeezed her hand in silent support. “What he said was correct,” she said, turning her eyes upon Killian briefly, before turning her attention to the magistrate again. “I am the daughter of the late Earl of Glowerhaven, though I was never acknowledged as such.”

Cora opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again at the withering glance the magistrate shot her way.

“I lived at Spencer Hall for five years before my father married the countess. He said he was my guardian, but everyone knew the truth.”

Lady Jones smiled. “I knew them. Your father, your grandmother, and your aunt,” she said, smiling softly. “It’s why you’ve always looked so familiar to me.”

Emma flashed her a small smile. Hearing these words made Emma feel that much more confident. That much more secure, as she continued her tale.

“When the earl married the countess, she didn’t want me living there, but the earl insisted. I rarely saw him, and I don’t think he thought very much of me, but he did see me as his responsibility, and wouldn't allow her to boot me out. But when he died…” Emma stopped and swallowed thickly. She’d never told this part of her story to anyone and while Killian had guessed it correctly, the words still felt strange in her mouth. “When he died, his will specified that Lady Glowerhaven’s portion would be trebled if she kept me in her household until I turned twenty. So she did. But my position changed dramatically. I became a servant.”

Killian hugged her closer to his side as she continued to speak, the anger at having his earlier words confirmed running through his veins.

“Well, not really a servant,” she continued, wryly. “A servant is paid. I was not.”

Emma looked over at Cora and felt a wave of satisfaction come over her. Everything was going to be alright. The man she loved had, in a rather roundabout way, asked her to marry him, and Cora was about to get exactly what she deserved. Even with everything this horrible woman had done to her over the years, Emma’s heart and spirit were still strong. Cora had not defeated her.

“After the earl died, Lady Glowerhaven kept me on as an unpaid lady’s maid. Although in truth, I did the work of three lady’s maids, a housekeeper, and a scullery maid.”

“You know,” Regina interjected, “Lady Whistledown said the very same thing last month! About our maids doing the work of three.”

“Shut up, Regina,” Cora snapped.

“When I turned twenty,” Emma continued, “she didn’t turn me out. To this day, I don’t know why.”

“I think we’ve heard enough,” Cora interjected.

“I don’t think we’ve heard nearly enough,” Killian snapped, glaring daggers at Cora.

Emma looked to the magistrate for guidance. At his nod, she continued. “I can only deduce that she rather enjoyed ordering me about. Or perhaps having a free lady’s maid. There was nothing left to me from my father’s will.”

“That’s not true,” Regina interrupted. Emma turned to her in shock. “He did leave you money,” she insisted.

Emma’s mouth dropped. “B- but… but… that’s impossible. I had nothing. My father saw to my welfare up to age twenty, but after that…”

“After that,” Regina added, quite forcefully, “you had a dowry.”

“A dowry?” Emma whispered. She looked up at Killian who looked as shocked as she felt. Emma watched as that shock melted into a fury she’d never seen in his eyes as his gaze moved to Cora.

“That’s not true!” Cora’s voice was as shrill and grating as ever, but there was a hint of tremor in her words.

“You really shouldn’t leave incriminating evidence lying around, Mother,” Regina said. “I read the earl’s will last year. It was in the same box where she kept her wedding band.”

“You stole my dowry?” Emma whispered, still too shocked to manage more than that. All these years she’d thought her father had left her with nothing. She’d known that he’d only seen her as his responsibility, but it had stung that he’d left dowries for his two step-daughters and not her, his own blood. “He left me a dowry,” she said in a daze, as she looked at Killian again.

“I don’t care,” he said. “I don’t need it.”

The magistrate turned to Cora. “And what has happened to her dowry?”

Cora said nothing.

Lady Jones cleared her throat. “I don’t think it’s terribly legal to embezzle a young woman’s dowry.” A slow, satisfied smile spread on her face. “Is it, Cora?”

Killian decided he had never loved his mother more than he did at that very minute. The rage at Lady Glowerhaven still coursed through him, but he tried not to grin at the woman standing there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

“So, it appears the only one guilty of a crime here is the countess herself,” Killian said smugly.

The magistrate looked uncomfortable and Cora’s eyes blazed with hatred, self-importance, but no small amount of trepidation.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“In the eyes of the law, Countess, all are equal, no matter their class,” the magistrate said in a low voice. “I’m afraid I have no choice in the matter.” He nodded at the warden, who pulled a pair of handcuffs off his belt.

Cora pulled her hands up toward her face, refusing to hold them out. Killian released Emma and moved into the countess’ personal space, his face inches from hers. The fear, though still tinged with the haughtiness she’d come to expect from Cora, was finally evident in her eyes and Emma couldn’t look away.

“You hold your hands out, Countess,” he spat out her title with disgust, “and accept what is your due, unless you want me to personally throw you into that cell.”

The haughtiness disappeared, only the fear and a blazing hatred remaining in her gaze. She swallowed thickly before speaking.

“I will go myself,” she whispered. Killian moved away from her as she gathered her skirts and entered the open cell. The warden closed the door behind her and turned to the rest of them.

“Well,” the magistrate said, relief clear in his voice. “That takes care of that, I do believe.”

“Agreed,” Lady Jones added. “Would you be so kind as to show us the way out? I’m afraid I didn’t pay much attention when we came in.”

“Of course, Lady Jones,” he said. “Right this way.”

When they were all back on the sidewalk outside the jail, Emma turned to Regina and hugged her tightly as the young woman burst into tears.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” Regina cried. “I’m so sorry! I never stood up for you. I should have-”

“Nonsense,” Emma interrupted, pulling back to look her sister in the face. “You were young, I was young. And I know how difficult it is to stand up to her.”

“Thank you,” she sniffed, when Emma released her.

“Thank you?” Emma laughed, “For what? I have to thank you! I’d be on my way to Australia if it wasn’t for you.”

As Killian and Lady Jones watched Emma and Regina embrace, Killian bent down and whispered in his mother’s ear.

“Have I told you lately how much I love you?” he asked.

She looked at him with a pleased smile. “No, but I know anyway.”

“Have I mentioned that you are the best of mothers?”

“No, but I know that, too.”

“Good.” He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. It’s a privilege to be your son.”

Lady Jones gasped and then burst into tears.

“What did you say to her?” Emma demanded.

“It’s all right,” Lady Jones said, sniffling loudly. She threw her arms around Killian. “I love you, too!”

Regina turned to Emma. “This is a nice family,” she said.

Emma smiled. “I know.”

~*~*~

That evening, everything and everyone had been arranged. Regina had returned home to inform Zelena what had happened with their mother. Since Zelena had already accepted a proposal that season, she packed her bags and adjourned to her fiance’s home. Regina had been offered a place in the Jones home, which she’d eagerly accepted.

And now, Emma sat on Killian’s sofa. The same one on which she’d given herself to him just a couple of weeks ago. Lady Jones had questioned the wisdom (and propriety) of Emma coming to Killian’s home alone, but Killian had given her such a look that she’d quickly backed down, simply telling him to have her home by seven.

Killian sat next to her and took her hands in his.

“I’m sorry,” Emma said, looking down at their clasped hands.

“No, I’m sorry,” Killian replied. Emma sighed.

“This is very silly, I suppose,” she said. “But let me go first, please.” Killian nodded, his blue eyes searching hers. “I should have told you who I was. It was wrong of me to keep it from you. I think I was afraid of how you’d respond.” She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. “But what I told you was true. I did fall in love with you that night. I dreamt of you for two years until you saved me from Neal Gold. But then, when you didn’t recognize me, I didn’t know whether to be relieved or heartbroken.” She paused again and took a deep breath before continuing. “Because I did feel that connection with you. I felt you before I even laid eyes on you.”

“I did, too,” he interrupted. “And then I felt the same thing again before I discovered you were there at the pond.”

Emma shrugged, her face a bit sheepish. “When you didn’t recognize me, I thought…”

“You thought it was nothing more than a fantasy,” Killian finished for her. “Nothing more than a dream of a girl wishing for a better life.”

Emma nodded. “But then, there at My Cottage, I fell in love with you. The real you. I got to know you, and the… the… fantasy, the dream of love I held in my heart and mind became true. And by then…” she caught her breath as a sob threatened, “it was too late.”

“And I shattered any remaining part of the dream by asking you to be my mistress,” Killian concluded. Emma just looked at him, her silence indicating her agreement. “I never should have done that.”

“What else could you have done?” Emma asked. “To you, I was only a servant, and gentlemen of the ton do not marry servants. You wanted me, you said you were falling in love with me by then, but there was nothing to be done other than that!” She looked into his eyes, love and a profound contentment like she’d never known reflected there and settled her heart and spirit as she continued. “That connection. That very first night. I knew then I’d been born to be yours.” She looked down at their clasped hands and watched as a tear splashed onto them. She looked up at Killian and was shocked to see the tears there. His throat worked, but he couldn’t speak. He was completely overcome. She raised her hand to his face and drew him to her lips.

The kiss was tender. So tender and full of passion that it took her breath away. She opened to him with a quiet moan when his tongue requested entrance, his hands cupping her face. Long moments later, he pulled back, his forehead resting against hers.

“I love you, Emma. More than I ever thought possible, more than I could have dreamed.”

She looked into his eyes and ran her fingers down the side of his face. “I love you, too.”

He pulled back from her and searched her eyes. “Now it’s my turn. I may not have had an alternative to asking you to be my mistress at the time, but I should have respected your wishes and not continued my pursuit when you rejected my offer.”

“Well,” she interrupted, her eyes dancing with mischief, “if you hadn’t, we might not have made our way here.”

He acknowledged her point with a tilt of his head. “I love you, Emma. I want to marry you. I’d already decided before I found you in the nursery that social consequences could be damned. I was going to ask you to marry me and hope that you would have me.” He looked in her eyes, surprised to see the tears now swimming in her gaze. “We might not be able to live in London, but whenever I thought of what I really needed in life- not what I wanted, but what I needed- the only thing that kept coming up was you.”

He paused for a moment. “You took the time to see me,” he whispered. “Not Mr. Jones. Not Number Two. Me. Killian. You loved me for me.”

The vulnerability was back in his eyes and Emma touched his cheek gently. “You’re the finest person I know. I adore your family, but I love you.”

He pulled her into his arms. There was nothing else he could do. He had to feel her, reassure himself that she was there and that she would always be there. With him, by his side, until death did they part. He just had to hold her. Simply hold her. He turned his nose into her hair, inhaling her scent…

“Would you care for a bath?”

“Oh, God!” Emma cried, pulling back from him. “The jail was so filthy and I had to sleep on the ground…”

“Don’t tell me anymore,” Killian growled. “I don’t want to know the details. Although a more perfect environment for Cora before she is transported, I truly can’t imagine.” A smile tickled his lips. “I think you should have a bath.”

“Right.” She nodded as she rose to her feet. “I’ll go straight to your mother’s…”

“Here.”

“Here?”

He smiled fully. “Here.”

“But we told your mother…”

“That you’d be home by nine.”

Emma’s brow furrowed. “I think she said seven.”

“Did she? Funny, I heard nine.”

Emma tilted her head, feigned chastisement on her face. “Killian…”

He took her hand and led her toward the door. “Seven sounds an awful lot like nine.”

“Killian…”

“Actually,” he continued as if she hadn’t even spoken, a sly smile lifting his lips, “it sounds even more like… eleven…”

“Killian!”

“Stay right here.”

“I beg your pardon,” she said, her eyes widening.

“Don’t move a muscle,” he said, his smile charming, and booping her on the nose with his finger.

Emma watched helplessly as he slipped into the hall only to return two minutes later. “Where did you go?” she asked.

“To order a bath.”

“But…”

His eyes and smile turned very, very wicked. “For two.”

“It’s nearly seven, you know.”

“But I’m allowed to keep you until twelve.”

“Killian!”

He pulled her into his arms. “You want to stay.”

“I didn’t say that,” she said, amusement written all over her face.

“You didn’t need to,” he countered. “If you truly objected, you would have found more to say than just ‘Killian!’”

She had to smile, because he was right.

“Am I right?” His grin was positively devilish and he looked utterly delighted with himself.

She didn’t say anything, but shot him a sideways smirk at his gloating.

“Mmhmmm,” he said. “I thought so.” He lifted her in his arms, carrying her towards the stairs and a steaming hot bath, for two.

As soon as Killian deposited her in the room, to her great surprise, he left. He never took his eyes off of her as he backed out, smiling gently at her just before shutting the door between them.

The steam from the tub caressed her skin as she undressed. She couldn’t help wrinkling her nose as she drew her dress over her head. Killian was right. It, and she, was rank.

The water was scented with oil she could just see floating on the surface of the water in between the bubbles. Lavender, one of her favorites. Emma dipped her toe into the fragrant, steaming water and the rest of her followed.

She sighed in pleasure as the water rose around her. It had only been two days, but the filth of the prison made it feel more like a year since she’d bathed. Waiting for Killian to join her, she leaned her head back against the rim of the tub, letting her long locks float in the water. Her heart beat a staccato rhythm as she tried to relax in the soothing water, but she was too anxious, too excited, too eager for the man she loved to join her. She shivered in anticipation, even with the deliciously warm water surrounding her.

She heard a click behind her. She lifted herself from her reclined position and turned. Killian stood just inside the closed door, wearing a maroon dressing gown, tied with a brighter red sash at his waist. His feet and legs were bare as he moved toward where her dress lay on the floor.

“I hope you don’t mind if I have this burned,” he commented. She smiled at him and shook her head. She knew he was directing his attention away from her at the moment to make her feel more at ease.

He moved toward her in the tub and she moved to make room for him. But instead of disrobing and joining her, he knelt there at the head of the tub.

“What are you doing?” she asked. “Aren’t you going to join me?”

Killian shook his head as he picked up the cloth she hadn’t bothered with yet and dunked it in the water before rubbing the soap on it, generating a plentiful lather.

“Lean forward,” he commanded softly. She did, laying her forehead on her bent knees. She could barely contain her moan of pleasure as he began washing her back.

“I’ve dreamed of this for years,” he whispered. “All those nights, after the masquerade.” His words trailed away as he lifted her arm, running the cloth all the way down to her fingers, kissing each one after rubbing away the grime the night in the jail had left behind. Her other arm received the same tender ministrations. “Dunk your head so I can wash your hair.”

She did as he bade, rising quickly so Killian could rub the soap over her tresses, working it up into a thick lather. He ran his fingers through her hair, from her scalp all the way to the ends, gently tugging out the tangles.

“Ready to rinse.”

She dunked herself under the water, turning her head this way and that, before coming back up.

“You didn’t get it all out,” he said. “Stand up so I can get the remainder out and wash the rest of you.”

Emma caught her breath. Yes, she’d been intimate with this man, but she couldn’t help the embarrassment that came over her at the thought of standing before him, wet and naked.

Killian chuckled behind her. “You can stay facing that way, my love,” he assured her. “I won’t look as I finish up.”

Emma caught her bottom lip between her teeth and stood in the tub, her back still to Killian. He washed her bottom and then her legs, placing a tender kiss to the arch of each of her feet when he washed them. And when she turned to face him, true to his word, his eyes were tightly shut. Emma’s heart completely melted with love for this precious man.

He rose from where he knelt on the floor and proceeded to wash the front of her body, smirking slightly when she caught her breath as he washed her breasts. Still with his eyes closed, he bade her to turn around again. He knelt again, cupping his hands and filling them with water before rising and letting it pour over her head, rinsing her clean. He searched for the fluffy white towel to the side and, once he had it in his hands, held it open for her, eyes still closed. She stepped out of the tub and into his outstretched arms as he wrapped her in the softness of the towel and his embrace.

Killian opened his eyes and smiled before kissing her gently on the tip of her nose.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered.

“I’m glad I’m here, too,” she whispered back.

“I should wait until we are actually married.” His eyes blazed blue fire and Emma could hardly breathe.

“I don’t want you to wait until we’re actually married.”

Her words made something break in him, and he could hold himself back no longer. He captured her lips with his own, his tongue requesting entrance she quickly granted. Tightening his arms around the woman he loved, the woman of his dreams, the woman he never thought he’d have, his lips left hers and began laying light teasing kisses down her jaw then her neck, to where it joined her shoulder.

“You’re going to marry me, aren’t you?” he asked in between kisses. “I didn’t exactly ask before.”

Emma’s head fell back granting him more access. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Killian,” she breathed.

“I would have married you no matter what,” he said, pulling back and staring into her eyes. “I’d already decided the ton could go to hell. I loved you, and if you would have me, I was going to marry you.”

Emma reached up and stroked his jaw. “Yes, I will have you, Killian. Till death do us part.”

Killian bent, scooping her up in his arms and carrying her to his bed in the next room. He laid her gently on the coverlet, his eyes never leaving hers.

“In my heart, you are my wife.” He climbed up on the bed, stretching out beside her. “After the wedding, it will be legal. Blessed by God and country. But, this night, it is true.”

Emma reached up and ran her fingers through the hair that flopped over his forehead. “And you are my husband.” She paused, completely overcome and felt the tears fill her eyes. One escaped the corner and slid down into her hairline. “I never thought I’d get to say that. I never thought…”

“I know, my love. I know,” he murmured before capturing her lips in a kiss so soft, so gentle, Emma didn’t just feel loved, she felt revered.

~*~*~

~*~*~

The towel and dressing gown were tossed haphazardly away and when they were skin to skin, twin sighs of contentment passed their lips, before they joined in a passionate kiss that celebrated the reunion of lovers against all odds. Two pairs of hands roamed, reacquainting themselves with their beloved.

“Emma, Emma, Emma.” The words were pressed into her skin, his lips and hands driving her higher and higher with every kiss, every stroke, every nibble.

She responded in kind, his name a whisper on her breath as she held him close to her heart. He positioned himself in the cradle of her thighs and pulled back from her just enough to look into her eyes. Love and happiness poured from his gaze and his laughter joined hers when Emma’s joy bubbled up in a delighted giggle.

“I love you, Emma,” he breathed once their mutual mirth faded away. His gaze held hers as he pushed inside her, slowly filling her. Emma caught her breath just before he captured her lips, his tongue stroking hers, lighting a fire in her that she hoped would never die away. This was heaven. This was completion. This was perfect. He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers as he began to move. “I’m yours, Emma. To the end of the world or time.”

“Yes, Killian,” she murmured. He pumped a steady rhythm into her, ratcheting up her pleasure until she thought she’d burn to cinders in his arms. She clutched at his biceps as she met him stroke for stroke, chasing her own high, barely hearing the cries exchanged between them. White hot ecstasy suddenly burst inside her, sending tremors through all of her limbs down to her fingers and toes. Moments later he joined her in bliss, holding her tightly. She had never felt such love and adoration, such passion and euphoria as she did now, in his arms. She ran her fingers across the long lines of his back as they drifted on a sea of rapture and contentment. “I love you, too, Killian. And I am yours to the end of time.”

~*~*~

~*~*~

Several hours later, Emma shot upwards in the dark.

“Killian!” she gasped. “What time is it?”

Killian grunted beside her, so she grabbed his shoulder and shook him.

“Killian! KILLIAN!”

“I’m sleeping,” he mumbled.

“What time is it?”

“I’ve no clue.”

“I’m supposed to be back at your mother’s by seven.”

“Eleven,” he mumbled into the pillow.

“Seven!”

Killian peeled one eye open. It looked like it took a great deal of effort. “You weren’t going to make it back there by seven when you decided to stay and take a bath.”

Emma blew out a rough exhale. “I know, but I didn’t think I’d be much past nine…”

Killian looked around the room. “I don’t think you’re going to make it.”

Emma spied the mantle clock and began to choke and sputter.

“What is it, Emma?” he asked, alarmed.

“It’s three in the morning!”

A slow grin spread on Killian’s face. “Might as well spend the night then.”

Emma rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Killian.”

“Oh, there we go again with the ‘Killian’.” His grin widened even more as he turned to her and gathered her in his arms. “You wouldn’t want to disturb the servants at this time of night, now would you? I’m sure they’re all quite asleep by now.”

“But…”

“Have mercy, woman,” he finally declared. “I’m marrying you next week.”

That got her attention. Her mouth snapped shut and her eyes widened almost comically. “Next week?!” she squeaked.

He tried to look serious, but her shocked expression was making it exceedingly difficult. “Well, it is best to take care of things like this quickly, you know.”

“Why?”

“Why?” he parroted.

“Yes, why?” Her confusion was adorable and Killian couldn’t resist kissing her on the end of her nose.

“Staving off gossip, you know…”

“Oh…” Her eyes grew wide and her lips parted enticingly. “Do you think Lady Whistledown will write about me?”

Killian rolled his eyes and released her, his hand covering his face as he lay back down on the bed. “God, I hope not,” he muttered. She emitted a little sound that had him uncovering his eyes and just catching the disappointment in her visage. “Well, I suppose she might,” he conceded. “Why on earth would you want to be in there in the first place?”

Emma shrugged. “I’ve read her column for years,” she admitted. “I’ve always dreamed of seeing my name in there.”

“You have very strange dreams,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

“Killian!”

“Oh, very well. Yes, I suppose Lady Whistledown will report our marriage, and Cora’s misfortune.” His grin turned diabolical at the mention of her stepmother and Emma couldn’t help giggling. “If not before the ceremony, then certainly very quickly thereafter. She’s diabolical that way.”

“I wish I knew who she was.”

“You and half of London.”

“Me and all of London, I’d imagine,” she countered. “I really should go,” she murmured. “Your mother is surely worried about me.”

Killian shrugged. “She knows where you are.”

“But won’t she think less of me?” she asked. There was a hint of uncertainty in her tone and Killian turned to her, surprised to see real dismay on her face. Looking at her now, he suddenly understood. Emma loved and respected Alice a tremendous amount and didn’t want to disappoint her.

“Of course not, Emma,” he soothed. “She knows where you are and what we’ve been through getting here. She’s going to give us both a bit of latitude considering we’re getting married in three days.”

“Three days?!” she squeaked again. “I thought you said next week!”

“Three days is next week,” he informed her.

Emma frowned. “Oh. You’re right.” The furrow in her brow smoothed as she looked at him. “Monday then?”

“Monday,” he affirmed with a satisfied smile.

“Imagine that,” she murmured. “I’ll be in Whistledown.”

Killian rose, propping himself up on one elbow, eyebrow raised. “Are you excited about marrying me?” he asked, “Or being in Whistledown?”

Emma smirked and slapped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Actually,” he said, his brow furrowing in thought. “You’ve already been in Whistledown. Twice.”

Emma couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice if she tried. “I have? When?”

“After the masquerade,” he said. “Lady Whistledown reported that I’d been rather taken by a woman in blue. And she never could ascertain the woman’s identity.” He grinned delightedly. “It might be the only secret in London the blasted woman hasn’t uncovered. And then today. Er, yesterday. It’s how we found you.”

Emma’s smile turned smug. “That is very satisfying,” she observed. “To be the keeper of a secret that even Lady Whistledown couldn’t uncover.”

She turned to Killian again, whose smile had turned decidedly wicked. “I can think of other just as satisfying things, or even more satisfying things than that,” he said, gathering her close again, his eyebrows waggling seductively. He began kissing down the slope of her neck and Emma arched under him, granting him more access.

“I love you, Killian,” she breathed. “As long as we both shall live.”

“And I love you, Emma,” he replied. “To the end of the world and time.”

~*~*~

Dearest reader,

On this, a beautiful Monday in May, may I be the first to offer my most heartfelt congratulations to Killian Jones and his bride Miss Emma Swan, bastard daughter of the late Earl of Glowerhaven.

This is apparently the same young lady whom This Author reported on just this past week, who’d been arrested for allegedly stealing from the Countess of Glowerhaven, the young woman’s stepmother. Yes, ‘tis true, this young woman did once work for Lady Glowerhaven. After the late Earl’s death, the Countess had relegated Miss Swan to become a servant in her own household. This Author was as appalled and disgusted when this tidbit reached her ears, as I’m sure you all are. But out of all of this intrigue, there is a silver lining. Come to find out, the Countess herself was the one guilty of theft, in the form of the embezzlement of the now Mrs. Jones' dowry, left to her by her late father. As a result, the Countess now finds herself in the most unenviable of states. Transportation to Australia. And may This Author again be the first to offer a hearty huzzah to that! Australia can have her.

And now back to the nuptials of Killian Jones and Emma Swan. This Author has it on the best authority that it was a small and joyous ceremony. Or as small as it could be with all the Jones extended family in attendance, as well as the closest of family friends. This celebration has been a long time coming, since the young lovers had been separated for a period of two years. They originally met the night of the Jones masquerade ball, after which, if you Gentle Reader may remember, This Author reported Killian Jones being rather taken by a mysterious lady in blue. Unbeknownst to and undiscoverable by This Author then, due to the countess’ deplorable actions outlined above and never presenting her stepdaughter to society, I can now reveal that lady in blue, was none other than Miss Emma Swan.

May the newlyweds find every happiness, for they certainly deserve it.

Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers

May 11

~*~*~

“How?!” Killian exclaimed. “HOW?!” he shouted, waving the offensive sheet in the air.

Emma couldn’t help her pleased smile as she watched her husband gesticulate wildly in his agitation. Yes, it was wonderful and more lovely than she’d ever dreamed to be married to Killian and an official part of the Jones family, but Cora’s exposure and having the support of Lady Whistledown was the icing on the cake. She couldn’t care less that her past had been revealed. The people closest to her already knew her story. And now, Killian wouldn’t have to give up his place in London society because of her and every door out there would be open for their future children. What more could the bastard daughter of a Earl ask for?

 The End

~*~*~

Thank you again for coming along on this journey with me! I hope you enjoyed and let me know what you think!! Happy birthday, Hollye, even if it’s now 6wks later! I hope you love this half as much as I love you, cause that’ll be an awful lot! 😘

[thesuburbanerd]

I know the nomination race in a small, rural riding in New Brunswick for an election that likely won’t happen until late 2024 might seem like small potatoes but this one is notable. The nomination opened because the current MLA is retiring.

Faytene Grasseschi is a religious conservative activist who astroturfed a movement to get the government to change Policy 713, an educational policy that addresses gender identity in public schools. Premier Blaine Higgs removed the provision that allows students under 16 to have staff refer to them by their gender identity and pronouns without the knowledge of their parents.

She’s been explicit in her goal to get more conservative Christians elected by signing up new party members to get them nominated.

And that’s what she did here, with the Progressive Conservative Party of NB’s blessing as they overrode the riding association’s concerns about the quickly announced nomination meeting. Another candidate, the current mayor of Hampton, NB, dropped out because of the rushed process so Faytene Grasseschi was acclaimed.

Of course, winning a nomination and winning a general are different things but this is a pretty blue riding.

Point is - all that stuff across Canada about “parents rights” and “gender ideology?” A lot of it comes from her and now she’s getting directly into politics.

[atlanticcanada]

New Brunswick Progressive Conservative party takes 1st step to remove Higgs as leader

New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative party members who want Premier Blaine Higgs to step down as leader say they've taken the first step to oust him.

Marc Savoie, president of the Progressive Conservative riding association in Moncton East, said the dissenting party members, which include 26 riding presidents, have the necessary paperwork to start the process to remove Higgs. The PC constitution says 50 members of the party -- including at least 20 riding presidents -- can trigger a leadership review.

"The party doesn't have to issue an answer at the moment,"

Savoie said in an interview Friday.

"All it's obligated to do is put this on the agenda for next provincial council meeting, which will happen at some point in September."

A two-thirds majority of the council is needed to officially launch the review vote by PC party members. If the vote is defeated, Savoie said, Higgs is free to continue as leader of the New Brunswick Tories and premier of the province. If Higgs loses, however, he's welcome to contest again as party leader, Savoie added.

Dissenting party members have numerous problems with Higgs' leadership, Savoie said. These include Higgs' changes to the policy on sexual orientation and gender identity in schools; his attempted cuts to the French immersion program for anglophone students; his decision to close six rural hospital emergency rooms; and his elimination of elected representatives from regional health authorities and the anglophone education system.

Higgs' condescension and neglect toward the francophone and Indigenous communities have led to drastically reduced participation in the party's northern riding associations, Savoie added.

He said the premier has been claiming that dissenting presidents want to bring about a leadership review because of changes to the LGBTQ policy. The changes include making it no longer mandatory for teachers to use the preferred pronouns and names of transgender and nonbinary students under 16.

Savoie, however, says changes to Policy 713 are "the tip of the iceberg."

"That's just the straw that broke the camel's back," he said. "It's the prime example of how he is ruling the party in relation to the people."

"He listens to the people who say what he wants them to say. And that's how he bases his decisions."

Earlier this month, two ministers resigned from Higgs' cabinet citing his leadership style, leading to a shuffle during which the premier named five new people to portfolios. After the cabinet shuffle Tuesday, Higgs told reporters he needed to rebuild relationships with dissenting riding presidents.

"I think we have some building to do," he said. "There's no question about that, and I need to play a key role in that -- reaching out to the membership, to the executives throughout the province, and be able to sit down and have some very good discussions."

Higgs' office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Savoie said he is not sure about the premier's intentions on healing the divisions in the party.

"He's been saying that for years now. He's been saying that he wants to work together with people. He's done the exact opposite. He's alienated his caucus members, party members. He goes ahead and makes decisions without listening to his close allies, to his ministers, to his (members of legislative assembly)," he said.

"He did nothing to nobody but himself. So for those reasons, we strongly believe that when he says those words, it is just to try to stop the discussion that we're having at the moment."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2023.

from CTV News - Atlantic https://ift.tt/4TkYcXS

[futureempressoftheuniverse]

on the radio

An HP Fic for @hpshipuary & @fluffbruary 's prompt word "radio"!

Pairing: Hugo Granger-Weasley/Lorcan Scamander, Background Lily Luna Potter/Lysander Scamander

Word Count: 713 | Rating: Teen

Additional Tags: Fluff, Friendship, Getting Together, Band AU, Epilogue Compliant

Summary:

Smiling to himself, Hugo walked over and turned down the radio. It wasn’t as if they were going to pay any attention to it while they were still riding the high of hearing their own song. It felt like electricity was dancing under his skin, like he could do anything and he’d come out on top.

[vilevileposting]

I'm really enjoying my first reading of Homestuck

I forgor to post this after Homestuck Book Club!

In my notes for Week 3 I talk a little about not really knowing how this blew up and how niche it feels, but I think the picture is forming. WV: Ascend demonstrated that even without really knowing what's going on, Homestuck definitely has the narrative pull to bring me along for the ride. Compared to that, a 13 year old trying to read the thing her friends like probably won't care that she's not picking up on all the references and programmer humor.

My discord status has been RANCOROUS for several weeks. I think the time may be nigh to make a second homestuck reference.

Week 3:

539: Not convinced that John’s dad’s room will be much of anything. Maybe that’ll be the point where John learns his dad doesn’t give a shit about harlequins and the harlequin thing was all a misguided attempt to connect with his son! But if that’s what that is then what John walks in and sees is probably a normal room as opposed to like some FMA shit.

543: The combination of a book whose girth is known to be lethal with a system whose velocity is known to be lethal is interesting.

544:

As a metaphor for the disconnect between you and also you’re the guy who knocked over your grandmother’s ashes and cleaned them up like shit. Where are those ashes now, John, were you careful with them?

554: Lethal momentum through a wall, baby!!! I still get credit for seeing the future even when it’s heavily foreshadowed.

556: Southern colonel? ☹

592: Does this guy have Kamina glases…

614: Based on how I’ve heard Dave’s name more than John’s as a fandom outsider, John really kinda is the other guy.

629: Blood Loss in the Big Easy sounds like a made up nonsense phrase that somehow captures the intended vintage vibe but it turns out New Orleans is actually called the Big Easy.

636: I bet I can annoy Char by incorporating the phrase “that’s really all there is to say on the matter” into my vocabulary.

644: TOBY FOX ARRIVAL

645: I’m constantly struck by how niche this all feels. I haven’t gotten any answers to why homestuck blew up like it did, and I think I won’t until I get to the trolls.

651: I bet that mystery silhuette is GG

672: Damning hole in my “this guy is a shadow demon” theory – no sharp teef

687: Lot of king hatred for a guy who isn’t a shadow demon in a cosmology that literally or metaphorically uses chess pieces…

691: Bro eats green… Me too man.

696: CAR DEPENDENCY!!!

699: Chess board…………………

704: Raising my eyebrow at the ominous planet

708: Me reaching this page marks the first time anyone has thought about Tab since the Tab mine collapse in 2013

713: Hidden message vibes from this page.

714: How could I forget sburb is green. Sburb is green, this guy eats green, think about it!

716: I think Cal sacrificed himself to save Dave, hence the face turn to thinking puppets are awesome and being rancorous. Also – kernelsprite prototyped with dead bird!

756: I don’t even know what a cliffhanger is, Andrew Hussie. I am reading this webcomic five thousand years in the future, cliffhangers are nothing to me. Your world is laid bare for me at my leisure.

757: Coolest shit ever. Whole lot going on. Just want to flex that I noticed the sburb rocket is in the crater of Rose’s house, complete with wizard hand. The next crater we see is John’s house, which bizarrely grows a tree, then a sburb fruit, then we see that sburb fruit is also a weird pod that the (other) other guy seems to be living inside, or emering from. After that we see a crater next to a volcano, and we see the meteor actually hit somewhere that’s clearly uninhabited and explicitly an ocean over. Also with a MASSIVE hole where the volcano used to be. There’s a chance GG is a mountain hermit but no matter how you dice it, with only three meteors they were never all going to be accounted for. John’s dad is a sleeper hit, what a badass. Those fools put him in the trick cuffs and now he’s going to tear through hell doomslayer style. Rose’s mom also seems to have a secret tunnel to the lab, which has a spirograph on it! Dave’s brother in the relative present seems like he might actually be the coolest guy ever between the hat and confirmed kamina glasses, so he might actually be 100% the kind of guy Dave thinks he is. Final note: the symbols for latitude and longitude look like the wandering vagrant’s tattoo.