#rory uphold

[soovermyself]

[sassysophiabush]

[moviesandmania]

SORRY, CHARLIE Horror thriller - reviews and free on Amazon Prime and Tubi

‘He’s quite the gentleman’ Sorry, Charlie is a 2023 American horror thriller film about a remote helpline volunteer who is targeted by a stranger who lures women from their homes with a recording of a crying baby. Produced, directed, edited by and co-starring actor and filmmaker Colton Tran (The Bell Keeper; Snow Falls; Sorry, Charlie; Spook; Raising Kayn) from a screenplay written by executive…

[katoska]

Ok, I know shippers are having a ball with the "psychic link" line, but personally, I don't think it's needed to explain Betelgeuse's new smoopyness (+ I don't like magic-induced/fated love, but you do you).

My personal theory is that Lydia subconsciously hit "block" on him so she can pretend he's gone forever. This is imo substantiated by the fact that she can't/won't see Richard - who's body was never found, and whose death was thus deniable as long as she did not see his ghost - either.

And while Richard was ok with not being seen because he was the kind of chill guy who would be satisfied with seeing his family to make sure they were ok, Betelgeuse... is not that kind of guy.

Betelgeuse is a huge drama queen who wants ALL the attention. He wants acknowlegdement. He's the ghost with the most, and you better not forget it.

So, imagine how he must have felt the first time Lydia showed up in a house he'd been hired to haunt ...and did not acknowledge him. Did not see him, didn't seem to see the monster he turned into that still had his face, nothing stripey or funny or with any of that personal touch seemed to register. Flying books, rattling cutlery, cold spots, all that boring generic stuff she could see, but nothing Juice-y.

He'd get fucking obsessed with making her notice him.

Which would mean making sure that he's there the next time she investigates another haunting, or luring her in by making a house look spectacularly haunted (coming to see her mere presence as a reward for a job well done in the process). And maybe, anytime a client forgot to banish him (do they even all get told how to do that?), he might have, if he was close enough, managed to drop in on her outside work, try to catch her off-guard. Which would mean getting awareness of her personal problems, again, and feeling empathy for her, again.

Cause I think that's the main emotion he felt for her back when she was a weird and unusual, deeply lonely, overty suicidal teen. I believe that very creepy tone he used when talking about "Edgar Alan Poe's daughter" was there to mask the fact that he was feeling sorry for her and felt a kinship with her because his existence also sucked. Cause, like, he's got a reputation to uphold, he can't be seen caring about some Breather's feelings or be seen relating to them unironically.

Except in this movie, Betelgeuse seemed to be in a far better headspace (while Lydia very much was not), so when he realised he still cared about her feelings, he couldn't put it down to projection. He had to acknowledge that he'd become attached. I headcanon that he figured out just how attached he'd gotten shortly after she started seeing Rory, cause... ok, hands up: Who else here, when watching the movie, had the thought "Wow, Rory sucks! She'd have been better off with Betelgeuse." Like, idc if you ship Beetlebabes or not, it's just objectively true that Betelgeuse would be the better option (even if you only think that's because the bar's in hell). I think that same thought would have crossed B's mind, too, upon which he'd have his "Oh. Oh. Oh shit" moment. He later made sure that Lydia too would become aware just how goddamn shitty Rory was, and he technically did not need to do that because Lydia already did not want to marry Rory, but y'know, it'd make B look better in her eyes if he made her aware of and helped her dodge this particular bullet.

Though actually, maybe this had been strategically unwise. Only if Betelgeuse had really planned on coercing Lydia into marriage ofc, which I don't buy in the first place. But for argument's sake: If Betelgeuse hadn't given Rory that truth serum, Lydia could have used the demon deal as a non-confrontational escape from her engagement. Which would have made her less inclined to pull any tricks to get out of her marriage with B, because even if she escaped him there would still be Rory. Ok yeah, Rory eventually got eaten by a Sandworm, but B couldn't have predicted that. But, speaking as a Code 699 truther (tldr: B knew the contract would be voided but either hoped Lydia would marry him anyway, or the whole song and dance was just about him wanting to declare his feelings), he could have predicted his marriage contract being voided. Though personally, I have doubts that Astrid would have been as quick to speak up if Lydia hadn't broken up with Rory and Rory hadn't got eaten.

[pyro-les]

Masterpost:

Agatha All Along:

Rio Vidal X reader:

Oneshots:

Jealousy

While on the road some fo the coven take an interest in Reader constantly flirting with her, que a very protective and jealous Rio

One purpose

The story of how Rio and her childhood best friend turned lover became divine beings

To save a life

Personification of life reader and Rio make one exception to the rules of their jobs, they let someone live longer than they should

Series:

Bad omen

Reader has the power to see when people will die,like many witches she was misjudged by humans, her predictions being seen as her condemning them to die. Rio knows what it's like to be blamed for deaths and on a paticularly bad day for reader decides to finally introduce herself to her.

Love in the darkest hour - A 'Bad Omen' tale

Rio comes home to find Y/N sitting on the ground suffering from a guilt induced panic attack, she stays to reasure her that her powers are not something to hate.

Agatha Harkness X reader:

Oneshots:

Covetous longing

Wanda drops off the twins for Agatha and Reader to look after but doesn't actually leave instead staying to flirt with R despite her and Agathas obvious attempts to get her to leave

How the tables turn

Agatha is usually calm and confident but for once the roles have reversed and Y/N is the one taking the lead while Agatha is a fumbling mess of nerves.

Agathario:

Series:

Rescue:

Part 1

After collecting a murdered witches soul Rio spots a small child now left alone and decides to take them in

Part 2

When Billy comes to find Agatha to go down the witches road he finds two more witches with her. At first they are unwilling to go to walk the road but what if they could bring him back?

Oneshots:

A long time coming

Rio's perspective while Agatha was stuck as Agnes and her breaking Agatha free

Hazbin Hotel

Radioapple: request open

Series

A Promise to uphold:

After Lillith had left Lucifer was left alone with an empty home and broken heart, in search of something to do to fill the time on his own Lucifer meets a certain radio host and vows never to miss a broadcast.

Part 1: prologue

Part 2: welcome to hell ~coming soon~

Mean girls:

Regina George X reader: requests closed

Series:

It's a blessing and it's a curse:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Wip list

My Agatha all along Discord server

About me:

Hi, I'm Rory (she/her). In a nutshell I'm essentially: a quirky drama kid, a nerd, a coffee adict and a writer. I'm in far too many fandoms to count but some of my faves include Marvel, Horizon Zero Dawn, ATLA, Hazbin Hotel and many many more. I also really enjoy reading comics and plays.

Still a somewhat new writer but I enjoy it so please do send in requests because reading ideas really helps:) please note I am at a full time course in college and work on the weekends so updates may not always be super fast but I try my best, so please be patient. If you have any questions or just feel like chatting feel free to send an ask or pm.

[bitterrobin]

rehashing the Damian-Tim-Dick dynamic (as it goes in canon) is soooo tiring but by god i'll do it. I NEED to explore all of those events from Damian's POV, because so many fics out here only portray Tim's side of things. And, not that Damian whump can't be well-written, but sometimes even Damian-centric fic delves too deep into helpless baby-child territory and doesn't explore the actuality of cult-indoctrinated child assassin with inherent issues around parents/legacy/family etc etc. Plus, the bonus of Taxonomy!verse being an AU with things a little tweaked means I can change things and include other characters that weren't in the canon proceedings.

Keeping Tim as Robin for a while longer and having him chafe under Batman!Dick provides just a little bit of leeway into Tim's deal with the mantle. He's growing up. Robin will always be his and always be important, but its not allowing him to do the things he feels he needs to do on his own (search for Bruce, intentionally isolate himself etc) And Tim's conflict with Damian doesn't change much anyway because it can pivot a little more into "I don't trust this kid with Robin and I don't think he can uphold the mantle the way it needs to be done" which blends easily into "Damian is not my family" and "I'm worried Dick is going to kill himself taking care of this bomb(child)/I'm terrified I'm not going to be enough this time save him and Bruce" and "screw it I have to save Bruce because only I can do it"

Including characters that aren't popular in wider fandom means fresh perspectives and interactions not previously explored. Bette provides a less grief-laden perspective among the many mourners and a detachment to wider Bat-lore provides an opportunity for her to connect to Damian in a way a character with prior opinions on Bruce/Talia/the League can't. Colin provides a similar-aged perspective on Damian in a sea of adults and teenagers, a view of life from another child just as wounded and yet still cared for in ways Damian wasn't, and a deeper connection to Gotham that Damian doesn't have. Calvin Rose willingly became a Talon, strived for greatness the way Damian once did but he ran and he kept on running - Damian can't leave. Rory Regan teeters on a razor's edge of forgiveness and death, the suit he wears is salvation and damnation, and he has a father's legacy he must uphold even when he questions it (the struggle of religion and the concept of sin). Chris Kent is...so much to explore there that I already made a post lol.

Damian is justified in being angry and bitter. (Not justified in violence towards others before you get me btw) But also Bruce really isn't his father. He didn't raise him. He flits in and out of his life and then he's dead. Theres no connection there besides Bruce yelling at him/ordering him/placing expectations. Talia didn't raise him either. They have a nervous connection that doesn't reach far enough to pull Talia out of her dazed and hurt state. They like (?) each other, but Talia can never look at him and not mourn the boy he isn't. Damian can't look at her and not scream "why did you leave me?" and "if I am so painful, you deserve a life where I don't exist." Bruce is the shadow that haunts Damian's world and Damian is Talia's open bleeding wound and Talia is the haloed mother he can never have.

[eternalsimsstories]

The Pack: Cornelia and Rory

Previous | Next

Cornelia and Rory began their relationship when her father brought her along to a royal event aimed at uniting all the werewolves in Moonwood Mill. Rory leads the Wildfangs, a faction of werewolves that embraces their feral nature. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, Cornelia and Rory connected instantly and have been a couple ever since.

However, during the second semester, Rory became so absorbed in her studies and her relationship with Cornelia that she lost sight of her duties as the leader of the Wildfangs. The wake-up call came when she received an email informing her that she hadn’t been upholding her "Expand and Explore value". It reads: "If this trend continued, you're at risk for losing your position."

She spent the entire break reflecting on this, and it lingered in her thoughts when she returned for the first day of the semester. She still felt uncertain about what to do.

On the first day back, Rory was in her wolf form. Like her roommates, she decided to celebrate the return to school by heading down to the rec room. There, she spotted Cornelia lifting her brother to get a drink from the keg. After that, Cornelia asked Kristofer to lift her up, but when he did, he accidentally let her fall to the floor. Then, Cornelia turned to Rory and asked her to lift her up for a drink, and she agreed. It was Cornelia's first time doing it; she hadn’t wanted to try it last semester, but she had seen others do it, so why not?

After finishing her drink, Cornelia became so tipsy that she stumbled outside and wandered into an auto repair shop, craving a falafel. The rude manager told her : "This is an auto repair shop, not a restaurant. We repair cars. We don't sell food here."

Then she started to yell out loud: "I want falafels! I want falafels! I want falafels!"

The only thing the manager could do was kick her out. Dazed, she made her way to the Britechester town square and drank some water at the fountain, but it did little to ease her intoxication.

Unknowingly, she then wandered into a sketchy bar with flashing neon lights and started dancing to the music. Spotting some tough-looking guys, she drunkenly declared that drinks were on her. When one of the tough guys tried to get closer, she transformed into a drunken werewolf, scaring all the them away. She then stumbled back out into the town square and fell asleep by the fountain.

The next morning, Rory searched for Cornelia and discovered her dozing at the base of the fountain. She gently shook her partner awake, and Cornelia slowly opened her eyes, clearly battling a nasty hangover. She promised herself she would never drink from a keg again.

[insistonyourcupofstars]

Look, can we all agree that Gilmore Girls is not to be upheld as a literal interpretation of real life, and is just a cozy show that was made in the early 2000s?? I mean, I get being skeptical of certain technicalities or politics that don't uphold today, but so help me god, if I see one more YouTube video about the unrealistic finances or "Rory is so gosh-darn annoying," I will blow a gasket. It's a show! It's silly and dramatic; let it be just that!!

[lafemmedelettres]

I am watching Gilmore Girls for the 3rd time and I am surprised to see a new perspective of these characters all over again.

The first time it was a cute show about a mother-daughter relationship I wished I could have had with my mother. The second time I jumped on the hate train for Rory and sometimes Lorelai and related to Emily the most. Now, after countless post about how Rory is the villain and she is an awful person (especially in her yale era), I started to relate to her as a former gifted kid that experienced burnout syndrome in college.

Think of it this way. All of your life you were this wunderkid that excelled at everything (mostly academic stuff in Rory's case) and you are the golden child of your family. Rory was Lorelai's redemption to her parents and to herself. There is an episode in season 2 when Rory fights with her grandfather because of Dean and Lorelai is telling her that Richard got so mad just because she is the only hope of the Gilmore family. It was just a small scene, but I recognised that feeling very well, and even though Rory is a fictional character I could imagine that something like that would have stuck with her.

Imagine you are 16 and you have all the hopes of your family on your shoulders. You also have high expectations of yourself, but as a teenager you enter that hubris state that tells you you are capable of achieving all of your dreams and can do it all. And then college starts and you become an adult and there are all these other expectations that pile up... combine that with an over-achieving personality and you are doomed to crash.

It's true that if one bad comment managed to make Rory give up on Yale and all of her dreams it would be hard for her to survive in a tough environment like journalism, but that was her first crash with adversity . After all she is like 20, her front lobe wasn't even developed yet, of course she took it hard. She started spiralling into this hole of bad decision after another, because now that her only purpose that made her the "Golden Child" of the family is gone, there is no purpose in continuing to uphold other expectations.

I was glad that in the end she managed to find her passion again, but as I said all of the hate towards her was unnecessary. After all, she is now part of the "you want a complex female character? You couldn't even handle her" category.

[sobeksewerrat]

Okay so- if you saw my aroace chr headcannon list, you probably saw Adam from Hazbin Hotel on there! It's been a while since I have written an essay, but honestly I really wanted to expand on my asexual Adam thought and @kiichu asked me to so here we go ;)

[ Just. Don't expect any actual thoughtful analysis. I am mostly just grasping at straws and projecting because I kin the dude ]

[ Oh yeah and I will reference the Trans Genesis AU a lot. Nope, Stanley and I did not abandon it. Sorry not sorry ]

First things first, let's look at his first appearance in episode 1.

Needless to say, he was a bit of an asshole. But something really stuck out to me.

In one of the scenes, he was recounting a date/one-night-stand he had to Charlie (because of course he was).

He clearly seemed to be describing the dinner date itself in detail, but he literally just caps it off with "and then we fucked, and it was awesome".

This line can be read in a few different ways, depending on your view.

1. They didn't actually fuck, the woman ditched him or didn't exist to begin with and he's lying to seem cooler.

2. It wasn't awesome (*at least for him, but yk could go both ways) and he wasn't about to go into detail about his less-than-stellar sexual encounter (I feel. Really uncomfortable writing this, I am too ace for this shit).

3. The logical explanation of the writers not wanting to include it for rating reasons and because of the episode's already short run time and also because we as the audience don't really need to know that. Though I think that if that were just that, a better alternative would've been that Adam either continues describing the date or starts describing the sex and either Lute or Charlie (or both) stop him.

For my interpretation of the ace Adam, we'll go with the second interpretation.

Allos love pointing out how "asexuals can still date/have sex" but they always neglect one thing: that's not exactly how sex-favourable and sex-neutral aces work.

I can't speak for everybody on the spectrum (especially since I am mostly repulsed), but wanting to have sex doesn't mean you feel sexual attraction.

So yeah this doesn't disprove him being asexual, though I am aiming for a very different interpretation.

Sex-repulsed Adam.

NOW, PLEASE HEAR ME OUT I KNOW I SOUND CRAZY!!

Ace men rarely get any representation, and a lot of men (especially cis men, but trans men too) don't realize they're ace or are actively in denial about it because of this thing called ✨toxic masculinity✨

I don't think it's too much of a hot take to say that Adam clearly falls into a lot of toxic masculinity stuff.

Being literally the first man, the original dick (or the original pussy if we're talking about the tgau), he is probably expected to uphold these harmful beliefs of masculinity or at least thinks he has to to be taken seriously (or be percieved as cis at least-).

Therefore, he's probably is in deep, deep denial of his asexuality and tries to cover it up by, well, sleeping around I guess (*hopefully not with human souls because i don't need any of the implications that come with that).

But that doesn't necessarily mean he enjoyed it, you know.

Now I don't wanna go too deep into this honestly quite depressing line of thought, so to keep it brief that's probably why he wouldn't go into detail about that one night stand- even though he totally seems like the type of guy who would talk about this stuff in excessive and unnecessary detail (can you tell I love torturing this guy. I mean if yk the TGAU you probably already know but shush).

That or because a lot of aces literally cannot talk about sex seriously. It has to be a joke or about an ao3 smut fic.

*ahem* Moving on-

The infamous "Now, I'm going to FUCK you" scene that every Adamsapple shippers love (no hate to Adamsapple shippers btw, except @roryheart fuck you Rory /lh silly (I love you buddy don't take this seriously)).

Just. Just look at his face when Lucifer says it.

It could just be pure confusion, which is quite understandable tbh.

Or we could go with the funny interpretation of Adam being so autistic and ace, he thought for a second that Lucifer was actually hitting on him this whole time and he just didn't notice. Purely because this has actually happened to me before and I wanna project-

Moreover, he looks lowkey disgusted by it and just attacks Lucifer immediately.

Whatever, now we get to the ✨angst potential✨ of ace Adam.

Elaborating on the bit of toxic masculinity from earlier, maybe he thinks that his aversion to stuff like is why both Lilith (and presumably Eve) cheated on him with Lucifer, because he wasn't a real man.

And if we wanna get really depressing, all we have to do is just remember that his only purpose was to have as many children with Eve (and previously Lilith) as possible to populate the Earth.

Yeah, sounds like a total nightmare scenario.

I have a few other ideas, but they're really half baked and not really well put together and stuff- idk I just think ace Adam is a cool idea.

Sorry if this wasn't exactly the essay any of you were looking for but I genuinely just think it'd be fun and kinda interesting to explore really.

Btw gonna make "sobek rants" exclusively for angry rants and gonna repurpose "brainingsewer" for essays and analysis and stuff. Not that anybody really cares about my tagging system.

[soovermyself]

Smokeshow 🔥

[sassysophiabush]

[moviesandmania]

SORRY, CHARLIE (2023) Reviews of horror thriller

‘He’s quite the gentleman’ Sorry, Charlie is a 2023 American horror thriller film about a remote helpline volunteer who is targeted by a stranger who lures women from their homes with a recording of a crying baby. Produced, directed, edited by and co-starring Colton Tran from a screenplay written by executive producer Luke Genton. The movie also stars Kathleen Kenny, Maria Olsen, Marisa Brown,…

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 3/5

Book Blurb: One of Us Is Lying meets A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder in this don’t-dare-to-look-away dark academia thriller that explores how secrets can rot an institution—and the people who uphold it—from the inside out.

Everyone wants to be a Lily.

At Archwell Academy, it’s the ticket to a successful future. But like every secret society, there is something much darker beneath the surface … sometimes girls disappear.

When four Archwell students find themselves trapped in a time loop, they must relive their worst memories, untangling the Lilies’ moldering roots and unraveling the secrets at the core of their school … before they destroy their futures forever.

Review:

Four students from the prestigious Archwell academy find themselves stuck in a time loop, reliving their worst memories... and being forced to unravel their school's secret society's secret and the disappearance of one girl...can they figure it out in time to escape or will they be trapped forever? Archwell Academy is a prestigious all-girls school, it's a school that guarantees a successful future. But beneath it's pretty cover lies a secret society known as the Lilies, a group of students where girls disappear....The story is told from four point of views:

Rory Archwell- president of the senior class and daughter of Chancellor Archwell. She wants to do whatever it takes to be on top... even if it means breaking up with her girlfriend Blythe Harris. Rory is determined to please her mother, even if it means destroying people to get her way.

Blythe Harris- She wants to beat Rory's academic record and become the first Black valedictorian in Archwell's history. She's a tech genius with a tendency to break into people's emails and snoop. Blythe wants to do anything possible that would give her an advantage.

Drew Simmons- Was forced to go to Archwell as their grandmother's one condition to get the inheritance. Drew wants to fly under the radar especially since they are being forced to go to an all girl's school when they do not identify as such. They keep everyone at arm's length... but when their roommate Charlotte, begins to discover some of their secrets and begins to go missing... Drew will do anything to hide their secrets.

Vero Martin- wants nothing more than to be an artist, she's been forced to go keep her secret artist identity under wraps as her father is running for office and this is her last chance before he sends her away. Her controversial art sets off a chain of events and brings unwanted attention... and now she has to face the consequences of her work and the damage it has created.

These four students are all connected to the Lillies secret society and the missing girl Charlotte... and when they end up in a time loop facing their worst memories, they'll have to work past it all and together to uncover the secrets that would finally let them be free. This book is a queer dark academia mystery with tons of representation. I absolutely will give this book bonus points for the representation. The book is definitely unique and I think it would make a fun read for dark academia and mystery fans. Personally, this one just felt like a bit of a miss and the overall plot felt meh at best to me. I was hoping for something a bit more, but the timeline thing just wasn't for me and I just didn't like the characters all that much. Overall it was an okay book for me but I think others will still have fun with it.

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[sailxrmxrs]

hello it is i, your resident fantasy au enjoyer anna reporting in with yet another fantasy fic. giving rory the fantasy au treatment bc the beloved boy deserves the beloved au hehe. filled with some of my favourite tropes too bc i've been reading a lot of books to fuel the brainrot. i am suffering (in a good way). for today's instalment of the fantasy aus, mc and rory are informants working undercover for the queen in search of a rebel faction. very important very exciting. oh and part of the whole undercover thing is they're pretending to be married. everything they do is fake and pretend. no real feelings whatsoever. simply a falsified display as part of their cover story. nothing else at all. lmao kidding they're madly in love but won't admit it. secretly pining but also definitely not pining. only the most delicious brainrot being served here. enjoy. also a note that there's some mild violence/injury towards the end but nothing too wild.

A hum of jovial energy filled the crowded tavern, its dark oak tables crowded with patrons and piled high with empty tankards. There was no shortage of celebration that night, the townsfolk spending their hard-earned coin on whatever ales and meads the tavern staff had to offer. The booming shouts and cheers of the rowdier patrons, along with the thrum of general chatter from the more reserved of tables provided the perfect cover to divulge one's secrets; cautious whispers were nothing in their wake. And who would ever suspect the quiet couple sitting in the corner, nursing their drinks as they intertwined hands across the tabletops. Who could ever assume that those glazed eyes and withdrawn smiles were anything other than the expected behaviour of newlyweds drowning in the other's presence, entirely numb to the world around them. Surely such an unsuspecting pair could never be working undercover for the queen with directives to root out a faction of rebels seeking to overthrow her reign. Yes, as much as you hated to admit it, pretending to be freshly married to your colleague had proved to be the perfect cover story. Where before someone might suspect the lone ranger shrouded in the shadows of their cloak, no one paid a second look to the couple with stars in their eyes nor did they doubt their intentions. If only you had been assigned the task with a more agreeable person.

Rory was not the worst of your potential partners for such a mission. Of the other informants of the castle, Rory was one of the best at his job but his hamartia was his disagreeable personality. He was all stern looks and entirely too serious. For most, there was a time and place to let your guard down or shed the hyper-awareness that being an informant entailed. Not for Rory. Even in the privacy of your company he remained as high strung as ever. Still, despite his hardened exterior you would happily accept Rory over some of the less pleasant options. Especially given the fact he'd proved himself to be exceptional in the role of doting husband. Even tucked away in the corner of the busy tavern, his hand was wrapped in his. He hadn't paused the gentle back-and-forth of his thumb against the back of your hand since arriving. It had taken some getting used to the way his movements synced with yours, mirroring every step with expert ease. Now the tender touches felt almost like second nature. Almost. You were treading a fine line here, precariously walking atop a wire looming over a deep abyssal pit. Getting too comfortable here would only end in the coldest of pains when the job was done and you returned to the castle and continued as normal. There was no doubt that once you'd finished receiving ample information and had reported to your superiors that Rory would go back to acting as he'd always done—as though you didn't exist. It wasn't anything personal. That was just how Rory was. He'd explained one night that he simply didn't care for upholding relationships when his job meant that he was putting his life on the line with every excursion beyond the castle grounds.

While his reasons were understandable, it didn't make Rory's apparent disdain for casual conversation any less vexing. When you'd tried to spend a few minutes savouring the plate of hot food before you, Rory had instead leapt straight into strategy discussions, admonishing you for your lack of concentration. He'd grumbled to himself when you quipped back that you were focusing perfectly fine on monitoring the comes and goings of tavern patrons. Rory quietened on the matter, opting to trust that you weren't letting yourself grow complacent even in the seemingly uneventful night that descended upon the tavern. Nothing seemed out of place nor concerning, though that was no excuse to let your guard down.

"Everything seems clear tonight. Tomorrow we should make our move for the next town over," Rory instructed as his eyes focused on you, a perfectly composed smile on his face—it looked as though it came as naturally to him as breathing.

"Works for me. Although I believe the morning market could be a veritable source of information. We might be able to find a lead or two if we're lucky."

"I suppose replenishing a few supplies couldn't hurt either," Rory replied. He let his gaze flicker to the tavern door every so often, each look only lasting a split second before he returned his attention to you.

Looking over the drained remnants of your tankard, you let out a yawn. "Should we perhaps retire to our room for the night? We'll need to be up and out around sunrise if we want to do one last scope of the area." Rory nodded in agreement, stepping out from the booth and reaching for your hand to help you up. He guided you through the crowd, a protective touch on your waist that tightened whenever someone edged closer. He truly pulled off his role excellently. Almost a little too well. If you didn't know better, you'd be beginning to suspect that this was all practiced behaviour with a loved one back at the castle. Still, wherever he learnt it didn't matter, just the fact that he was convincing enough to everyone around the both of you. By the time you returned to your shared room, sleep was lurking ever closer. So close, in fact, that you barely even registered each beat of movement that led you into the bed, Rory following close behind. Part of the pretence of being married meant being confined to the same room and same bed, though traveling together had left you both desensitised to it all. Still, it didn't make you any less flustered waking up to Rory's nose a hair's breadth away from yours. Luckily he always rose after you, giving you a precious few moments alone to compose yourself. Appearing anything less than composed would no doubt earn a scathing remark from Rory.

Morning arrived in what felt like no time at all, the sun peeking over the rolling hills of the horizon. Sunlight poured over your skin, gently warming it in the morning chill that struck in those early hours. The town streets were mostly quiet save for the early risers setting up their stalls before the bustling marketgoers arrived. Rory was surveying one half of the town while you searched the other for anything out of place or anyone that arose suspicion. So far all seemed to be in order, although there was no telling who might show their faces when the streets were bustling with people, believing that the crowds could hide their nefarious intentions. Upon reuniting with Rory, he shared his own lack of activity outside of the expected. It was then, as Rory detailed the plan for the day, that you recognised a face across the market square. It was undeniably the exact man who'd disappeared from the castle grounds just two weeks ago without a trace save for the correspondences to an unnamed individual sitting in the ashy remnants of his fireplace. Most of it was indecipherable, fire having burned away the words but there had been one singular letter that remained unscathed enough to arouse suspicion. And seeing him in this part of the kingdom only incriminated him further.

"No sudden movements. But I just found us our biggest lead yet," you informed Rory, as he slowly turned his head to follow your line of sight. Recognition settled over his features, alarming concern creasing his forehead.

"If we're recognised we're as good as dead. We find higher ground and keep eyes on him at all times. Wait until there's more people around before tailing him. Crowds make the perfect cover."

"Then we better move and move fast. He's turning this way." Urgency rang in your voice, eyes searching for the most conspicuous way out.

"You trust me?" Rory whispered, offering no other context.

Slightly bewildered by the sudden question, you faltered for a moment before answering. "Well, yes. But I don't see what—" And then Rory's hand was on your waist, the other cradling your chin as he leaned so incredibly close. His breath was warm on your cheek, though that could have easily been your face burning under the close proximity. Then his lips were ghosting over your jaw, the frame of his body concealing your from any onlookers. If anyone spared a glance all they would see was an amorous display between unidentifiable lovers. The seconds dragged like hours, your heart pounding so hard in your chest that you feared Rory might be able to feel it. Of all the pretences you'd put on together, this was by far the most daring. He hadn't gone further than a tight grip on your waist or the press of a kiss to your temple. His lips were barely touching your skin and yet you could feel electricity striking your skin for every moment he lingered. Not to mention the way his hands held you firmly in place. It was all so dizzying you were dangerously close to forgetting exactly what your mission here was.

"Coast clear?" He asked, every whispered word brushing your ear with a delicate softness that almost made you forget who you were.

With a nervous clear of your throat, you managed to look past Rory's shoulder to find your target with his back to you once more. "We're safe."

There was roughly another hour before the marketplace would open to its customers, meaning there was an hour of waiting before you and Rory could set your plan into motion. After the close encounter, the two of you had separated from the other's embrace just enough to move out of the square and into a quiet alley. From there, you'd made your way to the rooftops, using a thick stone chimney to keep hidden from sight. It wasn't difficult to keep an eye on your target, his own movements clearly purposeful so as to blend in with the other market stall owners. Anything that made your job easier was a welcomed turn of events. That was, until Rory decided to strike up conversation, clearly deciding the threat level was low enough to break the deafening silence.

"You've been oddly quiet all morning. What's going on in that head of yours?" The question felt more like an accusation—a weighted statement so as to draw out every thought that swam in your mind.

"Normally you're complaining I talk too much and now I'm too quiet. What do you want from me, Rory?" Your reply sounded less relaxed than you'd intended, residual nerves shaking your voice a fraction.

"You're avoiding the question." He folded his arms, stubborn to a fault as he stared you down. "Ever since we saw... Wait, this isn't because of what I did earlier is it?"

You felt your cheeks begin to heat and could only pray they didn't betray you. "What? No! I'm just focusing. Much like you should be too."

"Don't think I don't know you well enough now to not know when you're lying. I would've told you what I was doing if time was on our side but it was either I act fast or we get ourselves caught. Still, sorry about that."

You blinked, noting the rise of colour that seemed to appear on Rory's cheeks. It was faint, but you could've sworn it was there. "It's fine. You did what anyone should have done in the moment so don't apologise. Just took me a little off guard is all."

Rory relaxed a little, grateful he hadn't crossed a line or backed you into a corner you weren't willing to tread. Then, a rare smile grew as he tested just how far he could push you. "Don't tell me you got nervous. One of our finest informants and fighters in the branch and you got a little nervous over your partner getting too close? Thought you were stronger than that."

"Brave words from a man who was just blushing as he apologised. Really changed your tune there, didn't you? Still, it's of no matter to me. Think whatever you'd like to get yourself through the day."

"What I'm hearing here is that you wouldn't have reacted at all if I'd kissed you?"

You glared back at Rory's testing smile, hating the way your stomach twisted. You knew you had to choose your next words carefully, the thought of being caught lying already bruising your ego. "Who knows. Not like you had the gall to do it anyway."

"Oh? Is that a challenge? Or perhaps an invitation?" Rory edged closer, running a finger along your jawline before taking your chin in his hold and angling your face so that you couldn't avoid meeting his gaze. No words were spoken, just heated stares as though you were waiting for the other to crack first.

"Neither. It's a 'we better move or else we lose our lead'," you uttered, hand moving Rory's face so that he could see your target weaving through the crowd. Rory cursed, leaping up and into action. This was the first time you'd seen him taken by surprise and if you weren't in pursuit of a traitor to the crown, you'd be taking great joy in that fact. Weaving through the side streets, uneven bricks beneath your feet slowing your pursuit, Rory called an instruction from just ahead.

"We split up here. You continue on and I'll take a left down here. We surround him and wait for his contact to show up. Out of sight unless absolutely necessary."

"Sounds like a plan. Don't get yourself caught, beloved husband." Rory did little more than roll his eyes before running off down a side street, leaving you to continue down the cobblestones in the direction of your target. The road led to a series of seemingly abandoned buildings. Infrastructure was beginning to crumble in places, its inhabitants long gone for an undeterminable amount of time. There were no visitors to this side of town—the ideal place to rendezvous with one's conspirators. From the shadows, you had a clear sight of the man you'd been pursuing. He was speaking with someone you did not recognise, their face shrouded in shadow from the hood atop their head. Whoever this person was, they were doing little to conceal their desire to remain anonymous to any onlookers. Curious suspicion grew in the pit of your stomach, aching to edge closer so as to be in earshot but even one step forward could lead to being discovered. Across the way, you caught sight of Rory hiding from his own shadowed vantage point. He was closer to the suspicious characters and, hopefully, able to garner some useful information in the process.

As you crouched in the shadows, attention honed in on your target, you missed the person quietly approaching you from behind until it was far too late. When you heard their footsteps and twisted, dagger in hand, they were already upon you. The hilt of their own dagger collided with your chin, throwing you off your balance and striking the alarm of your targets. Shouts sounded along with heavy footsteps, no doubt your biggest lead making his escape. But that was not your greatest concern right now. What mattered more was finding your footing and fighting off your assailant.

"Didn't anyone teach you it's rude to eavesdrop? Suppose I'll have to be the one to do it then," he threatened, a sinister smile growing as he crept closer. He had the advantage of preparation on his side, but you weren't going to go down that easily. Your opponent was strong but you were quick, able to dodge his heavy handed attacks and strike any opening in his stance. Whoever he was, his grasp of strategy was weak, leaving far too many openings for you to kick and slash. That was, until you went for another opening only for his thick boots to strike your stomach and sending you crashing to the ground, winded from the attack. He loomed over your body, preparing to go for the kill with an arm raised until a throwing knife struck his wrist perfectly. Before you could dwell longer on the matter, you rolled to your feet. Rory was at your side in seconds and matching your stance.

"Took you long enough. Did our culprit run off?"

Rory chuckled, the sound devoid of any genuine humour. "He tried. Didn't get very far. Looks like you didn't do much beside almost get yourself killed."

"I had the situation under control, thank you very much."

"Sure you did. Were you just taking a nap on the ground then?"

You glared at him before lunging to deal with your attacker. You made quick work of him, his movements having slowed greatly thanks to Rory's expert aim. "You know I could just as easily throw this at your face to shut you up."

"Don't threaten me with a good time, beloved."

Once you'd taken care of your attacker and quiet settled over the scene once more, your pulse finally returned to normal. A series of aches ailed you, though none were cause for concern. It was nothing some rest wouldn't fix up. Whenever you had the freedom to rest, that was.

"You okay?" Rory's voice dropped lower as he came to stand in front of you, carefully inspecting you for any serious injuries.

"All good."

He raised an eyebrow, not fully trusting you were being completely honest with him. "This isn't one of those 'I'm going to be stoic and pretend I'm fine and then later I try and tend to my very much not fine injury' moments is it?"

"First of all, mildly offended. You're not entirely wrong, but I'm still mad about it. And second, no this is not one of those moments. Just a little tender in places. I can walk it off." Rory contemplated his next move as his eyes dragged up and down your frame.

"I swear if you even think about carrying me anyway I won't hesitate to cut the first appendage I can reach."

He raised his hands in innocent defeat. "Consider my thoughts blank, no carrying considered. Anymore."

With a roll of your eyes, you made to walk away until Rory's hand grasped your wrist. There was an earnest look in his eyes that you'd never seen from him before. He didn't speak for a moment, glancing at his feet before meeting your gaze once more.

"I'm glad you're okay. You worried me there for a moment." Sincerity laced every word he uttered, so quiet and heartfelt and only for your ears.

"Don't worry, you won't be left partnerless just yet." You tried to lighten the heavy atmosphere that had descended but Rory's expression didn't change. You'd seen him look serious, of course, but this was something else entirely. It was like a layer had been stripped back, shedding the wall he presented to the world and revealing another version of himself. One that allowed his weaknesses to be presented on full display. One that deeply trusted his company so much as to bear his every worry and burden without fear. It struck you to your very core, keeping you rooted in place and barely able to breathe let alone move.

"Good. How could I play the role of doting husband if you got yourself killed?" A gentle smile breached the final crack in his walls and let what remained of that outer shell come crashing down. A hand reached to cup your cheek, every callous and scar that marred his palm decorating the sensation of his gentle touch.

"I'm sure you'd figure out a way. Not that you'll need to just yet."

"Yet? I hope you're not planning for some martyr-like sacrifice. It would be unbecoming of you." Rory brushed a stray strand of hair from your face, smiling to himself as he no doubt felt the way your skin heated with the featherlike touch of his fingertips.

"We'll see." The words were so quiet, barely audible to either of you if not for the pindrop silence that had settled. There was no tearing your eyes away from Rory's, feeling yourself stumbling into the vast green that gazed back. This certainly wasn't the behaviour of two individuals pretending to be married. Not when the nearest person was far beyond the winding streets of the bustling market town. There wasn't a single soul to witness the display, and yet that didn't stop either of you from remaining there, both unable to tear yourselves away. Perhaps that would be the smartest thing to do. Feelings were messy; they got in the way and complicated matters to an incomprehensible degree. But maybe, just once, you could give in to the magnetic pull that reached into your heart and tugged. Just once wouldn't hurt, would it?

Clearing your throat, you tried to pour even an ounce of conviction into your voice. "What's the plan now? Find our man and get some information?"

"You're the boss. But first, there's another, more pressing matter to attend to." Rory didn't bother to offer any verbal clarification when your eyebrows knitted in confusion. Instead, he twined his fingers with yours, pulling you closer until his face was mere centimetres from yours. Every breath and blink felt like an eternity until that painfully small gap finally closed. Rory's lips was soft, tentative as they explored new territory. There was no going back from this but you didn't care. Maybe you should walk away and preserve what little remained of your self-restraint. Maybe you should continue letting yourself believe this was all for the sake of your cover. Or maybe you could enjoy it just a little while longer, believing the lie that every action leading up to this moment had been faked when every part of your soul said otherwise. Though nothing felt more real than this very point in time, Rory's gentle touch the only thing keeping you on the ground.

"Tell me what you're thinking," he whispered as his thumbs brushed the backs of your hands.

You shook your head, knowing there was no way you could even begin to string the tangled mess of emotions into coherent sentences for him. Another fleeting touch of a kiss was all you could offer before breathing in a deep sigh. "Words aren't quite enough to explain it. That, or I'm just a little too distracted to think of them right now."

Rory laughed, a beautiful sound that caressed your ears with each lilting cadence. "I think that's a first for you. Being rendered speechless, I mean. Cute."

You pulled your hands from Rory's and glared, only making him laugh harder. "Make fun all you want. I'm not the one making moves while on the job."

"Isn't that what this whole job has been? Me making moves and pretending I don't enjoy it as much as I do?" To say that was a loaded comment was an understatement. And it was one you could dwell on later under the cover of night where Rory would be none the wiser to your seemingly permanent flustered state of being.

"Ignoring that for now. We have actual work to do. Lead the way before I make you."

"Is that supposed to be a threat? Or a promise?"

[i-mode]

i find the mt town cave scene with rory and claudio really interesting and also so so weird because 1. rory is like. unusually mean and rude in this scene?? for seemingly no reason?? like i cant deny he can be a dick at times but from everything we've seen at that point in the game it never went to the extent of asking someone about their interests and then instantly shutting them down and insulting said interests and 2. why does he have to constantly remind him that its a Girl's Shirt and its a Girl's Anime. im unsure how to properly put it but it honestly feels like a weird attempt to uphold the masculine role??? like hes unable to comprehend that someone can enjoy a Girl's Thing and show it off and be proud of it??

anyways all im saying here is that Rory may come to find out something about himself later down the line and i wish her luck