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tillidontneedfantasy · 4 years ago

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A Track-by-Track Breakdown of Taylor Swift’s 8th Studio Album: ‘folklore’

Taylor Swift’s 8th studio album, folklore, starts off with the lie, “I’m on some new shit.” Perhaps to someone who hasn’t been paying attention this would seem to be true. But to those listening, folklore is the essence of her skill and success throughout her entire career stripped down for all to see, but more refined, enhanced, and impressive than ever.

Even prior to her pop-world domination with 1989 (2014), Taylor’s storytelling ability has always been her most compelling strength as a writer. In 2010, she released her third album, Speak Now, penned fully solo to prove to the cynics that she does, in fact, write her own music. And it’s damn good. Widely considered her best song, “All Too Well” from Red (2012) is a five and a half minute epic about love had and lost, all in walks through autumn trees, almost running red lights, dancing round the kitchen, and a scarf reminiscent of innocence, unreturned.

Yet her pop prowess over the last six years perhaps leads to her storytelling being overlooked to those more focused on the music. There is a particular genius in writing a successful pop song, let alone three successful pop albums, that still has hard-hitting lyrics underneath the synth. Take the excellent “Cruel Summer” from Lover (2019) for example. The song is just under 3 minutes, and the production is so enthralling and infectious that it can take such a hold on you, you might miss the tale being told along with it about a fraught summer relationship that was actually just the beginning of her own love story.

But without the pop production, her stories on folklore demand attention. Swept up by a strong wave of creativity and inspiration, Swift secretly wrote and produced this album in around three months with Aaron Dessner of The National, one of Swift’s favorite bands, and long-time collaborator and friend Jack Antonoff. A surprise album is a new endeavor for Swift, as she generally spends months meticulously planning an album rollout. It is refreshing, and as a dedicated, long-time fan of Taylor, it is thrilling. Due to the album cover where she is standing in the woods, and the genre of the album itself, there have been think pieces regarding the “man in the woods” trope and what it means that Taylor seems to be embodying it. As a result of over-exposure, people are unable to stop focusing on her image and the way she presents herself. It’s understandable, as she is a very smart and deliberate businesswoman, and clearly cares about how she is perceived. But with this album, it is clear that none of that was at play. We are in the middle of a pandemic. Her mother has been battling cancer for years. Isolate a creative person in a dangerous world and they will dream up an escape. She understands more than ever how precious each moment is, and does not want to waste another one. The woods being the landscape for the photo-shoot is most likely attributed to the fact that it is the safest place to have one under these circumstances. She’s not pretending she removed herself from society and became enlightened, she didn’t dabble into a more alternative sound to prove anything; she is just sharing stories she wants to tell that she is proud of, and nothing more.

Of course the music of the album is important, but the lyrics are the heart of it all, and I wanted to focus on them. Upon its release, Taylor explained in a foreword that the album was a mixture of personal and fictional accounts. The beauty of stories is that once they are shared, they never live one single life; each person who consumes a story interprets it uniquely, and the story becomes a multiverse, with different meanings and outcomes than what initially drove the pen to the paper. As explained by Swift in a YouTube comment prior to the album’s release, three songs on the album are all one story, which she has dubbed “the teenage love triangle.” The three points of the triangle are “cardigan,” “august,” and “betty.” But if someone had not seen her say that, they might not have figured it out. Maybe they’d interpret each song as their own story, and connect it to their own. Taylor knows this. It is why she loves storytelling and is why she is so good at it. The album itself is a mirror ball, shimmering with every version of the stories being told, reflecting a bit of each person who listens. These are my interpretations, but they can mean whatever you make of them.

1. the 1 The melody of this song helps set the scene; picture yourself skipping rocks on a lake, reminiscing on the one that got away. “the 1” is about learning to assimilate into a life without them, resentfully accepting that they might be moving on, too. She ruminates on what went wrong and what could have been. In a very Swift fashion, she puts the blame on herself when she sings, “in my defense, I have none / for digging up the grave another time.” Perhaps this song is fictional, perhaps it’s a revisit of a past feeling or relationship, but its relatability makes it feel real and present. She searches for explanations, restraining herself from asking, “if one thing had been different, would everything be different today?” But it’s good she didn’t ask, because she’d never find the answer, anyway. Best lyric: “We never painted by the numbers, baby, but we were making it count / You know the greatest loves of all time are over now.”

2. cardigan (teenage love triangle, part 1: betty’s perspective) “When you are young they assume you know nothing,” Swift sings in her smooth low-register on this Lana del Rey-esque single. “But I knew everything when I was young,” she asserts. They say wisdom comes with age, but there is wisdom lost, too, of what it felt like to be young; but she has held onto it. In this track, the narrator (Betty) is looking back on her relationship with someone she once loved (James, as name-dropped in “betty” later on in the album). Her insight on his character was always spot on; she knew he’d try to kiss it better, change the ending, miss her once the thrill expired and come back, begging for her forgiveness in her front porch light. As soon as she was feeling forgotten, he made her feel wanted, his favorite. The ending in question is unclear, whether she granted him her forgiveness or not. But what is clear is Taylor’s understanding of the pull of young love, the intensity, the immortalization of all the smallest of details, the longing to be someone’s favorite. It’s why we look back on it so often, read stories and watch films about it, even as we grow old. It’s the cardigan we put back on when we want to be Peter Pan and remember what it was like to fly with Wendy. Best lyric: “You drew stars around my scars / but now I’m bleeding.”

3. the last great american dynasty The story of Rebekah Harkness and her destruction of the last great American dynasty, Standard Oil, is documented in this track, as each verse covers a different part of Rebekah’s life, going from a middle class divorcee to one of the wealthiest women in America by marrying into an empire. Swift paints Rebekah as an outcast, the Rhode Island town blaming her for her husband’s heart giving out. Rebekah used her inherited fortune on her ballet company, throwing lavish parties with her friends who went by the “Bitch Pack,” playing cards with Dali (Yes, as in Salvador Dali. It’s not clear if they actually played cards together, but her ashes were placed in an urn designed by him), and feuding with her neighbors. Then, fifty years later, Taylor Swift bought that very house and ruined the neighborhood all over again, bringing with her the triumphant return of champagne pool parties and women with madness, their men and bad habits. It’s a note on how women will be blamed for tarnishing what is sacred to men rather than celebrated, specifically when its related to wealth and power. They will call them mad, shameless, loud. But just like Rebekah, Taylor learned to pay them no mind, and just have a marvelous time. It is also interesting to note that Rebekah went by Betty. Perhaps Taylor felt inspired by and connected to her and gave her a whole backstory, and thus the birth of “the teenage love triangle,” or maybe it’s just a coincidence; but that’s the fun of it all. Either way, this track is a standout showcase of how Swift has truly mastered her craft as a songwriter. Best lyric: “Holiday House sat quietly on that beach / free of women with madness, their men and bad habits / and then it was bought by me.”

4. exile ft. Bon Iver You know that feeling when your parents are fighting and it’s upsetting you but you can’t help but listen? That’s kind of what listening to this song feels like. Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon co-wrote the track, and he lends his gorgeous vocals to play a man who has been exiled by his ex who has moved on with someone else while he desperately tries to understand where it all went wrong. The bridge is particularly poignant, both proclaiming, “you didn’t even hear me out,” while talking over each other. He thinks he was expected to read her mind, but she is adamant that she gave him plenty of warning signs. Miscommunication is one of the most common downfalls of a relationship, and the emotion in Swift’s and Vernon’s voices really draws you into the argument with them, transporting you back into your own exile from people you once called home. Best lyric: “I couldn’t turn things around / (You never turned things around) / ‘cause you never gave a warning sign / (I gave so many signs.)”

5. my tears ricochet Taylor describes this song in the foreword as “an embittered tormentor showing up to the funeral of his fallen object of obsession.” If you know enough, you can put the pieces together that the tormentor is Scott Borchetta, the head of Big Machine Records, and the funeral is of their professional and personal relationship. Taylor was the first artist ever signed to Big Machine. Borchetta and Swift had to trust each other in their partnership for it to be a success, and oh, how it was. But prior to Lover’s release, Taylor announced that she would be signing to Republic Records as her contract with Big Machine had ended and Republic offered her the opportunity to own all of her masters moving forward and negotiate on Spotify shares for all their artists. It all could have ended amicably there, but then Scott Borchetta sold all of Big Machine, along with Taylor’s masters from every album prior, to Scooter Braun. Braun manages some of the biggest stars out there, and had previously managed Kanye West. Taylor publicly spoke out about this purchase, stating that she was not made aware of this before the announcement, and how much of a betrayal it was considering she had cried to Scott before about Scooter’s mistreatment of her. Taylor has continued to be vocal about this, and so she sings, “I didn’t have it in myself to go with grace.” There is a lot to unpack in this song, but the main takeaway is that this betrayal hurts him just as much if not more than it hurts her, because his career was built on her achievements. He buried her while decorated in her success, becoming what he swore he wouldn’t, erasing the good times for greed, all just to be haunted with regret for pushing her out and stealing her lullabies. The pain is palpable, and it is notable that this is song is placed at track 5, the spot generally reserved for the most vulnerable on the album; it shows that there are different types of heartbreak that can shatter you just as much as those from romance. Best lyric: “If I’m dead to you, why are you at the wake? / Cursing my name, wishing I stayed.”

6. mirrorball On Lover’s “The Archer,” Taylor expresses her anxiety over people seeing through her act, her own grief at seeing through it herself, wondering if her lover does and whether he would stay with her regardless. “mirrorball” is about the act, one of the more obviously confessional songs on the album. She talks about how a mirror ball can illuminate all the different versions of a person, while also reflecting the light to fit in with the scene. Taylor’s critical self-awareness is heart wrenching, and it’s clear that the anxiety that surrounds the public perception of her is still prevalent. She describes herself as a member of a circus, still on the tightrope and the trapeze even after everyone else has packed up and left, doing anything she can to keep the public’s attention. It hurts to hear the desperation in her voice, but there’s hope in the song, too. She is speaking to someone (we can assume her long-term boyfriend, Joe Alwyn) and thanking them for not being like “the regulars, the masquerade revelers drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten.” In 2016, the height of Taylor’s fame and subsequently her farthest fall from grace, all the people who pretended to be her friends and attended all her parties celebrated her (temporary) demise, continuing to dance over her broken pieces on the floor. But he stayed by her side as she put herself back together. And so now, when no one is around, she’ll shine just for him, standing even taller than she does for the circus. Best lyric: “I’m still a believer, but I don’t know why / I’ve never been a natural, all I do is try, try, try / I’m still on that trapeze, I’m still trying everything / to keep you looking at me.”

7. seven Her voice gentle and haunting, Taylor recalls the freedom and innocence of her childhood in Pennsylvania. She asks to be remembered for how she was, swinging over the creek, before she learned civility when she would scream anytime she wanted, then letting out a very pretty one. She sings to her old friend soothingly about taking them away from their haunted house that their father is always shouting in, where they feel the need to hide in a closet, perhaps literally, or figuratively, or both. They can move into Taylor’s house instead, or maybe just to India, just be sure to pack their dolls and a sweater and then they’ll hit the road. She can no longer recall her friend’s face, but the love she had for them still lives in her heart, and she wants it to live forever through story. Just in the way that folklore itself blends reality and fiction, but the truth within it passes on, so will the purity of that love and friendship. Best lyric: “Please picture me in the weeds / before I learned civility / I used to scream ferociously / any time I wanted.”

8. august (teenage love triangle, part 2: the other girl’s perspective) If you had to assign the feeling of longing to a song, it’d be “august.” It’s when you’re teetering at the edge with someone, unsure of where you stand with them, clinging to anything they give you and doing anything just to raise your chances, “living for the hope of it all.” August, the last month of summer, its heat causing it to slip away the fastest in a haze before reality hits. This track is a display of how sometimes losing something you never had causes an even deeper ache than losing something that was yours, and Jack Antonoff’s signature production intensifies the emotion even more. It’s the story of shattered hope, and the longing for the days where it could still fuel you. Best lyric: “To live for the hope of it all / cancel plans just in case you’d call.”

9. this is me trying “this is me trying” is like a drive through a tunnel at night, hearing your loudest anxieties and insecurities echo all around you, caving in. The track is another apt insight into Swift’s struggles with her self-image, with the pressure she puts on herself, so much so that she sometimes pushes herself too close to the edge, her fears luring her out of the tunnel and down, down, down into her own cage, stunting her own growth and keeping those who care out of reach. She tells us how she was “so ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere.” Every action has an equal, opposite reaction, meaning that she was pushing herself so hard, she rolled back to where she started, and now has to reset. This could be referring to the period between the end of the 1989 era and the release of reputation (2017), or a different time in her life, or just a general sentiment. It doesn’t really matter, though, because no one’s growth is a neat, straight line; growth is jagged. Just like any of us, Taylor will always have to face new obstacles, new pitfalls, new reasons to get back up. She sounds most vulnerable as she cries, “at least I’m trying,” and you feel comforted knowing someone so beautiful and successful has to push herself to try, too, and yet that motivates you more to try yourself. Best lyric: “They told me all of my cages were mental / so I got wasted, like all my potential.”

10. illicit affairs A quiet, slow-build testament of the passion, the tragedy, the secrecy, the inimitability of a romance that shouldn’t exist, “illicit affairs” demonstrates how you can ruin yourself for someone from just one moment of possibility or truth, quite like the narrator of “august” does for the hope of it all. An illicit affair can be many different things: infidelity, forbidden love, a love that can never be fully realized, a relationship that is inherently wrong but electrifying all the same. It’s a reminder of what so many of us would do just to see new colors, to learn a new language, even if the one moment of enlightenment destroys us forever. We might lose the iridescent glow but we don’t forget it; we carry it with us, but must be careful to remember its blinding effect, to remember how fatal the fall is from the dwindling, mercurial high. Best lyric: “Tell your friends you’re out for a run / you’ll be flushed when you return.”

11. invisible string Clearly the most outright autobiographical track, “invisible string” is the plucky pick-me-up needed. The song is like sunshine, as Swift endearingly links all the little connections between her and her boyfriend, Joe Alwyn, since before they even met. She compares the green grass at the Nashville park she’d sit at in hopes of a meet-cute to the teal of his yogurt shop uniform shirt, and gives a nod to her smash hit “Bad Blood” from 1989 with the delightful line “bad was the blood of the song in the cab on your first trip to LA.” She reasons these coincidences as a fateful, invisible, golden string tying them together since the beginning, always destined to meet at the knot in the middle. She thanks time for healing her, (a callback to “Fifteen” from Fearless [2008]), fighting through hell to make it to heaven, transforming her from an axe grinder to a gift giver for her ex’s baby (the ex in question, Joe Jonas, and his wife Sophie Turner, happened to have their first daughter two days before this album’s release). As she has on her previous two albums, she uses the color gold to illustrate how prized their love is to one another. It’s sweet to know in all the gloom that the string has not been severed, and the trees are still golden somewhere. Best lyric: “Cold was the steel of my axe to grind for the boys who broke my heart / now I send their babies presents.”

12. mad woman Throughout her entire career, Taylor Swift has defiantly defended female rage, all the way back from throwing a chair off a platform on her Fearless Tour during the impassioned “Forever & Always,” to her patient, vengeful reliance on karma in reputation’s lead single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” to her most recent tackling of the matter on Lover’s last and final single, “The Man,” where she explores society’s acceptance and encouragement of angry men yet disdain for angry women. “The Man” is catchy and upbeat, and a fun thought experiment into how Swift’s career would be perceived if she was a man, something that is even more interesting to think about now as she releases an album in a genre heavily dominated and lauded by males. But on “mad woman,” she further explores the creation and perception of female rage, though masked under a smooth, haunting piano melody, her vocals subdued, taunting. In the album foreword, she describes the inspiration behind this song as “a misfit widow getting gleeful revenge on the town that cast her out.” This could be the continuation of Rebekah “Betty” Harkness’s story at her Holiday House in Watch Hill, RI, and how she further alienated herself from the rest of the neighborhood as they cast stones at her for the collapse of the last great American dynasty. (Or perhaps Daenerys Targaryen’s descent as the Mad Queen played a part in the song’s inspiration, as Swift has spoken of her love for Game of Thrones and her character specifically.) Taylor herself could also represent the widow, her music and masters as her love lost, and the men behind the crime as the “town that cast her out.” In the first verse she sings, “What do you sing on your drive home? / Do you see my face in the neighbor’s lawn? / Does she smile, or does she mouth ‘fuck you forever’?” It’s the first f-bomb of Taylor’s career (though a much more playful one will come two tracks later in “betty”) and it speaks volume. Taylor has received a lot of condemnation for expressing her anger at their transaction, for calling out their greed for what it is. Some view Swift’s stance on the ordeal as petty and trivial; they see the men as orchestrating a good business deal, and Swift as the girl throwing a tantrum. Ask any woman, and they can tell you about a time a man told them they were crazy for being justifiably angry; it only makes us angrier. “No one likes a mad woman,” Taylor states, “You made her like that.” Swift underscores that here, how they will poke and poke the bear but then blame it for attacking, as if they had never provoked it at all, and how dare it defend itself. Just as they blamed Rebekah for her husband’s heart giving out, they somehow manage to blame Swift for not being allowed to purchase the rights to her own work. And yes, she’s mad, but the song is measured and controlled; she’s used to her anger now, and knows just how to wield it. Best lyric: “Women like hunting witches, too / doing your dirtiest work for you / It’s obvious that wanting me dead has really brought you two together.”

13. epiphany This is another track Swift provided some background on, stating it was inspired by her “grandfather, Dean, landing at Guadalcanal in 1942” during WWII. The first verse paints this image, while the second verse depicts a different kind of war, happening right now, fought by doctors and nurses. She speaks of holding hands through plastic, and the escape folklore has granted you suddenly lifts. Watching someone’s daughter, or mother, or anyone suffer at the hands of the COVID-19 pandemic, just as watching a soldier bleed out, helpless, is too much to speak about. As she points out, they don’t teach you about that vicarious trauma in med school. We are living in a tireless world with barely any time time to rest our eyes, but too much going on while we’re awake to make sense of any of it. “epiphany” is a cinematic prayer, pleading for some quiet in order to find an answer in all the noise. We’re still waiting for that glimpse of relief. Best lyric: “Only twenty minutes to sleep / but you dream of some epiphany / Just one single glimpse of relief / to make some sense of what you’ve seen.”

14. betty (teenage love triangle, part 3: james’s perspective) It makes sense that a song reminiscent of Fearless would exemplify some of the best story-telling on folklore. The final puzzle piece of the teen love triangle, “betty” is a song sung by Swift from the perspective of the character of her own creation, James, attempting to win back his true love, Betty, who he slighted in some way. He proclaims that the worst thing he ever did is what he did to her, without explicitly stating it. Though the infamous deed is unclear, here’s the information we collect from this song: James saw Betty dancing with another boy at a school dance, one day when he was walking home another girl (from “august”) picked him up and he ended up spending his summer with her yet still loved Betty, and though he ended things with his fling and wanted to reconcile with Betty, he had returned to school to see she switched her homeroom (James assumes, after saying he won’t make assumptions. Classic men). So in order to make it up to her, he shows up at her party with the risk of being told to go fuck himself (the second and charming “fuck” on the album! Which is repeated!). Upon his arrival, there is a glorious key change (ala “Love Story”) and all the pieces fall into place for the listener; we realize Betty is the girl singing in “cardigan” as he lists the things he misses about her since the thrill expired, like the way she looks standing in her cardigan, and kissing in his car. He’s 17 and doesn’t know anything, but she knew everything when she was young, and she knew he’d come back. The way I see their story conclude is that she led him to the garden and trusted him, but as they grew older they grew apart, but the love she had for him never faded completely. Listening to this song is like being back in high school, whether you were the person who did someone wrong or the person so willing to forgive in the name of young love, or Inez, the school gossip, you’re right there with them. The other great thing about this song is that it is sung to a girl, and though it is set up so we understand it is most likely from a boy’s perspective, it doesn’t have to be. It’s really great that girls in the LGBTQ community can have a song in Taylor’s voice to fully connect to without changing the pronouns or names (even James, which is unisex and is one of the names of the daughters of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Taylor’s close friends, mentioned in this song). That is the beauty of folklore: the infinite ways a story can be told, perceived, retold from a different perspective, and told again. Maybe you’ll hear it from Inez. Best lyric: “But if I just showed up at your party / would you have me? Would you want me? / Would you tell me to go fuck myself, or lead me to the garden?”

15. peace One of the most beautifully solemn songs of her career, “peace” echoes the same fears explored in “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” from reputation; will the person she loves be able to weather the ever-present storm that comes with the life of a superstar, but also dwells within herself? Will holding him as the water rushes in be enough? Will giving him her wild, a child, her sunshine, her best, be a fair consolation? Presumably another confessional track and about Alwyn, Swift puts him up on a pedestal, praising his integrity and his dare to dream. She proclaims that she would die for him in secret, just as she told him she’d be on her tallest tip toes, spinning in her highest heels, shining just for him in “mirrorball.” She highlights some of the greatest gifts of love, such as comfortable silence and chosen family. She knows what they have is special, but she also knows the value of peace, the ultimate nirvana, and does not want to deprive him of that. It is so deeply relatable- to me, at least- to feel like you can give someone so much of yourself but know it still may never be enough, and to fear either losing them or robbing them of something better. But looking at what they have together, maybe peace is overrated. Or maybe, she’s looking for peace in the wrong places. The calm is in the eye of the storm, and sometimes, there’s nothing more freeing than throwing away the umbrella and soaking in the rain. Best lyric: “I never had the courage of my convictions / as long as danger is near / and it’s just around the corner, darling / ‘cause it lives in me / no, I could never give you peace.”

16. hoax The truest enigma of the album, the closer, “hoax” is a devastatingly dark ballad about the uncertainty, or perhaps incredulity, of someone’s love for you, a love that is your lifeline. The lyrics are ambiguous, which gives way to a plethora of interpretations. Perhaps she is speaking about a hypothetical situation that has yet to happen (and hopefully doesn’t) in which someone she loves and trusts betrays her. Maybe she is talking about a relationship, real (hopefully not) or fictional, in which despite the torment it brings her she holds onto it for dear life. I’m most inclined to believe that the song represents her difficulty in accepting that someone is willing to love her through such dark periods, that their love must actually be a hoax, but she chooses to believe in it anyway and uses it as the motivation to rebuild her kingdom, to rise from the ashes on her barren land. And even through the downs that come at some point in every relationship, she can still see the beauty in it all. Yes, their love is golden, but waves of blue will crash down around any partnership, because life does not exist without them. So even when things are as blue as can be, she’s at least grateful it’s with him. Best lyric: “Don’t want no other shade of blue but you / no other sadness in the world would do.”

Although we still have yet to hear the deluxe track, “the lakes,” as a fan of Taylor for almost 12 years, it feels so obvious that this is her strongest work yet. The storytelling I fell in love with on Fearless as a teenager (which, much like folklore, was highly inspired by imaginary situations and real emotions) is even sharper now as we have both grown into adults. The music on this album might not be everyone’s speed, and that’s okay. But it allowed Taylor to dip back into what made Fearless such a success: using pieces of her own truth and the whims of her imagination to develop a multi-faceted narrative that becomes universal. During her Tiny Desk concert, before performing “Death By A Thousand Cuts” from Lover, Swift explained the anxiety she felt around the possibility of stunted creativity when people would ask her what she would write about once she was happy. Taylor has released an abundance of beautiful, fun, complex love songs since the start of her relationship almost four years ago now. But “Death By A Thousand Cuts,” which is a fan favorite, helped her prove to herself that she can still write a killer breakup song while being in a happy, fulfilling relationship; the song was the last track written for Lover and was inspired by the film Something Great on Netflix. And so it makes perfect sense that Taylor used folklore to continue exploring this new avenue for songwriting. All of her discography and all of her life experiences have culminated to the folklore moment: as all the best artists do, she will never stop finding inspiration in hidden corners of this dark, mystical, wondrous universe, and falling in love with new ways to share those wonders. And that love will be passed on.

DISCLAIMER - REVIEWER’S BIAS: I love Taylor Swift more than any person in my life, yes including my parents, they are aware and have accepted this fact long ago ❤️

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beaniegender · 4 years ago

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Gen Tolkien fic recs

A Tolkien fic rec list? I guess so!! Written lovingly for @tolkiengenweek, here are my ten favorite gen fics in the fandom (a mix of Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion - The Hobbit is nearly unrepresented here, sorry). There’s a focus here on strong friendships and family love. List beneath the cut, from shortest to longest word count!

(If you know that any of these writers are on tumblr and I’ve failed to tag them, please let me know so I can properly credit them!)

1. Pilgrim Through This Barren Land by @naryaflame, 2064 words

Gandalf stays behind after Thorin's funeral to speak to an unexpected guest.

It’s Gandalf & Maglor friendship (frenemies?) fic set at the end of The Hobbit! Both characters are appropriately badass, and Gandalf’s POV is great. It’s sort of a speculative Maglor-in-the-future fic, which you’ll see on this list that I love.

2. alive and richly colored by @captainelectroniccollectiondonut, 2600 words

Maedhros comes home to his family's house in Formenos after two years away for college. He comes bearing gifts.

I love this little modern AU in a pretty unique setting, and this is a great meditation on Maedhros’s thoughts about his different family members.

3. Throw the Fight if You Want To by..... me, 2722 words

“Doomed you were, and Doomed you are, and Doomed you shall ever be. You have spilled the blood of your kin a fourth time, and lost your right to change course and beg forgiveness. The Valar reject your petition to stand trial and consign you to Endor to find what peace or torment as you may. Go now from this camp; none shall stop you. Do not return.”

Or, Elrond and Elros are there with the host of Valinor when Maedhros and Maglor steal the last two Silmarils. It shakes Maglor enough that the whole plot gets shaken up. What’s a little eternal damnation if your brother and foster sons still love you?

The mortifying ordeal of putting your own fic on a rec list. It’s my contribution to the sappy kidnap fam hurt/comfort genre! (Although I personally see the focus as being Maedhros & Maglor.)

4. Lonely Watches by Canafinwe, 5056 words

Haunted by solitude outside of Archet, Aragorn finds respite unlooked-for in the company of a friend.

My favorite of a quartet of Aragorn-centric Ranger fics. Gandalf finds him in the wilds and offers him some sorely-needed friendship. Poor Aragorn, y’all.

5. Grey in the Dark by rhymer23, 11044 words

Fog has descended on the lower levels of Minas Tirith, and a killer stalks the streets. In the Citadel high above the fog, Aragorn wants the killer found. Down where the fog is thickest, a young man raised on the streets is trying to find him, too. These two men, whose lives are so very different, will end up being brought together by the fog. Because in the fog, everything looks different. Everything is changed.

Minas Tirith murder mystery! The main characters are Aragorn and an OC who I love. It’s a fascinating look both at the beginning of Aragorn’s rule and how he handles it, and at what everyday life is like in very-recently-wartorn Minas Tirith.

6. Many-Colored and Splendid by @acommonanomaly 29839 words

Sometimes it's the people you meet when you're at the end of your rope who can change the course of your life forever.

Perhaps more so when that person is a mysterious stranger whose compassion seems to spring from a deeply troubled past.

Maglor in the modern age fic, baby!! Outsider POV from a New Yorker who meets Maglor at a crucial time in their life. Traces their lives and friendship for years from there. Bonus Finrod sucking at blending in in normal life, too. I love this fic and this OC so, so much.

7. Two Stars in Time by ArlenianChronicles, 43376 words and counting

While undergoing a hunting test, Elurín and Eluréd have a strange setback and wake up under the Two Trees. Lost in a land of old, there is only one person whom they can think of to search for: Adar Maedhros.

A time travel AU within my AU, In Elin Gelebrin, where Maedhros saves the twins after the Second Kinslaying.

We all agree that Eluréd and Elurín obviously deserved way, way better, right? Well now we get it. AU of an AU, so maybe you want to read the background about Maedhros and the Twin Princes of Doriath first, or maybe you want to skip right to the time travel shenanigans. Featuring vaguely sentient silmarils, badass Finwe, and two homesick children who have a chance to stop the darkening of Valinor. WIP, updating regularly.

8. The War of the Ring by morwen_of_gondor, 98904 words and counting

It was foretold in the First Age that Fëanor would never return to the world of the living until Dagor Dagorath. The same was not said of his sons.

At the beginning of The Lord of the Rings, there were few Elves left in Middle-Earth who could ride against the Nazgûl, let alone Sauron. Chief among those was Glorfindel, sent back after his death in the First Age to aid Middle-Earth in the Third. What if he was not the only one sent back? In the First Age, Fingolfin went toe-to-toe with Morgoth. Finrod did the same with Sauron. Neither of them was accounted the mightiest of the Noldor.

In a world where the Sons of Fëanor, reincarnated, returned to Middle-Earth to atone for their crimes, The Lord of the Rings happened very differently. It began in the council of Elrond, but it did not stop there. This is that story.

Y’ALL. READ THIS ONE. Yes, LotR has sweeping, complex battle sequences, a great ensemble cast, a rich and heavily-referenced in-universe mythology, and meditations on the meaning of honor and bravery - but imagine how much more of all those things it could have with seven Fëanorians running around too! I’m in awe of how this author is weaving together so many plot lines, and every single POV has been believable so far. There’s lots of fun unexpected character interactions - who doesn’t want to see Pippin and Maedhros hanging out together? WIP, updating regularly.

9. The Ways of Paradox by naryaflame (again!), 133244 words

How do you pass the time when you know you're facing eternity?

Maglor agrees to appear in a student production of The Pirates of Penzance, and gets more than he bargained for.

This one far and away sets the bar for modern Maglor AUs, in my opinion. The setting (coastal Scotland) and the OCs are all really vivid. This fic fits really nicely with the “grey spaces” prompt for the week, cause the relationship between Maglor and the POV character really resists categorization. Something I love about this fic is that, although the mystery of who Maglor is is definitely a big deal, it’s ultimately the regular everyday characters who drive the plot and conflict. There’s so much more I could say, I LOVE this fic and it’s better than so many published novels that I’ve read!

10. The River by Indigo Bunting, 143512 words

The Fellowship must cross a river before it can enter the land of Hollin. When disaster strikes, Sam and Legolas find themselves trapped between the river, a party of malicious strangers, and each other. A story about friendship and sacrifice.

A cool side-story about the Fellowship as an ensemble, and Sam and Legolas specifically proving themselves to each other. I can always re-read this one for the tense plot and pacing!

#lotr #fanfic #tolkiengenweek #i love friendship fics the most can you tell? lmao #also sorry i can't shut up about povs while writing fic recs lkdslksjfd

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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

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Tree House Kisses, Chapter 21 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: I am very excited to post this chapter, especially because I get to include this outstanding artwork by my HERO, @grinder-lector-art. It’s the banner on my own blog and every time I look at it, I get a bit weepy-eyed. -V

Also, this seems like a good a time as any to plug the wonderful moodboards that Scorpio made to go along with this story (including a few specifically inspired by this chapter). If you’re looking for previous chapters, click here! Xoxo!

Chapter Summary: Everything falls apart. But it’s Courtney’s party, and she’ll cry if she wants to…

Chapter 21: It’s Raining on Prom Night

“Hello party guests!” Darienne called over the mic. “We are now serving dinner! Please help yourself to the lovely Mexican spread, over by the garden. It is all vegetarian and the trays marked with a pink heart are vegan. Don’t make that face, Adrian, you’ll be fine,” she chastised Adore’s brother. “Anyway, after you have your plate, the birthday girl has requested for you all to take your seats, as we have some entertainment, produced by Courtney and Thorgy and starring some people here tonight...I wonder who?!”

She stepped away from the mic, trying to help usher people towards the food, especially the slower-moving adults and the cheerleaders who were still on the dance floor fooling around.

“Mrs. Del Rio!” she beckoned Roy’s mom over. “Look, only a few people know this, but there’s a secret tray of chicken under the veggie skewers. For VIP carnivore guests only. Tell your husband.”

Aida laughed, giving her a hug. “Thank you, honey. Courtney already tipped us off, but we appreciate you looking out for us.”

“I do my best,” Darienne said, winking. She walked over to the main table where Courtney had a confused and mildly irritated look on her face. “Dari, there’s one too many seats here. Is it because of Raja? Didn’t we fix this? I don’t want an empty chair right up front, it’ll look weird--”

“Calm down, it won’t be empty.”

“Well, who’s sitting here?” Courtney put her hands on her hips.

Darienne imitated her pose, hands on her own hips, and leaned in. “It’s a surprise. Go get yourself some dinner, Miss Sweet Sixteen, and don’t worry about it!”

Courtney narrowed her eyes, and after a beat, backed down, pulling Adore and Roy with her over to the food. “I’ve got my eye on you, Darienne!”

Darienne laughed, shaking her head, and pulled out her phone.

“Courtney, everything is set up if you want to start the video,” Thorgy said.

“Okay…” she glanced down at her phone again. Still no answer from her dad. “Let’s just wait one more minute, until everyone is sitting.”

“Cool. Tell me when to hit the lights and then--”

“Shut up, Thorgy.” Darienne shoved him out of the way and stood behind Courtney’s chair, covering her eyes.

“Hey!”

“I told you there was a surprise, right? Well...it’s a little late due to flight delays and other extenuating circumstances, but...come on out!”

There were few delighted gasps and squeals from the table, and Courtney exclaimed, “What? What?!”

Darienne uncovered Courtney’s eyes and turned her chair around and standing there, in a black and white checkered dress, was Dela.

Courtney let out an ear-piercing shriek, jumping up and throwing her arms around her old friend. “DELA! OMIGOD! I can’t believe you’re here! How are you?! How’s Seattle?! I miss you! Oh my god!!” Courtney jumped up and down, hugging her tightly.

Dela laughed and hugged her back. “Happy Birthday, sweetie. I missed you too! Sorry I’m late…”

Courtney pulled away, teary-eyed, and sat Dela down beside her. Darienne laughingly moved the place card that had been there (Roy’s) and soon everyone was chattering excitedly and catching up, hearing about Dela’s new school in Seattle. Courtney promised to tell Dela the story in detail of how she and Roy became an official couple after the video.

“And we finally learned the truth of why Adore never liked me,” Bob joked, causing Adore to roll her eyes.

“Is it because you were so annoying?” Dela smiled.

“Absolutely,” Adore said.

“Not,” Bob added.

Courtney filled her in about the family that had moved into her house.

“See the pretty blonde over there next to Gia? Her name is Pearl. She’s really nice, actually. Adore tried to fuck her but that didn’t work out.”

Dela’s eyes widened and then she looked over at Bob, who made an “I told you so” face.

Adore scoffed, offended. “That is not how it went down.”

Courtney shrugged, smirking, and replied with a teasing, “Whatever you say,” and a hair toss.

Dela giggled. “So, I heard there’s about to be some intense walk down memory lane video? Is that true, because I love those, it’s my favorite part of every wedding, every Bat Mitzvah…”

“Yeah, we were about to play it.”

“Go for it! I better be in it though.”

Courtney grinned. “Oh, trust me. You are.”

As Adore suspected, the video was incredibly long and cheesy, filled with tons of photos of Courtney, Courtney with her family, Courtney with friends. There were also a lot more video clips than Adore anticipated - from recitals, home movies, including a gem from Courtney’s first day of kindergarten that she’d never seen.

“Courtney, love, please come out! Bob is waiting so nicely!” Karen cajoled.

“NO!” Courtney shouted, stomping her feet, refusing to come out the front door,

Bob, already tall and lanky at five years old, sat down on the front steps, head in his hands, clearly over Courtney and her temper tantrum.

“Courtney, why don’t you want to come out? You love school...” Karen wheedled.

She opened the door a crack and shouted, “I love PRESCHOOL! I don’t want to go to kindergarten! I’m too small! Everyone is going to be mean to me!” She slammed the door with a loud bang, continuing, “NO NO NO NO NO!”

Bob shook his head at the camera, rolling his eyes.

“Roy! Vanessa!” The camera flipped around to catch the Del Rio kids walking down the block, Karen at her wit’s end, begging them to help convince Courtney how much she’d love kindergarten.

Roy scampered inside and emerged 20 seconds later, holding Courtney’s hand, a big smile on her face.

“Roy’s gonna beat up anyone who’s mean to me!” Courtney announced happily, skipping down the steps.

Everyone at the party let out a collective “Awwwwww…”

Roy shook his head. “I was so full of shit. You think I was about to get in trouble by starting a fight my first day of school? That goes on your permanent record. Luckily for me, no one was mean to her.”

Courtney laughed and kissed him. “It was a comforting lie.”

On the screen, young Roy put his arm around Bob and led him and Courtney down the block towards the elementary school. “Kindergarten is great. You get to play all day and sing songs and do lots of fun stuff.”

“Did you like it, Roy?” Courtney asked, gazing up at him.

“I thought it was kind of boring, but I was already reading books. You’ll love it.”

Adore shook her head, chuckling, as the video faded back into photos. Even in first grade, Roy was a patronizing know-it-all.

Willam and Pearl dug into their food, plates piled high with enchiladas, Spanish rice, beans, grilled chicken that they’d begged off Adore’s mom, veggie skewers, salad, taquitos, and mini quesadillas, amused grins on both of their faces as they watched Courtney’s baby videos.

A video of Courtney and Adore learning to rollerblade played across the screen. A young Adore was pretty good, compared to a falling and pouting Courtney.

“Attagirl, Lesbian!” Willam cheered, earning a glare from Adore, three tables away.

Pearl leaned over and murmured, “Why does this feel like a wedding more than a birthday party?” Pearl glanced down into Willam’s lap to see him texting someone.

“Or a funeral,” Willam mumbled back, causing Pearl to laugh which was covered up by the chuckles from the crowd laughing at Adore having to hold Courtney’s hands to help her skate.

Willam slid his phone over to Pearl, to show her the texts he had been sending Adore all night. Most of them had been him insulting Adore on her horrible fashion choices during her preteen years. Pearl shook her head, snickering to herself as she shoved another mouthful of rice into her mouth.

“What y’all laughing at?” Alyssa whispered leaning forward on the table.

The screen started off black, a few girls could be heard talking. The camera shook, before a round face framed with red hair in pigtails popped into view.

“Okay, it’s on,” Darienne said before she ran off screen.

“Turn the music on!” someone hissed. Seconds later the music started and Adore ran into view, hair teased huge, in an animal print top and pleather pants. Followed by Courtney, in white gogo boots and a British flag dress.

“Ohhhh, shit!” Willam began cackling with glee.

And then the rest of the girls. April wore a black dress and stilettos, hair ironed flat. Dela was in track pants and a sports bra, and Darienne was in a little pink dress with white sketchers, sucking on a lollipop.

Yo, I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want So tell me what you want, what you really, really want I'll tell you what I want, what I really, really want So tell me what you want, what you really, really want

Pearl’s mouth dropped open and Willam covered his mouth to hold in his laughter as they watched the girls prance around the room.

Darienne was a beat behind the rest of the girls, obviously missing steps, and clearly uncomfortable as Baby, comically overplaying the cutesy little girl thing to the point where it was nearly creepy. Dela and Courtney were the most enthusiastic, and seemed to know all the moves (with Courtney as a nearly manic Ginger and Dela really trying to sell Sporty’s “tomboy” vibe).

Watching a younger Adore, who was apparently Scary, prance around the room trying to keep up with Courtney and Dela was absolutely hilarious. Every time they had to turn, she would go the wrong way, at one point crashing into Dela and nearly knocking her over. And April’s imitation of Posh Spice, barely doing the moves at all, an air of “too cool” apathy only added to the overall disorganized vibe.

“This is soooo embarrassing,” Gia whispered to no one in particular, but everyone at the table heard her.

“Gurl,” Alyssa nodded.

WILLAM: Nice moves, you guys could have replaced the real spice girls

ADORE: Fuck off

PEARL: Was this professionally choreographed?

ADORE: Fuck. Offffff!

Adore glared at Willam and Pearl as they doubled over laughing, flipping her phone closed and crossing her arms. She watched them prance around on the screen and couldn’t help, but remember the arguments that took place just for this video to happen.

April, Adore, Courtney, Darienne and Dela had gathered at Courtney’s house and as they sat around the living room listening to the Spice Girls, Courtney suggested that they should make their own Wannabe video.

“Oh! That’ll be so fun,” Bendela said, the other girls nodded excited about Courtney’s idea.

“I’ll go get the camera!” Courtney ran off.

“I’m Posh,” April said.

“I’m Ginger,” Adore quickly called.

“Don’t you think I should be Ginger? I mean I have red hair,” Darienne suggested and Adore made a face.

“You can be Scary,” Adore suggested.

“If we’re doing this, I think I should be Ginger, I have red hair, I’m the oldest. April should be Posh, Courtney should be Baby-”

“No, I wanna be Ginger,” Courtney rushed back into the living room with her Dad’s camera, interrupting Darienne. “I’m the biggest Spice Girls fan, and I love Geri, I--”

“Too late! I already called Ginger,” Adore said smugly.

Courtney’s mouth twisted up in anger, gripping the camera tightly; steam was practically shooting out of her ears. “Adore Delano you know I waited FIVE HOURS at the Glendale Galleria to get Geri Halliwell’s autograph, and I have the British flag dress, and I--”

“Blah blah blah, whatever Baby!”

Five minutes later and Adore and Courtney were still in a heated argument over who got to be Ginger.

April watched on in amusement, happy that no one was trying to take Posh away from her, Dela just wanted the arguing to be over and Darienne didn’t understand why they thought they were more Ginger Spice than her.

“It’s! Not! Fair!” Courtney stomped her foot, crossing her arms and pouting at Adore.

“Yes! It! Is!” Adore mocked Courtney stomping her foot and crossing her arms, “I called it first. So I’m Ginger.”

“If you’re anyone, you’re Sporty,” Courtney rolled her eyes.

Adore took a step back from Courtney, fuming, looking around the room to see the other girls’ reactions. Dela sat down next to Darienne, silently offering her snack to her.

Adore leaned to Courtney whispering, “I should have been Ginger and you know it.”

Courtney stuck her tongue out in response, before shaking her head, “I think you made a good Scary. And you’d have been good as Sporty, too.”

“What?! Now that I think about it, that was a totally homophobic suggestion,” Adore said.

“Hey, if it looks like a duck, and walks like a...well...”

Adore’s eyes bulged and her mouth opened in mock offense, and Courtney laughed, leaning over and kissing her forehead.

“I’m pretty sure I’d be the best choice for Ginger,” Darienne whispered to Dela, who nodded in agreement.

“Well, you’re the obvious Baby, Courtney! Come on!” Adore cajoled desperately.

“Ugh!!” Courtney screeched, then cried, “You know what? We don’t have to make the video at all.” She turned around and tried to run off before Adore stopped her.

“Okay, okay, fine. I’ll be Scary because she has the coolest hair and you can be Ginger,” Adore huffed out in annoyance.

“Yay!” Courtney cheered, wrapping her arms around Adore, planting a wet kiss on her cheek, “You can be Ginger next time, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah…” Adore said, knowing full well that Courtney was lying and that she’d pull the same shenanigans next time, if there ever even was a next time.

“So, that means April’s Posh, Adore is Scary, I’m Ginger, Dela you can be Sporty and Darienne can be Baby,” Courtney turned to the other girls. Darienne frowned, not really on board with the casting.

“Courtney, are you sure you don’t want to be Baby. I mean you’re blonde and cute and would make the perfect Baby,” she tried to convince her one last time.

Courtney frowned, “Do you want to be Sporty?” the tremor in her voice and the look on her face told Darienne that they would be in for another tantrum if she kept arguing, and she didn’t think she could deal with it.

“Fine, I’ll be Baby,” Darienne sighed.

“I’m never gonna forgive you for dredging up that Spice Girls video…” Adore grumbled.

Courtney laughed half-heartedly, shrugging. “Sorry boo, it’s my favorite.”

“I loooooved it!” Dela cried happily. “I think we should do it again, like a reunion tour. There's totally room on the dance floor.”

“Uh, how about no fucking way?” Adore retorted, a look of horror on her face. She looked to the others for support, but Courtney was distracted by her phone.

COURTNEY: Where are you? It’s almost 9…

Darienne looked at Adore and cleared her throat. “You know what I think we need? Presents.”

Adore nodded. “Yes!” she exclaimed as Courtney’s eyes lit up happily.

“Great idea!” Roy jumped up to help Darienne grab the gifts and Adore mouthed ‘THANK YOU’ at both of them. Roy smiled and gave her a wink.

Courtney sat in a decorated chair, ankles crossed demurely like the princess she was, everyone gathered around her wanting their present to be opened first.

“I’m only going to open a few presents for now,” Courtney announced knowing that she wouldn’t make it through everyone’s presents quick enough. “So, who wants to go first,” she sang, closing her eyes and holding her hands out, making grabbing motions.

Her dad’s parents, Grammy and Papa were the first to pass Courtney her gift, which consisted of a card and birthday money.

“Thank you, so much,” she squealed at the hundred dollars, giving both her grandparents a kiss.

Darienne decided to be the brave soul to go next. “Here you go, Courtney.”

“I wonder what it is,” Courtney shook the wrapped present causing everyone to laugh. She tore the paper off to reveal a beautifully carved frame, painted pink and white. The picture in the frame was taken at Courtney’s 13th birthday party. Courtney started to tear up at the memories that the picture brought.

Courtney stood in the center of the picture, brows furrowed cutely, with icing on her nose, a laughing Adore beside her. Roy was trying to stop Bob from digging his fingers into his slice of cake. Darienne was the only one posed for the camera with her hands on her hips and a smile on her face while April, Dela, Thorgy and Jamin were captured in the background, oblivious to the picture being taken.

“Thank you, Dari!” Courtney sniffed, pulling Darienne into a tight hug.

“You’re welcome, sweetie,” Darienne squeezed her back, “I made it the frame and painted it myself.”

Courtney grabbed the picture frame and stared at it for another moment before sitting it aside carefully, “Thank you so much.”

After Courtney sat back in her chair, Roy stepped forward with his present. “Here you go, princess.”

Courtney took the big bag from him, dramatically weighing it to see how heavy it was. Pulling out and tossing the pink tissue paper behind her, Courtney pulled out the card first. Ripping it opened, her mouth dropped at the season passes to Six Flags Magic Mountain.

“Oh my gosh! Thank you, babe,” she pulled him down her a quick kiss on the cheek, “This summer is going to be sooo fun,” she shimmied her shoulders excitedly at the thought of going to the amusement park all summer, especially since the new rides were supposed to be amazingly death-defying.

“Told you,” Adore cracked. “Whore for danger.”

“Yeah, I��m counting on it,” Roy joked quietly, and Adore made a face at him.

Courtney laughed, setting the envelope to the side, her face lighting up when she dug into the bag pulling out what looked to be lotion and bubble bath.

“Oooh,” she bounced in her seat as she unscrewed the top on the lotion to get a good whiff, “My favorite. You remembered.” She looked up at him with adoring eyes.

“Of course. Keep digging,” Roy urged.

Courtney set the lotion and bubble bath aside, reaching into the bag and pulling out a rolled-up t-shirt. She shot Roy a skeptical look before opening the shirt to get a good look at it.

“A Destiny’s Child shirt,” Courtney turned it around, holding it up for everyone else to see.

“Yes, because you’ll need it for the concert-”

“CONCERT!?” Courtney screamed, scooting to the edge of her seat looking at Roy with huge eyes.

“Yep, my cousin Monica is a dancer on the tour and she hooked us up with some dope seats when they come here in September--” Roy said.

“Ahhh!” she screeched, hopping up out of her seat to show her mom, sister and grandparents what her boyfriend had gotten her (even though they saw the whole thing) and they smiled and gasped in excitement for Courtney. Roy slid into Courtney’s seat, glancing around the room, momentarily catching Adore’s eye and smirking. She smiled back sweetly, letting him have his little moment of glory.

“Omigod, thank you!” Courtney leaped into Roy’s lap, covering his face with kisses.

“You’re really happy? I figured like, jewelry or something...you know, it would be kind of predictable. But this is something we can do together.”

She pressed their foreheads together. “You’re the best boyfriend ever, and we’re going to have the most amazing summer.” Courtney wrapped her arms around Roy’s neck, whispering, “I love you so much…”

“I love you more. Even though you’ve been a real pain in the ass…”

“Hey!” Courtney exclaimed, pulling away, but Roy pulled her back, capturing her lips in a sweet, tender kiss, hands circling her waist.

Dela looked at Adore. “Are they always like this?” she asked quietly, wrinkling her nose.

Adore stuck her tongue out, nodding. “Always. Gross, huh?”

Dela nodded, then poked Courtney on the shoulder. “Hey, birthday princess…” she sang.

“Yeahhh?” Courtney lifted her head, leaning against Roy’s shoulder, slightly glassy-eyed.

“Want another present?”

“Yes!”

Dela handed her a shiny turquoise bag.

“Wait, you really got me a present?! But you came all the way here, you didn’t need to also buy me something!”

“Awww, I love you, and you’re so full of shit!” Dela laughed.

Courtney giggled.

She opened the turquoise bag and found it stuffed to the brim with glittery nail polishes, lip glosses, and a pair of super chic retro sunglasses, which she immediately tried on, pursing her lips in a model-esque pose.

“Gorgeous! See, I knew they were you!” Dela exclaimed.

“Aw, thank you Dela,” Courtney pulled her into a hug, “I've missed you so much.”

Courtney was about to get up, when Adore asked, “Time for one more?”

“I think we can manage that,” Courtney grinned.

“Here you go.” Adore handed Courtney a long, narrow box, wrapped in black glittery paper. The tag said “2005.” “I hope it satisfies your demands.”

Courtney giggled, remembering how she’d made Adore promise that her present would make everyone jealous. She unwrapped the box, opening the velvet lid slowly. Inside was a rose gold charm bracelet.

The first charm Courtney saw was a tiny little bow. She bit her lip, holding back tears, studying at all the other charms. There were some sweet ones that represented them and their friendship, like music notes and drama masks and a little heart, and then a bunch like the bow that seemed to go with the presents she’d gotten over the last two weeks...a tree, a roller coaster, tiny little crutches, a lollipop, a microphone, a hairbrush, a ladder, the British flag.

She laughed at the skull and crossbones, then touched the one beside it, looking up at Adore’s expectant face. “What’s this one?”

“The eternity symbol. Best friends forever.” Adore’s voice was soft.

Courtney lunged forward, wrapping her into a hug, tears dripping down her face, sobbing into her neck.

“So you like it?” Adore whispered teasingly into her hair, holding back tears of her own, trying to keep things light.

“It’s perfect.” Courtney pulled away, tears still falling. “Can you help me put it on?” she asked.

“It doesn’t match your other jewelry--”

“I don’t care,” Courtney sniffled, wiping her eyes with a gloved hand.

“Okay, then.” Adore took her wrist and fastened the bracelet.

Courtney hugged her again, clinging to her tightly.

“Come on, let’s finish dinner so we can dig into that ridiculous pink cake over there,” Adore murmured.

She slung an arm around Courtney’s waist and led her back to their table, glancing at Roy on the way, who had his eyes narrowed at her. She shrugged and grinned at him, feeling a little petty, but knowing her victory was bittersweet. She may have won this round, but he was still the boyfriend.

DAD: Hiya kiddo. Hope you’re having a blast. I hate to be a bummer but I’m not gonna make it tonight. I’m sure you’d rather spend the night with your friends anyway. Have a fantastic birthday, I love you loads, and I promise that Katya and I will take you out to dinner real soon to celebrate.

Courtney snapped her phone closed and put it down on the table, straightening out her skirt.

Roy put his hands on her shoulder. “Did he say when he’s--”

“He’s not coming,” Courtney said flatly, clearing her throat.

Adore swallowed, trying to think of something to say that would make her feel better, and coming up dreadfully short. She looked up into Courtney’s eyes, could see how crushed her best friend was, and knew that nothing she could do would fix it.

Courtney looked away from Adore’s sympathetic expression, those hazel eyes so full of concern that they’d make her burst into tears if she looked at them a second longer, took a deep breath and turned towards the dance floor, sighing. “Why are those lights out?”

“What lights?” Roy asked.

“Those!” Courtney pointed to a string of fairy lights that were out, near the dance floor.

“They probably came unplugged. I’ll go check.”

Courtney followed him over to the dance floor, looking around, tapping her foot. “Nobody is dancing. Tomas, can’t you play something more fun? Where’s the playlist I gave you?” She crossed her arms.

“Yeah, sure. I was just trying to keep it kind of chill while people finished dinner. We can kick things up.” The DJ winked at her and opened his laptop.

Darienne walked up and asked, “Hey, babe, do you still want to try and save some of the enchiladas, ‘cause they’re almost gone…”

“WHAT?! We were supposed to save a whole tray in the kitchen to bring to the shelter tomorrow! Who put it out?!” Courtney demanded.

“I don’t know, I’m sure it was an innocent--oh, no...”

“What?”

“It looks like you’re missing an earring,” Darienne said, touching her cheek softly.

“What?!” Courtney cried, panicking.

“Yeah, hold still, it’s probably just somewhere on your dress. Dela, come here, help me for a sec.”

Courtney stood, wringing her hands, as the two girls searched the folds of her skirt. “I can’t lose that earring, I borrowed it from my mom, it belonged to my great-grandmother, oh god, you have to find it, please hurry.” She began to whimper, covering her face, as Grandma Muriel approached.

“Why do you look so distressed, dear?”

“Grandma, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” she wailed, grasping the older woman’s hands. “I think I lost Nana’s earring, it must be around here somewhere but I don’t know if we can find it and--”

“Courtney, for heaven’s sake, get ahold of yourself.” Muriel shook her head, walking away.

“Just stop, it’s no use…” Courtney shook Dela off her skirt. “It’s too dark. We’ll never find it.”

“But maybe we can--”

“I said leave it!”

“Okay, sorry.” Dela exchanged a look with Darienne and backed off. “I’m gonna go get some more punch…”

“Uh, Court, I think one of the bulbs in that string burned out, they aren’t working,” Roy said.

“Ugh! Great!”

Suddenly, the cheerleaders stormed the dance floor as Missy Elliott’s “I’m Really Hot” began blasting.

Courtney nodded at Tomas, who winked, and then was pulled into a group of squealing girls by Laganja. That’s when she noticed the red flower on Alyssa’s dress. ��Really, Alyssa? You of all people can’t follow a dress code?”

“Step off, Jenek.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m one of the few people here who doesn’t find your diva nonsense charming. I’m not the one. So step. Off. If you know what’s good for you.”

Some of the cheerleaders paused, taking notice of the two girls standing in the middle of the dance floor.

Bob's hand tightened around April’s as he tried to subtly nod in Alyssa and Courtney's direction.

“Five bucks on Alyssa,” he whispered, causing April to snort.

“You're terrible. Alyssa won't do anything but make her run extra laps at cheer practice or something. She's all talk,” April murmured, eyes watching the two girls.

“I don't know, Alyssa has about 20 pounds on Courtney. She could definitely take her.” Bob shrugged his shoulders, pulling April closer as he waited to see what would happen, April’s cheeks reddening.

After staring each other down, Courtney turned on her heel and flounced away, nearly bumping into her mother.

“Hey, love, did you want to do the cake now, or wait a little?” Karen said. “I think people are mostly done with dinner, so--”

“I don’t care!” Courtney snapped. “Whatever.”

“Well, it’s your party, Courtney, so I think you should--”

“Fine! Do it now! It’s not like it fucking matters, mom, it’s just a stupid cake!” Tears burned in her eyes.

Karen looked at her like she was debating whether to smack her across the face or give her a hug. After a few moments, she spoke in a quiet voice. “I’ll go get the candles.”

“Great.” Courtney bit her lip, holding back tears.

Roy took a step towards her. “Courtney, everyone is doing their best, okay? I mean, I know you’re upset about your dad, but that’s no reason to act like a bitch to everyone who’s here, who’s trying to--.”

Courtney narrowed her eyes at him, pushing him away. “This is not about my fucking dad, Roy!”

He rolled his eyes. “Okay, babe, whatever you say.”

“Go fuck yourself!” Courtney screeched, shoving him out of the way and storming off the dance floor.

Roy stood for a moment, helpless, knowing he’d done the wrong thing, as “1, 2 Step” began blaring over the speakers, the bass pumping, the dance floor filling up even more, suddenly feeling stifling.

“Good work, bro,” Adore said, thumping him on the shoulder.

“Fuck. I don’t know where she went…” He shook his head.

“I know where she went,” Adore assured him. “Maybe let’s not light any candles yet, though?”

Roy nodded.

Adore climbed the ladder, hoisting herself into the tree house and sitting cross-legged on the floor. “Hey.”

Courtney wiped some tears from her cheeks.

“Hi.” She was curled in the corner, in a beanbag chair. Her tiara was askew and her gown was wrinkled, the tulle bunched up around her like a glittery fuchsia cloud.

“Planning to hide in here for the rest of the night?”

Sniffling, Courtney shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Alright.” Adore shoved the second beanbag chair over to her and stretched out. “In that case, I’m sort of bummed I didn’t bring any snacks, but I guess we’ll live.”

Courtney giggled a little in spite of herself, then sniffled as her tears continued to fall.

“I know I’m being awful. Roy was right.”

“Yeah, well, Roy’s always right, isn’t he? That doesn’t mean he needed to say it.”

Courtney closed her eyes.

“I hate that I care this much. I feel like such a stupid fucking baby. But...it’s my first birthday without him, you know?”

Adore nodded, silently taking her hand.

“I just really thought he’d come. I really thought, even though things have been weird and everything, that when it came down to it, I’d still be able to count on him. That he still gave half a shit. I’m so dumb.” She shook her head, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Adore brushed the tears away gently with her fingers, whispering. “You’re not dumb.”

Courtney leaned on Adore’s shoulder. “I even had a song picked out for us to dance to.”

“What song?”

“You Are My Sunshine.”

“Dude. That is so cheesy.”

“I know! That’s the point!” Courtney laughed, fresh tears falling.

“Well...it’s his loss, because you are sunshine. And you’ve never looked prettier.”

Courtney smiled, knowing that she was, at the moment, a tear-stained mess. “Thank you for lying.”

Adore took the edge of a blanket and dried Courtney’s cheeks, then opened her handbag and pulled out a compact, eyeliner, and lip gloss. She got to work fixing Courtney’s makeup and within two minutes, leaned back, pleased with her work. “There,” Adore said, adjusting the tiara on her head, rearranging her blonde curls. “Beautiful.”

“You are, too,” Courtney said softly, gazing up at her.

Adore looked at Courtney and, for a moment, it was if she could really see her. Every insecurity, every desire. She took Courtney’s face in her hands and tilted her chin up. She leaned in slowly and brushed their lips together.

Courtney’s heart raced as she savored the sweet softness of Adore’s mouth. She gripped the tulle fabric of her skirt in her hands, and then before she could blink, the kiss was over and Adore was pulling away again, still looking at her but not in the same way. The walls were back up and it felt as if a chasm had opened up between them.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have--” Adore’s voice was hoarse and distant.

“No, it’s alr--”

“We should go back.”

“Okay.” Courtney felt like crying again, and she wasn’t sure why. She just followed Adore, out of the tree house and back to the party.

The good news was, the DJ had managed to keep the party going. It seemed like most people hadn’t even noticed that Courtney left, from how much fun they were having on the dance floor. Except Roy, of course, sitting at their table, sipping forlornly out of a pink sparkly cup.

She approached him, nervously biting her lip, adjusting her elbow-length gloves. “Hey.”

He looked up. “Hi.”

“I’m sorry. I know I’ve been a monster all day, and you’ve been really great, like you always are, just the best, and, and you were right, I was upset about my dad, and I’m just...I’m sorry.” Courtney pressed her lips together, trying to hold in her tears. “Please don’t be mad.”

Roy stood up and wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to upset you. But like, this is a birthday party and you’ve been so stressed and irritated, and I just thought--”

“I know, I know.”

“This is probably a totally insane idea, but what if we...keep an open mind here, this is crazy, but...what if we try to have fun for the rest of the night?” He raised his eyebrows suggestively. “Huh...huh?”

Courtney laughed, pulling him in for another hug. “You’re so lame. I love you.”

“Me too, baby.”

“Do you wanna dance?”

Roy put his hand over his heart. “I would love to, but I don’t know that Spice Girls choreography.”

Courtney giggled and pulled him onto the dance floor. “Don’t taunt me, Del Rio, or I’ll make you learn. Dela’s leaving again Monday, and I think you’d be a really cute Sporty.”

“She is the butch one.”

“Good point. Maybe you should be Posh.”

Roy laughed and put his arms around her as the DJ switched to Usher and Alicia Keys singing “My Boo.” Courtney leaned her head on his shoulder, and sighed, glancing around the dance floor. She caught Adore’s eye and smiled at her. Adore raised a pink sparkly cup at her, holding her gaze for a long moment until Willam thumped her on the shoulder to get her attention back.

Courtney looked back at Roy, who flashed his dimples at her and kissed her softly. She felt a stab of guilt, remembering the other kiss she’d gotten that night. But, it didn’t mean anything, right? It was just a friendly kiss, her best friend trying to make her feel better.

She closed her eyes, insides twisting, stomach in knots. Because if she was really honest with herself, it wasn’t the kiss that she felt guilty about. It was that feeling, the moment Adore pulled away, of regret. She dug her fingers into Roy’s shoulders, and he held her tighter around the waist.

Suddenly, she couldn’t stop the tears and she was crying again. Roy cupped her face and kissed her cheeks. “What’s the matter, babe?”

Courtney shook her head.

“One of those ‘it’s my party, I’ll cry if I want to’ moments? Should I just leave it alone?” Roy asked.

Courtney nodded as Roy swiped a napkin from the dessert table and dried her eyes.

“Alright. Come here.” He pulled her close and she fell into his arms, unable to tear her eyes away from where Adore stood with Willam and Pearl, deep in thought.

Adore stirred her punch with a straw as she half-listened to whatever Willam was running his mouth about. She couldn’t believe that she had kissed Courtney, especially in the emotional state that the blonde had been in, but in that moment it had felt so right and that’s what made it all the more wrong.

Adore was a slave to her feelings, and it felt like the more she tried to run from them, the more intense and reckless they became when they caught up to her.

That’s the moment when the lights suddenly cut out and Karen wheeled in the giant birthday cake, decorated with a huge fuchsia bow, black and white stripes, and shiny silver stars. Everyone gathered around the birthday girl to sing, and Adore focused on the sparkler candles, glittering in the darkness.

Goosebumps rose on the back of her neck, the feeling of someone’s eyes on her pulling Adore from her thoughts.

Hazel eyes looked up to find bright green eyes staring back at her. Adore grew anxious, unable to interrupt the emotions behind Courtney’s piercing stare.

Adore wondered if she had fucked up and Courtney was mad at her or even worse, if Courtney knew Adore had feelings for her that she shouldn’t have.

Adore looked away, her chest growing tight as a million thoughts ran through her head.

Courtney continued to gaze at her best friend, unable to focus on the crowd, on her mother and everyone urging her to blow out the candles.

“Babe, make a wish…” Roy said, kissing her temple.

Courtney bit her lip, eyes falling closed as she blew out the candles, not daring to let herself form a coherent thought in that moment. Because if she did, she was afraid of what she might wish for. She opened her eyes back up, and everyone was cheering, while Kimmy began to slice up the cake.

Roy swept her up into his arms again while the lights turned back on and Tomas turned up the music, Beyoncé‘s “Baby Boy.”

Pearl handed a piece of cake to Adore, taking one for herself too. “Dude, let’s go ask the DJ to play ‘American Life.’”

“That song where Madonna raps about her household staff?” Willam asked skeptically.

“Yeah! It’s so good!”

“That’s fucking embarrassing, New Girl.”

“Adore, come on, back me up here! I mean, or ‘Hollywood’ is good too…” she mused.

“I think I’m gonna take off,” Adore murmured, setting her cup down and pulling her phone out of her back pocket, sending a text to Raja asking if she could get a ride so that they could hang out.

As the song finished, Courtney lifted her head from Roy’s shoulder, smiling at him. “Thank you,” she said, reaching up and touching his cheek with her gloved hand.

“Anytime,” he replied, flashing those killer dimples at her.

Courtney glanced over to where Adore had been standing, feeling an urge to clear the air, just to make sure everything was okay, but she was gone. She excused herself from Roy, leaving him with Darienne and Dela, and hurried over. To her dismay, Willam and Pearl both reported that they thought Adore had left, and so she tore through the backyard to Adore’s house, shouting her name, finding her leaning on the side of her garage.

Her pounding heart began to slow down as she caught her breath.

“Hi...sorry for yelling, I just…”

“No, it’s okay. Are you alright?” Adore asked.

“Yeah. Um…” Courtney licked her lips, adjusting her gloves awkwardly. “Willam said you left, and I just wanted to find you so I could...I wanted to say thank you. For...for the bracelet. And...everything.” Courtney took another step towards her, eyes soft and misty.

“You’re welcome. Happy birthday.” Adore’s own eyes still had the same inscrutable, slightly guarded expression they’d had earlier. But her smile was genuine.

Courtney wrapped her arms around Adore’s shoulders, burying her face into her friend’s neck and hugging her tightly.

“I love you, Dory.”

Adore closed her eyes, holding her close, trying not to be hyper-aware of the warm breath against her skin, the scent of her silky hair, the all too recent memory of the taste of her.

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. As if by some miracle, they were suddenly blinded by headlights as Raja’s car pulled into the driveway. Adore broke away from the hug, waving gratefully to her.

“Um, that’s my...I gotta go,” she told Courtney, who simply nodded. “Goodnight. The party was awesome. And I love you too!” She blew a kiss as she slipped into the car.

Raja tossed a cigarette out the window as she pulled out of the driveway.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

“Glad you texted.”

“Me too. I had to get out of there.”

“Not into the quinceanera fantasy?” Raja laughed.

Adore shook her head. “Been a long day.”

“Stressful?”

Adore looked over to Raja, the streetlights illuminating her features.

“Yeah,” Adore said, voice only slightly above a whisper, eyes flickering to Raja’s lips.

Pulling up to the stop sign at the end of the street Raja put the car in park, turning to face Adore.

“Well, we all do it. Have a big princess-like party; if we don’t want it our mom’s ‘ll make us,” Raja said lowly, leaning on the armrest.

“Really?” Adore asked, leaning on towards Raja, “Did you?”

“Mhm,” Raja smirked, eyes flickering to Adore’s lips, “My ma made sure that I had an extraaaavagant birthday party. I had a big turquoise dress, my hair done up, the works.”

Adore let out a breathy giggle, “You don’t look the type.”

“No?” Raja raised her eyebrows, slightly tilting her head and Raja’s warm breath hitting Adore’s face made Adore notice that they were closer than she realized. Lips inches apart.

“No.”

“Maybe when we get to my place…” Raja placed a sweet kiss on Adore’s lips-- that had her chasing Raja’s lips as she pulled away, “I can show you some pictures.”

Raja smiled innocently, but Adore wouldn’t let her get away. She needed to forget what happened earlier; she needed to forget her mistake, the way nothing seemed to matter, but them in the tree house. Adore leaned over the armrest, pulling Raja back towards her, pressing her lips into Raja’s harder than the first kiss, desperate to erase the way Courtney’s lips felt against hers. Raja could do that, Raja could make her forget and when the older girl nipped at her lip, Adore let her in.

The position was awkward with the armrest pressed between them, but the feel of Raja’s hands on her, tugging her closer was worth it. Adore gripped at Raja’s jacket, when they broke for air, Raja leaving kisses along Adore’s jaw before Adore guided Raja’s lips back to hers.

Before the kiss could deepen again the girls were scared apart by a horn beeping behind them. They looked up, both startled, as a car sped around them, the driver tossing them the finger.

“Damn, bro, calm down,” Raja said, and Adore giggled, arms sliding back around her neck.

“Come back here…”

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hargrove-mayfields · 4 years ago

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A Stake of Holly in Her Heart Pt. 4

Pt 1. Pt. 2 Pt. 3

Max reads the message written in the Christmas card over and over until her eyes are crossing, then does it some more.

She’s so caught up on that last part, the signature, “mom.” Her mind just can’t process what she’s reading.

Maria Hargrove was Billy’s mother, a woman who Max had never had the pleasure, or displeasure, depending on who you asked, of meeting, being that she was out of the picture years before Max got involved.

According to her ex husband, she was conceited, selfish, sleazy. Ask her son, and he’d say she was quiet, nervous, loving.

Rumor has it that she just up and disappeared one day, leaving everything behind but a packed suitcase and a stolen debit card. Everything including her ten year old son.

Max had never really gotten the full story, only bits and pieces of the truth, but up to this moment she’d been perfectly content with the explanation that she’d gotten too worn out by Neil’s abuse, and cut out everything that had to do with that life they shared.

The card in her hand and the note inside of it might suggest otherwise.

The retelling of events from the abuser abandoned by his victim and the scorned and forgotten child was something that Max always knew would never be the most accurate, and so she knows her perception of the situation might be wrong, but there was still something that was throwing her off.

For one thing, why would a mother who had deliberately left without her son just write to him like nothing was wrong? She supposes that Billy tried to keep guarded a lot of his personal life, and maybe this wasn’t quite as out of the blue as she thought.

But what bothers her more is that the message seems far too simple, too casual to be addressed to a dead boy. Maybe it is surprising for Maria to have sent anything in the first place, but for it to include such a normal interaction? There’s something there that’s rubbing Max the wrong way.

Thinking back, she realizes she can’t actually remember anybody ever mentioning that they’d called Billy’s mother to break the news, and she knows for a fact that she hadn't seen her face, the one immortalized in the photo of her that Billy always kept in his glove box, anywhere among the few guests that had shown up at his funeral. And then she figures it out;

Maria Hargrove doesn’t know her son is dead.

Max’s knees start to shake, so she lowers herself to sit on the stoop. Words can’t come close to describing how she’s feeling, holding in her hands that handwritten sentiment from an isolated mother to her dead son. Not even the tears that run down her cheeks and are dried by the winter wind can express the grief that that little Christmas card triggers in her heavy heart.

Just knowing that there’s someone out there that might care as much about Billy as she does is such a profound thought in her mind. But is it really the same?

Is there any comparison even able to be drawn between the grieving sister of a misunderstood brother, and the woman who’d knowingly left her child with a monster?

Max’s knee jerk reaction is to say no, that any person who would knowingly abandon another who needed them deserves in no way to be affiliated with her and her heartache, but deep down she knows that isn’t completely true.

Even she’s considered it, running away from Neil and Susan and Hawkins and never looking back, but she’s trapped, by school, by her friends, by a cemetery plot. For Maria to actually go through with it, that must’ve been the hardest decision of her life.

And besides, Billy would had to have already forgiven her if he gave her the Cherry address. There’s no way she would’ve gotten it on her own, they hadn’t even told anybody where they were going before they moved.

The whole thing was a lot more complicated than she’d ever expected.

She doesn’t know how long she sits there contemplating it, bright red tear streaks on her freckled cheeks, before her ride eventually shows up, and Max realizes that now more than ever, the last thing she wants is to go to some party.

Not even the idea of being around her loving friends seemed like too attractive an alternative right now, not since she’d stumbled across Billy’s Christmas card, but the way she saw it, she didn’t have a choice.

Bailing now meant she’d have to go back inside and face her parents after she’d already made them angry today, which would do nothing but prove Neil right. She could already imagine the smug look on his stupid drunken face, and so, despite her resignations, she stands to make her way towards the car.

Carefully, she slides the card back into its envelope and puts it into her jacket pocket, or rather the pocket of Billy’s jacket that she saved from being thrown out when they cleaned out his room.

Up until now, she’d been telling herself she only wore it because it was warm, but today she'd done enough reflecting to be able to admit that, more than any other excuse she might make for the sake of appearances, she just missed her brother.

The walk down the sidewalk to Steve Harrington's BMW waiting for her at the curb feels very much like a walk of shame.

Maria’s card burning a hole in her pocket, Max tries to focus on the crunch of ice melt under her boots, the wind whipping the branches of the bare ginkgo trees at the edge of their property, anything at all that might take her mind off the lump in her throat.

When she yanks the door open, she knows it’s a little too hard for an expensive car that isn’t hers, but she slumps down into the passenger seat anyways.

Steve makes a face, she assumes because he’s going to call her on not going for the backseat when they’re supposed to be picking up Dustin too, but then he just keeps staring at her.

Max scowls, “Are you going to take me to the party or what?”

He clears his throat and looks away. “Yeah I just, uh, wanted to ask, you know, if-if you were okay.”

“What do you think?” She spits.

Even though she’s pretty sure he wasn’t asking about the abuse, only curious as to how she’s coping with her brother's death rather than how she’s holding up against Neil’s temper, she tugs her sleeve down anyways, just in case he saw the bruises.

Of course Steve catches it, his eyes flickering down to the denim cuffs pulled over her hands and softening to show something like pity, before he says, “Sorry, I wasn’t-“

But Max doesn’t want his pity, so she shuts him down, clear exhaustion in her tear-thick voice, “Please, just drive.”

Most people would be happy to know there was someone in their corner, but the longer she’s alone in that house, the more others' empathy has come to make her feel smothered.

Because a thousand empty “sorry”s and condolences without feeling wouldn’t change a thing, wouldn’t make the bruises and the man who put them there go away or bring her brother back, they only piled up expectations on her to get better for their sake, so they didn’t have to watch her be all depressing anymore.

For that reason, it felt sort of insulting to her to have others showering her in pointless pity.

“Right, yeah, of course.” He says, but his gaze lingers again on Max’s face for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing in thought as he turns away to start the car.

She rolls her eyes and leans back in her seat, hoping to show him that now is just really not the time for a therapy session from her babysitter.

Max’s subconscious must have disagreed, or maybe the concern on Steve’s face just seemed genuine enough that she buys it, because she feels the tears coming again.

It’s something that feels so incredibly shameful, to turn her head and stare out the window so Steve Harrington can’t see her crying, to even be crying again for what felt like the hundredth time today, but she just can’t stop herself.

She tries to cheer herself up by remembering that she is currently on her way to her friend's house, and that she would soon be celebrating and having fun with the people who care about her, because Christmas is not supposed to feel like this.

But knowing that when all of it was over, Billy won’t be the one there to pick her up in his Camaro, and that she’ll be dropped off back at a home where she isn’t safe, and where they’ll pretend her brother never even existed, the joy of the holiday is drained away entirely.

Her shoulders shake as she stifles her sobs, and there’s no hiding the few sniffles and gasps she can’t hold back. It’s humiliating, especially because she can feel Steve glancing over at her every now and again.

Were she not sure that the moment she opens her mouth she’s going to start ugly sobbing and betray her barely there dignity, she would’ve told him to mind his own. Instead, she just keeps her mouth shut and stares out the window, hoping he’ll leave her alone.

They’re a few minutes away from Dustin’s house when Steve sighs and suddenly makes a dead stop, pulling over against the curb. She looks over at him, and notices his eyes shining in a way that was probably not because of the heater being turned up too high.

“What are you doing?”

He lets his hands drop from the wheel, and turns in his seat to look at Max. “Do you even want to go to this party?”

She doesn’t really know how exactly she’s supposed to answer that. There isn’t time to explain the nuanced version, the internal debate she’s holding between friends or family, invasions of her privacy or a slap to the face, so she settles on, “I don’t know.”

“Then let’s ditch. My friends and I used to go down to Benny’s on Christmas for the pie, we should go.” Steve says, his voice wavering, just a little.

The implication of skipping out on the party to go out with a boy her brothers age, alone, mind you, when he’d already been accused once of being sweet on her, (the assumption was baseless and came from a panicking and very confused Billy, but still) is enough to make Max’s heart drop into her stomach with dread.

There must be a look on her face to match that feeling in her chest, because he specifies, “I promise it’s not weird or anything I just- you shouldn't have to be around all that right now.”

But she’s on the defensive now, and she crosses her arms and says, in her meanest tone of voice she can muster, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that you and I both know they’re going to be nosy.” Judging from the concentration on his face, he knows he has to earn her trust back, and calculates his next words very carefully. “Wouldn’t want them asking any questions about your arm.”

In a way, that only does the opposite by making him seem suspicious, but her interest is piqued. He knows something, and he wants to talk about it without drawing the attention of everyone that’ll be at the Wheeler’s. That doesn’t automatically equal him being a creep, right?

Not when she’s got so much that she doesn’t want them to know either.

Turning it over in her head, she makes the decision that she's got enough that she doesn’t have to bolt, but she’ll still be wary. She's well aware that she has a problem with being too trusting, for years she’d thought Neil wasn’t that bad of a person, but she’s pretty sure Steve’s a little more open about his baggage, and her judge of character isn’t that bad once she gets familiar with somebody.

So she agrees in her own way, looking over to Steve and asking him, “What about Dustin?”

“He’ll be fine, dude. He’s like, super tough.” Steve mocks Mikes tone from when Mike had said the same thing earlier, having overheard through his own walkie that he always left on in case of emergency and putting lots of effort into his stupid teenage boy impression.

For the first time that morning she feels something other than the sting of despair, a small bubble of laughter from her throat and a smile finding its way onto her face as she mumbles, “Whatever.”

Read also on ao3!

#Max Mayfield #Billy Hargrove #steve harrington #stranger things #ej writer #story by EJ!#quick reminder that ao3 is a chapter ahead #so at some point today (probably a little later) chapter 5 will be posted there #thank you all for your support!#this has over 200 hits on ao3 and I know that’s not a lot but my heart is soaring I love you all!!!

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thephantomofthe-internet · 5 years ago

Text

Lavender and Daisies

Steve Harrington x Holland!Reader, Max Mayfield x Reader (PLATONIC)

Word Count: 4,183

Warnings: Death, grief, violence, mourning, funerals, angst, crying, swearing

Tag List: @carolimedanvers @thechickvic @moonstruckhargrove @hotstuffhargrove @alex--awesome--22 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @so-not-hotmess @agentsinstorybrooke @sunflowercandie @kaliforniacoastalteens @songforhema @mickmoon @buckybarneshairpullingkink @marvelismylifffe @spidey-pal

You found yourself drawn to the Hawkins Cemetery after the announcement of the Starcourt Mall’s demise. You’d spent a lot of time there two years prior. Two years ago you knew why you spent so much time around those gravestones. This time, you weren’t sure.

You always made sure to dress appropriately for the stones. Your mother had drilled it into your head, after your Great Aunt Amelia’s funeral almost twelve years ago, that the souls of the dead were offended by any colours other than black, grey, and navy blue. Dark winter tones were the only colours appropriate for the stones. You couldn’t help your bright yellow converse sneakers though; they were your only shoes with flat soles and anything with a heel would sink into the grass, loose dirt, and mud.

You knew how to dress for a funeral. You were a Holland girl.

You lost your baby sister Barb in your junior year. It destroyed you. She was this little dork you’d been trying to protect since the day she was born. You were Irish twins, less than a year apart. Your sister was a miracle baby; your parents were told by several doctors that they wouldn’t be able to have children after you, due to a seemingly botched c-section. When they found out that they were pregnant again so soon after having you, they had to go through with the pregnancy, purely because they might never have another shot at a kid.

Barb was your sweet little geeky sister, with her prissy friends and her homework parties. You still felt guilty about not telling her to skip the party she was going to. Not that Steve Harrington inherently threw dangerous parties, simply that you knew that it wouldn’t be her scene. Not that you thought she’d listen, Barb was a teenager. Teenagers never listen, especially when they had it in their heads that they were right. So you mourned her death hard. You spent every day at her grave site for the first year. Your parents had intended to use their life savings to pay for a private investigator to research her disappearance. And while, at the time you weren’t sure as to whether or not she was even alive, you weren’t comfortable with them selling everything to hire some random guy they found in the penny saver. You moved in with your Aunt Jeanine while your parents lost their minds for awhile, so you could try to keep your mind on your studies. And while living with your aunt and her four kids, all no older than preteens, off a pull out couch in their basement wasn’t easy, you made it work.

You graduated. But you didn’t get into any colleges. And once Barb was discovered dead, covered up by an evil corporation, you were forced to deal with your own issues head on.

Staying in Hawkins and going back to high school was the only way to clean up the mess you’d made of your own life. It meant you could stay close to Barb, which your parents had trouble doing. They were destroyed with grief, you understood why they felt the need to sew their wild oats and try to discover themselves beyond their pain.

The Hawkins Cemetery was like a second home to you now. You found yourself wandering around even when you felt well enough to not have to visit Barb every day. You found yourself wondering about the people who’d been buried there for years. You did your best to mourn them properly, dressed in your darks and keeping quiet. You tried to avoid funerals whenever you could.

Today, you ran into one.

Neil Hargrove didn’t get around to planning his son’s funeral until almost August. He’d demanded that his wife do it for him, but Susan was having none of it. It wasn’t as if she hated Billy, but she hardly knew him, he’d only been her stepson for two years and he hadn’t exactly let her into his world. Neil was forced to do it himself. So he paid for the cheapest funeral possible. And he refused to call his ex-wife, Emily; Susan had to call her herself, the one thing she did to help plan the thing.

The day of Billy’s funeral was hellish hot, he probably would’ve loved it. The sun beat down on the scattered, small group like migraine, sending sweat pooling down each and every mourner’s back and making their heads pound painfully. You found yourself wandering cautiously into the mix, fitting in just enough and just intrigued by the scene enough to stay. You and Billy weren’t friends, you wouldn’t even say that you liked the guy, but you felt bad for his family over what had happened.

Neil Hargrove wiped his forehead and moustache with his white handkerchief, shoving it violently into his pocket. His eyes were dry as the pastor spoke over the coffin, a small wreath of roses on its lid. Susan stood at his side, trying to whimper quietly, her green eyes misty and her thin red lip quivering slightly. Her hand was squeezed tight in her daughter Max’s, whose free hand was wrapped around the end of a tight red braid. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, her whole face red and splotchy. You’d guess that she’d been crying for over an hour and by the heavy purple bags under her eyes, she hadn’t much sleep the night before.

You knew that look. You’d been in her shoes. You felt like you were kindred sisters.

You recognized the rest of her little group, all in various stages of grieving. Mike Wheeler looked bored, his fists shoved into the pockets of his black dress pants. Lucas Sinclair had his arm wrapped around Max’s shoulders, watching her cautiously. Dustin Henderson and Will Byers seemed deeply uncomfortable, although Will seemed a bit more saddened than his friend. There was a girl with them who you didn’t recognize who was holding Will’s hand and leaning on his shoulder, tears brimming in her eyes.

Then there was Steve Harrington.

He made about as much sense being there as you did.

You understood why those kids were there, they had to be friends of Max, but Steve was an outlier. He wasn’t friends with Billy, hell they were enemies the second he sauntered into the parking lot of Hawkins High. You heard the stories about Billy beating the crap out of Steve and saw the evidence yourself. Why on earth would that boy show up here, in a suit, to stand in the burning heat with people who either don’t know him or don’t like him? You didn’t understand.

But his big brown eyes caught yours and you found yourself offering a shy, small smile, which he returned. The pastor signal for the group to join in the hymn listed in the funeral program and you found yourself slinking further into the back as the small, cracked voices of the mourners rang out in prayer, following along with the pastor. You hummed to the rhythm of their words, keeping your head down. Funerals always eventually became about god, even the concept of resting easy eluded to some sort of afterlife and almighty creator above. You didn’t exactly adore the concept of god, but it wasn’t something that you outright decried. You understood why religion was a fixture in society and you didn’t want anyone to feel lost or aimless. You understood that feeling tenfold.

When the hymn ended, you looked back to the children, who now huddled around little Max. The bored looking one, Mike, was whispering in her ear and her broken expression shifted slightly from sadness to anger as her brown eyes met yours.

The pastor finished his sermon and the pallbearers lowered the coffin into the ground. Some members of the group chose to throw handfuls of dirt onto the coffin. Susan tried to bring Max over to do so, but she refused. A bright blonde woman, whom you could only assume to be Billy’s mother, cried softly as she threw two handfuls onto the coffin, standing over it with this broken expression you could only match to your mothers just two years prior.

You didn’t add any yourself. Neither did Steve. The pastor announced that there would be refreshments at the nearby funeral home and most of the masses headed off behind the pastor. Susan again tried to egg Max on towards the funeral home, but she held back with her friends. You took one last look at the gravestone, noting the inscription “William Calvin Hargrove: Son, Brother, Friend; Mortui Vivos Docent”

Mortui Vivos Docent-The dead teach the living. The quote was on enough headstones to draw your attention and force you to learn its meaning. You wondered sarcastically what they expected to learn from his death. Just like that, he was another soon to be forgotten member of the Hawkins dead. Just four rows from Barb.

You turned on your heel, letting out a soft sigh through your nose, planning to return to your aunt’s house. You had promised to help her embroider cushions for your Cousin Sarah’s upcoming baby shower.

“Hey!” a loud, angry voice called after you and you turned back to meet the eye of Max Mayfield, whose freckled arms were crossed tightly over the front of her black button down blouse, the cardigan she’d had on for the ceremony already tied around her waist and her gaze stern.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing here, huh? This is a private burial.” She snapped angrily.

You simply shrugged “I’m sorry. I just wanted to pay my respects. I’ll go now.” You replied, trying again to head again, but the sound of angry footsteps following behind you.

“Who do you think you are? Barging in while my family grieves! This is a private occasion.” Max called after you.

“Max, stop it...” Lucas said softly and the footsteps stopped for a second. You turned to look at the group again. Lucas had grabbed her arm, tugging her away from you. The rest were huddled together, watching in slight horror. Max was seething. You guessed that they’d never seen her that angry before, or at least not in a very long time.

“Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that it was a private affair. I wouldn’t have intruded if I had known. I’m truly sorry for disturbing you.” You said slowly, keeping your gaze on hers as she tried to rip her arm out of Lucas’s grasp.

“What kind of funerals are public?!?” Max turned her attention to Lucas, her voice pooling with exasperation and disbelief.

You couldn’t help but chuckle as you turned away heading towards the oldest plot of the cemetery, hoping to sit on the bench surrounded by lavender and daisies. “You’d be surprised...” you muttered, pulling the creamsicle coloured scrunchie off your wrist and pulling your hair up.

Something hard hit you in the back of the head. Several screams rang out as you stumbled forward from the sheer shock of the hit. It wasn’t a very hard hit, although it did sting.

“Max, what the fuck?” you heard a voice call as you turned to grab whatever had hit you. A black ballet flat. And then, suddenly, the other shoe and a foot clad in black tights were in your eye line. You stood up fast as a red fury came at you, tiny fists hitting your arms and shoulders and stomach. She was almost as tall as you and yet she was fighting like a small child. You let her land every blow as her friends and Steve came running after her, all screaming for her to stop.

“He was my brother...” you heard her mutter angrily over and over again, tears streaming fast down her cheeks, her face growing exponentially redder.

You wound your arms under her arms, pulling her to your chest tightly. “I know.” You said firmly as she fought against you “I know. I understand.” It took a couple moments, but eventually she stopped fighting, her head coming to your chest as a loud sob wracked through her tiny body, making her shake and lose her balance, pulling you down with her onto the grass. Your hand came down first, to soften the blow and once you hit the ground, it wrapped around her, rubbing her back softly. Your other hand came to her hair, petting it gently as her tears soaked into your shoulder.

You turned to the boys “Can one of you go and get her a cup of water? And maybe something to eat?” you asked quietly, not wanting to disturb her crying. Lucas nodded turning and jogging towards the funeral home. Mike grabbed the other girl’s hand and led her towards the funeral home. Dustin attempted to get Will to follow, but he simply sat on the grass next to Max’s feet, pulling his knees to his chest. Steve followed suit, sitting next to you.

“I know how you feel, its okay...” you muttered into her hair “Let it out, Max...” Max nodded softly into your shoulder. It took her a few tries, but eventually she sat up on her own and you let her go, letting your hands fall in between the two of you.

She sniffled loudly, wiping her nose again, her eyes still brimmed with tears and red. “How...how you know h-how I even f-feel?” she hiccupped between her syllables. She was starting to hyperventilate, but you saw as she tried to regulate her own breathing.

You lowered your gaze, focusing on the grass. Talking about was still hard. You focused on twisting your fingers into the grass, crossing your legs under you. “I lost my sister, Barb, just a couple years ago.” You said simply. Realization washed over the two, but you knew Steve recognized you.

None of the little party went to the funeral, but you’d seen them at the reception with Joyce Byers when you finally made it back to your parent’s home. You guessed that they didn’t know that you were her sister until that moment.

“I know how you feel about all of this: the pain of losing him, the regret, the anger at the world and at me. I felt the same thing with my sister.” You added, finally able to look up again.

Max crossed her arms over her chest, looking away towards the road less than ten feet away. “Y-you don’t k-know how I f-feel about y-you.” She replied bitterly

“Oh I do,” you chuckled to yourself “When I saw Steve at my sister’s funeral, I wanted to kill him.”

Max raised an eyebrow, which you took as your cue to keep going. “Steve wasn’t even friends with Barb, he didn’t even know her. And it was his stupid party that she went missing, how she got hurt by all that laboratory shit. When I saw him with all those people that loved her, I wanted to destroy him. As soon as the funeral was over, I went right over to him and started screaming at him. He let me try to beat the shit out of him.”

Steve chuckled softly at the memory. In truth, he only went to the funeral because he felt guilty. Guilty that it was at his house, guilty that he’d left her outside, guilty that he didn’t do anything to help her, that he didn’t even notice she’d disappeared until the police started asking him questions. He went to apologize to her, he couldn’t apologize to your parents, they wouldn’t let him. Instead, he apologized to you. He let you yell at him and hit him and cry into his shoulder and wear his jacket when you started to shiver from the cold.

And after that day, he started to check up on you. Little things at first, he knew that you wandered around here so he’d check to make sure that your car came and went. Sometimes he’d drive past your aunt’s house, because it was on his way home anyway, to make sure the car was in the driveway. When he saw you in school, he’d sometimes go over to you to make small talk. He’d eat lunch with you once Tommy and Carol ditched him to hang out with...well with Billy. It was hard to be bitter about that now. You were genuinely one of his only friends.

“I really am sorry for disturbing your mourning, Max. I really didn’t mean to.” Your words pulled Steve out of his memories and his gaze to you. It was a stark contrast to the last time he’d seen you here. Your skin was warm and rosy, your eyes clear and bright, your smile was...heart stopping. You looked so alive, it was beautiful to behold. When he first saw you, you looked so pale and fragile, small in your heavy black dress. But now you sat tall and you smiled like it didn’t hurt anymore. You were fully here, live in Technicolor, and so very alive. Steve couldn’t stop staring at you.

Max nodded softly “Its okay...” she said, looking to Will, who squeezed her shoulder. “C-can I ask you something?”

You smiled “Sure.”

“Does it get any easier?” Max looked so vulnerable, her eyes going wide, she looked almost as she was begging for an answer.

You took her hand gently, your eyes closing as you let out a small sigh through your nose. “It will in time.” You promised “But it won’t ever be okay.”

Max’s gaze dropped away and you squeezed her hand gently “I don’t mean that you won’t be okay, you will be just fine. I mean that what happened to Billy isn’t okay and it won’t be. But you will get some peace one day. It will just take some time, you have to heal.”

Lucas came running up, water from the paper he sported in hand sloshing with his steps. Dustin was behind, carrying a very full napkin. He stopped in front of Max, handing her the drink nervously. You let go of her hand and nodded for her to take the cup.

“We didn’t know what kind you’d like, so we just grabbed one of each.” He plopped down next to her on the grass, opening the napkin to reveal at least five cookies, all different flavours.

You stood up, brushing grass off your jeans “You gonna be alright, Max?” you asked. Max clutched the cup with both hands, taking small sips. She nodded. You smiled “Alright, then eat till you’re sick. Funeral cookies are the best cookies. And if you need anything, ever, you give me a call, okay? Anytime.”

As the kids picked at the cookies, you headed away from the scene. You felt good that you were able to help that little girl in any way you could. But sitting in the muggy feeling of sadness was exhausting and you really needed to breathe in air that wasn’t salty with tears.

“Y/N! Wait up!” Steve called after you and you slowed down, letting him catch up with you. He was wearing the same suit that he did to Barb’s funeral, you reckoned. He looked handsome in it. His hair was deflating and falling into his face, the summer heat making his sweat wash the hairspray out of his locks.

“What you did for Max, that was really cool.” He said, slightly out of breath. You both silently blamed the heat.

You shrugged “It’s the kind of stuff I’d wanted to hear when I was in her situation.” You arrived at your bench, the smell of lavender taking over your senses. You sat down on the bench, smiling at the peeling white paint and the daisies pooling around the tall grass, untouched and forgotten in the corner of the cemetery.

Steve sat down next to you tentatively “So, how are you feeling?” he asked, loosening his tie and taking off his jacket. You knew what he meant; funerals weren’t exactly your comfort zone. You’d confessed to him your deep fear of funerals now, of freaking out and embarrassing yourself. Of having a panic attack and making it about you.

“I’m okay,” you breathed out as his arm came around the back of the bench. You let out a heavy “I really shouldn’t have wandered over there, it wasn’t my place, but I couldn’t help it. I just felt...drawn to it. It was weird.”

“But you did okay. You didn’t freak out, right?” Steve offered with a smile. You nodded, looking down.

“I mean, what you did for Max...it was amazing. She’s been unmovable for weeks. If she’s not crying, she angry. No one’s been able to help. But you calmed her down. It was incredible!” Steve said, his gaze focusing on a faded gravestone for someone named Josephine Bray. “I wish I had been able to do that for you...” he added softly.

You turned to look at him, bewildered “What are you talking about? That’s exactly what you did for me!” you cried. Steve scoffed, shaking his head. “You’re joking right? You told me all about your grandfather’s funeral and how much it hurt.”

“That was stupid shit...” Steve replied, leaning back to stare up at the bright blue sky. It was too beautiful a day for a funeral.

“No it wasn’t!” you slapped him in her chest, startling him into looking at you “Steve, you really helped me. You made me feel like I wasn’t alone, that I’d feel better eventually. You really helped me that day. I never thanked you for that.”

“You don’t need to thank me that all. I mean it was my fault that your sister...” Steve trailed off, not wanted to finish the sentence.

“No it’s not.” You said. Steve shook his head and you repeated yourself firmly “Steve, no it’s not. It’s not your fault. It’s that terrible labs fucking fault. You didn’t know that she would get hurt. You didn’t do shit.”

“I could’ve made her stay inside.” Steve replied bitterly.

“And have her listen to you and Wheeler bone? You know she wouldn’t have gone for that!” you shot. That made Steve laugh against his better judgement. The image of poor Barb sitting in his living room, listening to the sound of his mattress squeak above her was so sad and cringe worthy.

“Okay, that’s fair.” He sighed “But I still could’ve done something...”

“Yeah, you probably could’ve. But the labs could’ve been safer in their disposal of waste or just not done those experiments. And Barb could’ve not gone to your house that night. There are a million variables that could be changed, but we aren’t in charge of any of them.”

You grabbed Steve’s free hand in yours. He looked down at you, a little surprised. “You can’t hold onto your guilt anymore. It’s not your fault. No one blames you.” You smiled up, his big brown eyes finally meeting yours. He swallowed, but nodded, squeezing your hand softly. It felt nice to have your hand in his, it was comforting.

“How’d you find this place?” he asked, pulling away from your gaze to look over the withering stones, growing over with grass and weeds.

“I got lost in here once, found old Jo and this little bench. Sometimes I come in here to read or think when it’s too loud at my aunt’s. It’s like it’s in its own world.” You explained softly.

“You still spend a lot of time here?” Steve asked, a little concerned with the idea of you still wandering around this place.

You sighed “I probably shouldn’t be. It’s just a bad habit now.” You replied, your face heating up just a bit. You knew that Steve had been looking out for you and he knew about your haunting of the funeral. You knew you shouldn’t be hanging around here anymore. It had become a force of habit, but you had to move on.

“You know, anytime your house gets too hectic, you can just come to mine. It’s usually pretty quiet. And I won’t like bug you or anything.” Steve offered shyly. “I mean, if you want to! I know that with your sister it might not be cool but I thought-”

Your hand came to his cheek, silencing him instantly. “Thank you, Steve.” You whispered, kissing him softly. Steve’s heart stopped in his chest, the world coming to a standstill. Your lips barely ghosted over his and you pulled back just as fast. You were far too scared to do anything more, to force yourself on him.

Steve didn’t pull you back, he didn’t want to scare you off. Instead, he let his arm wrap around your shoulders, pulling you closer to him. You let your head rest on his shoulder, smiling softly. You didn’t know if you’d ever be in this position again, so you savoured it wholeheartedly. It was too beautiful a day to not enjoy it at least a little, with a pretty boy holding your hand.

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nalaniboi · 5 years ago

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House of Wax (2005) or Never waxing my legs again

sorry if your feed got my shit ass review I'm bored, this is a new shit I'm doing I might change it how I do it later on

First, we start off with the typical group bad boy/dream boy nick, Paris Hilton(let me say loved her in the movie omg), Sam Manchester, rat boy, my baby Carly and Paris hilton’s bf who are all trying to go to a game(I'm guessing football??) but dear god its during the night and there is a roadside telling them to go the other side. They start camping and make the topical “Guess who will die party” in the fucking woods until a random ass car appear(bitch its a BIG red flag) so bad boy/dream boy nick throws a fucking beer breaking one of the lights of the car(yall lucky bitch I'm sure the villains where redneck you would be DEAD) which they go away, then ugly ass smell appear and holy FUCK how strong was the smell??? I will never know I can't smell, queue later when everyone is sleeping a random as figure grabs rat boy’s camera and starts his youtube channel of filming them sleep. The car does not work, Carly falls into the blood pool, Carly and sam Winchester go with CLEARLY hillbillies to get same Winchester's non-impala to get a fix(their friend went away to the game like???? couldn't just wait???). They get scared of him and go on foot, they start seeing shit until they enter a church which we all know bad shit happens and find the fantastic incredible sexy and feral Bo who is pissed off due them interrupting the funeral(whoever saw this movie already ur neat)who tell them he would be ready in some minutes which causes both idiots to fucking break where bo’s work, later enter into the CHAN CHAN TITULAR HOUSE OF WAX where a lot of creepy wax dolls are(spoiler if you haven't seen this movie they are NOT), friends come back bc also couldn't wait in the traffic??? grow your patience assholes. Bo comes back and takes the two lovers to his home(RED FLAG AGAIN??), sam never comes back due getting kidnaped by a hobo in a wax mask and Carly grows a neuron realizing bo’s car is the same one from the other night,bo acts like an ass,carly CLEARLY need to get driver lessons bc she fucks his car gurl and escapes, later we switch to the friend group rat boy and bad boy/dream boy nick get ended by Paris hilton’s bf to check on the lovers ,queue later in the night where sexy time almost ensues but oh no Paris Hilton MIGHT be pregnant so both of them don't get sexy times(I'm glad bc i re watched it with my mom and if there was a sexy time i would be OBLIVERATED) anyway they both die Paris Hilton dies in a bodega i think?? while her bf dies in the forest(f in chat for him) in hands of my fav hobo vincet, we then go back to rat boy and bad boy/dream boy nick ,rat boy discovers sam now a life size wax exculture and home boy is a himbo tries to help him anyway he dies by also by hobo wax face lmao rip him ur crush in the final girl does not work here hommie,carly was captured by bo so she is in his clover field lane eque room ,bad boy/dream boy nick saves his sis,skip and bo gets TWO FUCKING ARROWS in his body homie are u OKAy ???ONE WAS IN UR CHEST DJHDUKJD HOW?? then both get the fucking hint of both feral ape shit bo being twins with the wax hobo vincent it's like “are u the bad twin bo/nick?yes are you the good twin Carly/vincent?vincent is a HOBO MURDER ??” then fight Carly beats the shit out of feral ape shit bo and Vicent tries to kill her ignoring her almost dying twin, nick tries to save her which helps and hobo falls to his death on top of his ape shit brother bo like when they where Siamese twins I call that *chef kiss*poetic, having a house of wax made out of wax both interior and outside was a bad idea. In the end, they discover hillbill letter(i never gave his name lmao)was important as he was the brother of both ape shit bo and hobo wax vincent. Was worthy the game they almost went to see?? probably more than getting your BFF's death, your bf dead, ur friend dead and ur sis losing a finger and getting her mouth hurt by an ape shit feral men. Sowwy it took so long I just love the house of wax and call recall most of the movie.I might make next one Spiderman into the spiderverse shorter

#house of wax #horror movie #was this a good idea?no #a idiot reviews

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wits-writing · 5 years ago

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Knives Out (Spoiler-Free Movie Review)

I managed to get into an early preview screening of writer/director Rian Johnson’s whodunnit thriller, Knives Out, last night. This has been among my most anticipated movies of the year since the star-studded cast was announced. A good murder mystery with a collection of colorful characters making up the suspects are always a great opportunity for an ensemble to strut their stuff, even in relatively minor roles. A slowly escalating series of reveals and clues that end up resulting in the dramatic reveal of the true culprit by the dashing gentleman detective at the movie’s center.

What makes Knives Out the most fun I’ve had with any movie this year is how it both is and is not the traditional murder mystery it seemed to be in all the promotion. Since the movie’s not out yet, I’m going to keep this review spoiler free because anyone curious about this one deserves to be as surprised by it as I was.

[Full Review Under the Cut]

Knives Out’s humor and drama burst forth from the heated inner-family drama of the Thrombeys and the publishing empire built on the mystery novels of its patriarch, and this mystery’s murder victim, Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer). Everything we learn about Harlan comes from flashbacks and observations that can be made about his isolated country manor, the movie’s primary setting. The 85-year-old author took pride in what he managed to build for himself and his family. However, as flashbacks to the night of his apparent suicide make clear, he began to have his doubts about whether his wealth has helped his heirs or held them back from their true potential. Doubts that sowed seeds of discord among his family as he got into several arguments with them during his 85th Birthday party, each providing new potential motives for whodunnit.

There’s his youngest son, Walt (Michael Shannon), the CEO of the family publishing company that handles distribution of Harlan’s novels in “30 languages with over 80 million copies sold”, as Walt brags to the detectives interviewing him. He took pride in being responsible for the business side of the operation but faces insults from his siblings of only needing to be handed the novels considering his business title meaningless. He also had a history of being rebuffed by Harlan whenever he suggested selling the novel rights for adaptation or other merchandise. Joni (Toni Collette), Harlan’s daughter-in-law, and Instagram “influencer” who has been supported by Harlan ever since the death of her husband, but on the night of the party had an argument with Harlan about a check that didn’t clear for the college tuition of her daughter, Meg (Katherine Langford).

Finally, there’s Walt’s eldest daughter, Linda (Jamie Lee Curtis), her husband, Richard (Don Johnson), and their son Ransom (Chris Evans). Ransom’s an irreverent spoiled man-child, who stormed out of Harlan’s birthday party and ended up skipping the funeral. It’s an absolute delight seeing Evans get to go full smug jerk in a role for the first time since playing Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim VS. The World. Whenever he’s with the rest of the Thrombeys, a mess of overlapping arguments exploding out is almost inevitable as he takes a certain level of delight in soaking in their fury. Despite his unpleasant qualities, he has a reputation among the family for being the one Harlan saw the most of himself in, which curried generous financial favors during Harlan’s life.

Part of the reason the Thrombeys’ family drama can be as entertaining as it becomes as the movie goes on comes from how Knives Out contextualizes it from the outside perspective of the investigation and the people who worked for Harlan. Detective Lt. Elliott (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) were sent out in an official capacity by the local police to investigate and interview the family about the night before to rule out any possibilities besides suicide. Elliott’s role in the investigation is as the straight man for the eccentricities of the affluent family to bounce off while they tell their versions of what happened the night of Harlan’s party. Wagner, meanwhile, acts less detached from the situation at hand as he’s a fan of Harlan’s mystery novels, often noting how architecture and decorations around the house line up with details from those books.

However, the presence of the two officials pales in comparison to private investigator and “Last of the Gentleman Detectives” Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). As eccentric as the entire Thrombey family can be, Craig’s performance as Blanc outpaces them all in terms of sheer screen presence. He approaches the investigation as more of a game than a matter of life and death. The closer he comes to a key realization the more dramatic his mannerisms become, especially a tendency for flowery, poorly thought out metaphors. Daniel Craig clearly had the time of his life portraying Blanc, down to the delightfully exaggerated Southern accent. His presence alone gives the investigations and conversations of Knives Out as much or more energy than any of the best action movies to come out this year.

The final piece of Knives Out’s puzzle comes from the nurse who was caring for Harlan in his final days, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas). It’s around her that different shades of every member of the Thrombey family come out, primarily an air of condescension. She’s an honest and nervous figure to a fault, with an obvious tell when she’s lying that becomes one of the movie’s best running gags. The flashbacks involving her time with Harlan become the most revealing about the elderly author, as we see clear signs of friendship and affability between him and Marta. Her presence and de Armas’s performance add a level of depth to the story that keeps the heightened tone of the unfolding mystery grounded.

The presentation of all the character elements from the filmmaking of Knives Out gives it an energy that makes its 130 minute runtime fly by as the plot drops one twist on another as things go on, even going so far as to add other genres to the mystery drama. The shot choices from cinematographer Steve Yedlin and the way it’s all edited together by Bob Duscay keeps things moving and amps up the tension or humor depending on the moment. The strings heavy score from Nathan Johnson adding to the whodunnit genre pastiche the entire movie is built around. All of it coming together in one of the most tightly written movies of the year where no detail goes to waste and each character adds something to the proceedings. I’ll be rolling this one around in my head for a while and can’t wait to see it again once it’s regularly released.

If you like what you’ve read here, please like/reblog or share elsewhere online, follow me on Twitter (@WC_WIT), and consider throwing some support my way at either Ko-Fi.com or Patreon.com at the extension “/witswriting”

#Knives Out #Rian Johnson #Wit's Writing #Movie Review #Daniel Craig #Chris Evans #Ana De Armas #Christopher Plummer #Jamie Lee Curtis #Michael Shannon #Toni Collette #Don Johnson #Katherine Langford #Lakeith Stanfield #Noah Segan #whodunnit #mystery movie #murder mystery

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ncityislove · 6 years ago

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In Bloom

➳Pairing: Playboy!Jaemin x Florist!reader

➳Genre: Fluff and angst, angst and fluff

➳Word Count: 9K

Requested? yep

A/N: I hate myself so much for posting this so late but I sold my laptop thinking I would be able to buy a new and guess what? LOL I still don’t have one :) I’m using this old broken one my dad has and hopefully it wont die on me while I’m writing this. Good news is while I’ve been saving for a new laptop I’ve been writing on my phone so I have some other goodies ready and qeued to go!

"Oh, please," Xiaojun said, shuffling around on the other line.

You winced at the loud bang blaring from the speaker, throwing your arm out so that the phone was a safe distance from your ear. Xiaojun was doing laundry which was a rare activity to find him doing.

Normally you washed all the clothes to prevent any...mishaps. Xiaojun had a bit of a rough time when it came to simple house chores, as his mom always took care of that for him. You tried to teach him on several occasions but somehow the loads always mysteriously came out shrunken or pink when they hadn't gone in that way.

You pressed the phone back to your ear at the same moment he turned on the dryer, a beeping noise nearly causing you to go deaf. He cursed, apologizing.

"You've got to have more confidence than that....be a man!"

You frowned at this, slowing your pace when you realized you were nearing your destination, a feeling of unease washing over you. "I can't help it," you whined. "It's my first day."

Xiaojun sighed. "You already made it through the interview, y/n. You got the job...so what is there to be nervous about?"

Your stomach gurgled as the most embarrassing scenarios run through your mind. Shaking the owner's hand with sweaty palms, smiling at the customers with food stuck in your teeth, giving people the wrong change, trying to push the door open when it was the pulling kind. You clenched the bottom of your tee, wrinkling your freshly ironed shirt.

"Ugh, I think I'm gonna sick," you grumbled.

"Hey, shouldn't you be there by now?" you could tell by the tone of his voice his cheeks were lifted in that teasing smile.

You pressed your lips together, letting out a breath before finally ending the call. You could do this, right? This wasn't your first job--what was there to be nervous about? You trekked down the littered sidewalk taking deep breaths to calm your nerves. It didn't work.

The green neon sign hanging above the door signified your arrival and you gulped.

N BLOOM

You let out a shaky breath as you craned your neck up at the sign, reaching for the door handle. A chime went off as you pulled the door open and you stepped in, glancing around, relieved no one was in sight. You checked your teeth in the camera of your phone before maneuvering through the narrow path full of greenery. The entrance was full of all the typical houseplants: jade plants, sword ferns, spider plants, rubber figs, etc. After passing through there, the path widened, exposing the coffee-colored tiles. Your eyes analyzed the brightly colored flowers in your passing, noting the Peonies needed to be watered as the soil looked just as shriveled up as the plant itself.

You waited at the register, unsure if you should go into the back room. Of course, you'd been there for the interview but it still seemed a bit impolite. You could hear a voice nearing you, talking to someone—on the phone maybe?—whoever it was they were coming out and your stomach began to flip again.

The owner, Taeil, emerged with an ancient-looking house phone. His hair was messy as if he had run his hand through it several times and his lips were turned downwards in a frown. His dark eyes met yours briefly, a smile flickering across his face, waving for you to follow him behind the counter.

"I know they aren't in season yet, but I'm just letting you know what I want ahead of time so that...no...no. Yes, I'm aware—I'm not an idiot." Taeil handed you an apron, trapping his phone in between his shoulder and cheek as he helped you put it on.

"I'm just asking for the seeds it's not like I'm asking you to plant them for me," Taeil said, his voice sounding bitter. He gently tied the strings behind your back and lifted his hand towards the hall mirror.

"Take a look," he said before turning and murmuring something you didn't catch into the phone. You took the short walk to the hallway to see an out-of-place floor length mirror. This wasn't so bad, right? Taeil seemed nice—when you weren't pissing him off, that is—and the apron was actually kind of cute. It was striped and crossed at the back, resting just above your knees. It wasn't anything like the filthy, plain black one Taeil was sporting.

When you returned, Taeil had ended his phone call and was digging through a drawer. You stood idly behind him as he pulled out a name tag and handed it to you.

"Y/n!!" he exclaimed, making you jump. "Sorry I didn't get to welcome you properly but I'd be glad to give you a tour of the place."

You nodded eagerly and followed Taeil around the small shop as he explained where everything was and the functions of the tools. Thankfully, it was pretty easy to grasp since you had experience with gardening.

Both of your parents were botanists and their love of plants was passed down to you. Although they were retired now, they continued to study through their own garden in their backyard. You had memories of being in that garden since you could crawl and you often found yourself spending most of your time there. It was something about the fresh air and the serene and pure beauty of the plants that made you feel at peace.

After the short tour, you sat at the counter and filled out the last of your paperwork to finalize your new position. It was a relief none of the crazy things you imagined actually happened although there was a slim chance it would to begin with.

Taeil took the papers when you were done, beaming at you. "So what do you think so far? Do you think you can handle working here?"

"Mmm...I think so. I've always liked gardening so it feels like I'm just doing a hobby."

Taeil stacked the papers against the countertop. "Glad to hear it."

You nodded your head awkwardly, unsure of what to say next. Taeil maneuvered around you to squat down and put the papers in a filing cabinet. "So," he said grunting as he stood back up. "Let me brief you on the customers while no one's here yet."

"Okay," you agreed, sitting in the nearby wooden chair when Taeil sat on the stool next to you.

"The store isn't ever crowded really, but we do have some regulars who I think it's really important to know of. Like Ms. Lee, for example," he clasped his hands together. "Ms. Lee has been coming here for years, twice a month for fresh flowers. Mostly daisies but sometimes she'll pick up a fern from time to time."

You nodded, encouraging him to go on.

"Oh! How could I forget? My best customer! He used to come every two weeks or so but now he visits almost twice a week."

Your eyebrows raised on their own accord and you couldn't hide the shock on your face even if you wanted to. Twice a week? What would a person do with THAT many flowers? Did he work for a funeral home or something?

Taeil chuckled at your expression. "Pretty crazy, right? His name's Jaemin. Pretty nice guy, cute as a button but I wouldn't trust the guy with my life."

You cocked your head to one side. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ah," he said, suddenly serious. "He's a pretty sneaky guy, I'd say. If I were you, I wouldn't get too close to Jaemin. He's flirted with all my past female employees."

Your face contorted into a look of displeasure. "I don't think you have anything to worry about. I can't stand men like that."

Taeil looked content with your response but still unsure.

"Trust me," you assured him. "I don't fall for those type of guys."

"Well, you haven't met Jaemin," Taeil said just as his pocket pinged. He slid his phone out, glancing at the screen before scowling. He gave you an apologetic smile before excusing himself to the back to make a phone call.

You got to your feet, using the spare time to check out the cash register. Taeil hadn't taught you how to use it yet and you didn't want to look like a complete idiot when he decided to. It wasn't long before the bell above the door jingled, alerting you of a new customer. Your heart dropped when you realized Taeil hadn't returned and you still didn't know how to do anything.

"Yeah, about that," said the customer. "How about you skip the party to hang out with me?" You could see the customer walk further into the store but the leaves of the ferns blocked everything but the top of his head.

"I've got a gift for you," he said pausing at the roses. You caught a glimpse of his face through the thick of the orchids but couldn't quite make out his features.

"Great. I'll text you, okay?" he said, ending the call. "Yo, Taeil!" he called out peering around the flowers.

You ducked behind the counter praying he didn't see you. Your heart thudded in your chest as you wondered why the hell you were hiding from a customer in the first place.

"Taeil, 're you there?" he asked wondering towards the front. You decided it would be better to show yourself now before he makes it to the register and finds you curled up behind the stool. You sprung up just as he reached the counter.

"Can I help you?" you said giving him a practiced smile.

The man seemed taken aback by your sudden presence before he responded. "Oh," he scratched his head. "I thought no one was here. I was calling..."

"Sorry, I didn't notice before, I was....tying my shoe," you said mumbling the last bit. Your face started to heat up at how dumb you sounded. It was your first customer and you were already screwing it up.

"I didn't know Taeil hired a new employee. I'm Jaemin, by the way," he said holding his hand out.

You shook it, retracting yours quickly when he held on a little too long.

So this was Jaemin. You didn't think you'd meet him so soon. Taeil wasn't wrong when he said he was handsome. In fact, he was a little too handsome. His hair was a pretty golden brown—almost blond—and his thick eyelashes kissed the tops of his cheeks when he looked down. It was almost unfair how sculpted his face was. You shook your head when you realized you were checking him out; you couldn't let yourself get carried away, remembering Taeil's warning.

"Nice to meet you," you said walking around the counter. "Did you want to purchase some flowers?"

"Ah, yes. Six black roses, please."

You nodded, grabbing a pair of scissors lying around and followed Jaemin to the roses. It was when you actually reached them that you realized you didn't know how to cut them. You had your own way of cutting flowers but what if Taeil liked to cut them a specific way? Maybe there was a proper way of cutting them you didn't know about?

"Is there something wrong?" Jaemin asked from behind you.

You opened your mouth to respond before the sound of a door opening and closing interrupted you.

"Back again so soon?"Taeil's voice boomed across the room.

Jaemin leaned against the table supporting the flowers and it wobbled, nearly giving you a heart attack.

"I got worried you'd miss me too much so I stopped by."

Taeil scoffed as he made his way over to you and Jaemin. "As if. You seem to be quite the fan of black roses lately. Who're they for this time?"

Jaemin's eyes looked panicked as he looked at you then back to the roses. "For me, of course."

Taeil squinted at him before he hummed, motioning for you to hand him the scissors.

"Six please," Jaemin chirped.

Taeil nodded, explaining to you what he was doing as he snipped the stems diagonally with attentiveness. The three of you walked to the register and Jaemin knelt over the marble counter to watch Taeil wrap the plastic and tie it around the stems.

"This is my favorite part," he said smiling at you.

You let out a small "oh" and moved to the opposite of Taeil to put some distance between the two of you. You listened carefully as he explained how to work the register and watched as you sold Jaemin the roses.

"Wow, you picked that up quickly. Much faster than my past employees," Taeil said patting your shoulder.

You blushed at his compliment, thanking him. You wondered how he'd react if you told him you secretly got a head start while he was gone.

Taeil's phone began to ring and he rolled his eyes, stepping a few feet back to answer the call.

"What?" he hissed through his teeth, waving Jaemin goodbye.

Jaemin waved back, exposing a smile that was so perfect, you began to doubt if he was human. Surely no one could be that pretty. He was definitely a robot.

"I never got your name?"

You pointed to your name tag. "Y/n."

Jaemin's eyes followed your fingers. "Miss Y/N, how would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight? We can go to my favorite restaurant down the street."

You fought the urge to roll your eyes.

"I thought you had plans though?" you said folding your arms across your chest. "Don't you have a gift to deliver to a certain someone?"

Jaemin merely smiled at you, his eyes holding a playful glint. "Not if you don't want me to, I don't."

"Have a great day, sir," you said, pushing past him to tend to the Peonies. "I hope she enjoys the roses!"

"I hope so too," he said gathering his wallet and the bouquet. "See ya, Taeil."

Taeil glowered at him as he pressed glowing red 'end call' button. Jaemin exited the store with a skip in his walk and Taeil gave you a knowing look.

"That boy sure is something."

"He sure is," you agreed.

The sloshing sounds of water filled the room as you tipped the watering can. "What on Earth does he do with all those flowers?"

"He buys them for all his flings," Taeil said, patting down the soil of a few plants.

Your lips curved downwards. It was guys like him that you made you want to stay single forever.

The door chimed again as another customer walked in.

"Welcome!" Taeil cheerfully exclaimed, greeting the customer.

The next time you saw Jaemin it was a week later and you were in the middle of planting more roses. (Apparently, there was always a shortage of those. Go figure...) The moment Jaemin came in, he set is path straight for you and you inwardly groaned.

"Hey, y/n. Wonderful day today, isn't it?" he said, shoving his hands in the front of his baggy hoody.

"Not really. My allergies are kicking my butt," you said, sniffing.

"Doesn't help much to be working in here, huh?" he asked.

"I guess not but I need the money. Speaking of money, how can I help you today?" The transition wasn't as smooth as you hoped but you wanted to get him out of the store as soon as possible.

The longer you were around him the more you could feel yourself slowly getting sucked into his escapade. When he wasn't being a flirty douche bag, he wasn't all that awful from what you could tell but the problem was that he was almost always being a flirty douche bag. A jerk who uses the same cheap tactics to get any girl dumb enough to bend over backwards for him at the snap of his fingers.

"Maybe you can help me," Jaemin mused. "What's your favorite flower?"

"Going on another date, huh? I'm guessing she liked the black roses."

"Maybe," Jaemin smirked.

You paused, taking off your gloves. "Well, if I had to choose just one, I'd probably pick Middlemist's Reds. Although they're very rare so they're pretty hard to get a hold of."

"Never heard of them," Jaemin said, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Of course you haven't."

Jaemin froze, opening his mouth to say something but must've changed his mind. "Well, anyhow, I'll just take some roses." Jaemin pointed his thumb in the direction behind him. "The pink ones."

You sold Jaemin the roses and he left waving a hand at you with that perfect smile plastered on his face. Maybe he was an alien.

You let out a sigh of relief just as Taeil waltzed out of his office with the brightest smile you've seen since you've met him.

"What's going on?" You asked, his smile contagious as a small one spread across your own lips.

"You know the ramen place across the street?"

You nodded. You ate there once before when you first moved into your apartment but hadn't been back since.

"I've finally eaten there enough times to get five free meals!"

"Oh, wow, five free meals," you teased.

"Laugh all you want, y/n, but you didn't win a free meal, did you?"

You rolled your eyes playfully. "No, I did not."

"Exactly," he said, looking smug. "Let's walk over there after your shift for lunch. My treat."

"That's really nice of you, Taeil, but I promised my roommate I'd have lunch with him."

"Perfect! He can come along too."

"Really? I don't want you to waste your coupons," you replied, sitting on the small stool.

"Yeah, we can just get the king size bowl as one meal. It takes three people to finish those anyway," Taeil said waving a hand passively.

"Okay then! I'll text him right now," you grinned, pulling your phone out of your back pocket.

When you and Taeil arrived, Xiaojun was already sitting in a booth with an oversized menu up to his nose.

"Oh, no, Jun, when'd you get here?" you asked plopping down on the plush cushions.

"About a minute ago. I just wanted it to look like I'd been waiting a long time," he said placing the menu flat on the table.

You made a face, scooting down to give Taeil enough room to sit.

"You must be Taeil," he said, reaching out for his hand and shaking it.

"Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about your laundry issues," he teased.

Xiaojun laughed, kicking your shin under the table. You hissed, snatching the menu from him.

A silence fell over the three of you as you each examined the menu. The waiter came by with a pen and a notepad, jotting down your desired drinks and sauntered off to the kitchen. After your drinks arrived you all decided to just order spicy beef flavored ramen.

"Ah," Xiaojun hummed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Free food is the best food."

"This is true," Taeil said pointing his chopsticks at him.

"How many times did you have to eat here to get the coupon anyways?" you asked, taking a sip from your drink.

"Forty-two."

Xiaojun's hand flew to his mouth as a shocked laugh came out.

"Unbelievable," you gasped.

"What? I like a challenge."

You and Xiaojun exchanged looks before bursting into laughter.

"Isn't that a little extreme?" Xiaojun laughed.

Taeil grinned. "Maybe. They probably thought no one would bother to do it but I never give up the opportunity to eat free food."

"Good to know," you chortled as your food arrived.

Another silence fell over you as you ate and you were the first one to speak.

"So, what's Jaemin's deal?"

"Who's that?" Xiaojun asked.

Taeil shook his head. "A customer of mine who buys flowers twice a week for girls."

"So he's a player?"

Taeil nodded grimly, his cheeks bulging with a mouthful of noodles. "He started coming around when school started up and hasn't stopped coming since."

"What a tool," you scowled.

"Don't get me wrong, he's not all that bad. Pretty sweet kid, if you ask me but I would never introduce him to my daughter."

"You have a daughter?" you and Xiaojun asked in unison.

Taeil looked at the two of you in confusion. "Of course not, it's just an expression."

"No, it's not..." you said fighting back a smile.

"Really? I could've sworn it was," Taeil said, a hand lifting to stroke his chin. "The point is, he'd almost be half-decent if he at least bought different gifts for them. It's always roses."

You began to get ticked off the more you discussed the boy. Jaemin was playing with other girls hearts like it was a game and you couldn't stand it. You knew the pain of falling for a guy who didn't actually like you back all too well. Too many times to count, you were confined to the walls of your room, crying your high school days away after some immature kid broke your heart.

"I don't understand how he gets away with it. I mean, just how many girls has he done that to?"

Taeil paused to think. "Dear god...who knows? And the worst part is, it's not even a sex thing with him. He makes them fall in love with him then dumps them for the next girl waiting for their heart to be broken."

"Sounds like a grade A ass hole," Xiaojun scowled at his bowl. "How does he live with himself knowing how many girls he's broken—probably torn them to shreds single-handedly. That kind of heartache lingers for months."

You and Taeil agreed solemnly before changing the subject to lighter topics. You and Xiaojun ended up playing a game of "who can drink their water through a straw the fastest" and of course you won, as you did every time. It wasn't that you were particularly good at it, it was that Xiaojun lost every game he played. Taeil, amused by your game, challenged you and beat you by a landslide. Xiaojun was happy about this, slapping his knee in an over-the-top fake laugh.

"Ha! You lost, you loser!" he said, high-fiving Taeil.

You just shook your head, chewing on a piece of ice.

"Look at her. She's such a sore loser," Xiaojun whispered loud enough for you to hear.

Taeil snickered and you rolled your eyes.

"Do you wanna go again then? Because I remember winning against you so who's really the loser here?"

Xiaojun clutched onto Taeil. "Help, she's attacking me."

You gawked at him as the two of them began to snicker again.

The rest of your meal was filled with laughter and jokes thrown at Jaemin here and there. You and Xiaojun thanked Taeil for the meal and he invited Xiaojun out to a bar he goes to every Saturday with his friend, Lucas—some kind of guys night they have or something like that. Taeil was becoming more of a friend to you than he was your boss and you were grateful to be working for someone so friendly and caring. You also were glad your best friend and your manager got along so well because Xiaojun needed to get of the house more than he did.

You bid each other your farewells and headed home, Taeil returning to the shop to open it back up, as he closed it temporarily to go eat with you. You and Xiaojun played a few board games in the dining area before you each retired to your rooms to wash up. You dozed off as soon as your face met your pillow, tired from waking up so early from your morning classes, the world around you fading to blackness. --

The radio softly played an indie song of some no-name band as you typed up your thesis. Summer was coming soon and that meant the end of the semester was approaching. That also meant finals were near, so you started to bring your laptop to work to finish everything. You even had Taeil proofread your work and give you feedback just to have another set of eyes look over it after you did a jillion times.

You were in the midst of wrapping up the conclusion when the telltale jingle of the door sounded.

"Welco—oh it's just you."

You looked up from your laptop to see Jaemin (surprise, surprise) approaching you with a sideways grin and an unhappy Taeil.

"Good afternoon, Miss y/n," he said, propping his elbows on the counter.

"Wow, it's only been three days and your back already?"

"Unfortunately," Taeil muttered underneath his breath.

Jaemin threw daggers at Taeil with his eyes. "I just," he said, looking back at you. "really, really like flowers."

You rolled your eyes, beginning to type again. "Okay."

Jaemin frowned. "What's that look for?"

"Hmm? What look?"

"Your eyes. You rolled them at me," he said.

You looked briefly at him before your eyes flickered back to the screen. "Did I?"

"Yes, you did. And what are you typing anyway?" he said hauling his body over the countertop to peek at the screen.

You slapped the laptop shut, placing your hands on your hips. "Did you come here to buy something or just to annoy me?"

"Jeez, 'you in a mood or something?" he said standing up properly.

"I have an essay due tomorrow and you're preventing me from finishing it."

"Essay?" he said giggling. "How long ago was it assigned? Sounds like you waited last minute to start if it's due tomorrow."

"That's none of your business," you glowered.

"I'm a customer, you know. You shouldn't talk to me that way," Jaemin said.

"I'm the one who gave her the permission to," Taeil said, wiping the dirt off of his hands on his apron.

"Taeil," you whined. "C'mon, why aren't you wearing your gloves? Your apron looks disgusting."

"I tried but it doesn't feel right with them on," he lifted his shoulders then dropped them.

You sighed, reopening your laptop.

"So, what the topic on?" Jaemin said, his chin in the palm of his hand.

You exhaled out of your nostrils when you realized he was still standing there. He was starting to really bug you now.

"Me. I have to write about the obstacles I've faced and how I accomplished my goals despite them."

Jaemin pursed his lips. "Huh."

You raised an eyebrow but didn't look up from the screen.

"Do you go to the community college on 3rd Street by chance?"

This caught your attention. "Yeah...how'd you know?"

My dorm mate has the same assignment." He said, his eyes narrowing at you. "He finished it like a month ago."

"Y/n!!" Taeil scolded, shaking his head.

Jaemin let out a boisterous laugh, bending over, a hand clutching his stomach. Taeil began to join in as you stood there with your mouth open.

"I-I had stuff to do—"

"HA! Like what?" Jaemin said slapping the counter.

"Okay fine, I waited until the last minute, okay?" You said, the corners of your lips turning downwards.

"Aw, don't get upset, I'm sorry," he chuckled.

You furrowed your eyebrows. "You're still laughing."

"Sorry, sorry!" he said, straightening his face. You could still hear Taeil snickering faintly.

"Wait a sec, are you saying we go to the same school?"

"Oh, god no. I just live there."

Your jaw dropped. "You what?"

"I know how it sounds but I wanted to move out of my parents' place and I'm not ready for another four years of school yet," he waved his hands around. "so I live on campus with my friend."

"Does the school know?" You said, your eyes nearly popping out of your head.

"Nope."

You gaped at him, Jaemin obviously loving your reaction as he smirked. He explained how he got into the situation, him being well known at college parties before he even graduated high school which led to him being a party promoter. He posted the location and time on his Instagram; people showed up and he got paid. When you told him you didn't like parties, he insisted you go to one that night with him and you declined immediately.

After a lot of begging, he finally dropped it but looked disappointed afterwards. You noticed how long you were talking and urged Jaemin to buy his usual roses and leave.

It was the next day that you realized it was a mistake to indulge in his shenanigans because there he was, waltzing into the store for more roses—although he seemed to be more interested in you than the flowers. Then he came the next day, and the day after that for three weeks straight, suddenly in need of more and more roses.

"What girl has you so whipped that you have to buy her roses every day?" You asked when Jaemin came in the third day that week.

"They're actually for my mom this time," Jaemin said, cheesing at you. "It's her birthday today."

You weren't sure if you believed him or not but told him to send her your birthday wishes regardless.

Whether you liked it or not, you were beginning to get used to his presence. He finally stopped trying to get you to date him all the time and treated you like an actual person. Taeil was the most surprised at his sudden change of behavior towards you, making overly dramatic shocked faces whenever Jaemin turned his back.

He asked you things no one ever cared to ask you before like questions about your family and your childhood out of genuine curiosity and the more you got to know him, the more your feelings towards him started to change. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Eventually, Jaemin stopped buying roses altogether, only stopping by to chat with you and Taeil for a while then leave to go off someplace else. You were curious as to why he stopped buying flowers but didn't say anything, not wanting to pry. Maybe he finally decided to be in a serious relationship for once. Maybe he met the one girl who's heart he didn't want to break. Could he possibly be in love? You highly doubted that but it would explain his change in behavior. You decided not to give much thought to it considering he wasn't someone you wanted to waste time thinking about but he kept sneaking into your mind when you were least expecting him to. Like when you first woke up in the morning or when you were eating dinner, wondering if he was eating at the moment too.

Summer finally came and you managed to pass all your finals with flying colors thanks to the help Taeil and Xiaojun. With the semester finally over and done with, you felt as if the world was lifted off of your shoulders like you were finally able to breathe.

Although you weren't too happy about the weather. You had your hair tied in a sloppy ponytail to keep your hair from sticking to the back of your sweaty neck and of course, there was no air conditioning because you worked in a greenhouse. Taeil plugged up an old fan behind the counter for you but it hardly made a difference, nonetheless, that's where you stayed the majority of the day unless you absolutely had to move.

It was nearing the time Jaemin usually visited and you were beginning to wonder where he was. As if he knew you were thinking about him, your phone lit up with his name flashing across the screen.

Jaemin :3 [2:40] : @ starbucks Jaemin :3 [2:41] : want something?

You smiled at your phone, trying to remember all the cold drinks on the menu. You weren't really a coffee drinker so you normally only ever ordered hot chocolate but it was definitely too hot outside for that.

You [2:42]: any cold drink will do

You clicked your phone off, standing to stretch your legs. A blonde lady wearing an ugly pug t-shirt approached you, asking for a bouquet to pick up tomorrow. You wrote down all her information and got to work. You hardly ever arranged bouquets unless they were for the display outside, so you worked cautiously, mulling over where each flower would look best. Taeil would come back from his break soon and you wanted to show him how well you did.

A few minutes later, Jaemin arrived with your drink and a few cheese danishes. He was wearing a thin white button up with sleeves rolled up and a few buttons were undone, exposing his chest a little with a pair of ripped jeans. He looked good—not that you cared or anything.

"Hey," he said, his nose scrunching as he smiled.

"Hello there," you said, removing your gloves. Your eyes zeroed in on the drinks he was carrying. One was pitch black, the one next to it vibrant purple, and the last two were white with whipped cream.

"This one's yours," he said handing you the purple one.

"What is it?" you asked, examining it.

"Try it," Jaemin replied, sticking a straw in the black drink.

You sucked from the straw, bracing yourself for the strong coffee flavor to come but it never did. Instead, your taste buds were met with a deliciously sweet fruity flavor. You looked at the drink again to see chunks of a mysterious purple fruit sloshing around inside it.

"Do you like it?" Jaemin asked as he'd been watching your reaction the whole time.

"Yeah, actually. I'm surprised. What's the purple stuff?"

"It's dragonfruit. I know you don't care much for coffee and I didn't want to buy you something you wouldn't like so I got you a Mango Dragonfruit Refresher."

Your hands felt jittery all of sudden. You don't remember mentioning coffee to Jaemin and although he seemed to not only remember it but pick something out that he thought you liked. You looked down at your shoes to hide the pink tint in your cheeks.

"What'd you get then?" you asked.

"Americano. And the other two are for Taeil. He has a thing for Frappuccinos." he said, his mouth stuffed with his cheese danish.

"I'll never understand what the difference is between those drinks. Americano, Espresso, Frappuccino. They all sound the same to me," you said, shifting on your feet.

"Wanna try it then?" Jaemin reached his arm out, offering the beverage to you.

Your face flushed, knowing that you were about to use the same straw Jaemin did but pushed yourself forward to wrap your hands around the larger one holding the cup, taking a large gulp of it.

You swallowed the liquid with a shiver down your spine, gagging a little. "Jaemin, what the hell?? That tasted like ass!" you yelled, coughing.

Jaemin threw his head back in laughter, falling to the ground during your coughing fit.

"Who drinks black coffee?? Shouldn't you be a middle-aged YA writer or a college professor or something?" you shouted.

Jaemin laughed harder at this, holding on to your legs for support. You kicked him off of you, angrily shoving a danish in your mouth to rid your tongue of the nasty flavor.

"Unbelievable," you grumbled.

"I thought you knew!" he teetered.

"How?! How could I have known?" you perplexed, pieces of the danish flying out of your mouth.

He chuckled, getting to his feet. "Doesn't everyone know what black coffee looks like?"

"I guess not me," you pouted.

Jaemin made a sour face before his expression changed as a thought passed through his mind.

"Hang on, I forgot something in the car," he said, jogging out of the store.

You blinked, watching him run down the sidewalk until he was out of view. You put the cold drink to your forehead as Jaemin walked back inside a little out of breath with his hands behind his back.

"Sorry about that. Anyways, how's your day going so far?" he asked, his teeth showing from the big smile plastered on his face.

"It's a thousand degrees in here so it's been hell," you said eyeing him suspiciously. "Why are you smiling at me like that; you're scaring me."

Jaemin's grin dropped before it reappeared. "I don't know what you mean. I always smile like this," he said biting his lip in attempt to stop smiling. "Anywho, you got any big plans tonight?"

"Ha! I don't go out—you know that," you said, shoving his shoulder playfully. "The only plans I have is with Netflix and my bed."

Jaemin 'ah'ed, nodding in understanding before his sneaky smile returned. "I don't want to ruin your plans with Netflix but," Jaemin pulled a small bouquet of red poppies from behind his back. "I've got two tickets to a basketball game at seven and I'd be really happy if you came with me. What do 'ya say?"

"Absolutely not!" you declined, taken aback.

Jaemin lowered the flowers, crestfallen. "What? Why not?"

"Wh-why not??" you sputtered. "You really are as bad as everyone says! What?—was this your plan the whole time? To get close to me? To butter me up so I can fall in love with you so you can dump me like everyone else?"

Jaemin's eyebrows scrunched together. "No, no, God, no—that's not it at all. Why would you think that?"

You shook your head in disbelief. "I know everything, Jaemin. The games you play with girls. Getting them to fall for you just to break their hearts."

Jaemin's lips parted in realization. "No, it's not like that. You don't understand—"

"Save it Jaemin," you interrupted. "Taeil said you'd be like this but I didn't listen. I stood up for you! And now I know I was wrong..."

"Y/n, please...I thought...I thought you liked me."

Tears welled up in your eyes because you did. You did like him—no matter how hard you tried not to. No matter how much you tried to push him out of your head he ended up moving into your heart instead. You enjoyed his daily visits and you secretly liked it when he'd stay to watch you work, even if you didn't talk. You fell in love with his smile and the sound of his laughter over the months and when you realized it, it was too late.

"God, this is so fucked up," you whispered to yourself. "It's not that I don't like you, Jaemin—that's not the problem here. It's the fact that you knew I liked you but decided to ask me out the same way you asked out all those other girls! Well, sorry to break it to you, but I'm not like those girls. You can't woo me with the same tricks you've used on every other tramp in this shithole!"

Jaemin reached out to you and you jerked your body away from him.

"Please, if you'd let me explain—"

"I don't wanna hear whatever lame excuses you have, Jaemin! I thought you were different. I thought you changed," you said turning away from him. "Just...leave, Jaemin."

Jaemin stood there numbly for a moment, trying to wrap his head around what you just said. "Y/n.." he started, unsure of what to say.

"Please," you begged, your voice sounding strangled.

"I know you're not like those other girls, y/n and that's why I like you, okay? This isn't just a game to me—I'm serious about this—about you! You have to believe me."

You said nothing, as you kept your back turned, a silent tear escaping your eyes.

"Fine," Jaemin said, dropping the flowers to the ground as he stormed out of the store. You flinched when the door slammed behind him.

Your shaky hands gripped onto the counter as you broke down into tears, letting out a painful sob. Taeil ran out from his office when he heard your cry, rushing to console you.

It had been two weeks since the fight and you hadn't heard from Jaemin. No text, no call, nothing. It was hard to believe your friendship would end just like that. It was ridiculous, even, that he's ignored you for so long—as if friends didn't fight. But you couldn't be too mad at it him about it, considering you hadn't attempted to make the first move either. A part of you wished everything could go back to the way it was—back when Jaemin would come to the store and tell you lame jokes or poke fun at your expense but there was another part of you that wished you never met him at all because either way—whether he liked you or someone else—it would've ended the same, with your heart aching.

Although you weren't quite sure what it was your heart was aching for. You liked him a lot but you didn't necessarily want to date him. You were never to keen on the idea of being in a relationship—especially with someone like him and that was selfish and you knew it. You hated that you felt that way but you did. You wanted to trust him but how could you? With his reputation, would you ever be able to?

You were sitting at the ramen restaurant across the street with Lucas, Xiaojun, and Taeil, watching the noodles slide off your chopsticks as you picked it back up again. They were all indulged in an argument about something small and insignificant and you began to question why you even let Taeil drag you here. You could tell he felt bad about what happened between you and Jaemin but it's not like your entire world came crashing down. You only knew him for a few months; how attached could you have become? Yeah, that's right, you weren't attached. Only a careless idiot would become attached so quickly.

"He's the one who got attached!" you blurted out.

Everyone's eyes snapped towards you.

Xiaojun scrunched his nose. "Huh?"

"I know why you guys invited me out—and I really appreciate it—but I'm okay. Jaemin is the one you should be trying to cheer up," you explained.

Lucas leaned forward, furrowing his eyebrows. "Why would we do that? We hate him."

"I didn't mean literally....I'm just saying," you shrugged.

"And what is it exactly that you're saying?" Taeil asked, a small smile curving on his lips.

"I mean, he's the one who can't handle rejection. He basically threw a tantrum when I said no."

"He threw a tantrum?" Lucas questioned, looking between the three of you. "No one told me that part."

"Okay, I may have exaggerated a bit but my point still stands. He needs to get over that big ego of his. He needs to realize he can't have every girl he wants because frankly, he's not all that cute either," you finished, dusting the invisible dirt off of your tank.

Xiaojun and Taeil exchanged looks leaving you and Lucas confused.

"What? What is it?" you frowned.

"Well.." Taeil trailed off.

"Are you sure," Xiaojun started, "he can't get any girl he wants?"

"I'm positive," you said holding a hand up.

"You sure about being sure?" Taeil giggled.

"You seem pretty smitten to me," Xiaojun said, slurping the noodles from his bowl.

You face flushed red as you stuttered to defend yourself. "W-What?"

Lucas seemed to have finally connected the dots as he laughed wholeheartedly, clapping his hands. "Ohhh, you like him but you're pretending you don't!"

Your eyes nearly popped out of your head. "That's ridiculous! Of course not—"

"AHAHAHA!!" Lucas chuckled as he stood, chair scraping loudly against the floor.

Taeil and Xiaojun laughed at Lucas as you ducked your head in embarrassment. People looked over at your table in search of the loud commotion and you wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

"Yukhei, sit down!" Taeil laughed, fanning his hand at the chair.

"Yes! I love it! I love this!!" he exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air as he sat back down. "And you," he said pointing at you, "love Jaemin."

You patted your cheeks with your hands to calm the warmth underneath them as you began to question yourself. Who were you kidding? If you couldn't fool them then how could you fool yourself? You were in love with Jaemin.

The heaters Taeil brought in from the back room hummed blending into the radio. Your gloves gave your fingers a shield from the biting cold and you were grateful your job required you to wear them. You were arranging a bouquet of red poppies with Taeil for a wedding. The bride wanted 21 bouquets—1 for each table—which left you and Taeil very busy. Although you couldn't help but think about a certain someone while looking at them.

Four months. Four months had passed and you still thought of Jaemin every time you look at flowers and considering the store you worked at, that meant nearly every day. Roses especially were hard to look at and unfortunately for you, they were the most popular flower sold. To you though, they were overrated—lost its meaning of romance a long time ago.

Taeil finished his bouquet, wrapping it in plastic and a rubber band and you did the same.

Taeil glanced up at you. "You're quiet today. Are you alright? It's not too cold in here is it?"

"The temperature's fine. I'm just thinking, that's all."

He hummed setting the bouquet aside and hopping on the counter. "Listen, I have to leave early today so I need you to close the store by yourself tonight."

"By myself?" you repeated, wide-eyed. You never opened or closed the store on your own before.

"By yourself," Taeil said, chuckling.

"Is it that guy you're always angry with on the phone?" you asked, approaching him.

"You mean Lucas? No, I've got more important things to take care of."

"Lucas is the one who blows up your phone all the time??" you guffawed.

"Yep. He thinks he needs my advice on everything so he calls a billion times a day."

"Aw, that's sweet," you cooed.

"Isn't it?" he retorted, sarcastically. "Let me show you how to close the register and I'll be on my way. As for everything else, you've done it a million times—you know the drill."

You nodded walking to the register and Taeil explained what to do, pulling out a wrinkled paper of instructions. It was a little complicated but you could manage. Taeil left shortly afterward and you pulled out your textbook, deciding to study for your midterms before rush hour came.

Before you knew it was almost time to close. The evening sky made the lighting inside the store dim and the temperature dropped twenty degrees causing you to go fetch your coat. It was strange being there alone at night. You always had Taeil cracking jokes to keep you from dying of boredom but tonight your only company was yourself.

You locked the door, flipping the 'open' sign around. You sighed, ready to go home and lie down already. You opened the register, counting the money, then following the instructions on the paper. You patted yourself on the back when you finished it without error and was heading to the back to turn off the lights when the bell chimed at the door.

"We're closed!" you yelled, rushing back to the front. You could've sworn you locked the door.

"Sorry, we're clo—" you started but didn't finish when you saw who it was.

Jaemin swallowed, waving Taeil's keys with his right hand. "Hey. It's been a while."

You turned your back, grabbing your purse. "We're closed."

Jaemin stepped closer to you, only for you to brush past him, busying yourself by closing the blinds. "Y/n, I'm sorry."

You said nothing as you walked to the next window, twisting the handle.

"Okay.." he said more to himself than you. "I understand why you wouldn't want to talk to me. I wouldn't want to talk to me either. It's been four months and I know I should've apologized sooner than this but..." he trailed off.

"Anyways, I just wanted to apologize and I hope it's not too late."

You stalked past him, picking up your book bag and throwing it over your shoulder.

"I'm about to turn the lights off so you might wanna get going," you said.

"Wait!" Jaemin exclaimed grabbing your shoulder. Sparks jolted under your skin where his hand touched you, causing you to jump.

"Uh, wait. Please?" He begged, retracting his hand. You turned around, folding your arms across your chest in an attempt to hide your trembling hands.

"I-I got these for you," Jaemin said holding out three middlemist's reds.

You gasped, slowly reaching out to take the flowers.

"I know getting you flowers was the problem in the first place but...I know how much you like these with your weird obsession with plants and all," he chuckled.

You frowned at him, pausing to smell the scent of the flowers. Middlemist's Reds were your favorite but you never seen them in real life, let alone held them in your hands.

"It's a good weird. I like it," he added, his words rushed. Jaemin stuffed his hands in his pockets awkwardly.

You smelled the flowers once more entranced by its sweet fragrance. "How did you get these? They only grow in two known places on Earth—and that's thousands of miles from here..."

Jaemin smiled. "Taeil has a cousin who lives about six-hundred miles out who grows exotic plants. Apparently, the soil out there is perfect for Middlemist's Reds.

Your frown deepened. "Taeil?"

Why would Taeil, the main person against your friendship in the first place, help Jaemin?

"Yeah," he said nervously laughing. "Anyway, I drove out and got them for you. Sorry, there's only three but who knew Middlemist's Reds were so expensive?"

You knew but you didn't say anything as you continued to examine the flowers. He drove six-hundred miles to buy your favorite flowers? He must've been driving for days. No one had ever done anything like that for you before, not even your parents would go out of their way to do that. Your heart pounded in your chest as you chewed your lip.

"Again, I apologize for that day. I royally fucked up and I know this doesn't make up for everything but this is just the beginning. I swear to you, y/n, you're the most amazing girl I've ever met. Everything you said about me was right. I played with girls' feelings just for the hell of it. I didn't care about anything or anyone but that all changed when I met you."

How cliche was that? Yet, you blinked, tears welling up in your eyes. There was no way this was actually happening. You'd seen this before. Heard those words coming from his lips in your dreams—it had to be a hallucination.

Jaemin took your cold hand, pressing his lips to the skin of your knuckles.

"Ever since I walked out the door that day, I've been miserable. I tried to forget you and I tried to stay away because I know I'm not deserving of you. I don't deserve to be your friend, your boyfriend—I don't even deserve to be in this room with you right now, asking for your forgiveness but I'm too selfish to keep myself away from you...I swear that guy you saw the first time we met is long gone. I can do a real relationship—at least I want to try...with you," he finished, his hand shaking as it held tightly onto yours.

"Okay," you whispered, closing your eyes.

"Okay?" he repeated, the biggest smile stretching across his face. "I'm forgiven?"

If you were smart you would say no and run as far away as you could. You should've kicked him out the moment he came in. Who gave him the right to come waltzing in as if the past four months didn't exist? It shouldn't have been so easy to wear you down but it was. Just seeing his face again made your heart jump and you had to suppress the urge to pull into a hug and beg him to never go away so long again. If Taeil saw something in him worth redeeming then it wouldn't hurt to try.

Tears spilled down your cheeks as you nodded your head. "Yes, now stop asking before I change my mind!"

Jaemin's eyes looked glossy as he threw himself into your arms, picking you up and spinning you around. You squealed in surprise, giggling.

"I missed you," you admitted, clutching tightly onto his jean jacket.

Jaemin pulled away, holding a warm hand to your cheek. "I'm sorry I was gone so long. Those four months was hell."

"It's okay...you came back right?" you said, leaning to his touch.

Jaemin shook his head. "I don't deserve you."

"Jaemin, I think...I think I love you," you stuttered.

Jaemin let out a shaky breath before he smashed his lips onto yours, almost knocking you over. His hands wrapped around your waist, balancing you, as you kissed him back. The hairs on your arms raised as the skin under his hands began to tingle again, your heart thundering in your chest.

Jaemin pulled away, his ears red.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking at the ground. "I just—I think I love you too."

You placed your hands on his neck, pulling him down to meet you halfway, your lips touching his. He tasted like bliss and coffee. When you pulled away you were both breathless and rosy-cheeked.

Jaemin grinned. "Can we finally go on that date now? I told you this was just the beginning."

You pecked his lips, a smile spreading feverishly. "What did you have planned this time?"

Jaemin mimed zipping his lips shut as he gestured towards the door. You turned out the lights and excitedly hopped into his car, cheesing ridiculously hard at each other, heading downtown to begin the start of the time of your life.

#florist au #na jaemin #jaemin nct #jaemin fluff #nct jaemin fluff #nct fluff #nct dream #nct dream fluff #writings #nct 2019 #kpop scenarios #kpop fluff #nct imagines #nct dream imagines #nct scenarios #nct reactions #nct dream reactions

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yourstrulyalexanderdietrich · 5 years ago

Text

A casual conversation between Nicolas de Lenfent and Alexander Deitrich: What to do about the mortal Jeffrey Todd

FROM HERE

@echo-de-la-lumiere

echo-de-la-lumiere:

Nicolas gives Max an appreciative and relieved look as he hands off all the gifts. He plops down on one knee and gestures for Alex’s hand to kiss yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh stop it now you’re being ridiculous. What the fuck happened the other night, Nic?” *settles into a comfortable chair, gestures to an identical one across* echo-de-la-lumiere: *thwarted, huffs and throws himself backwards into the chair with as much exhale as he can manage* “I did what you said. I sucked him, fucked him, the rest, all of it. *counts off on fingers as he speaks* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *rolls eyes* “No. The zombie. People are already talking Nic. They want to know who your boy is, this boy worth pulling rank over. So. Who is he?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He touched my stuff!” *sits up, looking indignant* “I thought your people knew better than to touch another vampire’s mortal. He should have been able to smell me on him.” “He’s the whore you called for me. The one with the Dead twin brother. Or were you going to surprise me at my funeral?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Be that as it may, you know it is your actions which will draw attention, not that of a zombie guest.” Alexander sighs. “So I take it this means you like the redhead?” *laughs* “Oh. Well. That. What does it matter? ” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He’s a fiery little devil. Your kin mistook him for the Dead one. If this happens again, talk is more expensive than one dead whore. What did you think I would do with him? Bring him into this life?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh I wouldn’t dare make such an assumption. I only figured if uninterrupted the boy’s path would be inevitable. Why not expose him to as much as possible before he makes his decision? It’s just a bit of fun.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “And if his brother yells for something like a war?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You think Niki London or Madame de Paris would lead us into war with the vampires over a yearling’s destroyed brother? Ha. What a fantasy.” “I am curious how things are going though. You like him enough.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “I’d prefer to be spared the interrogation and skip to the lecture, if you please. And we both know I am allergic to oversight.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Then why are you here Nicolas, if not to gossip?” *lifts a perfectly arched eyebrow.* “I all but gave him to you. I deserve to know. If you’re just going to waste him...well, how terribly boring.” “Do you get good use out of him at least?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *finally looks over at Alexander and grins* “I enjoy the way he asks for more and regrets it in the same breath. Especially when his ass his full.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *rolls his eyes again* “Getting your money’s worth then. When is he going to start giving it to you for free?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “Ah, the boy is a professional, n’cest-ce pas? He wouldn’t.” “Whoever heard of a whore giving it away for free? Bad for business, even for a regular.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *regards Nicolas carefully* "So what is this then? You going to pay him twice a week until you exhaust him? I assumed you wanted more." echo-de-la-lumiere: “How much do I pay to keep him *only* mine?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Well that depends of course. Does he want to be yours?" echo-de-la-lumiere: *watches Alexander carefully* “This is why I asked about the brother. Why does it matter what Jeff wants?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Well if he does not want you, you're going to have a helluva time convincing him to only work for you. Does he like you?" echo-de-la-lumiere: “Bien sûr. I make him like me.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Mmm, you're so charming of course," *sarcasm is heavy enough to crush any spirit* "Do you want him to like you?" "Think about it before you answer." echo-de-la-lumiere: *grins, all fangs* “I want him to love me.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Why?" *sharp, to the point* echo-de-la-lumiere: “I want him to need me.” “Why do you have Max?” *asked almost idly, but eyes are watchful* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "Max assists me in most aspects of my life. He's versatile and resilient, and I need someone I can trust." echo-de-la-lumiere: “But you could manage without him, yes, you could survive, if you wanted?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *shrugs* "Of course Darling, I'm a cockroach." "But I would not have the same sense of security and well being as I do with him. He does so much for me, you know that." "Do you know how much work it is to care for a mortal?" "You want him to love you, you want him to need you, those are big and broad words Nicolas, do you know what you want them to do for you?" "Consider, for example, if he falls in love with you. What will you do then? Consider if he needs you--not only that precious cock of yours, but everything you could conceivably provide as a...well a patron to his art. He needs a shelter, food, proper care. How much of that responsibility do you want?" “Now I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with keeping a pet, but is that what you want?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What does Max require? Is that what you give him? Does he love you?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Max is self sufficient. He only needs me for one thing and that’s keeping my end of our bargain. I would say he’s grown accustomed to me.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “Be truthful. Does he love you?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *pauses, features arrange into something pleasantly neutral* “Ours is an arranged marriage. Maybe it’s easier if he’s grown to care for me. But love? Darling, as pretty as it would sound if I told you he did, I really don’t think so.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “How do I do it without driving him mad? I want to see what happens, what he does.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “What? Like you drive me mad?” *smirks* “Define “mad”. What do you really want from him? Companionship? Housework? Blood letting? Something you can dress up cute and fuckable to take with you to the parties you ruin?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “I don’t ruin every party I attend!” “Let him keep my house if he wishes. I would prefer to leave him trussed in my absence and trotted out at one of those awful soirées.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “So you want to show off? Play with the big kids? Well I suppose it’s good for you. How old are you? Probably time you put in a little effort to your reputation. Well. A house pet then. You don’t care what he does for you as long as he looks, tastes, and fucks good? You’re probably more or less on the right track then.” “Do you intend to enthral him?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What do I do with him, do I tell him I’ll buy out his contract?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “I’m not going to talk to you if you won’t answer my questions. Are you going to enthral him? If you do, he’ll beg to be yours Nicolas. That’s exactly what I mean, you’ll have him without having to spend another euro.” “Does he know what you taste like? Can you tell if he likes it?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *frowns, puzzled* "Why does any of that matter? Isn't it enough if I make sure he won't want to live without me?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: "*Is* it enough? Do you want him clawing at you at every moment? You've seen how ugly the botched ones are. Don't you want someone who can still stand up with his own goddamn spine? I mean it isn't always the vampire's fault, sometimes people just aren't cut out for it. You should be able to tell even now if he'll crumble. You know, like those miserable ones Dorian has had to put down early, the ones who just beg and whine the entire time and cry without a pacifier. You know, you've seen them." echo-de-la-lumiere: "How *is* Dorian? I haven't heard him in quite some time. No, Jeff quite likes everything I do. Perhaps it's time he realizes it." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Oh he’s well. Just got back from Iran. Business is going well for him.” “So what, you think you’ll just convince him? Offer a full time position and he’ll jump on it?” (He assumes so) echo-de-la-lumiere: *makes a face* "A messy orchestration. He creates such messy arrangements. Will his brother interfere? You seem to know more about this than you're willing to allow me to operate on." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “The brother is fickle. They’re young. Obviously he’s a bit preoccupied at the moment. It only happened about eight months ago. From what I understand he offered his twin come over with him, even though they have no bloody idea how to do it, and the twin—yours—left in the middle of the day for Paris. I think it damn near broke the kid’s heart.” *shrugs* “I’m sure the brother won’t cause you trouble unless you let him. If you dispose of your pet once you get bored with him I’m sure there will be hard feelings.” *pouts* “I know I’ll be disappointed.” “What do you want him for anyway? I know it was a marvellous suggestion made by a very good friend with the best intentions but if I’m honest Nicolas I never expected you to put in the effort. Why make him yours when you can have a new one every night?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I've had him." *he shrugs* "Now I don't want anyone else to. What were this very good friend's best intentions?" "I cannot give him what you want. Hundreds of years later, I am still watched." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “I’m not suggesting you turn him. That would be an irresponsible recommendation.” *grins* “I just...well from a bystander’s perspective darling I just want to see what happens. Besides you say he likes you already. I can’t imagine. Have you given him your blood?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "Well of course I have! I fucked him, why wouldn't I give him a taste? I am a responsible lover." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Ever the gentleman. A taste Darling? A drop? Or do you shoot it in the back of his throat?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *proudly* "All of the above. But what's the point of you asking?" "Do you suddenly have an interest in our bestial affairs, O Holy One?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You know what I’m asking, Monsieur. At least you should if you know how Dorian keeps his beauties wanting. You do know how thralls come into being yes?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *sighs wearily* "You mean when you don't finish your food and they come back wanting more?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Mm that’s certainly one way to put it. What do you make of such situations?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "It..." *looks away* "I *looks surprised when his voice cracks* "—I am not overly fond of the arrangement, no." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *watches Nicolas falter. Doesn’t actually want to offend his friend but has a clear desire to understand his motives* “Darling, if you feed him too much, and by too much I mean mouthfuls, he will be entirely and completely devoted to you. He will crave everything about you, your touch, your scent, the taste of you, any spare glance. You’ve seen these creatures. But if you do it, if you want that from him, you must be able to provide for him.” “He would be a good companion for you. Hell, if he can handle you already even without a thirst f his very own then I think he’s worth he effort.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *looks at Alexander* "How do you do it with Max? He provides for himself, you don't feed him. I've seen the two of you." *wistful look* "He's always so warm and wiling." "Even when he doesn't need to be." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Max and I have a business relationship, that’s all. I employ him. If you want to give this boy a job to do, fine...ask him to clean your house and take your clothes to e dry cleaners and pay him twenty euro an hour to do it. But if you want him in your home and in your bed and under your teeth, you’re going to have to do something to negate what is only going to be a natural animal rebellion. What kind of creature puts himself in a position to be /fed/ on at the leisure of his predator?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You know I don’t drink Max. I certainly don’t fuck him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I don't need an assistant, I need someone who will fight me on things. What's so bad about that?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Nothing at all!” *grins* “You want him for yourself. You don’t want to break him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "What do I do if he's broken already?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *somewhat surprised* “Why? Do you think he is?” *laughs* “This might come as a surprise but just because he likes you doesn’t mean he’s broken.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *expression is carefully blank* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “All the better if he can naturally tolerate you. There are very few of us who can, after all.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *smiles at Alexander fondly* "And do you merely tolerate my awful presence, Alexander, dear?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *pouts* “Darling didn’t you just say you like it when people fight you? That must mean you adore me as much as I you, if you tolerate my constant “affection”...” *rests head in his palm, sighs pleasantly* “So. Tell me more. Do you have a plan?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *bites into his lip idly, deliberately letting Alexander smell him, goading him on* "You overestimate me, my dear. If I had a satisfactory plan, would I be asking what you do with Max?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *notes that Nicolas trades the tease of fresh Blood for the admission of a need for council* “Well all I know is that you want him to need and you don’t want him to go mad. A dilemma indeed.” “Do you want him in your home? Or farther than that?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "Are you going to laugh at my answer?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No, of course not. Not if you’re honest with me.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "I want something that'll love me, and let me fuck it when I want to but not all the time, and maybe I'd always find it at home when it was time to sleep, but it could entertain itself and tell me interesting things when I got home..." *trails off* "Max does that for you, right, except for the fucking? He loves you." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Yes,” *smiles fondly* “if those are your criteria I suppose he does. Now. Will I ever get to meet this Living boy you want to love you?” echo-de-la-lumiere: “What would you intend with him?” “I saw him first. He has my Blood.” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *laughs gently* “Consider me curious. I only want to know if he is as handsome and angry as his brother.” echo-de-la-lumiere: “He’s not promised, then? I can have him? What do I do if he starts going...” *makes a squiggly hand gesture* “Tiresome?” yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “You back the fuck up and call me before you do anything.” “Would you have any objection if I asked you for the leftovers? Personal project.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "You want a little one running around, is that it?" *smiles, amused* yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. I only believe my stamina for curiosity will outlast your patience.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *suddenly sits up straight from where he's begun to slouch* "Is that so? Care for a wager of some kind regarding dear Jeffrey's survival?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Mmmm. Interesting. What would the stakes be? We both want the boy to survive but don’t exactly have the utmost confidence in the other’s motives. Is that correct?” echo-de-la-lumiere: "What is it you want that I've been refusing you?" "Make it interesting." "*I* want Max. For an evening performance on the saxophone." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. You do not get Max. I don’t even know what that means no you can’t have him.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "You can be present, I only want to hear him perform!" "Entertain *my* curiosity, why don't you?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Do you withhold from me, Darling? I couldn’t tell. If I win...if you grow tired of the boy or kill him prematurely or neglect or fuck him to death I win. I win...your cooperation and time until the end of the world. If the brother steals him from you or makes an attempt on your life, you win OR if he boy asks you to and you successfully turn him, you’ll be granted an automatic win. How does that sound?” “No. Leave Max out of this. What kind of performance would you want from him anyhow? I won’t let you.” echo-de-la-lumiere: "No deal. If I turn him, your people give me safe harbor from *my* people. And would you render me a slave with my services? If I lose, you may call upon me once a year with a request that does not endanger myself or my interests, until Jeff is destroyed. And Max plays the saxophone, does he not?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “No. He does not play the saxophone and even if he did how do I know this performance you have dreamed up for him won’t be something depraved? He’s not to be fed from, pushed, tortured, entrapped, or fucked by any one of my peers.” *breathes* “If either of us turn him it’s an automatic win. But he has to choose which side he goes to, go willingly, and survive the transformation. I can grant you my own protection but Darling I do have my limits. It’s not the only way to win, besides. Let’s give it a year. One year. If he survives the year win defaults to you. I shall permit you an evening’s /conversation/ with Max at a location of his choosing...just the two of you. If you kill the boy before then or he is not of sound mind or body, then I win and my prize is the leftovers.” “After a year we renegotiate, and present options to the unfortunate one.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *raises one eyebrow* "That's all you want? Leftovers?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “To do with as I please, yes.” “No stashing corpses in your closet. I can’t turn an already rotting body but I can work with a dead one.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *visibly more eager-looking* "That all sounds quite reasonable." yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “Does it?” *quirks a brow* “Shall we shake on it then?” echo-de-la-lumiere: *looks up at Alexander incredulously and stands up with his wrist offered* "Are you Undead or not?" yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: *drags himself up from the hair with minor theatrics* “As you wish, my love.” echo-de-la-lumiere: *grins and bites his own wrist with a loud popping sound, then offers it to Alexander * yourstrulyalexanderdietrich: “If you can stomach it...” *offers his own wrist, unbitten for the vampire’s pleasure, and dips with a delicate flick of hair to drag his Dead purple tongue against the offered wound.* echo-de-la-lumiere: “I wasn’t doing anything else tonight anyway.” *closes his eyes as Alexander drinks, then delicately* “Pardon.” *slips fangs in for a quick draw before sealing the wound with his tongue* *shudders at the Dead Blood sludging through his veins and slowing him down*

#spooky action

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llewynalarcon-blog · 6 years ago

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I only want to say, if there is a way take this cup away from me. For I don’t want to taste its poison. Feel it burning. I have changed. I’m not as sure as when we first started

Then I was inspired. now I’m sad and tired. Listen, surely I’ve exceeded expectation. Tried for three years seems like forty. Could you ask as much from any other man?

► GENERAL INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Llewyn Alarcón NICKNAME(S): phantom. N/A AGE: Forty-Three GENDER: Cis-male (he/him.) HERITAGE: Human JEDI RANK: Jedi Master. LIGHTSABER: Cross-blade, blue. OCCUPATION: Fulcrum Agent. SEXUALITY: Bisexual

► APPEARANCE

FACE CLAIM: Oscar Isaac HEIGHT: 5′10″. BUILD: Average height & Weight DOMINANT HAND: Right. HAIR COLOR: Grey w/ hints of brown EYE COLOR: Dark brown DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Burn mark on right rib cage Horizontal on right wrist and upper arm Small healed scar on right cheek Discolored (like a rash) marks on the palm, thumb, index and pinky finger of his left hand

► BACKGROUND

HOMEPLANET: Christophsis CURRENT RESIDENCE: Yavin IV. FAMILIAL CONNECTIONS: Mother: Oyeyemi Alarcón Sister: Lyra Alarcón Brother: Malone Alarcón OTHER CONNECTIONS: Former Jedi Master: Serafina Belacqua (deceased.) ► EXTRA INFORMATION

MYER-BRIGGS: INTJ ENNEAGRAM: Type 1. TEMPERAMENT: Choleric MORAL ALIGNMENT: chaotic good ( “individuals matter more to me than rules and other’s well being is more important than my own.”) SIN: Pride VIRTUE: Diligence ELEMENT: Earth. HOGWARTS HOUSE: Gryffindor ► THINGS DONE:

► HABITS:

► KNOWS HOW TO:

#m: moodboard #c: headcanons #see the thing about moodboards #is that I don't understand how to make them #so here you go #ex:graphic

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nniedra · 6 years ago

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“I must pour myself out of my hands / into the gardens of / dark blue.” — Rainer Maria Rilke

► GENERAL INFORMATION

FULL NAME: Noa Niedra.

NICKNAME(S): N/a.

AGE: 43.

GENDER: Cis-female (She/her.)

HERITAGE: Morellian.

JEDI RANK: Master.

LIGHTSABER: Double-bladed staff; green.

Custom made. The two sides are detachable, to become dual sabers, or one half to become a lightwhip

OCCUPATION: Crechemaster.

SEXUALITY: Bisexual.

► APPEARANCE

FACE CLAIM: Diane Guerrero.

HEIGHT: 5′3.

WEIGHT: Petite.

DOMINANT HAND: Ambidextrous.

HAIR COLOR: Black.

EYE COLOR: Dark brown.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES:

Several overlapping blaster scars over her back and stomach from the event that named her a Jedi Master and then Order 66.

Beauty mark below her left eye.

► BACKGROUND

HOMEPLANET: Morellia.

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Yavin IV.

FAMILIAL CONNECTIONS:

Parents: Delara & Silas Niedra. (deceased. does not remember them.)

Older brother & younger sister: Casen & Laia. (status unknown. vaguely remembers.)

OTHER CONNECTIONS:

Former Jedi master: Rami Anez. (deceased.)

Padawan: Fein Komo.

Creche Children.

► EXTRA INFORMATION

JUNG TYPE: ENFP.

ENNEAGRAM: Type 2 / 7.

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine.

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Neutral / Lawful Good.

SIN: Gluttony.

VIRTUE: Patience.

ELEMENT: Earth.

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Gryffindor.

► THINGS DONE:

► HABITS:

► KNOWS HOW TO:

#ex:graphics #edit.#hc.#full s/o to 17 yr old noa not here to Play with her lightsaber #she really looked like she was 9 and wanted to be indiana jones

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ingridella · 6 years ago

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25 Days Of "Simstas”Challenge - Sims 4

Hello hello! This is a challenge(My first challenge!) made by me, Ingridella, to help start my new youtube channel, but I would love for others to try it as well! I'm going to be doing this challenge on my youtube channel starting December 1, 2018. It would mean a lot if you could subscribe and if you want, get ready to watch the lp!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP056k7nC9DMtgJ4x198Mng

And maybe follow me on tumblr? :*

*If you do an lp on this, it would mean a bunch if you could give credit/and or link this site in the description! And if you're feeling extra nice, maybe link my channel as well? :)

Now the Christmas season is coming up and I wanted to do something different with my sims but I wanted a new challenge. I've been doing the same challenges for a while now and now I want to switch it up! Here's how it works:

-"The ultimate goal is to have the best Christmas("simstas”) that can be! Of course, that is not accomplished without trial and error, but if you truly believe in the Christmas spirit, you can do it!"

-There are 5 stages, and each stage is 5 days(In real time! And by real-time I mean 20-25 minutes long which is about an episode of an lp, but if you want to do days by game time go right ahead, but it will be hard) Each day has different objectives that you must complete in order to achieve the "best Christmas". You can do anything you want during the "day", as long as the objectives are completed.

-Below are the rules and stages, and if you do this challenge I hope you get the perfect Simstas! I still want this to be challenging and I hope it gets challenging as you go through the stages. You have to work towards perfection, after all!

Rules/Guide: *Requires Sims 4 seasons. OPTIONAL: Sims 4 Cats and Dogs

*Must start with at least one sim, but this challenge is built around having a family. (The more family the better yet challenging! Recommend 4-6 family members but you can have as big or small as you want), and you can have a family pet too!

*You can give any traits you want to your family, but I recommend giving at least one a cheerful trait, and another a mean-spirited/evil/or gloomy trait! Or all three!

*Must start in winter, and set season length to 28 days

* You can start/live in any house and neighborhood, but once you start NO MONEY CHEATS (If you can’t pay bills, you’re just gonna be in the dark :P) TRY NOT TO USE ANY CHEATS AT ALL but of course, OCCASIONAL need cheats and resetsim are okay! Remember, you can't cheat the perfect Christmas!

* IF you REALLY want a challenge, start homeless, but your family must start with $5,000 or less. ( $0, if you are the ultimate daredevil)

*You can do any age span (I'm putting mine on long but normal is probably ideal).

*If any of your family members die, you need to have a funeral for them. You can use the calendar to do this or set up your own but everyone must grieve this sim. If your family member is aging up, you must throw a birthday party.

*Move winterfest to the 25th or the last day!

*OPTIONAL(Though recommended!): I am adding some holidays to the calendar to try and spice things up while playing with the objectives! They will be on the last day of each stage! (about every Friday I think?) If you choose to add them, you must participate in the holiday! Here are the ones I came up with:

"Bonding Day" Traditions (Add this to the end of Stage 1):

*Appreciate an object, *Drinking, *Invite Guests,*Sports TV, *Grand Meal

"Winter Generosity" Traditions (Add this to the end of Stage 2):

*Give Flowers, *Tell Stories, *Thankful Spirit, *Decorate *Baking

"Ebenezer Scrooge" Traditions *Must go to work/school (Add this to the end of Stage 3):

*Air Grievances, *Drinking, *Fighting, *Mischief Spirit

"Everday Forgiveness" *Must go to work, school (Add this to the end of Stage 4)

*Cleaning, *Decorate, *Sports Tv, *Tell stories

Stage One: "Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"

In this stage you and/or your family are starting to get in the Christmas spirit! Now is a good time to make friends and get those relationships close!

Day 1 Objectives:

* Start decorating for the winter season!

* Have the whole family have a meal together OR Watch tv together OR have a conversation with everyone.

*Take the family out somewhere to get familiar with the place and each other!

Day 2 Objectives:

* Have a sim(s) go out and make some friends! (Must make two friends per sim that you choose to take out)

*Take a new friend out somewhere! (A bar, the park, ect.) For at least 2 hours

*Spend at least $10 with a friend

Day 3 Objectives:

*Get to the next relationship stage with a family member or pet. (Ex. From "Friend" to "Good Friend")

*Invite one of your new friends over to meet some of your family! (One of your friends must at least be semi-well acquainted with your friend before they leave)

*Have a snowball fight with your family members or spend some time watching tv together!

Day 4 Objectives:

*Make some more friends(Must at least make two) or invite your friends over!

*Have a sim(s) go out on a date with someone (You must take them somewhere indoors, its chilly outside!)

*Try to keep everyone in a good mood today!

Day 5 Objectives:

*ITS BONDING DAY! Celebrate bonding day today, or throw a House Party and invite all your new friends! (Must at least be silver)

*Become best friends with someone or a pet!

*All children must be in bed by 9:30 tonight! They must be tired from all the bonding festivities.

Stage Two: "Christmas Bonus"

In this stage its all about money and improvement! You want to able to afford all those nice presents, right? You want to go into the new year with the best you, right?

(See the bottom of this post for skill challenges for adults/teens/children)

Day 1 Objectives:

*Now is a good time to get a job! If one of your sims already has a job, let them continue. (optional -->) If you want to make sure your family gets the best gifts, another sim must get a job.

*Have a sim get to level 2 of a new skill

*Make sure everyone gets their homework/extra credit done! (if you have children, someone needs to get an A by the end of this stage)

Day 2 Objectives:

*For the rest of the stage, your sims with jobs must complete all promotion tasks and get ahead of the skill game. (Ex. If they need level two charisma, shoot for level 3)

*Have a sim reach level 3 of a new skill

*Make sure everyone gets their homework/extra credit done!

Day 3 Objectives:

*Have someone go out looking for collectibles/fish/ect to sell for money (Must obtain at least 3)

*Have a sim reach level 4 of any skill (If they have level 4 of a skill already, you must focus on another skill)

*Make sure everyone gets their homework/extra credit done.

*If you have a toddler, get them to at least level 2 of each skill (if they already have level 2, choose two skills to get to level 3)

Day 4 Objectives:

*Have a working sim get to the next relationship level with a pet/family member. You need to remember why you're working so hard in the first place!

*Have a sim reach level 5 of any skill (same rules apply as specified on Day 3)

*Make sure everyone gets their homework/extra credit done

Day 5 Objectives:

*ITS WINTER GENEROSITY! Its all about appreciating everyone who worked hard! Celebrate the holiday today or throw a Dinner Party and invite some of your friends(at least 3) to appreciate every one!

*Have a sim to talk to every family member, pet, and guest if you threw a party.

*Add $12,000 to your household funds. You earned it!

Stage Three: “Oh my, aren’t you a real Scrooge?!" Oh no! It seems that all that money and thankfulness went straight to everyone's head! Everyone has forgotten the Christmas spirit and are turning into some real Scrooge's!

Day 1 Objectives:

*Have one sim quit their job (They were too good for them anyway!)

*Have at least two family members be mean to each other or a pet. (at least 2 mean interactions)

*Have two sims be mean to their closest friend. (At least 2 mean interactions)

Day 2 Objectives:

*Have a sim reach level 2 Mischief Skill (Must be accomplished through interactions with other sims)

*Have a sim downgrade a relationship point with a family member. (Ex. Best friends to Good friends)

*Have a sim fight a stranger. (They were looking at you funny!)

Day 3 Objectives:

*Have a sim reach level 3 Mischief Skill (Must be accomplished through interactions with other sims)

*Choose a sim to be your "liquid solver". (They must have at least 5 drinks every day for the rest of this stage) When they finish their five drinks, subtract $100 from household funds.

*Have a teenager/child skip school for a day (2 days if you're playing for an extended amount of time)

Day 4 Objectives:

*Have a sim downgrade a relationship point with a friend and family member.

*Have a sim go out and become enemies with 2 sims or go out and fight 5 sims around the world.

*Have a teenager/child run away for a night. (Don't allow them to be home between 9-7am)

Day 5 Objectives:

*EBENEZER SCROOGE! Spend the day celebrating the holiday by getting all the anger and greed out your body or spend the day going around and fighting 10 sims!

*Must subtract $6,000 from household funds. (the greed got to your head huh?) If you don't have that much money, you must go broke. $0 :(

Stage Four: "The Nice List" "I'm sorry!" Your family got a visit from the 3 spirits of Christmas last night and they finally realize their wrongs! They spent all that time being corrupt and they forgot the true meaning of family and Christmas cheer! It's time to set things right! Especially if you want Father Winter to come by!

Day 1 Objectives:

*Have your sims improve their relationships with the family members/pets they fought with by one relationship point. (Ex. Friends to Good friends)

*Have a sim get a job. (They could use the helping hands)

*Have the whole family have a meal together

Day 2 Objectives:

*Have your sims improve their relationships with the friends they fought with by one relationship point.

*Have a sim go out with their friend(s) for at least 3 hours.

*Have a teenager/ child spend time with their sibling(s). If they don't have a sibling, have them spend time with a family member or friend.

Day 3 Objectives:

*Have a sim send friendly texts to their enemy(s) or everyone they fought

*Have a sim go out on a date or try for a baby!

*Have a sim get to level 2 Charisma Skill

Day 4 Objectives:

*Have a sim make amends with someone they dislike/an enemy. (Get them to at least be an acquaintance, but if they're not having it by the end of the day, at least you tried!)

*Have the whole family do an activity together for at least an hour. (Watching tv, snowball fight, talking)

*Get a sim to level 3 Charisma (Must be achieved through talking with other sims)

Day 5 Objectives:

*EVERYDAY FORGIVENESS! You spent long enough dwelling on the past mistakes. Spend the day celebrating the holiday or throw a house/black and white bash and invite some friends (at least 3)

*Add $4,000 to your household funds. Consider it a forgive and forget gift.

Stage 5: "Christmas, Christmas time is here!"

Finally, Christmas is approaching! Through thick and thin you and your family has made it here! It's time to relax and have fun and get those relationships up! Don't you want those good presents from grandma?

Day 1 Objectives:

*Have the whole family do an activity together. (DInner, tv, snowball fight, ect.)

*Invite your friend(s) over to tell them about your Christmas plans! (At least 2 hours must be spent with you conversing with them)

*Redecorate your house!

Day 2 Objectives:

*Move houses or give your home a makeover! (At least one room must be redone)

*Have teenagers/children go out with their friends and have fun! (2 hours)

*Have a sim meet someone new and become friends with them.

Day 3 Objectives:

*Have a sim go out on a date or woohoo, or try for a baby!

*Have a sim get to level 2 of the gourmet cooking skill.

*Have a sim spend time with your pet. If you don't have a pet, you can ignore this bullet and relax for the rest of the day.

Day 4 Objectives:

*Have all working sims take a vacation day

*Take the whole family out of the house to spend the day with each other! (Must be gone from 2pm-8pm) And have all sims in the family improve a relationship by a point with at least one family member

*Call at least 2 of your friends by the end of the day

Day 5 Objectives:

*ITS SIMSTAS!!! You MUST celebrate today! Have the time of your lives and do as many activities as possible

*Make sure everyone stays in the best mood possible today

CONGRATS! YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR 25 DAYS OF SIMSTAS! I hope this challenge was fun and not too hard to complete! I hope I can do it and you can see me succeed or fail this challenge starting December 1st when I upload it to my youtube ( and if you could please subscribe it would mean a ton!!!) And follow me on here? Maybe :D?

Here are the skill challenges that you can try for stage 2: Toddler: "Mommy's smart cookie" *Get to level 5 of every skill without the wabbit tablet. (Honestly, I use the wabbit tablet bc it's so easy and helpful but this is a challenge after all!) Children: "Social workout" *Achieve level 8 of the social and motor skills. Children: "Brilliant Picasso" *Achieve level 8 of the mental and creative skills Teenagers: "Built-in helper" *Must do all of the toddler care when they are not away *Reach level 5 cooking and Handiness skill. Teenagers: "Entertainer" *Reach Level 5 Painting, Guitar, and piano skill. Adult: "Ideal Parent" * Reach level 7 of cooking, charisma, and handiness Adult: "Survivalist" *Reach Level 6 Fishing, logic, and mixology

#Sims 4 #Sims #Challenge #Christmas #25 days of christmas #Simmers #Simmer #Youtube #Let's Play #Ingridella #LP #Challenges #hard #medium #easy #Sims 3 #EA #Seasons #Sims 4 seasons

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